Tag Archives: Being God’s Creation

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God’s Masterpiece

Believing what's Hard to Believe

Wow what a beautiful scene!  God can really put on a show of Glory with His creations.  Seems like every day it’s a different view, a different painting.  He’ll have a cloud here, a different tone of red, purple, or yellow there.  Some mountains up close, some mountains far away.  oh, and let’s put a few trees on the ridge next to us.  ( I feel like that Bob Ross guy, you remember……. he had big hair and was always painting scenes and sticking “happy trees” in them.)

Why do we stare in awe at sunsets and sunrises?  Well, if you ask me it’s because we see God’s Glory. Seems like almost everyday here in the Colorado mountains, I get to see a new masterpiece.  The way the sun reflects, the way the light shines through.  That masterpiece would not be there without the sun shining its way through, reflecting, and even giving new life and a so much of a different view to an ordinary set of clouds, mountains, An ordinary everyday view suddenly comes alive with vibrant colors!!

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  Ephesions 2:10 NLT

Well now, look a there my friends.  You and I are each God’s masterpiece.  Don’t take my word for it, take it from the Word of God Himself.

I know we all struggle to believe that little ole me and you can be considered a masterpiece created by God Himself!  We find it difficult to believe that such talk can be true.  BUT IT’S IN THE BIBLE PLAIN AND SIMPLE!!!  We are God’s masterpiece!  Created anew in Christ Jesus.  Still don’t believe it huh?

Well, look at it like this.   There you are living your everyday life.  Along comes Jesus, God’s Bright and Shining Son.  This Son/Sun comes into your heart shines into your life and now you’ve got “the glow”.  You become a masterpiece (not because of who you are) but because you reflect His Light.  You allow Him to shine through.  Everything about you takes on a new life. Voila!!!! A new masterpiece!!

Still don’t believe you’re God’s handiwork, created by Him?  I think here’s where we get stuck.  We find it easier to believe that we are not good enough, that we don’t have what it takes, that God has His masterpieces in other people,…….no way it can be in me.

Believe.  That’s one word with such serious consequences.  In this week’s current news, we are to believe that this judge guy is good enough to be placed on the Supreme Court.  But then this lady comes along and tells us we are to believe that something terrible happened 35 years ago, and that judge guy should not be approved.  The Republicans tell us to believe this, the Democrats tell us to believe that.

Groups of people are telling us to believe what they believe so that we will believe what needs to be believed.  Huh?  What?????  Unbelievable, Right?

And then,….. to make things worse, you argue with yourself constantly about what to believe.  You are too fat, too old, too whatever.  You tell yourself to believe that you aren’t smart enough.  Those “voices” inside of your head tell you to just sit down, shut up, just roll over and play dead.  And sadly, you believe that.  You believe lies about yourself.  You know it’s not true,……..but it’s comfortable being a lie verses Being what God created You to BE!

Now, wilderness preacher guy comes along and says BELIEVE in Jesus and everything will be perfect,  roses always blooming, birds singing, never a sad moment, never a bad day. [SCREACHING HALT]  Hold on there pardner, I don’t BELIEVE that I’ve said that!

Take a breath, relax, stop letting this world spin you round like a top. Count to 10,   1…..2…..3…..4………..10.  Whew…..

Believing in the one true God is a huge step to becoming His masterpiece.  When the scripture says to BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,……….. I believe that He is saving us from all this believing confusion.  If I put my trust and beliefs in Jesus and Him alone, I no longer have to battle all these other beliefs that are out there.  By believing in my Lord and Saviour, I now have a Christian way to live and follow.  This helps me to know what everyday decisions to believe in as well.  Bad days still come, but I now have a hope and trust that the future is in God’s hands, not mine.  I figure he can do better with my life than I can.

So, if you ask me, I do believe that I (and YOU) are God’s masterpiece.  He created me (just like a sunset) to shine His light, His Glory, and to reflect His love to a crazy unbelieving world.

I also believe that He delights in what He has created me (and you) to BE!  That is hard to believe, I’ll admit it to ya.  But God loves us that much.

Me and my simple brain have this picture of God not placing me(and you) in some “art gallery” or hanging on a “museum wall” somewhere for all the world to see God’s handiwork in me (and you).  Nope, He’s into a more personal relationship than that.  I have this vision that you and I are “taped to His refrigerator door”.  By that I mean that He loves us so,  He wants us right next to Him spiritually.  We then shine, glow, and come alive because of God and His Son Jesus shining on and in us.

You are God’s masterpiece.  I believe that!  Do you?

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

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“Granny” Steps Out of Her Comfort Zone

There were visitors at my gold and silver mine this week.  “Granny” stepped out of her comfort “box” and joined in on the adventure.

It’s more than just a short hike to the mine.  It involves walking down a steep slippery mountain (and climbing back up).  Lots of loose rocks to twist an ankle.  The thin air will cause you to have to breathe a little extra.  Did I mention that there are rattlesnakes in the area?  Oh, don’t forget the bats that hang out in the cave.  I’ve seen a scorpion or two.  Well since I’m telling all,……… we’ve seen mountain lion tracks, two bears, and the ever present pack of coyotes all within walking distance of the mine.

I talked “Granny” into going.  Really what motivated her to go was that her “babies” were going and THEY wanted her to go as well.  I’ll admit, I wasn’t much help.  Telling her all the DANGERS and BAD THINGS that COULD happen only brought out the worry and doubts about this trip.  But then again I did encourage “Granny”.  Step out of the comfort box was my advice.  You can’t hear a true wolf howl unless you get off the pavement and into the dirt roads and paths.  You gotta go to the gold mine to see the “babies” find their gold.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

A sound mind………. that means don’t do anything stupid.  But for so much of our lives and our spiritual journies we hold back out of FEAR,……DOUBTS,……and WORRY.

On your spiritual journey, as you search for that “gold mine”, remember God has given you POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND.  Use it to find your treasures.  Use it to draw closer to God on your Christian Journey.  God gives you His Power and Glory so that in return you give the Glory and Love back to Him.  An awesome arrangement if you ask me.

Did the grandchildren, “babies”, find there gold in the mine?  Possibly, they all took a chunk of rock back home with them.

But let me share with you the treasures they did find.  They all stepped out of their own “comfort boxes”.  They hiked up a mountain pass, drove in the middle of a wilderness to see (and hear) a wolf, floated the rapids, saw fantastic views, and maybe, just maybe realized that God is with them everywhere they go.  Along with His Power and Love. 

And “Granny”, because you cast aside your fears and worries, you were there with your family as well.  They have wonderful memories of their “Granny” in the Gold mine.  You gave me a sweet memory too!

Live, become fully alive, not by hiding in your “comfort zones or boxes”, but by using God’s Gifts of power and Love.  Don’t let doubts and worries be your focus.

This family will tell ya that.  Yea, the journey involves a long, hot, bumpy, dusty,  “are we there yet” road (that’s the doubts and worries).  But the rewards are worth it.  (When they heard the wolf singing and howling)

“Granny”, there is another adventure waiting on you when you come back!  See, there is this ghost town with an abandoned mine…………..!!

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher   AAAAWWWWOOOOooooo!!

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The Bird Bath

Now That's Being A Church Right There!!

 

The birds have made a bird bath out of the puddle in the streets!  Now that’s being a church right there!

It finally rained here in drought strickened Colorado a couple of Sundays ago.  Just enough to wet the ground…… and just enough to form a few puddles in the road.  Whoa, and boy did the dirty birds take advantage of it.

Not the best picture, (I didn’t want to get too close and spoil their fun), but you can see these dirty birds were celebrating their new found water source.

I’m calling these birds “dirty birds” for a reason.  They are English sparrows.  They are a pest.  Their other name should be “flying rats”.  Pigeons get the blame for all their dirty deeds.  Poopin on sidewalks, on cars, on……ME!!!  Look at any Wal-Mart Entrance, and in the big letters on the wall above you as you walk in, there will be a nest.  And when you walk under it……..splat!!

Hey, I like birds.  But English sparrows are different.  The live in towns and cities where they expect a “free ride” from the trash us humans leave around.  And to top it off, they can’t even sing.  Just chirp,chirp, chirp, chatter,chatter, and more chatter.  How wrong is that?

But today, these dirty birds are teaching me a lesson.  Honestly, today maybe God is using these dirty birds to teach me a lesson.  A lesson on living water.

1 John 1:7  If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

These “dirty birds” were getting cleansed.  They were taking a bath in fresh rain water.  And they were enjoying the moment.  No need to see who was the dirtiest.  No need to see who splashed the best.  Just getting cleansed.  Just taking the time to enjoy the water sent from the Heavens.  Hmmm………. sounds like what church should be.

I bet there are a bunch of “dirty birds” at the church where you attend.  I’m also betting there are a bunch of “dirty birds” at the church where those of you that don’t go –would go– if you did go.  Huh?  What I’m saying is this.  Pick a church, any church, and you’ll see a bunch of “dirty birds”.  Some try to hide it, pretend they aren’t dirty as YOU, or even try to get away with being dirty by saying, “I’m fine, how are you?”

But friend, here’s the wake up call for you.  Look at the picture again.  The birds are tellin’ ya!  It’s not how dirty everybody is, IT’S HOW CLEAN AND REFRESHING THE WATER FROM HEAVEN IS!!

You pick a church and you go to it.  Give it a try!  Rule #1…. Don’t go to see all the “dirt”.  Rule #2… Go to SEE the Living Water!  Spiritually, that’s Jesus Himself.  He’s there!  I’ll be totally honest with you.  He’s everywhere.  But the fellowship of being with other “dirty birds” who are being cleansed is what church is about. (Or should be!!)  You regular church goers, yep talking to you,…… make these new dirty birds feel right at home in your cleansing water puddle with the steeple on it.  It’s not your water, it came from above, remember?    And you dirty birds that don’t participate in any church activities,…… yep, talking to you this time,……here’s a question.  Does it make any sense for the bird to never go to bird bath?  Oh, there’s always reasons, but why wouldn’t the birdy not take a little time out of his day to fellowship in the water puddle with the steeple on it.  The birds taught me this…… When you are focused on the water, the cleansing refreshing water, you lose sight of all else.  Too much joy from being refreshed to worry about any and all dirt from You as well as others.

Come to church.  You’ll see  me there!  I’ll be splashing away in this Life Giving Water!  I know, I know, you can dunk yourself in cleansing water anywhere, anytime, anyplace.  But friend, there’s something special about having a fellowship with fellow believers who are on the same journey as you.  Even for a loner like me……..(and some of you).  The joy, inner peace, being refreshed in my soul is magnified when I’m with other Christians.  Even when we all are the “dirty birds”!

See Ya!   Dan Ainsworth Wilderness Preacher