It's true - it's been nearly a year since I last wrote in this blog. It's not like anyone has been breaking down the door and asking me to "please get on and blog." I can use the excuse that I was busy, but perhaps it would be more truthful to say that I just didn't have anything to say.
Which can be a good reason not to write. Plato said "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools talk because they have to say something."
This is not to assume in any way that I am perhaps a wise man, or that I perceive myself as being wise! Any wisdom that I have gained has usually come from my many failures. Many. Sometimes the same failure more than once. So in spite of the fact that I am attracted to wisdom, I usually find myself frolicking on the outskirts rather than diving into its depths.
Last week the Prayers of Faith quotes were all centered around wisdom. It was my way of reminding myself that if wisdom comes with age, perhaps I had better be focusing on it, as my age continues to change with each passing year.
Today I spent some time reading (or rather re-reading) some books that have always held a special place in my heart - mostly because they speak of what I can anticipate in the future. To be more specific, they deal with the events immediately prior to the coming of Jesus Christ. I'm not ashamed to say that the tears poured down my eyes as I read (for those of you who know me, that statement should come as no surprise!). When I finished I stepped outside and watched the clouds and prayed that I might stay faithful and gain the wisdom that God wants me to have.
Because, friends, I truly believe that it won't be long until we see our Savior coming in the clouds. Can you imagine what it will feel like to look up and know that our "salvation draws nigh?" Can you feel yourself being drawn up into the Father's presence, and "so shall we ever be with the Lord?"
I think it is good to reflect on these things. It's good to look forward and be reminded of the work God has given us. It's good to make "our calling and elections sure."
I pray that you will also experience that blessing in your life today and throughout this week!
God bless you abundantly!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, May 7, 2010
Is Anyone Home?
It has been literally months since I got on this blog site. I can say that I have been so busy... but the truth is that I have decided to spend my available time doing other things. It's true that we have 24 hours a day no matter what, and we elect how we want to spend those hours. I may decide to put 12 hours a day into my work (with perhaps some encouragement from my boss), but it is still a decision that I make. Sure, that decision may result it consequences that are unintended, but I still have the power to make that decision.
I took the day off today. I plan on spending some time with my family, and maybe even relaxing a bit. The work will have to wait.
What decisions are you making? Do you hear what I am saying? You have choices - how are you making them? Hello? Is anyone home?
God bless you abundantly!
I took the day off today. I plan on spending some time with my family, and maybe even relaxing a bit. The work will have to wait.
What decisions are you making? Do you hear what I am saying? You have choices - how are you making them? Hello? Is anyone home?
God bless you abundantly!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Endure to the End
It's a new year, and people are talking about their resolutions. Actually, most people are joking about breaking their resolutions already! I heard that most resolutions last on an average of 13 days. If you are average, you've got a few more days to go from the posting of this blog....
There is something about having a starting point that we can use to refresh our lives. We make resolutions on New Year's Day, and make plans for our lives when our birthdays roll around. We go to church and decide that we are not going to sin any more (okay - maybe we don't make that claim, but we do decide to make certain changes in our lives!), and we promise not to speed again when the officer pulls us over. We use a certain time to indicate the beginning. Something that acts as an anchor to connect us to our desired changes.
Maybe that is a good thing. Maybe we need to have something that shakes us up a bit and gets us to look at what we can do to improve our lives. There is no growth if we are satisfied with our current state. There is no discovery if we are comfortable.
That is what is so difficult. It seems that we work so hard to be comfortable, and then when we reach that state we die. Maybe not physically, but any development and growth ceases. The truth is - when we are satisfied we are finished.
Is that the same in our spiritual life? Is it possible to get to the place where we no longer find spiritual things to excite us, the place where we feel we know enough, where we can let the younger people do the work, where we can enjoy the benefits of all that we have done in the past, and end up dying spiritually? Oh, it may not show on the outside that we are dead, but what happens in the inside?
This is a new year - but have you decided there is something that you are going to do to make this a growing year - truly a "new" year? If we do things the same way we have always done them, we will get the same results. In other words - if nothing changes, nothing changes! Are you satisfied with that? Is there more waiting for you that will transform your life?
Jesus said "He that endures to the end, the same will be saved." (Matthew 10:22). He didn't say, "He that is comfortable will be saved" or "He that has learned to relax in his spiritual life will be saved." You only endure through the tough times. No one says, "I had a piece of cake to eat, but I endured to the end." It's the challenging times that require endurance. It's in endurance that change is born.
No one can make a decision for change except you. You are the one that needs to weigh the pros and cons, to decide if the end result is worth the effort. But when it comes to your spiritual life - there is so much that is at stake. Eternity is waiting. But not for long.
What is your spiritual resolution today?
God bless you abundantly!
There is something about having a starting point that we can use to refresh our lives. We make resolutions on New Year's Day, and make plans for our lives when our birthdays roll around. We go to church and decide that we are not going to sin any more (okay - maybe we don't make that claim, but we do decide to make certain changes in our lives!), and we promise not to speed again when the officer pulls us over. We use a certain time to indicate the beginning. Something that acts as an anchor to connect us to our desired changes.
Maybe that is a good thing. Maybe we need to have something that shakes us up a bit and gets us to look at what we can do to improve our lives. There is no growth if we are satisfied with our current state. There is no discovery if we are comfortable.
That is what is so difficult. It seems that we work so hard to be comfortable, and then when we reach that state we die. Maybe not physically, but any development and growth ceases. The truth is - when we are satisfied we are finished.
Is that the same in our spiritual life? Is it possible to get to the place where we no longer find spiritual things to excite us, the place where we feel we know enough, where we can let the younger people do the work, where we can enjoy the benefits of all that we have done in the past, and end up dying spiritually? Oh, it may not show on the outside that we are dead, but what happens in the inside?
This is a new year - but have you decided there is something that you are going to do to make this a growing year - truly a "new" year? If we do things the same way we have always done them, we will get the same results. In other words - if nothing changes, nothing changes! Are you satisfied with that? Is there more waiting for you that will transform your life?
Jesus said "He that endures to the end, the same will be saved." (Matthew 10:22). He didn't say, "He that is comfortable will be saved" or "He that has learned to relax in his spiritual life will be saved." You only endure through the tough times. No one says, "I had a piece of cake to eat, but I endured to the end." It's the challenging times that require endurance. It's in endurance that change is born.
No one can make a decision for change except you. You are the one that needs to weigh the pros and cons, to decide if the end result is worth the effort. But when it comes to your spiritual life - there is so much that is at stake. Eternity is waiting. But not for long.
What is your spiritual resolution today?
God bless you abundantly!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
A Thanksgiving Blessing
I just spent a most wonderful few days with my family. In less than a week I was able to be with each one of my children. For some that is a common achievement; for others that is only a dream. I usually fall somewhere in between. But any moment that I am able to be with my kids is a blessed one.
On Thanksgiving we traditionally think of all of the blessings we receive. In the present age, that is getting to be more difficult all the time. It's not that we don't have blessings; in fact, we are inundated with more material things than we can handle. It's that we are so used to having so much that we don't realized how good we have it.
Of course, those people who have lived through difficult times - either going through the depression or living in a country where there is little and it is hard to survive - tend to be overwhelmed by our opulence. We have so much - we can go down to the local grocery store and buy just about anything our stomach desires - and yet we refuse to give to worthy causes just because we don't want to. It's not that we can't - it's just that we won't. We feel we are entitled to what we have and that we deserve to spend it all on ourselves.
I've been thinking of the concept of Thanksgiving. I now question whether my previous understanding was correct. I used to believe that it was a time to be thankful for all that I had. To be grateful that I had bypassed the problems that others had encountered. To count what I had while contrasting that with what others didn't have.
But if we use the original Pilgrims as our example for the first Thanksgiving, they all brought the best of what they had to share with each other. Even when the Indians showed up they brought something to the table that was to be shared. True, they were thankful for all they had, but only to the point that they had something to bring to the potluck.
It is appropriate to give thanks to God for all He has done for us. The question is: what are you going to do with it? Has He blessed you? Now, who are you going to bless? Do you have a warm house? Who will you invite to share it with you? Is there food on your table? Who will enjoy your bounty?
I was blessed to be with my family. Now, who will I bless with all that I have received?
Who will you bless?
God bless you abundantly!
On Thanksgiving we traditionally think of all of the blessings we receive. In the present age, that is getting to be more difficult all the time. It's not that we don't have blessings; in fact, we are inundated with more material things than we can handle. It's that we are so used to having so much that we don't realized how good we have it.
Of course, those people who have lived through difficult times - either going through the depression or living in a country where there is little and it is hard to survive - tend to be overwhelmed by our opulence. We have so much - we can go down to the local grocery store and buy just about anything our stomach desires - and yet we refuse to give to worthy causes just because we don't want to. It's not that we can't - it's just that we won't. We feel we are entitled to what we have and that we deserve to spend it all on ourselves.
I've been thinking of the concept of Thanksgiving. I now question whether my previous understanding was correct. I used to believe that it was a time to be thankful for all that I had. To be grateful that I had bypassed the problems that others had encountered. To count what I had while contrasting that with what others didn't have.
But if we use the original Pilgrims as our example for the first Thanksgiving, they all brought the best of what they had to share with each other. Even when the Indians showed up they brought something to the table that was to be shared. True, they were thankful for all they had, but only to the point that they had something to bring to the potluck.
It is appropriate to give thanks to God for all He has done for us. The question is: what are you going to do with it? Has He blessed you? Now, who are you going to bless? Do you have a warm house? Who will you invite to share it with you? Is there food on your table? Who will enjoy your bounty?
I was blessed to be with my family. Now, who will I bless with all that I have received?
Who will you bless?
God bless you abundantly!
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Halloween
I'm writing this on Halloween - October 31 - while I am sitting comfortably in my recliner. Thoughts are swirling through my head like the leaves in the breeze, so I am not so sure where this path will take me. But every once in a while an idea pops up that bears consideration, so perhaps these are the ones that will make their way onto the page.
They call it "Halloween," but there is nothing hallowed or sacred other than the fact that this day happened to land on a Sabbath (for those of you who believe in Genesis 2:3). I have watched the children and adults walk down the road in their costumes, and have yet to see one that might even hint of the "sacred." Ghosts and goblins and creatures that are gruesome, but nothing that remotely reminds me of God.
Some will quickly point out the history of the day, referring to its pagan background and even the adoption into the church by making it a celebration for the dead - a remembrance for those who are no longer walking with us. I've no desire to go there - it would only be rehashing what many already know, and by doing that I would be supporting the argument that always - and I mean always - ensues. That is not the intention of this blog....
I would rather just look at what it is today. It's a costume party where people dress up and collect (or give out, depending on which side of the door you reside) candy and treats. It's a chance to say the magic words - "Trick or Treat" - and be rewarded with sweetness. Oh, there might be some teenagers tossing rotten eggs and carrying out whatever mischief is in their hearts, but in most cases it is a fun time to dress up and visit friends.
It was actually those magic words that started me thinking. It started me thinking about life choices. As difficult as life might be, our choices are really quite simple. Satan offers us all sorts of treats - a chance for wealth and popularity and ease in a world that is focused on "things." He says he can make everything sweet for us, as long as we are willing to give our lives over to him. It is only after we have been sucked into his web that we realize we have been tricked. We have become slaves to him, and our lives - even if we do have the wealth and popularity he promised - are limited to earthly joys.
On the other side we have a bleeding Man hanging on the cross. When it comes to earthly things, He can't promise us much. He actually says, "In this world you will have tribulations." Things are going to get tough for us. It is not a life for sissies.
But He offers us so much more than anything this world could give us. Yes, it will be hard, but we will be standing for the right, we will have a cause to defend, and we will have an eternity to enjoy that will go far beyond anything we could imagine. It will be such a treat to spend forever with this Man.
So you have the choice. You can get your goodies now or enjoy eternal salvation with a God who loves you so much He died for you. It really is up to you.
Trick or treat...
God bless you abundantly!
They call it "Halloween," but there is nothing hallowed or sacred other than the fact that this day happened to land on a Sabbath (for those of you who believe in Genesis 2:3). I have watched the children and adults walk down the road in their costumes, and have yet to see one that might even hint of the "sacred." Ghosts and goblins and creatures that are gruesome, but nothing that remotely reminds me of God.
Some will quickly point out the history of the day, referring to its pagan background and even the adoption into the church by making it a celebration for the dead - a remembrance for those who are no longer walking with us. I've no desire to go there - it would only be rehashing what many already know, and by doing that I would be supporting the argument that always - and I mean always - ensues. That is not the intention of this blog....
I would rather just look at what it is today. It's a costume party where people dress up and collect (or give out, depending on which side of the door you reside) candy and treats. It's a chance to say the magic words - "Trick or Treat" - and be rewarded with sweetness. Oh, there might be some teenagers tossing rotten eggs and carrying out whatever mischief is in their hearts, but in most cases it is a fun time to dress up and visit friends.
It was actually those magic words that started me thinking. It started me thinking about life choices. As difficult as life might be, our choices are really quite simple. Satan offers us all sorts of treats - a chance for wealth and popularity and ease in a world that is focused on "things." He says he can make everything sweet for us, as long as we are willing to give our lives over to him. It is only after we have been sucked into his web that we realize we have been tricked. We have become slaves to him, and our lives - even if we do have the wealth and popularity he promised - are limited to earthly joys.
On the other side we have a bleeding Man hanging on the cross. When it comes to earthly things, He can't promise us much. He actually says, "In this world you will have tribulations." Things are going to get tough for us. It is not a life for sissies.
But He offers us so much more than anything this world could give us. Yes, it will be hard, but we will be standing for the right, we will have a cause to defend, and we will have an eternity to enjoy that will go far beyond anything we could imagine. It will be such a treat to spend forever with this Man.
So you have the choice. You can get your goodies now or enjoy eternal salvation with a God who loves you so much He died for you. It really is up to you.
Trick or treat...
God bless you abundantly!
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