I love to express what I feel called to say. Writing helps me to open up my heart and do that. I hope that what I write helps you in some way. I hope it makes you think, encourages you, or inspires you. If it challenges you or if you disagree, I hope you know that I respect your right to have a different point of view.
I pray That people Will prepare the way Of the Lord Jesus (The Way, The Truth, and the Life) Day after day, The way They focus on Preparing for Christmas Day, And humble themselves To pray Night and day, To seek God’s face, And to turn away From their wicked ways, So that Christ can heal Their heart and reveal His presence to them Throughout each day.
May you and your family, friends, and neighbors with your whole heart, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ this Christmas Day and rejoice in the reality of His resurrected Presence!
Armies don’t teach their soldiers to simply sit and listen. They give them hands-on training in giving their all (even their very lives) in battle. Churches could learn a lot from the world’s armies and begin using Sunday mornings to train their members in practical ways to manifest the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit.
To “make disciples” means to train people to continually listen to and obey the risen Jesus. That kind of training should be the norm for all Christians but is now rare and hard to find. All Christians are called to be disciples and to make disciples. I love to share with people the training that God has put me through. My disciple training blog is called: Free Gas for Your Think Tank. If you Google it and go to it, you will see a search bar on the right. Type in a subject and see what God has taught me about it.
Far too often church keeps people silent and passive and causes them to be isolated and closed off to their fellow church attendees. To grow deeper in God and experience Him more powerfully requires that believers humbly open their hearts to each other and obey the 50+ New Testament one another commandments–not just sit together each week to passively listen to a sermon together.
On a dark night Shepherds quake At the sight Of the newborn King, Jesus Christ, The Lamb of God, Love’s pure light. The Savior’s face, Is gloriously bright And full of grace! Their hearts take flight And soar like a kite. The shepherds, Like the angels did, Break the silence Of the night As they leave the site With great delight To run and tell And shout from the housetops What they have seen and heard. The song Silent Night Isn’t a lullaby. It’s a wakeup call!
Photo by Jessica Lewis ud83eudd8b thepaintedsquare on Pexels.com
Artificial intelligence is superficial: Analysis without appreciation, Bean counting without belief, Calculation without compassion, Data processing without deliberation, Evaluation without enlightenment, Findings without fascination, Grading without goodwill, Happenings without hope, Information without inspiration, Judgment without justice, Keeping lists without kindness, Linking ideas without love, Methodology without meaning, Nuance without nurturing, Outcome without optimism, Processing without perception, Quotients without questioning, Ranking without reasoning, Stats without sincerity, Technology without tenderness, Utility that is uncaring, Verdict without virtue, Words without wonder.
Genuine intelligence is the breath of God in human flesh. It’s so much more than mere data processing done by our neurological physiology.
Mental and emotional pain by any other name–heartache, sorrow, grief, depression, heartbreak, disappointment, sadness, distress, agony, misery, suffering, or torment–feels the same. As human beings we’ve all said or done things that have caused others pain and we’ve all been hurt by other people’s words or actions. That kind of pain is a tremendous strain on our state of mind. It drains us of our joy and tranquility. Here are some simple ways we can move beyond it and into inner healing and peace:
1) Always strive to avoid taking offence at things people say or do to you. Forcefully shake off their painful words and actions before they dig down deep inside of you.
2) Be an inverse paranoid. Assume that everybody cares about you (even when it appears obvious that they don’t), but that their own pain has disabled their ability to communicate it to you. Remember that hurt people hurt people. Instead of being offended when someone hurts you, remind yourself that they must be even more miserable than you are. Then you will feel some compassion for them.
3) Refuse to play the blame game. Avoid thinking or speaking accusations against the person, people, or organization that sparked that pain in you. Instead, “Love your enemies,” by “speaking the truth in love.”
4) Refuse to retaliate. Refuse to open your heart’s gate to hate. “Forgive and you will be forgiven.”
5) When you want to blame or retaliate, bless instead. Ignore your negative feelings and continually force yourself to think, wish, pray, and say good things for and about the individual or group who hurt (or is hurting) you. “Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who despitefully use you.”
6) Compel yourself to focus on, enjoy, be grateful for, and talk about whatsoever things are encouraging, hopeful, true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, “if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.” Refuse to think about hurtful things that were said about you or done to you.
7) Remember that God’s prophets were persecuted, and that Jesus Christ was “despised and rejected” and crucified on false charges yet still forgave. It’s an honor to “share in the fellowship of His suffering.” Let your pain cause you to grow closer to Christ’s presence and comfort. Let it motivate you to fully open your heart to and surrender to “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
In all the Christmas chatter There is still a smatter Of conversation about Bethlehem’s baby boy And Emmanuel’s joy. Yet the true reality Of “God with us” And “Christ in you, The hope of glory,” Can get lost in the story. This is a wonderful time To fully open your heart To a fresh new start By surrendering your life To the risen Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas!
The Three in One–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit–are the biggest influences in my life. Biblical Christianity is to surrender to God’s will, “quench not the Spirit,” and allow Jesus to have His way in your life! The world is full of cities, but the city of God is hard to find. I seek first to be governed and influenced by God from within me.
Truth telling (not my truth or your truth, but the real, honest truth) is the sign of freedom and courage. It’s the freedom and courage to speak and obey your conscience instead of deceptive feelings and desires.
Truth aligns with actuality. Dishonesty and deception don’t. “The truth shall set you free.” Truth doesn’t hide, doesn’t deceive, and doesn’t distort reality. It doesn’t twist and turn and scheme.
Truth never lies. The truth and dishonesty don’t mix. If you claim to have your own truth, but aren’t completely and fully honest, your truth is a lie.
The truth exists. It’s what is truly happening and what has truly happened. It’s not myths that are made up and manufactured to protect the sensitivity of human feelings and desires.
It takes great courage to admit and speak the unfiltered and unaltered truth, especially to do so with humility, love, and care. Dare to be the rare human being who consistently and sincerely attempts to kindly speak the truth to everyone (uninfluenced by pressure from others) regardless of the cost or consequences. Refuse to mix truth with the inclusion of delusion.
Seek the truth. Run with the truth. Proclaim the truth. Demonstrate the truth daily. Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Open up and surrender your heart to the risen Jesus so that “Christ in you,” can empower you from within to consistently and humbly live in the truth and so He can be your “hope of glory.” Biblical Christianity is to surrender to God’s will, “quench not the Spirit,” and allow Jesus to have His way in your life!
Freedom of Conscience
Often inclusion Is an illusion. Like oil and water Some ideas don’t mix. There is no fusion, Only confusion. Right and wrong Don’t sing the same song. There’s no collusion Between them. Blanket approval Of good and evil Brings societal Upheaval. Here’s the conclusion: Show kindness and care To everyone, Even enemies, And speak truth with love. Protect your conscience From the intrusion Of moral delusion. Refuse to approve Of what you believe To be morally wrong.
Do something nice for your parents this Christmas. (No matter how bad you think they are at least they didn’t pay someone to kill you in the womb. Thank God that Mary didn’t do that to her unborn child!)
Week after week Christians are being trained to sit by and be silent. However, silent Christians don’t:
* Testify (Revelation 12:11), * Witness (Acts 1:8), * Make disciples (Matthew 28:19), * Speak about the things they have seen and heard (Acts 4:20), * Quote Scripture (Joshua 1:8), * Share a revelation that has come to them (1 Corinthians 14:26), * Shout it from the housetops (Matthew 10:27), * Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), * Confess their faults one to another (James 5:16), * Exhort one another daily, (Hebrews 3:13), * Teach one another (Colossians 3:16), * Comfort one another with words (1 Thessalonians 4:13), * Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), * Preach the Gospel (Acts 8:3-4), * Spur one another on to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24), * Speak as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:4), * Manifest the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:1), * Prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:31), * Make a joyful noise unto the Lord (Psalm 100:1).
Perhaps our silence quenches the Spirit and keeps the body of Christ from being as effective and as powerful as God wants it to be. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.” (Psalm 107:2) Train yourself to persistently speak out about Jesus! Here are some of my words about Jesus:
Jesus Can Stop Your Storm of Guilt
Your guilt can be gone! Guilt goes With being alive Because everyone knows We’ve all embraced Thoughts and behaviors Where guilt grows. It’s one of our strongest Inner foes And it only goes Away one way– Where true love shows And forgiveness flows From the Cross of Christ.
If you’re not continually aware of the presence of the risen Jesus, perhaps it’s because you’re not keeping your focus on Him and continually speaking up about Him. If you’re not as close to Jesus as you used to be, you must have pulled away because He’s “the same, yesterday, today, and forever,” (Hebrews 13:8).
Unwrap Jesus from religious boxes. Let constant awareness of His presence be your never-ending present. Walking with Jesus keeps me holly jolly all year long! The Bible calls it “joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Christmas is a nice moment. It’s a hopeful season, but it can’t compare to the joy, love, and power of an ongoing, ever-growing relationship with the risen Jesus Christ.
MCPA — Make Church Participatory Again. Jesus said that He would build His ekklesia (the proper name of the ancient Greek town council where any citizen could speak). Let’s take the gag rule off of ordinary Christians and let them speak up in church services as they are led by the Holy Spirit! (See 1 Corinthians 14:26 and the 50+ one another commandments in the New Testament.)
Photo by Henri Mathieu-Saint-Laurent on Pexels.com
I’m happiest when I boldly yet humbly go beyond the veil. My goal is to live my life there day and night.
It’s exciting and joyous to focus on the living Jesus and let Him speak in my heart. It continually fills me with awe and wonder to know that the Creator of the universe is speaking to me.
The veil between You and God Has been torn So you can Let it go And let Jesus, Emmanuel, “God with us,” The Messiah, The risen Lord, “Christ in you,” Light of the world, Unceasingly Shine His glory Within your heart.
Get to know God’s Spirit More and more So you can grow In His flow And daily go Where He shows you.
Allow the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures to keep you ceaselessly aligned with the heartbeat of God. Let the Holy Spirit be your constant teacher and the Bible be your daily devotional guidebook.
When people abandon self-control and the awareness of God, they begin to obey their feelings and their desires instead of their responsibility and their conscience Thus they kill their joy and destabilize their mental health.
Joy to the world! Jesus has come and is alive, present, and available to give people the best present ever–the joy of His presence! (Christmas is a nice moment. It’s a hopeful season, but it can’t compare to the joy, love, and power of an ongoing, ever-growing relationship with the risen Jesus Christ.)
Free Gas for Your Think Tank -- Short Reflections, Lasting Encouragement 