Good Friday

Hello friends and faithful readers.

I went to church tonight.  Good Friday.  I think I've decided that between Christmas, Easter and Good Friday that Good Friday is my favorite.  Why you ask?  Because for me, Good Friday church is an intimate invitation to enter into His world and imagine what it might have been like to walk His steps.  Good Friday church services are generally quieter and reflective.  What would it be like to have been there?  Confusion and wonder I'll bet.  What is it like from our vantage point, knowing His plan for our salvation?  I still don't get it completely and I may never while still on this earth.  That's one thing that makes Grace what it is but one thing I do know...  I will respond by slowing down and resting in Him.  He is God after all (not me).  That is my prayer for you as you read this, that you will hear and feel God calling you to rest in him.

I'll leave you with a video link or just the lyrics below.  Take your pick.

"The Wonderful Cross"

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from his head, his hands, his feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ever such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless
Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all

Who Are We?

Good day!

It's hard to believe that half of the first month of 2016 is already over!  Only 11.5 months to go and we'll be another year older and reflecting on 2016 as history as we look to 2017.  I was encouraged by an e-mail from a friend Nic and I wanted to post it here.

It is from "Who We Are" that we live and move and have our being (see Acts 17:28) so this is a reminder (courtesy of my friend Nic).  I encourage you to slow down and soak in these verses, don't let them roll like water off a ducks back, but let them penetrate and be your anchor as you succeed in 2016!!!

So who are we?

God tells us:

We are TRULY RIGHTEOUS and PERFECTED

Gal 4:6-7 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son. And since you are a son, you are also an heir.

1 Thes 5:5 For you are all sons of light, sons of the day.

2 Cor. 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come the old has gone, the new is here!

Heb 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

We have FRIENDSHIP with God and are not merely servants

John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing: but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

WE have POWER AND AUTHORITY here, now, in this life

Matthew 28:18 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, go therefore!

Luke 10:19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy.

Matthew 16:19 …Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

1 John 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.

Rom 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us

Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

2 Cor 2:14 Thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph

Isa 54:17 No weapon formed against you will stand

Prov 28:1 The Righteous are as bold as a lion.

Ps 112:6 The Righteous will never be shaken.

Rom 5:17 Those who receive the free gift of righteousness will reign in life.

We are FREE from the law and free from sin

Rom 8:2 For the law of the spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Rom 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness

Rom 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin..

We are elevated to the status of heir

Rom 8:17 If children, then heirs – heirs of God and join heirs with Christ

We are laborers, together WITH God

1 Cor 3:9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

We have been established, anointed, and have been sealed by God

2 Cor 1:21-22 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

We are chosen by God, we are Holy, We are a royal priesthood, we are God’s special possession, we are dearly loved

Col 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

1 Pet 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praise of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

15 Minute Marriage Check-up

So you're married.  Maybe it's been hard.  Maybe it's been easy.  Probably a mix.
Whether you are in a good spot of a challenging spot, I have good news for you:  You and your spouse have the power to win or lose in marriage.  Sure stress and life situation (finances, moving, children, etc.) impact us and our marriages but we all know that an awesome partner in the dumps or in the joys of life can make all the difference.  As Paul says in Phil 4:12, "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation."  So let us invest in a "15 Minute Marriage Check-up"...

Think back to dating/engagement.  What were you most excited for?  Why did you want to marry this person?  What were your hopes & dreams?  What were their hopes and dreams?
If you remember your hopes and dreams, but not theirs, why not?  Do you know your partners hope and dreams today?  

Talking about hopes and dreams, can be intimidating for the asker and the answerer.  Yikes, that's a big deal, can I change my answers?!?!?  In my marriage, we regularly connect on a much shorter time frame.  It might be a free evening or a Saturday afternoon and I'll ask, "What are your hopes and dreams for today?"  Try that for starters.

One last reminder before our 15 minutes is up:  ACTIVE LISTENING (a review).
This can be hard, but after a little practice, it can be easy and very rewarding.  Here's the key to active listening:  you, your opinions, feelings, judgement, thoughts are NOT a part of active listening (they can come later after you are done listening).  As Covey says, "Seek first to understand; then to be understood".  Think of it like, watching a moving, putting yourself in their shoes and trying to understand how they feel.  Here's a little practice:  "Sharing Your Wish List".  Independently write down 2-3 things you wish there were more of or less of in your marriage.  Then take turns with the two roles below:

Speakers Role:
1) Share your wish.  Start with "I wish..."  Ex.  I wish we'd go on at least one airplane vacation a year.
2) Share how it would make you feel if your wish came true.  Ex. I'd feel refreshed and connected with you.  

Listeners Role:
1) Repeat the wish you heard.  "So what I hear you saying is..."
2) AND how this would make them feel.  "And you would feel ____ if your wish came true"

Note:  The practice of active listening can be applied discussing hopes and dreams or in the middle of a heated discussion.  USE THIS ALL THE TIME!!!

OK, so if you've read this and it's nothing new and you've got an awesome marriage, GREAT!!  Thank God.  And thank you for reading.  Please share this with someone else and spread the wealth; a co-worker, friend, parent, etc.  Thank you.

Thinking About Heaven

Pondering this morning, so I thought I'd share.
Ponder with me...

So how does one plan for heaven and spending eternity with God?  What will it be like?

It's hard to imagine because we're such doers here on earth, but after we die, after we're reunited with our maker we will have...

New bodies:  no sickness, injury, disease.
No worries about money, time, returning phone calls, catching up with friends, staying out of the rain, eating healthy, holes in jeans, dirty windows, rust & moths, etc.

What will "projects" be like in heaven?  I love projects, planning, doing, admiring the finished work and resting.  Will I be able to do that in heaven?

What about thinking, pondering, strategizing, planning, creation, art?  Will those things have a place in heaven?

Traveling.  Now this is one that I imagine we will have in heaven.  Maybe that's just because for me, I see God is the splendor of His creation and feel united/at peace with my maker.  I haven't been to the Grand Canyon (it's on my bucket list) but I imagine experiences such as "hiking in the Grand Canyon" to be a part of heaven.  I also imagine, hanging around the campfires and a good nights rest with a scrumptious breakfast to be part of heaven.  We won't need/have to sleep, but as God rested on the 7th day, I believe in heaven we will expend energy and enjoy rest.

I don't have answers to all of these questions, but I think it valuable that we ponder them and spend time thinking about heaven (Col 3:2).  In fact, as we ponder this question, let us ponder what Christ taught us:  He says (Matt 6:10) that we should pray "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven."  There are 2 key implications from these words:  #1--We can screw it up...  #2--We can make it happen...  #1 is pretty obvious:  We can, by our choices, disobey God (put ourselves first, be selfish, pretend that we are God, etc.).   Is #2 equally as obvious?  That we CAN obey God completely and spend our lives loving one another (John 13:34-35 & Matt 22:37-40) and make Earth like Heaven?  I believe that is true.  I think it's valuable to ponder and think about what Heaven will be like and then, obey God and bring that abundant life (John 10:10) here as much as we can!

Your thoughts?

PS  Here's one stop on my Grand Canyon trip.  :)

On Contentment...

Contentment, an interesting and relative topic.  Come, let us ponder...

What makes one more or less content?  Paul writes in Phil 4:12 "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."  What is the secret that Paul has learned?  The answer might be in Phil 3:8, but for the sake of pondering and thinking, I will continue...

Let's start with the definitions...
Contentment (n):  a state of happiness and satisfaction
Content (adj):  in a state of peaceful happiness

Is being content a function of external factors or an internal decision that we make make (possibly driven by the feelings/emotions)?  I've heard that "life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it" and if that's true, then I'd say we have the power to make the decision.  This may be easier said than done...

So when we are not content, what is really going on?  Media, society, our neighbors, friend or coworkers are sending the message, "you will be happier if you..." "You can't be happy/satisfied with...".  Media is quite direct because they do not want you to be satisfied, but to go out and buy their product or service so you can be happy and satisfied. Others, often send the message unintentionally which further supports the fact that it's our choice how we react/respond to the message.  Often we take it at face value and agree, quickly forfeiting our peace and satisfaction.  Is it worth it?  Did we count the cost?  In return we get want, motivation for more, etc. (not a good trade in my opinion).  What if we could celebrate and be genuinely happy for them. Be inquisitive and interested not in the vein of learning so you can achieve too, but just out of interest and excitement for your friends happy windfall or experience.

So here's a few questions to ponder and think about...
1) Am I content? Why or why not? What impacts my contentment level?  In what areas am content? ln what areas am I not content?
2) Review these areas with the perspectives above.  Any changes?
3) How might you change or do things differently going forward.

Disclaimer: Being content, does not mean that you don't give 110% and work hard to achieve goals. Do not use "I'm content" as an excuse for laziness.

Make Every Effort (Spiritual Growth)

Hello Readers!
I know it's been a long time, so to get started again, I'm going to re-iterate a great sermon I heard recently.  This will be a recap and a few nuggets/challenges.  If you want the full version, it's available on-line http://www.extendgrace.org/ or you can read 2 Peter 1:1-11  Link to Bible Gateway.

Spiritual Growth
To recap the text, Peter is writing to believers who share "the same precious faith" and the main message is to "make every effort" (vs 5) to grow in our faith.  We really have a choice:  A) we can grow (progress) or B) we can remain the same.  Verses 5-8 describes choice "A" which results in "the more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful..."  Verse 9 is the other choice ("B"):  "those who fail...are blind or, at least, very shortsighted.  They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin."  Verses 10-11 recaps "A" and the amazing blessing for choosing "A" (I'll let you read it for yourself ;))

So what's the takeaway?  Like so much of life, it's about choices and we reap what we sow, so let's "make every effort".

One potent example is getting fed:  How many of us have ever said, "I'm not getting fed" or "I need to get fed"?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we feed babies?  Shouldn't we be self-feeding by now?  see 1 Cor 3:1-3

So how do we self feed and grow in our faith?  The answer is simple (but that does not mean that it is easy):   "make every effort".  Things that we water, will grow.  Are you watering and feeding your growth or are you staying the same?  Start with something small, then add to it.  Much like an athlete preparing for a marathon who typically starts with a 5K, then maybe a 10K and a half marathon.  Like life, this isn't a splash in the pan, but will be hard and take discipline so don't expect it to be easy :)  However the reward is priceless (see vs. 8 & 11 above).

Here are some of my favorite verses on "making every effort":
Heb 12:1 - Run with endurance the race God has set before us.
1 Cor 9:24-26 - All athletes are disciplined in their training.
2 Tim 2:4-5 - Soldiers don't get tied up in the affairs of civilian life.

Lastly, I will leave you with this:  "OK, I get it, but how exactly do I do it?"  That, my friend, is between you and God.  The goal is to be walking in step with God, to know His truths for you and how He can use you in your brief life here on earth (see Micah 6:8).  My answer to this is to invest time with God (sit & think, pray, read, etc.) and invest time with people (living life, loving one another).  Make every effort.

Heaven

There is a Heaven which is much greater than the sum of all that we know, feel & experience here on earth.  

Mind boggling, I know.

I haven't blogged in awhile I know, but I recently (yesterday) got all fired up on the topic of Heaven.  I am on vacation (highly recommended) and yesterday's daily devotion was on the topic of Heaven so I wanted to ramble on a bit, ponder & think.

As often is the case, I'll start with the main point (see bold above).  Given this I want to study Heaven, think about Heaven, talk about Heaven and bring Heaven into this world (see  Matt 6:10).  Why?  Because I want to live my short life on this blue planet with the perspective of my true home and eternal perspective even though I don't get it.  I don't get Heaven.  I've never been to Heaven.  Never seen pictures of Heaven.  And, as I said above...  "Mind boggling, I know."  But even though that is the case, I still want to live my short life full of purpose, joy, freedom & grace, knowing that my life is but a vapor that will be on this blue planet for a short time, but with God in Heaven for longer than my mind can comprehend.

I've read a couple books about Heaven which I highly recommend:  1) "The Great Divorce" by C. S. Lewis and 2) "Hinds Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard (& "Mountains of Spices", the 2nd book).  I may comment on these later, but for now, a book I haven't read:  "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn is one I'm looking into (see 2nd bold text above).

I'm going to end this brief entry with a few snippets from the introduction of the book "Heaven"...

John 14:1-3 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Since the dawn of humankind, there has always been death and a preoccupation with eternity or the afterlife.  Fortunately Christians not only know that we will live for eternity, but we know where.  We are destined (created) to live in this place so we should be obligated to know about it, how it will be and live now as secure residents of Heaven.

Cyprian (an early church father ~300AD) said "Let us greet the day which assigns each of us to his own home, which snatches us from this place and sets us free from the snares of the world and restores us to paradise and the kingdom.  Anyone who has been in foreign lands longs to return to his own native land...  We regard paradise as our native land."

Ponder.

Think.

Comment, if you'd like.