If we wait patiently on the Lord, he will:
So it is good to wait upon the Lord…
*Excerpt from Walk in The Word by Dr. James MacDonald – The Benefits of Waiting http://www.walkintheword.com/
“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”
It was another Sunday, o so I thought. I can’t remember the date, but I can remember the scene. I opened the door of the church and everything stopped. There she was, full of life, full of joy and looking stunningly beautiful, doing what she has done all her life, singing with passion to her Master. I do remember my thought at that moment, I said to myself, “She must be married. I mean, what man in his right mind would not pursue a woman like this.” And then I asked for the president of the youth of the church, and yes you are right, it was her. As I talked to her, her smile captivated me. I had seen my dream and the pursuit for her heart began that day. And as I realized, this had not been just another Sunday.
It has been 15 years today since we got married. It has been an amazing ride, sometimes bumpy, sometimes smooth. It has been 15 years of laughter, of tears of joy, years full of hope and full of dreams. And today we look into the future with expectation, with confidence and with boldness that for our time remaining on this earth, we will make it, the best time of our lives.
Time has gone very fast, that is why to me it hasn’t been 15 years, it’s more like two weeks and a day. And as I look at you, as I hear you, as I love you, I pray that God may give us many more years, to laugh, to dream, and to love.
I love you Sandy, Happy Anniversary Baby!
by DP
This is a description of what the life of the people of Israel was while they were in the desert; forty years in the wilderness. They had to be constantly available, and they knew the time would come when they had to move. Can you imagine to set up camp in the morning or evening and then twelve hours later having to pack everything again and continue, not to mention that they were about three million people in motion. Just the thought of it is overwhelming.
In our senses one might think, why did God do that? Why did he made them camp only to make them move the next morning? The history reveals that the people of Israel were prone to waver and doubt, and yet God was leading them from place to place. History tells us that they camped in over forty places during the years that they were in the desert. And it is precisely here where occasionally we get confused more and sometimes we’re not sure what to do in our own lives.
But something is always clear. The seasons in our life are constantly changing and as a result many areas of your life will also change. It could be your workplace, where you live, the people with whom you interact, the country where you reside and even the initiatives you serve in. But one thing should never change, our clear and unequivocally dependence on the direction of God.
As the people of Israel, moved when the cloud moved, this should be a lesson and a practice for us. We should not run away at the slightest problem, we should not change when it is convenient for us. We must have perseverance, determination and responsibility. But we must also have sensitivity to the seasons in our lives and our hearts attentive to the directions of God.
Because just as the people of Israel experienced many times, it is possible that this time, it’s time to move.
“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”
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© Copyright DP, 2011
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
by DP
“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” – John 15:1–4
This passage brings forth many teachings that will enrich the life of any human being. Here, Jesus was talking to his disciples about the importance of the relationship with the Father and with Him. He stressed the invaluable principle that relationships play in everyday life. And he makes very clear in the following passages that without a relationship with Him, the works of men, would be temporary.
But it is very interesting that he makes a distinction between cutting and pruning, and rightfully so. When you cut off a branch it is displaced completely, it is severed. All nutrients, water, and everything that gave it life are gone. It is discarded as not being part of the grapevine any longer. No effort, no energy will be spent in order to maintain, to nurture or give life to this branch. Likewise there are some relationships that need to be severed in our lives. Relationships that only take from us our energy, time, and resources, and we never see any fruit. These are relationships that never add to your life, they only take. They don’t celebrate you, they criticize you. These are relationships that need to be cut.
But when you prune the grapevine, it might appear that you are also cutting it since you are making its appearance lest abundant. But in reality what pruning does is that it creates capacity and space so it can grow ever bigger. The same way happens with us. Sometimes we have to prune some areas of our lives. Not to sever them but to create capacity, to make space in order to grow and be fruitful. Be it relationships or at work, sometimes less is more. The space created by the events that prune your environment, will translate into focus, and fruitfulness.
In each case, your actions will lead you to a better place in your life. And when we remain in Him, the True Grapevine, we will bear much fruit and our lives and those around us will benefit from it. So what will it be, to cut or to prune?
“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”
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© Copyright DP, 2011
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
“God already has the solutions for problems you haven’t even had” – Joel Osteen
“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”
This book is all about change. What areas of your life need to be “shaken” in order to achieve your full potential? What steps you need to take to a meaningful and fruitful life? What positive changes can you make in your family, your business and your sphere of influence? This book will help you answer just that, or create in you the desire to find those answers.
Phil is able to maintain the readers attention throughout the entire reading. In one word, “Refreshing”. To find a book that is well written but at the same time balanced, is quite that; Refreshing. Phil makes a great job in integrating a myriad of resources and references into his writing, and in doing so it doesn’t make you doze away. The reading is engaging and quite powerful. One could actually re-read it, and find after every read a new idea.
The book could easily be a reference for new ideas or reflection on decision making or even how to think of new ways to run your organization or business. The author does not hide his beliefs but at the same time doesn’t push them down your throat. He is very well versed and through the pages of the book you can appreciate the profound knowledge that makes this book, a well balanced, practical book. A must read, I’m glad I did.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com, book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
So many organizations, so much need, too little helpers. What are we doing? Reading on the internet about some causes that I am drawn to, I realized once again one thing: There is a lot to do, and it seems very few of us are helping. It is overwhelming of how much need there is out there. It makes me consider what is really important, and what are we doing with our resources.
There is a quote by Dante that says: “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.” The essence of this statement is not a truth about theology or biblical principle, but that it is actually worst for men and women that see the wrong and do nothing, and say nothing when their voice, their hands and their leadership is needed. Being motionless is even worst than the wrong deed or the perpetrators of them.
What are you doing? In the parable of the good samaritan, religious leaders walked by a man that had been beaten and left for dead and did nothing. Only a samaritan, despised by those same leaders, had compassion, crossed over and did something. Compassion is not compassion until you cross the street and help. We all feel moved when we see need, or read about touching stories, but it means nothing unless you take action. There is no difference between the religious leaders of the parable and us, if we keep walking.
There is a story of a boy that was at the beach after a high tide had brought hundreds or even thousands of starfish to shore. The boy started to pick one by one and threw them back into the sea. A man that was passing by and saw the boy asked him. What are you doing?, the boy replied “I am saving the starfish”. The man looked at him and said, “there are thousands of them here, you can’t make a difference”, the boy looked at the man with fierce eyes and picked up another starfish, and with an even stronger effort he threw it back into the water and said, “I made a difference for that one.”
Jesus himself said that the harvest was great, but there was not enough workers. We should pray and ask the owner of the harvest to send more workers, but we should ponder very intently if it is us who should respond to that calling. And more importantly, to what calling we should respond to. There is much to do, that sometimes it is overwhelming. But you might be able to do a lot from where you are, from the platform you have been planted in.
Let’s change the world, one starfish at a time, one life at a time. It does make a difference. So, what are you doing?
“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”
Here are some of the causes: Compassion International, A21 Campaign, Stellas Voice, International Justice Mission, Alive Generation and many others here.
Want this inspiration of coffee by email every morning? Enter your e-mail to subscribe at the top right of this page under the box for “Subscribe”. Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”
© Copyright DP, 2011
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
by DP
“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18-19
There is a song written by Wayne Watson called the The touch of the Masters hand. It depicts an auction of which the last one to be sold was an old violin. Even the expert auctioneer didn’t find much worth in it by it’s appearance and started off the auction at one dollar. When the bids had come to three dollars and the auction was about to close, a gray haired man stood up from the back and walked to the front. He picked up the violin, brushed the dust from it. He adjusted the strings, picked up the bow and started to play. What came out from that violin, was music that not even angels could sing.
Then the auction resumed. The auctioneer started it’s cry and said, “One thousand dollars, two thousand dollars, three thousand dollars”. When the auction finished, the people asked, what changed it’s worth? And the auctioneer said, “It was the touch of the Masters hand”.
Like that old violin, your might feel shunned and forgotten. People might look at you and find no worth, no significance and no future. They might even label you, and limit you by what they see. It is hard, it is tough and it is taking a toll on you. But if you decide to give yourself the opportunity, you will find that the Master is watching intently. If you let Him, he will clean your life and adjust your soul. The sound that will be heard, will show that the Master’s hand has been upon you. And the sound will be melodious.
Open your heart, lift up your eyes, you will see the Master walking towards you wanting to restore you. And anything He touches, is changed. And anything He touches, is made worthy and extraordinary. He came to release the captives, free the oppressed and to heal the sick. This is no ordinary hand, it is the Master’s hand.
“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”
You can hear and purchase this song titled “Ths touch of the Masters Hand, by Wayne Watson from iTunes following this link.
Want this inspiration of coffee by email every morning? Enter your e-mail to subscribe at the top right of this page under the box for “Subscribe”. Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”
© Copyright DP, 2011
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE boldly 