Tag: Ephesians

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Beast

For the past few months a friend of mine has been sharing an email update about one of his friend’s bout with cancer.  The emails are forwarded with a constant request for prayer and have always been full of encouragement and praise to God.  My friend’s friend – Kirk ,  is only 29 and has been battling cancer for some time, but yet as you can see in this video here this guy is beast!

He is taking chemo, he has just recently under gone 3 surgeries and yet there he is, out training, out doing clean and jerks, out fighting cancer and out sporting an attitude that comes from only one place.

I hope you find the 9 minutes to view the video some time today and that you take encouragement from Kirk.

At the end of the video he says ” in combat you have close calls and you walk away and your good, but this with, with certain disease like cancer, you wake up,you look in the mirror,  you have this nasty scar of your neck…its a reminder everyday of what your fighting, its always with you.”

That’s what it’s about – it’s about fighting, everyday, each and every day.  So today, when you are fighting the physical or spiritual battles laid before you, think of Kirk, and remember what you are fighting and don’t give up!

10-12And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

13-18Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (Ephesians 6:10-18, The Message)

Be Beast!

 

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Roots

Wow, those were some monster storms last night.  As we were eating dinner I was watching my neighbors trees.  These trees are ‘view killers’.   In the summer they almost completely eliminate the view I have off my back porch, as you can see in the picture.  The weatherman was execting 60 MPH winds, so I began to hold out hope that this would be the night that some of those trees come down in a crashing roar!

As you can see in the picture these particular trees have developed quite a resistance to wind.  At one time last night, when I did not have my camera in hand, I thought they were going to lay down the wind was blowing so hard against them.  The winds howled all night, and I believe that all across town trees toppled over.  But in my backyard, there they stand this morning – like statues – calling out as a constant reminder of the stability and resistance.  A reminder of the depth of their roots and their ability to handle the onslaught of the wind.  A reminder of the way we should be able to live our lives as we battle each day against the forces that toil against us.

16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, (Ephesians 3:16-17, New International Version, ©2011)

6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7, New International Version, ©2011)

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Truth in Love

I am a little pressed for time today as my morning schedule as taken quite a different turn this morning, so just a quick thought to ponder as you get your Monday off to a great start.

As you go about this life interacting with others, remember that you are always teaching others something by your words and your movements.  Today consider what Paul says happens as we mature.

 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. (Ephesians 4:14-15, New International Version, ©2011)

As you spend the day today remember that as you ‘buffet your body daily’ you purcahse is to grow like Him who is the head. So one way to do that is to make sure you are speaking the truth in love as you intereact with others. Not condemming, not hateful, but full of the love , grace and joy we see in the Christ!

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Extreme Makeover

I mentioned a few weeks ago about the teenage girl from the little town in which my home sits being on America Idol.  Well, last Sunday Ty Pennington and his ‘little’ crew came to down and sent a family to Disney.  That’s right, Extreme Makeover Home Edition right in my backyard. Well, not literally, but just a few miles away.  Close enough that Amy and I have been altering our travel paths to and from work and soccer practice to get a glimpse of the action.  It is pretty amazing to see all the stuff that is going on around the house – trailers, tents, security for blocks, etc.  It’s pretty evident the amount of work and planning that is put into this type of change.

There is also a live streaming camera. Last night, about 200 internet viewers and my family watched the live feed, and when I shut it down last night, the house only had a floor.  While I dreamed of new org charts, resumes, and knees that did not hurt, a transformation was in place.  So, when I popped up the live feed this am, there was a house  – walls, porch, rafters!  Wow.  It’s not completely finished, but wow what a transformation in such a short time.  I am anxious to see how things proceed the remainder of the week.  Even since I awoke this morning, windows are in and people clad in blue shirts are swarming all of the structure.

Boy, don’t we want this type of change in our lives?  It would be nice to have the bus pull up and say, hey just leave town for a week, and when you return we will have redone you.   Rage – gone!  Addiction – gone!  selfishness – Gone,  et cetara et cetera et cetera.  However, very few of use get to experience extreme change in our lives over night – well except the forgiveness that comes from God.  But even then, we tend to change our ways and our attitudes slowly – everyday. And with a plan,and an approach and a little bit of preparation and a smattering of the spirit, we can become made over.

8-10You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. (Ephesians 5:8-10, The Message)

Keep it going today. Today maybe the day you notice change, or it may just be a day that a few limbs are removed.

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Being Prepared

What a difference being prepared makes.
On Monday Chattanooga received 7-10 inches of snow, the largest snowfall since 1993. It’s has been crazy, and the schools are closed until NEXT Tuesday. The city has been paralyzed for days, and some people still have not gotten out of their houses.

Yesterday, Portland Maine received 16 inches of snow, as seen in the picture. I checked the school closings this morning in Maine – no, only 1 to 2 hour delays, although the Casco Bay Quilters in Scarborough did cancel their Thursday meeting.

What a difference being prepared makes. You see Chattanooga has no provisions to remove that much snow from such a large area. The real problem has been that fact that most streets where not plowed and definitely not sidewalks and parking lots. So then when the weather took a dip south of the freezing mark, all that slushy stuff turned to the harder to remove ice.

In Portland on the other hand, everyone knows to remove the snow from the roadways, walkways and drive as fast as possible. They are prepared and equipped to react to this type of winter event.

So, it can be in our lives. For instance yesterday morning, I went into the office expecting 2 back to back short discussion and then off into the day of higher intensity meetings. What I got instead was contacts text messages and phone calls starting the before I even showered, (thus the most horrific post yesterday – sorry Joel H.) and when I got to the office and booted up the window to my electronic world, I was blasted with an hours worth of instant messages, urgent emails and questions from more directions then a compass rose can describe. And I could feel the tension and stress building up inside – I was not all prepared!

And that’s when bad things can start. (Sorry Joel A)

So, as we transform ourselves, we have to have some awareness of the “snow storms” that are coming our way and prepare ourselves. The book of Ephesians tell us “to put on the whole armor of God ,so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Spend a little time today thinking about how prepared you are and what steps you need to take to sure up your armor, and find courage and strength from these words from Paul as you increase your readiness.

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13