I love Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. To me it is one of the most freeing scriptures there is. My life is Him living through me.
“Too many cooks will spoil the broth”…remember that!
Dream
A few weeks ago I had an interesting dream.(December 7th 2013) In that dream I went into a restaurant. The restaurant looked very similar to one I had owned in the early 1980’s. As I walked through the double doors I felt something change. Like there was a lift in the atmosphere.
The other night I had a dream. In the dream I walked into a room where someone had been murdered, killed in cold blood. I was in a large windowed room. Many floors above a city. Hardwood floors, white walls, large windows. No furniture in my view. Empty, except for the blood splattered floor and a long white extension cord.
Who has dreams about murder? I have only had a few in 20 plus years, but when I do I look for the message. I do not get weird about it or suspect someone’s impending death.
I continued to watch the room. I felt that I was to move the cord to another outlet. To set a trap for someone who I thought was going to come in. I unplugged the cord and I moved it across the room. I left that room. Apparently I had some other things to do. Continue reading A Murder…Will We Choose Life?→
One man owes the woman over $40,000 in child support for two young children. Another pays no child support and blows through the monies of parents. Children who never see their dads because their dads make choices not to see them. The injustice!
I don’t know about you but those circumstances set me on edge. They have the potential to make me angry and have from time to time.
Single parents with no one else in their life frequently struggle. I know from personal experience. I look with great pain at various Facebook posts that indicate single parenting is not easy. Whether by choice or circumstance being the “one” in a child’s life is hard. Continue reading Holidays, You And The Single Parent→
Over the last few days I have had series of dreams that I have scribbled down looking for the thread. Not every dream is for everyone else. Sometimes they are for you!
This morning I was sitting here as I often do, meditating on various things, enjoying the quiet when I was struck with the following thought. Despite my best efforts to remain immature in some areas, I have grown up.
Now you can read that and laugh, or view it with disdain but the reality is, I had no real say in it. Do I understand you can make choices? Of course I do! Do I get that you can work on things? Absolutely! But was I “looking” for it? No! Life through its various twists and turns, dead ends and highways “did” something to me. Continue reading Growing Up Changes You→
All too often I watch a parent see their children walk away from the church, leaving thoughts of Christ behind. The parent feels the failure. I have “been there.”
Let me first say I am not a “pastoral” gift” despite years of being the “pastor” of the church I started. I am a prophet, and the perspective I take here may be more prophetic than pastoral or teacher.
But more importantly I am husband, a parent and a grandparent. My view is in part based on scripture and my understanding of it combined with my experience. Between my wife and I we have 5 children. We have 6 grandchildren. We have been married for over 20 years. We have made a lot of mistakes. Continue reading When Your Children Move Away From God→
I think at one point everyone wants to be the favorite. In first grade because I did well with studies the teacher let me be the milk monitor for our class. Each day I would go down to a refrigerator and pull out a case of small milk cartons. The favor? I was allowed to receive 2 chocolate milks for my efforts each day. I was the favorite.
Many have tried to curry favor with another in an effort to receive goods, money, attention or something else. But what about working with God? Continue reading I Am Your Favorite→
We often talk, teach and embrace the fact that Jesus forgave me and how great and awesome that is. And sometimes it stops right there.
Let me tell you it does not stop there. The scripture tell us that we are to forgive as well. Jesus us tells us in His “model” prayer that Mat 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Continue reading The Spirit Of Forgiveness→
On Sunday at our church fellowship, a “tongue” was given and I had the interpretation. It had to do with restoration. (In the last few days I have had reports of restored relationships.) I have been “burdened” with the stretching and breaking of relationships the last month or so. It pains me to see marriages break up, children lost and hearts broken. I just hurt for people.
First, let me say I get that there are times where destruction and abuse and such have taken place. And I understand the need to move apart in the face of these things. That is NOT what I will be talking about. Secondly, my gift mix gives me a different observation perspective and I will share from there. And finally, I am a guy and I get some women may not think I get it! J
The last few months I have watched believing men and women talk divorce, file papers and avoid some of the biggest issues on the plate.Experientially what I see more than anything else is that it is the ability to:
Believe God is the answer
Believe “love covers a multitude of sin.”
Believe the other party is “not out to get you.” (And if they are out to get you, what is your response? Love? Anger?)
Believe you do not have to be self-centered
Believe you can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you.
That will change things!
I struggle with the broken relationships. I personally struggle from two past marriages and how they hurt my children though I had “no say” in the finality. (I could not do those 4 things above either.) I would not wish broken relationships on anyone.
And God has changed me…immensely! I get that “things happen” but folks we are believers! We are subject to change because of Him!
How do we get there?
I am a “grace” guy. I believe in allowing people the freedom to make choices, even when they are not healthy or good. I believe grace and truth are found in the person of Jesus Christ, and that grace is a person and His name is Jesus. I believe in extending grace, mercy and forgiveness.
His desire is to restore. Restoration can occur in many places but I believe first and foremost it is the heart of the Father to restore families. Malachi 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse
Restoration is defined as: the act or process of returning something to its original condition by repairing it, cleaning it, etc.: the act of bringing back something that existed before: the act of returning something that was stolen or taken
If we say we believe in grace. That we believe in love. Well, I hate to be the bearer of “sad tidings” but we ought to walk it. You have to allow God to change you and move through you. You can have all the freedom you want and call it grace, but if it is trampling on others, hurting others and more, you are not operating in grace, and God is extending you mercy. Grace is the empowerment in your life to love, to forgive and to change.
Do not step up to the plate unless you are ready to hit!
A word on restoration speaks to the atmospheres and the powers of the enemy, but the reality of that word ought to bring change in us as well.
I love Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. To me it is one of the most freeing scriptures there is. My life is Him living through me.
