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Becoming Grateful

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I am finding more and more that gratefulness is the path to true joy.  And we all want to be joyful.  The very thing that robs us is our own selfishness.  The most ideal way to overcome selfishness is to fall on our knees and pray.  Pray prayers of thanks recalling all that God has done, is doing, and has promised to do in our lives.  Sometimes its not easy to be thankful.  Sometimes we get so immersed in our desires and longing to control the circumstances that we fail to realize our error.  Our error is in thinking we control the outcome of our days and lives.  God is the one who directs our paths and sets us upon the Rock in this life. Another path to gratefulness is creativity.  As I have mentioned in other posts, creativity is a big part os what we were designed to do.  When we live into our true nature we co-create with God.  We utilize the gifts he has given us and make beautiful things alongside the Creator of all things.  Consider reading a few verses of this site .  I
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Called

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What does it mean to be called?  Who does the calling and who answers the call?  Does the call go out to everyone and whoever answers is the "called" one?  Or is the calling specific and unique as the person who answers it?  As you can imagine, I am referring to God's call upon his people and specific persons for specific purposes.  God calls people groups, this is most clearly seen in the Israelites lives ( Genesis 32 ).  And God also calls specific people, which you can read about in the transformation of Saul to Paul ( Acts 9 ). Scripture also shares the wonderful news that Gentiles (you and I) are also welcome into God's family .  We are called as a people!  We are also called individually to very specific tasks that include The Great Commission  and so much more according to our own talents and giftings .  I think there is something more you all need to be aware of that comes to you via the Reformed Tradition.  I want you to watch a video after you are
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Global Proportions

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People are always looking for hidden meanings.  And there is nothing innately wrong in doing this.  However, speculation or hypotheses are not fact, yet are so commonly present as such.  Take pop-science's take on evolution, carbon dating, and the beginning of the universe for instance.  They are all theory but are taught as facts. During World War I and II, and even today, many people wondered if it was indicative of the end times as prophesied in the book of Revelation. 1   Just this week a student in the youth group asked if this pandemic was connected to the prophecy in Revelation as well.  He isn't the only one thinking this. 2   In addition to this, a fellow teacher of mine shared about the global trauma of this pandemic.  He believes the world has never experienced a shared trauma like this since the flood. What do you think?  I would love to have a conversation with you in the comment section below.
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Say What's So For You

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There is a saying I have been introduced to, which I would like to share with you.  It's, "Say what's so for you."  I wish we were together as I introduce this to you.  Becasue I would love to hear what this phrase stirs up within you.  The first time I heard this phrase was about 5-6 years ago.  At that time, I was asked to join a small group of pastors who met monthly for a time of fellowship.  Their goal was to have space where they could be authentic with each other.  Little did I know the level of authenticity far exceeded what I had experienced elsewhere.   And it all revolved around saying what's so for you.  This includes sharing experiences and the thoughts and feelings that arose.  It's not about assuming what others thought, felt, or experienced.  Saying what is so for you has everything to do with being present to yourself and speaking from your own understanding.  It includes pushing the pause button on "right or wrong" and simply s
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Little Moments Add Up

I am becoming more and more convinced little moments make up the whole of life.  Sure, we often only remember the big moments.  But it's those little ones that are easily forgotten that really are the building blocks that make us our past and present.  The way we communicate with our parents and friends via text and in person, the time we take to care for a sibling, and the little prayers that we utter silently in our hearts.  These are the moments we need to get present to. Take a moment and listen to this song by Ludovico Einaudi. Consider what this song might sound like if Ludovico periodically left out notes throughout the song.  It would not sound very good at all!  Yet, still better than I could do! As we read the Gospels we might also consider Jesus.  Go ahead and pick a chapter and read it.  I recommend this one .  As you read it, pause long enough to notice the little details that make up the whole.  Get really present to the details of his comings and goin
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Oh, Yah

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What do you need to have your spiritual cup overflow?  What interaction with Jesus do you need to have to get that "oh, yah" feeling deep within your soul? The Bible tells us that the closer we move to God, the closer he moves to us ( James 4:8 ).  What do you normally do to move closer to God?  Have you done that?  Or is it no longer working the way it used to?  Perhaps, your feeling stuck and don't have a clear direction at this point. Let's start by asking some new questions.  This is the best strategy when your feeling lost to get your bearings.  The Spirit is the best at helping us gain perspective at this point.  Start by asking the Spirit for help.  Pause, and ask for help now before blazing ahead! After you do this, rather than looking at the positive things you do to move closer to God, perhaps we need to be asking new questions.  Ask yourself: What is keeping me from moving closer to God? Are there habits in my life that are distracting me
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God Is Not Quarintiend Or On Lockdown

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Scripture and The Chronicles of Narnia both speak of God as being a lion.  Even Dinsey's The Lion King paints the picture the lion is the king of other animals. It's easy to see how the lion can be used as an image for the powerfulness of a king.  Male lions can weigh up to 500 pounds, and stretch out to 10 feet long.  This beast moves about silently on soft paws with claws like shark teeth.  Thinking about running?  You better run faster than 50 miles an hour to escape.  And that jaw can open up1 foot, and can claps down at 650 pounds per square inch, which is used to eat 18 pounds of meat per day... 70 hamburgers!  Not only that, but the roar can be heard 2 miles away. I'm not petitioning the lion is the most ferocious beast of all.  I am simply sharing the reasoning behind why the lion is considered a king of its domain and is used as a picture for kings. I share this with you to reveal the wildness of this creature.  And as C. S. Lewis understands it, the unta
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