Just Believe To Be Saved

Luke 23:39-43 "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren't you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!'  But the other criminal rebuked him.  'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what are deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.'  Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'  Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'

I can't imagine what it must have been like to be the believing criminal.  To hear the Lord speak such words when you know you are in your final hours must have been amazing!  His hope was in nothing until that point.  I can imagine the self-condemning thought process for someone like him that must have gone on.  And yet, in one way I do know what he was feeling.  Today and tomorrow are not guaranteed.  I had NO hope until I trusted in the Lord and He changed my life.

Another thing I really like about this passage is that it shows the truth about how one is saved and goes to heaven.The man simply had to believe and trust that Jesus was who he said he was and could do what he said he could do.  And now he gets to rejoice in heaven!  How AWESOME!

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, ' I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.' "


Some churches have taught that you must baptize your child (along with other requirements) if that child is going to get into heaven.  Many people struggle with it.  This passage in Luke clearly negates that thought.  The believing criminal never got baptized.  But look what Jesus said to him.

We are to believe and THEN be baptized.  Baptism is only an outward sign of what God has done on the inside.  It's you speaking out and saying to others that you are going to live your life for the Lord because He has changed you and made you new.  Water can't save you.  Being washed by the Holy Spirit and saved by the blood can.

To Be Like Clay

Paul says, "I have learned to be content...."
No, no I haven't.  Look at all the trials Paul went through to be at the point where he said that.  Oh, I do not want to be like Paul.  The end result was amazing and beautiful.  But why can't I find contentment in all things right now- without the pruning... without the sifting... without the tears...?  
And even as I say this my head is spinning.  I want to learn to be content right now.  But the motive is wrong.   I want this so that I can get back to where I want to be.  In circles I run.... over and over again.  Where is the finish line?

Psalm 51:16-17
"You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart,
O God, you will not despise."

Mmmm..... I am starting to break, Lord.    I am not complete yet, but it feels good to be accomplishing something.  I know you want to use me Father.  I know my life is not something that can be used fully yet.  What do you have for me?  Please show me.  I want to be like wet clay; easily molded, shaped just right.  There are days I want you to speed up the process.  But then I know I will only break and you will have to build me up again.  Chisel away what needs to be taken off.  Keep me centered on you.  Your timing it best.  You are never early and never late.  Please help me to find contentment in your timing, contentment in current circumstances, contentment  in your will.  With contentment I shall find joy.  I want your joy Lord!  I can have joy because I'm saved and going to heaven.  I know this.  Please help it to be deep in my heart.  For what more do I need?  My home is not of this earth.  My citizenship is in heaven.  Keep me heavenly minded. 

God, My Closest Friend

Luke 18:35-43

     As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.  They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
     He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
     Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
     
     Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him.  When he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
     "Lord, I want to see," he replied.
     Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."  Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.  When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

The message here is awesome!  Jesus knew what the blind man wanted as the man called out.  Jesus didn't stop to ask the man what he wanted because he didn't know.  I guess He wanted to see the man's faith out loud.  It was a testimony to others.  It offered the opportunity for others to see God's glory and to praise Him!

The same is true in my life.  Sometimes the thing I need (or want) is pretty obvious.  Besides, God knows everything!  He doesn't need me to tell him in order for him to know.  But sometimes the Lord wants me to ask.  He wants communion with us.  And God wants to be glorified in everything.  When we are a living testimony and speak out loud about what we need and then others can see how the Lord was faithful, it can be a powerful testimony.  But remember, 2 Corinthians 10:17 "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."  When the Lord does answer prayer, the glory needs to be given to him.

I think of the friends I'm closest to and why I'm closest to them.  I talk to them, spend time with them, pray for them, etc....  Where there is no investment there is no gain.  God should be my closest friend = I should be spending the most time with HIM.  People know who my close friends are.  I talk about them and lift them up in conversation.  So people should know that God is my closest friend and ally.

Eternity Possible with God

Luke 18:18-30

"A certain ruler asked him 'Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'... 
'You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'  
'All these I have kept since I was a boy,' he said.  
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, 'You still lack one thing.  Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.'  
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.  Jesus looked at him and said, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!  Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.'  
Those who heard this asked, 'Who then can be saved?'  

Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.'  

Peter said to him, 'We have left all we had to follow you!'  
'I tell you the truth,' Jesus said to them, 'no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.' "

We can't do it with our own strength, good intentions, or imperfect will.  Jesus makes all things possible.  I am thankful.

Content in Life

Ecclesiastes 1:6-8  "The wind blows to the south and turns to the north, round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.  All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full.  To the place the streams come from, there they return again.  All things are wearisome, more than one can say.  The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing."

Beautiful words...can we ever be satisfied?

Ecclesiastes 2:24-25  "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work.  This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?"

1 Timothy 6:6-8  "But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

Oh, To find contentment in all things, in any situation, and in any circumstance of life.  God has amazing things planned for us right where we are.  

The Older Woman's Wisdom

So, I've started the book of Titus now.  And BAM!  Good stuff right from the start!  :)  Titus 2 really spoke to me this morning.

vs. 3-5 "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

The Lord showed me a few things in these verses.
1.  There is a cause, effect and a final result.  It really helped me to be able to look at it this way and piece it apart in order to come back to the whole.  2.  There is a lot of value in seeking out the guidance and wisdom of an older woman who possesses these godly traits.  Young women, we should be praying for this type of older woman in our lives.  Arrogance is probably the main reason we think we know more and don't need to be taught anything by "old people" who are just "old fashioned".  Guard against this attitude.  It doesn't honor God.  3.  Whatever we do in this life, the ultimate goal is that we promote, back-up, and solidify the word of God through our walk.

vs. 11-13 "For the grace of God... teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..."

Even if we feel like we don't have a strong, godly woman to look up to, God's grace, His Word, and wisdom - which He gives freely to those who ask (James 1:5) - is sufficient.  So we are without excuse.  I have been blessed with many older godly women in my life from family members to friends.  My challenge?  Pray for them.  Seek them out.  Learn from them.   But first and foremost, seek out God.  The Holy Spirit is called the great counselor (John 14:26).  No person's wisdom is greater than His.  It can be too easy to say a quick prayer and then just go and talk to someone about whatever is going on in life.  Rather, we need to be counseled by God first.  Then we will be best equipped for when he does use people in our lives.  We will be more discerning for when questionable things come up.  Our understanding of what our mentors are saying will be increased.  And ultimately it enhances our walk with the Lord and our testimony to others.

Do Not Be A Stumbling Block

Luke 17:1-3 "Jesus said to his disciples, 'Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come.  It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.  So watch yourselves.' ..." (NIV)

Romans 14:13 "Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another.  Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way." (NIV)

1 John 2:10 "Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble." (NLT)

We are told that we are set free from bondage of the old law because of what Christ did once and for all on the cross.  Eating an idol-sacrificed piece of meat is not sinful.  Having one drink of wine is not sinful.  Galations 5:1 says that we are free and we are not to entangle ourselves in a yoke of slavery because of the old law any longer.  However,

1 Corinthians 8:9 "But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble." (NLT)

Do not judge others because they have not fully accepted the freedoms from the old law.  If they have a conscience that says they should not do something and you entice them to do it because you think it doesn't matter, then you have sinned and you have caused them to stumble.

Trust in God, Not Mortal Men

Psalm 146
"Praise the Lord.  

Praise the Lord, O my soul.  I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
  

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.  When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them - the Lord, who remains faithful forever.  He upholds the cause of the oppressed the Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.  The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.  

The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.  

Praise the Lord."

John 12:43

"For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

Where do I put my trust and hope?  Where do I find my worth?  From God alone.  He is the God who was, who is, and who is still to come.  There is nothing he does not know and I can put my trust fully in him.  He calls me beautiful and holy.  I am a daughter of the King.  My worth is in the Lord and how grateful I am for that!  Look to the Lord for the praise you need.  Seek out His will to know if you are doing well.  For only He can satisfy.  His opinion is worth for more than we can hope.  Man's opinion is worth so little.  

Father, help me to cling to you.  All that I am and all that I do should be for you and you alone.  Remind me of who I am in you.  Let my discouragement go by the wayside.  You are true, just and loving.  I praise you!

Daughter of Eve, Heir of Christ

Hebrews 4:12-13 "For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."  And then there is the encouragement.  I do not answer to a dead god or to a priest who doesn't understand or who plots my destruction because I am not holy enough.  Hebrews 4:14-16 "...let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Someday I will give an account for what I have done in this life.  Nothing will come as a surprise to God.  I lay bare before him.  My heart is open.  Nothing I do can cover up.  Adam and Eve tried to hide and put makeshift clothing over their bodies as though it would keep the Lord at a distance.  Can I learn from their mistakes?

A daughter of Eve, but an heir of Christ.  That is what I am.  

I have been adopted into the family of Christ and that is where I must reside.  My life, body, mind, everything that makes up this child - it belongs to God.  HIS WORD.  That is where I find out who I am.  It's the place I can go to seek out the answer to life's hardest struggles.  It's the place I can always be assured of God's passion for my life.  How beautiful it is to know the truth.

He Holds

Lord, draw close to me.... Hold me, 
that I may not pull away.  

I am yours, Father.  No other place for me but in your arms.  Gazing heavenward.  

Seeking your Scriptures.  

Let there be nothing in me to hinder Your work.  Use me, mold me, guide me.  

Your love is amazing....

Holy, devoted, unrelenting pursuit.

My heart sings a new song!  

Speak truth into me. No lies from the devil.

                        Thank you for not forgetting...

Forgetting to Give Thanks

"Suppose for a moment," Reardon had said, "that God began taking from us the many things for which we have failed to give thanks.  Which of our limbs and faculties would be left?  Would I still have my hands and my mind?  And what about loved ones?  If God were to take from me all those persons and things for which I have not given thanks, who or what would be left of me?"
An excerpt from 'Out to Canaan' by Jan Karon

Remember to give thanks!  Do not take for granted the small, seemingly insignificant things that have a great deal to do with who we are, what we do, and how we live.  God is a giver of good things.

Point to Jesus

In Bible times the Lord often gave his disciples the ability to heal the sick, cast out demons, etc...  I can't imagine what that must have been like!  Luke 10:17-20 says, "The seventy-two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.'  He replied, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven,  I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy, nothing will harm you.  However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.' "  Jesus is encouraging them to keep their focus where it should be.  So often our flesh get us into trouble.  Rather than giving all the glory to the Father and keeping a humble and grateful attitude, we get a big head.  With out God, we are nothing and we have nothing.  But without keeping a heavenly, God-centered mind set, we begin attributing the gifts, qualities and benefits to ourselves instead of pointing others to Jesus.  It's a very dangerous road to travel!  So slippery.  Satan knows how pride loves to rule in our hearts.  It's one of the quickest ways to put distance between you and Jesus.  The farther you move from Him, the closer you move to Satan.

Another thing I notice about this passage is this: "...I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven... rejoice that your names are written in heaven."  I have to wonder if Jesus was eluding to the fact that when Satan fell, it was a scary, horrifying thing.  The fact that they belong to God is something to never cease rejoicing about!  How awful and scary to belong to Satan!
Thank you Jesus for saving me and loving me when I am so undeserving!

Living as if We're Dying

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon

I am not half way through this book yet, and have found two lovely points being made.

Olivia asked her pastor what he thought she could do to make the remaining months of her life worth something.  They came to a consensus rather quickly.  Father Tim's final thought... "In the space of precisely seven minutes, which he reckoned to be the full length of her visit, he had been told a terrible truth, discovered the answer to prayer, helped someone find a ministry, and been unutterably refreshed in his own spirit.  Perhaps, he thought, we should all live as if we were dying."

...

Cynthia read aloud from a book of lectures by Oswald Chambers, " 'Faith by its very nature must be tried,' he says.  Do you agree?"
"Absolutely!" Tim replied.
"I've never been one for physical exercise," she said, "but what God does with our faith must be something like workouts.  He sees to it that our faith gets pushed and pulled, stretched, and pounded, taken to its limits so its limits can expand... if it doesn't get exercised," she said thoughtfully, "it becomes like a weak muscle that fails us when we need it."
"Would you agree that we must be willing to thank God for every trial of our faith, no matter how severe, for the greater strength it produces?"

...

In Colossians 4 and Ephesians 5 we are told to make the most of every opportunity.  In 1 Thessalonians 5 we are told to, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

1 Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.  Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.  But do this with gentleness and respect."

1 Samuel 12:24 "But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you."

Mark 16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the good news to everyone."

Do I live with a fervent desire to serve the Almighty?  Do I live as though I only have 6 months left?  My tomorrow is not guaranteed.  I want to live for him wholeheartedly.  I want to share Jesus with those around me.  Lord, help my will to align with yours.  Keep me heavenly minded.  May my hands be yours.  Use me in ways I can not fathom, Father.  Glory be to Your Name.

Family Fun For Free!

FUN things to do as a FAMILY that are next to free!

1.  Go for a bike ride
2.  Go fishing
3.  Build a snowman/snow fort
4.  Pick a board game and have popcorn
5.  Have a hula hoop competition
6.  Make your own shirts with fabric markers or paint
7.  Play 20 Questions
8.  Play I Spy
9.  Create giant murals on the sidewalk with chalk
10. Visit a nursing home or hospital and brighten someone's day
11. Play Charades
12. Have a squirt gun fight
13. Make a collage with magazines, scissors and glue.  (ie: things you love, things to be thankful for...)
14. Put together a puzzle
15. Make a list of ways to bless others, then pick one or two to do right now!
16. Go to the beach and construct a gigantic sand castle
17. Make home made popsicles
18. Take a frisbee and kites to the park
19. Family in the kitchen - everyone is in charge of making some thing
20. Make paper airplanes and see whose flies furthest
21. Decorate sugar cookies for any season
22. Choreograph a dance to a favorite song
23. Have a mini 'triathlon' with hula hoops, jump ropes, bean bags, crab walking, jumping jacks, etc...
24. Have a water balloon fight
25. Fill the truck bed with blankets and go stargazing
26. Have a variety / talent show
27. Have a scavenger hunt outside or indoors
28. Have a karaoke night at home
29. Who can find the best treasure under $10.00 at a thrift store?
30. Go on a hike
31. Set up a tent in your yard and sleep outside
32. Have a blindfolded obstacle course.  Cheer each other on to get through it!
33. Pack a lunch and go to the beach
34. Bake cookies and drop off plates on your neighbor's doorsteps
35. Go sledding
36. Do yard work for some one who needs help
37. Go roller skating or ice skating (depending the season)
38. Create a homemade bird feeder
39. Movie night in Mom and Dad's room
40. Make a slip and slide with the hose, dish soap, and a tarp in your yard
41. Write down Bible verses on small paper slips and stick them into random books at a bookstore
42. Give each other pedicures / manicures - Come on men!  :)
43. Cut out snowflakes from paper to hang on the windows
44. Decorate your back car windows with window paint/markers (ie: Jesus Rocks!, Jesus is our SUPERHERO!, your favorite Bible verse, etc)
45. Play tug-of-war
46. Write and illustrate a children's book for a child ie: at church, the hospital, etc...
47. Have a popsicle stick or plastic straw creation competition with 10 toothpicks and a piece of string (will need tape if using popsicle sticks)
48. Put each family member's name on a slip of paper and randomly draw one.  Make a card for that person telling them why you love them and what you appreciate about them.

A Chosen People

1 Peter 2:9-10  "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

Psalm 139:13-14  "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..."

Ephesians 2:8-10  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

I am God's child, dearly loved and beautifully created.  He has a plan for me!  There is nothing in me that is not from Him.  I am chosen in Him.  Praise God!

Father, I am willing.  Please show me how I fit into your plan.  Give me wisdom and discernment in this walk of life.

Inexpressible and Glorious Joy

1 Peter 1:3-4  "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade..."


1 Peter 1:8-9  "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls."


1 Peter 1:13  "...set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed."


Where does joy come from?  True joy.  Not just the happy giddy feeling you get when something wonderful happens.  Joy that can overcome when darkness crowds in.  Joy that fills the heart when nothing else seems right in this life.  I want that joy.

Jesus.

And it's not that we should look to Him to feel better.  He is our only hope.  We are to cling to God.  For we are loved with an agape, sovereign, God-love that can never be replicated.  A love that we will never fully understand. 

Overwhelming feelings and questions of:  What can I do?  Will I ever be enough?  How do I make it?  They are answered only through Jesus Christ.  He is the only way to have hope and true joy.  In James 5 it says to pray if we are in trouble and to sing songs of praise if we are happy.  There is no patting ourselves on the back when things go well.  The Lord gives and he takes away.  There is nothing we possess that is not from Him, the Most High - The giver of Life.  

When life gets hard and it feels like there is nothing to possibly give thanks for, then look UP!  Refocus.  If we are eternally minded as we should be, then there is always a reason to give thanks!  (Colossians 3:2
"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.")  The free gift of salvation through Jesus, and the gift of being able to serve Him and walk with Him is enough reason to have us jumping up and down from the roof tops shouting out, "I AM BLESSED!  My God, YOU are SOOOO Good!"

Nehemiah 8:10  "The joy of the Lord is your strength!"

A Time to Plant, A Time to Uproot

My wonderful four year old and I made a countdown caterpillar today.  It is a countdown to when we head back "home" to see all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends.  We can hardly wait!


Ecclesiastes 3:1-2  "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and and time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot..."

Eight months ago our family moved four states away from what had been our home for our entire lives.  It has been a big adjustment for everyone!  As I read this verse today it hit me in a new way.  We had a long season of planting and investing into our home, church, and life up North.  But the Lord said it was time to uproot.  I like to think of it more as transplanting actually.

He replanted us in a new, somewhat intimidating, place.  Now, it is our job to grow.  He feeds and waters us with His word,  guides us with his light, and is an ever present and attentive gardener.

Many positive things have happened since moving here:
1.  I began writing this blog which the Lord has used to show me things I don't think I would have seen otherwise.  Hopefully there has been growth and maturity in my walk!
2.  We've had a lot more time just as a family since we moved here knowing only one other couple.  It has forced us to create family memories that may not have happened otherwise.
3.  Daddy and Little Man have started having "Man Mornings" a couple of Saturdays each month. So special!  Highly recommend!  It changes Little Man's whole demeanor and brightens him up.
4.  Since our schedule has slowed down so much, it has fostered time for Mommy and Little Man to work on Bible verse memorization and morning devotions in his 'Jesus Storybook Bible'.
5.  There have been sacrifices made on both my husband's and my end in order to have a happier and healthier family.  It's helped us to be more selfless and loving.
6.  With not having my mom to lean on for the difficult days of parenting (while the husband is at work), it has forced me to push through those times with more reliance on God.  The Lord has taught me a greater level of patience and grace with my children.  And I think I am becoming a better mom.
7.  Stepping out of the comfort bubble to make new friends has been challenging, but sooo good for me.  It's really easy to get comfortable and not deviate from your circles of friends, church, etc....  If we do ever move back "home" I will be a lot more conscientiousness of new comers to church and just reaching out in general.

Thank you, Lord, for this time of growing.  It can be so lonely and hard some days, but you are ever faithful! You are growing me, stretching me, and polishing me in ways I never knew you would.  Being refined can only bring me closer to you.  Deepen my faith, Father.  I want to know you more.

Spiritual Sluggard

Spiritual Sluggard

"We utilize God for the sake of getting peace and joy, that is, we do not want to realize Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him." - Oswald Chambers, 'My Utmost for His Highest'

He is God the Almighty who calls us dearly loved and friends.  God wants a personal relationship with us.  He knows everything there is to know about us according to Psalm 139.  But do we know all there is about Him?  Are we longing for a deep relationship with Him?  As a Christ follower we are not meant to go through life counting on God to grant us peace and joy so that we can feel better.  Christianity is so much more.

John 15:15  "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."


John 16:33  "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."



Psalm 95  "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.  Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care."


Praise where praise is due!!!  God Almighty, you are amazing!!!!!

Living Anticipating Christ

Revelation 21:4  "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

What a glorious time to look forward to!  My grandma was a wonderful woman.  She often talked about this verse.  She went to be with Jesus almost six years ago.  Her anticipation, excitement, and joy in going to meet her Maker face to face was so evident.     

Her favorite song was 'In The Garden':

I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear falling on my ear,

The Son of God discloses . . .

 

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own,

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other, has ever, known!

 

He speaks and the sound of His voice,

Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,

And the melody that he gave to me,

Within my heart is ringing . . .

 

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own,

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other, has ever, known!

 

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other, has ever, known!

 

We are told in the book of John that Jesus is preparing a place for us.  It's going to be a place like none other.  To see the Lord and to commune with Him is hard to imagine, but I can not wait!


This time on earth is but a blink of an eye.  Am I living every possible moment for HIS glory???  Am I offering the very least that I can possibly offer - to love Him completely and wholeheartedly?  Is my life laid down and surrendered to Him?


Matthew 22:37  "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Romans 6:13  

"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness."

Judging Others

Judging.

    What a slippery slope.  I love what Beth Moore has to say.  If I could take the four pages that cover this out of her study on James and just retype them I would probably be better off.  But for the sake of time and room I will highlight just a few areas.

The royal law:  Love your neighbor as yourself.

James 4:11-12  "Brothers, do not slander one another.  Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it.  When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.  There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy.  But you - who are you to judge your neighbor?"


(Beth)  "The Greek term translated "slander" in the NIV also means 'criticize' (HCSB) and 'speak against' (NASB).  The original word doesn't leave us room to excuse ourselves because what we said was simply the truth.  To James, if it was said critically or against another person, it was sin." 

I know for myself - and I'm sure many others - it is WAY too easy to say something that is slightly judgmental or unkind and then to tag on the line, "It's just the truth."  Sound familiar?  Ouch.  Romans tells us we condemn ourselves when we judge others and that we are without excuse.  It then says, "We know that God's judgement on those who do such things is based on the truth."  This speaks volumes to me.  We humans are so full of flesh.  Our judgments are based on our experiences, our hormones, the 'truth' that we want to hear, and the 'truth' that we are encouraged to believe.  Only God knows a person's heart.  He alone can judge based on truth.  We are better off to leave the judging of the person up to God.


Matthew 7:1-2  "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."


(Beth)  "Humanly speaking, a fine line can squiggle between wise discernment and sinful judging.  We need discernment in the worst way... True discernment breeds wisdom.  Sinful judgment breeds a condemning spirit."

1 Corinthians 2:15  "The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment."

(Beth)  "People who walk in the Spirit judge 'things'.  Not people."


I think it's important to take a brief pause and make it clear that black and white sin can be judged.  God gives us clear instructions about what is an abomination to Him and what truly grieves Him.  We should call sin, sin.  However, you are judging the sin as sin - not the person as sin.  When slandering (criticizing) someone because of something they have done I truly don't believe it is of the Lord.  You criticize them rather than the sin.  The sin is what grieves the Lord.


James 4:11-12  "Brothers, do not slander one another.  Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it.  When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.  There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy.  But you - who are you to judge your neighbor?"

Mercy Triumphs.

Friend of God

James 4:4  "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?  Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

In Beth Moore's study on the book of James, she writes, "The unspeakably high privilege of friendship with God makes a person humble and friendship with the world makes a person proud.  The former He graces.  The latter He opposes.  Can you think of anything in this world scarier than standing opposite of God?"

God calls us (as followers of Christ) his friends.  He does not rule over us as a power hungry master.  His work on the cross made it possible for us to have close communion with the Father.  The Holy Spirit now lives in us as our Counselor.  Isn't it awesome that God's wisdom is shared with us?  We have only to ask for wisdom and it will be given.

John 15:15  "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business.  Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."  (He is speaking to his disciples right before his arrest and crucifixion.)


I choose to be a friend of God.


Lord, keep my heart close to you that I will not give it away to the things of this world.

Embrace the Consequences

My imagination-filled four year old sits in time out.  I hear his hands clap shut as he quietly talks from the stair well. "Dear Jesus, can you help me to be good and to be kind so that I won't get any time outs or spanks.  Thank you.  Amen."  Then there is silence and I sit here contemplating the words to his prayer.  A prayer of repentance?  What was his motivation for that little prayer?

To escape the repercussions.

I know he is only four and hopefully with time he will learn.  At least it's a step in the right direction...  But my heart is saddened a bit.  How often do I go before the Lord and ask his forgiveness, or ask for his help, with the motive being that of a young child's?  I know what the Bible says is sin.  And yet, is this my heart?  I don't want to keep reaping these consequences, Lord.  Please help me to do better.  What happened to hiding His word in my heart that I might not sin against Him?  (Psalm 119:11)

Sin is grievous to the Lord.  Am I grieved because of my sin and the pain it causes my God?  Or do I view it as a mere "oops"?  How often I have heard my child say, "But I didn't mean it," as he tries to talk his way out of time out.  Frustration threatens to brim.  Self-teach, Kelsey.  Then child-teach.  My sin nature is just like his.

Eucharisteo
117.  ...for a time to teach life lessons. 


Do I try and talk my way out of the consequences my sin brings?  It's just another "oops".  Please have some mercy, Lord.  And then realization hits me once again.  His mercy permeates.  His gift has saved me from the worst possible consequence ever!

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death.  But the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."

 I want to be refined.  I want to be like Him; to be brought back to the state in which I was created when sin didn't rule my nature... because I was made in His likeness.

Refine me, Lord.  I know the things I go through will refine me.  I know you will bring good from every situation.  Help me to be thankful for these times.  Keep me from falling into the trap of self-pity.  Show me what you have for me and keep me heavenly minded  Help me to embrace the consequences. 

Both Point to Jesus

I LOVE how the Old Testament points Jesus over and over again.  It gives proof that the two testaments are one.  It gives proof that Jesus is God and that He 'lived' long before he stepped onto this earth.  It is evidence that the Holy Spirit is just as much God as the Son and the Father.  It shows how our awesome God had a plan from the very beginning to bring his people back to him.  And my saving grace of which I am ever grateful for:  It is undeniable the LOVE that our Creator has for us!

Ezekiel 36:26-27  "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

Jeremiah 31:31-34  " 'The time is coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.  It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,' declares the Lord... 'I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.  No longer will a man teach his neighbor or a man his brother, saying, "Know the Lord," because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,' declares the Lord.  'For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.' "

I love the last half of that verse!  Religious teachers who say you have to go through them in order to ask God's forgiveness don't know what they speak of.   Their understanding of what the cross did is greatly lacking!  To truly know someone the way God says that we can know Him (because of what Jesus did for us) is to be extremely personal with that person.

There are many other places in the Old Testament that speak of Jesus.  I want to dig deeper.  A greater understanding of who Jesus is and what he has done - AND realizing all the evidence that shows it is infallible - will only grow me deeper in my relationship with Christ.  This is my desire.

Resentment Should Cease

James 1:19-20  "...be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."  

As I sit and consider James' words, digging deeper with Beth Moore's study, I am convicted.

I pick up my pen to list the areas this last week where anger took hold.  Past moments were drudged up;  Current situations were taken hold of.
I then consider which ones I felt justified in as though I had a right to be angry.

Regret.... 

Righteous anger is only attainable by God.  My heart appears so dark as I look to the inward mirror - a reflector I rarely take out to use in depth.  What will I see?  Who wants to go there?
God does.  His perfect work in us will not be made complete with anger dwelling deep.
In my own life I have found that anger usually comes from lacking something.  It is easily fueled by a lack of forgiveness, a lack of understanding, a lack of humility, a lack of patience... on and on the list goes.

Psalm 37:8  "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret  - it leads only to evil."

Ephesians 4:31  "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."

Colossians 3:8  "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these:  anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips."

I look up the definition of malice.  New light is shed for me.  Malice: noun - 1. desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness.  Anger is a form of malice according to Ephesians.  I may not wish bodily harm on someone, but what about the need to make them feel regret or the need for them to have some type of punishment?  They should have to pay for what they did!  Vengeance is the Lord's - not ours.

Romans 12:19  "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord"

How about the need for an apology?  How much better to forgive without that requirement!  If you say you forgive because they say they're sorry, how much benefit is that to you?  If you can not say in your heart that you forgive them until the apology is given, then I would dare to say forgiveness has not happened at all.  Forgive: verb - 1. to cease to feel resentment against.  When I think of a situation and resentment or anger starts to come up, then true forgiveness has not happened.  It is an act of the heart, not the mouth.


Lord, help me to truly forgive just as you forgave me.  Oh, how thankful I am that you chose to first forgive and pay the penalty for my sin and that you did not wait to hear me say I'm sorry.  Do your perfect work in me, Father!  May I have love and mercy always.  Keep me from falling into the ugly pit of unforgiveness.  

God's Decrees

You shall have 

no other gods 

before me.

As I read in 1 Kings chpt 9 I am amazed.  He is ever so stern!  I can see how, if you don't look at the big picture of who God is and why and when he does certain things throughout the Bible, someone might read this and think He is not a God of grace.  (vs. 6-9) "But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.  Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples... because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them - that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them."  God's commandment of "you shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3) is serious.  He meant business when he wrote that on the stone tablets for Moses to bring down to his people!  There's no messing around with that - and for good reason!

If you look at Sodom and Gomorrah and the terrible, godless people they had become, there's no doubt why God has rules for us.  He isn't just wanting us to obey him and bow down like cowards because he's a control freak.  God KNOWS what happens when people walk away from him and his decrees.  Sorrow and despair, anger, corruption, jealousy etc.... take over the hearts of his people - which is exactly what Satan delights in - and destroys them.  Hope is nowhere to be found.... except through HIM!  Our good is His intention.

Over and over again throughout the Bible, God gave 2nd and 3rd chances to people.  I am grateful for the grace that God gives.  His patience is amazing and his love is unwavering.  God is "...not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)  I want to be humble before my King.  I never want to forget that what I have and who I am is nothing without Him.  

Moms

Happy Mother's Day 

to the most beautiful and wonderful 

Mommy and Mother-in-law!!!!

I love you both very much!

By Faith

Hebrews 11:1-40

        "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

                  and certain of what we do not see.  

       This is what the ancients were commended for.  

    

    By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

    By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did.  By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings.  And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

....
    By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.  By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
    By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.  By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him with the same promise.
....
    By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.  He who had received the promises though God had said to him, 'It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.'  Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
    By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.  
    By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
    By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.
    By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
....
    I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
....
    These were all commended for their faith...."

Mother's Day

My Mama is someone special.  

She's my best friend. 

     Until recently, we lived not too far apart.  When things were hard with the kids I knew I could call her and she'd drive over to spend the day with us.

     I never worried about not being welcomed at her house.  Games, talks, crafts, and yummy little snacks...  One another's company was the best thing a day could bring.  Target trips for no reason at all - I miss these things that miles now separate.


     When I was little there was always a hug for a sad face, a band aid for the scraped knee, a book to be read as we snuggled in the rocking chair... trips to McDonald's, a Mommy day date, Dairy Queen treats, and Camping at Norway Beach... and those special notes left for me ending in xoxo just to say she loved me.  So many special memories.

     Whether sleepy or just curled up in her lap, a favorite song was usually sung; one she wrote for her babies, and I now sing to mine...

"I love you, I love you, I love you, I do.  You're Mommy's sweet baby, I love you I do.  Oh you're my little sweet heart, you're my little girl.  I love you, I love you, I do."

     My little boys already have such fond memories.  Kisses, hugs, kisses, hugs, and still more kisses - never enough of those!  Picnics outside, silly "I'm thinking of something..." games, playing animals in the lego zoo she built with matching colored pieces...

and those stories!   

Snuggled up in Grandma's room - there unfold the most interesting tales 

of the nature trail, animals, and adventures at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  

My little boy could sit for hours and listen to her stories.  

Back and forth, back and forth they go 

with giggling and whispering floating from the doorway... 

I have the best Mama and

My boys have the best Grandma...

...I am thankful.

A Lineage of Grace

     I look at Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba, and I know that God is a great God full of compassion, mercy, grace, and forgiveness.  He redeems and restores.  He sees the heart that is truly repentant.  God, in his sovereignty, knows whose heart belongs to Him.  We are not born by blood into the family of Christ.  It is a birthright, not by blood, but by spirit.  It does not matter who your parents are or what your lineage has held.  You are an individual with a choice of your own.  Will you accept the free gift that God has offered and start your family's heritage in Christ?

Ephesians 1:3  "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purpose in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment - to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ."


Romans 8:15  "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' "


     God does not always choose to use the people that we think He should.  His ways are beyond us.  Let's not ever assume that because we pray for a certain type of person to fulfill something, that the Lord will send that particular type of person.  His wisdom far surpasses our humble minded reasoning.  Who are we to think we know better?  I am beyond thankful that God can see the heart and chooses according to his good purpose and not mine.  What a disaster it would be if he listened to me.

     Do not think less of yourself because of the past you have held.  There may be consequences still to reap (whether inflicted by yourself or by someone else), but if you are willing, the Lord will use you in ways you never expected.

     "A Lineage of Grace" by Francine Rivers is a wonderful historical fiction novel written about five unexpected women in the Bible whom the Lord chose to use in a mighty way.  Their stories were written from a very Biblical standpoint.  I highly recommend this book!  There is also a Bible study at the end of each short story to help you search the Word to find out for yourself how God did a mighty work through these humble, and often despised, women.

Sunshine

A beautiful day... 86 degrees expected by mid-afternoon.  Sunshine is medicine to lift the spirits.  Chocolate satisfies the sweet tooth and lifts the spirits.  A tender embrace from the husband I love gives encouragement and lifts my spirits.  They are gifts from the Lord, and I am thankful.

But each thing, is only temporary.  What do I truly long for and desire?

More Jesus.

The Word of God rains down wisdom, grace, discernment, encouragement, and satisfies completely.  It leaves me wanting only for more of Him.  But it's a wanting in joy, not from dissatisfaction.

Nourish me, Lord.   

When Words Are Many

A Psalm of David
Psalm 4:4
"Don't sin by letting anger control you.  Think about it over night and remain silent." NLT
"In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent."  NIV

I appreciate reading these two versions of Psalm 4:4 side by side.  It brings everything together for me.  When I feel as though I've been wronged, it is very easy for me to call up a friend and vent.  In my anger I spout off all the reasons why I have been ill treated and why, in fact, I am in the right.... or so I would like to think.  When anger causes the action, sin is rarely absent.  

Proverbs 10:19  "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."


Have you heard the phrase "just sleep on it for a night"?  Well, as hard as it may be, I have now found scripture to back this statement up!  Giving good thought and reason to a situation always involves the Lord.  Pray, pray, and pray some more!  Read, read, and read the scriptures more!
After sufficient time of delving in yourself, allowing your temper to cool, and giving the Lord time to work on your heart, if it is still unresolved in your mind, I also believe it is Biblical to go to someone who is mature in their faith and will give you fair counsel on the issue.  It can help give us a better understanding and view of the situation.

Proverbs 19:20  "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise."


Proverbs 12:15  "The way of the fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice."


I like how the New International Version says to search your heart and be silent.  I need to first examine why it is I feel so wronged.  Sometimes the thing that drives us crazy about someone else is a trait that we find in ourselves.  And even if this isn't the case, I have to remember that there are two sides to a coin.  Perhaps that person feels wronged by me?  Or why does the other person feel they are so right and I am wrong?  Examine all sides and give a fair assessment.

Luke 6:41  "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"

Father, help my words to be few.  When in a hard situation, give me the wisdom to go first to YOU, and then to seek the counsel of someone you've put in my life.  Give me an attitude of love and grace, Lord.  Keep my heart in check.  See if their is any offensive way in me and correct it, I pray.  Thank you for your grace and for never giving up on me.  

He Turns One

My baby boy is one year old today.  I have to admit it makes me a little sad.  No more babies will be hearing my heartbeat from inside or coming home from the hospital for the first time.  I'm not really ready to let go of this baby stage.  My arms already ache to hold the infant from my womb in it's small form.  Yet, I rejoice to see the beautiful little boy he is becoming!  What a gift my great God gave to me!

90.  Birthdays to celebrate God's gift of you.  Eucharisteo

My prayer is that the Lord will grow my two little boys to be strong men of God.  That their hearts would overflow with love and dedication to the One who created their inmost beings.  The teen years will come and I pray they will be bold in their faith and stand up for what is right.  That no worldly influences would mar their minds and hearts.  That in retrospect regrets won't be what they dwell on.  I pray they look first to God and second to us as their parents.  I pray they have compassionate, honest, and passionate hearts for the people around in light of God's calling for their lives.

Proverbs 22:6  "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."


Father God, be the center of their lives.  Do not allow the Devil a foothold in their lives.  Give us wisdom to be the parents you call us to be.  Thank you, Father, that you are faithful.  Thank you that you love them more than we ever could!  Thank you for the incredible gift of two beautiful little boys.