Thirsty Thursday: Solitude

I must start today with a quick confessions. I have really enjoyed the way that my blog has given me another avenue to write down my thoughts on life. I have a journal that I try to write in everyday, but the blog has a different feel to it. It is a place where I can write about my victories or my defeats as I keep walking with Jesus. It is public so everyone has the opportunity to read it. I appreciate the words of encouragement my friends give me through this form of communication. And I love reading about whats going on in their lives as they blog away.

A while back I was in a small group with some guys at FPU. Dave Obwald was the point man with Bryan Feil and myself as his back-up. It was really neat to get to know some of the guys that were students at FPU since I have been out for a couple years. We used the study guide for 'Celebration of Disciple' by Richard Foster as a launching pad for our discussion. I want to share a few bits of that about the disciple of SOLITUDE.

"The less we are mesmerized by human voices, the more we are able to hear the divine Voice. The less we are bound by other's expectations, the more we are open to God's expectation"

"In time, however, we found that solitude did not give us power to win the rat race; on the contrary, it taught us to ignore the struggle altogether."

"God takes this 'useless' Discipline, this 'wasted time,' to make us His Friend"

Enjoy your solitude today!

p.s. The red and blue text is my simple way of saying BULLDOGS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPS!

Thirsty Thursday: Convenience or Obedience

Today I took a look back through my journal and read some entries that really shows where I have been the last few months. I will be the first to tell you that there are many gaps in my journal, but I was really challenged by one in particular this morning. Here you go.

Every choice we make has 2 options. You can choose convenience or obedience. With that in mind I share with you my journal.
I know what it feels like to truly see Jesus. He is all around in every little moment that passes. He is constantly revealing himself to me if I am willing to seek him. It is such a wonderful mindset to 'see' the invisible God everyday. Life takes on a whole new meaning and outlook when I am constantly seeking the face of God. God becomes more then the thing I pray to when I am in need. Rather, God is a presence with me every step of the way.
God is too powerful to simply be a parachute when I am falling. God is more like a glider that will go up when I am up and float down with me when I am down. God must be present in all situations for himself to be revealed. It can't be just when it is convenient to me. What it all boils down to is this. Am I choosing convenience or obedience?

I would like to end with the lyrics to a song that has been on my heart.

Jesus, be the center
Be my source, be my light
Jesus

Jesus, be the center
Be my hope, be my song
Jesus

Be the fire in my heart
Be the wind in these sails
Be the reason that I live
Jesus, Jesus

Jesus, be my vision
Be my path, be my guide
Jesus

Thirsty Thursday: The water is right there

I know it is not Thursday, but here are my 2 cents. This is not going to be a encouragement through direct scripture, but just something I have been processing.
I have been trying to be healthier with what I eat/drink. I have been drinking a ton of water and it has some unique affects. The days that I don't drink at least 100 ounces of water I can feel it in my body. It is a feeling that something is missing and my body is trying to make up for it on its own. This is many times the catch 22 I find myself falling into with my "thirst" for Christ. God gave us his word for a purpose; to quench our thirst. Yet I try to quench it myself too many times. It is something that is a constant frustration because the answer is so simple and clear cut. Yet, I still have a way of not seeking God for my thirst.
There is a reason that drinking water rather then soda is better for you. It is because water is a natural source to quench your thirst and cleanse your body. Without the water in your system you will still function, but your body has to work so much harder to process the soda into something it can use.

All this to say that God's word is the living water that will naturally cleanse us. We need to be in the word every day and continue to drink it up. This will allow our spiritual bodies to perform at a highly efficient level instead of straining for each step.

I hope that you can draw some encouragement!

Drink it up.

Mike

Thirsty Thursday: On Friday

I am coming to you today from the San Jose Airport. I am flying to Boston for a work conference, or that is what I am telling everyone.

Before we get onto more pressing matters I must start by saying I just stood behind Jerry Rice in the security line at the airport!! And no I did not talk to him. I wanted so badly, but felt I would try to be respectful and not bug him. That is also another excuse for saying I was chicken! But we did get this paparazzi picture.

No that I have that behind me I may proceed. The last week has been one of turmoil and really seeking God's will. Over the last few weeks I have been going through the struggle of knowing I need to seek after God with all my heart, but not really having the desire to. I have been really trying to follow along in my life journal reading plan to keep me consistent. Over the past week I have done well following that and it has really encouraged me. I have been reading through Proverbs and Romans with the reading plan.

From Proverbs I have been reading about seeking wisdom. All through the passages I have been reminded that if I truly seek after God's wisdom He will grant it to me. One passage that stood out to me is Proverbs 3:7-8 "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

In Romans I have been encouraged by God's promise that I am His own and free from the bondage of sin. It is very easy to fall back into the cycle of feeling overwhelmed by the sin nature in me. It is here in Romans that God uses Paul to remind me that God died and overcame the power of sin. Romans 8:1-2 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

Well I am about to board the plan so I hope you find this encouraging today even though it's a day late!

Thirsty Thursday: Grace is Sufficient

"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surprisingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."--1 Corinthians 12:7-10

Last night I had a conversation with a good friend of mine, Dave Obwald. We were talking about a season of life I am going through right now and he kept reminding me, "grace is sufficient." Later that night when I was ready for bed I could keep hearing that run through my head; my grace is sufficient...yeah I know, I told myself. My grace is sufficient; yeah. I know. My grace is sufficient; yeah God I know. My grace is sufficient.

I felt like I was in the scene of Good Will Hunting when Robin Williams keeps telling Matt Damon that "it's not your fault. It's not your fault." It is very easy to just brush that statement off and not do anything with it. I've heard the phrase, my grace is sufficient, a million times and probably nodded my head every time. I am just thankful that I have people around me to strengthen and encourage me in times of weakness.

Last night I really needed the reminder that God's grace is sufficient. Especially, when relationships get tough it is easy for me to take over and try to do things on my own. I just need to remember "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Thirsty Thursday: Perseverance

"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5: 2-5

Perseverance as defined by Mirriam-Webster: to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement.

This is a cornerstone for the Christian faith. The idea that life is not going to be easy, but through Christ we can have faith that it is for our own good we go through trials. It is much easier to just pack it in and give up, but it is so much more rewarding to bust your butt till the end.

Just think about the first line in verse 3 and how that attitude could affect everyone around you. "but we also rejoice in our suffering". That is a life filled with the Spirit that seeks everyday to find a new joy in Christ.

Know that Christ is going to be with us every step of the way. Whether we are in the dumps of life or at the highest high; Christ is steadfast. When we are falling on hard times keep this thought ready, "suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope"

Be blessed this Thursday!