Titus 1:7

The Pastor at my church is retiring and so the elders were reading a church what the bible says about picking a new Pastor and one of the verses struck me.

Titus 1:7
Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

Some versions translate the overbearing as "self willed" or "pushy"

Also It seems to me that God has been teaching me about his care and love for me. I used to pray that I would not forget how God has been there in my life ... thinking that at some future point God would not provide or that I would no longer need God's help. But I find as I should have that God is always providing, always helping even though I forget when and how.

Thank you God for your help
Thank you God for your provision
Thank you God for your amazing love
Help me to remember your amazingness
Help me to trust you
Help us to hear you
Help us to see you
Help us to follow you! 

God First

God help us trust you first, listen to you first, follow you first.
God help us remember you when we forget
God help us to leave everything at your feet

God give us wisdom when we are willingly selfish
God show us the areas where we are selfish
God teach us to surrender when we don't know how
God lead us in your ways even when we are lacking

God help us
God lead us
God speak to us

Purpose Driven Life???

There are many books that try to help us find our purpose and they are valuable.

 But I have to remeber that there is also a book in the bible that does the same thing. And the conclusion found is

Ecclesiastes 12

¹³ Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
    for this is the duty of all mankind.
¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil.

"I am"

John 1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.

1. John 1:5 Or understood

In my interpretation of C.S. Lewis he states that either good or evil has to win in the end. No parcel of evil can survive at the end because it would enslave everything that is good.

John 3:36
³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

And so we find in the bible Jesus the restorer.  Jesus the helper. Jesus the helper who calls to us to change or we face the inevitable.

Jesus's love for us is not in acceptance of sin (is this a gross misunderstanding of love that our culture has accepted?), but for his efforts trying to right the wrongs we have done. He can't make us accept his efforts, we can only accept his efforts and let him lead our lives other wise we face the inevitable.

God help us truly understand,
God lead us to your truth,
God bless us,
God speak to us,

Thoughts of Recent

Three thoughts are going through my mind lately.

The book "A grief Observed" by C.S. Lewis. C.S. Lewis keep records of his thoughts after his wife passed away.

When we are desperate/and frantic does that inhibit our ability to hear God? Allot like a drowning person who is most likely to drown him and the rescuer because of his panicked state.

I have been reading the book "Out of the Crisis" by W. Edwards Deming

In his book to American companies he is stating that companies (and individuals as well?) should look for suppliers who focus on quality (and not on the lowest price).  I am not convinced yet but I am changing the way I think.

The third thought is on the power of prayer. It's blown me away lately and I have realized that I really need to pray more.

God bless us,
God lead us,
God teach us to pray and teach us to pray more often
God speak to us.

God burn in us!

I am again struck by how we are always in God's hands no matter where we are. I'm struck by the power of God. I'm stuck by his love in hard situations.

God burn in us
God pull us out of the desert and into your life
God help us throw away the power of darkeness
God help us to see you light
God help us to trust you
God speak to us
God lead us

God of the past present and future

Freedom how can we have freedom yet how can God be unchanging and listen to us?

Maybe God looking at the fabric of time and saw us ask. In some ways it is like fate and other ways it is like freedom.

I believe that we are free to choose the future and yet God sees us now and sees the future, sees the past on one sheet and answers our questions and our requests.

What will the fabric of time look at the end of time?

God is the one weaving us together, He is the one creating.

"Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:34-35

God help us draw our swords, draw our bows
and conquer this world for you!
God help us break this day for you!
God refresh us, help us drink from your fount and never be thirsty again!

God lead us to you!
God bless us
God shatter the powers of darkness over us
God speak to our souls!
God give us wisdom and strength
God give us your vicious fire!

Morning From Pittsburgh

It just one of those days. I'm in Pittsburgh on work and well its just on of those days where nothing comes easy and I can't wait to make it home

Thank God for providing flights home
Thank God for providing taxis
Thanks God for is great blessings

Cool video check it out!

John Friesen

Take up your cross and follow me

2 Corinthaians 12: 9  " ... My grace is sufficient for you ... "

I am really starting to like this verse. It removes all worry and stress. God's grace is sufficient!

God asks us over and over again to trust him. It's funny how often I try to trust myself, those around me ... when really we can only trust the creator of all and his purposes.

God lead us in your ways
God shatter the power of darkness in our lives
God lead your angels in our ways
and show us your grace and power
God help us to trust you
God help us to listen to you!

Shackels

So lately I've been reading Narnia the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Not sure but I think it is my favorite, or maybe I like it because I am a fan of Reepicheep.

Seems to me that through the story God has been telling me that life is an adventure. Like the adventure of the Dawn Treader we are rich at times we may be poor at others and we can't see or predict the future. But that doesn't mean worry about the future, but rather do the best we can with what we have at the present.

2 Corinthaians 12: 9  " ... My grace is sufficient for you ... "

I struggle with wanting to do many things. I can easily make myself feel that I am behind, I am missing out, I should be, ...

But God shatters the shackels by telling us "My grace is sufficient for you"

God teach us about your grace,
teach us about you
touch our spirits and lift us up
help us remember the Easter season and all You have done for us
Speak to us
Lead us

John Friesen