As I read the news I see that we are “desperately” in need of change. As I listen to friends I see “how much I could be praying for”. Even in my own life I have “needs” or things that I would desire to be different. At some point I will carry my thinking up the stairs and into my room and spend time with Him. I have already spent some time with Him. He is my rock, my refuge, my peace.
I read on the burning topics of the day; economy, racism, finance and pain. I pray over the articles as I read through. I think like Radio Shack, “you’ve got questions, we’ve got answers”. People have pain, we have answers. I am not talking about platitudes or premises of false hope, but we have Him, the ANSWER! Continue reading Read The News, Change The World!→
Not every dream I have is a “multi-user” dream. Many of my dreams speak to me, others for individuals, a church and then there are the broad spectrum dreams that are fora lot of people.
Lately we have seen a lot of blessing. Not millions yet, but lots of $100, $500 and a few $1000 blessings headed to people. Yesterday I went to visit my oldest son, his wife and their baby before picking up my grandson Jacob to spend the Christmas week with me.
On the way home I needed to buy gas. I realized I had a choice. Buy gas in Vermont (In May they added a new gas tax.) or squeak across across the line and buy it in my home state of New Hampshire. So imagine my surprise when i was approaching the border and there was a single gas station left and I felt the nudge from the Lord, “this is the place.” Hmmmm… So, I hesitantly pulled in. I put my card in. It asked for a rewards card. I plugged that in. (I had not used it in over a year.) How amazed was I when it recorded a $.15 a gallon discount. I filled up.
Over the last few weeks I have meditated on that thought process. Spoken to me a few weeks back, an older man said “you cannot change them if you cannot get it in them.”
Yesterday, I read an article that spoke of a gospel singer returning to her roots after years of going “off the deep end” in her Christianity. Most people recognize that the church for a number of years; got them “saved” and after telling them what had been erased, now turned and said “be careful” as if God would return to a status of “mad” to keep them there. Freedom would flood a person, the power and presence of God would overtake and two minutes later someone would be instructing how to keep “it.” Continue reading You Can’t Change Them If You Can Not Touch Them→
This morning I woke, coming out to the living room and sat here for a moment. A quick rehash of what might be accomplished today was on my radar screen. And then I looked at the floor. Four very empty children’s chairs. A part of me sees the prophetic in the picture. That if you “build” it they will come. The chairs had been moved from our destroyed home in Springfield. My wife and I had cleaned them up and put them on the floor. The first thing my grandchildren did upon arriving last night was go to sit in them excitedly.
There is something about the preparation for a child or children that excites me. These four empty chairs and a table suggested my love for them, hospitality towards them. I never look at those chairs or the pictures of my children without thinking of my love for them. Without uttering a prayer. (There is a large piece here for people. Do children feel welcome?)
This morning I awoke feeling kind of blank. Perhaps it is the couple of late nights, early mornings or maybe the ramifications of a rollercoaster week. Whatever the reasoning, I just sat here, listening. “God, paint a picture for me” I asked.
The picture began to appear. The first few strokes were large brush strokes of brilliant yellows and oranges. The picture developed a glow. And then the stabbing, jerky strokes of dark colored browns, reds and greens appeared. The glow never stopped but it seemed to be only on the edges. The middle of the painting being filled with the darkness of color. I knew what colors, what brilliance was underneath the darkening layer, but I could not see the fullness of the beauty.
Lately I have pondered how in the midst of so much goodness, I have felt or witnessed the pain that has come alongside. I said the other night it is as if a rubber band was being stretched. I suspect some of it has to do with the time of summer we are in. But I know it is more than that. I know that the economy, relationships, sickness and more have affected people. The answer for many has been to get busier, to invest more time. It has been a placebo for many. As someone who often helps people channel their energies, utilize their resources and manage their time, I see this pitfall occurring in these three lies that are frequently believed.
There is only so much available time in a day.
Our resources are limited by their reality and our belief in the favor on our life.
Our energy is housed in our being
With those three constraints, let me say first and foremost, I believe God can do anything AND I believe He wants to. BUT I also believe He has delegated the procedure and the process of the “distribution” to His people. Therefore we are the “quartermasters” of His goodness. The purveyors of heaven. Continue reading The Painting Of God -His Response To Paint Me A Picture→
As I read the news I see that we are “desperately” in need of change. As I listen to friends I see “how much I could be praying for”. Even in my own life I have “needs” or things that I would desire to be different. At some point I will carry my thinking up the stairs and into my room and spend time with Him. I have already spent some time with Him. He is my rock, my refuge, my peace.
