The other day I received a text from my oldest son Raymond (the one I spoke of, about the $20 challenge). the text said. "Do you remember all those talks we had than went something like this, Dad, I want you to trust me. Well Raymond you need to show me you are trust worthy first. Dad, how about you give me some trust and I will show you I am trust worthy? Sorry, Raymond it doesn't work this way. I just had this same conversation with Izayah (my grandson) very similar, but pertaining to a guitar."
I have often wonder what earthly good does it when you try to speak wisdom to your non listening kids? Or at what point do we start talking like our parents? It is the latter question I want to focus on. How often did we say, "I am never gonna say that to my kids". Then somehow, someway or sometime we have found the logic in what our parents were trying to teach us. It is kinda weird, but also it is kind of humbling to know I was wrong the whole time. Now I use the knowledge that I was taught and try to share the wisdom with my boys. It is kinda funny, Raymond once told me, "He thought I was the dumbest man on earth, and now I am the smartest man he knows." I am not sure that if the statement is true but this one thing I know I am defiantly my fathers son. Raymond is also his father's son as well.
You could say I am a reflection of my father and my son is a reflection of me. When it comes right down to it. Is that not what we were suppose to do in our Christian walk? Are we not suppose to reflect Jesus in our lives? While other may not get it, or understand it. Hopefully when we are faithful or trustworthy God will bless our lives and others will see it, and they just might get it. They will see and hear what we are saying loud and clear. Trust in the Lord and He will direct your path. (Prov. 3:5) .
As I try to show myself trustworthy to my Father, I will continue to follow Him by Staring at Lines.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
The $20 Challenge- I Dare You To Do It!
Have you ever had a burden that just ate at you? Something that you might not have seen before, just when you notice it just grips you? Something you felt strong about but felt powerless in doing? So powerless that you know that it can only happen with God's help? You know you have to do something but other than pray, your just not sure what to do. I always hate the thought that all you can do is pray (like prayer is a hail Mary pass, just hoping it might work), but that is not a bad thing either because God's glory is revealed.
So with that being said, I was praying one day and I got a heavy burden for my 3 sons. So I started praying for them. That God's glory be revealed, and that the love of Jesus be shown to them. I have not been the best father to them. I have made allot of mistakes as a parent. I have left a few scars on their lives. So when God brought me back to Him. I knew my message (of Jesus love) would not be as strong coming from my life right now. So yes, I was left with the hail Mary pass. The ideal of prayer being the last resort was tough pill for me to swallow.
One day my oldest son Raymond and I got into a heated conversation about God. My son wanted God's blessings 1st then he would obey and follow Him, but I kept telling him it doesn't work that way. On my way to work God spoke to me and asked me to remind Raymond that He has blessed Raymond. So as I went to work and came home I had prepared for his phone call. When he called, he had told me how God had reveled Himself to Ray. Praise God for answered prayers!
So one day I took Ray and his Girlfriend (Amanda) and my 2nd Grandson (Remington's) to lunch. I was telling them how they should come to our Easter Experience. In fact I said, you should come since you have nothing to do on Saturday night. They said they would like to come, but with the price of Gas they could not. I said if I give you $20 for gas will you come? They said, "how can we refuse". They ended up coming and Amanda made some decision for Jesus although I have never asked her yet. I do think it was real because she had that special glow and they come every Sunday they can. What was the most amazing part of this story is that she brought her Mom and little brother. They also planned on coming back again. So my $20 investment in the future lives of my son has brought more rewards, as my Son Raymond says it is amazing how far $20 will go when it comes to eternity.
So this is my $20 challenge. Find someone or ask God to put a burden on someones soul and start praying for them and ask God to do a miracle in their life. Then ask God to give you the wisdom to do something nice for them. Gas money, Dinner, just something, just get them to come to church with you and then afterwards do something nice for them. See how far it takes you. See what God does with you $20 investment. It might not be $20 it could be more it maybe less, but give God a chance to work through you and be a blessing to someones soul. You never know how much it will return. So until next time keep Staring At Lines.
So with that being said, I was praying one day and I got a heavy burden for my 3 sons. So I started praying for them. That God's glory be revealed, and that the love of Jesus be shown to them. I have not been the best father to them. I have made allot of mistakes as a parent. I have left a few scars on their lives. So when God brought me back to Him. I knew my message (of Jesus love) would not be as strong coming from my life right now. So yes, I was left with the hail Mary pass. The ideal of prayer being the last resort was tough pill for me to swallow.
One day my oldest son Raymond and I got into a heated conversation about God. My son wanted God's blessings 1st then he would obey and follow Him, but I kept telling him it doesn't work that way. On my way to work God spoke to me and asked me to remind Raymond that He has blessed Raymond. So as I went to work and came home I had prepared for his phone call. When he called, he had told me how God had reveled Himself to Ray. Praise God for answered prayers!
So one day I took Ray and his Girlfriend (Amanda) and my 2nd Grandson (Remington's) to lunch. I was telling them how they should come to our Easter Experience. In fact I said, you should come since you have nothing to do on Saturday night. They said they would like to come, but with the price of Gas they could not. I said if I give you $20 for gas will you come? They said, "how can we refuse". They ended up coming and Amanda made some decision for Jesus although I have never asked her yet. I do think it was real because she had that special glow and they come every Sunday they can. What was the most amazing part of this story is that she brought her Mom and little brother. They also planned on coming back again. So my $20 investment in the future lives of my son has brought more rewards, as my Son Raymond says it is amazing how far $20 will go when it comes to eternity.
So this is my $20 challenge. Find someone or ask God to put a burden on someones soul and start praying for them and ask God to do a miracle in their life. Then ask God to give you the wisdom to do something nice for them. Gas money, Dinner, just something, just get them to come to church with you and then afterwards do something nice for them. See how far it takes you. See what God does with you $20 investment. It might not be $20 it could be more it maybe less, but give God a chance to work through you and be a blessing to someones soul. You never know how much it will return. So until next time keep Staring At Lines.
Monday, May 2, 2011
My Near Death Experience On A Run
The other day while doing my long run. I was enjoying some Hillsong United on my Ipod when I noticed a lady walking her dog. So I did what everyone does when they are running on a sidewalk and someone is walking their man eating Dog. I veered to the right and hope the lady would hold the leash tight and not let her dog attack me. Lucky for me the lady did just that and as the dog ferociously barked at me with the delight of eating me in his eyes I was able to escape the clutches of the jaws of death that would have consumed my leg or my big toe at least. What kind of dog was it you may ask. It was....... well it was a Chihuahua. Yes, I said it! But it was a man eating Chihuahua. Well he acted as a man-eater!
Now Seriously I never thought the dog would eat me, but I did admire his tenacity in trying to attack me. That dog barked, pulled his masters leash and growled as I ran by. I could not help but realize that I was a giant compared to that little dog. I weigh about 190lbs and the dog maybe a whole 5lbs. I could have stepped on the dog and done major damage to him. But that did not stop that little dog from coming at me as if he was gonna do some damage to my big toe. It was as if the dog had no thought for his safety or his masters safety. But just maybe he was sticking up or standing up for his master.
I tell this story because I want to share with you how we should all learn from this silly dog. Because far to many Christian including myself fail to stand up for God. We do not defend our faith. We do not stand our Ground. We do not stand up to the Goliath's in our lives. We do not speak in defence of the Gospel. We don't take a stand when the people we work with blaspheme our God. I am not saying to act ignorant but just like that little dog. We should be willing to defend the Living God who gave so much for us. I think we are so scared to stand up and be noticed as a child of God because we do not want anyone to hate us. But God says if we love Him people will hate us. Now how or why they hate us should be for the right reasons. If you act like a jerk in your defence then you are wrong and they should hate you. Now if you give a defence in love and not with a judgemental spirit that God be glorified then we are being hated for the right reasons. Remember God commands us to Love Him with our whole heart, soul and mind and then to Love our neighbour's as our selves. Just like that little dog we should be tenacious about our faith, we should stand our ground and most of all we should defend our God not because He cannot but because He would want us To.
So as this little dog has challenged me I want to challenge you to be strong stand up for Jesus and be counted as one of His children. I will stand and I hope you follow as we Stare At Lines.
Now Seriously I never thought the dog would eat me, but I did admire his tenacity in trying to attack me. That dog barked, pulled his masters leash and growled as I ran by. I could not help but realize that I was a giant compared to that little dog. I weigh about 190lbs and the dog maybe a whole 5lbs. I could have stepped on the dog and done major damage to him. But that did not stop that little dog from coming at me as if he was gonna do some damage to my big toe. It was as if the dog had no thought for his safety or his masters safety. But just maybe he was sticking up or standing up for his master.
I tell this story because I want to share with you how we should all learn from this silly dog. Because far to many Christian including myself fail to stand up for God. We do not defend our faith. We do not stand our Ground. We do not stand up to the Goliath's in our lives. We do not speak in defence of the Gospel. We don't take a stand when the people we work with blaspheme our God. I am not saying to act ignorant but just like that little dog. We should be willing to defend the Living God who gave so much for us. I think we are so scared to stand up and be noticed as a child of God because we do not want anyone to hate us. But God says if we love Him people will hate us. Now how or why they hate us should be for the right reasons. If you act like a jerk in your defence then you are wrong and they should hate you. Now if you give a defence in love and not with a judgemental spirit that God be glorified then we are being hated for the right reasons. Remember God commands us to Love Him with our whole heart, soul and mind and then to Love our neighbour's as our selves. Just like that little dog we should be tenacious about our faith, we should stand our ground and most of all we should defend our God not because He cannot but because He would want us To.
So as this little dog has challenged me I want to challenge you to be strong stand up for Jesus and be counted as one of His children. I will stand and I hope you follow as we Stare At Lines.
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