Man_Up – Balancing Reality and Expectation

Man_UP – Balancing Reality and Expectation.

Living in the place where the reality of life and expectation meet is a place that has the potential to cause some serious problems. The reality is that there are some things we have no control over and the truth is that we develop reasonable expectations of the way things should be because of our relationship with Christ. Where these two meet holds the potential to confuse at the least and completely destroy if not handled properly. Don’t let your expectation overwhelm reality and don’t let reality distort expectation.

Joseph had a dream that he shared with his family. His family didn’t respond favorably to his declaration. His brothers hated him and those feelings most likely were rooted in jealousy. Joseph was his fathers’ favorite and the brothers responded by hating Joseph. Jesus said that the world didn’t care for Him and wouldn’t care for us either. Reality is that the world is not going to like us as believers and we have to understand that. We can’t let their lack of caring destroy our hope that we have because of reasonable expectation. We are given those dreams for a reason. Continue to trust in God’s favor and remember that those who come to Him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Joseph had a dream and that dream caused him to have an expectation of a given end. However that dream didn’t change the reality of his life. His brothers hated him. What I am saying is that it is a good thing to have hope and expectation established in our lives for that establishes purpose and a reason to live, while at the same time we are not removed from reality. We still have to live. We still have to deal with the situations of life. The bills still have to be paid. There are still requirements that have to be met.

Balancing the two varies with the degree of difficulty determined by the stage of life we are in or the particular issue that God is leading us through at the time. Some stages may seem easy while others will prove to be extremely difficult. All will prove to be important our becoming the mature individual God desires us to be. We are to have expectations. There is more to life than right now. There is also reality. This is where we are and it is meant to be overcome. Learning how to find that place of balance is the process of becoming the mature stable person that God wants us to be.

Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.

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Only Believe

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Believe! That is what He said. Only believe! It sounds simple enough doesn’t it? It sounds almost too simple and we know that if sounds too good to be true it probably is. Right? So why did He say it that way? I believe His exact words to Mary was do you believe? Her reply finally was I believe. It may be a stretch at times for us to confess that we believe. When the circumstances and the symptoms declare the contrary and the results of the situations of others around us speak negatively it may be more than just difficult to confess belief. Others may tell you that ought not be so but the truth is that is the way it is.

There are a number of things I don’t seem to have the understanding that I would like to have at this time. I seem to have more questions than answers at times. Other times I seem to not even have right questions to ask. So what am I supposed to believe? Let’s be basic

1. I was born in sin and needed a savior (Rom 323)
2. God sent His own son to become sin for me (John 3:16)
3. If I believe on Him and accept Him (Jesus) I am saved(Rom 10:9, 1John 1:9)
4. I have hope of eternity with Him (John 14:2-3)

I know there is much more to our relationship with Christ and our lives when it comes to maturity but that is just my point. Sometimes it gets too complicated and we need to learn how to slow down and maybe call timeout and let God take care of what only He can. It is called believing. If He can take care of the little things He can take care of the big things. If He can take care of the bid things then He is also able to take care of the bigger things.

So the question still remains. Do you believe? Your actions will declare whether you do or not. There are things in life we are not able to change. There are also things in life we are able to influence. During this walk of faith we will be confronted by both. Both will demand of us the same question. Do you believe? I hope our answer is I believe.

Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.

 

Peace that passes understanding

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In our pursuit of a balanced and successful life in Christ we have found that hope is essential to achieving the success desired. We have discovered the roles that hope plays in supplying purpose and encouragement needed to maintain focus. The explanation of what hope allows or accomplishes can be defined as peace.

Peace makes our walk in Christ not only tolerable or manageable but enjoyable. We are going to be stretched not only in what we believe but how strongly we believe. To say I believe in Christ as the son of God and the one who died for my sins is one thing, but to receive ridicule or threat or consequence for believing is very different. Most of us are very fortunate we are not placed in a position that our lives are threatened because of our faith. Some are. Without the peace and assurance of the Holy Spirit life would be impossible.

We know from the scripture that hope comes from the expectation that is given from the word of God and the fulfilling experiences that God provides. As we evaluate the accomplishments allowed through our walk with God we discover peace in the midst of the storm raging around us. God is with us and that is all that matters for His grace is sufficient.

It is through faith and patience that God performs and supplies all our needs. Faith being the action of pursuing God’s plan by applying our skills, abilities, and understanding based on what we believe and patience is the resolve to remain faithful to what we believe until God performs and fulfills and supplies. Peace comes from the experience of God acting on our behalf. We must know that God is for us not just that He is with us.

Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.

God’s Plan works out His Will in Us

 

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Distinguishing the difference between God’s plan and His will imperative if we are going to be able to overcome some of the issues that we will face in this life. We struggle with things not going the way we think they ought go and assume it is the enemy against us. That is often followed by anger, disappointment, discouragement, and frustration that could be avoided if we understand and accept that God is in control of what He has promised and is well able to work things out for us. We must accept that God is for us and not against us and that He has a planned end of fulfillment for us.

In my new book “Here’s the Man” I address this very subject. I am very excited this particular work. In this book we take a look a the life of Joseph and how God worked out His plan from the time of the dream til the time of fulfillment. The issues and character attributes discussed in this book has the potential to transform lives.  The book should be available around Christmas.

Below are words from a review of the book by a fellow author:

“No one wants to be viewed as a failure.  You were created to dream and given gifts to make that dream happen.  As God declares His will for our lives we begin to make a plan to achieve or reach for that will.  However, unplanned disruptions seem to build roadblocks to that destiny or the fulfillment of our dream. Are they roadblocks? Are these disruptions keeping us from God’s will? We begin to question have we really heard from God?  Did we miss something in what I thought was God’s plan for me?

 In this book about Joseph, you will find principles that can help you to understand how God, the Father moves from declaring His will to taking us unto the plan of fulfilling that will.  The important insights and illumination in this book from God’s Word can alter our mindset, keep us from fighting the plan God has for us, and alter the circumstances of your life and bring a change that will positively impact you and your family.  You will be challenged and changed as you see how God finally declares to Egypt and the world “HERE’S THE MAN”!”

— A fellow disciple –– Robert Adams

Make plans to obtain your copy soon and may it be a blessing to you.

Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be

Be actively involved

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We have all been challenged to be involved at one time or another as believers to do something that pertains to church growth or maturity. Those steps range from being actively involved in some form of evangelism to just taking a step of faith towards the vision God has given. Sometimes those steps are easy and sometimes those steps are terrifying. I suppose the reason there is any controversy at all is because of the experiences we have to filter through in life.

We want to think that living a balanced life is easy. We would like to think that purpose is enough to get us through. It is not. That purpose has to make it through all the junk we have to deal with. The purpose or the goal can’t change. Only God knows how to take us from where we are to where He is leading us so hang on.

We will have to deal with spiritual issues. By that I mean that we will have to work out our own salvation. We will have to learn how to follow, trust and depend on God. Don’t let sin or anything else detour you from being what God wants you to be. God knows how to discipline.

We will have to deal with physical issues. The loss of a loved one can be a blow to life’s momentum and so can the words of a nag or an uncooperative spouse or offspring. I am just saying that if we don’t have some things settled about why we are doing the things that we are doing the issues of life that we have to deal with can destroy all we have worked for. God knows how to instruct.

There are some emotional issues to deal with as well. At some point in our lives we may be faced with having everything we believe in challenged. At some point the very core belief of God’s love, His concern, and His care for us will be challenged. Stay put. It will be worth it all. God also knows how to comfort.

We have been given a purpose to fulfill. We can find evidence of specific plans to fulfill that purpose. Whether or not we are able to fulfill that purpose will be determined by our willing involvement in His plan. Accept the challenge, listen to the instruction, and overcome the emotional outbursts that can compromise the journey.

Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.

Hopeless? Is it the End!!

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Maintaining a balanced life in the face of adversity can be difficult. God’s plan and our expectation seem to collide into an unexplainable series of events that leave us hopeless. What seems like the end often times is not really the end. Job probably didn’t envision reclaiming his losses. In the end Job was blessed with double what he had before.  The truth is it just seemed like the end.

Joseph probably was not planning tomorrow’s meals.  What could have been the end was not the end.  God intervened again.  The brothers sold him to a band of gypsies.  The brothers without Rueben reasoned among themselves that this way they would get something out of the deal and his blood would not be on their hands seeing he was family.  It’s really interesting the way people think.  People haven’t changed much in three thousand years. They still don’t have the last word.

The truth is God hasn’t changed much either.  As a matter of fact the Word says he hasn’t changed at all.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  That means we don’t have to worry about his promises not being fulfilled.  He will do what He says He will do.  He will finish what He starts.  So where does that leave us.

We may not be able to see how our expectations fit in God’s purpose however if we will remain faithful and accept His plan and where ever that takes us we will be took care of. He is well able to deliver and protect. God and God alone is in control. His plan is for good and not for evil. Accept His plan. It’s not the end.

Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.

A balanced life requires resolve

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Everyone desires to live a balanced life. It will require a resolve that means to maybe suffer a little. The expectation may not be to suffer but that is what it will take. God’s purpose is for us to grow and prosper and that we are going to have to settle in our minds at some point. When we do it will open a window for prayers to be opened. We must believe that He is and that He desires to bless us.

One of the real issues I want to deal with is that of distinguishing the difference between knowing where God wants us and having the resolve to stay there through whatever happens.  I have been through some things that when I come out the other side I believed I failed.  I have come now to accept that only God can be judge of that.  I may not have been there for success as I defined it. I may have been there only for opportunity to present God’s message for others and for myself to determine whether or not I was truly doing things for the right reason. (Resolve to be what and where God wants me)

We would like to think everything is black and white and I guess everything can be if we don’t try to get too confined on what is white and what is black.  What I mean is we have a tendency to limit what is black and white by what we believe or can accept within our scope of being able to understand or comprehend a given set of circumstances.  Sometimes I don’t like it either but that is why this is a walk of faith.  God is working out in us what is the height, depth, length, and width of His love for us.  He is working out in our lives the declaration of nothing can separate us from His love.  Even in what we might consider as failures.

What He requires of us is faithfulness by resolve.

Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.

Faith and Patience

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Where is God taking you and how is He going to get you to that place?

I think we all have some idea or maybe call it a desire of a place we can see ourselves.  We can imagine the sights and the sounds and we can envision the ability of accomplishment in that place see. We can rationalize the fulfillment of His will and purpose of completing the task we have been called for and that is good. Being able to see such a vision gives us a reason to continue on day after day. Remember that the word says without a vision the people perish. Being able to see beyond where we are and what we are doing allows us to live with some degree of sanity. It supplies the platform for continued balanced life.

One of the dangers of having a vision is the temptation of disappointment. There is a danger of being disappointed because things don’t happen or develop in the time frame we believe they should or maybe something happens and we don’t see any way possible to get from where we are to where we desire to be and it ends up as discouragement. It can be pretty devastating when our dreams seem to be crushed. It can be extremely painful when we have given our all to serve God and the dreams are seemingly taken away. The pain is real and the temptation is real. Job said though God slay me I will still praise Him but he also came to a place to curse the day he was born. Be very careful.

God promised He would never leave us nor forsake us and I believe that is what He meant. He cannot lie and that we have to trust. He said his plans for us were for good and not evil and that we must lean on.

There is a place God is taking us and that we are supposed to see. There is also a way He has provided to transport us to that place and for that we have to trust. It may not come easy but it will be sure. You will need these two things, faith and patience.

Man_Up and be the man that God wants you to be.

Influence others by your life of Integrity, purpose, and balance

We recently took a trip to Costa Rica. This is a picture of a Sunday School class at one of the churches we visited there. Upon our return I began to think seriously. It is all about influence. The integrity that we live with as well as the purpose and balance our lives show rubs off on others. Determine to make a difference.

This is worth posting again.

Man_Up and BE A Man

Influence is one of the most important attributes we can possess. It is the means by which we affect the people and world around us. Our influence is manifest both positive and negative so we must really be careful how we use it.

Most everyone by now has heard the statement that leadership is influence. That is a very powerful statement. Because of the potential impact we possess we need to consider very diligently the direction we are going and what it will do for others. We must be grounded or settled in what we believe.  What we believe is going to determine which direction we are going to go, how we plan on getting there, and who we plan on taking with us. Once we are settled on what we believe the follow up is easier. As we begin to move others begin to buy in and follow. One of the cool things is the ones who are following often help to define the specific direction and mode of transportation for reaching the goal. It is called leadership but it is based on influence.

The word of God says that two is better than one. If one be overtaken there is protection with a second. If one gets cold there is warmth with a second suggesting comfort from obstacles. He declares that there is safety and direction in a counsel of multitudes. Influence is one way to describe it but it all starts with relationship. A healthy relationship opens the door and allows the presentation of opportunity to assert influence.

Use your attributes such as being responsible, living a balanced life, knowing your purpose, being a person of integrity, and being a person of faith to positively influence the lives of others.

Man_Up and be the man God wants you to be.

Be A Man; Influence others by your life of integrity, purpose, and balance

 

 

Man_Up and BE A Man

Influence is one of the most important attributes we can possess. It is the means by which we affect the people and world around us. Our influence is manifest both positive and negative so we must really be careful how we use it.

Most everyone by now has heard the statement that leadership is influence. That is a very powerful statement. Because of the potential impact we possess we need to consider very diligently the direction we are going and what it will do for others. We must be grounded or settled in what we believe.  What we believe is going to determine which direction we are going to go, how we plan on getting there, and who we plan on taking with us. Once we are settled on what we believe the follow up is easier. As we begin to move others begin to buy in and follow. One of the cool things is the ones who are following often help to define the specific direction and mode of transportation for reaching the goal. It is called leadership but it is based on influence.

The word of God says that two is better than one. If one be overtaken there is protection with a second. If one gets cold there is warmth with a second suggesting comfort from obstacles. He declares that there is safety and direction in a counsel of multitudes. Influence is one way to describe it but it all starts with relationship. A healthy relationship opens the door and allows the presentation of opportunity to assert influence.

Use your attributes such as being responsible, living a balanced life, knowing your purpose, being a person of integrity, and being a person of faith to positively influence the lives of others.

Man_Up and be the man God wants you to be.