Archive
You are currently browsing the archives for the Spiritual category.
By admin
I was mainly skating the half-pipe tonight working on pumping, stalling and pivoting and such. I was having trouble pivoting for a little while. I begin to just contemplate what I was doing and adding everything together. “Ok Travis, bend your knees, spin with your hips, lean forwards, bend your knees, pump through…” Then I had a bit of a revelation!
I speak of balance quite often but I kinda tasted it today, or experienced it in a new light. Everything around us operates by this same scheme of multiple parts or functions that combine to create an equilibrium effect. You’d think something operates in its prime at the maximum output but naw, its most stable in that soft spot or the most balanced point. I realized while skating it wasn’t just a matter of trying to combine the pivoting and pumping and such in a mechanical way. But it was mentally and physically creating one motion from the variety of techniques. Then it hit me, the God Head. Father, Son, Spirit
Everything in our universe follows this same pattern on the smallest level to the greatest. Small itty bitty components that contribute to a larger motion or part, and this larger part contributes to an even larger mechanism or organism. From plant life, to animals, to humans, to the God Head. Pivoting is a part of skating just as pumping, Ollie’s,manuals, etc… are a part of skating, and although they are different they all fall under the overarching title of skating. This concept of interdependency consist in atoms all the way up to the throne of God. However when it reaches God there is nothing or no one greater so God reciprocates God; Father, Son, Spirit; a revolving door. What also incredible is that God shares this power equilibrium with us and allows us to partake in His beautiful balance in the earth.Hmmm… I just thought that was cool 
By admin
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (Phil.3:7-11)
-I love those words “being conformed to His Death” these words are the key in this verse.
Conform-comply with rules,standards or laws. To be similar in form and type.
I don’t suggest Paul was saying in order to attain resurrection he had to be crucified specifically as Christ was. The message in this verse is being conformed to the “standard of obedience” Christ displayed. Obedience to the point of death, even death on a cross if it came to it.
“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil.2:8)
-This sounds unconventional, but “the message of the cross is not about suffering.” The message of the cross speaks of obedience and through obedience comes suffering. Obedience is rooted in trust (honor), and trust is the natural outgrowth of a loving relationship.
*Perspective: Had a friend message me about the above content and his words are worth sharing on the topic of “the message of the cross.” He stated “There is not necessarily a ‘message’ to the cross… ”the message itself was the cross. Obedience was the path for sure, and it was out of love that He came, but the cross has no ‘message’, it has no greater reality that it speaks to, it is the greater reality that other things speak to.”
By me saying ‘message of the cross’ I was not implying, “this is the all encompassing truth of Jesus’ sacrifice.” However this is part of what His sacrifice ‘speaks of’. May sound trivial but I think it was a great observation by Jeremiah worth sharing.
By admin
They say just to look upon her is a form of submission, not a willful submission but an irresistible demand, parallel to juggling blazing hot coals inevitably submits the hands to heat. This woman commands respect and honor, and to even glance in her direction and gaze upon her beauty renders the heart under arrest to the captivating perfection of her face. She stands visible to all but some dare not to lift up an eye to her to avoid her truth, as a child being scolded hangs their head in shame for the length of a teacher’s rebuke. She has the complex and paradoxical elegance of being ever present yet highly fleeting. I wouldn’t call her a tease she’s far too classy for such a label, but I would say she’s mysterious with the utmost respect. Just to look upon her is satisfying enough but to hear her voice is truly a heavenly privilege. She has a voice greater than a million angels and all instruments in the universe bottled up into one diaphragm and immersed in grace as it makes its way pass her tongue. Her voice has a different tone upon each ear however, to some it is sweet as honey, to others it is like stripping a man naked in front of a large crowd. To those who feel disarmed and shamed by her majestic voice are those who fail to lift an eye and behold her beauty. If they would simply tilt their chin up a bit and glance at her perfection they’d be calloused to the beauty all other women that walked the earth. For this woman standing at the peak of the city grounds has an eternal appeal, enduring aesthetics that supersede ones highest expectations. To look upon her face you’d see no shadows, no darkness, no lines, no wrinkles, but pure innocent and demanding charm. Read more »
By admin
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.24 And those who are Christs have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-24)
Part of God’s kingdom coming & His will being done is our demonstration of His spirit at work in us in everyday life. The scriptures tell us;
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us”(2 Corinthians 4:7)
As Christians were continually strategically placed in situations where tempers flare and peoples hearts began to faint, fear, and panic as a result of life’s circumstances & they’re crushed. Instead of moaning and wailing with the rest of the crowd (which is the normal thing to do), we are to demonstrate the “peace that surpasses all understanding.” We are to demonstrate the attributes of God’s spirit to the extent those around us must conclude, ” everyone was falling apart emotionally in that situation, everyone was giving up, every one was rude, everyone was out of control, etc.., but (your name:Christian) seemed so at peace. It was like they were cut from another cloth; they exhibited a tranquility I don’t understand, their response was not normal.” Light shines the brightest in the darkest times, don’t miss the opportunities to demonstrate God’s attributes at work in you on a daily basis. Many times those small day to day demonstrations win people over the most, they need to see it.
“There are many who say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.” (Psalm 4:6)
The Christian should be like a glow stick, the harder you press even to the extent of snapping only releases the true light inside. Trials and pressing circumstances locate us as believers and reveal the the amount of light inside. Glory in the power of God’s spirit at work in you and stay consistent. Accept the role of being different, some may malign you for it but I’ve learned, those are the very same people that run to you when hell breaks loose in their lives, so stay the course. We all inwardly long for a hero or someone to show us good & be a light in the dark.
Perspective: Are you being a light were you are, or are just as dim as the rest? Examine the conversations people discuss around and towards you, does it testify of Christ being in you?
By admin
Some time back I was hanging with some younger friends who were fresh out of High School and of course our topic of discussion seemed to continually come back to “Girls!” Just had to put the proverbial quotations on girls, picture me bending my index/middle fingers, shoulders shrugged, eyebrows raised with a smirk on my face. Of all topics I tend to continually talk to believers and non believers many times it’s about the opposite sex. I find many struggle with the uncertainty of “who am I supposed to be with”, “when will I meet her/him?”, and a host of other questions. A big contribution to people not knowing what they want from a prospective spouse is a result of being unsettled in “who they are”. Before I proceed any further let me put out the disclaimer: *I am no guru on this whole relationship topic, yet I do believe I have almost a quarter of a thimble full figured out about this God kind of Love which seems to make all other love make sense.
From a mans point of view, um women are um…complicated…? However, in seriousness confusion in relationships are mostly fueled by insecurities in the mind and momentary lapses of identity, why do I say this? Well, I speak from my own experience and share some of my own “dating history” if you wanna call it that. Since being saved in 2004 I’ve only had 3 or 4 girls/women I’ve seriously considered being with. Early in my conversion I knew I had a call of God on my life but had no more detail than that, thus my criteria was simply a girl that truly loved God and was pretty. So, initially my expectations were foundational nonetheless they were also extremely vague. Honestly it has taken until this point in my life that I’m a lot more confident in what I want and unwavering in patience until I get it. Getting to this point has been a culmination of trial and error and as I said before getting a more narrow view of the work I am called to do. Read more »
