As I pack my bags for a long weekend with my family, I am reminded of the larger family that we are all a part of: the body of Christ. It's important for me to know that I am not alone in this world. Every where I look there are hidden connections between believers.
Over this past weekend I was able to watch, for the first time ever, the movie, Avatar. While the graphics and sound and techno stuff were really, really cool, I found myself thinking about the connectedness of the Nabi (sp?) people of Pandora. I thought it was unique that they could use their hair to tap into a greater consciousness and be connected with Ewya, their deity. I spent a lot of time after the movie contemplating our connectedness.
I think many people forget, or maybe never have understood, just how much we are all connected by the Holy Spirit. We are fortunate that we don't have to "plug in" our hair to communicate with our God because He is always right here. Because I have that ability and it is so close at hand, it is easy for me to take that for granted, which is exactly what Satan wants.
Prayer is my direct connection to Jesus and through the Holy Spirit I have access 24/7/365. Forget about the internet and its connectivity of the world! The Holy Spirit has been connecting us for centuries and as we each wake up to the idea of unity and connectedness within the body of Christ, life takes on new meaning.
It was he who gave some to be apsotles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Eph 4:11-13
There is but one God of this universe and He made me just like He made everyone else, in His image, with His spirit. As we realize our Heavenly connections, our service to and love for one another brings about new peace and joy in our lives. I pray that the Holy Spirit may awaken connections in those who may be lost and bring them back to the family, the body of Christ, for their own good and for ours as a whole.
I will be spending the next four days connecting with my family and look forward to getting back to my writings next Monday. I pray for safe travels and ask the Holy Spirit to be with my family as we travel and enjoy our time together.
This is the day that the Lord has made...
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Right Way and The Wrong Way
One of my mentors once said "We are who we are because of our mothers, fathers, teachers and preachers", meaning that we develop our attitudes, opinions and beliefs from the people of influence in our lives. It took me a long time to appreciate the wisdom in this statement, however, I now certainly do see and understand this simple truth. And I understand, too, why surrounding yourself with people of good character is so important.
Anyway, other people of influence in my life have been coaches that I have had through the years. After my time reading scripture today, I was reminded of my high school football days and Coach Cooper. He once told me, "There's a right way and wrong way to do things. We do things the right way." As a 16 year old, I didn't really get what we was saying, but I did listen because it stuck.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matt 7:13-14
As a believer, a man that has been saved by my Lord, Jesus Christ, I know there is a path that has been set before me. Everyday that I study the Bible, the more this path is revealed to me and the more understanding I have of my role as a Christian. But, if I don't take the time to study the Word and pray, how would I ever know if I was "doing things the right way?"
I get frustrated on a daily basis, as do many people I'm sure, with the silliness of being politically correct. I find it hard to believe that we have created a world around us that no longer believes in teaching right and wrong and good from bad. How in the world are the young people of today going to be successful leaders of tomorrow if we don't teach them well? Again, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things here, and I believe we are doing many of the wrong things.
I also believe that we must allow our people to experience the consequences of doing things "the wrong way." Nothing provides a better education than the experience of failing or falling short. As much as failing sucks, it is a necessity in life. I have failed in my short life many more times than I have succeeded. I can also say that those failures have shaped me, molded me and have taught me to become dependent on God. In a world that teaches us to be independent, to rely on ourselves, the Holy Spirit provides lessons that develop our dependency on God.
Our God is a jealous God. He wants to be number one in our life, as he deserves. He has also made the path to Him narrow and the gate to life small so that only those who truly commit to Him may find Him. Take a moment today to look at the path you are following. I pray that it is narrow.
Anyway, other people of influence in my life have been coaches that I have had through the years. After my time reading scripture today, I was reminded of my high school football days and Coach Cooper. He once told me, "There's a right way and wrong way to do things. We do things the right way." As a 16 year old, I didn't really get what we was saying, but I did listen because it stuck.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matt 7:13-14
As a believer, a man that has been saved by my Lord, Jesus Christ, I know there is a path that has been set before me. Everyday that I study the Bible, the more this path is revealed to me and the more understanding I have of my role as a Christian. But, if I don't take the time to study the Word and pray, how would I ever know if I was "doing things the right way?"
I get frustrated on a daily basis, as do many people I'm sure, with the silliness of being politically correct. I find it hard to believe that we have created a world around us that no longer believes in teaching right and wrong and good from bad. How in the world are the young people of today going to be successful leaders of tomorrow if we don't teach them well? Again, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things here, and I believe we are doing many of the wrong things.
I also believe that we must allow our people to experience the consequences of doing things "the wrong way." Nothing provides a better education than the experience of failing or falling short. As much as failing sucks, it is a necessity in life. I have failed in my short life many more times than I have succeeded. I can also say that those failures have shaped me, molded me and have taught me to become dependent on God. In a world that teaches us to be independent, to rely on ourselves, the Holy Spirit provides lessons that develop our dependency on God.
Our God is a jealous God. He wants to be number one in our life, as he deserves. He has also made the path to Him narrow and the gate to life small so that only those who truly commit to Him may find Him. Take a moment today to look at the path you are following. I pray that it is narrow.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Taking Inventory
As I prepare for my upcoming family get away to celebrate Thanksgiving, I am reminded about all that I have to be thankful for in my life. Far too often I find myself thinking and focusing on what's missing in my life and working to achieve and fill those perceived voids. I wonder if that is just me or if that is part of the human condition? I don't know the answer there, but I do know that everyone of us has many reasons to give thanks.
I know there has been research done on the effects of gratitude on the human being. One such study showed changes in brain chemistry and body chemistry such that the make-up of tears of gratitude are completely different from tears of sorrow or pain. Having an attitude of gratitude and being thankful turns out to be a fundamental character train in those people that define themselves as happy.
As for God, his way is perfect, the word of the Lord is flawless. Psalm 18:30
Many times and many places in scripture are we given instruction on how to live which is why some refer to the Bible as a "Handbook for Life". Living with gratitude and being thankful is a prime component to living spiritually inclined. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5 verse 18, Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is Gods' will for you in Christ Jesus.
If God's way is perfect and his word is flawless, then we must be thankful for everything in our life. Maybe today would be a good day to take inventory on all the things that you have to be thankful for. Find out for yourself how perfect His way is and open your eyes to just how often the Holy Spirit has answered a prayer, filled a need or simply blessed you with a desire of your heart.
I know there has been research done on the effects of gratitude on the human being. One such study showed changes in brain chemistry and body chemistry such that the make-up of tears of gratitude are completely different from tears of sorrow or pain. Having an attitude of gratitude and being thankful turns out to be a fundamental character train in those people that define themselves as happy.
As for God, his way is perfect, the word of the Lord is flawless. Psalm 18:30
Many times and many places in scripture are we given instruction on how to live which is why some refer to the Bible as a "Handbook for Life". Living with gratitude and being thankful is a prime component to living spiritually inclined. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 5 verse 18, Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is Gods' will for you in Christ Jesus.
If God's way is perfect and his word is flawless, then we must be thankful for everything in our life. Maybe today would be a good day to take inventory on all the things that you have to be thankful for. Find out for yourself how perfect His way is and open your eyes to just how often the Holy Spirit has answered a prayer, filled a need or simply blessed you with a desire of your heart.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Who Owns You
Stress is a fact of life. It's an immeasurable force that will impact us in a negative way, even if it may appear to have a positive benefit, all the time. Stress causes chemical changes in the brain, physiological changes in the body, both of which degrade the quality and quantity of life. Most of the stress that we deal with is self-induced. When I step back and look at the stress I see and feel in my life, every last bit of it is a result of the choices and decisions that I've made. And those choices and decisions were based on where my focus in life was at the time. In no way can I point the finger or put the blame on someone else for the stress in my life.
For most, including myself, stress commonly shows up in our life as anxiety. I believe that our society has become one ruled by fear and worry. And I also believe that is the result of the world turning away from dependence on God, and relying more on us.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or stow away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matt 6:25-26
Living spiritually inclined means having dependence on God and the Holy Spirit to meet my needs. Remember, God is the source of all things, therefore, I can rely on Him to provide for me. So the stress and anxiety related to the pursuit of "things" we need is unnecessary if we have complete dependence on the Lord. I would hasten to say that the majority of our self induced stress, worry, fear and anxiety is a direct result of our relentless pursuit of the material world and money. As we get caught up in "the world" and all of it's material things, it is very easy to lose focus on what is and should be primary in our life.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matt 6:24
God wants us to serve Him and seek Him so that in doing so He might reveal to us all of His glory and power!
But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given unto you as well. Matt 6:33
What things? ALL things! Jesus tells us the way to get rid of our stress, anxiety, fear and worry in that verse. Seek Him and His righteousness! He is the truth, the light and the way. When we move our focus from this world and the pursuit of the things of this world to Jesus and the treasures we have in Heaven, our life changes. The world changes. But you cannot serve two masters. So I ask you, who owns you?
Living with the Holy Spirit will provide the leadership necessary to change your focus, to "sell" yourself to a new master, to the one who cares about your eternal life and wants to provide for your current life. The challenge is having enough faith to believe that this is true. Nothing is more powerful than a made up mind. Make up your mind about serving God, seeing His purpose for your life being fulfilled and watch the stress in your life be reduced. Not until we go to be with Jesus will our stress be gone for good, but in the mean time, we should make sure that He is the one we serve everyday.
For most, including myself, stress commonly shows up in our life as anxiety. I believe that our society has become one ruled by fear and worry. And I also believe that is the result of the world turning away from dependence on God, and relying more on us.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or stow away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matt 6:25-26
Living spiritually inclined means having dependence on God and the Holy Spirit to meet my needs. Remember, God is the source of all things, therefore, I can rely on Him to provide for me. So the stress and anxiety related to the pursuit of "things" we need is unnecessary if we have complete dependence on the Lord. I would hasten to say that the majority of our self induced stress, worry, fear and anxiety is a direct result of our relentless pursuit of the material world and money. As we get caught up in "the world" and all of it's material things, it is very easy to lose focus on what is and should be primary in our life.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matt 6:24
God wants us to serve Him and seek Him so that in doing so He might reveal to us all of His glory and power!
But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given unto you as well. Matt 6:33
What things? ALL things! Jesus tells us the way to get rid of our stress, anxiety, fear and worry in that verse. Seek Him and His righteousness! He is the truth, the light and the way. When we move our focus from this world and the pursuit of the things of this world to Jesus and the treasures we have in Heaven, our life changes. The world changes. But you cannot serve two masters. So I ask you, who owns you?
Living with the Holy Spirit will provide the leadership necessary to change your focus, to "sell" yourself to a new master, to the one who cares about your eternal life and wants to provide for your current life. The challenge is having enough faith to believe that this is true. Nothing is more powerful than a made up mind. Make up your mind about serving God, seeing His purpose for your life being fulfilled and watch the stress in your life be reduced. Not until we go to be with Jesus will our stress be gone for good, but in the mean time, we should make sure that He is the one we serve everyday.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The Source
Living "in" the world today takes many life skills and many spiritual tools. I have come to realize that in my day to day living, I absolutely cannot function without faith.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Faith is having a knowingness that "this" is the way it's going to be in life, even though there is no physical or material evidence to support that belief. For some, faith is a spiritual confidence and for others it appears as a mental quality that functions in your mind and heart. Either way, faith is at the epicenter of being spiritually inclined.
Faith can also be a difficult thing to wrestle with because of our distorted human time lines. I have known people that have had faith in and believed that something was going to happen, but when no signs of confirmation were revealed, guess what? They lost the faith! Why? Because they didn't truly have faith in what they believed was going to happen, it was merely a wish. A wish, to me, is a feeble hearted attempt to talk yourself into thinking a specific way even though you don't have a deep seated belief in what you are wishing for. An example would be something like this:
If you are in a relationship that is struggling due to a lack of communication, you might say to yourself, "I have faith that God can make this right." A person offering a wish would then leave it be and wait and hope for a change to come. Conversely, a person truly having faith that it can be righted, would take action in the direction of their faith and beliefs. This person, knowing in their heart and mind that the relationship ills will be mended, does what is necessary to bring about the evidence of their faith.
Faith without works is dead in as much as you have to be willing to "act as if" that which you are having faith in or for has already happened and be giving thanks for such results. To have faith that the Lord can heal your child of a disease does not result from continuous petitioning of the Lord to do so through prayer. The healing and intervention of the Holy Spirit arises out of: 1) the belief that it can happen and 2) giving thanks for it happening before we see confirmation. Faith requires action in the direction of our beliefs for it to strengthen and grow. Much like I can wish that I had big strong muscles and a shapely physique and hope that the Holy Spirit can accomplish such a task, if I am not taking action in the direction of my hopes, or faith, then it is just a wish and it won't happen. Faith requires having a confidence in knowing the source of all things in my life.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3
...yet for us there is but one God , the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all thing came and through whom we live. 1Cor8:6
God is the fountain head, the source of all things in my life. Without having that knowledge, without that consideration, then faith is empty because it relies on me, and I am nothing. God is the source in my life. Here is an example that I learned many years ago that may help:
I can plant an apple tree in my yard. I can care for it, water it, prune it and do all that is necessary for it to grow. With all that I have done to make that tree grow, am I the source of the fruit showing up on the tree? By all means no. But where do the apples come from? Some might say that the source of the apples is the tree itself. Nope. The SUPPLY of apples comes from WITHIN the tree. The genetic qualities and characteristics of that tree are what produce the type, size and shape of the apples on the tree. But what is the source of the apples? Who MADE the tree? God. God is the source of the apples, or the fruit, as he is the maker of all things. The tree is where the supply of the apples comes from because God created it that way.
Putting that to use in my life, the supply of joy, love, happiness, abundance and whatever else it is you may desire in your life, is inside of me. The source of all those wonderful fruits, is God. And, back to the apple tree, if I don't take actions in the directions of my desires of wanting fruit from the tree (water, prune, trim, etc), it won't produce as much fruit or maybe no fruit at all. My actions are necessary even though I may hope or wish for the tree to produce fruit. The same is true with my life. If I have faith in God being the source of all things, and I have faith that He placed all that I need, want and desire within me (as Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within.") then I must take action, based on my faith to see the fruits of my faith, confidence and belief in God. There is only one source for all of your needs, wants and desires in this life and He so desperately wants to know you and loves more than you can comprehend. Open your mind and your heart to the one source.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Faith is having a knowingness that "this" is the way it's going to be in life, even though there is no physical or material evidence to support that belief. For some, faith is a spiritual confidence and for others it appears as a mental quality that functions in your mind and heart. Either way, faith is at the epicenter of being spiritually inclined.
Faith can also be a difficult thing to wrestle with because of our distorted human time lines. I have known people that have had faith in and believed that something was going to happen, but when no signs of confirmation were revealed, guess what? They lost the faith! Why? Because they didn't truly have faith in what they believed was going to happen, it was merely a wish. A wish, to me, is a feeble hearted attempt to talk yourself into thinking a specific way even though you don't have a deep seated belief in what you are wishing for. An example would be something like this:
If you are in a relationship that is struggling due to a lack of communication, you might say to yourself, "I have faith that God can make this right." A person offering a wish would then leave it be and wait and hope for a change to come. Conversely, a person truly having faith that it can be righted, would take action in the direction of their faith and beliefs. This person, knowing in their heart and mind that the relationship ills will be mended, does what is necessary to bring about the evidence of their faith.
Faith without works is dead in as much as you have to be willing to "act as if" that which you are having faith in or for has already happened and be giving thanks for such results. To have faith that the Lord can heal your child of a disease does not result from continuous petitioning of the Lord to do so through prayer. The healing and intervention of the Holy Spirit arises out of: 1) the belief that it can happen and 2) giving thanks for it happening before we see confirmation. Faith requires action in the direction of our beliefs for it to strengthen and grow. Much like I can wish that I had big strong muscles and a shapely physique and hope that the Holy Spirit can accomplish such a task, if I am not taking action in the direction of my hopes, or faith, then it is just a wish and it won't happen. Faith requires having a confidence in knowing the source of all things in my life.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:3
...yet for us there is but one God , the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all thing came and through whom we live. 1Cor8:6
God is the fountain head, the source of all things in my life. Without having that knowledge, without that consideration, then faith is empty because it relies on me, and I am nothing. God is the source in my life. Here is an example that I learned many years ago that may help:
I can plant an apple tree in my yard. I can care for it, water it, prune it and do all that is necessary for it to grow. With all that I have done to make that tree grow, am I the source of the fruit showing up on the tree? By all means no. But where do the apples come from? Some might say that the source of the apples is the tree itself. Nope. The SUPPLY of apples comes from WITHIN the tree. The genetic qualities and characteristics of that tree are what produce the type, size and shape of the apples on the tree. But what is the source of the apples? Who MADE the tree? God. God is the source of the apples, or the fruit, as he is the maker of all things. The tree is where the supply of the apples comes from because God created it that way.
Putting that to use in my life, the supply of joy, love, happiness, abundance and whatever else it is you may desire in your life, is inside of me. The source of all those wonderful fruits, is God. And, back to the apple tree, if I don't take actions in the directions of my desires of wanting fruit from the tree (water, prune, trim, etc), it won't produce as much fruit or maybe no fruit at all. My actions are necessary even though I may hope or wish for the tree to produce fruit. The same is true with my life. If I have faith in God being the source of all things, and I have faith that He placed all that I need, want and desire within me (as Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is within.") then I must take action, based on my faith to see the fruits of my faith, confidence and belief in God. There is only one source for all of your needs, wants and desires in this life and He so desperately wants to know you and loves more than you can comprehend. Open your mind and your heart to the one source.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Free Will
I woke up this morning, as usual, four minutes before my alarm was set to go off. That seems to be the trend for the Holy Spirit lately, except yesterday when He rolled me out of bed at 3:50 am. A while back I committed to getting up either when my alarm went off or when I was stirred by the Spirit. Since then, I honestly can't remember a day when I wasn't awake before my alarm went off.
I use those extra moments to pray and give thanks. When my mind is heavy or my heart aches, I find that I have more time for that special prayer opportunity. I find it amazing that when I commit to the Lord, there become so many more opportunities to worship Him and have fellowship with Him each day.
One difference between being spiritually inclined and materialistically focused is the appreciation you have for the subtle occurrences of the Holy Spirit working and acting in your life. In the past, a good deal of the time I spent away from work I was still at work, mentally. It seemed that I could never shut that "work brain" off. That is what I mean by being materialistic. Being focused on the material world isn't about wanting a big house, fancy shoes, nice clothes or the newest cars. Instead, being materialistic means the physical world, the things of this earthly life, dominates your thoughts and your life; you literally live for "this world." I would argue that you can be spiritually inclined and still have the finer "things" in life. The difference is the "things" don't run your life and don't drive your actions and behaviors.
When I made the decision to return to the Lord, and truly live a spiritually-centered life, something astonishing happened. I began to enjoy life more. I had more time each day. I no longer felt like I was on a treadmill. It is hard for many people to believe that, especially busy people. But it's true. The Holy Spirit doesn't function in the same time zone or clock system that we do. When we focus on the Spirit, and live in the Spirit, we gain access to that time table which opens up our daily life for more opportunities. More chances to serve Him and the purpose that He has for you life. Doing so also leads you back to the path of life that He has chosen for you.
It is up to me to decide which world I want to live in, the spiritual world or the material world. The choice I make determines the actions that I take and the life that I have. The question that I have to ask to understand my choice is this: Am I living for the Lord, or am I living for me? No one can make that decision for me, or for anyone else for that matter. That is truly free will.
I pray today that the Spirit of the Lord will be heavy in my life and those all around me. I pray that He would touch the lives of those in need of His touch, and that His glory would shine upon them. I thank God for the wonderful time He has spent with me and the many blessings I receive, daily. Thank you Jesus, for your divine leadership and saving grace. Amen.
I use those extra moments to pray and give thanks. When my mind is heavy or my heart aches, I find that I have more time for that special prayer opportunity. I find it amazing that when I commit to the Lord, there become so many more opportunities to worship Him and have fellowship with Him each day.
One difference between being spiritually inclined and materialistically focused is the appreciation you have for the subtle occurrences of the Holy Spirit working and acting in your life. In the past, a good deal of the time I spent away from work I was still at work, mentally. It seemed that I could never shut that "work brain" off. That is what I mean by being materialistic. Being focused on the material world isn't about wanting a big house, fancy shoes, nice clothes or the newest cars. Instead, being materialistic means the physical world, the things of this earthly life, dominates your thoughts and your life; you literally live for "this world." I would argue that you can be spiritually inclined and still have the finer "things" in life. The difference is the "things" don't run your life and don't drive your actions and behaviors.
When I made the decision to return to the Lord, and truly live a spiritually-centered life, something astonishing happened. I began to enjoy life more. I had more time each day. I no longer felt like I was on a treadmill. It is hard for many people to believe that, especially busy people. But it's true. The Holy Spirit doesn't function in the same time zone or clock system that we do. When we focus on the Spirit, and live in the Spirit, we gain access to that time table which opens up our daily life for more opportunities. More chances to serve Him and the purpose that He has for you life. Doing so also leads you back to the path of life that He has chosen for you.
It is up to me to decide which world I want to live in, the spiritual world or the material world. The choice I make determines the actions that I take and the life that I have. The question that I have to ask to understand my choice is this: Am I living for the Lord, or am I living for me? No one can make that decision for me, or for anyone else for that matter. That is truly free will.
I pray today that the Spirit of the Lord will be heavy in my life and those all around me. I pray that He would touch the lives of those in need of His touch, and that His glory would shine upon them. I thank God for the wonderful time He has spent with me and the many blessings I receive, daily. Thank you Jesus, for your divine leadership and saving grace. Amen.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The WHO not the DO
In our local hockey arena, there is a memorial to a young athlete who lost her life at a young age. It is a sad and tragic story with the memorial there to remind us how fragile life really is. Within her memorial there is a copy of the following poem, "The Dash".
I will bet you I've read that poem at least a hundred times in the last 4 years and every time it chokes me up and gets me thinking about the futility of life and how I spend so much time on so many of the wrong things.
As I was studying in Psalms this morning, I was reminded of this memorial and the poem with this verse:
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11
Is life, the dash, meant to be focused and spent on the "do" or is it more about the "who"?- the who I become during the time I have been given.
Every day that I read and study it becomes more and more obvious the things of the world are out to capture my heart, my mind and my focus. It is for this reason that I must work that much harder at being spiritually inclined in my day to day, hour to hour life. Jesus said it: The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. John 6:63
How many times do I catch myself in pursuit of some "thing" because I feel that it is going to bring me some temporary pleasure? Conversely, how little do I find myself in pursuit of the some "one" that will bring pleasure for eternity?
Oh, Lord, how difficult it is to maintain an eternal perspective while being here on earth. For this reason it is much more important, Lord, that your Holy Spirit fill me, and guide me. The closer I get to you, the more I see, feel and know the path of life that you have laid before me. The more of you I have in my life, Lord, the more certainty I have about the gifts you have given me and the precious time I have to use those gifts for your good.
I pray today, Lord, that those who are following my lead will bask in the glory of your Holy Spirit today. That they might feel the joy of your presence in thier life today, and that you might reveal more of the path that you have chosen for them. Help us all to spend time today focusing on the "Who" instead of the "do".
by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end
He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
©1996 Linda Ellis
As I was studying in Psalms this morning, I was reminded of this memorial and the poem with this verse:
You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11
Is life, the dash, meant to be focused and spent on the "do" or is it more about the "who"?- the who I become during the time I have been given.
Every day that I read and study it becomes more and more obvious the things of the world are out to capture my heart, my mind and my focus. It is for this reason that I must work that much harder at being spiritually inclined in my day to day, hour to hour life. Jesus said it: The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. John 6:63
How many times do I catch myself in pursuit of some "thing" because I feel that it is going to bring me some temporary pleasure? Conversely, how little do I find myself in pursuit of the some "one" that will bring pleasure for eternity?
Oh, Lord, how difficult it is to maintain an eternal perspective while being here on earth. For this reason it is much more important, Lord, that your Holy Spirit fill me, and guide me. The closer I get to you, the more I see, feel and know the path of life that you have laid before me. The more of you I have in my life, Lord, the more certainty I have about the gifts you have given me and the precious time I have to use those gifts for your good.
I pray today, Lord, that those who are following my lead will bask in the glory of your Holy Spirit today. That they might feel the joy of your presence in thier life today, and that you might reveal more of the path that you have chosen for them. Help us all to spend time today focusing on the "Who" instead of the "do".
The Dash Poem
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