Idols of relaxation. Idols of relationships. Idols of fads. Idols of worship. Idols of ourselves.
What is wrong with us? Why do we self indulge? How can we not see our flaws.
There are too many gods in our world. We worship too many idols.
Not your flaws but my flaws. We need more self awareness and self analyzation.
The question is what is wrong with me? And how do I fix myself?
Fix myself to love. Fix myself to care for others. Fix myself to celebrate the good. Fix myself to worship and glorify the one true God.
The one true God is the only way to fix ourselves, our family, our friends, our neighbors, our city, our state, our country and our world. The one true God can fix anything and everything.
Start today:
1. Stop blaming others
2. Repent, turn from your self worship and sin
3. Search for the positive and use it to encourage
4. Do not give up. Good will overcome evil. Light will over power darkness
5. Be kind to others especially if you are stronger, wealthier, previledged, spoiled, successful, intelligent, gifted. Pull others up.
6. Celebrate the good positive things in life
7. Be thankful for the little good positive things in life
Jesus has left His disciples in Acts 1:9-11, and Pentecost is a week away. Jesus has returned to Heaven, sitting at the right hand of God. Jesus had to leave the earth to allow the Holy Spirit to come upon us. Jesus has promised all believers in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit. What? Why? When? Where? How? You need to ask yourself all these questions and more.
Why do I need a ghost, a spirit, the Holy Spirit?
We need the Holy Spirit because it is God. God in our lives! Wow! How exciting is that! God in our lives.
I needed Jesus because I was chasing money and success. I did not get the full benefit of the Holy Spirit until everything was about God. God first. I needed to chase God!
Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to us who are believers in Jesus Christ. Read Acts 1:9-11 or Luke 24:45-53. Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit. If we do not believe in Jesus, then we will not receive the Holy Spirit or God in our lives. We do not get God in our lives, but we do not get the benefits of a believer in Jesus Christ. The benefits are described in Bible scriptures, but here is the most obvious:
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Who does not want the benefits of the Holy Spirit? I have answered the questions who, what, when, where, when, why in these three scriptures, but is it enough? How about people who do not know Jesus Christ? Can they get the Holy Spirit in their lives?
The Holy Spirit works in all lives of believers and non-believers. The Bible demonstrates this concept in the Old Testament, but we are skipping this concept. We want to stay on how the Holy Spirit will work for Christians.
I am a believer in Jesus Christ, but I do not feel the Holy Spirit. What is wrong? What can I do? Help?
As a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the Holy Spirit in you. You received it the day you believed in Jesus as Lord and savior. It might not be as powerful as in the Pentecost event, but it is in you. What you need to do is feed the Holy Spirit in you. How? You do the regular disciplines of a believer in Jesus Christ regularly.
Pray
Repent your sins
Read your Bible
Gather in Bible studies and Church
Worship God in thought and actions – church, music, serve, Christian books, Christian blogs.
Serve others
Share the Gospel – Jesus
Anything to glorify God or to make Him number one in your life.
This is a shortlist of things to do. The key is to do it daily and multiple times daily. The Holy Spirit will grow in you. There is no doubt in my mind.
If you want me to pray for the Holy Spirit to increase in your life, then contact me. If you need more information: ask me, and there are plenty of books about Christian disciplines.
Also, our study. Pentecost occurs 9 days after Passover. This year it falls on May 31, 2020, but we will do our study on May 28, 2020, at 7:30 PM central on Zoom. Visit Seekers – Help Me Believe for more information.
Scriptures
Acts 1:9-11 (NIV)After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into Heaven.”
Luke 24:45-53 (NIV) 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Ascension of Jesus
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into Heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
There’s no way to describe how great God is or how much God loves you. I’m sitting at the beach after finishing my mini-book that’s free right now on Amazon and my first book of poetry which is in pre-order on Amazon. I do not have the link to both of them right now but if you go search on Amazon Conrad Birmingham goes right to them. This book is a compilation of my poems for last 10 years s uphowing my life. I guess it’s really an autobiography, but I did not see it that way when I was writing the poems or the book.
I’ve learned a lot from these writing experiences. I’ve learned:
1. Slow down. Enjoy each day. Live this day to the fullest.
2. Everything should be about God. I know that’s hard. I know you can’t be perfect because of Adam and Eve. You need to try to do the best you can and repent of your sins when you can’t be what God wants you to be.
3. Give more than you take. I wish I gave more when I was younger than I took. All of my relationships would have been better and healthier. I know that’s comes through wisdom which comes from the fear of God. Praise the Lord
So in summary?
1. What can you do today right now to make your life better?
2. What can you do right now to give mercy to others and to make their lives better?
3. How can you honor God more right now today, right this second?
I’m very happy. I’m very grateful for the things that are given to me. I am grateful to God for letting me choose him and live as close as I can to Jesus. No way perfect but I’m trying. Blessings!
My autobiography of poetry over the last fifty-eight years. Ha ha ha! I laugh too. I am a businessman who is retired, and he is trying to stay busy. I have no real talent at writing any type of writing except Quality Assurance Programs, Business Plans, Bible Study Notes, Business Price Quotes, Business Memos, Loan Requests, Consulting Reports, and all things business.
Uplifting Poems About the Death of a Loved One is a journey of my life, especially in the last five years. I have struggled through medical issues for these five years, including depression and anxiety. I am challenged with the belief that I have a disease that is not diagnosed, and I am going to die. True or not true, that is what I believe. He first book of poems works up to this obsession with death. The book of poems ends with hope.
Medical History last Five Years
History 2020
All symptoms, and if anything, they are worse. They vary based upon all kinds of factors.
One trip to Mayo Clinic, and nothing has changed except new symptoms. All they can tell me is to wait for it to manifest itself. There are no more tests and no more doctors. Thank the number one hospital in the world. Five visits are enough.
New Symptoms 2020
My brain locks up, and I can not talk. I know what I want to say, but it will not come out of my mouth. I am down 3 to 5 minutes, and then it comes out of me.
I cannot walk and do two things. If I am walking and I try to stir the soup or something on a plate or count something, then I fall left to the right, stop moving forward, and cannot talk. I can move backward then stop doing everything and reset. I can then walk forward.
History 2019
I quit going to doctors in 2019. After 48 doctors for so many things, I am sick of doctors, and I quit going after Mayo Clinic and Vanderbilt appointments at the first of the year. They used the exact same words – You need to wait for it to manifest itself. These issues persist:
Feet hurt, numb, and tingle
Hands hurt, numb and tingle
Neck hurts
Dizzy
Foggy
Forgetful
Slow
Shy away from bright lights
Falling backward or sideways
Unable to announce words, maybe stutter
I have quit chasing the cause of these, and I am just trying to live with them now. I have done an excellent job with reduced symptoms all of 2019 and in the months of August and September, especially. In those months, I had almost no symptoms at all.
I want to go on a new medicine which will cut the edge. I do not know if I have stress or anxiety. When I am off amitriptyline, I am more emotional. I rush to agitation, and frustration is quicker. The anger is not rage but similar without yelling and screaming. Well, George does not think this is a correct statement anymore. My friend and I talked about it being more adrenaline rushes. I am getting pumped up for something. I do not know what?
Jan to Dec– Everything occurs under many different combinations and circumstances
Feb – Joint Specialist
Jan – Blood Clots – hematologist – stay on the blood thinner
Jan -Vein Specialist – nothing to do with four blood clots. The leg will swell and hurt
History 2018
Mayo and Patterson Physical Therapy ( Beth Patterson and Cynthia Thomson) in Jackson, Tennessee, worked on these my knee, calf, and hip, and the majority of the pain have gone away. A combination of shoe orthotics, lost weight, exercise, yoga, and more expensive tennis shoes. I do not consider this a significant issue, just a nuisance.
I went to Mayo Clinic 4 times, and they eliminated all significant organs, diseases, etc. as possible candidates. They believe I have to wait for it to manifest itself into one block for a diagnosis. They took me off amitriptyline and put me on Lexapro – anxiety medicine, but that made my symptoms worse. I got off Lexapro. I went back on amitriptyline until Dec 2019.
I have seen 15 doctors over the past few years for a variety of issues, and I am trying to eliminate problems to find the root cause so I can feel better. All of these sometimes happen all the time, and sometimes one or two at a time. But it is something every day.
Knee hurts
Hip Hurts
Calf Hurts
Feet hurt, numb, and tingle
Hands hurt, numb and tingle
Neck hurts
Dizzy, foggy, forgetful, slow, overwhelmed in crowds, shy away from bright lights
Right foot swells
Right leg knee down swells
History 2017
Jan to June – Everything occurs under many different combinations and circumstances
July – A blood clot in the right leg. Leg stayed swollen for five months
Oct – Lost breath climbing stairs for two weeks went away
Nov – diagnosed Factor 5 … gene disorder causes blood to clot
Dec – MRI to recheck neck and spine – can not find out why lost use of right arm from the elbow down fishing
2016 – Continue to have knee and hip pain but all new issues too
Jan – MS Specialist Vanderbilt – not MS go to a neurologist
Feb – Neurologist Vanderbilt – MRI’s neck brain and spine show no damage or suspensions
Feb to Dec – Everything occurs under many different combinations and circumstances
History 2015
Knee and hip continue to hurt all year
Sept – I felt like I had a heart attack on a Saturday, but it went away after 1 hour. I did not go to the doctor. Thought it was vertigo.
Dec – Neurologist – neuropathy in hands and feet.
Sept to Dec – New issues of hand, feet, and neck pain. Dizziness, falling backward sensation, overwhelming in crowds, fuzzy, hazy
Jackson Doctor sends me to Vanderbilt
History 2014
Two Hip Surgeries – I slipped on ice in Jan, and one surgery to sew it up. The second surgery to replace it.
Blood Clot – I had a blood clot after hip replacement
History 2013
Knee replacement. I had a hard time bending it, and it had to be manipulated once. I finally got it to bend and was getting stronger
Pre – 2013
Three knee surgeries, shoulder surgery, ankle surgery
I have always had problems with my right knee since the age of 15.
