Grip on the Foot

He will not let your foot slip -- he who watches over you will not slumber; ....
Psalm 121:3


It is a good thing God keeps track of me while I sleep since I do not do a great job when I am awake! I still remember when Rick, Lauren, Caitlin and Jenna were young. I would walk quietly in and watch them sleep. Sometimes it was to check on them when they were sick. Sometimes it was to just sit and pray for them, joining the Lord as he watched over them while they slept. God is not a shift worker. He is 24 x 7 watching over me to the point where he will not let me foot slip. This could be a physical , emotional, or spiritual slips.


God is there for me.


Each day as I awake from sleep, I pray that you my soul will safely keep. May I live within your care, always knowing you are there. Thank you for your grace and love, and for Jesus now above, who shares with you my every care, and intercedes for me in prayer every day and night on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Wait With Confidence James 5:7-8

"…See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm…"
(James 5:7-8, NIV)...



Still on the planting kick thanks to Shaun. I am getting ready to plant a vegetable garden. I haven't grown one for a few years. So, I am studying what I need to do and a friend and I are going to plant the garden together.


To grow things properly, much love and care is needed but without essential elements, nothing will happen! I can be as kind and caring to my plants as I can, but without sun and water, I got nuthin!

Plants also take time. I can go out and encourage them each day to grow faster, but they will grow on their own time.


Plants need patience. The impatience farmer is like the impatient cook. The results will happen in a allotted time. I can do a little to make things appear faster but plants will grow and water will boil in its own time.


Some times I am not a good farmer and patience is not practiced like the verse says today.God created everything to work out in his schedule, not mine. He asks me daily to have patience and wait on him for the harvest. I still need to take care of the crops but it is his timing that the harvest will come.

Lord, give me patience as the spring rains begin to wait on your harvest for the best you have to offer as we garden together in life on the Adventure in Middle Grove

You Can Learn alot from Mulch

1 John 2

¹ My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

OK, This garden stuff is really keeping me busy. It was therapeutic and comforting until I needed to move 15 yards of Mulch. 15 yards is one of the big dump trucks with 3 axles. 15 yards is a lot of mulch! I needed to recalibrate my expectations and motivation.

Gardening for many years was a chore. This year it is a learning experience about me and about life. It is a time when I have the very essence of creation as we know it in my hands. The very dirt that gives life to the plants and gives us much of what we have and use on earth was created by God. Every spring, life comes back from a dead northeast as the cold of winter is replaced by the warm breezes of spring. Actually is was the hot wind of summer yesterday. Very weird!

Back to the mulch...

I spread mulch for many hours this past weekend. Something about repetitious manual labor that draws my thoughts to simple things. As the mulch is spread, it covers up all the new tiny plants of spring so they do not grow in to big weeds.

The King James uses a word not understood any more. It is propitiation.

Propitiation is the covering my sin with the righteousness of Christ. His death and resurrection on the cross and in the tomb fills the gap between me and God. Without his propitiation of my sin, I cannot have a relationship with God. Jesus "covers" my sin as my advocate before God. Without this, I cannot have access to God. Jesus did something for me that I could not do myself, EVER!

Just as I cover the small weeds to keep them from choking the life from the good plants, cover me with your righteousness as we walk down the path of life on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Getting Ready for the Harvest

He [the one who delights in and meditates upon the Law of the Lord] is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Psalm 1:3



Planting a great deal of bushes, trees, ground cover, flowers, etc this year has turned my mind to what is needed to take care of plants and trees. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 1, planting a tree by the stream is a good thing. Good for the present and good for the future. It provides life in the present and fruit in the future.

Some kinds of earthly delight can feed my heart for a short time. However, when difficulties come, my heart will wither in the drought of their false nourishment. On the other hand, delighting in the LORD and in his will for me provides ongoing and ever-fresh joy. Out of this God-seeking lifestyle, come both short-term and long-term benefits as well as a resiliency that withstands life's worst droughts.


Just like the tree for today and tomorrow


Dear God, and heavenly father, I do find my delight in you and your ways. I find my refreshment in your living Spirit. Please give me the wisdom to seek your will every day of my life today and tomorrow while on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Say it Again

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4



Sometimes the squabbles between important relationships can be discouraging and cause me to lose sight of the incredible blessings I have in God's family. My friends are unbelievable as we wandered together through life. I have many reasons to rejoice in the Lord. I will not lose sight of those, especially when those around me get caught up in things that do not move forward towards God. Let me remember my hope is in Christ, who is also my resurrected Lord and ever-present Savior.


Father, thank you for the joy I have in knowing Jesus. I rejoice in the salvation you have brought me through his death and resurrection. With joy, I anticipate the day of great celebration when he returns to share your glory with me and all those who long for his coming. Even in my darkest moments of despair, I thank you or the flame of hope and the assurance of victory that sustains my deep and abiding joy of being your child on the Adventure in Middle Grove

In Who Do I Trust?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths."

Proverbs 3: 5 & 6


I have heard alot about trust lately. I have written about this before but it continues to be something I hear in the news and in my personal life.

Trust is defined as "reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing."

I can emotionally love someone, but not trust them. I can trust them, but not emotionally love them. When I trust a person, I believe they have my best interest at heart. They wouldn't do something to hurt me for the fun of it, or for selfish gain. I rely on them.

In God I Trust...

In a personal situation, I earn a person's trust by consistently proving myself to them. I show them I will not use them or take advantage of them. I will not abuse their love or their generosity. I will think of them before acting.

In God I Trust...

Re-earning a person's trust is done in the same way, except it take a much longer period of time. People are very different as to how easily they'll trust others -- some have been seriously hurt in the past and hesitate to trust again. Others are very "trusting," even of those who don't deserve their trust. No matter the individual, I earn and re-earn people's trusts through reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc.

In God I Trust...

I prove that I am trustworthy by my deeds.

Forgiveness must be a part of trust too.

In God I Trust...

Trusting in God is much easier. God has an amazing ability to forgive and I believe this a big part of trust. Unless I am perfect, I will sin again. I need to go before God daily and ask him to forgive me and continue to mold me an make me in his image.

Trust is an important part of my relationship with God and others.

Lord, let me put my trust in you as I bow down at your feet and ask for forgiveness in my relationships near and far as we walk together along the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

James 5:6 Taking Out the Garbage

James 5:16



Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.


Today is the day I need to take out the garbage. It is about 300 feet down hill to to take the large rolling container down to the road. It is a pain since I usually don't think of it until 10:00 PM.


Just like last night!


The longer I let it sit there, the more it smells.


How does this all relate to my inner being, my inner self-my "house" of who I am?


God tells us to "take out the garbage" every day



We need to confess to each other when we are hurt;


When we hurt others;


When we fall short of who God wants us to be;


When we fail ourselves.



Unlike taking out the garbage down a straight driveway, cleaning my inner house does not follow such a straight path.


I do it.

Sometimes,


MOST times,


it eventually confuses me because the many crooked paths become a maze, and the unattended rough spots inside make rough spots for me on the outside in my interactions with others, and of course, really interfere with my relationship with God. I keep blocking all the good that God has to give me.

The maze becomes comfort for me since I know where I am but I really do not know where I am going.


I need to strengthen my heart and get all the garbage out, clean up the inner self, get rid of the crooked paths that I created to avoid facing rough matters, clean up the messes, get rid of the garbage, stop spreading it around in my inner self.

Lord help me take out the garbage and clean my inner soul so I may see you more clearly and see those around me with clear eyes with out all the garbage that is in me. Help me straighten out the paths and go to the challenges and face them with your strength and your wisdom. Stay beside me as we walk together along the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Made in God's Image

Genesis 1:27


So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

I have tried to resist writing about this but I am drawn to the parallels in my own life and to the connection to the masquerade ball written about earlier this winter


Susan Boyle is the dowdy, frizzy haired, overweight, single, never-been-kissed, unemployed 47 year old woman who lives with her cat, Pebbles, and appeared on Britain Talent Show (similar to American Idol.) She took the show and audience by storm.

So, who is Susan Boyle?

I look at Susan Boyle and see myself.

I don't want to admit it, but I see myself.

There is this self in the hidden recesses of the greater me I avoid.


I look at Susan and see that part of me that is unattractive and dowdy.


I see the part that feels isolated, that feels alone and unconnected, that part that long ago had a dream but that dream shattered by the perceived reality of my world.


I see me.

I see that part most powerfully when I am in crisis;

when I face loss;

when my worth and essence is called into question;

when I face failure;

and when I live the life flattened by a shattered dream.

There she is... what can she do?

And so, the audience looked at Susan and in their smugness began to roll their eyes, ridicule, mock and deride Susan for her seeming dowdiness.


What a dufuss! Simon rolls his eyes.

Amanda, "What's THIS?" Piers laughs. (The panel of judges.)

And then Susan begins to sing... and her voice emerges.

This is the "real" Susan.

This is the part of her that for so long wanted to be expressed, wanted to emerge.


The heart and soul of Susan in all her inner boldness and confidence stands before the audience.


Just as the audience looked at Susan, humanity looks at me

But God looks at me like Susan singing with all his love and sees beyond the ugliness and outward appearance and sees the surprise that is in me every day as he holds me on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

The Space Between me and God

Romans 8:38

...None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.


What can get in between me and God?

ME!

As I live my life as a Christian, I become more evident of the Love God has for me. This is not some sappy love that has been relegated to the emotional heightening we see in the movies or perceive as a norm in society.

It is a love, as scripture shows, that does not stop and nothing should get in between me and God as nothing should faze me about how much God loves me.

This love is through Jesus who was the embodiment of love on earth and who gave me the example of how to love and how to be loved.

More importantly, he shows me daily that nothing unthinkable can get in between me and God if I let the love of Jesus embrace me and show me how much he does love me.

Let Let NOTHING stand in the way of your love

TODAY

or

TOMORROW

as your love needs to penetrate my very being to continue to love while on the Adventure in Middle Grove

Words and Action

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me -- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.



Philippians 4:9





Yesterday at church we had 2 baptisms of children. The baptism of children does not save them as they still need to accept Jesus as their Lord. But as members of the local church and the church universal, I need to look at the responsibility I have in nurturing the children we have in our church, As I seek to pass on the faith to "our children", our friends, our younger spiritual "children" in the faith, I must remember Paul's example.






He taught the truth; passed on the truth that had been revealed and passed on to him;




he displayed that truth in his life;




Paul then called on the people he was mentoring to put this truth into practice in their daily lives.




This would enable them to fully experience the presence of God in their lives and find the peace that God so longs to give them.





Father, help me be a better teacher in word and deed as I seek to influence those around me, those who need my help in their Christian walk, and those in my family seeking to grow in your grace as we walk together on the Adventure of Middle Grove.

Life and DEATH

1 Corinthians 15:19-28

...And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Last night I had a unique opportunity and I took advantage of it. I saw the Russian National Ballet at Proctors. I was looking for something to do so I went to see if I could get a ticket. While I was waiting in line, a guy asked if I was looking for ticket. I said yes and he sold a ticket in the 12th row for a discounted price.

The piece they danced was Swan Lake. This is one of the reasons I went.

Swan Lake was written by Tchaikovsky, around 1875 and was performed for the first time around 1877.

There are also multiple endings for the ballet and not knowing much about the Russian company, I was not sure what the ending would be performed.

It was the ending I was hoping for... Von Rothbart, the evil one fights with the prince, the good one.

Good overcomes evil.

In scripture, there are many references to good and evil but the most evil thing on this side of Heaven is death.

Jesus died and rose from dead and conquered death;


the most evil of evil was defeated.

As a follower of Christ, I would no longer face death, but would be with Christ as he defeated the last enemy. Just has the price defeated evil, "The Price of Peace" defeated death so we might have life and eternal relationship with Him.

Lord, you conquered the last stronghold evil has on man. You beat the enemy for me!

Evil has been overcome and death has lost it's sting and you won the war for me today and forever on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

WOW !

Ephesians 3:17-19 (New Living Translation)

¹⁷ Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ¹⁸ And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. ¹⁹ May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

For the past week, I have been planting pachysandra on the hillside where I am re-landscaping a large area. As I sit on the hill planting one plant at a time, I am amazing at how long the roots are in this plant. The plant grows along the ground and the roots attach in many places holding it to the ground.

This verse is a working out of what I need to do as I seek God's wisdom and guidance.

What I need to do... Nothing,

but let God's love rule in my heart as I continue to trust him for every situation.

My roots will grow down and out in to God's love as I continue to understand how much he loves me and how much he cares for me as my roots continue to grow on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Putting Down Tile

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, O Lord,
my Rock and my Redeemer

I am in the middle of a small tiling job for my kids in their bathroom. Tiling is not really hard but attention to details and planning needs to take place or it will be a bad job. God talks about this too. It is not laying tile but laying down my heart as I meditate on his word and his wisdom.

In order for any room to be tiled properly, the tile needs to start from the center of the room and all other tiles are referenced from the center tiles.

This is true for for me too as I continue to look to God for guidance.

The work of my hands and the words of my mouth must come from the center of my heart.

As God works on my heart, his Spirit will engulf the rest of my soul to do his work.

Lord, continue to work in me "laying down the tile" as the construction project continues on the Adventure in Middle Grove

The Fast and The Furious

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Philippians 4:5




There is yet another Fast and Furious movie. A bad movie on speed. Another cheap attempt at a joke! Extravagant over-reaction! That's what we're programmed to seek and to display in our modern world of sound bytes and over-hyped personalities. Think O.

Remember Mr. Rogers on TV. He was the exact opposite of the fast and furious. Some how it worked and he brought gentleness to a chaotic world for many years to millions of kids.

But gentleness, and grace in the midst of chaos and conflict, is so vital to bring the peace of God to conflict-laden families, churches and relationships. How can I be gentle, how can I restrain from over-reacting to the wounds, offenses, and slights that come my way?


The Lord is near!

He is my vindication.

He is my example.

He is my comfort.

He is my hope.

He is my strength.

He is near.

I am not alone and my destiny, reputation, and value are not up to me to establish or to defend.




Lord, please be ever near me as I seek to be your person of character in the middle of the chaos and conflict around me. I ask that your presence be made known and that my character reflect that presence in all that I do and say today, and each day that follows on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Peace OUT

Present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

What guards my heart? What protects my mind? Did you know that the peace of God can stand guard over our hearts and minds? That's the apostle Paul's promise to us in this passage. If I will present my requests to God, with thanksgiving, then God's peace that is greater than any explanation and transcends my ability to comprehend it.


He will guard my heart and mind.


Job is a great example


Talk about a tough time.


Job could have had the sign in his house I talked about yesterday. Yet still he doesn't become hard of heart or go insane. What is the key to his survival? His ongoing conversation with the LORD.

He will not end that relationship no matter how badly he hurts, how much he is confused, nor how badly he is ridiculed.


Keep me focused on you.

Father, I need your peace. There are wounds that grieve my heart, but I don't want it to become hardened and callused. There are times my mind is so confused that I don't what to do or what to say.

Dear Father, as I trust Jesus, and as I speak openly with you about my life and your grace, you will bless me with your peace.

You will protect my heart and my mind from and keep it pure and focused on You.


Thank you, Father, for the reminder that even as I struggle with challenges , I also need to give you thanks for all the good things that you have blessed me with in my life and my walk with you down the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Joy is Waiting....

Psalm 19:8


⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.




Eeyore was a donkey who was generally characterized as a pessimistic , gloomy, depressed.



He probably never heard this verse.



One of the things God has been doing in my life is to be more observant of Him in all the things of life, not just when I "feel" like knowing God. He is showing me the intricacies of life in a new way as I work, as I play , and as I meditate on Him.




Yesterday I saw a sign in one of the offices at work that said



"today is really not that good"



"and it looks worse for tomorrow"








How this really sums up the human condition, without God.




What is there to look forward to;





What is your hope in;




How can tomorrow be better if today already sucks;





Without God, even my best intentions are pale in a life that is full of disappointment and dependence of shallow promises and people that can fail me.





This is in contrast to studying the precepts of God and letting them soak me in the joy that can only be found in Him. Jesus came in this life for me to give me joy.





I can only experience this through the suffering I have in common with him. He came to change hearts and to heal souls. His Spirit and Joy are complete in me if I follow Him and His direction and wisdom.


This doesn't mean life will be good. It means I will be good about life in accepting what God puts in front of me and see what "life lesson" God is trying to teach me.




I need to continue to be open and observant to God's leading and his wisdom.




Lord, Today I pray you will continue to teach more about your grace and mercy and open my eyes as we walk down the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Follow up on Easter - Never the Same

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
-- 1 Corinthians 15:3-5


Some things are "first importance" things. They lie at the heart of the matter and are central to the issue at hand. As I reflected on Easter, we don't have to doubt what those "first importance" things are. The Gospel of our salvation is built on one simple foundation:

Jesus died,

Jesus was buried,

Jesus rose from the grave,

and Jesus appeared to his disciples


who were never the same after witnessing their resurrected Savior. Let's not let anyone distract us from these core truths or crowd out their simplicity with other matters they may claim to be essential.


Our salvation is rooted in our faith and our participation in this simple, yet powerful Gospel. We fill our minds with intricacies and nuances that do more to divide than unite. They become the basis for our identity and we lose sight of what Jesus did for us.

We seem to lose these things on Easter and focus on what God did for us in Jesus.

For one day, all Christians are united in one simple fact, not complicated by anything else


Dear God, I confess my faith in your work for me in Jesus. My life will never be the same. I thank you for my salvation and victory over death.

I praise you for this grace.

I thank you for this assurance.

I look forward to sharing in your glory when he returns for me.

Thank you for my salvation, as I move along the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

State of FEAR

Mark 16:6

HE said, "Don't be afraid


I have always been struck by the words recorded in Mark. These are the first words Jesus speaks as he is sitting outside the empty tomb.



He doesn't say, "see I told you so"



He doesn't proclaim himself king of the universe



He doesn't say to get revenge for what was done to him.




He comforts one the most basic emotions we have as humans. Reaching back to my psychology days in school a long time ago. Fear is 2nd of our human needs right behind eating and drinking. Maslow says in his study on the needs of humans, fear is like the fear little children have when faced with danger or uncertainty.



Jesus knows there was fear in those short days before is resurrection.



He knows the human condition.



He knows how his friends will react as he spent 3 close years knowing their emotions, fears and shortcomings.



He knew how to relate to them



Jesus came in to this word to save sinners. He acknowledged one of the most basic human needs to be protected and not in a state of fear.



He was touching their hearts as he comforted them as he knew they would be fearful.



He did what he said he was going to do.



HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD !



I would have been right there with them trembling on my knees.



Just like another time in my life.




The Rest of the Story

“We held Rick’s hand as he slipped into death,” said his parents. “We thought this was the end of the story, but we had not heard it all yet. The Sunday Rick attended church there was indeed a three-foot snowstorm. Many members of the church did not attend, including the sound man. Someone started the tape for the sermon and forgot to turn it off. There was a time of prayer after the sermon and you could clearly hear Rick asking God to help him because he believed He had great things in store for him. That was the last thing on the tape before it stopped. The motto of this little church in Boulder was "To Find the Lost of Boulder and Bring them Home." Not many small churches get to see their motto worked out in such a graphic manner, but on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, Tree of Life found one of the lost and brought him back home to be with God. Richard died homeless, penniless, carrying around all he owned, but now we rejoice that Rick is with his Heavenly Father, and all is well.”

Jesus met their fears on that day in front of the empty tomb.

He met my fears as his promise of eternal life was now taken by Rick.

He is with him today

God met my fears face to face and held me and comforted me.

Meet me there today, Lord, and in the future as Jesus' words ring true as he tells me again "Don't be afraid" while on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Matthew

65"Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." 66So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

Today is  the day between death and life.

One of my favorite movies is the "The Day the Earth Stood Still" In this 1951 movie, a space ship lands on the lawn of the  Capital grounds. If you have been there, you will notice how small the trees are around the monuments. The movie is about an alien who comes to earth to seek peace. When the world does not want peace, he stops the world for all to see the power and mastery over all things on the earth.

Everything stops so the focus in on Klaatu as he demands the nations of the world get together to talk about peace.

This movie was controversial due to the parallels of Christ and the censors made the editor take out and change a few lines  of the movie.

Today is certainly a day where the earth stood still when Christ was dead and buried.

I am sure even the most devote followers we distraught and fearful in the face of uncertainty and loss of their leader and savior.

A loss that  cannot be comprehended.

A loss that can only be felt on a personal level to be fully understood.


"Standing in the hospital room, it was now certain that Rick was not going to live and a decision needed to be made as to what to do. Julie and I prayed with our new friends and it was evident we needed to take Rick off of life support and we would be there.  As the machines were unhooked, Julie and I stood hand in hand holding on to Rick's hand as we felt the life leave him and he was no longer alive. The pain  and sorrow was unbearable. The loving touch of Julie soothed my soul as my only son was no longer here.Julie's words and a kiss did much to reassure me that God was in control and he would be glorified by this event"


This is the loss the followers of Jesus felt and the uncertainty of the future for them. Life was over as they knew it.

Jesus said all these things about coming back.

Today....

Tomorrow...

EVER?

They knew what he said,  but waited for what he would do;

If he would do it at all.

This was the DAY the EARTH STOOD STILL


The grief

The sorrow

The Pain

The Loss

A  day where the strength of belief would be tested and unexpected was still waiting.

Lord, as I reflect on the events of this day in history. I feel the pain all over again of my loss of my son. I know the loss of your son grieved you too. It was a time of great agony and could have been the beginning of great defeat. But you are a God of grace and compassion and I feel your  breath of your  Spirit today as the day stands still on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

"We don't understand what he is saying"

John 19


¹⁸Here they crucified him...


This is where the believing the unbelieveable had its roots as scripture reveals the events of the day.

The disciples still do not understand what Jesus is saying as he tells them he will be away for a little while.

Does that mean 1 day?

Is he going on a trip?

Does he have an appointment with Pilot?


Little did they know...


Jesus would die. ..a terrible death.


He would leave.


Was it for good?


Was this the end?


Did everything Jesus do stop?


I am sure their were many, "What do we do next discussions"



This is where I stop many times in my belief.

Is this where it is going to end ?


Is this all Jesus wants to do with me ?


Is this all over ?


If the story stopped here, this would be the end.

Lord, let me see your plan, your wisdom, and your mercy this day as God had a better plan then just as he does now as the Adventure in Middle Grove crosses the line to a new level of expecting the unexpected.

Believe the Unbelievable

John 13:34-35 (The Message)

^34-35"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."

The Believing the unbelievable and Expecting the unexpected will travel around the Bible as God shares with me His Spirit and His promises to those who believe in him.

The first place to look is a place where we are this week. Commonly called "Holy Week", Thursday is a day to remember as Jesus is preparing for his death.

On this day The stage was being set for the greatest event of belief when unbelief was expected.

⁷Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."

Jesus continue to talk to the disciples and they really did not know what he was talking about.

I would have been right going, "duh" sure Jesus, can you explain that again. I really do not understand what you are doing.

He takes them to the garden and continues the lead to the beginning of the unexpected.

³³"Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.'

^34-35"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."

Jesus gives them something they could remember!

I love you

You love one another

You will be known by your love

Jesus is readying the disciples for a time when their faith will be tested and the very fabric of their belief will be rattled.

As this story begins to develop,

Love me

Keep me

Teach me

Your Spirit is at work as you are preparing for the unexpected in relationships in my life and in how you will use me for your purposes as the unexpected is ahead on the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

Three Big Temptations

Luke 4: 1-14



As the Adventure continues, I need to remind myself of what scripture says about temptation in my life and what a better place to look than Jesus




How many of us have shrugged and said, “The Devil made me do it!”
First, he lays out the bait.
Second comes the appeal
Third, the struggle begins.
Fourth, the temptation ends with the response.

In this story Jesus is faced with three general kinds of temptation that our adversary is still using against us.




Setting the Stage Luke 4:1-2



First, Matthew 4 records that this temptation of Jesus came directly after He was baptized. It was here that God the Father spoke and said, “This is my son in whom I am well pleased!” What a spiritual high.



1.It showed me testing will often come on the heels of a spiritual high point in life.



2. It comes at a time of physical weakness; Jesus had not eaten in 40 days.


Temptations often come in weakened states physically or emotionally, when we are exhausted and emotionally spent.




3. Temptation comes in loneliness We are the most susceptible to temptation when we are alone.





Let’s look at the scripture and see what temptation is all about…




1. THE TEMPTATION TO DO IT YOURSELF (vv. 3-4)




Satan Says: “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”



Jesus Answers: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”



The devil’s ploy in this world is to make us believe that if we want something done we need to do it ourselves – not trust in God. We regularly are tempted to go outside the confines of God’s will to satisfy our personal needs or desires. We often promote ourselves because we are sure that God will not do it. We scheme and we plan for our well-being, because we assume that God does not care or maybe does not know about our needs.





2. THE TEMPTATION TO TAKE THE EASY WAY (vv. 5-8)



The Devil Speaks (vv.5-7 )




“Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (6) And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. (7) Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”





The devil was not lying when he promise Jesus, for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish” (v.6). The devil was offering Jesus a kingdom without the cross. Why go to all the trouble and pain to win the world when it can be handed to you on a silver platter. No suffering, No Struggling, No Sacrifice. But a crown without the cross would mean that there would be no forgiveness for our sins.



Jesus Answers: (v. 8)





“And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”





We do not have to look for to see the application for today. Our world teaches us to avoid pain, to take the easy way, the path of least resistance. Avoid sacrifice. Why give all that money to the church when you can spend it on a new fishing boat. Why spend the rest of your life with the same mate? Go out and find yourself someone new – after all you only live once. You deserve to be happy. What is the result? We are living in a country where cheating, lying and stealing is just a lapse in judgment. Where does this lead us?




3. THE TEMPTATION TO NOT BELIEVE IT UNTIL YOU SEE IT (vv. 9-13)




The Devil Speaks (vv.9-11 )




The devil took Jesus to the point of the temple roof that overlooked the Kidron Valley, about a 450 ft. drop. Whether he took him there physically or in a vision we do not know. But once there he made Jesus very tempting offer.





Having seen Jesus defeat him two times by quoting Scripture, Satan now quotes it himself, for his own purposes (vv. 9-11). “Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. (10) For it is written:‘He shall give His angels charge over you,To keep you,’ (11) and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up,Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”




Jesus Answers (vv. 12-13)





“And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’”





But Jesus understood to start His ministry by dramatically jumping from the pinnacle of the Temple would be completely contrary to the will of God. To do so would be to test God. Jesus refused to take this shortcut.





There are many subtle ways that we can put God to the test.





We may not jump from the top of the church – but we do it in other ways.




We do it when we not put the worship of God as a priority




We do it when we dive into a path of our own choosing and then cry out to God to bail us out.




We do it when we test the boundaries of known sin.




God says, “Here is the line,” and see how close we can get to that line. Then we are surprised when we fall. Then we blame God. But it happened because we tested God.




The one thing common to all three temptations is that they attempted to distract Jesus from his mission or destroy his relationship with His heavenly Father.
The truth given in verse thirteen,




“ Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” This verse says that “when the devil had ended every temptation” – the temptation was “ended” when he carried to completion and every avenue of attack was employed.




This verse reveals that the Devil will always be lurking in the shadows, watching, waiting for the next vulnerable moment. The war is not over… more battles to fight.




What can I learn?




When I am weak – expect a major assault


When I resist – be ready for a different approach


When he leaves – count on another attack.



Who lives my your house when Satan comes knocking?




When Christ fills my life Satan has no entrance in the house on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

The Biggest Dreamer

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

This weekend was tough stuff. Unmasking at the ball brought back a stream of consciousness that was good and bad as I sifted through the piles of thoughts and memories.

God was there

God is here

God will be there

His promises are new every day and he has blessing ready for me each morning as I open his word and seek the guidance and wisdom for each day. Circumstances and events of life are the tablets that God is writing on to show me what his direction is not mine.

God gives us minds to think and to dream of what he wants us to do. I am starting to dream what I can do to use my skills and talents and gifts for God's glory.


What is my biggest dream? I am still working on it as God works in me. God longs to do more through me! The real question is whether or not I will believe it, receive it, share it and then give him the glory for it!


God, you are glorious, generous, and gracious. You have blessed me physically and spiritually with so many wonderful touches of your grace. I praise you for your faithfulness. I thank you for your grace and mercy and the circumstances of my life. I praise your name above every other name and hold it as a personal treasure. Please be glorified in me-

my speech,

my actions,

my influence,

my life as we walk together down the uncharted paths in the Adventure in Middle Grove.

More on the Masquerade Ball - BOOM and BANG

¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New Living Translation)

Yesterday, I could not get out of my mind the fallacies create in my mind in the past that kept me from a "true" relationship from God. I was/am a Christian.

The Christian life is a process that takes place our entire lives. It is not a one time "BOOM" and it is all over. It is the working out of our sinful nature with the Glorious gift God has given us.

His

LOVE

GRACE

and MERCY

There is a Bible word for this process.

It is sanctification



Sanctification is the same Greek word as holiness, “hagios,” meaning a separation. ( I am NO Greek Scholar so I had to look this one up!)




First, a once-for-all positional separation unto Christ at our salvation.





Second, a practical working out our position with God while we wait for the return of Christ.






Third, we will be changed into His perfect likeness—holy, sanctified, and completely separated from the presence of evil.



Paul had the "BOOM"experience while walking on the road.



He also had the BANG experience as he worked out his faith.




The BANG of realizing every day he could not do it on his own and how troubling this was for him.



The MESSAGE some times has the verse in a perfect way for the understanding of today's culture.



This is what Paul said in Romans.

Romans 7:14-20 (The Message)

^14-16I can anticipate the response that is coming: "I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can't be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God's command is necessary.

^17-20But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

The BANG is the realization that our sanctification is not an easy process and there will be disappointments,failures and losses.

BUT

There will be joyous times when we are in step with God and his leading.

Neither is good or bad. Both situations are ordained by God for our expansion of wisdom of him and for softening our hearts so we will know him better.

So I will know him better, this day and forward

looking ahead

keeping my eyes on Christ

Following him while we walk together on the path on the Adventure in Middle Grove

The Unmasking

HAG 1:7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your
ways.





Ok, I have talked about self and what this means to know God better. In the "Gift of Being Yourself", Brenner talks about the authenticity of self and are we really deceiving ourselves with the idea of who we really are.




"At the core of the false self is a desire to preserve an image of our self and a way to relating to the world. This is our personal style...how we think of ourselves and how we want others to think of us." we create a style that suits us and makes us feel good. We create a core style.




I am a pretty good person

I have the vision for the big picture

I have the ability to look at the pieces of puzzle on the table and put them together

I like people

I try to stay fit and love the outdoors

I like to be with people and have a good time

I have a good sense of humor

I am inventive and creative

I can do about almost anything, with a little practice

I am a good leader

I am enthusiastic and love a challenge



I guess I should stop here. If you are reading this and you think I am FOS, keep reading or submit your comments to my editorial board who will screen them for me and provide me with some positive uplifting feedback.



Not what is needed!



"Our false self is built on an inordinate attachment to an image of our self that makes us think we are special"



Ouch!



In a book by Rohr and Rohr, they ask "are we prepared to be other than the image of our self? If not we will live in a bondage of our false self"



Double Ouch!



This summer I stopped living the status quo.



I looked at my self and saw a reflection in the mirror of a false self that lived in me for a long time.



A self that was built on from my childhood.

A false self that was encouraged.

A false self that put me in the light of me, not in the light of God.

I learned to pretend and hide the inner most feelings of my soul

I learned that love had to be earned and not given freely

I learned that failure was not acceptable and success was at all cost

I learn that getting things done matter

I learned that feelings were something after you got things done

I learned the cry of the heart was the soul reaching out, and I ignored it

I learned that gentleness was something you did after you completed things

I learned that kindness sometimes got in the way of completion

I learned that a gentle touch took too much time.

I learned alot... I needed to forget.

I traded lies for the truth about myself.

God took me to a place where he showed me an honest look at myself and started to unwind the tape of years of believing a self that was created for my own good , not his.

He showed me to take an honest look at myself from these truths

• I am sinful and are powerless to stop sinning on my own, so I need to rely on God’s power;

• I am not in control of your life, but God is;

• The world doesn’t revolve around me, and I am a nit in God’s great story;

• All my strengths are from God, so I can’t take credit for them and should use them to serve and glorify God; and

• My weaknesses are greater than my strengths, because my weaknesses cause me to depend on God’s greater power not my own tainted abilities and desires.

God let the awareness of my brokenness lead me to the wholeness I can only find in Christ.

God put his light on me this summer. He started the process. He took away the pride and selfishness and is replacing it with the unearned love he can only give.




"Few things are more difficult to discern and dismantle than our most cherished illusions. And none of our illusions are harder to identify than those the lie at the heart of our false self."



This summer God helped me realize the price of the mask I wore was not worth it.




Starting to understand my mask prevented me from experiencing real intimacy with God and others. Rather than trying to impress God, I need to pursue an honest and intimate relationship with Him while relying on His strength.



My masks prevent me from pleasing God.



Instead of vying for other people’s approval and praise, I need live to please God alone




...The time of unmasking came at the masquerade ball of the century.



I was having a good time at the ball with the masks of un-reality I created for myself.



I was pleased with who I was behind the mask of deceit an illusion.



I was thankful that I would leave the party before the unmasking took place.



God changed my plans.



He came in and unmasked me at an unexpected time and place.



I was scared that God would really see who I was and who I became even thought I did love him.



I was fearful to see my self in light of God and the fallacies and illusions I created.



God tore of my mask and said, "Rick, I am here for you. You do not have to earn my love. It is here for the taking because I love you for who you are and who you will become."



I love you today and forever more while we continue our walk on the path while on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

High Noon

"Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun."
-- Psalm 37:5-6






How much do I trust the Lord? Better yet, how much of myself have I entrusted to the Lord? Earlier this year, I was moved by the great promises God has shown me. Yet in his wisdom, God has chosen to make the release of many of these blessings dependent upon our trust in him and our asking of him. As long as we grip the steering wheel of our life, it is hard to let God take us in the direction of his blessing and his will.There is an old bumper sticker that put it this way: "If God is your co-pilot then you had better switch seats!"



Committing our way to the Lord is offering our lives to him to do his work,



to receive his blessing,





and to know his presence.



This way we can know more about ourselves as we know more about him.


Lord, everything is yours except the hearts of men and women. You have chosen that these will be yours only if we commit them to you. Dear Father, I want to commit my way -- my heart, my life, my future, my abilities, my wealth, my family... -- to you. I want to be used by you for your glory. I trust that you love me and long to give me your blessing along with your grace and salvation along the path on the Adventure on Middle Grove.

Under Construction

Romans 8:28 (New International Version)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.



Back on Task today...


Allowing God to accept me just as I am helps me accept myself in the same way.

To truly know something about yourself , you must accept it. Even the things you most want to change need to be preceded by self -acceptance. And the self we must accept, is the self who we really are in life.

We must embrace the reality of ourselves before we can be changed Our knowing of our selves will remain superficial until we are willing to accept God as God accepts us.

FULLY and UNCONDITIONALLY

Before we can surrender ourselves we must become ourselves for no one can give up what he or she does not first possess.

We must know ourselves to know God. The God of the universe chose us, junk and all to love us and mold us.

Lord. As continue to work in me, keep the path clear while I continue my walk on the Adventure in Middle Grove.

The Circle of Friends

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22, New International Version



Taking a brief break from getting to know myself.

I had enough for a few days!

Let's talk about friends who put up with me too.


Friends who talk to me when I am down

Friends who talk to me when I am up

Friends who listen

Friends who question

Friends who redirect my thoughts

Friends who are there, no matter what!


Tough day yesterday,

I am fortunate to have friends who are beside me, in front of me and behind me on the Adventure in Middle Grove.