When God Wants To

When God wants to drill a man,
And thrill a man,
And skill a man
When God wants to mold a man
To play the noblest part;

When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!

How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him

Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!

How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses,
And which every purpose fuses him;
By every act induces him
To try His splendor out-
God knows what He's about.

--Unknown Aurthor

Just thought this poem was so perfect! It so desribes our Salavation and God conforming us to His will.

Movies To See

Here are some great movies I have watched over the last few years. I have ranked them 1=Good, 2=got to watch it sometime, 3=Put it on the list, 4=Must See, 5=Foundational go get it today

Freedom Writers 4
Luther(2003) 5
King David 4
How to Know God 3
Beyond the Gates 4
The Final Inquiry 4
Gabriel 4
Into the Wild 4
Last Sin Eater 3
Kingdom of Heaven 4
The Gospel of John 5
Off the Map 2
The Man from Snowy River 4
The Cowboys 4
One Night With the King 4
A Good Year 3
The Ultimate Gift 5
Conversations With God 5
Amazing Grace 5
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room 3
Jesus Camp 3
Sweet Land 3
The Passion 5
Water 4
The Nativity Story 5
A History of God 4
Born Rich 4
Peaceful Warrior 3
God Grew Tired of Us 3
Braveheart 2
Gladiator 2

This list is not meant for entertainment purposes but to offer you and I an opportunity to feel our hearts, see our faith, and experience love. Seeing the pain, joy, and love of other's stories moves us to discover our own hearts. There is some much for us to learn about how life really is not just this surface busy life, where we are all just trying to get ahead or keep from going backwards.

I hope will at least watch the movies with a 4 and 5 next to them. As always if you have a 4 or a 5 rated movie drop a comment to me so I make sure I add it my list. Most of these movies where recommendations from others and I am eternally grateful for their suggestions.

Communication Break Thru

Once upon a time I awoke or better put opened my eyes, my mind, and my heart then did I hear God say to me “Mike my son I will Father you . I will show you your purpose. I will shine your gifts upon the world. You are mine and I need you build My Kingdom. Your prior attempts to fill your life with material things, and the pursuit of getting ahead, of financial freedom for yourself, career success, money and the useless pursuit of your ego. Those things of the self will no longer any part of you. I am the only thing that can fill you up and if you attain any of those things then it only happen through building My Kingdom.”

This simple summary is the story of how my life has changed dramatically. It’s not about some intellectual battle or revelation of my mind or something in particular I read or heard spoke but an overall communication from God. His deliver methods ranged from everyday experiences; conversations with friends and family, a movie or two, a bunch of great books including the Bible, and some awesome sermons in person and through podcasts. I must admit I laid everything heard and seen against the cold hard truth of my past life experiences. God’s communication to my human mind is somewhat like a puzzle. But once I understand how to arrange the puzzle pieces like organizing the straight edges first and so on does then God’s messages become much easier for me to understand. My only regret looking back is often he did communicate with me, I just did not listen or was unable for some reason receive his posts, probably because no one every taught me. It’s an amazing conversation now. Hey if want I will let you listen in!

Relationship

The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein

Supposedly a childrens book but much more than I can describe. Here is the video version of the book about 6 minutes long. Go ahead read/view it although I cannot be responsible for the outcome.




I read this book one night at a friends house and it grabbed my heart and squeezed it. Sometimes friends, lovers, spouses stagnate and some regress or deteriorate and what made a great relationship now does not work. We no longer fit together until we realize its not about fitting together but rolling side by side taking part in the STORY of each other's changes good and bad.

I am betting you felt some pain in your heart after reading this or for the rare person a feeling of satisfaction came over you. Which ever one I am glad it pierced your hear.

The Matrix- Red or Blue Pill CHOOSE

Here is a excerpt from one of my favorite movies. Oh there is so much to the this movie. Remember the seen when Neo choose what pill to take from Morpheus? The Red or Blue?
Pay special attention to the red text. I have placed in green text my take on what it symbolized for me and my walk with God.

He nods to Trinity (as Neo's teacher and battle mate she represents God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in one) and she exits through a door to an
adjacent room. They sit across from one another in
cracked, burgundy-leather chairs.
MORPHEUS
I imagine, right now, you must be
feeling a bit like Alice, tumbling
down the rabbit hole?
NEO
You could say that.
MORPHEUS
I can see it in your eyes. You
have the look of a man who accepts
what he sees because he is
expecting to wake up.

Ironically, this is not far from
the truth. But I'm getting ahead
of myself. Can you tell me, Neo,
why are you here? The Ultimate question we all ask about ourselves.
NEO
You're Morpheus. You're a legend.
Most hackers would die to meet
you.
MORPHEUS
Yes. Thank you. But I think we
both know there's more to it than
that. Do you believe in fate, (Do you believe you have a plan a fate set by God?)
Neo?
NEO
No.
MORPHEUS
Why not?
NEO
Because I don't like the idea that
I'm not in control of my life. (Our ego's don't want to lose control, so but deep inside us we realize we control nothing.)
MORPHEUS
I know exactly what you mean.
Again, that smile that could cut glass.
MORPHEUS
Let me tell you why you are here.
You have come because you know
something. What you know you
can't explain but you feel it.
You've felt it your whole life,
felt that something is wrong with
the world. You don't know what,
but it's there like a splinter in
your mind, driving you mad. (we all know there is something very wrong with our lives and we feel it, something has gone very wrong. We ignore it or cover it up with what culture(matrix) says should make us feel right or happy or fulfilled none of it works.)
It is this feeling that brought you to
me. Do you know what I'm talking
about?
NEO
The Matrix?
MORPHEUS
Do you want to know what it is?
MORPHEUS
The Matrix is everywhere, it's all
around us(our culture or better put Evil's Kingdom designed changed or modified to keep God's reality from us. He even sent his Only Son to show us how to take it back.), here even in this room.
You can see it out your window or
on your television. You feel it
when you go to work, or go to
church or pay your taxes. It is
the world that has been pulled
over your eyes to blind you from
the truth. (the truth of how God wants us to be like)
NEO
What truth?
MORPHEUS
That you are a slave, Neo. Like
everyone else, you were born into
bondage, kept inside a prison that
you cannot smell, taste, or touch. (the enemy is very good he works to keep of us slave by little things, white lies, pride, prejudice, keeping up with the jones, egos, and materialism, hate, self fulfillment etc.. )
A prison for your mind.
The LEATHER CREAKS as he leans back.
MORPHEUS
Unfortunately, no one can be told
what the Matrix is. You have to
see it for yourself. (Most of us cannot be told we have to experience the pain of living in the matrix before we can really know this)
Morpheus opens his hands. In the right is a red pill.
In the left, a blue pill.
MORPHEUS
This is your last chance. After
this, there is no going back. You
take the blue pill and the story
ends. You wake in your bed and
you believe whatever you want to
believe. (most choose the blue pill, to believe in themselves that they can figure why they were born, stuffing themselves in the false belief they can find it with God's help. Good Luck I have tried that way it did not work.)
The pills in his open hands are reflected in the glasses.

MORPHEUS
You take the red pill and you stay
in Wonderland and I show you how
deep the rabbit-hole goes. (Choose Red means choosing to walk with God and to serve Him and not what culture tells you. God will take you place you never imagine to dreams, fulfillment and ultimately eternal life in Heaven.)
Neo feels the smooth skin of the capsules, the moisture
growing in his palms.
MORPHEUS
Remember that all I am offering is
the truth. Nothing more. God offers you the real truth just try it. You can always go back to the Matrix. The enemy is always recruiting.

For those wanting to watch this part of the movie again. 4 minutes long.

Confessions - What's gotten in the way.

I must admit the things that have gotten between me and God in the past. Watch this video first before you judge me and watch it unil the end its worth it I promise. How about you tell me what has kept you from knowing Him!

Materialism
My Ego
Greed
Anger
Liquor in excess
white lies and blat ten lies dishonesty
the pursuit of women
perfectionist
trying to fit in
self fulfillment
not going to church
believing/thinking I don't need anyone I got it under control.

Sorry, this is part of my story. A great story I promise to tell you.