Got to reflecting and created this today…
The Path To Personal Growth With Jesus
© Lee Wise All rights reserved
The discipline of listening to your heart before the Lord,
paying close attention to the patterns of your life,
accepting truthfully what you see,
looking forward to what you would like to see,
and making a solid commitment to change
both what you must and what you will in Christ.
Here’s something I wrote a while back.
Enjoy,
Lee
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Praying For Others
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Joining the heart of God
with the needs of man
© Lee Wise All rights reserved
On Building Legacies…
©Lee Wise All rights reserved
We forge legacies one step at a time.
In and out of life’s muddier moments,
During days we call “sunshine days,”
And times when the beauty of sunlight
seems more of a dream than any shred of reality.
We make choices,
Share stories,
Enjoy laughter among friends,
Know the meaning of success,
And tolerate failure the best we can.
Traversing through these many, varied
and ever-changing mini seconds of our lives…
We call out to Jesus.
We cry out for strength, wisdom, health,
mercy, and grace to make it over the long haul.
We desire to leave legacies.
Good legacies.
Legacies of love, trust,
surrender, gratitude,
and faithfulness.
Why?
Because in serving the God of all grace,
we know that in the end only two things
really matter…
Really.
Loving God
And loving the people He created.
“Our loving Father… make us strong.
Strong in time until time ends for us.
In the timeless name of Jesus we pray.
Amen.”
____________________________
© Lee Wise All rights reserved. You may freely distribute
this article. However, the copyright box in Signature One
must be used when you do so (See Signature Boxes page)
Encouragement…
© Lee Wise All rights reserved
Knowing I have been used by the Lord
to enrich the lives of those
He has entrusted to my care
“Oh, Lord, I know that encouragement can be such a simple thing – and yet so meaningful. Show me how. In my own way. When you want me to. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
At least the title fits for the season! More importantly,
I believe it reflects the quality of our lives as we strive to
live with Jesus.
May the Lord bless you in all things today!
Lee
Travel At Its Finest
©Lee Wise All rights reserved
The earthly journey I take with Jesus
while faithfully refining His gifts,
feeding His sheep, and seeking His future friends.
Hi,
I think this speaks for itself. Enjoy!
Sustaining Your Personal Spiritual Growth Through Trust
© Lee Wise All rights reserved
Recently our pastors decided to share their journeys with
the Lord by developing a series of talks around this theme:
“If I could tell you one thing.”
Retracing segments of their walks with Jesus, we joined them
as they stopped at various places and invited us into their
worlds.
Worlds shaped by high and lows, joys and disappointments,
longings and discoveries.
While casually enjoying our individual orders at a favorite
restaurant, my wife asked me: “What would you say, Lee?”
Uncharacteristic of me, I answered:
“If I could tell you my ‘one thing,’ it would be to trust
God no matter what.”
Life doesn’t always make sense and at times seems to make no
sense whatsoever.
I fail.
People fail.
And sometimes pain management seems more appropriate than
the term “life management.”
Then again, life dishes out unexpected blessings, periods
of joy, laughter and what might be termed on purpose living.
In a word: things go well.
During each of these very distinct seasons of life, I
strive to:
1. Not seek for answers, but only for God.
2. Rejoice when I can rejoice.
3. Mourn when I must mourn.
4. Pour out my heart to God when I’m not gettin’ it.
5. And trust the Lord through it all.
Should you be able to visualize my pilgrimage, a Christian
flag draped over my shoulders while relishing in a series
of victory laps around the playing field of my life you
might not see every day.
No don’t get me wrong: you definitely would witness those
“victory laps.”
However, you would readily note other races marked by
failure, confusion, false starts, and heartache.
And should you hear the heartbeats of my life during those
many and varied stages of my years with Jesus, you might
hear such “words” as:
“Lord, I affirm my trust in you.”
“Thank you for working. I recognize it’s you.”
“God, I’m really having a rough time with this one. Really.
Honestly, you’ve got to wrap your arms around me and carry
me through. Help me to trust. I choose to, but it’s tough.”
Writing this at the age of 62 I can easily say, “I don’t
have this trust thing mastered.”
But I can in all honesty say this: trusting God and trying
to turn to him in all things — as opposed to away from him
– continues be a cornerstone of my personal spiritual
growth: my faith walk with Jesus if you please.
And if I could say anything to you dear follower of Jesus,
it would be this:
“Seek to trust him no matter what.”
Ask for strength and go to the God of all strength for your
strength (Psalm 18:1).
Don’t demand answers to everything, but in everything seek
to follow the God of all grace who bought you with the
precious blood of Jesus.
And keep going.
Keep running, walking, stopping, and even collapsing with
Jesus.
“Oh, Lord, help me to trust you with all my heart. So easy
to write and yet so hard in practice at times.
I have no idea who might read this short piece, but I ask
you to strengthen he or she to walk in the way of trust.
And strengthen me to walk in the same way during my journey
of faith and trust — even though my path differs from the
one whose eyes have found their way to these reflections.
I thank you, Father: with all my heart I thank you for my
life in Jesus. In his name I pray, Amen.”
May you and those you love find rest in the Lord,
Lee
P.S. You might want to visit Lamentations 3:22-24 and Psalm
62:1-2.
____________________________
© Lee Wise All rights reserved. You may freely distribute
this article. However, the copyright box in Signature Three
must be used when you do so (See Signature Boxes page)
I trust you will enjoy this article even though it is
a bit longer than normal.
Lee
On Matters Of The Heart
© Lee Wise All rights reserved
Joining the song of many authors sharing their insights in
the fields of personal success and self development, I trust
we would sing in unison a chorus entitled…
“Matters of the Heart Matter Most.”
Another tune creatively shared and expanded upon by many
would reflect the closely related theme revolving around the
passionate plea to “follow your heart” should you seek the
true meaning of success and the experiential knowledge of a
fulfilled life.
And to this I *might* stand in agreement but *only* with the
following modification in place:
Matters of heart do matter most but only when the heart
strives to be…
Motivated by love,
Rooted in the highest values of life,
Held in check by integrity,
And kept in balance by grace
because it understands the meaning of
being forgiven as much as it does
the practice of being forgiving.
I hear of dissatisfaction in the supermarket while standing
in line, see heartache in the the lives of people because of
broken trust, and watch “in your face” reality TV pit one
person against another…
Demanding their rights,
Doing whatever it takes to obtain larger sums of money,
And proclaiming their independent strength as if the King of
Kongs suddenly found his or her way into the body, mind and
soul of the latest contestant.
I witness the fallout when people “follow their heart” to
someone other than the one they pledged to cherish should
life prove to be more downsized than upscale on the street
where together they now live.
And yet those left behind often inherit a legacy of grasping
on to what left over emotional and physical strength they
realize only to realize that the struggle to understand and
maintain a sense of inner peace and confidence will most
likely be a life-long battlefield on which they must fight
and for which they never enlisted.
A pessimist I am not, and my glass does not remain in a
continual state of being half empty instead of half full.
I listen to the pleasant sounds of birds outside my house
entertaining me with their songs of joy and encouragement,
Hear and enjoy the laughter of my grandchildren, rejoice
over and over at the joy in the eyes of my wife,
And sing way, way too loud and off key within the
closed-windows-while-the-song-blares-LOUD in my oriental
Lincoln (1995 Suzuki).
In brief, I do love and appreciate…
Life,
Many people,
The family entrusted to my care,
The neighborhood where I live,
My church where I worship,
And my country.
But my heart experiences a measure of sadness and
frustration as I witness the on-going promotion of a “follow
your heart” and “I am the greatest” set of philosophies
that…
* Flaunt false pride instead of respectful humility,
* Personal dominance over personal concern for others,
* The pleasure of self-indulgence over the pain of self-control,
* And striving to win what matters least at the expense of all
that matters most.
And what does matter most in my opinion? You read my answer
at the beginning of this article.
My answer is: “the cultivation of a good heart.” A heart…
Motivated by love,
Rooted in the highest values of life,
Held in check by integrity,
And kept in balance by grace
because it understands the meaning of
being forgiven as much as it does
the practice of being forgiving.
This cultivation of a good heart knows little of a street
named “Without Struggle,” and even less of one bearing the
title “More Convenient Than Not.”
Many times what which holds the most value also contains the
seeds of that which demands the most effort.
And so it is with the determination to preserve, protect and
nurture a good heart.
I imagine you to be one of the many precious individuals who
places a high price tag on such an effort, and to you I
stand in applause while encouraging you to stay in the game.
And yet we both hold these truths to be self evident:
We won’t win every play on the field.
Nor will we give a sterling performance during each act of
the play.
But we remain convinced of the inherent value of taking our
best shot at maintaining and passing on to several
generations beyond our own the enduring legacy of a good
heart.
The best to you my friend: the very, very best.
Lee
___________________________
© Lee Wise All rights reserved. You may freely distribute
this article. However, the copyright box in Signature Two
must be used when you do so (See Signature Boxes page)
I posted a few thoughts on another forum in response
to a question that revolved around how do we show
love for Jesus in our everyday worlds.
My answer is below. Enjoy.
I would agree that one very tangible aspect has to do
with being obedient.
However, I might add that love for Jesus manifests itself in
a variety of ways. Love expresses itself so many ways in a
quality, growing relationship.
Therefore, I would include such things as the following in
my ever changing definition of what loving Jesus means in
practice:
Turning to him as opposed to away from Him in difficult
times,
Relating to him by bringing him into my everyday life by
conversing with him throughout the day,
Expressing joy to him for the simple reality of his
presence,
Dedicating my responses to him in the good times, the not-
so-good times, and in the simply awful times,
Reflecting gratefulness to him for so many, many things that
he gives me,
Sharing with him my deepest joys, sorrows and everything
else that lies somewhere between those to deep seated
emotions;
Trusting him when trusting falls far, far beyond easy on
the “things that are easy to do scale,”
Releasing to him all of the unanswered questions that
find themselves appearing on the emotional screen of my
inner being throughout the varied stages of my journey on
earth with him,
And worshiping him through everything that was just
mentioned — and more that could be mentioned — because, in
essence, I reflect love to him by determining to live with
him and for him…
During every time and season of life:
The beautiful ones,
The ones marked by the ugliness of pain in all its forms,
And everything else in between.
When Faith Lives
© Lee Wise All rights reserved
Beauty and ugliness do coexist
when walled in by a living faith:
A faith that trusts God
as life dishes out more…
Pain than pleasure,
Sorrow than serenity,
And a mess more questions
than a nice, neat, crisp list
of one sentence resolutions
for the pains of a hurting heart.
Here’s part two of the article I wrote a while back.
May the Lord bless you and those you love,
Lee
25 Life Lessons From One Who Lived It Exceptionally Well
Part Two
© Lee Wise All rights reserved
As mentioned in Part One, identifying the characteristics of
one of the most influential persons in the history of the
world can be a fascinating and challenging process.
Therefore, as we take one more extended glace at the book of
Philippians, I encourage you to continue seeking the One who
invaded Paul’s world, broke him, and captured his heart by
grace.
In your attempt to absorb a few brief snapshots of this
man’s remarkable way of processing life with his Savior,
invite Jesus to:
Fill your heart with his love,
Capture your heart by his grace,
And strengthen your heart with hope.
The remaining 13 examples of living an excellent life only
begin to uncover the depths of wisdom parked between the
pages of a small letter we know as the book of Philippians.
May the Lord give us grace to…
Cherish these 104 verses of Scripture,
Visualize how he worked in Paul’s life,
And respond in ways that please his heart.
~~~~ Life Lessons, Part Two ~~~~
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13. Consistency
Should we label faith as one of Paul’s Hallmark virtues, a
close second would be consistency: steadfastness marked his
service for Christ. (1:20; 3:3:12-14).
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Strive to be a consistent person.
Consistent in your walk with God,
In your family relationships,
In the work place,
And in your places of ministry.
________________
14. Influence
He had confidence in his ability to influence those in his
“caring circle,” and he exercised that confidence (1:22).
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Endeavor before the Lord to grow in humble confidence and in
using your growing confidence to influence the lives of
people in a positive manner.
Obviously, we cannot influence everyone in every way.
However…
You can influence someone in some way.
________________
15. Suffering
He understood that pain as well as pleasure envelops the
lives of those who seek to walk in the ways of Jesus
(1:29-30).
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Be prepared to hurt as a believer in Christ.
Realize that pain has many faces and more likely than not
you will wear several of those faces in the course of your
lifetime.
________________
16. Teamwork
Paul understood the necessity and power of being united with
others in the passionate pursuit of Jesus and his will.
(1:27-28; 2:1-4).
United in mission.
United in care.
Unity in mission always leads to unity in care.
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Be a team player!
Encourage working as a team in your family, ministry
settings, faith communities, and workplace.
Seek unity in Christ through the power of Christ.
________________
17. Mutual Consideration
Paul realized that self-centered desires must be kept in
check by the exercise of selfless desires (2:3-4).
The desire to please myself must be forever challenged by
the commitment to please others in all the right ways, for
all the right reasons.
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Care for others.
Aspire to share in their joys, rejoice in their victories,
empathize with their struggles, and pray with them for the
accomplishment of their godly desires.
________________
18. Humility
Paul understood the place of humility when it comes to
becoming a person of excellence (2:5,8).
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Place the acquisition of humility at the top of your daily
person-I-want-to-become list.
Deploy a good segment of your energies in the direction of
maintaining humility before God and man.
_______________
19. Relationships
Paul allowed others to care for him. In addition, he deeply
cared for many in his circle of compassion (2:19-30).
He understood the meaning of “the friendship factor.”
He honored others (2:29).
In short, he understood the value of maintaining significant
relationships with people.
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Value and build quality relationships.
________________
20. Thinking
Paul knew that to live right you must think right (4:8,9).
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Think positive.
Think truthfully.
Think Christ!
________________
21. Contentment
Paul practiced living a contended lifestyle (4:10-13).
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Value and seek contentment.
Go more than once before the Lord and renew your request to
become a person characterized as one who lives and models
contentment.
________________
22. Rewards
Paul understood the value and potential delight of being
rewarded by God (1:9,10; 3:14; 4:17).
His desire was for others to experience the pleasure of
being honored by their Savior.
It was not that he sought no reward for himself (see 3:14).
He did, however, include the names and faces of others in
his quest for a future, God honoring time of recognition.
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Desire and work for the rewards of others.
________________
23. Hope
Paul was a man of hope (1:23; 3:20-21).
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Be a person of hope.
Be a giver of hope.
Help people to have hope in Christ first and always.
Then, give them hope in life any way you can.
________________
24. Faith
Paul was a man of faith (1:6; 3:15; 4:19).
Simply put: he believed God.
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Trust God!
________________
25. Love
Paul was a man who loved God and sought his glory
(1:20; 3:7-11; 4:20).
Speaking Of Life Lessons…
Love God.
Love the people God created.
And love giving God the glory in all things.
________________
Praying Together
“Oh, Lord, give us a simple — yet strong — desire to be
someone like Paul in our hearts.
Help us to do as much as we can,
For as long as we can,
Wherever we can…
For your honor and for the good of those you call us to
serve.
In the name of your blessed Son,
Amen.”
____________________________
© Lee Wise All rights reserved. You may freely distribute
this article. However, the copyright box in Signature One
must be used when you do so (See Signature Boxes page)
