Transcend: Healing

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)

Earlier this year I was desperately in need of healing. I didn’t really know that healing was what I needed. I didn’t know that I deserved it, but I found it unexpectedly.

There was a woman who prayed for me with great passion. It was a woman of great faith and confidence in God, and she prayed for my healing. I don’t remember how this came up, or what the context was, but she called me a king.

I struggled with that. I still struggle with that. I never really thought of myself as royalty let alone someone important. For several years, my life just kind of drifted by. Difficulties were difficulties, and joy was joy. It was kind of a big blob, actually; A haze of emptiness.

But here was someone speaking faith into my life. She didn’t really know me, but somehow it seemed she knew me better than I knew myself. She used descriptive words like "sweet" and "gentle" and that resonated with me. She saw through the clothes, the persona, the flesh, and called things as they were.

I think I’ve had trouble with that because I haven’t been programmed to think much of myself. My education, my upbringing, and sometimes even well-meaning Christians have caused me to see myself as a no one.

I believe that humility is important. I don’t think God wants us to go around bragging about how amazing we are. At the same time, I don’t think God gets nervous when we think big. I don’t think there are any examples in the Bible where God got angry at people for thinking too big. In fact, it’s often quite the opposite.

Joyce Meyer says that God doesn’t change our circumstances, He changes our heart. If that’s true, then that means that our attitude, outlook, and perspective on life are all important to Him. In other words, our heart is important to Him.

Maybe it’s time to change your perspective on life. Maybe it’s time to see things a little differently. Maybe it’s time to let God change your heart. It is often said that we get what we expect in life, so we may as well have higher expectations. What dreams has God placed on your heart? Do you think He would give you those dreams if they were impossible? With God, anything is possible.

Whose life are you going to speak faith into? Who can you encourage to live another day, to fight for what’s important? Who can you impact with your words? Who can you call to higher standards and help to reach new levels?

Inspire: Taken Out

What happens to a team when the leader isn't there? Chaos. Eventually, things reorganize and a new leader is chosen - but there's an interim where things go badly.

I'm in that interim. My team needs me for this weekend. I'm aware of how indispensable I am. Which is great for job security, but sucks when you're not able to be there.

So I'm sitting in a bed, nursing a variety of hot beverages, trying to sleep, and hoping that my team can get on without me. The worst thing about the flu is not the nausea or the headaches or the pain, but the knowledge that out there is a group of people I want to help - my people - that I can't.

So I'll throw this one out to the community - what do you do... when you can't do?

Transcend: Lies uncovered

Scanning through a list of daily Google updates today related to my job and the company for which I work, I saw one that peeked my interest and tapped in. In a NYT article attempting to forecast financial trends in the New Year given the current recession, I was shocked by a quote by a communications exec. He said, "an economic recovery will not take hold until 2010...The real world won’t change for the better till 2010,” he added, 'when greed has overcome fear yet again.'"

When market economies are strong, our spending increases dramatically. In the past 10-20 years, we have trended to spend beyond our means during these times. What will happen when the market is not as good though? I don't want any of us to fall captive to the marketing ploys that appeal to our impulsive childish senses during this economic downturn. I am almost sure that seemingly amazing deals will pop up to tempt us away from living within our means (and to lure us to fall slave to the financial masters of this world). Of course if we are not being sharp in our purchases in the short term, the long term consequences can keep us captive, which is just what our Enemy desires. We have an awesome choice though! We can say no.

Lord, will you give us each eyes to see and discern? As the world moves toward a recession, will You remind us that You provide exceedingly more than we can ask or imagine? Jesus, will You be our comforter and Holy Spirit will You teach us how to live within our financial means? Will you instill in our hearts a desire to separate ourselves from the selfish greed that we fall back to? May we appreciate what we have and may we seek to grow to our full potential in You Lord. Be alive in us today Lord! Amen

RMOJ: School Bus Kids

I was waiting for the bus into work a few days ago. My stop is also a stop for the school bus to the local elementary school. So the bus pulls up, and a bunch of kids in the back are looking around, with that childish "this is the brave new world... wow!" look that kids do so well (when do we lose that wonder?)

So I look at them and make a silly face. And then go back to being studiously, definitely, neutrally AT THE BUS STOP boring again. And then crack another one - just long enough for those looking to notice and get their neighbors to look - but by then I was serious again. I did this three or four times, until the bus drove away... and I think the joy I gave those kids is nothing compared to the joy they gave me.

Imagine: Graduation

Have you ever woken up to find that you’ve accomplished the goals you set for yourself a long time ago? The goals you wrote down and forgot about until someone read them back to you?

Suddenly it dawns on you: the courses you took, the challenges you faced, the trials you overcame were all part of a bigger plan. Suddenly you realize the significance of the last 2 years, and every hardship you experienced. You think about every tribulation you took for granted. At the time you didn’t see why you had to go through such trouble. You didn’t realize that these difficulties were there to promote you. They were there to bring you to a new level in life.

Then you graduate. The door isn’t closed, but you know that you probably won’t return. You’re free to return at any time, but you’ve developed the skills and confidence you need to better manage your situation. You’re ready for the new tasks and challenges ahead of you.

You realize that you still have a long way to go. You realize that you’re not a perfect individual by any stretch of the imagination. You realize that you’ve been striving towards new goals without ever noticing the old goals you’ve attained.

Then you stop to appreciate the time you spent on your education. You begin to see that the puzzle pieces fit. You don’t know how, but all those hardships are somehow worth it now. In that moment, you are edified.

Transcend: We must lift our eyes up, off of ourselves

Thanks to my friend Meg who has allowed me to post this from her blog:

Patience, O Heart of Mine
I am in a season of waiting.

Life has presented some fairly important decisions lately in the areas of profession, study, romance, and location. I am praying through many options, and waiting on the Lord for direction. I am also waiting on the physical healing of my knee. Before my surgery I prayed for two things: the miraculous healing of my ligament and that God's will be done. I had a successful surgery on September 30th and have been adjusting to a level of physical activity much lower than what I'm accustomed to. I know that I went through surgery for a reason, and so I have been praying to take advantage of this time of physical rest and spiritual stillness. I have moaned my share of desperate and frustrated prayers, pleading for a quicker response, but God continues to give me comfort through His Word.

Today, while lying on a magnetic therapy table at my rehab center I read John 15:1-12 (the Vine and the Branches), which gave me some insight into the process of having patience.

Proactive Patience
Remain in me, and I will remain in you.
There is always something we can be doing, even if we don't have clear direction in making certain decisions. We can remain. We must stay connected to the source. He chose us, and that leaves us with the option to choose him. To remain signifies an active pursuit of intimacy and development of relationship. His words stimulate growth and peace.

Productive Patience
If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you
I don't know where I will be 3 months from now, but right now I have a purpose where I currently work, worship and live. Yes, I would have preferred that my anterior cruciate ligament be healed without an operation, but I praise God that I had the opportunity to share my faith with the nurse at the hospital and my physical therapists, all of whom I met because I went through surgery. We have the opportunity to plant seeds daily by obeying God's command to LOVE. We must lift our eyes up, off of ourselves. I pray that we can look up and be active in loving whoever is near, wherever we are. Remaining connected to the source results in an overflow of life, love poured out on others through us.

Prosperous Patience
...ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples...If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
As we keep our eyes on Him we can live in the hope and joy of His promises. How powerful is the promise in verse 7? Whatever we ask in the name of Jesus will be given! Do I believe that? The key is asking in the name of Jesus. Our true attitude in asking may reflect how strong our connection is to the Vine. If our truest desire is to bring our Father glory, to bear much fruit and show ourselves as his disciples, then that promise is limitless.

Dear God Almighty, you rock!

Oh Giver of Life, you are the source of all life and joy. We can only be fulfilled and fruitful if we passionately remain in you. Give us the discipline and supernatural ability to obey your command. May we have the faith to pray in the power and authority of your name. In your Spirit we can practice patience. The fruit will blossom in time. The harvest is coming and your promises will be completed.

We pray for discernment of your timing and your direction.