Can these bones live?

Recently my wife and I were house hunting in New York, just a little outside of the city, which was just a temporary endeavor but was quite fun. What kind of house would we be looking for...smaller, larger, newer, older, fixer-upper, or all done nice and pretty? We soon stumbled upon a 100 year old place that was on the verge of being torn down, but had tons of character that we envisioned to  affectionately naming her "Spook Rock Manor". (Partially due to the road that it cornered).

I definitely am the vision guy. Beyond the falling off screen door, peeling paint, overgrown everything and torn-out kitchen, I saw a diamond. Now sure there would be work...lots of work starting first at the foundation. But there was a place, a home, that would be amazing...revealing 4 stone fireplaces, 100+year old wood flooring and molding that didn't seem to be less that 7"tall everywhere. But first...you had to get past years of neglect. That...would be a daunting task.

The word I LOVE is visioneering. Andy Stanley has said that visioneering is “a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be." It's a preferred future, a destination...its where we are going....what we are working towards.  Its like how Ezekiel, when asked in Chap. 37, "son of man, can these bones live?"...and then in obedience began to speak out what as the Lord directed him. 

This is what we need....Spirit inspired and directed visionaries that see beyond the years of neglect with crumbling foundations...to begin to rebuild that which barely has life remaining in it....or is like Ezekiel's Valley of Dry Bones. Presently dead and dry....but potentially full of life!

Speak HOLY SPIRIT LIFE into your marriage, family, CHURCH, ministry...and see God do something amazing! He can! The mission can not be optional...lives are on the line!

Just like my beloved "Spook Rock Manor"...the visioneering combined with some strategic engineering can produce a beautiful home that would be a inspiration for generations to come. But restoring a home...is nowhere as important  as our next step to the question..."can these bones live".

Drifting VS Anchored

For me sadly, I believe this fishing season has come to an end. My yacht has been tucked away for 2 months now, ok... its not really a yacht, its really a baby yacht....actually its a 42 year old 16ft aluminum boat with a 43 year old 25hp Johnson motor. Its more like a old dinghy actually...but thats not really the point. Its a fishing boat...that somehow does not catch fish with me as Captain. Again, thats not the point.

If you have ever fished in the ocean or bay, you will understand that to catch different kinds of fish either requires being anchored or drifting. Being anchored holds you to a specific spot with a anchor holding fast to the ocean bottom. Drifting however, moves the boat along by the direction of the wind and ocean current, you don't necessarily sense yourself moving, you just do and after awhile you are someplace entirely different. Smart fisherman though will be constantly aware of the direction and speed of the drift, as this will affect whether or not you in fact catch fish, but more importantly you could quickly get yourself into trouble and the boat could sink, and a on a really bad day you will drown.

For my entire life our family has been acquainted with the ocean, and as a child we were always at the beach and had several boats, and so...know a little about drifting vs being anchored.

What perked my attention was remembering being at the beach, and if you are from Jersey, you are well acquainted with the green and red flags designating the appropriate swim areas. Over the years, we have on many occasions been swimming in the ocean playing with the kids, and even as kids, only to find ourselves after a few mins way down the beach kinda looking lost amongst the sea of beach umbrellas. If you have been to the beach, you know the importance of being careful of the effects of the current which can take you far from where you first started. Drifting is what happens to us either intentionally, or unintentionally but just brings us along with the flow of the current and not keeping your eyes fixed on a immovable fixture.

Heres a question that has been on my heart. Am I DRIFTING or ANCHORED in my relationship with God? 

It's easy to drift in my relationship with God, we just go along with our schedule as usual, responding to the needs of life as they arise, and before we realize it...we are far from God. We never felt it, set out to accomplish it, but also never set out to not DRIFT. you see in order to NOT drift, we must be ANCHORED, or have our eyes fixed to a immovable object that does not move. Drifting happens to the best of us, and unfortunately churches are filled with spiritual drifters which produces whole Churches that are adrift...lost focus and passion, which horribly means...the true LOST in our communities do not find Christ.

Being ANCHORED in God is something entirely different than drifting. Anchored is where the Word is holding us fast to a specific belief, position, posture, focus. Anchored requires a intentional effort that holds us secure. Maybe it is our daily quiet time with the Lord, frequent personal worship that recenters our heart to be molded in His hands. 

While this thought is not yet complete...I pray that my life will be anchored in the present life changing personal relationship with Christ.