This may be the most important blog I have ever posted. What will you do with it?

How long does it take to write a blog post? After writing about a thousand. I don’t know. Sometimes the thoughts just kinda ripen with age. Other times they pop out of the microwave. This post is one that has been ripening with age. I’m not even sure what to write….

A few weeks back, a friend named Mike came in my tiny janitor’s office and began sharing about God’s love. It was one of several times our paths have intersected and we have talked about God’s love. I appreciate his passion. It’s not difficult for you that know Mike to figure out who I am talking about, when you put the word Mike and passion together. They fit.

Keep love in the forefront of your mind, but for a minute ask yourself the question: “Why love?” Consider from the beginning of time and before there was mankind. God was God and He likely did a pretty good job of being God. What was He thinking when he created you and me? For what purpose was the idea of mankind birthed?

The answer comes to me in a struggle. I have become aware that I do not know how to adequately express my appreciation for who and what God is. I believe my praise of God is inadequate. I want to tell God thank you for all His creations, but it doesn’t seem like that is enough. My inadequate expression of praise for the creator brought me back to my friends passion for God’s love.

I believe in a very limited way of understanding the makeup of God, that in the beginning of time and before mankind, God must have been bursting at the seams with love. He was like a balloon totally filled with love and stretched to the max. Love was the most important part of who He was. It was the essence of His being. He was bursting with Love and so passionately wanted to share in His experience. Even the rocks would cry out, but that wasn’t enough. It was time to give birth.

It was time for God to create mankind in His image. How else would His creation be able to experience the Love He so desperately wanted to share? Do you get it? God had this incredible thing called Love that He wants you to experience! It likely was the very reason you were created.

There is nothing more important in life than Love! Think on it. Dwell on it. Don’t just flippantly click to the next blog. You for a moment have been brought to a place at the feet of God and have been offered the opportunity to experience God’s greatest gift, Love. What will you do with it?

For me, Love answers a question. I now know the missing component to my praise of the Holy Father. Love.

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?

I Could Command, but…

“As Christ’s ambassador and now a prisoner for him, I wouldn’t hesitate to command this if I thought it necessary, but I’d rather make it a personal request.

If he damaged anything or owes you anything, chalk it up to my account. This is my personal signature—Paul—and I stand behind it. (I don’t need to remind you, do I, that you owe your very life to me?) Do me this big favor, friend. You’ll be doing it for Christ, but it will also do my heart good.”  Paul

It seems Paul had the authority to command this or that to be done.  He chose to allow those who “owed him” the opportunity to do based on their love for him.  He reminded them of the debt, but much preferred they exceed his expectations out of love.

That is much like the relationship we have with Christ.  God created man.  He is in authority over us because He created us.  God has certain expectations of us.  He could command us to do this or that.  Sometimes, I think He does.  But you know, He much prefers we exceed His expectations out of love.

Creation alone is enough justification for authority and the right to tell us what to do, but when God suffered even as His Son suffered on the cross His authority was further authenticated.  As Paul said, “… you owe your life to me”.  As believers, we owe God our life because He created us and doubly owe Him our life as He saved us from eternal Hell and gave us eternal life.

This prompts me to consider: What command has God directed to you and I, that He much prefer we do out of love and exceed His expectations?  I wonder if it is even possible to exceed God’s expectations?

Is it ever wise to do battle with the evil one?

Recent life experiences, dreams and an extended read from a blog by the Bajanpoet of Barbados has got me thinking.  I wonder if it is wise to do battle with the evil one?

In the Word there is the story of a single Godly prophet challenging the prophets of baal.  I figure they were the prophets of the evil one.  Certainly, God’s prophet challenged them with fire from heaven and torched them.  As I recall, it actually cost them their life.

Then, I remember the story about the men attempting to be of God challenging the evil spirits in a man and received a thrashing by the spirits.   I hope I got the story right. 

Yesterday, I spoke words into the comment field of a blog that was obviously evil.  I was offended by his unGodly character and chose to speak kind words, fully expecting kindness to be repaid with venom.  I was not disappointed. 

Now the question becomes, when is it wise to do battle with the evil one?  I may have posted my comments out of distaste, but my motive may have been for the sport of poking the evil one.  I wonder if there is wisdom in poking the evil one for the sport of it?

Missionary Needs

I have a missionary friend Suzanne who has been sharing Christ in Hong Kong and now believes it time to come home.  She needs to raise plane fare to get back to San Antonio and family.  You can read her blog at: http://suzanneinhongkong.blogspot.com/. 

Possibly, you might have an extra blessing that you could pass on to Suzanne.  She has been faithful to God’s calling and now needs just a little extra to step into the new work God as planned. 

Her email address is: suzanne_westrum@yahoo.com

You can drop a check off at Grace Point Church or surf to GPC and electronically deposit with a note that the donation is for Suzanne.  Either way, it will be a guaranteed blessing for all.

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?

You do! I would never!

 What ever happened to love?  Remember the first time you looked in your Love’s eyes and saw the gentleness and peace of returned love.  Remember when there was nothing you wouldn’t do for your life mate?  Remember the kind words exchanged and that good morning kiss? What happened?

You worked hard to provide for the family.  Long hours at your profession or striving to keep the home pulled together while the world pulled it apart.  Running, constantly running from one sports event to another.  What happened to the love?

Somewhere in the mix of life, faithfulness slipped away.  There just wasn’t time for God if you were going to accomplish the things that were admirable and important.  Slowly, it became harder to spend time with a Father that was so distant.  It wasn’t long before you shoved Him in the back of your thoughts and quit caring.

Do you want your love back?  Return to your 1st love and love will return to you. 

Do this.  Buy the New Testament version of the Bible known as “The Message” and read it straight through cover to cover as fast as you can.  Write in the margins everything that comes to your mind. 

Read fast.  Write fast.  Don’t let anything slow you down or prevent you from consuming the Word.  Open your body, soul and spirit to God.  Somewhere,  sometime during the read you will find your 1st love.  Love will return to you.  It’s that simple. 

It only takes a few days to consume a good book.  The Message is THE good book.  It took me less than 30 days to read it the first time while I worked a full time job.   If your marriage has lost its love.  Read the book and then read it again.  You will find love.  Guaranteed.  But do you really care?

“Do you think their faithlessness cancels out his faithfulness? Not on your life! Depend on it: God keeps his word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth.” Paul

I am focused!

So, i woke up 2 minutes early in the middle of the night.  It was 3:35.  It is usually my pattern to wake up at something o’clock:37 .  I’m told 37 is God’s fingerprint in the Bible’s original text.  I’m ok with 37, but wondered why I woke up 2 minutes early.  Turns out I must have needed a couple extra minutes of prayer.

I am focused, as of a couple hours ago.  I am focused on fighting for marriages.  Too many of my friends and family are hurting themselves by letting their marriages collapse.  A marriage between a man and woman is Holy and something worth fighting for.  At 3:35, I began the process of becoming focused on the battle. 

I prayed.  The evil ones are skampering.  They are frightened.  They are mean, tough and ugly, but they will run.  I am focused.  Every 60 minutes and many times inbetween I will pray specifically for my friends and family.  I will pray they will take up the battle for their marriages.

Will you pray with me?  Will you fight?  Are you willing to die for what is right?

“God’s law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God’s yes and no, right and wrong”.  Paul

God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are One.

^“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

I’m up in the middle of the night, because I just had the most vivid dream of a life time.  I dreamed I had a poisonous snake trapped in a box and periodically I would let it out of the box.  The snake would then come after me.  It would stalk me and look for an opportunity to strike. 

I would beat it into summission if I could.  It would end up back in the box until I released it again.  Each time it got stronger and more difficult to subdue.  I woke up and begin repeating the name of Jesus over and over until my adrenalin eased and my heart stopped racing.

This has never happened before.  I believe I was visited by the evil one.  He was beaten by Jesus.

I believe this to be a revelation from God requiring soul searching for what in my life is of the evil one, that I periodically take out of the box, only to be stalked. 

I believe there are those of you out there that are reading this that are doing the same thing.  Without Jesus, you will never beat satan.

Thank you Jesus for being there for me in a time of need.

God can not be put in a box

The Holy Word of God can not be captured and put in a box.  There is but One mighty and powerful God who is able to subdue the evil one.  It is by His Word and authority that the evil one has no place in our life.

Value His Word.  It is a gift from the One true God.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. 

Believe and you will receive.  Reject Christ and you will die and experience death eternally in Hell.   There is a place called Hell for those that reject the name of Jesus.

Thank you Jesus for dieing on the cross and saving us from our sins.  There is but one true God.  Thank you Jesus.

Thank you for revelation.  Thank you for growing us in your Spirit.  May the world believe in the One true God.  Amen.