BLOOM FROM THE MUD

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Just remember, every flower that ever bloomed had to go through a whole lot of dirt to get there! - Barbara Johnson

Yesterday Father Bob Stec, a dear friend from Northeast Ohio and a fellow combatant against opiate addiction, made the comment that while this challenge has us in the mud, he was believing some amazing and beautiful things were about to “bloom”.

And yes there are overdoses and relapses. 

Incarcerations. 

Treatments sought only to be denied. Hospitalization. Homelessness.

There is no denying that there is real strife out there, real dirt, thick mud.  

But he was undeterred!

For we all have painful moments in life; times where the seasons and our circumstances don’t seem to mesh; inconvenient troubles and difficulties, ill-timed tragedies, and drama. You don’t have to be battling addiction to be dealing with challenges.

Yet despite the circumstances we must believe that soon through the dirt, through the ashes and mud something beautiful is pending!!

GOD PROMISED there would be!!! 

(I GOD, will) give unto them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…Isaiah 61:3 (ASV) 

In other words, we must watch for a bloom from out of the mud!

Therefore, we don’t give up. We look up. We trust. We believe. And our optimism is not hollow. Christ has proven worthy. He has shown that He never fails. That’s what makes God, God. -

SO

…the next time you find your courage tested to the limit, remember that God is as near as your next breath, and remember that He offers strength and comfort to His children. He is your shield and your strength; He is your protector and your deliverer. Call upon Him in your hour of need and then be comforted. Whatever your challenge, whatever your trouble, God can help you persevere. And that’s precisely what He’ll do if you ask Him.  - Lucado

Remember:

You call out to God for help and he helps—he’s a good Father that way.  - 1 Peter 1:17 (MSG)

Since God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31(NIV)

So, if you are one of those who is "in the dirt", one who is surrounded by the mud, look up and keep believing! 

GOD'S hand and heart are hovering over you. 

He is summoning the bloom that lies beneath!

It WILL come through! 

…we have no reason to despair. Despite the fact that our outer humanity is falling apart and decaying, our inner humanity is breathing in new life every day. You see, the short-lived pains of this life are creating for us an eternal glory that does not compare to anything we know here. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (V)

And it WILL BE a beautiful bloom!

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

BE THE CHURCH

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Yesterday as my local Pastor returned to the pulpit from a little hiatus, he picked back up on a theme he had pressed pause on prior to venture to sunnier surroundings.

He has been helping to define or for some “redefine” our ROLE as “the church”.  Not where we GO to church, but who we are AS the church.  And as he was wrapping things up speaking to the “type of church” he wanted to see his congregation AHOP in Xenia to become, he identified some desired attributes.

He said he wanted to see AHOP become a CHURCH that was known for its compassion.  That it would become a church that was honoring, a church that was unified and committed to healthy relationships.  He wants his “little c” (his church) to be one that is committed to its mission of “Learning Christ, Living Compassion and Loving Community.”  And finally, he wanted to see AHOP become a church where folks found HOPE!

And that last point reminded me of something I had shared on Saturday from that same stage, that… 

Hope is the physician of each misery. ~Irish Proverb

...God who gives you hope will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. I pray that God will help you overflow with hope in him through the Holy Spirit’s power within you. Romans 15:13 (LB)

But now go back and review those attributes or targets for my home church. 

Then think about YOU as a part of the "church", your particular gathering and think about YOU as a cog in that wheel.

Are you ready to be compassionate today? 

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts… Colossians 3:12 (ESV)

Are you ready to be honoring in your speech and action?

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10 (ESV)

How about demonstrating unity with GOD and with others?

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 

Philippians 2:2 (ESV)

Committed to healthy and affirming relationships, ones that demonstrate commitment and patience?

love each other, be deep-spirited friends. – Philippians 2:4 (MSG)

Ready to offer a hopeful word or share in the promises you know to be true?

hope will never disappoint us. We know this because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts – Romans 5:5 (ERV)

If you are ready to do those things, then it sounds like you to are ready to “be the church” today.

I hope you are. 

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE

BASIN

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

About 6 years ago, or so, maybe a little longer, I started to post a “daily thought” or encouragement to my FACEBOOK feed.  It is an attempt to set my mind right, on things above each day.

Colossians 3:2 (NIV)

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

And most days I will get a “like” or two for what I have posted.  I don’t do it for the likes, but they are nice affirmations that what GOD was speaking in to me was not just for me.

It is an exercise in awareness of the grace of GOD for me.

For like Rick Warren says,

“What gives me the most hope every day is God's grace; knowing that his grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.

And my life is usually chocked full of little surprises each day, so reminding myself of the sufficiency of grace for them is important.

Well yesterday I posted the following… 

“Lucado recently penned:

“Our Savior kneels down and gazes upon the darkest acts of our lives. But rather than recoil in horror, he reaches out in kindness and says, "I can clean that if you want." And from the basin of his grace, he scoops a palm full of mercy and washes away our sin.”

With Jesus as our high priest, we can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it. - Hebrews 4:16 (ERV)

I am eternally grateful for that promise...

How about you?”

And those two little paragraphs sparked a “more than usual flow” of reaction.  Lots of “loves”, “likes” and comments.

Clearly the message resonated.

So, that is why I am sharing it here in case you missed yesterday’s feed post.

I do love the promise shared by Max and I love even more the imagery.

I can see myself broken, confused, shamed, guilty for missing the mark yet again, for saying the wrong thing, thinking the wrong thought, getting upset over the smallest of things, being disingenuous or callous, and there is Jesus NOT recoiling or running to escape my filth, but willing to dip His hand into the most Holy of water laced with grace and perfumed with mercy and give my “less than great” heart and spirit a needed bath.

All I need to do is WANT that “cleaning”.

In fact, late last night one of my favorite folks anywhere, Kim K. called about an upcoming event and before we dove into the particulars, he asked me to share a blessing.  I shared this quote with him and through the “goosebumps”, he said, “What I love about that is that GOD WILL clean us up, if we WANT Him too; no questions, nothing required, just ask.”

And He is right.

Maybe that is why this little post resonated so intensely; because we all DESIRE grace, mercy and to feel clean.

So, will you approach the basin today?

Grab a little of that mercy and help? Experience a little of that grace that helps with the unexpected?

I am.

Will you?

Have a blessed weekend.

I love you all!

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE