God's Not Dead! He is working in my life

As I grow deeper in the Lord I find that things I did and things I though I wanted, fade into that past or from my mind. I remember the going to Bible college for a year strait out to high school thinking I knew everything and that I knew I would be a music pastor somewhere. But before leaving for school in another state I had already opened myself to the world. I started to smoke and do things with my girlfriend that I should not do. These distractions helped me follow the wide and easy path of pleasurable things and I didn’t take in what God sent me to Bible college for.

            Going though a discipleship program called Operation Solid Lives, I am reminded of some of the things I thought I knew or just plain didn’t listen to when I should have been. Or maybe its just that teach them in a was that I understand better. Going though the program that includes journaling (something I had tried to do but didn’t know how), praying aloud, and lots of teachings. This level one course is a crash course in gaining a foundation or shoring up one that you already have. 

In going though this program we also take time away from secular media limiting how much the world can speak into our lives and encouraging us to spend more time with God and out families. In limiting this media intake i found there is not much that I am missing. As I continue to seek God and fulfill the guidelines of the program my prayer life in getting better and I am hearing the breeze and not waiting for the 2x4 in my life. Growing and listening to the breeze I have gotten a scared on where God is sending me. 

Back in the days at Bible college I was not listening to God, I was trying to tell God my plan. We all know how that goes. One day at school I was asked about being a preacher or something along those lines and I remember telling the person flat out “That is not me, I will never preach.” God has a way of humbling us that we don’t even notice until we look back at our lives. About two weeks ago I started feeling the urgings that I was should be looking at full-time ministry work. During that time I found and applied for a position with a local church, the scariest part of all that is part of that position is preaching (the one thing I said i would never do). The process they are going though is still working but God has also given me a peace about where I am and that it is in his hands.

I was going though Acts 1 today, and where Peter got up and said “Brothers, the scripture has been fulfilled.” Then goes on to state some of the scripture the related to the fact that they needed to replace Judas that was written in the Psalms. This and all the prophecy in the Old Testament shining a light on Jesus being the Christ shows that God has a plan and his plan is always better then mine. We have this tendency to plan, plot, scheme, and think we know better then God. We need to remember that sending his Son to die on the cross was plain “A” it was talked about all the way back in Moses’ teachings in Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.”

As I seek the ministry that the Lord has for me I pray that I find time to write and continue to share the blessings, the struggles, the revelations of the breeze. Today I had the opportunity to watch God’s not Dead a great movie dedicated to those who struggle to maintain their faith in an academic world that tries to use science to say that there is no God. Always remember Matthew 10:32-33 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in Heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.  And Luke 12:48 … Everyone to whom much is given , of much will be required, and from him to whom much is entrusted, they will demand the more. We as Christians are given much by having the knowledge of the Gospel and we have a great responsibility to share it. 

We all have our part to play; God calls each of us to his plan. Even though like in Luke 19:40 He answered “I tell you, if these were to be silent, the very stones would cry out.” God can call the stones to cry out praise to Jesus or spread his word, we are meant to carry that mantle and to share our store of how God touched our lives. When Jesus took our sins on him we are to take his righteousness and live lives worthy of the name Christian.

The Hardship of new life

I am 33 years old man. I don’t know how many men are out there dream of being a father. I am one of them, I remember enjoying working in the nursery at church as a teen and playing with my nieces and nephews as they grew up, now that the oldest is 21 and the youngest is junior or senior in high school, they have all grown up, I still had not become a parent.

God has blessed me with not having that connection to my ex wives or even ex girlfriends. My wife being a few years older then me has been wanting to be a mother for a very long time. We both had been dreaming of the day that we would have a child to raise and teach. Finally yesterday we heard our first baby’s heart beat. As we listened, it sunk in more and more that this is finally real. God blessed us in his timing. One of the funniest things we experienced was when we were first getting married my wife told me and God that she wanted one year as just the two of us and it looks like we will be married about a year and a half when our baby arrives.

During this time I graduated from University and started to look for work during the first few weeks of looking for work all my unemployment runs out and I have no income and I start to worry and start looking for any work out there. At this time we are surviving and continuing to seek God’s plan when it comes to my work, and the dream my wife has to being a stay at home mother.

Through our joyful tears of hearing the new life inside my wife’s body, the doctor explains that we may be further along then we thought and they want to do a few things to determine if we are correct or if we are further along then we think. God works in ways that are so unknown to us some times and the time that God has set for our baby to join our family will be perfect for all the needs that we have in our lives.

We Recently listened to the teachings of Steven Furtick as a guest speaker at Fresh Life Church in Montana, the title of his message was “Don’t stop on six” using the story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho to teach that we are to keep taking the steps that God calls us to take even if we don’t see progress. This is the struggle we are in now. You may call it trials, tribulations, or testing’s, but we are continually trying to walk that path each day God has laid before us, in faith we walk even though we don’t see the walls crumbling a little here and a little there as we go.

            As we continue walking we get to the “six” the number of man, six is the point that we can still feel that something we did made an affect on the outcome. But the whole point is having the faith to continue to seven. Seven being the number of completion and that is where God calls us to go. Don’t stop on six, just because you don’t see any progress be faithful and keep it up and one day when you least expect it God will tumble those walls down and there will be break though, chains broken, and captive set free from the bondage that the evil one has convinced you that there is no escape from. There is freedom you, you just have to have the faith to keep following God directions even when it does not make sense.

            God calls us all to use the platforms we have in our lives to share his love, those platforms are made of our life situations. Always praise God in all situations, this does not mean that we have to like what is going, but we can praise God and thank God for what will come from it. Just look at the life of Job I’m sure he didn’t like the situation that he was in but I would not speak against God. We need to do the same, I may not like my current job and it does not pay well or have good insurance, but God has placed me there to serve him by serving others. I may also have a lesson to learn working with the people I do or the people I have to serve.

            I always need the reminder to listen for the breeze and watch out for the 2x4, just like many Christians out there I too can find myself becoming complacent and stop reading the word and keeping my focus where it should be. Don’t stop at six, don’t stop when you think you are done keep going until those walls fall and God wins the battle. Waiting for God to topple the wall is one of the hardest lessons in a New Life with Christ, my dream of becoming a father could have been awesome any time in the last 10 years but God knows when its the right time and with the right people to set you free or give you a blessing you have been crying out for.

It's not my time

It’s not my time or should I say not my timing. God gave me the opportunity to focus on him and my schooling for the final six months of my school career without needing to search for work worry about finances. I had money coming from the unemployment-training program and a lot of free time to work on my classes. This was a great blessing and a test. As I focused on school work enough through that time my time with God started to slip.

First it slipped in I was not spending much time in prayer seeking him asking for forgiveness after a stumble. After a time I even stopped reading my Bible God’s living word, the most tangible way God speaks to us. After Graduating with my BA in early May I found out that my unemployment that I thought would take me until some time in June ran out the moment I finished school. I also found myself not getting up as early as I used to, and half-heartedly listening to some of the readings for the day until one point I just stop. I was not talking with God or reading his word. During this time I watched TV, played video games, and searched for work.

About a week ago I started to get depressed I knew that I was applying for lists of jobs (now days the internet makes it easy to get your information out to employers). I was sending out so many resumes to what I thought God had called me to do, to things I wanted, and things I though would be fun. But the only callbacks I got were for sale jobs that were misrepresented in the job description.

The more I put out there that more it felt that I was unwanted and undeserving of anything that was not just a laborer (the field I wanted out of and had experience in). The more time I spent away from God and watching TV and playing video games the more depressed I got and the more worried I felt about my how are we to pay our bills where are we to live and can we afford to do any of them. With our lease on our apartment being up in June we needed to decide if we were going to move or stay out or even go and take care of a family member.

As I got more depressed, angry, and frustrated that God had not given me this great job that I thought I should have after getting out of school, my wife called me on it. I was not spending time working on my relationship with God, had been neglecting that calling he gave me in writing and sharing these Breezes and 2X4s. Two days ago after I had yelled and cursed at my wife (something I should never do) she point blank asked it I have been in the word and praying. During my job hunt I was not pursuing my relationship with God.

Two days ago I picked up my Bible again started on a new reading plan and talking with God again. He longs to bless us, and give us what we need and some of our hearts desires. After spending time in prayer and study, keeping my trust in that God will provide what we need. I got a call about a job that didn’t seem too far away only about 30 miles so I drove out there in the morning to my interview and evaluation testing. This drive took about an hour driving through a large metropolitan area with lots of traffic. My first thought was depending on my shift this may not be too bad and this is work I can do it may not be something I love but work is work.

During the interview after the evaluation tests I mentioned that the job was a little further out then I thought and depending on the shit would determine if the commute would be worth it. The interviewer perked up and said we have a location closer to where you live doing more tech support stuff if you would be interested. This was defiantly more in my wheelhouse. After driving back almost home I get to the location and go through more evaluations and testing, get my first and second interviews and was offered a job before I left their facility. I start my training on Monday working for a company helping people when they have issues with a product that I love and would whole-heartedly support.

My wife got to be my 2X4 this week and I am happy that she ways she is my partner and when I am week she is strong. Always listen for the Breeze and watch for the 2X4.

What is next?

About six months ago I was laid off from the job that I had been working. God provided everything we have need and even things we have wanted over this last six months as I finished my BA and graduate college. Now that I’m done with school for now, my unemployment is about to run out, our lease on the apartment is about finished and we have to determine, What is next?

Seeking God’s will on some things is easy; we can spend time in his word and seek to emulate Christ and his teachings. When we know God through a personal relationship with him through the Son and Holy Spirit, also through the daily reading of his word. We can know that as long as what we are doing or wanting to do does not go contrary to God’s character or commands in the Bible then we are within God’s will.

The hard and tricky part is knowing God’s will when you have choices between things that are not spelled out in the Bible. At this point we are at, a crossroads seeking direction and trying to listen to where God wants us to go. With an opportunity to continue my education to better prepare me for missions and international business. I sit back and say, “Do I stay and go to school more? Do I stay and work in the business world try to build my résumé so that I can be better prepared to go work and minister to people around the world? And finally do I go and find work were I can minister to the needs of others?"

Each of these options has its pros and cons, and I can see how each could be within God’s will. I know that God will open up the right circumstances if he has a preference to one over another. The hardest part is, because I am someone that plans and tries to schedule their life, God is teaching me reliance. Reliance on him that there is a place to live that we can afford to live in with what ever job I have. Reliance that we will have money for food or gas. Reliance that were are more valuable then the lilies and the birds and he will take care of us. As I look for work where I can use my degree, I also have an open mind to other jobs and the opportunity to go and take the next step in my education.

When seeking God’s will when you have many options, read your Bible, pray, and don’t forget quiet yourself and listen for the breeze before he needs the 2x4.

Easter or Resurection Sunday

I have come to a point in my life that I no longer like "Easter".

It is not the season or the reason we celebrate but what Easter has become. In the US many people have walked away from the reason for the season. Just as Christmas has lost much of the meaning over the last hundred years so has Easter. As time has passed people forget the symbolism behind things. The beauty of the symbol of the dyed egg can be traced back to an early church who would dying eggs red to symbolize the blood of Christ, the egg itself was looked at as a symbol of the tomb of Christ with them being hard and stone like but life comes from within. So many people in the US say, Easter we need bunnies and chicks and pastels and all these fun things instead looking at what are we really needing to look at.

This is why I don't like "Easter," I want to move away from using "Easter" and refer to this celebration as Resurrection Sunday. As Christ's bride we are to point to our bridegroom, we need to take back our celebrations and not let the world corrupt and take meaning from God. As I was finishing up a course on the Gospels as we finish the Lent season and move into the Easter season I am reminded of the sacrifice that Christ made. I have been at many churches that don't spend much time on the last week of Christ's life, many churches look at Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday and and maybe Good Friday and  that is the end of it. I propose that we take back this entire week, I feel that we need to find a way to each day of this Holy week to continually draw more attention to Christ throughout the week and by exploring the different things happening on each day of the week leading up to Christ's crucifixion and spend time looking at how he gave up his life and it was not taken from him. There are so many aspects of his last week of life that we over look and don't give the proper emphasis. This is why I want to move away from the use of Easter and move to a Passion week with a focus on Resurrection Sunday.

It will happen

Three years ago I went through a messy divorce that left me in a financial situation that I had to live without being able to use credit. I lost my home and car to my ex-wife whale she took those things she also promised to pay for them and get my name off them as soon as possible. Thinking that is would be a short process I was ok with it and I said that I would get her name off of the bills I said I would take. For these last three years I was not able to do anything but just make payments on my bills because of my name being on the house and car. Over a year ago when God told me that I needed to go to Mexico and not file bankruptcy we had a peace about the situation and we knew that one-day it would all work out.

Being faithful and going to Mexico the last two years over spring break. God has been faithful to his promise to take care of us. Six to eight months ago I noticed that the car that still had my name on it got sold or refinanced and I no longer had that debt to my name. As I continued to keep paying off my debt and faithfully trying to follow what God wants for me I went to Mexico again after building two homes over three and a half days we also volunteered at Children's Hunger Fund in Sylmar California building 575 food packs that will feed about 2300 people. Just as we were finishing up I got a text from my ex-wife saying she was refinancing the house and that I needed to sign off my interest in the house. Today I am no longer a homeowner or have a car loan. Once I get my debt I brought with me paid off my wife and me will be debt free other then my student loans.

God is faithful to take care of us and bless us. This experience has taught me that happiness blessing are not about the things you have or the money that is in the bank. My largest blessing in my life is my family, both those who are related my bloodline and those that God has adopted and brought together in our churches. I am blessed that I don't have this burden hanging over me and my wife any longer but the blessing is not that I can go put myself in debt but that through this I have seen what I can live without and that what I have is God's and as long as I have it I need to use it to praise, honor, and point to the living God who fulfills my needs.

Grace and thankfulness

This week has been God one way or another teaching and reminding me to be thankful and gracious in all situations. Starting off that  couple who head up this trip to Mexico every year use their connections, fiends and family to find places for us to stay with little to no expense. With this trip costing about $500 per person to go every time they find other ways to keep the cost down with still finding ways to bless the families with more then just a home. Of corse living in the us it is easy to forget about how other parts of world lives but when confronted by the poverty of the world up front and personal even in one of the richest third world countries. This year with the most people that we have ever taken down, nearly 50 people built two houses in three days. During that time we were fed by the families that we were building for.  When you think about to feed that many people would cost them between two and six weeks of wages. 

With this being my second trip with them down to bless families down there. I have been much more thankful for the comforts we have like clean drinking water, sanitary bathrooms, and just it being clean and not having garbage everywhere. Having so little they are still able to do so much. On Wednesday night the pastor of the church in the neighborhood where we were building these homes came and spoke to us. He was a drunk and a druggie and now that God got ahold of his life he is now 30 years sober and leading 3 churches with his wife. They have so little in our eye but God sees the as just another loaf or fish to multiply and bless others. 

As the responsibility grows for those in charge so does the level of stress and some times when under stress things may come across in ways they didn't mean for them to.  There are time where I have felt slighted and hurt due to the reaction I got from them. I know in my heart that that I have grumbled against them and I must ask forgiveness from them when I can. God is continually growing the work they do with Amor ministries. These people are great people and just as we all need grace from God through Gods love we are also called to extend that grace. That is why I have to forgive them for that way I took things and ask their forgiveness for my hearts grumblings about things. God has been whispering in breezes about grace and thankfulness to me this entire trip and I thank you lord for the lessons you have for me because they hone me into the man you call me to be. 

Spiritual warfare

Here in Mexico I believe that I have come under attack. As we do our work for The Lord we are at war, we are not just here to build a couple homes we are here to share God's love. It has been my experience that if you are dining what God wants you to do there will be spiritual attacks. Those attacks can be something like a boss that keep complaining about thing God told you to do and your unwillingness to waiver from your convictions. 

Here in Mexico my attack has been a sharp pain in my gut, almost like I ate something that gave me so much gas that it hurts. Normally is that happens it is gone mid way through the night but tonight I have had very little sleep and have walked to the out houses several times. It is almost 4:30 in the morning and I'm still in a lot of pain and I am on the breakfast crew and we still have the work to do on these homes when the rest of camp it up and I will be going to the leaders and pastors here to have them wage war with me I have been praying and trying to rest tonight and today if will need God's power and grace to remove this attack and give me the strength to work the day without the rest that we need.  

Taming the tongue

If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. (James 3:3-6 ESV)

Last night at we were unpacking and preparing for our night I was spoken to saying that I had said something that rubbed someone the wrong way. I don't remember saying what I was said to have said. This is a great remainder that we need to watch our words, they can hurt and build up. This is a 2x4 reminding me to be slow to speak and quick to listen. God watch over us and help us all to be mindful of our tongue. 

Questions on the road

This morning as we got on the road again it was brought up that yesterday there was a question about what does it mean when Jesus says "the first will be last and the last will be first." This phrase is used a couple times in the gospels, we first talk about in Mark 10 where there was a request that the sons of Zebedee be seated on the right and left sides of Christ. In this section we talked about how we are to server those around us and lift them up. 

We are to not look for the praise and honor from the world in what we do, we are to look at ourselves as servants of the most high and what he wants us to do is to love. Love as a verb is placing others needs before your own. In this section Jesus is saying that if you want to be raised up you need to humble yourself. Jesus humbled himself to the point of the most disgraceful death that they knew of in that time. Doing this God opened up salvation through Christ. 

Then looking at Matthew 20:16 from where the question came from. We looked at how that parable of the laborers speaks on how we are to accept what is promised us and not look at the gifts of others and say why didn't I get that. We need to be thankful that God was faithful and gave us what he promised. Just as the workers who started at the first of the day were promised a days wage but it up the the master if he is going to pay the workers who started later the same days wage. In the same way God offers up the same gift to everyone, the gift of salvation through his son. No matter if we are saved early in life or on our death bed. We have to remember that God does not promise us a death bed where we can confess. We could die today, tomorrow, or in 80 years so don't just put it off because you want to live your life and go to heaven with a death bed conversion. 

But when it come to the phrase  the last will be first and first will be last after this parable we felt that is was a way to remind us not to think of ourselves better then someone because we or the world thinks more if us. What we or the world thinks of us means nothing to God we are just called to do the best work we can for as long as we have breath in our lungs. 

I love how God will use someone not completely understanding a scripture to bring a group of men on a bus together discussing it and coming to a better understanding of his word. His word is living and as we read it and spend time marinating in it we allow the Holy Spirit to show us new things and grow in our relationship with God. 

On the road

On the road to Mexico to build a couple houses for some families in need. 

This morning as my wife and I made out way to the church to meet up with our entire team and start the slow drive to Mexico we read through Mark chaper 6 and something that stood out to me this morning as I'm going was when Christ call his disciples he told them not to bring anything except their walking stick. It's amazing how much stuff fifty people bring and how much food we need for only a week away from home. And Jesus said don't bring extra clothes or shoes, and don't bring money or provisions. 

We think so many times that before we go and do God's work we have to be trained and prepare ourselves for what we are to go do. Jesus didn't call the learned and the equipped, he call those willing to go. We need to open ourselves to God equipping those who are willing to go. I know that God called me to go back to school and finish what I started, in doing so I am being equipped for something larger then I know. I still feel that I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm going so all I can do is continue to seek after The Lord and train for the trial I'm not yet in. 

After getting on the bus and enjoying the company of my fellow travelers some put music on, others napped, and some spent time in the word. As I read in John chapter 8 I came to where The Jews were claiming to be children of Abraham. As Christ said that if you were children of Abraham that you would be doing what he did not what their fathers did. What Abraham did was be faithfull and trust God's promises. 

We are to trust that God is faithful to fulfill the promises he has given us in his word. As adopted children in the family of God we are to be doing the work that the father has for us. I don't think I'm equipped to do anything, but I feel that is how he works so that he gets the glory. We are to be mirrors reflecting the love of God, I feel the best way to share God's love is to fulfill needs of those around you. Go and love those around you.  

School

Over the last couple years as I have been working on finishing a degree (that I felt called to finish) I always thought ok I will have my Bachelors and then God will give me direction and I would go and do my service. Here I am at the end of this program down to the next 6-8 weeks of school and then graduation. WOW I have made it I’m down to the end of it and then off to work. Of course not, it’s not always that simple when it comes to God’s plan in our lives. John 3:8 say, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Being born of the spirit we need to be a leaf on that breeze listening to God and his direction for our lives.

This is so true where I am standing now on the edge of a cliff waiting to know what way I will be blown. As I come to the end of this program at school I look around and say “I can go to work for a big firm like Nike or Intel, I can try to find work in the non-profit and missions field, or I can spend another couple years and get my Masters. I have seen how each has its merits. Getting on with one of the fortune 500 companies in the aria could lead to good pay comfortable life where my wife could be the stay at home mother as we hope to have children one day. Finding work in the non-profit world could allow me to have my loans written off if I stay long enough in that world whether it is secular or spiritual non-profit. Finally the scariest of all the options, go to school to get my Masters. This option is filled will all kinds of hows and the thoughts about what about getting out and doing the work I thought I was to go do.

As I pack and pull all the things I need for my trip to Mexico to build more homes with Amor Ministries I find myself thinking Maybe I am doing God’s work as I go to school and look at what is going on in my life and family God may have options and doors that I have not seen or know are there yet. I ask those of you who pray to please pray with me and my wife are we seek God’s direction, to close and open the doors around us to so to best fulfill the plan of the Lord.

God Has provided ways for us to survive this time that I have been in school thus far and I know that He will continue to provide for the things we need. But I also know that God uses us to fulfill the needs of those around us as well. We must be open to the big calling to reach the world without neglecting those closest to us who may have needs, be it spiritual or physical if we can fulfill it and share God’s love then love your neighbor.

Keep making me

This morning in the radio I heard the song "Keep making me" by Sidewalk Profits. This song speaks about asking God to break us so that we can be healed and empty us so we can be filled. We have the tendencies to let the world slowly creep into our lives that before we notice we have become callused and we can't feel God's love in our lives. God is love and he wants to fill us with it so that it overflows. In the overflow of love we are to share God's love with all who are around us. I feel that we need to be regularly broken down emptied out so that God can take the credit for who we are. Also we are to be broken down so that those calluses of life can be softened and removed to that our hearts can feel God’s love clearly and share it.

As I looked at the name of the group "Sidewalk Profits" I started to think about the prophetic teachings of Mark and Ann Tubbs. The Tubbs have teamed up with our church and when they are in town they come and teach on Prophecy at our church. For the longest time I thought of the prophetic as weird future telling people in the church, at time I even thought it was something that just happened in Bible times. But learning what prophecy is opened my eyes to many more of God's breezes and 2x4s. Prophecy is not speaking some weird spiritual future to someone (but that can happen), it is about putting yourself aside and letting God's love speak through you and speaking God's love into the lives of those around you. 

As you spend more time in quiet fellowship with our Lord and Savor you are able to hear and see things that God has for you, whether it is the next step in your life as you are faithfully completing the last or if it is a word or something to someone around you. Believe me when you first step out in faith and share with some one something you feel is from God it will feel weird and odd but one day God may use that to touch them in a way they never knew they needed. Then again it could give them a direction as I got when couples I never met and had no clue the things going on in me and I was told to not use this money for a bankruptcy but go to Mexico and give of yourself. 

God has provided every need that me and my wife have had and we still struggle at times letting him have full control even though we know, he knows better then we do on what we need and where we are to go. As we struggle to give it all to God, we also try to spend our time listening to the breezes so we can share God's love and hear his plan for our lives. 

With the second part of their name referring to who we are to be, those who's Christ's love flows through the first part of there name signals us a direction, we are to take his love to where the people are. On the sidewalk we can reach out and touch the lives of those in our neighborhoods, cities, states, and to the world. Go and share God's love through the gospel and through his love. I hope and pray that God keeps making me new every day.

Repaired and now what?

My wife sent me a link today ( http://pastorevan.org/ ) the story that he shared was about finding an old violin that he thought was his mothers, noticing it was missing strings and parts were warn and broken, he had it restored. After the restoration it was good as new but being that he didn’t play it got put back into the case and stored again. Later asking about this violin that he put money into he found out that it belonged to his great uncle and was most likely not played sense the 1930’s. Then using the violin as a metaphor for our lives in Christ he speaks on how as Christians we will allow God to forgive us and repair us, but after that we put ourselves back in the case and put ourselves back on the shelve.

We all have a purpose on this world. God has a plan for each and every one of us. This violin that was broken in need of repair was made ready to play but got put back into storage. This Violin is like many of us we are ready to do what we were made for but are put up looking for something.

When I placed myself back on the shelf I proceeded to brake myself more then God had repaired the first time. Sex, drugs, alcohol, and smoking were my way of saying thanks for the get out of jail free card. Though the pain and trials that came during those years God was able to draw me back to him. As God works on you will start to hear how he speaks to you. There are those who hear his voice clearly, there are those who have visions and dreams, there are those who feel his leading in their heart, and there are those who can hear God speaking though others around them. Any of us can go to his word and read it and hear God speak to us. If you want to hear God there are some things you can do. First Ask, if you want to hear him ask that he speak to you. Second seek him, spend time in the word, pray and have quiet time. Third keep records, keep track of what you are asking for and when you are asking it because he may not answer your question you think he will or should.

I know I have had a hard time sitting down and writing what I’m praying about and when I pray it. God will still speak to you whether you notice or not and that is the point of this. We are more aped to hear and notice the 2x4’s that God uses but some times we need to look back and look at where he spoke in a breeze. I urge you to not let yourself be placed back into storage and listen for the breezes in your life. And always remember if God calls you to something he will or may have already equipped you for the task.

Sights and Sounds

This morning I found myself getting my bass out and getting myself reacquainted with it. Speaking to a couple members of my churches worship team they had suggested to just show up to practice and see where it goes and maybe I can over time work into a fill in or alternating positions. Playing around with a few things I remembered from when I was playing regularly and goofing off with some new stuff and getting back into how it feels to play again.

During my time playing, I also spent time listening to old and new music in my library and remembering how I felt at times when those songs touched me. This remained me about how God uses all kinds of things to whisper to us. I spent a few hours just listening to music playing along when I could or trying to figure out what the bassist was doing. Each of those songs I remember touching me in a different time and in different ways. I remember the day I listened to the song “I Refuse” by Josh Wilson and hearing God push those words onto my heart. This song (if you have not listened to it) is about refusing to sit back not doing the things God calls us to do.

Christians many times focus on all the “thou shall not” statements, but Christ has told us to “Love.” The word for love in today’s world is all about the feelings and the ewy gooey mushy stuff, but the Love that Jesus uses is a verb, an action word. Christ calls us to “Love our neighbor” or to “Love our enemies” when we look at love from the feeling side of the word we think that is imposable how can I have feeling other then anger toward my enemies or how can I love the owners of the little yappy dog next door. When you look at love at an action then you can see what Christ was calling us to do.

Love is putting others needs before your own. Looking at it this way we can see how we can love our enemy or our neighbor. We are to fulfill a need when we see it and have the ability to fulfill it. We are to not only to take care of ourselves as the world does but take care of those around us. In Matthew 25:40 “… Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these brothers, you did it to me.” This is Christ saying that as we take care of the needs of those around us we are taking care of him and following his commands to Love.

After playing my bass for a time I realized that before I go one my Mission to Mexico in a few weeks I should also clean off the pictures that were still on the memory card. Going through them I found it had been nearly six months of pictures that I had accumulated and needed to sort. As I go through then I find things that I was in awe of when I took the picture but also coming back to them. At one point we had a cold snap and my wife and I went around taking pictures of fountains and bodies of water some great pictures of what can happen in the cold. I also found pictures of our Golden Retriever playing in the snow and on the beach.

Looking through these pictures and seeing the beauty that God has put together for me to see just how wonderful he is through his creation.