God's work has no payback

When you decide, that is if you decide, to do the work of God, the living and almighty God, you must understand that there is no payback; not in this lifetime. 


God has promised us eternal life ((Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever)) Psalms


But, in this life, here today and now, the payback is not to be seen or found. IN FACT "blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" Matthew


I admit, I am a hypocrite such a hypocrite that I got the spelling right, but again, it is by the grace of God that I and all other professed believers in the faith go before you. 


Walking in the light of God is such a joy, such a peace and yet my earthly/manly instincts fight for control of me- over and over and over....never ceasing, but it is by the grace of God I go before you. 


I want so badly to be a better man. A man after God's own heart and herein lies my struggle. 
I am selfish
I think unkind things
I want things
I can be mean
I can show anger


but it is by the grace of God I go before you. 


I hurt people
I am for me


It has been said that God loves me.....and you......ALL OF YOU. EVERYONE OF YOU. and this is where I strive, strive to love like He did, knowing full well I cannot compare, but yet PUSHING and WORKING towards that love, that love without return, that giving without return until, until, until He calls me home. 


Till then may I show you and you and you and you, the grace that has been apportioned for me.


for it is by the grace of God I can stand before you.  

consistency (step 2)

When Mar and I were looking for God we started by praying randomly and inconsistently and we started looking for a church.

When we settled on Collingswood Church of Christ we were told this would be the 1st of many churches we would attend, this could not have been farther from the truth.

What we found @ Collingswood was the closest thing to unconditional love given by man that we have been able to find. Perfect church...no, in fact about as imperfect as any I am sure. Since church is run by man there will always be imperfections, faults, and other human traits that are not pleasing, but what we have found is family. People who stick with us in good times and bad and stick with us for we are, not who we want to be.

There have been plenty of times I have not felt totally comfortable at this church, but upon reflection it was generally my issues that caused that discomfort.

In our journey with God we have found consistency to be our friend. I remember one Sunday evening when would normally attend the services and I was in the thick of a plumbing issue. We had about 20 minutes before we needed to leave and get to church and although I do not remember Margaret's exact words I recall her saying something about "consistency". It would have been so easy to just plumb away, miss service that evening, but instead, standing up, washing up, not looking 100% clean by any means and making the trek to church has proved all the worthwhile.

Consistency in who you are, what you believe and in this case attendance was all to important. Things will always get in the way of being consistent and sometimes they are needed to get in the way, but upon building that consistency of faith, hope and love by merely attending a service was all to important as we built a foundation.

It's not always ALL IN, but really "just in" that matters.






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words on integrity

 Integrity is STEP 1

Some time ago, at church, us men had some classes and looked to define INTEGRITY. I've kinda always liked the definition that goes like this- " integrity is what you do when no one's looking". I remember a friend,  Tony stating something similar, but adding Jesus into the equation. I've often tried to recollect his exact words and even have them written down in a journal somewhere. It went something like "integrity is a man after Christ's own heart".

Recently when attending a class, there was some commentary about a book written that contained interviews with billionaires. The author wanted to find out what the similar qualities that these billionaires all shared.

The #1 similarity between all these billionaires was one thing- INTEGRITY.
Their word was golden. If they said something you could believe it and if they said they were going to do something - - they did it.

Now.....am I perfect in all my ways; no.

Do I try to be a man of my word; yes.

We and I do mean we, my wife and family as well as my co-workers work hard and I do mean hard to have incredible integrity. It is not easy, but I can say, with all my heart. We do a pretty good job.

I loved what one of my bosses said recently. "we always want to do what is right".  This goes for doing what is right even when the norm or way of the world stands in the way of doing what is right.

My first real retail job 31 years ago at K-Mart is where I "bought into" this crazy idea of customer satisfaction. Their motto was "Customer Satisfaction Always" and you know something, I not only believed it, but practiced it and I loved it. Primarily since I am a known people pleaser,  I was given the opportunity to REALLY PLEASE PEOPLE. It was the foundation for a retail career that I still work in today and love and that is a career of service; service to others.

God practices INTEGRITY all the time and teaches us to do the same. I have been obsessed and not always very successful in following this verse- "honor one another above yourselves." This verse freaks me out. I am trying, and by doing this it shows integrity.

And lastly I do not condone Cole Hamels on his pitch intentionally hitting Bryce Harper. And in particular his possible intention to truly harm Bryce, but I do like the fact the Cole did not lie about what he did. What shocked me his how the general public felt he should have lied. That, to me, was sad.

kindness

"kindness...
            don't ask for much, but an open mind"
                                                                                                                                  Ryan Adams


"and whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward" Jesus Christ

TRY IT!

evolution

Evolving is a what we are all doing, yet I always seem to be taking steps backwards and not forwards. The more I believe and accept my faults, I do believe, I slowly but surely progress forward. evolving into a better man. 


At least in God's eyes I know I do.


Oh, the errors I make over and over, at times never ceasing. 


The beauty of God overtakes me his grace washing over me and never ceasing in how many times He forgives me. Over and over and over.


I continue to err, I continue to be human, I am not happy about my imperfections, but I am happy that He grants me grace for He is good. 


May all of our hearts show love, may we embrace each other and not push away. May we begin to truly have and know humility for He is good. 


May we evolve into God fearing, God loving people who pray for wisdom and understanding and may that understanding become a part of our very fabric for He is good. 


God we cry out to you, with our hearts open to your love - - grant us understanding that we may see others as you see them. May not our own judgement cloud our vision, but may the clouds be lifted to see others as you do. Please Father help us to see as we are. 

vanity

Wow, what a day, what a week, what an hour. 


Yes, my psyche is like a bicycle wheel...sometimes the spokes point up and sometimes down, but whatever the case they keep going round and round. 


Do I begin by telling you how every time I listen to Tom Waits it is like discovering a new exotic faraway land, do I tell you how Rodrigo y Gabrielle last Sat were some of the passionate people I have ever met and that seeing Taylor's picture with Gabby was a special moment for me or how about that Jim's cheesesteak I had this weekend, or an incredible guitar lesson yesterday or, or, or, or, or, or, isn't all of this nonsense,  vanity?


Of course it is. The past two weeks have included lavish days and nights filled with, in my opinion with lavish meals and yet....it is naught but vanity. 


Solomon says it is a striving after the wind, vanity. 


 " I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who will come after me, and who knows whether he will be wise or a fool?  Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. " Solomon


The word of God so inspires my very life. When I drift from it, I am lost and then when I am in it....I am safe and sound and content. 


I really love the following words of Solomon's  - "There is nothing better for a person then that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment?" 


excerpts taken from Ecclesiastes ESV


This past Sunday a young man gave up his life for true life, being baptized in the name of Jesus and of this I was witness and if I should boast let me boast in Christ for He is good.