http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:50:00 GMT http://bandzoogle.com http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=1491055 A good measure of God’s movement in our lives is the evidence of change and also our reactions to change. God Himself never changes, but God does indeed change us, doesn’t He!? I’m thankful that He does indeed change us. In the Amplified version, Colossians 1:6 states that “the Gospel is bearing fruit and still is growing by its own inherent power”. If you were to observe a tree, bush or plant, the only way you could see if it bore fruit was if it changed visibly. This is pretty much true for everything that bears fruit. It looks different than it did before. An apple tree started out with just leaves, then it changed by having tasty red spheres sprout all over it. Many seeds start out flat and oblong in shape, then they turn into carrots, rhubarb or mustard trees. To bear fruit implies change. You don’t have fruit without change. I can’t think of one instance where fruit is born yet there is no change. I believe that the Gospel is bearing fruit in my life and if that’s the case, then there must be change in my life; change that can be seen. Of course, looking different or seeing change in our lives isn’t just a surface thing. It is something real that happens deep in the core of our being and manifests outwardly in the every day workings of our lives. It bears mentioning that you don’t set out to bear fruit. Fruit is born in you and from you by someone else. God makes the seed grow (I Cor. 3:6-7). Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, and we will bear much fruit if only we abide in Him (John 15:5). This is important to see because to see the Gospel bear fruit in our lives means that we believe that it IS doing so apart from anything we could do ourselves. Our own efforts and works do not produce good fruit (they actually taint God’s fruit). But as we believe in the Gospel’s inherent power, as we trust God to make the seed grow, we will see God’s fruit born in our lives! My life testifies to this truth. The most recent way that I’ve seen God’s fruit manifest in my life is through an aversion to the things of the world. What I mean by “the world” is: Everything outside of Christ. Anything that leaves Christ out of the picture. Anything that is not centered on Christ. This includes obvious things like pornography and tabloids. But it also includes caffeine dependency, serving the poor, fighting for your country and being proud of your ethnicity. You might not think those last four things are so bad, and if they are done in Christ, then they aren’t. But if those things are referenced before or above Christ, or if they just sort of omit Christ, then they’re not really any good and in fact, they are demonic. So, that’s what I mean by “the world”. Now, back to fruit... Fruit equals change, right? Before, I used to be able to listen to, watch and read the news and enjoy it. I used to be able to relate to what the news was saying and sharing. I liked hearing what was going on in the various areas of news - from sports to business to entertainment, even politics. What I gravitated toward was “Conservative” and I read what I pretty much already agreed with. However, lately I’ve found that more often than not, the news is a megaphone that the world uses to speak into the lives of those willing to take it in. After seeing this, I’ve realized that I don’t like what the news has been saying - even it has a Conservative flavor - because regardless of it’s content or focus, it is still communicating the worlds ideas and values. Conservative or Liberal, mainstream, underground, whatever... the world is still the world. And what the world has been serving up has become distasteful to me. The more I’ve interacted with the world in light of this truth, I’ve realized, “This is not what I want”. It reminds me of a former alcoholic I know. One day, she realized she just had a distaste for wine (her alcohol of choice) and that was that. She was done with it. She didn’t even pray to be delivered from being an alcoholic, it was simply a fruit of her receiving the message of her death with Christ (she’s been alcohol free for several years now, btw). I’m done with the world. This isn’t a fruit I could create on my own. Someone did it in my life. It’s taken me some time, but I’ve realized that I have developed a distaste for the world. The way the world speaks and thinks; the way the world does things; the reasons why the world does what it does... It’s all gross to me. It’s perverted and it’s end result is always death. The world only tears down. The world only divides. My sensitivity to these truths about the world has led me to an inability to read the news in good conscience. All in all, I’ve realized that the way the world does things is contradictory to the very nature of God Himself. And if that’s the case, then the world is also contradictory to the very nature of me myself; because my new self, who I really am in Christ, is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24). On a deeper level, I am seeing what James meant when he said, “friendship with the world means enmity against God”. The world is not my friend. And the truth is, the world hates me. I’m not having a little pity party by saying that, I’m merely stating the truth. Jesus tells of the world’s hate towards His disciples in John 15 and John 17 and then the apostle John reiterates it again in I John 3:13. I’m now seeing this truth that the world hates me and I’m finally hearing that that is what the world is actually saying. Knowing this truth makes me realize that I do not want to be the world’s friend. I don’t want to be friendly with the world and I don’t need to listen to it like it’s a good friend, nor do I even need to be cordial with it. The world hates me and the world hates God. This doesn’t mean I hate the world, and obviously God doesn’t hate the world (John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9). I don’t hate the world. But if you were to tell me that you hated me and then say that you also hate Erin... well, let’s just say I’d be keeping my distance and anything you’d have to say would hold very little weight with me. That’s how it now is with me and the world. My aversion to the world, based on a greater ability to discern what it is saying to me, about me and about the One I love, is a change for me. I used to be “okay” with the world, where now, I see that we have serious disagreements. Game-changing disagreements that have caused me to reconsider my relationship with/to it. This change is a fruit of the Gospel in my life. And it is a fruit that blesses me, my family and my sphere. I’m so thankful for this fruit. Since discovering it, I have stopped interacting with the world like I used to and the results have directly effected my life. Isn’t that amazing?!? The fruit of being able to discern what exactly the world is saying, has led to more fruit in my relationships with my family! I personally feel lighter and more at peace inside. I’ve been sleeping better. I talk to Erin now about things that really matter instead of worldly things that do nothing to build us up (let alone build our relationship up). I’ve even seen it effect my relationship with Felicity, where I engage more with her personally as opposed to just being an aloof parent, guardian or authority figure. And interactions with my parents are definitely different than the last time I saw them. I am supernaturally happy to serve and be with them whenever I can. That’s the only way I can explain it! Thank You Lord for the Gospel. Thank You that it has it’s own power to bear fruit in my life. I do not have to add anything to it. I do not have to listen to what the world is telling me to do or not do. I simply rest in what You are saying and my life is blessed. What a wonderful mystery! What a gracious God!?
In the Amplified version, Colossians 1:6 states that “the Gospel is bearing fruit and still is growing by its own inherent power”. If you were to observe a tree, bush or plant, the only way you could see if it bore fruit was if it changed visibly. This is pretty much true for everything that bears fruit. It looks different than it did before. An apple tree started out with just leaves, then it changed by having tasty red spheres sprout all over it. Many seeds start out flat and oblong in shape, then they turn into carrots, rhubarb or mustard trees. To bear fruit implies change. You don’t have fruit without change. I can’t think of one instance where fruit is born yet there is no change.

I believe that the Gospel is bearing fruit in my life and if that’s the case, then there must be change in my life; change that can be seen. Of course, looking different or seeing change in our lives isn’t just a surface thing. It is something real that happens deep in the core of our being and manifests outwardly in the every day workings of our lives.

It bears mentioning that you don’t set out to bear fruit. Fruit is born in you and from you by someone else. God makes the seed grow (I Cor. 3:6-7). Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, and we will bear much fruit if only we abide in Him (John 15:5). This is important to see because to see the Gospel bear fruit in our lives means that we believe that it IS doing so apart from anything we could do ourselves. Our own efforts and works do not produce good fruit (they actually taint God’s fruit). But as we believe in the Gospel’s inherent power, as we trust God to make the seed grow, we will see God’s fruit born in our lives!

My life testifies to this truth. The most recent way that I’ve seen God’s fruit manifest in my life is through an aversion to the things of the world. What I mean by “the world” is: Everything outside of Christ. Anything that leaves Christ out of the picture. Anything that is not centered on Christ. This includes obvious things like pornography and tabloids. But it also includes caffeine dependency, serving the poor, fighting for your country and being proud of your ethnicity. You might not think those last four things are so bad, and if they are done in Christ, then they aren’t. But if those things are referenced before or above Christ, or if they just sort of omit Christ, then they’re not really any good and in fact, they are demonic. So, that’s what I mean by “the world”.

Now, back to fruit... Fruit equals change, right? Before, I used to be able to listen to, watch and read the news and enjoy it. I used to be able to relate to what the news was saying and sharing. I liked hearing what was going on in the various areas of news - from sports to business to entertainment, even politics. What I gravitated toward was “Conservative” and I read what I pretty much already agreed with. However, lately I’ve found that more often than not, the news is a megaphone that the world uses to speak into the lives of those willing to take it in. After seeing this, I’ve realized that I don’t like what the news has been saying - even it has a Conservative flavor - because regardless of it’s content or focus, it is still communicating the worlds ideas and values. Conservative or Liberal, mainstream, underground, whatever... the world is still the world. And what the world has been serving up has become distasteful to me. The more I’ve interacted with the world in light of this truth, I’ve realized, “This is not what I want”. It reminds me of a former alcoholic I know. One day, she realized she just had a distaste for wine (her alcohol of choice) and that was that. She was done with it. She didn’t even pray to be delivered from being an alcoholic, it was simply a fruit of her receiving the message of her death with Christ (she’s been alcohol free for several years now, btw). I’m done with the world. This isn’t a fruit I could create on my own. Someone did it in my life.

It’s taken me some time, but I’ve realized that I have developed a distaste for the world. The way the world speaks and thinks; the way the world does things; the reasons why the world does what it does... It’s all gross to me. It’s perverted and it’s end result is always death. The world only tears down. The world only divides. My sensitivity to these truths about the world has led me to an inability to read the news in good conscience. All in all, I’ve realized that the way the world does things is contradictory to the very nature of God Himself. And if that’s the case, then the world is also contradictory to the very nature of me myself; because my new self, who I really am in Christ, is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24).

On a deeper level, I am seeing what James meant when he said, “friendship with the world means enmity against God”. The world is not my friend. And the truth is, the world hates me. I’m not having a little pity party by saying that, I’m merely stating the truth. Jesus tells of the world’s hate towards His disciples in John 15 and John 17 and then the apostle John reiterates it again in I John 3:13. I’m now seeing this truth that the world hates me and I’m finally hearing that that is what the world is actually saying. Knowing this truth makes me realize that I do not want to be the world’s friend. I don’t want to be friendly with the world and I don’t need to listen to it like it’s a good friend, nor do I even need to be cordial with it. The world hates me and the world hates God. This doesn’t mean I hate the world, and obviously God doesn’t hate the world (John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9). I don’t hate the world. But if you were to tell me that you hated me and then say that you also hate Erin... well, let’s just say I’d be keeping my distance and anything you’d have to say would hold very little weight with me. That’s how it now is with me and the world.

My aversion to the world, based on a greater ability to discern what it is saying to me, about me and about the One I love, is a change for me. I used to be “okay” with the world, where now, I see that we have serious disagreements. Game-changing disagreements that have caused me to reconsider my relationship with/to it. This change is a fruit of the Gospel in my life. And it is a fruit that blesses me, my family and my sphere. I’m so thankful for this fruit. Since discovering it, I have stopped interacting with the world like I used to and the results have directly effected my life. Isn’t that amazing?!? The fruit of being able to discern what exactly the world is saying, has led to more fruit in my relationships with my family! I personally feel lighter and more at peace inside. I’ve been sleeping better. I talk to Erin now about things that really matter instead of worldly things that do nothing to build us up (let alone build our relationship up). I’ve even seen it effect my relationship with Felicity, where I engage more with her personally as opposed to just being an aloof parent, guardian or authority figure. And interactions with my parents are definitely different than the last time I saw them. I am supernaturally happy to serve and be with them whenever I can. That’s the only way I can explain it!

Thank You Lord for the Gospel. Thank You that it has it’s own power to bear fruit in my life. I do not have to add anything to it. I do not have to listen to what the world is telling me to do or not do. I simply rest in what You are saying and my life is blessed. What a wonderful mystery! What a gracious God!?
]]> Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:50:00 GMT F0496F4A9D99514EB9870B7E4774089D http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=1452125 My parents came into town this past Saturday. They will be staying with us until the end of January. Some of you may have read that and thought, “oh bummer” or jokingly thought, “I’ll pray for you”. In response I say, “it’s not a bummer” and “keep your prayers to yourself!”. I am so happy that my parents are here, staying in our home! When I was growing up, I often told my parents that I wanted to take care of them when they grew old. I meant it, and for the first time, I get to. I mean, I’ve been able to take care of them in different ways over the past few years, but this is different. We’ve never had a place that they could stay at for an extended amount of time. I can’t explain it, but I feel great joy and fulfillment knowing that not only are my parents with me, but I get to take care of them for a few months. I know that it isn’t always going to be easy. But it doesn’t have to be hard and it doesn’t have to be filled with drama. I don’t know whose perceptions or projections those are, but they aren’t mine. I get to spend time with my mother and my father. And I get to watch my daughters interact with their grandparents. That really blesses me. For instance, today I had to take my mom to the drug store to pick up some things. While waiting for a prescription my mom wanted to get something to eat, so we headed over to Chicken Shack and my mom, Felicity and I had lunch together. That may seem mundane or like small peas to some of you, but to me, it’s a gift and blessing from Jesus. By the time I was 12 all my siblings moved out of the house, and my parents worked odd hours at the time. I was home alone a lot and I didn’t really know what it was like to have the “typical” family. The kind of family that ate dinners together or the kind of family where siblings were around all the time. I grew up like an only child. I know someone who would end up resenting their parents for that, but he’s just stupid. This has only made me love my family even more and treasure any time that I have with them. I spent much of my late teens and early-mid twenties not caring much about family. I was ignorant. That said, I remember in 2009 when we had a family reunion in Arizona... I can’t count the amount of times I said, “Thank You Jesus for this time”. It meant the world to me. Family is so important to me. I remember when I was 18 or so, I thought I didn’t want to ever have kids. Such a thought seems so ridiculous to me now. I remember November 12, 2008, holding Felicity in my hands the day after she was born. She was so small, and I was just weeping at how beautiful she was. Children are a blessing. Family is a blessing. Family is a greater blessing than any material thing. It is a greater blessing than fame or prestige. Family is a greater blessing than self-actualization or achievement. People have sacrificed family or the ability to have a family in lieu of a career or personal goals... they are fools. You have no relationship with career. Your personal goals only satisfy you (if that). God uses family to grow and mature you. God uses family to give you a bigger heart than the one you had before. God uses family to show you what really matters in life. My family will increase by 7-8 lbs in the next few weeks. Erin and I eagerly anticipate the arrival of Scarlet Grace! I am already thankful. Thankful for more growth and maturity. Thankful for a bigger heart to love another child. Thankful for a clearer understanding of reality and what matters in life.
Some of you may have read that and thought, “oh bummer” or jokingly thought, “I’ll pray for you”. In response I say, “it’s not a bummer” and “keep your prayers to yourself!”. I am so happy that my parents are here, staying in our home! When I was growing up, I often told my parents that I wanted to take care of them when they grew old. I meant it, and for the first time, I get to. I mean, I’ve been able to take care of them in different ways over the past few years, but this is different. We’ve never had a place that they could stay at for an extended amount of time.

I can’t explain it, but I feel great joy and fulfillment knowing that not only are my parents with me, but I get to take care of them for a few months. I know that it isn’t always going to be easy. But it doesn’t have to be hard and it doesn’t have to be filled with drama. I don’t know whose perceptions or projections those are, but they aren’t mine. I get to spend time with my mother and my father. And I get to watch my daughters interact with their grandparents. That really blesses me. For instance, today I had to take my mom to the drug store to pick up some things. While waiting for a prescription my mom wanted to get something to eat, so we headed over to Chicken Shack and my mom, Felicity and I had lunch together. That may seem mundane or like small peas to some of you, but to me, it’s a gift and blessing from Jesus.

By the time I was 12 all my siblings moved out of the house, and my parents worked odd hours at the time. I was home alone a lot and I didn’t really know what it was like to have the “typical” family. The kind of family that ate dinners together or the kind of family where siblings were around all the time. I grew up like an only child. I know someone who would end up resenting their parents for that, but he’s just stupid. This has only made me love my family even more and treasure any time that I have with them. I spent much of my late teens and early-mid twenties not caring much about family. I was ignorant. That said, I remember in 2009 when we had a family reunion in Arizona... I can’t count the amount of times I said, “Thank You Jesus for this time”. It meant the world to me.

Family is so important to me. I remember when I was 18 or so, I thought I didn’t want to ever have kids. Such a thought seems so ridiculous to me now. I remember November 12, 2008, holding Felicity in my hands the day after she was born. She was so small, and I was just weeping at how beautiful she was. Children are a blessing. Family is a blessing.

Family is a greater blessing than any material thing. It is a greater blessing than fame or prestige. Family is a greater blessing than self-actualization or achievement. People have sacrificed family or the ability to have a family in lieu of a career or personal goals... they are fools. You have no relationship with career. Your personal goals only satisfy you (if that). God uses family to grow and mature you. God uses family to give you a bigger heart than the one you had before. God uses family to show you what really matters in life.

My family will increase by 7-8 lbs in the next few weeks. Erin and I eagerly anticipate the arrival of Scarlet Grace! I am already thankful. Thankful for more growth and maturity. Thankful for a bigger heart to love another child. Thankful for a clearer understanding of reality and what matters in life.
]]> Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:11:37 GMT F34EE8AA57BAB140F7248B8207F9D35D http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=1426783 I was thinking about grace this morning. How I need it and how I love it and receive it. I’m so thankful for God’s grace! In the past I thought of God’s grace as being something passive. Like it’s something that I activate by sinning. I sin and then God gives grace. If I don’t sin, God doesn’t need to give grace. However, in view of the Cross, my past understanding of grace is pretty ridiculous (as in “stupid”). God’s grace is not activated by my sin. God’s grace is, was and always will be. It’s not dependent on me or anything I do. God’s grace is consistent and relentless. It is ever-reaching. Our perceived need for or lack of need for it is irrelevant, God’s grace is. God’s grace is the constant, active and dynamic power that initiated Jesus’ death on the Cross and from there, continuously flows into our lives, even to this very second. God’s grace is a tidal wave of Jesus’ blood coursing through and resounding throughout the entire universe. By God’s grace the world was created (Rev. 13:8) and by God’s grace we eat, drink and breathe. By God’s grace we can taste food, feel love, enjoy sports and create. By God’s grace we can read and communicate with each other. I could go on and on about what has resulted because of God’s grace, but I think you get the picture. Notice now, that nothing I noted here had anything to do with my sin, or sin in general. God’s grace is God simply being who He is. If God’s grace is constant, active and dynamic; if it is coursing through and resounding throughout the universe; what does sin have to do with it? What God is showing me is that His grace is for ME and that it is NOT for sin. A majority of my understanding about God’s grace had to do with sin. I viewed His grace as covering for my sin. And on one level, that is what it is. But that is on a very base and low level. God’s grace is something very powerful outside of having anything to do with sin. So why does all this matter? Why is God speaking this to me and why am I sharing it here with you!? I believe God is sharing this with me to let me know just how secure I really am in Him. Nothing can remove me from His grace. It’s all around. It’s active in my life whether I see it or not. It is effective for me whether I think I need it or not. Recently, I perceived a great need for grace. More accurately, I perceived that I was outside of God’s grace. This is foolery. I can’t be outside of it, because not only am I the result of it, I’m in it and it is all around me. I walk on it, I breathe it, it flows through me, I walk through it and frankly, I’m one with Grace Himself. Sin did not initiate grace and sin cannot terminate it! Sometimes, we can be tricked into thinking that we’re outside of God’s grace (Galatians 3:1) and then we go through various exercises of feeling like we have to do something and then wait a certain amount of time before God’s grace is again active and present in our lives. That’s dumb (and unscriptural) and I’m not falling for it. Don’t think I’m just talking about when we commit a sin like lying or gossip. The perception of being outside of God’s grace applies to being stressed or depressed or just simply experiencing any thought or feeling like you’re a victim or are just completely overwhelmed. Those things are perceptions of being outside of God’s grace. In addition, please don’t misunderstand me about sin. We must repent if we sin. There is sin and grace is to be applied to the situation. But God’s grace is for ME not sin! A life focused on God’s grace is better than a life focused on the effects of sin as it relates to grace. One has a focus on grace, the other has a focus on sin. Which do you think will change a person for the better? Since God’s grace does not depend on anything I do, all that is required of me is to simply receive it. I don’t have to sin, nor do I have to fast or say extraordinary prayers in order for it to be activated in my life. God’s grace is; God’s grace is NOW. As a result, my freedom is NOW. My salvation is NOW. My deliverance and my redemption are NOW. Does everything look like how I want it to? Does everything look how I think it’s supposed to? Probably not. But that’s irrelevant. God’s grace is NOW and is active and effective for ME. I receive it. And when I receive it, I will perceive it in my life. THANK YOU JESUS! I no longer have to wallow in guilt and condemnation. I no longer have to preform marvelous works or even follow all the rules exactly. Your grace is active in my life for me right now! I don’t have to worry about whether things are going to turn out right. I don’t have to worry, period. I don’t have to stress. I simply need to receive. I simply need to look at the Cross and Your throne where Your grace flows unceasingly to me, through me, in me and around me. I receive Your grace God.
In the past I thought of God’s grace as being something passive. Like it’s something that I activate by sinning. I sin and then God gives grace. If I don’t sin, God doesn’t need to give grace. However, in view of the Cross, my past understanding of grace is pretty ridiculous (as in “stupid”).

God’s grace is not activated by my sin. God’s grace is, was and always will be. It’s not dependent on me or anything I do. God’s grace is consistent and relentless. It is ever-reaching. Our perceived need for or lack of need for it is irrelevant, God’s grace is.

God’s grace is the constant, active and dynamic power that initiated Jesus’ death on the Cross and from there, continuously flows into our lives, even to this very second. God’s grace is a tidal wave of Jesus’ blood coursing through and resounding throughout the entire universe. By God’s grace the world was created (Rev. 13:8) and by God’s grace we eat, drink and breathe. By God’s grace we can taste food, feel love, enjoy sports and create. By God’s grace we can read and communicate with each other. I could go on and on about what has resulted because of God’s grace, but I think you get the picture. Notice now, that nothing I noted here had anything to do with my sin, or sin in general. God’s grace is God simply being who He is.

If God’s grace is constant, active and dynamic; if it is coursing through and resounding throughout the universe; what does sin have to do with it? What God is showing me is that His grace is for ME and that it is NOT for sin.

A majority of my understanding about God’s grace had to do with sin. I viewed His grace as covering for my sin. And on one level, that is what it is. But that is on a very base and low level. God’s grace is something very powerful outside of having anything to do with sin.

So why does all this matter? Why is God speaking this to me and why am I sharing it here with you!?

I believe God is sharing this with me to let me know just how secure I really am in Him. Nothing can remove me from His grace. It’s all around. It’s active in my life whether I see it or not. It is effective for me whether I think I need it or not. Recently, I perceived a great need for grace. More accurately, I perceived that I was outside of God’s grace. This is foolery. I can’t be outside of it, because not only am I the result of it, I’m in it and it is all around me. I walk on it, I breathe it, it flows through me, I walk through it and frankly, I’m one with Grace Himself. Sin did not initiate grace and sin cannot terminate it!

Sometimes, we can be tricked into thinking that we’re outside of God’s grace (Galatians 3:1) and then we go through various exercises of feeling like we have to do something and then wait a certain amount of time before God’s grace is again active and present in our lives. That’s dumb (and unscriptural) and I’m not falling for it. Don’t think I’m just talking about when we commit a sin like lying or gossip. The perception of being outside of God’s grace applies to being stressed or depressed or just simply experiencing any thought or feeling like you’re a victim or are just completely overwhelmed. Those things are perceptions of being outside of God’s grace.

In addition, please don’t misunderstand me about sin. We must repent if we sin. There is sin and grace is to be applied to the situation. But God’s grace is for ME not sin! A life focused on God’s grace is better than a life focused on the effects of sin as it relates to grace. One has a focus on grace, the other has a focus on sin. Which do you think will change a person for the better?

Since God’s grace does not depend on anything I do, all that is required of me is to simply receive it. I don’t have to sin, nor do I have to fast or say extraordinary prayers in order for it to be activated in my life. God’s grace is; God’s grace is NOW. As a result, my freedom is NOW. My salvation is NOW. My deliverance and my redemption are NOW. Does everything look like how I want it to? Does everything look how I think it’s supposed to? Probably not. But that’s irrelevant. God’s grace is NOW and is active and effective for ME. I receive it. And when I receive it, I will perceive it in my life.

THANK YOU JESUS! I no longer have to wallow in guilt and condemnation. I no longer have to preform marvelous works or even follow all the rules exactly. Your grace is active in my life for me right now! I don’t have to worry about whether things are going to turn out right. I don’t have to worry, period. I don’t have to stress. I simply need to receive. I simply need to look at the Cross and Your throne where Your grace flows unceasingly to me, through me, in me and around me. I receive Your grace God.
]]> Mon, 24 Oct 2011 23:50:00 GMT 205964D2148DD72D0B7012CE2993AFE0 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=1411836 “desist from your pointless whine...” That was a line from a song I wrote as a teen (nearly 15 years ago now)... I’m sure many of us are aware of the whole Occupy Wall Street mumbo jumbo. People whining and complaining about something or other. I don’t know enough about it to criticize their stance (though I’m pretty sure I disagree with them), but I do know enough about them to know that they’re whining and complaining. Mitch Hedberg once said, “I’m against protesting, but I don’t know how to show it” Is it just me, or does it seem like there is some sort of march or protest or demonstration happening like every week now? I feel like that’s the case and to be honest when I hear about marches or protests it means nothing to me. If they haven’t already, marches, protests and demonstrations will soon lose all meaning and power because they are overdone and have become trite. Anyways, the last week or so has been super busy with different aspects of my life making lots of demands on me. As a result, I had a fit the other day because I felt like I wasn’t being appreciated or that I was being taken advantage of. I felt like no one was looking out for me and my personal needs. I was mad and I wanted to vent in an unhealthy way and identify with the frustration that I was feeling. Thankfully, my wife is very wise and talked with me to sort things through, ultimately pointing me to Jesus (that’s what a good wife does you know). I spent some time with the Lord and realized that I had been acting just like the people in the Occupy Wall Street movement. I mean, I wasn’t outside picketing anyone or anything. But I was upset and frustrated and I wanted to take it out on someone and wanted to blame someone. At the least, I wanted to do something or indulge in something (food, TV, etc.) to make me feel better. Not good. As I talked more with the Lord about all this, He showed me that I was carrying residue from the world on my being. I read the news pretty regularly, but because of the recent success of our local baseball and football teams, I had been reading a lot more of it than usual. What that ultimately meant is that I was being exposed to the world a lot more than normal. And because of the increase in exposure, there was residue on me that I didn’t even notice. As a result, I found myself a little bit weaker in my spirit. Not only was I vulnerable to whining and complaining, but I was also on edge and snippy. Looking at some interactions I’d had with a few people in the last little while, it’s very obvious that I wasn’t being myself - who I am in Christ. This morning I got on my knees in prayer and said, “Lord, I see that I have been identifying with residue from the world that I have overexposed myself to. Wash me clean, Jesus. Wash me with Your blood. Thank You that Your blood cleanses me and makes me holy and right with You.” Ephesians 5:26 says that Christ cleansed and cleanses the church by washing us with His word. What is His word? It is that I died with Christ and have been raised with Him. His word is that I have been made righteous once and for all by His atoning sacrifice. His word is that complaining and whining have been cut off of me. God’s word is that I am not a victim because He has overcome. God’s word is that I am one with Him and that He is keeping me in Him because He perfects my faith. His word is that I have nothing to fear because Jesus has paid the full price for any punishment that I am or was due. This word washes the residue of the world off of me. In light of God’s word, there aren't any lingering thoughts of complaining or victimization that are inviting me to identify with them. There is no temptation to justify myself or any feelings of frustration. I am washed clean, which means I am free. I’m free from stress about how everything is going to come together. And I’m free from any anxiety about whether my own needs will be met. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!!! “desist from your pointless whine...”

That was a line from a song I wrote as a teen (nearly 15 years ago now)... I’m sure many of us are aware of the whole Occupy Wall Street mumbo jumbo. People whining and complaining about something or other. I don’t know enough about it to criticize their stance (though I’m pretty sure I disagree with them), but I do know enough about them to know that they’re whining and complaining.

Mitch Hedberg once said, “I’m against protesting, but I don’t know how to show it”

Is it just me, or does it seem like there is some sort of march or protest or demonstration happening like every week now? I feel like that’s the case and to be honest when I hear about marches or protests it means nothing to me. If they haven’t already, marches, protests and demonstrations will soon lose all meaning and power because they are overdone and have become trite.

Anyways, the last week or so has been super busy with different aspects of my life making lots of demands on me. As a result, I had a fit the other day because I felt like I wasn’t being appreciated or that I was being taken advantage of. I felt like no one was looking out for me and my personal needs. I was mad and I wanted to vent in an unhealthy way and identify with the frustration that I was feeling. Thankfully, my wife is very wise and talked with me to sort things through, ultimately pointing me to Jesus (that’s what a good wife does you know).

I spent some time with the Lord and realized that I had been acting just like the people in the Occupy Wall Street movement. I mean, I wasn’t outside picketing anyone or anything. But I was upset and frustrated and I wanted to take it out on someone and wanted to blame someone. At the least, I wanted to do something or indulge in something (food, TV, etc.) to make me feel better. Not good. As I talked more with the Lord about all this, He showed me that I was carrying residue from the world on my being. I read the news pretty regularly, but because of the recent success of our local baseball and football teams, I had been reading a lot more of it than usual. What that ultimately meant is that I was being exposed to the world a lot more than normal. And because of the increase in exposure, there was residue on me that I didn’t even notice. As a result, I found myself a little bit weaker in my spirit. Not only was I vulnerable to whining and complaining, but I was also on edge and snippy. Looking at some interactions I’d had with a few people in the last little while, it’s very obvious that I wasn’t being myself - who I am in Christ.

This morning I got on my knees in prayer and said, “Lord, I see that I have been identifying with residue from the world that I have overexposed myself to. Wash me clean, Jesus. Wash me with Your blood. Thank You that Your blood cleanses me and makes me holy and right with You.”

Ephesians 5:26 says that Christ cleansed and cleanses the church by washing us with His word. What is His word? It is that I died with Christ and have been raised with Him. His word is that I have been made righteous once and for all by His atoning sacrifice. His word is that complaining and whining have been cut off of me. God’s word is that I am not a victim because He has overcome. God’s word is that I am one with Him and that He is keeping me in Him because He perfects my faith. His word is that I have nothing to fear because Jesus has paid the full price for any punishment that I am or was due.

This word washes the residue of the world off of me. In light of God’s word, there aren't any lingering thoughts of complaining or victimization that are inviting me to identify with them. There is no temptation to justify myself or any feelings of frustration. I am washed clean, which means I am free. I’m free from stress about how everything is going to come together. And I’m free from any anxiety about whether my own needs will be met.

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!!!
]]> Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:00:00 GMT 7D501ACEBEDDDE923312A745B3BE4CF0 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=1401368 For everyone of God’s promises are ‘Yes’ in Him” - 2 Corinthians 1:20 I have read this verse in the past and focused on how it says that God’s promises are “Yes”. It has filled me with comfort and peace knowing that God is saying “Yes” to everything that He’s promised me. That He is faithful to what He’s said He would do. When God says, “Yes” He means “Yes” and does not mean “maybe”. However, when reading this verse over the past week, another part of it has been sticking out to me. The part that says, “in Him”. It’s a very short and small part of the verse, but it makes all the difference in the world. I’m actually at the YMCA as I’m writing this. I love this place. I get to work out here and use all of their exercise equipment. I can use their pool and hot tub. I can drop off Felicity in their free child care while I work out. I can play basketball in the gym. And I can even use their wireless connection to surf the net or study the Bible and spend time with Jesus in the lobby. But not just anybody can do all these things. You have to be a member of the YMCA in order to take part in its benefits. You must be “in” the YMCA to enjoy everything that the Y has to offer. The same goes for the promises of God. You must be a member of Christ in order to receive the benefits of what Jesus has done. You must be in Christ to enjoy the love and faithfulness that God has for the Saints. Something that blows me away in our country today is the idea that people who are not citizens of our country should get the same benefits, rights and treatment as those who are citizens. To me, this diminishes the value of American citizenship and is also an insult to our forefathers who fought so hard to make our country what it is. Not only that, it also devalues what new, official citizens have gone through in order to earn their citizenship. People have paid and still pay to be citizens of the United States, it cost them something. Yet some want it to be as if you do not need to be a citizen in order to enjoy the same exact benefits as those who have paid a price. This is not right. If you can enjoy the benefits of being a U.S. citizen without being a U.S. citizen, why have U.S. citizenship at all? It would be the same thing as someone coming to the Y and enjoying all the benefits that I do, yet they do not pay the monthly fee, nor are they members like I am. And if that were the case, I’d feel like I was getting ripped off for paying anything in the first place! I would also say that being a member of the Y doesn’t mean anything. The promises of God are “Yes” IN CHRIST. This means that outside of Christ they are “no”. Do I sound like a big meanie for saying that? How can God withhold his love from those are outside of Him? How can He be a loving God if He did that? My response to that is another question: How could God devalue the sacrifice of His only Son by rendering it irrelevant? If being in Christ is not a requirement for salvation, then God killed His Son for nothing. And if the promises of God are “Yes” regardless of who you are, then what Jesus did on the Cross was pointless and sadistic. No, we do not say that. We do not agree. Being in Christ means something. Being in Christ is of the highest value. If you are not in Christ, you do not receive the benefits of being in Christ, which means you are left to your own devices to survive and make it in life. And ultimately, it means you are going to hell. I was talking to Duncan Smith once and he made a great point. Someone asked him a familiar question, “Why would God send someone to hell for eternity just because they didn’t choose Him while on earth?” Duncan replied, “The real question is: ‘why would God force someone to spend eternity with Him when they didn’t want to spend their life on earth with Him?’” My definition of hell? “Eternal separation from God” When God is not around, you get weeping and gnashing of teeth. When God is not around, all hope is gone and you are left by yourself, trying to get out of a hole you’ll never ever get out of. You are completely separated from God in every way, which is the complete opposite of being in Christ. Being in Christ is a big deal. And thankfully, upon our revelation of Jesus as the Messiah, God placed us in Christ. In Romans 6:10 Paul says we are to count ourselves as alive to God in Christ. In I Corinthians 1:2 Paul says we are sanctified in Christ. Later in the same chapter Paul says in verse 30 that it is because of God that we ARE in Christ Jesus. And in 2 Corinthians 1:21 Paul says that God makes us stand firm in Christ! God has put us in Christ and God is making us stand firm in Christ! Because God has put me in Christ and because God is making me stand firm in Christ, His promises to me are “Yes”. What are the promises God has made you? Don’t get too specific here. What has God promised you on a very basic level? He has promised you that you will have food to eat and clothes to wear. This promise is yours in Christ. Matthew 6:33 says to seek first His Kingdom and those things will be added to you. Well, guess where the Kingdom of God is? Why, it’s IN CHRIST! There are many, many other things that God has promised us and it is likely that as you read this, there are several promises that God has made to you personally that come to mind. God is revealing to me that I will not receive these promises outside of Him. If my focus shifts, if I disengage from being in Christ, I will not see His promises come to pass in my life. This is because God will not bless any idea or perception of life outside of Him - plain and simple. (Notice that I did not say, "If I do this or if I do that I will receive God's promises for my life". Being in Christ is not about doing anything. Being in Christ is simply about believing God is who He says He is and has done what He said He's done) Because of what Jesus did on the Cross, I am in Christ. And because I am engaging with this truth and letting it govern my thoughts, actions and feelings, I am literally seeing the promises of God come to pass in my life. I really am being changed from glory to glory. I am more free than I was last year. I have a softer heart than I used to. I am easier to get along with. I am continually being delivered from the systems of this world into experiential awareness of His Kingdom on a daily basis. I’m a better husband. I’m a more interactive father. I spend money wiser. These are the promises of God playing out in my life and they are because I am in Christ! "I'm into God and God is into me!" - Mike Stand
I have read this verse in the past and focused on how it says that God’s promises are “Yes”. It has filled me with comfort and peace knowing that God is saying “Yes” to everything that He’s promised me. That He is faithful to what He’s said He would do. When God says, “Yes” He means “Yes” and does not mean “maybe”.

However, when reading this verse over the past week, another part of it has been sticking out to me. The part that says, “in Him”. It’s a very short and small part of the verse, but it makes all the difference in the world.

I’m actually at the YMCA as I’m writing this. I love this place. I get to work out here and use all of their exercise equipment. I can use their pool and hot tub. I can drop off Felicity in their free child care while I work out. I can play basketball in the gym. And I can even use their wireless connection to surf the net or study the Bible and spend time with Jesus in the lobby.

But not just anybody can do all these things. You have to be a member of the YMCA in order to take part in its benefits. You must be “in” the YMCA to enjoy everything that the Y has to offer. The same goes for the promises of God. You must be a member of Christ in order to receive the benefits of what Jesus has done. You must be in Christ to enjoy the love and faithfulness that God has for the Saints.

Something that blows me away in our country today is the idea that people who are not citizens of our country should get the same benefits, rights and treatment as those who are citizens. To me, this diminishes the value of American citizenship and is also an insult to our forefathers who fought so hard to make our country what it is. Not only that, it also devalues what new, official citizens have gone through in order to earn their citizenship. People have paid and still pay to be citizens of the United States, it cost them something. Yet some want it to be as if you do not need to be a citizen in order to enjoy the same exact benefits as those who have paid a price. This is not right. If you can enjoy the benefits of being a U.S. citizen without being a U.S. citizen, why have U.S. citizenship at all? It would be the same thing as someone coming to the Y and enjoying all the benefits that I do, yet they do not pay the monthly fee, nor are they members like I am. And if that were the case, I’d feel like I was getting ripped off for paying anything in the first place! I would also say that being a member of the Y doesn’t mean anything.

The promises of God are “Yes” IN CHRIST. This means that outside of Christ they are “no”. Do I sound like a big meanie for saying that? How can God withhold his love from those are outside of Him? How can He be a loving God if He did that? My response to that is another question: How could God devalue the sacrifice of His only Son by rendering it irrelevant? If being in Christ is not a requirement for salvation, then God killed His Son for nothing. And if the promises of God are “Yes” regardless of who you are, then what Jesus did on the Cross was pointless and sadistic. No, we do not say that. We do not agree. Being in Christ means something. Being in Christ is of the highest value. If you are not in Christ, you do not receive the benefits of being in Christ, which means you are left to your own devices to survive and make it in life. And ultimately, it means you are going to hell.

I was talking to Duncan Smith once and he made a great point. Someone asked him a familiar question, “Why would God send someone to hell for eternity just because they didn’t choose Him while on earth?” Duncan replied, “The real question is: ‘why would God force someone to spend eternity with Him when they didn’t want to spend their life on earth with Him?’”

My definition of hell? “Eternal separation from God” When God is not around, you get weeping and gnashing of teeth. When God is not around, all hope is gone and you are left by yourself, trying to get out of a hole you’ll never ever get out of. You are completely separated from God in every way, which is the complete opposite of being in Christ.

Being in Christ is a big deal. And thankfully, upon our revelation of Jesus as the Messiah, God placed us in Christ. In Romans 6:10 Paul says we are to count ourselves as alive to God in Christ. In I Corinthians 1:2 Paul says we are sanctified in Christ. Later in the same chapter Paul says in verse 30 that it is because of God that we ARE in Christ Jesus. And in 2 Corinthians 1:21 Paul says that God makes us stand firm in Christ!

God has put us in Christ and God is making us stand firm in Christ! Because God has put me in Christ and because God is making me stand firm in Christ, His promises to me are “Yes”.

What are the promises God has made you? Don’t get too specific here. What has God promised you on a very basic level? He has promised you that you will have food to eat and clothes to wear. This promise is yours in Christ. Matthew 6:33 says to seek first His Kingdom and those things will be added to you. Well, guess where the Kingdom of God is? Why, it’s IN CHRIST!

There are many, many other things that God has promised us and it is likely that as you read this, there are several promises that God has made to you personally that come to mind. God is revealing to me that I will not receive these promises outside of Him. If my focus shifts, if I disengage from being in Christ, I will not see His promises come to pass in my life. This is because God will not bless any idea or perception of life outside of Him - plain and simple. (Notice that I did not say, "If I do this or if I do that I will receive God's promises for my life". Being in Christ is not about doing anything. Being in Christ is simply about believing God is who He says He is and has done what He said He's done)

Because of what Jesus did on the Cross, I am in Christ. And because I am engaging with this truth and letting it govern my thoughts, actions and feelings, I am literally seeing the promises of God come to pass in my life. I really am being changed from glory to glory. I am more free than I was last year. I have a softer heart than I used to. I am easier to get along with. I am continually being delivered from the systems of this world into experiential awareness of His Kingdom on a daily basis. I’m a better husband. I’m a more interactive father. I spend money wiser. These are the promises of God playing out in my life and they are because I am in Christ!

"I'm into God and God is into me!" - Mike Stand
]]> Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:33:32 GMT B3989AB48817B9D7371A163C63145606 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=953831 A few weeks ago we had our Cross Immersion at MDCC. I asked some friends what they were expecting to receive/get/change from the Lord and then they asked me the same question. At first I didn’t have an answer, but when dialoguing with the Lord about it, He gave me the desire to be softer. It’s about two weeks later and I’m thankful to report that the Lord has done a work in me, I’m softer! What does it mean to be softer? To me, it means to be less reactive. It means being more restful. It means being more at peace. It means getting offended less and forgiving a lot quicker. Being softer also means being less guarded. And being softer means not judging and not holding on to judgments should I make them. Being softer means not worrying about how I appear to others. All in all, being softer means having a greater understanding and revelation of Christ in me and me in Christ. It’s funny because I’m not sitting around saying, “I want to be softer”. I’m not even in situations saying, “Okay Grande, let’s be softer here”. And I haven’t prayed, “Lord, I pray that I’m softer today”. What has actually been happening is that I have found myself looking back on situations and seeing how I have responded/reacted differently. Examples: The other day I was working on something for my dad. In the midst of serving my dad, I realized I was totally fine doing so. This is significant because to be honest, I used to have a really hard time doing stuff for my dad, mostly because our relationship in the past had been based on him always asking me to do stuff for him void of any personal relating or affection. This time when I was serving my dad, I wanted to do it, I wanted to do it well and I was totally at peace in the midst of it all. In the past, I would just try to get it over with and usually have lots of anxiety doing so. How is this evidence of me being softer? In the past I would probably still hold my dad’s lack of relating and affection against him, which would make me resent doing anything for him. Instead, I was able to just love my dad and relate to him out of the peace and truth that is mine in Christ. I didn’t have to try and serve and love my dad. I was just doing it by nature - the new nature I have in Christ! In another example, I had found myself totally offended by a friend. As a result, I saw myself walking down an old path. I was offended, so I wanted to get them out of my life and treat them according to how I felt they treated me. The Lord then revealed to me how I had just preached at the Cross Immersion that that is how the Old Man acted. I felt convicted and realized that I needed to repent and act according to the truth. I forgave my friend and proceeded to treat them like I would treat someone that I love, regardless of how they treat me. It’s so freeing because the truth is, I really do love them and knowing that this is the truth, that it’s really who I am, frees me to love them. As a result, I was able to move on in a healthy way, not cutting them off but continuing to build relationship with them, because that’s who I really am and that’s what I really want. “Love is patient... Love is kind... it keeps no record of wrongs”. I’ve known that passage for probably my whole life, but now it has become a revelation of who I am in Christ. Yet another example involves yet another offense with another friend, only this particular instance occurred years ago. We had some theological differences and I was offended by his reaction to my beliefs. I went down the typical path. I cut them out of my life. Didn’t relate to them anymore. What’s crazy is that over the years since I would still find myself arguing with them in my head at various and random times. In the past week the Lord revealed to me that I have not been acting according to who I really am in Christ in regards to this situation. I was holding on to offense. Not only that, but the Lord revealed to me that the truth is, I still really love this friend. The Lord then told me to reach out to them and make amends. I am so happy and relieved to say that things are now right between me and my friend. It is the Lord’s doing and it’s crazy because I feel a lot of joy and peace about being reconciled with this friend! I find myself really thankful for it. After further meditation, I see that being softer means being able to love people regardless of the past, present or future. Being softer also means living according to the truth of who I am. It means living according to how Jesus has made me. It is a better existence. It is an existence in Christ.
What does it mean to be softer? To me, it means to be less reactive. It means being more restful. It means being more at peace. It means getting offended less and forgiving a lot quicker. Being softer also means being less guarded. And being softer means not judging and not holding on to judgments should I make them. Being softer means not worrying about how I appear to others.

All in all, being softer means having a greater understanding and revelation of Christ in me and me in Christ. It’s funny because I’m not sitting around saying, “I want to be softer”. I’m not even in situations saying, “Okay Grande, let’s be softer here”. And I haven’t prayed, “Lord, I pray that I’m softer today”. What has actually been happening is that I have found myself looking back on situations and seeing how I have responded/reacted differently. Examples:

The other day I was working on something for my dad. In the midst of serving my dad, I realized I was totally fine doing so. This is significant because to be honest, I used to have a really hard time doing stuff for my dad, mostly because our relationship in the past had been based on him always asking me to do stuff for him void of any personal relating or affection. This time when I was serving my dad, I wanted to do it, I wanted to do it well and I was totally at peace in the midst of it all. In the past, I would just try to get it over with and usually have lots of anxiety doing so. How is this evidence of me being softer? In the past I would probably still hold my dad’s lack of relating and affection against him, which would make me resent doing anything for him. Instead, I was able to just love my dad and relate to him out of the peace and truth that is mine in Christ. I didn’t have to try and serve and love my dad. I was just doing it by nature - the new nature I have in Christ!

In another example, I had found myself totally offended by a friend. As a result, I saw myself walking down an old path. I was offended, so I wanted to get them out of my life and treat them according to how I felt they treated me. The Lord then revealed to me how I had just preached at the Cross Immersion that that is how the Old Man acted. I felt convicted and realized that I needed to repent and act according to the truth. I forgave my friend and proceeded to treat them like I would treat someone that I love, regardless of how they treat me. It’s so freeing because the truth is, I really do love them and knowing that this is the truth, that it’s really who I am, frees me to love them. As a result, I was able to move on in a healthy way, not cutting them off but continuing to build relationship with them, because that’s who I really am and that’s what I really want. “Love is patient... Love is kind... it keeps no record of wrongs”. I’ve known that passage for probably my whole life, but now it has become a revelation of who I am in Christ.

Yet another example involves yet another offense with another friend, only this particular instance occurred years ago. We had some theological differences and I was offended by his reaction to my beliefs. I went down the typical path. I cut them out of my life. Didn’t relate to them anymore. What’s crazy is that over the years since I would still find myself arguing with them in my head at various and random times. In the past week the Lord revealed to me that I have not been acting according to who I really am in Christ in regards to this situation. I was holding on to offense. Not only that, but the Lord revealed to me that the truth is, I still really love this friend. The Lord then told me to reach out to them and make amends. I am so happy and relieved to say that things are now right between me and my friend. It is the Lord’s doing and it’s crazy because I feel a lot of joy and peace about being reconciled with this friend! I find myself really thankful for it.

After further meditation, I see that being softer means being able to love people regardless of the past, present or future. Being softer also means living according to the truth of who I am. It means living according to how Jesus has made me. It is a better existence. It is an existence in Christ.]]> Fri, 06 May 2011 20:38:03 GMT 3BF08F030F320A321E9493A6FED7FD1A http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=932679 Well, today and last night were mostly days of recovery for me. We had the Cross Immersion conference at our church and that's always a high output weekend for me. In addition, I released an EP, so that only added to the load. Ultimately though, it was a weekend spent doing everything that I love to do! So praise Jesus...  There were many powerful teachings and times of worship from the conference, but the one thing that sticks out to me most is something that Jon Aldred shared. Jon talked about how because we are seated in heavenly places with Christ, we are actually in a timeless realm. Not that we don't have schedules or anything like that; but we are aware that time doesn't have dominion over us or our lives. We have enough time because God has given us enough time and because we are seated with Christ in heaven, where there is no time. I admit that this can be quite the concept, but it is not just a concept. It is based on the truth of the Bible (Colossians 3) and it is totally applicable to everyday life. My favorite part about what Jon shared is that there is enough time in life to be kind. There is enough time to be compassionate. There is enough time to be loving. There is enough time to serve. Hearing that really convicted me and made me think about how I go about my day. In general, I'm very focused and determined. I know where I want to go and I know what I want to do and so I do it. If things come up along the way, i generally view them as nuisances that I have react nicely to. But getting a revelation that I am seated in Christ in a timeless place means that I can look for what God is doing from heaven on earth, without worrying about whether my agenda goes through. Understanding that I am seated in heaven with Christ, that there is enough time to do whatever God wants me to do, keeps me sensitive to the Spirit and focused on a life with Jesus at its center. I haven't really seen this play out in my life fully, but I am looking forward to seeing it play out. Just today i was working on something with my dad and he asked me to do something for him and I did realize that I indeed do have enough time to serve my dad. On another note, All My Life has been received well by the 100 or so people that actually listen to my music. I'm proud of it. There are still some things that I wish I could change about it, but I don't think I will. It's time to close the door on that project and move on. I actually didn't have any intention of making All My Life, but there was a good opportunity to do so and I had the right songs in place, so it worked out. Incidentally, I was talking to my dad about he and my mom's 50th wedding anniversary celebration and he asked if he could give away one of my CDs for a parting gift. I was honored that he would ask, and I'm glad to do so. I think All My Life will be a perfect for it!  On to other things... Jesus is teaching me how to guard my heart. One way is to speak out loud the truth - even when I'm by myself. Let's face it, most temptation comes when we're alone and when I'm alone I find that I just think about stuff. Everything that happens happens in my mind. I hear a weird thought (usually not from myself) and then I start entertaining that thought in my mind. God is showing me that there is power when i speak the truth out loud with my physical mouth. I get it out in the open instead of just processing or battling in my mind. So let's say I hear the thought, "You want to eat an entire bag of potato chips" My typical response would be to think about it and I may think I agree with that thought, or I may think I disagree with it. After a while, I may or may not take that thought as my own. However, lately I have found that as I speak the truth out loud with my physical mouth as it pertains to whatever weird thought I'm having, it gives me power to live out who I am in Christ and causes temptation to flee. It's one thing to hear temptation and respond to it with a thought, it's another thing to respond with my voice and my mouth by speaking the truth of who I am in Christ!
There were many powerful teachings and times of worship from the conference, but the one thing that sticks out to me most is something that Jon Aldred shared. Jon talked about how because we are seated in heavenly places with Christ, we are actually in a timeless realm. Not that we don't have schedules or anything like that; but we are aware that time doesn't have dominion over us or our lives. We have enough time because God has given us enough time and because we are seated with Christ in heaven, where there is no time. I admit that this can be quite the concept, but it is not just a concept. It is based on the truth of the Bible (Colossians 3) and it is totally applicable to everyday life. My favorite part about what Jon shared is that there is enough time in life to be kind. There is enough time to be compassionate. There is enough time to be loving. There is enough time to serve. Hearing that really convicted me and made me think about how I go about my day. In general, I'm very focused and determined. I know where I want to go and I know what I want to do and so I do it. If things come up along the way, i generally view them as nuisances that I have react nicely to. But getting a revelation that I am seated in Christ in a timeless place means that I can look for what God is doing from heaven on earth, without worrying about whether my agenda goes through. Understanding that I am seated in heaven with Christ, that there is enough time to do whatever God wants me to do, keeps me sensitive to the Spirit and focused on a life with Jesus at its center. I haven't really seen this play out in my life fully, but I am looking forward to seeing it play out. Just today i was working on something with my dad and he asked me to do something for him and I did realize that I indeed do have enough time to serve my dad.

On another note, All My Life has been received well by the 100 or so people that actually listen to my music. I'm proud of it. There are still some things that I wish I could change about it, but I don't think I will. It's time to close the door on that project and move on. I actually didn't have any intention of making All My Life, but there was a good opportunity to do so and I had the right songs in place, so it worked out. Incidentally, I was talking to my dad about he and my mom's 50th wedding anniversary celebration and he asked if he could give away one of my CDs for a parting gift. I was honored that he would ask, and I'm glad to do so. I think All My Life will be a perfect for it! 

On to other things... Jesus is teaching me how to guard my heart. One way is to speak out loud the truth - even when I'm by myself. Let's face it, most temptation comes when we're alone and when I'm alone I find that I just think about stuff. Everything that happens happens in my mind. I hear a weird thought (usually not from myself) and then I start entertaining that thought in my mind. God is showing me that there is power when i speak the truth out loud with my physical mouth. I get it out in the open instead of just processing or battling in my mind. So let's say I hear the thought, "You want to eat an entire bag of potato chips" My typical response would be to think about it and I may think I agree with that thought, or I may think I disagree with it. After a while, I may or may not take that thought as my own. However, lately I have found that as I speak the truth out loud with my physical mouth as it pertains to whatever weird thought I'm having, it gives me power to live out who I am in Christ and causes temptation to flee. It's one thing to hear temptation and respond to it with a thought, it's another thing to respond with my voice and my mouth by speaking the truth of who I am in Christ!

]]> Tue, 26 Apr 2011 09:23:46 GMT 356CEE6296F97ED99F808DC37298773E http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=915835  ... that's the title of my new EP coming out later this week! I'm currently waiting on it to be mastered and will then be duplicating CDs and such on Thursday for release on Friday. Maybe I'll release it earlier here on gb.com?  The title of my new EP is fitting because I am finding and experiencing more and more that Christ and Him crucified really has become all my life. And all my life before I received this message from Jesus has past away. It's gone. It's dead. I'm not just stating my theology or me repeating Scripture - this is my ongoing experience and it is my reality.  All My Life is an acoustic EP, something I've been wanting to do for a while ("acoustic" meaning no electric guitars, keyboards or synthesizers). The cool thing is, I didn't plan to do an acoustic EP, it just happened. The timing was right as it just so happened that I had 3 songs that would sound nice acoustically. Oddly enough, I used to be in a band called The Acoustic Red, that was all acoustic. Different portions of this album are reminiscent of my old band's sound.  "All My Life" - The title track is country/folk, a genre that I have never delved into before (folk? yes. country? no.). I really love this tune. I listen to it on repeat for extended amounts of time. The song itself is only 2 minutes long which is longer than I initially wanted to make it. At first I wanted to make a song that was only 1 minute long - like I wanted to make some sort of artsy/musical statement by being different, but then the Lord told me that I needed to write another part, so I did. When I tell people I wrote a country song, most people respond incredulously saying, "really?". Haha... I don't see myself doing much country music in the future, but this one is a lot of fun. In addition, my great friend Tophe Dannug played bass on the track and he added some really cool riffs that make the song even more fun. Fun fact: Tophe was the bass player in The Acoustic Red! "My Only Truth" - This is one of the best songs I've written in the last few years. I wrote it one morning in Lansing, MI. I was leading worship at a conference and we were staying in a hotel. I woke up super-early one morning and had a tune stuck in my head. I couldn't go back to sleep and ended up writing this song. The next week I was going to Columbus, OH. to preach and I knew that God gave me "My Only Truth" for the church I was going to - Scioto Ridge Methodist Church. I never had the intention of making an acoustic version of this song - I had always heard it as a sort of pop-rock/ballad (ala Lifehouse). Part of me thinks it was meant to be acoustic from the start though because when I sang it at Scioto Ridge on two separate occasions, it was just me and a guitar. I really like how this recording turned out - especially the piano part. It's possible that this version is the only recording I'll ever do of this song, but we'll see.  "Here" - When I realized I was going to do an acoustic EP, I knew that "All My Life" and "My Only Truth" would be on it, but I didn't have a third song yet. Then one morning, the Lord woke me up and an old version of this song popped into my head. I hadn't even thought of that song in years, so it was interesting that it came to mind. I actually had a hard time remember parts of it at first. Anyways, I knew it was from the Lord because I rewrote it and recorded most of it that same day. This is a song of encounter with Jesus. It's not about an encounter with Jesus, it's a song of encounter. What does that mean? You have to hear it and experience it to find out, I can't explain it to you here in a blog. For me, this song is an intimate place of dining with and on Jesus. (Can a song be a place?) As I alluded to earlier, "Here" is actually a rewrite of a song I wrote several years ago titled "Consecrate". The only part of the song that is the same now is the verse and the piano part (but even the words to the verse have been changed a bit). I wrote a whole new chorus melody and a whole new bridge entirely. One thing different about the recordings on All My Life is that I have focused a lot more on vocals and harmonies than I have in past recordings - the bridge of "Here" illustrates this well. In addition, a fine fellow named David Bullinger played cello at the end of the song. I have actually never met David in person - he's a friend of a friend. I emailed him a copy of the song and he recorded himself playing cello on his own and then emailed me his recording and that was that. Technology is amazing isn't it? (Incidentally, I did the same thing with Tophe and his bass part).  I'm very excited about All My Life, even though it's only 3 songs. There is something significant about it, but I can't really put my finger on what exactly. Time will tell. 
The title of my new EP is fitting because I am finding and experiencing more and more that Christ and Him crucified really has become all my life. And all my life before I received this message from Jesus has past away. It's gone. It's dead. I'm not just stating my theology or me repeating Scripture - this is my ongoing experience and it is my reality.  All My Life is an acoustic EP, something I've been wanting to do for a while ("acoustic" meaning no electric guitars, keyboards or synthesizers). The cool thing is, I didn't plan to do an acoustic EP, it just happened. The timing was right as it just so happened that I had 3 songs that would sound nice acoustically. Oddly enough, I used to be in a band called The Acoustic Red, that was all acoustic. Different portions of this album are reminiscent of my old band's sound. 

"All My Life" - The title track is country/folk, a genre that I have never delved into before (folk? yes. country? no.). I really love this tune. I listen to it on repeat for extended amounts of time. The song itself is only 2 minutes long which is longer than I initially wanted to make it. At first I wanted to make a song that was only 1 minute long - like I wanted to make some sort of artsy/musical statement by being different, but then the Lord told me that I needed to write another part, so I did. When I tell people I wrote a country song, most people respond incredulously saying, "really?". Haha... I don't see myself doing much country music in the future, but this one is a lot of fun. In addition, my great friend Tophe Dannug played bass on the track and he added some really cool riffs that make the song even more fun. Fun fact: Tophe was the bass player in The Acoustic Red!

"My Only Truth" - This is one of the best songs I've written in the last few years. I wrote it one morning in Lansing, MI. I was leading worship at a conference and we were staying in a hotel. I woke up super-early one morning and had a tune stuck in my head. I couldn't go back to sleep and ended up writing this song. The next week I was going to Columbus, OH. to preach and I knew that God gave me "My Only Truth" for the church I was going to - Scioto Ridge Methodist Church. I never had the intention of making an acoustic version of this song - I had always heard it as a sort of pop-rock/ballad (ala Lifehouse). Part of me thinks it was meant to be acoustic from the start though because when I sang it at Scioto Ridge on two separate occasions, it was just me and a guitar. I really like how this recording turned out - especially the piano part. It's possible that this version is the only recording I'll ever do of this song, but we'll see. 

"Here" - When I realized I was going to do an acoustic EP, I knew that "All My Life" and "My Only Truth" would be on it, but I didn't have a third song yet. Then one morning, the Lord woke me up and an old version of this song popped into my head. I hadn't even thought of that song in years, so it was interesting that it came to mind. I actually had a hard time remember parts of it at first. Anyways, I knew it was from the Lord because I rewrote it and recorded most of it that same day. This is a song of encounter with Jesus. It's not about an encounter with Jesus, it's a song of encounter. What does that mean? You have to hear it and experience it to find out, I can't explain it to you here in a blog. For me, this song is an intimate place of dining with and on Jesus. (Can a song be a place?) As I alluded to earlier, "Here" is actually a rewrite of a song I wrote several years ago titled "Consecrate". The only part of the song that is the same now is the verse and the piano part (but even the words to the verse have been changed a bit). I wrote a whole new chorus melody and a whole new bridge entirely. One thing different about the recordings on All My Life is that I have focused a lot more on vocals and harmonies than I have in past recordings - the bridge of "Here" illustrates this well. In addition, a fine fellow named David Bullinger played cello at the end of the song. I have actually never met David in person - he's a friend of a friend. I emailed him a copy of the song and he recorded himself playing cello on his own and then emailed me his recording and that was that. Technology is amazing isn't it? (Incidentally, I did the same thing with Tophe and his bass part). 

I'm very excited about All My Life, even though it's only 3 songs. There is something significant about it, but I can't really put my finger on what exactly. Time will tell. 
]]> Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:28:32 GMT ACE5844F71AEB77B813B50CC6BDFE448 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=593241 Hello... Things have been relatively quiet on the home front. Haven't been in a blogging mood as of late, so that's the reason for my absence.  I've been planning things out for my next CD (mostly in my head). But I have no timetable for it and am in no rush to get it finished. Well, i guess I'd like to have it done by my birthday, but if it's not ready by then, I'm not going to force it. I learned a lot from Copper & Tin, my last CD. I mostly learned that I put out a better product when I'm not rushing myself or trying to meet a deadline. Deadlines aren't bad, but if I don't have to meet it, why subject myself to it when it likely means an inferior product. I'm not willing to do that this time. This time I want to put all the effort and care that I can into it. I don't want to be lazy about any aspect of it. I want to pray and hear from Jesus about all aspects of it. I want to stretch myself creatively and for that to easily heard in the songs that come forth.  I've already got 9 songs for the CD. My guess is that I'll have somewhere around 12-15 once it's finished. We'll see... There will be 2 songs on there that I've had laying around for a while. One of them has been called one of the best I've ever written. Not really a worship song, but it is a song about being Christian, haha. Another song that I'm putting on there has taken me nearly 5 years to write. Serious! Just earlier this year did I get the part that I needed to complete the song. I'm excited about recording that song.  I've spent the past few days totally reorganizing and de-cluttering the loft. Part of the reason is because my bro is coming over for Thanksgiving and the rest of the reason is because I just have the urge to do so. Lindsey says that I have this urge every 6 weeks. Perhaps 6 weeks is my clutter threshold?!? haha... Anyways, it's good to be doing this. Getting rid of stuff and just using the little space that we have more efficiently. I've felt great satisfaction in knowing that what I've been doing is actually improving the quality of life for my family in general. One thing I'm most proud of is that I bought Erin a table and set up a vanity for her. Previously, she was just sitting on the floor with her makeup in front of the mirror. There is a long way to go in regards to the reorganization and de-cluttering I have in mind. We'll see how far I actually get! :) I am looking forward to putting up the Christmas tree (which is maybe 1 foot tall!) Well, I think that is a good enough update for now. I pray this finds you well. Be blessed! Grande
Things have been relatively quiet on the home front. Haven't been in a blogging mood as of late, so that's the reason for my absence. 

I've been planning things out for my next CD (mostly in my head). But I have no timetable for it and am in no rush to get it finished. Well, i guess I'd like to have it done by my birthday, but if it's not ready by then, I'm not going to force it. I learned a lot from Copper & Tin, my last CD. I mostly learned that I put out a better product when I'm not rushing myself or trying to meet a deadline. Deadlines aren't bad, but if I don't have to meet it, why subject myself to it when it likely means an inferior product. I'm not willing to do that this time. This time I want to put all the effort and care that I can into it. I don't want to be lazy about any aspect of it. I want to pray and hear from Jesus about all aspects of it. I want to stretch myself creatively and for that to easily heard in the songs that come forth. 

I've already got 9 songs for the CD. My guess is that I'll have somewhere around 12-15 once it's finished. We'll see... There will be 2 songs on there that I've had laying around for a while. One of them has been called one of the best I've ever written. Not really a worship song, but it is a song about being Christian, haha. Another song that I'm putting on there has taken me nearly 5 years to write. Serious! Just earlier this year did I get the part that I needed to complete the song. I'm excited about recording that song. 

I've spent the past few days totally reorganizing and de-cluttering the loft. Part of the reason is because my bro is coming over for Thanksgiving and the rest of the reason is because I just have the urge to do so. Lindsey says that I have this urge every 6 weeks. Perhaps 6 weeks is my clutter threshold?!? haha... Anyways, it's good to be doing this. Getting rid of stuff and just using the little space that we have more efficiently. I've felt great satisfaction in knowing that what I've been doing is actually improving the quality of life for my family in general. One thing I'm most proud of is that I bought Erin a table and set up a vanity for her. Previously, she was just sitting on the floor with her makeup in front of the mirror. There is a long way to go in regards to the reorganization and de-cluttering I have in mind. We'll see how far I actually get! :) I am looking forward to putting up the Christmas tree (which is maybe 1 foot tall!)

Well, I think that is a good enough update for now. I pray this finds you well. Be blessed!

Grande

]]> Tue, 23 Nov 2010 03:49:58 GMT 9B460BB2F5020FF3B8F4834FD700E1CA http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=525043 In Bible College they taught us that Scripture interprets Scripture. There's definitely some truth to that, but the Holy Spirit is showing me that Scripture is to be interpreted through the lens of the Cross. That's how people in the New Testament interpreted the Old Testament. In Acts 2 Peter read Psalm 16 through the lens of the Cross. In Romans 9 Paul read Hosea and Isaiah through the lens of Christ and Him crucified. The writer of Hebrews read Genesis 2 and Psalm 95 through the lens of the Gospel. However, if you were to read those same passages using today's standards and methods, you wouldn't come to the same conclusions that the writers of the New Testament did. I find it quite humorous and somewhat faithless that people today (especially scholars) will question how people in the New Testament interpreted the Old Testament. The writers of the New Testament had face to face encounters with Christ; encounters that gave them revelation about Scripture! Why should we give greater authority to western thinking and intellect that has come some 2,000 years later and is often void of anything remotely similar to an encounter with Jesus? It doesn't make sense! The writers of the New Testament didn't find Jesus in the Old Testament after taking Bible classes and excelling in exegesis and hermeneutics. They had an encounter with Christ, had a revelation of Christ and Him crucified and consequently saw the Gospel in everything they read. In Bible College they told me that while New Testament writers interpreted the Old Testament a certain way, we can't do it that way. This is simultaneously foolish, faithless and religious. The truth is, through the writers of the New Testament God gave us the key to reading and interpreting both the Old and New Testaments: All Scripture is to be seen and interpreted through the lens of Christ and Him Crucified. When we approach Scripture in this way, the Bible becomes even more alive to us and Jesus appears to us in new and living ways!
I find it quite humorous and somewhat faithless that people today (especially scholars) will question how people in the New Testament interpreted the Old Testament. The writers of the New Testament had face to face encounters with Christ; encounters that gave them revelation about Scripture! Why should we give greater authority to western thinking and intellect that has come some 2,000 years later and is often void of anything remotely similar to an encounter with Jesus? It doesn't make sense! The writers of the New Testament didn't find Jesus in the Old Testament after taking Bible classes and excelling in exegesis and hermeneutics. They had an encounter with Christ, had a revelation of Christ and Him crucified and consequently saw the Gospel in everything they read.

In Bible College they told me that while New Testament writers interpreted the Old Testament a certain way, we can't do it that way. This is simultaneously foolish, faithless and religious. The truth is, through the writers of the New Testament God gave us the key to reading and interpreting both the Old and New Testaments: All Scripture is to be seen and interpreted through the lens of Christ and Him Crucified. When we approach Scripture in this way, the Bible becomes even more alive to us and Jesus appears to us in new and living ways!]]> Sun, 24 Oct 2010 00:15:00 GMT 17E1D347FB5CB5A879A53A2045294C14 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=478094 Romans 11:11-12 11...because of [Israel's] transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring! Paul is explaining to us here that Israel's transgression means riches for the world and the Gentiles. He goes on to say that their fullness will bring even greater riches to us. The principle here is that fullness brings greater fruit than transgression. Living out of our Old Self that died with Christ is living out of transgression. Worshipping out of our Old Self that died with Christ is to worship out of transgression. It bears some fruit, but that fruit is very, very small. However, living out of our New Self is living out of the fullness we have in Christ and it bears a greater fruit. Similarly, worshipping out of our New Self gives God greater glory. The best thing about this is that we don't have to strive for anything! We just believe what God has said about us! We are not like Israel who has yet to be given fullness. We have been given fullness in Christ (Col. 2:10). We have a New Self that gives Jesus a greater glory than our Old Self did. Why give God small fruit when we can give Him great fruit?! Let's give God the greater glory! Let's live and worship out of who we are in Christ! Don't go back to the Old Self. Don't use it as a reference or even as a starting point. Give God the best! Give God greater glory! Romans 11:11-12

11...because of [Israel's] transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!

Paul is explaining to us here that Israel's transgression means riches for the world and the Gentiles. He goes on to say that their fullness will bring even greater riches to us. The principle here is that fullness brings greater fruit than transgression.

Living out of our Old Self that died with Christ is living out of transgression. Worshipping out of our Old Self that died with Christ is to worship out of transgression. It bears some fruit, but that fruit is very, very small. However, living out of our New Self is living out of the fullness we have in Christ and it bears a greater fruit. Similarly, worshipping out of our New Self gives God greater glory.

The best thing about this is that we don't have to strive for anything! We just believe what God has said about us! We are not like Israel who has yet to be given fullness. We have been given fullness in Christ (Col. 2:10). We have a New Self that gives Jesus a greater glory than our Old Self did. Why give God small fruit when we can give Him great fruit?! Let's give God the greater glory! Let's live and worship out of who we are in Christ! Don't go back to the Old Self. Don't use it as a reference or even as a starting point. Give God the best! Give God greater glory!]]> Mon, 04 Oct 2010 21:30:00 GMT 72B8A79BCC3F14F048E0C51BBE36E1AD http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=393856 There is relationship and intimacy and there is also tapping into God's creativity and purposes. God wants to be intimate and have relationship with us because He wants us to know Him. As we grow in knowing Him, one of the things we'll learn about Him is that He is creative and that He is purposeful. Conversely, as we grow in understanding that God is creative and purposeful we will grow in knowing Him. This is more than just mere emotional intimacy or even just relationally connecting... it is honoring God as the King, the Creator and the Sovereign Lord of our lives. Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:02:37 GMT 68E34EFB679E32E2E9AD9A4BA40177AE http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=367276 Hello to all of you! Actually, i'm not sure that there are any of you out there, haha... My site traffic tracker is indicating low results... oh well... :) In I Corinthians 2:2 Paul says that while he was with the Corinthians he resolved to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified. What does that mean? Does it mean that the only words he ever said were, "Christ and Him crucified"? I don't think so. But what I do think it means is that everything Paul lived and breathed, everything he taught, every relation he had came out of a revelation of Christ and Him crucified. it's an amazing thing and is quite a mystery. Can our whole lives be lived out of this one truth? Does Christ dying on the Cross and my death and resurrection with Him really have effect and ramifications for my whole life? The answer: YES.  To me it's quite basic. I died with Jesus and I am no longer the person I used to be. Who I am now is who He says I am. I was talking with a friend recently and he asked me about when I was a teenager and if I still dealt with any of the issues that I did back then. Mainly, he was talking about when I used to be suicidal and depressed. I told him that I didn't deal with that stuff anymore and that I actually didn't know that person anymore. He kind of corrected me and said something to the effect of, "Well, that person is still a part of you". I didn't agree with him, but I didn't correct him either. Here's what I really believe though: That person isn't a part of me anymore. My old self was crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6). In Christ, my old self was circumcised from me (Col. 2:11). In Christ, the old has gone (2 Cor. 5:17). I remember who that person was, just like I remember old friends who have passed away. But my old self is no more alive today than my friend from high school who died in a car crash when he was 19. I remember my friend, but he's dead and I don't relate to him like he's a live. Same with my old self. I remember my old self, but he's not alive and I don't relate to him like he is.  I am no longer the person that I used to be.  2 Corinthians 5:21 says that Christ became my sin. Not only did Christ take my sin, He BECAME it. He became my lying and my cursing. He became my apathy. He became all the bad things I'd ever done. Furthermore, He became all the bad things ever done to me. He became my suicidal thoughts. He became my depression. And then He died. And with Christ, all the things that were a part of who I was died too. I am no longer the person that I used to be.  2 Corinthians 5:21 also says that I am the righteousness of God. I Corinthians 1:2 and 6:11 say I'm sanctified. Romans 5:10 and Colossians 1:22 say I'm reconciled. Hebrews 10:10 and I Peter 2:9 say I'm holy. This is who I am now. How can this be!? It IS because of what Christ has done. In the same way that I was born into sin through Adam, I have now been born again into righteousness through Christ (Romans 5:19). I remain righteous by believing this truth. That is the work that God has called me to do - to believe (John 6:29, Gal. 3:5). Furthermore, anything outside of believing is sin (Rom. 14:23) and when I try to achieve righteousness out of my own strength, it is an insult to Christ's work on the Cross (Gal. 2:21). But I believe God and what He says about me and it is credited to me as righteousness. This is who I am now. And out of this truth I live and breathe.  Out of the fact that Jesus became my sin and killed my old self on the Cross, I live and breathe.  Out of the fact that my old self was crucified I teach.  Out of the fact that Jesus became my lying and cursing and both those things died with Him, I speak the truth and speak kindly.  Out of the fact that I have everything I need for life and godliness because of the fullness of His act on the Cross (I Pet. 1:7), I spend money wisely and without an inkling of fear.  Out of the fact that Jesus became my sin and the sins of others, I relate to others out of love - and it's not a sentimental mushy kind of love, it's a love empowered by truth that doesn't depend on human emotion.  Out of the fact that in Christ both my wife and I are righteous and holy, I can love her and she can respect me - not because we have to, but because we know who we are and we see who each other are in Christ.  I could on... but you get the picture (I hope). Am I saying I never sin? I'm not saying that. Am I saying am 100% always living out of this truth. I'm not, not yet. But the answer for when I sin, or get out of line, or simply forget is to simply BELIEVE. Furthermore, the answer is NOT to do more things.  It really is quite basic. I died with Jesus and I am no longer the person I used to be. Who I am now is who He says I am. The way I live my life and conduct myself lines up with who God says I am now, not who I used to be. That's what it means to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified. Don't overcomplicate this... give up whoever you think you are and receive the truth of who God now says you are in Him. That's the only doing that needs to be done.  I had been feeling pressure to back down from this truth. Is this too difficult to understand? Am I getting annoying as I hold so tightly to Christ and Him crucified? Isn't there something more we need to do or preach here?  I went to sleep hearing these things but then God woke me the next day and showed me this verse, Galatians 3:3 in the God's Word translation: "Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing things in a human way?" I'm not backing down. There is no other message. This is the truth and Scripture and the Spirit confirm it. Not only that, but the fruit from it that I've seen in my life and the lives of those around me proves it. My friends who have been looking for jobs in a tanked economy have found jobs (I can name 4 people who've gotten new jobs in the past 2 or 3 weeks). A man in our church recently had tumors in his body disappear. A woman in our church was cured of Lyme Disease just last week. A man I know has received correction on how to relate to people out of maturity instead of sarcasm and now is a delight to be around. None of this occurred through works. All of this is the fruit of preaching, believing and holding on to our death and resurrection with Christ.  I'm not backing down. 
In I Corinthians 2:2 Paul says that while he was with the Corinthians he resolved to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified. What does that mean? Does it mean that the only words he ever said were, "Christ and Him crucified"? I don't think so. But what I do think it means is that everything Paul lived and breathed, everything he taught, every relation he had came out of a revelation of Christ and Him crucified. it's an amazing thing and is quite a mystery. Can our whole lives be lived out of this one truth? Does Christ dying on the Cross and my death and resurrection with Him really have effect and ramifications for my whole life? The answer: YES. 

To me it's quite basic. I died with Jesus and I am no longer the person I used to be. Who I am now is who He says I am.

I was talking with a friend recently and he asked me about when I was a teenager and if I still dealt with any of the issues that I did back then. Mainly, he was talking about when I used to be suicidal and depressed. I told him that I didn't deal with that stuff anymore and that I actually didn't know that person anymore. He kind of corrected me and said something to the effect of, "Well, that person is still a part of you". I didn't agree with him, but I didn't correct him either. Here's what I really believe though: That person isn't a part of me anymore. My old self was crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6). In Christ, my old self was circumcised from me (Col. 2:11). In Christ, the old has gone (2 Cor. 5:17). I remember who that person was, just like I remember old friends who have passed away. But my old self is no more alive today than my friend from high school who died in a car crash when he was 19. I remember my friend, but he's dead and I don't relate to him like he's a live. Same with my old self. I remember my old self, but he's not alive and I don't relate to him like he is. 

I am no longer the person that I used to be. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 says that Christ became my sin. Not only did Christ take my sin, He BECAME it. He became my lying and my cursing. He became my apathy. He became all the bad things I'd ever done. Furthermore, He became all the bad things ever done to me. He became my suicidal thoughts. He became my depression. And then He died. And with Christ, all the things that were a part of who I was died too.

I am no longer the person that I used to be. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 also says that I am the righteousness of God. I Corinthians 1:2 and 6:11 say I'm sanctified. Romans 5:10 and Colossians 1:22 say I'm reconciled. Hebrews 10:10 and I Peter 2:9 say I'm holy. This is who I am now. How can this be!? It IS because of what Christ has done. In the same way that I was born into sin through Adam, I have now been born again into righteousness through Christ (Romans 5:19). I remain righteous by believing this truth. That is the work that God has called me to do - to believe (John 6:29, Gal. 3:5). Furthermore, anything outside of believing is sin (Rom. 14:23) and when I try to achieve righteousness out of my own strength, it is an insult to Christ's work on the Cross (Gal. 2:21). But I believe God and what He says about me and it is credited to me as righteousness.

This is who I am now. And out of this truth I live and breathe. 

Out of the fact that Jesus became my sin and killed my old self on the Cross, I live and breathe. 

Out of the fact that my old self was crucified I teach. 

Out of the fact that Jesus became my lying and cursing and both those things died with Him, I speak the truth and speak kindly. 

Out of the fact that I have everything I need for life and godliness because of the fullness of His act on the Cross (I Pet. 1:7), I spend money wisely and without an inkling of fear. 

Out of the fact that Jesus became my sin and the sins of others, I relate to others out of love - and it's not a sentimental mushy kind of love, it's a love empowered by truth that doesn't depend on human emotion. 

Out of the fact that in Christ both my wife and I are righteous and holy, I can love her and she can respect me - not because we have to, but because we know who we are and we see who each other are in Christ. 

I could on... but you get the picture (I hope). Am I saying I never sin? I'm not saying that. Am I saying am 100% always living out of this truth. I'm not, not yet. But the answer for when I sin, or get out of line, or simply forget is to simply BELIEVE. Furthermore, the answer is NOT to do more things. 

It really is quite basic. I died with Jesus and I am no longer the person I used to be. Who I am now is who He says I am. The way I live my life and conduct myself lines up with who God says I am now, not who I used to be. That's what it means to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified. Don't overcomplicate this... give up whoever you think you are and receive the truth of who God now says you are in Him. That's the only doing that needs to be done. 

I had been feeling pressure to back down from this truth. Is this too difficult to understand? Am I getting annoying as I hold so tightly to Christ and Him crucified? Isn't there something more we need to do or preach here?  I went to sleep hearing these things but then God woke me the next day and showed me this verse, Galatians 3:3 in the God's Word translation:

"Are you that stupid? Did you begin in a spiritual way only to end up doing things in a human way?"

I'm not backing down. There is no other message. This is the truth and Scripture and the Spirit confirm it. Not only that, but the fruit from it that I've seen in my life and the lives of those around me proves it. My friends who have been looking for jobs in a tanked economy have found jobs (I can name 4 people who've gotten new jobs in the past 2 or 3 weeks). A man in our church recently had tumors in his body disappear. A woman in our church was cured of Lyme Disease just last week. A man I know has received correction on how to relate to people out of maturity instead of sarcasm and now is a delight to be around. None of this occurred through works. All of this is the fruit of preaching, believing and holding on to our death and resurrection with Christ. 

I'm not backing down. 








]]> Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:12:20 GMT 387DD81DDA7EB744351781D6241FAEEA http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=343521 "Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross so that freed from our sins, we could live a life that has God’s approval. His wounds have healed you" - I Peter 2:24 (God's Word Translation) I love reading different versions of the Bible. Biblegateway.com just put up this new translation, the "God's Word" translation and I'm liking it for the most part. The way things are worded are a little clearer in a lot of my favorite passages. I'm thinking I may like to pick up a hard copy of it... Anyways, here is a verse from Peter that you might think would come from Paul. But the truth is, the Gospel is the Gospel and all the writers of the New Testament preached the same Gospel! Here Peter tells us that Christ carried our sins in His body on the Cross and freed us from those sins. God carried our sins and didn't give them back! Ha! What an awesome truth! Even better, because we are freed from our sins we live a life that has God's approval. We have God's approval! Peter emphasizes this truth by saying that Christ's wounds HAVE HEALED us (past tense)! Awesome! Now, you might read that verse and think it's saying that because we've been freed from our sins we now need to do our parts and live a life that God would approve of. But what the verse is really saying is that because we have been freed from our sins our lives now have the approval of God. Do you see the difference? I Peter 2:24 isn't saying that because of what Christ did we are now obligated to live a life that God would approve of, it's saying that because of what Christ did, we now live a life that has God's approval. If Peter is saying that I must now perform all these good acts and live a life that God would approve of, that puts a ton of pressure on me and my own strength. Reading this verse that way implies a sense of abandonment one might feel from God (consciously or subconsciously) that just isn't true. That sort of mindset might say something like, "Yes, Jesus carried my sins but now I've really got to perform and do my part to stay holy". But we are NOT abandoned and that is NOT what Peter is saying! Peter isn't trying to guilt us into living a life of holiness. He's not saying we "should" be a certain way since God did something great for us. Peter knew that guilt didn't work. He also knew the grace and mercy of Jesus first-hand (read the Gospels) and grace and mercy is what he's preaching here. What Peter IS saying is that because we are freed from our sins we now live lives that have God's approval. Peter isn't asking us to do anything other than believe that truth. Do you believe that Christ carried our sins on the Cross and freed us from our sins? If so, then you have the approval of God on your life. Plain and simple. You don't need to do more to get God's approval. Yes, yes, of course, we must live this out. But it is this truth that will prove itself in our lives as we believe it. We don't need to prove this truth, it will prove itself and empower us to display and express the fruits of the Spirit as we believe it. As we believe that Christ carried our sins and freed us from them, the Gospel will bear its own fruit by it's own power (Col. 1:6 AMP) apart from our own efforts. Make no mistake, it is God's act that gives us God's approval. No matter we do, our acts will not earn God's approval. If we believe what Christ did, we have God's approval. I believe!!! Our lives have God's approval!
I love reading different versions of the Bible. Biblegateway.com just put up this new translation, the "God's Word" translation and I'm liking it for the most part. The way things are worded are a little clearer in a lot of my favorite passages. I'm thinking I may like to pick up a hard copy of it...

Anyways, here is a verse from Peter that you might think would come from Paul. But the truth is, the Gospel is the Gospel and all the writers of the New Testament preached the same Gospel! Here Peter tells us that Christ carried our sins in His body on the Cross and freed us from those sins. God carried our sins and didn't give them back! Ha! What an awesome truth! Even better, because we are freed from our sins we live a life that has God's approval. We have God's approval! Peter emphasizes this truth by saying that Christ's wounds HAVE HEALED us (past tense)! Awesome!

Now, you might read that verse and think it's saying that because we've been freed from our sins we now need to do our parts and live a life that God would approve of. But what the verse is really saying is that because we have been freed from our sins our lives now have the approval of God.

Do you see the difference?

I Peter 2:24 isn't saying that because of what Christ did we are now obligated to live a life that God would approve of, it's saying that because of what Christ did, we now live a life that has God's approval.

If Peter is saying that I must now perform all these good acts and live a life that God would approve of, that puts a ton of pressure on me and my own strength. Reading this verse that way implies a sense of abandonment one might feel from God (consciously or subconsciously) that just isn't true. That sort of mindset might say something like, "Yes, Jesus carried my sins but now I've really got to perform and do my part to stay holy". But we are NOT abandoned and that is NOT what Peter is saying! Peter isn't trying to guilt us into living a life of holiness. He's not saying we "should" be a certain way since God did something great for us. Peter knew that guilt didn't work. He also knew the grace and mercy of Jesus first-hand (read the Gospels) and grace and mercy is what he's preaching here.

What Peter IS saying is that because we are freed from our sins we now live lives that have God's approval. Peter isn't asking us to do anything other than believe that truth. Do you believe that Christ carried our sins on the Cross and freed us from our sins? If so, then you have the approval of God on your life. Plain and simple. You don't need to do more to get God's approval. Yes, yes, of course, we must live this out. But it is this truth that will prove itself in our lives as we believe it. We don't need to prove this truth, it will prove itself and empower us to display and express the fruits of the Spirit as we believe it. As we believe that Christ carried our sins and freed us from them, the Gospel will bear its own fruit by it's own power (Col. 1:6 AMP) apart from our own efforts.

Make no mistake, it is God's act that gives us God's approval. No matter we do, our acts will not earn God's approval. If we believe what Christ did, we have God's approval.

I believe!!! Our lives have God's approval!
]]> Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:10:00 GMT 386C1606A463D165C4BF2846B763F120 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=335823 *** HIGH MOVER ALERT*** Sometimes I catch myself surfing the internet aimlessly or even looking purposelessly for something on TV watch. Today I was doing that and I realized that it's such a waste of time. It totally distracts me from engaging with my life, home and family. Even further, it hinders me from living a life focused on the Gospel. I'm not saying that TV or the internet are bad, I'm just saying that when it has no purpose, then it's a waste of time and there is something better to be doing. I'll leave it at that.  Today I feel convicted that all I really want to know is Christ and Him crucified. I don't say that as a cliche, I say that as something real and I mean that I want my life to change (again). What is the Gospel? It's way more than just that Jesus died for our sins and we're going to heaven. When I hear that watered-down definition of the Gospel it kind of upsets me (I admit that maybe I need a different perspective or I need to change here). The Gospel is that we died and were raised with Christ, that we're holy and whole New Creations and that Christ wants to express Himself through His union with us on the earth right now!!! Right now, we're empowered to live lives of holiness, to walk in signs, wonders and miracles. We are teachable and moldable, soft-hearted and compassionate. We can raise healthy strong families and have healthy strong marriages. And that's just the beginning!!! The Gospel transcends, precedes and encompasses all other facets of Christianity. You don't have true evangelism, worship, teaching, fellowship or anything else apart from the truth of our death and resurrection with Christ. If such is not the case, then Christ's act on the Cross wasn't really all that powerful. I know this is true and it makes me wonder why I bother trying to know anything else. Am I saying that we shouldn't learn other things? Absolutely not. But I am saying that if you're learning something out of your own motivation (as opposed to being guided to do so by the Spirit given to us because of the finished works on the Cross) you probably are wasting your time.  I say this with trembling. The desire to only know Christ and Him crucified strikes a certain level of fear in me because it means more letting go of control and the things that are familiar to me. It means God will go deeper and more intimate. But what else is there to know? Does anything in this world compare to knowing Christ?  Nope. 
Sometimes I catch myself surfing the internet aimlessly or even looking purposelessly for something on TV watch. Today I was doing that and I realized that it's such a waste of time. It totally distracts me from engaging with my life, home and family. Even further, it hinders me from living a life focused on the Gospel. I'm not saying that TV or the internet are bad, I'm just saying that when it has no purpose, then it's a waste of time and there is something better to be doing. I'll leave it at that. 

Today I feel convicted that all I really want to know is Christ and Him crucified. I don't say that as a cliche, I say that as something real and I mean that I want my life to change (again). What is the Gospel? It's way more than just that Jesus died for our sins and we're going to heaven. When I hear that watered-down definition of the Gospel it kind of upsets me (I admit that maybe I need a different perspective or I need to change here). The Gospel is that we died and were raised with Christ, that we're holy and whole New Creations and that Christ wants to express Himself through His union with us on the earth right now!!! Right now, we're empowered to live lives of holiness, to walk in signs, wonders and miracles. We are teachable and moldable, soft-hearted and compassionate. We can raise healthy strong families and have healthy strong marriages. And that's just the beginning!!! The Gospel transcends, precedes and encompasses all other facets of Christianity. You don't have true evangelism, worship, teaching, fellowship or anything else apart from the truth of our death and resurrection with Christ. If such is not the case, then Christ's act on the Cross wasn't really all that powerful.

I know this is true and it makes me wonder why I bother trying to know anything else. Am I saying that we shouldn't learn other things? Absolutely not. But I am saying that if you're learning something out of your own motivation (as opposed to being guided to do so by the Spirit given to us because of the finished works on the Cross) you probably are wasting your time. 

I say this with trembling. The desire to only know Christ and Him crucified strikes a certain level of fear in me because it means more letting go of control and the things that are familiar to me. It means God will go deeper and more intimate. But what else is there to know? Does anything in this world compare to knowing Christ? 

Nope. 



]]> Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:04:34 GMT 0CA5A83674BF37AF814724318B297290 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=322893 The Lord has been speaking to me a lot lately in regards to relating and responding according to the Gospel. What I mean by this is that God is challenging me to relate and respond to others and to the circumstances of life based on the truth of the Gospel. This means that I do not relate to others based on my old nature. This also means that I do not relate to others just like the world does. Even further, this means that I do not relate to others a certain way simply because "it just makes sense". The same goes for life circumstances. When things go wrong or even if they go right, the only response truly representative of who I am in Christ is a response that is in line with the Gospel. When this truth invades your life, it can be quite offensive. A lot of the ways that we relate and respond to people and things are just "second nature" or "muscle memory". We don't even think about it, we just do it. It simply "feels right" or "just makes sense". Even further, how we're relating and responding to someone/something isn't exactly wrong. There may not be anything in the Bible against it and actually, the Bible may even say we should do that thing. If it "feels right" and the Bible doesn't say anything against it (or even says I should do that thing) then everything is fine and this is how we should relate and respond, right? Wrong. This is not the way of the Cross. Our union with Christ has achieved such a deep and incredible intimacy for us that it is actually wrong for us to just do things because they "feel right" or because they "just make sense". When we just do things like we've always done them, we are actually setting aside the gift of intimacy that Jesus won for us. What a travesty! Even if the Bible says its okay, it is not okay if it ignores our relationship with Christ. Without intimacy and relationship with Christ, it's just another form of religion. Gross... This can be tough because it really challenges how you live your daily life and can shake things up dramatically. One example of this can be found in my marriage. I have realized that I am not to relate to Erin based on the fact that I love her. What!?!? Really!?!? Yes, really. You might say that's ridiculous, but hear me out. Love is great. You don't need to reiterate I Corinthians 13 to me, I know it and am all for it. And of course I agree with Ephesians 5. Please understand that what I'm saying doesn't mean that I love Erin any less or with any sort of diminished affection. It simply means that what Jesus did on the Cross has become the basis for how I relate and respond to my wife. Love is great, but to be honest, I don't always feel love. And while loving is the right thing to do and "just makes sense", I don't always do it. This is because as humans, our love changes and has varying degrees of intensity from time to time. Because of these changes, everything we do based on our love changes. Truth be told, there is a whole lot of power in love, but it is not enough. If it were enough, we wouldn't have divorces. But unfortunately, we do - even in the Church. However, when the Cross becomes the basis of my marriage to Erin then things no longer depend on how we feel. And if we can relate to each other based on BOTH of our deaths and resurrections with Christ then our feelings come under the truth of the Gospel and the power of the Gospel holds our marriage together. And you know what? I will end up loving Erin anyway! But it won't be mushy, sentimental "love". It'll be true, pure, powerful, sustaining love that transforms and strengthens our marriage. I don't know about you, but that's the kind of love I want!!! As I have led worship these past few weeks, the Lord has challenged me to relate and respond to Him according to the Gospel. Truthfully when we relate and respond to Him according to anything other than the Gospel, He will not respond to us! That's scary to me! Because of this, we cannot afford to do things how we've always done them. We can't just simply look for what "feels good" or settle for what "just makes sense". This can be trying because we have heard things a certain way for so long and it feels good or "right" to do things the way that we know how. A great example of this is when things start to build and get louder during a part of a song. When this occurs, we're usually inclined to keep getting louder and louder and then go right into some sort of huge celebratory sound. In the past, this has been awesome and it can still be awesome today and in the future. But if we're doing it just because that's what "feels good" or "just makes sense", we're off. Do things always have to get louder? Is the culmination of a build up always a huge joyous celebratory sound where the drums are going wacko and I've got the distortion cranked to 10? Another example of this occurred this past Sunday. We had been doing a certain chord progression for a while and things were getting quieter. I was thinking to myself, "Maybe we should end the song? Or maybe we should bring things down a little bit, get things sounding a little more 'worshipful'?" But when I looked in the spirit, all I saw was an angel dancing in celebration. I asked the Lord what it meant and He basically said to me, "This is what I'm doing". I quickly realized that what I was about to do wasn't what He was doing and decided I would do what He was doing, haha. I began to play my instrument differently and led the team accordingly and within a minute of that decision, Pastor Pete came up and began to encourage the congregation to celebrate. I was relieved that I took the time to see what the Lord was doing instead of just going with what I felt initially. The funny thing is, had we gone into a more "worshipful" mode, it probably wouldn't have been so bad. I'm sure people would've been able to enter into that. It might've felt good and right. But it wouldn't have been what the Lord was doing (and while there would've been plenty of grace for that, that's not what we're aiming for!). I've shared this with you to encourage you to go deeper in your revelation of the Cross. I've shared this with you to challenge you to let the Gospel be the basis for how you relate and respond to others and to life. I've shared this with you so you can join me, Shelley, Pastor Pete and Pastor Lisa in relating and responding to God during worship at a whole new level. Ask the Lord to show you areas of your life where you have been responding according to your old nature or according to the world. Talk to the Holy Spirit about areas in your life or relationships where you may be doing things simply because they feel right or just make sense. As you dialogue with the Trinity, ask God to show you if there are any areas in worship where these same unhealthy dynamics are taking place. As you hear from the Lord, respond with the Gospel! Know that there is grace. Know that He has given us all we need for life and godliness (including being on the worship team!). Continue forward in the beautiful gift of intimacy He's won for us and step into what He's doing!
When this truth invades your life, it can be quite offensive. A lot of the ways that we relate and respond to people and things are just "second nature" or "muscle memory". We don't even think about it, we just do it. It simply "feels right" or "just makes sense". Even further, how we're relating and responding to someone/something isn't exactly wrong. There may not be anything in the Bible against it and actually, the Bible may even say we should do that thing. If it "feels right" and the Bible doesn't say anything against it (or even says I should do that thing) then everything is fine and this is how we should relate and respond, right?

Wrong. This is not the way of the Cross. Our union with Christ has achieved such a deep and incredible intimacy for us that it is actually wrong for us to just do things because they "feel right" or because they "just make sense". When we just do things like we've always done them, we are actually setting aside the gift of intimacy that Jesus won for us. What a travesty! Even if the Bible says its okay, it is not okay if it ignores our relationship with Christ. Without intimacy and relationship with Christ, it's just another form of religion. Gross...

This can be tough because it really challenges how you live your daily life and can shake things up dramatically. One example of this can be found in my marriage. I have realized that I am not to relate to Erin based on the fact that I love her. What!?!? Really!?!? Yes, really. You might say that's ridiculous, but hear me out. Love is great. You don't need to reiterate I Corinthians 13 to me, I know it and am all for it. And of course I agree with Ephesians 5. Please understand that what I'm saying doesn't mean that I love Erin any less or with any sort of diminished affection. It simply means that what Jesus did on the Cross has become the basis for how I relate and respond to my wife. Love is great, but to be honest, I don't always feel love. And while loving is the right thing to do and "just makes sense", I don't always do it. This is because as humans, our love changes and has varying degrees of intensity from time to time. Because of these changes, everything we do based on our love changes. Truth be told, there is a whole lot of power in love, but it is not enough. If it were enough, we wouldn't have divorces. But unfortunately, we do - even in the Church. However, when the Cross becomes the basis of my marriage to Erin then things no longer depend on how we feel. And if we can relate to each other based on BOTH of our deaths and resurrections with Christ then our feelings come under the truth of the Gospel and the power of the Gospel holds our marriage together. And you know what? I will end up loving Erin anyway! But it won't be mushy, sentimental "love". It'll be true, pure, powerful, sustaining love that transforms and strengthens our marriage. I don't know about you, but that's the kind of love I want!!!

As I have led worship these past few weeks, the Lord has challenged me to relate and respond to Him according to the Gospel. Truthfully when we relate and respond to Him according to anything other than the Gospel, He will not respond to us! That's scary to me! Because of this, we cannot afford to do things how we've always done them. We can't just simply look for what "feels good" or settle for what "just makes sense". This can be trying because we have heard things a certain way for so long and it feels good or "right" to do things the way that we know how. A great example of this is when things start to build and get louder during a part of a song. When this occurs, we're usually inclined to keep getting louder and louder and then go right into some sort of huge celebratory sound. In the past, this has been awesome and it can still be awesome today and in the future. But if we're doing it just because that's what "feels good" or "just makes sense", we're off. Do things always have to get louder? Is the culmination of a build up always a huge joyous celebratory sound where the drums are going wacko and I've got the distortion cranked to 10?

Another example of this occurred this past Sunday. We had been doing a certain chord progression for a while and things were getting quieter. I was thinking to myself, "Maybe we should end the song? Or maybe we should bring things down a little bit, get things sounding a little more 'worshipful'?" But when I looked in the spirit, all I saw was an angel dancing in celebration. I asked the Lord what it meant and He basically said to me, "This is what I'm doing". I quickly realized that what I was about to do wasn't what He was doing and decided I would do what He was doing, haha. I began to play my instrument differently and led the team accordingly and within a minute of that decision, Pastor Pete came up and began to encourage the congregation to celebrate. I was relieved that I took the time to see what the Lord was doing instead of just going with what I felt initially. The funny thing is, had we gone into a more "worshipful" mode, it probably wouldn't have been so bad. I'm sure people would've been able to enter into that. It might've felt good and right. But it wouldn't have been what the Lord was doing (and while there would've been plenty of grace for that, that's not what we're aiming for!).

I've shared this with you to encourage you to go deeper in your revelation of the Cross. I've shared this with you to challenge you to let the Gospel be the basis for how you relate and respond to others and to life. I've shared this with you so you can join me, Shelley, Pastor Pete and Pastor Lisa in relating and responding to God during worship at a whole new level. Ask the Lord to show you areas of your life where you have been responding according to your old nature or according to the world. Talk to the Holy Spirit about areas in your life or relationships where you may be doing things simply because they feel right or just make sense. As you dialogue with the Trinity, ask God to show you if there are any areas in worship where these same unhealthy dynamics are taking place. As you hear from the Lord, respond with the Gospel! Know that there is grace. Know that He has given us all we need for life and godliness (including being on the worship team!). Continue forward in the beautiful gift of intimacy He's won for us and step into what He's doing!
]]> Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:30:01 GMT D01A69DD8349BFF83B4880856E89AFB0 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=321527 The song "Where I Belong" by Cory Asbury has an incredible bridge. It goes like this:  "I am my beloveds and He is mine/ so come into Your garden and take delight in me/ take delight in me/ delight in me... delight in me" Man, I'll tell ya, sometimes when I sing that part of that song I am just completely undone. I am floored by the idea that God would delight in me. There are so many beautiful things in the universe, so many beautiful people, yet He delights in me. It's His pleasure to know me and interact with me. Even as I type this, it may sound a little trite. My intellect says, "Well, of course He loves you and delights in you". But when it hits my spirit and my soul, when I actually experience this truth and it's no longer a concept I am blown away.  When this truth hits me at my core, I actually want God to know me. I mean, He already does, but I want to interact with Him. I want to be intimate with Him because I know that He delights in me. It's absolutely amazing.  Of course, God only delights in us because of what He did on the Cross. Apart from that, He wouldn't find much delight in us. But when we believe in what He did, intimacy can thrive between Him and us from both sides of the relationship.  Praise Jesus!
"I am my beloveds and He is mine/ so come into Your garden and take delight in me/ take delight in me/ delight in me... delight in me"

Man, I'll tell ya, sometimes when I sing that part of that song I am just completely undone. I am floored by the idea that God would delight in me. There are so many beautiful things in the universe, so many beautiful people, yet He delights in me. It's His pleasure to know me and interact with me. Even as I type this, it may sound a little trite. My intellect says, "Well, of course He loves you and delights in you". But when it hits my spirit and my soul, when I actually experience this truth and it's no longer a concept I am blown away. 

When this truth hits me at my core, I actually want God to know me. I mean, He already does, but I want to interact with Him. I want to be intimate with Him because I know that He delights in me. It's absolutely amazing. 

Of course, God only delights in us because of what He did on the Cross. Apart from that, He wouldn't find much delight in us. But when we believe in what He did, intimacy can thrive between Him and us from both sides of the relationship. 

Praise Jesus!
]]> Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:15:00 GMT 73D90B9C9E24C3116AFB29D7F0D28FBD http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=311850  This is a continuation of my "things above" entry from May 10... Colossians 3:3-4  3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. What does it mean that our lives are now hidden with Christ? The only way to truly understand this verse is to read it in the context of our dying and being raised with Christ. When Jesus died on the Cross over 2000 years ago, we died with Him. This is an incredible mystery and an astonishing truth! But let’s go deeper here… What does it mean to have died?  For me, this is difficult to wrap my brain around. I mean, I’m obviously here typing this. I walk around. I eat. I sleep. I breathe. I’m “alive” right? But the truth is, I also died. It is quite the paradox! How is it that I died with Christ on the Cross, yet am still here, living and breathing today? I don’t have all the answers. But to me, to have died means that I have no life in and of myself. It means that any strength of my own ceases to have power and will not bear any real or lasting fruit. My being dead means that anything I do apart from a revelation of Christ in me is powerless; it’s all dead apart from Him! Conversely, any life that may result from anything I do only comes from Christ in me (whether I realize it or not). My life is hidden with Christ. My motivations, my actions and my activities will only bear fruit if they are rooted in a revelation of Christ in me. This is why Colossians 3:1- 2 tell us to set our hearts and minds on things above. We set our minds and hearts on things above because if we fail to do so, we will not live; we will not see life. Our life is hidden with Christ and the only way we’ll find it is in and through Him! It follows then that being alive means only one thing: Christ. And any life that is expressed through me is now an expression of my union with Jesus.   Rabbit Trail: Our lives are hidden with Christ and as I've established, we will not experience true life outside of Christ. Some may say that Christ can be experienced outside of the Church and that is true to some extent. Christ is not limited to the four walls of any building. But Christ is in His Body, the Church. Christ loves His Body, the Church. We will only experience true life and the fullness of Him within His Body. Apart from the Body, we cannot find ourselves. Apart from the Body, we will not find life.  Moving on... I love Colossians 3:4. It says that when Christ - who is our life - appears, then we also will appear in glory. Nearly every commentary I’ve read says this verse is referring to Christ’s second coming. Some translations go so far as to even translate this verse using phrases like "Christ’s return” or “second coming”. Maybe it's referring to Jesus' second coming? But for me, if it is only referring to a future event, then setting my mind and heart on things above has no power for my life right now. If this verse is only referring to a future event, then Paul is only asking us to “hold on” by ourselves and operate out of our own strength until Christ’s second coming. But we know that Paul is not asking us to operate out of our own strength, so it follows that Christ appearing can’t be limited to just being a future event. It is a now event that has power and effect on our lives right now!  Throughout Scripture, we see that God is calling us to live a life that bears fruit for Him. And since our life is hidden with Christ in God, we know that the only way for us to experience, express and produce life now is in and through Him. That’s why Paul exhorts us to set our hearts and minds on things above in Colossians 3:1-2. Paul wants us to really live! Colossians 3:4 says that when Christ – who is our life - appears, then we will also appear. As I said earlier, it is my belief that Christ’s appearing is a now event and one that occurs often. For each one of us, it can occur daily. It can even occur multiple times in a day. We see in Scripture that Paul himself had multiple encounters with Jesus (Acts 9, 2 Cor. 12) and I'm certain that he had many more encounters with Jesus than are documented in the New Testament. Remember that Paul said in Galatians 1 that he wasn't taught the Gospel by any man, but that he "received it by revelation from Jesus Christ". This is an example for for all believers. We must continually receive from Jesus Christ, just like Paul did. In doing so, we will really live! For us to really live, we must receive. And for us to receive, Christ must appear to us. The Greek word translated “appear” in Colossians 3:4 is “phaneroo” which means, "to make manifest, visible or known that which has been hidden or unknown". Other sources define "phaneroo" as meaning, "to make actual and visible; realized". It makes sense then, that when you read some of the more literal translations of Colossians 3:4 (Darby, Young's) they use the word "manifest" instead of the word "appear". This seems to be a more accurate translation and breaks us out of the kind of thinking that limits us to merely “holding on” until Jesus returns at His second coming. Having a better understanding of the word “phaneroo” and looking at multiple translations, I see this verse as being more about Christ manifesting in our lives today than it is bout Him coming back in the future. Even further, I believe this verse is talking about Christ becoming known to us in our present day circumstances, right here, right now. We will know Christ as we set our hearts on things above. Christ will be realized in our lives as we set our minds on things above! What a wonderful privilege it is that we can know Christ and that He will manifest in our lives daily and intimately. Even further, as we know Christ, as He is manifest and realized in our lives, then we too appear with Him in glory. Remember that Paul is always speaking in the context of our death and resurrection with Christ. As we remember our death and resurrection with Christ and He is made known to us, we will consequently see ourselves in Him and Him in us. When we see ourselves in Him and Him in us we will naturally begin to live out of this truth and express it in our daily lives. This is what it means for us to appear in glory. To appear in glory means Christ manifesting Himself in and through us as we live our daily lives. We appear in glory when Jesus is realized, demonstrated and expressed in our lives. So, as I focus on my union with Christ, He manifests Himself and is made known to me in a real way. This reveals to me who I really am and enables me to express His love and life outwardly.  - I focus on my union with Christ (set my heart and mind on things above) - He makes Himself known to me (He appears) - Myself in Christ becomes known to me (I appear) - Christ in me is expressed in my life. (Glory!) Where can I see this happening in my life? You know, just yesterday I was confronted by temptation. Temptation was yelling in my face trying to get me to act out of alignment with who I really am. I could feel the pressure of it in my body and on my emotions. In the face of all this, I picked up my Bible and read Jeremiah 1. As I did so, there wasn’t any verse that stuck out to me. I only had the hope that by somehow focusing on Christ and His Gospel things would change. Well, that’s exactly what happened. I focused on Christ and His Gospel and He showed up. He spoke to me and told me who I really am. He told me that I'm not someone who would do what I was being tempted to do. Jesus Himself told me and when He spoke I heard it and it resonated in my soul and spirit. I knew who I was and acted accordingly. Temptation was no longer an issue. This is a clean break from religion. There aren’t any rules here, just an encounter with Someone who changes me and changes the way I act. These encounters are crucial to me really living life. Truth be told, I have no life apart from these encounters with the living Christ. My life is hidden in Jesus and I can only find life by encountering Him. To live daily, I must encounter Christ daily.  
Colossians 3:3-4 

3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

What does it mean that our lives are now hidden with Christ? The only way to truly understand this verse is to read it in the context of our dying and being raised with Christ. When Jesus died on the Cross over 2000 years ago, we died with Him. This is an incredible mystery and an astonishing truth! But let’s go deeper here… What does it mean to have died? 

For me, this is difficult to wrap my brain around. I mean, I’m obviously here typing this. I walk around. I eat. I sleep. I breathe. I’m “alive” right? But the truth is, I also died. It is quite the paradox! How is it that I died with Christ on the Cross, yet am still here, living and breathing today? I don’t have all the answers. But to me, to have died means that I have no life in and of myself. It means that any strength of my own ceases to have power and will not bear any real or lasting fruit. My being dead means that anything I do apart from a revelation of Christ in me is powerless; it’s all dead apart from Him! Conversely, any life that may result from anything I do only comes from Christ in me (whether I realize it or not). My life is hidden with Christ. My motivations, my actions and my activities will only bear fruit if they are rooted in a revelation of Christ in me. This is why Colossians 3:1- 2 tell us to set our hearts and minds on things above. We set our minds and hearts on things above because if we fail to do so, we will not live; we will not see life. Our life is hidden with Christ and the only way we’ll find it is in and through Him! It follows then that being alive means only one thing: Christ. And any life that is expressed through me is now an expression of my union with Jesus.  

Rabbit Trail: Our lives are hidden with Christ and as I've established, we will not experience true life outside of Christ. Some may say that Christ can be experienced outside of the Church and that is true to some extent. Christ is not limited to the four walls of any building. But Christ is in His Body, the Church. Christ loves His Body, the Church. We will only experience true life and the fullness of Him within His Body. Apart from the Body, we cannot find ourselves. Apart from the Body, we will not find life. 

Moving on...

I love Colossians 3:4. It says that when Christ - who is our life - appears, then we also will appear in glory. Nearly every commentary I’ve read says this verse is referring to Christ’s second coming. Some translations go so far as to even translate this verse using phrases like "Christ’s return” or “second coming”. Maybe it's referring to Jesus' second coming? But for me, if it is only referring to a future event, then setting my mind and heart on things above has no power for my life right now. If this verse is only referring to a future event, then Paul is only asking us to “hold on” by ourselves and operate out of our own strength until Christ’s second coming. But we know that Paul is not asking us to operate out of our own strength, so it follows that Christ appearing can’t be limited to just being a future event. It is a now event that has power and effect on our lives right now! 

Throughout Scripture, we see that God is calling us to live a life that bears fruit for Him. And since our life is hidden with Christ in God, we know that the only way for us to experience, express and produce life now is in and through Him. That’s why Paul exhorts us to set our hearts and minds on things above in Colossians 3:1-2. Paul wants us to really live! Colossians 3:4 says that when Christ – who is our life - appears, then we will also appear. As I said earlier, it is my belief that Christ’s appearing is a now event and one that occurs often. For each one of us, it can occur daily. It can even occur multiple times in a day. We see in Scripture that Paul himself had multiple encounters with Jesus (Acts 9, 2 Cor. 12) and I'm certain that he had many more encounters with Jesus than are documented in the New Testament. Remember that Paul said in Galatians 1 that he wasn't taught the Gospel by any man, but that he "received it by revelation from Jesus Christ". This is an example for for all believers. We must continually receive from Jesus Christ, just like Paul did. In doing so, we will really live!

For us to really live, we must receive. And for us to receive, Christ must appear to us. The Greek word translated “appear” in Colossians 3:4 is “phaneroo” which means, "to make manifest, visible or known that which has been hidden or unknown". Other sources define "phaneroo" as meaning, "to make actual and visible; realized". It makes sense then, that when you read some of the more literal translations of Colossians 3:4 (Darby, Young's) they use the word "manifest" instead of the word "appear". This seems to be a more accurate translation and breaks us out of the kind of thinking that limits us to merely “holding on” until Jesus returns at His second coming. Having a better understanding of the word “phaneroo” and looking at multiple translations, I see this verse as being more about Christ manifesting in our lives today than it is bout Him coming back in the future. Even further, I believe this verse is talking about Christ becoming known to us in our present day circumstances, right here, right now. We will know Christ as we set our hearts on things above. Christ will be realized in our lives as we set our minds on things above!

What a wonderful privilege it is that we can know Christ and that He will manifest in our lives daily and intimately. Even further, as we know Christ, as He is manifest and realized in our lives, then we too appear with Him in glory. Remember that Paul is always speaking in the context of our death and resurrection with Christ. As we remember our death and resurrection with Christ and He is made known to us, we will consequently see ourselves in Him and Him in us. When we see ourselves in Him and Him in us we will naturally begin to live out of this truth and express it in our daily lives. This is what it means for us to appear in glory. To appear in glory means Christ manifesting Himself in and through us as we live our daily lives. We appear in glory when Jesus is realized, demonstrated and expressed in our lives. So, as I focus on my union with Christ, He manifests Himself and is made known to me in a real way. This reveals to me who I really am and enables me to express His love and life outwardly. 

- I focus on my union with Christ (set my heart and mind on things above)
- He makes Himself known to me (He appears)
- Myself in Christ becomes known to me (I appear)
- Christ in me is expressed in my life. (Glory!)

Where can I see this happening in my life? You know, just yesterday I was confronted by temptation. Temptation was yelling in my face trying to get me to act out of alignment with who I really am. I could feel the pressure of it in my body and on my emotions. In the face of all this, I picked up my Bible and read Jeremiah 1. As I did so, there wasn’t any verse that stuck out to me. I only had the hope that by somehow focusing on Christ and His Gospel things would change. Well, that’s exactly what happened. I focused on Christ and His Gospel and He showed up. He spoke to me and told me who I really am. He told me that I'm not someone who would do what I was being tempted to do. Jesus Himself told me and when He spoke I heard it and it resonated in my soul and spirit. I knew who I was and acted accordingly. Temptation was no longer an issue.

This is a clean break from religion. There aren’t any rules here, just an encounter with Someone who changes me and changes the way I act. These encounters are crucial to me really living life. Truth be told, I have no life apart from these encounters with the living Christ. My life is hidden in Jesus and I can only find life by encountering Him. To live daily, I must encounter Christ daily.
 ]]> Sat, 05 Jun 2010 01:02:33 GMT 948C5699C3761BA643C617D8179DAC95 http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=304875 It's early Saturday morning and Felicity is watching TV as I'm here blogging and Erin is "sleeping in". Got a new laptop (MacBook) and it's just been wonderful to have. Having a laptop is so convenient and my productivity in life overall has skyrocketed. And I must say, I'm really enjoying Mac OS Snow Leopard. Surfing the web and interacting with my desktop and programs is not only convenient, but actually kind of fun. I didn't think I'd ever be able to say that about an operating system. Anyways, thank You Jesus! It took us a long time to decide to purchase our MacBook. We didn't want to purchase one just because we wanted one. But since Erin's current class requires her to do a lot of work on the computer, she needs to be able to have access to a cpu at night a lot. Because we share a room with Felicity, it makes it difficult to use our iMac upstairs without waking her when she sleeps. A laptop was the perfect solution! That coupled with the fact that I've taken on more responsibility at church made getting a laptop a no-brainer. Well, now that we're back home, we've totally started reorganizing our home. I think Erin and I are both realizing that we want to have less stuff. I'd like to say we want to be minimalists, but I don't think that's true. It is true that we want to have a lot less stuff in our home though. The size of our home dictates this and I'm glad. I'll always remember when we cleaned out my parents' basement. Nearly 30 years of junk! I never want to have that much junk. I think I do a pretty good job of avoiding that though. Erin tells me I throw things away and give away things that are perfectly fine too quickly. She might be right, but it keeps the clutter and junk out and blesses other folks in the process! Anyways, we got a storage unit earlier this week and last night I moved some of our stuff in there. Man, even as I looked at the stuff we were putting in the storage unit I said to myself, "We need to get rid of some of this stuff too!". Haha. It's funny the things we decide to keep. I have a lot of books that I no longer want. I thought they'd come in handy at some point or that I'd want to read them, but the truth is, I'm VERY particular about what I like to read and most of the books I have aren't books that I'd actually read. I am willing to bet that I will eventually get rid of at least half of the books that we currently have in our home or storage. I just bought the new Stone Temple Pilots self-titled album. It's their 6th album overall and first one in 9 years. I didn't get their 4th or 5th one, but I must say that this one is excellent! I REALLY enjoy it and find that I have multiple songs from the album stuck in my head at various times. It's weird because there seems to be this resurgence of 90's bands putting new stuff out (Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden). Pearl Jam never stopped putting albums out, but there most recent release was promoted more than any of their other more recent albums. I enjoyed Pearl Jam's latest offering, but I like STP's album better. Pearl Jam's Backspacer had some real good songs on it, but as a whole, the album was okay. STP's new album has some real good songs on it and as a whole is great. There is only one song on the album that I don't like (and I think even that song is starting to grow on me). One of my favorite aspects of STP's album is Scott Weiland's vocals. He truly delves into multiple ways of singing and delivers high-quality melodies. I remember hearing one song for the first time and wondering if it was even him singing! On top of that, there is another song I can think of where I was totally unsure if I liked it when it started, but once the vocals came in, even just the way he was singing it made me think, "I wanna hear this song". Another favorite aspect of this album for me is the guitar work. They have some great rock guitar licks and the album is laden with guitar solos. Amazingly, most of the songs are at the 3 minute mark and are packed with great melodies and instrumentation. It's impressive that they cram so much quality into 3 minutes of music. I really could go on and on here... This album has solidified STP as one of my favorite bands. They're definitely on my list of top 5 favorite bands ever (The Smiths, The Cardigans, Undercover, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam - maybe in that order). Lastly, I just want to mention how wonderful it is that it looks as if my sister and bro-in-law will get approval for adopting Lily Joy in the near future! I can't wait to meet her and for her and Felicity to meet! Lord, we pray for outright approval and for the rest of the process to go quickly and smoothly. You're in control here. Peezout
Got a new laptop (MacBook) and it's just been wonderful to have. Having a laptop is so convenient and my productivity in life overall has skyrocketed. And I must say, I'm really enjoying Mac OS Snow Leopard. Surfing the web and interacting with my desktop and programs is not only convenient, but actually kind of fun. I didn't think I'd ever be able to say that about an operating system. Anyways, thank You Jesus! It took us a long time to decide to purchase our MacBook. We didn't want to purchase one just because we wanted one. But since Erin's current class requires her to do a lot of work on the computer, she needs to be able to have access to a cpu at night a lot. Because we share a room with Felicity, it makes it difficult to use our iMac upstairs without waking her when she sleeps. A laptop was the perfect solution! That coupled with the fact that I've taken on more responsibility at church made getting a laptop a no-brainer.

Well, now that we're back home, we've totally started reorganizing our home. I think Erin and I are both realizing that we want to have less stuff. I'd like to say we want to be minimalists, but I don't think that's true. It is true that we want to have a lot less stuff in our home though. The size of our home dictates this and I'm glad. I'll always remember when we cleaned out my parents' basement. Nearly 30 years of junk! I never want to have that much junk. I think I do a pretty good job of avoiding that though. Erin tells me I throw things away and give away things that are perfectly fine too quickly. She might be right, but it keeps the clutter and junk out and blesses other folks in the process! Anyways, we got a storage unit earlier this week and last night I moved some of our stuff in there. Man, even as I looked at the stuff we were putting in the storage unit I said to myself, "We need to get rid of some of this stuff too!". Haha. It's funny the things we decide to keep. I have a lot of books that I no longer want. I thought they'd come in handy at some point or that I'd want to read them, but the truth is, I'm VERY particular about what I like to read and most of the books I have aren't books that I'd actually read. I am willing to bet that I will eventually get rid of at least half of the books that we currently have in our home or storage.

I just bought the new Stone Temple Pilots self-titled album. It's their 6th album overall and first one in 9 years. I didn't get their 4th or 5th one, but I must say that this one is excellent! I REALLY enjoy it and find that I have multiple songs from the album stuck in my head at various times. It's weird because there seems to be this resurgence of 90's bands putting new stuff out (Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden). Pearl Jam never stopped putting albums out, but there most recent release was promoted more than any of their other more recent albums. I enjoyed Pearl Jam's latest offering, but I like STP's album better. Pearl Jam's Backspacer had some real good songs on it, but as a whole, the album was okay. STP's new album has some real good songs on it and as a whole is great. There is only one song on the album that I don't like (and I think even that song is starting to grow on me). One of my favorite aspects of STP's album is Scott Weiland's vocals. He truly delves into multiple ways of singing and delivers high-quality melodies. I remember hearing one song for the first time and wondering if it was even him singing! On top of that, there is another song I can think of where I was totally unsure if I liked it when it started, but once the vocals came in, even just the way he was singing it made me think, "I wanna hear this song". Another favorite aspect of this album for me is the guitar work. They have some great rock guitar licks and the album is laden with guitar solos. Amazingly, most of the songs are at the 3 minute mark and are packed with great melodies and instrumentation. It's impressive that they cram so much quality into 3 minutes of music. I really could go on and on here... This album has solidified STP as one of my favorite bands. They're definitely on my list of top 5 favorite bands ever (The Smiths, The Cardigans, Undercover, Stone Temple Pilots, Pearl Jam - maybe in that order).

Lastly, I just want to mention how wonderful it is that it looks as if my sister and bro-in-law will get approval for adopting Lily Joy in the near future! I can't wait to meet her and for her and Felicity to meet! Lord, we pray for outright approval and for the rest of the process to go quickly and smoothly. You're in control here.

Peezout
]]> Sat, 29 May 2010 16:16:50 GMT B7465A85AECC8B726C0C0A3AB3E98FEB http://grandebaliad.com/blog.cfm?feature=426893&postid=291638 I will eventually continue my meditations on Colossians 3:1-4, but I left my notes for it at home and I'm not at home right now, so I can't really finish it. :) This week we are at Teddy and Suzy's house while our house is getting some work done. You may recall that we had a serious leak in our ceiling about a month ago and they fixing it now. It's cool because they're repainting the whole place and we chose some slightly different colors. Not too different, but different enough. I'm excited to get back home and get things in order again. It'll be nice for our family to just be able to move forward and get home back to "normal". We're very thankful for Teddy and Suzy though. They're like family to us. Teddy and I have known each other pretty much all our lives so it's great to have people that we know we can count on. Yet another reason to stay in Michigan! There has been a pretty significant shift in my life lately. Those of you I talk to regularly pretty much already know what I'm talking about, but it's not exactly public knowledge, so I can't go into details here. God is doing something though and it is a good thing. It involves a lot more responsibility on my part which means I must continue in integrity, love, compassion and authority - all according to the grace and faith God has given me. I'm honored by what God's doing in my life and don't take it lightly. He is good and He's just so brilliant. He does things so different and so much better than how we'd do them. I am in awe of our God! Well, I don't really have much else to say today. Just wanted to post because I want to keep this thing current. Here are some other really random thoughts before I go: - I hopefully have a meeting with Random Toys & Games later this week to present a few more of my games to them. I'm pretty excited about that. I've been waiting several months for this opportunity! Hopefully they like Rhema, Trinity and LetterWebber! - I am totally a Tigers fan. I watch baseball a lot these days. I think baseball is a game that you like the older you get... Maybe? - I have wondered myself from time to time whether I am a bigger Lions fan or a bigger Pistons fan. This past season has proven to me that I am a bigger Lions fan. How do I know? Well, the Pistons totally sucked this year and as a result, I didn't care so much about them. The Lions have sucked for a long time and I have always cared. Funny... - If I could miraculously have any part of my body changed, it would be my feet. Finding the right shoes for my lack-of-arch-feet gets wearisome at times. - Felicity continues to grow and grow and grow! It's a good thing. I love my baby-girl like there's no tomorrow. I pray that we will be close all our lives. Out.
This week we are at Teddy and Suzy's house while our house is getting some work done. You may recall that we had a serious leak in our ceiling about a month ago and they fixing it now. It's cool because they're repainting the whole place and we chose some slightly different colors. Not too different, but different enough. I'm excited to get back home and get things in order again. It'll be nice for our family to just be able to move forward and get home back to "normal". We're very thankful for Teddy and Suzy though. They're like family to us. Teddy and I have known each other pretty much all our lives so it's great to have people that we know we can count on. Yet another reason to stay in Michigan!

There has been a pretty significant shift in my life lately. Those of you I talk to regularly pretty much already know what I'm talking about, but it's not exactly public knowledge, so I can't go into details here. God is doing something though and it is a good thing. It involves a lot more responsibility on my part which means I must continue in integrity, love, compassion and authority - all according to the grace and faith God has given me. I'm honored by what God's doing in my life and don't take it lightly. He is good and He's just so brilliant. He does things so different and so much better than how we'd do them. I am in awe of our God!

Well, I don't really have much else to say today. Just wanted to post because I want to keep this thing current. Here are some other really random thoughts before I go:

- I hopefully have a meeting with Random Toys & Games later this week to present a few more of my games to them. I'm pretty excited about that. I've been waiting several months for this opportunity! Hopefully they like Rhema, Trinity and LetterWebber!

- I am totally a Tigers fan. I watch baseball a lot these days. I think baseball is a game that you like the older you get... Maybe?

- I have wondered myself from time to time whether I am a bigger Lions fan or a bigger Pistons fan. This past season has proven to me that I am a bigger Lions fan. How do I know? Well, the Pistons totally sucked this year and as a result, I didn't care so much about them. The Lions have sucked for a long time and I have always cared. Funny...

- If I could miraculously have any part of my body changed, it would be my feet. Finding the right shoes for my lack-of-arch-feet gets wearisome at times.

- Felicity continues to grow and grow and grow! It's a good thing. I love my baby-girl like there's no tomorrow. I pray that we will be close all our lives.

Out.


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