Identify your mission. Pick your target. Nail the objective.

Peer pressure is a funny thing.  Mostly, it snares those of us who are people pleasers.  We tend to be manipulated into doing things we really don’t want to do, just because we don’t want to make a scene and want everyone to be happy.  

Jesus encountered peer pressure.  ”Everyone is looking for you.”  That is a pretty strong statement.  My natural response would be to go back and try to help those looking for me.  Notice what Jesus did?  He kept going the direction He started out and didn’t let peer pressure interfere with His objectives.  

This is a good model for us.  Check with Jesus.  Pick your objective.  Don’t let others deter you from the task at hand.  Now go walk with Jesus today.  He likes the company.  

“Simon and those who were with him followed after him; and they found him, and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”  He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.””~Mark

Surf to: http://www.freshc.org for a Fresh Connection…

God Spot Verified

From my friend Faith.  What a great name!

My Thoughts:
Jeremiah 10:6
No one is like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.

So…most of you know that this last week was pretty intense for my family. I received the call Friday evening from my parents telling me that my mom had been having chest pains, had been to a cardiologist, and that she would have a heart catheterization (with stints or bypass) on Monday. My entire family rushed to Missouri to be with my mom and dad. My mom was having all the symptoms of a heart attack on Sunday and was taking nitroglycerin. On Monday, the doctor told us that my mom had some anomalies (defects) and 2 clogged and calcified coronary arteries. He told us that he was pretty sure that she was going to have a triple bypass. We rallied, prayed, and hoped for the best.

An hour passed and the doctor came out with a perplexed expression on his face. He said, “She’s fine. Actually she is better than fine. Her arteries have zero plague and no calcification. Being 65, she should have some but she doesn’t. Not only is she plague free, but the abnormalities on the CAT scan just aren’t there anymore. I cannot explain it, and I called 3 other doctors in to look…God must have performed a miracle.”

My mom went home that evening and has had no chest pain or any symptoms. My mom says that all her symptoms went away shortly before they wheeled her into the procedure room and that it was fascinating to watch the doctors freaking out because they didn’t see what they thought they would. They even checked to make sure they had the right CAT scan.

I am praising God because I truly believe He healed my mom…a mighty demonstration of His power. As you pray and listen to God this week, what is God demonstrating to you?

James Harrison T-Shirt – What will you pay?

How much will you pay for an authentic James Harrison Superbowl record breaker T-Shirt?  I think this shirt may have been worn during the Super Bowl game and James made his record breaking touch down.  I think the guy that has this shirt stole it off his back while he was in the shower.

 Or possibly you’d like to bid on Aretha’s hat she recently wore at the Oh’Bama inaugeration.  She says she’s not sure if she is going to let the Smithsonian Institute have it.

 

And if nothing else you could always bid on Michael Swim Phelps’s hooka pipe.  He says he used bad judgement.  Probably thought the pipe was a bad fit for his teeth.

Or possibly my dirty socks. 

I don’t know.  I guess the Super Bowl brings out the best or worst in me.  Sigh…

 

Which item will bring the best price on ebay?

Established Goals

Have you established your goals this year? I planned on taking a bit of a different approach to goals this time. I planned on making a list of things I will not do. Things I know that get in the way of being and doing all God has planned and I may still.

But, that’s not what I’m sensitive to right now. I wondering about how to plan for the future in perfect obedience. It would seem one would need to have a target in order to hit it. ie. One needs a goal in order to achieve it.

I am becoming increasingly aware of a lack of goals in my life. I have never been in lack of goals. Goals have defined my life and yet at this time, I believe uniquely God has an established goal for me that He has not revealed.

Normally, the circumstance of being without knowledge would seem to negate any effort on my part to achieve goals while being obedient. Then, I scan through my memory of Bible characters and goals seemed to be pretty much irrelevant.

Did Daniel plan on sleeping with the lions? Did Noah plan on building a boat? Did Joseph plan on being sold into slavery. It is unlikely any of them had their career plans met when their life changing event occurred. Maybe God uses events which kill our dreams in a fashion that only He can revive?

I believe this is where I am in my relationship with Christ. God has a plan. It is perfect. It is many times bigger and better than anything I could have dreamed. And believe me, I can dream!

He is accepting of my beliefs, faithfulness and obedience and is positioning me for His abundance in my life. The perfection of His will and purpose is being revealed with each step I take toward Him. He is smiling as I write this and lay Glory at His feet as an acceptable sacrifice. (WoW! where did that come from?)

Anyway. Here’s the point. I don’t know where God has me going. I do know God has a plan and wants me to be a part of it. He is developing my skills with expectation of them being used for His purpose. So. Today, tomorrow and the next day, I will work hard at being all I can be so that I will be ready to meet God at His calling.

I’m “All In” or at least hope to be.

Pastor Jeff challenged the body at Grace Point to be “All In” during this new year.  This is an incredible challenge.  I think about the early followers of Jesus and consider what it meant for them to be “All In”.  It makes me wonder if I will be able to look back on the year and say, “Yep! I was all in.”

What will be the price I will be required to pay in order to be all in?  The early followers of Jesus paid with their life. Some were beheaded.  Others boiled alive or maybe burned at the stake.  What will be my price?

All that self sacrifice stuff seems a bit far fetched, but then I remember missionary friends around the world who are all in.  Their lives are at risk for the message they want to tell. 

Being all in may require me to accept rejection from friends, family or just the odd acquintance.  It may require me to stay outside my comfort zone.  It may even require me to die to my own selfish ambitions and choose to help someone else succeed. 

It may require me to further scale down.  Maybe I’ll need to sell a car or take a second job to have funds to help others.  Maybe I’ll need to finally sell stuff on Craig’s list to help Pay It Forward.  It may require a lot of things. 

Although it is unlikely I will be required to give my life to meet the challenge of being “All In”, am I willing?   What will be the first tangible sign of my willingness to be “All In” ?

Porsche for a Day

Likely, you have had benchmark goals in your life. One of mine was to buy a red new Porsche. I didn’t really need one. I just wanted one. It would make life more complete and an achievement of a goal.

I had a great job. Making a bunch of money as an engineering salesman and felt like my time had arrived. I went to the dealership. Had them check my credit and verify I could qualify to purchase the car on credit. The finance folks said I could buy anything I wanted. Just pick it out and sign for it.

Now you are talking. I picked out my red new Boxster S with black interior and convertible top. It was awesome. Did I tell you I was married? Did I also tell you I hadn’t checked with her if she thought we needed a beautiful sports car? Whoops.

I met her at Starbucks. I in my shiny red sports car and she in her conservative dependable Jetta. She said something like, ‘You didn’t?!’ I suggested she get in for a ride. Nope. I said how about just sit in it and smell the leather. Nope. I said how pretty it was. Nope.

Finally, I did everything I could and she said she hoped I enjoyed it. Because, I would be taking it back tomorrow. I had forgotten one small thing. We had committed to each other that we would never buy anything over $100 without each agreeing on it. BIG whoops.

I was embarrassed to take it back. I was disappointed to not meet a goal. I really thought it would be cool to own the car of my dreams, but you know. I love my wife. She has been faithful to me in all things. To honor her, I cheerfully although bashfully returned the car.

And yes, we are now married 35 years and life just keeps getting better.

The Great Bible Read

Recently, I did a speed read of the New Testament from the Message version.  It took about 30 days and it was a tremendous adventure.  I read it like the top best selling book it is.  Much like a novel or story book.  I couldn’t believe what happened.  I fell in love with the scripture.  I have read it all my life or at least since I first learned to read.  This is the first time I really didn’t want to put the book down.  Go figger.  If you have the same feelings, you understand.  If you don’t, well I didn’t either for 54 years.  What did pastor Jeff say, ‘Stuck on dumb’?

I had so much fun with the new testament, I have started a speed read of the entire Bible.  I have challenged myself to read the Bible in 60 days.  Now if this were a regular novel, that would be no problem.  But, when you are reading the Bible you tend to get distracted by the Spirit of the text.  Right?  Anyway, I am making a run at it.  We will see what happens.

My friend John, volunteered to run the race with me.  As it turns out, he is leading the Big Read.  I just started Joshua and he is in Ruth.   Maybe you would like to jump in.  You can follow random thoughts about the read at http://readtheword.wordpress.com/ .  Or better yet, why not jump in with us.  Post your comments as we run the race.

EPIC Journey

From my earliest recollections, I remember my mother encouraging me that I could do anything I put my mind to. She and dad lived believing for God’s provision. Their life was a living testimony of God’s grace. It was their faith that trained me in believing God could and would move mountains. Some say moving mountains is symbolic of the need to have God in your life to move figurative mountains. Some believe the Word refers to moving actual mountains. I believe it is all that and more. God certainly has no limitations.

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” Matthew 17:20

Early in adult life, I read “Hinds Feet on High Places”. As I recall, the thought is communicated that we walk on slippery slopes. I remember thinking it was my desire to live life at the peak of slippery slopes. One misstep to the right or left meant disaster. Only a total sold out commitment to Christ would allow me to walk on the peak and not slip off the slope. That is the life I desired then and still desire now.

“The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.” Habakkuk 3:19

I have always set goals that seemed unreachable to others. If I believed in moving mountains with the faith of a mustard seed and the promise that God will make me able to walk on slippery slopes, it seems silly to live a predicable life with no need for God. It seems more sensible to stretch ones’ faith and strive after those things that are only attainable with the help of God.

At times God surrounded us with the greatest of joys and other times life was engulfed in darkness. At all times, God was there encouraging us to seek the abundant life He had promised. I hope you will enjoy reading events of our life that demonstrate God’s hands-on approach to encouraging us to live life to the fullest. I pray opening our life to you might encourage your EPIC journey.

Cora and Archie
01/01/2008