Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Consider Your Ways

Haggai 1:3-5 - Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?" Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!" 

There are a lot of things in the Bible that have more than one meaning. While this scripture talks about building a physical structure like a temple or a church, I believe it's also speaking to us of our own hearts. Even in the midst of admonition, God has a promise if we choose to not stop up our ears and wait long enough for that promise to emerge in the message.

Israel had strayed from God, looking to their own worldly pleasures. God was using Haggai, a prophet, to speak to them and draw them back. He used the analogy of their own houses and the importance they had upon the people while the House of God lay in ruins. Our body as a child of God is to be His temple, His dwelling place. He does not necessarily reside in a building but resides in the hearts of those who receive Him as the Lord and Savior of their life.

Haggai was a minor prophet in that he gave only one brief prophetic word. But a powerful one just the same. Like the world in which we are living, we are doing what we want, paying less attention to God and more attention to ourselves. Our nation alone has been known to have more than any other. That's not all bad, but when we take it for granted... He is the One who created us and has given us all things. Verse six is quite a hard word to hear: "You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes." I think about what Jesus often said about His being the Living Water, the Bread of Life and not worrying about what we eat, drink or wear because He will provide.


Like in verse five above, God then goes on to repeat Himself, which is a sure sign of His desire for us to listen up: "Consider your ways!" Exclamation point, no less! There are three other instances where He tells the people to "consider." We are all to consider our ways. Consider what is truly important in our lives. Is it the "stuff" we have or our physical house, or is it our spiritual house? Where is your heart's desire? Luke 12:34 makes this point: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Ouch. Sadly, we can all be guilty of this.

I'll tell you, and I've said it many times before, there isn't a day when I'm not thinking on God, seeing Him at work, seeing His character in the beauty around me. But like Haggai has warned, Consider your ways! It's our heart He's most interested in and it's a heart that is thinking on Him He desires. I'm not saying just because I think about Him each day makes me totally submissive to Him.  I'm painfully aware that there are still changes He wishes to make within me. 

These changes all start with our hearts. Through Haggai, God said: "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house." I believe He's referring to our spiritual heart that lays in ruins while we take care of our physical house, our physical needs. Because of this we are likely to never be satisfied because God is all we need; My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26  What a great promise. He is our provider in all things.

God will shake our lives until we "get it right." And because He is the One doing the shaking, it is His glory that will be seen. The LORD had Haggai tell the people to not fear, that He would be with them always, as He covenanted with them. That is what He tells us today. The covenant is there for the asking; when we enter into covenant with God, He WILL be with us always and there is no need to fear...keep that spiritual house in order and all will go well.  He further states that "in this place I will give peace."


Haggai--and God--shows us that before we choose to build His temple within our own hearts we are missing something. He tells us to consider from the day we choose to do this, from before we laid the first stone (gave our lives to Him), how things change in our lives; how we prosper spiritually after not having all we could have through Christ, how He blesses us. He then tell us:

Haggai 2:18-19 - "Consider from this day forward...the day the foundation was laid...consider it...and I will bless you."

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

More on Restoration

2Samuel 9:7 - And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you shall eat at my table regularly."

I'm thinking about what I wrote about last week regarding Brokenness to Restoration. It ties in with the sermon Pastor Paul Hanson talked about on the Kindness of God on Sunday. Biblical stories have more than just the literal meaning. They are timeless and that is why they are there...for us to learn from and relate to. God is all over the pages and in the midst of every detail. It never gets boring!

Israel's first appointed king was Saul. Pastor Paul talked about David's relationship with Saul's son Jonathan. The two were like brothers and would have died for each other. Saul started out as a godly king, but sometime during his reign he turned away from God and soured in His eyes. God even regretted choosing him. David was in the meantime anointed (not yet appointed) by God to become king. Saul sought to kill David out of jealousy over David's fighting abilities. Saul's son Jonathan, however, chose to help David. 

Normally the throne stayed within a family, passed down from father to son or grandson. In this case, Jonathan had a son, Mephibosheth. Unfortunately this son had been dropped as a baby, probably by accident, in the process becoming lame in both feet. He lived in another city in the care of a servant. He would have been the only child left to take over as king in Saul's family, but because of his handicap, it could not happen. Those were the rules!

Saul and all his sons, including Jonathan, died in battle. Before David considered assuming the role as king he inquired as to any other sons in Saul's family to be successor. He was reminded of Mephibosheth. Pastor Paul talked about the meaning of Mephibosheth's name, "one who destroys idols and dispels shame." He could have been a great, godly king. Because of this accident he was unable to become that person. His entire life was lived out without the ability to become who he should have.

It was suggested that every one of us has been "dropped" as it were at some time in our lives. Not physically, but emotionally. He listed many ways: abuse, abandonment, teased, criticized, demeaned. Even if it was not purposely done, it has had some affect on all of us, like Mephibosheth.  The word drop used in the context above in the Hebrew language means to fall, failure, fall short. Interesting. 

Then to top it off, Mephibosheth went to live in "Lo Debar" which means "no word, no counsel, no direction." Anyone who has been dropped, or fallen short, has found themselves in this same dry place where we have received no direction, no counsel. We can feel insecure about who we should be.

So when David found out about Jonathan's death he had his men search for Mephibosheth and had him brought to him. Of course Mephibosheth didn't know why he was being summoned. For all he knew he was to be killed. Little did he realize that he was being sent back home to become restored. David took in Mephibosheth and promised that he would "restore to you all the lands of your father Saul and you shall eat at my table regularly." He took him in and treated him as his own son. 

David is a type of Jesus. We all at some time in our life, and we cannot deny this, have been disappointed and discouraged. It may have shaped who we are or who we wanted to become. We have all been crippled in some way. It may have shaped our personality, to either shrink back or put on a front to mask what we feel inside. Often people don't have a clue that there is this crippling in our spirit. Think of Mephibosheth. He was not who he could have been because of his disability. We all have some disability. 

David took Mephibosheth in and restored him. Jesus wants to take us all in to restore us to that relationship with our Father in heaven. He wants us to come home. He wants to show us his kindness and love that brings this restoration. The relationship between David and Mephibosheth is like the relationship between God and us, if we choose this avenue in life. Praise God that we have this option set before us! 

All God desires is for all people to be restored. Many do not know the real meaning of life and go with the flow as the world goes. It's like the blind leading the blind. Following Jesus opens us up to the truth and we see this world for what it is--lost in personal gains and personal desires. When God is left out of the equation, a person can be forever blind and lost, crippled like Mephibosheth, always falling short, even if it isn't recognized or we argue that this just isn't true. Our lives are not complete without God's guidance. We can never be all He created us to be without His wisdom and knowledge, His truth, residing within us.

When David said, "I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your Father," he was speaking as Jesus does today, "I, Jesus, will surely show you kindness for the sake of your Father (in heaven)." And like David, Jesus would say, "Do not fear." Do not fear what others will say if you choose to follow Him. It's a totally different road, a narrow road, that few travel. He will restore what was rightfully ours in the first place, that thing or those things someone took away from us, that God created in us at conception.

There was a personal note to end the sermon. One for our own church and one which could easily be for the Church in general. If someone has left and wishes to return, who are we to refuse to let them come back? If they left feeling like they'd been "dropped," or left with an attitude issue, and want to return to once again, it is our obligation to open our hearts up to them, allow them to be restored. All God desires is restoration.....

Joel 2:25 - So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust...

Monday, June 28, 2010

Grace and Patience?

Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace [the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners], that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it.]

An old blog from  June, 2010... Don't remember the situation but have felt the irritableness mentioned here this week and this spoke volumes even tonight! I love when God does this.

As always, God gives when it is most needed. Saturday I needed a fresh filling of grace over a situation that occurred. I received the grace and the patience necessary. Grace is unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification according to Webster's Dictionary.

I had just written my blog of the day as well a response to a friend's blog, where I had "complained" about my situation. Then I took the time to pick up Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest devotions and read the devotion for that day. It was just what I needed. I love it when God does this. Sometimes I don't always ask Him how to handle a situation. It's in my mind and often the answer appears...no doubt by God's plan. I'm not saying we shouldn't go to Him, as in this case of grace and patience. There are times when He's the only one to go to for specific situations. 

Chambers said this: In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses" - that is where the test for patience comes. Of course, all I saw was afflictions and distresses. Not that I was in a great distress or affliction, but just at a great loss of patience! I'm so thankful for Jesus' temptations in the world. He knew every temptation known to man and, by golly, He overcame each and every one. How did He do that? He did not look at the circumstances but looked to the wisdom His Father had given Him. There is a solution to every temptation in this world, if we seek His advice. Most often the answer is just Have patience, my child. I know you don't understand, but I do. I will handle this...in my time, in my way. Just be patient. Endure.

A pastor one time told about a day he arose feeling all out of sorts and couldn't put his finger on what it was. He was irritable, like he'd awakened on the wrong side of the bed. He thought he'd get to church and spend some time in prayer in the sanctuary. Well, that failed when someone came in with gusto, not realizing he was there, about her business. Disgruntled, he went to his office and put his head in his hands and just called out, What is going on, Lord? Help me overcome this. He began to weep and suddenly felt a peace come over him. I don't know that he ever got an answer as to why, but he got what God had to offer, peace, which produces patience.

Later I read this: ...when we are in the pit, the enemy will try to get us to focus on our circumstances, rather than on God’s faithfulness...So if we let the circumstances determine what we believe, we can be caught in the lies of the pit. - Pastor Robert Morris  Ach, yah! If we let our impatience overcome, we only add to our distress. That's when we need to ask for God's grace for a renewal of patience. Yes, God has the peace that passes all understanding. When we succumb to our feelings, we are opening the door to how the enemy of our soul, the devil, would have us react, and prevent us from doing God's will.

Peace comes when we give it to God and choose to be patient. Patience is enduring. The key is knowing where our peace comes from and drawing from that peace, allowing it to abide in us. But when we become overwhelmed, Chambers tells us not to wait until we are in need of patience and God's grace to overcome. He tells us: Pray now; draw on the grace of God in the moment of need. The second we are in the throes of "that moment" we should call out, seek God immediately, rather than wait till we have a the time to pray. Do it NOW, as soon as we realize that unsettling feeling.

Jesus knows what temptations we go through. That's a good thing. We need only to draw on His peace, wisdom and sometimes just realizing we won't receive an answer and taking God for His word that He does know and He does care and He will handle it in His own time. 

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work..."My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2Corinthians 9:8, 2Corinthians 12:9)

Grace and Patience

Hebrews 4:16 - Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace [the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners], that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it.]

As always God gives when it is most needed. Saturday I needed a fresh filling of grace over a situation that occurred. I received the grace and the patience necessary. Grace is unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification according to Webster's Dictionary.

I had just written my blog of the day as well a response to a friend's blog, where I had "complained" about my situation. Then I took the time to pick up Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest devotions and read the devotion for June 26. It was just what I needed. I love it when God does this. Sometimes I don't always ask Him how to handle a situation. It's in my mind and often the answer appears...no doubt by God's plan. I'm not saying we shouldn't go to Him, as in this case of grace and patience. There are times when He's the only one to go to for specific situations. 

Chambers said this: "In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses" - that is where the test for patience comes." Of course, all I saw was afflictions and distresses. Not that I was in a great distress or affliction, but just at a great loss of patience! I'm so thankful for Jesus' temptations in the world. He knew every temptation known to man and, by golly, He overcame each and every one. How did He do that? He did not look at the circumstances but looked to the wisdom His Father had given Him. There is a solution to every temptation in this world, if we seek His advice. Most often the answer is just "Have patience, my child. I know you don't understand, but I do. I will handle this...in my time, in my way. Just be patient. Endure."

A pastor one time told about a day he arose feeling all out of sorts and couldn't put his finger on what it was. He was irritable, like he'd awakened on the wrong side of the bed. He thought he'd get to church and spend some time in prayer in the sanctuary. Well, that failed when someone came in with gusto, not realizing he was there, about her business. Disgruntled, he went to his office and put his head in his hands and just called out, "What is going on, Lord? Help me overcome this." He began to weep and suddenly felt a peace come over him. I don't know that he ever got an answer as to why, but he got what God had to offer, peace, which produces patience. And isn't it ironic...I went through this myself this morning. I sought God and received my own peace.

A couple days later I read this: ...when we are in the pit, the enemy will try to get us to focus on our circumstances, rather than on God’s faithfulness...So if we let the circumstances determine what we believe, we can be caught in the lies of the pit. - Pastor Robert Morris. Oh, yes! If we let our impatience overcome, we only add to our distress. That's when we need to ask for God's grace for a renewal of patience. Yes, God has the peace that passes all understanding. When we succumb to our feelings, we are opening the door to how the enemy of our soul, the devil, would have us react, and prevent us from doing God's will.

Peace comes when we give it to God and choose to be patient. Patience is enduring. The key is knowing where our peace comes from and drawing from that peace, allowing it to abide in us. But when we become overwhelmed, Chambers tells us not to wait until we are in need of patience and God's grace to overcome. He tells us: Pray now; draw on the grace of God in the moment of need. The second we are in the throes of "that moment" we should call out, seek God immediately, rather than wait till we have a the time to pray. Do it NOW. 

Jesus knows what temptations we go through. That's a good thing. We need only to draw on His peace, wisdom and sometimes just realizing we won't receive an answer and taking God for His word that He does know and He does care and He will handle it in His own time. 

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work..."My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." (2Corinthians 9:8, 2Corinthians 12:9)

Saturday, June 26, 2010

The Light of the World

Exodus 13:21 - And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.

Exodus tells us that when God finally freed Israel from Egypt He became their pillar of protection. You know what it's like to stumble around in the dark, unless you're part cat like me and am able to get around fine without the lights on!! But let's say you're not like me...you flip on lights to go downstairs, to choose your clothes early in a winter morning. I don't have to go into detail about not being able to see. 

That pillar of cloud and fire God speaks about is a type of Christ. When we follow Him not only is He our Light by night but He guides us--especially--when we are able to see for ourselves, when we don't physically have a need for a light to see. By the power of His Spirit He guides us in the daylight hours as well. The cloud and fire should be considered our protection through Jesus Christ. 

His protection leads us on His path directed by Him. He is our pillar of cloud by day as protection from our enemy and He is our pillar of fire by night to give us light. (Exodus 14:19-20) Without Him we do not have this type of spiritual protection. We, as it were, stumble through life. 

There is another scripture that shows us who the Light is: John 8:12 - Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  And in John 12:46 Jesus says:  I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. Revelation 22:5 tells us that a day will come when Jesus comes to reign on earth that and there will be no more night and no need of lamp or sun because the "Son" of God will be the Light of the world!
  
I'm amazed at all the references to light. Jesus is the Light of the world; we are to walk in the light as He is in the light. In Him is life, and the life is the light of men.  Our eyes are the lamp to our souls and if our eyes are good, our whole bodies will be filled with light. That comes from a relationship with Jesus, not the good works we do apart from Him. We are to be light that we might illuminate others to the true light of Christ; we are to illuminate the Gospel message to those in the dark; we are to not hide our light but let it shine; light exposes our sin (and may be why some would not prefer to know the Light); we are called out of the world's darkness and into His marvelous light; Jesus is also called the bright and shining star or the morning star. He is the Light we are to seek.

We are asked to seek Jesus while He may still be found. He's as bright as the noonday sun. It's hard to not notice Him. There is such a brightness that comes out of life when we choose to follow Christ. Even in the midst of dark days, there's a Light that shines, if we choose to allow it, in our spirits and hearts. I just cannot imagine what this life ahead of us holds, but I'm thankful that my Light will never fade. Choose Light, not darkness.

Ephesians 5:14 - Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."

Thursday, June 24, 2010

The Name Above All Names, Period!

Okay...disclaimer here...my preview button doesn't always work so I have no idea how this is going to appear in the blog....Arrrgghhhh!


Amos 8:12 - People will stagger from sea to sea and from the north even to the east; they will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.

There was a time in history, in the Old Testament, when Israel got to a point of such disobedience, God silenced Himself from them. Before Christ came to open their spiritual eyes and offer a fresh touch from God, they were without His voice for 400 years. 

The scripture above describes what would happen to God's people when they finally realized they had gone too far on their own. I pray for those who are in that place right now in their lives, that they begin to seek while He can still be found. There is such a push to eradicate everything attached to God that it has become hurtful. 

I'm of the opinion that we might just see this happen again. God will get to a point where enough is enough and He will silence Himself. At the same time, I'm thankful that although it might happen, God will return. But it's best for us to not allow Him to get to this point.

I'm amazed at how the past 60 years or so have turned this world upside down. There was a morality when I was a child. There was still an adherence to authority, including children with their parents. They didn't sass or give attitude like many do today. They weren't as disobedient. It wasn't all about them. It was about family. Television was good. It wasn't filled with dysfunctional families and ignorant fathers. What was right was right and wrong, wrong. Today what once was right is now wrong and vice versa. 

Sadly, we have lost almost all form of morality. There was a time before I knew the Lord that every imaginable word for God was spewed like vomit out of my mouth. Often all in the same sentence.  It was commonplace to swear at work; no one cared. Now it's difficult for me to even watch television where the Name that is above all names is used like you would say, "gosh." His name should be reverenced, not trashed or used commonly. Call me a prude, but it's my story and I'm sticking with it! I can't imagine what God must feel when He hears this day in and day out more times than we can even count. 

I feel as though many have so minimized God that they don't recognize His work in this world anymore.  We are in a time when we need to be recognizing who He is and what He is capable of doing. He is the Name above all names. There is none greater than He, not His disciples/apostles, not His mother, not the greatest golfer or baseball player, not even us! He alone is worthy of all praise. He alone is the One who died for our sins. Oh, there have been many who have lost their lives for the sake of Jesus. They have withstood many tests all for that Name. And there will be many more in the future.

There's still time to turn around and begin to think about your life and how it came about. In a discussion with a friend today she told me about a man who asked some prison inmates pointed questions: "How did you get here?" "Who do you blame for your imprisonment?" "Was it your girlfriend?" "Did you choose that person to be your girlfriend?" "So...it was your fault...it was your choice." Only we make the choices that lead us to where we are in life. It's always about our choices. 

There's still time to thank God for the life He has given you. If your life is not to your liking, there's still time to seek God for the change only He can make. It's your choice! You cannot, however, put Him in a boxHe is more than able to do anything. We think in terms of what we believe is able to be done; He is so much more capable. You can't control your temper, your gambling, your pride, your ________ (fill in the blank!),  you say? God can. If He can hold the oceans in the palms of His hands and place the stars in the skies that they don't fall until He allows them to, how can we not trust Him for everything...and I mean everything...for this nation's finances, the oil spill, healthcare, your job, your family...your temper, etc. ...

He cannot be put in a box. He does not have a house in which to live: He is everywhere at all times and knows everything at all times. We need Him more than we can possibly imagine and He can be all things to all people. If you need love, He is love. If you need redemption, He is your Savior. If you need freedom from some stronghold in your life; He is the Fortress you can run into. 

Day by day I am learning over and over to put more and more trust in Him. As soon as I question "how" or "why" I am reminded that God knows and I need to believe that any time something bad happens in my life...and in everyone's life...something good will come out of it, even though we may have to wait. If everything came easily and when we wanted it we would not have to trust in God. That's why He has designed life as it is. It's all about Him and it's all about glorifying Him in the process.

I'm so thankful for the very few friends I have who seek God like I do. Our conversations never get stale, are usually filled with peace and joy, even if they start out with a frustration of some sort. We strengthen each other, we sharpen each other with the positive and sometimes hard talk about a God who loves all people and only desires for all people to return that love. He knows not all will. He knows not all will understand the concept of relationship over religion. I know I am only one person used to plant seeds. Hopefully some day I will see just one seed that I planted begin to root and bear fruit. But it's not about me and "the little" that I do. It's about a God who is thankful for one person's obedience to His call on their life. 

Seek God while you are still able. This world...this nation even...is striving to remove the name of God, to silence Him. Seek Him while He may still be found. Seek Him and His Word that it may be buried deep within your heart, never to be forgotten. Seek Him and let Him give you the strength now to have that faith in Him. Mankind will fail, but He never will. That I can guarantee. His Name may be banished in order to promote diversity and/or tolerance, but knowing that Name in your heart and soul, despite the frustration in this world, will be the peace and joy that you can carry within forever. The Name above all names...Jehovah, the proper name of the one true God which literally means: "the existing One." 

Isaiah 55:6 - Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Interview With God

God tells us He created us for His pleasure.
(Ephesians 1:5) 
He knows the beginning from the end of our lives.
(Exodus 2:23)
He is for us, not against us.
(Romans 8:41)
He loves with an everlasting love.
(Jeremiah 31:3)

A friend sent this to me in video format. I've seen it before, but it is always well worth reading again, or viewing, again. We are God's children if we are in relationship with Him. These words have some great meaning.
I dreamt I had an interview with God. "Come in," God said. "So, you would like to interview Me?"

"If you have the time," I said.

God smiled and said: "My time is eternity and is enough to do everything; what questions do you have in mind to ask me?"

"What surprises you most about mankind?"

God answered: "That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again. That they lose their health to make money and then lose their money to restore their health. That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future. That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived…"

God’s hands took mine and we were silent for a while and then I asked…"As a Parent, what are some of life’s lessons You want Your children to learn?"

God replied with a smile: "To learn that they cannot make anyone love them. What they can do is to let themselves be loved. To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in their lives, but who they have in their lives. To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others. All will be judged individually on their own merits, not as a group on a comparison basis! 

"To learn that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least. To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them. To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness. To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply do not know how to express or show their feelings. 

"To learn that money can buy everything but happiness. To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see it totally differently. To learn that a true friend is someone who knows everything about them…and likes them anyway. To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven by others, but that they have to forgive themselves."

I sat there for a while enjoying the moment. I thanked Him for his time and for all that He has done for me and my family, and He replied, "Anytime. I’m here 24 hours a day. All you have to do is ask for me, and I’ll answer."
People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.

~ Source Unknown ~

I particularly liked the line "They live as if they will never die, and die as if they had never lived..." Speaking from experience, I can say that once God is the Center of one's life you will know what it means to live. There's a whole new world ahead of one who has received Christ. The old life (death) is gone. Yahoo! The new life (real life) begins. We just don't know what we're missing before Christ. 

Jesus will stick closer than a brother.
(Proverbs 18:24)
He rejoices over us with singing.
(Zephaniah 3:14)
He had no greater love for us than to give His life.
(John 15:13)
He's there for the asking.
(Romans 10:9-10)
Won't you taste and see that the Lord is good?
(Psalm 34:8)

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Oneness

1Corinthians 1:10 - Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

There’s a theme that has been crowding my mind. It seems like something so difficult to attain at so many levels. It’s oneness, unity. It seems to be the “one” thing Jesus and His disciples all asked followers to work toward. 

It starts with only one God. He is indivisible. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are one. Oneness is being one in Christ. That means knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior, not just knowing who He is. We cannot be one with Christ unless that step is taken...relationship, not religion. 

Whether we are Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic, Assembly of God, Episcopalian...if we have that relationship with Christ we are one, despite the denomination thing that's going on. Religion means nothing. Religion is rules and regulations made by man, a form of self-motivated works, trying to get to God through those works but never achieving perfection (which we can never attain). We will always fail in our own selves. Works just frustrate us (especially if we are perfectionists!) and we lose sight of that heavenly reward because we feel like constant failures, always striving. That's where relationship over religion comes in, where we can be one with Christ and have a sense of peace.

In other words, it's not about me!

Relationship is merely trusting, in faith, in the saving grace of Jesus Christ. His work on the Cross is what saved us, not what we believe to be work to become saved...if we receive that and accept that. When we confess our sins, repent of them and give our lives to Christ, we have come into relationship with Him. We are automatically one in Christ with others who have done the same. Hallelujah! We no longer need to strive to receive because the power of the Holy Spirit works in and through us beginning at the time of accepting Christ. The Holy Spirit then gives us the power to do the good works as He directs rather than we directing ourselves. Who knows better than our Heavenly Father?

So...it's all about God!

Oneness. When we come into relationship with Christ, we are one with all others who have done the same. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are of one spiritual family.  Oh how God so desires to see all churches become unified in their beliefs. No distinction between religions. Will we ever see that happen? Probably not until Jesus returns. I believe it is at that time that we will see where we have all failed to fully understand and comprehend where we failed in our man made churches. And thankfully, those who have believed on Him and in His saving grace will finally live in that perfect oneness, and in oneness with Christ.

Oneness is love, contentment, admiration for others' gifts and abilities and a myriad of other things. The Bible tells us that within a church each person is a part of the body. Each has a function that is vital within that church, no matter whether it is great or small. We cannot function fully without a thumb or an ear or an eye. We can function, but the rest of the body feels the discomfort of not having the use of another part. And that's happening in the churches. There is not one church that functions perfectly and some are even less functional than others. As long as there is even the smallest discontent within a church, there is an air of disunity.

In our own church there is a desire for all the congregation to become unified. It's like pulling teeth. There are murmurings about one thing or another. We fail at best to not judge or criticize one another. We fail to see through the eyes of Christ. We fail to speak with His words of love. We fail in our patience, as hard as we try. We are all guilty in some way. No one is perfect. Let's face it, we all have something to complain about! Rats!

There definitely needs to be a move of the Spirit within our church and the Church in general. Something that will bring all our hearts to that place of unity, to a place of contentment with what we are, even with our flaws. That's why Jesus came to this earth...the perfect Man, living a perfect life, dying a perfect death...for us, for our shortfalls. (And might I add, if we feel a need to work for our salvation, why did Jesus have to die such an awful death?) 

I thank my God that He loves us no matter what. I thank Him that when we turn away for a short time or for a longer time, when we turn back He is there like the father of the prodigal son, with open arms, preparing for a feast in our behalf. Imagine what it would be like for even one of the lost sheep in this world today to allow Jesus to find them! Such rejoicing in heaven. This is oneness with Christ, with God, with the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus prayed these words to His Father for His disciples:

John 17:20-21 - I am not praying for these alone, but also for them that shall believe on me through their [disciples] word, that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Brokenness to Restoration

Isaiah 53:3-4 - A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief....He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows...

A good Father's Day sermon. Not only for men, but for women as well. I admit I certainly never noticed how David was an uninvolved father to his sons, Despite this and other indiscretions, he still was a man after God's own heart. That says a lot about our God.

Pastor Paul Hanson told us David never molded, disciplined nor restored his children. He grieved for them, but never offered the support his sons (and no doubt daughters) needed. 

Children need love, respect and attention. David never even asked of his sons, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was totally uninvolved. We all need these three vital components in our lives and they need to come from our father. If it is not received, children become desperate for approval. They look for attention and sometimes do it in very negative ways (the reason so many are in prison...or in the case of daughters, promiscuity). Sometimes you'll see a lack of respect for all authority.

An uninvolved father makes a child bitter and even vengeful. A child will begin to take on the attitude of providing for and becoming their own self. What do I need a father for, they might ask when they are really hungry for approval.

This touched my heart because I had an uninvolved father. I can remember secretly wanting to be an architect like he was. I was in eighth grade at that time. But I was unable to express that desire. Even my first husband always wanted Dad to talk to him about his work, but Dad remained silent. 



Later I struck out of my secretarial role and worked as an offset press operator. Then I was determined to do what in our company had been, for the most part, a man's job--becoming an appraiser, traveling the United States, setting up and meeting with clients, even being a project manager on many jobs. There had to have been a underlying reason for that. I wanted to do things that would get his attention so he (and Mom) would be proud of me, seeing what I had done on my own. I did this even though Dad had brought himself to a place in his life where interaction with him was no longer something I desired. I never got the word I so badly wanted from him. But the story doesn't end here.

I know there are many men who have not had a positive type of interaction with their father. A father is someone boys, and girls, look up to or should be able to look up to. Being emotionless and distant has its drawbacks, creates a child in need. On a side note, there are certainly next to no good father influences on television these days. They're all buffoons. And children, unfortunately, are watching...and "learning."

Sadly, in David's life, he was never able to restore his relationship with his sons, even though he had a great relationship with his Heavenly Father. 

That's where I'm headed, of course. Jesus lived on this earth as a human, feeling the same griefs we all have gone through. He took all those things with Him to the cross where they were nailed on that tree along with His body. His body was broken for us, as we might be broken in spirit. The cross is where we can go to receive the love, respect and attention of our God in heaven. But that's why so many are unwilling to receive God's love...because they equate our Heavenly Father with their earthly father. They cannot believe someone they are not able to see could take away the grief and sorrow caused by an uninvolved father. They will live broken lives in the meantime...

Let me tell you...I may not be a son, but I was a daughter. Dad and I were estranged, mainly my choice because of his actions. But like I said, the story doesn't end here. I've brought this up before...just months before my Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's I received Christ as Lord and Savior. And I know without a shadow of a doubt this was God's hand at work. Had I not known Jesus at that time, I would have continued to uninvolve myself with Dad. I would probably have lived the rest of my life without any sort of restoration. I may have forever grieved not having had some sort of relationship. 

But God...through my relationship with Jesus Christ, through the love of my Heavenly Father, I was able to restore that relationship, as best as possible because of the circumstances, with Dad. And that was the sole purpose of Jesus coming to earth...to restore our relationship with God. Without God we have no Heavenly Father. We are separated, eternally, if we never swallow our pride and receive Him so that we might return to that original state God intended for us. 

He is always available. We are His children and He grieves the separation. He grieves more than we can even imagine. We are, in His eyes, Fatherless...and we are broken. He loves us so much but sometimes we turn away because we can only imagine the hurt we carry in our own hearts over the lack of love from our earthly father. 

Only Jesus is able to heal that hurt, take away the sting of rejection, bring love back in...even after the fact. He takes brokenness and turns it into restoration. He gives us the ability to forgive. Believe that it's true.

The God who is in His holy dwelling place is the Father of the fatherless...He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed...  (Psalm 68:5, Jeremiah 17:14, Psalm 147:3)

Thursday, June 17, 2010

God's World

Joshua 10:13 - So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies... So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

God is the Creator of the world. Plain and simple. He is the Source of all life. Plain and simple. He is the one who holds the stars in the sky and knows each of them by name. Plain and simple. There are more stars and planets out there, and galaxies, than we can count, than we have even discovered...and God knows the names of them all. So, wouldn't one want to trust that He is the Center of everything? He is the ultimate wisdom and knowledge.

How can we think we are the center of our own little worlds? That does not show God as Center of our lives. When God stops our life dead in it's tracks and we are faced with a dilemma, which way will we turn? Will we seek Him in that time of need or will we be faced with the frustration, maybe angst, that NOW things are going to be different?

What will happen when that illness strikes or that disability comes that causes the things that we hold so dear to us to be unattainable either for a long while or permanently? Where will we turn when disaster strikes our family, our state, our nation, our world? What direction will we take then? Will we turn to God?
 
Sometimes I think our little frustrations or big disasters occur when He really desires to make Himself known to us, to commune with us. He will cause something that we've taken for granted to be pulled out from under. He has got to get our attention somehow...He will humble the proud and arrogant, bring those who consider themselves above all others down to the lesser level to show they are no better, no greater, really, in this world. He WILL humble us. It is, after all, His world.

Everything  we see happening in this world is part of His great plan. Not all is good, but out of disaster comes good. I've been struggling with something. I know others are also struggling...and not able to pinpoint what it is. I feel like the other shoe is going to drop... I'm feeling distant from so much. I can only handle what's before me now and not able to think or comprehend tomorrow. But then, isn't that what God wants? Don't worry about tomorrow...today has enough of it's own troubles.

This struggle is not about me but about what God wants to do in me. It's about His power to bring change, transformation. What will it take? What will it produce? Only He knows. As much as I want to know what this is all about and want to know when it will be over, I must realize that the Lord knows and He's in control of the when and how.

We are told in the scripture above that He was able to stop the sun in it's tracks to bring about His will. Don't think He won't do that in our lives. He is able to bring the sun up and set it again each day. That's power. That's His power. Stop us dead in our tracks then raise us up.

There's something brewing. Perhaps it's just in my own life, perhaps it's in the world. If we are in the last days, there has got to be a great move of God and I want to be part of this. I must be stretched beyond my own little world. We learned last night in our Wednesday night study that we must take the focus off ourselves and focus on everyone else.  I certainly don't believe the world revolves around me but I do believe I need to step out of my comfort zone. 

I mentioned one time about seeing God in everything. That's the way it should be for everyone. Of course, that's a perfect world. Lord, help us. Everything is about Him and our being centered in God. We might even see Him in the midst of the struggle Israel is facing or the gulf oil spill, our government, struggles within our churches.  Something is brewing; I'm certain of it.

Genesis 1:1 tells us 
"In the beginning, God..." and in the last book of Revelation, Revelation 22:13 God Himself tells us "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." I read somewhere that if God is the beginning and the end of this world, this life, our lives, shouldn't He be everything in between too? Not about us, about Him.

What does it take for us to understand this? What does it take for to get us out of the picture? I don't see the letters "me" in God's name. They don't show in Yahveh, Jehovah, Lord or Jesus either. So when will we understand without a doubt that it's not about "me" and it's not about what is so important to "me?" Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Proverbs 19:21, Psalm 37:4) Doesn't this just fit right in with giving to receive (Greatness, June 15, 2010)? 

This so ties in with my question: "What Do I Do?" Seek God first, trust in Him and the rest will fall into place. Praise Him!

Matthew 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.