Hey, Folks!! I know it's been awhile since I've posted for all to see, but, be of good cheer, I have been focused and growing in the Lord, though not informing all of you.
The best thing of all during this time, has been the time spent with my wife on the phone and, recently during a visit to New England. We have been able to enjoy each other as we focus on our growth in the knowledge of God and on each other's needs and desires. It has, truly, been a significant time in our marriage. Please pray for us as we continue to work through spiritual issues, especially trusting God and His plans for us, financial issues and for the protection and covering of our children and grandchildren. Thanks so much!!
What have I/we been studying or reading in the Scripture? Psalms 119 and Hebrews 1 - 8. What have we learned? That to glorify God is the only reason for being and that the ultimate sin/sinfulness is to 'not' believe in God.
That's right, there is only one reason for our life and it is to Believe in and Glorify God!!! For many of you that's a big; "Duh!", but for many of us it is a big "Wow" and "How".
I find it amazing how my focus on true life wanes when I am not in the word of God on a regular basis. My mind races back to a focus on myself and on what I need or what I want, you know? It is the natural order of things, I believe. We are prone to focus on ourselves above anything else and it is mind (or heart) boggeling. When we get back into the word of God we see that true life is about focus on Him and His will, His purposes and His work.
I've got to relate this story, in all it's truthfulness; I was on the airplane yesterday back to Jacksonville and, to make a long story shorter, this young, very attractive woman sat beside me. My first, wordly, thoughts were; "Wow, oh my gosh, yikes, oh my gosh." etc. etc. etc. (you men will know what I'm talkin' about). But, during the flight she began to speak to me about worldly stuff and how she felt the world needed to focus on 'Green' stuff (I'm sure I don't have to elaborate) and how that would make the world a better place. Well, you know where I went right away, to the Lord of course, and the conversation grew as I related that the illness in the world was an evolution away from Belief in God and how all the world's ills were a symptom of that illness. Well, I don't know how we got to the next level, but she shared a very, very personal story with me about her being raped when she was 15 years old and how it had 'BLESSED' her life. That's right, BLESSED, her life!!!! Through that tragedy she had, finally, met her husband and felt truly blessed and alive, but it was the tragedy that allowed that to happen.
Following our indepth and personal conversation my thoughts went to how the initial 'worldly' thoughts I had about this woman were absolutely the WRONG thoughts regarding God's reason for this woman and I to be sitting on the plane together. Through obedience to God, I was able to steer the thoughts and conversation toward Him to discuss 'real' issues and 'real' life with a woman I had just met. She continued to share how her life had been blessed and how she was helping her parents and her younger sister to focus on Christian things, etc, etc. But, we had a REAL discussion about God and ourselves and His purpose and will in our lives.
That was the reason for us to sit together on that plane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We all need to be REAL. We all need to keep our focus on our Belief in Him and growing in the knowledge of Him in our inner being that we can be ready to thwart the worldly, sinful thoughts and actions by focusing the conversation on HIM as He allows.
It is His will that we grow in that way.
Amen
Love you all
Bill/Dad
The best thing of all during this time, has been the time spent with my wife on the phone and, recently during a visit to New England. We have been able to enjoy each other as we focus on our growth in the knowledge of God and on each other's needs and desires. It has, truly, been a significant time in our marriage. Please pray for us as we continue to work through spiritual issues, especially trusting God and His plans for us, financial issues and for the protection and covering of our children and grandchildren. Thanks so much!!
What have I/we been studying or reading in the Scripture? Psalms 119 and Hebrews 1 - 8. What have we learned? That to glorify God is the only reason for being and that the ultimate sin/sinfulness is to 'not' believe in God.
That's right, there is only one reason for our life and it is to Believe in and Glorify God!!! For many of you that's a big; "Duh!", but for many of us it is a big "Wow" and "How".
I find it amazing how my focus on true life wanes when I am not in the word of God on a regular basis. My mind races back to a focus on myself and on what I need or what I want, you know? It is the natural order of things, I believe. We are prone to focus on ourselves above anything else and it is mind (or heart) boggeling. When we get back into the word of God we see that true life is about focus on Him and His will, His purposes and His work.
I've got to relate this story, in all it's truthfulness; I was on the airplane yesterday back to Jacksonville and, to make a long story shorter, this young, very attractive woman sat beside me. My first, wordly, thoughts were; "Wow, oh my gosh, yikes, oh my gosh." etc. etc. etc. (you men will know what I'm talkin' about). But, during the flight she began to speak to me about worldly stuff and how she felt the world needed to focus on 'Green' stuff (I'm sure I don't have to elaborate) and how that would make the world a better place. Well, you know where I went right away, to the Lord of course, and the conversation grew as I related that the illness in the world was an evolution away from Belief in God and how all the world's ills were a symptom of that illness. Well, I don't know how we got to the next level, but she shared a very, very personal story with me about her being raped when she was 15 years old and how it had 'BLESSED' her life. That's right, BLESSED, her life!!!! Through that tragedy she had, finally, met her husband and felt truly blessed and alive, but it was the tragedy that allowed that to happen.
Following our indepth and personal conversation my thoughts went to how the initial 'worldly' thoughts I had about this woman were absolutely the WRONG thoughts regarding God's reason for this woman and I to be sitting on the plane together. Through obedience to God, I was able to steer the thoughts and conversation toward Him to discuss 'real' issues and 'real' life with a woman I had just met. She continued to share how her life had been blessed and how she was helping her parents and her younger sister to focus on Christian things, etc, etc. But, we had a REAL discussion about God and ourselves and His purpose and will in our lives.
That was the reason for us to sit together on that plane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We all need to be REAL. We all need to keep our focus on our Belief in Him and growing in the knowledge of Him in our inner being that we can be ready to thwart the worldly, sinful thoughts and actions by focusing the conversation on HIM as He allows.
It is His will that we grow in that way.
Amen
Love you all
Bill/Dad
