"I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11... Have you ever sat down and just absorbed that verse? Put all of your own thoughts aside, sitting somewhere, maybe laying in bed at night, just absorbing what David meant...
I have met so many Christians- including myself- that have said something along the lines of, oh if only I could overcome this sin, I promise Lord to do better next time, etc. etc. etc. It seems that too often we get caught like a hamster in his stupid wheel, spinning and spinning it, running with all our might to escape it, yet never going anywhere. The next step, we say, will free us from our bondage. When it doesn't and we get worn out, we stop for a breather and say to ourselves "I will no longer be in this place, I will be free", only to pick the pace right back up in our little hamster wheel.
Running, running, running. Spinning, spinning, spinning. Going nowhere fast. Our never ending quest to outrun what we cannot.
The truth is that we cannot escape our little hamster wheel on our own. They say that if you do not learn from history you are doomed to repeat it... And sadly, we will keep repeating it. The same spokes of the wheel repeatedly passing under our feet. Because too often we do not learn.
This brings me back to Psalm 119:11. David, ironically, gives us the key to escape our spinning world. "I have hidden Your Word in my heart"...
How do you hide the Word in your heart? By reading it. No, not just merely scanning over a few verses a day. Rather, we must READ it. Absorb it. Meditate on it. Study it. David hid the Word in His heart because it was God's Word, and God's Word is life changing. When we absorb His Word it penetrates the very darkest depths of our soul, and changes us from the inside out, in ways we could never comprehend or accomplish ourselves.
I am not meaning picking and choosing either. I have seen too many people take a verse here or a verse there and build theology from it. But we must guard against that temptation. What David was referring to was not a verse by verse theological argument- he didn't write "I have hidden chapter 10 vs. 2 in my heart" but rather, Thy Word.
Are you stuck in a hamster wheel of repetitious stupidity and sin? My friend, now is the time to step out of it, step away from the norm of the world, step away from the self help advice and replace it all with His Word, in your heart. It's that simple. When you fill up on the Word, when you absorb it, when you hide it in your heart- He will change you.
Step out of the wheel. You are not a hamster, after all...
Friday, September 28, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
America Again
I HAVE TO BE HONEST...
Gov. Rick Perry was my first choice for the republican nominee for president in 2012. That guy, in my humble opinion, is a rock star governor not afraid to live his faith. But... sadly he was defeated rather quickly and quite handily. SO... My second choice was Michelle Bauchman. I love that woman; she is not afraid to say what needs to be said when it should be said... Sadly, she was also defeated rather quikly. Well, you know what they say- the third time's a charm, so I went with Sen. Rick Santorum... only to be disappointed at his lack of finishing big. well, I guess he did come in second...
One thing is for certain, my very last choice was Mitt Romney. A guy who came across as a moderate establishment candidate. A guy who was carrying an awful big chain around his neck with bling attached to it that plainly read "Romneycare" in the gold glittery letters. A guy who was the poster child for the evil "one percent" that the left was going nutso about. Yeah... that guy. I hate to say, but I was more excited to bob for dead fish in a barrel than to vote for Romney.
I was firm in my convictions, refusing to acknowledge him as a viable candidate. When it became clear that he would be our nominee I entered a state of political depression, preparing my mind for another Obama victory. Visions of the end of America floated through my head. I was beginning to accept the premise of doom.
You see, I understand that the America I grew up with, the America that I had known and loved since I was a small child, is in critical condition. She is laying in the ICU room for nations, on life support. The prognosis is dim. Hope is not lost- but those with any logic know it might as well be. Her light is fading from her eyes, and her torch is but an ember. She has been beaten down by an administration that promised hope and change, and instead gave us no hope and a beating with chains. That once great Lady Liberty, crippled at the hands of her leader. Her people made to believe that American exceptionalism was a demonic plague. Her people assured that to believe in America as the last great hope, that city on a hill for all other nations to look to, was nothing more than a corrupt dream worthy of being abandoned on the trash heap of unfairness. No, we were told, it is time to look beyond what was and accept a new reality- that America needs to be brought to her knees, brought to a place where all the other nations can see eye to eye with her. Eye to eye, that is, as she looks up- at them.
That America, that once was great, that was the beacon of hope to all the world, had had it's beacon of hope extinguished by a leader who promised hope. Oh, how I look back to my youth, back to the America I grew up in, longing for her to pull through, to stand back up lifting high the notion that ALL men are created equal, that ALL men have the right to life and liberty, that ALL men can be free to pursue their dreams and reach as far as they are able, that ALL men through hard work, blood, sweat and tears can one day reach their dreams- and more importantly, that they can impact their neighborhood, their city, their state, their country, their world- that we are more than just a number, a nameless peasant...
I WANT that America back.
I WANT a better future for my children and grandchildren.
But I don't see that. I don't see anything but Lady Liberty taking her last dying breath under this administration.
That is where I was. That is what I saw. I had no faith in the possibility of a victory for conservatism.
But then... I watched something unfold. It was called hope. Not a glittery hope, not honey-like words spoken from the lips of a seducer in chief. No, there was something else here. It was hope spoken from a man once held in sway by the liberal left. It was hope spoken from a woman reflecting on being that little girl refused hamburgers at the local gathering because of her skin color, later elevated to Secretary of State. It was hope spoken from a man whose family immigrated from communist Cuba, whose father and mother poured sweat- not for their dreams, but for the dreams of their son. It was hope spoken from a man who assured us that it is ok- no, not just ok but the right thing to do to believe in America again!
The reminder that WE are the employers, and that this president has been no more effective than an empty chair flooded through my mind- and I pray yours. The reminder that THIS president, who PROMISED to slow the rise of the waters and to heal the lands SADLY FORGOT the millions of Americans without work, without food, losing homes, losing dreams, losing the very hope that they were promised. Most importantly, we were reminded that IT IS NEVER too late to HOPE for TRUE HOPE. It is never too late for Lady Liberty to rise up again. It is NEVER TOO LATE for OUR America to stand up and once again be that beacon of hope, that symbol of liberty that shines forth from sea to shining sea!
YES! America can be restored! There IS hope! Where there is truth, there is hope! Where there is faith, there can be victory! Where there are people who are willing to stand and fight for her, there is liberty!
My friends, NOW is our time. They had their time, those who would see America weak and defeated. But NOW is OUR time to rise! NOW is our time to say, that we are TIRED of more people out of work, we are TIRED of more people hurting, we are TIRED of more debt, we are TIRED of the right to life being trampled, we are TIRED of the right to liberty being stolen, and we are TIRED of a government that has gone TOO FAR!
Four years ago, God gace us the exact leader we asked for. But now it is time that we recognize our wrongs. Now is the time we get down on our knees, and go to Almighty God, admitting that we were wrong. Now is the time that we seek His help once again, then rise to our feet, and claim the idea of America, the idea of freedom, the idea of liberty that burns in our minds, our hearts, our souls again!!! LET US go forth from this day forward and fire those responsible for trashing our Constitution, fire those who have attempted to enslave us to their socialist views, and TAKE AMERICA BACK FROM THEIR HANDS AND BACK IN THE HANDS OF THEIR EMPLOYERS- WE! THE! PEOPLE!!!!
What do you say? Are you willing to stand? Are you willing to be a voice of reason in this time of insanity? Because my friends, the time is now, you are the voice that will restore hope, and your voice was never more needed than NOW!!!
Gov. Rick Perry was my first choice for the republican nominee for president in 2012. That guy, in my humble opinion, is a rock star governor not afraid to live his faith. But... sadly he was defeated rather quickly and quite handily. SO... My second choice was Michelle Bauchman. I love that woman; she is not afraid to say what needs to be said when it should be said... Sadly, she was also defeated rather quikly. Well, you know what they say- the third time's a charm, so I went with Sen. Rick Santorum... only to be disappointed at his lack of finishing big. well, I guess he did come in second...
One thing is for certain, my very last choice was Mitt Romney. A guy who came across as a moderate establishment candidate. A guy who was carrying an awful big chain around his neck with bling attached to it that plainly read "Romneycare" in the gold glittery letters. A guy who was the poster child for the evil "one percent" that the left was going nutso about. Yeah... that guy. I hate to say, but I was more excited to bob for dead fish in a barrel than to vote for Romney.
I was firm in my convictions, refusing to acknowledge him as a viable candidate. When it became clear that he would be our nominee I entered a state of political depression, preparing my mind for another Obama victory. Visions of the end of America floated through my head. I was beginning to accept the premise of doom.
You see, I understand that the America I grew up with, the America that I had known and loved since I was a small child, is in critical condition. She is laying in the ICU room for nations, on life support. The prognosis is dim. Hope is not lost- but those with any logic know it might as well be. Her light is fading from her eyes, and her torch is but an ember. She has been beaten down by an administration that promised hope and change, and instead gave us no hope and a beating with chains. That once great Lady Liberty, crippled at the hands of her leader. Her people made to believe that American exceptionalism was a demonic plague. Her people assured that to believe in America as the last great hope, that city on a hill for all other nations to look to, was nothing more than a corrupt dream worthy of being abandoned on the trash heap of unfairness. No, we were told, it is time to look beyond what was and accept a new reality- that America needs to be brought to her knees, brought to a place where all the other nations can see eye to eye with her. Eye to eye, that is, as she looks up- at them.
That America, that once was great, that was the beacon of hope to all the world, had had it's beacon of hope extinguished by a leader who promised hope. Oh, how I look back to my youth, back to the America I grew up in, longing for her to pull through, to stand back up lifting high the notion that ALL men are created equal, that ALL men have the right to life and liberty, that ALL men can be free to pursue their dreams and reach as far as they are able, that ALL men through hard work, blood, sweat and tears can one day reach their dreams- and more importantly, that they can impact their neighborhood, their city, their state, their country, their world- that we are more than just a number, a nameless peasant...
I WANT that America back.
I WANT a better future for my children and grandchildren.
But I don't see that. I don't see anything but Lady Liberty taking her last dying breath under this administration.
That is where I was. That is what I saw. I had no faith in the possibility of a victory for conservatism.
But then... I watched something unfold. It was called hope. Not a glittery hope, not honey-like words spoken from the lips of a seducer in chief. No, there was something else here. It was hope spoken from a man once held in sway by the liberal left. It was hope spoken from a woman reflecting on being that little girl refused hamburgers at the local gathering because of her skin color, later elevated to Secretary of State. It was hope spoken from a man whose family immigrated from communist Cuba, whose father and mother poured sweat- not for their dreams, but for the dreams of their son. It was hope spoken from a man who assured us that it is ok- no, not just ok but the right thing to do to believe in America again!
The reminder that WE are the employers, and that this president has been no more effective than an empty chair flooded through my mind- and I pray yours. The reminder that THIS president, who PROMISED to slow the rise of the waters and to heal the lands SADLY FORGOT the millions of Americans without work, without food, losing homes, losing dreams, losing the very hope that they were promised. Most importantly, we were reminded that IT IS NEVER too late to HOPE for TRUE HOPE. It is never too late for Lady Liberty to rise up again. It is NEVER TOO LATE for OUR America to stand up and once again be that beacon of hope, that symbol of liberty that shines forth from sea to shining sea!
YES! America can be restored! There IS hope! Where there is truth, there is hope! Where there is faith, there can be victory! Where there are people who are willing to stand and fight for her, there is liberty!
My friends, NOW is our time. They had their time, those who would see America weak and defeated. But NOW is OUR time to rise! NOW is our time to say, that we are TIRED of more people out of work, we are TIRED of more people hurting, we are TIRED of more debt, we are TIRED of the right to life being trampled, we are TIRED of the right to liberty being stolen, and we are TIRED of a government that has gone TOO FAR!
Four years ago, God gace us the exact leader we asked for. But now it is time that we recognize our wrongs. Now is the time we get down on our knees, and go to Almighty God, admitting that we were wrong. Now is the time that we seek His help once again, then rise to our feet, and claim the idea of America, the idea of freedom, the idea of liberty that burns in our minds, our hearts, our souls again!!! LET US go forth from this day forward and fire those responsible for trashing our Constitution, fire those who have attempted to enslave us to their socialist views, and TAKE AMERICA BACK FROM THEIR HANDS AND BACK IN THE HANDS OF THEIR EMPLOYERS- WE! THE! PEOPLE!!!!
What do you say? Are you willing to stand? Are you willing to be a voice of reason in this time of insanity? Because my friends, the time is now, you are the voice that will restore hope, and your voice was never more needed than NOW!!!
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