NEWSFLASH: You are not the CENTER of the Universe.

Are you growing sick and tired of yourself? Not in a suicidal fashion. I’m talking about a point in your life where you begin to realize that you are not the Sun (SON) in your universe. Following Christ, in our current (Christian) culture, has become based on our own needs and I think God wants to give us a little newsflash.
Wake up people it’s not about you.
Oswald Chambers says; “The continual grubbing on the inside to see whether we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, morbid type of Christianity, not the robust simple life of the child of God.”
I looked up the word grubbing, just so I’d understand it better. To Grub means “to toil or drudge for food.”
So in this context imagine yourself, drudging and toiling and tormenting over yourself, your needs and your desires. If you really think about it it’s gross.
I don’t want to be that guy anymore or ever again.
Oswald goes on to say; “How long is it going to take God to free us from the morbid habit of thinking about ourselves? We must get sick unto death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God can tell us about ourselves.”
I’m getting there.

4 Comments / Jun 20.09 / Blog / by Rick Dancer

Causes, Causes, Causes

Jesus did not say: Make converts to your way of thinking, but look after My sheep, see that they get nourished in the knowledge of me.
Jesus Christ calls service what we are to Him, not what we do for Him. Discipleship is based on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on adherence to a belief or a creed.
Today we have substituted credal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many are devoted to causes and so few devoted to Jesus Christ.
Oswald Chambers.

7 Comments / Jun 19.09 / Blog / by Rick Dancer

Springfield Farmer’s Market

Here’s something you have to see. Springfield now has a Farmer’s Market. It’s a great place to spend some time on a Friday. Watch the video and you’ll learn more.

Also, remember the 101 year old woman I told you about the other day? She’s in this video. You will not believe it.

1 Comment / Jun 18.09 / Blog / by Rick Dancer

I met Him at the Gym.

He met me at the gym.

What I love about God is He knows when I’m desperate and He knows exactly what I need and how to give it to me.
There I am, riding my brains out on a stationary bike at the gym, around 7:30 this morning. My shuffle broke so I borrowed my wife’s. I’m listening to music I don’t usually hear. Much of it is country and it’s striking a chord today.
Then I hear a song that talks about climbing out of the boat I’m in and onto the crashing waves. It speaks of stepping out of my comfort zone into the world of the unknown where Jesus is, and He’s holding out my hands.
The next thing I know, amongst the beads of sweat pouring down my face are these tears. My eyes are starting to get red as I think of the man I was, the man I am and the man I am becoming.
Sure I have freedom but freedom is costly. I’m living a life where I don’t know where it leads, what will happen next or who will or will not call. We all live in insecurity some of you just don’t know it.
I was driving to a meeting and noticed a homeless guy on the side of the road. Normally I have judgmental thoughts that accompany moments like that. But today I’d been too close to God to see the situation my way. Instead I felt sadness for this man’s situation.
One of the country songs I heard on the radio while driving around is titled “I saw God today.”
I know what the songwriter means.

4 Comments / Jun 17.09 / Blog / by Rick Dancer