The Beauty Of Silence

So, what has been going on in my world, in my life? Those are the questions you come here seeking answers for, after all.

Well, things are fairly quiet right now. I am healing, moving on. My heart is in a better place than it has been…in a long time, maybe ever. I have a lot of peace, and I am working on having trust and faith; it is a process. I see myself as getting more and more whole, and that is a goal. It is a lifelong goal. Getting whole, being whole, staying whole.

Question – have you ever noticed that, especially when things fall apart in life, we want answers from God? We struggle so hard to understand things and to change things. We go to God, and we ask Him (sometimes even demand Him) to explain to us why things went the way that they did; God, why did You do this, why did You allow this, what is the purpose in this, are You just punishing me, did I do something wrong, tell me what to do – right now – to make things right, how could a good God allow me to suffer, why cannot things ever go right in my life, will I always be a screw-up, should I just walk away from You since I cannot make anything good of my life with You, can I even trust You God?

On and on, we question, we rail, we demand, we plead, we cry. Ever notice, the one thing we are not good at, is listening? In particular, we as a species seem to be very bad at taking silence as an answer. Did you know that silence is a legitimate answer from God to the questions and worries that You have? Sometimes, I believe that God uses silence to teach us something – but because we hate the silence, we do not learn the lesson in it.

Mainly, I think the thing God uses silence to teach us, is this…
He has the answers, not us. We do not need the answers, we just need Him. Sometimes He gives the answers to us, oftentimes not. He knows what is best for us. That is what makes Him the Great Creator, and us His creation. We all tend to think that we would never be like Job, complaining to God about our lot in life. Have you actually read the book of Job lately? For so long, Job did the right thing – He remained silent, while those around Him cast blame. He endured for a long time, but in the end, Job questioned God. Have you ever read God’s response to Job?

Open up that Bible of yours, and turn with me to Job chapter 38, verse 1. Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: “Who is this that questions My wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.”

Oh man. Job is in a heap of trouble, folks. Do you get the feeling that God’s righteous anger has been kindled against Job? Yup, me too. That “you must answer them” part, that is NOT a good sign for old Job.

If you want to know how bad it is, how much crap Job is in for, consider that God’s little talk with Job continues for another 71 verses.

After that, Job gives a response. Basically, Job says, “Oops, my bad. I will shut up now, Lord. I’ve said too much, You’re pissed, and I am so very sorry.”

After that, all is good, right? Job admits he is wrong, and hey, if he is still angry at God deep down inside, then that is okay, right, because after all he went through a hell of a lot and so it is okay to be a bit grumpy still, right? Uh, no, not right at all. God is not finished with Job yet. The Lord follows up His original 73 verse speech with another 53 verses, declaring how He is God and Job is not. Anybody else get the feeling that it is a really, really, really bad idea to demand answers of God for the way your life has gone, to accuse Him, to even suggest that He is doing you an injustice of some sort?

After this, Job becomes completely penitent. He humbles himself, which he had not done before. He now realizes that God is God, and he is not. Job has no right to question God, and he now understands that thoroughly. He had heard of Who God is beforehand, but now God has shown Himself to Job through what He told him about Himself, and now Job understand his place in life. It is all about God, and not about Job. Nor is it about any of us; it is about what God is doing in us and through us – and that makes it all about God, folks.

Sometimes, I think it is a blessing when God answers us with silence, don’t you? I mean, He could very easily answer us in the same way that He answered Job. Would you like that sort of an intense spotlight to be shone on you by God? Would you like for God to put you in your place? In His silence, God gives us the time and space to figure out for ourselves Who God is, and who we are, and what that relationship should look like. And, to realize that ours is not to question why. Ultimately, the real truth here is, to ask why is to be found lacking in faith.

In the middle of Job chapter 42, God says that He is angry with Job’s friends. They tried to explain and understand why Job had fallen into calamity. But this whole episode was never about Job; it was never about who Job was, or what he had, or what he lost. Instead, this was all about God; Who He is, and how we should relate to Him. That was what He wanted taught. And although Job did finally question God, and got severely rebuked for it, still God forgave him, and then His anger was transferred to those who, well-meaning though they might have been, led Job down the wrong path (away from the truths God was trying to place within him).

It isn’t always about what is happening to us, so much as it is about what God is teaching us through it. And that is why, even in the worst of times, we can rely on our God, because He always has our greatest good in mind.

So, in these times of quiet and silence in my life, I choose to thank God for what I have, and for what He is teaching me, and mostly for Who He is. I know that I am safely in His hands, right where I belong. I will get my eyes off of circumstances and surroundings, and put my eyes instead on what is real; I will look to Jesus, and worship Him.

And that is where my life is at.

Stuck in a holding pattern. Needing direction. Needing a helping hand. Needing somebody who cares. Is that so wrong?

Stuck, stuck in a holding pattern, going round and round...


Round And Round by Threshold


Can't rely on reality
Things ain't what they appear to be
When you visit please don't forget
The fragile mess of this nervous wreck

Who of you feels he's been here before?

Now I've been here twelve times or more
Life's becoming a bit of a bore
If the ceiling speaks please don't complain
He might just make me go back, round again

Who of you feels he's been here before?

Round and round and round again

The first million years
They were the worst
The second million years
They were the worst as well

Please don't ask 'cause I can't explain
Why I keep coming back again
Maybe it's 'cause when I roll the dice
I never get to throw afterlife

Who of you feels he's been here before?

Round and round and round

Echoes

Lyrics to the song "Echoes Of Life" by Threshold


Everything's gone out of control silently sliding away
Destiny's end is calling again the future was yesterday
Visions of light fade in my eyes energy falls from my hands
Faint in the night echoes of life drown in the day's demands
How did I get so stranded

Here I am built a house on the sand
And I know I've been slipping away too fast
Slipping away

I caught a glimmer of what could be
Another future a possibility
But just a blink and it was gone
And I was staring back at me
Forever dreaming of what to do
Never achieving I never see it through
Don't want to live like yesterday
This time my dreams are coming true

The clouds are rolling by there's purpose in the sky
I'm rooted to the ground procrastinating
The sun's about to set and nothing's happened yet
Don't want to close my eyes I'm tired of waiting

Lost in the safety of modern times
Nobody tells you to read between the lines
So you could stumble in the dark
Or you could open up your eyes

The clouds are rolling by there's purpose in the sky
I'm rooted to the ground procrastinating
The sun's about to set and nothing's happened yet
Don't want to close my eyes I'm tired of waiting
I'm tired of waiting

I caught a glimmer of what could be
Another future a new reality
I'm going to chase it through the night
I'm going to bring it back to me

The clouds are rolling by there's purpose in the sky
I'm rooted to the ground procrastinating
The sun's about to set and nothing's happened yet
Don't want to close my eyes I'm tired of waiting
I'm tired of waiting

Here I am built a house on the sand
And I know I've been slipping away too fast
Slipping away

Visions of light fade in my eyes energy falls from my hands
Faint in the night echoes of life drown in the day's demands
How can I stop them from slipping away

inspired

Lord, I am thankful for when You have walked me through difficult times in my life; where You carried me, encouraged me, coaxed me, walked with me, and beat a path for me.

I am thankful for every tear that You have collected, and every laugh that You have inspired.

Thank You. You are my life, and my life is Yours.

quoting me

A quote, by me. My words, used here, for the first time. This line is sure ot stand the test of time, and make me lots of money;

"It may be somewhat acceptable to beat a dead horse, but giving it mouth-to-mouth is definitely out."

- Dredd Sweet

24

Is there anyone who is able to read Genesis chapter 24, and not see the amazing beauty in it?

Possibly the greatest love story ever told.

Every word is blinding with romantic brilliance, showing the favour and blessing of God to man (and woman).

nuts

My daily devotional got me instantly contemplative, and God spoke to me.


September 7
We Need a Great Savior

[Peter] shouted, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter.
Matthew 14:30-31 (NCV)

We come to Christ in an hour of deep need. We abandon the boat of good works. . . .We realize, like Peter, that spanning the gap between us and Jesus is a feat too great for our feet. So we beg for help. Hear his voice. And step out in fear, hoping that our little faith will be enough. . . .

Faith is a desperate dive out of the sinking boat of human effort and a prayer that God will be there to pull us out of the water. Paul wrote about this kind of faith . . . :

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV).




I get it, Lord.

I thought I was having faith, and I was; but faith in WHAT? When I examine, I know the answer - faith in myself. I had faith that You would enable me to be able to accomplish things that benefitted myself and glorified myself.

I was wrong. I am so sorry, Lord.

Here then is the answer I have been searching so long now for; right here, laid out in front of me. This is why things did not work out as I thought they would.

I had faith; faith that I could cause her to love me, faith that my friendship would enable me to lead her to Christ, faith that I was the only one who could accomplish these things in her.

I had faith in me.

In so doing, I became faithless. I became all about me, all about my wants, and making (trying to make) God line up with my desires.

Meanwhile, God was all about using these experiences to make me need Him more, to draw me closer to Him, and to change me within.

As I have been learning lately, change hurts. Change happens in great upheaval and stress in life. God uses these things, even allows them, to change us within.

Now, I have my answer. I have no more reason to question my past, and now I need to allow God to make the changes in me (as He has been slowly doing) that allow me to move on in Him. My past is behind me, and my future is in His eyes and His hands. All I need to do is look to Him.
Truly, it is all about Jesus.

Might be a good time to admit, I went to church this Sunday, for the first time in about a year. It was "alright". But it wasn't about me, so much as it was about being obedient and cultivating good habits in my life.

God is love. So, let Your love rain down upon my head, Lord.

please watch

Please click on the below link and watch this short video. It is very important that we support God's work in these perilous times. Thank you.

www.youtube.com/cseministry


God bless this ministry. And He will.

poetric equation

New poem posted here


http://leplaunpoetree.blogspot.com/2009/09/bleed.html

Thanks!

guiltee

I am guilty as charged.

I find myself guilty of something, something that I am only recently realizing...

Even though the Bible says not to compare, and I agree with that wholeheartedly, too many times I find myself comparing my own life to my father's life. Perhaps because I desperately want to be like him?

And, too often, I feel discouraged, because I hear about all the stories of what my dad accomplished in his life, all the things God did in and through him, and I feel like I will never ever be like that, like I am some sort of abysmal failure. Here I am, a grown man, and I am accomplishing so very little in my life or the lives of those around me!

But lately, I have realized something, something significant...

I look at my dad, and I am proud of him; I see a man of God, a man after God's own heart. He has always been this to me - as far back as I can remember my one over-riding thought about my Dad is that he was and is a Godly man.

Nothing wrong with that, that is for sure!

But to compare myself to him, is so very unfair to me. Also, it is unfair to God. Not only am I a completely different type of person than my father is, but we lead different lives in different times in different ways. And, also, and here is what I found REALLY significant;

Yes, my Dad to me has always been a Godly man. As long as I have known him. But, I may be an adult, but I am only 38 years old. My Dad was very nearly 48 years old, when I was born!

So...even if I started noticing that my Dad was a Godly man by the time I was ten years old, for instance, that would mean that he was 58 at the time. A full twenty years older than I am now!

God just needs more time with me! LOL. He isn't finished yet...He is just getting started!

One day, I will have my own stories to tell of how God touched me and my life. Heck, I have got a bushel full of those already!

I spend too much time comparing a seed to a full-grown tree, and wondering why I do not have the same branches...

Lord, forgive me. Keep helping me grow, even when it hurts me to. Amen.



Billy Talent's song "Tears Into Wine"

(highlighted portions by me)

The gun is loaded when the class is full
Down the hatch and the trigger's pulled
Off the wake and they're back onto the stool

I know that when I stare into your eyes
I can see all the years of lies
Ghosts and demons you never exorcised

All the friends that I've ever known
Are the street lamps I follow home
And I'm in the crowd but I'm all alone

Oh Lord, I just can't
Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine

His fate was written on a neon sign
A DUI never changed his mind
He got hooked like a fish caught on a line

You never gave yourself a chance to shine
Your destination's a chalk outline
And when you get to the gates you'll be denied

All the friends that I've ever known
Are the street lamps I follow home
And I'm in the crowd but I'm all alone

Oh Lord, I just can't
Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine

Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine

All the friends that I've ever known
Are the street lamps I follow home
The tide keeps pulling me down
I try to reach higher ground
I'll never give up and drown

Even though I just can't
Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine

Tear the moon from the stars tonight
Twist my arm like a knife tonight
And if you wanna leave, that's alright
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine
Tears into wine, tears into wine
Well, I'll just turn these tears into wine



'Til next time, faithful readers...
Slainte!


"One idea or direction from God can forever change the course of your life. God can do anything if you will simply stop limiting Him in your thinking."

"One idea...or direction...from God...can...forever...change...the course...of your life."

part 2

Two messages from my Hope For Today Bible…


New Names:
“I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”
(Genesis 18:10)

When God told Abraham and Sarah that they were going to have a child, they were both well beyond the childbearing years. No wonder Sarah laughed. She must have said, “Abraham, what are you talking about? Me? Have a child? I’m an old woman. I don’t think so.”
God had to change the image they had of themselves before they could ever have that child. How did God do that? He changed their names; He changed the words they were hearing. He changed Sarai to Sarah, which means “princess”. He changed Abram to Abraham, which means “father of many nations”. Think about it. Before Abraham had a single child, God called him, by faith, the father of many nations. Every time somebody said, “Hey, Abraham. How you doing?” they were saying, “Hello, father of many nations.” He heard that so often, it began to sink down inside him.
Sarah was an older woman who had never had any children. She probably didn’t feel much like a princess, but every time somebody said, “Hello, Sarah,” they were saying, “Hello, princess.” Over time, that changed her self-image. She no longer saw herself as an older, barren woman; she began to see herself as a princess. Eventually, she gave birth to a child whom she named Isaac (there’s a story behind that name, too), as God had instructed.
Perhaps God has whispered something to your heart that seems totally impossible. It may seem impossible for you to ever be well again, or impossible for you to get out of debt, to get married, to lose weight, to start that new business. In the natural, physical realm, all the odds seem to be against you; you don’t see how it could happen. But if you’re going to see those dreams come to pass, you have to get your mouth moving in the right direction and use your words to help you develop a new image on the inside.
No matter how impossible something looks, no matter how you feel, start boldly declaring, “I am strong in the Lord. I can do all things through Christ. I am well able to fulfill my destiny.” Call in what God has promised you. There’s a song that says, “Let the weak say I am strong.” You may not feel well today, but don’t go around saying, “I don’t think I’m ever going to get over this sickness.” Instead, start boldly declaring, “God is restoring health to me. I am getting better every day in ever way.”
Or maybe your financial situation doesn’t look good. Stars declaring, “I am blessed. I am prosperous. I’m the head and not the tail. I will lend and not borrow.”
Don’t merely use your words to describe your situation; use your words to change your situation.


God Without Limits:
Then the Lord said to Abraham…”Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
(Genesis 18:13-14)

Abraham and Sarah were stuck in the natural – they couldn’t see beyond what they couldn’t do. So they had a hard time imagining what God could do!
We often have the same problem when we think that our situation is beyond God’s control or power. But God is not limited by your education or lack of it. He’s not limited by what you have or what you don’t have. The Bible declares “with God all things are possible.”
Your job, your creativity, and your efforts are not your source. God is your source, and His creativity and resources are unlimited! One idea or direction from God can forever change the course of your life. God can do anything if you will simply stop limiting Him in your thinking.

part 1

If you live in the natural, all you will get will be the natural.

As for me, I want to live super-natural...

(more on this later...)

123lmnop

Another awesome daily devotional. What a great image to start off September with!



God, Your Guardian



He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you can hide.
Psalm 91:4 (NCV)



The image of living beneath Shaddai’s shadow reminds me of a rained-out picnic. My college friends and I barely escaped a West Texas storm before it pummeled the park where we were spending a Saturday afternoon. As we were leaving, my buddy brought the car to a sudden stop and gestured to a tender sight on the ground. A mother bird sat exposed to the rain, her wing extended over her baby who had fallen out of the nest. The fierce storm prohibited her from returning to the tree, so she covered her child until the wind passed.

From how many winds is God protecting you? His wing, at this moment, shields you. A slanderous critic heading toward your desk is interrupted by a phone call. A burglar en route to your house has a flat tie. A drunk driver runs out of gas before your car passes his. God, your guardian, protects you.