In the last month I am being prompted with the action of being Obedient to what Jesus is telling me to do.  I have been taking several Prayer walks and asking God what am I supposed to do?  The answer is always the same “seek me first and then all shall be added” – I am to be Obedient to his calling. 
     
          One of the verses that I looked up on this topic is:

2 John 1:6 – And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

    When you look at the world around us – this is something that is needed and will be required as we go forward.   I am afraid that our country is going to get what they are asking for when it comes to who is going to lead us forward.  This may not be someone that I want but as in the days past when the people wanted a King – God granted them their desire.   So one of the most powerful ways of obedience for Christians is for us to walk in Love as we see what is going to transpire around us.
 
I enjoy listening to John Bevere’s talks and he has one on obeying God:

Don’t wait to obey until God provides while God is waiting to provide until you obey. When you’ve heard God’s voice and you know He’s calling you to do something, step out in faith. The next step will be there.  https://www.facebook.com/32273893010/videos/10154310930998011/?pnref=story

John talks about there will be times that God Speaks to you and you will not have the resources to do it.   Then he gives examples of when Jesus told people to go forward, he supplied the resources to accomplish the task.

   We are going to be prompted to do the same….  God will be telling us to do some very hard things this year….   I have a list of several items that I am being told to be Obedient in and it is a struggle, but I know that I must be Obey. 
       
Here is another portion of an article I read about Radical Obedience:

**The Secret of Radical Obedience:

Hearing God in the secret place is one of the greatest keys to living the Christian life. However, it must be linked with its corollary: radical obedience. We hear, and then we do. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22, NKJV).

By “radical obedience,” I mean immediate obedience that fulfills the commandment to its fullest measure. Radical obedience does not seek to comply to the minimal standards but pursues extravagant, lavish fulfillment. If Jesus says, “Sell all,” then we sell all! Immediately.

    This last section got me:   “Radical Obedience” – that is where I need to be.  This is not something that will come easy for me and I will probably fail several times.  I know as I persevere and go forward that he will be with me and Obedience will come…..
 

So what is Jesus calling you to do?

Are you going forward in Obedience?

As you persevering?

 

Bobbyg

 

 

 

A couple weeks ago, I (Bob W.) read an article contrasting Johnny Barnes, Bermuda’s famously loving & joyful Christian greeter; with India’s Datta Phuge, “the gold man of Pune” with his $250,000 shirt made of pure gold.
The obituary/article in this very secular magazine tells the stories behind both men, who both happen to have died last month. It’s worth a read. It has been one of those occasional stories that comes to mind again and again, long after reading it.
For this blog, I’ll focus on the conclusion, where the author writes:
“The moral of the tale seems almost too easy to draw: the selfish flaunter of happiness (murder victim Datta Phuge), weighed down by gold, came to an awful end, while the selfless one, wearing his prodigious love so lightly (Johnny Barnes), was praised and lamented.
Both men, though, left behind a deficit of magic. After Mr Phuge died, no one could find the wonderful gold shirt. It was not in the house, nor at Ranka Jewellers; rumour had it that a creditor from Mumbai had taken it away. As for Mr Barnes, people searched up and down, far and wide, for the true secret of his happiness; for that, too, had disappeared with him.”
But has the true secret of Mr. Barnes contagious joy REALLY disappeared with him?
In the article, the source of Mr. Barnes’ joy is obvious to anyone with discernment to see it:

• “the genuine joy in the life God had blessed him with…“
• “often prayed with his visitors beside the road…“
• “death… in the firm conviction he was heading home…“

Faith. Gratitude to God. Loving his neighbors as himself.
I doubt many of us are called of God to spend our days telling passing rush-hour motorists how sweet life is and how much we love them, as Mr. Barnes was.  But the questions for me, and anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ, are:

• Is MY faith in Christ like “a spring of water welling up to eternal life”? (John 4:7-14)
• Do I want to make a habit of looking for God’s blessings, in the routine, the good, and the bad times… and to give Him thanks?
• Am I willing to tell others the true secret of happiness?

Bob W.

I had this question going through my head most of last night “What If?” and I was coming up with allot of What If’s….   This is a great question when you are looking at situations that you encounter and need to know what to do…
          I googled the Question “What if?” and here is some insight on one of the hits:

The Power of “What If” Questions

Almost all of us have experienced those sleepless nights running through scenario after scenario, wondering “what if.”

These “what ifs” don’t pay off. They remove your strength, undermine your influence, and make you bow to the negative. When given enough power, they can break you.

 But there’s another kind of “what if” question: the “what if” of possibility. Instead of weighing us down, these questions free us and empower us.

          As you can see this is a big question that can lead to a negative or positive result and it has allot of Power.  I would like to tell you that mine ended up on a positive note – but I do not want ask myself that question ever again in the middle of the night. 
 
    So some of the What If’s that were going through my head last night were:

1.  The Big one:  What if Jesus were to come today?  Am I ready? My answer was I think I am, but I want to make sure my Sons and Grandkids know about Jesus…
2. Pastor Shaun presented this question on Sunday which started My What If:   What if your dog walked in Chewing up a ten dollar bill?  Are you going to discipline the dog or give it grace?  I am not going to answer that one.
3. Then my mind went crazy:  LOL – What if I do not get to sleep?  What if I have to spend more time with people that need me? (Time is a valued commodity for me).  What if the Hail Ruined the Garden? (It is a big Garden that I help my son with).  And it kept going….

    I know in life we are going to have many of the “What If” questions and we should be ready to make them a positive outcome.  I finally ended up with this thought:  “through obedience and taking my “What If” to Christ then all will be well”.   So enjoy your experience of “What If” but try not to loose too much sleep?
 

So what is your “What if”?

Are they empowering you with a Positive outcome?

Is Christ at the Center of all your answers?

 

Bobbyg

 

            It is Cheyenne Frontier Days this week and I was doing some pondering while I was catching the Thunderbirds perform.  It made me think of all the Gifts that people have.
         The Thunderbirds have some unique and special gifts, whether it be the pilots or the people behind the scenes that put the computer programs together.   To be able to fly at 1,000 miles per hour in a group is just something great and special, but it takes several gifted people to make it work.  
          Then I thought about the gifts the Cowboys have at the Rodeo:  1. The Bull rider on a 3,000 pound bull trying to stay on for 8 seconds.  A couple of days ago only one Cowboy was able to stay on for 8 seconds – he has a gift.  2.  Steer ropers, this is a team effort.  It takes 2 cowboys in unison to rope a steer and get it the ground – this requires 2 special gifts working together. 
          One last example of Gifts during frontier days would be putting together a Pancake Breakfast for 10,000 people and you are only in line for 15 minutes  WOW.  This requires a special gift to bring together several different groups to become one great event.
 
          So now my question comes back to how am I using my Spiritual Gifts?

1.  Am I connected to a group of Christians as a Body of Christ, doing His work?    (Church – Non Profit Organization).
2. Am I alone utilizing my Gifts to those who are right in front of me?
3. Am I connected with one other Christian so that we can put our gifts together?
4. Am I utilizing my Gift to bring others together for one cause?

I am answering each of these questions in Private – but how do you see yourself measuring up to each of these…  
 Here a scripture on Spiritual Gifts:

1 Corinthians 12New International Version (NIV)

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

          As you can see it takes all types of different gifts to make up one Body or One Church.  The Church is made up of different people uniting all their Gifts for a Special Person “Jesus”.    Your gift may not be listed above – but you have been given gifts by the Holy Spirit that are unique to you.  You just need to recognize how God has made you special and engage. 
 

What Gifts do you have – are you a Thunderbird or a Cowboy or an Event Coordinator?

Are your gifts coming together with other people to make one Body?

Are you connecting your Gifts with one other Person?

Are your Gifts be utilized for the person in front of you?

Use your Gifts – do not let them be stagnate!

 

Bobbyg

Post from Bob W.
Hello, GMM blog readers.
Jillette Penn is half of the comedi​an​ magicians duo Penn and Teller ​; he is a brilliant man and an avowed atheist.
​ Here’s a frank and moving video worth watching ​ because of his perspective about “proselytizing”.  ​ ​In it, he tells of receiving the gift of a Bible and  his thoughts on Christian​ evangelism.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=6md638smQd8
 
​He doesn’t respect people who don’t proselytize!​
 
​So, when the opportunities come to share my faith, the questions are:

• am sincerely complimentary, polite, kind, and good to skeptics? 
• will I look a non-believer right in the eyes; or am I “defensive” about my faith?
• since I truly believe there’s a heaven and a hell, do I care enough about this other human being, made in the image of God, to take the risk of being “socially awkward”?
• how much do I have to hate someone, to believe everlasting life is possible, and yet not tell them the Gospel?

 
​Bob W.

           The World seems to be in Chaos at the present time….   Shootings – Politics – Spiritual Warfare.   The big Question is it what am I going to do to help in bringing the Chaos back into order.   I just listened to a powerful prayer from Franklin Graham praying for our Political Leaders as the Republican’s start their convention (He will be praying for the Democrat Convention next week).  This is one of the best ways I can help – “Prayer”.
          Pastor Shaun’s sermon this week asked the question:  “Are you more like Jesus or a Pharisee?”  As I go forward this must be a question that I need to ask myself several times and keep myself in check to my responses.  I do believe that Prayer is our biggest weapon, but we must also be active in helping bring the Chaos back into order.  Pastor Shaun shared the scripture below:

1^st Corithinians 13: 1>3

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

I must respond to the Chaos in Love and my actions must be in a way that the people around me will see Jesus working through me.  As my friend Nick would say “Love Wins”.
 
Former Secretary of State – Condoleezza Rice shared a very strong prayer this week that we should all be praying: 

“But dear Heavenly Father, that is not the future we want for our country,” Rice prayed. “We do not want that division to continue to shadow our future, or the future of our children or our grandchildren. And so we turn to you. We know that there are no easy answers, but the answers will come through you.”

“As a nation and as a people, we need to race again toward you, into the embrace of your loving arms,” she continued. “Dear Heavenly Father, we pray for guidance, we pray for wisdom for our leaders, and we pray that each and every one of us will leave this place justified by faith and secure and confident in your deep, deep love for us.”

Concluding her prayer, Rice, who now teaches at Stanford University, hoped that Christians will “go out into the world as instruments of your peace” and “instruments of reconciliation.”

“And that each and every day, dear Heavenly Father, we will search and ask that we can be a blessing to one another, as you have been a blessing to us,” she said. “These things we ask in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.”

 

I know it is so tempting to respond in a judgmental way to put the blame on so many people for the Chaos and many of them deserve the blame.  But My prayer for myself is to be in check to make sure that I am a positive response in helping to bring order back into our World.
 So the one big question is:   Are you more like Jesus or a Pharisee?
 Bobbyg

        I listened to the song “God is on the Move” and I ask myself:  Do I see God on the Move?   When I look around me what do I see?  Can I identify the work  God is doing around me?   These are Big Questions that we should all be asking ourselves.
          Then I looked and I could see God Moving in Cheyenne – here are a couple of areas that God is moving in a Mighty Way.

1.  Pastor Jay M. of the Vineyard Church started a prayer mission to have churches praying for Cheyenne every day of the month and eventually every hour of the day.    If your church or ministry has not signed up for a day they need to soon. http://www.caecheyenne.org/covercheyenne.htm
2. The Franklin Graham Decision America 2016 tour coming to Cheyenne.  This tour is hitting every state in the United States and bringing a great message of Praying for our country, vote and get involved.   If you have not signed up to help or have not set aside the time to attend – you need too.  https://decisionamericatour.com/tour/wyoming/
3. I was contacted by the Producer of the Movie of “Voiceless” and he would like to bring the movie too Cheyenne.   It is a powerful movie on saving the lives of the unborn….   Check it out and sign up: http://joinvoiceless.com
4. When I look at my personal life – I see God on the move in my Relationships and giving me the 3 R’s….

 
    So I looked at the World around me and I am excited to see God Moving in some great areas and His timing is just right – but we know His timing is always at the right time when he moves.  The list above could go on – but I wanted to show some areas that everyone can see that God is on the Move and you can join Him.
 
If you have not listen to the song “God is on the Move” – please check it out and Listen to the Lyrics:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqsafpTaNIw   You will be moved – so enjoy…
 

So is God on the Move in your Life?

Can you see God Moving around You?

Have you joined God in what he is doing?

 

Bobbyg
I share this picture with you because this is another area God is on the Move and it is exciting to see Him moving in Pastor Ron’s life here in Cheyenne and then on the road. 
 

        Have you ever had one of those tough weeks when you are looking at the future and as you look into the future all you see is a tough path to go down.  I was having a hard time coming up with a topic for my blog this week – so I opened up one of the Our Daily Bread books and there on the first page was my topic…

“The Best is yet to come!”

    It talked about the story of Moses and when you look back on his life you know he was asking himself “Is there more to life – Does it get better?”  But as we know the rest of the Story – he did great things. 
 
          When I look at Moses story, I began looking at what God is doing in mine:  Does he talk to me as he did Moses? – Does he direct me as he did Moses? – Does he give me the strength as he did Moses? – Does he give me the Words as he did Moses?    Well the answer is Yes…  
          When I look at my last week I can see the times when God was doing His Moses encounters with me.

1. The driver from the Dealership that picked me up to take me to get our car that was fixed was one of them.   When I got in the car he had the radio really low but I could hear what was playing… “Old Time Christian Music”.  We ended up having a great talk and he goes to a church of one of my favorite pastors (Pastor Guy L.)  *This was a moment I needed a smile…
2. My 2am guys have been there at the right times this week to lift me up and take me forward.  God had given them the right words to speak to me that I needed to hear.

So as I pay attention to those moments when God is working in my life – I can see the Moses encounters that He has put there for me – they are really special.
 The verse in the Our Daily Bread was:  Deuteronomy 33:27 > The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath you are the everlasting arms; (this was just the first part of the verse). 
          We must always remember that Christ is our refuge and He will be there to make our lives even Better.
 

So do you see the Moses encounters in your life?

Do you know “The Best is yet to come”?

Is Christ your refuge and are His arms holding you up?

Bobbyg
PS:  The prayer at the bottom of Our Daily Bread:   O Lord my God, I praise You for all You have done in the past.  I look forward with thankfulness for all You will do in the future.  And I thank you for today and all Your blessings.    AMEN
 

     It was father’s day yesterday and I was reminded about my father on how he raised me.   My Dad raised me up as a Christian all my life – the scripture in this verse meant allot and was passed onto me from my Dad…  It helped me in raising my 3 sons>    Proverbs 22:7 > Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
My Dad always made sure we made it to Church and he was took on a major role in helping in the Church.   His example showed me the importance of being active in our faith and when I became older I started expanding on what he taught me…  
This quote below would be my home when I was growing up…  I was that ten year old boy at times – especially when I became a teenager…    But people were able to see Jesus in my Dad despite how his son was acting – I was not the perfect Son growing up.   

 **A wise person truly said, “It ought to be as impossible to forget that there is a Christian in the house as it is to forget that there is a ten-year-old boy in it.” ~ Roger J. Squire 

          As I have become seasoned – I have been able to tell my Dad that because of him I am able to be where I am today.   I told him that when GMM became a thought in my brain – it started because of him…   He was my rock..
          My Dad has Altimerz (My description of Alzheimer’s) now and we have some good moments and some bad.   The major thing that I smile about is that he knows who I am when I walk in – that is such a blessing.  We have some great conversations now that go down many paths and I just enjoy taking it wherever he wants the conversation to go.   I take every moment I can to cherish the time I have with him now and make an effort to give him a hug and say I love him when I leave… (This makes him extremely uncomfortable – but I smile).
 
          Yesterday a good friend of mine (Choe H.) posted a note on his Facebook page that reminded me that we have a Heavenly Father that makes this all possible when we follow him.   Thank you Choe.

  “I’ve given a tribute to my fathers on earth. I’ve expressed my gratitude for being allowed to be an earthly father now, the greatest of all! Thank you father God for being the perfect father, showing me who you made me to be! I fail constantly and you still love me……I am blessed everyday by your love!”  Choe Hayes

 Choe also shared this song about our Heavenly Father from Chris Tomlin:

 **Good Good Father:  ENJOY   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqybaIesbuA

 

 No challenges today – but just sit back and Praise your Heavenly Father and then thank God for your earthly Father and if you are a Father —Just be Blessed.

 
 Bobbyg
 

          Well is has been an interesting week for me:   I had a question come up and I do not seem to have the answer.  I was glad when I went to a Men’s Advance on Friday and Saturday – IT HELPED…   OH – the Question:   “How do you see the people who interrupt your schedule?  Do you see them as a nuisance or as the reason for your life and ministry?”   Maybe that is two questions…
          This has been a problem for me recently – Loving those who are causing my life to be interrupted (Not my wife guys).   The battle seems to be raging strong at the present time – and people are looking at me to see how I react….     This is a hard one for me – but I know that I must finish well.   SO WHAT DO I DO?
           A Pastor friend shared this verse at the Men’s Advance that started to explain why I am struggling:   Ecclesiastes 3:11 – He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 
          My Study Bible describes this as:  God has “set eternity in the human heart”.  This means we can never be completely satisfied with the earthly pleasures and pursuits.  Because we are created in God’s Image, (1) we have a spiritual thirst (2) we have eternal value (3) nothing but the eternal God can truly satisfy us. 
          So as I struggle with my issue – I need to understand that I must be looking at the One who has created all of these people who are interrupting me before I can be at peace about how they are affecting me.   Yes, the Battle is raging but God is in Control and he can handle the enemy.  I must focus on HIM and then look at the ones who are causing me to take pause.   The spiritual peace that I am seeking will only be accomplished when I allow Jesus to work in me –— then I will be satisfied with all of those who interrupt my schedule.   
***I do have to tell you that I have been blessed with a Powerful group of guys that surround me to help me get through my issues.
 
          Then my Pastor friend brought out the Love Chapter and what our response should be to those who I may have a problem with….  

• Love is Patient
• Love is Kind
• Love does not envy
• Love does not boast
• Love is not proud
• Love does not dishonor others
• Love is not self-seeking
• Love is not easily angered
• Love keeps no record of wrongs
• Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth
• Love always protects
• Love always trusts
• Love always hopes
• Love always perseveres
• Love never fails

  So the answer to my question is:   If I try to focus on these characteristics of loving those who are creating my issues then the ultimate result will be:  “I will make Jesus successful!”  He has made all things Beautiful…………
     I do believe that God has surrounded me with Great People who make up my life and ministry.   I just need to be open to the Holy Spirit working HIS Fruits within me so that those people can see Jesus. 
 

So how are those people that interrupt you affecting you?

Are you loving them the way you should?

Can those who are observing you – see Jesus in You?

 

Bobbyg