Resolutions

RESOLUTIONS – Is Reading the Bible One of Yours?

Started thinking about New Year’s resolutions yet? Something that we resolve many times is that I want to be a “better Christian.” Yet, do we spend the time doing the things that help facilitate being a better Christian? Have you ever read the Bible through? Have you ever spent time just studying some of what the Bible says, in depth – just you and God?

· Nothing will foster interest in the Bible more than reading it. It is exciting, stimulating and challenging, nourishing the soul as nothing else can! (John 8:31f; 10:10; 15:1-8,10) To live it, we must read it. Make your aim to spend quality time in God’s Word each day this year!

· The Bereans in Acts really something. Receiving the message they examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11). Their desire for truth reflected a genuine interest on their part in God’s Word and what God had to say on a subject! We should not simply pass over those hard to understand passages. We should study them out! Dust off the dictionaries and look up those obscure words. Make comparisons of translations. Ask questions—lots of questions. Most importantly, pray that God will give you wisdom and spiritual insight so that you might see wonderful things in His word (Psalm 119:18). The deeper we dig the more engrossed we become and the more interested we are.

· Reading the Bible through is certainly a worthwhile goal. As we’ve seen in our study of the Post Exile return and rebuilding of the Temple, the manner in which the books are arranged can be confusing. One way to see the biblical story unfold is to read The Bible in Chronological Order. If you need help with this, get with me and I can get you recommendations on Daily Reading Lists, or Chronological Bibles that can help with understanding.

· Application of the Bible to our lives is our primary reason for reading. It is much better to read, study and apply one verse than to skim through chapter after chapter for the umpteenth time. The Word of God serves as the lamp to our feet and light to our path. (Psalm 119:105.) Each time we open our Bibles, we should be asking: What has God revealed about Himself in this text? What does God require of me? We should read the Bible with keen interest and a firm resolve to live into God’s will!

Let one of your resolutions this year be to become a diligent reader of God’s word. You won’t be sorry that you did (2 Tim.2:15).

Jim

Fishing

I live in an area where fishing is a key sport. We have both Salt Water as well as Fresh Water fishing, and even tournaments - you should see the beach when that happens. You would think you were stuck in LA Traffic at rush hour.

Jesus invited the disciples to "come and I will make you fishers of men." An interesting concept. We love to fish for fish, but mention becoming a fisher of men to someone, and instead of flocking to the beachheads, people scatter like a bear has just dropped into the middle of a picnic. Why?

I think people are afraid to commit for fear of failure. And here I speak of myself. I find myself, telling myself that I need to do this, and then the other side of me finding reasons why I shouldn't, or reasons to put it off. So, how do I commit? The same as with any kind of fishing - you never will catch a fish until you cast the net or the line to do so.

This brings me to the second reason that we do not want to do this, and that is what do we do with them once the net or line has brought them in. In real fishing we know we have to clean and dress the fish, to prepare it for cooking and the table. But what do we do with the "spiritual fish" that our nets have brought in? This is where things gets complicated. I actually have to engage the individual(s). But with what? Evidently they are interested in the Message, or they wouldn't have come into the cast net or have taken the line. Jesus gives us some insight on this in Matt.9:35-37.

• Once teaching has caught the interest of someone and their interest is piqued, then vs.35 shows us that continued teaching is required. Explanations of things such as salvation, the kingdom of God, fidelity to the Lord are needed things.
• Vs.35 also shows us that Healing is a needed thing. Jesus healed physical ailments, and most certainly this behooves us to be aware of the physical needs of those we teach, and to do what we can to help them. Yet, healing also has a spiritual side. When we encounter people with further teaching, many discover that they need spiritual healing of one sort or another. Many will discover that their hearts are "cut" (Acts 2:37) and that they need the healing of Christ's blood (Acts 2:38). Others, will discover that old scars and wounds have reopened (1 Jn.1:9) and that they need the healing balm of forgiveness.

Why then are we afraid to engage people to "fish for men" when we already know of the salvation of Christ, and of the Forgiveness he gives in Grace as we continue to walk with Him?
Perhaps we are not convinced that we are truly saved or forgiven? Perhaps we are not appreciative of the grace that has been given to us? Perhaps, we just don't want to?

To my knowledge, discipleship and helping to aid into the effort to generate disciples is not an optional thing (2 Tim.2:2). We go fishing because we want to, we enjoy it, and we like the rewards. Spiritual fishing is equally enjoyable once you know how, and the rewards are far better. So, let's get the tackle and nets ready. Its time to go fishing!

Hustle and Bustle - and then Quiet Meditations

Just got back from Texas to see my Mom. She had a stay in the hospital that concerned us, but she's doing ok - at least for the moment.

During our travel, Ann and I decided to take in some narrative readings of Beach Road by James Patterson and Peter De Jonge and Entombed by Linda Fairstein. Both of these books are good as far as plot is concerned and definitely have you going. Beach Road definitely catches you off with a lot or suspense and a twist at the end that leaves you stunned. Entombed is a Poe thriller and fascinating. However, as good as the content and plot, I have to give these a definite BAD-R rating because of the language. It was a turn off to us and disappointing that people feel that they have to use this type of language to form "authenticity." Yes, I am not naive to the fact that in the real world this is how people talk. But, I wonder if authors have considered that people might talk this way because they convey the image?

Naturally, in traveling you have to take breaks - so we decided to frequent bookstores and WalMarts. Here we discovered another book that we have just started The Shack by William Young. Jury's still out on this one, but I will let you know more as we get through it.

Outside of this, visiting Mom in the hospital, and trying to recover from road driving, I spent the week reflecting a lot. And, I made a discovery -- not so much of things I don't or didn't know, but of things I already know. When times and people get critical ...

1. Consider it a time of self reflection - Am I right? This is a biggie, because human instinct is that you are right no matter what. Its hard to fight this instinct, and consider that if someone is being critical to you, or about you - then you may NOT be right. Now, please don't misunderstand, I am not talking about "abusive" situations. I'm talking about where someone has been critical of you and you don't feel that you did anything to be criticized about. Perhaps before letting loose our mouths and saying things that we shouldn't or may regret later, we should step back and reflect on what is being said by them to see if indeed it may be warranted. Not saying that it won't hurt - but it still may be worth considering. 2 Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
   
2. Consider it a time for Searching The Scriptures! - This (even though we boast a lot about "the Bible Says") is not something that we like to do. It is something that we like to think that we know already! However, my discovery is that my "wisdom" is much lacking in a lot of things. It is a humbling thing to ask the question and to then search out the answer to "What does GOD say?" After all, He is the final "say so" on things isn't He? Why then shouldn't I want to KNOW what God says about something, or to find out? Is it because I am afraid that it might trespass on some dogma or preconceived notion that I have, or that it might rock my "I'm right" boat? John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
   
3. Consider it a time for Quiet Actions! - Do what is right, no matter what! But - we don't have to have the trumpets blaring, the crowds gazing, and the fireworks flying to do this. It is what we like, but it is NOT necessary. One of the greatest examples to me about this in the Bible is Priscilla and Aquilla. In a day of bombings, violence and assassinations, the one thing that we DO NOT need, is people verbally assassinating one another. No matter WHAT religion they are. The key component of the scripture and of the character of God, and I don't care how you slice it - if you're out there being critical (me included!) you're not exemplifying that very well. Act 18:26 He began to speak freely (fearlessly and boldly) in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him with them and expounded to him the way of God more definitely and accurately.
   

Guess I've got some things to work on then, because as I reflected on these things, I found that I am lacking in some areas and can behave better in others. I hope that this helps you to do the same.

Jim

First Jesus-era house discovered in Nazareth - Yahoo! News

First Jesus-era house discovered in Nazareth - Yahoo! News

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First Jesus-era house discovered in Nazareth - Yahoo! News

First Jesus-era house discovered in Nazareth - Yahoo! News

Posted using ShareThis

FINISHED BOOK: HOUSE by Ted Dekker, Frank Paretti

HOUSE By Ted Dekker, Frank Paretti

Ok...I've been a fan of Frank Paretti's since we read his first two books. Teaming up with Ted Dekker in this book though - WOW! Has you hanging from the get go. What's best of all http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=2354b4cc3793d6b1c3b3 check out the trailer!! WAAAAHHHH! I liked the book....now... the movie!

Normally, I don't like horror stuff. Especially the stuff that comes out these days. But this... I gotta see it. Read the book and way to go guys! I'm hooked!

New Book: The Year of Living Like Jesus

Reading a new book - The Year of Living Like Jesus by Edward Dobson

At first, I thought this was going to be a cornball book, but after reading just the initial pages and 1st chapter of the book, I have changed my mind. This is going to be good.

I have to admire the gentleman's take on this, I would not have thought of approaching this this way. And it begs you to consider what living like Jesus means - if taken in a literal sense. It shows me at least, that I'm not as "mindful" of this as I should be. He mentions some new phrases that I have come to admire - "the Jesus thing to do" and whether something is "Jesus-ly" I like this, and these are becoming my new personal buzz words.

Why would I do this you might ask? Well - I will admit. I have studied many different religions and religious views. Some - I have adapted. I have studied Native American religion, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zen. Each have principles that I find appealing, all of them revolving around how to get along with other people, stay out of fights, etc. Yet, it is Jesus that stands out to me more than any of them, because I find in him, what I aspire to be. Not a guru, but the character, the ability to handle himself, the quality of life that comes from him and the reasoning behind it all. There are other reasons more in depth that I won't write here, but suffice it to say - He is what I want to be like.

I find this book so far, interesting in helping me to understand another perspective of that walk.

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This from Regi Campbell in Next Generation Mentoring Blog


I learned a long time ago….I’m always leading. I’m leading people toward success…or not. I’m leading my kids toward independence from God….or toward dependence on God. I’m leading every person I encounter toward God…or away from God. 24/7/365. There’s no “neutral” when it comes to God. Silence and inertia are negative, not neutral.

So when the people in our everyday world look at us – look to us - where are we leading? Yeah, we can say all the church words and do the “Godspeak” thing. But when it gets down to what we’re DOING, how we’re acting, how we’re relating, where are we leading? What are we leading them toward?…or away from?

We’ve created institutions to tell us what to do, so we’re relieved of the requirement to act on our own initiative and follow God personally. We can put our “God stuff” in the church box, cracking it open ONLY on Sunday morning and in small groups. It makes it pretty easy to avoid the tension that comes with following Him during the rest of the week in less user-friendly environments.

But if we recognize that we’re always leading…that people are always watching what we do….then we have a choice to make. Will we remember that we were created by God for one purpose? Will we choose to start loving and serving people minute by minute, purposed to show them Jesus by how we live and act? Or will we fall in line with everyone else…look out for ourselves, do what’s asked of us, keep our mouths shut, and avoid the inconvenience of bringing God into life outside of Sunday morning and the holy huddle?

Wake-up call: God is already in everything. He’s made it clear what He wants us to do…how He wants us to lead (clue: be a servant).

The question is not will we lead, but what or who we will lead people to.

Self reliance, “happiness”, “success”, and pride? (”Look at me…look what I’ve done”)

Or…

Surrender, joy, humility, meaning and fulfillment. (”I love you, because God first loved me. Look at Him”)

You decide.

COMMUNICATE

Ok...I have this thing, that whenever I hear the same thing come from at least three different sources, that I think God is saying "LISTEN!"

The buzzword for the day? Communicate! I once had a martial arts instructor that told me all the time in broken english "you must learn to relax!" Relax? I thought I was relaxed! What do you mean relax?

This is the way I am about this word COMMUNICATE! Communicate? I thought I was communicating! What do you mean communicate?

So it is, that we hear this often in marriages. One or the other party says, "You're not communicating!" What? I thought I was communicating! An endless argument is it not?

So, I strive to learn the art of communication.

• Jas 1:19 "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger..."
• Pro 25:11 "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. "

And still, I strive to learn to communicate. I've even taken courses on communicating, and I still need to learn how to communicate. Something that I have learned, is that in communication is also the perception of the hearer. So, maybe what God is telling us all is something that I thought I had learned a long time ago (but evidently haven't - or at the least have forgotten) -- "ENGAGE YOUR BRAIN BEFORE DISENGAGING YOUR MOUTH!"

Then again, I have begun to think Prov.17:28 "Even a fool, when he is silent, is counted wise, and he who shuts his lips is counted as a man of understanding."

Perhaps silence is the better side of this art of communication?

Jim

The Spirital Forge

You guessed it, this is a record of a Spiritual journey. Sharing life, difficulties, blessings and lessons in the hopes that you find something in this that you can use.

I am a Christian and have been so for 33 years now. Yet, my journey is not complete, and there is much to learn along the way. I am not and do not claim to be perfect. I am human, and only by God's grace do I survive. You may find things that I post that you disagree with, and if that is so, then I pray for your patience with me. I am a Blacksmith, and as such I know what it takes to fashion metal into a work of art. In the same way, I know that God forges souls into what He wishes, and I submit myself to God's hand.

I invite you to follow my journey, I invite you to share my journey, I invite you to join my journey. You do not have to believe what I do, but I hope that we can agree to grow together.

Jim