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.
Getting trumped up with anger and personal attacks against people you disagree with isn’t the way to advance greatness in America.I don’t think that saying about your political opponent, “She can go to Hell,” will advance America’s greatness.To pump up hatred and to continually dump personal insults on your political opponent sounds like cruelty, not greatness.
I believe that a presidential candidate claiming that he has a right to personally attack his opponent is the most dangerous thing that has happened in America since the Civil War. Kindness and respect matter! We need to stand down, before it is too late!
When facts become old fashioned people flee from truth in order to find fictions and fabrications to put their faith in. I don’t want to believe or proclaim anything by hearsay or by my deceptive feelings of being “pretty sure.” As a Christ-follower I want to stand on truth, not on my feelings, desires, or opinions.
Someone who is arrogant, angry, bitter, unforgiving, vulgar, and insulting doesn’t represent Christian values! A presidential election can’t make a country great. Only a wide-spread spiritual awakening can do that!
I open my heart when I read the writings of Kind David, and I hear his heart as I focus on his words. I felt like I was interviewing him this morning as I read his poem known as Psalm 1. King David’s poetry inspired me to write this poem:
A Blessed Life (Psalm 1)
Spirit-prompted poetry Can point us to the tree In the center of God’s Garden And call us to make God’s Tree of Life The central focus Of our life.
The Tree of the Knowledge Of Good and Evil Tries to distract Us from the abstract– God’s invisible reality And present-day presence– And to attract Us to self-reliance.
If you choose to go Only by what you think That you know, The wind of proud desires Will blow you away From the Spirit-led life That God inspires!
Sit at the feet of Jesus To partake of His streams of water. Stand with the Tree of Life So your leaf won’t wither And leave you full of strife. Walk as led by God’s Spirit So you can prosper In His will.
This morning as I pondered the attitude of respect of people’s humanity, a gratefulness grew in my heart. Now I’m feeling thankful for the humanity that is in all human beings (even when we overlook it). Here are some of my morning thoughts:
People are the most incredible beings on planet earth and should be treated with great respect.
Respect people’s humanity whether or not you approve of their behaviors and beliefs. To be kind to people even when you disagree with their beliefs and behaviors is to show them great respect.
Every person is a mixture of good and bad. When you think about someone focus on the good in them and have mercy on the bad.
Without self-respect, people are quick to disrespect others.
Disrespect is the enemy of greatness! For America (or any other country) to be great requires that people continually treat each other with great kindness and respect.
Treat people like human beings, not like throwaway plastic water bottles.
When you look at someone see a human being, not a threat, a worldview, a political position, or a lifestyle.
To belittle people because of their beliefs and behaviors is to be little. To be speak the truth with kindness and respect is to be great.
To refuse to respect the humanity in people who you disagree with is inhumane.
If you disrespect the humanity of people who disagree with you (and/or people you don’t like), you’ll treat them with disgust.
Treating people with disrespect is the inclination of the insecure. When you disagree with people you don’t have to disrespect them.
Honor the objective reality that the people you disagree with are human beings, not your subjective feelings of disrespect for them.
Even when people are disrespectful to you, you can continue to show respect for their humanity.
People who treat people with disrespect have no real respect for themselves.
To disrespect kindness, ethics and moral principles is to devalue your own humanity.
I believe that taking innocent human life disrespects humanity and is morally wrong whether it is in Gaza or in a womb.
Physical intimacy without holy heart-connection is a neglection of the most beautiful and powerful part of sex and disrespects the value another human being.
From prenatal life to hospice care, humanity should be respected.
Daily experiencing Christ’s presence, love, and forgiveness will meet your need for respect and empower you to show kindness and respect to all people.
Christians are supposed to speak the truth with love and kindness, not to disrespect people’s humanity.
To truly respect God’s story is to respect the humanity in all people by showing them God’s love, whether we like them or not, or agree with them or not.
Social media presents a choice for Christians. We can plant seeds of respect for all humanity and humble discipleship. Or we can plant seeds of comfortable Christianity and pride. It’s time to sow the seeds that make people want to be respect-filled disciples of the living Jesus, not just passive spectators in religious services.
I have developed the daily habit of an unusual way of walking. It isn’t very popular and looks rather odd, but it sure improves my life and fills me with peace and joy. Let me tell you about it.
Here’s a quote from a man named Lo Alaman: “I believe the blessing that God is inviting us to is that our stories would begin to look more like His.” (For that to happen we need to get in step with the Spirit. If you keep in step with the times, you’ll spend your time staying out of step with God’s Spirit.)
Let God’s Spirit Set your pace So His grace Can lead you To the place He wants you to be.
Every Spirit-led step that you take leads you closer to God. If you are seeking to follow and obey the risen Jesus, step it up! If not, step up to the plate so you can “taste and see that the Lord is good”! Step back from your desires and plans so you can step forward in God’s Spirit.
When people walk in the Spirit, they are like a tree planted by streams of water. There’s a spring in their step. Christ’s rivers of living water overflow from within them.
When people offend you and step on your toes, step up in God’s Spirit to bless them and show them His kindness. Step back from your pride and you’ll step forward in God’s Spirit. Watch for Christ’s steps and follow them!
A Spirit-led journey begins with a single Spirit-led step. Take a first step today. To walk in the Spirit, take one Spirit-led step after another, day after day, until you grow from a Spirit-led-toddler into a Spirit-led-mountain-climber.
You learn to take Spirit-led steps by stepping out to obey the promptings of God’s Spirit. Count the steps that truly count. How many Spirit-led steps will you take today?
(Refuse to stay stuck in box steps when God is calling you to walk in the Spirit. Remember that Jesus will be working in and through you every Spirit-led step of the way!)
Let your shoes Be led by the Spirit. Begin to choose To follow God’s Inner cues.
It’s time for Christians to daily walk the Sunday Bible talk. We must do more than just sit through sermon after sermon and ignore what was said.
Step aside From your pride And get in stride With God’s Spirit.
When Jesus is real in someone’s heart, their words and their life demonstrate that they believe that He’s present with them 24/7/365. I didn’t believe Jesus was real until He started working in my life over and over and over again!
Jesus has a question for people around the world today. Will you set aside your opinions, feelings, and desires and follow Me instead? If your country needs a savior (and they all do), look to the risen Jesus, Himself, not to any other person.
When I walk in the Spirit, I respect people too much to call them names or insult their intelligence just because they disagree with me. If you don’t respect people’s right to disagree with you (without you insulting them), perhaps you aren’t very secure in your beliefs and opinions. Begin to walk in the Spirit and kindness will grow in your heart.
People used to Hear each other out. Now they go about Insulting the people Who disagree with them.
The British rock band, The Struts, sings:
“Don’t wanna live as an untold story Rather go out in a blaze of glory.”
The way to do that is to humbly walk in God’s Spirit, day and night.
Eye health is vital to vision. Without healthy eyes we can’t see clearly. We need to take good care of both our physical eyes and the eyes of our heart so that we can keep them healthy and clearly see what can make our life better.
Healthy Eyes?
If you’ll keep Jesus Always in your sight, You will delight In His presence Both day and night.
Look unto Jesus. See Him who Is invisible. Behold the Lamb of God. Look not at the things That are seen, But at the things That are unseen. Then humbly Show and tell What you’ve seen and heard!
To cultivate Awareness of Christ in you Continually Contemplate, Concentrate, And meditate On His presence.
Christianity Is so much more Than a short walk From your car Into a church To hear a talk On Sunday morning.
Anything that smothers The fifty something New Testament “One anothers” Makes it difficult For Christians To see into Each other’s heart And love as sisters And brothers.
The shell of tradition Often keeps Christians In a passive condition. Look at and listen To Christ in you. Get a fresh vision Of the risen Jesus. Every single day Let Him send you On His mission. The world desperately Needs to see and hear The Spirit-led rendition Of Christianity. Now is the time for Spiritual ignition! Live in submission To the living Jesus Let Him be Your optician And give you healthy eyes!
It’s good to memorize Parts of the Bible. It’s better to internalize And to actualize It in and through Your daily life.
What a person does and says when not in a church service reveals much more about the condition of the person’s heart than church attendance does. Jesus never said, “Take a seat.” He said, “Go and make disciples.” The way to grow closer to Jesus is to go and do what He tells you to throughout each day.
I see Jesus doing so many amazing things in my life. I can’t help but stay excited about Him!
Here’s a newly released movie currently in theaters that clearly demonstrates how to see with the eyes of your heart. I saw it yesterday and it is powerful! Go see The Forge.
I remember as a small kid being intrigued by a show that was very popular in the 1950s and 60s. It was called “Life is Worth Living” and later “The Fulton Sheen Program.” It featured inspirational talks by Catholic Archbishop, Fulton J. Sheen. It is said that he spoke without a script or cue cards.
Sheen was warm and personal and spoke humbly from his heart. Somehow his mannerism and words about life and about God would touch me deep within. He talked about the meaning of life and about how God had a purpose for people. Although, I was in a non-religious home, when I came across him on TV, my heart was often drawn into what he said, and I would watch him for a while.
Here are some quotes from him:
“Nothing ever happens in the world that does not happen first inside human hearts.”
“Criticism of others is thus an oblique form of self-commendation. We think we make the picture hang straight on our wall by telling our neighbors that all his pictures are crooked.”
“We know nothing about the inside of our neighbor’s heart, and hence, we refuse to forgive. Jesus knew the heart inside out, and because He did know, He forgave.”
“Unbelievers see us in shops, in theatres, at meetings. Whether they see Christ in us depends on whether we act like Christ.”
“God accepts only what His Spirit inspires. We must bring back to God what He has given.”
“Broadmindedness, when it means indifference to right and wrong, eventually ends in a hatred of what is right.”
“The poison of hate, sensuality, and envy which is in the hearts of men could not be healed simply by wise exhortations and social reforms.” (Our inner healing and transformation requires surrender to the risen Jesus who Sheen called “Our Blessed Lord.)
“The method of adjusting moral principles to the way men live is just a perversion of the order of things.”
“The modern world, which denies personal guilt and admits only social crimes, has no place for personal repentance but only public reforms.”
“Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right.”
“There has been no single influence which has done more to prevent man from finding God and rebuilding his character, has done more to lower the moral tone of society than the denial of personal guilt. This repudiation of man’s personal responsibility for his action is falsely justified in two ways: by assuming that man is only an animal and by giving a sense of guilt the tag “morbid.”
“Unhappy souls almost always blame everyone but themselves for their miseries.”
“The world blesses not the meek, but the vindictive; it praises not the one who turns the other cheek, but the one who renders evil for evil; it exalts not the humble, but the aggressive. Ideological forces have carried that spirit of violence, class-struggle, and the clenched fist to an extreme the like of which the world before has never seen.”
“If you do not worship God, you worship something, and nine times out of ten it will be yourself.”
“Sometimes the only way the good Lord can get into some hearts is to break them.”
“We live in days of assassins—where evil is sought in lives more than good to justify a world with a bad conscience.”
“Politics has become so all-possessive of life, that by impertinence it thinks the only philosophy a person can hold is the right or the left. This question puts out all the lights of religion so they can call all the cats gray. It assumes that man lives on a purely horizontal plane, and can move only to the right or the left. Had we eyes less material, we would see that there are two other directions where a man with a soul may look: the vertical directions of ‘up’ or ‘down.’”
“The nearer Christ comes to a heart, the more it becomes conscious of its guilt; it will then either ask for His mercy and find peace, or else it will turn against Him because it is not yet ready to give up its sinfulness.”
My favorite time of day is transcendent awareness time. I love it when I’m aware of hope in the midst of seeming hopelessness. I love the time when I am aware of an inner encouragement regardless of my outward circumstances. For me that time isn’t just a few moments here or there. It’s ongoing. Even in the midst of problems, difficulties, and trials, I work to focus my attention on hope that transcends my physical, mental, and emotional environment.
God’s Spirit testifies to my spirit (my innermost being, my heart) that I am a child of God. It’s not so much in words. It’s more of an ongoing awareness of His presence, His power, and His love that abides deep within me. The Scripture “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” isn’t just something I think about with my mind. It actually describes how the risen Jesus continually works in me to communicate with me and to keep me filled with hope and with bright glimpses of His glory. I am ever comforted in the arms of my Father. (See Romans 8:14-16.)
Here is a recipe that’s out of this world! It’s from the world’s bestselling recipe book (and bestselling book overall) of all time. It’s full of recipes for victorious living.
The kingdom of God requires that you live by God’s desires for you, not by your desires for yourself. It means that Jesus is your Lord — that you have surrendered to being led moment-by-moment by Christ’s Spirit living inside of you (not by your thoughts, feelings, opinions, choices, or desires). What good does it do for you to go to church and hear a religious talk if your heart is callused and you don’t hear with your inner ears, understand with your heart, and then turn to the risen Jesus to let Him heal you and continually rule you from within as your living Master, Savior, and King? (See Acts 28:26-27.)
“For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” Those are the last two sentences of the Book of Acts in the Bible.
Paul was allowed to have visitors even though he was in house arrest waiting for a trial in Rome, under one of the most oppressive governments in history. Yet he didn’t complain about the government or verbally attack the Emperor. Instead, he looked beyond human government and kept his inner eyes on the kingdom of God. For the last two years of his life, Paul shined as a bright light pointing people to the presence and reality of the living Jesus. He is still doing that today. Read Paul’s letters in the Bible (with an open, uncalloused heart) and see for yourself!
Biblical Christianity is so much more that the words of a Sunday preacher. It’s the Living Word, the risen Jesus Christ, speaking in the hearts of everyday people. Hear Him! He speaks through the Bible, through your conscience, and through thoughts, images, and promptings that He puts in your mind and/or on your heart. He never contradicts Himself, so test what you sense inside you with what you read in the Bible to make sure it is God speaking to you and not your own voice or the voice of evil masquerading as good.
I’ve read the world’s bestselling recipe book for decades and continually sought to live by what it says. It has taught me to think and act like this:
Do something kind. Say something kind. When you disagree Use kindness.
I try to speak the truth that I feel deeply in my heart with kindness and compassion. Here are a few examples of how I try to do that.
To arrogantly deny that human behavior is damaging our planet is to commit the coming generations to disaster.
Fact check of the popular use of the word “reproductive.” The dictionary defines “reproductive” as “referring to the process of reproduction.” There’s nothing “reproductive” about ending a prenatal human life. If animal cruelty is morally wrong, surely prenatal cruelty is too.
To continually claim an election was stolen with no concrete evidence to back your claim, is to act like a disgruntled child who didn’t like the outcome of a playground game.
People have a right to define themselves by their sexual desires and behaviors, but I also have a right to kindly disapprove of their desires and behaviors.
It’s becoming popular for American politicians to talk about Hell and damnation. They throw the words right into the middle of their speeches. However, God doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell. He doesn’t damn anyone. The reason that Jesus came and died was so that no one would have to go to Hell. He’s the way to avoid Hell. Get to know the risen Jesus and let Him rescue you. Read His recipe book with an open heart and discover His present-day power and reality.
Humility, kindness, and honesty cause people to be curious about what you believe. After Paul, the sent one, was falsely accused by the religious people in the city of Jerusalem and imprisoned for two years, He was finally sent to the city of ancient Rome as a prisoner of the government. Through it all Paul sat in the back seat and trusted Jesus to lead his life.
One of the first things Paul did in his confinement in the city of Rome was to call together the leaders of the Jews who lived in Rome so that he could humbly, honestly, and kindly explain his situation to them. He didn’t accuse them or insult them. They responded to Paul’s warm approach by saying: “We want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”
Rather than feeling threatened by Paul and his “sect” (party), they set up a time to come back and bring more people with them so they could all hear what he had to say. Then Paul “witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.”
Instead of accusing and verbally attacking people who support a party you believe is hurting you, be like Paul. Reach out to them with honesty, kindness, and humility. Then they might even say to you: “We want to hear what your views are,” and listen to you “explaining about the kingdom of God,” “from morning till evening.” That’s what happened to Paul, the sent one (apostle).
If you are a Christ-follower, you have been sent to where you are so that you (as an ambassador of the kingdom of God) can be a first-hand witness to and a living demonstration of Jesus’ literal presence, sacrificial love, and grace-filled humility. The kingdom of God begins to manifest when a person learns to freely surrender to, rely on, and humbly flow with Spirit-produced inner rivers of childlike innocence, trust, creativity, openness, spontaneity, and playfulness that release the fruit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Refuse to let an obsession with your rights quench the light of Christ that wants to freely shine in and through your heart.
The energy, influence, and insight of God’s Spirit produces indescribable joy! “O taste and see that the Lord is good!” The Bible isn’t a textbook to be learned but a handbook to be experienced and lived. As I strive to LUIGS (Live Under the Influence of God’s Spirit) I’m amazed at how Jesus works in me to keep my heart and mind ever focused on Him, so that I don’t feel threatened by the confusion and hostility that surrounds me in this world.
The last thing that I’ve been excited about is sitting in the back seat and letting the living Jesus steer my life. That’s the excitement that has never leaves me. I’ve been constantly and currently excited about the risen Jesus all my adult life.
One day city will be a family. Of course, I’m talking about the city of God that you can read about in a book called Revelation. (It’s the last book of the Bible.) I experienced some of that city yesterday during an encounter with two strangers in my city of Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
I’ve met so many strangers who were unknown brothers and sisters and have been eager to welcome me into their heart and even into their home. At the sight of those people my heart thanked God and was encouraged. That’s the unity of the body of Christ in action. Although strangers we (Spirit-led Christ-followers) are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord. All we need to do is to be vulnerable and humbly open wide our heart to one another with kindness. Then a supernatural connection beyond human description is suddenly recognized. It is revealed to us by God’s Spirit.
Yesterday I had a long conversation with two strangers, a woman and a man. None of us knew each other. Even though the woman was making accusative and offensive statements about politics, I sensed Christ in her. So, I humbly and kindly questioned one of her statements. Instead of responding with hostility she looked long at me and kindness rose up in her eyes. Then a rare thing happened. We had a discussion where we expressed opposing views with warmth, peacefulness, and laughter.
The man was mostly quiet in the beginning. He looked shocked and curious about how we could disagree so agreeably. Soon our conversation turned to Jesus. Without my asking her the woman excitedly shared a short version of how Jesus became real in her life. Then I briefly shared my story of encountering the risen Jesus.
The man gradually began to join in the conversation and to enjoy the joy of the Lord with us. I don’t know if he is a Christian brother, but we could see his heart opening up in front of us. Before we parted I gave both of them a card with this link (hopethoughts.com) to my blog. They both said that they would go there and read it. I pray that they do, and that God uses my words to encourage them with Christ’s presence and light. When I woke up this morning these words were flowing through my heart:
I try to be A life writer, To let my words Dance and sing And ring out truth With kindness.
Free Gas for Your Think Tank -- Fill Your Mind and Your Heart With Hope 