Married to a doctor - mother of one son - stepmother to another - we live in a beautiful home nestled at the foothills - The "boys" enjoy golf - my athletic sport is shopping and we can't forget walking our dog, Polo - however, our most precious times are around the kitchen table having a Bible study.
What is this site about? Well, here is what it is not... It is not to influence you to buy real estate. It is not to pressure you into becoming a Christian. It is not a way to manipulate God within the business industry. Simply, it is about sharing. One overlooked facet about real estate involves the personal stresses that people assume when moving from one home to another, and for many, from relocating from one state to another. That is why our family shares personally with those who are trying to connect with this new community. Purely as an option, you are welcome to comb through my husband's journal entries about faith, and hopefully, his personal insights may provide you with some encouragement.
A Spiritual Note: Ponder on the reality that God desires to transform our minds to spiritual ways of thinking, resulting in the infusion of serenity into our hearts and the vanishing of all gloom and doubt about His goodness and love. "Oh God, who in thy Son Jesus Christ has made us heirs of eternal life, make us worthy of our calling, that we may not fulfill the lusts of the flesh but have the mind of the Spirit, which is life and peace." Excerpts taken from Dr. Soper's personal diary.
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
April 9, 2003
"Lord God Almighty -- I am sorry that I so often believe that you tinker, thus dismissing actual answers to prayer requests, and avoiding straight forward answers that would effect the natural order of my life. Forgive me of having limited knowledge and faith in you. Jesus, continue to teach me how to pray effectively so that Christ can have His prayers answered through me."
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
April 11, 2003
So often it seems like our Christian relationships feel like road blocks to intimacy with others. Cherise read an excerpt from The Message, by Eugene Peterson, in Psalm 84 that resonates the intention of how God wants us to act in love in our relationships: "And how blessed all those in whom you live, whose lives become roads you travel; They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks, discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain! God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and at the last turn--Zion! God in full view!" What a symbol of our Christian walk and the purpose of our being -- ultimately glorifying the Father!
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
April 18, 2003
Good Friday -- When Peter denied Jesus three times, he wept bitterly because he was committed to Christ but had not totally surrendered to Him. On this day, I usually spend time to reflect about the pain and hardship that Jesus suffered for saving our souls. His sacrifice of love is so courageous and merciful. I had lunch with a pastor this week and we talked thoroughly about salvation. He shared some of his experiences with the church construct of salvation and our own judgments about it, reminding me that there is not one salvation prayer found in the Bible. The Hebrew people focused on repentance, giving themselves entirely to God. In contrast, we, Americans, often tend to compartmentalize our beings into body, soul and spirit, freely giving ourselves permission to sin in one area of our life and ultimately, taking our grace in vain. He paraphrased an illustration from an author, "Church should be like a house that freely takes in stray cats. When stray cats come to the house, they are at the point of saying, "Oh...Jesus, I can't make it another day without you." They belong when they ask. They do not have to comply with rule and regulations and undergo human judgment. Simply, they received that unconditional love that was processed on the Cross for us. Thank you Lord and I love you!
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
April 20, 2003
It is the day after Easter and I want to say greetings to those who are born-again Christians -- welcome to the kingdom of God. "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36... Ever since I have been walking out my salvation, the Lord has taught me that everytime I give, that I am sowing a seed into the kingdom of God, and I am taking up my cross daily. Rick Joyner wrote about one of his prophesies, "When you start to live by what you see with the eyes of your heart, you will walk with God and see His glory." Today is a new beginning and I pray that all who visit are sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit within and spend some special time in the Word to hear the revelation of God. Thank you Jesus for loving us so much...
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
April 24, 2003
Some lessons by J. Oswald Sanders -- "Here is my servant, whom I uphold" (Isaiah 42:1). "Jesus fulfilled the prophecy by emptying Himself of divine prerogative. He surrendered the privileges of His God-nature and became dependent on His heavenly Father. He fully identified Himself with our humanity. What a staggering paradox. As we become 'empty' of self and dependent on God, the Holy Spirit will use us."
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
April 29, 2003
How often do we tend to cleave to old behaviors of sin? As Christians we are well aware of the seed of righteousness that is bore within us, but we still revert back to our old tendencies, failing to walk in the Spirit of life. Why is it so difficult to leave our sin nature and cleave to the bridegroom, Jesus Christ? I find myself frustrated when I fail to live up to the polished image of Christianity when the reality of a rough-edged humanity dominates my existence. God made Himself known in my earthly circumstances through pain and suffering, having undergone four neck surgeries and dealing with RSD and chronic pain. Much like David when he was being groomed for leadership, I was brought to a place of solitude – being alone, still and focused on the inner adventure, relying on what God says and thinks about me. Similar to how Jesus reached spiritual maturity, Peter writes, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God” 1 Peter 3:4. By restoring my integrity – what you are when nobody’s looking – God gave me the strength and wisdom to make prudent decisions. When you struggle with sin, don’t be discouraged. Sin is dangerous, leading many to defeat and ultimately, death. But instead, take a moment to contemplate your actions and turn to prayer. Marginal commitment to God is lukewarm faith, ineffective and worthless. I’ve learned these lessons the hard way. Tenaciously stick to the truth of God. When we worship Him instantaneously, He will form our humanity into His likeness. I pray for those today who suffer and desperately need the love of God to touch them in their painful circumstances… The process of healing gives depth and abundance to the meaning of life.
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
April 30, 2003
Excerpts taken from The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer: "Our woes began when God was forced out of His central shrine and 'things' were allowed to enter. The roots of our hearts have grown down into 'things,' and we dare not pull up one rootlet lest we die. Within the human heart 'things' have taken over. Men have now by nature no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned there no longer, but there in the moral dusk, stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight among themselves for first place on the throne." The prayer Tozer uses to close the chapter: "Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I do come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival. Then shalt Thou make the place of Thy feet glorious. Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine in it, for Thyself wilt be the light of it, and there shall be no night there. In Jesus' name, Amen."
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
May 5, 2003
For the past four years or so, God has been calling many faithful followers to Colorado Springs. Many do not know why they are here, except that God called them to this area. I’ve run into many individuals who desperately desire to serve God with whole-hearted faith in ministry, yet struggle with the implementation of business procedures and organizational management within their ministries. It is not because they lack business skill or the tools to operate competently, but it seems more like they desire to serve God with purity of motive, not wanting to imitate the workings of the present-day corporate church. People tend to shy away from the church paradigm today, seeing the corporate politics and underlying agendas that cost so much and have very little to do with the Gospels and their intended message of salvation and healing. Without doubt, we need God to intervene and show us more precisely His desired heart for the church today. I firmly believe that many Christians experience holy discontentment in their hearts about the church. Not that they desire to criticize and judge the church, but I believe this is a time where the bride of Christ is being sanctified for Christ’s second coming. Many mature Christians that I know personally struggle with being connected to the traditions of parachurch and church ministries today. New wine cannot be poured into old wineskins. Jesus overcame the divorce between knowledge and being. He did not live up to the ideals of His teaching nor did He succumb to the power of the traditions of how the church practiced religion. He lived it. If religion be a function by which either God’s cause or man’s cause is to be advanced, then he who lives the life of it, however narrowly, is a better servant than he who merely knows about it, however much. I encourage those who seek God in ministry, to strive ahead in obedience, no matter the pitfalls. I believe God is going to continue to raise up a new crop of healthy spiritual leaders among the Body of Christ to glorify His name according to His sovereign will.
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
May 8, 2003
Sometimes it is difficult to remember that everything that we do, even in times of obscurity and monotony, underscores our love for God, and in effect, causes us to grow into more of His likeness day-by-day. When trouble seems to unexpectedly loom, I have learned that it is often time-consuming and senseless to diagnose the cause of adversity in one’s life. Eugene Peterson explains “that the difficulties that come into our lives aren’t arbitrary intrusions; they’re elements in a complex web of interconnecting sins and mercies.” God is everything. In whatsoever state of mind we ponder, I encourage that we learn to be content, placing our hope firmly in the second coming of Jesus Christ…
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
May 14, 2003
In our walk with God we must be careful not to refuse to share with others the love that God has so lavished upon us. I once read, “In your walk with God, avoid functional atheism." God desires that we see Him the way He sees us. Brennan Manning plainly states, “Define yourself radically as one beloved by God.” I pray that the reality of God's vision and purpose for your lives becomes enacted in the mundane, giving the expression of love in the glory of His name.
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
May 19, 2003
“Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” Proverbs 24:14…I once read from Rick Joyner, “The God who makes every snowflake different seldom moves the same way twice. It is His nature to be creative and diverse.” Remember that our renewed minds should not be in conflict with the Holy Spirit. Paul demonstrated a marvelous ability to remain sensitive in the Spirit, being able to yield to His promptings whether it upset his plans or not. Am I willing to step outside the power of time frames to obey God, if so called? Am I willing to allow God to perfect my purpose more exactly? These questions empower the mind to move from understanding less to understanding more and in effect, bend the will towards the One who loves us most.
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
May 26, 2003
“Heavenly Father – We thank you that judgment breaks the hearts of those who rebel and sin, bringing them to the place of accepting your redeeming love. Please bring to everyone tonight a vivid pictorial of Calvary, breaking their hearts of idols and restoring the image of how you see them through your prism – full of love and mercy. Continue to grow us in grace, and give us the strength to walk in obedience. Thank you that we have already died and eternity has started for those who are Spirit-filled because of Jesus Christ. Forgive us when we make you a lawmaker and conform to the rules of religion. Please be patient with us. We desire to have a true relational dialogue with you. Thank you for your purity and righteousness. We know that purity is not a question of doing things rightly, but we know that our insides are made righteous because of you. On behalf of every father tonight, I intercede with deep-felt prayer for our wives and children. Satan – in the name of Jesus Christ, stand back and leave our families alone. We are free from darkness and deception of wrongful thoughts. We declare tonight that we are no longer slaves to sin, but we are bondservants of Jesus Christ. The battle is concluded. The victory is ours because of Him. God, we love you. We fear you in reverence. And we trust you with everything tonight…Amen.”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
May 27, 2003
After prayer one morning, Cherise realized, “we must never allow ourselves to get above the head of Christ, nor below the feet of Him.” Her desire to stay connected with Him inspires my walk of faith and the responsibility I have as a spiritual leader. Our desire is to overcome the limited knowledge we have of Jesus Christ that blinds us in our walk of faith. God keeps speaking two words into our spirits, confirmed in our prayers and reaffirmed from his solid Word, “Simplify and Believe…”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
May 31, 2003
Spiritual maturity is not based upon one’s superior knowledge of the Scriptures versus others, though self-digging into the Word of God will transform your life into one that is more of the image of Jesus Christ. But so often we get stuck on the flip side, trying to out perform our brothers and sisters in Christ. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” There is no need to create competition amongst brothers and begin some type of theological duel that decorates a winner of who is right over wrong. On the contrary, the Word of God states, “But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” Hebrews: 5: 14… Howard Hendricks simply says, “In the spiritual realm, the opposite of ignorance is not knowledge but obedience. “Heavenly Father, continue to guide us and be patient with us in our walk of obedient faith. We thank you for the Word that protects and helps us to discern between good and evil. Strip away our pride and ripen our hearts for your vision and plan for our lives. Teach us how to most effectively and nobly -- Love You and Love People. Amen.”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 3, 2003
“Cursed is the man who does not obey the terms of this covenant” (Jeremiah 11:3). And the terms of God’s covenant hinged on basic communicable knowledge between the people and God. God desires to be our God, without compromise, full of love and grace, wanting to share in relationship with His creation, above all else – man. If both shared in the relationship and the people kept their end of the agreement through obedience, then God promised to fulfill the oath of giving them a land flowing with milk and honey. It is easy to comprehend, but sometimes difficult to believe that we could automatically be loved so much by an awesome God. The pitfalls lurk in the darkness in the form of “Blessings,” as defined by man’s own corrupt nature. All are tempted. All continue to work out the definition of God’s blessings versus man’s own needs, even if excessive. The relationship with God that Cherise and I are experiencing during this season seems predicated upon the “Sowing & Reaping” of good seed. As Christians, we identify with the farmers, in regards to their hard work and effort that is rewarded so generously by the land in which they sow. We are seeing kingdom rewards for the planting of a harvest of righteousness. A word of caution, it seems whenever we tend to create formulas for God’s favor, then change abruptly shows up at the doorsteps, reminding us that He is our God, sovereign and just. Cherise and I fully recognize that we need to depend upon Him, not our own farming hands. “I pray that through obedience, the terms of your relationship with God will be made more abundantly clear. Thank you Jesus for cementing our terms through grace, but by your Holy Spirit guide us into obedience, as we take up the cross daily and walk so ever closer to your Throne.”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 4, 2003
To struggle – to stare down danger – to live on dry, stale bread in order to put an end to the things that displease our inner man – this for a weak man perhaps means self-sacrifice, certainly for the man who is unattached to God through His son. But for the Spirit-filled man who possesses energy, power, vigor, and love it is the conscious joy of life. “Heavenly Father – continue to renew our minds by your Spirit and give us a boldness before men to confess your dying love for them…Like Ezekiel, make us as unyielding in delivering God’s message, hard as flint, as the people would be in receiving it.”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 5, 2003
As our family gathered on our bed last night, Cherise felt drawn to share Romans 14 with us. Sin has a way of trying to get us to "step out" of love with others, as we nitpick about the most menial things about our style of worship and the degree to which we have grown spiritually. Love has a heightened awareness of others, despite their inadequacies. When you care about people then your spiritual gifts are released versus trying to preach to others. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men" (Romans 14:17-18).
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 9, 2003
In Genesis, two particular verses caught the interpretive eye of this author, “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and His heart was filled with pain” (Genesis 6: 5-6, NIV). By putting full stock in these verses without considering the Bible as a God-breathed inspired unit, one may get the feeling that only one truth exists about God’s heart toward man. Typically throughout the Bible there exists tension between different words, and the truth comes in multiple forms. And if we grasp too firmly around only part of one truth, then we create law and opposition to fully understanding the intention of God’s Word. Clearly in chapters 37-39 of Genesis, God begins the process of re-connecting to man with the introduction of Joseph, who demonstrates himself as a precursor model of the Christ to come. And because of the events of Calvary, an opposite view about how God actually feels about man is demonstrated when God allowed His own Son to be killed on the cross because He loved mankind so much…The Bible reader cannot control the truth of God, but rather, he must allow the entire truth to control him.
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 10, 2003
Excerpts taken from Rick Joyner regarding the church and sin. In the following depiction, think of leprosy as an illustration for sin. “Leprosy is a disease without pain. No remedy is found because the nerves do not work. Lepers lose their fingers and toes in accidents because they cannot feel any pain…when the church does not feel pain with those that are part of them; the church’s nerves also become dead. Then the church loses parts of its body. It loses power to touch souls. It loses credibility before the world. On the other side, the suffering church gives the whole church strength to fight for Christ. Suffering makes the soul to cry out and look for help, to draw strength from the source of help – Jesus Christ.”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 13, 2003
This diary entry is designed specifically for my son, Jake, a 14-year old who is undergoing some personal trials and who is vacationing a great distance from my home. The subject matter remains confidential, but the message may prove beneficial for all parents who strive to love their kids more effectively…One cannot command another to love God so perfectly and righteously – because love commanded is not love at all. God has given each one of us a free will to make our own choices and to live out our own lives, with the exception when we give our heart, soul, mind, and strength to Jesus Christ. As a parent, I know that the seed I sow into my child’s life is worthless if it is not sown in love. I cannot legislate better devotion to God for my son, but I can pray for him instead. Today, I pray on my son’s behalf, believing in the faith so given to me. Just as God has given His full heart to unholy and unworthy people like me, He continues to press upon my spirit to better identify with the hurts and confusions that my son is experiencing and to give him my heart and lean not on my own understanding, but rather, the knowledge that comes from the Father. My desire is that my son would completely open up to me, not being afraid of disappointment, shame, or potential punishment. Likewise, my desire is to comfort him regardless of the circumstances, as our Father in heaven comforts us. “Heavenly Father, I pray for teenagers and parents this evening. In the name of Jesus, I pray for Your holy patience and mercy. Help us to major on the important things of eternity, ranging from the mundane to the spectacular. We thank you for going the extra mile, even after Your death on the cross and the resurrection that followed. Please take the burdens of hurt and disappointment and show us the image of how you actually see us tonight. Please give us a fresh pictorial of Calvary and the new heaven to come. Forgive us our own transgressions and give us the strength to walk in the assurance of our eternal purpose. Lord, we humbly bow down before you, praising you in reverent fear and acknowledging your greatness. We plead for the mercy that you dispense so lovingly. Thank you in advance for loving each one of us so uniquely and so much…Amen.”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 20, 2003
The living Word will transform your life. But it seems our culture has drifted from the life-giving power that nurtures our mind and soul. A.W. Tozer states, “A religious mentality, characterized by timidity and lack of moral courage has given us today a flabby Christianity, intellectually impoverished, dull, repetitious, and to a great many persons, just plain boresome…It is easier to entertain than to instruct. It is easier to follow degenerate public taste than to think for oneself. So too many of our evangelical leaders let their minds atrophy while they keep their fingers nimble operating religious gimmicks to bring in the curious crowd.” Let your mind delight in the Word of God, bringing fellowship with the One who created you…
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 23, 2003
Oftentimes, the Word becomes law in many believers’ lives, handcuffing them to inward stagnancy. The missing link involves love and how the Christian audience perceives it. Emotional desire and postmodern thinking are not the rudimentary actuaries of love. Adler & Van Doren (1972) ascribe, “Love…is an intellectual act, not an emotional one.” Of course, there is an emotional reaction to love, but to grow in love is to grow in knowledge. For the Christian, this principle aptly applies when gaining in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. “It takes the power of God to make God known. It takes the knowledge of God to enable mankind to love God. It takes God to love God, and God to know God.”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 25, 2003
Imagine this reality: What may a man become who holds daily company with Christ? Perhaps an interconnected relationship in which we draw our strength and comfort from Him and flourish with the love of God...Would we begin to see ourselves more like how God really sees us -- in our new creature-form?
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 29, 2003
Oddly against our human judgment, weakness appears to be one of the most hidden secrets of God. Not that He is against big successes or big organizations, but the reality that man develops the hard-headed monument of pride cannot be understated. William James concludes, “…I am in favor of the eternal forces of truth which always work in the individual and immediately in seemingly unsuccessful ways, under-dogs always, till history comes, after they are long dead, and then truth puts them on the top.”
POSTED BY GORDON SELLEY
Date:
June 30, 2003
“After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53: 11, NIV). For the past few weeks, God has shown my spirit some realities about the knowledge of His son. May all who believe ascribe to the mind of Christ, bearing the essence of love in their hearts, and the mind to act accordingly. With the desert experiences that many of us experience, I believe that the wellspring of water runs through our soul – mind, emotions and will. May we not feel abandoned, but by the Sword of the Spirit (the Word), we are able to claim victory in the knowledge of Jesus when our entire being is under the attack of doubt and self-pity. “But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52: 12, NIV).
