Tag Archives: spiritual

by

Appreciation!

Don't Hate - Appreciate!

Someone said:  ”You can’t see clearly until you appreciate fully.”  I hate to admit it, but for a small part of my life, I got distracted by people’s flaws and was unable to see and appreciate their potential.  If we focus on people’s flaws and miss their potential, then eventually the relationship/friendship will break down.

I am not perfect.  In fact, the older I get, the more I realize how just how many mistakes I have made and am still making.  Hopefully, I am at least beginning to learn from some of them.  None of us are flawless, but all of us have accomplishments and potential.  Many times our accomplishments and potential go unnoticed, because most of the people in our world are looking for what is wrong, instead of what is right.

When I was growing up, I used to hear the older folks talking a lot about appreciation.  I think appreciation may be one of the great lost art forms of our time.  To appreciate means that we make an intentional effort to look past and beyond the flaws, mistakes and mess-ups and instead focus in on a person’s value.  Every person in this life has value and contribution that makes life better.

Appreciation isn’t so much about saying “thank you”, as it is actually taking the time to recognize and understand the other person’s value and contribution that they can make.

I need to get better at appreciation.  In fact, I want to pull out this old art form from the past and put it into practice, but I can’t do it by myself.  I need your help.  If enough of us get it and practice it, then it will become a part of our nature.

Here are a few things that I am trying to do to practice appreciation for others:

1.) Accept people as they are!  I don’t have to agree with everything and I don’t have to like everything about a person to find something of value to appreciate in them.  Sure I want to see people grow, improve and live up to their potential, but I am learning that before I can help anyone do anything, I first have to accept. appreciate and love them.

2.) Be willing to learn new things!  I am a human being, but I don’t know all there is about human beings and what it means to live and succeed as one.  Since I have room in my life to grow, then I need to be open to differences of opinion, realizing that while, I don’t have to agree, that I also don’t have to let it tear apart what could be a meaningful relationship of relationships.  Sometimes we burn our bridges with no idea of who else could walk across them.

3.) Consider The Quickies:  There are a few things that I need to do and keep doing to really appreciate others.  I need to PAY ATTENTION.  I am sometime so focused on myself that I miss everything else around me – must continually work on this one!  I need to ASK MEANINGFUL QUESTIONS.  Questions help me to get below the surface, so that I can know more.  The more I know about you, the more opportunity, I have to find something to appreciate.  I need to REALLY CARE.  I care.  I have always cared, but I am learning that I can care more deeply and more real.  I am also discovering that I want to.

Appreciation is a choice.  We want others to make the choice to appreciate us, but maybe we need to make the choice first, and then take whatever might come our way.  Just a little something we all need to think about.  Here’s a question for you:  Who do you or who can you appreciate today?  Take the time to appreciate them and you will be glad you did!

by

Four Steps To The Bible Becoming Powerful In Your Life!

Without a doubt the thing that makes the biggest impact in and on my life from day-to-day is the Bible! I read it every day and have been for years!  It continues to bring me challenge, comfort and correction.  It makes my life better and encourages me to look for and find “the more” that I was created for!  I have discovered four pretty simple steps that allow it to work in my life and I believe these four steps will allow it to work in your life too!

STEP ONE – GET IT! Don’t just think about you need one, go and get you one.  Don’t leave it in your car, your car can’t read!  Don’t leave it on the table, the table has enough to hold.  Get it into your hands, open it up and get it into your head and let your head help you, to get it into your heart, and then you will be amazed as your heart get’s it into your life and the life of those around you! Stop thinking about it and get it!

STEP TWO – READ IT! Now that you’ve got it, you have to do something with it!  This really is simple!  Take your Bible in your hand, open it up and look at the words on the page and just begin to read!  You can’t think about what it says, if you don’t take the time to read what it says!  Read it!  As you read, the Spirit will speak, bringing comfort, guidance, direction and purpose to what you are reading.  Reading a little bit everyday is better than nothing!

STEP THREE – BELIEVE IT! This is God’s Word and God does not lie!  Believe what you are reading.  If you really believe it, then it will challenge and change your life.  The challenge is some times tough, but the change is well worth it, because the change that it will bring about is a benefit and blessing to you and all of those around you!  This world will tell you lies with the purpose of destroying your life, but the Bible will tell you the truth with the purpose of growing your life for God’s glory and everyone’s blessing!  Believing changes everything!

STEP FOUR – LIVE IT! It does you no good to get it, if you are not going to read it.  It really can’t have the impact that it could and should, if you read it, but don’t believe it.  If you believe it, then you are going to want to live it.  It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it!  Put into practice what you are reading and believing, and you will be amazed at how God works in and through your life!  The Bible will make life better, if you will let it!

Take these four steps everyday and watch life take on a whole new meaning!  Thanks for reading, now let’s get started!  Here is a little bit of Bible for you:  Get It, Read It, Believe It and Live It!

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Psalms 119:11

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Timothy 3:16

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  James 1:22

Get It!  Read It!  Believe It!  Live It!

by

Psalms 23 – The Lord Is…

This is one of the most loved passages of Scripture and it has so much to say and it never gets old.  Hope you enjoy this passage and my comments of love and appreciation!

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
God is all I want and God is all I need, As long as He is leading and taking care of me, then I am going to be better than fine! There is not a need that I will ever have, that He has not already taken care of!

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
God created me for blessing, peace and fulfillment! He wants to take care of me and grow me for His glory and everyone’s blessing! He will help me to rest and guide my steps so that I might walk safely into and through His perfect will for my life!

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Life is hard, and that is why God has made me strong, but when I am weak, He will restore my strength and rebuild my motivation. There is a way, His way that is best and He shows me, guide me in that direction!

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me
My life here on this earth is heading for an ending, but the end is really just a beginning. I have nothing to be afraid of, because God is with me, bringing me comfort in every situation!

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
God does more than take care of me, He blesses me in ways that I could never dream or imagine. His anointing is upon my life and among my most treasured possessions. I have more than I have ever hoped for and much more than I will ever need!

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
I don’t have to chase after the good blessings of God, He has created them to chase after me. I am a child of the King and am so glad that I get to live with Him forever and always for all eternity!

by

A New Lesson In Friendships!

A few months ago, I started a series of messages on Friendship!  We focused on friendship with God and friendship with others!  I love and appreciate all of my friends, but realize that I have not and I do not always show this in the way that I should.  It’s not that I don’t care or that I am not interested.  It’s just that, if I am your friend, then I am your friend and nothing is going to change that on my part.  (This is how I think in my head and heart and feel that if you know me, then you should know this about me!)  What I am learning is that while I may have an expectation that my friends accept and believe that, some of my friends need continuing reassurance.  (They may know it, but not believe it or understand it!)

When I first began to realize this need that some of my friends had, my first thought was that they are not much of a friend if they don’t know me and believe me as I am.  (I have other friends that get it and it’s not a problem for them!)  And then I slowly began to realize that everybody has their on perception.  I should be able to expect that they would work to give me the benefit of the doubt, but if they don’t or won’t, then I still have the responsibility and obligation as a friend to try to help my friend see, know and experience the real me.  Some would say:  ”They are not really your friend, if they have that attitude!”  But the issue is not their being my friend.  The issue is my being their friend.  I am not responsible for their actions or reactions!  I am responsible for my own.  And even when people who say they are friends are not friendly, I have a responsibility and obligation to continue to be friendly, because that’s what friends do!  (Many times all of us think we are being or doing, but we are fooling ourselves and that is why someone in the friendship has to be willing to go the extra mile or the friendship will die!)

God is our friend and we don’t always treat God the way that He should be treated, but He patiently gives us time, space, knowledge and wisdom to figure it out!  He does this because He is our friend and wants us to be a friend back!  So, before you write somebody off, make sure that you are doing your part as a friend.  It’s a blessing for you, them and everybody.  And the best part is that it brings glory to God when we get this right!  And it is really cool, when you get to travel that extra mile together!

Thank you for being my friend and for reading this blog!  I hope it challenges, encourages and blesses you!

by

10 Questions!

Life Is Amazing! Many years ago, when I was a teenager, I read a book by Leo Buscagalia called “Living, Loving & Learning!”  I then had the opportunity via PBS to hear him lecture on a number of different occasions.  A few weeks ago, I came across a hardback copy of “Loving Each Other!” and it took me back to those magical days, when I made some great strides in my spiritual journey.

Intersections! I grew up in Church and had been taught the Scriptures from a very early age.  I knew the teachings of Jesus and they had challenged and changed my life.  When I heard Leo Buscaglia, his teaching helped me to take what I had been taught and exercise it in the daily living of my life.  He helped me to put feet to my faith!

The Amazing Gift Of Love! This amazing love that has been given to me as a gift is something that I get to share and in its sharing, love becomes so much more powerful and meaningful!  Below are a few questions that Dr. Buscaglia challenges us to think about.  These are not his exact questions, but my adaptation of some of the encouragement and challenge that I have received from his teaching and writing. I would encourage you to ask yourself these questions every day as you embark on this journey called life!   I hope you enjoy and learn to love and be loved!

1.) Did I share happiness or did I steal happiness with my actions and reactions?

2.) How did I express love and show kindness?

3.) Am I looking for what is right or for what is wrong in others?

4.) Do I laugh and help others to laugh?  (Is joy a by-product of my life?)

5.) What have I done today to build and make stronger my relationships?

6.) Have I worried over the trivial or celebrated the triumphant?

7.) Have I accepted forgiveness and given forgiveness?

8.) Have I learned something new and have I taught something new to others?

9.) Do I know and believe that life (mine and yours) matters?

10.) Will I let this make me better or bitter?

by

What Do You Expect?

What Do You Expect?

Our expectations often determine our realities!  Expectations have the potential to limit or increase your blessing!  We usually get what we expect!  In Matthew 9:29, Jesus says: “According to your faith will it be done to you.” In other words if you expect things to be bad, then they will most likely be bad, but if you expect things to be good, then they will most likely turn out for good!

If you see the glass half empty, then you will always be focusing on what you don’t have and you will probably never have anything of substance.  If you see the glass half full, then you have learned to focus on the blessings in hand and you will probably see your life travel in the direction of more and greater blessing.

This does not mean that you don’t ever have any problems or challenges.  It just means that you have learned to look at them differently than the majority of the world.  God loves you and He has an amazing plan for your life and He has promised that He will use even the bad for good in the lives of those who love Him and who live according to His calling to fulfill His purpose!

If your expectations are messed up and in the wrong place, then change them up.  Start by taking some time to pray and ask for God’s help.  Next, spend some time letting the positive message of God’s Word to move in positive way through your life.  And finally challenge yourself every time you find the negative and low expectations creeping in!

You can do this – grow your expectations and Give God Glory!

by

Don’t Miss The New Thing!

The past is good and tradition is good, as long as we do not get stuck in it! The good thing about the past and tradition is that they can instruct us into a better and more productive future, if we are paying attention and learning for what they are teaching.

It is very easy to get “set in your ways”. We restrict ourselves from the forward progress that God has for us because we get stuck in our personal perspectives.  If we are not careful, we will find yourself in a rut of our own making, because we have gotten stuck in our own thinking!

Remember This! It is very important to remember that our God is a Creator!  As a creator, God is always doing something new.  But God can’t and won’t accomplish something new in and through our lives, if we are not willing to change.  We must be ready to enlarge our vision and expand our thinking – if we are to experience the new creation of our Amazing Creator God!

Don’t Miss It! In Isaiah 43:19  God says: “Behold I am doing a new thing!  Do you not perceive it and know it?” God wants to grow you!  God wants to promote you!  God wants to give you increase!  God wants to do something new, magnificent and unexplainable in and through your life.  God wants to do a new thing in and through you!  Did you notice the question in Isaiah?  It says:  ”Can you not perceive it?”  If you can’t from your perspective, see the new thing that God wants to do in and through you, then you need to change your perspective!

Learn And Grow! Learn from the past and appreciate tradition, but don’t get stuck there, because if you do, you will miss the new thing that God is doing!

A Pray To Pray! Thank you God for our past and for helping us to learn from our mistakes and failures!  Thank you for tradition and for how it reminds me of Your faithfulness, goodness and grace!  Help us Lord to appreciate, but not get stuck in these places.  We don’t want to miss the new thing that you are doing.  Please let us be right in the middle of Your perfect will!

by

A Trade Worth Making!

Trade Your Plans For God's Plans!

“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11  God has an amazing dream for your life!  If you really want to accomplish and achieve the great things that God created you for, then take some time to think about and look for His dream and plans!

Looking for God’s dreams and plans, may mean that you have to lay down your dreams and plans, but it is a trade worth making.  Remember:  You cannot head in two directions at once, so look for the direction that God has for you, knowing that He will prosper and not harm you, that He will give you a hope and a future!  God Bless And Press On!

by

Let The Walls Come Down!

Tear Down That Wall!

We are great at building walls around our lives. We build the walls for our protection, so that we won’t get hurt or taken advantage of.  But there is a problem with the walls that we build, they not only protect us from influences outside, they also keep us from influences outside that can bless and benefit us!  God has great and amazing things in store for each one of us, but we have to grow to a place of trust!

My Small Group! I was talking to one of my small group members today and she expressed how everyone in our group had been through the fire and could not help but to be real, because there was really nothing worth hiding, left to hide!  Because of this “REAL REALITY!” we are able to really be there for each other.

Be Careful! If you wall others out – you will wall yourself in!  Open up your life and allow others to come and go.  God will protect you, if you will let Him and He will also bless you with some amazing relationships that make life better!

Healing! God does not promise that you will never get hurt, but He does promise that He will heal your hurt and it is through His healing of our hurts that we grow, become stronger and are able to have an influence on and make a difference in this life.

Faith Defeats Fear! Walls that are built out of fear can only be torn down out of faith!  If you want to grow and get the most out of life, then you must be willing to trust.  Start by trusting God – He loves you and has an amazing plan for your life.  Continue by trusting others that He has placed around you.  Some will be a great blessing and some will be a great blunder, but you will learn and grow every step of the way!

Tear It Up! Let’s get busy tearing down the walls, so that we can enjoy this great life that God has given us!  Go ahead and take a whack at the wall – you’ll be glad you did!

by

Don’t Be Afraid!

It's Just Me!

I Like To Think Of Myself As An Ordinary Guy! I like meat and taters, sweet tea, fast motors, a pony tail on a good-looking girl, riding with the windows down, a cool evening after a hot day,  a good joke and laughing with my friends!  I think if you were to meet me and not know anything about me, that you would probably like and enjoy my company.

I Am Not The Judge! I am very careful in the living of my life, to try to not judge a book by its cover, because I have met a lot of people and have quiet a few friends that look like one thing, but in reality are another.  I have noticed lately that when people find out that I am a pastor – the walls go up.  It’s like they are afraid that I am going to whip out a 1611 King James Version Bible and start whopping them upside the head.  That’s not me and that’s not how I roll!

Don’t Be Afraid Of Me Because I Am A Pastor! I am really just a normal guy that believes in the power of a spiritual connection that makes all the difference in my life and has the potential to make the difference in the lives of others! It’s not about rules and regulations, it’s about relationship! It’s about relationship with the One who created and sustains me.  I am not wierd, I am not out to steal your children, I am not here to beat you up, I believe the world does enough of that!

Just Here To Help! I am here to grow and help others to grow in a spiritual connection that really matters and really makes a difference!  If you will take a chance and get to know me, I think you’ll be glad you did!  If you will take a chance to get to know me, I think you will discover that sometimes preacher/pastors get a bad rap!  I hope to see you on the road and I hope that when I do, we will have a chance to be friends.  You really have nothing to be afraid of!