Have you ever talked to someone and just thought you knew what they were thinking? Have you ever saw something on someone that looked bad, but in the end, it wasn't what it seemed? If you did see something that looked bad, did you take the time to inquire about it before you made an assumption about what you thought was truth? Have you ever, without ever being told, assumed what someone was thinking or saying? How often are those assumptions accurate?
Be careful of what you think someone is thinking or doing when you don't actually know the truth. Its a trap and it hurts people. It wrecks relationships....be careful
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Choice
For about a year now I've really had to live a life depending on God for my needs and he has not disappointed me. He brought friends into my life when I needed friends. He brought a church into my life when I needed a church. He brought people into my life who mentored me and encouraged me...and took the time to get to know me. He also removed from my life the people who were tearing me down and manipulating me into believing things about myself that were not true. Sometimes we really don't see God at work until we actually look for it.
In the midst of this, I've sat back and remembered that God has always allowed a simple luxury that we tend to ignore: choice or free will. Just as some people choose to walk down paths that lead to darkness, we have the choice to walk a path of light. We choose to obey God...we choose to trust God...we choose to believe in a being beyond all comprehension. Everything is a choice in life...we choose to love our spouses....we choose to love our families...we choose to love those who absolutely drive us crazy. Some of you might be thinking that you don't agree with this, but then let me ask you this question: Have you ever woken up and looked at your spouse and gone...oh man...what did I do? The truth is sometimes you aren't going to feel love for that spouse, or for that annoying family member that just always says the wrong thing. It's always a choice.
I just want to encourage anyone reading this to make that right choice in life. Make those choices in your marriages, in your relationships, in your daily activities. Choose to love and choose to give.
I have another choice coming soon and thats whether or not to leave Columbus and go elsewhere. I've chosen to trust God in guiding me to the right place and I'd really appreciate prayer so that all of the pieces that God has for me will just start to fall into place.
In the midst of this, I've sat back and remembered that God has always allowed a simple luxury that we tend to ignore: choice or free will. Just as some people choose to walk down paths that lead to darkness, we have the choice to walk a path of light. We choose to obey God...we choose to trust God...we choose to believe in a being beyond all comprehension. Everything is a choice in life...we choose to love our spouses....we choose to love our families...we choose to love those who absolutely drive us crazy. Some of you might be thinking that you don't agree with this, but then let me ask you this question: Have you ever woken up and looked at your spouse and gone...oh man...what did I do? The truth is sometimes you aren't going to feel love for that spouse, or for that annoying family member that just always says the wrong thing. It's always a choice.
I just want to encourage anyone reading this to make that right choice in life. Make those choices in your marriages, in your relationships, in your daily activities. Choose to love and choose to give.
I have another choice coming soon and thats whether or not to leave Columbus and go elsewhere. I've chosen to trust God in guiding me to the right place and I'd really appreciate prayer so that all of the pieces that God has for me will just start to fall into place.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Real
Sunday Night Micah and I went to a large local church that was advertising as a miracle healing service. I didn't know what to expect really but I figured you know, I really want to see God move. I really do. We weren't in the building but 5 minutes when there was a man on the stage basically hawking the pastor's books and cds in a package to sell. The usher came out with handfuls of these packages and went up and down each aisle while he sold them to the congregation from the stage. This really upset me. If I was an unsaved man that walked into that church for the first time, the first thing I would have seen was a salesman on the stage selling stuff while the ushers were going up and down the aisles like they were selling hot dogs. Whats wrong with this picture?
Well long story short, for the next two hours we saw nothing bust bluster and show. Everything prayed for was general, with the exception of a choice few who got singled out over the couple thousand that were there. The pastor of the church came up on stage and just talked about the miracles he's seen, and how he believes in them. He showed a video testimony about whats already been done. When he was done talking, he turned the service over to another group who promptly sang like two songs and then their leader came up on the stage and started selling their CD. Thats when Micah and I left. We were there for two hours and what did we see? We saw a hungry congregation that was there and pumped up for God...they were HUNGRY. But we saw a service that was nothing but bluster and show.
Now I know my church does not do these type of services or even really move in this manner (in terms of miracles, healings, etc) yet, and I do stress yet, because I know in my core that God is only just beginning do his work through our church, but I can tell you this: When that day comes when an opportunity like that church had comes to our church I pray that we don't miss it. I want us to be as real then as we are now. Every part of that service was a show...an old-school example of showmanship and talk, with little to no action. You know what..I want action. I want every corner of our city covered under the light of our Living God. I want it all real! I want all to see who our God really is. He's not just words...he's action. He's not bluster...he's the real deal. God never wastes your time! However, I feel like my time was wasted when I visited this church.
All this being said, I'm in no place to judge, and my thoughts and prayers are with this church. They have great influence in our community and they can be used to turn Columbus on its head for God. Their pastor is a gifted teacher and is well-connected in the community. I can only imagine the potential of this church. So my prayers go out to this church.
As for me, I want it all, and I want it all to be real. My prayer is that all of our churches are real with our people. That way, when God does move in a service....when miracles and healings do happen...we can give glory to God and not to ourselves.
Well long story short, for the next two hours we saw nothing bust bluster and show. Everything prayed for was general, with the exception of a choice few who got singled out over the couple thousand that were there. The pastor of the church came up on stage and just talked about the miracles he's seen, and how he believes in them. He showed a video testimony about whats already been done. When he was done talking, he turned the service over to another group who promptly sang like two songs and then their leader came up on the stage and started selling their CD. Thats when Micah and I left. We were there for two hours and what did we see? We saw a hungry congregation that was there and pumped up for God...they were HUNGRY. But we saw a service that was nothing but bluster and show.
Now I know my church does not do these type of services or even really move in this manner (in terms of miracles, healings, etc) yet, and I do stress yet, because I know in my core that God is only just beginning do his work through our church, but I can tell you this: When that day comes when an opportunity like that church had comes to our church I pray that we don't miss it. I want us to be as real then as we are now. Every part of that service was a show...an old-school example of showmanship and talk, with little to no action. You know what..I want action. I want every corner of our city covered under the light of our Living God. I want it all real! I want all to see who our God really is. He's not just words...he's action. He's not bluster...he's the real deal. God never wastes your time! However, I feel like my time was wasted when I visited this church.
All this being said, I'm in no place to judge, and my thoughts and prayers are with this church. They have great influence in our community and they can be used to turn Columbus on its head for God. Their pastor is a gifted teacher and is well-connected in the community. I can only imagine the potential of this church. So my prayers go out to this church.
As for me, I want it all, and I want it all to be real. My prayer is that all of our churches are real with our people. That way, when God does move in a service....when miracles and healings do happen...we can give glory to God and not to ourselves.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Hurt
I hurt someone special yesterday. It wasn't intentional...I didn't seek to hurt this person. I stayed up half the night wondering how it could have been avoided, and how I should have done things differently. This person is one of the most wonderful people in the world and deserves better then she got from me. She's a star that shines bright in the night sky that often seems clouded and I hurt that star. I also know that for the time being I had to do take the action that I took or it would have risked hurting her more down the road.
Lord, I know the prayer of Jabez was a bit of a fad a couple years ago, but I mean it here: Please build me Father so that won't cause anyone pain. I've been through of alot it and I know how it feels. I don't want to be the catalyst to hurt others.
Lord, I know the prayer of Jabez was a bit of a fad a couple years ago, but I mean it here: Please build me Father so that won't cause anyone pain. I've been through of alot it and I know how it feels. I don't want to be the catalyst to hurt others.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)