Understanding

Do we think that we really love and understand others? I know that at times I really do not. I really do not show compassion when I really need to be showing compassion. Jesus taught us that we should be so filled with the love of God that we would not judge.

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor."

Matthew 7:1-3 (The Message)

You want to be happy? Well your, my, happiness depends a great deal on our willingness to understand others and do our best not to judge. Most of us can easily talk about another person's bad qualities, their wickedness, the things that we think we would never do. We can do this for hours and thrive in it and leave that discussion feeling good about ourselves. It is amazing that we can do this for hours at a time, but avoid our faults, wickedness and bad qualities at any cost. Any mention of them causes us to become angry and we begin to think and say things like "how dare they!"

So next time you or I are tempted to talk about the faults of others do this: immediately begin to talk loudly about your own mental and moral shortcomings for the next five minutes and see how you like it. If we do not like to talk about our own faults and it hurts us to do so, we certainly should feel more hurt when saying unkind and harmful things about other people. So train yourself, and eveyr member of your family, to refrain from talking about others.

We do not help others by talking about their faults in public, we only hurt them more. We shame them and they give up trying. You know it because we have all been there! When someone is down they are all too aware of their fault and the reasons they are there. We should pull them out with loving and kind words. So today silently heal yourself of the desire to criticize and judge. This will teach others to be better by your example of a emphathic heart.

Namaste'

Developing Compassion and Loving-Kindness

During the "New Kind of Christian" conference I spoke about having an inner life like that of Jesus. I talked about "thinking like God thinks" and having the mind in you that was in Jesus - Phil. 2:5. Jesus was so full of the love of God that there was room for nothing else in his thoughts, actions, or feelings. How do we get there would be the question. How do we get to a place were we have loving kindness and compassion on everyone, including those we consider enemies? How do we really get to a place to live out the way of Jesus in this passage:

"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

Matthew 5:43-48 (The Message)

This comes only by being able to practice it "outside of the game of life." There is no way to just have compassion on the spot when it is needed. We all have a part of us, I like to call it EGO, that wants to assert its rights, make sure we defend ourselves, and wants to keep us from being hurt. We must use our "quiet times" to sit and think about those that have injured us and put ourselves in "their" shoes so to speak. There is no way for me to develop compassion for the mean clerk at the store if I have not already practiced this scenerio in my mind. There is no reference point for me to pull from, no experience I have had that reminds me to show compassion here. I react the way I "always" do.

I must spend time each day thinking about the ways I am loved, the things I am thankful for, and give myself compassion and loving-kindness. After giving it to myself, I must imagine giving it to someone else when they harm me because, just like me, they are trying to do their best and have forgotten there are other people in the world. I can think of someone specific that has/is causing me problems, or I can think of someone or people in general. We are actually training our brain, and our spirit to be in tune with the Holy Spirit within us and to think like God thinks! This is a huge component to prayer and "quiet time," or devotions. To sit, be still, and prepare your inner life to be the same as that of Christ. We actually develop neuronal (brain pathways) connections that will remind us how to be compassionate in those moments if we practice this.

It is like a professional athlete training his body for the sport he plays. We are training our spirit to change the word in each and every interaction.

Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever.

1 Timothy 4:8 (The Message)

Namaste'

Live Generously

I am sadden when I see stories like the one of the officer and the man who was arrested at his own house. It saddens me that they could not sit down and be humble. It saddens me that they both are going to have to "be right" rather than being able to say things could have been different. This is not a blog/commentary about that specific situation. It is a blog to challenge us all on how we do this everyday.
How many times do we say to ourselves, friends, or family - "I am right and I am not going to apologize - I did not do anything wrong! They need to apologize to me!" We have heard it said and we say it and think it. This is not the way of Jesus. The following is the way Jesus taught us to live:

"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously."

Matthew 5:38-40

If we claim the name of God, of Jesus, do we "live generously?" I do not think Jesus is saying that if you get hit just let them keep hitting you. I think he is saying here that if someone offends you and you get mad at them, hit them back, hold to your anger you have done nothing to change the situation. You have only joined them in their anger. They have changed you!

We need to be the agents of change. We are to bring the love and peace into this world. If we are offended or hurt somehow could we be able to show compassion, understanding, and grace towards those who have hurt us? Or are we going to hurt back, hold onto being "right," and join them in the lower energy of anger? Could we raise the level of living by showing love?

This is how Jesus lived his life and how he asked us to live ours - give your life away. In each moment see how you can step aside and let others through. Stop worrying about if you will get recognized or not. Stop thinking about how people should treat you. Start thinking about how you should treat people. Start thinking about how you could recognize and thank others. Stop being selfish and start being selfless.

I wish both of these men could say to themselves and each other "yea I could have done that different." Somehow not hit back for the percieved offense. What a great lesson would have been taught. This is our job as people of grace in this world.

Namaste'

Do You Love?

I tell clients all the time to truly love we have to allow people, even those closest to us, to be how they want to be, pursue the things they want to pursue, and think the things they want to think. Our job is not to make people be a certain way, but to allow them to be what God has created them to be and to allow God to do that work. Love is a very difficult thing for us. It is power, but power that comes through humility and trust.

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

I Corinthians 13

So today just love, just allow, just trust that God actually has things under control. Let people and God be themselves. They will work it out if we stop interfering and just love.

Namaste'

Friend or Servant?

So are you a friend or servant of Jesus? I know weird queston right? That is because most of us see ourselves as a servant of Jesus, but we actually are called to be friends. What is the difference?

"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father. "

John 15:11-13 (The Message)

So which is it? Do we truly understand the way of Jesus? Do we truly understand that we are to love as God has loved us? God has loved us with a love that loves no matter what. God does not wait for us to change before love is given - love is given without question. Love is the way of Jesus. Love should be our way with others. We understand that the greatest commandment is to just love. We understand that love is the greatest attribute we could have. We understand that love is allowing people to choose to love God, to choose their life, and to make decisions about how they will live life. We understand that when we love like this - with no pressure to have to make a decision - people freely choose to love God. When we do not love - when we have to convince people and make them do something - people will not love God.

Today understnad what Jesus is thinking and planning and be a friend to Jesus by loving others freely.

Namaste'

Train and Practice

So are you training? I know that I have lost my practice the last few weeks with what has been going on in my life. I stopped training and practicing putting together my thoughts and they have become loose and more automatic without my thinking about it. I have slipped on my meditations in the morning. You have not seen a blog in over a month. I find that when this happens to me I loose my sense of God. God is present, but I "forget" that and I think that I cannot overcome things in my life. I forget that I have the power to change my biology through practicing being aware of my thoughts, my self, and then being able to train my brain to think different things. I miss out on the truths of these scriptures:

Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you'll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.

1 Timothy 4:6-8

We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.

2 Corinthians 10:5

So today I will throw myself back into my practice. I will no longer be subject to the things that I am automatically thinking without questioning it. I want to realize God and I can only do that by using the tools that have been given to me - prayer, meditation, examination, being aware of my thoughts, reading, and giving of myself to others through compassion. These are the tools that will remove all of the "percieved" obstructions in life.

Namaste'

What Do You See?

So what do you see? When you look at the picture to the right of this blog what do you see? Do you see a bum that needs to get a job and is just living off the goodness of others? Do you see a man that just down on his luck and with a little effort he will be able to get out of it? Do you see a man with a story that may be interesting to hear, but you would never get involved to help? Do you see a man with a story that could be yours and it moves you to compassion to really get to know him and find out what can be done to help? Which one is you? Be honest with yourself - no one knows you are reading this - so answer yourself honestly.
You see the way we answer this question, the way we see this person in this picture will let us know how much we are walking in the way of Jesus. The higher our energy level - that of love - the more likely it is that we see a man with a story that could be ours and we are moved with compassion to take action. The lower our energy level - that of worry, anger, frutration - the more likely we are to see a man that is a bum and needs to get a job. We are judgemental. Who are you in this story:

Jesus went across to Mount Olives, but he was soon back in the Temple again. Swarms of people came to him. He sat down and taught them. The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, "Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?" They were trying to trap him into saying something incriminating so they could bring charges against him.
Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. They kept at him, badgering him. He straightened up and said, "The sinless one among you, go first: Throw the stone." Bending down again, he wrote some more in the dirt.
Hearing that, they walked away, one after another, beginning with the oldest. The woman was left alone. Jesus stood up and spoke to her. "Woman, where are they? Does no one condemn you?"
"No one, Master."
"Neither do I," said Jesus. "Go on your way. From now on, don't sin."
Jesus once again addressed them: "I am the world's Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in."

John 8:1-12

So are we more like Jesus willing to show love because we understand that we all fall short and we could be there? Or are we like the religious leaders who came hoping for judgement, telling ourselves that this person is worthless and our anger and hate take over?

Today work on walking in the way of Jesus and look at others as we want others to look at us. We all want the "benefit of the doubt." We all want people to understand the "whole story" before they make a judgement about how we got to where we are. We all want grace, but are we willing to give it?

Namaste'

Exclamations of Thanks

I wanted to take some time this evening as my son sleeps to say that I am so thankful to have people in my life that care so much and pray for my family. I am overwhelmed and humbled at that fact. It is amazing to me that God has taken care of all of us! God is love, beauty, kindness, compassion, and peace. I can only think of all of you much the same as Paul thought about the people who were his friends and support him:

Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. I am so pleased that you have continued on in this with us, believing and proclaiming God's Message, from the day you heard it right up to the present. There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.
It's not at all fanciful for me to think this way about you. My prayers and hopes have deep roots in reality. You have, after all, stuck with me all the way from the time I was thrown in jail, put on trial, and came out of it in one piece. All along you have experienced with me the most generous help from God. He knows how much I love and miss you these days. Sometimes I think I feel as strongly about you as Christ does!
So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:3-11

I give exclamations of thanks for all of you tonight and most definitely when I think of you all tomorrow! I pray that we all can get involved in making Jesus attractive to everyone! You have all help me so much in my life and I can only hope that I could just give some of that back to you all in some way! Love well and as always.....

Namaste'

Store Owner

I just had to right about this today. Do you realize that you are the owner of a store and you can put your hands on anything that you need when you need it? This may not be "things" like houses, cars, money, or stuff. We can put our hands on things like peace, purpose, love, kindness, joy, happiness, and compassion when we needed. These things are worth much more than any kind of thing we could buy or have. This is the kingdom of God available to you right here and right now:

"Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it."

Matthew 13:52

Jesus tells this to his followers right after many stories about what the kingdom of God is like. If you have time, go and read Matthew 13 and find out what the kingdom of God really looks like. The kingdom of God is something that we do not have to wait on, it is something that we can have right now and is waiting for us. We need to change our inner life, work patiently on our inner life, and match our inner life up to Jesus and his inner life. If we can practice this then we can be a "well trained student" that has all the joy, peace, love and kindness available to us when it is needed by those around us. This is the kingdom of God. It is our responsibility to bring this kingdom to people here and now. Those things are the precious gifts that the kingdom offers to us. The kingdom of God offers us more than treasure or power, it offers us what we all look for - peace, joy, and love.

Be a well trained student of Jesus and his way today and everyday. Be able to be an excellent store owner and manager. Be a store full of love, grace, kindness, and joy so that others can acces the kingdom with you and through you until they become store owners themselves.

Namaste'

Wonder and Awe

How much of your life do you life in wonder, belief and awe? How often do we miss the things right in front of us offering the light of God into our lives? Today as you read this let this be your thought all day long - "I will live this day in wonder and belief, with my eyes wide open, allowing God to show me the light that is offered in every situation." All to often we live with our eyes closed to God being there. When we close our eyes to God being there by saying things to ourselves like, "I can't believe this is happening to me," or "this should not be happening," or even "I am so tired today," the light of God cannot penetrate our lives.

"Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"

Matthew 6:22-23

So today pull up the blinds in your life. Notice what you are thinking and how you are viewing your life. Are the blinds down and you are complaining about not being able to see the sun? Are you telling yourself that God "could not allow this if God loved me," or "I can't trust anyone or anybody?" If you are then your blinds are pulled down and no light will be let in. Live today with your eyes wide open in wonder and belief. Allow the light in, pull up the blinds and let the light of God fill you up! God is everywhere! Look for God and see your life fill up with light and energy.

Namaste'

Perspective

What is your perspective on life? Perspective is a view, a way of seeing things, or a way of regarding situations or facts. One event in our lives, one relationship to another person, or anything that happens can be seen from many different perspectives. Life is like one of those hologram cards. You know the ones I am talking about, my son has one with spiderman on it. If you hold it one way Spiderman is on the card on the right side of the pole, and if you look at it from another way Venom is on the card on the left side of the pole. As you move the card back and forth you see somthing different. Same card - different perspective.

So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.
Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.

Colossians 3:1-4

So what is your perspective? What do you see as your real life? Do you worry about things, money, stuff, what will happen next week or next year? This is seeing things from your perspective as a physical being, thinking that all this stuff, or your reputation is really important, that you can't live without it, and that it somehow tells you what you are worth and who you are.

Christ's perspective is much different. God sees us as spiritual beings having a human experience. This is your real life, the spiritual. A life that is to be lived with the mind of Christ, being content with being unnoticed, but loving. Being content by not being attached to things or reputation, but continuing to serve others. This is the joy of real life! So today, like that hologram card my son has, turn your life and view it from a different perspective and see how things change when you look at them from a different way!

Namaste'

Confidence

Have confidence today. God has worked it all out. Everything from the things we think are trials to the most joyous occasions, God is in the mist of working on us and taking care of us. Have confidence in this today!

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

Romans 8:26-28, 31-39

Sometimes scripture just speaks for itself. Be confident today. God is right there, the question is not if God is there. The question is do you believe that and change your thinking to believe it and act as if it is true? Or will you spend your days believing and acting like God has abandonded you, even though this is not true? The choice of confidence and faith is up to you.

Namaste'

Compassionate Acceptance

I know I often have the first reaction to reject someone, not listen to someone, or to "write off" someone who does not think like I do. I think that we all have this tendency. We want people to agree with us, think like us, and be like us. We are under the assumption that this will make our world go better somehow. "If only everyone thought like me then the world would be great." This is what we say to ourselves about our spouses, our children, our family, our friends, and all people whether Christian or not.
However, we have been asked to do something much radically different than this kind of living and thinking. We have been asked to have compassion and acceptance for ALL those around us. Everyone is invited to the table of God to eat, fellowship, and partake of the goodness offered in God:

Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.
For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.

Romans 14:1-4

I love the last verse. I think about this often and try to practice it. God does not need our help in convincing people of anything. All we are commanded to do is to love, accept, and show people that there is a better way to live life. It is up to God to "change lives." We are all guest at the table of God. When I say all I mean all. Everyone is welcomed to sit at the table with God in life. God will work out the relationship with them, our one and only job is to invite them to the table, allow them to be who they are, and let have an experience with God! It is not our job to create a list of people who are and are not allowed in God's welcome. How terribly rude!

So today, and everyday, allow your spouse, your children, your family, your coworkers, and everyone you meet to be who they are. Allow people to be invited to the table of God and let them experience God for themselves! Understand that you once were at a place in your life when you just needed someone to understand you and let you be you - this is compassion. We all need a place to be just who we are and loved - this is acceptance. Put these together today and let God be God and watch the miracles happen!

Namaste'

Embrace

We try so hard to avoid "suffering." We think that somehow we will be the only people on the face of the earth that can avoid something happening that we do not like or want to happen to us. We think that we "should never" suffer. "If God loves me I would not have to be going through this," we say to ourselves. Everyone expriences some kind of suffering. We all will experience pain. We have come to believe that we should never experience this kind of thing. Think about it for just a minute - tell me someone you know that has not experienced some kind of pain or suffering. Now be honest - we all have expereinced death, a lack of something we need, and circumstances that we would not want to have happen. We really should prepare ourselves for suffering, not look for it around ever corner, but understand it will come and be prepared and even embrace it.

Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?"

Mark 8:34-37

We think that if we could just get everything we want we could avoid suffering, but Jesus is saying that will not happen. If we think that we can help ourselves throughthe accumulation of wealth, things, or popularity. These things do not help us avoid anything. Our true self is not about these things. Our true self is eternal and spiritual. We come into this world with nothing and we will leave with no thing so what else could be the point of our life but to give it away. Embrace your suffering Jesus says. Wow what a tall order we say. However, if life is viewed through this lens - that who we really are is a spiritual being who is having a human experience and we do not need anything to experience the joy of life - then suffering is minimized and we can actually use these experiences as teachers for our life.

If you have not done so find a time to watch Dr. Wayne Dyer PBS special in the coming month. Watch during the second hour as a man that was burned at the age of two comes out with no hands and plays the drums. The more amazing thing is listening to him talk about the gift given to him by God and how it would be insulting to God, family, and everyone not to embrace his suffering and move forward in life.

Namaste'

Clean

To be clean. To be holy. This is the goal of our lives. To be clean and holy means something different to all of us. Most of us, in my humble opinion, think that being clean and holy is all about some list of do and do nots that we must keep. Do go to church. Don't go to the R rated movie. Do read your Bible everyday. Don't curse. Do listen to only Christian music. Don't listen to "secular music." (Whatever that is) We think that if we keep this list of rules that someday we will be clean and holy. We think that it is somehow our ourward actions will make us holy and clean, but we never really change the inside of our lives. I think that to truly be clean and holy we need to listen to these words:

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here's what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things.
If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath.

I Peter 3:8-18

We all want to oppose things that we think are evil and we somehow think this will make us more holy. However, it is a matter of the attitude of the heart as to how holy we are. We all keep our "list" of things that make us more holy than the next person, but few of us live a life that is lived out of love and doing good. We find it hard to be humble, compassionate, agreeable, and kind. We like to keep our list of right and wrong and measure, compare, ourselves with others. We think this is the measure of holiness.

The true measure of holiness is the attitude in which with live life. This attitude comes from our beliefs about life, our nature, and our hearts. Today take your focus off certain behaviors and stop seeing yourself as "righteous" or not based on questions like "did I read my Bible today?," "am I listening to the right kind of music?," or "I should not have see that movie this weekend." these are good things to be asking. Doing or not doing these things does have an affect on our lives. These things do affect the way that we view life, the passion we live it with, and our attitude, but they have nothing to do with how holy we are. We do things like this to change our attitude and beliefs about life, but they do not make us clean. What makes us clean is living a life of love, compassion, humility, kindness, and service. Living in the way of Jesus. People may want to tell you this is not the way to live, but be ready to have an answer that living the way of Jesus is the best way to live!

Namaste'

Practice

Sometimes we all want quick fixes to our problems. We want things to change immediately. Sometimes they do change that way. God still does perform miracles. However, change is a process that takes time and is practiced as a way of life. Jesus asked us to practice his way of life and to teach other to do the same.

"God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age."

Matthew 28:18

I like to use the example of practicing for a sport. I played football in college and I hated practice. We did the same things over and over. I remember telling myself, "why are we doing the same things day after day?" I can still tell you to this day, almost twenty years later, what we did each moment of practice. It was not until I was a senior in college that I "got it." We did all that practicing so that on the day of the game, with all those people screaming and cheering, and I had about 20 seconds to decide who to block, and asses the defense, this was not the time to be thinking about details. This was not the time to be thinking about which foot to step with, where to place my head, and where to put my hands. No, this was the time to remember the play, the snap count, and know what my assignment was when the ball was snapped.

Life is the same way. We somehow think that we can just have the right and best response to people in a moment without any practice. We think that there is no reason to spend time looking at how we think, our actions, and how we treat people. We take little if any time "outside the game of life" to practice what we will do when we begin to participate in life. This, to me, is the practice of a quiet time, meditation, bible reading, prayer, etc. Whatever you want to call it, this is the practice of doing what Jesus has asked us. We plan for our days in our brains. We see ourselves being kind, loving, and compassionate. We know what makes us angry and we already know the game plan before we get in that situation.

So today begin to spend some time practicing. Pray, meditate, read, imagine yourself in a situation that gives you anxiety or anger and see yourself handling it the way that Jesus instructs. Learn the ways of Jesus outside of the game of life, practice them in your thoughts and this will lead to a practice in your actions. This may be hard at first, just like football was to me when I started. But with enough practice, joy, happiness, and peace come more naturally when you are in the game. These traits become something that you no longer have to think about or work hard at. This takes practice, do not fool yourself into thinking that you can just do this for a day or two and then you "got it." This is a lifestyle and a lifetime of practice. The benefits will soon come.

Namaste'

Conceived By God

You do realize that God created your life, right? Our real life is not of this earth or this form we have in our physical body. Our real life, our real self, is made up of spirit, of God. We are to here to work on being whole and mature. What does that look like?

Now that you've cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God's living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! That's why the prophet said, The old life is a grass life, its beauty as short-lived as wildflowers; Grass dries up, flowers droop, God's Word goes on and on forever. This is the Word that conceived the new life in you.
So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You've had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God's pure kindness. Then you'll grow up mature and whole in God.

1 Peter 1:22-2:3

A life that is whole and mature as taken in the deep kindness of God and acts on this daily. We are to put away, not act on things, like envy, hurtful talk, anger, assumptions, and resentments. We are life conceived by God that will last forever. We are to grow to think and act mature, as mature and holy as God. This is not a holiness that comes by following certain rules of behavior like don't curse, don't drink, don't listen to that kind of music, or don't go to that kind of movie. It is a holiness that comes from living a life that is full of kindness towards all. What good does it do me to follow certain rules of living, but in my heart hold hatred, anger, bitterness, envy, and say hurtful things to others? Have I really found the life conceived by God in doing this?

My answer to this is a heartfelt "no!" The life of God, the one conceived of by God, is one of love and kindness towards all. If we follow that simple path, the way of Jesus himself, the other "rules" of life will take care of themselves. If there is only love in your heart for others do you really want to go watch that movie full of anger, murder, and violence? If you are kind to all around you and this feels your heart do you really want to get drunk and hurt others with your words. I could go on here forever, but you get the point.

So today practice kindness - a life that is conceived by God! Practice love and see if you are still interested in all the things you think are important or the things that you complain hold you back from a fulfilling life. Just practice the way of Jesus and watch life of God flow through you!

Namaste'

Silence

I have a challange for you today. Spend some time in silence. No not prayer - silence. Challange yourself to sit in the stillness of silence. Notice your thoughts. Listen to the sounds around you. Many things will happen when you try this. First you will begin to notice a few of the 60,000 thoughts that go through you mind each day. Just notice them and what they are telling you about life and see if they have any bearing on how you live and view your life. Second you may find yourself feeling restless and anxious. This is because there are not many of us that actually sit down in silence to allow things to just be. We tell ourselves that we must keep moving and going, so to be still seems hard. Third, as your thoughts begin to quiet down and silence becomes more "normal" you may hear and feel the gentle quiet whisper of God.

Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."
A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.

I Kings 19:11-12

It has been said that the one and only voice of God is silence. The Psalms say to "be still and know that I am God." God is not in the big huge events of our lives. God is in the stillness and the silence. This is where we can hear and feel and sense the living power of God. Do not let the silence scare you off, embrace it and listen. Prayer is more than just offering our request to God and hoping they will be answered like we desire. Prayer is about sitting in the presence of God and listening to that still small voice that comes by way of Holy Spirit.

So today find some time to just be still and quiet. Take yourself about 20 minutes and listen to yourself and to God. Make it a practice in your life, this practice of silence. You will watch yourself become more patient, kind, loving, caring, and confident. Why? You will begin to notice your thoughts and you begin to match them to God's thoughts. When we change the way we think about things, things change. Read Phillipians 4:8 and then sit in silence and notice how many of your thoughts are not on those things. Practice thinking new things and "behold all things will be made new."

Namaste'

Power

I recently spoke at the Hope's Journey Bible Study. I opened my talk with this line. "A new kind of Christian no longer lives a spiritual life to please God." I saw a few heads snap up and give me a look that said "uh, what did you just say?" So I repeated it. I would ask you to read it again. Go ahead. You see most of us who are Christian think that we live a life of spirituality because it will somehow please God. We forget that that has already been taken care of through the act of Christ on the Cross. This is what the word grace is all about. Jesus took care of any need to make sure God is pleased.

With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.

Romans 8:1-2

Most of us know this verse in a different translation that says, "there is therefore no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus." We forget that the power we have is a life that is free to be lived in spiritual practice because it is the best way to live! We do not live this life to make sure that God is happy and to make sure that everything go right for us, somehow thinking that if I do certain things in certain ways everything will be exactly as I plan it. We need to remember that Jesus Christ lived the most perfect life you could, but was faced with temptation, trails, and finally the ultimate rejection.

No we live a spiritual life because it is the best way to live. It gives us a different point of view of life and the circumstances of life. A spiritual life is the best way to live because it sees opportunities in "failure." It sees that there is no way to happiness, that happiness is the way. Living a spiritual life, a life full of spiritual practices, gives us joy and peace that cannot be explained. It bring us joy to be in the service of others. A spiritual life brings others freedom because they are attracted to the peace we have in the mist of what they see as dire circumstances. Jesus' practical spiritual advice to us was this - love. So today do just that - love. Let someone in line in front of you. Serve that person at work that you do not like, help them in some way. Be compassionate with that angry person and understand what they may be going through and stop taking it so personally. Stop and be silent and know God. The power that you gain from this will be felt immediately. It will not be a power that rules over, but a power that is enpowering to you. It will be that power of peace, joy, patience, love, forgiveness - the fruits of being connected spiritually to your Creator. This is true power, not in attempting to please God through being spiritual, but in living a spiritual life because we are free to and it is the best way to live!

Namaste'

A Different Point of View

How often do we really look at things from a different point of view? How often do we look at things from the point of view of someone else? I mean do we really know what it is like to be compassionate and loving if we do not? Compassion means to have deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it. How often do we really have the deep awareness of another's suffering? We think we understand. We think we hear and listen. We think we know exactly where they are coming from. I would guess that most of the time we do not. It is so hard for us to get out of our own heads and our own view of life, that seeing it from another's point of view is almost impossible. It makes it particulary difficult if we are unwilling to really get to know others that are outside our "tribe." Listen to what Paul and Jesus said about having a different point of view and compassion:

Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!

I Corinthians 9:19-23

When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them.

Mark 6:34

Both could see the view from other's perspective. Both engaged people in friendship, love, teaching, care, kindness and service so that they could have a life that is changed by God. Oh how practical our spirituality can be and should be. We need to jut simply love others, no matter how they identify themselves, define themselves, or hurt - our work to be in on is to love. This is the work of the message - love. This is the power of God - love. This is the action of God - love. This is the practical solution to every problem we have - love. When we fail to love it is a failure to see things from a different point of view. It is a failure of the gospel, the good news - it becomes horribly bad news without love.

Namaste'