Every moment we are given great opportunities

 

I was very stupid for waiting so many years to learn to dance with my best friend, Laura.  She’s the love of my life and I’ve know for many years that dancing with her would bring great joy (please forward this blog to my dear friend Pastor John Bishop).

I was reading the Love Chapter guy – Paul today and I heard God speaking to me through it.  The context is about  how we live out our lives in an evil world.  The verses I read so spoke to me about my years of neglecting to speak a “love language” that would bless my wife’s life.  The reasons for NOT blessing Laura in this way were silly (actually stupid) and revealed a slice of selfish “stuck-very-deep-in-the-mud” thinking.  I kept telling myself that God didn’t gift me with the ability to dance therefore I was excused from trying.  What a lie (often to allow us to keep doing what is comfortable instead of what’s right).

Here’s the passage I read: Ephesians 5:16-18.  Paul’s saying, “Bruce take EVERY opportunity you get, especially in these selfish times, act out with purposefulness – live not in excesses of “what feels good” rather live by being “filled-to-the-top” with God’s Spirit.  The word “filled” actually means complete.

• Why are you holding back?
• What would add joy to someone you love?
• Read the whole story of Bruce’s victory over stupidity (my personal blog)

There is no such thing as “ordinary”

Yesterday was one of my top 10 favorite devotions from O.C. (Check it out right now).  My dear friend from the other-side-of-the-pond, Oswald Chambers, wrote about despair wraping it’s hideous claws around us whenever we realize how much we’ve blown an opportunity; a moment that can never be recaptured, never reconstructed – something lost forever!  Despair comes in many colors but it’s end result is loss of hope!  And without hope there is no passion, true purposeful drive.  Relationships wither and hollow, fake, emptiness encases us in prisons of fear.  In the words of an 8th grade, “despair is a bad thing.”

Oswald reminds us of the night Jesus’ three closest friends felt despair yank them back into a depressed, numb,  sleep.  All the while Jesus  had to wrestle with God in the darkest night of his life.   O.C.’s key thought is that the NEXT RIGHT STEP is, to do whatever “Ordinary thing” is in front of you.   Stop and choose to NOT to visualize anything as ordinary.  Every moment is a present miracle –God’s presence in you and all around you!  Really!  How much do you believe this? Right now? 

These last two mornings I’ve struggled to craw out of bed and shift into “R” (=racing) . . . I’ve been sparing with what some call the “common cold.”   AND It’s against my religion to get sick (besides I’m a big baby when I’m down).  I’ve been praying for this “God view” - to accept the ordinary as extraordinary.  God so explodes your life when you choose to do this. 

For the depressed, suicidal, prophet Elijah, the next right thing to do (ordinarily extraordinaire) was to “eat and drink his Crystal Light; then go back to sleep.”   What “ordinary moment” did you let slip on by today?  Are you overwhelmed with regrets (I’ve sat with people who are worn out over concerns for their kid’s drug addiction; people in the hospital in serious condition, and young lovers finding their love gone sideways . . . they all were trying to see God present in their present tense troubles – they all are struggling with regrets.).  What will you do with what’s left of right now? 

I stopped and said hi today to a silver haired, brilliant blue-eyed 70 year old guy in the gym (He blessed my life with a little book and I plan to return the favor over coffee; hopefully some sharing as to how God can touch his life . . . I don’t think He knows my friend yet, but I promise the coffee won’t be ordinary!).

What’s the most ordinary thing in your life right now?  You might be surprised if you pause and look again (really choose to see it as miraculous). 

Nothing is ordinary unless you believe the mistruth that it is!

(More on my seven days of romance with my sweetheart – visit my personal blog)

Love is in the air

I love great music, art, and the mystery of God’s romance.  This week I’ve met with a musician whose trying to build a team for the first time when it comes to his relationships.  He’s single, being brave and running back to God!  I’m one of the most God-lucky men to be able to hang with such cool young people.

I saw God surprise me regarding our new campus!  We had one of the largest homebuilders in the county come on board to help us with our new remodel.  We had Duane, one of our LH executive pastors, join our construction team, and thousands of dollars in hardware donated.  God is good.  Friday, my construction friend Richard and I taped out the stage area and it’s getting real exciting.

Prayer focus:  We would need to raise nearly $5,000 for just a basic stage lighting system.  The final decorating cost are way beyond that.  Pray that we hear God’s voice as He guides each of us (giving $5, giving our skills, passionately serving, flying Bruce and the Team to Aruba for a 4 day break . . . – it’s a joke, really!)

Pray that the permitting process goes through smoothly (this will be huge this week and will be the determining factor in us getting into our new facility before Easter)!

Needs: Donation of a drum kit for Kid’s World.  A small (not too small) refrigerator,  Oven, Microwave, bar sink and a Plummer and cabinet maker to go along (We want to build a mini-kitchen in our Kid’s World.

Oh, I almost forgot:  V. Day tips (it’s not to late – click here now to go to my personal blog site).  I’ve got one of the most simple, easy, pain-free, no calorie tips known to Human Kind!

Happy Valentines!  If you think V. day is stupid (“I don’t need a commercialized Hallmark $$$ day to show my love.”), you need to talk to me – I can help you will your blindness – for sure!

Only Three days Left (Romance tips # 2)

If you really want to follow my week of romancing my sweetheart take a jog to my personal web site (Tips for gals want to figure out how to romance their “man.”)

Today’s and Yesterdays devotional by my old British chap, and friend-bud, is fantastic. I think of all the things lost, forgotten, and pushed down – O.C. has again shown what a revolutionary rebel he was for Jesus in these devotions (written about 180+ years ago).

“Is your imagination stayed on God or is it starved? The starvation of the imagination is one of the most fruitful sources of exhaustion and sapping in a worker's life. If you have never used your imagination to put yourself before God, begin to do it now.”

Oswald believed that an “imagination is the greatest gift God has given us and it ought to be devoted entirely to Him.”

Romance has a lot to do with the imagination.  Do you imagine bringing a deep joy to someone’s life today?  Today I got to pour into a young pastor’s life and I imagined seeing his spirits rise all week long.  Tomorrow Laura and I get to help a struggling young man who so needs a bit of financial help.  The best part is we spent time sharing our “imagined” blessing and how it will cheer him on to serve with such passion (What surprise when one of our sons came home tonight – guess who he ran into?  Yep, our friend we get to bless.  And this friend told our son he plans to start serving while in the middle of these very hard times!

Dream, imagine, how God will use you to bring a smile to someone else’s life tomorrow?

Tip for what I did for Laura today posted on my personal blog- Check it out.

Romance (ONLY 4 days LEFT!) tips

 

The book, Song of Solomon is one of the most sensual/sexual pieces of literature every written.  It never mentions God’s name, prayer, or “religious words.”  It so embarrassed theologians and religious teachers that for more than 1,000 years it was turned into a spiritual metaphor and translated so that the idioms and metaphors were not hidden.  Why?  I think we’ve boxed God outside of the gift of romance and intimacy.

This week (and perhaps beyond) I hope to blog about the Romance of a deep intimate friendship.

I’m going to share a web site that has a lot of tips (I wouldn’t buy the books or buy a whole lot of the advice . . . that’s just me . . . I’m careful about what I buy into when it comes to relationship experts . . . and NO I DON’T have all the answers . . . I’ll explain another time).   The web site for Valentine ideas: THE ROMANTIC.

Feb 10 - BRUCE’S ROMANTIC (pre)V. DAY TREAT (I’m prepping for that amazing girlfriend and wife, my best friend Laura):  I jumped out of bed at 5 a.m. and as soon as Laura was in the shower I took her towel and Head wrap and fast tracked it to the dryer.  When she stepped out there was a note (w a heart) and very warm towels (she loved it).  The bed was made and I’d already fed the cat . . . Tomorrow I kick into TURBO.  Come back tomorrow for an update!

Who will you romance today?  Will you allow God to romance you today?  Is there stranger who needs a kindness act (a kind of romantic touch that says “Everyone is someone special!”).

Several years ago my sweetheart gave me a romantic verse that is an amazing reminder of the ultimate gift!  Read it now? 

The very best Present is the celebration of God’s Presence (no where but NOW HERE with YOU!) here with you and in you, now!

For even more details throughout the week check out my personal blog site.

Boy Meets Girl – Romanced by God

More than one single person spoke to me this week about something they're trying NOT to do in there relationships. Avoidance therapy is something that doesn't work very well - “I’m not going to be desperate to be married,” or "I'm going to stop needing that person so much!"

It seems like the more we focus on NOT thinking about something; the more we try to avoid doing something the more it becomes our predominant focus. This is a natural function of the human brain!

• Paul talks about living free of sin in Romans 7. The more I try to not do something the more I do it (v.15).
• He goes on – My natural self takes God’s perfect plan (law) and it arouses even more temptation in me (v.5)
• Then he says, God’s law, in my sinful natural state, stirs up all kinds of coveting – wanting things I don’t have (v.8)

Trying NOT to be so desperate; NOT trying to obsess about my loneliness - it only makes it worse! God’s got a better way.

God reminds us, through the words of Billy Preston, “Nothin’ from Nothin’ leaves nothin’ You’ve gotta have somethin’ if want to be with me!

God is the only one who can romance you and I enough!

All this week I plan to blog about God’s romance (maybe even some ideas on how to give romance as a wonderful "value-based gift" to someone else). Visit my blog this week as I unpack some of the ideas we shared at Fisher’s this weekend. Let's keep building deep friendship intimacy “God’s way.”

‘”I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” John 15:9

My new passion for India

God is very much into surprises!  It's a long hard lesson for me to believe that whatever happens, God will use it to bring amazing blessings.
My good friend and fellow pastor, Duane Warren, set me up with Preaching on the cell phone to People in India.  Dr Kumar holds these evangelistic outreaches and works with our Only God International ministry.
My voice is broadcast over a loud speaker and hundreds show up to listen to an American speak.  Dr. Kumar then translates and this has become a weekly event.

 

Every week Dr. Kumar sends me a report of the number of people who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and forever-friend for the first time – I’m always amazed.  This week Dr. Kumar sent me pictures from the gathering; the largest I’ve preach to via my cell phone: 1,200 people came out and 97 accepted Jesus into their lives.

I feel so small and so full of joy at the same time.  God has so many adventures for all of us.  It doesn’t require being able to see all the details (or any), just that first step in reaching out and experiencing the thrill as God works His magic.  

Every Friday morning I remembering telling Duane I would help him once in a while (I did not want to do this!).  The first two times I spoke it felt horrible.  But seeing God work and knowing it’s NOT me has been one of the richest experiences I’ve had in a long time!  Take a risk.  Go out, even if you don’t know where God is leading You!