Higher Calling

Life is funny sometimes. Makes us wonder at the end of the day, what is the point? Does anything I do really matter? Believe it or not. YES. You have heard me say time and time again on this site, you DO matter. Your existence is not without merit and importance. You were called to be more than just a fan of life. You were called to be a part of the entire experience. Your purpose does have a higher calling.

Life asks of us to be FOLLOWERS.  Now before you say, what? That's lame! I'm not a follower. Think about it. We all know in order to lead you must follow. After all, every great world figure that made a positive, motivational influence on humanity started out as a student and then became a teacher. 

 Discipline is a helper to knowledge just as patience is a helper to virtuosity. Take an oak tree for example. Without any extraordinary influence, it knows that it is called to be large, provide food, shelter, shade, oxygen and will be expected to live out hundreds of years. The tree knows that it is called to GROW and FLOURISH. There is an oak tree at the core of all of us. Some of us will carry out our callings as providers, parents, laborers, medical professionals, supporters, caregivers, etc. Others will carry out their calling as officers, military or homemakers. No matter what, the one thing that connects all of us is our calling to fellowship. We are designed to reach one another, love each other and steer each other in the way that we should go. We were not created to hate, kill, steal and destroy each other. We are loving beings, created in the image of love and were called to carry out this love throughout our lifetime.

Now before you get discouraged and think this is just a bunch of "feel good" talk that never makes a difference, have you ever thought about what the world would look like or be like if we all "chose" to love instead of hate? Have you ever said, that's boring or that's no fun or how dull! Well, I feel for you, because it's that same "freedom" to hurt that allows us the "freedom" to help! You were called to be FREE. Free from stress, pain, overindulgence, hurtful things and destructive environments. You were called to be FREE of filth and degradation. You were given the FREEDOM to choose to love - not because you had to - but because you wanted to! You think that sounds dull, boring and no fun? Ask the unsung hero, the committed lover, the caring parent, the supportive friend, the passionate leader, the devoted husband, the faithful wife, is their life boring?! I gaurantee you and will be your life on it - it is far from it! 

What if I told you that you were NOT created to be bad! To do bad things to yourself and others! But instead you were created to love and be loved and live a happy, healthy and fulfilling life - would you believe me? Would you choose to believe me? 

I would certainly hope so, because, you were called to make a DIFFERENCE. I pray that we all find our higher calling and truly apply our skills, talents and blessings to the best benefit of self and others. It is my personal goal to be in line with the will and purpose of my Lord and Savior and my creator. By doing this, I know that I am giving my best to life and good works to those whom I love and who love me. I wish to make a difference by living in accordance with the will of God. What is your calling? How are you making a difference?

 ^"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep."

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

These are just a few of many examples where ordinary people have made extraordinary choices to apply their talents to eternal change, ultimately making an eternal difference. At the end of the day, we only get one life-will you spend it doing what is wrong for the world or doing what is right for you and your God? You decide.  

Let's Stay Together: 
5 Simple Steps to Healthy Marriage

Inspired by Kevin Odor of CCRC

"Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage..." ah, the hopeful sounds of Frank Sinatra echo the heartbeat of budding lovers everywhere who want to "tie the knot". For some, it's a around the finger and for others it's around the neck. But no matter how you look at it, Old Blue Eyes hit it right on the head! Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongdoing. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Now that we know the true and accurate definition of love and not what modern society and social media tell us, we know that is it is the goal of the heart to leave our homes and cling to another in hopes that we may be one in love and be fruitful. A man must love his wife as he loves himself and a wife must respect her husband as she respects herself. We have heard this over and over again in every culture around the world. Treat them like you want to be treated...what goes around comes around...be good to them and they will be good to you...and so on.

But what makes a marriage last beyond the infatuation stage, the "honeymoon period"? How do we look back years later and look over at that person and say, from the core of our heart, I love this man or I love this woman...how can we say, for example, 30 years later, we are happily married despite an immoral and broken world that no longer believes or markets healthy marriage, but promotes destruction, selfishness, and lust? Well, it's simpler than you may think.

First: Never give up! Commit to your commitment: There will be many obstacles, challenges, ups and downs throughout the journey together, but as long as there is no irreparable damage caused by abuse or indiscretion, and you truly still fully commit to fulfilling the wants and desires you share with your spouse, remember the vow you took before God and man to stand by your word and do everything you can to keep your promises to each other. Love always perseveres.

Second: Avoid the pit-falls from saying, "we are just too different." It was the similarities that attracted you to each other in the first place and the differences that kept it so interesting and challenging along the way. You are not always going to agree on everything. This is good. At times, one will have a perspective the other does not; the outcome will benefit greatly from the meeting of the minds. You are one heart, but you still have a unique quality and contribution to the marriage. It's like sugar and spice, salt and pepper, hand in glove, you get the point. 

Third: Commit to acceptance. Accept one another for who they are, not for who you want them to be. Change in a person comes with time and experience. If it is positive change, embrace it. If it is negative change, work together to overcome it. This brings fulfillment to the marriage. 

Fourth:  Never say, "you don't make me happy." It is NOT the other person's responsibility to make YOU happy. You are responsible for your own happiness. The fruit for a healthy heart is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It is up to you to feed your heart healthy influences just as you feed your body healthy food. Both will reflect a healthy mind and spirit. This is your commitment to growing. Do not accuse in anger, but speak truth in love, this will grow up in the marriage and make you stronger. A 3 strand braid is the strongest there is.

Fifth: Do not see other people. Inviting another person into your marriage bed will destroy it. Your bed can't hold the weight of an extra body. Neither can your heart. Filling your eyes with lust will only lead you to step out on your marriage, which goes against rule #1 above. Causing lust and adultery in your marriage will destroy it to the point of no repair. If you apply love abundantly to a healthy marriage, it will flourish and grow. If you sour and spike your marriage with affairs, promiscuity and adulterous behavior, it will rot the marriage from the core and it will wither and die like rotten fruit fallen from the vine. 

Guard Your Heart

 You have heard this time and time again, we must protect our minds, our bodies and most importantly, our hearts from the things in the world that want to kill it. We must make a commitment to guarding, above all else, our hearts, after all, it is source of life. If we look for good in ourselves and each other, we will find it, But if we seek out to purposely hurt each other, we are capable of executing it.  Be a good heart. A heart of change. Love can turn a heart of stone into a heart of peace. As one in marriage, you are a new heart, undivided with a new spirit of love to bond you.

 

Until next time, I am DeMaster Thomas and this -- is Real Living.

 

"Hush Little Baby, Don't Say A Word..."

Ah the beautiful peace of ... sleep. CBS News reported April 2012 that 41 million American workers don't get enough sleep, CDC says. When was the last time you spent 24 hours doing-nothing! I mean a full day where you didn't produce anything?! What if I told you that not only is rest your God-given right as a human, it's a mandatory commandment? 

That's right. TO REST IS A COMMANDMENT. "Where," you might say..."I don't remember anything in the Bible that says, I have to stop running myself into the ground...I can go all day and all night and do whatever I want...life is short, I'll play hard and sleep when I'm dead."

Well with that attitude, you most certainly will. Not that rest is a laughing matter. "There's about 41 million workers who aren't getting the recommended amount of sleep," study author Dr. Sara Luckhaupt, a medical officer in the division of surveillance, hazard evaluations and field studies at the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Washington, D.C, told HealthDay. "Not surprisingly, workers who work the night shift are more likely to not get enough sleep," she said, adding people who work more than one job or more than 40 hours a week are also likely to get too little sleep. 

^{Exodus 20: 8-11
8} Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

⁹ Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
¹⁰ But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
¹¹ For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Hebrews 4:9 backs it up by saying, There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. Okay, okay, not to be preachy, but it's nice to know that taking time off from everything is not considered being 'lazy'. It's actually exactly how you're supposed to spend your down time.

Now of course, not to mention the many known health reasons for rest, there are spiritual and emotional reasons to rest as well. It is a time to reflect, clear the mind, exhale, and in return, your focus, energy and stamina will be replenished. Not to mention you will feel emotionally stronger, spiritually sound and finally, your mind, body and spirit are all at peace at the same time.

History teaches us that Sunday became the day of rest because it was recognized as the day the Lord rested as well as the day that Jesus rose from the dead. Before then, it was actually Saturday! Okay so that's probably what you would consider useless knowledge you can use to annoy your friends. The point is, After work and play, there is rest.

Dr. Michael J. Breus, a sleep expert and clinical psychologist, told WebMD that if you fall asleep in less than 10 minutes, you're probably sleep deprived. Another sign that may ring familiar to some: "If you hit the snooze button more than twice you are probably sleep-deprived," Breus said.
What should the nation's sleepy workforce do to stop the trends?
Luckhaupt told WebMD that employers should take steps to make sure their workers are getting enough sleep, such as by tweaking night shift schedules or imposing limits on consecutive shifts. Employers should also have wellness initiatives that encourage workers to go to sleep at the same time every night and create a relaxing bedroom environment. That also means avoiding reading or television in bed and turning off that smartphone.

Revelations 1:10, Galatians 2:16 & 4:10, 2 Corinthians 3:6-17 and Psalm all support the fact that rest = blessing! That's right. If you give your body the rest it needs, it will reward you by being the tool you need to function in the world. Let's face it folks, it's the only body we're going to get on this lovely trip through life so let's do our best to take care it and in return, it will take care of us!

"Getting the right amount of sleep can boost a person's health. A study earlier this year found people who don't get sufficient sleep significantly raise their risks for diabetes and obesity. Love it or hate it, with an ever-increasing number of studies finding a direct connection between sleep deprivation and weight gain, it's difficult to deny the cause-and-effect relationship. People who get at least seven hours of sleep per night tend to have less body fat than people who don't. There are, of course, other factors involved in determining who becomes overweight and who doesn't, like food intake, exercise and genes. But sleep is a more integral of the process than most people realize. In a study involving 9,000 people between 1982 and 1984 (NHANES I), researchers found that people who averaged six hours of sleep per night were 27 percent more likely to be overweight than their seven-to-nine hour counterparts; and those averaging five hours of sleep per night were 73 percent more likely to be overweight.

So there you have it. The mind, body and soul can only benefit from good ol' fashioned R & R done the right way. And when you are well rested, you can wake up and bring in the new day recharged, refreshed and ready to take on what ever new challenges or tasks you have for the day. Sabbath  rest means to work hard and rest easy. Are you being a blessing for you? Are you using your one and only life to serve a higher purpose? If you answered yes, then you owe it to yourself and the those who depend on you to : RECOVER, RENEW, RESTORE AND REFUEL. If you need a little help finding the sweet spot in your hectic schedule to rest, be sure to take a look at "Making and Keeping Priorities" posted 10/28/12 on this site. If you want more reading for daily study, you can look at Mark 2:27, Matthew 11:28 & 12:10. Now go out there well rested and embrace your life! 

Until next time, I'm DeMaster Thomas and this - is Real Living. 
 
 

Who I Am

DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM

I NEVER WENT TO LAW SCHOOL

YET I AM  A JUDGE

I NEVER WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL

YET I AM A HEALER

I NEVER HELD AN OFFICE

YET I AM KING

I HAVE NEVER BEEN MARRIED

YET I AM THE DEFINITION OF

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

I HAVE NEVER BEEN AN ASTRONAUT

YET I AM A TRAVELER OF SPACE AND TIME

BUT IF YOU DO NOT KNOW ME

TO YOU, I AM A STRANGER

DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM

 

-DeMaster A. Thomas-

 

A Word From the Wise

The Path of Seeking God First

The Creator did not send his Son for the righteous, he came to seek and save the lost in the loss of pride, ego and material things - faith and trust abound if you did not have any faith before - you will when you are done.

Come as you are - broken and God makes you whole and new-cleans you up and gives you a new job, new tasks, new outlook. He's in the business of creating new things to make you full, deep and abundant.

5 values to base your path on

1. Love God - set Him first.

2. Love Others - serving others fulfills the love.

3. Invest/Invite - if another person is willing to come to church, bring them.

4. Read a verse daily - fuels the spirit and heals the mind.

5. Financial peace - 10/10/80 rule. Save 10%, give 10%, live off 80%. It works with surprise.

These tools will help you to grow stronger everyday. Where is the light and hope in a world full of more and more darkness? YOU. Jesus, through the Spirit that is in you, transforms "stinking thinking" into good thinking and leads you as a light through a dark world. Through Him, you are transformed.