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When it is wrong to get ahead of God... to 'get involved' in hopes of becoming spiritual... effectively attempting to justify your calling, however subconsciously and unaware you are doing this. Previous Flesh is Willing When it is wrong to get ahead of God... to 'get involved' in hopes of becoming spiritual... effectively attempting to justify your calling, however subconsciously and unaware you are doing this. Flesh is Willing Next Flesh is Willing by G.W. Bill Elliott, Jr. Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Wait… the title of this story is “The Flesh is Willing”, yet this scripture claims it is weak… and it was Jesus who actually said it… so, that must be right! No, I am not trying to mislead you or give you some bait-n-switch headliner to draw you in and trick you into reading and doing something you really didn’t intend to do. See… the flesh is very willing to do things, to get involved, to perform or get into action… even to accomplish something in your life, justify your existence… it is very, very odd how subtle… how ingrained it can be in our lives to ‘do’ without thinking… without questioning why… just do. Many times we just have a physical drive to get involved, to make an impact on our world, to have an influence and “make right the wrongs” as we see it. Unwittingly, this emotional, mental and physical motivation can get RIGHT in front of the Lord’s leading over our lives…. His peace for the direction we are taking… His blessing for His calling on us. Sure, we have gotten so good at disguising it that we actually now think this is the right thing to do. Quite some time ago, I tweeted this thought that came to me; See… the longer we do the wrong thing… sorry… the ‘right thing‘ , it is harder and harder to be convinced that it is wrong and ‘that other way’ is really where Jesus wanted you to go. Again though, this all it not really our fault. I mean, it is your fault… no wait… it is not your fault… dang… wait… See… all our lives we are pressured into doing things. Many times, whether we want to do them or not… many times out of peer pressure… too many times out of guilt, or some justice-driven commitment (activists). It’s not your fault… wait… it is your fault… wait…. dang! OK… one last attempt… it IS your fault. You are to blame for your life, for your choices, for your actions. No one, but you will stand before the Lord and ‘give an answer’ for how and why you lived your life like you did… did what you did, how you did, and why you did. What Drives Us I struggle, struggle, STRUGGLE with why I am doing things in my life… not over-analyzing… not second guessing… not doubting…. just ‘checking my heart’, being sure of my choice, learning to listen, hear, and act by His Spirit’s calling and leading. But, why do we do things in our lives? I mean sure, showering, eating, sleeping… these are the ‘part of life’ things we do. But, things like Jogging… like Cycling… like Weight Training and/or Treadmill exercising… like Dieting… like “New Years Resolutions”. Each of us can only answer to the secret and inner part of our core lives for the reasons or motivations for these kinds of things. But, it is these kinds of things (the reasoning) that helps lead you to the deeper “why am I doing this” stuff that the Lord shows you (church, ministry, work, politics, music, etc). As a ‘template of thought’, or a ‘model of process’… let’s focus on Jogging or Cycling for exercise. Right out of the gate, one of the core reasons most of us do either is based on exercise. In turn, that means a healthier life, being fit-n-trim, weight-loss, cardio stability and strength. See?? All kinds of GREAT reasons to be doing these activities. These activities are both Physical and Mental… and some would say even Spiritual. No question here… so far! But, for a moment, get back to what was the core purpose, reason, or ‘trigger’ that convinced you to make your body DO these activities. The body (flesh) is motivated to ‘get into action’ by our thought process, which is driven by the mental side of us as well as the spiritual side of us… we ‘think on a thing’, or ‘make a determination’ based on information, thought, convictions (you see yourself in the mirror!). Nothing EVER wrong with this… just… if your Spirit isn’t as into it much as your Emotions or Mentality are, your flesh is going to be strung out in a bad, bad way! Whatever it is, it ‘makes sense’ (logic and rationale), so you set your body into motion over it. I mean… how long HAVE you jogged before getting really tired… that ‘wall of pain’ or ‘wall of willingness’? See… when your emotions (or rationale) convince your body to ‘do something about it’, you get right into action… you may even go to some great lengths to prepare (gym membership, a trainer, educate yourself on diet strategies, etc)… you may even have had an ‘event’ that occurred, which motivated you. Regardless… once your body gets to that ‘wall’, or once the newness wears off, or once your mental state changes (you become discouraged, or distracted, or even derailed with some other activity)… the willing flesh stops! See… the flesh IS willing, but your Spirit was too weak to drive on… to remain motivated… to own this task. Other things that motivate us into action though are less obvious… less tangible. Accolades can be a very, very subtle liar in your life! Unwittingly, we can get motivated to do things ‘in the public’ eye so-as to bring attention to ourselves (or even to bring attention to someone else). I have seen COUNTLESS people get involved in a ’cause’ because someone they know (or even themselves) were victims of something heinous, something life-changing (cancer, plane crash, violence)… and now they are a ‘champion for the cause’. The Need Never Justifies the Calling Because there is a need does not justify that God called you to solve it. God calls you, period! With His calling on your life, an outlet will be presented… God prepares you to receive and use your calling, and He prepares the world to accept your calling. Sure… no doubt you can do good… that you can improve things in people lives… that you can have a positive impact and make a change. Great… very good. There is a danger in that though… diving in to solve a problem ‘can’ be a misleading of God’s will for your life… you/we can get SO wrapped in “this is the right thing to do” that we cannot really see that our flesh got motivated into action, but without His leading over our lives. The Flesh is Willing, The Spirit is Weak Now here is where we need to explain what happens if and when you are so busy ‘doing’ His will and don’t recognize you are not actually called to be doing that. There are three scenarios Jesus presented in the Gospels to help us understand where people have had “good intentions” that just failed miserably. In the midst of having good intentions, you are actually setting yourself up to be consumed by evil itself… the VERY evil you are working and fighting against… consume you! Worse, as you turn to the Lord and lean on these ‘works’ as badges of your efforts to ‘make something of your life‘, He will literally cast you away! Wait… God rejects us? Uhhhhh… yea… who’da thunk it! Consumed by Evil Right… without the protection of the Holy Spirit over your life, your calling, your very ‘work’, you expose yourself to being consumed by the very evil you are battling… the very ’cause’ against which you are fighting… the very, very turmoil you are trying to settle can and will cause turmoil for you, but not just by a little bit, either. 13 . Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 . And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 . And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 . And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. Acts 19:13-16 Sure, the King James version is a tough-read, right! But, it helps us to re-read it and try grasping what the Lord is telling us. These Jews were really just trying to ‘cast out demons’. Remember now, they are God’s chosen people remember, not run-of-the-mill citizens… and, their ‘intentions were good’, right?! But, even ‘the evil spirit’ knew they had no spiritual backing… no spiritual strength… their flesh was willing, but their spirit was weak (I’m wearing that out, eh!). For more on this, please read the Demons & Exorcism story on this site, too. God Rejects There are times in the scripture where God actually tells people ‘get away from me’. Now… he NEVER said that to Satan… ever! He always told Satan to “get in his place’, by telling him “Get thee behind me”. But, the people on this earth who get all energetic and are so focused on diving in and being involved (some of those ‘wrong reasons’ discussed earlier) are prone to be rejected and told to ‘depart from Me’. 21 . Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 . Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 . And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23 Yikes… right! Not to fear… well… too much, anyway! God is NOT vindictive, viscious, or out to get you (that would be Satan coaching you from the sidelines). If you can, go back to that passage, and read from the beginning of the chapter, or at least from verse 15 (beware of false prophets)… Jesus is working to let you know how not-to-be-fooled about how He actually wants us to live. He “knows thy works”, sure… but even better, He knows ‘why’ you are doing the work… the spirit that has motivated you… the purpose… your flesh is willing to do this work, but His Spirit is weak in you. Surrender Time In all your efforts… all your work… all your passion to ‘be involved’, have you ever ‘surrendered’ to God’s primary criteria? Mark 10:17-25 provides us with a great example of “ the flesh is willing, but the spirit is weak “. In this passage a very wealthy and well meaning person wanted SO badly to be included in this ‘movement’ that Jesus has stirred… we don’t know by this passage whether he was motivated by those ‘accolades’ we discussed earlier or if he genuinely wanted to help (good hearted, good intentions). But, when Jesus told him ‘one thing you lack’ it mad this man so sad… so broken, likely. We get all zealous and motivated and excited and even plan our lives to ‘get out there and DO something’ only to find that Jesus’ primary criteria is that we start by stopping! By selling out? By giving away ALL that I can use to forward this cause? Seems backwards, dumb, and rather impractical. But, it DOES quicken your spirit and make you check your motives, right! Well… it better… it should! Too Scared to Move, Now? Don’t be… please… just be ‘aware’… just be in a ‘waiting on the Lord’ posture in your spirit… not SO ready to pounce and solve a problem, provide a solution, get involved. Sure… “there is a fire”, JUMP on it! But, you’re bored (in your spirit/soul) and seeking an activity where your skills and passion can make a difference… wait! His leading will let you know when it is time. If you ever feel ‘frozen in your tracks’ and unsure if you should even MOVE… please read the Dead Weight story on this site… it is safe to be moving in the Lord… just listen, too! One of the other, and worse, things about waiting on the Lord’s calling on your life… the ‘want’ to have God lead you… that yearn to “let go and let God”, as they say… is keeping your spirit, your heart, and your mind in a place where you are at least ‘willing’ to follow His leading. See that? “Wanting to” is way different than “Willing to”. This is not a “Lead me. But wait… not over there.” discussion with the Lord. Submission is key, but you’ll never get there without being vulnerable with yourself, with the Lord.

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This is a spin on that saying for 'attending angels unaware', but it is the angry, mean, and troubling angels we need to watch for moreso. Previous Attending Idiots Unaware This is a spin on that saying for 'attending angels unaware', but it is the angry, mean, and troubling angels we need to watch for moreso. Attending Idiots Unaware Next Attending Idiots Unaware by G.W. Bill Elliott, Jr. Sure, the timely phrase ‘attending angels unaware’ is quite popular and we seem to secretly hope, wish and pray someone unique will bless our lives or at least give-us-a-break (they’d truly be an angel, huh). But how rare is it that we are in the presence of angels? While it is virtually impossible to know, this passage was handed down to us to help keep us on our toes and ever diligent that we treat others well (in keeping with “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”). But, the odds are much better that we’ll actually be in the presence of idiots. And, it is this unawareness to which we need to focus. Disclaimer: Yes, “idiots” is a harsh word to use, but it is merely a contrasting word to help reflect a comparison to an angel who bears gifts for you. Do not miss the forest for the trees! Hebrews 13:2 – Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares . Many times however, the natural progression of our daily lives exposes us to various encounters with other individuals; be it a quick stop for fuel, pop into the local store for some dinner ingredients, and even an innocent walk in the park. It is these common, ordinary, and sometimes predictable events wherein we should be more cautious. These relaxed encounters are not as high on our radar or watchful-eye for some spectacular or blessed event to occur; they are mundane, they are routine, they are pretty predictable, in fact. In these moments, we tend to drop our guard and even worse, loosen our skills and willingness to overlook annoyances, quirks, and even insulting mannerisms of those around us. It is in these idiotic circumstances when we should be more the wary. For, our reaction and reception of these toilsome moments define our character much better than the ‘kiss of an angel’ we might receive from the Heb 13:2 episode. From people cutting you off in traffic, to a rude or condescending Help Desk Operator, even to others around you having private conversations on their mobile devices in public areas. These types of events can really cause us to steam right up and get overheated, and maybe even lash out. CUTTING YOU OFF IN TRAFFIC Inevitably, someone is going to cut you off in traffic. We all are in a hurry at times, so to them it seems appropriate to dive in and accomplish their mission. You however deem this a rude and insulting event, and it takes all you can muster to not lash out at them. Be careful, for this offender may well be an idiot! It is this very moment, this very opportunity to grace, for patience, and certainly for forgiveness. RUDE “HELP DESK” OPERATOR It’s not really the Help Desk Operator’s fault, since you had to navigate a myriad of telephone menu choices just to get to the operator. So, you are already upset, frustrated, and have quite a bit less tolerance for any further deviation from your original intended goal. Yet, the Help Desk Operator’s impatience with you is equally frustrating, for they too do not want to be there and they do this very thing ALL day long with ignorant and helpless people like you all day long, over and again. Be careful, for this offender may well be an idiot! CELLPHONE ON THE BUS The convenience of mobile communication devices is beginning to have a negative impact on our public lives. Too many times we are subjected to an individual’s phone conversation, but we are a captive audience since we are stuck on the bus, or a train, or even just waiting in a long line. The longer the publically private discussion continues, the angrier and more frustrated we can become with this apparent disregard for the surrounding people’s presence. Be careful, for this offender may well be an idiot! Heb. 13: 3 actually gives us a few cues; “ Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. ” You, in fact, are just as they; a fallible human. You too, at times, are an idiot. Consider how much of them is actually you, and while you grow weary of the number of idiots around you, imagine how many times through the day that you are someone’s idiotic experience! Matt. 5:38-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoevershall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Face the turmoil, the tension, and even the anguish of the idiots head-on! No, do not be forceful, contemptuous, or even vindictive. Merely accept these folks as though it is God accepting you (Golden Rule personalized; do unto others as you would have God do unto you). Being kind to kind people (angels) is easy. It is the idiots of our lives that challenge us and provide the best opportunity for growth; both for ourselves personally, but also (and even more importantly) for the idiots and any on-lookers. They are witness to an interaction that has a contrary result from the expected one (someone treats you rudely, it is easy to be rude back). In the process, God has been magnified and His presence in your life has become even more apparent.

Sure, the simpler, innocent life is mellow and typically painless. While this is a go-to way to live life, this innocence can be very damaging and leave you guilty and to-blame after-all! Previous Fat Dumb and Happy Sure, the simpler, innocent life is mellow and typically painless. While this is a go-to way to live life, this innocence can be very damaging and leave you guilty and to-blame after-all! Fat Dumb and Happy Next Fat Dumb and Happy by G.W. Bill Elliott, Jr. Typically, the term “Fat, Dumb, and Happy” is often used to describe someone who is plodding through life without much of a care-in-the-world attitude… oblivious to pending doom… even ambivalent to even caring about not caring! Just smelling the flowers… enjoying life…. resolved to not fret, worry, stress over ‘things you cannot control’. For me, this term conjures up a simpler life… a not-as-worried approach to the buzz of the world around us… even a complacency, disconnect, and even that whole ‘devil may care’ or innocent (ignorant?) way we choose to face life. For SO many people, it is en-grained… it is part of who they are… it is a built-in trait or ‘habit’ they have settled into and just don’t even care to care to care… or care! Personally, I ‘get it‘. I mean… living a simpler and much more casual life can be utter bliss. Something like when we were children… when we were too young to have brokenness merged so viciously with the maturity of our lives. As we get older, we just seem to collect more baggage… more anguish… more angst, frustration, and even deep, utter disappointments. Oh, to actually be back at the Fat, Dumb, and Happy stage in our lives! Innocence Lost, some will say. Being an inquisitive and ‘curious little boy’ at times, I kind of broke this phrase apart a bit ’cause the Lord was showing me that we all so easily get into a Fat, Dumb, and Happy place with our emotional and spiritual lives with Him and our lives with those around us. Fat : plump; well-fed; like a good, fat chicken. Dumb : lacking intelligence or good judgment; stupid; dull-witted. Even lacking the power of speech. Happy : delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing. So many of us ‘church goers‘ or ‘waiting on God‘ people or even just ‘following the Lord‘ people seem to give more time and attention to getting, than doing… to being a consumer and not a producer… to absorbing… gleaning… even just ‘ soaking up His goodness ’ in our lives. " But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. " James 1:22 There is a point in our lives when we have to ‘push away from the table’ as it were, and be busy doing the Lord’s work… actively putting His leading of our lives to work for those around us. Faith is a wonderful, wonderful attribute to have in your life… a deeply settling aspect of our spiritual, emotional, and even physical portions of our lives… but, oddly enough… Faith on its own is dead… Faith on its own is useless… Faith on its own means you are obese, actually (the Fat part). See… James 2:14 states, “ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? “ Put your faith into action… get a work-out going… burn that fat… lose the flabby, the weakness, even the unsightly bloat of an over-stuff being (not physically, silly!). Otherwise, as Proverbs 1:31 confirms, “ Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. ” Sure… the King James Version is a little awkward and tough to read, but essentially that is confirming that doing what you want, the way you want, how you want, when you want will leave you wanting! Being dumb on the other hand sounds harsh…. seems derogatory… almost insulting. So… get over yourself for a little bit here and think about how else this word can represent us as Christians. See… even back while Jesus was on the earth and healing people, a man brought his son to Jesus, and proclaimed, “ … Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit ” ( Mark 9:17 ). The boy he brought couldn’t speak… or maybe wouldn’t… as it may be in our case. WAY too many times we are either unsure of what to say to others, afraid to say anything to others, and even worse, unaware that we even SHOULD say something to others… dumb, huh! "I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred." Psalms 39:2 As this passage from Psalms identifies… we can get ourselves in a place where we are ‘dumb with silence’… not being willing, able, or ready to ‘give account of the hope that is within us’… or, just simply too simple and shallow to care. Happiness tends to drive that problem! Wait… WHAT ?? Yes… enjoying the happiness you currently have… or… maybe not wanting to be sadder… we resist jeopardizing what level of happiness we may already have. Some time ago, I wrote a story here on the site about The Pursuit of Sadlessness wherein we work and work to be less sad… a funky form of happiness (not as sad). But, Proverbs 14:14 actually states, “ The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself. “ Now… I didn’t just call you a backslider… not me! Nope… rather, I am working to show you how being settled with being Fat, Dumb and Happy is not God’s way for our lives. Sure, you may look around your life and feel complete… appear to be well-rounded in your spiritual life (you give willingly, you attend church, you are empathetic, etc)… I just want you to be careful for the half-truth of your life. See… Proverbs 27:20 claims, “ Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” It is that ‘pursuit of sadlessness', I mentioned earlier…. we strive to survive and forget to be alive! Putting any of this into action is never easy. Otherwise, SO many people would already be doing it instead of just settling for that Fat, Dumb and Happy approach to their lives in the Lord, let alone in the world. All the ‘fatness’ of the world can never satisfy you for more than short-term spurts… resting on the surges that give us the impression we are spiritual… that we are connected to the Lord… that those ‘chills’ we get up our spine are really more than just some emotional appreciation. Nope! Unless you hunger and thirst for His leading in your life… for His will… for the things that please the Lord… you’re going to end up going back for more (things of the world). And, those things leave you ‘fat’ in so many wrong ways. Now, Matthew 5:6 tells us; “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.“, which is a perfect example of consuming the right things… wanting the proper pieces of God, the proper way. Hunger and thirsting after righteousness is WAY more than ‘want’… much more than desire… so much deeper than being a consumer at church, or reading spiritual guides, or even just praying over it all. Hunger and thirst AFTER righteousness… not FOR it… AFTER it! It is a matter of producing ‘fruits of the Spirit’. Growth in your life will produce fruit! "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God" . Philippians 1:11 Beware though, being filled with His Spirit… having great fruits in the Lord… that warm, deep feeling of being in His will and all that… is useless if you are Dumb! No… not the ‘dumb’ we use as slang or some derogatory label… dumb as in not speaking… dumb as in being silent… dumb as in selfishly keeping all His grace in your life to yourself. Now it may be that you are scared to share… a little intimidated to expose such a personal and private part of your life… you may not have enough of a grasp on it all to even feel confident to interject in a conversation, or have anything to offer those around you. Take courage and listen to what the Lord had done while he was here on the earth… Luke 11:14 states, “ And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. “ That is to say that you can ask the Lord to strengthen your life… to remove that ‘dumb’ spirit within you… to free up your inner-being to proclaim the joy within. Well… unless you do not HAVE any joy within! But, way back in Ezekiel, God was letting him know that there was coming a day when God ‘would’ free-up Ezekiel to speak… to utter God’s grace to the people ‘once they have repented from their ways’. God is ready to prepare you to share… to be ready to give account of the hope that is within you… no longer dumb. "In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD." Ezekiel 24:27 Happiness in Godly things, however is a happiness that is deep, wide, and never ending. Now… I am not oblivious to the many, many things on this earth that do provide happiness… do provide such a rich sense of satisfaction… such an awesome inner glow in our spirits, even. Too very bad it is not lasting… not able to be sustained… to endure the ‘hell’ we encounter soon thereafter. Those ‘godly things’ are tough to follow, though… I mean, the bible ‘does’ tell us to ‘seek after these things’. Too often though, we want the “what do I need to do” list of items, when all along the Lord has been showing and telling us what NOT to do! 1 Timothy 4:1-11 is a bit too long to include here in this writing, but get over there and read that, please. Especially that last verse, which states; "These things command and teach" . 1 Timothy 4:11 Granted… not much of an exhortation or ‘threat’ of pending doom if you don’t do all those things. But, I needed you see that verse 11 is directing us to ‘command and teach’. Command ? As in ‘order people around’? No… read that ‘command’ as “have these things under your command“… be exercised in these things… be in control of these things in your life. Then teach them to others! See… we are instructed to ‘rightly divide the word of God’, which is to say we grasp it’s meaning, it’s intent, and learn to pass it on to others, too… not just sit there all ‘fat, dumb, and happy’ in the knowledge we gained. Then, back over in John 13:17 , Jesus tells us, “ If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. ” Now THAT is the right kind of happiness… the everlasting kind of happiness. Maybe you have tried… maybe you have waited and wanted ‘this’ so badly…. so deep in your soul… but, this happiness eludes you. Not to worry… well.. much longer, hopefully! "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" . John 16:24 See?? You have not been asking “in His Name”… asking Jesus to get into your heart and life, and surrender your ‘will’ to His leading. But, it clearly states there, “ask and you WILL receive“… that your joy may be full! How ? We all serve the same one Lord… we all follow Him identically different, though! I mean, my path and your path are different. We lead different lives to this point, and now we are getting ‘back on track’ to His world… to His place… to His righteousness for us. Psalms 16:11 reminds us, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.“ You will be His happy. You will no longer be dumb, but speak. You will be lean in Him. No longer simply Fat, Dumb, and Happy.

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Week: 11 Leadership, Service, and Integrity Keeping vows, leading well, faithful service. This week explores servant leadership rooted in integrity, accountability, and covenantal commitment. It equips participants to lead with humility, to serve without seeking status, and to keep promises that build trust. Practical tools for ethical decision-making and healthy leadership rhythms are emphasized. Objectives Learn to lead with humility and accountability. Practice servant leadership and integrity. Understand the spiritual weight of promises and speech. Reflections Who holds me accountable in leadership? How can I serve without seeking praise? Where do my words need more integrity? NowTo the HowTo Accountability/Tracking Invite feedback from one trusted person on your speech and follow through this week. Community Action Serve anonymously in the community (small act) and report back on the experience. Creative Project Draft a one page “Leadership Covenant” that outlines values, boundaries, and accountability contacts. Leader Prompt Run a brief role play on giving and receiving corrective feedback with dignity. Personal Practice Reflect on one promise you’ve made and take one concrete step to honor it this week. Previous Week Devotionals Promises, Vows, and Giving Your Word 5 min read Making a vow or a promise is not a sin. Just be sure to keep the vow or promise! Devil Made Me Do It 5 min read The devil cannot 'make' you do anything, neither can Jesus for that matter. Why then DO you do things you do not want to do? Unexceptional Presence 2 min read As we recently discussed in The Meaning of Suffering devotional, the painful events in our lives help strengthen us, help lead us, even help us witness and minister to those around us. One of the saddest 'arguments' people sometimes have about God is that He 'allows' the world to suffer, to tear itself apart, to wreak utter havoc on others. But, suffering is actually a personal thing, unique to each of us. While a crowd or group of people may be viewed as 'suffering', it is quite possible... Surrender to Victory 2 min read I know, surrendering is typically considered defeat. Victory and winning are two different things, too. Too often in our lives, we win (succeed), but don't actually enjoy/realize victory. Seems very odd, I know, but our devotional today reminds us that surrender with the Lord results in victory with the Lord... not against the Lord, but 'with' the Lord, 'in' the Lord. Sure, we can do many things, including living our entire lives without the Lord; we can work, raise families, navigate many... When Good Enough Ain't 2 min read I dislike being the recipient of shoddy work, or buying a tool or a product for the second time because the first one failed, or even worse... having to rely on someone whose work-ethic is questionable. But, just how do we get motivated to try harder, or do better, or 'go the extra mile' for a job that just doesn't motivate, appreciate, and certainly does not reciprocate? Easy... change your 'who you are doing it for' focus. See, Colossians 3:23-24 tells us; " And whatsoever ye do, do it... Successfully Failing 2 min read Yea, contrary terms, I know. I enjoy being successful, being on the winning side of a problem (even if it is only the garbage-disposal plumbing), being strong, admired, even 'looked up to'. These traits, these events, these moments in my life leave me self-satisfied, proud of my stature in life, and they even kind of invigorate me to press on, to strive more or harder, to improve... but, all too quickly, my fallibility lurches RIGHT into the middle of some fantastic quest I am (was) on the... View More Next Week

Even Jesus Himself experienced a deep and profound moment of abandonment… of despair… of that lonely “why have you left me” time in His life. It occurred RIGHT when it seems as though it was the most critical and essential moment in His life. Previous Forsooked Even Jesus Himself experienced a deep and profound moment of abandonment… of despair… of that lonely “why have you left me” time in His life. It occurred RIGHT when it seems as though it was the most critical and essential moment in His life. Forsooked Next Forsooked by G.W. Bill Elliott, Jr. Forsooked Yea… I know ‘Forsooked’ is not a word, but it does help identify the content of this writing… being forsaken, experiencing abandonment… even living with an ongoing disappointment you may be experiencing from having been divorced, adopted, even the loss of a loved one… these events in our lives are sad… they are hard… they are very life wrenching and quietly tear on our hearts. Even Jesus Himself experienced a deep and profound moment of abandonment… of despair… of that lonely “why have you left me” time in His life. It occurred RIGHT when it seems as though it was the most critical and essential moment in His life. See… while nailed to the cross… at the very, very end of that torturous day… all the anguish, heartbreak, misery… the Bible tells us that even He cried out to God… asking Him why He’d been abandoned… …wait… Jesus ‘felt’ like He’d been abandoned… deserted… forsaken? Me? This is hard to even write this without crying… without feeling His pain because I too have this pain… this experience of abandonment… that soul-emptying realization that someone with whom you trusted everything deep in your heart… has gone… has left… no longer answering you… no longer ‘there for you’, and worse… that ensuing ugly feeling that you are all alone… on your own… there is no ‘team effort’ in loneliness… solitude… neglect and being forsaken. Being forsaken is easy to identify in your own life… I mean, we can reflect back on times, places, events when we experienced ‘being dumped on’, as it were. Of ALL the things we are taught in life, we are not directly taught the details of being forsaken… the ins-n-outs… the things leading up to it, the trauma during it, and the war-torn destruction it can leave behind. It is just what we experience, how we experience it, when we experience it… you know… Life! You see, being forsaken can be characterized by events of desertion… from being left at child-care as a young tyke, to divorce, job loss, even just something as simple as planning a great weekend event that gets dashed and canceled ‘at the last minute’. These moments of being forsaken are made much, much worse due to the anticipation, the ‘looking forward to’, the longing hope-to-come of this event. Having ‘dashed expectations’ is one of the toughest experiences of life and we tend to not handle them well! Jesus seems to even have a hint of anger in His tone… in His “you let me down” statement. Hanging there on the cross… after promising all His followers that He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords… He experienced a serious and deep forlorn moment there… utter disappointment… abandonment. Sure… He’s God and He knows (knew) how it was all going to play-out… how this moment in His life was an essential transition… how God would be victorious over this death. This still makes me wonder; Why then would He even ‘utter’ disappointment… sorrow… and in some ways accuse God Himself for leaving Him ‘hanging’ (pardon the pun). We are not God though… we are not so ‘omnipresent’ and aware of the “things to come”. The best we can do is trust… have faith… be patient and let God work His plan in our lives. Sometimes… I like to watch a movie I’d already watched before… “knowing the ending” makes the anguish of the plot MUCH easier to tolerate… much nicer and easier to even endure the calamity the story-line is dragging my heart through! I now know the ending, so the journey is so much easier on my spirit. Life is just not going to give you any clues like that, right? In some cases you can ‘see it coming’, but way too many others times, we are blindsided… slammed with the calamity then-n-there… instant turmoil enters our lives, and it leaves us hollow… leaves us broken, staggering, and sometimes in utter dismay and we just crumble into a puddle of life. Abandoned There are endless ways, events, moments in your life when you have been abandoned… some were horrific… some run-of-the-mill… and some rather simple and uneventful. But, they all pile up in our lives and leave us broken and scarred… hurt… tormented… and can even shape our lives so that we try SO hard to never, EVER allow these to happen again… hedging our hearts… blocking the danger-potential… even just catching us trying to ‘screen’ for pending doom… watching for it… ready to fend-off any demise. As an example, divorce can rip a hole in your spirit that is so tough to overcome… death of a close loved one is a very tough experience from the loneliness to the sorrow of things left unsaid… even adoption can leave us feeling hollow or incomplete, not knowing your parents… your heritage… your very connection and ‘place’ in this world… where you come from and why you are you. Lost Security As insignificant as it may seem, even a loss of security can send us into a spiral of discouragement, despair, even hopelessness… our tangible lives glean a sense of belonging through our homes (safety), our careers (purpose), even savings or income (sustain life). Losing these and others like them… raise fear in our lives… throw something of a panic into our lives…… a funky level of tension… uncertainty… pending doom, as it were. Jesus on the Cross There is Jesus though… suffering through the physical agony, sure… the emotional agony and the spiritual agony would be much, much worse. To the point that He ultimately CRIED out, “ Why hast thou forsaken me? ”, then died. Matthew 27:46 “ And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? “ Why He didn’t exclaim something like, “Yeeee Dawg! I am coming home Father!” seems a little more appropriate for the lead-up He’d been giving us during His ministry. His proclamation however has utter despair in it. Be comforted, dear friend… even Jesus felt abandoned… even Jesus felt left-alone and deserted. He was truly human, but maintained a hope… maintained His devotion to the God He worshiped… maintained His place in God’s very plan! See that? God’s very plan never protects you from sorrow… from anguish… even from the very feeling and sense that God has forsaken you… that is YOUR feeling… that is YOUR interpretation of the events you are experiencing… YOUR perception of the turmoil. Please consider… please give thought… please remember that disappointment is directly fueled by dashed expectations… thwarted plans… a change or deviation from some hope you either envisioned, or were promised. No… it is not all your fault… but, we contribute to the disappointment based on how much we were committed…. invested… sold-out to the expectation… that whole ‘all in’ posture we get when we’re convinced that THIS is a good choice for our life. God would never want that we experience anguish, pain, sorrow. He began this world with the sole purpose of having an environment in which ‘all things are good’. But, His plan for us… His world for us… changed. Remember the Psalmist in Psalms 62:5 once shared; “ My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. ” See that? Expectations are not bad at all… where they lie can be where the disappointment enters. Trust and faith in God… hope in the Lord… being steadfast and patient. Sure… Jesus tried that, and look where that got him, right? Yes… but, no. I mean, yes… Jesus expressed disappointment or at least He seemed to feel abandoned. As this Psalmist passage encourages us though, he was talking directly ‘back’ to his own soul… “…wait thou only on God“. Not an easy characteristic to have in your life… not easily obtained… not something we use as a go-to action in our lives. But, that IS the point… we must. You may recall the scripture actually says, “Be still and know that I am God”. We are a people of action… of putting results into play… of getting things done… rarely watching and waiting on God to have His way… in His time. Why Wait I know… we seem to need to know ‘why’, on almost everything. Why that happened, why this is happening, why do I need to wait… need to trust… need to have faith. Proverbs 10:28 tells us; The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish . Proverbs 10:28 Your hope with the Lord ‘will’ result in gladness. Expectations are fine… really…. just be SURE wherein your hope lies. Please be quiet… be silent in the Lord… be patient… and He will show you His will… His way… His plan. Now… this is NOT to say you “sit there and don’t move until God gives you direction”. NO! In fact, He needs you living… He needs you moving… He needs you active and living His life. When you get a chance, pop over and read the Dead Weight story… you’ll see! How can you know where and what to trust anymore these days? It is tough. We are barraged with ‘trust this’, ‘trust that’, or ‘trust me’ advertisements, the ‘trust them’ campaign ads… it is overwhelming. Be sure, sure, SURE your trust and hope lies in the Lord; And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed . Deuteronomy 31:8 God is going before you, clearing His path for your life… making His way for your life… we just need to trust Him in that… to follow Him in that, and remain true, faithful, and upright in His leading. The things of this world will distract you… they will dismay you… they WILL derail your hope, your desire to follow, even your expectations of ‘a good life’, because we need instant gratification, all-to-often. Bear with the Lord… He will not forsake you… ever! For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance . Psalms 94:14 I know… God ‘seems’ to have abandoned Jesus hanging there on that cross… RIGHT when Jesus needed God the most… right when “all eyes are watching” and “the balance of the world” seems to be on that very moment. But, we tend to look on things in the ‘now’, not as God has them planned… and there is the core problem. Back to our ‘dashed expectations’… back to our limited vision for God’s plan. There is more to come that we may not yet see…. our very bones need to come alive in Him. Dear friend… hear His calling on you for that, at least. Jesus will NEVER leave you, nor forsake you. He experienced it… He knows that core feeling of being abandoned… of being left “hanging in the wind”… that utter disappointment, dismay, disappointment. But, Paul assures us with; Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5 There! You will NEVER experience that abandoned feeling again… you will NEVER have that forsaken feeling, ever again… NOT ! You will have those ‘feelings’ because you are human… you are “ in this world, not of it “… you are walking by faith, not by sight. That means you will experience all of life, good, bad, and ugly… all of the turmoil that Sin has to throw at you… all the disappointments… the pain… the utter desolation. We can count on His word… we can trust His promise… we can most certainly rest assured…. Bein g confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ! Philippians 1:6

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