“Hello, I’m HER husband…”

The last few days I have been thinking about how people introduce their friends and family to others (if at all).  This thought has been triggered by the fact that we have been involved with a merging of two churches. There are many new people to meet and we’ve got a long way to go. It will just take some time.

Throughout my life with my AWESOME wife, Tricia, I have often been introduced as “…and this is her husband” (no name). So, I have been officially given the title of “Tricia’s husband”. And since she teaches at a private Christian school, I am also “Mrs. Edwards’ husband”. Ok, how many of you married people have been labeled the same way? Or “his brother” or “her mom”???

As I was pondering this plight, the Lord reminded me that this is exactly what we do to Him sometimes. We, unfortunately and ignorantly, make ourselves the focus of attention and the one we introduce to others. Obviously, I am not necessarily speaking of a “formal” introduction. How we present ourselves to others will give them platform to come to a general formation of our character. If humility, respect and consideration are not present, others will recognize it and form an opinion. However, if they are present, people will more than likely be drawn to your personality and towards your God.

My name does NOT hold any real power. His name does! Acts 4:12 indicates it is His name that possesses the power of salvation. He is the ONE we should be introducing to others.

I don’t really want to be seen anyway. I have faults. I have scars. I have shortcomings. I have messed up some things in my life. WHAT? You didn’t know Tricia’s husband wasn’t perfect? LOL! I don’t need my name to be in lights or proclaimed for others to recognize. NOW, let me just clarify, we ALL want to hear our name spoken – at least in a positive manner. I do want my name to become synonymous with good Godly character.

But really, just to know that I am HIS CHILD, that is enough for me! Others may never know me. But as long as the King of Kings who sits on the throne in heaven above knows me, I’m good with that. He knows my name and that’s really all that counts.

At times it may have bothered me to be introduced as “no name”, but I know how extremely blessed I am to have such an incredible, Godly wife and a cool title.  So, I am GRATEFUL to be called, “Tricia’s husband” and even better, “His child”.

Use It or It Will Use You

Every day has the potential to become filled with devastation or miracles.  What is interesting to me is that both of these endings have similar, if not identical, origins.

The book of Proverbs should be a daily influence in our lives. So much wisdom is to be gained. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” This is an incredible reminder that we have the power to control how we respond to our surroundings, even things that blindside us.

This blog is NOT a softly padded message to “just think positive” or “simply believe the best for your life”. On the contrary, it is an attempt to prod you to move from a “comfortable” mindset and provide hope for those who are facing strong headwinds, torrential downpours, wild fires, gloomy days, etc. Don’t misunderstand, I am suggesting that you should not run FROM your troubles, but run TO your troubles. Many victories of God’s people in the Old Testament were prefaced by a person or group of people running TOWARD the battle.  We do see that when people ran FROM or ignored their battles that these almost always ended in defeat – physical and spiritual.

Yes, your thinking has a lot to do with how you accept life. And it is about ACCEPTANCE.  I believe we can either accept the devastation all of the things life can bring OR you can accept the POWER of this opposition and use them for your benefit.

An airplane doesn’t take off by putting the wind to its back.  It’s looks straight into the force of the wind and presses forward. It’s all about RESISTANCE. The plane does not create the resistance. It simply responds to the resistance and uses it to its advantage.

In a similar way, wild fires are very destructive. However, even during the course of fighting these raging infernos, some fire is used as a “controlled burn” to protect against potential damage – fight fire with fire.

Using the 2 previous examples of potentially dangerous events, our responses to them is CRITICAL. We can use them for our benefit.  We could also run from, hide, or ignore their power and do nothing to stop the possible damage.  Yes, even I have used the scripture and have been determined to “stand still”, but sometimes you cannot stand still and get victory. You must fight against the resistance you feel. If you simply allow the elements and outside influences to control you, they (events, situations and even people) are, in actuality, USING YOU for their benefit.

I was NOT made for the wind. The wind was made for ME. Use it or be used! I’m gonna ride the wind! http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:8&version=NASB

Ultimately, this blog is NOT intended to be the complete answer to your current issues.  Sometimes we need to run and hide (like responding to a Cat5 hurricane). But I believe too many times we take the “easy way out” when any level of resistance comes our way. God will help you to know when to stand up and fight the resistance.  But He also gave you a brain to know when to hide yourself in Him.

Here’s a final thought – instead of allowing what you are dealing with to drain the life out of you, use what is coming against you to strengthen and sustain you and the promises God has for you! Use or be used.

If you want to soar with the eagles, don’t run around with turkeys!

Clearing a Path

It’s here – the commencement of a month and a half of holiday festivities. LOVE it!

The pilgrims in their search for a place to live in freedom, found rest in what would become the beginning of our United States. Getting there took its toll on everyone, especially those who were the trailblazers. There had to be trailblazers. They lead and cleared a path.  Then come the followers.  Some followers are there to join in the pursuit of “the dream” while others are there simply to observe and to record the history of the journey.  While I thoroughly enjoy discovering what happened, where they came from and where they traveled to, the real joy is in experiencing the journey.

This is exactly how it is for me spiritually.  I enjoy history and what God HAS done in, through and for His people to achieve His purposes in the earth.

I want to clear a path where the Lord is leading me to travel in the pursuit of “the dream”. Even though others may not have been here before and I have to make a new path, I do not weary of the journey. I have prepared myself for the things I may face. Just like those sailing from England to the “new world” had to load their ships with months worth of provisions, I have been preparing for this season in the journey for years.

Every part of the journey has it’s own unique set of challenges. None can truly be compared to another. And it is important to discover the changing of seasons.

Spiritually, I pray that I am the trailblazer the Lord has created me to be. I also pray that the path He clears through me will become an answer from God for others that desire to give themselves to the cause of Christ. You cannot truly be a leader without followers.  Some followers travel with you.  Others follow from a great distance. Even some will follow you because of the path that has been cleared.

Certainly, the season of my life right now is solely a path clearing journey. This is not to say that no one have gone this way before. (I recall as a boy that some things had to be cleared annually on our family’s property.) I just know without any doubt that the Lord is leading me to clear this path and allow Him to work through me to create a road in the wilderness.

Lord, help me to be extremely sensitive to Your voice during this awesome time of discovery, so that those who go with me or follow me or observe the path that I take will not see the man who cleared this path, but will see the God of the man who cleared this path!

“Vision has a way of ignoring those who say it can’t be done and doing it anyway.” ~ Scott R Jones

Got the itch…

There are 2 really good lessons here from Pastor Ed Young.

Click his picture to reveal the lessons…

VISION – How much do you really believe in it?

Proverbs 29:18 declares that without vision people perish, cast off restraint, live vicariously.  The meaning of the word “vision” is relayed as “divine communication”.

Everyone must have vision. Everyone will be given vision. How you uncover this or how it is revealed to you may not be at all similar to someone else’s experience.  No matter, it is still vision. This vision must have one commonality – it must come from God.

Many of us are lead to great enthusiasm and anticipation for the fulfillment of our vision.  While this is true, God’s people trap themselves when they focus only on a thing, a person or a place.  God’s vision is like a flashlight in the darkness. As you walk along a dark path, new things along the way are revealed. God’s vision for us and for His Kingdom are PROGRESSIVE.  He’s already been to our future and He is desperately trying to get us to follow so He can get us there with minimal self-inflicted damage.  That means that what you can see right now with the flashlight is NOT what should be focused on once you reach that point.  Keep moving forward.  Like Dorie says, “Just keep swimming.  Just keep swimming. Just keep…”

…and you may not be able to be in control of it.  In fact, I pray you cannot be in control of it.  Doesn’t that really defeat the purpose of faith and trust in our walk with the Lord?

So, the question that seems to be the most pressing is…Are you confident enough in God’s plan to stop trying to dictate and control what you really don’t know anyway? The only way to discover His purpose and fulfill His vision for your life, ministry, family, etc. is to possess what is declared in Proverbs 29:18 – DIVINE COMMUNICATION!  I have been told before to “shut up and listen”. I wonder if God is actually saying that to us.

Do you really want it? Do you really believe in the vision?  If so, you will give up your right to control it and try to steer it as you desire. Right now in the season of my life, I am having a difficult time learning to give up control of the big things.  But as I release the reigns, God is making the turn that is necessary to get me to fulfillment – at least for this part of the journey.  After all, I don’t have to have it all figured out.

Sometimes, the vision is so far fetched or in opposition to what you think you know that you not only wrestle with yourself; you wrestle with others around you and with God. Stop trying and start trusting!  Let the light of Truth shine in the midst of your dark understanding of His purpose.  You’ll be SO GLAD you did.

Sit back, pray, relax, listen to His voice and just start walking.  He’ll do the rest to expose the vision to you.

Stolen Identity

“Be true to yourself.”  “Be who you are.”  “Don’t forget where you came from.” Certainly, you’ve heard others make these statements in reference to a person’s identity. While socially, these are good statements, God created you to be someone special.  Don’t allow anything or anyone to take that from you.

John 10:10 – “The thief comes to KILL, STEAL, and DESTROY. I’ve come that you might have life, and that more abundantly.”

The enemy is a copycat at best. He is NOT an original and he can’t create, so he mimics.  When he can’t get us to give up what he wants, he steals it.

I personally know some people who have had their identity stolen.  Most of these tragedies occur with the victim discovering the truth much too late to stop significant damage to their credit.

Spiritually, the enemy of your soul gets you to believe lies about yourself and your destiny so he can steal the power you have over him.  This overcoming power cannot necessarily be stolen, but people ignorantly give it away.

Listening to things like, “you’ll never be good enough”, “you’re stupid”, “you’ve done too much bad”, “I wish you were never born”, “you’re ugly”, “you don’t have the right pedigree or enough money”, etc. will eventually lead you to believe these lies and ignorantly give up the overcoming power you possess.  Christ gave it to you! Don’t let the devil steal it through his deception and misrepresentation.

God made you for greatness; to be a world changer.  Yes, YOU!

If you’ve bought into a lie that leads to identity theft, take it back! It’s your identity and no one else’s. When you believe a lie, you will live and respond to that lie as if it were truth.

Here are some great examples of believing a lie… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzzMir7zbN4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEJ6HBHjt1g&NR=1

You need to listen to the voice of God and what He declares about you.  God never calls you what you were or what you currently are, He calls you what you will be.  Knowing that God totally believes in you and how He created you should be very liberating for all of us, like turning on a light in a dark room. After all, He came to set you free from the lies of the enemy…

John 8:32, 36 NIV – “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!”

So, who are you? Where do you find your identity?

Spitting Image?

I believe those who know me and my 6 year old son would be hard pressed to deny the fact that he IS my son. As they say, “He’s a spittin’ image of his father.” So true.

People have told me I look like others, some famous and some not so famous. Seems I resemble the image of the individuals. In fact, this past weekend I uploaded my picture on the face recognition software of MyHeritage.com and discovered that I look very similar to David Soul.  You know, Hutch of the 70’s TV show, “Starsky and Hutch”.  But if he were to be standing beside me today, I probably would look nothing like him.

Identical twins may be almost impossible to tell apart, but there are some very distinct differences in particular mannerisms, speech, or physical markings.  However, to discover these, you MUST get closer to them. This is why parents and siblings of identical twins never have trouble telling twins apart, they KNOW them.  The closer you get to others, the more you understand who they are and what they are all about.

Genesis 1:26 NIV reveals that we are all created in the image of God, after His likeness. Just like with our biological parents, we will inherit many of their characteristics and mannerisms. Much of this is hereditary.  However, if you mimic a person long enough (family or not) it will appear that you are related. Ever heard that as the years go by in a marriage that the husband and wife begin to look alike? Probably because of mannerisms, speech, and other personality traits.

The goal of every child of God should be to become more and more like Him to the point that your relationship with Him is undeniable. His mannerisms, His character, His desires, His will…

Our worship of the Great Creator will bring this kind of transforming presence. In fact, the purpose of worship is to change the face\life of the worshiper. We are changed by His presence. Being in the presence of God is critical to our “becoming” more and more like Him. Two great examples of the transforming presence of God can be found in scripture…

In Exodus 34:29-35 NLT, Moses encountered God and his face reflected the glow of God’s glory.  The glow was so intense that Moses wore a veil over his face for some time when he spoke with the people.

The second account is found in Matthew 17:1-2 NIV. Jesus took the inner circle disciples with Him up on a high mountain to experience the glory of the Father.  Jesus was transfigured, transformed, changed at this encounter and immediately Peter, James and John were “blinded by the light” that Jesus was reflecting.

Bottom line: if you want to be transformed and changed to reflect who He is, you MUST get into His presence. And just as Moses did, he kept going back for more. Now that God’s presence resides within His people, He can work on us internally to bring about an external change that will cause us to appear more and more like Him. After all, He’s our Father! 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 NLT

Who do you look like? Who do others think you look like? Do you reflect God in your life? Do others see you or God? Are you the spittin’ image of the Father?

Change the Focus

Life throws many distractions your way.  It’s easy to get focused on the wrong things.  Many times it leads us to be so detail oriented concerning our issues, that we completely miss what we should be focusing on…moving forward.  You cannot change yesterday.  In fact, it has been said (and is still true) yesterday ended last night.  Sorry, but its over.  You cannot do anything about yesterday, but you can do something about today.  How ’bout you change your focus on things that are not dead.  You have been given another day; another breath; another sunrise; another day stuffed full of opportunities to live life to the fullest.  But if your focus is on yesterday or all the negatives in your life…well dead things stink.

The statements Jesus made on the cross of Calvary ended with “It is finished!”  You can’t do anything to change your past.  And Jesus has already done everything you need to cover your past as well as providing everything you will ever need for your future.  It’s over.  Forget about it.  But don’t think that you don’t have to do anything to see all of these promises come true.  The book of James tells us that “…faith without works is dead…”

If you’re a child of God, you are blessed – END OF STORY! Get over your life.  Change your focus. You got purpose!

Philippians 4:8 NLT

Wrong and Right Focus

The main theme of the book of Proverbs is “wisdom”.  It is one of the most essential and critical things we need in our lives and ministries.

In my 20+ yrs of ministry, I have worked with and beside some incredibly anointed and gifted individuals.  Their own personal ministries have given shape to my ministry in one way or another.  What I take from each of them is moving me toward a better me.  It is the definition of “iron sharpens iron”.

One of the things I have focused on when working with others is to benefit from 2 particular areas of their lives – what they do right and what they do wrong.

Experience and observation of others is given as a gift to each of us for increased wisdom.  It only makes good sense to learn from others’ mistakes.  However, this is NOT the main focus of observation.  This kind of focus will only lead us to a judgmental attitude of trying to find all the errors.  The focus should be upon what others do correctly.  Sure we should avoid what is done incorrectly, but when we do what’s right, we don’t need to be concerned about error.

Matthew 6:33 is one of my favorite verses.  It lends to a right kind of focus…His righteousness, His Kingdom, His purposes… Tuning in to anything else can potentially open the door for wrong thinking and misguided actions.  When we mind the things that are important to God, He will cause everything else to fall in line (…all these things will be added…).

Gaining wisdom from others’ experiences is wise.  Look at the things wisdom will bring you…add years to your life, riches, honor, steps ordered…and that really is just the beginning.

Wisdom is crying out from the highest places to call us all closer.  Get next to some Godly people and learn a little.

GUEST BLOG: Are We Really One Body?…

http://tcedwards.wordpress.com/2009/09/12/are-we-really-one-body-really/