Tag Archives: growing spiritually

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Beyond the Horizon

oceanmeditate

As a man of the mountains, I must admit that there is something about the ocean that draws us in.  The vastness, the beauty, the mystery, all give a glory to the sight before me.  The rhythm of the waves add a calming effect as well.  The sand goes forever.  Early mornings give an opportunity to explore (new sea shells) and have a quiet time.

How, why, when, ….. lots of questions pop into my mind during this quiet time alone with God.  As calming as the waves and the view, there is a part of me that gets troubled. The part of me is also the part of you that says, “How can my difficulties be solved, why do bad things happen to good people (me and you), when will you God come and restore calm to a trying, difficult time.

Seems like the world is on purpose trying to create chaos.  Everyone, I mean everyone is out to prove their way of thinking is right, and what makes it worse, if you disagree then you are WRONG,WRONG,WRONG!!  Politics.  Whew, Let’s don’t even go there.  Let’s go back to the sea.

oceanstorm

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.  Habakkuk 2:14

Habakkuk?…..That’s in the Bible?….Yep, a minor prophet that doesn’t get much attention.  But he has got a lot in common with me and you.  See, he talks with God, even asks Him why do bad things happen.  In Habakkuk’s eyes, God is a Holy, Loving, Righteous, and Good God.  With all of God’s mighty power, Habakkuk wonders aloud why God would allow things to happen as they do.

What is so amazing to me about Habakkuk?  He never gets to fully realize God’s plan.  He definitely doesn’t understand about all the hate and hurt in the world, and yet,….. and yet, he fully trusts His God to remain in charge.  In charge of this whole world.  In charge of him.

I think I’ll join in that way of thinking.  While I will never understand why things are the way they are, I will continue to “talk with” and even question my God as to why. I will live like Habakkuk lived.  See, he had a lot of doubts about the ways of the world.  Even had doubts about how he himself lived.  He talked with God about these doubts.  BUT, he never let these doubts rob him of a true living relationship with his God.  May your journey (even though filled with doubts) be one of mystery and awe.

With all the doubts surrounding him, Habakkuk never doubted God!  Bam!  Now that’s how to live there.

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, part time Beach Bum

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Immediate Returns on This Investment!

keep a sharp saw

Wow! What you are seeing is a cloud, a shower, a “big ole pile” of wood shavings coming from this chainsaw.  That is a sign that this guy is using a sharp saw.  I asked him how he can cut so much wood so fast.  His reply……. ” I use a sharp saw”.

Reminds me of a couple of stories I heard a long time ago.   A  strong, muscular, ripped  young guy challenged this old dried up man to a wood cutting contest.  He bet he could cut more wood in 3 hours than the old timer.  They both started cutting.  (They were both  using an axe, this was back in the day.)  The young fellow notice the old guy stopping and resting several times.  Laughing to himself, the young guy using his strong muscles knew this bet was going to be a piece of cake.  When the time was up, all the wood was stacked and to the young guys amazement, the old man had cut more wood.  “How can this be?” he yelled.  I saw you stop and rest many times while I continued to cut away.  The old man’s reply?  “I wasn’t resting, I was sharpening my axe”.

If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.  Ecclesiastes 10:10

The other story is about someone who was cutting wood with his chainsaw. A friend saw that there wasn’t a cloud of shavings coming out of saw as he cut.  He was cutting, but only dust was appearing as he “worked his tail off”.  The friend suggested to him that he needed to sharpen his saw.  The reply?   ……….. “I don’t have time to stop and sharpen the saw, I’ve got too much work to do to stop and take time for that”.

So, you want an immediate return on your investment?  Then sharpen your saw.  We all face “dull saw moments”.   I know I should stretch before I work out, but I’ve only got time for workout.  I know I should eat better, but I don’t have time except for fast food.  I know I should have quiet time, read the Bible, pray, but…… there are only so many hours in a day.

I KNOW I SHOULD  ….. fill in the blank here, BUT I   …..fill in the blank here. 

Most of the TIME, the reason we can’t find the TIME to “sharpen our saw” is because we feel we are wasting our TIME.  My TIME is important to me!!  I’ve only got a certain amount of TIME!!!

We laugh when we see a guy whittlin’ away with a dull knife.  Sure, he’s busy and working hard, but he’s using his time to kill himself by working so hard.

What’s not so funny is when you realize that You are the guy with the dull blade.  You value your time so much that you won’t take the time to sharpen your axe, your knife, your saw,………… your life.  Not laughing about that now are ya?

That immediate return on your investment??????  Well here it is.  “Sharpen your saw”.  In the business and job world take the time to organize, delegate, plan and pursue.  By taking time out of your busy schedule to create a better use of this time (sharpening) you will increase your returns.  (Makes sense now that the old man was stopping a lot while cutting with his axe, doesn’t it)

So, how does one “sharpen his saw” spiritually?  You mean you don’t know?  (You must be living using a dull blade, which in turn means you are killing yourself by working so hard.  Trying to do it alone aren’t you.  Let me suggest this.

Here is how to “sharpen your saw” spiritually.  1) By taking time.  Yep, friend here is where the investment pays off.  Take the time to be with God.  This Christian walk is not meant to be walked alone, but with Him.  But we feel that time is wasted by trying to “sharpen our spiritual saw”.  Our time is valuable.  So valuable that we need to focus on God.  Focus on praying, reading His word, timeout for quiet time with Him.

  Jesus is the ultimate “saw sharpener”.  His ways will focus us to make better use of our time.  This will produce immediate returns on the investment you have made with Him.   Allowing a spiritual “saw sharpening” will produce a “big ole pile” of shavings as you cut through this life.  In other words, blessings and joy will flow as you go through this life.  Even when cutting through the “hard” times.  That investment (Your Life), will be in good hands following Him.  I’m all in.  What about you?

“Sharpen your saw” spiritually.  It will achieve a better return on your investment, (your life).  You want to make a bet on it?

See Ya!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher, part time “saw sharpener”

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A Heat Advisory Issued For Your Spiritual Journey

heat advisory

The more I work, the more I get done, right?  You can’t afford to slow down no matter the conditions, I mean time’s a wastin’.

Here in Mississippi the last few days, the heat index has been around 104!  Inside the log barn where I continue building my log home, the temp is more like 110 bacon sizzling degrees.  IT’S HOT!!  It’s so hot, my dog was chasing a rabbit and they both were walking.  It’s so hot the trees down here are looking for shade.

It’s so hot……… My neighbor’s horse got into my corn field.  It was so hot, the corn started popping.  The horse thought it was snow and froze to death. 😉

OK, you get the picture.  It’s hot.  Yet, still I feel that I must continue working at a pace that I must admit is harmful. In these conditions heat exhaustion, even heat stroke can become a major problem.  Why do I kill myself?  We have to realize in certain conditions that maybe we need to slow down, take a break,….. cool off.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:8

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Don’t ya think we get caught up in our spiritual journeys with doing instead of being?  We think that the more “good stuff” we do, the better person we are, (and the more God will like us and bless us).  😉  In spite of the conditions around us we spiritually work ourselves into a type of “heat exhaustion”.  It’s so easy for us to want to do things ourselves, our own way, in spite of how “hot” it is.  Well, as a Christian the peace that is inside of us comes from God, not from how much we do for ourselves.  And to top it all, He gives you and me this peace freely and abundantly.

What I’m trying to say is that doing “good stuff” is good.  What’s better than good?  Jesus………  He came to seek and save……..  He wants to share His peace and love.

Grow your relationship with Him.  How?  By taking the warning of a “heat advisory for your spirit” seriously.  Refresh yourself by praying with Him.  Seek a “cooling off” by reading the Bible.  Learn to pace yourself in this “hot and dried up world” by following His Will.

This world and even those around you may be hotter than a billy goat in a pepper patch.  They may be hotter than a firecracker lit at both ends.

You my friend will be cool.  Cool as a cucumber.  Joe Cool.  Better yet, Jesus Cool!!!

See Ya!!  Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher,  writing this while drinking Lemonade!