Blog Archives - IRONSTRIKES

Shine for Him!

6/30/2014

I've got something to tell you.... I hope that you don't take it too hard... but, we are not the center of the universe. I know that might be hard to swallow. But it's a fact. There's more to this universe than just you and me.

Let me share with you a couple of examples. Somehow, somewhere, there is a flower on the top of a mountain that no one has ever seen. It lives and dies there without any human observation. Why is it there? Maybe it's because God loves to create. He loves to create things of beauty. He loves to create things of intricacy. He loves to create for Himself. He enjoys that flower.

Another example are deep sea fish. They live below the photic zone of the ocean. That means that they get very little light. These fish have been living there a long time, yet they have an absolute wonder and beauty to them. When light is shined on them, they become iridescent. They are dramatically colorful. However, it was not until we developed the ability to dive into the Marianas Trench that we discovered them. Yet, they have been there all this time. Why are they there? Maybe it's because God loves to create. He loves to create things of beauty. He loves to create things of intricacy. He loves to create for Himself. He enjoys those fish.

So, while reading this, you may feel lonely. You may feel insignificant. What difference have I made in the world? Does anybody even know that I exist? Does anybody even care that I exist?

Yet these two examples of the flower and the fish show us that God made you for Him. He didn't make you like you are so that you can impress people. He didn't make you like you are so that you can become famous and receive notice from people. Nope. God made you to shine for Him. It doesn't matter if anybody notices. He made you because He loves to create. He loves you. He made you intricate. You are absolutely beautiful to Him. He enjoys you.

You can be assured that when God made you, He knew what He was doing. When you stand before God in eternity, it is only His opinion that will matter. So, why are you waiting around on the mountain top or in the deepest ocean waiting for somebody to see you before you shine?

Shine now.
Shine for Him!

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

Sunday Meditation

6/29/2014

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable then they? Matthew 6:26

Many of us learn early in life that we need to earn our sense of value. For some, value was earned by entertaining people with our clowning acts. For others, value came from taking care of everyone else. And for others, value was derived from achieving success of some kind. But often there is no way to entertain enough, take care enough or achieve enough to meet our needs for approval. No matter how compulsively we entertain, or care or work, we still are not able to feel valued. These substitutes do not meet the deepest longings of our heart. In addition we run the risk of becoming compulsively attached to these substitutes because we fear that the sense of value which they offer is our only hope of finding peace.

The longing to experience ourselves as valued is a fundamental human need. The need is really a need to be heard, seen, enjoyed and loved by others for who we are rather than for what we do. No amount of earned approval can meet this need. We long to know that we have value simply because we exist. This kind of value cannot be earned, it must be received as a gift.

Jesus says to us "you are valuable. Simply because you are, you are valuable". The birds of the air are God's creatures. God sees them and cares for them. God made them and God enjoys them. They are valuable. You, too, are God's creation, made and known by God. God sees you and cares for you. You are of great value.

As we grow in our awareness that our true value is a gift already given to us by God, we can begin to let go of the tight hold we have on our substitute strategies for achieving worth.

Father, you know how attached
I have become to earning my sense of value.
But, I can never seem to work hard enough.
Thank you, Creator God,
for valuing the birds of the air.
Thank you, Creator God,
for valuing me.
Help me to receive this good gift from you.
Help me to see myself as valuable in your eyes.

Amen

Copyright Dale and Juanita Ryan
National Association for Christian Recovery

5 Lessons from recess

6/28/2014

“Red rover, red rover send Stacy right over!” You remember that game don’t you? Two lines of children would face one another and when your name is called, your job is to run at full speed and attempt to break through the human chain that opposed you. Some would timidly trot only to be captured…others would use this opportunity to take out some aggression. These are the types of things we did at recess as children.

Recess was an incredible time. Next to lunch, it was my personal favorite period of time during school. If we grew up with this as a common occurrence we can close our eyes and remember times when we made terrible decisions, and also lifelong friendships in the midst of a kickball game or on the “time out wall” when we pushed Emily Stevens down the curly slide and she had to be a stinkin’ little tattle tail and rat us out…umm…hypothetically.

As I was reflecting on my experiences during this unstructured time of play, I realized that there were lessons I learned from the playground that can translate into my spiritual life. It may be a stretch, but sometimes it is fun to see how things like this can link our thoughts to wisdom.

There are 5 lessons I think we can take from recess

1. Tetherball is important- The game of tetherball can be a lesson in the way we handle our pain. The point of tetherball is to hit the ball and draw it closer to the center pole. Your opponent’s purpose is to drive the ball farther away from the pole in the opposite direction and oppose your progress. Each day we are tested in the same way. Life abuses us, sends us through trials, and we walk through suffering unwillingly. If we are not careful, we can walk through these struggles and, if not looked at redemptively, they can oppose our growth and draw us further from the center focus…God. God does not want any pain to be wasted. We can use these instances to draw closer to Him.

2. Bullies are everywhere- Whether it be in the work place, in the grocery store, or the bank we know that bullies still exist. We encounter people on a regular basis who seem to desire the worst for us and our well being. Our first impulse may be to put them in their place or get angry, but often we do not see below the surface. Many times the people who are this way are dealing with such deep pain. Pray for them…they need an encounter with God. They are not your enemy.

3. People will chase you- I noticed that, when people chased you at recess, that meant they really like you. Personally, I was a fan of being chased by girls even though I didn’t admit it. Obviously our main goal in life is not to be liked by all, but we must ask ourselves what type of influence we are to others. What kind of life are you living that deserves to be influential? Hopefully it is one that is chasing after Christ.

4. The point is to get sweaty- As kids we knew what recess was really about. Teachers wanted to get us sweaty so we would “get the wiggles out” for the rest of the school day. It was smart because we were more productive in the second half. Many of us limit our Christian experience to reading, and silent reflection. These are absolutely essential, but there is also more to it. When we get closer to God we realize that there must be a point in which we bring action and service to our faith. “Getting sweaty” is the point of a life that draws us closer to Him. We are being formed in His image to be a light to the dark world.

5. Red rover, red rover- Remember this game? I think we can learn something from it. God wants us to live our lives with purpose and focus. With His resourcing we can break through to freedom. The enemy will try to prevent us from growing and being a part of God’s mission, but He has plans for us. Plans that can give us hope and a future…we just need to close our eyes, put our heads down, and run towards Him.

This is just what I have reflected on…it is no comprehesive exposition of scripture, nor is it meant to be used in a university setting. All I know is that God wants us to learn things through every experience we encounter.

Know you are loved. Know you have a purpose.

This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. For the original post, go to: http://other-words.net/2014/06/20/5-lessons-from-recess/

My house

6/27/2014

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to?

The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself. - C. S. Lewis

How's your heart?

6/26/2014

“The widest thing in the universe is not space, it is the potential capacity of the human heart.” A. W. Tozer – The Pursuit of God

Google “Heart Health” and over 556,000,000 sites pop up. That’s 556 million. Read just a few of those articles and the evidence is overwhelming — there is a direct correlation to what we put into our bodies (diet, exercise, rest, supplements etc.), and the health of our heart.

While God is certainly concerned with the well-being of our physical heart, it is the state of the spiritual heart that matters most.
Our “kardia” (Grk) is the center and fountain of all spiritual life. This word heart is found in scripture over 800 times. More than money — or even heaven.

Of all of those heart verses, one of my favorites is 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him.” (KJV)

The Lord is diligently seeking men whose hearts are perfect. What does a perfect heart look like? Consider these qualities from God’s Word.

A “perfect” heart is a:

Broken and Contrite heart. “…a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17 ESV)

Clean heart. “Create in me a clean heart, O God…” (Psalm 51:10 ESV)

Rejoicing heart. “…my heart shall rejoice in your salvation” (Psalm 13:5 ESV)

Serving heart. “…serve the Lord your God with all your heart…” (Deuteronomy 10:12 ESV)

Pure heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8 ESV)

It is interesting that Jesus taught the essence of a man’s heart is revealed by his spoken words — “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45 ESV)

What do your words say about the kind of treasure you have stored in your heart? When you speak, is it evident that your heart is perfect in the eyes of the Lord? What are you "hiding" in your heart? When life is not the way it is supposed to be, what does your speech say about the condition of your heart?

How’s your heart? Are your "arteries" clogged from the pain and pressure of everyday life? From un-confessed sin? Envy? Bitterness? No spiritual exercise? Are you feeding on spiritual "fast food"? Maybe change your spiritual diet. Hide the word of God in your heart. Saturate your heart with prayer.

…”A heart that is perfect toward Him”… It will turn your life around.

This article is from The American Association of Christian Counselors, found at: www.aacc.net

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

I don't need any help

6/25/2014

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble—James 4:6

So, carrying burdens is something for which we are built . . . and something which we are supposed to do, as men. God designed us, built us, intends us—to lend our strength to others, to those who need it. “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). The problem is, most of us read Scripture one way only: that we are to carry burdens for others. Few read it the other way: that we must allow others to carry our burdens too. We don’t really like that reading. That reading causes our pride to rise up.

Like it or not, though, any one of us can carry only so much. Sure, we can “gut it out” with burdens that are too heavy . . . for a while, at least. Before long, however, they begin to grind us down. Anger, anxiety, burnout, depression and despondency, isolation and loneliness, or rebellion and sin emerge . . . simply because we’re neither designed, nor built, nor intended to carry our burdens alone. “One's pride will bring him low” (Proverbs 29:23).

Is there something you’re carrying that’s feeling too heavy? The burden of being a provider? Fears about finances . . . about work? The burden of children living up to expectations, in school, in athletics? A hidden sin? A hidden addiction? Another burden, perhaps?

If so, look around for that person with whom God intends you to share it . . . your friend, your wife. Go to them today. Die to pride. Let them in. Explain the situation and let them respond. Fulfilling the law of Christ also means that we must, sometimes, surrender our pride, surrender the images we have of ourselves, get over ourselves, and ask for help.

We are meant to live free and fast and light . . . and together.

Copyright © 2013 Gather Ministries, All rights reserved.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

I walked out as Sheriff Wyatt Earp

6/24/2014

Remember that little guy I told you about, with the shiny boots and a pair of six-shooters? The best part of the story is that it wasn't all pretend. I had a place to live out those dreams. My grandfather, my father's father, was a cowboy. He worked his own cattle ranch in eastern Oregon. And though I was raised in the suburbs, the redemption of my life and the real training grounds for my own masculine journey took place on that ranch, where I spent my boyhood summers. Oh, that every boy should be so lucky. To have your days filled with tractors and pickup trucks, horses and roping steers, fishing in the ponds. I was Huck Finn for three wonderful months every year. How I loved it when my grandfather—"Pop" is what I called him—would look at me, his thumbs tucked in his belt, smile, and say, "Saddle up."

One afternoon Pop took me into town, to my favorite store. It was a combination feed and tack/hardware/ranch supply shop. It smelled of hay and linseed oil, of leather and gunpowder and kerosene—all the things that thrill a boy's heart. That summer Pop was having a problem with an overrun pigeon population on the ranch. He hated the dirty birds, feared they were carrying diseases to the cattle. "Flying rats" is what he called them. Pop walked straight over to the firearms counter, picked out a BB rifle and a quart-sized milk carton with about a million BBs in it, and handed them to me. The old shopkeeper looked a bit surprised as he stared down at me, squinting over his glasses. "Isn't he a bit young for that?" Pop put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. "This is my grandson, Hal. He's riding shotgun for me."

I may have walked into that feed store a squirrelly little kid, but I walked out as Sheriff Wyatt Earp. I had an identity and a place in the story. I was invited to be dangerous. If a boy is to become a man, if a man is to know he is one, this is not an option. A man has to know where he comes from, and what he's made of.

This excerpt is taken from the book, Wild at Heart by John Eldredge

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

We are at war

6/23/2014

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)

Have you ever wondered why Jesus married those two statements? Did you even know he spoke them at the same time? I mean, he says them in one breath. And he has his reasons. By all means, God intends life for you. But right now that life is opposed. It doesn't just roll in on a tray. There is a thief. He comes to steal and kill and destroy. Why won't we face this? I know so few people who will face this. The offer is life, but you're going to have to fight for it, because there's an Enemy in your life with a different agenda.

There is something set against us.

We are at war.

I don't like that fact any more than you do, but the sooner we come to terms with it, the better hope we have of making it through to the life we do want. This is not Eden. You probably figured that out. This is not Mayberry, this is not Seinfeld's world, this is not Survivor. The world in which we live is a combat zone, a violent clash of kingdoms, a bitter struggle unto the death. I am sorry if I'm the one to break this news to you: you were born into a world at war, and you will live all your days in the midst of a great battle, involving all the forces of heaven and hell and played out here on earth.

Where did you think all this opposition was coming from?

This post is an excerpt from the book, Waking the Dead, by John Eldredge.

BE HOLY.
BE A MAN.

Sunday Meditation

6/22/2014

If I go to the heavens, you are there; If I make my bed in the depths, you are there. Psalm 139:8

Sometimes life is hell. That's how it feels. It feels like we have taken up residence in hell. Sometimes the darkness overwhelms us. Sometimes we hurt so much that we can't imagine experiencing joy or peace ever again. Sometimes we seem to have 'made our bed ' in a place that God has deserted, a place from which God has turned away.

But the psalmist says 'even if I make my bed in the depths, you are there'. There are no genuinely God-forsaken places on our journey. There are no places unfamiliar to God. It is a difficult and painful journey, but our lines of support are not stretched thin. God is not at a distance. God is with us.

If God is with us, we can travel through those dark times in recovery, those times in hell. If God is with us, we can hold on through the difficult emotional and spiritual roller coaster of recovery.

No matter where I am, Lord
you are with me.
If I am up, today.
You are here.
If I am down.
You are here.
If I am very, very down.
You are still here.
If I am very, very, very, very, very down.
You are here.
Thank you.
Even in the terrible times when I am in the depths, you are there with me.
Your presence is a ray of hope
in the dark times of my recovery.

Amen.

Copyright Dale and Juanita Ryan
National Association for Christian Recovery

6 Things Pastors Are Tired of Hearing

6/21/2014

You may not know this, but if you go to a church, or are “shopping around” for one that fits you there are some things that you may not know about what the pastor is actually thinking. Pastors put on a great front and try to paint on a fake smile, but deep down inside we are cringing at what you just said to us. Don’t get me wrong, we know your heart and know you have the best intentions behind what you are saying to us, but quite frankly, sometimes we also have a bad day and want to throw a tantrum. We are not allowed to though, because we are pastors, and our angel wings are at the cleaners getting polished for the potluck next week. If I am to be brutally honest, some phrases we hear from our parishioners sound like a broken record. I may be out of bounds, and presumptuous by thinking I can speak for all pastors, but I know I can safely speak for many.

Here are 6 things we are tired of hearing…

1. Pastor, it’s not about the numbers… - You know what?!? It is about the numbers. It is all about the numbers. Think about this…as a pastor, a man or woman dedicates their whole life to service for one purpose; spreading the Gospel among as many people as possible. We have sacrificed time, energy, money, and friends to boldly go into whatever mission field God has called us to go and impact as many as we can. So, when people take this lightly, it really stings. As pastors, we get tired of hearing this, because many honestly don’t even think about church until Saturday evening. Do us a favor, and help us spread the message God has called us to…

2. Children are the church of tomorrow- False. Just because they are not good tithers, doesn’t mean they can’t impact the kingdom like anyone else. Children are the church of right now, and should be incorporated into every part of the church body that their abilities can handle.

3. A few people have said…- No…they didn’t. You and Mrs. Jones don’t count when presenting me with that phrase. You are lovely contributors to the kingdom, but Mrs. Jones complains about everything, and if anyone else really said anything about this I will give you $1000. Send around a petition and we will talk. Love you by the way…

4. The church down the road…- Let me stop you right there… First, there is only one Church, and just because that congregation is growing rapidly doesn’t mean they are sinning or “watering down the word”. It could actually be that they are experiencing a revival that God has brought. Second, they are our brothers and sisters. It is our job to help them grow…WHAT?!?! Yes…you hear me right. We are not their competition. We are their support and extended family. Now, put on your big boy pants and pray for them. Love you by the way…

5. Remember when...- It is sometimes a lot of fun to reminisce about things from the past. We only get tired of hearing this when it stands in the way of reaching more people. Remember, what brought us here will not necessarily get us there…I can admit thought that it is easy to sometimes “throw the baby out with the bath water” and overlook the fact that there are some things we used to do that may work now.

6. I’m only human- Ok…excellent. Now you can sin all you want. Whew… NOPE. The fact is, you are not only human. If you know Christ, and desire to grow in Him, within you dwells a divine substance. The Christian life takes work, and thank God for the grace of correction.

Brothers and sisters…please understand my heart in these writings. It is not an attempt to shame anyone, but a light-hearted look on things that I think we really need to ponder. Let us be thoughtful in the words we speak and Biblical in the thoughts we think. Love you by the way…

This post was written by Rev DeCrastos. For the original post, go to: http://other-words.net/2014/06/13/6-things-pastors-are-tired-of-hearing/