Praise, vacuum cleaners and bread

Recently, I was in a worship service where the praise was just incredible. I mean, it was not just above average but was a 16 on a scale of 1 - 10.  This worship service put the duper in super duper.

The words and the melodies absolutely pushed me into the heavenlies. I felt full of his Spirit, his love and his peace. I was not afraid of any of life's challenges. Fear had been crowded out in every sense imaginable. An image of a loving, accepting and forgiving father was front and center in my spirit.

I felt a rush of persistent joy which is only brought about by this category of worship, which I might label as 'in the Spirit' worship. Joy permeated everything about me, filling all the inner nooks and crannies that often do not get this kind of light suffused onto it.  If I were a loaf of bread, then joy would be the yeast, affecting virtually every atom in the loaf. Yeast also makes bread rise which is a perfect analogy for what joy does to us in worship.

In this worship service, I felt myself joined to heaven and the particular vision I had was of me being sucked up into heaven by a heavenly vacuum cleaner. Weird vision, huh? Yet the illustration holds in that when things go into a vacuum cleaner, they are transported from one place (usually the floor) to another (usually the bag). The analogy holds true also in that the transport is facilitated by an external power. 

In other words, I was picked up and whooshed to heavenly places. 

But isn't this just a side-benefit of worship and praise? We are lifted, elevated and moved upwards to be joined with the realm of God and his angels. 

The yeast and the vacuum were working overtime in God's kingdom.

I also feel that God shows me things in worship. I have had several very strong realizations and understandings while I was smack-dab in the middle of worship with hands raised, singing in the spirit and so on. Certain truths became clear to me that were not clear in any other context.

For example, I was worshipping in an early morning church service once and had the most vivid vision of God as my merciful Father and this truth permeated to my absolute core. Merciful was driven home again and again to me ... merciful ... not critical, judgmental or placing yoke after yoke on me. Rather a father who placed only life inside me. 

To say this was moving is an understatement. It inwardly flipped me out, in a most wonderful way.

The worship service ended and I left the gathering encouraged, peaceful, happy and unafraid. My day was changed materially. I felt the Spirit of Christ coursing through me. All of this is part of our being transformed into the image of Christ. What a wonderful thing! 

Psalm 150:1 says "Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. ... Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven!"

Hebrews 13:15 says "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise --the fruit of lips that openly profess his name." Even though the above worship experience occurred in a church service, all of the above magic happens to me when I am alone in my car, at home, really wherever I am. A nice touch when your God happens to be omnipresent, right? This is what happens to me during praise. Joy, revelation and peace.  Do you want this for your life also? I do!

Words are ambidextrous

It was a close race for student council president in high school.

The candidates had one last chance to sway votes and it was at an assembly that afternoon.  Each would have ten minutes to persuade the listeners that they were the best choice.

I was in the audience.

The first one made an uneventful speech and sat down.  The second one began his speech with ‘Would everyone please stand up?’

Everyone stood up.

“Now would you sit back down?”

Everyone sat back down.  The auditorium was filled with laughter at this sudden up and down for no apparent reason.

“I have just demonstrated the power my words have … I had the power to make several hundred people do what I wanted just by speaking. You need a student council president with this kind of power.”

He won.

Our words are either airborne physicians or airborne assassins.  What comes out of your mouth can defile, corrupt, tarnish, despoil, sully and taint you. Or your words can heal, restore, rebuild, cure, mend and repair you.

Pray that our hearts give birth to words of light daily, that encircle us always in a constant verbal halo.

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Teaching Christ what he doesn't know

This is about my friend who refers to his life as a carousel… In order to read this, there are a few verses at the beginning and then my writing is midway… Click on the link below or if that doesn't work copy it into a browser

http://e2.ma/message/3xc4f/bwgg1

Look back, Jack

Something I wrote about fear today… Here's how to navigate this link, there are a few verses at the beginning and then my writing begins… click on the link below or if that doesn't work copy it into your browser

http://e2.ma/message/7cb4f/bwgg1

The basketball and the clarinet

Imagine being Michael Jordan - incredible at basketball - yet feeling like you needed to excel at being a clarinet player.  You might go through life shooting a few hoops but you would train, train, train during your clarinet lessons, hoping to be the very best you could be, in order to live up to the expectations of others.

Meanwhile, your natural gift would languish, harpooned by those very expectations.

Carl Rogers is a writer whose writings I love.

By the way, he is the father of modern American psychology (and studied to be a Lutheran minister at one time).

He posits an interesting question for his readers: what is the meaning of life?

As Christians we understand the answer to be obvious but listen to how he answers the question, what is the meaning of life?

"To be that self which one truly is."

I'm sorry but that knocks my socks off and sets my hair on fire simultaneously.

I think it is truth that we Christians need sorely to hear ... no, not just hear but hear and digest.

He goes on to say that 'one is never more strong than when one is fully one's self'.

I think this has powerful ramifications for those wanting an authentic walk in Christ ... not an experience that has a shelf-life of just a few years.  If you achieve authenticity in your life in Christ, you can fully expect to navigate life's mountains and valleys well (notice I said navigate, not avoid) and reach life's end stronger than you started.

You just have to relax into God's natural gifting for your life.

You need to put down the clarinet and start playing basketball again.

If you are a writer, write.

If you are a musician, play.

If you are a businessperson, deal.

If you are a chef, cook.

If you are a speechwriter, write speeches.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  When you embrace who you are in Christ, your light will never show more brightly.  Your organic attributes that God put in your DNA will blaze forth, sending his fragrance everywhere.

In other words, being yourself is godly.

Here's some homework ... consider what I have said then apply it to your life by asking God to show you if there is any truth in it for you.

See you at the game!

(follow me on twitter!  connect with @Blankenthoughts)

Rhino and thankfulness ...

I am not thankful for even one thing!!

Well, that's how it seems I go through life most of the time anyway.

About as thankful as as an obese rhinoceros who finds happens to find itself in a huge quicksand pit.

I mean, I have health, a good marriage, good skills, good education, good kids, shoes that fit, etc. I do not live in Syria, Somalia or Baghdad.  My car is not broken down. My foosball game is ok.

Yet once in a while, like this morning, I am struck anew with just how thankless of a creature I really am.  Thankless as in not thankful.  Thankless as in utterly devoid of gratitude.

The story in Luke of Jesus healing the 10 men with leprosy has always intrigued me.  I won't go through the story but only one was thankful to be healed and the other 90% apparently were never heard of again.

I guess I am in the 90% most of the time.

However I do have the Holy Spirit in me. And the Holy Spirit wants to move me from the 90% to the 10%, I am certain.

And those days, like today, when I awaken awestruck at all that God has done for me and continues to do for me, I feel thanksgiving roll out of me like lightning rolls out of thunder clouds.

It is natural ... it is borne of the Spirit ... it is healing on about 5,000 levels simultaneously.

I do not have a prescription for myself to overcome thanklessness ... I know countless books, sermons, etc have been written and preached on this topic.  But sometimes more words are just not the answer, folks.

I simply have an awareness of my condition. But a man far wiser than me once said, simple awareness is 50% of the solution.

Therefore, I'm half the way there.

You?

Turbo-sunsets

 The most life-giving people that I am ever around are those who are full of grace.

The most energizing people that I am ever around are those who accept me just like I am. And have given up trying to change me.

Have you ever been around someone who keeps trying to conform you into their own image of how you should be? It is uncomfortable and is much like using a key in a lock where the key is off just a little bit. Great effort might be expended in trying to get the lock unlocked but trust me, the key will break first.

Displaying grace and acceptance to others allows the key to unlock the lock every time.

Carl Rogers, the father of modern American psychology, said that one of the most difficult tasks for people is to accept others like they accept sunsets. When we step outside at night to view a sunset, we never say turn the pinks up and turn the blues down and then the sunset will be just right. No, we accept the beauty in the sunset just like it is.

Something tells me that when we accept others like we accept sunsets, we are displaying the grace of Christ to them. And grace is always, always, always transformational.

I am not good at this… As a matter of fact, I am pretty poor at it. But this is how I want to be.

Homework: the next person that you meet, accept them exactly like you accept the sunset. Just the way they are. And let God do the work.

Anything else is exhausting and really doesn't produce much at all.

Hey, follow me on my brand-new Twitter account with the username Blankenthoughts. Yep, I knew you would like that name. And invite others to follow also.

To the sunset!

Adding insult to injury… Sort of

The bad effects that people can have on you I believe can fall quickly into two categories… They can either injure you or they can irritate you.

Anybody is capable of inflicting one of these two on you and will do so. It doesn't matter if it's a friend or family, a coworker, a stranger… all can inflict one of these two categories upon you.

It's no fun but hey, this is what life on planet earth looks like.

First, this does not need to surprise us or freak us out or make us run screaming into the night. It is the nature of our fallen world.

Second, we have to walk in radical forgiveness on a daily basis. It is the only way to keep our hearts unpolluted.

If you choose to hold a persistent grudge against someone because they have either injured you or irritated you, it is to your profound detriment.

Live in this world in an understanding way… Lead with forgiveness.

Buzzards, tin cans and putting your car in reverse

When I was younger, my father would take my brother and me into the forest with our guns (we were old enough to have been taught gun safety) to target practice.  It was called plinking.  We would spend Sunday afternoons just plinking.

Our targets were as elusive as tin cans and coke bottles.  We would also lie on our backs and shoot at buzzards as they circled high, high above us, looking for their next tasty meal.

The tin cans and cokes we often hit ... we never hit a buzzard.

But  it didn't matter.  We were with our father and having a great time.  

After a while, we would pack up and head home.

Completely satisfied.

My father has been deceased over 20 years.  Yet the memory of time spent with him is still satisfying, like a cool, refreshing breeze settling over my spirit.

Our heavenly father cannot be seen, touched or perceived by any of our 5 senses.  Yet he is as real as my earthly father ever was.

The cool breeze inwardly that I feel when I think of my dad and those times with him have to be available to us with our heavenly father. The only difference as I see it is that there are no memories involved, it is a continuing present-day reality.  

Persistent, viable and actual.

The outward world is often chaotic, rife with literal and figurative tornados, tsunamis and earthquakes.  

Yet our inner world can be one of a protected harbor, a placid pond, a place of cool breezes.  

Step back today from the rim of your personal volcano ... put your emotional car into reverse for just a moment today and back away from the grinding traffic jam that might be bottling your life ... close your eyes and spend time with your heavenly father.

The times of refreshing will surely be summoned to your spirit.

At least that's how I see it on this Saturday morning.

Literally… Not!

Those who passionately insist on a completely literal interpretation of the Bible always pull back when they read the verse about taking up your cross daily.

Invert the confusion, please

Never confuse God's timing with God's capability.  When the train doesn't show up according to your time-table, it doesn't mean that it isn't on the tracks.

Faith that is better than Ambien

I just finished reading the twelfth chapter of Acts this morning. Paul, as usual, is teetering on the edge of imminent death, this time at the hands of Herod.

Herod, ever risk-averse, plans an execution the next morning therefore has made sure that Paul doesn't ruin his plans by doing something sneaky like breaking out of prison. He puts many many guards everywhere around Paul. He even shackled each of Paul's arms to guards. Let's face it, this guy was taking no chances.

So, let's make sure we get the picture here. Paul is going to be killed in less than 12 hours. He also has no way of escape because he is in prison with 15 million guards everywhere.

What would you do?

What would I do?

What did Paul do?

He laid down and went to sleep. According to the Scripture, he slept like a baby.  He had deep, peaceful sleep.

Apparently not a care in the world… It was almost as if there was nothing on his mind!

And it wasn't because Paul did not know what was going down… he did.  He was a very learned  man who probably had it all figured out before he was even brought to the prison.

Folks, I don't know about you but I do not have this type of faith.

In the same breath, I must hasten to add that I want this type of faith. 

I need this type of faith. 

Faith like this comes when we experience God ... Not when we read about him ... Not when we hear others speak of how they have experienced God.

All of that is good but it seems to me that you have to be knocked down by a waterfall before you can authoritatively speak of the power of falling water. You have to actually put the fork into the cheesecake then move it to your mouth, chew and swallow before you can truthfully describe the glories of that near-divine dessert.

Override your internal censor and listen for his prompting today ... Turn the tv, twitter, Facebook, email and texting off.

I know, I know ... this is ridiculously radical ... I am asking us to look within ... novel concept ... but I want us to ask God to help us experience him today. Then sit back.

We just might fall asleep.

God just put a whew in my life

I had a pretty bad wreck on my birthday, March 24th. Two cars totaled. Whew.

I fortunately was able to walk out of the ER on my own 2 feet four hours later. Concussion. 13 stitches to the forehead.

But I have to ponder ... Why did this happen?

What was God trying to teach me?

What message was there in any of this for me?

Was it truly a random event? are there really ANY random events?

Should I ponder this event at all? Is it just a waste of time to plow through all the endless permutations?

Great questions, huh?

I'm really not able to leave all of this in the land of no ponderings, I am sorry. My DNA just will not permit it.

There has to be something here beyond a driving lesson.

Here's what I have figured out so far ...

1) life can change in the blink of an eye.
2) as an add-on to number one, God can require us at any time to be in heaven immediately.
3) the outpouring of love and support for me has touched me so profoundly.
4) people really do care about me ... You'd think I'd know this by now, right? Wrong. Seems like I am always surprised when someone gives a hoot about me. Go figure.
5) if there are things I need to do because well, they are on my heart to do, I need to do them immediately. Procrastination and eternity make for strange bedfellows.
6) I am expendable.
7) I am not part of earth's permanent staff ... I am just a temp and earth is just a part-time gig (by the way, this is true for you too)

My wonderful little car is replaceable.

My friends gushed toward me. My family was a tsunami of love and support.

God was very present with me through all of this. I felt his love sitting in the car with blood covering my face. I felt his love in the ambulance ride. I felt his love in the physician's care.

I was keenly aware of his presence as I sat on my back porch healing.

Two take-aways:

It can all change in the span of time that it takes a mosquito to hiccup.

When it all changes, he still loves you ... Internally through his spirit and extrnally through family and friends.

Whew!

Thank God that the rock is in my shoe and not in my head

There was a job that I really, really wanted, a long time ago.

And I thought I got it.  I was even notified that I got it.  I was ecstatic.  I thanked God over and over.

But I was notified about 5 hours later that the offer was rescinded. (by the way, I love it when that happens)

I was crushed.  I was angry at God.  I was confused.  Then I turned the anger on myself.  I was a loser, I told myself.   I was a joke.  I was no good.

Isn’t this the journey that disappointment takes in us?   

 This is how it works  in me and I suspect that this may be how it works in you.

Think about a bitter disappointment you have had.  Now let’s get our arms around it.

Since we profess to follow Christ, we must put this in God’s hands.  I mean, we have to ... there is really no other option.  Or else it is all a big fairy tale.

In Romans, we read that  ‘all things work together for the good for those who love God and are called according to his purpose.’

In my case, I had to believe that it was God’s will that the door to the job was slammed shut.  Perhaps I would have suffered something that was not good in the new job and God spared me from it.  Perhaps there was an opportunity that would be better for me that I would not have been available for.  Who knows?

Our Father does. Yep, he does.  He's the only one with that kind of time telescope in his backpack.

What about your disappointment?

Have you given your disappointment to God yet?  Or are you still in the spin cycle of disappointment, going round and round and round and round?

With all the joy absolutely forced out of you.

Let me challenge you to give your disappointment to God.  You probably won't have peace in your heart until you do.  

How do you turn your disappointment over to God?

You pray.  You communicate with God.  You say, ‘God, I turn this disappointment over to you.  I give you all of the circumstances, all of my hurt and confusion.  I trust you with this disappointment and ask you to help me move through this.  Help me gain wisdom from this disappointment. Amen’

It is crucial that you seek wisdom from any and all disappointments that you endure.  Let’s face it, disappointments are part of the stuff that life is made of.

Some people allow disappointments to change the course of their lives.  For the worse.  You do not want this to be you.  You do not want to be the one who encounters a disappointment so large and so persistent that it knocks your life off course.

So let’s review ... when faced with disappointment:

1) nothing wrong with feeling bad about it for a short period of time ... that is part of being congruent with your feelings and being congruent.  So don’t beat yourself up over  feeling down and confused when a disappointment comes your way - no matter the size.

2) turn the disappointment over to God

3) ask God for the wisdom that you need to glean from the disappointment.

Learning to handle disappointment as a stepping stone rather than a millstone around your neck can be a key to growing in Christ.

Oh by the way, that job offer that was rescinded ... that entire company lasted only seven months longer before it ceased operations.

Interesting, huh?

I give up ...

Recently, on a plane, I read an article about Anthony Hopkins.  He had a very long and distinguished career.

Yet I detected something running around in his spirit. He is very rich and famous and made the following statement: ‘What’s the point of any of it all anyway?’

He clearly saw pointlessness in just about everything that he did.  In fact, as you read on, he saw pointlessness in the entire human condition. 

Just like the moonbeams, existential despair can strike anyone, anytime, anywhere … and it is a persistent condition.  

Feeling that there is no point to anything drives a cold, steel stake into any hope that may exist within you.  Feeling that it is all meaningless can construct a portable prison around any glimmer of faith that might  try to take root in your life. 

It can depress you.

It can sadden you.

It can make you not want to get out of bed.

It can dishearten, discourage and dispirit you.

If there is any forward movement in your life, it can shut that down as fast as a hiccup.

I experienced about a decade of this, early in my life.  10 years of not seeing the point.  10 years of questioning the meaning of life and, to be frank, not getting very good answers, either from within or outside of the church.

The church is not well-prepared to handle folks with existential despair.

Christ is, however.

I never see Jesus turning away anyone or any question as he traveled Israel.  Oh, he did get irritated with the smug religious bulldogs of his day but he was unwaveringly patient with and full of regard for those who had tough, troubling and unanswered questions.

Like the rich young ruler. (Mark 10:17-27)

He wanted to know what he needed to do to have eternal life.

Jesus told him.

The ruler then countered that, hmmm, I've done all those things already!

Jesus did not castigate him or tell him to to just have faith, see you later. Next please.

No, he instructed him further, patiently.

Well, the young man just couldn't quite belly up to the bar and left, grief-stricken.

Did Jesus feel a need to upbraid him?

No, the Scripture says he loved him.  And understood him.  And acknowledged some things were simply tough to understand and tough to do.  But with God, it all collapses into the realm of the possible.

My debilitating bout with existential despair ended in a thunderclap the night I encountered Christ.

But leading up to that night were wise and patient people he had put in my path who listened to me.

And did not belittle me.  And did not chide me for asking the genuinely tough questions.

Has God put someone in your path who suffers under, labors under, is crushed by, and is not successfully navigating life's toughest questions?

Listen. Love. Speak truth. Don't castigate. Don't feel threatened. Listen some more. Love some more. 

Be big enough to never belittle.

When you awaken with a headache ...

You know those days ... you awaken as if a bulldozer had decided to back over your head.

Your mood is as dark as the inside of an unopened vienna sausage can.

Your energy level has been in the minus column for so long it needs a GPS to find its way back.

In short, planet earth is not where you feel called to be on that particular morning.

Even coffee doesn't help ... much.

Just say 'help' to God.

Just say 'good grief' to God.

It almost is immaterial what you say, just communicate with God.

I find that when I am in life's landfill on particularly de-energized mornings, it is helpful to just lay out the facts to God as I see them.  He usually doesn't blink.

Not that my morning suddenly gets new and shiny again.  Not that my morning puts on a super-hero cape.

But it does get a little better.  Has something to do with the Holy Spirit blasting through my coma, I suspect.

Did I mention that I am glad he made coffee?   I believe he understands us.

The Godliness of Being One's Self - Part 4

It was the smallest of interactions.

The young man sitting in front of me was applying for a position in my department a few years ago.  He was clearly over-qualified.

I had to stop the interview and ask him bluntly, "If you weren't afraid of anything ... if fear was not your obstacle ... what would you do with your life?"

He took a deep breath and gave me an answer that was a wonderful vision for his life.  And I knew it was well within his ability to make it happen.

When he finished, I said, "Go... do that!"

I could almost viscerally discern the strength and resolve pouring into him.

He stood up and said, "I will!",  pumping my hand enthusiastically.

I later received an email from him telling how he indeed moved into this line of work and how satisfying it was.

I felt I had made a difference in his life because I had reacted candidly and authentically to him.

I felt Christ had touched him.

Through me.

I had not quoted scripture (although there's nothing wrong with that).  I had not given him a pamphlet or website address that listed church meeting times.

I was just being myself.  But ... wait for it ... the magic was that Christ lives in me.

So whoever I touch, Christ has the opportunity to touch.

Can you see how powerful this is?

As I move through life, navigating through the myriad of interactions I have each day, whether it be work or personal, I represent a potential Christ touchpoint for every single human being I encounter.

Just by being myself.

You see, God is so brilliant that he has embedded the Holy Spirit within us.  His manifestation comes out through our personality, our intelligence, our empathy, our passions, our humor and so on.

Brilliant.

As we are being ourselves.

The weakest leaders, followers, co-workers, neighbors, friends, etc are those who feel they need to pretend to be one way when they are really another way entirely.

In the kingdom of God, I believe that as you relax into your native abilities, approaches and interests, you grow exponentially stronger in Him.

Not taught much but I think it is a key and vital truth of the kingdom of God.

"So, Terry, are you saying that everyone you encounter through the day is touched by Christ by virtue of encountering you?"

Depending on how congruently I am chugging along at any point in a day, I would say yes.

Oh, I have massive chunks of the day when I am frustrated, etc that folks might not see Christ in me.  But even then, there is something about encountering an authentic person filled with Christ, even under the strain of frustration, that is redemptive.

If you are not comfortable in your own skin, somehow all this gets blocked.

Being comfortable with who God has made you at a DNA level is a life-long journey.  However, so is maturity in Christ.  And these two paths are often one.

Today ... I implore you ... be yourself!

You may find your maturity in Christ accelerating.