Do I focus on the Past?
I have spent too much time trying to figure out how to earn God's favor in spite of past acts rather than focus simply on God's grace!
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." -- Eph 2:8-9
"Our huffing and puffing to impress God, our scrambling for brownie points, our thrashing about trying to fix ourselves while hiding our pettiness and wallowing in guilt are nauseating to God and are a flat denial of the gospel of grace" -- Brennan Manning / "The Ragamuffin Gospel"
Do I focus on the Future?
I have spent too much time trying to figure out what my life mission was supposed to be.
"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going." -- Hebrews 11:8
"I think a lot of us need to forget about God's will for my life. God cares more about our response to His Spirit's leading today, in this moment, than about what we intend to do next year." -- Francis Chan / "Forgotten God"
Food for thought
There is a Zen story about a monk being pursued by a ferocious tiger. The monk races to edge of a cliff, glanced back, and saw the growling tiger about to spring. The monk spotted a rope dangling over the edge of the cliff. He grabbed it and began shinnying down the side of the cliff out of the clutches of the tiger. Whew! Narrow escape. The monk then looked down and saw a quarry of jagged rocks five hundred feet below. He looked up and saw the tiger atop the cliff with bared claws. Just then, two mice began to nibble at the rope. What to Do.
The monk saw a strawberry within arm's reach, growing out of the face of the cliff. He plucked it, ate it, and exclaimed, "Yum! That's the best strawberry I've ever tasted in my entire life". If he had been preoccupied with the rock below (the future) or the tiger above (the past), he would have missed the strawberry God was giving him in the present moment.
The Forge | Road Trip - Part 2
Now what?
June 29, 2022 • Randy Salo • Ephesians 2:8–9, Hebrews 11:8
The Forge | Road Trip - Part 11
August 31, 2022 • Geoff Jarman • 1 Corinthians 9:24–25, Romans 12:2, Colossians 3:1–4
1 Corinthians 9:24-25 The formative year “To all my little Hulkamaniacs, don’t forget to train, say your prayers, take your vitamins and you will never go wrong.” -Hulk Hogan Church, school, and sports…don’t draw attention to yourself(?). Set goals, work hard, achieve…what went wrong? The 20’s…and early 30’s “I’m here to chew bubblegum and kick a**, and I’m all out of bubblegum.” A second chance at “greatness”http://...but still not “great” My friend Zack and the “ah-ha” moment Older and more aware. What is my why? My unprayed prayer and my why. Romans 12:2 Colossians 3:1-4 1- Where have you come up short of goals you’ve set, and what is the reason for not achieving the goals? 2- Are there areas in your current journey where you and your Lord aren’t on the same page? 3- Where in your life had you had the unprayed prayer answered?
The Forge | Road Trip - Part 10
August 24, 2022 • Charlie Eggert • Luke 8:22–25, Revelation 3:15, Matthew 4:1, John 10:10, Proverbs 17:17
Real Boats Rock Luke 8:22-25 My expectations of who God is and how that leads me astray. Whom do I blame when the boat rocks? Trying to Ignore God just gets a reminder that He Is there. Rev 3:15 Accepting God's plan for me makes me strong. And yet, the enemy attacks. "Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" Matthew 4:1 "The thief comes only to steal and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 Standing with brothers I have a chance to pursue God's will. "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity." Proverbs 17:17 Journey Before Destination Habakkuk 3:17 Who/what do we blame for the pain in our lives? In the world? Who has the power to turn this around? How do we embrace this in our lives? Where have you tried to do things on your own? How did that go? Are you building a community of brothers around yourself? Why/why not? What is one thing you know you are doing wrong, that you could change, that you would change?