A New Direction

Much of what I blog on has been going down the road of, "what to do to live a life that is filled with the joy of Christ, the direction of the Holy Spirit, and ways to live the life God has called us to live." A long title but it the jest of it. As I have taken a few days off of blogging, (weeks?) I realized something....much I what I say sounds the same. Be Christlike, live in a manner that is worth and pleasing to the Father, be encouraged men of faith, and walk in His strength, not ours. Am I right? SO...one has to ask? What now? What now Lord? What do you have for me to write, to say, to encourage? As I have poured over the scriptures lately, mainly the writings of Paul, I am astounded at how many different ways he delivers the same message..."Repent. Be encouraged. Live a life that is pleasing to God.. DO His work that the Holy Spirit will tell you to do, but the only the way you will hear the Holy Spirit is if you are connected to the Speaker of life, wisdom and understanding to those mysteries we do not know." Mysteries that will only be explained to us through discernment that only He can give. Through ears that only are opened when we are in constant conversation with the Father, (and by constant conversation I mean staying connected to the vine) and to in return bring GLORY to the Father to FURTHER the kingdom of HEAVEN and look forward to our eternal home. ALL THE WHILE...being more peaceful, joyful and encouraged than if we avoided this whole life with Christ all together. It makes sense to me as I write it out...does it make sense to you? To live a life powered by Christ, fueled by the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit...and a feeling of awesome holy reverence for the one who thought it all up in the first place...GOD. The main thing that God has been teaching to me, and stressing it's importance is this: The Whys of this whole thing. And the How's. The why is simply this: I am His. He can do with me what He wants. He can use my hands, my mouth, my feet, (you get the idea) to what He can with them THE MOST that He can with them. This is not a use and loose it mentality. (that He has with me) HE is my FATHER. And a Father LOVES his child...and wants to see HIS child succeed in the very best way possible. So that is why I feel so confident in HIS use of me. He loves me with a love powered not by selfish motives, for God cannot be impure. He is Holy...perfect and trustworthy. (trust-able) and we ought to feel VERY safe in this. Now the HOWS of how we do what we do for God, is rather simple and yet complicated. Simple because we know that we are not powered by our own strength. If we were powered by our own ability and capabilities, we would cash out at mile 5 of the marathon, for that is truly where most humans strengths, run out. NO...in all of this we are MORE THAN CONQUERORS through whom? Christ JESUS!!!!! Not ourselves. The little bit more complicated part is simply finding the time to set aside to get to know the Holy Spirit well enough to hear His voice. to be sensitive to His leading, calling and words. He has words for you my friends. He has understanding, wisdom and knowledge for you dearly beloved children of God!!! He wants to teach you things that you do not know. To give you directions that you cannot hear unless you sit, read and get quiet with Him. Worship Him with an open mind to hear what direction He may have for you. Be sensitive. You know what it means to be sensitive? To your spouse/loved one...children...friends...family? You sit...you are quiet...you still and you look intently, you listen intently and you wait until your speaker is done before you interject your thoughts. You are patient while you are being sensitive and you are calm. Is this the way you open your Bible? Are you expectant, but most of all a sensitive searcher? That is what we are called to be. And most of all, why do we do this my dear friends? We do this to be used. And when we know we are being used for the best purposes that God has in mind for us, what are then? Fulfilled. And again I ask you a question...what does the word fulfilled lead you to think of? For me it's peaceful. Content. And JOY. Isn't it joy that draws you to another? I want to be with Joyful people. People who are content. WHO are streaming out goodness from the goodness that dwells within. That is the kind of friend I want to have. And as the song that Tim Magraw sang one time about "living like we are dying..." To be the kind of friend a friend would want to have.

SO I'll leave you with that. No more questions. No more of my thoughts and answers...But just a challenge to search your hearts through Christ Jesus...Look as if to find something. Search as if you know the answer is in there. Examine as if it's your last and only clue to finding the answers you have been searching for all your life. He will meet you there. Trust Him. Thank Him. Love Him. Live FOR HIM. Be desperate for Him AND...most of all...to God be the glory.