Power Packed Praying

Today, a valuable lesson was learned. A disappointment was turned into a positive. An opportunity which seemed to be denied one minute was approved the next with greater benefits than one could reasonably expect.

The common response to greater than expected benefits is, "I can't believe that just happened." In fact, the question should be "Why not?" Why shouldn't it happen? Why shouldn't we expect positive results from our efforts?

Prayer is a powerful tool. When used properly it opens doors seemingly sealed shut. It softens hearts purportedly hardened to reponse. It soothes nerves frazzled by untimely miscues. Most importantly it bridges the gap between self absorption and self denial.

When genuine prayer is employed as part of everyday activities, the unexpected becomes the norm and not the exception. Then the surprise of a positive outcome is not unbelievable but highly anticipated. Not that God is in a box and once the magic words are spoken he is bound to answer in a certain manner, but that such an intimate realtionship exists the outcome is a moot point. The only real meaning is enmeshed in the intimacy of the relationship. The outcome is superflous, the fellowship ideal.

The Pursuit of Victory

What do you do when you try as hard as you can to complete a task and still are not successful? The first reaction is to say "I've given all I have. There's no more to give." But later emotions kick in and a second effort is begun. Maybe even a third or fourth effort is undertaken. Still no success.

The task remains idle for a time period. Once more the never-say-die attitude invades the psyche and more effort is put toward accomplishing the goal. Frustration, anger, hopelessness attack the will to succeed. The words of Winston Churchill's speech during World War, "Never give up! Never give up! Never give up! Never give up!" play over and over in the mind. Fighting against that sentiment is the temptation to say "Who cares if I quit," all the while knowing that you care immensely. There is no denying the innate desire for victory no matter if you are the only one who cares.

More effort, more pain, more frustration until the smallest breakthrough occurs. The microscopic gain rejuvenates the mind and propels the body to vigorously continue the pursuit of victory. One small step leads to another and before you know it victory has been secured. Problem solved! Mission accomplished!

But at what cost is the victory. Sometimes it doesn't matter. Other times it does. Don't allow the pursuit of victory to end in defeat.

Expectations

Looking forward to an event is both exciting and perilous. We spend much of our time in the expectation of some future occurrence which may or may not happen. Even if it does happen will it turn out to be a positive or a negative impact.

Expectations are exciting when the outlook appears positive. Children can't wait until Christmas or a birthday, knowing boxes wrapped in colorful paper are filled with new toys. Even if the number one toy of the year isn't part of the array of gifts, there are still many others from which to choose. Adolescents look forward to the day they are no longer considered children and more and more privileges are granted to them. Adults look forward to significant events like a new job, a reward for diligent labor, or gaining the respect of peers.

There is another side of the coin of expectation. It is a little darker. Its the peril of not living up to societies norms. Whether its failure to satisfy parents or peers, the expectations placed upon an individual have been known to effect many people adversely.

There is a solution to the dilemma. Live in the present. Appreciate each day for what it is. There is nothing you can do to change the past and nothing you can do to hasten the future. While living in expectation, we miss the present. Looking forward to significant events is not wrong, but missing the present is.

Look back on previous mistakes to remember not to take that same path again. But don't allow those setbacks to negatively control your thought process. No one sits down and decides to make a bad decision. Decisions are made because they seem to be right at the time. Some just go bad later. Don't allow mistakes made in the past to define the present. Start over as many times as it takes to put yourself in the present. The past is past; it's not the now.

Looking forward to an important event is okay as long as you don't live in the future always wanting to achieve something you don't currently have. Enjoy what you do have now. Don't miss the present for the future.

And now abide past, present, future these three; but the greatest of these is present. Live in it with confident assurance.

Taking God for Granted

Have you ever taken someone for granted? The term means not appreciating the value one has in your life. If you are married your spouse has surely accused you of such an attitude, or maybe you have accused your spouse of the same. It's so easy to do and commonplace in society.

Whereas it's bad to take your spouse for granted, it is far worse to take God for granted. We do that in at least three ways.

We take God for granted when we fail to give Him credit for the our very existence. At any moment, God could require our soul. He sustains our very existence and without Him there would be no existence at all.

We take God for granted when we presume that we know more about what's better for our life than He does. Not guilty you say. How many times have you acted on your own initiatiive and failed to ask God for direction? In so doing you are minimizing the creator of the universe who is all knowing and could order your footsteps in the right direction.

We take God for granted when we erect a false god. No way you say. The god of our imagination is just as false as the handmade gods spoken of as idolatry in th Old Testament. God doesn't fit nicely into the box our mind has conceived. He is far greater than anything we can imagine.

Taking God for granted is part of our daily life. We might not want to admit it but it's true. For your best interest agree with God that your guilty and let Him show you a better way.

Pride of Life

Pride can be a very dangerous thing. After all it is one of the seven deadly sins (Pro. 6:16-19). It was the cause of Satan' fall (1 Tim 3:6). So at the very least one should be very careful in dealing with such a potentially destructive topic.

But first babies make me proud. Retirements make me proud. Graduations make me proud. Celebrations all. Achievements all. None of these are about me, but they are of me and I could not be any more proud than I am.

There is no pride of accomplishment or thinking I have achieved something due to skill or intellect. Now that would be a dangerous door to open. No, this pride is in someone else's accomplishments. This pride is the moistened glint of joy that accompanies the right of passage from the completion of one great moment to the intiation of another.

To be fortunate enough to experience one of these events is wonderful. To experience all three in short order is spectacular. There is no arrogance or haughty spirit; just the basking in the glow of sunlight reflecting from the faces of the pride.

If no free will...Then no problem!

Recently a young female college student opined that free will was an allusion. People react according to predetermined influences and are not free at all. Now it is true that mankind does not possess total free will. No one chooses to be born, or the culture in which one is born, or the genetics one inherits. But to suggest that mankind has no choice at all is strickly fatalism. Be it ever so limited, mankind has choices and is expected to function in life responsible for the choices made.

The potential for choice exists. There are outcomes from choices made that can bode well or ill for the decision maker and the immediate environs. Some issues dealing with free will or no free will might be contained in some of the following If...Then propositions.

If there is no free will...Then, One cannot be held accountable for the consequences of his/her actions.

If no free will...Then God is the cause of sin.

If no free will...Then everything would be morally neutral.

As a society we hold people accountable for their actions. Everything is not morally neutral. Evil does exist and the origin of such evil is not God.

Opinions like the one from the young college student are a product of mindset which desperately searches for ways to excuse behavior and escape the reality of truth. The familiar saying "What's true for you is not true for me" is the attempt to make truth relative and therefore non-binding. Try as one might, there is no escape from Truth and mankind will be held accountable for it.

Language of the Fool

Recent news reports indicate an upsurge in the use of profanity in social settings and the workplace. It appears as though such language is not only acceptable but appropriate to express one's views. Top political and business officials have been heard using the F bomb. Unsavory language is apparently so pervasive that studies have been done suggesting the use of these once aberrant linguistic expressions are beneficial to social development and interpersonal relationships.

This is such an interesting topic for in the same article it suggests that such language would not be appropriate for use around children. A question immediately comes to mind. "If the language being used by adults is acceptable, why should it be inappropriate for use around children?" The answer is obvious and the very same people supporting the use of such language know the answer.

Conscience, that immaterial gatekeeper of man, is still alive and well. It is true a certain searing has taken place hardening the conscience. Despite the hardening, deep inside the heart of man the truth is known. One might try to deny it, repress it, or forget it but in the quietness of the heart the conscience speaks and mankind realizes the undeniable truth. There are standards expected of the human race and when those standards are compromised the conscience reacts, feelings of guilt surface. Often the phrase "Pardon my French" or some other expression of apology accompanies profanity used in the company of someone the speaker knows does not appreciate the language. If such language is acceptable, why offer the apology?

Reflecting on this issue, two quotes come to mind. The first is by the wisest man to ever live. He states, "The words of a wise man are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow him up." The second is from a great Greek philosopher, "In the brain of the wisest of men always resides the corner of the fool."

Foolish people use foolish language to convey their foolish thoughts.