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Thursday, June 27, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
COUNT IT ALL JOY....
This has indeed been the winter of trials & tribulations for me. In the midst of working at a 3rd job last fall/winter I was overcome with pain in my legs. This led to many Dr. visits & tests, and a lot of confusion. Eventually I was diagnosed with 2 things, given medication & did Physical Therapy. Things seemed to be improving when suddenly I was overtaken with leg pain again in one of my legs. After some trial & error this also was diagnosed and I am currently undergoing more treatment & praying for complete healing of this severe pain that can come on so very unexpectedly & last way longer than one would expect. Despite months of discouragement at being pretty much imprisoned by my affliction it has given me the opportunity to reflect on what I can learn from it & how I can grow spiritually as a result.
One very practical lesson has been an insight into what it must be like to those who are permanently disabled. When I see a soldier on TV who has lost all four limbs and is pushing through the loss to greater things it brings tears to my eyes as I have a tiny idea of how imprisoned he was at first by this. When I hear someone criticize or look with judgement at a person who is disabled it makes me righteously angry! It has become evident to me that many places have a lack of adequate handicapped spaces, & if I ever see someone who is not disabled use one of those spaces I will be very incensed! I have had the unhappy experience at least 3 times of thinking I could not possibly physically walk another step being a reality! As I have talked to people I have heard stories of people being judged for using handicapped helps because their handicap was not visible. These folks must feel very sad when this happens.
James says in 5:16 "...pray for one another that you may be healed." In 5:13 he says "Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray." When you are in a lot of pain your prayers can be pretty short & pleading, so I asked everyone I could think of to pray-I worked that scripture to the max! I also prayed that those who prayed for me would be blessed & healed. I learned long ago that when you are confronted with a problem you go to God's word & figure out how to deal with it. I am so thankful for all the prayers said on my behalf & God is answering them...maybe not as fast as I want, but in his time for his reasons. I trust that he does bless those who pray for others because his word says so!
James declares in 1:2-3 "Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. As I have gone through this trial I have thought a great deal about the testing of faith, & that is a good thing to understand. It is those who walk in faith that are victorious in the righteous things in life. James 1:4 says " And let steadfast have it's full effect, that you may be perfect & complete, lacking in nothing. It is a fact that we live in a fallen world and these trials will befall us, but what the enemy means for ruin God uses for good. Everything that we experience we can turn into a blessing, if in no other way but we can appreciate others who go through similar things and perhaps be of comfort to them. We may find a cause we want to support for the betterment of lives, we may dig into the Word and see things we never did before.
1 Peter 5:10 has been my ministry verse for years as a Christian counselor. It says "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, & strengthen you." I sure have wanted to be restored & strengthened these past few months! As we look at verses 6-9 Peter speaks of humility, giving the Lord your anxieties, being watchful for the enemy and resisting him. I can tell you being even temporarily disabled can be humbling! I know some folks let it make them angry & resentful but that only makes the situation worse. Watching for the attacks of satan (I refuse to capitalize his name!) & resisting him is all important. Many folks have no idea how to do this. One very effectual way is seen in Ephesians 6: 10-18. Understanding & spiritually wearing the armor of God is essential for the victorious believer. When I prayed the scriptures in the midst of this trial I saw results! It drove discouragement right out the window! Peter also tell us that suffering is required of all the brotherhood throughout the world (5:9) & I have learned that you can always think of someone worse off & pray for them instead of dwell on your own afflictions.
Most recently Isaiah 40:31 has helped me count it all joy as it says "but they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." This has been a 6 month waiting game and it isn't quite over yet & I certainly want to be renewed & walk without fainting & even run again! As frustrating & confining as this affliction has been, it has also been an opportunity to grow. Everything in life is such an opportunity if we apply the Word of God to it & do our best to live it. We often wonder why God allows such things but if we accept them & let him teach us we can be actually thankful for the affliction & find the blessings in it. We can be stronger, wiser, & perhaps more understanding of the really afflicted in this world. Ecclesiastes 2 tells us "there is a time to heal" as well as a " a time to speak". I am waiting for the healing expectantly & ready to share the lessons of the period of affliction.
BUT WAIT........................
At this point as I was claiming Isaiah 40:31, not so surprisingly, I was struck down yet again! Praying for the ability to just walk again without pain or "faint"...I did exactly that! I fainted-completely out of the blue-no warning! I awoke to find all strength had simply flowed out of my body so I called 911 & then I called my son. The next 5 days are mostly a blur except for the enormous blessing of having my son faithfully at my side in the worst of it and faithfully keeping on top of the matter & letting my other children know how I was. I was kept in bed for most of this time, given medications via IVs, poked, prodded & tested & scanned more times than I can recall. My lack of strength left little ability to pray except to bless those who were lifting me in prayer. My days were spent in & out of sleep, staring blankly at the TV, & having a variety of Drs. come & go. Having been admitted to the step-down unit I was also placed on a heart monitor for the length of the stay. My spirits only arose when one of my kids called or my son walked in, & the day I had a call from my son half way around the world I probably lit up the room with my smile. Eventually with a diagnosis of dehydration, probable infection &/or some blood flow issues, and a couple of minor heart arrhythmia's I was declared well with all tests normal. Praise God for that!
It would be wonderful if that was the end of the story, but I came home weaker than I ever thought I could be (before this now 6+ month experience) & now having to rebuild my strength from days in bed. It is a slow process, one day at a time, one small step at a time, to regain one's strength. So what now to be learned from this journey? Well, scripture tells us in Prov. 15:13 " A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance..." This was proven to be true when my daughters traveled several hours & visited to help me and to encourage me. Amazing what a bouquet of flowers, a scrabble game, a few much needed chores done can do for a person's emotional health. My son's wife carted me to endless appointments it seemed and ran errands for me over this entire time...something I have done for a few over the years...and it dawned on me...his rewards do come from the work we do for him, and just when we need them. Being "doers of the word" as James says in 1:22 is so important, no matter what the form, as in doing so we fulfill the laws & promises of God! Col. 3:17 says "...do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus..." Many people will do things to get something in return, but the person who just does something to help for no reason other than that is the person you want to see when you are down & out! The apostle Paul wrote letters of encouragement often & the cards, emails, & phone calls I got from family, friends, & even folks who barely knew me encouraged me to not give up, but to march on. One verse especially helped me-after the enemy trying to take me out for praying the Isaiah verse my daughter prayed Ps.29:11 for me-"the Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace." A very few days after that I was strong again! I also had peace for the first time that I would get past this ordeal & be healthy yet again.
Romans 15:4 states "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness & by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope." This says to me that our Bible was meant to be studied & appropriately interpreted so that we might avail ourselves of the very spirit of God that counseled the men of Bible times. God is Father, Son, & Holy Spirit-creator, savior, counselor...all ever present at creation, at salvation, & forever at our side! In Jn.2:5 Jesus' mother said to the servants " Do whatever he tells you." This is what each of us is called to do...whatever he tells us..it isn't a fake it (dead religion) until you make it deal, it is a real deal! Every day the world makes a deal with the devil every second, but...God's people make a deal with him even more so. This is why people transverse the globe at their own peril & cost to spread the Good News-this is why people pray without ceasing-this is why people do all sorts of things-because he said to! He has told me that what I should do right now is to share what I learned in this foggy spot of my life, but even more so to spend some time this summer in extended prayer & study of the word...so that is what I shall do, for whatever his purpose might be.
Lest you think I am a bit nutty for getting this much out of a brief (comparatively) non-life threatening experience I can only say, I call 'em as I see 'em & the Lord used this time to give me some inner reflection & reminders of what his word says & how it works. That, my friend, kept me connected and encouraged even when I felt horrible and maybe like I might die! I think I told him at least once if that was what he had in mind, just hurry it up!! The purpose of this blog is to encourage readers in their life but also in their walk...to motivate them to read God's word in a new light-the light of - it is the manual for life. And, if they do not have a personal life changing relationship with Christ, to seek it. That conscious decision to give ourselves wholly to him is the single most important decision we ever make. If you know anyone who will be encouraged to read this entry or others, or who might actually find the Lord among the lines of this blog, please send them here. The only cost is a few minutes of their time-few things in life are so free, except of course the gift of salvation, & that can take just a moment of submission.
"The Lord bless you & keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you & be gracious to you: the Lord lift up his countenance upon you & give you peace."
Numbers 6:24-26
BUT WAIT........................
At this point as I was claiming Isaiah 40:31, not so surprisingly, I was struck down yet again! Praying for the ability to just walk again without pain or "faint"...I did exactly that! I fainted-completely out of the blue-no warning! I awoke to find all strength had simply flowed out of my body so I called 911 & then I called my son. The next 5 days are mostly a blur except for the enormous blessing of having my son faithfully at my side in the worst of it and faithfully keeping on top of the matter & letting my other children know how I was. I was kept in bed for most of this time, given medications via IVs, poked, prodded & tested & scanned more times than I can recall. My lack of strength left little ability to pray except to bless those who were lifting me in prayer. My days were spent in & out of sleep, staring blankly at the TV, & having a variety of Drs. come & go. Having been admitted to the step-down unit I was also placed on a heart monitor for the length of the stay. My spirits only arose when one of my kids called or my son walked in, & the day I had a call from my son half way around the world I probably lit up the room with my smile. Eventually with a diagnosis of dehydration, probable infection &/or some blood flow issues, and a couple of minor heart arrhythmia's I was declared well with all tests normal. Praise God for that!
It would be wonderful if that was the end of the story, but I came home weaker than I ever thought I could be (before this now 6+ month experience) & now having to rebuild my strength from days in bed. It is a slow process, one day at a time, one small step at a time, to regain one's strength. So what now to be learned from this journey? Well, scripture tells us in Prov. 15:13 " A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance..." This was proven to be true when my daughters traveled several hours & visited to help me and to encourage me. Amazing what a bouquet of flowers, a scrabble game, a few much needed chores done can do for a person's emotional health. My son's wife carted me to endless appointments it seemed and ran errands for me over this entire time...something I have done for a few over the years...and it dawned on me...his rewards do come from the work we do for him, and just when we need them. Being "doers of the word" as James says in 1:22 is so important, no matter what the form, as in doing so we fulfill the laws & promises of God! Col. 3:17 says "...do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus..." Many people will do things to get something in return, but the person who just does something to help for no reason other than that is the person you want to see when you are down & out! The apostle Paul wrote letters of encouragement often & the cards, emails, & phone calls I got from family, friends, & even folks who barely knew me encouraged me to not give up, but to march on. One verse especially helped me-after the enemy trying to take me out for praying the Isaiah verse my daughter prayed Ps.29:11 for me-"the Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace." A very few days after that I was strong again! I also had peace for the first time that I would get past this ordeal & be healthy yet again.
Romans 15:4 states "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness & by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope." This says to me that our Bible was meant to be studied & appropriately interpreted so that we might avail ourselves of the very spirit of God that counseled the men of Bible times. God is Father, Son, & Holy Spirit-creator, savior, counselor...all ever present at creation, at salvation, & forever at our side! In Jn.2:5 Jesus' mother said to the servants " Do whatever he tells you." This is what each of us is called to do...whatever he tells us..it isn't a fake it (dead religion) until you make it deal, it is a real deal! Every day the world makes a deal with the devil every second, but...God's people make a deal with him even more so. This is why people transverse the globe at their own peril & cost to spread the Good News-this is why people pray without ceasing-this is why people do all sorts of things-because he said to! He has told me that what I should do right now is to share what I learned in this foggy spot of my life, but even more so to spend some time this summer in extended prayer & study of the word...so that is what I shall do, for whatever his purpose might be.
Lest you think I am a bit nutty for getting this much out of a brief (comparatively) non-life threatening experience I can only say, I call 'em as I see 'em & the Lord used this time to give me some inner reflection & reminders of what his word says & how it works. That, my friend, kept me connected and encouraged even when I felt horrible and maybe like I might die! I think I told him at least once if that was what he had in mind, just hurry it up!! The purpose of this blog is to encourage readers in their life but also in their walk...to motivate them to read God's word in a new light-the light of - it is the manual for life. And, if they do not have a personal life changing relationship with Christ, to seek it. That conscious decision to give ourselves wholly to him is the single most important decision we ever make. If you know anyone who will be encouraged to read this entry or others, or who might actually find the Lord among the lines of this blog, please send them here. The only cost is a few minutes of their time-few things in life are so free, except of course the gift of salvation, & that can take just a moment of submission.
"The Lord bless you & keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you & be gracious to you: the Lord lift up his countenance upon you & give you peace."
Numbers 6:24-26
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Take a second look.....this Easter season.
Have you ever made a slice of toast with the toaster unplugged, driven your car without turning it on, or listened to the radio without tuning it to a station? Probably not. Suppose a friend introduced you to someone really nice-would you ignore them or speak with them? What if you needed help & a wise person had all the tools to help you and stood waiting to do just that? Would you be too fearful, ignorant, or stubborn and insist on doing it alone? Finally, would you refer to your parent as "it"? Most likely the answer to all those questions would be no.
How many mysteries do you know? Perhaps you think of unsolved weather mysteries or wonder why on earth some folks do what they do or ponder the meaning behind medical miracles. You probably don't think these things are necessarily "spooky" even though you don't understand them. Sometimes these things are misunderstood & revelation becomes impossible with limited knowledge or risk to learn the truth.
Have you ever known anyone with what we call a flat affect? They are simply unresponsive in the normal way to common circumstances. Some believers are like that-they really don't know how to respond to God or they never get excited about what he does. They may see God in a completely unrealistic light as "judge" or some mysterious person in the sky. Some who believe there is a God are not actually believers in the Christian sense as they have no personal relationship with him, just a passing understanding that he exists...even the demons believe in his existence the Bible says. Man-made religion has turned genuine spirituality into a very watered down semblance of it's former meaning as evidenced in scripture. Those who have accepted Christ as their personal savior in a very real born again experience of revelation of who God is often spend most of their time focused on Christ, forgetting about the Father in the equation unless they are reading the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the word says the Father & the Son are one & when we begin to see Christ in the Old Testament it is like a light bulb goes on! Old Testament prophecy points decisively to the Christ of the New Testament.
What about the pillar of fire that went before the Israelites, Elohim in Genesis, and the mighty rushing wind at Pentecost? Who is that? God? Absolutely God. Elohim is plural for him in Hebrew. In our head we know the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit make up the trinity which is a mystery to us to some degree. One of the key points of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ is who he sent to help us until he returns and yet we often fear the Father, plead with the Son to care for us, and fail to know, understand, or embrace the Holy Spirit who is a person left to help us! Ever hear him referred to as "it"? Yikes! God is an it? I do not think so. Many fear the Holy Spirit's work as some of it seems to be a mystery but if they think it is "spooky" they are far from right! Oh, some "religions" may have made it seem that way and shame on them. That pillar of fire in the desert was the Holy Spirit, that person healed was the work of the Holy Spirit, that sense of conviction when you sin is the Holy Spirit, and the fire appearing at Pentecost was the Holy Spirit-the person Jesus sent to us to help us at all times.
In the Apostle's Creed we say the words "I believe in the Holy Spirit..." but what is it that we believe? We may pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit but what does that mean really if we do not interact with the Holy Spirit? Just as we receive Christ of our own volition, not because we go to church or someone tells us to, but because we personally reach out to him, we can can access the power of God through His Holy Spirit. If we don't we might as well consider ourselves unarmed and unable to overcome the things of the world for he is the counselor sent by Jesus to empower us to do all the things the apostles did. It is the spirit of God that witnesses to us & refines us and is waiting for us to tap into the power of God that we are entitled to and were told to use. Many folks just don't get it but I can tell you from many personal experiences that the spirit of God is the most powerful person in this world today-he has healed me, spoke to me, spoke through me, brought me to tears and to my knees, upheld me when others failed me, persecuted me, and lied to me. He has embraced me with his love, shown me miracles and mysteries, guided me in my decisions, and made me excited to be a child of God. Until we are saved we are not children of God-we are merely creations of God waiting to be indwelt with the Holy Spirit. Many never see the need to be "filled" with God's spirit or are afraid to be but they miss huge chunks of God's blessings.
The content of this post is my reflection based on a recent sermon I heard and my own deep convictions that to be victorious in this world we must be walking in the spirit, not just in the shadow of him. We must be a functioning believer, not one who has failed to "connect", failed to accept the offer of help, or feared to be open to the person and work of the Holy Spirit in a real valid tangible way. As you reflect on the death & resurrection of the Son, soak up the beauty of the creation of the Father, and realize the trinity is three persons in one God...give the Holy Spirit permission to invade your life and show his power. In the process you may recognize the gift(s) he has given you to live your life as a victorious servant! 1Thess. 5:19, 20 tells us not to quench the spirit or despise prophecy yet may believers do just that. Eph. 4:30 says to not grieve the Holy Spirit and Isa. 63:10 says they grieved the Holy Spirit (he was around then too). Understanding the trinity isn't really too difficult when you think of it like this...the Father walked on this earth, the Son walked on this earth, and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to be on this earth. They are all God...different manifestations of God. Jesus came in the flesh, the Father appeared to Adam and Eve in the garden and to Moses on the mountain, and we are told the Holy Spirit is recognized by signs and wonders. Just as we must be open to believing in a creator and accepting a savior we must be open to the work of the spirit in our lives or we will never experience God in his entirety or benefit fully from his power. I have actually had believers tell me they don't believe in "that stuff" referring to the works of the Holy Spirit. I'm always a bit curious why not. I wonder if they have really searched the word and soaked it up or if they read it like the newspaper? Maybe no one has explained it well.
When I was saved I had gone to church all my life but when I was told Jesus was waiting for my acceptance, witnessed the Holy Spirit in reality, and read all these things in the Bible for the first time with unblinded eyes...that was when it all came together and made perfect sense. Many small children come to Christ on pure faith and he told us..."suffer not the little children but let them come to me" and they do! As a parent it is our responsibility to teach our children these truths God has given us, to show them how to worship the Lord by example, and as a grandparent I can say it is exciting to hear the stories of grandchildren accepting Christ! It was also a transforming experience to walk near the sea of Galilee, stand on Mt. Nebo where Moses looked into the promised land, and to walk the streets of Jerusalem. Somehow it made it all the more real in a humbling sort of awe. If this little blog spot will help anyone understand afresh who God is please point them to it. I write it for just that reason.
Have a blessed Easter!
How many mysteries do you know? Perhaps you think of unsolved weather mysteries or wonder why on earth some folks do what they do or ponder the meaning behind medical miracles. You probably don't think these things are necessarily "spooky" even though you don't understand them. Sometimes these things are misunderstood & revelation becomes impossible with limited knowledge or risk to learn the truth.
Have you ever known anyone with what we call a flat affect? They are simply unresponsive in the normal way to common circumstances. Some believers are like that-they really don't know how to respond to God or they never get excited about what he does. They may see God in a completely unrealistic light as "judge" or some mysterious person in the sky. Some who believe there is a God are not actually believers in the Christian sense as they have no personal relationship with him, just a passing understanding that he exists...even the demons believe in his existence the Bible says. Man-made religion has turned genuine spirituality into a very watered down semblance of it's former meaning as evidenced in scripture. Those who have accepted Christ as their personal savior in a very real born again experience of revelation of who God is often spend most of their time focused on Christ, forgetting about the Father in the equation unless they are reading the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the word says the Father & the Son are one & when we begin to see Christ in the Old Testament it is like a light bulb goes on! Old Testament prophecy points decisively to the Christ of the New Testament.
What about the pillar of fire that went before the Israelites, Elohim in Genesis, and the mighty rushing wind at Pentecost? Who is that? God? Absolutely God. Elohim is plural for him in Hebrew. In our head we know the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit make up the trinity which is a mystery to us to some degree. One of the key points of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ is who he sent to help us until he returns and yet we often fear the Father, plead with the Son to care for us, and fail to know, understand, or embrace the Holy Spirit who is a person left to help us! Ever hear him referred to as "it"? Yikes! God is an it? I do not think so. Many fear the Holy Spirit's work as some of it seems to be a mystery but if they think it is "spooky" they are far from right! Oh, some "religions" may have made it seem that way and shame on them. That pillar of fire in the desert was the Holy Spirit, that person healed was the work of the Holy Spirit, that sense of conviction when you sin is the Holy Spirit, and the fire appearing at Pentecost was the Holy Spirit-the person Jesus sent to us to help us at all times.
In the Apostle's Creed we say the words "I believe in the Holy Spirit..." but what is it that we believe? We may pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit but what does that mean really if we do not interact with the Holy Spirit? Just as we receive Christ of our own volition, not because we go to church or someone tells us to, but because we personally reach out to him, we can can access the power of God through His Holy Spirit. If we don't we might as well consider ourselves unarmed and unable to overcome the things of the world for he is the counselor sent by Jesus to empower us to do all the things the apostles did. It is the spirit of God that witnesses to us & refines us and is waiting for us to tap into the power of God that we are entitled to and were told to use. Many folks just don't get it but I can tell you from many personal experiences that the spirit of God is the most powerful person in this world today-he has healed me, spoke to me, spoke through me, brought me to tears and to my knees, upheld me when others failed me, persecuted me, and lied to me. He has embraced me with his love, shown me miracles and mysteries, guided me in my decisions, and made me excited to be a child of God. Until we are saved we are not children of God-we are merely creations of God waiting to be indwelt with the Holy Spirit. Many never see the need to be "filled" with God's spirit or are afraid to be but they miss huge chunks of God's blessings.
The content of this post is my reflection based on a recent sermon I heard and my own deep convictions that to be victorious in this world we must be walking in the spirit, not just in the shadow of him. We must be a functioning believer, not one who has failed to "connect", failed to accept the offer of help, or feared to be open to the person and work of the Holy Spirit in a real valid tangible way. As you reflect on the death & resurrection of the Son, soak up the beauty of the creation of the Father, and realize the trinity is three persons in one God...give the Holy Spirit permission to invade your life and show his power. In the process you may recognize the gift(s) he has given you to live your life as a victorious servant! 1Thess. 5:19, 20 tells us not to quench the spirit or despise prophecy yet may believers do just that. Eph. 4:30 says to not grieve the Holy Spirit and Isa. 63:10 says they grieved the Holy Spirit (he was around then too). Understanding the trinity isn't really too difficult when you think of it like this...the Father walked on this earth, the Son walked on this earth, and the Son sent the Holy Spirit to be on this earth. They are all God...different manifestations of God. Jesus came in the flesh, the Father appeared to Adam and Eve in the garden and to Moses on the mountain, and we are told the Holy Spirit is recognized by signs and wonders. Just as we must be open to believing in a creator and accepting a savior we must be open to the work of the spirit in our lives or we will never experience God in his entirety or benefit fully from his power. I have actually had believers tell me they don't believe in "that stuff" referring to the works of the Holy Spirit. I'm always a bit curious why not. I wonder if they have really searched the word and soaked it up or if they read it like the newspaper? Maybe no one has explained it well.
When I was saved I had gone to church all my life but when I was told Jesus was waiting for my acceptance, witnessed the Holy Spirit in reality, and read all these things in the Bible for the first time with unblinded eyes...that was when it all came together and made perfect sense. Many small children come to Christ on pure faith and he told us..."suffer not the little children but let them come to me" and they do! As a parent it is our responsibility to teach our children these truths God has given us, to show them how to worship the Lord by example, and as a grandparent I can say it is exciting to hear the stories of grandchildren accepting Christ! It was also a transforming experience to walk near the sea of Galilee, stand on Mt. Nebo where Moses looked into the promised land, and to walk the streets of Jerusalem. Somehow it made it all the more real in a humbling sort of awe. If this little blog spot will help anyone understand afresh who God is please point them to it. I write it for just that reason.
Have a blessed Easter!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
With hope & integrity
Well...working through the holidays seeems to have delayed any blog postings but I recently heard a good sermon & wanted to share some thoughts from it. The sermon followed some of Ps. 13 if you care to read that. We live in a world where we are taught that if it feels good we can, & even should, do it. Although many of us believe this to be wrong & ill advised there are those who follow this mentality & even promote it. Whatever our emotions will kick into action is based on our beliefs & this can be very bad as we sometimes find out. One of these beliefs is often that God is not answering our prayers fast enough so we give up. Bad decsion!
These bad decsions may lead to losing all hope or to place our hope in something entirely wrong. Rather than doing this the wise choice would be to continue to ask God for answers & realize that our only solid hope is in God...because of who he is & what we have seen him do! God allows nothing without reason...the scriptures tell us this. This truth struck a chord with me as I have been dealing with a great bit of unasked for immobility of late due to some undiagnosed pain. So, as our hearts & minds bounce around during times of uncertainty we must realize ...sometimes the current answer is to simply dwell in our condition... with integrity & hope, realizing God is indeed at work & will use the obedient believer. Paul in prison did just that & God set him free.
There are more answers than yes & no from God...there is maybe, and there is later. Before we impulsively decide to take matters into our own hands we do well to talk to the Lord about that. It is in our waiting often that we develop our character to be more like God, & less like the world. Even if we see no answer it is coming-we just have to be ready to accept it in the same manner we waited...with integrity & hope. Noah did just that! I doubt if he wanted to spend all that time in a boat with stinky animals, or laboring to build it for that matter! God rewarded his obedience nevertheless.
These bad decsions may lead to losing all hope or to place our hope in something entirely wrong. Rather than doing this the wise choice would be to continue to ask God for answers & realize that our only solid hope is in God...because of who he is & what we have seen him do! God allows nothing without reason...the scriptures tell us this. This truth struck a chord with me as I have been dealing with a great bit of unasked for immobility of late due to some undiagnosed pain. So, as our hearts & minds bounce around during times of uncertainty we must realize ...sometimes the current answer is to simply dwell in our condition... with integrity & hope, realizing God is indeed at work & will use the obedient believer. Paul in prison did just that & God set him free.
There are more answers than yes & no from God...there is maybe, and there is later. Before we impulsively decide to take matters into our own hands we do well to talk to the Lord about that. It is in our waiting often that we develop our character to be more like God, & less like the world. Even if we see no answer it is coming-we just have to be ready to accept it in the same manner we waited...with integrity & hope. Noah did just that! I doubt if he wanted to spend all that time in a boat with stinky animals, or laboring to build it for that matter! God rewarded his obedience nevertheless.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
WOW!! Bad day...great finsih!
My day wasn't the best today with various frustrations, and as I often do I turned to TBN to find Pastor Joseph Prince preaching in Israel. Despite trying to tell myself all day to maintain "perspective" it was difficult but the moment I began listening to him talk I got it back...big time! First, the worship was just amazing...thousands of people praising God with outstretched arms as scripture describes, & not just singing words to some song but really praising the Lord with their own words as well. For me, this has always been "church" - connecting with Jesus is it whether it is in a building with others or at home alone or riding in my car or out in an empty field- praise from the heart of man is real worship. So, that immediately re-grounded me in what is important in life - above all else - connecting with Jesus. I know it in my head, but it is when it overtakes my spirit that I really appreciate what that means.
Then Pastor Prince began to preach - his sermons are among the richest I have ever heard - deep, yet so simple you wonder why you didn't see a point he is making ever before. He has a way of connecting the scriptures & teaching about the law, grace, and what the appearance & death of Christ really did for man that it blows you away. Many churches are missing the real & complete meaning of this & salvation, yet it is right there in black & white for us to read & we do yet still miss it by a long shot. Once you "get it" deep in your understanding it validates, excites, & in my case confirms so many discerning moments I have had where I knew what I was hearing or seeing was so wrong yet no one seemed to realize it. I can't explain it adequately because you have to grasp it in your own spirit fully & the best way I can tell you to do that is to listen to a few of his messages-it may change your life. It has changed mine in my spirit where it counts - there are good sermons & good services, and then there are "defining moments" where Jesus is magnified to us in such a way that we are forever changed. All the man-made traditions and Martha type busywork is lost in the light of being a Mary & just sitting at the foot of Jesus learning, enjoying him, & seeking nothing but him. That is when we truly begin to serve, to grow, & to reflect him.
The world has a way of destroying our faith, stripping us of our passion, & keeping us from doing the things Christ really calls us to do. We have to daily regroup so our mind & body follows our spirit, not the other way around. So many things are so glaringly obvious in God's word that we gloss over, ignore, or misunderstand. Sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone whether it is church, friends, family, fear, or whatever that keeps us there and ask Jesus to show us more of himself so we can be more like him. Have you ever just cringed at something & known you could not make someone understand why, yet you knew Jesus was cringing too? Those are God moments when our spirit is so in tune with the Lord that we want to cry at the insanity of what we see or hear, & sometimes do. Then there are the God moments when tears of joy come out of the beautiful communion with God as we worship him or hear his word and it becomes manna to our soul when before it was just words.
You can catch Pastor Prince on TBN or find him online-order a CD or book-I hope & pray he will enlighten your understanding through the work of the Holy Spirit & that you will be more excited about Jesus & your life in & for him than you knew you could be. God bless & have an awesome tomorrow in & with Jesus Christ, our Lord & Savior for that is exactly why we are here on planet earth!
Then Pastor Prince began to preach - his sermons are among the richest I have ever heard - deep, yet so simple you wonder why you didn't see a point he is making ever before. He has a way of connecting the scriptures & teaching about the law, grace, and what the appearance & death of Christ really did for man that it blows you away. Many churches are missing the real & complete meaning of this & salvation, yet it is right there in black & white for us to read & we do yet still miss it by a long shot. Once you "get it" deep in your understanding it validates, excites, & in my case confirms so many discerning moments I have had where I knew what I was hearing or seeing was so wrong yet no one seemed to realize it. I can't explain it adequately because you have to grasp it in your own spirit fully & the best way I can tell you to do that is to listen to a few of his messages-it may change your life. It has changed mine in my spirit where it counts - there are good sermons & good services, and then there are "defining moments" where Jesus is magnified to us in such a way that we are forever changed. All the man-made traditions and Martha type busywork is lost in the light of being a Mary & just sitting at the foot of Jesus learning, enjoying him, & seeking nothing but him. That is when we truly begin to serve, to grow, & to reflect him.
The world has a way of destroying our faith, stripping us of our passion, & keeping us from doing the things Christ really calls us to do. We have to daily regroup so our mind & body follows our spirit, not the other way around. So many things are so glaringly obvious in God's word that we gloss over, ignore, or misunderstand. Sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone whether it is church, friends, family, fear, or whatever that keeps us there and ask Jesus to show us more of himself so we can be more like him. Have you ever just cringed at something & known you could not make someone understand why, yet you knew Jesus was cringing too? Those are God moments when our spirit is so in tune with the Lord that we want to cry at the insanity of what we see or hear, & sometimes do. Then there are the God moments when tears of joy come out of the beautiful communion with God as we worship him or hear his word and it becomes manna to our soul when before it was just words.
You can catch Pastor Prince on TBN or find him online-order a CD or book-I hope & pray he will enlighten your understanding through the work of the Holy Spirit & that you will be more excited about Jesus & your life in & for him than you knew you could be. God bless & have an awesome tomorrow in & with Jesus Christ, our Lord & Savior for that is exactly why we are here on planet earth!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Thoughts from today's quiet time....
Never do in your own strength that which God does not require...all the while remembering..."to whom much is given, much is required". (much could be salvation, money, family, intelligence, strength, wisdom, great health, special talents, & a host of other things) Satan gets our eyes off that scripture by causing us to focus on & care only about self, not others & God's will for us.
When it is time for church our thought should be...I am SO excited to get there & hear what God has to tell me, to worship him with all my being, & to serve him in the way he has called me to. The greatest servants are so often behind the scenes, watering the planted seeds for increase. Service, worship, & hearing the word should be a thing of joy, love & enthusiasm. Be aware, that satan does all he can to cause chaos before church often. It is the responsibility of each of us to not allow that to happen to us or those around us. He does not want us to hear, worship, or serve the Lord but to be distracted with issues, behaviors, and selfishness. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving."
The Lord shows us SO much... I never had a brother, I lost my Dad at an early age, & sadly I went through a divorce that truly hurt my soul for a long time (until I saw the Lord using that for which the enemy meant harm, for good)...& it has become more real to me of late that the Lord has put strong Christian men in my life who encourage me & pray for me, aside from my two wonderful sons. Some of these fellows have popped up out of the most unexpected places & I ask God's blessing upon them for they are living the one true "religion" which is to help others, especially those of the household of faith. Some of them, older than I, have gone to be with Jesus & I know will be blessed by him for all they did for me & others.
Ohio's mottto is"With God all things are possible" - suggested by a 12 year old boy! (Oh, to have childlike faith, untainted by the skepticism of man.) In Ohio I have experienced some miraculous things, and also a lot of enemy opposition. I think both of these are reflective of an area with such a motto and are reflective of lives lived for Christ. Miracles and opposition are the stuff a life lived for Jesus is made of! Our job is to testify of the miracles, & to pray against the opposition at every juncture.
The Lord encouraged me today to see the realities, not the faulty perceptions of the world. I challenge you to do the same. "Iron sharpens iron"!
When it is time for church our thought should be...I am SO excited to get there & hear what God has to tell me, to worship him with all my being, & to serve him in the way he has called me to. The greatest servants are so often behind the scenes, watering the planted seeds for increase. Service, worship, & hearing the word should be a thing of joy, love & enthusiasm. Be aware, that satan does all he can to cause chaos before church often. It is the responsibility of each of us to not allow that to happen to us or those around us. He does not want us to hear, worship, or serve the Lord but to be distracted with issues, behaviors, and selfishness. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving."
The Lord shows us SO much... I never had a brother, I lost my Dad at an early age, & sadly I went through a divorce that truly hurt my soul for a long time (until I saw the Lord using that for which the enemy meant harm, for good)...& it has become more real to me of late that the Lord has put strong Christian men in my life who encourage me & pray for me, aside from my two wonderful sons. Some of these fellows have popped up out of the most unexpected places & I ask God's blessing upon them for they are living the one true "religion" which is to help others, especially those of the household of faith. Some of them, older than I, have gone to be with Jesus & I know will be blessed by him for all they did for me & others.
Ohio's mottto is"With God all things are possible" - suggested by a 12 year old boy! (Oh, to have childlike faith, untainted by the skepticism of man.) In Ohio I have experienced some miraculous things, and also a lot of enemy opposition. I think both of these are reflective of an area with such a motto and are reflective of lives lived for Christ. Miracles and opposition are the stuff a life lived for Jesus is made of! Our job is to testify of the miracles, & to pray against the opposition at every juncture.
The Lord encouraged me today to see the realities, not the faulty perceptions of the world. I challenge you to do the same. "Iron sharpens iron"!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Up, up, & away....
Greetings gospel followers, curiosity seekers, & those who are just plain bored & needing something to read! :) All are welcome. My title is 3-fold today....first I am feeling "up" after consulting recent stats re. readership of my blog, which I have sadly neglected. I am glad my readers are more faithful than I have been, but I hope to have a more definitive time of blogging soon. It would be neat if you all would sign on as followers, but I can appreciate your privacy as well. No worries there. My goal is to be a beacon of light in some small way.
I am also "up" because good things have been happening lately...little good things, nevertheless a lot of them all at once. I share this as an encouragement to all who wander by here in re. to prayer. I recently asked a trusted few folks to pray...without telling them what I wanted prayer for except that it was really important. Most of my reason for that was privacy, however one day soon I will tell them what exactly they were praying for. At any rate, never ever doubt the POWER of the prayers of the believer. Whether they are short or long, no matter what language they come in, there is a power there not because of the person praying....but because of the person of Jesus who inhabits the prayers of his people & is ever an advocate with the father on behalf of his people. Someone once told me that God honors prayers uttered after a matter has been resolved....because...the Lord knows all things & has already deposited that prayer to the account of the person needing it before it was said. When prayers are said for me, even though I may not have the words to pray for myself, I pray for those who are praying for me. This is just a personal thing of mine that I feel strongly about.
Finally, I am "up" because as I was feeling those prayers in the little victories of my days & seeing the interesting ways Jesus showed up to remind me he was right there with me, I was studying the topic of GRACE. We all pretty much know what grace is in general terms, but I have discovered that there is a lot more to be learned if we wish to really walk in the grace that has come to us through the sacrifice of Christ. Many of us live under the "law" of the pre-Christ era, not seeing the freedom from condemnation there is in grace. The law has & had a purpose-it was to deal with sin, but when Christ paid the price for sin it became that which reminds us of what sin is but no longer something that condemns-the payment for sin was made at the cross-all sin-forever. Payment in the OT was in the form of sacrifice...when Jesus came, he made the sacrifice! Grace is NOT a license to sin, it IS freedom from condemnation! We do not have a list of do's & don'ts in Christianity -that is found in religious doctrines that are man made. When we don't live under a cloud of judgement for our sins we have peace, power, & victory over sin, satan, and problems. It occurred to me that remembering this when tempted to accuse someone of sin might help us out a bit-if Jesus doesn't condemn us, who are we to condemn each other? Actually, in reality, if we do become an accuser of the brethren our power in Jesus goes right out the window. Remember, satan came to rob, kill, & destroy and if you let him use you as his mouthpiece your peace & power will be zapped! Human nature (our sin nature) is to dredge stuff up & pitch it at folks when we aren't happy with them. The Holy Spirit in us & others can be quenched by judgements we should not be making! Pray for those you sense have no peace & live in a haze of judgement day to day.
Think about grace & the law this way-before Christ came the commandments were what told people what they should & should not do & there was a system of laws in place to deal with sin which involved sacrifice from the blood sacrifice of animals to the blood sacrifice of man (in the form of things such as stoning a person). This is a very simplified explanation. After Christ came the sacrifice part was over & the commandments still pointed to what is sinful, yes, however our job now is to not live under a shadow of condemnation feeling we always have to pay what Jesus already paid or we deserve less due to sin. If we are aware of the enormity of grace our propensity to sin will be greatly diminished and our freedom from feeling condemned will enhance the power of Jesus in our life. Again, this is somewhat of a simple explanation but once that realization really settles in the light bulb goes on & we start experiencing a peace we can't have when satan is beating us down with reminders of our failures. Life is easier to understand & live when things aren't going so well because we have an inner strength that really almost defies explanation.
Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (RSV) If you read Paul's entire letter to the Romans, chapter by chapter, verse by verse you will find distinct understanding about the law & grace often we zip over without really digesting the meaning of his words.
2 Cor. 12:9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (RSV) Think about it...there is POWER perfected when we, realizing our total inability,
embrace the GRACE of Christ!
James 5:16 (RSV) tells us "The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects."
1 Thess.5:17 (RSV) "pray constantly"...as simple as that! Paul also reminds us here to rejoice, be thankful, not to quench the spirit, not to despise prophesying...to test things, hold fast to the good & abstain from evil.
Read your Bible with attention to the verses surrounding any one verse, and when in doubt look up Hebrew or Greek meanings...if you have a computer, it is easy to do! :) Oh, look! You are reading this on a computer! Google word meanings-expand your understanding. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. It requires interaction with our beloved for maximum outcome! Have fun...enjoy the journey...we, not the pastor, are responsible for understanding the word of God. Because we can tend toward laziness in this, many who pervert the gospel have taken advantage and fed us a weak or different gospel!
Until next time, be blessed with his grace, walk in his power, and seek all of his truth! If you find anything on the blog that would help someone you know please refer them here. It's purpose is to encourage, inspire, & empower by pointing folks to the Word of God and stirring up the thought process with regard to him and the scriptures. I don't spend a lot of time proofing these entries so please forgive any errors in grammer, punctuation, etc.
I am also "up" because good things have been happening lately...little good things, nevertheless a lot of them all at once. I share this as an encouragement to all who wander by here in re. to prayer. I recently asked a trusted few folks to pray...without telling them what I wanted prayer for except that it was really important. Most of my reason for that was privacy, however one day soon I will tell them what exactly they were praying for. At any rate, never ever doubt the POWER of the prayers of the believer. Whether they are short or long, no matter what language they come in, there is a power there not because of the person praying....but because of the person of Jesus who inhabits the prayers of his people & is ever an advocate with the father on behalf of his people. Someone once told me that God honors prayers uttered after a matter has been resolved....because...the Lord knows all things & has already deposited that prayer to the account of the person needing it before it was said. When prayers are said for me, even though I may not have the words to pray for myself, I pray for those who are praying for me. This is just a personal thing of mine that I feel strongly about.
Finally, I am "up" because as I was feeling those prayers in the little victories of my days & seeing the interesting ways Jesus showed up to remind me he was right there with me, I was studying the topic of GRACE. We all pretty much know what grace is in general terms, but I have discovered that there is a lot more to be learned if we wish to really walk in the grace that has come to us through the sacrifice of Christ. Many of us live under the "law" of the pre-Christ era, not seeing the freedom from condemnation there is in grace. The law has & had a purpose-it was to deal with sin, but when Christ paid the price for sin it became that which reminds us of what sin is but no longer something that condemns-the payment for sin was made at the cross-all sin-forever. Payment in the OT was in the form of sacrifice...when Jesus came, he made the sacrifice! Grace is NOT a license to sin, it IS freedom from condemnation! We do not have a list of do's & don'ts in Christianity -that is found in religious doctrines that are man made. When we don't live under a cloud of judgement for our sins we have peace, power, & victory over sin, satan, and problems. It occurred to me that remembering this when tempted to accuse someone of sin might help us out a bit-if Jesus doesn't condemn us, who are we to condemn each other? Actually, in reality, if we do become an accuser of the brethren our power in Jesus goes right out the window. Remember, satan came to rob, kill, & destroy and if you let him use you as his mouthpiece your peace & power will be zapped! Human nature (our sin nature) is to dredge stuff up & pitch it at folks when we aren't happy with them. The Holy Spirit in us & others can be quenched by judgements we should not be making! Pray for those you sense have no peace & live in a haze of judgement day to day.
Think about grace & the law this way-before Christ came the commandments were what told people what they should & should not do & there was a system of laws in place to deal with sin which involved sacrifice from the blood sacrifice of animals to the blood sacrifice of man (in the form of things such as stoning a person). This is a very simplified explanation. After Christ came the sacrifice part was over & the commandments still pointed to what is sinful, yes, however our job now is to not live under a shadow of condemnation feeling we always have to pay what Jesus already paid or we deserve less due to sin. If we are aware of the enormity of grace our propensity to sin will be greatly diminished and our freedom from feeling condemned will enhance the power of Jesus in our life. Again, this is somewhat of a simple explanation but once that realization really settles in the light bulb goes on & we start experiencing a peace we can't have when satan is beating us down with reminders of our failures. Life is easier to understand & live when things aren't going so well because we have an inner strength that really almost defies explanation.
Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (RSV) If you read Paul's entire letter to the Romans, chapter by chapter, verse by verse you will find distinct understanding about the law & grace often we zip over without really digesting the meaning of his words.
2 Cor. 12:9 but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (RSV) Think about it...there is POWER perfected when we, realizing our total inability,
embrace the GRACE of Christ!
James 5:16 (RSV) tells us "The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects."
1 Thess.5:17 (RSV) "pray constantly"...as simple as that! Paul also reminds us here to rejoice, be thankful, not to quench the spirit, not to despise prophesying...to test things, hold fast to the good & abstain from evil.
Read your Bible with attention to the verses surrounding any one verse, and when in doubt look up Hebrew or Greek meanings...if you have a computer, it is easy to do! :) Oh, look! You are reading this on a computer! Google word meanings-expand your understanding. Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. It requires interaction with our beloved for maximum outcome! Have fun...enjoy the journey...we, not the pastor, are responsible for understanding the word of God. Because we can tend toward laziness in this, many who pervert the gospel have taken advantage and fed us a weak or different gospel!
Until next time, be blessed with his grace, walk in his power, and seek all of his truth! If you find anything on the blog that would help someone you know please refer them here. It's purpose is to encourage, inspire, & empower by pointing folks to the Word of God and stirring up the thought process with regard to him and the scriptures. I don't spend a lot of time proofing these entries so please forgive any errors in grammer, punctuation, etc.
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