Archive for the ‘Inspirational’ Category

Have You forgotten who you are?

Posted: March 11, 2012 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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I like Country Music. OK there I said it. I know, I know, I’m kinda strange in that way but I can’t help it. Sometimes country music just hits me in my core. I was listening to one of those country songs recently and the singer sang about needing to return to the house where she grew up because as an adult, she had lost her way. Or, as she sang, “I’ve forgotten who I am”. That line got me thinking of how easy it is for people to lose their way in this world and forget who they are. To me, Christian’s are unique because of, as I call it, their ” Heavenly citizenship” advantages, which gives them opportunities of success that non-Christians do not have. What happens though is we forget, or we lose focus and we no longer set our sights on God but rather make our decisions based on what we SEE and NOT on whats inside us. From experience when this happens, we WILL lose our way and that is the reason for this post…Have you forgotten who you are?

I can identify with the above and see this as a pattern in my own life…you are moving along in life and maybe things are going relatively well, meaning, no significant problems to speak of, and then something bad happens. This “problem”, or whatever it is, causes you to get distracted and then “out of sync” in your relationship with God, and before you know it, time has passed and you are relying on YOU to solve the mess you are in…Does that scenario sound familiar with anyone or am I the only one that thinks this way?

I always keep coming back to what causes me to get off track? If you have a relationship with Christ, why does one get “out of sync” with Him? I know we are targets of Satan while we live in this world and I hope that statement is not new to you. I believe Satan uses “busyness” and “mayhem” in our lives to completely distract us from our focus on Christ. The question is, can we recognize this when it ‘s happening to us and do something about it before too much time passes? Guys, I am talking about you personally as well as your relationships with your wife and kids. When you are out of sync with God, all of the aforementioned are affected in the wrong way. When you are going through this period, YOU are a different person and therefore you treat your family different…THAT is what I am trying to help you avoid…HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN WHO YOU ARE?

I mentioned earlier about your heavenly citizenship advantages…I wanted to explain that further so all of you know what you have to tap into when you find yourself in that position. The good news is, there are a whole lot of scriptures in the Bible that deal with these issues. In fact, all of Paul’s letters in the New Testament have an overwhelming theme of reminding us who we are in Christ…and that is the most security anyone of us could have in this world. Did you know when you became a Christian you experienced a status change? You became a child of God. Please don’t say…Yea, Yea, Yea at this point, I have heard this before…Listen to this verse:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, (Ephesians 2:19 NIV)

As a result of your salvation, YOU are a member of Gods household. Guys, I hope you are hearing me. That membership, that status change, means something. You are wired for heaven now. Read this verse from the Message translation:

For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven-God-made, not handmade – and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move-and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less. (2 Corinthians 5:1, 2, 5 MSG)

What I am saying is this, you have a future in heaven because of your salvation in Christ, yet you still have to live out your life on this earth and that sometimes can be what dooms us. We allow the things we see to overwhelm us and cause us distraction and confusion. You may or may not see this until it’s to late. God gave us the Holy Spirit to tap into during these times. His purpose…is to remind you who you are…you are a part of the household of God. You are NOT alone on the road of life without any options. Just tap into the things you do not see…

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

Yep, faith DOES play a role in this and with it applied in your life, you can trust that the next step you take…will be on solid ground.

So my question is this, Have you forgotten who you are? Well just in case it slipped your mind…Let me remind you that with salvation, comes a ticket into Heaven and membership into God’s household, and that is the greatest reminder of all…

Until next time guys…


Why is it so Hard to do a Good Job?

Posted: January 21, 2012 in Inspirational, Just for Fun
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A good friend of mine called me today hopping mad…well, maybe just frustrated but certainly not a happy guy. He was on his way to Los Angeles driving on a rainy Saturday morning to solve a problem that should never have been. You see, he is the man in charge of his project and he assigned someone to handle a job which in this case, was to cover up the roof of this unfinished building with plastic to thwart the coming rain. His employee performed the job similarly to how many people I have seen recently perform theirs…poorly…and as a result, the man in charge was forced to give up a Saturday of his life to solve the problem. Needless to say he was frustrated and he called me on his way up to the job site to vent. As the conversation progressed we started discussing leadership and how important it is to really anything that needs to be accomplished. From the football gridiron, to building anything, anytime there is a task that must be completed by a group it is the quality of the leadership that makes it happen. Now I’m the first to admit that leadership will only get you so far, you MUST have quality people in order to be successful. When you don’t have them, you end up doing what my friend is doing today…fixing someone else’s mistake and that affects everyone. Remember the old saying, ” you are only as strong as your weakest link”? I think we all know that statement to be true.

Recently I was watching my young son playing the game Madden NFL but he was doing it with a small twist. He turned off the games salary cap and was forcing trades thereby ending up with the very best players for his team. Now whenever he plays, he has an all-star team. He has Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady all on the same team? Can you imagine having the very best employees available all on your staff? For those of you who have worked in your industry for a long time, I’m sure you have worked with people you really enjoyed and there was a reason for that. Like me, if you were in charge, it’s because they knew their job and they cared about what they produced thereby causing you to admire their work ethic…or selfishly, because they made you look good…right?

Well the reality is we can’t have the very best people because they tend to get spread out amongst our competitors. Remember that part is all about the money. So what do you do to succeed with the group you have? You, You, You have to put forth quality leadership and get the most out of your people possible. Isn’t that what good coaching does? They put people in the right places in order for them to succeed thereby helping the company or team succeed. Don’t force that square peg into that round hole…you will regret that move…

But let’s get back to the beginning. My friend assigned a job to someone and that guy did that job poorly. This guy either has a good work ethic or he doesn’t. You can try to teach work ethic but I have found that to be difficult because many times it is how the person was raised that gives him his “approach to a problem” mentality. Unfortunately, in our world today, where we are struggling to stay in the black, companies just don’t have the time to spend on people who can’t simply step in and be productive. For me personally, I will give you one warning and then I must move on to the next person. That may sound harsh but my company’s success keeps many people employed and I will not allow a poor work ethic to spoil that success.

I will end with this. As a Christian, we are told in Colossians 3:17,

Let every detail in your lives-words, actions, whatever-be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Simply put, not just in our words, but in our ACTIONS, which is our work ethic, we must commit all our efforts (especially work) to Christ and we, you, will be successful…So keep your head down until the job is finished and done right…

Until next time guys…

Childlike Faith…in a Grown Man?

Posted: January 15, 2012 in Father, Inspirational, Tough Times
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Many years ago I worked for a company that decided they wanted to improve the teamwork amongst their management group. The ownership believed there were some folks in positions that didn’t play well together which makes for a difficult work environment. As a result, the owners decided to send the entire management team to a 2 day bonding experience high in the mountains. Personally, I had a great time because the majority of these challenges were  physical and very self challenging. For example, we got to scale a 100 foot tree and then repel back to the ground. But the exercise that truly impacted me, as well as the rest of us, was the fall back challenge. I remember standing up on a small 4 ft. high stand facing away from the group. The objective was for me to simply fall backward and trust that the group standing behind me, would catch me. As it turned out, I did fall and they did catch me, but for that split second, I wondered if they could handle my weight or what if there needed to be more people to catch me? All of those concerns ran through my mind right before I let go…

Now I know this is a very simple example of what I am trying to illustrate here but I think it will work. What if those questions I mentioned earlier never crossed my mind for this reason…because there was never any question that my teammates would catch me? What if I had NO fear and complete trust they would be there for me? What kind of relationship would I have had with them in order to have that kind of faith in them? That is exactly the kind of faith I marvel at when I look at the example of young David as he prepared to face the giant, Goliath. Fear was never the issue in his mind whereas any other soldier, it was paralyzing. He absolutely knew that when he stepped onto that battlefield he would be victorious…with no doubt whatsoever…total childlike faith in his God. I believe that even if Goliath would have had a Howitzer on that day, David would have beat him.

This is what David told Saul the King below:

The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the Lion and the paw of the Bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

1 Samuel 17:37

So how does one come to that kind of faith in God? What did David do or for that matter, what did God do in order for David to believe in him with such utter childlike dependence? Can you imagine if you approached your own Christian walk like that? No matter what you attempted, your faith in God was so solid with the knowledge that he would catch you if you fell…The kind of faith that is almost as natural as breathing…its just automatic.

Guys, all of us face challenges and adversity everyday both at work AND at home. I would also be safe in saying that some of those challenges are almost beyond what we can bear…I challenge you today to face your life’s challenges as David did without fear and ready to believe in what God has for you. I certainly will not say it will all be glorious and wonderful by any means…but what I can tell you is that faith in Him is truly sustaining. We WILL make it through our trials and challenges because we believe HE will overcome for us…just like he did for David. I assure you that when David got up that morning, he had no idea that he would be fighting the largest human being on earth. Honestly, getting to know David after some study, I would say that he got up that morning,  knelt down, prayed and said, “Let’s  do this!” and headed off to face his day…

So guys, let’s get excited everyday in anticipation of what God has in store for us…and when the going gets tough…keep in mind that what God did for David…he will do for you!!!

Until next time Guys…

My Christmas Eve…by Bob Welsh

Posted: January 1, 2012 in Inspirational
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Hey Guys-

Its very easy to get caught up in this festive time of year and forget that there are people out there who are hurting and need someone to give them a kind word or simply a helping hand. Then of course, there are the men and women who serve us in the military and as policemen, highway patrol and state troopers, who find themselves stationed far away or working on Christmas Eve and other holidays when they certainly would rather be with their own families. I came across this video recently that shows Bob Welsh, a retired state trooper, recounting some of his experiences on Christmas Eve. I found his story very moving and wanted share it with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did…

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all you guys…

The Real Definition of Wealth…

Posted: January 1, 2012 in Father, Husband, Inspirational
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Over the last few years, the holidays have caused me to reflect back and look at my own life and count my many blessings. I have been more aware of “life’s moments” since the loss of my daughter a few years back. Recently, I spent time  with a man who I don’t see very often because of distance and as I call it, his “self estrangement” from his family because of his desire to be alone and pursue his own desires. Now wait just a minute…what man wouldn’t want to pursue his own passions? We are guys and passions i.e. our hobbies, are what we do, am I right? My friend’s “problem” is that he isn’t alone. He moved in with a woman a few years back and then proceeded to have a beautiful little baby with her. Now you will notice I said “problem” earlier when referring to his new family and is the reason I write this blog post. His complaints about his personal situation caused me to realize how wealthy he is RIGHT NOW, and he doesn’t see it.

Our conversation began about creativity because he is a talented artist, sculptor and more. He is one of those people who see art in everything and when he puts his mind to a project, I have been stunned to see his results. Since I’ve known him, I have come to see him as a creative person with a free spirit. Unfortunately as he puts it, he hasn’t “created” any new “pieces of art” in a long time due to his new-found responsibilities with his girl friend and new child. In my opinion, most new dads find a way around these home responsibilities if they truly want to do whatever their passion is, HE…has chosen to become bitter towards his family. THEY are the reason he cannot pursue what he wants to do and he sees his girl friend and child as obstacles in life’s journey. As I listened to him explain the “journey” he is navigating and why he never has the time to pursue his creativity, I couldn’t help commenting on how much of an inspiration his young daughter must be to him? Here is this little gleam of sunshine, innocence, and just pure beauty and yet he does not see her that way. From the outside looking in, I ask What is standing in his way and blocking him from seeing what seems so clear and obvious to me? What is robbing him of the joy of being a father?

In this life, what could be more important than your wife and child? Again, I recognize I have this opinion because my perspective is different from most men because when you lose a child it changes you…forever. I’m sure you have heard the expression, “walk a mile in another mans shoes?” In my conversation with him, I tried to convey what he is missing by dragging all this bitterness around. He has a beautiful little girl right there in front of him and it doesn’t phase him. Myself, a dad who lost his only daughter, can’t get through to him and emphasize his incredible blessing! He is a grown man who is unwilling to listen to my words about being unbelievably blessed with wealth by heavenly standards…I pray that he will discover that knowledge soon…before she is gone from his life.

Here is my question to you? Do you look at your own family and understand what I mean by true wealth? I think it is pretty clear I am not referring to your bank account. I am speaking to what I believe is really important in our lives. True wealth here on Earth is not measured in dollars and cents. Now I absolutely agree that We, (all of us guys), have our hobbies and personal pursuits that are just ours and yes, I do struggle with my own “time” issue. Trying to balance our personal life with work and family isn’t easy and there are a whole lots of books written on that subject to back me up. I am also NOT inferring I have it all together because I do not…But what I DO understand is that I am wealthy beyond measure… just like I know you are as well.

Guys, I encourage you to take a look at your family through different eyes, God’s eyes. Look at them for what they truly are…your legacy…and your true wealth…

Until next time…

The Tim Tebow Phenomenon

Posted: December 13, 2011 in Inspirational, Sports Stuff
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I would be remiss in my self-proclaimed blogger responsibilities if I did not address what is currently happening in the world of sports today as it applies to NFL Pro football player, Tim Tebow…What is this Tim Tebow phenomenon that has the news media so infatuated? Why is it that not only the NFL, but our whole country, so highly opinionated about this young man? Now unless you have been out of the country for the last 15 months, then you know who I am referring to but Tim Tebow is taking the country by storm using a not so proven method called “I’m a Christian” as his public mantra. Yes…that is correct, Tim Tebow is a Christian man and he is not afraid, nor ashamed that the whole world knows that fact and that statement is the impetus for this blog post.

Over the last several weeks, I have watched his story unfold and I’ve been amazed at how the media is trying to grasp the issue of God and his faith in his life. As a Christian myself, they appear to be more like “fish out of water” when trying to describe how his relationship with God affects him and his play on the football field. I have heard him interviewed and I like his perspective because he says “God isn’t deciding who wins football games” and I agree with him. God doesn’t care about the game, he cares about the players and Tebow perspective, in my opinion, is right on. But to listen to a national media person try to interpret Tebow’s comments into a sports story, appears awkward at best. Moreover, to see the media sensationalize his story into one that pokes fun at him because he kneels in prayer on the sideline, is becoming all to commonplace with Tim Tebow.

Simply put, they do not understand, nor do they want to, the fact that a man of his skill set in football is sold out to his God. He has a personal relationship with his creator and he is unashamed to portray that part of himself to the world. On the other hand, the media just looks “out of place” or as I said before, “awkward” trying to describe who he is and I find that amusing. Contrary though, I watched Bob Costas, a very famous and award-winning journalist of many years on television, do an editorial report on Tebow. He reported the day’s game involving Tebow in the most accurate way I have heard thus far. He ended by saying:

Still, there is no doubt that Tebow and his team benefit from his honest belief. How? Frank Bruni put it well in today’s New York Times. Whatever Tebow may lack in classic NFL quarterbacking traits, he possesses other qualities in abundance. And in his case, those qualities — confidence, equanimity, optimism — and a presence that can’t be explained, but can certainly be felt. The whole Tebow persona derives from how he sees the world, and his place in it. Those qualities, no matter how one comes by them, are an asset, perhaps especially in sports.

“Other qualities in abundance”…I like that.

To make his story even more sensational, Tim Tebow is winning NFL games consistently with his unorthodox style of quarterback play that the critics all complained about when he was drafted out of Florida. These hard-core critics, including Former Superbowl MVP John Elway and current President of Denver Broncos, say his style will never win consistently, yet currently at the time of this writing, Tebow is on a six game winning streak and has the Broncos leading their division. But yet even Elway might become a believer too. He was recently on a local Denver radio station where he said:

“I think when you look at it I guess I just believe everyone believes that something good is going to happen. Tim’s been the guy that has led that thinking and he’s just such a strong believer. He’s got everyone else believing that if you stay strong, stay positive, that something good is going to happen. It’s the power of the mind and the power of positive thinking. I think when those guys are thinking that way and it’s been led by Timmy with that positive attitude that all boats have been rising with that. “I think he has rallied everyone around him which as you said is part of the leadership qualities that he and his ability as a football player but also as a man to really raise this whole organization and this whole football team to the point where it’s got such great belief that everybody is playing above their ability. I think that’s the sure sign of a great leader.”

The bottom line for statisticians, is that although keeping track of third down conversions is important and every other stat known to mankind, there really is only one stat that matters and that’s the score at the end of the game…

Bottom line to me is this…

Tim Tebow is an example for all of us, men and women, as to how to conduct ourselves in the eye of the public. To me, Tim Tebow is a great role model. He does himself and his family proud every time he speaks because he recognizes that his success on the football field is NOT about him, it is about giving glory to our God and that is his priority. His position on issues makes the media angry and frustrated for not giving them what they want, a quote that will stir up some controversy…He deflects their attempts to guide him down a path where they can get him to criticize another player or a coach. He is just a thankful guy…and I, for one, appreciate his public stance on God and wish him continued success both in his football career and life…

Until next time guys…

5 things you NEED to tell your brother

Posted: December 4, 2011 in Inspirational
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The definition of a real brother can be more than
just a blood sibling;  He can be the guy you have
spent your entire life with since you were just a little man, or it can be someone who through the journey of life’s ups and downs, has become as close as a brother. Either way, a true brother in your life is the one who is there for you no matter what the circumstances.
It’s always painful for me to hear a buddy say they haven’t spoken to their brother in years because of something that happened a long time ago that they can’t get over. In the meantime, everyone in their family loses out on that bond, that connection that cousins get from spending time together. Bottom line, when parents inevitably pass from this earth, brothers only have each other. A strong brotherly bond should last forever because brothers have to look out for each other throughout life’s journey. That’s the way God planned brotherhood…you have each other’s back, no matter what the circumstances.
I ran across this list of important things to tell your brother and I thought it very appropriate for this blog. We are all about iron sharpening iron, and brothers strengthening brothers. Next time you see your bro, blood sibling or not, give him a bear hug and let him know you’re thankful he is around…

Remember:

There’s no other love like the love for a brother.
There’s no other love like the love from a brother.

Terri Guillemets

5 important things you NEED to tell your brother

1. Brother, be the kind of man who when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, “Oh Crap, He’s up!”

2. Brother, life is too short to wake up with regrets, so love the people who treat you right and forgive the ones who don’t. Not because you should, because you can.

3. Brother, believe everything that happens to you, happens for a reason. If God gives you get a second chance, grab it with both hands. If that second chance changes your life, let it.

4. Brother, always take a few minutes to think before you act when you’re angry. Forgive quickly. God never said life would be easy, He just promised it would be worth it.

5. Remember this Brother; A real Brother walks with you when the rest of the world walks on you.

I end this post with a great quote from one of my favorite baseball players of all time from the past, Harmon Killebrew who said;

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard.  Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass.”  “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply.  “We’re raising boys.”

Until next time guys…

8 Lessons All Dads Should Teach Their Kids…

Posted: November 10, 2011 in Father, Inspirational
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I found this article recently on MensHealth.com and I liked it a great deal. Anytime I can find information that has quality advice about growing up quality men, I will pass it on to you all. Yes, there will be a test at the end. It’s called life. Here’s how to make sure your kids ace it. Enjoy…

Words are Valuable

Speak up: Your kid is listening. In families with two working parents, fathers have a greater impact on their children’s language development by age 3 than mothers do, according to a study in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. Provide a creative, dramatic play-by-play of the activities you’re engaged in and your surroundings. Use big words, even if they’re unfamiliar to your kid. Children learn a lot by context.

Tantrums Earn You Nothing

“When your anxiety visibly rises, you add fuel to the fire,” says Hal Edward Runkel, a family therapist and the author of ScreamFree Parenting. And if you simply hand over a piece of candy, you encourage more bad behavior. Instead, when your kid starts shouting, be calm and attentive. Don’t ignore it. This signals that you will not be rattled and the child won’t win—ever. It may not work for the first tantrum, warns Runkel, but it’s magic by the fifth.

Competition Leads to Confidence

Children as young as 4 begin to compete with their parents—sprinting to the car, wrestling on the sofa, and stuff like that. Roll with it. Let them win a lot, and then slowly ramp it up so they have to work harder for their victories. “It’s a way for kids to develop a sense of strength and to let them test their muscles,” says Justin Richardson, M.D., who teaches psychiatry at Columbia University. They’ll start to walk more confidently and be less of a mark for bullies.

Quitting is Hard

When his son wanted to quit baseball at age 8, Runkel said to him, “Sure, but you have to tell your teammates and coach.” The boy couldn’t do it. He’s played for 7 years since. Show kids the pain of quitting, and they won’t make those kinds of decisions lightly, Runkel says. “If your kid says a school project is too hard and that he wants to give up, that’s okay,” says Runkel. “But say, ‘Tell your teacher you’re quitting and that you’ll take whatever grade is appropriate.’ Trust me, he’ll stick it out.”

Other People’s Feelings Matter

It’s easier to connect with others if you understand their perspective, so nurture that instinct in your child. Start with the child’s own feelings. “Say, ‘Man, it must be hard being 8 years old. What’s the hardest part?’ ” suggests Runkel. Then mention people your kid knows who is having a hard time—say, a friend whose dad lost his job. Ask what he thinks it’s like for that friend. “They won’t always have an answer, but they’re thinking about it,” Runkel says.

Fights Can Be Resolved

Unless one kid is dangling the other out the window, don’t say a word. “As soon as you become involved, they no longer care about a solution. They’ll only try drafting you to their side,” says child psychologist Anthony Wolf, Ph.D., the author of Mom, Jason’s Breathing on Me! The Solution to Sibling Bickering. If they pester you, say your solution will be bad for both of them. They’ll learn that pleading is fruitless. More importantly, they’ll learn quickly to compromise.

Independence is Earned

When your kids ask to stay later at a friend’s house, ask what time would work for them. Then ask why. If you don’t hear a good answer, it’s okay to say no. If you do, try it, says Pennsylvania-based psychologist Janet Edgette, Psy.D. When parents give children freedom and responsibility, studies show, the children develop stronger morals more quickly.

Success Requires Focus

Maybe you don’t wish for a prodigy, but our competitive society suggests otherwise. That’s why so many kids have trouble focusing, says C. Andrew Ramsey, M.D., a psychiatry professor at Columbia University. Make sure your kids know your expectations. Celebrate improvement first. And explain the value of slow mastery. “Whether your kids love Tom Brady or Beyoncé, let them know that these people succeeded because they mastered one skill,” says Dr. Ramsey. “Learn to go through one door and many others will open for you; try to go through five doors at once and you’ll go nowhere.”

Until next time guys…

I am SO Stressed…

Posted: November 8, 2011 in Husband, Inspirational, Tough Times
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I am so stressed….

How many times have you said that statement in the last few weeks or months? With your mortgage payment due and all the never-ending costs that children bring and aren’t the holidays just around the corner? And these are just the money stresses. What about all the problems at work or maybe your marriage is on the rocks? The list only grows…

I know it looks like I’m simply pointing out the obvious but the cold, hard facts are that life isn’t going very well for people right now. Everyday, the news reports what the national statistics echo; we all have less money in our collective wallet’s and that is stressful. There have been more bankruptcies in 2010-2011 than ever before in our countries history. The middle class is rapidly becoming a thing of the past and its becoming harder and harder to put food on the table. If you are like me, watching the nightly news is painful because the only thing ever reported is bad. Frankly, seeing bad news, all the time, adds huge stress to our lives. Anyone checked their blood pressure lately? Maybe you should calm down first.

I am sure about one thing, what the world is pushing down our collective throats is that circumstances really are hopeless although I hear the media tell me to just “ride it out” and someone in Washington will make it better for me. However what it feels like is that if we don’t fall in line, or think the way society would have us think, then we are on our own. We are conditioned over and over to think the only solutions available are what we see on television or the internet. You can take a pill now for instant stress relief or, “become a millionaire in a week” but in the end, none of these solve what the problem really is, THE WORLD DOESN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH STRESS. Aren’t you tired of following the step-by-step “way” the world has to offer? Haven’t we have ALL seen this movie before and we know how it ends…?

Guys, I have an “outside the box” solution for your stress that will change your life forever? I call it outside the box because frankly, you would never see this option on the nightly news. The answer is this; God has already figured out the answer for our stress and He gave it to us, over and over, in His Word, the Bible. The problem isn’t that we can’t read His Word…it’s that we don’t trust His Word…

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV) Philippians 4:6-7

Remember when I said my answer was outside the box? Well when the Bible says “the peace of God will transcend all understanding? That means, we have the ability to tap into something in which we really know nothing about because it’s from God… and I guarantee you, most of us have NOT gone this direction before. What I see is when we are stressed, we react as we are conditioned everyday to react; We try to SOLVE THE PROBLEM OURSELVES and that is NOT the way Christ intended us to deal with our adversity. There are so many verses in His Word about coping with life’s hardships it makes me think He knew a little about what might happen to us? I’m just saying…

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30

That is Christ speaking in the second verse directly to you and to me. Frankly, I’m not sure I can make this any clearer…Doesn’t “rest for your souls” sound really nice and comfortable? I could use some of that right now..how about you?  If your answer is yes, then stop doing your life, yourself, and give the “doing” over to God. Guys, its that simple…When you commit to Him your life, I am talking down deep in your heart control over your actions, something truly amazing happens…

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Simply put, when you have the peace of God, you DO NOT have stress! It goes away. And the problems you had before, are more manageable because you have a different perspective, one of heavenly proportions which changes your outlook.

So I leave you with a simple choice; either you choose to see the truths of the Bible and how they can eliminate your stress…or not…

One more thing…correct me if I’m wrong, but haven’t you tried the “or not” already? How’s that working for you?

Until next time guys. I wanted to leave you guys with a video from Casting Crowns called Slow Fade that illustrates what happens when we slowly, over time, give into the enemy…resist brothers and sisters…

God is God and I am not…

Posted: October 7, 2011 in Father, Heaven Bound, Inspirational
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I have always enjoyed the carefully worded answers that new coaches give when speaking to the media about how they plan on turning around a poorly performing football or baseball program; “We are going back to the basics” or “We are starting again with the fundamentals of this game, blocking and tackling, etc.” They always say the same thing because they want their players to forget about the past and focus on the present. New coaches don’t want memories of bad seasons to haunt their new message of a new beginning. I understand why coaches speak this way, which is why I think this same method will work for this blog post as well. I believe we need to get back to the fundamentals of how God intended our relationship to be with Him. I think God had a different plan for interacting with humans than what we see in our world today…So let us begin there…

I have always been fascinated by the dozens of times the phrase “Fear of God” or “Fear of the Lord” is mentioned in the Bible. I can say from experience that if the Bible mentions the same subject repeatedly, you might want to pay attention, it’s probably important. As is the case here, the Bible tells us:

The Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom…(Proverbs 9:10)

The Lord has compassion on those who fear Him (Psalms 103:13)

Moses even told us in Psalms “Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is a great as the fear that is due you.” (Psalms 90:11)

Now I think we can assume that the wrath of God is beyond anything we can imagine because we have never seen His wrath personally. So if Moses says His wrath is as great as the fear due Him? then I think we humans are extremely “out-of-balance” in our relationship with the Almighty. In other words, do you fear God or even think about fearing Him as a part of your daily life? Has that thought ever crossed your mind before? If it hasn’t, well I am not surprised, because that lack of understanding of who God really is, I believe is the core problem and why I am writing this post now. This is what I meant earlier about returning to the fundamentals of our faith because I believe this society is lacking a healthy “reverent fear of God” (1 Peter 1:17).

I am suggesting that we either have forgotten who God is or we never really understood our relationship with Him in the first place. Unfortunately, I fear the latter is more accurate. To take this thought a step further, when the idea of God is lowered to our human level, then life becomes very hard to live out the way He intended because it is difficult to “Fear Him” if we perceive ourselves to be on the same level with Him…Like He is your “buddy”.

A.W. Tozer, the theologian said, It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. He also said It is my opinion that the Christian conception of God current in these middle years of the 20th century is so decadent as to be utterly beneath the dignity of the Most High God and actually to constitute for professed believers something amounting to a moral calamity.

Now I understand that times have changed even from when he wrote these words in 1961 and I agree our society is completely different from what it was back then, but I think Tozer’s point still resonates…We have drifted our focus from Him to all of the “really important projects” we deal with every day. When we are absent from Him, we are not close to Him. What I am suggesting to you, is going back to the fundamentals. Take a few quiet minutes each day to pause, pray, and reflect on God and who he is. The impact of this time will be mind-blowing and LIFE CHANGING…

You probably think I’m nuts and I can understand that because seriously, how can anyone take the time and do what I am suggesting? I mean who has the time? My answer is this; if you can just slow down long enough to grasp even a microscopic understanding of the Almighty God, how HUGE He is and how small we are…and yet He cares for you, He loves you because you’re YOU…This concept is so very hard to get our minds around because it is NOT what we hear in the world but I assure you, IT will change your life forever…

The overwhelming impact of this knowledge is we realize how selfish we have been for not enjoying our time with Him regularly…the Magnificent Creator who simply wants to hear from us…

I challenge you! Take the baton from me and run with it!

I have never been more sure of anything in my life…your efforts will NOT return void…

Until next time…

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