Random Commands

Your old life is dead.  Your new life, which is your real life — even though invisible to spectators — is with Christ in God.  He is your life. – Colossians 3:3 (MSG)

I always enjoy Eugene Petersen’s (author of The Message paraphrase) take on the scriptures.  He speaks my language.  For reference here is the traditional verse:

for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. –Col 3:3 (NET)

If we’ve died to self, then we must live for Christ.  To spectators, it may look as though nothing has changed in this new life of ours.  Overtime, our obedience to Christ, through His discipline and training, will begin to change us into something new.  And when we look back, and perhaps others — spectators — do too, the change will be drastic.  Though in the now, the change is slow almost to the point it isn’t observable.  The focus, as Paul points out in other places too, isn’t on what has happened, but will happen.  Letting go, straining forward — racing.

Have a good race.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)

Lists are good things.  We try to make list for our days, little bits of routine to make our lives work.  Hints to remind ourselves, and sometimes our children, to do each day to make our lives easier.  Here Paul gives an ‘everyday’ list, the type of thing you put at the top of your Outlook calendar, when you check the ‘All Day Event’ box.  Then at the top of each day you’ll see:

• Rejoice
• Pray
• Give Thanks

Can it get any easier?  How come it seems so hard?

Are ya bored yet?

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. — James 1:5 (HCSB)

How many times have I tried to find wisdom without asking God. This self-help book, this seminar, this special on TV, this episode of Oprah (well not many times that last one) Truth be told on the wisdom front, I too often trust my intuition rather than specifically asking God — to my shame.

Last night SS commentary talked about discipline (Hebrews 13ish IIRC) and how God disciplines those he loves. The commentary compared how we discipline (often poorly, selfishly, and pridefully) to God’s discipline (which is awesome, unselfish and beneficial to us). Our reaction to discipline is much like our kids, we don’t like it, but when we’ve learned our lesson we’re cherish their loving correction.

I think its like that with asking for wisdom (and this verse isn’t asking for wealth, prosperity, good feelings, which given the ongoing trials, discipline growth put to rest any ‘name it — claim it’ notions). In being a good disciplinarian, God wants us to ask Him for wisdom. But he won’t nag us, complain or belittle us if we act like a teenager and seek that elsewhere. He’ll wait for us to fall, fail and flounder then graciously help us up, dust us off, and remind us that He’s always here to help.

Do we disappoint him when we fail?

Seeking wisdom elsewhere is a childish thing (also called teenage rebellion), as we mature we should put away childish things, and seek the source of wisdom, and heed it.

Peace.

For it is God who is working among you both the willing and the working for His good purpose. — Philippians 2:13 (HCSB)

That seems a bit awkward in structure… unfamiliar, shouldn’t be since Bobby’s camping out in Philippians on Sunday mornings, lets look at some different translations.

for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. — Phil 2:13 (NIV)

Hmmm… Maybe its because this verse is tucked between such awesome parts of Philippians (verse 2:5ff — “your attitude should be like Christ’s” and 2:14 — “do everything without complaining or arguing”) that I’ve missed it as I breeze through. But its still seems odd phrasing. Can Eugene Peterson do anything with this?

That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure. – Phil 2:13 (Message)

Hmmm. The exhortation to change your attitude (v 2.5ff) seems to also join with Christ in allowing God to work in and with ourselves towards His will. The book adds another quotation (as it does for most of the days… but I won’t always transcribe it here) that seems important as I dwell on this passage.

In God’s plan, God is the standard for perfection. We don’t compare ourselves to others; they are just as fouled up as we are. The goal is to be like him; anything less in inadequate. – Max Lucado

Max always does a great job of clearing things up. Though the exhortation to perfection is a bit disconcerting to those with a perfectionist bent, it is good to realize that our model isn’t our friend, neighbor, mentor, teacher, or critic. Our model is Christ, who when faced with disappointment, exhaustion, pain, and indecision, reached out to God (or as yesterday’s excerpt mentions — call out to God). Even in our imperfection, that method is open to us, thanks to Christ’s sacrifice. And in calling out to God, we also have to be open to listening, hearing and allowing God to work in us and through us towards His purposes, not ours.

I don’t do that enough, may I do it evermore as I run this race.

Peace.

The new school season started today, and yesterday was promotion Sunday.  As I walked into my class, I found a nice present from our Family Minister: Walking with Christ Every Day: 365 daily devotions for men

I wasn’t expecting it, but with the summer winding down, and a few more classes on my schedule (Sunday and Wednesday, and participating in Sunday evening and some blurry Men’s-ministry-that’ll-happen-someday-soon) I’ve been really dwelling on the fact that I’m not that great at two things I used to enjoy immensely: Blogging, and spending time with God. (not necessarily in that order)

So this welcome present, presents an opportunity for me.

1. Get reconnected with my Savior.
2. Wonderful blog fodder.

So while I may not actually blog about my daily reading, I’ll keep up my daily reading, and if the spirit moves, I’ll blog about it with the above title — Daily Walk 365 – Day # (If any of my two readers are bored enough to search for this later).

I blog in bursts, so don’t get too involved in reading these that you don’t suddenly get whip-lash reading another post on Survivor strategy, or Lost mysteries.  I blog for myself, you know.

Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy, Day 1, below the fold

Read more…

I guess I should write something, hmmm.

Sorry blog, I’ve been unfaithful, been too busy facebooking to blog. Please forgive me.

This past week has been a blur, so many plan, so little done, but I got the important stuff done.

I spent the majority part teaching VBS (vacation bible school for you peeps not in the belt), part feeding my brood, part swimming and part sleeping. Which leaves a lot un-done. But there is always tomorrow.

The softball team continues to do well, don’t want to jinx it with specifics, so I may post again in 8 weeks. I’ve been more active, and I’m eating less, but I haven’t found another scale to check out progress. I’ll update if I ever find one.

I found an old friends from high school on facebook. Kinda strange, to be more years away from high school than it took to get there. I remember thinking how strange it was for my mother to go to her 20 year high school reunion, and what do you know I’m past that marker. Where does the time go.

My kids rock my world everyday. Lauren is doing an art summer school thing and loving it. Brenna had a great time at VBS and is at a Camp Rock sleep over party. Danny has a humongous speaking part for next weeks music camp, and had a lot of fun being a beach monkey this past week. And Mikey Jon had fun being a REAL VBSer… he ever got to bring home his classes outrigger canoe (sans outrigger).

I’m about tapped out, this morning in Music, I had a ‘moment’, we were singing the slower song, The Word:

In the beginning was the Word
and it was with God and was God
Before an eye had seen or
ear had heard
there was the Word

I know the Bible is God’s Word
His written promises to earth

It is a lamp unto the feet of those
who believe in its worth

The Word is
Perfect Truth
The Word is
what I cling to

Unbreakable
Unshakeable
Word of God

I love the Word
of God

The slow pace, and the symbolic signs (using mostly real signs) just brought it home to me. The preamble of the song quotes the beginning of John 1, and is John’s creation story, and he projects Jesus as God’s word. We also see a parallel in God’s word as his holy scriptures. We were signing the chorus that starts … The Word is what I cling too… unbreakable…

I was overcome, tears flowed down my cheeks, and I had to sit down… hands in my face, sobbing. Its so easy, yet so hard sometimes to cling to Jesus, but its all I need to do. The Word totally has my back, everytime. He is faithful, to the end. I’ll chalk up my emotionalism to just being wiped… but I also know that I’m blessed to have a savior that rocks my world, with such simple words.

Peace.

Last night was a busy one, since it was the culmination of our Upward Basketball season where our church partnered with First Baptist Church, Plano.  I had hardly any part in the planning of the event, but that was by design.  The guest speaker was Melvin Adams.  Clicking over to the link you find his bio with a long list of things he’s achieved in the sport of basketball, expecting a tall man, Melvin stepped up to the front all of 5’8″ but filled with boundless energy.

Angie laughed through the whole exchange, but I really heard her bust up (I was sitting with my team) when Melvin told the audience that wives need to keep honoring their husbands even when their, “Abs of Steel have turned to Abs of Meals.”  I turned around, and looked at her and rubbed my belly.

Melvin spoke a lot about being able to achieve your dreams, by relying on God.  His stint in professional basketball, and other higher profile events, led him to rise past his humble beginnings, and realize that happiness only comes from the Lord.  He’s seen and related stories of people that had it all, wealth, pretty wives, fast cars and big houses, but still feeling empty inside.  Trust in the Lord, was his message, and the cool thing was it was apparent that he lived by that mantra as well.

After getting their basketballs signed by Melvin (and everything else, Brenna got a Melvin Adams original artwork on the back of her Upward t-shirt, Michael got his autograph on the toe of his old school Chuck Taylor shoes, and Danny pretty much had Melvin sign everything he had on him.  We went back home to get the kids into bed on time.

Then we settled down to watch the TV shows that occupy our Thursday nights.  Watched as I got 1 out of 3 right on AI (off my game, but its still early in the season), then the awesomeness that is LOST.  But we gave it up before we watched Eli Stone (or as I call it, Elijah Rock!) and went to bed.

After last week, Danny decided to write another ‘word of wisdom’ during the invitation at church:

 jesus you are our savor you are the eternal love for the world and you saved our lives from sin

His own typing, becaused I swiped it from his blog.

Danny wrote this during closing prayers this morning:

God bring me to you.
You are unlimited love for the whole world.
No one can take that away.
Amen

and amen.

From Pyromaniacs:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7WCe53S6fs[/youtube]

Its funny, its irreverent, its painfully truthful.

BONUS: Elvis & Elvis