DO YOU SEE, WHAT I SEE?

This year has gone so fast. I remember, last year's season, as if it were yesterday. 2010 is upon us. From, January till now, where has the year gone, we think? Once again we will cross a threshold of time and history. And another year will have passed us. Yet, its what was accomplished in these last three hundred and some days, that matters. Doesn't it? Are you prepared for 2010? Next year will be filled with mountain highs and valley lows. It'll consist of stormy weather, and blistery days. The sun will beat down upon us, like there's no tomorrow. Those beautiful fragrances and chirps of the birds and flowers will consume us, as well as the falling of leaves in autumn. Do you see what I see? Now let's put on our 3D glasses. Let me mention three things we cannot let pass us by, in these last three weeks of 09' They are the three R's: Revival; Relationships, and Right Thinking.

1. REVIVAL

Revival talks of life. It talks of vibrancy of living. It talks of spiritual fortitude and purpose. And the question arises. Where have you been? God told Elijah, "What doest thou here, Elijah?"

a. It so easy to get into a habit or rut.

We live, we take care of responsibilities. We do the right important things. Yet, if not careful the spiritual element in Christ, can diminish, due to neglect.

b. It's not that easy to get out detrimental habits.

When I was a young adult. I began shaving(I know this sounds gross). I would use old shavers from my brothers. I'd wash them of course. I would use them time and again. To the point I would say, 'Isn't there a better way of shaving? I don't want to look like Grizzly Adams. But this is hard.!" For the blade had become very dull. Then one day I went to a Men's retreat. A brother saw me doing as I had always done. Then he said, 'Here try this." It was new blade. I did, and I said, 'Where did you buy this!?" He was surprised. So I had found a revelation. three elements in Revival:

Repentance -We must come to grips with our spiritual condition. I'll be honest with you. I feel very good, that my spiritual condition need not be measured to any man or woman. It is measured to Christ Jesus. We can fool some people most of the time. But we cannot fool Christ. Have we come to the place of honesty with ourselves? Repentance is a change of mind, of will and heart. In other words, its a 360 turnaround.

Return -Repentance is a call back to the love of our heavenly Father. It is the longing for the home of the Prodigal son. It is the yearning of being reconnected with God. Return back to our spiritual devotions. The thing about Abraham, was that wherever he went, he built altars. Lets build back those altars in our homes and hearts (If they're broken down.).

Remain -Jesus said, in John 5:5, that we will bear much fruit, if we remain in Him. We cannot go wrong with God by our side.

2. RELATIONSHIPS

People, people, people. Our whole lives have to do with people. Wherever we go, its people. God created people. Yes, you and me. Sometimes our whole problems have to do with people. Whether on the road like me, or at work in that manufacturing corporation. Someone once mentioned, that our greatest problem is, "I'm thinking that you're thinking, that I'm thinking, that you're thinking wrong about me!!?" People are very complexed human beings at times.

a. Family relationships

Family is important. God loves your family. If you're married? How is your relationship with your husband or wife? Are you growing? Or is it nothing but cats and dogs everyday? In Spanish its said, "Peros y gatos." Remember everything flows from the top. If our hearts are right with God, starting with the man. then, our marriage and families will be influenced by a touch from heaven. I could go on and on. But I won't. As a mom or dad, brother or sister, are we getting along? Family relationships can hinder our prayer life. 1 Pet. 3:7

b. Loved ones

Sometimes we are hurt by the ones closest to us. Those are the ones that really hurt. Is there any unforgiveness that has developed in your heart? It can. It can become as a cancer or a internal calloused area. Did you know, many are ill (Not main cause. But maybe) because of unresolved issues in their emotional life and psychological life. Not to mention spiritual. For whatever affects the spiritual affects the physical. In other words, is there someone you must reconcile with? Maybe make it right with them and forgive. Sad to say many will go into 2010, still with anger in heart. With bitterness. With a Hatfield and McCoy mentality, all the while saying, they're Spirit filled, Christians. Just let it go. Give it to God. take the high road. This is something I have tried to do. Hey, life is tough. But with me bitter, it is torment. For I must live with myself. I'll share one. Ok. two examples. Naw. Just one. When my wife was diagnosed with cancer. She went through all the process. Lost her hair. Lost weight. Her skin color changed a bit. Her eating habits and sleeping patterns. Once I called her up to testify at church. It was the first time she had worn a wig. I was looking at the audience. I noticed when she had begun to speak. There was a person who no longer attends our church. Well, she chuckled and laughed at Vera. And I thought, "Wow!" what an inhumane, and indecent person. Wow, Ok, Ok." Me. I don't know. I have a very long memory. I guess God has blessed me with the capacity to remember dates, historical events and generational shifts. I don't know. And it could work either for good or bad (Thank God for His grace.). Well that hurt me, as a minister. Here I am losing my loved one. Then someone laughs at her. I'm the same kind of person as you. You can laugh all you want or say anything you want. But to laugh at the one you're losing to a terrible disease? (Oh, but who's laughing now? Vera is smiling down at us. I'll see her later) Hey, that hurts. I came to the conclusion, I can't do anything about it, but get worse. As a Christian, lugguge and baggage is one of the most deadly things we can carry. Its not even the enemy many times. It's the unwanted and unneeded luggage we carry around in life. Forgiveness is the key. It'll cause good things to happen in you and your family.

3. RIGHT THINKING

Do You See What I see? "Without a vision people perish", Prov 29:18. Did you know your brain is the greatest computer in the world? No, its not a Dell or a Mac, or any other computer system. It's that thing between your shoulders. Did you know, your brain has the capacity to record 800 memories per second for seventy -five years without ever getting tired? What is the Mind?

• The Mind is a Harbor
• The Mind is a Jewel
• The Mind is a Beehive
• The Mind is a Lightbulb

In other words, every thing that was created was the result of an idea. Our lives are an overflow of our thoughts. Your mind has different facets to it. It is the headquarters. It is where innovation stems from. Of course it communicates with your heart. In fact, what you wear each day, is the result of how you think of yourself. You see people dressed sometimes crazy. Well, that's what's in their minds.

A man found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life, the Eagle did what the barnyard chicks did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he would thrash his wings and fly a few feet in the air. Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings. The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked. "Why that's the Eagle, the king of the birds," said the neighbor. "He belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth -- We're chickens." So the eagle lived and Died a chicken, for that's what he thought he was.

If we're going to be prepared for the new year (Just 3 weeks away). we need right thinking. We need vision. God's vision. It's going to take faith. Faith to believe. Faith to live. Faith to progress. Faith to go forward. Abraham had a vision. God spoke to him about a certain land. And he never lost track of the vision. For he had faith to go where he had never gone before(You know, like Star Trek).

You will make it, if we work on these areas. And this is just a small list. There could be many others items on your list, God is dealing with you about. Either way. May we be prepared and have a great year.

God bless, have a beautiful week. Want to share leave a comment, and I will respond if I can. See Ya!