Friday, January 29, 2010

"Itching Ears"

I've got to say, after I read this, (click hear, sp?).
I got a severe case of the itches.

And yet, I was reminded of this:
For the time will come when men will
not put up with sound doctrine.
Instead, to suit their own desires, they
will gather around them a great number
of teachers to say what their itching ears
want to hear. They will turn their ears
away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 NIV

What is it that I need to hear, want to hear,
desire to hear, can't wait to hear, must hear,
desperately long to hear, etc etc etc...???

I make this analogy:
Wife says this: "Honey, which shoes look best with this dress?"

You know it guys, we've all been asked it.

I says this: "The blue ones?"
Wife: "Are you sure?"
I: "Certainly"
Wife: "Really?"
I: "Absolutely!"
Wife: "If you think so."

She goes back to the bedroom, and re-emerges 15 minutes later wearing the red ones you passed on.

It's one of those, "it didn't meet what her itching ears wanted to hear."

(Incidentally, I have checked out of ever answering
questions like that from my wife forever.)

But it's how I feel sometimes.

I ask God. And somewhere I hope I hear the answer I want to hear.
I read His word. And I hope to find anything to satisfy my itching ears.
I don't really want truth.
I don't really want honesty.
I just want what I want.

Maybe it's time God takes the Q-tip to those itching ears of mine.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

"Be Funky"


It's just going to be one of those days!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

"Who Are You"

I've got to admit, I Facebook. Strange but true.

From time to time, I get requests
from people (friends of friends)
who I have no idea who they are.
We're not mutually friendly because
we were once introduced by a particular
person in our "friends" list.

Usually I think it must have been a mistake.
I shouldn't have been the recipient of the
request.

Sometimes I just think people are trying
to mess with my fragile brain.

Sometimes I just want to respond simply:
WHO ARE YOU?

Some Jews who went around driving out
evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the
Lord Jesus over those who were
demon-possessed. They would say,
"In the name of Jesus, whom Paul
preaches, I command you to come out."
Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief
priest, were doing this.
(One day) the evil spirit answered them,
"Jesus I know, and I know about Paul,
but who are you?"
Then the man who had the evil spirit
jumped on them and overpowered them all.
He gave them such a beating that they
ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
Acts 19:13-16 NIV

Friday, January 15, 2010

"Meltdown"

This could be a blog about what happens
when children get really tired and hungry.
They melt down.

It could be about what happens when the guy
from India/Pakistan/Jupiter (wherever those
computer help guys are) can't seem to help you.
You Melt Down!

It could be about how much water 6 inches,
a foot, 3 feet of snow, etc, becomes when the
sun comes out in January, the temperature
gets to 46 degrees.
It's a wet melt down.

It could be what happens when your son
decides to put crayons in the oven,
and you only find them after cooking
the pizza.
It's a cheesy melt down. (this has never happened)

"Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. Joshua 2:8-10 (NIV)

That's not just a melt down, it's the fear of the Lord


Wednesday, January 13, 2010

"Conviction"

–noun
1. a fixed or firm belief.
2. the act of convicting.
3. the state of being convicted.
4. the act of convincing.
5. the state of being convinced.

Thank you dictionary.com

It's number 4 that intrigues me today.

Some call it "the guilty feeling." Others call it "my conscience."
But as of today, I hope to further call it "God's way of convincing me."


"From morning till evening he explained and declared
to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them
about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.
Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe."
Romans 28:23b-24 NIV





Monday, January 11, 2010

"January Blahs"

I was going write about the "January, after-holiday, it's cold as all get out (global what?)"
days of winter. But I can't even find the motivation to do that.

Friday, January 8, 2010

"Snow"

I love snow!

I love how snow makes the
Christmas lights in the
neighborhood really stand out.

I love snow angels, snow football, sledding in the snow.

It's currently 32. Hasn't stopped snowing since about 2pm yesterday (1/7/10).

It's awesome to me.

I love how it clings to everything. The trees, cars, telephone lines, the roof of my shed, etc.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7

Whiter than snow?

We have a yellow lab. Really she's mostly white. With a few spots that look like cigarette butt minus the paper. You know, tar like. But on our forest green carpet in our basement, her shed really stands out... white.

Yet, when I let her outside in the morning, she looks so not white in the snow. It's amazing.

Whiter than snow? Cleaned. Tar-less. Pure.

Here's what Psalm 51:4-6 says:
"Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are proved right when
you speak and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from
the time my mother conceived me.

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts
you teach me wisdom in the inmost

Whiter than snow? Cleaned. Tar-less. Pure. After that?

YES! And why I love Christmas snow the best.



Thursday, January 7, 2010

"Pretend"

I often watch my children play,
And how amazed am I that they
Are occupied for hours on end
With games that start with “Let’s pretend.”

They play at “house”, they play at “store”;
They play at “school”, they play at “war”.
They play at “cops and robbers”, too;
There’s nothing little minds can’t do.

Yes, “let’s pretend” contributes joy
To every little girl and boy;
And drab and dull would childhood be,
If it were not for fantasy.

The thought that weighs upon my mind
Is: Some don’t leave those years behind.
Concerning things “beyond the veil”,
They still let fantasy prevail.

They make believe there is no hell;
They make believe their souls are well;
They reason, under false pretense,
That works will be their sure defense.

Behold, the final, fearful end
Of those, like babes, who still pretend!
For in eternal things, you see,
There is no room for fantasy.

For fantasy oft times conflicts
With that which God on high edicts;
And fiction from the days of youth
Must not displace the written truth.

Because the Bible doth reveal
That mankind’s need for Christ is real.
Imagination has a role,
But not in matters of the soul.

And what of you, good Christian friend?
Do you serve God, or just pretend?
Do you the Holy Spirit grieve,
By service only “make believe”?

source

Monday, January 4, 2010

"3 Ring Circus"

Some times I think my life is nothing more than a three ring circus.

It's the high wire.
It's the annoying clowns.
It's being caged with the big cats.
It's the wild and crazy.
It's got elephants, running horses, tiny ponies, acrobats, lot's of flashes and noise.
It's non stop excitement.

Some times, I think my life is nothing more than a three ring circus.

It's here today, it's gone tomorrow.
I mean, God even says that:
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.
What is your life?
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."
James 4:14 NIV

OR

"You do not know about tomorrow.
What is your life like?
For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes."
James 4:14 NET BIBLE

A puff of smoke? A mist?

V-A-N-I-S-H-E-S!
Dictionary.com definition 3.: "to disappear by ceasing to exist; come to an end"

That's pretty hopeless if you ask me.

Thank goodness God doesn't leave us in a state of disappearance.

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8

A new year? Yes.

Life in the circus? It's only temporary.