Wow, I can't believe it's been two months since I last blogged. I know I kept telling myself that I needed to get back to my blog, but something always seemed to come up that I thought need my attention more. And it's not that I haven't had ideas that weren't blog worthy, just seemed that life happened to get in the way. Seems that is the way it always happens with a lot of things in my life. I have great expectations and plans and then life happens, and I get side tracked. I need to find a way to stay focused on what is important and not loose sight of what it is I'm put here on earth for. So what am I put here for? Quite simple, I'm called to be a game changer and a tone setter. What, you may ask, am I talking about? I, as a Christian, am called to be different, not conformed to the world, but to have my thoughts and actions, my mind and my heart, centered on the things of God. I am to look for ways to show and share God's love with others, in my home, at my work, and on my streets.
How important is this? It's ETERNAL!! I'm still reading in Genesis and the answer to this question can be found in Chapters 18 and 19. These chapters are about God's judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. We know how the story goes. The Lord tells Abraham that basically Sodom and Gomorrah is going to be destroyed for it's wickedness and Abraham then pleads for them. Abraham successfully pleads Sodom's case and the Lord tells Abraham that if ten righteous people can be found, then He would not destroy Sodom. So, out of a city of thousands, there only had to be ten righteous people. TEN!! Seems pretty easy right, especially to Abraham since he figured that his nephew and his family would easily fulfill the ten. Yet, we all know that God's judgment came upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and it was destroyed. So, not even ten righteous people could be found. Sodom and Gomorrah is no longer on the map not because of the number of unrighteous people. Sodom and Gomorrah is no longer on the map because of the lack of number of righteous people. WHOA!! Abraham was betting on the idea that his nephew Lott, who had been living in Sodom for 20 years, had somehow had an influence on the people around him. Abraham believed that Lott had his same faith and love of God and that he passed that on to his family and friends. How sad that that was not the case.
The question comes to me then. Am I influencing those around me? The righteous will set the tone. Am I being a game changer and a tone setter? The righteous will set the tone. Am I living a life of caring for other people, showing the same love that God shows me to others? The righteous will set the tone. Am I living unexpectedly, surprising others with my godliness? The righteous will set the tone. If God was suddenly to come to Karnes City, looking for ten righteous people, would He find them? Will I have lived here for 20 years and not influenced just ten people to be righteous in the eyes of the Lord? My prayer is then that I would be a game changer and a tone setter, that I would be an influence on those around me, and that God would be able to find a whole lot more than ten righteous people in the wake of my presence!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Location, Location, Location
I have a confession to make. I'm addicted to a show on HGTV called Property Virgins. The basis of the show is that the host, Sandra, takes a couple, who are looking to buy their first home, and shows them several homes and then guides them through the process of making an offer and closing on the home. She always starts the show in the couples "dream" neighborhood, the one place they would absolutely love to buy a home in. She then will ask them what they think a home similar to what they were looking for sells for in that neighborhood. It always surprises the couple how much the home would sell for, usually 3 to 4 times the amount they can afford. And Sandra always tells the couple the reason for the price is location, location, location. And she is right, location is a prime factor in real estate prices.
I began thinking about the phrase "location, location, location" as I was reading in Genesis, continuing my study by reading Genesis 13. Abram and Sarai are back in the land that God had promised to Abram and his nephew, Lot, was with him. But the land could not support both Abram's and Lot's vast livestock holdings. This caused problems between the two and their herdsman. Abram, not wanting the quarreling to continue, agreed to let Lot choose an area of land for himself and then Abram was going to go in the opposite direction. So Lot chose the most fertile land with plenty of water known as the plain of Jordan. And Abram went the opposite direction to the land of Canaan.
So here was Lot with arguably the best land in the whole region. He had numerous places within this land that he could have located, but he chose to settle near Sodom. Now we all know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom was filled with men who "were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord" (verse 13). So the question begs, why would Lot locate here. The temptations coming from such a place as Sodom had to have been great, probably irresistible. He has many other areas within the same fertile region he could live but he placed himself near this temptation, much to his detriment.
Abram is a different story however. The Lord told Abram to look in all directions and all the land that he could see would belong to him and his offspring. In this land he set up his camp at the great tree near Hebron, and here built an altar to the Lord. Abram was definitely walking in obedience to the Lord and the Lord was going to bless him and his children and his children's children. At this point in his journey he was clearly focused on God and God's promises and planned to worship Him and thus settled in an area that he felt was perfect for this.
But I realized, it's the same in my life as in Lot's. Why do I find myself sometimes in locations close to temptation? It's not because I don't have other productive locations that I can be. But I chose to set up camp within temptations grasp. I should however be more like Abram and strive to be obedient to God's calling in my life and place myself, not within temptation's grasp, but in the more fertile, productive area of God's altar, worshiping Him and working to fulfill His promises for my life. Sandra is right...location, location, location.
I began thinking about the phrase "location, location, location" as I was reading in Genesis, continuing my study by reading Genesis 13. Abram and Sarai are back in the land that God had promised to Abram and his nephew, Lot, was with him. But the land could not support both Abram's and Lot's vast livestock holdings. This caused problems between the two and their herdsman. Abram, not wanting the quarreling to continue, agreed to let Lot choose an area of land for himself and then Abram was going to go in the opposite direction. So Lot chose the most fertile land with plenty of water known as the plain of Jordan. And Abram went the opposite direction to the land of Canaan.
So here was Lot with arguably the best land in the whole region. He had numerous places within this land that he could have located, but he chose to settle near Sodom. Now we all know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom was filled with men who "were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord" (verse 13). So the question begs, why would Lot locate here. The temptations coming from such a place as Sodom had to have been great, probably irresistible. He has many other areas within the same fertile region he could live but he placed himself near this temptation, much to his detriment.
Abram is a different story however. The Lord told Abram to look in all directions and all the land that he could see would belong to him and his offspring. In this land he set up his camp at the great tree near Hebron, and here built an altar to the Lord. Abram was definitely walking in obedience to the Lord and the Lord was going to bless him and his children and his children's children. At this point in his journey he was clearly focused on God and God's promises and planned to worship Him and thus settled in an area that he felt was perfect for this.
But I realized, it's the same in my life as in Lot's. Why do I find myself sometimes in locations close to temptation? It's not because I don't have other productive locations that I can be. But I chose to set up camp within temptations grasp. I should however be more like Abram and strive to be obedient to God's calling in my life and place myself, not within temptation's grasp, but in the more fertile, productive area of God's altar, worshiping Him and working to fulfill His promises for my life. Sandra is right...location, location, location.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Simon Says
Well, a few months ago I began reading Genesis. Genesis has always been a book that has baffled me, with all of the begatting and stuff. I mean I understand creation and Adam and Eve and the serpent. But then you get to Cain and Abel, Noah and the Flood, the Tower of Babel and the scattering of the people. I'm finally though getting how all this ties into my life as a follower of Jesus, my personal relationship with Him.
I'm in Chapter 12, the beginning of the story of Abram (later to be Abraham). And as I read and re-read the chapter, I realized the beginning of a pattern that will plague the people of Israel for the rest of time. And ironically its a pattern that I go through in my life. It reminds me of the childhood game - Simon Says - you know the game. You are told to do something, but you can only do it if it is preceded with the phrase "Simon says". If that phrase is not attached, you can't do the action. If you do, then you lose the game. "Simon says jump up and down" and you are suppose to jump up and down. "Sit down" and you are not to sit down.
How does a child's game relate to the beginning of the story of Abram as told in Genesis 12? In verse 4 it reads, "So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran." Then you read further along and come to verse 10, "Now there was a famine in the land and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe." Can you see it? Can you see the missing words that make one action acceptable and the other not acceptable? The words that signify being obedient and not being obedient? Verse 4 shows an action that Abram had taken "as the Lord had told him". Contrast that to verse 10 when Abram also acts but with out the prescribed phrasing. In verse 4, Abram's walking in obedience to God's will, in verse 10 he's not - the Lord did not say. For his actions in verse 4, Abram was blessed. For his disobedience in verse 10, he was punished.
As I thought about Abram, I realized this was the same in my life. When I walk out in obedience to God's will, God blesses that walk and therefore I am blessed. When I do not walk out in obedience to God's will, that action is not blessed and I am called out about it. So why do I continue to ignore the fact that Simon didn't say, i.e. the Lord did not say? Am I doomed to repeat this cycle much the same as Abram and Israel had? I must focus on my relationship with Christ and stay in the word and stay faithful to communicating daily with my Lord through prayer. That is my only hope to break the cycle.
Will I be successful? More than likely not. Will my disobedience lead to God separating Himself from me? The answer is no and it is found further in Genesis 12. See, Abram disobeyed God by leaving the land that He had promised him and fleeing to Egypt with Sarai. And once Abram got into the land of the Pharaoh, he lied to Pharaoh about his and Sarai's relationship (ok, it was a half truth since Sarai was his half-sister - but a half truth still equates to a whole lie). And Pharaoh took Sarai as his wife while Abram was treated well and Pharaoh was generous beyond measure to Abram and Abram found a place of favor with Pharaoh. But since Pharaoh took Sarai to be his wife when she was already Abram's and God had a plan for Abram and Sarai and this situation seriously impeded His plan, He brought about serious diseases - but not against Abram - but against Pharaoh's household. And Pharaoh recognized the deception and told Abram to take his wife Sarai with all that he had and to leave Egypt. And so Abram returned with his wife and his possessions back to the land that God had promised him. God's plan restored.
God's plan is higher than anything that I can come up with. And I can run away from it and be disobedient, but God will have His plan fulfilled - the old adage "you can run but you can not hide". So the lesson, why run in the first place? When Simon (GOD) says - just do it!!
I'm in Chapter 12, the beginning of the story of Abram (later to be Abraham). And as I read and re-read the chapter, I realized the beginning of a pattern that will plague the people of Israel for the rest of time. And ironically its a pattern that I go through in my life. It reminds me of the childhood game - Simon Says - you know the game. You are told to do something, but you can only do it if it is preceded with the phrase "Simon says". If that phrase is not attached, you can't do the action. If you do, then you lose the game. "Simon says jump up and down" and you are suppose to jump up and down. "Sit down" and you are not to sit down.
How does a child's game relate to the beginning of the story of Abram as told in Genesis 12? In verse 4 it reads, "So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran." Then you read further along and come to verse 10, "Now there was a famine in the land and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe." Can you see it? Can you see the missing words that make one action acceptable and the other not acceptable? The words that signify being obedient and not being obedient? Verse 4 shows an action that Abram had taken "as the Lord had told him". Contrast that to verse 10 when Abram also acts but with out the prescribed phrasing. In verse 4, Abram's walking in obedience to God's will, in verse 10 he's not - the Lord did not say. For his actions in verse 4, Abram was blessed. For his disobedience in verse 10, he was punished.
As I thought about Abram, I realized this was the same in my life. When I walk out in obedience to God's will, God blesses that walk and therefore I am blessed. When I do not walk out in obedience to God's will, that action is not blessed and I am called out about it. So why do I continue to ignore the fact that Simon didn't say, i.e. the Lord did not say? Am I doomed to repeat this cycle much the same as Abram and Israel had? I must focus on my relationship with Christ and stay in the word and stay faithful to communicating daily with my Lord through prayer. That is my only hope to break the cycle.
Will I be successful? More than likely not. Will my disobedience lead to God separating Himself from me? The answer is no and it is found further in Genesis 12. See, Abram disobeyed God by leaving the land that He had promised him and fleeing to Egypt with Sarai. And once Abram got into the land of the Pharaoh, he lied to Pharaoh about his and Sarai's relationship (ok, it was a half truth since Sarai was his half-sister - but a half truth still equates to a whole lie). And Pharaoh took Sarai as his wife while Abram was treated well and Pharaoh was generous beyond measure to Abram and Abram found a place of favor with Pharaoh. But since Pharaoh took Sarai to be his wife when she was already Abram's and God had a plan for Abram and Sarai and this situation seriously impeded His plan, He brought about serious diseases - but not against Abram - but against Pharaoh's household. And Pharaoh recognized the deception and told Abram to take his wife Sarai with all that he had and to leave Egypt. And so Abram returned with his wife and his possessions back to the land that God had promised him. God's plan restored.
God's plan is higher than anything that I can come up with. And I can run away from it and be disobedient, but God will have His plan fulfilled - the old adage "you can run but you can not hide". So the lesson, why run in the first place? When Simon (GOD) says - just do it!!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Pro-Truth
I know. You're thinking for someone who claims not to really be into blogging, he's got two posts in one night. But this was something that I had to get in while it was relatively fresh in my mind. Today there was a special event in Houston, and I'm not talking about the MLK march. There was a silent prayer march to Planned Parenthood's new location out on the Gulf Freeway.
First a little background on this facility. It's a six story building that should open sometime in the spring and it is the largest Planned Parenthood location in the United States and the second largest in the world (the largest is in China). This facility will be a full service Planned Parenthood facility, which means that it will perform abortions up to the 19th week (that's half way through pregnancy).
There were hundreds, if not thousands, that participated in the march. Some were there that were silently and vocally praying for the potential and future users of this yet-to-open facility. And of course there were some there actively protesting the facility. This would be the Pro-Life side. And of course there were some there protesting the protesters. This would be the Pro-Choice side. Now I'm not going to get into the discussion of what each group is because we all know it.
It's important that my stance on the subject of abortion is known before we go further. I'm Pro-Truth. You may be asking "What is Pro-Truth?" Pro-Truth is what I believe God teaches us about the sanctity of human life. I believe that each child is a blessing from God, even those conceived by accident or violence. And it is a child at the moment of conception. And I believe that the issue of abortion is a theological issue and not a political or civil rights issue. I also believe that a child's value is not determined by its ability, meaning that a child should not be aborted just because it will or may have a birth defect such as Down Syndrome or may not live after it is born. There are several options to abortion and that's something for another post. What are my biblical references for my beliefs? Psalm 139:13-16, Job 10:11-12, Jeremiah 1:5, Isaiah 44:2 & 24
What concerned me most about this silent prayer march is not so much about the march itself, but some comments I read concerning the march that appeared in reaction to the Houston Chronicle's on-line article covering the march. And you might be surprised by what comments concerned me most. Of course like most comments that are concerned with abortion, you had a bunch of pro-choice denouncing the march and it's supporters as a bunch of right wing religious fanatics (which that probably did describe a small majority of the supporters and commenters). And of course you did have some comments from religious zealots. Then you had some comments from some Christians with a true heart concerning abortion - people who were not being demeaning or hurtful - but who were responding with a Christian attitude. But the group of commenters that scared me the most were those that said that they were pro-choice and also claimed to be Christians. How can this be? How can a TRUE Christian be for the killing by anyone of a defenseless child, born or unborn?
I pray for all these people. I pray that Christians will understand God's heart concerning His children, all His children, born and unborn. I pray that in time that we will not have a pro-choice or a pro-life movement, but that all people will unite in a pro-truth movement.
First a little background on this facility. It's a six story building that should open sometime in the spring and it is the largest Planned Parenthood location in the United States and the second largest in the world (the largest is in China). This facility will be a full service Planned Parenthood facility, which means that it will perform abortions up to the 19th week (that's half way through pregnancy).
There were hundreds, if not thousands, that participated in the march. Some were there that were silently and vocally praying for the potential and future users of this yet-to-open facility. And of course there were some there actively protesting the facility. This would be the Pro-Life side. And of course there were some there protesting the protesters. This would be the Pro-Choice side. Now I'm not going to get into the discussion of what each group is because we all know it.
It's important that my stance on the subject of abortion is known before we go further. I'm Pro-Truth. You may be asking "What is Pro-Truth?" Pro-Truth is what I believe God teaches us about the sanctity of human life. I believe that each child is a blessing from God, even those conceived by accident or violence. And it is a child at the moment of conception. And I believe that the issue of abortion is a theological issue and not a political or civil rights issue. I also believe that a child's value is not determined by its ability, meaning that a child should not be aborted just because it will or may have a birth defect such as Down Syndrome or may not live after it is born. There are several options to abortion and that's something for another post. What are my biblical references for my beliefs? Psalm 139:13-16, Job 10:11-12, Jeremiah 1:5, Isaiah 44:2 & 24
What concerned me most about this silent prayer march is not so much about the march itself, but some comments I read concerning the march that appeared in reaction to the Houston Chronicle's on-line article covering the march. And you might be surprised by what comments concerned me most. Of course like most comments that are concerned with abortion, you had a bunch of pro-choice denouncing the march and it's supporters as a bunch of right wing religious fanatics (which that probably did describe a small majority of the supporters and commenters). And of course you did have some comments from religious zealots. Then you had some comments from some Christians with a true heart concerning abortion - people who were not being demeaning or hurtful - but who were responding with a Christian attitude. But the group of commenters that scared me the most were those that said that they were pro-choice and also claimed to be Christians. How can this be? How can a TRUE Christian be for the killing by anyone of a defenseless child, born or unborn?
I pray for all these people. I pray that Christians will understand God's heart concerning His children, all His children, born and unborn. I pray that in time that we will not have a pro-choice or a pro-life movement, but that all people will unite in a pro-truth movement.
Beginnings
Well, I never thought that I would want to have a blog. I don't read a lot of other people's blogs and just never been one for expressing my thoughts on paper easily. But there is a beginning for everything. And I think that this is something I need to do as I journey through this life. I have so many thoughts that go through my head during the day and I have always wanted to share these thoughts but never felt I had the time nor the ability to express them. So here we go. This post is about beginnings, I guess I should give you some idea about what this blog is going to be about -- I have no idea! Seriously, it will basically be my thoughts mostly about what God is doing in my life as He is molding me into the man I should be. God so desires a relationship with me - with all of us - as far as me, I desire one with Him. God has been so good to me and has offered so much to me, and so many times I haven't taken the time to even notice. God loved me so much that He sent His only son, Jesus, to die so that I could live - what a serious, perfect love - for me. And you know what? It's for you too!! Jesus is the beginning - and I want to sit up and take notice!
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