I want to turn the world upside down!

Wouldn't it be nice if there was an Easy Button for life? I mean wouldn't it be nice if we ask, "Ok God what do you want me to do with my life?" and then we just pushed the Easy Button and poof we have our answer. I have been looking for one of those Easy Buttons for a long time and I have yet to find one. What I have found is that the longer I live , the more questions I have.

I have just finished a short little book titled, "God's Will" by John MacArthur. The book is only 61 pages but has some powerful statements in it. I love how he closes the book out with, to do God's Will just do what ever you want to do, but make sure you have the first 6 principles in order first. You will have to get the book for the first 6 principles, but I bet you can guess what they are. Well I have come to what I really want to do and it is still what I wanted to do when I graduated from seminary. I want to turn the world upside down! But how does that look? How do I keep from burning myself and my family out on this quest? How can I impact the world without the right resources, without the monetary needs that are needed. How can the future of what is needed be met through a small band of people? Where is the easy button when you need it? (I said I had a lot of questions.)

I found and I realize the easy button was within me all along. The power of God is within, not from an outside source. The answers are within me, through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in me. You see our problem is we try to answer problems based on what our human weakness desires, not on what or where the Holy Spirit leads. By the way this is one of the reasons we find ourself addicted to many harmful things. Look at the life of Peter, when was he the strongest? When he was closest to the Master, Jesus. Depending on the strength of God and not on his own strength. And when Jesus ascended to heaven it was the Power of the Holy Spirit that led him to speak boldly about the things of God. (Acts 1:8) It was not the great wisdom of Peter, but the willingness to allow his life to be surrendered to the power from within. So here is the hard question once again, How can the world be turned upside down? By submitting to the power within. I know the rest of the details will come later, but for now all I can do is give Him my life minute by minute, day by day. Thanks for the ear, or eye.

Thoughts from a sinner, on his journey home.

Peace, byron

What to wear, what to wear?

Colossians 3:12-14 (MSG)
¹² So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline.
¹³ Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you.
¹⁴ And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

My reading this morning was from Colossians. This was my thought from what I read.

Don’t let your life be directed by your desires, but by your passion to seek after God with your whole life.

Last month was my birthday, and yes I do feel older. Along with the cards and the many happy birthdays I received, I also received some new clothes from my wife. I am not a shopper, and don’t ever plan on being a shopper. My wife on the other hand loves to shop. So if I am to get new clothes to wear they will come from her picking them out and I am fine with that. But, one thing I have come to realize is that if I do not choose my clothes, then I should be thankful to what I receive. No matter if the shoes don’t go with my eyes, or if the color makes me look fat, (By the way it is not the color, or the clothes that bring out my fatness, it is the fatness.) which got me to thinking about what I read in Colossians about wearing Christ this morning. Sometimes we don’t like putting on the wardrobe of compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline, but when we do, our life fits together. You see it it’s the desires of the old nature that try’s to be put back on our back and we have to make the decision that we ain’t going to dress like that no more. So as your faced with a situation or a problem this day, go ahead and show off that new wardrobe, put on Christ, LOVE, this day.

Just some thoughts form a sinner, on his journey home.

Peace, byron

Heart Vs. Mind

I will confess I love to watch UFC. Don't ask me why , it must be a man thing. For those that have been in a cave for the last year or two, UFC is the Ultimate Fight Challenge. It is where two guys get in a ring and beat each other to submission. Not a great confession for a pastor, but James says to confess our sins one to another. It may be because my favorite movie of all times is "Gladiator" and these are truly modern day gladiators without the death part. The other day while watching a fight I got to thinking of how the battles we face are so much like the fight I am watching. In one corner there is the heart, the underdog. In the other corner is the mind, which always seems to win. I think it is because the mind gets all the attention, but one thing I do know is that the mind is always stronger. The only way for the heart to win is for the heart to be the stronger opponent in our life, but how does that happen? I truly believe it is by walking by faith, which would be by our heart and not by or mind which would be the logic of this world. It comes by trusting our heart to make the right decision, even when we have to trow logic out the window. God says we are to trust Him about everything, even when it is the hardest thing to do; but when we do things go according to His plan and not ours. And that is when the mind taps out and the victory goes to the heart.

Just some thoughts from a sinner,

peace byron.