Open, or Closed?

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I am typically an ‘open book’. Generally speaking it doesn’t take any special discernment skills to determine what I’m thinking in most any situation. My life, my communications, my blog, my general demeanor all tend to betray my attitudes and feelings. This transparency has caused me much consternation in my life. I have been placed under church discipline, excommunicated, castigated, chastised, falsely accused all based on the fact that my feelings, my concerns have been exposed rather than veiled. In spite of all that I still choose to live in a glass house. Why? Because I refuse to be insincere. I refuse to be the person whose life is so un-genuine that no one believes I’m real. We’ve all met those people who obviously don’t live on the same planet as we do. I’m not one of those people. I don’t want to be one of those people. I can’t be one of those people.

However……..

Recently I have been advised, on numerous occasions, that there are certain things that I just shouldn’t blog. Why not? If my life is up-side-down out of control, why should my blog not reveal that? If my heart is hurting, why should my blog not expose that? If my family is in a genuine struggle, why should we feign that we are the pillar of faith that we aren’t? Is it wrong, or simply ‘unspiritual’, for a person to be unashamedly honest with their feelings?

Why should a blog only include those feelings and attitudes which are positive and never the deep heart pains of the blogger?
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Happy Birthday Dad

Please Pass The Dictionary

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We all know that the proper way to say a word is to pronounce it right. However, if you proNOUNce it right it's called the proper proNUNciation. Kinda confusing, not? Generally speaking these kind of things don't bother me too much, but lately it has been to some extent. I'm well aware, as you no doubt are too, that if you put the emPHASis on the wrong sylLAble you have words that look much the same but sound quite different. Which means you pronunced them wrong or used the improper pronounciation. Now what is the point of all this? Good question.....

I used a word (actually I copied it from the text I was quoting) in my last post that I'm not quite sure how to pronunce. I've heard it one way one time and another way another time. I tend to use one pronounciation while many (most) others seem to use another one. Which is right, or is neither inherently wrong or right? Please help me get to the bottom of this, because it is causing me much consternation. The word I used was 'blessed'. Now tell me, is that word pronounced /blest/ or /bless-ed/. Please don't tell me it doesn't matter, because it most certainly does. I remember hearing a preacher say once in a message that one pronounciation is more spiritual (pertaining to spiritual, heavenly things) while the other is more natural. This makes absolutely no sense to me, but maybe I've missed the boat, as many claim.

Now, as disturbing as it has been to not be sure how to properly emphaSIZE the sylLAbles in the word 'blessed'; it hasn't been anything compared to the trauma I received the other day when I was accused of sounding 'German Baptist' (of all things) for my pronounciation of the word 'humbling'. (But that's another post for another day.)

Whew....now that that's off my chest maybe I can get some sleep......................................................zzzzzzzz
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1 Peter 1:3-9

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Blessed (adored) be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who (cause) according to His great mercy has caused us (passive, received action) to be born again to a living hope (realized confidence) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain (effect) an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, (you) who are protected (KJV - kept) by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (glorification). In this (protection and salvation) you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that (another effect) the proof (trustworthiness, genuinity) of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in (your faith is resulting in this) praise and glory and honor at the revelation (disclosure, appearing) of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining (receiving) as the outcome (result, conclusion) of your faith the salvation (deliverance, rescuing) of your souls.
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Go Forward

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When we cannot see our way
Let us trust and still obey
He who bids us forward go
Can not fail the way to show

Though the sea be deep and wide
Though a passage seem denied
Fearless let us still proceed
Since the Lord vouchsafes to lead

Though it seems the gloom of night
Though we see no ray of light
Since the Lord himself is there
'Tis not meet that we should fear


Father, teach me to realize this prayer!
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Revival

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Let the revival fires burn.

How often do we pray that? How often are we really willing to accept all the ramification of that prayer?

As I was praying this morning that phrase found its way into my vernacular. As I meditated on its meaning I came under conviction that seldom am I willing to accept what that really means. I want to think out loud a little here. Please allow me to do that.

Fire burns. Fire consumes. Fire destroys. Fire has no resurrecting qualities. Fire by nature equates to destruction. From that premise I conclude that ‘revival fire’ is an oxymoron. What is this ‘revival fire’ that we so often ‘beg’ for? I think we betray the phrase more often than not. To beg for revival fire is to beg for the Lord to work to destroy, remove, consume, burn everything in our heart and life that hinders revival. Amen? Are you willing for that kind of work? Are you really willing to allow the holy Spirit free course in your heart to search out the dark corners? Are you willing to confess the dirt, trash, and corruption that is found there? Do you really mean that you want revival fire, or would you rather revival without the fire? I tell you, it is not possible. Even though the phrase ‘revival fire’ is an oxymoron, it’s also the only way to accomplish the end. If you want revival in your life, in your family, in your church, in your community, in your country; fire must burn. I say, FIRE MUST BURN!

You must allow the consuming fire of the holy Spirit of God to roar though your sin, through your pride, through your condescension, through your arrogance, through your immorality, through your anger, through your self-righteousness, through your heart consuming the corruption and purifying the precious gems. I promise, on the authority of God’s word, if you are willing to allow the fire to burn, revival will ensue. You have God’s personal guarantee.

Are you willing to allow revival fire to cut its path through your life? Are you willing for revival? You are the only thing holding it back!!
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When God's HOT, He's HOT!!

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And I say unto you, Make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into eternal dwellings

Loyalties were realized today.............Praise GOD!!
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