Why?

Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. (1 Timothy 4:7-10 NLT)

Why? That's usually what runs through my mind when I start back in an exercise routine. Before the actual start date, I am talking myself into it with all the whys in the world, but once I start I seem to lose focus and forget them all.

The light and momentary situation becomes so real, so big, so hard, so fast.

After that, the struggle.  I remember the reasons but the pain and circumstances, the waves of lightheaded exhaustion and the demands or mistakes of fellow strugglers overshadow me. My mind is in a constant battle of perspective. 

I can't distinguish this description now from exercise and life at times, until I read this scripture. Life is more important, specifically the holy life that God requires is more important than anything, including my own sustainable health. Not to minimize other things, but to understand that these moments in life that seem so hidden, the thoughts that remain unsaid, these duties that seem insignificant, these decisions that affect no one but our attitude, well they are paramount. These are the building blocks of true life and godliness. 

So I continue to struggle through things that devastate my heart. Circumstances that I can not change. Losses that I can't redeem, actions I can't erase.

Until the moment that I catch my breathe.

Remembering that "these light and momentary struggles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." ( 2 Corinthians 4:17)

Remembering where my hope comes from. 

Remembering my Lord, my Father, my Savior, my Friend.

He will never leave me, nor forsake me. He sees every tear, He knows my every thought, He loves me with an everlasting love, He is for me and not against me, though my father and mother forsake me, my God, He never will. He is faithful, He is true. 

Also He is no respecter of persons, so that means, He will do the same for you. Don't give up. Training is underway. There is no way you can fail, so throw your all on God.

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

Psalm 90:17

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Hope is Shining Bright

Saturday I went to the Smithsonian. I saw hope. The Hope Diamond to be more specific...

This picture is a poor picture. It's brilliance was beautiful and blue. It's history was interesting. It was admired and photographed. It is a rock.

It was hope for me because it reminded me of my HOPE!

Now I see but a poor reflection as in a mirror, eventually I will see face to face. (1 Corinthians 13)

My Jesus, He's beautiful! He's brilliant! He is My Rock, My Stabilizer, my Salvation, my Anchor!

Father, adorn my neck, my life with the Aroma of Christ.

James 3;18,

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Whittle

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

Could it be that we spend our journey with God trusting His whittling more and more until we delight in it... What does it mean to be fully formed in Him?

Maybe one right answer is to realize the "a" Hope and "a" future He has consist of many plans, but only one hope and one future, HIM!

He is my HOPE! He is my FUTURE!

James 3:18,

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See Jesus in the Church

⁴³ After spending two days in Samaria, Jesus left for Galilee. ⁴⁴ Jesus had said that a prophet is not honored in his own country. ⁴⁵ But when Jesus arrived in Galilee, the people of Galilee welcomed him. They had seen everything he had done at the festival in Jerusalem, since they, too, had attended the festival. John 4:43-45

John set the scene telling about one of the miracles of Jesus. Jesus heals the son of an official from Capernaum. It is easy to skip over the setting or attitude. Jesus had just traveled to Jerusalem for a festival along with others from His hometown. The result was increased faith. At the end of this miracle, John 4:54 states, "This was the second miracle that Jesus performed after he had come back from Judea to Galilee." Faith was on the rise. What changed? 

The hometown people saw Him in a larger context. They saw Him in the reflection of other believers who knew Him from a different perspective than they did. 

When I read this passage, my heart leaps for the international and district assemblies of my denomination(one of many who make up Christ's Church. I love watching people who show up from our local congregation for the first time at district assembly. Their vision of who Jesus is and what He is doing in the CHURCH is greatly increases. With such a perspective shift from that glimpse, our faith, our hope, our love for Christ, God's people and the world increases. 

My prayer is that in my local church, the announcement to become a local representative at district assembly will not fall on deaf ears...for their sake and perspective, for the district's sake and enrichment, and for Christ's sake and His Kingdom. 

Step up Church, let's lean in and allow Christ to give us His eyes in a deeper way!

James 3:18,

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Hope and Grace

Our lifegroup met last night to begin a new study on Relationshipping. I know... not a word, but if any other word would have been used there would be stereotypes and preconceived ideas. While I would love to tell you all that we talked about - it was good - let's skip to the end.

Two questions were given

1. Whom don't you like?

2. Whom does Jesus excuse you from loving?

Obviously the answers are easy, but when asked together one answer or the other become sheepish. Amazing how quickly questions start you thinking. I had no problem listing a few EGR's in my life. EGR- Extra Grace Required. I also know there are plenty of people who consider me an EGR.

 The main thought I kept thinking is how to do we maintain this love relationshipping attitude toward all others as Jesus commands. 1 Peter 4:8 passes along the command repeated everywhere in the New Testament, "Above all, love each other deeply"

Hope, Grace, and Peace are all I have. 

Hope - filled with the knowledge that God is as work through me and sometimes in spite of me.

Grace - that knows I know nothing and my perspective is dim, so I trust in my Omniscient Father to meet all needs or expectations I have

Peace - Freedom from expectation and excuses, but guided by God, by Love.

James 3:18,
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Faith and Hope

²⁹ “I can guarantee that I won’t drink this wine again until that day when I drink new wine with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:29

A mural near my daddy's grave in South Carolina shows The Lord's Supper. While those around the table saw this as goodbye and it began three days of uncertainty and doubt, this has become a time of hope and faith for us who believe. Hope of a day that will bring us all around the table again, and faith that we can trust God with everything until that day. We trust him with those who have gone before us, those that are with us now and especially our children. God is faithful. He always has been faithful...to me, to my father, to my papa, and to my papa Bryant and that is just one family line. God is faithful throughout all generations. 

Today is Epiphany or Three Kings Day. One of the earliest feasts celebrated by Christians. We celebrate the manifestation of God. Jesus came in human flesh, and now He lives in us. He is our Hope and Peace that assures our faith. May Your Kingdom Come Lord Jesus.

God is faithful, let us faithfully seek Him in all things!

A song I can remember my dad singing as he led worships many years ago called "Come and Dine" holds a precious verse...

 The disciples came to land,

Thus obeying Christ’s command,
For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;
There they found their heart’s desire,
Bread and fish upon the fire;
Thus He satisfies the hungry every time.

James 3:18,

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Mystery of God's Wisdom

We speak about the mystery of God’s wisdom. It is a wisdom that has been hidden, which God had planned for our glory before the world began. But as Scripture says: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.” God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, especially the deep things of God. “Who has known the mind of the Lord so that he can teach him?” However, we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:7, 9, 10, 16 GW)

 We have the Spirit of God living in us. As we walk through this life, we have a choice to either give Him absolute sway and allow Him to have say in our words, our actions, even our reactions or we can choose to listen to our feelings, our past, or others.

God didn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment. 2 Timothy 1:7

This is how we should live Holiness and Hope ...

Present Day Holiness - Our Christian walk is not an endless climbing up a hill of obedience to reach the checkpoints of holiness along the way, but rather a moment by moment yield to Him who is Holy in all that He does. If we are attentive to His Voice, then the Spirit of God(the Mind of Christ) is actively having His Way. 

Future Hope - I heard a message recently about being on The Verge. The preacher was talking about the moments before deliverance or before a miracle. I could not help thinking of riding a wave...when you are on the top of the wave if you close your eyes you do not realize what is about to happen, but the most exciting part of being on the top of the way is the anticipation and hope of the ride once the wave breaks. 


I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11

James 4:14,
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It's Hereditary...

Someone asked me a question since my dad's recent heart operation. "Is this hereditary?" I really do not know, but it did get me thinking. I then had a conversation with my older brother about his father, who also had some heart problems at one time. We talked a bit about needing to be proactive in knowing if there was anything that ran in the family.

It got me thinking though, as we talked about family life and what is passed down to our daughters. My spiritual health is also somewhat hereditary. How I respond to life, how I love, how I show compassion, how I live.

Philippians 2:14-18 "Do everything without complaining or arguing. Then you will be innocent and without any wrong. You will be God's children without fault. But you are living with crooked and mean people all around you, among whom you shine like stars in the dark world. You offer teaching that gives life. So when Christ comes again, I can be happy because my work was not wasted. I ran the race and won.

"Your faith makes you offer your lives as a sacrifice in serving God. If I have to offer my own blood with your sacrifice, I will be happy and full of joy with all of you. You also should be happy and full of joy with me."

Do you hear the generational sacrifice in this passage. Paul is talking to the believers in Philippi, but I might as well be talking to my daughter. I know that my faith is what makes me serve, but it is the love of God within me for others, especially those closest to me that would cause me to offer blood on top of it.

Am I healthy? Spiritually? Am I doing all that I can to pass along faith and not fear, action and not complacency; hope and not despair, encouragement and not discouragement; love and not apathy, obedience and not idolatry. "And now these three remain: Faith, Hope and Love, but the greatest of these is Love." I Co. 13

James 4:14,
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