Vacation. A time of rest and peace for me.
Yesterday I posted an article that generated a ton of prayer requests. I am glad. People need people. Just the idea of people needing people to grow and do life with is probably the sincerest form of revival. (And I am praying for those who sent things in.) Continue reading Let The Fun Begin
Yesterday before I went off to be part of the church at our local fellowship, I saw this and wrote it on my ministry page. Lots of people read it and shared it..
This morning I saw words being shed. Words of destruction and words of hurt. I saw the shedding of pain. I saw new words being spoken. New words of goodness, grace and greatness. Continue reading Letting Go Of Yesterday
Yesterday I took on a new challenge. I went to the gym to lift weights and get back in shape. I am determined my life will be one of strength and vitality. Today, I am looking for the number of the truck that ran over me in the middle of the night! WOW! Brings new meaning to “pain=gain” or some such pithy saying.
Life is meant to be overcome. This is an overcoming moment in it. I will do this. My friend who helped me get started said this to me, “don’t let anyone laugh at you”. So now, I have to overcome weights and people. Anything else? Yep, after I did the weights I went to walk. And my left knee gave out nearly pulling me to the ground. (It had been brutalized in a couple of sports accidents over the years.) Continue reading Overcomers Overcome
“Dad, please let me drive the boat,” I asked. I was 8 years old and my parents had a new boat. A 16 foot aluminum boat with a 50 horsepower motor. “Please,” I begged. And then one day my father said “yes.” As soon as he said it, my mom picked her stuff up off the cement platform that the boathouse rolled out on. She told my father he was “crazy.” (She later told me she went up in the woods to pray.) I jumped into the boat, hardly listening to my father’s instructions. The next beach over was a private beach owned by a motel. The people looked over as I climbed into the driver’s seat. Continue reading On My Own – Seasons Of Greatness
Today would have been my mom’s 88 birthday. Amazing how time flies. She left this planet in 2001 during the 9/11 week. Miss you mom!
Last night I felt like I took on some things that were hard to wrap my brain around. It was not an “easy” night. I awoke at 4:44 feeling like I had been through a battle. Here is a potpourri of thoughts. They do connect.
This morning I was saying to the Lord, “there is turmoil in the air” and I felt the nudge of the Lord say, “Last night was the beginning of decision”. Change is not always easy but sometimes necessary for the place we want to be. “The beginning”? I see choices opening and options fanned out. Some decisions are painful.
“Will you trust me” says the Lord.
Sometimes you must get the right “angle” of attack to make it through. Straight ahead in the canoe would have left us upside down in the waters of the lake. Listen to the Lord and hear His wisdom.
Yesterday was an amazing time in our church fellowship. From the very beginning with music that changed the atmospheres, to the testimony of a man healed from arthritis and could once again raise his hands and walk it was getting good, but soon to get better. As my friend Mark shared about the “whys” of deacons and elders in preparation for the installation of three dear friends as deacons there was an intensity building. We are in an awesome place. Far different than we were just a few short years ago. Why share this you might ask. Because what we are seeing, you can see!
As we prayed and prophesied over the deacons, the next was to let them pray for people. I want to tell you these people are my family. And if it is not fun in the family who wants to be there?
My mom left “unfinished” business and life she would not live. The choice to approaching storms requires wisdom. Don’t lock up “your keys”. Raise the dead and receive life. Watch your words. God’s structure is good for all. All good and all God!
The best life to be lived is where He is. He will never leave you nor forsake you. As my friend Mark said yesterday, “Freedom without relationship is just a long walk by yourself…”
2014-It was to be the year of stepping out of the boat, grabbing the brass ring and changing the world.
What happened? As I watched the Broncos lose to the Seahawks, I was reminded that not everything goes according to plan.
You and I are here, because this is where we are. Whatever lead up to us being here, while relevant, is now in the rear view mirror. It is behind us. Forever destined to be nothing more than a stepping off place.
I get it. Over the last few months both my wife and I have experienced tremendous changes. Job losses, moves and few other things have brought us to this place. How do you correct that? Well, despite using my most “authoritative” tone, my “best posture” and a few other “tricks” I “know” the train is still running in a different direction. It has required me to once again be outside my “comfort zone.”
I do understand. Both of us understand rejection letters and changing life.
BUT-if you stop swinging the bat, putting one foot in front of another, you will not win. I could easily have envisioned Peyton Manning’s desire to just “have it over.” But despite the lopsided score he just kept going out. You may not want to go out, but sometimes that is where your miracle appears. You may not want to even be “there” but hiding your head will not accomplish what you desire to see happen. In fact, it may even be greater than you imagine.
Many years ago, following my salvation I decided it was time to clear the decks of debt and such. I owed a lot of money back then. $60,000 was owed to the IRS alone. I moved ahead and got met me miraculously. One of the things on the plate was a SAAB I had bought in a fit of whimsy. I had paid cash but now saw it as a stumbling block to moving out of debt. So, away it went. I was close enough to my main place of work that getting there was not a problem. But being 35 and carless was a stretch.
One Thanksgiving weekend a new friend from our church fellowship asked me to join him and his family. I agreed (If he would come get me!) and he soon was sitting in my driveway. Nothing would have prepared me for what happened. As we were finishing up the meal my friend handed me a key, a SAAB key. My response was “why are you making fun of me?” He and his wife looked strangely at me and pointed to the driveway. There in the drive was a 9000 Turbo SAAB with a bow on it. “Go ahead. Take it.”
Now it was easy then to make a performance orchestrated formula on “how to receive blessing.” And I did and I am not sure if worked quite like that again. Yes, I made some “right” moves. Yes, I had prayed for “deliverance” and prosperity and such. But, really some of the greatest miracles come when we least suspect it.
Oh, we may be positioned for goodness in our minds. But truly it is the “position” of being in Him that aligns us with goodness and God.
I know that Elijah was looking for a response in 1Kings 18:41. And he saw the response to that. God had revealed it to him. Surely. But how many await the “revealing” of a prophetic word to come to pass? And just what was the “word” that sent him to a cave? I am sure he was hanging on destiny and a belief that God would miraculously show up.
But what about the woman who had picked up the last stick to cook her death meal? What was her word? What was her rationale or thinking? How was she “positioned” for a drop out of heaven?
In our desire to encourage or “help” people we sometimes set them up for an encounter that is not on the radar screen. I find as a prophetic voice it is “too easy” to try and give a word to fix something when in fact God wants to reveal something. I know my own immaturity lead me astray. I have come to the conclusion that it is “rare” that prophecy cures immaturity and removes sinful actions. (Oh that I might not be so!) Have we not learned that just telling people to “grow up” does not work?
But faith in Him! When our faith is settled in our understanding that our position (With Him.) has already been established and our place is a place of blessing (For are we not the garden?) then the rest becomes so much easier.
Relax. In the words of The Carpenters, We’ve Only Just Begun. 2014 just barely got here. We have barely inched through 1/12th of it. The words of the prophets ring true. (Perhaps this is one of the greatest reasons I ask people to “Accept or Reject” a word early on rather than cluttering your mind’s closet space.)
I encourage you to revisit my 2014 word. Perhaps we are further ahead or slightly behind where we thought we were. It is okay. While “one game” makes a Super Bowl, it was many games that brought folks there. But for many their destiny of that “kairos” moment began in the hidden places of “chronos” time.
Today is your day with a now God in a now moment. Do not look across the table to the Lord and get swept away in despair for yesterday or concern for the future. Today is your day. THIS is the day the Lord has made… Embrace your today. Psalm 118:24
And let me be clear. Today may not be the kairos but the chronos timing of life. BUT where God is kairos to you in the sense it often prepares for the “wow” moments. How so? What about what you said about the “woman and the death watch”? Through the understanding that where you are so is the Lord. For whom is joined to the Lord is one spirit. (1 Corinthians 6:17) Impatience too often is the sign of lack of trust. Whatever captures you from the rest is the enemy. This is the enemy we must overcome.
For the Broncos there is not another 2014 Super Bowl. But their response will dictate will there be another shot. The answer of course is “yes”. But keep in mind that is related to their performance and rightly so. But the ability to simply be is on you. Labor to enter His rest. Hebrews 4:1-2. Unite your faith today with the promise of God. I did not say “press in” or push harder but accept the gift of faith and the knowledge of position in Him to realize this.
Today in the “super bowl” of life mix your faith with the knowledge that you are there.
We’ve Only Just Begun
Sung by The Carpenters
“We’ve Only Just Begun” is track #6 on the album Singles 1969-1981. It was written by Nichols, Roger S. / Williams, Paul H..
We’ve only just begun to live
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we’re on our way
We’ve only begun
Before the risin’ sun, we fly
So many roads to choose
We’ll start out walkin’ and learn to run
And yes, we’ve just begun
Sharing horizons that are new to us
Watching the signs along the way
Talkin’ it over, just the two of us
Workin’ together day to day, together
And when the evening comes, we smile
So much of life ahead
We’ll find a place where there’s room to grow
And yes, we’ve just begun
Sharing horizons that are new to us
Watching the signs along the way
Talkin’ it over, just the two of us
Workin’ together day to day, together, together
And when the evening comes, we smile
So much of life ahead
We’ll find a place where there’s room to grow
And yes, we’ve just begun
Songwriters
NICHOLS, ROGER S. / WILLIAMS, PAUL H.
Published by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, EMI Music Publishing
I had a very intense dream last night. So intense that when I actually woke up I got up to walk away from it and the dream “followed” me. It kept on going.
In the dream I was asked to come on board and take over this publishing house. One of its projects was a local newspaper. I agreed and things went well. It was a quaint New England town with lots of white paint, green shutters and black iron fences. As we moved towards fall and foliage events I began to feel the job joy waning. I spent my time visiting people, writing stories, taking pictures and all the things one might do. Continue reading The Incorruptible Dream – A Telling Season
How do I respond to the news?
That is a real question lately. And while some may respond with some of the following:
And wherever you fall on the measuring line that is okay. I do not mind watching news, as it gives me opportunity to reflect on how good God is and how big He is. (Also to pray!) Some of my thinking was predicated by a friend’s post on Facebook the other day. “It is impossible to be stressed out and grateful at the same time.” I recognize that everyone has “some” stress in their lives. The key is not getting stressed out over things. Or keep on adding to it.
Earlier this year I wrote a short book on changing our world by what we say and what we think. It is about taking the position of heaven and superimposing it over your world. (Matthew 6:10) When I think about “stress” I find that in most cases it is the value you put on a situation or circumstance. For instance one of my children does not like to speak in public though her job often necessitates it. I understand. I go through it. But I place higher value on the message God has given me to bring forth rather than my short time of uncomfortability. Continue reading How Do You Respond To The News?
When I was about 8 or 9 years old we were trying to think of what to do, me and my friend Johnny. We were neighbors each summer on the lake. (Schroon Lake) His dad owned a motel and my parents vacationed in a large house on the water that my mom’s family owned. And like any boys that age we just wanted to have fun. Continue reading Man Overboard!
