Author

   Isaac Bashevis Singer once said "Life is God's novel. Let him write it." So why did we take the pen from His hand? God promised us the world at creation, even gave Adam the right to name every living creature He created. Every type of food minus 1 and the purest water were given for consumption. Adam was given ownership; we were given ownership. We were called to master the world and discover all that was in it. At our core we desired to climb every tree and see all that there was and experience the fullness of perfection. The unknown was all around us and nothing held us back.

"There was a transfer of ownership and in our folly we traded the world for knowledge, knowledge of our mistakes..."

   To this day we have that desire ingrained in our very hearts. Its evident in every child who steps outside and from rocks, sticks, and mud begin living as cowboys, knights, soldiers, or adventurers. They explore every inch of the world around them with such enthusiasm and wonder unwilling to return home even after the sun begins to set. How great would life have been had we not so eagerly traded in our gift for the one thing we were not given. God handed this world over to us and we in turn handed it over to an enemy lesser than ourselves. There was a transfer of ownership and in our folly we traded the world for knowledge, knowledge of our mistakes and the distance from God only grew. How can we be so surprised at the state of the world when we put it there? We have traded places with the author and decided we could finish the story with out Him.

"When God begins to write once more, life begins to flow..."

   We all have a place and purpose and none know it better than He who molded us from clay, seeing not only what we were in the moment but what we could become. He saw the beauty in every knick and scratch that would shape our being. He took pen to page lovingly poured out, to redeem us of the flaws and hubris that desperately tried to mar our existence. His blood is the ink in which no error flows, the permanent mark placed in the book of life that none can remove nor blot out. Having full desire to bring you into completion, He let your heart fly free. God loved us still and paid, in full the fine giving rule and reign to us again, fully knowing we may never regain mastery of the world being under Satan's thumb. Yet having full authority to usurp his throne, we were given vast exploration into our world once more so that we may push the boundaries of what we know and find God in every moment of our freedom. When God begins to write once more, life begins to flow, hand the quill back over and learn to follow Him.

-Alex The Bear Whitlow

Be inspired

   Have you ever paused to wonder where the explorers of old, great works of art, or beautiful movements of music have gone? What about the authors who, in a single line, can transport you into the most amazing places and with the next you're at the center of an adventure so grand that life feels lackluster in comparison? I have been challenged lately looking into the lives of Men like Jack London, Rudyard Kipling, and Teddy Roosevelt. These men lived lives of adventure and let nothing stand in their way. In actuality I was convicted; I wasn't living out my passion of writing and exploring the world around me. They inspired me.

 

   To be inspired is a dangerous thing. It dares us to dream and threatens to break the walls of our safety and comfort. It thrusts us into the wild and pushes us to create something new. It calls us to give sacrifice of ourselves and bring life into the world. It thrusts us into the thick of life with expectation to rise, to challenge, to conquer our greatest foe, and keep pushing on. That doesn't sit well with this generation. Inspiration in modern society is a bird, we clipped its wings and locked it in a cage. But flight was our aim, how mislead we've been when we believe all that was to be done, has been done. Our greatest enemy is ourselves. God did not create man to fear the world but to master it. The world is so vast and large and there is more to it then we believe we know. There is more to reach for, but we must be inspired.  

 

"Inspiration in modern society is a bird, we clipped its wings and locked it in a cage. But flight was our aim, how mislead we've been..." 

   Inspiration is a gift from God, He places dreams in the hearts of men so that they may live a life exploring the depths of his creation. To paint or photograph the moments in life so beautiful we should be ashamed of keeping them to ourselves. He placed them in that moment to be seen and experienced not hoarded and hidden away in the far reaches of memory to fade and be forgotten.

   To create a song so sweet and delicate that at our core we resonate emotion with each vibration stirring together all manner of life. Rich and poor brought into common ground build on the fondest of memories and experiences, a whirlwind of people, places, and sounds. Music to lift burdens and lighten the load we all carry on our shoulders. Lyrics that cut to the heart leaving one vulnerable and defenseless in a moment or building ones courage to heights that walls could never hold them captive again.

   To write in ways in which one feels the words wrap around them as close as a friends embrace. To construct a world around the reader so convincing that it blurs together with reality itself making the two seem the same. Placing one in the midst of kings, heroes, pirates, explorers, soldiers, leaders, and undiscovered people in adventures that will impact your character and mold who you are. Words that will come to you in the deepest pains and greatest joys to express love, loathing, and loneliness. To still your anxious nerves or burst your heart into machine gun fire and all with a single phrase from literature.

"The only thing holding you back is the cage and a secret; it was never locked."

   Inspiration gave men the zeal to lead, to explore this vast world and record it in the most amazing ways possible! But they had to have the courage to follow their dreams. They had to open their cages and fly free from their homes and embrace the unknown. The only thing holding you back is the cage and a secret; it was never locked. You may fail and fall but don't let that ever be what stops you. Get back up and start again, have the determination to see it through to the end and you will never be the same. Every so called failure is just encouragement that your story isn't over...what are you waiting for!? 

Be Inspired. 

- Alex The Bear Whitlow

Lost

   Being LOST doesn't always mean you're lost...sometimes not knowing which way is up or down takes away the control you have of your life and sometimes that's what God needs from you, utter loss of control. Sounds scary but honestly its when He does His best work. 

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

(2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV)

    Think about it like this, Joseph gets thrown into a pit, sold into slavery against his will. Paul was imprisoned several times, beaten, mocked, robbed and even got stoned once, but none of it was because he wanted it. Through it all they had no control over there situations and God sees them through all the crazy twists and turns. Even crazier, He elevates Joseph to second in command over all of Egypt and uses Paul's time in prison to have him write like 48 Percent of the whole New Testament (13 Books of 27).

"Sometimes we have to embrace the scary unknown."

    Growing up in Sweet Home Oregon we had lakes and rivers all around us and we used to go swimming a lot!  The best though was jumping into the water. Up in the Pacific Northwest the water tends to be a bit chilly but jumping in acclimates you pretty quickly. The worst part though is standing at the edge...You know you have to jump but you can't see what's in the water, or how deep it is and fear sets in. Doubt try's to push itself into your mind and persuade you its unsafe and you shouldn't do it. There is a simple remedy though, you get a running start. We would sprint to the edge and thrust ourselves into the unknown! For us that was 40 feet down from the bridge into Foster Lake, and instantly upon leaping the first thought often was wait I don't want to do this anymore! Panic set in because we weren't in control. No longer did we have solid ground below our feet but rather nothingness...and we would fall unable to change direction or the out come, we simply committed to whatever was next and found our selves lost in flight.

    That's what it is often times following God. Sounds scary right!? But the reward far out ways the risk. What happens next is where the magic is, you plummet downward filled with adrenalin and splash! Cool water surrounds you and suddenly your alive and exhilarated weightless in the water being renewed! And with all truth that's what the reward is. God catches us mid flight and restores and renews us. Being Lost is only part of the journey, so please don't give up. Don't stop short. Jump or you'll miss out on all that the Lord has for you. Don't be discouraged when you feel lost, just commit to the fall and know the Lord will restore you.

Much love,
The Bear

Immediatly

    Last night we were in youth group and a friend of mine named Matt Midkiff was teaching through Judges chapter 7. It blew me out of the water! I was so blessed to hear what the Lord was speaking through him that I lay in my bed most the night thinking about Gideon and the way he acted in verse 15 of Judges 7.

For context here is 13-15

 "When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so that it fell and turned it upside down, so that the tent lay flat." And his comrade answered, "This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp." As soon as Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the Lord has given the host of Midian into your hand."

    I lose it at this because Gideon, immediately from the moment he heard the enemy speaking of this dream, and hears its meaning reacted in an amazing way. He Worshiped! When we want to see victory in our lives it starts from obedience to what God calls us to and moves Immediately into Worship! Later that night Gideon lead an army of 300 men into battle armed with trumpets and torches to victory over the Midianites whose numbers were like locusts and there camels were innumerable (verse12). There is victory at the heart of those who worship.

    Matt said something last night that made me realize how good God is. He compared this story of Gideon and his 300 men to King Leonidas and his 300 men. Good King Leo took 300 men and tried by mans strength to defeat and innumerable army of Persian and failed, because he tried to do it mans way, by mans rules and by mans strength. Gideon took 300 men because God didn't want to use more than that. God delivered victory for the Jewish people because they were obedient to how God wanted to do things, they went about it Gods way, and there was worship. Just a heads us, all 300 men died when King Leo lead them against the Persians and not a single Jewish life was lost of the 300 men Gideon lead against the Midianites. That shows you the comparison of Gods way versus mans way.

    God wants us to trust Him, to be obedient in what He is calling us to and to worship Him through it. Remember that as you move on from here. Worshiping God immediately should be our response to whatever comes our way. Victory comes from a heart of worship so lets be victorious and worship the Lord in all situations!

Much Love

The Bear.

Romans 12 Challenge

Romans 12:9-13 (ESV) Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

    I call this the Romans 12 Challenge. Looking at the modern church we don't really look like this...to be honest I don't know if I have ever seen this in action. My goal with this challenge is to begin a change in the way people think and act towards each other and move the modern church away from the judgmental stereo type it has earned. I want to start focusing on these traits and get back to, well the first point.

1) Let love be genuine.

    I like the word genuine. Its a fun word with a great meaning. Let our love be truly love, let it be authentic, without fault or question of what it is. That is what this is saying. Find what it means to be genuine in our love in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8.

2) Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

    Abhor means to hate or strongly dislike. It means to disdain, show no respect for and flee from evil. 1 Corinthians 15:33 gives us a great warning of this, “Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'” When we start to surround our selves with good company though we start to be uplifted and encouraged as well as begin to be that good influence and encourager to others.

3) Love one another with brotherly affection.

    I think this is huge! I look at the relationship my wife has with her brother and it brings me joy. They know how to minister to not only the physical sadness one of them may be facing but also how to minister to the spiritual struggle they may be facing in life. This is what I believe to be loving with brotherly affection, to uplift and encourage each other always pointing our troubles back to God for solution.

This needs to come not in the language of christianese but in actions or words of understanding. Don't slap a spiritual bandaid on someone with a verse and call it a day.

Take the time to understand whats happening and give advice that fits the situation and the person. This also needs to be done honorably and appropriately.

4) Outdo one another in showing honor.

    This is one of my favorite points! We should constantly point out to one another what our brothers and sisters are doing for the Lord and honor them for what they do. This should be done earnestly and not to gain favor from the other person but to glorify and edify the body of Christ. I like to think about the verse where Jesus says we must become last to become first in the kingdom of God. To me this means we need to be humble in our actions and loud about the actions of others when they bring glory to God.

5) Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

    Zeal is such an awesome word! I want you to know a good friend of mine, Kevin Wilson has instilled this message in my mind so amazingly. He probably doesn't know this but he inspires me with how much Zeal he has for the Lord and how hard he goes after deepening his relationship with Jesus. I challenge you to be like him.

Have so much passion for God that all you want to do is serve him, but don't stop there, fulfill that passion and serve Him.

Do it in whatever way He has given you but serve and do it with Zeal!

6) Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

    This is self explanatory ya'll. Be joyful we have hope in Christ, don't give into struggles that may slap us across the cheek, turn the other and press in. Show you will not fall or fail because you stand on the foundation of Christ and have an army of brothers and sisters by your side to uplift and encourage you through prayer, and words of wisdom. Stay vigilant in your prayer life so you can draw closer to the Lord and hear Him speak. Some trials may take very little time and others may take a while, but remember its in Gods timing. Your struggles aren't forever, often times it depends on us just staying faithful in the midst of them to find freedom.

7) Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

    This goes hand in hand with the previous point. Just as we can rely on our brothers and sisters coming to our aid when we fall into struggles we must be there to join them in their fight. We must be willing to give a helping hand and support our brothers and sisters when they face tribulations and come to their aid when they need it. No matter the circumstances we are not to judge them harshly, but rather to help them back to the father.

    Lets get on this Church! Lets live like this! This is the Romans 12 Challenge. Lets begin to live this out and edify the body! Show honor to some of your brothers and sisters in Christ with Zeal and lovingly challenge them to pass this on! That is if your brave enough...I pray you find the courage to accept it. You can keep this to your self or post the challenge on social media using #Romans12Challenge I encourage you to do the latter so others can join the Romans 12 Challenge. Here is a link for a great template.

Much Love,

The Bear

Worship

    I love when God places things on my heart and bugs me about that topic until I begin to share it. Let me tell you sometimes its something all new and other times its an old topic with new insight like this one. Worship. The bible says so much about worship and I have a couple of verses for you that have really captured the essence of what worship should be in our lives. This isn't a how you should worship or what it should look like physically but what it should be to you. The perfect example of this is found in this first passage I want to share with you.

Psalms 73:25-26 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

    I love this! Though I may fail God is my strength and portion forever, who else is there to worship!? There is none, and nothing I desire apart from you!? This made me cry when I read it. Not going to exaggerate one bit, I read it and shared this with our youth kids last Sunday night as I was fighting back tears. This passage stirred in me the desire to worship God like this, knowing He would never not be enough! He would always be more than enough for me and that there was nothing worth investing time in that wasn’t centered on God. Just wow! This passage states that there is nothing on earth that he desired but God, to be close to Him.

Psalms 71:8 “My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.”

    Whooo! How many of us can say this to be true? For me I know that its not true, but I also know that I want it to be true and I am going to start claiming this verse for my life. I want it to be as a response to the first verse I referenced. I want it to be that God is what I'm talking about in conversation with friends family and even strangers. I want God to be my mindset and my pleasure. I want to worship God in all I do all day everyday. I don't want to take a break from God, I want to be enveloped by Him. I want to live out Psalms 103:1.

Psalms 103:1 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!”

   

    I want all that is in me to bless the Lord. I want my soul to cry out to Him and leave nothing unsaid or undone, I want all that's within me and all that surrounds me and all that comes from me to be centered on Jesus! What about you? What do you think about these verses? What do they stir in you? Do they capture your attention and make you think about Davids heart? So far all of these verses have been from David, the man after Gods own heart. I love what C.S. Lewis says about Psalms, "The most valuable thing the Psalms do for me is to express the same delight in God which made David dance." I want to leave you one last verse to ponder on and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Much love,

The Bear

 

Beauty

    Have you ever stopped to wonder the beauty of God? Take for instance a warm glow as the sun sinks below the ocean, lighting the sky on fire as it leaves. Bright oranges and pinks bleed red as they sink into the ocean. We look on without a second thought most of our lives. God spends time painting the sky for us in unique ways every day. We may never think about the beauty it holds, But God still takes the time to make it new everyday. If you're like me and grew up in Oregon, you will understand we have few sunsets as beautiful as this and a lot of rain. Most Oregonians pull a hood on and complain about the weather, trying to avoid getting wet. I remember in High School wanting to do the very opposite. I loved walking in the rain; no hood to shelter me from the bullets of water that barraged my head. For me, witnessing the beauty that would unfold soon after was well worth the assault. The smell that filled the air once the rain ceased fire and crawled, retreating, back into the clouds. The smell that is so hard to describe but anyone who has ever paused for a moment after the rain had stopped knows it all too well; fresh, new, life...and that is also beautiful.

    I could go on describing moments of my life where I have witnessed beauty that comes from nature, I could even go into describing the beauty I have seen in the hearts of men, the beauty I see in my wife that goes beyond just her physical appearance and into the depths of her soul. How it awakens in me the beauty God has created me to live out. Sometimes I don't think I am worthy of the love I have been given. I doubt that there is any reason I should have this beauty, this ability to live a life drawn out by the creator God. The God who fashioned me from dust and breathed life into me as I lay in my mothers womb. To be honest I know better than to think this but as a fallible man I cannot stop myself from falling into this train of thought. This is a poison flowing through my veins trying to reach my heart, slowing my breathing to a dead stop, unable to draw life into my lungs and then seeping into my mind; filling my head with thoughts that are untrue, dark and deceitful. It causes me to stumble and fall into sin and self loathing. Lies that belittle me to less than a man to the point I am a slave to the very poison that runs through my veins. Doubt is its name. It's in these moments I realize something is not right, I can feel God calling me back to Him and I have to be the one to make the decision, do I stay or do I go...?

    That is the Beauty of God. He created us so that we might have fellowship with Him, to love Him and be loved by Him and yet He gave us the choice to make that decision. He left it up to us. God is so infinite in His wisdom and knew some of us would fall, and some of us would never rise to meet Him at all, but He still desired us and crafted us. God once sent Jeremiah to the potters house to sit and watch as the potter went about his day, for God would speak to him there. As Jeremiah sat he watched the potter working the clay into a shape, and shortly after it collapsed. Instead of the potter getting angry and throwing out the clay he simply worked it into something else as it seemed good to the potter to do. This is found in Jeremiah 18, but the lesson is the same in our lives. God is the potter molding our lives but sometimes we make bad decisions or slip and cause the clay to collapse in His hands. This doesn't stop God though. He simple starts to mold you into another pot. God wants to craft you into a beautiful piece of pottery and paint you with beautiful colors so that when He is finished He will look upon you and say “well done my good and faithful servant.” 

    Sometimes being molded by God to shine His beauty is hard and the road is difficult to walk. God is break us down and making us pliable, shaping and molding our character. If we jump off the path that is before us because we think there is a short cut or an easier way, we often times miss the thing God is trying to do with our lives. We don't stay on long enough to understand that following the road God places before us comes with many blessings along the way, and all we have to do is keep the faith and know that God has already walked the path in front of us, and will keep us safe along your journey. Even if the road seems rocky at times, trust in God to walk you through life and always be there for you. Take the time to admire the beauty of God that is all around you, God created it for our enjoyment and His. God will work His beauty through your life, and when He does, don't forget to share that beauty with those around you. It may be the spark that leads them into His hands to be molded and shaped into something beautiful.

Much Love,
The Bear.