So many people carry their past around like an albatross.

Even long time Christ-followers give too much weight to past wrongs they have committed.

The problem is we have minds with memories. Our minds take mental photographs of events and people and moments that do not fade with time.

That retention tends to attract our attention.

We review those mental images, which can lead to a mental reenactment of the event. That rehearsal then further concretes that behavior into our mind and leads to regret, the self-destructive behavior of
melancholy and many times to us beating ourselves up over nothing but a memory.

Someone told me they have dreams once in a while of past events and actually wake up with a sense of dread because they feel as if they are still on the middle of that dreamed-of event.

Those dreams of regret and bad judgement have been purged by Christ.
The wrong decisions and regretful behavior have been washed.

I heard the Casting Crowns song “East to West” yesterday.

They sing of what we are talking about. They say that Christ has forgiven and separated our sin from us “as far as the east is from the west”.

Then, the next line grabs the heart of the listener and brings a deeper understanding of the forgiveness of Christ, “One scarred hand to the other”.

The first time I heard those words they stunned me.
They formed a completeness in my heart.

“One scarred hand to the other.”

As Redeemer of all Men, as Cleanser of every Sin, when Christ spreads His Hands to include every
person who has ever lived in His Redemption, the span of those scarred Hands is totally inclusive and immeasurable.

It includes all of His highest creation. That span includes you and me, and all who allow those Hands to surround us.

We live in the Span of those redemptive, heart-cleansing, mind-clearing, held-wide “scarred Hands”.

Terry
April 30, 2015

We are an accumulation of parts.

External and internal, we are put together “Masterfully” for multiple uses. We have a coordination with all these various parts which usually works perfectly….which was the Original Intention.

We do not govern our breathing when asleep.
Neither do we purpose our heart to beat.
When cut, our epidermis rebuilds itself with a slow regeneration through stages of healing.

We are given skulls designed to protect the brain within. We are constructed with a cage of bones around our vital internal organs.

We are given those brains to think, reason and govern our voluntary responses.
We are given hands with fingers to manipulate the physical world around us.

Feet allow us balance and ambulatory ability.

All these elements function properly to allow us life and existence.

What’s the most important body part?
My answer is …do away with one and then decide its importance.

They are all vital and essential.

So it is with the various parts of the “body” of Christ.

Are you His Hands?
His Feet?
His Heart, Mind?

We all have a designated and gifted role in the proper functioning of the “body” of Christ’s Church.

Some are the Brains…,these people think and lead administratively.
Some are the Hands…these people reach out to draw and encourage others to come and grow. They serve to facilitate needs.
Some are His Eyes…they look around, watch and see the needs in people.
Some are His Heart…they feel the hurt and show the Love Christ poured and pours out upon the world.

Which part of the “body” are you?

I believe the secret to a successful Christian existence is to look, seek and find which “body” part God has formed you to be and to fulfill that use and practice.
The full practice of your Gift will make the “body” function more completely.

It’s what we are formed to do……to be the Mind, Eyes, Ears, Heart, Mouth, Hands and Feet of Christ in the world until we are used up and or until He returns.

Every part matters.

Every person matters.

You are indeed the “body” of Christ.

Be a fully involved and properly functioning part of that “body”.

Terry
April 29, 2015

We tend to do what we want to do.

As we grow as young men and women we develop relationships that move and morph into groups and cliques.

We gradually move toward and close to those like us or who are involved in a similar pursuit. A traditional saying there is that we “Run with” these people.
Some say these groups we affiliated with are our “Peeps”.

And these relationships can be deep and long-lasting or they can be fleeting.

How much we conform to that group depends on our similar thoughts, pursuits and desires.

These friends can lead us to Light and Life…these friends can also lead us into destruction and death.

We tend to do what we want to do.

Within theses circles…who influences you? Who do you influence?

Be awake, alert and aware that the relationships within the circles we “run” in can slowly lift us to Holiness, but can also draw us down in a pit of despair and destruction.

This very thing is what verses 7-19 of the First Proverb covers. Many of the Proverbs touch on this.

Never allow your desire for acceptance and comfort within the group you “run” with to outweigh what you, as a Christ-follower, know that He wants you to do or tells you to do .

Do not allow others to draw down your definition of Light, Right and Spiritual Sight.

Be the Influence, not the influenced.

It’s what Peter spoke of in 1 Peter 4:4.

Hold fast to what your heart and spirit know to be Right.

Let go of those relationships that require you to behave differently than you are in Christ.

We tend to do what we want to do.

What do you want?

Terry
April 27, 2015

Practically, a bridge carries you over something that needs to be passed over…to the continuance of your journey.

Musically, a bridge is typically the highest point in a song …reached after the opening and afterwards takes the song to its’ close.

So…bridges move us along.

One of my favorite songs is by Hillsong and Brooke Fraser.

HOSANNA.

The bridge in HOSANNA contains words which could have many lessons, sermons and devotions within them.

I ask you and encourage you to pray these words.

They will be a bridge to a deeper prayer life and walk with God.

They will draw you to Him.

“Heal my heart and make it clean.
Open up my eyes to the things unseen.
Show me how to love like You have loved me.
Break my heart to what breaks Yours.
All I have and am for Your Kingdoms Cause
As I walk from life into eternity”.

Let these words and the meditation on them be a bridge for you.

Terry
April 21, 2015

Read a Devotion this morning. It quoted David in Psalms 101. He wrote, “I will walk within the walls of my house with a perfect heart, I will set nothing wicked before my eyes”.

It spoke of “walking in my house”. It spoke of being familiar with what those in your house set before their eyes.

This can be an indictment of the stewardship of our
houses. Do you know what you are allowing your children to “set” before their eyes?

The devotion challenged Men to know what is being “set” before the eyes of their families.
What do you allow to be seen when the remote is in your hand?
What are you allowing your wife or children to have enter the portal of their eyes and make an imprint on their minds?

You know “darkness” when you see it.
Do you allow “darkness” to be implanted in the minds of those in your house?
How long do you remain on a show you know immediately is unsuitable? If you linger there a moment…you may be teaching a lesson to your wife or children.

Omission and commission are distinctly different. Determine to set nothing unsuitable in your line of sight. It’s not just suggestive or risqué visuals… it’s anything not moving you toward a Godly life.

One cannot help what passes by the window of your eyes…. however, you can help what you linger on, take a second look at or concentrate on. Know that what your son sees you lingering on or watching…he will inspect also.

“Sheep need a Shepherd” as the devotion said. Not a Shepherd to lead them astray…. but one
who “walks in his house with a perfect heart.”

Determine to walk toward and possess that “Perfect heart” David wrote of.

Be alert. Be aware.
Other eyes are constantly watching you. And learning.

Terry
April 20, 2015

Today’s devotion made KD Lang’s old song come to mind.

There must be a desire, a craving on our behalf, to add the attributes mentioned to our Faith.

Peter instructs us to add to our faith, virtue.
Then, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness, and charity/love.

It’s not osmosis.

It’s the result of effort. The instruction is to add these things.

It’s up to us to pursue these attributes. They come to us with and after spiritual growth.

You cannot buy them with money. They are bought only with time, effort, pursuit and a craving which does not get satisfied with the status quo.

Do you desire them?

Are you seeking them?

Put feet to any desire you possess and you have pursuit. Pursuit is what you do when you really want something.

We have possibly never really been hungry.
With the abundance of food at our fingertips, it’s difficult to be hungry.

If your desire is such, It’s not difficult to be spiritually hungry.

Pursue it.
Constantly.

Terry
April 13, 2015

It’s essential to life.
It clarifies and brings distinction.
Warmth can come from light.

When you feel the light and warmth of the sun, it’s a blessing.

When the sun sets at the end of the day, you turn on other light.

We need light.

The first thing God created was Light.

He knows all about it and our need for it. Light from Him gives fullness to our inner man.

Pray that Light for other people. Gods Light. You can pray no greater blessing into someone.

It’s the Light that blinded the guards at the tomb as He rose. It’s the Light that He created.

It’s The Light that can lift a life. It’s The Light that will warm a heart and put the gleam in an eye.
It’s The Hope of Heaven, The Light of Life, given to and for us by The Father of Lights.

Terry
April 7, 2015

If you fly almost anywhere out West you see the great amount of wide open spaces.

Between the cities in Arizona, Utah and Nevada there are vast open spaces of empty
desert, mountains.

There is great beauty there, great unending valleys and stark high-rising cliffs.

In our own lives there are places of unexplored territory, great areas of beauty and expanse, yet untapped in available resources and usage.

At this moment, you know of un-surrendered acreage in your heart and mind that has great opportunity for beauty and usage.

God has great intended use for the unexplored territory.

Those Canyons and Peaks out West are there to be looked at, explored and climbed upon.

That open and available space in your life is for God’s Hand to fashion and develop. As His Hand has made great beauty out West, God desires your available spaces to be filled with His Plan, His Word, His Spirit to fully involve you in particular practices of His Life.
For it is His Life and Light we are living in and His Hand which is carving out our Peaks and Points to fully reveal Him.

Open and available space is meant to be put to use. Out West its for appreciation and Beauty.
Within our hearts it is meant for Acts of Love, Acts of Spiritual Courage and The Revelation of Our Lord.
As the “Heavens declare The Glory of God and the Firmament showeth His Handiwork” out West….
Our available spaces are meant to reveal The Kingdom, which is present wherever Jesus is which is wherever we are if He abides in our hearts and lives.

You have open and available space.

As the Parks are set aside to be preserved, do not allow your open spaces to be “set aside”.

Call in The Creator.
Call for His Hand to maximize the use of your available space.

Terry
March 30, 2015

.

Yesterday we celebrated Jesus’ resurrection. He appeared to His followers. He had fulfilled prophecy and defeated death.

But there was more.

He stayed for forty days.

From yesterday that would be through May 15th. He was here for a good while.

Think about that,

He remained to allow the disciples to have verification.
He remained to validate the rumor of His Resurrection by appearing to hundreds of people, and to Paul.

As I think about this, I wonder where were the Pharisees and what were they thinking? What did Pilate do after hearing about His appearing?

By appearing to about 500 people, His appearing was not kept a secret. There was too much excitement among His followers for it to be a secret.

He was here to validate His earlier Words. He stayed to encourage His Disciples. He remained to finish off His Teachings.

He stayed and brought Peter back into the fold. Peter would not have become the Leader he did, if it were not for Christ forgiving his betrayal, if it were not for Christ instructing him to “Feed my Sheep”.

He stayed 40 days and allowed what He had said earlier to settle in the minds of His followers.

He remained and instructed His Disciples to be filled with The Holy Spirit…as described in John 20.

He told them He would never leave them. He stayed to assure the disciples of His Trustworthiness.

He told them He would not forsake them. He didn’t.

He stayed, ate with them, probably laughed and shared His Joy with them, showing them He
was true and honest in His Word.

He brought them salvation, they had not received it before His death, It had not been achieved yet.

He finalized His teaching and instructions.

He gave reality to the Hope He had preached to them earlier.

Over the next 39 days, be conscious of this. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you in these days, as He revealed Himself to so many in the Epilogue of His First time here.

Terry
April 6, 2015