brent(inWorship)

Thankful…

feeling or expressing gratitude;

I wanted to see what the meaning of thankful was. I was pleasantly surprised. It’s all about gratitude. So what is gratitude?

The state of being grateful; warm and friendly feeling toward a benefactor; kindness awakened by a favor received;

Wow, that’s good. A state of being grateful for something that’s been given to you. Put’s it into a beautiful perspective for me. God’s gift, IS the reason I can be thankful this season. Even if I’ve received nothing but His gift of life, I’ve received everything I need to be thankful.

So, without a gift, there is no gratitude. Without gratitude, there is no thankfulness.

Are you thankful this Thanksgiving?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I met with a friend tonight and we talked about life. Ups. Downs. Everything in between.

Our focus was on the future. He is going through some big stuff in life and I was hoping to be an encouragement. But I realized as we talked that I needed to hear what I had to say, as much as he did.

I grew up being good at many things. But I never excelled at one thing. That has always bugged me. I’ve always wanted to be great at something.

As we talked, I was reminded of the Parable of the talents, Matthew 25:13-30.Matthew 25:13-30. (ESV)Close

I was reminded how important it is to be stewards of what God has placed in our hands. It is not enough to own it. We need to take it to the next level. In being faithful with little things, God will find us as able to be faithful in things that are even greater, Luke 16:10.Luke 16:10. (ESV)Close

I was also reminded that in our weakness, He is strong, 2 Corinthians 12:9.2 Corinthians 12:9. (ESV)Close

If I am trying to fix something about my life, I have given God, no room to prove His power. I’ve basically shut Him out. It is only when I step out of the way, that God’s plan for me exists.

So, now the opportunity to take what I know and what I need to know and lay it all at His feet, to teach me, in His time. I can’t truly be faithful with what He has entrusted me, unless He teaches me how to care for it. And I can’t be taught by Him, if I am attempting to learn for myself.

This last week, I spent a lot of time with my brother. He is my head Audio tech at the church and we did some major renovations to our PA system.

In the process, we had a great discussion…at some time heated…regarding living above reproach and making disciples. We know the famous passage, Matthew 28:18-20Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)Close

. It tells us to both spread the gospel as well as disciple.

Here is where I would love to hear from you. As a Pastor, I am often too close to the workings of the church, that I cannot see clearly as someone who may be looking to the church for help. So, what do you see as being the Churches responsibility in making disciples, and what do you see as your responsibility in it?

(By the way, I have installed the new youversion.com widget. When you see a verse in one of my posts, just hover over it and it will open a ballon window with that verse so that you can read it. Way to go lifechurch.tv!)

I heard this phrase the other day and it made me think. I don’t agree with it. That may sound harsh, but I don’t see it that way.

I see, realizing who you really are, as a beautiful thing. But I don’t see how living out, who you are and being whatever you want to be, can actually work together.

I know where my thoughts are coming from. But what about you?

What do you think?

Why is it then when I get angry and want to prove a point, I start looking for the perfect verse in the Bible to back me up? You ever done this?

I have spoken before about how I tend to fight back or get defensive, when in reality, I should probably just close my mouth and walk away. Sometimes I walk away. Many times it does not.

I’ve been in some amazing conversations. Especially over the last year of blogging. I’ve also found myself in some situations that sent me to the bible to prove my point. I am realizing that I never want to do this.

Some may feel that it is the right thing to run to scriptures, find the verses and then respond. I don’t think this is how we should deal with these situations. I think we tend to use the bible as a weapon to combat things, it was never intended to combat. Frankly, the bible was not given to us to learn how to fight. it was given to us to learn how to love. Because it is the greatest story of grace, mercy and love we could ever know and in turn we are asked to exemplify.

I saw this the other day and wrote it down (I wish I could remember where I found it). It is a quick glance at worldly response as compared to a Godly response.

The thing I notice when reading this is that worldly response tends to be violent and Godly response is passive. I don’t think that is a mistake. I think as you read through the Bible that you see an attitude if humility and grace in everything Jesus taught and everything we as Christians are taught to mirror.

I too often have used the scriptures to fight or defend. I no longer want to do this. I want to use them to point people to God. Not to my God. To the one true God.

So, be encouraged.

I’ve become too cynical. I don’t know where it’s come from. I am trying to pinpoint it. It is driving me crazy.

It could be the political climate. I am sure it relates to theological arguments I see around the web. I know I am a bit under the weather. I can’t quite determine where it’s coming from.

I hate it. It’s not me. I feel like I’ve been wearing this for a while and it is something I want no part of.

I am realizing that the pessimist in me is killing experience. It’s killing appreciation. I am sure it is killing compassion. It has to stop.

I am a very passionate person. But, in that passion, it is easy for me to latch onto something and not let it go. To fight for it. I hate that about me. I need to figure out how to stop fighting and start appreciating.

I noticed tonight, while watching a few minutes of a TV show that I wasn’t impressed with a person’s story. To most this story would have brought them to tears. Not me. I didn’t like that.

So, what’s next? Tam asked me that the other day, when I wrote another post like this. My answer? I don’t know. I just want to be honest in knowing my short comings. I don’t think my job is to fix me. I think that’s God’s job and it is according to his timing. My response to all this, is to want that change.

Oh, how I want that change.