My Right Now Moments

Psalm 90:12 says, "Teach us the brevity of life so we may grow in wisdom" (NIV)
I want to fully grasp this...to live everyday fully...to be "anxious for nothing" (Philippians 4:6)...to waste no time worrying about tomorrow or regretting yesterday. Those things drain power from my "right now moment". 

I must to teach my mind to react...to reflex... into thoughts like those mentioned in Philippians 4:8 "Think on these things...whatever is true...noble...right...pure...lovely...admirable....praiseworthy". Those thoughts bring power, peace, and contentment to my "right now" and they add those things to the "right now moment" of those around me.

By intentionally setting my mind to "think on these things" I will be able to quickly recognize when my mind has drifted into areas that rob me of the power, purpose, goodness, and blessing that my "right now moment" may have for me.

Since, in the scope of all eternity, my moments are few, then my opportunities for maximizing the gift of each one is also few. God gave me these moments with intention. They are filled with purpose.

I want Him to remind me everyday of this "brevity of life" so that I can grow in His wisdom.

Discovering God...Again

While sitting on my deck that overlooked the Teche Bayou in Louisiana, I was talking to God and prayed a prayer that has led to many changes in my views of life.  I had been having trouble sleeping as I was thinking through where I was in life. Many things were disturbing me. I didn’t like where I was and wasn’t sure where I was headed. My wife and I were separated and I lived too far from my daughters. Spiritually something was amiss. Peace would come then disappear. I had been working many hours on a project that consumed me. It was very successful but completely unacknowledged. All this seemed to just hang there as I sat staring at the water.

I prayed a prayer that night that I believe altered my course. It went like this: “God I do not want a revival. I can’t think of anything I would want revived. I don’t want restoration. I want to know you and experience you in a way I have never known. I want to read the Bible and see what I think you are saying without being influenced by what I have been told you were saying. I do not want to imagine that I might be hearing your voice or your direction. I don’t want to go by any old or familiar feelings. They have proven to be unreliable. I want to experience you exactly as you desire to be experienced. I want this as fully as a human being is capable. I want real companionship with you. A companionship that is unlike anything I have ever experienced.”

I never could have imagined where that way of thinking would lead me Many times I have been more than a little frightened by the radical new thoughts and ideas that have been presented for my consideration. Well, radical for me anyway. I was shaken to discover that only now in my life I have begun to see areas in my belief system that have gone unexamined

I see things in the Bible I have never seen. When I read the stories and am able to remove views from my own religious teachings, I begin to see some drastic differences in what I was taught and what I now believe is being said. I find this both frightening and enlightening at the same time.

I have new questions now. I have new insights. I now see more evidence of God in the world. Nothing has changed except a few shifts in perspective. It has been like removing a blindfold. 2011 is going to be a great year!

Why Am I Here

"You're here to be light, bringing out the God colors in the world."
                                                                 Jesus (Matt.5 The Message)
 One morning while reading I came across this verse...it's impact lingers. I love color and I imagine God colors to be most brilliant, with distinct individuality and yet with an imperceptible ease they blend into each other...the perfect rainbow. I can see them being poured from the sky and spilling out all over the earth...entering our hearts and flowing out to others. Jesus said that the reason I am here is to be light...a reflection of God to all I meet...to release the vibrant and living "God colors" that He shares with me. His desire is that I be a light which is easily seen and blend with that same imperceptible ease into the beautiful lives around me. Together we paint a colorful and enticing portrait of God in all His beauty and power and grace. 

Wise Sayings of Solomon

Sunday- I am finishing up Ecclesiastes today using Eugene Peterson's The Message...its been an interesting week as I am hearing Solomon in a brand new way...I was always told he was old at this time and because of his wives who worshipped other Gods he had drifted from the truth...that's not what I was hearing as I read it this time. What I am hearing is the wisdom of a man that has lived life as fully as he possibly could. He poses honest responses to things that most of us have questioned ourselves. Its odd to me how we have so selectively quoted Solomon from this book...why don't we do that with the other books? Check this out. These passages are only a few verses apart...one will be familiar to you...I betting you have never heard the other one...

"The race is not always to the swift
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor satisfaction to the wise, Nor riches to the smart,
Nor grace to the learned,
Sooner or later bad luck hits us all." Ecc 9:11ff


This second one actually came right before the one you just read.
"Seize Life! Eat bread with gusto, Drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes-God takes pleasure in your pleasure!Dress festively every morning. Don't skimp on colors and scarves. Relish life with the spouse you love each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is a gift. Its all you get in exchange for the hard work of staying alive. Make the most of each one! Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily! this is your last and only chance at it,..." Ecc 9:7ff

I can sure see some folks I know picking and choosing what they take out of that passage.

I've listed a few other things Solomon suggest...look them up and read them in context. There is a lot to consider here. I have come to realize that so much of what I believe is not even in the Bible. Much of my life has been based on what I was told the Bible was saying...not what the Bible was saying.

"The best you can do with your life is have a good time and get by the best you can" Ecc 2:24

"I've decided that there's nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That's it—eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It's God's gift." Ecc 3:9