Killing the Nerve

Killing the Nerve

"....no desire to be conscious of worthiness shall order the life..." George MacDonald

Worth is not measured by the objects of this world. It is not measured by what you own or who you have befriended. The value of your life is measured by WHO knows you. The GREAT I AM. Knowledge is a value beyond measure. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding: for the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold." Proverbs 3:13-14 Knowledge is of God. God gives us the knowledge we need. He gave us the living knowledge. The Living Waters live inside our hearts. Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is what gives these clay shells value! Does the box that carries the wedding ring have a greater value than it's passenger? Does the frame have a greater value than the famous artwork that it holds? I think NOT! Neither is the case with Jesus. He alone gives us value. He alone is worthy. We are not even worthy for Him to come live inside us. Yet, Jesus humbles himself to live in us and guide us. One creation cannot give another a sense of worth. Only the Master can do such. The quality of life can be improved by one another. The support we give one another, the love, the laughter, and everything else. One thing we cannot do is to give value to one another. We are looking in the wrong direction. Looking to the left and right, when we should be looking straight up. Any concept of being worthy must be dropped. Any questions are answered. When the Son of God comes to reside in your heart, how can we contemplate or worry about "our worth"? Our concept of worth is to be thrown out the window and out of our vocabulary. Be mindful(or mind full) of God. That is the only thing WORTH thinking or talking about.

kenny

Inadequacy

INADEQUACY

I believe that a major problem with single adults today is the feeling of inadequacy. Inadequacy is a major cross that many choose to bear. These feelings have been placed in us at an early age. The source of these feelings can be contributed to a number of things: parents, siblings, friends, teachers, etc. It usually comes from those who we care about most. The people whose opinion we count on the most. Unfortunately, those people that are closest to us are the ones who can inflict the most damage. Sometimes, the damage is intentional and other times it is unintentional. It does not matter why it happened. We have to remember one thing: MAN WILL LET US DOWN! "It is equally natural for us to see the man who helps us without seeing Christ behind him. But we must not remain babies. We must go on to recognise the real Giver. It is madness not to. Because, if we do not, we shall be relying on human beings. And that is going to let us down. The best of them will make mistakes; all of them will die." C. S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)

I believe the problem we face is we carry those wrongs IN us. The words, that cut us and made us feel inadequate, are the words we carry inside our heart. They were embedded in our hearts due to the closeness of the transgressor. Even after we are saved, we carry this luggage around. Eventually, the pain and words are embraced. The problem with this embrace is that it keeps us from growth in our relationship with God and others. If our relatives and friends ( those we can actually see and interact with) can treat us this way, how about God? Surely, we can come to believe in Him, but the train stops there. We are afraid to let go of these inadequacies. We are afraid if we open up to God or new friends then we will acquire more pain. NEWS FLASH! We DO NOT have to let our past define us. Jesus defines us. Jesus must be allowed to do a work in us. In this battle, surrender is the only option! We must drop the gate down and allow Jesus to have his way in our hearts. "A new heart also will I give ou, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgements, and do them." Ezekiel 36:26-27

Jesus wants to purge those old hurts out of your heart and return you to the land of the living. They hold you back from having and feeling the complete love of Jesus. Once these strongholds are banished, we can bask in the radian light of our Savior.

In the en, it is a case of mistaken identity. We have held onto the wrong word. We should NEVER hold onto something painful and keep it in our hearts! "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23 These painful words will jade our view of relationships! We must have the right and truthful WORD written upon our heart. "He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live." Proverbs 4:4 Jesus said that not only would we have life by Him, but life to the fullest. "...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10 Thanks to Jesus, give over the old words, receive the new WORD, and all our relationships will change. We will experience a much deeper, fuller, and meaningful relationship with Jesus, God, and all those friends and family members all around!

kenny

1 John 4:18

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18

"But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth." Luke 11:17 Our hearts were not meant to be divided. Two masters cannot exist inside of our heart. Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, our heart becomes his heart. It becomes a heart after God. What is God? "...for God is love." 1 John 4:8B When our heart takes off after God, it is infused with love. What kind of love? A perfect love. The perfect love of Jesus is indwelt in our heart. What next?

Jesus is in our heart, BUT he does not have complete access to all the areas. Self defense mode of our heart is still in place. We have let Jesus inside, but we have to get to know and trust him better before we start opening up the deeper chambers. It is a learning process. These chambers are haunted. They are haunted by fears of the past and the future. The past is the heartaches and heartbreaks suffered by our heart. Due to the past, a hindrance and fear of the future(heartaches and heartbreaks that we will suffer-for we believe it will always be that way) also reside in our heart. The chambers or pieces of our heart are like skittish animals. Trust has to be earned. Love has to be given. A perfect love from the Son of God is the answer.

Over time, Jesus makes his way through our heart. Piece by piece, chamber by chamber. He beckons and ministers to the fearful pieces of our heart. His love is a wonderful glowing light and beacon in the darkness of fear. It infuses confidence into these skittish pieces. A confidence and love born out of the Son born of the Father. Fear is driven out. The past and future worries are evicted by the new Holy landlord. Our heart is no longer divided but made whole by His perfect love. Why is confidence in your heart so important? Confidence gives us the ability to step forward, instead of staying in the shadows of fear. Jesus' light shines forth from our eyes and our heart. It sets us free to love again. Confidence gives us permission to be vulnerable in His Holy name. It is that seeming "weakness" that is so awesome. The limits of our heart have been lifted. Once we truly are free from the fear in our heart and Jesus reigns in our heart, then...maybe then...the dove from within will be able to spread it's wings and take flight. Perhaps....our turtledove will find a place to roost.

kenny

Proverbs 3:3B

".....write them upon the table of thine heart...." Proverbs 3:3b

Let us think of our minds as one of those old wooden school desks. My, how we used to graffiti those kind of desks up with all manner of things. They ranged anywhere from profanity, school support, to who we had a crush on at the time. We treated these desks mercilessly. Bubblegum was stuck to the bottom. Nonstop abuse was the agenda for these poor desks. It is time to change our treatment of these desks!

Our minds is also a desk in my view. We sit at that desk. It is where the majority of our decisions are made. These decisions are ratified by our heart(the Holy Spirit within)! Lovely scheme of checks and balances. We man the control center from the desk of our mind. The flat surface of that desk is the "table of thine heart." A flat surface to gaze upon. Inbetween decisions, most of us likely doodle all over that desk(as in the days of old). Doodling is usually aimless(like our lives sometimes). Why not doodle with purpose? Doodle the LORD's Word upon your desktop. Give it a permanent residence in the forefront of your mind. A constant reminder of God's love and grace to serve as yet another set of checks and balances. In a world such as we live in, we need all the help that we can get!

Different methods of doodling include: memorization, meditation, and abiding in God's Word daily. We can commit verses to memory. The pondering or meditating on verses throughout the day. A daily reading of His Word(to constantly abide in His Word). Each of these ways chisel the Word of God into the desktop of our mind! The use of one or combination of two or all will work wonders to keep us on track. I like using multiple methods. The more I have covering my desk(graffiti-wise), the more strength I have from Him to get through my day. I prefer not to even be able to see my desktop. Gives me something to view and admire inbetween making these daily decisions! Who ever knew graffiti could be so beautiful and so fun? Soul graffiti, the only graffiti that counts!

kenny

Proverbs 3:6

"In all thy ways acknowledge him...." Proverbs 3:6

All....what exactly does this mean? Well, I shall reference my favorite website! Websters.com. I love this website. Anyways, here is the definition of all: being or representing the entire or total number, amount or quantity. WOW. The entire amount or quantity of your ways. Your whole being and every little decision that you make should be given over to the Lord.

The last statement that I just made is exactly what I do NOT do. It's really amazing. I give over all the major concerns in my life in a heartbeat. The salvation of friends and family, car troubles, utilization of my gifts and life, love life, troubles in my friend's lives, health issues, etc. These decisions are life changing and life saving. These cares are handed off with a quickness. My problem is that I can trust Him with these big problems, but not with the little day to day struggles. I do not altogether pray without ceasing. When the "small" problems come around, I have the feeling that I would be bothering God with such a trifling of a problem. The predominant feeling is that I am too needy. My independent nature lurks inside waiting for its chance. Patience is lost at times. I try to pull the trigger and take control. Loss of faith is evident in these circumstances. God is not given the chance to show his hand. I try to take the ball and run with it when the football is not even hiked yet!

These are just two examples, false perception and lack of patience, of how we do not give over ALL to God. He gave over ALL to us. His only begotten son, Jesus. The same is true for us. The new life given to us should be given back-in it's entirety! We must also understand that He still wants to give us his ALL. This means any and every little request possessed by us. Give them all up to his altar! He is our Father, our Abba. He cares for us dearly, in all matters of our life. Our prayers may not always be answered in our desired manner, but it is always answered in our best interest. It is the little things that count. They make up the big things. The more we are reliant in Him for the small things, the more readily all our prayers will be answered. I know that I've bugged my parents for the dumbest things! Why not "bug" your Eternal Father?

kenny

Proverbs 15:7

"The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so." Proverbs 15:7

The business world is based upon competition. The job market is about being the best man to fill the job. People are always looking at the next rung on the ladder. They want to acquire as much knowledge as they can to benefit their climb up the corporate ladder. Knowledge gives them the edge, if they have more than their competition.

The corporate world encourages this phenomenon. Why? It's how they get top notch employees. The foolish do the same thing. They hoard their knowledge in life. Why? It enhances their life. Self-enhancement. They look better, while others around them look worse. They put themselves upon a pedestal. The foolish do not want others to become better individuals. The knowledge kept gives them a sense of superiority. It is a one-way street going into the heart of the foolish. Knowledge of the world flows freely into the heart. Outgoing traffic does not happen. Fear keeps it inside their heart. Fear that others may outshine them.

The wise do not possess this fear. I know that I do not want to keep the knowledge that God imparts to me locked up. A two lane street leads to and from my heart. As quick as God puts it into my heart, I want it hitting the highway via postcard, letter, email, or telephone. However I can disperse it. We are meant to be a help to one another. We all think about and perceive God in unique ways. Let us share these unique visions and thoughts of God. Enhance lives around you. Help people to bloom as they were meant to by God.

The foolish have a narrow line of vision. I want God vision. Looking everywhere and seeing potential. Potential to help others grow and sow. The foolish do not understand the goodness of God. God sees us all with the same love. Under His guidance, we have the same brightness. None are better or brighter and none are dimmer or worse. We all have a job to do. Love and share His wisdom. Do not become integrated into the corporate world. Step outside. Share the wealth of knowledge you possess. Help others to become what they were meant to be. The kingdom is furthered in said manner. Let it be said that I helped the kingdom grow, not be kept small!

kenny

Psalm 112:7

"He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD." Psalm 112:7

Trust is a big word. A great deal goes into the placement of that word. I am not the most trusting person. This applies to various aspects of my life. Work, recreation, and personal issues are all affected. I would rather do jobs myself for I know they will be done correct and to my liking. Activities seem to go smoother(in my mind's eye) when I plan them. The last one is the big one. Trusting people with our feelings and history. The is huge! We all need to work on trust! But first, we need an example....

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." Genesis 1:26 Now thats trust! God just makes us, and He puts his creation, the earth, under our dominion. He never hesitated to pull the trigger on His decision. We repayed His trust with the breaking of His heart. Rebellion, a breaking of trust. Long ago, trust was broken by us. Adam and Eve allowed the serpent's words to play a mean melody upon their heartstrings. A melody so harsh that the strings were broken. Our direct link(relationship) to God was disconnected.

God is gracious beyond belief. Even though we severed our connection with Him via a lack of trust(I believe Adam and Eve were fooled into believing that God was holding out on knowledge), He still loves us and wants to re-establish contact(immediate-close relationship). Jesus was sent to earth. He paid sin's price. Jesus also tore the veil and made it possible to talk and grow intimate with God anywhere, anytime(as in Adam & Eve's time). We were given trust, and broke it; now, we are broken and must give God our trust. Adam broke trust believing that God had held out on him. It makes it hard to believe that God wants the best for us. The fact is God does want the best for us. He sent Jesus down as the perfect sacrifice. God gave His Son to die FOR us. God gave his best for us because He wants the best for us. Trust in God has to be re-established. Why?

Security. We have to be secure in this world. God is my security. He is my ship in this crazy ocean called life. Turbulent waters stretch out as far as the eye can see. God is my vessel, and Jesus the anchor that holds us down. The ocean throws all kinds of things your way. Icebergs are all around. Icebergs are friends with motives on top of the water(those we know and see), but different intentions lying below the surface(those hidden in their heart). Storms pop up. These are trials and tribulations that assault our ship. Whatever it may be, security is found in the LORD. He gives us something solid to cling to when life gets crazy all around. He is stable and firm in the everchanging environment called life. When evil rumors or tidings crash on us like a fog bank trying to smother our faith, our heart is safe when it is anchored in the LORD. In this manner, we relearn trust from the Master Teacher. A loving trust is placed back in our heart by the Father. Why?

It makes our relationship with God that much more intimate. Thus far, its been all us and God. God to us, us to God. What about us to us? Its how I started this out! Trust in each other. We have to lay our hearts out on the line. If we don't, we inhibit others. Growth will not occur. Humans are visual creatures. By seeing trust used by humans, they begin to wrap their minds around trust with God. Advertisement! When trust with God is established, we can begin to grow as Christians. Relationships bloom as they should!

Trust can be a heartbreaker! It can also be a heartmaker. Trust in the LORD gives us the strength we need to be bold and put our hearts out there. Trust cuts right through the layers of the heart. Its like an elevator at the top of the heart and goes straight down inside. Cuts past all the facades, scar tissue, and self-imposed walls. It allows us to truly see the person across from us. To plumb the depths of the well God has placed in our life. An intimate connection is born via trust. Truth of who we are, others are, and most importantly-who God is. This is tapped by an open willingness. I've never been much of a gambling man when it comes to money. I believe TRUST is my gambling game. You don't always win(and it hurts when you lose), but when you do win--OOHWEE what a jackpot that has been hit!

kenny

1 John 2:10-11

"He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes." 1 John 2:10-11

Options are given to us throughout life. One major decision is required. To live with or without God. A hard decision is or is not made. Life is definitely easier with God. I will tell you why.

Life is akin to walking down a road with lights lining the way. The lights do not always work. It depends on the decision that we have made. When we love our brothers/sisters, the path is lit and we see our way. Direction is easy for we are fulfilling his command to care for and love others. But, when we start to care more about ourselves, its like the whole block and surrounding area's lights go out. We are left in a city with no light. Aimlessly wondering around trying to find our way in life. Yet our way in life is to lose ourselves in our God and our people. We have to lose our self-concern, and change to selfless concern.

Others should be our concern. Truly radiate the burden of love the Father feels for them. We are His emissaries. We go to each and every different people group. Each of us are specifically made and tailored to show His love in a particular way and joy! God makes us with particular people, people groups, economic groups, age groups, and gender groups in mind. We were made to filter His particular love and care for those people. When this happens, when we embrace the burden of love He has given us, the lights on our road will relight.

Sometimes, we have to wonder in the dark to find out direction. When we embrace what we were made to be, the lights shine brightly. When we are absorbed in ourself instead of our brother, it is hateful to our brother. His concerns are beneath us. This causes darkness in our life. The true path is marked with lights. The lights are a sign of His loving guidance and support. We must lovingly live out His mission!

kenny

Proverbs 14:26

"In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge." Proverbs 14:26

"Home is where the heart is." Pliny Once we come to Christ, our heart is given over to God(home). God gives us a place of refuge. A home away from home. He provides shelter or a residence for our hearts to be protected from the wiles of the world and the Enemy. What is this residence built with? What does it consist of? Fear. Fear of the LORD. It is funny that we should seek refuge in fear. We commonly view fear as a feeling of agitation or anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger(courtesy of Websters.com). In this context, fear is viewed as extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power. So, we should be living our lives in a house of AWE!

A house of AWE is a very beneficial residence for our heart. Our heart grows and learns in the presence of God and God's Word. A confidence in the Lord is birthed. Not just any confidence, but a strong confidence. How is this built? Well, I'm going to take a Eleanor Roosevelt quote and modify it. The original went like this: "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which in which you really stop to look fear in the face." I thought this sounded a bit better. "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look God in the face." All of our admirable qualities come from Him! He gives us the strong confidence to proclaim His glory in a world where the majority does not care! The confidence from God is the only good confidence! It allows us not to have to worry about succumbing to pride. How does pride try to creep in?

"A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident." Proverbs 14:16 "Confident" in this verse means "self-confident." We have to beware when "self" is attached to descriptions of ourself. When "self" is thrown into the picture, emphasis is taken off God and put on ME! Glory is taken away from God; credit is given to ME! It is a dangerous place to live outside of the House of AWE. Satan will manipulate your good qualities into evil ones! Virginia Woolf said, "Without self-confidence we are as babes in the cradle." I want to be a babe in the cradle. A child of God is who I am! My confidence lies in Him, not myself. The first 27.5 years of my life was lived in self-confidence. What a muck I made of it! The majority of the things, I thought were best for me, were not! Not even close. The best thing for me was God! He is the source of my happiness, abundance, strength, love, wisdom, and confidence! He wants what is best for me. I will trust in Him, and I will live in my refuge of AWE!

Life is deceptive. We live in these big houses. They are filled with all manner of gidgets and gadgets. Distractions litter the house. How can we focus on God when He gets a Sunday slot only? "In the fear of the LORD...." is where we must reside. When we choose to reside in this house, do not limit your thinking on God. It is no hole-in-the-wall dwelling. God wants us to think larger than that. A palace is our dwelling. People think fear will restrict our quality of life. Satan spreads these lies. God has done nothing but enhance my life since I chose to live in fear. I rely on God, and not myself. Self-confidence leads to destruction. It is a snare. Fear of the LORD promotes life. "The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." Proverbs 14:27 I would much rather lay by the fountain of life, than have my foot caught in a bear trap that leads to death! Can you read the fine print on that bear trap? MADE IN SELF-CONFIDENCE

kenny

Proverbs 10:21

"The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom." Proverbs 10:21

Lips and soup go together very well. A great combination of words is formed. Feeding your lips is mandatory. Have you ever thought of your lips as being the one that does the feeding? Have you ever thought of your lips being a soup kitchen? Ponder the idea....

Soup kitchens are designed to feed those in need or want. A lack of sustenance is possessed. The righteous should treat their lips as soup kitchens. Soup kitchens on wheels. The foolish are in desperate need, but the majority do not even know it. Their souls are starving for sustenance. The one thing that will fill the soul's belly is Jesus. Jesus is the source of nourishment that is required. He will give the foolish new life. A full life is given, not the vainness of the world that consumes their hearts. The righteous are to provide wisdom and the Word of God to those in need. The foolish will come, and we must stand in the gap to serve them the Bread of Life.

The soup lines are not always full. The spectators are often more numerous than the ones in the line. Both parties are in need. The curious are in line seeking to satisfy the hunger of their hearts. The spectators are the very hard hearted. They stand apart in prideful silence. The soup kitchen is beneath them. They have all that they need. "What could a measly kitchen line do for them? What could this "righteous one" have to say to heal the pain deep in my heart?" Pride speaks to their heart. Satan does his deed. No solution is thought to be found from the lips of the righteous. The pain can be dealt with. Satan tells them that they've made it this far, why not the rest of the way? Pride keeps them out of the line that they desperately need. Because of pride(and Satan), they will turn and leave. They will die for lack of wisdom.

Stand in the gap. The gap is how battles are won. Few can defeat many if the defender is stalwart. Go to the foolish. Give them the hope that lies in your heart. Nourishment is needed. Hearts are starving. Instead of just being a bread winner, be a Bread lender!

kenny

Psalm 37:15A

"Their sword shall enter their own heart...." Psalm 37:15A

Amazing how the world works! All the while the wicked think they are prospering(by the world's standards), they are losing. Not only losing, but killing themselves spiritually. Its as if they are at their own birthday party with a blindfold on. Their heart is the pinata. They are whaling away at it, tearing it to shreds, while the "goodies" of the world rain down. They have all they want, yet they are in desperate want! Their soul is in tatters; it is in want of healing. It is in want of a Savior, a reunion with it's maker. The Father to pick up that wartorn heart and mend it anew.

We must go to the wicked. Treat the enemies as our friends-as ourselves. "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you." Luke 6:27-28 Just as Christ commanded. Show them the change in your heart, perform triage in the battlefield. Give them hope. Show them how to call 911 so that the great ambulance in the sky will come down. Jesus the paramedic will hop out and resuscitate that dead heart. Give them the means to restore a heart that they decimated. Empower them by empowering the Father and the Son. Never knew you could go from being rescued to being a rescuer!

kenny

Compasses

Compasses

Compasses are a pretty standard instrument in today's world. What is a compass exactly? A compass is a navigational instrument for finding direction. Different kinds of compasses are used for different reasons. Examples include: compass dial, variation compass, and a gyrocompass. These are mechanical compasses, one and all. My concern is the human compass. The one made of flesh and blood. The human heart!

Yes, the human heart is a compass. There is one problem. It came incomplete. Parts are missing from the compass of our heart. When we are born, it is just a heart-shaped box. The magnetized pointer is missing. Direction can not be found without this pointer. Where do we find a pointer? Well, I believe you could go check your local Target, Wal-Mart, or Bargain Barn. I do not believe you will have much luck! I have heard of a vendor that sells such an item! A traveling vendor called Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, we come to God. Once we have laid ourselves at God's feet and give over our lives to him, He will bestow a gift unto us. The Holy Spirit is imparted to us. A holy point(magnetized in a different way) is inserted into our heart. WOOHOO! We now have a finished product. What is the purpose of this finished product?

A compass provides a known reference direction which is of great assistance in navigation. How convenient! We now have a complete compass which is of great assistance in navigating life's many highways and avenues. How is it that we get assistance? Our compass needle(the Holy Spirit) gives us a known reference direction. God is the known reference direction. He directs us along the routes and roads we are to navigate. God is our true north. His way is always the right way. We just have to tune our eyes and ears to follow the proper direction and guidance the Holy Spirit provides to our heart.

Our heart is a very sensitive compass. The most sensitive in all creation lies within our chest. Satan and sin must be kept out of our heart. They are magnets. If those magnets get inside our heart, Godly direction will be thrown off. We will go our own route, much to our detriment. By keeping our heart clean of these magnetic distractions, we will be in tune with God. The directions given by the Holy Spirit will be followed clearly with no interference. Maintenance your compass with the Word of God. Keep a clean house. Life will be traveled safer and in your best interests and Gods if you follow your heart's needle in the correct direction!

kenny

I Will Survive

"...I will survive, As long as I know how to love, I know I'll be alright..." Gloria Gaynor I Will Survive

Love is a means to staying alive. Alive and in touch with your soul, your God, and Jesus Christ. It is a means of survival. Keeps your heart soft. By continuing to love, it keeps the world from hardening our hearts and forming callous' upon them. As long as we know "how" to love, we know that we will be alright. Alright is a wee bit of an understatement. The Bible does hold an excellant text on love.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

The main thing to remember is to love outwardly not inwardly. We exude our love to those in need. If we have Christ, we have all the love we could ever possibly need. What good is keeping love and not sharing? We must avoid hoarding love or pride, which is self love. Pride is a tainted version of the beautiful gift God has given us to dole out to those that are starved of God. By giving this love, showing affection to others, we are piece mealing God out on a daily basis. We are handing out invisible tracts, bookmarks, and pamphlets that tell and testify of the love of Christ.

It is in us; it can and needs to be in them. Everyday that we continue to use and show that love to others, it makes Christ swell up that much more in us. Our relationship grows that much more with our Savior. It is an endless bank account, my friends. We can never overdraw of love(unless it is self-love), for Jesus will always direct deposit a fresh supply back into our accounts. You will never get an INSUFFICIENT FUNDS notice. "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work..." 2 Corinthians 9:8 There will always be an overabundance of love in the Swiss bank account of our hearts. Pull out of those accounts with wild abandon and give to the charities(people) of the world, and you will always know and have a great reward in your heart and in heaven above.

kenny

Back-up

Back-up

God is our back-up for the back-up. We are here to lift each other up in prayers. When our friends and family are down, we are up! When we are down, they are up! It is never out of balance. The support is always there. "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." Psalm 37:25 Joy is always in someone's heart. He is ever faithful to support us that we may be able to support each other! He is the back-up for the back-up(us supporting each other)!

kenny

Proverbs 10:12

"Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins." Proverbs 10:12

Hatred can do some amazing things to our heart. It can totally change the climate of our heart. As a child, our hearts are sunny and lush with grass. A beautiful clime resides in our hearts. Events have a way of occurring in our life. Life and people can be cruel to us. By these acts, a climate shift occurs. What is this new clime like?

The sun in our hearts changes subtly. Ever so slightly, the climate changes. Hatred can come to reside in our heart. Hatred brings a change in climate. The sun becomes a searing sun. No longer does it beam down on us warmly, as if smiling. Now it glares down on our heart. It sears the heart, and all the grass dies away. A desert is left in a once love-thriving environment. We walk around in this desert aimlessly. The heart of hatred saps our strength. Whirling dust devils issue from our heart to attack other hearts. The sand whipping and tearing at another's tender heart. Attempting to roughen and harden other's hearts. Hatred makes our hearts into a very hard place to reside. Hope can be found in the desert!

A mirage appears in the form of a man at a well. Do our eyes deceive us? The smiling visage is staring straight at us! A smile offering a hint of coolness to the arid air. We approach this man. A cup is in his hand. Cool blessed water. Not just any water though, the Living Water is in the cup. A taste of heaven resides in the cup. This is no mirage to the thirsty soul. A humbleness occurs; a giving up of hatred to the Man with the nail pierced hands. The cool, crisp water touches our lips and glides down our throats. A noticeable change in the air occurs. We thought the clime could and would never change. Snow begins to fall in the desert. A cool radiance of love emits from Jesus' eyes. His love blankets the hot sand of the heart. The snow does it's work over time to change a once barren desert into a hospitable clime once again. Love will thrive ONCE AGAIN!

Hatred can come in and take over your heart, if allowed. The dust devils will attempt to stir up strife in your life and the life of others. Jesus has the antidote for such a poison. Hatred is A POISON! His love will enter our hearts to bring about a change. No matter what kind of climate you have in your heart, it can be changed. God will bring in a cold front to give the necessary precipitation to precipitate a change. Love can and will conquer all sins!!!!!!!

kenny

Proverbs 10:20B

"....the heart of the wicked is little worth." Proverbs 10:20B

Tunnel vision is not a good thing. We tend to view the wicked as irretrievable. Many viewed Saul as irretrievable. Paul(Saul) wrote many of the New Testament books. We can get jaded towards these wicked people. The crimes, committed against humanity, taint our view of them. The view, possessed by the righteous, is their heart is of little worth. There is some truth to that statement....

Wickedness tends to darken and blacken our hearts. The wicked do not perceive anything. Their heart seems to be the same as anyone else's heart. The righteous view the wicked's heart as a big black lump of coal. With that mental image in the righteous mind, hope is lost and given up. BUT, a thought occurred to me. Put the Gospel to work on this lump of coal. If we do our duty, our lips will proclaim the Word of God unto the ears of the wicked. The Holy Spirit will work on that lump of coal. How will it work? A whirlwind of love will surround the blackened heart. Erosion happens everywhere in the world. Why not on the heart? Given time, the wind of the Holy Spirit will wear down that heart. A penetration will occur. The wicked can be saved if they hear the Good News! Whats left when the Holy Spirit is done? What good thing can come from a lump of coal? A diamond is the result.

God is a wonderfully, forgiving god. He can transform even the wicked to his use. Those are the ones who usually turn out to be the most passionate. Just remember one thing: even coal can produce a gem of a heart. Beauty is found beneath the grime! The Lord will make the black heart into a pristine jewel of a heart.

kenny

Corridors

Corridors

We must view and use our hearts as a corridor for God. Open the doors of our hearts. The first door is needed to be opened to God. God will come into our hearts and indwell us. Strength will be given to us. Empower us to have the courage to open the second door. The second door is to the people in our lives. The two doors, opened in combination, creates a breezeway between God and those in our lives.

I can picture God filling the breezeway of our hearts. Just enough room for the Holy Spirit to blow around him. The Holy Spirit blows from the heavens down through our heart, around God, to blow into other's lives. The thing is that travelers are picked up along the way. As the wind blows around God, motes are lifted up off of him. These motes are the essences of God free falling down into another's heart via your breezeway. This is how seeds are planted. I like the term motes. They go into another's heart and begin to cover it. Protect it from the Enemy. A layer is built up; it surrounds and protects their heart. Allows God's love to penetrate and take hold.

It is direct access for Him; as long as we willingly submit to God. Instead of us trying to use our brainpans to figure out the needs of our friends and family, we submit to God. Open up our hearts and give them over as tools. He will use our hearts to minister to those in need with His knowledge. A true ministering with eyes that see the need, instead of us shooting in the dark with earthly wisdom. We are to be an open corridor for God to work through us in our lives. It is the best way that we can use or be used for His wisdom. Ministering will happen to the utmost potential.

kenny

Pain

Life is a crazy thing. One minute you are up, one minute you are down. There is always a question that lies with this. Who do you take with you on this rollercoaster ride called LIFE? We all make the choices of who comes with us. Funny thing, they don't even get an option. They are dragged unwillingly and unwittingly into the coaster.

Don't know if its going to be a high or a crush. Is their heart lifted up with excitement? Is it loved and cherished as it should be? Or is it mangled? Is it wrenched and twisted into a painful art form? Without consent, we abuse. The lashing out seems to be in darkness. The strong emotion of the moment blinds us as surely as Jesus blinded Ananias. Its hard to see through the moment. A moment that grips us with emotion. Elation or despair. Contagious joy or a crushing jab. The worst part of this whole scenario is that we do it most often to those we care about and love.

Wrongs are most often committed to loved ones. A heart, that we dream of protecting, is slashed open with harsh words and harsh treatment. The gracious kindness and beauty and fun that was given and brought into our life is met with the selfish hurt of our heart. Why do humans act this way? Why do I act this way? I know better, but I chose the wrong path anyways. I put my "needs" in front of God's best wishes and what He would have for me in my life. Yet again, this child ran off trying to pull God along.

I did what I promised I would not do. Looking out for me instead of others. All I can do is pray for forgiveness. Pray that a heart is mended. For even if it is a tiny nick or abrasion on the heart, it is the equivalent to a gaping flesh wound on the body. The body heals quicker and instantly forgives. The heart is not so gracious. I pray that I would never hurt that beautiful and sweet heart again. Avoid causing pain to these treasured hearts of those we care for and love. You never know what sort of chain reaction you might cause!

kenny

Pain

Life is a crazy thing. One minute you are up, one minute you are down. There is always a question that lies with this. Who do you take with you on this rollercoaster ride called LIFE? We all make the choices of who comes with us. Funny thing, they don't even get an option. They are dragged unwillingly and unwittingly into the coaster.

Don't know if its going to be a high or a crush. Is their heart lifted up with excitement? Is it loved and cherished as it should be? Or is it mangled? Is it wrenched and twisted into a painful art form? Without consent, we abuse. The lashing out seems to be in darkness. The strong emotion of the moment blinds us as surely as Jesus blinded Ananias. Its hard to see through the moment. A moment that grips us with emotion. Elation or despair. Contagious joy or a crushing jab. The worst part of this whole scenario is that we do it most often to those we care about and love.

Wrongs are most often committed to loved ones. A heart, that we dream of protecting, is slashed open with harsh words and harsh treatment. The gracious kindness and beauty and fun that was given and brought into our life is met with the selfish hurt of our heart. Why do humans act this way? Why do I act this way? I know better, but I chose the wrong path anyways. I put my "needs" in front of God's best wishes and what He would have for me in my life. Yet again, this child ran off trying to pull God along.

I did what I promised I would not do. Looking out for me instead of others. All I can do is pray for forgiveness. Pray that a heart is mended. For even if it is a tiny nick or abrasion on the heart, it is the equivalent to a gaping flesh wound on the body. The body heals quicker and instantly forgives. The heart is not so gracious. I pray that I would never hurt that beautiful and sweet heart again. Avoid causing pain to these treasured hearts of those we care for and love. You never know what sort of chain reaction you might cause!

kenny

Job 33:4

"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Job 33:4

What do I believe people take for granted way too often? Our bodies. We have a tendency to treat them in the worst possible ways. They are treated like run-down cars, skateboards, mopeds, mountain bikes, dartboards, etc. We use and abuse them all day long. Since we wear this skin, we deem it as ours. It is to a degree. This body and life we have is a gift. A gift given by God. Whoever treats gifts with such disdain? Especially a gift given by the Almighty, it is unheard of!

"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground...." Genesis 2:7A God formed us out of the earth with His own hands. Time was taken to hand craft us in his image. When we abuse our bodies, we attack God on two levels. His creation is maligned by our hands. We willfully taint and tear apart his creation. Examples include: alcohol, drugs, sex, obesity, sports, masochism, and suicide. A myriad of ways abuse is abuse rendered to the body. A great many are done in the name of fun or love. In the name of love-thats ironic. The second is His image. We are doing damage and maligning the image of God. Wrap your mind around it. The image of God walks past you and interacts with you on a daily basis! We should not treat our bodies lightly or like playgrounds. They house the spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is within us. These bodies are like the Ark of the Covenant.

"...and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life...." Genesis 2:7B This lovely vision of God fills my mind. He is on his knees over a body formed of clay. Leans over and His lips brush our lips and a breath escapes. The Holy breath of God fills our lungs. Chest rises for the first time. Something that I have never thought of. The breath of God in my lungs. So many treasures are given to us, we overlook the greatest and simplest ones. When our breath catches in awe, it is His breath that catches. Just the tiniest little gift, a breath. Tis the best gift ever received by me! And yet again, we abuse this gift, namely in one way. Trying to take that breath away. Those of us who view life as too much. Pain is too intense. We are too much wrapped up in our own guilt, pain, and depression to realize what we possess. Jesus made a way to get us intimate with God. We want to throw that away? Not only intimacy with the Father and serving others as Jesus, but we slap Him in the face by desecrating His work, image, and breath he bestowed IN us. Nothing in this life is bad enough to give up all that God has to offer.

Mass destruction is still the menu for humanity. Respect must be learned for our bodies. It is not just our bodies we are respecting, but God! His image is what we wear! I do not see porcupines, apes, alligators, or moose talking. We are not animals, even though we tend to act like them. A gift is treasured. Treasure the gift God has given. Do not allow society to conform you to it's destructive nature. Honor the LORD thy God. Treat your body with the respect it deserves!

kenny

Ecclesiastes 3:11A

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time..." Ecclesiastes 3:11A

Life is a beautiful, beautiful thing. A thought occurred to me. My life is akin to space. All of humanity are the stars that surround my star in the midnight sky. Our lives can seem pretty dull and mundane hanging out up there in the sky. Every so often though, excitement flashes through our existence. New stars, new friends, wink into existence around us. They bring a new beauty and a new light to shine into our lives. New perspectives are found due to the luminosity of the LORD in their lives. A change is brought into us thanks to the generosity of God. He brought them into our life to hone us and make us the men and women we were meant to be. To fill the shoes as they were meant to be filled.

Sometimes those stars stay for our entire lives. Sometimes it may be for a season. We have to learn to accept God's will. No matter how it saddens or threatens to break our heart at the thought of the loss we must endure. Our life will be a dimmer place when that light is gone. God will make his call; they will shoot off like the shooting star that they are. A light such as these were not meant to be hoarded. They are to spread their light as the sun does...hmmm.. as the Son does! Shooting stars, I hear, are beautiful things. The physical world can not compare to the spiritual. It is a pale reflection at best of the beauty of God. So imagine a spiritual shooting star. We all have them in our lives. Treasure and cherish the time you have with people. Some star's light is just too beautiful to be kept in one part of the galaxy!!

kenny

Proverbs 6:23B

"....and reproofs of instruction are the way of life..." Proverbs 6:23B

"To err is human; to forgive, divine." Alexander Pope A statement of truth was uttered by Alexander Pope. We are human; we will err. Tis our nature. Mankind strays from God's instruction on a daily basis. God did give us a means of reconciliation from these estrangements. The Holy Spirit resides in us. He governs over our spirit. When we do turn from the right path, conviction occurs to bring us back to the correct path. We are rebuked. God is sought in prayer to seek forgiveness. Forgiveness is readily given by God, for He is divine. Humans are not so forgiving-of ourselves especially.

I used to be truly awful on this point(can still be from time to time). My nature is very critical-of others and especially myself. High standards are what I have set for myself. When I do not meet those standards, the pummeling of my soul begins while God watches on the sideline. It feels like I'm in a boxing gym. Smell of sweat is heavy in the air. Walk mopingly to the speedbag, except there is no speedbag. My heart hangs from the form. Fire and anger light my eyes as I see the source of my lack of dedication. There is no forgiveness in my touch! I whale away upon my own soul. We have a tendency to be merciless when we make mistakes! I know that I do. We carry them around with us. They are shackled to our feet. What we have to realize is that God has already given us the key of forgiveness. It will unlock the shackle on our foot. We just have to use it.

Forgiveness, even of ourself, is divine. God gave us that spark of the divine. It rests within our heart. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to forgive ourself. God just wants us to understand, to know the difference between good and evil and apply it to correct our path. He does not enjoy watching us waste away in a prison of our own device! Understand that we did wrong! Do not return to said folly! Embrace His forgiveness and our own, and continue with purpose and passion down the road we were meant to walk!

kenny

Job 33:27

"He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;" Job 33:27

Pervert is the correct word in this verse! I know that the many sins in my life have put me to the wrong use. Willingly forced to the wrong path. I embraced those sins, and there are a specific two that I wish to address in this writing. Thankfully, one is long left in the past, for I have not embraced it since before I became a Christian: thievery. The other is a constant struggle. A temptation that is dealt with on a daily basis: women. It is the relationships with both that have been perverted!

First of all, a relationship with thievery is not right! Thievery did corrupt my view of honesty though. This corruption had begun a long time ago. I believe it dates back roughly to the sixth grade. Actually, now that I think about it, it was more like the second or third grade. I remember pilfering G.I. Joes from a local store. My mom never asked how my collection miraculously grew by itself! This was a short stint until I picked the bad habit back up in the sixth grade. Yet again, another funny story(not truly humorous though!). I lived with my sister, and she never questioned how my book collection grew(for books were my primary aim). I did have a few rules or morals to my stealing. My belief was to steal only from corporate stores. Individuals were not on my list. It did not make it right, but it rationalized it for me.

Honesty was compromised by this habit or hobby. My value of things was compromised. Respect was lost. You lose all manner of characteristics when you delve into sin. All manner of trinkets and whatnot would be stolen. Books, movies, video games, electronics, pens, and many other miscellaneous items were on my list. I kept up with the dollar value for bragging rights. In the end though, it profited me not! I had all these material items yet it increased my worth none. It subtracted. The value of the meaningful things of this world was lost: honesty and respect. Thankfully, God is merciful. He broke me of my habit/hobby. Showed me the value of being honest and purchasing what I wanted. The perverted track of thievery was left in the dust. Thank God!

The worse of the two is my relationship with women. Tis funny, I did not even start dating until midway through my senior year of high school. Scrawny, short, and obnoxious were my main characteristics. Imagine that huh? The Marines will also work wonders in the ladies department. The uniform is the hook, I suppose. Whatever it be, I became a chronic dater. Abundance is not always a good thing! I once heard a comedian say that if you are stringing along three or four women, then he could show you three or four unsatisfied women. A man cannot fulfill his role with a woman in a relationship if he has two or three others that he is also trying to fulfill his role with. This comedian also stated that if you are doing things right, then one woman is all you need or can handle! This also transcends to gods. The Almighty Father is more than enough. He is the only true God, and his path is hard enough to walk without all the other false gods trying to distract us. One woman!

I had a hard time with that one in my pre-Christian days. Juggling women seemed to be fun. It kept my mind entertained, but not my heart. All the while, I got emptier and emptier. Loneliness abounded....until I found the one True Love of my life. Jesus Christ. The emptiness is gone, but there is still loneliness. We cannot get away from a bit of loneliness. By trying to keep an abundance of women in my life(to fill that emptiness), I desensitized and lost the true value of a woman. My view of them was more on a sexual level than anything else. I lost sight of what I needed from them first and foremost! Friendship. My programming is being changed on a daily basis. I thank God for that! Seeking friendship before all else. A common ground that was never in my previous relationships. A woman whom I can open up my heart to with no fear of ridicule or loss of confidence. Confidence in myself and in her(not to share with all her girlfriends)! An open relationship between God, her, and myself(like Adam, Eve, and God before the fall). My eyes are opening to the true value of relationships. Honesty and vulnerability. Vulnerability gives us the courage to love more truly and deeply than ever before. The beauty of relationships to me is how it forms a man and a woman into a god-like unit. Men have certain characteristics of God, and women have others. It is the joining and the union of man and woman that bring this beautiful creation together. A true blessing to see two halves of God's creation become one to do his work!

Abundance does not always lead to profit! I had abundance of material items and women, and I got worse off. God showed me the error of my ways and the true and hard path to becoming a man after God. The road is still being trod upon, but now it is embraced with all it's adversities. Why? Growth is my only option. The only thing I want because I become more like Him everyday! And it profit me everything!
kenny

Proverbs 21:23

"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles." Proverbs 21:23

People will say the most amazing things to you. Some of the things that come out of people's mouth just never ceases to amaze me. I know just how this works, because I used to say some crazy and downright vicious things. My mouth and wit were used in tandem. If someone got on my badside, I knew exactly what to say to cut them to the bone. The flesh consumed me and I wallowed around in it. The gifts of wit, the God gave me, were used to the detriment of friends, family, and others. I could be a constant source of discouragement. Thankfully, God got a hold of my heart.

It has taken me a while, but I figured out a gift of mine. Encouragement. The funny thing is the Enemy knows your blessings. He will take your spiritual gifts and use them with destructive force against the souls of this world. It is nothing that I am proud of. Satan used me as a willing(at the time) pillager and sacker of peaceful hearts. The rage, that got enflamed by the Enemy, was snuffed out by the Living Water that has come to reside in my heart. My gifts are beginning to be used for their original purpose! My intent is to encourage people. Help to mend hearts instead of rend them. Cover those cuts with band-aids. Minister to hearts instead of massacre them. Will people still try to get our goat? Oh yes indeed!

The image I have is of the old Acme cartoons. Foghorn Leghorn running up, smacking the dog on the bottom, and running off. The dog chases until the chain drops him short. This happens to us, day in and out. The Enemy uses people in our lives to do this to us. Their words run into our chest, smack our hearts on the bottom, then run off and wait for retaliation. People just try to stir us up. Our tongue takes off to chase them down, but unfortunately there is no chain on our tongues. They have the ability to run rampant. It is often too late to rein them in. The tongue says it's piece, and the damage is done. We must rein in and chain in our tongues. We cannot let the world get the best of us! The tongue must be kept in check. Damage is done threefold. Their hearts(which are already hurting) are cut again. Our hearts feel and suffer the backlash. And Jesus, who cares about both our hearts, gets the double whammy. It is a massacre all over again.

Our tongues must be held in check. The repercussions are not worth it. The damage done is not worth the wee bit of satisfaction that is gotten to jibe someone back. Do not inflict pain and trauma to their soul, your soul, and to Jesus. The degradation, of one of the most beautiful things that God created, is a tragedy. Shakespeare could not put it into words(tragedy wise!!). Next time those words try to come marching in to smack your soul around, instead of a BEWARE OF DOG sign that used to be there, there is a BEWARE OF LOVE sign. Respond properly. Instead of lashing words, give loving words. Heal and fill with love, instead of killing and stealing their chance to know God!

kenny

Proverbs 25:25

"As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Proverbs 25:25

Our view on life can be pretty narrow at times. Our eyes allow us to only truly see the events that shape and define our life. Tunnel vision often occurs when we are going about the weekly routine. Friends and family are muted when we are caught in the throes of life tossing us around. The concern is on us. The personal self is in the spotlight.

Life can be overbearing in these times. A combination of the Enemy attacking and God working in you can provide a very chaotic time. Darkness may be all you see and perceive. Hope is a dim flickering light in the hallway of life. Good news is that light can be fixed. Sometimes all that is required is a little tightening up to make that light shine forth brightly again. In this case, a little help goes a long way!

Praise! Praise can strengthen the light of hope in our dim hallway of life. Friends and family can spark this renewal of light and life. A refreshing of God's grace is injected into our dim world. They bring their praises into our world. God's wonders that have been worked in their life. How He has blessed them! The sharing of blessings that have been received. With all that has been attacking from the outside and working on the inside, a lack of focus on God has been maintained. But these praises, they give us direction. They point us to the grace that has been overlooked. A strengthening in our soul occurs. The light bulb is tightened; hope shines forth!

It is in these dark times that our soul is parched and dry. A praise lifted up to God in our presence brings down the sunlight of His gloriousness. The sunlight bolsters that wearied soul. Gives us strength. Tis what we are called to do. We are to be ambassadors. Bring the good news from our country to give hope and encouragement to those countries around us!

kenny

Mates

As I was lying by the poolside, I noticed a woman. Upon admiring this work of God, a chain reaction of thought occurred. It stems from the overwhelming concern that the majority of us have for outside packaging for our future mate. The top priority that is given for a perfect or beautiful body. The ironic thing being that man set the standards for a man's and a woman's perfect body. God had nothing to do with it. We have set the standards on what pleases the eye. God's focus is different. He knows its the the motor that drives the car. The heart is where the true beauty lies. The true perfection of God's creation, if...IF....that heart is fully cleansed by Jesus and devoted wholeheartedly to God. A good analogy to me comes from the movie 8 Seconds. Upon meeting future husband Lane Frost for the first time, Kelly Kyle remarks to her mother that Lane's got a skinny rear. Her mother's reply was simple: I'd rather judge a man by the size of his heart than by the size of his rear-liable to do you more good. I agree wholeheartedly!

Heres another funny thought that popped into my head. It may be due to the fact that Christmas is coming up. A major concern come Christmas time is presents, with less emphasis on the birth of Christ. Presents! What is the major concern here? It is not the external wrapping....NO SIR! Everyone wants to know what is on the inside. Their focus is on the internal; they could care less if it was wrapped in grocery bags! Funny, how at Christ's birthday, we can focus internally like we should-even if it is materialistically. The proper direction is being observed. Yet, in our personal lives, its all about the wrapping and not the beautiful gracious gift that lies within. It is not about the one thing that will allow us to understand them better, our own heart better, and God better! Their heart is way more precious and worthy than the clay vessel that surrounds it. A heart after God's will shall outlast this body that moves us about. It is our chance at the eternal.

I've always thought that it would be nice to have a BMW, Mercedes, or Land Rover. They are beautiful and awesome machines. The exteriors can be flawless. The only thing is that a great many people(not all mind you) who drive these machines are wealthy. A good deal of wealthy people(not all mind you) have an attitude of loftiness that seems to come with all that money. An idea that tells their heart that they are better than others. A different level has been attained. I, on the other hand, am not as concerned with how the outside of my vehicle looks anymore. My major concern is the quality of the motor. Will it get me where I need to be? God has performed an overhaul on my engine, and I know where I am going! As far as a mate is concerned, I am not as much concerned with external features anymore. My concern has shifted inward. I would rather have a woman more concerned with what drives her(a heart after God), than what she is riding in(her body)! I hope that she seeks the same in her man! A relationship should never be based off looks. Remember, a big heart is better than a skinny rear!

kenny

Contentment

"Let me, if I may, be ever welcomed to my room in winter by a glowing hearth, in summer by a vase of flowers; if I may not, let me think how nice they would be, and bury myself in my work. I do not think that the road to contentment lies in despising what we have not got. Let us acknowledge all good, all delight that the world holds, and be content without it." George MacDonald

The world is obsessed with possession. All the pretty and beautiful things of the world were not meant to be owned. We were put here as stewards. "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:" Psalm 8:6 Man was made to possess, but once again we tainted the TRUE INTENT!

Control and possession over things of this world increases our ego and self-worth. We seek these inanimate objects to give us value and meaning. Driven to collect and consume as much as possible. The thought that contentment and fulfillment will be found when we gather enough unto us. The beautiful things of this world were never meant for that intent. They were meant to enhance. Give us quality of life. Allow us to enjoy this world. To give us a reminder. A reminder of something to come.

We also might try to possess these beautiful things as an antidote. An antidote for the ugliness inside our hearts. By surrounding ourselves with beauty, we will forget the ugliness and selfishness that resides inside our hearts. Bad news, sports fans. We cannot cure our ill this way. We must stop lying to ourselves. Distraction is not an answer or cure for the disease inside. Contentment will not be found in this manner.

God's beauty is reflected in this world. His diversity and awe-inspiring magnificence. We cannot conquer and collect His reflection. Not in said manner. When He resides in our heart, THIS is the only way we can collect his reflection. It is not a collection, though! It is a submission, then a granting of His beauty is placed in our hearts. A beauty that our heart has been and always will be desiring. This is the contentment that we have been seeking. A cure for the illness that is deep within our bones. An otherworldly delight place inside of us.

It is only by this occurrance that we will be given the means to find contentment. To not feel the need to own and possess everything in this world, for we have everything-we have the One in us that created all this beauty! What more could give us a sense of peace? Fulfillment? Do not despise having a physical representation that leads to the road of contentment, but be content in His representation that produces a physical change in your heart!!

kenny

Psalm 38:10A

"My heart panteth, my strength faileth me..." Psalm 38:10A

"....So run, that ye may obtain." 1 Corinthians 9:24B Our hearts are running a spiritual race. The track is deep inside of us. The Lord's track is a well beaten path, but there is another path that the heart can choose. After running a while on the Lord's path, the heart may decide to go his own route. This may be due to our thinking we know whats best for us. When this choice is made, we leave the well beaten path to take a darker, more tangled path.

This path, our chosen path, is dark, oppressive, and dreary. Thorns line the way and tear at our vulnerable heart. The longer we run down this path, the more it affects our heart. The heart is oppressed by the Enemy. It is kept down this stray path, away from the light. When we are in the light(of Jesus), this is how our heart breathes. Our heart breathes in the goodness of the Holy Spirit. But when we choose to divert to the other path(darkness), we leave the light. Our source of breath, of life, is gone. When we run away from God's will towards our own, the heart pants. It breathes rapidly, shallowly, quickly, spasmodically, in a labored manner. Our spiritual strength will fail when we do not have the breath of life(the Holy Spirit) in our hearts.

Needless to say, when my heart starts panting and the world is crushing in, I know that I'm in the wrong. Its time to get back to clean, clear air that my heart can breathe. Get back to my strength, Almighty God. Once we are back on the right path, the air will taste so sweet to our hearts. God will replenish us. What do we learn from this ordeal? Simple.... "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." Jeremiah 10:23
kenny

Proverbs 25:28

"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls." Proverbs 25:28

Satan has one mission. Distraction! He wants to keep our minds off God. The means that he has at his disposal are numerous. Movies, internet, video games, vacations, books(that focus on things not of God), music, liquor, drugs, etc. All of these give us an escape from our "mundane" lives. Allow us a glimpse of something that we can't possess on an everyday basis. They are viewed as "breaks" or "relaxation." Indeed, breaks they are. Breaks from God. A separation time from God when they are used and consumed in exceedingly abundant dosages.

The Enemy wants to keep us on the run. He wants to keep our soul bouncing around like a pingpong ball. Our sould just keeps pinging back and forth between God and whatever tidbits of relaxation that we may indulge in. An idea pops into my head of the Old West. Our bodies are moving cities; our soul is the keep of that city. When we give into the distractions, our city reverts to the Old West. No longer are we "cities", we are wagon trains. Wagon trains were basically moving cities in that era. When we have been thus converted, the Enemy is happy.

"Indians", or distractions, can attack us at will. Distract us at will. We have to stop, form up the circle, put our children(soul) in the middle, and attempt to protect the goods and loved ones. By series of attacks, the "indians" can basically guide and lead us on a meandering path(that leads anywhere but to God). We are consuming ourselves voluntarily; spending ourselves on emptiness. Seeking a relaxation that does not exist at the end of said path. In actuality, we run away from the true source of relaxation in this life! GOD!

Give God those moments you seek. Those moments of relaxation. He will give you the strength to rule over your soul. The strength to ignore the distractions, to see them for what they truly are! Breaks away from God, instead of breaks in God. Do not allow your sould to be a roving city with no defenses. Give the key to your city over to the Worty One. He will safeguard the keep of your heart. The keep will not be overrun, but the walls will stand tall and His banners will fly high!

kenny

The Full Grown Christian

The Full Grown Christian

"It is not the contemplation of what God had made him, it is the being what God has made him, and the contemplation of what God himself is, and what He has made his fellows, that gives him his joy." George MacDonald

Why are we discontent with what we are and who we are? Because we are not who we were made to be. God made us for a specific purpose. If we do not know God to the best of our ability, He cannot work the change needed in us. If we cannot be brash and bold at moments to request a tearing down of the old self, we will not be the best at what God made us to do. Our potential will be wasted and neglected. The Holy Spirit must be given free rein to work inside our hearts. The Holy Spirit make-over is required to fulfill the role that God has called us to play.

It is only when we come fully to God, dwell inside His Everlasting Goodness, and He captivates our WHOLE HEART that we will know joy. He directs every flow and ebb of the currents and waves of our love. Our gifts are realized, fine-tuned, embraced, and used for the people-for the greater good-for their intended purpose. His purpose becomes our purpose with no regrets, no shame, and no guilt on our parts. We are the image of Jesus among the populace. It is when we truly embrace all that He has given us that we are all He wants and made us to be! Joy will flood our heart and our eyes. Why? Fulfillment has been reached. We have truly and ultimately embraced our destiny.

kenny

1 Corinthians 16:17-18

"I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatas and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such." 1 Corinthians 16:17-18

Self-analysis is a must in this life. I am highly critical of other people that come into my life. My attention turns more towards others(in a negative way) than upon my own faults. I analyze people continually, and list their faults in my head. This force or focus needs to be redirected inside my own heart. The question is posed: what contribution do I make in a group of Christians?

Are they glad when I come into the setting? Or, are they instantly wearied or fatigued? Do I bring Christ with me into the group? Or, do I come barging in with "ME" all over my shoulders. Temperance must be used in these situations. A respect for ourselves and more importantly other's needs. A selfish factor can creep into us. We cannot come in with an overbearing load. The stronger in faith must give way to the weaker in faith. "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." Romans 15:1 We are to give more of us to them. They need a bit more of a visual than the strong. We are aptly named (if we are strong) because of the faith we place in Jesus. God sends the strong to be a comfort to those in need, not a discomfort by bringing the world in with us. (By no means must we appear perfect, but we must limit the demands we make on one another. Lift up the rest directly to God.) "Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;" Colossians 4:8 "Estate" in this verse means circumstances or how your life is currently.

We are to supply that which is lacking. It seems I am picking on those that are weaker in the faith, but this applies to all manner of things. Joy, knowledge, loving-kindness, temperance, or any great example that Jesus gave us in his life. Joy is always lacking for me, especially at work. Never have enough knowledge of Jesus. Each one of us flesh these traits out to exceptional degrees. Life taxes us. The world wearies our bodies. When we gather as the body, we must shine those God gifts. Create an aura of love that refreshes, revives, invigorates, and recuperates us after a worldly week. Allow God to work through us. He is the only one who can give us the strength to be a comfort to others. God may be working more directly on some than others. The Holy Spirit should blow down the breezeway of your heart to brighten up another's heart. Add luster to the paint, the world has tried to dull, upon your heart.

One of our purposes in this world is to be a comfort to each other. To strengthen, sympathize, love, and teach one another. It is how we keep the world at bay. Do not allow the world to change you into depending on people. We are here to complement each other, not completely depend or support each other. Stand tall in your dependence on God. He will give us exactly what we need to be a blessing to those when they need it.

kenny

Forgiveness

"Do you think God will forgive us for what we've done?" Denzel Washington poses this question to Christopher Walken in the movie, Man on Fire. Denzel's character had done heinous things in his past. He had the answer in his heart before he even asked the question. Hope had been lost for John Creasy(Denzel's character). Fortunately for him, love is stubborn. It is tenacious, relentless, persistent, dogged, and mulish. I think you get the point.

Love came in the form of Pita Ramos(who was a child). I believe she loved him from the beginning. She called him, Creasy Bear. He resembled a big sad bear to her. Her persistent love and will to know him melted the hard heart that had been forged. It was once a good heart(for knew the Bible). His heart was now encased in stone. The stone casing of his heart was smashed between the anvil of her will and the hammer of her heart. She showed him the divine. She showed him that it was ok to love again, to be human. Vulnerable.

What can we learn from this? Cling to the divinity that lies in your heart and soul. Your heart and God's love(divinity) should be so entwined that you cannot tell where one ends and the other begins. The cycle of decisions of the past must not rule your future. Only God is master of past and future. The present is his as well. Abide in Him, not in the hurt and wrong decisions of the past. They have no hold over you and no future in your life. Keep love fresh in your heart and keep your heart flesh. Do not allow your heart to become hard from a lack of hope or because of bitterness. Nothing is too great for God to overcome. Pita Ramos learned from the best. We all learn from God, for God will catch your heart between the anvil of His persistence and the hammer of His love. He shall set us free from the past. "Some birds are not meant to be caged, their feathers are just too bright." ---Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption

kenny

Psalm 40:1-2

"I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Psalm 40:1-2

Picture God sitting in his cosmic recliner. We approach our Father as children. Crying children petitioning Abba for attention. Why are we crying? Sin. The wrongs we have committed against God and against our brothers and sisters. It is bath time. A time of cleansing of our spirit is here. God is the only one capable of cleansing us of this self-induced taint.

The child(each of us) crys out to the LORD. The child begs for his attention. The Father inclines his head over the arm to look down upon our plight. (Our crys always reach his blessed ears. Thankfully so!!) Due to our sins, we feel and are in a horrible pit. It is a nasty pit that we have jumped into, full of miry clay. No escape on our own. We must be lifted up out of this mess. A child playing in the muck. The soul smeared and stuck in it's own darkness. But, a light is shining down into our pit. The loving hads of God will reach down into our personal hell, pull us out, and set us upon his lap.

BATH TIME! I see us standing in the Father's lap. A dirty little child staring shamefully down. Not wanting to look into the Father's eyes. The finger of God lifts our chin to look into those eyes so full of love that its like a raging ocean in his eyes. A warmth exudes and takes the sinful chill out of our bones. The light of his love banishes the darkness of sin. Our hearts melt inside of us at such compassion. Tears flow from the Father's eyes. Tears of blood, the blood of Jesus. God dabs at his eyes with a sponge and proceeds to wash us clean with the blood of Jesus. He gently scrubs the sin away with the only cleansing agent that is capable. Jesus' blood will clean us spotless. It is with loving care that God so washes us. The washing process establishes a foundation of resistance against the sin that got us in this predicament. God sets us upon his path. Direction is given to lead a more fruitful life.

Remember, God is Abba. He is our Father. We will be treated as his children. Do not be afraid to seek him for reconciliation. You will not be greeted by wrath, but by love. A loving relationship is what God desires. When we sin, we must not be afraid to cry out for God and beg for his grace. He will lovingly lift us up into his lap and cleanse us with the purest love the world has ever known!!

kenny

Psalm 63:8

"My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me." Psalm 63:8

The majority of Christian's relationship with God do not fall under this canopy. I know mine does not. How many Christians can say that their "soul followeth hard" after God? In this context, hard means very near or close in space or time. Before we can even get to the proximity issue, there is another question! Are we the ones following?

The image that I have is of a child grabbing the father by the hand and leading him along the path of life. The child thinks that it knows best. The thought is that it will be safe as long as dad is the companion. We often think that since we have God "on our side," we can run headlong after our desires. Scripture is clear. Follow! We must not and should not head our own way after our heart's desires. Follow means that God is in the lead and we come behind him. Seek His direction in your life. He will not lead astray. Though with God's leading, times will not always be smooth. Trying times will be ahead.
The only hope, or else despair
Lies in the choice of pyre or pyre--
To be redeemed from fire by fire.
T.S. Eliot Four Quartets

Following is not an easy task for someone. Faith is required. Faith in a good God. "The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him." Lamentations 3:25 He will lead us down the path, though it will not be the path of least resistance. "thy right hand upholdeth me.".....we will meet resistance when we walk and work for the Lord, but he will provide strength. Our hand is gripping his finger, relying upon him for direction and strength. Those qualities will flow from him and spread warmth and comfort into our being. Guidance and courage will be imparted.

A closeness must be maintained. Submersion in the written Word and the Living Water. Children take small steps and have short arms. With this combination and having a grip on Abba's finger, we will stay "hard" on his heels. Heels is exactly where we should be. Not in front, behind! Or, as Pastor Johnny Hunt stated, we need to ask God to break our plans. Make our lives truly available to God. Do not seek advice from God, seek His guidance!!!

kenny

Psalm 37:26A

"He is ever merciful, and lendeth...." Psalm 37:26A

Man the kiosk of your life. Share the virtues of the LORD with all those that are in your life. You man a moveable kiosk. You are a vendor for the LORD. Show everyone the wares that he has given you. Everything is free. How often do you see that at a store? Continually lendeth to others. GIVE-GIVE-GIVE.

Why? What if I run out? Never! A short supply shall never happen. God will ever lendeth. As long as you ask, He shall give. The supply trains will not break down unless it is by us. Life can wear us down to the point were we think we have nothing good left to give. Give over your bankruptcy to God. We are the only weak link between the unbeliever and God. Stay absorbed in God, and a weak link will not occur. He will keep us strong to lend to the needy.

kenny

Proverbs 15:14A

"The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge...." Proverbs 15:14A

Upon hearing various stories from the Bible, I had a misconception concerning wisdom. My thought process was that if I asked God for wisdom that He would just basically cram the whole Encyclopedia Britannica into my head. Much to my chagrin, I learned that it doesn't happen this way!

First, you have to be willing. God loves a willing individual. A request is made to God. Ask him for a hunger to dive into and read His Word. Don't leave him hanging though! Do NOT ask, receive, then squander the hunger He has given you by not reading. Familiarize yourself with His Word. The more we dig into it, the more we are deemed faithful. Faithfulness leads to bestowment.

What does God bestow? Discernment. Keenness of insight and judgement. Your reading will change. Things will begin to click and make sense. I know when I first started reading the Bible, it contained interesting stories. They were just stories to me. I garnered nothing else from them. Over time and prayer for a hunger and discernment, they became more than stories. Read inbetween the lines and gather hidden truths. The Bible is an excellant source of knowledge, but do not limit yourself to it. Many great authors(men of God) are out there. They have expanded the understanding and knowledge of God many times over. C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, G.K. Chesterton, Philip Yancey, Ronald Rolheiser, Martin Luther, St. Augustine, John Eldredge, etc. God gave me the ability to understand and grow under the tutelage of these men. They can do the same for everyone. They have been gone for years, yet still influence and help people grow intimate with God.

God wants us to seek Him. The easy part is accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The hard part is getting to know and grow intimate with God. Work is required. Knowledge is what brings us close to God. What joins our heart with His heart. Reading about him is the same as hanging out with your friends. Consider seeking knowledge exactly that, you are chilling with God and getting to know him better.

kenny

Psalm 37:7A

"Rest in the LORD...." Psalm 37:7A

The picture comes tomind of me sitting in the biggest and cushiest bean bag ever to be imagined. God is that bean bag. He enfolds me in his softness. Keeps me afloat by the buoyancy of His nature. "Rest" it says. Relax! In my memories of chilling in my bean bag, I was a child and had narry a care in the world. Life is hectic and busy. We try to fit as much stuff (people, hobbies, work, etc.) as we can in the day. Life takes us for a ride. Relaxation is found (supposedly) in front of a TV. How often do we go old school? How often do we return to the days of the bean bag?

It should be at least once a day. More so if life is wearing you down. He wants to comfort us and recharge us, but He can't do it if we don't slow down-take a breath-and ease down into that bean bag. Life is not a NASCAR race. Slow down. Rest in the LORD. Relax with your Father. Have a one-on-one conversation with him. Get some QT, and I'm not talking bout the QuikTrip! He wants to hear how your day is going! Yes, I know that he already knows, but he wants you to stop and tell him about it. Commune with your Abba. I guarantee you it will make you feel fresher, recharged, and more loved than your TV, work, or anything else!!

kenny

Spiritual Currency

SPIRITUAL CURRENCY

I have a friend in the final stages of a divorce. We were talking the other day, and he told me that he had just gotten a new kitten, by the name of Lola. At first, I didn't think about it, but as I thought about it later other thoughts came. The joke, from myself, was that he would end up like one of those people who surround themselves with animals as they get older. Upon later contemplation, a new twist was applied. My friend has pretty much retracted from social life. Interaction with other people outside of work is surfacy. Maybe interaction is not the proper word, invest is though. I believe that he is using these animals(forgot to mention he has a boxer as well) as his companions. He can have a good relationship with them and not get hurt. His love can be poured out on them with little to no fear of rejection or criticism. They will return AFFECTION to him not LOVE. I do believe affection is a type of love, but it is not LOVE LOVE.

Funny thing, that gives me such peculiar insight into this, is I had planned it myself. Before joining the Singles group, I already had a puppy lined up. The puppy was going to be my constant companion. I was going to invest my time and love in that puppy. Blessedly, things changed. The Singles became my destination. Life has been pretty fabulous ever since thanks to all the beautiful people that I've met. Thanks to God and the people that He has put in my path, I was diverted from the stray course that I was seeking.

Heres what it comes down to: investing your spiritual currency. What is your spiritual currency? LOVE. It is not only investing but it needs to be properly invested! My problem was that I was about to improperly invest my love. I was going to squander my wealth upon animals that will or would never understand or truly value the love. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against pets--just against pets being the center of your world or love. Making them idols. An earthly compensation for a relationship with God and people. There are commandments for the use of our love!

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:36-40 God is our primary investment. I am more concerned with the second commandment as it regards to our daily lives and daily reflection of Jesus. Love is the best thing we have on this earth. Like many best things, we have a tendency to hoard it. We can gush it out on our animals, but other humans are a different matter. Humans have the ability to cut us to the bone. They instill fear and inhibit our ability to follow through on this great commandment. Each one of us keeps ourself and others from becoming Christlike. To love is to be divine. We are most like God and Jesus when we love others unconditionally.

Love will get us started on the path to Christlikeness. Faith is what Christ had when God sent him into hell. Only love can enter hell. Christ came to pay the sacrificial price to return us to God. He invested his love in us. The return we gave him was bitterness, hate, assault, and finally crucifixion. We will endure bitterness and hate sometimes, but we must continue to love. "Be stubborn as a mule; the only thing that shatters dreams is compromise." Ronald Rolheiser Do not let the bitter things of the world dictate your love being shared. Do not compromise the command your LORD gave you. Love will win out. Bitterness and hate will never hold out when staring into the eyes of a love-filled person.

The best thing that I've come to realize is that love is the greatest spiritual gift God has given us. It is not listed as a spiritual gift, but I believe by opening ourselves up and loving one another unconditionally it is the greatest spiritual gift. Love is a gift from God; it is emplaced in us with the Holy Spirit. For a long time, I did not know what my spiritual gifting was. There are many out among you that do not know. I tell you now, embrace love. Be an ambassador of love. By showing genuine care and affection to others, it opens the door in your heart and their heart for growth. Growth of the Holy Spirit and Jesus. It is a beautiful two way street that we meander along when we walk with the love of Jesus.

The basics. We always stray from the basics. To make things easier and less painful. Pain is growth as well. Pain is separation of the old self from the new man/woman of God. Do not be afraid of pain. Christ lived his whole life in it. I leave you with this to think on.

"God covered our nerves with skin, we are not so hypersensitive. He has also given us a remarkable resiliency and an incredible capacity to heal. We are tougher and more elastic than we actually think.
As human beings we are in fact gifted with an incredible resiliency. Skin, bones, psyches, hearts, when pushed to it, have a remarkable bounce. They do not break easily, and when they do they have an unbelievable capacity to heal.
We can take a fall, a hurt, a cut, a rejection. It does not kill us, we heal, there is seldom an excuse for paralysis, never one for despair. We are tougher than we think." Ronald Rolheiser

Properly invest your spiritual currency, don't be a miser.

kenny

Competitiveness

COMPETITIVENESS

"Everywhere today the atmosphere is one of professionalism, efficiency, toughness, competitiveness and lean strength." Ronald Rolheiser Forgotten Among the Lilies

Succeed! We are trained at an early age to become successful. Some parents give us the proper encouragement while others are given a more hardened perspective on how to achieve success. I cannot fully remember how my perspective began, but I know how it has ended up.

God has always blessed me to rise up through the ranks quickly in any job that I have had. I did not know that at the time, but I do now. The job scene molds the competitive nature due to a lack...of positions. The higher up the corporate ladder you climb, the fewer the jobs get. Level of competition rises. Skill and maturity go a long way. The Marine Corps trains men to be efficient, tough, competitive, and of lean strength. Those traits are ingrained into my heart. They have led me to success in this world. Managers like these traits because it saves them money. Money makes the world go round. So, once these worldly traits are on the inside, how do we get them out?

My Savior was a good start. I got saved one year after starting my current job. Two months later, I was promoted. A blessing is what I always considered it. A pat on the back type deal. It seems that I might have just figured out another reason. I have noticed lately that disgruntlement with my job is growing. My job is based off competition. Higher productivity equals more money. Managers are trained to produce the best numbers, usually to the detriment of other managers and the customers. The only consistent way to do this is by making the customers suffer. They are oft times pushed back to later times. Their days are made hectic usually because of the greed that is ground into the management. We are trained to get as much as we can, while the innocents suffer.

For the longest time, I viewed the customers the wrong way. They were the problem(that was my perception). In actuality, we were the problem. The customers pay my check, provide shelter, feed me, and give me a means to fuel up my car! Time is God's greatest weapon I believe. Two years have passed at my job. The views in my head are slowly being changed by the God in my heart. The passion of competition is leaking out of me. The drive to be number one is gone. Joy is lost. A false joy, I should say. My sympathies lie with the customers now. An outsider seems to be my role. I no longer compete. A new aim is to take care of the customer before taking care of myself. Learning to be unselfish. Only God can work these changes. Time combined with His loving Son, Jesus.

I pray that Jesus is the Mighty Conquistador of my heart. Subdue all the territories that the Enemy may still try to hide in! Competition was sown into my heart by the world, but I believe Jesus is a jack-of-all-trades. Not only is He a carpenter, tailoring is right up His alley as well. He will take his seamripper and take care of that irregularity in my heart. Jesus will have a loving affect on our heart so that we might have a lasting effect on the work environment!!

kenny