God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede. -- Oswald Chambers

Monday November 22nd concluded our Monday Night FMO Men's Bible Study on Nehemiah. Wow, the things Nehemiah brought to the table for us as men in the way of character & leadership! Nehemiah preceded our last study in the book of Job, and only added to the whole "start strong & finish strong" example of a godly man. Nehemiah in essence received discernment from God for the returning from captivity children of Israel. Nehemiah's initial reaction was that of weeping, immediately followed by prayer and fasting, upwards of forty days, again, WOW! As modern men we often struggle with just one hour of self deprivation, yet ask us not to eat for a day, we loose our minds. This example however is essential to our growth as godly christian men and is a practice we would all benefit from. The bigger take a way was the interceding Nehemiah did on behalf of the children of Israel.

*God never gives us discernment in order that we may criticize, but that we may intercede.

-- Oswald Chambers

Which brings me to the title of this Blog (rhymes with flog), Thank You Oswald Chambers! As we wrapped up Nehemiah 13 we see a returning Nehemiah, having departed after completing the rebuilding of the wall, the re organization of the children of Israel the setting up of godly order and re instituting the reading of the Law of God, which brought about revival. Unfortunately, the returning Nehemiah finds the children of Israel in need of some reform. The Bible doesn't say why Nehemiah returned, but I think it is safe to say Nehemiah's heart was with his people and in an effort to follow up on the processes he had initiated, we find him discovering the Nehemiah chapter 10 oath making children of Israel engaged in their old ways.

This is where Nehemiah truly shines as a man of God and leader, without a word of criticism he immediately goes into action as he intercedes for them. Without lengthy, drawn out conversation on WHY or HOW these thing happened, but simply straight forward firm and concise actions, many of which required having to make tough decisions, in an effort to rid them of the compromise that had ever so swiftly seeped in.

This is my prayer, that I might through the empowerment of the Holy Ghost, actively reading, prayer and fasting and some honest accountability from other men who love God and are not afraid to intercede on my behalf as I allow God to mold me into a usable, obedient servant with the ability to repeat the words of Nehemiah "Remember me, O my God, for good!" or of Paul "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Be Blessed!

Nehemiah 7 - What Do You Mean, I am NOT in the Book?

These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled.

Nehemiah 7:64

Nehemiah along with the inhabitants of Jerusalem have completed the rebuilding of the walls in just 50 some odd days, The Doors have been hung and now the city is ready for occupation!

In an effort to establish order and assign leadership within the walls Nehemiah in obedience to God given direction registers the Israelites;

Then my God put it into my heart to gather the nobles, the rulers, and the people, that they might be registered by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of those who had come up in the first return, and found written in it

Nehemiah 7:5

Unfortunately, during the period of exile many of Jewish people who where of Holy Lineage had turned their backs on the God of their Fathers and had taken up sinful ways, defiling themselves. As a result they had forgotten their Ancestry!

Wow, the practical application of this for us as western civilization with all our stuff is all so alarming as I consider how easy it is to have our attention drawn away from the Lord and placed upon the non eternal. It is as if we have slowly been lured away into this false sense of placing our security in stuff, allowing it to define us and dictate to us an unrealistic expectation. Often times without even realizing we have become enslaved by the very need of this stuff.

As I consider the definition of stuff, I think about things that often intermingle and entwine with what God intended to be Pure and Holy, however we have attempted to serve both God and man and have lost sight of what truly matters, the preservation of our Spiritual Family Linage.

Having been grafted into the olive branch we are now part of God's family and have our names written in the book of life! This is something far more wonderful than most will ever understand. Something worthy of cherishing like that of a family heirloom, something to pass on to the next generation that it might be looked upon as costly gold!

Let us guard our hearts and pray for the protection of our loved ones in Christ as well the salvation of those who have no idea, that we might all be found worthy of having our names in the book!

Be Blessed!

The Master Weaver

The other day as I conducted my annual re-organization of my personal space, also known as the garage. The place were all things eventually end up in small piles, the likes of gently worn clothing, books and magazines, tools both mechanical and for use in the garden, not to mention the graveyard for all the expired electrical devices big and small and a special corner for an accumulation of HHM aka Hazardous Materials, old cans of half empty paint and thinners and satins.

Now the TV program Hoarders, would probably have me make the tough decision of parting with most if not all my stuff, and whatever was left would end up in multi colored totes all organized on biodegradable re-usable shelves, available at the local big box home improvement center, the orange one not the blue one, wink!

The time I spend with my stuff is like an adventure, as I discover things not seen for years, as if it were the first time! Upon the moving, shifting and re-locating I happened upon a very small piece of paper that had been folded into very small UN-noticeable, worthy of being swept up and thrown out sheet of carefully formated words.

The words were complied into a small paragraph entitled;

The Plan of the Master Weaver

and it read;

Our lives are but fine weavings that God and we prepare.

Each life becomes a fabric, planned and fashioned in His care.

We may not always see just how the weaving intertwines,

but we must trust the Master's hand and follow His design.

For He can view the pattern upon the upper side,

while we must look from underneath and trust in Him to guide.

Sometimes a strand of sorrow is added to His plan,

and though it's difficult for us we still must understand,

that it's He who fills the shuttle, it's He who knows what's best.

So we must weave in patience and leave to Him the rest.

Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttle cease to fly,

shall God unroll the canvass and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needed in the weavers skillful hand,

as the the threads of golden silver in the pattern He has planned.

-author unknown

Needless to say, as I read this beautiful rendition of one who truly understood our position and place in this world, the following scripture came to mind;

Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through,

as if something strange were happening to you.

Instead, be very glad,

because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering,

and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of

sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.

1 Peter 4:12-13

It is amazing how a tedious, mundane task of cleaning my garage could turn into an opportunity for God by way of the Holy Ghost ( I so Prefer Ghost over Spirit ) to minister to my heart! Lord, Thank You for daily revealing yourself to me!

I look forward in eager anticipation for the day Your Glory is Displayed to all the world!

Beloved Be Blessed!

Balancing Divine and Human Factors.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen

Ephesians 3:20-21

FMO Monday Night Nehemiah Study continues, as we begin our second of twelve lessons, I am just blown away at all the usable applications in Nehemiah for our personal, business and spiritual lives.

My Pastor Teacher has always taught that you cannot take worldly business leadership principals and incorporate them into the church, or our development as christian men and women. However, it is just the opposite of those little golden nuggets found in the living and inspired word of GOD.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,

for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

that the man/woman of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

So Jeff, what's your point? I honestly don't believe I have made one yet, but if you hang with me I will attempt to?

• OBSERVATION: What does it say?
• INTERPRETATION: What does it mean?
• APPLICATION: How does it apply to me?

The above three bullet point are taken from the Inductive Bible Study Method and for all intent and purpose it has assisted me in better understanding what God has and wants from/for me.

Now to Him (GOD) who is able to do

exceedingly abundantly (unfathomable Feats)

above all (no boundaries)

that we ask or think!

Man, how this principle / promise is played out in the book of Nehemiah. As a result of Nehemiah's obedience and unwavering faith in his God, Nehemiah is given favor and position to accomplish extraordinary task and feats. Thus reading Ephesians 3 is brought to life vividly through the course of Nehemiah's application of God's Sovereignty.

That's great for him! But what about me? Nehemiah gives us an outline of how to be in accordance to God's will;

• Pray and fast
• Repent
• Read the Word
• Await Confirmation
• Proceed forward in faith and boldness

Considering that in the book prior Ezra, the same king had issued a decree to stop any building of the walls that surrounded Jerusalem, now Nehemiah was in faith going to travel down a road that had previously been blocked off. There were a lot of underlying factors that made this request very dangerous and life threatening.

We find that Nehemiah had taken roughly four months of praying, fasting and seeking the Lord for direction, in addition Nehemiah did his homework with regards to the task at hand. This usable information in the hands of the Power that lies within us is in a sense our human responsibility within the supernatural realm. Ephesians 3:21,

"according to the power that works in us"!

APPLICATION:

If truly I desire God's will for my life and ministry, I must do my part in ensuring that I have Prayed, Read, and taken the time to be in submission to those Godly authorities that surround me, that provide wisdom and knowledge for my absorption for later use by the supernatural indwelling POWER of the Holy Spirit!

Be Used and Be Blessed!

"For I was the king's cupbearer".

08-02-2010, tonight at FMO Monday Nights, (For Men Only) a Bible study held every Monday, 7pm at Calvary Chapel Montebello ( have to plug it ) let's try this again, tonight we began a 12 week study on the Book of Nehemiah, it follows Ezra in the Old Testament.

Well, as I pre read the 1st chapter I found that the author re-iterates of Nehemiah "For I was the king's cupbearer".

Many scholars believe that Ezra was the author of Nehemiah, one of the arguments was that Ezra was a Priest and Nehemiah way a layman, so another words he was just a employee in service to a large corporation or the King Artaxerxes.

In an effort to better understand Nehemiah, and find the deep truths that God had for me as well some practical application, I envisioned Nehemiah as myself bound by my service to my employer for the financing of my basic needs, more enslaved because as many Americans, I am just one paycheck away from being homeless, not Hope less. This all takes place in Babylon which very much represents the World and how as Christians we daily go out into the world and work for the King. Nehemiah even in the mist of his stint in captivity managed to maintain his obedience to the commandments of the Lord. This is an encouragement to me as a cupbearer of sorts, that I to can still be diligent to my calling in spite of my geographical location and daily bondage, if you will in Babylon/the greater San Gabriel Valley.

And as we see news of the distress and reproach of the people of Jerusalem, Nehemiah's heart is broken for the condition of Gods people and the temple. But, I have to be to work by 8am that means I have to get to bed early, because I need my beauty sleep, besides what can I do?

Ones rationalization of this scenario is often based on their understanding of who God is in their own lives and social economical status. I must work to live, but I am not defined by my work but more my willingness to submit to power and influence of God by way of the Holy Spirit. Nehemiah is a perfect example for us as laymen, and the ability we all have to be used of God in daily service, often times stretched but not broken, weary but not wiped out! May God grant us the ability to see beyond our needs, may HE break my heart for what breaks HIS.

Nehemiah also gives us an example on the importance of prayer in the life of a believer, any prompting of God should always be followed by prayer to God for direction and guidance. So on that note I would ask you to pray for the lay-men of Montebello that we might be men of Honor, willing to lay-down our lives in service to the King of Kings! Be Blessed!

Vannessa Photo Montage'

Well now that all the Hoopla has subsided and all the Mylar balloons have more that once gotten wrapped up in our ceiling fan, the party is over! However, it is amazing how life's tasks occupy our time and attention, all so often even the tinniest of task seem to be impossible. For example the posting of this photo montage', basic cut and paste stuff, yet appropriating the time seem to elude me.

Well here it is! I just hope looking at pictures of my daughter doesn't feel like watching those old silent movies of distant relatives on family vacation.

Just another life lesson, the take away for those of you who require a moral to the story; Life is TOO SHORT to not take the time to show those you LOVE, how much you love them by making time, finding time to celebrate life!

2 Seconds of Air Time!

Many of you may remember these pictures from a Face Book post last August the 12th day of 2009. These pictures represent several takes of specific scenes from the filming of a 30 second commercial for a Big Box Home Improvement retailer, not the Blue one the Orange one! Well, this particular day my Mad Thespian Skills were put to serious use, as take after take, the director and his crew worked meticulously to get the perfect visual interpretation of the script they had been handed. Yea, anyways the highlight of my day was the craft services, they are the one's that provide all the goodies! All day long! Gourmet lunch with fresh grilled salmon and delicious salads and sides all available for me! for FREE!

Let me tell you the life of an out of work actor must be tremendously taxing, but man when they land a role, WOW, the perks are fabulous! And if free food isn't enough they paid me for my supporting role! Listen, if paying the dues for the whole SAG card would guaranty me a free lunch and a pay check! On the other hand, after 6 hours of diligently maintaining my character in an effort to sell warehouse quantities of pink insulating material, only to end up on the editing floor as non usable footage, is a tad bit disheartening.

2 milliseconds of air time, just a plume of smoke on the distant horizon, but it was an opportunity not many will experience, so I placed the fond memory into that collective space where I store all my cherished life experiences.

So today June 3rd 2010, as I perused the back aisle of the Big Box retailer in route to the men's room to do number 1, as I past the in store training room, by way of my keen peripheral vision I noticed a man who looked familiar but I couldn't quite place him? Well, this particular Guy is the one who comes out and does video auditions of real life Big Box workers, for review by the producer and director from which to pick the individual talent for the next big premiere! As this individual slowly but steadily en crouched upon my personal space, I heard, "Hey aren't you gonna audition?" Who, What, Me?

So as the thoughts of craft services bounce around in my head, I can only wait and see....

Stay Tuned, I will keep you POSTED!

Humility

hu·mil·i·ty

 

–noun

the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.

By definition humility is an estimate of one's own importance, however what do I base my importance on? Depending on where and how we are brought up often times lends to our perception of who we are, education often times plays a factor, not to mention any professional training we might acquire through various jobs. Position within any organization where we are over others often causes us to become head strong if not channeled correctly. Needless to say, our example regardless of the role or realm in which we operate should always be one of humility.

Unfortunately, chivalry, common courtesy and the "please you go first" mentality appears to be a thing of the past. I totally understand being in a hurry, my boss always tells me, "we work on a stop watch, not a calender", merely attempting to impress upon me the need to obtain immediate and sustained results. That of course is the work place and meeting a metric is crucial to profitability.

What stops me from being humble in my social circle, my family atmosphere, my place of worship?

True humility is not only a condition of my heart but a reflection of it. First, I must understand my position in relationship to the God of the universe, and allow that to be the standard to which I base my understanding of who I am.

God speaking to Job in 38:4 stated ""Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell [Me], if you have understanding."

In comparison, I am nothing, now hold on, being nothing isn't an elimination of your existence but merely a position or an attitude that we occupy in an effort to be in obedience to that which we were called. Besides, how do I fulfill the role and responsibility of the title of "Christian"?, To be Christ like. 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

There's that word again, Power! True humility lye's in the Power of Christ, so that means that Christ has to be in me in order to produce the fruit of humility.

But listen brother, I'm a man! thus the mis-understanding, meekness/humility, in no way advocates weakness, this is true power under control or restraint. Just because we have the ability to do something in force doesn't mean we have to! We choose to bring our flesh into submission.

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Phil 2:3

So basically I need to put others first, willingly! Trust me when I say this simple act is so much harder than it sounds. However, it starts with me!

No unction in your function?

Well today Monday May 24th while I was frequenting the local YMCA, as I attempt to do on a regular basis for some hydro therapy in the extremely hot jacuzzi with folks many years my senior, they make me feel young! Anyways, while changing into my speedo brand swim trunks, there blue with the little pocket inside that's hardly big enough to fit my locker key in, when from my backside I heard a voice say "Acts 1:8"! This was prompted by some body art I have on my back, between the shoulders, I refer to it as an outward expression of an inward faith! Stay with me here, I responded with "Yes, The Power of the Holy Spirit!" and thus the conversation ensued, as my new acquaintance informed me that he had taught on that very subject this last Sunday. Always attempting to validated the integrity of my audience, considering that the Y is an equal opportunity facility, with many varying world views and not that I wasn't willing to accommodate, but I asked, Oh where did you share that at? This resulted in my being reminded by him of the fact that the previous Sunday was 40 or 50 days after the Resurrection and as a result the Pentecost Celebration.

The day of Pentecost represents the promise made by the Son of God prior to his Ascension into Heaven. The Disciples where instructed to wait in Jerusalem for this manifestation of the Spirit of God to take place, and it did! The lives of believers where changed forever, now being empowered supernaturally by the Spirit of God. Now, don't get weird on me, I know the whole HOLY GHOST thing has been given a bad rap as a result of individuals attempting to exploit this beautiful and wonderful gift promised to us by God.

If in fact you are a believer and have never prayed for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, for fear, I would ask that you read, Living Water by Chuck Smith, available wherever Christian books are sold, also your Bible is an excellent source, and reliable!

• John 14:16-18
• John 15:26
• Acts 1:4
• Acts 1:8

(Just a few scriptures that address this promise).

This power is for service! Choose this day whom you will serve?

Introduction to Blogging! Rhymes with Flogging!

Well, I truly hope this wont be as painful as a flogging! This is my very first entry, or more specifically my first blog! Those of you who know me, know that I often have a lot to say about nothing, and some of the facts I keep in my frontal lobe, current usable memory often equate to nothing of value to anyone!
I just finished putting together a picture montage of my daughter Vannessa for her upcoming graduation ceremony, it is amazing how the years pass so quickly. As I sorted through the pictures and reminisced of those past memories of my little girl, now a women, soon to be independent productive citizen it just further solidified the fact that I am getting old! Yep, as I see myself in many of the pictures, oh how time takes it's toll on my "I will Live FOREVER" Attitude. None the less I am more secure today than ever before in who I am and what I stand for. As I see the fruit of my wife's labor in our beautiful and very well socialized (Home Schooled) daughter who will be graduating from high school well prepared for what lay ahead.
How does a parent prepare for this time, it's a lot like readying one's self for the death of their ageing parents, you don't! you just deal with it the best to your ability. Spiritually, I'm ready but as a parent Ive never felt more concerned, while my wife has always been to primary caregiver, Ive always been the one that holds my children when the are put in a position of pain, dentist, doctor, etc..
I could control those situations because I could see them coming, but now I am not sure how to protect her, I can only pray for her and trust that God will, protect her. I now must trust in, "Train up a child in the way she should go, And when she is old she will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

As some might say, we are now arriving at a new station in life, and since tomorrow is promised to no one, I must take joy in today and not worry about tomorrow, easier said than done.