Knowing My Boundaries

Knowing My Boundaries:

There are a lot of good ideas floated by a lot of good people. People I follow and get sufficient value from that keeps me going back to their books, webpages, and webinar’s. Time and again, I will re-listen to something older to keep my knowledge rounded out with affirmation of something I already knew, while at the same time I listen for things to add to my toolbox on how to keep moving forward.

There are “influencers” and I’ve given their material license to impact my life, my boundaries, and how I plan on living successfully from today forward. Some of these influencers are preachers, current and historical, others have been story tellers, news reporters, and teachers from a host of varied experiences. I mean, who hasn’t received a nugget of knowledge from the likes of Zig Ziglar, Charles Kuralt, Charles Osgood, Garrison Keillor, or even Paul Harvey! Good Day!

I’ll share more about these influencers another day, but for now, think about how much space you have surrounding your world, and if there was sufficient amount of time and real estate, you would not hesitate on checking out more material than you can possibly deal with in your 24 hour period.

Back in 2003, my bride and I were transitioning from Alaska, a great state we both miss dearly, to the Pacific Northwest region called Washington. Her job transferred her to a new location, so we trusted in God who knows all our plans and limits, and headed south. We were carrying our 3 huge Alaskan dogs and it was difficult to make room for them in our vehicle, and in our travel routine. They needed to stop and smell more territory than we had time for. We had a deadline. They were only interested in escape….

We were familiar with the Canadian Broadcast radio that crosses that huge country to the north of us. Along the road you will find signs telling you where their next broadcast signal would be found on your FM radio dial. We tuned in, and it seems it was just at the best time. Leaving the Yukon, headed into British Columbia, CBC began broadcasting a series of shows that we were thoroughly enjoying. Comedy. Music. News. Interviews. An assortment of non-cacophonous noise that was pleasant to listen to and follow.

But each station had a boundary. You could hardly pass by a certain point in the road without realizing you had left the boundary of said station. You could not extend the boundary without more power to the broadcasting antennae, and that was not in our bailiwick!

In modern times, traveling between British Columbia and Washington state, the boundary of the countries is real, with a required passport control funnel, an interview by border agents, AND, your phone will automatically stop working on your existing network. It will scan for something to replace the signal with, and there will be limitations on what you can do, how much it will cost, and how to acquire the new service. Regardless, there are boundaries.

Boundaries are real. They play a role in every portion of our lives. We place boundaries on our work hours, play hours, and resting time. Think about everything you do in life, and you will find boundaries. Some imposed by others, including the authorities, and others imposed by nature, and still more are imposed by our own self.

Every sport has boundaries. There is a field of play, and you can easily go out of bounds and nothing you gain past that white line will count toward your score. Each sport has rules that place boundaries on how we conduct ourselves with other players, coaches, fans, referees, and the tools of the trade.

Every job has boundaries. There are established routines, policies, and procedures you need to know in order to be successful. Step across the line, and HR will be called into a private session with you to determine if you have gone too far.

Even driving down a road has boundaries. Rules galore. Consequences can be hugely negative if you do not know the boundaries. Every law is there for a reason, even if we think they are not needed.

Every relationship. Every dinner plate. Every shopping trip. Everything has boundaries. The words we choose, the friends we make, the places we go… Boundaries everywhere. We would do well to know what these boundaries are, and how to live within them successfully.

When it comes to spiritual things, you know, your relationship with God, the Word, and Others, boundaries exist everywhere. Stepping across a line might easily be called Sin, but ignoring our  walk with God sufficiently is equally a Sin. What we think, how we act, what we say – all have boundaries. Rules. Covenants. Laws. Expectations. Limits. The consequences of us not staying within the boundary markers can be huge. It’s eternal.

A few years ago I put up a simple fence of material and plastic posts to define yard space for my dogs. They could not run through, though I’m sure they could find courage to jump over it if I gave them time to think about it. This fence has fallen into disrepair, and I’m replacing it next month. But as weeds and time bow it to the ground, the dogs still respect that boundary. They will not go past it, even when chasing the rabbits! Those bunnies seem to know all the escape places, and yet the dogs respect the fence. 

Think about boundaries for a moment.

What self-imposed boundaries have you placed in your life to ensure you do not get past the penalty line? What boundaries have others placed upon their connection to you? Have you learned to draw a line, or obey the line that is placed for your safety, or do you regularly exercise your judgement that those lines mean nothing?

Here’s my thought: Having boundaries is necessary. Knowing them is even more important. Living by them keeps us moving forward more successfully than one could imagine. We should write a book for ourselves on what our boundaries are, and then learn to live by them.

Beneath Western Wall

To some, boundaries are huge walls of defense. They are built high, deep, thick and sufficiently strong to ensure safety. In Israel, we journeyed beneath the visible West wall (Wailing wall) and saw the foundation that was a massive undertaking during a time of no hydraulic equipment… They must have felt Desperate to build such a strong wall, yet they were conquered several times in spite of the boundary.

Boundaries work, but you must build them, maintain them, and keep your understanding alive as to what those boundaries mean.

Quickly. Can you name 10 boundaries in your life?

(Listen to this blog here.)

I Opened My Bible

I Opened My Bible

I Opened My Bible
And what did I do?
I searched, and I searched
Finding answers to questions on every page.

I Opened My Bible
And what did I find?
A word revealed just for me
As if spoken only moments ago.

I Opened My Bible
And from this moment on
I will never let it collect dust
This book that means so much.

~Michael Gurley 11/18/16

I have grown up believing in the Holy Scripture. Through the years I have studied it deeply (deeper than some, but not as deep as others) and am completely convinced it is a true account of God’s relationship with His creation. It has been faithfully recorded and transferred through the years so that I can hold it in my hands, read it for myself, and share it any way I choose.

My testimony on how the Word has personally spoken to me is something I’ve shared a number of times (Read Here) and will not repeat today, but my experience with God’s Word has convinced me over and again how it is meant for me to consume daily.

To many the feeling is that you must be a scholar of history, cultures and foreign languages, in order to contemplate the meanings of times, places and events. But the reality of reading anything is that we often have no insider knowledge to many subjects but still we pick up a book and read to enjoy, as well as to learn.

Why does the Bible continue to be a popular seller but vastly unread? I can only speak as to what I’ve heard. Many find it dull and boring. They have never worked at understanding the stories they have heard in Sunday School, or seen on a big screen somewhere. My view is that many just want to be “told” the story to believe, and never want to search it out and prove it for themselves! Give it you in Hollywood magic and you’ll believe, or disbelieve, but I think it is best to verify… I’m just saying.

In this modern world, the problem is also a little different than just a decade or two ago. Too often we depend totally on a digital versions of scripture and miss those moments of exploration that comes from simply letting a bound story fall open and enjoying the pages as chance (or God) would direct our eyes.

Maybe we need a “randomizer” button that will simply let the Bible fall open
and replicated what we have experienced in the past! 

The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalms 119. It contains 176 verses and every verse but one (Psalms 119:122) mentions the Word of God, either directly or indirectly. It describes the Voice of God in the scripture with words like:

Way, Law, Testimonies, Commandments, Precepts, Statutes,
Judgments, Word, Righteousness, Truth

It contains 22 subsections, one for every letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, and each subsection contains 8 verses. 8 x 22=176, hence, here resides the complete thought on the importance of the Word and how it speaks to us every moment. Every day.

Through the ages those that study the Bible deeply have recorded their high tributes on how much this one chapter is worth. If we would but let this Word speak to us, as this one chapter so eloquently does, we would live our lives more beautifully than we think possible.

Take a few minutes of your busy schedule. Let your Word open to this chapter and peruse it’s passages, and imagine the psalmist observing, analyzing and sharing with you, the importance of Opening Your Bible.  Here’s a single scripture for you from this entire chapter that you will probably recognize, and I hope you will apply – both in the next step you take, and the path you are traveling.

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
(Psalms 119:105 NKJV)

Can You Trust Your Compass?

A compass is a remarkable tool.

Back in my scouting days I learned how to make one with a needle, water, soap and a magnet or piece of silk.

Explorers make decisions that affect their life by what they see when they hold it in their hand and they go where no one has gone before. It gives them focus and a sense of direction. The further you travel east and west you have to understand that a compass points to Magnetic North, and not True North.

There is a difference. Since our planet tilts 23.5 degrees away from the center of the top of the planet that is in line with the orbit of Earth. It’s called the Axial tilt,, or Obliquity. (Source) Essentially, the magnetic center line does not point directly up, nor down.

So, as the compass is a magnetic tool, it points to the true magnetic North – if you are north of the equator. 

W & LE Gurley has been making measuring equipment since the mid-1800’s. This pictured compass, though fragile and missing various components, still has characteristics that are common to all magnetic compasses. It survived many days and years in the field of its designated use. It’s more modern now than back in the days when surveyors depended upon rudimentary measuring tools to mark boundaries based on lines that can not be seen in the earth.

Compass readings are affected by the presence of iron and steel objects.

“A rusty nail placed near a faithful compass, will sway it from the truth, and wreck the argosy.” ~Walter Scott

The magnetic compass has been used for navigation for hundreds of years. At one time, it was the only reliable means of direction-finding. Today sophisticated equipment is available that is more accurate in locating direction and bearings.

However, such equipment has not made the compass obsolete. It is still a very practical tool. Even airplanes and ships equipped with more sophisticated equipment often carry compasses as backups.

If we were to draw spiritual lessons from the compass I would begin by having you see that God’s Word is the compass in our lives. From it we derive our direction, seeing behind and before us, aiming us to a destination that we are striving to reach, and it helps to mark how determined we are in arriving by our dedication to the task. Additionally, we scan sway the power of the compass by putting other items near it so that we bend the directive power of the compass to say what we want it to say…

Think about all the versions and variety of churches and doctrines that exist. They all come about from that single book we know as the Bible. Drill down through every layer of person that believes something about God, and you will reach back to a family or church bible that pointed the way to God.

“Sink the Bible to the bottom of the sea, and man’s obligation to God would be unchanged. He would have the same path to tread, only his lamp and his guide would be gone; he would have the same voyage to make, only his compass and chart would be overboard.” ~Henry Ward Beecher

Many trust in man’s studies to define the source of life. The problem with science is that it is a constantly changing set of parameters, still many believe in it over any other explanation of life. I’ve seen the fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and those that study the source of scripture can unequivocally state that these oldest known fragments are the foundation that our modern scriptures come from. For Thousands of Years the Word of God has survived mankind.

Choose the compass that sets the pathway of your life… As for me, my compass is the Word of God…

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I believe in that trusty Word of God will keep me pointed in the correct direction…

It’s Wednesday

Vacation is over…

Life re-enters normal, or whatever one might call it. Alarm clocks instead of letting sleep reign through the morning. Schedules become hard and fast. Rules return. Clothes ready? Food. Lunches. Snacks. Car fueled?

It’s almost like the first day of school!

Remember those early years when you looked forward to that special day? First day of school. Vacation. Birthday. Family coming. The older I get the less I look forward to these days, and the more I wish for a slower schedule. My calendar is full, and continually filling.

What is a worse memory are those days before a test! I remember preparing for my FAA check ride that would tell me if my prep time would convince the tester that I was prepared to fly with all the other pilots!

Busy. Busy. Busy… Managing time is crucial. Time is a limited resource, so controlled allocation is necessary. Do not let calls last too long. Do not let distractions take you down pathways that are not productive. Control. Manage.

Every morning I set aside time for my personal devotions. This includes prayer, scripture, reading, blogging and some time of silence to charge up those internal batteries for the day ahead. Each day has requirements, just do not let those calendar items overrun your personal time. You may change your schedule to fit your personality, so, instead of morning you may choose evening.

We find Jesus spent time away from the crowds, often by himself, in prayer. Can you imagine what his quiet time was like? (Matthew 14:23) In his early ministry, he used all those years of devotion and scripture to break the yoke of flesh while in the wilderness. He quoted scripture back to the tempter every time an enticement was made. (Matthew 4:4) Before his greatest test, he prayed in a favorite garden, Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36), but it was not a peaceful time. It was full of agony. The big test was in progress. How would he stand up to the trial?

This one thought I have today. Your greatest trials are prepared by those hours you spend in quiet devotion. What you learn and experience during these times prepare you for your response. How you devote those quiet hours to The Word and Prayer will give you the strength you need to stand up to the tough battle.

Do not let the battle wear you down, but take special note – you have prepared for this day!

Own Your Words

There is nothing like a rushed trip…

There is nothing like a rushed trip to give you pause for those things you take for granted in life. Your bed, comfort zone, and even your own vehicle. A planned trip gives you time to look ahead to these issues and lets you slip into a new zone better prepared. An unplanned trip leaves you scrambling like Russell Wilson when the offensive line collapse under the threat of a defensive line bent on wrecking your plans.

This present trip is the same way!

We would not have planned on being in a hot, muggy zone at the beginning of Summer. Just saying. Nor, would we have enjoyed scrambling for familiar hotel’s at a time when you want the right kind of bed, and the right kind of A/C. Or, looking for a car that handles a big frame and long legs! No way would you choose to fly in a way that is quasi comfortable but on a packed flight with kids flying solo to see grandma!

Along these uncomfortable times you struggle with finding comfort. Normalcy. You tend to let your feelings and emotions run rampant. It is easier to slip into negativity and critique everything not “just so”…

Here’s a thought. Those words you want to use to battle your discomfort has a way of trouncing the hearers day. Yes. Their job may be customer service, but they could easily have a similar bad day and make your experience even worse!

Over the past two days I have found myself analyzing every “wrong” thing about our situation. Crowds. Noises. Dirty air vents. Creepy corners. Every little ding, scratch and dent.

After a while you could simply add your voice to your thoughts and start pointing out all the wrong…and missing the right.

What’s right? Even though I am an introvert and love my alone time, I have looked to the people around me as the smartly tied bow on the present of this trip. Listen. Speak. Add to the conversation, even when you are Seahawks and the others are Pittsburgh and Dallas! Even when someone is stressing over money to pay for college and you have an option for them to consider online schooling.

While booking this trip, every online experience required calling a customer service person to polish off the event. Wrong room prices, websites not working, cars not available, even published phone numbers not working.

If it could go wrong, it did!

But every person I spoke with thanked me for being so kind and understanding. I believe that when you own your words, and control how you use them, then good things just naturally occur.

Consider the words of David for a moment…

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14 NKJV)

Before you speak your words to others, consider if they are acceptable in God’s sight? After all. He’s your strength. Your Redeemer. And His words are as silver, tried in a furnace seven times to make them extra pure! (Psalms 12:6)

It’s just a thought, but James expresses a feeling I have about situations I get caught up in…

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:10 NKJV)

In every position of life I would hope that we own our words, or they will own us in a very wrong way.

One last thought… Your words are your best friends, or they could be used against you. Jesus found himself in this spot, and though unafraid to speak up, he shows us there are simply times to be silent.

And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him. (Luke 11:53-54 NKJV)

Jesus did not hold his peace, but rather, his words gave them no ammunition to use against him. Maybe this is a crucial thing to remember about our own words…

Every time I spoke to a Customer Service person for this trip, I was kind and gentle with my words and speech – and they were more than helpful in polishing out the rough edges of my experience.

Own your words….

Preparedness Is Always In Order

We live in a beautiful part of the nation…

And a seductive place. It is known that under the beauty lies a destructive force capable of crippling every thing we know.

Science points to a large 8.0-9.0 magnitude Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake ripping across the 800-mile CSZ fault line on average once every 200 to 500 years. (Click Here)

Every 200 to 500 years, history tells us that a major seismic event occurs somewhere along the fault line that stretches from British Columbia, south into Northern California. Clustered along the I-5 corridor are known volcanoes resting under snow capped peaks.

You may know one of them from a famous event on May 18th, 1980, when a mountain blew its top…

Mount St Helen’s….

All The Words I Know

Have you ever thought about your range of vocabulary?

It came to me a earlier this week watch a video of my granddaughter reading a book. Halfway between four and five, she was actually reading a book well into her age ability, and reading with expression of the words flowing from her mouth.

I am reminded of the marvelous experience of my own kids as they took to reading like a fish in water. My son was reading full books before he was four, and loved the stories about volcanoes, whales, and dinosaurs. My daughter was a little later, and more in line with the her age group, reading books and sounded much like my granddaughter. Regardless, they are both loaded with vocabulary and have learned to write them into wonderful books to read.

In retrospect, I do not remember learning to read as they did. Their world included the likes of Electric Company, Mr Rogers Neighborhood, and Sesame Street all seemed to focus on learning how to put words together from their individual sounds. Phonics.

I do remember mom getting a subscription of Dr Seuss books mailed. After we moved to Seabrook, I remember taking the new stack of books out to a picnic table, and read them over and over. Books were important to me, and more important than cartoons or Saturday morning TV.  Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and a host of other books kept my eyes glued to the pages, one after another.

A typical 2-year old has a ready vocabulary of 25-50 words, and the ability to join words together to make simple statements: “my book”, “want more”. Multiply this by 4-5 times and you will have the word span of a typical 3-year old. (Click Here) Multiply that even more and a typical 4-year old will know between 4,000-6,000 words. (Click Here)

How many words should a typical adult know? It all depends on how they keep adding to their foundation! But there are sources that suggest it is not unusual that adults have between 20,000-35,000 words in their vocabulary. Think about it! At age 20, you have lived only 7,300 days! Between the age of 2-20, that’s learning nearly 5 words per day! From day of birth, till the 20th celebration of birth, 5 words socked into the memory banks per day!

Words have always been important to me. Not so much those that were forced on me, but those that drew me into the stories and subjects I was hungry for – westerns, science, mystery, detectives, war, cars, history… An insatiable thirst for stories and knowledge.

When my parents bought a set of World Book Encyclopedia’s, they included a Childcraft “knowledge” series that covered typical school material of the day. Books chock full of things to learn, and do!

 

Along with these were Bible Story books with pictures that covered Genesis to Revelations.

If I am not mistaken, there was not a single one of these books I did not inhale.

My basis is to continually learn, and I do it by “doing” and by “reading. Constantly reading and bettering myself from the knowledge attained. It has been easier to do this with modern technology. All of my digital books have search abilities, and connection to reference material that allows me to dig deeper.

Words represent my ability to know, but not necessarily my ability to comprehend. Joining words together helps to develop understanding, and by such my comprehension of “reasons” are improved.

Repetition of reading enhances my comprehension. You seldom gain understanding from a single reading. That’s why I think it important to constantly read what you are attempting to understand.

Think about the bible times. There were not many books available to the common household. Most of their knowledge came by repetition of stories. Over and over, the Word was read out loud. This is true of every culture around the world. If there were books, it was the same way. If there were no books then it was simply a recitation from speaker to hearer.

Jesus spoke in such times, and his words were remembered and written years later by followers who had the call to write.

• … The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 NKJV)
• Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
  (Matthew 24:35 NKJV) (Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33)
• If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7 NKJV)
• Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.  (John 14:23 NKJV)

It’s important to know His words… Hearing them. Reading them. Studying them. Living with them in your heart, on your mind and flowing from your lips. They are spirit. They are life.

This is what I try to do. Read about the world around me. A lot. And constantly put his words into my path so they are real to me every moment of every day.

 

The Power Of The Small

What’s the smallest thing you’ve ever seen?

I remember my first experience with a microscope! With dissecting tools, slides, and the power of imagination…Well there was no limit how small I could see!

I remember learning of the building blocks of the universe. Smaller things than can be seen with only the help of the biggest and best microscope.

there are probably even smaller things we have not yet developed the ability to discover.

There is a thought of the smallest of things having great power!

 Mat 13:31-32 KJV Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: (32) Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Life is full of choices.

Which direction shall I take?
Do I allow this event to control my life?
Do I stand up to the challenge, or roll over and succumb?
What word shall I use in this situation?
Do I smile at the person behind the counter, or just mutter a greeting?
Do I pay with cash or credit?
Do I tell my spouse the truth, or “those colors look just fine…”

Choices… There are so many ways to accomplish something and so many pathways available to each of us. If we could look at each choice and then peer into the future and see the results, would that help us to make better choices?

We could take this portion of scripture today and apply it in so many ways, but let me direct our attention to this thought:

Words are insignificantly tossed about, but there is Power in your word, and your word has consequences…

Jesus is teaching a parable. In this chapter it is stated that he talked only in parables so as to fulfill scripture. Yet the power of these parables is that we can take them and apply them to multiple scenarios of life…

This one parable primarily applies to the start of the church in the early days. Small to begin with, but mighty as it matures.

Let’s apply it to any action. Seemingly insignificant in its first stages, but powerfully seen in its maturity – whether for the good or bad.

Michael Dell leaves college to continue his desire of making PC better for his friends – and creates Dell.

Let me take this parable and apply it to the Spoken Word.

Words are powerful. Consider that with just His Voice, God created the entire universe.

David writes about the power of Words that are good:

• Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
  Psa 54:2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
  At the same time, he writes about the power of Words that are destructive:
• Psa 52:2-4 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. (3) Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. (4) Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.
• Psa 55:21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

Consider though that God knows there is power in the unspoken word before it is unheard by anyone:

• Psa 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Before we speak, God knows the word that will come out of our mouth.

• Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts…:

If God is so aware of the power of our Words, then why do we not give more attention to what we are about to say?

We need to understand the power of the word. We go through life looking for answers and purpose and all along it is in our hands. The Gospel is the seed that the scripture speaks of and to most men it seems to be the least of all seeds. We spend more time speaking about other life issues, and the most powerful thing we have to share is something we are seemingly ashamed of. The Gospel is more than just a book – these words are life everlasting, principals for action and activity, roadmaps on making and following good pathways. The Words we Speak to others can take root and grow into a might tree.

Now then the scripture says that then it will grow branches and limbs and the birds of the air will come and rest in them. There are two ways to look at that now.

• James 1:17– Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

When you are founded upon the Gospel good things, heavenly things will rest upon your life. If we will allow God, he would open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that you can’t even contain.

• Mat 11:28– Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Or think about it like this, all those birds are flying around looking for a place to land and rest and it was upon the greatest tree that they chose to find rest. What does the scripture say? There are people going around seeking for a place of rest a place to find security and peace.

It is time we offer the world something else other than religion and ideas about their situations, and philosophies that don’t hold water. People are looking for rest, that is what Jesus gave to us, and we should freely give it to the world.

Use Your Words Wisely

Are you having trouble with a neighbor or a family member, or a co-worker, or some strange situation? The next time that the trouble arises, plant into the situation some gospel seed! You cannot force it upon them, but interspersing the situation with the Good News might possibly take root.

• Mat 13:18-23 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. (19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. (20) But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; (21) Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. (22) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. (23) But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Some may be confused by this parable (it’s in the same chapter…)

Why waste time throwing seed in improperly prepared ground? Perhaps seeing that the ground is ill prepared for the seed gives you opportunity to acknowledge how best to proceed. Not every seed will have a high survival rate in every field type. Here, the field is categorized by different areas of struggle. Consider that the areas do not represent a person in their entirety. Surely every one of us has some “Good”, but are each struggling with areas that the parable speaks to.

Wayside – Areas where we have walked constantly and packed the soil so hard that there would be no way for seed to ever germinate. This soil must be broken up by constant attention and preparation by the owner of the packed ground.
Rocks – Hard barriers that take the place of good soil. These rocks must first be addressed before seed can properly grow.
Thorns – They are just weeds and need to be controlled lest they spring up and take over everything (I speak from experience…).

Yet, our scripture does not tell me it’s MY JOB to FIX THEIR PROBLEMS! It is only my job to SOW… I can not go in and break up the ground, remove the rocks, nor kill the weeds. My job is only to cast the seed.

Finally…

Perhaps the most important thing we need to address before we consider the sowing of the gospel: What is the status of the fields of my own life? What percentage of my life is found in the Wayside, the Rock, or full of Thorns? What about all the sowing that has been done in my life? Am I letting those seeds go to waste? How different am I from others around me? Before I can take a speck of dirt out of someone else’s eye, I must consider the beam that is in my own life.

Let’s quit being judgmental against others and their sins without considering that first we are imperfect every day of our lives. Let’s prepare our life to receive the seed of the Gospel in all areas of our lives. Then let’s look to those that need the Gospel with looks of Love, and not hate. We should never try to help God do what is His job, just obey him first for your life, and then be involved in His commissioning to us.

• Mat 28:18 – 19 – And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
• Mat 13:47 – 48 – Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: (48) Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

Let’s do our job and Let God Reap His Harvest!

Now Is Not The Time

Have you ever considered the times you are living in?

Again, it’s not the total picture of the entire world, but those individual weights of your private world dragging you down. Weariness has settled in, and your immune system becomes overworked. Before long you become weakened. Even confused. Which way to go? How long till I know which step to take next?

Your immune system is compromised. You start allowing junk to crowd in and before long it takes up residence in your space. Crowded. Weighted. Before you know it you are defeated. All feels lost. There is no way to escape and come back up to the light of day. The ground feels like syrup and your feet drag all day long. Moody, even if you put on a good front so no one will know. You act like you know what you’re doing, but in reality you are lost like so many others.

Over the years I’ve watched people become so stressed that they look instantly ready to flee, or flop. Repeatedly they have dug themselves out of their condition, only to relapse back to what they no longer want to be.

• Fleeing seems to be the best option. Camouflage themselves into a new life and cast their history away. But without fixing their problems, they soon get caught up with the same issues all over again.
• The other option is to flop. Emotions, Depression. Doctors. Lawyers. Divorce. Ruined career. Name your poison because addiction seems to be the next step.

I was thinking of Joseph. You know. The Coat of Many Colors. Favored by his father and dissed by his siblings. Sold into slavery. Prison. Accused. Forgotten. And then finally remembered when the King is disturbed by dreams. Finally, brought out of the dark caves of the lost and dying and placed into a senior position second to the King. All goes according to his interpretation of the dream.

Then his brothers show up.

So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. (Genesis 42:8 NKJV)

If there was ever someone who could be overwhelmed by his recent past it could have been Joseph! He had every right to be discombobulated by his experiences, and he could have harbored a grudge against those brothers and reveled in revenge.

But think about it, how you respond to your situation tells a lot about the character of your composition. That core of identity and inner strength shows how you stand up to challenges even when the weight of the world drags you down. What’s your intestinal fortitude? Where does your strength come from?

“For You are my lamp, O LORD; The LORD shall enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. “For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip. (2 Samuel 22:29-37 NKJV)

Here’s the key. When you are overwhelmed by life, you need to remember that God has the ability to strengthen you and equip you to stand up to your situation.  He is your rock. Shield. The descriptors are simply too numerous to paint the adequate picture with my language.

But, when you need him the most, he knows exactly what to do to get your through your trouble. Just like that valley of the shadow of death, there is always an exit on the other side of your situation. And God is God. He changes not! (Malachai 3:6)

 

 

 

 

 

Examples and Patterns

It’s A Brave New World…

When you try to be the first at doing something different, or new. Most of the rest of us are content to follow your guide or example to get to an end result. But among us are those intrepid explorers who yearn to be first, find a new way, or be the first to experience what’s in that vast unknown.

Slowly and surely our known world is becoming common and familiar. Some look to the depths of the oceans, or even deep underground in caverns miles deep. Others look to the peaks of mountains. Still, there are others who look to the heavens. What’s out there? There is so much to discover!

One of the great stories I love to read and study involves the Lewis and Clark expedition that attempted to find a water route across the North American continent. Years of planning and execution, they end up on the Columbia River separating Washington and Oregon states. You can know a lot about them because they documented their travels so well.

So, if you are not the ardent explorer, then you are a follower.

Whether it be in this natural world, or even in the spiritual realm. When it comes to the spiritual world of Christendom, there are great examples across the centuries that have led the way. As there is no new way to Christ, it behooves us to consider those who have gone on before to find good examples and patterns on how to mirror our own walk.

The Apostle Paul encourages the readers of his Epistle to the Philippians (and Corinthians, Thessalonica) to be followers together with him and to them who walk according to his example.

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) (Philippians 3:17-19 KJV)

Among the readers are enemies of Christ, walking with them they do not meet the pattern that Paul exampled. In essence, Paul is setting the pattern of life, and they are encouraged to choose wisely who they mirror in their own walk. As Paul was the most adamant of new disciples of Christ, he had a message that presented itself clearly to those he reached, and not like those others who only wanted to satisfy their own lusts.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16 NKJV)

This got me to thinking about patterns.

In every arena of manufacturing, before anything can be duplicated, there is a master pattern to follow. From a master recording in the entertainment industry, copies are made so that duplicates can be created into CD’s, DVD’s, Blue Ray and whatever else may show up in the future!  The master is often protected by distance, security and time. It is kept out of the hands of the one responsible to make the duplication so as to not alter the original. From something as simple as a plastic part that you find in your everyday life, to something as intricate as an engine block, everything is a duplicate of a master “form” that you will never handle in your normal life.

In a multitude of scripture, Jesus gives us examples on how to lead our lives. In one occurrence He instructs the disciples that He has given them an example of service to others (John 13:15) and they should to do as He has done. Paul is not one of these early disciples, but all that he is taught is by revelation from Christ (Galatians 1:12). He is examined several times by the “church” and they even rejoice in his life because he is no longer a persecutor of the church. (Galatians 1:22-24) He is sent by the church, along with Barnabas, as a chosen representative of the church. (Acts 15:22) The mark that Paul is an example to be followed is by the cut of the fabric of his life and how it duplicates the original. In fact, he even tells Corinth to be followers of him as he is a follower of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1) He even instructs Timothy to be an example (pattern) of the believers to those that do not believe. (1 Timothy 4:12) Arguably, Timothy is an adept follower. Paul tells the Philippians that he will send Timothy to them because he is like-minded with Paul’s mind. (Philippians 2:19-23)

From an Original, duplicates are made, and from the duplicates of the original, additional copies are created that are in the form of the Original.

So, along with an exercise at school, this got me to thinking about Jesus as that ultimate example that we are to pattern our lives after. Since I’m am removed from His physical form by time and distance, I look to His Word to give me examples and patterns of life. His Words are Life and Spirit (John 6:63), and they are to be searched to find the pattern of the Messiah in the Word of the Old Testament (John 5:39).

In other words, I find the Original and Master that I am supposed to pattern my life by, from within the Word of God.

Away from the Word, I look for others around me that are cut from the same fabric as He is, and those are the ones I am to follow. From those within my family, to other Christians that surround me, and even to those that are my leaders, I find plenty of examples that show me how to live.

Looking at Jesus for a moment, we find Him in prayer for His disciples. (f)

These very men that will undergo the ultimate test of discipleship in John 18. Obviously they have heard his prayer because John is able to record it. They hear the words He speaks. Maybe they do not fully comprehend the depth of these words, but they understand He is praying for them.

Praying for them. How many times have they listened to Jesus pray. He prays for others (Lazarus, the sick, the dead, the messed up lives). Now He is praying for them. How many times have we prayed for others like Jesus prayed for them. We have prayed within our own spirit. We have prayed with a loud voice. Others have heard us.

What are we praying for? How are we praying? What are we saying?

In John 17, Jesus begins a prayer of intercession for his followers. He intercedes for them, for their relationship with God and each other. For their ability to withstand the hatred and evil of the world. For their understanding of the truth. He prays for their unity and their comprehension of truth. He prays for their joy and perfection.

In fact, this example of prayer is a great pattern for us to follow as we begin to pray for someone or for something that we need God to intercede on in our behalf. Through a class exercise a few years ago I setup these next few lines as a pattern from the original prayer of Jesus that I could use to pray for others.

1. God, (manifest) make known Your Name to ________. (Insert name)
2. You gave me words to use and I give these words to __________.
3. I pray for ________, keep _________ (him/her/it) through the power and knowledge of Your Name.
4. I pray that ________ will be “one” with your name.
5. You are the Joy of my salvation, extend my joy and fulfill it into __________.
6. Keep ________ from evil while you keep ___________  in this world. _________ is a part of this world right now but God you have given _________ your spirit and __________ is like the prodigal that the Father is looking for every day.
7. Set __________ apart from this world through Your Truth.
8. Those that ________ touches through life, I pray that they will see through _________ perspective and perceive _________ background because _________ has been touched by Your Spirit and Word.
9. As your Glory is my glory, I pray that my glory will extend to ________ so that ________ may be One with you and be perfect.
10. I pray that ________ be with me and you as I am with you.
11. I have and will continue to declare your name to __________ for Love’s Sake.

Take a few moments to print this pattern. Fill in the blanks for someone you are heavy in spirit about. Pray a prayer of intercession for them.

It’s okay. Jesus did it. It’s a good pattern. Now, go be an example…