" And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching." Titus 2:7
"Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people and animals alike, O Lord." Psalm 36:6
In the few days of our meaningless lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? Our lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will happen on this earth after we are gone?" Ecclesiastes 6:12
Something that has been on my mind lately has been taking care of what we have. Or being a good steward of what God has blessed us with. One thing that this could apply to is money and the issue of tithing. But I've already talked on that before, and it is not what is on my mind this morning. Instead, I am thinking green. I am thinking about the issue of recycling and not being wasteful. I am talking about taking care of what has already been given us, so that we can prepare ourselves for our heavenly rewards. This has become somewhat important to me, and that in itself is odd- I have not always been a fan of recycling or "being green". It seemed radical and silly to me. Not so anymore. I want to do what I can to take care of this beautiful planet that God made for us to live on for a time. Because someday, I am going to live someplace much more beautiful, and I want to be able to take care of that too.
As Christians, I think that we have a chance to make a difference and be an example when it comes to taking care of our space. One of the things Andy did during his time off was to remodel the kitchen at church so that it is a functional space. Our desire is to fill it with real plates, silverware, coffee mugs, glasses, etc, so that we can be less wasteful. It is awful to see that every time we have a get-together we have bag upon bag of disposable dishes going to the curb. Another thing that we have supplied the church with is dish towels and washcloths and plenty of sponges, because we've become so reliant on disposable cleaning products like paper towels and wipes and such. Instead, we should use the cloth towels and washcloths so that they can be washed and re-used. It's nice to do what we can, and we're looking forward to seeing our garbage shrink as things come to fruition.
At home I do what I can. I try to not use paper products as much as possible. We use cloth napkins because I can wash them over and over- we use regular washcloths and rags to do our cleaning instead of paper towels or wipes. We always use real dishes and plates. When we go camping even, we take along a stack of non-breakable plastic dishes that we wash and re-use. To conserve energy we use all energy-efficient light bulbs, and we turn off what we can as much as possible. As soon as it's nice enough out, the laundry goes out on the line instead of into the dryer to dry. And of course, we recycle everything. Paper, plastic, glass- it's all recycled here. I'm thinking very carefully about starting a compost bin outside- my only concern there is with odor, as we have a small yard, I just don't know if that's a good idea.
But the whole point is that we need to take care of what we have before we can be given more. It's like the parable of the talents. A man gave three of his servants a bit of money to take care of before going on a trip. Two of his servants took care of their portion- doubling the investment and making their master happy. The third hid his money, thinking that his master worked hard for it and it should be tucked away not to be used. This is what the master said to the two servants who did well:
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:23
The man who hid the money was rebuked and dismissed. I don't want to be rebuked and dismissed- and think about the opportunities that could come of being more earth friendly! I get questioned all the time about my use of cloth napkins. And honestly, most people think it silly and old-fashioned. But an unsaved neighbor could see them hanging on the line and ask about them, and a great conversation could be had there and a seed planted. I want to set an example. Not just for the people and neighbors around me- but also for my children. So that when they are old enough to make decisions and take care of their piece of the earth they are ready to do so. For there are heavenly rewards to be had, and more than anything, I want my children to have them.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
Faith and Endurance
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Then there's verse 5. If you need direction- ask. And he will gladly tell you. He will gladly tell you. And then I personally love the next part- don't ask him unless you expect an answer. People who are doubtful of God's reply, and God's answer should not ask him at all.
Oh we are so not doubtful. We know that God has great things in store for us, and we know that we will go wherever he tells us to go, and do whatever he wants us to do. We are coming out of the murk and the trouble, and at this precise moment, we are standing near an edge. It's almost time for us to make a leap- we just don't know yet what that leap is or where it's going to lead. It may lead to our backyard- it may lead to a whole new backyard. Either way, it will be exactly where God wants us to be and we have absolutely NO DOUBT that it will be God's Will for us.
We have endured our trials and our troubles, and we are in a wonderful place- and we are full of joy. Trouble is cause for joy. It helps us to reflect on what is truly important. Our children are important. Our marriage is important. Our love for God is important. And not a whole lot else. Stuff is stuff. While it may be convenient, and it may be nice to have the comforts in life- it isn't necessary. May he show us the fullness of his glory and lead us to where he wants us to be.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. James 1:2-8
Andy and I have been discussing faith lately- as well as endurance. I love these first few verse of James- they are such an encouragement, and give me great hope for what's to come. Verse 2 comes right out and says that our trials and troubles are reason for joy! And how right that is. For it is only when we are truly tested that we learn our reliance on God. God allows us to go through the trials so that we can deepen our reliance on HIM. And once we are through the trial, we are much better because of it. Verse 4 says that we will be so strong in character that we will be ready for anything. Anything! Wow- how cool is that.Then there's verse 5. If you need direction- ask. And he will gladly tell you. He will gladly tell you. And then I personally love the next part- don't ask him unless you expect an answer. People who are doubtful of God's reply, and God's answer should not ask him at all.
Oh we are so not doubtful. We know that God has great things in store for us, and we know that we will go wherever he tells us to go, and do whatever he wants us to do. We are coming out of the murk and the trouble, and at this precise moment, we are standing near an edge. It's almost time for us to make a leap- we just don't know yet what that leap is or where it's going to lead. It may lead to our backyard- it may lead to a whole new backyard. Either way, it will be exactly where God wants us to be and we have absolutely NO DOUBT that it will be God's Will for us.
We have endured our trials and our troubles, and we are in a wonderful place- and we are full of joy. Trouble is cause for joy. It helps us to reflect on what is truly important. Our children are important. Our marriage is important. Our love for God is important. And not a whole lot else. Stuff is stuff. While it may be convenient, and it may be nice to have the comforts in life- it isn't necessary. May he show us the fullness of his glory and lead us to where he wants us to be.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Be Content
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
I don't have much to say today. This verse actually about sums it up. Today I will clean the house up a bit, so it's ready for our small group tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that. We took a week off for Easter, and sometimes two weeks between visits is just too long. Andy is out doing some work that God has provided so that we can pay some bills in the weeks ahead, and the kids are both looking forward to a day of playing together. What could be better than that! may God bless your day as much as he has already blessed ours.
I don't have much to say today. This verse actually about sums it up. Today I will clean the house up a bit, so it's ready for our small group tomorrow. I'm looking forward to that. We took a week off for Easter, and sometimes two weeks between visits is just too long. Andy is out doing some work that God has provided so that we can pay some bills in the weeks ahead, and the kids are both looking forward to a day of playing together. What could be better than that! may God bless your day as much as he has already blessed ours.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Teaching My Children
He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son,
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. (NIV)
A wise youth harvests in the summer,
but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace. (NLT)
Make hay while the sun shines—that's smart;
go fishing during harvest—that's stupid. (The Message)
Proverbs 10:5
All those verse above are the same verse from different translations. Every once in a while- especially with Proverbs, I like comparing translations to see how they differ. You can see that Proverbs 10:5 has several different versions, and each one digs a little differently into the meaning of it.
One of the lessons that Andy and I have been learning and working on lately is the concept of "stuff"- basically needs versus wants. It's amazing how much better life can be when you truly analyze something and ask whether you need an item-or you just want it. Case in point, my couch that I've mentioned before. I have a couch. It's definitely had better days, but it functions perfectly well. I don't need a new couch. I want a new couch. So in order to satisfy my wants without affecting my needs, I'm looking for new ways to re-invent my couch. I have a handmade quilt winging it's way from Indiana that I purchased online for a bargain that will cover my couch for me-and give it a completely new look- which is really what I want.
It's really hard to teach this lesson to my children. During the limited amount of time that they watch TV, they are constantly being bombarded with the latest craze in toys, video games, or movies, and it's so hard to explain to them that they really don't need any of that. So we're trying to show them. Abigail is old enough that she's been paying attention. We've discussed many times with her over the last several months the issue of money. And how if she really wants something, she needs to save her money for it. She gets her money from doing chores around the house for us. The number one rule to her chores, is that they must be done cheerfully. The minute she complains about cleaning her bedroom, she loses the dollar that she earns for that job. And I do think the lesson is working. She has been asking for more jobs that she can do around the house- and not to earn money, but because she wants to be helpful. She's learned mopping and vacuuming recently, both with a big smile on her face. The next one she wants to learn is how to clean the bathroom.
Along with this lesson of being joyful with her work, is the lesson of making your work count- which is where the above verse come in. This year the kids will each have their own patch of garden to plant whatever they want in it. Then it will be their jobs to take care of their garden. They will do the weeding and tending, and hopefully the eventual harvesting. From there I want them to do the actual preparing of the vegetables for eating, and possibly preserving, depending on what they grow. Last year Abigail helped me make strawberry jam when we picked strawberries. Recently, we've run out of that jam, and both kids are missing it. There are also still containers of strawberries in the freezer, and carrots that Zander helped preserve. Every time we pull out strawberries, they mention going picking again. And Zander is so proud to see us all eat his carrots.
One of the things that I see so often today is a poor work ethic. Teens get their first jobs and complain about how hard they have to work to earn a paycheck. I used to get that all the time when I was working. The high school kids were constantly complaining about the work they were assigned. It wasn't until I recommended my younger sisters as employees that everyone got to see a cheerful heart in action. I am certain that the managers they worked with still remember how hard they worked, and how cheerfully they did it. I want my children to appreciate what they can do if they put their minds to it. This will bring them great joy in their lives to come. And will also bring us joy as parents.
"A wise child brings joy to a father;" Proverbs 10:1
but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. (NIV)
A wise youth harvests in the summer,
but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace. (NLT)
Make hay while the sun shines—that's smart;
go fishing during harvest—that's stupid. (The Message)
Proverbs 10:5
All those verse above are the same verse from different translations. Every once in a while- especially with Proverbs, I like comparing translations to see how they differ. You can see that Proverbs 10:5 has several different versions, and each one digs a little differently into the meaning of it.
One of the lessons that Andy and I have been learning and working on lately is the concept of "stuff"- basically needs versus wants. It's amazing how much better life can be when you truly analyze something and ask whether you need an item-or you just want it. Case in point, my couch that I've mentioned before. I have a couch. It's definitely had better days, but it functions perfectly well. I don't need a new couch. I want a new couch. So in order to satisfy my wants without affecting my needs, I'm looking for new ways to re-invent my couch. I have a handmade quilt winging it's way from Indiana that I purchased online for a bargain that will cover my couch for me-and give it a completely new look- which is really what I want.
It's really hard to teach this lesson to my children. During the limited amount of time that they watch TV, they are constantly being bombarded with the latest craze in toys, video games, or movies, and it's so hard to explain to them that they really don't need any of that. So we're trying to show them. Abigail is old enough that she's been paying attention. We've discussed many times with her over the last several months the issue of money. And how if she really wants something, she needs to save her money for it. She gets her money from doing chores around the house for us. The number one rule to her chores, is that they must be done cheerfully. The minute she complains about cleaning her bedroom, she loses the dollar that she earns for that job. And I do think the lesson is working. She has been asking for more jobs that she can do around the house- and not to earn money, but because she wants to be helpful. She's learned mopping and vacuuming recently, both with a big smile on her face. The next one she wants to learn is how to clean the bathroom.
Along with this lesson of being joyful with her work, is the lesson of making your work count- which is where the above verse come in. This year the kids will each have their own patch of garden to plant whatever they want in it. Then it will be their jobs to take care of their garden. They will do the weeding and tending, and hopefully the eventual harvesting. From there I want them to do the actual preparing of the vegetables for eating, and possibly preserving, depending on what they grow. Last year Abigail helped me make strawberry jam when we picked strawberries. Recently, we've run out of that jam, and both kids are missing it. There are also still containers of strawberries in the freezer, and carrots that Zander helped preserve. Every time we pull out strawberries, they mention going picking again. And Zander is so proud to see us all eat his carrots.
One of the things that I see so often today is a poor work ethic. Teens get their first jobs and complain about how hard they have to work to earn a paycheck. I used to get that all the time when I was working. The high school kids were constantly complaining about the work they were assigned. It wasn't until I recommended my younger sisters as employees that everyone got to see a cheerful heart in action. I am certain that the managers they worked with still remember how hard they worked, and how cheerfully they did it. I want my children to appreciate what they can do if they put their minds to it. This will bring them great joy in their lives to come. And will also bring us joy as parents.
"A wise child brings joy to a father;" Proverbs 10:1
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Psalm 62
I wait quietly before God,
for my victory comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.
for my victory comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will never be shaken.
3 So many enemies against one man—
all of them trying to kill me.
To them I’m just a broken-down wall
or a tottering fence.
4 They plan to topple me from my high position.
They delight in telling lies about me.
They praise me to my face
but curse me in their hearts.
Interlude
5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
7 My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
8 O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.
Interlude
9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,
and the powerful are not what they appear to be.
If you weigh them on the scales,
together they are lighter than a breath of air.
10 Don’t make your living by extortion
or put your hope in stealing.
And if your wealth increases,
don’t make it the center of your life.
11 God has spoken plainly,
and I have heard it many times:
Power, O God, belongs to you;
12 unfailing love, O Lord, is yours.
Surely you repay all people
according to what they have done.
Psalm 62
It's difficult to be quiet. Really. We have all become so noisy. There is always noise in the background- whether it be TV, music, the washing machine running, or children playing, there is almost always noise. Being a mom of young children, I have certainly come to understand and respect the quiet. Those rare moments when everyone is outside and I am in, or Andy takes Zander somewhere and the house is silent. And those moments are definitely rare. It's in those moments that I usually get myself a cup of coffee or tea, and I will just sit at the kitchen table with a book and enjoy the silence. Sometimes that becomes my impromptu quiet time with God, because we need to experience quiet with him.
It's during those quiet moments that we fill our hearts and minds with God's words for us. It helps build up our store of His Word so that when moments of trial or temptation come, we know how to deal with it. It can greatly help us to make an important decision. Spending that quiet time in prayer contemplating a choice and spending time in his word can lead to an answer or a direction. That quiet is so important!
I'm reminded of my days in theater. Before I would go onstage for the first time, I would find myself a quiet space away from the theater. I would try my hardest to clear my mind completely of all things that were going on- I tried my hardest to place my thoughts and my mind in that characters shoes, and concentrated on the lines to come, and becoming that character. By the time I made my entrance on stage, I was that character, everything else was out of my mind. It can be the exact same way with God. By starting off my day with that quiet time, I can empty my mind of all the garbage and the un-necessary and prepare myself for the day ahead. By spending that quiet time readying myself, I am prepared for what lays ahead. God is my Rock, and I can trust in him at all times and pour out my heart to him every day.
Our God is so great, and worth seeking out that quiet time to have with him and in His Word.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Pleasing God, Not Men
" For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts." 1 Thessalonians 2:4
Sinners don't want to hear that they are sinners. The last thing that a group of hard-hearted teens want to hear is that they are all sinners, and that what they are doing is wrong. Sometimes though, that's just what they need to hear. It can be really hard as Christians to share the Good News with other people who need to hear it. One of those reasons is that it is human nature to want people to like us. When I am meeting someone new for the first time, or having lunch with someone I don't know very well, I want them to like me. In the case of an unsaved person, I want them to get to know me and get to like me more so that eventually I can work on saving them. So often, if the discussion of church comes up, I will just gloss over the surface. I'll share a little bit, but certainly not enough to make someone uncomfortable.
I can't help but wonder if this is the wrong thing to be doing. It's like wooing- you're wooing someone, trying to make them comfortable with you before pouncing and telling them they are a sinner and going to hell for forever. If you think of the negative consequences, the plan can totally backfire, and the new friend can feel betrayed. At that point, you may lose both a friend and a soul for Jesus. Wouldn't it be better and more to the point to start off the friendship with a statement of faith? That person may want to know more about both you and your faith if you start off in that vein. We need to please God first, and sometimes that means sharing a message that doesn't want to be heard. Maybe this new acquaintance needs to be told straight out that their lifestyle isn't pleasing to God, and it needs to change.
I suppose part of this is paying attention to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As long as pleasing God is our number one purpose, we can listen for the Holy Spirit to guide our words, and guide our conversation towards what the person sitting across from us needs to hear. "He alone examines the motives of our hearts." As long as we keep our purpose clear, and approach other people with an open heart and an open mind, we can let God work through us- he knows us best, and knows the other person best and knows what they need to hear.
Sinners don't want to hear that they are sinners. The last thing that a group of hard-hearted teens want to hear is that they are all sinners, and that what they are doing is wrong. Sometimes though, that's just what they need to hear. It can be really hard as Christians to share the Good News with other people who need to hear it. One of those reasons is that it is human nature to want people to like us. When I am meeting someone new for the first time, or having lunch with someone I don't know very well, I want them to like me. In the case of an unsaved person, I want them to get to know me and get to like me more so that eventually I can work on saving them. So often, if the discussion of church comes up, I will just gloss over the surface. I'll share a little bit, but certainly not enough to make someone uncomfortable.
I can't help but wonder if this is the wrong thing to be doing. It's like wooing- you're wooing someone, trying to make them comfortable with you before pouncing and telling them they are a sinner and going to hell for forever. If you think of the negative consequences, the plan can totally backfire, and the new friend can feel betrayed. At that point, you may lose both a friend and a soul for Jesus. Wouldn't it be better and more to the point to start off the friendship with a statement of faith? That person may want to know more about both you and your faith if you start off in that vein. We need to please God first, and sometimes that means sharing a message that doesn't want to be heard. Maybe this new acquaintance needs to be told straight out that their lifestyle isn't pleasing to God, and it needs to change.
I suppose part of this is paying attention to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. As long as pleasing God is our number one purpose, we can listen for the Holy Spirit to guide our words, and guide our conversation towards what the person sitting across from us needs to hear. "He alone examines the motives of our hearts." As long as we keep our purpose clear, and approach other people with an open heart and an open mind, we can let God work through us- he knows us best, and knows the other person best and knows what they need to hear.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Everyone Can Pray
The other day on a message board I visit I saw a message that made me think. There was a discussion about someone being diagnosed with a disease, and many people were replying with virtual hugs and prayers. One person replied something along the lines of "I'm not a religious person, so I can't send prayers." That made me think twice for many reasons. The first being that this person has no relationship with God whatsoever. I mean, you hear all the time of people who go to church on occasion, but I guess I don't know too many people who have absolutely no faith at all! And the second thing I thought was that anyone can pray! God hears the prayers of everyone- regardless of a prior relationship with him.
"Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right." Acts 10:34,35
"He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” Acts 10:43
Everyone. And there is no favoritism. Anyone and everyone can pray to God and be heard. Everyone! God hears the prayers of both believers and unbelievers. Everyone who is a believer now was once an unbeliever, and God heard us when we first called him to enter our lives-would he do no less for everyone else? Acts 10:31 says "Your prayers have been heard." God hears the prayers of every person in every nation. Do you have something you'd like to talk to God about? Go ahead, he is listening, and waiting. He wants to hear what you have to say to him.
"Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right." Acts 10:34,35
"He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.” Acts 10:43
Everyone. And there is no favoritism. Anyone and everyone can pray to God and be heard. Everyone! God hears the prayers of both believers and unbelievers. Everyone who is a believer now was once an unbeliever, and God heard us when we first called him to enter our lives-would he do no less for everyone else? Acts 10:31 says "Your prayers have been heard." God hears the prayers of every person in every nation. Do you have something you'd like to talk to God about? Go ahead, he is listening, and waiting. He wants to hear what you have to say to him.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Grace
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6
Grace is a gift. It is beautiful grace that gives me a life that will last forever in the presence of God. Grace has many definitions in the dictionary, but to me, it means what I don't deserve. I certainly don't deserve grace. I don't deserve a wonderful husband and my beautiful children. I don't deserve the newfound joy I have in my daily housework. And I most definitely don't deserve the ultimate gift from Jesus Christ- that of life eternal. That is grace. Grace is what I get- despite not deserving it. And grace is something that I have been praying about, that I may be an example of grace, and may share that grace with other people.
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:12-13
We've all been there. That person just keeps talking, they just keep going on and on about their problems, and while you don't really want to continue listening, you are polite and reply when necessary the whole while just wishing that person would shut up so you can get on with your business. Imagine how different that conversation could be with a little application of grace. Instead of standing and nodding at your speaker, you gently guide them to a seat nearby so you can focus on what they are saying. You listen intently, interjecting where you can, offering encouragement or support as needed. And when they've finally finished, you quietly ask if you can pray for them and for this situation. And then before you leave, you let them know to call you if they need anything, and tell them that you will be thinking of them and praying for them that week. That is grace through and through. Think about that other person. Think about how much better they will be because you took the time to listen and pray for them and just talk with them instead of letting them ramble on and ignoring them.
That's what I am striving for, and asking the Lord for. I want to be able to respond to someone with grace. I am terrible at ignoring people when I'm out and about. I'll catch someone out of the corner of my eye and quickly go a different direction because I don't want to talk to them and hear about their problems. I think I could be a much better witness to other people if I just met them head on, looked them in the eye and asked how they were doing. I want to be a better example to those around me. And most importantly, I want to be a better example to my children. I want to show them the merit of grace, and how wonderful it can be. I pray that when it is needed, I will be able to show at least a measurement of the grace that has been shown to me.
Grace is a gift. It is beautiful grace that gives me a life that will last forever in the presence of God. Grace has many definitions in the dictionary, but to me, it means what I don't deserve. I certainly don't deserve grace. I don't deserve a wonderful husband and my beautiful children. I don't deserve the newfound joy I have in my daily housework. And I most definitely don't deserve the ultimate gift from Jesus Christ- that of life eternal. That is grace. Grace is what I get- despite not deserving it. And grace is something that I have been praying about, that I may be an example of grace, and may share that grace with other people.
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:12-13
We've all been there. That person just keeps talking, they just keep going on and on about their problems, and while you don't really want to continue listening, you are polite and reply when necessary the whole while just wishing that person would shut up so you can get on with your business. Imagine how different that conversation could be with a little application of grace. Instead of standing and nodding at your speaker, you gently guide them to a seat nearby so you can focus on what they are saying. You listen intently, interjecting where you can, offering encouragement or support as needed. And when they've finally finished, you quietly ask if you can pray for them and for this situation. And then before you leave, you let them know to call you if they need anything, and tell them that you will be thinking of them and praying for them that week. That is grace through and through. Think about that other person. Think about how much better they will be because you took the time to listen and pray for them and just talk with them instead of letting them ramble on and ignoring them.
That's what I am striving for, and asking the Lord for. I want to be able to respond to someone with grace. I am terrible at ignoring people when I'm out and about. I'll catch someone out of the corner of my eye and quickly go a different direction because I don't want to talk to them and hear about their problems. I think I could be a much better witness to other people if I just met them head on, looked them in the eye and asked how they were doing. I want to be a better example to those around me. And most importantly, I want to be a better example to my children. I want to show them the merit of grace, and how wonderful it can be. I pray that when it is needed, I will be able to show at least a measurement of the grace that has been shown to me.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
A Choice
My devotional today has a good lesson today about making choices. I thought I'd share that today, as it is very appropriate for the Easter holiday.
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." John 20:25
This verse is after Jesus has risen, and all the disciples except for Thomas have seen their Lord, alive and well. Here, Thomas has made the choice to be doubtful. Rather than choose to believe in the Lord he has come to know and love, he chooses to remain doubtful and wills himself to doubt the appearance of Jesus. When he sees Jesus, this is what Jesus says to him:
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." John 20:27
Jesus appealed to Thomas's will, and he believed after that. And then later on, before Jesus ascends to Heaven,
"When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted." Matthew 28:17
Doubt is a choice. Choosing to believe in the Resurrection leads to joy, peace, and the experience of knowing and loving Christ. This living Christ is the biggest reason we share our faith with others- we want them to experience what we experience- the joy and the everlasting life in his presence. People in general tend to be suspicious by nature though, they think there should be strings attached. They want hard evidence and hard facts. The enemies of Christ choose not to believe. They choose to create confusion and deny his resurrection. His enemies are those who even today, are finding tombs and claiming that they have proof that Jesus was a man and not a God.
Yet Jesus was a man! And he is a God! No other religion can claim that their God became a man to be with them for a time, to experience life as a man, and then died for all men. And then after that death- rose again! Death is not a state that can be simply overcome. There can be no greater miracle than that of death being overcome. And we to can choose to overcome death. We can choose to believe in the resurrection and the Beautiful Savior who made life eternal possible for us. Believing or not believing is a choice that each person makes for themselves. How could anyone not choose joy. And love. And peace. And eternal life! Thank you Jesus for dying for me so that I might live forever in your holy presence! Thank you for showing us the miracle of life after death. And thank you for loving me!
Happy Easter!
So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." John 20:25
This verse is after Jesus has risen, and all the disciples except for Thomas have seen their Lord, alive and well. Here, Thomas has made the choice to be doubtful. Rather than choose to believe in the Lord he has come to know and love, he chooses to remain doubtful and wills himself to doubt the appearance of Jesus. When he sees Jesus, this is what Jesus says to him:
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." John 20:27
Jesus appealed to Thomas's will, and he believed after that. And then later on, before Jesus ascends to Heaven,
"When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted." Matthew 28:17
Doubt is a choice. Choosing to believe in the Resurrection leads to joy, peace, and the experience of knowing and loving Christ. This living Christ is the biggest reason we share our faith with others- we want them to experience what we experience- the joy and the everlasting life in his presence. People in general tend to be suspicious by nature though, they think there should be strings attached. They want hard evidence and hard facts. The enemies of Christ choose not to believe. They choose to create confusion and deny his resurrection. His enemies are those who even today, are finding tombs and claiming that they have proof that Jesus was a man and not a God.
Yet Jesus was a man! And he is a God! No other religion can claim that their God became a man to be with them for a time, to experience life as a man, and then died for all men. And then after that death- rose again! Death is not a state that can be simply overcome. There can be no greater miracle than that of death being overcome. And we to can choose to overcome death. We can choose to believe in the resurrection and the Beautiful Savior who made life eternal possible for us. Believing or not believing is a choice that each person makes for themselves. How could anyone not choose joy. And love. And peace. And eternal life! Thank you Jesus for dying for me so that I might live forever in your holy presence! Thank you for showing us the miracle of life after death. And thank you for loving me!
Happy Easter!
Friday, April 06, 2007
A New Heart
"And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart," Ezekiel 11:19
Organ donation is a huge sacrifice. We hear about it a lot, where complete strangers offer up a kidney for someone they don't even know. Or a family who's lost a young life too early donates the vital organs to help another child. But something that we don't hear very often is a person who is alive saying to another "take my heart". It just doesn't happen, without a heart we can't live. But someone did do that once upon a time! About 2,000 years ago, God accepted the heart of his son Jesus and offered it to a sick and dying world. Jesus, by hanging on a cross, offered up his heart so that all may be saved.
According to the verse in Ezekiel we all need a new heart. Here are a few other verses about that.
"But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts.
They have turned away and abandoned me." Jeremiah 5:23
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?" Jeremiah 17:9
"Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God." Hebrews 3:12
But God promises to give us a new heart. He promises to give us his heart. AS we come to him for forgiveness, he promises to help us live a better and "morally excellent" life.
"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge" 1 Peter 1:5
And by accepting God's new heart for us we can share in God's character.
"And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires." 2 Peter 1:4
The heart transplant is only the beginning! As with a real heart transplant, we start with baby steps before we take off running. God has great plans for each and every one of us! But it begins with a new heart. Godly character and a moral life is just on the other side of a new heart. What are we all waiting for! We are spiritually in danger of a heart attack, and all we need to do is ask for that heart that Jesus sacrificed for us so many years ago. If you are ready for a new heart, all you need to do is ask God for it, and it will be given freely- no strings attached, and no charge to you. Free. If you think you are ready for the step of a new heart, check out this post about "no charge". Pray the simple prayer at the bottom and thank God for his son and the gift of a new heart.
Organ donation is a huge sacrifice. We hear about it a lot, where complete strangers offer up a kidney for someone they don't even know. Or a family who's lost a young life too early donates the vital organs to help another child. But something that we don't hear very often is a person who is alive saying to another "take my heart". It just doesn't happen, without a heart we can't live. But someone did do that once upon a time! About 2,000 years ago, God accepted the heart of his son Jesus and offered it to a sick and dying world. Jesus, by hanging on a cross, offered up his heart so that all may be saved.
According to the verse in Ezekiel we all need a new heart. Here are a few other verses about that.
"But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts.
They have turned away and abandoned me." Jeremiah 5:23
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?" Jeremiah 17:9
"Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God." Hebrews 3:12
But God promises to give us a new heart. He promises to give us his heart. AS we come to him for forgiveness, he promises to help us live a better and "morally excellent" life.
"In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge" 1 Peter 1:5
And by accepting God's new heart for us we can share in God's character.
"And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires." 2 Peter 1:4
The heart transplant is only the beginning! As with a real heart transplant, we start with baby steps before we take off running. God has great plans for each and every one of us! But it begins with a new heart. Godly character and a moral life is just on the other side of a new heart. What are we all waiting for! We are spiritually in danger of a heart attack, and all we need to do is ask for that heart that Jesus sacrificed for us so many years ago. If you are ready for a new heart, all you need to do is ask God for it, and it will be given freely- no strings attached, and no charge to you. Free. If you think you are ready for the step of a new heart, check out this post about "no charge". Pray the simple prayer at the bottom and thank God for his son and the gift of a new heart.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Instructions!
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
13 He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare. Psalm 25:10-15
The man who fears the Lord will receive instruction as to the path God has chosen for him. How great is that! Now obviously the term "man" is used in general here and can be applied to a woman as well. It would read more like a person who fears the Lord. But the exciting part to me is that we will receive instruction to our path. God himself will see to it that we receive the instruction that we need. For some people, this may mean higher educations specifically, and for some people it may be spiritual direction. For myself, I believe that right now that path is the one I am one. The path of mother and homemaker. And for me, I've found my direction right in my Bible! That is the best part. I have posted many times before, and I will certainly do so again that Proverbs 31 is my inspiration. It is the passage in the Bible that I try so hard to model myself after.
My path, my direction right now is to honor my husband with all my heart and soul. To maintain his home in a manner befitting him, and to raise his children in the best way possible. That is the path for now, once the children have grown and gone on to their own respective paths, that may change. I may find myself at the beginning of a new path, but for today, I thank the Lord for this current path that I am on, and I pray that he continue to guide me along the way and help me to rise above the many obstacles that are placed before me.Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Loving God
God can forgive us of anything. Regardless of "how bad" we think our sin has been, we can be forgiven, as long as we have faith and ask our Lord.
When we experience God's forgiveness, we respond. As people we respond with love. As we undergo forgiveness, we realize exactly what the cost was to be forgiven. How can we not love Christ in return for the opportunity of forgiveness? He suffered so much so that I might be forgiven of my sins. He suffered for me- for me personally. He knew me before I was born, and knew that I would need him. And he knew my family, and my friends, and he knew that we would all need him. And when the time came, Jesus gave his life for all of us.
Wow.
May the Lord continue to open my eyes to the sacrifice made for me. And may I continue to be the example I need to be for my children.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Another Point
"After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30"Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it.' "
32Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?"
34They replied, "The Lord needs it." Luke 19:28-34
I also enjoyed this point from our Palm Sunday message. And that is that God knows what he is doing, even when we are clueless. Even in those moments when we have no idea what we are doing or why we are doing- those times where we may feel a little lost, God knows what is going on. That can be a great comfort! Lately I have been feeling a little unsure about things relating to church, but again (another message for me!) I can take great comfort in knowing that God knows. I may not know the reason for being where we are, but God sure does. And in his timing, that will be revealed to me. In the meantime, I will embrace the fact that God knows. I may not, and that is okay- it doesn't mean I understand it, but I will continue doing what I do and pray for guidance and wisdom.
Monday, April 02, 2007
A Message
This past week, Andy and I realized that the last time we took a break from church was in August. Every Sunday he's been at church serving, and for some reason, we just felt led to take a break this week and go somewhere else. So he made arrangements and we chose a church to attend that Abigail had actually asked about at some point. Our church that we belong to is very small, and very cozy, so you can imagine the difference going to a mega-church might be. But it really wasn't. Abigail thoroughly enjoyed Sunday School class, and the message by the Pastor was specifically for us. God wanted us at that church yesterday morning because the Palm Sunday message was a confirmation for us to stay the course. That we are doing exactly what we should be doing and to keep it up. We felt so encouraged as we left that church yesterday. They are doing great things, and will be in my prayer list for a bit of time to come.
Anyway, the message. There were three parts to his sermon, and it would likely take a while for me to post all of my thoughts on the whole thing, but there is one part that particularly stuck out to me- and that I was supposed to hear.
Anyway, the message. There were three parts to his sermon, and it would likely take a while for me to post all of my thoughts on the whole thing, but there is one part that particularly stuck out to me- and that I was supposed to hear.
38"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!"
"Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
40"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you." Luke 19:38-44
There is such a strong visual image here, and that is of Jesus, riding on a donkey, all the people around him cheering and praising him, and he is weeping. And as the Pastor pointed out yesterday, it wasn't just a little tear running down his face, it was outright sobbing. That is a very powerful image to me. One of the points of Jesus weeping is that he still weeps today. And no doubt he does, when he sees God's children make choices other than him, or sees priorities placed in the wrong things, he cries for us, because he knows what we're missing out on. He cries when we place an importance on things and money and material possessions. They aren't important. We had it 100% confirmed yesterday that placing Christ as our #1 priority is exactly what we need to be doing. While there have been several lessons that we have learned from Andy's time of unemployment, the number one has been that stuff is just stuff.
This has been a lesson for me. We are finally at a point in our lives where we can afford the good stuff. We can afford to spend a little more on quality. And for the most part, I think that we are better for that- we're not buying junk. But as an example, I really, really have wanted new living room furniture. Our couch and recliner have seen much better days and part of me has always been embarrassed when company comes over and has to sit on it. So I've been looking at new furniture. And I shouldn't be. While our furniture is ugly, it's serviceable. I could spend several hundred dollars on a new couch, or I could take that some money and put it towards God's work. We have been learning this over the past several months, and I swear that in a crowd of 500-600 people, the Pastor looked right at me when he said that Jesus cries when we place importance in stuff.
Not only was it confirmation for us, it was a challenge. We left that church feeling like we have been challenged to reduce our reliance on "stuff" even more. And while we talk about all the things that we want to do once Andy is working again, the reality is most likely that a larger portion of our income will be set aside for God. And you know what? We're looking forward to it. Now we are feeling that while we would really like Andy to go back to work, it's not for us. It's not for our betterment, because God will continue to meet our needs for as long as we need him to. But imagine all the good that will come of an increase in giving. The missionaries we could help support, the programs we could help sponsor within our church- and maybe even within others. Times are changing, and we will continue to listen to the Holy Spirit, because he hasn't led us wrong yet. It was so wonderful to have our feelings and thoughts confirmed for us yesterday. I feel a lightness today, and I thank God so much for that and for the wonderful Sunday we had yesterday.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Persistence
In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus tells a parable about a judge who "did not fear God and did not respct man" and a widow who was seeking protection from a legal opponent. She kept on coming to the judge asking for help. He was unwilling to help her, but because she was persistent, he gave her protection. Jesus then says "now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly." vs 7-8.
Unlike this judge, our Heavenly Father and judge wants to provide justice for us. We are His children. He is not deaf to our appeals. Sometimes it may feel that He is not listening, but sometimes the answer to our prayers is wait. Maybe he withholds resolution to our prayers to draw us closer to Him and make us develop a habit (and desire) to spend time talking to Him, time in prayer. Prayer is a way that we acknowledge our dependence on God and how we become intimate with Him. How do you get to know someone? You spend time with them. May I make my relationship with God a priority, over all else. That's God's priority...my relationship with Him (and yours). Why else did He send Jesus...to reconcile us to Himself, into a right relationship. Be persistent in your time with Him.
Unlike this judge, our Heavenly Father and judge wants to provide justice for us. We are His children. He is not deaf to our appeals. Sometimes it may feel that He is not listening, but sometimes the answer to our prayers is wait. Maybe he withholds resolution to our prayers to draw us closer to Him and make us develop a habit (and desire) to spend time talking to Him, time in prayer. Prayer is a way that we acknowledge our dependence on God and how we become intimate with Him. How do you get to know someone? You spend time with them. May I make my relationship with God a priority, over all else. That's God's priority...my relationship with Him (and yours). Why else did He send Jesus...to reconcile us to Himself, into a right relationship. Be persistent in your time with Him.
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