Revelatory Ramblings…

• some recent events in my life have served for me to refocus myself on god.  the situation wasn’t His idea, but i’m glad that it caused me to see what’s really important:  Him.
• i sincerely think that i have the best parents in the world.  in a situation that can be very draining and stressful, my mother told me to stand strong in the lord.  she really encouraged me.  i was expecting to be disowned…but that’s b/c there’s some issues that i have to work out.
• i’ve been reading the book “The Way of the Wild at Heart.”  MAN!  this book has been my answer for so many things!  it talks about the process of manhood and how god fills in the gaps when the men in our lives don’t or can’t help us.  i have a Father!  i’m a beloved son!
• so…in my bible reading, i’ve discovered two cool things.  The first thing is this:  getting stuff doesn’t make you blessed.  it’s the blessing that empowers you to get stuff.  if you look at the trend in scripture, God would bless someone, and then they were told what the blessing was for.  Adam and Eve were blessed, and then they were told to rule.  Abram was blessed, and then He was told that he would be a father of nations.  Holy Spirit fell on Jesus, and then He announced that He would set the captive free.  Blessing is empowerment from God.  I believe in blessing that He actually releases His own ability into our lives!
• the other side to the bless thing is this:  you’re blessing is according to your level of favor, and you increase in favor by being like god.  Adam and Eve were blessed b/c they were in the image and likeness of God.  Abram had faith of God, so He was blessed.  as believers we all start with a certain amount of favor because we’re God’s children.  however, our character and growth determine how that favor increases.  God loves everyone, but everyone doesn’t have the same level of favor.  a parent wouldn’t (shouldn’t) give the irresponsible child the car keys, regardless of how much they are loved.  blessing is enablement.  enablement is dangerous in the hands of someone that doesn’t have the character to maintain it.  that’s why the bible says in James chapter one that a double-minded man can’t receive anything from God, b/c he’s unstable and the blessing can’t rest on Him!!

okay…my rambling is over.