PRAYERS IN THE SAND

The actions of our lives are the grains of sand that shape the beaches of time.

Innumerable

Prayers are as innumerable as the sand. The only thing more innumerable are the thoughts of God. Sometimes when I've prayed at the beach, I've asked God to bring me an answer like the waves that speak upon the shore. Sometimes I write my prayers at the waters edge and ask God to remove something from my life. Prayer was meant to be as unceasing as nature's sand creation.

Surrender

Prayers are like sand in that they have many forces that create and shape them. All grains of sand were once a part of something greater - like a rock or sea creature. All things had a beginning that was lesser than what they would become. Babies are innocent children who grow into larger selfish adults. Most of our initial prayer life is born self pity. We seek God's help in building a break-wall to protest us from the incessant pounding of life's waves. Pressure from flowing water can cause the breakdown of rocks into tiny particles of sand. God removes the rock of self with the flowing waters of His creation. The grains of self are deposited at our feet beckoning us to kneel in surrender.

Persistence

One rainstorm on a mountaintop does not create a beach many miles below. The change of seasons and forces of changing weather produce storms. The power of water can cut through a rock. The power of prayer can cut through to the Rock. The ocean never gives up it's waves, you shouldn't give up on your prayers no matter how  many seasons you wait.

Brokenness

One sea shell broken and battered does not make a beach. All grains of sand are left over memories of broken pieces of something that was once much grander. There was once three wise Kings who brought lavish gifts to a baby. The child grew into a man who was bruised for our selfishness. He was nailed to pieces of wood that were once part of a tree. He died and was put behind a stone. Brokenness caused a greater capacity to love. The beach is a place of brokenness that gives a greater capacity to pray.

Grains of Prayer 

• Waters must flow freely. Prayer must be offered willingly.
• The weight of sand determines it's relationship with water. The weight of prayer is determined by sincerity.
• The only thing more innumerable than sand are the thoughts of God. 
• Sand doesn't choose where its deposited. Pray where you are, life's a beach.
• Sand is shaped by force and pressure. Let go of your will.and let God shape your heart.
• Sand is a part of God's creation. You are more than sand, you are made in the image of God.
• Creatures hide their eggs in the sand. Prayer can be a place to birth new seasons. in your life.
• The beach is a boundary at the waters edge. Let nothing come between you and God.
• The beach is a place of buried treasure. Prayer reveals you as the treasure buried in God's heart.
• The beach is a place to land or launch a boat. All new endeavors need the council of the Holy Spirit before they are launched.
• The beach is a great place to cook fish. It's also a great place to fast and pray.
• Some sand floats some sand sinks. Allow God to determine the answers to prayer.
• Sand is a symbol of abundance. Gods answers are more innumerable than our questions.
• Sand is not what you use as a foundation. God is solid, stand with Him.

Thanks for your time. Go say a prayer for somebody. 

I pray for all who read this

 to know the love of Jesus Christ

 who became broken as a grain of sand

 so that we might live forever in a beach called heaven.

 Jesus loves you and so do we.

DRUNK ON ONE SWALLOW OF BROWN WATER

          Some times life's the smallest moments cause the greatest impact. Many folks tell stories about mustard seeds and mountains. My story is about some brown water and love.

          Today is Maunday Thursday, 2014. The term comes from the remembrance of what a dude named Jesus did at his last supper with his closest friends. He began the meal by washing their feet and telling them: "Love one another as I have loved you" (John 13:34). My last supper was Sunday night April 13, 2014. That was my last meal before I began my yearly custom of fasting from solid foods from Sunday evening until Friday evening.

          A fast is simply my way of saying: "I want to set aside normalcy and seek God totally." My life slows down as you might expect that it would when your body's energy wanes from fasting. Life becomes magnified with small things becoming more important than normal. I think appreciation is a food of fasting. Today it was a mouthful of brown water.

          My wife brings me coffee every morning before we spend our time reading God stuff together. After a while she goes on about her day as I commence writing a book, a blog or a post. She was in the kitchen as I took a sip of coffee. I did not swallow immediately as I normally do. I was like a wine taster savoring and discovering the flavors of a new wine. I paused and reflected on how that brown water got to be in my cup. It was like a foot washing moment, my wife is always doing something to serve me. Each day begins with brown water that she began preparing the night before. The "brown-water-coffee" is an act of love. It took me a moment to savor my wife's act of love that only served to reflect her continual acts of love. It was a "Brown-Water-Moment" and the flavor of love trickled from my mouth into my heart.

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.

I CONFESS

     

God is the Spring of new beginnings.

Forgiveness melts the frozen past. 

"They’ll get to know me by being kindly forgiven,

with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean."

          Several years ago I went through a devastating life episode. Some of my actions had hurt other people and I needed to take responsibility for those actions. It was the lowest point of my life.

          I felt like a dirt bag. I felt guilty. I was heartsick. I felt like a failure. For three days I fell into a deep depression. Wallowing in guilt and self pity is like a seed moaning about the Winter past when Spring was in full swing; it's useless and counterproductive. On the third day, my life changed forever.

          At about 5 am, I awoke up. I was still feeling like I'd poured some poison soup into my soul. Still in bed, I was lying on my back looking at the ceiling. I closed my eyes and I began to see in my mind. A mental picture had formed in my head. It was like I was looking at words carved on a rock. The rock was actually my forehead. Imagine for a moment. that your eyes had moved to the inside of your head and were looking at the inside of your forehead, that's what I saw. It was like a giant movie screen.

          Etched into my forehead was the word "Hebrews" along with the number "8:13." I am fairly familiar with the Bible but I had no idea what this passage meant. Grabbing my Bible, I looked it up.

Hebrews 8:13 (New King James Version)
In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

It's a good idea to read the surrounding passages to give you a greater perspective. Here's verse 12:

"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
 and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

For an even greater perspective here is Hebrews 8:6-13 from The Message Bible:

"But Jesus’ priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he’s working from a far better plan. If the first plan—the old covenant—had worked out, a second wouldn’t have been needed. But we know the first was found wanting, because God said,
Heads up! The days are coming
when I’ll set up a new plan
for dealing with Israel and Judah.
I’ll throw out the old plan
I set up with their ancestors
when I led them by the hand out of Egypt.
They didn’t keep their part of the bargain,
so I looked away and let it go.
This new plan I’m making with Israel
isn’t going to be written on paper,
isn’t going to be chiseled in stone;
This time I’m writing out the plan in them,
carving it on the lining of their hearts.
I’ll be their God,
they’ll be my people.
They won’t go to school to learn about me,
or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons.
They’ll all get to know me firsthand,
the little and the big, the small and the great.
They’ll get to know me by being kindly forgiven,
with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean. 
By coming up with a new plan, a new covenant between God and his people, God put the old plan on the shelf. And there it stays, gathering dust."

          I have to admit I balled my eyes out, I was wasted. The God of the universe had spoken to me personally and let me know I was forgiven. I got to know God on a deeper level through his forgiveness. I was starting over, taking responsibility, being forgiven, being loved - but best of all: God was teaching me to go and do likewise.

Pay forgiveness forward.Pay kindness forward.Pay love forward.

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.
#JLYASDW

And So This Is Easter - What Have You Done?

And so this is Easter,
And what have you done?
Another year over,
Has your new life just begun?

Some folks complain about holidays not having a real meaning other than material celebrations: Eggs, bunnies, bonnets, buns etc. 

What matters the most is:
The condition of your heart.
The work of your hands.
The direction of your feet.
The truth of your words.
The water quality in the River of Life is measured by the flow outside the gates of your heart. As a man drinketh - so he floweth!

Proverbs 23
7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
8 The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.

12 Apply your heart to instruction,
And your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Do not withhold correction from a child,

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
16 Yes, my inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.

19 Hear, my son, and be wise;
And guide your heart in the way.

22 Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24 The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
25 Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her who bore you rejoice.
26 My son, give me your heart,
And let your eyes observe my ways.

TWO BEAMS of TIME

It took years for this tree to grow into a cross.

The times of many seasons came together in the timing of growth for a cross-tree.

Time and timing are like two beams on a cross.
They are separate until they are brought together.
Take the time to connect the beams of your cross.
Your actions will create the timing of death for an old way of life.
Timing is the accumulation of times.
Timing is the completeness of times.
Timing is the result of actions.
Timing is the crossing of times.
Time is not for keeping, time is for making and giving.
Let God hold your stopwatch, He alone holds the hands of timing.
"Don't stop until the Holy Spirit stops you!"*

*This last sentence is a quote I heard from Pastor Craig McLeod at Life Church Buffalo and I have adopted that line as a personal life mission statement.
Thanks Pastor Craig!

Acts 1:7-8 Amplified Bible
7 He said to them, It is not for you to become acquainted with and know [a]what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed [b]years and seasons (their critical niche in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power.
8 But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

Acts 1:7-8 The Message
7-8 He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

Mark 1:15 Amplified Bible
15 And saying, The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled (completed), and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ([a]have a change of mind which issues in regret for past sins and in change of conduct for the better) and believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to) the good news (the Gospel).

Mark 1:15 New King James Version
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

The HEART FARMER & The BEES "HAS BEE'NS, WON'T BEE'S & WILL BEE'S"

Once upon a minute the Heart Farmer and his daughter Beauty were planting their garden. It was spring and the bees were beginning to buzz because buzzing is what bees do. At first Beauty was afraid of the bees. She remembered being stung in the behind when she was just a baby. Her Dad told her that their was nothing to be afraid of if you leave them alone.

The big burly man's smile beamed down on Beauty as he said: "God put the bees here to teach us what we should be." Beauty squinted as she looked up at her Dad whose face was barely blocking the sun in the beautiful blue sky. "What do you mean Daddy?" Asked the Heart Farmers daughter.

"Well my sweet little green bean, a bee will be what ever it's made up its mind to be. I've got it figured out that there are three kinds of bees. They are the "Has Bee'ns", the "Won't Bees" and the "Will Bees". The bees are just like people. Some folks sulk in the memories of what they used to be. They are the "Has Bee'ns".
Some never do anything but dream about what they want to be. Those folks soak in the fantasies of what they will never be. They are the "Won't Bee's". Some folks will be all that they can be. When life seems hard and they struggle to fly, they just try and try and try and then they fly, fly, fly! Those folks are the "Will Bee's". They Will Bee whatever they make up their mind to Bee!"

Beauty smiled a smile that beamed from behind each ear and said: "I love you Daddy!" Then the little girl looked at the freshly broken ground and said: "What are we going to plant today Daddy?" The behemoth of a man scooped his darling Beauty up into his burly arms and kissed her and said: "BEETS! Today we will plant beets in honor of the bees. Today my little green bean we will be as happy as we make up our minds to be!"

Just BEELIEVE
Mark 5:36
“Do not be afraid; only believe.”

The HEART FARMERS SECRETS of LOVE

SOW what you desire to grow.
WATER what you desire to grow.
FERTILIZE what you desire to grow.
REMOVE the weeds from your own heart.
SPEAK what you desire to hear.
PLAN according to the Four Seasons:
FORGIVE, REST, START OVER, CELEBRATE
BECOME what you want to RECEIVE.
The Heart Farmer uses a special blend of coffee to start each day.
It's grown on the Mountains of God and it's called:
"FMG" or FORGIVENESS, MERCY & GRACE.

{James 5:7
Be Patient and Persevering
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.}

{Psalm 126:6
6 He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.}

PRAYER of a HYPOCRITE

          I saw a dude in a hoodie yesterday that said: "SEX & DRUGS & RAP." My first arrogant thought was: "That's stupid. That guys probably mixed up in stuff that is not good." Then my memory appeared through the fog. It wasn't that many years ago that I was singing along with a song on the radio called: "SEX & DRUGS & ROCKIN' ROLL." Then I thought: "Oh yeah, I haven't been and I'm still not a perfect guy." I read this morning about a guy named Daniel who took responsibility for the sins of a whole nation.
           Okay God, I want to take responsibility for what I have done that has not brought glory to you. I want to take responsibility for my actions that have been hypocritical and may have lead others away from you. I want to take responsibility as a leader who has not always paved the way for young people to walk in a way that leads to you. I know that you are a God of forgiveness, mercy and grace. Please cover my irresponsibilities with your second chance grace. Please cover the irresponsibilities of those who didn't know what they are doing. Please cover the irresponsibilities of our city and our nation. Thank you for your passion. We proclaim our hearts be lent to you in one accord. Amen

Daniel 9:16
16 “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

HOW TO EAT AN APPLE LIKE EVE

 

          The desires of your heart eventually will be evident in the actions of your life. If you pay close attention to circumstances and events, you will notice many coincidences. Here's a definition of a coincidence: "A coincidence is an incidence brought about by Divine Providence and requires obedience."

          When the desires of our hearts are so strong that we thirst and hunger for them, we begin to look for coincidences that we believe are orchestrated by God. It is good to be aware of what God is doing. It is not good to create greater meaning out of a coincidence.

          Eve's eating of the apple was an expression of a desire to gain access to something she hungered for. Instead of being grateful and fulfilled with the beautiful life she had, Eve went fishing with a selfish pole. She wanted more than she could handle. There are many things in life that we desire that are not intended for us to have.

          Each revelation of God is like a plateau. We are designed to live life on that plateau until we receive the wisdom that comes from living there. We cannot leave the plateau until God knows that we are ready for the next step in our life journey. The distance traveled on a plateau is measured in time. We will travel on the plateau (or fall off) in days, weeks or years depending on our understanding of Gods wisdom. Some folks jump into relationships because they "just know" that the coincidences add up to love. They end up wandering on the "plateau of wrong relationships" for 40 years or more. Desiring a relationship so badly that you place your desires on the wrong person and believe them to be true is like "eating the wrong apple."

          Sometimes the Spirit of God will give you directions in small increments. When God gives you direction, that causes your spirit to stand up and take notice - especially if you are ready for a change. God will not give you the whole map at once; you are not ready to see His whole picture. When you receive a directional word from God, DO NOT START WRITING THE NEXT STEP UNTIL HE HAS GIVEN IT TO YOU! It's normal to get excited about something new. It's tempting to jump in and put a new plan into action. God will lead you and guide you in the way that you should go. He will not show you the Promised Land when you are standing in a parted Red Sea. Trying to look over the horizon beyond His current miracle is not a gracious display of gratitude. It's impossible to understand and gain wisdom from His current act of mercy if you are reaching for the apple of a more excellent way. Tell Him "Thank You" and He will be gracious unto you. It would be difficult to praise God with hands lifted high when your hands are reaching for an apple of covetousness.

          One of the most beautiful things that I love about fishing is that it empties my mind. When I sit with a fishing pole, I'm basically "mindless." I relax so much that my brain goes almost into a hibernation mode. The thoughts that seem to ping across my mental brain waves in millions per second are silenced. It's like I can sit down and feel a waterfalls cascading from my head to my toes. It's the flow of peace in my entire being. When I'm empty - then I can be filled by God. When God gives you direction, sit, soak and wait. Take a Shabbatt in Him. The word: "Shabbatt" is a Hebrew word and comes from root Shin-Beit-Tav which means: " to cease, to end or to rest." I've always taken the word Sabbath as meaning it's time for me to "rest in God."

          You can avoid the "apple eating temptation" by resting in God. My Aunt Loise Turcott told me once that: "I can look back on my life like a road-map and see all the places where God was at work. Now I wake up everyday and ask God to add to the road-map of my life!" Thanks Aunt Loise for your words of wisdom - I will heed them well.

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody
 (and be careful with those dang apples!)
#JLYASDW

MURDERED by HYPOTHERMIA of the HEART

Several years ago I was camping in the Adirondacks during the winter. The digital thermometer we had froze at 15 degrees below zero. We have no idea how cold it got that night. We were sleeping in a log lean-to which is a rather primitive 3 sided structure with a wood floor and an open front. It's kind of like sleeping on your front porch when the temperature is well below zero. Do ya feel me?

I wear a hoodie at night to help me stay warm. I made the mistake of climbing into my sleeping bag wearing the same hoodie that I had been hiking in. We had climbed a mountain during a very snowy day. The snow in my hoodie melted from my body heat. Wet and cold are partners in causing heat loss. I started to shiver as the coldness seeped down my back. I hoped that my body heat would dry up the wetness. I thought that maybe by breathing harder inside my closed sleeping bag that I would get warm. I tried running in place. Imagine yourself "running" in a sleeping bag while you're curled up in a fetal position. Nothing worked.

I knew that I would have to make myself more uncomfortable if I wanted to get warm. I lay there hoping I would get warm and also thinking about hypothermia. I wondered how long it would take before my I lost my mental clarity. Once that happened I would not be able to make healthy decisions. I knew I had to get up and cook some soup and remove the wet clothing. I fought through the onslaught of sluggishness and shivered my way out of the sleeping bag. I lit my backpack stove but the water bottles were all frozen. I carefully thawed a bottle by letting it sit in the heated pot. I was able to cook my self some Chicken Ramen Noodle Soup. IT WAS AWESOME!

After I finished the soup and put on a dry hoodie, I added one more life saving measure - a foil emergency blanket. I crawled into the sleeping bag and within a half an hour I was asleep. I woke up several hours later covered in sweat but I was warm and insulated by the emergency blanket. I had survived mostly because I was prepared. It's true that I made a bad decision in going to sleep with snow in my hoodie but my preparedness for emergencies saved my life.

Two days ago, someone I love was murdered. A cold person murdered him and now his body is cold. Last night before I drifted off to sleep, i had what you might call "a vision." In my minds eye, I saw myself standing in my backyard. I was only wearing a t shirt and some jeans. I was standing in the middle of the snow and frigid cold. My wife came out and tried to talk to me, I was incoherent. It was like the news of another murder had numbed me to the point that I was losing my mind. I thought a lot about that this morning.

Over the past 12 years I have seen many young people die. I never get used to it. My heart brakes and I cry for each murder victim. The vision was like the murders were causing a numbness in me that resulted in a kind of physical paralysis or a spiritual hypothermia. Would I become so disoriented that I would no longer be able to function? I know people like that. Fortunately for me, I am surrounded by people who watch my back physically and prayerfully. Their love and friendship thaw the coldness that murder causes. I need clarity that allows an unfrozen river of the Holy Spirit to bring fresh wisdom into my thawed spirit.

How many victims of spiritual hypothermia are walking around in Buffalo today? The freezing starts at a young age. Maybe it begins with a life devoid of love. Mom or Dad are absent or abusive. Bullying, sexual abuse, drug addiction, alcohol can become freezing agents used by the devil to help cause a spiritual hypothermia. People who are hurt develop a tendency to hurt other people to protect themselves. Each act of coldness lowers the heart temperature eventually causing it to freeze. A frozen heart has no compassion.

If we are not careful, it can happen to us. Life always has cruel blizzards of destruction that cause a freezing in our hearts. We have to be prepared for each season in our lives. After the first murder, it becomes easier to pull the trigger in the second murder. In the course of time, murder becomes an unthinkable act in an unfeeling heart. I hurt for the unfeeling heart that has been frozen by icy acts of bitterness.

The devil has already been defeated by love. The devil murders, steals and destroys. The longing in your soul to be accepted and valued has been placed there by God. You may not believe in Him but He believes in you. There is no pile of dirt that He will not pull you out of. There is nothing that you have done that He can't wipe away. There is no coldness that He cannot thaw with His love. I know the coldness of evil and I know the warmth of God's love. I choose love and I don't murder.

 If you have read this and would like to thaw your heart, I invite you to contact me. You can text or call 716-830-8340. I will never give up on DeMario. I never gave up while he was physically alive. I won't give up on him now. I pray that God forgives him as He forgave me. I pray that he lives in the warmth of God's love forevermore.

Romans 12:17-21
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”[a] says the Lord. 20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[b]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we - JLYASDW

I Feel Numb

NUMB
I feel numb.
It's not the cold weather.
Cold bodies - his & mine.
Someone who had a warm spot in my heart
no longer has a heartbeat.
I feel numb.
He was young
He was growing.
He was hurtin'.
He's not hurtin' anymore.
He's sailed across the Red Sea.
Moses complained that Pharaoh had a hard heart.
I complain that the kids never listen.
"Jesus loves you and so do we."
I repeat it over and over.
Sometimes they say it back.
I've learned never to give up,
Especially when the plagues of life seem to go against us.
I know that God will shut down the pharaohs of deceit.
I know that God will guide us away from the Egypt of self.
I know that God will eventually open up the Red Sea.
I know that Jesus Blood is the Red Sea
 that opens to eternal life.
God I thank you for the life of DeMario. Thank you for all of him - the goods and the bads because we've all got them. I pray that he is in your hands right now. I pray that you gave him a final piece of understanding. I pray that you molded him into the image of your son. You knew DeMario's pain and suffering. You knew his joys. I pray that you find a way to give him eternal joy. Please forgive him as you forgive me. May he rest with you forever. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Don't Stop Until the Holy Spirit Stops You!

    

      

          I once walked across a mountain Ridge called: "Knife Edge" on the trail up Mt. Katahdin in Maine. The name Katahdin is an Indian name meaning: "the greatest mountain." One of the descriptions of Knife Edge reads something like this: "Knife Edge is a ridge that at some spots is about one foot wide with a drop off of 1000 feet on either side. The Ridge is about 1.1 miles long." DO NOT HIKE KNIFE EDGE IF IT IS WINDY! Somewhere around 44 people have died since records started being kept in 1926. I have climbed 23 of the United States Highpoints and Katahdin is among my all time favorites.

           When you are on top of a high mountain, your view is a 360 degree panorama of more mountains. It's like the immeasurableness of God. Most folks agree that you cannot live life on top of a mountain and that's a physically true statement. Is it really a spiritually true statement? Yesterday my wife and I attended Life Church Buffalo. We were invited by my good friend/mentor/teacher/pastor Mike Pelechaty. The preacher was a dude named Craig McLeod. His message was about Paul the Apostle and his fervent passion for becoming like Christ. To sum up what I heard him say in my spirit, it would sound something like this: "Don't stop until the Holy Spirit stops you!"

           My wife and I love hiking on mountains. My good buddy Daryl Boss and I have been taking young people mountain climbing for many years. We are Mentors who help teach people how to climb the Mountains of Life. We will keep on climbing until the Holy Spirit stops us. Sometimes He will use a physical representation of His power to stop our physical climb to teach us a spiritual lesson.

           I have been stopped from reaching the summit of Mt. Marcy because of a blizzard. Marcy is the tallest mountain in New York State. A blizzard caused my visibility to shrink to less than ten feet in front of me. That is not good on top of a mountain. I was approximately 800 yards from the peak. I knew this because I had been here before and I recognized the terrain. For the first time in my life, I turned around on a mountain before I had reached my goal. God taught me a few lessons. I believe the Holy Spirit stopped me.

           What did I learn? Not all mountains are to be climbed. Every mountain (or idea that is birthed in my spirit) is not for me to personally climb. I have to know when to recognize the signs of spiritual seasons and make the necessary route changes. The shifting of spiritual weather patterns are like contrary winds that will cause us to leave familiar terrain and launch us to new destinies.

           Last week I became a small cog in a great big machine. A force of nature in the form of a flood had left 70 homes with substantial damage. A physical weather pattern caused a spiritual growth pattern. An army was summoned to don the gear of servanthood. The staging arena was the Winchester Community Church. Over 220 people volunteered there time to help folks in need. Leaders like Daryl Boss, Joe Lenhard, Pete Andrews and others marched up and down the streets - unstoppably!

           In what seemed like the blink of an eye, I found myself in a closet pulling nails from the floor. A few minutes earlier I was marching up and down the streets from one house to the next in my typical hiking style. The Holy Spirit stopped me.Now, my face was inches from the wall and I was alone - with God. I thanked Him for stopping my busyness and placing me in a closet. He had me alone. It was a quiet, peaceful, enveloping awe inspiring moment - I was on the Mountain of God - in a closet!

           God will stop you even when you think you are doing the service that honors Him. What He wants the most is your fat. He wants your finest or your first fruits. I can serve until the cows come home, but If I don't first seek Him and His kingdom, I might as well be in a closet or a mountain top without him. Both places would be like spitting in the wind. Read God's Word and be a doer of His Word, the Holy Spirit will stop you when in the proper season. Stop what you're doing. Drop all of your plans. Roll your spirit into oneness with Him. Read the weather as a Holy Spirit forecaster.

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.
JLYASDW

 

2 Samuel 22:29-31

Suddenly, God, your light floods my path, God drives out the darkness. I smash the bands of marauders, I vault the high fences. What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him Makes it.

 

Job 22:11 The Mesage

Suddenly the tables have turned! How do you like living in the dark, sightless, up to your neck in flood waters?

Leviticus 3:16-17

“All the fat belongs to God. This is the fixed rule down through the generations, wherever you happen to live: Don’t eat the fat; don’t eat the blood. None of it.”

 

 

Fresh Starts

I have walked in a blizzard on a mountain top.
I know what divorce does to a family.
I have hiked down from a mountain in the dark.
I know what bankruptcy is.
I have slept in the wilderness at 15 degrees below zero.
I know what abuse is.
I have shattered a windshield with my head.
I know what addiction is.
I have felt the final heartbeat of a murdered teenager.
I know what loneliness is.
I have felt the grace of God in the midst of hell.
He never once left me or forsook me.
He was the mountain who felt my pain.
He was the light on the darkest nights.
He helped me understand what true riches are.
He healed me.
He unshackled my spirit.
He gave me His Presence.
He drew near to me though I was far from Him.
He knocked on the door of my heart relentlessly.
He knew me before I knew myself.
He made a way for me to start fresh.
Yeah, He's the God of fresh starts.

Isaiah 61 The Message
[ Announce Freedom to All Captives ] The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, Announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners. God sent me to announce the year of his grace— a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies— and to comfort all who mourn, To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, Messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit. Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness” planted by God to display his glory. They’ll rebuild the old ruins, raise a new city out of the wreckage. They’ll start over on the ruined cities, take the rubble left behind and make it new. You’ll hire outsiders to herd your flocks and foreigners to work your fields, But you’ll have the title “Priests of God,” honored as ministers of our God. You’ll feast on the bounty of nations, you’ll bask in their glory. Because you got a double dose of trouble and more than your share of contempt, Your inheritance in the land will be doubled and your joy go on forever. ...

YOUR LIFE is a BOOK of HOPE

Within the folds of the turning pages of time
lies the space of anticipation.
The flip of a page represents knowledge gained
and knowledge yearned.
Memories cherished and memories spurned.
The book of your life as yet being written by you,
was inscribed in the heart of God before you were born.
In His heart, your potential is indelibly printed in love.
His vocabulary is the verbiage of hope and encouragement.

"I know what I’m doing.
I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you,
not abandon you,
plans to give you the future you hope for.
Jeremiah 29:11 The Message

I'm A Law Breaker

When was the last time you did 55 in a 55?

I'm A Law Breaker

Obeying the speed limit is one of the hardest things I've ever tried to do. A few months ago I resolved to try and drive at the posted speed limit. Driving at 55 mph in a 55 mph speed zone can cause dirty looks. Young folks (and old folks) drive by as they glare at me with a look that says: "Press the pedal you turkey!" Well, I don't really think the word they used was turkey but this is a family friendly Facebook Post. So I will leave out cuss words.

Why do I want to obey the speed limit? It is not because I think that obeying laws will make me a better person. If that concept worked then the Pharisees would have been Jesus homies! (If you haven't heard that story, the Pharisees were folks who couldn't see the truth and caused the killing of Jesus.) I guess there was something inside me that caused me to look deep into the reason I was breaking the law.

I have had a habit of not leaving on time for appointments. So I hurry to get to appointments on time. I like shaving minutes off of my projected time of arrival on my GPS. It's like saving time. Saving time by speeding is deception. I've been deceiving myself. You don't save time by being late and then playing catch up as you break laws to gain the time that you have lost.

Slovenliness is a bad habit that slithers throughout your character and spreads deceit. Being an adrenalin guy I'm always flying by the seat of my pants. That in itself can be a strength. Unbridled passion without wisdom becomes a weakness. I'm finding that some of the physical habits that I have are symptomatic of spiritual weaknesses. Planning my day with wisdom will give me enough time to arrive at appointments safely, on time and lawfully.

By prioritizing my day through the seeking of wisdom first, I have gained extra time. Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.

"What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." Matthew 6:33 The Message

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 KJV

Dad Rode Donkeys to Heaven

My wife in a manger with a donkey.

           I was scheduled to speak to a group of people on a Sunday morning. The venue was a church that was located in an old bar. The Pastor called me the week before to confirm my attendance. On the phone I told him: "Yes Pastor Jimmy I'll be there and I'm going to talk about the Keys to the Kingdom!" As the week progressed, those keys went through a metamorphosis.

          Studying is something I love to do at a very deep level. As I sat at my computer and typed in the words: "keys," I presumed that I would find Bible passages about keys to the kingdom of God. I expected to find the ones I was familiar with, verses like:

"And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19

or

"I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death." Revelation 1:18

          Those were the verses that I thought I would find and begin my study. God (as usual) flipped my common sense approach to studying upside down. My computer search didn't only reveal the word keys but it also revealed the word: "donkeys." I stared at the computer with wild eyes and an escalating heart beat. What the heck were donkeys doing in a search for the "Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven?"

          My thinking shifted to what I knew about donkeys in the Bible. Jesus rode into town on a donkey in a display of humility. A donkey talked to a guy named Balaam about his stubbornness. A donkey was a means of transportation as Joseph led his pregnant wife to manger so she could give birth amongst animals. I know God could piece together a story about the keys to heaven through those stories. Is that what He wanted?

          The word donkeys separated as if it was giving birth to something new. Two words appeared in my mind as my eyes focused on the screen. The words were "Don Keys." I shook my head as I often do when meeting the zaniness of God head on. My Dad's name was Don. He was a church going guy who believed in God. He was not known for speaking his beliefs out loud. He avoided politics and religion. I knew my Dad was a good guy, I know he is in heaven, but was there a sermon here that would give people the keys to heaven? What would be the "Don Keys to Heaven?"

Jerry and Karen used the keys to their barn to serve others.

          My Dad was known for being a good listener and mentor to many of my cousins. They would stop by the house and bring their problems and seek his wisdom. I never knew what it was they came for because I was too young to understand that sometimes the best thing you can do for somebody is "just listen." Dad would sit and invite them in and share a cup of cold water with them. Yes, it's true that sometimes the cup of cold water came from Hemlock Lake by way of a brewery, but Dad shared his heart and his time. He gave a drink from the well of his heart to thirsty young men. 

          In my life I've learned that change seems to be a key that unlocks doors of new opportunity and personal growth. Dad did a lot of changing. He would change his method of coaching when I was in the Lake View Little League. There was one boy on the team who you would describe as mentally disabled. Tim could not hit a baseball. Tim could not catch a baseball. Tim could not throw a baseball. Tim could not run. Every time Tim came up to bat, you knew there would be an out. Me and my friends who thought we were superstars complained to the coach (my Dad.) We wanted to win and Tim could not help us win, we did not want him to play.

          Dad believed that all children should have a chance to play. One day in the middle of a game, Dad went to talk to the coach of the other team. He told the coach to have his pitcher throw the ball at Tim. In baseball, if you are hit by the pitch you get to go to first base. My Dad told the other coach that he would have Tim try and steal second base and then they could throw him out. It happened exactly that way. The pitcher hit Tim, he took his base and they threw him out. I suppose most folks who read this might be thinking: "What's the point?" That day Tim got to go home and tell everybody: "I got in the game! I got in the game!" It was the first time ever that Tim got in the game. It was like my Dad had given him a key to heaven.

          There were many changes in my Dad's life. When he worked at Bethlehem Steel and the Union went on strike, he changed his steel-worker clothes for the clothes of a garbageman. He went and worked on a garbage truck to support his family. Mom used to meet him at the back door where he'd take off his smelly clothes and she'd take them into the basement to wash them and he would proceed to the shower. He changed his love for my Mom too, it morphed into a more excellent love the longer they were together. You've heard about 2 peas in a pod, Mom and Dad were pod people!

          I can now picture my Dad riding on a donkey to heaven being led by Jesus. My Dad served by giving himself away to help others. He was willing to change his way of doing things to help others. Putting others first is a key to heaven. There are many things my Dad did to help others have a better life. Many folks spend their time talking about God. My Dad didn't just talk, my Dad was a doer. My Dad gave me my first keys to heaven. I call them the "Don Keys to Heaven."

The Reger Barn was changed into a Manger Mass at Christmas.

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.



 

My Wife

Love can be spoon fed!

 

MY WIFE

My wife's cooking makes me gain weight
but it's not measured in pounds.

Her cooking is an act of love that fills my heart.

We eat heart healthy.

Her love is salt that flavors my life.

She cooks with mustard seeds that fill my heart.

Her cooking reveals that I'm a treasure in her heart.

The food she cooks goes into my stomach.
The love she cooks with goes into my heart.

I'm blessed by a woman who eats the Bread of Life
and then regurgitates it to me.

I love you my dearest wife.

“Let me tell you why you are here.
You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out
the God-flavors of this earth.
If you lose your saltiness,
how will people taste godliness?
You’ve lost your usefulness and
will end up in the garbage."
Matthew 5:13 The Message

Hey, Can You Spare A Crumb?

I was hungry and you scraped your leftovers into the garbage disposal.
I was thirsty and you let your faucet drip.
I was homeless and you closed off a room to save on heat.
I was shivering and you still have tags on the clothes in your closet.
I was sick and you blamed it on my bad habits
I was in prison and you forgot about me.

This isn't meant to make anyone feel guilty.
This is meant to make you think about the riches you actually do have
in comparison to those who are truly impoverished.
Give a crumb, share a morsel, spare a drop, part with a thread, show compassion or think about being behind bars.
Better yet, create a job, teach a skill, mentor somebody, instead of blaming demonstrate perseverance by not giving up even if they are locked up. Most folks are as redeemable as they make up their minds to be.
Kindness and compassion are seeds that grow flesh in hardened hearts.

Matthew 25:37-40 “Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."
The Message
Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.
JLYASDW

Talking to a Snow Shovel

God can meet you on a mountain or a sidewalk.

"Daddy, why are you talking to the snow shovel?"
 Asked the Heart Farmers Daughter. The big man in coveralls pursed his lips and emptied his chest. His breath became like a rising shroud in the frozen air. The big burly dude looked down at his daughter and laughed. "I wasn't talking to the snow shovel my darling Beauty, I was talking to God. I was complaining about shoveling all of this snow."

The Heart Farmer welcomed the break in shoveling and continued to share with his daughter. "Clearing our neighbors sidewalk seems like such a small thing to do. I was complaining to God about this small thing of helping our neighbor. I told God that we should be doing big things that would help lots of people." The Heart Farmer paused. His daughter took the pause as her opportunity to ask another question. "Daddy, did God answer your question?"

Her dad was leaning on his snow shovel watching his daughter's breath rise into the skies. He smiled again and said: "Yes my beautiful snowflake, God did answer. He told me that when I was busy doing big things that I didn't listen very well. He said I didn't find time to talk to Him when I was doing the big things. He said he sent the snow to slow me down. He said that He has to be able to trust me with one neighbor before He can let me serve lots of neighbors. He said I have to be faithful in little things before He will give me big things. He also told me that my children are watching me help my neighbor. Someday, He said, they will be doing the same things you are doing, in fact they will be doing greater things. Your children will be like you as a father because you became like me as your Father."

A tear formed in the big man's eye. He stuffed his shovel into a snow bank and swept his daughter up into his arms. "I love you my darling Beauty!" He said. The little girl giggled as she curled her arms around his neck. She drew her head back and then kissed the tear on her daddy's cheek. "I love you daddy! I love you to where all the snowflakes are made and back!"

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.
JLYASDW.

Was My Dream Meant for Somebody Else?

Suddenly there was an angel at his side and light flooding the room. The angel shook Peter and got him up: “Hurry!” The handcuffs fell off his wrists. The angel said, “Get dressed. Put on your shoes.” Peter did it. Then, “Grab your coat and let’s get out of here.” Peter followed him, but didn’t believe it was really an angel—he thought he was dreaming. Acts 12:7-9 The Message

       
           I had a dream last night that I think was meant for somebody else.
 (Or maybe I'm in denial.)
Maybe someone will have an understanding about the dream that can become wisdom as they pass their understanding back to me. My wife does that a lot and I am grateful for her. For now, it seems to me that somebody else (or maybe it's me) needs to hear about the dream -

NOW!

          The dream was about someone taking my running shoes away. My shoes were missing and I went searching for them I asked an unknown person if they had seen my running shoes and they gave me a very worn pair. The rubber had already started to breakdown, they had seen at least 500 miles of running. After examining the shoes and knowing they were not mine, I resumed my search for the missing shoes.

          I found myself leaning down at almost ground level and looking into a wood structure. It looked like a log lean-to that you would find in a wilderness area. On the floor of the lean-to I saw a row of many running shoes. I spotted a pair that were multicolored and I thought they were mine. A few months ago my wife had bought me a new pair and they did have some bright colors on them. The pair I picked up resembled the multicolored headdress that would be common in Africa.

    That's the end of the dream as I remember it. Laying in bed this morning, I thought about possible meanings of the dream. I pondered possible questions whose answers might provide some revelation.

•  Is someone trying to steal my "Walk in Christ?"

• Was I no longer running with perseverance?

• Did I misplace my new shoes (new wineskins) and begin running in old shoes (old wineskins?)

• Are the colors of Africa on the running shoes asking: "Whom shall I send?"

• All of the shoes were in a lean-to in the woods, is it time to take more inner city youngsters into the wilderness and guide them over the mountains of life?

• Am I running in the shoes that God intended for me?

• Is it time to run again in a different race?

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.
JLYASDW

WHY I CLIMB MOUNTAINS

Once upon a minute.....
 
           he stood with me on the mountain of my pride, and he said to me: "You've made it this far, do you see all these other mountains?
I will give you these if you just worship yourself."

           Behind me, the sun was rising. My eyes focused on the blood red hue encompassing the mountains around me. I remembered the trail that brought me to my own personal peak of pride. Tears fell like rain and washed away the dirt of haughtiness staining the edges of my heart. Loneliness had become my companion during my quest to climb the mountains of more. "It's never enough!" Became my personal motto. "Achievement at any cost!" Was my personal mission statement. Slowly the thought of climbing endless mountains of my own pride became a heavy backpack hanging on my shoulders. My body and spirit were sagging from the weight.

           As the sun rose and warmed my bones, my countenance brightened. The sun was rising over the trail that had led me to the top of the mountain. It's powerful rays were washing over the trail in front of me. I heard a still small voice in my heart whisper:

"Do you see all those mountains of pride? I want you to climb them. 

There are many other people standing on those mountains who are lonely. 
I will be your companion as you share our hearts with them. 
Share with them the wisdom of the Son rise 
that redeems the past and brightens the future. 
Share with them the knowledge of the Mountain of God.
 It's a peak of understanding where you will never be alone. 
It's a range of forgiveness as far as the eye can see. 
 It's a grace covered precipice that redeems even the coldest soul. 

Go and make more mountain climbers!"

          My shoulders lifted as the weight of my pride melted away. I was filled with gratitude at the thought of a new day. I was loved unconditionally, I wanted others to know that kind of love. So now I climb the Mountains of God.

Thanks for your time.
Go do something nice for somebody.
JLYASDW