Martin Luther King Jr.

 Martin Luther King Jr. 

“Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge, which is power; religion gives man wisdom, which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals.”

“We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.”

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

How we see a person plays a dominant role in our relationship with them and our relationship with the world they are seeking to build.

Labeling a person, a triumph or a traitor, often is determined by the relationship we have with that person, which includes their ideas. Not liking someone often is grounded in not liking their ideas. Martin Luther King knew this, I believe. Jesus knew it too. Some of the greatest unifying people of history brought tremendous division.

That is why it is good for us to know people. It is good for us to get to know people before we form an opinion because if our opinions are based on a misunderstanding, miss information or based on the disagreement of ideas, we should know that. We should know why we don’t like them. We should know the basis of my anger or distrust is that I don’t like their ideas. I don’t like the way they protest. I don’t like what they represent. I don’t like them because they are not like me and have ideas that are contrary to my ideas.

And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, "Who do the people say that I am?" They answered and said, "John the Baptist, and others say Elijah; but others, that one of the prophets of old has risen again." And He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."

Luke 9:18-20 NASB

What 5 people are influencing your life and future today?

How can you verify that your idea about them is the correct idea?

Why are you tempted to think you already know the truth and you are the kind of person who doesn’t need to search things out, you already know?

Are those who have a different idea than you wrong, morally inferior, or just different?

Growing In Gratitude 12 Video Quotes

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https://goo.gl/boUM6D Link to "Growing in Gratitude" on Amazon.

What are your ruling Influences?

What are your ruling Influences?

If you're normal you have several. But we all tend to have one “go to”. One that dominates our being.

Most Christians like to think it is God, or maybe the Holy Spirit. And it is for some, or sometimes. But not for all of us. A form of self is the most common enthroned ruler of our lives. Self, not as in a self-rule, but in some aspect of our lives that is not under control, not under self-control.

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• ·        Fear of what others might think or say.
• ·        Rejection.
• ·        Anger and the feelings of power it generates.
• ·        Money or a sense of security or power.
• ·        Being respected or honor.
• ·        Feeling in control.

These are some of the kinds of things that rule our lives. They blind us to other options. They rule over our emotions. They determine what we call truth or right or good or just. Influences bias our lives. They make us see the world in a way they determine and then argue to our selves and others that that is the way the world is. It’s like our perspective is omniscient.

I’m reading through Luke 9:7-9 and wonder how am I like Herod? I’ve spent time pondering if I am like Peter or David or Paul. Truthfully, I haven’t spent much time wondering if I am like Herod, or Caesar, or Judas or a Pharisee. Seems I like thinking about the good or potential in me and not the possibility of evil or hate. Maybe it’s not me. Maybe I’m being influenced by my culture of “everyone is good”, no great, special and worthy of celebration. Honestly most of the time I’m not. But don’t tell the cultural police. And don’t tell anyone who will condemn me for being self-condemning. Nothing is so harsh as being judged by those who proclaim non-judgment.

OK, so maybe thinking about my evil has me writing from a dark place right now. That is the point. I can do that. I can write, read, think and influence myself and others from the dark place. Owning that help me be truthful and avoid false hope. False hope is like self-medicating. It is using my self to evaluate myself. At best it leads to comparison for evaluation. And when was the last time comparison helped someone become healthy? It’s great for determining hierarchy or for making the team. Comparison helps us find our place, to know our limits. But it has little ability to make us healthy?

Knowing why you do what you do can help us be healthy. Knowing that my God-given personality and passions are crying out for validation helps me understand how my heart affects my head. My vision of the world is important in the balance of things, in a community, in fellowship, and in leadership. Knowing that I am a part, not the whole is valuable too. But when I think that what I think is all the truth there is, I am in the dark.

You don’t know what you don’t know.

So, are you a person who is mostly influenced by getting things done? Are you the person that wants to do things, but they must be done right? Maybe your main influence is having influence, being valued? Or maybe life is good if everyone loves you if you feel loved, respected or connected?  

Even though we are made by God for God, we can live out of our created being, out of our personality, passions, and desires more than out of the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is hard to be that honest. It is hard to wait on God. Letting the Spirit of God lead and not simply bless, and help is tough. Most of the time I want the Spirit of God to lead. Sometimes I don’t. I don’t trust the Spirit to make me happy, to make me feel valuable, to give me what I want.

There seems to be an epidemic today making God into the kind of being that makes us happy and gives us what we want. Rather than seeing the Spirit making us into what God wants, we have our spirit making God into what we want. And why shouldn’t we? Doesn’t he want to give us the desires of our heart? Doesn’t He want to meet all our needs? Doesn’t He want to exalt us and sit us with Him in heavenly places? Doesn’t God want us to use His love for us as a tool to get what we want, what we deserve?

It’s hard to see God rightly and then look at yourself and see anything of value. Our value comes, not in our being, but in His love for us. We are a treasure because He treasures us. I know many people will say otherwise, but what is man that God is mindful of him? It’s not the whole picture, but it is worth pounding

the dark side, the worthlessness of mankind so that the love of God for us is magnified, not justified.

Finding God Next to Me

Finding God Next to Me
The release of a book of exercises to help you connect with God.

Filled with a verity of connecting forms.
Taken from one of my journals, exercises I used to fellowship with God.






Finding God Next to Me

Amazon Authors Page

Desire Change and Change Desires

Desire Change and Change Desires

As a Christian, I have long been challenged to not let my desires choose what I do. This comes from the basic truth that we are broken and sinful people so if we let desire have its way, we get more brokenness and sinful actions. But that basic truth bumps up against another basic truth. Desires drive us.

 A person who has lost all desire is not a person we call whole or healthy. The absent of desire is just as evil as the promotion of desires not in harmony with God’s will. And there is the stabilizing point – God’s will. While some people have a basic objection to “too much passion” others have an issue with too little. God has no trouble with either. But God longs for us to act, with passion, in harmony with the life He has placed in us. A life that often tries to emerge even before it is spiritually alive.

It takes some effort to become aware of our real-life desires. The lessor desires of this world, of momentary needs, of crisis conditions, all mask as important, even urgent. Often it takes a rare moment to open our eyes to see what we truly desire. A moment of revelation as we ponder the night sky, face the terror of a night spent in the ditch during a winter storm or lie in the hospital awaiting surgery, are often the moments of clarity we need. It’s not that these are the only time clear insight is available to us. But it tends to be the times we are available to them.

What do you desire to know, to understand?

What passion for life burns in your heart?

What strong desire do you find placing "on hold" so that you can manage the events of life?

What fear rules your passion?

Face your fears and allow your passions in harmony with the will of God to grow.

Some of the common ones are fear of rejection or failure, fear of looking bad or disappointing others. We may fear success and the responsibility success might bring or fear we are nothing if we are not everything we imagine ourselves to be. Find ways to take action against those fears. Open the door to confronting them in daily life.

For me naming a desire helps to give it life. If I can identify a desire, name it, I can start to see how that desire fits into the will of God. And I can see if I have made boundaries that God has not made. Sometimes we can build fences because we think God is more like our parents, leaders or friends when our parents, leaders, and friends are working hard to be just a small example of God. We miss-judge the God in them we see as all, and not part. Consequently, we often reduce what God is to us by what God in others is being displayed.

If you want to be more alive in this next season, let the desires in union with the will of God for you come alive. Look at your real life, your real situations and look for passions that motivate you. When you find yourself hurting others or out of step with the good people of your life ask God for help identifying motivational passion. You will often find a good desire without boundaries or a desire pursued in an ungodly way, not a bad desire itself.

What kind of person do you want to be?

What things has God put in you to help get you there?

What desires do you have that fear has held captive?

I am not good

But I was made good

And I will be remade good again

I desire it to be so

Want to change?

Changed

It is that time of year when many of us plan to change. The truth is, few of us do. Or at least we do not change in the way we planned. We plan to change our diet and hope that changes our weight or health.  But then our friends come over with leftover holiday pie and treats. We feel bad about rejecting their gift so we fill our refrigerator and later our mouths with their love/pie. And that was a change of plans.

Change never ends. We all are changing, aging, learning, and dealing with circumstances new today that were not their yesterday. The snowfall and your back pain require a change of plans. The budget and the holiday bills require some adjustments. A fear or a faith, a desire or suffering, all bring to our lives change. And it happens almost every day.

So why is it hard to change? Why can’t we make changes we desire when we are actually changing all the time?

When change is a part of our lives, we adapt and except. When we plan it, we are required to supply both the motivation and the new conditions. Conditions meaning the new actions or way we want to live. When life supplies the conditions we only need to be motivated to get through. So when life changes us naturally we need half the energy and willpower that we need when we are the ones seeking to both supply the motivation and conditions. 

So if you want to change, get help.

But let’s be honest. How do we usually treat those who are helping us do what we said we wanted to do? How do we treat our family and friends when they remind us that we don’t want to eat or drink that? How do we emotionally relate to people keeping us accountable, who check our computers, our bank records, and our recently watched list?

So now we have even more stuff on us. We want to change so we need to supply the motivation, the conditions that will allow the change and the new emotions to deal with those helping us change. Add to that a little rejection, a little defeat, a little pride and some self-love and you have the formula for almost any good resolution lasting 27 minutes.

I’m not an expert on change. But I am an expert on trying things. This is what I am going to try this year. In fact, I have been trying this for a little while. I am not going to try and change. I am going to try, and BE CHANGED.

All through the Bible, we have stories about God changing people. Sometimes he changes their circumstances to change them. Sometimes He changes them through relationships, sometimes through a move of the Spirit. I am signing up to be changed by God. To invite God into my life on a formational lever and ask His help in supplying what I need to change. Supplying circumstances, emotions, accountability, and motivation.

This doesn’t mean I am placing all the burden on Him. I’m not about finding an easy way. Only a Godly way. A way that is authentic. I’ve tried the old soul power and the willpower methods. I’ve tried the methods of meditation. And since I am an expert at trying, I am going to give God a try. I’m going to make the Creator the main resource in my development and give Him full access to my life. Even if I don’t like it.

What does that look like? It looks like me and God. If you try it, it will most likely look like you and God. Since you are not me. God is personal you know. So, life in God is not a one-size-fits-all even though all His ways are true and just for all of us.

So, I am going to look for God’s help and direction in all the ways He tends to work in my life. I will look for God to motivate me through conviction and direction. I will look to find my strength in Him when I am weak and want to quit. I will try to live more for Him than for myself. Seeing what I do as His will and not just my desire. I will be open to sacrifice and suffering. I will try and allow God to meet my emotional needs and not have my needs met by my own activity and means. I will not fear failure but work through failure with hope. And I will enjoy, rejoice, be glad and celebrate as much as I can. Joy in the Lord will be my strength more than joy in Rod.

This may not work. But I’m giving it a try.

Hey, if you need something to read while you are being changed I would love for you to read one of mine. Click here to go to my author's page and see if anything interest you.

Reed Drury Update 12/25/2017

Day 1 (India)

When I first arrived in India I was shocked at how early the culture was moving.  We got out of the airport at 5 am with no sun even close to breaching the sky and there were more people than a normal weekend day in the city. Everything is fast pace during travel, seems like everyone’s in a hurry to be somewhere. The technology is about 10 years behind (at least) and I’m staying in one of the nicer areas. Driving through what I thought was the slums it looked as though poverty had made its home there for a long time. Wild life is a part of every day culture here and you will see it constantly, animals are almost as populated as people here. The first day I was shown my room and then left for the day alone in something resembling a jail cell with metal beds and bucket showers. I still found myself being grateful for the opportunity to one be alone and once again build my relationship through intimacy and full dependance on God and two because the missionaries responsible for my salvation and my countries salvation all endured something that would make this place look like a million dollar estate. I’ve been alone all day so far with a few books and a roof top view of about a half block of the neighborhood. I find my mood becoming a lot different inside but taking my books and my prayers outside puts a smile on my face and a feeling of God's presence. I’ll be staying away from the others in my team for about 3 days because I’m the only male. I plan to use this time to the best of my ability and cherish the moments of silence with God. I find myself looking forward to the day when I have times of different activities such as Bible reading, listening to worship, listening to sermons, going outside, reading, cleaning, showering, etc. I think my brain works better this way. I’m going to try and journal every day as a way of self reflection. God's got a heart for India, and I can’t wait to share his thoughts and emotions with the people. P.s I’ve killed about 50 spiders and I hope tomorrow it’s only 30.

Day 2 (India)

I woke up around 4:30 am to take the usual bucket shower and start the day with a devotional. Reading through John chapter 15-16 was refreshing to my soul, the Holy Spirit is our representation of Jesus and seeing how the Trinity is talked about by Jesus is amazing. At 5:30 my ride picked me up, and we walked through the neighborhood to a main street where we road by auto, which is a three wheel local transportation. We went to the local river which has been dry for over 20 years. The river has been a place of sacrifice both for animals and humans. There are probably 30 visible coffins on the river bed as we walked along the bridge of the river praying for the city and that the people would humble themselves and accept Jesus as the one true God. There has been recent water in the river but much of it is still dry and covered. It was a beautiful time of prayer. I can imagine the streams of living water covering the sacrificial offerings as a testimony of God's power. I’m sure the enemy was trying to attack us, but I felt nothing but confidence in Christ and his love for these people. Then we gathered to share words of the Lord over some authentic chai. After this I was taken home for a few hours where I wrote a sermon over Ephesians 3:12-20. Had a wonderful time in the presence of the Lord with peace drawing me to sleep. After I woke up we went to the girls' house where we had worship and intercession. Although I am sick, I feel his presence all around. The culture is amazing and very hospitable. Tomorrow we will have outreach.

Day 3 (India)

Road a bicycle to the girls' house thinking I would wipe out the entire time. It’s super intimidating. Ate breakfast and read a little Grahm Cooke. The story of Jonathan and his armor bearer is wild. Got some great insight about friendship out of that. Today we went to the leper colony. These people have been isolated by society and are forbidden to enter the city. What a great time it was to love these people. The gift of physical touch was amazing to them; this is something they lack and miss. Nobody ever hugs them, so I took this opportunity and hugged every single one of them and prayed over so many. We did a skit and a few songs for them, and then I had the privilege of sharing the gospel with a translator. I trust God to bring an increase to the words spoken. Some were brought to tears because  of the affection we were able to show.  Love is so pure when there is nothing in return. We had the amazing opportunity to love without receiving anything in return except the sharing in God's love for them. Tonight we have Bible study at the host family's house. I have been reading Tozer recently and becoming very challenged by his thoughts, God bless that man. I bought a new testament dictionary for Greek and 5 Tozer books and 104 sermons book and a counseling Bible verse book. I’ve been reading a pretty good amount recently, and it’s been good. I’m excited to see where this trip leads next. God help me help others. Heard God.s voice in a really cool way. We had a Bible study at Charles house tonight and some locals came, and I was able to get a download from God. I felt like he wanted me to tell him that his little sister was going to be saved, so I asked him if he had a sister and he said yes and then I asked if she was a believer and he said she’s searching, and he said she was younger and I was able to share God’s heart for her and he was taken back. He said he used to lay hands on her while she was sleeping. So Lord save Preeti.

4 (India)

Woke up with tons of mosquito bites which was super annoying.  Had normal prayer and worship in the morning, and I read my Tozer book. I’m on chapter 4 now; he’s amazing and has really been challenging my view of God and taking him out of the box I put him in.  I now realize that is so wrong of me. James, the other guy here, is leaving for two days so I have to stay in a house all by myself which is not exciting for me. We got to go on outreach to a village out in the middle of nowhere. The kids love me. Almost 40-50 women asked for prayer for healing, and I’m faithful God will move. Everyone is so hungry for God. They just won’t accept his deity. After outreach I felt a little attacked spiritually but Daywe prayed, and I felt better. The weight of being alone was bothering me. The kids are truly amazing and so cute. I taught them all to do fist bumps as greetings, and I love it! We handed out saris which are like a dress, to all the women of the village. I have such a heart to see them touched.

Day 5 (India)

Didn’t sleep till maybe 3 am last night and was coughing so much I threw up. I don’t know if my asthma is being triggered or if I’m sick, but it’s horrible. I have had it ever since the fire at the base but last night it was so much worse. I still committed my every breath to God because he is the giver of all life. Without him I would be nothing so whether in sickness or in health I will praise him. Felt the presence of God in such a strong way this morning. They all prayed for me and sang over me and it was very touching when I felt God's love. Continuing to read Tozer's book and man he is so profound. He is challenging me, and I’ve had so many things I’ve been reading line up with my struggles that I just see God's hand in my studies and him speaking to me. Tonight we go back to one of the villages we went to last night to play with the kids, hand out clothes, sing songs and play games. Still feeling kind of sick but better.  I’ll be praying for my ability to sleep tonight. Rest is crucial. Today I started my fasting for outreach. I will be fasting every Friday and Tuesday. It’s going well but got kinda freaked out because my awareness of end times. But after talking with people it helps me so much. When I verbalize my thoughts I can see the errors. I’m questioning how come God is not healing me, but I will continue to worship in my trials.

India has stolen my heart ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Riz8QMVzQH

— Lx2 (@ReedDrury) December 22, 2017

Day 6 (India)

Today we had about 20 little kids come over for lunch, and we got to play with them and share the gospel. Everyone in this culture accepts prayer freely. I’m getting over my sickness and that’s helping my attitude but being tired on outreach is a killer. One of my teammates was taking a nap resting, so I decided to do her work she was assigned so she could rest, and I think it meant a lot to her. I’m trying to work on husband qualities here because I feel like it’s a good opportunity to see who I am. You are only as strong as when you’re tired and hungry in a different country with no luxury’s. Hah. Tomorrow is church, and I’m excited. We had worship practice tonight, and I’m grateful for being around musicians. Hopefully I keep sleeping well. The kids here are so amazing. I love hanging out with them.

Day 7 (India)

Today we had church, and I played in worship on the jmbe. I got 4 words from the Lord and 3 of them hit very, very well. One was radically on point,  so that’s amazing. Tonight we have a little pot luck thingy. I believe it will be good. It’s weird being in Christmas season without any friends or family. Today a team member made a comment that offended me, and instead of saying something else, I washed the dishes she was assigned to do and prayed for her. This wasn’t fun, but God told me to so I’m glad I obeyed and blessed her. I miss family and friends. but I trust God to develop me so much during this time. He’s been dealing with a lot in my heart about who he is and that’s really good because one wrong idea about God can change you’re entire belief and screw up everything.

8 (india)

It’s a little weird waking up on Christmas morning in an entirely different nation. The streets were still moving this morning. This country doesn’t take the day off for Christmas; the temple worshipers were still praising their gods, the dogs and cows were still eating the trash on the side of the road, the hotels which are places to buy food were still open and running with normal hours. It doesn’t really feel like Christmas. I walked over to our host family's house for a small worship and teaching.  After we enjoyed the usual rice cakes. No sausage, eggs,
bacon, pancakes or biscuits this morning. Although the tone is heavily different I am choosing to be happy because this is the first year in awhile where I have fully centered on Christ and the amazing miracle of him humbling himself to give us life. I’m so grateful that we get to reach out to the least of these. Today was probably my most emotional day so far. We packed shirts, pants and dresses for an entire leper colony. They never see people or get to touch people because others think they are cursed and contagious. As we handed out the clothes we told them about how they are temporary but that God's love is everlasting. We sang songs and they actually led a song praising Jesus for providing for them. We were able to pray and bless every single one of them as we handed the clothes out, with tears streaming down my face I felt God's heart for these lost peoples. His love overwhelmed me, and their choice to worship God during utter rejection and trial was way too powerful for God to not take the opportunity to show up. Here I am a 6”4 white guy with tattoos, long hair and beard balling my eyes out hugging these men, and I look up and they are crying with me. It was so beautiful to be able to give them the gift of physical touch and to share in the love of Jesus with them. I will forever remember today. I will always remember the faces and the eyes looking at me as they felt something so real that I can’t help but believe it will change their life

Reed will be doing an short intern with Rick Drury in March, followed by more training and discipleship at a school of worship in Orlando FL. Prayerful consideration for support is appreacated. Your giving can be sent to Peoria Christain Fellowship Church, 610 Abbington ST. Peoria IL 61603 Thank You.