Grace

God's grace. What is grace? I would define it using the level of intellect that I possess as "the taking away of deserved consequences". That definition works when I get stopped by a policeman and he lets me off. It works when Jeremiah doesn't complete an assigned shore and I don't punish him. It even works if I don't pay my electric bill on time. 
How does it work for a God that created everything, becoming a man, walking in absolute perfection, being tortured, dying, resurrecting Himself and returning to Heaven...so that I can do wrong and be forgiven do wrong again and be forgiven and again and again? 
How does that work? In my own mind that factors things against fairness, it doesn't work. It's not fair. I was taught as a youngster to play fair. I expect the judicial branch of our government to be fair. Employers to treat their workers fair. 
Grace isn't fair. Not to God. Grace isn't fair to people. I know some people who are followers of Christ that are "good" people. Haven't done much of anything wrong. They were obedient children, good students, hard workers, church-attenders, on and on. I know others who have awful pasts. Murderers, drunks, child-molesters, cheaters. All of the above are equally forgiven and grace covers them. 
Nope, grace isn't fair. But as a middle-of-the-roader on all of this "goodness", I'm glad. 
I smile, look to the heavens and sing almost daily beaming with gratitude that my God loves me enough to allow me access to grace. Grace that I cannot nearly define.  
  

Me

God has created me to be a specific way, a one-of-a-kind person. A little more energized than the average guy, a little louder, more emotional, less than timid, compassionate on occasion...me.
Today, I long to take all that I am and be the best me that I can. I can't do it. I have to enter into God's flow and be swept to it. I have to allow Him control.
I believe that there are some people in this world, though I don't always know who they are, that  only I will be able to influence for the Lord. Some people that will respond to the person that God has created me to be.
I need to be me.

Who I Am

I am:
the son of a good ole boy and an old-fashioned gal...
the brother of a red-neck and a metro...
a lover of a Proverbs 31-caliber woman...
father of a soft-hearted angel and a mischievous missionary...
a connoisseur of beef...
a preacher of the Gospel...
mentally mechanical...
sensitive to people.


This is who I am. 
Lord, take all of me and make me into something better than before.


"Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all I that do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!"  

Tell them

Good friend of mine is now mourning the death of his mom. I know that he told her of God's love and the saving grace of Jesus. She made her decision, and only God knows what the outcome is.
Today, I watched as a family planned a funeral for their sister. It was pretty obvious that she didn't know Jesus. I had an immediate gut reaction, TELL THEM! A gut reaction placed in me by the Holy Spirit: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."
There's no "do overs" with eternity. People may only have one chance to hear. But am I taking advantage of that chance and telling them? 
Sobering.

Mighty

As I've been preparing to speak on David's Mighty Men, I've given much thought to "mightiness". As a follower of Christ, the world is backwards compared to The Kingdom of God. What made Jashobeam, Eleazar and Shammah so noteworthy as being mighty? Was it their amazing battle records? Was it David, their leader? 
I think the that their base strength came from their dedication to the Lord. That fleshed itself out in their actions. Much like Paul's instruction to the Roman church: Don't be conformed to this world. Think differently, think the way God thinks and that will change how you act. Nonconformity will make you a mighty warrior. That will make you wrestle in prayer as Epaphrasis did for the Colossians. When I'm wrestling for people and factor myself out of the equation, God's will becomes clearer. Wow, sounds just like Romans 12:2. Crazy how God is true to His word. As I wrestle in prayer for people that I love, their future places in ministry, their health, their salvation God speaks to me and it's REALLY cool. 
So I have to ask myself, why don't I reserve more time in my "busy schedule" for wrestling, the very connection to God's might? A primary goal for my life, wrestling. 
God give me the guts to wrestle as Jacob wrestled, seeking your blessing in the form of guidance. 

Hatred

Just watched an old documentary about Hitler. It makes me nearly sick. How can a man be so filled with hatred that he would murder millions? 
Then my mind wandered to "Germany has such deep spiritual roots." ands then I thought "America has such deep spiritual roots."
Makes me wonder if there's any possibility that we, as a nation, could follow suit. On that rabbit trail of thought, what group or nationality would be the hated lot? Could it be Christians? 
That would make a great Tim LaHaye book.

Action="Friend of God"

The Creative Church Conference was a huge encouragement/learning experience for me. 
The speakers that were there, all men who've pastored churches through strong growth, shared advice about growing a healthy church. Healthy churches should grow. People in healthy churches share Christ, they excitedly invite others to church services and events and then the Holy Spirit does only what He can do: convicts their hearts and some concede to His calling. The church grows.
During the growth process that God has called me to, I have to be evert mindful of His direction. Listening, tuned in and not "bull-dozering" ahead as I am so inclined to do. UGGGH, my personality weaknesses make me crazy sometimes! But then God speaks to me through another staff member, it's so cool...the Church.
At any rate, lots of ideas swirl through my head as I contemplate ministry. Through this, I strive to remember that ideas are great but I believe James said it best in James 2, 


"Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone."