Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Hiking for glory...

My shoes are on and I am ready for the hike. Remember we’re pondering the phrase; Bloom Where You Are Planted. With a phrase that isn’t in the Bible but comes from the secular world I want to first answer a primary question we would all do well to ask more often. Is it Biblical? Then I will break the phrase apart and ask the basic questions such as, who, what, when, where and my two favorite questions how and why? We’ll start with breaking the phrase apart. Today let’s look at the idea of blooming. Is it Biblical? Who is to bloom? If it is Biblical to bloom then what are we to bloom?

Bloom is a verb in the phrase and it means to: 1.) to produce or yield blossoms; to flower; 2.) to be in a state of healthful, growing youth & vigor; 3.) to glow with color; health. With this definition in mind let’s answer the three questions for today. I can hardly contain myself from steaming right ahead, yet I am stopped by a whisper. God is whispering to me, “Let them!” He wants me to challenge you to do your own hiking. God is gently saying to me again, “Let them dig for treasure and share what I want to show each of them. Let them get on this forum and declare how awesome I am to personally teach them. Let them know Pam that it isn’t just you I can share great truth with. Challenge them Pam to open the Living Word.”

I am reminded of an encounter I had with my God several years ago. All at my request He gave rain, lightning and thunder. I thanked Him for being the giver of rain. I praised Him for His majestic hand that throws the lightning across the sky. I honored and recognized Him as the One that gives the roar to the thunder. He spoke to me afterward through a song, “He craves for at least His own to be mindful of Him, to thank Him for all things, and to recognize His power.” Nothing is random with our Lord. He is God and should be praised and thanked so much more than we do. I can’t help but think that He is personally giving each of us an opportunity to brag on Him. Will you join me? Hike with Him and then brag on all He points out to you and then declare it to others! Glory, He is so much more!

So here is your challenge: find the Scriptures that support the idea of blooming and why God would want us to.

Let me give you a hint think of blooming as bearing fruit, a state of growing --- what would the opposite be? What about glowing? Can I just share with you one verse? Phil. 2:15 “…so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe…” God wants all of His children to shine like stars in a crooked and depraved generation. Why?

Hiking can be laborious yet along the way you can experience a wealth of beauty and curiosities. If we keep trekking we’ll reach the summit and see, nope I must stop right here and ask you to close your eyes and tell me what you will see at the summit; breathtaking isn’t it? I know some of you are going to get on a roll and not want to stop, God says, “Go ahead.” Believe me that was the opposite of what I wanted to say, nevertheless I will be back soon to look at the rest of the phrase and answer more of the questions. Until then I am waiting expectantly to have some comments bragging or our glorious LORD.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

GLORY!

I was awakened one morning this week with thoughts swirling around the familiar phrase, Bloom Where You are Planted. Spring is in the air, yet I find myself in the dead of winter waiting for spring to arrive so that I can bloom again. I could hear God say, “Is that right?" Anytime God asks a question it’s our invitation to put on the ole hiking boots and put the feet to walking and climbing. Not exactly what one plans to do in the dead of winter.

Some of you are laughing and wanting to awake me to the fact it is almost May, not the dead of winter. I’m not talking about the earthly calendar but the spiritual calendar. Not about the outdoor occurrences but the personal circumstances. We’ve all been here and more than likely will be here again before our journey with God, this side of glory, ends. That being the case… I’m tying the laces on my boots. There is something God wants me to discover, to learn and then live. GLORY!