Verse for the New Year

This post may be a little late for the "contemplating the New Year" kind, but I haven't had the opportunity to sit down and put these thoughts into writing until now, so today it is.


I've read and enjoyed so many of your New Year's posts sharing your intentions and resolutions, plans and goals, and just plain old hopes and dreams. Especially you younger gals with big things happening in your lives. Blogging has given many of you some amazing opportunities this year;  from recognition in magazines, photography, television, and the book world, to actually "living your dreams". Honestly, I couldn't be happier for you...really...truly! 


I have to warn you though, as you get older the concept of making resolutions fades a bit and the turning of the calender page takes on a little less significance. Life experience and circumstances have a bad habit of wearing a person down a little. I know what it's like to have "resolutions" wind up in the ditch by the end of January, or to have something thrown in my path unexpectedly like a family crisis or health setback. "Life" has a way of derailing the best of intentions.  I guess the blessings of youth are optimism and the promise of the future. I'm not on a "downer" here, just contemplating life a little, I guess. And how we view what is ahead of us. 


Many of you have talked about how you have a "word" for the New Year. A word that some of you will use as a roadmap for the journey into 2012. To other's it's a definition of what you desire the atmosphere around you to be; a goal, an attitude, and a viewpoint. Hopefully our words are God given and spoken. I know that God likes using dates, times, and seasons to express Himself in our hearts. When we're prayerfully contemplating our lives and the prospect for change, He's is more than happy to speak to our open hearts and minds. He's an "encourager", and He desires to bring us into a place of possibilities and optimism. He's been working on me in that area...


OK, back to the "word" idea for the New Year. So I asked God if there was a specific word for me to contemplate and keep in my spirit for this year. It didn't come immediately, but as I was doing a short post for New Year's Day, a scripture verse came to mind. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the adorable vintage postcard with kittens, but it had to be included. 


Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

It seemed a little out of place and incongruous with that postcard post, but I've learned to go with it, if it's something from the Lord.  This verse has been rattling around in my head for a few days and the more I've thought about it the more I've realized God has been speaking to me concerning this thought for quite a while now.

Let me share just a little of what I think He may be trying to say. 


First of all for this verse to be truly accurate we need to be a child of God. Believers can have a firm faith that if we really love the Lord and seek Him that He will ultimately be in charge of our lives and destinations. If we never seek Him for help and guidance then it's easy to get off track in our thinking and plans. This in turn can send us down the wrong path. Staying in touch with the Father on a daily basis and letting the Holy Spirit lead us may not mean that our lives will be easy or perfect, but they will be "determined". The Oxford dictionary says this about the word "determine, -ed" fixed, precise, distinct, settled, persistent, unwavering.


Another word that stands out for me in this verse is "course". Here is the definition: onward movement or progression, path, way, route, or track, a lesson, a part of a meal, a series of hurdles, a horizontal layer of bricks" a length of water.


And then this word, which really means a lot to me at this time. "Step". a unit of movement, a manner of walking, a degree in the scale of promotion or advancement, making progress, pace, stride, taking action, being in agreement.

At this stage in my life I'm more "contemplative" about the future. I've learned the hard way not to run off on my own and in my own thinking to do a certain thing. I don't want to get into something that's just not part of God's plan for me. There have been a few things that I've been "measuring" in my mind and considering so I've turned them over to God for timing and specifics. He's determining them for me and I'm allowing Him to plot the course, not only of this New Year, but of my future. He can do all that for me, but if I don't lift up my foot one day at a time and exert some effort to take the "step" nothing will happen. 


I had a sprained ankle last week, and now that I think of it, it may have been a little teaching tool that the Lord allowed. The thought of not being able to walk for a few days had me reeling. The concept of taking a "step" has a little more significance than it did before.


I'd love to hear in the comments if God has spoken a "word" or verse to you for the year. 


Love you all, thanks for listening, and sharing my life. You're a huge blessing to me!


In Jesus,

God is Above All Things

One of the amazing and wonderful things about God's Word, the Bible, is that it speaks to each one of us for whatever it is we are going through. We all have our different issues and problems, needs and desires. For one of us it's finances, another, our children, still another health or relationships...then again some of us have all of these things in our lives to deal with.  Right now the one that's on the "front burner" so to speak is my health. I know... it's been that way for awhile, but I know you can relate. Problems rarely are solved overnight, and sometimes God allows us to walk "through" for a while. Mine has been awhile.

I had a tough summer, but God has been doing some things for me and I'm feeling better pain-wise. (Thank you Lord!) I'm definitely giving Him credit, it wouldn't be happening without His hand on me. I was in a spiral down and it wasn't fun. Medication wasn't helping, and if I looked at the "big picture" of textbook diagnosis and prognosis, mine was crummy to say the least. 


But, with one thing, it always leads to another with God. He may let you sit for a little while, but then He's always there moving you forward once more, stretching your faith, and causing you to get uncomfortable in the place that He last left you. Do you understand what I'm saying? God isn't stagnant and He doesn't want us to be either. So we may have a victory and praise, but before you know it He's knocking on the door again asking us to step out of our comfort zone and go further down the "faith" road.


God sometimes plants me in a particular chapter in the scriptures and leaves me there. I may read something a dozen times before it starts to sink in. Has this happened to you? I go over and over and sometimes frustration happens before enlightenment. Then sometimes He shows me something ahead of time and I find myself realizing I need to pay attention for what's coming. Case in point. John, chapter three. I'm there alot.

What I've been reading over and over is John 3:31 "The one who comes from above is above all". Sounds simple enough to understand. But understanding and putting into practice are two different things. He's asking me to believe and act upon that statement. He's in control. He's the One who makes the decisions. He's the One who can bring the manifestation of healing when no one else can. He's the One that can transition you from head knowledge to actually doing what needs to be done. 


God gives promises and sometimes those promises seem distant and unattainable. Often times they are fraught with difficulty and ditches along the way. But a day comes when things start to change. I'm reminding myself to praise God along the way, and to keep moving forward. He will be there with me each step of the way.


I found this illustration today that says it all!

Wherever you might be in this circle, just let God keep moving you forward.

love in Jesus,

Running in the "Grace" Lane

In life we have many races, but none more important than that of our Christian faith and experience. Our race is not TO salvation, but IN salvation. We continuously put one foot in front of the other; sometimes it's a sprint, other times it's a relay, but always a marathon. It starts at our salvation experience and ends when we come face to face with our Heavenly Father. How are we running that race?

Galatians 5:7,18, 25
"You were running a good race. Who cut in on you, and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you...But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law...Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

Our writer of Galatians, Paul, frequently used analogies of physical activities, and as the people of this time were familiar with the Greek culture of athletics and races, they understood what Paul was speaking of.

Philippians 3:12-14
12. Not that I have already obtained [it], or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of [it] yet; but one thing [I do]: forgetting what [lies] behind and reaching forward to what [lies] ahead, 14. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

So now we understand that this is a race for the believer; one who believes in and personally knows Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Each day we run. We may not seemingly do anything of "spiritual" value or consequence, but each day we are moving forward, hopefully led by the Holy Spirit. Our attitudes, actions, and beliefs are all part of that race.

What happens when we step on a piece of loose gravel, have a leg cramp, or get distracted by someone in the stands? Do we whine and groan, fall over and give up...or do we keep going? Maybe we have to slow down our pace or tend to an injury, but most important, we cannot give up. Are there hurdles that you didn't see to the last minute...someone else who is down and you lend a helping hand to get them back on track?

Maybe you're lacking stamina and you need to run "in tandem" with another runner for awhile to keep up the pace. Life is like a race. It may not be easy. It may be long, and it may be tiring. One thing for sure is that there is reward in the end. Our salvation race does have a finish line, and at the end, the one who hands us the prize and congratulates us is Jesus Himself.


The Galatian Christians were given the Gospel by Paul years before. They were running a good race, but the Judiazers we not only heckling them from the sidelines, they came out onto the field and were blocking their way. The Judiazers were giving them wrong information about their salvation. Sort of like someone standing in the middle of the lanes that directed the runners off course. And if you get off course in a race you can be disqualified. Wrong information can cause us to not only lose momentum it can keep us off balance and cause us to stumble.


If you haven't read the previous posts here from Galatians, why don't you take some time to find the backstory of the Galatians. They had been told that their belief in Jesus Christ as Savior wasn't enough. These were non-Jewish believers that had been hijacked into believing that salvation came through keeping the Jewish laws and customs. Jesus came to bring Freedom and to release us from captivity of the bondage of rules and regulations that the Jews had based their salvation upon.

Galatians 5:1
It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Freedom from condemnation under the Old Testament Law. Freedom to know Jesus personally. Freedom to live our lives to the fullest without fear. Freedom in mind and heart. Freedom in the Spirit, that our spirit may run fast and strong, not giving up; looking ahead and seeing Jesus at the finish line, arms open and smiling wide. Run in the "Grace" lane.

Where are you in the race?


love in Jesus,
Debra

A Crack in the Door

John 3: 24-30

24. For John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25. There arose therefore a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification. 26. And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have borne witness, behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him." 27. John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven. 28. "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' 29. "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. And so this joy of mine has been made full. 30. "He must increase, but I must decrease".
 
 

 
Today, I've been hearing this in my spirit. Over and over it has been told to me.

I'm taking a break from Galatians to share with you what I feel God may be saying to me.
 
I feel like I'm supposed to share something with all of you; I guess, not for an opinion, but as a step of faith for all of you to be my "witnesses".  I feel like a door is cracked open and I'm being told to "take a peek inside". In the past I've mentioned that I was called to teach, and share God's Word.  It's not something I've talked alot about because, well, in a nutshell, I'm not doing that in my day to day life right now. I have in the past, but since I've had health problems, that part of my life has been limited by God's hand. 
 
I love to teach and share with you from here, on this blog. But I'm feeling things are about to change. (Not in the blog, but in another area of my life. ) How do I know? Honestly it's more than a feeling, more of a gut knowing. Something I'm awakened with in the middle of the night. Something that comes to mind at odd and obscure moments. It doesn't go away. Now is there anything "in the natural" that gives credibility to this? No. Actually, a resounding "NO". So why am I sharing this now with all of you? Because I'm supposed to. I know this little post seems random and mysterious, and in my own mind, I guess it really is. I know nothing about what the future will be like a year from now. I think I'm just being obedient to share this with you.
 
We are all given "gifts" and "portions" from God. Some of this and some of that. I have a little "something" inside that has been there for a long time, but the flame has been diminished. I've had to let it sit on the back part of the shelf for the last seven years now, but God seems to be taking that little something and moving it toward the front. He's been doing it quietly and without me really knowing about it. I'll look around, and there it is; moving forward.
 
Honestly, I'd rather be doing a lesson from Galatians today, but that was not meant to be. Sharing a little bit of my heart is what is happening instead. This isn't meant to be spooky or anything weird. I've just been getting a "heads up" from the Holy Spirit, and I think this is a step of faith to share it.
 
So why the underlined verse in John 3? When I read this passage, that verse jumped off the page at me. There are a lot of things in life that we "receive" but only the things that God gives us are lasting. And what He gives us, He asks us to use. The way we are asked to use it may not always be exactly the way we think we would like. In other words, things don't always turn out the way we think they will or should. I've been trying to "put on Jesus" everyday, and in doing so I have to let Him "hold the coat" so to speak. Do you get that picture in your mind's eye? Like a gentleman helping a lady with her jacket. He's holding the "coat", and I'm letting Him put it on me.
 
So, now that I have everyone totally saying "Huh...?" Join the club. I guess that's where I am. With a  question mark, and an open heart. Willing to do what God asks, not sure where I'm going, but willing. I consider you all friends, even if we haven't met, so "friends" please pray for the door to open.

(and in a p.s. sort of thing, I know there are a lot of metaphors in this little rambling post, but God gives little mental pictures to help describe and explain things to me, so that's how I'm sharing it with you.)
 
love in Jesus,
Debra

Redeemed from the Curse

What exactly is a curse? Can a Christian today find themselves in the same place as the early church? Paul has something to confront the Galatians about and now they must be ready for an awakening. 


Galatians 3:10-13
10. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them." 11. Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "The righteous man shall live by faith." 12. However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "He who practices them shall live by them." 13. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us."...

When you have a moment, go back to Galatians Chapter 3 and read the start of this chapter.  Paul asks the Galatian Christians, who has "bewitched" them. Pretty strong accusations for Paul to hand out. What would we say today if someone came to speak at our church and stood at the podium and asked us that particular question? I would imagine we'd be pretty indignant and irritated. Can you imagine the gasps, denials, and finger pointing?  Yet, that's just what Paul did. He stood up and asked a pointed question of the Galatian church.


Lets look at two words here in the Greek that give us an indication of the seriousness of his topic.

The word "bewitched" in the Greek is "baskaino" which means "to charm, to bring evil upon", and the Oxford Dictionary gives the following: "to enchant, delight, cast a spell on, charm, fascinate, beguile" (with words)


The word "cursed" found in verses 10 and 13 "epikataratos" means "doomed, and to bring evil upon". The Oxford Dictionary gives these: "something that causes evil or harm, denunciation, misfortune, affliction, damned."


So we can see from looking at these words that Paul uses, that he was totally serious in his accusations. Life or death, blessings or curses... we hear this topic throughout the Old and New Testament. When we studied Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, back in February, we find that Adam and Eve's sin caused them to be evicted from the Garden of Eden and they were subject to living under "the curse". (read Genesis Chapter 3). Then again in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 28, we see again how "curses" can come upon us.

Now, I want to explain this thought about curses in a way that I feel the Lord has shown me. Don't think of this as God's maliciousness or ill will toward you or anyone else. Think of us individually walking with Jesus and he is holding an umbrella. It is pouring rain and hailing. Now, because of a personal decision, someone chooses to leave Jesus' side and walk out from under that umbrella of "blessing" and protection. Think "free will".

This is where we leave the "blessing" and walk "under the curse". I'm not saying that anytime anything bad happens that we have sinned or chosen to walk away from Jesus. We live in a world where "things happen", and I'm living proof of that. I didn't choose to have cardiovascular problems or heart attacks. Someone doesn't have cancer because they are "sinning". People don't die young because they have walked away from Jesus. I'm talking about a mindset that lures us away from the Word of God, prayer, and intimacy with our Father. When someone chooses to leave Jesus, and His way of thinking and doing things, He allows us, but we walk out from under that umbrella of blessing, and basically are on our own.

Hope you all understand what I'm saying here. This is what happened to the Galatians. Paul was fearful for them, because the Judiazers had "bewitched" them with their words. They had convinced and confused the new Christians at Galatia, and in their fear, they reverted back to the Old Testament Law, of rules, regulations and never being "good enough" to find salvation.

There are a lot of ideas, concepts, and theories out there that can subtly lure us away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It doesn't have to particularly be this idea of "the law".  The "New Age" doctrines can sound surprisingly close to scripture. This is why it's so important to know God's Word and be in it daily. This allows the Holy Spirit to speak to us and warn us when something isn't quite right. Beware being bewitched with false doctrines. If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask God about them. He will lead you into the truth. That's part of his "job description".

So, back to our scripture in Galatians; don't let anyone or anything try to drag you back "under the Law". The Law was given to the Israelites to be a "guideline", but not for salvation. It has always been a matter of "faith". God's grace is the key to salvation, not living by rules and regulations.

Thank you, Jesus!!

Next time we'll talk about Abraham, and why he is considered to be not only the Jew's spiritual father, but as Christians, ours also.


Thank you all so much for your prayers for my family as we celebrated the life of my father in law, and rejoiced at his "home going".

love, in Jesus,
Debra

Which One am I?

I don't know about you, but sometimes I need to hear the Truth. Truth that's not watered down, or made palatable. Some meat of the Word to chew on, and not "baby food" Christian speak. I think a lot of the time we don't want to present God's Word in a way that "offends". Especially to new Christians or unbelievers, so a lot of the time it's a lukewarm Gospel, and we know how Jesus feels about that. "Lukewarm" can be unappetising and tasteless. So here is what God is sharing with me today.

Version: NAS

Luke 17:11-19


11. And it came about while He was on the way to Jerusalem, that He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. 12. And as He entered a certain village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; 13. and they raised their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy (pity) on us!" 14. And when He saw them, He said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And it came about that as they were going, they were cleansed. 15. Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16. and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17. And Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine-- where are they? 18. "Was no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?" 19. And He said to him, "Rise, and go your way; your faith has made you well."
 
I really love taking apart a scripture passage, verse by verse. Nothing in the Bible is included without meaning. Each and every word and phrase; every "jot and tiddle" (Matthew 5:18) of the scripture has impact. It's up to us to read and pray over it and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it's meaning for us.
 
In verse 11 it says that Jesus was passing between Galilee and Samaria, and we know from earlier study that Samaria was a place that was not frequented by Jews. Samaria was a "mixed" religious nation. Part Hebrew, but "contaminated" with worldly values. Jews looked upon Samaria as a place to avoid and have nothing to do with. Where Samaria is located, to get from one part of Israel to the other, the Jews had to go out of their way around it to avoid it, when "passing through" Samaria would have been the logical and easiest route.
 
What came to my mind is that we often walk a path that is somewhere between "the spiritual" and "the worldly". It says in the Bible that we are not of the world, yet we must live "in" the world. It's easy to be a Christian, yet feel comfortable walking "between" the two mindsets. Sometimes leaning one way or the other. Who here hasn't had a wonderful worship experience on Sunday, to then wake up on Monday morning with a bad attitude and feeling like "the world" is what's ahead of us for the week?
 
Leprosy in Old Testament times was considered a picture of "sin". Associated throughout the Bible with heathens and those who were outcasts of the Jewish community. Today, this scourge is not found in most countries or settings. Poor nations without the ability to provide hygiene needs are usually the only places it can be found, but in Biblical times it was common to see "camps" and communities of lepers, banding together to live with and care for one another. No one else would help or come near them. Lepers were required by law and religious statutes to not mingle in society and to actually announce their whereabouts by saying that they were "unclean", and keeping their distance.
 
Makes me think that there are many of us today that walk among the rest of society that are religiously "unclean", living in deep sin, but wearing a face of  "religious" normalcy, passing through the crowd, no one knowing that our lives are decaying and infected with sin and worldly attitudes. We may look like the rest of the crowd, but inside we are being destroyed, eaten up with unclean ideas, practices, and relationships.

Evidently the lepers in this passage recognized Jesus, because they called Him by name. They cried out in a loud voice, "have pity on us". Makes me wonder if they were asking for healing or just pity. Here's where it can get "touchy" with those of us that are believing for healing. If it doesn't occur right away, do we just put our belief aside and say, "well, OK, we're not healed, but Father, would you just "have pity on me"? The lepers were always asking people to help them as they had no means of supporting themselves. They had no food, clothing or help at all, unless relatives brought them food and supplies. They were used to "settling", not being healed, just asking for pity.

This is where the rubber meets the road. I'm not just talking about "physical" things here, but relational, spiritual, emotional healing, as well. Have we gotten used to being sick, lacking, hurting? Are we comfortable in it? Is it easier to just ask for pity than to keep faith and trust God for His timing and plan? To keep believing that God will do as He promises?

Jesus says "Go show yourselves to the priests", because it was up to the priests to verify their healing. The priests were the ones that pronounced them "clean" so that they could rejoin society. The priests would have to see the miracle and then allow them back among the community. Basically Jesus was saying to them. "I'll do better than pity. I'll heal you. Now have faith and go do what needs to be done." And as they went they were healed.

Belief, and faith, and action. What if when Jesus said now go show the priests, that they said "yeah, right!"
I don't think they would have been healed, but they chose to trust Jesus and do as He said. They were all healed, but only one came back to thank Jesus. Since he was a Samaritan, maybe he had not been a believer. Maybe he was of the world. Jesus will heal those who do not know Him, because He loves us all. He wants us to recognize that it was not a twist of fate, or some strange occurrence. No, the God of the Universe, loves each of us, and He desires that we thank Him and turn to Him for Salvation.

A thankful heart and a voice to praise. Ready to give God the glory and credit for all that He gives to us. Big situation or small, His hand in our lives and circumstance deserves a loud shout of praise! Thank you, Lord! Don't let me settle for pity, when I can have "healing".

love in Jesus,

Debra

Pursuing God

I imagine you've noticed that I haven't been posting as much lately. Hard to miss. There have been some projects that God has put in front of me. Not all outwardly seemingly God sent, but yet I know they have been. Starting blogs for a few of my business friends, taking a trip to see our kids, doing some much needed projects around the homestead, and then let us not forget, aging parents that seem to be needing more attention and time.

Just like you, I live in the real world of fixing dinner, doing laundry, housework, and needing to be productive in daily life. Sometimes I haven't felt very "productive" in the real world, so when I get a fresh breath of energy and momentum I try and "run with it". But in doing so, I don't want to neglect this special place that God has given me to communicate with you all out there. (If I haven't checked in with you lately it's not because I haven't thought of you all.)

I'd be misrepresenting myself to say that I'm praying 24/7, reading the Bible for hours a day, or going to church 7 days a week. I've been there, and yes, there are "seasons" for that. For extended periods of time I've been in relentless pursuit of God, but just as in normal earthly relationships, there are also times of "comfort" and constancy, and contentment. That's not the same as backsliding, or losing touch, or lack of commitment.

Just saying that today, after knowing it was time to do another post, God sort of corralled me from my projects. He sat me down and gave me a scripture to look up. Sometimes He speaks a scripture verse to me, book, chapter, and verse. Most of the time I'm not familiar with it off the top of my head. Today He said to me "Mark, third chapter, 10th verse."

Version: NAS

Mark 3:10
"...for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed about Him in order to touch Him."

Seems as though I've not been "pressing in about Him" as much lately. I've been trying to adjust myself to the fact that I have some health issues and that I'm still on meds and it all restricts me. Even though from reading my other blog, you might think I was a whirlwind of energy, truth is I'm not. Some days are good, others not so much.

I'm trusting God for my life and health, but some days I just try to put it aside and keep doing "life". Positive thinking is not an effort for me. It's always been preferable to the alternative, and besides God isn't into "woe is me". That's not faith, nor is it a godly testimony.

I guess my thought that I'm getting today is to not lose the "pressing in"  anointing that God bestows upon us. He puts it there for a purpose. It's to accomplish His purpose for us. Right now I don't want to lose track of the momentum that God has for me, here at this Bible Study, or for life in general. I don't want to be complacent, or lackluster in whatever it is God is calling me to do.

And you know something really funny (as in strange)? When I opened my Bible to Mark 3:10, not only was it underlined, but dated "5/19/04"; a year after my heart surgery. And exactly 6 years ago today. Who says God isn't "timely" and aware of our exact need?

It's been a long seven years, but I'm still here and I'm still Pursuing Him. Most of the times that Jesus healed it was when someone "pursued" Him. The blind man, the leper, the woman with the issue of blood, the centurion, the synagogue leader with the sick daughter; many many more, God saw their dedication and drive for Him; their faith and action, their desire to stay in the race. I want to be one of those people of faith. Not complacent, but in pursuit.

If you have never read "The God Chasers" by Tommy Tenney, I highly recommend it. It will get you out of your rut and make you put on your shoes.

love in Jesus,

Debra

Better Late than Never

I've had some thoughts in my head the last few days about what I wanted to say about Mother's Day, and I felt like I really needed to speak from my heart concerning how being a mother has changed my life.

When I was young I really didn't have a lot of big dreams or aspirations. I knew in my heart getting married and having kids was what I wanted to do. I'm a nester and homebody, so a house and the white picket fence is what I dreamed of...a husband, a home, and a couple of kids.


I've come to learn as I've matured and worked in church ministries, that no family is perfect. Some of the people you see setting in church on Sunday morning all spiffed up and smiles are the same people that 30 minutes ago were yelling, fighting, and fussing at their kids. If anyone says they come from the "perfect" family then all I can say is, "Praise the Lord, and I hope you're not in denial".

Without getting too personal I will say, like many of you, that while I had a good and relatively happy childhood, it was not without it's problems and dysfunction. Problem is that I didn't realize the fallout from that "dysfunction" until I had already married and had two kids of my own. Dysfunction, (there's that word again) has a habit of revisiting itself on future generations. Things that happened to our parents in their youth unfortunately come down on the kids. Our parent's lack of parenting skills most likely were learned from their parents and so on.


If you've read my blog for awhile you know that I would really love to have some "do-overs" in my life. Where were the parenting classes I so desperately needed? In reality, I probably wouldn't have attended them. We never think we need the help until "life" lands on us and we're on the ground.

For most of my life I suffered from a lot of misinformation about God. I was afraid of Him and didn't have a concept of how much He really loved me. It's amazing how screwed up we can be if we don't have that one critical piece of information. God loves us. God loves us...


So in thinking about a few things that I wanted to pass along of what I've learned by being a mother, I will share the most important ones to me; seemingly small, but powerful concepts.


1. The old phrase from "Love Story" is totally inaccurate. Nice byline from a movie, but totally wrong! "Love means never having to say your sorry".  Horse doody. God showed me after a long and painful separation from my younger daughter that at times we have to be willing to say "I'm sorry" and mean it. Even if you felt justified in your actions and attitudes. It's not how you perceive something, it's how the other person perceives it. If she felt I didn't love her or had hurt her, I better be willing to take responsibility by admitting my own mistakes. And you know what? I had made some. I just didn't see them until we started the dialogue. There is something about hearing those two words that start to mend and heal relationships. Ownership of words and actions...good place to start.


2. Don't lie or cover up with your kids. Be honest and keep them informed. They're smarter than they look. That doesn't mean you have to give them gory details. Just be willing to talk to your kids about what's going on. Secrets and coverups are the devil's playground. My parent's generation is a good case in point. Family secrets can be so destructive. My mother found out when she tried to get social security at age 65 that her sister was really her mother. She had been the product of "date rape" back in the early 1930's.  Not a new scenario. Things were covered up, people went to their graves with that secret, and it had my dear mother reeling for months. I didn't know my grandmother as my grandmother, nor my girls their great grandmother. Always just an aunt; a loving one, but still just an aunt. I had a really hard time forgiving missing out on that relationship. My mom's hurt was visited upon me.


3. Take the time to do the little things. Don't always be in such a hurry that you miss out on the sweet and precious moments that we can have with our children. Being "present" and in the moment has been difficult for me a lot of my life. Don't get me wrong. We have had great times and laughs and so many memorable moments. I just wish I'd savored them more and considered the impact that would have on my girls and husband. A dirty floor can always wait. Work and projects and all the other non-essentials can never be compared to making cupcakes, taking an afternoon in the park, or going for a drive to see new places and things. Live in the present. In reality, that is all we really have.


4. Don't live your life through your children. Don't put pressure on them to do things you never were able to do. Don't put expectations on them that cause them to not be their own person. Let them explore who they are and who God is calling them to be. Respect that at an early age. We're all different, with different talents and dreams and desires. Don't confuse what you missed out on to be something that your children may enjoy or even be good at. Give them space to be who God is calling them to be...then be happy for them and celebrate their own accomplishments.

5. Learn to put others first...it's not all about me... enough said.

6. Be kind. If there is a raving maniac living inside of you, get a grip. Think of how we speak to our children and other children for that matter. Tender hearts can easily be broken or stepped on. This is something I needed help with. Anger, frustration, my own hurt, etc. comes out of me pretty matter of fact. I am changing, I just wish I would have done better when they were young. So many hard or harsh words that cannot be taken back. That is where #1. comes in. Learning to say you're sorry and then doing the right thing.


7.Trust God with your kids. They are a gift; and God loves them more than we could ever possibly love them. He knows their needs better than we do, but like any gift, He has expectations of their care from us; feeding, sheltering, loving them, teaching them. But there comes a time in their lives when we have to back off and let God have the reins. That's when prayer and trust kicks in. And sometimes sleepless nights. This is where knowing God's Word and Promises will help when nothing else can. Speaking the Word over my kids in their bedrooms when they are not home. Being on my knees on their behalf, then letting God take over. I have first hand proof that it works.


8. And then knowing that when they become adults they can be your best friends. My girls have weathered their own storms. They are now women that I respect and love and they nurture me. Having them in my life has taught me the values I was sorely lacking.


Thank you God for blessing me in life. It may not have been perfect but I love the scripture that says His mercies are new every morning... and they are.

Love, to all of you,

Have a blessed Mother's Day.

Debra

Finding Our Way With Personal Values

Think about standing at the front of your drive way. The target is the front door. Now cover your eyes and start walking. We're assuming there are no stairs, large trees, or other big obstacles, we're just walking... heading for our door. We are walking straight, staying on course. We have seen the goal and we are purposing to walk a straight path. OK, done? Now take off your blindfold. How close are you to the door? Are you close?...right there?...5 feet off? worse?...are you still even in your own yard?

                                                 

                                          

Now let's think of this illustration when it comes to our own life and belief system. When we are young it takes a while to form our belief system. Being a "little off" isn't that bad. Hopefully we've grown up in a Bible believing church and home, that makes it a little easier. Some of us have been blessed with this, others of us have not. But still, we sometimes can get off track and not even know that we are. Focusing on Jesus and having a good grasp of the Word of God are essential in our having a correct value and personal belief system. We've all heard the saying about climbing the ladder of success, to only get to the top and find we're against the wrong building!

The older and more mature we get it is critical that we are not "walking blind", in our lives. We need to know the Truth of God's Word and let that be a beacon for us to walk in. The light of God's Word, will keep us on track and on course in life. We don't want to let misinformation and unbelief sidetrack us or cause us to miss what God has for us.

We each have our own set of values. Being a Christian, our love of God and our relationship with Him should be above everything else. Sadly many Christians are not there. We may think that we are, but a lot of the time, children, a spouse, personal goals etc. can take over the top spot. It's really easy to let all those things crowd out our holding God above it all.

Exodus 20:3-4

3. "You shall have no other gods before Me.
4. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

The 10 Commandments are proof of the importance of putting God first. First off, there are no other "gods"; this word is referring to anything or anyone of earthly importance that takes first place in our lives. We're not talking about Hindu, Islam or any other religion or ideology. There is no other God than "Jehovah".

The second commandment is not just referring to "idols" in the form of little metal or wooden statues. This means there should be nothing that stands between you and Father God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Anything is an "idol" that takes first place in our lives besides God.

Example, I've seen people so into sports that it became an idol. How about shopping? Does the concept make you lose control and put yourself in a place of financial jeopardy? Any addiction, from shopping, drinking, smoking, lust, drugs, to "keeping up with the Joneses" can become an "idol". Pretty scary thought, huh? 

How about our kids. Does seeing them win, or get recognition take precedence over what is godly and right? What about trying to please our spouse or even friends? Do we overstep proper personal boundaries to get attention or importance in their eyes? I'm bringing this up, because if anything or anyone, including ourselves is numero uno in our lives, our whole belief system and set of values will be skewed.

Below is a "Personal Worth Appraisal". Please take a look at it. Make a copy or write it down. Now, be honest in your answers. I'm going to ask you to really read, think and pray about this. We'll have a few days. Take the personal challenge in this. Some of you took me up on the "Faith Challenge" I extended a week or so ago. So let's do the same with this. Don't just use the number system. Write down your thoughts on the individual topics. Why and what are the reasons and circumstances that you are unhappy, dissatisfied, feeling unsuccessful, etc. Let it get inside your head and heart.

I think if you're honest you'll be surprised at how you really feel and what God will show you if you take this little quiz. I'll give you my honest answers and discuss them on the next post.

Success, significance, fulfillment, satisfaction, happiness,

fun, security, peace.

How do all these areas in our personal life line up with God's Word,

and His perfect will for our lives?

Remember, we're being really honest.

 You don't have to share if you don't want, so keep it real!

If you'd like to leave a comment on this idea,

 we'd all love to hear it.

Next time, you will be hearing all my personal stuff concerning this.

love, in Jesus,

Debra

(personal worth appraisal taken from

Victory Over the Darkness)

Down to Earth Faith

Coming back to our book study today in Victory Over the Darkness, I want to share 3 important facts about our everyday "faith". The author covers them so well, I'll take some passages and quotes from the book.
Each of these are aspects of our faith that maybe we are, or are not, aware of. I like breaking a concept down into the "nuts and bolts"; practical principles and ideas to help us get a better grasp of what "faith" really is.

1. Faith depends on it's object.


What happens when our faith in a person is shattered; a friendship, spouse, doctor, pastor? How do we react when someone we respect lets us down, or doesn't live up to our expectations? It can take years to re-build our faith in a person. It can hurt and scar us, and it can shatter our lives. I once had a pastor that said frequently that if we were looking to him as a faith object he would let us down. Guess what?...it didn't take long for that to happen. Men are men, and we all fail. So very true. We may not mean to let others down, sometimes through no fault of our own, sometimes because we lack character, but either way man in his humanity isn't a very reliable faith object.

God on the other hand, should be the source and foundation of our faith. This is where it becomes important to know God intimately. I've mentioned before how I was having faith about something and when it didn't happen when I thought it should, I was crushed. I felt like I couldn't trust God anymore. What I didn't know at that time, was that it wasn't God who had let me down. I didn't have all the facts and I had jumped to "faith conclusions". I learned a hard lesson about timing and attitude during that ordeal. It made me conscious about my faith being directed by and to God, and not the circumstance.

Version: NAS


Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today, [yes] and forever.


Numbers 23:19
"God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

The fact that God never changes and that He is constant, is the reason He is eminently trustworthy. He is the great "I Am", the Alpha and Omega, first and last for eternity.


"If you have little knowledge about God and His Word, you will have little faith. If you have great knowledge of God and His Word, you will have great faith".



2. The depth of your Faith is determined by the depth of your knowledge of the object.


When people struggle with their faith in God, it's not because their faith-object is insufficient. It's because people have unreal expectations of God. They expect Him to operate a certain way or answer prayer a certain way; their way, not His.



Romans 10:17
So faith [comes] from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
 
And what does that mean?

Reading God's Word on a regular basis, letting it soak into your mind and heart. We won't have great faith if we don't read God's Word, the Bible. Participating in a Bible Study, daily Bible reading and prayer, Sunday School and church attendance. All these things should put us in a place to hear God's Word and meditate on it. This is foremost in our ability to have faith. We must hear and know what God is saying.


2 Peter 1:4
For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.

2 Corinthians 1:20
For as many as may be the promises of God, in Him they are yes; wherefore also by Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.

There are many many promises in the Bible, it's up to us to know them. This is where one of the small pocket books will help, "Promises for You" by Zonderman is one such book, you can order it on-line or at almost any Christian book store. It shows us the promises and helps us pray back God's Word.
 
"Believing doesn't make God's Word true, His Word IS true, therefore I believe it."
 
3. Faith is an action word.
 
James 2: 17-18
17. Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, [being] by itself. 18. But someone may [well] say, "You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Matthew 14:25-31

25. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were frightened, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." 28. And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." 29. And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30. But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" 31. And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

Without action there really isn't any faith. We can talk all day long about how we have faith in God, but the true test comes when we are in a situation that we have to choose; "Do I trust God in this"? I don't want to be a Spiritual Couch Potato. Someone who sits around while things need to be done. We know that there are daily matters that just take our ability to believe God for good. And to allow Him to be in charge.

I'm going to throw out a little challenge; an exercise. Let God show you where you can trust and have faith in Him for a particular situation. Don't think of it as asking for trouble. Maybe it's something that you are dealing with right now. Just let God lead and direct your faith. He'll show you how if you will only ask!

More on faith next time. Remember, if God is nudging you leave a comment or question, please do. I love to hear them and so does everyone else!

love in Jesus'

Debra

concepts and quotes taken from
Chapter 6, Victory Over the Darkness
by Neil Anderson

Take a seat!

"Take a seat", someone might say to us. How common to hear that, yet if we think about this everyday act in response to a friendly command, we may get a more clear understanding of what it is to act "in faith".

You may have heard this reference to "sitting in a chair" as an act of faith and it may seem too simplified, but it is something we can all agree on.  Unless we are staring at a ramshackle bit of flimsy antiquity we all pretty much do not hesitate to be seated. Here is where I will insert that my love of vintage junk and antiques has indeed given me many opportunities to be more than a little wary when it comes to choosing a spot to rest!

We have all sat in a chair, and most of us have not had it crack and fall apart on us. So because we are familiar with chairs and their ability to support us, we don't worry and wring our hands each time we think about it. We just do it. We sit in the chair without a moment's hesitation.

This is what God wants us to feel about Him; that He is familiar and that He is capable to support and uphold us when we are living our daily lives. Sitting in a chair is not something we do on a rare occasion, but something that is daily and commonplace, matter-of-fact living.

I remember being in Bible Study Fellowship many years ago and we were talking about something and I made mention that I was "having faith" for something in particular to happen. I don't remember what the particular circumstance was, but I will always remember the look on a certain woman's face when I made the statement. Then she said "What do you mean, 'having faith', I don't understand what you're talking about?" Now that response was something I couldn't comprehend and never had stopped to think about. There were Christian people out there that had no concept of "living by faith", or "having faith" other than for "saving faith" for salvation.

Version: NAS

Colossians 2:6
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, [so] walk in Him,


Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

The Colossian verse references the fact that it took faith on our part to believe in Jesus and then receive Him as our Savior. So if we have the faith to "receive Him", should we not have faith in Him in our daily Christian life or "walk"?

Hebrews 11, the great chapter on faith, says that we cannot please God if we don't have faith. If you stop and think about that, it is a pretty powerful statement...and pretty frightening. I'm not sure how you all feel, but I really want to be pleasing the Lord. "Pleasing" in thought and deed. I don't want to be in the place where He looks at me and is displeased... not a good place to be. Not because of retribution from Him, but if I'm in a place where I'm "displeasing" the Lord, then I'm in a place where He cannot work with or for me. And that equates to losing any "blessing" that I might be desiring.

For me "having faith" and "walking by faith" are as essential to my life as is breathing. I cannot imagine going for even a moment if I didn't rely on my faith in Jesus Christ. Not just for my salvation, which is indeed the very beginning of our "walk of faith", but for my very life and existence. Faith for my family's well being, my own health, driving down the highway, and even the food I put in my mouth. Are you with me?  How could you live if you didn't find faith for living in the source of understanding that God loves us and is with us, and that He will never leave us? To me all that is the "rock" of my life and my faith in Jesus Christ.

The Oxford dictionary defines faith as "complete trust or confidence; firm belief, without logical proof; certainty and conviction."

This all goes back to our knowing who God is, and His attributes. I guess if we don't know someone very well we cannot trust them or have confidence in them. So then, next step would be, to know someone we spend time with them. That's how we get to know someone. Then we "give them a chance" to prove themselves to us in the "trust" department. Can we trust them? All this causes us to "know" someone, trust them, have confidence in their character, and then have "faith in them as a person".

Reading God's Word, not just once a week, but on a daily basis. Consistency in our relationship through prayer and just meditating on the things of God. Being in a place where we desire His company. These are all ways to get to know Him better.

So think about "walking by faith" like this. Jesus is greeting you with a smile and a hug, inviting you in, and saying "Hello my friend, take a seat!"

love in Jesus,

Debra

What's "Faith" Got to do with it?

Tina Turner might ask the musical question "What's love got to do with it?" but Biblically speaking, Faith seems to be another aspect of the equation. What does "Faith" have to do with our life, walking in the Spirit, and most important, living a life that is responsive to God's will?

Version: NAS

Hebrews 11:1-3
1. Now faith is the assurance of [things] hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2. For by it the men of old gained approval. 3. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please [Him], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is essential for our understanding about what "faith" really is. It chronicles many of the "heroes of faith" from the Old Testament. Take a few minutes and read it for yourself to get the full impact of this thing called faith.

In the beginning of this post I knew there were many things to be said about "having faith", "walking by faith", and "living by faith". This is a huge subject and we may be studying and talking about "faith" for the next week or so.

I want to start out by saying that faith is not a "four letter word" like so many people have unfortunately made it out to be. Once we start talking about "faith", it's possible that some people can get "riled up" and rightly so. The concept of faith has been bandied about by the best of them. Talking about faith can lead us down some pathways that I think are important for us to explore. So let's start out with what Faith is NOT:

Faith is not the "willing" of something to be so, nor is it "wishing" for something. Faith cannot be equated with the idea and concept of "wishing", nor using our "will" to get something accomplished. Do not get "faith" and these two confused. Wishing for something is not Biblically grounded and is something out of our head, not our spirit. Do not fall for the line that says "if you believe it you will receive it", unless it is truly something that God has placed in your spirit. Believing to win Publisher's Clearing House Mega Sweepstakes might be a great "idea", but God probably hasn't placed that thought and concept in your heart and spirit. Chances are, that comes from our "head".

Now, I'm not contradicting scripture here, but trying to give further explanation.

Matthew 21:22
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive."

Mark 11:22-24
22. And Jesus answered saying to them, "Have faith in God." 23. "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it shall be [granted] him. 24. "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be [granted] you.

If you'll read these two verses carefully you will see there is a common word and phrase used in both, and that is "asking and believing in prayer". If God has put something in your heart to believe in, you will feel confident and comfortable asking for it in prayer. God will give you the "release" and conviction that it is right and permitted to pray for. Here is where we need to be being led by the Spirit. If it's something not from God, then ask Him to remove it from your prayers and mind. Let the Holy Spirit direct you in your prayer life.

An example from my own life has been in the area of buying and selling our homes. God would always start preparing me for a house move, often times months in advance. I have totally given over to Him the concept of where we live. There was a period of time that I really wanted to build a house. We looked for plans, decided on one, even had the lot on which to build, but it never materialized. In hindsight I know that it was a "dream" out of my head, but not something that God had placed in my heart and spirit. No matter how much I wanted it, it never happened. I couldn't will it or wish it into existence. I released it to God, with difficultly I might add, and after that, He was able to take us where He truly wanted us to be.

So in these next posts, we'll be talking and learning about many of the aspects of "faith". I'd love to hear some of your own experiences about this. Leave a comment if you feel the "nudge" of the Holy Spirit. We'd all love to hear them.

love, in Jesus,

Debra