Theme- I love getting themes! Within this last week, this one certain topic has come up multiple times.... I love it ;)
1 Timothy 6:17-19, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."
How many times do we think, "Oh, I am generous. I help those who need help. I give them ____ and expect nothing in return." How often do we think this of ourselves? If we look at the situation do we see the truth? Do we really give without expecting anything in return?
Jason and I have very nice things. We drive nice cars, have nice furniture, have big nice TVs, we live in a very comfortable home. Lets just say, we are well taken care of. We are very grateful to God for all of our "comforts", but we have not always been so grateful to Him. There was a time when we felt we had earned it. Jason worked and made money. It seemed to come easy... not easy in that he did not work hard, but easy in the fact that if we needed it, there it was... easy. We had big plans. We had our dream house all in the makings. We had a very nice lot, right on the Gunnison River. The blueprints were designed and ready for the building of our very nice 4000 sq-ft home. I was a stay at home mom, planning to home-school my boys and raise White German Shepherds. We were living the dream... Come to find out, a dream was all we had. We went to the bank to finalize the deal and start the building of our well built life. Something happened! The bank stopped everything. No rime or reason, just everything was stopped. Its a very good thing everything was stopped. The market crashed and our way of living was drastically changed. We lost our lot. The blue prints to the house were put somewhere, I haven't even see them sense. Jason worked harder than ever, making next to nothing. I went to work. Everything changed!
We had to realize something. We had to realize that the illusion of success is only an illusion. We needed to see that this life is not about what "I" have, but what He provides for me. But as always, we applied what we had learned to the raising of our boys. It goes like this: When my oldest son would come to me throwing a fit about his little brother bothering his toys, I would tell him, "Your toys? Did you buy them?
He would look at me with a sense of distrust and say, "No".
"Who bought them?" I would ask.
"You."
"That's right, so really they are my toys and I am letting you borrow them to play with. Now, I want you to share with your brother the things that I am letting you play with."
As this interaction would take place his face would soften and he would end up sharing. Now I am not saying it has always been an easy ride getting my boys to share, but I want them to realize who provides for them. I want them to understand that they are not "entitled" to anything. They currently live in my house. They reside in a room I have set aside for them, but they know it really is not their room, but mine and Jason's. We allow them to have some part in ownership, but they are very well aware that we have the authority to take back what we have given them at any moment.
This is the lesson God has taught Jason and I over the past few years. Everything we have is really God's. Are we being selfish and thinking that the luxuries we have are for our enjoyment only? Do we share, knowing that something may happen to "our" things? Do we share with the expectation of some kind of expected preferred result from the borrower? Or do we share knowing that our things are really His to begin with and we are to bless others the same as we have been blessed by Him?
We have nice cars. They have come back to us with dings in the doors. Yes, this bothers us, but it does not stop us. God has not called anyone to give out of abundance. We shouldn't buy a used old beater to loan out to others, (not that this has never been a thought ;), but, He calls us to bless them the same He has blessed us.
Luke 21:1-4, "As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 'Truly I tell you,' He said, 'this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'”
We still do not have it all right in the loaning and giving of our things, but we are trying our best. In looking at how I treat others with my stuff, tells me everything I need to know about how I look at God. Do I really believe that He is the true Provider? Do I really believe that my things are His? What are my intentions when I do give? Do I loan things out expecting to see some kind of result from them? Or am I giving from a grateful heart toward Him. No matter what that person's response is... What is mine?
Oswald Chambers, His Nature And Our Motives
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
The Great, "What If?"
"Wake", it is 1am.... "Try to sleep. You must sleep..." 4am, "You cannot get up yet," I tell myself. 4:20, "Not yet, you must rest." 5:15, "Now, now you can get up."
Coffee is brewed. Blanket is waiting. I get my things together and head for the front porch. "Oh God, quiet my mind. Still my heart." Psalm 91, is the only thing that I can remember. "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is MY refuge, MY place of safety; He is MY God, and I trust Him...." I recite this over and over again. Now I am ready to hear. I am ready to walk this thing out, not in fear, not in the great "what if?", but in knowing that I know Who My God is and I trust Him!
It is still too dark to open my bible just yet, so I grab my phone. I go the Ravi app and open yesterday's reading that I never really got a chance to finish. Who am I kidding? I read the first two lines yesterday and was never able to read any more. But today, I read, The Risk of Obedience.
In this walk with God there are no sure things. He never says, "Here do this and this will happen. If you will do exactly what I say, then I will bring you great things." He never says this. In fact, the only thing He promises is that it is going to be hard, you will find yourself alone many times, But that He Is God and He Is Good.
My heart has been very heavy over one certain situation that I have been involved with for, man, quite some time. For over a year, God has been bringing to my attention one certain situation and has been asking me to respond out of obedience. I have been avoiding it like the plague. Here recently, He has thrown it in my face and said, "Are you going to obey me or Not?"
"Yes," must be my final reply. I know I must, but that does not stop my fear from creeping in and overwhelming my heart and interrupting my rest. The great "What if?" What if, others see what I do and think that I am being unkind? What if, I am seen as unloving? What if, everything backfires and nothing comes out the way that I think it will. What if.... What if.... What if??!!
"There is a risk to following God, a risk to obedience. But as God declared to Joshua, it was declared again by his Son, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.' The Christian is invited to seize God's promises knowing that she won't know the outcome of her days, but that God himself is more certain than anything else. In risk and in suffering, uncertainty and disappointment we are assured and instructed by the same words given to Joshua. As he weighed the risk involved in seizing God's promise, Joshua was told: 'Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.' God asks us to boldly follow and then carries us through the risk."
"This I declare about the Lord: He alone is MY refuge, MY place of safety; He is MY God, and I trust Him." It is obvious that I must obey, but my strength to obey does not come from knowing the outcome, but in Me Knowing Who My God Is.
"Okay, I am ready to hear."
I now open my bible to my marked, next reading. Luke 17, "One day Jesus said to his disciples, 'There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves! 'If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.'”
No Way! I see, I hear, I will obey. You see my issue is that over a year ago I was asked to confront. I Hate Having to Confront!! "I've been there And I have done that," I keep saying to myself. "Who am I to confront anyone!" And yet, through the words of a dear friend, "You are the perfect one to be saying anything, simply because you have been there and done that."
It is for others who are following. Others are watching what is happening on all aspects of the situation. It is for the others who are being led astray by this person and by me if I do not obey. This verse is going to turn around on me and I am going to be the one that this is talking about when He says, "but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!" For I will once again be this person! I have been the temptress in this passage before. I was leading others astray by my wild living. I have written in my bible, "I was a temptress. Oh God, help me to never be that again!" But that is exactly what He is saying to me now. If I do not obey, if I allow this to go on, What if He then says to me, "I called you to confront this situation. You did not, and because of your disobedience, others were indirectly led astray by watching you Not confront!"
The Great, "What If?" It does not really matter what happens. It does not really matter how others respond to the situation. All that really matters is, Did I obey? Do I really believe who I say He is? Do I really trust that He will work this whole thing out? Am I really willing to risk everything for Him and His children? I would like to say this whole situation is about this other person and their obedience, but it is not. This is about me and my relationship with my God. Am I going to put into practice what I preach? Am I going to trust and obey, no matter what the outcome? Do I really believe, "He alone is MY refuge, MY place of safety; He is MY God, and I trust Him...." Do I really believe this? I now know that I do. I will walk in obedience to Him, knowing that no matter what happens, He is my refuge, my safe place, my God and I Do Trust Him. Do you?
8am, "Thank you God, I needed to hear this." Lessons From Royalty (pt, 2)
Coffee is brewed. Blanket is waiting. I get my things together and head for the front porch. "Oh God, quiet my mind. Still my heart." Psalm 91, is the only thing that I can remember. "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is MY refuge, MY place of safety; He is MY God, and I trust Him...." I recite this over and over again. Now I am ready to hear. I am ready to walk this thing out, not in fear, not in the great "what if?", but in knowing that I know Who My God is and I trust Him!
It is still too dark to open my bible just yet, so I grab my phone. I go the Ravi app and open yesterday's reading that I never really got a chance to finish. Who am I kidding? I read the first two lines yesterday and was never able to read any more. But today, I read, The Risk of Obedience.
In this walk with God there are no sure things. He never says, "Here do this and this will happen. If you will do exactly what I say, then I will bring you great things." He never says this. In fact, the only thing He promises is that it is going to be hard, you will find yourself alone many times, But that He Is God and He Is Good.
My heart has been very heavy over one certain situation that I have been involved with for, man, quite some time. For over a year, God has been bringing to my attention one certain situation and has been asking me to respond out of obedience. I have been avoiding it like the plague. Here recently, He has thrown it in my face and said, "Are you going to obey me or Not?"
"Yes," must be my final reply. I know I must, but that does not stop my fear from creeping in and overwhelming my heart and interrupting my rest. The great "What if?" What if, others see what I do and think that I am being unkind? What if, I am seen as unloving? What if, everything backfires and nothing comes out the way that I think it will. What if.... What if.... What if??!!
"There is a risk to following God, a risk to obedience. But as God declared to Joshua, it was declared again by his Son, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.' The Christian is invited to seize God's promises knowing that she won't know the outcome of her days, but that God himself is more certain than anything else. In risk and in suffering, uncertainty and disappointment we are assured and instructed by the same words given to Joshua. As he weighed the risk involved in seizing God's promise, Joshua was told: 'Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.' God asks us to boldly follow and then carries us through the risk."
"This I declare about the Lord: He alone is MY refuge, MY place of safety; He is MY God, and I trust Him." It is obvious that I must obey, but my strength to obey does not come from knowing the outcome, but in Me Knowing Who My God Is.
"Okay, I am ready to hear."
I now open my bible to my marked, next reading. Luke 17, "One day Jesus said to his disciples, 'There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves! 'If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.'”
No Way! I see, I hear, I will obey. You see my issue is that over a year ago I was asked to confront. I Hate Having to Confront!! "I've been there And I have done that," I keep saying to myself. "Who am I to confront anyone!" And yet, through the words of a dear friend, "You are the perfect one to be saying anything, simply because you have been there and done that."
It is for others who are following. Others are watching what is happening on all aspects of the situation. It is for the others who are being led astray by this person and by me if I do not obey. This verse is going to turn around on me and I am going to be the one that this is talking about when He says, "but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!" For I will once again be this person! I have been the temptress in this passage before. I was leading others astray by my wild living. I have written in my bible, "I was a temptress. Oh God, help me to never be that again!" But that is exactly what He is saying to me now. If I do not obey, if I allow this to go on, What if He then says to me, "I called you to confront this situation. You did not, and because of your disobedience, others were indirectly led astray by watching you Not confront!"
The Great, "What If?" It does not really matter what happens. It does not really matter how others respond to the situation. All that really matters is, Did I obey? Do I really believe who I say He is? Do I really trust that He will work this whole thing out? Am I really willing to risk everything for Him and His children? I would like to say this whole situation is about this other person and their obedience, but it is not. This is about me and my relationship with my God. Am I going to put into practice what I preach? Am I going to trust and obey, no matter what the outcome? Do I really believe, "He alone is MY refuge, MY place of safety; He is MY God, and I trust Him...." Do I really believe this? I now know that I do. I will walk in obedience to Him, knowing that no matter what happens, He is my refuge, my safe place, my God and I Do Trust Him. Do you?
8am, "Thank you God, I needed to hear this." Lessons From Royalty (pt, 2)
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Rest in His Shadow
On July 3rd, my mom called me from Florida to tell me about a bell hop she had met. "Jenny, it was amazing," she said. "As he was talking I was picking up on scriptures. His speech was peppered with lines I knew from the bible. He wasn't quoting scripture to me. He was living and breathing the word. So I asked him if he was a christian, and he of coarse with joy in his eyes, he confirmed my suspicion. He told me all about how he came to Christ and how he now lived out his life for his Lord."
While I was listening to her talk, one thing was made very clear about this man's life, he loved his God and he put a lot of value on memorizing the scripture. One scripture verse was made very clear to me as she talked, Psalms 91. "This," he told her, "is something that everyone should know by heart."
Well, the conversation ended and I went ahead and looked up Psalm 91. Really the very first line stuck with me all day. "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty." Rest! That word, that one word is something that I hadn't had in over a month. REST! I've been unable to sleep for so long and I really did not know why. I just couldn't sleep.... Rest....
July 4th, I read Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest". One of God's Great "Don'ts" Worry and Fretting, I didn't think I had been worrying and fretting till I got to the end of that daily reading and saw, “'abide under the shadow of the Almighty' (Psalm 91). 'Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.'"
So now I knew I had a theme and began watching and waiting for God to show me what was going on. For a whole week I have been receiving messages from God about how I have been living in doubt and about what I am supposed to do from hear in order to proceed in faith. July 5th, Don't Plan Without God, July 6th, Visions Become Reality, July 7th, All Efforts of Worth and Excellence are Difficult, July 8th, Will to be Faithful, July 9th, Will You Examine Yourself, July 10th, The Spiritually Lazy Saint, July 11th, The Spiritually Vigorous Saint. All week! All week I have been bombarded with Rest in God for He has this thing. Do your job and stay faithful to Him.
The more I learn about the team I am suddenly immersed in, the more I discover we all have the same dream and vision that we were given long before we were ever even introduced. Why do I doubt? Why do I fret? Why do I still not have the faith I need to have? I don't feel like I can really "do" anything. And Yet, here we go. (July 9th), "We say, 'Oh, if only I really could believe!' The question is, 'Will I believe?' No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. 'He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief' (Matthew 13:58). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?"
I have a job, you have a job, and that job is to do what God has given you to do no matter how we feel about it at that moment. I don't always feel like I believe, but that does not matter. My faith is demonstrated through my life and how I live each day. We are not meant to fret and worry. We are meant to be obedient and walk this life out with Christ, even if the ending may look very different from what we visioned. One thing is certain, it will. We cannot see what He sees. We can only work out our own salvation every day. Everyday we are to live an obedient life and be Christ to others, no matter our own unbelief. He is bigger than my unbelief, this I know!
I am to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I am called to live my life for Him, no matter how hard it gets. (July 6th), "We always have a vision of something before it actually becomes real to us. When we realize that the vision is real, but is not yet real in us, Satan comes to us with his temptations, and we are inclined to say that there is no point in even trying to continue. Instead of the vision becoming real to us, we have entered into a valley of humiliation... God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience." I cannot give up. We cannot wonder "what if?" We are called to press forward toward the vision He is giving us, no matter what our own personal doubt or struggle is. "God has to take us into the valley and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the point where He can trust us with the reality of the vision." Are you in the valley right now? Can you persevere and make it through to the other side? Can God trust you with the realities of the vision He has given you? Sometimes, only time will tell and He is very patent!!
While I was listening to her talk, one thing was made very clear about this man's life, he loved his God and he put a lot of value on memorizing the scripture. One scripture verse was made very clear to me as she talked, Psalms 91. "This," he told her, "is something that everyone should know by heart."
Well, the conversation ended and I went ahead and looked up Psalm 91. Really the very first line stuck with me all day. "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty." Rest! That word, that one word is something that I hadn't had in over a month. REST! I've been unable to sleep for so long and I really did not know why. I just couldn't sleep.... Rest....
July 4th, I read Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest". One of God's Great "Don'ts" Worry and Fretting, I didn't think I had been worrying and fretting till I got to the end of that daily reading and saw, “'abide under the shadow of the Almighty' (Psalm 91). 'Deliberately tell God that you will not fret about whatever concerns you. All our fretting and worrying is caused by planning without God.'"
So now I knew I had a theme and began watching and waiting for God to show me what was going on. For a whole week I have been receiving messages from God about how I have been living in doubt and about what I am supposed to do from hear in order to proceed in faith. July 5th, Don't Plan Without God, July 6th, Visions Become Reality, July 7th, All Efforts of Worth and Excellence are Difficult, July 8th, Will to be Faithful, July 9th, Will You Examine Yourself, July 10th, The Spiritually Lazy Saint, July 11th, The Spiritually Vigorous Saint. All week! All week I have been bombarded with Rest in God for He has this thing. Do your job and stay faithful to Him.
The more I learn about the team I am suddenly immersed in, the more I discover we all have the same dream and vision that we were given long before we were ever even introduced. Why do I doubt? Why do I fret? Why do I still not have the faith I need to have? I don't feel like I can really "do" anything. And Yet, here we go. (July 9th), "We say, 'Oh, if only I really could believe!' The question is, 'Will I believe?' No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. 'He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief' (Matthew 13:58). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?"
I have a job, you have a job, and that job is to do what God has given you to do no matter how we feel about it at that moment. I don't always feel like I believe, but that does not matter. My faith is demonstrated through my life and how I live each day. We are not meant to fret and worry. We are meant to be obedient and walk this life out with Christ, even if the ending may look very different from what we visioned. One thing is certain, it will. We cannot see what He sees. We can only work out our own salvation every day. Everyday we are to live an obedient life and be Christ to others, no matter our own unbelief. He is bigger than my unbelief, this I know!
I am to rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I am called to live my life for Him, no matter how hard it gets. (July 6th), "We always have a vision of something before it actually becomes real to us. When we realize that the vision is real, but is not yet real in us, Satan comes to us with his temptations, and we are inclined to say that there is no point in even trying to continue. Instead of the vision becoming real to us, we have entered into a valley of humiliation... God gives us a vision, and then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of that vision. It is in the valley that so many of us give up and faint. Every God-given vision will become real if we will only have patience." I cannot give up. We cannot wonder "what if?" We are called to press forward toward the vision He is giving us, no matter what our own personal doubt or struggle is. "God has to take us into the valley and put us through fires and floods to batter us into shape, until we get to the point where He can trust us with the reality of the vision." Are you in the valley right now? Can you persevere and make it through to the other side? Can God trust you with the realities of the vision He has given you? Sometimes, only time will tell and He is very patent!!
Saturday, July 7, 2012
The Cost of BEING a Disciple
I wish I could be a talmidim. In the Jewish teaching a talmidim was not only a student, not only a disciple, but someone who would walk so closely with his Rabbi that he would become just like him. The talmidim would do everything and see everything just like the one he followed. I get so excited about the young men and women who I see that are trying to listen and learn from Christ at their young age. I feel I have already wasted so much time and that I am so far behind, because I started wanting to follow in the dust of my Rabbi after I turned 30. These college kids and younger, they are already so far ahead of me. I am amazed!
In Luke 14:25-35, Jesus talks about the cost of being a talmid, a disciple. We have been misguided in our learning because we think that everyone who believes in Christ is a disciple, a student, but that is not the case. Being a disciple is not about salvation. It is not about remaining a student (although we all will always be students). If you believe and turn to Christ you can be saved. A disciple, a talmid, is different. A disciple is one who has to pay a great price, count the cost, let go of all of their desires, and choose to follow after Christ in order to become like Him. A disciple is one who wishes to be a teacher like his/her Lord. A disciple of Christ is one who knows others are watching and learning from them and they have a keen sense of responsibility to make sure they are leading others in the right way. For we all lead by example. As we look around us we can see that we have followers too. Someone is watching us so closely that as we walk the dust from our feet is getting on them. They are covered in our dust. The question we must always ask is, Are we covered in Christ's dust so much, that the dust we leave upon others resembles His dust that He has left upon us? This is the vital question, reality, of knowing who we are and who we are really following.
My mom loves to send me CD's. She knows that I love to listen to teachers as I drive. The most recent CD she sent me was from a Jewish teacher. I'm not sure that I like to listen to him in the car, because I cannot stop and check what he is saying. He does not know the whole story. He is not a messianic Jew (A Jew who believes in Christ). He is a Jewish Rabbi who is still waiting for his Messiah to come. Many of the things that he says I love, but I am always having to second guess him and see if he is talking out of truth or out of incomplete knowledge. There are many Christians whom I feel the same way about. You see, people seem to assume that because you have the name of Christ upon you in your salvation, that you are in a position of being a teacher. We often watch and listen to others and assume that what they say and what they do lines up with how we should be. But, what we do not understand is that many times who we are following, their personal life does not line up with what they say and what we should do. We do not look at carefully what we hear. We do not go back and reference what they have said with the truth of the whole story. We just do as they do and seem to follow blindly in their dust.
After Jesus explains the great cost of being his disciple, He says this, “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” How Salt looses its Flavor
Being a disciple costs So much. Becoming as my Rabbi is the most valuable lesson I can give. This has changed my life, changed my desires, changed my behavior and changed my heart. I take seriously what I do. I know the cost and I have paid the price. I pay the price everyday, for everyday I take up my cross and follow Him. I am not saying I a perfect. Please do not make me have to state my obvious failures again. I am called to be a teacher. I am called to live out my salvation so that others can be covered in Christ's dust as they walk in my foot prints. This is a very big deal! Are we willing to evaluate the cost of being a disciple and change our lives for Him? "For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!'" Being a disciple costs much. Have you begun to build something that you cannot finish? Then maybe you are not a disciple. You are probably saved, but you should never claim to be a teacher. Is your life something that others can follow without having to cross reference? Do you lead by example or is your life making your words hollow? These are questions that I have to ask myself everyday.
Oswald Chambers, "All Efforts of Worth and Excellence are Difficult"
Not all of us are talmidim of Christ, but all of us are leading someone....
In Luke 14:25-35, Jesus talks about the cost of being a talmid, a disciple. We have been misguided in our learning because we think that everyone who believes in Christ is a disciple, a student, but that is not the case. Being a disciple is not about salvation. It is not about remaining a student (although we all will always be students). If you believe and turn to Christ you can be saved. A disciple, a talmid, is different. A disciple is one who has to pay a great price, count the cost, let go of all of their desires, and choose to follow after Christ in order to become like Him. A disciple is one who wishes to be a teacher like his/her Lord. A disciple of Christ is one who knows others are watching and learning from them and they have a keen sense of responsibility to make sure they are leading others in the right way. For we all lead by example. As we look around us we can see that we have followers too. Someone is watching us so closely that as we walk the dust from our feet is getting on them. They are covered in our dust. The question we must always ask is, Are we covered in Christ's dust so much, that the dust we leave upon others resembles His dust that He has left upon us? This is the vital question, reality, of knowing who we are and who we are really following.
My mom loves to send me CD's. She knows that I love to listen to teachers as I drive. The most recent CD she sent me was from a Jewish teacher. I'm not sure that I like to listen to him in the car, because I cannot stop and check what he is saying. He does not know the whole story. He is not a messianic Jew (A Jew who believes in Christ). He is a Jewish Rabbi who is still waiting for his Messiah to come. Many of the things that he says I love, but I am always having to second guess him and see if he is talking out of truth or out of incomplete knowledge. There are many Christians whom I feel the same way about. You see, people seem to assume that because you have the name of Christ upon you in your salvation, that you are in a position of being a teacher. We often watch and listen to others and assume that what they say and what they do lines up with how we should be. But, what we do not understand is that many times who we are following, their personal life does not line up with what they say and what we should do. We do not look at carefully what we hear. We do not go back and reference what they have said with the truth of the whole story. We just do as they do and seem to follow blindly in their dust.
After Jesus explains the great cost of being his disciple, He says this, “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” How Salt looses its Flavor
Being a disciple costs So much. Becoming as my Rabbi is the most valuable lesson I can give. This has changed my life, changed my desires, changed my behavior and changed my heart. I take seriously what I do. I know the cost and I have paid the price. I pay the price everyday, for everyday I take up my cross and follow Him. I am not saying I a perfect. Please do not make me have to state my obvious failures again. I am called to be a teacher. I am called to live out my salvation so that others can be covered in Christ's dust as they walk in my foot prints. This is a very big deal! Are we willing to evaluate the cost of being a disciple and change our lives for Him? "For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!'" Being a disciple costs much. Have you begun to build something that you cannot finish? Then maybe you are not a disciple. You are probably saved, but you should never claim to be a teacher. Is your life something that others can follow without having to cross reference? Do you lead by example or is your life making your words hollow? These are questions that I have to ask myself everyday.
Oswald Chambers, "All Efforts of Worth and Excellence are Difficult"
Not all of us are talmidim of Christ, but all of us are leading someone....
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Lambs Among Wolves
Luke 10:1-7, "The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places He planned to visit. These were His instructions to them: 'The
harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is
in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into his fields. Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road. Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. Don’t
move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking
what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those
who work deserve their pay."
Have you ever been in the developing part of something that could potentially be a very big deal? If you have, did you see and feel the attacks coming? Satan has one plan, he wants to devour anything and everyone who could potentially lead others toward his enemy, Christ. As I read these few verses this morning, this is as far as I got. We have so few workers. How can Satan win at this game? Divide and conquer! As we step out to do our work today, as in any day, he is trying to somehow separate us in order to bring us down.
Have you ever watched the wolves work in order to capture their food. They run the herd. The chase begins and herd panics. At first the prey sticks close together drawing strength from one another, but then the wolves give a surprise attack. One of them has come in from a different angle and the herd breaks out into a full run. The prey has lost focus and does not stand firm where they can use each others strengths to protect themselves against their adversary. The chase ensues and the pack is spread too thin. The weak one at the back has met his fate. He is not strong enough to fight off the wolves alone. He desperately tries to defend himself, but the pack only looks on from a distance. Their breathing is rapid and you can see the steam rising as they watch in silence while the weakest one takes the hit. They watch for a moment, before turning and, seemingly, prance off to another day. On one hand you can watch this take place and think it is a win for the herd. The weakest one was taken out. A win really? What if at that moment, you were the weakest one. Would you see it as a win?
1 Peter 5:8, " Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith."
In the verses through Luke 10 there are many warnings and different ways to stay strong. "And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road." Why would Jesus tell them this? Doesn't this go against what He usually teaches about courtesy and being kind to others? Distractions! Distractions come at us from any angle. They will come against us and take our attention in a different direction. The wolf, the lion, can distract me from my job at hand. I can get wrapped up in what others are doing and then boom, that is all it takes. My job, the task that was assigned to me, that one part does not get done, then the whole herd suffers. I can get so wrapped up in another person's job and I start trying to do their job instead of my own. This is called micromanaging. I have major issues with this. I know the part I have to play, but then I know their part as well. If I stop and visit with them a while, I may find flaws in their approach to things. "No your not doing that right.... Here do it this way." Instead of stepping back and allowing them to do their job, I start micromanaging. I get in the way and herd is now separated. Someone goes down.
"Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you." How does this apply? In this task, I see this one simple verse in a very strong manner. Whenever you enter someone's home you get a different vantage point on the people who live there. Many people say all of the right things at all of the right times, but when you live with them you can look at what you hear. We are not meant to only listen. We are meant to watch. I am not saying that we are supposed to be watching others to micromanage their lives. Do your eyes see the things that are meant to be seen, or are you getting side tracked by what you hear? Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:35, both say basically the same thing, "But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it." We all look in on others and form our own opinions on what is going on. But do we really look at carefully what we hear? Do we see what is really happening? Or do we just see that they are not doing the job the way we think it needs to be done? Are we micromanaging, instead of just doing the job that we have been given? Are we in the herd and staying strong together, or are we branching off and running in a panic as we are being attacked? Who is going to be the prey this time?
So many questions asked! Are we able to see the truth in what is happening around us? When you start to feel the pressure of the enemy it is time to stand strong together. The attack that can destroy is the one that so easily separates us and leaves you alone as the most vulnerable one. We are not called to judge, or to micromanage. We are called to do the job that we have been assigned. There is not one of us who is safe. The final project is much bigger. Satan is coming to steal, kill, and destroy. He desires for us to be alone. He will take you out by surprise attack. I feel it. I have been attacked in ways that I never saw coming. How has he attacked you? Are you feeling separated from the herd? If you are, you are the target! He has found your weakness. Have yo been looking at carefully what you have been hearing? Am I staying on track or am I getting delayed, just long enough to allow my part in this not to be brought to fruition? What is my job?
After writing this, I listened to Beth Moore Here and Now- There and Then DVD 3 of 11, July 2
I believe this goes with our visit today. Hope you have a most wonderful day today. Take courage, as long as you are in the fight the enemy has not won!!!
Have you ever been in the developing part of something that could potentially be a very big deal? If you have, did you see and feel the attacks coming? Satan has one plan, he wants to devour anything and everyone who could potentially lead others toward his enemy, Christ. As I read these few verses this morning, this is as far as I got. We have so few workers. How can Satan win at this game? Divide and conquer! As we step out to do our work today, as in any day, he is trying to somehow separate us in order to bring us down.
Have you ever watched the wolves work in order to capture their food. They run the herd. The chase begins and herd panics. At first the prey sticks close together drawing strength from one another, but then the wolves give a surprise attack. One of them has come in from a different angle and the herd breaks out into a full run. The prey has lost focus and does not stand firm where they can use each others strengths to protect themselves against their adversary. The chase ensues and the pack is spread too thin. The weak one at the back has met his fate. He is not strong enough to fight off the wolves alone. He desperately tries to defend himself, but the pack only looks on from a distance. Their breathing is rapid and you can see the steam rising as they watch in silence while the weakest one takes the hit. They watch for a moment, before turning and, seemingly, prance off to another day. On one hand you can watch this take place and think it is a win for the herd. The weakest one was taken out. A win really? What if at that moment, you were the weakest one. Would you see it as a win?
1 Peter 5:8, " Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith."
In the verses through Luke 10 there are many warnings and different ways to stay strong. "And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road." Why would Jesus tell them this? Doesn't this go against what He usually teaches about courtesy and being kind to others? Distractions! Distractions come at us from any angle. They will come against us and take our attention in a different direction. The wolf, the lion, can distract me from my job at hand. I can get wrapped up in what others are doing and then boom, that is all it takes. My job, the task that was assigned to me, that one part does not get done, then the whole herd suffers. I can get so wrapped up in another person's job and I start trying to do their job instead of my own. This is called micromanaging. I have major issues with this. I know the part I have to play, but then I know their part as well. If I stop and visit with them a while, I may find flaws in their approach to things. "No your not doing that right.... Here do it this way." Instead of stepping back and allowing them to do their job, I start micromanaging. I get in the way and herd is now separated. Someone goes down.
"Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you." How does this apply? In this task, I see this one simple verse in a very strong manner. Whenever you enter someone's home you get a different vantage point on the people who live there. Many people say all of the right things at all of the right times, but when you live with them you can look at what you hear. We are not meant to only listen. We are meant to watch. I am not saying that we are supposed to be watching others to micromanage their lives. Do your eyes see the things that are meant to be seen, or are you getting side tracked by what you hear? Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:35, both say basically the same thing, "But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it." We all look in on others and form our own opinions on what is going on. But do we really look at carefully what we hear? Do we see what is really happening? Or do we just see that they are not doing the job the way we think it needs to be done? Are we micromanaging, instead of just doing the job that we have been given? Are we in the herd and staying strong together, or are we branching off and running in a panic as we are being attacked? Who is going to be the prey this time?
So many questions asked! Are we able to see the truth in what is happening around us? When you start to feel the pressure of the enemy it is time to stand strong together. The attack that can destroy is the one that so easily separates us and leaves you alone as the most vulnerable one. We are not called to judge, or to micromanage. We are called to do the job that we have been assigned. There is not one of us who is safe. The final project is much bigger. Satan is coming to steal, kill, and destroy. He desires for us to be alone. He will take you out by surprise attack. I feel it. I have been attacked in ways that I never saw coming. How has he attacked you? Are you feeling separated from the herd? If you are, you are the target! He has found your weakness. Have yo been looking at carefully what you have been hearing? Am I staying on track or am I getting delayed, just long enough to allow my part in this not to be brought to fruition? What is my job?
After writing this, I listened to Beth Moore Here and Now- There and Then DVD 3 of 11, July 2
I believe this goes with our visit today. Hope you have a most wonderful day today. Take courage, as long as you are in the fight the enemy has not won!!!
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