Tag: power

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Motivation for Gold

I like to watch the Olympics.  Unfortunately, I had to DVR the Opening Ceremony and have not returned to watch it yet.  Last night, I was digging the Snowboard Cross -that’s pretty cool stuff.  However, there’s the crazy part of the coverage.  As my youngest came into the room last night and said “Dad, the Olympics are the Talklympics.”  We all know it.  NBC likes to talk talk talk talk and talk some more when the Olympics are on.  And then there’s that part that I know I should enjoy watching, but for some reason cringe every time they start – the special interest pieces.   So last night as I was getting ready for bed, there was a piece of Alexandre Bilodeau.

You know him right? Well, if you are Canadian you do.  He’s the first Canadian Gold Medal winner on Canadian soil, and last night they had a special interest story on him, and afterward I was glad I watched it.  Alexandre has a older brother with cerebral palsy.  His brother Frederic, who is 28, was supposed to stop walking at 10.   He’s still walking.   Alexandre mentioned that makes him wonder how far he can push himself – what are the real limits – if his brother can push himself to still be walking 18 years after he was told he would not be able to.   He also credits his brother as his motivation for his success in skiing.  Read this quote, and think about these words

“as an athlete you always have good days and bad days, there’s so many days you just don’t want to go train. I realize that I have the opportunity [to train] and that I need to use that opportunity because my brother does not have that chance.”

That’s pretty powerful stuff.   How many times do we complain and not do things, because we don’t want to, but we are fully capable of it.    This is a good thought to consider today.  Take advantage of opportunities.  Look for ways to push yourself, and to impact others.  You have the ability, don’t let the rain slow you down.

Hebrews 3:12-14 (New International Version)

12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

Galatians 6:9 (New International Version)

9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

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The Glory of Presidents Day

Today is President’s Day as you all know – a day that we stop and remember those Presidents of the past and provide them with the honor and glory due them.   The honor of the Office of President or the POTUS, as we like to say, is incredible.  I am alway impressed ( and bored) when I go to the Hall of Presidents at Disney World.  It’s impressive because you can see – by the wonder and magic of Disney’s animatronics- all of the presidents lined up together have a gay old time. (Bored, because they actually speak, but its a great place for a rest, and a bit of air conditioning if its hot outside).   Ok, seriously,  the POTUS is in a position to be hailed and given glory, but despite all the greatness of any of these men, they are made or broken by the men around them.  The people, the judges, the men in Congress and the press, can help or hurt the legacy that any of these men have left behind. 

But consider for a moment the POTU ( thats the President of the Universe).  The POTU, or God, has made everything.  His glory is completely his.

 11“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
   to receive glory and honor and power,
   for you created all things,
      and by your will they were created
      and have their being.”  – Revelation 4:11

And the best part is that he made you, and passed that glory on to you

 26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth,  and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

 27 So God created man in his own image,
       in the image of God he created him;
       male and female he created them. – Gen 1:26-27

Stop and think about that.  God is so glorious, and he made us.  So today remember you favorite past president for their accomplishments – whether it be Reagan and the Wall, Carter and inflation, Lincoln and slavery, FDR and The NewDeal,  Wilson, Washington, Kennedy, Clinton, Taft, Cleveland, Adams(squared), Bush(squared), McKinley, Jefferson, and so on.  Give them their due!  Thank God for them, Praise them, but also remember God put them in power and he made you! 

“You make everthing glorious, and I am yours. So what does that make me?” – David Crowder Band

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Letting it Go

There are times in your life when you feel like you are in complete control.  Its amazing that its during these times that usually things go out of control!  God has a funny way of keeping us humble, it we don’t keep ourselves there.  But its in these times when we are not in control, or in times when you feel completely broken that great things can happen!

Take a look at this from the pen of Paul:

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (New International Version)

7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Absolutely Amazing!  Can we accept this?  Can we accept that we are stronger when we completely rely on God?  Can we accept not being in control?  Can we be more glad in our weakness, in our hardtimes, in our difficulties?

Think deeply about this and see how this can transform you to be more dependent on Christ and less dependent on yourself.

Have a great (rainy) Wednesday!