May « 2010 « Journeyman Journal

Fixing My Thoughts

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Our church just started a new sermon series on the Spiritual Disciplines. Last week the topic was mediation and Ray challenged us to meditate on the following verse this week to practice this discipline:

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8, NLT)

So, that’s what I’ve been doing. We even talked about the verse and meditation during Monday’s Elder Meeting. It’s a short verse, but there’s a lot to consider here…plenty to mediate on. The first thing I noticed is that Paul is NOT asking us to take action, to do something (which is my natural inclination). He’s simply saying we should “fix our thoughts on” and “think about” these things. That’s it…nothing more (at least for now…perhaps the actions should only happen after the meditation and contemplation?).

Then I started thinking about these questions: What is true? What’s honorable? What’s right? You get the idea. What exactly am I supposed to be thinking and fixing my thoughts on? I struggled here. I prayed about it. I meditated on it (that was the point right?). And the answer became very clear…and something I would have missed had I not slowed down and mediated on this short little verse of Scripture…

What’s true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise?

Only one thing: GOD

He’s the source of all that we’re supposed to think about. He’s what we’re supposed to fix our thoughts on. Now, we may be thinking about His beautiful creation or some amazing piece of art or music, but HE is the ultimate source that we should be fixing our thoughts on.

So that’s what I’m working on now…fixing my thoughts!

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ⁹ Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

26.05.2010 Church, Spiritual Development, Spiritual Musings 2 Comments

Message Received

Monday, May 24th, 2010

Last week I was attending one of our LifeGroups—which is one of the best parts of my job—and we where having a great discussion on the second part of Romans Chapter 5. This is one of the “headiest” sections of the book. Paul is introducing an entirely new theological concept and he is being very “Greek” in his explanation. It’s hard to follow. It’s hard to digest. It’s hard to understand.

But the LifeGroup leader was doing a great job guiding the discussion and keeping the group on the right track. Paul is talking about how Christ overcame Adam’s sin…how His sacrifice conquers our legacy of sin. He’s talking about how Jesus brings us into right relationship with God. He’s talking about the power of grace over sin. Great topics and great discussion.

Like I said, the leader was doing a great job. And he had just finished making this great point…bringing some of the discussions together…when someone’s cell phone sang out: “Message Received!” The timing was brilliant. It brought a laugh and drove the point home.

Message received.

I wish I had that more often in my life—some external indicator to tell me when the message is received. For me and for others. ;o)

24.05.2010 Humor, Life Group, New Pastor Journal 1 Comment

They’re Naturals

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Last night Anita and I took the kids down to the park to play catch and swing the bat a little bit. It has been a long time since we’ve taken them to play catch and it’s been even longer since I’ve played softball (I miss it). We expected to have a little fun running around, messing around, and trying to learn/teach a few skills. I fully expected Kyle to pick it up (he tends to be the jock in the family)…but we were pleasantly surprised.

Every single one of our kids was able to pick up the bat and make good (if not great) contact with the ball. They took instruction and applied what they learned with positive results. And throwing the ball was no exception. Each one of them can throw and catch (to one degree or another). They’re naturals. It runs in the family blood I guess (on both sides of the family).

We had a great time together a a family and I’m starting to plan my retirement. ;o) We are planning on getting them signed up for t-ball/baseball/softball this next season. They’ll make their GGPa proud!! Watch out world!

18.05.2010 Family, Hobbies, Recreation, Sports No Comments

My Heart’s Desire

Monday, May 17th, 2010

Sometimes even I can’t miss what God is trying to tell me…sometimes. This morning God got my attention by using simple repetition. And I need to hear what He had to say. First, He sent me to a passage in the Psalms. I read it, but almost missed what He was trying to say. The I started reading out of book I’m using in my devotional time called O2 (I highly recommend it already…and I’m not even done). The author quotes the exact same passage God has led me to earlier in the morning. OK, I get it…and I needed it obviously. Here’s the passage:

Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
(Psalm 73:25-26, NLT)

It’s that second sentence that is sticking with me today. I need to be reminded that my identity and my heart’s desire is found in God alone (at least that’s how it should be). He’s enough. He’s what I need. Today. Tomorrow. Always.

Too often I try and find my identity in other things. And it gets me all messed up. I turn to other things instead of turning to God. It’s faithless. It’s human. It’s gotta go.

I need Him and Him alone. Once I have that priority right everything else will fall into its proper place. Always.

17.05.2010 Devotional, God's Love, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

Who’s Guiding You?

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

My journey through Isaiah continued today. And once again it wasn’t the main point of a particular verse that caught my attention…but rather the secondary message. I could have easily ignored the primary message. The secondary message? Not so much. Here’s the passage:

Someone may say to you, “Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.” But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead? Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.

Isaiah 8:19-20, NLT

See, it would be easy for me to walk right past that first part. I don’t “consult the spirits of the dead”. I’m not even into astrology. Have always found that dangerous on one extreme and just plain silly on the other extreme.

But that second part I can’t ignore: “Shouldn’t people ask God for guidance?” Of course we should, but do we? Not often enough. James makes the point crystal clear: “You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it” (James 4:2, NLT).

Sometimes I make it even worse. Sometimes I ask God, but then ignore the answer (if I even take the time to stop and listen in the first place). Which is stupid. And this passage points out the ignorance by painting a contrast. People will seek answers from dead spirits, but we won’t take the time to ask the Living God for guidance. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

I think I might be running for president of this particular club. But I’m working on doing better. I’m trying to stop and listen more—to seek His guidance and direction. It takes practice. It takes effort. It takes intentionality. But He’s always there…and He’s got a plan (see Jeremiah 29:11) much better than anything I could come up with. If I’d only listen…

04.05.2010 Devotional, Spiritual Musings No Comments

What Are You Thinking About?

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

I started reading through the book of Isaiah last week. It’s not my first trip through the book, but I always get something new out of Scripture every time I read it. That probably has to do with what’s going on in my life at the time, what the Spirit is showing me each time, and what I’m paying attention to that I missed last time.

Today’s passage struck me like a 2×4 upside the head…

What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.

They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—but they never think about the Lord or notice what He is doing.

Isaiah 5:11-12, NLT

There’s a clear message here for many in our culture who are too focused on drinking and are always looking for the next big party…but that’s not what caught my attention. It’s the last line of the second verse that the Spirit highlighted for me today: “…they never even think about the Lord or notice what He is doing.” OUCH!

Guilty.

How many times have I been too busy looking for {INSERT ITEM HERE} and missed what God was doing…didn’t even give Him a second thought. I’m too busy on my own stuff. God takes a back seat. I don’t think about Him. I don’t notice what He’s doing.

I don’t do it as often as I used to, but it still happens. Of course, it shouldn’t. Something to keep working on. Keep focused on Him. Think about Him often. Notice what He’s doing. In me. With me. Through me. He’s always up to something and it’s always good.

03.05.2010 Devotional, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment