Take a step Dec. 23

 Plunging ourselves into a broken and hurting world, we learn to distribute God's flavor throughout our everyday experiences.

The Way Dec.4

 

In a moment of meditation God said to me:

All around you vibrates the Father’s Way. So, it is not, “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” It is rather, “where remains God’s Way, there resides a will.” All of creation ripples with the effects of God’s way. Look for it. Allow His will to become your willingness. The Father is reclaiming His creation.

Prayer: Lord, help that part of me that wills decisions to filter all through your plan.

Becoming

In Psalms 103:10,  I am grateful that God deals with us as to what we can become and not just what we are.

Nov. 15 Why are some prayers not answered?

 

Jesus said,” If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” [John 14:14 NKJV] We may not can do Jn.14:14 until we do Luke 10:27.

The challenge is, we have not done:

Luke 10:27, “And he answered and said, ‘you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’”

Before you pray, have you loved Christ with ALL your heart [emotion], with ALL your soul [self in decision making], with ALL your strength [strong passion with energy], with ALL your mind [thinking and perception], and your neighbor as yourself [caring for others with all the above]?

Jn.14:14 may NOT happen until we do Luke 10:27.

Nov. 14 What hinders life?

 

Just as we have a biological need for food, we have a similar need for love. Any effort that hinders love is destined for failure. Christ becomes a surplus for growing character in the action of altruism.  

Nov. 11 Why share?

 

Take away the desire to share the love of Christ with others and you just create a secret knowledge approach that leads to a rule system of established ignorance. These rules are without ultimate Holy Spirit wisdom and power.

Nov.8 Four stages of living.

 

If living has levels, there are four: intuition, obligation, faith, and love definition. Intuition is what we used to call instinct, that animal part of us that pursues the basics like food, procreation, and shelter. Obligation determines our sense of duty toward life decisions. Faith develops our sense of trust in inside and outside forces. Love grows as we experience new happenings, interests, and people interaction that captures our emotions and thinking to move in directions of choice. Our whole world is now experiencing a new definition of love faith.

Nov. 3 Double thinking.

 

Much time goes by involved in matters of this world and we forget to even think about Christ’s leading us. The challenge of daily living is the issue of double thinking. [Mark 4:19]

Oct. 22 Essence

 

Too many Christian personalities are based on the results of tasting, touching, seeing, smelling, and hearing. True Christian character is based on one’s essence growing in Christ.

Oct. 15 Want completeness?

 

Touch Jesus of Nazareth and your faith can make you whole. [Lk.8-46-48]

Oct. 8 Who is great?

 

And Jesus said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. For whoever is least among you---this one is great.” [Luke 9:48]

Oct.2 What truth?

 

Actual truth by its essence is universal. Absolute truth is truth everywhere and everywhen. Cut any human and that person bleeds the basic same blood. Every person has an option of 24 hours. Gravity becomes real when tested. No such thing as regional truth. Regional truth is only part truth. Truth becomes eternal when it is valid everywhere and for eternity. Jesus said, “I am the truth.”

Oct.1 What capacity?

 

Is there a latent capacity in every brain that if it could be fully used, would receive all the power that exists for humans both naturally and supernaturally? That capacity is the part of humanity made in God’s image. For Christians, the Holy Spirit taps that capacity. [John 14:16]

Sept. 30 Step through the door.

 

When we step through the door of self surrender to Christ, our human motives start to vanish because they start to dissolve in all knowing truth. Our finite love gets embraced with infinite love. We can think without being conscious of thinking. We can feel without being aware of feeling. This is because we are absorbing God’s love as the Holy Spirit gives beyond our weaker conscious ability. Our spiritual status is being raised for the kingdom purposes. [ Gal. 5:16]

Sept. 29 What is self?

 

There is an inner and outer action of the Self. The self is one’s essential being, essence and works as decision-maker. If the self belongs to itself, the decision-maker is always looking for something more. If this inner self belongs to Christ, the outer self action can follow love, peace, and harmony.

Sept.27 Selling Out

 

Some one thing should not be adopted by the Christian if it cannot be totally embraced in one’s new nature of Christ.

Sept. 26 True fellowship

 

True Christian fellowship is not an end in itself. It is a means to the end of fellowship with God. [1Jo.1:17]

Sept. 24 A mystery solved.

 

Why aren’t more Christians able to do John 14:14? Jesus said, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” I think one answer is Luke 10:27. The key is in the word “all.”

Sept. 15 A prediction.

 

There are 3 strong motivators for humanity that cycle through our culture: Self, Sex and Group. In the 80’s came a rebirth of the 60’s Sex motivation. In the 90’s came emphasis on the Self. The 2000’s will continue to emphasize Group motivation. This year will be ruled by Group struggles.

Sept. 14 What is wrong with us?

 

Why is there so much hate and resentment among us? Although the basic urge of human nature is love, the self-urge seems to decide in which direction the deeper need can go. Love is the deeper need, but the self-urge is the deciding urge and chooses the direction. The self-urge twists other-centered love into selfish outcomes and anger emerges.

Sept. 9 Pay Attention.

 

We need to start viewing time as God sees it. Our time is not just periods of life when stuff happens, people we meet or places we go. Everything happening in our time has to do with God remaking His creation. Events of Luke 21: 11 are already happening.

Sept. 7 Good versus evil

 

God has designed life such that His superior, ever-present being allows humans to go against His omnipotence. In this sense any evil in humanity seems to block God’s temporary will. He allows circumstance to give humans a change to grow in moral character. But His ultimate will of love will still occur.

Sept. 4 What is basic for human nature?

 

Some would say that self is the most basic for human nature. Others would say sex is the basic. Then some would proclaim that social interaction is most basic. But the basic nature for all people everywhere is love. Love is the core. It can be healthy or twisted. Everyone, everything needs love. Love gets reborn in Christ, untwisted.

Sept. 3 A Contract?

 

You don’t have to write up a legal contract with Jehovah God to have him do something for you. Love is His contract.

Aug. What character?

 

If we say, “I love to go to church” we have to be careful because we may experience Eros love that expects some kind of return. If we can say “I love to be the church while I’m at church.” We may experience Agape love that is God’s love with no conditions. The quality of love is in the other centered character building.

A Psychiatrist said

 A psychiatrist friend said, "every cell of our bodies has a connection to some emotion." I have discovered an extension of that. Every cell in our bodies can be connected to the irreplaceable Jesus and the absolute kingdom of Jehovah.

Aug. 18 What are values?

 

Values are things we hold most important. The love Jesus gives uproots our value system and moves us to experience love value without expecting any return.

Aug. 17 God’s Genuine Mystery

 

When we were being loved by Jehovah God and we did not know we were, He did not expect anything in return. It is called unconditional love-grace, Agape. When we love someone like a child, we expect something in return, loyalty, Eros love. When we give Christ our willingness, that connection establishes the higher love agape and our expectations change. We, too, can experience unconditional love action.

Aug. 16 Strategy Change

 

It appears God changed His information strategy. Once in the Old Testament, He wanted to hear, demanded to hear answers from people. In the New Testament, He doesn’t demand but invites [ often in silence, allowing free will] to see Jesus as He is and come home.

Aug. 15 Fox-hole religion

 

We used fox hole religion to refer to asking God to spare our lives during war engagements. “If you will save my life, I will serve you the rest of my life.” Now we call it quid pro quo. “If you will grant me health, I will serve you better.” We do not need to bargain with God to get to the best steps on a staircase. God already met us on the bottom step with his Son Jesus, coming down to meet us. We only need to do ONE thing, accept His willingness to join our lives.

Aug. 14 Innocence or Guilt?

 

As an innocent child takes his first step, by himself, God sends his innocent son to step for us, His innocence covers our personal guilt. But we have to accept the Son’s walk.

Aug. 6 True Love

In ancient Greek literature, the word for love was a verb, agapen. Early Christians had to invent a word for God’s unconditional love in Christ. They developed a noun, agape.

Aug.5 Potential

When we look upon children, we see potential. I know they are innocent, and adults are not. But, every day, we should look upon people as to what and how they can become better instead of always correcting their faults. Christ showed us this love. Love first. Legislate second.

Aug. 4 Final Truth

To realize God’s ultimate truth through the person Jesus does not damage life but helps us rise to that very truth as new persons. The decision we need to give up is the self-will. When we do that, all other fake beliefs and actions can be modified.

 

Aug. 3 Beings from other planets?

A search for other beings is a search for ultimate, complete science and truth. Science seeks to discover the underlying laws of Nature and the universe. Any weakness in science cannot be explained with philosophy. Science weakness can only be explained by the spirit of life. Ultimate reality is not found in outer space but inner space. When Jehovah God placed himself into His own creation flesh as his son Jesus, He created ultimate reality and completeness of all things.

August 1 What kind of Christian?

Perhaps a Christ follower should be like the cedar tree when you strike it with an ax, it bleeds its fragrance onto the very blade that strikes it.

July 29 Alone?

You cannot see what you search for because what you search for is often the one doing the search. Only the Holy Spirit of Christ can give extra eyes for the self to become other-centered.

July 25 Real Glue of Life

The right kind of love binds every other value into the best harmony. With Christ’s love, any new life or new value sets cohesion. You can wear this balance with blue jeans or tuxedos, sweatpants or evening dress.

Profit? July 22

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." [ NKJV, 1 Timothy 6:6 ]
"A godly life brings huge profits to people who are content with what they have." [ God's Word Translation].

What is important? July 20

The Apostle Paul names the outstanding values in life: men or angel power of speech, understanding all knowledge, efficient and effective faith, unlimited giving, total self-sacrifice including the body. 

Even possessing all that, he says if he has not love, nothing is gained. [1 Cor. 13:1-3].

Any behavior that has not love in it falls short.

What love? July 18

A preacher said to a man he should work on loving his neighbor like himself. He answered, I don’t do anything bad to my neighbors, I just don’t neighbor.”

That is why Jesus went further than just loving your neighbor as yourself and said, “…..you love one another as I have loved you.” [John 15:12.]

3 Main Urges July 17, 2020

When Jesus said the main motivator in life was “you should love your neighbor as yourself,” he implied three main urges. Three main motivators for humanity are self activity urges, gender/sex action appetites, and group need activities. Only God’s redeeming love can balance all three.

Sword and shield July 16

In the days of sword fighting, a story circulated that there was a man who claimed he had armor that no sword could penetrate. He met a man who claimed his sword could cut through anything. The man of armor told sword man to try to cut. The sword man swung sword and hit armor man on the head. Armor man said “See, nothing happened.” Sword man said. “Shake yourself.” Sword man did and fell into two pieces.

God’s word is sharper than any two-edged sword.

Is God a monster? July 8

God is not a monster who eats his children. He is love who redeems us. We give ourselves, Christ converts  and gives the Self back renewed. God's son teaches self realization through self surrender.

Conclusions of honesty July 1

A few reminders learned from a conscious honesty effort. These are just learned conclusions. You will discover some of your own.

1)   The Holy Spirit continues to love us regardless of any personal failure.

2)   Try to love people openly enough to tell them truth instead of just trying to change them. Think first, then always use kind words.

3)   Genuine truth-practice sets us free to say no as well as yes. When living honesty, I cannot participate in all things [neither could Jesus].

4)   Choose words more carefully. If you feel you must respond at all, instead of telling a truth like, “I sure don’t like your new hairstyle.” You might just answer, “I appreciate you asking. You know, as I see it, that style is not the most flattering for you.”

5)   You may be right, like following your perspective of some rule, but still not be honest. This happens when you have a misdirected value, like money solves everything. Sometimes we should just answer “I need to think more about that.” Or you might say, “Right now, I’m glad you asked, but now, I don’t know, but I’m willing to listen.”

6)   A hurtful honesty is short term. A dishonest lifestyle is long term. A dishonest lifestyle is like a dripping faucet. Over a long period, the slow drip will dig a noticeably big hole. Fix the faucet. Be honest.

I realize these are not all the answers that exist. They remain suggestions to jump start your thinking and action. I think of the old rodeo cowboy and some of his expressions. He would say, “the ride ain’t over yet until the buzzer bends yore ear!” Keep riding. Keep practicing.

More Honesty Actions June 30

Continued from June 29:

4) Take some leisure time and make a list of persons who you think could help hold you accountable in honest sharing. It may start with only one who keeps two-way confidentiality. That’s ok. Other persons can happen later. They still need to be significant in that they are willing to deeply share with you their own troubles, faults, or weaknesses. They should also be able to keep confidences. This action is not just dumping your problems on someone. Sharing needs to reach a close, equal amount of exposure to each other. This makes us strugglers together, bearing each other’s burdens in Christ. [Gal.6:2] You will understand this effort better when it happens to you.

5) Develop a time and place to meet for sharing with persons. Use prayer and bearing one another’s burdens in confessional manner. [James 5:16]. You could do this with Zoom or some technology that allows you to personally share. You might just go to lunch with someone as an individual approach. You might meet for a walk and talk. Or, you might meet in a small group time. Do this activity as often as practical, but at least, once a month. Everyone needs to unburden once a month, so you don’t carry around emotional garbage unnecessarily.

6) Develop a specific action list for practice of honest sharing with others. This is an extension of number 5. Put the list on a calendar, like Friday share with Janet. Of course, Janet needs to commit like you to this sharing. For instance, commit to sharing once/twice a week with someone. Or, pick a specific time of day, like 2 to 4, and tell everyone that is the time you will practice total honesty. They better not ask you something at that time unless they want full honest response. I know, I know, the true goal is to be honest all the time. But you need to start somewhere as a practice. [more]

Specific honesty actions June 29

Now the following are active attempts at helping you work at making honesty more aware and creating a personal journey.

Your first action needs to be: Pray and Commit to Holy Spirit that will help define honesty with yourself and others.

I know most people do not like to write but taking notes, making thoughts tangible creates a way to review what is so easily forgotten. Whatever your method, put these in your cell phone memory section or put on paper so you can look at them often. Making a tangible record is one action attempt. Remember, this section challenges you to establish action efforts that lead to better behavior. Also, these are not in any order of significance. You can move them around to accomplish those you are ready for right now.

1). Write a personal note to God, like a letter, just your own thoughts about areas of life you are afraid for Him to expose or evaluate. You do not have to show this to anyone. This is your private letter. It’s ok to start an honest effort with God. I know He already knows all, but He also wants you to discuss things with him. Writing something down helps to stabilize your aware function. And that is a part of practicing being conscious of His presence. Besides, when earthly struggles take over your life, the written letter can be a reminder, a review of your original intention. Some of you like to write diaries. That’s ok too.

2) Make specific times to pray for Holy Spirit to mold you into honesty efforts. Pray for honesty just as strongly as you pray for health. Choose exact times. Imagine Jesus sitting beside you. Pick specific times, like driving to work or each morning with your coffee or whenever and whatever you do something on a regular basis. Ask to mold your honesty attempts through words and actions.

3) At another time, write another list of issues you think that you please God. Avoid comparisons with others. They should be praise centered or gratitude expressions. This does not have to be complicated. You can say things like, “I think God likes it when I give Jesus some credit.” “God likes me better when I am more loving.” This is not bragging, but expressing appreciation. These can remind you of some things you do right with God.

2nd & 3rd Honesty Ideas June 28

First was change perspective. See June 26.

Second, if we commit to an honesty approach that recognizes that someday we may behave truthfully and then, other days, fail with pretense---we must find actions for lifestyle that do NOT define us by our weaknesses. To accomplish this, we need to rely more on Christ’s forgiveness. God’s unlimited forgiveness for his children means, we do not have to be stuck in some weakness or situation. So, we take on intentionally an openness attitude and approach to living.

Now I know this is hard. But again, EASINESS is not the goal. And the increasing challenge to become truthful is we must learn to avoid defending ourselves with every struggle. We can realize that if we commit to God’s permanent truth, He can defend us when necessary. Committing to the process of loving and accurate truth-telling with Jesus and others moves us into the kind of forgiveness that can overcome bad behavior in a Christlike manner. Consequences of bad behavior may not be erased but feeling bad about them need no longer define us.

Third, living a forgiven life, helps us discover new solutions to lying, faking, or presenting false impressions. For new solution attempts to work we must find other persons who accept honesty efforts. This may be one of the very reasons we are to gather together as like-minded Christians for worship. How you get together becomes open for individual interpretation, but gathering together helps us share and gives the Holy Spirit opportunity to correct and renew character growth. [Acts 2:42-44; 5:42]

In my past experience, honesty process helps in even practical ways. For instance, I had a good friend come to me with a business proposition. It involved a new product and I could see; it would make us a lot of money.

The difficulty was the product and approach I would have to be involved did not fit my personality. I hurt his feelings by refusing but I had to be honest and admit that in the long run, I would have hurt his goals and me. So, I could say no because I’d had some honesty growth. I just had to admit who I was and stick with it.

Stay with me. More action follows.

3 Ideas of Honesty June 26

Hang with me because you may discover some things about practicing conscious honesty. Yes, scripture makes us aware we should be truthful all the time. And that certainly remains a goal. But the truth is, most of us are still struggling with just how to live honestly.

Please remember this perspective. You need to remember that sometimes you may be honest but not accurate. You may display honest feelings and thoughts but be inaccurate or incorrect. For instance, you may say honestly “I don’t like that political candidate because he seems selfish.” You may be honest, but your perspective may be inaccurate because you really don’t know the person. You may have seen only the surface facts and not the underneath truths. For this reason, we need to continue a clarification process. Clarification means we must work toward a genuine integrity by comparing what is viewed as truth on the surface and how to practice openness with hidden truths. Other people and programs can be a part of the process. Consequently, “telling the truth” does not always mean you are right. You may think you are telling the truth if you call someone a slug. That may just be feelings or perspective talking. It might be accurate to you, but not the other person who genuinely lives other than a slug. So, one goal is to establish a harmony of what is accurate and what is honest.

        To clarify certain aspects of truth telling, we need to view some definitions of openness. We take a hint from John 1:46-47.

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Nathaniel asked. Come and see,” Phillip answered.

Then Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him and said about him, Here, truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” [CSB version]

As we view this occasion of Nathaniel, we see interesting responses.

First, as it appears, Nat seems to be a blunt [openness] individual who says what he thinks, doesn’t hold back, “you get what you see” kind of individual. He seems biased about Nazareth which had a bad cultural reputation at the time. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” So, while he may have his bias, he doesn’t try to hide or smooth over his thinking. From this and other things we may not know, Jesus views him without guile or deception.

To me, we may come to the first aspect of honesty: we must accept the challenge to practice responding who and how we really are. This means an admittance to God, us and others. And, if who we really are hurts others or displays incorrect thinking, then we work on change. But the point is we need to consciously practice avoiding pretense as a lifestyle.

Maybe Nat should have kept his opinion of Nazareth to himself. Yes, it’s a value call. But on the other hand, he was what he was. I appreciate people who verbally express themselves with no deceit intended. Is this true when they are obviously wrong? While difficult, I think so. Jesus must have also. Sometimes accepting who people are [without accepting bad behavior] is a start to accept who God wants them to become. This may be part of “blessed are the meek” – a practice of absorbing some of the hurt of individuals. [James 5:7]

[2nd and 3rd ideas follow]

True partner June 25

Granted, Psalms 8 reminds us that humans were made just a little lower than the heavenly beings. We have the power of dominion over everything on earth. But if that power gets misused, we suffer greatly. We need the guidance of someone larger than ourselves. No one human person [not even the best computer] can coordinate everything to satisfy everyone.  We need God’s Holy Spirit guidance to keep from destroying everything. How do we find a personal balance? How do we accomplish a steady involvement with the Holy Spirit?

In the first place, you do not have to push things. Just begin by giving credit where it belongs. We can now belong to Him as friend and confidant. We are His companion and He is our partner. He joins us in a perpetual relationship.

 When are we most His friend?  One answer: When we praise him by giving Him presence. Whether through large or small events, let Him lead. When you step, He steps. When He steps, you step. When you sing, let Him sing. When He sings, you sing. When you speak, use His words as yours. When He speaks, you speak. When he feels, you feel. But always wait on his leading.

        I know always trying to live His presence daily is still scary. But it is one helpful nervousness that moves us toward honesty. Recognizing the Holy Spirit as real and placing Him the center of life reveals an astonishing truth. He will help you with candid efforts. You will not do this alone.

Strength beyond June 24

Unquestionably, since Jesus remains an everlasting reality and a stable companion in all things, we need to pay close attention and recognize the workings of the Holy Spirit he sent us.

        Scripture tells us the human Jesus had to go away but he would leave us a comforter [John 14:16;26]. The comforter is our guide and counselor. Jesus is the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is Jesus. He is not only with us, among us, but within us as a welcome guest. He does not just mess up the guest room and leave either. He always treats it better than we have designed it. Pictures are always straight. The bed is always made. The carpet stays swept and clean. He does not overeat, burn too much electricity or interrupt with obnoxious motivations. His stay remains perfect.

        The challenge is: Do we let him roam the rest of our internal house? Do we just keep him in the guest room and only recognize or let him out when we need him? Ironically, while the Holy Spirit can do anything he wants, he will stay in the guest room until invited out. See, he is polite but wants desperately to intermingle with every part of our house. Is there a way to sustain him more actively in our lives?

        In a sense, our task is to allow His presence throughout our lives increasingly by feeding him, not leftovers but meals of the self. The more we choose other-centered opportunities, the more the Holy Spirit gets invited into life. Systematically, we ease out self-indulgence, self-benefit, self-goals. We design a primary practice of searching ways to fellowship with His plan for others. God’s word becomes the blueprint for constructing the accurate rooms of our house for God’s kingdom growth.

        What do the blueprints show us? Scripture, prayer, praise, and worship can thrive to allow the Holy Spirit access through our own house-body. A daily result can become the peace that truly passes all understanding because we can relax from anxiety and fear, be honest, knowing One greater than us is in control. I want the best carpenter building my house. Don’t you?

        Of course, we fail every day. We leave the wrong doors open. We bump into furniture we’ve moved to the wrong place. We burn the food we prepare for our guest. We stumble, we forget, we get distracted with daily problems by trying to solve issues with our natural resources and skills. But the wonderful good news is we can begin again. Our story does not end when we grant the wrong motivation to crowd out time spent with Holy Spirit. No matter what emotions we may feel, we can choose to give the Holy Spirit daily attention. We can just work hard at behaving as if Jesus is always with us. Take Him with you wherever and whenever you go. Put him in the front seat of the car, instead of the back. When you go to the grocery store, when you go for gasoline, when you go on vacation, look over and ask, “How are we doing Jesus?” He will actively ride along. [more]

The Release Factor June 23

When we accept Christ as the center of our lives the release motivation becomes real. Any Christ committed person yields the inner self, allows personal self-will to grow toward God’s kingdom ideas. What happens next since Jesus is no trickster? We enter a journey of finding out who and what we really are and what action to do about it. The friendship release removes the need for sham, pretense or faking as tools for survival. With a sigh of acceptance, the release action can replace lies, false impressions, and wasted false energy that try to impress or build status.

        This time of freedom allows you to walk in a new kind of love and love a new walk. You may become authentic self and like it, instead of always trying to surprise or please someone or reinvent the self, every day.

An amazing result happens that you often become more naturally and supernaturally attractive to others who want reality in life as well. People will be drawn to you like a magnet because they may see this release, this honesty in you. Remember, this was exactly what happened with the disciples of the New Testament. They spent time with Jesus, absorbed his characteristics and became winsome and attractive in a new way. Christ was not only mentor but partner in every situation.

        Of course, the Cross experience of Jesus is never undervalued, but that remains half the story. His resurrection completed the story and created a whole new opportunity for all humanity. The Cross experience was God the Father’s allowing man to break the back of His Son. The resurrection triumph was God saying He would now break our hearts. A new and magnificent process began. We can journey with the Holy Spirit in this earthly dimension, become authentic human beings after the image of Christ and live at peace with ourselves and others.

        None of the personal adventure happens all at once. We stay in this earthly realm however long we are supposed to stay. I think since we are made in God’s image, we have a built-in pattern to keep creative growth alive. I personally do not think we quit learning when we die. A kind of growth and maturity must exist since we will spend a long time in eternity.

        So, Jesus becomes our permanent savior, brother, teacher, friend, and ally. We find the growth quality to be a release to be authentic, a guide for honesty that helps complete the journey. [more]

A Release June 22

You will discover in Christ that we are more than just our self-interests. See 2 Peter1:4 “. . . through these promises, you will share in the divine nature . . .” This privileged encounter and shared friendship/partnership with Jesus will start a release motivation.

        Remember from your early up-bringing, your self-talk often pushed your thoughts by saying you needed to go out into the world and show everyone you were worth something. The inner voice demanded you become successful, achieve things in the world values, become known as a doer of magnificence. The inner conversation kept repeating you would not be loved if not recognized for your good works. Within this pull was the idea that true love can only be earned; it was never free.

        Inch by inch, the misdirected truth-voice tries to chip away at the real voice that affirms I am loved by God, undeniably and free of merit. Even today, if you let the voice, you will hear it coming from friends, family, or church. The thoughts come: Why am I not given any attention? Why am I not as good as so in so? Why would they hurt me? If you are not careful, you will start to daydream riches and fame. All the tempting thoughts remind you of the moments you have allowed your faith only to weaken. Yet, in your better moments, you know God has truly made you one of His heirs.

        You may wonder if you will ever be free of the misconceptions? You may have to battle misdirection all your life, but so far, you can say with Jesus, “man does not live by bread alone.”

You may wonder if you were released when the salvation experience occurred?  Yes, you were given the power to be released from loneliness, from the feeling of belonging nowhere, from sins you could not solve yourself. Salvation remains a wonderful, supernatural experience. But at the time of any lack of clarification and personal church experience, conversion may have seemed too other worldly, like a whole different dimension, unreachable by any physical effort. The spiritual and physical appeared too divided. Perhaps once, you could not harmonize the two or feel good about the separation of physical and spiritual.

        But when you realize Jesus as friend, a release happens that settles the tension between physical and spiritual. A genuine friend doesn’t play “Gotcha”, point out every mistake you make. I true friend helps create new options or directions of travel. Jesus becomes what I call a synergistic bridge, a meshing to understand the spiritual and physical can cooperate and become more than the sum of each individual parts. It happens when we understand the sharing of the divine nature of Jesus. Your spiritual and physical [S & P] does not have to war all the time because Jesus becomes an ally, a genuine reality that is permanent. He is no longer some unreachable idea of goodness. In the form of the Holy Spirit, He walks, talks, guides daily when you take in his words and pay attention. The Matthew 5 guidelines become the correct road to travel in any generation.

        The whole process of release is not some vague, mysterious ritual that only a few can possess. Any Christ committed person can yield by offering the inner self, allowing one’s personal self-will to grow toward God’s kingdom ideas, and truly trust Jesus everyday as a partner, permanent reality, no trickster, and friend. You don’t have to beg, barter, or promise. Trust becomes a two-way street. You are free from game playing. Remember, you can’t out-think the Holy Spirit anyway. [more]

The Real friend June 20

Please stay patient with my personal experiences. They are just examples I know I can trust. This work is still about honesty as I am trying to be just that.

Sometime after the passing of my Dad, my mother passed as well. Mother had been more in touch with me over the years, so we had said most everything to each other. The only drama with her was I had to give the main speech at her funeral and that came out as naturally as speaking for a friend. After their deaths, the Holy Spirit seemed to say,” Trust me. I’m the friend that never goes away or dies no matter what.”

 Well, many times before, you may have heard that Jesus was your friend but you still felt there was a part of Him from God the Father that might be out to get you because of your shortcomings; you are not sure. Of course, you may have believed Jesus was God and he died for you, although you didn’t understand [still don’t] why he would, but the dying sacrifice is much higher in definition than your feeling any earthbound friendship. So now, the Holy Spirit says to make Him friend. The process often starts after you experience any gut-wrenching pain of loss.

The closest earth friend I ever had was killed by a negligent auto driver. I spent days lambasting God, sending him “why” thunder bolts, almost drowning in my misery. Why did He let this happen? Why did He let the one person I let into my very soul, die? Especially why when there were so many others around not worthy to live. For a long time, I got no answer. He seemed to answer with silence. You see, asking God why is asking Him to explain the whole universe system. Our minds are too small. Only the eternity of heaven will allow such explanation.

        Then one day, I quit asking why and started asking, “What am I to do now? Who am I to be?” Suddenly, it was as if God spoke one word: Friend. My initial response was, “Yes, I know I just lost a friend, So?” Several times, He just impressed upon me, “Friend.”

        Slowly some light began to seep through my warped perception. God was not answering me about my next earthly friendship as to what I was going to do. He was trying to get me to see He was my true friend already.

When I realized this, my whole self, made an about face, turned around, as dramatic as when you switch sides in bed. You turn, reposition, usually wake up some and settle into a new place. The truth of His being my friend changed my overall viewpoint. Looking at life experiences through the eyes of knowing you have an eternal friend, no matter what, releases the acceptance quality to full measure. No longer was I cared for because I earned something or with a temporary love you could lose by death, but I knew I had an eternal, live friend and was totally accepted just for being me. You see, a real friend is forever.

        In your present situation, it may not matter as much what you are doing but try to filter it through the idea that Jesus is your best friend and he joins you in any endeavor. Whether working on some project for the house, figuring finances, going to church, writing, doing something for friends or family, ask your friend to hang out with you just because you like him. By doing this, your whole prayer life can change. You can still do traditional kinds of praying, but now you can do a lot more conversational talk with your friend. And believe it or not, He does talk back in many ways. [more]

A Surprise Change June 19

Any change you consider moving closer to what Jesus wants, you will still experience some fear and trembling. You will sense the fact that you have not full arrived in some kind of perfection. But when you finally take seriously other-centered approaches to a Christian journey, the idea of prayer takes on new meaning. No longer do you need feel you have to beg God for anything. You do not have to spend hours and hours pleading your case.  You will find God is already doing things you want. Now, you just need to pay attention and see His work. Your prayers take more the form of “please remember_______.” And it is not that you think God could forget, but the remembrance is for your benefit for growth. While you no longer live in the past, you can still discuss an issue and talk the idea with friend Jesus. A new process and perspective have begun.

        The Holy Spirit will become more of a person and friend by letting you know that Jesus is not just some historical figure of the past but a very present reality. You can place Him in a chair next to you and just talk to a friend. You can also place him in the car with you as you go to a store and get frustrated looking for that difficult parking spot.

        I’m afraid you are like me in that you don’t have more than two to three genuine friends through a lifetime. I tended to go through life picking only one person as a close friend [safer I thought]. Of course, over time, something controversial happens, you may lose that individual and you will have to start all over in forming another friendship which still appears a painful exercise. The whole process is how you may tend to shelter and guard your self-vulnerability.

        But then, a different kind of losing can happen and death becomes a kind of wake-up call. Death comes to many living things of course. But death of close people in your life becomes such a disrupter and makes us stop and think. Both my parents died, not at the same time, thankfully.

        Again, the Holy Spirit showed me something and I feel it was pure grace coming from God. When my father became ill and in hospital, much prayer occurred, but there was an issue of two things I personally wanted to see before he went. Because I never had a close relationship with my Dad, I always wanted to hear him call me “son” and tell me he loved me.

So, while I was the only one in the room one night, he had gotten so nauseated he turned to me and said, “Son. . . would you get another nurse for me.” He didn’t like the nurse he had and wanted another. Still, he called me SON.

 Later, I could see he was losing perception, so I went to his bedside. I clamped both my hands on his face and turned him to look at me. I said, Dad, I love you.” He looked bewildered and I don’t know if it was because what I said or his physical state of the moment. After a pause, he said, “Son, I love you too.” God still does gracious things.  [more]

Self-Interest June 18

An astonishing fact remains to me that Jesus, the very Son of God, never sought praise. Praise never seemed to be His goal for himself. He lived consistently for others. Perhaps the only time a concept of self-centeredness crept into His life was at the Garden of Gethsemane with one of his biggest temptations, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” [Mark 13:36, NKJV]. He kept a low profile every time he could until his death. And that certainly was not any definition of praise except to a mysterious God the Father.

Personally, I believe there is a difference between self-centered action and self-interest action. Self-centered behavior always results in favoring the Self core and receiving something in return. You are motivated to get return for your action.

On the other hand, you CAN perform self-interest for the benefit of others. For instance, sometimes people love to give stuff [self-interest], like tools, money, things they may have made just for the joy of seeing others receive. The receivers may not appreciate or give any credit to those who gave. That’s ok. The givers do not need any bragging rights.

It seems at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus just responded with normal self-interest when he asked for the cup to pass, but He ended with surrendering to the Father’s will, other centered.

Increasingly, as I discovered the plight of self-centered behavior, another shock occurred in my life. [more]

Ambition June 17

Another surprise that shook my foundation of beliefs was the idea of ambition. For years, I carried a boatload of “need to get ahead” because of my personal upbringing. I am sure there are other reasons for other people. But for me, being from a broken home left me with the belief my broken family achieved little. I know I am wrong about that now. However, in my thinking back then, I was the only one from a family of five and an extended family of five that had finished a college degree. I valued education as a way to move out of bad circumstances. Whoopee!

        Well, part of me still believes that some children from broken homes are left with an ambitious energy that says, “I’m going to amount to something, whether anyone else thinks I’m any good or not.” I realize the pull can help you accomplish stuff, but it may not always be honest. Although pulled by an ambition to achieve, I discovered that any reward of “doingness” did not always guarantee a peaceful “beingness.” Building a successful reputation did not always reduce my anxieties and fears. And of course, I’m not implying that all ambition is bad.

The true change came when I admitted that with many issues, I acted cowardly or at least, with hidden truths. Of course, no one dared call me coward. If someone met me head-on with something, I would fight. But I was not choosing the more subtle and better issues of mercy, kindness, gratitude through the right kind of peace. I felt pulled constantly. When you feel pulled, you push back. And I often wondered, because I lacked a positive relationship with an earthly father, did a heavenly father even like me? On the one hand, I wanted to please my heavenly father, but on the other hand I would rebel at His word because I feared Him. It was not the fear, God might send a thunder bolt and zap me. It was more the anxiety He would ask me to give up my true buried self.

        Also, what kept me perplexed was that the very problems of self-centered motives and burying stuff to avoid [which now seems cowardly to me] were the actual success strategies in the world of competition. The world says, “Do anything to maintain a good self-image. Take care of number one. Don’t be too humble; come out strong.”

The world thinking continues with “avoid issues that will corrupt number one. Don’t show too much mercy. You’ll be viewed as weak. Hang on to certain prejudices to keep on top of the ladder of importance. Don’t humble yourself to any because then, you might have to be grateful. Stay focused with your ambition goals so you get what you want and will be thought of as an achiever. Stay aloof so you won’t be too vulnerable.”

Nothing is more seductive than a misdirected ambition, one that strives for praise and power in whatever form it can pursue. Those who waste life in various forms [life or death] are traveling the path of misinterpreted ambition. So many of us Christians get caught up in misunderstanding acceptable ambition [ the need to go beyond ourselves] such that determining who is Christian today and who is not becomes clouded. Christians and non-Christians alike follow too many self-motivated, dishonest goals and those goals tend to achieve the same. [more to follow]

A Creative Thought June 17

Perhaps, one reason we should live life to its best potential on earth, having all the creative adventures we can, may suggest one creative thought about heaven. This is just my idea and of course, heaven will have much greater ideas and opportunities that are needed then.

        But just suppose when in heaven, we will remember connections that matter to God and get a chance to tell our useful experiences to each other and the angels with such meaningful terms that they will feel them as if they had experienced them too. After all, angels do not get to experience the salvation process in the same way as humans.

        So, why not? It can be a time of true honesty and compliment to God’s glory and power. And since we have an eternity and are in no hurry, every little detail can be shared without hindrance. Of course, all the evil will be removed. So, what is a pure, clean, honest experience? How much risk can be in it? How much knowledge is needed? How much feeling?

        Stay with me awhile. I’m still discussing honesty perspective.

Suppose an energy, something like awareness that is not ruled by pretense or false values, will guide our telling our stories throughout eternity. If something like an opportunity to tell our stories does happen, then it makes sense to shape and sharpen our creative imagination in this world to prepare for the next. Existence will be much richer for the opportunity.

        One good story, one experience might take weeks, months, years [although time is certainly different in heaven]. One story might be told over and over for everyone to hear and it not become tiresome. The teller would have complete mastery of the language, so he/she would never tell it the same and thus no boredom. There might even be something like writing out adventures to share or background heavenly music while telling.

        What is my point? Our lives are our stories. We want them authentic, real, interesting, and useful. Having a new perspective of honesty can rewrite your story in such a way to make God, heaven, and angels rejoice. Can I guarantee this? No, but I can show you some fresh thinking and then, you may move your perspective in a more accurate direction.

        My significant mission became John 3:21,

“But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.” [CSB, Holman]

        The Greek language of the verse above indicates that the living by truth means speak the truth, exhibit truth behaviors, and display any effort as a labor for God. This became my permanent intent. Have I always been able to live the intent? NO. I still work at it every day. But I have learned some things along the way and so I share. [more to follow]

A Perspective Change Honesty June 13

With my new direction of education, a new thought hit me. What important issues define our behavior? Many behavioral approaches try to convince you that your circumstances are in total control. So, you must always change your circumstances.  However, some say the circumstances are not the total problem, but rather how we perceive situations.

I found through God’s unchanging perspective of humanity, we could change our perspective and see things clearly and honesty helps us do that. God is always producing what the world can be and what we can become. He opened a new window to my soul, and I saw with new eyes. This “seeing” was something I had searched for without knowing what it was. I had simply interpreted it as wanting to help people with a Biblical kind of God comfort.      [2 Cor.1:4].

        A large part of my perspective change was the idea of how a person tells the truth. Telling the truth doesn’t mean you must tell everything all the time, always. You do have to develop a willingness to be truthful about everything, but you don’t have to blurt it out continually. I am willing to tell a significant person all--- at times. That person must value what I value and share a mutual acceptance attitude. The possibility exists we can enter confession or unload burdens like the scripture suggests. [Gal. 6:2].

        How I saw myself and how others saw me changed so that I no longer needed to let non-chosen occurrences define me, but I was to learn how to define my situations with God’s enlightened path. For instance, I had to understand how God views our time here on earth. I think He sees all that is happening as part of His plan to remake His creation into what it is supposed to be. He waits for us to enter that “becoming” stage when we can change to the better. After all, in a sense, He became a part of His own creation in Jesus. We may never understand this. Thank goodness for faith He gives.

From my new viewpoint, my pursuit needed to find the genuine self within, removing as much sham, pretense, and external trappings. I needed to see more of what God was doing. I wanted to find the best potential in myself and other people. And I must say, this process takes as long as it takes. Sometimes, the timeline lasts just as long as we do. But that’s ok because we want to finish our personal story. We want to have a beginning, middle, and end that possibly imprints society as to the fact it matters, we were here. And even those that experience short timelines, and do not get to finish their personal timeline, have the assurance of God’s Grace. He treats however long a life lasts, as if it were complete in Christ. [more to follow]

Honesty Journey June 12

In the early days of college and first pastoring, the painful truth was, on the outside, I was righteous and moral, but my center was wrong. I was doing good things from a bad motive, the self-motive. In our culture, sins of the flesh like lust, appetite or greed are obvious sins Christians can openly reject. But hidden sins go unnoticed. My sins were those of inward character: pride, self-righteousness, prejudice, aloofness. These faults I could hide. And something like pride is easily overlooked by the masses. Maybe this is one of the reasons Jesus commented on one occasion that the publicans and harlots could get into the kingdom of God easier than the prideful, religious rich Pharisee.

Over time, other influential voices said I needed to go to Seminary where the genuine theologians taught deeper meanings of Christ’s love and plan. Because I felt so established where I was in a church, in a new house, in a friendly community, I spent hours in prayer, cried in silence, longing to hear directly from God. Why didn’t He just bump me on the head and tell me clearly what to do? I discovered that was not how God works.

As I pastored, some people rededicated their lives, some were converted and some even felt called to a professional ministry. But I noticed the church structure was little practical help to those individuals with harsh, everyday problems. Most days the people sat and listened, then went home to their unsolved problems for the rest of the week. My messages became increasingly centered on solving people’s difficulties.

One day I chose to go visit an old pastor of mine. He’d lived an amazing life. He’d started two or three churches, had two different families, and couldn’t preach without crying somewhere in the message. He could smoke a cigar and tell a gasoline pump attendant about Jesus at the same time. I liked him because of his honesty. Although he had no Seminary training, he had family with strong ties to Seminary and suggested I seek them and talk my concerns.

After some weeks of struggle and visiting with my old pastor’s kin, I felt impressed to enroll in a Seminary for an advanced degree. I uprooted the family and started another spiritual journey. For a short period, I kept the pastorate because it was my only source of adequate income. I commuted an ungodly distant of miles to take seminary courses and then I made a surprising discovery about my preaching. I noticed I was performing more like a pulpit therapist than a theological leader.

I resigned my pastorate and concentrated on seminary studies, taking all the theological courses, I could handle. Lacking only six hours finishing a master’s degree in theology, I made another surprising discovery. I bumped up against the field of Christian counseling. I found you could work toward a master’s and a doctorate in counseling. So, I switched majors and entered the field of behavioral science from a Christian perspective. At one point, in those days, I even attended two different seminaries to piece together the courses I wanted, courses that made Biblical applications to the modern problems of people. Everyone around me stayed mystified. They thought I had lost all perspective. But I felt a deep excitement inside and fulfillment with this new direction. And while the years that followed displayed bumpy potholes in my path, my decisive road I traveled in those days turned out to be correct. I worked, completed a Master’s and Doctorate and entered the field of higher education, hoping that working with students, who are often more honest, might further combat any deceptive practice. [more to follow]

Personal Journey [honesty] June 11

Keep in mind that I am on a pilgrimage here and entering higher education was part of my journey. I entered university studies not knowing many answers to my own doubts. I had seen struggles of church people, their questions about life and death, instances when finances crashed, when health betrayed them. My hope was that the teachers I met could furnish wise Biblical answers. If they could, the three jobs I had to work to pay for school might be worth all. I did feel God’s love towards me and that maybe I could find ways to share Jesus was real.

Along with my studies, I immersed myself in church activity, trying to win some.  As one of my three jobs, I even tried leading a small mission church that was an extension of a larger church body.  It was definitely a growth time to see people in their poorest but sincere Christian walk. But besides that, I still noticed no matter where you attended established church, people turned the intimacy of God’s unconditional love into discussions of ethics, moral behavior, or intellectual pursuits of what the bible may be saying. Don’t get me wrong. I saw sympathetic efforts. But to me, we need God’s compassion that embraces, not sympathy which cares from a distance. Like today, not too many Christians want the vitality of God’s approach to honesty and change. Change always involves risk and risk-taking does not go well with established, institutional religion.

Doggedly, I finished a bachelor’s degree and the pressure was on as what was next. By now, I had a wife and two children, and I left the college setting with no clear answers, only more sophisticated questions. I went to work for a newspaper that catered to the Christian public. The job paid well, and I thought I might learn more. All the while, however, I felt the underneath pain of dishonesty and failure. This lasted awhile until one day, I was in Dallas, Texas working when President John Kennedy was assassinated. When I saw a whole city like Dallas grind to a halt, I had to stop and evaluate my personal life. The event showed me there is a much larger world out there.

From out of nowhere [except heaven] came a call to pastor a small country church and move closer to my extended family. I thought if I could lead a group of people in an honest, redemptive manner, I would obtain all the answers I needed. I stayed deep in professional church work for five years, had two more children and grappled every Sunday with my own dilemmas. Every week was like striving to claw my way out of a hole because I did not feel I was discovering true honesty. I prayed, fasted, gave money. Life still became a ritual in my job. [more to follow]

More Personal Honesty June 10

After my conversion and throughout the rest of my high school years, I struggled with the practice of Christianity, I think because, for a while, I never joined a formal Christian community. After graduation, I got married, obtained a decent job, and tried the church scene. One of the blessings God gave me was to gain insight into Christian people. I watched them closely and became perplexed with how they tended to seek the status quo. I thought Jesus was supposed to start a revolution in people’s hearts and thinking.

Yet I saw people just keeping Jesus nailed to the Cross, missing the joyful news of the resurrection. People followed the rituals. They wore the garments of Christian living. Those that gave to the church did so in ways that seemed to benefit themselves. It was as if the old spiritual garments were too comfortable for any drastic change, and yet, when life became harsh and troubled, the people only patched the old garments instead of searching to wear any new. I became more perplexed in my observations, trying hard not to criticize, but asking myself continually,” Was I somehow wrong in my views?” “What was truth anyway?”

After about three years, I was impressed I needed more information and knowledge. I felt God’s calling to go forward with education. In my mind, maybe an advanced degree would show me what was correct. So off to a Christian college I journeyed, dragging a wife and child.

As Jesus himself spoke in parables, my parable came from Mt.13:52, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder, who brings out of his treasure, things old and new.” [NKJV] I went searching for those scribes, teachers who were filled with the spirit of that kingdom which is supposed to be honest with love and peace. I needed those who could interpret the old and the new and give me new truths.

When I told my boss, I was leaving my prestigious job to go to college, he went ballistic. He yelled I was too old, too dumb, too unrealistic and that I would fail because what I wanted to pursue did not pay much. Then he tempted me by saying I had a very bright future with him and would become rich with solid benefits in a short time.

But you see, none of that mattered. I had to find out some things for myself. I had to find out what made church and Christian people work. If this thing called Christianity was real, I had to understand why we all could not live the joy from the redemption Jesus provided. Weren’t we all supposed to be different in our desires than the world wants in money, prestige, and power? At the time, everyone said the answers were to be found in a school of Christian higher learning. I was young enough in my Christian walk to believe them, so off I went. [More personal honesty to follow]