THE TIES THAT BIND

Traveling down the highway in a mountainous region can be very awe inspiring, when looking at all the rolling landscape. The forest's luscious green foliage appears to go on forever into the sky's horizon. A feeling of contentment comes over your soul as you travel in midst of God's green acres.

Upon further observation of the wooded area closer to the highway, the velvety look cascading down the thicket of trees, turns out to be a mass of vines that have grown to cover all the trees. From a distance, all looked well and beautiful, but from a closer view, certain death and destruction lay underneath.

The trees that grew up among the vines, shared the same home, and there, their roots were planted, grounding them firmly together, binding their lives forever.

Unfortunately, the vines long reach and vast coverage over all life below it, refused to let go of their power over the trees. The trees growth was stunted and in time did not have the strength to grow to their fullest potential. When new seasons came to mark the rebirth of new foliage, less and less could be seen coming from the hindered trees. Soon, these trees that shared the same home and deep roots were to weak to go on. What remained were lifeless bodies, hidden beneath deceptive beauty. A beauty, whose purpose remained constant, keeping all things within its reach from ever changing, ever evolving.

To those who chose to see only from a distance, saw nothing more than a velvety blanket cascading down the rolling hills. To those who looked beyond the surface, saw the truth that lay beneath. Our own lives can often reflect those of the stunted trees when we become shielded from the whole truth. If we only see what is shown to us from one view we may cheat ourselves out of a more flourishing life.

I read a quote the other day from a famous celebrity and it made a lot of sense. "If you don't get out of the box you've been raised in, you won't understand how much bigger the world is." A.J.

Sometimes, we need to reach beyond what we are accustomed to if we are to grow and become the most we can be. We were given great potential and how to live life to its fullest, if we are willing to look beyond the ties that bind our hopes and our dreams.

JOHN 8:31,32 So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

WHEN IT"S NOT THERE

The following is taken from INNER QUEST #143 and is intended for young adults entering the new phase in their lives. It is also for those who are raising, teaching and guiding these young people.

JEREMIAH 29:11 I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for."

What do we do when it’s not there? What are we to do when the answers elude us?

What happens when the plans you’ve prepared for get changed? How do you feel when the hopes and dreams you’ve held onto appear to be no more than a wishful fantasy? And maybe the hardest question to answer; "How can I know where I am going if I don’t understand the path I’m already on?"

While you were growing up, parents and a few other people have had most of the control over what you learn, how you are to behave and what you can do. As time goes on some of those controls are given to you for you to make the decisions with. Then, there comes a point in time when you are totally in charge of all your directions. Based on your experiences growing up, you will either follow nearly the same guidelines or you will attempt to completely redirect yourself in what you think may give you a better life.

Making your own decisions on how you want to live the rest of your life is a right that is passed on to each generation. There are many roads to choose from and each road has many side streets, that could be shortcuts to your destination or they could be dead ends. What will you use for directions?

In JEREMIAH the scripture says that God alone knows the plans for you and that those plans are to lead you to prosperity and not disaster, along with a future you had hoped for. If your faith in God is strong, then you feel comfort in knowing that whatever comes your way and where you are led to is by God’s will, because you’ve put your trust in Him to give you the life He promised.

But, our faith can be very weak when it comes down to the reality of our physical world. When our faith is weak, doubt will raise its head and cover the directions we are to take, leaving us wandering on which road to take when the sign we are looking for is not there.

It’s not always easy taking directions, especially if we feel trapped by its guidelines. Some directions take a long time to understand where they are coming from and why. What may seem insignificant or a pain in the rear to you now, may prove to be beneficial to you later. Patience is a virtue.

The most difficult road to be on, is the one that leaves you completely lost as to where you are and where you may end up. No matter how many people are around you, giving aim to your way, nothing said makes any sense and the isolation you feel leaves you cold.

God does have a plan for you and your directions are waiting for you, when you are ready to use them. God has kept his promise with everyone who put their faith in him. God loves you and his love is given to you through those that love God. It is that love for God and love for you that will help show you the road you want and need to be on.

If there is a time when the directions to the road you’re looking for leave you lost and confused, when it’s not there, turn to God and ask and your way will be given. But, you must keep you eyes ears and heart open and have faith, if you really want to know.

( To view the poem/song "LOST IN THE WOODS" that goes with this message, click on my CRAINIALEAKAGE site in the "see my complete profile section")

A SHARP TONGUE WILL CUT YOU DOWN

"Remember this, my dear brothers! Everyone must be quick to listen, but slow to speak and slow to become angry." - JAMES 1:19

The advancement in technology has made the "Information Age" become lightening fast. With the click of a button you can be given the answer, or multiple answers to any question you ask on web sites like GOOGLE. Even some new cars are equipped with navigation devices that not only show you where you want to go, but tell you when to turn left or right. How many of you have a corded phone with a rotary dial? Cell phones are starting to replace even the home cordless phone. You can take it anywhere, plus take pictures and send or e-mail them and text messages almost anywhere.

So, with all this new fangled electronic gadgetry we can deliver and receive responses immediately, with very little effort. What hasn’t changed is our tongue.
Our tongue is still connected to the same type of body which has been in use for millenniums. Yes, there have been some refinements over the years, and our knowledge has increased remarkably through time. Yet, we still have trouble with the control of our tongues. What makes it even harder to manage is the speed of delivery we now depend on, due to our advancement in the other areas of information. We want results NOW!

The trouble with letting our tongues blurt out responses more quickly is, that the processors in our mind have a variable reactor, which if not given the proper time to assess the information given, may spit out the first thing that comes to mind. This lightening quick response is sometimes called, the ‘gut’ reaction.

This ‘gut’ reaction is based solely on our unscreened thoughts to a sudden experience through sight, sound, touch or smell. For example: The car in front of you stops suddenly causing you to jam on your brakes. You start yelling, "What in the @#!$% Learn to drive!!" Then after a few moments you see that a ball had rolled into the street and a child was chasing after it..... another example: You’re walking in the mall and someone from behind you puts their hand on your shoulder. You freak out, only to discover, that this person was trying to get your attention before you stepped in a more freakish pile of goo on the floor. Or this example, that seems to be gaining more and more momentum: You hear or read about an individual who did this or that, and what that person did goes against your principles. Your gut reaction is to condemn that person. What if the accusations were false or said in a way to mislead you, so that the presenter of that information would look good in your eyes and gain your support? What about the person you cut down? Cutting remarks leave scars and can do significant damage.

If you do not take the time to process the information correctly and fully before responding, you may find that the aftermath from a sharp tongue will cut you down.

"Does anyone think he is religious? If he does not control his tongue, his religion is worthless and he deceives himself." - JAMES 1:26

WHAT IS MY PURPOSE Even though I am new to the blog scene, I have been writing the INNER QUEST for a number of years. From time to time I will be sharing a past IQ for your viewing. These will be titled and dated like the one below.
INNER QUEST #183 WHAT IS MY PURPOSE Jan. 10, 2004

COLOSSIANS 1:16 For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth. The seen and unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through him and for him.
PSALMS 33:10, 11 The Lord frustrates the purposes of the nations; he keeps them from carrying out their plans. But his plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:31-33 Well, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for God’s glory. Live life in such a way as to cause no trouble either to Jews or Gentiles or to the church of God. Just do as I do; I try to please everyone in all that I do, not thinking of my own good, but of the good of all, so that they might be saved.
Dear Friend,
When was the last time you asked yourself, "What is the purpose of life? What is my purpose?"
What caused you to ask these questions?
It doesn’t matter what age you are or what position you may have in society, those questions come to a person from time to time. The questions may rise when your next phase in life is starting or a career change is about to happen, it may be just a frustrating period of time when you feel an emptiness in your value or just a time of reflecting on the past and pondering the future. Knowing your purpose in life and how you are to live it can cause great emotional and physical stress, if there is any instability going on that is blocking your vision on the directions you need to take.
This week has shown me that there are people all around us that are looking for answers to where they are heading in life. Some are so lost that it leaves me wondering, how in the world can I help or if anybody can get through to them and let them know that there are answers to their questions. Some answers don’t come easy, but you must be willing to go to the extremes if necessary.
God gives you a purpose for your life, to serve God and to please God in all that you do. Pretty simple isn’t it? No, you say? Well....you are absolutely right. Even though we were created by God in his own image, God gave us the freedom to choose what we do with our lives. There in lies the problem. We forget where we came from and tend to live out our lives the way we want to. When we do that and go against what God intended for us to do, we fall. Sometimes, we fall so hard that getting back up can be a real challenge. The sad thing is, is that some can never get back up and they remain down, living a life with unfulfilled dreams and little hope.
But there is hope and your dreams can be fulfilled and if you do fall, you will be helped back up.
But you must be willing to seek out what specific purpose God has for you.
It really doesn’t matter what kind of Job or career you chose or if you chose to stay home and and be a full time parent. What’s important is that you do everything you can, with the abilities you have for the sake of the others. Do everything you can for your co-workers, your patients, you clients, your students, your congregation, your friends, your family and your children so that they will benefit from your efforts. When you put the others first you will see the purpose God has for your life. No matter what your professional position is or your non paid duties are, you need to take the role of a servant as Jesus deed. Jesus, the son of God, our shepherd, pilot, leader, Lord and savior often took the role of a servant to show us that we must be willing to give of ourselves if we are to have a life worth living. No man or woman is greater than the other that they cannot serve one another.
Having a great life does not mean having everything come to you or you always getting what you want. Instead, you must strive to give of yourself and do for others first, then you will gain what it is you need and if it is to be, you will get the things you want.
Sometimes, the activities we do or the professions we have that guide our purpose in life changes through the course of time and we need to readjust what we are doing, so that we can pursue what it is we need to do. It does you no good to remain in an area where you have done everything you can do and no longer feel you are growing or feeding others in there needs.
Having a purpose in life is not catering to your own self indulgence. That is a selfish way to live and no one benefits from it, including your self. If you think and do only for yourself you will soon become isolated. There is no purpose in that.
You are a person that God has given special talents to, for you to use in helping others to have a better life. Some of those talents will take time to learn and some will be needed at different stages in your life. All that is asked is that you give it your best shot and not to give up when it doesn’t go well. There are others whose purpose is for them to help you, so that you will also have a better life.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes along the way or to be too harsh on yourself when you do. We all make mistakes, but we can be forgiven as long is there is effort to do better.
To find out what your purpose in life is and in what way you are to use it, you must keep learning all you can, in the best way that is right for you. The answers and directions are there for you. Your purpose in life is waiting for you, but it is up to you to put it into action.

CHECK YOUR BAGGAGE
Here you are standing in front of the airline counter awaiting those three little words from the well dressed clerk, "Check your baggage?" With little hesitation, but much apprehension, you hand over your tightly packed baggage, and pray that it makes it on the same plane as you do and arrives at the same destination you are venturing to. After all, the contents in your baggage are very valuable to you. Everything you need to make your trip a success has been all neatly bundled up and ready for your usage.
After a pleasant ride over some billowy clouds and colorful landscape, the first leg of your trip ends with a smooth landing. Once off the plane you head straight for the baggage claim and wait the arrival of your precious baggage...And you wait, and wait... Nothing! All the other luggage has been claimed, but yours never shows up. You go to the claims counter and ask the nicely dressed clerk about you’re your missing baggage. The clerk tells you that your baggage took another flight and is now on its way to the other side of the planet. The wonderful trip you had planned and prepared for was now in ruins, because someone sent your valuable possessions elsewhere. Your mood is quite somber.
Time has passed and once again you find yourself standing in front of a counter, but this time it is not a well dressed clerk, but a humbly dressed man. The man asks you in a gentle voice, "Check your baggage?". You look down and see there is no luggage, then you tell him you have nothing to give him. The man looks you in the eye and says, "I did not ask for your material belongings, I asked for the baggage that has been piling up inside of you. The baggage that came from the mistakes you made, that you can’t get rid of by yourself."
You ask the man, "Why do you want all this baggage of mine? I’ve carried it around with me a long time. It does get heavy from time to time and it tends to wear me out, but it is a part of me and something I just have to live with. Besides, I put it there myself, not always on purpose, but it’s there."
The humble man says, "That is why I am here for you, today, right now. This baggage you keep locked inside has kept you from experiencing a wonderful life. Let me have this burdensome baggage of yours and I will send it far enough away that you will never feel its heavy load again."
You ask the man, "Why do you want to do this for me?" He replies, "Because I care for you, I have made this great sacrifice for you. I have the strength and the power to release you and anyone who comes to me with this sinful baggage." And you ask, "How can I repay you?" to which the man responds, "By forgiving others for their sins against you, so that the load of their baggage will be eased . And, if you want to experience the best journey in life, come, follow me." EPHESIANS 1:7 For by the sacrificial death of Christ we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven. John 5:4:06