I’ve written many times this year thus far that reading the bible through using the Passion translation has been a huge blessing for me. At this particular time in my life, God is growing in me the depth of meaning for being a new creation. Reading through the bible this time seems as though the words are alive with new meaning and purpose. This morning I read the Love chapter, I Corinthians 13. I’ve read it through countless times, but never have I read it with such clarity which this translation brings out. I have always appreciated the emphasis Paul gives to love in this chapter. But, in this translation the translators are able to give a depth of meaning to love I’ve not seen before.

In one footnote the translators give some clarity to the scripture I want to quote here. It comes with vs. 13. It states: “Faith and hope both spring from love, which makes love the greatest virtue of all. Faith and hope are temporary, but love is eternal. Paul gives us ten characteristics of divine love which are: 1. Love is patient under stress, 2. Love is kind at all times, 3. Love is generous, not envious, 4. Love is humble, not self-promoting, 5. Love is never rude, 6. Love does not manipulate by using shame, 7. Love is not irritable or easily offended, 8. Love celebrates honesty, 9. Love does not focus on what is flawed, 10. Love is loyal to the end.

I have never thought that faith and hope are characteristics for human use and will not be needed once we pass through death into eternity. God provided for us these gifts of mercy until we will no longer need them. By living with mature faith and hope while in the flesh, we can better live in the fullness of love Paul is outlining so well for us. I have much growing to do now being a new creation. Yet, having a deeper understanding makes all of this so much more joyful.

God never ceases to amaze me. Yesterday’s trip to western Oregon went so smoothly that I wonder why I’ve waited so long to make it? Timing is everything when following God’s lead so I know that we are here at the right time and the smooth trip is simply God’s gift of travel. Yesterday already began God’s Light being shared with me by my brother-in-law regarding an immense amount of detail I want to be able to carry home with me regarding the process of Christian, biblical counseling. We had several hours to begin conversations regarding the work he is already doing and connecting it to the training he has taken which is what I am now taking online.

My devotional message this morning confirms all over again that God has created this trip as an assignment for learning. Its message reads in part: “…The unveiling of mysteries will be seen in the coming days as you continue to walk with me. These are the days when I will pour out heaven on the earth and shake all that must be shaken so that you will come before me with the purest of faith. Stay close to me, and I will reveal my might and power in your life.” This message coincides with the scripture reading of I Corinthians 12 where Paul outlines the Spiritual Gifts. These gifts are the power of The Holy Spirit. I’ve known this for many years but I am only just beginning to see the power of this knowledge coming to life as I live each new day. God is growing my faith and confidence as each day comes. How I love our Father God!

Today Kathy and I head to western Oregon to stay with my brother in law and wife and to visit the counseling program which I am attempting to pattern ours after. I am eager to do this and admit right up front that at the same time I’m eager, I’m anxious. The anxious is all about the details I want to walk away with and forget to ask or look for. I can’t write here how many times I’ve asked God to help me get all the info I need. He has pointed out over and over how He is the author of every detail and I don’t need to fret. Yet, here I am admitting my “fret”. It is a deeply rooted human trait I carry. But, I’m not letting it rule me–I give that job to Jesus–my Savior, Lord and Friend.

So often I wonder if I am capable of this counseling. Every time I see a fault in me I tell Jesus that this is the reason I shouldn’t be doing this. He then reminds me that this is the reason He has me doing it. Seeing our faults and not letting them rule us is something Jesus wants me to help others do. He wants to be our focus and our strength to complete all that He gives to us. This is truly a day by day assignment. How grateful I am for God my Father, Jesus my Savior and Lord, and The Holy Spirit my Guide and Strength.

Last night I taught the lesson for our Celebrate Recovery group. It was lesson 20–Daily Inventory. The lesson focuses on the importance of daily journaling to identify the “good of the day” and the “bad of the day”. It allows one to make amends quickly for the wrongs done and it also allows one to see patterns of behaviors we miss when we don’t take the time of identify them. We begin to see the real “me” that others see and we have been blind to. This all ties to Principle 7 and Step 10 of the recovery guidelines. Principle 7 reads: “Reserve a daily time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.”

As I was teaching the lesson I was just emphasizing the importance of the third benefit–“gain the power to follow His will”. It has taken me a very long time to grasp the truth of this statement. I have tried for most of my life to overcome my obstacles on my own strength thinking God would make me stronger rather than learning to surrender all of my efforts and become “helpless” so God would be seen and known by me as my strength. HIs Holy Spirit has been within me waiting for me to access Him.

This morning’s devotional read in part: “All that I am is inside of you. My power is not diminished because it has found a home in a temple of flesh. I am vast enough to fill all of creation, yet wise enough to fit my Spirit within vessels of humanity. Never limit the greatness of my glory within you. My strength is not limited by the weakness of its surroundings….” God is truly wanting to awaken in me (each of us) the truth in this promise. His Power (Holy Spirit) is within us waiting for us to realize how much He wants to use us for His Glory purposes.

Today I once again ponder (struggle) with writing this entry. I am deeply into learning about biblical counseling. I’m taking an online class which challenges so many of my human beliefs. These are things like, secular counseling leaves God out of the picture as God being the One Great Healer. In no way do I not believe this. However, my own counselors I’ve had (3 total) have used “what is called secular counseling tools” and used them as Christians. These tools worked for me for I didn’t find God’s healing otherwise. Yes, I knew God was my Great Healer, but the tools provided helped me find God in my lifetime distress. I see God using tools which man creates all the time in all walks of life. I don’t write this to condemn this process of counseling. The greater part of it is excellent as it demonstrates helping a counselee see God in the midst of their storm and seek Him as their Healer.

Man has always questioned man and his wisdom. I don’t want to question God and His Wisdom. I want to sort through all of this so I find myself simply ready. Somehow I know this connects directly to God’s Holy Spirit. He is the provider of God’s Wisdom and God’s Word is the final authority. Somehow this will all come together–I Trust and I Believe!

Stepping into this area of counseling has me thinking/processing what I hear differently than ever before. Last night I was meeting early with a young man who is in our step study class. He had missed a lesson and I was catching him up. He is in his late 20’s and his responses were reawakening in me how I thought at that age about God and His care/lack of care for “me”. As I heard this it instantly brought to mind the question–“How would I counsel someone in this?” Of course, now that I look at this I remember that the Holy Spirit helps us at the time we need it. Instead of trying to answer the question from my own thinking, I need to be prepared to hear God’s voice when the comments are made and wanting counsel. I could easily give my response, but instead, I want to give the guidance the Holy Spirit provides.

I use to think that God’s Wisdom was something some people just had. I’m beginning to better understand that those with God’s Wisdom are those who listen well to God’s Spirit within them. The Holy Spirit is always ready to lead us as we surrender our own spirit to Him and let Him lead. These are lessons where I want to get better and better.

Welcome to summer! It has been such a cool start to summer that I haven’t opened the swimming pool. Today, however, I have 3 grandsons coming so we can get it cleaned and ready. The joys of being a grandpa!

I’ve been wanting to visit a church in Oregon that has the same counseling program in operation that we are starting here. Yesterday I was finally able to schedule a visit with them for next Tuesday. I’m excited for this to take place. To see one that has been in operation for several years will help me a great deal. The added benefit to this is getting to stay with my wife’s brother and his wife. This brother-in-law is the very one who got me connected with Celebrate Recovery 15 years ago, helped me focus on the restoration classes we now offer and even this counseling work. God has used him in my life over and over. It will be a great opportunity to visit this church and to talk with someone who is doing the counseling presently.

Every day God helps me grow in Him and in my faith in Him. I exposed yesterday what He is teaching me. Today was no different. I had journaled with Him about my humanness and my sin nature and how I wanted to do this counseling well, but what about this nature of mine? His response was in my devotional which read, “Never doubt my power to fulfill your destiny and to make your dreams come true. I am the Father of fulfilled dreams and the God of sovereign power. Nothing can defeat my plan for your life, except for your fear and passivity. Arise now, my child, and place your feet upon the promises; make them yours, see them fulfilled, and go out to conquer. I am your God, and I will never leave you nor abandon you. Shout with victorious joy over these truths!”

As I begin today I want to call it the start of the new journey. Yes, it is a continuation of my life’s journey, but it is also the first time I’ve started something new committed to believing and knowing it is a “new creation” who is doing it. All through my years in education’s employment I was one in hiding. Through the past 15 years of consulting and working with recovery ministries I’ve grown through the time of hiding into full disclosure–but, I was still owned (I thought) by the debt of sin done to me and that which I’d done. Today, as I begin this week, with only the counseling before me, I go into it knowing the past no longer owns me. It is my past. The memories of it are used for ministry purposes. I am still the person I was and have been, but I know a freedom promised to me I’ve not known before.

As I awoke this morning and even as I went to bed last night I was sensing a responsibility far beyond my capability to accomplish. Getting a counseling program up and running and equipping myself to “be a counselor”? What in the world was I thinking saying yes to this? This type of thinking has been part of me for as long as I’ve lived. I realize now it is not connected to anything other than my human makeup. I committed it to Jesus last night and I’ve done so again this morning.

My devotional’s message today read the following in part: “Take my promises today and possess all that I give to you. The promises I gave to Joshua are promises that I give to you. Step out in faith and put your feet upon my promises. Claim them as your own. Do not be timid or shrink back when you are surrounded by your giants, but see your giants as opportunities for my power and might to win your battles. Many see the giants and hide in fear, but I have called you to hide in me and my promises….”

SO, Here we go!

Happy Father’s Day! I love the quiet of the mornings. I hear the birds outside and see the beginning of the sun’s morning light. This makes Father’s Day start with a smile. After all of the prep for my grandson’s party yesterday, and enjoying the day with him and all who came, I’m greatly enjoying this morning’s solitude for a short while. The details God reminded me yesterday to give to Him were all in place. Why I don’t remember this ahead of time is another one of those human flaws.

Our God is Amazing. I use this word often, I know. However, it is the first one that comes to mind when I write about God. As I was journaling this morning earlier I wished Him a Happy Father’s Day, however, I addressed it to my Abba Father–He is everything powerful, but yet, He is Daddy too in love and compassion. How grateful I am to be one of His kids.

Today is my grandson’s graduation party at our home. As I began to journal in starting my devotions, I knew I was a little anxious that all the details making his party special were in place. Then, I asked my question of Jesus wanting to know what He wanted me to see for today–His instant response was to look beyond silly details so I could see the rewards of the day. Enjoying the ones who come to celebrate Hayden is the biggest priority of the day. It is so easy to lose sight of this. Then, as I opened my devotional, the title for today was: “Take a Vacation from Worry Today”. My word, God is the God of infinite detail and He wants me to recognize this and simply do my part allowing me to also enjoy the purpose of today. How often I forget this.

The second thing I noticed from today’s devotions was brought out from my reading in I Corinthians 3, which had a subheading: “A Call to Spiritual Maturity”. Paul is calling the believers of Corinth to accountability for the factions they had dividing them. Our Celebrate Recovery group is always looking for leadership help. One of the first things we know to look for is sobriety in at least one area of one’s life. My own was the commitment to keep my need for recovery from my past’s hurts in front of me and not jumping into “denial” as soon as I walked away from the CR meeting. The next big important piece for leadership is seeing oneself as a part of a bigger whole rather than seeing oneself only. Paul was helping the Corinthians notice how their factions were dividing them. God wants us working together appreciating one another’s strengths and working with them. As I read all of this I thought this is a good next training for our group. We always need to become more mature in our walk with Christ and His Spirit within us.

God’s lessons for living each day are ever before us and even within us as we awaken more and more to His Spirit living within. I love this reality!