Grudgingly...

  Do you ever do something... grudgingly? Of course you do! We all do. And the success of the expenditure of (money, time, energy, etc.) is??? Yes, sometimes there is success and many times - not. And can we take any credit for the success? What about our involvement? Could we have made a difference if we had wholeheartedly entered into the situation/project/ etc.? The most important questions is: why do you feel 'grudgingly' about (fill in the blank)? And... does the world know you are doing (whatever is asked) under duress? Probably.

  There are always moments in our lives when we feel compelled to do or not do something. It really isn't our first choice but somehow we feel we are obligated to (fill in the blank). Unfortunately, for most of us, the feelings of obligation are often accompanied by feelings of not wanting to be involved or interrupted in whatever we are involved in at the moment. But a quick think gets us to the point of becoming involved. If the feeling of  not wanting to be involved... is also a grudging involvement then we have a huge problem (at some point between acceptance and eventual result). The problem is summed up in the words... how can I get out of this?

  And if this is a foreign feeling for you, then you are indeed an unusual person - no criticism but... are you sure? Whenever the request for your help, and whether or not you are involved in something else, the timing of these requests is rarely convenient. This adds to our feelings of being 'put upon' and can increase our grumpiness. However, I would also argue that if you aren't going to be fully committed to (fill in the blank) then your lack of involvement won't lead you to a satisfying conclusion.

  Grudgingly isn't a state that produces any good fruit. One lesson that we learn in scripture is that our 'yes' should be yes and our 'no', no (Matthew 5:37) which precludes an ambivalent lifestyle. We may not be appreciated if we say 'no' to a request, but what kind of reaction will we receive when it becomes obvious that we'd rather be anyplace else than where we are? If we follow our 'no' with our reasons for refusal, this typically is accepted easier. However... if we are to choose to become involved then we need to be honest and choose to make our 'yes' - yes.

Beyond Forgiveness

  Do you think you are beyond being forgiven? Is what you did so heinous that you are beyond God's hand? Or maybe you fear you may have committed the unpardonable sin? Actually... do you know what the unpardonable sin is? Regardless, I believe that every serious Christian, at some time, becomes concerned that they may have gone over the line and are beyond redemption. In essence - you are doomed. Now what? How will you live the rest of your life?

  First, if you are concerned then I think that there is an excellent body of proof that can prove that you aren't damned. There are a number of scriptures that assure us that we aren't. I believe that one of the best examples that you aren't beyond forgiveness is that you are aware you did something that would be displeasing to God and you are concerned. Scripture (1 John 1:9) tells us that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us. So forgiveness is based on: confessing sin which means that we know our behavior/words were wrong and we are also resolved not to commit them again.

  Another scripture (1 Corinthians 12:3) tells us that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed and no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. So if you believe Jesus is Lord, your Lord, then you are still in the family. The evidence is that the Holy Spirit still abides in you. Undoubtedly, for me, the scripture that strengthens me in these times is Romans 8:35:
       " Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? ... (38) For I am persuaded that neither
       death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to
       come, nor height nor depth, nor any other create thing, shall be able to separate us from
       the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
That statement covers everything... unless you willingly and willfully renounce Jesus as your Lord. God will never force you to accept but don't forget the ending...Philippians 2:10-11.

  "Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?" (Isaiah 50:2) The answer to this rhetorical question is a resounding - NO! Deuteronomy 10:12 (God speaking to Israel) "... what does the Lord you God require of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul..." Though this is spoken in the Old Testament, this admonition continues to apply. If this is your heart then you are never beyond forgiveness. Caution though... one of the biggest errors that can be made is based in (my) belief that if you have no intention to change you can't continually ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness is never license.

"It Is Written"

  Do you have any conception of how powerful those 3 words are? Jesus effectively used them to defeat satan at every turn and temptation. These words are also ours to wield as our offensive weapon to defeat our enemy. But this was a lesson that took me some time to comprehend and then use. Sometimes we don't realize the lessons from scripture are actually available to us today, now, to defeat our enemy. As we read and understand scripture, it can become a potent weapon.

  One of the most effective phrases to follow those words that Jesus uttered is: "Man... shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3) Because Jesus knew the power of the word, He used it to defeat satan... But... do we? Do we act on a belief in the power of the word? If we do then we can say, with authority, "If God be for me, who can stand against me!" (Romans 8:31) "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37) "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." (Romans 8:17) And those are only 3 examples from 1 chapter in Romans. Scripture throughout states Who are God is and what He does for us.

  It would be my contention that we, as a creation, tend to take things into our own hands - whether or not we can really have any effect. God uses the words, 'stick necked people', to describe His people in the Old Testament. However, I think that 'attribute' is still accurate. We can dig in our heels quickly when things aren't going the way we think they should... regardless of whether our way or the other is the best approach. With this mindset we set ourselves apart from our most effective 'ally'.

  "It is written..." is not a meaningless phrase. It can literally move us into a position of strength and confidence. Perhaps it's the last attribute that is the most important. As we grow in confidence that the Word is not just a 'story' but is our manual for a fruitful and abundant life that we can overcome now and not only when we go to Heaven. Knowing how difficult our lives would be apart from a personal relationship, God made provision. Then He says... "It is Written", and all we have to do is to believe and stand on this.

Legacy

   According to definition, legacy is: "a gift ... anything handed down from the past." With that as the operational definition, do you know what your legacy is? What gifts are you giving? What are you handing down? Yes, it can be tangible items and these can be 'memory points' for the recipient, but of greater importance are the intangible gifts - how you live your life in your glass bowl, the behaviors you express, your attitudes. These intangible gifts are of a far greater value. Equally important is to whom are you leaving your legacy - are there many people? Do you have specific bequests?

  I suspect that we tend to take too lightly the intangible legacies that are handed down to us - both the gift recipient, and the gift giver. For the person who is the recipient, it's often in the times of sharing stories about the life of the gift giver that we begin to see and appreciate what they did and what they've imparted. It can also cause us to consider what we are saying with our lives. Everyone is a model... everyone. Whether we like it or not, we are models of what is truly important in our lives. Do you realize that this may be even more important than any tangible item?

  In considering the legacy we are leaving, we need to consider our lives and what we are saying by/in them. Is this what we want to say? If there were no tangible gifts we could impart, is our life something we could want others to know? Do our actions say: 'honorable' - he/she kept their word? Do they say: 'faithful' - they lived their beliefs? Perhaps our actions say: 'joyful' - they spread joy and happiness wherever they went. Sadly they also say our negative behaviors as well but maybe they also said: 'forgiving' - they sought forgiveness for the things they did that hurt others and they offered forgiveness to those who hurt them.

  There are so many aspects to 'legacy' but perhaps the greatest gift is what they do in us, the gift giver. They can cause us to reassess what it is we are saying with our lives. This analysis can give us insights that can become the basis for our change, where needed. And equally can reinforce what it is we are doing and saying. Legacy is never a 'then' thing, once we're gone. It should be a now realization so we can leave those legacy memories.

What would make you change your mind???

  If you don't know Jesus as your Lord... what needs to happen for you to believe? What stops you from living a life full of His power and might on your behalf? Could it be pride - that you want to do what you want to do when you want to do it and to do 'it' your way? Perhaps you really don't know what 'advantages' there are to being a Christian, especially since you've observed some terrible examples? And there are a host of reasons we think block our acceptance... but, are there? 

  The first thing you must realize is that this is a very personal act - accepting Jesus as Lord. And simply because you've witnessed some hypocritical examples doesn't mean that this is represents who God is and what He does. God has given Himself many names. I believe the reason is so that we can know Him in the fullness of Who He says He is. He has defined, described and demonstrated Himself as: El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty), Jehovah Jireh (Our Provider), Jehovah-Rapha (The Lord My Healer), El Elyon (The Most High God), Adonai (Lord, Master), Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah), plus many other descriptive names. The point is to help us understand the breadth, height, depth of Who He is. Without our willingness to see, we can miss all of Who He is and His involvement.

  Jesus came to redeem and reconcile. It's as simple and as profound as that. Whether or not you believe it, there is only one way for you to walk in the fullness that has been prepared for you - and that is through the Son. You never can earn your redemption and reconciliation. You'll never be 'good enough' to be accepted outside of coming to God by faith in Jesus. Faith is an extremely important concept to God that must be seen and acted on. Why is it this way? Because God ordained this path, this method after His creation sinned against Him. He had to have the perfect sacrifice which was His Son. The only thing you need do is to accept this and Him.

  There are many voices in the world contending for our attention. Many of these seductive voices would lead us away from an allegiance to Jesus and tell us there are many ways to God. There aren't. God has said that there is only one way and since it is He who we want to be reconciled to, then we have to follow His instruction. What stops you? Why do you try and find other paths to Him? If it's an issue of trust... Who do you trust more that He who won't leave you, who says if He is for you, what can stand against you? What would make you change your mind???

Disconnect

  Do you feel that you are going through a time(s) of disconnect? Precisely, from what do you feel you are disconnected? Is it other people? Perhaps your dreams? Your source of  identity? The feeling of disconnect can be nebulous and undefined so if you are feeling this way then the first thing you need to do is to discover both the focus and source of this. And no, that isn't always straight forwarded or easy. But since the feeling of disconnect can best be described as 'yukky' then to move forward requires identification.

   Webster defined 'disconnect' as: "...to sever, interrupt, or terminate a connection; to withdraw into one's private world." This definition tells me that this is a conscious act, even when we don't identify why we are doing this. The definition that indicates it is our choice, especially to withdraw, lends a different slant to what it is and does. Obviously one of the primary understandings is that we disassociate by our own choice and determination. Unless we are the recipient of the disconnect. In this latter case, this typically leaves us with a sense of confusion... are we the reason for the disconnect?

  One pertinent question is ... do you want to be disconnected? Never assume that the answer is 'no' because there are times when we feel we need some space and time, some distance from what is happening in our lives. This is a reassessing and refinement time. So what do we learn during our time(s) of disconnect? I suspect that many times 'learning' isn't in our sights, it happens and then we reach out again. But it really doesn't need to be mindless. IF we are feeling disconnected then we need to take the next step and use the time to decide what's happening, why, and what we want to do about/with this disconnect time.

  Rational approach I agree and sometimes we just don't want to be rational. However, after we finish our little 'fit' it's time to become proactive again - at least that's my mindset. My attitude is that I don't want to waste what can become an asset. It would be my argument that occasionally the mind takes over and tells us that 'something' is not right (which is different than 'wrong') and we need time and space to resolve the issue. Thus we embark on a disconnect time. We don't need to live there, but we can use the time and space productively to move on. Your attitude may be different. So what happens to you, for you in your disconnect times?

Purposed?

  Personally, I'm a purpose based (driven) person. I don't do well in meaninglessness. What about you? Obviously I don't mean on a level of intensity that it becomes consuming and obsessive. Nor do I mean the elimination of those fun, spontaneous, and joyful times and activities that occur; because while there may not be an observable purpose, they typically do afford that context. What I'm talking about are the essential and eternal life-giving activities that allow you to find purpose and meaning.

  Perhaps it's the way I was raised or a predisposition but I always seek to find meaning and purpose in who I am and what I'm doing. If that sounds slight self-aggrandizing or absorbing, so be it - not the intent. Personally I tend to rarely repeat those activities that don't seem to have any function (and no, I'm not eliminating those activities that are fun and/or joy for fun's sake). Besides, this is my value, it doesn't have to be yours. But... what is yours? Is purposelessness your purpose? And if that sounded judgmental... I suspect I'd have to agree.

  Webster defines purpose as: "the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used... an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal." The lesson here is that what you do and say always has a purpose. But do you recognize the purpose? Are your words and actions purposeful... or subconscious? And 'yes' is a perfectly acceptable response. Again, I'm not indicating an all consuming approach but I am asking if you know your own personal context and what prevails the majority of the time. If there's any value judgment in this, it's that it really is important for people to know their mindset.

  Purpose is not a drudgery nor is it a penalty. It is not an imposition. Purpose does not thwart creativity or inventiveness. Purpose is structure within which we act to give our lives meaning. Purpose is always individually defined. And since, by definition, purpose always exists... how do you define your purpose life style? Look at your actions as a guide because how you spend your time evidences your purpose.

Living Expectantly

  Do you live expectantly? Consciously expectant? Or does your expectant relate to specific areas or times, specific people? Subconsciously, somewhere in our deep recesses, we always live with a sense of some level of expectant... but is your life fully alert, not tense, alert? Perhaps the question should be... will you recognize what you are expecting when it presents itself? And, is your expectant always a positive? or always a negative? And do you prepare...

  The lessons that I've learned and keep learning is if we don't live spiritually expectant then we will never have eyes that see or ears that hear. To me, 'expectant' means that I consciously and intentionally am alert to seeing the hand of God in evidence. I try very hard and not predispose myself to see or hear only what I want, but to look and listen with an open mindset. I believe the point is that God IS everywhere so we don't have to strain to see Him but we do need to be aware. I've also come to accept that sometimes our awareness comes after the fact. That isn't necessarily 'bad' because it predisposes us to add that understanding to our awareness queue.

  Actually, since I embarked on this mindset, I don't remember being disappointed. Thus, for me, expectant requires me to be fully alive in the moment. Am I always? Hardly. But I do have the disposition, attitude of expectancy. While I could wax lyrical or poetic, my point is to see and hear what is and also what could be (potential is always a possibility thinking). Those particular foci put one in the position to be in the position to act more effectively. I believe that it gives one an advantage.

  When you consider your life, are there areas that you 'hope' will (fill in the blank). Do you have any input opportunity or are these aspects outside your influence? Hope and Expectant are related. But Fear and Expectant can also be related. This last state can be incapacitating but the focus should be on preparing to meet the expectant negative. But if you don't always prepare for the hope and expectant, then you may not exact all that comes when hope is fulfilled. Then again... there's the unexpected...

Mistakes... Define or Refine

    Psalms 37:23-24 speaks to this question. And yes, it is a question and it is always our decision to determine which mindset prevails. We all make mistakes, we all need to seek forgiveness if damage has been done to another person, but it is always our choice to dwell in our mistake or let them refine us. And sometimes it's a question of whether we believe that God is stronger or our mistake... ever think about your mistakes in this way?

     "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. And He delights in his way,
     Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him 
      with His hand."

  When I read those words I see: ordered, delights, fall, not..cast down, upholds. Those are strong words demonstrating a strong covenant. Who is doing all the work? Yes, the Lord is. It is He who orders, is delighted, doesn't cast down, and upholds. What is it we do? Accept and choose to be the Lord's and to partner with Him in our own betterment. Sadly, how very, very difficult that is for us to do. Since we are a 'my way' creation, giving Jesus Lordship is never automatic nor one and done. This becomes a conscious decision daily.

  If we earn the right to' benefits', then this is ours by right. But when they are a gift requiring only our acceptance, then most of us have difficulty. And yes - there are responsibilities that come as well. The point though is that when we fall, as we all do, then we tend to let that state define us. Sometimes that definition is an attempt to ignore or distance ourselves from ourself - difficult, not impossible. Why we allow mistakes to define us is one of pride. I didn't always recognize this, but it is - think about it.

  Refining is work. Refining requires us to recognize our own errors, a willingness to seek forgiveness, and a resolve to be more intentional in the future. Recognizing may not be difficult nor seeking forgiveness, but resolving to change is never easy.But it is possible. If you believe that God forgives then you have to accept that God forgives you your mistakes. And if you believe this then you have little choice but to forgive yourself. And if you do this then you will move in the realm of refinement rather than definition.

Never gives up, never!

  Do you know, without doubt, without question that You have a God that never gives up on you? It is something that He chooses to be and do. He said He would never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) but He also expands that statement when He continually chooses to not give up on us. That is a lesson to never forget - He is a... Forever. Fortunately for me, this was a lesson I learned very early in my walk. I never doubted because I read so many evidences in scripture that demonstrated that whatever man did, God always tried to help him find his way back to relationship. He even tells us that He provides a way of escape (1Corinthians 10:13).

  But what about us... do we give up? Do we give up on God? on ourselves? And if we do, what do we have, gain as a result of quitting? We can never 'earn' or be 'good enough' yet God keeps His covenant with us. Why is simply... it's His nature. If He says it, He will do it. Perhaps it was some form of identification on my part, but the Prodigal Son story was one that demonstrated that even in my worse strait, if I was willing to repent and return to a relationship, the Lord was there. Peter and Paul were two other very visible demonstrations that even when we deny or persecute, we can still be of use in His hand when we truly repent and come to Him. 

 And yes, there's only one path to this 'condition'. One requirement. One act. And if we take it, He will always be with us, always. All we have to do is to believe. Of our own free will and volition, we need to believe and accept Jesus. That's the only requirement - believe that Jesus was who He said He was, did what He did, and continues to be and do as the Son of God. Jesus was and is our path to reconcilement. It is both the simplest and most difficult act we do.

  The reason for 'difficult' is because this means that we will give Him Lordship over our lives. We are a 'stiff neck' creation who wants to do things our way - and some of that is a 'good'. But defiance or rebellion really gets us nowhere. And what's the purpose? We still have free will, we still have options every day. We still are responsible for who we are and what we do. So the advantage to a life with Jesus? Much in every way to quote. In our acceptance we gain reconcilement (2Corinthians 5:17-18), inheritance (Romans 8:15-17), a standby (John 16:7) with us always - and that only scratches the surface. We get everything (Romans 8:38-39). And we can rely on the glorious news that our partner will never give up on us... never. And if God doesn't give up... why should we?