Tues, 28-Feb-2012 -- Making the Most of Your Time

As I've shared in the past, Skillet is one of my favorite groups.  This is one of the top songs on Air1 right now but their awake album has been out for quite some time.  They have so many good songs.

Today I was listening to Air1 and every time I hear about what is happening in terms of them reaching out to others, especially to those with Cleft Palates in Afghanistan.  I couldn't help but cry as I hear about all the people who donated to help make this possible for these people.  Collectively each making a difference.  Some knit caps and other garmets for someone else for Mike to take over to Afghanistan.  To these people, they made a huge difference in their lives.
 
As I listen to this song, time passes by at the same rate.  Some people waste their time doing trivial things that impact no one, rather everything is ME focused.  Others serve others and give unselfishly.  It's totally amazing and incredible.
 
We cannot control other people, only what we do.  Even if all you can do, let's say you're homebound, is to pray for someone, to encourage them.  It's a huge deal.
 
There are sacrifices that I and others are making for my kids right now and though it may seem crazy, I have these moments of their growing up years and I don't want to pass them by.  Somehow, God will equip (and He has) me to do this and still provide for my kids & I.  I don't regret for a moment all the time with my kids.  God has blessed me beyond measure.

Mon, 20-Feb-2012 -- Flawed

Flaws, a photo by PegaPPP on Flickr.

I have been lately thinking about how flawed every single person on this earth is. There is no one that does not have a massive amount of flaws. Some seem to hide it better than others. Some flaunt their flaws. Others live in denial or avoidance.

For a long time, I was all those at various times in my life. But, I'm learning to deal with those flaws in constructive and productive ways. Still a long way to go and there is even grace for those who live in avoidance or in places where I used to be.

However, something I have learned lately more and more is that when we attempt to conquer and get beyond these flaws without God's Divine Intervention, at best, we get somewhere to really end up nowhere.

Honestly, I cannot fix myself. Through so much, God has given me a heart that seems to learn to be in continual repentence and with repentence, which is not only acknowledging what we are doing is wrong and asking for forgiveness, but it's releasing it and allowing/stepping out in faith to allow God to change me.

How would this all be done without God? I have not a clue, because I don't think I could truly repent and that my life would change without Jesus Christ.

As my time on this earth marches on, as I live a repentent life before Christ, it changes.

Another thing I'm learning is that I cannot change anyone or really help someone who doesn't want to be helped. The truth is, I can't change anyone even if they want to change. It's the power of Jesus Christ that can change you, not me.

I can want, desire, wish, whatever you call it, but unless there is submission to Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, and that once He is, that you give up control of your life so that He can be Lord of it, you won't change in the end.

Sometimes some people's flaws are such a great contrast to mine, that I do have to remove myself from the situation and/or person, or find myself caught in their flaws and not living my life as Christ would have me, fulfilling my destiny.

God bless you.

Thurs, 9-Feb-2012 -- Three Feet From Gold

Gold ingots, a photo by Buy Silver Gold on Flickr.

I heard a story awhile back about these gold miners that kept digging for gold in California back during the Gold Rush days and never struck gold. They gave up and what they didn't realize was that they were 3' from hitting a tremendous gold vein that would've made them incredibly rich. They gave up.

How often do we give up on things that are important because things don't turn out the way we plan, or we run into a lot of detours, roadblocks? It's down right frustrating and aggravating.

When Adam & Eve got kicked out of the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis in the Bible, one of the things God said was that man would have to work really hard, and it would be grueling.

As I look back at certain areas of my life, I think about how hard, yes, how hard, I worked at so many things in my life. No one could say that I did not have heart and passion. And, yet, often I would fail and get back up again and again.

Certainly failing so many times was not in my plan. It seemed like very little came easy to me, but God kept revealing Himself throughout my life to show that I was gifted in many things, but they were not the things that were outwardly as pinpointed.

God gave me heart & passion, a persevering attitude. The past few years, I've been hit with tremendous blows to my life, which sent me reeling and spinning, knocked to the ground not knowing if I could get up again. Actually, I couldn't.

Jehovah-Jireh (the Lord my Provider) came to my rescue, and He brought troops, many people to come to my side to help me back up. There was no strength to stand up, so God has to be my legs.

A couple weeks, I got dealt a blow that I didn't think I could recover. Yet ANOTHER thing! How much can a person take? God needed my undivided attention and expediency to listen to Him, to take action.

I just prayed and cried out to my God. I don't know what to do! Help! God began whispering a few words here and there, and I immediately obeyed.

Two weeks later, I'm so excited. Maybe all those years of hard work and not seeming to get anywhere, now is being accelerated to overcome a bad situation with unsurpassing Divine quickness. I'm truly floored and praise my God!

For the past 2 yrs, I have been just 3' from Gold and didn't know it. This specific journey I'm referring to isn't over and I have a ways to go, but what I've seen in the past 2 weeks I was not able to accomplish on my own in the past 25 yrs.

What can God do to a person wholly submitted to Him? More than I could ever imagine or do on my own. I need Him for every step of my life, every breath.

My God is the most extraordinary ever. He is the Great I AM! He is my all sufficiency.

Everyday Phrases Derived From The Bible

The following is taken directly from the site:  The Phrase Finder.  I suggest going to the site as it gives links for each of these phrases and the Bible reference.  Very interesting.  I think every adult uses at least some of these phrases in their lives regardless of their religion or beliefs.

Another source I found that has a lot is:  Squidoo

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush


A broken heart

KJV, Psalms 34:18 - The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

A cross to bear

KJV, Luke 14:27 - And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

A drop in the bucket


A fly in the ointment


A graven image

KJV, Deuteronomy 5:8 - Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth.

A house divided against itself cannot stand


A labour of love


A law unto themselves

KJV, Romans 2:14 - For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.

A leopard cannot change its spots


A man after his own heart


A multitude of sins


A nest of vipers


A peace offering

KJV, Leviticus 3:6 - And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

A sign of the times

KJV, Matthew 16:3 - And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

A soft answer turns away wrath

KJV, Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

A thorn in the flesh


A two-edged sword

KJV, Proverbs 5:4 - But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

A voice crying in the wilderness

KJV John 1:23 - He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

A wolf in sheep's clothing


All things must pass


All things to all men


Am I my brother's keeper?


An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth


As old as Methuselah


As old as the hills


As white as snow


As you sow so shall you reap


Ashes to ashes dust to dust


At his wits end


Baptism of fire

KJV, Matthew 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

Be fruitful and multiply

KJV, Genesis 1:22 - And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

Beat swords into ploughshares


Bite the dust


Blessed are the peacemakers


Born again

KJV, John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Breath of life

KJV, Genesis 2:7 - And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

By the skin of your teeth


By the sweat of your brow

KJV, Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Can a leopard change its spots?


Cast bread upon the waters

KJV, Ecclesiastes 11:1 - Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.

Cast the first stone


Coat of many colours


Don't cast your pearls before swine


Dust to dust

KJV, Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Eat drink and be merry


Eye to eye

KJV, Isaiah 52:8 - Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

Faith will move mountains


Fall from grace


Fat of the land

KJV, Genesis 45:18 - And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

Feet of clay

KJV, Daniel 2: 31-33 - His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

Fight the good fight


Fire and brimstone

KJV, Genesis 19: 24-26 - Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.

Flesh and blood


For everything there is a season


Forbidden fruit


Forgive them for they know not what they do


From strength to strength


Get thee behind me Satan

Gird your loins

KJV, 1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Give up the ghost


Go the extra mile

KJV, Matthew 5:41 - And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Good Samaritan


Harden your heart

KJV, Exodus 4:21 - And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword

KJV, Matthew 26:52 - Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Heart's desire

KJV, Psalms 21:2 - Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

Holier than thou

KJV, Isaiah 65:5 - Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

How are the mighty fallen


In the beginning was the word


In the twinkling of an eye


It's better to give than to receive


Labour of love


Lamb to the slaughter


Land of Nod


Law unto themselves


KJV, Romans 2:14 - For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves.

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone


Let not the sun go down on your wrath


Let there be light


Letter of the law

KJV, 2 Corinthians 3:6 - Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Living off the fat of the land


Love of money is the root of all evil


Love thy neighbour as thyself


Man does not live by bread alone

KJV, Deuteronomy 8:3 - And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

Manna from Heaven

KJV, Exodus 16:15 - And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.

Many are called but few are chosen


My cup runneth over


My heart's desire

KJV, Psalms 21:2 - Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah.

No rest for the wicked


Nothing new under the sun

KJV, Ecclesiastes 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

O ye, of little faith


Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings


Patience of Job

KJV, James 5:11 - Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Peace offering

KJV, Leviticus 3:6 - And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

Pearls before swine


Physician heal thyself


Pride goes before a fall


KJV, Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Put words in one's mouth

KJV, II Samuel 14:3 - And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.


Put your house in order

KJV, II Kings 20:1 - In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

Red sky at night; shepherds' delight


Reap the whirlwind

KJV, Hosea 8:7 - For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
See eye to eye

KJV, Isaiah 52:8 - Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.

Set your teeth on edge

KJV, Jeremiah 31:30 - But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Sign of the times

KJV, Matthew 16:3 - And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

Skin of your teeth


Soft answer turns away wrath

KJV, Proverbs 15:1 - A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

Sour grapes

KJV, Jeremiah 31:30 - But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

Spare the rod and spoil the child


Strait and narrow


Sufficient unto the day

KJV, Matthew 6:34 - Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Sweat of your brow

KJV, Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Swords into ploughshares


Tender mercies

KJV, Psalms 25:6 - Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

The apple of his eye


The blind leading the blind


The bread of life


The breath of life


KJV, Genesis 2:7 - And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The ends of the earth


The fat of the land

KJV, Genesis 45:18 - And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.

The fly in the ointment


The fruits of your loins


The land of Nod


The letter of the law

KJV, 2 Corinthians 3:6 - Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

The love of money is the root of all evil


The patience of Job

KJV, James 5:11 - Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

The powers that be


The root of the matter


The salt of the earth


The skin of your teeth


The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak


The strait and narrow


The sweat of your brow

KJV, Genesis 3:19 - In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

The wages of sin is death


The way of all flesh

KJV, Genesis 6:12 - And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

The wisdom of Solomon

KJV, Luke 11:31 - The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

The writing is on the wall


There's nothing new under the sun

KJV, Ecclesiastes 1:9 - The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Thorn in the flesh


Thou shalt not kill


Three score and ten


To everything there is a season


Wash your hands of the matter

KJV, Matthew 27:24 - When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Way of all flesh

KJV, Genesis 6:12 - And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

What God has joined together let no man put asunder


Weighed in the balance

KJV, Job 31:6 - Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.

White as snow


Wheels within wheels

KJV, Ezekiel 1:16 - The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.

Wisdom of Solomon

KJV, Luke 11:31 - The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

Woe is me


Wolf in sheep's clothing


Writing is on the wall


You reap what you sow

Wed, 1-Feb-2011 -- Commitment

Commitment, a photo by eschipul on Flickr.

Usually when I see the word commitment, people think of getting married. Although that is an interesting subject to talk about, that won't be the point at all for this blog entry.

As I embark on a new journey in a different light with different motivation, I'm finding commitment to be far less daunting than what I originally perceived. What I literally was challenged with all of sudden doesn't seem that challenging.

Yes, it's still sometimes a challenge to follow-through with things, but when you reassess your motivation, and if you're motivated not by fear, rather by love, committing is far easier. God is love.

I presented last week the challenge that was before me to God and frankly, I was incredibly down and discouraged. My multiple failures for over 2 decades was before me and I in it of myself, had no strength to get back up and try ONE MORE TIME.

In a desperate plea to God, I asked Him to intervene and help me. God, in His tender loving care whispered the name of someone, then another person. Thankfully when I called each person, both answered and helped me step into the right direction, providing me with hope that I could get back up ONE MORE TIME.

LH gave me one thing to do and I got on it immediately, though, it was wrought with challenges the simple thing she said to do. LC encouraged me with what was happening on her end, which gave me a hope, as that situation was worse than mine.

As I sought God, He gave me the energy and whispered other things in my ear to do, simple things. Procrastination was not an option. Time was of necessity.

I committed that I would see this through and give it my very best, which did not mean doing it by myself, but relying on God's direction, help from other people. God has moved on the hearts of other people to help, not many, but they are helping.

Things that had beset me, things I could not overcome in the past, so far, nearly a week into this, seem to not be an issue. All the excuses, procrastination, etc., dropping to the side and kicked into the ditch (hopefully permanently).

I have not been able to commit to this level before without constant challenges that kept tripping me up. God seems to have parted the Red Sea for me here to show me that He is truly for me.

Of course, God is ALWAYS good and He is truly for me. God is good regardless of what I do.

When you commit to something, anything, be focused and go for it. I still have a lot to learn. Through all this, I will need to heavily lean on God in every aspect, as I'm sure there will be times when my commitment will wane.
I look forward to the Compound Effect that results from commitment with God & I walking together over the days, weeks, months, and years to come to accomplish what I can never do alone.

Eyes on God - Focus - Commit!