John 11:35
Jesus wept.
This is not the basis for a grand theological truth, or a promise of God's blessing. It's not a precept to follow or a spiritual law. It's not a hymn of worship or a word of prophecy.
Two succinct simple words.
Powerful words. Words that to be truthful give a beautiful picture into the heart of the Son of God, the son of man.
Matthew Henry wrote:
'Being found in fashion as a man, he acts in the way and manner of the sons of men. It was shown by his tears.... We have not a high priest who cannot be touched by a feeling of our infirmities'
If Jesus was so moved by compassion to tears, even knowing that their sorrow would soon be turned to joy, how much more should we follow his example?
A couple verses prior, John writes in verse 33
When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled..
Groaned.
The son of God was troubled.
I think some of this gets lost in translation. The word groaned doesn't mean 'sighed' or 'grieved', but rather that he 'powerfully checked his emotion. And he was troubled - which means 'a visible anguish'
Jesus felt so strongly that he was unable to contain his emotion.
John uses the same words again in verse 38 'Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave....'
I think that the Holy Spirit through the Apostle John in recording Christ's actions and emotions leading up to Lazarus's resurrection is painting a vivid picture of God's heart. How it breaks for us, for the curse of separation.
And God's longing for restoration to right relationship with Him.
The story of Lazarus is a reflection of the gospel itself, the clarion call of God's voice calling forth the lost from a life separated from him, from peace, from joy...and that is the real sorrow.
God's word in it's entirety was given to show us his character, and reveal who he truly is.
Smallest verse in Bible, yet one of the most powerful.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
God's Will
God didn't create evil. Evil by definition is absence of God - brought about by free will to choose His truth or turn from Him. There are consequences of sin, both when we sin and when we are sinned against. However, God in his providence and sovereignty will use even the consequence of sin to accomplish his will. His will is that none should perish but all should come to repentance. We can hope for the removal of sin's consequences, but the reality is that sometimes we are delivered, sometimes we are empowered, and sometimes we are laid bare, so that He may remake us.
Our focus determines our reality, because we can choose to live for Him and seek him in all things, or we can choose to be selfish and turn from him.
It's not about the circumstance - it's about the relationship. God restoring us to Himself... And using all of life to do so.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Prayer and Suffering
Can you imagine what the world would be like if God answered every prayer the way we thought it should be answered?
We have all prayed things like; …God if you’ll only get me out of this..... If you’ll only provide me….please heal the… I don’t understand…
Don’t get me wrong. The Bible is full of truth that says to have faith in Him, ask according to His will, and that He desires to answer us and whatsoever we ask will be answered.
What about the person we pray for that is sick and dies?
What about the situation we pray for that causes someone pain and suffering and it continues?
What about praying for protection from becoming a martyr?
How about prayer for the homeless…the destitute …unborn children …Peace in times of War?
My last post was on enduring trials and remaining constant in times of suffering. This is crucial to our growth as believers. Kong Hee has a great view here on suffering as well.
James 5:16 says “..Confess your faults one to another, and pray for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much..” [KJV]
How often does the first part of that verse get forgotten? I’m not questioning others righteousness, only God knows our hearts, but how often are we confessing our faults one to another?
How about suffering itself? It’s obvious that Job experienced just about every lousy thing that could happen to a man, but yet he was still considered a righteous man prior to God allowing him to be tested.
Consider this excerpt from Job Chapter 33:
‘….God always answers, one way or another, even when people don't recognize his presence. "In a dream, for instance, a vision at night, when men and women are deep in sleep, fast asleep in their beds—God opens their ears and impresses them with warnings. To turn them back from something bad they're planning, from some reckless choice, and keep them from an early grave, from the river of no return. Or, God might get their attention through pain, by throwing them on a bed of suffering, so they can't stand the sight of food; have no appetite for their favorite treats. They lose weight, wasting away to nothing, reduced to a bag of bones. They hang on the cliff-edge of death, knowing the next breath may be their last….This is the way God works. Over and over again He pulls our souls back from certain destruction so we'll see the light—and live in the light’ [The Message]
Jesus himself is acquainted with suffering. As God come in the Flesh he had to be, to identify with our human lives. Ultimately to experience every gambit of being ‘human’ himself, He chose to not to activate his access to Divinity in order to know and be known by us.
Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be “…despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not…’ [Isa 53:3]
Paul stated ‘…Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered..’ [Hebrews 5:8]
Jesus learned obedience through suffering. Wow.
Mark Driscoll in his book Vintage Jesus makes an interesting observation when talking about Jesus’ humanity. “He did not always receive what he asked for…”
Remember when Jesus was in the Garden?
‘…And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to show grief and distress of mind and was deeply depressed. Then He said to them, my soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with me. And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire….Again a second time He went away and prayed, My Father, if this cannot pass by unless I drink it, your will be done. …So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, using the same words…’ [Matthew 26:37-44 AMP]
Now as the Son of God, Jesus knew what he was about to endure. He knew what was before him and still asked if there was any way for the omnipotent, omniscient Father to let the path before him to be taken away. The important thing is that Jesus prayed “... Not my will, but yours be done...." Yet he still prayed that if there was any other way for the Father to remove it three times. And was still obedient to do what he knew was His Father’s will.
My Pastor says frequently "…Faith is not believing regardless of circumstance, but obeying regardless of consequence…" Praying for and in God's Will should be our focus in prayer. Jesus gave us an awesome example in that he was persistent, consistent and fervent in His own prayers, and then followed his prayers with obedience. I believe it was Dr. David Cho that said...
"Effective prayer is going into God’s presence with His Word and getting into agreement with him on that Word…"
We have exceeding great and precious promises in Scripture. God wants us to have hope, understand that our current situation is nothing compared to our future end result, As His children we have access to every promise and blessing that the owner of the cattle on the thousand hills can provide. Health and knowledge, discernment and understanding CAN be ours…. But we are not guaranteed that we will receive what we ask for in the way we want it to happen. Just as God knew in his perfect knowledge that the only way for our relationship with Him to be restored was for Christ to suffer and die, making atonement for us.
The more I come to know Him, the more I am convinced of an increasing need to know Him more. The more I am convicted, the greater my need to confess and ask forgiveness for what I have allowed to take place of His truth in my life. The more I come to understand about prayer and life and suffering I am coming to understand that it is my heart, spirit, and way of thinking that need to change….regardless of what I see happen outwardly, physically, relationally or
emotionally.
And how often His answers to my prayers are what changes in me, rather than what I see change.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Trial By Fire
I am sure that at one time or another we have all heard the story about the silversmith refining silver in the furnace or read the following verses:
"And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness." Malachi 3:3
"And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It [is] my people: and they shall say, The LORD [is] my God." Zechariah 13:9
" "Takeaway the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. " Proverbs 25:47
I think it's a forgone conclusion that as we walk through life, God calls us or desires us to walk through trials or circumstances that cause the unnecessary things to fall apart or be burned away and let the strength of character and faith in Him shine through. It is our call as Christians to demonstrate His glory and shine as lights to the world, and be the salt of the earth.
However, knowing this does not make the situation any easier, especially when we are in the heat of the furnace or the moment, and feel like we're at the end of the proverbial rope.... or feel like we can't take another step.
But, if we based all our decisions on feelings, we would never reach higher, run faster, or overcome adversity or push past those things that seem to keep us from victory and breakthrough. Ask any athlete, and they will tell you it is only in pushing past the physical limitations, past the soreness of muscles and exhaustion that real training begins and expertise comes.
My pastor is fond of saying ".. the same weight that can injure or break you, can be the weight that builds you up, that strengthens you to overcome what you could not handle before.." How true this is, not only in the physical, but in the emotional and spiritual realms as well.
There is a peace that passes understanding, a strength that overcomes all the things that make us weak and feel unable to move on, a spark that is kindled, and is fanned into a roaring fire when we press forward, move deeper and continue in faith beyond what we thought we were capable of. It is that movement that expands our faith, that creates the character that will carry us into greater things, and catapults us forward to the fullness of our calling.
The Greek word most of the New Testament writers use for faith is pistis which is defined as " .. to persuade, being persuaded , faith, belief and confidence in certain divine truths.." ( Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and Zodhiates Lexicon)
Persuaded of HIS Truth.
Not ours.
See, if things always went the way we thought they should, we would never grow, never stretch beyond the borders and confines of our own limited knowledge and understanding.
Through the times we don't understand, the times we want to rail at God because of selfishness or fear of failure.. the tough times where we don't see the forest because of the trees.... it's in those times that our measure of being persuaded is growing, our faith is being stretched and He is creating in us such a greater thing than we could ever imagine or conceive that we could possess.
It's in this and ONLY in this we can even begin to understand what it really means when the Bible says:
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.." Romans 8:18, 28
God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go (Mark Batterson)... He really does want more and better for us than we could possibly think or imagine, and our current circumstance may look like the furthest possible place from freedom, from healing, from breakthrough or restoration... but you have to remember that we have a finite mind, and a single point of view. God is Omnipresent, and has multiple viewing points. Though we may be sweating in the furnace, He is only preparing us to be a purified, shining, regenerated vessel to pour out his Glory, and in doing so is calling us closer, further, and into greater relationship with Him.
"And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness." Malachi 3:3
"And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It [is] my people: and they shall say, The LORD [is] my God." Zechariah 13:9
" "Takeaway the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. " Proverbs 25:47
I think it's a forgone conclusion that as we walk through life, God calls us or desires us to walk through trials or circumstances that cause the unnecessary things to fall apart or be burned away and let the strength of character and faith in Him shine through. It is our call as Christians to demonstrate His glory and shine as lights to the world, and be the salt of the earth.
However, knowing this does not make the situation any easier, especially when we are in the heat of the furnace or the moment, and feel like we're at the end of the proverbial rope.... or feel like we can't take another step.
But, if we based all our decisions on feelings, we would never reach higher, run faster, or overcome adversity or push past those things that seem to keep us from victory and breakthrough. Ask any athlete, and they will tell you it is only in pushing past the physical limitations, past the soreness of muscles and exhaustion that real training begins and expertise comes.
My pastor is fond of saying ".. the same weight that can injure or break you, can be the weight that builds you up, that strengthens you to overcome what you could not handle before.." How true this is, not only in the physical, but in the emotional and spiritual realms as well.
There is a peace that passes understanding, a strength that overcomes all the things that make us weak and feel unable to move on, a spark that is kindled, and is fanned into a roaring fire when we press forward, move deeper and continue in faith beyond what we thought we were capable of. It is that movement that expands our faith, that creates the character that will carry us into greater things, and catapults us forward to the fullness of our calling.
The Greek word most of the New Testament writers use for faith is pistis which is defined as " .. to persuade, being persuaded , faith, belief and confidence in certain divine truths.." ( Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and Zodhiates Lexicon)
Persuaded of HIS Truth.
Not ours.
See, if things always went the way we thought they should, we would never grow, never stretch beyond the borders and confines of our own limited knowledge and understanding.
Through the times we don't understand, the times we want to rail at God because of selfishness or fear of failure.. the tough times where we don't see the forest because of the trees.... it's in those times that our measure of being persuaded is growing, our faith is being stretched and He is creating in us such a greater thing than we could ever imagine or conceive that we could possess.
It's in this and ONLY in this we can even begin to understand what it really means when the Bible says:
"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.." Romans 8:18, 28
God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go (Mark Batterson)... He really does want more and better for us than we could possibly think or imagine, and our current circumstance may look like the furthest possible place from freedom, from healing, from breakthrough or restoration... but you have to remember that we have a finite mind, and a single point of view. God is Omnipresent, and has multiple viewing points. Though we may be sweating in the furnace, He is only preparing us to be a purified, shining, regenerated vessel to pour out his Glory, and in doing so is calling us closer, further, and into greater relationship with Him.
Friday, February 5, 2010
A Few Good Men...
For the past couple of years now I have been redeeming my hour long commute every day, listening to podcasts and sometimes spending the time in prayer. It never ceases to amaze me how my pastor can be teaching on a scripture or a principle, and whatever I am reading or listening to always confirms the Word - even when I start a new author or pick up with a speaker I have not listened to in a few weeks. It's amazing how the scriptures will be identical, or the concepts dovetail one right into the next. Just another confirmation that God is working in (sometimes in spite of), and through me to accomplish His purposes.
Here are the Books I am reading right now:
Shattering your Strongholds by Liberty S. Savard
In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson - this is the book that our men's coffee group are going through.
The Everlasting Man G.K Chesterson
The Wonderful Name of Jesus by E.W. Kenyon
Besides my own pastor these are the other preachers that I am listening to right now:
Mark Driscoll
Rob Bell
Mike Erre
Mark Batterson
Matt Chandler
James MacDonald
I've been guilty of this, but don't let podcasts take the place of your personal devotion time, or other books take the place of God's Word. Use them as a springboard to elevate your faith. Listening to a good message is great, but you have to make it personal by your own searching, reading, and conversation with the Savior.
Here are the Books I am reading right now:
Shattering your Strongholds by Liberty S. Savard
In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson - this is the book that our men's coffee group are going through.
The Everlasting Man G.K Chesterson
The Wonderful Name of Jesus by E.W. Kenyon
Besides my own pastor these are the other preachers that I am listening to right now:
Mark Driscoll
Rob Bell
Mike Erre
Mark Batterson
Matt Chandler
James MacDonald
I've been guilty of this, but don't let podcasts take the place of your personal devotion time, or other books take the place of God's Word. Use them as a springboard to elevate your faith. Listening to a good message is great, but you have to make it personal by your own searching, reading, and conversation with the Savior.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
No Wieners!
Have you ever said to someone;
‘Hey Yeah, I’ll be there...’
‘I’ll pray for you…’
‘That’s tough, I know exactly what you mean…’
When you really have no intention of going, forget that you said you’d pray, or have no clue what someone else might be going through? Why do we feel the need to put up a good front, to wear a mask that really is quite different from what we feel and think, or minimize what others are experiencing by comparing it to our own circumstances?
Do we really think that God is going to reward us for fakery? Or have we gone so far as to deceive ourselves into thinking that we actually will follow through, when our past actions tell us otherwise?
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. – James 1: 22-26 (NIV) (formatting for emphasis)
What does keeping a tight rein on our tongue look like? I mean, I don’t swear, I don’t gossip, I don’t take God’s name in vain, so I am obeying this right?
How about keeping your word?
How about not telling white lies?
How about following through when you say you'll do something?
What do those around us think of our Faith and our God when our actions don't live up to what we say?
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out....In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:13.., 16)
I think it's sometimes more important to practice what we preach, than preach at all. If your words don't match your actions, you are not only not fooling those that are watching you (you know they are, right?) but even worse, you're fooling yourself...
I listened to a podcast a while back by C. Swindol who confessed that he struggled with this - that he often told people that we would pray for them, but then neglected to follow through. He was convicted that when someone asked, he would pray for them then and there, rather than tell them he would and forget later.
I have made the decision that I will let my yes be yes, my no be no, and instead of trying to be everything to everybody.... to be real... to be honest with my own heart, my God, and myself
and quit being a wiener.
‘Hey Yeah, I’ll be there...’
‘I’ll pray for you…’
‘That’s tough, I know exactly what you mean…’
When you really have no intention of going, forget that you said you’d pray, or have no clue what someone else might be going through? Why do we feel the need to put up a good front, to wear a mask that really is quite different from what we feel and think, or minimize what others are experiencing by comparing it to our own circumstances?
Do we really think that God is going to reward us for fakery? Or have we gone so far as to deceive ourselves into thinking that we actually will follow through, when our past actions tell us otherwise?
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. – James 1: 22-26 (NIV) (formatting for emphasis)
What does keeping a tight rein on our tongue look like? I mean, I don’t swear, I don’t gossip, I don’t take God’s name in vain, so I am obeying this right?
How about keeping your word?
How about not telling white lies?
How about following through when you say you'll do something?
What do those around us think of our Faith and our God when our actions don't live up to what we say?
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out....In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:13.., 16)
I think it's sometimes more important to practice what we preach, than preach at all. If your words don't match your actions, you are not only not fooling those that are watching you (you know they are, right?) but even worse, you're fooling yourself...
I listened to a podcast a while back by C. Swindol who confessed that he struggled with this - that he often told people that we would pray for them, but then neglected to follow through. He was convicted that when someone asked, he would pray for them then and there, rather than tell them he would and forget later.
I have made the decision that I will let my yes be yes, my no be no, and instead of trying to be everything to everybody.... to be real... to be honest with my own heart, my God, and myself
and quit being a wiener.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Think right, choose right
Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding.
Think right..... Choose right.....
I've made a few choices at the start of the new year, decisions that I have come to that I believe will help me to grow as a father, a husband, a brother and a leader.
Looking back over 2009, I can honestly say it has been a wonderful year, and that I have been truly blessed and fortunate in life... But at the same time I ended the year with a sense that there are areas that I know require greater discipline, narrower focus, and increased dilligence.
One area is my physical health:
Though not overweight or unhealthy, I have never had a routine workout plan or been very careful in my eating habits. In the past I have rationalized that because I enjoy golf, snowboarding, softball, and frisbee, and because I work hard, that in some way I was exempt from the need to have any strutured excercise routine. However, I've noticed that keeping up with my two and eight year old kids is not as easy as it should be, and through the house remodel this fall there were many mornings I rolled out of bed in the morning wondering who had beaten me all through the night. ( of course some of this should be chalked up to my birthdate...) In any case, I have been convicted to be a better caretaker of this temple... And went and purchased a gym membership.
Now I know that a whole lot of people do this at the start of a new year, but I don't know how many blog about it, so anyone reading my thoughts here can now hold me accountable!
Accountability is the second thing:
A bunch of the guys that I am connected to meet every two weeks early on a Sarurday morning for coffee and fellowship. It has taken some time to build our relationships to the point where we can be open and honest with each other, but I can't think of anything in the natural that we as men that is more important to spiritual health and strength. Think about it, when the diciples were sent out, Jesus sent them two by two. David through all the struggles he had before reaching his throne had Jonathan, Moses had Aaron, Paul didn't travel alone, but had Timothy or Silas or one of the other diciples travel with Him. Every guy should have someone that has his cell number, that he can call at any time of night, that knows what struggles he faces, that he can meet with for prayer and encouragement. My second decision is to be a better accountability partner, and not only because I need it in my life, but because I owe it to my friend and his family to be available and purposeful in our relationship.
Spiritual health:
Pro 24:6 '...For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.'
More good books, more Bible, and more questions answered. I asked one of the the older, more experienced guys in my church if he would meet with me answer some questions, to be the Paul to my Timothy, and help me understand how to be a better father and husband. If you want advice on life, find someone who has been doing it awhile, someone who is respected and willing to point you in the right direction when you have things you need to unlearn and help to keep your feet to the fire.
I need to read some more good books, memorize more scripture, do more of what I hear and less of what has consumed my past.
Resolutions get forgotten...
.... Priorities change..
I want this year to be different, and the end see me closer to my savior, a more loving husband and father, and with the knowledge to make good chioces at the right time.
If knowledge is knowing what do to, then wisdom is knowing the right time to do it.
Think right..... Choose right.....
I've made a few choices at the start of the new year, decisions that I have come to that I believe will help me to grow as a father, a husband, a brother and a leader.
Looking back over 2009, I can honestly say it has been a wonderful year, and that I have been truly blessed and fortunate in life... But at the same time I ended the year with a sense that there are areas that I know require greater discipline, narrower focus, and increased dilligence.
One area is my physical health:
Though not overweight or unhealthy, I have never had a routine workout plan or been very careful in my eating habits. In the past I have rationalized that because I enjoy golf, snowboarding, softball, and frisbee, and because I work hard, that in some way I was exempt from the need to have any strutured excercise routine. However, I've noticed that keeping up with my two and eight year old kids is not as easy as it should be, and through the house remodel this fall there were many mornings I rolled out of bed in the morning wondering who had beaten me all through the night. ( of course some of this should be chalked up to my birthdate...) In any case, I have been convicted to be a better caretaker of this temple... And went and purchased a gym membership.
Now I know that a whole lot of people do this at the start of a new year, but I don't know how many blog about it, so anyone reading my thoughts here can now hold me accountable!
Accountability is the second thing:
A bunch of the guys that I am connected to meet every two weeks early on a Sarurday morning for coffee and fellowship. It has taken some time to build our relationships to the point where we can be open and honest with each other, but I can't think of anything in the natural that we as men that is more important to spiritual health and strength. Think about it, when the diciples were sent out, Jesus sent them two by two. David through all the struggles he had before reaching his throne had Jonathan, Moses had Aaron, Paul didn't travel alone, but had Timothy or Silas or one of the other diciples travel with Him. Every guy should have someone that has his cell number, that he can call at any time of night, that knows what struggles he faces, that he can meet with for prayer and encouragement. My second decision is to be a better accountability partner, and not only because I need it in my life, but because I owe it to my friend and his family to be available and purposeful in our relationship.
Spiritual health:
Pro 24:6 '...For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.'
More good books, more Bible, and more questions answered. I asked one of the the older, more experienced guys in my church if he would meet with me answer some questions, to be the Paul to my Timothy, and help me understand how to be a better father and husband. If you want advice on life, find someone who has been doing it awhile, someone who is respected and willing to point you in the right direction when you have things you need to unlearn and help to keep your feet to the fire.
I need to read some more good books, memorize more scripture, do more of what I hear and less of what has consumed my past.
Resolutions get forgotten...
.... Priorities change..
I want this year to be different, and the end see me closer to my savior, a more loving husband and father, and with the knowledge to make good chioces at the right time.
If knowledge is knowing what do to, then wisdom is knowing the right time to do it.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Are you a farmer?
Hosea 10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for [it is] time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you..... Our future harvest will only come if we plow the ground.