My little boy is as ornery as the day is long; his little smile flashing just seconds before and after he does that little bit of mischief that he knows will bring Dad running. Time and time again I have to tell him "stop", "put that down", or simply "No". Often I have to say no several times to get his attention. Why do I say it? I've got to say it. Two year old boys shouldn't play with Ink Pens, or slam their toy cars against the table. I know he hears me the first time, but still I end up saying in multiple times. Why do I say it multiple times? I say it multiple times because I love him; that and things get broke and little boys get hurt. Sometimes multiple is better.
I've got a great wife and in some ways she is allot like my little boy, there are just things I had better say to her more than once. Even though she is like my boy in that I need to repeat certain things to her, what I have to say is different. When she picks up an ink pen, I am not worried about her safety. I can't recall ever seeing her play with cars, but if she did I seriously doubt she would bang them against the coffee table. What do I have to repeat to her time and time again? I have to tell her I love her and that she is beautiful. Why do I repeat this? For starters she reminds me if I don't. The second reason is that I think we all need to be say and hear these things. I didn't tell my wife on the day we were married "I Love You" and never utter those words again. I've told her time and time again those words. Why repeat them? I repeat them for the same reason I repeat things to my little boy. It's important. It's important my wife knows she is beautiful and that my little boy knows he needs to stop doing something before he gets hurt. Sometimes multiple is better. The Lord explains this while he is talking with Moses in the Old Testament about his commands.
Deuteronomy 6:7
7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
I know reading through Deuteronomy isn't the funnest reading out there, but the more I read, the more importance I see in the words found there. Deuteronomy 4:1; 5:1; 6:3; 6:4; 7:12; 9:1; 10:11; 13:3; 13:18; 20:3. In each of these verses you find the word listen. Why is this word repeated time and time again. It is repeated because listening is important. Listening to the word of God. Listening through reading what was said by both God and Moses. Listening to your heart. Listening through your prayers.
Africa 2011
Me in Niger, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Growing in our Faith.
Part of my job involves teaching young athletes to lift weights. this is something in my past that I really enjoyed. For me it was about getting better each time, breaking records, watching my max go higher and higher. It always made my day; to go in and to squat more than I ever had, or increase my bench press. I loved it when I felt my body getting stronger and didn't feel happy unless I left a workout feeling exhausted. That sore feeling that I felt throughout the day after a particularly hard workout felt comforting; like you did something. I know weight lifting isn't for everyone. It involves sweat, grunting, groaning, clanging of weights and a lot of waking up early early in the morning to get in your lift; none of which by themselves is a whole lot of fun. Truth is it's difficult; if it were easy there would be a whole lot of people walking around muscled up.
These past two years I've been able to be around something rather unique; Perry Wrestling. No other wrestling squad in the nations has won more state titles. Just last month Perry won it's 38th State Title.
Being around those kids in the weight room is something I enjoy. Year in and year out, they win. They win a lot of times with less talent than the other teams; this year not being an exception. Why do they win; most of it is how hard they work.
I had a great conversation with Perry's Head Wrestling Coach Chenowith. Coach was talking about how tough it is for a wrestler to come out and expect to win after skipping his 7th and 8th grade years.
This reminded me of several kids I've coached. Two of them being some of the better athletes I ever coached, both foreign exchange students; neither proved very good at football. Why not? They didn't have the proper technique or experience of the kids who started that year.
Weight lifting, wrestling and a whole bunch of other sports have something in common. No one starts out being great, no one starts out at the top of their game. I've scene too many kids at the 7th grade level walk into the weight room and struggle lifting the bar and give up on weights because they didn't compare to the kids who had been lifting a couple years.
It is very simple. You've got to bench press 45 pounds before you can bench press 250 pounds. You don't go from squatting 200 pounds to squatting 530 pounds (My personal best :) ) You do it in small increments, you go from 200 to 205 to maybe 215 and then after a period of years and a whole bunch of sweat, tears, grunts, groans, clanging of weights and way to many early mornings; you might just squat 530 or bench 250. If you take your lumps your freshman and sophomore year; maybe when your a senior you'll have enough experience and know how to start.
My greatest moment in sports came not when I was 18; but when I was close to 40. In one of my last Rugby matches I ever played in. I squared off against a young 20ish, muscled up college kid. When he saw me I saw in his eyes he had me pegged for an easy mark; eyes that stared at me as if I were a fat old man and shouldn't have been out on the field. After about our third scrum I heard him cussing, about scrum 5 he was panting and that look that had been in his eyes had been replaced with something akin to awe. At half, he looked at me as if he would rather not have to go up against me. After half my shoulder popped out (something I was used to) and I swear he almost looked happy. After the game he complimented me I told him something about old dogs and knowing a lot of tricks.
What he had was strength, what he didn't have was technique and experience. What he had is this little jewel of a verse....
Habakkuk 2
4 Look, his ego is inflated;he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.
I'm not trash talking this young man; I'm saying he is exactly like most new Christians. Most are very strong in their desire for loving the Lord; but what they are not is experienced. It's easy to listen to a sermon on Faith and promise yourself in your heart that you have faith; but what happens when life pounds away at you? What happens when you pray and things just get tougher? Read Habakkuk, it tells us exactly this. When Habakkuk calls out, in Habakkuk 1...
Habakkuk 1:2
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!"and you will not save?
I love God's response, In Habakkuk 1:God tells him hold on; you think you've scene trouble, that's nothing compared to what I'm about to unleash on you.
Habakkuk 1:5-6
5 "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.
I truly feel many churches are not treating new Christians properly. In many ways we are expecting new Christians to have just as much faith as people who have grown in their faith for many years. As a new Christian I was Habakkuk 2:5; standing with my ego inflated believing in my heart that I had the faith to overcome any obstacle. Fact was I didn't. I got knocked down time and time again and over a period of time I felt myself grow in my faith. But faith is a lot like lifting weights. You can't just stop trying to grow. You can't just say I've got "x" amount of faith and it will always stay that way. Our God doesn't roll like that. Instead every now and then he calls down the Chaldeans after we cry out for help.
He doesn't do this because he hates us or because he is sadistic. He does this because he is our God and he loves us deeper and more than we can ever imagine. Roman soldiers ripped the flesh from his back. Every sin we ever did or will do bore down on his shoulders while he was hanging from nails on a cross. God doesn't want us to bench 200 pounds and stop or to have only "x" amount in faith and then stop. He wants us to grow in our faith, he wants more for us. Life is going to get tougher. Last week I had to put down my dog, I loved that dog; but I know one day it is going to be close family members that will pass; what then?
I'm humbled that we have a God who loves us enough that he pushes us to grow. Hard times are tough, struggles cause pain. What we've got to understand is that our struggles, our pains are how we grow in our faith. It's something about our belief that is very difficult for many to understand, but it is at the very essence of who we are. It's something I feel deep down that we have to be teaching our new brothers and sisters in Christ. This verse sums it up best....
Ephesians 2:1
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
These past two years I've been able to be around something rather unique; Perry Wrestling. No other wrestling squad in the nations has won more state titles. Just last month Perry won it's 38th State Title.
Being around those kids in the weight room is something I enjoy. Year in and year out, they win. They win a lot of times with less talent than the other teams; this year not being an exception. Why do they win; most of it is how hard they work.
I had a great conversation with Perry's Head Wrestling Coach Chenowith. Coach was talking about how tough it is for a wrestler to come out and expect to win after skipping his 7th and 8th grade years.
This reminded me of several kids I've coached. Two of them being some of the better athletes I ever coached, both foreign exchange students; neither proved very good at football. Why not? They didn't have the proper technique or experience of the kids who started that year.
Weight lifting, wrestling and a whole bunch of other sports have something in common. No one starts out being great, no one starts out at the top of their game. I've scene too many kids at the 7th grade level walk into the weight room and struggle lifting the bar and give up on weights because they didn't compare to the kids who had been lifting a couple years.
It is very simple. You've got to bench press 45 pounds before you can bench press 250 pounds. You don't go from squatting 200 pounds to squatting 530 pounds (My personal best :) ) You do it in small increments, you go from 200 to 205 to maybe 215 and then after a period of years and a whole bunch of sweat, tears, grunts, groans, clanging of weights and way to many early mornings; you might just squat 530 or bench 250. If you take your lumps your freshman and sophomore year; maybe when your a senior you'll have enough experience and know how to start.
My greatest moment in sports came not when I was 18; but when I was close to 40. In one of my last Rugby matches I ever played in. I squared off against a young 20ish, muscled up college kid. When he saw me I saw in his eyes he had me pegged for an easy mark; eyes that stared at me as if I were a fat old man and shouldn't have been out on the field. After about our third scrum I heard him cussing, about scrum 5 he was panting and that look that had been in his eyes had been replaced with something akin to awe. At half, he looked at me as if he would rather not have to go up against me. After half my shoulder popped out (something I was used to) and I swear he almost looked happy. After the game he complimented me I told him something about old dogs and knowing a lot of tricks.
What he had was strength, what he didn't have was technique and experience. What he had is this little jewel of a verse....
Habakkuk 2
4 Look, his ego is inflated;he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.
I'm not trash talking this young man; I'm saying he is exactly like most new Christians. Most are very strong in their desire for loving the Lord; but what they are not is experienced. It's easy to listen to a sermon on Faith and promise yourself in your heart that you have faith; but what happens when life pounds away at you? What happens when you pray and things just get tougher? Read Habakkuk, it tells us exactly this. When Habakkuk calls out, in Habakkuk 1...
Habakkuk 1:2
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!"and you will not save?
I love God's response, In Habakkuk 1:God tells him hold on; you think you've scene trouble, that's nothing compared to what I'm about to unleash on you.
Habakkuk 1:5-6
5 "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.
I truly feel many churches are not treating new Christians properly. In many ways we are expecting new Christians to have just as much faith as people who have grown in their faith for many years. As a new Christian I was Habakkuk 2:5; standing with my ego inflated believing in my heart that I had the faith to overcome any obstacle. Fact was I didn't. I got knocked down time and time again and over a period of time I felt myself grow in my faith. But faith is a lot like lifting weights. You can't just stop trying to grow. You can't just say I've got "x" amount of faith and it will always stay that way. Our God doesn't roll like that. Instead every now and then he calls down the Chaldeans after we cry out for help.
He doesn't do this because he hates us or because he is sadistic. He does this because he is our God and he loves us deeper and more than we can ever imagine. Roman soldiers ripped the flesh from his back. Every sin we ever did or will do bore down on his shoulders while he was hanging from nails on a cross. God doesn't want us to bench 200 pounds and stop or to have only "x" amount in faith and then stop. He wants us to grow in our faith, he wants more for us. Life is going to get tougher. Last week I had to put down my dog, I loved that dog; but I know one day it is going to be close family members that will pass; what then?
I'm humbled that we have a God who loves us enough that he pushes us to grow. Hard times are tough, struggles cause pain. What we've got to understand is that our struggles, our pains are how we grow in our faith. It's something about our belief that is very difficult for many to understand, but it is at the very essence of who we are. It's something I feel deep down that we have to be teaching our new brothers and sisters in Christ. This verse sums it up best....
Ephesians 2:1
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Sunday, March 20, 2011
A good Dog
Today is tough, Tomorrow is going to be tougher. This one isn't going to be my typical post. It's one that I may cry a little bit or a lot over. The one I'm writing it for isn't going to read it, even though she is very smart. She came into my life at a time I needed someone to talk to, someone to hug on, someone to shed a tear with and she did that and more. I felt I was rescuing her, but she rescued me. She shared my bed for many years and most of my meals. She was always there for me when I got home with a kiss. In case your wandering who I'm talking about I'm talking about a dog, but not just any dog. My Dog. Calamity was a rescue dog, she lived her early life in a unlicensed puppy meal. She was filthy, dirty and not very loving when I found her. When we loaded her up in my mom's vehicle she peed on the floor, that night she bit my other dog Flash. For the first month she simply stared at the door, never showing any emotion. I really think everything changed when she figured out she could make me laugh. Overtime I couldn't read a book at night without her head poking between me and the book. When Flash got a little too crazed she was always the one who brought him back to reality. What I remember most was that when things got sad, when I wasn't having the greatest day. She was always the one who would come to my side. It was always her head I felt in my hands, her kisses on my leg. If I was sad she whined. When I got married and she became an outside dog she understood. As I had kids her kisses found their way to my son. Today she met my little 4 week old girl for the first time. Calamity was an escape artist. It was a battle of wills between us two and she always won, but always found her way back. A gift she had. Last week Calamity broke her back. I tried to bring her home thinking she might heal. You gotta believe in miracles. It's clear to me now as she looses weight and isn't really eating that its time for her. Today she let my boy hug on her, her head once again found its way into my hand as I cried for her. Tomorrow I gotta take her to the vet, I don't want too; but it has to happen. She has been too good a dog to let this go on. I've got to give her a little dignity. Calamity, if their is any way in dog heaven that you can read blogs I hope you read what I've written. I know you already know my heart, you won it. You were my dog for the past 7 years, what I would give for 7 more. I won't forget you. Most importantly there are no fences/pens in heaven. Run as fast as your little Bassat Hound Legs will carry you. Love you Girl. I promise I'll keep an eye on Flash, he is going to be lost without you.
According to God's Plan
I find myself still struggling with doubt. Struggling and well, feeling foolish. It's easy to say "Put your trust in Jesus", but putting your trust in him isn't exactly coming easy. It's easy 23 hours out of the day, but it's that one hour a night where I lie awake sleepless that is tough. Married, 2 Kids, a 3 week old baby and knowing this June me and my wife will have no job; it does weigh on ones mind. I find myself getting short at work with the students, things I might have smiled about two months ago are getting on my nerves. I know some of this comes with having a baby who isn't even a month old yet. ie. My sleep hasn't been what it used to be. But, I also feel that a lot of it comes from this doubt that sometimes clouds my judgment.
The Bible is an awesome book in that it explicitly addresses doubt. In the Bible it shows that our God is the same God who led his people out of Egypt, he is the same God who let one shepherd (Gideon) defeat a mighty army with only 300 soldiers. What's comforting about Gideon is that he too doubted. The Egyptians also doubted, but their doubt was much different. When Gideon doubted he brought those doubts directly to God. When Scouts told Moses that the land the Lord had promised was full of a unconquerable enemy he doubted. For this doubt the Israelis wandered the desert for 40 years. If these men could doubt when they heard directly the voice of God, maybe my doubt is something that is justifiable.
I listened to a great podcast the other day form Life Point Ministries called secret church. One thing they talked about was the nature of God. In this podcast they talked about the power of God. Two verses really struck a chord with me. They are Job 12:23 and Psalms 22:28.
Job 12: 23
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
Psalms 22: 28
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.
These two verses tell me that our God is powerful enough to rule and control nations. If he can do this than who am I to have doubts. The Bible also shows us that God isn't only a ruler of nations, he is also strong enough to provide everything we need.
Acts 17:25
25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
If God is strong enough to control nations, if he is going to provide life, breath and everything else; then why should I doubt, why should I worry. Perhaps I worry because of the "uncertain", I have no doubt there will be food on my table, I can't even doubt that there will be a table. God will provide. Perhaps I worry because of "pride". Pride can be a pretty big obstacle to overcome, yet it is not my pride that will provide; it is God.
Romans 8:28
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.
Proverbs 16:9
9 A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.
These last two verses seal it up for me. Romans 8:28 is the actual verse my Dad texted me when he found out about our jobs. Being a Christian separates us from everyone else. When other people lose their jobs, when times get tough; what have they to lean on, who do they call out to. What do they lay awake fearing? When your job is the most important thing in your life, when the dollar is the measure by which you way success. Then what do you have when that is no longer there. Christians have the knowledge that "all things are going to work together". They have the understanding that the Lord is the one that is going to "determine his steps" Being a Christian means that we buy into the belief that our God is an all loving God, that he will provide and that everything happens to work for his Glory. It's nice knowing that the one who created the Universe, the one who designed every leaf and every snow flake; is also the one who is going to help me and my wife get a job. Take that monster.com.
The Bible is an awesome book in that it explicitly addresses doubt. In the Bible it shows that our God is the same God who led his people out of Egypt, he is the same God who let one shepherd (Gideon) defeat a mighty army with only 300 soldiers. What's comforting about Gideon is that he too doubted. The Egyptians also doubted, but their doubt was much different. When Gideon doubted he brought those doubts directly to God. When Scouts told Moses that the land the Lord had promised was full of a unconquerable enemy he doubted. For this doubt the Israelis wandered the desert for 40 years. If these men could doubt when they heard directly the voice of God, maybe my doubt is something that is justifiable.
I listened to a great podcast the other day form Life Point Ministries called secret church. One thing they talked about was the nature of God. In this podcast they talked about the power of God. Two verses really struck a chord with me. They are Job 12:23 and Psalms 22:28.
Job 12: 23
23 He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.
Psalms 22: 28
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.
These two verses tell me that our God is powerful enough to rule and control nations. If he can do this than who am I to have doubts. The Bible also shows us that God isn't only a ruler of nations, he is also strong enough to provide everything we need.
Acts 17:25
25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
If God is strong enough to control nations, if he is going to provide life, breath and everything else; then why should I doubt, why should I worry. Perhaps I worry because of the "uncertain", I have no doubt there will be food on my table, I can't even doubt that there will be a table. God will provide. Perhaps I worry because of "pride". Pride can be a pretty big obstacle to overcome, yet it is not my pride that will provide; it is God.
Romans 8:28
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.
Proverbs 16:9
9 A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.
These last two verses seal it up for me. Romans 8:28 is the actual verse my Dad texted me when he found out about our jobs. Being a Christian separates us from everyone else. When other people lose their jobs, when times get tough; what have they to lean on, who do they call out to. What do they lay awake fearing? When your job is the most important thing in your life, when the dollar is the measure by which you way success. Then what do you have when that is no longer there. Christians have the knowledge that "all things are going to work together". They have the understanding that the Lord is the one that is going to "determine his steps" Being a Christian means that we buy into the belief that our God is an all loving God, that he will provide and that everything happens to work for his Glory. It's nice knowing that the one who created the Universe, the one who designed every leaf and every snow flake; is also the one who is going to help me and my wife get a job. Take that monster.com.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Words and the power behind them.
Got a call from my daughters principal the other day. I was hoping it was good news, maybe she did great on a spelling test, or something of the like. Turns out it wasn't, She had gotten into a fight on the playground. When she got home I asked her why? Apparently there was some name calling. Big question now is what to do. She got your standard, we're upset at you lecture and you will be disciplined. Truth is its easy to tell a 9 year old that she shouldn't pay attention to what other people say, but there is power in words.
Hosea 14:2 says something interesting. It says "sticks and stones my break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Actually it doesn't say that, it says something to the opposite.
Hosea 14:2
2) Take words of repentance with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him: "Forgive all our sin and accepts what is good, so that we may repay You with praise from our lips".
Hosea is to me saying something I've known since I was 9 and I was sitting in tears on the playground crying because the older kids were calling me names. There is power in words. Words can tear apart a marriage, tear apart a family, tear apart a country. Words can also have the opposite effect. I remember my wife telling me we were going to have a child. I remember the first time I told her I loved her. If words weren't important than why would political candidates, candy bars, car dealers and almost everyone with something to sell spend millions trying to pound catch phrases into our brain. The reason they do this is because words are important.
Hosea 14:2 tells us to "Take words of repentance with you and return to the Lord". The Bible is telling us to "Take words". Anyone who has ever read through the first books of Leviticus has read about sacrifice and offerings: Burnt offering, Grain offering, Sin offering, Quilt offering, Fellowship offering. Each of these early books of Leviticus are very delightful, very detailed reading; the stuff you want to snuggle up next to on a cold winters night. (NOT) The question being why would God spell out in detail these long list of sacrifice; when in Hosea he would say we are to bring "words of repentance". The reason Hosea spells this out is because Words have power.
Why is it so important that we bring words, doesn't God know everything we have done, there are no secrets with an all knowing God. If he knows then why can't we just think it; why do we have to say it. Vocalizing, or bringing to life the words of our repentance is important, important to God and important to us. When we vocally repent, we physically do something. It's not just a mere thought, it is an action. It is by this action that we show obedience and obedience is what God wants.
1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
Isaiah 1:11-14
21 "'This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves!22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices,23 but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.
You have to ask why does God demand in Hosea 14:2 that we take words of repentance.
When we vocalize our repentance, we do more than just shout out to God, we also ask for his forgiveness. The biggest part of repentance is forgiveness. Google forgiveness and will come across study after study showing the power of forgiveness. These studies show that the inability to forgive can be linked to sickness, depression, and even suicide.
San Diego Tribune Article on Forgiveness
Stanford Study on Forgiveness
A whole bunch of studies
What is crazy is that each of these studies state that if we forgive, if we vocalize our forgiveness to ourselves and those whom we have wronged. Then things can change. What amazes me is that these studies show exactly what the bible talked about well over 2,700 years ago in Hosea and throughout the bible. Perhaps one could say that today's top psychologist are just a little behind the curve.
Forgiveness of sin. This is such an important concept that the early Israelis lined up at the temple, offering their unblemished sacrifices. Leviticus spells out these sacrifices in great detail. Huge effort went into these sacrifices, rivers of blood flowed into the streets; sacrifices carried out in the name of forgiveness.
The game changed when Christ stepped into the court of Pontious Pilate knowing what awaited him, knowing the price that he was going to pay. It was his blood that flowed: It flowed on the streets, it flowed down the cross. It flowed so that our sin can and will be forgiven. Christ wasn't crucified for crimes against Rome or the Jewish people, he was crucified because through that crucifixion our sins and crimes would be forgiven. What did Christ do near the moment of death, Luke 23:34 tells us that he spoke out.
Luke 23: 34
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
All Christ ask us to do is be obedient, to take words of repentance and return to him. Words can heal, they can tear down, they can build up. Words are powerful; but how easy it is to forget, to hide behind our own pride and not speak these words. We speak hundreds of words a day. Physically it is so easy to speak, yet so hard to forgive. But speaking these words is exactly what the Bible tells us to do, its exactly what Jesus did on the cross. We are to do this because their is a true power in words. That power came with a price and our God has already paid that price. It is his blood that covers our sin and forgives. Isn't it truly amazing how awesome our God is.
Hosea 14:2 says something interesting. It says "sticks and stones my break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Actually it doesn't say that, it says something to the opposite.
Hosea 14:2
2) Take words of repentance with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him: "Forgive all our sin and accepts what is good, so that we may repay You with praise from our lips".
Hosea is to me saying something I've known since I was 9 and I was sitting in tears on the playground crying because the older kids were calling me names. There is power in words. Words can tear apart a marriage, tear apart a family, tear apart a country. Words can also have the opposite effect. I remember my wife telling me we were going to have a child. I remember the first time I told her I loved her. If words weren't important than why would political candidates, candy bars, car dealers and almost everyone with something to sell spend millions trying to pound catch phrases into our brain. The reason they do this is because words are important.
Hosea 14:2 tells us to "Take words of repentance with you and return to the Lord". The Bible is telling us to "Take words". Anyone who has ever read through the first books of Leviticus has read about sacrifice and offerings: Burnt offering, Grain offering, Sin offering, Quilt offering, Fellowship offering. Each of these early books of Leviticus are very delightful, very detailed reading; the stuff you want to snuggle up next to on a cold winters night. (NOT) The question being why would God spell out in detail these long list of sacrifice; when in Hosea he would say we are to bring "words of repentance". The reason Hosea spells this out is because Words have power.
Why is it so important that we bring words, doesn't God know everything we have done, there are no secrets with an all knowing God. If he knows then why can't we just think it; why do we have to say it. Vocalizing, or bringing to life the words of our repentance is important, important to God and important to us. When we vocally repent, we physically do something. It's not just a mere thought, it is an action. It is by this action that we show obedience and obedience is what God wants.
1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
Isaiah 1:11-14
21 "'This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves!22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices,23 but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.
You have to ask why does God demand in Hosea 14:2 that we take words of repentance.
When we vocalize our repentance, we do more than just shout out to God, we also ask for his forgiveness. The biggest part of repentance is forgiveness. Google forgiveness and will come across study after study showing the power of forgiveness. These studies show that the inability to forgive can be linked to sickness, depression, and even suicide.
San Diego Tribune Article on Forgiveness
Stanford Study on Forgiveness
A whole bunch of studies
What is crazy is that each of these studies state that if we forgive, if we vocalize our forgiveness to ourselves and those whom we have wronged. Then things can change. What amazes me is that these studies show exactly what the bible talked about well over 2,700 years ago in Hosea and throughout the bible. Perhaps one could say that today's top psychologist are just a little behind the curve.
Forgiveness of sin. This is such an important concept that the early Israelis lined up at the temple, offering their unblemished sacrifices. Leviticus spells out these sacrifices in great detail. Huge effort went into these sacrifices, rivers of blood flowed into the streets; sacrifices carried out in the name of forgiveness.
The game changed when Christ stepped into the court of Pontious Pilate knowing what awaited him, knowing the price that he was going to pay. It was his blood that flowed: It flowed on the streets, it flowed down the cross. It flowed so that our sin can and will be forgiven. Christ wasn't crucified for crimes against Rome or the Jewish people, he was crucified because through that crucifixion our sins and crimes would be forgiven. What did Christ do near the moment of death, Luke 23:34 tells us that he spoke out.
Luke 23: 34
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
All Christ ask us to do is be obedient, to take words of repentance and return to him. Words can heal, they can tear down, they can build up. Words are powerful; but how easy it is to forget, to hide behind our own pride and not speak these words. We speak hundreds of words a day. Physically it is so easy to speak, yet so hard to forgive. But speaking these words is exactly what the Bible tells us to do, its exactly what Jesus did on the cross. We are to do this because their is a true power in words. That power came with a price and our God has already paid that price. It is his blood that covers our sin and forgives. Isn't it truly amazing how awesome our God is.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
One Precious Moment.
You ever had one of those moments in time where you just wish time would freeze. I just had one. My little girl is only 1 day old, but I already feel she is growing and time is passing way to fast. I'm no longer getting teary eyed every time I hold her, just about 75% of the time. I was holding her just a little while ago and it was perfect. Everything was perfect. My beautiful wife was trying to sleep after a very very long day and night, my favorite cooking show was on (I haven't scene it since we got rid of Dish Network), everything was quite on the floor of the hospital in which we are staying and my little girl was staring up at me while I held her small little body in my arms. Things were just perfect. It was one of those moments were everything was at peace in the Universe and nothing else mattered except what was right before me. One of those moments you wish would last for ever.
In last Sunday's Sunday School Class, someone said that "Love" in the Greek means "Unconditional". Unconditional is the perfect word for what I was feeling at that moment. Staring at her tiny little hand latching onto my finger, staring down at her pink little body, (not even a day old yet); what I was feeling was Unconditional Love. My boy is two, I love him but he has already made me mad. Not sure if I was maddest when he gave me a black eye, by hitting me with the corner of his book; or fattened my lip, by hitting me as I was taking a nap on the couch. I did get a little mad at my step daughter when I caught her kicking my Basset Hound and the time she locked the neighbors daughter in the dog pen. But I love them Unconditionally.
Truth is I know my little girl is going to upset me, I know she will break my heart on occasion; just as I know that neither of my kids are perfect. In that moment, that one precious moment when I was sitting in the hospital holding my little girl. That one moment when I was staring at here tiny little hand trying to hold onto my finger, that one moment that will never be repeated; what was pouring out of my heart was unconditional love. My blood and her blood being the same, A Daddy / Daughter bond that will never be broken. Every pore of my body telling me that there was nothing I wouldn't do for her, nothing I wouldn't do to please her or bring a smile to my face. If I had to, I would bleed for her, lay my life down for this tiny little 6 pound 14 ounce beautiful girl. In that moment knowing that every time she hurt, every time she cried, it was my heart that would break.
I cried at that moment not because of the Love I was feeling for my little girl; but because it hit me that I too am loved. There is someone out there who loves me unconditionally, There is someone out there who not only would bleed for me and lay their life down for; but who has already done it.
When I tell myself I would bleed for this little one, Christ says "Look at my back, look at my feet, my hands, look at my scars; This I did for you". When I stare down at my little girls eyes, saying to myself there is nothing I wouldn't do for her, regardless of the pain it causes me. I feel eyes looking down at me from Heaven saying "I felt every blow, every single strike of the whip. That whip ripping at my flesh as I felt the blood running down my face; as the Roman Centurion beat me. This I did for you".
As I look down at her I smile at myself. I smile knowing that on my most tiring day, my toughest day at work; I can come home and there will be little hands reaching out to me, begging me to pick her up. (several sets actually). In this moment I feel other eyes staring down at me saying, "I was so tired. Tired when they spit on me, tired when they threw food at me, tired when they made fun of me and tired as I stumbled; feeling the weight of the cross bearing down on my shoulders, making my way up the hill; knowing that there I would die a horrible death. This I did for you."
These are the thoughts that made me cry in that moment. Thoughts not of the love I have for my new daughter, how I would lover her unconditionally; but thoughts of how Jesus loves me. We all have those moments we are not proud of. Moments we never would want our Dad's or Mom's finding out about. But there was one who was right there with us. With us, but unseen by us. One who was there when life was weighing us down, when we questioned God. When we cried out against him, questioning him, saying this is unfair. Maybe even saying "I hate you God for doing this". When we are honest with ourselves, I know we can each say "I've been there". When this happens there is, one there saying "I love you unconditionally. When you cry out against me; it is my hands that surround you, my hands that protect you. There is nothing I wouldn't do or haven't done for you." There is only one who can say this. His name is Jesus.
In last Sunday's Sunday School Class, someone said that "Love" in the Greek means "Unconditional". Unconditional is the perfect word for what I was feeling at that moment. Staring at her tiny little hand latching onto my finger, staring down at her pink little body, (not even a day old yet); what I was feeling was Unconditional Love. My boy is two, I love him but he has already made me mad. Not sure if I was maddest when he gave me a black eye, by hitting me with the corner of his book; or fattened my lip, by hitting me as I was taking a nap on the couch. I did get a little mad at my step daughter when I caught her kicking my Basset Hound and the time she locked the neighbors daughter in the dog pen. But I love them Unconditionally.
Truth is I know my little girl is going to upset me, I know she will break my heart on occasion; just as I know that neither of my kids are perfect. In that moment, that one precious moment when I was sitting in the hospital holding my little girl. That one moment when I was staring at here tiny little hand trying to hold onto my finger, that one moment that will never be repeated; what was pouring out of my heart was unconditional love. My blood and her blood being the same, A Daddy / Daughter bond that will never be broken. Every pore of my body telling me that there was nothing I wouldn't do for her, nothing I wouldn't do to please her or bring a smile to my face. If I had to, I would bleed for her, lay my life down for this tiny little 6 pound 14 ounce beautiful girl. In that moment knowing that every time she hurt, every time she cried, it was my heart that would break.
I cried at that moment not because of the Love I was feeling for my little girl; but because it hit me that I too am loved. There is someone out there who loves me unconditionally, There is someone out there who not only would bleed for me and lay their life down for; but who has already done it.
When I tell myself I would bleed for this little one, Christ says "Look at my back, look at my feet, my hands, look at my scars; This I did for you". When I stare down at my little girls eyes, saying to myself there is nothing I wouldn't do for her, regardless of the pain it causes me. I feel eyes looking down at me from Heaven saying "I felt every blow, every single strike of the whip. That whip ripping at my flesh as I felt the blood running down my face; as the Roman Centurion beat me. This I did for you".
As I look down at her I smile at myself. I smile knowing that on my most tiring day, my toughest day at work; I can come home and there will be little hands reaching out to me, begging me to pick her up. (several sets actually). In this moment I feel other eyes staring down at me saying, "I was so tired. Tired when they spit on me, tired when they threw food at me, tired when they made fun of me and tired as I stumbled; feeling the weight of the cross bearing down on my shoulders, making my way up the hill; knowing that there I would die a horrible death. This I did for you."
These are the thoughts that made me cry in that moment. Thoughts not of the love I have for my new daughter, how I would lover her unconditionally; but thoughts of how Jesus loves me. We all have those moments we are not proud of. Moments we never would want our Dad's or Mom's finding out about. But there was one who was right there with us. With us, but unseen by us. One who was there when life was weighing us down, when we questioned God. When we cried out against him, questioning him, saying this is unfair. Maybe even saying "I hate you God for doing this". When we are honest with ourselves, I know we can each say "I've been there". When this happens there is, one there saying "I love you unconditionally. When you cry out against me; it is my hands that surround you, my hands that protect you. There is nothing I wouldn't do or haven't done for you." There is only one who can say this. His name is Jesus.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
A Lesson in Suffering
Jeremiah 29:11-13
11)For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12)You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13)You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
One of the amazing things about the bible is that no matter what your situation in life is, or what type of moment your having; the Bible can reach out and grab you. This verse for me came at a crucial time; delivered to me by my Dad. To say this has been a rough month would be an understatement. For starters my wife is soon to be 8 months pregnant. This is a good thing, but it also brings on a whole new other set of problems. Worries about having another kid; How are we going to be able to afford one, pay off the bills etc. These are questions that keep you up at night, combined them with a wife who can't sleep and tosses and turns and at least to me; this means I don't get much sleep. In a normal situation these small problems would be ones that wouldn't really bother me too much. But when you throw in that both me and my wife have been told that we would not be rehired next year; well, the problem broadens. When problems come, normally I go running; crazy thing is we are having our second blizzard of the month. For those of you keeping score its as follows: pregnant sleepless wife, money worries, job worries, and two blizzards. Ya, my plate is pretty full.
I know that as Christians we are supposed to have "Faith", but sometimes you still have to wander. "What is God up to?", "Why does it have to be this way?". Sometimes it reaches a point when you feel like David yelling out in Psalms 79:5 "How long Lord? Will you be angry forever?" Truth is I try desperately to be strong, yet I always feel myself falling short. It would be easy for me to sit here and blog about what an evil person my principal is and blog about his many faults and weaknesses. In some ways I would like to do that, might even feel better after having done it. But would it really help anything. Would I sleep better at night? Doubt it. I'm really good at being angry, always have been. It's a strength that I have. But all anger does is leave one feeling depressed, bitter and helpless.
Every part of me wants to retaliate, but if I can't strike out at the one I feel has hurt me and my family, what can I do. I could burn some bridges, I could tell the community what I've learned about this man. Would this make anything better. Something tells me no. In fact it might only make things worse. In some small way I might feel just a tiny bit justified. But what would the long term effects be. What would others think. Some might feel good for me. Some might feel pity. But if my job as a Christian is to be an example of Christ, would I be doing that. What would my children learn from my reaction. We all suffer, the Bible tells us that. (Sorry Joel Olstein). If you have any question about that just read Habakkuk, Job, or 2 Corinthians; each of these books are fairly decent examples of suffering. I say fairly decent because their is one example which is truly better. That example is Christ, his suffering on the Cross for us, because of us, to exonerate us, to redeem us.
Isn't it awesome knowing we worship a God that not only talks about suffering; but has also been there and done that. A God that so loved us that he came to Earth in the Flesh and suffered something far greater than anything I have suffered. My big question is how can I take his example and apply it to my own life and my own circumstances.
First off how did Jesus treat the individual he felt betrayed him. He ate with him. When Peter tried to lash to defend Christ after Judas betrayed him John 18:11 tell us....
Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
So my thoughts and desires to attack, to lash out; is an exact opposite of what Jesus did. Jesus even went so far as to stop one of his followers from lashing out. Jesus truly is a better man than me. But my question is why did he not. Mathew 26:52-54 spells it out....
52 Then Jesus told him, "Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions of angels? 54 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?"
To me God is saying he could of retaliated, but if he had; the old testament would have been wrong. In fact everything about our faith would be wrong.
How am I supposed to take this. I see only one way. It is possible for me to lash out, but if I do the plans God has for me will not happen. What plans though. For me uncertainty or not knowing about the future is killing me but the bible also tells me in Jeremiah 29:11...
11)For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
How comforting is it knowing that God not only knows what is going to happen, but he has also planned it and the plans are not for disaster but future and hope. So maybe I'm supposed to stop laying there at night worrying about the future, and smile knowing that God has something in store for me. Smiling I can do, but with a mind like mind and years and generations of some of the worlds best worriers; what can I do when my smile stops and in spite of my bets intentions I do worry. Jeremiah 29:12,13 spells it out....
12)You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13)You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Here the Bible is saying not only to pray, but to get into the word. So that is what I promise to do.
Why am I going to do it. #1) Jesus did it #2) The Bible says to do it #3) Sleeping in the same bed as a Wife who is 8 month pregnant; I'll be up anyway, so I have the time and #4) What have I to lose
Here is the thing, I'm not in this alone; I not only have a wife, 2 and 8/9ths kids; but I also have the students, friends and family that are watching me go through this. God doesn't do anything by accident, he doesn't do it out of meanness; He does it because it is his plan and his will. I've got to believe me and my family will come out of this in the positive. My suffering can not pull me down, it has to lift him up. In lifting him (Jesus) up: I will be lifting me, my family and me testimony up for all to see.
Jesus, Give me and my family the strength to get through these times of suffering. Knowing that I will stumble, I will fall; make it so that I can come to you through prayer and the Word and find new strength. It is your will and not my own that is important. To show that I am strong, I must first show humility and weakness. Let me not lash out at my enemies, but eat or commune with them just as you did. Let my suffering be an example to others.
In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen
11)For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12)You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13)You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
One of the amazing things about the bible is that no matter what your situation in life is, or what type of moment your having; the Bible can reach out and grab you. This verse for me came at a crucial time; delivered to me by my Dad. To say this has been a rough month would be an understatement. For starters my wife is soon to be 8 months pregnant. This is a good thing, but it also brings on a whole new other set of problems. Worries about having another kid; How are we going to be able to afford one, pay off the bills etc. These are questions that keep you up at night, combined them with a wife who can't sleep and tosses and turns and at least to me; this means I don't get much sleep. In a normal situation these small problems would be ones that wouldn't really bother me too much. But when you throw in that both me and my wife have been told that we would not be rehired next year; well, the problem broadens. When problems come, normally I go running; crazy thing is we are having our second blizzard of the month. For those of you keeping score its as follows: pregnant sleepless wife, money worries, job worries, and two blizzards. Ya, my plate is pretty full.
I know that as Christians we are supposed to have "Faith", but sometimes you still have to wander. "What is God up to?", "Why does it have to be this way?". Sometimes it reaches a point when you feel like David yelling out in Psalms 79:5 "How long Lord? Will you be angry forever?" Truth is I try desperately to be strong, yet I always feel myself falling short. It would be easy for me to sit here and blog about what an evil person my principal is and blog about his many faults and weaknesses. In some ways I would like to do that, might even feel better after having done it. But would it really help anything. Would I sleep better at night? Doubt it. I'm really good at being angry, always have been. It's a strength that I have. But all anger does is leave one feeling depressed, bitter and helpless.
Every part of me wants to retaliate, but if I can't strike out at the one I feel has hurt me and my family, what can I do. I could burn some bridges, I could tell the community what I've learned about this man. Would this make anything better. Something tells me no. In fact it might only make things worse. In some small way I might feel just a tiny bit justified. But what would the long term effects be. What would others think. Some might feel good for me. Some might feel pity. But if my job as a Christian is to be an example of Christ, would I be doing that. What would my children learn from my reaction. We all suffer, the Bible tells us that. (Sorry Joel Olstein). If you have any question about that just read Habakkuk, Job, or 2 Corinthians; each of these books are fairly decent examples of suffering. I say fairly decent because their is one example which is truly better. That example is Christ, his suffering on the Cross for us, because of us, to exonerate us, to redeem us.
Isn't it awesome knowing we worship a God that not only talks about suffering; but has also been there and done that. A God that so loved us that he came to Earth in the Flesh and suffered something far greater than anything I have suffered. My big question is how can I take his example and apply it to my own life and my own circumstances.
First off how did Jesus treat the individual he felt betrayed him. He ate with him. When Peter tried to lash to defend Christ after Judas betrayed him John 18:11 tell us....
Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
So my thoughts and desires to attack, to lash out; is an exact opposite of what Jesus did. Jesus even went so far as to stop one of his followers from lashing out. Jesus truly is a better man than me. But my question is why did he not. Mathew 26:52-54 spells it out....
52 Then Jesus told him, "Put your sword back in its place because all who take up a sword will perish by a sword. 53 Or do you think that I cannot call on My Father, and He will provide Me at once with more than 12 legions of angels? 54 How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?"
To me God is saying he could of retaliated, but if he had; the old testament would have been wrong. In fact everything about our faith would be wrong.
How am I supposed to take this. I see only one way. It is possible for me to lash out, but if I do the plans God has for me will not happen. What plans though. For me uncertainty or not knowing about the future is killing me but the bible also tells me in Jeremiah 29:11...
11)For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
How comforting is it knowing that God not only knows what is going to happen, but he has also planned it and the plans are not for disaster but future and hope. So maybe I'm supposed to stop laying there at night worrying about the future, and smile knowing that God has something in store for me. Smiling I can do, but with a mind like mind and years and generations of some of the worlds best worriers; what can I do when my smile stops and in spite of my bets intentions I do worry. Jeremiah 29:12,13 spells it out....
12)You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13)You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Here the Bible is saying not only to pray, but to get into the word. So that is what I promise to do.
Why am I going to do it. #1) Jesus did it #2) The Bible says to do it #3) Sleeping in the same bed as a Wife who is 8 month pregnant; I'll be up anyway, so I have the time and #4) What have I to lose
Here is the thing, I'm not in this alone; I not only have a wife, 2 and 8/9ths kids; but I also have the students, friends and family that are watching me go through this. God doesn't do anything by accident, he doesn't do it out of meanness; He does it because it is his plan and his will. I've got to believe me and my family will come out of this in the positive. My suffering can not pull me down, it has to lift him up. In lifting him (Jesus) up: I will be lifting me, my family and me testimony up for all to see.
Jesus, Give me and my family the strength to get through these times of suffering. Knowing that I will stumble, I will fall; make it so that I can come to you through prayer and the Word and find new strength. It is your will and not my own that is important. To show that I am strong, I must first show humility and weakness. Let me not lash out at my enemies, but eat or commune with them just as you did. Let my suffering be an example to others.
In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Ephesians 1: 5 Daddies Smile
I got to watch a neat video the other day from one of the girls I went to school with. It was a video of her husband in China meeting the little boy they were adopting for the first time. It was one of those things you watch and catch yourself thinking about later on throughout the day, and then throughout the week. It was the first thing that popped into my mind when I started thinking about today's verse. Ephesians 1:5 tells us that...
(5) Having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
When I think about the video I find myself wondering when did the little boy actually become part of their family. Legally I would imagine it was when papers were signed. But the look on the father's face tells me that he loved that little boy before he ever met him. Maybe this love sparked when the couple first talked about adopting or maybe it occurred when they saw his picture. Perhaps it occurred while they were dating and the topic of kids came up for the first time. Truth is that all of these answers may be correct. I do know that when the camera showed the fathers face, there was love there.
When I first saw my little boy I remember my heart just blowing up with love for him. The first time he held my finger that love grew. Even today, when we were playing peek-a-boo under the blanket I felt that love swell inside . I can honestly say my love grows for him a little more every day, even on the days he hits me with a block, or cries cause I won't play with him. This verse states that "Having predestinated us". I think the "pre" here is important. I didn't start loving my boy on the day he was born. I remember loving him when my wife told me she was pregnant. I remember loving him the first time I heard his heart beat and that love grew when I saw my first ultrasound of him. I loved him before he was even born. Just as God loved us and knew us before we were born. Ephesians 1:4 tells us this....
(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him
The use of the term predistinated, to me says that this adoption wasn't thought up on the day it took place. God wasn't sitting up in Heaven with his jaw dropping surprised because we turned our hearts over to him. God knew we were going to be adopted into his family. How did he know? that's easy, our God is an all knowing God. The use of the term "Predestinated" only supports this.
Romans 8:15-16 states....
(15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father.
(16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit; that we are the children of God.
To me this is a powerful verse that only backs up what is stated in Ephesians 1:5. The spirit of adoption, adoption being a legal action; our adoption into the body of Christ has to be Baptism. It is in this formal action that we become part of the family, that is the family of Christ. It is through that adoption that we become children, as is spelled out in Romans 8:16; children that cry out Abba Father. Abba is also another interesting word, in the Greek it means "Daddy". Daddy is what my little boy calls me. He calls me that out of love, he calls me that knowing that I would do anything to help him.
There is another little boy, the boy I talked about in that video, he too has a Daddy. That look I saw in his Daddies face I imagine is the same one that appears on my own. Just as I loved my son before I ever saw him, I know that Dad loved his little boy too, loved him before he formally adopted him. Just as both of us loved our sons, our spiritual father loved us too; loved us before we were even born. Isn't it great, isn't it comforting knowing that one day we will look up into the face of our father and say Abba Father. Why will we do this? Because it states in Ephesians 1:5 "according to the good pleasure of his will". That smile that is on my face when I see my little boy, the face that was smiling when I watched that Dad in the Video looking at his little boy; That will be the same smile I see on my Father, my spiritual fathers, face when I stare up at him in heaven. That's what Daddies do.
(5) Having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.
When I think about the video I find myself wondering when did the little boy actually become part of their family. Legally I would imagine it was when papers were signed. But the look on the father's face tells me that he loved that little boy before he ever met him. Maybe this love sparked when the couple first talked about adopting or maybe it occurred when they saw his picture. Perhaps it occurred while they were dating and the topic of kids came up for the first time. Truth is that all of these answers may be correct. I do know that when the camera showed the fathers face, there was love there.
When I first saw my little boy I remember my heart just blowing up with love for him. The first time he held my finger that love grew. Even today, when we were playing peek-a-boo under the blanket I felt that love swell inside . I can honestly say my love grows for him a little more every day, even on the days he hits me with a block, or cries cause I won't play with him. This verse states that "Having predestinated us". I think the "pre" here is important. I didn't start loving my boy on the day he was born. I remember loving him when my wife told me she was pregnant. I remember loving him the first time I heard his heart beat and that love grew when I saw my first ultrasound of him. I loved him before he was even born. Just as God loved us and knew us before we were born. Ephesians 1:4 tells us this....
(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him
The use of the term predistinated, to me says that this adoption wasn't thought up on the day it took place. God wasn't sitting up in Heaven with his jaw dropping surprised because we turned our hearts over to him. God knew we were going to be adopted into his family. How did he know? that's easy, our God is an all knowing God. The use of the term "Predestinated" only supports this.
Romans 8:15-16 states....
(15) For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father.
(16) The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit; that we are the children of God.
To me this is a powerful verse that only backs up what is stated in Ephesians 1:5. The spirit of adoption, adoption being a legal action; our adoption into the body of Christ has to be Baptism. It is in this formal action that we become part of the family, that is the family of Christ. It is through that adoption that we become children, as is spelled out in Romans 8:16; children that cry out Abba Father. Abba is also another interesting word, in the Greek it means "Daddy". Daddy is what my little boy calls me. He calls me that out of love, he calls me that knowing that I would do anything to help him.
There is another little boy, the boy I talked about in that video, he too has a Daddy. That look I saw in his Daddies face I imagine is the same one that appears on my own. Just as I loved my son before I ever saw him, I know that Dad loved his little boy too, loved him before he formally adopted him. Just as both of us loved our sons, our spiritual father loved us too; loved us before we were even born. Isn't it great, isn't it comforting knowing that one day we will look up into the face of our father and say Abba Father. Why will we do this? Because it states in Ephesians 1:5 "according to the good pleasure of his will". That smile that is on my face when I see my little boy, the face that was smiling when I watched that Dad in the Video looking at his little boy; That will be the same smile I see on my Father, my spiritual fathers, face when I stare up at him in heaven. That's what Daddies do.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Ephesians 1:4 Choosing Us
I was one of the youngest in my class, what didn't help was that I was also blessed with the McCord speed, so I was also one of the slowest. Youngest, slowest, smallest..... This usually means your also one of the last picked. Oh the humiliation, my eyes staring down at the ground as all the other kids were picked. A glimmer of hope as I somehow thought that maybe I would be picked before the boy with one leg or the blind girl; but no. The slow walk as the other kids ran off to assume their positions of grandeur out on the field, my slow walk to right field to some other obscure spot. dreaming of being any place other than where I was at. OK, so maybe it wasn't that bad. There were times when a buddy of mine was captain and I might get picked earlier than usual. One glorious summer I didn't get to play little league with the rest of the kids in my class because of the age cut off date, I had to play with the two grades below me. What a glorious summer that was. I wasn't batting 9th, didn't sit on the bench. I felt like an all star. I think we all remember that feeling. I gotta belief that God knew how I felt when I was one of the last picked. In knowing, he pushed Paul to write one verse addressing that lonely little boy. That verse is...
Ephesians 1:4
For he chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In Love.
I remember the few times that I was a captain and allowed to chose. Carefully measuring and plotting out just who to pick. For a few brief moments I was as focused on this task as any Major League Scout. Should I pick a friend or pick one of the fast kids. I didn't get to chose that often, I think the largest part of that reasoning being that I did deliberate, did take to long to choose; after all, there is only so many minutes in PE class. What is comforting about this verse is that it tells us that God did chose us. This tells me that before anything existed God knew that I would come into being, that events would occur in my life that would lead me to him and that I would accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. It's easy to think that with all the people that have ever existed, all the Christians that have ever accepted Christ into their Hearts, all those people that are some day going to walk the streets of Heaven; he chose me. He chose that short, chubby slow kid from Buffalo Oklahoma. The kid that couldn't hit a ball because he was too ashamed to wear his glasses. He chose him. It's amazing to me to think that before everything, he knew of me. To me this puts a personal aspect on my faith. Christians number into the millions, how easy would it have been for God to have kicked back and said I'll take the top 50 percent or maybe the first 2 million to follow me. It is amazing because what this verse states is that he knew me before the big bang, if science is right that's well over 13.7 billion years ago.
The time thing is awe inspiring, but what is truly inspiring is that he chose me. He chose me knowing everything I have done, every thought I have ever had or will have. My life hasn't been perfect, far from it. I've had my ups and downs. I've done some things I'm proud of, but allot of things I am not proud of, allot of things I'm ashamed of. 13.7 billion years ago Jesus knew this and he said "I want that guy". He didn't pick me at my best, he chose me knowing my worse. I keep hearing that God is a vengeful God. I've read this in the bible and I know it is true. But what I also know is that in spite of all my faults, all the sin in my life, Christ knows me and he chose me.
Here is God the Creator, he created everything, knows everything. Mountains, the Universe, Life itself: He created all of this in 6 days. With just a mere thought he could wipe out or destroy everything. He has power that I can not even fathom. To sit there and think that God the Creator, God the Judge chose me is one thing; to sit there and say he wiped away my sin is another.
The second part of this verse says he chose us to to be holy and blameless in His sight. To do this something had to happen. Something big had to occur, because I know that I am far from being Holy and Blameless. What did happen is that he loved me. How much did he love me? He came here in the Flesh, Roman Soldiers ripped that flesh from his body, He was hung from a Cross, suffocating. Not only did he choose us, but he also died for us. I remember the day my buddy J.D. picked me to be first on his dodge ball team. What a glorious day that was. We lost that day, the short chubby usually isn't buddies with the greatest athlete, but it did feel good to be picked first. That feeling is nothing though compared to the feeling that God the Creator chose me 13.7 billion years ago, he chose me knowing I was a sinner, knowing I wasn't perfect. He chose me knowing that his sacrifice, his blood sacrifice, the death of his Son on the Cross would make me "holy and blameless in His sight" and he did it out of Love. I'd play Dodge Ball for him any day.
Ephesians 1:4
For he chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. In Love.
I remember the few times that I was a captain and allowed to chose. Carefully measuring and plotting out just who to pick. For a few brief moments I was as focused on this task as any Major League Scout. Should I pick a friend or pick one of the fast kids. I didn't get to chose that often, I think the largest part of that reasoning being that I did deliberate, did take to long to choose; after all, there is only so many minutes in PE class. What is comforting about this verse is that it tells us that God did chose us. This tells me that before anything existed God knew that I would come into being, that events would occur in my life that would lead me to him and that I would accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. It's easy to think that with all the people that have ever existed, all the Christians that have ever accepted Christ into their Hearts, all those people that are some day going to walk the streets of Heaven; he chose me. He chose that short, chubby slow kid from Buffalo Oklahoma. The kid that couldn't hit a ball because he was too ashamed to wear his glasses. He chose him. It's amazing to me to think that before everything, he knew of me. To me this puts a personal aspect on my faith. Christians number into the millions, how easy would it have been for God to have kicked back and said I'll take the top 50 percent or maybe the first 2 million to follow me. It is amazing because what this verse states is that he knew me before the big bang, if science is right that's well over 13.7 billion years ago.
The time thing is awe inspiring, but what is truly inspiring is that he chose me. He chose me knowing everything I have done, every thought I have ever had or will have. My life hasn't been perfect, far from it. I've had my ups and downs. I've done some things I'm proud of, but allot of things I am not proud of, allot of things I'm ashamed of. 13.7 billion years ago Jesus knew this and he said "I want that guy". He didn't pick me at my best, he chose me knowing my worse. I keep hearing that God is a vengeful God. I've read this in the bible and I know it is true. But what I also know is that in spite of all my faults, all the sin in my life, Christ knows me and he chose me.
Here is God the Creator, he created everything, knows everything. Mountains, the Universe, Life itself: He created all of this in 6 days. With just a mere thought he could wipe out or destroy everything. He has power that I can not even fathom. To sit there and think that God the Creator, God the Judge chose me is one thing; to sit there and say he wiped away my sin is another.
The second part of this verse says he chose us to to be holy and blameless in His sight. To do this something had to happen. Something big had to occur, because I know that I am far from being Holy and Blameless. What did happen is that he loved me. How much did he love me? He came here in the Flesh, Roman Soldiers ripped that flesh from his body, He was hung from a Cross, suffocating. Not only did he choose us, but he also died for us. I remember the day my buddy J.D. picked me to be first on his dodge ball team. What a glorious day that was. We lost that day, the short chubby usually isn't buddies with the greatest athlete, but it did feel good to be picked first. That feeling is nothing though compared to the feeling that God the Creator chose me 13.7 billion years ago, he chose me knowing I was a sinner, knowing I wasn't perfect. He chose me knowing that his sacrifice, his blood sacrifice, the death of his Son on the Cross would make me "holy and blameless in His sight" and he did it out of Love. I'd play Dodge Ball for him any day.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Ephesians 1:3 Powerfull stuff!!!!
Ahhh.... Ephesians. Definitely a different tone from Galatians, but still your meat and potatoes of our faith. I love it that Ephesians gets right to the heart of the issue. The "Holy Trinity". I fondly remember early Sunday School lessons. 3 in 1. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost all together as our one true God. Yet what about those parts of the bibles where Jesus prays to God, where he cries out on the cross, "Father, why has though forsaken me?" Who was Jesus talking to? John 3:16 "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son"? If he God gave us his son, then how could they be one? All of these were questions that in truth still cause questions. Now don't get me wrong. I do believe in the 3 as 1. I understand we have our father about (the creator), Jesus (God in the Flesh) and the Hold Ghost (Christ Spirit on Earth). All three coming together as a total package. Much like football has a Quarterback, Linebackers, and a Kicker are come Together to form a team. Ephesians helps spell that out for me.
Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ.
To me this passage is deep. The initial part of the verse spells out the distinction between God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This part explaining what has caused my questions, That questions being "So there is a separation between the 3". When I look and I think about part that states who has blessed us, I begin to understand that this is something that God has done. ( An action, a verb ). It's comforting knowing that God has done something for us. He isn't just sitting on a throne waiting for us to fulfill our duties as Christians, he isn't saying once you do this I will do this. It simply states who has blessed us. Meaning God did something for us, he reached out to us. This is huge in that it separates from the other major belief systems in the world, which state their followers must fulfill these actions prior to experiencing this. Pretty heavy stuff if you ask me. My mind spins farther when I start thinking about every spiritual blessings in heaven. My big question is, how can that be? If I've been blessed with all of this then why is life so hard. The understanding comes when you read the simple words "in Christ". It is through him that we have all of those blessings. The portal or door to these heavenly blessings exist solely through him. The reason it exist through him is that our God and Father of our Lord Did something. He reached out to us through his son. In reading, in understanding this passage I begin to see that their is a tie in between the 2. God our Father and Jesus. This tie in is an action that God did, that through this action we can achieve all the heavenly spiritual blessings promised us in this verse. Wow...... Powerful stuff
Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ.
To me this passage is deep. The initial part of the verse spells out the distinction between God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This part explaining what has caused my questions, That questions being "So there is a separation between the 3". When I look and I think about part that states who has blessed us, I begin to understand that this is something that God has done. ( An action, a verb ). It's comforting knowing that God has done something for us. He isn't just sitting on a throne waiting for us to fulfill our duties as Christians, he isn't saying once you do this I will do this. It simply states who has blessed us. Meaning God did something for us, he reached out to us. This is huge in that it separates from the other major belief systems in the world, which state their followers must fulfill these actions prior to experiencing this. Pretty heavy stuff if you ask me. My mind spins farther when I start thinking about every spiritual blessings in heaven. My big question is, how can that be? If I've been blessed with all of this then why is life so hard. The understanding comes when you read the simple words "in Christ". It is through him that we have all of those blessings. The portal or door to these heavenly blessings exist solely through him. The reason it exist through him is that our God and Father of our Lord Did something. He reached out to us through his son. In reading, in understanding this passage I begin to see that their is a tie in between the 2. God our Father and Jesus. This tie in is an action that God did, that through this action we can achieve all the heavenly spiritual blessings promised us in this verse. Wow...... Powerful stuff
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Galatians 4, 5, and 6
I love reading Galatians, to me it is the meat and potatoes of Christianity. I guess that one of the big questions that everyone has in this life is what happens after we die. If there is a Heaven and Hell, what do we do to get to Heaven. Pretty good questions. What I love about Paul is that he is blunt. In Galatians no words are minced, no speaking around the subject; Paul pretty much says "Here is the truth, believe it, live it, accept it." Just as I love Paul's bluntness I also love that Galatians is a great summary to the old Testament. A great perspective setter. When I read through the bible I remember all those nights I sat reading about sacrifice, about temples, the begats, about the rules of worship; Crazy stuff. I remember my head spinning as i tried to make since of it all. Galatians does that for me. It spells out the one truth about the new testament and that is that Christ is a game changer. Not only was he the one true sacrifice that made all those others obsolete, but his death on the cross made all those rules and issues of worship obsolete. He is the risen head of the Church, the reason for this faith. It is his sacrifice that purified us, washed away our sins. We owe nothing, he paid the price. It's amazing and troubling sometimes to think about. Paul spells it out, that as easy as the truth is that he puts out, it is sometimes easy for us not to see it. It's not our actions that get us into heaven, its our faith in him, our faith in his grace, in his sacrifice.
Galatians 3:11
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident for The just shall live by faith.
Having just returned from Africa, it's amazing that God led me to read exactly what it is that I needed to read. Not only does Galatians talk about Faith, Religion and Judaism; it also directly addresses Islam. How powerful is it that Paul addresses this faith in Galatians 5 by stating..
Galatians 4:29-31
29. But as then he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now.
30. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the sons of the bondwoman shall not be heirwith the son of the freewoman.
31. So then, brethren we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
This was written prior to Islam, yet it addresses it directly. The Fulani people are still an amazing people and will always be close to my heart. Yet their lives are dedicated to Islam. The lives of the People of Afghanistan are dedicated to the same. Their practice and adherence to their faith is something I do admire and respect, yet it is religion, it is controlled by adherence to their laws. Paul is spelling out in Galatians that it is not adherence to rules, be it of Judaism or Islam; it is adherence to our faith in Christ. We must see his sacrifice for what it is. His sacrifice is the one act of love that sets us free. The one act that fills that empty area of our souls, that area we so desperately attempt to fill. He alone can fill it. He alone can take our yoke, shoulder our burdens. It is through love that he created us. Created us for fellowship with him. His love led to his sacrifice, his very human actions. What a perfect God it is that we have. It is not our actions, it is not our sacrifices that allow us into heaven, it is our faith. When I have faith in him everything is possible. My faith is what allows that fellowship that we were created for. My faith in him means that I realize what he did for me, I see what his sacrifice meant. I stand amazed at it, awed by it. It is faith, not actions. How amazing that is. I know times are tough, I know I have difficult days ahead. God doesn't promise it will be easy. But what he says is that I've already paid the price, all you have to do is believe. All you have to do is have faith.
Galatians 6:17
17. From Henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For me this is an amazing verse, one I had to think about. Deeply. The more I think, the more I realize it's importance. Let no man trouble me. Wow..... almost humanly impossible to do. Are there marks on my body. Yes. Marks put there by the pain I have felt by living a human life, a life of the flesh. Scars on the outside and in. Did Jesus put them there. If he is the creator you got to say yes. Yet those marks and those troubling mean vindictive people I find in my life, should they trouble me? If i truly am a man of faith, if I live my life as Paul tells me too and realize the importance of that faith. Then no, they shouldn't trouble me. It is my faith that tells me that my God is a loving God. He created me for a purpose, all lessons will lead to his glory, all scars, everything. Faith can move mountains, yet without Love, without his love, it is like cymbals clanging in the wind. Jesus, you da man!!!!!!
Galatians 3:11
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident for The just shall live by faith.
Having just returned from Africa, it's amazing that God led me to read exactly what it is that I needed to read. Not only does Galatians talk about Faith, Religion and Judaism; it also directly addresses Islam. How powerful is it that Paul addresses this faith in Galatians 5 by stating..
Galatians 4:29-31
29. But as then he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now.
30. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the sons of the bondwoman shall not be heirwith the son of the freewoman.
31. So then, brethren we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
This was written prior to Islam, yet it addresses it directly. The Fulani people are still an amazing people and will always be close to my heart. Yet their lives are dedicated to Islam. The lives of the People of Afghanistan are dedicated to the same. Their practice and adherence to their faith is something I do admire and respect, yet it is religion, it is controlled by adherence to their laws. Paul is spelling out in Galatians that it is not adherence to rules, be it of Judaism or Islam; it is adherence to our faith in Christ. We must see his sacrifice for what it is. His sacrifice is the one act of love that sets us free. The one act that fills that empty area of our souls, that area we so desperately attempt to fill. He alone can fill it. He alone can take our yoke, shoulder our burdens. It is through love that he created us. Created us for fellowship with him. His love led to his sacrifice, his very human actions. What a perfect God it is that we have. It is not our actions, it is not our sacrifices that allow us into heaven, it is our faith. When I have faith in him everything is possible. My faith is what allows that fellowship that we were created for. My faith in him means that I realize what he did for me, I see what his sacrifice meant. I stand amazed at it, awed by it. It is faith, not actions. How amazing that is. I know times are tough, I know I have difficult days ahead. God doesn't promise it will be easy. But what he says is that I've already paid the price, all you have to do is believe. All you have to do is have faith.
Galatians 6:17
17. From Henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For me this is an amazing verse, one I had to think about. Deeply. The more I think, the more I realize it's importance. Let no man trouble me. Wow..... almost humanly impossible to do. Are there marks on my body. Yes. Marks put there by the pain I have felt by living a human life, a life of the flesh. Scars on the outside and in. Did Jesus put them there. If he is the creator you got to say yes. Yet those marks and those troubling mean vindictive people I find in my life, should they trouble me? If i truly am a man of faith, if I live my life as Paul tells me too and realize the importance of that faith. Then no, they shouldn't trouble me. It is my faith that tells me that my God is a loving God. He created me for a purpose, all lessons will lead to his glory, all scars, everything. Faith can move mountains, yet without Love, without his love, it is like cymbals clanging in the wind. Jesus, you da man!!!!!!
Answered prayers.
Learned a big lesson last week. When you pray, you'd best be expecting an answer. Allot of crazy stuff happened last week. Started off with me praying about following God's will. Then he answered my prayer. Monday morning I found out I'm not going to be working at good old Perry next school year. My principal told me he wouldn't be recommending me for re-employment. I know how I would of taken this previously, but it honestly felt like a relief. Don't get me wrong, i hate the prospect of unemployment, but if you earnestly say to yourself and pray for his will to be shown. Maybe being scared isn't something that worry about when his will is shown. Now is my opportunity. Instead of being frightened, I'm excited. What does God have in store for me. On the same day I found out that I was going to have an article written about me in the Stillwater Newspaper titled head of class. Fired and named area teacher of the month all on the same day. God does work mysteriously, and with a sense of humor. Then at the end of the week Kurt, my buddy I've coached with before begins talking with me about coaching at another school. Whammy.... Like I stated before, its hard for me to picture God exposing me to Afghanistan and Niger, without a grander purpose in mind. I pray that I become a vessel through which he can work. As brother Monroe says a "Soul Winner". I know before that i would have let anger fill my and tarnish my soul. I remember anger, I've drank it, tasted it, lived it. At one point in my life it consumed me. I know I have reason to be angry. The reason I'm being fired is because my principals son is getting a D in my class and the kid doesn't like me. Several kids don't like it that they have to work in my class and are dropping out. He uses this as an excuse to fire me. It is a struggle teaching and trying to push kids to learn. I know what lies in front of these kids and it scares me for them. Teaching is tough. It would be easy to just let things slide, easy to look the other way. Be their buddies, but I can't teach that way. I have a passion for teaching, a passion for these kids. To lessen my teaching would be to betray the importance I feel about it. Crazy thing is I can see several students do realize and do appreciate my teaching. I do know I am doing the right thing, God has pressed that into my heart. I pray for these kids here at Perry. Many do want the easy way, to do as little as possible, and that isn't the way that is going to bring them success in life. This generation of student is different. I look at the obesity I am now seeing. It is scary. I look at how tough it is to teach from the heart and my heart burst open, yet all I can do is control what I teach, how I teach and keep my head up. God has put me here for a reason. he has put conviction in my heart for a reason. I just pray that as I find out that reason that he strengthens me and prepares me to please him. It is through him that I was given life, Through him that I find grace. Through him that I find strength. In my weakness, in my sorrow he is there to lift me up.
Dear God please answer my prayers, guide me, show me your will. Thank you for the many ways you have blessed me and my family. I am excited about the future, I'm learning from the past. My past doesn't define me, yet it did create me. It did shape and mold me. Through Christ I am reborn and I pray that through him I learn to serve to glorify him. In the Name of Jesus I pray.... Amern
Dear God please answer my prayers, guide me, show me your will. Thank you for the many ways you have blessed me and my family. I am excited about the future, I'm learning from the past. My past doesn't define me, yet it did create me. It did shape and mold me. Through Christ I am reborn and I pray that through him I learn to serve to glorify him. In the Name of Jesus I pray.... Amern
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Following his will.
Hard to believe I've been back a week already from Niger. Before I left my Uncle told me you never really leave Africa, I know deep down he is right. It's hard to close my eyes without seeing the faces, or open my ears without hearing the sound of Africa. Deep down I know I will go back, must go back. This week has been full of lots of questions. Deep questions about what I'm doing now, what i want to to. Questions about God's plan for my life. I remember being so fired up after returning from Afghanistan. Putting myself in debt taking classes. I want to do the same now. In my heart I want to enter the seminary, become a preacher. But can I do this when I have a family that relies on my paycheck. There are allot of question marks about my current job. Will it be there next year? Do I want to be here next year? Would my heart be in it if I stayed. It's hard for me to think that the Lord would take me to the places he has, allow me to see the things he has, place the desire in my heart that is there; without having a purpose for it. Being a Christian means truly taking your desires out of the picture and allowing his will to be yours. I learned this lesson at Stilwell. If it had been my will, we would have stayed. Instead we came to Perry. If I hadn't of came here I would never of went to Africa. These dreams and desires would have never been brought back up. I can now see the purpose and reason for coming to Perry, a year ago I was still questioning. My faith was easy with Brother Monroe and Brother Haney, here it has struggled. Teaching and Coaching were easy there, this last year has been tough. But the truth is God brought me here for a reason. Here I have been tasked with learning new skills, teaching new subjects. Through God I was able to put up the schools website, i have also learned allot of lessons I might not have been able to learn in Stilwell. Lessons that I know deep down have made me a different and stronger person. I know now that true strength comes from being able to bow down on bended knee, look up into the heavens and pray for strength and answers.
Dear Lord I pray to you now that it is your will that guides me, I pray that through Grace I experience peace and patience. I pray that your love flows through me and allows me to have a positive impact upon the students that I teach and the community that I am apart of. Lord thank you for the many blessing you have bestowed upon me. It is in your name that I pray, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Dear Lord I pray to you now that it is your will that guides me, I pray that through Grace I experience peace and patience. I pray that your love flows through me and allows me to have a positive impact upon the students that I teach and the community that I am apart of. Lord thank you for the many blessing you have bestowed upon me. It is in your name that I pray, Jesus Christ, Amen.
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