“Energy follows thought ”

These three words were my take-away from three days of leadership training. Not that everything else wasn’t good information is was just more of the same from previous training events. I probably even heard these three words in training before but it never struck me the way they did that day.

What a simple rule for Christians.

When we take stock of what occupies our thoughts we will likely find an inventory of passions, fears, interests and distractions. These thoughts are the ones that determine what we do. A necessity of being human

But, when we consider what consume our thoughts we will discover our idols. The idols that consumes our energy will guide who we are not just what we do. Here we will find the birthplace of addiction and depression unless we allow our energy to be guided by love for God.

Make quick count of the things we humans tend to idolize: ourselves, people, family, food, things, abilities, money…all of which are destined to fail us in a temporal world. No wonder we are a depressed society. When our idols fail our energy also fails.

“Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Jesus of Nazareth ( Matthew 22:37)

When we allow our thoughts to be consumed with the love of God and love for God our energy will never fail.

Shalom

NOTE:  For those who have followed this blog I apologize for a delay in posting.  On March 10, 2010 we had a devistating fire that completely threw me off my routine.  I posted the following article on my personal blog days after the fire.  We hope to be fully back to posting articles in the coming weeks.  God Bless.

It began with the emergency call code from Angie to me. [ NOTE: If you don't have one of these I recommend it. When I'm in a meeting or otherwise unavailable at work I press "ignore" when she calls which sends her call immediately to voicemail. She then redials and I know to answer because it's an emergency.] During my Wednesday morning meeting in Austin I answered to hear that our house (in Merkel) was on fire. Considering the situation she was surprisingly calm, frantic yes…but definitely not hysterical. Once the front windows broke and flames with smoke rushed from the house we both knew it was best for Angie to go next door to her parent’s home and wait instead of watch. As she was walking in I could hear through the phone the horns blowing for firefighters to evacuate and let it burn.

The fire department was on the scene within minutes of Angie’s call to 911. We found out later someone passing the house had called earlier so they got a head start. Even with the quick response there was nothing that could be done. Our house burned from a mix of accidental ignition of a heat source warming the dogs and 35 mph (with gusts to 50) winds. Even with seemingly initial success in controlling the blaze, the fire and wind created a blow torch effect that would require more water to extinguish than the two Merkel trucks and seven Abilene trucks could possibly pump. The responders fought until exhausted and made the correct choice to retreat, there wasn’t one thing in the house worth even an injury. Thank you to the Merkel VFD and Abilene FD for their efforts, you just can’t beat nature.

I have thanked God every day for Amie’s presence at our house on that day. She only periodically helps Angie clean the house but without screaming for Angie to come downstairs when she saw the smoke, Angie would have been in the shower on the second floor and endangered at best. I’m thankful Angie didn’t open the door to the back porch where the blaze was raging, the wind would have certainly blown the flames into her and Amie and I would be typing this from the hospital She could have thought she could save the dogs (they got out anyway) or put the fire out with her kitchen extinguisher (too late for that) but she had the presence of mind under pressure to just evacuate.

The community of Merkel is phenomenal…I will certainly write more on this in the coming weeks, we would not be as strong right now without the hundreds of our friends and neighbors who showed up to help.

Service to community and help to fallen comrades are tenets so engrained in the ethos of the Texas Army National Guard that we were almost overwhelmed with support. It took direct orders and a promise of future help to keep these Great Americans away. I will always be grateful to God for the blessing of working with such a great organization.

So we find ourselves at zero. Even with the donations of clothes and essentials from the community we still can fit our earthly possessions into the back of my truck. We have always talked big talk that we don’t put any stock on earthly things but the talk falls flat when we actually lose everything. An inventory runs in our minds of all the things we lost…

It’s not so much the loss of stuff that causes sadness but the loss of the memories connected to the stuff. We are saddened to think of losing Angie’s wedding ring, wedding dress, childhood doll “Susie,” cookbook collection, and high school cheer uniforms (into which she still fit!); Chelsea’s impressive collection of books, cheer and dance gear, senior scrapbook, and American Girl dolls; Chera’s sports medals, cheer gear, scrapbooks, snow globe collection, and artwork; The Bible I carried through combatin Iraq and my Jeep (it’s a jeep thing you wouldn’t understand) [Note: Monkey is safely secured at my parent's house because my mother rightfully decided years ago I wasn't responsible enough to have him yet] .

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust [and fire] destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust [and fire] do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV)

On Wednesday night we had a family meeting in our hotel room to discuss the importance of the day. I believe that with every life changing event there WILL BE change. It’s up to us to make it positive. After a family hug we all confirmed that stuff didn’t matter and our memories will survive without the stuff. More importantly, we had each other.

The GREAT thing is we are only at zero in terms of possessions. We are blessed beyond description in so many other ways.

• We still have treasures in heaven by the grace of God through Jesus Christ
• Our family has never been closer and each are stronger
• We live in the greatest community in the world
• I work for an organization dedicated to service to others
• Starting at zero gives us the unique opportunity to rebuild with focus on what’s REALLY important

We are thankful and at peace…Shalowm

H. Belloc, in his essay, “The Little Old Man”, said, “ that of everything which runs or creeps upon earth, man is the fullest of sorrow”. Sometimes, the events of life send Belloc’s observation about sorrow cascading deep into our psyches. We may feel overcome, even overwhelmed by the loss of loved ones that seem almost impossible to bear. But, over time, great sorrow is replaced by joyful confidence that God is with us and all is well.

Jesus was described once by the prophet Isaiah as “a man of sorrows”. A being that could have had anything He wanted, and died on a cross, how strange that would seem to a person who didn’t know the greatest story ever told! But, now, He does have everything, eternity in heaven with His loving Father! From Calvary’s misery to heaven’s glory . He’s home, home at last. And He calls us home too. Little sheep, come home to Me, and be safe at last, safe at last.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed, perplexed, but not in despair…, struck down, but not destroyed… For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Selections from I Corinthians Chapter 4 (NIV)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

I’ve been to war.

Not a figurative war, which many people have experienced within their unique circumstance, but a real war where bullets fly both ways and mortars and rockets explode with the intent of ending lives.  My war experience, of course, is no longer unusual as the United States continues adding to the longest period of conflict in our history.  I understand the damage a war can do.

Private, figurative wars, the ones without bullets, have been raging for centuries and are just as spiritually damaging as the real wars are physically damaging.  Spiritual wars are waged in our minds as we deal with the loss of loved ones, the breaking of a heart through shattered marriages, the breaking of promises and vows, the loss of stability financial or emotional.  The lists go on and undoubtedly will touch everyone who will read this paragraph.  The private wars have touched my family and me through suicide, cancer, divorce, death…

Once, when I was a little boy, something happened to me that was way beyond my control.  I had sustained a dangerous head wound and was helpless.  My father took me in his arms and carried me to the hospital which was very near to where we lived.  I’m sure my dad lived the event over and over in his mind all the days of his life, even though he rarely mentioned it.  My mom and dad were not young when I was born and our age difference could have made him my grandfather.  He had lost my sister only five years before and must have died figuratively many times as he carried me to medical help.  My father did not cause the accident, would never had let it happen if he had been there. I don’t know what went through his mind as carried me in his arms; perhaps this, “ I would never dream of letting something like this happen to you, but if you will let me, I will love you through this, help you through this, and show you how it will work eventually for your own good.”

In this world bad things happen.  When they do, God is there and He, like my dad, says, “ I did not cause this, I would never plan this horrific thing that has happened to you, but know this, if you let Me, I will love you through this, help you through this, and show you how it will work eventually for you own good.”

Surely God is my salvation,

I will trust and not be afraid.

The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my defense,

He has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2 (NIV)

I can still jump as high as I always could, I just can’t stay up as long, my cousin once said.  He was making humorous commentary on the fact that he was getting older, and knew it.  That little funny statement has a great truth embedded.  That is, facts are often overrun by fiction.  Coming from emotional sources rather than logical ones, fictional, emotional ones sometimes seem logical.  I once worked with a man who would hold his hand over his heart and say, “Dave, if it feels good in your heart, it must be right.”  Really? If that were true, the rich young ruler that Jesus interviewed would have been completely O.K. because he “felt” he was O.K. But the one thing he lacked and needed to do, was not in his mindset to do.

Some people today have a great feeling about their acceptance of Jesus, but little regard for what He commanded for full obedience, baptism. Like the rich young ruler, they refuse to finish their acceptance. Movie stars desire to be described as famous, not nearly famous. People should desire to be described as saved, not nearly saved.

“ I tell you the truth no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” John 3:3 (NIV)

“ I tell you the truth, no on can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of the water and of the Spirit.” John 3:5 (NIV)

“ Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 (NIV)

“ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:3-4 (NIV)

Lost, a terrible word.  Rhoda, my lovely wife, was separated from her parents years ago at the Madri Gras parade in New Orleans.  Years later, that memory is still poignant.  If you have ever been lost, you will never forget it.

Bob Berman, in his column in the October issue of “Astronomy”, relates “A dozen cool facts.”  One of them is that a neutron can live for more than 10 billion years as long as it stays in its place snuggled deep within its atom’s nucleus.  But if it escapes, it will vanish in 10 ½ minutes, not even a blink compared to 10 billion years.  Bob said one lesson that might be learned from this “cool fact” is that kids should stay home with their parents so they will never be lost.  That’s pretty good advice, but I think there is more solid advice gained from this example.  As God’s children we are safest when we stay close to Him no matter what happens in life.  “Busting loose” from that safety net is not a wise thing to do.  We will surely be lost.

In 1898 Lelia Morris wrote a beautiful hymn, “Nearer Still Nearer.”  Her hymn speaks to staying close to God:

Nearer still nearer close to Thy heart

Draw me my Saviour, so precious Thou art;

Fold me, O fold me close to Thy breast,

Shelter me safe in that haven of rest,…

Nearer still nearer, while life shall last,

Till safe in glory my anchor is cast;

Thru endless ages, ever to be

Nearer, my Saviour, still nearer to Thee…

Why would we want to be anywhere else?

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.  James 4:7-8 (NIV)

Photo by Chicago’s North Shore Conventions & Visitors Bureau.

“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)

The shortest and perhaps one of the saddest verses in the bible.  The occasion was the death of a dear friend, beloved brother of Mary and Martha.  Weeping for a friend – the human face of the Master – like us – grieving when death deals its horrific blow.  In this case, though, Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus from death shortly.  So why did He weep?  Perhaps He was touched with Mary and Martha’s grief.  Perhaps He was sad that His friend had to suffer through the pain of the death process.  Perhaps He knew how happy Lazarus was, and He didn’t want to call him back to earth, far and away from Paradise.

Whatever the reason, Jesus was so moved that He mourned, deeply, for awhile.  Even Jesus, with the universe at His beck and call suffered a period of deep, unfathomable grief.  Grief of that magnitude cannot be hurried, cannot be wished away, can only be lived through.  When grief becomes our lot, our friends, because they love us, want us to be whole again – like we were.  They honestly think they know what is best for us, and sometimes it’s not.  They want us back like we were before, and not only that, they want us back as soon as possible.  What is difficult for those who haven’t taken residence on “Grief Mountain,” is that they have a hard time understanding that what we were before has forever changed.  We do not have it in our power to return to what we were.  We are different people, and eventually stronger for the Mountain we have ascended, but different.  This difference is the by-product of an event we would never have chosen for ourselves, or even an enemy.  We will be back, but not exactly the same, and it will take time, more time than some are prepared to invest is us.  And that’s ok; we understand and love them anyway.

Please, and I hope you do, enjoy a poem I recently wrote that considers the foregoing thoughts.

THE JOURNEY

Good friend,

Please do not interrupt my flight,

For sometimes I alight

On leaves of loneliness,

Sometimes, on twigs of tears.

And please,

Do not try to catch my wings

As I try to pass,

For somewhere,

In the great Sometime,

I will alight again,

In a sweeter place, on better flowers.

And then I will be again, alright,

If you, dear friend,

Do not interrupt my flight.

Photo by LiebeDich  http://www.flickr.com/people/liebedich/ used under Creative Commons agreement

In past years the dinner table at our house frequently rang out with the words “eat your peas!”  We had the same plea of parents everywhere for our young ones to eat healthy food.  Things changed on the occasion my youngest daughter Chera flat out refused.  We spent the next hour proving our dominance over her by forcing her to eat them.  We left the experience exhausted and emotionally drained.  Then it occurred to us, the intent of our plea was to set a habit of good nutrition, it really wasn’t peas themselves that were the issue it was the benefit of the peas.  Life-long devotion to health was our primary goal, how nutrition was delivered was secondary.    We determined that it was impossible to achieve our primary goal if we forced the secondary.

Those who read scriptures from an “eat your peas” point of view find that God wants us to obey his commands (John 15:10).  So we immediately start looking for a command checklist of do’s and don’ts to obey.  Then we add traditions as commands to our checklist. We rationalize that if we force ourselves and others to obey everything on our checklist we will find the peace and love we seek.

Many of our church traditions today have adopted something similar to the original system of laws given by God to the Israelites.  Under that system of laws I understand that 613 laws were commanded including 248 dos and 365 don’ts.  The result of this system, generations of Israelites who couldn’t keep the commands and were not devoted to God.  They were forced to “eat their peas” and despised it.

Jesus fulfilled the old law and placed a new law “in our hearts and in our minds”  and made a new promise to believers.  “By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:13 (NIV)

Like Angie and I did as young parents, if He wanted to, God could establish his dominance over us by forcing his commands.  But we would likely leave the experience despising Him more than loving Him.  By focusing on the secondary outcome of our love for God, that is, obedience to HIS commands, we risk missing the power of our primary goal lifelong whole-hearted devotion to God.

• Because God loves us, we love God
• Because we love God we do what pleases him
• Because Christ’s sacrificed for us we sacrifice for Christ
• Because we don’t HAVE to, we want to

The early church was dealing with this situation as Jews who became Christians were having trouble leaving their checklist of laws and traditions.  The church in Galatia was struggling to place relationship with God over rules, so Paul wrote this to them:

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself….”So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. Galatians 5:13-17

So what does God want from us?  The closest to a complete checklist under the “new law” is this:

• Love God more than anything else
• Love other people unconditionally

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)

I want to be very clear to all Christians or those seeking the peace found in God through Christ.  Putting love of God above all other things does not give us the “freedom to indulge the sinful nature” as Paul put it.   He went on in the next sentences to give a test to discern if a life is lived “by the Spirit.”

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:19-25 (NIV)

The message is clear, if we love God with all our hearts there will be no room for things that are contrary to that love; the fruits of the Spirit will outflow from our hearts and we will bless those we love (everybody).  Not because we have to, because we want to with all our hearts.

See also 2 John 1:6, John 14:2, John 15:10, 1 Corinthians 7:19, 1 John 2:3

Suggested Twitter posts related to this article:

Jesus abolished the old law and placed a new law “in our hearts and in our minds.”  http://ow.ly/tGPV #God #Christ #Bible

Because God loves us, we love God http://ow.ly/tGPV #God #Christ #Bible

Because we love God we do what pleases him http://ow.ly/tGPV #God #Christ #Bible

The Christian checklist of commands:  Love God more than anything, live others http://ow.ly/tGPV #God #Christ #Bible

We love God not because we have to, because we want to with all our hearts http://ow.ly/tGPV #God #Christ #Bible

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control http://ow.ly/tGRE #God #Christ #Bible

We love God we do what pleases him http://ow.ly/tGPV #God #Christ #Bible

Christ’s sacrificed for us we sacrifice ourselves for Christ http://ow.ly/tGPV #God #Christ #Bible

Because we don’t HAVE to, we want to obey God’s commands http://ow.ly/tGPV #God #Christ #Bible

We often describe our Christian life as a daily walk, which is an enduring example of how we dedicate every moment of every day to Christ. The good news is we walk in the light near to God which gives a guiding light and illuminates a Spiritual path to the comfort of eternal life.  To discover the true depth of this good news we need to focus on things to come. In Revelation the new heaven and the new earth are described by John:

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”….And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.  Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:1, 21:3, 21:23-27 (TNIV)

For believers it’s almost overwhelming to think of the day we can walk in the light of the Lord.  BUT WE ALREADY ARE!