Stillness is the discipline underneath all others (Psalm 46:10)

"Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10 

This week we finished BSF Exile and Return. I was enjoying the year in a word "Freedom." A big part of that is God, make my heart Yours again: obedience, integrity, and character. The Leader’s Inner Life

• Leaders lose their way when they lose their private life with God.
• Daily intimacy is the antidote to fear, comparison, pride, and exhaustion.
• Spiritual disciplines protect the soul and align the heart to Christ.

Here are targeted references for each point, with enough variety to choose from:

---

Leaders lose their way when they lose their private life with God.

• 1 Samuel 13:8–14 — Saul acts without waiting on God; Samuel declares the kingdom will not continue. Loss of private obedience precedes public collapse.
• 2 Chronicles 26:16 — Uzziah's heart was "lifted up to his destruction" after his strength grew. Success without private humility breeds the fall.
• Psalm 51:10–12 — David's prayer after collapse: restore the inner joy of salvation. The crisis was first interior before it was public.
• John 15:4–5 — "Abide in me... apart from me you can do nothing." Fruitful leadership is contingent on hidden connection.

---

Daily intimacy is the antidote to fear, comparison, pride, and exhaustion.

• Isaiah 40:31 — Those who wait on the Lord renew their strength. Exhaustion is answered by intimacy, not strategy.
• Psalm 27:1, 4 — "The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?" One thing David seeks: to dwell in God's presence. Intimacy displaces fear.
• Galatians 1:10 — "Am I seeking the approval of man or of God?" The cure for comparison is having an audience of One.
• Proverbs 4:23 — "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." Daily vigilance over the inner life is leadership's first work.
• Matthew 11:28–30 — Jesus invites the weary to come to him. Rest is relational, not recreational.

---

Spiritual disciplines protect the soul and align the heart to Christ.

• Luke 5:16 — Jesus himself "withdrew to desolate places and prayed." Disciplines were Jesus's own pattern, not just a prescription for others.
• Psalm 119:9, 11 — "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word... I have stored up your word in my heart." The Word as protective discipline.
• 1 Timothy 4:7–8 — "Train yourself for godliness... godliness is of value in every way." Paul frames spiritual disciplines as training (askeo), a deliberate, repeated practice.
• Romans 12:2 — "Be transformed by the renewal of your mind." Alignment to Christ is a disciplined, ongoing renovation of the inner person.
• Hebrews 12:11 — "No discipline seems pleasant at the time... it produces a harvest of righteousness." The fruit of disciplines is a protected, aligned soul.

Read More ->>

"Jesus, where are we going?" Matthew 11:29-30

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” - Matthew 11:29-30

Enjoyed dinner with my brother yesterday and prayer on the way home for Alpha, Teen Challenge with our prayer team. Tuesday was great with just Dan and Heather, the big idea was How am I going to get through this?” In this session we address questions of the heart: seeking to find purpose in pain and strategies for dealing with disappointment.

The session illustrated Jesus in the garden of praying with people he trusted, with his pain, he trusted God's purpose... like making olive oil through pressing the Olives. The oil both anoints and gives light.

At the end of the session we clenched our fists with the thing we've been disappointed about and then opened our hands in prayer. 

We reminded each other that we understand our situation, community, and loved ones better when we come into the presence of God in prayer. 

This as well as our doctrine for BSF prepared me perfectly for my conversation with my brother. I got to share my eternal life in heaven as we sat together in a booth at a restaurant. God does immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, yet he invites us to ask and imagine. Halleluiah! 

Core Themes from Matthew 11:29-30 and related scriptures 

1. Exchanging Burdens — Not Eliminating Them Jesus doesn't promise an absence of load — He offers a different yoke. The contrast with Matthew 23:4 is sharp: religious leaders pile on weight they won't carry themselves. Christ carries His yoke with you. The burden is real; the bearer changes.

2. Rest as Relationship, Not Escape The rest Jesus offers isn't passive withdrawal — it's found by learning from Him (v.29). Hebrews 4:9-11 connects this to Sabbath rest, and Jeremiah 6:16 roots it in ancient paths. Rest is the fruit of walking rightly with God, not stepping away from life.

3. Humility as the Gate to Rest Christ describes Himself as "gentle and humble in heart." The men who find no rest are often the ones too proud to admit they're exhausted, too self-sufficient to ask for help. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 inverts this completely — weakness becomes the access point for Christ's power.

4. Misplaced Labor Leads to Emptiness Isaiah 55:2-3 cuts at the root: men exhaust themselves on things that don't satisfy. The yoke of ambition, approval, and achievement is heavy precisely because it never delivers what it promises.

5. Community as Part of the Design Galatians 6:2 ties burden-bearing to fulfilling the law of Christ. Rest isn't purely individual — it's experienced in part through men who carry weight together.

---

Practical Applications for Christian Men

Stop performing, start learning. "Learn from Me" is the command. Men tend to act before they listen. Build a regular rhythm — Scripture, prayer, silence — that is about formation, not productivity.

Name what you're actually carrying. 1 Peter 5:7 assumes you know what your anxiety is before you cast it. Sit with that question honestly: What burdens are self-imposed? What came from others' expectations? What is genuinely yours to carry?

Reclaim Sabbath as conviction, not inconvenience. Hebrews 4 treats rest as something you must "make every effort to enter." Most men treat rest as what's left after everything else is done. Protect a day. Treat it as obedience, not luxury.

Let weakness be honest, not hidden. The culture of men — especially in professional life — rewards the appearance of strength. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 calls this a loss. Find at least one man you can be genuinely weak with.

Audit what you're laboring for. Isaiah 55:2 is the diagnostic question every man needs to ask annually, if not monthly: Is what I'm spending my energy on actually satisfying? If the answer is no, that's not a life problem — it's a worship problem.

Carry someone else's burden this week. Galatians 6:2 is a practice, not a principle. Identify a man in your circle who is heavy-laden. Show up. The rest you find in Christ should overflow into others.

Read More ->>

The Primacy of God's Presence — Bill Johnson on Psalm 27

Enjoying Rooted at Grace and Stop in the Name of God at Teen Challenge. On the way this morning I heard this encouraging word from Bill Johnson's The Priority of the Presence of God. Our study in rooted was on the gifts we are given are meant to be put into practice to build up others (Love God, Love People). The sermon emphasis that Biblical waiting is not passive. We want to "ambush" God and meet him where he's going to be. Like running down the field and knowing that when I get to where we're going I can catch the "hail Mary" pass. 

Here's some of the highlights.

The central conviction of the sermon: nothing the believer has access to (power, strategy, resources, relationships) compares to the value of God's presence. David's declaration in Psalm 27:4 sets the tone. With a kingdom at his disposal, his singular ask was to dwell in the house of the Lord and gaze on His beauty. That priority, Johnson argues, is the organizing principle of a stable and fruitful life.

Intimacy over achievement. The biblical witness is consistent that God Himself is the reward, not merely what He provides. David writes in Psalm 16:11 that fullness of joy is in His presence. Moses, in Exodus 33:15, refuses to advance without God accompanying Israel — a remarkable posture given the urgency of leading a nation. Jeremiah 9:23–24 reinforces this by declaring that the only worthy boast is knowing God. Presence is the inheritance, not a means to something else.

Scripture as the believer's refuge in crisis. Johnson emphasizes an immediate turn to God's Word during difficulty, not as a last resort but as a first instinct. Psalm 119:105 describes the Word as a lamp to the feet. Joshua 1:8 connects courage and success directly to meditating on Scripture. Romans 10:17 reminds us that faith itself is generated by hearing the Word. The Word doesn't just comfort — it recalibrates perspective.

Devotion survives conflict. David's life proves that intimacy with God is not a luxury reserved for peaceful seasons. Hunted by Saul (1 Samuel 23:14–16), betrayed by Absalom (2 Samuel 15), and surrounded by enemies, David continued to seek the Lord before acting. Psalm 34:4 records his testimony: "I sought the Lord and He answered me." Psalm 57, written while hiding in a cave, opens with trust and ends in praise. Circumstances do not determine devotion — they reveal it.

Presence produces practical stability. This is not mysticism disconnected from daily life. Isaiah 26:3 promises perfect peace for the mind stayed on God. Philippians 4:6–7 describes the peace of God as a garrison — a military term — guarding hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Proverbs 3:5–6 adds that trusting God with the whole heart, rather than leaning on human understanding, results in directed paths. The inner life becomes ordered when God is the center.

Waiting is weaponized expectation. Biblical waiting is not passivity. Isaiah 40:31 describes those who wait on the Lord as those who mount up with wings like eagles — an image of ascending strength, not stagnation. Lamentations 3:25–26 frames waiting as rooted in God's faithful character. Psalm 130:5–6 compares it to a watchman's alert, patient vigilance through the night. Waiting is active faith directed toward a trustworthy God.

Believers carry and host His presence. The New Testament transforms the temple metaphor. 1 Corinthians 6:19 declares that the body of the believer is a temple of the Holy Spirit. John 15:4–5 calls believers to abide in Christ as branches in a vine — presence is the condition for fruitfulness. 2 Corinthians 3:18 adds that beholding God's glory progressively transforms believers into that same image. Hosting presence is both a privilege and a calling.

---

Core takeaway: Every biblical category of blessing — peace, strength, wisdom, fruitfulness, influence — traces back to the same root. A life arranged around seeking and dwelling in God's presence doesn't merely receive benefits; it becomes a demonstration of what that presence produces. As Matthew 6:33 frames it, seek first the kingdom, and everything else finds its proper place.

Read More ->>

An astonishing week of ministry (Rev 17)

I'm studying revelation 17 last week and provided a talk on Dying to Self to Live for God,  The Doctrine of the Cross for a Believer. I also taught homiletics the week before on the topics of God's Perfect Justice and Perfect Mercy via Romans 5:6-11; 6:23; Ephesians 2:1-10. My passage discovery time for Revelation 17:9 had me ponder "This calls for a mind with understanding." or NIV says, "This calls for a mind with wisdom."

I found myself drawn to wisdom in James 1 and Proverbs 1 culminating to Ephesians 5:15-17, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” David answered the call to be an Online Trainer.

Yesterday morning my friend Jim walked us down the Romans Road to explain the Christian Faith through scripture. He prayed for my family's reconciliation. 

• Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" 
• Romans 5:8: "God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" 
• Romans 6:23: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" 
• Romans 10:13: "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" 

The process of salvation

The Romans Road to Salvation highlights that people have rebelled against God, and that sin results in spiritual death and separation from God. Salvation is available to anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  

• Ask forgiveness for sins
• Be willing to turn from sins
• Believe that Jesus Christ died for sins and rose again

All of these thoughts were fresh in mind as I walked with my brother and talked about these spiritual things. I told him the Lord was making appeal to him through me, that the Lord is not far but very close. Forgiveness is offered and only accomplished by Jesus work on the Cross - it's been paid for. We must be willing to turn form sin/error and turn to God/righteousness. This is possible because we call upon the name of the Lord. 

God is sovereign but we participate in feeding our minds. We can listen to prophets who proclaim an anti-christ message, mocking and scorning God and hating themselves and others (Psalm 1), or we can pick up our cross and follow Jesus who in his last days decided to serve and invest in his disciples. His impact is felt by everyone in the Year of Our Lord 2025. 

Early in the week a friend asked where do thoughts originate from? and then provided these scriptures:

•  16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. (Revelation 17:16-17 ESV)
• 19 And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; 20 and the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ 23 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.” (1 Kings 22:19-23 ESV)
• 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:21-23 ESV)
• 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV)
• 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 6:63 ESV)

23 Keep (guard) your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. (Proverbs 4:23-24 ESV)

If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. (James 3:2 NIV84)

Only by “taking every thought captive” can we “Keep (guard) your heart with all vigilance …” and continue to mature to be like Jesus who was “able to keep his whole body in check.”

Romans 8:5-6 “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (ESV)

Dying to Self to Live for God,  The Doctrine of the Cross for a Believer.

• In Mark 8:34 Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
• For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 
• And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:38 
• I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 
• Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 
• He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 

I had an astonishing week. One ministry partner overdosed and near death, yet another was near death and was healed of cancer. 

Read More ->>

Practical helps to overcome addiction (Allen Carr)

My friend has me revisiting this great book Allen Carr's Quit Drinking Without Willpower: Be a happy nondrinker. It's practical help to "let your yes be yes and your no be no (Matthew 5:37)". It's not self-help but an "evidence-based alternative to self-help." - the first step is honesty. "I've lost control," "I'm doing things I don't want to do," "I want to change but feel stuck." As with all things "invisible" like addiction, the main issue is spiritual, a spirit of fear that needs to be removed and Bible instructs that God does this for us (2 Timothy 1:7), as a free gift in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:8-9). 

Read: Matthew 5:37;2 Timothy 1:7;Eph 2:8-9

I've had serious addiction in my past: Overcoming addiction: In the name of the LORD I will cut them off (Psalm 118); the Serenity-Principle is a foundational resource that helped me. 

A few "small" words from God in your heart can turn into a "huge" reality in your life. Person with a disabling spirit (bound by Satan) even after 18 years can be set free by Jesus (Luke 13:11-13,16).

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. (Luke 17:5-6)

Key: Combination lock to open the safe. #1) Have a humble open mind (James 4:6) and a positive attitude about freedom from addiction (James 4:7). Take the easy way. (Matt 11:30)

Read: James 4:6-7;Matt 11:29-30

Perception and preconception: Conditioned belief, brainwashing about pleasure

 - False statement #1: quitting will be hard (proven failures, losing the will, social identity - James Bond, denial statements: taste, unwind)

 - Truth: it controls you. You've fallen into a trap. Escaping the trap is neither painful nor difficult, and life immediately becomes more enjoyable without the addiction.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need to live a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory (goodness, God's name Exodus 33:18-19) and excellence. 2 Peter 1:3

Happy non-addict: Health, control, honesty, self-respect, time, money. 

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Eph 1:3

The dimensions of each table are exactly the same. This demonstrates how our minds can easily be tricked into accepting as true something that is false. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

Brainwashed into believing we can't enjoy life without the addictive substance. Failing to quit by willpower reinforces the illusion that it must be difficult. Willpower is not what's needed to be free. Nothing attractive about having a problem. Addicts lie to themselves, covering up the real reasons. Think of all the wonderful gains you'll make by quitting. Keep an open mind. (Colossians 3:9, Romans 12:1-3)

Read: Jeremiah 17:9-10;Colossians 3:9, Romans 12:1-3

First Steps to Freedom: Inability in the past was not a weakness in character, nor the magical quality of substance. It's simply drug addiction and all addictions work the same way: a psychological feeling of dependency. (Romans 1:18-32)

 - Addiction blinds you to reality: the illusion that the drug provides genuine pleasure or support keeps you trapped. When substance leaves the body we feel uptight, there are ways to effectively relieve stress but society has disadvantaged us to believe the substance does this for us. (1 John 2:11)

• What we interpret as pleasure from the drug is in fact relief from withdrawal
• Addicts consume substances in order to feel like non-addicts (Ephesians 5:18)

It's easy to stop when you've replaced lies with truth and instructions you understand (applied in order). (John 8:31-32)

A frame of mind: ever-present danger, a psychological trap. Illusion 5% chemical, 95% massive brainwashing. (1 Corinthians 2:16,14,15)

The crucial difference between addicts and non-addicts is that the latter have NO DESIRE for the substance. This was you at one point in your life. I was brainwashed by movies, music, and the society I grew up in. (1 Corinthians 5:11)

Read: Romans 1:18-32;1 John 2:11;Ephesians 5:18;John 8:31-32;1 Corinthians 2:14-16,5:11

#2) See addictive substance for what it is: Slavery, poverty, misery, degradation, death. (Galatians 5:21, 1 Corinthians 6:9,10)

Instead of feeling deprived, you will feel overjoyed because you no longer have to give in. If you can look at a heroin addict and see the mistake he's making thinking the next fix will make everything all right, you're on the way to solving your own problem. No need for misery, you can be a happy non-addict. (Philippians 4:4-7)

#3) Start with a feeling of elation: think about your liberation as a hostage. 

Chap 4) Understand why: Illusion of pleasure, "getting wasted." Void: paradox caused by a psychological condition, emptiness, or disillusionment we try to fill up with movies, music, celebrities, and idols. Faced with bewilderment and instability, we look for support, instinctively looking at our role models and peer groups. We copy behaviors.

 - we were warned about harmful things that actually are pleasurable - sowing doubt. 

The monsters within. Addicts are deluded into believing the drug provides genuine pleasure or support when, in fact, it does the opposite. The first monster is withdrawal, unease, emptiness, niggling itch - it complains when you don't give it what it wants. The second monster is psychological, much bigger. It's created by the little monster, brainwashing that addiction provides genuine pleasure or support. 

 - addictive substance never makes you feel fulfilled. Why not show up for this one life you have? 

 - See an addict's side effects and know the truth. Drunkenness is no fun. 

 - Alcohol provides no genuine pleasure. 

 - People drink to reach an impossible goal of fulfillment. However, that is only achieved by a sober person. The reason for drinking never includes happiness. When we're happy we don't need a drink. People drink because they're caught in an ingenious trap. The illusion of pleasure. 

Read: Galatians 5:19-21, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10;Philippians 4:4-7

Chap 5) the trap: fly trap, anesthetic covers pain. 0 is a non-drinker, withdrawal at -4 being satisfied with alcohol makes you -3 for a moment but then you go down to -10, only way to health is to leave the trap and never turn back. 

 - Alcohol debilitates you both physically and mentally and as you go through life your well-being is constantly declining, so the lows get lower and lower, and the highs also decline in proportion. 

At what point has control been lost? Fly doesn't fly away when it can because it's not aware of the trap. 

 - Millions of people have escaped the trap and fully recovered. It's never too late to escape from the trap. 

 - The trap is entirely in your mind. You are your own jailer - the power to escape is understanding the nature of the trap and following simple instructions. 

- Major illusions corrupt your judgment: the myth of pleasure and/or support, the myth that escaping will be hard and painful. Good memories come from being with people, not inebriation. Taking away the drinking and the situation would still have been enjoyable. Taking away the company and drinking would have been no fun. 

6) Illusion: Nobody chooses to be a drinker for the rest of their life. They fall into it. Our intellect can override our instincts when we base decisions on misinformation. 

The picture illustrates how we can be fooled. At first, there is nothing there but with eyes half-closed you see the word stop. Not the black shapes but the white space between STOP. 

Taste great: remember the first time you tried hard liqueur or threw it up. What tastes great is the fruit and what you like in mixed drinks is the sugar-emulating natural good taste. When you "acquire a taste" you are actually acquiring a lack of taste, a tolerance. Taste buds are designed to tell you to stay away from harmful substances.

 - If you went two days without liquid, what would you rather have water or Beer? Remember beer is 95% water, and it quenches your thirst and relieves the craving for alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic and dehydrates working against the thirst-quenching effects of water. That's why drinkers can quickly drink beer after beer but not glasses of water, as thirst would have been quenched. We want alcohol at places or times we've been programmed for it, not because of the taste. 

7) I want a drink: like taste buds, fear has a good purpose. "Dutch courage" doesn't make you charming but makes you off-putting with your awareness. Better to be really courageous and present with people. 

Keep reading: We prove discipline when we renounce the devil and trample his influence under our feet

Take a day of self-discipline, fasting from the addiction for a day, repenting of sin and consecrating yourself to God.

Read More ->>

Jesus requires humble, devoted follow through from Disciples (Luke 14)

A) Jesus demonstrates healing on the Sabbath, humble exalted by God (Luke 14:1-24)

B) Jesus teaches following him means 100% yes and costs your whole life (Luke 14:25-33)

C) Being salt is flavorful for soil and manure piles (Luke 14:34-35)

 Luke 14:1-6) Sabbath, Lead Pharisee's home dinner, "healing permitted?", then Jesus healed a man

7-11) People try and sit in place of honor, Jesus advice: take the lowest place, then someone will honor you in front of others

 - Saying, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, those who humble themselves will be exalted"

12-14) Invite people to luncheon/banquet who can't pay you back

15-24) "banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven?", servant told guest it was ready but they made excuses, so the master invited poor, lame, crippled, blind but still had room so servant urged anyone they could find

25-27) Crowd followed Jesus, "If you want to be my disciple, by comparison you must hate everyone else, including your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.

 - Saying, "If you don't carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple"

28-30) Don't begin until you count the cost, otherwise you might complete only the foundation before running out of money - everyone would laugh at you

31-33) Kings have counselors, how can 10k defeat 20k? Delegations discuss terms of peace

 - Saying, "So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own."

34-35) Salt is good for seasoning, flavor, soil, manure pile

 - saying, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!"

 - Luke 8:4-10) Parable of sower and soil, means “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’"

Luke 8:11-15) Seed: God's word, on hard hearts (devil), rocks (immature), in weeds (distracted), fruitful (honest, good heart, patience)

 - "Success" where failure would have been better

 - Intercessory Faith, believe in God on behalf of another

 - Guidance controls the path, giving counseling while guiding

Read More ->>

Intriguing variation in human experience, to choose or not to choose?

"choose" shows up 111 in the Bible. I was thinking about God's role in giving us Eyes that see, ears that hear and heart that understands and then read Many People Have a Vivid ‘Mind’s Eye,’ While Others Have None at All. One thing is for sure that God can and does give people a new perspective.

God chooses mercy and compassion

• The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. - Exodus 33:19

God wants us to ask him for mercy and compassion, Matthew 9:38

• When He (Jesus) saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. - Matt 9:36-38, Luke 10:2

Prayer empowers (Luke 6:12,13) and word (2 Thessalonians 3:1) for miraculous discernment (Acts 13:2) and service (Matthew 10:1)

Many choose hell (1) but you can choose to obey God (2)

1. “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. - Matthew 7:13
2. Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. Romans 6:16

Faith comes by hearing The good news of Jesus Christ and it's impact on everyone (Romans)

Read More ->>

Christian meditation is to emotionally glory in seeing Jesus

 habits-of-grace defines Christian meditation is "to emotionally glory in what you understand" David Mathis goes on to say "There is a place in Bible reading for “raking” and gathering up the leaves at a swift pace, but when we “dig” in Bible study, we unearth the diamonds. In meditation, we marvel at the jewels.

Finding Jesus in the Bible:

And so “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,” Jesus himself “interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). He claimed, “Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad” (John 8:56).

He said Moses “wrote of me” (John 5:46), and that “everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44). And so he opened their minds—beyond their narrow, fallen rationality—to truly understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45).

As we learn to read the Bible not only with our left brains but with our whole minds and hearts, we see more and more how the apostles heard the whispers of the Scriptures—and how they saw pointers to Jesus everywhere.

I love how Alpha helps regular people experience this and learn how others have experienced this in normal life. https://alphausa.org/ 

Read More ->>

David experiences God through righteous friends, deliverance from evil Saul (1 Samuel 21-24)

AIM: David's life marked by confidence in God (guidance and protection)

A) David's flight and Saul's revenge (1 Samuel 21-22)
21:1-9) Saul's rage contrasted with Johnathan's prayer "go in peace" (1 Samuel 20:42), priest helps David with mercy, bread, and sword
 - Principle: God's righteousness, acts of compassion, not coldhearted ritual observance
 - Lies: John 8:44 - Showbread: Exodus 25:23-30; Leviticus 24:5-9
 - Mercy, not sacrifice: Micah 6:8; Matthew 12:1-8, Word as food: Matthew 4:4
10-15) David responds to pressure with fear and lies instead of faith (acts crazy, Achish/Gath/Goliath's hometown)
 - Psalm 34 David praise God for deliverance, promises, and eternal salvation/resurrection
22:1-5) David goes to cave about 400 mighty men join
6-19) Saul kills Ahimelek and family because Doeg, Edomite told about help to David
20-23) Abiathar, son of Ahimelek escapes tells David who blames himself but promises protection
 - Psalm 52, links Doeg informing Saul and David's trust in God's justice

 - David didn't waste time on regrets but focused on the next right thing

B) David seeks the Lord at Keilah through Abiathar (1 Sam 23)

23:1-6) Philistines attack Keilah, David inquires Lord's direction with Abiathar - God promise victory

 - David follows God and wins, as should we 

 - Use of Urim and Thummim in ephod, used as lots or dice with which priest discerned God's will.  Exodus 28:6-13; Exodus 28:30; 

 - Offering ourselves alive, renews our minds and enables us to discern God's perfect will Romans 12:1-2

7-13) Keilah citizens fear Saul, yet David's men are increasingly aware of God's protection

14-23) Saul wants David dead, David receives strength through Jonathon's encouragement

 - Principle: encouragement is easy but its effect is immeasurable.

24-29) Saul pursue David, but turns to fight Philistine

 - Principle: God can relieve oppression through physical rescue or even by the repentance of our enemies

 - Psalm 54: Prayer for deliverance: 1-4) Present power of God to bring peace, 5-5) future promises of God to bring justice

C) Saul in David's hands, is reconciled (1 Sam 24)

24:1-7) Saul enters David's cave, David cuts his robe

 - David, convicted of doing wrong, repents and does the next right thing

 - Application: ask God to help you identify habits of rebellion, receive help only God can give

8-22) David seeks Saul's good rather than harm

Principle: Lovingkindness leads others to repentance

 - The world says, kill him. But God convicts of the righteous way

 - Psalm 57, 142 relate to David's time in the cave

 David's need for God (Psalm 57:1-4), praise is his greatest desire (5-11), pain of abandonment and distress (Psalm 142:1-4), praise for presence and power (5-7)

Applications: 

God is perfectly sufficient for everything - he is our refuge, delivers us when we turn to Him

• Deliverance: Psalms 34:4; 91; Isaiah 43:1-5 

God requires our righteousness

• Joy in trials: James 1:2-4
• Rejection promised: John 15:18-16:4
• Leaders’ mistreatment: Matthew 9:3, 11, 34 

Read More ->>

Being a good friend is the best way to "see to it... advising one another daily" Heb 3:12-14

I've been really glad thinking about "Today" in my time with the Lord. Hebrews has several "today" statements:

Hebrews 3:12-14 says, "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. But exhort (advice) one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first. 

Read More ->>

God's Day Planner: From Chaos to Very Good

Often in life, we can find ourselves in a rut. Going through the motions but not feeling like we are "getting anywhere". Over the past year, I've been studying and building a class on Origins, Morality, Meaning and Destiny as a tool to help people understand what they believe and what the Bible teaches on these topics. During Origins I was astounded by Creation week in Genesis 1, by what God said and what was created. He established the Sabbath as a lasting ordinance. The stars moon and sun were created to mark the time and seasons.

I got to thinking what if we modeled our days after the creation week. Would we be more productive, more fulfilled and have better relationships?
Sun 1. Team Vision Day: Seeing forward
Mon 2. Team Evaluation Day: The space between
Tue 3. Team Planning Day: Plant to produce
Wed 4. Teamwork Schedule Day: Lights, Separation, and Signals
Thu 5. Teamwork Day: Be fruitful and multiply
Fri 6. Teamwork Day 2: Be fruitful and multiply
Sat 7. Reflection Day: Look backward

1. Team Vision Day: Let there be light and there was light

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”

Let there be light. Be honest, impartial, humble and see. What do you see around you? Start with God, what gifts have you been given that maybe you haven't opened to see what it is. 

Be nearsighted in thanksgiving, be farsighted in hope, be present in faith and love.  

Separate light from darkness. Spend time hearing from God, this is our Sunday. Remember we go to church Sunday to celebrate and remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

2. Team Evaluation Day: The space between

Then God said, “Let there be a space between the waters, to separate the waters of the heavens from the waters of the earth.” And that is what happened. God made this space to separate the waters of the earth from the waters of the heavens. God called the space “sky.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the second day.

See space between heaven (desire) and water (life)

What's happened in the past week? What did you set out to achieve, what did you achieve? Did your actions result in the expected benefits? 

"You are here". Look at your roadmap or directory and see where you are. Take time to understand your cycle of life. In my job we have a Software Development Lifecycle, We also follow a Capability Maturity Model, in everything we look to make process improvements in our delivery. We use Six Sigma and build feedback mechanisms in order to help us make informed evaluations and develop recommendations for improvements. At other points in my career, we've had month end, quarter end cycles. At other points weekly staff scheduling and inventory management and coordinated product releases. 

As a Project Manager, I developed plans that help determine adjustments to time, cost and scope that are needed based on where we are according to plan. I've never seen a day go by without change, we want to identify, embrace and drive change for the benefit of God's plan in our lives. 

Let there be space between water (life) and earth (legacy)

Separate the water from the earth: In your evaluation see where water is stale and creating problems. Where is water needed, how can you create a channel for the water to flow from where it's a problem to where it's needed? Start with the end in mine.

3. Team Planning Day: Plant to produce (scope the work)

Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.” And that is what happened. God called the dry ground “land” and the waters “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land sprout with vegetation—every sort of seed-bearing plant, and trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. These seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And that is what happened. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

Healthy ground is created when obstacles are removed and the field is level. Good leaders and managers see the vision, evaluate the place we are and create a healthy environment for plans to flourish and produce good results. 

Make good soil; the primary ingredients are organics and water. Organics can be created quickly by setting dead things on fire or overtime with composting. Fertilization adds something new to the mix. I think of fertilization as innovation, adding something external to an internal problem.

You may gather the food for six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath. There will be no food on the ground that day. They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:26,29

4. Teamwork Schedule Day: Lights, Separation, and Signals

Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years. Let these lights in the sky shine down on the earth.” And that is what happened. God made two great lights—the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set these lights in the sky to light the earth, to govern the day and night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

The night sky has bright stars that help give direction, but the brightest object appears once a month. The full moon. Every year constellations show us what time it is and predictable cycles of life emerge. We all have schedules but not all of the time we spend is spent well. Take time on Wednesday to evaluate your use of time. Looks at the bright lights in your industry to see what makes them shine brighter. If you can, ask them or read up on what they do - or who their inspiration is. 

Separation of duties is essential in providing a quality system. I work in software development and when a complete system is developed by one person it's almost always a mess to maintain. This is because they assume they're the only one who will work on it. They find it easier to "just do it" rather than following S.O.L.I.D principles and when the developer is the tester they typically don't include clear signals of success or failure. 

Signals are needed to tell you and your team what needed in the short term and long term. We call these leading indicators. Many people struggle with defining lead indicators but a simple starting point is who and when categories around your "what". Build categories of who (top, aspiring top, middle, at risk, in trouble) and categories of when (up to date, need status, stale, not being worked on). If your "what" is prioritized from Tuesday (because it's achieving your vision from Sunday) - now your signals will make Monday's evaluation a lot easier. I use Sharepoint modified date to enable this automatically. 

5. Teamwork Day: Be fruitful and multiply

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water, and every sort of bird—each producing offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.

I love how Jesus talks about living water and the image of waters swarming with life. I had the opportunity to swim in Maui Hawawii after Kim and I were married. It was one of the most amazing experiences I've had.

Being fruitful happens naturally when we've taken care of preparing for healthy growth and success. I think of a team building a sky scrapper. There is a clear order but once the foundation is laid - each floor goes through the process. the first floor can nearly be finished while the top floors are still being framed.

Being fruitful in our work means we are united in vision (long-term plan), aligned on evaluation (status),  know the scope of work for the next 90 days and who will do the work (roles).

6. Teamwork Day 2: Be fruitful and multiply

Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the seat, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”
So God created human beings in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”
Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!
And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

• We learn from earth's ecosystems and natural production
• We reign over everything, bearing God's image
• We fill and govern the earth, everything that has life
• It's not good to be alone, we need husbands and wives, moms and dads and family

7. Reflection Day: Look backward

So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

Exodus 13:8
“On the seventh day you must explain to your children, ‘I am celebrating what the Lord did for me when I left Egypt.’

“Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:8,11,
“You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed. Exodus 23:12

On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. (Exodus 24:16)

Read More ->>

There is a huge difference between believing and knowing

I've been researching how other faiths and people view Christian Bible teaching. By Christian Bible teaching I mean to say, taking the Bible lierally, trusting what it says is true and applying that truth to our lives. Time and again I see offence coming between people who hold to religious dogma and tradition. As a self-professing bridge builder, I like to help people see the way to cross over to a new life relationship with God. 

Big Idea: Knowing is experienced

Time and again I've witnessed this truth, "But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear." Deuteronomy 29:4, ESV

How to build a bridge to knowing

A guy walks into the doctors office, the doctor says, "What seems to be the problem?"
 - "It's not a problem per se, just something strange. You see I pass gas alot but it doesn't smell or make a sound. In fact while I've been in your office I've passed gas 20 times."
 - "I see" says the doctor and he writes a perscription asking him to come back in a week. The guys comes back very alarmed, "Doc, what was in those pills! Now my farts are loud and smell terrible!"
The doctors says, "well now that we cleared up your sinus and unpluged your ears we can take a look at that." (author unknown)

I did a Bible search on "Know" and found the word 1,163 times. Ezekiel 16:59-63 explains how God is faithful to his promise as seen in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(59) Sovereign Lord says: I WILL as you deserve you despied my oath, breaking covenant

(60) I WILL remember my covenant, I WILL establish everlasting covenant w/you (Gen 9:16, Ezek 37:4-6,14, 23-24,26)

• (61) You'll remember, be ashamed. In John 16:7-8 Jesus talks about sending the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of this prophesy - the spirit of truth will convict hearts. I love Ezekiel 37:14, "I will put my Spirit in you an dyou will live...KNOW that I the LORD have spoke, done it, declares the LORD"
• (62) I WILL establish my convenant with you, KNOW that I am the LORD. Luke 1:77 says, " to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins," 
• (63) "when I make atonement for you..." Matt 26:28, Luke 22:20, affirms the new covenant is established by the Cross of Jesus, his blood". The ressurection proved the sacrifice was acceptable to God and Jesus opened their minds to truths pointing to him in the old testiment (Luke 24:44-48)

What is the New Covenant?

Works the Holy Spirit does in the believers life

Read More ->>

Discovery Bible Study method

Looking at Bible Study method called "Discovery" where you discover what is happening in the passage and what it tells us about God and people. The idea is to question how a passage changes how we see God, treat others, how we live and then to see what other question arise from our new discovery. Finally, we aim to share this discovery with another person and to ask, "who do I know who needs help with what I've discovered." This leads to developing a prayer of thanksgiving to God for insight and for help to walk the path of obedience with what we learned and to share with another.

Simple outline from: http://worldmissionsevangelism.com/discovery-bible-studies/

Discovery Passage:

Read the Scripture 

Discovery Questions

1. What happens in this passage?
2. What does this passage tell us about God?
3. What does this passage tell us about people?

Obedience

1. How does this change how we see God?
2. How does this passage change how we treat others?
3. How does this passage change how we live?
4. What other questions do you have about this passage?

Share

1. Who can you share this story with?
2. Do you know anyone who needs help? How can this group help them?

Read More ->>