When Did We Stop Listening...

Does your life look like mine? Get up, get dressed, make coffee, drink coffee, facebook, check email, second cup of coffee, take shower, get dressed, leave for work or school or whatever, return home- then repeat the next morning. This is all without going into other details parts of one's day and the insertion of watching Curious George for the millionth time or wrestling with the boys or changing diapers(for those who have children) For those that don't, get ready for no more date nights, watching your "shows", hobbies, social outlets and overall good nights rest. I guess these things return and I'm pretty sure it is more of an adjustment on the mom than the dad, but you never know. The point being, a Baby does change everything!!!! Good news is that most of the change is wonderful and those other things don't have legs to stand on anyway, in the big scheme of things. There is a great song by Country artist, Joe Nichols that talks about sounds that some miss and others don't appreciate. It is called, "You Ain't heard Nothin' Yet"

On a park bench the old man
Sat and stared into yesterday
I sat down beside him and said
"Thank God for this quite place
Between the wife and the kids, the TV and the phone
It seems there's something always goin' on"
He said, "Son, if you think this is quite
You should follow me home"

'Cause you ain't heard nothin' yet
'Til you've lived in a house by yourself
When silence is all you've got left
In the rooms where your babies have slept
So don't wish for something you will regret
'Cause you ain't heard nothin' yet

The old man kept talkin'
Painting pictures from his memories
Did he drag out his past for himself
Or was it for me
His eyes came alive, he spoke of dancing with his wife
And playing ball with his two little boys
He said, "Son, what I hear is music, you're callin' noise"

'Cause you ain't heard nothin' yet
'Til you've lived in a house by yourself
When silence is all you've got left
In the rooms where your babies have slept
So don't wish for something you will regret
'Cause you ain't heard nothin' yet

We'll all rest in peace, on that you can bet
Oh, you ain't heard nothin' yet

My point is that the noise that is our daily grind, is often hiding the goodness of life being displayed. Even though we are deaf to these miracles, we often are lost in their monotony. That is, until we realize that if we appreciate this life and all its routines a little more, we can find our melody matches their harmony perfectly.

Everyone Hurts Sometimes

Replacing Hurt with Heart
Do you remember this song? "Everyone Hurts" by R.E.M. It is a song of truth, a song that states that no matter who you are or where you have been or how much money you have, you have been hurt or are hurting right now or will hurt in the future. The great thing about hurt is that we will need people. We need people to help us through the hurt. Even though the word "hUrt" has a big "U" in the middle, the people in our lives don't let "U" hurt alone.  Friends and family promulgate their love and empathy and joy all over our person hood that we should have little time to hurt. But as they leave and we are home in the long hours of the night, we find that the pain remains. You could be the biggest entertainer on the planet or the President himself and find yourself lonely in this world of Hurt. But here is where the truth comes in- when ever we focus on ourselves or the U in hurt, that is when it burns the most. However, when we consider the lives of others who are less fortunate, we realize how much "Heart" we possess. When we break down this word "Heart" we found two words, "he" and "art", which remind me that He(God) Art(or "is" or "be") with us in our time of need. 

How Great Thou Art= How Great He Is!!! 

This is a promise and this should be our thought each time we want to focus on the "hurt", we should replace the "U" with an "EA" and know that in our Heart is where He Be! His occupation of that tender spot brings the needed resuscitation that we need and our hurt is no more. He Art with us and our hurt is gone.....

Through the Lens of the Savior

In my struggle to live a holy and Godly life, I have to reconcile that fact that there are times, that I fall short of the righteousness that God designed. I miss the mark. I often try my best to propagate a better image for myself by helping at the local church, being submissive to my wife’s “honey-do” list, praying “without ceasing”, reading random scriptures in the Bible and a myriad of other things. But as much as I try to be righteous in my human frailty and sinfulness, I know that my desperate attempts are “as but filthy rags to God’s (all-encompassing, never-tainted, stand-alone) righteousness.” (emphasis added) (Is 64:6) Thus there in lies my conundrum of how I live a sanctified life and live according to the standard that pervades the words of Jesus through the Apostle Peter; “Be Holy because I am Holy.” (1 Peter 1: 16)

Being Holy or perfect is more than actions that we attempt or duties that we perform. It is more about God’s character than ours. Those who are found in Christ Jesus as disciples and followers of his truths and his ways, are made holy in his life. In other words, because we are associated with Jesus and his truths, we are made perfect by his declaration of being God’s son. Our acts of righteousness are examples of obedience to his ways and commandments thus performing worship in all aspects of our life, not just in a sanctuary or temple. We are sanctified because Jesus is sanctified. Just our association with the name of the Savior, gives us the stamp of approval from God as fully sanctified. (II Corinthians 5: 21) We don’t become unsanctified if we don’t live the hallmarks of our faith, but we are pleasing Him with aromatic fragrances when we do carry out our faith in works of righteousness. We are declared Holy, not of our own volition, but because of his eternal position as God, in that, he sees us through the lens of Jesus.
I don’t know how he does it, but Jesus reconciles us to himself, not that we may claim the victory in the His washing but that he may display his power in our cleaning. It is not that we cannot mold ourselves into Christ’ self and try to live better and noble. But we often are nothing more than street rats groping along into the city of golden paths. We are beggars in the palace of His glorified presence but he calls us his friends. We are no longer slaves or servants but friends, children of God, heirs to the kingdom. We have this security in knowing that we brought nothing into this world and we can take nothing with us.

It is the same with our spiritual life, we bring nothing to help us in our salfivic destiny or priestly ministry but who we are at that particular moment of grace. God brings the rest. He brings his A-game while we just bring our failed attempt at the alphabet. Nothing should keep us from wanting to be the best. However, we don’t need to pressure ourselves into believing that we should not even try because our works don’t match our want-to. It isn’t a matter of frustrating ourselves to the point of just apathy and giving up, not even trying to serve God; but that we must give our efforts and cares over to him.

“Cast your cares upon me”, Jesus said, “for I care for you. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” His yoke is light? Didn’t he have the entire weight of the world upon him on the cross? How can he say that? While, I can’t understand, I must believe.

So, the next time God calls you to action, in the church- out of the church - in your home or out of your home, don’t let your feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness consternate your knowing of what should be done. Satan wants to make us believe that we are not good enough, not clean enough, not sanitary enough to sit at God’s table, to work at his kingdom work, but we are, Just like Mephiposheth sat at King David’s table, a crippled grandson of Saul, son of David’s good friend Jonathan, we too should take our Place at King Jesus’ table and let our handicap not do so anymore. We should not be restricted by our own feelings of guilt and shame but let us take on that which God has called us to do: To work out our faith with "fear and trembling" while being received with grace at the master’s banqueting table.

God is not looking for the best and brightest or those who have their lives all put together nicely. because most of the time, those people don’t think they need help. Just like the Pharisees, those people think they are already righteous in their own eyes because they don’t have the stench of sickness around them or a handicap that cripples them or a secret sin that gnaws on their spirit. But God is looking for the willing more than those who seem to have it all together. We don’t have to be trained or equipped, but called. The disciples were trained to be fishermen and they left that behind, without any seminary, without any former training, without being raised in the church or attending every Sunday school. It wasn't there background, nor training-they were affluent in the waves not yet in the one that saves. They knew Cod, But they didn’t know God. Jesus said, “Come and I will make you fishers of men” God never calls someone he won’t equip. He doesn’t call the equipped but equips the called. Are you called to do something great for God today? Are you touched by the angel of purpose? The nudging of eternal Spirit. Are you being led into greatness today? Even though you have messed up and feel, unworthy- he is worthy enough and calls us his friend and exercises that through his grace.

When God confirms our “Friend Request” and views our heavenly "Facebook" page, he doesn’t look at our “Past Photo Album” of sinful indulgences, prideful vanities or willing disobedience. The first thing he sees on our “Wall”- is Jesus. He knows then, that we are associated with the greatest “Group” ever, the best “Cause” ever, the biggest “Network” ever; labeled the children of God in that we belong to Him as a friend and as an heir; that association declares us as sanctified no matter what we do in our Fallen nature or in the form of works of our faith and love.

Let the Lord make you perfect today and love you unconditionally, and you; be willing to be loved. However, God is calling us as his own because of our association with Jesus, we are sanctified- we are made whole- we are made Holy- we are made righteous. God looks down and through the lens of "Agape" love, that is Jesus, we are accepted.

The Gloves Will Come Off Soon...

The Gloves Will Soon Come off...


Have you ever felt like just when everything is working out right, something goes wrong on the inside? You feel like a boxer right before getting a knocked out.....

Fights don't just happen in the ring, they happen in our hearts and our souls. The echoes of the burden of the cross ring in our ear, the temptations of our savior before his adversary, the denial of his followers, the betrayal of Judas, the doubting of Thomas, the misfortune of Paul's battle. "The things I want to do, I do not do. The things I do not want to do, I do."(1) Even the great Epistle writer Paul, of which 13 books of the New Testament our his, struggled. He spoke of the "thorn in the flesh", something that takes away your stamina, something that haunts your joy and stalks your ministry. That fight that never ends and always promises another battle.....

But, what does Jesus say? "Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world(your disease, your hardship, your unfaithfulness, your injustices, your suffering, your pain, your enemies, your disbelief, your fear, your folly, your sin, your fight...." Despite everything we think is holding us back, the savior says "Be of good cheer....?"(2) He conquered sin and death, not because we deserved it but because is love is deserving. His love is all-encompassing. We may face battles but God has already won the war. We know how this all ends. We know the final outcome. It all comes out in the wash because....We Win!!!!

Everyone has fights and sometimes those battles are internal, in our minds, in our homes, in our hearts and many times those are the ones that sting the most. But we also face external enemies that gnaw at our being and find us wondering what this faith stuff is for anyway? Or it questions our ministry? Or it reminds us of our weakest points? It tells that we aren't good enough...It tells we won't succeed and that they road is too long, too hard, too arduous a task to finish. And yet, God says stay focused and have a pleasant demeanor, it's already been taken care of. Have peace through me, the world has been conquered through me. There is no condemnation! Yes, for my love has overcome the multitude of sins and my patience allows you to be covered in my hope for your tomorrow. Then we remember these words from Paul:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

The prize fighter has stepped into the ring in the final seconds; a upper left hook and the enemy is vanquished. The sting of death, the denigration of defeat, the sore of sorrow, the hurt of heartbroken is over and we are free, free indeed.

1.) Romans 7: 15
2.) John 16: 33

Walking by Faith with Daddy

Watching my 1 year old walk around outside made me think of us as believers in Christ. My son walks a few steps and then hits a slippery spot and stumbles, then falls. He gets back up to walk some more, then tries to manage the unstable terrain, then wobbles and falls again. He then sits awhile and sees the dirt on his hands, his pants, his ankles and his backside, waits for help from his father (that’s me) and then slowly gets back up again to try the maneuvering of thick grass, another unstable terrain. Failure again….

Then, just then he gets to the smooth path where the vehicles and dogs have made the ground level and safe, then he hasn’t any difficulty walking, even the whole length of a football field occasionally!

Isn’t that how it is with our Christian Walk sometimes?

We seek to understand the walk despite of our fallen attempts, yet we stand up to meet another challenge, to walk another step, to traverse another unfamiliar territory? We walk, we stumble, we fall and get up again. We fall because of gravity, we land because of God’s grace. You see sometimes we don’t see God’s hand in our landings. We just get angry and sit awhile until the Father has to help us up again.

We wrestle with demons just like the stubborn, dried up grass that clings to your clothes or the hardened points of needles that prick your skin and leave their poison underneath the surface. We sit and try to remove the dirt of guilt, the rocks of stubbornness, the poison of temptation, the needles of sin, the embedded gravel of heartache. The more we try, the more those things get stuck and unable to remove and we find ourselves restricted to attempt new and unstable paths….. Then they fester and grow and we allow our failures to suck the marrow out of our vision, our destiny, and eventually our legacy. We wrestle with insecurity, we toy with our “calling”, we feed from the slop of failure and think about the Prodigal Son who said, “Even the servants in my father’s house are eating better than me” (Luke 15: 17-18)

We wish we hadn’t fallen at all.

And yet, through our fallen state, we are not in a forgotten state. God the Father has remembered our name and has promised “never to leave us, never to forsake us.” He is there in the trenches with us as we are wanting escape from the trenches around us. He is there when we cry, “Abba, Father, Daddy, Dad…..Help me!” Just when we are saying that he will not come or that he will not dare be seen with filth and grime, God shows up! Praise the Father because he loved us and still does despite our feeble attempts at our walk.

Just as my son looks to me for a help- to walk in new paths and venture forth to new scenery....... so we must seek our Heavenly Father for help in doing the things we cannot, walking "by faith and not by sight."

II Corinthians 5: 7 (NASB)

Welcome to My Art

This is my first attempt to blog about the way God touches and corrects our hearts in order that we would seek his heart as did the Old Testament King David.  It wasn't that David was perfect because we all knew that he was not! The main reason why God said that David was a "man after God's own heart" is that despite his warrior mentality which resulted in much bloodshed(and excluded him from building the Temple); despite his lust and adultery, some would say possibly rape because could the wife of Uriah the Hittite have said no to the king? David sought her, not the other way around; despite his seeking to cover up his offense by suggesting that Uriah come home from war and lay with his wife(of which he did not); despite the fact that David told his commanders on the field to put Uriah the Hittite on the front lines and then pull back so that he would be slain(II Samuel 11); despite all these things- David was a man after God's own heart? Why?  A murderer? A liar? A thief? An adulterer? As my father-in-law says, "a Rounder." Why was he viewed this way by the Lord.....

The reason: David worshipped only the Lord God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Yahweh.

He did not worship Pagan gods. He did not take on the customs of his wives and concubines as we shall see led to his Solomon's demise, through his children that is.  The Kingship of David was so much of a covenant that God showed favor to David in many cases and to his heirs.(II Samuel 7)

(I Kings 11: 11-13) Not because David kept all the laws or performed the right type of sacrifice but that he always, always looked to God's heart for direction. He poured his heart out to the Lord in his songs of praise(II Samuel 22); he danced before the Lord(II Samuel 6: 12-16); he prayed and fasted to the Lord(II Samuel 12: 16-17); he repented sincerely and in broken abandon (Psalm 51); he was the epitome of how we should love and seek God. The Jewish people had a term which they used called hesed or "steadfast love" of God which was vividly and most evidently shown in the relationship He had with His servant David. 

May we do the same and have the art of our heart stay pure and- when tainted by our own impurity, may we repent and show sincere pleas for reconciliation. God's love was so strong for David that He is mentioned in the Genealogy of Jesus at the first part of Matthew. He was mentioned at least 5 times in introducing the Davidic line. Even Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite(a non-Jewish woman) was mentioned in the Genealogy of Jesus along with Rahab (a prostitute), Tamar (a perceived prostitute) and Ruth (a Moabite who used her mother-in-law's cunning ways to persuade her future husband, Boaz) All of these unlikely women and this sinful King, David, were in the line of the the Messiah. In fact, Jesus was called the Son of David, illustrating his Kingship and his humanity. David tried and failed; tried and failed; tried and failed. However, Jesus was the final verdict when it comes to how we should seek the Father. He sought the Father so intimately and honestly that he prayed in the garden:

 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." (Mark 14: 36) In the literal sense, Abba means, "Daddy" and Jesus was crying out through his humanity to his daddy, saying "You can make this go away because you are all-powerful, omniscient God, but let not my selfish desires and frail humanity take away from your divine destiny."  

Thus, David is a human of human example but Jesus is our perfect example: he honestly and righteously show how we keeping our heart checked in with the Father's is the best thing.