OnFire Encouragement Letter
Hi Folks:
I’ve passed a milestone in the book project. A while back I sent my two chapters to a friend who I knew would tell me if it was or wasn’t working. This week I heard back. Someone outside my family has read it and given me feedback. He was encouraging, but I need to do some work to polish it. This is understating things, but there is more below in this week’s letter.
The OnFire Weight Loss Club begins next week. In 1988 I weighed 275 lbs. I've lost and kept off more than 65 pounds since that time. Sign up and each week I'll forward tips and encouragement, and participants report progress toward their weight loss goal. Last year one person lost about 40lbs. Check the website http://www.onfireletter.com for details on how this works.
Blessings for your week.
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When I was a lifeguard, one of the skills I had to learn was to clear a mask at the bottom of the pool. The instructor tossed it in, and then I had to find it. When I did, I put it on, pushed the top against my forehead, pulled out the bottom, and blew air out of my nose. Amazingly, this worked, although it took a while for me to get it. If I tipped the mask out too much, the air didn’t go in the mask. If I didn’t press tightly enough, it escaped out the top. Done properly, I watched the water level in the mask drop until it was completely purged.
This is what Jesus wants to do for us. He wants to take all the rotten stuff in our character, and displace it with his character.
In Ephesians 3:17-19, the apostle Paul writes, “I pray that you... may be completely filled with the fullness of God.”
I’d like to think that I’m a pretty decent guy, but I know there is some stuff in me which isn’t so good. Some of it tends to squeeze out when I’m under pressure. This is exactly the kind of stuff God wants to displace with his character. He wants to fill us up with his goodness until it bubbles out all around us.
We’re going to set out on a character challenge over the next number of weeks. We’re going to look at various aspects of our character and what God wants to breath into us so that what is left is pure and fresh.
Here’s the problem, however. Character transformation doesn’t happen on its own. We have to do more than sit back and wait for the Holy Spirit to work on us. We have to be active participants - to let God work in us and to listen when he speaks to us about some things we need to change.
This is not easy, but it brings transformation. Left on our own, its not going to happen. But when we open ourselves to God, he not only tells us what to change, he gives us the strength to do it. This is the great thing about serving Jesus. In any other religion, we are left to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps. What goes around comes around. But Jesus gives us the strength to change if we need if we are willing to partner with him.
This week I heard back from a friend about my first two book chapters. We talked about what I want to accomplish, and then he told me how the book doesn’t do it yet. I’ve got to work through some style problems to reach my audience properly. He was great. He affirmed the strengths of what I had written, but also gently pointed out what needed to change. When I finished the conversation, I was excited because his style and approach gave me strength to face what will be hard work. He didn’t have to be that kind. He could have simply said, “It doesn’t work,” and left me to figure it out on my own. But he didn’t, and I was left with hope and strength.
Its not so different with our character. God wants to fill us up with his character if we are willing to be filled, and he will also give us the strength to change.
I hope you’re looking forward to the challenge. Be OnFire.
Troy
ON FIRE is a weekly letter of encouragement by Troy Dennis. To be added to or removed from the ON FIRE list contact him at onfire@eastlink.ca . Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com This letter published Jan 8, 2008.