Thanks

When illness strikes or calamity arrives in the midst of your family, your life or your friends you realize just how not in control you are. You realize at those moments just how much you need to depend and look to the one who is control.

Last month I began a devotional to study the names of God and how to call on him. Here is one name; Hashem (ha-SHAME) which means "The Name". You'll find when you read I Kings 8:28-29 that God promised Solomon when he finished the temple that His name will be there forever and that His eyes and heart will always be there too.

Please don't think that there are magic results in learning the names of God or being able to pray them. That's not the goal. What I'm finding it does is it creates a bridge of familiarity in drawing close to your friend - God. In a small way, it's similar to knowing your best friends middle name or using their nick name. I would encourage you to begin to know the names which God is known by in the Bible. Along with those names you will learn many of his attributes. You know, those characteristics which if you are a Christ follower you are to reflect.

Here's my response to a challenging review of the past six weeks....there are times when all you can do and all you need to do is say - thanks.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE
The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to whomever He wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men. I will bless the Most High and praise and honor Him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation. He regards all the inhabitants of the earth as nothing, and does as He pleases with the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: "What have You done?" I praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true, and all His ways are just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.
(Daniel 4:17, 34-35, 37)

"Father God, may the words that come from my mouth bring glory and honor to Hashem. May my life reflect the spirit of your Son Jesus Christ which by choice is being renewed daily through the power of the Holy Spirit and by your Holy Word. Teach me to walk rightly before men so that they might find forgiveness, peace and healing through the power of your name. Amen"

Acceleration

Acceleration is a transitive verb with one meaning of a: to enable (a student) to complete a course in less than usual time b: to speed up (as a course of study). Well that's the journey I thought I was on until a month ago. I had been doing this spiritual journey book by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson. It's the second time I've read the book. I had been sharing in huddletime in The ReignForest that I've been stuck on the last three days but actually it was Day 26 of the book entitled "Keep Yourself from Idols". Whatever takes our hearts from him, or shares it with him, is an idol. There are three species of idolatry: 1)desire of the flesh - refers to all the outward senses; 2)desire of the eye - gratified by such objects as either grand or beautiful or uncommon and 3)"the pride of life" - seeking happiness in the praise of men or "taking care of our reputation". While trying to find the idols in my life I prayed the prayer "God remove anything from my life that takes me from knowing you more intimately, if it is pride remove it or rout it out." Ahh...dangerous prayer - almost as dangerous as praying for patience. So the past ~30 days I had been doing soul searching about idols in my life.

Speed up to this past week-end. I had a lesson..uhm "a God moment" in my flower garden. I was trying to remove a little wild tree/shrub thingie that was developing in my garden. I wanted to chop it out. I went to the shed to get the ax but couldn't find one but found an ax pick instead. Well, that'll do. There I am wielding this big thing swinging the pick into the ground to get to the bottom of this stubborn root. As I swing and strike deeper into the ground I'm saying to myself "Man this thing is deep-just how deep do I have to go?" and suddenly there was the picture before me and the softness of a familiar inner voice "Your pride is just like that root and that's why your stuck and you're experiencing so much pain lately." gulp... God moments don't always make you stop in your tracks and lights go on well at least this one wasn't like that. It seemed like this one kept low and started grower brighter and clearer until - the lights are fully on.

Here's the reality...I had cried for something to be revealed, my sinfulness, disobedience, guiltiness so that I could be discovered and be made known more to myself than to God. He knew what the problem was all along. Sometimes I don't know what the problem is because I don't want to or don't want to face the reality of myself.

Here's the results...once God showed me what it was, I repented of it and received a spiritual breakthrough.

Here's some hope...you know that root I dug out. The deeper the pick went the root got smaller and then relief I yanked it out. By tending my flower garden more closely I'm going to be checking for any wildshoots before they take deep root. In my life, it means staying close-intimately close to God my Father, Jesus my Lord and Savior and being sensitve to the Holy Spirit so that the revealing of self (weeding) is less painful.

While this was not an easy breakthrough Dr. Bruce says the insights that I learn from pain will endure. I'm finding that the cost of daily discipleship has some benefits...one is to encourage imitation of Christ and allow me to act in ways that are centered in God's will.

May the hand of God be upon you as you seek His face to receive His peace.

Catch up

I can't believe it's been 10 days since I've blogged. Last week flew by and I was zoned out because of a hit with a "bug" that took at least a full day out of of my life. Last week was a busy one that kept me hopping with preparing totes for July. Thanks to Gwen Hamsher, Justin Neel and Doreen Ley for all the help during the week.

We also had storytime from 11:30-12:00 in The ReignForest Monday - Friday for the grand opening of Origins Cafe', where you can find cheesecake that makes you think you taken a wrong turn and went to Easton in Columbus to that other place that offers cheesecake. Anyway, what a week!

BIG Thanks to Big Dan who covered storytime on Monday and Thursday and assisted everyday in running the show. A special thanks to Mrs. Wishywashy, Gaila Gartrell, who did an awesome job with stories and music on Wednesday...you rock woman ! Then on Friday, Miss Judi Houston was the teacher. YOU are an outstanding storyteller. I notice every time I watch you that you absolutely love it too. BIG THANKS to Alissa West, Maddison Mullen and Devon DeMonte who came in to be singers and actors in the story of Solomon and what he wanted most from God.

Thanks again to all of you who came to story time and for all the positive feedback.