How do you serve?

How do YOU serve?

Let’s look at a different perspective of service.  We always talk about what we should do and the gifts that we are given and how they apply to the church, we discuss what we can do to serve better, we talk about the church serving in the community, and so on.  Well, it’s coming the time of the year that we make an abundance of commitments or none.  Those who commit will often over commit and then those who don’t commit will often feel remorseful.  But what else do the Scriptures say about service?  I am going to write a couple articles out of Deuteronomy and if you are following along with this column, perhaps you would like to read over the book a time or two so you are familiar with the text.

Deuteronomy 28:47-49 speaks to the “cause and effect” of serving the Lord.  It reads, “ Because you did not serve the Lord your God with Joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.  The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand…”

Pay close attention to the bold lettering here.  For the abundance of everything.  I hear heartache, anger, disappointment and righteous indignation here. 

1)      Because you did not serve…who?  “The Lord your God” (awesome in power, wearing a crown of Forgiveness, Provider, Creator, humble yourselves in the presence of..)

2)      Because you did not serve….how?  With joy and  gladness of heart.  Ladies, that means up in the morning with a smile and a song in your heart….a song of praise…simple phrases…(one glad morning when this life is over,….how great is our God, sing with me, how great is our God…..He’s got the whole world in His hands…and so on) and glad that you have one more morning to share with your children, your husband, your sisters and brothers.  Glad you have laundry to do, glad for the abundant beauty of the morning, joyful to have food for lunch, joyful to have floors to vacuum, a bounce in your step as you head to a job God provided for you. Husbands, glad you have one more day with your families, one more day to share your knowledge and skills, one more day to love those around you, one more day to teach your children how to pray and depend of God.

a.      He promises to meet all our needs.    Luke 12: 29-31 “And do not seek what you should eat and what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  BUT seek first, the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.”  TV is not a need.  Little Debbie’s are not a need.  Hair dye is not a need.  Mani Pedi’s are not a need. Movie rentals are not a need.  Cigarettes are not a need.

3)      Because you did not serve….what? He will send nations against you.  The list is things we are seeing an increase of in this country.  Thirst, hunger, nakedness, and need of everything.  We have slowly created a society that expects to be handed everything rather than a community that seeks the kingdom of God and FEARS Him.  A community that is not tolerant but demands a level of performance and behavior from its members.  We have allowed a government to eliminate religious rights and freedoms piece by piece until only a crumb of the founding Father’s foundation is remaining and in such small part that it is barely recognizable.  We wonder?  We wonder why?  Because we do not serve.  Because we do not serve with joy and gladness of heart.  Because we do not seek His kingdom FIRST. 

One that note, we will continue this look next week and look at what is going on today that was foretold in Deuteronomy.  This book is called the Living Word of God because it is applicable for every generation.  Every family.  Every nation.

How to Train for a Race

The Race of Faith

What does it take for us to successfully run the race of faith?  Is it a ever-mounting list of jobs and responsibilities?  Is it public perception of us?  Think about a race.  Before you can run a race, you need to train for the race.  You cannot just walk out of your living room and start a 5K race and expect to win if you haven't trained a minute for it!  Training builds muscle, tones the body, strengthens the bones, increases the efficiency of the heart and lungs and builds endurance. Training builds you up and increases both your abilities and your confidence as you push yourself to new limits.  Often times an athlete trains either alone or with just the trainer.  The trainers job is to point out weaknesses and areas that need improvement and push you further than you've gone before until FINALLY!....you are ready to run the race.

Hebrews 12:1-2 reads, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Hebrews 11 is renowned for being the "Faith Chapter" and it truly outlines the lives and reasons and footsteps of many who have gone ahead but chapter 12 is encouraging us as we run the race.  Note that the author does not talk about the past prophets in a past tense.  He is currently surrounding the believer with this cloud of witnesses.  Imagine yourself surrounded with Sarah, Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Joshua, David, Samson, and so on.  As you go through a tough time and your training gets tougher and the race gets a little longer, or steeper, or hotter, these folks are witnessing your race and cheering you on from the sidelines!  We are told to lay aside EVERY weight.  How can you run with speed and agility if you are carrying weights?  Won't that wear you down faster?  Won't it exhaust you quicker and perhaps make you wince and complain or even change you focus from the race to the burden of the weights?  Hmmmm...interesting.  The reference extends to the sin that ensnares us which carries the same power as the burden of a weight but the picture is different because the sin is ensnaring us which gives a picture of a vine wrapping around the runners feet and legs and which will finally cause that individual to fall and run no more.

So how do you run successfully?  Keep your eyes focused on Jesus.  As the coach, Jesus will guide and give pointers and encouragement along the way.  At times He will rebuke us as we make mistakes, too.   Jesus is noted here as the author and finisher of our faith.  An author comes up with an idea, makes notes, jots down some thoughts, and then begins writing.  The writing is written and rewritten until the final product echos the original thought or idea.  Then, as the son of a carpenter, Christ is the finisher of our faith.  He puts the final touches on and sands out the blemishes, carves the proper curves and nails together the different parts to complete the project.  None of the actions of either the author or finisher are "speaking into perfection" but rather actions of elimination, reinforcement, alteration, etc. so that change brings along the finished product.  Jesus was our example on the cross as He did not focus His eyes or mind on the physical suffering of the cross and the rejection He suffered from both man and His heavenly Father but rather, He focused on the prize.  He saw the eternal life and the crown and the seat at the right hand of God the Father.  He saw what the end result was and knew He had to travel that path the receive the prize.  He is our example.  He is our ultimate trend setter.  Those are the footsteps we are to follow in and whatever trials, judgement and criticism we receive, it will never be to the extent of what our Lord suffered for us.

Go in Faith and run your race with steady footsteps.  Put down your weights and continue with your eyes focused on the perfect example Christ set for us while listening to His encouraging words.

A call to repentance

I heard someone speaking the other day about the economic condition in America and how it correlates to other things going on in the world and then the secular theories and psychological theories that an unsaved world sees going hand in hand with the trends and habits of the current society.  One of the things mentioned was the increasing number of single mothers and how that group is getting continually younger every year.  This trend is considered a sign of economic collapse.

Why would it be considered a sign of economic collapse?  A single mother struggles to provide food, shelter, love, a family structure, a secure environment, and a financial future of some kind.  In a God ordained structure, the family unit is comprised of two adults leading, grooming, supporting, loving, encouraging, and procreating.  In this rapid acceleration of sexual immorality we see a single family unit struggling to survive and many times, not succeeding very well.

In the book Hosea, chapter 4:1-3 God is talking to Israel but this applies to todays world as well.  It applies as a warning.  "Hear the word of the Lord, Your children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land:  'There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.  By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint.  With bloodshed upon bloodshed.  Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea will be taken away."  Do the actions described here sound anything like what you see on the news and hear around the water cooler?  Do the Facebook posts you read and the drama you observe have any assimilation to this description?  Does our legal system embrace truth, mercy or at the very least knowledge of God?  I think not.  The lack of restraint in relationships now is absurd.  People walk away from a relationship and trade in out of discomfort, impatience, selfishness and convenience rather than staying together and learning the art of communication, submission, restraint and compromise.  Two become one....when you take two different colors of Playdoh and squish them together, it takes work to get them to meld together.  They are never going to be one color or the other but eventually, after much kneading and rolling and contorting, become a whole other color.  That is what marriage is like.  Even if you take and try to separate those colors again, they will always have remnants of the other color in them.  They will never be what they were originally.

We have forgotten how we came to be on this earth.  God is loosing His patience, I believe and is quietly making His presence known.  The weather becomes more extreme, man becomes bolder in their interference and blatant disregard for God and we are seeing things happening that we will not be able to control.  We are but a speck in the universe and our existence is less than a moment in time.  Share this with people you know who are not paying attention.  God is walking away from us and the church is quietly observing this retreat.  We are looking at society and embracing the sin as well as the sinner instead of standing up for what is biblical and what is true.  Can we reverse the motion of the world?  Perhaps not but more so, perhaps we can take a stand and bring in a flush of new souls to the gates of heaven rather than watching the march of souls into Hell's lake of fire.

Why can't they see?

Why can't they see?

Last week we talked about walking before you run.  This week, let's talk about our walk a little. 

When we become saved, asking our heavenly Father to forgive us our sins, cover us in grace, and invite Jesus to live in our hearts, we are separating ourselves from the world.  This separation happens as a course of lineage.  Like a prince here on earth is separate from the "common" people, so a child of God is made different than the rest of the world.  If you are a Christian and other people in your house are not Christians, you know exactly what I mean.  It can be frustrating to be the only one on that island, too.  Especially when you desire that those who are closest to you make the same choice and you are so very excited about the gifts that are freely given and the eternal life that is  promised.  And so we pray for them and ask the Holy Spirit to intervene and cry out to God and ask Him to soften their hearts and open their eyes.  But why do they not see?

I Corinthians 2:12-16 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who us from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.  These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.  For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?  But we have the mind of Christ."

I love that it is explained here that words are not how we speak, necessarily, but that the Holy Spirit challenges us to compare spiritual things to spiritual things.  This is how you know if something is true to the Word.  The Holy Spirit will allow you the wisdom of God to see what is right and true because as a child of God you have been given the mind of Christ.  It also answers the "why" question about how a non-believer will say that what we believe is crazy or doesn't make sense.  Also applicable here, the application of choosing a pastor or leader for your church.  People can put on a good act with the right training and someone who has attended seminary has the training and tools to "act the part".  It is imperative that the body of Christ come together in prayer and seek the Holy Spirits' guidance in selecting a leader in the church.  Compare spiritual things to spiritual things.  Did you know that, on average, seminaries are full of more non-Christians than Christians?  I mention this only because someone who is raised in the church can talk the talk but when you compare them side-by-side to someone who is truly saved, the passion of the Holy Spirit shines through because the unsaved, churched person cannot know the things of God.  

I encourage you to pray for those around you and make prayerful decisions for those who will lead you. Be examples of what Christs' influence on your life can be and draw off the patience of the Holy Spirit when dealing with those around you who do not understand.

How to Choose a Leader

Leadership

The position of leadership can take many forms.  There are Sunday School teachers, hall monitors, instructors, head tellers, department heads, police officers, lead surgeons, head detective, union reps, and the list goes on.  We are a people of titles and classification and the Scriptures speaks to us about respecting our leaders and obeying our masters whether they are saved or unsaved and doing it to the glory of God. (I Timothy 6:1-2) But what makes the position of leadership in the church any different from any other position in the world?

Choosing the Leaders

Paul writes to Timothy about the qualifications of overseers and starts out with an old saying, " If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good thing."  He is very specific as to the qualifications of a bishop and his position in the community as well as the church.  I Tim 3:2 states "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate (patient), sober-minded, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach; not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.  Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."

Paul goes on to talk about Deacons in the church and how they need to be reverent and not gossips, greedy, or drinkers and "holding on to the mystery of the faith with clear conscience".  I just love that phrasing.  The mystery of the faith.  It almost gives the same precious preservation as the relationship of a man and woman to be husband and wife and preserving that intimacy until after the vows are spoken.  He also makes a point to say that they need to first be tested and THEN let them serve.

Making the Choice

It takes a strong person of character to stand up against a whole church when you believe a choice or action to be wrong.  The people who hold the church accountable cannot be embarrassed or wavering.  They must be strong and they must be sure to have Scripture to back up their words.  It is not something that is based on gut feeling but rather on the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.  We are responsible for choosing the right people as well as ensuring that our churches are strong, defensible, godly places where the world has no place except on their knees.  I implore you to take the stand and make a difference in your communities by holding your leaders to a standard that will glorify God and not just make the world "comfortable".  Put people in place that allow the Holy Spirit to work and convict and curl toes.

Found as a Man

Have you ever considered what it must have been like for God...the Almighty, Creator of the universe, Alpha and Omega, ...to come to earth in human form? To separate from His heavenly being to become a man? To live in a place where perfection is the status quo and not the goal.  To live where sin never exists, hatred and jealousy are extinct and then to come to earth as an infant and be born in a stable, to an unwed mother, into - essentially - a blended family where his father, Joseph, would hopefully love Him as his own child though He was not.  To be "different" from the beginning.  Did He grow for nine months with the essence of God in the womb or did that not happen until Christ emerged from the womb.  Was He wise from the very beginning? He never sinned so He must have been the easiest child to raise in that family and I am sure amazed His mother.  The two mothers, Mary and Elizabeth, what did they think about these two children who were so very different from the rest of the children?  John the Baptist is said to have lived in the desert as a child (Luke 1:80) until he appeared publicly to Israel.  These mothers knew they had special men who were destined only for service to God and were God sent, God indwelled and for Christ, God Himself!  Amazing.

Philipians 2:5-11 is Paul talking to the church at Philippi about being like-minded with Christ and emulating Him. He states that Christ, "who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped."  How humble a perspective that is that Christ, who is God, realizes His inequality with God in human form. "..but made  himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." He knew He was God's Son but also knew, in that human form that He was set apart from His heavenly Father.  What a separation that must have been mentally for Jesus Christ as He came from God, was God and yet was in human form a Son, in a submissive position.  Paul goes on to say "And being found in appearance as a man," which I find interesting as it is almost like He woke up and found Himself in human form one day.  I can imagine that, in that infant form He woke up and looked at His hands and feet and moved around a little like newborns do and thought to Himself,  "huh!  so this is what it feels like to be an infant!"  I wonder if He was a little surprised by the limits of the infant body and the process of growing and actually being inside the body that is changing, developing, maturing.

Fat Man Laughing

I know it has been a minute since my last post.  I have been busy with life...I am sure you all know how that goes!  Recently, I have been reading Paul's letters.  Specifically Corinthians and Timothy.  I am concerned about our complacency in the church family.  I am concerned about what we are considering acceptable and what we are tolerating.  There is no reference or command for us to tolerate anything in the church and we are warned against complacency because it makes the church weak.  Complacency is a place of contentment with where you are and a sense of self-sufficiency that lacks a need for growth or instruction.  The church, the body of Christ, is largely complacent as we all sit smugly by like fat, rich leaders of a starving nation.  We find ourselves about the need for more instruction and overly confident in our strengths, laughing and jovial, arms crossed across a belly jiggling with smug laughter.  What happened to the hungry, humble, hard-working church?

Do we feel no need for further instruction?  Longing for a shepherd or father who will take us and not only guide and instruct us, but who will hold us accountable and be desiring to be held accountable as well.Why do we sit obligatorily in our cushioned seats every Sunday with coffee and snack, thankful for the reprieve of a work day but with a lack of humility and submission that is now considered "old school" church?  Do we think we are everything God wants us to be?  Are our churches bringing joy to the Father?

My mother has the gift of prophecy....and not to the point that she can forecast the future in a crystal ball or tell you the exact date of the end of the world, but she has the responsibility of holding people accountable and calling out false prophets and false teachers in the church.  Her life has been, at times, very lonely.  She has not been favored among women because she has no tolerance, a highly sensitive Spirit, and a willing heart to act on the communication and wisdom revealed to her by the Holy Spirit.  I have found the prodding of the Holy Spirit asking me to hold my church accountable.  I am also being held accountable.  My spirit is not content to sit by and be the "fat man laughing" but I am rather uneasy in the reckless contentment I am finding in the many churches we have attended in search of a "family" where we feel content.

Are we finding more people in our church who are laboring in the gospel or are we finding less?  And of those people, how many are our leaders?  I Timothy 5:17  "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine."  Verse 21 says to the church body, "I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.  Do not lay your hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure."

I am being called to call out the actions that should not be acceptable.  I will not be a popular member of my church but I will respond to the cry of the Holy Spirit within me.  I Timothy 6:20-21  "O timothy!  Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge- by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith."

A Need for Escape

I Corinthians 10:12-13 says "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

I read somewhere that temptation is like someone looking through the keyhole into your house but the actual sin is when you open the door and allow that "peeping Tom" to come in. It seems to me that people use this Scripture as an excuse sometimes in that, if they wind up giving in to temptation, they say they "couldn't help themselves".

 It takes strength to resist evil of any kind.  Where does you strength come from?  "My strength comes from the Lord." (Ps 28:7, Ps 121:2) If we are not in communion with God the Father or welcoming the presence of the Holy Spirit, we have no support.  We cannot hear the guidance of the coach if we are on the other side of the field.  So as we traverse the temptations in our lives, we need to stay close to God for His strength and His guidance so that we can search for the "way of escape".  If you were in a corn stalk maze, you would have to search for the exit.  Sometimes there are dead ends, or you get turned around, but if you wave your flag for help, the guide in the watchtower will point you in the correct direction.

Don't assume there will be no temptation because you are a Christian.  Rather, shore yourself up, stay close in communion with the Guide and look sharply for your way of escape.

How to be a True Friend

Service

My devotions took me to II Timothy 2 today.  I have been asking God to open doors for me for service as I am missing the chance to do that and time restrictions and schedules don't allow for me to participate in "structured" events.  So, as is true to form, the Holy Spirit blessed me with both conviction and inspiration.  This devotional reading confirmed my conviction.  Paul is talking to Timothy about service and the different types of service, as far as approved and disapproved service.  He wanted Timothy to serve the Lord with pure motives and clear conscience.  Starting in verse 22, he says, "Flee youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife."  I felt inspired that Paul is encouraging having correct friends surrounding you.  Earlier in the chapter (vs 17) he refers to two people who were negatively affecting the church with their tainted words and twisted beliefs.  Here he is telling Timothy not to be reckless with his choice of surroundings but to choose servants who have the same type of heart that he does to partner with.  I think it is important to remember that friendships are relationships and good relationships take maintenance and hard work.

Friendship

I have been blessed with a friend at a very lonely point of my life.  When I first met her, I was struck by the light of her smile and the peaceful enthusiasm that she attacked life with.  My heart leaped inside me that the Lord had provided a friend so joyful!  We struck up a friendship right off.  Now this lady had twin girls 6 years old, 1 daughter 5 years old, a son 2 years old, and a new born (5 months).  Her husband has the same enthusiasm and he is joyfully establishing a country life for his kids.  They were originally city folks and have now migrated to the country with an 8 acre wooded property, nice house, he added chickens, hunts rabbits out back and just got a German Short-haired pointer puppy (7 weeks old) to add to the mix.  They want to put in a garden and are thrilled with the space God have provided for them to care for!  I stopped by to drop off some plants for her garden one night and saw an exhausted mom, nursing her infant, a puppy begging to come out, kids running around upstairs, dad exhausted, and a niece and nephew who came to stay the night.

The house was evidence of extreme busy-ness. We have tried to get together on numerous occasions to no avail and I was a little hurt.  But then the Holy Spirit opened my eyes and softened my heart.  "Put yourself in her shoes.....how would you be doing?"  I was bothered by this thought for a few days and then an opportunity presented itself.  I had 4 days off in a row and list a mile long that I wanted to accomplish. The very first day, it poured down rain and I had my plans squashed.  So I sat having my coffee that morning and praying and the Holy Spirit said, "Go see your friend."  So I took my daughter and we went to see her.  It was 9:30 in the morning and we walked into the house to see her daily mayhem underway.  My daughter took off with the girls and was in her glory.  The kids were eating Graham Crackers and milk for breakfast and Ginny was nursing the baby.  There was a huge bowl of celery on the table and her son was apparently learning how to cut celery with a butter knife.  The puppy was crying to go out, the kids were all in pajamas and running around, the laundry was escaping it's space, etc.  I had brought her a bag of fresh rhubarb and she was smiling ear to ear and exclaimed that she was going to try and make jam!  I laughed at her joy and started picking up and wiping down.

Verse 24 says, "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."  The devil had been working on a corner of my mind and a corner of my heart as well.  Until I laid my burdens at the foot of the cross, let the Holy Spirit intercede for me, and asked forgiveness for things both known and unknown to me, I could not escape that snare.  My friend asked why I was helping her and we talked about the things that God was showing both of us.  We talked openly and healed our hearts together.  So I talked and listened to my friend, took the puppy out a few times, cleaned up puppy food, wiped down the table and all the chairs, did the dishes, folded laundry, switched a load of wash into the dryer and found the whole container of fabric softener had been washed with the load, started a new load, cut up and froze the rhubarb for her, planted her strawberry pot, gave out hugs and left her to her day.  I was blessed for being a servant and she was where God allowed me to serve, and I know she was blessed for having a friend who followed the urging of the Holy Spirit.

Heaven Bound or Earthly Drowned?

Let's talk about focus. I was sitting at my kitchen table this morning and looking out the window feeling a little depressed and dejected and frustrated.  I am always trying to come up with some idea to try and make extra money. I think all of us can use a little extra here and there.  I have not been one to really think about money much.  I have been very blessed in that God has always provided more than what I needed.  Currently, I can use a little more because the basics are barely covered!  As I sat praying and pouring my heart out, I thought, "Let me see what I can find about prosperity in the Scriptures" and I opened  my Bible to where I had left off the day before and my eyes were carried to the end of Chapter 3 of Philippians where Paul is talking about running the race to receive the prize.  Today is also the Race for the Cure...coincidence?  Nope!

Look at Philippians 3: 12.  It became so clear to me that this partnership between Paul and Christ is what I need to focus on.  I picked out these words, "I took hold of Christ Jesus, Christ Jesus took hold of me." He goes on and basically is telling us to look ahead.  Don't look back.  Remember Lots wife when she turned back to look behind her she became a pillar of salt and to this day, nothing will grow in the soil where that pillar of salt dissolved.  How powerful is that?!  When we spend our time looking back, we hinder growth.  When we look back, we loose our grip on Christ Jesus because He is in front of us and we cannot maintain that hold if we are turned the opposite direction. Verse 14 says how Paul presses on to the goal for the prize which God has called him heavenward (or forward, in my interpretation).

In verse 17 he asks us to follow his example and then in verse 19 he groups people together.  He talks about people who are focused on the goals of the day instead of the goals of eternity.  How very small a vision we have if we only focus on the things of this world.  How infinite our dreams can be if we allow ourselves the freedom of focusing on heavenly goals. The folks who are feeding their appetite for money, or climbing a ladder for personal success, or gluttons who spend more money on unnecessary food or shopping in general rather than putting money into ministry, who have too high a car payment just to keep up with social status, or whose mortgage is strangling them so they live in a place where they can be "seen".  What are we focused on?

I have no need for sweet treats now and again but I selfishly argue that "I deserve it" and spend that $3.00 that could be used for something more beneficial.  What example am I sending to my daughter?  What is your vice?  A manicure?  New shoes when you have plenty?  Alcohol?  Eating out when you can eat in?  Movies that are not Christ honoring? Cigarettes? Snack foods?  Magazines? Cars? Jewelry? Plants? Home Decor?  How blurred is your line between needs and wants (or deserves)?  How skewed  is your focus?  Let Holy Spirit convict you and listen well to His call.  What a stronger church and stronger families we would be if we listened to Paul's suggestion and focused our eyes on Jesus.

The last 2 verses are, in short interpretation, saying that Jesus Christ has everything under control and will transform us to be like Him.  That is the prize.

Philippians 3:12-21 

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. ¹⁶ Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

¹⁷ Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. ¹⁸ For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Love is Patient

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

In the famous love chapter, I Corinthians 13, the definition of love or loves actions starts with "Love is Patient."  Do you think there is a rhyme or reason to the order of adjectives that describe the action of love?  It struck me the other day that the possible connection to the order is far from random.  We know that GOD is LOVE.  We know that Jesus Christ personified love.  But how does it translate to our every day actions?

As I have mentioned previously, I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter who is an only child and is very independent.  Yesterday morning I was reflecting on just this section and thinking about what that means in my life.  I was feeling pretty good until life got underway for the day and when my sleepy three year old decided that eating was not part of her criteria for the day as we approached our departure time for the day, I finally turned and yelled, "PlEEEEEase Eat your BREAKfast!!!".  A still small voice in the back of my mind tapped on the door of my heart and said, "Uh huh!  See why love is patient?"  How really critical is it that she eats when I say for her to eat?  I myself am a "grazer" and have a hard time eating at the normal assigned times of the day.  My husband is the same way.  Why would she be any different?  (Deep breath)

Jesus was so very patient and kind (second reference for love).  He patiently told Peter 3 times that he would be denying knowing Christ.  I imagine that as He looked at Judas in that upper room, He was disappointed and yet the embodiment of love within Him did not allow for Jesus to treat Judas differently.  As Christ sat with Mary and Martha busied into the room, I imagine she exploded as Christ about Mary not helping her.  Perhaps she even interrupted Him as He was teaching Mary and yet He quietly shook His head and looked in love at Martha, knowing exactly who she was in that moment, and lovingly reminded her that Mary had chosen well.  Again and again we see the example.  Different circumstances and different people but the same action.  The 10 lepers that Christ healed and only one came back to thank Him.  He knew before He ever saw them that only one would be grateful.  The Pharisees and Sadducee were explained to over and over again.  

In my own life, the choices I have made, my heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit have gently reminded me and reminded me and reprimanded me or delivered quiet consequence for my actions.  I may not receive the consequence quietly but I certainly receive it that way.  

How do you show love to those closest to you?  Love your neighbor as yourself.  I heard someone point out the other day that your family members are your neighbors as well as those who live outside your home.  How well do we exemplify LOVE?

New Every Morning

Lamentations 3:22-23

New International Version (NIV)

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

I have always thought that the verse said "His grace or mercies are new every morning".  Looking at the NIV of Lamentations and seeing that His compassions are new every morning is a little different.  What does the word compassion mean to you?  The fact that He considers us His children and now seeing that His compassions are new every morning makes me feel special.  I know I am special in His eyes and He only sees me as the finished product, but it gives me a different perspective.  As an "old mom" (43 with a 3 year old), I can appreciate the newness of the morning.  After both myself and my daughter have rested through the night, we can come together with renewed vigor and a forgotten sense of the frustration from the day before.

Compassion to me means....caring with sensitivity. Empathy and love that show a sincere response on the part of both the care-giver and the recipient.  Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are both our care-givers and the compassions they have on us daily is inconceivable. They really must look at us once in a while and say "Really?!  Your going to do the same thing you did yesterday?  I thought we had this covered. Okay, use your free-will and let's get on with it."

How awesome is it to have this God who forgives, forgets, sees us covered in grace and surrounded by His glory and yet meets us right where we are from the moment we open our eyes in the morning?! Thank you God for a new beginning and bright tomorrows.

WHATEVER!!

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 reads, "Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you - for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others."

How many times have you worried about what others are saying about you?  As women, I think it is something that is part of our mental DNA.  We are, for whatever reason, concerned with whatever people are saying about us - and particularly other women! Perhaps the reason we wonder is because we ourselves have said things we should not have said and we know we will reap what we sow. We can be a rough group!  The mind can play tricks on us, deceiving us and leading us around shadowy corners.  Thank you God for your Word that reminds us of your truths and our tricks through words of wisdom!

Take the Good with the Bad

Mantis vs Grasshopper

James 1:17 states "Every good and perfect thing comes from above."  I have heard and even believed for myself that when bad things happen to good people that it must be evil at work in their lives.  Not true necessarily.  Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 says "Consider what God has done:  Who can straighten what God has made crooked?  When time are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other."  It can be a challenge for us to consider that a loving God would allow for bad things to happen to His children but it should be viewed without rose colored glasses.  As a parent, I don't wish harm on my child but I have knocked her in the head more than once when I was moving too quickly or knocked over when I didn't know she was under my feet. God is certainly gracious to give us bad times because otherwise we would be living in a fantasy world.  Adam and Eve lived in the first ever fantasy world.  They did not have to work, had all they needed and were created for each other for the purpose of furthering the human race and being companions for each other.  They were the first perfect marriage as I believe God selected Adams mate so there could not have been anyone better for him.  Still, they made a bad choice and bad things happened to them. Some of those things were consequences of their actions and their choices but others were a result of being outside the perfect place God had created for them to dwell (the Garden).

Solomon says to consider when times are bad.  What a great statement.  Don't be sad, mad, irritated, blaming God, asking why, but consider.  What should we consider about that?  I think just to look at things from different angles and try to understand (which is not always a possibility  why it happened or even consider how you can make good from the bad; the proverbial lemons to lemonade.

Everything is Meaningless 2

As I continued on in my reading of Ecclesiastes I read Solomon is talking about Money.  I think for a moment that Solomon was richer than any man who ever walked the face of the earth and was richer than any  man who WILL ever walk the face of the earth.  Think about that for a second.  Donald Trump, Dupont, the Fords, Steve Job, all the sheikhs in the world were not and will not ever be richer than Solomon was.  So he knew a little about what he was talking about when it came to money.

Chapter five starts out with a warning that we should not run at the mouth when praying to our God but we should use a small amount of words. His last word about this is that we should "stand in awe of God."  Afterall, He is God!  Then he jumps over to talk about money.

For me money is a necessary evil.  I would rather work for something I wanted or trade for it than have alot of money for stuff.  Since I have to have it to function, I want enough I can put in the plate on Sunday and give extra when I want or feel led.  I want to not have to rub pennies together for groceries and wonder where I will get clothes for my one daughter.  God provides for us and I have faith that He always will as long as I remain faithful to Him but it would be nice not to have to think about it so much.  That being said, verse 10 says "Whoever loves money never has enough money; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.  This too is meaningless."  Again it brings to mind that I have always heard people say "You can never have enough money." Also, "money won't make you happy". These are all things that Solomon said.  Our focus should not be on money but on God and the love Jesus Christ has for us.  I saw a church sign once that said, "God feeds the birds of the field but He doesn't put the food in their nests."  That is just so appropriate. He will not bless a fast win like lottery.  Solomon goes on to say "The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much" (point being that he ate).

"Naked we come into this world and naked we will leave.  Man takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand." Ecc 5:15  Sound familiar?  Solomon also says that he realizes it is important for man to be happy in his work and that he should be satisfied with whatever tasks he does every day.  So how do you balance love of God and making money?  The wisest man in the world finishes the chapter saying in verse 19, "Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work - this is a gift of God.  He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart."

How cool a reward that is!  Have an awesome day!

Everything is Meaningless

I am not much of a "read through the Bible in a Year" person. I do devotions by select devotionals and when I am out of those I have some prayer time and them let the Spirit lead me to my reading.  So that is how I stumbled on Ecclesiastes and some of the words of wisdom here.  I found that Solomon was frustrated and grieved by the wisdom he had.  I think sort of like Einstein, his knowledge made him go mad. Solomon talks about how he considers all the areas of mans life and what the end result is  and determines that everything is meaningless.

The work we do is left for someone else to either carry on or undo, pleasures are meaningless, wisdom and folly are meaningless, etc.  He determined that as wise as he was and rich as he was, that he basically put his sandals on one at a time just like the beggar at the gates of the city.  So whether he lived in war or peace, at the end of his life there was nothing that help meaning and nothing new under the sun.  All of it is a chasing of the wind as there is nothing tangible to gain in the end and no lasting result.  Kind of depressing!

However, he also determines that there is a time (or season) for everything (Ecc 3:1).  I am reminded of the Byrds song, "Everything has a season, turn, turn, turn."  I am struck with a little humor here as there are so many secular lines I know of that relate back to the Bible and thus proving what Solomon is saying!  "Nothing new under the sun." Ecc 1:9

The one thing that carries through and has meaning is what God has done.  For everything He has done will endure forever (Ecc 3:14) So keep your eyes upon Jesus and focus upward.  He make everything beautiful in His time (Ecc 3:11) nothing man does can add to , change, or alter in anyway what God has perfected or intended.  If that were possible that were could change what God does, it would diminish His awesome power, His majesty, and His "God"liness.  Two are better than one (Ecc 4:9) and that applies to us walking with God.  We are nothing alone but are strong with God by our side.

How to show Wisdom

Words of Wisdom

Proverbs 4:20-23

Solomon was the wisest man to ever live and will be the wisest man to ever walk to face of the earth with the exception of Jesus Christ.  He gave us the book of Proverbs which is full of more proverbs to live by than the Chinese have for fortune cookies!  He repeats things that I believe he found more important than others like the fact that fools run their mouths while the wise man will keep quiet (Proverbs 12:23). The first several chapters are talking to his sons and are more a guide book for like than actual proverbs.  He requests over and over that his sons pay attention to his words and store them in their hearts.  His heart aches that his sons would hold these truths close and apply them in their lives.

Proverbs 4:20-23 reads "My son,, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.  Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one's whole body.  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."

A prayer I have had for my daughter at her young age even, is that God would protect her heart.  Proverbs also states that "Heartache will rot your bones." and I believe that in a literal sense. Solomon doesn't split hairs about it.  Every action we do comes from our heart.  Ultimately, that is the bough of the ship in our lives and in our actions.  If we harbor envy, jealousy, angry thoughts, bitterness, these are the things that will determine our actions and the choices we make.

Pray that God will protect your hearts and create a desire for His Holy Spirit to indwell and direct your life.

Heart of a Servant

Busy Busy Busy.  Our society today is so busy.  It seems there is always a list of accomplishments being done or waiting to be approached.  Every devotional you read, sermon you listen to or church you attend can have a list of "what works for them" and what they think you should do. Is that what true service looks like? Do we throw every ounce of our time and energy at the request for service or servitude in an effort to fill the empty spots?

Jesus Christ was a servant here on earth and he was undoubtedly a busy man. But the art of giving and serving is not always about how busy we can make ourselves.  We were not asked to make ourselves WEARY serving.  I am not saying tired but I am saying WEARY.  Weary is an emotionally exhausted state that lacks the desire to carry on and has no ability to feed or care for its host.  Have you ever been in that state?  I believe that when our service becomes more about what we are accomplishing and less about becoming lesser in the kingdom, we become weary.  Matthew 20:26 says "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,".  Matthew 19:30 says "But many whoa re first will be last, and many who are last will be first."  I don't know about you but I would rather be elevated from last to first in glory than to look at the Father's face and be demoted to last because I haven't learned this simple lesson.

The act of serving in the church is not a list of accomplishments.  It's not being on more committees than Susan and Jenny to coyly prove you are better at being active in the church.  We have a lady in our church who is a wonderful servant.  She works in the background and accomplishes a lot!  She makes sure there are 4 large urns of coffee always ready, the snack bar is full, no shortage of cold water and cups, has time for any child, works all three services and does it all in bare feet.  She is soft spoken, humble, and simple in her tasks but she loves to do all that she does and willingly steps back when the "show offs" come along and take a moment of coordinating to overshadow her constant, quiet presence.

Serving is a condition of the heart.  Christ calls us to serve one another because it puts us in a  humble position.  It's not a matter of what you have accomplished, how much money you threw at the issue or who saw you do it.  We should be more concerned that our children see us opening the door for the janitor, giving a kind word to the girl at the take out window, paying for the ladies coffee behind us or leaving change at the gas station for someone who might come up short later in the day.  We need to focus on our hearts and what the quiet words of the Holy Spirit are asking of us instead of drowning out that still small voice with the thundering list of accomplishments "WE" did without anyone's help.

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Free yourselves that you  might see and hear more of the Spirit of the Lord in your life.  The still small voice is not loud, boisterous and self-gratifying.  It is quiet and softly molding your heart to be who God sees you to be under His grace.  Let that voice teach you the art of serving and accomplish the Father's "good and perfect work" in you. (Philippians 1:6)

A New Easter Thought

Do you learn something new every Easter or do you just go through the motions every year in anticipation of the big ham dinner that follows services?  I love when there is new insight.  This year we read "Preparing your heart for Easter" in our women's Bible Study and as I was reading the account of Christ entering Jerusalem as it was portrayed by each author, I was amazed at Mark's account.

Mark 11:1-19

Mark's account of Christ entering Jerusalem on the donkey is different and specific more than any other of the accounts. Mark states that they were instructed by Jesus Christ to go and find the colt and bring it to Him and if asked why they were untying the colt, to say “that the Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly”. No other account states that the colt will be returned and Matthew even adds that there is a mother and colt and that they were both taken.

In verse 9, Mark refers to the people along the narrow road descending to Jerusalem. This time frame with all the people returning to Jerusalem had to be just throngs of people. This was a key fulfillment of prophesy for Christ to ride this colt into Jerusalem at this time. I imagine that Christs humanity may have created an anxiety or stress level for Him as He rode into the city. Mark's account states that “those who went ahead and those who followed shouted”. I never really thought about people going on ahead and stirring up “mayhem”. They were shouting....not praising. They looked at Christ as an earthly Saviour and were shouting “Hosanna!”... which means “Save us!” and there were Roman soldiers all over the place already to maintain crowd control. So this entry of Christ into the city mirrored a kings arrival and they were making a political statement by demanding that Christ save them from the Romans. This changed the atmosphere to that of a riot rather than a peaceful and holy atmosphere as I have always pictured it to be.

In verse 11, Mark tells how Christ walks into the temple and he remarks that Christ “looks around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve”. I always thought He turned the tables immediately but I believe that this is not an accurate thought. I believe that when He went into the temple, what He saw distressed Him. That ride into the city probably took a long time and was stressful in its own right, and then to see the temple filled with vendors who were taking advantage of this people who had no choice but to be there, I am sure was vexing. He was well aware of the coming days and what they would hold and what the final outcome was going to be. I am sure He knew what He was going to find int he temple before He ever stepped foot in the temple. Perhaps actually seeing it in action was more painful for Him. So He reclined for the evening and perhaps prayed on what He saw and talked to His heavenly Father about it, regrouped, and then, in the morning He returned in righteous anger, and then turned the tables and emptied the temple. Perhaps there were less people the next morning. Perhaps He was just exhausted from His journey that day. We will not know exactly until we get to heaven the why's of many things but I found it a point of interest that Mark recounted that day differently.  It is also interesting to me that the Holy Spirit chooses to reveal things in portions.  We never read the Scriptures once and know everything.  We always learn in stages and with insight that is showered down in parts so that we will appreciate and learn to apply what is shared.  Those applications come at imperative times in our lives as well. Just as the plants in the garden are slowly making their presence known after a long winter nap, God's revealing comes in stages. I hope that you will find some new and interesting or rewarding facts to apply to your Resurrection day this year.

What do you THINK you know?

Heart Condition

Romans 1:21
From the beginning of time we see that even though people knew God- and especially  at this point when Paul writes, people had seen Christ , interacted, witnessed miracles, knew of the resurrection – and still they turned their backs and made bad choices.   God allowed them to make the choices to follow their sinful hearts.  They traded;Immortal for mortalTruth for liesPurity for impurityCreator for createdIntangible to tangible Paul follows a thread here  when he writes the Corinthian church.  II Corinthian 4:18  “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal.”  Paul is so awestruck at his own delineation here that he is forced to pause with reverence deserved of his heavenly Father and Creator and offers praise and closure with an..”Amen”.In verse 26 Paul  lists with great fervor and disgust the things that ungodly hearts pursue….wickedness, gossip, lies, disobedience, immorality, faithless, ruthless, heartless.  Our recent school shootings bring to mind this condition of the heart and evidence of a depraved mind.  A complacency of onlookers who say, “what is this world coming too” and go on with their day.  Where is the shock, the remorse?  Are we approving of the actions of today of the wicked and ungodly?  Are we allowing ungodly TV shows, movies, games, books, clothing and behavior into our homes?  Where does it end and what are YOU doing to make a difference?