What do I do today, and tomorrow, and the next day?

I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS! That’s a pretty bold statement, huh? But maybe……… it’s the first one I should make every morning and the last one I should make every night.

I’ve just been sitting here this morning thinking. I do a lot of that. Seemingly it used to generate some positive results. Now of days, I’m often not so sure. But currently and for some time, there have been things in my life that I do not like. Things that seem to really make it difficult to live life the way I desire and even the way I feel the Lord would desire. I used to be very good at setting goals and then seeing them through. Though I often try, in more recent years, it seems that process has become far more difficult. Still, I know setting “a plan” and working it are critical to a successful life. 

So today, as I often try to do, I’m sitting here working on “the plan”, the goals, the blueprint for life, the “what do I do today, and tomorrow, and the next day” type of thing, and this strong and indisputable thought came over me, “None of it matters one bit if my life is not what my Lord desires, if this plan isn’t central to ‘what does my Lord desire of my life?’ this plan will be useless.”

So……. OK! We have a starting point. Then from “nowhere”   J a song comes to mind that I have not heard or thought of in years. And yes Lord, this is my desire. And yes, in “the plan” this must indeed be the central focal point, step one!

I Want To Be Like Jesus

I have one deep, supreme desire,
that I may be like Jesus.
To this I fervently aspire,
that I may be like Jesus.
I want my heart His throne to be, (* I love this line!)
so that a watching world may see
His likeness shining forth in me.
I want to be like Jesus.

(The rest of the song is also great. Google it, if you’d like)

Do You Ever Feel Like A Thoroughbred Racehorse Champion?

Below is a link to a little something I put together a few months ago. I hope  it will bless someone. I have been hesitant to post it because of it's very personal application. But due to some encouragement from others I have decided to go ahead and do so . If you know of someone else that may be encouraged by it, please share it.

**

Maybe some of us can compare some aspect of our lives to that of "a thoroughbred racehorse champion." At one time were we able to function and excel in an area of life, maybe even at a uniquely high level, and with all the benefits to match? And maybe some of us now feel we have been forced, by situations outside of our control, to the sideline, no longer able to function at even a small fraction of that previous ability, and in essence out legs and possibly our entire being feels crippled, handicapped, incapacitated. Though drastically desiring something completely different, are we now in an extremely unpleasant situation (maybe even including constant physical and/or emotional pain)? Maybe we feel like our whole being has been "hobbled" from what we once were and know, even now, we could be if _ _ _ _ _ hadn't happened to us?

While thinking of some of the similar challenges in my own life, and while traveling a few months ago, these thoughts came to me. Maybe some of you can identify. Be sure to hear the conclusion. This is not a sob story! This is a victory story! Our final race is not yet complete!!!

Do You Ever Feel Like A Thoroughbred Racehorse Champion?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYbMF7hMR2I&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Sorry!

Sorry if I don’t dress or look like you. Uhhh………. I’m not you.

Sorry if I comb my hair different than yours.

Sorry if my work shirt collars are white and yours are blue.

Sorry if my personality is generally quiet, yet inwardly extremely intense, and yours may be loud and very free spirited.

Sorry if I enjoy music, water skiing, walking on the beach and golf as much as I do hunting or riding dirt bikes.

Sorry if I may prefer some contemporary worship music, over some traditional worship music. (BTW, it has nothing to do with drums!)

Sorry if I may talk or post about my Spiritual walk and that may appear like pride to you. If you know my personality and heart, you know it just might be exactly the opposite.

Sorry if I may believe a little differently than you. I’m just trying to base my beliefs and life on what “I” hear "the Holy Spirit" saying to me through "His Word." I don’t feel like “I” have a choice in the matter.

Sorry if I would just as soon hug a fellow Christian man as shake his hand. I just don’t see Jesus shaking hands with His disciples!

Sorry if I would rather have a massage than watch a violent movie. This world is way too tense already and besides I’m trained in holistic therapies not hellistic ones.

Sorry if I’d rather listen to a love ballad than a vengeful country or rock song.

Sorry if my neck is not as red as yours. There are others that think it’s way too red!

Sorry if you don’t love me or even like me. If not, you’re going to really love this….. cause I’m going to love you anyway! J

And if you are looking at my outer appearance and performance and thinking you know me, again sorry, you don’t.  I have a long ways to go, but God is looking at my inside (my heart) and I know He is smiling!

“Lord, thank you for making and growing me to be me. There are parts that I wish you had made and developed a little differently. But in spite of that and all my outward uniquenesses I desire to be what you want me to be, for my heart to be all about you, for you to shine through me. And I want that to look like what you want, not like I or anyone else wants. Take me I’m yours! …….. And Lord, help me to not judge others’ outward appearances, help me to unconditionally love them just the way they are.”

Are you "parched"?

Do you need hope? Do you need help? Do you need God’s blessings?

Though I try not to share much about the specifics, I have times when my entire being seems in massive need!! While processing similar feelings and talking to the Lord this morning (more like crying out to Him), this verse and surrounding passage came to mind. “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” Jer 17:7

As I turned to this verse and began reading it and those around it, I sensed the Lord telling me, “I didn’t say ‘blessed is the man that reads and shares this verse.’” “I didn’t say ‘blessed is the man that wants to trust in me.’” “I didn’t say, ‘blessed is the man that says he is trusting in me.’” I didn’t say, ‘blessed is the man that claims my promise of blessing.’” “I said, ‘blessed is the man that TRUSTETH in the Lord, whose hope the Lord is.’” “Talking about it won't do it. Wanting it won't do it. Claiming it won't do it. YOU …. MUST …. DO IT!”

Now my experience and sense is that most of us (likely all of us) have difficulty in actually “trusting” the Lord. At times, I know I do! When do I begin to have more victory in this area (or actually any area of my Christian walk)? When I spend more time with the Lord; when the intimacy with Him is the highest; as I am discipled, grow and mature in Him. And not only in my own life experiences, and not only in common sense logic, but also as I read God’s Word I see that born out over and over. The closer I get to Him, the more readily I trust Him and experience His blessings.

All four verses are shown below. In verses 5 & 6 there is a severe warning for those that put their trust in self, in flesh. And there is massive blessing indicated in verse 8 for those that do truly “trust in the Lord!“ Wow!

Are we at times “inhabiting the parched places"? Just thinking …. this passage may be a clue to why.

Lord teach me, Lord grow me, Lord help me to more and more learn to surrender my flesh to your Lordship and to more fully truly trust and hope in YOU alone!

Jer 17:5-8 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. (KJV)