CLEARING

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.

O ye beneath life's crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

Ever feel that way?  

This little lyric is from a familiar carol.

And clearly the songwriter must have been a little prophetic or had some experience. 

He knew that this time of year can present a “crushing load”. 

What with its hectic schedules and the pressures to meet all of the expectations, Christmas CAN feel crushing at times. Christmas for many can be painful rather than pleasant.

There are those who have lost folks at this time of year. 

There are folks who have little or no resource thus making Christmas more downer than delightful.

But as you continue in the lyric I love what the writer offers!

That there are GLAD AND GOLDEN HOURS still to come!

2 Corinthians 4:16-17

Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us.

And that there is indeed rest for the road-weary!

Jeremiah 6:16
…ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

And if you listen and look closely, you can and will hear and experience angels.

…when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that ANGELIC is the only word that comes to mind.” ― Holland

What song is this you ask?

“It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”

And yes while life and season can have toil, can have rough roads, can present uphill climbs and heavy loads, GOD through Christ is always at the ready to provide rest, to restore, to bring help and to “CLEAR” things up!

Romans 8:1 (MSG)
…The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently CLEARED the air, freeing you…

Have a blessed weekend and blessed CHRISTMAS services.

Praying for a great move of GOD for Pastor Mark and my AHOP friends as they present "VANTAGE POINT"

I love you all.
Freedom Church (CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE)

A LITTLE PRAYING

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)
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Disney Dispatch Reprise - Original Post - 8.2.2013
“See what a little wishing can do?”

Jiminy Cricket, who by the way is my dad’s favorite character here in “Walt’s wonderland” closes out the Magic Kingdom's fireworks spectacular with this little line of dialogue. 
“See what a little wishing can do?”

Then they light off the big finale of fireworks and explosions. They did again last night (late last night for me...lol)

There is no question that when it comes to the “wow” factor, Disney does it best. The music, the timing, and the narration all are seamless and perfect and crescendo amazingly. 
But I got a little vexed by Jiminy’s little closing line.

In the world of Disney wishes turned mice into moguls and gave pixies powers. 
Yet how much more power does a little “prayer” have?

If a wish can turn the dreams of a fella named Walt into a sprawling reality of movies, thrill rides and fantasy, how much more could a little prayer create?

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Luke 11:9
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

James 5:16
The prayer of a righteous person has great power...

Isn’t that remarkable?

Wishes are neat. 
Magic is fun. And fantasy well at times is fantastic.
But prayer?

Ask = receive? 
Seek = finding?
Knock = doors being opened?

Now that is some TRULY AMAZING stuff don’t you think?

Prayer has GREAT POWER.

So sorry Jiminy, while your wishes did indeed create one of the most amazing places on the planet, prayer packs a much bigger punch! Why? Because GOD hears and responds to our prayers!

1 Peter 3:12
The Lord watches over those who do what is right, and he listens to their PRAYERS.

So Jiminy, no offense, while I love what your wishing has done, I am going to watch and see “what a little praying can do.”

Have a blessed day!
I love you all…
Freedom Church (Champions Challenge)

BEGIN DOING

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)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

DISNEY DISPATCH - REPRISE - 12.14.2014

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing - Walt Disney

I had thought I had grabbed that one for a previous DISPATCH, but a little research indicated that I hadn’t.  So, I thought I would pen a quick thought.

You would agree that is some simple but powerful advice from Mr. Disney.

In my circle I sometimes refer to the “talkers” as suffering from “I’m gonna” disease.

“I’m gonna get that assessment.”

“I’m gonna get to that meeting.”

“I’m gonna get started with recovery.”

“I’m gonna try this Jesus thing you keep talking about.”

“I’m gonna” stop there because you get the point.

GOD called us to be “doers” not just “hearers” and He certainly isn’t a fan of those who “talk a good game” but who “do” differently.

James 1:22 (NLT)

But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

1 Timothy 2:14 (MSG)

Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple. Stay clear of pious talk that is only talk. Words are not mere words, you know. If they’re not backed by a godly life, they accumulate as poison in the soul.

 

So you have heard me say this before I am sure.

Ditch the “I’m gonnas”.

Pitch the pious talking.

Get about the business of doing.

And whatever you decide to do, do it for GOD.

Colossians 3:23 (NLT)

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

“What one does is what counts. Not what one had the intention of doing.” ― Pablo Picasso

Can’t be a much simpler or clear cut message today than that my friends.

I love you all.

Freedom Church (CHAMPIONS NETWORK)

DOG IT (REPRISE)

DOG IT

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)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

“Get a good idea and stay with it. Dog it, and work at it until it's done right. ” – WALT DISNEY

You might have guessed.  The family has sojourned to where it all started with a mouse.

  

But one of the things I like looking for when we are down here are the little nuggets of wisdom from Walt that they post around the parks.  He was a visionary. Whether you think all of the fuss over cartoon characters and princesses is superfluous or silly, you can’t question that he did take an idea, dogged it and stayed with it!

That brings me to today’s thought.

If you are reading this today it is likely you have had the idea to RECOVER or to follow Christ and that is a GOOD IDEA!

So listen to WALT. Dog that idea!

Work at it!

Be persistent!

Persevere!

Work at it until it is done right!

1 Timothy 4:8

…devotion to God helps you in every way. It brings you blessings in this life and in the future life too.

A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn to glorious success.

Elbert Hubbard

Often in recovery we hear the phrase…

“Don’t give up before the miracle happens.”

For Walt his “miracle” was to see visions like a MAGIC KINGDOM and Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow come to fruition.  Your ambitions may not be quite as lofty. 

But they are deeply more important.

Stay sober today.

Don't use today.

Walk in obedience to the direction of GOD today.

Do the best you can with what you have today.

Honor GOD with your word and deed.

Be a blessing to others.

No those visions are seemingly not as lofty, but they are SO MUCH more valuable.

So take those ideas.  Dog them and WORK at them to get them right!

Colossians 3:23(TLB)

Work hard and cheerfully at all you do, just as though you were working for the Lord…

Do that and things will work out right.

Do that and wait for the miracles.  THEY will come!

“It always seems impossible until it's done.” ― Nelson Mandela

“It's kind of fun to do the impossible.” ― Walt Disney

I love you all.

Freedom Church (Champions Challenge)

SYMBIOSIS

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)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

A "symbiotic relationship" is a relationship of mutual benefit and/or dependence.

There is your science/social lesson for today my friends.

Now I am sure you are wondering why I offered that little nugget.

Yesterday I was having a working session with a new partner.  His organization is all about creating symbiotic relationships; mutually beneficial and dependent collaborations.

As we are working to mobilize so many disparate organizations, ministries, Pastors and people to join us in the offensive against opiate addiction, we need symbiosis; dependent relationships that will be to the mutual benefit of those suffering in addiction and its consequences.

If fact all day long yesterday I moved from meeting to meeting, town to town, relationship to relationship that were all deeply and mutually beneficial for me.

It was a DAY of SYMBIOSIS!  

Breakfast with a leader in women’s initiatives whose wisdom and experience is deeply needed for our CHAMPIONS cause.

Lunch/Soda with 34 year veteran of recovery house implementations who is soon to be an important cog in our southern Ohio outreaches!

An evening spent with a family of an addicted young man needing our REFUGE home in order for him to recover but more importantly encounter GOD.

All us independent yet dependent, needing the benefits of one another.

Got me to thinking about our relationship with LORD.

That is the ultimate in symbiotic relationships.

We ARE dependent on Him for His benefits.

Jesus said:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 (NIV)

...forget not all His benefits...Psalm 103:2 (NIV)

That redefines “dependent and beneficial” don’t you think?

But the LORD leans on us to do our part down here as well. 

He is depending on us to share the benefit of a relationship with Him to the others we encounter, partner and work with.

Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks

Compassion on this world,

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,

Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

Christ has no body now but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks

compassion on this world.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours. - Avila

So here is the simple message for today.

Let’s practice some SYMBIOSIS with the LORD.

Let’s DEPEND on Him.

Let’s allow Him to show us the ways in which we can be beneficial to others by being hands, feet, eyes and compassion.

“Pray like it all depends on God, but work like it all depends on you.”

― Dave Ramsey

I love you ALL!

FREEDOM CHURCH (CHAMPIONS NETWORK)