Quiet Times Reflections

Press on to possess

2012-01-31T08:02:00.000-05:00

What would happen if I rode my bike, went for a walk, drove my car or cooked a meal all the while not looking forward but behind me? Well, if you knew me you would realize I wouldn’t need that reasoning for falling off my bike or tripping while walking (I do that quite well looking ahead!!). A car accident would be more than probable and cooking would be a disaster. What about our relationships? If we always remember and base any present or future relationships on what he/she/they did to us are we not living in the today with our hearts looking backwards?

In order to look forward the Apostle Paul had a lot to forget. Not only in whom he had become or what he did to others in the name of religion, but what was now being done to him in the name of religion.
“…I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me…forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on…” *

The possess Paul describes as central to this process is the same described in the gospels when people brought their loved ones to Jesus for deliverance. This possession is a total takeover of our minds, hearts, a seizing of all of us by Christ. But just as importantly, and we tend to miss, is our possession of Christ; a desperate seizing, a grabbing hold of, and a willful abandonment of all of me, for all of him. When we forgo our righteousness and allow Christ’s to become ours we can release the hold our past has on us today.

I love the vulnerability of Paul! “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…”* It’s ok to admit we don’t have it altogether, and at times we may even fail. But I also love the encouragement Paul gives, “… we must hold on to the progress we have already made.”* This speaks of present, actively pursuing and looking forward, taking the hard road and doing the work by not giving up or in to past behaviors or thoughts.
It is a permanent forgetting of the past in order to create and build upon the present and future.

Wherever you are in this process be assured you are not alone. We all have a lot of work to do…don’t give up! “Press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”*
Our promise: “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Phil 2:13)

*Philippians 3:9-16

Costume change

2012-01-23T09:47:00.002-05:00

As a little girl I remember playing dress-up, being magically transformed into nurses, teachers, fairy princesses and doctors. Perhaps you became Darth Vader or a cowboy or ruler of an unseen kingdom.
Remember how the costume became the doorway into living, albeit for a short amount of time, the character by taking on the characteristics and mindset (or what we could possibly imagine it would be at that age) of a particular person? Sometimes the language would even change, especially if we were living in France or England. We spoke words with no clue of their meaning, they just sounded like it would be what that character would have sounded like.

When our children were younger they would play for hours with costume jewelry my mother-in-law had given them. They would become pirates on the open seas (amazing what a Sit ‘n Spin would transform into) or in the summertime marooned on a desert island when playing in the pool.

I must admit, there are times when the simplicity and excitement of those days would be wonderful to slip back into especially when my day is hectic or demanding.

I was thinking of this in view of the perspective Paul gives in Colossians 3:10-14.
“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and forgive anyone who offends you…above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.”

Opposite of our childlike transformations, this “clothing change” becomes permanent, or at least it was designed to. This is the new nature and renewing Paul speaks about in Colossians 3. It is one-size-fits-all yet amazingly fits each one perfectly. Cannot be sold, bartered or exchanged, although we can choose to never wear or own it. Never needs washed or cleaned, yet is renewed daily within us.
What is the old costume we are to get rid of in exchange for the new?
“…sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world…get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.” (Col 3:5-10)

Don’t rush through these words. God chose you…He loves you…He wants to live in and be with you. We put on this new clothing, taking on his character, by learning to know our Creator and become like him. Jesus said, “…I am in the Father and the Father is in me. All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them and we will come and make our home with each of them.” (Jo 14:9-11, 23)

So how well are we who call ourselves Christ followers doing? Do we play dress-up with respect to our new life in Christ or have we really taken on and become transformed into who and what Christ represented on earth? When we walk outside our homes do others “see, hear, feel or experience” God when they encounter us? Is our language one of love, mercy, compassion, gentleness, forgiveness and humility or is it “church-anese” that only a select group of people understands? Is this change of clothing one that I wear in my home with my loved ones or does my costume change according to whom I am with or trying to impress?

As eagerly as we played dress up as a child, today may we be all the more eager to exchange our old worn out costume for the new.

2012-01-12T14:40:00.001-05:00

I grew up with something that is almost unheard of today. For some in my family it was a great source of embarrassment but for me it was the norm, all I ever knew until I was in 7th grade. I grew up in a small town and although we were not the only ones with this, it still wasn’t in the typical home. While some might be familiar with this in camping situations, it would definitely not be characteristic for most 21st century Americans. What I am referring to is an outhouse. In the summer the trips to the outhouse would be quick because of the heat and in the winter they would even be quicker because of the cold. At night, my mother had a chamber bucket in our cellar of which she would make the trip every morning to empty in the outhouse.

Today I have 3 ½ baths in my home…guess you could say, “you’ve come a long way baby!”

I’ve recently been thinking of that old outhouse and have found some valuable lessons in it. Believe it or not we all have lived with the affects of an outhouse in our lives.

ONE OUTHOUSE RUNOFF AFFECTS OTHERS
We live in a domino world. Everything we do has an effect on someone else. Whether intentional or not we sometimes find ourselves living with the “stench” of others choices which has the potential of horrendous impact on our lives. Most times how much of an impact is determined by how much power we choose to give them.
The apostle Paul didn’t allow others actions to deter or determine his mission.
“Everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News…everyone here…knows I am in chains because of Christ. It is true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry…intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter…the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice.” Philippians 1
Paul chose to take the higher road and rejoice thereby diffusing the potential effect of others on his life and outlook.

CLEANING TIME
To keep the refuse at a manageable level, from time to time a company would come to empty the outhouse.
Paul knew the heart has to be cleansed of the refuse we allow to filter in: pride, self-righteousness, position and prestige, money, complacency, etc.
“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done…I have discarded everything else counting it all as garbage*, so that I could gain Christ and become like him.” Philippians 3:7-11
Jesus said, “But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.” Matthew 15:17-19
*Greek: sku/balon which means refuse, the excrement (dung) of animals = crap

HOUSE MOVING TIME
When the outhouse was moved what was left behind became a wonderful source of fertilizer. When it seems like there is no way out remember this, we won’t always have to live with the effects someone else’s refuse. “If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin. But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it.” 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
Rather than complaining about the outhouse being moved and the emptiness left behind, my father planted a garden. Not just any garden but with all that fertilizer his was always the best garden on the block! Rather than complaining about the residual of the domino affects in our lives use them as fertilizer to produce a bountiful harvest. Jesus never promised a “no-fertilized” life, but he did promise if we remain in him we would produce fruit—no matter what was put into our soil. (John 15)

Longing Fulfilled

2012-01-05T07:30:00.000-05:00

Have you ever experienced a longing, to the point of an aching in your heart for someone you once knew? Perhaps that person is no longer living or perhaps they moved away and can no longer physically share in a cup of coffee or go for a walk. Perhaps there has been a strain in the relationship and although the physical distance is not great, emotionally the distance seems like planets away. A word or thought conjures memories that only make the longing greater.

David described this longing when he wrote, “God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Ps 63:1O) Because we were all made in God’s image (Gen 1:26-27) there is a longing in our hearts to know Him and to have intimacy with Him. Some may try to fill this longing with material objects while others may try to fill this with spiritual objects or customs, all the while still experiencing a longing that cannot be filled.
Something is missing…rather some One is missing.

The amazing truth is God wants and longs for that same intimacy with us! This same God who created the universe, things we can see and those that haven’t been discovered yet; all creatures great and same; the very air we breathe; planets and their positions…EVERYTHING! And yet, He wants an intimate relationship with you and me!
This is mind boggling for me.

Fact is we were created for intimacy!! As God created us to be relational with each other, he also created us to be relational with him. Isaiah wrote, “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.” (Is 30:18) God is not just an image or statue or thought to be worshipped, sung about, or talked about only one day a week.

The only way to nurture any relationship is by getting to know that person. If we only observed from a distance or build a relationship based upon what others knew about that person it will never be our own personal relationship. Something would also be missing. Had I not spent time getting to know my husband but only listened to others describe their relationship with him admiration rather than love would have developed. I would have missed out getting to know and fall in love with an amazing man. Likewise only relying on another’s view of who God is cannot be the basis of what our relationship is with him. If it is we miss out on an amazing journey of past, present and future discoveries of “who and what” God is. The Bible describes a loving, compassionate, patient, kind, gentle and good God, who laughs, cries, sings, gets tired, hungry and yes even gets angry. We were created in His image and we experience all the same emotions.

We sense His closeness as we talk with Him. Sense His peace and comfort when we are lonely, sad, confused or in the midst of a crisis. We realize he will never leave us but always sticks closer to us than anyone else, no matter what we have done.

This is not a relationship based on Hollywood’s description of a God follower. Nor is it a relationship that is only available to certain people or classes of people. This relationship is available to anyone who wants and longs for it.

What about you? Where are you on this journey?

“Show-Me”

2011-12-26T08:00:00.005-05:00

There are a number of stories and legends behind Missouri's sobriquet "Show-Me" state. The slogan is not official, but is common throughout the state and is used on Missouri license plates.The most widely known legend attributes the phrase to Missouri's U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver, who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1897 to 1903. While a member of the U.S. House Committee on Naval Affairs, Vandiver attended an 1899 naval banquet in Philadelphia. In a speech there, he declared, "I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me." Regardless of whether Vandiver coined the phrase, it is certain that his speech helped to popularize the saying.[1]

I thought of this Show-Me slogan while reading Luke 3 this morning. When the crowds came to hear John he told them the same thing (well, kinda!). John’s message was “repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand”. When the people asked what they should do he didn’t go into a 3 point sermon or give them a tract (I write this tongue-in-check). John’s message and Jesus’ was the same “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.” John said, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.”

Jesus said, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!...‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ (Mt 25:34-46)

Both John and Jesus were saying, Show-me! Have you and I, as the body of Christ, gone to the poor, hungry, desperate, the prisons, brothels, slums, streets…where people live and brought God to them by giving “food, drink, clothing or taken them into our homes? Or have we been content to pay someone else to do what we have been mandated to do? I’m not against giving to charitable organizations. These organizations can sometimes reach more people than one individual ever could. I also understand some have physical or age limitations where it’s not as easy for them to “go”. But if we ‘pay’ so we don’t have to ‘go’ then are we truly “living our repentance”? Our motives become the window of our hearts revealing the proof of our repentance.

When Jesus looks inside our window, what will he see and will he be pleased? Show-me…..

[1]Resources:
Rossiter, Phyllis. "I'm from Missouri--you'll have to show me." Rural Missouri, Volume 42, Number 3, March 1989, page 16.Official Manual of the State of Missouri, 1979-1980, page 1486.

Sack race

2011-12-19T12:00:00.002-05:00

I loved the games we played when I was a kid, especially the sack race game. Two people are put together; one leg from each person is put into a sack and then the bag is tied shut. Object of the game is to work together to get to the finish line first. To make it even more difficult two people of different sizes were often put together. Bruises, grass stains from falling down, and sometimes even being drug along by your partner become the survival-mode of getting to the finish line!

Don’t know if the prophet Isaiah ever play the sack game, but he certainly describes the process in Isaiah 5:18. What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies, who drag wickedness behind them like a cart.

Amazing how some of these same games seem to weave their way into our lives as adults. Only the game is no longer fun but instead becomes a destructive way of life.

The ropes of deception can bind us so tightly that only when they are broken do we realize how much of a stronghold they actually were. These ropes don’t appear overnight nor would we think we could be controlled by them. They build with one compromise upon another usually starting with something small, something seemingly innocent.

Ø A “small white lie” becomes a foundation for others to build upon.

Ø A clerk’s mistake on our bill could be seen as our “advantage”…do we say something or consider it a “blessing”?

Ø An innocent look that becomes easier to linger the next time (a pornographic website that pops on our computer screen or TV channel when searching).

Ø An innocent touch that turns into a longing for someone other than our spouse.

Ø “If one pill helps with the pain, two will be even better”, prescription medicine turning into a habit.

Ø A comment or action made toward us that we allow to fester in our hearts turning into hatred and/or gossip.

Ropes of destruction become weights that hold us down and keep us back from living a life of freedom, hope and peace. They become the binding force behind not extending mercy and grace (i.e. forgiveness) to others. Freeing ourselves of these ropes become the avenue through which God can work in and through us to show the world who He is.

The book of Isaiah is filled with the Israelites getting caught in these ropes of bondage and God’s responses.

Isaiah 30:1, 12-13, 15,18 (NLT) “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”
says the Lord…“Because you despise what I tell you and trust instead in oppression and lies, calamity will come upon you suddenly—like a bulging wall that bursts and falls. In an instant it will collapse and come crashing down…”

“Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength…”

So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.

How then do we get out of this cycle? We cannot do this on our own.

First: Admit, stop hiding and recognize what your rope of destruction is. People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

Second: Repent. Simply put, do a complete 180◦ about face turn. But don’t just turn, RUN from those ropes. Ask for forgiveness from God and possibly those you have wronged. So the Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. (Isaiah 30:18) God pursues us and longs to show us His love and compassion even when others won’t.

Third: Find a Christ follower who will hold you accountable. Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. (2 Timothy 2:22)

Finally: Wait on the Lord. Let God’s Word (the Bible) be the foundation you build upon. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Games don’t have to stop when we “grow-up.” We just need to remember to keep the ropes where they belong.

GROW…GROW….GROW

2011-12-12T12:00:00.004-05:00

Growth…Our hearts swell with generosity as our waists grow with all the wonderful goodies the holiday season brings. Cookies, candies, cakes, Christmas party buffets—my mouth is watering as I write this!

Growth… Parking lots at area malls and shopping districts overflow from macadam to grass. What usually takes five minutes to “run in and out” of a store now takes twenty minutes. Restaurants have a longer than usual wait time to seat and serve their customers. Lines at the post office get longer and traffic, well let’s just say it can be a bit testy! The thoughts of someone being without the basics of a home, food or clothing is heightened during this holiday season and we respond generously.

Growth…While all the above growths are temporal there is a kind of growth that should never stop or be based purely upon a certain season or emotion. This growth produces both long term and short term affects in our lives that has the potential to change the course of our lives and those around us.

Webster defines what I am writing about as “anything believed; complete trust or confidence.” Faith.

Peter gives us a beautiful picture of growing in faith in 2 Peter 1:3-8.
“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life…And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires... Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NLT)

Since I am a very visual person, when I read this passage I liken it to the growth of a tree.

God has given us everything we need in giving us the rich soil of our lives. God allows all circumstances (whether good or bad) to come into our lives which creates fertilization for the soil to produce good fruit (vs. 3-4). When we realize God has carried us through a difficult situation our faith begins to grow. This faith becomes the foundation to build upon for future circumstances. We learn God can be trusted even though we may not be able to see the outcome or even want what the outcome becomes.

When our faith is placed in God the way we approach life changes. Our moral values begin to change and we set higher standards to our life choices and what we put into our minds. We begin to realize the depths of God’s love and compassion for us. To understand that He doesn’t view us with a big club waiting to smash us for making a mistake brings freedom and openness for intimacy with Him. God longs and desires to have an intimate and daily friendship with us. We become hungry to know who He is how He wants us to live and treat others. This creates a drawing to read His Word which increases our knowledge.

Through this knowledge we become aware of issues or life styles within us that need to be dealt with in order for that freedom and intimacy to grow. Self control is the result of this realization, which becomes a lifelong respect of the change starting within us. Patient endurance becomes the byproduct of this knowledge and self control. We begin to view others around us not with a judgmental attitude but one of the same grace and mercy God has extended toward us. This produces a godliness within us because we are beginning to take on the character of Christ (vs4) living within us (Gal 5:22-26). It is only because of these characteristics we can have true affection and love for those around us.

Just as we can’t plant a seedling and expect fruit the next day or without giving it water or fertilization, we can’t expect fruit in our lives without living this process. One area cannot be bypassed to move to another and get the same results. This isn’t a “once-and-done” event or a feeling of “I’ve finally arrived.” It is a lifelong growth process, but the end result is well worth staying the course. We produce not just fruit but everlasting fruit (John 15).

BUDS/FLOWERS: Patient endurance, godliness,

brotherly affection, love for everyone……fruit that can change the world

ROOTS:Moral excellence, knowledge, self control,

Fertilized soil

So in this season of growth don’t stop when January 1^st comes around. GROW…GROW….GROW.

Good Stuff Cheap…

2011-12-08T12:00:00.002-05:00

“Good stuff cheap” is not only the mantra of a well known store chain but in this economic climate has become the desire of just about every shopper I know. I don’t know about you, but for me I absolutely hate to pay full retail price for anything! The overwhelming crowds that forfeit sleep on Black Friday to get a “good stuff cheap” are certainly testimony to this mantra. We all want to be generous in the Christmas gift giving season, yet we also don’t want to die early deaths because of the credit card bills that start arriving January 1st!

I was thinking about this mantra when I read John 14 (NLT version) recently. One of the best gifts we could ever receive and encourage others to accept is so simplistic yet we work overtime to complicate.

I’m talking about peace of mind and heart. In the current climate of jobs and homes being lost; sickness and disease going unchecked or not cared for with no health insurance coverage; families stressed and marriages dissolving because of underlying financial struggles the words “peace of mind and heart” seem foreign if not a cliché. So what does peace of mind and heart look like? How in the midst of all this chaos can that be accomplished?

YouTube has a video of Bob Newhart counseling with two words, “STOP IT” (see link at bottom)

This video came to mind when reading Jesus words about peace of mind and heart. John 14 starts with, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me…..Just believe (vs 11). Period.

“I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (vs27) Again, simplicity, but how we/I complicate the gift with “buts”. Just believe—PERIOD! Accept His gift of peace of mind and heart—PERIOD! Don’t worry or be afraid—PERIOD! My peace should not be based upon the way the world tells me to have peace (“just buy something new”; “just eat more comfort food/indulge in your favorite drink” or “just think about yourself”).

Paul said in Philippians 4, “Don’t worry instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Paul continues to tell us how to do this, “Fix (determine or strengthen) your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise…then the God of peace will be with you.”

Fear starts in the mind then transcends to the heart (our seat of emotions, actions). In the same manner, peace starts in the mind then transcends to the heart and is also displayed through our actions.

We may not be able to change our current circumstances but one thing we can change is what we think and dwell on. No one else can impose this on us; that is our choice to change. This will determine and affect our emotional, physical and spiritual well being. Jesus told the disciples (and us today) there will be hard times we must go through. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

This gift cost Jesus everything, but to us it is free. Good stuff cheap? Can’t get any better than that!

Letter from God

2011-07-29T09:57:00.000-04:00

My dear children,

If you are wise and understand (my) ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with humility that comes from wisdom. My wisdom is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. Those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.*

The best wisdom isn’t what is spewed from your mouths to impress others with your great wealth of knowledge. The best wisdom is demonstrated by how you live life with others: the lovely and unlovely, the hurting, the lost, those that are searching all around you..waiting for you. When you go to the prisons, give a cup of water/food to the starving, do random acts of kindness when no one is watching. This is being God-wise…the best wisdom you could ever have or impart.

Now go and make disciples teaching them to obey all the commands I have given you. You can do this…you will not be alone, I will always be with you. This is my wisdom in action.

Love,

God

*James 3:13-18; Mt 28

Stay Connected

2011-05-31T08:52:00.000-04:00

After Thursday storms left our area, on Friday Comcast was down at our store. We had electrical power, just no Comcast. To some this may not sound like a big deal, but to Billy Wray Music Shop, this is our ‘bread-n-butter’. No internet access meant no Ebay sales (which is about 90% of our business), no phone access (we use an internet phone) or the ability to process credit cards (also done through the internet). The internet has become such an integral part of our lives, we literally felt lost. The world has become a smaller place thanks to the world of computers, internet and all those other gadgets I have no clue about!! We can now reach and sell around the world through our Ebay store and never have to leave the comfort of our office.
I started thinking about this today and realized there is a faith lesson in this. For years we have heard, “God is our source of power.” And although I believe that will all my heart, if we stifle that power and not allow Him to use us BEYOND our homes, church or other comfort zones, we will never fulfill the great commission Jesus gave us, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore go and make disciples of all nations (communities…)……….And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
In our faith walk, our ‘internet connection’ is the connection we make with people every day whether at the grocery store, office, Starbucks, Panera….well, you get the idea. Let’s get out and stay connected!!

Obedience or sacrifice

2011-02-08T10:20:00.000-05:00

This month I am studying verses about obedience and righteousness and came across very familiar verses in 1 Samuel 15:22-23 “…Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.”

What are the “sin of divination” and the “evil of idolatry”? Are these just terms of the past? Are they relevant for us today, and if so how?

My trusty dictionary defines divination as “the act or practice of trying to foretell the future or the unknown by occult means; a successful or clever guess.” Idolatry is “the worship of any object or person with excessive devotion or admiration.”

There is an obsession with knowing the future. We want to know NOW so we can manipulate the future to conform to what we want and how we get it and when. This is not a new obsession but has taken on different forms throughout the ages. It is worldwide and has been practiced in both civilized and uncivilized societies. Séances, Ouija boards, fortune tellers, crystal balls, card readings, tea leaf readings, horoscopes, animal organs, and the list goes on. Thousands and millions of dollars are spent each year to…know….to control.

So what does this have to do with obedience? EVERYTHING! The burnt offerings/sacrifices are all events that can be seen by others. They are an outward; upright (self/ego) appearance that results in just giving lip service. Obedience is an inward, laying prostrate (surrender) appearance which is only seen by God. Unless our hearts are in a prostrate position where we allow God to work his plan (Jeremiah 29:11-14) in us, in his timing, we will not escape the manipulation trap that leads to rebellion. This trap starts not with major events or occurrences but rather the small subtle questions, doubts, disappointments and complacency. When we rebel and want to be the owner of our own destiny, arrogance and “self” will become the object of worship, the idol that must be feed to keep the deceit alive.

“You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’ Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away (Is 47:10-11)

God’s warning is the same for us today as it was to the Israelites when they didn’t want to listen to the Lord. “Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant. (Isaiah 30:12-14). Likewise, his promise is for us today, “…..in repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and TRUST is your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)

Oh that our ears would be bent to his voice and our hearts molded by his word, then obedience would be the path that leads to life, hope and a future.

Witnessing the character of Christ

2011-02-03T08:04:00.000-05:00

I spent January looking at scriptures about witnessing and these themes are consistently present in the scriptures:
• God works in and through difficulties to perform the miraculous so we may be a testimony to those today and those in the future of the power and goodness of God. Why? THAT THEY MAY KNOW GOD IS GOD. (Ex 10:1-2; Numb 10:29)
• When we praise God (be a witness of His goodness) to those around us God will bless us (Ps 67)
• To be a witness for God we must be a servant (Is 43:10; Is 49:5; Acts 26:16)
• To be a witness we must personally (intimately) know God; believe (trust) God; and understand that God is who He says He is. (Is 53:10)
• God does the revealing and saving (Is 43:12)….we are only an instrument He uses.
• To be a witness is to be obedient to God’s prompting whether those we witness to believe or not (Ez 3:11)• God takes no pleasure/delight when an unbeliever dies without Him…and our response should never be “they got what they deserved”. Truth be told, none of us get what we deserve but even when we were dead in our sin Christ died for us. This thought should hound us and catapult us to obedience when God wants us to speak to ANYONE. (Ez 33:11)
• When those we witness to advance beyond us in their love and witness of God (Jonah 3-4) let us rejoice with them, not sulk
• God’s Holy Spirit living within us will give us the words to speak…we must be tuned into His voice. (Matt 10:17)
• We cannot go in our strength (Acts 1:8)
• Expect God to move (Mk 16:15-20)
Bottom line: being a witness for God is about humility, desiring others before ourselves, being a servant to the lost. It is not about adding numbers to our churches but rather multiplying the character of Christ. His character within us will then be the motivating factor to share His Good News. HUMILITY…SUBMISSION…SERVANT…could the absence of these be the turn off to the term Christian today?

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the death—even death on a cross!” (Phil 2:5-8)

PROMISE KEEPER

2011-01-17T08:56:00.002-05:00

Turn to me and be saved,
all you ends of the earth;
for I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn,
my mouth has uttered in all
integrity a word that will not be revoked:
Before me every knee will bow;
by me every tongue will swear.
Isaiah 45:22-23

A promise is only as good as the one giving or representing that promise. Can they deliver what they promise? What has their track record been in the past? What happens if they change their minds?

God has sworn BY himself, there is no one higher. He is, as the saying goes, “where the buck stops”. He is God there is none above Him none equal to Him none that will save Him or make good His promises if He can’t. HE IS!!! His integrity is on the line with each word He has spoken. Likewise, each word He has spoken cannot be revoked or overruled by another—no one has that power. Not Satan, you, me…NO ONE. What God has said WILL remain, never to be erased, never to be improved upon, never to be changed…NEVER!

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times,
what is still to come.
I say: My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please…..
What I have said that will I bring about
what I have planned, that will I do.
Isaiah 46:10-11

No matter what circumstances have been brought into our lives, nothing can negate what God has spoken and put in to place before time as we know it even existed. Whatever we face today there is Someone who is above it all, perhaps even right in the midst of it waiting for us to open our closed fists and allow Him to work it all out for His purpose within us.

CONDUITS

2011-01-12T08:18:00.000-05:00

You are My witnesses," declares the LORD,
"And My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
And there will be none after Me.
"I, even I, am the LORD,
And there is no savior besides Me.
"It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed,
And there was no strange god among you;
So you are My witnesses," declares the LORD,
"And I am God.
"Even from eternity I am He,
And there is none who can deliver out of My hand;
I act and who can reverse it?"
Isaiah 43:10-13

Our part:
KNOW…to perceive, distinguish, discriminate, acknowledge, confess, know by experience, be revealed, be instructed
BELIEVE….to stand firm, to trust, to be certain, to believe in, pillars, supporters of the door
UNDERSTAND…acted wisely, consider, diligently consider, discern, intelligent ,interpret, investigating, look carefully, observe, perceive,
God’s part:
DECLARE…to be conspicuous, tell, make known
SAVE… liberate, save, delivere, victorious
PROCLAIM… to hear, listen to, obey, to grant request

Reality is, God does it ALL but chooses to reveal Himself through you and me. We just need to be available and obedient, an open conduit. Sounds so simple…why do we make it so hard??

SERVING AS EVIDENCE

2011-01-06T09:02:00.000-05:00

Last year I used the Bible In Chronological order as my devotional source. This year I’m focusing on a Biblical theme each month: witnessing, salvation, healing, Holy Spirit, etc.

I would love to hear your thoughts on these life-paths we live every day, even though at times we may not realize or understand the path we are on.

Witnessing
My trusty old dictionary describes two words critical to this theme:
(1) witness as “evidence; testimony; a person who saw, or can give a first and account of something; to be present; see personally; to serve as evidence of”;
(2) evident/evidence as “easy to see or perceive, clear, obvious or plain; something that makes another thing evident, indication, sign; something that tends to prove.”

To “serve as evidence of” and “something that tends to prove” is more than just SPEAKING of evidence but living (SERVE) as proof of that evidence.

To be a good witness we must be credible or our testimony will not hold any weight. We must have firsthand knowledge of what we witness or else it is hearsay. In a courtroom others can rebut what is said. Likewise in the world others will try to refute our verbal testimony of a living God.

Because we not only experience His power but are evidence of His power (He lives in us), will we by our actions prove He does or doesn’t exist?
“For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.” Psalm 96:4-6

As believers, confessors and followers of Christ, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19; Rom 8:11). It is His strength and glory that should be witnessed by the world around us…through difficult or peaceful times. Today let us serve to those around us as evidence of the resurrection and power of the one and only true Living God.

The Kingdom of God

2010-11-27T20:13:00.000-05:00

The Kingdom of God transcends and invades every kingdom, continent, country, state, village and town of this planet yet is not held by boundaries or contained within buildings.
It is not advanced by man’s deeds or manipulations but by humility.
It is not held by the “wheelers and dealers” of any earthly kingdom but by those that are the lowest or least important in the eyes of earthly powers.
It cannot be overthrown in a coup or held hostage by any man.
Its power is beyond anything we have ever experienced in earthly kingdoms and yet its power is not motivated and fueled by greed or self preservation.
There are no political parties vying for power in this Kingdom- just One rule, One power, One authority.
Truth, not deception, is its foundation.
Entrance into this Kingdom is not by way of a broad boulevard; a valid passport purchased by the individual; or obtained by any governments nod of approval.
Entrance has been obtained by the Owners Sons life…it is by his life we have life...his life we have citizenship. It is this same Son who will be the light of this Kingdom.
The authority and power of the Owner is automatically transferred to all its citizens.
All are welcome but not everyone will choose to enter.
It is displayed through simplistic yet explosive power.
As citizens of this Kingdom, it is displayed through you and me…AMAZING!!

Wonderings

2010-10-18T10:41:00.000-04:00

Recently I heard a sermon where the preacher suggested a reason for the Israelites 40 year desert wonderings was in order to get the Egyptian culture out of them. The Israelites had been in Egypt for such a long time and had absorbed so much of its culture they could no longer be recognized as the chosen children of the Most High God. So much did the culture overtake what God had instilled in them that it took 40 years for the “culture cleansing” process to be accomplished. Influence, good or bad, has a way of lingering from one generation to another.
I sometime think God uses the wonderings of our lives, those situations we question that come into our life journey, to cleanse our pre-conceived ideas of how and when He SHOULD work in and through us. In doing this, God once again seems to remind us that He alone, not the “action”, is to be our heart's desire. He will lead us into the land of His promise that He prepared for us way before we were even born.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. Eph 1:11
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10
It is in this land of His promise we will reveal to those around us who God is and the blessed hope he has for them. But this can only happen as we take on His character---His culture.

And as with the Israelites we too may think the process, the journey is taking way too long. But God's timing is perfect in ALL things...even in our wonderings.

Lord, I want to see your face

2010-07-20T07:37:00.000-04:00

My hearts cry has been, “Lord I want to see your face.” Not that I don’t want to see His hands working through signs and miracles, but there is something about looking into someone’s eyes when they speak and observing their facial expressions when they look to you.

But could it be that I am looking for the wrong “face”?
Could it be that all along I have been looking into the face of God when I see a child crying…the beggar on the street searching for food….the alcoholic lost and stumbling...the teenager pregnant scared and not sure what to do….the mother so overwhelmed by tragedy she is willing to sell her children to survive….
And could it be they are looking to me to see the hands, arms and compassion of God?

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all his angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. The people of every nation will be gathered in front of him. He will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left. “Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then the people who have God’s approval will reply to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.’
“Then the king will say to those on his left, ‘Get away from me! God has cursed you! Go into everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels! I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t take me into your homes. I needed clothes, and you didn’t give me anything to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t take care of me.’ “They, too, will ask, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or in need of clothes or sick or in prison and didn’t help you?’ “He will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you failed to do for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do for me.’
“These people will go away into eternal punishment, but those with God’s approval will go into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)

Gratitude

2010-06-21T09:21:00.000-04:00

“When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me.” Hosea 13:5

Lord, keep me hungry enough to remember you are the source and supplier of everything I need… never too full or satisfied I forget it is from your gracious hands I have received.
Teach me humility so I will not become too dependent on myself that I forget You. Surround me with opportunities to open my eyes, ears, heart and hands to those who are hungry and thirsty around me so they may see You.

BEWARE OF THE SLIPPERY SLOPE

2010-06-14T06:15:00.003-04:00

This morning I was reading in 2 Kings 6 of when the enemy surrounded the city Elisha was in. Alarmed, Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, asked, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” I love Elisha’s response, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Elisha then prayed for the Lord to open Gehazi's eyes and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all surrounding the city.

I don’t know about you, but when the enemy appears to be unrestrained and bringing havoc in my life or those I love, it becomes a task to keep my eyes focused on the unseen army of God. The fear and frustration the physical brings can overwhelm the faith and contentment only the spiritual can give.

This can become a very slippy road if our eyes are only focused on the natural. Asaph said it best when he wrote in Psalm 73, “…my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.”
He continues to describe the carefree lifestyle the wicked live, the increase of their wealth, and jeering at God with no apparent consequences. He tried to understand how the wicked could prosper, but couldn’t. It is at this point many people would give up on God because they don’t see any retaliation from God to the wicked. “What’s the use” becomes the battle cry of the frustrated.

Not so with Asaph. He knew the key to this conflict: “When I tried to understand all this it was oppressive to me TILL I ENTERED THE SANCTUARY OF GOD; then I understood their final destiny.”
Asaph didn’t look to the natural but placed his trust in the One and True God and in His timing.
It was here, in the sanctuary of God, Asaph realized his heart was bitter that he was being foolish and ignorant to God. It was here, in the sanctuary of God, he realized God was holding and leading him; that no matter what happened to him God would forever be the strength of his heart.

As with Asaph, it is only when we enter the presence of the Living God and allow Him to invade our minds and hearts, to be the standard by which we measure all that is around us, we will ultimately see what evil has to offer—emptiness and destruction. In the presence of God we receive renewed hope and strength.
“But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.’” (vs 28)

The Key

2010-05-24T06:00:00.004-04:00

Once there was an old man who would walk through the neighborhood with a mysterious small drawstring bag attached to his belt. These were hard times and a lot of people were out of work. Like clockwork, he would come in to town early in the morning knocking on doors looking for odd jobs and in return be paid with food.
Rumor had it that he lived by the railroad tracks underneath a bridge with the other homeless people whom he would share some of his days ‘wages’ with.
Everyday he would walk the streets of our small town scavenging through the garbage occasionally finding treasures, even if they were only that in his own eyes.
He was an odd man. Humped over, his clothing and shoes always larger than his frame could hold. He had a scuffle when he walked that was slow, never in a hurry, never seemingly going anywhere in particular. He bore the signs of age, his face and hands hardened through years of hard labor and weather. Yet there was a kindness that showed through in his almost toothless smile and the gentleness with which he would pat a child’s head as he walked by. The only name we ever knew him by was George.

Over the years, he became a fixture within our little bedroom community.
I remember the time a fire started in a neighbor’s house and George was one of the first people there. He certainly couldn’t help put out the fire but his words of encouragement and hope were perfect to squelch the fear in our neighbors.

At the other end of town stood an old Victorian mansion. My mother told us of stories her mother told them about how it was the showcase of the town when she had been a young girl. Its beauty and elegance would have made the mansions of today pale by comparison. Inside the ornate trim, marble flooring imported from Italy and woven tapestries from around the world hung in the grand hall and were breathtaking. The sounds of laughter and music from the conservatory filled the air like an enchanting melody. Beautifully manicured gardens were the envy of the towns’ people. To receive an invitation for afternoon tea was the highlight of the year for anyone. The family who lived there had died a long time ago and the grandeur of the mansion had been lost due to neglect.

One cold wintry day we noticed George didn’t come into town. Although it seemed out of character we didn’t think anything more about it. Two more days passed and George was no where to be found. Finally the third day came and still no George. My dad and a couple of other men from our street thought maybe something had happened to George and decided to go down to the bridge to look for him.

No one and nothing was in sight except for a lonely box wrapped with old strips of plastic tarp to help shield against the cold wind and snow. It seemed the people who had lived there during the year had gone for shelter elsewhere now that winter was upon us. There were signs around the box that showed someone had recently been there.

When they removed the plastic tarp and opened the box their hearts were saddened to discover the lifeless body inside was George. The cause of his death was exposure to the elements—George froze to death. Attached to his belt was the small bag that had been his constant companion and inside the small bag was a key.
It took weeks of investigation to realize the key found on George’s body was for the old Victorian mansion. Much to everyone’s surprise, George was the adopted son of the mansions owners. Upon his father’s death, the mansion had been given to George as an inheritance but he never claimed his inheritance. He used to tell us that he had a grand inheritance waiting for him but we always thought he was just imagining it. When asked why he didn’t claim it he would say he didn’t want to lose the ‘lifestyle’ he had chosen…thought he would lose his freedom. Of course as much as we liked George we all thought he was making it up. Why would someone choose a life of poverty when they could have such wealth? All those years of living so close but never assuming rightful ownership, it just didn’t make sense.

Reading the above story, it is easy to think how foolish of George to choose poverty over wealth and protection had he only accepted and received his inheritance.
Some of our choices, like George’s don’t make sense either. We have been given citizenship in a Kingdom that is beyond any description we know. A Kingdom where safety, peace, restoration and rest are the norm and yet by accepting the “Key” to that Kingdom we think our ‘lifestyle and freedom’ will be infringed upon. We did nothing to earn or deserve this Kingdom. Yet it was purchased for us by the giving of the owner’s Sons life. Like George we too are an adopted heir to this Kingdom. The Key to entering this Kingdom:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going—I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Signed….Jesus
(John 3:16;14:1-7)

I've got you covered!

2010-05-10T06:00:00.003-04:00

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered” is a common phrase heard not only in movies but between friends. It can be a comfort to know someone will be there to protect you when entering a dangerous or uncomfortable situation.

How much greater the impact of this phrase when it comes from the very mouth of God and is directed toward you and me.

David records these thoughts in Psalms 32:1-5, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit….then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

Throughout the Psalms David opens his heart and mind like a book to us, the readers, and we are allowed to enter into the pages of his private and personal thoughts. At times this may even seem like an intrusion into very intimate moments between David and his God. At other times it would appear David is at the front door of his heart opening it wide to welcome us into the inexpressible joy that can be realized from a sin forgiven which overwhelming had taken away the light and hope of his heart.

David understood his sin had been forgiven, covered and forgotten. The covering David speaks about was twofold: a present and recurring covering through the blood of an animal but also of a promise yet to come of a “complete covering.” A promise not yet seen by David, but for us it is a reminder of an unselfish and sacrificing covering through the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross. Our sins were not only forgiven but also covered…buried…to be remembered no more by God!

There is yet another part to forgiveness we tend to struggle with even today. Equally important to the acceptance of forgiveness and the covering is to let go of the guilt surrounding the sin. We tend to resurrect guilt that was meant to be covered and buried with the sin.

I believe in Psalm 32 David knew the keys to burying guilt:
1. Don’t give time for guilt to be planted…he acknowledged and didn’t cover up his sin from God (verse 5)
2. Don’t give fertile soil for guilt to grow…he confessed (verse 5) and accepted God's grace and forgiveness
3. Don’t give guilt a permanent address…he allowed God to be his hiding place (verse 7) rather than dwelling and inviting guilt to stay as an "unwanted guest"
4. Don’t give guilt the key to our heart and mind…he was careful what he listened and dwelt upon (verse 7-8) …"rejoice in the Lord and be glad…” (verse 11) He didn't "revisit" the offense that would bring guilt

Although we may have to deal with consequences for our sin, letting go of guilt is a choice.
Whose covering are you under today? Is it bringing freedom, hope and life or slavery and bondage to “past”?
“He who dwells (remains) in the shelter of the most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty…He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (Psalm 91:1, 4)

IF

2010-04-26T06:03:00.001-04:00

Then if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, if they will pray and seek me and stop their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land. Now I will see them, and I will listen to the prayers prayed in this place.

2 Chronicles 7:14-15

HUMBLE MYSELF: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3

PRAY…SEEK (ASK) GOD: While Jeremiah was still locked up in the courtyard of the guards, the LORD spoke his word to him a second time: "These are the words of the LORD, who made the earth, shaped it, and gave it order, whose name is the LORD: 'Judah, pray to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets you have never heard before.' Jeremiah 33:1-3

STOP: We are surrounded by a great cloud of people whose lives tell us what faith means. So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back. Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne. Think about Jesus' example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying.
Hebrews 12:1-3

Choices I make with results that will affect a nation…one person at a time…because I AM has spoken and promised!

Exist or live?

2010-04-19T06:00:00.003-04:00

“There was a time when I didn’t exist, but there will never again be a time when I won’t exist.”

This was quoted at a seminar I recently attended and I can’t seem to get it out of my mind. I have been thinking about life and existence all week. I didn’t have a choice in my conception and birth that was my parent’s choice. However, it is my choice that will determine my existence as living or dead AFTER my last breath on earth. What I do with my life from the time I came out of my mother’s womb until I breathe my last breath is in preparation for a time when I won’t physically exist…yet I will still exist.
Sounds like a riddle? Jesus often spoke in physical terms to explain an eternal/spiritual concept. What to the physical ear can sound like a riddle is revealed as truth to the spiritual ear. Two examples:

1. Jesus speaking to Martha after her brother Lazarus died:
Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.” Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this, Martha?” (John 11:23-26)
2. Jesus speaking to Nicodemus explaining that unless he was born again he could not see the Kingdom of God. To which Nicodemus explained, “Huh???”…well, not exactly that word.
Nicodemus said, "But if a person is already old, how can he be born again? He cannot enter his mother's womb again. So how can a person be born a second time?” (John 3:1-16)

What sounded like a logical question from Nicodemus, Jesus used as a segue into explaining the lives in of John 11:26. "I tell you the truth, unless you are born from water and the Spirit, you cannot enter God's kingdom. Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit. Don't be surprised when I tell you, 'You must all be born again.’ No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man (Jesus) has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

So what does all this have to do with my opening statement?
Knowing at some point in time I would be born, God had a plan for my life. (Jeremiah 29:11)
Knowing exactly what I would need for my body to be formed and grow, God was there when I was conceived. (Psalm 139)
Knowing the number of days I would live on earth….God determined my beginning from my end. (Psalm 139)
Knowing eternal life past my earthly existence….God gave His Son so I could always live (eternal life) not just exist (decaying yet remaining alive…forever). (John 3:16-21)

“In the beginning…God” are the first words written in the Bible. "Come!" Let whoever is thirsty…whoever wishes may have the water of life as a free gift…Jesus, the One who says these things are true, says, "Yes, I am coming soon." These are some of the last words written in the Bible. In between are all the answers we will ever need to make an eternal choice.
There may have been a time when I didn’t exist, but there was never (nor ever will be) a time when God did not exist. One question remains for you and me: do I want to “live” or just “exist” after I die and leave this earth? That choice will always remain ours.

Prized possession

2010-04-12T08:54:00.009-04:00

Mr. Jenkins was the old eccentric that lived at the end of Dead End Alley. The street name was actually Prince Avenue but it had never looked like a description of royalty! Mr. Jenkins would rummage through peoples garbage and bring home…stuff. Always had stuff just lying around his yard. Never could understand why anyone would want an old tub in their yard filled with dirt and flowers, the neighbors all complained that it looked just plain tacky! Mr. Jenkins was once asked, “What value is there in old rusted pieces of broken down appliances, scraps of ‘who-knows-what’, some of it unrecognizable through years of exposure from the weather. Why do you hang on to this stuff? It is an embarrassment to the neighborhood.”

The old man paused and then carefully choosing his words replied, “These were once prized possessions of someone…someone who saved money to buy them, who cared for them, cleaned them, and showed them off as bran-spankin’-new. Time was when they all had a purpose and value to them; when people would fix things that were broken, now everyone just wants to throw away…seems like EVERYTHING is disposable now. See this rockin’ chair? To you it is a broken piece of furniture, of no use or value. But I imagine a momma once sittin’ here and rockin’ her baby…singin’ and tenderly caressing a precious gift given to her by the Almighty. You see this ‘junk’, as you call it, just needed some tender loving care and it could have been restored back to its original purpose. Kinda like you and me. Just like I clean the dirt and tarnish away from this junk, God did the same for me. He used my tears to clean out the dirt I been collectin’ over the years. We need to stop lookin’ at each other as ‘junk’…need to stop throwin’ each other away when life gets tough. When we can get past the outside dirt we are all carryin’ then we’ll see the beauty…the treasure inside each other. We’ll take time to help fix the broken in all of us instead of throwin’ in the towel and throwin’ each other out.”

People can be seen as “junk”. Children in and out of foster care because parents no longer are able or desire to care for them; abandoned like a piece of trash along the street. Marriages torn apart…looking for something (someone) better, younger, more interesting; adult children giving up on their parents once they hit the “golden years”, and the list could go on.

Perhaps you feel like you are living in a “junk yard” today, discarded for reasons you had no control over. You may even have thought God has forsaken you. Let me reassure you…HE HAS NOT!!
When others let go of us, God will never forget us.

"Can a mother forget her baby...have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." Isaiah 49:15-16
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Friend, you are of such great worth and value that the God of all creation...of all created beings is singing over you today!! He sent his only son, Jesus, to pay the penalty of all our past, present and future sin. He has not thrown you away, but rescued you from the junk yard of life, cleaned you and restored you to your original purpose: to give God glory in everything you do.

The dynamic duo

2010-04-05T06:05:00.008-04:00

Fear and worry are the dynamic duo that once given an inch will take the preverbal mile in our lives! Much is written on fear and worry throughout God’s Word. Isaiah wrote, “So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed (worried) for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

I find it interesting that an antonym for fear and panic is self-control. I don’t know about you, but I must admit that sometimes I don’t like that word, self-control!! Could it be that it makes me accountable for my actions (as in one scoop of ice cream instead of three!)? That it requires I make a choice and ultimately the consequences of that choice cannot be blamed on someone else? “I can’t help but worry” has been an excuse I’ve heard a thousand times….yes you can! It is called, “choice”, as in SELF control.

Solomon reminds us of the danger of not having self-control: “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” Prov 25:28
When we allow fear and panic to invade and take control of our thoughts we are opening the doorway of our hearts and minds for physical, spiritual and mental attacks. As in the city walls , WE cause a break in the seal placed around our hearts and minds through which the Holy Spirit was sent to bring safety and security.
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice (this includes fear and worry!).” Eph 4:29-31
“Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his,’ and, ‘Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness (this includes fear and worry!).’ 2 Timothy 2:19
Picture your heart and mind as a fortress and above the door is the inscription, “The Lord knows and guards this entrance.”

Jesus said out of the overflow of the heart our mouths speak (Luke 6:45). Ultimately what we believe and live will be revealed through our speech and our actions.
In other words, whoever has control of our mind and heart also has control of our actions. If fear and panic are the foundation our walls are built upon, our actions throughout the day will be aligned with anxiety, paranoia, anger, jealousy, etc. because those are the byproducts of fear and panic. But if we allow God to be the foundation faith, hope and trust will be the walls built around our city (our heart and mind). This will then result in actions such as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (or no limit).” Galatians 5:22-24.

It is our choice…..fear and worry or trust and faith. Both options are placed upon the unknown, but only One option gives life.
Be humble under God's powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes. Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you. Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. (1 Peter 5:6-8)

Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding

2010-03-29T06:13:00.004-04:00

Usually the first thing I say and ask when meeting someone is, “Hello, my name is Kay and you are?” A name is the doorway into discovering and connecting with another person. In biblical times names were descriptive of anything from the circumstances in which the child was conceived or born to the times they were living in. For example, when Jacob’s wife Leah gave birth to her children they were given names describing how God heard and knew Jacob’s relationship with her.
How would you like to go through life with names that meant: “he has seen my misery (Reuben)” or “my struggle (Naphtali)?”
Don’t know about you but that sounds like the makings of a country song, “Here comes Misery and Struggle” complete with banjo and harmonica background...sorry, I digress!!

So what is in a name? When God called Moses to lead his children out of Egypt, Moses asked God, “When the Israelites ask me ‘What is his name?’ what shall I tell them?” God answered, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” (Genesis 3:13-14) God’s name was and still is indicative of action…past, present and future. God was giving them the promise of faithfully loving and caring for them, of always being with them not far away and it was all in His Name. He continued by saying, “this is my name FOREVER, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (Genesis 13:15)
It was not by chance Isaiah foretold Jesus birth and that he would be called ‘Immanuel’—which means ‘God with us.’ (Isaiah 7:14) This was also reaffirmed to Joseph in a dream prior to taking Mary as his wife (Matthew 1:19-15). God was once again reminding his people, ‘I AM is still with you…I haven’t left you.’

Upon given the promise of a son (Samson), Manoah asked the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?” The angel replied, “Why do you ask my name? It is beyond understanding.” (Judges 13:17-18)
This verse intrigued me and I started thinking if we cannot understand the meaning of a name, particularly the names of Jesus and God, how then can we understand the why’s and how’s of the actions of the One bearing that name? Yet we are forever analyzing God’s actions so we can somehow justify those actions when they don’t meet our expectations.

Isaiah reminds us, “Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor? Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:13-14)
God goes beyond our comprehension to do the impossible in our lives and when He does this our only response should be like that of Job (Job 1:20), Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:20), Mary (Luke 1:38) and numerous others—falling before the Lord in worship and submission.
If we wait until we understand, we will miss out in the most amazing part of bearing His Name (Christians)--the anticipation of the power of God working in and through us. “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well…and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” (Mark 16:17-20)

Where do you find yourself today? Are you still trying to understand before you submit to God or have you “fallen before the Lord in worship and submission” giving God the freedom to use you to display His Name...whether you understand or not?

Into the obstacle

2010-03-22T06:10:00.000-04:00

“And as soon as the priests who were carrying the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” Joshua 3:13

A new generation of Israelites is at the threshold of entering a land promised by God to their forefathers and their parents. The miracles and stories of how God delivered them from Egypt, provided for them, watched over them and directed them during that time has been passed on to this generation from their parents.

Now they stand at the bank of the Jordan River, the gateway to that Promised Land. A land inhabited by people who did not worship Jehovah God; a people whose only means of relinquishing their land would be through hostile encounters.

This was a land so bountiful it has been described as “flowing with milk and honey”, a land already planted with everything the Israelites will need the moment their feet step on it.

One obstacle remained: in order to enter they must first…step.
Step into a river that was running at flood stage (Joshua 4:18). Step into a river that would not stop flowing UNTIL the first priest carrying the ark would enter it.

The one thing we tend to overlook in this passage is that God not only gave the conditions of the water being stopped, He also reminded them I OWN ALL THE EARTH…INCLUDING THE WATER!
“And as soon as the priests who were carrying the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” Joshua 3:13
The Israelites are going to be faced with difficult situations and hostile people the moment their feet hit the other side of the bank. God’s power has already preceded the Israelites entrance to the Promised Land. When Joshua sent the two spies into Jericho, Rahab testified, “We have HEARD how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea…what you did to the …two kings of the Amorites. When we HEARD of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed…for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” (Joshua 2:10-11)

This verbal confirmation from outside the camp of Israel about the power of God along with the miracle God was about to perform in their crossing of the Jordan will once again strengthen the people’s faith in God’s promises and fulfillment of those promises. This will be the foundation upon which God will move in the conquering of the Promised Land.

Where do you stand today? What is God calling you to do that seems impossible? What obstacles are you facing that are standing between you and the abundant life God has promised you? Will you stand on the banks shaking your head and wringing your hands waiting for ‘it’ to slow down, go away or possibly someone else come in to rescue you? Or will you ‘step in’ to the unknown EXPECTING God to fulfill His promise to you BEFORE it happens? Rest assured, God owns ALL the earth and EVERYTHING in it…including the obstacle standing in your way.

Memorial stones or grave markers?

2010-03-15T06:11:00.006-04:00

Throughout the Old Testament are examples of memorial stones set up representing situations the Israelites found themselves in so future generations would be able to know the power and presence of Jehovah God. Had they not experienced these situations, there would have been no memorial stones for future generations--no lessons to pass on.

Don’t know about you but there are things in my past that I would just as soon remain in my past…buried! “Remember the good ole days” has become a much trumped slogan when our today starts to become overwhelming or perhaps doesn’t play out how we had hoped it would. The “good ole days” held challenges as well, although we tend to forget them when comparing to today. When reminiscing on the past we also tend to focus on the positive rather than the negative.
Perhaps by not reflecting on some of the past we then won’t have to deal with the consequences or even possible reconciliations. But in doing this we could also be shortchanging future generations from lessons learned.

“In the middle of the Jordan…take up a stone…to serve as a sign among you. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:4-7

A new generation of Israelites is at the threshold of entering a land that was promised by God to their forefathers and their parents. Joshua and Caleb are the only remaining people from the generation (20 years or older) that left Egypt to enter the Promised Land, a generation that wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until they died. The miracles and stories of how God delivered them from Egypt, provided for them, watched over them and directed them during that time has been passed on to this generation from their parents. This generation has never known anything but wandering, never been part of a permanent community to be able to show their children where they played or worked. They have never known or suffered at the hands of the Egyptian taskmasters as their parents had; nor tasted the first of a crop their own hands planted and harvested.

Now they stand at the bank of the Jordan River, the first obstacle before they step foot onto promised soil. A land that is so bountiful it has been described as “flowing with milk and honey”. Land that has already been planted with everything they will need the moment their feet step on it.

When reading the above verse, I started thinking, “Do I erect memorial stones or grave markers representing my past?”
Romans 15:4, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
I am a firm believer of not living in the past, rather using our past as a tool of warning or encouragement to future generations. When we bury our past and any pain it brought it becomes of no value to anyone including us—it becomes a grave marker representing something that is dead and buried. But, if we allow our past to be as an encouragement to others it then becomes a memorial stone—something that is remembered and can be used to help others. We can use our past to tell of the faithfulness of God OR perhaps what happened when we didn’t allow God to work in our lives.

What about you? Are you erecting memorial stones or grave markers with your past?

Power in Praise

2010-03-08T06:00:00.003-05:00

Mention character and what comes into your mind? Possibly phrases such as, “she/he is quite a character!” or perhaps a particular definition such as “they have a generous, patient or weak character; they have a strong personality; they have a character flaw.” A child’s character is sometimes described as being strong-willed.

Our character is influenced by many things and/or people early in our life; parents, teachers, peers, television, movies, Sunday school teachers, etc. The strength of one’s character includes forgiveness, not getting even for wrongs that have been done to us; helping those who are less fortunate than us; standing in the face of adversity and determining never to give up; being honest when confronted with an opportunity to lie or cheat…even when no one is watching.

Galatians 5:22-26 reveals not only an inward but also an outward manifestation of a character that has been renewed by the Spirit of God--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and self-control. At any given moment in our day, these characteristics will be tested by those around us, sometimes unintentional and others times very much intentional. It has been said if we want to learn patience we need to be around those who will push us to the limit. We almost come to expect the testing of these characteristics.

But the hidden test to the strength or quality of our character is one we don’t expect. One that can so easily sneak up behind us and knock us off balance when we least expect it. It is the test of praise we receive from others. Praise from others can bring moments of awkwardness or embarrassment, but I never thought of it as a test of my character until I read this verse: “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.” (Prov 27:21).

Praise…admiration…applause…honor from others can very quickly turn into self-importance, smugness and even pride. If not careful, we can even determine our self-worth based upon the praise we receive from others. What we do with praise is as critical as how and why we use the gifts and talents that resulted in the praise.

After Paul described the Spirit controlled life he gave this admonition: “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”(Gal 5:26 NIV) Other versions say; “not become boastful, challenging one another; compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better than the other; competitive, irritating to one another, being jealous of one another.”

Paul has just described release from a sinful nature into the glorious fruit of Christ’s nature within us and almost is the same breath ends with this warning. Why? Because even Paul understood the fragility of our human nature. Not always, but there are times when God moves in and through us to those around us that our old nature will raise its ugly head and enjoy, if not seek, the approval and admiration of others.
Dare I say even Paul struggled with this when he said, “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh.” (2 Cor 12:7)

So how do we guard against self deception and come through the test of praise?

1. First and foremost praise is reserved for God. Of the over 350 mentions of praise in the Bible at least 99% are directed to God. Praise is a form of worship. When we seek out praise from others, we make an idol of ourselves and God said there is to be no other Gods before us but Him.
2. We are to encourage one another…not praise one another—“that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.” Romans 1:11-13; Moses encouraged Joshua (Deut 1:32); the early believers encouraged one another in their faith, using the gifts and talents God gave (Acts 15:32; Acts 3:15; 16:40; 18:27; 20:2). Be cautious how we offer encouragement so the “praise” will always go to God working in and through the individual.
3. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. (Col 3:23)
4. It is the Lord we are serving, and the reward we receive from God will far outweigh any praise from men (Col 3:24)
5. Let us not become weary in doing good…even when no one notices, God does! (Gal 6:9)
6. Let the praise bestowed upon us be an opportunity to boast about the power of Christ. (2 Cor 12:7-10)

There is power in praise! Satan will use anything to deflect the praise away from God. Let us be careful whose power we welcome and want to be aligned with.

Hallelujah! You who serve GOD, praise GOD!
Just to speak his name is praise!
Just to remember GOD is a blessing—
now and tomorrow and always.
From east to west, from dawn to dusk,
keep lifting all your praises to GOD!

Psalms113:1-3 (The Message)

Alright…already

2010-03-01T06:35:00.001-05:00

“Alright, already…that is only the ONE HUNDRETH time you have told me!”

Let’s face it, as a child, some instructions our parents gave us either didn’t make sense or we never thought we would need those pearls of wisdom. My all time favorite was “make sure you have clean underwear on before you leave the house.” Now, I always had clean underwear on everyday and if this instruction was given me in case, God forbid, I should be in an accident or aliens from the mother ship kidnap me¬—it wouldn’t matter because I probably would soil my undies anyway!! And would those who found me look at my undies first and shake their heads in dismay because they couldn’t determine if I had started with “clean or soiled”?!?!?!
On a more serious note, I could always detect the importance of an instruction by the number of times my parents would say it. They loved me and wanted to ingrain the thought to make sure I would be safe.

This year, I’ve been reading through The Daily Bible in Chronological Order as my devotional and am currently in the books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (ok, I can hear the yawning as you read this ). Since many of the laws are repeated throughout these books, for the daily reading they are combined in that particular days reading. As much as I love the Word, I must admit when I get to these passages, I usually skim over them. However, I have been reading each word and even though I may not completely understand all the details I have discovered this: God is extremely interested in even the most minuscule details of not only the Israelites life, but mine as well. Throughout His Word and particularly in Psalms 139, there is a clear reminder that there is no place we can go but that God knows us, searches us and sees us…from our physical location down to the very thoughts we have even before words are formed to express those thoughts. He was watching over us as we were being formed inside our mother’s womb—before Mom even knew we were there, God knew. He has a plan He crafted just for you and just for me (Jeremiahs 29:11), He knows what our today will hold for us as well as our tomorrow and He will be there to guide and encourage us all the way.

God may not be reminding us to put clean undies on today, but He does ask us for a clean heart…one that is tuned in to His heart and our ears tuned into His voice.
“See I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.” (Deut 30:15-17)

May our response to God’s instruction be one of gratitude, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10) rather than annoyance, “Alright, already…that is only the ONE HUNDRETH time you have told me!”

2010-02-26T07:31:00.002-05:00

HOW CAN WE CONTROL OUR TONGUES…WITHOUT DUCT TAPE? (Part 2 of 2)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Proverbs 18:21

FIRST, HERE ARE THREE THINGS WE AS PARENTS CAN DO FOR OURSELVES:

1. Be willing to admit we are not perfect...and neither is anyone else!
No one person has all the answers…always speaks PERFECT wisdom! Yet we tend to put unrealistic expectation on others and sometimes on ourselves. We ALL blow it from time to time.
I don’t believe anyone in this room would intentionally start the day with, “Hmmm who can I be irritable with today? Yesterday I picked Aunt Matilda and it was so much fun”!!
The best gift we can give our children is to let them know, “Mom is not perfect…although if they are old enough, trust me they already know that---possibly have already TOLD you this!!

2. Don’t live in the past!
I have a friend that just can’t seem to get out of the past. She has CHOSEN to keep the emotional wounds open by reliving over and over the hurts that were said and done to her 25+ years ago.
The past is HISTORY and meant to teach us...BUT NEVER MEANT TO BE LIVED IN!
Today is a NEW day. It is our choice to make if we want to continue living/speaking in a manner that was done to us and continue in pain (and thereby inflicting that same pain on someone else) OR start speaking life and hope. You and I already know what it feels like to have devastating words spoken to us, we don’t have to continue for the next generation.
The circumstances that come into our lives are not nearly as important as how we CHOOSE to react to them. This is not a perfect world we live in. Our choices do affect those around us…either for good or for bad.
Let go of what is strangling you. People are human and will make mistakes (I’m not making excuses for their behavior), but we don’t have to be a willing prisoner of their choices!
Hurting people…hurt people.
Forgiveness is the key to that prison cell. I’ve often thought forgiveness is more for OUR release than those we forgive. Will this be easy...NO; will it be hard….YES; will it be worth it….YES! For your emotional/physical well being, and those around you, don’t let your past dictate your behavior toward your children.

3. You can’t do it alone!
No one is an island unto themselves and able to live—they will only exist.
An island that stands alone has no protection. Find someone in whom you admire the qualities they do life. Ask them to come along side of you...to encourage, teach and hold you accountable for your actions and words.
It just may be time to take inventory of those who have influence over you. May be time to clean out the “friend and influence” closet! If we don’t have someone who can challenge us to be and do better, then we will become stagnate.
Eccl 12:11 “The words of the wise are like cattle prods—painful but helpful.”

As mothers, you and I set the tone of our homes. These three things will take time so realizing we live in a “microwave” age (we want it done NOW), here are some things we can do today in our homes: DOESN’T MATTER WHAT AGE OUR CHILDREN ARE…JUST START!
Some of these will be actions that teach the value of a certain word:

• When you feel the urge to speak an unkind word….STOP.
Would you want someone saying that to you? Count to 10 before you speak. THINK about the effect your words will have. Children need to be taught HOW to communicate and HOW to handle conflict and they will learn by observing how we do it. Bullies are not born, they are trained by those who have influence over them. Likewise, gossipers are not born, but learn from those around them.
• Don’t let Hollywood---the TV raise or set the standards for our children.
• When you blow it, admit it, don’t make excuses. Apologize—and mean it! Ask them to forgive you and tell them you will try to not do that again. In doing this, you will be teaching them the value of the word mercy.
• Speak success/acceptance into your children. Allow mistakes. When we don’t own up to our mistakes, or belittle our children for theirs, we teach our children that failure is not an option. Mistakes/failure are breeding grounds for learning and for success. I learn best through my mistakes. Don’t compare your children to each other. In allowing failure, we teach our children the value of the word grace.
• Label your children with love. Call a child something and he/she will believe it AND live it out beyond our expectations—good or bad.
• Set boundaries…and STICK to them. NO NOT EVERYONE IS DOING________!! Just as we fence in our yards to protect our children, boundaries are set in place to protect them. And just as they will try to climb the fence…they will try to climb the boundaries. In saying “No” we teach our children the value of love.
• Know that some battles are just not worth fighting.

• TELL your children how special they are; whether they were planned or an “oops” (and NEVER tell them this!!) you have been given an amazing gift. We ALL need to know how valuable we are. You may never have been told this, so let me remind you…Doesn’t matter how you were conceived—planned or otherwise, what matter is you are here.
In all the billions of people ever born you were uniquely and amazingly created—no one else has the same dna as you—the exact same looks, characteristics!! God lovingly thought long and hard about you. He watched each step of your development in your mothers womb. YOU ARE SPECIAL!! Don’t ever think you are not!! You were placed here, at this moment for a reason.
Likewise, your children are one-of-a-kind! (some of you just may be thinking, “Oh thank God for that!”) Celebrate their uniqueness!
• If you pack lunches for your children, add a love note. OR..if you don’t pack, put notes on their mirror the night before. Text them a note during the day to let them know you are thinking of them.
If you work outside the home, put notes they will see when they get home from school.
Your children are going to be in a world that doesn’t always value and appreciate them—give them encouragement-away-from-home—give them a reason to come home.
• Give your children your TIME. Go to the park, crayon with them, hold them, have a tea party with them, plan a “non-birthday-day” complete with hats and cake/cupcakes and candles. In doing this you put feet to your words that they are special. TODAY IS TOMORROWS PAST…CAN’T RELIVE IT.
• With all the electronic conveniences, don't forget to TALK WITH YOUR CHILDREN!
• Let them help you bake a cake or casserole for someone who is sick, or let your child pick that someone. In doing this you put feet to words like, “compassion and kindness”…
• BREATH. Our responses will make/break our homes. Hug someone before you speak. Tell them you love them before any discipline has to be done. AND SPEAK DON’T YELL!!

Words. They don’t cost us a penny, but could bring rewards that are immeasurable…they can change the course of future generations.

Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong. Psalms 141:3-4

Let us be women that raise up a new generation with words of hope, encouragement and life to those we have influence over.

HOW CAN WE CONTROL OUR TONGUES…WITHOUT DUCT TAPE? (Part 1 of 2)

2010-02-25T06:45:00.001-05:00

Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:21

I love getting cards whether they are birthday cards or "no occasion cards". They are just
words…written words. But the joy, laughter, thoughtfulness, and sometimes tears they bring are precious.

Words…how would we communicate without them? Whether the form is verbal, written, Braille, sign language, the point of reference is always a WORD and the meaning and/or expression that word brings to our minds and emotions.

I grew up with a clear understanding of the power of words….although at the time I didn't fully understand how the impact of those words would shape my life.

We lived in what was considered the "other side of the tracks"…had an outhouse until I was in 7^th grade; my dad never graduated from High School and always had 2 jobs to provide for a family of 5 children.

We grew up not having a lot although as kids we didn't know that…UNTIL I started school.

I remember one girl in particular that made fun of my clothes---isn't it interesting how we usually always remember the negative?

By the time I entered High School, I was so shy that if a teacher called on me I had to fight back tears…would rather have crawled in a hole than answer a question---even if I knew the answer. I was so afraid of making a mistake and being laughed at.

Around my senior year, I was befriended by a girl that through her acceptance and fun spirit, taught me the value of being ALLOWED to make a mistake—and be able to laugh about it! This was huge!

I realized the ability to be able to accept that I wasn't perfect, NOR EXPECTED TO BE, would also allow me to then view, accept and realize others were not perfect either.

This didn't happen overnight, but it was a step in releasing the power of certain words others had spoken to me.

WORDS. They have the power to make or break someone; have the power to create or destroy a person's character.

Adolf Hitler spoke words that divided a world…words that terrorized and nearly obliterated a people.

Abraham Lincoln spoke words that brought hope to a people and ultimately prevented a territorially divided nation.

Advertisers use words and phrases that appeal to our "need" syndrome.

We all grew up with sayings like:

"Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you!"

"If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all."

Well, if sticks and stones hurt but words don't then why does it feel like a bolder has just run over us when certain words or phrases are spoken to us?
And why don't we keep our mouths shut if what we are about to say isn't nice…and if we are honest with ourselves, why does it "feel" good to go ahead and say something (at times knowing or not knowing) how it will hurt the person we are speaking to?

I would venture to say every one of us has been on the receiving end of hurtful—crushing words at least once in our lives. And unfortunately may have at one point been the one hurling hateful words—possibly out of revenge or our own hurt.

The spoken word is POWERFUL. Of all the created beings as humans, we were given the privilege and wonderful gift of WORDS no matter the form.

The words we speak should bring hope, encouragement, safety; healing of broken hearts, helping to release unhealthy holds in our lives.

When encouraging words are spoken to a sick person, their spirits are lifted as if given a dose of medicine.

As wives, mothers, sisters, aunts, we have the amazing opportunity:

to speak hope and future into our children…

to speak and bring or begin healing in our families…

to bring or initiate change to environments in our neighbors or coworkers…

to bring about change in our marriages…and not through nagging. (my husband once told me that guilt does not motivate him to do anything…better believe I let go of that avenue!!)

Listen to what the book of James in the Bible tells us:

3:3-10 A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!

^5-6It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it.

This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can't tame a tongue—it's never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer.

TUNE IN TOMORROW FOR SOME SUGGESTIONS………..

GET UP…GET GOING

2010-01-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

This morning I was reading about Israel's exodus from Egypt in Exodus 14 and was impressed with the following thoughts:

Vs18 "…The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle." As believers in Jesus Christ, we too have been armed for battle. Ephesians 6:10-18 "…be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness; feet fitted with the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and PRAY in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

V1Then the Lord told Moses, "Tell the Israelites to…encamp…by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon." The Israelites were going into enemy territory…which is the perfect grounds for God to prove He alone is God and above Him there is no other. The Egyptians worshipped many gods and the lord of this region was no exemption. What better place for God to prove himself not only to the Egyptians but to the Israelites that: (1) He alone is God in the face of what they will encounter in their journey to the Promised Land (2) God will be their protector and provider all along the way.

V5-10 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" Pharaoh took six hundred of his the best chariots…officers…and pursued the Israelites. As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified…cried out to the Lord… "it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than die in the desert!" Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." When faced with adversity, the Israelites response to this crisis is not all that different from ours today. Jesus clearly told us, "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world." (Jo 16:33) Just as God told Moses exactly what was going to happen and how He was going to intervene BEFORE it did, so God has prepared us for what will come against us because we bear His name. And yet, do we not terrified cry out to the Lord, "I don't understand why this has to happen to me…where are you God…I don't remember having problems before…maybe this Christ following isn't worth is!" And just as the Israelites suffered from "short term memory", we sometimes do the same.

V15 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground…the Israelites will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army….the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord."
V19-25 So the angel of God moved from in front of Israel's army and stood behind them coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel.
I love God's response! Almost like he is saying, "Have you not just witnessed my power to release you from Egypt? Did I not promise I would take you to a better place? Get up and get going!!"
And again, does God not say that to us, "stop moaning…stop focusing on the Pharaoh in your life. Get your "armor" on and watch me fight for you, through you so you can be more than conquerors in the land I am giving you!" How many times do the "Egyptians" around us not know God is Lord because we freeze in our boots?

So today, it doesn't matter where you may find yourself; whether physically strong or challenged the message is the same: put your armor on and GET UP…GET GOING…and witness the power of God. How else are the pharaoh's and the Egyptians in our lives to know and see the glory of God?

I dare you!

2009-12-16T08:57:00.002-05:00

I remember going to a house of mirrors when I was a little girl and giggling at all the images that could be reflected from my body. We would race from one image of being a six foot tall giant, to another where we where as wide as we were tall! Even though what we saw was clearly physical it was still a distorted view of what reality was.

The dictionary describes image as, "the visual impression of something produced by a lens, mirror, etc.; a mental picture of something; idea; impression."

Today, the lens we view through can also distort reality either into something it is not or prevent us from dreaming of what could be. Our lens is shaped by past and present experiences, which will have a direct affect on how we perceive God and His ability to work in our lives.

There are many examples throughout the Bible of people seeing through distorted lenses. Two come to mind: one is found in Genesis 17:17; 18:11-12. Both Sarah and Abraham saw God’s promise of an heir through a distorted lens. They both laughed at God when He said they would bear a child at an age when most were becoming grandparents. Their laughter and disbelief did not change God’s plans or fulfillment of those plans.

The other is Mary who also saw through distorted lens when the angel proclaimed she would become pregnant and carry the Son of the Most high God—all through, not the normal process but rather an “overshadowing” of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:28-35). Again, her inability to comprehend the process would not prevent God’s plan nor the fulfillment of that plan to be accomplished.

Both these events would become reality not through anything man could accomplish, but rather through a Power that could neither be manufactured nor prevented.

So what does this have to do with you and me today? What are your dreams…what do you dare hope for?

Paul, in reminiscing about Abraham’s age of bearing children, says, “…the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17-18)

It is God’s power that is at work within us to fulfill the plan that only He has set into motion for our lives. That plan will include things that today may only seem like a dream but can become a reality when we steadfastly look through the lenses God sees through.

I dare you…no I double dare you to dream the “immeasurably more” today not focused on the “now” but looking through God’s lenses to what could be and then allowing God to accomplish it in His timing and through His power!!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us...... (Ephesians 3:20-21)”

Gentle awakening

2009-12-11T06:57:00.001-05:00

Isa 50:4-5 “The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back.” (NIV)

Today before you begin your day and have all kinds of voices demanding your attention, realize that it was God that gently awakened you to listen to His voice today. No matter the ‘means’ of how you were awakened God wants to whisper His hope and His life into you today through His Word…it is worth taking the time for His instructions!

Go into all the world.

2009-11-19T10:15:00.001-05:00

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Mt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15).

Have you ever thought, "Lord, how can I go into ALL the world?" Family and job responsibilities and sometimes just our own survival quickly diminish hopes of fulfilling God's call to "all the world." Some of us may never have the experience of going to foreign countries, although we long to fulfill this mandate given to us.

The United States has always been a melting pot--that is our great heritage. But even more so today with "wars and rumors of wars" in foreign countries, people are literally fleeing for their lives and the lives of their children. They look to the United States as a land of freedom and hope seeking to escape injustices.

In God's goodness and grace, today He has brought the world to us! Our neighbors, our co-workers, those we rub elbows with at the mall, the gym or in school may be from foreign lands. Instead of looking at them through eyes of fear and disgruntlement, let's see them through the eyes of Christ. If we are truly Christ followers we will walk as Jesus walked. Jesus walked into the world of the Samaritan women…she walked out in freedom. Their path to True Freedom may just begin right at our own front door. All we have to do is open our door, see them as Christ would, and walk as Jesus did…

"I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come and eat with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20).

First hand Jesus

2009-08-27T16:37:00.001-04:00

Contrast the account of Stephen in Acts 6-7 with the account of the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19 and we see an underlying theme that has crept into Christianity today. That theme is best described in a devotional book I recently found in our library which says; "Secondhand religion is always overpowered by firsthand evil…the impotence of the Church is caused by the secondhand nature of its religion. Jesus is never available if you are preaching a secondhand Jesus. It must be out of one's own depths to the depths of the other person. Only that which comes from the heart can reach the heart."

Stephen presented a "first hand" Jesus that he knew deep within the depths of his heart. This Jesus motivated and compelled him to share the greatest love he ever knew without consideration of his own well being. This heart dwelling knowledge and love of Jesus was not encountered by the sons of Sceva. Oh they knew of Jesus, but so did their attackers.

Our actions will always reveal Who really masters our hearts.

Breaking up for harvest

2009-08-25T08:42:00.006-04:00

I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
Hosea 10:12 (NLT)

The cycle of allowing God as the Master Gardener of our hearts:
When we ask Him, He will plow/break up the dry, hard, unfertilized grounds of our hearts resulting in our desire to plant seeds (deeds) of honesty, justice, integrity, goodness, kindness which will then result in a harvest of not only our love for God but those we touch.

As hard as our ground may become God's touch will ALWAYS be able to penetrate...if we open ourselves to His touch.

Be a generous sower

2009-07-29T10:56:00.002-04:00

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously…God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-10

We have not been given to hoard but to give away, whether it be out of plenty or “slim pickings.” With many out of work or working without a paycheck (as in Pennsylvania state government), this reminder is so important for us today. Neighbors, co-workers, family, friends or you may even be in this situation. God’s economic system is not like that of the worlds which tells us to “save it for a rainy day.” The Bible clearly tells us God has given us EVERYTHING so we can be generous on every occasion, doesn’t say “wait until you have to be generous”…be generous NOW. Look around at those in need. Doesn’t always require giving of money, sometimes it may be our time, the sharing of a meal or a ride, sharing a talent/trade God has given you. Bake a cake for your family and give some to a neighbor. Weed a neighbor’s flower bed or if you are a handyman fix something for a neighbor. Give a word of encouragement …all it cost is your time.

“You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of this service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that ACCOMPANIES YOUR CONFESSION of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” 2 Corinthians 9:11-13

Bless someone today...not to receive, but just to give…………

Be the light...

2009-07-19T07:32:00.002-04:00

I sent these scriptures with my daughter when she left on a missions trip Friday. May they be an encouragement to you and I as we open ourselves for God to use us...wherever that may be.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4
REMEMBER: The One who is in you is TRUTH and is greater than the deceiver!! PRAYING that eyes and hearts will be opened to the Truth

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Cor. 2:9 Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Heb 11:1
REMEMBER: Your only limitation is unbelief. PRAYING your faith will explode

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 2 Cor 2:14-15
REMEMBER: Daily “heart-cleansing.” PRAYING those around you will smell the sweet aroma of Christ through your touch and your words; through you, others will be drawn to experience His cleansing.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is of God and not us. 2 Cor 4:7 For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10
REMEMBER: when it seems tough, you are not there on your own strength. PRAYING your weakness will be a magnifying glass for God’s power to be seen.

For our struggle is not against flesh & blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph 6:2 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord Prov 21:30
REMEMBER: what God has determined…will be accomplished. PRAYING God will give you discernment to know when the enemy is working against you and when God’s divine interruption is at work; that in and through Jesus Name His power will be released to proclaim freedom and liberty to those who are bound and their eyes and hearts would be open to experience Jesus Christ.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone. 1 Peter 3:15
REMEMBER: even when you don’t realize it, you are being watched. PRAYING God will not only bring to remembrance His Word for you to share at just the right moment but you will also be “living” His Word EVERY moment.

But you are a shield around me, O Lord; I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Ps 3:3,5,8
PRAYING God will invade your dreams so rest and peace will flow through you at night. Encouragement and praise will be on your lips.

God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him (Phil 2:13 New Century). Jesus has the power of God, by which he has given us everything we need to live and to serve God. We have these things because we know him. Jesus called us by his glory and goodness. 2 Peter 1:3 New Century
REMEMBER: God called you and at just the right moment will equip you with everything you need to serve Him. PRAYING you will rest in His “equipment”…whatever form it takes on!

But I tell you!

2009-07-14T10:39:00.002-04:00

“I don’t care if everyone else is doing it…you are not!” “It doesn’t matter what Susie says, that is not how we __________!” Oh the NUMEROUS times I heard this growing up, vowing never to say it to my children! How quickly the 'nevers' are forgotten when we then sit in the parent seat!!

While reading Matthew 5 this morning, I was struck with what Jesus said not once but multiple times, “You have heard it said____________, but I tell you______.” Words…actions…traditions are powerful tools in shaping our thought patterns, values and even what we believe as truth. Life or death is given to those around us with our choice of words or phrasing when we speak. We “hear” a teaching or possibly hold the bearer of those teachings in high esteem and automatically believe what they say is truth.
Those who heard Jesus speak were amazed at his teachings because “he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law” (Mt 7:28-29; Mk 1:22; Luke 4:32). This proclamation has always amazed me. One would think being teachers of the law they would be authoritative in their teachings. After all, this was God’s law they were teaching…or was it?

Traditions and hundreds of man-made laws, added to what God originally gave Moses on Mt. Sinai, had so bound and burdened the Israelites that when Jesus spoke it must have seemed like a refreshing cool shower sweeping over their hearts. While life was never intended to be experienced in the law neither was the additional burden inflicted by the religious leaders. The law was given as a moral and spiritual guide until the One, Jesus Christ, would come who was to fulfill the requirements of the law for them and us. (Romans 3; Matthew 5:17).
Was it not Jesus who said (with God’s authority), “I have come that you might have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10), and “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke (my teachings) upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke (my teaching) is easy and my burden is light." (Mt 11:28-30 italics added)

God’s truth (His Word) must be the foundation of any directives or instructions we give to others and receive from others…no deviations. If not Jesus words still hold true for us today, “I don’t care what others are saying or doing, BUT I TELL YOU!”

WHAT’S IN YOUR JAR? Part two…

2009-07-07T08:00:00.001-04:00

2 Kings 4:1-7
III. When there were no more containers the oil stopped flowing
Just as in the days when Israel wandered in the wilderness and God met their needs with manna every morning, God will give us what we need, when we need it, to accomplish His good work within us.
“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph 2:10
We need not compare ourselves to others who may be doing “more” or to whom the Spirit may be manifesting himself in a different manner. The oil that God is pouring into your jar and my jar will be just the right amount that He will need to accomplish what He wants to accomplish in and through our lives. Period…no more and no less!
When our lives are done and His purposes are accomplished then the oil will stop flowing.

IV. Used the oil for debt payment (practical use)
God has been gifted us not only for spiritual ministry to one another but also for ‘practical’ ministry.
“In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:30-37)

We are to use the ‘oil’ that has been poured into us from God wherever we go to help those in need around us…no matter what church they attend or don’t attend; no matter what belief structure they have or don’t have; no matter what nationality, race, or sexual preference.
Bottom line: no matter how much ‘oil’ we have received, “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Luke 10:8) We will forever owe a debt to Christ for what He has done for us. As He freely gave to us we are to freely give back to Him by giving to others.
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” (Romans 12:6-8)

V. What seems like hoplessness…
A number of years ago, one of the coffee cups from my china set broke. I had two choices, throw it away or use Superglue. When hopelessness and desperation come into our lives sometimes we only see, “throw it away…what’s the use anyway.”
The value of something is not always seen from the outside. Sometimes in order to see the true value or strength of a jar it will be packed to the limit and possibly broken. The antonym for packed is “empty.” At times we will be so packed with the cares and worries of this world we may crack if not break under the pressure. It is exactly at that moment when our “stuff” empties out that you and I also have a choice, be thrown away or allow God to put “humpty dumpty back together again” with His Superglue. We live in such a disposable world but YOU and I are not disposable! “God demonstrated his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) How great is the value God placed on us that He gave up His son for us...before we were even born!
God will NEVER throw us away. When we finally let go we then will be in a position for Him to mold and shape us for His divine use.

I Superglued my coffee cup and it sits in my china closet with the other “perfect” cups. It serves as a reminder to me that God isn’t finished with me yet either. I may not be perfect, I have a few “scars” but each one bears witness to the all-surpassing power of God that is still at work within me.

So….What’s in your jar?

WHAT’S IN YOUR JAR? Part one…

2009-07-06T14:09:00.003-04:00

2 Kings 4:1-7 “The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves." Elisha replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?" "Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil."
Elisha said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side." She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one." But he replied, "There is not a jar left." Then the oil stopped flowing. She went and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left."

A few observations:
I. She had nothing “except a little oil”.
How much oil are we working with? Working on ‘overload’, trying to do it all, making sure all bases are covered? Bound by perfection? Have a zillion lists and checking them off like a crazy person?
Do we run on ‘just a little oil’ and then wonder why God is not using us the way we think he should?
When we renew our mind (Phil 4:8-9; Romans 12:2; and re-prioritize our “lists”, bring them into alignment with God’s priorities, we then will be able to say, “If all I have is a little _______, then I want you, God, to use the little that I have to multiply it for your kingdom. My life is yours!
All God needs to work in our lives is “a little oil”.

II. Empty jars, not just a few but gather many then pour oil in them.
Empty jars attract dust and bugs. Unless used strictly as a decoration, empty jars are not ‘usable jars.’ God is not calling us to be decorations left on a shelf to look good or be reminded how “useful we once were”. Fruit left on a tree will eventually drop and rot, it won’t provide nourishment for anyone. Left uninhabited by the Holy Spirit our lives will eventually return to what we left behind, unnourished and rotted.
We will never experience the “springs of living water” that will yield the abundant life He has promised us if we don’t first empty those ‘things’ in our jars that are crowding God out. What needs to be emptied from the jar of your life before God can use you? Perhaps:
Guilt over a situation…
Disappointment in how others may view or treat you…
Consequences resulting from choices made by you or someone else’s choices that have affected you…
Living in disillusionment that your life was suppose to be_________by now.
Living in the past…
Jesus Christ has promised to cleanse our ‘jars’ from sin daily and fill them instead with the presence and power, the oil of the Holy Spirit. This can only come through daily communion with Father God (John 15).
This cleansing and communion also prepares His people, you and me, for works of service (not to add one more thing to our ‘to-do’ list) so the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Eph 4:12-14).
What is the ‘fullness of Christ’? His character displayed in our daily lives…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control to which there is NO LIMIT (Galatians 5:22-24).

I love the fact that she was told to gather “not a few but as many as you can”. We limit ourselves so much when we can’t see the potential God sees in us.
Surround yourself with people willing to challenge you to see the potential in your life that God sees. Potential that can be used for greatness in God’s kingdom. God is the Potter we are the clay. He has molded us to be used for His Kingdom (Romans 9:20-21).
God may use our jars in different ways and at different times in our lives.
We are not empty jars. God has been with us and has seen everything that has come through our jars even before we were born (Psalm 139).
When we allow Him to use heartaches, sickness and pain that have come into our lives then His Glory can be seen to those around us. (Romans 5:1-8)
Without purpose in life we will always be unsure and never have a sense of fulfillment.
"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. (The Message Mt. 5)
If we truly want to live a powerful and purposeful life, then we must allow the Holy Spirit to fill us with his oil…his power…his life…his joy.

Crop failure or bountiful harvest?

2009-06-29T12:33:00.002-04:00

Spring, summer and fall are my favorite seasons. The first sight of green in the spring renews hope of life and of warmer and longer days; the aroma of the first grass cutting; the brilliant colors in the blooming flowers and trees; planting of spring onions, lettuce and broccoli (along with the “oh my aching back!” proclamations); harvesting asparagus, strawberries, rhubarb, tomatoes, squash, corn-on-the cob….my mouth is watering!! My parents always planted a veggie garden. In fact, up to the summer before my dad died he always planted and harvested the best tomatoes!

We plant our gardens with the expectation of producing beautiful flowers or delicious fruit and veggies. None of us plant expecting crop rot, bug infestations or “critter” invasion to destroy the hard labor and love put into our gardens.

God has planted His fruit in us with the same expectations, a bountiful harvest…not plant failure. He has planted the perfect Seed (Jesus Christ), sent the perfect Gardener (the Holy Spirit) to tend our garden and produce the perfect harvest (fruit of the Spirit). But at times we allow the soil of our hearts to be tainted thereby affecting the quality of the harvest.

Luke instructs us in Luke 3:8 to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”
The proof of sincere repentance will always be a change in actions or conduct (Acts 26:20).
Repentance is the “weeding” (Galatians 5:19) of our gardens which is the result of the “remaining” Jesus spoke about in John 15. He promised if we remain in Him we would bear fruit (Galatians 5:22-25). When we allow His pruning in our lives (part of the weeding process) we will then bear “more fruit.”

God’s Word combined with repentance is like the spreading of Miracle Grow on the fertile soil of our hearts so that “much fruit” can be yielded from the “investment” God has made in our gardens.

How is YOUR garden growing?

In God's sight

2009-06-01T10:48:00.002-04:00

“Now the earth was corrupt IN GOD’S SIGHT and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways.” (Gen 6:11)

I am so very thankful God bases His judgments and observations according to His unchanging standards, not what man says. Likewise, I need to see through God’s eyes, not according to man’s popular opinion, from which to arrive at truth.
The last verse of the book of Judges (21:25) seems very fitting when we don’t follow God’s standard, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did AS HE SAW FIT.”
It is a sad day when we are ruled by what we “see as fit”. That ruling will always result in the easy, unaccountable and most self-satisfying way. But in the end our display of rebellion will never deliver the peace, contentment, acceptance and assurance we so desperately desire and search for.
God has always desired to be personal and intimate with His creation; has always desired to walk and talk directly with us as He did with Adam and Eve in the garden before their fall. This is why God’s fulfillment of a Redeemer in Jesus Christ, as he first pronounced in Gen 3:15, had to be carried out.
It wasn’t with hatred and revenge God banished they from the Garden but with a heart that was filled with grief and pain (Gen 6:6). God’s heart continues to be filled with grief and pain over our choices today, and as with Adam and Eve, he has given us the wonderful gift of choice. What we do with that gift determines life or death…hope or despair…a future reunion with Him, or one of eternal separation and darkness.
I have personally discovered that God can be trusted with everything and everyone I hold dear. Since He can be trusted with my past and my future, then I can trust Him with my “today”. He has proven Himself over and over again in my life that His Word is truth and His way is ultimately the best!

So what will you choose today, “God’s sight” or “as you see fit”?

“There is a way that SEEMS right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 14:12
“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desire of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23

The Lover of my heart!

2009-05-14T22:08:00.001-04:00

Ann Jean "A.J." Mitchell slipped into eternity on March 28, 2002. Of all the earthly belongings left behind by this wife, mother and grandmother the most treasured were letters sent to her more than sixty years ago. The letters would serve as a reminder of a love that could only be separated by distance. They echoed whispers of love from an era gone by. A heartbeat that only grew stronger as time marched on. They were sent from her husband Sylvester Chris Mitchell (“Mitch”) who captured and won her heart more than 60 years earlier. Their love would never let go. For the first time in fifty three years AJ had to surrender him not to a war, but to a heart attack. Death would become the final separator. The letters told that story.
(www.cbn.com/special/WW2letters/index.aspx)

Just as Mitch’s letters reminded A.J. of his love for her, God has sent his “love letters” (His Word) to remind us that He is coming back again, that He loves and longs for us. He has sent His “Friend”, the Holy Spirit, to watch over us and remind us about our Lover until we are reunited with Him.

God, the creator, lover and pursuer of my soul longs for an intimate relationship with you and me. God KNOWS the most private and intimate parts of our hearts, our emotions, and He pursues us in spite of the fact we often turn our backs on Him and deny Him the love He longs to have from us.
What can we give God, the creator of all? Our heart, of which He created for love; first and foremost His love and then for the love of His children.

Isaiah 30 describes a romance gone sour. The pursued have rejected the pursuer and YET…“the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion (30:18).” The Pursuer of my heart NEVER gives up!!

No wonder Paul could say in Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
How was he convinced? Because Paul knew the love of God, he knew Jesus Christ intimately. Since Paul knew God would never lie or never change His mind (Numbers 23:19), he then knew what He said could be trusted as Truth. This allowed him to proclaim with all assurance, “NOTHING will be able to keep the Pursuer of our hearts away from us…NOTHING.”

Thank you God my circumstances will never dictate how you love me or even IF you love me. You will never stop pursuing me. You, my God, are the ULTIMATE lover of my heart!

Living off God's Interest

2009-04-30T15:37:00.006-04:00

My husband is a whiz at doing any kind of math in his head. His eyes light up like the keypads of a cell phone…I can just envision fiber optic lines just buzzing in his mind calculating the answer. He can calculate gross profit of anything in mere seconds. I, however, have developed brain paralysis! And it is all because of a love affair. Yes, it is true I have had an ongoing love affair with a machine ever since my senior year in high school. Prior to my love affair, I was pretty decent at calculating figures in my head. Now I cannot even do the simplest division without my lover! The object of my affair is…a calculator.

You are probably thinking, “What does a calculator have to do with how I perceive God’s view of me?” What is the purpose of a calculator (besides trying to increase our check book balance when clearly we should be subtracting!)? It helps find or place value or worth of something with the information given to it.

The past 24 months has been a roller coaster with investments in the stock market and real estate market. Values that were ballooned have burst and the hot air completely drained out of these markets. Investors are left holding worthless papers; retirees are left with empty accounts that they thought would provide for them in their later years; home owners’ struggling to make mortgage payments on homes that now are sometimes below the value of those mortgages. What changed? What calculator is being used that no longer adds or multiplies…but only divides and subtracts?

On a recent morning, I awoke to the thought, “banking and living off the investment.” I started thinking, “What am I placing value on, what am I “storing up” and will that to which I am spending time and energy hold its value in order to return a dividend?
Are we living off the interest of what someone else has invested in us? Are we placing our value, our worth in what others think and speak into our lives? And is what they are investing in us “bottoming out” or yielding a “high rate” of return? If we try to live off a “ballooned” interest others place on us, make no mistake we will eventually go bankrupt. However, if we are living off the interest of what God has said we are worth, the value God has placed on us then we will yield a high rate of return in investing in others.

Our value is not based on this world’s economic system, but on a heavenly banking system.
The value system the world uses to determine our worth is ever changing because it is based on the latest guru, religion, ideas or philosophies (Col 2:8-10)

These two systems are so far apart. The world system says, “I AM #1..it is all about me” and the heavenly system says, “He must increase, while I must decrease.”
Lies and deceit are behind the world’s value system, while truth and love are the standard for the heavenly value system.

In Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Life” he says,
“God was there as an unseen witness, smiling at your birth. God did not need to create you, but he chose to create you for his own enjoyment. Bringing enjoyment to God, living for his pleasure, is the first purpose of your life. If you are that important to God, and he considers you valuable enough to keep with him for eternity, what greater significance could you have?
Eph 1:5, ‘Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children—this was his pleasure and purpose.’”

Our value and worth is not determined by how others view us but rather KNOWING how God views and values us:
· God chose us…BEFORE the creation of the world! (Jeremiah 1:5; Ephesians 1:4)
·God pursues me; He knows me; He protects me; He guides me; He holds onto me; He uniquely created me; He knows the number of hairs on my head and has established the number of days of my life (Psalm 139)
· God has a plan specifically designed just for me (Jeremiah 29:11)
· God determined to give His Son as a ransom to purchase my freedom from the chains of Satan’s death chambers before I was even born. (Romans 5:8)
· God takes great delight in me even to the point of singing over me! (Zephaniah 3:17)
· God doesn’t treat me according to my sins (1 John 1:9; Psalm 103:10)
· God is preparing a home for me so I will be with Him…FOREVER! (John 14:1-4)
· God gives me peace in the midst of my troubles (John 16:33)
· God has engraved me in the palm of His hand…He will NEVER forget me! (Isaiah 49:16)
· God has given me everything I need to live (Philippians 4:19; 2 Peter 1:3-11)
Nothing..ABSOLUTELY NOTHING will turn God’s love and affections away from us...NOTHING!! He has placed such high value in us that He gave His very best for us, His Son Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:31-39).
When we understand and accept the value God has placed in us, then we truly will be able to “re-invest” that value in others.

Opposites

2009-04-11T09:43:00.005-04:00

I love to dig into the meaning of words and recently have been thinking about the word “opposite.” The English thesaurus lists, “conflicting, contradictory, reverse” as some of the adjectives defining this word. Easter Sunday is tomorrow and like a movie in my mind this word was playing out the events that lead to this significant day in our faith walk.

Without the manger we wouldn’t have the cross. And without the cross the manger meant nothing more than a sweet baby’s birth. The Manger and the Cross are two complete opposites of life.

Both represent hope…but only one would give eternal hope
Both represent life…but only one would give eternal life.
Both represent the sacrifice of surrender…the cross was the ultimate sacrifice of obedience.
Both represented a lamb…the cross demanded the only “pure and spotless lamb” ever to be born.
The manger was under the law…the cross brought fulfillment to that law.
A star gave direction to the manger…the cross gives direction to the Star.
The manger was surrounded by angelic hosts...the cross was surrounded by thieves.
The manger gave us a servant….the cross gave us our King.

It is easier to worship the manger than the cross.

It has been said, “the character of the worshiper will always be molded by the character of what he worships.”

The dictionary defines ‘character’ as:
1. A distinctive mark, trait, quality or nature
2. An engraving instrument

The cross became the engraving instrument by which the full character of God was displayed in and through Jesus Christ (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness...Galatians 5).

We bear His character today, OR do we?
Like Jesus, do we allow God’s character, His engraving instrument to carve His distinct mark, His distinct qualities deep within us? Troubles and pain come into our lives as an “engraving instrument” to produce God’s character within us. This will always require a surrender of self.

Romans 5:3-5 “We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts.

Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter (completer) of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

As contradictory as the manger and cross are, without the Hope from the manger AND the Resurrection from the cross our Promise for the future would be futile.

Dead man walking

2009-04-07T09:52:00.006-04:00

DEAD MAN…WALKING
John 11

This is Easter week. For some that means bunnies, egg hunts, new outfits, spring flowers, ham or lamb dinners, family gatherings, suffering, resurrection, hope, winters end and springs glorious colors…life.

Martha and Mary didn’t have the luxury of reminiscing about THE resurrection like we do today when they laid Lazarus in the tomb. Oh, they knew a resurrection was coming, just not the one they were about to experience.
Lazarus was everything to them; brother, provider, friend, safety….and now he was gone. Jesus had been a good friend to them, why didn’t he come when they first sent word of Lazarus illness? If he had, they would not be staring at a tomb holding their beloved brother. The death wails were ear piercing and heard for miles, had Jesus heard them? Tradition held that the spirit of Lazarus would hover over his body for three days listening to all those wailing for him. Would Lazarus realize his friend Jesus had not come in time to rescue him?

THOUGHTS TO PONDER:

1. And then he came…"Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb."
Jesus is deeply moved when He comes to the “tombs” we live in today. He came to bring life, not death; freedom, not entombment (slavery); hope not despair. When we invite Jesus to deliver us from our tombs, He stands at the very entrance to Hell and proclaims, “I HAVE COME TO REMOVE THE STONE FROM THEIR TOMB AND TO BREAK THE CHAINS OF BONDAGE YOU HAVE ON THEIR LIVES. I HAVE BOUGHT AND PAID FOR THEIR FREEDOM.”

2. “Lord, he will stink!”
What is our odor to those around us today? Is it the “fragrance of life” or the stench of death? Will others long and crave after our scent? Or do we blend in so well with the world’s fragrance they don’t even realize we are different?
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2:15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

3. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Lazarus walked out of the tomb with his “death clothes” still on. Had it been me, I would have felt like I was suffocating and would have ripped the grave clothes off while running out of the tomb! Until the graves clothes come off, the things of our past that bind us will prohibit us from walking in and experiencing “new life.”

4. The grave cloths only covered the hands, feet and face:
With our HANDS we receive, we give, we touch.
We ARE Christ’s hands extended to all…no matter the smell, the disease, or the social order.
With our FEET we go.
“Go into all the world”…we are to take His message of love, mercy, grace, and hope EVERYWHERE we go.
With our FACE we see and express emotions.
Do others see Jesus in our eyes and expressions or do they see the Grinch?

May we be the very hands, feet and face of Jesus to all we encounter today
Let’s be people walking in the aroma of Life…not death.

Devotion

2009-04-02T10:50:00.003-04:00

Desire…is God really all that I want and need? 2Peter 1:3-9; Psalm 37:4

Encounter…do I expect to meet God or is this a religious act? Psalm 5:3; 1 Chronicles 28:9

Visceral…proceeding from instinct rather than from reasoned thinking. God put this “instinct” to connect with him into our very depths. Isaiah 33:2; 50:4-5; Acts 17:24-28

Object of worship….is God the recipient of my worship ALL THE TIME or is He just the afterthought during troubles? Deuteronomy 4:39; 13:4; Philippians 2:9-11

Thanksgiving…am I living a thankful life no matter the circumstances? Psalm 34:1
Philippians 4:4-6; Colossians 2:6-7

Invasion…do I welcome God to invade all of me and every part of my day? Jeremiah 10:23; Philippians 2:13; Proverbs 16:3,9

Ownership…whose label do I wear? Isaiah 43:1; 48:17; Ephesians 2:10

Nature of God…whose character (engraving instrument) is sculpting me? 1 Samuel 3:21;
2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22-23; Romans 1:20; Ephesians 3:18-29

Devotion isn’t about a “time” period or a “quiet time”, but rather an encounter that deepens our relationship with God and continues to shape us throughout the day and night. It is when we box God into a specific method or time period we then become frustrated that “the” method does not produce results we expect or have been taught to expect.

So today, let’s resolve to OPEN our hearts and EXPERIENCE the amazing-life changing-awesome-power of God! Not just for ourselves but so others can see Him and experience Him through us (2 Corinthians 4:7)!

Who's stationed at your door?

2009-03-23T20:10:00.000-04:00

It was a warm summer day when my Mother started calling our names, “Kay…Charlie”. The only thing separating my childhood home from the railroad tracks behind our house was an alley and small embankment. But to the wonderment of a child, that alley held treasures and far away places that could only be envisioned through the eyes of a child. The brush became forts where we fought dangerous Indians or conquered thieves and robbers, and always the victor! The next day the very same brush would become the backdrop for a royal kingdom complete with handsome princes’ that rode to our rescue upon glimmering white stallions. We even picnicked on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that were fit for royalty! Although on that particular day we decided to venture beyond the boundaries that had been drilled into our minds. You remember those boundaries and the consequences of crossing over! When we finally heard our names being called we ran back to the “safe zone”, albeit a little too late! We had been discovered...UGH!! As we came through the gate, slowly walking up the yard to the back door, we just knew where our Mother would be…sitting in the doorway, waiting for us. She sat at the advantage point; we HAD to pass in front of her to get into the house.

“He also stationed doorkeepers at the gates of the LORD's temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.” (2 Chronicles 23:19)

When reading this verse I immediately was taken back in time to our childhood “alley days.” Our Mother was the doorkeeper to our home as a protector for her children. The boundaries that she instilled in us (sometimes via the back of a wooden stick!!) were meant not to curtail our curiosity but to ensure our safety by not allowing any “unclean ways” to enter us.

In much the same way, God has set boundaries for us, His children today. Our bodies (mind, soul and spirit) are the temple that the Holy Spirit lives in today. “Set a guard over my mouth, oh Lord. Keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil or take part in wicked deeds.” (Psalm 141:3-4) David mouthed this petition to God a long time ago, but it is as relevant for us today as it was when he spoke the request. Why? Because God knows that whatever “things” we allow to enter our hearts can either promote good or have the potential to destroy us. Jesus said, “out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) What we allow our eyes to see and our minds to entertain will eventually find its way into our hearts and then be externally exhibited in our actions and behaviors. God wants only the best for us, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

He hasn’t stationed the Holy Spirit as the “doorkeeper” of our hearts to deny us, but rather to ensure our safety. So the next time when trying to determine what to do and we sense that tug at our hearts…listen, don’t dismiss it! It just may be the very voice of God trying to get our attention and divert us from an “unclean” intruder!

By the way, I almost never was on the receiving end of “the” stick...well, ok maybe that thought is a left over remnant of my “pretend” days too!!

Brain Freeze

2009-03-12T11:54:00.000-04:00

BRAIN FREEZE..it doesn’t just happen with ice cream!! Have you ever been in a situation where your eyes meet those of another person and your mind goes into overload trying to dust off those webbed covered areas with questions like, “I know the face, but can’t place a name with it”; “Oh please God, give me his/her name so I don’t look like an idiot?” Well, I found myself in such a situation. It was a recent Sunday at the end of church when I met up with my husband who was talking with a man and his wife in the lobby. But this time, it was the one my husband was talking with that had the brain-freeze and not me (so nice to be on the other side for a change!). When his eyes met mine he said, “You look familiar” and I suddenly realized this was Bob, a plumber that worked on our home last year. Feeling quite pleased with myself that I knew his name, I blurted out, “Hey, I know you! You are Bob the plumber.” After a few exchanges, I introduced him to our daughter who was standing with me, “this is Bob, the plumber.” She, picking up with her quick wit, replied, “and I’m Jess the lawyer.” A few minutes later, as we walked away, we chuckled at the odd introductions. But I started thinking, how often we view others not by who they are but by what they do. We can even go so far as to place a value on someone based solely on what they do.
Good news, there is One who values us by who we are not what we do!
“The Lord answers, "Can a woman forget the baby she nurses? Can she feel no kindness for the child to which she gave birth? Even if she could forget her children, I will not forget you. See, I have written your name on my hand.” (Isaiah 49:15-16)
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
God loved us and knew us before we were even born! Before we had any opportunities to establish our name, or establish our identities by our jobs or deeds, GOD LOVED US!! Let that sink in to your soul today. He sees into the very depths of my heart and knows my heartaches, my failures and mistakes, my hopes and yet unfilled dream and He doesn’t hide or run away.
I don’t have to prove anything or pretend I’m something or someone I’m not to God. He loves me for WHO I AM!

“…… I have summoned you by name, you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1b) He will NEVER forget me.
Just as He called to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1-2), He calls to you and me today. Just as He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, He walks with you and me today. Just as He longed for Adam and Eve, He longs for you and me today. How comforting to realize that the God of things seen and those unseen, the God of the universe known and unknown knows your name and mine and still pursues us today.

Realize dear friend that you are not alone today. When others may have turned and run away from you, God will remain. My name may never have been tattooed on anyone’s arm, but it is engraved on the very hand of God.

Welcome!!

2009-03-10T09:53:00.000-04:00

Hey, welcome to my blog, I am so excited you visited with me today!! Grab a cup of coffee and join me for a few minutes. I don't know about you, but I NEED a few minutes of peace and quiet before my day starts. That is the purpose for this blog...to have some Quiet Reflections that may help remind us throughout the day what is important. Take for example, yesterday as the sun was rising I stood looking out my study window admiring the beauty of the colors that filled the morning sky. The brilliant colors of red, orange and blue were painted across the sky's horizon like an artist paints on a tapestry. A flock of birds flew by right in the path of my view of the sun and I sensed God placing a thought in my mind and heart, "See my birds and how I take care for them? Not one of them has to beg me for food or shelter. If I care for these birds, why wouldn't I care for you today. You are more precious to me than all the birds of the air!" In Matthew 6:25-34 God tells us not to worry about we are going to eat and drink (very comforting for someone like me who tends to eat when stressed or bored!), or wear. He says when we seek after God all these will follow. He will provide all our NEEDS, not necessariIy our WANTS. Getting our priorities right is the first step. When we start living for the Creator instead of created objects our worry level will deline a few notches. If a tornado came blowing through my house what would I grab on my way for shelter? My husbands' and childrens' hands, and my cats. Kind of brings everything into perspective doesn't it? Whatever "things" can be disposed of are really not worth the anxiety, sleepness nights, overload of working or family tensions. Those "things" that are worth working for are relationships, giving a cup of food or water to someone less fortunate, a hug given to a grieving parent or friend, a smile or kind word spoken to a stranger. I believe when we do these things we are seeking God's kingdom. Christ came to seek and to save those that were lost and hurting. When we bear His name (CHRISTians) we are His hand and voice to those around us.
Let's be Kingdom seekers today....His kingdom not ours.