Is This What You Are Looking For?

Is This What You Are Looking For?

Category: devotion

Menu

Category: devotion

Posted on

From the Front Porch

Over the last few weeks there have been a ton of folks that have been sharing things they are reading and discussing on social media sites. And I’ve just had some thoughts on all the different distractions we have allowed to take our focus.

As I spoke to someone today on the phone, I went on this little side thought and Lori thought it was worth a share. So, be warned before you listen, it’s about the “crap” we take in. My advice, regulate what you take in and regulate what you look at and listen to. And remember, whatever you put in is what you will get out in the long run!

Anybody want some pie?

The post From the Front Porch appeared first on DHM.

Posted on

The Spiritually Lazy Saint – Oswald Chambers

I wanted to share this devotion from Oswald Chambers’ book, “My Utmost for His Highest.” It spoke to me today. I wonder if we can identify with this passage?

Read on:

The Spiritually Lazy Saint

Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . -Hebrews 10:24-25

We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative- our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.

“Yes, I think it is right,” Peter said, “. . . to stir you up by reminding you . . .” (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up- someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up- all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement- He says, “Go and tell My brethren . . .” (Matthew 28:10).

The post The Spiritually Lazy Saint – Oswald Chambers appeared first on DHM.

Posted on

What if Everything Like Fathering & Marriage Were an Olympic Sport

Today as I had my quiet time and sat on the porch with Malachi and Lori, GOD spoke to me about my devotional reading. 

[Read this today from Oswald Chambers… (See the image)]

The key thing that impresses me here is the way he discusses how unspiritual people encourage us to lower the bar.

I was thinking about this yesterday. Isn’t it interesting that people daily encourage us to lower the bar in our work, family lives, fatherhood or whatever?

And yet if we were running a marathon or were an Olympian, they would be the ones cheering as we literally tore our muscles and beat our body down in order to overcome some challenge and race on toward the goal.

Why don’t we see our personal lives in the same way? What do I mean? Well, what if my fatherhood was an Olympic event? Would I train?

Would I study?

Would I incorporate the best coaches?

Would I spend time digging deep and gutting it out?

Would I work on the skills daily?

Would I create muscle memory through routines and habits?

Would I realize my inadequacy in myself and do all possible to develop skill and heart?

The short answer is “yes” I would if I wanted to be the best and win a Gold Medal.

Why not in life?

Why don’t we do this with the most important things in life such as fathering and marriage?

Don’t let anyone tell you to lower the bar. Raise it. Run the race. Finish well. Win gold!

Raise the bar, folks.

All that we are today in America is directly related to how we have lived as Fathers in the past. Time to love the kids better.

Run the race, Fathers!

Run

Blessings on your week

#fathers

#beawesome

#raisethebar

#encouragement

The post What if Everything Like Fathering & Marriage Were an Olympic Sport appeared first on DHM.