Last week, I had the pleasure of having lunch with a friend. She had recently returned from a year-long mission trip to Australia and Papua New Guinea. She loved the trip and God blessed her tremendously. However, things were tough.
This became apparent when we sat down, and she said, "Ice" enthusiastically.
I asked her, "You didn't have ice in New Guinea?"
"No." As a matter of fact, they had to filter their water daily--sometimes twice.
Talking about Conviction City! Major Call to Self: Shut you hon on the complaining!!
So, I have decided--and for sure, have asked God to help me--live in a State of Appreciation.
You may ask, "How's it Going?"
Well, I have a quick trigger to speak negatively when faced with adversity. After the initial reaction, I am doing better. But man, do I have a ways to go!
Thinking, praying, and living in a State of Appreciation for me would be comparable to a second grader.
I love that God gives us second chances! OK...4000 chances...and more!
I love that God challenges us!
I love that God is pulling for us to overcome!
I love that God is our biggest fan!
Monday, July 30, 2018
Monday, July 23, 2018
God, Trees, and Me
Have you ever heard the old saying, “I can’t see the forest for the trees”?
Which basically means you can’t see the entire situation because you’re are looking too closely at the details.
I want to flip the saying, “I can’t see the trees for the forest!”
Which basically means that the vast number of trees is so overwhelming, that all I can see is the entire situation.
Here is a story about a man named Joe. Follow along for his search for a tree.
Joe was seeking the Lord’s guidance for his life. God led Joe to a forest.
Joe closed his eyes and prayed, “Lord, all I see is a forest. Please open my spiritual eyes.”
When Joe opened his eyes, he shouted, “Hey! Trees! Thank you, Lord!”
As Joe continued to seek God’s plan, he was led to a tree.
It was a twenty-footer. It had a word written on it, but Joe had to back up to read it.
Joe mouthed the word FEAR.
God prompted Joe to cut down the tree.
Joe looked around for an axe. Instead, he found a sword. With one swing, he fell the tree. Immediately, Joe’s fear was gone!!
However, the Lord said, “Look at the stump. This means you will need to chop it again, if it grows.”
Joe said two VERY important words, “Yes, Lord.”
Then, God told Joe to go to the next to the last tree on the right side of the third row.
He began to look around as he found his way to the tree. Joe saw some weird scenes.
First, he saw a man hugging a tree.
“God, why is this man hugging that tree?”
God replied, “This man loves Me, but he refuses to leave the safety of this tree.”
Joe was amazed. “What will happened to him, Lord?”
God replied, “He will never grow spiritually until he trusts Me enough to let go of his comfortable place. His name is Complacent.”
Then, Joe saw another amazing scene. A lady was trying to chop down a tree with a toy hatchet.
“Lord, what is she doing?”
God replied, “This dear child of mine prays over and over, ‘Help me, Lord.’ But, she continues to try to chop down this tree on her own….with a toy. I could allow her to use my sword! Her name is In-My-Own-Strength.”
Suddenly, Joe was confused on which way to go. Then he remembered the verse everyone learned in his wonderful Sunday school class. Psalm 37:23; The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
So Joe prayed, “Lord, order my steps.”
Just then, it felt like someone was guiding him by the hand. Joe went around the trees, instead of through them. He quickly arrived at the next to the last tree on the right, in the third row.
When Joe looked at the tree, he shouted, “It’s me!!”
“It certainly is you.”
Joe saw what appeared to be an angel.
“Sir, are you an angel?”
The angelic creature said, “Yes, I am your guardian angel.”
Joe asked, “For how long?”
“30 years.”
Joe asked, “Why 30?”
The angel said, “That is when you were 7 years old. You asked Jesus into your heart on the last day of Vacation Bible School.”
“How did you know…. Hey, what’s your name?”
The angel said, “You can call me Bob.”
“Hmmm…OK. Why haven’t I seen you before?”
Bob explained, “When you were younger, you saw me. Your spiritual eyes were wide-open. I was right with you when you were a boy. Since you have gotten older, I still watch over you. Especially when you are about to get into trouble. Now you are spiritually near-sighted.”
Joe simply said, “Oh.”
Bob asked Joe, “What do you make of the tree?”
“Well, it’s a BIG me.”
“In your eyes.”
“You don’t see me?”
Bob explained, “Joe, no one sees you but you.”
Joe was getting irritated. “What do you see, Mr Smarty Angel?”
“I see a word….me.”
Joe asked, “You see Bob?”
“Joe, you are VERY selfish! That is the reason you see yourself.”
Joe managed, “This is not good.”
Bob asked, “Do you wanna know what you need to do?”
“Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!!!”
Bob said, “Pray.”
Joe began to pray, “Lord, help me see. While I’m thinking about it, Lord give me cool sunglasses to see this tree of me.”
Bob interrupted, “No, no, Joey Boy. If you want to erase you, and see God, you need to praise Him!!”
Joe thought for a moment. “Ok. God, I praise you for the rain. I praise you for my good health. I praise you for my kids, my church, my job, my golf clubs…”
Bob broke in, “Woe! Woe, kid!”
Joe was red faced (partly from frustration and partly from embarrassment). “What was wrong with that?”
Bob paused, “Joey Boy, there was nothing wrong with that, but who was the focus on?”
Joe thought for a moment, “Uhhh mostly me.” “Bingo! Slow down this time! In your heart, remember your God! Remember His Word! Remember summer camp and other times of closeness with your God! Pour out your love for Him. Can you do that Joe?”
Joe was a little unsure of himself. Then, he remembered the reason for being here. Joe was determined to put a stake in the ground for God! To say, YES GOD! He could do dis.
Joe told Bob, “I can do this!”
Joe prayed again, “God, You are God. I am man. I am a sinner, but you are holy. I am a taker, but you are a Giver! Praise you, Father for your creation. for your patience. for your love! Jesus, thank you for praying so hard in the Garden of Gethsemane that your sweat became like blood…but Jesus, you said YES! Praise you, Jesus for taking our sin upon yourself on the cross! Then, you rose to glory so that we could have life! Holy Spirit! Praise you that you are NOT a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!!! “
Joe opened up his eyes. He look around. Joe only saw a few trees, the stump from the tree he cut, and a beautiful pond.
Joe went back to his home—praising God the entire way!
Which basically means you can’t see the entire situation because you’re are looking too closely at the details.
I want to flip the saying, “I can’t see the trees for the forest!”
Which basically means that the vast number of trees is so overwhelming, that all I can see is the entire situation.
Here is a story about a man named Joe. Follow along for his search for a tree.
Joe was seeking the Lord’s guidance for his life. God led Joe to a forest.
Joe closed his eyes and prayed, “Lord, all I see is a forest. Please open my spiritual eyes.”
When Joe opened his eyes, he shouted, “Hey! Trees! Thank you, Lord!”
As Joe continued to seek God’s plan, he was led to a tree.
It was a twenty-footer. It had a word written on it, but Joe had to back up to read it.
Joe mouthed the word FEAR.
God prompted Joe to cut down the tree.
Joe looked around for an axe. Instead, he found a sword. With one swing, he fell the tree. Immediately, Joe’s fear was gone!!
However, the Lord said, “Look at the stump. This means you will need to chop it again, if it grows.”
Joe said two VERY important words, “Yes, Lord.”
Then, God told Joe to go to the next to the last tree on the right side of the third row.
He began to look around as he found his way to the tree. Joe saw some weird scenes.
First, he saw a man hugging a tree.
“God, why is this man hugging that tree?”
God replied, “This man loves Me, but he refuses to leave the safety of this tree.”
Joe was amazed. “What will happened to him, Lord?”
God replied, “He will never grow spiritually until he trusts Me enough to let go of his comfortable place. His name is Complacent.”
Then, Joe saw another amazing scene. A lady was trying to chop down a tree with a toy hatchet.
“Lord, what is she doing?”
God replied, “This dear child of mine prays over and over, ‘Help me, Lord.’ But, she continues to try to chop down this tree on her own….with a toy. I could allow her to use my sword! Her name is In-My-Own-Strength.”
Suddenly, Joe was confused on which way to go. Then he remembered the verse everyone learned in his wonderful Sunday school class. Psalm 37:23; The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
So Joe prayed, “Lord, order my steps.”
Just then, it felt like someone was guiding him by the hand. Joe went around the trees, instead of through them. He quickly arrived at the next to the last tree on the right, in the third row.
When Joe looked at the tree, he shouted, “It’s me!!”
“It certainly is you.”
Joe saw what appeared to be an angel.
“Sir, are you an angel?”
The angelic creature said, “Yes, I am your guardian angel.”
Joe asked, “For how long?”
“30 years.”
Joe asked, “Why 30?”
The angel said, “That is when you were 7 years old. You asked Jesus into your heart on the last day of Vacation Bible School.”
“How did you know…. Hey, what’s your name?”
The angel said, “You can call me Bob.”
“Hmmm…OK. Why haven’t I seen you before?”
Bob explained, “When you were younger, you saw me. Your spiritual eyes were wide-open. I was right with you when you were a boy. Since you have gotten older, I still watch over you. Especially when you are about to get into trouble. Now you are spiritually near-sighted.”
Joe simply said, “Oh.”
Bob asked Joe, “What do you make of the tree?”
“Well, it’s a BIG me.”
“In your eyes.”
“You don’t see me?”
Bob explained, “Joe, no one sees you but you.”
Joe was getting irritated. “What do you see, Mr Smarty Angel?”
“I see a word….me.”
Joe asked, “You see Bob?”
“Joe, you are VERY selfish! That is the reason you see yourself.”
Joe managed, “This is not good.”
Bob asked, “Do you wanna know what you need to do?”
“Yes, Yes, Yes!!!!!!”
Bob said, “Pray.”
Joe began to pray, “Lord, help me see. While I’m thinking about it, Lord give me cool sunglasses to see this tree of me.”
Bob interrupted, “No, no, Joey Boy. If you want to erase you, and see God, you need to praise Him!!”
Joe thought for a moment. “Ok. God, I praise you for the rain. I praise you for my good health. I praise you for my kids, my church, my job, my golf clubs…”
Bob broke in, “Woe! Woe, kid!”
Joe was red faced (partly from frustration and partly from embarrassment). “What was wrong with that?”
Bob paused, “Joey Boy, there was nothing wrong with that, but who was the focus on?”
Joe thought for a moment, “Uhhh mostly me.” “Bingo! Slow down this time! In your heart, remember your God! Remember His Word! Remember summer camp and other times of closeness with your God! Pour out your love for Him. Can you do that Joe?”
Joe was a little unsure of himself. Then, he remembered the reason for being here. Joe was determined to put a stake in the ground for God! To say, YES GOD! He could do dis.
Joe told Bob, “I can do this!”
Joe prayed again, “God, You are God. I am man. I am a sinner, but you are holy. I am a taker, but you are a Giver! Praise you, Father for your creation. for your patience. for your love! Jesus, thank you for praying so hard in the Garden of Gethsemane that your sweat became like blood…but Jesus, you said YES! Praise you, Jesus for taking our sin upon yourself on the cross! Then, you rose to glory so that we could have life! Holy Spirit! Praise you that you are NOT a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!!! “
Joe opened up his eyes. He look around. Joe only saw a few trees, the stump from the tree he cut, and a beautiful pond.
Joe went back to his home—praising God the entire way!
SCRIPTURES FOR TODAY’S LESSON
Some people suffer from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). A few weeks back, after I listened to Zach Williams sing Fear is a Liar, God revealed to me that I was suffering from FOWMH (Fear Of What Might Happen). Since that discovery, I have been more aware of the situation and God is helping me work through it.
I Timothy 1:7 (NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Matthew 6:33 (NLT) Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Proverbs 3:6 (NLT) Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.
Romans 8:28 (NLT) And we know God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Ephesians 6:14-17(NLT) Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
Thankful to be an American!
Praise God for the United States of America!
So cool that the country was founded on the principle of freedom of religion.
God has blessed us with a surplus of food so that we can specialize in a job of our choice!
Thankful for American music!
Thankful for American movies!
Thankful for American sports!
Red, white, and blue for me and you!!
So cool that the country was founded on the principle of freedom of religion.
God has blessed us with a surplus of food so that we can specialize in a job of our choice!
Thankful for American music!
Thankful for American movies!
Thankful for American sports!
Red, white, and blue for me and you!!
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