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As we enter into election week... just a few thoughts for wherever you live some funny and some sobering.
10. The Lobos football team. I think at one point we had 3 wins in 2 seasons. 9. Along with being football challenged, we are also 50th in education and don't seem to understand that throwing money at a problem doesn't make it disappear. 8. Snow on Mother's Day is beautiful but it freezes all of our fruit blossoms. 7. Even when we get excellent rain (at least for the desert), we are still in drought but now have flash flooding. 6. The good news is that most of the forest now have large burnt spots that form natural fire breaks. 5. More casinos than colleges. 4. A thriving wedding industry living alongside a thriving community of divorce lawyers. 3. New Mexico is considered "an abortion magnet" just ask the Albuquerque Journal. 2. New Mexicans have a 100% mortality (at least as of the date of this writing). 1. Most of my neighbors know of Jesus but do not know and trust in Him. Everyone knows the story of the short, little, tax collector who climbed a tree to see Jesus. Because no one would let him through. Because no one liked him. Because he was sinner. Everyone said as much when Jesus called Zacchaeus down to go to his house. And Jesus changed his life. Zacchaeus returned the money he stole and gave even more to the poor. Because when he met Jesus he turned his back on the man he was and became the man God wanted him to be (we call that repentance). And that is what everyone rightly focuses on in Luke 19.
No one ever talks about the sycamore tree...who got Zacchaeus to Jesus. It is too bad there wasn't a person to take that sycamore's place back in Jesus' day. But we can never live then, we can only live now. And...it's not really about me anyway. Yes, Zacchaeus needed the sycamore tree but all that tree did was show him Jesus. I think I'd like to be a sycamore. How about you? (DISCLAIMER: These instructions assume that for life as well as cliff jumping you are jumping in a safe place rather than acting foolishly and asking God to bless it.) 4. You will be afraid. Being afraid doesn’t mean anything. What you do when you are scared is what matters. Either you take courage or cave to fear. (Luke 15:43) 5. Focus on something else, besides the dropping, falling, hurting, freezing, and belly flopping. Distract your mind by wholly focusing on something else and then, jump. In life that focus is God. Follow hard after Him and jump. (Psalm 119) 6. Life is precious. Some people come up from the water whooping. I think it’s the adrenaline and the mind realizing, “I am going to live!” And being alive is a great thing. (Psalms 30:3) 7. It becomes addicting. The thrill of jumping. The rush of falling. The exhilaration of surviving. The joy of being alive. God, please let obeying You and following Your will for my life become that addicting. (Jeremiah 20:9) Jump. Just jump. That is the bottom line. Eventually, you have to stop with the mind games and the freaking out and everything else. And just jump. ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ – Deuteronomy 20:3-4  (DISCLAIMER: Cliff jumping, like life, is an inherently dangerous activity and these instructions are not meant to be used as a safety manual. All individuals who take part in cliff jumping (and life in general) must be responsible for the risks.) 1. Cliff jumping is risky. Most people don’t/won’t/can’t and have great excuses. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this adrenaline pumping activity and minimize the risk. Life is risky. And most people don’t live well. But that doesn’t mean you can’t lower the risk and have an abundant life. (Psalms 94:15) 2. You have to decide you are going to jump before you get up there and look down. Because if you don’t, you will look down, freak out, and have a very difficult time getting your mind in a state where you can even begin to think about jumping. The same in life, you have to decide to say no before the temptation and yes to God before He asks the question, commit to following His plans before you have the choice. (Joshua 24:15) 3. Everyone is afraid. Even the guy who goes first. But something is more important than being afraid. Maybe it is what his friends think. How he feels about himself. Having fun…all pretty shallow. But in life something is more important than fear. Fear of God. Love. Courage. Faith. Find it. (Deuteronomy 7:18)  |
The AuthorCome with me as we grow in fellowship with each other and our Savior to whom belongs the Amazing Escape from sin and death and the Amazing Journey into glorious life. Archives
May 2023
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