Mike Fisk & Built with Grace

Knowing God: C.Y.A. (Check Your Attitude)

January 19, 2016 in Uncategorized | Tags: Can I know God?, God, God's love, grace, Knowing God, trust | 2 comments

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Proverbs 2:2

Those of us from my generation remember a time when just changing the channel on the television set was a chore. Not only did you have to get up and walk ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE ROOM and manually turn a dial, once you found the channel you wanted you had another dial to turn which was called various things. The one I remember was fine tuning. You see, back then you had to adjust the tuner ever so slightly to get the clearest picture. Since I always lived in rural areas, the challenge was even trickier some days.

Sometimes we need to ‘fine tune’ our lives spiritually as well. Just as the ‘TV waves’ strayed from time to time, so do we. One of the first things an orchestra conductor does is to listen to the musicians to make sure every instrument is in tune. A good conductor can hear even the slightest variance and that makes all the difference in the performance.

Knowing God as he is requires us to constantly check our attitude according to the tuning fork of his Word. It’s too easy to play the comparison game. It’s safer to follow the religious dogmas and creeds, than it is to measure our lives according to the standard of God’s will. Those standards are clearly spelled out in his Word and exemplified in the life of Jesus Christ.

“Good enough” and “Close is okay” is never an attitude God uses. Everything he does is perfect and he calls us to perfection. Fortunately, he also empowers us to live as perfect as we can through his Holy Spirit.

A daily prayer I’m trying to implement in my own life is an adaptation of what the Psalmist says in Psalm 139. ‘Father, today yourself to me in a way that will direct me to live more closely to your will. Amen’

The real beauty of that short prayer is that your Father want’s to reveal himself to you and he’ll never ask you to change something without empowering you to change. It’s really a matter of trust. If you believe he loves you, you can trust the path he leads you down.

PRAYER: Father, there are so many times I’m distracted by the world or waver in my love for you or others. Show me where to change and how to change. Then, empower me with your Holy Spirit to fine tune my heart to yours. Amen.

Knowing God: Keeping Focused

January 18, 2016 in Uncategorized | Tags: Can I know God?, forgiven, God's love, grace, Jesus Christ, understanding God | 3 comments

Proverbs 2:1 — My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.

Chip Ingram, in his book “God, As He Longs for You to See Him” makes the statement, ‘God has created each of us with an innate desire for deep, meaningful fellowship with him.’

We know this to be true from the very beginning for the Bible gives us a brief glimpse into the heart of God when we’re told in Genesis that God walked each evening with Adam and Eve. He talked with them as you would talk with an intimate friend.

While sin placed a barrier between God and man, it didn’t destroy God’s desire for that intimacy that was lost in the garden. When Jesus died for us, the barrier was destroyed and fellowship with God was available once again!

The problem is, the enemy doesn’t want us to realize what a marvelous position we have with God. Our vision of God is clouded with religion, tradition, lies and misunderstandings. So, can we really know God as he wants us to know him? YES!! But how?

Proverbs 2:1-5 gives us path we can follow to know God as he wants to be known. I’ll warn you though, it’s not an easy path to follow. However, it’s well worth the journey.

Proverbs 2:1 tells us, “My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.”

The first step in knowing God is to listen. Listening is a lost art in our society. There are so many distractions calling us away from God. Here’s what I’m learning about listening:

Remove distractions. In my physical life that may mean putting the phone/device down, turning down the TV and/or turning my body in the direction of the one I’m listening to. With God it’s a similar thing. Put away the distractions, get alone when you can give him your undivided attention.
Eye Contact is crucial! It amazes me how much power is behind looking the person you are listening to/talking to has. When you are talking and looking each other in the eyes it seems to put a connection that isn’t easily taken away. The same is true with God. Physical eye contact isn’t possible of course, but train yourself to focus on one object as you seek him. It could be a distant object. It could be a picture or a verse. This one is a tough one, but your Heavenly Father WANTS to build this relationship. When you look into the eyes of God you don’t see judgment, anger or hate, you see love, grace, mercy and passion for you.
See the Love. I’ll confess to you that I may be the world’s biggest sap. However, although we’ve been together for years, there are times when I look into my wife’s eyes and she still takes my breath away. Why? Because I love this woman more than anyone (except Jesus of course). When you seek to know God try to envision the passionate love he has for you. He loved you so much he gave the one thing he cherished most, his son.

To know God as he wants you to know him is to learn to see the great love he has for you and listen to him through His Word (The Holy Bible) and prayer.

PRAYER: Father, there are so many distractions that keep me from really knowing you. Empower me to listen to you, to focus on you, and to see the passion in your eyes for me. I’ve failed you so many times but I want to know you more. Help me to see you in your glory. Amen.

On Wounds and Scars

January 17, 2016 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Grace Upon Grace

When I was seven years old I fell off my pony and broke my arm. It was no fun, especially for a very active little me who could hardly sit still for two minutes. (thanks a lot missy) But after I got past the pain and surgery and looong weeks of wearing a cast I realized there was an upside to the whole ordeal- the awesome scar that I could show off. For the next few days my favorite thing was to retell the story with *ahem* “absolutely no exaggeration.” For a dramatic conclusion I would pull up the sleeve of my favorite blue t-shirt to reveal a pale mark the size of a pencil eraser. I explained to my little buddies that the scar would probably be there forever but it wouldn’t cause pain anymore. It would just remind me how I was hurt and how I had “gotten…

View original post 339 more words

Are You Unraveling?

January 16, 2016 in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Even In This

A single piece of thread dangles from my scarf. I tuck the lonely strand back into place. Try to hide it.

For I know if I yank the thread too hard, the scarf will bunch up. Keep pulling it and the scarf might unravel.

Ever feel that way?

Like you’re composed of multiple strings of yarn and everyone is tugging on you?

And each time those strings are pulled, you feel as though you’re unraveling. Bit by bit.

Until there’s nothing left of you, but a heap of yarn on the floor.

IMG_4108 (1)

Unless, of course, you’ve learned to hide the loose, frayed strands from other folks.

Maybe—instead of a frayed scarf—you feel more like a string puppet. Just going through the motions with each tug. Nod, smile, wave, bend, move….

Too much jerking and we lose the elasticity of our stringy nerves. Or they get tangled from hurrying in too…

View original post 228 more words

Secure Giving

January 15, 2016 in Christianity, Faith, Uncategorized | Tags: generosity, grace, greed, Jesus Christ, simplicity, trust, vulnerability | Leave a comment

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

“Tis more blessed to give than to receive” is a nice saying, a comforting thought, and even found in scripture. The reality is, however, during those times when we are completely honest with ourselves, we admit it’s easier to live by the adage, “It’s far better to receive than
it is to give.”

There’s ‘good reason’ for that of course. We all know the horror stories of people who have taken advantage of the system. These are the ones that feel they are entitled, for a variety of reasons, to a free ride. They make constant excuses for the way they are and fail to take responsibility for the condition they are in.

It’s amazing to me that some of the stingiest people are those who claim to follow Christ. They put qualifications on their giving such as economic need, church background, race, sexual orientation and the list goes on. It seems we are afraid we may be taken advantage of, or that someone may get something they don’t deserve.

It’s a complex issue with no easy answers I suppose, but I think the question of generosity can be summed up in our response to two concepts that Jesus himself taught. The first of these is ownership, in other words, who owns what you have? The Psalmist states, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” (Psalm 24:1) If that verse is true (insert sarcasm here) then we need to realize that the car you are still making payments on isn’t yours. Never has been, never will be. There doesn’t seem to be much vacillation in the word ‘everything’. One may argue that we are called to be good stewards of all that is given us and that’s true. But do we refuse to give out of stewardship or greed?

The second issue that keeps us from being generous is simplicity. Especially for those of us in the United States, we like to be comfortable and we like to have the latest toys. (insert my own guilt in this regard here). It’s interesting that Jesus seems to call each of us to homelessness in Matthew 8:20 when someone says they will follow him anywhere (discipleship) and he responds by saying “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

The point is this. Are we willing to give from our surplus or sacrificially? I’m not just about money, I’m talking about our gifts, our talents, the fruit of the Spirit (you know, that whole love, joy, peace thing). There are lonely people all around us. Many would just love to get a smile, a hug, a visit, a card in the mailbox.

Jesus didn’t win people over by his great sermons. The New Testament Church didn’t turn the world upside down by placing requirements on who could join. How can you and I give in a way that will change someone’s world?

PRAYER: Father, I confess that I’m far more willing to give of my excess than to give sacrificially. I’ve grown far too comfortable from the many blessings you’ve given me. Help me to see those in need around me and empower me to do what you can to make a difference in their lives. Amen.