Father, please bless this Big Mac, large fries & Coke

I got this from www.studylight.org

The purpose of grace and blessings is to praise and acknowledge God as author and provider, not to somehow sanctify and improve the quality of fallen food!

Jesus said grace, or rather a blessing, before and/or after meals (Deuteronomy 8:10; Matthew 26:26, Mark 6:41 and Luke 24:30; cf. the early Christan writing Didache 10.1). The object of the blessing was not the food but God. It was inconceivable that a Jew would bless the object and not the originator/creator. The traditional Jewish blessing of God for the food, rather than of the food, is:

"Barukh attah 'Adonai 'elohenu Melekh ha-olam ha-motsi lechem meen ha-arets"
"Blessed are You, our Lord God, King of the Ages/Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth"

Terrell Owens closer

I put off answering my question about "much ado about T.O." until I'd given it some time. Here's what I settled on.

Galatians 6:1-2
1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.


I don’t think a christian should be doing a highly suggestive tv commercial with half-naked person of the opposite sex. I don’t think his touchdown antics of LEGENDARY proportion are an example of humility. The list of habitual sin goes on & on.

PASSION CAN TAKE YOU WHERE YOUR CHARACTER CAN'T KEEP YOU. That's what I'd tell T.O. along with a story about my football playing days of arrogance, ill temper, and flamboyance. God wants to transform all of us, if we'll let Him and join Him. T.O. lacks self-control, which is a fruit of the Spirit. There is something about football that puts him in a very different 'space' spiritually. I understand that Terrell loves the game. I understand that he plays it better than most.
DON'T LET ANYTHING RULE YOU... 'cept our Heavenly Father. If you can't maintain a decent level of God-honoring behaviour when you play, then stop playing until you've acquired a substantially greater degree of self-control. If T.O. went to my church, or was a friend of mine, that's what I’d say to him.

If T.O. went to my church, or was a friend of mine, that's what I’d say to him.

the real deal...postmark from the soul

God has shown me very clear intents in my last few jobs-- other than ministering to the people I work with. My last job seemed largely about DEBT CLEARANCE. The job before that was largely about FOCUS. I feel more & more like Nehemiah everyday because God puts something clear on my heart and I end up walking out so many other important lessons & tasks.

Anyway, I'm starting to see how much discipline it takes to live well in this life. Maybe I knew that but was determined to coast along. God wants me to study the 8 holy habits this winter to learn about discipline through focus on Him. Now this may seem obvious to the average village idiot but I'm slow sometimes. I realized this by relfecting on how diligent I was when administrating amateur sport (soccer) 12+ years ago. I never got sick of it. I never wanted to slack of f or cut corners. I never get tired of coaching. But I've got a long road to plough before I get to do that on the scale that I envision for my future-- as a high performance sport administrator. I'm gonna need chunks more discipline to get there. In the same way I grew good habits through doing something I love, God is trying to grow me in the next 8 months through loving Him... not as easy as soccer because I'm so inclined to choose my flesh instead.

the 5 Food Groups of LOVE

When I make the acquaintance of a christian brotha who catches my attention I try to observe his level of FITNESS in LOVE'S FIVE FOOD GROUPS. I am interested in how physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially, and intellectually fit / healthy he is.

Examples:
Does he exercise regularly through recreational sport or fitness leisure ?
Is he clinging to glory days or massive hurts gone by ?
What does his pursuit of relationship with Christ Jesus look like ?
Does he HAVE to purchase the latest gadget or cell phone ?
How willingly does he engage in debate, analysis or learning ?

One's level of fitness is demonstrated by how they love God, self & others. My notion of "fitness" includes stepping up to challenges. To me, someone who confronts challenges and makes God-centered decisions exhibits some fitness. Ofcourse the evaluation of someone's level is somewhat subjective and lacks pin-point accuracy because we don't always know someone's motive.

Spiritual fitness is embodied in a robust pursuit of a meaningful & blossoming relationship with Christ Jesus. Study the Bible, spend time in biblical community, exercise your spiritual gift(s), and live out your increasing knowledge of God. Spiritually fit people exhibit fruits of the Spirit-- love joy, peace, patience, fathfulness, gentleness, kindness, goodness and self-control. physical fitness includes moving, maintaining & feeding your body. Scripture says that your body is a temple. Eat, rest, and exercise properly. good grooming seems to be a byproduct of physical fitness. Most people who take good care of their bodies present themselves well-grooming.

Emotional fitness includes more than i can say in one sitting. It certainly touches on inventorying God moving in your life, being honest with yourself, and lovingly honest with others. Emotional fitness includes embracing healing and choosing to let go when something's time has passed. Emotional fitness includes investing in mechanisms that help you express AND restrain your emotions-- like keeping a journal or reciting the fruits of the Spirit when angry (both of which I try to do). Emotionally fit people are easier to communicate with because they don't shut down or blow up when their buttons are pushed. They respond to God first, and you second.

Financial fitness is where the word "stewardship" readily springs to mind. But Godly stewardship should be applied to ALL AREAS of life. Financial fitness includes recognizing that God despises debt and loves generosity. It's fine to own stuff but always be sure to tend to the needs of others in a way that reflects 2 Corinthians 8:13-15.
13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."

Intellectual fitness includes being open to understanding, but not necessarily absorbing, new things. you may not grasp everything, but try. When learning something new, be invigorated by formulating an opnion without writing it in stone. EXPRESS YOURSELF... creatively, academically, mechanically... however ! SHARE WISDOM that GOD LAYS ON YOU.

I use the "5 Food Groups" to reflect on where I'm at, how I'm progressing, what areas of my life need some attention. I also use the "5 Food Groups" to guide my love for my friends & family, address their broad spectrum of needs, and explore them as kindred spirits. Great prep for marriage... if that ever comes.

GENERAL NOTE: All these areas fall under the leading of the Holy Spirit. God should not be separated from ANY of these categories.

a high degree of compatibility... where it counts

Recently a close friend asked me for clarity on how to choose a spouse. Humans are so complex and our own standards ebb & flow like tides. When deciding to become deeply committed to someone, what is the most important area of life/someone to consider and observe ? What is the #1 thing that indicates of a good fit ?

I begin the basis for my answer with a principle I've observed about God. polar opposites. When God says He hates something, it's a safe bet that the oppposite reflects His heart's desire and His best.

The first of the Ten Commandments is "You shall have no other gods before me." The greatest commandment is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." This is just one illustration of how God operates and communicates through POLAR OPPOSITES. Proverbs illustrates a littany of contrasts between wise and foolish. Heaven or Hell. Christ or Satan. I think God set things up this way to minimize our excuses for being confused about who God is, His principles and desires.

When I appply this principle to 2 Corinthians 6:14 "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" This is another verse that speaks in stark contrasts. But it is quite clear. I interpret "yoked" to mean a situation that involves legally binding agreement. To me, that includes marriage, employment, living accomodations, business partnerships, and dealings that do or should require that legal documents to be signed. I absorb it to reflect that God best for us is to be yoked together in situations with a high degree of compatibility between you and the other party in the legal agreement. This is not unlike the notion that, ultimately, God's best for each of us is to be more like, and thus highly compatible with, Christ. Moving on.

The second ingredient for the basis of my answer is discerning the most significant aspect of humanity to focus on compatibility in. I look no further than the greatest commandment-- LOVE GOD. We are all eternal beings. The most significant aspects about us are the things that will survive the grave-- a person's relationship with, or without God, is the most important thing about them. Following this line of reasoning, it is easy to conclude that God's best for christians in the area of marriage is that we marry someone who also loves Christ. To me, this represents a basic, minimum level of compatibility. Why any christian would think that dating or marrying someone who doesn't (yet) love Christ reflects God's BEST for them is beyond me. I suspect that none of them really do think that. They're simply impatient or unwilling to trust God completely in that area of their life. To me, pairing up with someone whose pursuit of the Lord is compatible with yours represents a HIGH degree of compatibility. I admit that there may be other elements to a high degree of compatibility, but that is simply where my clarity begins.

Don't settle for less than a miracle.

God's business ?... or yours ?

About 5 years ago, I reached a point where I told God,"ok LORD, I have enough proof that I can't run my life very well. I'm guessing that you've got a better plan & a better way of executing that plan. So let's do that. You're probably a bit smarter than me so let's do things your way."

The first part of the plan involved moving from Toronto to Calgary to help my brother publish an amateur sports magazine and to run my own sports photography business. Having set foot in the entrepreneurial realm, I was very intrigued by the following story:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/134/32.0.html

It seems like this christian business owner caught "Tower of Babel fever"... never pretty. This scenario begs an interesting question: Practically-speaking, how do you clarify and pursue God-centered goals in the business world ?

Terrell Owens, the NFL, and Jesus Christ

Ok so I just hit up espn.com to check out what's new and watched several news clips on the T.O. saga.

I'm sad to see a person who professes to be a christian caught up in a circus of disrepectful behaviour. He maligned his teammates openly & regularly, tried to renegotiate a seven-year (nice number eh?) contract after only the first year, and worked out with weights in his driveway after being sent home for misconduct at team sessions. There was also the tv commercial with a half-naked Nicolette Sheridan, and the infamous string of touchdown celebrations.

What would you say to T.O. if he was your teammate, friend or attended your church ?

The Pylon Theory

Life is messy but I think that applying wisdom marginalizes the mess somewhat. A friend recently proposed a principle that I like to call "the pylon theory". This principle is meant to be applied to major life decisions individuals find themselves having to make – which school to choose, which employer to work for, which job to pursue. We can all decide to continue down whatever path we're on (in any area of life). Or we can change direction by picking a new path.

In the Bible we see humans encountering God in whirlwinds, pillars of smoke, burning bush and blinding light on the highway, where God reveals Himself to present a clear message to an individual. In the absence of miraculous acquaintances with God Himself – or a specific (rhema) word from God directed at you – check the alignment of your pylons. Look to see if your pylons delineate a clear direction. If so, choose to follow that direction. My friend identified a few different kinds of pylons:
The Bible
Spiritual gifts & talents
Current opportunities & circumstances
Desires & passions

Perhaps God's BEST for us is implied in the paths delineated by various alignments of pylons in our life — delineations that are not contrary to scripture. God doesn't work contrary to His word. If you don't know what you're passionate about (either joyfully or agitatedly) FIND OUT! Chances are good that God feels that way too and wants you to join Him in addressing that passion / issue. Naturally, each path will have unfavorable aspects. Be well acquainted with the good and the bad aspects of the path chosen, in an effort to maintain a shrewdly balanced view of everything in life.

Direct revelation from God may be the only acceptable exception to choosing a path where your pylons do NOT line up. Under that circumstance, you can faithfully trust that God will drop pylons into place to help guide your steps. There's no forecasting a specific anointing. You just have to obey and trust that God will provide whatever is needed for you to become more like Christ and help fulfill your assignment. Obedience to a rhema word is what signs off for the delivery of new pylons. Those new pylons are confirmation that you are headed in the BEST direction!

But that’s just a theory.

Change

1. Lately several people have asked me "How do I join God in changing me?"
2. I stumbled across a study of a word meaning "humble minded".
3. I have been trying to discern how to move forward, from my inner being.

"...tapeinofrosu/nh (Strong's Concordance word #5012), a word that represents a humble frame of mind or attitude, which has been matured through the humbling process of life's experiences. It expresses the attitude of mind that is the end result, the goal, of the maturation process.

Last week, we (www.studylight.org) studied this same word as part of the vocabulary Paul used to describe the maturity of mind required of believers before their existing spiritual unity in Christ can be manifested on earth and experienced among the brethren. Paul encourages believers to walk worthily of the calling of which they are called (Ephesians 4:1-3). He says that a believer's walk is to be accompanied by a humble frame of mind, which has been developed through submission to God's humbling process. Paul lists the condition of humble mindedness as necessary to balance out or equal the calling of which believers are called.

In these Philippian verses, as well as in those from Ephesians, Paul presents that the successful functioning of the Body of Christ requires that every believer have a humble frame of mind (or mindset). We have seen, through our study of the words related to humbleness, that a process is involved in bringing each of us to the end state of humbleness, Christian maturity. This humbling process requires time, because the resulting maturity is formed only through much experience. This process and its end result is not something we can force or produce; it can only be the result of God's transforming work being done in us." ~www.studylight.org

I maintain that CHANGE = effort + time. If our effort will not produce the change, what then is our part ? How do we participate in the process ? Prayer suggests that God wishes to engage humans in relationship & transformation. How do we remain engaged ? Shall we come to an absolute standstill re: a particular issue, such as humble mindedness? I think not.

What then shall we do ?

Acknowledge Christ's work and your new awareness with your mouth at every appropriate opportunity. "Positive reinforcement" is a secular term that closely mirrors this principle. If you have some clarity about what God is doing in your midst, make a decision about how you want to respond. Every effort begins with a decision. Once you've committed to responding, voice that awareness. Start there.

Bunyan prayer

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such things as God has promised, or according to His Word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God.

~John Bunyan (1628-88)