Think BIG

"None of us are born thinking we are ordinary. Feeling special is an essential part of the human birthright. If you don't think you are special, you won't seek to contribute your gift to the world." Shmuley Boteach, Rabbi

The social networking sites of our day allow us to be intimately informed of other's lives that we normally wouldn't have kept company with or for some even associate with based on moral or political or spiritual differances. I love being able to read the blaring honesty that is blurted out as a result of the real life circumstances of one's day... but sometimes I can't help but think Are you really satisfied with the life you've molded for yourself? Does this really complete you? When I heard the quote afore mentioned it made me wonder - do people not grasp for the extrodinary because they don't think they deserve it?  When we watch a good movie or read a good book where the heroin does exceptional good in the face of adversity, we heartily cheer him on... but why don't we ourselves look at our lives and think what exceptional thing could I do this very instant that would benefit the whole of humanity or even just one other person? Are you not worth reaching outside of yourself, your life, and doing something great? Why not do good? Has the face of rebellion really gotten you anywhere you want to be? Maybe it has. Maybe you are what you've always dreamed of being, and if so I'm ecstatic for you... 
If not, however, I'd like to proclaim from the rooftop, so to speak, GET A LIFE, A GOOD LIFE - YOU DESERVE IT! YOU WERE BORN FOR GREATNESS, AND YOU'RE NOT DEAD YET!   

Just a thought...

The mass indoctrination saying that 'the word of God' is the Bible and that you go to church on Sunday to 'hear what the preacher has from the Lord' saddens me.
Christ is the word, meaning He speaks and it is created,
meaning what He tells you is yours to hear...
The pastor has no more of a divine connection than you... what Christ wants you to hear He
is fully capable of telling you Himself as well as using others...
In short I'd like to liken today's view of a relationship with Christ to a hip new cellphone fully equipped
with amazing in-depth apps, one being the Bible, another a social connection to other believers(Church), the only catch to this new beautifully designed phone is that it only has a one way calling system - prayer... now how useful do you think this phone would be if you were only able to call out and the listener wasn't able to communicate back?
If you are a believer in Christ please do me this one favor - ask yourself, 'do I believe Christ can really speak to me? Not only through 'signs and wonders' but through actual verbal communication?' If you have to respond 'no' do yourself a favor and ask God to communicate to you, to show Himself in BIG ways - you won't be disappointed. You will be able to see how much your creator is in love with you, and this lover is not silent. Look to His love notes - can you see His love in the magnificent design of the world around you, not the man made destructable architecture, etc. but the beauty of a shade tree, the unmistakable sound of a babbling brook, the wonder of a living cell, the regeneration season after season - what  grandeur played out in these love notes. Now, enjoy the two way bond to this lover, your Creator. Hear His sweetness, enjoy His love.
The Psalms are riddled with His love and greatness seen through the eyes of various authors, Psalms 8 was neat to me today.

Christ Vs. Christ

 Why do we as Christians compete so passionately against one another? It seems like the indoctrination of competition starts when we’re just little. Sunday school we have the attendance charts… VBS we have the Bible verse memorization and those who do the most get the prize… Why do we sabotage our children’s spirituality so? Does Christ compete with Himself? Is our identity not to be in Christ? Why not devote our time solely on Him, His love, and not on what we’ve done about or for or with Him. Just simply Him. Why do we compete? Furthermore, why do we put so much effort into building our physical self-esteem? We no longer need our esteem, ours is nothing in comparison to His. Why not boast of Him and lay aside the ‘filthy rags’ we have to offer?

And all of us have become as one unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as soiled rags. And all of us fade like a leaf, and our crookednesses, like the wind, have taken us away.

And there is no one who calls on Your Name, who stirs himself up to be strengthened in You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our crookednesses.

And now, O God, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You our potter. And we are all the work of Your hand.

Isaiah 64:6-8    

REST

A few months ago my little girl involuntarily awakened from her nap. I could tell she wasn’t quite ready to get up yet by the frustration in her sobbing. I went into her bedroom and laid her back down, then patted her back until she fell back asleep. A half hour or so later she woke up again only this time she had awakened fully rested and even though she had woken in the same place she was not bothered by the confinement of her crib, she even found enjoyment in bouncing around on the mattress and singing to herself loudly as if knowing I was listening. She was completely content to be in her predicament, she had come to terms with the fact that I had put her in that place and when she was ready I would take her out.

That soft voice inside said, “Does that seem familiar?”

Christ allows us to be in difficult situations for our own benefit. We may fight and cry about it, but it is in those times that He is laying us down to rest fully in Him. And if we are able to simply rest on His greatness we can be in complete contentment with any situation. There are no surprises to God… nothing happens without His allowing… focus on Him and rest. 

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want;
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever.

Psalm 23

He is...

Love is forgiving without ever receiving an apology.

Love is moving from being merely tolerant into being a blessing.

Love is relishing in the successes and joys of others without any comparisons to one’s own.

Love is the taking on of another’s transgressions and foolishness’ as if he were the     perpetrator.

Love is possessing the gavel and choosing never to use it.

Love isn’t blind, but all-knowing and forever enduring.

God – He is love…

Tribulation - what a blessing!!

A common misconception with being of Christ is that He stands in front of the tribulation Satan has for us and protects us from it, but personally I believe often times God says ‘do your best Satan. They will allow my spirit to be their spirit’s fortress – not only will they emerge from this unscathed, but with further understanding of their weaknesses and My strength.’
The trials of this life are not to make us stronger - in reality quite the opposite - but they’re to better our understanding of His strength. If we could grasp that the picture of perfection for those in Christ is for the things of the physical to be in absolute upheaval, but the Spirit preserved with supernatural strength, we could then hand Satan that porcelain vase of pride and say - have at it; you cannot damage His spirit in me.

Talking the talk...

When I talk about our Creator, please know that it’s not to appease my conscience in thinking that I’ve ‘shared God’s salvation to those dying and going to hell’ – I have absolutely no idea what happens when we die, not a clue. All I can tell you is what I’ve experienced here in the now. I have forgiveness where there should be hate, peace where there should be malice, love where there should be emptiness… And it’s all because that’s what He is and it’s Him possessing those things while in me that allows that forgiveness to be there, allows me to be at peace, allows me to feel loved… And when I say something about God it’s because I see anguish in someone else’s life and I know God wants to give them peace, and just like you couldn’t deny food from a starving child I can’t deny love to those that are longing… Just please know I’m not some sort of evangelical Jehovah’s Witness, I just know what I know, and if you want His love it’s there for the taking no matter what. You couldn’t do anything good enough to deserve it and you certainly couldn’t do anything bad enough to be denied it. Everything He has to offer is all there for you to accept.

Freedom - always an option.

The story of Paul and Silas was brought to my mind the other day and I realized I had been picturing it all wrong…
I had always imagined Paul and Silas in a damp, dark, rat-infested prison cell with their feet bound in stocks. And there they were, praying fervently and singing praise songs to calm their nerves and pass the time. – And then I realized - no that wasn’t right…


Sure they were in a damp, dark, rat-infested prison cell with their legs shackled, praying – but probably not for themselves.
They were so far from being under duress that they were singing jubilant praises from the peace and joy warming them inside out. God had allowed those shackles on, so be it, He must have wanted them there for a reason…
The earthquake hits, freeing their physical bodies. Why don’t they frantically run away?
Because the cell of hopelessness is the pristine location to free men’s souls.
So now, the prison guard wakes, discovers the opened cells and with all human understanding knows his prisoners have escaped, and that he is a dead man… he decides to defer the suspense and kill himself, then Paul calls out ‘relax we’re all here’.
The freest man in the entire prison, the guard, now realizes he wants what these guys have – FREEDOM, he wants it for himself and his entire family, which he receives.
The next day the authorities send word to the guard to let the prisoners go… (Sounds unnecessary, doesn’t it?) Paul says, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, being Romans. They have thrown us into prison, and now, do they throw us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and bring us out.” Why?
Because Paul and Silas' freedom wasn’t something anyone was entitled to. 


Read it. It's a great story - Acts 16

Christianity Today...

Christianity today has become comfortable in its uncomfortableness, wouldn’t you agree? Where the early church was martyred for their beliefs, we’re able to speak them openly, at times with ridicule, but even then we can rely on our cliché’s to make it through, right? Well, I’m afraid not any more… Martyrdom is definitely on the horizon, but I think before that hits, we’ll be rocked to our cores with grievances – monetarily mostly, I presume. This is a very interesting episode of Glenn Beck(at the bottom) for both those with God and those without. I really, really hope you’ll watch it. They hit on church attendance and involvement, but honestly if you’re only inspired to attend a church service Sunday morning you’ve missed the point entirely…
I don’t think many will understand this, and I honestly couldn’t expect you to, but – I’ve been going through a time in my life that I’ll affectionately refer to as a “wilderness” period and I call it that because I’ve been alone a lot, and the only company I’ve held for the majority of my days the last few years has been that of my Creator. And He has taught me an enormous amount about myself and Himself and the people around me… but I think the best thing about going through this time has been that I didn’t have anyone else to rely on. There wasn’t a fellowship I felt peace about attending, there wasn’t a pastor I sought out for counsel, there wasn’t a prayer chain I reached out to (besides my family, of course). So when something troubled me spiritually or financially or physically, etc or when I needed a friend, I had to go to Him… And He blessed and He blessed and He blessed and He blessed – He was and is SO very exuberant in my life that I can’t help but take notice of Him. But despite all the blessings/miracles He has still been able to reveal to me that the pain and the grievances were not the lack of His existence, but they were the exact pinnacle of His design. Knowing the pain is allowed by Him makes it worth it, doesn’t it? Knowing that He wants to reveal something to you through whatever pain is there will make you actually THANKFUL for whatever it was you endure(d).  If you ever watch the news you’ll probably feel that the entire world is about to implode and there’s nothing you can do about it… which brings me back to this episode of GB – in it they’re searching for a solution to the lethargic nature of our beliefs, and they’re hoping to inspire the viewer to grasp a hold of the morals that in the past has made this country great… But I looked up the ten commandments in the scriptures after I watched this episode and with the version I use, they astounded me, not because of the verbs of each commandment, but because of their subject –
“I am your Elohim…
You have no other mighty ones against my face.
You do not make for yourself a carved image…
You do not bring the name of your Elohim to naught…
You do not commit adultery.
You do not steal.
You do not bear false witness…
You do not covet your neighbor’s (anything)…
Remember the sabboth day
Respect your mother and father…"
See the difference? He’s not giving us a list of do’s and don’ts, He’s stating facts.
If He is your Elohim you will not have any other Gods, you will not steal, you will not covet… If he’s not your Elohim you cannot be expected to do these things.


Christian, it’s not about doing the right things and saying the right things it’s about actually knowing HE IS YOUR ELOHIM. Whether there’s worldwide recession, whether there’s massive genocide of all who believe… whatever lies ahead it’s only because He allowed it, and He only allowed it because He wants to give to you the revelation of Himself. Don’t cower, don’t seek refuge -
know He is Elohim… and you will see Him.


Please watch the episode and share your insight.
(For some reason this link starts the episode 3/4 of the way through so you'll have to start it from the beginning)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1w1bt9MEeA

Alone in the Quiet

Alone in the quiet I ponder
  On the absence of life’s fonder.
Why is it so amiss to me
  Have I not given endlessly?


I see those with wayward glee
  Given to, so inherently.
Why is it amiss to me
  Have I not given endlessly?


See, God, I would bless thee
  If I were given to, so freely.
One bagger would not cross my course
  That I wouldn’t better his remorse.


See the shadows that overlay
  With grievances too much to pay?
I could do some good, you see
  Have I not given endlessly?


Alone in the quiet He directs
  My heart to His intellect
You are of a wayward glee
   If you think it would bless me.


When I am all that is abiding
  These three things are the residing:
Undying Faith, hope, and charity.
  Of these you’ve been given endlessly.


Alone in the quiet I ponder
  To which one my heart is fonder
Life’s pretties I could possess
  Or of His mercies I’ve been blessed.


I choose Him, He’s my desire
  He is everything that I require.
He’s given Himself endlessly
  So that I might take of Him freely.

Squirming...

A truck pulling an empty flatbed trailer went over the speed bump in our parking lot at a pretty substantial speed. As you can imagine it made a loud crash; my little girl and I both jumped at the sound and since it had scared her so badly she began to cry. I wrapped my arms around her and told her repeatedly that it was alright and that mommy had her. But she wouldn’t be consoled. She just kept squirming and squirming and crying and crying. And I thought 'does she think I didn’t hear what she heard? I am right here holding her, I know where the noise came from and understand that everything is fine. Why doesn’t she trust me?'
And that voice inside whispered, “Now you know how I feel.”