Marriage is a Painting from God

For many of us who appreciate art, we can look at what we would determine to be a beautiful painting and appreciate it for what it is. But often times, as we stare deeper into the work of art, beyond our first glance, we are drawn in to the scene before us and our emotions begin to turn. We can become encouraged, uplifted, amazed, and inspired. The emotions arise from the psychological connections we make between the painting and our own lives. For some, the path of discovery ends here. On the other hand, some will continue further down the road by researching information about the artist, their intended message from the piece, and their life’s story. Upon doing this, an even deeper appreciation for the work can occur as well as for the artist themselves.

What am I getting at with all of this? Marriage. Marriage is like the painting, and the artist is God. God created this beautiful masterpiece, as everything He creates is perfect and God. Through my own studies and life lessons, I have discovered that there is a depth to marriage that is beyond what we initially see, even beyond what we feel as we stare deeper in. You have to truly study the artist, to know the intent of the masterpiece… or you will never get it. Sure, you will see marriage as beautiful, but it will only be canvas deep. Truth be told, the depth of learning, beauty, and blessing in marriage is endless just as God is infinite. This is so, because the intent of His marriage design is for God to be the center, so that the beautiful unity of two becoming one can reflect to the world, our relationship with him. In such cases, couples can magnify to a watching world, eternal hope, saving grace, unwavering joy, relentless pursuit, sacrificial love, forgiveness, mercy, and the many other aspects of our most precious Creator. Deep inside of all of us, we know this to be true, in that marriages can and should be this way. It’s not a fairy tale… it’s possible. It’s not only possible… it’s beyond amazing!

The sad part of this story is that we often times take a glance at the painting and draw our own conclusion and then it’s off we go. When we do that, fail to realize all of the beautiful mystery that the panting holds and that which the artist has to reveal for the admirer. In the case of marriage, this is a massive tragedy. The admirer moves on, maybe carrying with them a smidgen of happiness and knowledge to which they feel is all that the painting has to offer. They may go on their marry way, for the rest of their life with self placed blinders on… never fully knowing… never fully experiencing… the marvelous joy that has been offered. In fact, at times we will even take our ignorance a step further. We will strike the painting with our own brush, slashing this way and that overtop of the original masterpiece. We do this to create our own interpretation of the artist intent. The deception here is that, only the artist could ever know and express His intent to the admirer. The admirer cannot try to recreate exactly what was intended, to the exact amount of brush strokes, color, angle, and amount of paint used. When we distort the original painting as such, every other person to view it after will have a different view of the work. They will see what you have painted, and not what the original artist had intended.

So I ask the questions. Why do we continue to distort Gods work of art with our own designs, thinking it’s better than what the Almighty had created, and would bring us more joy then what our Loving Father had originally intended? We have grayed the lines of morality, justified our sinful desires, and distorted the beauty that was, to which even our children are watching. We promote movies like 50 Shades of Grey, Magic Mike, and so many other PORN flicks. We do not turn away from explicit nudity, we run to it. We compare our spouses to others, creating a never ending sprint towards the unattainable mirage in the desert. If we were to ever get to where we think we need to be, we would find our selves wanting. We even go so far as to make comments about others of the opposite sex in front of our spouses as well as behind their backs. “Did you see that his butt?” I would totally date actress so and so!” These are all examples of sin, and there are countless others like it. When we do this, what happens to our heart? What happens to our view of marriage and our spouse? What message do we send to those who are watching and listening? Sounds to extreme? Satan is so clever, that he blurs those lines of morality and gets you to cut back the roots that exist under the surface of your marriage more and more so that one day, even the most gentle warm breeze will blow the shallow plant away. Jesus Himself said in the book of Matthew chapter 5,

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

God’s standards are so high that He considered LOOKING at another LUSTFULLY was the same as committing ADULTRY. Why? Because He knew what that open door would lead to, and do to marriages, and to our watching children who will learn by watching us. I understand it may not be the popular choice to not engage, or even to say something contradictory to sinful actions. But what else would speak love and appreciate to our Father who is watching from above? What else would speak love to our spouses to whom we are given the most honorable charge of caring for and loving? How else are we to be good stewards of this blessing that God has given us? What do such actions reveal about the wellspring of our own hearts?

Yes we are not perfect and we will make mistakes. God has a plan for that too! But the goal is love! What is love? To know love, we are given the ability to witness perfect love manifested and exemplified…a love lived out for the benefit of the entire world…Jesus Christ Himself. To know marriage, we look to the Bible which instructs us on Gods original work of art and all of the beauty, wonders, and joy painted within. I can almost see Him sitting in front of His blank canvas, and with every brush stroke, His smile seems to get wider and wider. As He works out the intricate details, he pours His sweat and tears into the perfection of it. Finally, He seals it with His blood so that there would be no doubt of its Creator and no doubt of its intent.

Bottom line: God created marriage, we didn’t. God’s purpose for is greater than our own, and always will be. We cannot experience the fullness of joy in it, until we learn to look deeper than the surface, deeper than what the world has to say about it. We have to look to the Creator to understand. To understand the depths of His love for us, and His plan paint that picture for the rest of the world to see, through the most blessed gift of marriage. Do our marriages reflect the love, nature, and promises of He who is love?

“God created marriage. No government subcommittee envisioned it. No social organization developed it. Marriage was conceived and born in the mind of God.”  ~ Max Lucado

And I am so glad that it was He alone who designed it. It is with tears of joy that I write of how thankful I am, each and every day that I may be able discover the depths of His love for me and my family, and blessings of this gift we call, marriage. Look to Him, for He will show you. He’s been desiring to all along…

Building Bridges

With respect to all these articles where people are attacking each other with words over other words and in a manner that seems to be more about building up ones self imagery vs. encouraging, reproofing, or restoring another by way of unfailing love, whatever position we take the subject matter, there are timeless fundamentals of the purpose of speech that I believe we have forgotten. As far as I understand truth derivative from the original Word of truth, it is impossible for anyone to become eviscerated, destroyed, or obliterated by another’s powerless words. The only known exception is by that of He who spoke the world into existence, who judged the world to which it ultimately succumbed, and who shall restored it to its original perfection. His Word alone  has conquered sin and even slayed the ultimate destructor itself, death. Yet, as I observe time and time again though experience ranging from news article headings (so and so “destroyed” another…), to my own personal interactions, we mere fallible creatures of design continue to give way the lie that we carry within our own person the ability to tear down, motivate, or control another’s ultimate destiny and self preservation. Such a thing is not possible in that mans will is his own, given to him by the Giver of all good gifts which could not be influenced towards good or evil without his choosing. For instance, if one chooses by the will given to him from the Father above, to have himself preserved within the Lords family, that choice shall never be taken from him. Just the champions of faith, the martyrs of old, and Christ manifested had exemplified for us, we have a choice.

So to receivers of unjust, hurtful, and ignorant judgment, we can either fall in submission to these powerless ones, or we can rejoice in the One whom has overcome it all and who has the power to protect us from the mouths of such lions.

To the initiators of these supposed attempts to “destroy” others with your words, if you are working in accordance to your own will, emotions, motives, and desires… you carry with you absolutely no power to transform or change the heart of another. In fact, if any power exists at all in such a cause, it is that of the work of Satan’s influence, to which you more than likely have yielded to his will of hardening the heart of another even further.

To the cheerleader of such an event, you are just as guilty as the initiators and have also contributed nothing that would be deemed worthy of being eternally rejoiced upon.

I have yet to read one article, see one post, or observe one dispute where ones heart was softened and changed from another’s attempt to “destroy” them. In the said cases, rather than love being the foundation and woven between each and every syllable, it is nonexistent. In fact, from most all cases observed, we (speaking to professing Christians) are only destroying the title which was given to us by the only innocent one in all of history, who upon being tortured and nailed to a cross, and just moments before His death, had prayed to the Father to forgive His unjust persecutors, for they know not what they had done. They were working in accordance with their own desires and not that of the Fathers. In knowing this ahead of time, the Father used the ugliness of the cross and turned it into a ray of hope. His plan was to redeem man. In short, let us take note before opening our mouths. Are we fire or are we water? Are we building bridges or are we building walls? Are we working in accordance with our own agenda or of the One who called us to be the salt and light, to love our neighbor, to forgive them, and to lovingly restore them to the truth as was modeled and taught to us, through the life and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ?

Bound by the World…

Freedom can only be found in the choosing of doing good vs. giving into the the temptation to sin. To do good, you must first know what good is. Those lines are blurred through the selfish eyes of the world. But the Word of God teaches us what good is, for God is good, and He manifested His goodness through His Son. Jesus was the the Good Word lived out in order to save us from ourselves, so that we would have the ability to see in the dark (John 8:12) and to know how to live out a life of goodness. When one turns from Jesus though, he does not become free, but rather he becomes bound (Romans 6:12-14) and enslaved to the worlds distorted thinking and manipulation of which we see and hear of day after day on the news and experience in our lives by the brokenness displayed throughout. More and more sin is accepted, justified, and ignored in the so called name of freedom. But the truth is, the good news is, that the blood of Christ frees us from these chains by giving us the contrasting choice to see the world, the people, and ourselves through His eyes, by instilling in us the wisdom to know the difference between what is good and what is evil. By being given the wisdom to choose goodness over falling pray to the ignorance of the worlds views of what goodness is (a self serving life), we are set free to choose (a selfless life). As stated previously, Christ has given us the choice to choose Him and the freedom that follows. We must not forget though, that freedom is not displayed by the fact that one simply has a choice to do good over evil, but rather it is displayed only when one actually chooses to do good over evil. Christ is Freedom. Choose a life with Him and find peace, restoration, true joy… a new life in His goodness.

Be blessed friends…

Freedom in Christ – Read Galatians 5:1-26

“I am convinced that the great tragedy is not the sins that we commit, but the life that we fail to live. You cannot follow God in neutral. God created you to do something.” – Erwin McManus

“I must be willing to give up what I am in order to become what I will be.” ― Albert Einstein

A Joy Like No Other by Shawn McPherson

The world as we see it today,

Is but a veil pulled over our eyes.

For Satan portrays himself as an angel of light,

Though it’s only his disguise.

 

We so easily run to anything or anyone,

That makes us feel good inside.

While compromising our character,

Creating between God and us an unfortunate divide.

 

The inevitable feelings of isolation and guilt,

Are quick to take hostage our hearts.

While the happiness that we once held inside of us,

Begins to rapidly depart.

 

The sky seems to turn grey,

And our eye lids weigh heavy with hurt.

As we believe that the only solution,

Is for us to sleep 6 feet beneath the dirt.

 

But such destructive thinking must cease,

Because that is where deceit truly exists.

And so to you I proclaim,

That you were made for something greater than this.

 

There existed One who bore great pains for us all,

And yet He loved us like no other.

He was God come down from heaven in human form,

Born from a virgin mother.

 

He came to redeem the people of this world,

From their brokenness and sin,

By allowing Himself to be nailed to a cross and to die,

So that He would rise up again.

 

By this sacrificial act of love,

He has forever released us from the grip of death,

And He has given us a new life,

If we would but confess with a single believing breath.

 

That Christ is our Lord and Savior,

Who came for you and I,

To forgive us of our sins,

So that our spirit shall never die.

 

Once we choose to embrace this truth,

Christ will change you life for the better.

And the grey skies shall clear as His love breaks through,

Revealing to you a joy like no other that shall last forever.

 

Prayer…

“Prayer is the key that unlocks all the storehouses of God’s infinite grace and power. All that God is and all that god does is at the disposal of prayer. But we must use the key. Prayer can do anything God can do, and as God can do anything, prayer is omnipotent.” – R. A. Torrey

Not Because I Have To…

Oh glorious Father! My sustainer, my fortress, my everlasting hope! How toilsome, to face the swiftly passing days as they relentlessly crash against the starboard side of this vessel called life, pushing me this way and that. There is but one bearing that I wish to pursue! One! May your mighty outstretched arms shield the waves and with your breath may you carry my sails through the storms of the raging sea! How wearisome it is to battle constantly, a foe that never tires, that never slumbers. Ever violent he is, attacking the mind, the body, and the spirit… and without a shred of mercy. How much easier the fight O Lord, if I could just relinquish the gift of sight, the gift of feeling and sensations, and the gifts of deep pondering and heartfelt emotions. Thus, leaving the enemy with no kinks left in my armor to penetrate through as he seeks to gravely wound my soul. Had I not been blessed with such gifts, they would not have also been my downfall, causing me to fall away from you Lord, my first love.  And so I battle the hordes of deceit, selfishness, pain, sorrows, and worries. Oh how much easier it would be to surrender these gifts, so that I may not be distracted by the sights, lead away by my feelings, and so I could be simple in thought as to be forced only one choice of thinking and action… to love you Lord with all of my being! Oh how in complete despair my soul screams out in horrendous agony, to be eternally bonded to the fullness of your indescribable love without reservation… a love like no other. How ignorant of me though, to miss the magnificent beauty of the gift of freely choosing to love, and by emphasizing such beauty by being given the choice to love through the crashing waves, through the storms of life, and through battling the merciless hordes of the enemy. Is not love given wings to soar, when contrasted against perils of life and found to be triumphant… because of the choice to love? If this be so Father, then let me keep my eyes, let me keep my body, and my spirit… and for a thousand years let me live, that I may tirelessly fight and display my love for you! Send me off into the front lines of the battlefield, that I may fight for you until every ounce of my affection for you, every single drop, has been spilled from my body… poured out for you as your Son has so selflessly and sacrificially done for me first. Not because I have to O Lord… but because I choose to. Because I choose to… love you.

Psalm 63:1-3 – You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.  I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

Psalm 63:7-8 – Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

It’s all about the Love…

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” ― Mother Teresa

Three Words – One Life

Dream Big…

One of my favorite memories about being a young child of whom was very naive and inexperienced in the ways of the world, is countless ways I used to dream big in God’s world of amazing possibilities. There was a potential that my wildest imagination could, and sometimes did, come to life. Because this was so, life seemed to overflow with such enthusiasm, passion, and had a majestic melody to it that never ceased. Now that I am grown and somewhat weathered due to life’s many storms, I have found that dreaming big now is in fact… just as much of a necessity as it was back then. After all, I am a child of God, of whom I stand in awe of for His miraculous and wondrous ways that are beyond my understanding. And as I pass by the multitudes who drone on in endless meetings or who race off to accomplish that next life changing chore, it is apparent that God has lost some of His mystery to us. We have allowed the world to suppress our imagination, and we justify it by saying that imagination has no place in the “real world”. Well, we might not actually say that, but we sure live like we believe it. Have we forgotten that God is a God of possibilities and awesome wonders?! His mini biography is chock-full of real examples of people just like you and I, who courageously left a mark in its pages by displaying steadfast faith, all the while serving the same God as we serve today. The same God who is looking for those who are willing to dream once again, and to play a role in the big story, that we may walk by such faith as to leave behind us a ray of light to break apart the dark clouds over others. God wants to take ordinary men and women, and make them extraordinary for His name and for His fame. It all starts, with a choice. A choice to allow Him to lead you in your life, and to guide your steps no matter how rough the path may get. If God is the giver of good gifts, and life is a gift from Him, then it is a blessing and meant to be lived as such! Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Are you ready to play a part in the big story? One that will inspire many after you, just as those have who have gone before you who helped to plant the seed of His possibilities within you. How about we start today by watering those seeds of possibilities that were once planted within us, so that they grow to be strong trees of realities of which shall bear seeds of its own. Your life of endless possibilities through Him, begins when you take your first step to turn your life over to Him, and to trust Him completely. How about it… are you ready?

“What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” – Mark 11:24

“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” – Jeremiah 32:27

“He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” – Luke 17:6

Change your thinking…

If you always think what you’ve always thought,
you will always do what you’ve always done.
If you always do what you’ve always done,
you will always get what you’ve always got.
If you always get what you’ve always got,
you will always think what you’ve always thought. – Author Unknown

Philippians 2:2-5

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

His love…

Like food and water to the body, our spirit craves nourishment. It desires to be filled with all that is good, so that it can function to its fullest potential, thereby yielding some good of its own. Such goodness, is called love. God’s love. It sets our spirit in motion, whom puts the body to work, fueling us and giving us purpose to live. This is why we were created, what we were created for. So that we can labor in love, and for love. Nothing will satisfy the body and the spirit, like the unconditional, never failing, persistent love of our Creator. He and only He gives us purpose, and fills the void within ourselves like no one or nothing on Earth could ever satisfy. His love is perfect and free, as the price for such a love was paid for by the blood of His son, Christ Jesus. Believe… and live with purpose, leaving a legacy of love.

Romans 8:37-39 – … in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Wilderness…

Man stands in the wilderness of life, surrounded by many dangers, some known, and some unknown. Instinctively, he knows if he stays in one spot too long, the wilderness would consume him. He is compelled to move, but fear of the unknown grips him tightly, like the iron jaws of the ever lurking mountain lion. Staying in one spot would be the easier thing to do… it would be so comfortable. But innately, there is an adventurous side, a side that screams with the ever prodding eagerness to explore the freedom that awaits him. What lies beyond his camp of monotony, he wonders. Oh, does he wonder…

Such is life, if we do not take a step of faith into the unknown. Discoveries are made by those who dare to discover and so without risk, there can be no reward. Regrets are the dungeons of despair, where we are left to ourselves to ponder the what-ifs, the could haves, should haves, and would haves until the end of our days. Like torrential rains these empty thoughts fill our minds, expanding the voids of nothingness.

In life, the easy road is most often taken, as man seeks to satisfy himself. Afraid to take a step out of his camp, afraid to risk it all, afraid of what he may find. And so we sit and wait, doing whatever we can to slow the inevitable decay that plagues us, by eating, drinking, sleeping, and being merry. All the while we keep telling ourselves that this is all that life has to offer. We come up with the most elaborate excuses of why we cannot take the step into the unknown, just so that we can feel better that what we are currently doing is sufficient, trying to fool ourselves into feeling satisfied. Trying…

But there is a void. This ever nagging void that no matter what we do to fill this seemingly bottomless pit, it consumes everything and leaves us feeling even more empty then we were prior to all the work, sweat, and tears that went into trying to fill the void up in the first place. Is this it to this life? Is this all there is? This insane, never ending tiresome race of going nowhere, like the hamster in the wheel? Or is there something more? Is there something beyond this camp, beyond the wilderness?

Inside of every man is a desire, a desire to be great. A desire to leave our footprints in the sand for others to follow, a desire to have our own chapter written in the story of life, that others may read of our legacy and be inspired. Inside every man is a desire to be adventurous, to discover, with this hopes that one day, we can fill this insatiable void in our hearts, the void that was there from our earliest memory, and that remains still today. But that would mean leaving all that we are comfortable with, all that we know, who we are…. for the hopes of discovering something greater then us, something great in us, something that make us feel more alive, and more free then ever before (knowing that we were never really free in the first place). There is something out there, calling to us, relentlessly calling…or rather someone.

Ironically, when we step out of our camp, and into the unknown, fear subsides as it is overcome by excitement and wonder! Beyond the trees are rivers, valleys, mountains, rolling hills, a gentle breeze, the warmth of the sun, and life all around us. The new sights, sounds, smells, and sensations are almost more then we can bear. Feelings and thoughts run like wild mustangs in the vastness of our minds. The world seems to grow instantaneously, and never ceases to grow as the imagination flows; influenced by the unimaginable experiences we just had and are still having. Hopes and dreams become a possibility! With each step, our courage grows and our faith thickens. The body is inspired within to express itself in full animation. The free spirited youth that was previously bound within our mind is finally set free in the body. The chains that once bound us fall to the ground, and life… has purpose. We are born into the captivity of sin, but the love of Christ sets us free. Experience freedom and discover your purpose by knowing Christ, the one who gave up His life, so that you may know the meaning of yours, and live it to its fullest… a joy that is unsurpassed.  Now, let us take that first step, out of our camp and into wilderness…

“The men whom I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful men, who went about their business with a smile on their faces, and took the changes and chances of this mortal life like men, facing rough and smooth alike as it came.” – Charles Kingsley

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Positive Attitude…

“It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more roses.” ― George Eliot

Working out… and God

I do not talk about this much, but this subject comes up constantly in my life… the subject of “working out”. There are MANY, too many to count, benefits to working out. Not only is taking care of yourself biblical, but it can be enjoyable too. But the main reason I am writing this is because, there are a few benefits to working out, that I rarely hear in conversation, or read about in health articles, and so I wanted to share them because I believe they are critical when considering working out and your motivations in doing so. It is my belief that through working out, God teaches us something about Himself, as stated in the lessons below. With that said, here we go:

1) Working out ups the probability of prolonging your life. I have heard some say that they don’t care that much about their health, and want to do what they want. Fact of the matter is, people who love you care, and what you around as long as they can have you. Our live, is best lived when serving others, and there is much good we can do in this world, the longer we live.

2) It teaches you discipline. Such discipline can carry on into other areas of our life, and produce good fruits there as well. The hardest part is getting started, but once you see the benefits, you are motivated to press on! That change and motivation to press on, gives others hope that they can too!

3) It teaches you to see the good through the bad. There is different about being sore from age, and being sore from pushing your body towards positive gains. Yes, you will get sore from working out, and hurt at times, but there is a good reason for it. Yes John Mellencamp, it does “Hurt So Good”. But when you push through the pain, seeing the good behind it, it helps you to learn to overcome the pain.

4) It teaches you to never become stagnant in life. Sometimes we get stuck in a rut; we call this “a plateau” in the work out world. This is where we do the same thing/routine, over and over and our body stops responding. Therefore, we have to change it up. Such is life, we need to keep moving and not become stagnant. If something isn’t working, change it up!

5) It teaches the results of our choices, the blessings and curses. When we make bad choices, bad things happen. When we make good choices, good things happen. Yet, there are some things that are not within our control, I get that. When that happens, re-read lesson 3. Nonetheless, our bodies remind us that we have a choice, and our choices have consequences, whether you agree with that or not.

6) It builds your confidence. No, I don’t mean ego. I mean what I said, confidence (although some do confuse the two). As you start reaching your goals, and you will, you will slowly begin to build up more faith in yourself, and that faith will spill over to other areas of your life to where you will be more apt to start something new.

All of these lessons (and there are more), have opened up my eyes to some lessons that God has taught me through working out over the years. I find that He reveals Himself to us constantly, if we are watching and listening. Through such lessons, and working out, I have drawn nearer to Him. I am so thankful for the blessings of the ability to take care of myself, so that I may continue to work He has laid out before me, and that I may complete it to the best of my ability, by the lessons He has taught me.

I hope this helps inspire you, as He has inspired me through the years. God bless!

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2

Ignorance is bliss…

Ignorance is bliss; the premise by which many live. It is the contemplation of the fact that, if there be truth beyond what we consider to be firm knowledge, such knowledge could dare to remove us from the comfortableness of life as we perceive it. In regards to our own being, the cavern of self knowledge that is within us seems dreadfully deep, of which if pursued, could lead us to relentless questions, doubts, and fears about ourselves that we have not the courage to face. These thoughts cross our minds and eclipse from us the fact that, deep within the cavern, lie treasures of beautiful truths about who we really are… who we were made to be. And so, we fearfully sit at the entrance, lost in a daze as we watch the heavenly stars flicker and fade in the night sky. If there is no determination to embark upon this journey of self discovery, then there can be no magnificent revelation. If there is no desire to overcome our questions, doubts, and fears, then there can be no glorious victory over them. Succumbing to the fear of the unknown, means you will never know. Those who do not press on into the depths, hold tightly to the thoughts of hopelessness inside, and because so, they hold even tighter to the ordinarily routine and dull life lived out as these destructive thoughts slowly decay every ounce of happiness that can be found within. Like the eroding of the river bank, their temporary happiness cannot stand forever for it is build upon the foundations of false truths about themselves, and the world around them. Much like a river bank, we realize the problem of erosion only after we have lost too much ground, and so we collapse to our knees in exhaustion due to the weight of questions such as, “how did I not notice this decay? And how can I possibly build up this solid foundation again?”

With this I dare ask, “what is a life lived without the daring pursuit of knowledge, of truth, and of faith?” I would argue that ignorance is not bliss. Rather, ignorance is the choking fog that envelopes our senses and clouds our vision and judgment, giving us no clear direction to place our hopes upon. Because of this, we are then gullibly susceptible to the deceit and illusions of the world and of those who serve it.

So what is the point of this incessant rambling? Simply that we are more than the lies that we have been fed, about us, and the world around us. The truth is, we are much like that of diamond in the rough, who is in desperate need of the Master Crafter to shape us into that which we were meant to be, so that our extraordinary characteristics and virtues may illuminate this darkened place, as we are made in the image of God. When this occurs, the beauty that was once hidden within comes to the surface, catching every ray of light while reflecting it back to the world in an array of color for all to see.

How can this be possible? By allowing God to work within you, to become that which He made you to be… a beautiful creation and picture of all that is good in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Success…

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. – Proverbs 16:3

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

Legacy…

The seemingly insignificant decisions that we make throughout our day can make just as much of an impact on our lives and the lives of others, as the ones we believe to be most important. We must take care in all that we say and do, for they are all strokes of the brush that makes up the portrait of our lives, of which we will leave behind for many to remember us by. Each of us, will leave one painting, of our life’s work behind. What kind of portrait are you painting of your life for others to bare witness to?

“Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.” – Bill Graham

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

“A man without decision of character can never be said to belong to himself . . . He belongs to whatever can make captive of him.” — John Foster

Integrity is…

Integrity is a virtue that I think it’s lacking in this society, more so than most other virtues. Integrity is… “Doing the RIGHT thing, even if no one is looking.” That means that we seek no reward for the things that we do that are right. We don’t seek praise from others, money, material things, or even a debt owed to us. We do the right thing because it’s who we are and because we want to glorify our maker! This comes with practice. God allows free will to happen, so that we can grow in our character, through winning over the bouts with sin and temptation. The trials and tribulations that we face make us stronger in our faith, if we make the right choice. The after effect is a high that is of the spirit, and is not matched with any high that the worldly things of this earth could ever come close to.

• Integrity is: the person that says no to another drink, even if under peer pressure.

• Integrity is: the guy that walks away from the temptation of another woman, because he knows that even flirting is a sand trap.

• Integrity is: the person that confronts his brother, out of love.

• Having integrity means not gossiping about another, slandering their name out of gain for yourself.

• Integrity is befriending those that others walk carelessly by or point at laughingly.

• Having integrity means not flipping the guy off that cuts you off on the highway.

• Having integrity means you are the same in character, no matter who your audience is. After all, God is always watching.

• Integrity is: standing for your faith, even if it means others will knock you down.

• Integrity is: promoting the blessings in marriage, love, parenthood, Christianity, and friendship.

• Having integrity means not boasting about your hard work, but letting your hard work boast about Him.

• Integrity is: speaking highly of your wife, before your peers.

• Having integrity means not purposely thinking lustfully for another, or dwelling on the initial unplanned thought.

• Having integrity means being accepting of others, but denying their sinful lifestyles.

• Having integrity means, not taking short cuts, such as parking in handicap parking spots.

• Having integrity means, leaving the change found in the change return of a vending machine because it’s not yours in the first place, and someone is in more of a need. Even if it is “just a quarter”.

• Integrity means…

Finish it

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” – Matthew 6:26

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32

The Missing Piece

The longer I live, the clearer it becomes, the fact that all of humanity is in a constant search to be made complete, to be made whole. But to be made whole with what exactly, or with who? Are there many pieces that can fit, to make complete the puzzle of life? Or is there just one ultimate piece? In the short time I have been allowed to live, observe, and experience this life for myself, the answer has become undeniably clear. The blinding scales of my eyes have fallen, and the answer has been revealed, from the wondrous creation all around, to the inner most working of ones heart. All of life is on the move, just as the blood flows, never ceasing to rest until the day of reconciliation beckons. The creation itself grudgingly reacts to the changes in seasons. In the barren winter, the bitter cold lays to slumber the hopes of a long surpassing warmth. But in the spring, the ice and snow gives way once again, to the heat of the suns fiery rays, and all of life rejoices. Could it be that this universal longing is the unavoidable pursuit to fill a void within all of us? A void that was imputed within all of creation due to an act of willful separation from an ultimate love, which produced a hurt like no other, that tore a hole in all of us. Such an act could be the only reason of the yearning, and brokenness that remains. Oh, to experience such a glorious thing, a perfect love, and then walk away, only to realize that nothing, and no one, could ever fill that void again. Our walk has lead us far astray, so much so, that we have forgotten what that kind of love looks like, and have lost hope of ever regaining it for ourselves again. And so, we tirelessly pursue cheap solutions and shallow replacements… such as a subtle laugh, a gentle hug, a kind word. Good as these things can be though, they inevitably fade away, falling short of ultimate love. For they were only given to us to offer us a taste of what it is we are truly missing, and then taken away so that we do not get too attached as we are so often prone to do.  Some though, unfortunately, choose to wander farther off the path, and fall into thee abyss of self destruction. Nonetheless, we should be so very thankful, for He is calling us still. Calling out our name, to come back into His arms. He has never stopped calling us. Calling us home. So that we may experience the fullness of His unwavering and everlasting love. A love like no other, one of which has overcome the whip, the thorns, the floggings, and the spikes that this life can drive through the very heart of man. A love that has conquered death and that is so strong, it has pulled us up from the pit of eternal despair. If we would but look up to see, the strength in His out stretched arm. If we would but open our ears, that we may hear all of creation is crying out His glorious name. We would but realize that we too, have been crying out His name all along. For the one who created the void, is seeking for us to choose for Him to fill it, for love must be a willful choice. As we have chosen to walk away from our loving Father, we must choose to come back to Him. The Lord our God, has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to lead us home. He has passed through the abyss, and hiked through the wilderness to find us. To find you. He is ready to lead you home.

Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it.  – Psalm 96:11

And Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved; you and your household.” – Acts 16:31

And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. – Revelation 21:4

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7

Hope

Hope – The fading wilderness. The elusive dream. A distant shelter in a fast approaching storm.

Hope – Wishful thinking. A beautiful notion. The black hole of life.

How have we come to this, to reduce hope nothing more then fairy-tales inked within the pages of our history? Or something worse. At least in the fairy-tales, small flames could potentially burst forth from the simmering coals beneath the surface of our doubts. These flames could grow and spread like wild fire, if we remove the bounds by which it’s contained… unless we snuff it out all together by the means of our bucket filled with ice cold realism.

In our current society, the latter seems to be the case, as we have no need, room, or time for hope. Why? May I suggest that it is because hope has failed us more times then we would care to reflect upon, again? After all, when we turn on the news in the morning, or when we step out of our homes, or when we arrive at work, we are completely saturated by the negativity experienced through every sensation available. And so, the tiresome march of life relentlessly drudges on. Did we feel this way as a small child? Was it always like this? I dare say that it was not. I dare say that something changed. I dare say, we are what has changed, and not the world. For life has always been unfair, cruel, broken, and full of sin and destruction. The elements of our surroundings alone inescapably wear on ones fragile body. As a child, our minds are boundless, free from these facts. And as we grow older, as we experience life, we begin to form within ourselves the rules for living and understanding that we will ultimately be bound by, thereby creating our own prison. The result is that we place no faith, in hope.

What is the solution to freeing our minds from this prison, from this place of slow decay and depravity to which the prince of the world has led us? As stated previously, the problem two fold.

This first issue is that we have lost our childlike sense of awe and wonder of the world and the possibilities within. Somewhere along this path of growing up, we correlated growing up with having to let go of this sense of the world as a part of the process of change, and so that we would fit in and look like others around us. We became fearful and worrisome in the process. Therefore we became structured and systematic. We became, ironically, what we feared the most as a child. No longer were we an individual, special, or unique. We were, we are, no one in particular… only a somebody.

The second issue is that we place our hopes in the people and things of this world that are fickle, frail, and fallible. Such things will more certainly, as the scars of life have proven, let us down without a single care or concern. Life hits us as hard as professional boxer in an amateur fight. With each crushing blow, our hope bleeds out from our wounds. We feverishly race to patch each wound but the next round of flurries one opens up fresh ones. Puddles of failure surround our feet, as we feel our arms lowering from becoming heavy and weak for they have soaked up most of the blows in life. The battle is a losing one.

Or is it? We have lost our hope, frankly, because our hope rested in the things and people of this world, as well as because we have lost our passion for a simplistic and majestic life as we once so blessedly experienced while just a mere child. The good news is that our child like faith and limitless magnificence of character, as well as our hope for all possible blessings, miracles, and fairytale endings can be restored! It all starts with the renewing of the mind, such as developing one as fresh as that of a child who dreams of being the hero or the princess within the grand story, where the marvelous possibilities are infinite. This then, is followed with placing our hope in the one who is hope and who is the real Hero of the grand story called life. The one who gave us life, who created us with purpose, who made us special, and who is perfection in every way that is pure, holy, and good. The one who is love and so He exemplifies love to the maximum degree. He created us in His image, with the potential for us to express all of His glorious virtues, that we may manifest His Son for the world to regain, and renew its hope in Him. For He is unwavering, unchanging, constant, capable, and beautiful even beyond our comprehension. He is our candle in the dark. He is where our hope should lie, for He who is good, and who created us for good, has only good in store for us… His children. If we would but simply open ourselves up to receiving Him, placing our hope in Him, and open our minds up to all of the awe-inspiring ways in which our omnipotent God desires to exalt His name, we could ourselves become part of His never ending story, which is a greater role then we could have ever hoped to have written for ourselves.

What kind of a legacy will YOU leave behind? One of hope, and life that shows it? Or one of despair? There is so much more to life than what we see, and that EVERY choice we make, makes a difference. It all starts with a choice… a choice to hope for something more.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

1 Corinthians 15:19 – If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Romans 15:13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.