3/31/09

Picking up the fiddle seemed distant where once it was natural

But then the leaves were not yellow.

Placing it under his chin he doubt the notes could be pure like before

Pulling the bow across the strings the music came

Diifferent yet holding parts of older days

The music still held

That which was in part, of who he was.

 

Life’s  hardships can cripple and dammage us so severely  and for such a long period of time that who we are  is shattered in pieces.

Such was the way I felt when I wrote the above,and realized that the cave I was hiding in for comfort had to come to an end. Being a man, doing the hard thing is not hiding but stepping forward out from where one is hiding.

Not clinging to self and darkness but reaching out to GOD by admitting that in and of myself I have nothing, not even desire, but what ever rags of my life there are, I give to you. 

It is this surrender that allowed me to see that What Christ offered was  himself.

Saying ted you can stay with your rags or you can let me clothe you with who I am. You can live your life in tedville or live your life where I am your identity .

You can live with this beautiful coat of righteousness or keep your rags. You can run back and forth from my coat to your rags or you can give yourself a break and live in my peace my love my direction.

“so I laid the rags of my life at the foot of the cross and he made something beautiful of my life.”

 

3/30/09

 

Make way you bumbling head and let your heart have chance to speak, Emotions those sensitive intuitive descerments need aa voice. You may find others who are wired so tight into “more right “ theology that to them the only way GOD speaks or directs is through his word. David who wrote the bulk of the psalms was a bubble head sappy guy who also was a soldier and had killed many enmies. Yet w e see him  laying open his heart his whole life and person before GOD.

Our GOD can handle your emotions just fine, He accepts us when we have doubts, or fears.

I have prayed in  anguish, frustration so bad it was dishonorable to GOD. Yet he forgave me  and we walked through the valley together.

I was not the first squiggly squirmey sheep that he has held in his arms. Nor will I be the last.

The pain life brings, my cries for relief, for answers ,don’t come when I snap my fingers at GOD.

But as we walk through the trial together I am given an opportunity to have another piece of GOD I hadn’t had previously, to know a liitle more of this GOD I love so much.

Is not our Christian music simply a way for our heart to have a voice to GOD?

Worship him not merely from your logic side but from your heart side as well.

Our Heavenly Father says “give me the poor the tired I will be their shepherd I will bind them up”.

3/29/09

 

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit ? In my youth I couldn’t make heads or tails over that statement, the best I could come up with was it must be a humbleness thing. And in a sense there is a humbleness factor in that you choose his spirit over your own. But his spirit is far from poor it is bright and light and life it is full of his desires.

Poor in spirit is the stepping aside of living just with your spirit but choosing to live in his. And GOD’s ways are so different from ours. It doesn’t neccassarily mean that what we do will always succeed as the world sees sucess, GOD will lead us so that we may grow up the best kids we can possibly be,which is no different than any parents desire.

And what do we do if our children aren’t listening? Well you get the idea, only a parent who didn’t care would let a kid keep going the wrong way.

But back to the poor in spirit. To be poor in self but rich in GOD is the meaning of the statement. So what is the blessed part?

Many years ago I was milkman on Vashon Island and on my route there was a ragged old man who lived in a run down old house and the story goes that he had thousands of dollars in cash hidden in his house but he would never spend it. This is not a new story certainly we all have heard such stories, but it is typical of a lot of christians. Here they acess to wonders and beautifulness of GOD and they never cash in. To get more of GOD you have to spend more time with him and less time with self,which is weird because you will end up with a lot more benefit to self than if you just attended to self.

 

I love the phrase, to steal away to  be with GOD. GOD booms to life in the opposite of the worlds ways.

 IF the world is loud and fast pace GOD rumbles in power and majesty in silence and stillness.

The verse be still and know that I am GOD is so well known to most of us.

Take the concept of closing ones eyes to pray, why do we do it ?

Not in the bible is there a reference or suggestion that we close our eyes, But we close our eyes to concentrate on GOD and not be distracted. Nothing wrong in it , I was brought up this way but now for me it is so limmiting. With my eyes open I behold nature actually everything that is, is from GOD a reflection of who he is.

 IF we are living with him in real time paticapating in his spirit in real time our eyes will be open a whole lot more than closed. There is a time and place for many types of prayers and praying ways and they all bring him glory if the heart is right.

It is in silence that we go to him share with him . It is in peacefulness of his spirit we take refuge, the gentle shepherd who protects and loves.

We all need to be poor in self  that we might be rich or blessed in who GOD is.

Steal away to the peace and power and beauty of your father in heaven.

 

3/25/09

Have you seen him? Do you see him? Do you live in him?

 

JESUS said …I will come to you.

 Before long the world will not see me.

Because I live, you also will live.

On that day, you will realize that I am in the Father

And you are in me, and I am in you…

John 14 :18,-20

 

These are the words Jesus was speaking to his disciples.

This was right before he ascended to heaven.

He was saying because I rose from the dead and live you who believe in me will live too after you die.

 ‘On that day  “ refers to when the Holy Spirit , GOD’s spirit, who he is will resides in us and we will have GOD personal with us 24/7 which took place not long after he spoke these words.

In that relationship he makes himself known to us, being loved, being known is such a joy.

We who have accepted Christ know of this.

The “you are in me and I am in you “ part is how much we are a part of him and he is so much a part of us.

 

I remember in my youth when I could flip spiritual words around a 100 mph. I think that is so much a reason why people can’t see Christ is because all the flipper flapper flagration of the tongue.

A day came when I was sick of myself and wanted to be true instead of the fabrication of my Christian flapper.

 I eagerly went silent, and in doing so the holiness of how wonderful GOD is,  was birthed, in a new more honest way.

A huge part was seeing that GOD could accept me as perfect because of Christ’s death. He has no reason not to take joy in me because when he sees me ,he sees his own perfect  son JESUS.

And Jesus said ted because of me you can be a part of my righteousness, my perfection. You no longer need to have only what you can dig up for yourself, you can have as much of me as you want.

Those words above are not just words ,they are the description of me.

 For I realize what an incredible Father, Father is. And am no longer just ted. But I am in the GOD of the Universe and that same GOD is in me right now.  And I get the high Honor of letting him be GOD. And in return I get to see him, and know him with my eyes of faith and the way he moves all over in my life for his desire.

The older I become the more I see that my GOD is GOD! And he doesn’t need a whole heap of words. Look ,a child who accepts Jesus as GODs son has the same amount GOD as the most devout person living on this dirt ball.

Ever since the  beginning of time there has been those who can talk the talk. But a man’s words should always be backed by his walk.

Our world is in desperate need of silent preachers that talk at GODs request. And silent sermons that say what GOD wants said and no more. We must be discerning  enough to follow his leading. more of him , less of us.

Well there you go now you have my sermon this morning, a sermon of too many words.

So now comes the second half of the sermon.  Grace,   We need to give grace or allowance to those who speak too much. Their motive may be righteous and their words although many ,honor GOD,

So just as GOD is patient with  us, so we too must be to like HIM toward others.

 

Words like water is tainted according to how much junk is in the well!

But from our heavenly Father are springs of living water. Come to the water you won’t be denied,

 

Grace  Grace GODs Grace

I spent some time this morningthinking about GODs grace. A churchy word by the worlds view but a dear dear word to us who are his children.

 My thoughts went back to the times of great unkowns where I was about to take  a journey and my soul felt like it jumped out of my body and into GODs lap for comfort.

 There was the time my Dad passed away, The evening I was told I had a kidney disease, The day I set out to hitch hike across the US and on and on, I was reaching out to GOD for him that is larger and known to be comfort and be my courage. 

My way of explaining grace is HE ,is my salvaton,courage,life,light,love etc, He is what I certainly am not. 

Presently my body is out wack with back,hip and leg pain and this morning I have to go to work delivering coffee,in and of itself to most folk that would be simple, but to me every stop will put me in out of breath pain, but I will do it and get it done.

No that is not right we will get it done as each little step is shared as I look to GOD for his strength, his endurance, his longsuffering.

Grace is GOD’s power his choice to be for us all that he is. It encompasses all that he is and especially his son’s death our Jesus . He is my everyday grace that is the air of heaven.

3/23/09

There are those who you so wish had the Christ within you.

 There are those who once sat with you and drank deep of the cup of life but now seek salvation in themselves.

 They bring sorrow to your heart as you hold them dear.

The best you can do is stay deep in heart  relationship to Christ.

As you spend more and more time with him they will see more  of him too. 

 Fear not what you  say. The message of light and life coming from the inside of an old clay pot won’t be perfect but it will be of Him who is and that is more than enough.

The world can easily find people like themselves it’s people like Jesus that are extraordinary.

My mother got this quote from a friend.`

“live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, satan shudders and says  “oh drat..he’s awake!”

3/20/09

Antidote for the head crazies

Do you ever get in the way of yourself. Your conflicting thoughts over a matter just driving you nuts. You try putting the thoughts out of your head but it works as well as not thinking of pink elephants.

 I suggest a new way to cut yourself some slack. Look at the situation or issue ask GOD is there something you want me to do. If so write it down. {GOD is always constructive not destructive by driving you nuts over and over on the same issue.}

If there is nothing to write down fine. Next hide your heart into the center of GOD.

 You see satan tries to tear away at your heart by driving you nuts with your thoughts. As you hide your heart in GOD you are seeing that he protecting you, and when the thoughts come they bounce off GOD and can’t get to you.

 Seeing your heart inside GOD look around where you are, recall all the verses of how your GOD is a mighty fortress, He is your refuge the one rescues you, who is salvation the ever present one when troubles come.

But it’s not just for the head crazies hiding your heart in him, being in him is love and wisdom and security.

Don’t leave home without HIM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/19/09

“Greater is he that is within you…”       HOW BIG IS GOD?   

 IN my distress I called to the Lord , I cried to my GOD for help. From his temple he heard my voice……He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds under  his feet…..He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him….Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced….He shot arrows and scattered my enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them    psm 18:6, 9,11-12,14.

They Forgot who their GOD was, is one of the biggest repeated blunders  man does. In fact it is seen everywhere from Genesis to Revelations.

 GOD is the strength of my heart. Well if he is that is one powerful, brave, heart you have. And that he has allotted himself to you with promises he cannot break is huge.

Look at the first line I called , I cried out if streatch your arm out to him he has you.

“I am with you moment by moment,  because you have reached out for my strong hand”.

In all your ways acknowledge me…..

Lord today I refresh anew how GOD you are. Thank you for such incredible protection and love

 

3/18/09

The sweet and tough of being led

We are so full of ourselves. Boasting and strutting in self determination. Hey, if this is the world’s view ,the opposite view should be GOD’s. In fact GOD wants us to be led by him.

Our relationship is to be so sensitive to GOD that we walk following his heart’s desire. One sure way to see if you’re tuned to him is if you are doing things you wouldn’t choose to do. Or if he has you in situations you would never pick in a million years.

 The other half of this is, he is the perfect father who gives only good gifts, who goes before you and watches your back side.

There is a cost of self to pick up your cross and go where Father knows best.

 I have felt abandoned but wasn’t , Each trial of life opens a new side of my Savior that allows me to trust and love him deeper.

So here is the fine print, Spiritual maturity does not lead to greater self fulfillment. It does lead to giving glory to the one who is GOD! And when you see yourself in him then you are fulfilled by Christfullfillment.

Carrying your cross where you die to self and live for Christ is risky .That GOD knows better than you what you need to do, now that is risky, but that is faith and faith pleases GOD.

 Being led by GOD is sweet and tough and it might just be the paint , of his glory he paints heaven with.  Earthly Failure if done in obedience is heavenly glory.

 

After many months of dark night battles within, I came to know the truth above. I am not the best follower for sure, but I have been burned enough by ted to know the tedway is the dumbway and the GODway is the way of light and life.

May we run together the race of his choosing for this day.

3/17/09

Light within me

I have this light within me

That dims the sun above

And opens yellow daffodils when the winter cold is done.

I have this light within me

No matter how dark life be

One speck of it powers, all eternity.

I have this light inside of me

It is the I AM above

And when no one is looking I giggle in his love.

Man has preached many a sermon

Bible study too

But like a little child

I tell you I love you!

 

“Things below become strangely dim in the light of his glory and love”

  Let me tell you about this GOD who created you, and loves you so much.

This is the beauty of the bible.

So simple …so profound…so wonderful…so HIM.

“And the word of the Lord came to me”

 His voice, who he is , comes to all of us.

Lift your head, look to see he is always present.

“by faith we have seen the far.”

What we see now is a fascinating trailer of things to come.

But it is , only if you look to see

He who has ears, he who has eyes

Behold your King this day!

3/16/09

Loved so Privately

To be loved so privately,

                                  Quietly

                                          Tenderly

                                                 To be with you where world or noise cannot affect

                                                                    Wonder of all you are surrounds me

                                                                            That you are always within me a part of my every air

                                                                                    The presence of your spirit breathes in me the highest of identity

                                                                                              I am loved so privately.

MARVELOUS

I amazed at words they can encourage, command, laugh, sing, express ,yet there are times when words fall short. And words cannot express that which is holy.  Take off your shoes.  Those times when I marvel . Marvel goes beyond imagination it is reaches beyond eternity and stretches one’s mind with awe.

I could make a list of marvels and in every marvel would be the chuckling  heart of GOD doing what he does best, being marvelous.

Large snowflakes fell yesterday morning for my dear wife to enjoy. She works so hard and the pressure of my constant pain and ailments adds to her heavy load. But I watch how the snowflake gift came and encouraged her and I marveled. I am unable to give her gifts of snowflakes yet my heart desires to do so. GOD chuckles and says I love her more than you , why are you so amazed that this father knows how to give  the best of gifts to his delight.                                  

3/13/09 Friday

Learn to do without

Dad is gone and other friends I thought would always be

I can’t walk upright straight I’m sprung where there should be spring

There are voices and faces distant  that I should be able to see

But they live far from me

The peripheral longings, that makes down here incomplete

Is the Father’s design of faith until we worship all together

at our savior’s feet.

 

 

 

Yesterday I was in pain again for periods of time. I saw what Amy Carmichael old time poet and missionary to India spoke of her illnesses as iron rings around her, imprisoned. Yet her inner man where she abides with Christ is light and life and the pain and suffering is not there but is in Christ which makes all the difference.

 

 

This morning blue skies and morning rays of light shine through the trees. I think of the announcing of Christ I’m sure there will be quite the light show for that day, For He himself will be the light of heaven. I wonder if that’s why I never see the face of GOD in my prayers? Oh I know he has one I can’t imagine so much love and mercy to be without a face. Yet he is so much more than we can even imagine probably explains it best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

AnneBeth

Quiet spirit of joy she collects her bag of books, corrected papers and lunch and heads out the door to work.

Meeting  the daily routine before her she sees as high and holy.

Not just another day, but this day,

 to watch her king before her , touching, loving ,instructing, laughter  in a child’s delight.

This child herself a teacher who ministers with king at side.

                                         Is it no wonder the children love her for they’re loved beyond their sight.

 

Look to see what he sees

 

It is a gorgeous morning bright crystal sunshine, it brings vigor to me old heart.

It was the Lord that taught me to see.

Years ago while working as a volunteer police officer. The captain took me out on patrol. He informed me that as a cop my job was to be a professional observer. “you have to look to see”. He meant you have to look intently so as to judge correctly and then take action. We would follow cars and he would have me identify what the driver was doing wrong or the infractions the vehicle may have.

 The look to see concept was one that GOD also taught me about living with  him.

 I didn’t see much for most of my life I was focused on ted and what ted wanted to get down for this day.

 I had defined what happiness is and it could only come my way. Fool that I am.

Eventually over many years because of my stubbornness GOD showed me how to look at what he’s doing.

Wow is the best way I can describe it . When all that is , is from him, then he is in all and through all.

I remember back years ago walking to bible college and stopping at a rhododendron bush in bloom and for the first time realized what people got off on with flowers . They are an incredible masterpiece of beauty.

Prior to this I thought a bouquet of wrenches would be far more attractive.

 Look to see what he sees , what he shows me to see has brought armloads of purpose and meaning into  my every days.   “Look to see that the Lord is good”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10/11/09

I am impatient. The consistent pain  hinders so much that I wish to do.

 In fact people don’t like being around folk who are always sick or poor or laden with frustrations all the time. I suppose it has to do with they only have so much to give and they need to receive.

Well my bag of bones is what GOD gave me. In this body I am to do his will.

 I am impatient I would like a quick release, Come to think of it I would like a quick release for everybody I know.  

Rejoice, ted, that you can bring me glory by pain it is my chosen path for you today, it adds purpose and accomplishes my will not yours. You see how close the pain is to your every thought and movement of your body I am closer then it. I am inside the pain about you. My left hand is under your head and my right hand holds you close to me. Live today in my tender care.

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 I told my mother have you ever notice that most folk croak between January and the end of march. I figure if we make it past March we should be good for the rest of the year.

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3/10/09

God’s gifts are so  incredible. Like a 12 year old who gets a new fishing rod and tackle but has to wait until opening day of fishing so our Lord lets us touch and see in part what he has in store for us actually what he is inside us. 

I think of Jesus who being GOD in flesh was able to right all wrongs in power but chose to do only that what he saw his father doing.

He smashed his thumb with the hammer, tripped and bruised his leg, got sawdust in his eye. He accepted that bad things were a part of his life.

 He was contented in who had his life, his Heavenly Father.

Was all explained to him by his heavenly father? I don’t know. It is said that he grew in wisdom, it was a progression.

 The unexplained will be plain when that day comes and we shall behold him face to face.

 A beautiful man passed away recently and we are left with a silence of the unexplained, Yet our  Heavenly Father in us presses in the pause button until we all live in the land of KNOWN.

“Dear Friends, now we are children of GOD, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears we will be like him, for we shall see him like he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is  pure.”

This evening I sat and looked at my precious wife. I love her more every day, for each day’s love just adds to how much I loved her yesterday. How so my Father in Heaven and even more so for he has been in every moment of my life. Why should I be surprised to see that he knows me more than I know myself. And knowing me he invites me to be in him instead of myself.   I bring this up because when we get upstairs we will be in awe of who we are because of who HE is. “when he appears we will be like him.”

Job lived the unexplained as did Paul and John The Baptist and what about Christ’s words in the garden? WE all have lived in the unexplained but we are known and we are loved .

Enjoy the day with Him

tedeetoe

Morning Thought

Welcome to This morning,

“Earnestly I seek you, my soul thirsts for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

The connection between our desire to know GOD, to touch who he is and have him first in our life and desert trials go hand in hand. Long suffering is one of his gifts  to us to bridle our attention to himself so he can show that which he has  given us, Himself. Words to an old song “when I feel the waves around me part the sea”

It is not so much that he gives us something new but show us what has always been there since we invited him in.

He is our peace, He is salvation.  Ted you asked for contentment, meaning, purpose I brought you trials that you could see you had it along . For the trial destroyed what you wanted and gave you the better,,, who I am.

Now you come to me and not yourself, you feed off me and not Christian crumbs.

Now you can see that a person lives not by Christian crumbs but by the real time things I say to them.

“The Light of your face is my life!”

Yesterday all over western part of the state GOD  baffled folk with every type of weather in one day. The same is true in how GOD demonstrates himself to us it is not just by trials of snow and hail but also by the bright sunshine he makes himself known.  “The greatest of these is love.”

Have a wonderful day

                       tedeetoe

Ted Whited

28216 State Hwy 3 NE

Poulsbo WA 98370

(360) 265-4144

tdwhited@comcast.net