Life Lessons

Today while reading the scripture for my daily deovotional I came across something interesting, the passage was Exodus 27, the making of the tabernacle. The interesting part was in all the minute details that God asked be put into the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant. I have heard from all kinds of people, believers, and pre-believers alike that God doesn’t care about the glamar, the vanity, etc. Nope he doesn’t, but he does care about small details, the little things that enhance life, make it nicer. I think that just as he asked the Isralites to craft such details for the tabernacle, God also asks us to be excellent in all we do, crafting our lives to shine. It’s all woven together.

Later on I read Acts 6, and came across the piece about Stephen, one of the seven the Apostles chose to help serve the widows food. Two different times within a paragraph of each other, Acts points out that Stephen was a man full of God’s grace, God’s power, full of the Spirit and man full of faith. We should assume that the others were also full of the Spirit, as that was one of the requirments to be in this serving position. Yet, why point out Stephen… maybe because the author (Luke) was introducing the reader because Stephen would be persecuted in the paragraphs to follow, or is there something more here? What I heard God tell me is that his character, his attention to detail and integrity is what made him Shine, and in turn caused people to see Christ, and Christ was able to work through him….

Desire.

Ever desired something so badly, so deeply, yet you knew it was the wrong thing? Ever desired something so badly, so deeply, yet you were afraid of it, even though it was right? Ever desired something so badly, so deeply, yet you were apathetic to go after it? Ever feel like your desires make you insane? Ever do what you either hate to do or don’t want to do, and you don’t do the things you really desire to do? What shall we do as human beings? Stop doing. We are not human doings, we are human beings. So, stop doing, and start being.

I desire to have an amazing, wonderful, sex life with my wife. Why? Because that intimacy is something that I can only say is a touch of heaven’s love. I desire to be myself, and be comfortable being quirky. I desire to stop doing things for myself, and start being myself for others. I desire to walk by the power of the Holy Spirit, and stop walking by the fears of the enemy. I desire to sacrifice my will for His, not so that I can simply “do” more works, but so I can live simply in His will that I know is good.

I desire simplicity.

Commitment

One of my biggest pet peeves is non commitment! It drives me nuts when people change from church to church, place to place, group to group, or just don’t go for some “feeling”. We talk about giving our lives to Christ, 100%, but then we let the whims of our flesh decide our path. Now, of course I’m not talking about being sick, going on vacation, etc. I’m talking about the person who doesn’t know from week to week (or whatever the case may be) what they will commit to for that week. “Oh, yeah, that sounds great, my friends will be there so I’ll go.” You know that’s great for checking something out, or even maybe supporting a friend in making some changes… but our faith is not in people, people will always disappoint, always, at some point. Our faith is in Jesus, the creator of everything, I do believe he will guide us, he created everything we see, he can and does certainly create our paths, when we let Him, to be magnificent.

When the church I was saved in (I don’t like the term saved, but it’s the easiest to use, rather than, the church where I gave my life to Jesus, lol, I said it anyway) went through a pastoral change I was devastated, I wasn’t sure where or what I would do. So, amazingly (wish I did it more these days) prayed to God for a direction, he specifically said wait six months. After that six months, I began going to another church’s young adults group (where I met Alexis a year later), however God asked me to stay in the old church for yet another six months; although I was being fed at the new church. If I hadn’t listed to God, and hadn’t set my last Sunday for September 1st, 2002, I would have never heard Carol and Denise speak about Poland. In addition, if I hadn’t listened to God about staying in Poland after I so desperately wanted to return home I would have never met Dan Russell, which in turn means Alexis and I would have never come to Gresham and experienced the life changing place of East Hill Church, where Alexis and I call home now… I’m not even sure Alexis and I would be married… but that’s for God and not me to know 🙂

You see, I know that because I let God draw those paths, and let Him tell me where to be committed, even though it was hard, the best has come of it. It is so frustrating for me, especially with people around my age, it seems day to day “commitments” are always changing, not to mention things like relationships! That’s a whole different post.

Now this is exciting.

If this turns out to be as stable and feasible as they think it is, I would buy a car driven by this technology in a heart beat… assuming I could afford it. I’ve been eyeing the Toyota Prius for quite a while, however, it’s a bit out of our price range, so most likely we’ll end up with a traditional gasoline powered vehicle as our second car. The implications of this kind of technology is extraordinary.

SO TIRED…

I’m so tired that I can’t even really get to sleep! My mind is overactive and I have a feeling of dullness inside. Probably this is all due to being over-tired… I should get to sleep. I’m having another rough start to a week, it seems Mondays bring around at least opression, if not a bit of depression, I’m just fried by this time of the week. These are the days that I MUST (but have no desire) get into God, reading His word, being in prayer, and being open with people, but instead my flesh takes over, and my spirit seems dry.

Relationships

I’m realizing more and more that we need deep, meaningful relationships. We simply need them. I know a lot of people go about their entire lives w/o these kinds of relationships, holding everyone at arm’s length, claiming that they are “good” when you ask them “how are you?”. Yet, I know that they simply can not be good, they are only feeling as good as they have ever felt, but if they would allow someone inside, they would know that GOOD can be so much better. The even stranger thing is that the key to that deep/meaningful relationship door seems to be only through our heavenly Father. It seems to me that people who have not been touched by Him really have a hard time being truly open, and willing to discuss personal issues. I believe this is true because only our God is graceful and merciful. With grace and mercy, comes real freedom.

Last night I had an amazing opportunity to talk with a friend, God had put it on my hear that I needed to talk with him. I didn’t know why, just needed too. I know that God used him to open my door a bit wider, lately it’s been simply ajar, and hard to see into. I’m excited but still a bit scared to share things again, but I know it’s the right thing to do.

Winter Wonderland

Snow landed here this morning, and I’m working from home today.
Major freeways are blocked, the main one I take to get to work has no on ramps open… fun.
This morning outside our bedrrom window.

At about 9:00am – Outside our living room.

This is outside our kitchen window.

Outside our 2nd bedroom window.

And finally outside our bedroom window again.

Being bored…

I know some of you would pay to be bored, I would pay to be doing something that I have a passion to do. The grass is always greener on the other side. This season that God has us in also has me in a very trying state of “wait”. It’s a good place and I know that it will require much patience. I feel as though there is something that I must give birth to, but I have no idea when, and only a hint of the “what”. I know God has something very exciting and that this waiting season is a key ingredient for full gestation to occur. In the mean time I must hunker down and write technical documents are server migrations and more fun stuff like that.

It’s not as bad as it seems

So, I tried posting this entry from my phone a couple of times the other day and it just never made it. On Thursday morning I witnessed one of the most amazing sun rises over Mt. Hood, it was fantastic. I was humbled because the sunrise reminded me of God’s full goodness; and most of the time I do not give him enough credit for all of the amazing, big and small, things he does in my life, and in the world each and every day. Instead I tend to focus on what the enemy is/has/will/seems to be doing. While it is important to discern what is from God and what is from the enemy, I want to be a person who focuses on God’s work, it is much more encouraging and gives me energy.

I praise God that he has sent his Holy Spirit to all of his believers, to guide me and all of us into the true light. So, take a moment and give God what he deserves, your praise. He is good.

Lord, I know your grace is enough, it is all I need. My flesh must be cut away and my spirit must come fourth if I am to fully embrace your goodness. May my choices bring honor and glory to you. May my choices be your will as what is done in heaven. May my choices be of forgiveness, grace, and mercy as you have endleslly given us. May I choose to eat of your bread each day. May my choices give you glory, honor, and power. In Jesus’ name – Amen.