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June 30, 2010
Would you rather look good or feel good?
Would you rather be sloppy on the outside and clean and straight on the inside or vice versa?
Millions go through their day trying to put on a persona of perfection. Their hair quaffed, their clothes stylish, their car detailed, their day organized - while on the verge of a breakdown inside.
What you see isn't always things that need to be seen. Perception isn't always reality, but perception is truth. (Philosophy point for this morning)
Even thoughon the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. (2 Cor 4)
Christians aren't perfect. Christians can fall into the trap of wanting the outside to look better and better and lose focus on the inside - but the inside is clearly what holds more weight.
So today, focus on what's going on inside of you. Also, don't judge people by what you see.
_________________________________________
June 23, 2010
Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah. (Rom 5)
I don't think of my relationship with God as a religion. I am not a monk slowly going about my gardening day singing a Gregorian chant.
Neither do I think of my relationship with God as a loud pumped up gospel service with choirs singing and congregations shouting.
I think of my relationship with God as being real - real with who I am slammed with the realness of who God is and what He's done for me.
I don't want a routine - although I am very routine. I get up the same time everyday (by choice), I get the same coffee, I sit in the same desk, I work on the same music, I eat lunch the same time, I go home the same time, I watch the same reruns...
But there comes a time in my routine that I want to shake it up - I need change!
But never do I want my relationship with God to be a routine, but reality. I pray and read, not because of routine, but because I need the reality of truth. I sing and make music, not out of routine, but because I need the reality of my emotions expressed (sometimes that's not always happy songs).
I am not content with plodding prose - monotone chants, routine religion, for tradition's sake, un-real spiritual stuff.
I sing, shout, sit quietly, dance, jam in my car, meditate, work, write, talk to others, etc... because I have an amazing friendship with God.
_________________________________________
June 21, 2010
Happy Father's Day to all fathers. I had a great one.
1 - Church
2 - Fast burger from Hardees (we were the only people there, I guess other fathers wanted a real meal) (btw - never walk into an empty Hardees and proclaim, "Longhorn's was too busy!")
3 - Watched, The A-Team - very cool, the girls didn't know it was a tv show first - how could they, it was on when I was a teenager
4 - Napped on the recliner - Krissy said I snore
5 - Ordered pizza
6 - Played pictionary with the family - Alaina and I lost
7 - Watched tv till I fell asleep
Monday, Hello!!
_________________________________________
June 16, 2010
Ok - how are you going?
Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. (1 Pet1)
Most of the time I think of my life as a sedentary project. I sit at a desk. I sit with a guitar. I sit in a car. I sit in my recliner.
I need to think of my life as a journey. And the question is not where am I going - but how am I going.
I know where I'm going. I'm going to heaven. I'm following God. I going where He wants. I don't know a lot of the details involved in this "where", but I know where I'm going.
But how am I going? Am I going with a deep consciousness of God? Am I going with a generous and thankful attitude? Am I going knowing that God will handle all of the details? Am I going biting my nails because I'm worried about life?
How are you going?
_________________________________________
June 15, 2010
I read through Hebrews 11 again today. This is the chapter on faith. Reading through this we learn not only the definition of faith, but how to live it in our lives.
Some great examples there - read each one and see how you can apply that example to your life.
One verse sticks out that helps to unify the rest - "...they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one." (v16)
We understand the definition from v 1 - but the wheels that put the definition in motion is v16.
How do we live by faith and have it evident everyday? By keeping our spiritual focus elsewhere. Faith take the reality of the tangible experience now - into the reality of the hope we have.
How does this happen in your life?
How does faith change your actions and reactions?
How does faith change your current loss or emotional struggle?
How does faith open doors of possibility in what others say is a closed door?
How does faith change you right now?
_________________________________________
June 14, 2010
Camp... Alyssa is headed to camp today. I know it's going to be a great experience - always. I remember going to Camp Utopia (why they named it that, I'll never understand). I always had a great time. The heat never seemed to bother me as a teenager - as an adult, that's all I think about.
I'll probably get a lot of quite time this week - probably not.
We are going to start working on recording this week. I'm gonna try to put together about 12 or so songs for a demo of what we do on Sundays (along with uncategorized songs too)
Maybe you can help me vote (I'm talking to the two people who actually read this blog) Here are the songs I'm thinking about...
1. Bring Me Closer
2. Everything Is Beautiful
3. Your Love Story
4. Start a Revolution
5. Where Would I Be
6. Lift My Head High
7. Hallelujah He Reigns
8. I Am Not Superman
9. Hello Is Disarming
10. You Alone Can Save
11. I Give It All Away
12. It's A New Song
E-mail me and give me your input paul@hortonswho.com
_________________________________________
June 11, 2010
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosphy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Col 2)
There are many things in this world, many roads of thought that try to take our focus, our interest and attention away from the truth of Christ.
Try to spot 'em today. As you watch tv, listen to the radio, hear your friends talk - try to single out ideas and philosophies that are not centered in the truth of Christ. It may be things you hear everyday or thoughts that you yourself have.
Spot 'em and tag 'em for what they are - and keep your mind on the things of God.
_________________________________________
June 10, 2010
We all want our work to amount to something. We all want the sweat and effort we put into a job to produce a lasting effective product.
If we know we're called by God, shouldn't everything we do matter?
I know for me, sometimes it feels like I'm spinning my wheels - but I want the work that God called me to, to be as productive as He wants it to be.
Pray that our God will make you fit for what He's called you to be, pray that He'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with His own energy so that it all amounts to something. (2Thess)
This verse is where I am.
I get up everyday, go to sleep at night, and walk through the day with something on my mind - songs. I understand the potential pretentiousness and piousness of that statement, but it's true. I love writing songs. I love working out a melody and putting chords together to make something that facilitates worship and a simple thought about God.
I may aggravate my family though - I constantly sing out loud at home and in the car.
I don't want to spin my wheels when it comes to songs. I want productiveness. I want effectiveness. I want expressions of love. I want melodies that inspire and encourage. I want to help others worship.
My prayer is that God will fill my ideas and acts of faith with His energy so that it amounts to something.
What about you?
The next verse reads... If your life honors the name of Jesus, He will honor you.
_________________________________________
June 7, 2010
Back from vacation! We had a great time. There's nothing like having a daily schedule of sitting on beach, eating lunch, taking nap, repeat...
We had an awesome Baseball Service yesterday at Thompson Park. It rained, but we pushed through.
Summer schedule is on full speed - camps & keeping kids busy.
I have a lot of deep topics I want to write about - like mortality, facing opposition, and personal discovery/destiny - but right now I need more coffee.
Would you rather look good or feel good?
Would you rather be sloppy on the outside and clean and straight on the inside or vice versa?
Millions go through their day trying to put on a persona of perfection. Their hair quaffed, their clothes stylish, their car detailed, their day organized - while on the verge of a breakdown inside.
What you see isn't always things that need to be seen. Perception isn't always reality, but perception is truth. (Philosophy point for this morning)
Even thoughon the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. (2 Cor 4)
Christians aren't perfect. Christians can fall into the trap of wanting the outside to look better and better and lose focus on the inside - but the inside is clearly what holds more weight.
So today, focus on what's going on inside of you. Also, don't judge people by what you see.
_________________________________________
June 23, 2010
Now that we have actually received this amazing friendship with God, we are no longer content to simply say it in plodding prose. We sing and shout our praises to God through Jesus, the Messiah. (Rom 5)
I don't think of my relationship with God as a religion. I am not a monk slowly going about my gardening day singing a Gregorian chant.
Neither do I think of my relationship with God as a loud pumped up gospel service with choirs singing and congregations shouting.
I think of my relationship with God as being real - real with who I am slammed with the realness of who God is and what He's done for me.
I don't want a routine - although I am very routine. I get up the same time everyday (by choice), I get the same coffee, I sit in the same desk, I work on the same music, I eat lunch the same time, I go home the same time, I watch the same reruns...
But there comes a time in my routine that I want to shake it up - I need change!
But never do I want my relationship with God to be a routine, but reality. I pray and read, not because of routine, but because I need the reality of truth. I sing and make music, not out of routine, but because I need the reality of my emotions expressed (sometimes that's not always happy songs).
I am not content with plodding prose - monotone chants, routine religion, for tradition's sake, un-real spiritual stuff.
I sing, shout, sit quietly, dance, jam in my car, meditate, work, write, talk to others, etc... because I have an amazing friendship with God.
_________________________________________
June 21, 2010
Happy Father's Day to all fathers. I had a great one.
1 - Church
2 - Fast burger from Hardees (we were the only people there, I guess other fathers wanted a real meal) (btw - never walk into an empty Hardees and proclaim, "Longhorn's was too busy!")
3 - Watched, The A-Team - very cool, the girls didn't know it was a tv show first - how could they, it was on when I was a teenager
4 - Napped on the recliner - Krissy said I snore
5 - Ordered pizza
6 - Played pictionary with the family - Alaina and I lost
7 - Watched tv till I fell asleep
Monday, Hello!!
_________________________________________
June 16, 2010
Ok - how are you going?
Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. (1 Pet1)
Most of the time I think of my life as a sedentary project. I sit at a desk. I sit with a guitar. I sit in a car. I sit in my recliner.
I need to think of my life as a journey. And the question is not where am I going - but how am I going.
I know where I'm going. I'm going to heaven. I'm following God. I going where He wants. I don't know a lot of the details involved in this "where", but I know where I'm going.
But how am I going? Am I going with a deep consciousness of God? Am I going with a generous and thankful attitude? Am I going knowing that God will handle all of the details? Am I going biting my nails because I'm worried about life?
How are you going?
_________________________________________
June 15, 2010
I read through Hebrews 11 again today. This is the chapter on faith. Reading through this we learn not only the definition of faith, but how to live it in our lives.
Some great examples there - read each one and see how you can apply that example to your life.
One verse sticks out that helps to unify the rest - "...they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one." (v16)
We understand the definition from v 1 - but the wheels that put the definition in motion is v16.
How do we live by faith and have it evident everyday? By keeping our spiritual focus elsewhere. Faith take the reality of the tangible experience now - into the reality of the hope we have.
How does this happen in your life?
How does faith change your actions and reactions?
How does faith change your current loss or emotional struggle?
How does faith open doors of possibility in what others say is a closed door?
How does faith change you right now?
_________________________________________
June 14, 2010
Camp... Alyssa is headed to camp today. I know it's going to be a great experience - always. I remember going to Camp Utopia (why they named it that, I'll never understand). I always had a great time. The heat never seemed to bother me as a teenager - as an adult, that's all I think about.
I'll probably get a lot of quite time this week - probably not.
We are going to start working on recording this week. I'm gonna try to put together about 12 or so songs for a demo of what we do on Sundays (along with uncategorized songs too)
Maybe you can help me vote (I'm talking to the two people who actually read this blog) Here are the songs I'm thinking about...
1. Bring Me Closer
2. Everything Is Beautiful
3. Your Love Story
4. Start a Revolution
5. Where Would I Be
6. Lift My Head High
7. Hallelujah He Reigns
8. I Am Not Superman
9. Hello Is Disarming
10. You Alone Can Save
11. I Give It All Away
12. It's A New Song
E-mail me and give me your input paul@hortonswho.com
_________________________________________
June 11, 2010
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosphy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Col 2)
There are many things in this world, many roads of thought that try to take our focus, our interest and attention away from the truth of Christ.
Try to spot 'em today. As you watch tv, listen to the radio, hear your friends talk - try to single out ideas and philosophies that are not centered in the truth of Christ. It may be things you hear everyday or thoughts that you yourself have.
Spot 'em and tag 'em for what they are - and keep your mind on the things of God.
_________________________________________
June 10, 2010
We all want our work to amount to something. We all want the sweat and effort we put into a job to produce a lasting effective product.
If we know we're called by God, shouldn't everything we do matter?
I know for me, sometimes it feels like I'm spinning my wheels - but I want the work that God called me to, to be as productive as He wants it to be.
Pray that our God will make you fit for what He's called you to be, pray that He'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with His own energy so that it all amounts to something. (2Thess)
This verse is where I am.
I get up everyday, go to sleep at night, and walk through the day with something on my mind - songs. I understand the potential pretentiousness and piousness of that statement, but it's true. I love writing songs. I love working out a melody and putting chords together to make something that facilitates worship and a simple thought about God.
I may aggravate my family though - I constantly sing out loud at home and in the car.
I don't want to spin my wheels when it comes to songs. I want productiveness. I want effectiveness. I want expressions of love. I want melodies that inspire and encourage. I want to help others worship.
My prayer is that God will fill my ideas and acts of faith with His energy so that it amounts to something.
What about you?
The next verse reads... If your life honors the name of Jesus, He will honor you.
_________________________________________
June 7, 2010
Back from vacation! We had a great time. There's nothing like having a daily schedule of sitting on beach, eating lunch, taking nap, repeat...
We had an awesome Baseball Service yesterday at Thompson Park. It rained, but we pushed through.
Summer schedule is on full speed - camps & keeping kids busy.
I have a lot of deep topics I want to write about - like mortality, facing opposition, and personal discovery/destiny - but right now I need more coffee.
horton's who, inc. 2010
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