Find Your Swing

Watched the movie 'Legend of Bagger Vance' and it's hands down on the short list of great movies. It was all about a man who started as a great golfer and went through some drama. His challenges caused him to loose sight of his gift, until someone came along to remind him of his gift. This movie was almost like a well crafted sermon. The moral: we all have our own 'swing'. The movie was about a golf swing...but the deeper meaning could be whatever God has gifted you to do. I am blessed to cross paths with some great people with mighty gifts. If you have not already, find your purpose. My pastor covered this well in his book. True contentment is when you find your swing. We all have a different gift to contribute?. Mine is in 'the mix'. What is your's?------------B in The Mix, His Mix

Control

Control. Like many other things, it is only good in moderation. The right amount helps us to manage our lives and keeps us from chaos. Too much can cause a multitude of problems. Ironically, the time when you are the most in control, from your view, could be when you have gotten out of control. We face many challenges in life. The trick is managing our control. The bible talks about if you want to have life, you must first lose it. The same applies to control. Too often our efforts to control the saga of our lives, we fail to let go of things that we should. I believe God desires us to have control. After, all he gave us free will. But, He also set in motion a divine plan that we cannot control. It is that boundary that keeps us in check.

I remember a dog we used to have. We had kept her in a dog lot, but did not walk her with a leash. She was used to just running free, within the lot. I tried for the first time to walk her with a leash. As soon as I tried to pull her she sat down. The more I pulled, the more she planted herself. After much frustration, I relaxed the leash. Suddenly, she got up and began to wonder in the direction I had been trying to take her. The point - there are somethings that we can cause to happen. Somethings we have to just allow. It is hard for some to do, but must happen.

What are you trying to control? Search yourself and pray for God's guidance. One day you will look up and there very thing you were laboring for, will have happened on its own. Trust God. He will make it happen. "...Lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy paths."

You don't have to touch something....to reach something

You don't always have to touch something, to reach something. I have learned the hard way, that sometimes trying to touch everything in my life, I can make a mess of things. I am learning that there are times we have to just tell God about situations, and allow his angels to respond to our/His word. Don't try to fix it - don't worry about - just know that God's got it.

If you get a chance, check me out at www.myspace.com/bencolemanjr. There is info about me and my family, and some inspirational blogs. Let me know what you think.

Ben

"Our beginning will not dictate our end" - Kenneth Gay, Jr.


Matthew 8 (NIV)
The Faith of the Centurion
5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6"Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."
7Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."
8The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9
10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.

Isolation or Sanctification?

Reposted from 2008:

Are you busy doing what you believe God wants you to do, but you feel like you are alone.

I King 19:14 - "And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

Elijah had reached his limit. The feeling of isolation had overtaken him. He was doing what God told him to do, but the results had not manifested. His response, and ran away to the juniper tree. He just wanted to rest, a break from the tough reality. Like us, he forgot that spiritual things can not be seen in our natural eyes.

"Sanctification comes from the verb sanctify. Sanctify originates from the Greek word hagiazo, which means to be "separate" or to be "set apart." (http://www.allaboutfollowingjesus.org/sanctification.htm). Pastor William Murphey sings the song "Changes" that says "If you wanna change, gotta go through some changes." In order to get to the place God wants you to be, you must go through this. It will be lonely at times. People will push you away. But this is Good, because it causes us to focus on God. It helps us to be sensitive to his ear, and not our own or the people around us.

Some of us are just on a tougher path. Either we chose it, or God put us on it. If God put you own it, he has given you the strength to endure. Just know that you are never alone. God is standing back, like a referee in a boxing match. He will step in, if he needs to. If he does not, it is because he knows you can handle it.

The scripture above goes on to say that there were 7000 prophets that had not bowed to the idol God. Look around. There are others close to you that are just like you. God has given them challenging walk as well. Seek out those around you that have similar struggles.

You are not alone. You have the greatest Friend of all.

Take The Limits Off

As I was getting ready this morning, I began hearing a song that I have not listened to in a while. It was Israel and New Breed singing,

Take the limits off,
Take the limits off,
Release me, enlarge my territory

Not long ago, I read about Jabez...the guy that prayed for God to enlarge his territory. What I am learning it that at times there are people/things that can keep us from the great purpose God has for us. God gives us time to get to this purpose on our own, as we try to do. He watches as we try and fail. Then, he sends something to push us into our purpose. He has to intervene, because there is too much at stake.

I am realizing that there are a handful of us that are not meant to color in the lines. God has great purpose for us. Now, for the record, God has purpose for everybody. None of us is better than anyone else, because it is only by his mercies that we are not consumed. But, there are some that God has greater purpose for. It could be a business....a ministry...a non-profit.

Abraham was a good example. He had to Father a nation. God blessed him with a son, that he loved dearly. Then, as crazy as it sounds, God told Abraham to kill (I mean sacrifice him). God did not allow him to kill him, nor did he ever intend to. He just needed Abraham to be able to get to that point.

Look at Job. The devil tested him on multiple levels. Here is where I am going to challenge your knowledge of Job. Maybe God was not just testing Job. Maybe God was preparing job for his blessed future. Maybe Job just needed to be able to let go of all the stuff he thought he had to have, so that God could give him his greatest gifts.

Then there was Gideon, who had to trim away most of his army...David who had to leave wounded warriors behind to get back their stuff...you get the picture. Paul said it was good that he was afflicted.

Today, I want you to do something crazy. Send a note to the person that has been driving you crazy....the one that has danced on your last nerve....the one you keep wishing God would either fix, or put on the prayer ship (lol). I want you to tell them "thank you." Why, because they are the reason you are going to walk into your destiny....they are the catalyst God is using to ignite your fire (William Murphy). Figure out a way to disguise it, but thank them for pushing you to where God wants you. If you can't send it to them, send an email to yourself.

Once you have done that, it is time to let go. I had to pause for a minute after typing those words, because letting go hurts. Like Abraham, it may be that God is not going to take away the thing/person you love, but that he just needs you to trust Him to take care of it/them. Now you are ready for the "enlarged territory" that God has gifted you for.
--
Ben

Job Remixed - Subtopic: God's "Backwards"

Reposted from 2009:

While I was trying to figure out this crazy situation God has me in, He gave me an awesome revelation about Job. We are trained always looking at the beginning of something, and then trace it to the end. You are doing it right now. You did not jump down to the bottom of the email to see how I came up with that crazy subject....you started at the beginning. NEWS FLASH! God works backwards. Word says his ways are not our ways, His thoughts not our thoughts. I looked at Job's life. Sidenote: If you have never read the book of Job, you are missing the message God put in his life. Usually, when it is preached, we only get the beginnning and then the double for your trouble. It is the in between that can help us through the process God has us any. Anyway, we always look at satan tempting him, Job going through, Job getting more back than what he lost...in that order. I am going to challenge that. I believe that God sees where he wants us to be...he saw where he wanted Job. In order to get him there, he laid out a series of events (trials, tribulations, experiences) to GET Job to the end. He started at the end, and did stuff to get Job to that point. We look forward -- God looks backward. A little different way to look at it, but I am convinced that is how God's vision works. Why is this important? Because, when you start at the end, the stuff leading to it ain't so bad. You know where God is taking you, so everything else just gets you there.

Many of us are at breaking points. We have held on for what seems like an eternity, but we are growing weary. Elijah had his Juniper tree moment, and so are we.

Eddie long gave the example of being in a dark room, like an old fashioned picture being developed. "I'm in the dark room, being processed Baby. And, I'm just about done!"

Someone gave me the reveleation of breaking through something like poking a hole in a a balloon. The most pressure is right before you breakt thru.

The darkest hour is just before the dawn.

This is a year of destinies being fulfilled. We just saw God save a plane load of people that, according to the odds, should have all died. I believe that he has trouble the water, as he did the pool of Bethesda. Noel Jones preached that like I have never heard it. The man had been sitting there for 38 years afflicted. Jesus comes along, and all he had to do was get up, and he was healed. If you are logical, like me, you are saying that he coulda done that 38 years ago. NO! Because, it was not time yet.

But, now it is. The stars are aligning. The water is trouble. The Master is standing in front of you. He is saying in a very relaxed voice....I know you have been going through this for what seems like an eternity. I know you have been waiting for me to come rescue you. I know that you did not think you could take anymore. You have been hurt for so long. Just got one question for ya, will you be made whole. No excuses this time. Quit blaming your supervisor, your relative, that person that did you wrong, your money. I will that you be made whole. Yeah it took a while, but special orders take some time (thanks, Dr. Mack). There is a ministry, a blessing that I have been holding for you. You tried to fix it on your own, but you just made a mess. But, you know, that is ok, cause I knew you would. It was part of the plan. Will thou be made whole. My old friend Trinda said her pastor preached "It's your call." God is saying, now you I am leaving it up to you, because now you are where I want you to be. Will thouch be made whole.

The first black president...the worst economic conditions...all **** is breaking loose in your life....will though be made whole. Something about seeing a plane floating in an almost frozen river with 150 people poring out of it, makes me think God can work this situation out for me.

This is getting long, I know, but I have to bring out this final point (I need to hurry up and write the Book, God keeps telling me to write, and so I can quite boring you guys.). After Noel Jones finished preaching, he brought out what I thought was the most powerful thing that God was saying in the Word about the man at the pool. Word says Christ told him to pick up his bed, and walk. Noel said that he had to pick up and carry what had been carrying him. I believe today God is saying that all this stuff you have been going through is your ministry. Up until now, it has been carrying you...as God has been preparing you. Today, Christ says to you to pick up your ministry/blessing and walk. You had to go through all this, so that God could bless you....so that you would be ready to receive the ministry/blessing. Are you ready now?

What can God do for you. He wills, will though be made whole?
--
Ben

Still Searching for Peace

Friends,

I am listening to internet radio, and the song just came on "Peace Be Still." It scared me a bit, because I was at a point where I needed peace. The first line of the song is "Master, the tempest is raging." Jesus was on the boat with his disciples and was asleep while the storm was tossing them about. They panicked and woke him. They asked him "Master, careth not that we parish?" All he had to do was say "Peace be still" and the storm was gone. Inside, I know he knew they were capable of either handling it or speaking to it themselves. We will never know, because he intervened.

Are you like me, and bothering the Master to handle something that he has empowered you to do. I don't know, maybe you should let him nap and stir up the gift that is within you. Jesus does not need the rest, but you need the practice. Or, maybe he knows you are in the storm and is just waiting for you to come and get Him. I cannot answer these questions for your situation, because all storms are different.

May this day be a day of peace in the midst of your storm, and may God help you to know how to handle it.

Was Paul OCD?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder most commonly characterized by intrusive, repetitive thoughts resulting in compulsive behaviors and mental acts that the person feels driven to perform, according to rules that must be applied rigidly, aimed at preventing some imagined dreaded event; however, these behaviors or mental acts are not connected to the imagined dreaded event.

According to the current epidemiological data, OCD is the fourth most common mental disorder and OCD is considered nearly as common as asthma and diabetes mellitus.[1] In the United States, 1 in 50 adults have OCD.[2] In severe cases, it affects a person's ability to function in everyday activities. The disorder often has a serious impact on the sufferer's (and his/her family's) quality of life. Also, the psychological self-awareness of the irrationality of the disorder can be painful. For people with severe OCD, it may take several hours a day to carry out the compulsive acts.
Experts[who?] believe OCD may be related to levels of a normal chemical in the brain called serotonin. When the proper flow of serotonin is blocked, the brain's "alarm system" overreacts. Danger messages are mistakenly triggered. Instead of the brain filtering out these unnecessary thoughts, the brain dwells on them—and the person repeatedly experiences unrealistic fears and doubts.
The phrase "obsessive-compulsive" has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed in a cause, or otherwise fixated on something or someone.[3] Although these signs are often present in OCD, a person who exhibits them does not necessarily have OCD, and may instead have obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) or some other condition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive-compulsive_disorder

This will have a couple purposes. The first is to raise awareness of mental health issues. I now get aggrevated when I hear jokes about people with mental issues. Preachers poke fun at people taking Prozac, and kids that are ADHD. Where does this dark comedy come from? It is mostly because people to not fully understand this illnesses, and
So what does this have to with Paul? Man, I am glad ya'll ask so many questions. Here goes.

Saul was a well educated Jew. He was a student of Old Testament law, and new it in and out. He was trained by "the church". At some point he saw something that bothered him....people worshipping a man named Jesus. You and I know the Christ is our saviour, but Paul had issue. Why? Because, this went against everything that he had been taught. And I mean Saul was not just a C student. I know this because of his references to old testament scriptures in his many new testament letters. I think of Saul as the geek in the class. You remember the one that only studied, and had no life! That was Saul. If it was not in the old testament, he was not interested.

So he knew the law, and then he mixed in what seemed to be a toxic attribute.....obsessiveness. If Saul did not meet the definition of OCD, I challenge some Psychologist to explain why not. He was so passionate about a "perceived threat" that he was willing to kill for it. Now killing seems extreme, but you have to put it in perspective. In that time, it was the ultimate of wrongs to proclaim anyone to be as Holy as God. The jews did not first accept Christ as their saviour, so they killed Him. Paul was just living out a combination of how well he knew "the word" and his obsessive tendencies.

But he had not met Christ. So Paul is off to today, what he did so well, kill some Christians. He was not just going to knock off a couple, Wikipedia says he was going to anialate them. It was on his way that he met Christ. What is very interesting to me is that it was not a powerful sermon, followed by a couple lines of "come to Jesus" and the a pastor's out-stretched hands that they met. It was actually a pretty violent event. Enough so, that Paul fell down, and was blinded by Jesus. Wow.
Have you ever had an encounter in your life like that. We usually associate this with salvation, but I want to spin it a little. I believe that some of us have these moments smack dab in the middle of doing what we think God wants us to do. For those of us that are obsessive, it takes a little bit more than "He will save you, right now, right now."

Another point I want to raise is the "new Paul" Jesus changed his name to symbolize the change in side. So, was Paul delivered from OCD? I love to read/hear the scripture where Paul talked about praying thrice (three times for the unchurched...lol) for God to take something bad from him. Was it OCD that Paul was trying to get rid of? We don't know, so the blogger will use poetic license. Maybe it was, or at least was one of Paul's overwhelming issues. We all have at least one. We all have the one thing we know we should not do, but still do. Just ask David. So, Paul kept asking God, and God kept saying no. I will not take it from you. My grace is all you need to handle it.

So here is the juicy part. Maybe Paul's OCD was not a bad thing. I mean when he met Christ, what did he do. He obsessed. Same issue, new direction. He did not stop dancing, just changed partners.

I believe that God is calling to people that have fought themselves over "faults". Those of us who have been labeled, misunderstood, insecure, over something that God gave you. David told us in Psalm that we are beautifully, and wonderfully made. By the way, David was a murderer, judgemental, and he slept (though there was no much snoring) with another man's wife....yet a man after God's own heart.

Pray today that God will reveal your thorn in the flesh is. Ask God if you need to stop praying for him to take it away, and just start praying for His grace to use it for His glory. That's what Paul did.