From Mountains to MoleHills

Do you ever ask yourself these questions? Why do I act this way? Why does that person bother me so much? Or say to yourself: I should be better than this. Do you ever feel like you’re so far away from God that you wonder if he will take you back? Do you have trouble forgiving people that hurt you?

I would say that most people ask these all the time and they are probably pretty normal thinking patterns. Would you like to get out of this rut? The first thing I had to do was to name and claim my sins; my selfishness, my fear, my envy, dishonesty, laziness, unforgiveness and my pride. These things blocked me from God.

When I started practicing the opposite, I knocked down the mountains that were blocking me from God. I started practicing unselfishness, trust, humility, honesty, diligence, forgiveness, and love. These things I could not do by myself, but I would pray and ask God to help me. As much as I was willing, God helped me.

I think it is vital to sit down and take a look at these things that are blocking me and write them down. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. If I don’t look at what’s making me the way that I am, then I will never be able to change it. I can’t change everything over night. But little by little, one at a time, I can reduce the effect that some of these things have on my life. If I practice the opposite, with God’s help I can turn mountains into mole hills.

Pressing on with excellence!! Keith

You have what it takes to change your thinking and change your life.

Do you struggle with low self-esteem?

http://hissideofthelookingglass.com/self-esteem-scripture-verses/

I bet you will find that people (myself included) who judge and condemn have low self esteem. Low self esteem causes me to be judgmental because if I can point out something in someone else, then I don’t have to look at myself. In other words, because of my own insecurity, I seek to find something wrong with others, to point it out and tear them down to make myself look better.

Poor self esteem is a sin and a lie to myself. How? Because I don’t accept God’s love and forgiveness---if I say to myself I’m fat or I’m stupid, I can’t do anything right or I should be better than this, then that is wallowing in self pity and guilt. If I do this then I’m not accepting God’s love and forgiveness. This is really a pride issue because God says he forgives me. But I can’t forgive myself and that is putting myself above God and I am greater than He.

This is one of the reasons self forgiveness is so important. I believe that Satan uses this guilt and self pity to keep us as Christians from being effective. See the thing is, Satan knows you’re forgiven and if he can keep you from feeling this freedom, then he’s won. Because with this feeling you can’t stop it. It will show. What we need is God esteem because we fail often. But God’s forgiveness is real and refreshed every moment.

Taking it to the street 1.) Ask God to help you to see when your being judgmental with others and to be sensitive to how you talk to yourself. 2.) Practice forgiving your self.

Pressing On With Excellence!!
Keith

What a Waste!

My brother has a 1976 Cosworth Vega he bought about 25 years ago. It is a very rare car and it only has around 30 or 40 thousand miles on it. Every once in a while, on special occasions, maybe a couple of times a year, he would pull it out, wash it, and wax it. Then he would drive it around a little and park it back in the barn. For a while he parked it in my Grandpa’s garage but somehow it got put back into the barn. He put a tarp over it and then it’s almost like he forgot about it. The car has been sitting there for more than fifteen years. The tarp has rotted off. It’s completely covered with bird dirt and dust. Mice have gotten in and built nests on the engine, in the air breather, in the glove box, and who knows where else. The whole car smells like mouse pee. There is even mold growing on the steering wheel.

This is perfect illustration of what can happen when we allow worry and fear to go unchecked in our lives. They don’t just go away, instead they get worse and turn into anxiety and depression. If they’re neglected long enough they become insanity. What a waste. It doesn’t have to be this way. Take action now while the problems are smaller so that you can be the rare and precious person that you were meant to be in the first place. Don’t waste your life. Just like my brother’s Vega, if you neglect working on these things now it will cost you much more to fix later.

Taking it to the street:1.) Write down some things in your life that you are doing that you don't like. 2.) Ask God for forgiveness about these things and for help to practice the opposite.   

Pressing On with Excellence,

Keith

Judge Not

I was reading in James this week and he has gotten me to thinking about judging others. The verse I'm referring to is the one that talks about having a log in your eye and pointing out the speck in others. I've noticed that in my own life. I did my share of pointing out others mistakes or deficiencies. All without noticing the log in my own eye. As a matter of fact, I think the bigger your log is the more that you see others' deficiencies. It is so easy to sit back and judge others. I think it may be because the more I look at them and their faults the less I have to look at myself and see the log in my own eye. Our own insecurities and selfish desires drive us to do so many things. If we find ourselves judging and condemning others, we can be sure that there is something about ourselves that we are seeing in others, something that really bugs us about ourselves. Matthew 7:2 says, "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Sounds scary to me.

Taking it to the street: 1) Ask God to convict you when you judge others.
                                 2) Take an inventory of yourself and see if you can see what it is that needs to change in you.

Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith

Quit Chasing Rabbits

One of the things I would like to do is to focus more on the important things in life instead of wasting my time on things that don't really matter. Nice thought, but where do you start? I think you need to look at some things and decide what's really important. Goals are nice but if they don't lead you to what's really important then they're just a list of accomplishments. Or things that you want to accomplish. I'm not saying that goals are bad, they just may be a distraction from what is really important. What does God have for you? Trying to figure out what God's will for your life can sometimes be difficult. But if you don't figure that out and pursue it, then you're just chasing rabbits.
It says in 1 Corinthians 13:1, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." I sometimes wonder if I complicate it too much. I have said that I may not know what God's will is for my life, but I sure know when I'm not doing his will. His will is not complicated. His will is to be like Him and to love others since he is love. His will is to, wherever you are in life,
bring glory to him through all that you think, say, and do. Your relationship with God is most important. To love people is what his will for all of us is. The biggest problem I have with that is self.
Taking it to the street:1) Ask God to help you to realize his love for you.
                                2) Ask God to point out to you thoughts that are not glorifying to Him.
Pressing On With Excellence!! Keith

What's Most Important?

When we look at Jesus's life we can see things that need to be transformed in our own so that we may become more like him. One thing we know is that God is love. 1 John 4:16, "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." (NIV) Whoever lives in love lives in God. This means love is an action in our daily lives. This is most important I believe. Love makes it possible to get out of ourselves long enough to make a difference in someone's life. Without love we would not care at all. How many times do we take the easy way out and not help others when we see a need? I'm guilty of that. Love is taking time or money out of our lives for others. To many times I'm more focused on what it is going to cost me rather than just doing. Too many times I'm to focused on my own little agenda to even notice someone else is having a problem. Too many times I look the other way when I drive past someone who is trying to collect money for a charity or is homeless. Sometimes I may even think that this man is just trying to get free money and so, by doing that, I judge him. Love does have a price. It will cost you your own self-centeredness. That is one thing that I can do with less of. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. That's what we really need to be transformed.

Taking it to the street 1.)Ask God to put someone in your life this week that you can show them his love.

                                 2.) Listen to people around you and do something to help them with their problem.

Pressing on with Excellence!!

Keith

Words Have Power

So, last night the pastor was talking about the words we speak and how they can effect us good or bad. This is so true. Our words can hinder our own spiritual growth. James 1:26 says, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." Two things that the pastor gave us to help us to put this into practice was to think before you speak; Proverbs 15:28, "The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil." Speak less; Proverbs 10:19, "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." It was a great message. I would add, to not allow yourself to get into a debate when you are physically tired, because I have noticed it is easier to let your guard down about what you say or how you say it if you are tired. Sometimes it is better to not speak at all if the words you're about to say does not bring honor to God.
Taking it to the street: Try listening more than you speak.
                                 Ask God to help you to think before you speak.
                                 Ask God to help you to hear what words you are saying to yourself.
Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith

Repentance

Let us review of some of the things that we have found that block us from the Holy Spirit's power in our lives. Things such as pride, bitterness, and focus. Acts 2:38 says, "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" (NIV) He say's it again in Acts 8:22. So here's another one we can add to the list of things that block us from the Spirit.To repent means to feel sorry or to have regret for a past action. I believe this is a great first step. We need to realize our mistakes and humble ourselves. This may have been another reason that the people in Acts 8 did not receive the spirit right away. I have been inventorying my own life and I've been pursuing the wrong things. I've been trying to become great in the name of God rather than pursuing his greatness. I wanted to see God do great things through me instead of just allowing him to be great. I've been seeking to become greater. He must become more, I must become less. Forgive me, Lord, for my self-centeredness.
Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith

Passing it on

 I wanted to comment about what we talked about in the last post. One of the things that I learned over the years is that, left to my own devices, I cannot change anything on my own. No matter how much I wished I could change, I could not do it myself; the power wasn't there. I have learned to allow  the Holy Spirit to control my mind. When the Holy Spirit controls my mind, then I act differently, almost without trying. It just happens. So when it comes to my kids I teach them to do this to the best of my ability. I only have them for a little while. I teach them how to make good choices to the best of my ability. What I'm trying to do is to prepare them because I know someday they are going to be put in a position to choose for themselves. I pray they will make the right decision, but, ultimately, it is their decision to make. To do that they will also need to learn to trust Him. If you know that God loves you, and is with you, and cares about you. Then you can have confidence that what is happening to you is for His glory and good. The best I think we can do is to prepare them for that day. If they screw up they will at least know where they can turn. If they learn how to allow the Holy Spirit to control their mind and are guided by the Spirit then they are in good hands and I don't have to worry about their future. Are you passing it on if so how?
Passing it on with excellence !!
Keith 

The Gifts Of The Spirit

I had been a Christian for a good 16 years before I really accepted Christ's forgiveness, When I finally did, I grew more spiritually in the next four years than I did in the sixteen years prior. I found myself asking why or how that happened. I think it is because of the influx of the Holy Spirit and with it the fruits of the spirit. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I could not produce these on my own, I tried and tried and failed. It also seemed that the harder I tried, the more I failed. I knew what I needed to do but I couldn't do it on my own. The spirit produces these in me as I turn my will over to him. When this does happen, things change rapidly. You actually give a rip about others, you care. You let others go in front of you. You know instinctively when to shut up. You are quick to forgive and fast to straighten out situations when you were wrong. You are able to say no to yourself. These are how the fruits of the spirit showed up in my life. How about you? Do you have the gifts of the Spirit? Is life different for you? Do you want it to be?
Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith

Forgiven

I don't know why I struggled so long with God's forgiveness for me. I, for some reason, couldn't wrap my head around how he could forgive me for all of the sins I committed. Look at that statement. There are two things that stick out to me in that. One is pride, the other is unbelief. Pride, because God is love and, when you truly love, forgiveness is a given. I don't think God can help himself. He has to forgive us because it's part of his nature. That is why he sent Jesus to die for us. So, when I don't accept his forgiveness, it is prideful. Because if he can forgive me but I cannot forgive me then that is the same as saying that I'm better than God. This is where the unbelief comes in. Unbelief costs us more than we will ever know. I wonder how many blessings I missed out on because I did not believe. Certainly, I have missed out on much peace that comes from knowing that I've been forgiven. God knows every sin I ever committed and those that are yet to come. I'm so glad to be forgiven are you?
Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith 

No Price Too High

So, its Easter weekend and its got me thinking about what Jesus went through his last few hours. Think about it, they put a crown of thorns on his head, then they beat him on the head. then he was flogged. All that then they hung him on a cross and killed him. You can read through it pretty quickly in the bible and not feel really what he went through. I try to slow down when I come to those scriptures and allow myself to be put in his position. Can you imagine what it must have felt like? Whew I can't really, only a little. Like I know what it feels like to get hit in the head, but not over and over again and again. I can't say what it would be like to be flogged. Then to be crucified the most painful way; to die slowly. I have heard that when you are crucified  you have to push up with your legs just to get a breath. Can you imagine the pain? I can't in reality. I can't wrap my head around it. Yet God chose this on purpose, why? because you are worth it. He paid this great price for you because of his love for you. I can't wrap my head around that either. Only to say that His love for us drove him to pay the price for our sin. Because of His love for us no price was too high.
Pressing on with excellence!!
Keith

Perpetual Forgiveness Machines

Why are Christians so judgmental? I know I fall into it. Not really on purpose, I just have a slant towards measuring others critically. Not all the time and I’m far better than I used to be about this. The Bible says “Judge not, lest you be judged.” [Matthew 7:1] Jesus himself said, “Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us.” [Matthew 6:12] That AS implies that with the same measure that we use, it will be given back to us. Still it seems for me that I forget where I was, or rather how I was, when I found Jesus. I was at the bottom and capable of anything. I think that I sometimes forget what I’m capable of and that plus a little insecurity of my own is why I judge others.

So what’s the tool I can use to stop being so judgmental? How about what Jesus said: forgiveness. Forgiveness towards others stops me in my tracks for judging. I cannot be critical and forgiving at the same time. Also, if I forgive myself I won’t have insecurity in the first place. God-esteem is far better than self-esteem. Do you have trouble with this or am I the only one? We need to become perpetual forgiveness machines.

Keith
Pressing On With Excellence

Spiritual Brillo® pads

Let’s talk about relationships. We all have them. The way I see it there is three types of relationships that I have; with God, others, and myself.

 I have a relationship with God.  That’s what the tools are all about. They are designed to remove blockages and to grow my relationship with God.

I have a relationship with others. If that relationship is stressed then my relationship with God is blocked. God is present in others and one way he speaks is through others. If I’m mad or judgmental or criticizing or complaining about someone then I’m effectively putting up a wall between myself and God. I sometimes think God puts people in my life that are like a spiritual Brillo® Pad. They just rub me wrong or we just don’t see eye to eye. Anyway, God uses these people, Christian or not, to help me to become a better person. I used to sit around and complain about these people until I realized that God was using them to shine me up for him.

The third relationship is with myself. This is really not often looked at. Yes, I do have a relationship with myself. I believe we all do. I talk to myself all day long and I have found that if my relationship with myself is messed up, it too will have a tremendous effect on the others. For instance; if I have unforgiveness towards myself I become bitter toward others. I may be easily offended, or become angry when they don’t perform the way I think they should. This is really a pride issue, but I think it also stems from unforgiveness. But it causes me to be judgmental and insecure. (If someone makes me mad there’s a pretty good chance that there is something in that person that reminds me of myself.) And if I’m not right in any of these relationships. It will mess with both of the others.

What’s the tool to use to fix this. Well, here’s what I did. For example: I would be driving down the road and someone would merge and cut me off. I would be mad. And it would go something like this: I would call them some name. Then I might even make a gesture. Then, I would realize that this is not the person that I want to be so I would ask God to forgive that person for being an idiot and I would ask God to forgive me for judging that person. Then I would say out loud to myself, “Keith, I forgive you.” It took around six months of this before I realized that when someone would do that it didn’t hardly bother me any more.

 Self forgiveness is one of the biggest tools that I can use to improve both my relationship with others and God. How are you doing at forgiving yourself? Do you think about your relationship with yourself? Do you have your own tools for forgiving yourself that you could share with me?

Pressing On With Excellence,
Keith

The Solution

I would like to write a little about the solution: God. I couldn’t describe God’s character. If I spent the rest of these blogs trying, I wouldn’t be able to.  I do  however like this song by Fredrick M. Lehman:

           The love of God is greater far
           Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
            It goes beyond the highest star,
            And reaches to the lowest hell.

            Could we with ink the ocean fill,
            And were the skies of parchment made;
            Were every stalk on earth a quill,
            And every man a scribe by trade.
            To write the love of God above
            Would drain the ocean dry;
            Nor could the scroll contain the whole
            Though stretched from sky to sky.

            Oh Love of God, How rich and Pure!
            How measureless and strong.
            It shall forever more endure
            The saints and angels song.

This song is right on target. God’s love is amazing! For so long before I got sober I just couldn’t really believe that He could love me. Because the person that I was, was so bad, but God IS love. He can’t help but love you. That’s His nature. He is not limited in his ability to love. What’s more, he knows all of our past, present, and future sins and loves you anyway. I have a hard time wrapping my head around that. I think that is because I had a hard time forgiving myself for all the things that happened in my life. And because of my lack of forgiveness of myself, that blocked me from allowing myself to be loved by God and to accept God’s love. So forgiveness will be a good start for our toolbox. Use it early and often. For others and especially for yourself. It is enough to know that God loves you.

Pressing On With Excellence,
Keith