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.