http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/july/cityparish.html

While this is good in the beginning, this thinking blinds us often to the coming inconvenience that may overwhelm or overtake us even more than the emotions generated in our response and desire to help someone. This inconvenience is a delayed response or no response to the diagnosis or assessment by the one who needs the help. This can no big deal in the beginning because in the short time that has elapsed as in a car wreck, the one who is hurt will soon be well because we now probably know what is wrong. We probably even know the common sense simple answer to the problem.

Yet, often the number one thing necessary that is missed through the “doctors” thinking is to comfort. Understanding comes through comfort and not the diagnosis. Comforting just makes the diagnosis receivable. The inconvenience that can overwhelm us is that the event often not only reveals the problem causing the event but reveals a deeper wound of past experiences that may have never been healed because of the busy doctors around us. We as helpers have been so accustomed to receiving value in growing numbers of people, money, or opportunities to act that when someone needs help, we easily get frustrated when time is required to walk or sit alongside someone longer than we expected. We just don’t have time.

We can become a danger to them in becoming more aggressive and direct in our demands to respond to the problem as we know it. The problem is we don’t have a doctor shortage but what we really have is a shortage of comforting nurses. Much of our discernment needed to help someone is given us through our willingness to comfort no matter how long it might take.

As Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:7,8:

“But we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.”

As this reveals it may not be just an issue of doctors and nurses but mothers and fathers needed in the church. However the more we care for others the more relief we need from our cares. Cast them no matter how big or little on the Father because it matters to Him. 1 Peter 5:7.

Gentleness can break a bone so that it can heal. Proverbs 25:15

 To have walked so long with someone I hadn’t met is difficult which is often why life seemed so hard and superficial. That someone turns out to be the true  me. Thus love others includes loving  yourself and it affects the way I relate to others.

But, before this transformation I didn’t really know who I was. So when I meet someone that brings out my true self often referred to as the best in me, living becomes so much more that I dreamed. This newly discovered potential which seems too good to be true can create more dread than the fear of bad luck. Psalm 126

I begin to realize how much I have learned to motivate myself by fear using negative thinking techniques. “I don’t want to…”, “I can’t….”, “I never….”, “I won’t…”, What if…?”, Yeah, but…”. As my self introduction unfolds I start cutting away at who I am not or am no longer. The energy released is then rechanneled for a different and much more productive battle of regaining my thought processes and overpowering the negative tendencies in my thinking that blinded and deafened me to myself and others. I begin to judge another’s motives less with good judgement. 2 Corinthians 10:4,5

On discovering the value of who I am, risk has grown because that recognition is a lot to lose now. Yet brought to the surface is my vested interest in unbelief. Many of my commitments are based on the old distorted views.

The unfolding or “exposure” of me  is often a slow and painful process of freeing the mind. The  experience is that my head repeatedly seems to be hurting from overwhelming , yet exhilarating momentary losses of words. I can’t help but take a deep breath since no ”self help” is needed and the right words are given to me in time. Judges 13:17,18

My tears, hidden behind the cheeks that now declare “slippery when wet”, become far more sensitive, yet eerily more confident than before. Psalm 69:6

Fear and dread begin the transformation process into the practical necessities of courage and confidence. Psalm 138:3.

Celebrate! as the future becomes something to look forward to and the past now energizes the present. Isaiah 8:12,13

When His promises are greater to me than the despair of my broken ones, I stop hating my weaknesses and limitations that are expressed through self-obsession and narcissism. Psalm 119:140

Not only do callousness amd numbness begin to fade, but gentleness even towards myself is empowered. Psalm 119:70

Accepting reality that I’ve failed at being a promise keeper, I may by God’s grace begin learning to be my brother’s. Genesis 4:9

A child is drawn to the promise of honey but is almost always surprised by the presence of bees. Deuteronomy 1:44

The stings of disobedience tend to maks us feel that we must move out of the childlike state for all the wrong reasons We feel we must grow up and earn the right to hurt this much.

We challenge ourselves to “be a man or woman” when we feel the pain of a mistake. In our pride we are shocked that we would make a mistake or fail. We can’t hear our pain over the proud voice of self-reliance. Some of our worst mistakes are made from drawing wrong conclusions from undeniable truths.
Galatians 4:8,9

Why is this? Pain is the most difficult of all the human conditions. Because of this, our views become distorted when pain humiliates us. We even refuse comfort that is strengthening thinking that it’s power might be used against us. Job 23:6

Pain is confusing to a child yet a child will continue to run to the parent. As we grow older the confusion of pain has deeper effects on us that we try to interpret with our own limited wisdom and experience. We pray as Jeremiah did to not hurt us for hurting so much. Jeremiah 10:24

Even when willing or forced to get help we find it difficult to the see the “goodness” of it. Hebrews 12:7-13

What is this goodness that often makes me feel as a naked man frantic in a house full of bees?

King David asked for a sign of this goodness in Psalm 86:17. He wrote about it in Psalm 142:7 and 81:16. Is it not the Christ with His gift of forgiveness and repentance to know Him? Acts 5:31

When you know Him you know the Father, son. John 14:9-14

Ask as a child and hear the aye of the Father. 2 Corinthians 1:20

Hear the whisper. Job 4:11-13

Seven times around a wall and the wall came down. What brought those walls down? Was it a combination of obedience, boldness and faith? I just wonder. I wonder if it was the shout.

Sure i get walking in faith and obedience but what i rarely get may be this missing ingredient, a good ole fashion shout.

My faith walk is usually reserved, quite and methodical. Why? Is it because i am just so sure in the object of my faith or is it because i cant muster up enough courage to tell the world, yes it will happen, yes sin will be defeated, yes i will prosper. I wonder.

I do have a bit of a handle on faith. I know how to be faithful and i do know how to trust God but for now i need something louder, a faith that says yes listen to me. There are just times when i need to hear a good faith shout.

Lord I need the courage to let it go. No more prayer closet whispers…..time for all of the walls to come down.

Listen its Time to Shout!

who stood next to a man who was a boy.

The boy ask the man who he was.

The man began to talk about himself

until the boy interrupted and asked again

who he was. The man became irritated

and continued talking about himself.

The boy asked again who he was.

The man walked away angry that the boy

seemed to ignore everything he said.

Then, standing alone, the boy heard

a gentle voice inside of him saying 

“Son, you are mine and thanks for asking”.

Isaiah 43:1

Narrow Gate

• Who Am I?
• Why am I here?

During a student’s stay at Narrow Gate, he will be taken on an incredible journey of discovering who God created him to be and why he was created to be that person. Though many people believe they know who they are, we have found that many of life’s problems come out of a skewed understanding of their God-given identity. Narrow Gate help young men find and begin to establish that identity according to the promises set forth in the Word of God.

Narrow Gate is a family of individuals who have experienced the personal transformation that comes through a real relationship with Jesus Christ. It is our desire to create an atmosphere where others can come to know Jesus in the same way. We are not psychologists or clinicians. We are everyday people who serve an extraordinary God. Narrow Gate operates like a family: There are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Each person involved in our family has certain gifts, talents and life experiences to share with each young man who chooses this journey. In addition, we all play our unique roles in caring, shaping, mentoring and in the discipleship of one another.

Vision Ministries is joining Narrow Gate in the new business mentoring initiative beginning in 2011!

See More on the Narrow Gate Website >>

Divine Inheritance

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In my mind I say life has become so much more complicated, so many choices, so many voices, an infinite number of alternatives. With so much noise then it seems so rational that “all roads lead to Rome”. Who made me the director and how can my road be the right way? Complicated order. Surely the right way should be decided by a majority vote.

Out of the chaos of the mind Jesus brings order. He simply says Kurt you have two choices me or the majority, your choice. He was pretty clear when he said in Matthew 7:13 “only a few find it” (I suppose that doesn’t mean majority rules). When Jesus told his followers that they needed to walk the thin line he was saying you guys need to turn aside from the mainstream of the world and turn only to me.

But why is that gate so small, just doesn’t seem right? Truthfully what is it that gets to us? I guess it really is obvious; we want to keep our pride, possessions and preferences. It’s not about the one answer being the only way, it’s that the answer is in conflict with what I want.

Time to vote – “Salvation is of the Lord”.