Here are some notes from my message about “Transforming the Mind” – the need of every Christian in the Body of Christ. I hope that the steps are of benefit to you as they have been and continue to be in me. I would love to hear your thoughts about this subject and what has worked for you.
Mike
Key scriptures
Romans 12:1-2
Ephesians 4:17-32 – “Put off” and “Put on”
Steps of Transformation.
1. Yield to God and His Word.
a. Absolute Truth.
b. The mirror to our heart and the gateway to growth – Treasure Hunting.
2. Awareness of areas that need to change – Self assessment.
a. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal.
b. Humbly permit and accept what needs to transform – ADMIT it!
c. We are comfortable in and we often like our old Patterns (SIN).
3. Discover the lies you believe that permit the behavior – the old pattern – PUT OFF.
a. What you “think” gives you “permission” to act.
b. What lies do you tell yourself? “I’m no good” – “I am less than”– “It’s OK for me to do it”– “I’m not hurting anyone else” – “this is my only Vice!” – etc. etc
4. Search the Word
a. Discover how God wants you to think – a new pattern – PUT ON.
b. The lie says this – but God’s word tells me this.
5. Apply the truth - A new operating System
a. When you hear the old lies – you speak the new Truth to them. Satan tempts us through the “little” lies we believe.
b. You chose to operate according to the new Truth.
6. Transformed thoughts bring transformed actions.
a. Begin to “Act” according to the Truth.
7. Develop a contingency plan – “Rinse and Repeat!”
a. What do I do when I trip up during the process of growth?
b. Confess your failure and accept the forgiveness your Heavenly Father.
c. Repeat the steps above and continue weeding out the lies of Satan and apply Gods Truth.
d. Press On
Additional reading:
Colossians 3:1-10
2Corinthians 10:3-6
John 15:1-15
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Interview
I had a great interview (for a class I am taking) with a guy that I met about three years ago on a plane a couple weeks ago. He is a CEO of a large corporation in Louisiana. it was interesting when I met him because we were both sitting next to each other in coach seats on a Southwest flight through Houston. He messed around with his Blackberry for a bit and we just chit chatted a bit - you know the normal stuff that new acquaintances say - "how's the weather in Louisiana?", "Wow are those blue tarps really covering homes damaged in the hurricane?", "What is Texas like?", "Nice Cowboys Boots" etc . When he was getting up to depart he gave me his card with a handshake and an "if you need anything" type of goodbye. I looked at his card after he had left and it told me that he was the CEO of this large corporation.
I was not so impressed with his position as I was impressed with his demeanor. Some leaders of notoriety bask in the position of authority that they hold. This guy was so down to earth - riding coach when he could have his own plane. When the assignment to "contact a leader that you have been impressed with" came up in my class he was the first one that came to mind.
When I called his office to see about the possibility of an interview he said, "well I think you're scraping the bottom of the Barrel!"
I began the interview with having him tell me some of the "moments" that defined his direction as he became a leader. He gave me one. He said that he decided to take an ROTC class at Tulane University because it would be an easy A. What he did not expect was that the course would place him in the Navy for a season where he cut his "leadership teeth". Most of what he learned as a foundation to his leadership and the doors that have opened for him were after a decision where he was not even looking to the future.
Here is a list of some of the leadership principles that he shared with me.
- Being an old sailor he said, "As a leader, you need to be able to curse with the sailors and sip tea with the Queen and then relate with every one in between."
- "I do not suffer BS lightly!" Meaning - cut the crap! Be your best but don't fake it.
- Don't be fake. Real Leaders can smell out a fake a mile away. Be real.
- With regard to BS he said that most of his leadership opportunities came after he "called someone out" when they were wrong (BS-ing) What happens is that when you call someone out people will look to you for the direction that you think they should go. It then both gives you an opportunity to prove yourself and requires that you become the leader and lead into what you feel is right action.
- Be true to yourself. Do not be anyone else. Sooner or later you will need to make a choice between who you want to be and yourself.
I was not so impressed with his position as I was impressed with his demeanor. Some leaders of notoriety bask in the position of authority that they hold. This guy was so down to earth - riding coach when he could have his own plane. When the assignment to "contact a leader that you have been impressed with" came up in my class he was the first one that came to mind.
When I called his office to see about the possibility of an interview he said, "well I think you're scraping the bottom of the Barrel!"
I began the interview with having him tell me some of the "moments" that defined his direction as he became a leader. He gave me one. He said that he decided to take an ROTC class at Tulane University because it would be an easy A. What he did not expect was that the course would place him in the Navy for a season where he cut his "leadership teeth". Most of what he learned as a foundation to his leadership and the doors that have opened for him were after a decision where he was not even looking to the future.
Here is a list of some of the leadership principles that he shared with me.
- Being an old sailor he said, "As a leader, you need to be able to curse with the sailors and sip tea with the Queen and then relate with every one in between."
- "I do not suffer BS lightly!" Meaning - cut the crap! Be your best but don't fake it.
- Don't be fake. Real Leaders can smell out a fake a mile away. Be real.
- With regard to BS he said that most of his leadership opportunities came after he "called someone out" when they were wrong (BS-ing) What happens is that when you call someone out people will look to you for the direction that you think they should go. It then both gives you an opportunity to prove yourself and requires that you become the leader and lead into what you feel is right action.
- Be true to yourself. Do not be anyone else. Sooner or later you will need to make a choice between who you want to be and yourself.
- If you are not willing to "pound the table" over an issue - meaning fight for what you think needs to be done - don't bother bringing it up.
- Get the right people on the bus with you and just as importantly get the wrong people off the bus. When you have done your work to develop a solid team - the work will take care of itself. When Crisis comes you will have a solid response because you have already done your job.
- Most important - speak truth.
He is not a guy that has a ton of Charisma but he is a guy that stands with solid integrity. I think that charisma is over rated when it comes to solid leadership - it is much deeper than looking good.
The interview was a blast - I hope you can use some of the info.
Peace,
Mike
Saturday, July 9, 2011
More!
I remember when I was 19 I began thinking about church and the whole “religious” setting that I was being raised in. I found a relationship with Christ primarily through the loving guidance of my parents. We would faithfully attend church 2 times on a Sunday, sunday school, and weekly programs which were great. I began pondering the power of God’s Word and miracles as well as the “presence” of God that is talked of in the Word. With regard to Sunday services I continued to have one recurring question - “is this all that there is”. Is this all that Christian faith is about. Everything about my Christian faith centered on being at a specific building.
My question put me on a path of discovery – “there must be more" to this Christian faith and I set out to find "it". As a bachelor I remember spending hours late at night searching for the “something” more. I was developing as a worship leader and seeking for more of God. I was looking for Him as if searching for treasure. This made me appear a little weird – my heart was not after the things of most people my age. I wanted more of God.
I remember the church that I was a part of sending me to a worship leading conference for a week in Dallas, Texas. I remember the first night as if it were yesterday instead of over twenty years ago. 2000+ worshippers from all over the world all came together seeking the same “thing” – God! It was electric - People hungry for more of Him. There is a literal powerful experience when God manifests His presense – when He “shows up”. Though we do not seek God for the feelings and emotion that occur When in a worship setting, there is a literal "weightiness" that comes with His presence.
The conference was at a hotel you could wake up any time of the night and go to the conference hall and find people worshipping – seeking after Him. (This is something that happened in the Temple in Jerusalem by the way - 24/7) You cannot explain the experience. It is beyond us – but the presence of God is as real as (even more so) what you and I see with our eyes.
Some questions to ponder. Why are people that are actually seeking for more of God looked at as the "weird ones" or the "odd balls" often by those that seem to have relationship with Christ. Have we already been satisfied with the American dream and therefore not desperate for God? This alone may be a reason missionaries from other lands witness the power and presense of God daily - they are desperate for Him.
Why are we so satisfied with a mediocre relationship with Him in our American churches as if we have experienced all of Him? He is infinite in all that He is and in all that He is willing to give His children. Why do we seem to think that the Almighty God who gave His Son for us so that we could have relationship with Him still wants to keep us at a distance? He desires for us to passionately seek after Him as if searching for fine treasure.
I am back at the place of desperation for more of God. I am not satisfied with worship purchased off the shelf. It is as if we think that if we do it with all the right instruments and vocals and have a good “show” that means we are in the presence of God.
I am desperate for depth in worship. Worship is more than a song. Worship is also making a sacrificial but right choice according to God’s Word. Worship is also someone going through difficulty yet offering a life of praise to the glory of God. Worship is life. And yes worship is vocal singing heartfelt words of love and affection to the Almighty.
I am desperate for His presence and know that He is there waiting for his church to come seeking after Him. You too may be in a place where the Spirit of God is causing this thought “there must be more!” within you. He is only drawing us deeper because there truly is infinitely more. He desires for His true followers to seek after Him.
Digging for treasure,
Mike
My question put me on a path of discovery – “there must be more" to this Christian faith and I set out to find "it". As a bachelor I remember spending hours late at night searching for the “something” more. I was developing as a worship leader and seeking for more of God. I was looking for Him as if searching for treasure. This made me appear a little weird – my heart was not after the things of most people my age. I wanted more of God.
I remember the church that I was a part of sending me to a worship leading conference for a week in Dallas, Texas. I remember the first night as if it were yesterday instead of over twenty years ago. 2000+ worshippers from all over the world all came together seeking the same “thing” – God! It was electric - People hungry for more of Him. There is a literal powerful experience when God manifests His presense – when He “shows up”. Though we do not seek God for the feelings and emotion that occur When in a worship setting, there is a literal "weightiness" that comes with His presence.
The conference was at a hotel you could wake up any time of the night and go to the conference hall and find people worshipping – seeking after Him. (This is something that happened in the Temple in Jerusalem by the way - 24/7) You cannot explain the experience. It is beyond us – but the presence of God is as real as (even more so) what you and I see with our eyes.
Some questions to ponder. Why are people that are actually seeking for more of God looked at as the "weird ones" or the "odd balls" often by those that seem to have relationship with Christ. Have we already been satisfied with the American dream and therefore not desperate for God? This alone may be a reason missionaries from other lands witness the power and presense of God daily - they are desperate for Him.
Why are we so satisfied with a mediocre relationship with Him in our American churches as if we have experienced all of Him? He is infinite in all that He is and in all that He is willing to give His children. Why do we seem to think that the Almighty God who gave His Son for us so that we could have relationship with Him still wants to keep us at a distance? He desires for us to passionately seek after Him as if searching for fine treasure.
I am back at the place of desperation for more of God. I am not satisfied with worship purchased off the shelf. It is as if we think that if we do it with all the right instruments and vocals and have a good “show” that means we are in the presence of God.
I am desperate for depth in worship. Worship is more than a song. Worship is also making a sacrificial but right choice according to God’s Word. Worship is also someone going through difficulty yet offering a life of praise to the glory of God. Worship is life. And yes worship is vocal singing heartfelt words of love and affection to the Almighty.
I am desperate for His presence and know that He is there waiting for his church to come seeking after Him. You too may be in a place where the Spirit of God is causing this thought “there must be more!” within you. He is only drawing us deeper because there truly is infinitely more. He desires for His true followers to seek after Him.
Digging for treasure,
Mike
Slivers
I was sitting in my van at my kids school one afternoon a couple days ago waiting to pick them up when I began picking at an irritating little bump on my thumb. I had forgotten about it but today I remembered that about three months earlier a sliver of wood got lodged in there. Back then, after a bunch of digging, I never was able to pull it out - I could not see it - but I knew that it was there. I could feel it. Well, now it was infected and on this afternoon I squeezed the spot and out popped the sliver.
I began thinking about how amazing our bodies are. They know when something foreign is contaminating it and they will eventually figure out a way to oust it. The sliver is a great example. I wanted it out but could not find it. My body took over and found a way.
Our spiritual growth is much the same way. When we make a decision to follow Christ, our spirit becomes alive. Often we ignore issues in our lives that should have some attention. If you have been born again you have been "infected" in a healthy way by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is within us to, among other things, prompt us towards holiness and godliness - not so that we can attain salvation (already given through Christ) but to become MORE LIKE our hero Jesus Christ. He knows when something foreign is contaminating our lives. Like my sliver in the hand the Holy Spirit will cause irritation until finally there is attention given to the affliction.
Sometimes the only way we will grow from issues of our past is for the Holy Spirit too bring them to rememberance and then allow His word to help us transform into more of His image. He causes a healthy life giving "infection" in the area of the spiritual "sliver".
What is there in your life that the Holy Spirit has been nagging at you to change? The purpose of the change is a deeper more fulfilling relationship with the Father. He knows where the "sliver" is and He knows just how to oust it. It is up to us to trust and allow the Father to BE the Lord of our lives.
"Do not conform anylonger to the things of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:3
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I began thinking about how amazing our bodies are. They know when something foreign is contaminating it and they will eventually figure out a way to oust it. The sliver is a great example. I wanted it out but could not find it. My body took over and found a way.
Our spiritual growth is much the same way. When we make a decision to follow Christ, our spirit becomes alive. Often we ignore issues in our lives that should have some attention. If you have been born again you have been "infected" in a healthy way by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is within us to, among other things, prompt us towards holiness and godliness - not so that we can attain salvation (already given through Christ) but to become MORE LIKE our hero Jesus Christ. He knows when something foreign is contaminating our lives. Like my sliver in the hand the Holy Spirit will cause irritation until finally there is attention given to the affliction.
Sometimes the only way we will grow from issues of our past is for the Holy Spirit too bring them to rememberance and then allow His word to help us transform into more of His image. He causes a healthy life giving "infection" in the area of the spiritual "sliver".
What is there in your life that the Holy Spirit has been nagging at you to change? The purpose of the change is a deeper more fulfilling relationship with the Father. He knows where the "sliver" is and He knows just how to oust it. It is up to us to trust and allow the Father to BE the Lord of our lives.
"Do not conform anylonger to the things of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:3
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Acknowledge Him
"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:6
We "acknowledge" God - or in my paraphrase "make a plan and give it over to God in prayer acknowledging that He has the authority to do as He pleases with our finite yet prayed through plans" - and then something goes wrong and the plans look different than we imagined they would. Immediately we begin to think that we missed God somewhere.
It is difficult for us to accept that sometimes, after we had made prayerful plans, they do not go as we imagined they would and we immediately question where did we go wrong? We have made our plans but God is the one that guides the steps - often in ways that we could not see or understand. When things become difficult we immediately assume we are off the "path" however it is more than likely that our Sovreign God is guiding us.
Do not be so quick to jump ship when you have prayerfully sought out God's direction and "set sail" and encounter difficulty. Life is an adventurous journey for the Christian.
Listen to these words and let them bring you peace:
"If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; 24 though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand."
Psalm 37:23,24
"A mans steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way." Proverbs 20:24
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."
Proverbs 16:9
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” I Corinthians 2:9
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
Do you doubt God's goodness towards you? Do not let the devil steal the peace and joy of knowing that you have a Father in heaven that is absolutely overjoyed with you. Do not doubt that a heavenly Father that sees us as so valuable that He would choose to send Christ to die for you and I. Do not doubt that God is working all things together for GOOD in your life and to His Glory. He IS watching over you!
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Proverbs 3:6
We "acknowledge" God - or in my paraphrase "make a plan and give it over to God in prayer acknowledging that He has the authority to do as He pleases with our finite yet prayed through plans" - and then something goes wrong and the plans look different than we imagined they would. Immediately we begin to think that we missed God somewhere.
It is difficult for us to accept that sometimes, after we had made prayerful plans, they do not go as we imagined they would and we immediately question where did we go wrong? We have made our plans but God is the one that guides the steps - often in ways that we could not see or understand. When things become difficult we immediately assume we are off the "path" however it is more than likely that our Sovreign God is guiding us.
Do not be so quick to jump ship when you have prayerfully sought out God's direction and "set sail" and encounter difficulty. Life is an adventurous journey for the Christian.
Listen to these words and let them bring you peace:
"If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; 24 though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand."
Psalm 37:23,24
"A mans steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way." Proverbs 20:24
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."
Proverbs 16:9
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” I Corinthians 2:9
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
Do you doubt God's goodness towards you? Do not let the devil steal the peace and joy of knowing that you have a Father in heaven that is absolutely overjoyed with you. Do not doubt that a heavenly Father that sees us as so valuable that He would choose to send Christ to die for you and I. Do not doubt that God is working all things together for GOOD in your life and to His Glory. He IS watching over you!
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Embarrassment
Something that I have been thinking about a bit lately as I have started new employment. I felt like God was asking me a question one day last week. "Do you love and trust me enough to be embarrassed for me?" Not embarrassed about the gospel but the being placed in a circumstance that may cause me to feel embarrassed but provide a door of opportunity for the gospel.
There is one thing that I fear more than "how" I will die one day - being embarrassed - to look like a fool. It goes way back to my grade school days when I was "spanked" in front of the class for making a simple mistake on an art assignment in fourth grade. It was one of my "Diary of a wimpy Kid" moments. I'm not bitter :-). It probably goes back even further than that. Anyways - I hate the feeling. You know what I am talking about. I do everything possible to avoid the uncomfortableness of embarrassment. Its like vomiting (I'm sorry).
"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." ICor. 1:27-29 (NIV)
When I consider all that Christ did for me - the humiliation of public flogging - the rejection of the people that He created - the pain of the cross - the being forsaken for my sin - I am shamed by the way that I shy away from the occasional situation because of my fear of embarrassment. Well - I am going to trust God more today - that He will be the one speaking through me when I find myself in a potentially embarrassing setting. I am going to choose to stand in His strength knowing that whose I am is more important than how I appear to people. I am going to choose to receive the peace of the Father that always comes when I am doing something that makes Him smile - even though it is a challenge for me. He loves it when we trust Him and His goodness.
Will you join me? Let's be royalty and make God smile!!
Mike
Monday, June 20, 2011
Leaning
"Lean not upon you own understanding." Prov. 3:5
Have you ever thought you had a situation all figured out only to discover that there was more that you did not understand. I think everyone of us would raise our hand to that. I have been in a place before where I did not know what to do and I made a choice quickly and incorrectly. It was a moment when I had this incredible urge to "do" something because of the pressure of the moment. I leaned on my own understanding.
Have you ever thought you had a situation all figured out only to discover that there was more that you did not understand. I think everyone of us would raise our hand to that. I have been in a place before where I did not know what to do and I made a choice quickly and incorrectly. It was a moment when I had this incredible urge to "do" something because of the pressure of the moment. I leaned on my own understanding.
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in II Samuel 5:17-25. David had just become King of Israel and the Philistines were gathering to attack him at Baal Perazim. David inquired of the Lord and said should I go up and attack them. God said - "Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you." David attacks and defeats the Philistines. The story goes on to say, "Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rehaim." v. 22 David once more inquires of God and God tells him to not go straight up but circle around behind and attack them in front of the Balsam trees. "As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the Balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean that the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army". v.24
I love the Story because of the unusual way that God "showed up". I wonder what David was thinking? Was he irritated with the heavenly plan? Were his men frustrated? (Maybe by this time his fighting men were growing accustomed to unusual behavior from their king.) I wonder if he was under pressure from them to just "go for it" after all they have defeated the Philistines many times before. Regardless - David leaned in on God with his faith that God would provide the means to victory. He chose to trust in a plan that he did not devise rather than move ahead of God with his own resources. David had a heart that would choose to do what God asked even if the men surrounding him - mighty men - put pressure on him to engage. This is what seperated David's kingship from them that were before him.
What does it mean to "lean"? My take on this phrase is to not put more trust in what you "think" and "see" than we do in our faith and trust in God. Leaning means trusting that what you lean against will stand firm - that it can support our need. Our Heavenly Father is the "Solid Rock" - does it not make sense that we can lean on Him and rest all our care upon Him?
I'm not ignoring that God expects us to use our minds to make good and right choices. However, when we get to the place of not knowing what to do where all we can do is "stand" we need to trust in God and lean in on Him - not on our finite understanding.
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday, June 19, 2011
All Our Hearts!
Proverbs 3:5
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart...
God tells us to use every portion of our heart when we trust Him - not just half a heart or 90% of it but all of it. What is hiding in the nooks and crannies of the excess of our heart that is not trusting completely is fear, worry, and anxiety. They are the by-product of distrust. We are to trust Him completely and totally. How do we do this? I would suggest that it comes from a lifetime of trusting more and more and experiencing God's faithfulness in every situation. Building trust may take us time but God asks us to chase out every shadow of distrust in our hearts as we witness His deliverence in our lives.
What causes us to distrust? - an inaccurate perspective of the love of God. Many of us do not take God completely at His Word when He say's that He loves us. We have a distortion in this maybe because of how we have recieved and experienced human love from others that was unfulfilling and lacking. We think this is how God loves us too but it is not true. When I became a child of the King it was out of a realization that God loves me so much that He would allow Christ to give His life for mine - that means that I - You - WE are very special in His eyes. We are His treasure - they that have a heart after Him. We are literally His Kids! Let me ask you this - Do you really think that He would not be completely trustworthy when He values us this much?
I pray that you and I would see the all powerful hand of God bring our great "deliverence" in every situation as we Glorify Him with COMPLETE Trust.
Peace
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart...
God tells us to use every portion of our heart when we trust Him - not just half a heart or 90% of it but all of it. What is hiding in the nooks and crannies of the excess of our heart that is not trusting completely is fear, worry, and anxiety. They are the by-product of distrust. We are to trust Him completely and totally. How do we do this? I would suggest that it comes from a lifetime of trusting more and more and experiencing God's faithfulness in every situation. Building trust may take us time but God asks us to chase out every shadow of distrust in our hearts as we witness His deliverence in our lives.
What causes us to distrust? - an inaccurate perspective of the love of God. Many of us do not take God completely at His Word when He say's that He loves us. We have a distortion in this maybe because of how we have recieved and experienced human love from others that was unfulfilling and lacking. We think this is how God loves us too but it is not true. When I became a child of the King it was out of a realization that God loves me so much that He would allow Christ to give His life for mine - that means that I - You - WE are very special in His eyes. We are His treasure - they that have a heart after Him. We are literally His Kids! Let me ask you this - Do you really think that He would not be completely trustworthy when He values us this much?
I pray that you and I would see the all powerful hand of God bring our great "deliverence" in every situation as we Glorify Him with COMPLETE Trust.
Peace
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Continued Trust
One thing that is observable about the Israelites is that they had a hard time getting the point of trust. God repeatedly rescued them from danger and yet they continually forgot what deliverance God brought them. After the whole Red Sea crossing experience you would have thought that they would have responded with a state of perpetual trust in who God was and what He was capable of.
Today, Like the Israelites, there is a real danger of thinking that once we have trusted God for something and He has delivered us, that the trust stops there. "We'll take it from here God!" The reality is that God wants us to live in a perpetual state of trusting in his hand of deliverance and provision. Continual trust is something that God has been encouraging Anna and I with lately. We have our jobs in Texas however there are still a lot of other issues that need to happen with our move that will require trust in God's guiding hand.
I think that our greatest difficulty with living a life of continual trust is that it is an "uncomfortable" place to be without the "peace" of God gaurding our heart. When the peace is absent we tend to feel out of control. When Gods peace is missing we fear instead of simply trust. The Peace in place helps us rest in the unfailing promises of our almighty God who truly has His eyes on those that fear Him. May you experience God's Peace today!
Mike
Monday, June 13, 2011
Deliverance
My typical responce when things do not go according to my plan is frustration. My personal bent is to have a tendancy to become discouraged. My family and all those around me have felt it. I have been in Texas for a week and a half looking for work (A process that has been ongoing for two years now). When I came down I had the promise of a door that was most assuredly open and available - It closed on me. Something is different this time around however. Instead of getting the usual down cast spirit and frustration I read about how when the Israelites trusted God He delivered them.
This was not trust when things were just a "little" messed up - this was trust when they were about to be killed by an enemy that hated them. They had no response other than to trust. I decided to accept that posture in my life. I am at a place where I have no more human means of accomplishing my goal - a solid family raising job. It seems that today this should be an easy task. I never thought I would have difficulty finding work. All doors have been shut. I've tried everything and have been peering down on an empty bottomless fall IF God does not provide. There is no more safty net - EXCEPT God. He is my only hope. I believe that this is where He wants us to be sometimes. Sound cruel? Not if the intent is for His people to truly believe. How will we ever develop trust in him if we are not sometimes placed in a position where He is our ONLY HOPE!
I am happy to be able to tell you that this morning I recieved a call from a door long ago closed asking me to come and work for them. Hallelujah!! God recieves all the Glory for IT IS HE THAT HAS DELIVERED - NOT A HUMAN HAND! I tell you this because some of you are in a place of a need to be delivered. It is a scary place to be. We want to be in control. I encourage you as one that understands - relax your grip on your own solution and trust in an Amighty and Faithful God who will not fail you!! He is everything that the Bible tells us that He is - and infinitely more!
Peace to you!
Mike
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Deepest Trust
How do you develop trust? Trust is such a rare commodity in America. Who do you really trust today? The person that most Americans trust in is themselves - the only one that will "never fail". What do you do when you have exhausted all of your own possible solutions to your situation and there are no more human ideas? Who do you trust? Have you been there? I'm not talking about ignoring our responcibility to work out every possible solution to our various life situations - to work at any and all opportunity that is before us. But what do you do when every door seems to be closed? Trust!
This is the place where God forges deepest trust in Him for do we really trust in an all powerful God when we are able to accomplish God given goals in our own strength? When we come to the end of ourselves - this is the anvil that trust is forged upon. When there is no safety net - we learn to rely on the Almighty who never fails. This is the place where no human can recieve any glory or praise because no human can provide the answer. This is the place where all Glory goes to our Faithful and Almighty God. Trust is forged when the moment may seem the most bleak and empty.
Psalms 22:4 say's, "In you our Fathers put their trust, they trusted in you and You delivered them..." That they were "delivered" means that they were in a place of great difficulty - not in a moment of peace. They trusted in the moment of difficulty when there were no other options. They trusted.
You may be in a place of great difficulty today. Your options are gone. This is the place of the miraculous - where God alone will recieve the Glory before men and women. I encourage you to place your trust - your hope - in an unfailing Father who will deliver you.
Peace
Mike
Friday, June 10, 2011
Trust
I am in Texas searching for a job that will bring my family to Texas - where we feel God has directed us to go. I have experienced many closed doors. (This is not a pitty party in the least.) The latest came from a company that had already presented an offer and then retracted and chose to go another direction. I'm getting better at the emotions of it. Today I kept hearing the words "Trust!!" "Trust!!" "Trust!!" when I felt the twinges of emotion creep up - Something the devil knows how to do is pile it on - I heard the word "Trust!!"
When it is God's doing it does not mean that it will be easy. Somewhere along the lines I heard this spoken in our churches. "Where God gives vision - He also provides the resources". You know what? I believe that this is partly true - God absolutely does provide but not always in the "easy" or "express" way that we Americans like to have it. Walking by faith does not mean "ordering it up and having it delivered to us. Walking by faith is not saying all the correct things in a vision statement and then seeing it all magicly appear. Walking by faith is not seeing it all with your natural eyes. More often - when we are walking in faith - we will not understand because the Bible tells us that faith is believing that which we do not see.
Walking in faith is not easy but it is what God requires of the church - the Body of Christ - US. it is not easy - God is building something within that only He can do - maybe He is building tenacity within me - a stick to it attitude. The words God will Make a way from the old Don Moen chorus continually come to my mind these days.
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way
By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and Earth will fade but His Word will still remain
And He will do something new today
Are you in a wilderness? Have you exhausted all of your human efforts to make it happen? Are you in a place where you do not understand your circumstances? If you are a child of God - get this inside you deep - HIS EYES ARE ON YOU and HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOU! This is the place of faith. This is where Anna and I and my kids are. This is where many of you are. This is the place of the miraculous - where God recieves the Glory - for "Great things HE has done" not of human hands.
He may even do it TODAY!
Peace
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
When it is God's doing it does not mean that it will be easy. Somewhere along the lines I heard this spoken in our churches. "Where God gives vision - He also provides the resources". You know what? I believe that this is partly true - God absolutely does provide but not always in the "easy" or "express" way that we Americans like to have it. Walking by faith does not mean "ordering it up and having it delivered to us. Walking by faith is not saying all the correct things in a vision statement and then seeing it all magicly appear. Walking by faith is not seeing it all with your natural eyes. More often - when we are walking in faith - we will not understand because the Bible tells us that faith is believing that which we do not see.
Walking in faith is not easy but it is what God requires of the church - the Body of Christ - US. it is not easy - God is building something within that only He can do - maybe He is building tenacity within me - a stick to it attitude. The words God will Make a way from the old Don Moen chorus continually come to my mind these days.
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way, He will make a way
By a roadway in the wilderness, He'll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and Earth will fade but His Word will still remain
And He will do something new today
Are you in a wilderness? Have you exhausted all of your human efforts to make it happen? Are you in a place where you do not understand your circumstances? If you are a child of God - get this inside you deep - HIS EYES ARE ON YOU and HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOU! This is the place of faith. This is where Anna and I and my kids are. This is where many of you are. This is the place of the miraculous - where God recieves the Glory - for "Great things HE has done" not of human hands.
He may even do it TODAY!
Peace
Mike
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, March 17, 2011
"Go to sleep!"
Every night for the past two weeks my kids have been coming down from their rooms after they had been "put down" for the night. They have the standard things going on - "I need a "bottle" of water", "you forgot my allergy medicine", "I had a bad dream" (unlikely - they require sleep first), "I forgot to brush my teeth", "There's a spider on the ceiling" (Yeah right - "Oh My - there is..." You get the picture. After a couple of interruptions to our NCIS program I finally yell - as I hear feet coming down the stairs - "Get back in Bed!" "Stay in your room!!" "Go to sleep!!"
This morning Anna (my wife) was reading from her Bible and she came across this very familiar verse of scripture from Psalm 23 - "...He makes me lie down in green pastures...." He MAKES me to lie down in GREEN Pastures. The words had a new twist to them this morning. Anna and I have been through a good but confining period in our life. I have found myself trying to kick open doors and make things happen during this time of "quiet" in our lives. We have wondered - God what are you doing? You have closed every single door that I have knocked on. This season of life does not make sense to us.
Maybe this verse gives us a needed perspective. "He MAKES me..." Interesting choice of words. Why does God "make" us lie down? It is likely that I act like my kids and at times God needs say, "Just lie down", "I have given you this time for rest and reflection - growth", "GO TO SLEEP!", "Stay in your room". I believe that there are seasons that we go through including seasons of rest and repositioning. They are hard for busy Americans to understand and accept but necessary for health and growth. God IS doing a work in us during these times. If you find yourself in this type of season in your life - maybe God has some Green (Good) pasture that He would like for you to rest in and receive from Him.
Peace
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
This morning Anna (my wife) was reading from her Bible and she came across this very familiar verse of scripture from Psalm 23 - "...He makes me lie down in green pastures...." He MAKES me to lie down in GREEN Pastures. The words had a new twist to them this morning. Anna and I have been through a good but confining period in our life. I have found myself trying to kick open doors and make things happen during this time of "quiet" in our lives. We have wondered - God what are you doing? You have closed every single door that I have knocked on. This season of life does not make sense to us.
Maybe this verse gives us a needed perspective. "He MAKES me..." Interesting choice of words. Why does God "make" us lie down? It is likely that I act like my kids and at times God needs say, "Just lie down", "I have given you this time for rest and reflection - growth", "GO TO SLEEP!", "Stay in your room". I believe that there are seasons that we go through including seasons of rest and repositioning. They are hard for busy Americans to understand and accept but necessary for health and growth. God IS doing a work in us during these times. If you find yourself in this type of season in your life - maybe God has some Green (Good) pasture that He would like for you to rest in and receive from Him.
Peace
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, February 18, 2011
God of the Mountain
"But also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done." Matt. 21:21
Our God is so immense that He could do this at any time in the same way that He divided the Red sea for Israel. Jesus tells us that we will be able to do this as well with a "mustard seed" sized faith.
I have not physically moved a mountain before. Have you? I know that my God is capable of anything yet I wonder if there is another take to this. Maybe at times the moving of the mountain is a matter of a movement of my perspective. We all face mountains at various times of our lives. We wonder, "how will we ever make it? When we first see the mountain our perspective tells us that it is immense - beyond our ability to overcome.
Then God enters into the picture (if we will let Him) and say's, You can do this and I will help. He helps us conquer the fear of the heights, to scale the difficult cliffs, and He sometimes literally carries us up and over the Mountain. When once on the other side we see that the mountain has indeed "changed". It is not as big as once thought. What has changed? Was the mountain moved? Well, maybe God literally dissolved the problem right before our eyes. But often what really changes is that our perspective has adjusted and has become more confident as we climbed over the mountain (walked through our difficulty).
From the new vantage point gained from going through the trials and problems of life we see that the mountain has actually "moved". God has changed our perspective - He has given us His point of view. Fear has taken a fall. Maybe this is some of what it means to be "more than and overcomer through Christ."
The things that we face are difficult and troubling at times. Sometimes we are overwhelmed by the complexity or immensity of a "mountain" before us. But our heavenly Father is the God of the "mountain". Ask Him to give you His perspective on the difficulties before you.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Our God is so immense that He could do this at any time in the same way that He divided the Red sea for Israel. Jesus tells us that we will be able to do this as well with a "mustard seed" sized faith.
I have not physically moved a mountain before. Have you? I know that my God is capable of anything yet I wonder if there is another take to this. Maybe at times the moving of the mountain is a matter of a movement of my perspective. We all face mountains at various times of our lives. We wonder, "how will we ever make it? When we first see the mountain our perspective tells us that it is immense - beyond our ability to overcome.
Then God enters into the picture (if we will let Him) and say's, You can do this and I will help. He helps us conquer the fear of the heights, to scale the difficult cliffs, and He sometimes literally carries us up and over the Mountain. When once on the other side we see that the mountain has indeed "changed". It is not as big as once thought. What has changed? Was the mountain moved? Well, maybe God literally dissolved the problem right before our eyes. But often what really changes is that our perspective has adjusted and has become more confident as we climbed over the mountain (walked through our difficulty).
From the new vantage point gained from going through the trials and problems of life we see that the mountain has actually "moved". God has changed our perspective - He has given us His point of view. Fear has taken a fall. Maybe this is some of what it means to be "more than and overcomer through Christ."
The things that we face are difficult and troubling at times. Sometimes we are overwhelmed by the complexity or immensity of a "mountain" before us. But our heavenly Father is the God of the "mountain". Ask Him to give you His perspective on the difficulties before you.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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