Ron's Random Ruminations

Okay folks, I try the best I can to keep my promises. So with that said, here is an update on my fight to remove self-imposed limits in my life.

Lately, I've been battling the "negative voices" im my head. You see, the devil is a liar (John 8:44). And, as a liar, what ever thoughts he throws your way are meant to deceive you.

One of the methods the devil trys to deceive us is by using our emotions against us, especially negative emotions. He attacks our thoughts and tries to get us into worry, making us anxious about the future, anxious about our jobs, anxious about the decisions we make, anxious or not whether God really loves us. If he can get us into doubt, worry,  and unbelief, then he has defeated us.

We are defeated because we begin to operate out of fear instead of faith. God requires us to live our lives out in faith.  When operate in fear, our effectiveness for God is limited because we become timid, shrink back and hesitate. We no longer live boldy or speak out bodly for God. We are less likely to take risks for God and dare to do great things for God.

Take me for instance. I believe God has called me to minister to others through writing. I believe He's given me the talent to do this. But, it's up to me to work out this gift, through faith, in order to accomplish something great for God. The devil knows this, he's not stupid. He tries to thwart my efforts for God by bring negative thoughts and emotions to my mind.

"Just who do you think you are?", he says to me. "Do you really think anyone will want to read what you write?", is another of his fiery darts he throws at me.

Now, I could  listen to him, agree with him and give up my writiting. Or, I could operate in faith and the perfect love God has towards me through His Son Jesus Christ.

Which do you think I chose?

"The grave of sin and this world, is no place for those whom Christ has quickened; they must come forth. Lazarus was thoroughly revived, and returned not only to life, but to health. The sinner cannot quicken his own soul, but he is to use the means of grace; the believer cannot sanctify himself, but he is to lay aside every weight and hinderance. We cannot convert our relatives and friends, but we should instruct, warn, and invite them."

             — Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 11:47-5                              

Upon much reflection and a lifetime of observing people, I've concluded that many who call themselves Christians lead limited lives (present company included).

I know, for a fact, in my own thinking I've found solace in the excuses I make for not being further along in all areas of my life: physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, and financially. It's easier that way. It takes away the guilt.

And so, as the the writer of the Book of Hebrews so eloquently puts it, "let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us." We love to blame the Enemy, the man or some other force outside of ourselves, as the reason we are not where we should be. When all along, it is the person we see in the mirror who is keeping us from going forward. (Ouch! I know I stepped on alot of toes with that one.)

With most of  things that limit our lives, we are the source. But again, I know it makes us feel better and eases our consciences to put the blame on someone oth thing else.

Well folks, with much trepidation, I'm going to take a dose of my own preaching here. In the months ahead, I plan to report back here on how my life has grown/changed as I remove various self-imposed limits. It should be exciting.

Stay tuned...

I have concluded that most of the limitations that I face in my life are actually self-imposed – they are, in many cases, keeping me from fulfilling my God-called destiny. I think, like many of you out there, that there should be much more to life. The reason we feel this way is because we limit ourselves. True, some limitations we set are for our own good. I'm not talking about those. What I am talking about are those limitations we set due to fear. Fear of failure...fear of rejection...fear of the unkown....fear of risk. So, many of us decide to lead lives of "quiet desparation" and forgo risks at any costs, limiting the true kind of exhilarating, exciting, fulfulling life God has in store for us.

Come on...join me in breaking the limits we put upon ourselves. Break out of your comfort zone and pursue all that God has called you to. Your lives (mine as well) will never be the same.

I found this story to be both funny and a blessing. I too am a "Tongue Talking", Spirit-filled, Born-again believer. Sorry if this offends you, but it is what I believe and practice.

Idaho woman speaks in tongues to scare off burglar

02:51 PM MDT on Thursday, October 27, 2005

 

Associated Press

 

COEUR d'ALENE -- A Coeur d'Alene woman who is a member of a northern Idaho Pentecostal church says she "spoke in tongues" to help scare off a burglar.

The woman, who hasn't been named by police, says she used the religious-inspired language that sounds to many like gibberish to fend off a man who allegedly approached her and her 7-year-old

daughter with a knife.

According to a police report from Sunday, the 36-year-old believes speaking in tongues "freaked the burglar out."

Some members of her church thin speaking in tongues is a linguistic gift from God.

The woman says she also kicked the man as he fled, before calling police.

I realized the other day how self-focused I can be. When the big "I" is in front of us it's hard to see anything else, let alone God. Where does this come from?

God is teaching me to look at myself in the mirror, so to speak. In the Bible, Saint Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, says for a man to examine himself. Also, in the book of Haggai, the LORD tells the children of Israel to consider their ways. In other words, take a hard look at the way you're going. Where is it leading you? So, that's what I've been doing in my own lfe. It's a hard thing to take a honest & objective look at yourself. It's not for the timid and weak of heart.

The biggest lesson I've learned to date: I (as 99.9% of humans are) am very "I" focused. Or to put in harsher terms, I'm very selfish. In most situations I find myself in, I now look at the true motive behind my actions, words, thoughts, etc. In most cases, I've found that it was due to jealousy, anger, hatred, greed, so on and so on. It's a rude awaking, for anyone, to discover their true self.

However, there is good news to all of this. By yielding myself totally and unconditionally to the Holy Spirit, I can overcome this "true self" and live life in an entirely different way. That is, through the very power of God. 

More to come...

So what have I learned up to this point of my journey in to all things (Christian) spiritual? The biggest insight so far is this: I'm my own worst enemy. By this I mean that the biggest battle that I'm facing is with myself. Paul spells this out clearly in the Book of Romans, Chapters 7 & 8.

My fight is not with liberals, Democrats, aethiests, moderates, gays, et. al. No, it's with the sinful man or sin nature that lies within me. And, as it is, this can only be overcome by faith and trust in the Blood of Jesus Christ.

Over the past few weeks, I've been journaling (is that a word?) the spiritual journey I've embarked upon. I began this journey to answer some personal questions that have been haunting me for some time now.

Have I fulfilled even half of my life's potential?

Even though I have achieved many goals, am I living up to the plan that God has envisioned for my life?

Am I  truly making a difference in the hearts of many and "turning the world upside down"?

Am I  fulfilling God's plan for her life or is it my own?

What is God's  plan for my life?

Something significant is missing in my life. I believe God will reveal to me what that is; on how He wants me to direct my energies toward the future.

When I do, I'll share with you  here much of what God reveals during the course of this personal journey, in hope that it will help you fulfill your own life's purpose.

This is part of an ongoing update on the new Spiritual Journey I've recently begun. I recently read something that said the closer we grow to God, the less appealing the things of this world become to us. That is now my number one goal in life, growing closer in my realtionship with God.

The other day, my wife brought to my attention, what I believe is the best article I've read in a very long time on walking with God. The article is, "I'm Going the Distance", by Pastor Sarah W. Utterbach. If you want to be challenged in growing in your walk with God, I strongly encourage you to read it. I don't think there is anything more important.

Recently, God has impressed upon me to began a serious study of the Holy Spirit. I'm so filled with excitement and anticipation as I start this journey! I know the results will have a tremendous impact upon my life as a born-again believer. To wit, I'd like to share my experiences with you as I travel down this road, in hopes that you may also benefit from the things I discover. I will continually post these insights as I encounter them. So, be sure to check in regularly to see how God is working in my life through this adventure. I know you won't be disappointed!

The spiritual side of our lives is more real than the physical side. But we are conditioned to basically ignore our spiritual sides. This is why we often find our lives in such turmoil and wonder how we got there.

Just as the physical or material world is governed by  laws (i.e the Law of Gravity) so too is the spiritual world run by its own set of laws. It's when we violate these spiritual laws, either through ignorance or unbelief, that we run into to all kinds of trouble.

Where can we find out more about these spirtual laws and how they operate? The answer is the Word of  God, the Bible.

As I delve deeper into this topic, this will become more plain.