Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Great (07/06/06)
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TITLE: Great Balls of Fire | Previous Challenge Entry
By Billie Buckley
07/12/06 -
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Do you hear it…all those explosions being set off today?
You may write this down as a fact of life...there is a lot of resounding exploding going off all around us. Also, in our exploding world we do not agree on a whole lot. Even as I write, the Republicans and the Democrats are definitely exploding over our television.
Many towns are exploding over styles of leadership; churches are exploding over styles of music; people are exploding themselves and others in the official name of religion.
How the heart of God must hurt when politicians, churches and government put forth their individual agenda by using Him.
The eruptions of control are even hurting our families. Is this happening in your family? Listen up loving mothers, fathers and grandparents. Is someone controlling the other members of the close family relationship by trying to fix everything? It goes like this, “What ever he/she/ wants; he/she gets.”
How can one successfully grow in this “hot house” environment? God's Word instructs us how to grow. In the book of 2 Timothy the author tells us, “I have fought a good fight…”4:7a. That leads me to believe no one can “fight my good fight if I am to complete the course and keep the faith.” 4:7b
To those of us who are addicted to this learned pattern of behavior-controlling others in the name of love-there is hope. We can face-up to this destructive pattern and begin the healing process of balanced caring. When this happens, those we love are free to struggle in their personal “cocoons” to be made strong when they are free of adolescent restrictions.
May I turn the coin over today and pose a question to you who are the blunt of someone's tightly controlling power? How do you respond? Do you get mad and explode in rage along with the rest of our world? Do you stuff it in and withdraw in silence? I think that may be called “throwing in the towel,” “mark me absent”, “folding your cards.”
Why don't we just play these winning cards: recognize the explosive problem; refuse to overreact to the situation; stand firm in love; pray to be one with God's mind, motives, and movements. Finally, forbid your response to be an explosion of emotional driven actions. Allow it to be one driven by God's balanced Word.
Some of you reading this won’t have a clue about the next direction we will take. Others of you, who go by and live by the name of Christian, will instinctively understand.
The greatest explosion ever head was the explosion of love when our Lord died on a cross. This great explosion, heard from the cross of Calvary, occurred when God's saving and healing love met with the world's hate and destruction.
I believe this is what happened…God's heart was handed over to his Son's heart for the saving and healing of our hearts. Then, as new Christians, we were given a brand new heart filled with the dynamite of the Holy Spirit.
Most folks think of peace and rest and calm when the Holy Spirit comes to their mind. I also think of great conflict, disruptions and even destruction brought about when I ignore God’s instructions. I can warmly welcome these experiences when His exploding power of love takes place as I read God's Word and heed it. Remember you cannot heed it if you do not read it.
When you are eager to try this, get prepared for one big bang of GRACE…God’s resources at Christ's expense. These resources build us to be connected with Him in a love relationship. One ultimate warning, when this happens you had better get ready and step forward to receive this explosion of love. That, my friend, will be the greatest “ball of fire” you will ever experience. If you are a teacher, teach it. If you are a preacher, preach it. If you are a speaker, speak it. If you are a coach, coach it. Finally, if you are a writer, write it.
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