WORDS, Create pictures in your mind, Imprints upon your heart, And ultimately determine your destiny.
In The Purple Pill I share practical “how to” processes anyone can apply to unlock the mystery of understanding their purpose or calling in life. I wanted to share words that help create God’s picture of your life. The picture God paints in your (more…)
Most people wake up and go through life bound by the chains and shackles of selfishness; constantly looking for more. Searching for what they may gain, how they can get ahead, who to befriend, calculating returns for actions that are sown in vein, only to reap a dry dusty whirlwind. The hidden tragedy is God has more, but the bondage keeps them locked away from God’s best. Bondage unseen is always the bondage that limits you and maintains your lack in life and frustration. It’s impossible to help someone with a problem they don’t believe they have. When you see the shackles you begin to think how to escape. When you’re oblivious you resign to the thought, “this is life,” and do nothing to change.
Light illuminates what binds us. Love is light. Psalm 36:9 tells us in His light we see light, and by the context we understand His light is Love. It is God’s love that sets us free. Love is not self-seeking. Light and dark cannot walk together. Love and selfishness cannot walk together. Saying you love your neighbor doesn’t matter unless you really love your neighbor. God, who sees hearts, sees both actions prompted by love and those calculated steps performed for self in search of God’s rewards.
Most make decisions based on themselves (self-seeking). This is a well worn path for people in this world, but it is a path of bondage. Many need to quit acting like a cheesy lawyer, selfishly using God’s word like a legal document, demanding a judgement in your favor; that’s not love and much more how the enemy works. This is a large part of why believer’s lack power. He didn’t set us free to be selfish. God has called us to live in Him, therefore we live in Love (1 John 4:16). God is your Father, not some distant Judge; this implies heart to heart relationship that fathers have with their children. Our success in life is directly proportional to our relationship with the God who is Love (1 John 4:8). Many may have had a poor, or no, example of a loving father in this life and face a stronghold trying to believe their heavenly Father is love. God demonstrates His love always; it is His kindness that leads us to change. It is His kindness that weaves us into the tapestry of heaven on earth.
The two commandments Jesus noted as the greatest are to love God & love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37). These commands sum up the entire law and the prophets. These are the litmus test for being led by the Spirit. LOVE does not conform to religion, legalism, or works, but Love transforms all dry and weary routines. Love breaks the chains of bondage. Love brings freedom from selfishness. Love leads us to the “more” God has for us. The “more” God has is outside our shackles of self. It is time to breakout and expand your tent stakes, it is time to live outside the box. It is time to trust God with your whole heart. Walk in love, trusting God to watch out for you, provide for you, and even surprise you with His goodness. Follow the Spirit (Love) as He leads you on the perfect path of peace. His love will be our light and His word will be a lamp to our feet.
Father in heaven, forgive me for being self-seeking. I want to walk in love. Lead me today on the path of peace. Open my eyes to what you see. Give me grace to love like you love. Live through me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Far too often we seek the blessing and forsake the Blessor. We seek prosperity, healing, power and forget to seek Him. Living a life out of order we dry up like a leaf without water. Oft asking why God is silent. God desires to bless you more than you do, but will always withhold blessings if it interferes with His good, pleasing, and perfect will for your life. Most then choose to find a way to meet their needs in a manner more suitable to their intellect, letting their faith and love grow cold. His presence is KEY. (more…)
I woke up this morning with a strange song playing in my mind over and over. You may remember the 90’s number one hit by Meatloaf, “I will do anything for love, but I won’t do that.” It was over and over. Waking up with this strange song repeating in my head I began my normal morning. I’ve been reading through Exodus, so I pick up where I left off. I hope you’re familiar with the highlights; God delivers the Israelites out of bondage and they were given gold, silver, clothing by the Egyptians. He then led them through the Red Sea and the enemy army pursuing them is completely destroyed. Pretty impressive and miraculous experiences. God then leads them into the desert and after turning the bitter water sweet He gives them a decree, a law and He tested them. As I read His decree it was like words stood out;
Listen Carefully
Do What is Right
Pay Attention
Keep His Decrees
He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD , who heals you.” – Exodus 15:26 (emphasis mine)
Anytime we receive a directive, revelation, or word from the Lord we can expect, as the Israelites were, to be tested. We will find ourselves in a situation that proves by our actions and words what we believe. God always gives us opportunities to see our heart. Do we say the right thing, or do we DO the right thing? The Israelites walk through miraculous deliverance singing and praising God, rest at an oasis, then in the desert chose not to listen, or do what was right, or pay attention to His commands. They grumbled and failed the test.
As I pondered this, I couldn’t help but question how often I say the right thing yet find myself in the heat of the battle, the test, and do something else. It’s easy to justify looking at others, but the Holy Spirit gently whispers, “Listen Carefully to what I say, Do What is Right, Pay Attention.” It’s the little things we must prove faithful in, then He can trust us with bigger. I know God is love (1 John 4:8), and I trust Him. I choose to pass the tests of life and walk in the grace Jesus provides. I am changing the song in my head, by the grace of God I say, “I will do anything for love period.” How about you?
Imagine if everyone decided to read a Psalm or chapter of Proverbs when they woke up before they ever said a word. Imagine if those reading believed the words they read. Imagine if they became reflection of the author of those words; a reflection of Jesus. Lives would improve astronomically. Entire cultures would shift for the better.
When we align our lives, our words, and out actions to the Word of God then we walk in life in abundance.
Take the challenge. Read a chapter from Psalms or Proverbs before you start your day. Read it with eyes of faith, believing they are the words of life. Align your life to match the words you read. You are not the one who merely listens to the word, and deceives yourself, but you are the one who does what it says and walks in life abundantly.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.
-1 Peter 1:22
Share what you read and learn by showing it in actions. Share your thoughts and insights in the comments.
As we approach mid-term elections I experience more and more political encounters that seem to end in train wrecks. Which certainly shouldn’t be real surprising. When both sides have their mind made up and have zero interest in understanding each other than the result will always be a tragic breakdown in communication. Popular opinion is that yelling louder than the other guy somehow helps. It doesn’t. It strengthens the divide and sets people up for offense, bitterness, and a life of distress. Just watch any television news and you will see exactly this.
If we want to nurture any hope whatsoever that the other side may “see the light,” then we MUST be willing to have a conversation. You know, like two real grown ups. Hoping to convince someone of their wrong beliefs or incongruent logic is impossible if you are not willing to put yourself in their shoes. This requires you to enter into the conversation with a willingness to understand and not just a desire to change someone else. The scary part about this is if two adults enter into a conversation with the intent to understand then they may change the way they think. It is possible, however unlikely you believe it to be, that you may discover your logic was incongruent. Easily ignored while in the isolation of our own minds, but obvious to the person sitting across the table talking with us.
Listening leads to effective change while yelling leads to irreconcilable differences. The next conversation you have with someone other than your echo or clone please try to understand their point of view. Ask yourself and them why they believe that. This simple question will help you understand and help them cement their current stance or see the flaw in their thinking. To have a conversation you must be willing to set aside your views, beliefs, and biases and be willing to try to understand the other’s position along with WHY they believe what they believe.
You will be surprised at the results. You probably won’t both walk away agreeing but you will walk away with the start of a relationship. You will walk away with thoughts that churn inside like the sand in an oyster. The Bible tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
We are not as sharp as we think we are. Sit down with someone and have a conversation with a heart to understand. When elections are over we have to be able to reach out across differences and unite as human beings, even if we think differently.
I see people crying out everyday for love, for relationship that touches their inmost parts and then living in complete turmoil, pain, and confusion. Growing numb to their routine and hoping in their hearts something will change. All of this proves God’s words true.
Proverbs 19:22 says, “What a person desires is unfailing love.”