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  • You are here: Blogs Directory / Personal / Living In The Rockies Welcome Guest
    Living In The Rockies
          On he road to Cheley Camp, Estes Park, Colorado

    Mon, Jun 29th - 11:02AM

    Trade-Off



      In keeping with the theme of transparency, something I don’t just promise, let me share something practical for me that you may want to consider using for yourself. 

      I suspect that everyone is burdened with consistent failures in some areas of life unique to themselves.  One of mine is impatience.  And it’s not the big events that trigger it, but more often the pile up of little things during the week.  After a week of being thwarted in traffic and dropping nearly everything I touch, I’m usually ready to “blow” by the end of the week.  Afterwards, of course, I feel ashamed and guilt-ridden on recalling my un-Christian response.  The guilt and shame usually exact more of a toll than the initial outburst, and it often takes several days for me to level out.  The devil and his cohorts just love it!  I am so easy to trip up!  Are you like me in some areas of your life?   Well, try a trade…

      Romans talks of Christ’s life living in us.  Watchman Nee sums up his (vital) book, The Normal Christian Life by quoting scripture: ‘It’s no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me..’.  So let’s get practical with the concept. 

      Lately, when I’ve flubbed up (again), I ask God for a trade by praying, “I would like to trade You My anger for Your patience.”  Not much of a deal on the surface, but it focuses my view on Christ’s life in me, rather than my own (with all its failures).  Another good trade would be my pride for His humility, etc.

      So far, He has done the trade, and I’ve bypassed the guilt and shame almost entirely.  And let’s face it, if God were merely interested in bettering my Adamic life, why was my New Birth required?

      One thing I’ve gained from reading Watchman Nee’s cornerstone book – what God really wants is not to better my life, but to live His life through my body.  Why fix what was crucified with Christ? 

      So don’t let the devil burden you with your unique pattern of Adamic failure.  That life is dead and you can't expect the dead to be fixed.  You can, however, take the moment-by-moment opportunity to allow the life of Christ inside you to grow, and come forth in you as you live in this war zone. 

      We are only the ‘light of the world’ as we reflect His light – our own light will never be bright enough.

    John 

     

     

     

     



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    Tue, Jun 23rd - 11:27AM

    Consistently Inconsistent



      Today I’ve been considering how humans can always be counted on to be true to their word.  They are always where they say they will be, and always on time.  They almost always call ahead, and are never remiss in phoning with a change of plans.  Humans always say what they mean and mean what they say. 

      You already know the opening paragraph is baloney, don’t you?  I think it’s sad that it is – worse, it’s almost never true, even in part.  If you’re reading this you are probably familiar with the ancient and ongoing complaint of entrepreneurs all over the globe, “Good help is hard to find.”  Why is this, and what is ‘good help’?

      Recently I’ve been loaning out Christian materials to a few trusted friends.  Several days ago I heard of a need at a Christian Retreat Center nearby; the need of a piece of equipment I have in abundance.  I phoned and offered them (for free) the needed equipment.  Mind you, in both instances these are people I know are in “The Family”, and in both cases it is now apparently up to me to make sure I retrieve my materials and set up an appointment (again) for the equipment to be picked up. 

      I’m not complaining about these specifics, but my point is this:  if you want to be considered ‘good help’, all you have to do is be consistent – translation:  SHOW UP.

    I’m not sure why this simple point is so universally ignored, but as a part of God’s creation, humans alone are almost always consistently inconsistent. 

      Big deal, you say?  Consider this: if in fact our earthly journey is indeed a training ground for our subsequent Kingdom administration, this seems to be an overlooked lesson.  I can imagine God saying, “Good help is hard to find”, but how shameful to have Him confess this to the One who died for our Kingdom rights.  After all, He showed up for us, and He was on time.

      So here’s the summation: if you are among the majority who are consistently inconsistent, don’t imagine for a minute it is no big deal, because it is a very big deal.  God is looking for a ‘few good men’ – it’s your choice whether or not you show up.  When Jesus returns, He will return just as He said He would, and He will be on time. 

      I believe with all my heart that He will honor those who are consistently consistent.  Unlike God, we all make mistakes; miscommunications and oversights – we all forget from time to time, but I believe we can, and should choose to be reliable – it’s truly a Godly quality, and in rare supply here on Planet Earth.

      Be there, and be on time – He will.

     

    John

     

     



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    Tue, Jun 16th - 5:44PM

    Multi-Messiah Society



    Before I get into the body of this short opinion, let me state it’s my personal belief no American election gives anyone in our government a license to apologize for our dirty laundry before non-Americans.
    Having said that, let me also state that America is now in the process of pursuing national death, and doing so with daily increasing speed. In effect, we are quickly reaping what we have, and are sowing. To-wit: we are getting what we so richly deserve, and here’s why:
    From front to back, the bible clearly states that God is in charge of raising up nations, and – pulling them back down. He has His own plans and His own reasons, and ultimately no person, nation or power will ever rise above them. In effect, nothing will ever happen here on earth that will not fulfill His purposes.
    As such, it is necessary to acknowledge that America has always been until recently, unique among nations, strictly because that was God’s plan. So who failed and brought about the massive and escalating society-wide breakdown we observe in America today? Was God caught unawares?
    The Old Testament grossly details the story of the nation of Israel for many generations, and it shows the same patterns we see in our own country. Reading about Israel, their propensity for national failure was exacerbated by their desire for a king. God took that as a personal rejection of Himself. Israel wanted to be like the other nations – sound familiar yet?
    Now, I don’t believe I’ll be going anywhere overseas and apologizing for our country – but it certainly doesn’t mean the apology is invalid, only that it was given to the wrong Person. Let’s face it, American to American – we are extremely arrogant in our pride and self-sufficiency, and it’s no wonder many other societies don’t like it, or us.
    With some exceptions, as a nation we’ve had personal freedom, wealth, power, world-wide prestige, abundant resources, more than enough food, and generally, more than enough excesses in every area but one – real humility towards the God who called our country into being.
    America has always and only been “Special” for one reason: God brought about our country and gave us abundant gifts so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ would be spread throughout the world before the end. Our America was based on strictly biblical principles, and that’s our historically true foundation.
    And now, just like the biblical nation of Israel, we have faltered in our plenty, rather than our poverty, and we have done so because we began to believe we were solely and primarily responsible for our accomplishments, and in fact, deserved them. We pay God lip service, but we don’t strive to serve Him. Patting ourselves on our backs, we have effectively turned our backs on God. And here’s a flash for you: with that mindset in place and play – no political ideology would make any difference to our country. Without the God who put our country on the world’s stage, our root is cut and our reason for being, finished – the only lingering questions are how long will it take and how ugly will it be.
    I believe Christians have a responsibility to first represent the God they serve. Politically, I think Christians have a responsibility to bring our country back to our divine roots and God’s plan for this unique country. It really is, and always has been a simple issue of Good versus Evil. This is true of any nation, and right now the fight is the same for the soul of this country.
    Are we going to fulfill God’s plan for us, or are we going to further the gospel of Globalism?
    Which messiah will you serve?



    Comment (2)

    Tue, Jun 9th - 10:12AM

    Porn Enhancement



     Some days, it seems like the seamy side of our society floods over us like a tsunami of filthiness, and after watching the news channel last night and this morning, I think I’m barely afloat.  And here’s the rub: there actually is a lot going on in the world that is, and will continue to have a huge (no pun intended) impact on our lives – I just don’t think any of the answers to our problems will come out of the male enhancement industry.

      I sincerely hope we are a better, more value-filled country than depicted on television.  Good grief, the world as we’ve known it is crumbling around us daily and we’re concerned about our quality of sex!?  Is this possible?  If even remotely true, even Nero had the edge on us.  At least he fiddled.

      As much as I detest socialism and big government in any form, my ire goes over the top when subjected to the absolute invasion of indecent garbage that floods into my house and life when I try to find anything of real substance on television. 

      The entire “news” industry, Fox included, is now firmly the leading edge of the “entertainment” industry – I remember a time when it was news. 

      It seems sadly ironic that at a time in history when real news, as contrasted to the neighborhood events stories on the local channels, practically begs to be reported; a time when the entire news industry is reaching more people than ever through the “miracle” of electronics, that the presentation is more important than the stories.  Worse than that, for every minute of “news” presentation, we have to wade through a minute of the shallow garbage of male enhancement porn – yes PORN, and other drugs.

      There must be a ton of money flowing into the drug cartel of the porn industry for it to be so prevalent in our media.  But for our media to act as if it values integrity, while pandering to the porn industry so invasively, borders on the ludicrous.  It’s pretty obvious that media on almost every channel thinks we are truly a nation of morons.  Personally, it depresses me that they may be correct. 

      With enough heat, any metal can be molded and shaped in any form.  With enough outright lies, distraction stories and pornographic garbage, it’s likely our society will go down in history as the nation that disappeared from record – but with great sex! 

      What a legacy! 

     

    John



    Comment (0)

    Tue, Jun 2nd - 5:46PM

    A Great Divide



      Like me, perhaps you’ve noticed that people can only take so much “togetherness” before they need a breather.  Sex therapists have noticed the same trait, and it’s widely written about in their books.  I suppose the old, “cigarette after sex” is the well-used example.  Years ago, I had the opportunity to work with men (mostly, at that time) who desperately needed to band together for their own welfare, but the administration was more adept at dividing and conquering than they were at banding together.  The best they could come up with was a social club.  To further my own thesis, I turned down membership, because after 8 or 10 hours a day, I was in no mood for anything social.

      The country we live in does the same thing with the IRS laws and their ruthless enforcement.  As a collection agency, the IRS seems to be unequalled in intimidation, which works best when we feel we are by ourselves – and indeed, we are.  But if only 25% of the tax payers decided to act cohesively, how long would it take for the tax code to change?

      In my opinion, this human trait for space between social interactions is also being used against Christians every day.  We talk and preach about “Unity” and sometimes even “Community”, particularly concerning the early church record in the book of Acts, but I see no evidence that the concepts work well today – perhaps because, in part, the devil is the master when it comes to dividing and conquering.

      Maybe it would help some to recognize this as a possible ongoing and longstanding tactic of the devil.  In practice, I personally think it’s going to take a worldwide Christian persecution for this divide to fall, because that event will perhaps serve to put the Holy Spirit back in His rightful place in our lives and our churches. 

      Just as God is three persons, the Holy Spirit is rightfully just as important as the other two.  How or why we have put Him and His ministry on the bottom of the list is a mystery to me – unless the devil wants us to remain short-changed. 

      Are you comfortable (now, that’s a natural stop) being where we are in history and being relatively ignorant of the third person of the Trinity?  Isn't it like walking through a dark room and depending on someone else’s flashlight?

      Maybe we each need to recognize one thing and desire Another:

      1.  Recognize, there will be no Baptists in heaven (or Presbyterians, United  

           Pentecostals, Methodists, etc.) – there is, and will be only one Church Of

           The First Born (Heb. 12:23).

      2.  Personally, I want everything – and I mean Everything, God has for me,

           regardless of particular church doctrine or personal consequences.  He’s

           already called my name, and if He has other gifts for me – I want all of them. 

           In particular, I want the Holy Spirit to be unhindered to explode within me

           and manifest Himself and His ministry in any way(s) that pleases Him. 

           I’m not concerned how He does His job – my only job is to make sure it’s Him.

    John

     



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    Mon, Jun 1st - 3:12PM

    The Index Prayer



      I’ve always been one of those guys who thought he invented something, or had a new idea, only to find the ideas in question had already been invented or weren’t new.  But, as I always say – the invention or idea is new to me.  So here goes…my index prayer idea – submitted to you free of charge (nothing will arrive in the mail…).

      My current “invention” began over a week ago when I contracted a bumper crop of hives around my waist.  For those of you that haven’t had the pleasure, hives are large, splotchy patches of red, swollen skin, and they come on so fast you can actually see them appear.  They also have an intense itch, not unlike poison ivy rashes.

      I’ve been known to contract hives only under incredible stress, so this latest attack made no sense, since I had none.  Some people get hives as a result of being allergic to foods or substances, but none of his applied to me, so they were an aggravating mystery.  Within days, I learned that a friend of mine from church had been diagnosed with cancer, after suffering days with horrible abdominal pain. 

      And so, I began praying for my friend, and oddly enough in my experience, I actually felt called to specifically pray for this person.  I haven’t experienced a lot of intercessory prayer where I’m assigned a situation by God, but I began realizing this was one of those times.  And as I began the undertaking my own situation began to deteriorate. 

      First, the hives came back with a vengeance every day, after disappearing at night, then I went on a disastrous camping trip – one of those where nearly everything goes wrong.  Within 24 hours of getting home a day early from the camping trip, I backed through my garage door – after opening the other one!  This would have been hilarious – except it happened to me.  One of my ears lost it’s hearing after being clogged with wax (pretty gross – sorry), which was brought on when I thought the new ear infection could be fixed with a Q-Tip (don’t do this at home!).  Then a daily series of little accidents began to take its toll on my demeanor.  I finally got angry enough at the obvious satanic harassment that the Index Prayer idea popped in my mind.  In a fit of rage, I told the devil I would pray for my friend every time I was harassed, and suddenly, a light bulb went off in my spirit = Index Praying.

      Here’s how it works:  I prayed to God, and asked Him to remind me to pray about my friend’s healing every time I was harassed by any malady or accident.  For several days, the hives would pop out and I would thank God for the reminder and pray right then for my friend’s healing and recovery.  Now that the hives have subsided somewhat, I have asked God to remind me to pray for his healing every time I get impatient in traffic, etc.

      And guess what?  It seems to be working even better than I figured.  My friend hasn’t recovered yet, but I believe he will, and I know God will be faithful to remind me to pray for him.  I also know the devil hates this idea, so it really makes me happy to have had it!

      And now, as I write this it’s begun to hail on my cars…guess the result if they’re damaged!!

      So, for your edification, I give you my new idea.  It works in practice and makes God happy and the devil angry.  What more of a recommendation would anyone want?

     

    John

     

     



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    Mon, Jun 1st - 9:44AM

    The Meeting Place



      The experience of Salvation is strictly a “come as you are” affair.  I’m so thankful God didn’t make the event contingent on any of my own righteousness.  If He had, I’d still be beating myself up trying to be worthy of it.

      In the same way, although God requires faith of us, He doesn’t set unrealistic standards.  What a gift!  For example, a friend of mine has a lot more faith for God to heal him through doctors than he does for divine, sovereign healing.  A lot of his faith expectations are undoubtedly based on his Christian experiences and biblical training, but before I find some basis for criticism, perhaps I should consider how well he’s living up to his faith expectations – in comparison to how well I’m living up to mine.

      In my experience, I’ve seen God heal sovereignly and I’ve been healed that way, but some of my best testimonies include the right doctor, at the right place and time – quite obviously engineered by my Father in His great mercy towards me.  Fact is, and here’s the point I’d like to make – if we are totally honest with God, and use as much faith as we have – He will meet us where we are, not where someone else thinks we should be.  And if we do that, God will grow our faith into the flower that pleases Him every time He looks at it.

      The one thing I have to guard against is the “assumption” that God will only act within certain ways comfortable to me (since the death of the last apostle and the canonization of the Bible, blah, blah, blah…), for then my faith is limited, and has no chance to grow.  The truth is, my God is totally UNLIMITED, unless I choose to limit Him myself.  I do possess the ability to limit God’s participation in my life, just like I can be self-limiting to myself, and with either choice, I’m the loser.  While God redeemed me with his blood, He will not cease to be Himself just because it behooves me.

      My God is magnificent, and I should allow Him to show Himself as He is, in my life – that’s my job.  And I have to say, as I’ve told Him, I’m so very proud of Him!  I think we will find that if we live faithfully up to our current ability, and seek not to limit ourselves or Him, our faith can only grow stronger – by His grace.

     

    John

     

     

     



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    About Me

    Name: John Miltenberger
    ChristiansUnite ID: jmilty
    Member Since: 2006-08-22
    Location: Estes Park, Colorado, United States
    Denomination: Born-again believer
    About Me: Retired from Overland Park, Kansas and now living in Estes Park, Colorado. Another escapee from the Midwest!! Email: jmilty@q.com

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