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!!!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
The Right Feet
So often I have been having some kind of struggle and asked God to save me from the hurt. So often I have begged Him to come and rescue me and to change my circumstances. So often I find myself in want and feeling slighted. What has happened to the God that so many of us have been taught about? Or should I change that question to, What has happened to us? We have taken the bible and read and learned from it through the wrong eyes. We read it out of context. We read it through our eyes, living in a country of plenty. We are a weak people. We want our quick fixes, our instant food and our immediate pleasures. So when we ask God for help we are asking Santa Clause, because that is who we know. What would happen if we started looking at Him through the correct eyes? How would we see Him if we learned more about the culture and landscape of their time?
I love to learn. One of my teachers is Ray Vander Laan www.followtherabbi.com/ In many of his teachings he talks about the arid conditions of the dessert and how tough it is being there. So for time and space consideration I will only talk about one example. (This is from Ray's teaching mixed with my own personal story.) Shall we begin...
In Psalm 18, David is describing his God and his relationship with Him, "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights." David does not ask for God to change his circumstances, but tells us that God gives him the right kind of feet to so that he can balance. Have you ever watched mountain goats as they leap from cliff to cliff. God has not given them an easy path. He has given them a place to live where most of us would fall to our death, but the mountain goat does not slip away. He has the right kind of feet. His feet were made for this environment. He can run and jump with ease. This is the kind of deer that David was watching. He knows his God and he understands that God can provide for us the right kind of feet to travel the path that He has placed us in. If God allows you to go through it, He will give you the right kind of feet to help you balance and move freely.
My grandmother was a woman whom God equipped to live in the dessert of life. She was a simple woman who loved her family and loved to cook. Her home always smelled of fresh baked cookies and pies. Before you would open the door the sweet aroma would already be over taking you. Her kitchen was small and well used. This is where she would bake for us her love. This is where you could taste her delight. She was a woman who had an enticing smile and would serve you her warmest love of her amazing God. She was a woman who had the right kind of feet to walk the path of pure example for all of us. She was a woman who knew her Savior and loved her Lord. Now I say that God gave her the right kind of feet, but there is something very important that you must understand. She was a woman who endured 44 surgeries! She was a sweet woman who showed God's love to all of those who came into her home and her hospital room. While she was in her hospital room she would ask for her hair to be fixed and her blush and lipstick to be applied. (She didn't want to look sick!) In her home you would walk into her home with the sweet smell of cookies. In her hospital you would walk into her room with the sweet sound of her gospel music.
After one of her surgeries the doctors sent her home with her feet wrapped in bandages, with pins that were sticking out 1-2 inches from her toes. The pins were going all the way through her feet, yet her home still had the smell of those delicious cookies. I watched her wheel her chair into the kitchen with her feet sticking out, careful to not bump anything in shear fear of the pain that would ensue if she did. In her pain, in her discomfort she made us those delicious cookies. I watched her as she placed her heals onto the floor so that she could stand and retrieve that... I watched her smile, sing and cook in the midst of her suffering. She lived out her love for her God and her family. She had the joy of the Lord and praised Him even though...
Philippians, the book of joy written by Paul while he was in prison. He had joy even though. He knew his calling and rejoiced while he walked with God through his suffering. "And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear."
My grandmother was a woman who showed her love for God wherever this life took her. Others were feed her sweet love for her Lord and they were touched by how she danced through her struggles. She did not pretend everything was fine. She hurt and she cried, but she loved her God through it all. She had a peace with her. She had the joy of the Lord. It is not about happiness. It is not about changing the path, so that we will have a flat easy walk. It is about giving us the right feet to balance upon the rocks. It is about our hearts and what we expect. I pray that God gives me a heart for Him today. I pray He allows me to walk along the cliffs of my life with the right feet, no matter how they look. Please God allow me to see that whatever mountain path I find myself in today, help me to have the right feet that will allow others to see you working through the pain. "Experience the joy of your faith."
I love to learn. One of my teachers is Ray Vander Laan www.followtherabbi.com/ In many of his teachings he talks about the arid conditions of the dessert and how tough it is being there. So for time and space consideration I will only talk about one example. (This is from Ray's teaching mixed with my own personal story.) Shall we begin...
In Psalm 18, David is describing his God and his relationship with Him, "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights." David does not ask for God to change his circumstances, but tells us that God gives him the right kind of feet to so that he can balance. Have you ever watched mountain goats as they leap from cliff to cliff. God has not given them an easy path. He has given them a place to live where most of us would fall to our death, but the mountain goat does not slip away. He has the right kind of feet. His feet were made for this environment. He can run and jump with ease. This is the kind of deer that David was watching. He knows his God and he understands that God can provide for us the right kind of feet to travel the path that He has placed us in. If God allows you to go through it, He will give you the right kind of feet to help you balance and move freely.
My grandmother was a woman whom God equipped to live in the dessert of life. She was a simple woman who loved her family and loved to cook. Her home always smelled of fresh baked cookies and pies. Before you would open the door the sweet aroma would already be over taking you. Her kitchen was small and well used. This is where she would bake for us her love. This is where you could taste her delight. She was a woman who had an enticing smile and would serve you her warmest love of her amazing God. She was a woman who had the right kind of feet to walk the path of pure example for all of us. She was a woman who knew her Savior and loved her Lord. Now I say that God gave her the right kind of feet, but there is something very important that you must understand. She was a woman who endured 44 surgeries! She was a sweet woman who showed God's love to all of those who came into her home and her hospital room. While she was in her hospital room she would ask for her hair to be fixed and her blush and lipstick to be applied. (She didn't want to look sick!) In her home you would walk into her home with the sweet smell of cookies. In her hospital you would walk into her room with the sweet sound of her gospel music.
After one of her surgeries the doctors sent her home with her feet wrapped in bandages, with pins that were sticking out 1-2 inches from her toes. The pins were going all the way through her feet, yet her home still had the smell of those delicious cookies. I watched her wheel her chair into the kitchen with her feet sticking out, careful to not bump anything in shear fear of the pain that would ensue if she did. In her pain, in her discomfort she made us those delicious cookies. I watched her as she placed her heals onto the floor so that she could stand and retrieve that... I watched her smile, sing and cook in the midst of her suffering. She lived out her love for her God and her family. She had the joy of the Lord and praised Him even though...
Philippians, the book of joy written by Paul while he was in prison. He had joy even though. He knew his calling and rejoiced while he walked with God through his suffering. "And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear."
My grandmother was a woman who showed her love for God wherever this life took her. Others were feed her sweet love for her Lord and they were touched by how she danced through her struggles. She did not pretend everything was fine. She hurt and she cried, but she loved her God through it all. She had a peace with her. She had the joy of the Lord. It is not about happiness. It is not about changing the path, so that we will have a flat easy walk. It is about giving us the right feet to balance upon the rocks. It is about our hearts and what we expect. I pray that God gives me a heart for Him today. I pray He allows me to walk along the cliffs of my life with the right feet, no matter how they look. Please God allow me to see that whatever mountain path I find myself in today, help me to have the right feet that will allow others to see you working through the pain. "Experience the joy of your faith."
Friday, June 22, 2012
Karaoke Star
Last week I had a theme in my home. Do you ever have themes that seem to keep appearing? You know, that "something" that keeps coming up no matter where you are or what you are doing, that is a theme. Our theme was obedience. You see, Jason kept all of his Lego's and many other toys from when he was a child. He kept most of them in their original boxes and the building instructions that go with each set. When we brought them from his parents house we threw away most of the boxes and combined them together as one very large and obtrusive mass of Lego pieces. He saved them as his gift for his son and he has already given many of them to him. But here recently our youngest boy wants the pieces that build a city. Now you must understand that not only did Jason keep all of his original Lego toys, but we have also bought our children new ones. Lets just say, "We have tens of thousands of Lego's!" Do you know what a mess this can make in our home?! Our son wants to build a Lego home and he wants to start with ours!! Jason already built the boys a Lego table in their room, a special place just for their enjoyment. However, they cannot play there, it is covered with toys piled upon toys. Solution, organize the Lego's.
Our youngest is just about to turn 7. He is the one that is obsessed with the Lego's. So this is what Jason told him almost a month ago, "Sort your Lego's by color. Put the white ones in this bucket. Put the red ones in this bucket.... and so on. Once you have sorted the Lego's, I will give you the rest of what I have. If you want all that I have to give you, you must show me that you are responsible enough to have them."
We worked with our son. We encouraged him. We pleaded with him for three weeks to listen to us so that he could receive all that his father had to give him. For three weeks this went on until that fateful day, Father's Day. Jason wanted to take the family to see a movie, but the instructions were that in order to receive the prize the Lego clean up had to be completed. The end result, the child was banished from playing with the Lego's he had already received and he is not going to get what his father had prepared for him.
The week of obedience. During this week I had one line from a country music song singing within my mind. I don't even listen to country music any more, but this song would not stop playing! "She's a big star at Banana Joe's Bar where she sings karaoke every night." Just this one line playing over and over like a skip on the CD. Over and over. I didn't get to the rest, I just landed on the truth of what we all do everyday, all of the time. Our Father has a gift for us. He has something that He saved for us before we were even born. He has a plan for our future, a gift we can delight in. But, we do not get past the moments of playing with what we see right in front of us. We do not stay strong and we settle for something that is small. We can still enjoy our time. We can sing in a small bar with only a few people looking on, but the ultimate prize we throw away because the work just seems too much. We want to play now, because the right now is all we can focus on.
We all do this, I do this. I grab a large helping of sweets. I know that in order to function tomorrow, in order to enjoy this life tomorrow, I have to be diligent with what I eat, but I don't. I eat what is placed right in front of me. I want that desert. BUT I do not just take a simple bite to enjoy, I go into indulgence mode and fill my plate. Then after that is over I sneak another bite or two from the refrigerator. The next day, do I fill satisfied? Do I fill energetic and ready to play with my kids? Do I feel ready to get what needs to be done for the days agenda? Noo! All I want to do is sleep. Am I willing to give up everything God has planned for me over one simple indulgence? I must be, I do it all of the time, but I do not want to. I want to get to the end of my time here with endurance. I want to finish this life out with energy and a fire that cannot be extinguished. I want to affect many people on this journey. I want them all to see the life that I have sung. I do not want to settle for being a karaoke star in some unknown bar. I want my life to be a song the whole world can sing. I want to be Christ's big star. I want all of the plans that God has for my life. I do not want to settle. Do you?
Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. "
Our youngest is just about to turn 7. He is the one that is obsessed with the Lego's. So this is what Jason told him almost a month ago, "Sort your Lego's by color. Put the white ones in this bucket. Put the red ones in this bucket.... and so on. Once you have sorted the Lego's, I will give you the rest of what I have. If you want all that I have to give you, you must show me that you are responsible enough to have them."
We worked with our son. We encouraged him. We pleaded with him for three weeks to listen to us so that he could receive all that his father had to give him. For three weeks this went on until that fateful day, Father's Day. Jason wanted to take the family to see a movie, but the instructions were that in order to receive the prize the Lego clean up had to be completed. The end result, the child was banished from playing with the Lego's he had already received and he is not going to get what his father had prepared for him.
The week of obedience. During this week I had one line from a country music song singing within my mind. I don't even listen to country music any more, but this song would not stop playing! "She's a big star at Banana Joe's Bar where she sings karaoke every night." Just this one line playing over and over like a skip on the CD. Over and over. I didn't get to the rest, I just landed on the truth of what we all do everyday, all of the time. Our Father has a gift for us. He has something that He saved for us before we were even born. He has a plan for our future, a gift we can delight in. But, we do not get past the moments of playing with what we see right in front of us. We do not stay strong and we settle for something that is small. We can still enjoy our time. We can sing in a small bar with only a few people looking on, but the ultimate prize we throw away because the work just seems too much. We want to play now, because the right now is all we can focus on.
We all do this, I do this. I grab a large helping of sweets. I know that in order to function tomorrow, in order to enjoy this life tomorrow, I have to be diligent with what I eat, but I don't. I eat what is placed right in front of me. I want that desert. BUT I do not just take a simple bite to enjoy, I go into indulgence mode and fill my plate. Then after that is over I sneak another bite or two from the refrigerator. The next day, do I fill satisfied? Do I fill energetic and ready to play with my kids? Do I feel ready to get what needs to be done for the days agenda? Noo! All I want to do is sleep. Am I willing to give up everything God has planned for me over one simple indulgence? I must be, I do it all of the time, but I do not want to. I want to get to the end of my time here with endurance. I want to finish this life out with energy and a fire that cannot be extinguished. I want to affect many people on this journey. I want them all to see the life that I have sung. I do not want to settle for being a karaoke star in some unknown bar. I want my life to be a song the whole world can sing. I want to be Christ's big star. I want all of the plans that God has for my life. I do not want to settle. Do you?
Hebrews 12:1, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. "
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Eyes Wide Open
1 Corinthians 4:5, "So
don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord
returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal
our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is
due."
I noticed something this morning. I used to think that this verse was talking about "don't judge people for doing wrong." I'm not so sure this is the intent of this verse. I think it may be saying not to see someone and think they are "living right", because it ends by saying that God will praise them. Not that God will condemn them. There are some among all of us who are wolves dressed as sheep. Whom do you hear? Is what you hear from them the same as what you see? Is what you see and hear from them the same as what others see and hear from them? Are you praising a wolf and about to become their prey? Do you see them with truth? Do you see yourself with truth?
I often talk to my girls about watching who you are dating. They need to keep their eyes wide open. They may come to me and ask me about a certain guy, but I can only tell them what the guy is letting me see. They are the ones who will be able to see him in his true colors, when no one else is looking. In my opinion someone may be great. They may have all of the right words. They may seem to be doing all of the right things, but it is in those quiet moments after the crowd has gone that our true colors ring loud.
When Jason and I were dating I was watching him like a hawk. He was in continual observation for anything that may give me a red flag. (Which made me feel like a complete hypocrite, for look at all I had done, but I had learned the lessons the hard way about Not listening.) I observed how others treated him and how they talked about him. I wanted to walk into this relationship with my eyes wide open. I needed to know that I was seeing him for what he truly was! In my first marriage, I feel I walked into it with my eyes closed tight. I fell head over heals in "lust" with him and I could no longer see what I needed to see. I needed to see the truth for what was to come, but I couldn't. Everything was blocked. I didn't listen. I didn't ask. I didn't want to know and so when I got to the counter to pay for what I had picked, the price I paid was high. You see, I judged him before the time was right and I slept with him before my eyes could see.
People my have all of the right words. They may have all of the right things in their pockets, but it is in those moments when they think, "I'm comfortable," this is when their true colors shine. If you cannot see them because your eyes have been closed, then that is when you are in danger of falling prey to their deceit. I am not just talking about the dating game, this goes throughout life. We are being called to walk the walk we preach. I live in a glass house. I hold nothing secret. (I really hate saying things like this for I am about to be tested!!) 1 Corinthians does not end in verse 5, it goes much deeper.... " I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. So I urge you to imitate me." Dang now that one goes deep! But isn't this supposed to be our goal as leaders. As leaders our desire should be to tell others to follow us. Our goal is to be like Christ to others, so they can walk in our footsteps.
With that in mind, I must take a good look at myself. Am I practicing what I preach? Am I walking in such a way that others can follow me without falling prey to deceit? "Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide," (4:2-4). My conscience is clear, but everyone has to walk with their eyes wide open. No matter who you are following, you must use all of your senses God has given you. No one is called to follow blindly. I still use this even in my marriage today. It has not made me cynical, but it has given me truth and with truth their is true love.
As you walk through this life, who are you following? Are your eyes wide open? Are you seeing the truth in their lives? Are you seeing the truth in your own life? Who are you?
I noticed something this morning. I used to think that this verse was talking about "don't judge people for doing wrong." I'm not so sure this is the intent of this verse. I think it may be saying not to see someone and think they are "living right", because it ends by saying that God will praise them. Not that God will condemn them. There are some among all of us who are wolves dressed as sheep. Whom do you hear? Is what you hear from them the same as what you see? Is what you see and hear from them the same as what others see and hear from them? Are you praising a wolf and about to become their prey? Do you see them with truth? Do you see yourself with truth?
I often talk to my girls about watching who you are dating. They need to keep their eyes wide open. They may come to me and ask me about a certain guy, but I can only tell them what the guy is letting me see. They are the ones who will be able to see him in his true colors, when no one else is looking. In my opinion someone may be great. They may have all of the right words. They may seem to be doing all of the right things, but it is in those quiet moments after the crowd has gone that our true colors ring loud.
When Jason and I were dating I was watching him like a hawk. He was in continual observation for anything that may give me a red flag. (Which made me feel like a complete hypocrite, for look at all I had done, but I had learned the lessons the hard way about Not listening.) I observed how others treated him and how they talked about him. I wanted to walk into this relationship with my eyes wide open. I needed to know that I was seeing him for what he truly was! In my first marriage, I feel I walked into it with my eyes closed tight. I fell head over heals in "lust" with him and I could no longer see what I needed to see. I needed to see the truth for what was to come, but I couldn't. Everything was blocked. I didn't listen. I didn't ask. I didn't want to know and so when I got to the counter to pay for what I had picked, the price I paid was high. You see, I judged him before the time was right and I slept with him before my eyes could see.
People my have all of the right words. They may have all of the right things in their pockets, but it is in those moments when they think, "I'm comfortable," this is when their true colors shine. If you cannot see them because your eyes have been closed, then that is when you are in danger of falling prey to their deceit. I am not just talking about the dating game, this goes throughout life. We are being called to walk the walk we preach. I live in a glass house. I hold nothing secret. (I really hate saying things like this for I am about to be tested!!) 1 Corinthians does not end in verse 5, it goes much deeper.... " I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. So I urge you to imitate me." Dang now that one goes deep! But isn't this supposed to be our goal as leaders. As leaders our desire should be to tell others to follow us. Our goal is to be like Christ to others, so they can walk in our footsteps.
With that in mind, I must take a good look at myself. Am I practicing what I preach? Am I walking in such a way that others can follow me without falling prey to deceit? "Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide," (4:2-4). My conscience is clear, but everyone has to walk with their eyes wide open. No matter who you are following, you must use all of your senses God has given you. No one is called to follow blindly. I still use this even in my marriage today. It has not made me cynical, but it has given me truth and with truth their is true love.
As you walk through this life, who are you following? Are your eyes wide open? Are you seeing the truth in their lives? Are you seeing the truth in your own life? Who are you?
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Walking Through the Fire
1 Corinthians 3:13-17, " But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgement day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But
if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The
builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall
of flames. Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple."
I have had my mind and heart on my calling this morning. I have a great sense of responsibility to my family, but my family does not stop with just my husband and my children. (They are first, but they are not my only family.) My family is extended to my church family as well. So who is my church family? My family is huge! They are the people that I see on Sunday morning. I may not even talk to them, but I see them and their presence strengthens me. My family are my women friends, some of whom do not go to my "church", but they are my church family. My family are my college kids. They are my older children whom I love dearly and I am very excited about their lives blooming. My family is Live @ Webster Hall, where we gather and learn to love. My family is my church. (I wish our culture called Sunday morning church, Sunday morning synagogue. Instead of "we are going to church", "we are going to Synagogue." This would help us when we talk about our family, for our family is our church. And the church are the people, not the building we meet in.)
As I read 1 Corinthians 3 this morning, the whole chapter called out to me, but vs. 13-14 really caught my attention. What if the judgement day is right now? What if I am in a time of "testing" to see how I respond to my knowledge of my salvation? What if everyday of my life is my work, and the struggles with the relationships and the things to be done, are the fires I am to persevere through? What am I doing today as I walk through this judgement day? It is not about my salvation. I am saved and nothing can take that from me, but what am I doing with that salvation? How am I affecting my family? How am I loving, or disrespecting His temple? How is He calling me to work today?
One of my college kids sent me this verse today, Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Where is my heart? My heart is on God and His calling in my life. So where is my treasure? My treasure is in my family. Our hearts desires show us what is important to us. My treasure is my reward. My reward is my huge family. (A small twist on a very big verse ;)
I have been through some very big trials in my life. It was during these trials that I found myself all alone. It was the loneliness of the situation that brought me to defeat within that struggle. This life is hard. When you find yourself in the courtroom of life facing a judge who is holding the weight of your world in his hand, it is so much more comforting to know that you have a whole team of people who are on your side and who believe in you. I always had my parents in life, helping me and going to fight for me, but now there is so much more. There is something that brings great comfort in knowing others will fight for me too. So often we feel we are all alone, and that is how we become defeated! This is one of my calls. This is one of my deepest commitments. My God is calling me to show others, they are not alone. This fight is not a fight to battle by yourself. This is why He has given us such a huge family. We are the church and we stand together as one body. This is my work. He is calling me to share my life with others and to be with them while they are experiencing theirs.
Today in this day, does my husband know he is not in the battle alone? Do my children know I am always here for them? Do my sisters know and feel my presence? Do my college kids know they are not walking alone? If I am doing this job well, I should see my treasure now. My treasure that He is blessing me with does not have to wait, I should be rich in relationship. It does not mean that it is easy. With relationships there are always fires that need to be kindled, but with relationship there are a bounty of blessings that cannot be revoked. This is the greatest command, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
How is your love walk today? What is your job? How is your work coming along as you build within this house of God?
I have had my mind and heart on my calling this morning. I have a great sense of responsibility to my family, but my family does not stop with just my husband and my children. (They are first, but they are not my only family.) My family is extended to my church family as well. So who is my church family? My family is huge! They are the people that I see on Sunday morning. I may not even talk to them, but I see them and their presence strengthens me. My family are my women friends, some of whom do not go to my "church", but they are my church family. My family are my college kids. They are my older children whom I love dearly and I am very excited about their lives blooming. My family is Live @ Webster Hall, where we gather and learn to love. My family is my church. (I wish our culture called Sunday morning church, Sunday morning synagogue. Instead of "we are going to church", "we are going to Synagogue." This would help us when we talk about our family, for our family is our church. And the church are the people, not the building we meet in.)
As I read 1 Corinthians 3 this morning, the whole chapter called out to me, but vs. 13-14 really caught my attention. What if the judgement day is right now? What if I am in a time of "testing" to see how I respond to my knowledge of my salvation? What if everyday of my life is my work, and the struggles with the relationships and the things to be done, are the fires I am to persevere through? What am I doing today as I walk through this judgement day? It is not about my salvation. I am saved and nothing can take that from me, but what am I doing with that salvation? How am I affecting my family? How am I loving, or disrespecting His temple? How is He calling me to work today?
One of my college kids sent me this verse today, Matthew 6:21, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Where is my heart? My heart is on God and His calling in my life. So where is my treasure? My treasure is in my family. Our hearts desires show us what is important to us. My treasure is my reward. My reward is my huge family. (A small twist on a very big verse ;)
I have been through some very big trials in my life. It was during these trials that I found myself all alone. It was the loneliness of the situation that brought me to defeat within that struggle. This life is hard. When you find yourself in the courtroom of life facing a judge who is holding the weight of your world in his hand, it is so much more comforting to know that you have a whole team of people who are on your side and who believe in you. I always had my parents in life, helping me and going to fight for me, but now there is so much more. There is something that brings great comfort in knowing others will fight for me too. So often we feel we are all alone, and that is how we become defeated! This is one of my calls. This is one of my deepest commitments. My God is calling me to show others, they are not alone. This fight is not a fight to battle by yourself. This is why He has given us such a huge family. We are the church and we stand together as one body. This is my work. He is calling me to share my life with others and to be with them while they are experiencing theirs.
Today in this day, does my husband know he is not in the battle alone? Do my children know I am always here for them? Do my sisters know and feel my presence? Do my college kids know they are not walking alone? If I am doing this job well, I should see my treasure now. My treasure that He is blessing me with does not have to wait, I should be rich in relationship. It does not mean that it is easy. With relationships there are always fires that need to be kindled, but with relationship there are a bounty of blessings that cannot be revoked. This is the greatest command, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
How is your love walk today? What is your job? How is your work coming along as you build within this house of God?
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Prayers Answered
When we start believing in Christ, when we have been following Him obediently our whole lives, when we change our lives and start becoming different people, what do we expect Him to really do for us? What are we looking for? What do we really expect to happen? If we have been struggling with our finances, do we expect Him to start sending us more business? If we have been struggling with our health, do we expect Him to heal us? If we have been struggling with an addiction, do we expect Him to instantly take those past desires away? The list can go on and on. I only named a few things that have been my own personal struggle.
I cannot think of any passages anywhere in the bible that tell us, "once we "believe" our lives will become easy and all past hurts and struggles will just disappear." If there are let me know! But in my small amount of reading just this morning, I did see something that we are promised...
1 Corinthians 1:4-9, " I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts He has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through Him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for He is faithful to do what He says, and He has invited you into partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Now for my personal experience. When Jason and I almost lost everything we had, because we were caught upside down in our finances, did we expect God to come in and salvage everything with no effort from us? We wanted Him to, we begged Him to send us business! It did not happen that way. Everything that I held with great importance was stripped away. Because of my health, which I was begging God to heal me from my MS, my food in my home was of great importance. I wanted to be a stay at home mom and home-school my boys. Everything changed for me. I had to start working to help my husband with the bills and our food budget was drastically reduced! I was tempted to become very resentful of Jason for "not taking better care of us." I was tempted to blame God for not coming in and playing Santa Clause for us and giving us gifts that I knew He could give us for our "good behavior." But I worked very hard not to let my emotions take me away into bitter land. Through turning to Christ, instead of turning away from Him, I found a spirit of thankfulness for what we did still have.
I have worked very diligently to change my life. I have had to submit when nothing in my body wanted to submit. I have had to break the strongholds of addictions, of feeling abused, of finances, of health issues, the list could go on and on and so often I am still coming up with something else which I am having to lay aside. But, for the sake of Christ, from the gifts of my Lord I am able to enjoy this life and see the truth that has been promised me. I have been promised a relationship, a personal encounter with God. "God will do this, for He is faithful to do what He says, and He has invited you into partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
I can promise you this, this life is not easy! I can promise you this, our Lord and Savior is so worth the effort. It is through God that I have found freedom. It is through Christ that I can look in the mirror every morning and remember that I am worth the effort. It is through Christ that I have discovered my spiritual gifts. I can speak softly to others, instead of lashing out at them. I have knowledge that I would not have without God's help. What are you expecting of God?
1 Corinthians 1:30-31, "God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, 'If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.'”
What are your prayers? Can you see God working in you through the hard times you are having? Is your heart becoming soft, or bitter? The answer to these questions reveal our hearts to us. How is God answering our prayers for our own hearts, for our own protection?
I cannot think of any passages anywhere in the bible that tell us, "once we "believe" our lives will become easy and all past hurts and struggles will just disappear." If there are let me know! But in my small amount of reading just this morning, I did see something that we are promised...
1 Corinthians 1:4-9, " I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts He has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through Him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for He is faithful to do what He says, and He has invited you into partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Now for my personal experience. When Jason and I almost lost everything we had, because we were caught upside down in our finances, did we expect God to come in and salvage everything with no effort from us? We wanted Him to, we begged Him to send us business! It did not happen that way. Everything that I held with great importance was stripped away. Because of my health, which I was begging God to heal me from my MS, my food in my home was of great importance. I wanted to be a stay at home mom and home-school my boys. Everything changed for me. I had to start working to help my husband with the bills and our food budget was drastically reduced! I was tempted to become very resentful of Jason for "not taking better care of us." I was tempted to blame God for not coming in and playing Santa Clause for us and giving us gifts that I knew He could give us for our "good behavior." But I worked very hard not to let my emotions take me away into bitter land. Through turning to Christ, instead of turning away from Him, I found a spirit of thankfulness for what we did still have.
I have worked very diligently to change my life. I have had to submit when nothing in my body wanted to submit. I have had to break the strongholds of addictions, of feeling abused, of finances, of health issues, the list could go on and on and so often I am still coming up with something else which I am having to lay aside. But, for the sake of Christ, from the gifts of my Lord I am able to enjoy this life and see the truth that has been promised me. I have been promised a relationship, a personal encounter with God. "God will do this, for He is faithful to do what He says, and He has invited you into partnership with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
I can promise you this, this life is not easy! I can promise you this, our Lord and Savior is so worth the effort. It is through God that I have found freedom. It is through Christ that I can look in the mirror every morning and remember that I am worth the effort. It is through Christ that I have discovered my spiritual gifts. I can speak softly to others, instead of lashing out at them. I have knowledge that I would not have without God's help. What are you expecting of God?
1 Corinthians 1:30-31, "God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, 'If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.'”
Our prayers should not be that we "get" something from God, but that we become one with Him. It is in becoming one with Him that our eyes become open and we can see all of the good and perfect gifts He gives us each day. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” My prayers have been answered in ways that I could have never imagined. We appreciate our money in ways we could have never appreciated it without this struggle. I can see an addiction coming upon me and stop it before it takes hold of my life. I know how to nourish and love my body like never before. Even if one day we loose everything and have to move in with my parents, even if my body stops working completely and I can no longer function physically like I can now, I can still rejoice in the Lord. "But people who aren’t spiritual
can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to
them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can
understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, 'Who can know the Lord’s thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?' But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ," (2:14-16).
What are your prayers? Can you see God working in you through the hard times you are having? Is your heart becoming soft, or bitter? The answer to these questions reveal our hearts to us. How is God answering our prayers for our own hearts, for our own protection?
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Does He Love Me Still
Matthew 11:2-6, "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 do not turn away because of me.’”
So many times in my life I have wanted something, then waited to see if I was going to be answered. Not really answered. I waited to see if I was going to receive what I was asking for. Not really asking for. I waited to see if I was going to get what I wanted. Not really waited for. I impatiently distressed over what I wanted.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you found unfair? Have you wanted something so bad that you thought were going to die if you did not get your desires fulfilled right away? Have you ever placed your worth in those desires? Have you ever placed God's competency in those desires? Are you going to believe in Him only if you get your way, or can you still love Him while you wait? Are you going to live in bondage to your situation, or are you going to live free no matter what?
I love to listen to teachings about the Jewish Jesus. (I don't have time to read much, so I listen while I work.) The other day I learned something new! I LOVE LEARNING SOMETHING NEW! I have been taught that John's question here was because he was doubting. While this may be true, there is even more if you understand the Jewish way of questions and answers. What John was wanting to know was, "Are you going to do for me what the scriptures say?" Isaiah 42:7, "You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons." Jesus quoted the entire scripture for John, but left out that one very important part. He was not going to set John free! John knew exact what was happening to him by the way Jesus answered him. Now it was time for John to not get offended by Jesus' answer. Now it was time to accept what he didn't want to hear.
For a long time I stayed away from reading the gospels. All over the place Jesus healed the sick. Time and time again He would say, "Your faith has healed you." All over my bible I have written in it, begging God to heal me. While I waited, I turned away from Him. I didn't completely turn away, I still loved Him, sought Him, prayed to Him, taught others about Him, but every time I get to the healing powers something inside me cries out to Him and I have a very hard time accepting His answer for me. Part of it is because of my "religious" background. I have been taught that if I do not keep on asking, I am somehow giving up. Like not asking anymore is selling God short. I have been taught that "healing" is all important. While much of what I have learned is true, not all of it is correct in the answer that I know God has given to me. And it is in His answer to me that my doubt comes into play. It is in His answer to me that I am in danger of turning away, not from Him exactly, but in turning away from His true goodness to Me.
And why can't I accept His answer for me? Why? Because His answer for me is a whole lot of hard work! I want it to be easy. I want Him to come in and change everything for me. I don't want to have to be different from others I see around me. I want to live as they live, eat what they eat, drink what they drink. I do not want to have to say "no" to something that looks so sweet. I want to indulge. I want to wallow in my pity and play the victim. I want to say, "Its not fair!" But this is not His plan. Can I accept His plan with gratitude for what I do have? Can I know how much He values me, even though I struggle?
Have you ever been in this situation? Have you come to this one thing in your life, that one thing that really tells you what your true worth is in His eyes? Now that you are there, do you doubt His love for you? Did you ever get your answer, but not accept that answer, and in return, turn away? It does not have to be dramatic. It does not mean that we have to go off of the deep end and start "sinning". But it does mean that one part of our lives, that part that we have a hard time accepting, that part of our relationship with Him is affected. And because of that one part, our relationship with Him is not full. It is like when I have a hard moment with my husband, our whole marriage is not in jeopardy, I just may not snuggle up to him. That warmth, that intimacy that I cherish so much, that one little part is affected and everything may seem the same, but on the inside I know I am holding something back.
The questions I must ask myself are these, can I love Him intimately no matter what His answer for me is? Can I accept His answer and wait in great expectation to see what is going to come next? Can I live free and with great joy, no matter what is to come? Can I believe He still loves me? What are your questions? What are His answers?
Utmost for His Highest The delight of despair
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 do not turn away because of me.’”
So many times in my life I have wanted something, then waited to see if I was going to be answered. Not really answered. I waited to see if I was going to receive what I was asking for. Not really asking for. I waited to see if I was going to get what I wanted. Not really waited for. I impatiently distressed over what I wanted.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you found unfair? Have you wanted something so bad that you thought were going to die if you did not get your desires fulfilled right away? Have you ever placed your worth in those desires? Have you ever placed God's competency in those desires? Are you going to believe in Him only if you get your way, or can you still love Him while you wait? Are you going to live in bondage to your situation, or are you going to live free no matter what?
I love to listen to teachings about the Jewish Jesus. (I don't have time to read much, so I listen while I work.) The other day I learned something new! I LOVE LEARNING SOMETHING NEW! I have been taught that John's question here was because he was doubting. While this may be true, there is even more if you understand the Jewish way of questions and answers. What John was wanting to know was, "Are you going to do for me what the scriptures say?" Isaiah 42:7, "You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons." Jesus quoted the entire scripture for John, but left out that one very important part. He was not going to set John free! John knew exact what was happening to him by the way Jesus answered him. Now it was time for John to not get offended by Jesus' answer. Now it was time to accept what he didn't want to hear.
For a long time I stayed away from reading the gospels. All over the place Jesus healed the sick. Time and time again He would say, "Your faith has healed you." All over my bible I have written in it, begging God to heal me. While I waited, I turned away from Him. I didn't completely turn away, I still loved Him, sought Him, prayed to Him, taught others about Him, but every time I get to the healing powers something inside me cries out to Him and I have a very hard time accepting His answer for me. Part of it is because of my "religious" background. I have been taught that if I do not keep on asking, I am somehow giving up. Like not asking anymore is selling God short. I have been taught that "healing" is all important. While much of what I have learned is true, not all of it is correct in the answer that I know God has given to me. And it is in His answer to me that my doubt comes into play. It is in His answer to me that I am in danger of turning away, not from Him exactly, but in turning away from His true goodness to Me.
And why can't I accept His answer for me? Why? Because His answer for me is a whole lot of hard work! I want it to be easy. I want Him to come in and change everything for me. I don't want to have to be different from others I see around me. I want to live as they live, eat what they eat, drink what they drink. I do not want to have to say "no" to something that looks so sweet. I want to indulge. I want to wallow in my pity and play the victim. I want to say, "Its not fair!" But this is not His plan. Can I accept His plan with gratitude for what I do have? Can I know how much He values me, even though I struggle?
Have you ever been in this situation? Have you come to this one thing in your life, that one thing that really tells you what your true worth is in His eyes? Now that you are there, do you doubt His love for you? Did you ever get your answer, but not accept that answer, and in return, turn away? It does not have to be dramatic. It does not mean that we have to go off of the deep end and start "sinning". But it does mean that one part of our lives, that part that we have a hard time accepting, that part of our relationship with Him is affected. And because of that one part, our relationship with Him is not full. It is like when I have a hard moment with my husband, our whole marriage is not in jeopardy, I just may not snuggle up to him. That warmth, that intimacy that I cherish so much, that one little part is affected and everything may seem the same, but on the inside I know I am holding something back.
The questions I must ask myself are these, can I love Him intimately no matter what His answer for me is? Can I accept His answer and wait in great expectation to see what is going to come next? Can I live free and with great joy, no matter what is to come? Can I believe He still loves me? What are your questions? What are His answers?
Utmost for His Highest The delight of despair
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