Tuesday, January 30, 2007
How Sad?
Im both happy and sad. I so looked forward to being backward.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Bohlender/Steeno in 08
Randy Bohlender has announced his choice for running mate, and has come up with a catchy slogan. These two things put him bald head and shoulder above any candidate already out there, and I think that is just ducky. Here are some things we know, or have heard, or just plain made up about his platform:
1. He has no party affiliation, but he likes a good party.
2. He believes in a strong bi-partisan gridlock, effectively bringing the government to an effective standstill allowing those of us who care the ability to truly engage self government the old fashioned way.
3. He is a staunch advocate for reducing our dependence on foreign ethanol. He has a plan to mix gasoline with it in order to help wean us off our deadly addiction to foreign "E".
4. He believes in relative Global Warming, especially in northern latitudes.
5. He doesn’t accept the argument that people are born skippers, but that they make choices to engage skipping, and can refrain if they wish. I have personally seen video tape with him interviewing the founder of the pro-skipping movement, and while I saw him "skip" he actually didn’t "inhale". Information can be found here
6. I did hear the phrase "World Peace through Aerobics" in his campaign headquarters, however most of his people looked like they are not members of any gym.
7. While rumors abound about his affiliation with a “Gun Club” there is no public evidence, and his position on gun control has yet to be determined, we do know that candidate Bohlender seriously opposes giving live ammunition to stupid people, effectively opening a door to true gun control.
All I can say is wow. I think Randy Bohlender provides a clear vision for homeo-politco-stasis, and is like a great bottle of wine: busy yet precocious, absurd yet flaccid, cheap, and full bodied. The Henrys urge you to join the campaign, and really constipate the wonderful federal republic we enjoy today.
Friday, January 19, 2007
You know you have the best family when...
WOW.
And you know you have the best family when your wife lets you just lay your head on her chest, and she strokes your hair and the starts praying and telling God thagt she is not afraid and that He is the provider. And then she tells you she is confident, and believes in you. And the jokes about how great it is to marry a guy and 3 months later watch him get laid off!
Then you tell your kids, and your new wife comes in and sits down and you all discuss it and it turns into a learning lesson about how we trust God to lead us to the grass, and we have to bend down and eat it.
I have a woman in my life that is beyond worth. I cannot imagine what it would be like to get broadsided like this without her. And my children look at us, and trust us that things are ok, because they dont see stress and tension and fear.
Who can ask for more than that?
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Go Faster Go
Raw Food was easier this time than ever, but my energy level has taken some serious swings. The last few days I developed some problems in the back of my throat and tongue which hurt, but the real issue was total lack of energy. All I could do yesterday was lay around. I slept a little, worked a little, but all in all the day went by with me laying on a couch. Not tired in a sleepy way, tired in a weak way.
Today seems better. God also led me to remove some season Passes on my Tivo of things I really enjoy. I figured it must not be worth it for me if God is saying stop it.
GodTV has been a huge thing. I normally dont connect with "christian" TV, but the content on this channel is fantastic. And there really is a tangible anointing on a lot of the pieces. I seriously encourage you to watch it either online or via DirectTV, and then I encourage you to support it.
So if God asks me to give up some things, or remove some things, it isnt because He doesnt want me to have some things. I am guessing He is removing props that I rely on that allow me to stay hard hearted. For some people, these things arent the issue, for me maybe they are. I read recently in a book how this man realized he was like a crowded city, and nothing could be added unless something was removed. No rennovation was possible. I think thats my problem.
Im packed with stuff. Good and bad. But what I need is some relief. I need some rennovation. Truthfully, a spiritual enema is probably more in line. I need external help to remove internal spiritual plaque. I could take the metaphor further, but I will spare you.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Married UP?
Monday, January 08, 2007
Dear IHOP Folks
Have you ever been sitting at home listening to the IHOP, and what the person prayed began to happen to you? I just did.
It was almost 9 am Sat (PST) and a girl got on the mike and prayed for all the people attending the Onething. I was just sitting on my couch, resting and praying about some things. I overheard her pray and thought “Hey, I went to the Onething on GodTV”. She started praying, and I drifted off into some thoughts and prayers. Next thing I know, Im yawning, but not a normal type of yawn. It is the type where I am actually going through deliverance. It just keeps bubbling up and out. Then I realize both the girl and the people praying (I had kind of tuned out in a way) were asking God to fill them with the Spirit of Might in the inner man etc… and I realized…
God was answering their prayers at that very moment and was displacing things that were in me crowding out the truth and the presence of God!!!!!!! At that very moment, and in the very way they were asking.
Some of you might say "DUH". God answers prayers Sean, thats why we do this.
I wish I knew who it was, as I would run and tell her because Im not sure if when we pray we realize how strongly and definitively our prayers are answered. In addition, if I simply “attended” OneThing because of getting the chance to watch it on GodTV, how many MILLIONS (10? 100? 200?) of people just got touched all over the world whether they realized it or not? WOW. Is it possible one simple prayer of faith from one person could have altered 200+ million people at that moment?
I also spent some time this am and played along with some keyboard player (I think Danie said it is Justin Rizzo?). I plugged my computer output into my soundboard, and then put on headphones and played music and prayed as the sun came up. It really helped me connect. I sound pretty good when someone that skilled is playing! LOL.
Another interesting thing was during Onething, Mike spoke a prophetic word about integrity in finances. I had been wrestling with what to do as Master Solutions has significant (for us) amount of $$ in the bank that we are using for development projects for our next generation of product. It is vital I complete this. However, because of the way out company is structured, all that money was considered income, and taxable. I was basically going to lose anywhere from 20-30% of it just because I hdnt spent it yet. I couldn’t figure out what to do, and was trying to understand if there was any way to save it. At the SAME EXACT TIME, I am working on programming along with another guy. I had an idea how to work the money in a way that would keep us from paying taxes, and it was legal and fine.
BUT… What I didn’t realize at the time was that an interesting thing happened. On the same day I set up a process to move money around, I hit a wall in programming. All the work I had been doing literally stopped working. I hadn’t changed anything that I was aware of, but literally a form that worked the day before stopped working. For 4 days I wrestled with this. Then I watched the Onething on that Thursday, and Mike says basically “God is asking for integrity in finances. He will deal tenderly with you, let Him have it” There was more to it than that, but that part piqued my interest. That night Im sleeping and thinking about it. I wake up the next morning about 4:30 and start working again. I realize what I was doing with the money, while legal, was not appropriate for me. It might be fine for others, but God was putting His finger on it. I sat down, emailed the parties involved, canceled checks etc…
As I then truned my attention back to programming, EVERYTHING WORKED. Im not kidding. Within seconds, everything was fine. Not only that, but since then, I have had TREMENDOUS ability to learn, write, program, problem solve without the typical manic/depressive kind of up and down that normal when I get in this hyper creative, intense cycle.
I just thought some real world feedback for you all might be encouraging. I am going through yet another fairly deep cleansing and shifting, and a lot of it is being facilitated by what you all are doing. I think it is even more important to grasp how possibly inconsequential the actual physical prayer room is. Not that it isnt great, or that it so obviously facilitates prayer. But that if a simple prayer offerred in faith can do that, does it actually matter where it is prayed?
Think about it. When Kelsey Bohlender says she is trying to figure out ways moms with babies can pray "from home", there is nothing inherently less effective about it. Although the prayer room is awesome, and I love to be facilitated, the prayer itself is the thing.
I hope that this simple reminder of the results of prayer and effort you all have expended on behalf of the kingdom puts a face and a name on it. And I hope that it encourages you to RELEASE EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE FAITH. DONT HOLD BACK. In fact if prayer creates that impact then I will:
God I agree with your design that the prayer of a righteous man or woman avails much. I agree that you are righteous, and that our faith in your perfect sacrifice makes us righteous. I release even greater power, faqith and vision in prayer to these people who contend for your purpose. I agree with you that all your promises will come forth in ever increasing measure for them, to them, and through them. I beleive that as they pray, it will become more and more obvious that it is YOU praying.
They will feel the power and the majesty of Your hand, Your Heart, Your mind, Your VOICE until they become prayer. They will see answers to prayer before they ask, they will see harvest at the same time as sowing. They will do might things because they KNOW YOU.
Im going to beleive that as I pray that (I write it out as a prayer) and you read it, I will be answered. In fact, as I just wrote that, God touched me.
Friday, January 05, 2007
a small wall
Uggghhhh. Last night, right about 6pm, my body got really tired. I wasnt sleepy, but my body was tired. And it started getting sore. I knew I simply hit the edge of my bodys ability to recover because ti simply isnt assimilating food, especially amino acids (e.g protein) fast enough to compensate for tissue generation and recovery. The only way to do this is supplement with something really available as far as amino acids, and that would be a protein shake.
So I will have small amounts of that during the next couple months. It keeps me fasting in general, but does allow for the need to exercise. I notice a lot better mental performance, and stability if I exercise.
In fact, I have been very productive lately developing the next generation of software for our company, and I think it is a combination of several things, one of which is exercise, brain chemistry (taking fish oil again for the last 2-3 months), and overall GRACE. Im not a good enough programmer to be doing what I have been doing lately. Im getting a lot of help from God.
I awoke this am after having a FOUL dream. I cannot tell if this is something that simply came by and "darted" me, or it is something I have left over from years of GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out) or it is one of those things where as your body detoxes, things get released and its just the way it is. Some of it was tied into my childhood though, so maybe God is stirring something that He can remove! That would be great.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Day 4
I simply read one piece of scripture today, and it touched me. For many people, that is common. For me, it is like a revival. It simpyl doesnt happen often, and something so simple as reading about Jesus washing feet grabbed my heart...
In john 13, it says Jesus knew that He had done everything, and had authority over all things, and then He got up and washed the disciples feet. Right after that, Jesus explains that He IS their Master and Teacher, and yet the deeper model for them is His Actions as a servant. He even has to explain to Peter that it is necessary, that Peter simply wont be able to handle life without submitting to Him in this.
I realized that until we have a strong security in who we are (in Christ), and what we are about, we simply cannot truly serve one another. I mean, of course we CAN do things for each other, but we arent truly able to give with humility. Humility is knowing who you are, and what you are about truthfully, not arrogantly or unrighteously, whcih then frees you up to wholeheartedly serve, and my guess is without thought to how it would affect you because you are already settled.
Then I pictured in my mind Jesus doing that for me. I tried to receive it, and I just got teary eyed, and leaned forward and placed my head on His. Im emotional now thinking about it. It is far deeper in me than conscious thought. I dont know what is so moved, but I dont care.
This is such a luxury.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Its like an apricot seed....
Its like a seed. Not a kernel, but a seed. Like in an apricot, where there is the skin, then that weird flesh, then the kernel, then inside the kernel is the actual seed. It takes so much effort and decomposition to break down the kernel, and to get the seed to even sprout...
Recently watching the Onething conference on the television, I had some wonderful refreshing. I need that. Some people seem to have an intensity of focus and ability to get and stay refreshed by thing like reading the bible, or prayer. I have NEVER had that. It seems to take quite a lot of external intensity for me to get to a place of conscious connection with God. And I went through a few mini deliverances, and some little bursts of infilling. As soon as that happens, BAM I'm myself again. I can see and hear Him more. I have more awe and wonder and faith. I start to perceive so much more than the immediate of life.
It was encouraging and discouraging all at the same time. It is encouraging because there is still a seed there. When Holy Spirit moves enough, something way down deep in me responds. Way past words or thought. And it starts to breathe again. And it starts to feast.
It is discouraging in that there was seasons of my life where that was the norm. and somehow life has worked its way towards squeezing that down and out into a little corner of my heart, and I cannot access it. I realize that I have little faith for anything significant, and I have allowed ambivalence, and cynicism to have a soapbox to preach from in my heart.
As I hear these men and women who struggle and contend and fight to stay in that place pray and speak, I remember just how much revelation I have had. You must understand the TREMENDOUS GRACE that God pours out to me. It is shocking, and even a little offensive to me. I get bothered sometimes by how generous He is, when I honestly didnt ask for it, steward it well, or respond to most of it at all. When I hear the messages, I remember them! As I hear people share, little tiny things pop up in my memory about times God shared something similar, or that I came to realizations like that too. But somewhere along the way, I lost them.
So I fast now. For a long time. I dont know any other place to start. I need to crack the kernel. I cannot do it myself, I can just let go of the tree I have been hanging on, and drop to the ground. Then I can rot and decompose the flesh away, and then depend on the created order of things to take over and hydrate and dehydrate and attack this hard shell around my heart.
Yesterday as I started, I already didnt like it. There is anxiety and tension. Boredom and antagonism. I used to fast so much and so often I honestly couldnt remember if I was eating or not, if so, what, and how. I got to the point where I really did experience fasting out of heart sickness. What a great grace. I would give things up simply because I just loved Him so much, and had nothing to give. I believe at one point He even told me to fast fasting, because it had stopped serving its purpose! LOL.
I need the prayers and fellowship of people, and the Grace of God. I do believe God will help me. It is true he seeks out a heart that wants to be near Him. He does draw near when we do.