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Tuesday, November 27, 2012
How are you current living - A Katie Kirkpatick Story
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thoughts around the Holidays
A spiritual seeker may think the proper order of inquiry is to first decide if there is a God (a philosophical question) and then figure out who Jesus is (a historical question). But another and possibly even more exciting way would be the reverse order.
Many seekers discover that when they deal with the person of Jesus, they find answers to many of their other questions at the same time.
Is there a God?
Is there a God?
Yes, and He came to earth in human form in the person of Jesus Christ. The Bible says in John chapter 16, verse 28, "I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."
Does God love me?
Yes! Look at what He did to show that love: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him" (John chapter 3, verses 16, 17).
What religion is the right one? Reconsider that question in the light of the fact that God wants a relationship with you, not your religious affiliation. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus...There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians chapter 3, verses 26-28).
What do I have to do to live forever?
Accept Jesus as your forgiver and your God. See John chapter 6, verse 40: "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise Him up at the last day."
Accept Jesus as your forgiver and your God. See John chapter 6, verse 40: "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise Him up at the last day."
How can I experience meaning and purpose in life? By following Jesus and by cultivating your relationships with God and with other people. Matthew chapter 22, verses 37-40 says: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
According to the Bible, until a seeker comes to terms with Jesus, he or she hasn't dealt with the issue that's most important in starting a relationship with God.
Consider this reality: Jesus is the most influential person in history. A poor itinerant preacher, the son of a carpenter but also the Son of God, changed the entire course of world history.
How can any serious spiritual search overlook Him? For example, today's date is based on a reckoning that hinges on Jesus' life. Because of Him, people were moved to split world history into two eras —"before Him" and "after Him" (B.C. and A.D.).
Share your thoughts with me.
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Blog: Relevant Devotions
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
A Thanksgiving Poem For YOU....
A Thanksgiving Poem For YOU....
Thanksgiving is here, so our minds have turned
To what time has taught us, to what we've learned:
We often focus all our thought
On shiny things we've shopped and bought;
We take our pleasure in material things
Forgetting the pleasure that friendship brings.
If a lot of our stuff just vanished today,
We'd see the foundation of each happy day
Is special relationships, constant and true,
And that's when our thoughts go directly to you.
We wish you a Thanksgiving you'll never forget,
Full of genuine relationships, love and joy—your best one yet!
By Joanna Fuchs
Share your thoughts with me.
Check out my blog’s:
Web Connections
Share your thoughts with me.
trevord@nhww.org
Check out my blog’s:
Blog: Relevant Devotions
Web Connections
www.drinenfamily.org
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Never Stop Learning
Scripture
“Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?” He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being,and with all your mind.This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” -Matthew 22:36-40 CEV
Observation
An individual desiring to gain a teachers perspective proposes a simple question, “what is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Why?
Maybe the question was birthed out of a desire to please the teacher. Maybe this individual was genuinely overwhelmed by the endless rules, regulations, and commands found in the Old Testament. Or maybe the student was trying to look smart in front of others.
This students motive for asking the question has endless possibilities.
As a fellow student watching, observing, learning and sitting at Jesus feet. I can picture him thinking through his response.... Then simplifying and summarizing the entire Old Testament two direct answers and then later a how to: tag. (aka the great commission - see Matthew 28:18-20).
#1 “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being,and with all your mind.”
#2 “You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.”
Application - Question: How does this play out in my daily life?
#1 “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being,and with all your mind.” -Matthew 22:37
Response:
“love the Lord your God with all your heart”
- to not harden, numb, or cap my emotions.... but trust God has created emotions for a good purpose and I need to trust him.... choose to love him.... giving him access in that area.
“love the Lord your God with all your being”
-physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually with all that I am internally and externally.... choosing to obey, honor, and admit when I’ve wronged God with every fiber in my body.
“love the Lord your God with all your mind”
-Letting God capture my thoughts, dreams, and interact with Him about life....
#2 “You must love your neighbor as you love yourself.” -Matthew 22:38
Response:
“as you love yourself”
How does one love themselves? Self-love? Self-care? Th medical and mental health professionals attempted to define this self-love / self-care concept by prescribing healthy lifestyle changes and stress management behaviors. Self-care is not self-pampering. Self-care is not self-indulgence. Self-care means choosing behaviors that balance the effects of emotional and physical stressors: exercising, eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, practicing yoga or meditation or relaxation techniques, abstaining from substance abuse, pursuing creative outlets, engaging in psychotherapy. Also essential to self-care is learning to self-soothe or calm our physical and emotional distress.
“you must love your neighbor.”
This needs to start and end with my immediate family. Then expand to: extended family, friends, acquaintances, and then to complete strangers.
Prayer
I need your help and perseverance while you work these things into my life God. Honestly, today I feel overwhelmed by your response to this students question. Help, me really be with you God verses checking you off my list. -Trevor
Share your thoughts with me.
Check out my blog’s:
Blog: Relevant Devotions
Web Connections
www.drinenfamily.org
Monday, November 19, 2012
A Forgotten Foundation: "We the People...."
What's at the the foundation?
We the People of the United States,
in Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common defense,
promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The introduction of the constitution "we the people" set a solid foundation and established several pillars for our nation to be supported on, but do we believe and live by them today?
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- Protects the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press, as well as the right to assemble and petition the government
- Protects an individual's right to bear arms
- Prohibits the forced quartering of soldiers during peacetime
- Prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and sets out requirements for search warrants based on probable cause
- Sets out rules for indictment by grand jury and eminent domain, protects the right to due process, and prohibits self-incrimination anddouble jeopardy
- Protects the right to a fair and speedy public trial by jury, including the rights to be notified of the accusations, to confront the accuser, to obtain witnesses and to retain counsel
- Provides for the right to trial by jury in certain civil cases, according to common law
- Prohibits excessive fines and excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment
- Protects rights not enumerated in the constitution.
- Limits the powers of the federal government to those delegated to it by the Constitution
- Immunity of states from suits from out-of-state citizens and foreigners not living within the state borders. Lays the foundation forsovereign immunity
- Revises presidential election procedures
- Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime
- Defines citizenship, contains the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and deals with post-Civil War issues
- Prohibits the denial of suffrage based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude
- Allows the federal government to collect income tax
- Establishes the direct election of United States Senators by popular vote
- Establishes prohibition of alcohol (repealed by Twenty-first Amendment)
- Establishes women's suffrage
- Fixes the dates of term commencements for Congress (January 3) and the President (January 20); known as the "lame duckamendment"
- Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment and prohibits violations of state laws regarding alcohol.
- Limits the president to two terms, or a maximum of 10 years (i.e., if a Vice President serves not more than one half of a President's term, he or she can be elected to a further two terms)
- Provides for representation of Washington, D.C. in the Electoral College
- Prohibits the revocation of voting rights due to the non-payment of poll taxes
- Codifies the Tyler Precedent; defines the process of presidential succession
- Establishes the right to vote for those age 18 years or older.
- Prevents laws affecting Congressional salary from taking effect until the beginning of the next session of Congress
Check out my blog’s:
Blog: Relevant Devotions
Web Connections
www.drinenfamily.org
At The Foundation: "We the People..."
What's at the the foundation?
We the People of the United States,
in Order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common defense,
promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
The introduction of the constitution "we the people" set a solid foundation and established several pillars for our nation to be supported on, but do we believe and live by them today?
Check out my blog’s:
Web Connections
- Protects the freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press, as well as the right to assemble and petition the government
- Protects an individual's right to bear arms
- Prohibits the forced quartering of soldiers during peacetime
- Prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures and sets out requirements for search warrants based on probable cause
- Sets out rules for indictment by grand jury and eminent domain, protects the right to due process, and prohibits self-incrimination anddouble jeopardy
- Protects the right to a fair and speedy public trial by jury, including the rights to be notified of the accusations, to confront the accuser, to obtain witnesses and to retain counsel
- Provides for the right to trial by jury in certain civil cases, according to common law
- Prohibits excessive fines and excessive bail, as well as cruel and unusual punishment
- Protects rights not enumerated in the constitution.
- Limits the powers of the federal government to those delegated to it by the Constitution
- Immunity of states from suits from out-of-state citizens and foreigners not living within the state borders. Lays the foundation forsovereign immunity
- Revises presidential election procedures
- Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime
- Defines citizenship, contains the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and deals with post-Civil War issues
- Prohibits the denial of suffrage based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude
- Allows the federal government to collect income tax
- Establishes the direct election of United States Senators by popular vote
- Establishes prohibition of alcohol (repealed by Twenty-first Amendment)
- Establishes women's suffrage
- Fixes the dates of term commencements for Congress (January 3) and the President (January 20); known as the "lame duckamendment"
- Repeals the Eighteenth Amendment and prohibits violations of state laws regarding alcohol.
- Limits the president to two terms, or a maximum of 10 years (i.e., if a Vice President serves not more than one half of a President's term, he or she can be elected to a further two terms)
- Provides for representation of Washington, D.C. in the Electoral College
- Prohibits the revocation of voting rights due to the non-payment of poll taxes
- Codifies the Tyler Precedent; defines the process of presidential succession
- Establishes the right to vote for those age 18 years or older.
- Prevents laws affecting Congressional salary from taking effect until the beginning of the next session of Congress
Check out my blog’s:
Blog: Relevant Devotions
Web Connections
www.drinenfamily.org
Drilling Down Questions: What? Why?
Scripture
"He began teaching in the synagogue and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, "where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?" Then thy scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us. They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him." -Mark 6:2-3
Observation
Those that grew up playing, learning and doing life with Jesus are found questioning:
Where his wisdom came from?
How was he in titled or given such power?
As I re-read this passage countless teachings from the perspective that a "prophet is honored everywhere else except his hometown" come to mind. But there is so much more....
Verse 2-3 really drill down on some personal heart issues for me. "He began teaching in the synagogue and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, "where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?"
As they heard Jesus they were amazed as his ability to communicate, his wisdom, and the power to perform such miracles.
Okay.... If I place myself in their shoes.... I'm honestly asking, "why him? Why not me?"
What stirs jealously in me?
Why do I judge others or wonder why them...why not me?
Pride and jealously are key components of down rooted heart issues that often twist the core of my personal character - for the better or worse.
Application
How can I respond to this?
Be still and allow God to sift through core identity issues that have been twisted in my life.
To be still and trust God as he shines his light on these issues. Trust that He's not wanting to shame me but wants the best for me.
Prayer
Prayer: I like everyone else am the son of someone and can be mocked.... However, I can also be the mocker.... Okay, God here I am once again-sift me. Correct / straighten out any twisted core heart issues I have and help me trust your hand as you work in my life. It’s times like this God.... When I sit at your feet without time constraints.... that I really feel connected with YOU. Thank you so much for caring so deeply! - Trevor
Bottom line: help me make time to really sit at your feet so that I reflect you and give you full access to do what ever in my heart and life.
Share your thoughts with me: trevord@nhww.org
Check out my blog’s:
Blog: Relevant Devotions
Web Connections
www.drinenfamily.org
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