Overcoming

Life is full of trials. That sounds like a cliché but it is true.  I am a sanguine personality and usually an upbeat, “the glass is half full” sort of person. Yet, once in a while, I get hit with the unexpected storm.

Last week, I encountered such a storm.  On the eve of my daughter’s graduation from high school, I had an allergy attack that developed into a serious sinus infection. That infection was followed by a list of incidents that led to severe damage to my ears.

Pressure led to breakage, blood pouring from my left ear. Infection increased. Vertigo set in. Prior to not being able to hear anything, I began hearing things in my left ear in a different tone than I was hearing from my right, which means everyone had two voices – sort of like a robot. Every musical note was heard as two separate notes at the same time.  Then the sound just went away.  A new sound took its place in the form of tinnitus. I currently

have seven distinguishable tones ringing loudly 

inside my head at all times. It is torturous.

For a musician, a pilot and a pastor and coach, your ears are everything. To lose your ability to hear (and walk more than three feet without drifting into a wall) is vital. The physical pain was intense, but not as intense as the emotional trauma that was occurring. The urge to

give into fear was overwhelming. 

I began to shut down, physically and emotionally.

I spent most of the last week and a half in bed.  I tried to work on my computer but the combination of Vicodin, fear, self-pity and that infernal ringing in my head made those efforts futile. Add to the mix that I am engaged in a continuing education course which requires a weekly class via conference call – which did not go well for me either and I ended up measuring life in terms of failure.  The glass is NOT half full! In fact, the bottom of the glass is clearly visible.  I actually hit that moment at the tail end of my class on Tuesday.  

I should mention here that my wife has been an absolute angel through all of this and has been a source of phenomenal strength.  One of her greatest gifts is in knowing just what to say, and more importantly, what NOT to say. She sat quietly with me and held my arm. In a few moments gently reminded me that God not only gifted me but created specific purpose in my life. She reminded me that He was aware of not only my situation, but the solution that would be required to provide for the fulfillment of that purpose.

I made a decision to shake off the feelings I was harboring and refocus.  Within a couple of minutes, the phone rang.  It was an old friend who called for the purpose of helping me book a prophetic worship conference in his area. He explained the need in the area for the unique ministry God has allowed us to bring, and the importance of the timing of that conference.  Fifteen minutes after hanging up the phone (and feeling MUCH better) my phone alerted me to a text message, which included an invitation to speak at a men’s conference. It was followed by a facebook communication inviting me to minister at multiple churches on an upcoming trip to Dominican Republic and an 

hour later, confirmation of yet another conference in Mexico.

As my condition deteriorated, I basically began to avoid the telephone and the computer. I was working on my travel schedule but even laid that down in frustration. As I refocused, God met me in a unique way – both in the timing of scheduling and confirmation of meetings and more so in the encouragement offered by my wife and by my friend on the phone call.

When adversity strikes, it strikes hard. The worst kind of adversity finds a way to hit you at the core of all you do.

The fundamental key in overcoming adversity is to remember who you are and to focus on your faith in God and on your purpose.

Can I hear the way I need to yet, No, but I am confident that I will. Can I do what I have to do to fulfill my purpose? Yes. I am as determined to do so as God is to provide the mechanism to make it possible. The only thing to stop me is to quit – something I cannot and will not do. There is no victory without a battle and I am determined to emerge from this victorious. 

I AM OVERCOMING!

Success and Purpose

Success demands singleness of purpose. I believe that it was Vince Lombardi who said that.  And it is true. Success does require singleness of purpose.  Though your actions touch different aspects of your life, when those actions share a common purpose, they can work together to bring success in every area of your life.

I have often used diet as an example.  People are constantly dieting - looking for a way to shed unwanted pounds.  Fad diets gain huge popularity because of quick (if short lived) results.  Even people who reach for a more sensible, disciplined diet often tend to find themselves on the wrong end of that diet before it is over. 

I have noticed that the ones who have been able to find a more permanent change in their life through dieting, do so because their purpose for dieting is different than the purpose others share.  Their initial results may stay the same, but the end results prove to also be purpose driven.

For instance, many people diet because they want to feel better.  The problem is, once you feel better, you want to feel other things. You want to again experience the joy you remember from the sensational foods you ate, which gave you cause to diet in the first place.  "A little won't hurt." Unfortunately and too often, little becomes much in the hands of the dieter!

Others diet for health reasons.  The doctor says, "if you do not lose weight, you will have a heart attack." That launches people on diets. However, as the initial fear subsides, the desire to regulate one's self into that sort of restriction is short lived. Once the imminent heart attack misses you, 

it is easy to forget the words of the doctor.

Those who I have met who have found the best success in their diet, were not really focused on dieting.  They were not even focused on losing weight.  

They were focused on bringing specific changes

to their lifestyle.  

They established goals in their life, ranging from "I want to run a marathon" to "I want to walk my granddaughter down the aisle." Their weight loss and hence, their diet was not the goal.  It was simply a tool used to accomplish greater purpose.  The diet was successful because they were reaching to achieve success in other areas.

While dieting for an achievement goal such as running a marathon is great, think about how much more powerful the achievement when you tie this process to the fulfillment of a life purpose.  I have a friend who fought back type II diabetes.  He adjusted his diet, exercise and lifestyle and gained control over his blood sugar issue. His goal - respond to the call God placed on his life for the mission field.  He knew that as a diabetic, he could not be an effective missionary in a place where he could not fulfill his purpose in a land where medicine and healthcare were scarce.  His singleness of purpose brought success, not only to his mission, but to his health.  It brought success to longevity of life to be shared with his wife and children.  The discipline necessary to accomplish his health goal spurred discipline in other area of his life, which brought greater success to his spiritual walk, his finances and his leadership of others.

When you can discover and embrace the purpose God places in your life, you can then tie your dreams and goals to that purpose.  When you do, the empowerment God offers for the fulfillment of that purpose begins to affect every other area of your life.

Capacity and Capability

Man has been created with amazing capabilities. Throughout history, the things that man has been able to accomplish seemingly break the barriers of natural thought.  Man said, “I will fly” and found a way to do so. Man developed ways of combating disease at levels so miniscule as not to be able to be seen with a naked eye. Man has discovered breakthroughs in nano-technology, building things at cellular levels. He is built with a fundamental capacity to create. Man also has capacity to acquire and retain knowledge. He has the ability to process that knowledge in a way that leads to discovery and invention. It is this gift embedded in the heart and mind of man that allows him to accomplish. 

Ironically, it is this same gift (his capacity to attain, and process knowledge) that can also incapacitate man.  As a creative being, man has the potential to see the best of any circumstance.  He also has the ability to see the worst.  Your mind is designed to paint a creative picture of the future. It then has an uncanny knack of traveling in the direction of that painting.  In short, you go in the direction you look.

A number of years ago, I was traveling through the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Metroplex. A driver who picked me up at DFW airport gave me one of the scariest rides I have ever been on.  4:30 p.m. is not the happiest

commute time for this region and traffic is fast and heavy.

 This driver insisted on talking to me and, as I was sitting

in the back of the car, kept turning her head to speak.

Every time she turned her head she changed lanes,

oblivious to the traffic. She steered into the

direction she faced.  By nature

it is what we do.

There is an old adage that  

the thing you fear the most comes upon you.  

There is some reality to this in that when you program yourself to expect certain circumstances, you unconsciously begin to create the environment for those circumstances to occur.  For instance, you carry the fear that someone is not going to like or trust you. You contemplate that thought and build upon it until it becomes real in your mind. Soon, every word and action spoken by that individual begins to register in your mind as happening in the way you fear.  Your reaction feeds the process until the situation actually does materialize.  You steer in the direction you look.

For this reason, it is important to pay attention to how you process information.  You need to gain knowledge. You also need to have a true and objective perspective on the knowledge you have. Some people are “glass half full” people. Others are “glass half empty” people. While we mark this up to personality, God doesn’t. He instructs us to be careful in how we choose to view life.  We are supposed to see the glass half full.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

This is not saying “paint a rosy picture, however false it may be, and all will be well”. God instructs us to be honest and true – but positively so – or to put it another way, embrace that truth in the best and most positive light.  If something is wrong, focus on the solution that will bring right out of that situation.

It works with relationships, employment, personal development – every aspect of your life. It can make the difference in whether or not you live life at your fullest potential or always choose to avoid the road not taken.  Do not let your mind keep you from being all God created you to be. Bring every thought into captivity and hold onto your knowledge of God, how He created you and how He established you with purpose. How you choose to think will make a huge difference in the outcome of your life.  

Remember what Henry Ford said:

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

Time That Moves Faster

Time is moving faster and faster.  I looked up today and realized we are already through the first week in February.  How did that happen? It makes me consider the writing found from the prophet Joel:

“Be glad then you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your Go; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you – the former rain, and the latter in the first month.” Joel 2:23

The Bible has many references to times and seasons and even offers that there is wisdom to be found in the counsel of those who are discerners of times and seasons.

There are two things you often here.

Time is Money and Knowledge is Power. 

Without even applying biblical application to this it is easy to consider that as knowledge increases; that knowledge infused into time allows for greater productivity. The more productive your time, the more value can be drawn from it. Add to that that the bible tells us that wisdom is the principal thing and instructs us to get wisdom, knowledge and understanding, and learn to steward time correctly. It all adds up to a greater measure of productivity in our lives.

Time is moving faster because life is moving faster. But that also means that the advancement of God’s Kingdom happens faster.

There is great encouragement to be found in Isaiah:

“The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be an everlasting light, and your God your glory.”

“Your sun shall no longer go down nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be ended.”

“Also, your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified.”

"A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I the Lord will hasten it in its time.”   Isaiah 60:19-22

Added to natural knowledge is our knowledge of the Holy One. As our intimacy with and knowledge of God increases, the light He offers is what becomes our brightness and sustains us. Our time becomes measured by our relationship with him rather than by the simple turning of night and day. Our mourning wanes because we find ever increasing life in Him.  He hastens this advancement of our lives in His time.

As we increase in our relationship with Him, His rain comes to us in abundance. Our seasons take on different dimension and seemingly run together. Back to the reference in Joel: Our threshing floors become full of wheat (the bread) and our vats overflow with wine (the blood). I other words, our relationship with Him grows stronger and steadfast. Further, God then establishes the restoration of that which the locusts have eaten. This is representative of that which the mindset of our world and situations have devoured in our lives. As we grow in Him, that devouring dissipates and new life begins to grow.

I am developing an appreciation for the faster momentum. For me it is an indication that we are moving in a positive direction. And, I am looking forward to seeing what the former and latter rain combined will produce!

The Attack On Freedom

Freedom is not free.  Freedom comes with a price.  Living in a military town the immediate price that comes to mind is the price paid by those who place themselves in harms way to secure that freedom.  I am eternally grateful for their sacrifice.

Freedom comes with other price’s to be paid. For instance, my freedom of expression comes at the price of enduring someone else’s freedom of expression. Freedom of religion means that the price is others will practice religion in accordance with their beliefs.

This morning I picked up a facebook stream from my friend Jimmy Hagar regarding the President’s upcoming speech regarding gun control.  Jimmy made it clear that his comments were open and able to be shared.  I have chosen to share them in this manner because I want to highlight a dangerous precedent that could potentially be set in these next days.

*From Facebook:

Jimmy Hager

5 hours ago ·

            On the eve of the President's big speech on gun control at 11:45 tomorrow morning I want to make one last personal opinion statement about gun control. After this I'm only going to be posting statistics which can be verified by the court system.

           

            Here is a fact we in Columbia live with every single day of the year. Not a day goes by up here that somebody doesn't rob or kill somebody, or hold up some place of business using a stolen gun. And those are just the ones that either make the news or get reported to the authorities. But the news has at least one a day.

           

            Here's another fact some people will find very difficult to believe: Most violent crime in the Columbia area is vanity related. It's all about being a big shot, a tough guy, a gangster. Hang with me on this.

           

            Here is another fact. Nobody, not one soul, who robs a store, home, car, bank or holds up someone at gun point in a parking lot, rest area, or bank drive through or on a street, or walks into a bank with a gun, is committing these crimes because they need money to put food on a table or feed their hungry children or because they are on the verge of starving unless they rob you or somebody else. Not one, not a single solitary act of armed robbery in South Carolina over the last year has been proven to be or even linked to a "basic human need" related issue. Why? Because all that stuff is free for the asking. Not one person charged with a violent or gun related crime has claimed hunger or homelessness as a part of their defense. It is all vanity/

           

            When a person gets robbed in Columbia these days it is for one of only four reasons:

           

            1. So the robber can buy drugs, then go home, get high and play video games (which means he has to win the game to be considered cool in front of his friends) and they play until he runs out of dope or money or both, then they just go out and hit another home or car or store and do the same thing day in and day out or until they get caught. These are the juvenile idiots.

           

            Or 2. So they can dress up and go down to the strip club, and stroll into that club like gangsters and act like big shots while stylin' and profilin' and shooting off their mouths in a cheap polyester imitation of a copy of a shadow of their version of their favorite video role model. These are the ones between 18 and 27

           

            Or 3. If they are too old to be staying home playing video games, and have access to a car, they can take your money, or sell your belongings to get the money they need, so they can act cool enough and act bad enough in front of their friends, by flashing your money down to the nightclub, or over at the crib, so they might actually possibly get laid by some girl who is so impressed with the money they stole from you she just can't say no regardless of how ugly the dude is. This time. These are the ones who are between 25 and 35. The average age of an armed robber in South Carolina between 18 and 20.

           

            Or 4. They owe their supplier more money than they have on them because they spent too much acting cool and being a bad ass down to the club where the stripper hustled them out of that fat roll they were either too drunk or too high to keep up with and now they have come up with the cash or get whacked.

           

            That's it. Four vanity related reasons, account for 99.9% of all robberies in Columbia. Violent crime in our city happens everyday for one or more of those four reasons. You won't find these stats on any web site. You get these stats from talking to the public defenders and lawyers assigned to defend or prosecute them.

           

            I would love for someone out there to tell me I'm wrong, but I doubt very seriously anyone will. Because the evidence I've gathered in my study of this epidemic of radical street terror narcissism is everywhere. One need only look at the court records.

           

            So, if it's not too much trouble would some anti-gun advocate out there please tell me why I, as a senior citizen, who can no longer defend myself with my bare hands against the violent actions of these narcissist gangster hoodlum wannabes, why I am supposed to give up my personal gun, my only real defense against a gang of predominately 18+ year old males (there's very seldom only one and the average is three) who are armed to the teeth when they break in or try to rob someone, because even they, stupid and ignorant as they are, are not crazy enough to break into a house or try to rob someone unarmed, why should I be required to voluntarily disarm myself because some politicians (who are themselves protected by some of the most heavily armed people on the planet,) think we would all be safer if people like me were unarmed when everyone but these idiot gangsters,drug dealers and ignorant narcissistic fools have guns and nothing to lose by either killing me or beating me half to death.

           

            The number of elderly victims of violent crime in our area is on the rise yet again. Seniors in their 80's have been beaten senseless and even killed over a flat screen tv which was pawned for $200.

           

            Please tell me how my death at the hands of hoodlums like these will serve anything even remotely akin to a higher good. I really want to know how many of those who oppose guns would be willing to lay down their lives in the privacy of their own homes or see their children, grandchildren or parents or grandparents become victims of these scum for the sake of providing drug and stripper tip money to these poor, well fed souls who just can't seem to scrape together enough self esteem to go out and earn all the "ones" they need to stick in a g-string while high on blow, or tripping on X and shooting their mouths off while carrying an illegal loaded gun. Does anyone out there really think that "please take anything you want, just don't kill me," is a good defense? If so, why doesn't the President try going out without his security detail. Why heck, he just gave himself life time secret service protection. What is the Secret Service armed with? The latest edition of Miss Manners It's Impolite to Whisper at the Dinner Table? Is it really about curbing gun violence? Or is it really more about disarming as many law abiding citizens as possible so the gangsters can rule the streets? Does drug and tip money really sound like a cause worth dieing for?

Like · · Unfollow Post


            


5 people like this.



           

            



Tamalyn Lee Is is okay to share this with "all"?
5 hours ago · Like






           

            



Jimmy Hager Share it with anyone you like. That's why I posted it.
5 hours ago · Like






           

            



Tamalyn Lee Great...thanks!
5 hours ago · Like






                                   

                        Paul Allen But Jimmy no reasonable person (yeah, the liberals have their teabaggers too)--no reasonable person I've heard says you give up your gun. " tell me why I, as a senior citizen, who can no longer defend myself with my bare hands against the violent actions of these narcissist gangster hoodlum wannabes, why I am supposed to give up my personal gun, my only real defense against a gang " Nobody says you're supposed to give it up. That's not even on the table. Living on the road as I do, and a senior as well, I know I'm vulnerable, and I do have two guns. Since I'm either usually in my truck or my camper, I have them within a few feet of me. Neither shoots more than 6 rounds which is the most you could get off before the shootout is over one way or another--seconds. If you have an assault rifle, it's probably not leaning on the couch; it's probably in the closet. "Gangsters" kick your door in and they are in the room with you before you can put your coffee down. You don't have a chance of getting at an assault rifle. But to your good argument: you're arguing against a straw enemy--the issue is not about taking away your protection or your hunting weapon.
5 hours ago · Like · 1






           

            



Jared Jackson No one in Washington is looking to take away your outdated right to protect yourself with a gun(unless you are trying to protect yourself with an ak-47 with a 30 round clip).
2 hours ago via mobile · Like






           

            



Timothy Byler @ Jared - or do you mean, "No one in Washington is looking to take away your outdated right to protect yourself with a gun..." TODAY?!? An age-old adage in life and in Washington is that you eat an elephant one bite at a time. This issue is not about automatic weapons. It is a bite out of fundamental rights long established for our country. This bite sets a precedent that will allow for another bite, then another, them another. If the rule of law antiquates the right to bear arms, the precedent set can later antiquate the right to freedom of speech, or expression...or religion. The issue is not guns but control. Laws have not stemmed the tide of said illegal weapons from entering our borders through cartels. Those criminals will as always find a way. Other criminals choosing to be armed will simply find new sources. They do not care about the law now and won't care about this one. This law will not disarm criminals. It will only drive the more determined criminals into the hands of organized criminals. All the while, our freedoms are stripped from us one bite at a time.
42 minutes ago via mobile · Like






           

            



Doug Nelson I still maintain that 99.9 percent of gun owners are not involved in gun violence. The guns are already out there and a buyback by the gov't. is not on the table with an estimated 300 million guns in America. Tighten up the reg's on gun show purchases, background checks, etc. but focus on mental health screening and a vigilant society.
16 minutes ago · Like






           

            



Doug Nelson By the way, I love having a reasonable discussion about this since my views continue to evolve and listening to intelligent pov's of others is helpful.
5 minutes ago · Like

This is a debate that will obviously continue and as you look to what fellow fb’ers posted, you get the idea of the thoughts people are considering surrounding this issue.

My blog, so my point gets priority…

I am greatly concerned about what happens when those who we elected to govern our land take it upon themselves to render useless the very foundation of that governing.

The attack on gun owners is an attack on the law, not on those who own a gun.  Those who own a gun for the purpose of violating the law and the rights of others already have no respect for the law. They will find other means to acquire the weapon they want in their hand to perpetuate their crime. The only ones truly affected by this change will ultimately be those for whom the law currently protects.  The law is in place to allow law-abiding citizens to protect and defend themselves.

Look at the presidential oath of office:

The Oath of Office:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.  

Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution that has been and remains the process of freedom.  To do all within your power to render that Constitution antiquated is to fail to preserve, protect and defend it.  Worse, if a President takes it upon himself to initiate such changes through executive order, he violates the very core beliefs that went into the architecture of that Constitution.  It becomes the beginning of a return to the mindset that people left in order to form this great nation – or worse…it becomes the beginning of the same sort of governing structure that served “oh so well” in the Soviet block, China.  Every educated civilization that has fallen, fell through the corruption of power established by regulation.

This is a battle about power. It is a battle against freedom, for it is battle to render “outdated” the freedoms established and constitutionalized by our founding fathers. It is a battle being waged – in the name of civility and humanity – but being waged by those who have decided for themselves that the freedoms that set this country apart from every other are arrogant, undeserved, unreasonable, and uncontrollable.  The day they are able to take one bite out of the Constitution, they will take steps to take the next bite…and the next…and the next.

We need to pray for our country. We need to value its liberty. We also need to guard that liberty with diligence. This is not about guns.  It is about freedom. Remember that.