Growth

I have been trying to grow in my faith and I sometimes find it difficult. I think sometimes I put pressure on myself to do it all on my own. I try and spend some time with just God, but most of the time it is very short. I am trying to not only read books that I feel will add to my faith, but also read HIS word. I find it easier to read books than to read the Bible and I know I need to spend more time in the word.

I have been thinking about the Bible a lot lately for some reason and I can feel God pushing me to get into his word on a daily basis. HE is asking me to spend time in the morning and I already get up between 4:30 and 5:00 every morning for work, at least that is the excuse I'm trying to sell HIM. It isn't working and I find myself trying to make deals with God. But like any good father he just simply asks the same question with a "why wouldn't you sacrifice a small part of your morning for me"?

It always pierces my heart and I know it would benefit me far more than the extra 15 minutes of sleep. This brings me to my title of Growth.

The parable that God is telling me over and over is the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. This is a great teaching moment by Jesus and it basically says anyone who hears the word and understands it, it is like seed that fell on good soil. It then produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

It speaks directly to me because I can't grow my faith. I can throw seeds, I can even water the seeds by my reading and prayer and alone time. But I can't grow the seed, not even with the water. It is only God who can grow the seed. It is only when I seek God during my reading, prayer and time with HIM that my faith can grow. It must be about HIM and not about me. Not about me trying to learn more or trying to become spiritual.

God doesn't ask us to become more spiritual per say. HE does ask us to pick up our cross and follow HIM. HE asks us to draw near, trust, love, etc... It is when we do these things that we learn more about God's character and become more spiritual.

God help me seek you first before I read, spend time with you and pray. God help me follow your promptings and not make excuses. Thanks for pursuing me. Amen.

Personal Convictions

When I first became a Christian I accepted Jesus without truly knowing what it all meant. Not to say I'm all over it now, I'm still learning by trail and error. But I was so green that my view of sin was so abstract, so judging that many times I was wrong. It was easy to see "the speck in everybody else's eyes and miss the log in mine".

I being the simple minded man I am thought that my view of sin was the correct one. I mean if I thought it was a sin than it was a sin for everyone. I never even thought about God making some things a sin for me and not for others? Why would HE do that? What sense does that make? How would that glorify HIM?

I'm coming to the understanding that God gives us "Personal Convictions". These are things in our lives that aren't necessarily sin in itself, but they are things that could lead to sin and/or help separate us from God. For some it is drinking, but the Bible is full of references of people Drinking wine. Some it is going to a Movie, others still it could be going to a Concert, etc....

Have you ever stopped and thought about what people say is a sin and wonder why? I often wonder why it matters so much to me what others are doing in regards to what they think sin is. I mean if they think it is a sin and as long as they are only concerned with that sin in their lives, then why should it matter to me? I'm starting to see that God has put that "thing" whatever it may be on the their heart and I should support them it that, not judge them.

So what is God asking you to give up, or what are your "Personal Convictions"? The Bible say in Romans 14:14 "if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean". But the Bible is also clear that whatever you believe as unclean that it should be between you and God.... (Romans 14:22) Meaning they are only meant for you and shouldn't be pushed on anybody else.

I think God knows us better than we know ourselves. I think it also hard to give up some of the things we enjoy because we can't see beyond our own personal satisfaction. I think it is hard to see that God wants us to give something up in order to give us more joy in HIM. More joy in HIM is the true JOY, it isn't short lived or self centered.

God thank you for my "Personal Convictions". Please keep pushing into my life and making me aware of areas of my life I am giving to much attention to. Areas that are taking me away from you. Help me to support others who are convicted personally by you. I have often heard that when you decide to follow Jesus "it will cost you something". I am now learning it will continually cost you something.... Amen.

Circumstances.....

I have heard over and over in my life that when one door closes another one opens..... I heard it so much growing up that I almost hated hearing it. I always wondered why I couldn't find the other door.

As I have grown in the Lord I have found that often God shuts, or in some cases slams the door and barely cracks the other one. I think HE sometimes is asking me to still open the door and walk through without knowing what is on the other side. Not as a test but as "trust".

I can look back on my life and see how this has happened over and over in my life. I don't always see it that way in the moment, but it is amazing how subtle God is. I too often am looking for the big sign and miss all the little one's.

I am becoming better at seeking God in decisions as I grow with JESUS. I am finding it easier to make some decisions, that is easier to know what decision to make. It still is sometimes difficult to go through with the decision. I still find times that I think God has put me in a position for a reason and it doesn't turn out the way I thought it would and I sometimes can't see it when I'm in the moment. I mean it sometimes takes awhile for me to reflect without my own agenda and see what God was doing....

I find it easier to find God in the big decision than in the little one's. It is nice to do whatever I can and give it to God and know that if it is where God wants me then that is where I'll be. I know that if I pray over it and do what God has given me to do, that it can't come out wrong when it comes to HIS kingdom. I must trust that HE knows far better than I...

God continue to search my wants and desires. Continue to push into my life. Continue to love me even when I'm trying to force my own agenda. God thanks for putting me in positions to glorify you and I pray that I hit more times than I miss. I pray that I continue to improve in glorifying YOU. Amen.

Switchfoot

I have recently been turned onto the band Switchfoot and my favorite song is "this is your life". In the lyrics they say "are you who you wanta be".

That song speaks directly to me. It makes me think about the man I am and the man I want to be. As I have said before I am trying to become a man of integrity....

In the song they also say "today is all you got now". It is a great reminder that I need to focus on today and let tomorrow take care of itself. I too often think about everything but what is in front of me.

When I think of "today is all you got now", I think about what if I did everything during the day to the best of my ability. Just like the verse I memorized (1Corinthians 10:31). It is such a simple concept to do everything to the best of your ability, but human nature sometimes says "good enough".

Good enough.... Where are all the areas of our lives we are saying "good enough"? I believe God is saying "is it"? I think HE is saying I know you can do better, will you? I know I often hear Gods gentle whisper when I say good enough and unfortunately I don't always listen.

God give me ears to listen to your whispers. Give me the desire to live for today and no longer accept good enough. Amen.

Temptation...

I often think about how often Temptation happens to me in a day. Have you ever wondered how often your tempted and how often you act on it without even thinking about it? I wonder what I am accepting as normal behavior without asking if it is sin?

Jesus was tempted just as we have been tempted, yet he did not fall into sin. Jesus was able to fight off temptation by surrendering himself to God's will and by storing scripture in his heart to help fight off temptation....

Sounds easy, but the truth be told it is the biggest battle we have as believers. If we can fight off temptation we will not only build up our faith, but glorify God....

I wonder sometimes why God allows us to be tempted. I wonder why if he knows our weakness why he allows Satan to tempt us in those areas. I have come to realize that he allows us to be tempted to build us up, that we would figure out that we can't fight off Satan on our own power. That without God we are helpless....

The Bible tells us that God always gives us a way out. I have found the times I am able to fight off temptation I focus on God. When I put HIM in the forefront of my thoughts it allows me to slow down and remind myself that there are more important things than my personal desires or trying to "fit in".

Do you think God allows us to be tempted so that we will overcome Satan and build up our trust in HIM? Do you think the more we are able to win for God the more HE will trust us to do his work, the larger HIS ministry will be in our lives. The more we will be able to share our story. I think God wants to expand what we can do for HIM, but HE first must make sure we are sound in our faith. The more victories we have the more joy we will find in serving HIM, the more freedom we will have, the more we will be able to hear God's voice, the easier it will be to detect when Satan is tempting us and the easier it will be defeat Satan in the name of JESUS.

Jesus please help me find the way out of temptation, help me store up scripture in my heart. I want to expand your work in my life in the ways only YOU know. I want to have faith like Job. Help me even in the times I can't see the way out, help me detect the subtle ways of Satan and help me tell Satan to flee in YOUR name. Amen.

Normal

In the book "Sold Out" it talks about the way we communicate. About how me as a man more specifically communicate. How the topics I chose, as most men do, are about the weather, sports, work, movies, music, etc.... Nothing deep.

In this book he brings up a great point. The conversations I tend to have seem normal. But what he says next blew me away.....

He says "bring up Jesus" and the conversation tends to take a turn. If you ask what is Jesus teaching you, or what is Jesus talking to you about or How are you making Jesus more apart of your life, then the conversation seems to end quickly... Why is it we can talk sports all night, we can talk about how bad the weather man is wrong, our new favorite band and/or song, but the minute we bring Jesus to front of the conversation we find it hard to talk five minutes about HIM.

The conversation of Jesus is what should become normal. It should be the first thing we talk about. It shouldn't be hard to talk about how God has changed me live or what God is doing in my life or where I feel God is leading me or where my fears are that I need God to help me with. I have enough to fill up this blog.....

I don't think Jesus should be the first thing out of my mouth to someone who doesn't believe, but I do think I should share how important HE is to me...

God help me make you a normal conversational topic, help me share how wonderful you are and how faithful you are when we share YOU to others. God I want to be normal in the eyes of YOU and not in the eyes of the world. Amen.

Boundaries

While I was growing up I found it very hard to set any boundaries. If I was ever asked to do anything I would more than likely do it. I was so desperate to fit in, to be accepted. I wasn't very popular growing up and didn't know how to set any boundaries....

As I got older I realized I was a pretty good athlete and found a way to be recognized by winning and I soon found myself stepping over other peoples boundaries, but I was so desperate to make a name for myself I didn't care. I'm surprised I had any friends growing up with the way I would talk and treat them over a silly game.

When I accepted Christ my views completely changed. I started to see where I not only needed to set some boundaries, but also where I needed to respect everybody else's boundaries.

I still struggle with setting my boundaries. The Bible talks a lot about us as believers helping others and being available to do God's work, but I struggle with setting boundaries so that people do not take advantage of me and my time. It is a very thin line to walk....

Where do you draw the line? When do you say that is enough? Why do I find myself wondering if I set the right boundary? These are just a few questions I ask myself.

I am coming to a point in my life where it is getting easier to set boundaries. I have done a lot of praying on the subject and would like to think that when I'm struggling with setting a boundary I pray about it. The truth is I don't always do that.

I want to set boundaries that aren't self motivated, or that lets me take the easy way out. I want to set boundaries that will help me with my walk, that helps me show God's love, that make people wonder why I have boundaries, that help we with my goals.... To glorify God and "Be come a man on Integrity".

God, boundaries are hard to set.... Please help me set boundaries for the glory of your kingdom, not my glory or my desires. I want you to replace my desires with your desires to help me better understand the correct boundaries to set. Amen.