Known by Love

I heard a new teaching for me.  RVL talks about how we are the temple. I used to think that we, individually, were the temple of God. But lets take another look. What if it is we, plural? "Upon this rock I will build my church." Matthew 16:18. Christ is the most important rock, the corner stone, and we are to be standing stones built together in unity to represent Him here, now. How are they to know us? How are people supposed to recognize us?  Is it because we do not live like others and go out getting drunk and having sex with everyone. Yes, but there is more.  It goes deeper.

One of the things that all of us have recognized about the "churches" is that none of them seem to get along.  There are different doctrines and beliefs within each individual church and they all seem to be claiming that they have the right way. It is within this separation that Christ is found guilty and the rest of the world is turned off by our own bile within our own mouths.  Do I agree with each church and their doctrines?  Do you agree with each person in your life? Of coarse we don't, but how do we handle those disagreements? It is only through respect and love that the essence of love can be seen.  

If we are the stones that are being built while we walk out our daily lives, we stumble and roll down hills that refine our sharp edges and break off some of our sharp corners. It is out in our daily life where we learn about love and learn what hate makes us feel like.  We love, suffer, and cry within our relationships with others. Each swipe with the chisel is carving us into the perfect stone designed specifically for each one of us. Then, what we are supposed to do is come together in worship of the same God who loves us perfectly. As we come together, we form the temple of the Most High God. It is not just about me.  I alone am not the temple, but I together with you, we form the temple. I am a stone, just one part of the entire body of the temple. You are one part that offers another color of the mosaic glass that glows as the Son beams in though and enriches the texture of His artwork. Each is vital to the whole.  Some seem to go unseen while others are right out in front. However, each is touching the world individually.  Each is indispensable in showing Christ to others.

Romans 12:9-21 helps us see how to love others.  This does not mean that we let others run all over us and treat us poorly.  Oswald Chambers   "Jesus did not commit Himself to man... for He knew what was in man." As we relate and join with others in this life, we do not give ourselves to them.  We give ourselves to Christ.  We love and join with Him in loving the world as He loved the world, but we do not give ourselves over to the world.  We give ourselves over to Him who loves us authentically and without blunder. That is where we feel true love. Then we can go and show His love to those we are in relationship with/good or bad. This gives us perfect love and helps us guard our hearts so that we are not devastated through life's wounds. We do not have to take their struggles and place their wounds within our own hearts. We do not have to react with how they treat us.  We can remain calm and at peace no matter the storm they are in. With His calmness upon our own hearts He can become known by our love. We are the stones that together build His temple, the church. Are we displaying His love while the world watches us? Not only will others know Christ within us by our love, but we will be known by Him through our love. It may just be that we each just need a few etiquette lessons ;) 

Following the Shepherd

We've been going to Hartman Rocks for our Tuesday nights with LIVE. It is a great location to sit and visit about our travels with God through the desert. Last night began with each of us naturally splitting off either going off on a rock climbing adventure, staying at the cars to change a diaper, or sitting next to the fire ring (as was my first choice). As we sat together listening to what was going on as the others did their things we noticed that the sound is amplified as they were speaking. We couldn't see where they were, but we could hear their voices. As the night came toward the time to get back together and start our nightly lesson everyone gathered in Buddha's Belly, a place surrounded by high cliffs. As we sat a faith lesson by Ray Vander Laan stood out to me.

In the deserts of Israel the Bedouin people find their homes and a place for their flocks. At night several different shepherds gather their flocks together in places like Buddha's Belly to be held and protected. As the night is falling upon them each shepherd speaks softly to her sheep as she leads them into the holding area for the night. She will guide them into the sheep fold along other flocks to spend the night held safely together by the high cliffs. It is in the morning that something awesome happens. Each shepherd goes out some distance and starts calling to her own sheep. They recognize their shepherd's voice and respond to her voice only. They do not just walk blindly out into the day, but are guided by a very familiar voice into their green pastures for the day.

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27.

It is referenced all over the bible that the "Lord is my shepherd" and we are His sheep. If this is true it means that we are to know His voice and follow Him when He calls. We are to trust that He will protect us when the fear of darkness covers over us. We are to trust Him with today's green pastures.

There is a difference between sheep and goats as you watch them following their shepherd. Sheep usually stay very close to their shepherd, following her voice and footsteps, but goats tend to venture out further assuming they know of better grass. How often do I find myself in this exact situation, thinking that I may have a better way and find a little more sustenance if I go a little further up the mountainside to my own green pastures. We do this. It does not mean that we have stopped following our shepherd. We can still hear His voice, for in the desert sound travels far. Often we have gone just far enough that we have lost Him in our vision and this is when we seem to be wandering aimlessly. Haven't you ever done this! I have. Through all of the trials and heartache I have been through, I was always within ear shot of my Shepherd, but I was so far away from the flock that it appeared I was completely separated from everything that had life. It was within my heart cry that I could still hear the shepherd calling out to me. I wanted Him, but had to learn to actually follow His voice.

What part of the flock do we find ourselves in today? Each and every day He is calling out to us. He wants us to listen to His voice. It is in study and a continual self examination that we can look at ourselves and see where we are in the flock. From a distance it can become so easy to get other voices confused and start to follow the wrong voice all the while thinking that we are following the right one. This is why we must stay plugged in. It's not that I am afraid of ever going back and living as I once did, but now the stakes are even greater. I often find myself in the lead with many others following me. I must be sure that the voice I hear is pointing them in the right direction as well. But really we are all leading someone if we really think about it. Each of us within our own lives have someone watching us. We may not be able to tell when we are getting off track, but they may be able to. This is when they are to come in and gently lead us back. The question we must be willing to ask ourselves is: Are we willing to listen?

God Paraphernalia

Stonehenge, have you ever seen it and wondered why it is there?  Why are these stones left here in this place?  What were people doing and why were they doing it?  
Places like Stonehenge leave us questioning why?  
Any time anything happened where there was a great deliverance for God's people they too arranged stones as a remembrance, so that when their children saw the stones they would ask, "Why?" But, so often we are a people who want to forget.  We do not want to remember "when".  We think that in forgetting, we are freed. I must disagree.  It is in the remembrance that we find freedom and where we can see how wonderful God really is. 

"And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple," 1 Peter 2:5.

When you venture out into the wilderness and see a small circle of rocks, you do not ask the question "why?" You already know that you are seeing a fire pit assembled by people before you.  When  we see people wearing "Jesus" t-shirts, have a fish bumper sticker, or a number of other "God paraphernalia" we do not ask "why?" We assume they believe in God/go to church somewhere.  But what are we called to do?  Are we called to wear symbols or have it written on our shirts that we love Jesus, or are we to live as Christ, the cornerstone?  Maybe we choose the easy symbols so that we do not have to get personal.  We choose the symbols so that we can have an identity without having to build relationships, so that we can proclaim with an advertisement rather than our lives.  We may do this to set ourselves apart. Then we do not have to get personal and share with others our life, or get into theirs.

In 2 Peter 1, there are eight traits that are brought up; faith, virtue, knowledge, discipline, endurance, godliness, affection, and love. I think that we need these traits so that we do not become overwhelmed and cynical giving up on others and ourselves.  Not as a reference on judging, but as a guide to love and building of relationships. A guide so that we can remember "when" within our own lives.  

Short and simple: Are we wearing "God paraphernalia", or are we living stones?  Are we being asked, or do people just assume? Are we setting ourselves apart so that we are really just trying to connect with the "churched", or are we building relationships in the middle of life and in that building of life are we being asked "why?" How are we walking out this journey of life?

Some may assume that I enjoy talking about my past, but really what I enjoy is talking about my past so that I can share with them where I am now and let them see my Christ.  It is my stone that shows others God.  It is my stone that helps me remember "when" so that I can love others in their now.  It does not matter if you have come from the desert, or have lived a pure and morally upright life all along. What matters is that people are seeing God in us and are asking "why?"  Am I different because Christ is my Cornerstone and I resemble Him? Am I loving others, or driving them away while trying to set myself apart before relationships can be formed?

It is not bad to have the "God paraphernalia", but why do we have it?  Why is the question of the day.... 

Desert Thriving

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of death,
I will fear no evil,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me..." (Psalm 23)

What is the image you see as you read this?  What are your visions and expectations that run through your mind and heart? I used to see Ferdinand the bull, the children's book.  A peaceful day of laying in belly deep alfalfa with birds singing and the aroma of summer erasing every care.  This is what I used to see until I started to listening to Ray Vander Laan a man who takes you on adventures through Israel and the footsteps of Jesus. 

As Ray was watching the Bedouin people leading their sheep through the desert.  He turned and asked his guide, "What do the sheep eat? Are they rock eating sheep?"  His guide laughed and quoted the Psalm about the green pastures.  Every night a strong east wind comes through the desert bringing in moisture from the sea. With this moisture that collects behind the rocks, small sprigs of grass rise from the ground, about four inches tall. As long as the sheep stay with their shepherd they will be safe and led to their green pastures and be fed for that day.  When the sun brings heat upon the land it dries up the grass and with each new day, new grass will appear. 

"He leads me beside quiet waters," what is the vision you have here?  My vision is Mirror Lake.  Water so deep and quiet you can see every insect make its ripple as it lands upon the water.  This is not the image Ray paints for the desert water.  A wadi is a river bed that is usually dry, until it rains and floods during the rainy season.  If you do not know about the flood danger and find some still water in this bed, you may be in great danger of a flash flood, but the Bedouin people have a system that will keep their shepherds and flocks safe.  Quiet waters refer to waters that are safe and will not kill you if your shepherd is close.

We are a blessed people.  I am a very blessed woman, but I often see things through the wrong eyes.  My vision may need to be broadened. We see life from the eyes of green mountains full of green valleys.  Then when the deserts of life are upon us we seem to crumple and wilt under the heat.  I have had MS for 19 years.  It has been a journey that has taken me to places and discovering things about life and God that I probably would never have tried for without it.  I recently went on a new adventure with stem cell therapy through StemGenex.  Most of my 19 years with MS have been years in survival mode.  

For example: Tuesday nights I have LIVE with my young adults.  Before LIVE I spend most all day Tuesday reserving every bit of energy I can by sleeping most of the day.  Then Wednesday, I don't leave the house.  I'm in recovery.

Thursday I usually go up to Crested Butte and take care of our properties we have through our real estate business.  Thursday afternoon is spent in recovery. Friday is usually my laundry day where I fold most all of the clothes I have washed during the week.  Time spent on the couch folding, watching a movie, sleeping.  Life has been a time of precious energy spent and much recovery "time wasted".  

I have always thought that I was missing out on the blessings of God, but through a little different vision, actually I have been learning to follow my Shepherd to my green pastures.  I have survived this long, not without suffering and trials, but in-spite of them.  I have a joy that no one is allowed to take from me, a joy that I can only give away if I stop looking in the right direction.  I will not fear the valley of death for my God is Always with me.  I will be comforted and He has blessed me more than I ever imagined.  After my treatment I have more energy now than I ever remember. I no longer feel I am in survival mode. This is huge in my world, but it has taken much time and endurance to get here.  But this journey with my new treatment has just begun, the next nine months will reveal more and I cannot wait to take that new fresh taste. 

Set Apart

Do you ever have the feeling of "why me?"  We can all feel like we are set apart in what is expected of us.  For me, it is in food.  Why do I have to eat differently than everyone else?  Why can't I indulge by eating just one cookie? But it can be in other things as well.  We can all look around us and ask ourselves those seemingly simple question, but often if we are honest with ourselves, those questions are the ones that haunt us within every detail of our lives.  It is very easy to carry this thought and place others under our own restrictions.  We can look at them and hold others to our same standards. Easy example is food.  Because of my mothers diligent study in the dietary arena, I know more than I ever wanted to about food and how eating affects our health. (Doug Kaufman is somewhere you should look if you are interested in why we often suffer.)  Anyway, because of my health and what I now know, I can watch my husband eat and know when he is not going to feel well the in the next couple of days. When this does happen and I prove right, it is very hard for me to not hold it against him for how he partook in certain foods prior to him getting ill (migraine, fatigued, ect.). We all do this on some level.  We often hold others accountable to our standard and knowledge.

Acts 15, Their peace was disturbed, however, when certain Judeans came with this teaching: “Unless you are circumcised according to Mosaic custom, you cannot be saved.”  The placing of rules and customs upon others is so easily done.  There are so many rules we hold upon others that keep them from ever seeing the goodness of God.  Why do we do this?  It is so hard to look at others and Not go there.  We expect them to keep the same rules we hold.  "...God knows the human heart, and He showed approval of their hearts by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He did for us. In cleansing their hearts by faith, God has made no distinction between them and us. So it makes no sense to me that some of you are testing God by burdening His disciples with a load that neither our forefathers nor we have been able to carry. No, we all believe that we will be liberated through the grace of the Lord Jesus—they also will be rescued in the same way."  

What does God have that we don't? Patience.  We don't think that we, or they, have time, so we aren't patient.  Often we we heap rules upon others because we know the outcome of their choices.  But, why do we try to "protect" them from that end result?  Don't we trust God enough to allow Him to deal with their heart?  Don't we know Him and how he has taken care of us, then why would He not take care of them?

This thought about expectations takes a spin in the every next chapter, Acts 16.  "...but there was a problem: although Timothy’s mother was a believing Jew, his father was Greek, which meant Timothy was uncircumcised. Because the Jewish people of those cities knew he was the son of a Greek man, Paul felt it would be best for Timothy to be circumcised before proceeding."  Why when he just scolded the Jewish leaders for putting this burden on others, does he now put it on Timothy?  It is expectations!  What were the expectations of Timothy?  Why would he be held to a more rigid standard? What was his goal in all of this?  

For many are not called to be teachers.  Not everyone is held to the same standard.  Some know God, they have faith, but they are not ever going to be in the spotlight as God's emissaries.  What does this mean for you and for me?  I am constantly reevaluating my role in God's service.  The whole "why me" thought takes a backseat to what I really want for my life.  I want to be a ambassador for Christ. I want others to be able to see my life and see a life worthy of the calling, so why do I go there.  Why do I ever feel sorry for myself and why would I hold others to the same standards?  Often it is because I loose focus.  If I keep my eyes upon my Lord and my relationship with Him as my focal point, I won't be swept up in the judgement and drama of others.

How does drama enter into my life?  It is never about me, but in me focusing on others.  I start pointing my finger at them and seeing what they are or are not doing.  I forget that what is expected of one may be different from what is expected in another.  It doesn't mean that anyone is better than the other, but that we each have our own calling and role to play in this life.  There are only two rules we need to keep, all of us regardless of our calling.
"You should love the Eternal, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second great commandment is this: 'Love others in the same way you love yourself.' There are no commandments more important than these." 
No matter what our role is to be in this life, are we living our life in fulfillment of these commandments?  How are we doing here?  Its Not about others, but about ourselves.  This is the hardest thing to focus on.  
Liberty and the Standards of Jesus, this was yesterdays Oswald.  Last night at LIVE we discovered that we shouldn't hold our own standards upon others. We each have a calling.  Can we focus on God and ourselves?

Spirit of Truth

I've noticed something about church and baptism.  The longer I have been involved with this whole church setting and watched people get baptized the more I have noticed a definite struggle afterwards.  It seems to always come. People will be doing so good with God.  They will be on fire. Reading what they should read, watching what they should watch, having a true life changing life, then they get baptized and "fall away".  I've always thought it was because they were attacked by Satan more afterwards.  I'm not so sure I was right.  

Welcome to a recent revelation/understanding, a thought process that I am still processing.  This past Sunday, I was reading in Acts and came across something that held me pause for a moment.  "8:15-16...They were especially eager to see if the new believers would receive the Holy Spirit because until this point they had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus but had not experienced the Holy Spirit." (Pause)
What is it about the Holy Spirit?  When people get baptized, do they have to keep searching?  Was their confession of God not enough?  What more do we have to do?  I thought that God did everything?  Do we have to know the mysteries of the Holy Spirit, speak in tongues, cast out demons, heal the sick?  What more do I need to do? Are these acts separate acts?  Can they be linked?  What is it that I need to understand better?

Then I moved on.  A short pause very early in the morning that got my heart and mind ready for my answer later that day.  I didn't know that my questions on baptism and the Holy Spirit would come, but they did.  At church Pastor Steve was in Acts, no coincidence since that is what we are studying together as a whole.   While he was teaching he took us to several other places in John... 14:16-17, "I will ask the Father to send you another Helper, the Spirit of truth, who will remain constantly with you. The world does not recognize the Spirit of truth, because it does not know the Spirit and is unable to receive Him. But you do know the Spirit because He lives with you, and He will dwell in you." 15:26-27, "I will send a great Helper to you from the Father, one known as the Spirit of truth. He comes from the Father and will point to the truth as it concerns Me. But you will also point others to the truth about My identity, because you have journeyed with Me since this all began." 16:12-14, "I have so much more to say, but you cannot absorb it right now. The Spirit of truth will come and guide you in all truth. He will not speak His own words to you; He will speak what He hears, revealing to you the things to come and bringing glory to Me. The Spirit has unlimited access to Me, to all that I possess and know, just as everything the Father has is Mine. That is the reason I am confident He will care for My own and reveal the path to you."

Why does it appear that newly baptized individuals struggle?  Why do they have such a hard time?  Is it because Satan is attacking them? I used to think so, but this answer is different than any I had ever received.  I don't think it is only because Satan turns up the heat.  I think it could also be because the Holy Spirit is revealing truth to us and there is nothing harder than looking at the truth within our own hearts. How do we handle that truth?  I think we often believe it.  This is when it appears we have "fallen away."  We know this truth about our own hearts and instead of accepting that truth and allowing God to do a mighty work with us, we give up and accept our ugly truth in the name of failure, and step away from the body of Christ.  "Work out your own salvation"... Work....Work is the key.  It does not come easily.  Yes, being saved is easy, but the rest is hard work and this is where most of us give up and think we cannot continue.  

I have been baptized (fully immersed with water) twice in my life.  The first time was when I was 12.  I really did not understand or have the right heart. I was doing it because I was told that if I didn't, I would go to hell.  Not true... Not ok... Anyways, the next time I was 33.  I had already been going through the whole Truth thing.  I had spent years looking at who I had been, discovering God and His true love for me, looking at the truth within my own heart, looking at who I was without Him, looking at Him... on and on it went, but all of it looking at Truth and accepting Him.  Truth, "He comes from the Father and will point to the truth as it concerns Me. But you will also point others to the truth about My identity, because you have journeyed with Me since this all began."  Before we are ready to start on the journey of pointing others to the Truth about God, we must first be willing to accept the truth He is revealing to us, about us.  My truth did not come just when I was baptized, but it came in between my baptisms.  It was not some miraculous slaying of the Holy Spirit, but The Spirit of Truth that I had to accept so that I could be of more use to God and His Kingdom.  

After we have accepted The Spirit of Truth there should be evidence of that acceptance.  I believe the first part of that evidence lays within this Spontaneous Love for others.  It is having Mercy for them, the way God has had for you.  It is in accepting them, not as they are, but as they could be with God.  It is in the ability to set your own thoughts and desires aside and allow His Love to be felt through you, passed on to them.  But it all starts with The Spirit of Truth.  Are you willing to accept the truth God is showing you today about your own heart?  Are we ready to move on to the rest God has for us and through us?

Side note.... I am in no way a Theologian on the Holy Spirit!  This is just a fraction of the mysteries of the Holy Spirit as was revealed to me.  Always, the question we should be asking ourselves....
Are we willing to look at Truth within ourselves, with God.  Can we look closely enough so that He can do a mighty work within us?  

"I Do"

What do you think of when you hear the phrase, "I do"?  This past weekend was Easter Sunday, while we were at church I kept hearing "I do".  I was one of the ones that said "I do" as part of a beautiful baby dedication/baptism.  It was a phrase that was heard throughout the sanctuary as others, including the baby's momma (the baby that I held nestled in my arms), were baptized (fully immersed in water, a choice made as a commitment to God).  "I do", a commitment phrase that was heard around the world on Easter as people were pronouncing their belief that Jesus Christ is Lord.  "I do" a commitment phrase heard around the world every day as others are getting married and committing themselves to stay with their mate they have chosen: For better or worse, Richer or poorer, Through sickness and health.  A promise, a commitment, to serve and to love.  What have we committed our-self to? What are we dedicated to as we live our day to day life?

Sadly, I have been married two times to two very different men in two very different ways.  I have written in more detail on my first marriage in "Sin's False Love", so I will spare you and me both from that road trip for now.  In that marriage I committed myself to a man and he became my lord, and because of that commitment to a man, we both fell apart.  This time I am married again, but the commitment is different.  My commitment is to Christ first, then to my marriage.  When Jason and I were married we had within our vows that we were confident that God had chosen the other for us.  We were confident and made our declaration to God to be focused on Him first, then our marriage within this new family, second.  Two very different commitments. Two very different lives. One filled with Christ as the center, the other with relational infidelity ruling us. Commitments just the same, one that was self serving adultery and the other a servant that is full of abundant life.

Easter weekend, a very big weekend indeed!  Christ went to the cross as an atoning sacrifice, a sin offering.  He lived gallantly and died with sin on display before the world.  Colossians 2:15, "He disarmed those who once ruled over us—those who had overpowered us. Like captives of war, He put them on display to the world to show His victory over them by means of the cross." Then after He rose He gave all of us a charge.  Mark 16:15, "Go out into the world and share the good news with all of creation. Anyone who believes this good news and is ceremonially washed (in water baptism) will be rescued, but anyone who does not believe it will be condemned."  At the end of all of the gospels is a charge to all of us to go out and tell our live's story, so that His story is revealed to the world, our world that we are each a part of. In Jonh 21, Jesus appears to His disciples and asks Peter three different times, "Do you love me?" All three very hurt-felt moments on Peters confession of his love for his Lord, he says, "Yes Lord, You know I love You."  Then Jesus' charge, "Feed My sheep, look after My people, share My story." We are each called to go alone on this journey. It is our personal journey that we must do alone, Oswald Chambers. 

I thought I would sleep in this morning.  I thought that since I went to bed around 12:30am, that I would be able to sleep till at least 7am.  I am not bragging.  I am not saying that everyone must get up at 5:30am, but I am saying that my alone time with my God was calling.  I hear His voice better in the morning, before my boys awake, before life distractions take my focus, but even with this I must be careful.  Do you Worship the Work?  Must I have "my time with God"?  Often, I have discovered that my alone time "with God", can become a work, if it is interrupted, I do not live as someone in love with Christ.  "I worship my time with my coffee" is more like it. Every moment of every day, I must call myself to refocus.  I must commit myself to be committed to Him and what He is showing me in that moment, where I should walk, who I should show His love to.  It is when my heart is being selfish that I discover I am living in "sin" no matter how good it may appear on the surface.  I am saying this because this past Easter Sunday, my alone time with my coffee was interrupted.  I call it my coffee time, because my focus was not on my God at all, but on a time of day to be quiet with my coffee. If that interruption destroys my story about my "changed" life with Christ, my focus is taken off of Him and how I am to show His love to others, die to myself, and rise new with Him.  It is distorted and relational infidelity is the result. The Habit of having No Habits

Are we able to live in focus with our God?  Have we made that commitment with our own lives and are we following through with that commitment?  He has proven His love for us.  He felt it well worth it to live as one of us.  He did not come to be one of us in the glory and "easy" life, but He chose to be born in poverty, to be baptized to show part of His obedience, to die a disgraceful death upon a cross.  But all of it, His whole life and ours, is about the Resurrection to a New Life, and that is well worth living for.  It is about disarming that power that once ruled over us and living free with Christ as our ruler.  Who/what is your ruler?  Where is our commitment today?