Posted on Thursday, October 15, 2015

How to be successful in LIFE!

Wow! Look at all the delicious fruit on this tree! Success! Outstanding crop! Who wants to produce the same success as this tree?

Remember this tree?

How about that! It’s the same tree! The tree that “wasn’t going to amount to anything” is loaded with fruit. It is having a very successful year. The secret of being successful in LIFE? Well, in good ole country boy terms here is the secret…. It ain’t what you got, it’s how you use it. If you are new to wilderness preacher, of if you’ve forgotten about the story of this tree, you can read about it. Click on the following: Bloom where you’re planted

So, to be SUCCESSFUL in LIFE you will just like this tree, bear fruit. Producing “fruit” will bring success in your work, your family, your very own life. Not just any fruit, but good fruit. It can be done. You’re going to need some help.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22NIV

When God’s Holy Spirit comes into your life, you now have help in producing your fruit. You now have help in living a successful life. But,……….there is a big problem. It’s in how we view success.

In our “business and work world”, it’s all about the numbers. We view success in other people as well as ourselves by this numbers game. How much money was made. How many sales produced. How much production. It’s all about me, myself, and I!

In our “religious” world (let’s be truthful and admit it), it’s also about numbers. Too many times we view success as how many times did I go to church, how much did I give, how long I’ve been a teacher/deacon/preacher/choir member/etc. It’s all about me, myself, and I!

How to be successful in life? Here it is again…. it ain’t what you got it’s how you use it! You’ve been given God’s Holy Spirit, now use it! But if it’s all about me, myself, and I then there’s no room for God’s Holy Spirit to work.

To be successful in living requires us to focus on God. Seek Him, trust Him, follow Him. This cause us to care less about me, myself, and I. It allows us to focus on these “fruits of the Spirit”. We don’t worry about the “barbed wires” in our lives, we don’t fret over where we’ve been placed in this world. We focus on LIVING in and with God’s Spirit. We focus on the fruits. Looking back on my own life the past few years, I’ve not made the “top ten” in money, sales, production, attendance, or amounts of any kind. But I am living in a world being filled spiritually by a “PERFECT TEN” with peace, love, and joy. I am using it(God), and He is using me? Sounds strange? Yep, but a loving relationship is growing. I am living a successful life.

Now go be successful in life. With help from the Spirit you too can produce fruit. Time to share in a pie don’t ya think?

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher

Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2015

God’s handiwork, this bird……….. and you!

Watch this slow motion video of this hummingbird as it is flying.

Amazing to watch a hummingbird being what it’s created to be, isn’t it?

Amazing to watch yourself being what God’s created you to be, now isn’t it?

Posted on Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Catching a Bolt of Lightning

All the signs are there. Moisture in the air, afternoon heat, an updraft from the mountain slope, all giving hints that a storm with lightning would appear.

Plus the fact that the weatherman said 60% chance of rain with severe storms. So I knew that the storms would be approaching along with the lightning. I set up my camera behind the safety of my living room window and waited for the show. I wanted to “catch the lightning” in a picture.

Bam! Ooops missed that one. Boom! that one was a little too close. It looks like I can see sheets of rain across the valley, so the main part of the storm should be here any…… Ka Pow! (blinding light)……… I got it!!!!!

The power of a lightning bolt is well, among other things, scary. Especially to this farm boy who has witnessed lots of lightning as well as where lightning strikes occurred. The splintered trees, the welded fence post, the cables welded together in a chicken house (that I was standing in), all testify to the powers of a lightning bolt.

I’m scared of lightning, just like my dog. 😉 But at the same time, I’m drawn to it. When I’m in my safety zone, in a car, or better yet, in the house, I love to witness this power of God. The power, the mystery, the wonder, the glory.

Psalm 97:3-5New International Version (NIV)⁴His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles.

Jeremiah 33New International Version (NIV) 2“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ³‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

I’m scared of God and His Power. But at the same time, I’m drawn to it. When I’m in my safety zone, I love to witness His power. The power, the mystery, the wonder, the Glory.

A quick discussion about this “safety zone” for God and His Power. It’s called being in His Will. God is with you on your spiritual journey. His desire is for you to BE with Him as well. Seeking God’s Will for your life is an everyday happening. What is so amazing is that you can call to Him for guidance and He will answer you. How? In a quiet time with Him, in a prayer, when reading your Bible(yep, it’s still a good source). My God is a Most Loving and Forgiving God.

At the same time, I wouldn’t want to be out of my “safety zone” when God’s Righteous power and His Wrath came through because……..Ka Pow!!!! You get the idea.

Stay safely in “the arms of God”. Constantly look for His will in your life. And get ready, because you asked Him and called out to Him didn’t you? You did didn’t you? Well then, the great and unsearchable things you don’t know (and understand) are on the way……………All the signs are there. Be looking, especially with your heart.

See Ya! wilderness preacher Dan Ainsworth