Ps. 92:12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13They are planted in the house of the LORD;
they flourish in the courts of our God.
In our culture today, green products are very vogue, meaning they are trendy. Green products are things that are easily produced or very sustainable. Green products, like trees, grow fast and yet produce a good amount of product. An oak tree would not be considered green because it takes too long to grow. Bamboo is, because it grows quickly.
Quite possibly you have driven by a field of trees that are being grown for pulp. They are trees that are planted like corn, only they get 50-60' tall in 10-15 years. Sometimes when the winters are hard these trees get laden with snow or ice and they bend and break, because they grow quickly and the wood is not strong enough to hold additional weight, except for the leaves and small branches of the tree itself.
There are also trees that grow with very shallow root systems and when the wind blows they are easily knocked over because the roots have not gone deep enough in the ground to allow them to stay upright.
You can probably see the direction I am going here. We often want to be ready for trials that come along, but we want to be ready right now. We want to be able to hold others up when we can barely hold our own "leaves" up. We want to be able to withstand strong winds, but our roots are not deep enough yet.
I am encouraged, and want to encourage you also, that God is the Master Gardener who can grow us, make our roots deep, and make us strong in adversity. He can take His Word and plant it deep in us so that when the storms of life hit we are ready with that Scripture and He brings it back to remind us. The longer we walk with Him the stronger we are because He is strong. We can have faith that He will do the work in us, not because of what we have done, but because of Who He is.
Lord may I love Your Word and dwell in It so much that when I speak it is Your Word that comes out of my mouth. May Your Truth be deeply planted in my life so when trials come I would be able to stand upright and not be shaken because You have made me strong. I desire this, not so I would be honored but so others would be able to see that it is only You who could have done this in me and would glorify You because of what You have done. Grow me for Your purposes. Use me as You will. Produce fruit in me that brings You delight.
Ps. 1:3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Guard my Lips/Fingers
Ps. 141:3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
I was awaken this morning by thoughts of not knowing exactly what I had commented on another blog yesterday. I don't always remember exactly what I write and most of the time, lately, I have been praying as I read some portion of Scripture and then am just writing down what I think as I go along.
What I was awakened because I am not sure of my sensitivity in my post, so I wanted to go back and read it. I am not sure that I will ever know the answer to my sleeplessness in this matter, as the post was not on the site. I often pray, in many circumstances now, that God would open and close doors so that where I was supposed to go is blatantly clear and so I am hoping His has shielded what was mot meant to get there.
What I am not so clearly trying to say is, I hope that if I was insensitive, God has blocked the comment from getting to the person/persons who were not supposed to read it. I am also reminding myself not to speak/write too quickly and especially to be praying for God's guidance over each thing I say, in whatever form. If I am to be a blessing and encouragement to others it can only be because He is allowing it and I can easily misspeak w/o going to Him first.
I pray that I have not posted anything that has been insensitive to you readers and to God's grace in my life. If I have please forgive me and know that He is still working on me. God, please guard my lips and fingers as I go through this time, that I may be an encouragement, rather than a curse, to those around me. Give me the exact words you want me to say, and if I push through anyway, block it from being seen or heard. You can do this.
keep watch over the door of my lips!
I was awaken this morning by thoughts of not knowing exactly what I had commented on another blog yesterday. I don't always remember exactly what I write and most of the time, lately, I have been praying as I read some portion of Scripture and then am just writing down what I think as I go along.
What I was awakened because I am not sure of my sensitivity in my post, so I wanted to go back and read it. I am not sure that I will ever know the answer to my sleeplessness in this matter, as the post was not on the site. I often pray, in many circumstances now, that God would open and close doors so that where I was supposed to go is blatantly clear and so I am hoping His has shielded what was mot meant to get there.
What I am not so clearly trying to say is, I hope that if I was insensitive, God has blocked the comment from getting to the person/persons who were not supposed to read it. I am also reminding myself not to speak/write too quickly and especially to be praying for God's guidance over each thing I say, in whatever form. If I am to be a blessing and encouragement to others it can only be because He is allowing it and I can easily misspeak w/o going to Him first.
I pray that I have not posted anything that has been insensitive to you readers and to God's grace in my life. If I have please forgive me and know that He is still working on me. God, please guard my lips and fingers as I go through this time, that I may be an encouragement, rather than a curse, to those around me. Give me the exact words you want me to say, and if I push through anyway, block it from being seen or heard. You can do this.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Please Pray
I received a phone call this afternoon from a friend of mine; he told me that his really good friends, Tom and Tami, just found out that his 6 MONTH old daughter has just be diagnosed with Leukemia. She will be admitted to Children's Hospital tonight at 10.
I am not sure of the spiritual statues of the parents, but no matter what that is, it would still be very difficult to bring all this into perspective.
Please pray for the family that God would work mightily in their lives and that we would be able to be an encouragement to them in whatever way God sees fit.
I remember one of the speakers at the Shepherd's Conference last year saying that his friend had called some of his friends around America to come and pray for him when he was deathly ill. He said that it really humbled him to know that he would have to be the one who was the "righteous man" whose prayers were heard by God. How righteous is righteous enough for God to hear our prayers? Am I righteous enough to stand in the gap and pray for someone in this sort of situation?
Lord refine us and make us pure vessels that we would be ready to speak to You on behalf of this sick and dying world. May we know Your heart enough to be requesting Your will in every situation. Use us to be lights and encouragement to those around us that are hurting, they are many, and we are weak and frail vessels one our own, and we need Your strength and wisdom in every situation of every day. Thanks You for Your love and care for each one of us.
I am not sure of the spiritual statues of the parents, but no matter what that is, it would still be very difficult to bring all this into perspective.
Please pray for the family that God would work mightily in their lives and that we would be able to be an encouragement to them in whatever way God sees fit.
I remember one of the speakers at the Shepherd's Conference last year saying that his friend had called some of his friends around America to come and pray for him when he was deathly ill. He said that it really humbled him to know that he would have to be the one who was the "righteous man" whose prayers were heard by God. How righteous is righteous enough for God to hear our prayers? Am I righteous enough to stand in the gap and pray for someone in this sort of situation?
Lord refine us and make us pure vessels that we would be ready to speak to You on behalf of this sick and dying world. May we know Your heart enough to be requesting Your will in every situation. Use us to be lights and encouragement to those around us that are hurting, they are many, and we are weak and frail vessels one our own, and we need Your strength and wisdom in every situation of every day. Thanks You for Your love and care for each one of us.
Deep Valleys, High Mountains
Ps.90:15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
and for as many years as we have seen evil.
"Great trial enables us to bear great joy, and may be regarded as the herald of extraordinary grace. God's dealings are according to scale; small lives are small throughout; and great histories are great both in sorrow and happiness. Where there are high hills there are also deep valleys.
If we have fierce afflictions we may look for overflowing delights, and our faith may boldly ask for them. God who is great in justice when He chastens will not be little in mercy when He blesses, He will be great all through: let us appeal to Him with unstaggering faith." C.H. Spurgeon.
When I read this verse I had to see what Spurgeon said about it. What an encouragement to be reminded that our trials enable us to find joy in all things, and that God's grace is equally sufficient to bring trials and joy in the trials. I haven't been doing as well as I should be in that.
I like "great histories are great in sorrow and happiness". Truly when we walk through deep valleys the mountains tops are much more beautiful when we finally arrive.
"Unstaggering faith". Hum, I still am not doing so well here, but God is continuing to show Himself more than faithful, so sooner or later I, hopefully, will get it. I have noticed that the more I am in His Word and in prayer the more, in faith, I am able to see His hand working in the events around me and this really has then increased my faith. I just have to look through the lens of His Word and His precious promises so I am reminded constantly, or I forget.
Lord, work in my life and work on my life. Enable me to see the events You are orchestrating that I might see Your faithfulness with clarity and with that clarity praise You with all my heart. Don't let me be un-thankful. I often miss the joy in the trial because I am focused on the trial and not the joy. Change me. I know You are working on me, and though it is hard to have the hammer pounding, You are the Master Craftsman and You have something planned. Please give me the grace and strength the endure and just a glimpse along the way to keep me excited about the process. You have ordained each of my steps, You know the path You have for me, so place each one of my footsteps exactly where You want them to be, don't let me step anywhere You don't want me to step. Keep my feet from stumbling and make my footing sure. Light my path with the light of Your Word, and make it straight and smooth, but keep it steep as I ascend toward You. When I am weary and wore, carry me safely in Your arms.
Thanks for the incredible blessings along the way and for giving me a new perspective on the life that You have called me to LIVE.
Incessant Praise
Ps. 34: 1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
Verse 1 has been convicting to me as of late. Do I really bless the Lord at ALL times and is His praise CONTINUALLY in my mouth?
God has blessed me with so many blessings, some I don't even notice, and yet it is easy for me to get wrapped up in the things right in front of me and not give Him praise along the way.
I want to give some examples of things that deserve His praise that I often miss and maybe this will encourage all of us to be praising Him more often. He is worthy of our praise.
In reading the Mark's blog I have been reminded that I need to be praising Him for waking me up with my wife every morning. He has given us helpmates to be just that, praise God.
When was the last time I was thankful for my health? That seems like a last resort answer, but really, we have no health or sustenance at all unless He gives it, praise the Lord.
Employment can be forgotten in the grind of life, but there are many who are not working and would love to have any sort of job, praise the Lord for an opportunity to work as unto Him.
Personally in the PG world I have not been nearly thankful enough, until just very recently, that God really is the provider of every lead and every conversion of a lead to a sale, that allows us to keep going and keeps cash flow where it has to be. I don't ever want to be insincere in my praise, but I am truly understanding that when a client chooses to call or drive into PG, it is from God. Why would they choose us and not someone else? Only because God directed them to hear about us, often in some crazy way, and then they decided to take the drive up to PG. That is of God and He deserves to get the praise for it every time.
I am sure you can put this into practice, personally, and we all should encourage each other by verbally saying "Praise the Lord" or "Praise God" when He does show Himself faithful. He loves a thankful people!
When we boast only in Him, we will automatically become more humble because we are recognizing our dependence on Him. He is the Sole Provider and He wants and deserves to be recognized as such.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
Ps. 89:15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,
16who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
17For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
Verse 1 has been convicting to me as of late. Do I really bless the Lord at ALL times and is His praise CONTINUALLY in my mouth?
God has blessed me with so many blessings, some I don't even notice, and yet it is easy for me to get wrapped up in the things right in front of me and not give Him praise along the way.
I want to give some examples of things that deserve His praise that I often miss and maybe this will encourage all of us to be praising Him more often. He is worthy of our praise.
In reading the Mark's blog I have been reminded that I need to be praising Him for waking me up with my wife every morning. He has given us helpmates to be just that, praise God.
When was the last time I was thankful for my health? That seems like a last resort answer, but really, we have no health or sustenance at all unless He gives it, praise the Lord.
Employment can be forgotten in the grind of life, but there are many who are not working and would love to have any sort of job, praise the Lord for an opportunity to work as unto Him.
Personally in the PG world I have not been nearly thankful enough, until just very recently, that God really is the provider of every lead and every conversion of a lead to a sale, that allows us to keep going and keeps cash flow where it has to be. I don't ever want to be insincere in my praise, but I am truly understanding that when a client chooses to call or drive into PG, it is from God. Why would they choose us and not someone else? Only because God directed them to hear about us, often in some crazy way, and then they decided to take the drive up to PG. That is of God and He deserves to get the praise for it every time.
I am sure you can put this into practice, personally, and we all should encourage each other by verbally saying "Praise the Lord" or "Praise God" when He does show Himself faithful. He loves a thankful people!
When we boast only in Him, we will automatically become more humble because we are recognizing our dependence on Him. He is the Sole Provider and He wants and deserves to be recognized as such.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
Ps. 89:15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of your face,
16who exult in your name all the day
and in your righteousness are exalted.
17For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favor our horn is exalted.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thief in the house
Prov. 9:17 "Stolen water is sweet,
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
You will have to ask my wife for now and later I might be able to tell you the rest of the story:)
and bread eaten in secret is pleasant."
You will have to ask my wife for now and later I might be able to tell you the rest of the story:)
Teach me your way, O LORD
Ps. 86:10 For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
12I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
SKH challenged the staff and students at snow retreat to keep our zeal going, even after the week has ended. He then gave some tips to keep it up. It is easy to be on a spiritual high when everyone else around you is reading their Bible and praying. But it is yet another thing to keep it up when they have all gone home.
I asked one of the guys in my cabin if he had been reading his Bible since he returned. He admitted he had been pretty slack. I encouraged him that he needed to push past the laziness of sleep and get up and read. He did this morning and said it was hard but worth it.
It seems like spiritual disciplines are much the same a physical disciplines. It is hard to start, but after you have worked through the initial portion then you want to be disciplined. The great part about spiritual discipline is when we ask God to make us hunger and thirst for His Word and time in prayer, He loves to bless us with an answer.
Pray that He would teach you to walk in His Truth. He wants you to, and you want you to. When we ask according to His will, He hears us and will do it. Then when He has answered and has given you the desire to meet with Him, listen to His Word and talk with Him in prayer, thank Him for the marvelous work He is producing in your life.
He can and does do miracles in our hearts. Ask Him to make you love the time with Him; then you will grow closer to Him.
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
12I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
SKH challenged the staff and students at snow retreat to keep our zeal going, even after the week has ended. He then gave some tips to keep it up. It is easy to be on a spiritual high when everyone else around you is reading their Bible and praying. But it is yet another thing to keep it up when they have all gone home.
I asked one of the guys in my cabin if he had been reading his Bible since he returned. He admitted he had been pretty slack. I encouraged him that he needed to push past the laziness of sleep and get up and read. He did this morning and said it was hard but worth it.
It seems like spiritual disciplines are much the same a physical disciplines. It is hard to start, but after you have worked through the initial portion then you want to be disciplined. The great part about spiritual discipline is when we ask God to make us hunger and thirst for His Word and time in prayer, He loves to bless us with an answer.
Pray that He would teach you to walk in His Truth. He wants you to, and you want you to. When we ask according to His will, He hears us and will do it. Then when He has answered and has given you the desire to meet with Him, listen to His Word and talk with Him in prayer, thank Him for the marvelous work He is producing in your life.
He can and does do miracles in our hearts. Ask Him to make you love the time with Him; then you will grow closer to Him.
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