Month: February 2019

There are some barriers that we do not possess the ability to get through. These require supernatural powers found only with God.

Our will is only so strong and as our souls remain in these bodies we are slaves to it. We pray and practice to be not of the flesh but can a fish live outside of the water? We without air. Such it is with us and the flesh.

Yet we can still deny ourselves the desires. We can still fast and sacrifice our vices to the lord. We can feel the want and pain as he does for the lost each day.

To fast is to remind ourselves of the power of God and our dependence on him for everything.

Mark K.

Every day we come to the crossroads and we are given a choice, do I follow the world or do I follow God? The enemy will make the path of the world very enticing and the choice will often be the difference between the harder and easier road.

Despite this, however, there is a comfort in the heart when you make the right choice. It resonates inside where God’s word has been printed in your soul.

This is the reassurance we get when we make choices, even difficult and painful ones.

The choices we make against sin are particularly impacted this way. As we face these choices we have been promised that a door to escape will always reveal itself. Granted we need to be looking for the door at the time, but the door is there!

One way to see this is that the path to sin often starts very innocently. The first few steps toward sin don’t necessarily cross our hearts as evil, but possibly as simple pleasures of being in the world, the exercise of legitimate power and authority based on your job, or founded in the fact that you alone will be knowledgeable and impacted.

But these innocent steps transform themselves gradually over time. What we may fail to see is that the door that God provided for s appeared early, before we were so tempted and so close to falling.

So we have to be ever watchful for all the doors.

Mark K

I just finished a bible study on my Bible app of this name. It was actually cool and I think it will add to the thoughts I have about PRACTICE.

I just got back from church band practice and that was cool too. Such a nice bunch of people.

Feeling good today. Not too inspired to write because I’m very tired. A full day with racquetball and band practice late. Have to be at church at 7 am tomorrow.

I guess I’m doing things that matter!

Mark K.

What a great line this is! Leaders separate themselves from others by acting differently, by being different. It is not accurate to say that a leader is defined y the number of followers. These situations involve power, not leadership (at least to the leader). Great leaders simply do things differently and may be unaware or indifferent about followers.

Leaders are often alone. Since they do things that are unusual, they can stand out from the crowd. Now, to be an effective Christian leader you don’t stand out simply by doing different things. You stand out by following God and chasing his plan for you.

We can be leaders at every level of our lives. We first can, and must, lead our selves. Self discipline and a willingness to change are keys to self leadership.

The next level is in family. We choose to a different kind of father, a different kind of mother, brother, sister, cousin. In these ways we lead within our families.

Next we lead in our community and at work. We set ourselves aside from others when we chase the will of God in these settings. We are mindful that standing out (notice the relationship that phrase has to “outstanding”) will draw attention of different kinds.

Some may seek to downgrade us. Others will see our leadership. Some, particular insecure leadership may seek to block you. But r rally, if you are chasing God”s will and he is on your side, who can stand before you!

Finally we may be called to lead in larger ways. Public service, politics, in the social structures and institutions around us. All the while we are simply following God. No matter the level of our leadership, we simply follow and seek God’s will.

Mark K.