Friday, February 24, 2012

Hearing God's Plans ... Even When His Voice is Silent...



A few years ago, I was living in a loft downtown. The owner of the loft decided to sell the condo and gave me the initial opportunity to buy the space.

The loft was pretty awesome. It had high ceilings, huge windows that looked out onto Front Street, just down from Nationwide Arena, underground parking and a dishwasher. What more could I want?

I talked the idea of ownership over with my parents, my friends, my coworkers and people at church, but something about the decision didn't settle well with me. Everything seemed to point toward buying this condo...everything except this nagging feeling in my stomach that it was the wrong decision.

One night, a few weeks into the decision process, I was awoken by a "tinkling" sound. My bed was situated next to the small utility room which housed the furnace and air conditioner so I assumed this was where the noise had originated. I pushed myself up from the bed and padded over to the door, popping my head inside the room to listen for the noise. But inside the furnace was silent.

I closed the door and could still hear the faint rattle and began a frantic search for the source of the noise. I went to the window to see if the large blinds were being disturbed by outside wind and then made my way to the bathroom to see if the toilet was acting up - but no noise.

I walked into the kitchen thinking it was the refrigerator when I glanced at a plaque the size of a business card which hung by my front door. It was moving slightly back and forth and was generating a small "tap-tap-tap" against the wall. I walked over to the plaque and rested my hand against it and it stopped moving. In that moment I knew I wasn't supposed to buy my apartment and I was overwhelmed with God's presence in that moment.

The plaque read, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11.

Sometimes God shares His plans for our lives in direct communication - the burning bush for Moses, the fight with Jacob, the road to Damascus for Paul - and sometimes He shares His plans through nudges, whispers and "gut feelings".

When we are fully living in the presence of God, trusting Him and asking Him into every moment of our lives, His voice, His nudge, even His whisper, will become more clear and tangible in our lives. By living with our focus on Him first, we will be blessed with hearing even His littlest whisper.

God knows the plans He has for you...
If you want let in on those plans you will need to seek to include Him in your every day life and you choose to learn more about Him through spending time in His Word.

Scripture

Quote of the Day

"God has a plan for all of us, but He expects us to do our share of the work."
Minnie Pearl

Question of the Day

When have you heard God's call?

GUMY this Sunday, February 26th!!!!! Bring a Friend :)

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Answering God's Calls & Avoiding Being Fish Vomit



 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jonah 2:10

Did you know that God is calling you to do His will right this moment?

He has a plan that you are a part of...are you listening?

Do you know what God wants you to do? Are you doing it?

Or are you like Jonah - stuck in the belly of the fish - denying God's call on your life because it doesn't fit into your plans?

God has a plan for each of us and when we ignore His call on our lives or when we turn our backs we will find that He places obstacles in our path to help us see His point of view.

For Jonah, who God called to preach to the Ninevites, He was first caught in a terrible storm on a boat and then thrown over board and swallowed by a giant fish. God allowed Jonah to suffer through these consequences to help him realize that God, not Jonah, was in control. And that God's plan has a purpose.

Often, God will call us to do things we don't want to do...
- be nice to someone who is "different
- become a missionary in a far off land
- leave a job or a company to pursue an entirely different career path

God's call on our lives generally pushes us out of the comfort zone and onto a path we have not yet travelled, and may never have thought we would travel.

Listening and responding with, "Here I am Lord", to God's challenges is not always easy. God's calls generally do not come at convenient times, but they come when we need them the most. But when we say yes, and we are "vomited from the belly of the fish." we will find that God's grace will be sufficient to guide us through.

And eventually, once we have faced all of the obstacles God puts in our path to try and avoid His call and we turn to Him, we will discover, just as Jonah did, that His will is better than anything we could ever imagine.

Scripture

Quote of the Day

“We're not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be”
C.S. Lewis

Question of the Day

When have you ignored God's call on your life?

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Sometimes...Life stinks


“So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay. You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’
Genesis 45:8-11

Sometimes life stinks.

There are days when you feel like you can't catch a break and you feel like the whole world - including your family and your friends - are conspiring against you.

You try to be a good person - to follow all of the rules - but at every turn you face obstacles, trials and even failures. You may be tempted to ask,"Where is God when I need Him?"

The story of Joseph is one which fits the "life sometimes stinks" mantra.

Joseph was the favored son of Jacob and his other brothers were not so keen on him being the "choosen one". They disliked him so much that one day they decided to throw him in a well and then they sold him off to some traveling merchants and told their father that Joseph was dead.

After being sold into slavery by your brothers, one might think this is as bad as life could get. Well, one would be wrong. Over the next several years, Joseph was beraged with a mirade of false charges and ended up in prision for years. He helped others redeem their freedom, and yet he was left to wallow in the pit. Until one day, God used one of Joseph's gifts - the ability to interpret dreams - to free him from his dungeon. From that point in the story, Joseph's life made an up turn. Based on the Pharoah's dream, Joseph prepared Eygpt for seven years of famine and in turn he was named as the second most powerful person in all of Eygpt.

Enter stage left - Joseph's brothers come to Eygpt.

The brothers are unware that the man with their fate in his hands is the brother they sold decades earlier, but Joseph knows and he had a choice. He could have enacted his revenge on his brothers and felt justified in the action or he could have given his brothers the food and shelter they desperately needed.
As you may already know, Joseph chose the latter. He chose mercy and he chose to see how God had orchstrated the events of his entire life for this one moment - to save Jacob's family, all of his sons and the forefathers of the nation of Israel.

When we face struggles and when life stinks we have a choice. We can wallow in the sorrow of the moment and allow our self-pity to destroy us. OR we can seek the grace and mercy God offers each of us, seeing His hand at work even in the midst of our misery.

God is always working and He always has a plan.

Our number one goal should be to trust His plan even when it seems like life stinks. You never know, you could find that you could go from the dungeon to the Vice President one day.

Scripture

Quote of the Day

A man with God is always in the majority. ~John Knox
 
Question of the Day
 
How can you trust in God when it seems you have no hope?

Monday, February 20, 2012

Scrapping Giants like Derek Dorsett



Derek Dorsett takes on hockey giant John Scott
The Blue Jackets list Dorsett as being 6-feet, 198 pounds.
The Blackhawks
list Scott as being 6-feet-8, 270 pounds.

Hockey is an awesome sport. It is fast, hard-fought and a mastery of quick moves and wicked fast slapshots. But when you ask the average American about hockey, the first response generally has something to do with fighting. Hockey players fight. Fighting is a part of the game - it is a tool used by coaches and teammates to even the score or to rally the troops or sometimes to simply work through frustrations.

On Saturday, my dad and I went to watch the Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Chicago Blackhawks. The Jackets have suffered through  - as have all of their fans - one of the worst meltdowns in NHL history; living in the proverbial basement nearly all season. While the Blackhawks have had a run of bad luck, they are consistently in the hunt for a playoff birth and are one of the giants of the central division.

By the middle of the third period, the Jackets were down 6-1 in a veritable blow-out with nearly half of the stands cheering for the Blackhawks. To say the mood for the Blue Jackets and their fans was depressed would have been an understatement.

But, in the midst of the collective angst of Blue Jacket nation - Derek Dorsett - the original mini-mite - took on John Scott. Dorsett attacked Scott with everything he had even though he is nearly a foot shorter and almost 100lbs lighter than Scott. Dorsett had little care for his own well being, he was focused on trying to defeat the giant in front of him to support his team and to show everyone in the stands that even though the Jackets might be down - they were certainly not out.

The Jackets went on to lose the game, but the loss isn't what resonated with me; it was Derek Dorsett's performance. Dorsett - in the midst of mounting pressures and most assured defeat - took on a giant with the spirit of a man who knows what he is fighting for.

David did something similar with Goliath - meeting the giant in the middle of a battle field with little more than stones and some string. He challenged Goliath - not because David thought he was stronger or better but because his people needed him to challenge the giant. David needed to challenge the giant for himself too.

In life, we will all face our giants. Some will fall down quickly like Goliath with a simple smooth stone. And some will defeat us like Scott vs. Dorsett. But it is important that we keep fighting - that we keep getting up to fight again. The giants we face in our life help us to see God's hand reaching down to help us up or paving the way to victory.

Giants can trip us up. They can scare us from ever wanting to leave our safe world. But we must be like David  - - and Derek Dorsett - - and always be willing to face them. Win, lose or draw pressing through the fight, scrapping like we believe we will always succeed, will help us to be better prepared for the next giant in our path.

Scripture

Quote of the Day

“Attitude is the aroma of the heart. If your attitude stinks, your heart is not right.”

From the movie, Facing the Giants

Question

When have you fought against your giants?

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Redemption According to Dan Scott


Do you know what it's like to have a beautiful granddaughter, and have no expectations of holding her? Or to except the fact that you'll never be a part of your sons' family? Either son. I know what I've done. I know what I created. I just need a little help. Please.
Dan Scott, One Tree Hill

I have watched the TV Show One Tree Hill for years. It is a cheesy night time drama about this little town in North Carolina, which is filled with heroes, villains, triumph and tragedy - just like any good little soap town.

One of the characters on the show, Dan Scott, has been the linchpin villain from day one. He lied, cheated, stole, murdered his brother - - you name it the man has done it, thought about it or schemed to make it happen. He is one of those characters you just love to hate.

But a few seasons ago, Dan had a revelation. He let go of his ways, owned up to his mistakes and set out on a path to try and find redemption.

First, Dan tried to earn his redemption through money and fame thinking an image would change people's perseptions and he would be forgiven - that didn't work.
Then, Dan turned away from the "flash" and removed himself from everyone he loved thinking that daily penance would gain him the forgiveness he sought - but that didn't work either.
Now, Dan is trying to find redemption by integrating himself back into the lives of those he loves - but they have limited to no tolerance for him.

What Dan has yet to figure out is that redemption cannot be earned.

Often we are too much like Dan. Regardless of our sin - from lying to murder - no amount of penance or work or charm will earn forgiveness.

Forgiveness is only true forgiveness when it is freely and unconditionally given - including forgiving ourselves.

No matter how hard we work - no matter how many "good things" we tally up - we will never be free of the anchor of the sin in our lives if we do not openly ask and receive forgiveness.

The world may never forget what you do (or what Dan Scott has done) but God will forgive you if you ask and in that forgiveness you will find the ability to forgive yourself and to move forward letting go of the anchor holding you to your past.

Redemption can be a long road, but you will never start down the path if you first do not seek God's forgiveness and allow His forgiveness to generate your own.

Scripture

Quote

“Those of us who were brought up as Christians and have lost our faith have retained the sense of sin without the saving belief in redemption. This poisons our thought and so paralyses us in action.”Cyril Connolly

Question

Of what do you need to seek forgiveness?



Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Finding the Patience of God



Patience.

Wow... I know Paul writes that it is a part of the fruit of the spirit and King Solomon wrote that wisdom leads to patience, but on a regular basis I feel like patience is a gift I will never receive.

There are several, slightly different definitions to patience:
1. the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like. 
2.an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay
3.quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence:

Hm mm... I don't know about you, but each of these definitions convicts me. I rarely display any of these qualities - I often complain about delays; I can be quick to lose my temper; I can become annoyed when life doesn't go according to my plan; And even when I persevere I tend to complain in the midst of pressing on!

Despite all of my failings, I still have a deep desire to be a person of patience; to be someone who reflects God's care with the world.

Can you imagine if God displayed our level of patience?
How would He react to the mistakes and the sin we fall into everyday?

God's patience is much deeper than any one person's, but it isn't infinite. He suffers through our missteps, misdirections, and misguided judgements. He endures our follies, failures, and fallacies.

But, He has told us that one day He will judge the world. His patience - His suppression of annoyance and temper - will run out and He will come to judge.

Until that day, we are called to live our lives reflective of the love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, self-control, goodness and faithfulness this is the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God living within each of us.

Some days we will be better at persevering in spite of our condition and some days we will lose our tempers. Thankfully everyday, God will forgive each of us in spite of our missteps in patience.

I am so thankful that God's patience well is SIGNIFICANTLY deeper than mine.

Scripture

Quote of the Day

“Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.”
Barbara Johnson

Question of the Day

When have you been able to show patience in the midst of adversity?

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Loving like Jesus



Digging Deeper - GUMY JR/SR Session Defining Love 2.12.12

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.
1 John 3:16

Love.

Love is a word which gets overused in our English language.

I love hockey and I love my family.

But can I really love them the same way? Can I really love an inanimate object?

Love is the essence of who we are as Christians. Love is at the center of why Christ made the sacrifice of leaving Heaven and all of its Glory to walk amongst man and ultimately lay his life down so that we could one day be reconciled with God.

I have a hard time matching this kind of love with my love for hockey.

We throw the word love around loosely and without feeling, when we should recognize it for the power-filled word that it is...LOVE.

Loving someone - unconditionally with no strings attached - is the greatest most difficult gift to give another person. But, when you love this way - when you love the way Jesus loves each of us - you will find that the experience transcends mere words.

We are called to love each other the way Jesus loves us.

What an awesome responsibility...

Scripture

Quote of the Day
The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread
Mother Teresa

Question

When have you loved as Jesus loves?

Monday, February 13, 2012

Riding the Current



There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens
Ecclesiastes 3:1

Life is like riding a current. Some days the current is slow and steady giving you a nice leisurely ride. Other days, the current is speedy whipping you around with little direction and making you feel like you are stuck in a cyclone of chaos.

Regardless of how the current is flowing - chaotic or smooth - there is a purpose.

When life is simple, straightforward and steady going, God is teaching us patience and contentment. The first response by many would be that a simple, placid time in life might be boring, with little to learn, but in fact God uses these moments of peace and tranquility to learn about Him and to gain glimpses of the life we have ahead of us.

When life is like a rocky road sundae, filled with nuts and different flavors all fighting against each other, God is teaching us lessons in humility, trust and obedience. Many might want to turn their backs on God when life becomes difficult - blaming Him for their circumstances. But, if we press-in to the pain and we turn to God, we will find that in the midst of trials God can teach us some of the greatest lessons we will have in life. In the midst of the turmoil, we can see the sweetness of the life God has put before us.

Everything - EVERY SINGLE THING - has a purpose and a time and a place.
EVERYTHING.

We don't always understand why something happens - but we can trust there is a purpose which is bigger than us - and that the current will once again turn and we will be faced with a new challenge and a new purpose in God's plan.

Scripture

Quote of the Day
If you don't know where you're going, it doesn't matter if your alarm doesn't go off in the morning.
Dennis Waitley

Question

When do you feel like you are riding with the current instead of fighting against it?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Letting Go of the Pain




12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Colossians 3:12-14

Forgiveness – true, complete, whole forgiveness – is one of the hardest things as human beings we can do for someone else and for ourselves. And yet, it is one of the hallmarks of the Christian faith and one of the keys to us be able to full accept the forgiveness Christ offers each of us.

We are called to live lives which reflect Jesus’s heart and his love. Part of that reflection is our ability to forgive and to let go of a hurt. At times, what someone says can hurt more deeply than any physical wound, and because it is internal others cannot see the injury and cannot help you find ways to heal. This is why it is important to let a person know, in a kind and gentle manner, when he or she has offended or hurt you and it is equally important to recognize the hurt and release it.

Holding onto pain or past injuries hurts no one but you. Only you suffer when you do not forgive and release the pain someone has inflicted. We must forgive quickly – recognizing the pain and allowing the hurts to be soothed by the love of Jesus.

To avoid all conflict and pain in life is impossible, but we can do our part not to allow pain and suffering to linger longer than necessary. We are not a perfect people. We make mistakes. We hurt each other and we ourselves. But – as Christians we have the ability to allow our love for each other and the love Christ has for each of us to be the soothing salve which will help to heal our broken hearts.

Scripture

Quote of the Day
“When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.”
Cathrine Ponder
Question of the Day

When were you hurt or when did you hurt someone else in this past week?

Friday, February 3, 2012

You are a Masterpiece


I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made
Psalm 139:14

Do you ever think about the masterpieces God creates?

From my back deck I have an amazing view of the western sky and often in the spring, summer and early fall I am treated to a painting which cannot be duplicated outside of God’s paintbrush in the sky. As I watch the sun dip behind the trees, I find myself unable to break my gaze from the beauty and I can almost hear my heart singing praise.

God’s masterpieces are not limited to beautiful sunrises or sunsets; they can be found in the gentle slope of a mountain, the angelic voice of a performer, the laugh of a child, the loveliness of a smile….And each one of you.

We are God’s masterpieces. We, each of us, were made in God’s own image. He created us as purely and poetically as he creates the sunsets and the stars in the heavens.

We may falter and stumble and get a few smudges on ourselves, but we are still God’s works of art.

When you begin to think that you aren’t worthy of something or that you will never accomplish your goal; when the words of someone penetrate your heart and make you doubt who you are; when your fear overrides your ability to trust …
When all of this occurs and more…REMEMBER…you are a MASTERPIECE.

Scripture

Quote of the Day
When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.
John Ruskin

Question of the Day

When have you felt as if you were fearfully and wonderfully made?

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Sunday Morning Christian vs. Seven Day a Week Christian



"Being real is a blessing most people don't have." 
Unknown

Our actions - what we do - will not determine our salvation. Jesus took care of that on the cross. Through our acceptance of Jesus's offer of grace we are saved.

But...how we live our lives will - the choices we make - should reflect an authentic relationship with Jesus.

If we are living as Christians, persons who have accepted the grace, love and forgiveness of Jesus, we cannot live in a pit of perpetual sin. We must strive to live lives full of honesty and integrity - reflecting the salvation we have been given freely.

Living a life of true authenticity is difficult. It can be hard to reflect the love of Christ to everyone we meet. We will stumble and fall - through acts of temper, gossip, lying or a myriad of sins - but the important thing is to recognize those sins and the sinful behavior and try, with God's help, to turn from them. Truly living as an authentic Christian doesn't mean being perfect; rather it means you are striving to live a life as closely aligned with Christ as possible.

Being a Christian on Sunday mornings is easy. You are surrounded by people and things which align perfectly with your beliefs. But, you would be remiss in not taking your Sunday morning attitude and action as and applying them Monday through Saturday.

Think about how you act on a daily basis...

Would an average person in your "world" know that you are a Christian?

Do your words and your actions reflect a life which has been transformed by the grace of God?

The answers to these two questions will let you know if you are living a life of authenticity or a Sunday morning version of Christianity.
You can either be a Sunday Morning Christian or a Seven Day a Week Christian.
Your actions and your words will not save you...but the reflection of your life may lead or deter someone from moving toward a relationship with Jesus.

You have the ability - within your grasp - to live as authentically as possible; the choice is all yours.

Scripture



Quote of the Day
Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.

Judy Garland

Question of the Day

When have you been a positive reflection of Jesus this week?