Want to know who you are? Let your heart get hurt!
If you really want to know the person that God Himself created you to be, then love everyone with all your heart. You will get hurt, probably a lot and you will also learn a lot about yourself.
Some of you are basically miserable because you have believed a reason to not love. You are all backed up in your spirit, soul, mind and probably body because you are managing someone's else's sin done to you. Let it go. Forgive and love. It not only sets them free - it does wonders for you.
Tonight, as you pray before you go to bed, just release a groan. Listen to what is contained in the groan. Romans 8 says there are groans too deep for the mind. Release that groan and listen. Sometimes we get wounded in the middle of the day and we carry the wound all day long. When we get home we take it out of the dog or worse our family. Learn to know when you have been wounded, even if it is only a bruise.
Listen to another's groan, if you dare. Pray back their groan with words. Sometimes someone will groan in your presence with a sigh and will not want you to verbalize what they said. Just because you know does not mean that God wants you to tell them. Learn to know what is right in each situation by listening to His Spirit through your heart.
Journal your groans. God does. You are going to be surprised at the spiritual depth and wisdom of your groans. They did not originate with you. The Holy Spirit is co-creating and some of you have had parents and grandparents and forefathers breathe those sacred groans into your heart. To listen to an African-American sing one of the spirituals that have come out of slavery is humbling for an Caucasian American. You can hear the connection going years back to the Middle Passage across the ocean, Jim Crowism and even now the lies that still permeate our culture and community. The groan was redeeming and guiding.
The best way to learn your husband is to listen and let your heart grasp without interpreting his groans. The best way to learn your wife is to listen and let your heart grasp without interpreting in any way what her heart is groaning.
The best way to know God is to listen to His groans.
PS also what makes His heart laugh.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Hidden in the Shadow
Thanks for Chuch and Ginny for this open heart revelation.
The mind on its own will always drift toward foolish speculation.
The stomach and the loins will always drift toward foolish appetites when left alone.
Fears and feelings will always abandon truth and drift toward deception and lies.
The only way to live with these things is to keep them in the shadow of the heart.
The mind works well when it is submitted to the heart. The mind seeks the facts, cold hard facts and most of the time can not and will not discern the truth. The mind submits to the heart when it is forced to abide in the shadow of the heart. The mind makes a great servant but a horrible master.
The stomach is quiet and careful in the shadow of the heart. The heart is well aware that the stomach and loins can provide a comfort that is offensive to the heart and spirit of ourselves and God.
Walking this out is very hard and takes a lot of practice and interaction with others who are trying to walk the same path. It is far easier to know someone else's heart rather than our own. So get into an intense relationship and learn their heart and have them help you learn how to keep your feelings, appetites, thoughts and desires in the shadow of your as you keep your heart in the shadow of His heart with in you.
The mind on its own will always drift toward foolish speculation.
The stomach and the loins will always drift toward foolish appetites when left alone.
Fears and feelings will always abandon truth and drift toward deception and lies.
The only way to live with these things is to keep them in the shadow of the heart.
The mind works well when it is submitted to the heart. The mind seeks the facts, cold hard facts and most of the time can not and will not discern the truth. The mind submits to the heart when it is forced to abide in the shadow of the heart. The mind makes a great servant but a horrible master.
The stomach is quiet and careful in the shadow of the heart. The heart is well aware that the stomach and loins can provide a comfort that is offensive to the heart and spirit of ourselves and God.
Walking this out is very hard and takes a lot of practice and interaction with others who are trying to walk the same path. It is far easier to know someone else's heart rather than our own. So get into an intense relationship and learn their heart and have them help you learn how to keep your feelings, appetites, thoughts and desires in the shadow of your as you keep your heart in the shadow of His heart with in you.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
When you fail
Wisdom from a friend
When you fail
1. Clean out your gut. You did it. Deal with it. Get out the hope that you would not be caught, would not deal with the consequences of what you have done. Deal with what you have done, why you did it and clean it out.
2. Own it. Own the damage, own the consequences. No shame, no blame and own it.
3. Ask God to humble you. Look for it, accept it. I messed up because I was independent and did not need God. Now I need Him. Look for Him to celebrate and enjoy that naked dependency upon Himself. He delights in it more than a new mother delights in her child's dependency upon her.
When you fail
1. Clean out your gut. You did it. Deal with it. Get out the hope that you would not be caught, would not deal with the consequences of what you have done. Deal with what you have done, why you did it and clean it out.
2. Own it. Own the damage, own the consequences. No shame, no blame and own it.
3. Ask God to humble you. Look for it, accept it. I messed up because I was independent and did not need God. Now I need Him. Look for Him to celebrate and enjoy that naked dependency upon Himself. He delights in it more than a new mother delights in her child's dependency upon her.
Dear Job,
Job, shut up! i know you want to answer your foolish friends foolish assumptions. You know that your heart is NOT convicting you of sin yet you try to answer their accusations as if there was some truth to what they are saying. Be still and be quiet. Do not let them move you off your confidence. God is good - all the time. Yes, I know you have suffered unbelievable loss, more pain than a person can manage in a day or even in a life time. I am sorry. But be quiet. If you open your mouth your bowels will open and you will spew trash you know is not true. You will think for a moment that you will feel better but you won't. You will feel awful! And whoever you spew on will feel awful as well. Be still and wait for God. Learn to still your soul before Him. Let the tears and pain of your situation flow freely but open only your heart and not your bowels. Learn the difference, precious child.
In this moment of pain God is working deep in your heart and your soul. He is moving your soul furniture around and you are going to be different because of it. You will not even be aware of the changes that He has made until much later. Let Him do His work in your heart. The pain and grief causes things to float to the surface so that He can deal with them. Let your stuff float and face Him. Release the tears, the groans, the hopes and the joys from deep inside of your being.
Years from now God will use the depth of the work that He is doing right now to lead you into deeper truth that you would not be able to grasp if it were not for the pain and grief that is wising you up even now. The fire burns the HAY, WOOD and STUBBLE and the gold of faith remains, purfied. God delights to use that which we cannot grasp to purify us. Trust Him and let His fire seek your heart
In this moment of pain God is working deep in your heart and your soul. He is moving your soul furniture around and you are going to be different because of it. You will not even be aware of the changes that He has made until much later. Let Him do His work in your heart. The pain and grief causes things to float to the surface so that He can deal with them. Let your stuff float and face Him. Release the tears, the groans, the hopes and the joys from deep inside of your being.
Years from now God will use the depth of the work that He is doing right now to lead you into deeper truth that you would not be able to grasp if it were not for the pain and grief that is wising you up even now. The fire burns the HAY, WOOD and STUBBLE and the gold of faith remains, purfied. God delights to use that which we cannot grasp to purify us. Trust Him and let His fire seek your heart
Friday, September 3, 2010
Ouch
My beautiful daughter. She lives exactly 797 miles from my front door. I took her to Colorado. I encouraged her to follow her heart and I am very proud of the courage that she displayed in boldly leaving my house and beginning her college education. Yet my heart hurts.
I wanted to keep her at home. For that matter, I never wanted her to even go to school, kindergarten to be exact. The pain is no different. Yet I began letting her go then. She stated on the way to Colorado that she was concerned about my ability to be able to let her go in marriage. MARRIAGE? Who is thinking about letting go in marriage? I guess that is her gentle and loving way of saying get ready for the pain. I love the pain. It is a right pain to have. She is where she is supposed to be for now. Yet the strain on my heart is wonderful and painful. Somehow I am aware of the pain that Christ has for me, He longs to call me home, to His side, to rest with Him forever. Yet there are things that I must do, and be for Him and His.
What a joy it is for me as the father of Tori to know that her brother is close by and cares for her. Let us therefore love one another with His love. I know it pleases me to no end to think of my son acting with my heart on behalf of his sister. Peace...
I wanted to keep her at home. For that matter, I never wanted her to even go to school, kindergarten to be exact. The pain is no different. Yet I began letting her go then. She stated on the way to Colorado that she was concerned about my ability to be able to let her go in marriage. MARRIAGE? Who is thinking about letting go in marriage? I guess that is her gentle and loving way of saying get ready for the pain. I love the pain. It is a right pain to have. She is where she is supposed to be for now. Yet the strain on my heart is wonderful and painful. Somehow I am aware of the pain that Christ has for me, He longs to call me home, to His side, to rest with Him forever. Yet there are things that I must do, and be for Him and His.
What a joy it is for me as the father of Tori to know that her brother is close by and cares for her. Let us therefore love one another with His love. I know it pleases me to no end to think of my son acting with my heart on behalf of his sister. Peace...
Why did you allow that wrong to remain?
I asked a young man the other day, why did he allow that wrong to remain in his life? I was floored by the depth of his answer.
Because I thought I could manage sin. Even to type this floors me. Manage sin? Touch sin? I was humbled by this simple concept and yet he was not down with me yet.
This false thought led to another thought that the young man articulated as I asked him what other thoughts, feelings led him to continue in the wrong. Wrong was easier than right. Again, floored by the simplicity and profound statement. His wife was not impressed due to the intensity of her pain from his betrayl and failure but I knew that he had been communing with GOD. Wow.
I asked another question, where was those two thoughts, Able to Manage Sin and Wrong is easier than Right leading you to? Where were you headed before God interceded in your life.
Wrong = Right.
Step One I can manage a little sin...
Step Two Wrong is now easier than Right...
Step Three Wrong is Right...
Lord God, please help us that we would not manage the sin in our lives, manage the wrong but help us to abandon ourselves to You so that You would completely save us from our wrong and our sin so that we may live out Your Right and please You. Forgive us when we have allowed wrong to abide in our lives. Bless this young, wise man. Bless his bride as she heals from her pain.
NOTE: This does not refer to one couple or one man but rather several that I have seen over the last few months. The facts have been generalized to present how God enlightens and heals without revealing sacred information that was shared with a pastor.
Because I thought I could manage sin. Even to type this floors me. Manage sin? Touch sin? I was humbled by this simple concept and yet he was not down with me yet.
This false thought led to another thought that the young man articulated as I asked him what other thoughts, feelings led him to continue in the wrong. Wrong was easier than right. Again, floored by the simplicity and profound statement. His wife was not impressed due to the intensity of her pain from his betrayl and failure but I knew that he had been communing with GOD. Wow.
I asked another question, where was those two thoughts, Able to Manage Sin and Wrong is easier than Right leading you to? Where were you headed before God interceded in your life.
Wrong = Right.
Step One I can manage a little sin...
Step Two Wrong is now easier than Right...
Step Three Wrong is Right...
Lord God, please help us that we would not manage the sin in our lives, manage the wrong but help us to abandon ourselves to You so that You would completely save us from our wrong and our sin so that we may live out Your Right and please You. Forgive us when we have allowed wrong to abide in our lives. Bless this young, wise man. Bless his bride as she heals from her pain.
NOTE: This does not refer to one couple or one man but rather several that I have seen over the last few months. The facts have been generalized to present how God enlightens and heals without revealing sacred information that was shared with a pastor.
The Prophet has spoken
Stephen Hawking, a British theoritical physicist, states that the universe can create itself out of nothing. Spontaneous creation, he wants us to believe. He believes that something came out of nothing. That there was nill, nothing, empty space and that spontaneously something came out of nothing.
There is a problem with his basic math skills. Sometimes we get so very, very smart that we over look the basics.
0 + 0 always and forever = 0.
Nothing + Nothing will always = Nothing.
You can not reproduce 0+0=1 in any lab in the world. Yet Mr. Hawking wants us to follow him by faith. Faith in his mind, his reasoning, in his ablity to see things we can't see. He wants us to respect him like he is a god or at least a sacred prophet entrusted with truth that we mortals can not and will not be able to attain to.
We believe in a supernatural God who can supercede the natural laws.
0 + GOD = Creation.
Nothing + God = Creation.
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.
Romans 1:18-22 NIV http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%201&version=NIV
That which is known about God is known in the heart and not the mind. The mind demands to understand and the basic concept of God is beyond the mind's ability to grasp. The mind deals in facts while the heart deals in truth. Facts can be made to point in all sorts of directions that lead to wrong conclusions. The truth stands for itself. It is sad, however, that most Christians do not stand for truth.
There is a problem with his basic math skills. Sometimes we get so very, very smart that we over look the basics.
0 + 0 always and forever = 0.
Nothing + Nothing will always = Nothing.
You can not reproduce 0+0=1 in any lab in the world. Yet Mr. Hawking wants us to follow him by faith. Faith in his mind, his reasoning, in his ablity to see things we can't see. He wants us to respect him like he is a god or at least a sacred prophet entrusted with truth that we mortals can not and will not be able to attain to.
We believe in a supernatural God who can supercede the natural laws.
0 + GOD = Creation.
Nothing + God = Creation.
18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools.
Romans 1:18-22 NIV http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%201&version=NIV
That which is known about God is known in the heart and not the mind. The mind demands to understand and the basic concept of God is beyond the mind's ability to grasp. The mind deals in facts while the heart deals in truth. Facts can be made to point in all sorts of directions that lead to wrong conclusions. The truth stands for itself. It is sad, however, that most Christians do not stand for truth.
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