Chaos…

We live in a world of chaos and disorder. Our families are bombarded by it, we are surrounded by it at work; we just can’t seem to escape it.  Life is chaos.

There is a story about Jesus that I love to read.  Jesus, like us, was surrounded by chaos, unlike us, He knew how to calm it. Here’s the Story:

³⁷A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” ³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. ⁴⁰He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4.35-40).

A few things to think about…

1. There will always be storms in our life, so instead of trying to avoid them, face them with a God-given fervor.
2. Jesus will calm many of our storms, but he has given us the tools to do it our selves. It comes down to an issue of faith.
3. This story was a time of training for the disciples which prepared them for larger storms ahead. Likewise, do not be disheartened by the challenges you are facing.  Instead, see each one as an opportunity to better yourself and strengthen your faith because you never know what great things God has in-store for you.

Find your faith and find your victory.

Recently, I was listening to a pastor speak about the desire to make your mark in life.  He stated that most, if not all, leaders wished to make their mark and leave the world better than they found it.  He also said that all leader will leave some sort of mark, whether they realized it or not.

This made me think.

We are surrounded by a sea of people who are trying to leave a mark on this world.  For example, you cannot log in to Twitter without seeing the description “Leader,”" World Changer,” or “Expert.” People are all clamoring to get their name out and have their voices heard; and many of them have great things to say.  But in reality, on a few rise to the top and become the real “experts.”  What separates them from everyone else?

Here is my hypothesis:
Those who have surpassed everyone else did not do so by focusing on who they were passing, but instread focused on each step ahead.

In other words – They focused on “the” mark instead of trying to make “a” mark

You see, there are two different “marks.”

- Making or leaving a mark means creating a name for yourself.
This will be forgotten because it is just a name

- Focusing on the Mark means changing the curcumstances around something to create a movement.
Focusing on the Mark takes movement.
Words are a waste of time, but the momentum carried through action is unstoppable.

Jesus’ legacy is not found in who He said He was, but what He did. Anyone could have said the things he said, but only the Son of God could DO the things he DID.

Talk is cheap, but actions are undeniable. I felt that God spoke to my heart telling me a very important principle:

DON’T MISS YOUR MARK WILL TRYING TO MAKE YOUR MARK.

Do not get carried away with try to be heard.  Let others watch you instead.

James says it well.
…faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2.17)

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.  ~Ambrose Redmoon

Each new step in life requires courage.

• Going to high school for the first time.
• Leaving home for college
• Buying your first car
• Getting married (I’m about to do this one)
• Starting a new job
• Doing something that God has called you to do
• Leaving a good job to follow a dream
• Having kids
• Moving to a new place

This list can go on and on.  Moving into any new phase of life takes courage, we all know that, but many times we make the mistake of stepping out into each new phase with only enough courage to get by.

What I mean by this is that there is a big difference in getting the good out of a new experience and getting the best; and personally, I want the best. As stated before, I am getting married this summer and as me and my future bride enter into this new area of life, I want the best. I do not want us to settle for ok, or even good, I want the best.

I also should explain that there is a difference in man’s best and God’s best. I fully believe to get the most out of something, you must go to the source out it’s creation.  The creator and original visionary always knows and wants what’s best.  The same principle applies with God. He created us and if we are walking in agreement with His will, we are getting God’s best.

That’s what I want… God’s Best!

What about you?

So what does all this have to do with courage. It’s simply this: have the courage to trust God fully in each new phase of life and walk courageously into His appointed future for you.

Proverbs 3.5-6
⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Hey everyone!

Just felt like this was to good to share. Companies will do anything to make a buck.

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Hoodie-Footie Snuggle Suit (Youtube commercial)

The Website

Have you ever watched someone do something and think, “Are the doing that right?”  Usually we ask this because we know some detail that the other person may not know, and there lies the secret; the details. We all heard it said “Its all in thedetails,” and that statement is very true, but it is not just true with us, it is true with God.

God is all about details. We can see this in the way God instructed Noah to build the Ark, or the detail of the law that God gave to Moses.  The reason I write this post is because as I was reading in 1 Kings 6, the evidence of God’s care for detail is quite apparent.  This chapter describes Solomon building the Lord’s temple. Every detail was fully though out and carefully constructed. He used the finest materiel and they took utmost care building this temple. God is into details.

When constructing you and I, God paid careful attention to the details. I love Psalm 139.13 that states “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” We are certainly no accident and God made us as we are for a distinct and important purpose.

So do not fool yourself into thinking that you are just like everybody else when you clearly are not, because God is in the details. We are who we are for a reason and God has that all planned out as well, so seek Him and your detailed purpose will be made known to you.

If only we could see people the way Jesus sees them, the world would be a different place. We would certainly treat each other differently. If only we could see their hurt instead of their anger. If only we could see their loss instead of their taking.

I view the world much differently when God allows me to catch a glimpse of the way He sees the things. We are surrounded by people who desperately need help, and God is reaching out to them through us; the redeemed.  Our job as Christ-followers is the single most important task ever to exist on this planet for human being. If only we could see them as they are.

We must beg God to allow us to see His people like He sees them. We must be filled with His compassion, His desire to give them salvation, and His willingness to do whatever it takes.