"We cannot embrace our present blessings if our hands are full of past failures." "They had been oppressed for so long they did not know how to live in blessing." These were two quotes from a recent guest speaker at church. Also recently, a friend sent me a link to part of a lecture by … Continue reading Stretched
Tag: mindset
My Two Biggest Fears
My two biggest fears are; 1.) Not having sufficient emotional abundance and availability to really be helpful on that level to those who are closest to me, primarily my wife and possible children in the future. 2.) Getting stuck at a level, personally, professionally, and spiritually that is well below my potential. Why these thoughts … Continue reading My Two Biggest Fears
Healing a Soul
The context here is John 5:1-15. Verse five is what hit me the hardest: “One man was there who had been sick for 38 years.” You can be healed of a condition, but how do you recover from being trained into a mindset, or from having your mindset reinforced by your circumstances? Thirty-eight years. How … Continue reading Healing a Soul
Sooner and Simpler
Romans 4:21 says, “...because he was fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” It might not be in every detail, in the form that we expect it. But that is an important point, because the road to something being accomplished is often shorter and simpler than we think. God … Continue reading Sooner and Simpler
My Toothbrush is Holy
I am a big fan of demystifying churchey words, not because I am irreverent, but because I don't want their effect to be lost. So, "holy". I would describe "holy" as 'designated for a particular purpose'. People have holidays (holy-days) designated for remembrance of certain religiously significant events. A holy day, or holy place, or … Continue reading My Toothbrush is Holy
What You Already Have
I was talking with a friend of mine about seeking God in the context of a romantic relationship. In the course of that, he told some of his story about the woman who is now his wife. At some point he said, "we prayed together", and though he was not placing any special emphasis on … Continue reading What You Already Have
The Seasonality of Revelation
In the Gospel of Mark, chapter two, is the following story: “Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. People came and asked Him, ‘Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ fast, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding guests cannot fast while the groom is with them, can they? … Continue reading The Seasonality of Revelation
I Want to Honor God
I recently had a conversation with somebody who was stressing out about decision-making and God's will. By God's grace, I dropped the following truth bombs from personal experience: - God is more concerned about character development than which fork you take at this particular juncture. - Most of the lessons that God wants to teach … Continue reading I Want to Honor God
The Flesh
In the context of the New Testament, I think of 'the flesh' as ‘that which is passing away or under the authority of that which is passing away.’ That's general vibe I get from Paul's usage of the word 'flesh' in his letters to the various churches. Because our flesh, the physical body, ages and … Continue reading The Flesh
Raise Your Standards
Tony Robbins' teachings on this shifted my thinking into my current perspective on this subject. He has commented that "you don't always get your shoulds, but you always get your musts"...applying this principle to everything from income level to fitness. Most people 'should' go to the gym, but the people who actually follow through are … Continue reading Raise Your Standards
