WALKING WITH GOD.

I want God more involved in my life.

But as I search through the Scriptures

I find I must consider these requisites.

"So then, submit yourselves to God.

Resist the Devil, and he will run

away from you. Come near to God,

and he will come near to you."

(James 4:7,8 GNT)

"I am the high and holy God,

who lives forever.  I live in a high

and holy place, but I also live with

people who are humble and repentant,

so that I can restore their confidence

and hope."

(Isaiah 57:15 GNT)

"No, the Lord has told us what is

good.  What he requires of us is

this; to do what is just, to show

constant love, and to live in humble

fellowship with our God."

(Micah 6:8 GNT)

"God walks with the humble; he

reveals himself to the lowly; he

gives understanding to the little

ones; he discloses his meaning to

pure minds, but hides his grace from

the curious and the proud."

- Thos. a Kemis

"Clothes make the man"

Photo courtesy of:www.bigfoto.com

Back possibly in the 1990's my wife and I were camping

in one of the local State Parks.  It just happened that was 

the week end of a large Mountain Bike Festival.  There 

were Mountain Bikes all over the place, you know, 

swarms of them.

It was almost unbelievable what those kids can do on 

their Mountain Bikes.  They would hop them from rock

to rock.  Jump over logs and maybe even climb trees with

them.  O.K.  Scratch the tree climbing.

I think it was at an intermediate event that I saw a man who

I would guess was a young family man.  Probably with out 

kids yet to be able to spend the money he did on his bike and

outfit.  As I remember he had a very expensive bike.  And all

of his clothes and gear looked to me like professional attire.

So, I was watching to see this star ride.

Lol.  Lol. Lol.

The clothes just had not finished making the man yet.

He did about the worst of all of them.

I admit.  This is not quite what I want to talk about.

This is "Gunner" on one of my motorcycles in the

church parking lot.  But that is really all I need for 

a picture and it helps you know we are shifting gears.

I live about twelve to fifteen miles from the city that now

has the fourth largest motorcycle festival in the United States.

The attendees are measured in the hundreds of thousands.

Now you are getting closer to my kind of thing.  I have been

riding motorcycles on and off for years.

So for the first three or four years of this festival I was right

down there to see what was going on.  Now I'm not too 

bright.  So it took me a while to figure it out.  This thing is

nothing more than a huge costume party.  Most of these guys

are not "bikers" or even "motorcyclist".  They are nothing more

than party animals.  They are the kind that spend more time 

washing and polishing their motorcycle than riding it.  It is only

a trophy to them that they haul in on a trailer to the party.

They keep nice new motorcycle costumes on the shelf to wear

to the party.  Then go to the party and drink lots of beer while 

throwing around even more B.S.

The clothes just do not turn them into a real "biker".

It is easy to stand here and point my finger.  But when I start

trying to be honest before God, am I any different.  Am I only

trying to look or act respectable or like a Christian. 

How do I stand before God.

"But the Lord said to Samuel,

'Do not look at his appearance or at

his physical stature, because I have

refused him.  For the Lord does not 

see as man sees; for man looks at 

the outward appearance, but the 

Lord looks at the heart.'"

(1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV)

ARE YOU LISTENING?

There is someone I have known for years.

We have a very good relationship that I want

  to continue.

However.

You know how life is.

This person has one annoying habit.

And has had it for as long as I can remember.

Were it not for this one annoying habit, 

this person would no doubt be perfect.

Well, almost.

We can be within talking distance of one another,

not even saying or doing anything. And all I have 

to do is open my mouth and start to say something.

I will not even have my first sentence finished 

until this person has "butted" in and started 

talking about who knows what.

Starting to talk is like waving a red flag

in front of a bull.

Now that's not too bad, but it can be several

times during the same conversation.   If you

can call a one sided conversation a conversation.

This only takes two or three times until I shut

up and do not even try to tell them what I started

too.

I suppose it was while thinking about this that 

the Lord let a thought come into my mind.

When God is trying to speak to me, do I start

talking to him instead of listening to him.

When the Holy Spirit is "trying" to minister

to me, do I start reciting my "give me" list?

"He who has an ear, 

let him hear what the Spirit says....."

(Revelation 3:22 GNT)

TRUE SATISFACTION

"There are many who pray:

'Give us more blessings, 

O Lord.

Look on us with kindness!'

But the joy that you have given me

is more than they will every have

with all their grain and wine."

(Psalms 4:6,7 GNT)

Just like us today, 

we want more.

But the real satisfaction is not in

more  "stuff" or blessing.

But in the joy of the Lord.

For true satisfaction we need more

of God and his joy.

The blessing will take care of themselves.

"He is richest who is content with the

least, for content is the wealth of nature."

- Socrates.

TROUBLES

I do not know who's car this is.

I assume that they must live up the 

road from me.  But I am sure they 

have TROUBLE.

I was just reading in the Good News Translation

when something Moses said about God's dealing 

with Israel really caught my attention.

..."He sent hardships on you to test

you, so that in the end he could bless

you with good things."

(Deuteronomy 8:16 GNT)

And you know of course the often quoted

verse;

"We know that in all things God works

for good with those who love him,

those whom he has called according

to his purpose."

(Romans 8:28 GNT)

And, 

"My friends, consider yourselves 

fortunate when all kinds of trials

come your way, for you know

that when your faith succeeds in 

facing such trials, the result is the

ability to endure.

(James 1:2,3 GNT)

I do not know the end of the matter yet.

It appears that God has granted me a new

lease on life.  I have just came through a

little over a year of TROUBLE.  A time

I should have died, and part of the time 

I wanted to.  All of this after I have lived

a full life and should be dead anyway.

But what I want to assure you of is;

God has worked things out making 

it more than worth it.  My trials have

accomplished more in one year that

years of praying have.  Well - O.K.

perhaps that is the way God answered

my prayers.

BUT IT HAS ALL BEEN WORTH

IT!

Praise God for his faithfulness to me,

even in hardships and trials.