I think that there are differing degrees to almost dying.  I told my wife; “babe, you don’t even understand how much I almost died”.  It wasn’t gratifying telling her the story because she wasn’t there and really couldn’t feel what I felt, although she humored me.  I have a theory that I almost die a lot and just never know about it because God protects me.  Actually, I think we are always almost dead but God protects his own on a constant basis.  A few weeks ago, my brother was in a horse riding accident and really did almost die worse than me this morning.  He is in a rehabilitation hospital in Albany, New York and God is healing him everyday.  Thank you Lord!  Clearly Graham, my brother, almost died way worse than me.  So maybe there are differing degrees of almost dying but either way, there is an inseparable chasm between being dead and almost dying.

As I avoided the car and pulled thru the intersection in a state of sober shock, I thanked the Lord for protecting me.  It hit me that He has a plan for me today.  Life isn’t an accident and he didn’t protect me just because he had the urge.  He really has a purpose and a plan for my life today, otherwise, it would have been lights out for me there in that intersection.  Furthermore, God has not fulfilled his purpose in Graham’s life here on earth, or else the accident would have taken Graham from us.

I am going to try to make it through today by remembering and trying to completely fulfill God’s purposes for me, today.  God actually has a plan for you today as well. If he didn’t, you wouldn’t be here.  You will probably almost die a lot today.  Life and death is real and that’s just the way it is.  Some people will die today, and the rest will almost die today.  Time will tell.

Be grateful for another day, and fulfill God’s plan for your life.  I’m going to.

-Rick

for updates on Graham visit:

www.prayforgraham.com

And he is good.

1″Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father

5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

8Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

9Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

1. “they say that…”
2. “besides, every knows that…”
3. “why don’t they just…”
4. “Did you here that…”
5. “They always…”
6. “It’s the same with the…”

I have decided that I am going to try and get better at not having my own opinions about stuff. Or at least not voicing them, but maybe even not having them at all. I think I’m gona try being more concerned with facts and less concerned with my views. Better yet, more concerned with individual people and less with any views. If I want to be heard, I will open Garageband, click on preferences, make sure that internal microphone is active, and record myself telling myself all of the unverifiable opinions that I can think about a certain subject. I will then burn this to a CDr and put it in my car and listen to me as I drive, like I do with demos and stuff. I will think that I am really smart and will probably even argue with myself about what I am saying. Regardless, I will spare those around me from having to hear me talk about stuff that I don’t really have a grasp on anyway. Opinions look like onions and onions give me heartburn and opinions make peoples breath smell.

hold me to it…

God is doing some amazing things in our Little Church on the northeast corner of Indianapolis.  We are becoming a catalyst for his blessing.  Our weekend services have become a haven for true worshipers and a beacon of hope to so many in our community that have been marginalized or turned off by church in the past.

Last night, I attended a service at Eastern Star, which is the largest church in our city.  I watched as Jeffery Johnson, the senior pastor, gave a check for $183,000.00 to Convoy of Hope, which will feed over a million people in Haiti.  This was due to a response by our church and many others in our city.

Jesus said that we feed him when we feed the “least of these”.  Well, there is no doubt that God is blessing.  We are seeing a move of the Spirit that is refreshing and awesome and we are starting to see that God is blessing our church in order that we might be a blessing to others.

It’s a dream to lead worship at a church like this.

Not empty religiosity, just people that want to be used and want God to move among them.

-Holy Dust

Most people that spend any time with me notice that I have my head in the clouds a lot.  I notice things in the sky; hawks, vultures, clouds, planes, stars.  I learn the cycles of the moon and just kind of pick up when its going to be full and when it is crescent; when there is a new moon.   Im not an astronomer and don’t know my constellations real well, but I do know what the star clusters look like and where the line up over my house.  And the difference places they sit in the sky at different times a year.  It’s not just some hobby that I have.  I notice the sky for two different reasons.

1. God Did It: God finds pleasure in painting the night sky.  I feel like if my Dad is into something, I should be into it too.  I feel like if I notice and am like, “Lord you are so mighty and amazing” he will get glory from my adoration.  I actually believe that the God that I love and worship and follow, really painted the night sky.

2. Jesus Comes Back In The Clouds:  Scripture tells us that Christ will come back just like he left, in the clouds.  When Jesus comes back, I want to see it.  I don’t want the dude next to me to nudge my shoulder and let me know.  I really believe he is coming back and that it really could happen at any moment.  Sometimes I gaze up the sky and wonder if today is the day.

I feel like each of us should lead lives that notice the sky and all the workings of nature around us.  Nature is what our heavenly Father is into.  And I want to be about my Dad’s business.  So, wake up and look up. Notice God around you.  Stop driving life so hard with your head down at your feet.  God does amazing things.

Psalm 8:3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have put in place, who is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

I read my bible and get really pumped up when I hear stories about King David when he says things like, “who is this Philistine who defies the armies of the living God”.  I’m like, YES, when I here Paul talk about how he is a prisoner in chains for the gospel, and how he would consider everything a waste compared to knowing Christ and being radically devoted to him.  But I got to be honest, I’m kind of jealous.  I feel like they had this super devoted and risky adventure of a life following Christ and I’m like buying non honey nut Cherios for my boys because they don’t need all the sugar in their diet.  I mean, I don’t want the organic band wagon to leave without me.

Furthermore, I see the kinds of global disasters that are happening all over the world that are exactly like the labor pains of the end times that we read about in Revelation.  I’m thinking that I’ve got to put all the cards on the table.  I’m the only thing standing in the way of a life that makes radical attempts and surrenders fully to God.  God will use my life in big and amazing ways as I give him all of me.  My hopes, dreams, ambitions.

I just wrote this song that puts it all in perspective.  It’s time we see ourselves as the disciples and apostles saw themselves.  All in; Fully surrendered.  God wants to use you to change the world, but first you have to say to Him, Im All Yours.

Im All Yours- By Rick Stump

A little clay, a little sand, the breath of God and I became a man.  I turned away, my heart went black, but God gave up his only Son and bought me back.  Jesus take my life and make it Yours.  Then use my heart to love this broken world.  Im all yours.  When I look, give me your eyes.  To see the poor and the oppressed here in this life.  And where I go, You go beside.  Turn every mortal step I take into divine.  Jesus take my life and make it Yours.  Then use my heart to love this broken world.  It’s amazing how this little ball of clay, could come to life and do the holiest of things.  And I have nothing I can offer you of worth.  But my dust is Yours, my dust is Yours.  jesu take my life and make it yours.

Have an awesome day!