Mountain Morning Cafe'

Why Should I Meditate?

2012-01-22T14:24:00.000-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight O LORD my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Isn't prayer enough? I mean, I go to Church every time the doors open...I give, I fast, I pray.... Don't confuse activities with the attitude of the heart.

Let's cut to the chase, then we'll fill in the blanks.

When you meditate, your brain waves change. You enter a different state of mind. You feel and see things you've never experienced before. Yes, things can change. Seriously. You enter the realm of the spirit, where it is totally possible for you to walk with God. Psalm 23 comes alive as you cross the threshold. As you enter Kairos time. Meditation is the practice, the process, and the vehicle, by which we exercise the eternal, or the sacred space of our soul. It will free you, and secure you in God's presence. And it will expand you from the inside out.

3 Church Styles That Shape Our Approach To God

Come join with me, and let's look at the three main church styles that shape our relationship with God and man. Let's look at these styles as approaches to God, rather than theological or institutional constructs.

Sacramental-Centered Churches

In Sacramental-Centered Churches, the Liturgy emphasizes a reverence, awe, and wonder of God. Thus, making room for meditative worship in the Sacraments. It's sometimes referred to as "our mysterious union with Christ." However, the veils of order, can act like a dream catcher, that keeps us out of God's presence. But with passionate purpose, you move through the shadows, cross the threshold, and get lost in the wonder of God. This style holds the most promise, and has the most pitfalls of all Church Styles.

Word-Centered Churches

In the Word-Centered Churches, the Lecturer Style Services, tend to leave it to the altar call, or a few songs, and prayers as the time to interact with God. Because of this lecture style, it's easy to be seriously in our heads, and blind to our hearts. The phrase that "the church is dying by degrees," and programs, and that "you have to be healthy to be a_____" totally applies. And because "knowledge puffs up," there's a lot of huffing and puffing going on as the Scriptures get pulled this way and that. So, "the meditations of my heart,"* is lost in the shuffle, becoming something private and personal. Duty and honor are preached heavily. But if you let your heart and passion lead you through the Scriptures, you will hit it nail on!

Spirit-Centered Churches

In Spirit-Centered Churches, though the emphasis is entering into God's presence by the Spirit, the Liturgy of Emotion tends to catch everything up into the passion of the moment, where everybody celebrates outside the presence of God. But when there's a breakthrough, it's deemed a revival, and everybody goes crazy. The preaching tends to be passionate, emotional, and brutal. Hence, fear "of entering in" is unintentionally fostered. At times it can feel like being in bucket of crabs trying to enter God's presence, but push through and, Awakening Dawns.

In conclusion, there is no Ideal Church Style this side of heaven. So, Bloom Where You're Planted and walk with God.

PS And remember: Meditation is the practice, the process, and the vehicle, by which we exercise the eternal, or the sacred space of our soul. Enter In.

How I've Learned To Handle Anger

2012-01-17T19:43:00.009-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

With your permission, I would like to tell you a brief bit of my story, to model a real solution for our masculine anger.

Thrown into a room, the little boy looked up as the door locked, and closed him in.

Anger has been a real issue my whole life. Like most guys, I'm wired to go from 0 to 60 in less than a second. It comes with the territory of being a warrior, and a protector.

But being a peaceful warrior has alluded me all these years. I've hurt a lot of people, especially those close to me.

From Anger To Rage

It all started when I was five. Yeah, that early. I was being a kid, and my big brother, who was babysitting me at the time, threw me into a room, and locked the door. I immediately busted out a window, with my fist. I can still feel how it felt, the blood spurting out of my wrist with every heartbeat. It hardwired anger deep into my subconscious. The sad part of it is that it happened more than once. And then, I was sexually abused, compounding my anger into rage...and again. Some things we forgive, but we never forget. And the hurt lingers on, buried in some dark part of our souls, waiting for the right trigger.

Cycling Through

So for me, the process goes something like this: I feel threatened -- to anger -- to hurt -- to getting hurt -- and then comes deep dark depression, and it cycles through again and again.

What Didn't Work

So I tried everything I could think of: Sex, Drugs, Alcohol, Church, Fasting, Prayer, Deliverance, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Counseling, Medications, Yoga, Ti Chi, Meditation, and every Self-Help Book or Program I could find. As a side note, with Meditation, I got to the point of consistent waking delta, or kundalini. It probably saved my life. But I soon found out, that it didn't heal my inner character.

Got A Clue

I jumped when Stephen Covey said, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In those choices lie our growth and our happiness.” But sadly, it rarely worked for me. I would choose, and fail and fail and fail. But it was a start in the right direction.

The Light Dawns

It wasn't until I hit AA, that I started getting the answers I needed.
So, with a group of business leaders and military guys, we discussed what worked for them. Then I got it. And it's the only thing that works for me. Surrender. I've got less than a second to surrender to God, or I'll blow it! No thinking. Immediately, before the blink of an eye, I've got to give it all up to God. It's the light switch that keeps me sane. And the crazy part of it is, that this kind of surrender is always from a position of strength, rather than weakness. That's revolutionary. Weakness is continuing on with the insanity that never ends.

Surrendering To Win

So I cherish, and fuel the fire in my belly, the candle of serenity in my soul. And I'm learning how to set my thermostat better. How to push the pause button in the swirling chaos, standing back, to watch it all roll on by. Yes, "this too will pass." But better yet, I've found that the only way to truly win is through surrender--then I ask God show me what to do, if anything, or just be present.

That's my Secret. And it's the only thing I've found that truly works for me.

Now, Why would I be telling you all this. Well, to be honest, I'm not to concerned about what people think, But I'm passionate about helping those who are suffering like I have. If that's you, there's hope. But the heart honest truth is, there's just one way out. Surrender to Jesus. Don't think. Just do it. Then, settle into your heart, and ask Him what He would have you to do. Be still and listen. Break new ground. Expect Him to speak to your heart. And let me know how it works for you.

Bonus:
P.S.The Best Marriage Mentoring I've Ever Seen!
* Video 2 will blow you away!
*Video 5 has a heart exercise that will literally change your brain waves.

We as men have to get out of our heads and into our hearts before there can be any real intimacy.
Only then, are we able to demonstrate our Full Presence, our Sure Strength, and our Unconditional Commitment through our hearts. This is the masculine power of a man that stands immovable in the storms.

Stillness ~ Passion Creates Intimacy ~

2012-01-10T01:15:00.012-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

"We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship." ~ C. S. Lewis

~*~

It's really difficult to talk to somebody about meditation, because we're usually absorbed in the distractions of life. We catch a glimpse, then walk away... Too busy to soak in the wonder.

And yet, that first pause, that state experience of wonder and curiosity is an awakening of our intuitive heart to the reflections of glory, and a peak through the threshold.

A Child's Tale

May I tell you a little story? When I was four, we lived deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My dad was a pastor, and visited his congregation daily. One morning, he took me along on one of his visits.

Dad let me roam in the yard, while he talked with the father of the family. The house was a beautiful, soft blue-gray, with big picture windows that overlooked the mountains.

I was walking through the yard, and came upon Rhododendrons in full bloom. As I looked up at the big soft purple-reddish flowers, a humming bird descended, and hovered in midair between me and the flowers. It ripped time. Time stopped, hung in midair, and something changed in that little four-year-old's heart forever.

I'm convinced, we've all had experiences like this, a peering over the threshold of time. But then, they get lost and forgotten, in the busy rush of life. It may happened in us, during a fiery sunset, or staring through a hot steaming cup of coffee, in the morning. But it's there, inside us, when we pause and wonder.

Scripture tells us that God puts eternity in our hearts, but in a way we can't quite grasp it with our minds. *

Just because we've accepted Jesus, doesn't mean we've entered into our love affair with God.

The Tale of Two Frogs

I'm reminded of a story they tell in Zen. It goes like this: There are two frogs sitting on a lily pad. One decides to jump in. How many frogs are left on the lily pad?

The answer is two. Why? Because there's a huge difference between a decision in the mind, and actually doing it.

Please hear this, just because you accepted Jesus, doesn't mean you've entered into the life that God has for you. It's passion that brings intimacy. Passion for God's own heart. Nothing less will do.

And I know of nothing better, that will develop a deep and lasting passion for God, than meditation.

It's no accident that meditation and medicine look and sound so much alike. Meditation is God's medicine to heal your soul.

Don't just begin today. Pause right now, and enter your true nature.

* God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:11

Stillness ~ Entering Into The Secret Place

2012-01-08T14:03:00.005-06:00

"In place of our exhaustion and spiritual fatigue, God will give us rest. All He asks is that we come to Him...that we spend a while thinking about Him, meditating on Him, talking to Him, listening in silence, occupying ourselves with Him - totally and thoroughly lost in the hiding place of His presence." ~ Chuck Swindoll
~*~

* Meditation is best known by its changes within us, and not by its practice.

* Meditation is entering into our secret place with God.

* Meditation is the process of growing intimacy, and oneness with God through our practice.

As prayer is conversation with God, so prayer is a relational bridge,

But in deeper meditation, there is a stillness of being that transcends words.
Like sitting with an old friend, meditation is soaking in the presence of God.

Totally Transformational. Totally Awesome.

P. S. : “In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength." ~ Isaiah 30:15

It's Time To Begin ~ Christian Meditation ~

2012-01-01T16:34:00.008-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

"Through the study of books one seeks God; by meditation one finds Him." ~ Saint Padre Pio

Christian meditation has been abandoned to the mystics, and to the quacks for far too long. Too long has it been relegated to trite, or obligatory rituals. For between these two extremes, the vast ether of the saints, and the slow daily grind of ritual, is Christian meditation.

From this point we embark upon an exploratory journey of beauty, depth, and transcendent wonders, of the presence and majesty of God.

The essence of Christian meditation is our growing intimacy with God. It's Being Present in the presence of God, entering into God's Rest. It's walking with God, as you would with a friend. It's silent worship on our face, awe struck with wonder, being dumbfounded at God's vast, limitless, eternal Majesty. Meditation moves our heart into a living, growing relationship with God.

Whatever else, the only possible response of meditating in God's presence, is worship.

Christian meditation, regardless of what form it takes, is a deep inward response to God, a yearning from the very ground of our being. A yearning that causes us to grow in intimacy, grace, wonder.

Christian Meditation is not knowing about God, it's knowing God intimately. It is tasting and finding out, that God is good. Christian meditation is abiding in the vine, it's dwelling with God. It's being seated in the heavenlies, as we walk in the Spirit on earth.

Heart Point: What is the greatest written meditation of all time?
Hint: It was first written as a song.

Answer: It's David's Psalm 23. Read it meditatively.

Hear and smell the sheep.
Feel the dirt as you sit down.
Learn the skills of a Shepherd.
Cover your head from the winds through the cold nights, and sunny days.
Walk the hills with David.
Sit and meditate and sing to God.
Bring out the Sheep in the morning, and put them up at night.
Take them to the brook, when they need water.
Pick out the lamb that's going to be your dinner.
Fight for your sheep. Face the Bear and the Lion.
And Rest in God.

Come out of the shadows of pseudo-spirituality into reality. That's where God is. In our daily life.

Day 5 ~ GET OUTSIDE ~

2011-12-30T14:12:00.002-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

There I said it. I broke the silence. Get out there and touch the earth! Shut off your computer and go. Run.

There's something magical about being out side. Well, maybe not magical, but it really does make a difference in our brain and body chemistry. ;-))

~ Walk on the beach. Feel the sand between your toes. Feel the wind on your face. Smell the salt as you breathe in deeply.

~ Work in your garden. Work the soil with your hands. Smell the earth. Prune your plants.

~ Play in the snow. Make a snow angel. Build a snowman. Throw a snowball. Go Snowboarding.

~ Take three deep cleansing breaths. Breathe deeply and let the air out slowly.

~ Run Barefooted.

~ Do Yoga

~ Just Get Out There

For me personally, I've got to get outside everyday, for my mental health. ~ Out into the wild. It grounds me. It centers me. It's where I walk with God.

I'm heading out to the Beach! I'm gonna get a cool picture to post when I get back.

See You There!

Man it was so good getting out on the Beach. Look who was walking beside us.

Day 4 Practice: ~ Forgiveness ~

2011-12-29T10:14:00.014-06:00

Forgive

This is the tough one, because it's a continual process. But it's also the area of greatest growth and compassion.

Let me give it to you straight. The sum total of all this is this. Forgiveness is the only way out. Our suffering is transformed into deep compassion through forgiveness.

You aren't created to hold the hurt, the abuse, the guilt, and the shame. You can't handle the resentment, the anger, the rage, and the deep despair that nothings ever gonna change. It will eat you alive and spit you out on the side of the road. It will destroy you. It will isolate you. It will kill you. You've got to forgive and forgive and forgive, until it's hardwired into your subconscious. You've got to practice forgiveness.

Forgiveness is learned. It is never earned. No one ever deserves forgiveness. Ever. Forgiveness is always a gift. It is our gift of grace to ourselves, and to others.

Weed Your Garden ~ You Are The Garden of God

It's like we've got a weed patch in our garden. The weed seeds and runners keep sprouting up, choking all the goodness out of us. If we let it be, we become a garden of briars, cutting everybody who comes in contact with us...sharing the wealth of weed seeds through gossip and the like. And mowing our weeds won't cut it for long, it's just an illusion. So, Pull the weeds as they come up.

Pull each weed out by it's roots, or they'll take over your life, kill all the goodness in you, and leave you all alone.

Deal With It Now Or It Will Snowball On You Later

We've all gotta learn how to deal with things, as they come up. And there aren't any shortcuts. So Please don't shove them back down into the basement of your life. Don't lock the door. They'll just come out in covert and destructive ways, like weeds. The worst part of it is, that you won't see a thing, until the damage is already done. "It's not what you're eating, it's what's eating you."

So, ask forgiveness, give forgiveness, make amends where you can, when it isn't going to harm the other person, then move on.

Stop Being Rigid ~ Forgive

For those of us who deal with depression regularly, forgiveness is Huge. Unforgiveness is the unseen predator that stalks our darkest dreams...stealing, killing and destroying. Unforgiveness opens our door to the enemy of our souls.

That's why forgiveness and a clear and transparent relationship with God is critical.

Nelson Mandela former President of South Africa, imprisoned for 27 years, puts it this way, "Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies."

Unforgiveness is the enemy's key to your soul. Not to own your soul, but to enter and raise all out hell.

~Forgiveness releases all heaven, to work on your behalf.

~Forgiveness releases you from your self-imposed prison of depression.

~Forgiveness is oxygen to your soul.

Finally, for most of us, the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. We see the fallout of our actions and rightly surmise, we don't deserve to be forgiven.

You Hold The Key To Freedom ~ God Can't Forgive Until You Do

And yes, we don't deserve forgiveness, but God commands it. Why? Because He wants to heal our brokenness, to transform us, and to bring us into intimate fellowship with Himself. And without forgiveness, He can't even start the process.

Let Go ~ Set Yourself Free ~

We all hold crap inside. You've got to let it go, and let God handle it.

~You'll feel better, out from under all that oppressive weight.

~ There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience. French Proverb

There's so much more that needs to be said, but...

~Forgive, Right Now! Just Do It! Get Started. Practice It. Forgiveness.

Day 3: Practice ~ Dwelling ~

2011-12-28T10:56:00.004-06:00

God is my dwelling place, and I am God's dwelling place. ~ Marilyn McEntyre

We come to God and all is well. But then something happens. Life happens. We let the little things take over. Then we feel like we must work our way back to God.

We have abandoned dwelling with God in favor of works.

Our devotions become a triathlon. Prayer, Fasting, and Giving cease to be channels of grace. Our heroic effort knows no bounds. We will go to the ends of the earth to prove our devotion.

Good things like the Scriptures, unknowingly, becomes our greatest defense against dwelling with God.

It's Focus. What are you focusing on?

It's Attitude. What is your state of mind? Are moving into Kairos? Being Present? Dwelling?

Relationship with God is not a scheduled time, or a service. It's a lifestyle. It is progressive. It grows and develops.

As our lives are going faster, distracted, filled, sleep deprived, we must break with the world to walk with the Savior of the world. To 'let go and let God.'

Enter Rest. Find that place of rest in God. That dwelling place.

Soak in the moments.

"Be still and know that I Am God."

Enter your rest.

Given to you.

Walk in rest and peace.

Walk with God in the cool of the day.

~*~

If you enjoyed this, you might enjoy:

The World Needs More Artists by Jeff Goins

A Holy Experience

Day 2 Creative Whispers ~ The Art of Letting Go ~

2011-12-27T13:39:00.005-06:00

"Take me to the river...take me to the ground...I want to be delivered...I want to be found."

I'm not sure who wrote that. Maybe I did. Or maybe you did. It's the cry of our heart to be bubbling alive, to be planted and grounded , to be released and free, and to be reborn into what's meant to be. We get inklings, glimpses and tastes of the real.

We had some really bad news today. We know this isn't the way things are supposed to be. We know in our heart of hearts that loss isn't meant to happen. This is one way we know that we aren't meant for this world. We are created for something much more, as we move through the shadowlands.

And so, there is an Art to Letting Go...acceptance, forgiveness, love and trust, that things will change bit by bit as we practice our art of letting go and letting God handle it. A friend of mine puts it this way, "Love builds the bridge that trust learns to walk over." We learn trust by letting go, taking that next step into the air only to meet the solid invisible that holds us.

~ The Art of Letting Go ~

Being is letting go, letting time fall down around you and being present.

The illusion is that our control keeps us safe, but it actually keeps us bound.

The truth is our letting go allows God to hold us, to heal us, and to empower us. In surrender, our control falls apart into something greater, a larger grace, a boundless place where our souls expand..

Surrender leads us into what we can't fully understand, hence what we cannot control. It is our first step of sanity, to becoming whole. It is our first step of grace, our first step of faith, and our first step of trust.

Surrender is the art of letting go, an art we engage the moment we hit our knees, and lift our eyes; the moment we worship, and surrender ourselves, as we "let go and let God".

Art is a continual practice, that becomes deeper, richer and fuller.

Developing and growing is always progressive, not perfection. What God does is perfect, but we always mess it up. Thank God for grace. We learn and grow.

And as we grow in Christ and Christ in us, our past, present and future begin to converge into our present. The veil of eternity becomes very thin.

How cool is that?

Surrender is a trust fall into the arms of God.

Trust and walk with God in the cool of the day.

Take just one step...right here and now.

Day 1: Refreshing Restorative Rest

2011-12-26T18:08:00.004-06:00

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world revolves. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

I'm taking a good long rest after the marathon of Christmas preparation. How about you?

I'm sitting here drinking coffee from my brand new, big plaid Christmas mug. You don't know how good it feels to just sit, and reflect, and soak in the moments. I've been waiting for this so long. It's like sitting and listening to the creative whispers of God. Let me explain.

Rest takes several forms.

First Off, Our Body Needs Rest.

We work hard. We play hard. And we bairly out run our exhaustion. It isn't sustainable.

We are a nation running on empty, sleep deprived, and our brain's working at less than 50%. So we juice it up.

Diversion, Overload, Living All Wired Up. We are Pavlov's dog. Most of us are on the verge of a break down, and we don't even know it. Then, we go to the Doctor to 'make it so.'

We need structured rest. We are created for it. It's written in our DNA. We cheat the night with our artificial life, or do we?

I need 9 hours of good quality sleep a night. How about you? We're all unique. But we're all running at a deficit.

We Desperately Need Rest: Physically, Socially, and Spiritually

We need time to process, time to think deeply, time to feel deeply, and decide what's really important to us.

But not any ole time will do. As I was reading this article, Joe used a word I was not familiar with, but understood from Greek. I was in prison ministry, Kairos, meaning a special, or set apart time. The word Joe used was liminality, or "the space betwixt and between." In Greek there are two words for time, Chronos which is chronological time and Kairos, which is liminality, or the threshold. It is time and space at "the intersection of Eternity," 'a space in time.'

Our language, English is built on verbs, or action, ie Chronos. We have great difficulty with being still. In contrast, the Chinese language is built on nouns, or permenance, ie. Kairos. Hence, our seeing the Chinese as a mystery culture.

We shape our words, and then our words shape us.

What I'm saying is this:

Rest In The Burning Bush ~ The Place of Creative Whispers

We all need the Rest, Refreshment, and Restoration that comes from Kairos time, that intersection with Eternity. It begins as a state experience of rest. We've all had it. On a vacation, at Christmas, when God broke through, that special moment when time stands still. So with that mindset, check out Hebrews 4, and see if it makes more sence to you. God wants us to move into a dwelling place of rest with Him. Now that takes time. Kairos time. Transformation time. Like Eden, (the prototype), working without sweat, God wants our work to be from a place of rest in Him. Now that Rocks! That's revolutionary.

And it's not just for the mystics, those exceptional saints. It's for Every Believer. And God warns us. He commands us to enter in. Every single one of us. Read Hebrews 3 & 4 and make the leap. Step off into God.

This isn't esoteric hogwash. It's why the hunter sits all day in his tree stand. It's why the fisherman sits all day by a pond. Think about it. Karios.

~*~*~*~

If you've found this helpful, You might enjoy:

Kairos Time In a Chronos World ~ A pastor/worker's struggle.

Living On Kairos Time ~ Robert Caldwell's reflections

Chronos Kairos and Tea Breaks ~ Kurt Simonson is an artist and assistant professor of photography at Biola University

Get some extra sleep and make room for Kairos time in your life.

Oh Taste and See that the LORD is good. Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. Ps. 34

7 Simple Strategies To Beat Seasonal Depression To A Pulp

2011-12-23T23:12:00.003-06:00

I've been writing and rewriting this ever expanding post for a week now. I'm anxious to get it into your hands before Christmas, so I'm posting it rough and not quite ready. I hope you get some strategy ideas for the Holiday Blues. Take 2 Drama Ease and enjoy life, and bless those loved ones around you. Kick perfectionism to the curb and after Christmas, you can look forward to a post of One Drama Ease a Day. I plan to expand and polish each one up a bit.
I just want you to know that I love you.

PS Let's write this together. Share what strategies have worked for you in the past. It might just save somebody's life. Seriously! Your insight is unique and it's sure to help. Together we can see a bigger picture, and the way out of Depression. So without further ramblings~

Are you in a love/hate relationship with Christmas? Does the holiday season drive you crazy?

When we're flash blinded by all the stuff that's going on around us, it's near impossible to see depression slowly falling down on us.

There are simple, doable strategies that do work. The trick however, is to implement our 'pattern interrupt strategies' before depression takes control.

First off, You know it's coming. Doesn't it make sense to develop strategies before hand? So, let's develop a plan and start implementing it immediately, before things get out of hand. Once it's got control, it's like going down a greasy sliding board. You're just along for the ride.

Let's Break That Death Spiral of Darkness

1. Rest In our sleep deprived society, lack of sleep is sure to bring it on. Get More Sleep. Go to bed earlier. I don't care what's on line. I'm aiming for 9:30 and getting up at 6 or 6:30. We'll see how that goes.

2. Let Go You're being snowballed, pelted by feelings of loss, regret, hurt, anger, and rejection, before you even know it. So Start letting go NOW. It takes time and there's an Art to Letting Go.

You can't hold it all together. You were never meant too. You can't make it all work perfect.

Accept Life On Life's Terms. Your good mental health depends on it.

3. Pray Try praying before you get up.

~One woman told me that every morning before she gets up, she says, "Lord, get into my head before I do." And she meant it.

~My best friend Jeff says, "I'll lie there until I feel the Lord's presence. Then I get up."

~A written, or memorized prayer that really stirs you, shifts you attention to God. It can be a great discipline.

~Most of us roll out of bed, hit our knees, and pray for serenity, direction and strength.

Just remember that, we make our habits, and then our habits make us. They will carry us through the hard times. They set the course of our life.

~An old retired Navy Chief tells me, "First thing I do every morning is hit my knees and pray. Then I get up and live like a man who's prayed."

That God hears and answers prayer makes prayer a great strategy any time, any place.

This next one is the secret sauce. It will transform your life.

4. Meditate Our prayer prepares the soil of our hearts for meditation.

It is our meditation that breaks us out of our shallowness, to dive into the depths of ourselves with God.

In meditation we communicate the words beneath our words, the feelings and intent of our heart. We move into the depths of our being, into the stillness at the presence of God. It's communion spirit to spirit. It's worship at it's most intimate level. Meditation is being present in the presence of God. And everything changes in God's presence.

~Through meditation, we can transform our holidays into holy days of deep meaning and peace.
Transformed not by our efforts, but by our release, worship and wonder.

~ Through the meditation of just basking, in God's presence, our loneliness can transform into Serenity.

5. Forgive This is the tough one because it's a continual process. But it's also the area of greatest growth and compassion.

It's like we've got a weed patch in our garden. The weed seeds and runners keep sprouting up, choking all the goodness out of us. If we let it be, we become a garden of briars, cutting everybody who comes in contact with us...sharing the wealth of weed seeds through gossip and such. Pull each weed out by it's roots, or they'll take over your life, kill all the goodness in you, and leave you all alone.

We've all gotta learn how to deal with things, as they come up. And there aren't any shortcuts. So Please don't shove them back down into the basement of your life, and lock the door. They'll just come out in covert and destructive ways, like weeds. The worst part of it is, that you won't see a thing, until the damage is already done.

So, ask forgiveness, give forgiveness, make amends where you can, when it isn't going to harm the other person, then move on.

For those of us who deal with depression regularly, forgiveness is Huge. Unforgiveness is the unseen predator that stalks our darkest dreams...stealing, killing and destroying. Unforgiveness opens our door to the enemy of our souls.

That's why forgiveness and a clear and transparent relationship with God is critical.

Nelson Mandela former President of South Africa, imprisoned for 27 years, puts it this way, "Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies."

Unforgiveness is the enemy's key to your soul. Not to own your soul, but to enter and raise all out hell.

~Forgiveness releases all heaven, to work on your behalf.

~Forgiveness releases you from your self-imposed prison of depression.

~Forgiveness is oxygen to your soul.

Finally, for most of us, the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. We see the fallout of our actions and rightly surmise, we don't deserve to be forgiven.

And yes, we don't deserve forgiveness, but God commands it. Why? Because He wants to heal our brokenness, to transform us, and to bring us into intimate fellowship with Himself. And without forgiveness, He can't even start the process.

We all hold crap inside. You've got to let it go, and let God handle it.

~You'll feel better, out from under all that oppressive weight.

~ There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience. French Proverb

~Forgive, Right Now! Just Do It!

6. Get Outside Touch The Earth, physically.

~ Walk on the beach. Feel the sand between your toes. Feel the wind on your face. Smell the salt as you breathe in deeply.

~ Work in your garden. Work the soil with your hands. Smell the earth. Prune your plants.

~ Play in the snow. Make a snow angel. Build a snowman. Throw a snowball. Go Snowboarding.

~ Take three deep cleansing breaths. Breathe deeply and let the air out slowly.

~ Run Barefooted.

~ Do Yoga

~ Just Get Out There

For me personally, I've got to get outside everyday, for my mental health. ~ Out into the wild. It grounds me. It centers me. It's where I walk with God.

7. Music

P S : If things get out of hand, Please seek professional help. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. IT WILL PASS. and here's the number: Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Intimacy With God ~ An Introduction

2011-12-10T23:24:00.002-06:00

Writing Style

I’m writing to the Intuitive Heart of the Believer, rather than to the Rational Mind.

That’s because our intuitive heart sees to the heart of the matter. While our rational mind tends to catalog, file and forget, it’s our intuitive heart that excites, and energizes us with vision, and possibilities.

So, Our rational mind is a faithful servant, but a tyrannical taskmaster.

By this I mean, that our rational mind will go after the reasons, and create the steps to success, that our intuitive heart tells it to. The rational mind speaks of black and white into our world, while our intuitive heart, paints the colours that brings us to life.

And so it is, that our intuitive heart leads us into the spiritual life, that our rational mind builds for us.

Because

My reason for writing this way is two-fold:

1. To give you workable insights for intimacy, and fruitful growth.

2. I’m planting seeds.

Seeds of thoughts, images, and concepts that I hope will keep sprouting, and exploding with Aha’s of delight for years to come

Thanks for stopping by The Cafe'. Keep coming back.

December House Keeping Projects

2011-12-08T18:51:00.003-06:00

Hope this post catches you at a good time.

I'll be airing some thoughts on a book I'm writing. Readers of The Cafe' will get an exclusive preview, as I write here. (Don't have the time to set up my writing blog yet.) So, I thought that I would start here, if that's alright with you. I also have some short meditative series that are in the works. I'm writing an average of three posts a day, but I've yet to find the time to post them. So, please be patient with me. Good things come to those who wait.

As this is the Christmas season, Be Aware. Breaking out of the routine of daily living brings out the best and the worst in us. Also, If you are proned to depression after New Year's, get a strategy now. Get some extra rest, and take some time to disconnect every day. Remember that God created us as Human Beings, not Human Doings. Take some time to just rest with God. It's something our 'logged in' society has lost or forgotten. Even our devotional time becomes a marathon of Bible reading, praying, and "pursuing God" and He's right there with us shaking His head, waiting for us to stop.

I'm really looking forward to sharing with you. Oh, yea, most of you respond on Facebook, Google+, or by Email and I so appreciate it. But if you could respond in the comments here, that would rock. Thank you guys for all the thoughtful words of encouragement. You guys are awesome!

Love You!
Blessings and Peace~
Bob

PS: Thank You for stopping by The Cafe'. Keep coming back.

How To Read

2011-11-30T21:05:00.005-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

The Fine Art of Reading

If you are reading for information, scan. But if something is worth reading, read the words beneath the words. That is, get into the author's head. Don't just try to understand what they're saying. Read with discernment. Why is this person writing this? What are they trying to convince me of? What's their goal?

Scripture tells us to 'test all things and hold fast to what's good.' So, what spirit is the author writing in? And closely tied to that is, what's the intent of their heart? It's all there in the words beneath the words. What is their world view? Their presuppositions? Theology?

How To Read And More

It's good to read Scripture this way. No holes barred. Don't hold back. Psalms says "the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times." Prove Scripture for yourself. Tear it apart. You won't be disappointed.

I'm a stickler for primary sources. Anything else is spin, and you know how that goes.

After my third year of Greek, my professor looked me dead in the eye and said, "Now, you are the most dangerous thing to the Body of Christ." I asked him why, to which he replied, "It takes at least 13 years of consistent study to properly translate New Testament Greek." And you know what, He's right.

Your Secret Weapon

So barring, setting the next 15+ years to study primary languages, you've got a secret weapon that I've been trying to clue you into. Your intuitive heart. ~But you've got to listen. That's why I've been hammering home, "Be still, and know that I Am God." That's the place of your greatest strength. Your greatest insight, Your greatest discernment training...Being Present, in The Presence of God. On the Becoming side, I love the way the Westminster Shorter Catechism sums it up, "Our primary purpose is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever." So get to it. Enjoy God!

You don't have to be afraid of uncovering anything.

So what is your faith journey?

Now, in my faith journey, you probably know, I came out of a Buddhist/Native world view. Growing up seeing Churchanity, I was convinced God wasn't in it. So, I started reading Confucius, and everything I could get my hands on, searching for the truth. I read the Bhagavad Gita, the Tao te Ching, Gilgamesh, the works of Plato, the Koran, Koans, the Didiche', The Way of the Pilgrim, Siddhartha, and the list goes on and on. They held bits and shadows. I wanted more.

But when I came to stripping away, everything off of the Scriptures, the Bible, I was startled. Behind every scripture, the words underneath the words, I see God. It dumbfounds me. When Jesus says, "the words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life." I break. If I could jump through these words, I would grab your shoulders, look you in the eyes, and tell you that you can have a totally awesome relationship with God, right now. If you've got Jesus, You've already got everything you need. Put this down, and tell Him, "God, I love you." He's been waiting for you, your whole life. It's time.

Thanks for stopping by the Cafe'. Keep coming back.

Who's Made The Difference In Your Life?

2011-11-26T12:41:00.004-06:00

A thankful heart is a super-conductor for God's glory. ~ Lissette Reeve

I'm thankful beyond words that this year God has been transforming me into somebody I really enjoy being around.

As We Age

It's true, that as we age, our past, present, and future begin to converge into our present. We begin to dwell more in our natural state, eternity.

Something else happens as we grow older. What's inside us, is what comes out. The veil over our lives, gets thinner and thinner.

This came home to me with a dear friend and coworker. He was an older, kind, and gentle Christian man. But as he grew older, he became as mean as a snake. Things he had been keeping a lid on for 60 years began gushing out, as he started loosing control. Control is not the answer. So deal with stuff as it comes up. Don't put it off til later. It will snowball.

Thank God For Nanny

When I was little, my grandmother, Nanny would come up to the mountains, and stay with us for months at a time. She stood tall and graceful, with her long white hair falling to her waist. Her kind smile and gentle voice was always a treat. Nanny read whole books, and not just children's stories to me. Nanny formed my character probably more than anyone else. The Grandmother in George MacDonald's Curtie Series, That could have been her. She taught me to read at 4, how to cook, and gave me her zest for life.

As my Grandmother grew older, she became sweeter, wiser, kinder, if that were possible. She was a gentle lady through and through. As her time was coming to an end, you could almost see Jesus, shinning through her, literally.

We all have giants in our lives, those who are bigger than life, those who inspire us to greatness.

Nanny is a giant in my life in whose heart I stand. She called me to be wiser, kinder. She drew the creative fire out of me and was a constant source of encouragement.

This Thanksgiving, I am so thankful for my Grandmother, Isabel Mott Mills...a breath of grace to my heart.

Who's Made The Difference In Your Life?

Who are you thankful for? So, Who's made the difference in your life?

As To Touching The Earth

2011-11-19T21:37:00.006-06:00

I was talking with an 'old timer' today, about how he grew up without running water, electricity, cars, or tractors. It made me realize just how fast things are changing. Life's going faster and faster, at breakneck speed. But at what price? And what have we lost? And how do we get off this run away train?

My friend talked about how he would plow with a mule. Sometimes, he was the mule, pulling the plow himself. Then, he would dig the holes, putting in a little bit of manure, then, three seeds of corn, or three peas, or one potato eye, and pour one cup of water into each hole, then, on down the rows.

We Can't See When We're Lost In This Age of Distraction

Sure, living off the grid is a lot of work. And for most of us, that's a bridge too far. But just how much have we lost in our age of distraction, that which should not have been forgotten?

OK, What In The World Is Being Grounded?

There are those of us, who touch the earth, physically, who have a groundedness others don't even know about. It's like a distant memory of Eden in our distracted consciousness. Grounded lives move with the rhythm of the seasons, in an ebb and flow, of a work and rest, all in a beautiful dance. Being human, grounding is extremely important. Grounding connects us to life. It gives our mind rest. It's totally therapeutic.

So, when I run across sites like Shawn and Lindy Brown's Outdoor Gulf Coast, I get excited. Why? Because they're bridging us, to touch who we really are. By the way, Want to build your family? Studies show that Camping together is the best way, year after year. Think about it: grounding, connectedness, and moving into the rhythms of life. After all, aren't we created from the dust of the ground? It's basic to our physiology.

It's hard to see what you've lost, when you're spinning in your own little 'artificial' world. If you can make the change. Take the plunge. Start with a little thing. Like growing herbs on your kitchen windowsill. It will make a world of difference. But 'you can't connect the dots looking forward.' Steve Jobs.

So, check in with your soul more,
and your scales less.

There's a deep yearning in you, for roots to grow, and wings to fly.

Because when we get out to touch, and smell the earth, we start on A Voyage of Discovery.

Photo: This little guy rode in my hair, hidden behind my sunglasses. For 3 hours he perched there from greenhouse to seed house. How cool is that.

"She's My Constant" ~ Lost

2011-11-16T20:58:00.009-06:00

Lost was one of those shows you either hated or loved, sometimes both. Lost was anchored in complex relationships, but always mythic, always keeping you guessing.

So, Who's Your Constant?

We all have anchors in life. Someone or something that holds us steady in the storm--Rock Solid. Yes, there's God, but who models that sureness in your life? Who infuses you with calm confidence? Who has been the constant in your life?

We Stand On The Shoulders of Giants

Who do you have in your life, who inspires you to greatness? Beyond your wildest dreams? It could be a friend, a relative, someone you've met, a pastor, a teacher, or a mentor. Write a post, or a letter to thank that person for their investment in your life. And pass it on.

Let me give you one person out of my life, to get you started. My Uncle Mac. He was a world class painter. He had paintings in the Louvre, National Gallery of Art in DC, etc. He was also a boxer in France, and knew his wines. Uncle Mac came to know Jesus later in life. He became a Presbyterian Evangelist in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Uncle Mac was bigger than life. When he would teach me about painting, he would sweep and point and shout and whisper. One thing else, He always made paintings with Jesus smiling. Why? Because he said "they've stolen all the joy out of the Christian life." We had Uncle Mac give the Invocational Prayer at our wedding. He prayed for 5 minutes. You could feel the earth shake, and the heavens open as he prayed, " we stand in awe, in the wake of our coming King." What a marriage blessing! Uncle Mac inspires me to greatness, and infuses me with hope. Uncle Mac is a giant, on who's shoulders I stand.

So, Who's been a giant in your life? Who connects you to life, and to greatness? Be intentional. Find, and cultivate greatness. Don't settle for less.

Who Are You Inspiring?

We are all lifetime mentors. You probably just don't know it yet. Now you do. So, become aware of what you're giving out.. Inspiration, or a race to the bottom. You mentor what you are, to those around you.

Be intentional, as to what you choose, and who you choose to model. That's what you're vibrating. People may hear what you say, but they catch, what you've got.

Be moved by love.

Soaking In The Stillness

2011-11-13T11:13:00.001-06:00

An unhurried life
A contemplative life
A meditative life
Soaking in the beauty and the wonders
Such is the stillness in a drop of rain
Stunned by the call of the woodthrush
Taking time for what matters most
To live a joyful unhurried life
Walking into the cool evening breeze
With you

So Let’s live an unhurried life
An awake
An intentional life
An uncluttered life
Working and living whole
Breathing in the stillness
Releasing all our worries
Taking time to be
Together
And to grow

The Voyage of Discovery

2011-11-13T11:02:00.000-06:00

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes ~Marcel Proust

Photo by: Claire Kireta Baughn

Moving Deeper

2011-11-11T16:42:00.004-06:00

"There's a deeper magic..." says Aslan, in CS Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

A Flower Opening Slowly

You know how you 'get something.' But then, it starts unfolding, on deeper and deeper levels of understanding. Like a flower slowly opening, into full bloom. There are laws in the Universe: Laws of Karma, Sowing and Reaping, Attraction, and Reciprocity. They're immutable. They work.

A Deeper Magic

But there's a deeper principle, woven into the very fabric of the universe. A deeper magic as it were. It's giving to give, with no thought, or need of return. Jesus put it this way, "freely you've received, freely give." It's seen in the unconditional eyes of a mother's love. It's the flow of God's Spirit through us.

God Doesn't Need Us, But...

Therefore, God doesn't need us. God doesn't need our worship, our sacrifices, or our gifts. Please allow me to say it again, God doesn't need us in any way, shape, or form. God is absolutely complete, perfect and whole in Himself. But God has a passion to create, to give for the sole purpose of giving. So when Jesus came into this world, He came, born as a child. He came as a gift. God doesn't need us to accept Jesus. He's The Gift, the way out for us. God doesn't need us to accept what Jesus said, accomplished or became. It's an honor for us to accept The Gift, to accept Jesus as Lord of Lords, King of Kings,and God in the Flesh. But He's not just giving us a way out in Jesus. He's giving us an Invitation to enter, through Rebirth, into His Family, to become a Child of God.

The Gift of Grace

Therefore, God offers you the greatest gift you'll ever be given, the Gift of His Grace. God doesn't need you, Period. But through His creative 'giving to give', Jesus gave his life for you, so that now, you might have eternal life. But His Gift is useless, unless it's opened. And this Gift is for your heart. So,Open yourself now, and receive Jesus. Then, Learn the deeper magic of giving to give.

Photo: Benjamin Ward

Be A Spiritual Indiana Jones

2011-10-26T21:44:00.003-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Pleasure is the measure of your treasure. ~ John Piper

Tap Into Your Own Passion

The Great search engine of my generation, was the Whole Earth Catalog~Stay Hungry~Stay Foolish. It was based on passion streams, rather than merely serving up information. It made the subjects come alive, and jump off the page. Passion is catching, 'like a cold,' except, it's more a healing virus. We need to surround ourselves with passionate people. But more that that, we need to tap into our own passion.

Here's why. We go to church, and get all fired up by the music, and the message. We come home, flame out, and slide into Monday. To be sustainable, we've gotta tap into our own passion stream, our own gifting...what we are created, from before time, to accomplish. Wrap your heart around that one.

Passion Lost and Passion Restored ~ A Mini-Tale

My dad was a Minister, but I came to God out of a Native American / Buddhism mix. I was convinced that everybody in the church were 'church goers.' So I took my Bible to the mountains, (Linville Gorge), and walked with God for a season. It totally rocked. But then I came home, and got 'churched.' It destroyed my passion for God, week by week, meeting by meeting, as I 'took on' what I was supposed to do, as a Believer. It took me 39 years, and God sending me back into Buddhism, before I could see, just how He had led me to Himself. For a quick look at the excavation see: Legaholic Anonymous The wild part, is that God gave me a vision, and told me what had to change, before it happened. I lost my first love to Churchianity. Don't you do it!

Be A Spiritual Indiana Jones

Become the Spiritual Indiana Jones that you're meant to be. Accept nothing less. Be Radical in your Relationship with God, Be Innovative in your Spiritual Practice, and Surround yourself with Passionate Believers. Serve God, and Do what He tells you to do. Listen to God greatly, and listen to others lightly. Jesus is your source, your peace, your freedom, and the oxygen of your soul. Radically "delight yourself in Him, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Then, you'll be effective, and make a difference. 'Your blows will count for eternity.' Be Who you were meant to be.

The Heart of The Matter

2011-10-25T15:51:00.015-05:00

This isn't for the safe and comfortable church goer, the religious arrogant, or the prideful know it all.

This isn't for the lukewarm, the half-hearted, or the faint hearted.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*This is for those who are crazy, passionate for God. *Who know there's got to be more.

*This is for those who are sick and tired, of church as usual. *This is for those who are dying for real heart connection.

*This is for the Seeker, who wants to touch and to be touched by the Eternal...to be transformed and changed forever. *No going back.

*This is for the wild and daring, who want an epic adventure in God.

*This is for the intuitive heart, rather than the rational person, because our intuitive mind is at the heart of what matters.

*This is for those crazy few, who are addicted to the Presence of God. *They know that intimacy with God is the heart of what truly matters...

If this is you. If this is what you're seeking. If this is the quest, that stirs a fire in your gut...

~ Welcome Home ~

Are You A Sportsman, or Are You A Hunter?

2011-10-08T14:00:00.009-05:00

Quite frankly, I've never understood the Sportsman. He seems to be more like the Fan who never really plays the game.

Let me give you an example I see, almost weekly. We go to the beach and see people, lining the beach with their fishing lines in the water, beer in hand. They may catch a fish or two, and proudly go home.

Then, there's the Korean Fisherman, running from line to line. He's picked his spot on the point. He knows what fish he's after. He's got the right size poles, the right size hooks, line, and bate. The tides and time are right. He catches 10 fish in l5 minutes and goes home.

The first guy has all the whistles and bells, but he's half-heartily playing the game. The other guy is out to feed his family for the night. If you could just see the pride on his wife's face, Wow!

So, Who Are You?

This applies to everything in life. Who Are You? Are you the half-awake, half-hearted, distracted sportsman? Or are you the wired, whole hearted, focused hunter? How are you living your life right now? Are you waiting for something to happen? Someone to 'entertain you?' Someone to rescue you? Or are you grabbing life with all you've got, creating genius, and changing the world for the better?

PS This is the only day you've been given. Carpe Diem. Seize The Day With God.

Deep Peace ~ Raging Fire

Change, Change, Change

2011-10-07T08:12:00.000-05:00

Wonder why I've been writing about structures and reality with God so much? It's because we're entering a time of huge upheaval, uncertainty, and change. The like of which we, or our parents, have never seen. I'm here, to help you make it through, and to encourage you to expand your spiritual life with God. You can actually thrive spiritually, and not merely survive in these times. But a lot of what has worked in the past, isn't going to work anymore.

All of our structures, including ourselves are being tested.
Everything is being revealed for what it really is, including ourselves.
The days of a placebo faith are quickly coming to an end.
Wake up. God will see you through.
He'll guide you, and you won't understand. You'll just know it's Him.
He'll lead you into things, and places, and people, that you won't believe how you got there.
He won't leave you or abandon you.
Consider this a love note from God.

The Passion of A Lifetime

2011-10-06T16:46:00.000-05:00

The little boy looked up at his mama and daddy, as his teacher gave them "the verdict." "You need to put your son on Ritalin. He's totally out of control. I can't do a thing with him."

Today, as Peter flew out of DC, with our beautiful daughter-in-law Sherry, and grandson Tyler, I stopped, and thought over this, and other times that should have crushed his spirit. But now, they're on their way to Japan, following the passion of a lifetime. I pause and thank God for being here to see this.

The Genius of Energy Management

2011-10-05T07:35:00.000-05:00

The longer I live, the more I see, that life has always been about energy management, not time management. Hang in there with me. It's the energy we bring to the task at hand that makes the difference. Sure, showing up is 90% of the equation, but it's that 10% of focused energy that makes it all happen. It's that 10% of shear passion that makes our life work.

* This is a picture on Wild Lake Road of the Resurrection Fern in a Pecan Tree. It lays dormant and conserves it's energy until the rains come.

How Do You Frame Your Faith?

2011-10-04T18:20:00.004-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Take a minute with me.

She Said ~ He Said

I always hear believers say, "I'm a Methodist, I'm Messianic, I'm Anglican, or I'm Catholic, or I'm Charismatic." You get the picture.
So, how do you frame your faith? What tribe do you belong to?

Framing A Painting

A frame holds a picture. The frame, elaborate or simple, isn't the focus, the painting is. So it is with us. The frame is the structure, which sets off the painting of our lives. The frame is created for the painting, not the painting for the frame.

Are you allowing God to create a masterpiece on the canvas of your life?

So, no matter how you frame your faith, it's your life with Jesus, that's the masterpiece of eternity. ~ Peace.

Transcendent Church

2011-10-02T13:47:00.007-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Every time we come together, look for that pattern interrupt,

That break into the greater reality of God,
To come into His Presence
To have eternity sweep over us, and bathe us with its winds
To breathe on us, Jesus..Oh breathe, oh Breath of God
Fall upon our hearts, fill our souls, and give us wings to fly
To rise upon Your Spirit, To drop the heaviness of this world
To gain the greater weight of glory
So that we might become the Light of the world
To reveal Jesus
Through truth and grace

There is an awakening the world has yet to see
It is now, and no power on earth can stop it
Shaking everything in its path
You can join in
You can get swept away
God will not be ignored
All that is hidden will be revealed.

Selah: It's our past that brings us to where we are. But it's with one step in the present, that we step into the future.

Smashing Plastic Jesus

2011-09-27T17:13:00.007-05:00

Hey, Stop relating to the cardboard cut outs of Jesus. You know, the one's created by Church goers.

You get the real, authentic Jesus who died and rose again. Get past the ideas of Jesus, the theology about Jesus, or the concepts of Him. You get the real deal.

Aren't you glad, you don't have to talk with:
The Catholic Jesus
or The Baptist Jesus
or The Pentecostal Jesus
or The Social Justice Jesus, or The Tea Party Jesus, or The Dope Smoking Hippie Jesus.
Not anymore.
Now, I could make it much worse. I could name your pet group, believe me, but you get the idea.;-))

Relating to a two dimensional Jesus is a sham. It's like trading a real diamond for a zirconium.

You've got the real deal. Now Go, Walk with God in the cool of the day. Get Real. He's waiting there for you.

PS: Accept No Substitutes.

So, What About Them Visions?

2011-09-19T18:40:00.001-05:00

Image by jeffdevries via Flickr

Why is it, some people get all woo-woo about visions and mysticism? It's completely natural and normal with God. With all our faults and brokenness, you'd think it'd make us special, or above it all. But that's hogwash. That's just plain stupid pride talking.

It's more like Gideon hiding in the winepress and God comes along and says, "Hello, Mighty Man of Valor." Has God got a sense of humor or what? Well, that's the way it works.
It's David working the sheep in the fields.
It's Jonah running from God's call.
It's Joseph thrown into a pit.
It's Moses running for his life into the desert.

We encounter God, and God transforms us from the inside out.

So don't go all glassy-eyed about visions. The veil's thin, and some of us can see through. No big deal. But it is important. The vision is, very important. We build our lives with the end in mind. Otherwise, we fritter our lives away on a million different dead ends.

Serenity ~ Living Fire

2011-09-18T20:59:00.006-05:00

Daily Peace

Sitting here by these incredible emerald green waters, I look out over the horizon, as one peers into eternity. The rim of the earth kisses the sky. I drink in the salty winds that play with the music of the breaking waves, lapping the shore. Seagulls dance overhead, echoing their timeless crys. Sinking my toes into the pure quartz sand, so soft, and white, it's easy to mistake it for snow. The negative ions being released from the breaking waves is making me feel good and energized.

All in all, this beach is a quiet, peaceful and meditative place, that I absolutely love. I crave solitude. It strips away all the junk so I can live again, and focus on what's most important.

Do you have a place of refuge, of meditative rest, and refreshment? How would you describe your wild, and abandon devotion to God? Here's some words that set me off in the right direction.

Solitude
Restorative
Meditative
Contemplation
Serenity
Being
Oneness
Stillness
Focus
Release
Surrender
Quietness
Peaceful
Restful
Wide Open
Spacious
Vast
Simplicity
Refreshing
Calm
Intimacy

Our peace with God is being ripped out of our lives by empty, endless activities. We've got to be intentional in our communion with God to reclaim our spirituality and abundant living.

What words would you use to describe that quiet explosion in your heart and imagination? That awakening to God? That realization that, "Oh, God, You're really here."

Be still and know that I am God. Ps 46:10

Waking Up To History

2011-09-10T13:05:00.021-05:00

Living Practice

Can you see the hand of God everywhere? He's working through the events of our time. It's all around us. But we can't see it, when we're too wrapped up in our own illusional spin. What we focus on expands and fills our world view. Every single one of us, needs a daily awakening to begin to see with God's perspective.

That's why I'm so fired up about a living, walking, breathing theology, walking with God in the cool of the day. What a structure, the presence of God, and it totally Rocks! But on to the larger theme.

Spin Is The Spider That Weaves The Web of Deception

You can also see the Spin of what's going on everywhere. The illusional leverage of power is controlling spin. It's like the power switch on a electrical grid. He who controls the spin, has the power. That is, until our spin implodes into reality. And it will. Ask Hitler, Quaddafi, the Mayans, or Rome, or the East German government, etc. Whole societies and cultures have collapsed into spin.

Spin is everywhere God is not. Cultural Christians spin Scripture with ReInterpretive Theology all the time, to fit their lifestyles and agenda's. It's painful to watch.

The Need To Be Honest To The Bone

You don't have to have a good memory if you're honest.
You don't have to cover your trail.
Protect your ass.
Lie through your teeth.
In fact, Can you smell the winds of freedom in the wild?

"Honesty is the best policy." ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ is not just a good quote.
It's the truth.
It works really good.
It takes the anxiety out of your life.
Stress and strain melt away.
Relations begin to heal, as do you.

It's 'Living Life On Life's Terms.'
It's "Loving What Is." ~ Byron Katie
Our honesty guides us to surrender to God's purpose for our lives.
Honesty opens us up to a whole world of possibilities and freedom that our country hasn't seen in a long time.
Honest people rule. Dishonest people are slaves.
Spin will wrap you up and turn you into a zombie foot soldier for the cause.

As to honesty, there's a Zen Koan I heard years ago, that I'll probably butcher. It directly address honesty and spin as you grasp the deeper meaning.
"The first half of my life I spent tying knots. The last half of my life, I've spent untying them."

So, What is Honesty?

Honesty is:
1.the quality or fact of being honest. uprightness and fairness.

2.truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness.

3.freedom from deceit or fraud.

The Revolution of Waking Up

For us as Believers, The Truth is the Truth, is the Truth. It's living, breathing, and it's Alive. We see it's reflection in our laws, culture, and structures, but the living Truth is burning in the eyes of Jesus. That's radical and that's true revolution. The revolution of waking up to what is.

~*~
Photo: Christ Church 1773, Alexandria, Virginia ~ George Washington, a Believer, occasionally went to church here.

Dances With Bees

2011-09-06T06:31:00.000-05:00

Being outside most of the day affords rare opportunities to see and experience nature in a way hovering over my trusty computer never can. Like the time I climbed up into a wasp nest. I was 200 ft up the rock cliff. With nothing to do, I played like a rock as wasps crawled all over my face.

Last week I was at work, cleaning out my seed trays when this huge hornet flew in. He challenged me for my work space. What would you do? Well, being a naturalist--live and let live-- it became a slow dance until we established some ground rules. I even got used to my 'little buddy'. He'd fly in and charge me. Then, I would back him up. This continued every day, until Friday. Then there were two.

I knew from my bee keeping classes, that when a person is scared, they give off an odor like fresh cut oak--tannic acid. Yes, you can smell fear. And on the other side, when a person is calm, they give off a lemony odor. Some bee keepers can even 'smell' a hive to see if it's safe to 'rob the honey'. My granddad's method was to listen. If the hive sounded stirred up, he'd stay away. But back to the hornets.

They started flying around each other like the Blue Angels, around and around, then dive bomb, and race for the sky. Awesome to watch.

Monday came and I went to grab my hose. Just when they flew at me in formation. Before I could think, I was running off like a mad man, arms flailing and screaming like a girl. There were five. No, I didn't get stung, but my pride was hurt, and I realized I needed some info. So, I took pictures and went off to ole Google.

What we found out didn't surprise me. Posts like 'Wasps On Steroids?' "Florida's Largest Wasp" OK, I thought 'There, I'm not exagurating.' Then we hit it, Cicada Killers, The Giant Ground Hornet. Ah, that's it.

The Giant Ground Hornet / Cicada Killer (Sphecius speciosus)

I've gotten more pictures, but this one says it all. They've been reported to chase down Humming Birds and kill them, no small feat. Oh, Yea! I haven't gotten stung yet.

PS Now there are seven. And me? I'm dancing with bees.

Christ Tribe ~ A Vision ~

2011-09-05T10:31:00.004-05:00

Tribes In The Fireglow

As I look out across the wide open plains, I can see the tribes have multiplied. It's a deep starry night, and the peoples are gathered into small groups around their campfires. The young are being taught the ways of their tribe by the elders, their eyes flickering large in the fireglow. You can barely see the other tribes, close at hand if you look out. There's a feeling of open solitude, as the focus is beginning to change.

There's a hush, as if everyone is waiting for a call to gather together. The winds are picking up, sweeping across the plains, sending sparks flying into the air. The dawn is slowly stirring. There's a fresh smell of hope, joy and expectancy in the air. The tribes of Christ are stirring.

The Long Night Is Ending ~ The Day Is Dawning

All of our church tribal structures are going to fall before something much larger--The Bride of Christ. They won't be needed any longer. And when that happens, it's gonna be quick.
We the Church are One Tribe, One People, One Nation, One Kingdom, and Jesus is LORD. Be ready.

The Forgotten Mystery of Suffering

2011-09-04T05:04:00.002-05:00

Our suffering is transformed into deep compassion through forgiveness. Forgiveness is the greatest miracle for us and it is the greatest miracle that we can extend to others. It is only through the doors of God's forgiveness that we could ever enter into our salvation, in this life, and in the next.

Jesus suffered in every way, and to every depth, that we could ever possibly suffer; but He did not sin, or turn away. Jesus saw it through to the end, in death, and broke on through...He broke through death, into eternal life. He made a way, where there was no way, for us. In Him, Jesus, we have hope, and new birth, and a way out. Our only way of escape, from a certain, and a sure, and a eternal, destruction, and waste, and death.

Forgiveness is the greatest heroic act of a conquering God, Jesus. And we walk in his train, and we proclaim His glory, and His forgiveness, for us.

We call all peoples, every single person, not to just walk under His banner, but to receive Jesus as LORD, and Master, and Teacher, and God. Otherwise, our suffering has no meaning, no redeeming cause. This is the forgotten miracle of suffering. Not our own, but God's own suffering for us. His gift is before you, and the choice is yours to choose. Receive Jesus, and live.

Restoring The Doors

2011-09-03T01:00:00.005-05:00

Don Pedro looked at me with his piercing dark eyes. A glint of amusement flashed across them. He slowly spoke, "I want you to sand these doors so we can refinish them. My customer is from France. These doors are 250 years old. They're from her family's home. She wants to restore them to hang in her new office." I asked him how long he had and Don Pedro replied, "Next week," and left me to it.

I had no idea what I was doing and the more questions I asked, the more Don Pedro's eyes furrowed. You see I was an expert trained in the modern furniture industry, but not for this. It was a test, and I was scared to death I'd mess it up.

I sanded, chipped and sanded away--smoothing and working the detail of the wood. Don Pedro came back after 2 hours. He looked at the doors, and up at me. I had ruined them. I had no clue what restoring doors really meant. I was trying to make them brand new. Don Pedro didn't suffer fools lightly. I was sent on the next plane home.

I eventually became a Master Craftsman, but I'll never forget Don Pedro.

So what's your idea of Restoration? Yours is probably a lot better than mine was.

Here's some off the cuff ideas:
*It's taking what's damaged and broken and bringing it back to its original intend, with the scars of time telling its story.
*It's about bringing out the best, hidden inside, and letting it shine through, warts and all.
*It's about bringing back what's been destroyed in our lives, and bringing us back into play.
*It's the story of God's work in and through us as we journey home.
*It's the healing of our broken lives and broken relationships and making them and us whole.

What does Restoration mean for you?

Reflections of Grace ~ The Dark Night of The Soul ~

2011-09-02T09:46:00.001-05:00

Have you been going through trials? A season of stress? A dark night of the soul?

Here's a word for you. It's echoing through the Body: Joy Anyway.
Look for those moments, like sunlight breaking through the storm--Moments of Grace and Joy.

Even when you're going through a dark night of the soul--a time of striping, testing, purifying, and change. Look for those moments of Joy. Don't check out. Be aware. And you'll catch that ray of hope...that will bathe you and pull you through. Joy Anyway. Regardless of inner and outer circumstances. Choose Joy Anyway.

PS I'm including a link here that just might save your life. It's a message by a trusted pastor / friend of mine Bobby Lepinay: Click Here: The Dark Night of The Soul ~ Habakkuk part 2
There's a wealth of information and 3 Crucial Steps to Thriving in the Purge.

Our suffering is transformed into a deep compassion through forgiveness. And our compassion is a gateway for God to use us.

Reflections of Grace ~ Relationship vs Religion ~

2011-08-30T07:48:00.006-05:00

I got up this morning and started thinking about a vision I had. I finally wrote it down, but lost the paper. Now, I can write it down again, but it won't be the exact words I used last time. So, I got to thinking. It's not the words but the vision that's important. And the vision draws me closer to God, which is relationship. Then I said, "Oh, I see."

The Scriptures are not perfect, at least on the surface. You're probably screaming at me now. It's because the words are not perfect. Language is a limited way to communicate and it's fluid and always changing. Why? Because God is out after a relationship with us, not the worship of words in a book. The words point to the Living Word of God, which is Jesus. So, God wants us. He doesn't need us. But He passionately wants us. He wants to walk with us in the cool of the day. He wants to get together.

So stop putting things between you and God, even Scripture. Read the words beneath the words, and come into the His Presence.

*Picture: My old German Bible 18th century.

Passionate Flow: TAKE OUT THE TRASH !

2011-08-05T20:56:00.002-05:00

Sometimes you just gotta clean house. Things pile up. Overwhelm is overdue. Time to kick some chaos out! Scheduling is not the problem. When it's time for a break, it's time for a break. Life cycles. And when clutter clogs up your life, it's time to Rock and Roll.

If Marilyn Manson can do it, So Can You!!!

Clutter clogs up our lives physically, emotionally, mentally, relationally, socially, to our root spirituality. Sometimes You just gotta Kick Some Trash!

Remembering Oneness

2011-07-31T18:10:00.004-05:00

Remembering Oneness

You know how a baby looks up into his daddy's eyes. They play peak-a-boo and baby chuckles with big belly laughs. Like a game of lost, and found. Dad plays again, amidst peals of laughter that roll into heaven and fill the air, all in the blink of an eye.

That welcomed acceptance is his father's eyes, that love seals a bond of oneness...And all is right with the world.

Now, what did this baby do to earn that oneness? That acceptance, that bond of oneness is a gift.

Searching For Oneness

As we grow, we sure get fooled and taken. The human brokenness breaks us again and again. We become hard, 'the victim,' looking for acceptance in all the wrong places...using, abusing, and rolling down the drain. We become less and less human as our inner being is locked away, safe from harm.

We've all have had that lump of fear in out throat, that we're going to be rejected again and fail. On top of that, there's the resistance that keeps us right where we are. We're just not enough to get it right, much less perfect.

The Big Turn Around

Nothing really changes until we turn around. We can pause and let the chaos roll on by us. We can choose to stop. We don't have to jump on in. But we've got to replace it with something else. And we can't see anything else until we turn around. Until we turn around all we see is the problem, the wreckage, the chaos. The beauty is that we can stop and turn around a thousand times a day, if we need to.

The Passion of Oneness

So, what's the other direction? Our hopes, our dreams and our God...Standing there with open arms. Again, what's there for us? Oneness, Acceptance and a Grand Extended Homecoming.

This passion becomes a process, a journey, as we choose to set aside our immediate responses, to replace them with what's good, and what's better, and what's best for us. Our life gains an end game. Having a long term passion our life gains vision, purpose and meaning. Things start clicking. We realize that our life is progress, not perfection. It's a path, a journey.

And the cool thing is, that God's cleared out a way, he's made a way out for us.

Jesus says, "I Am The Way, and The Truth, and The Life; No One comes to the Father except thru Me." Jn 14:6

The Process of Oneness

And the Fruit of that Oneness, and that Passion is: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control..Gal 5:22,23 Now, don't go brain dead with overwhelm, but look at what God's Spirit is producing in us as we allow this replacement to take effect. It's stunning. It's absolute genius, to think that God would love us this much.

The really awesome part is that this process of working out, and growing this character in us, is eternal. We become anchored in eternity. And that is so cool.

P.S. Chick Here for My Great Big Messy Turn Around

P.P.S. The Video is of my grandson Tyler
He's responsible for this post.

How To Cut Through The Chaos, Slay The Dragon, & Win The Girl

2011-07-25T17:51:00.002-05:00

A Core Simplicity

Having a Core Simplicity allows us to cut through the chaos around us, and to focus on what's most important to us.

This is the concept of the narrow way. Our focus is simple and specific. With our lazer focus, we exclude all the other 'stuff' that's swirling around us, because we're focusing on the One.

* It keeps us from being constantly sidetracked by clearing the rubbish

*It clears the battlefield so that we can slay resistance (Our Dragon) and get on to the work.

*We have more energy to focus on the task at hand.

The Great Paradox of A Simplified Focus

The Great Paradox is that 'Less Is More," ~ Robert Browning. This simplified focus of One expands, deepens and broadens our soul.

It brings us into the present where we bring our energies to bear upon what's most important to us, our lives, and for our future. (We Win the Girl)

It allows us to build a spacious life on a narrow path. (And We live Happily Ever After ;-)

**This is a concept outline. I hope it causes you to think and expand inside.

Hearts on Fire ~ Winning With God ~

2011-07-21T17:49:00.001-05:00

Eric Liddell Winner of the Men's 400 Meters @ 1924 Summer Olympics

Are You Winning with God?

When you're winning with God, nothing else matters. It doesn't matter if your job is cleaning sewers, or living off your streams of passive income. Life works. As the old saying goes, 'Nothing hurts when you're winning, but if you're losing everything hurts.' Let's listen to The Flying Scotsman, Eric Liddell.

'I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast.
And when I run I feel His pleasure.' ~ Eric Liddell

After Winning He Spoke To The Crowd In Paris

You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - especially if you've got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe you're dinner's burnt. Maybe you haven't got a job.

So who am I to say, "Believe, have faith," in the face of life's realities? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. Jesus said, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me." If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race. ~ Eric Liddell ~

Where's True Joy?

2011-07-21T15:55:00.001-05:00

If you
-- Want a real, vibrant relationship with God.
--Want to make a difference with God.
--Want to turn the world on its head with God.
--You're sick and tired of doing things for God; for others, rather than with God and others
--Are ready for the change.
--Want to create together.
--Want the blows of your life to count, not just for something, but for eternity.
--Want the very flow of God's life working through you.
--Want to walk with God in the cool of the day.

Be assured, the way of true life awaits, a spiritual journey which keeps getting deeper, richer and more vibrant. And its true mark is deep abiding Joy...

The Way Up Is Down

It's as we come with our brokenness, and weakness, rather than with our strength and abilities, that we can humble ourselves to receive God's grace and strength. It's only then that we can walk with God in the cool of the day.
Only then can we receive the full work of Jesus, bit by bit, day by day, into our lives. It's the hardest thing you will ever have to do. Hardest? We have to lay ourselves down to take up Christ into our lives. Being born again is just the beginning of living into the life we've been given. It's an event, a process and a destination. It's the habit of plugging into Jesus a thousand times a day if we need to. And the result? Love, Joy, Peace, Kindness, Goodness, the fruit of the Spirit. It's what flows, permeates out of our lives bit by bit, as we grow more and more.

Reflections of Grace ~ The Art of Letting Go ~

2011-07-19T22:37:00.006-05:00

Being is letting go, letting time fall down around you and being present. The illusion is that our control keeps us safe, but it actually keeps us bound. The truth is our letting go allows God to hold us, to heal us, and to empower us. In surrender, our control falls apart into something greater, a larger grace, a boundless place where our souls expand.. Surrender leads us into what we can't fully understand, hence what we cannot control. It is our first step of sanity, to becoming whole. It is our first step of grace, our first step of faith, and our first step of trust. Surrender is the art of letting go, an art we engage the moment we hit our knees and lift our eyes; the moment we worship and surrender ourselves as we "let go and let God".

As an art is continually practiced, it becomes deeper, richer and fuller.

And as we grow in Christ and Christ in us, our past, present and future begin to converge into our present. The veil of eternity becomes very thin. How cool is that?

Walk with God in the cool of the day...Today.

Reflections of Grace ~ A Fresh Hot Steaming Cup of Coffee ~

2011-07-01T22:08:00.006-05:00

Do you like coffee, tea or maybe a green smoothie?

I was walking back from the office sipping my coffee from a styrofoam cup, when it hit me. I love coffee, pure and black. It doesn't much matter if it's in a styrofoam cup or my favorite mug. It's the taste that rocks my morning world...hot steaming coffee.

And so it is with you. You're the container that's holding Jesus inside of you, the living water, the grace of God. You become the container which pours out His grace. Sometimes we get all caught up in ourselves, loosing perspective, not realizing that it's Jesus in us that makes it possible for Him to shine through us.

You can take that coffee and flavor it with all kinds of stuff. You can make "Liturgical Latte" or "Pentecostal Bold", but it's the coffee that matters, pure and simple.

Christ is in you. You are the vessel. Share your living water with a dying world. You may be the only grace of God a person ever meets. Take joy in that overflowing grace which is flowing into and out of you.

And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. Col 1:27 NLT

~ Peace, Love and Joy ~

An Open Letter To Musicians ~ Cover Bands Don't Change The World

2011-06-26T00:54:00.003-05:00

"It is the age of creativity. Cover bands don't change the world. You need to find your unique voice." Todd Henry (The Accidental Creative)

Hey _____(Fill In Your Name Here)
I've wanted to encourage you for a while.

Let me tell you a story. In an interview on songwriting (and I'm paraphrasing), John Lennon said
that, “Paul and I wrote all our crappy songs before we got famous. George, however, had the whole
world watch his learning process. He wrote his crappy songs before everybody.” That's hard! But that's
the key:

# 1. Progress instead of perfection. You will always be in a state of progress. There is no
perfect song or perfect performance.
When I blew 'Tear Down The Walls' at full volume in concert, it really sounded pathetic. It was
hilarious! So I learned and grew from that time on.

# 2. I played for an audience of One! It totally took the negative pressure off while it actually amped up the pressure to create. Growth is what stretches us musically, and growth is never perfect, it's progressive...progress. It will never stop in this life, and that's the cool thing. You will always be writing new stuff.

# 3. Don't Ever let your Inner Editor drown out the music of your soul. Create first, then edit and
edit and edit. Editing is the second creation, not the first.

# 4. Get your crappy songs out of the way. Let them come out of you. They may form something later
on. They'll come out at every major stage of your growth. Because you've changed, your style will morph. Think U2. Real gems will also appear.

# 5. Focus on the Process and not the result. Leave the results to God. Just write. Make it a discipline.

# 6. Your first songs prove you can write, build on that, but don't measure your progress by it.

Growth is the fire. Your heart is the forge. Your voice is the hammer that nails the song. Hammer out those songs!

Reflections of Grace ~ St. Augustine's Prayer

2011-06-25T22:44:00.002-05:00

I was at a Taize' Service this evening and wanted to share this little bit from it.

Breathe in me, Holy Spirit,
that I may think what is holy.
Move me, Holy Spirit,
that I may do what is holy.
Attract me, Holy Spirit,
that I may love what is holy.
Strengthen me, Holy Spirit,
that I may guard what is holy.
Guard me, Holy Spirit,
that I may keep what is holy.
~ St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

Taize' worship is very distinct. Services are characterized by stillness and candlelight, the repetition of melodious chant, silence, intercessory prayer and contemplative prayer. Taize' songs sing themselves within you. Once you learn the melody, let yourself find the words in your heart, or listen to fellow worshipers as they sing.
Taize' invites your spirit to move along the path of rhythmic repetition, moving ever deeper into the stillness and into the beauty of God's presence.
The goal of Taize' is reconciliation~to achieve closer communication with God, which leads to deeper inner peace and commitment~and to share that peace with family, friends, our community and the world. Elements of the service include silence, meditation, short scripture readings, intercessory prayer and music. A lighted icon is the centerpiece of the worship and can be used for meditation and prayer.
-photo and text courtesy of St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, Gulf Breeze, FL.

Don't Be A Dancing Bear

2011-06-17T22:16:00.006-05:00

What God does in you, far outweighs all the stuff He will ever do through you.
Grab hold of this with everything you've got. We are trained in performance Christianity:

Did you read your Bible today?

Did you pray today?

When was the last time you led somebody to the Lord?

Just How Radical are you for Jesus?

Have you learned Greek yet?

Are you Ordained?

What miracles have you done lately?

All the "stuff" we do are shadows compared to the reality of what God does within you. You are the iceberg that the world sees. But two thirds of you is hidden underneath the water. It's "Christ in You, the hope of Glory." Don't buy into Performance Christianity when you can have the real thing...acceptance, love, joy, peace...Then God can flow through you, and use you like the world has never seen. Don't be a Dancing Bear!

PS Don't Train Dancing Bears!

Imitation Or Revelation of Christ?

2011-06-05T14:35:00.003-05:00

We Are Either An Imitation Or A Revelation of Christ

We are all under the same dilemma--we've forgotten our name and don't know who we are. ~ CK Chesterton

We stand at the end and at the beginning of all things. So when we choose to walk with God, we are no mere imitation of Christ. We are the walking, talking, breathing revelation of God's grace, mercy and love. We are the continuing revelation of God in the earth.

We reveal His rescue from the ashes of death and destruction in our lives.

We reveal His tender love to us, through our struggles and failures. God shines through.

We reveal God's forgiveness as we forgive.

We reveal God's rescue as He continues to restore His image in us.

We reveal new beginnings, new life and a new hope.

You Are God's Only Witness

You are His Witness. You are Christ's Bearer--the light of the world lives in you.

It's time to wake up to who you really are. Be a Revelation. Don't be an imitator. Be encouraged to be who you are in Him.

Your mess is your message. ~ John Maxwell (a wise friend once said, "He would rather have you messy than not at all." And the great thing is that it's His grace that makes it work).

* My Photo of The Grand Tetons

Reflections of Grace ~ Imago Dei ~

2011-05-21T21:11:00.001-05:00

We are the work of his majesty.
But we have no idea who we really are
bound by sin, time and space.

And yet

We are being masterfully fashioned
by His Hands, Heart, and Spirit,
Transformed into His Image
more and more ~ Whole
Our brokenness Healed
Our emptiness Filled
Day by Day
As we Dwell in His Presence
As we Walk in His Spirit
Deeply touching the lives of others
Sharing, Giving and Revealing
The Love of God ~ to the Hearts of Men

Is Christianity Transcendental or Transformational?

2011-05-19T23:08:00.001-05:00

The Huge Paradigm Is Forgiveness

In Buddhism you're taught to park your mind in neutral, engage your being and transcend. It's really pretty simple once you get the hang of it. But there's no forgiveness in Buddhism, or Hinduism, or Islam or any other religion. Not really. It's the balancing scale.

Now, we all have the ability to kick our mind into neutral and transcend. We are all Human Beings. It's like what happens when you're looking at a sunset, and Bam...you're totally there and totally alive.

Human Beings ReCreated By God?

So we are all Human Beings. Scripture tells us that Jesus is the last Adam--A life-giving Spirit. So it's as we receive God's forgiveness through Jesus, we are 'born again'. Through Jesus we are Recreated First Spiritually, then Second, as we grow up ( as we choose to grow the Fruit of the Spirit, Disciplining, etc). Our Soul is transformed bit by sometimes stinking bit. And Thirdly, (Our Hope) we will be changed for all eternity. Our Bodies will be transformed. Pretty Cool! The change--our new creation will be complete. But the gate way is Forgiveness, Not Our Perfection. So our life in Christ is more than mere transcendence, it's transformational...sort of like a Butterfly.

We don't loose our humanity (our human DNA) as human beings when we're born again. We receive God's Spiritual DNA in Jesus Christ. That 'God DNA'. if you please, will TOTALLY transform us. Our spirit first, then our soul (our will, mind, emotions), and finally our bodies. Pretty far out? Yea. Kinna Sci Fi, way of looking at it. LOL I hope you get a little aha..

Reflections of Grace ~Jesus ~

2011-05-19T07:34:00.000-05:00

Grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection. ~ Joseph R Cooke ~

Forgiveness is the most powerful concept of all time.
That God incarnate would come among us
as one of us...and give his life
to make a way, that we could start over again...
Blows my mind.

It is the eternal God pattern interrupt
that we can enter, not just God's pattern
but God's life and God's family
to become God's child...
That's Breathtaking!

In The Stillness of Eternal Spring

2011-05-18T06:53:00.002-05:00

Sitting

The Stillness waits

To Settle

Down Into My Soul

Calm rises

As I Awake

In Stillness I wait

On The Lord

Reflections of Grace

2011-05-17T07:10:00.003-05:00

Cut To The Core. Life's Too Short For Living In The Shadows

We dance around our real source--our life in Christ.

Dive in, the water's fine. God understands your mess.
He can handle it. He knows. It won't take Him by surprise.
He will change it as he changes you. Slowly or quickly.
It's His doing. He's the surgeon. He's the healer.
Your job is to just do what he tells you, one to one.

Go ahead. Take a moment now. Free yourself
Because your life's too short to live in the shadows.

LEGAHLOIC ANONYMOUS

2011-05-13T21:19:00.019-05:00

My Declaration of Freedom / My Confession

Welcome to Legaholic Anonymous.

Hi, my name is Bob, and I'm a Legaholic.

I wasn't always a Legalist. But from the first time I was locked up in a room, and fought my way out, breaking a window in the process (I was 5 and still got the scars to prove it), I was hooked. Control has been my drug of choice since the first time I got into a fight (I stuttered and spoke with a lisp). It felt good to beat the snot out of those bullies. So I've controlled everything I could since.

Behind The Face of Grace

Now, I've put on a good 'Face of Grace' to everyone else, but inside, I'm a legaholic at heart—small, mean, and miserable. My pride feeds me and holds the keys to my prison. Yea, I've never really tried to break free. I kept all the laws, rules, principles, and disciplines. I've worked the programs, obtained the degrees, and jumped through all the right hoops, and quite frankly, I suck at it. I can't do it anymore. I give up.

Yeah, I got saved and it was wonderful. But then I got "Churched." You know the score--taught all the rules, I slowly died, bit by bit. I couldn't just sit there, and be a pew warmer. I'm a fighter, a revolutionary, a creative. The church gerbil wheel never set me free.

DiscipAholic / Go Drink The Kool Aide

Yeah, Yeah.Tithing? My whole paycheck went in. I was Fasting (Total) 2 days a week, with 7 day water fasts thrown in for good measure, Praying 3 hrs a day (holed up in my room), Intercessory Meetings during the week, Singing and Writing for a band, Teaching, Preaching, Witnessing, and Working Overtime—I did it all. However, my family suffered most. They took the blunt as I Broke, Again and Again, Year after Year. Like a fighter I'd get up and get knocked down as I fought to get it right. Man, all I can say is Legalism Sucks! I can't get it right. I break down sometimes a hundred times a day.

Filled With The Spirit

Yeah, I'm filled with the Spirit. I speak in tongues, prophesy, see visions, and miracles happen. But what good is it when you're totally broken inside.. My inner legalism, my pursuit of perfectionism, has killed me.

What Right Church ?

Oh, the right church? Yeah, I've tried 'em all. Denominational to Theater Church...Liturgical to Messianic. I've failed at them all. Most teach grace while their lives preach performance. I never fit in.

Hittin' The Bar of Religion

So, if I hit the Bar of Religion and Drink just one sip of Legalism, I can't stop. I'm a Legaholic. I drink and drink until I get sloppy drunk on Control. Sure, I'm drinking to get Holiness, but what I get is this pounding headache of Spiritual Pride.

So, let me say it again. Religion is when our lips speak grace, while our lives preach performance. It will kill you dead, after its sucked all the life out of you. Religion is a vampire.

My Manifesto of Relationship

So I'm declaring a Manifesto of Freedom from all this mess--Internally and Externally. I can't fix the Church, and I can't fix me. So, I'm beginning again with God, and what I've experienced. I'm seeing simple stupid stuff that nobody's talking about. And it's at the heart of God. We've been Married to God and living a Divorced Life. And it truly sucks! Especially, when the solution is so simple.

Face Grace / Turn and Learn

There are so many like me, who've been hurt, wounded and left out in the cold. Relationally, so much of 'church life' is an “outside looking in” approach to God, rather than dwelling in the presence of God. We work it up (The Pentecostal/Charismatic Liturgy of Emotion), we move through the forms brain dead, (The Eucharist, etc.), we lecture about it, around it and talk to people like they're idiots.(The Alter Call Dance). Our forms however are not the problem. Our position is. Quite frankly it's our relationship to Jesus.

So, if our life proceeds from God, then, it is as we dwell in His Presence, preach in His Presence, breathe, live, walk and talk in His Presence, permeate our environment with His Presence, then, everything changes. It is thus, God that is the answer and not we ourselves. It is Christ in us that moves us from glory to glory. Our job is stupid simple. Do what He tells you to do ...minute by minute, not what every religious expert says.. First thing in the morning, hit your knees and ask for help, guidance and strength. Will you miss it? Absolutely. Will you screw it up? Without a doubt. Just ask me. But you will learn the Voice of God, and in your life, everything changes in the presence of God.

And that's what I'm doing from this point on.

Hi, My name's Bob, and I'm in love with Jesus.

Hillsong United - King of all days (Tear Down the Walls)

2011-03-14T18:32:00.000-05:00

Simplicity: From Failure To Grace

2011-03-13T13:21:00.002-05:00

When I take time to be silent and still before God, when I create the space to just be in my devotion, then I am filled with serenity and peace in the presence of God. God permeates all that I am. Scripture says it best, "Be still and know that I Am God."
Now I hear best, pray best, love best.
When I don't, I fail.

God always meets calamity with serenity. ~Anon

This is one of my meditation spots.

Fall From Grace Part 1

2011-03-08T21:44:00.001-06:00

Moral Failure: We Will All Fall From Grace

In my 38 years as a Christian believer, everyone I've known has had a major Fall From Grace, some very public, but most private. It's a natural law: we reap what we sow, even with God's forgiveness. There are consequences...hurt, pain, broken trust and betrayal. We are responsible for our actions. But what happens next is crucial.

Image by Christophe Verdier via Flickr

So What Can I Do?

Our restoration is a sham unless we go through the fire. To enter the healing process, we must embrace the pain to change and not avoid it. We must walk into the caldron of testing, in order to draw out the poison and purify our wounds so that we may heal. Hurting people hurt. Our emotional healing is a process. A quick confession, prayer and absolution won't cut it.

We Are At War

Healing in the arena of moral failure is a fight. A fight for our wholeness and restoration. We will never be the same. But ultimately we can become stronger, healthier and more compassionate human beings as a result of our learning to make better and more consistent choices. The inner healing is what we're working out, building a relationship with God. Time doesn't heal all wounds, but with time we can heal. Our wholeness is a battle, a fight, a battle we can win. Healing and restoration from our fall from grace can be won. We can develop the backbone, and the character. It comes from within, as well as from without, with the support and encouragement of those who are willing to walk with us. It's God's own character that we finally develop. (hence, Christ Habits).

Forgiveness: How Can I Forgive Myself?

2011-03-06T18:05:00.003-06:00

Screwed Up Again?

What can you do when you've done something so bad that there's no way you can forgive yourself? And maybe you've done it again and again? Or you're in such mental torment, that life just plain sucks. It's sheer constant pain. Suicide can seem like a real and viable option. But hear me, Please, Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.

Suicide Is Not The Unforgivable Sin

Let me digress here. Suicide is not the unforgivable sin, Blasphemy is.* Many well meaning Christians will tie the two together. It's ReInterpretive Theology. It's when Conservatives & Liberals Reinterpret Scriptures to support their world view and screw the rest of us up.

The Only Forgiveness That Really Works

Personally, only God's Forgiveness gives me the ability to forgive myself...to learn and move on, most times stumbling along. If I didn't have God's Forgiveness, I could never forgive myself. I would have ended it a long time ago. It's the only forgiveness that works for me. God's Unconditional, Absolute and Eternal Forgiveness. All else are shadows and reflections of God's immutable forgiveness made available to us through the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. He paid the ultimate price because we never could...even in a hundred million lifetimes. And sure, there's reaping what we sow. But the miracle is, that we have the opportunity of a fresh start and a clean slate. Only God gives do overs...a way out of our failure.

If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1:9
The reality of this verse Will Save Your Life!!! I urge you, Memorize It.

* Matthew 12:23-37 Look at the Context
Mark 3:20-30

P.S. A Great little book: Repentance-Joy Filled Life by Basilea Schlink a Lutheran Nun in Nazi Germany. I've put a link to the book in the post title.

The Face of Unforgiveness

2011-02-05T16:47:00.003-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

When We look into the face of unforgiveness we see a broken caricature of humanity. Broken in many ways: physically, psychologically, and spiritually.

Most religions hold out the carrot of forgiveness, but offer no real or lasting forgiveness. They hold people as slaves through fear, hate, and intimidation, held together with spiritual pride. They live in a culture of defiant pain.

Nelson Mandela however, when he was freed from prison and made president, gave us a powerful healing balm of wisdom in his inaugural address. He simply stated, “Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for your enemy to die.” Such is unforgiveness, it distorts, diminishes and will eventually kill us.

When we are abused, our soul is pierced through like a black hole. It's a wound we can't see or understand. We just suffer from the loss. The symptoms of our pain are as unique as we are, and manifest in a million different ways: physically, psychologically, and spiritually. We do stuff and people say, “Why are they doing that again? Don't they know better?” Why? Because we can't see it. We even pass on our woundedness to our children and don't even know it. Then our children repeat the cycle. Our brokenness becomes generational. It's said, “Hurt people hurt,”and we all do it.

So we spend a lifetime building great dysfunctional structures over our wounded soul, our black hole, just to get on with our life. Well, time doesn't heal all wounds. We keep tripping and falling back into the same hole.

So what hope is there? Our hope is in forgiveness. Forgiveness is the starting point of all healing. God takes it so seriously that in the Lord's prayer Jesus says, “Forgive our sins as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.” The flip side of this is that, if we don't forgive, we won't be forgiven. Why? Because, our healing begins with forgiveness. We have the power and we have the authority to forgive those who've wounded us or those we love. It's a reflection of the love and mercy of God.

The good news is that we can experience the full forgiveness and mercy of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the full price for our judgment out of his love and mercy for us. Forgiveness begins the healing that's progressive, from glory to glory. Forgiveness allows God to come into our brokenness, and to begin to replace that black hole, with his character: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Bit by bit God gently dismantles our dysfunction, our darkness, and replaces it with his light. The light of God's character glows within us. Such is forgiveness for us, it brings healing, love and intimacy with God, and also, with those we love. Healing people heal.

If you've never asked Jesus to come into your life with his forgiveness and mercy, do it now. Stop the madness, and begin the healing, led Jesus come in. Only you have the authority over your own heart, ask Jesus. Do you feel love tugging at you? That's him.

And if you're a Believer, who is suffering in pain, Begin with forgiveness. Get unstuck. Grow in love and grace. Forgive. Live out of your wholeness, and let God into your brokenness.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Thes 5:24

Shalom!

Be Here Now

2011-01-30T15:55:00.000-06:00

"Don't let the mosquitoes ruin the hunt for big game." David Allen

I said this to Jake Friday and he said, "Boy, ain't that the truth. Especially late in the season, they can really make your life miserable. You're taking aim, and one pokes you in the neck."

As Creative's it's so easy to get distracted with all the little interruptions of life, so that we miss out on creating a really important moment, a song, a painting, or a phone app. Whatever we do.

We are all created in the image of God, and as such, it's our deepest nature to create.

So when you're with your family, your spouse, your kids, your friends, don't let the little distractions of life cause you to miss that moment to be there, to create with God in the lives of others. Especially in your marriage. As a friend of mine says, "Pray and play."

Hebrews says that Jesus learned obedience through the things he suffered. 5:8 Even suffering, Jesus didn't check out. He lived every moment with grace.

And Jake?
He's out hunting. How about you?

Father, make us aware of your presence every moment, so that we can create life in every moment with you. It's all because of Jesus we pray. Amen

PS Oh Yea, Don't let the mosquitoes ruin your hunt for big game.

No Mere Book Of Wisdom

2011-01-13T16:10:00.001-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

As a Seeker, I've read virtually every holy book in the world. My conclusion is that the Scriptures contained in the Bible, not only stand head and shoulders above all the rest, the distance is so great, there's no comparison.

Dare you read, you are opening the most dangerous, powerful, and holy book of all time. A book whose words are the breath of God and the fire of His heart. When you read the Scriptures, they read you. When you taste them, in your heart, they will expose you. They will call you out, and they'll show you the way.

Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."

Every time I read this verse, the sheer depth of what Jesus says astounds me. It explodes in my consciousness, and I am undone. The ramifications of what Jesus says here are beyond profound. They stand on a knife's edge. Either they are absolutely true or absolutely false. As a Seeker, I have proven Jesus true, every time. As a reader, He poses the greatest statement you will ever read. Dare you prove it?

As a Seeker, I would begin with the Book of John.

Come join us around the fire and have a cup of tea.

Are You Writing Magic?

2011-01-08T19:30:00.003-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

Feeling The Song

Isn't it magical to hear a couple whisper intimately speaking in another language? You don't know what they're saying, but you can feel the sparks and the music sing. It is truly magical.

Liturgy of The Holy Grail

I can see how The West's fascination with magical words arose.

The Priest standing before the Altar. His back to the people. He raises the Cup and uttering some 'magical words' the people couldn't understand. They were spellbound.

He held the power between God and man. It was a moment of mystery and magic to the average person.

Are You Writing Magic?

Are your posts magical to most people? Or are you really communicating with them?

As a creative, I tend to speak my own language. And as a poet, I break every rule in the book.

So I have to constantly ask myself, Does this connect? Am I communicating? Or are these magical words that convey mystery without substance?

So, How does your writing stack up? What are you communicating?

Allowing The Scriptures To Speak: Thoughts On #NTx12

2011-01-08T18:16:00.003-06:00

While I was getting ready to dive into my daily reading, I thought:

When we superimpose our Belief System on Scripture, We get a very different picture then when we let the Scriptures speak for themselves.

If we allow the Scriptures to speak, our belief system will be in a constant state of growth and fruitfulness. Instead of defending our beliefs or manipulating Scripture, we will be transformed by it.

PS Picture is of a 400 year old German Bible I have.

Restoration is The Art of Simplicity

2011-01-02T15:09:00.005-06:00

We read the Scriptures for all kinds of reasons and motives. Most of us seem to snack our way through the Bible. From this we gain a Caricature out of the bits and pieces we read. We put our Caricature into our Religion Box. We may even develop a belief system and gather people around our Caricature. It happens.

Come As a Little Child

True seekers are tenacious.They make good fishermen. They tend to be radical, even revolutionary. I believe every child is born with this inmate curiosity and thirst to discover the truth. So what happens? Life sucker punches us in the stomach. Now we're reeling, dazed and confused, and we don't know which way to turn..

Let's Get It Together

There are probably a million different ways and methods to study the Scripture. It's endless. I'll clue you in on a Secret... the Simplest is the Best! Always, always, always go for the simplest solution every time. You'll thank me later.

FOCUS Put On Your Hunting Clothes

So what is the simplest way to study Scripture?

*Read through verse by verse, and gather the full context.

*Asked God to speak to your heart and read. Better yet, Carry on a running conversation with God as you read.

.*Star, Circle, Write...Use that Bible. Don't worship it.

*Whatever you do, read...Read through

You are opening the most dangerous, powerful and holy book of all time.

Waking Up

We'll do anything but read the Bible.

*We'll snack to silence the guilt.
*We'll go to church to get spoon fed.
*We'll take classes, courses, even study Greek and Hebrew.
*We'll go to Bible College and Seminary.
*We'll look to Pastors and Leaders to do it for us.
*We'll pay them.
*We'll pay you.

But seriously, Why? One simple reason: When we read, It Changes Everything.

Selah

The Problem With The Church

2010-12-29T20:55:00.003-06:00

How Things Work

All systems move toward complexity. They become unworkable and irrelevant. Every system must go through periodic restructuring to the original and a purging of the layers encrusted on the original system.

Restoration Is The Art of Simplicity

Restoration is restoring the simplicity core of every complex system. Simplicity is beautiful. It is at the heart of what makes life work. Spiritually, it's the Beauty of Holiness. On the other hand, Complexity is the rationale for our brokenness. It's how broken people function in any system. Not very well. Complexity develops out of brokenness.

It's A Simple Problem

The problem with the church is simple, but invisible. When we are integrated within a system we can't see with perspective. The problem is that the church, as a system, continually becomes unworkable, unwieldy, and irrelevant in the world.

This applies across the board, from the Primitive Baptist to the Holiness, from the Catholic to the Orthodox. Every generation adds meaningful and God birthed tradition to the original Gospel... layer upon layer. For us to fully integrate into any church system, all this tradition must be actualized in our lives. The greater the complexity, the more time and energy we must devote to the process. Complexity develops to the point, that unless we are born into that church system, we don't have a prayer of ever really belonging.

Simple Problem Simple Solution

The solution is a simple one. We need to be integrated into the 'living system' of the Body of Christ. Church structures come and go. We use them when they work and change them when they don't. But our Belonging is in God's Family, not any system of man. Church Structure will always be dysfunctional, with dysfunctional people. All the while, the Body of Christ, the living Church is being transformed into the Bride of Christ before our eyes. The answer to our problem is Christ...In Christ and Christ in Us.

This answer is a simple one. One that has a trickle down effect in everything we say and do. It determines the strength and direction of every relationship we have. It effects everything with God. And so it is that 'You are the Light of the World.' Yes, Every Believer is a Leader. Every Believer. Hence, Christ Habits.

Selah

Eyes Wide Open

2010-11-10T18:01:00.001-06:00

Radical Structures for Spiritual Life

In the West, our interior life has become highly developed and sophicated. Because of psychology, esp. psycotherapy, medicine, science and philosopy, we've developed language and structure to examine and explain much; Much that remained unexplored in earlier generations.

In the West, we are trained to prove the validity of everything. We use every system, test, and tool at our disposal, knowing that one discipline is not enough. Each discipline uncovers what others may miss. As my grandfather would say, "Use every tool in the toolshed." We doubt, we question, and we prove. Our belief is not based on blind faith, but on proven trust. This is what we bring to the table as Western Christians. We examine everything and hold fast to that which is good, that's proven and that works in every area of our lives. It's how we're hard wired. We enter with our eyes wide open.

What Dreams May Come

2010-11-09T17:56:00.005-06:00

Image via Wikipedia
Do You Dream When You Sleep?

Does anyone else have reoccurring dreams? Dreams that follow you year after year? Ever dream you could fly? Or you're out to on an adventure? Or stalked by something dark? I have.

What Dreams May Come (Background)

I grew up in the woods. Ask any of my friends. LOL I'm sitting in the woods as I write this. My earliest memories are of mountains, woodland meadows filled with flowers, and cool, mountain streams.

On The Threshold of A Dream

I have one reoccurring dream. It starts with me walking down a familiar trail, and coming on a clear mountain stream. I'm walking the stream bed searching in a green mossy forest. I finally see a clear polished gem. Then I begin to find more and more gems and crystals cut like diamonds. Some are half buried in the mud and sands. Of course the dream's in colour. And I always wake-up refreshed with hope, energy and expectancy.

Reflections of the Soul

So, I've broken the silence. What have you dreamed of? Do you have one that stands head and shoulders above the rest? Do you have one that you chew on, that you roll over and over in your mind?

Like Joseph, I leave interpretations to God. But this one's pretty easy. So what's your story?
By the way, I still pick up rocks.

In The Face of God

2010-11-07T13:31:00.002-06:00

I see God's fingerprints all around me, in every flower, bird and leaf. In the complexity of every human being, and in the simplicity of love and trust. In fact there is nowhere that I can look, that I don't see God's fingerprints. Yet, that is not God.

I also see great evil in a world of brokenness and broken people. People who have fallen, continue to fall and think, 'that's just the way it is.' And yet, that is not God, nor the evil one.

Scripture says that God is light and that there is no darkness in him. Pure light,and pure energy emanating from the limitless and eternal source of His own Being. This is what Glory means. This is what Holiness does. This lifts our view, out of ourselves, to the very face of God.

We are all eternal beings, but we are not God. We are either eternally redeemed by the blood of Jesus, or we dwell in our own fallen, eternal brokenness. But either way we are eternal. Choose Life that gives to give. Love that lives to live. Hope that secures us in God. It's all wrapped up in the Lordship of Jesus who conquered death and the grave. Choose Jesus.

The Voyage of Discovery

2010-11-06T10:45:00.000-05:00

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in
having new eyes~Marcel Proust

The Tracks of Eden's Days

2010-11-02T17:13:00.002-05:00

Can you see

The light in the forest

Breaking through the trees

Shafts of golden rays

Awaken a misty woodland

Caught by a summer breeze

Hear the woodthrush calling

The hawk is soaring

A chipmunk scurries away

Remember the sunsets

On firey waters

In shades of Eden's days

Eden is deep in our cultural memory. A place and a state that draws us. A distant dream echoing down the corridors of time. Where we and everything else is the way it's supposed to be. We all know it. That place we fell from, both in state and in dwelling. The gates are barred to us now and we can never return. Yet, in our yearning and in it's call, we are drawn forward into a Bigger Story, a Better Place and a Homecoming like no other.

The Radical Contemplative

2010-10-31T17:14:00.006-05:00

I was confronted with, what am I trying to do? Thanks! This is my clarified response.

Radical Contemplation

I've noticed that most Radicals in all Spiritual History are Orthodox to the bone. It's we who become complacent, and established, safe and predictable, unmoving and unchangeable. Stuck in the mud comes to mind.

Are You Stuck With God ?

Yea, that can be taken two ways. LOL! Growth isn't ever easy or comfortable, but it is Exciting and Breathtaking. And Growth always happens from the inside out.

So What AM I Out Here For?

Radical

My purpose is to help you to break open to God...To get you outta the Religious Box, The Church Zoo... To Break Free and run with God in the Spirit, To Grow with God Where you're Planted, and to Walk with God in the Cool of the Day.

Contemplation

We do this one on one with God. Then, we grow together and it's Amplified in the Body of Christ. Yet, Our outgrowth is small in comparison to what God does within us. We are like an Iceburg. What is visible to the world is small in comparison to what's hidden in the water. And we are hidden in Christ. THIS is where the real and permanent change happens. This is where the springs of life, ie living water, flow from in our lives. Hidden from all, but present to God.

So grab a cup, relax, and engage in these Chronicles I've prepared just for you. And tell me what you think. What's helpful and what can be improved. And be encouraged, The only dumb question is the one we don't ask.

Welcome To The Mountain Morning Cafe'!

Emanate...Shine Through

2010-10-28T19:37:00.002-05:00

It's what we emanate that counts.
It's what flows out of our spirit, stirs our soul and engages the world.
What's shinning out of you at this moment?
Is it soul light or spiritual light?What is shinning through the veil of your soul?
A key difference between Christianity and all other faith's and practices is this difference.
Every other faith and practice I've ever encountered uses an outside in approach in their faith and practice.
Christianity however, begins with Jesus, receiving Jesus and letting Jesus shine through us. It's the inside out approach. We work out what God has already worked in us in Jesus.
So what are Forms, and Disciplines for? As in all faiths and practices, They are to clear the way, to untie,and to unblock. The difference is direction, outward or inward. Using the inward approach we reach levels, states and stages on our journey. While the outward approach is to release life.
The purpose of disciplines and practice in Christianity is to remove barriers, to connect the disconnects, to breach the barriers, and to untie the bonds for the sole purpose of releasing God's power within. Power deeper than our own. Light that is uncreated and eternal. Life that is life giving.
If you get this, I'm handing you the Key to your Spiritual Growth, to Living an Abundant Life, and most importantly Fellowship with God...walking with God...Walking in The Spirit with God in the cool of the day.
I realize these are really tough concepts. Yet, From This Perspective (Seeing as God sees) Read the Scripture. See what you discover. Ask God to show you. In fact, carry on a running conversation with him. Ask Him what he's saying, and LISTEN.
Then, Open up the pathways of your spirit. Clear out the garbage. Level the mountains and raise the valleys. Make a highway for God through your soul. Straighten out your body, so that the energy, the light, the flow, the fire, the vibrancy of God, the abundant life of Jesus will flow freely through you. It's what we emanate that counts
Tell me what you're thinking. Is this helpful for you?

Acceptance and Belonging

2010-10-22T21:33:00.003-05:00

God wants, no yearns to walk with you and me, in the cool of the day...to give you meaning, purpose, and hope. All in fellowship with Him.

God wants us to lower the lens of Scripture...to see, walk and have a conversation with him to the best of our ability. And the miracle is, that that's enough. It's through Jesus that we have access. So what are you waiting for? The love of God calls, and draws us into His presence. And the beauty is, that once you've tasted God's goodness, nothing else satisfies but love and oneness with God.

We Stand At The Brink

2010-10-10T17:31:00.000-05:00

We stand at the brink of the restoration of all things.
We are the forerunners.
We are the restorers of the breach.
We bear restoration through our character and the annointing of God.
We who have been broken most reveal the fruit of the Holy Spirit most in our lives.
Whoever is forgiven little, loves little.
Whoever is forgiven much, loves much.
Our mark is humility, and our fragrance is joy.

We All Fall Down

2010-10-07T18:45:00.000-05:00

We fall down and to we fail ourselves a lot. When we do, the easiest thing is to beat ourselves up. We have our own little 'Fight Club" emotionally, mentally, and even physically. It's usually happens subconsciously or when we're on autopilot. We don't even notice it. 99% of the time, we may even think it's just "a part of who we are."

For believers, our first step is to see what we're doing...To bring it into the light...to slow it down and see exactly what we're doing. Only then, do we have the possibility to change and rewrite the script of our lives.

Confess it to God. Bathe in his full forgiveness. Most importantly forgive yourself. Allow yourself to feel release. Share in your heavenly father's love. Talk with him and soak up what he says to your heart. Learn to walk with God in the cool of the day. Literally, walk and talk with God. Develop your relationship with him. Give him your best time and attention. He will always give you more than your wildest dreams.

Spiritual Pride Sucks!

2010-10-03T12:59:00.001-05:00

Yea, You heard me right. Spiritual Pride Sucks Period.. The greatest hindrance in any form of private or corporate spiritual practice is spiritual pride. More, It's the number one Killer of your spiritual life. Above all else is spiritual pride. Once we have it, we can't see it. It's arrogance of the spirit. We catch it like a cold. It's in people, churches, movements, and whole denominations. It will make you do all the right things for all the wrong reasons. It exalts us, our church, our movement, etc... Earning our way home.

Let me say it another way. Spiritual Pride establishes us, ministries, churches, etc. above God. It makes a god of us.

The Solution To Spiritual Pride
I once had a guy come up to me and say, "You sure are proud of your humility." It was so out of left field that it rocked my world. It set me back in my spiritual life because I had grown up with pious humble shams. My fear was that, "Oh God, Am I a phony?" So, Humility by itself is not a cure. All Contemplatives struggle with this.

The Scriptures say, "Humble yourself in the sight of the LORD, and He will lift you up." The KEY here is "in the sight"

The Presence of The LORD is the only cure for spiritual pride. It melts away as we enter God's Presence. God's Holiness burns it up. Dwell with God daily.

May God's Peace Richly Dwell In You!

Rough Thoughts On Humility

2010-09-30T22:10:00.005-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

I was thinking today that we either choose humility, or we will be humiliated by life.

Mature humility is strength harnessed.

And as humility is strength harnessed, Only the strong have the option to be gentle.

So let me be like the gentle rain parched land.

As I continued meditating on humility, the thought hit me:

When a Mother defends her child's defiant behavior... When a Father abdicates training his child to harness their strength...The poor and the weak will flee for cover, and Tyrants will rule the land.

In God's economy the way up is down. If we humble ourselves before God, we will be humble before people and God can use us.

We are given strength to defend the weak and the helpless. It took me 50 years to learn this.

The fact that Jesus did all kinds of crazy and wonderful miracles is not the point. Jesus being God, could have unleashed such power and authority that all the earth would have thrown themselves down before him.

Jesus who is all-powerful humbled Himself to reach us where we are, on our level. He chose to suffer, he learned obedience through the things he suffered.

King's and Politicians draw power to themselves and fight to keep it. Jesus clothed his power in humility that he might win us with love.

May the love of God flow through us like a gentle rain on parched earth.

The Day of Awakening

2010-08-21T10:44:00.002-05:00

Don Basham once said, "To focus only on what God is doing right now is like trying to shoot a rifle using only the front sight. You've got to line up the back sight with a front sight to shoot straight." This new day of awakening has to be lined up with all God has done in the past to be able to see where He's headed.

The road is littered with good men and women of God, Casualties of the Charismatic Movement. God is calling you back in. God is calling to heal and restore. God is calling to raise you up. The word of the day is Restore, to restore your character, to restore your relationships, and to restore your ministry to others. For the gifts of the Spirit are to grow character, not caricatures. Good solid character makes for good relationships. The fruit, (one fruit, Think Holistically) the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Kindness, and Self-Control. God grows at all at once within you.

We've had Revival, we've had Renewal , now is the Day of Restoration for the Family of God, the Bride of Christ.

Some of you are already ready to lead the way for the rest of us to follow. So stand up, walk out that limp, dust off that old armor, it's time to go.

Eastern Meditation

2010-08-19T17:28:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia
Now, let's address Eastern meditation, as I know this will come up.

We said yesterday, all meditation is a morally neutral practice, neither good nor evil. This is why the first step of Eastern meditation practice is to drop dualism. This is also why there are so many Looney Tune gurus.
Traditional Meditation and Enlightenment expands our awareness but it doesn't change our maturity level or our personal bent towards good or evil. This is the weakness of Eastern or Traditional Meditation.

Now I know you're probably freaking out because I didn't put in... or talk about.... That's because I'm making this as simple as I can. We can fill in the blanks later if you're interested.

I Meditate

2010-08-18T17:28:00.004-05:00

Now that I've got your attention, let's expand.

All meditation is a morally neutral practice. I repeat, all meditation is morally neutral. It's what we bring to the table that determines where it goes. Let me explain.

All Meditation; Traditional, using the Rosary, using the Liturgy, praying the Our Father and going through our Daily Prayers, Scripture Meditation, Centering Prayer, Listening Prayer, Devotionals, it can even be standing and swaying in a worship service going through our routine of prayers and praises to God. All these things can put our mind into an Alpha or even a Theta state i.e. a Meditative State.

It's neither good nor evil, it just is. God is not surprised by it. He created you and me that way.

It's the focus of our meditation that determines our direction.

Awakening

2010-08-15T15:14:00.006-05:00

Image by loswl via FlickrWe have lost the awestruck wonder of God in the ordinariness of our lives. We don't grasp what being holy really means, so we grasp at symbols, shadows, and superstitions.

See the Angels flying before God crying out, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD Almighty, heaven and earth are full of Your glory. The proclamation is to all creation, not to some "fallen" stroking of God's ego. Our problem is that we see God in our brokenness and try to make him like us. Well, think about it, if the Angels before God have to cover themselves with their wings, What does that say about the sheer burning presence of God's holiness? That should you evoke a good dose of honest fear. And "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

This is a call to wake up to the eternal reality that "our God is a consuming fire." All of our rules and lists pale in the grand scope of God's nature and holiness. Even the Law that's "perfect, restoring the soul," falls before the first baby step of the newborn Believer. We are born again with the seed of God's burning holiness. This is the standard. This is the new life through Jesus Christ. This is what God by His Spirit has birth in us. It is what will ultimately transform us, make us whole, and lead us home. It is what God has done within us, that we must activate. It is why we are told to, "Be Holy as I AM Holy." It is a state of spiritual being that radiates out and transforms us as Sons and Daughters of the Living God. We can enable it, or shut it down. But it is there and God will not be denied his own.

To Know God as He Really Is, is to Awaken to who We Really Are.

Do This Remembering Me

2010-08-12T19:30:00.006-05:00

If you will permit me, here's my story.

I had just become a Believer. Because of how I was raised, (a PK & all) I didn't believe there were many Christians left, just Church goers. I was dating my wife at the time, and we had a break-up fight.

I was driving back to town, madder than a wet hen. Then it hit me, "By God, We're going to pray about this."

I jerked the car into the first church we came to. I tried the door and it was unlocked. The parking lot was empty. "Good' So we walked into this beautiful little church.

We sat in the 2nd row. I started praying my heart out. We both were. I heard a little noise in the back, but I was doing business with God. I wasn't about to get distracted. When we finished, I opened up my eyes, And There before us was this guy in robes. I looked around and people had filed in behind us.

Now God had my full attention. I could feel His Presence. Then the guy spoke. "We are gathered together in the presence of Almighty God and each other, to reconcile our marriages and our relationships to Almighty God and to celebrate Holy Communion." I don't remember a word he said.

I was speechless. Hot tears were streaming down my face. We went up and took Communion. The guy probably thought we were crazy, But I didn't care. That God would love us so much, to orchestrate even my failures to His purpose by His mercy and love. I'm still profoundly dumbfounded, humbled, and thankful.

Every time, It hits me. Every time it amazes me. God reaches and touches me way deeper than my emotions, and intellect....deeper than my soul. God touches my spirit with the pureness of eternal life. When we celebrate the Lord's Supper we enter into a divine exchange and we are changed.

Why is it that the observance Jesus commanded us causes such division in the Body of Christ? That which unites and ties us to Christ and to each other in His Body... the Bride of Christ. How can we be so stupid to divide over unity? It baffles me. It's got to be the same Spiritual Pride that caused The Fall. But know this, God Will Not Be Denied.

Some Random Thoughts on Holiness

2010-08-10T22:21:00.003-05:00

Holiness can't be earned, merited or gained. It must be born in us. We must be born with the life of God. Born not of the flesh or of desire or of the will of man but of God. Born of the Holy Spirit and fire...Born Again.

Holiness without God is a shadow system, just another legal system that gives the appearance but not the reality it purports. It may look real, even giving the shape of reality but it is a cardboard cut out against the real thing. Our God is a consuming fire--That is holiness in a nutshell. The Law pales in the light of the Glory of God.

Holiness is the consuming fire of God, God's burning presence that consumes any impure thing. Way deeper than our lists and knowledge of what's good and evil. God's Holiness is Beautiful in its glory, burning with a radiant beauty. A purity so pure it burns up everything else. Burning but not consuming that which is holy.

Holiness is not a way of following God. It is God burning in and through you. Let your light shine!

HOLINESS: The Fire of God

2010-08-08T00:09:00.001-05:00

Image via

Back in Western NC, I saw Holiness people, even went to their churches. Saw them get over people and yell and yell at them to get the Holy Ghost. My response was, "God just get me out of here alive."
I even talked to snake handlers and peaked in their church. They would say, "It's like sticking your hand in a light socket, Glory to God! Then you can handle them snakes and not get bit. It's proof you're filled with the Holy Ghost." They all were sincere, sincerely wrong.

I guess I just see things differently. I believe in doubt. When doubt removes everything, every shred of belief in myself, even my belief in God, when "I doubt my doubts" as Gempo Roshi says, there comes a moment. And at that moment all that is left is eternal. At that moment, God Is, God comes through in spite of everything in heaven and on earth. THAT is where my belief starts.My belief rest on nothing in myself and rests on everything in God.

Let's put it another way. In our belief system everything must be tested and proved. Doubt is rather something to be embraced, to prove what's valid. Doubt is the veil of smoke we walk through to encounter Faith. So prove your faith, and be believing. Doubt questions why, and God proves faithful! Then, there is no place for doubt.

With this in mind, let's look at Holiness. "Our God is a consuming fire."

I think most Sci Fi writers have a better grasp of the truth, even if they don't understand it. Our God is a consuming fire. What's your mental image of God? If it's a big Celestial Santa Clause, you're out of luck.For me, I see God with a burning holiness that radiates from the inside like a star.You won't see that in stain glass christianity.

We speak of being filled with the Holy Spirit and fire. Well, the"Sweet" Holy Spirit has made it into the Church (sic), but how about fire?

When John Wesley was asked how to preach, he said, "Pray til you get on fire, and people will come to watch you burn." But he was speaking of more than personal passion.

Are you on fire? Are you just basking in the light of others who are on fire? Are you burning like the burning bush before Moses, burning but not consumed? After God walked before Moses, Moses had to wear a veil, because his face burned with light and scared anyone who looked at him. Are you burning inside with the fire of God, like Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, where the light of the fire within started breaking thru?

Well, I've got a secret. That's God's desire for you. That is God's heart for you. With the first Adam, we became Living Beings, but with the Last Adam, Jesus, we are born again as Life Giving Spirits. Let that sink in. Life Giving Spirits. That's what Holiness looks like.

To touch and move and speak with the fire of the heart of God. With Love that burns and cares and holds and heals.

It's time we stop doing "church" and start burning with the fire of God. No other force, no other motivation really changes anything. Not eternally. God wants to move and live and breathe the breath of life through you. Anything less is luke-warm. Anything less is going thru the motions, faking it til we make it. (That's OK if we are just Living Beings, But God has more)

God calls every Believer to become a Leader. Everyone of us, to come out of the shadows and walk in the full reality of the fire of God. Let Your Light So Shine before men...

Just Break The Cycle

2010-08-05T21:59:00.001-05:00

21 Days of Prayer

We all have area's of failure in our lives. Though we need to focus on our strengths, there are times, seasons, when we must break the cycle of failure if we are to move on with God. Change isn't automatic. Most of the time it's intentional.

What is the ONE thing that's holding you back in your walk with God? What one thing is keeping you from a deeper revelation of God, a deeper relationship with God, and a deeper platform for serving God?

If you have to search for it, No worries.

But if that one thing is constantly tripping you up in moving into a deeper, fuller relationship with God, Break The Cycle.

As for me, the time has come.

Awake Alive Present

2010-07-31T10:23:00.000-05:00

*Too long have we prattled in the playpen of our weakness and failures.
*Too long have we sat, bound in our own confusion.
*Too long has the burden of guilt choked the life out of us.

*Our true strength is God's strength within us.

We can only heal our brokeness as we move, flow, grow, and shine with the life of Christ within us. Our focus on our weakness, instead of on God's greatness belittles, imprisons, and destroys us. We could never save ourselves. So why do we focus on ourselves to do it now?

Unlock the lifeflow of God within you. Let it increase and break up the brokeness within you. Focus on the living light that shines out of the darkness within you and dispels it.

You will fail. You will fail but you will learn to walk. And you will breathe free.

Sparks of Creativity

2010-07-23T21:16:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

We are born creative. It's our nature as human beings. Creativity is the spark of God that ignites our souls. What we do with that spark determines our destiny.

*We can have our creativity beat, programed or medicated out of us. But all that does is to reduce our humanity. It's still there.

*Even our being a consumer is engaging in the creativity of others. Creativity is the dance of humanity.

*Our greatest creativity is with our children where we strive to deposit the best we are and have become.

*Let's take a step deeper. As Creatives we are created in the image and the likeness of God. So what was the first act of the first human being, Adam? Being creative, naming the animals.

When are you most creative? What sparks your creativity? How can you amp up your creativity? Drink more coffee?

For me rest is paramount. I'm most creative in the morning.

For those of you who are familiar with brain studies, I enter into Gamma brainwaves around 9 to 10 in the morning for about 45 minutes. That's my peak time. Now since I've learned to recognize my brain's ebb and flow, I've found that I can command my creativity by engaging in it. Creativity is whole brain function.

On another side note, I wrote a song years ago and some friends accused me of stealing it from somebody else. They brought the album (Dated) to me and introduced me to John Michael Talbot. There was my song, developed out, recorded but with different words. It happens. But do you give up just because it's been done before? No. It's always as unique as our DNA. I've written a thousand songs since then.

The beauty of being creative is that it's never been done before. Creativity is the dance of humanity. Creativity is the song of Aslan.

Some Insights Into Forgiveness

2010-07-22T17:40:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Rob, the complexity of world views and thought systems has never ceased to amaze me. I say, How do they think of that? And I realize it's the gift of creativity.

As to addressing all the past wrongs in the world. We can't. We can't fix it. We can't make it right. And to rehearse the wrongs over and over again--to relive the pain, is to remain a victim of those wrongs. It keeps us in the pain and paralyzes us from moving forward. Resentment and revenge Keep Us Slaves and accomplish nothing. All victim cultures ritually rehearse the pain.

*That is why Nelson Mandela's declaration explodes with genius and insight. As one who suffered unforgivable things, he chose to forgive and lead the way our of a certain bloodbath for South Africa. He simply said, "Resentment is like drinking poison, waiting for your enemy to die."

*Jesus also as he was being murdered on the cross, dying said, "Forgive them Father, they don't know what they're doing." And if Jesus forgave his murders, who am I not to forgive?

Forgiveness is the author of compassion. Great suffering is transformed into great compassion thru forgiveness.

Does this absolve the abusers? Absolutely Not. But it puts the ball in their court. They are confronted with the opportunity to change and grow or die further.

Rob, I really appreciate your candor and insights!

Grace Is The River of Life

2010-07-18T01:00:00.003-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Every aspect or our Life in Christ is grace. Pure glorious grace from the inside out. Grace flowing like a river through us. The life of God himself.

We may not see it or notice it on our lives, but it changes everything. The life of God flows through You.

Our life in Christ is not a matter of Gifting, or Calling. It's not anything that we can earn or a state or stage we can attain. Our life in Christ is not a matter of our maturity. Our life in Christ is a matter of the flow of the river of life through our soul and into our lives. No matter how old we are. No matter what our maturity level is. Flow Causes Life which causes growth and influence.

We are deeply broken, and that brokenness makes log jams in the river of life. Log jams that need to be cleared so that more life, abundant life, spiritual life can flow through us. THAT is what discipleship is about... Removing the jams, increasing the flow. It's the difference between a zirconium diamond and the real thing.

It's the reason why the Religious give the appearance of Life and Holiness, but they smell of death. Their life is lived in the Living Being realm. They're looking good in the natural, but their spirits are all clogged up. Life is a matter of spirit, life is a matter of flowing free with God's Spirit.

The cool part is that we can increase the flow exponentially when we come together, we encourage each other, and we break up the log jams.

You will never enter the river of God by yourself, just streams. We experience the river of God when we come together in Jesus and flow together under God's direction.

So let's get busy breaking up our own log jams, and helping others. Let's prepare the way for the Glory of God to be revealed in us and in the earth.

Jesus... My All, My Everything

2010-07-17T11:23:00.002-05:00

We Are Born Living Beings

We are all born on this earth as Living Beings, descendants of the 1st Adam. Created in the Image and the Likeness of God. The result of Adam's Fall in Eden broke our destiny. So now we are born under the law of Karma, Sowing and Reaping, The Law of Attraction. In the Tao Te Ching (Ch 30), Lao Tzu puts it, "What goes around comes around." Whatever you want to call it, it's obvious we and everything else aren't the way we're supposed to be. We are broken humanity. Our laws and rules reveal our brokenness.

We Are Born Anew Life Giving Spirits

Here steps in the Grace of God, the Last Adam, Jesus who is a Life Giving Spirit...Grace unmerited and undeserved. Jesus broke the chains of sin and death that eternally hold us. If we believe Jesus is the way out and receive God's gift of grace for us. If we accept God's breaking through time and space to lead us out, to transform us from mere Living Beings into Life Giving Spirits, then we are born all over again.

Bearers of Eternal Life

This is the Life we are born from above into. We become Life Giving Spirits in Jesus. This is the deposit that will transform us as it is worked out in our lives. This is the Life that will transform everything that it touches. We are born a Living Being. We are Born Again a Life Giving Spirit.

This is what disciples nations. The life of God living through us.

Dear Father Government,

2010-07-14T22:36:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

I heard this and it rocked me.

"The government has taken over the roll of fathers in single family homes." Blanket statement?
*In 2008, 41% of all children born in America is to unmarried mom's.
Where are the fathers? What happened to commitment and responsibility? Oh yea, dad's not there to teach it.
*The average age for marriage is 28 for guys and 26 for women.

I'm not Ranting, Just Asking.

Guys we live in a broken society and the Government can't father it in. Face it Guys, We are the problem period. Guys the buck stops here with us. We are the problem and we are the solution!

*Check it out: Broken Homes=Broken Society=Greater Disfunction=More Government=Loss of Personal Freedom.

Face It: The government that provides all your needs, can take it all away in a flash.

Silly stupid ducks, Gay Marriage is not the issue. Marriage itself is.

Good marriages make a healthy society. What does that say about us???

Dear Father Government,
For my family, that's me, I want.....