danz space

Real Talk

2011-03-13T15:56:00.002-05:00

Father,

Often, I spend large amounts of time considering my own desires and speaking about my own will. I continually remind You of my preferences, as if I might persuade You with my many words or heartfelt tears; although You have made it quite clear in Your Word that I am not heard because I use many words to express my yearnings. With the persistent widow story, You remind me that the humanistic approach is to badger someone with repetitive inquiries…that Your nature is totally different. You are not like a man or a woman, that my many words should ware you out! In all actuality, if it is Your will then it will surely come to pass in the right timing and will not tarry. More specifically, if I only seek out Your will and pray in accordance, believing that I have that which I ask of You…it is then that I will truly receive from You.

Ahhh…Your will. I say I want it, but how often am I disappointed when Your will is not the same as that of my own? How can I be honest with myself and confess that there are times that I do not even seek out Your plan before I rush off in my own plans? How often do I get an idea in my own head, a desire burning within my own heart, and fail to ask You what it is that You would want? How many times do I simply avoid the topic, just in case You feel differently than I do about a matter?

So, it is safe to say that there are certainly times when I just want what I want…times in which I am hesitant to include You in a matter that may result in You sharing with me that You have something altogether different in mind. How can I claim to want Your will in my life when I am so quick to indicate to You that which I propose is best for me, rather than sincerely asking You what do You say is best for me? Jesus, I need Your continual insight, not my perpetual insistence.

Father, today, teach me to truly pray that Your will be done in my life as it is in heaven, rather than my will be done in heaven as it is in my head. Lord Jesus, please condition my heart to shift from the position in which I secretly believe that altering Your plan to benefit my desires is anything close to practical or appropriate. This is the desire of my heart: that I would seek Your face and hear Your voice. Help me today, in every way, when my thoughts become otherwise (as often they do), to return to this place within my heart…this place where I want Your will for me…where I recognize that Your plan is the best plan. Though the battle continues for the sacrifice of my flesh, my thoughts and my emotions seldom allow me to rest. I love You and I want You to rule and reign in my innermost thoughts, intimate desires, ambitious plans, and hopeful expectations. Without You, my life was nothing…without Your plan, I have nothing worth having.

Is Jesus Really Knocking?

2011-03-06T11:27:00.008-06:00

A very close friend of mine shared a conversation with me that she had with another Christian the other day. In that conversation, she asked her friend if she believed that Jesus was at the door and knocking…you know, about to come back for us. And her friend’s reply was that she didn’t know and she hadn’t put much thought toward that idea. All I could think was, “wow”…this got my full attention and I have been thinking about it ever since.

With church, work, school, my closest friend, and my family, I have not made time to sit down and write. A lot of ideas have crossed my mind, I am working on another song, and I believe I am drawing closer to my Lord Jesus more now than ever before…but I knew I would have to write about this topic. And so I have been seriously contemplating the mindset of a Christian who is not prepared for Christ’s return.

Last night I was “randomly” flipping through the pages of God’s Word and I “happened” upon Mark chapter 13. The context of the entire teaching of Jesus in that text was about the end times: you know, end time events like wars and false prophets, the eventual rise of the antichrist, about terrible persecutions and how they work to God’s glory and the spreading of His gospel; how these are all necessary, but the time is not yet. Jesus says we will be hated by all for His name’s sake. Then He talks about the necessity of enduring until the end. Next, Jesus speaks about how when we see these things…He is near…He is at the door! Jesus really goes into detail about how important it is to be READY, to remain WATCHFUL, to “WATCH AND PRAY” because we do not know when He is coming and we are warned that we do not want to be asleep when He arrives.

Okay, I said all that to say what? Where are we today? Are we watching? Are we praying? Are we ready for His return? Are we radically changing our world for Jesus? What kind of impact are we having on those in our family, at our jobs, at the gas station, at Wal-Mart??? Are we making a difference? People are lost and dying and going to hell every second…what are we doing? We are God’s ambassadors; honored and esteemed by Him with the privilege of representing Him here on the earth: do others see Him when they see us? Are people being saved? These are the questions I am asking myself lately. One day when I was at the Dream Center in Russellville, I looked up to the sky and a rush of birds flew overhead and were gone. At that moment, it seemed as if the Holy Spirit said to me, "Time is fleeting." Where is my passion…where is my fire…where is my burden for the lost? Lord, reignite the flame within us! God said to ask of Him for the nations and He would give them to us! Lord, we are asking for the salvation of those around us…we want to be available and to be vessels of honor for You!

I just want to encourage all my friends, those who read this blog…it’s time to wake up. Jesus IS coming SOON! They mocked Noah because he wouldn’t quit warning people about the coming flood…always inviting them to seek refuge in God’s mercy. Jesus said that in the last days it would be like the days of Noah…people living their lives, yet unmindful of the seriousness of His return. Does anyone hate me for the gospel’s sake? Or am I so careful not to offend anyone that I quietly live for my Savior without speaking the truth when it is time to speak? God have mercy.

We can make a difference! We can help people find Jesus! We are more than conquerors…soldiers for Jesus…overcomers by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies! When was the last time someone heard your testimony? There is redeeming power in testifying to others about how God’s anointing has destroyed the yokes that once bound us! I love you guys and just want to encourage everyone to meditate upon these things and what God’s Spirit would say to us right now.

Thus says the LORD:

‘Keep justice, and do righteousness, for My salvation is about to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.’

Isaiah 56:1(NKJV)

When Enough Isn’t Enough

2011-01-16T09:55:00.002-06:00

When I was shaving the other day, as is typical for me, I dispensed more shaving gel than necessary. And as usual, I chided myself on my wastefulness. It amazes me that I have been shaving for so many years, however, it always seems as if I need more gel than I do. And I am sure you were totally wondering about this and are so glad that I took the time to share it! Right?!? I thought so

Usage of hygiene items is not the only area in my life in which I feel as if enough isn’t enough. When I was a child, sitting at the dinner table, my mind was typically on the idea of whether I would be able to get “seconds,” before I had even tasted the first bite of my meal. My father usually commented on what a “bottomless pit” I was when I amazed even myself at how much I could put away! It is a wonder I am not as big as a house Okay, focus, Daniel…back to the point at hand… At any job I have ever worked, I have never been satisfied with my rate of pay; even when I have been able to live comfortably off of my means. According to my diligent work ethics, I recognize that I am a valued employee, and because of this, it is not difficult for me to request an increase in pay. I do not feel like there is anything wrong with this; however, once I have requested the raise, my mind is already working on when it will be appropriate to ask for the next one! Even now, I am blessed with a good job, with decent hours and pay; and yet, I am currently looking for something a little closer to home with better pay, better hours, and more benefits!

Okay, I said all that to say what? Was my intent to insist what a rarely satisfied individual I am; or to suggest that I am one who is prone to overindulge for the sake of not wanting to miss out on what I feel like I can have? Although this may all be quite true, it is not the basis behind my writing today. It is not difficult for me to refuse complacency and to insistently pursue that which I feel is better. My work ethics are based upon an innate desire to fully apply myself, recognizing that it is what is right. I am convinced that a genuinely hard worker is a value not overlooked by employers, and I believe it is only right that one is rewarded for such qualities.

Spiritually, God insists that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. How often do I find myself encouraging and motivating myself in this direction, even as I do at my workplace? That is what troubles me. I do not intend to approach my relationship with God as if it were another demanding task, yet, on occasion I do not feel motivated to spend time with Him, to seek His face diligently in Word or prayer, or to be super enthusiastic about the idea of doing so. Yet, I know I love Him and I would die for Him as He did for me. So, this morning, I am mindful to be vigilant in my perspective of my relationship with my Father and Lord; and also that the ambitious desire within to always have more, to commonly want something better…that should be the cry of my heart when considering the level of intimacy and quality time spent with Him. Enough should not be a word in our vocabulary when considering our relationship with our Father…of course, referring to the seeking of His hand and not His face; in all things we should remain content except when it comes to the degree of passion within our relationship with God. God bless you all!

Life Demands A Lot

2010-12-30T11:45:00.005-06:00

Where are you today? I’m not referring to your physical location, but to that of your mental and emotional state. If you are anything like me (or the rest of humanity), situations occur, difficulties arise, and life basically “happens,” often throwing out of balance our confidence in such areas. Perhaps this isn’t where you find yourself today…maybe you are the fortunate individual who is happy, joyous, and everything seems to be in it’s proper place in your life. If that is you, relish in that moment! While we are experiencing these moments of stability, perhaps it would be good to be conscious of those around us who are in distress, challenged with physical health complications, struggling with depression, battling with unforgiveness, or just having a bad day. Isn’t it easy to overlook such concerns in others when our own lives are all systems go, full speed ahead?

I know, it has been a month since I have taken the time to write! So, I am sort of preaching to the choir here. Life has been busy. Let me say that I recognize how truly blessed I am. Although it may slip my memory at times, I recognize that I have a new lease on life, and I know that God has given me favor and opened up doors of opportunity for me in so many areas. I have a beautiful family, loving friends, a stable job, a church that operates in the liberty of the Holy Spirit, a healthy body, a mind that is free of addictions and bondages…. I could certainly go on. I mean, sure, I have my struggles just like everyone else, but I am truly free in Christ Jesus. To be free physically is something I do not take for granted, however, my spiritual freedom can sometimes be overlooked. We get up early in the morning to get ready for work, deal with the concerns of our occupations, juggle emotional and situational concerns, and come home to attempt to absorb a substantial amount of rest; all prior to repeating the process. In all of that, it is easy to become preoccupied with life, failing to truly experience what it means to be ALIVE in Christ, and sincerely invest in the lives of those who we are privileged to share our existence.

Let’s be honest, sometimes we just don’t have the energy to be emotionally involved with everyone in our lives! One person is happy, another is sad; one person is loving, another is unforgiving; one person is experiencing their mountaintop, another is in their lowest valley. We all play the role of a therapist (with or without a degree), and if we are not careful, the emotional draw can become a plunging drain.

So, what do you do? We know we cannot please everyone! God tells us to be hopefully joyous, yet to remain unchanged in our afflictions; to put others first, rejoicing with the joyful, mourning with those who mourn (Romans 12:12-15). Living a selfless life can be one of the greatest challenges presented to us by our Lord. Do you realize that Jesus got tired? People’s lack of faith troubled Him; religious natures not coupled with spiritual intimacy often irritated Him; He cried; He laughed; He mourned; He experienced all of the coping challenges we all face in life…and then some. And sometimes, He just wanted a break from all of the people. I cannot truly comprehend what it must have been like to have such a demand on my existence. What was the secret to His success? After all, if we are going to look to an example for how to overcome, He is surely the prime example to follow. As we know, very early in the morning, Jesus spent time with the Father. He was not one to turn away a needy person, yet, He recognized when it was time to minister and when it was time to go alone to a mountaintop to pray. He realized when it was time to pray with others and when it was time to go just a little bit further along the path, so as to be with His father alone. I would dare say that the triumphant success in Jesus’ life was hidden in these intimate moments spent with the Father.

So, I said all this to say what? I believe God would have us to put others before ourselves, to concern ourselves with their welfare, to invest our time with them…yet, without quality time spent with our Father each and every day, what can we possibly offer others? It is by HIS might, HIS strength, HIS power…not our own. And all of those qualities are accessed through our relationship with Him, spent in the presence of His Spirit. Yeah, I know we all know this, but it doesn’t hurt to have a reminder every now and again

So, be strong in the power of His might, and walk in the confidence that we can do all things through His empowerment; yet, do not forget that if we truly want to be of benefit to those around us, we need to be around Him the most. God bless you!

Was it All a Part of His Plan?

2010-11-27T13:04:00.005-06:00

You saw me before I was born.
      Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
   Every moment was laid out
      before a single day had passed.
Psalm 139:16 (NLT)

You know, I have spent a lot of time contemplating just how much of my life is intricately planned by my Father. I have heard so many views on exactly what is laid out for us in life, and as you could imagine, the possibilities and opinions are limitless!

Lately, I have put a little more thought into this topic because of a lot of planning that is having to be made in my life. With new plans comes an element of responsibility in making sure that decisions are being made in light of God’s desires for us…no pressure

Now, listen, I realize that some will agree and some will disagree with the ideas I have here…if this were not a controversial topic, than there wouldn’t be so much input The main idea here is that we take the time to consider the subject.

So, how goes it in your mind: has God laid out every single day perfectly? Did He already for-see our entire lives and lay them out like a road map? Just exactly how much control do we have? Careful Daniel, people will misunderstand you for speaking on predestination and turn their noses.

Okay, so here’s where I’m at…it has been a few weeks since I’ve written a post, due to the “busy-ness” of the new (10hr/day) job the Lord has blessed me with, full-time school, and at the top of the list: my beautiful girlfriend , and I have missed writing, however, I will not blow you all out of the water with my special gift from God of “long-windedness”!!! So, everybody exhale…it’s okay.

Here is what I am feeling about the subject at hand, it is not ex-cathedra, so no worries about threats towards individual doctrines or dogmas. I am considering that the Lord has a plan. I believe my life has been working according to His plan, even though a lot of bad stuff has happened in my life. I am not saying that God would have wanted me to make all the poor decisions I have made, or suffer the consequences thereof, I’m just saying that He foresaw it, and apparently He purposed that I would endure the life I have and it would all be for a purpose.

God said that before I was formed in my mother’s womb, He knew me…and the verses go on to lead to the one captioned at the beginning of this post, which clearly states that “EVERY MOMENT WAS LAID OUT” and all that was before day one even began for me. So, understanding that God’s Words do not fail, it is becoming more clear that He intended for me to experience that which I have in life, and I believe that for one particular reason, which is recorded in Paul’s epistle to the Romans, which states that everything is working together for our good in Christ, that He planned from the beginning that we would come to Him, and He justified us through the precious Blood of our Lord Jesus. David also states that we may make plans of our own, but our steps are literally ORDERED by the Lord. In the Hebrew (not to appear as a linguistic guru…I just own a big book full of words ), this word literally means: to be established, be firm, be prepared, make secure, to be set in place, etc. So, it seems like God is saying that He set in place the steps I would take.

Okay, please don’t rend your garments, chunk digital stones, or scoff at my contemplations…I am merely doing exactly that: contemplating God’s choice of vocabulary and context. Where this places me is to be in a position that I am one of God’s sheep and He is my Good Shepherd; I know His voice and He leads me out by His voice; He calls me His friend and shares His plans with me; I have His Spirit and am led thereby; every moment was laid out before my first day began; Jesus is on the throne…no need to stress…simply keep my ear turned to Heaven morning-by-morning and He will get me to where I need to be going

Okay…you are free to roam about the cabin…

How Much for Your Birthright?

2010-11-07T09:30:00.000-06:00

Do you remember the story of Jacob and Esau and how Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup? I have been thinking a lot about this story lately. What is in a birthright? Specifically, what was in the birthright of a Jewish son?

Okay, here is some free information on that birthright:

The birthright entitled the eldest son to a double portion of his father’s inheritance. Prior to the idol worship of the golden calf, the birthright of the eldest son ensured that he was to be dedicated into priestly service, however, Jewish tradition allows for the firstborn to actually be redeemed into the priestly service. The younger children are to give special respect to the firstborn, and the birthright holder in return is to recognize the degree of responsibility this entails…especially regarding providing for the welfare of his sisters. Traditionally, the first-born is also to fast on the Passover, in memory of the slain Egyptian first-born.

Interestingly, when Esau sold his birthright for the small portion of food, something which consequentially was only capable for sustaining him for a small period of time, it is actually recorded that this act determined that Esau “despised” his birthright.

You know, along with the birthright comes a special blessing from the father. In the story, we see that Jacob was supplanted in Esau’s place and was able to steal away the blessing which came with Esau’s birthright. The scriptures mention that even though Esau wept bitterly, it was not possible to regain his birthright. In consolation, however, Esau’s father did bless him. His blessing was of one for a younger child: servitude to the elder, yet, even there was the father offered hope; he said that when Esau became restless in being in the wrong position in the family, he would break his brother’s yoke from his neck.

Okay, I said all that to say what? Surely there is more than a Biblical history lesson involved here! Here’s my question and my proposal, if you will:

How much? What is the actual value you place on your birthright as a child of God? For what would you trade your inheritance…your double portion promise? Something small and insignificant? Your “right” to be right in an argument? Your early morning time with the Lord for a few more moments sleep? A relationship…a job…a television program or some music that you could do without…acceptance by others that do not honor the Lord…your conversation? What is it? What do you value more than your peace with the Lord…your position in His blessing for you? Because, the enemy would gladly bump you out of what is rightfully yours and deceive you into settling for second best, a little blessing with a lot of bondage.

In the busy-ness of my life, in the midst of all my blessings, somehow, I allowed myself to get caught up in a new job, in personal desires within my own relationship with my beautiful girlfriend…you know, rushing out the door with a minimal amount of time spent with the Lord…insistence that my own desires in my relationship were the most important…stuff like that. And what did that get me? A lot less peace, a lot less passion, and a lot less intimacy with me and the Lord, and me and my girlfriend. Fortunately, it only took me a short while to become restless in that and I broke free from the burden that accompanied. So, I say all this to display transparently that I desperately need to walk in the blessings of the double portion of my inheritance!

Today, if you find yourself relating to anything I have written, take a minute…step back….examine the context of your intimacy with Christ, and your fervency in your relationships. Has something cut in? You don’t have to settle for second best! God will gladly help you to become restless and break the burdens of that yoke from your life!

Let’s close with reflection on the story of Martha and Mary. If you recall, Martha was so busy with all the “necessary” concerns of the daily life, and Mary just wanted to sit at the feet of Jesus and hang off His every word. My girlfriend loves this song that says to ask for grace when grace is coming down. Today, God’s grace is available and willing to fall into your life and give you the restlessness you need to break free from second best and to regain your position as God’s child…the one that gets the double portion

The Romance

2010-10-28T10:32:00.000-05:00

The passion with which the bridegroom desires his bride; the longing with which the bride so desperately desires the comfort and security of the groom: that is God’s love for His Church.

God is a hopeless romantic (pardon the expression), predisposed to experience any pain or hardship that He must encounter in order to secure His Day with His Bride. And with that, His “hopeless” romantic demeanor is sustained by a knowing hope that is a predetermined and expected end.

Nothing will impede that Day.

Nothing will deter or prevent His satisfaction and fulfillment on that glorious Day!

Today, I stand in the position of that self-same romantic passion for the woman that God has placed in my life. As Christ, the passion of my dreams, the satisfaction of my soul (on this earth), not withstanding my love for my Father, is the very joy I experience when I consider the beautiful woman with which my Father has so generously and undeservingly blessed me…a woman who chases after the very heartbeat of God.

And as Christ knowingly anticipates that Day with which He will be united with His beautiful Bride, so I look forward to the very moment that the physical distance between us vanishes away miraculously. Christ, himself, knowingly awaits such a Day, continually encouraging His Love that the very Day draws nigh and nothing can prevent its occurrence.

In like manner, I encourage the heart that beats next to mine, that in the self-same way, our day will appear as imminently as the joy of the Lord on such a morning after mourning.

Today, God has graced me to catch a small glimpse of His ardent passion for His union with His Church. Oh how I love Jesus so… Even as my love longs and desires her day with which she will look upon my face, so does the born again child of God desperately long for the Day in which our Lord Jesus will kiss our brow and hold us so intimately. And just as I knowingly await that precious day when I will be privileged to hold my love so securely in my arms, so does our Father patiently await the very Day of which He has full power to immediately manifest, yet, He wisely awaits the perfect moment in which he knows His Love will be perfectly ready.

Today, God awaits us to prepare ourselves for His return.

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. –2 Corinthians 7:1 (NLT)

Speechless No More

2010-10-25T11:39:00.001-05:00

What do you do when God is answering all of your prayers? I mean seriously, I have never had this “problem” before Before I met Jesus, I spent my entire life feeling as if I was missing something and lacking in almost everything. Today, my heart is as if it could burst within me, thinking of all that the Lord has done, is doing, and is sure to do in my life.

Anyone who has known me knows that I have not lived a godly life, at least for the greater part. Having spent 8 and 1/2 yrs. in prison in Alabama, another year in Texas, certainly there is evidence of a poorly planned approach at life. Some may not realize that it was only a little over 3 years ago that I had committed my tenth felony…that’s right, you did hear me clearly: 10. Most people are discarded by our justice system with much fewer offenses; you know, three strikes you’re out, and all that. When I was 21, I was facing a minimum sentence of “Life or 99 years” for felonies 3 thru 8; and at a period of time when I couldn’t have been further from God. Yet, even then He was watching over me. I had an armed robbery charge: a class “A” felony in the first degree for a crime that I definitely committed, however, I was given a plea arrangement of a lesser (2nd degree) offense and given the minimum 15 year sentence (six of them running concurrently actually) and sent to a maximum security prison.

A little over 3 years ago, when it seemed my life couldn’t get any worse, I worked my “magic” and succeeded at making things just a little bit harder on myself. My (ex) girlfriend of 4 years had aborted our planned pregnancy, I was a horrible facet of that relationship, and I just wanted to die. And there are scars on my wrist and in my heart that give evidence. I had convinced myself that I couldn’t go on living and that prison would be better than the life that I was living. Right about then, I trespassed into an abandoned building with the intent of stealing scrap metals and was arrested for felony number 10.

It was amazing how quickly my concept on returning to prison changed dramatically! I ran to the Russellville Dream Center to try to get out of trouble…no intention of getting my life straightened out whatsoever. Yet, a week after I got there I ran smack into God…and He changed everything. So long ago I had ran away from the Lord, and there in a drug treatment center, I found Jesus

Why am I telling you all of these things? Because God has done some pretty amazing things in my life recently and I do not feel as if I am doing God justice if I do not reveal exactly what they are.

When I moved back here from Texas, I was on bond for 4 criminal charges: two possession charges (controlled substance & dangerous drug) for prescription medications; possession of marijuana, and an assault case. When I got into trouble out here I left all of that unresolved.

The outcome of my 10th felony was reached after Shawn Reathford (the director of the RDC) plea bargained with the district attorney for over 2 hours. The first offer was 15 years, then the next was a 15 yr. sentence split with 3 yrs. to be served day for day with 5 years of probation following….then a 15 split 2 1/2 yrs.…split 2…split 1…split 6 months. At that time, we asked to be able to serve the 6 months only 6 days at a time until completion. For those of you that are not math experts, that is a lonnnng time

So, up until last month, I had been going to the county jail and serving 6 days as a “trustee” every month for 19 months in a row. That was hard. And last month I went to court, I asked God to please set me free, and the courts gave me time served on the remaining 12 months that I had to serve! You just don’t know what that did for me! I actually asked to serve the balance on probation and they said that would not be necessary. God is soooo good.

At that point, I had decided to save up some money and hire an attorney for the TX charges. After counsel from my girlfriend, I asked God whether I should just call the D.A. in Galveston, TX and see what could be done to resolve that matter of over 3 years ago. She was believing that the charges would be done away with. I was just asking if I could not go to jail. To make a long story short, 8 days following my initial conversation with the D.A., he called me back and told me that he had decided that based upon my completion of the RDC program, and my return to work as a counselor there, he was dismissing all the charges, including the bond forfeitures. Aside from some traffic tickets, nothing left: nada. How about that?

So, are you believing God for anything that sounds impossible, or maybe too small to trouble Him with? Just ask Him. If He could take a totally screwed up life like mine and do all the things that He has been doing…it will be no tall order for Him to fix your problems or answer your requests. When we are in-step with him, praying according to His will, we already have that which we ask of Him. We only need to believe.

And the best thing He could ever have done for me is bring into my life a beautiful, God-fearing woman whose heart is chasing after His every heartbeat. For that, I love Him and love her dearly.

So, if you would, please help me praise Him. I guess I was a little ashamed of having to pay those consequences, so I kept it a secret from most people. God has changed my life. I have nothing to be ashamed of. Refusing to share what God has done would be purely selfish. I am the epitome of God choosing the foolish things of this world to confound the wise.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve Him, even though I used to blaspheme the Name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 1 Tim 1:12-13 ( NLT)

Wait on the Lord!

2010-10-12T12:21:00.000-05:00

Wait?!? Hey, that’s not what I want to hear! When I ask God about something, I so want to have my prayer answered immediately, and in the manner which I proposed my request! Now, there is no way that this could describe anybody aside from myself, right?

I thought it would be good to brush up against this subject for a moment or two, recognizing that the Lord has been dealing with my heart regarding patience.

Recently, God made a fairly significant move in my life, releasing me from a contract which pretty much had me bound up. The manner by which He did so was nothing short of a miracle, and those who know me well testify to what a blessing this was for me.

Okay, that is not what I want to talk about However, the reason why I brought it up is because that blessing of which I am referring to actually took 19 months to manifest. Without question, I can look back and see how God was moving behind the scenes the entire time, and if I had not waited upon Him, I would not have seen His glory revealed.

Today, I am seeking God’s face on specific guidance for another matter of which I need clear direction. Immediately, I had composed some fairly good ideas about how I would go about handling the situation…you know: practical thinking and planning. When I discussed this with my girlfriend, she gave me some very sound advice: Do not move until God has made it clear to you what His plans are. Do not “help” Him until He has advised you whether or not He would require your help. Why get in the way and mess up something that God has otherwise planned differently?

Which takes me back to my previous blog entry: do I truly want God’s will to play out in my life, or is it more of a selfish desire that drives me?

So there I was, reading the Word this morning, and every single verse that spoke to my Spirit seemed to center upon waiting on the Lord, and how He has my best interest in mind.

Are you at a place in life where transition is upon you, confusion seems to stalk you, or wisdom is fleeting and necessary for your next move? Let’s not rely upon our own intelligence, apart from the counsel of God’s Spirit. When it is time to advance, if we have our ears and hearts turned towards Heaven, God would gladly give us proper insight concerning such matters.

Most people I know truly want God’s perfect will in their lives. With me, and maybe with some of you, the most appropriate challenge is to wait until we have consulted God and actually heard our response before we make our move. Otherwise, why even ask God?

It’s kind of like a scenario that played out yesterday while my brother and I were remodeling his bedroom. Without amazement, his 8 year old daughter (precious as she is) border-line harassed us for something to do to help. She would ask questions like, “Why are you doing that?” Yet, when my brother attempted to explain, her mind was totally somewhere else. When he asked whether she really wanted to know the answer to her question, her reply was, “No, that is boring!” And when she asked for help repetitively, my brother asked her to “get this” or “find that” and she “ughed” in frustration.

You see, she wanted to help, but under her own conditions; which is not helping at all. And she wanted an answer to her question, yet, when it was not the exciting response she anticipated, she totally tuned the answer out. Showing that she really did not want an answer to a question. It seemed to me as if she was more along the line of wanting to hear herself think

And that is okay, because she is an 8 year old. Yet, how many of us are spiritual 8 years old when we should be much more mature by now? When we ask God a question, do we even await the reply, or are we simply going through the motions? When we want to be involved in God’s work, is it what God wants, or do we simply want to do what we want? Neither of those methods will promote spiritual growth, nor bring true satisfaction.

To genuinely be at peace in our lives, we should inquire of the Lord in all appropriate matters, seek His face on what we are supposed to be doing right now, and actually be pleased that He is taking the time to include us. And until we hear from Him, and I am not referring to coming up with some great ideas on our own; but, truly hear His voice (and do so with confirmation): let us wait upon the Lord

Whose Will Be Done?

2010-10-05T09:41:00.001-05:00

Have you ever prayed so desperately for something that it utterly consumed your every waking thought? Without a doubt, praying like that definitely constitutes a heartfelt prayer! Recently, this has been the case with me. As a matter of fact, it was just the other day that I was expressing my concerns over a particular matter to a friend, and the advice extended to me consisted of encouragement to trust in God and accept His perfect plan in my life. This got me to thinking: had I even asked the Lord what He intended, and if I had, was it out of concern that I adjust my intentions to reflect upon His will? Or, in all actuality, was it more like, “God, this is what I want, and I want it really bad, please, oh please, oh please, make it happen for me!” Hmmm…it seems that God is all up in my face right now J

Often times, when I am inclined to review the intent of my heart, I might write down a prayer. I thought it would be appropriate to share this one:

I have spent so much time considering my own desires and my own will. When I pray to You, I continuously remind You of my preferences regarding this matter, as if I might persuade You with my many words and heartfelt tears. Yet, You explain to me in Your Word that vain repetition will get me nowhere. With the story about the persistent widow, You remind me that this humanistic approach might be effective with mankind, yet, with You: not so much. You are not like a human being, as if my many words will eventually wear You out! I realize that if this is Your will, it will surely come to pass and it will not tarry. All I have to do is ask according to Your will, and believe that I already have received that which I’ve asked of You. This seems easier said than done.

This brings me to another crucial fundamental element of prayer: Your will. How can I be honest with myself that I have not even sought out Your will in this matter? How often do I get an idea in my head, a desire burning within my heart, yet, I fail to inquire of You what Your thoughts, intents, and plans are for me?

And this brings up another point: do I even want Your will, or am I entirely focused on my own? How can I claim to want Your will to be done in my life when I am so quick to exclaim to You that which I feel is best for me, failing to seek Your face for Your insight in the process?

Father, today, teach me to truly learn the essence of the teaching of Your precious Son regarding prayer: that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven; that my heart would shift from the position in which I believe that disregarding and altering Your perfect plan to benefit my own desires is practical or appropriate. This is the desire of my heart: that I would seek Your face and hear Your voice. Help me today, in every way, when my mind seems to wander (as it often does), to return to this place within my heart. I do love You, Father.

Having said all that, I would like to leave You with a verse which has recently captivated my heart:

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission.”—Unknown Author (Hebrews 5:7, NIV).

Although God recognizes our anguish, passion, desires, etc., realizing that not one tear of ours goes unnoticed and is collected by Him and stored in a jar, it is our “reverent submission” that gets His attention. Today, let us examine the position of our heart when praying, seeking His will and not our own. After all, Jesus assured us that in seeking God’s kingdom, all of our needs will be provided. Enough said.

The Inward Glance

2010-09-22T10:30:00.002-05:00

I want so desperately to live for You,

Yet, I live my life doing all the things that I want.

I pray so hard when I need Your strength,

Yet, when You give me strength, I tend to think that I’m so great.

Sometimes I try to understand me,

And in the end I just don’t get me.

I ask for what I want and you give me what I ask;

You offer me the hope and I choose to hold my past so dearly.

Sometimes I just don’t get me,

Especially when I try to understand me.

I long to live my life, doing all that You would want me to do.

I want to be the person You created me to be,

Or whatever that’s supposed to mean.

When times are hard I pray to You,

And You always help me to make it through.

You light my path so that I can see,

Yet, what seems to be the most difficult thing is often seeing what’s right before me.

Sometimes I just don’t get me,

Even when You give me understanding.

Even though I seldom do what’s best for me,

I’m so glad You ultimately chose to do it for me.

“We love Him because He first loved us.”—John (1 John 4:19, NKJV).

If Life Only Had a Reset Button…

2010-09-17T12:58:00.001-05:00

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could rewind the clock and take another stab at all the moments in which we seemed to have miserably failed? How often have you thought how nice it would be if you could only hit the proverbial reset button and give it another try? With certainty, we have all entertained such wishful thinking.

I was reading in the 7th and 8th chapters of Romans this morning when these thoughts entered my mind. You know, it’s those all familiar chapters that remind us how our flesh will not act right, our minds certainly do not naturally focus on godly things, and our spirit is constantly at war with the flesh in that ageless battleground of the mind. If you’re not careful, chapter 7 can get you down right discouraged about the sinful state of the flesh…that is, until you get to the last verse which ensures redemption from the miserable state of fallen humanity available in our Lord Jesus Christ!

Now, if you are one who plays video games (or at the very least have watched a child who does), this analogy might hit home. God’s grace is just like a video game. Hold on now before you think, “What the heck?!?” Because this really spoke to my spirit this morning. When you play the story mode of a game these days (if you are “brave” enough to do so on the most challenging difficulty level), you will die countless times prior to completing the game. The game works on an auto-save format by which the opportunity is given to retry sections of the game as many times as necessary, ensuring continual progression regardless of failure. Essentially, the player is able to learn from the mistakes made and give it another try as many times necessary until success is acquired.

Consequentially, that which ensures success is not necessarily the amount of perfect accomplishments, but that which is learned from the many failed attempts. Conclusively, the game is won despite the amount of failed attempts, only by the continual effort and determination to refuse acceptance of defeat. In the end, the only stats that are recorded are the one’s from the successful attempts, the saving process overwrites the information from the failed attempts with that of the successful ones.

Not much need be added to gain a decent understanding of the message of God’s Spirit here today! Our successes in life are often contingent upon all the missteps from which we learn that which is best. We will certainly never have everything figured out, future mistakes will inevitably come. Yet, the value is placed on that which we learn from our mistakes, regardless of how many times we must fail in order to truly master the lesson involved.

Case in point: our failures = success when we refuse to accept defeat! So, let’s take the focus off of the mistakes of ourselves and others, recognizing that life is a process that no one has mastered! The very Spirit of our resurrected Savior within us is the sign that we have overcome. Of course, by the power of His Spirit, we learn from our mistakes and begin to put to death the misdeeds of the sinful nature. Retrospectively, we reserve the fortunate opportunity extended by God’s grace to continually try and retry as many times necessary to get it right.

In the end, after all the rewards are distributed (which we will enthusiastically place at the precious feet of our Redeemer), the essence of that which will truly matter will be how priveleged we are to be there with Him at all.

In life, God is constantly making use of the sea of forgetfulness for us. We want to do better, let us never give up regardless of how many times we must try. It is the grace of God and the presence of His Spirit in our lives which seals us as victors in His Kingdom. When all is said and done, time has no power over our Creator, and He sees us only as the finished product (en process) of the dispensation of such grace. Our life is one continual pressing of a reset button, because in the end, slates wiped clean, we are all perfectly victorious in Him!

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”—Paul (Ephesians 2:10, NLT).

Are We Ready?

2010-09-13T10:46:00.003-05:00

I’m not sure how it goes with you, but when there is a specific time that I have to be somewhere, I like to make sure I am ready! Seriously, I absolutely hate to be late or unprepared. Does that mean I am always punctual or have it together? Well, of course not! But typically, if I say I am going to be there…well, you can basically rest assured that I will be there. We all have that family member or friend who is almost always never on time for anything, right? Don’t get offended if you happen to be that person I am referring to, I am simply headed in a particular direction here. If you are a punctual person and you have to constantly deal with someone who is not, than you understand how frustrating that can be. And as polite as you consider yourself, it doesn’t take long before you develop a predisposition of irritation towards the tardy ones. As a matter of fact, if you are that person, there is a pretty good chance that your tardiness will not be catered to for very long in my circle! If you show up late one too many times, you stand a fairly good chance of being left behind or appearing at a function that is well underway. Food for thought: those who are predisposed to operate under such conditions tend to walk hand-in-hand with a lack of preparation.

Alright, where in the world am I headed with this? Is this a bash-on-late-people session? Not hardly. I’m just thinking about Jesus’ imminent return, and whether we are going to be ready or not. A lot of people might say, “Well, I am born again, so I must be ready!” By default, you are correct. However, there also seems to be a certain tone set to the theme of Christ’s return and our readiness for the Advent. Why would He take the time to mention repetitively of a concern to remain watchful and vigilant, that when we least expect it He will return? And He also liked to toss around thought provoking comments regarding what the nature of our lifestyles will be like when he does show up.

Jesus said that at the coming of the Son of Man, it will be just like the days of Noah…eating, drinking, marrying—you know, celebrating and enjoying life. Totally focused on life, nobody considering that there may be something else worth focusing on…like a God who is about to show up on the scene.

One popular message today is that God wants you to be fat with riches, living in the lap of luxury... no worries, just, “let the good times roll!” And I do not question that the Lord will provide for us, or that He definitely intends to bless us. Yet, I do have a slight problem with such teachings. Why? Because Paul warned Timothy about chasing after riches, about perilous times which are sure to come, about the “last days Christian” being a persecuted one…about being ready. And I am sure we all can agree that these are most certainly the last days of the last days.

We all know of the forerunners to His return: wars, rumors of wars, pestilences, famines, earthquakes…you know, current events! Well, it also mentions of lawlessness abounding, resulting in the love of many growing cold. That is this day in age. I mean, just look around you: ungodly lifestyles are the norm; pretty much one out of every two marriages are ending in divorce, our prisons are overflowing, a lot of congressmen and public officials are constantly being caught up in scandals, even preachers and evangelists are not exempt from such shortcomings.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”—Paul (2 Timothy 3: 1-5, NKJV).

Hey, I could go on, but you get the point: these are our times.

Good news: Jesus is on His way! Question: are we living lives of which He will approve? I don’t know about you, but when He does return, I want to be included in the crowd that is commended for my lifestyle, my treatment of others, my witness to the lost. Good works are not going to get me into the Kingdom of Heaven…entry has already been paid with the price of our Savior’s precious Blood. Yet. because of that Cost, I feel overwhelmed to display behavior that is appreciative rather than contemptuous or unthankful. Of course, just like everyone of us, I am often amazed at how I can live quite contrary to my convictions.

My friends, this is not a blog entry intended to dishearten or discourage anyone. The cry of my heart is that we recognize the times in which we live, that we recall what the Lord has done for us and asks of us; that we never become complacent and satisfied with the level of our walk; that we always aspire to have a closer relationship with our Lord; that we never forget to reach out to those who are lost, hurting, broken and confused.

“The harvest is great, 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.”—Jesus (Matthew 9:37-38, NLT).

Marnatha Lord Jesus!

You Hurt Me!

2010-09-06T10:31:00.001-05:00

All along the path of life, occurrences will inevitably arise in which we are sure to feel that we have been done an injustice. People will intentionally harm us, and we will be forced to bear the scars of the insensitivity of others. In the midst of our pain how often do we do that which comes naturally, crying out for justice?

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly we expect the Lord to forgive us for our sins, yet, when we are wronged by others, up jumps the give-me-justice reflex! Without a doubt, when we are hurt by others, be it physically or verbally, directly or indirectly, intentionally or unintentionally: it can prove difficult (and oftentimes seem quite impossible) to turn the proverbial cheek. Understanding that it is 100% natural for feelings like this to arise is totally fine; refusing to line up with Jesus’ instructions when we find ourselves in these situations is an entirely different story.

Why is it so natural to want forgiveness, yet so difficult to forgive another? I believe it has a lot to do with our focus. In the heat of a moment, we all know how easy it is to lose sight of what is most important, especially when we feel betrayed or unjustly mistreated. The natural inclination is to want justice to prevail. Remarkably, events like these are sure to follow instances in our lives in which we have done something wrong in the sight of God, for which we desperately sought forgiveness. Am I the only one who sees the irony in that line of reasoning?

It reminds me of the story Jesus told of the individual who was forgiven a great debt only when immediately following his debt removal decides to have someone indebted to him (over a small amount) cast into prison. We call that hypocrisy. News flash: in life, we will all play the role of the hypocrite at one point or another. These are not the instances which concern me the most…it is the failure to recognize and rise above these inappropriate behaviors which trouble me deeply.

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us, we also ought to love one another.”—John (1 John 3:23, NKJV)

When we look at what the Spirit of God is saying here, we must first understand that the word “propitiation” comes from a Greek word which is used only three times in the New Testament. The word actually finds its origin within the Hebrew word for mercy seat. As I am sure you are well aware, God’s mercy seat was in the holiest of holies, and it was where the blood of the sacrifices which represented all the sins of the Israelite nation was sprinkled, so as to appease the Lord for atonement for the entire nation.

Okay, I said all that to say what? God’s Spirit is telling us to pay attention: we are saved because of God’s mercy…true love has nothing to do with our loving God first, actually it has everything to do with His merciful response to our sin. As spoken by John, “as God loved us,” we are to love one another. In other words, love is not necessarily about showing affection to those who are kind and gentle with us; in this is love: when we are mistreated, when we are used and abused by others…when we see people doing things which totally go against everything we believe in—the answer is not to show harsh judgment, but to love them by extending undeserved mercy. That is love.

I didn’t say it was an easy thing to do…I cannot imagine the grave pain our Father experienced when He sent His Son to die for our sins. Certainly it is undeserved. In light of this, true love does not appear to be something that is cost free and extended with ease. At times, we will be subject to the mistreatment of others, which would naturally validate contempt and judgment…we will see the actions of others that will evoke strong emotional feelings, giving us the desire to react harshly and rashly. Brothers and sisters, when Jesus was mocked, spit upon, beaten, mistreated and crucified—as we all know, He never uttered one word of contempt or rebuke against them. Retrospectively, the cry of His heart was to pray to the Father for forgiveness and compassion on their part.

I pray that in these perilous times of the last of the last days, that we will find it within to seek out the heart of God in our daily lives…desiring God’s mercy and compassion alone for the souls of so many that hang in the balance. The souls of those lost within the deceptions of false religions, humanistic philosophies, and secular compromise; understanding the essence of what lies within each of these are the souls which God created. Those created just like you and me—fearfully and wonderfully in the likeness and image of Him—those for which He died and loves dearly.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”—Micah (Micah 6:8, NKJV).

So often we get that directive out of order: we live as one needing mercy, demand justice for all those who harm us and offend us, and expect God to cosign on our behavior. When in all actuality, God instructs us to live as one who will be judged, extend mercy to others, and humbly seek His presence in our lives. Let’s think about that.

Time to Eat…

2010-09-02T10:15:00.004-05:00

When I was growing up, our evening meals were typically spent around the dining room table with everyone present. Discussions about one another’s eventful days seasoned the atmosphere as we enjoyed the food and drink set before us. One word could adequately describe the overall experience: quality.

What is meal time like in your household? Does everyone gather around the traditional table? Or is it more like a buffet at a local restaurant: everyone grabbing what they want and rushing off to their own respective areas (watching TV, browsing the Internet, talking on the phone, playing video games, etc.)?

As I’m sure you are well aware (in reference to sustainment of life), Jesus quoted Old Testament scripture which declared that our existence doesn’t necessarily consist solely of food consumption, but nourishment of our spirituality with God’s Word, as well. With that in mind, do we rush through our spiritual meals the same as we do our natural ones? Only completing another mundane task in the midst of an otherwise busy day, because we recognize the necessity?

Remember when Jesus fed the multitude with the few fish and fragments of bread loaves? He had been ministering all day, and He recognized that the people had not even concerned themselves with the task of feeding themselves. Just as He made sure to attend to their physical and spiritual concerns, He made it a point afterwards to attend to His own. At the end of the long and wearisome event, while everyone else rushed off to cross the sea (where more demands were certainly awaiting them), Jesus went up on a mountain to fellowship with the Father. He didn’t irresponsibly set the ministry to which He was called aside, He simply recognized that the need to minister could wait for Him to recharge His spirit and spend time with His Father. If anything, He would choose to sacrifice His own comfort by missing out on valuable rest, determining that His spiritual nourishment and fellowship was of primary concern.

Throughout the day it is touch and go, most people are constantly on the run; that is understandable. Sometimes it will have to suffice that we just grab a quick bite on our way out the door. Naturally, every meal cannot be spent leisurely around a table…life simply does not permit such a luxury. That is why it is so important that we go out of our way to make the time available to spend with our families, as well as our Father. In order to do so, we may have to stay up just a little bit later, watch just a little less television, rise just a little bit earlier in the morning. Time spent with our Father should not be a last ditch effort, such as breezing through a devotional while we are distracted by the impending events of the day, or browsing through the verses highlighted in our Bibles five minutes before we turn on the alarm clock for the next morning. That is a spiritual snack, not a meal!

If anything mentioned here today hit home, let’s make a commitment to ourselves to make adjustments in these areas. Determine to quit cheating yourselves out of quality time which we so desperately need to spend with our Father. Let’s transcend the spiritual drive thru experience and take the time daily to sit down and “break bread” with our Father.

Gathering the Pieces Along the Way…

2010-08-22T12:39:00.001-05:00

Have you ever felt as if you knew for certain the Lord was speaking to your spirit, only to later second-guess the source in question as possibly your own? You know what I’m talking about…typically, it would be a directive regarding a specific area of His plan for you—usually one which will disrupt your complacency in life—it seems exciting at the time, but then later it occurs to you how much it will end up costing you. Right about then, we begin to question, “Was that God, or me?” As if we would ever intentionally require something of ourselves that would knowingly deprive us of comfort (insert “LOL” expression here). We really need to do a better job of keeping it real with ourselves!

Okay, this is going to appear totally random and off topic…but, do you like to work puzzles? My brother Jeremy is somewhat of a puzzle fanatic; the larger the puzzle, and the smaller the pieces, the better. Personally, I do not see where he gets the patience for tasks like those. Bear with me people…I’m headed somewhere with this :0) Perhaps you are more of a crosswords or word search type of person. ..or maybe you like watching game shows like Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Cash Cab, or Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Have you ever considered how much enjoyment and pleasure we gain from solving trivial challenges with our seemingly unlimited source of useful [or useless (beauty in the eye of the beholder, etc.)] information that we have gathered throughout life? It occurred to me the other day that this has to do with us being created in the likeness of God, and how much He seems to enjoy revealing just enough to keep us interested without giving away the end of the story, so to speak!

About three years ago I heard a testimony about a guy who believed God had directed him to move into an apartment in a specific US inner-city as a “missionary,” and reside there for a year. Although I didn't exactly understand why at the time, that testimony slammed into my spirit like a tidal wave against an unsuspecting shore. Last month, I felt as if God was speaking to my heart about some ministry work similar in nature. As I mentioned earlier, I began to question if I had heard correctly, diligently seeking God’s face on the matter. Then, like tumblers perfectly falling into place to open a secured lock, that testimony (which I had totally forgotten) resurfaced, presenting the idea that this might be something I could commit to for a year.

Perhaps you’ve recently encountered a situation which has left you perplexed, distraught, or injured; it maybe that you've lost a loved one, or experienced something painfully disruptive like a divorce or a child addicted to drugs. Listen, I realize it may be painful or confusing, but I would like to remind you how we tend to forget that we are unable to see the big picture: such as, the people who are going to experience similar tragedies, whom need our comfort and understanding…or the mixed up child that later opens a treatment facility or works with troubled teens.

A story involving Jesus and a blind person from birth comes to mind; the question arose whether the condition was a direct or indirect result of sin. Do you recall Jesus’ answer? He explained that it was so that God would be glorified that day…and then He healed the man. What seemed like something horrible revealed something the Lord had planned for a wonderful miracle!

With all of this in mind, I just wanted to provoke you today to consider how much of our lives are like a jigsaw puzzle. Just like each little piece appears indistinct and impossible to understand, if we simply gather the pieces and sort them by relevance…one day they will reveal a beautiful picture. So please don't be quick to toss the ones you don't like (or seem to make the least amount of sense) by the way side, as those could be the very ones which compliment and contribute the most to the overall project.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”—Paul (Ephesians 2:10-NLT)

What is Terrorism?

2010-08-15T22:27:00.002-05:00

Let me ask you a question: if I say the word "terrorist" or "terrorism," what comes to mind? Do you think 9/11, or perhaps events related to conflicts in the Middle East? Do words like Islam, Muslim or Arabic come to mind? Be honest with yourself…no one can hear your thoughts except you and God. With 2,819 lives senselessly ended during the tragic events of 9/11, by a terrorist group which claims Islam as their religion, I totally understand why this is likely amongst Americans. I am neither excusing nor condoning biased prejudice of this sort; I simply recognize where there is room in anyone’s mind for improper association of Islam and terror. So, let’s address this issue.

As in Christianity, there are various sects (denominations, if you will) within the Islamic faith. Understandably, beliefs, opinions, and views range in difference from one Islamic group to the next. You may find it astounding that not every Muslim is a fanatic expecting 72 virgins in heaven are contingent upon some suicidal terrorist act against humanity.

Did you know that prior to 9/11, the Oklahoma City bombing (killing 174, injuring over 500), was the largest terrorist attack within the borders of our nation? Now let me ask you this: had you even considered this to be an act of terrorism? Or was this just some horrible act of a crazy white American? More information: Timothy McVeigh’s religious orientation was Christian Identity. That is the religion of white separatist groups like Aryan Nations, and racist organizations like the Ku Klux Klan. Yet, when we think of these types of people, we do not think “terrorist;” most assuredly, we do not relate them to Christianity. Instead, thoughts of racism or fanaticism are sure to arise.

What makes the Christian Identity cults of Christianity so different than the Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah's of Islam? Can you see how it would be inappropriate to relate Christian Identity with our faith in Jesus? Imagine how outraged you might be if someone attributed your faith in Christ to acts of terror like the Oklahoma City bombing…now, imagine how Muslims must feel about this type of stereotyping they undergo on a daily basis.

There have been numerous terrorist acts in the name of Christianity, as in other religions. Be it, murders, assaults, and property crimes against abortion clinics, or fertilizer bombs at a federal building…case in point: a terrorist can be (and has been) “Christian,” as well as “Muslim.”

Especially since the tragic events of 9/11, distrustful hearts and suspicious eyes appear to cast judgmental stares in the direction of members of Islam as prospected associates of terrorism. Since the beginning of time, mankind has managed to find a way to look down their crooked noses at that which they do not understand or are unfamiliar with. Will we ever see a world where prejudice, hatred, and bias is eradicated? Most likely not…yet, we can choose to examine the way we think. Here is my challenge: if we see misconceptions and stereotypes which we do not like, then we take captive our thoughts and make them obedient to Christ (as His Word directs), encouraging others to do the same.

Let’s put a stop to improper association bias of Islam and terrorism.

“If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other causes for prejudice by noon.”—George Aiken

Plan for Success…

2010-08-12T11:40:00.016-05:00

Don’t you just love it when people think they can offer you the answers to life’s problems in 3, 7, or 10 “easy” steps?!? As if our lives were actually that simplistic! Let’s keep it real, we all know that is definitely not plausible. Yet, in the right perspective, tips for improving and enhancing different facets of our lives may be implemented in our already complicated agendas, so as to get some of our ducks in a row, so to speak. Can we all agree on that? Good, I was hoping you would see it my way :0)

Now, don’t you worry, I would not let you down by offering some insightful information about examining your daily schedule without introducing a few “steps” of my own! I know…I know, you can all thank me later!

On a more serious note, stop and think about your life for a minute. Is it all you hoped it would be? Are you exactly where you want to be physically, spiritually, mentally, etc.? Do you feel like there must be something you could do to make your life a little bit better, a little less stressful, or a lot more spiritual? I don’t know about you, but although I am pleased with where the Lord has brought me from, I always feel as if there is something more I can do to show Him how much I love and need Him.

As promised, here are the “tips” you have been so anxiously awaiting:

Plan 4 Success

1.   Spiritual Component: What exactly does the basis of your daily life look like? Did you know that Jesus always got up very early in the morning to spend time with the Father, Daniel set aside 3 separate times in his day for prayer, David had 7 different slots in his day set aside for specifically praising God? I am not suggesting that we need a ritualistic form of godliness that denies His power; what I am intending is that we stop and think about what sort of special private agenda we can set aside just for us and our Lord, something which consequentially transcends the norm of our “spiritual connection.”

2.   Proper Ventilation: And I’m not talking about your A/C throughout this terribly warm summer! I’m referring to the way we deal with the many stressors in life. Do you remember the old cartoons where the guy would run out to a mountaintop, pull out a jar, and yell God knows what into it until he felt better? Some hold the belief that letting it all out with an outburst of frustration, or private temper tantrum is the answer. Personally, I believe that there are more healthy ways of dealing with stress, such as: start a healthy hobby (exercising, writing a blog or journal, activities that appeal to your artistic talents), set aside some time for meditation (and I’m talking Joshua 1:8 style, not some New Age misconception), or look for different ways to minister throughout the day (Jesus found physical and spiritual regeneration while ministering in a vulnerable state to the Samaritan woman at the well).

3.   Keep it Real: This last one will be short and to the point (I promise)! Take off the plastic Christian smile—remove the facade of “I’ve got it all figured out,” or “Look what a saint I am.” Let’s face it, we are all sort of screwed up in life, it is the sick that need the Dr., and people need someone genuinely sincere to relate with, a saintly facade never helped anyone.

Wow! See how easy that was? With these three steps your life will be perfect! Well, not hardly, but as I mentioned earlier, implementing plans like this one into our daily lives will serve the purpose of helping us gain or regain, and maintain focus on what truly matters.

And remember, people need freedom, not a ritualistic set of legalistic ways to avoid enjoyment in life. We all value friends and ministers that will empathize and sympathize with us, not a spiritual Gestapo waiting to bash us over the head as soon as we make one of our inevitably stupid decisions. Amen?

Alright, now let’s go change our world for Jesus :0)

Don't You Dare Give Up!

2010-08-10T09:45:00.003-05:00

Where are you in life? Are you at a place where everything seems overwhelmingly difficult; the trials are more challenging than you can remember? Or are you at a personal high—experiencing mountain-top satisfaction; life couldn’t possibly be any better? Well, I can guarantee that regardless of the state of being which you may find yourself in, it is no great feat to empathize with the “I can’t take it anymore” feeling of wanting to give up…fold your hand…cash in your chips…laying it down for the final count. Right? Right! So, even if you aren’t crawling through the valley of the shadow of death—seriously contemplating surrender to your circumstances—there is a pretty good chance that you know someone who is…

When I was at the Dream Center, we were piling into two vehicles one day to receive a blessing from Loaves and Fishes. A particular guy that seemed to always place himself in the craziest of situations (no, not me!—but good guess, though!) made a last minute decision to attempt an unauthorized phone call before we left. Now, anyone that actually went through RDC knows exactly what I mean when I mention that we were very serious about keeping a schedule there! So, it should not amaze you when I explain that this guy was definitely about to get left behind! The vehicle that I was riding in was pulling out of the drive…the one that he was supposed to be in was fast on our heels. Needless to say, this guy came running out of the building trying to flag down the second car, to no avail. But hey, this guy did not give up; he flew out of that parking lot like Carl Owens in pursuit of a gold medal! Okay, this is bad: we all found this quite amusing…no one felt the need to stop and let him in…we simply laughed and placed meaningless bets on whether he would catch the vehicle, which was definitely not planning on cutting him any slack. Stay with me people, I am going to bring meaning to this story!

So there we were: rounding one corner…driving past the gas station, fire department, police department; looking back, we all witnessed his relentless pursuit, no signs of giving up! Then, without warning, it just happens: without any indication that he was about to give up, he didn’t slow to a jog, holding his chest…he just quits. I must say that we all definitely got a little too much satisfaction out of his personal defeat. We laughed and carried on about the incident for quite some time following. Okay, I said all that to say what? Here is where I am headed with this story: as we drove around the corner, looking back in the rearview mirror, the vehicle following us (the one he was trying to catch) nearly wrecked as it came to a screeching halt, only a few feet from another car that had backed into the middle of the street! Not 50 feet from where the guy quit his pursuit and turned to walk back to the DC, just around the corner; his opportunity for victory presented itself!

Listen up people! When you feel like quitting…when the towel is in your hand, mid swing from hitting the floor: you do not give up! When it seems like you are trying your hardest, and it is to no avail…the crowds in the streets seem to be taking personal pleasure in your humiliation and adversity: you do not give up! And when it seems like everyone else is betting against you, no one is there to encourage you, help you out, or lift you up: that’s right, you do not give up! Why? Because God has not forgotten about you…unseen events are in process, perfectly laid out to offer a solution that you could not possibly have anticipated. You may not hear it, but His powerful voice, along with an unseen host of angelic beings, are cheering in your corner…wanting and hoping for you to succeed! And where is that blessing? It is ALWAYS right around the corner. Maybe not the first one, the second one, or even the 50th one…but it is definitely right around the corner! Actually, at the very one that you would admit defeat, when it just doesn’t make sense to press on…that, my friend, is the one.

With that, I leave you with two passages of Scripture:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run your race that you may lay hold of the prize and make it yours.”—Paul (1st Corinthians 9:24-Amplified Bible)

“‘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. Then you will call to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’”—God (Jeremiah 29:11-NIV)

unknown. frog choking stork. N.d. unknown, unknown.activerain.com. Web. 10 Aug. 2010.

Maintaining the Passion...

2010-08-03T09:14:00.003-05:00

So, you’re down and out, not feeling super spiritual, and then God speaks to you; immediately you feel refreshed, full of purpose, and ready to take on the world! This continues for awhile, and then comes the distractions. As you well know, they come in all shapes, forms, sizes, and fashions. For example, you’re struggling financially, praying desperately for God’s provision—when it arrives, you’re thankful and grateful…after everything continues to go well for a significant amount of time, it seems like you lose sight of just what a blessing His provision has been to you. Or, you really need that word from God, the valley of dry bones seems to be the location of your daily walk…you need something new to do for Him—a greater purpose—then He speaks to your spirit of a new direction: you rejoice like crazy, full of fresh determination; you have a newfound passion for Him and compassion for people! The days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, and the new plans seem to remain distantly in the future, the enthusiasm and excitement tends to dissipate from the overflow of your heart.

Self-determination often stands a chance of only being as permanent as the emotional onset which stirred up the passion in the first place. I have a niece who recently brought home a Beta fish—you should have seen the excitement and enthusiasm of this child! When conditions were set that she would be responsible for feeding the fish and cleaning it’s aquarium, she agreed without a second’s contemplation, convinced within herself that she would gladly perform these duties. For the first couple weeks she approached the daily feeding ritual and weekly maintenance task with excitement and a certain passion. Open your imagination with me: can you visualize the condition of the aquarium a month after the fish came home? That’s right, for days in a row the hungry fish would swim in it’s tiny little aquarium in cloudy water that desperately needed attention. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes others would help out, but it was understood that she was ultimately responsible for the welfare of that fish.

Analogy number one: our heart is that fish tank, our dreams are that fish. When some new feeling or purpose comes along, we feed that desire with God’s Word, prayer, meditation, contemplation, and enthusiasm; when the new-car-smell of our passion wares off, we gradually decline to a minimal level of nurturing. If you can relate, you understand that like the little fish, we begin to feed our passion with less enthusiasm and frequency…like the fish bowl, our dreams and determinations become cloudy and we may forget what all the excitement was about in the first place. Like the family contribution to the situation, others may see the loss of focus and attempt to remind us exactly what we were so excited about in the first place.

Understanding that we are a people that tend to live in the moment is something that has the potential to offer us an advantage in life. A fire that is not fed will eventually be reduced to smoldering coals which will eventually go out. Although people will often encourage us and remind us of the importance of pursuing our goals—it is good to remember that King David boasted that he encouraged himself daily…people are not always going to stand in line to offer us encouragement and support. Our dreams, our visions, our goals: they are our responsibility. God reserves the right to bring them to pass, yet it is our position to remain focused. Although others may occasionally offer assistance, we have to feed our own fish and we have to clean our own fish bowl—bottom line.

Has God given you a Word of promise, direction, or revelation? Are there goals that you once labeled top priority which seem to now sit on the back-burner of your heart? Have you lost the drive, determination, and fervent passion that once consumed your every waking thought? I am preaching to the choir here, people! If so, then it is well past time to quit walking by that cloudy fish bowl of our heart and stop to take a look at the current condition. You know, time to clean out all the distractions, pour in fresh purpose, and feed our determination!

Final thought: I noticed the other day before we cleaned out the aquarium that the fish was swimming quite slow, lackluster in behavior. After the maintenance was completed, that little guy has been all over that bowl like he was hit with a little set of fish defibrillators! Why not take the time today to shock the lethargy out of your life?!?

What Did You Say?

2010-07-21T12:13:00.005-05:00

“The Lord may be initiating some new things in your life. When He tells you what His plans are, trust Him and walk closely with Him. Do not let the busyness of your present activity keep you from experiencing all that God has in store for you. You will see Him accomplish things through your life that you never dreamed were possible.” (Blackaby & Blackaby, 1997)

This is a closing excerpt from a devotional that I read two days ago. The teaching begins with this insight: “The most dramatic changes in your life will come from God’s initiative, not yours.”

Let me ask you something: are you at a place in life where you know the Lord is speaking with you about making some changes? If so, we are definitely in the same proverbial “boat!” I know God is speaking to me; it is disruptive to my ordinary plans, and exciting, all the same! Notice the quote—if it is dramatic, it could likely be something the Lord is initiating!

Which brings us to the next piece of advice: remaining close to Him. As a friend advised me the other day, hearing from the Lord is awesome, learning from Him and walking according to His guidance are beautiful aspects of the relationship we share with Him. But do you know what the best part of it all is? We get to be His friend. Not so much that He is giving us this awesome directive, or His plans for us are so remarkable—more like, it is amazing that HE loves us, walks with us, talks with us, and shares His life with us.

Throughout this journey, He is going to constantly present us with choices, some will be border-line frightening, others will be more exciting than the most epic roller coaster ride at Six Flags! However, the most important choice we will ever make presents itself before us each morning, at the moment right before we open our eyes: are we going to step out of our cozy beds into a tailspin of another demandingly chaotic day—or are we going to say, “Good morning, Daddy! I love You so much! Thank you for waking me to share this day with You!”

If our day begins with time spent with our Father, there is a good chance that we will be more prone to walk with Him and talk with Him through out the day. Then, when “Oh God” comes out of our mouth, it will stand a greater chance of being the beginning of an inquiry of His insight, rather than usage of His name in vain. Remember, Jesus rose early in the morning to spend time with our Father (Mark 1:35). And we all know that there is no greater example of behavior more profitable for one of God’s children than our Lord Jesus.

So, I leave you with this thought: Are you at a place in your life where you believe you have heard from God? Do you feel as if He is presenting you with ideas that are sure to bring significant change into your life? Don’t get me wrong, all of that is so wonderful! Yet, His biggest desire is that you will just choose to fellowship with Him and include Him throughout your daily routine. I once heard a minister say that God speaks to those who “hang out” with Him.

God shares His plans with us because He loves us; He invites us to participate with Him in His plans because He loves us. He is not looking for a bunch of robots that are so scared to miss one step in His plan for our lives that we end up missing the most important thing: Him.

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”—Jesus (John 15:15, NIV)

Blackaby, H. T., & Blackaby, R. (1997). Experiencing God Day-By-Day: A Devotional and Journal. Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group.

Which Way?

2010-07-18T12:21:00.003-05:00

Have you ever heard a Word from God –one you knew for sure that it was God speaking--and then immediately second guessed whether it was actually God doing the talking? I mean, we are His sheep, He is our Shepherd: sheep + Shepherd = sheep recognize voice of Shepherd…right? That is what the Scriptures say…so why is this so difficult?

Let me use some recent events in my life as an example. I know God has been speaking to my heart. Nothing entirely specific, I just recognize that He has been setting me up to hear from Him. What do I mean by that? Well, it feels like He is provoking my spirit to get ready to respond to instructions by piquing my interest in a particular subject matter, specifically: ministry. Anyone who knows me personally, (or at least follows this blog) understands that I not only spent six months of my life regaining focus at the Dream Center, but also worked there. And I absolutely loved it! I never felt more in place, and more content with what God was doing in and through my life than I did when I was counseling at the RDC. That is one of the main reasons why I am going to school…I want to be fully equipped in every aspect of my life to help other’s whom nobly make a decision to overcome their addictions.

Okay—no more rambling, I promise (fingers crossed)! For a few weeks now, I could tell that my interest was turning back towards working in treatment…and this did not include waiting until I finished my classes. Don’t get me wrong, I AM going to finish my classes…I am referring to what I could possibly be doing ministry-wise while I am going to school. A few weeks back, I was looking through some of my things and a pamphlet fell out from a treatment facility I considered checking into. That is what started it… All of a sudden, all I can think about is ministry. I miss it, and I want to get back involved. Can anyone relate? This is where I felt like God was setting me up, so to speak. Then, a few days later, I was talking with a friend that works at a facility I once visited, and it hits me—loud and clear—”There, Daniel.”

Which brings me to my point (didn’t think I had one, did you?!?): I know I heard from God. However, it only takes a few hours (if that), and I begin to second guess what I heard. I am sure I am the only one to ever do this, right? Then I decide, it is time to drag out the proverbial “fleece” :0) I start harassing my friends—would you pray and see if God will give you a Word for me?—no, I cannot tell you what it is about…I want to make sure it is God. And I tell myself I am simply looking for a “confirmation.” Seriously friends, what do you think—if it’s God speaking, shouldn’t we actually know that we know this? So, in comes the confirmations—“I’ll give you a plane ticket”—“read this verse”—“Follow your heart”—etc., etc… You know, we don’t necessarily have to seek confirmations…those will come as long as we are seeking God’s face. He doesn’t want us to get it wrong any more than we want to miss what He is saying.

Then, God makes it clear to me: whatever you do, wherever you go, I will be there, and I will bless you. I recall some “advice” (we talked about that last time LoL) that I recently gave a friend in a very similar predicament; my recommendation was to be at peace with the idea that God has people everywhere. He can use me here and them there, or vice-versa. However, if you receive a Jonah decree, and there is no escaping that impression of God in your heart, then you will not necessarily get any peace about avoiding a Word from God until you respond appropriately.

Sometimes we can make things so difficult for ourselves. God has a calm and gentle way about getting us ready for some change. He drops the hint in our heart and continues to water it until there is no confusion about what is growing in the center of our spirit. At that point, if we still don’t respond, He will most likely take it to the next level. You know: we make travel arrangements in the complete and opposite direction of His call, and He begins to prepare giant fishes to “persuade” us differently.

If you are seeking direction from God, don’t do like me and drive yourself crazy. Remain open to the promptings you feel, and see if they don’t grow so strongly that you cannot avoid them any longer. If they simply vanish like your thoughts of, “do I want pizza or chicken”—you can rest assured that they were nothing more than ideas. This may not have helped anyone out—but it sure clarified some things for me!

I am going to leave you all with the verse from an unsuspecting soul from which God spoke ever so clearly:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”--Joshua 1:9

I’m Here…

2010-07-15T11:02:00.005-05:00

When you experience difficulty and hardship (if you are anything like me), it is not altogether uncommon to feel as if you are all alone, somewhat forgotten, and altogether hopeless. Come on, you know what I mean: the entire world is on your shoulders; every one and every thing imaginable seems to have turned against you, the devil and all his minions has selected you as prime target # one, and it is as if there is not a soul in sight to offer you the slightest amount of encouragement, support, or assistance. Of course, at times like these the one thing that everyone does seem to be remarkably available for is their profound words of “wisdom,” and much “needed” advice. And the cool part is: you don’t even have to ask for that!

Early this morning, there I was: praying and reading my Word…you know, making an effort to be as "spiritual" as possible—and (almost on cue) God interrupted my mechanical norm with one of those, “I’ve got something to say” moments. It made such an impression on me that I decided it would be nice to share. Don’t you feel so privileged?

Allow me to set the scene for you before I actually quote the text in reference. According to my understanding (and that is not saying much), it appears that the Lord is contemplating how no one seems to do what’s right, and how He alone must bear the burden of exacting judgment upon His creation. Right about then, it actually mentions that God “wondered that there was no one to uphold.” I was curious what He intended with the word, “uphold.” Naturally, I am full of ideas, speculations, and suppositions of my own, which always seems to lead me down the wrong path if I don’t research my ideas. With that in mind (against the protest of my stubborn flesh), I decided to break out the Strongest Strong’s Concordance and attempt to grasp this word's concise meaning. Basically, it appeared to me that God was explaining that there wasn’t anyone there whom He could rely upon, or gain a sense of confidence from. In other words, people seemed to be living up to the repertoire of humanity. Way to go “us”…way to go.

I’m sorry to say that this is not the primary basis of this morning’s “epiphany.” Yes, this does mean that you must suffer a little while longer. In all actuality, the situation which God finds Himself in the middle of seems to set the scene for His next topic: His compassionate, saving grace. And boy do we stand in need! Here is the passage of Scripture that evoked this entire contemplation:

“…So He became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old.”—Isaiah 63:8-9

Okay, I’ve already said enough (go figure)…too much more from me is sure to take away from the expression of God’s Word. What I do want to point out (on the way out the door of your busy day) is that God’s Words were expressed in this order:

His answer to our hopeless state is Him becoming our Savior.
He knows exactly what we are going through…as far as He is concerned—what we go through, He goes through.
To reinforce His statement of “being there” He explains that the Angel of His Presence protects us.
He loves us, even pities us…His response is to purchase us back from our “pitiful” state.
And He tolerates us—put’s up with us—and is committed to continue His trend of “carrying” us. Seeing us through, if you will.

So, the next time you find yourself in the midst of one of your most trying situations, please try to recall that God stated, "In all your afflictions I am afflicted.”

Finally Found

2010-07-10T23:30:00.002-05:00

From a life of unhappiness lived only in strife

I heard the Lord call me from darkness to light

Though I chose not His light because I knew it would reveal

The worthless life I coveted…all the dirt and the filth

Light has no place with darkness, and pitch black I was

A puppet for the devil, which he wore like a glove

There was not a temptation of which I did not partake

Nor a bearer of His light that I chose not to hate

Many years did I wander…so lost in myself

filled with my pride—never a sincere cry for help

Then one day from the depths of my prison did I again hear

The soft, still voice of His Spirit…whispering in my ear

I was at my all lowest—heart filled with despair

The call of my Lord said, “My son, come from there!”

That call was always present; I just chose not to answer

It seems I found security in clinging to my disaster

Longsuffering and patient, He never said, "I insist!"

It was there at my all lowest that He knew I would submit

So I responded to His call and laid my life at His cross

Now Jesus is my Savior! Give Him praise! Death is Lost!

"Where Your Hopes and Dreams Become a Reality."

2010-07-07T23:20:00.040-05:00

Have you ever found yourself at a position where you realized that everything about your approach at life has been entirely wrong, thus resulting in a total mess of everything imaginable? "Screw up" is one word that would summarize majority of my life. So, I said all that to say what? Most of my life didn’t have a good day, let alone, a “best” day. Consequentially, all that took a change for the better over 2 years ago when I realized I had to find a way to get myself together. The best day of my life would also turn out to be one of my most difficult days ever.

Okay, let me rewind the clock a little bit, or you won’t be able to get a full grasp on where I’m coming from. Ever since I was a child, I have stayed in trouble, first with my parents, second with the authorities that be. I was the little kid that was smoking cigarettes and drinking by the age of 12, marijuana before that year was up, and way too cool to say anything without interjecting a mouthful of colorful metaphors. This did not set me up for a successful life. My father was a hard working man that tried his best to set a good example for me. Yet. I felt like I was rarely acknowledged for anything I did right, and always recognized the instant I did something wrong. By the time I was 12, I had my first encounter with the authorities for stealing a pair of sunglasses from a local supermarket. This was my initial bad encounter with the law that developed into a lifestyle of hardship, frustration, and incarceration. By the time I was 17, I was in jail and on my way to prison. I spent 3 yrs, 9 mos and 11 days (you'd count them too!), only to remain free for 12 days before I committed an armed robbery and was on my way to a maximum security unit; it was 4 years and 6 months before I finished paying for that mistake. If you had asked me then why I was so unhappy, I would have answered that I had been given a bad hand in life, and I was destined to face hardship and disappointment until the day I died. After being released from prison, I moved from Alabama to Galveston, TX. I was arrested shortly thereafter with 8 lbs of marijuana and spent another year locked away. I could go on singing my sad song, but basically you get the point: there were no “best” days.

After experiencing even more hardship and difficulties, I awoke one day with the realization that something had to give. My constant demeanor was angry and depressed; I was only somewhat satisfied after I had smoked a blunt or popped a pill. By the looks of the noticeable scars on my wrist (and the unseen ones deep within my heart), I could not go on like this much longer. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. I had been toying with the idea of going to a Christian six month treatment facility for some time. It was the six month part that had me held up! So I picked up the phone, and I called the Russellville Dream Center one more time:

The counselor on the phone got down to the heart of the matter. “Are you willing to commit 6 months of your life to recovery, Daniel? How much longer do you think you can go on like this?”

“I really want to”, I said, “It’s just that 6 months is such a long time!”

“What else are you going to be doing for the next 6 months other than staying high and wanting to end your life?” She had a point. “Don’t you think it would be better to quit beating around the bush and just come on in and get a head start on the rest of your life?”

A few days later, I got in the car with my mom, and basically argued with her the entire trip to the "Life Recovery School." Thank God for mom’s that put up with all our junk, in hopes of us reaching our potential. When we pulled up to the facility, I was very apprehensive. After slamming my mom’s car door, I surveyed the scene. I was at the heart of downtown Russellville. They call it “Little Mexico”, because of the large Hispanic population. It was an August day, still fairly warm for Alabama. The aroma of lunch being prepared at a neighboring taqueria brought a grumble from my stomach that reminded me I should have eaten something before I left. The food here will most likely be horrible. We waited for the traffic to lighten up so we could cross the busy street to the old yellow brick building that was obviously an old hospital of some sort, probably some 50 years ago. What the heck was I doing here? A group of girls were standing out front smoking, and I could almost hear the whispered comments about the new drug addicts’ arrival.

“Come on,” yelled my mom as she began her bustle across the street. I was not happy at all.

One of the girls held the door open as I dragged my carry on through the front entrance, only to encounter an even larger crowd in the lobby. All the new faces and the inquisitive looks did not help my ever-increasing anxiety one bit!

As I set down my luggage, a

hand reaches out to mine from the counselor on duty. “I’m so glad you decided to come, Daniel! I know you are probably a little nervous” (little?), “but I promise you this is going to be one of the best decisions you have ever made.”

Less than 2 hours later, I was tempted to just get my stuff and go, but for some reason I didn’t. I just couldn’t “keep on keeping on” anymore. Remarkably, I gave my entirety willingly over to God within the week, and my life has been advancing progressively forward ever since.

Some may feel that a best day would entail a marriage proposal, or a child being born, or striking it rich playing the lottery (as I am sure those all would validate just that). However, the best day of my life came with a decision that I did not want to make, which led to many more hard decisions encountered throughout a lengthy approach of painfully dealing with issues I would rather have left alone. Some might also think that the day of graduation from the program would more appropriately fit the bill of my best day ever, or perhaps when I returned to work as the Men’s Overseer shortly thereafter. However, the best day of my life didn’t consist of endless laughter, or a sense of accomplishment, it was a moment of utter despair which led to a sincere cry for help that was met with strong, determined, compassionately non judgmental hands. My best day ever was the day I put away my pride and sincerely reached out for help. Thank God for second chances. And where would I be without those who were determined to lend a helping hand?

Russellville Dream Center

All Else Disappears

2010-07-06T20:08:00.005-05:00

The Day is coming when all will gather 'round

The Great White Throne with joyful sound

A multitude gathers on the dawn of that Day

Filled with adoration, the assembly is called "Great"

All focus on Him who sits on the throne

He was, and He is; this day: who is to come...has come!

His radiance of glory fills all from within

As all that has life draws their existence from Him

The train of His robe cannot be contained

it flows all around us with illuminating rays

The splendor of His garments is almost too bright too bear

Our hearts skip a beat as the wind blows through His hair

The sound of His voice is as that of roaring waters

As He speaks to His children, the joy of our Father

With all of His splendor and glory divine

One single image holds this focus of mine

In the world passed away many grief’s and trials did I endure

Yet one single hope did keep my heart stirred

As I stare in wonder recalling the promise of His grace
All else disappears as I look upon His face

Do You See What I See?

2010-07-06T20:01:00.006-05:00

Why do I see things the way that I do? In regard to the countless questions I have asked myself throughout the duration of my life, I would have to say it is only over the period of the last few years that this particular one has played a role of significant self-interest. With certainty, there are several different facets of myself that comprise my identity. Of those various aspects there are two which I would like to explore in relation to how they are inclined to affect my perception process. One: I worship Jesus; and two, I am a psychology student.

My spirituality plays a major role in how I view the world and other people. In regard to the world, I often find myself puzzled when I am attentive to current events; for instance, the continuous reports of various natural disasters in relation to the weather, the alienation of decisions made within our nation from a process that once included God as a central factor, the fact that we cry for peace while en route to occupy a foreign country with military force, and the list could go on... All of these matters, hand-in-hand, keep the charge of Jesus to understand the signs of the times fresh in my mind, and are a clear indicator to me of how this present age undoubtedly comprises the “last days” that are commonly referred to in His Word. Maranatha Lord Jesus!

When it comes to people, I tend to categorize others in two ways: born again Christians and potential born again Christians. Of course, this can promote a challenge when it comes to my desire not to stereotype others, always remembering that we are all individuals of humanity, and appropriately viewing others as just that: individuals. As I recognize the diversities of those around me, I also see the similarities. When I look around, I see that there are many people struggling with areas that I once found a challenge. On top of that, I also am aware that I am not the only person going through the issues that I am currently facing; throughout all of our differences, we all seem to have common grounds that reinforce the frailties of our humanity. Although we embrace our diversity, the ways by which we respond to situations as they arise, the proper or improper treatment of those we interact with, such as when we cry out for mercy for ourselves while we expect justice for our neighbor, or how we condemn judgmental behavior in others only to find ourselves judging people ourselves…we are all so similar. Many of these issues tend to draw from my spirituality and compel me to relate with those around me, often in hope that an opportunity will arise that I might be able to extend a helpful hand. Every facet of interaction between me and another should be perceived as an opportunity to allow God’s love to flow through me. Have I perfected this…do I believe myself to be an expert on the subject of compassion? Of course not! I fall short in so many ways every single day. However, it is this level of spiritual consciousness that I continually strive to maintain.

As a psychology student, my perceptions of the world and others around me seem to enhance my faith as well. It is my role as a learner that has brought greater depth to my awareness. Now, instead of simply seeing the world and others in a particular state of existence, I am more inclined to remain inquisitive as to what has led our humanity to this state of being; and what role does the behavior, identity, perception, personality, etc., of other people (individually and collectively) play in the where, why, and how of humanity today.

Typically, I try to remain conscious of the needs and preferences of others. It is beneficial to remain attentive to what exactly someone may be saying to us when they are speaking, be it through verbal or non-verbal communication; especially since true conversation in American culture lies more in what is not said, versus what is actually spoken. Our ability to properly organize and interpret communicative information has a great deal to do with (and works hand-in-hand with) how successful we can be at properly navigating through the communication acts of others. For example, when a friend of yours is “going through” something they may prefer to be left alone, or they may actually need someone to extend some emotional support; these wants and needs may or may not be communicated verbally, non-verbally, or even properly in either sense. It is our responsibility to weigh in the facts, in regard to the other, as well as in regard to ourselves. This offers countless opportunities to apply what is taught in psychology to the nature of how God would prefer that I care for others. In the scriptures we are taught to treat others as equally, if not more important than ourselves. Contrary to popular belief, my way is not always the best way, and my ideas are not always the best ideas. My perspective take on life should not be, “Welcome to the Me-Show!” One of my favorite scriptures, 1. Th. 4:11, reminds us to mind our own business! We would do well to remain attentive of when someone desires to self-disclose and when they would prefer to be left alone If a friend that you normally self-disclose with sends off all the signals that something is troubling them, and they make it clear that they do not want to talk about it, you may actually accomplish more by simply being there for them and choose to converse on a less than delicate level. It may be that this could “break the ice” and offer an opportunity to counsel at a deeper extent. I try to respect the fact that not everyone wants to hear about God, and just because there is a void of space between my two lips does not necessarily constitute an appropriate time to discuss spiritual matters, or offer any of my “profound” words of wisdom.

While it can be improper to stereotype, I have learned that our mind automatically processes information through various scripts and schematics. We all would do well to recognize these truths and adjust our perceptions accordingly. If we spend the entirety of our lives on auto pilot, relying on the subconscious trend to categorize people, things, events, etc., then we will most certainly experience several missed opportunities to appreciate the intricacies of this life: people, places, events, and situations included. As a Christian, I am simply taught not to judge. Although, it is okay to make a judgment about something, we have to be careful to differentiate between what is acceptable and unacceptable, remaining watchful that we do not cross the line into unconstructive criticism and inappropriate comparisons between ourselves and others. God teaches us that regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, social status, etc., we are not to show preference in a biased state. Consequentially, I am taught that Jesus is the only way to God; that in itself is a bias that I agree with wholeheartedly (of which I make no apologies) and am compelled to teach and share with others.

I am glad I have come to a point in life where I feel it is necessary to question what it is about me that causes me to perceive things in the way that I do. Without a doubt, the better we understand ourselves, the greater advantage we will have at truly grasping the intricate details of our own identities; in turn, this may enhance the abilities God has given us to help those around us.

Is This Really Necessary?

2010-07-04T23:46:00.013-05:00

Have you ever taken the time to read the back of your shampoo bottle? Obviously, there’s not exactly a whole lot to the shampooing process: 1. Wash, 2. Rinse, 3. Repeat…right? Well, instructions have slightly changed since the last time I had an abundance of spare time on my hands, along with a lack of thrilling events in my life (which led me to read the back of one of those bottles in the first place). It has recently caught my attention that the typically easy-to-follow instructions on the backs of these bottles have definitely become extremely indistinct.

Okay, allow me to get directly to the point here…there I was: water cascading down upon me, my Axe Primed Just Clean Shampoo bottle in my right hand, left hand palm up in anticipation of my desired dosage of soap for the scalp, and all of a sudden I lost focus on the project at hand as the usage instructions captured my attention. What exactly was it that captivated my mind? Well, it definitely had nothing to do with the sketch indicating that there should be two women accompanying me on this venture (lie). So, here is what I read: “Get Girl Approved Hair. Directions: Wash, Attract, Repeat (Unilever, 2008).”

Now, let me ask you something—what do you think—aren’t those instructions just a tad vague? I mean seriously, how much shampoo am I supposed to use…how do I go about attracting a girl (does it happen instantaneously following the shampooing process)…what exactly am I supposed to repeat—the washing or attracting process—huh? So, you can see my dilemma unfold; and how even the most professional of shampooers could be easily misled or confused!

Without a doubt, these instructions are not only misleading, but extremely unnecessary and inappropriate. At no time during (or after) the shampooing process did two women magically appear in my shower. And as for attracting girls, I find I still have to resort to the same tactics and approaches I typically engaged in prior to my experience with Axe products. And to top it off, I simply do not see the need to include innuendos in reference to promiscuity and a blatant appeal to sexism within the product’s directions.

Having said all that, if I were to prepare a label for this product which would be more informative (and appropriate) for usage…well, it would go something like this:

Directions for Washing Your Hair

(attracting a girl is your own responsibility):

Apply a generous portion of shampoo to hair.
Wash thoroughly and vigorously, stimulating the scalp.
Rinse hair extensively.
If necessary, repeat all steps.

In conclusion, if companies (such as Axe) feel it is necessary to waste time and money printing labels on their products like this—which are typically unnecessary and inappropriate—why not take the time and effort to indicate exactly how one would go about the entire process? You know…just in case there is that one, lone soul out there that is old enough to read and still does not know how to wash his/her own hair.

Unilever. (2008). [Advertisement]. Trumbull, CT: Product Label.

Autobio

2010-07-01T16:31:00.010-05:00

My name is Daniel Paul Jensen. At the age of 34 years old, I have finally arrived at the conclusion of what I want to be when I grow up! Having made it to the twelfth grade only to pass by my opportunity to graduate; I returned to the classroom the following year to ace my G.E.D exam. Full of "good intentions", I completed a FAFSA application and never so much as logged back on to the web site again to discover the results. Discovering I possessed the ability to paint, I entered the world of "trades" and blue collared my way to a mediocre lifestyle of "I wish I had furthered my education." Day in and day out, painting at hospitals, banks, churches, schools...I began to regard my own existence as a person on the outside looking in on exciting lives that appeared to transcend my reality of "barely getting by" into an exciting out of reach world of "making a difference". This has brought me to my decision to pursue a degree.

I feel as if I have taken so much from society. So many times in my life have others extended assistance to me in one form or another. It is long overdue for me to return the favor. I want to help people. Beyond the burden of my desire to do so, I realize it is necessary for me to be able to understand those I am helping. With that in mind, it became quite apparent to me that a Bachelors’ of Arts in Psychology is the choice education concentration for me.

My parents have been "happily" married for thirty six years. In Spokane, Washington, on September 15th, 1975, I was the second born of four children. I was raised in northern California until we moved to Alabama when I was 16 years old. My parents owned a guest home for the elderly and my mother taught preschool at a Christian school. At a young age I was fairly certain I had everything figured out and ignored most instructions and attempts to lead me in the right direction. I always did what I considered to be “cool” or exciting, which kept me in and out of trouble most of my life...in and out of juvenile institutions, and over 9 years spent in prison. My father is retired, and my mother works in sales at a local department store. My sister home schools her four children and works with the youth at her church. My younger brother is superintendent at an industrial plant making approximately $60K/year where he started off at $6/hr. My youngest brother is a combat veteran of the Army in the struggle against terrorism, now injured and drawing permanent disability. I am a man that has been broken in numerous ways; I am prepared to take what I've experienced in life, reinforce it with an education, and make a difference in the lives of as many people as possible.

A few years back, I survived a difficult relationship full of heartache, drug abuse and disappointment. I found comfort and rehabilitation in a Christian six month residential treatment facility (The Russellville Dream Center). At a time in my life when I questioned the purpose of the reason for my existence, I was accepted by others who had experienced similar difficulties and struggles. My broken life was bandaged up, no judgment passed. Extended to me with the gentlest (and sometimes not the gentlest) of hands were the tools and the counsel on how to pick up the pieces and find true purpose, meaning and peace in my life! It was during this time that I recognized my desire to be able to help others in the self same way that I found new life for myself. I returned to the facility where I received my help and volunteered a period of my life in dedication of this cause.

This is where I find myself: I am overwhelmed with this new chance at a fresh approach at life. I have arrived at the realization that coupling an education in psychology with my life experiences will properly equip me with the ability to make the difference for which I was created. Substance abuse counseling will be the field in which I will choose to bring these desires and burdens into reality. And without God, my family, and the loved ones that have committed themselves to stand by my side and lend me their support, I do not believe I would be where I am today, with the purpose and determination that I now possess. To each and every one that has stood by my side, "Thank you."