Constants You Can Count On #3

I started this series in the early part of last year and never got around to fininshing the list. Its a new year, but our God remains faithful and unchanging, so these constants being grounded in the faith and in God remain unchanging as well.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

2 Peter 1:21New King James Version (NKJV)for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.2 Peter 1:20-21 (in Context) 2 Peter 1 (Whole Chapter)New Living Translation (NLT) or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.2 Peter 1:20-21 (in Context) 2 Peter 1 (Whole Chapter)

These verses talk about prophecy and it being spoken as the prophets are being moved by the Holy Spirit and in all cases this is very true. I think all prophecy should be given as directed by the Holy Spirit. But in I don’t believe the Holy Spirit is just going to move in the instances of prophecy. I think the Holy Spirit moves us and in us in various ways. Sometimes it is obvious as is the case of prophecy and wonders like healing, other times it is more subtle like a quiet tugging at the heart to give when we have the ability to, or to help out a friend who needs help, sometimes it is simply just stepping out in faith when we don’t feel like it. The Holy Spirit is constantly moving around us and He will move in us and through us if we will let Him. It is not always in a big and extraordinary way. Sometimes it is the still small whisper we hear compelling us to do something. But in either case big or small we can be assured that the Holy Spirit is still indeed moving.

2009 Is Here

There is so much that has happened in 2008 that in ways I am very glad to see it go and there is still a piece of me that is sad to see it go. I am glad to see it go because it held some of my scariest moments in terms of my health in it I was in the hospital for about three weeks in August and also I had a surgery that was kind of a surprise for me. It went from I was going to have the surgery to I was not going to have the surgery because there was no room on the surgery schedule for me to have it, to me actually being told in the morning that I would actually be having the surgery later in the afternoon of that same day. I am sad because this year was a big self realization year for me. I realize a lot of what I want out of life in terms of family and friends. I have also come to realize that there is a lot of need in the world and that there is something that I can do help alleviate some of that need no matter how small it might be. Even if it seems small to me and the person I am helping it may very well be a big deal in our lives. When I started this blog quite some time ago I did it because I wanted to see how a man should measure his life, I am learning that the people that should be measuring a person's life are the people that he touches in his life and the people he leaves behind. I want to make the biggest dent in people's live that I possibly can. I am taking a step to do so real soon. As soon as I take that step I will make sure and write about it here. There is so much to be done in the world that needs to be done that I personally think that we all should look to do our part. I have yet to decide on a new years resolution because they never really seem to work out for me but I think I have decided on one while I have been writing this. 2009 is going to be a year of "doing" for me. There are a lot of things that I have always talked about doing and I think this year I am going to start doing them. Lofty goals and aspirations have never gotten anything done except take up time. I am going to put mine to work for me this year and let them keep me busy. So here's to 2009 and walking the walk

Note To Self: I Am OK

The more I learn about discipleship the more I love God and who He truly is. Two years ago I was chained to my need to climb the corporate ladder and see more zeroes on my paycheck. When I felt God saying it was time to leave my job--the only job I had had since I was 19--I admittedly started panicking. With each confirmation I received that I had heard correctly I challenged the idea even more. I had grown accustomed to the lifestyle that my job had allowed me to lead. I never had to tell myself no if I wanted something. When I finally said OK give me peace and I'll take the step--He did. A job that I loved I was suddenly filled with contempt for. When I thought about the money part of the decision, again I was accustomed to my lifestyle, I was almost instantly filled with peace. The words that gave me the peace that quieted my fears? "You were born in this earth to be the righteousness of God. My word says 'I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed out begging for bread.'" I know now that the reason I had to leave the job I once loved wasn't only because God was calling me, but because it was becoming something that I could have ended up worshipping and serving. I also know now that the more I stayed at that job the closer I was to bringing my life to an early end. I was literally working myself to death. It wasn't until I stopped working that my body was able to tell me just how ill I truly was. It had been living off of ambition and stress. When those two components were gone it was like the tape coming off a broken window pane. A little more than a year and a half of not working and just studying the word of God, and I am still learning my call and my direction I am to follow. I bless God because of His faithfulness, Love and provision. I love him and am truly indebted to Him for His life changing nature. My way to pay off this debt I feel towards Him? Offering my life to Him to with as He pleases. Two years ago I would have said I was nuts. Today I am OK with that. Even more than OK--I am excited. No income coming in right now. But that is OK too. I can honestly say that I have not missed anything. He has truly changed my priorities. The most awesome part about that for me is that the less I have, the more that I have been able to give--and give with faith knowing that my Father is going to take care of me. I know there isn't a need (past, present or future) that my father doesn't know about and that He won't be faithful to provide for. It is amazing to me to think that even if I don't have money or things to give, I will still be able to give something amazing away. Peter taught me that. Acts 3:6 was my lesson: "But Peter said, 'I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!'” I love the verse in The Message too: "Peter said, "I don't have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!" He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked." I don't know why I am writing this today...Maybe for you or maybe it is just a message to myself that I need to read when I get it in my email today. If the second option is the reason then pay attention Mike and keep this message near the top of your email so you can reference it when you need to remind yourself that God is faithful, you are more blessed than you ever thought was possible, you are happier than you ever thought was possible, and of course, you are OK.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

The Fog

Some days I feel like I am maneuvering through the fog. I don't know where I am going, the road may seem familiar, but I cannot be certain for sure if it is. Though I may have been down the road before I still move apprehensively not knowing if something new will be in my path. I travel uncertain of what lies in the whiteness that is in front of me, separating me from my destination. The blessing in moving through the fog is that I am moving at all. That I still get up and move through the fog without having to fight myself is a miracle in itself. That is progress in my discipleship walk, I think. Discipleship is allowing yourself to be led blindly to someone else's purpose for your life, at least the faith part is. Thank God for foggy days and the revelation that comes with them.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!

Mike

Loving the Right Way

I was reading in Philippians chapter one this morning about loving each other. In The Message version of verses 9-11 it says it so well that I am sure I will be thinking about it all morning.

9-11So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

You know it is great to love people and to be all lovey and stuff like that in church, but is it sincere or is it the sentimental gush that Paul mentions here. I understand what it is saying to use your head and to test your feelings so that the love I share is sincere. Reading that this morning has me going mentally through each of my relationships with people and testing my feelings. Is my love for that person sincere or is it a basket full of sentimental gush? It is truly my heart's desire to be able to say that I love people sincerely and intelligently. I want to be able to say that not only do I love much, but I love well.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

Matthew 18:3 Revisited

I just finished a post with Matthew 18:3. I think it was more of a mind clearing than a post. I needed to get that all out of my head before I could post what I was really thinking on that verse. Here it is in the NIV :3 "Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven." And now in The Message(v2-5): "For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom. What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me. "

Think of a little child. Innocent. Pure. Trusting. Loyal. Naive. Ignorant. Those last two descriptors aren't meant to be to mean spirited--they are meant to be positive and in the same light as the first two adjectives. The innocence and purity of the whole becoming like a child thing really isn't as hard as it may seem. Dedication, will power and self discipline can all lead to those things if they are applied to our lives. The parts that seem almost unattainable are the trusting, loyalty, naivete, and ignorance. How is that we are supposed to become like a child in these situations. How do you unlearn hurt, pride, anger, and fear? How do you learn to trust when you have been let down so many times before? Beyond that, how do you learn to trust someone and something you can't see? How do you unlearn the outcomes to situations you have played out in your life time and time again? How do you rely on someone to take care of you when you have fended for yourself for so long? These questions are the battleground that has to be crossed before someone can become like a child again.

The Message version breaks it down nicely. It says we have to become "simple and elemental" again. Childhood broken down to its elements. That's tough. I can tell you I would love to be there completely. I would love to be at that point in my life right now. I am ready to resign from being an adult. Just when I think I have reached that point though, something comes up in my life when I feel the need to become the navigator and all mighty in my life again. I feel at times like a hypocrite because it is almost as I know what it says in the Word and I can preach it and believe it for you, but when it comes to me I always miss the mark. It's normal, I know. But I am not one for normal I want to be extraordinary. Really at this point in my life I just want to know God is in charge and be content with it. I want to be able to resist the urge to take control back because I don't feel things are going the right way or going fast enough for me. I want the childlike faith I know exists in me to be the only faith I have and live. Pray for me and I'll pray for you because I know I am not the only one.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

Broken...And It's OK

I was going through my files to see if I had a picture to help me describe brokenness. I did. It is a picture of me. I am learning more and more about myself lately. I am learning all the masks I had to wear and chose to wear. I am learning to take them off. I am learning that underneath it all I am broken. What I am learning even faster is that it is ok to be broken; in fact we are called to be broken in our discipleship walk with Christ. Like the fish and the loaves. Blessed. Broken. Given. That is my quest, my highest goal each day.

Be Blessed. Be Broken. Then be Given.

Mike

If I am Me...?

Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey host the wildly popular Rick and Bubba Show, a drive-time radio broadcast that originates in Birmingham, Alabama. Animators once made a cartoon out of their two characters and invited Rick and Bubba to provide the voices. Rick was the voice of Rick, and Bubba, the voice of Bubba. Bubba, however, couldn't seem to please his producer. He suggested that Bubba change inflections, volume, and other details. Bubba grew understandably impatient. After all, he was voicing himself. He turned to the producer and objected, "If I am me, how can I mess me up?"--as told in The Cure for the Common Life, by Max Lucado

Take away point:

Be yourself. So many times we are faced with people and circumstances that try and fit us into the molds they want us to be shaped like. We have been called to be who God wants us to be. No one knows us better than us, except for God. As long as we are walking in His direction and following His voice we will be all we ever need to be.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!

Mike

Hearing It Again for the First Time

"The only mistake is not to risk making one"
--Max Lucado, The Cure for a Common Life

Risk is never something that is on top of my list to undertake in a day's time. I never wake up and roll out of bed wondering what risks I am going to take throughout the day. I don't plan risks in my life at all. If anything I try to avoid taking risks at all. If there are risks involved in any of my day to day business, I do my best to manage them. I try to control all of the unknowns and be prepared to deal with any situation that arises from them. The hard part of all this though is that this is not possible with the walk I have decided to take with Jesus Christ. being a disciple and trying to live by what we have been taught often times means following the leader into realms uncharted and unforeseen. It means doing things that often are not in plans I had for the day or even for my life. I often wonder sometimes as I am doing my best to follow the plans that God has for me, how much I would have accomplished for Him and His kingdom had I started followed long ago when I heard the call. I wonder sometimes what I would be like if I had simply flowed with the risks instead of becoming better at managing them. I am learning that one of the good things about following Christ and taking the risks that come with that walk is that failure is almost never an outcome unless I try and take over the lead. He has called us to do His will and accomplish His purpose for our lives, which means that His glory is dependent on our success. If we fail where does His glory come from? If we remain in His will and tuned to His call then, no matter the risk, we can't fail.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

Free....To Be a Slave

This morning I was wandering through the book of Galatians, just wondering what the Lord would say to me through His word. Usually He is faithful to bring it up pretty early with me as I am reading because I think I am developing a touch of ADD when reading :) But that was not the case--it wasn't until t he 5th chapter that the words popped out at me.

Galatians 5:13-14
13For you have been called to live in freedom—not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love. 14For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

We have been called to freedom--not freedom to do as we please or live our lives the way that we want to, taking pleasure in all the pleasurable things of this world; rather we have been called to be free to serve each other in and through love for one another. Paul is addressing the Galatians here and he is specifically talking to those who are falling back into the bondage of the law. They were craving the law and to be a follower of it--so he met their need and summed it all up into one statement for them--Love your neighbor as yourself.

That is a powerful statement. I know there are people out there who suffer from depression and self esteem issues, but I don't fall into the category very often. I happen to love myself. I love myself almost too much sometimes. I have had to battle with selfishness since my high school age when I discovered myself. I have been selfish with my time, my energy and even my words. So to tell me that I need to love everyone else as much as I love myself is quite a big statement. Can you imagine the possibilities of loving someone as much as yourself? Or if there is difficulty in that area of self love and appreciation for you, then can you imagine loving someone else the way that you want to be loved? That is an awesome thought.

Today was a particularly good word for me. For two days God has been speaking to me about changing the course of my ministry and has laid some big ideas on my mind. This is the second day in a row that He has taken me to a place in His word that deals with what He is talking to me about. I'm listening God!

Love someone today in a way that you want to be loved!

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

Attitude Adjustment

1 Peter 4:1 "1So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you are willing to suffer for Christ, you have decided to stop sinning. "

I have thought about sacrifice and discipleship together ever since I was touched with the desire to take a discipleship walk with Christ and become a student of His teachings. It only seems logical that sacrifice would become a big part of the discipleship walk because you are undertaking someone else's plans for your life as opposed to your own. Naturally in this situation there are going to be things that you would want to be or do that do not fit in with the lifestyle you have decided to undertake and you will need to sacrifice these things for the sake of remaining true to your decision to become a disciple. When I read this verse this morning something else came alive in me.

I have always known in the back of my mind that discipleship would also entail some sort of suffering. My idea of discipleship has always been of the idea that the decision to become a disciple is self imposed; therefore all the parts of my life that I would need to lay to the side or sacrifice for the sake of remaining faithful to my decision would be my choice as well. I saw that line of thought this morning in a new not so positive light. When I make it my decision to sacrifice something in my life I am in essence still retaining control of my life and not completely resigning that control and decision making ability to the One that I am following. It was almost as if I decided how I was going to suffer on this walk. Christ did not have that attitude when He came to earth to walk among men. He came and did what He was called to do.

We need to have the same attitude that Christ had when He came to suffer for us. His suffering was selfless and love oriented. Peter says that when we take on this attitude we are in essence making two decisions--we are deciding to follow Christ and be led to accomplish what He has called us to do, and secondly we are deciding to stop sinning. Discipleship to Christ is the complete resignation of control of your will for your life so that you can become as Christ-like as possible and move in the direction He has called you to move in to accomplish what He has called you to accomplish. Being willing to suffer along this walk with Christ is adjusting our attitude from being selfish (no longer chasing after the desires of the flesh) to being selfless (being anxious to fulfill the will of God, and not your own, for your life).

The Purpose

I am reading through 1 Timothy today. I have a lot of questions that have been going through my mind lately and it seems that God is answering them one by one. This morning these words popped of the page at me: "The purpose of my instruction is that all the Christians there would be filled with a love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith." (1Timothy 1:5 NLT) This spoke volumes to my spirit. It confirmed in me a need to preach and teach discipleship. My heart hurts for the people that are saved and then allowed to fall by the wayside and fend for themselves in terms of spiritual development. I know that each person that comes to meet my savior is called to a specific purpose in His kingdom and they need some guidance and help find out exactly what that is. Sometimes people get so concerned with increasing the number on the souls-saved-board, that they allow these new converts to get lost in the new life they have just taken on. Our goal should be to help these new brothers and sisters in Christ "be filled with a love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith."

Father let me help advance Your kingdom with a pure heart, a clear conscience and a sincere faith in you.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

Put In My Place--Biblical Style

17You have wearied the LORD with your words.“Wearied him?” you ask. “How have we wearied him?”You have wearied him by suggesting that the LORD favors evildoers since he does not punish them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

I know we all have done it. We see the horrible things happening in the world around us and we wonder where God is. We wonder why He hasn't stopped those bad things from happening to the innocent people--the good people. I know I do. I often wonder where the justice is when I see people get away with horrible crimes and actions. That bothers me. Well actually it frustrates me. It seems sometimes like the evil in the world prospers more than the good does. I was thinking about this hard the other day and this was the verse that God led me to. It would seem that I am not the only one who gets frustrated and tired of seeing what I see, but God also gets tired of people questioning His ability to be sovereign and to the only Judge. Reading that the first time put me in my place. reading it the second time made me officially whooped and repentant. God is God and God alone. He is sovereign over all things to do with them as He wills when He wills. 'Nuff said!

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

The 100th Post...MOVE!

It has been kind of rough for me lately emotionally and physically both. If I let it, I think depression could have gotten the best of me these past few days. It is hard sometimes to know you are following God's will for your life and sometimes not see the rewards for the work you are doing. It is hard sometimes to not be as active as you want to be and to feel like you are always in the holding pattern waiting to take off. As I was venting this morning to God, He reminded me of the first sermon that I ever preached.

Gen 13:14-18
"14After Lot was gone, the LORD said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction. 15I am going to give all this land to you and your offspring as a permanent possession. 16And I am going to give you so many descendants that, like dust, they cannot be counted! 17Take a walk in every direction and explore the new possessions I am giving you.” 18Then Abram moved..."

God has given me promises for my life. He has told me specifically what I will be doing. And turn by turn I have followed His directions. Sometimes though when things don't quite seem to be happening fast enough for me, I start to get stagnate and the waiting gets the best of me. I imagine the promises that He gave to Abraham were a little hard to believe at first as well. But God told Abraham to look as far as he could see in every direction and what he saw would be His. In one version Abraham is told to walk the length and breadth of his land. He is basically told to inspect it, to get to know it, to claim it. Abraham could have just waited till all of this was accomplished before he did anything about it. He could have waited to see if would come to pass before he put any effort into it. But he didn't do any of these things. the first part of verse 18 says that "Abram Moved..." He received his direction from God and he took action to receive the gift God had laid in front of him.

I think so many of us sit and hold on to promises God has given us when we should be out there moving. We should be inspecting, claiming and owning the gifts that He has placed in us. We need to walk the length and width of the promise God has given to us and claim ownership of the talents that He desires to use for His kingdom. When it is so easy to sit and wait, wondering where God is and when He is going to use us or move through us, I think we should consider the possibility that He is waiting for us to move. He is waiting for us to take ownership of what He has given to us.

There is a lot of opportunity in the kingdom of God to move. If you don't know your gift or calling or purpose in the Kingdom of God, still move. Move in prayer. Move in encouragement. Move in helps. Move in sharing the word of God. Move. Move. Move!

Habakkuk Is Still Speaking

This past week I have been reading through the minor prophets. I have gone back through some of my notes and one thing that is sticking out is in the book of Habakkuk.

Habakkuk 2:2 "Then the Lord said to me, 'write my answer in large, clear letters on a tablet, so that a runner can read it and tell everyone else.'"

I try to write things down if I think I am going to have the tendency to forget them. When I am going through some rough times I am not going to be sharp enough to remember all the good things that God has promised me. The first things that come into my head are not going to be all the reasons why these hard times will not last forever. I am sorry to admit that, but it is true. That is why I am sure that God had Habakkuk write down what He was going to say. When God promises restoration or judgement we need to remember that something has to be gone through to have the need to be restored. There is always an outcome or an end to a situation and for those of us who believe in the grace and goodness of God, we know it will always be for our betterment, He always has our best interest in His interest. I am going to start a promise book. Where I fill it with the promises of God, spoken through the bible or from those who speak encouragement into my life. When the rough times comes, it will help me focus and have faith in the outcome and maybe make it a little easier to walk through, knowing the ending.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

A Reminder to Love

This email was sent to me by a friend. It is absolutely a prayer that reminds us to think more like God and see situations and people through His eyes and with His love. I truly believe we come across people and situations in our lives solely for the purpose of adding them to our prayer list or at the very least to pray for them at that moment. I pray that as you read through this, you will be able to identify with it and it will touch you as it did me.

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together Heavenly

Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with just those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love. Amen.

I am not big on "pass it on" letters, but in this case how can we afford not to remind people to love everyone, not just those we want to? If you send this to 5 people, then you have a chance to touch 5 people. Working for God on earth doesn't pay much......butHis retirement plan is out of this world

Be blessed and Be a blessing!!
Mike Aguilar
Empty Vessel Ministries

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

Sign Here

I was a nerd in school. I was a flirt and I loved all of teachers and they loved me. When I was in second grade one of the administrators leaned into my ear and whispered that I was going to be a "lady killer." When I asked her what that meant she told me I would figure it out when I was older. Well I don't know if that ever came true but I was blessed with the gift of charm that has gotten me both into and out of troublesome places. I was thinking back to my school years because it is the favorite time for all adults that live with children in their houses--back to school time. Occasionally my nieces would bring home papers that needed to be signed by their parents--spelling lists, test scores, progress reports, etc. I though that was great because it helps hold the kids accountable for their work and their progress in school. It must be a great feeling to carry home a piece of paper bearing a good test score or a positive progress report home to be signed by your parents. (I wouldn't really know--I forged most of my needed signatures when I was in school.) I can imagine that the paper must be heavy with pride in the backpack and the kid almost unable to contain the excitement and joy they feel as the recipient of such a good thing. Then just as I can imagine the joy I can almost imagine what it would be like to have to drag home a poor test score to be signed by your parents or having to have them sign a note that told of your poor behavior in class. Imagining your parents disappointment in your behavior and then having to receive any discipline that comes with the note that you had to bring home.

What if as adults we had to apply this principle to our discipleship walk. What if we had to take our completed days to God and have Him sign them for us? It would be awesome to be able to show Him your faithfulness and your dedication to the calling He placed on your life. What a great thing to be able to say that you are on track to complete all the tasks He has given you to do in your lifetime. We would be excited then to get God's signature on our days, because we wold know that He would be pleased with us. Now what if the situation was different. What if we had to show God our day and in it there was listed all the times we had the chance to use our gifts or our talents that He gave us and we didn't? What would it feel like if we had to show God all the time we spent being out of His will for our lives or just chose to be disobedient to Him? It wouldn't feel so good then, nor would we be so eager to take our days to Him to be signed off.

Now consider this. We do have to take our days to God and have Him sign them off. Whether it will be a positive experience for us or one that we missed altogether will be dependant on how we live out our days now. When we leave this earth we will be held accountable for the lives we have led on earth while we were here. We will have to answer for all the time we spent out of His will for our lives, for all of our compromises and all of the times we squandered the gifts He placed in our lives to be used for Him. Just the thought of that day pushes me into accountability mode.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

Here is the song that put me into my current thoughtfulness:

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Friends of Faith

When I think of faith, I can't help but think of words or feelings that I associate with it. The first one that comes to mind is fire. When I have faith it is either feast or famine with me. When I am feasting in times of faith, I am on fire. I have an energy burning in me that can't be suppressed and makes me feel like I can be superman (leaping buildings, faster than speeding trains, etc., etc.) I have a passion that drives what I am doing and what I am called to do when my faith is charged and ready to go. I love that feeling. I can have any number of naysayers in front of me and my armor is impenetrable by their negativity. It is then that I know who my God says He is and I believe Him. Moreover, I believe who He tells me I am.

When my faith isn't charged up to capacity and I have left room for something other than faith to creep in, it is usually fear. Faith is the hoping for things not seen, the belief that they even exist or will come to pass. Fear comes in when I am left to my own senses and I am looking at a God situation--it is easy then to say that it is not possible, and I am not the one that should be undertaking such a calling. Fear prevails when I allow myself in front of God. That only happens when I feel I have bitten off more than I can chew or have been so busy serving God that I have forgotten to worship Him.

Father I pray that You will strengthen my faith and my passion for Your will through our time together.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing.
Mike

Tapas and Tithing

Last night I went to a bible study that some friends have in a store front . The leader said something that really made sense to me. We always hear preachers talking about giving to God and tithing. People really have it confused when they think that they are giving to God when they are tithing. God said that the first tenth of what we have is His. When we give that to God we are giving what is already His to begin with. When we have not given anything out of the remaining 90% of what we have left then we essentially have not yet given anything to God. How incredible is it that we have a hard time as the Body of Christ giving what He has said is already His, let alone giving anything that is ours to Him. I just thought that was a great point that she brought up.

We also happened upon a great restaurant last night across the shopping center where the bible study was held. The restaurant was called Honda Ya. It billed itself as a Japanese Pub. everything on the menu was like appetizer portion. I pretty much considered it a Japanese tapas bar. The food was excellent. We grubbed on California rolls, kalbe ribs, tempura, sausage tempura, and some tonkatsu. There is some stuff there for everyone. I was with my mom and she is not a big raw stuff eater so I didn't try any of that. their menu is extensive and it looks like I found a hangout.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing!
Mike

New Car Smell of Faith

I have always believed that there was more to being a follower of Christ than just saying a cute little prayer. It has been an annoying presence in my life to think that the church has failed new Christians in huge ways by not telling them of sacrifice and service. We promise them that their lives will be changed, but often times it is not the immediate change that they were expecting. They get through the honeymoon period of salvation where they tell all their friends and family that they are saved and how their lives are changed and then that feeling ends. The salvation buzz wears off and they realize that the changes they were expecting to see haven't happened yet and the miracles they were waiting on haven't manifested themselves yet. Brian Jones in his book Second Guessing God says that for him when he started having doubts it was like the new car smell wore off on his faith.

By the third page of his book I knew I had found a new favorite author. The first of the best passages in the book (and there are many) comes from a conversation between him and one of his mentors.

Brian: "My faith in God right now is like a walk on the beach. Ive taken off my shoes, and as i stand at the water's edge, the tide has started to roll across my feet. It feels wonderful. Up to this point my spiritual journey had been incredible, but in the last six months doubt has begun to paralyze me. It's like when the water goes back out to the ocean. It is washing away the sand underneath me, and my feet keep sinking lower and lower and lower. If this keeps up, there wont be anything left to stand on."

Mentor: "Brian, I have stood where you're standing. Ive felt the water cascade across my feet. I know how wonderful it feels. But Ive also had the water go back out to sea. I've felt the sand get washed out from underneath my feet...When the last grain of sand is finally gone, you're going to discover that you're standing on a rock."

That is awesome. First to know that we don't go through things that others around us haven't been through. Second to know that as deep as the sand around us might seem, we have a foundation that we have built our house and our faith on. When it seems like we are sinking and have no hope left we will hit our rock and that will keep us from sinking any further. Sometimes I think those rough times hit our lives because we need to get back to the basics of our faith and our walk with Christ. those times usually help us get closer to Him and reinforce the faith that helped us start our walk with Him to begin with.

Be Blessed and Be a Blessing