Thursday, March 31, 2011

Are you Moving Mountains?

Are you Moving Mountains?

Mt 25:25 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Have you ever been really hungry? Between working on the farm and running; I have been extraordinarily hungry numerous times in life. At times I become light headed, and consequently grumpy. Other times, thirst has overwhelmed my throat. A fresh cool drink is amazingly refreshing! Yet, in a few hours, sometimes sooner; I am hungry and thirsty again.

Have you, like me, ever experienced internal turmoil due to the loss of a loved one? Perhaps the turmoil is finances, or professional or relational. Do you feel sick from loneliness? The only cure is Jesus Christ, whether in worship, prayer, other Christians, or scripture. Only the Word made flesh, and the Holy Spirit he brings, is able to fulfill the hunger and thirst of internal turmoil.

As my friend Chuck Kahl elaborately illustrates, faith the size of a mustard seed is able to move mountains in the lives of others. Are we sharing our physical, emotional and financial resources as guided in our hearts by the Holy Spirit? Are we sharing the ‘Bread of Life’?

Are we moving mountains in the lives of others? Are we showing others how their mountain of sin is removed with confession and repentance; accepting Jesus’ death and resurrection as the reconciliation of the past, present and future sin? In John 6:35 Jesus says, “He who comes to me will never go hungry,…”

Are we feeding others with the ‘Bread of Life’ and the water permanently quenching thirst: Jesus Christ? Are we moving the mountain of an empty life, an empty soul; feeding our enemy (Romans 12:20) with the ‘Bread of Life’?

Are we showing others how to be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ? Are we inviting others to Worship, Bible Study, and prayer requests? Are we visiting those who have no hope and sharing the Hope of Jesus Christ?

Caring for someone’s physical needs before their spiritual needs, is equal to spraying water on the leaves of plants. It may clean their leaves, creating a refreshing appearance, while providing little long term benefit. The leaves will then shine as a result.

Just as we must water the soil, allowing plant roots to uptake nutrients and water; we must also feed and water the soul of our neighbors with the ‘Bread of Life’ found in Jesus Christ. With Jesus in the soil of their soul, at the foundation of their life; they too will shine. They will shine with the light of Christ.

In faith, share the Good News of eternal life through salvation from Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. Your faith will move their mountains of internal turmoil, hopelessness, hungering soul, doubt and loneliness, along with all other problems of lives absent Christ.

Jesus will say: Well done thou good and faithful servant!

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!

In Christ,

Rick E. Meyer
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickemeyer.com

Does Faith Move Mountains?

Does Faith Move Mountains?
March 31, 2011

Matthew 17:20: Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting a good friend and his family in Indianapolis, IN while traveling on business. Chuck (Charles J.) Kahl and I worked together at a Kearney, NE laboratory in the mid-1990s. As usual we engaged in discussing ideas, admittedly some better than others. These ideas include our Christian faith; ultimately every good and meaningful idea is founded on Christ. Seek the foundation of all ideas in discerning good and bad.

During this weekend’s discussion, Chuck shared a revelation he received while preparing a Sunday School lesson for second graders at the perish he attends. Do you ever hear lessons and wonder why you had not previously thought of it yourself, because it is so simple? Have you noticed the Holy Spirit’s wisdom simplifies the complex? Do you give credit of ideas to the Holy Spirit and to the person he spoke to? The Bible, thus the Holy Spirit, does; I will do the same!

Charles J. Kahl, a Sydney, Nebraska native farmer, said the Lord revealed to him that moving mountains included moving mountains in the lives of others. If someone has a $100 mountain in their life, and the Lord places on your heart the desire to remove their mountain with your $100; then your faith moved their mountain. Their faith is also involved in confessing the mountain and accepting the $100. Does pride ever resist our acceptance of mountain moving gifts?

Perhaps someone’s mountain is emotional or spiritual. Perhaps the mountain is physical assistance. The Bible clearly states, “Faith without action is dead.” Activate your faith in the lives of those around you, in the lives the Lord places on your heart. Say to their mountain, “Move from here to there.” Can moving a mountain include leveling the mountain? Does moving a mountain include forming a tunnel through the middle like the Eisenhower tunnel on Interstate 70 through the Colorado Rocky Mountains?

Listen to and obey the Holy Spirit as he directs your Faith filled words and resulting actions in moving and eliminating mountains. Should we begin in the same manner as Chuck Kahl? Let’s think like a second grader, simplifying our faith; accepting Jesus’ commands.

I pray the Lord reveals mountains for your faith to move in the lives surrounding you. Your mountain moving faith may involve a phone call, a visit, dropping off a meal, picking up someone’s tab at a restaurant, sending a check, giving a helpful hand, an encouraging word¸ or sharing a business opportunity.

What ideas are you discussing with your friends? Are you simplifying them to the 2nd grade level? Second grade simplification will enable all on Christ's foundation to be possible. Yes, second graders and mustard seeds are small!

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!

In Christ,

Rick E. Meyer
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickemeyer.com

Friday, March 25, 2011

PEACE

Peace:
•People
•Eagerly
•Accepting
•Christ
•Eternally

As someone shared with me years ago, Peace is not the absence of negative, rather the presence of positive--Hope--the presence of Christ. Christ is the "Prince of Peace!" Evil and Fear have existed since nearly the beginning of time. Peace exists in relationship with Jesus, knowing (accepting) his Power and Salvation.

World Peace is Christ's presence and influence in the entire World. When someone engages in a conversation regarding "World Peace," inquire of the steps to share the Good News and Hope of Salvation through Jesus Christ.

Peace originates from and resides in Christ.

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!

In Christ,
Rick E. Meyer
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickemeyer.com

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Thoughts

As has been acknowledged many times, the darkest part of the night is just before dawn. Of course, sometimes the days are cloudy.

It is a small world.....until you try to walk around it! The world is small through relationships, while enormous when trying to achieve success on our own two feet.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Power of Speech

As a child, I LOVED to hunt; anything and everything. The adventure and relationships of hunting, including the excitement of spending time with my dad, cousins, and friends filled my mind. Consequently, I frequently spoke about hunting. The more I thought and spoke of hunting the more excited I became to begin the next adventure. Our thoughts and resulting words are powerful.

The Bible is full of stories and examples of the Power of God the Father's and Jesus's spoken Words. Jesus is the "Word made Flesh." When Jesus and the Holy Spirit occupy our hearts and minds, they concurrently occupy our speech, our spoken words. The heart and mind conjure thoughts and command the tongue.

To deny the Power of our Speech, is to deny Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit's presence in our hearts and minds. Conversely, acknowledging their presence in our hearts and minds, acknowledges their presence and power in our speech / words.

Open your heart and mind to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit; relenquish control of your heart, mind and tongue. Think about the adventures and relationships. Speak Christ's power, expect Christ's power in your spoken commands.

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!

In Christ,

Rick E. Meyer
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickemeyer.com

CEO - Workers - Union

Many years ago, the owner of an extremely large business told his workers (employees) that everything in the company was at their disposal, except for one thing. A few days later the Union Boss stopped by to check on these non-Union Workers. They explained how wonderful the business owner / CEO treated them; and how everything, except one thing, was accessible to them anytime, anywhere they desired.

The Union Boss latched on to the idea of the workers having one thing limited from their enjoyment. He told the workers, the business owner was being unfair and trying limit their rightful wages. The Union Boss explained to the workers that they deserved this item that was kept from them.

They reminded the Union Boss that the owner graciously gave them everything else. Eventually the Union Boss convinced the workers the "off limits" item was good for them. He convinced them to stand up to the business owner / CEO and tell him they deserved everything. The Union Boss then convinced the workers to begin enjoying their rightful new property immediately. "What is it going to hurt?" They agreed!

Eve ate the Apple, followed by Adam. The Union Boss rejoiced as sin entered the world. The business owner, God, was devastated and kicked his workers out of the best work environment in the history of the world. This awesome environment is never to exist on earth again. Was the business owner out of line? I pray you say 'no.'

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!

Rick E. Meyer
www.rickemeyer.com

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Visualize

In the early 1980s, people looked at you as if you were very weird when speaking of preparing through visualization. Congo began instructing us to engage in this powerful technique to program our mind for success. He taught that our mind is unable to tell the difference between a real and imagined event. Interestingly, he received very low grades in Psychology courses at Kansas State. Perhaps his answers were correct!

We were to lay in bed two nights before every race, visualizing the upcoming race. First, we are to see ourselves arriving at the meet, in our meet sweats and uniforms; then unload from the bus with calmness and confidence. We continued visualizing warming-up, and lining up at the starting line maintaining our calm, confident attitude. Congo then instructed us to visualize racing the course to the best of our ability, including half mile and mile splits. This was followed by a strong finish, running through the finish line, exerting all of our available effort on that day. He explained how this enabled us to arrive and race with confidence, absent nervousness; since we had successfully ran the race in our mind.

The Bible says, as a man thinks in heart, in his inner belief, so is he. Congo intuitively taught us to implement Biblical success principles. Visualizing is etching one’s desires on the stone of your heart and mind. Etching in your heart and mind, like etching in physical stone, is virtually permanent, due the commitment; and requires great effort. It is impossible for a double minded person to etch in either stone or using visualization. When Jesus sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, God’s law became written on our hearts. These writings on the heart influence our every thought and consequential words and actions. Similarly, visualizing our goals, internalizing them by etching on our hearts and minds; influences our every thought.

What are you visualizing? Are you visualizing success in correlation with scripture? Are you beginning to understand the damaging effects of visualizing any thought or activity in disagreement with the Bible?

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!

In Christ,

Rick E. Meyer
See, Believe, Achieve Inc.
www.rickemeyer.com

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Origin of Love and Works

Origin of Love and Works
Thursday, March 10, 2011

Where do love and good works originate? I receive e-mails from a church body that continually brags of their good works in the world. Their leaders concurrently confess that all receive salvation from Christ regardless if they know and accept him as their Savior.

Their gospel has changed from Christ’s death and resurrection to preaching the necessity of works. One pastor recently told me that he only views a few books of the Bible as relevant. It is difficult to have effective hands and feet while absent arms and legs.

Yes, we should do good things, including caring and providing for our fellow man; whether those in our household, across the street or around the world. The second greatest commandment is loving your neighbor (fellow man) as much as you love yourself.

Where do we receive the motivation for loving others, caring for others, assisting, feeding, clothing and visiting others? Jesus said these will be considered when separating the sheep and goats. The gospel we preach reveals where we believe these actions originate.

Those who believe the actions are externally motivated, preach a gospel of works. Those believing a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are necessary for salvation, preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. As we have discussed in previous writings, Jesus and the Word are the same; as Jesus is pure and a pure Word; with reciprocal also true.

Allowing the transformation our hearts, minds and souls to Jesus Christ through the purity of the entire scripture; enables our actions, our works, to be led by the Holy Spirit. Would you agree the Holy Spirit’s wisdom of necessary actions far exceed our own wisdom for appropriate actions?

Lord, help us continually deepen our relationship with you; saturate our hearts and minds with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Enable us to clearly hear and obey your voice, your directives in serving, acting and helping others. Help us lead others to you, so they may develop and deepen their relationship with you.

Jesus, YOU are the change the world seeks and needs. Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have been present along with the Father throughout eternity. Genesis speaks of the Trinity, Jesus is revealed throughout the Old Testament. All of Scripture is God breathed, Jesus is the Word made Flesh. Consequently, ALL of Scripture should be considered "Gospel", Good News. Failing to see Good News in Scripture is a reflection of my sinful nature; as opposed to any deficiences of the author of scripture.

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!

In Christ,
Rick E. Meyer
www.rickemeyer.com

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Where is Your value?

Have you noticed the "I'm Offended Foundation" has virtually the same membership as the "How Great I Am" club?

When our value rests in Christ, we sing "How Great though Art"; since nothing over powers Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to be "Offended" with Jesus in our hearts.

As my friend Chuck quips, we know we are losing focus when "How Great thou Art" becomes, "How Great I Am." All spiritual forces can over power us when we are Self reliant. Consquently, we are easily "Offended."

Place your Heart and Trust in Christ Jesus singing "How Great Thou Art", you will never again join the membership of the "I'm Offended Foundation."

See Christ, Believe Christ, Achieve with Christ!

Rick E. Meyer
www.rickemeyer.com