What I have learned

I am on a new road as of today, a road that is leading somewhere that I cannot see, and does not have clear directions. TOM TOM, Magellan, and Garmin can't guide me there. I am on a road to purity, and righteousness. I have never actually desired to go that way before. I have always strived for knowledge, wholeness, peace, love and happiness, and all that goes with it. I have learned that I can only go so far trying to achieve the same things in different ways. I could try to climb Mt. Everest from every direction on the compass, but I will always be climbing the same mountain. I am getting off this mountain, and looking to a different one. It will have its own unique challenges I am sure. I will face things I have never faced before. It is time!

I am 37 years old now and I have spent most of it as a believer, not a good one, but doing what I thought was best and felt was the right way to go. What a struggle it has been. I have learned that I truly can do nothing by myself. I can't change my wife, I can't heal the sick, I can't make my kids do exactly what I tell them, I can't be in two places at once. I need help to do everything, I could not breathe if God had not made oxygen, or had my lungs do as they were made to and have the gasses change to liquid and pump through my heart, I could not fall wit out the help of gravity. I mean I am a fragile being that God made to be a vessel filled with the right stuff. I feel I have spent the majority of my existence filled with some good stuff, and a lot of bad stuff. I would be like eating a bag of M&Ms where 2/3 of the bag was actually Rabbit poop.

For me purity can only be reached after going through a refining fire. I am sure that the embers are kindled right now. The wind is blowing over the coals and it is going to get extremely hot. All that was in me, and of me will be burned away that is not pure, and ordained by God. I am going to be left a shining vessel worthy of a noble master. The righteousness is going to come not from my own deeds any longer but from the Father who created me and the Son who gave it freely. I have "worked" my way through this life long enough. I am tired and weary of the burden.

I see newness in God's word; I feel a connection to what he has said for thousands of years. His Spirit is moving across the landscape looking for whom he can trust to carry on through all that is to come. I do not want to fear any of it, or listen to fools attempt to predict and prepare for it. We were made for such a time as this.

Does this mean I am going to "be all that I can be" over night, no, but I am sure going to make all the effort towards it. I refuse to lie down and wait for death to take me or people to destroy me. I will fight for what is right and true, something that is VERY unpopular right now. I will leave politics to the politicians; I am a common man with an uncommon leader who gave all for me.

What have I learned, that God is God, and I am not. That he created me in his image to represent him and show his kingdom here on this Earth. His son walked on the same dirt that covers our planet and uncovered sin fro what it was, exposed what was swept under the rug, and lay to rest the lies of the corrupt and rebellious. Aren't we to do the same? YES, but with purity, and righteousness in love or else it is hypocrisy, and self righteousness. Where is the love for what is right. Why have we not become all we are supposed to be? Do what I decided to do, wake up and realize, I have to die today so I will have to climb the exact same mountain again as I did yesterday.

What have I learned? Not nearly enough!