Perspective, Vision- Lessons From a 4yr. Old and a Friend

 If you've been a parent for umm...at least a week, you've undoubtedly been taught a life lesson by your little one. They bring such wisdom, without ever knowing it. My son at four years of age now, has given me some amazingly insightful nuggets that I think about periodically.

Like when he and I were headed home from one of our usual stores. For some reason, I chose to go home a different way that day and my observant little man, noticed. He first asked me why? If you don't know, this is a toddler's most favorite word in the dictionary...literally. I'm not sure what my reply was because I really don't remember why I took an alternate route. I just did. This 'new' route, was probably more convenient, and while familiar to me, it was new to him. As he looked around, he became abnormally amazed. Not at some glorious lights or fun looking kid places, there was really nothing of excitement to mention on this particular street, just businesses, cars & some convenience stores. Not even a golden arch! Just normal stuff. It wasn't normal to him though. He began to shout out all the things he was seeing as if he'd long dreamed of them.

He gave me... a new, set of eyes that day.

Fast forward a few months, to a conversation with a friend named G. You know how all young boys dream of being a pilot one day, he actually is a pilot. A real pilot of real, full sized planes. Well, in random conversation, I asked him how work was, you know, man talk. And I was enlightened even further by his response as he said with the biggest smile, "It's great, the view is always changing!" Wow! First, I'll admit, I was a bit jealous because when I go to work I typically see the same old things. But I quickly became happy, because he was happy & I began to piece together that I was being taught something through my four year old & my friend about perspective & vision .


What I Learned From My Son About Perspective

1. There is freedom in breaking away from the usual. Routine things can blind you and rob you of invaluable excitement.

2. Doing things differently, opens you up to new experiences. Doing the same things will always bring, the same results.

3. Even the smallest change can make the ordinary, extraordinary. Don't be afraid to change even the 'little' things, because they can breath new life into... your life.

4. Sometimes, it takes someone else to help us see things in ways that we couldn't visualize on our own.


What I Learned From My Friend About Vision

1. The pilot is in control & his view... should be your view, just from a slightly different angle.

2. When the view is changing, you're making progress towards your destination. You're getting closer. Gaining Ground.

3. When the view is changing you can now, explore more options. Don't put blinders on yourself. By keeping your sights active you become exposed to potential opportunities that you would have otherwise missed because you had a stationary focus.

With God All Is Visible

It has been said that the only thing constant is change. I would have to agree with this statement. In fact, I believe it's so true in life, that instead of embracing change with anticipation of what good it can bring, it causes us to simply...wait... for inevitable change that may or may not be attractive to us. It's the difference between being alive, and living. They're completely opposite ideals. Anyone who is breathing air under there own capacities, is technically alive. But to live, implies that you are in pursuit of the most full experience available to you. A no regrets kind of experience... With God, all things are visible. When we base our perceptions upon the reality that we are passengers under the guidance of an all seeing pilot, we are more likely to see with a new set of eyes. We will surely try not to be too focused on an isolated situation because we know that there is movement taking place behind the scenes. We won't be afraid or ashamed of our minute advancements, because we're aware that any forward advancement, is good, advancement....  If you've become imprisoned by the routines of life, break free. Recognize that The Pilot, will share his view with you. And in that, is new life, opportunity & new eyes for life. Like my son you'll be amazed by the many fresh sights that flood your peripherals, because like my friend, God's view is always changing!

 

Scripture References: Hebrews 4:13 & II Corinthians 4:18

 

What would you add about perspective & vision?


Hopefully this helps the growth within, come out

Rodney


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Seasons of a Seed an Introduction to Seedtime and Harvest Post #2

If you missed the introduction, this is the second writing on Seedtime & Harvest, the true requirement of seedfaith, you can get that here.....
What we'll be looking at in this post is what I call the Seasons of a Seed, hence the title(:

When most of us think of a seed we think of a relatively tiny, tightly sealed up package that you can put in the dirt and grow something. TADA! I can see how it would be natural to think that when we plant, something will grow. After all, isn't that what's supposed to happen? Well yes & no... The law of nature is not that every seed will grow...to maturity...to harvest... it's that theoretically, every seed has the potential to. Still, that growth, is only after a process has taken place. There's more to it than cover it now, discover it later. I referred to Galatians 6:7 in the first post to show an example of how in certain terms, the bible teaches the seedtime/harvest; seedfaith principle. In fact Genesis 8:22 states that as long as the earth endures, seedtime & harvest won't cease, but you can probably guess that literal seed & literal reaping...is not at all the concern. You see this when you cover the full context of the Galatians passage. So with that thought, let's look at the Seasons of a Seed together.

Seasons of a Seed

1.  Rowing Season
      As I mentioned, my wife and I planted a garden. It was only about a 3'x3' section in our back yard. But let me tell you, there was work involved with this little thing! We had to till it, de-weed it, section/row it, plant the seeds etc. and fence it off so our chihuahua wouldn't dig it up! All this just to get the seed in the ground... So this first season, that of 'rowing', takes great effort on our parts. So too with sowing & reaping from God, we will have to put in some work before we can expect anything in return. Thanks Adam & Eve... Listen to what Proverbs 20:4 says about this season, "Sluggards do not plow in season, so at harvest they look and find nothing." Don't be a slacker!

2.  Rainy Season
      Once the seed is planted, & is covered with dirt, it must receive the correct amount of moisture or rain. This season along with those that follow, is completely out of our control. Sure we can channel existing waters & choose our plant sites wisely, but ultimately, it's up to God to provide the rain. As scripture indicates, we must only be faithful while we wait. See Lev. 26:3-5; Duet. 11:13-14; 28:12. Reaping from God requires waiting on the timing of his provisions.

3.  Rooting Season
     This next season is crucial. After the rowing, & rain, the seedling then begins to root. As the roots stretch their ways into the soil they both enable & sustain growth. Which at this point is still hidden to the naked eye. It is perceived, yet unseen indeed.
    
4. Revealing Season
     Once the roots have made themselves a part of the earth, the plant increases in size beneath the surface & finally pokes through the ground, this is the revealing season. There is now a visible sign that the effort made to place your seed into the soil, will likely bring good result. And so it is with us, we must continue inward growth even when we don't necessarily see the benefit of our energy.

5. Replenishing (harvesting) Season
     Finally, the plant has grown to maturity and there is a harvest! There is something that happens when a plant reaches full grown status. For those such as wheat & the like, it is now that they can re-populate new seed. Thus the name of this one is the replenishing season. It is during this time when fresh seed is gathered & can again be dispersed to repeat the process again. You know the saying 'blessed to be a blessing.'

When we look at the seedfaith principle in light of these 5 seasons, it's obvious that nothing comes without some good old fashioned elbow grease and patience. Even when it comes to God. So the takeaway I want us to have is not that anyone is a false teacher or swindler... It's simply that there is a process when it comes to planting yourself into the fertile soil of the word... that it doesn't always happen overnight and that if you stick with it, you'll see the promise come forward.

What Season Are You In

 I believe that we can all be found in one of these 5 seasons. It may be that we are working hard to prepare our 'soil'. Or maybe we've done the work and we're waiting on God to open up the floodgates. There could be the sometimes painful internal only growth, as our character is being rooted in his word. Maybe we've passed the first three and are actually getting some first-hand sunlight, able to see some progress now. And if we're fortunate enough, we will wind up fulfilling our purposes, thus being capable of bringing others into the cycle of sowing for God. Whatever season you find yourself in, know that there is life in it. It may be difficult, long, baren even. But there is life, there is purpose, there is hope. You're in God's hands and btw, he invented gardening so he's pretty good at it. So be confident of this, that he who begun a good work in you, will complete it.

What about you? What season are you in? 

Are there other seasons you've found yourself in?

Hopefully this helps the growth within, come out

Rodney

P.S.- You can become a part of the Life Shared Gang by subscribing via email or feed reader to get
post updates (1-2 a week)and other resources as they become available. Your information will only be used for the purposes of this blog. If you're on a mobile device, click 'view web version' and those options will be to the top right & bottom of the page. For desktop users, those locations are the same. Thanks for sharing your time here!

Seasons of a Seed an Introduction to Seedtime and Harvest Post#1

There are many preachers out there that are basically teaching, that a widely understood process of nature is all you have to practice, in order to get your needs met. Be it your health, finances, relationships, etc... Whatever the need, they claim that participating in this simple process, will virtually garauntee you, your desired result. What I'm referring to is a teaching called seedtime & harvest or as it's commonly referenced, seed faith. And I would agree... and disagree.

Why I Agree

Now I'm by no means a farmer. The only 'growing' experience I have to date was a tiny little garden my wife & I planted a while back. So let's all throw technicalities aside for a bit. That said, before a seed even comes to exist, there has already been a considerable amount of happenings take place. For instance, an already mature plant must be pollinated & then fertilized. Then, a seed will be produced & can be collected and used for growing more plants. Hello again science class (:
Which is a general explanation of how the process works. As you see, just like everything else in a wisely wired world, this part alone is 'poetry in motion'. But it's only the beginning. So yes, I agree that planting seed creates a crop, ergo, you will reap what you sow...sowing a seed does lead to a harvest. 

Why I Disagree

The bible does in fact tell us repeatedly in many variations that we reap what we sow. So they are on course with the promise of this truth. Unfortunately it's just not that simple. It's not the whole story. It's like the salesman that says 'this motor has zero miles on it' or 'all of the flooring in this house has been re-done, it's brand new.' Yeah, right! What they're failing to disclose it that the original motor & flooring were ruined by flood waters or fire! Because saying that would create suspicion, raise questions and potentially stop a sale cold. I'm not saying that people are being intentionally misleading, just that in having watched many of such teachings on television myself, you don't really get the complete picture of what seedtime and harvest truly require.

Like the salesman I mentioned, we'd be less than forthcoming to teach green, prospective farmers that all they had to do was put their seed of choice in the ground, believe for a harvest & in time they'd have the yield of their life. NOT! Neither can we as believers present a half truth to new innocent seekers. I'm afraid that a mixed message like this can come across when we sit in on one of these plea sermons that entice the listener with this type of communication. And as Christians, we need to avoid even the appearance of being deceptive. I'm also hopeful that these teachers are giving expanded lessons on campus for their congregants. I'm sure they are. My hope is for us is that we could do the same here... Broaden our view of this God given principle of seed & harvest, reaping and sowing to see what is required and maybe find ourselves in the process somewhere.

So stick around! In the following post, we'll look at what I'm calling the 'Seasons of a Seed' & learn how we can apply them to our lives in order to reap spiritual (and maybe monetary) harvests like we've never known!

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What are your thoughts and experiences with seedtime & harvest? I'd love to hear about it!

Hopefully this helps the growth within, come out

Rodney

P.S.- You can become a part of the Life Shared Gang by subscribing via email or feed reader to get
post updates (1-2 a week)and other resources as they become available. Your information will only be used for the purposes of this blog. If you're on a mobile device, click 'view web version' and those options will be to the top right & bottom of the page. For desktop users, those locations are the same. Thanks for sharing your time here!

The Father's Forgiveness Container

Forgiveness is one of those benefits that we quickly receive but are often hesitant to fully release to others. It's the foundational premise behind the entire bible, from Genesis to Revelation. If there is no need for it, there's no need for a savior and thus, no need to strive toward holiness. But there is a need for forgiveness. Every human being has the capability of doing wrong and that wrong is contrary to holiness. It's sin to put a biblical term on it. So to counteract our natural inclination to do as we please(sin)...forgiveness must be made available in order to fulfill mankind's original design.

I'll be completely honest here, I struggle with forgiving people. I tend to hold grudges, and define people by what they do to wrong me. If I'm not careful they'll always be guilty in my book. There's a problem with this. Like I said, forgiveness is the headliner of the show called the bible, so for me not to forgive creates a contradiction. It's commanded of me and you if your a christian.

Since it's pretty obvious if you've read scripture at any length, that this is a command,
I think it's more beneficial for us to understand the impact of un-forgiveness instead.
That's really the issue. Isn't it?

Typically, no one who has committed a crime or offense, will say they don't want to be forgiven or that forgiveness in general is unnecessary. We all want forgiveness. Even if it's only from our moms for snagging that extra cookie from the cookie jar! We need it.

Here are a few things I learned in looking to understand un-forgiveness.

By withholding forgiveness we are inherently saying the following 3 things (at least):

1. We deserve the forgiveness of the cross...MORE than those that offend us.
   
     I mean, we wouldn't dare ask God, who we've offended, to NOT forgive us, would we. At least 9 times the bible tells us to love our neighbor as ourself, verbatim. So if we want forgiveness for ourselves, we've got to want it for our neighbor, even, when they've done us wrong...

 The next thing we say by withholding forgiveness would then be:

2. We don't want to be forgiven

    

 Matthew 6:14-15 says "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

   

    This was after the Lord's Prayer teaching, Jesus gave his followers a model to pray, an outline that they could use in their regular communications with the Father... and from it the ONLY thing he emphasized was forgiveness.  See also Mark 11:25-26 and Luke 6:37-38.

 

3. Lastly, in our un-forgiveness  toward others, we're asking God not to forgive them either

   

    Again the Lord's model prayer says in

    Matthew 6:10 "your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...

 

In other words do here what is done there. Now link that with the principle in

 

Matthew 18:18 that says"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 

 

This does NOT mean that people can't be saved unless you or I approve...I'm not implying that we have any power over salvation at all. That's laughable!

 

    I also realize this passage in context is about the steps to take to deal with a fellow believer living in sin. But look at it this way, sin is an offense, offenses are either forgiven or not (which is the ultimate desire of this process, to restore relationship with one another), and v.17 ends with if your brother won't reconcile, let him be like a 'heathen or tax collector' to you. But what does that really mean? Does it mean you can write him off without feeling guilty? Maybe. But, remember... Jesus? He ate with & mingled with such sinners ALL the time. We, ourselves would have fallen into the heathen category at one point and maybe we still do from time to time. So maybe, maybe, this text isn't giving us a right to break ties rather than a directive to look at our 'brother' as one we can spend intentional time with in an effort to win them back to the Lord... Maybe. So the principle of this binding & loosing in reference to forgiveness is saying that if we restrict the forgiving work of the cross on earth, we restrict the work of the resurrected Christ from heaven.

 

In Summary

 

If you want something... give that very thing away. Just as the following verse implicates.  

Matthew 7:12- "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you...

 

An Exercise in Forgiveness

• Make yourself a "one way in" style box, tape it, glue it, nail it...in the end, you want to only be able to get a small piece of paper inside of it and for it to be difficult to get anything out of it. We'll call it, God's Forgiveness Container.
• On small pieces of paper or index cards, write down the names of people that you need to forgive. Then on the back of those papers, write your own name as well. 
• Fold them as small as possible and place all cards into your 'impenetrable' container.(the reason for the many folds is that it takes effort to actually forgive someone)
• Pray and ask God to help you truly forgive those people. As often as needed.
• Keep this container in a visible location and pray often, multiple times daily if needed, for those individuals including yourself, that your relationships would be restored.
• You can make this a family practice(:

Now, since we are not God we can retract our vow of forgiveness. Thus the "one way in box". In order for you to retrieve your forgiveness, it will take a conscious decision & intentional effort to get back into that box. Further, it's God's container and since we all fall short and need forgiveness(if only from God), you're in there too. So you can un-forgive those people who's names you put in, but remember you wrote your name on the back... so you'll have to un-forgive yourself in the process!

 

This is only a demonstration and the real work can only take place in your heart, between you and the Holy Spirit. However, we all know that a good visual can change everything. I believe that seeing this container, placing yourself in the same position as your offenders and spending diligent time in prayer will advance your aptitude towards forgiveness. Making it more enticing than ever to fully... release. After all, the true impact of un-forgiveness rests upon the the one who's un-willing to forgive... That doesn't have to be you, it doesn't have to be me either.

 

Hopefully this helps the growth within, come out

 

Rodney

P.S.- You can become a part of the Life Shared Gang by subscribing via email or feed reader to get
post updates (1-2 a week)and other resources as they become available. Your information will only be used for the purposes of this blog. If you're on a mobile device, click 'view web version' and those options will be to the top right & bottom of the page. For desktop users, those locations are the same. Thanks for sharing your time here!

 

The Fear of Love

Ahhh, the season of love.... It is the time of year when the thought of loving someone, is most on our minds. We run out and by ridiculous amounts of candy, stuffed animals, flowers and the like. Don't hear me being a pessimist, it's a good way to show those you care about, that you care. And who doesn't enjoy such over the top expression from others, occasionally? We all do. Even if it does come a slight bit out of obligation and not pure choice. The love is still there but as we many have determined, there's just something about our innate craving for love that no other person can satisfy. It's nothing to be held against someone but there's always a need for more.

I find that people are in 3 general categories of emotion when it comes to love.

1. They feel loved
2. They don't feel loved
                or
3. They no longer feel loved

...even those that claim not to need love, fall into one of these groups

The threat in either group, is that they are all producers of fear. Fear of the ever increasing possibility that at any point, we may find ourselves migrating from one branch to the other...against our will. Unexpectedly. Someone else is always in control of whether or not we feel loved. At least when it comes to receiving that love from other people. We panic if the relationship takes a turn. If the other person becomes what we consider too busy to give us the attention we need or shows any disinterest at all. Ahhh, love. It can be exhausting. The emotion of it, that is.

This is why the scriptures tell us to love God above all and to know that his love is what truly, truly fulfills us. Sure we are called to love others and be loved by them, and the need for human affection is designed by God himself, but ultimately we can't even love without first knowing the love of God. And this love, holds no fear at all, not even a little. We can have complete confidence that it will ALWAYS be there! It will always remain...

Whichever category you find yourself in today, know that it's not what defines you. Enjoy the loves you have, and don't concern yourself with the others. In Christ, you have access to love that depends not on what you or others do right or wrong, even the love... of the king... of the universe. Be loved!

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."- Henry David Thoreau

What are your thoughts on love?

Scripture References 1 John 4:16-19, Romans 8:35, 1 Corinthians 13:13

P.S.- You can become a part of the Life Shared Gang by subscribing via email or feed reader to get
post updates (1-2 a week) and other resources as they become available. Your information will only be used for the purposes of this blog. If you're on a mobile device, click 'view web version' and those options will be to the top right & bottom of the page. For desktop users, those locations are the same. Thanks for sharing your time here!



 

God, the Premier Business Man

Some will agree with what I write here today. Some will label me a heretic. Some may have no opinion at all. Either way, here goes. I recently saw God in a different light than I normally do. He actually holds a role that I'm not sure many of us consider. That is, he, is the first 'businessman.' An entrepreneur if you will. Now before you exit stage left, let's look at what being a businessperson involves.

If You're In Business 

   
    You have a product

       
        You have a target audience 

           
            You have a model for how to market & distribute your product. 

I know there's much more to be said, but these are the basics. So what is God's product? And how should it affect you? 

God's Product

His product is Eternal Life.
In his great love, he naturally intended for himself, the angels, and every single person that ever was, to experience this product of his. You could even say that before the economic crisis called 'the fall', his product was absolutely free. However, after the fall took place is where the strategizing begins to surface. I say 'surface' because God's plan has been the same & wasn't altered because of the insolence of mankind. The plan is brilliantly simple... allow the consumer to choose, even if that means they go to another supplier. Sounds so counter productive but stay with it. I'm not sure who said it first but...effective business runs best on the principle of do one thing & do it well. In fact, this could be said of any aspect of our existence. God exampled this before anyone. He resigned to the idea of freedom of choice, and although he could have, he didn't exercise a monopoly, so to speak. Furthermore, his confidence in his 1 product, is so extremely high, that he will never have to compromise on the terms that dictate how one must obtain it. That's good strategy... Create a service that warrants off the chart demand, set the price as high as you can, then watch as floods of end users flock to you to get it. Genius! Don't even get me started on the free word of mouth marketing plan he implemented. 

How This Product Affects You

Not only did he create a rock solid, desirable service, he takes it a step farther when he makes the connection that if , there's freedom of choice, then there has to be competition. And if , there is competition, there has to be a perceived equal or better option on the shelf. In other words if I've offered eternal life that has 'x' promises, there will be another offer of eternal life that offers 'y' promises. That is eternity in heaven vs. eternity in hell. That's the business. So, how it affects you is, you are...garaunteed...eternity. One way or the other. The choice, is yours. You can lean towards God's offering or the alternative. But you will lean towards one. 

Choose Your Product

This is all pretty heavy, even for me, and I've already chosen. I don't want to leave you discouraged though... While the requirement needed to have this invaluable asset is extremely costly, there's a 'financing option' available. Jesus has paid the high cost by dying on the cross for your and my insolence. He has transferred funds from his positive account into our deficient ones. To say it is now free to us would be somewhat of an inaccurate expression. Our payment, is however, accounted for. While this doesn't get us 'off the hook' with our debtor, it does give us an extended grace period. See it's like a loan, Christ gave his life, for ours. We don't have to die. He simply wants us, to live, now as though we are already enjoying the benefits of then...our eternal life. Our life of no more pain, suffering, stress & doubt. We 'repay' our loan, by living, living out the rest of our time here on earth as though we are debt free, because in Him, we are.  

Your Question: Which product have you chosen to enjoy, forever? I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks for visiting

Rodney

P.S.- You can become a part of the Life Shared Gang by subscribing via email or feed reader to get post updates (1-2 a week) and other resources as they become available. Your information will only be used for the purposes of this blog. If you're on a mobile device, click 'view web version' and those options will be to the top right & bottom of the page. For desktop users, those locations are the same. Thanks for sharing your time here!

3 Things Letting Go Has Taught Me

I recently had to let something precious to me go. I had to relinquish it. You can probably guess that it was difficult... It was the kind of thing that you just know, will be with you for sometime to come. I labored over the decision for longer than I'd even realized. It was something I had considered, but just didn't see how it was the right decision, not right now. So, like always, I postponed the inevitable by doing nothing. You know how it is. When you want something to work so badly, that you just keep hanging on to the bull, even though it's jamming your body into the side rails... that's how this was for me. I knew the '8 second' horn would sound at any moment, so I just ignored the pain of being slammed around by something much more powerful than myself. I couldn't let go.

Toxicity

You know, things can get toxic really quickly when we hang on to things we need to release. One ailment left untreated, can spawn into all kinds of weakness & wreak havoc on otherwise healthy life situations. As with anything life dishes... I tried to learn, to grow. I began asking, what is my lesson in all this? How should this situation translate into my complete life, my total being? See I firmly believe that everything that happens in my life, holds some spiritual gleanings that I can partake of for future benefit. I bet you think the same about your life. It's true. Even when we've gotta let go of somethings, some ones, some dreams... some... fill in the blank. We may not always be able to change the whys, but, we can usually gather enough from the whos, whats, whens, wheres & whys, to reap some benefit.

Who Am I

The decision I had to make, to let go, was essentially made for me in this case, it had become a
'no-brainer.' After making it though, I still, began to question my confidence. I knew it was right...but that 'good ole devil' just won't let you off the hook sometimes! So, as I sought some (more) confirmation, I was taken to Exodus 6:10 & 11 which say: Then the Lord said to Moses, "Go tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country." I'll admit.. I was more confused. How does this respond to my situation? Who am I? However, as I meditated on these words spoken originally to Moses, they began to speak to me. I got it. In this, God was telling me two things about the 'one' thing...

I AM MOSES.... I AM PHARAOH

I am the voice that cries out for the freedom of others &... the voice

 that demands they be chained. I am both the slave... & the slave master.
OUCH!!

 

I know it sounds a little loopy. But the word teaches that there are none righteous, not one. So we can expect that in any given situation, not all of our actions will be pure. In this instance, I had made the right choice, to let go, BUT, I needed to see myself as both advocate & antagonist. My decision was timely, but I had to recognize that I played a healthy part in causing the 'thing' to become toxic in the first place. I had to become transparent with myself.

 

What Should I Do Now

 

What now? How should I proceed? Should I hurriedly try to alter the outcome, no. I couldn't change it. And even if I could, I wouldn't because, others were affected also & the final decision, suited every one's best interest, including my own. Obviously, I had to repent.  To confess before God my conflictedness. I was guilty. And then to ask for my redemption in that. What else was I to do? All that's left at this point, are those '5 W's' (who, what, when, where, why) and those 2 tiny little verses. What could God show me through them?

 

The 3 Things Letting Go Taught Me

 

1. 'The Lord Said'

     I, need to listen to God. This is kind of obvious, but

     deserves mention as it is easy to forget this sometimes. Or at least it is for me.

 

2. 'to Moses(& me)... tell the king'...

     I am to be the spokesman for the prisoners, for justice

 

3.  'Pharaoh(& me)...let the Israelites go'...

     I must release ANY & Every thing that I'm holding captive, they belong to God! I must let go!

Yet Another Reminder

It's easy to forget that Jesus died for my grace too. That until he returns, I'm still, guilty of being the oppressor. And that even as I try to be a voice of one crying out in the wilderness...at times I'm still in, the wilderness. How often do we truly reflect on the fact that in every breath we took before meeting Christ, we needed the cross... and still, in every breath after? I'd love to extend the subject passage to show how easy it was going forward for Moses & Pharaoh, but if you know the rest of this account, you'd know it was a lie. Actually, both of these guys faced terrible hardships ahead. So I'm neither saying that letting go is easy to do, nor that it will make your path forward easy. My hope is that this would remind you and me, to self evaluate often. Because I think we could all say we've been the slave owner, the slave spokesman, and even, the slave at various times in our lives, sometimes simultaneously.

Know yourself. Live balanced. Remember what you see in the mirror. It's your and my only opportunity toward real change.

 

Questions: Have you ever felt as though you held such conflicting roles?

                   What factors did you use to determine that letting go was the right option?

 

Hopefully this helps the growth within, come out
 

Rodney

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Aged Lenses

As I get older, I start seeing life through different lenses. I no longer hold the same frustrations, desires and even some of the dreams that I did when I was younger. I don't consider myself 'old' by any means, at least not on the days that don't involve playing pick up basketball with guys ten years younger than me for one too many games...but... I am aging... if we're lucky, we all are. In reflecting on where I was 5, 10, 15 years back, I can see tremendous amounts of ground gained in my life as a whole.

My character, attitude, desires, financially, relationally, spiritually. The list is near endless.

 I'm a complete different person. I take no credit for any of it, it's all by the grace of God. I'm also no different than most when it comes to the subject of becoming 'seasoned', I too can be concerned about it.

As Billy Graham is quoted "Growing old has been one of the greatest surprises of my life."

I would agree! You never sit back and think, man one day I'm going to be 'this' age. It just happens. So the fear of it is something real, something we have no control over. And it's intimidating. So the real concern is not over what could happen if you grow old, rather it is what will happen when you grow old, the Lord willing.

Of course we all hope to be able to look back at our lives and say, I lived well, made forward movements and am overall pleased with the way my life played out. But in reality, there's a whole slew of us, that can't do that. We've procrastinated, chosen poorly and failed miserably & are either just getting things on track or have yet to begin to do so. I can relate to that. I not only have the
t-shirt, I'm an owner of  the brand. But it's never too late, is it. What's worse is that there are always people around us that have their lives so snug upon the tracks that it all looks seamless. How can you measure up to that? You can't.

I aim to say that if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord, you don't have to feel the taunting of neither the past or the future. When you were younger or getting older. In fact, the bible has some great promises to those that are gaining in years. I would like to share a few with you today and I hope that they might encourage you, whatever your age.

Isaiah 46:4

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you. 

 

Psalm 71:16-18

I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.

 

Psalm 92:12-15

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

 

 

"The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass, the more clearly we should see through it."

-Jean Paul Sartre

 

 

"It is not true that people stop pursuing their dreams because they grow old, they grow old because they stop pursuing their dreams."

-Gabriel Garcia Marquez

 

 

What thoughts do you have about aging?

 

Hope this blesses you. Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

 

Two Hands on the Wheel

It was raining rather heavily as I drove home from work the other day. I know it's not 'proper' technique but I'm a usual one-handed driver. It's most comfortable to me. But every now and again when it is raining really bad, I get a nervousness in my stomach that prompts the need to put both hands on the wheel... in preparation for the unknown. To have better control when I need it. Today was one of those times when I needed that extra security. I had to put both hands on the wheel.

I, also get distracted like most anyone else while driving, and sometimes get a little too familiar when on my regularly traveled paths. Too at ease. As I latched onto the steering wheel this time for some reason, I noticed a shift.

My focus on my immediate situation & the requirements of it, re-aligned.
I felt more aware... more in control.

I don't know about you but everyday things like this, often point me to a deeper truth about life as a whole. So as I took notice of this enhancement of my awareness, I began to wonder how this concept of 'putting both hands on the wheel', applied on a larger spectrum... and what affect such heightening, could likewise have on my life in general. 

What I Discovered 

 

What I discovered, was that most of us get familiar, like I do driving, in many areas of life. And that familiarity can sometimes cause us to be careless & out of tune with the gravity of what we're trying to accomplish. This naturally leads to ineffectiveness, poor motivation, & obviously, less than ideal progress toward our goals. Really, what it boils down to, is that our commitment is not where it should be. We're partially invested. We wouldn't dare trust our hard earned money to people that we observed to be half-hearted about bringing us a solid return, would we? So why do we do the same in areas of our own lives, half commit? After all, our life itself is an investment in the lives of those around us. It doesn't matter how selfish a person is, no one lives solely for themselves. No one. Whether we realize it or not, our lives have impact beyond us. Don't they deserve for us to have both hands on the wheel?  

Even Greats Re-focus
 

In scripture we have many examples of people, just like you and me, who had these same moments to re-commitment, to re-align, & re-invest themselves. I think of guys like Isaiah who said 'woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips' when he found himself face to face with the one he thought he knew, only to now recognize that He is even greater & deserves even more respect than Isaiah had once thought. Or Jonah, who after first running,in the end, realized that following God was what he signed on to do to begin with & that calling others closer to Him is the whole point of that. How about Peter , who in the midst of a routine trip across a sea, something he would have done many times before as a fisherman, finds himself unsure about his current position in life, re-aligning by asking to do something even more improbable, walking on water. And then there is Jesus himself... He encountered his moment to conquer the mundane prior to his arrest, when he prayed in the garden. Life was what it was. He had launched a movement that not only challenged traditional thinking but that also provided answers to combat it. He'd attracted a following that social media of today can never compete with. In fact His followers are STILL increasing in count today! Yet, when it came to moving to the next level in his life purpose, he had to pray ,multiple times, in order to get his feet to be aimed in the same direction as his heart. All of these men were on personally familiar roads. Comfortable paths.

 

Getting Uncomfortable

These people all did what we're talking about here. In the crucial, uneasy moments of their lives, when they could have just kept doing the same old thing because they were used to it...they chose, instead, to put two hands in the wheel... To allow their focus concerning their life to be re-synced with the purpose of the one who called them.

 

They re-aligned their thoughts & actions towards

what mattered most. At that very moment.

  
Friends, your life and the lives around you, deserve your full commitment. They deserve your focus and dedication regardless of how comfortable the road has become to you. My aim is to get uncomfortable enough in this sometimes unfavorable weather of life, to the point that it causes me to put both hands on the wheel. To prepare for the unknown. Because at any moment I could hit a slick spot that spins me out of control. Or maybe even worse, the person in the 'life lane' next to me might loose control and collide with me in the process. 

 

What about you? Have you ever gotten too comfortable? If so, how did you re-align with your ultimate purpose?

Hopefully this helps the growth within, come out

Rodney

References: Isaiah 6, Jonah 2, Matthew 14 & 26

A poem I wrote

 

 

 

Flames dancing with the wind,

In a genre all to themselves.

Outlining fluidity.

Comforting...Hostile...Powerful...Fragile.

Contained when in sync,

The motion of motions.

Creating magnificent landscapes in their wake,

That are either desirable or disastrous.

For chaos ensues when the two are at odds,

The steps become unrecognizably common.

Such that even an amateur could do.

Selfishly they violently attempt to separate,

Leaving permanent reminders of destruction.

Though when looking through the Creator's eyes,

There's purpose, even hope.

Whether the waltz performed will,

Add land mass allowing for expansion,

Or for...creating distance...

We, will decide. 

 

 

RELATIONSHIPS

 

When Doing Right Fails You and 4 Tactics To Adjusting

Over a decade ago, I neglected what should have been a close relationship. For several years I took it for granted and didn't dedicate myself to it. Needless to say, it was virtually non-existent as a result.  Thankfully, I eventually saw my error and what I was missing & what I was withholding from the other person. So I began to revisit that relationship. To spend time, energy, and focus on the other individual. To truly be available to them. Granted, I didn't do it perfectly, I did however, make an effort. Yet, some 12 years later, that relationship is still not in ideal health.... Of course, the whole 'me not being perfect' and the 'it takes two' philosophy, both factor in but.....

I've done right longer than wrong.... I've done right for over a decade now, yet, I've failed to be able to develop the relationship into what it should be...  

Now by done everything 'right', I don't mean perfect, righteously, or without mistake...... We're not perfect. And there are often others involved in a given life situation, that aren't perfect either, and 2 imperfects, well they don't make a right either.  So by right, I mean, you've done the best you knew how.  I wrote here about how discipline alone will lead to failure without focus.  I would add to that, that losing doesn't make you a failure....quitting does. And that's what focus provides, a reason..not.. to quit. 

I'm naturally self-competitive and I can recall from my sport playing days, losing a game. Sure the scoreboard didn't lean in my favor but I still learned so much from my mistakes, that the next game... I outperformed even my own expectations. So, know, even losing, can bring you to success..................................................................................................................................................

In scripture the Apostle Paul is a wonderful icon for many a lesson and he drives home this idea of 'doing right', but still failing from his pre-conversion life. He loved God. He was highly studied in the old testament writings, yet somehow he missed the heart connection needed, to know Jesus. To see those Old Testament writings in the flesh.... before his very eyes. See, his doing right by the law of tradition caused him to do wrong according to the law of the kingdom that Jesus taught. 

In the end his most valiant effort to preserve God...... resulted in him literally attempting to destroy the very purpose of God...... the church... His idea of 'doing right' couldn't have been further from it. I've been there too. And I bet you have also. 

So what do you do when you realize that your best effort has been harming you all along?  That your 'doing right' has been doing wrong? 

Paul provides the answers in Galatians Chapter One as he summarizes his experience. It's in this text that we find 4 Tactics that will help you re-route your course when your best attempts have proven futile.

We must allow ourselves to be:

1.  Re-positioned 

     Galatians 1:15 "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through his grace." You must place your perspective back on what He has spoken over your life, your 'call'.

2.  Re-assigned 

     Galatians 1:16 "....that I might preach Him(Christ) among the gentiles." Paul used to preach 'law' among the Israelites but now he claims his assignment to be to preach Christ among the 'heathen' which in his case (& maybe yours), was polar opposite of what he was doing before.

3. Re-educated

     Galatians 1:18 "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days."  Although Paul was well educated in Jewish custom, he thought it necessary to be re-taught (by more seasoned disciples) on this new 'Christianity' that he fought against so diligently but now was a member of. Verse 17 also hints to Paul spending 3 years in Damascus, undoubtedly for some training as well. You too must re-learn when you hit a wall.

4. Re-launched

    Galatians 1:21-22 "Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ." This one is key. Paul was sent in a completely different direction than what was familiar to him.  Sometimes we too must allow ourselves to be given a different perspective in order to make our efforts more effective.

I would also note that none of these, do we do for ourselves. It is only by the power of God that any of it is possible.  The idea that perfection doesn't exist in our world,  is a lie. It does. In the mind..... In my mind, I ALWAYS have the perfect golf swing! The challenge is that the mind itself is not perfect, it's tarnished as well. My mentally perfect is not yours and vice versa. So, we must stop living in the 'reality' of our minds, and start living in the reality of God's mind....his word. One sure way to achieve this is to simply backtrack when the inevitable roadblocks of life arise, see where you find yourself in light of scripture & touch these 4 bases. And whether we've missed the mark completely or thought we were doing the 'right' thing, we'll get back on track a lot sooner. 

How about you? When has doing what is traditionally considered right, caused you to fail?

What steps do you take to evaluate and correct your failures?

Hopefully this helps the growth within, come out

Rodney  

Success In 2015 And The One Thing You Must Wait On

So, it's a new year. 2015, I can hardly believe it! Time waits for no one, right. My guess is that you've been bombarded lately through news and social media, friends, family, and even in your jobs with the tradition of new year's resolutions. Which is why I held off on this post, to avoid joining the overwhelming voices. Whether or not setting resolutions is productive is arguable. One report shows that less than ten percent of people actually follow through with their aspirations each year. Those that actually attain their wishes would be advocates, those that don't, would not. Which is probably most of us and why it's debatable. My second guess, would be that you've either decided on some of your very own and are gung-ho about them! Or, you've failed at them enough in the past, that you just don't see the point and are therefore strongly against the idea. Either way, you're not alone.

On one of the blogs I follow the author has been posting a lot about resolutions.  And the very fact, that most of us that do set them, often fail.. And yet, we continue year in, and year out, to set...more. Doesn't really make sense. Does it? Michael proposes something I agree with. He states that instead of resolutions, we should be... setting goals. And while the two can sound quite equatable, they are indeed different creatures altogether.

Resolutions: These are normally internally focused desires. They typically have vain, surface level fulfilments in general. And most importantly, they are often "wish lists" at best.

Goals: These should consist of internal desires that will propel you in a given area of life that will ultimately help you become better for others... in the process.

What's more is that resolutions are usually never physically visualized, goals must be. What I mean by this is that goals should not remain in our minds. We should write them down, make a plan, and implement that plan...adjusting as needed along the way. As Eisenhower is quoted "The plan is nothing but planning is everything." We must be flexible while working our plan, but we must, plan. Planning does many things for us, one of the most important is, it naturally creates a step-by-step process that we can measure our progress against.

All that said, I know you've been slammed with resolution requests and such. So I'm not going to ask you to do either... set goals or set resolutions. I, want to discourage you in regards to 2015... and then... encourage you. I believe this familiar passage of scripture will help us consisely valuate the true reality of both approaches to the new year.

Isaiah 40:31 reads as follows:

but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

My Discouragement For You

Let's look at this text a bit differently than we usually do.

In 2015 There Will Be Times When:

1.You will walk.
    Progress at this stage is slow, long, continuous & often laborious.

2. You will run.
     This includes both running to beneficial avenues & running from things or people that just don't help move you closer to your ideal path forward.

3. You will have cause to soar
     Situations might happen, where you must rise above, choose the high road, be the bigger person.

4.  You will have no more strength
      There's a great probability that life in this coming year may weaken you at some point.

In case you're depressed yet too, let me say, I lean on the thinking that one of the most beautiful aspects of scripture is that in the very same passage that you find such discouragement, you can also find hope! Remember, I said I also wanted to encourage you(:

My Encouragement For You

When we read this passage traditionally, we can clearly see what our benefits are.

1. Progress may be slow at times, but you'll have the endurance to keep going.

2. At times you'll cover more ground... by running. Note that this running won't be arduous to the point of weariness. It sounds like it will be revitalizing.

3. An eagle is a predator. They hunt. So a main benefit of them being in flight is... vision, perspective. You will be able to see what you need for sustenance from an angle of attainability.

4. Though you find yourself weak, your strength won't run out, it will be re-filled!

Every year holds successes & failures, triumphs & tragedies, aspirations & accomplishments. While you're on this planet there will never be one that doesn't. So again, I'm not asking you to set goals or resolutions. I would urge you to consider though, that whether you give the two thought or not, there are inherent things that are on your agenda for 2015, some of which will be inadvertent, some that must be pursued. So if you'd like things to work out in your favor... being proactive is always the way to go. Lastly, I would point out the obvious pre-condition to the points of encouragement. It's found at the beginning of this verse... but they that wait upon the LORD....  

See everyone will face the discouragements this new year but only those that have relationship with Jesus, will experience the promised encouragements/success. So regardless of how you label your hopes for 2015, true progress can only be achieved through Him. Your goal/resolution this year, make it waiting on the Lord, and I'd be willing to bet that any others you should have will not only be revealed, they'll likely come to pass. I'll be praying for you in 2015!

How do resolutions and goals differ to you? 

Helping the growth within, come out

Rodney