The Presence of Process

‘I know the plans I have for you’, declares the LORD;

‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

Plans to give you a hope and a future.’

Jeremiah 29:11

The purpose and the plans of God are an awe-inspiring thing 

We are all born with potential - 

Yet, our potential and the plans of God for our lives generally involve a process before they come to fruition.

I was listening to an old message yesterday and started with this quote:

‘Potential can only be revealed if process is embraced’ 

Bishop Tony Miller

Jesus was born as a man with the potential to be Savior of the world. Yet even He had to embrace the process.

He had to embrace the process of His walk through life, the process of betrayal and/or abandonment from those closest to Him, the process of public humiliation and crucifixion, the process of separation from the Father, the process of death and ultimate resurrection to life in order for His potential to be realized and actualized.

It has been my experience that the LORD will never initiate a plan for my life which does not require my involvement and participation.

It is in submission to His plan and His process that His purpose is revealed in my life.

The great thing is I have the opportunity to choose - 

We have the opportunity to choose.

‘If you are willing and obedient,

          you will eat the best of the land.’ Isaiah 1:19

‘I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.’ Deuteronomy 30:19

Have a Blessed Day!

in the kitchen

 ‘For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory’  II Cor. 4:17

 

It has been a while since I’ve written –

But, as I sat at my desk praising the LORD this morning, this dropped on my heart

That picture above is a picture from my kitchen

I am starting a business and needed pictures for my website

The point is to show some of what goes into our products –

We select the finest ingredients that we can: vanilla, sugar, flour, salt, milk, butter

On their own, each of these ingredients is not that appealing –

            Not even the butter which is unsalted

And who really wants milk without a slice of cake or some cookies on the side?

 

However, when all of those ingredients are combined and mixed with other components; when the eggs are separated; when the mixture is beaten, laid into a mold and placed into a heated oven to bake – it creates something truly amazing!

 

If you take out too late – it will burn

If you take it out too early – it will be under-cooked and ruined

Precision is key - It must stay in a precise amount of time

This is true of baking and other forms of cooking as well

 

Mother’s Day is approaching this Sunday

This is my first mother’s day on this earth without my Mom who is now residing in heaven

I’ve been thinking about her a lot lately – and shedding some tears

            I miss her something terrible!

They are great memories. And one of my favorites is when she lived with me and my sons. My Mom did not bake a great deal. However, she was an amazing cook. And whenever she would cook, I would wait until she was not watching and sneak a taste out of the pan before it was done. 

I recall times when I burned my fingers, tongue or the roof of my mouth trying to hurry to eat it before she would catch me. Yes, I was [and sometimes still am] an impatient being . And when she would catch me, she would slap my fingers and say, ‘Get out of that pot! Out of my kitchen!’ Now – that was funny because it was actually my home; but it was unmistakably her kitchen when she was cooking in it.

 

I recall one instance where the LORD spoke to me after one of those exchanges with my Mom. And this is what He spoke to my spirit:

‘That is exactly how you are with Me at times. I am preparing something amazing for you. But you are impatient – sneaking into the pan, not getting the full effect of what is being prepared [because it is not finished yet] and hurting yourself in the process. If you will wait, you will receive My best – something delicious.’

 

You see – the process [the ingredients, in baking and cooking; the trials in life], they are all needed to bring about something magnificent. You may be experiencing bits and pieces which, on their own, are unappetizing. You might be frustrated, feeling beaten by life and circumstances. You may be weary from the amount of time required or parched from the heat and the cooking/baking process.  Yet, it is all a part of the plan, process and product of The Master Baker who says to you today, ‘I know the plans I have for you … plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future.’ Jeremiah 29:11

 

Rest assured that the LORD is working all things together for your good

          And for His glory

He is in the kitchen and He is fixing you something beautiful ... something beautifully delicious!

 Have a Blessed Day!

 

‘I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if it were reported to you.’

Habakkuk 1:5 GWT

WHAT HE SAID ...

Happy Friday!

Here we are one short week until Christmas –

And Hanukkah ends this evening at sunset

This entire time of year is such a joy to me –

Time to slow down and spend quality time with friends & family;

Time to enjoy simple pleasures and reflect on all of the blessings of the LORD

For me, that time of reflection also includes a journey through my mental file cabinet

It is a time for me to remember all the things which God has spoken to me

It fills me with hope and is a source of great encouragement – thinking on what He spoke

 

As I did my devotionals this morning, I came across this section of scripture:

‘Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel because He has come to His people and redeemed them. He has risen up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago)…’ Luke 1:68-70

 

This verse of scripture recounts words spoken by Zechariah, father of John the Baptist

He was speaking of the coming of Jesus

‘Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel because He has come to His people and redeemed them … (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago)’

 

Indeed, this fulfillment of prophecy was a long time coming

The words spoken to the prophets were delivered multiple generations before Jesus’ birth

The promise was in motion before any record of it ever occurred in the earth

For Jesus is the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world [Rev. 13:8]

Yet every promise God makes is sure to come to pass

‘For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.’ II Corinthians 1:20

What He Spoke Will Always Come to Pass

 

Again – what He spoke will always come to pass

However – the timing is not always what we expect, nor the process

Yet – we can TRUST His words and His ways

His thoughts are above our own [Isaiah 55:9]

He makes all things perfect in its time [Ecclesiastes 3:11]

Not one of His promises has ever failed [Joshua 21:45]

What He Spoke Will Always Come to Pass

 

Some promises will spring to form suddenly –

As it did at creation when He spoke the worlds into existence [Psalm 33:6-9]

Some will take time –

Like the promise of a child to Abram and Sarai,

a promise not fulfilled until Abraham was 100-years old [Genesis 21:5]

Some promises will take months –

Like the promise to Mary & Joseph regarding the birth of Jesus [Luke 1 & 2]

Some will be fulfilled in a day –

Like the promise to the thief hanging on cross next Jesus at His crucifixion [Luke 23:43]

What He Spoke Will Always Come to Pass

 

TRUST & BELIEVE

No matter what God has spoken to you – no matter when He spoke it

TRUST the LORD you God to do exactly what He promised

‘God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?’ Numbers 23:19

If He spoke, He will also do it

What He Spoke Will Always Come to Pass

 

I am praying for you this morning –

I am praying you will experience the presence of God is a very tangible way

– today and every day

Keep expecting a marvelous manifestation of every promise He has made you

What He Spoke Will Come to Pass

 

Have a Blessed Day!

‘The vision is yet for an appointed time; in the end it will speak and not lie:

though the vision tarry, wait for it; for it will surely come and will not be [late] delayed’

Habakkuk 2:3 

WHAT A MATCH!

 

Our leading text points to a monumental wrestling match …

There are many struggling matches taking place in our world today:

The match of families against challenging times,

The match of ethnic groups against social injustices,

The match of hearts wrestling with the bitter pain of loss,

The match of my nation in an electoral process,

The match of all nations against COVID-19,           

The match of  the world against what has been an unimaginable 2020.

 

All are challenging matches of strength and resolve;

And, we could discuss at length any one of these situations – and many more

However – today we are focusing on a match which Jacob had in the Old Testament

What a Match! 

The story tells of Jacob’s encounter with a man –

     A Man who we later understand to be the LORD

And how Jacob boldly declared, even after significant personal injury,

     ‘I will not let go unless You bless me’ [Genesis 32:26]

 

The response from the Man was this,

“Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed" Genesis 32:28

 

That is a power-packed statement!

 

You have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed

 

Now, I have always understood the struggle with man …

But, can anyone truly struggle with God and prevail?

After all, He is the LORD Omnipotent – All Powerful and Mighty

He cannot be overcome by anyone or anything

 

Yet Jacob is told, ‘you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed’

 

I believe the prevailing victory that Jacob encountered pointed toward the first part of the declaration which was delivered to him at the end of this long wrestling match

 

‘Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel’

 

Jacob underwent a life-changing, identity altering experience –

An experience which was not the sole product of his encounter with the Man that night;

Rather, he had many experiences which culminated in his encounter with the Man that night.

 

His birth name was Jacob – which means ‘one who grabs at the heel’, ‘supplanting’ or ‘deceiver’

His new name was Israel – meaning ‘God Contended’, ‘Wrestles with God’ and/or ‘Triumphant with God’

He was Triumphant with God

Triumphant over an upbringing plagued by favoritism, competition, contention and family dysfunction – playing his own role in the situations and living up to his name

Triumphant over being tricked in business dealings

 Triumphant over an identity crisis which started from his infancy

And now here he was, not stealing a blessing by trickery this time, but obtaining a blessing by clinging to the Blessing Giver

 

It was not a short process –

This wrestling match occurred on the eve of him meeting his brother whom he had tricked out of blessing many, many years earlier – at least twenty years. In the process, he had endured many challenges. He had also amassed a large family, servants and great wealth

 

Yet, here he was still seeking a blessing from the LORD

 

I believe he understood that there was a blessing with his name on it –

     A blessing he would not have to manipulate or trick others to obtain

Because a blessing received by ill-gotten means is not a blessing at all and certainly not one which can truly be enjoyed with peace

 

‘I will not let you go unless you bless me’

 

And that is exactly what happened –

‘Then he blessed him [Jacob] there. So Jacob called the place Peniel saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”’ Genesis 32:29-30

 

I believe all the trials Jacob faced – and the transformation he underwent – prepared him for the blessing which was for him all along.

 

What God has for you is for you!

 

You do not have to want or grasp for the blessing of another.

And, even when you miss the mark [which we all have at one point or another], it does not cancel out the call of God on your life or the blessing He has reserved just for you.

 

It may take a while for the blessing to fully manifest.

But, in the process, the LORD will use all of your circumstances –

     to prepare you for what He has prepared for you.

 

If you will patiently wrestle and work & struggle and strive –

     allowing your character to be developed

If you will steadfastly cling to the Blessing Giver –

You will ultimately prevail … and you will not be disappointed. 

I promise!

  

‘For the vision is yet for the appointed time;

It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.

Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.’

Habakkuk 2:3

 

Have a Blessed Day!

WSR REPORT: THE LIGHT

Good Morning …

I pray all is well - 

I wanted to share this post with you today

I came across it while I was preparing my message yesterday.

The content was originally posted in 2014 – part of a series called ‘The Light’

However, I believe it holds a special significance in view of the past several weeks and ongoing challenges with COVID-19. Sheltered in place for weeks, there has been ample time to reflect … on everything.

Now, I will not pretend to know why all of what has happened has transpired. However, I believe the LORD has the ability to work through every situation and circumstance we encounter – to develop us, to grow us, to shape our character and to help us prioritize and refocus on what is important and essential. We cannot make Him known without knowing Him. Therefore, it is necessary and critical to undergo inner transformation. 

It all begins at home. I hope you enjoy!

Have a Blessed Day!

______________________________________

-originally posted January 25, 2014

‘… and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’ Acts 1:8

Many are well familiar with the commissioning declaration in Acts 1:8. However, in verse four of that same chapter, we find the disciples being commanded to not depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father – The Holy Spirit.

Jesus told them that they would be His witnesses,

And that it would begin right where they were … at home

Yet all too often, it is the home which suffers the most – even among those who have dedicated themselves to being the light in their church, in their workplace and in their communities. Know that you cannot effectively and credibly export what is not first cultivated and established at home.

Noted humanitarian Mother Theresa has been quoted as saying, ‘We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.'

I Timothy 5:8 tells us [when speaking of families caring for widows] that anyone who does not provide for his own household is worse than an infidel.

We must understand – whether physical needs, spiritual needs or emotional needs – the light which emanates from one’s life should first be impacting the ones closest to them. My children would have a tremendously difficult time understanding all the giving that has taken place over the years if I only concentrated my attentions outward. However, my aim has always been to convey – by my words, my actions, my life – that they are my number one priority. So I ask …

• Do our families get the best part of us or what is left over after work and other obligations?
• Do they get quality and quantity time?
• Do they know they are loved?
• Do we speak the truth in love?
• Does our commitment to quality and respectful communication extend to the family – or do we raise our voices and use sarcasm?
• Do we actively strive to block the day’s frustrations from entering our home?
• Is there an overwhelming feeling of peace in the home?
• Is dinner special every night or only when there are guests?
• Are we able to laugh and have fun?
• Do they know they are loved unconditionally?
• Do we pray and demonstrate an unyielding and unwavering commitment to the LORD?
• Do the fruits of the spirit permeate the atmosphere - love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?
• If our family members were asked to describe us, what words would they use?

Understand, no one will hit the mark every day, in every instance – not at home or anywhere else. However, our heart desire should be to want to give our very best to our loved ones, to be our very best – in Christ – for our loved ones. 

I fail often. Yet I will quickly acknowledge my faults, apologize and work to remedy the situation. It is not a matter of being a perfect, excellent, shining example in every interaction with family. It is, however, a matter of striving for excellence in every interaction.

Ultimately, as we tend to the light in our hearts and in our homes, we will realize that the task of shining a light for others is significantly eased. Rather than searching for opportunities to shine the light of Christ, we will find people curiously drawn to the light of love which floods every area of our lives.

2014: The Light … keep it shining … start at home

May God Bless You Abundantly … Have a Great Week!

worth the wait ...

Hello Friends!

I pray you had a fantastic day –

But, if you did not … relax, it is almost the weekend!

And some things are worth the wait

Ecclesiastes 3:1 states,

‘To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven’

I thought about this verse earlier this week

When I had the wonderful occasion

to meet and converse with a ‘vintaged’ gentleman named Cliff

That is not an insult; after all, he is probably only twenty years older than me

He started out talking about this area – how he’d spent most of his life in this region;

Five years in the military and five in the Midwest, and then he returned to Virginia.

He went on to tell me how was wife was from up north;

And he started sharing some of things he loves about her

You could hear the honor in his voice as he talked

So I asked, ‘How long have you been married?’

Based upon our conversation up to that point,

                I expected him to say forty or fifty years –

He responded proudly, ‘We’ve been married for ten years ..

but we’ve been together for 30!

He was not a bit surprised at the look on my face –

begging for an explanation without saying a word

He went on to tell me that they dated for twenty years

He said, ‘I can’t say fully why we waited so long;

but, once you get in your fifties you start thinking’

‘Truthfully’, he said, ‘if we got married way back then,

I don’t know that we would still be together.’

‘We have both matured and grown over years’

Then he told me how it was still an adjustment when they got married

He had his town home and she had her house,

They had to adjust to living together once they got married

He told me how she loves to cook and he hates cooking:

‘So, she cooks and I eat … and clean’. ‘But even that was an adjustment’, he said.

‘When you’ve each lived alone for so long, you get used to doing things a certain way.’

“For us it was the dishwasher. She said it wasn’t a big deal. But, I told her, ‘I want to do it the way you like it though’ … so I adjusted.”

It was just one of the most precious conversations!

He told me how much she has helped him grow as a person over their thirty years together.

‘She has introduced me to art and dining, to travel and leisure activities. When I used to meet people, all I would talk about was my work. Now I have so many things to discuss. She is a gem!’

I absolutely loved it!!!

I am still smiling thinking back on parts of that conversation.

You could hear how much he loved and appreciated her …

So beautiful!

He told me when they sent out the ‘Save the Date’ invitations for their wedding, they wrote:

Some will way we’re late,

But we’ve finally set the date…

Some things are worth the wait!

Indeed!

Just think about those who have had exercise great patience in waiting for their promise –

Sarah waited 90-years before being blessed with Isaac; Abraham was 100!

Elizabeth and Zechariah spent many years in waiting before John the Baptist came

Jesus walked this earth thirty years for a three-year earthly ministry

                But, oh what a ministry!

So my dear friend –

Do not lose heart if things are not moving at the pace you would like, 

Do not lose courage, do not become discouraged – 

It will happen right when it needs to.

God is preparing you for what He has prepared for you –

Trust me, it will be worth the wait!

Have a Blessed Evening!

LOVE: LOVES BOUNDARIES PT II

Greetings Friends

I pray your day went well

My day was utterly exhausting – however, it will make for sweet sleep tonight

As promised, today we will be rounding out our review of LOVE LOVES BOUNDARIES

Yesterday, I touched on some of the wisdom of boundaries and the discipline it establishes in our lives. Today, I would like to follow that up with a closer look at some of the benefits of boundaries.

As we keep in mind what we discussed yesterday, we are reminded that:

·         Boundaries provide framework today for success tomorrow

·         Establishing solid and meaningful boundaries is an investment which yields tremendous dividends

Healthy boundaries are a tremendous benefit and a LOVE THAT LOVES BOUNDARIES – PRICELESS!

BENEFITS OF BOUNDARIES

Provide Protection – boundaries provide protection; they set guards around one’s mind, one’s heart, one’s home & one’s life. When I make a decision to employ godly principles, it protects me from external attacks – and internal ones as well [Ephesians 6:12-17]

Enhances Life – boundaries work to enhance the life of the all involved. It sets clear expectations, facilitates meaningful dialogues and equips all for success

Accommodates Accountability – boundaries help to establish accountability. If there is no standard for life and for love, the result which often ensues is chaos. Once I have made a decision, I am accountable to that decision.

Create Structure – boundaries create a much needed framework for living. They stand as guardrails helping to keep lives and plans from derailing.

Ease Decision Making – the effective employment of boundaries sets in motion the creation of structure which eases decision making. If the love that one spouse has for another is a love that loves boundaries, it makes the decision in advance that it will not share intimate marriage details with someone of the opposite sex. This one boundary establishing decision helps to eliminate more difficult questions which could arise during a late work night or a business trip. When a life is lived based upon principles and boundaries, many decisions are made before the question ever arises

In short – boundaries [and the discipline invoked by them] create P.E.A.C.E

Proverbs 25:28 tells us that a person without self-control [without discipline and boundaries] is like a city broken down and without walls – subject to all types of calamities and invasions. This is not the way to live an abundant life. This is also not love. Scripture tells us that no discipline feels good but that in the end it reaps a harvest of righteousness and peace. [Hebrew 12:11]

Understand, though, that it is not just about establishing a bunch of rigid rules and regulations. Boundaries established in love and by love are wisdom for experiencing the best life possible. And love – true love – not only establishes boundaries but it also honors boundaries

Praying You Have a Blessed Evening and a Great Day Tomorrow!

Wishing You Much Love …

LOVE: LOVES BOUNDARIES PT I

Happy Monday!

OK – so Monday is just about over

However, that is all the more reason to celebrate –

Those things you might have been worried about yesterday, or thought you could not face today ... they did not conquer you – you are still standing!

SO – yesterday I talked about how LOVE SELFLESSLY PROVIDES

Through that post we understand that this does not mean that one does not desire things for self. Instead, there are times when LOVE overrides those individual desires – in exchange for what is best for all

HOWEVER – I would like provide some additional context for our chat yesterday.

Unfortunately, as a human race, we can be extremists – in the worst way

This is why it is important to follow-up with today’s message so that we understand;

WHILE LOVE SELFLESSLY PROVIDES – TRUE LOVE ALSO LOVES BOUNDARIES

YESTERDAY – I talked about the selfless giving of my middle son.

However, that giving [particularly this past weekend] came with some much needed counsel

The giving was supplemented with much needed words of wisdom;

There were pointers given, to caution against being a doormat for others, to be better positioned for the future

Why? Because love is eternal – and being eternal, it cannot merely concern itself with today

There is an old saying,

‘Give a man a fish, you feed him for a day;

     Teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime’

This is what boundaries do for us –  

They provide a framework today for success tomorrow;

Establishing solid and meaningful boundaries is an investment which yields tremendous dividends

My youngest son has been sharing in this process of love with boundaries

However – his is from a health standpoint. My eldest son has done the same in the past.

They are my accountability partners

And – with the recent passing of my cousin and health concerns with my mom, my youngest has become very intentional about helping me manage my health. He is demonstrating his love by enacting boundaries and helping me to establish my own. He checks to make sure I have taken my medication; he will not share foods with me that he feels will compromise my well-being; and he has formulated parts of a fitness regime and follows-up to ensure I am following it daily.

Why? Because LOVE LOVES BOUNDARIES

Love, true love recognizes the benefit of discipline

Yet, even that is not sufficient

That love – the love which loves boundaries – must be received and embraced

My middle son made an observation a couple of weeks ago;

He said, ‘It must be very difficult as a parent when you encounter situations where your children know better than you do.’ I responded that it is humbling. However, it the most blessed feeling to have one’s children surpass them in knowledge or wisdom.

Psalm 127:4 notes that ‘Children are a blessing from the LORD … Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.’

That is such a powerful image!

And isn’t that what every parent desires? For their children to aim higher and go farther.

NEVER LET PRIDE KEEP YOU FROM EMBRACING A LOVE WHICH LOVES AND ESTABLISHES BOUNDARIES - EVEN IF IT IS FROM YOUR OWN CHILDREN

Tomorrow, we will delve deeper into the benefits of boundaries and discipline in 

LOVE: LOVES BOUNDARIES PT II

Then, we will spend a few days talking about BROTHERLY/PHILEO LOVE

And, we will round it all out by moving into EROS LOVE –

We will stay there into next week and through Valentine’s Day

I am truly loving this LOVE JOURNEY

I hope you are as well

Praying You Have a Blessed Evening!

Wishing You Much Love …

‘Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence’ Proverbs 15:32