The Landmark of resurrected dreams

Some things emanate from the very depth of our being. These are more than hobbies or interests. Bike racing is not one of Lance Armstrong's interests, its not even his employment, it's tied to his soul. Swimming is not something to do on a boring summer day to Michael Phelps. He lives to swim. We are endowed by our creator with a potential for passion. Every Olympic or professional athlete must "live" their game to climb that high. Pick any name from the top athletes of our day. You will find their sport is part of everything they do. Their diet, exercise, rest, it is all centered around the passion they live for. Just imagine Michael Jordon living as a donut-eating couch potato. His talent would die. Golfing's not leisure time to Tiger Woods.
As children we dream of living our passion. Go ask any child what he wants to be when he grows up and he will select from the highest rungs of society. I want to be.... President, Ambassador, Pro athlete, Firefighter, Doctor, Teacher, Actor... basically they say, I'm gonna be a hero! I'm gonna save the world. People will stand in awe of my accomplishments. I bring world peace, cure aids, cure cancer, make diet soda that tastes good, eliminate mosquitoes, make all fat people skinny, short people tall, remove all calories from donuts and candy, eradicate racism, and fix the weather! Ha! And that's just the beginning. Come on now, think back, (for some it's way back) you used to dream too. That fire once burned in your innocent soul. But what happened? Read that again slow. But... what... happened...? What happened to the dream? What happened to the passion? Where went the fire? Was it buried with a loved one? Crushed by a friend or parent? Stripped from your heart by a series of disappointments? When was it replaced by more "realistic" goals and less costly ambitions? You may not remember the day your dreams died, only to be replaced by mundane duties of life. You may not be able to remember the season but you know what I'm talking about.
Life will crush our dreams. Yep, I said WILL. There will be crushing pressure on your innocent passion. But that is the process of making a dream a reality. Just ask Joseph. Sold into slavery by his own brothers, (most of which wanted to kill him). Falsely imprisoned, betrayed and forgotten. But the very trial that came to crush him landed him smack dab in the will of God. Every passion will go through the fire of mocking persecution. It will be derided derailed and defamed. But if it's from God, it will live again.
I know what your thinking. Its too late for me. I'm to far along the road of life. That's what 80 year old Moses said at the burning bush. But God proved him wrong. He can prove you wrong too. He delights in it. But listen up, this is the difference. It may well be too late for "our" dreams, but it is not to late for "His" dream. You may not ever become Mr. Universe (the speedo would be scary!) It may be too late to be Ms. America. The athlete, doctor... cowboy or super hero may be a bit out of reach. But God's dream is not out of reach for you. God has a dream for you. A soul gripping passionate life encompassing dream.
This is the secret, "your" dreams are subject to the corruption of moth and rust. Your dreams can die to never live again. But the dream of God is as eternal as God himself. Though mocked derided, persecuted, beaten, scourged and crucified, the dream of God will rise again.
Have you answered the unreasonable, unrealistic, call of God. Have you warmed yourself at the burning bush of purpose only to walk away and trade for a demeaned token of religion? Gods dream for your life is never an interest, hobby or token. It is always a life consuming passion. Many will choose an easier less expensive road and thus accomplish little. But high on a distant hill stands a landmark to an unmovable dream. A landmark of terrible crushing that molded the greatest success. A landmark of a dream that stood the highest test of all of men's cruelties. All the way to the grave. All the way to Calvary. Where every dream died, but rose again. Won't you come to that cross, and let your dream live again.

Unfair

Unfair.
We have all heard or said at one time or another the phrase, "who said life was fair?" Yet when faced with injustice, we never cease to ponder why, or weep why, or scream why? Really, we do want life to be fair. And we somewhat expect it to be fair. And when some wrong slaps us across the face we are perplexed. Why, why me, why her, why now, why so soon, why so late. So life then is not fair, but is God? If God is fair and life is not, then is God not authoring life. So we ponder, is it my mistakes that brought this tradgedy? Is it my weakness, my faults? We look in, we look out. Its his fault, their neglect! And we look up and say God why? Some shake their fist at heaven, some grow bitter. Some bow their knee, and grow better. Yet still the why's go unanswered. Job was forced to face the unfairness of life. Left alone with boils and finger pointers, he respectfully pondered, wept, and screamed... why. He asked it from every angle, he looked in and out and up. Opinions flew like the hailstorm that killed his sheep. Emotions shook like the earthquake that killed his kids. But answers....? Not until the 38th chapter does Gods step in. But he doesn't give an answer. He gives some questions of his own. "Where were you when I made the heavens and the earth?" He asks Job about everything from stars to babies, from hail to sea creatures. Thus giving Job an unending list of things Job did not understand, that God fully understood. A list of things Job could not explain, that God could. A list of things completely out of Jobs hands, but safely in the hands of God. God's own list of hows, whats wheres whens and why's. To which Job could only reply " I do not understand ".
Is that ok with you and me. Are we ok with the idea that the list of things which only God understands is infinatly long. Can we with Job come to grip with the fact that God is not obligated to explain things to us? Can we survive not knowing? Will we grow bitter or better? Will we blame, or will we trust? That's the answer by the way, did you catch it? Gods answer to Job is the same answer he gives to you and me. A simple 3 words...
"Just trust me".

When its all for the Kingdom

When its all for the Kingdom we will not strive
But work together well
For the goal is great and the stakes are high
As high as heaven is from hell
When at Gods agenda we arrive
Motives are fast made straight
Selfishness and carnal pride
Are traded at gate
There we drop the "me" and bow to He
Who with purity derides
Every false and tainted way
For which he was Crucified
And will we step from religions boat
To the waters of faith and trust
To give control to him who holds
Each wave and every gust?
Or will we our little token give
And play the game of pride
Coated in religious shades
Our vanity to hide
And like the green fig tree who barren stands
A healthy yet worthless friend
To the hungry soul in fruitless toil
For his meaningless to end.
Will we together build the house
On the rock to forever stand
Or will we raise alone our own dream home
A mansion made of sand
Do sometimes we think to build for Him
But in truth its of our design
And we never see far beyond the "me"
To souls of the lost and dying?
When its all for the kingdom we will not strive
But labor without leaven
To give Him praise and exalt His ways
On earth as it is in heaven