Deuteronomy 30:18-20, "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life..."
"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you..." God sets before you choices every day. What you choose will be held against you. What you choose is not covered up, or given to you as an excuse. It is held against you and you cannot hide from the truth that lays right in the choices you make. "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life..." Every choice that we make, no matter how small we think it is, has either life or death written in it. Every choice that we make determines how the next course of our life will go. Every choice that we make has consequences that follow, good and bad. Will we be willing to work hard now? Will we be willing to set aside our own selfish ambitions today, for a life tomorrow?
As I look back upon my life, and really consider the choices that I have made, it is much easier to see the "life and the death" that was placed in front of me, and to notice the choices that I deliberately made. When Jason and I were dating, I had a choice placed in front of me. I could lay aside what I thought that I wanted, and choose life. Or, I could push against everything and choose to continue on the path that I was on, a path that I knew led to destruction. I had been struggling with my own desires and I wanted to hang on to what was familiar. I was uncertain about the life that he was offering to me. I did not know what the outcome would be and this uncertainty scared me. Would I choose to be uncomfortable for a time? Would I choose life, something that was unfamiliar to me. Or would I choose death, the path that I knew very well. Change is hard, but it is only hard because we choose to war within ourselves.
Oswald Chambers wrote, "Just because I have listened carefully and intently to one thing from God does not mean that I will listen to everything He says. I show God my lack of love and respect for Him by the insensitivity of my heart and mind toward what He says. If I love my friend, I will instinctively understand what he wants. And Jesus said, 'You are My friends...' (John 15:14)."
In this journey I have listened and followed God, not always by my choice, but because that seemed to be the only real choice that was offered. Other times I have definitely taken the wrong path and fought against what He was calling me to. I tried to convince myself that what I was doing was really not that big of a deal, since I had made the right choice before. But, just because I had made the right choice once, did not mean that I was off the hook the rest of the time. It is a daily decision. He is calling us to follow Him daily, moment by moment. Can we lay aside what we desire now, in order to see the bigger picture for our future? Christ has given us His everything. Can we see all that we will give up, if we choose to go against what He has chosen for us? What choice did we make last night that will affect us today? What are we Choosing today that will affect us tomorrow? We cannot blame anyone else for the consequences we have today, because of the choices we made yesterday. Is it really worth it?
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Offended by God
Matthew 11:1-6, "John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 'Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?' Jesus told them, 'Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, ‘God blesses those who are not offended by me.'"
It is amazing to me, how God talks to me about certain things, only when I am ready to hear. I am learning new every day. He is gentle and patient and He knows that if He told me everything right away, it would be too much for me. Part of my weekly study is to listen to Beth Moore on line. Recently she has been doing a study on John the Baptist. At first I thought, "Okay, a kind of history lesson. I know about John, but maybe I need to have a reminder." This is not what happened at all. When she got to this verse my heart became heavy, I realised that Jesus was talking to me, when He spoke to John. As Beth described it, John knew who Christ was. He had baptised Him, and he had seen the Holy Spirit land on His shoulders, and he had heard God speak and say this was His son. He knew and his joy was complete with this realisation.
John did not have doubts about who Jesus was. He knew who He was! John was now in prison. He was suffering and asking Jesus, "Are You going to rescue me? Why am I suffering right now? You can just say the word and I would be free." John was offended that Jesus was not rescuing him out of his circumstance. That is why Jesus added, "God blesses those who are not offended by me." He knew his heart and He knew what John was really asking.
God keeps my past close to my memory, for He refers to it often as He is speaking to me. About a year ago, I was suffering. Several years earlier, I had memorised the book of James, and I took this verse to Pastor Steve, "Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well." I was sick. I needed healing. I called on the church. We met together. I was anointed in oil. Our prayers were offered in faith, but I was not healed.
As I listened to Beth, as I studied these passages that week, I could hear God speaking, "You were offended by Me when you thought I was not healing you. You blamed Me for your disease. You see now that I needed you to learn more about who you were and who I Am, but you are still carrying that offence and you need to forgive Me."
Ouch! That one is hard. I was offended at God. He was supposed to heal me. We did our part, where was He? It was not right that I was having to ask Eric, my oldest son who was six, to help me button my shirt because I could not do it myself. It was not fair that I could not even do the dishes, because I was dropping all of them and breaking them. It was not fair that I was sleeping all of the time, because I did not even have enough energy to sit and read to my babies. It was not fair and He could heal me, but wouldn't! I was offended, but I didn't know it until He took my memory back and showed me.
I have learned so many lessons since that time. I have learned how to love myself and take better care of myself. I have learned how to rely more on God and how to have more self control. All things that I would have never learned had He healed me and given me what I wanted in a nice little package. I am thankful that He did not heal me right away, but He needed me to see that I was still carrying that offence. He spoke to me through Beth's lesson. He speaks to me through His word. He speaks to me through my memory of my past. He speaks to me through some of my hardest times. I know who He is and I had been offended, because of who He is. I needed to forgive Him. I needed to see that when it seems He is not answering my prayer the way I think it needs to be answered, He is trying to show me more. I have to remember that He is Love. He is all knowing and He knows what I need more than I do. He is not, just not answering my prayers. He knows I need to learn more. What is it that He is trying to help me see? If I will wait with Him, and not take offence, what is it that He is trying to teach me? Can I hear Him speak? Am I willing to listen?
Oswald Chambers, "Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it."
It is amazing to me, how God talks to me about certain things, only when I am ready to hear. I am learning new every day. He is gentle and patient and He knows that if He told me everything right away, it would be too much for me. Part of my weekly study is to listen to Beth Moore on line. Recently she has been doing a study on John the Baptist. At first I thought, "Okay, a kind of history lesson. I know about John, but maybe I need to have a reminder." This is not what happened at all. When she got to this verse my heart became heavy, I realised that Jesus was talking to me, when He spoke to John. As Beth described it, John knew who Christ was. He had baptised Him, and he had seen the Holy Spirit land on His shoulders, and he had heard God speak and say this was His son. He knew and his joy was complete with this realisation.
John did not have doubts about who Jesus was. He knew who He was! John was now in prison. He was suffering and asking Jesus, "Are You going to rescue me? Why am I suffering right now? You can just say the word and I would be free." John was offended that Jesus was not rescuing him out of his circumstance. That is why Jesus added, "God blesses those who are not offended by me." He knew his heart and He knew what John was really asking.
God keeps my past close to my memory, for He refers to it often as He is speaking to me. About a year ago, I was suffering. Several years earlier, I had memorised the book of James, and I took this verse to Pastor Steve, "Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well." I was sick. I needed healing. I called on the church. We met together. I was anointed in oil. Our prayers were offered in faith, but I was not healed.
As I listened to Beth, as I studied these passages that week, I could hear God speaking, "You were offended by Me when you thought I was not healing you. You blamed Me for your disease. You see now that I needed you to learn more about who you were and who I Am, but you are still carrying that offence and you need to forgive Me."
Ouch! That one is hard. I was offended at God. He was supposed to heal me. We did our part, where was He? It was not right that I was having to ask Eric, my oldest son who was six, to help me button my shirt because I could not do it myself. It was not fair that I could not even do the dishes, because I was dropping all of them and breaking them. It was not fair that I was sleeping all of the time, because I did not even have enough energy to sit and read to my babies. It was not fair and He could heal me, but wouldn't! I was offended, but I didn't know it until He took my memory back and showed me.
I have learned so many lessons since that time. I have learned how to love myself and take better care of myself. I have learned how to rely more on God and how to have more self control. All things that I would have never learned had He healed me and given me what I wanted in a nice little package. I am thankful that He did not heal me right away, but He needed me to see that I was still carrying that offence. He spoke to me through Beth's lesson. He speaks to me through His word. He speaks to me through my memory of my past. He speaks to me through some of my hardest times. I know who He is and I had been offended, because of who He is. I needed to forgive Him. I needed to see that when it seems He is not answering my prayer the way I think it needs to be answered, He is trying to show me more. I have to remember that He is Love. He is all knowing and He knows what I need more than I do. He is not, just not answering my prayers. He knows I need to learn more. What is it that He is trying to help me see? If I will wait with Him, and not take offence, what is it that He is trying to teach me? Can I hear Him speak? Am I willing to listen?
Oswald Chambers, "Am I therefore justified in being dejected and in blaming God? Whenever we insist that God should give us an answer to prayer we are off track. The purpose of prayer is that we get ahold of God, not of the answer. It is impossible to be well physically and to be dejected, because dejection is a sign of sickness. This is also true spiritually. Dejection spiritually is wrong, and we are always to blame for it."
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Teens and Sex
Proverbs 4:23, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life." (NLT)
How can you watch TV or listen to music, without thinking about sex? I cannot imagine what it would be like growing up in this society today, where you cannot even listen to music without thinking of the video that plays in your mind. Our kids are on the front lines of the battle and we as adults are standing on the sideline watching as our kids are fighting alone. Some people may have problems with me speaking to the kids about sex during our high school lunches. Some may think that I share too much and that I should not be telling the kids that I used to be a stripper, or the other realities of my past life. But I cannot help it, I have to put my own life on the line for these kids who are being bombarded every day with the illusions and lies of the world. Out of courtesy to the parents, I feel I need them to hear as well.
Sophia's Kitchen: We have spent this entire year focusing on sex as we have talked with the girls. It is a big issue and we only have a few minutes to talk with them. We started out with our heroes. Those women who have gone before, who were married like Christ intended, untouched. We shared with the girls the triumphal entry into a life without the major regrets of sexual sin. While they were young, these women stood against the desire to fit in with others around them and to guard their bodies. They have lived very cool lives! One of our heroes travelled throughout Europe and started her own business before she dated at all. She found her identity, before she committed to marriage. Another hero is a cool snowboarding beauty. As her now husband proposed to her she had to take off her purity ring to put on her engagement ring. As she did this, the realities of what she had been fighting for hit her and she handed him her purity ring with the most beautiful words, "This is for you!" We started with the heroes who fought the fight while they were young, but then we moved to the stories of redemption. I have told my story, but it has not been to glamorise my past, but to tell of the wonderful saviour who can bring purity to those who no longer feel pure. We needed to be able to speak to all of our girls and leave none out.
Hoodlum Lunch: I spoke to the boys about pornography and the addiction they are faced with every day. I did not plant any seeds in their minds that would make them fall, but I told the truth about what the media sells as a lie. It is important for them to hear how this makes a woman feel. You hear many wives speak about the heartache they find when their husband struggles with pornography. The heartache comes from God, for He made us for our husbands. When men struggle with looking at other women, it makes us feel like less of a woman. I had to open up to the boys in order for them to hear me. I was a woman that could not please my ex-husband because of his pornography. I have seen the destruction of it first hand. “Meaninglessness does not come from being weary of pain. It comes from being weary of pleasure.” (RZ) A masculine man will help others around him to be more pure. A macho man will think that his next sexual experience is a conquest, and that is what makes him great.
We seem to think that we cannot talk to our kids about the realities of sex. We think that if we do not talk about it, then it is not real. They are in a fight, and the fight is for their hearts. Many of them have porn on their phones. As they watch TV, even the commercials are filled with sex. The songs they listen to are no longer just songs, but as they listen the video is played in their minds. Our girls are being taught that they need to be the aggressor. Our boys are addicted to pornography before they even reach puberty. One of my college girls, I have many, was raped last year when she got drunk at a party and passed out. The boy who committed the dreadful act said in one of his college classes, "If a girl gets drunk and passes out, it is her own fault." No remorse. No hiding what he had done. This is what our boys are being taught. This is what our girls are being reduced to. We are in a fight for their hearts, for their lives. It is not a joke! It is not to be dismissed in the hopes that it will all go away. It is here and we are in a fight for our kid's lives.
How can you watch TV or listen to music, without thinking about sex? I cannot imagine what it would be like growing up in this society today, where you cannot even listen to music without thinking of the video that plays in your mind. Our kids are on the front lines of the battle and we as adults are standing on the sideline watching as our kids are fighting alone. Some people may have problems with me speaking to the kids about sex during our high school lunches. Some may think that I share too much and that I should not be telling the kids that I used to be a stripper, or the other realities of my past life. But I cannot help it, I have to put my own life on the line for these kids who are being bombarded every day with the illusions and lies of the world. Out of courtesy to the parents, I feel I need them to hear as well.
Sophia's Kitchen: We have spent this entire year focusing on sex as we have talked with the girls. It is a big issue and we only have a few minutes to talk with them. We started out with our heroes. Those women who have gone before, who were married like Christ intended, untouched. We shared with the girls the triumphal entry into a life without the major regrets of sexual sin. While they were young, these women stood against the desire to fit in with others around them and to guard their bodies. They have lived very cool lives! One of our heroes travelled throughout Europe and started her own business before she dated at all. She found her identity, before she committed to marriage. Another hero is a cool snowboarding beauty. As her now husband proposed to her she had to take off her purity ring to put on her engagement ring. As she did this, the realities of what she had been fighting for hit her and she handed him her purity ring with the most beautiful words, "This is for you!" We started with the heroes who fought the fight while they were young, but then we moved to the stories of redemption. I have told my story, but it has not been to glamorise my past, but to tell of the wonderful saviour who can bring purity to those who no longer feel pure. We needed to be able to speak to all of our girls and leave none out.
Hoodlum Lunch: I spoke to the boys about pornography and the addiction they are faced with every day. I did not plant any seeds in their minds that would make them fall, but I told the truth about what the media sells as a lie. It is important for them to hear how this makes a woman feel. You hear many wives speak about the heartache they find when their husband struggles with pornography. The heartache comes from God, for He made us for our husbands. When men struggle with looking at other women, it makes us feel like less of a woman. I had to open up to the boys in order for them to hear me. I was a woman that could not please my ex-husband because of his pornography. I have seen the destruction of it first hand. “Meaninglessness does not come from being weary of pain. It comes from being weary of pleasure.” (RZ) A masculine man will help others around him to be more pure. A macho man will think that his next sexual experience is a conquest, and that is what makes him great.
We seem to think that we cannot talk to our kids about the realities of sex. We think that if we do not talk about it, then it is not real. They are in a fight, and the fight is for their hearts. Many of them have porn on their phones. As they watch TV, even the commercials are filled with sex. The songs they listen to are no longer just songs, but as they listen the video is played in their minds. Our girls are being taught that they need to be the aggressor. Our boys are addicted to pornography before they even reach puberty. One of my college girls, I have many, was raped last year when she got drunk at a party and passed out. The boy who committed the dreadful act said in one of his college classes, "If a girl gets drunk and passes out, it is her own fault." No remorse. No hiding what he had done. This is what our boys are being taught. This is what our girls are being reduced to. We are in a fight for their hearts, for their lives. It is not a joke! It is not to be dismissed in the hopes that it will all go away. It is here and we are in a fight for our kid's lives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)