Wednesday, August 26, 2009

CHOICES

Life is a Series of Choices.

Our Past Choices made us who we are Today.

Our Present Choices will Shape our Future.

“You are your choices.” ~Seneca

Nowhere is it written that Decisions (Choices) are supposed to be easy.

Every choice requires a combination of Intellect, Intuition, and Instinct.

These three tools can be Up-graded through Prayer & Knowledge of God’s Word. There is nothing like an Up-grade! First-Class beats coach all day.

Have you noticed that the more important the decision/choice, the harder it seems.

WHY?

Because perceived importance increases our FEAR of making the wrong choice and what that might mean. ~ (Pause here for a moment!)

When choosing between Rye or Wheat toast, I don’t agonize too much, because I know the wrong choice won’t bring the world to an end, or even ruin my day.

But will selecting the wrong college, girlfriend, career, or church mean pain or pleasure?

Ever wonder what would have happened if you had taken a Left back there in 1982 instead of a Right? If you had made different choices, something may have turned out better ~ and others, maybe worse. In any case, you may never know.

Faith reminds us that every Choice we make can serve God’s kingdom if we learn to apply Godly Wisdom & Prayer.

Not every choice we have made may have been wrapped in these two bookends, but with the right attitude about even our bad choices we can begin to see that in every choice there is the seed of WISDOM!!

If we are open to Learning and Growing from our choices, if we are honest and own our choices (stop looking for someone to blame for your choices) we can begin to see Wisdom in every choice.

With a humble heart and God’s help we can Learn even from bad Choices!

Like the Smothers brothers used to say, “If I told you to put your hand in the fire, would you do it?” ~ “Not, Again!”

We may not be able to Change the past but we can learn from it.

“Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it.” ~ Edmund Burke

Could we add “Those who won’t own their History …….”

“Those who want to blame their mother for their History …..”

“Those who want to Deny their History …….”

“Those who won’t Learn from their History ……..”

“Yes, there are two paths you can go by But in the long run There's still time to change the road you're on.” ~ Led Zeppelin

God wants to help you with all of these Choices you have to make.

Check out the attached “Study Tool” below and tap into God’s GPS

Deb & I are Praying for you to make Right Choices!

See You In Church??

Hey, Give us a shout out! Leave a little Feedback Please. Just want to know you are out there!!

THE GUIDE …. (Study Tool)

Our Caption winner from last Blog

“Lee Web”



Wednesday, August 12, 2009

A Fearless Vision


For the last 3 Blogs we have been talking (Writing) about Vision.

Focused Vision ~Living With A Christ-Centered and Focused Vision.

X-Ray Vision ~ Seeing Through Satan’s Schemes.

Looking Backwards To Go forward ~ A Vision of God’s Faithfulness.

We “Finish” up this little Blog series with the 4th & final installment.

The Stare Down

“To overcome or cause to waver or submit by (or as if by) staring.”


Vision Changes everything.

What we See determines what we feel, what we think, what we do next, sometimes even what we Believe.

We can see things not as they are, but as we are. (Pause, think about that)

Viewing the world through windows of interpretation and expectation, our mind creates a drama, a comedy, a tragedy, a romance, or a soap opera out of what simply arises. And so our mind creates our dreams and dramas.

The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of Mind. ~William James

We often take the limits of our own vision for the limits of the world. ~Schopenhauer

If only we could get glasses that gave us A Christ-Centered and Focused Vision

Would the world look different?

Would our problems look bigger or smaller?

Would we see ourselves Differently?

Imagine what X-Ray Vision Seeing Satan’s Schemes could add to our arsenal

What if we could “SEE” what he was up to?

Would it help us?

Would it make him less powerful?

Would it make The church more Power-Filled?

What would happen if we had A Vision of God’s Faithfulness if we really Remembered what God has done for us?

Would we Doubt Less?

Would we Fear Less?

Would we Attempt More?

Would we Be Dangerous?

What if we had the ability to Stare Down our problems and situations and not let them change us but by Faith change them?

Imagine if we dared to see what God wanted us to become instead of looking at who we are?

There’s a story about a cancer ridden football player who lay in a hospital bed, managing a smile as his coach entered the room and asked how he was doing. “Okay, I guess,” the player replied. But his sunken eyes told another story. After a long pause, the coach leaned close to the player’s face. “Listen, Mike. I need you at training camp in July, on the field and ready to go. We’re going all the way this year.” Mike Westhoff, recovered from cancer, and still the special teams coach for the Miami Dolphins would say of Coach Don Shula: “He treated me the way I could be, not the way I was. It made the difference in the speed of my recovery.”

Hardship is a part of life – but whether you view it as tragic or heroic, grotesque or purposeful, depends on your Perspective.

Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained. ~Marie Curie

Your mind can make meaning or madness, light a candle or curse the darkness. ~ The Choice is Yours.

You are not alone Christ stands with you!

Believe His plans for You. Believe He has gifted you to accomplish something of value for His Kingdom.

Your Belief (Faith) in His Providential Plan will put fire in your vision and you will STARE DOWN all opposition.

Solomon (One smart Dude) said:

Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; ~ Proverbs 29:18

One modern translation puts it this way;

If people can't see what God is doing,
they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what He reveals,
they are most blessed.

So Be Blessed & Stare Down Whatever You Face In Jesus Name!

Deb & I are standing and Staring with You

“SEE” You in Church

For additional Vision Exercise Check out attached Study

“A Fearless Vision”

A little Blog Contest:

Write a Caption for our photo this week and leave it as a comment; winner will receive Fame and Free Book! Winner announced in next Blog Post.