Past, Present and Future

Honor the past - remember the successes and learn from the errors; take advantage of experience
Live in the present - take the risks required to achieve new heights and climb new mountains; live on the edge, advance
Look to the future - dream big and fill you heart with new hope and purpose; reach forward

The past gives us wisdom and experience.
The present offers us chances for innovation and adventure.
The future brings new understandings and successes.

Phil. 3:12-14
Put away what is behind.
Progress to what lies ahead.
Press toward the future.

Thoughts From an Almost 50 Year Old Man

Here are the only important things in life that really matter:

• My Lord Jesus Christ – how incredibly marvelous it is that God would love us so much that He gave His own life for us. Unbelievable!
• My dear wife – Beverly Ann, MyLadyMyLove… 25 years of faithfulness, service and love. You are the greatest treasure I have and the most incredible blessing I have ever received.
• My children – Cheree, John, Judah, Lance, Luke, Kelsy and Esperanza… seven blessings from the Lord that are making their own choices to follow God with all their hearts. This gives me an unbelievable felling of satisfaction and success.
• My friends – to name one would be to leave out several, so I'll go without any names. Friends are to share with and to confide in. Their presence is the greatest reward a man could ask for. Satisfaction and realization is the result.
• My testimony – that only good could be said of me, that God's name is always glorified when my name is mentioned. That's my purpose in life, my greatest call.

And looking towards the future:

• I do not pretend nor profess perfection; I must always continue forward in my faith and practice – Phil 3:12-14
• I will continue pursuing God and His fruit and gifts in my life. Maturity is a continuous growth process.
• I must always be strong and very courageous as I obey God's direction – Joshua 1:7
• I will not grow weary; the harvest will come – Gal. 6:9
• "Well done, good and faithful servant," are the words I want to hear – Matt. 25:21,23; 2 Tim 4:7

I want to finish what I've started. I want to finish well.

I Want More!

Since the beginning of the year and earlier we've been seeking for more of God. I'm not satisfied. I've not received what I'm looking for. I want more of God and His holy power. When Pastor Eddie from Nebraska shared at evening prayer in June he touched the area going to God's presence and staying there until you get a word and receive His power.

He shared that we must go to the high place, the place where God dwells and his presence is manifest. In Acts Jesus said go to Jerusalem and wait. Once in the presence of God we should wait there till he speaks and fills us with power. As we wait we must worship and serve the Lord with all our hearts. We must allow his holy presence to cleanse and purify our hearts. Who can believe that God will respond to an unrepentant heart? Who will go up the mountain of the Lord but those with clean hands (actions and lifestyle) and a pure heart (motives and attitudes)?

Once there don't move, until God says, "go." Saul got anxious and made sacrifice before Samuel arrived and began the process of doing things his way instead of God's way. If we wait until we have heard from God and then with quick and confident obedience we do what he said, His backing is certain and our success is sure. Too often, like Joshua, we are asking God to be on our side. When what he wants is for us to join his side and follow his leading.

Wait in Jerusalem until you have been filled with power, and you will be witnesses from you own neighborhood to the ends of the earth. Is that worth waiting for? Is that worth seeking God with all our hearts for?

Father, I want more. Help me be willing to pay the price and actively seek you face.

My Boy with My Guitar

Here is Luke in his first public appearance, playing my guitar. For a 10 year old and just 10 months of lessons he did an awesome job. He accompanied his children's church group on a song for Father's day.

Beauty Personified and Blessings From God

Here are two of the four most beautiful women in the whole world.

My Dearest Beverly and my youngest, Esperanza. Wow, I've been blessed.

Today is Lance's 13th birthday, now we have 3 teenage boys. Life is truly getting more and more exciting.

I never knew

"Here go my people; I must follow them as I am their leader!"
Mahatma Gandhi

I have heard and used this quote for years, but I never knew the source was Gandhi. Interesting.

Thoughts on Laughing

"Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life.
Laughing at someone else's can shorten it."
Cullen Hightower

Well, the above quote on Google started the search. What did I find? Laughter is important for our physical health. And learning to laugh at ourselves is important especially for our mental stability; sometimes we just take ourselves too seriously [I've no idea who said that the first time]. Here are a few more quotes I found interesting.

"Laughing at ourselves as well as with each other
gives a surprising sense of togetherness."
Hazel C. Lee

"When a person can no longer laugh at himself,
it is time for others to laugh at him."
Thomas Szasz

"Inviting people to laugh with you
while you are laughing at yourself
is a good thing to do.
You may be the fool, but you're the fool in charge."
Carl Reiner,

"Accept every funny happenstance as a gift to be shared.
When you laugh, especially at yourself, everyone else will join in.
Laughter is nothing less than contagious - and healing."
Barry Bittman M.D.

"Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
'The LORD has done great things for them.'"
Psalm 126:2 ESV

"A joyful heart is good medicine..."
Proverbs 17:22 ESV

Now That's a Thought

"It's a rare person who wants to hear what he doesn't want to hear." Dick Cavett

So true, but if we can be open to constructive criticism we can go so much farther and achieve much greater things. That person is truly a wise one.

A Proud Dad

Yes, I'm a proud DAD. Here I'm with Cheree in Puerto Rico at the Youth with a Mission NIKO Camp. she was "staff photographer." That was in April. Before that she had gone to China for 6 weeks and did prayer walks and taught English.

On Sunday she left for the Dominican Republic for 10 days. She will again be working with a NIKO camp, but this time she is "administrating the kitchen", what ever that means. I think it has something to do with making salads and washing dishes.

Still, no matter what it is that she does... she is not a missionary that doesn't do anything. She is a very active and dedicated young lady in pursuit of excellence for God in everything she does.

Cheree, you make your mom and dad very proud. You've got a missionary's heart. You're a servant and a lover of God. I'm proud of ya.

GOD Is Bigger Than me

Here is a picture of the sovereignty of God.

"If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place... And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Mordecai, Queen Esther's cousin.

The lack of Esther's help wasn't going to prevent the manifestation of God's protection of the Jewish people, it would just remove her and her family from it. Mordecai was clear that the favor of God had placed her in the position of Queen for a divine purpose, but Esther had to decide to cooperate with the plan. God would work his plan with Esther or without. The decision was hers.

Father, in every situation and circumstance I want to obey your divine will and follow your divine direction. I want to be part of your big plan.

Esther 4:13-14 NIV

Great Enterprises

¨Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.¨ Demosthenes

This has so many applications in life. Paul indicated that the areas we emphasize are the ones that will be strongest in our lives. What we do today decides what we live tomorrow. Applications are positive and negative, spiritual and natural.

The small opportunities given to desires, lusts and pride are the beginning of succumbing to the weaknesses and sins that so easily bring us down. In the same way, small decisions of honesty, uprightness and intimacy with God are the beginning of great victories and acts of faith in our lives.

LORD, that my small opportunities lead me to great successes, in your kingdom.

Romans 8; Hebrews 12:1, 11:25

24 HOP

We're getting ready for our 3rd 24 HOP at La Fuente. Our first 2 were great and God was faithful to present himself there. We're looking forward to our next on this Saturday the 21st from 5 am til 5 am on Sunday morning. Pray for us.

Pictures from the first one can be found at:
www.picasaweb.google.com/NorixZeta/24HOP

Thanks Eric for letting us in on the secret. We've not gotten up to 48 HOP yet, but we sure are enjoying the 24 hours. We plan to do 2 more this year with the last one possibly being one on the city-wide level.

Maybe in the not so far future a prayer room can be established... looking forward to 24/7.

Confident and Trusting

Esther was content to spend her one night with the King of Persia dressed according to the suggestions of the King's chamberlain. She did not try to embellish her beauty with fancy dress or jewels and jewelry of her choice. She trusted Hegai's advise. Because of this, her natural grace impressed all who saw her and the King chose her to be his queen.

Are we willing to approach our King clothed just as and only as He has provided, in garments of salvation and robes of righteousness? These are gifts from Him, prepared by Him and paid for by Him. They are His very life and righteousness. Or, do we feel it necessary to add to His provision of righteousness with our own good works so He will choose us to be His bride?

We should be as confident and trusting as Esther was. His righteousness and salvation are more than sufficient.

Esther 2:15-17; Isaiah 61:10

Hey Good Looking!

No matter how sour, serious or sad our face may be, praise and thankfulness changes our countenance. Praise is good and pleasant; praise beautifies; praise gives us an appealing, attractive and agreeable look and appearance.

Praise looks good on you. Hey good looking!

Heart Check

Let us be radical revolutionaries, not defiant rebels.

On Being Religious

Could it be that our practice of not being religious has become our religious practice? Time to check the motives of our heart.

Well, just a thought.

Changes

For purpose of better readability, I changed the template and colors.

What are your thoughts?

Nice Perfume!

Our efforts to gain God's favor by good works and personal righteousness is a stench in His nostrils (Isaiah 64:6), but works of faith done in humble obedience and sincere worship are a pleasing smell, a sweet, pleasant, appealing perfume, that awakens His desire for us and opens the door for our entrance to come close to Him and to enjoy his holy and intimate presence.

A thought from this morning at La Fuente

"You Do See" Ps 10:14

We come to you
oh God our King
With humble hearts
we pray and sing
Repenting now
for all our sin
Please make our hearts
complete again

On bended knees
before your throne
We give our lives
to you alone
Breathe on us LORD
your spirit wind
And turn our hearts
to you again

We your people humble ourselves
We turn away from our wicked ways
Hear us from heaven; forgive our sin
And heal our land, oh God

You see, oh LORD,
we're not alone
We know you're near
and hear our song
Arise, oh God,
lift up your hand
And send revival
to our land

Friday morning, this song actually started with phrases in the last verse, "you do see" and "arise, o LORD" from Psalm 10:14 and 12. It became a song of repentance and cry for more of the presence of God as it developed. After the verses, I added the bridge from the ideas of 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Lights Out

Lights out has different shades of meaning. Lights out-asleep; lights out-knocked out as in boxing; lights out-lights turned off; lights out-no energy available.

Here in Nicaragua the primary meaning is that the company has turned out the lights in your sector to not over load the national generators. The problem is that the generating plants are too old and too under powered to handle all the demand so energy is cut a few hours a few times each week to help deal with the problem. We've gotten used to it over the past 14 years.

The past couple days "lights out" was for a totally different reason... about 11 pm a post a block down the street broke... not sure why, but it did, therefore until just 15 minutes ago we were without lights. Freezer thawing, refrigerators warm, visitors and a meal for 30 people. Life must go on, even without lights. And it did; we were prepared.

Sometimes "lights out" means there are no light in the heart of a person. Jesus is the light of the world and I want to keep the window of my eyes bright with His light that shines from within me. Help me LORD never let the lights go out and if they do that it not take 2 days to get them turned back on.

I Have Been Blessed

He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. Proverbs 18:22.

Thank you Father God for my favor from you, my dear wife Beverly. She has blessed me now for over 25 years. What more could I ask for? She has ministered at my side, cared for our children, gone to the ends of the world with me, and all she has done with love and joy.

God you have been so good to me.

Thanks, Bev. I love you with all my heart.

Risk and Nothingness

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure." Anonymous

"[We must] play down our longing for certainty, accept what is risky, live by improvisation and experiment."
Hans Kung quoted in The Shaping of Things to Come by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch.

I'm beginning to learn that the risk of failure while trying is better that the risk of doing nothing and accomplishing just that, nothing. The only way to guarantee complete success is to do nothing because doing nothing will certainly accomplish nothing. Nothing will be lost and nothing will be gained, but you won't fail at accomplishing what you set out to do.

I must at least run the risk of failure, maybe I'll succeed instead.

Upcoming thoughts on the purpose of generations

What are we to do with different age groups, generations and eras of people? What creates the differences between generations? How can we prevent the seperation and conflicts frequently experienced the different generations and eras of people? How can we take advantage of the differences in methods, likes/dislikes and manners of thinking?

Any thoughts?

A Staggering Thought

"Sometimes I think we're alone. Sometimes I think we're not. In either case, the thought is staggering."
R. Buckminister Fuller

Fortunately, I know we're not alone, because Jesus said he would send a Comforter that would never leave us nor forsake us. Still, the thought is staggering that the Creator of the Universe would make that strong of commitment to us. Then again, we are His creation, the work of His hands, His children.

Faith, Hope and Love - 1

Love is the motivation.
Hope is the promise.
Faith is the action that brings it all to reality.

...kind of like what I wrote in What Happened to Hope just reduced to three sentences.

Anger without Sin

Be angry and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds and be silent. Ps. 4:4

Anger is not evil. It is why you are angry or what you do with your anger that makes it evil. Anger is immoral when based on ego, when we seek vengeance, when we don't forgive, when we become bitter, when we explode, when we simmer.

A proper response to anger is be silent, think about what has happened, wait to respond, pray before acting, forgive and release, pray for those that hurt and abuse you and "don't go there again".

• ponder = think
• in your own hearts = to yourself
• on your beds = let time pass before taking action... "on your beds" could refer to overnight
• and be silent = no talk/no sin... "put a guard before my lips"

This is obviously not a complete treatise of anger and how to deal with it, just thought that come from the Psalm.

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Eph. 4:26-27

Life...

"Every man is born as many men and dies as a single one."

Martin Heidegger

...a quote I found a few days ago and rediscovered today.

How to:

"The most effective way to do it, is to do it."
Amelia Earhart

Light of the World

"I am the light of the world." Jesus Christ

It's not a great new insight; I've heard it many times. The moon generates no light nor energy, yet it is the light in the darkness of the night. The sun is pure light and energy. The moon is dust and stone. During the day, when the moon is next to the sun, it is barely visible, but during the night it is seen clearly and as a full moon it is a strong bright light providing visibility and mobility for all.

We are not the SON of God, but we are His sons, and we are to reflect the light of His glory here on earth. In middle of the darkness, we are to be the light of the world. Just as the moon is the light of the night, we are to be light in the darkness so the blind can see, the deaf can hear and the dead can be raised to eternal life and light in Christ Jesus.

"You are the light of the world." Jesus Christ

John 8:12; Matthew 5:14

What Happened to Hope

Faith, hope and love these remain permanent and the most important is love. Faith - conviction and trust; hope - confidence and expectation; love - sacrifice and service. The greatest is to live our life in service for the benefit of others, love.

We constantly speak of love. God is love. The great commandment is love. Faith operates by love. Jesus was love personified and it is clear, the greatest of all spiritual attributes is LOVE.

Faith. We live with God, by faith. His grace is ours, by faith. Faith gives substance and is evidence of the dreams in our lives. Your faith heals. By faith the mountain of difficulty is removed and situations are changed. The god-like-man lives by faith.

What about hope? If we have no hope, we can have no faith. Faith needs an object to give substance to and that object is our hope. Our hope is not a capricious dream. It is a promise from God. It is His life active in us. It is Jesus, the hope of glory, revealed and active in every area of our life.

There are works realized by our faith, deeds motivated by our love and consistency sustained by the hope placed in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thes. 1:3) Hope sustains us while faith makes the promised future reality. Hope provides consistency as we serve in love. Hope provides a sustained and patient perseverance as faith works and love serves and Jesus is manifest in the circumstances of our daily lives. This three legged stool looses stability with just faith and love. We must include joyful and confident expectation, hope, in our lives.

These THREE remain effective faith, continuous love and patient hope (Geneva Bible Translation Notes). Let hope have it's place in our lives. Without it we are hopeless.

Consciousness

One of my favorite moments of the day is the time between awake and asleep, between asleep and awake. In those minutes I am aware of God and His world. I sing, I pray, I worship, I listen, I look, I feel. I come and go between consciousness and sleep and dreams and thought and streams of intimacy with Him. I lay there still. He speaks and I listen. Eyes closed, I see. Asleep, I perceive. Quiet, we talk together in the cool of the day, morning or night, as close to Eden as is earthly possible, today.

I sing for joy on my bed; He takes pleasure in His servant (Psalm 139:5, 4). God and man, one (John 17:20, 21).

"Even the Darkness Is Not Dark" Psalm 139:12

The understanding is that I cannot hide from you, God, not even in the darkest place. If I cannot hide in the darkness, then in my most difficult situation I can be confident you see and know my circumstances and tribulation. A Spanish translation, Lenguaje Actual, says - for You there is no difference in dark and light - that is, You see all there is, at all times and in every situation, even in the darkest hour.

In that darkest hour, with confidence, I can declare, "You, Lord, will fulfill Your purpose for me. In You I place my faith and trust; in You I have hope of a future that exceeds my expectations. (Psalm 138:8 ESV; Jer. 29:11)