It's so cute to hear the children at school sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I'm baffled by the fact Jesus came to earth as an infant, a completely dependent baby with no defenses. He was human. HUMAN. I'm awed by this. Jesus is fully God, yet he decided to come among us and feel pain, hunger, fatigue, anxiety, happiness, sorrow and temptation. He suffered a human existence to understand us and emphasize with our pain, hunger, anxiety, happiness, sorrow and temptation.
Hebrews 2:14-18 states, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."
It means so much that he chose this path. We have no choice but to feel pain, hunger, etc. But Jesus was fully divine as well. He was all-knowing and all-powerful. He was perfect. He limited himself on purpose, so that he could understand us. Us mortals who disobey him daily. He suffered even to death for us, but it all started on his birthday: the day we celebrate on December 25th. His humble birth in a manger surrounded by shepherds and animals displays his amazing gift of weakness. He allowed himself to be weak so he could bring strength to our weakness and forgiveness to our sin. Praise God!
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Money
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 2 Corinthians 9:11, which says, "You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." In July, my husband will start making a lot more money than he makes now. We are often uncomfortable when people bring it up. In fact, I'm uncomfortable with the subject altogether. Of course then God would inspire me to write about it. Harrumph!
Don't get me wrong. I'm proud of my husband's hard work, and he will deserve every penny he earns. He also comes from a very generous family. They are always ready to give. This increase of earnings is not at all going to a greedy man. I believe this aspect of our life reflects that of the parable of the talents. Usually this parable is taught in reference to the abilities or possessions God has given each of us. We are to be good stewards of all we have. I believe if we use the little money we have wisely, God will trust us to spend the greater amount wisely.
Lately I've been watching a lot of a BBC show called Robin Hood. If you want to feel uncomfortable about future income, just watch that show. I feel guilty for the money we'll receive later. Maybe it's because I never grew up with that much money, and my comfort zone is threatened. Maybe I'm afraid a higher income will effect our relationships, that we'll be judged and things will be assumed about us. I've told Jon a time or two that I'd prefer if God had called him to be ___________ (insert career that pays less than a physician). This is not boasting. This is what's on my heart. I can't even say that we'll be wealthy without cringing. I know in my heart that it's not money that's the root of evil but the love of it; however, money can corrupt. I'm afraid to be corrupted. You all know I love clothes, shoes, etc. Will money increase my vanity? Will I become a snob--a person I hate?
The verse above reminds me that I have a choice. Having a large income is not sin. It is an opportunity. This Christmas season, I can give what I can with a cheerful heart. Next Christmas, I can do the same. It's not the amount of money that matters. It's the heart. Do I have a cheerful heart? Am I being generous? Am I content? These are important questions to ask myself whether I have 5 dollars or 500. These questions apply to the poor and the rich. The Bible has instructions for giving: give with a cheerful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7), don't make a public display of it (Matthew 6:1-4), and so on. These rules don't apply to the wealthy. They apply to everyone.
God has made me generous with little. I must trust God to make me generous with plenty.
Don't get me wrong. I'm proud of my husband's hard work, and he will deserve every penny he earns. He also comes from a very generous family. They are always ready to give. This increase of earnings is not at all going to a greedy man. I believe this aspect of our life reflects that of the parable of the talents. Usually this parable is taught in reference to the abilities or possessions God has given each of us. We are to be good stewards of all we have. I believe if we use the little money we have wisely, God will trust us to spend the greater amount wisely.
Lately I've been watching a lot of a BBC show called Robin Hood. If you want to feel uncomfortable about future income, just watch that show. I feel guilty for the money we'll receive later. Maybe it's because I never grew up with that much money, and my comfort zone is threatened. Maybe I'm afraid a higher income will effect our relationships, that we'll be judged and things will be assumed about us. I've told Jon a time or two that I'd prefer if God had called him to be ___________ (insert career that pays less than a physician). This is not boasting. This is what's on my heart. I can't even say that we'll be wealthy without cringing. I know in my heart that it's not money that's the root of evil but the love of it; however, money can corrupt. I'm afraid to be corrupted. You all know I love clothes, shoes, etc. Will money increase my vanity? Will I become a snob--a person I hate?
The verse above reminds me that I have a choice. Having a large income is not sin. It is an opportunity. This Christmas season, I can give what I can with a cheerful heart. Next Christmas, I can do the same. It's not the amount of money that matters. It's the heart. Do I have a cheerful heart? Am I being generous? Am I content? These are important questions to ask myself whether I have 5 dollars or 500. These questions apply to the poor and the rich. The Bible has instructions for giving: give with a cheerful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7), don't make a public display of it (Matthew 6:1-4), and so on. These rules don't apply to the wealthy. They apply to everyone.
God has made me generous with little. I must trust God to make me generous with plenty.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Through the eyes of a little girl
I've lost count of how many times God has used one of the children at the daycare to show me that I'm acting childish. When he does, the event is very eye-opening. Let me tell you about one of these moments, which happened about a week ago during center time. How center time works is that the main teacher will explain the different crafts/games at each table and then, one by one, the kids get to choose a place to start. On this particular day, one of the centers was finishing a project they'd begun the day before. They had painted one side of two plates stapled together (large ornaments) and needed to paint the other side.
One little girl had missed the day before, so we decided she'd have to wait until most had finished their ornaments before we'd let her start one. Well, of course that was the center she wanted to be at. She went up to me and said, "I want to paint." I told her she had to wait. She heard me, but she didn't care. She just kept asking, then started crying. Others kids were painting now. Why couldn't she? I was able to distract her with the rice table for a while, but soon enough she started whining about painting again. Finally, when the last three kids were working on their ornaments, she was able to begin hers.
About mid scenario, God told me to pay attention. This little girl wanted something and she wanted it right then. We had reasons to say no and wait, but she didn't understand them. She saw that others were allowed to paint and simply wanted to be doing it too. Welcome to how I've been treating God about having a baby. I want one and I want one NOW. Everyone else has children. Why can't I?? God was showing me that he has his reasons, and I don't have to understand them. Thank God that he puts so many infertility stories in his word: Sarah, Hannah, Rachel, REBEKAH (hmmm). He knew this issue would be hard to deal with and would need lots of comfort and hope.
God is really awesome, because he took me a step further. Last Sunday, our pastor gave a terrific sermon. Within the message, he taught on the biblical principle of being persistent. The words in Mathew 7:7 actually mean, "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for..." (I love the NLT because it's goal is to have the reader understand each verse like a reader during the Bible times would have) Also, he mentioned the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18). God whispered to me and told me it was okay to ask for a child even if I was unsure that God wanted me to have one. He wanted me to ask.
When I was telling my friend about the little girl and what she'd taught me, another truth dawned on me. If the girl had only asked once or twice and then contently played with rice for the rest of center time, we might have just skipped her altogether. But because she asked over and over again, we made sure she had painting time.
If you too are struggling with waiting for a reply to a request, take comfort in the second verse of one of my favorite Hymns, Have Faith in God:
Have faith in God when your prayers are unanswered,
Your earnest plea He will never forget;
Wait on the lord, trust His word and be patient,
Have faith in God. He'll answer yet.
This song helps too...
Francesca Battistelli--I'm letting go
One little girl had missed the day before, so we decided she'd have to wait until most had finished their ornaments before we'd let her start one. Well, of course that was the center she wanted to be at. She went up to me and said, "I want to paint." I told her she had to wait. She heard me, but she didn't care. She just kept asking, then started crying. Others kids were painting now. Why couldn't she? I was able to distract her with the rice table for a while, but soon enough she started whining about painting again. Finally, when the last three kids were working on their ornaments, she was able to begin hers.
About mid scenario, God told me to pay attention. This little girl wanted something and she wanted it right then. We had reasons to say no and wait, but she didn't understand them. She saw that others were allowed to paint and simply wanted to be doing it too. Welcome to how I've been treating God about having a baby. I want one and I want one NOW. Everyone else has children. Why can't I?? God was showing me that he has his reasons, and I don't have to understand them. Thank God that he puts so many infertility stories in his word: Sarah, Hannah, Rachel, REBEKAH (hmmm). He knew this issue would be hard to deal with and would need lots of comfort and hope.
God is really awesome, because he took me a step further. Last Sunday, our pastor gave a terrific sermon. Within the message, he taught on the biblical principle of being persistent. The words in Mathew 7:7 actually mean, "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for..." (I love the NLT because it's goal is to have the reader understand each verse like a reader during the Bible times would have) Also, he mentioned the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18). God whispered to me and told me it was okay to ask for a child even if I was unsure that God wanted me to have one. He wanted me to ask.
When I was telling my friend about the little girl and what she'd taught me, another truth dawned on me. If the girl had only asked once or twice and then contently played with rice for the rest of center time, we might have just skipped her altogether. But because she asked over and over again, we made sure she had painting time.
If you too are struggling with waiting for a reply to a request, take comfort in the second verse of one of my favorite Hymns, Have Faith in God:
Have faith in God when your prayers are unanswered,
Your earnest plea He will never forget;
Wait on the lord, trust His word and be patient,
Have faith in God. He'll answer yet.
This song helps too...
Francesca Battistelli--I'm letting go
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...
Here are the confessions of a girl full of contradictions. This week's lesson in Esther (for those who don't know, I'm doing the Beth Moore study on Esther right now) took me to Esther's opening scene, which is basically equivalent to a bunch of guys going from house to house in your town, examining the women and dragging the young beautiful ones to the harem, where they are pampered in order to become more beautiful because they are not beautiful enough. While thinking about this, I realized I wasn't as appalled as I should have been. Instead, I wondered if I would have been chosen or brushed off.
I have two constants battling for control inside me: vanity/insecurity and knowing that character is what counts. Yes, I know I've blogged about this subject before, but it's important to me, so deal =). Inside my head, I'm constantly judging other women. I have a score for myself between 1 and 10 depending on how much makeup and what outfit I'm wearing. Well, I also score subconsciously or otherwise the women I come across (this is really bad, I know. I did say these were the confessions after all...). When I run into women who (to me) score equal to me or less, I feel pretty. When I'm around women whose score is higher, I become extremely insecure. Sometimes she doesn't even have to be prettier in the face or body. I can feel envious simply because she's wearing cuter shoes than I have on. Please don't judge. I'm already judging myself enough for the both of us =(. Deep down, I know that Proverbs 31:30 is true: "Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised." However, somewhere in the shallow waters of my heart, I want to be the most beautiful girl in the world. In fiction, you've got Jekyll and Hyde. In reality, Rebecca and the queen from Snow White. *Groan* I don't believe I'm confessing this on a blog... I'm also aware of the fact God does not approve of this behavior. He says so in 1 Peter 3:3-4, which states, "Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." Ouch. If you know me even a little, you know I'm rarely gentle or quiet, and I LOVE clothes/jewelry/shoes/etc. I'm in BIG trouble here...In fact, I saw a co-worker wearing a cute long-sleeve tee today and wanted to go buy it even though I already have two of the same shirt in different colors. It's ridiculous, I know! Who am I trying to impress, anyway? The world?? Wrongfully. My husband? Yes, but the truth is I could wear no makeup and dress in baggy sweats everyday and he'd still find me attractive, even gorgeous (*kiss*I love you, honey). I really should look at myself in the mirror and not only accept but also applaud God's workmanship. I just need to move that knowledge from my head to my heart. Someday... Besides, eventually I'm going to have white hair that looks funny dyed, a face with too many wrinkles to count, and saggy...well, everything. On that day, when I'm old and gray, if God wills it, I'll still have an amazing man who loves me, best friends I can lean on and a God that never changes and loves me no matter my appearance.
I have no real conclusion to this blog. I wish I could say that I'm cured and delivered, but I have a long road ahead, I'm afraid. Maybe you can relate. Maybe now you don't like me. Either way, we're all a work of progress. God's righteousness will come. Galatians 5:5 states, "But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us."
Beautiful, Beautiful
I have two constants battling for control inside me: vanity/insecurity and knowing that character is what counts. Yes, I know I've blogged about this subject before, but it's important to me, so deal =). Inside my head, I'm constantly judging other women. I have a score for myself between 1 and 10 depending on how much makeup and what outfit I'm wearing. Well, I also score subconsciously or otherwise the women I come across (this is really bad, I know. I did say these were the confessions after all...). When I run into women who (to me) score equal to me or less, I feel pretty. When I'm around women whose score is higher, I become extremely insecure. Sometimes she doesn't even have to be prettier in the face or body. I can feel envious simply because she's wearing cuter shoes than I have on. Please don't judge. I'm already judging myself enough for the both of us =(. Deep down, I know that Proverbs 31:30 is true: "Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised." However, somewhere in the shallow waters of my heart, I want to be the most beautiful girl in the world. In fiction, you've got Jekyll and Hyde. In reality, Rebecca and the queen from Snow White. *Groan* I don't believe I'm confessing this on a blog... I'm also aware of the fact God does not approve of this behavior. He says so in 1 Peter 3:3-4, which states, "Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." Ouch. If you know me even a little, you know I'm rarely gentle or quiet, and I LOVE clothes/jewelry/shoes/etc. I'm in BIG trouble here...In fact, I saw a co-worker wearing a cute long-sleeve tee today and wanted to go buy it even though I already have two of the same shirt in different colors. It's ridiculous, I know! Who am I trying to impress, anyway? The world?? Wrongfully. My husband? Yes, but the truth is I could wear no makeup and dress in baggy sweats everyday and he'd still find me attractive, even gorgeous (*kiss*I love you, honey). I really should look at myself in the mirror and not only accept but also applaud God's workmanship. I just need to move that knowledge from my head to my heart. Someday... Besides, eventually I'm going to have white hair that looks funny dyed, a face with too many wrinkles to count, and saggy...well, everything. On that day, when I'm old and gray, if God wills it, I'll still have an amazing man who loves me, best friends I can lean on and a God that never changes and loves me no matter my appearance.
I have no real conclusion to this blog. I wish I could say that I'm cured and delivered, but I have a long road ahead, I'm afraid. Maybe you can relate. Maybe now you don't like me. Either way, we're all a work of progress. God's righteousness will come. Galatians 5:5 states, "But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us."
Beautiful, Beautiful
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
We have a sovereign Lord
Sometimes it really seems like the world is falling apart. We've had many natural catastrophes in the last decade. We've had war and death. Countries are being controlled by arms dealers and drug lords. People are losing homes and jobs. If we're not careful, we might look around and not see God. I admit, when things are hectic and out of control, God isn't very easy to see. But he's there and he is sovereign. That's where our faith must come in because who likes the idea that God is in control when horrible things are happening? When the end times come and we suffer far beyond what we see right now, it's not that God has left the building (as some tv shows would have us believe) or doesn't care. He is moving and controlling the outcome of all events.
I am so excited about the new Bible study I'm doing with my sisters in Christ. We're working through Esther through a Beth Moore study. This Monday, we watched the introductory video. An interesting fact is that Esther has no mention of God. Moore spoke on how, although God's not in the words, he's in the events. He is behind the scenes. Moore brought our attention to Ephesians 1:11, which says, "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." God works all things out for his purpose. Romans 8:28 goes further to tell us that all the things he works out are for our good. It's hard to believe this when your home is ripped apart by a hurricane or tornado, I know. This is a harsh truth. A truth not everyone likes to hear. This opens to hard questions like, "Why does God allow evil to exist at all?" and "Why do bad things happen to good people?" I don't have answers to these questions. Not really. I only know what some of the Word says on the subject. When Job's life was torn to shreds, God was allowing Satan to have his way. Sometimes God wants to strengthen us. James 1:1-3 says this: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." All those world leaders we like or dislike? God gave them their positions (Romans 13:1-6). In Ezekiel, God speaks many prophesies about God giving nations to other nations. Nothing happens without God's consent.
I admit, this blog isn't really fair. Nothing outrageously bad is happening in my life right now. I am content and actually at peace. I can only hope that when a wave of trials hit me, I will be able to believe what I've written here because whether I do or not, it's true. God is in control. There is comfort in this knowledge as God's children. It's the evil ones that should fear this truth. Their end is full of pain and fire. We have promises to hold on to. Promises only God can make because only God has the control to keep his promises.
Colossians 1:16: "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQHlKc8DrB4
I am so excited about the new Bible study I'm doing with my sisters in Christ. We're working through Esther through a Beth Moore study. This Monday, we watched the introductory video. An interesting fact is that Esther has no mention of God. Moore spoke on how, although God's not in the words, he's in the events. He is behind the scenes. Moore brought our attention to Ephesians 1:11, which says, "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." God works all things out for his purpose. Romans 8:28 goes further to tell us that all the things he works out are for our good. It's hard to believe this when your home is ripped apart by a hurricane or tornado, I know. This is a harsh truth. A truth not everyone likes to hear. This opens to hard questions like, "Why does God allow evil to exist at all?" and "Why do bad things happen to good people?" I don't have answers to these questions. Not really. I only know what some of the Word says on the subject. When Job's life was torn to shreds, God was allowing Satan to have his way. Sometimes God wants to strengthen us. James 1:1-3 says this: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." All those world leaders we like or dislike? God gave them their positions (Romans 13:1-6). In Ezekiel, God speaks many prophesies about God giving nations to other nations. Nothing happens without God's consent.
I admit, this blog isn't really fair. Nothing outrageously bad is happening in my life right now. I am content and actually at peace. I can only hope that when a wave of trials hit me, I will be able to believe what I've written here because whether I do or not, it's true. God is in control. There is comfort in this knowledge as God's children. It's the evil ones that should fear this truth. Their end is full of pain and fire. We have promises to hold on to. Promises only God can make because only God has the control to keep his promises.
Colossians 1:16: "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQHlKc8DrB4
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Friends
If I asked what the worst thing one kid could say to another, what would you think it was? No, it doesn't involve cuss words. Ready for it? The hurtful, tear-inducing words are, "I'm not your friend!" Oh, the horror that comes after these words. Wailing, violence, telling the teacher...
Children understand the value of friendship. I've seen it used as cash: "I'll be your friend if you give me your chocolate bar" or "I'll be your best friend if you do it my way."
Friendship is very important. I think everyone should have at least one special friend. King David would never have become king had he not had a best friend in Jonathan, Saul's son. In 1 Samuel 20, Jonathan and David's friendship was tested. David was convinced that Saul was trying to kill him, but Jonathan thought Saul would tell him if he had such plans. David replied that Saul knew of their friendship and didn't want to hurt Jonathan unnecessarily. He told Jonathan that he would go hide for three days and miss part of the new moon festival. He asked Jonathan to tell Saul that he's given David permission to attend a family sacrifice. If Saul was angry then he wanted to kill David and, if not, all was well. Jonathan and David came up with a secret system to rely the message. Sure enough, Saul was enraged. Jonathan and David had to say goodbye so David would be safe. Jonathan's departing words were, "Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord's name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever." Although Jonathan didn't want to believe his father was trying to kill David, he trusted David enough to seek the truth. David had to trust Jonathan not to betray him to Saul.
Everyone wants a friend. One day at work, a little girl came up to me during recess and said certain girls were saying they didn't want to be her friend. I told her that I wouldn't want to be friends with people who didn't like me. I told her to find a kid that was kind and wanted to play with her. Knowing that this little girl wasn't always kind either, I said that it was important for her to be kind too, so other children would want to be her friend. Proverbs has several verses on being a good friend.
17:9 states, "Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends." Forgiveness is vital to any friendship. 17:17 states, "A friend is always loyal..." Don't be wishy-washy in your friendships. Always have your friend's back. 16:28 states, "...gossip separates the best of friends." Don't start rumors or share secrets about your friends. Don't say mean things behind their backs. 18:24 states, "There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother." Real friendship can be more bonding than family. 27:6 states, "Wounds from a severe friend are better than many kisses from an enemy." Friends make mistakes and hurt us sometimes. However, you can trust that a friend's goal is not to hurt you. 27:10 states, "Never abandon a friend--either yours or your father's. When disaster strikes, you won't have to ask your brother for assistance..." David was a loyal friend to Jonathan. Because of this, David was able to depend on Jonathan when he needed him most.
Jesus outdid all these verses when he said in John 15:13, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." When Jesus died for you and I, he died for his friends. We are his friends, and Jesus is the most important friend we could ever have. Since Jesus said that if we love him, we'll obey his commands and since his command is that we love each other, it's safe to say that if we treat our friends with love and kindness, we are also treating Jesus with love and kindness.
Be a good friend today =)
Children understand the value of friendship. I've seen it used as cash: "I'll be your friend if you give me your chocolate bar" or "I'll be your best friend if you do it my way."
Friendship is very important. I think everyone should have at least one special friend. King David would never have become king had he not had a best friend in Jonathan, Saul's son. In 1 Samuel 20, Jonathan and David's friendship was tested. David was convinced that Saul was trying to kill him, but Jonathan thought Saul would tell him if he had such plans. David replied that Saul knew of their friendship and didn't want to hurt Jonathan unnecessarily. He told Jonathan that he would go hide for three days and miss part of the new moon festival. He asked Jonathan to tell Saul that he's given David permission to attend a family sacrifice. If Saul was angry then he wanted to kill David and, if not, all was well. Jonathan and David came up with a secret system to rely the message. Sure enough, Saul was enraged. Jonathan and David had to say goodbye so David would be safe. Jonathan's departing words were, "Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord's name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever." Although Jonathan didn't want to believe his father was trying to kill David, he trusted David enough to seek the truth. David had to trust Jonathan not to betray him to Saul.
Everyone wants a friend. One day at work, a little girl came up to me during recess and said certain girls were saying they didn't want to be her friend. I told her that I wouldn't want to be friends with people who didn't like me. I told her to find a kid that was kind and wanted to play with her. Knowing that this little girl wasn't always kind either, I said that it was important for her to be kind too, so other children would want to be her friend. Proverbs has several verses on being a good friend.
17:9 states, "Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends." Forgiveness is vital to any friendship. 17:17 states, "A friend is always loyal..." Don't be wishy-washy in your friendships. Always have your friend's back. 16:28 states, "...gossip separates the best of friends." Don't start rumors or share secrets about your friends. Don't say mean things behind their backs. 18:24 states, "There are 'friends' who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother." Real friendship can be more bonding than family. 27:6 states, "Wounds from a severe friend are better than many kisses from an enemy." Friends make mistakes and hurt us sometimes. However, you can trust that a friend's goal is not to hurt you. 27:10 states, "Never abandon a friend--either yours or your father's. When disaster strikes, you won't have to ask your brother for assistance..." David was a loyal friend to Jonathan. Because of this, David was able to depend on Jonathan when he needed him most.
Jesus outdid all these verses when he said in John 15:13, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." When Jesus died for you and I, he died for his friends. We are his friends, and Jesus is the most important friend we could ever have. Since Jesus said that if we love him, we'll obey his commands and since his command is that we love each other, it's safe to say that if we treat our friends with love and kindness, we are also treating Jesus with love and kindness.
Be a good friend today =)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Peace--the best shoes you'll ever wear.
Sometimes I can be a little obsessed with a certain item: shoes. I love shoes! Now that we have a new shoe store in town, this may become a problem. Last month I bought a hot pair of high heeled black boots. I made sure to spend a certain amount, so I could receive a 10 dollar coupon to use later. Well, yesterday, I used it and got a great deal on a pair of black stiletto pumps. The beautiful fact about being short is that even with crazy high shoes, I only grow to average height ;). Yes, I love shoes.
So, the big question is what do shoes have to do with God or his word?? Well...I found one verse.
Ephesians 6:15 states, "For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared." So, there. Shoes are in the Bible.
When I looked up the word, peace, Webster gave me this definition: "In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind." When I did a Bible search for the word, peace, the results were 176 verses, and that was only from Psalms to Jude. Jesus was always wishing peace upon people. Many times, he would say, "peace to you" or "go in peace" or the like. He promised peace to his disciples in John 14:27 when he says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you...let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."
Living in a peaceful state is a command. Colossians 3:15 states, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace." When studying the armor of God, I often ignore or put aside the shoes of peace. I don't realize how important peace is. If we have a firm foundation in peace, we can make it through any hard time. It's important to our defense so our march stays strong. In John 16:33, Jesus said, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
What does peace look like? I think one of the best examples Christ gives us is when he was in a boat with his disciples and the winds were howling and the boat rocking and all the disciples were terrified of drowning. A storm was raging all around them, but where was Jesus? He was asleep. Because of their lack of faith, they woke him up and made him save them. He did because he's AMAZING. He said, "Peace! Be still" to the wind and the waters, and they obeyed. Jesus was calm, cool and collected when the world around him was in turmoil. Can you sleep through the storms in your life? You need to. Peace means knowing God is there taking care of us. It protects our walk with the Lord and stops Satan from being about to trouble our hearts.
We must put on shoes, right? Few places allow for bare feet anymore. So, today, whether you put on boots, stilettos, tennis shoes, flip flops, or another wonderful kind of shoes, cover your feet with peace. Walk in the firm foundation of faith.
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
So, the big question is what do shoes have to do with God or his word?? Well...I found one verse.
Ephesians 6:15 states, "For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared." So, there. Shoes are in the Bible.
When I looked up the word, peace, Webster gave me this definition: "In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind." When I did a Bible search for the word, peace, the results were 176 verses, and that was only from Psalms to Jude. Jesus was always wishing peace upon people. Many times, he would say, "peace to you" or "go in peace" or the like. He promised peace to his disciples in John 14:27 when he says, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you...let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."
Living in a peaceful state is a command. Colossians 3:15 states, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace." When studying the armor of God, I often ignore or put aside the shoes of peace. I don't realize how important peace is. If we have a firm foundation in peace, we can make it through any hard time. It's important to our defense so our march stays strong. In John 16:33, Jesus said, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
What does peace look like? I think one of the best examples Christ gives us is when he was in a boat with his disciples and the winds were howling and the boat rocking and all the disciples were terrified of drowning. A storm was raging all around them, but where was Jesus? He was asleep. Because of their lack of faith, they woke him up and made him save them. He did because he's AMAZING. He said, "Peace! Be still" to the wind and the waters, and they obeyed. Jesus was calm, cool and collected when the world around him was in turmoil. Can you sleep through the storms in your life? You need to. Peace means knowing God is there taking care of us. It protects our walk with the Lord and stops Satan from being about to trouble our hearts.
We must put on shoes, right? Few places allow for bare feet anymore. So, today, whether you put on boots, stilettos, tennis shoes, flip flops, or another wonderful kind of shoes, cover your feet with peace. Walk in the firm foundation of faith.
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Death
Yesterday, I learned from my aunt that my grandfather, the man who helped raise me, died at midnight Tuesday. He had been bedridden for years, which must have tormented him because he was always a very independent man. Thank the Lord, he was a Christian (in fact, he was a minister) and is now with the Lord and my grandmother. I remember so much about him. He LOVED coffee and wouldn't stop drinking it even when it effected his trimmers. At the house, he'd almost always have a piece of fruit and a paring knife. He'd cut slices, giving one to grandma, one to mom, one to me, himself and the dog. When he went to get gas for the car, he almost always brought me back a candy bar--3 Musketeers was a favorite. He went on three or four coffee breaks a day to McDonald's or the like and met up with other old men. It seemed he knew everyone is our large suburban town. Heaven Scent donut shop became a favorite of his. He'd go there daily and bring me back a donut when I was home during college. When my cousins and I were young, he'd tell us imaginative bedtime stories that would make us laugh (they hardly worked to get us settled for bed). He had his strict streak too. If he heard us talking and giggling during bedtime, he'd come in with a flyswatter. Ouch! He was truly a man of God. If I had a biblical question, I went to him for answers.
I wasn't expecting to write this much. I mainly wanted to express how great God is because when I went to his Word for comfort, my Bible opened right up to Ecclesiastes 7. These are the first four verses:
I wasn't expecting to write this much. I mainly wanted to express how great God is because when I went to his Word for comfort, my Bible opened right up to Ecclesiastes 7. These are the first four verses:
"A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume.
And the day you die is better than the day you were born.
Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties.
After all, everyone dies--so the living should take this to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.
A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time."
God is amazing!!!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Be Thankful
My husband and I have a good car, a decent car and a crap car. The crap car is so bad that it won't pass the safety inspection this year. Thus, we had to give the decent car, which had been sitting in our garage for over a year, a new alternator. We tried to get the decent car working before my husband left for three months, but right before he left, the decent car's windows stopped working--in the down position (grr). During the next week, I tried to get the windows fixed so I could travel to St. Louis and spend time with my husband. The mechanic pulled the window up, but the problem was electrical, which meant that the cost just to find the solution was going to be super expensive. Scratch that. Instead, I asked the mechanic to work on the AC (I figured if I was stuck with non-moving windows, at least I could be comfortable). Well, praise God, the mechanic found the short for the windows while fixing the AC and worked on both! I made it to St. Louis and the car ran wonderfully all week. Then...on the way home, at the gas station, my car quit. It didn't even try to start. I found someone to jump my car, and I didn't stop the car again until I got to my driveway. And, of course, it didn't start after I'd turned it off. My friend came over and tried to jump it, but this time it didn't work.
I should have been thankful. I even told myself this. God provided me with a comfortable car so I could spend time with my husband. God kept me safe the whole time I was there. He provided me with help at the gas station, and he brought me safely home. But all I could think about was that I might have just spent five hundred dollars (including the alternator) just to use my car for a week.
When we choose to dwell on the negative and not the positive, we are being selfish and lacking in trust. It really is common sense: If God was gracious enough to provide all he did, obviously he's going to continue to take care of me. Now if only my heart could believe what my mind knows...
When I was child, this was easier. My dad and I were in a small car accident when I was in elementary school. I had recently learned 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus," at church. I remember bowing my head and thanking God for keeping us safe. I told God I was scared and worried about Dad's van, but the Bible says to be thankful always, so that's what I was going to do.
The rules haven't changed since my elementary days. 1 Thes. 5:18 still applies. Being thankful is a command, not an suggestion. Galatians 5:20 tells us we should be "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." And why not?? Look around you and tell me truthfully you have nothing to be thankful for. I didn't think so... Everything we have is a gift from the Lord. Let's not take the pleasures we have for granted. In fact, God deserves our thankful hearts just for being God. 1 Chronicles 16:34 says, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." Not only does he provide stuff, friends, family, etc., he gives love, mercy and grace. He gives us his Spirit, so that we can walk with him and do what's right (Gal. 5:16-18). Be thankful, readers, because God is AWESOME!!
I should have been thankful. I even told myself this. God provided me with a comfortable car so I could spend time with my husband. God kept me safe the whole time I was there. He provided me with help at the gas station, and he brought me safely home. But all I could think about was that I might have just spent five hundred dollars (including the alternator) just to use my car for a week.
When we choose to dwell on the negative and not the positive, we are being selfish and lacking in trust. It really is common sense: If God was gracious enough to provide all he did, obviously he's going to continue to take care of me. Now if only my heart could believe what my mind knows...
When I was child, this was easier. My dad and I were in a small car accident when I was in elementary school. I had recently learned 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus," at church. I remember bowing my head and thanking God for keeping us safe. I told God I was scared and worried about Dad's van, but the Bible says to be thankful always, so that's what I was going to do.
The rules haven't changed since my elementary days. 1 Thes. 5:18 still applies. Being thankful is a command, not an suggestion. Galatians 5:20 tells us we should be "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." And why not?? Look around you and tell me truthfully you have nothing to be thankful for. I didn't think so... Everything we have is a gift from the Lord. Let's not take the pleasures we have for granted. In fact, God deserves our thankful hearts just for being God. 1 Chronicles 16:34 says, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." Not only does he provide stuff, friends, family, etc., he gives love, mercy and grace. He gives us his Spirit, so that we can walk with him and do what's right (Gal. 5:16-18). Be thankful, readers, because God is AWESOME!!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Battle Against Temptation
I've broken my wrist twice. Both times I had to wear a cast for several weeks. When the cast finally came off, my arm looked like it belonged to a mutant. It was small and very weak. Eventually, my arm regained its strength, but until then I had limitations. I had to be careful of how I moved and to what I exposed my arm, always aware of how vulnerable it was.
We all have spiritually weak limbs. Areas in our lives that are more vulnerable to temptation than others. For some of us, lying comes naturally. Others struggle with anger. The list goes on and on. Don't think you're alone in your battle against the flesh. 1 Corinthians 10:13a states that "the temptations in your life are no different from what others experience." Also, know where temptation comes from. James 1:14 says that "temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away."
When it rains and there are puddles in the sand on the playground, we tell the children not to play in the water. Some of the best behaved boys and girls will stand looking at the puddles. I can almost see their fight against the desire to splash in them. I usually tell them to stay away from the puddles because I know when I turn my head to supervise the other children, the ones nearest the water will make their move.
The good news is that God gives us the grace necessary to stand up against temptation (James 4:6). James 4:7b says that if we resist the devil, he'll leave us alone. Keep in mind that a command comes before this promise: "So humble yourselves before God (verse 7a)." We can't for one minute think that we have the power on our own to fight temptation. When we're tempted, God provides our escape (1 Cor. 10:13b). All we can do by our own effort is run for the hills as soon as we see the door.
Don't be misled. I'm by no means saying that we're defenseless. God gives us some powerful weapons against temptation if we're wise enough to use them. For starters, we can take the passive aggressive approach and avoid the temptation altogether. The children that choose to swing and climb the monkey bars can't get in trouble for splashing in the puddles because they're nowhere near them. Another resource is God's Holy Word. This was Jesus' offensive strategy in the wilderness. He countered every piece of garbage from Satan with Scripture. We don't always have a Bible with us when being tempted, so the best thing to do is memorize as much as possible and spend daily time reading it. Psalms 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Another powerful tool is prayer. Jesus told his disciples to pray while he prayed in the garden so they would “not give in to temptation. For the Spirit is willing but the body is weak.” The prayer he taught his disciples included asking for help against temptation: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13).”
We will fail sometimes; it’s inevitable. However, using these tools will keep us from failing as often.
We all have spiritually weak limbs. Areas in our lives that are more vulnerable to temptation than others. For some of us, lying comes naturally. Others struggle with anger. The list goes on and on. Don't think you're alone in your battle against the flesh. 1 Corinthians 10:13a states that "the temptations in your life are no different from what others experience." Also, know where temptation comes from. James 1:14 says that "temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away."
When it rains and there are puddles in the sand on the playground, we tell the children not to play in the water. Some of the best behaved boys and girls will stand looking at the puddles. I can almost see their fight against the desire to splash in them. I usually tell them to stay away from the puddles because I know when I turn my head to supervise the other children, the ones nearest the water will make their move.
The good news is that God gives us the grace necessary to stand up against temptation (James 4:6). James 4:7b says that if we resist the devil, he'll leave us alone. Keep in mind that a command comes before this promise: "So humble yourselves before God (verse 7a)." We can't for one minute think that we have the power on our own to fight temptation. When we're tempted, God provides our escape (1 Cor. 10:13b). All we can do by our own effort is run for the hills as soon as we see the door.
Don't be misled. I'm by no means saying that we're defenseless. God gives us some powerful weapons against temptation if we're wise enough to use them. For starters, we can take the passive aggressive approach and avoid the temptation altogether. The children that choose to swing and climb the monkey bars can't get in trouble for splashing in the puddles because they're nowhere near them. Another resource is God's Holy Word. This was Jesus' offensive strategy in the wilderness. He countered every piece of garbage from Satan with Scripture. We don't always have a Bible with us when being tempted, so the best thing to do is memorize as much as possible and spend daily time reading it. Psalms 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Another powerful tool is prayer. Jesus told his disciples to pray while he prayed in the garden so they would “not give in to temptation. For the Spirit is willing but the body is weak.” The prayer he taught his disciples included asking for help against temptation: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13).”
We will fail sometimes; it’s inevitable. However, using these tools will keep us from failing as often.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
He is always there
I hate moving! In order to pack and be able to find what you need later, you have to put certain things in certain boxes. This process seems to take forever. In addition, when you move, you find out how much useless junk you own. Then comes the decision of what to keep and what to pitch. For some items, the argument can extend to hours and/or days. If you pack yourself and use newspaper to cushion the fragile pieces, your hands turn black and mark everything you touch. Moving makes you think about all you're leaving behind. You have to say goodbye to all the people you've grown close to in the time you've been at your present location. I have family and friends who married men in the military. They move A LOT. I don't envy them one bit. Some of them have told me how they've struggled to stay in the same place. Nobody loves the idea of leaving friends or family.
But here is some good news. There is one person we never have to leave behind: God. He went with Abraham when Abraham left all he knew to go to Canaan. When Jacob ran away to escape from Esau and claim a wife, God said these words: "What's more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go...I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you (Genesis 28:15)" Later, when Jacob reunited with his son, Joseph, and went to live in Egypt with him, the Lord said, "I am God, the God of your father...Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt...I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again... (Genesis 46:3-4)" When Moses protested against being sent to Egypt to lead God's people, God said, "I will be with you...(Exodus 3:12)" Some of Jesus' last works were, "...I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)"
My husband and I are separated Mon-Fri for the next three months, but I know God is with him as much as He is with me. Whether life takes you to a new job, a new house, a new status (single to married for example), or allows you to stay in one place, He is always there.
But here is some good news. There is one person we never have to leave behind: God. He went with Abraham when Abraham left all he knew to go to Canaan. When Jacob ran away to escape from Esau and claim a wife, God said these words: "What's more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go...I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you (Genesis 28:15)" Later, when Jacob reunited with his son, Joseph, and went to live in Egypt with him, the Lord said, "I am God, the God of your father...Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt...I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again... (Genesis 46:3-4)" When Moses protested against being sent to Egypt to lead God's people, God said, "I will be with you...(Exodus 3:12)" Some of Jesus' last works were, "...I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20)"
My husband and I are separated Mon-Fri for the next three months, but I know God is with him as much as He is with me. Whether life takes you to a new job, a new house, a new status (single to married for example), or allows you to stay in one place, He is always there.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Has God heard from you lately?
Imagine a world with no communication. No phones. No e-mail. Not even our voices. Now take away all meaning from nonverbal communication. What does that leave? A world of darkness. Everyone living for only themselves. No relationships. No companies. Not even a building that takes more than one man or woman to create. Ask yourself if this is the kind of Christian world you live in. Do you speak to God daily? Weekly? Monthly? Reading the Word is important. We learn from God, but God wants to hear our voices.
Jesus taught his disciplines to pray. He felt prayer was important enough to give them step-by-step instructions (Luke 11:1-4). He prayed himself. Hebrews 5:7 states, "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." He prayed to all night before choosing his apostles (Luke 6:12,13). When was the last time you prayed all night before making a decision?? Jesus prayed when he was distressed (Mark 14:32-41). James 4:13 commands us to do the same: "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray..." Jesus prayed for his disciples. In fact, Jesus prayed for you and me (John 17)! That's so exciting!!! We should also pray for one another. 1 Timothy 2:1 states, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—"
Prayer is an important and powerful tool. For one, it is the strongest medicine you'll ever run across. James 5:14-15 states, "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." We hear about these miracles a lot. A person with cancer is suddenly cancer free. A man gets his neck sliced with a barbed-wire fence yet the cut misses both his main artery and jugular. A woman gets shot in the head but lives. Some doctors might chuck it up to their mad doctor skills but we all know who the real Physician is... The actual healing power came from the Most High through the prayers of saints on their knees.
Talking with and petitioning to God is one of the most important activities we can do as Christians, yet we often ignore God for days, weeks, months... This cannot continue! We need to accomplish the opposite scenario.
1 Thes. 5:17--"Never stop praying."
Jesus taught his disciplines to pray. He felt prayer was important enough to give them step-by-step instructions (Luke 11:1-4). He prayed himself. Hebrews 5:7 states, "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission." He prayed to all night before choosing his apostles (Luke 6:12,13). When was the last time you prayed all night before making a decision?? Jesus prayed when he was distressed (Mark 14:32-41). James 4:13 commands us to do the same: "Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray..." Jesus prayed for his disciples. In fact, Jesus prayed for you and me (John 17)! That's so exciting!!! We should also pray for one another. 1 Timothy 2:1 states, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—"
Prayer is an important and powerful tool. For one, it is the strongest medicine you'll ever run across. James 5:14-15 states, "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven." We hear about these miracles a lot. A person with cancer is suddenly cancer free. A man gets his neck sliced with a barbed-wire fence yet the cut misses both his main artery and jugular. A woman gets shot in the head but lives. Some doctors might chuck it up to their mad doctor skills but we all know who the real Physician is... The actual healing power came from the Most High through the prayers of saints on their knees.
Talking with and petitioning to God is one of the most important activities we can do as Christians, yet we often ignore God for days, weeks, months... This cannot continue! We need to accomplish the opposite scenario.
1 Thes. 5:17--"Never stop praying."
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Boogie Man
Are these words familiar? "God is bigger than the boogie man. He's bigger than Godzilla and the monsters on TV. Oh, God is bigger than the boogie man, and he's watching out for you and me!" If not, you probably aren't around kids enough =). This is a popular Veggie Tales song called, God is Bigger. The song is silly but very powerful if you think about it.
Unlike what Monsters Inc would have us believe, there are no monsters in our closets or under our beds. We all know there is no such thing as the boogie man. However, some of us--namely me--love to get scared. I admit to being a fan of the horror genre. It is becoming more and more of a challenge to have a truly scary movie anymore (blood bath movies aren't scary--just gross). You know, one that makes you look behind your back even after the movie's happy (or not so) ending. You still can't get me to watch a Chucky movie. The doll thing hits a little too close to my childhood.
Fortunately, the world is not secretly full of vampires, zombies, werewolves and the like. UNfortunately, Satan and his demons are real. Hollywood likes to blow up these threats to unrealistic standards, creating a false security that demons only act in extraordinary ways or possess people. We, regular people, are safe. NOPE. I Peter 5:8-9 says otherwise: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. (emphasis added)" Christians EVERYWHERE are being attacked. What are we to do???
Let's go back to the silly, but powerful song above. Although I believe we need to be aware of the spiritual warfare around us--Peter said to stay alert and stand firm--we do not need to fear. Christ has already become our conqueror. Ephesians 1:21-22 states, "Now [Jesus] is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church."
So how to we stand firm? Ephesians 6:10-18 is the manual you need to be prepared. Put on the armor of God: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the word. These things must be in your life, fixed to your person so that you can resist the devil. Remember that the only weapon is the word of God. All else is for defense.
Think of the Bible as bug spray. Last night I had to defeat a huge spider in my house. I was frightened (yeah, I know...horror movies don't scare me enough but spiders do...sigh), but I ran to the cabinet and grabbed my bug spray. After the first squirt, that eight-legged monster fled, but I kept pulling the trigger and it finally died. That's sort of how the Word works. Jesus used it to make Satan back off. So can we. =)
Unlike what Monsters Inc would have us believe, there are no monsters in our closets or under our beds. We all know there is no such thing as the boogie man. However, some of us--namely me--love to get scared. I admit to being a fan of the horror genre. It is becoming more and more of a challenge to have a truly scary movie anymore (blood bath movies aren't scary--just gross). You know, one that makes you look behind your back even after the movie's happy (or not so) ending. You still can't get me to watch a Chucky movie. The doll thing hits a little too close to my childhood.
Fortunately, the world is not secretly full of vampires, zombies, werewolves and the like. UNfortunately, Satan and his demons are real. Hollywood likes to blow up these threats to unrealistic standards, creating a false security that demons only act in extraordinary ways or possess people. We, regular people, are safe. NOPE. I Peter 5:8-9 says otherwise: "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are. (emphasis added)" Christians EVERYWHERE are being attacked. What are we to do???
Let's go back to the silly, but powerful song above. Although I believe we need to be aware of the spiritual warfare around us--Peter said to stay alert and stand firm--we do not need to fear. Christ has already become our conqueror. Ephesians 1:21-22 states, "Now [Jesus] is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church."
So how to we stand firm? Ephesians 6:10-18 is the manual you need to be prepared. Put on the armor of God: truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the word. These things must be in your life, fixed to your person so that you can resist the devil. Remember that the only weapon is the word of God. All else is for defense.
Think of the Bible as bug spray. Last night I had to defeat a huge spider in my house. I was frightened (yeah, I know...horror movies don't scare me enough but spiders do...sigh), but I ran to the cabinet and grabbed my bug spray. After the first squirt, that eight-legged monster fled, but I kept pulling the trigger and it finally died. That's sort of how the Word works. Jesus used it to make Satan back off. So can we. =)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Are you prepared?
I am a Procrastinator (note the capital P). My motivation seems to thrive on the pressure of running out of time. During school and college, I was very successful, but my good grades did not come from weeks' worth of prep before the paper/test was due. No, I usually waited until the last possible moment I could start and get done on time. If I thought studying would take me 3 hours, I'd wait until 9 p.m. with intentions of going to bed at midnight. Most of the time, I'd underestimate the amount of time I'd need and end up pulling an all-nighter. During those frantic hours, my stress level would rise to the point of panic. Somehow, with God's help, I'd survive though and, most of the time, ace the test. Notice that my behavior seems always to be positively reinforced, which keeps me from changing.
This is not only a school issue. I know exactly how much time it takes to get to work. When the clock says 15 minutes til, I leave to get there a few minutes early. I refuse to leave 16 minutes til. Heaven forbid I don't get that one minute of freedom. Unfortunately, it takes only one minute to get distracted enough to not leave until 10 til. Instead of taking my sweet time, I'm pushing the gas petal down HARD and growling at slow drivers. Hmmm, maybe that's why I show up to work feeling grumpy sometimes...=) I even procrastinate cleaning. On Mondays, I host a Bible study at my house. It starts at 7. I have from whenever I wake up until 10:45 to be productive that day before work. You'd think that's the perfect time to prepare the house. Nope. I wait until I get home at 3 and don't start until 4, which leaves me very little time to cook dinner, eat and clean up after dinner.
Then you have my friend. You know who you are... She is the champion at being prepared. You should see her study notes. She types up binders full of notes at varying degrees of thickness that correlate with the time of studying. If it's a month before the test, she's study the thickest one; once she's mastered that, she'll progress to a slightly thinner one, and this continues until she can finally study a bare bone summary the day before the test. I might be exaggerating (let me know if I am), but not by much.
If our opposite tendencies transfer to the second coming of Christ, I just might be the woman at the mill who's left behind (Matthew 24:41). Jesus told us what happens to those who are not prepared. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us a parable about ten virgins who are about to meet their bridegroom. Five of them are prepared and bring flasks of oil with their lamps. The other five don't. The bridegroom ends up being delayed but arrives at midnight. The girls with oil go on to the marriage feast with their bridegroom. The rest must go buy oil and are too late. The door is shut.
Matthew 24:42-44 says, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." My spiritual life cannot be yet another thing I procrastinate. I must stay awake and be ready NOW, not later. No one but God knows when he'll come back. Sure, Christ gives us the signs. Everyone seems to think they know when the rapture will happen. The truth is that no one really knows (Matthew 24:36). There honestly might not be a tomorrow (whether Christ returns or we get hit by a bus). We must be prepared TODAY for this reason. Is your life right with God.? Are you walking in the holiest life you can? If not, NOW is the best time to repent and allow God to fix your heart.
Don't be unprepared!
This is not only a school issue. I know exactly how much time it takes to get to work. When the clock says 15 minutes til, I leave to get there a few minutes early. I refuse to leave 16 minutes til. Heaven forbid I don't get that one minute of freedom. Unfortunately, it takes only one minute to get distracted enough to not leave until 10 til. Instead of taking my sweet time, I'm pushing the gas petal down HARD and growling at slow drivers. Hmmm, maybe that's why I show up to work feeling grumpy sometimes...=) I even procrastinate cleaning. On Mondays, I host a Bible study at my house. It starts at 7. I have from whenever I wake up until 10:45 to be productive that day before work. You'd think that's the perfect time to prepare the house. Nope. I wait until I get home at 3 and don't start until 4, which leaves me very little time to cook dinner, eat and clean up after dinner.
Then you have my friend. You know who you are... She is the champion at being prepared. You should see her study notes. She types up binders full of notes at varying degrees of thickness that correlate with the time of studying. If it's a month before the test, she's study the thickest one; once she's mastered that, she'll progress to a slightly thinner one, and this continues until she can finally study a bare bone summary the day before the test. I might be exaggerating (let me know if I am), but not by much.
If our opposite tendencies transfer to the second coming of Christ, I just might be the woman at the mill who's left behind (Matthew 24:41). Jesus told us what happens to those who are not prepared. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us a parable about ten virgins who are about to meet their bridegroom. Five of them are prepared and bring flasks of oil with their lamps. The other five don't. The bridegroom ends up being delayed but arrives at midnight. The girls with oil go on to the marriage feast with their bridegroom. The rest must go buy oil and are too late. The door is shut.
Matthew 24:42-44 says, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected." My spiritual life cannot be yet another thing I procrastinate. I must stay awake and be ready NOW, not later. No one but God knows when he'll come back. Sure, Christ gives us the signs. Everyone seems to think they know when the rapture will happen. The truth is that no one really knows (Matthew 24:36). There honestly might not be a tomorrow (whether Christ returns or we get hit by a bus). We must be prepared TODAY for this reason. Is your life right with God.? Are you walking in the holiest life you can? If not, NOW is the best time to repent and allow God to fix your heart.
Don't be unprepared!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Child of God
I became an aunt yesterday. Being an aunt is exciting and kind of like being a grandparent. I get to hold, love and adore my niece, but when she poops, I can give her back to my sister-in-law. =) My job is working with children. While they are in my care, I feed them, change them when they make messes, play with them and discipline them. My responsibilities are to keep them safe and cared for until mom/dad/grandma/grandpa comes to pick them up. Then I get to go home child free (it's kind of nice). Of course I love the kids I work with, but I don't have to keep them with my 24/7. I don't pay for medical expenses or their shelter, clothing, food, etc. The nurturing I give, I get paid to give.
There is a huge difference between being in the care of someone and actually being their child. Thus, when Scripture tells us we are God's adopted children, the message goes deep. God is not our babysitter or uncle or granddaddy. He is our Father! Romans 8:15 states, "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, he starts with addressing God in this way (Matthew 6:9-11). We become God's children by believing (actively) in Jesus (John 1:12). We know we are God's children by the Holy Spirit living in us (Romans 8:16).
What does it mean to be a child of God? God is always there, for one. Not just from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. He loves us unconditionally. When we make messes, he cleans them up and embraces us (prodigal son). It means he provides all our needs (Matthew 6:25-34). Being his children means we have a relationship with God. The difference between the world and God's children is that his children know him but the world does not (1 John 3:1). As his children, we are heirs (Romans 8:17). We will receive Heaven and glorified new bodies. We will never die! Who wouldn't want to be God's child knowing all this?? Answer: People who can't handle correction or discipline. Because to be God's children means he will discipline us when we disobey (Hebrews 12:8). Spankings hurt, I know, but would we rather God give up on us? I don't think so...
As God's children, we must obey our Father and stop sinning (1 Peter 1:14 and 1 John 3:9). This is our responsibility as children. You can be sure God will live up to his end of our relationship. All earthy fathers are flawed. But our Heavenly Father is perfect!
There is a huge difference between being in the care of someone and actually being their child. Thus, when Scripture tells us we are God's adopted children, the message goes deep. God is not our babysitter or uncle or granddaddy. He is our Father! Romans 8:15 states, "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, he starts with addressing God in this way (Matthew 6:9-11). We become God's children by believing (actively) in Jesus (John 1:12). We know we are God's children by the Holy Spirit living in us (Romans 8:16).
What does it mean to be a child of God? God is always there, for one. Not just from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. He loves us unconditionally. When we make messes, he cleans them up and embraces us (prodigal son). It means he provides all our needs (Matthew 6:25-34). Being his children means we have a relationship with God. The difference between the world and God's children is that his children know him but the world does not (1 John 3:1). As his children, we are heirs (Romans 8:17). We will receive Heaven and glorified new bodies. We will never die! Who wouldn't want to be God's child knowing all this?? Answer: People who can't handle correction or discipline. Because to be God's children means he will discipline us when we disobey (Hebrews 12:8). Spankings hurt, I know, but would we rather God give up on us? I don't think so...
As God's children, we must obey our Father and stop sinning (1 Peter 1:14 and 1 John 3:9). This is our responsibility as children. You can be sure God will live up to his end of our relationship. All earthy fathers are flawed. But our Heavenly Father is perfect!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
How much does it cost?
Ever had sticker shock? I have. I was shopping all day with a friend for a pair of jeans. The hunt was tiring and depressing until I finally I found the pair I'd been looking for. They were perfect. Perfect! I didn't even have to wear a belt (I tend to fall in between sizes and go bigger with belt verses smaller with muffin top). The length was amazing. No need for hemming or rolling. I was so excited, I thought I might just buy two pairs. Then I wouldn't need jeans for a while. That is, until I looked at the price tag: 60 dollars. Who pays 60 dollars for one pair of jeans??! Yes, I know the answer. People who can afford it. Well, I couldn't! I couldn't even afford one and keep my dignity. My friend and I walked out of Gap empty handed, and I even cried. Yes, I was that pathetic.
I've even gotten nutritional-facts shocked. The other day, I had a huge craving for Doritos. Unfortunately, all the small bags at my workplace were expired and stale. Part of my job that day was to make a Walmart run, so when I reached the checkout line, I was very tempted to buy (with my money--not the school's) a small bag of Doritos. It was a bit bigger than your typical small bags. I took a look at the calorie count: 450 for the whole bag! That's almost a meal's worth!! Of course, if I only at a third of the bag, the calories would only be 150, but who has that kind of self-control? Not me. No Doritos for me that day. =(
Sin is like misusing a credit card and paying no attention to the price. You get what you want when you want it and it feels great. BUT, at the end of the month, you come to terms with the cost. And if you can't afford the bill, it'll cost more later with interest. My pastor is a smart man. He has a saying. I don't know if it's his saying or if he got it from someone else (I should have paid attention to that detail), but it's a wise one: Sin will take you further than you want to go and cost more than you want to pay. So true. Usually, my pastor attaches these words to the story of Achan in Joshua. He got greedy and took riches from Jericho when God had specifically commanded the people to destroy everything and take nothing. What did this sin cost him? His life, his family's lives and his possessions. He must have spend a fortune on his credit card...
If only we could just check the price tag or the nutritional facts before we plunge into doing something stupid. If David had known the torment his sins would bring to his family, maybe he would have said, "She's a pretty woman...but not worth that much pain." If Moses had known hitting the rock would ruin his chances of entering the Promised Land, he might have obeyed God to the letter. If I had known some of the consequences to my own sins, I might not have done them. Then again, who knows, I might have anyway.
For an unfathomable reason, our fallible human minds think that the cost of sin is worth it when all that comes is death and misery, yet the cost of Heaven is not. Don't get me wrong, you cannot earn salvation. However, there is a cost to being a Christian. You must carry your cross (Luke 14:27). Jesus told the rich man to sell all his possessions (Matthew 19:21). Why? Because to follow Christ means leaving behind everything; we must lose our life to save it (Matthew 16:25).
Unlike sin, when we give Jesus our life, we will receive the privilege of entering into those pearly gates. We are forgiven! Jesus even promised his disciples that the things a person gives up for him will be returned 100 times (Matthew 19:29). Giving our life to Jesus is like a good investment versus a credit card. In the end, you don't owe, you receive. But unlike sin, the cost is now, not later. No instant gratification. We don't belong to ourselves anymore. Jesus bought us with the price of his blood (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We must live for him, not our flesh. Our attitude should be that of Paul's: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
So, before you decide to sin, check the price tag. I guarantee you it's not worth the cost. If you haven't invested in Christ yet, do it! Give him your life. You won't regret it. The return rate is outstanding =).
I've even gotten nutritional-facts shocked. The other day, I had a huge craving for Doritos. Unfortunately, all the small bags at my workplace were expired and stale. Part of my job that day was to make a Walmart run, so when I reached the checkout line, I was very tempted to buy (with my money--not the school's) a small bag of Doritos. It was a bit bigger than your typical small bags. I took a look at the calorie count: 450 for the whole bag! That's almost a meal's worth!! Of course, if I only at a third of the bag, the calories would only be 150, but who has that kind of self-control? Not me. No Doritos for me that day. =(
Sin is like misusing a credit card and paying no attention to the price. You get what you want when you want it and it feels great. BUT, at the end of the month, you come to terms with the cost. And if you can't afford the bill, it'll cost more later with interest. My pastor is a smart man. He has a saying. I don't know if it's his saying or if he got it from someone else (I should have paid attention to that detail), but it's a wise one: Sin will take you further than you want to go and cost more than you want to pay. So true. Usually, my pastor attaches these words to the story of Achan in Joshua. He got greedy and took riches from Jericho when God had specifically commanded the people to destroy everything and take nothing. What did this sin cost him? His life, his family's lives and his possessions. He must have spend a fortune on his credit card...
If only we could just check the price tag or the nutritional facts before we plunge into doing something stupid. If David had known the torment his sins would bring to his family, maybe he would have said, "She's a pretty woman...but not worth that much pain." If Moses had known hitting the rock would ruin his chances of entering the Promised Land, he might have obeyed God to the letter. If I had known some of the consequences to my own sins, I might not have done them. Then again, who knows, I might have anyway.
For an unfathomable reason, our fallible human minds think that the cost of sin is worth it when all that comes is death and misery, yet the cost of Heaven is not. Don't get me wrong, you cannot earn salvation. However, there is a cost to being a Christian. You must carry your cross (Luke 14:27). Jesus told the rich man to sell all his possessions (Matthew 19:21). Why? Because to follow Christ means leaving behind everything; we must lose our life to save it (Matthew 16:25).
Unlike sin, when we give Jesus our life, we will receive the privilege of entering into those pearly gates. We are forgiven! Jesus even promised his disciples that the things a person gives up for him will be returned 100 times (Matthew 19:29). Giving our life to Jesus is like a good investment versus a credit card. In the end, you don't owe, you receive. But unlike sin, the cost is now, not later. No instant gratification. We don't belong to ourselves anymore. Jesus bought us with the price of his blood (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We must live for him, not our flesh. Our attitude should be that of Paul's: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
So, before you decide to sin, check the price tag. I guarantee you it's not worth the cost. If you haven't invested in Christ yet, do it! Give him your life. You won't regret it. The return rate is outstanding =).
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
True Beauty
My husband and I watched a old movie the other night called, "She Done Him Wrong." The film was in black and white, set in the 30's. Mea West played Lady Lou, a woman that every man in the movie seemed to desire. She knew how beautiful she was and used it to her advantage. What I noticed was that although she had a thin waist, she was very curvaceous. Her arms weren't toned and muscular and her body shape was a distinct hour glass. Her face was pretty but by today's standard, average. Nowadays, she would have been cast as the maid servant, not the leading role.
I watched a movie last night with a friend: Eat Pray Love. Although the main character made a few decisions I would disagree with morally, she gave another woman some amazing advice while eating pizza in Italy. The other woman was too afraid to eat the pizza because she'd already gained 10 pounds and had produced a "muffin top." The main character said that men aren't as critical as we think. Once naked, they really don't notice. We should enjoy what we eat without guilt.
Confession time: I obsess about my looks too much. This last week, my nose contained a massive zip. I was starting to think I had a nose tumor until it finally popped (gross, I know). I really didn't want to leave the house. I was self-conscience every time I looked in the mirror. It's silly since I've already won my guy. Jon isn't going to divorce me over a pimple. So who do I need to be physically beautiful for?
The answer to the question is not God. God does not care what I look like. That's a lie. He cares that I'm modest and he took great care and consideration when molding me. When I gaze at myself in the mirror, I insult God every time I make a face in disapproval. I'm criticizing God's creation. He crafted my short torso, my long(ish) legs, my oval face and short stature. He shaped my arms and waist and hips. When I'm discontent with my body, it's like going to a art show and curling my nose at a painting in front of the artist. How rude! The only thing the Bible tells us to do with our bodies is to make it pure and holy and use it as God's temple, a living sacrifice. Many interrupt these scriptures to say we must eat right and exercise and not smoke so we are healthy and fit for God's work. I agree with that, but healthy and gorgeous are not synonyms.
I, and those of you who are weak in this as well, need to focus on our inner beauty, not the outward shell.
I Peter 3:3-4 says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Timothy 2:10 tell us to adorn ourselves with good deeds.
Let's face it, 40 years down the road, without taking serious and costly meaures, my skin won't be firm. My face will have wrinkles. My makeup with look funny on my drooping eyelids. My body will ache. But 40 years from now, my good deeds will be just as good. The lives I touch will still be touched. The love I share will still be alive and flowing.
When (not if) you're down, listen to this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ks3R2BwyO0
I watched a movie last night with a friend: Eat Pray Love. Although the main character made a few decisions I would disagree with morally, she gave another woman some amazing advice while eating pizza in Italy. The other woman was too afraid to eat the pizza because she'd already gained 10 pounds and had produced a "muffin top." The main character said that men aren't as critical as we think. Once naked, they really don't notice. We should enjoy what we eat without guilt.
Confession time: I obsess about my looks too much. This last week, my nose contained a massive zip. I was starting to think I had a nose tumor until it finally popped (gross, I know). I really didn't want to leave the house. I was self-conscience every time I looked in the mirror. It's silly since I've already won my guy. Jon isn't going to divorce me over a pimple. So who do I need to be physically beautiful for?
The answer to the question is not God. God does not care what I look like. That's a lie. He cares that I'm modest and he took great care and consideration when molding me. When I gaze at myself in the mirror, I insult God every time I make a face in disapproval. I'm criticizing God's creation. He crafted my short torso, my long(ish) legs, my oval face and short stature. He shaped my arms and waist and hips. When I'm discontent with my body, it's like going to a art show and curling my nose at a painting in front of the artist. How rude! The only thing the Bible tells us to do with our bodies is to make it pure and holy and use it as God's temple, a living sacrifice. Many interrupt these scriptures to say we must eat right and exercise and not smoke so we are healthy and fit for God's work. I agree with that, but healthy and gorgeous are not synonyms.
I, and those of you who are weak in this as well, need to focus on our inner beauty, not the outward shell.
I Peter 3:3-4 says, "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Timothy 2:10 tell us to adorn ourselves with good deeds.
Let's face it, 40 years down the road, without taking serious and costly meaures, my skin won't be firm. My face will have wrinkles. My makeup with look funny on my drooping eyelids. My body will ache. But 40 years from now, my good deeds will be just as good. The lives I touch will still be touched. The love I share will still be alive and flowing.
When (not if) you're down, listen to this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ks3R2BwyO0
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Oh, be careful little mouth what you say...
What can build and tear down a nation, bring life and death, start and end every relationship under the sun, create and destroy, please and displease God? The answer is, some would say, the strongest muscle in our bodies. It holds 50 percent of the bacteria in our mouth on its surface (makes you think again about kissing that certain someone...) By now, you should know the answer: THE TONGUE. Until the last two facts, you might have thought the answer was words. That's okay. To me, it's the same difference.
I was watching an episode of Doctor Who with my husband the other day (it's an awesome show by the way--cheesy but awesome!) and in it The Doctor told the prime minister of England that he could tear down her station with just six words. He then went over to her right-hand man and whispered in his ear these words (I hope I'm not misquoting this): "Don't you think she looks tired?" After that you see her on television defending her health because a rumor has spread that she's too sick and/or old to rule. This is the same woman several episodes before who used fine speeches and an amazing use of words to become the prime minister.
Warning: I'm about to get personal...my father has many loving qualities, but he has a inimical tongue. It's not so bad now, but growing up, I'd constantly hear him thrash my mom with his words when he was in a grumpy mood. Foul words too. I hated those times. When I got older, I started defending my mom more. However, sometimes I'd feel responsible when dad became mean because I'd started the grumbling (I didn't want to stop at the store) and dad would take my complaints as permission and attack. I swore to myself I would not imitate him in this manner. Yeah, well, that's like a foal swearing never to gallop like its mom. Most of you don't see this, but I have a fierce temper. My husband, bless his heart, is usually the victim of my tongue.
The Bible says a lot about the tongue. The first part of James 3 talks about the importance of taming our tongue, although only a perfect person can. It makes me feel a bit better knowing Jesus is THE ONLY person without this problem. James also says that for such a small thing, the tongue can do immense damage. It has both the power for good and for evil depending on how it is used. Proverbs 12:18 states, "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." A promise even goes with using the tongue wisely. 1 Peter 3:10: "For the Scriptures say, 'If you want to enjoy life and see many days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.'" Our tongue is the biggest hypocrite. From it come both deceit and praise (Psalms 52:4 and Psalms 66:17). How we use our tongue determines who we are. Proverbs 15:2 states, "The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly." The tongue has great power with little force. Proverbs 25:15 states, "Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone." Proverbs 18:21 states, "The tongue has the power of life and death..."
So, how do we do the impossible? How do we tame our tongues? Honestly, I haven't figured that out yet. Sometimes the best thing to do is to just shut up. Bite the tongue. Hold back the words. James 1:19 advises us to be slow to speak. Proverbs 17:28 states, "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." A reddened and swollen tongue, injured by my own teeth, is better than uttering some of the words I say.
I was watching an episode of Doctor Who with my husband the other day (it's an awesome show by the way--cheesy but awesome!) and in it The Doctor told the prime minister of England that he could tear down her station with just six words. He then went over to her right-hand man and whispered in his ear these words (I hope I'm not misquoting this): "Don't you think she looks tired?" After that you see her on television defending her health because a rumor has spread that she's too sick and/or old to rule. This is the same woman several episodes before who used fine speeches and an amazing use of words to become the prime minister.
Warning: I'm about to get personal...my father has many loving qualities, but he has a inimical tongue. It's not so bad now, but growing up, I'd constantly hear him thrash my mom with his words when he was in a grumpy mood. Foul words too. I hated those times. When I got older, I started defending my mom more. However, sometimes I'd feel responsible when dad became mean because I'd started the grumbling (I didn't want to stop at the store) and dad would take my complaints as permission and attack. I swore to myself I would not imitate him in this manner. Yeah, well, that's like a foal swearing never to gallop like its mom. Most of you don't see this, but I have a fierce temper. My husband, bless his heart, is usually the victim of my tongue.
The Bible says a lot about the tongue. The first part of James 3 talks about the importance of taming our tongue, although only a perfect person can. It makes me feel a bit better knowing Jesus is THE ONLY person without this problem. James also says that for such a small thing, the tongue can do immense damage. It has both the power for good and for evil depending on how it is used. Proverbs 12:18 states, "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." A promise even goes with using the tongue wisely. 1 Peter 3:10: "For the Scriptures say, 'If you want to enjoy life and see many days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.'" Our tongue is the biggest hypocrite. From it come both deceit and praise (Psalms 52:4 and Psalms 66:17). How we use our tongue determines who we are. Proverbs 15:2 states, "The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly." The tongue has great power with little force. Proverbs 25:15 states, "Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone." Proverbs 18:21 states, "The tongue has the power of life and death..."
So, how do we do the impossible? How do we tame our tongues? Honestly, I haven't figured that out yet. Sometimes the best thing to do is to just shut up. Bite the tongue. Hold back the words. James 1:19 advises us to be slow to speak. Proverbs 17:28 states, "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." A reddened and swollen tongue, injured by my own teeth, is better than uttering some of the words I say.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Actions Speak Louder than Words
My friend and I were watching a show the other night, and in it, a mother was crying to her son. She said things like, "I understand if you hate me, but I will always love you." The boy was leaving. He'd had enough of her abuse and neglect. She might have the words and emotions down, but her actions betrayed her. If she truly loved him, she would stop abusing him. She would get her boy out of their situation.
Ever heard the express, "Actions speak louder than words?"
Last Sunday night, my pastor did an amazing sermon on James 2:14-26. These verses tell us that faith without works is dead. That you can't just think, feel and say faith, you must put it into action. I believe the same thing applies to love.
In 1 Corinthians 13, we receive a long list of what love is: patient; kind; not jealous, boastful, proud or rude; selfless; slow to anger; keeps no record of wrong; rejoices in truth; always trusts. Can we be patient or kind without action? NO. Love is action and/or restraint of action (sometimes patience means biting your tongue). It's not enough to just say it or feel it. The warm, fuzzy sensation I have for my husband is wonderful, but unless it inspires me to give him a hug or do his laundry, it's empty emotion. Jesus said that if we love him, we'll obey his commandments (John 14:15). He excepts our deeds to reflect our love. We can't claim to love Jesus while we steal or lie or covet or do any of the sins we commit as fallible humans. Even when the feelings aren't there, we are still instructed to act in love. Love goes beyond sentiment. Love is choice.
The harsh truth is that in the moments we sin or do something unkind to our loved ones, we are not loving them at all. We are loving something else more--usually ourselves. That's why the Bible instructs us to put others before ourselves (Romans 12:10). We simply can't achieve love without this vital ingredient. It'd be like forgetting the sugar in cookie batter. Yuck!
When we love God with all of ourselves, God's love will shine through us for others. How do we love God? We must love others. See? It's a beautiful circle. Yes, our own selfish ambitions and issues will get in the way sometimes. That's what forgiveness is for. It's God loving us. Notice I didn't say back. God loved us first, not back (1 John 4:19). We respond to him by loving back. Think about how Jesus loves us. He didn't say, "You know guys, I have this warm, fuzzy feeling right here. (points to heart) But you know what? I don't think I'm going to do any healings today. And that dying-on-the-cross thing? Not my cup of tea." No, he washed his disciples feet. He hung on a cross and took the punishment for every selfish turn we take. He acted, and we should too.
Ever heard the express, "Actions speak louder than words?"
Last Sunday night, my pastor did an amazing sermon on James 2:14-26. These verses tell us that faith without works is dead. That you can't just think, feel and say faith, you must put it into action. I believe the same thing applies to love.
In 1 Corinthians 13, we receive a long list of what love is: patient; kind; not jealous, boastful, proud or rude; selfless; slow to anger; keeps no record of wrong; rejoices in truth; always trusts. Can we be patient or kind without action? NO. Love is action and/or restraint of action (sometimes patience means biting your tongue). It's not enough to just say it or feel it. The warm, fuzzy sensation I have for my husband is wonderful, but unless it inspires me to give him a hug or do his laundry, it's empty emotion. Jesus said that if we love him, we'll obey his commandments (John 14:15). He excepts our deeds to reflect our love. We can't claim to love Jesus while we steal or lie or covet or do any of the sins we commit as fallible humans. Even when the feelings aren't there, we are still instructed to act in love. Love goes beyond sentiment. Love is choice.
The harsh truth is that in the moments we sin or do something unkind to our loved ones, we are not loving them at all. We are loving something else more--usually ourselves. That's why the Bible instructs us to put others before ourselves (Romans 12:10). We simply can't achieve love without this vital ingredient. It'd be like forgetting the sugar in cookie batter. Yuck!
When we love God with all of ourselves, God's love will shine through us for others. How do we love God? We must love others. See? It's a beautiful circle. Yes, our own selfish ambitions and issues will get in the way sometimes. That's what forgiveness is for. It's God loving us. Notice I didn't say back. God loved us first, not back (1 John 4:19). We respond to him by loving back. Think about how Jesus loves us. He didn't say, "You know guys, I have this warm, fuzzy feeling right here. (points to heart) But you know what? I don't think I'm going to do any healings today. And that dying-on-the-cross thing? Not my cup of tea." No, he washed his disciples feet. He hung on a cross and took the punishment for every selfish turn we take. He acted, and we should too.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Knowledge
I learned A LOT last week at camp. For starters, I learned that teenage boys like to do stupid things. Don't ask. I learned that when you sing on stage in front of a couple hundred preteens, you are automatically famous. All week long I was asked in awed little voices, "Are you the girl who sings?" or told "You have a really pretty voice." By the end of the week, I think they were just being polite because my voice got more and more raspy as time progressed. By Friday, I sounded like I'd been smoking all my life. Thanks, by the way, for all your prayers. They are the reason I had any voice at all. Praise God he can use anyone for his glory!!
Let's see...I was reminded by the sermons that anyone can get trapped in sin (1 Corinthians 10:12-13), that sin is addictive and that our only hope is through the power of our advocate, Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). One evening I couldn't stop crying during worship and not only because so many souls found Christ that night. The joy of my salvation was so clear to me. I was so grateful to God for his mercy and love.
I also learned things I wish weren't true. Some of the children are in horrible situations. They need our prayer and a whole lot of support.
Knowledge is important. Only the wise seek it. Proverbs 1:5 states, "let the wise listen and add to their learning..." Scripture makes it clear that knowledge is vital and the lack of which is fatal. Hosea 4:6 states,
"my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children."
All knowledge is helpful, even random facts that certain people I know tend to collect like grandmas collect knickknacks (at least mine did). These random facts are useful for trivia games or just sounding smart at the dinner table. However, the MOST beneficial knowledge is that of God. Spiritual knowledge is one of the steps to godliness (2 Peters 1:4-6). In his second letter, Peter encouraged his readers to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (3:18)
So, how do we gain knowledge? We read his word; we listen to the Holy Spirit. Yes, it really is that simple. All we must give up is some time and effort. We do ourselves a disservice by not learning. How can we teach what we don't know? Believe me, I understand how hard it is to follow this simple truth. I'm very selfish with my time...
I'll end with this verse:
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. (Phil 1:9-10)
Let's see...I was reminded by the sermons that anyone can get trapped in sin (1 Corinthians 10:12-13), that sin is addictive and that our only hope is through the power of our advocate, Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). One evening I couldn't stop crying during worship and not only because so many souls found Christ that night. The joy of my salvation was so clear to me. I was so grateful to God for his mercy and love.
I also learned things I wish weren't true. Some of the children are in horrible situations. They need our prayer and a whole lot of support.
Knowledge is important. Only the wise seek it. Proverbs 1:5 states, "let the wise listen and add to their learning..." Scripture makes it clear that knowledge is vital and the lack of which is fatal. Hosea 4:6 states,
"my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children."
All knowledge is helpful, even random facts that certain people I know tend to collect like grandmas collect knickknacks (at least mine did). These random facts are useful for trivia games or just sounding smart at the dinner table. However, the MOST beneficial knowledge is that of God. Spiritual knowledge is one of the steps to godliness (2 Peters 1:4-6). In his second letter, Peter encouraged his readers to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (3:18)
So, how do we gain knowledge? We read his word; we listen to the Holy Spirit. Yes, it really is that simple. All we must give up is some time and effort. We do ourselves a disservice by not learning. How can we teach what we don't know? Believe me, I understand how hard it is to follow this simple truth. I'm very selfish with my time...
I'll end with this verse:
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. (Phil 1:9-10)
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Blame Game
At work, I have a pet peeve with the little kids. Well, I'll admit, I have several, but I'll deal with just one today. And like most pet peeves, I find myself guilty of it as well, so don't feel bad if you find you do it too. I'm quite sure you have at least once. Even the best five-year-olds in our class are guilty of this sometimes. Allow me to demonstrate through a story... Johny and Bobby (fake names) play together on the school playground. Both boys know throwing rocks is against the rules. Regardless, Bobby says to Johny, "You wanna throw a couple rocks at the girls to get them to chase us?"
Johny says, "Ok."
Bobby picks up the first rock and chucks it at Sally but misses. She doesn't notice.
"Ok, it's your turn," Bobby says.
Johny then mimics Bobby's behavior but the small stone strikes Sally's leg.
Sally cries and tells on Johny.
When the teacher confronts Johny, he's full of excuses: "But Bobby did it too." "He told me to do it!"
Sound slightly familiar?
Let me take you to a luscious, perfect garden where a cowarding man says, "It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it," and a hiding woman declares, "The serpent deceived me. That's why I ate it."
What would have happened if Adam and Eve had just said, "I did it, and I'm sorry?" Maybe nothing, but still!
This sin is second nature to mankind. Often my first instinct is to come up with a reason or a justification for my behavior. Being an only child, I didn't have much of an oportunity to blame others. What was I going to say? Mom did it? I did have my moments though. Like when my cousins came up for the weekend once a month. I could blame my misbehavior on them. Granted, my cousins usually did share in the mischief, but that's not the point. The message here is that I still should have taken responsibility.
Responsibility for our own actions is avoided across the globe. Oh, the earth is dirty? My littering habits have nothing to do with it! Oh, the child's mine? You seduced me! I shouldn't have to pay child support. Your foot aches? You made me mad. I had the right to stomp on it!
Galatians 6:5 states, "For we are each responsible for our own conduct." When our judgement day comes, we won't be able to whine and say, "But, God, so-and-so did it too!" or "The devil made me do it."
I know Jesus took my penalty, but the idea of being accountable for all I do is humbling (and a little terrifying). You know the saying...when we point at others, three fingers point back at us. We all make our own choices. In fact, that's exactly what I tell a child playing the blame game: You made a choice. You're responsible for that choice.
P.S. Next week, I will not have internet access and/or time to write a blog as I'll be helping a pre-teen camp. Please keep me in your prayers. I'm looking forward to writing what God gives me in two weeks.
Johny says, "Ok."
Bobby picks up the first rock and chucks it at Sally but misses. She doesn't notice.
"Ok, it's your turn," Bobby says.
Johny then mimics Bobby's behavior but the small stone strikes Sally's leg.
Sally cries and tells on Johny.
When the teacher confronts Johny, he's full of excuses: "But Bobby did it too." "He told me to do it!"
Sound slightly familiar?
Let me take you to a luscious, perfect garden where a cowarding man says, "It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it," and a hiding woman declares, "The serpent deceived me. That's why I ate it."
What would have happened if Adam and Eve had just said, "I did it, and I'm sorry?" Maybe nothing, but still!
This sin is second nature to mankind. Often my first instinct is to come up with a reason or a justification for my behavior. Being an only child, I didn't have much of an oportunity to blame others. What was I going to say? Mom did it? I did have my moments though. Like when my cousins came up for the weekend once a month. I could blame my misbehavior on them. Granted, my cousins usually did share in the mischief, but that's not the point. The message here is that I still should have taken responsibility.
Responsibility for our own actions is avoided across the globe. Oh, the earth is dirty? My littering habits have nothing to do with it! Oh, the child's mine? You seduced me! I shouldn't have to pay child support. Your foot aches? You made me mad. I had the right to stomp on it!
Galatians 6:5 states, "For we are each responsible for our own conduct." When our judgement day comes, we won't be able to whine and say, "But, God, so-and-so did it too!" or "The devil made me do it."
I know Jesus took my penalty, but the idea of being accountable for all I do is humbling (and a little terrifying). You know the saying...when we point at others, three fingers point back at us. We all make our own choices. In fact, that's exactly what I tell a child playing the blame game: You made a choice. You're responsible for that choice.
P.S. Next week, I will not have internet access and/or time to write a blog as I'll be helping a pre-teen camp. Please keep me in your prayers. I'm looking forward to writing what God gives me in two weeks.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Which is it?
During our last softball game on Sunday, I slightly sprained my ankle. Oh, was it humiliating! You see, fly balls are not my speciality. Not by far. In fact, during our first game (we had two), I called a ball that landed three feet behind me while I stood there with my arm raised and ready. I didn't even adjust my stance. So, when I actually caught a fly ball in the second game, I was extremely excited. I could hardly believe the ball landed in my glove. My pride swelled so that I did a happy hop and well...came down wrong on my ankle. Thus, the sprain. Once my teammates got me to the dugout, I had both my ankle and pride to mend. I said the sprain was due to Karma. I shouldn't have happy hopped. Now, was it really? I doubt it, but the idea got me thinking...
Our Bible Study went over Galatians 6 the very next day. Guess what verses 7 and 8 say? "Don't be misled--you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit." Huh. So does the Bible support Karma?
I looked up Karma. It's a fundamental Buddhist belief. It is one of several things that determine everything that happens. As it were, the differences between the rich and the poor, the ugly and the beautiful, the intelligent and the stupid, the talented and the untalented are due to past and present actions. In other words, we determine our own destiny.
Obviously, Buddhism isn't the Truth. Yet, Galatians seems to agree...
However, the Word has truth for the other side of the coin too. Jesus was confronted with this concept in John 9. His disciples asked if a blind man was blind due to his or his parents' sins. Jesus said no to both. The reason he was blind was so God's glory could shine. Likewise, Job wasn't being punished for sins like his friends thought. His faith was being tested. Also, Psalms 73 depressingly states that many times the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer.
On the other hand (again), 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good and evil we have done in this earthly body."
YET, still on the other hand, we receive our salvation not because we deserve it but because of the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We can't earn favor with God.
My head is spinning! Which is true??
Sometimes, God seems to contradict himself. Sometimes I forget that, in God, there is room for all truth. It's not necessarily one or the other. For example, free will verses predestination. Bible supports both. Which is true? Both. The whole truth falls somewhere in both truths, somewhere our human minds cannot go. We may never fully understand.
This is my brain's attempt to fathom the unfathomable:
Do we reap what we sow? Yes, it's called consequences. Do we receive undeserved grace through Christ's blood? Yes, no one can earn salvation through their own merit. Do good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people? Yes, but God has his reasons, which are just. Will God judge us all according to what we do? Yes, but since Jesus already took our punishment for sin, believers escape eternal fire, even though we deserve it.
So, did I earn my sprained ankle? Only God really knows. Regardless, "God works all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)" My job is to trust in the sovereignty of God, to learn from any lesson he gives, to repent of my sins, to be thankful always, and to walk in the Spirit.
Our Bible Study went over Galatians 6 the very next day. Guess what verses 7 and 8 say? "Don't be misled--you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit." Huh. So does the Bible support Karma?
I looked up Karma. It's a fundamental Buddhist belief. It is one of several things that determine everything that happens. As it were, the differences between the rich and the poor, the ugly and the beautiful, the intelligent and the stupid, the talented and the untalented are due to past and present actions. In other words, we determine our own destiny.
Obviously, Buddhism isn't the Truth. Yet, Galatians seems to agree...
However, the Word has truth for the other side of the coin too. Jesus was confronted with this concept in John 9. His disciples asked if a blind man was blind due to his or his parents' sins. Jesus said no to both. The reason he was blind was so God's glory could shine. Likewise, Job wasn't being punished for sins like his friends thought. His faith was being tested. Also, Psalms 73 depressingly states that many times the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer.
On the other hand (again), 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good and evil we have done in this earthly body."
YET, still on the other hand, we receive our salvation not because we deserve it but because of the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We can't earn favor with God.
My head is spinning! Which is true??
Sometimes, God seems to contradict himself. Sometimes I forget that, in God, there is room for all truth. It's not necessarily one or the other. For example, free will verses predestination. Bible supports both. Which is true? Both. The whole truth falls somewhere in both truths, somewhere our human minds cannot go. We may never fully understand.
This is my brain's attempt to fathom the unfathomable:
Do we reap what we sow? Yes, it's called consequences. Do we receive undeserved grace through Christ's blood? Yes, no one can earn salvation through their own merit. Do good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people? Yes, but God has his reasons, which are just. Will God judge us all according to what we do? Yes, but since Jesus already took our punishment for sin, believers escape eternal fire, even though we deserve it.
So, did I earn my sprained ankle? Only God really knows. Regardless, "God works all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)" My job is to trust in the sovereignty of God, to learn from any lesson he gives, to repent of my sins, to be thankful always, and to walk in the Spirit.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Light
I am the storyteller for my church's VBS this week. Yesterday, we went over the story of Moses, Pharaoh and the plagues. The kids got to play out the plagues. I made sure to recruit a guy with a big heart, willing to be tortured four times (as there were four classes). Sometimes the kids would act out being gnats or dying cows. Sometimes they threw things at him like hail (wads of paper) or attach something to him like boils (red stickers). Oh, boy, did the kids have a BLAST! Poor Pharaoh (hehe).
Well, it's been a long time since I've gone over Biblical stories as a child. Now, mostly, the adult classes focus on the New Testament or harder-to-understand Old Testament. I admit, I had to look off a cheat sheet to remember all the plagues and their order. I even forgot one existed: darkness. On the ninth try, God sent a plague of darkness over the Egyptians. But, like all the other plagues, he protected his people, the Israelites, and kept them in light.
I was fascinated with the idea of some people living in darkness literally while others lived in light because it seems so miraculous. Animals attacking is more natural, you could say, than complete darkness in some areas and not in others nearby (nearby is the key. I'm quite aware it's dark on the other side of the earth while light here).
Most scripture (if not all) in the Old Testament point to Christ, God's salvation for all. I believe this is one of those times. The New Testament is filled with verses about darkness verses light.
John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you have the light that leads to life."
Ephesians 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have the light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
Mathew 4:16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,a light has shined.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.
God may not literally put us in light or darkness, but the concept is certainly real. We are to be God's people, the Israelites, and live in the light. You may ask how this can be since we are all mainly from Gentile descend. Faith is the answer. Galatians 3 tells us that it is by faith that we become the children of Abraham and receive the promise of God, which is everlasting life for those who believe in Christ Jesus.
Imagine life in darkness. Not being able to see to do things. Bumping into walls. Sounds like a painful, depressing life. So, let's let our light shine through the darkness so others might come to know Christ!!
Well, it's been a long time since I've gone over Biblical stories as a child. Now, mostly, the adult classes focus on the New Testament or harder-to-understand Old Testament. I admit, I had to look off a cheat sheet to remember all the plagues and their order. I even forgot one existed: darkness. On the ninth try, God sent a plague of darkness over the Egyptians. But, like all the other plagues, he protected his people, the Israelites, and kept them in light.
I was fascinated with the idea of some people living in darkness literally while others lived in light because it seems so miraculous. Animals attacking is more natural, you could say, than complete darkness in some areas and not in others nearby (nearby is the key. I'm quite aware it's dark on the other side of the earth while light here).
Most scripture (if not all) in the Old Testament point to Christ, God's salvation for all. I believe this is one of those times. The New Testament is filled with verses about darkness verses light.
John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you have the light that leads to life."
Ephesians 5:8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have the light from the Lord. So live as people of light!
Mathew 4:16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,a light has shined.
1 Thessalonians 5:5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.
God may not literally put us in light or darkness, but the concept is certainly real. We are to be God's people, the Israelites, and live in the light. You may ask how this can be since we are all mainly from Gentile descend. Faith is the answer. Galatians 3 tells us that it is by faith that we become the children of Abraham and receive the promise of God, which is everlasting life for those who believe in Christ Jesus.
Imagine life in darkness. Not being able to see to do things. Bumping into walls. Sounds like a painful, depressing life. So, let's let our light shine through the darkness so others might come to know Christ!!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
DISCLAIMER: For those who let their children read this, maybe this one's not appropriate. I'll be writing about adult content.
Wanna hear a sorrowful fact? The median age of a male losing his virginity is 16.9 years old and a female's is 17.4, according to http://www.kff.org/youthhivstds/upload/U-S-Teen-Sexual-Activity-Fact-Sheet.pdf. The CDC reports that about 60% of 12th graders have had sex and almost half of all high schoolers report having had sex. Those are the ones who have reported it...what of the teens too ashamed to report their sexual activity even to an anonymous survey? And don't think it's only heathen children who do. I knew several of my Christian friends who partook in this immorality.
In a sick sad way, it makes sense that teenagers have sex. For one, it's the one sin the Bible says to flee from, which tells you how tempting it is. Add in the natural God-given hormones, and the fact some actually have overcome the temptation is unfathomable. Who wants to wait? I pondered and pondered and even asked a friend but could not for the life of me think of another God-given, good-for-you, pleasurable thing you must wait until adulthood to enjoy. NOTHING. Other things like responsibility and alcohol didn't fit the criteria: Must be good for you and pleasurable. I think that maybe since sex is such a unique subject, that's the reason Christians tend to taboo it. Sex is so tabooed, I questioned whether I should even write about the private matter in my blog.
Come on people! The Bible has a whole book on the subject. How evil can sex really be? Song of Songs is BEAUTIFUL, if not graphic. Sex was made for a man and woman joined together. Through it, we see a small glimpse of what the unity between the trinity is like ("...and the two are united into one" Genesis 2:24).
While reading some of Song of Songs, there was one verse that stuck out, one that is repeated and mentioned word for word three times: "Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right." Throughout the book, you see this love story, this romantic and private poem between two lovers. Sex isn't a dirty thing. It's precious. So precious, one should not indulge before the appropriate time. God's time: once we're wed.
The world is so worried about STDs and pregnancy, but society holds little concern for the emotional and spiritual awakening that has happened far too soon.
Sex before marriage is like a child finding her Christmas present (let's say a doll) in her father's closet before the big day and choosing to play with the toy. Sure, her father had intended to give the doll to the child. He had planned to give it gladly. But how disappointed is the father now that the child has played with it too soon? And how much of a blessing has the child lost from not unwrapping the present under the tree that special day? Oh the joy that's now missing!
The schools will never talk to our children about this aspect. Churches might, but this lesson should come from the parents' lips. I learned about sex from my cousin. My cousin! School taught me the medical perspective, but nothing more. My grandparents (the ones who raised me) never spoke about it. Church taught me sex was taboo and dirty. Something I should experience later. Not enjoy, experience.
I waited...barely...but it wasn't easy. My body told me sex wasn't bad at all. In fact, my hormones screamed that it was the best thing ever. But, fortunately, I was terrified of getting pregnant or being viewed as a slut...I saw the way my fellow churchmates looked at my friend in the youth who had gotten pregnant. I didn't open the gift, but I certainly tore the wrapping a bit to see what was inside. Even that robbed me of some joy.
Would my motivation have been different is someone had explained to me that sex was a wonderful gift? A gift that the more I messed with, the less joy would come when I finally did open it? A precious jewel waiting just for me but later? Would I have remained entirely pure if an older woman had simply whispered, "Promise...not to awaken love until the time is right?" Maybe, maybe not. I'll never know.
I don't really know why God put this message upon my heart. Most of you readers are married or at least not hormonal teenagers. This doesn't exactly apply to you, but maybe passing this message along will bless someone you know...=)
Wanna hear a sorrowful fact? The median age of a male losing his virginity is 16.9 years old and a female's is 17.4, according to http://www.kff.org/youthhivstds/upload/U-S-Teen-Sexual-Activity-Fact-Sheet.pdf. The CDC reports that about 60% of 12th graders have had sex and almost half of all high schoolers report having had sex. Those are the ones who have reported it...what of the teens too ashamed to report their sexual activity even to an anonymous survey? And don't think it's only heathen children who do. I knew several of my Christian friends who partook in this immorality.
In a sick sad way, it makes sense that teenagers have sex. For one, it's the one sin the Bible says to flee from, which tells you how tempting it is. Add in the natural God-given hormones, and the fact some actually have overcome the temptation is unfathomable. Who wants to wait? I pondered and pondered and even asked a friend but could not for the life of me think of another God-given, good-for-you, pleasurable thing you must wait until adulthood to enjoy. NOTHING. Other things like responsibility and alcohol didn't fit the criteria: Must be good for you and pleasurable. I think that maybe since sex is such a unique subject, that's the reason Christians tend to taboo it. Sex is so tabooed, I questioned whether I should even write about the private matter in my blog.
Come on people! The Bible has a whole book on the subject. How evil can sex really be? Song of Songs is BEAUTIFUL, if not graphic. Sex was made for a man and woman joined together. Through it, we see a small glimpse of what the unity between the trinity is like ("...and the two are united into one" Genesis 2:24).
While reading some of Song of Songs, there was one verse that stuck out, one that is repeated and mentioned word for word three times: "Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right." Throughout the book, you see this love story, this romantic and private poem between two lovers. Sex isn't a dirty thing. It's precious. So precious, one should not indulge before the appropriate time. God's time: once we're wed.
The world is so worried about STDs and pregnancy, but society holds little concern for the emotional and spiritual awakening that has happened far too soon.
Sex before marriage is like a child finding her Christmas present (let's say a doll) in her father's closet before the big day and choosing to play with the toy. Sure, her father had intended to give the doll to the child. He had planned to give it gladly. But how disappointed is the father now that the child has played with it too soon? And how much of a blessing has the child lost from not unwrapping the present under the tree that special day? Oh the joy that's now missing!
The schools will never talk to our children about this aspect. Churches might, but this lesson should come from the parents' lips. I learned about sex from my cousin. My cousin! School taught me the medical perspective, but nothing more. My grandparents (the ones who raised me) never spoke about it. Church taught me sex was taboo and dirty. Something I should experience later. Not enjoy, experience.
I waited...barely...but it wasn't easy. My body told me sex wasn't bad at all. In fact, my hormones screamed that it was the best thing ever. But, fortunately, I was terrified of getting pregnant or being viewed as a slut...I saw the way my fellow churchmates looked at my friend in the youth who had gotten pregnant. I didn't open the gift, but I certainly tore the wrapping a bit to see what was inside. Even that robbed me of some joy.
Would my motivation have been different is someone had explained to me that sex was a wonderful gift? A gift that the more I messed with, the less joy would come when I finally did open it? A precious jewel waiting just for me but later? Would I have remained entirely pure if an older woman had simply whispered, "Promise...not to awaken love until the time is right?" Maybe, maybe not. I'll never know.
I don't really know why God put this message upon my heart. Most of you readers are married or at least not hormonal teenagers. This doesn't exactly apply to you, but maybe passing this message along will bless someone you know...=)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Don't Forget
I can't believe I forgot to write my blog. It's still Wednesday so I'm not too late =). I'll have you know, this will be short and sweet...
Before the words you're reading now, I wrote quite a bit, but I had to erase it because I really had no good point. I was reading Ecclesiastes. Is that a depressing book or what? I admit, it's also insightful. Chapter 12 told me there are worse things than forgetting to write my blog. Sometimes I forget about God. I hate to admit something so terrible, but there are days that I don't think about God once. Please tell me I'm not the only one guilty of this...I don't talk about him; I don't read my Bible; I don't even pray the tiniest prayer. Some days are all about me. So pathetic...
This is what Ecclesiastes 12 says:
"Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and says, 'Life is not pleasant anymore.' Remember him before the light of the sun, moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. Remember him before your legs--the guards of your house--start to to tremble; and before your shoulders--the strong men--stoop. Remember him before your teeth--your few remaining servants--stop grinding; and before your eyes--the women looking through the windows--see dimly. Remember him before the door to life's opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all the sounds will grow faint. Remember him before your become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will week at your funeral. Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don't wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."
It's so powerfully and beautifully put, I can't add a word to it. When reading this, I imagine an old, house-bound woman looking out the window and writing this as a letter to her children and their children. Oh, how my priorities can get so twisted. God should come first. He should be my first thoughts when I wake up and the last thoughts as I lay my head down on my pillow.
Psalms 92:2, "It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening."
Before the words you're reading now, I wrote quite a bit, but I had to erase it because I really had no good point. I was reading Ecclesiastes. Is that a depressing book or what? I admit, it's also insightful. Chapter 12 told me there are worse things than forgetting to write my blog. Sometimes I forget about God. I hate to admit something so terrible, but there are days that I don't think about God once. Please tell me I'm not the only one guilty of this...I don't talk about him; I don't read my Bible; I don't even pray the tiniest prayer. Some days are all about me. So pathetic...
This is what Ecclesiastes 12 says:
"Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and says, 'Life is not pleasant anymore.' Remember him before the light of the sun, moon and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky. Remember him before your legs--the guards of your house--start to to tremble; and before your shoulders--the strong men--stoop. Remember him before your teeth--your few remaining servants--stop grinding; and before your eyes--the women looking through the windows--see dimly. Remember him before the door to life's opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all the sounds will grow faint. Remember him before your become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will week at your funeral. Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don't wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."
It's so powerfully and beautifully put, I can't add a word to it. When reading this, I imagine an old, house-bound woman looking out the window and writing this as a letter to her children and their children. Oh, how my priorities can get so twisted. God should come first. He should be my first thoughts when I wake up and the last thoughts as I lay my head down on my pillow.
Psalms 92:2, "It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening."
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
I'm Tired
I had a plan for my next blog, but then I went to work. How was my day? I'm very tempted right now to use this blog as a venting devise against children. But I won't. Well, maybe. No. That would be wrong. Yeah, that kind of day. When I got home, I was a like a woman dipped in gasoline, and every word from my husband's lips was a lit match. Thus, when he laid down to nap, I did too...except on the couch. I HAD to get away, if only for 15 minutes.
The next three to four weeks ahead look insane. I have two weddings to help out with, softball games to play, music to prepare, blogs to write, VBS, July 4th with family, and that's only the big things. Little events creep in between the cracks like a line of marching ants: annoying and hard to kill. If I have hair in a month from now, it's probably a wig =).
By now, I'm sure you're saying/thinking, "Geez, girl, is this whole blog about you complaining?! I thought you said no dairy entries."
Very true. Believe it or not, I have a point. Life can get busy. It can be so tempting to go, go, go, go, go. But to go through life working and not stopping to rest is like writing this blog with no periods or comas eventually it becomes just a jumble of words that confuse instead of help do you see what I mean? No, to write well, I must take the TIME to work in the periods, comas, colons and such. To live life well, we must rest.
When I did a quick search for the Sabbath in the Bible, I found 138 hits. In Exodus through Deuteronomy, there are 33. Exodus 20 gives the ten commandments. You'll find that while all the other commandments take only one verse, keeping the Sabbath day holy takes three. The commandment is mentioned before all the ones society sees as huge: murder, adultery, stealing... If that doesn't say it's important to God, I don't know what else can.
No, I'm not saying you are a heathen if you work on Sunday. But, for your sanity, please say you have at least one day off. Romans 14:5 says, "In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable." Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Whatever. The point is that we must make time for rest. God gives us this commandment to help, not hinder us. Resting doesn't necessarily mean doing nothing. Jesus healed and his disciples pulled some grain. Guess what else Jesus did? He slept. When Moses told the people in Exodus 35:3 to not even build a fire, he meant only to prevent the people from heating their tools or melting metal as black smiths and plumbers did. That's work. He wasn't telling the people to starve and freeze.
You may or may not agree, but resting is a holy action and it honors God. If not, he wouldn't have rested himself or made a rule for us to do so. Let the Spirit lead you in this. See if God doesn't lead you to find a time for rest this week.
The next three to four weeks ahead look insane. I have two weddings to help out with, softball games to play, music to prepare, blogs to write, VBS, July 4th with family, and that's only the big things. Little events creep in between the cracks like a line of marching ants: annoying and hard to kill. If I have hair in a month from now, it's probably a wig =).
By now, I'm sure you're saying/thinking, "Geez, girl, is this whole blog about you complaining?! I thought you said no dairy entries."
Very true. Believe it or not, I have a point. Life can get busy. It can be so tempting to go, go, go, go, go. But to go through life working and not stopping to rest is like writing this blog with no periods or comas eventually it becomes just a jumble of words that confuse instead of help do you see what I mean? No, to write well, I must take the TIME to work in the periods, comas, colons and such. To live life well, we must rest.
When I did a quick search for the Sabbath in the Bible, I found 138 hits. In Exodus through Deuteronomy, there are 33. Exodus 20 gives the ten commandments. You'll find that while all the other commandments take only one verse, keeping the Sabbath day holy takes three. The commandment is mentioned before all the ones society sees as huge: murder, adultery, stealing... If that doesn't say it's important to God, I don't know what else can.
No, I'm not saying you are a heathen if you work on Sunday. But, for your sanity, please say you have at least one day off. Romans 14:5 says, "In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable." Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Whatever. The point is that we must make time for rest. God gives us this commandment to help, not hinder us. Resting doesn't necessarily mean doing nothing. Jesus healed and his disciples pulled some grain. Guess what else Jesus did? He slept. When Moses told the people in Exodus 35:3 to not even build a fire, he meant only to prevent the people from heating their tools or melting metal as black smiths and plumbers did. That's work. He wasn't telling the people to starve and freeze.
You may or may not agree, but resting is a holy action and it honors God. If not, he wouldn't have rested himself or made a rule for us to do so. Let the Spirit lead you in this. See if God doesn't lead you to find a time for rest this week.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Wisdom
To me, my grandmother (mother's mother) was THE wisest woman on the planet. She was so calm and quiet. If I did something wrong, she never held a grudge and always gave me words of solid advice. I often wonder at what point wisdom will start to ooze out of every word I say? When I'm seventy? Eighty? It's almost as if there is a day in life where all our experiences form together into this halo of wisdom people can see shine from us.
I know it's ridiculous. Wisdom calls everyone. Maybe it's just that the older we get, the easier it is to listen.
Reading Proverbs 1, wisdom is like a little old lady saying, "I told you so." Seriously. The verses start off with Solomon advising his son to avoid evil people who wish to lure him into sin. Next wisdom is calling, "Come and listen to my counsel. I'll share my heart with you and make you wise. (Pro 1:23)" Then, after the people ignored her for so long, wisdom gives up. "I called you so often, but you wouldn't come...So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you. (Pro 1:24...26)" Honestly, it's like what I say to the kids who decide to disobey the rules by jumping off the playground equipment and hurt themselves: "See, that's why the rules are there. You wouldn't be hurt right now if you had listened." I admit (and you may think I'm cruel), I hold almost no pity for them. I think my favorite verse is 1:31: "Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes." This is like "you reap what you sow," but it sounds far more disgusting.
There are so many words of wisdom out there. I bumped into one written by a 11 or 13 year old. It said, "Don't look at where you fell but where you slipped." Isn't that great for advising people on how not to fall into temptation again? And then there's the well-known saying "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." So true. However, the unfortunate reality is that not all wise old sayings are wise. Proverbs 2:6 says the Lord gives wisdom. Thus, if a wise saying isn't Biblical, it's not wise at all. It didn't come from the Lord.
When looking up wise sayings, I ran across a subject where the wise sayings (for the most part) weren't Biblical. The subject was trust. Most sayings about trust either said not to trust people and to trust our hearts. HA. Jesus makes it perfectly clear our hearts are wicked. Mark 7:21 says, "For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder..." The list continues, but you get the point. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?"
Today's music, movies, and television are all spurring this false wisdom. They say, "Follow your heart!" How many affairs and other sin has been the result of someone following his or her heart? It's so selfish, it's sick! We are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind (Matt 22:37). We must control our hearts. Not the other way around. We should let the Spirit lead us. If we follow God, we're sure not to sin (Gal. 5:16).
Be careful when taking secular advice. By all means, it's not all bad. Sometimes, though, we confuse worldly wisdom with Godly wisdom. The two should not mingle.
I know it's ridiculous. Wisdom calls everyone. Maybe it's just that the older we get, the easier it is to listen.
Reading Proverbs 1, wisdom is like a little old lady saying, "I told you so." Seriously. The verses start off with Solomon advising his son to avoid evil people who wish to lure him into sin. Next wisdom is calling, "Come and listen to my counsel. I'll share my heart with you and make you wise. (Pro 1:23)" Then, after the people ignored her for so long, wisdom gives up. "I called you so often, but you wouldn't come...So I will laugh when you are in trouble! I will mock you when disaster overtakes you. (Pro 1:24...26)" Honestly, it's like what I say to the kids who decide to disobey the rules by jumping off the playground equipment and hurt themselves: "See, that's why the rules are there. You wouldn't be hurt right now if you had listened." I admit (and you may think I'm cruel), I hold almost no pity for them. I think my favorite verse is 1:31: "Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes." This is like "you reap what you sow," but it sounds far more disgusting.
There are so many words of wisdom out there. I bumped into one written by a 11 or 13 year old. It said, "Don't look at where you fell but where you slipped." Isn't that great for advising people on how not to fall into temptation again? And then there's the well-known saying "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." So true. However, the unfortunate reality is that not all wise old sayings are wise. Proverbs 2:6 says the Lord gives wisdom. Thus, if a wise saying isn't Biblical, it's not wise at all. It didn't come from the Lord.
When looking up wise sayings, I ran across a subject where the wise sayings (for the most part) weren't Biblical. The subject was trust. Most sayings about trust either said not to trust people and to trust our hearts. HA. Jesus makes it perfectly clear our hearts are wicked. Mark 7:21 says, "For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder..." The list continues, but you get the point. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?"
Today's music, movies, and television are all spurring this false wisdom. They say, "Follow your heart!" How many affairs and other sin has been the result of someone following his or her heart? It's so selfish, it's sick! We are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind (Matt 22:37). We must control our hearts. Not the other way around. We should let the Spirit lead us. If we follow God, we're sure not to sin (Gal. 5:16).
Be careful when taking secular advice. By all means, it's not all bad. Sometimes, though, we confuse worldly wisdom with Godly wisdom. The two should not mingle.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Empathizing
Goodbyes are so hard. I've had to say goodbye to two friends in the last two months. They're moving away to do the Lord's work. They needed to leave, but I still feel a heaviness at the thought. Before they left, we've had good times, made wonderful memories. They leave with a hope of my seeing them again. Still, goodbyes are hard.
While eating out with one of these friends, I thought about how the disciples might have felt when Jesus ascended into Heaven. The Bible mentions the joy and wonder that they felt seeing Jesus alive, but do you think they were a bit sad when he rose to Heaven? In Acts, the apostles kept asking Jesus if the time had come for him to make things better on earth. I can't help but think this was them asking, at least partially, "will you stay?" When he ascended, the apostles kept standing there, looking up into Heaven. It says, "they strained to see him." An angel had to tell them that Jesus would return before they were willing to walk away. It reminds me of when I was little and had to say goodbye to my cousins when they stayed with me once a month. When my uncle or aunt drove away, I'd run to the edge of my yard and wave as they drove by. I wouldn't stop waving until their car was a tiny dot.
Jesus knew they would miss him. That may have been why he said, "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
You might be asking, what's your point? Honestly, I don't have one. Saying goodbye to dear friends just made me think about Jesus's ascension and how the disciples must have felt. Usually when I read the Bible, I take in the instruction and when I get emotional, it's more to do with the Holy Spirit's work on my heart than actually empathizing with the characters. Until, of course, I face a situation that a character faced like saying goodbye.
I take comfort from understanding a Biblical character's pain, because I read about how God helped that person and can hope and trust God to help me too. That's what's amazing about the Old Testament. It's filled with stories about people going through similar situations. All the stories reveal God's faithfulness, mercy and even wrath. Sometimes I forget that Abraham and the others were real people with real problems whom God really blessed. By remembering that, I can find as much comfort from their story as from my best friend telling me how she went through the same thing.
So, if I must have a point, it's this: take comfort from knowing that the Bible IS NOT a work of Fiction. Know that God really did provide a ram for Abraham at the exact moment he needed one, and he can do the same for us.
While eating out with one of these friends, I thought about how the disciples might have felt when Jesus ascended into Heaven. The Bible mentions the joy and wonder that they felt seeing Jesus alive, but do you think they were a bit sad when he rose to Heaven? In Acts, the apostles kept asking Jesus if the time had come for him to make things better on earth. I can't help but think this was them asking, at least partially, "will you stay?" When he ascended, the apostles kept standing there, looking up into Heaven. It says, "they strained to see him." An angel had to tell them that Jesus would return before they were willing to walk away. It reminds me of when I was little and had to say goodbye to my cousins when they stayed with me once a month. When my uncle or aunt drove away, I'd run to the edge of my yard and wave as they drove by. I wouldn't stop waving until their car was a tiny dot.
Jesus knew they would miss him. That may have been why he said, "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
You might be asking, what's your point? Honestly, I don't have one. Saying goodbye to dear friends just made me think about Jesus's ascension and how the disciples must have felt. Usually when I read the Bible, I take in the instruction and when I get emotional, it's more to do with the Holy Spirit's work on my heart than actually empathizing with the characters. Until, of course, I face a situation that a character faced like saying goodbye.
I take comfort from understanding a Biblical character's pain, because I read about how God helped that person and can hope and trust God to help me too. That's what's amazing about the Old Testament. It's filled with stories about people going through similar situations. All the stories reveal God's faithfulness, mercy and even wrath. Sometimes I forget that Abraham and the others were real people with real problems whom God really blessed. By remembering that, I can find as much comfort from their story as from my best friend telling me how she went through the same thing.
So, if I must have a point, it's this: take comfort from knowing that the Bible IS NOT a work of Fiction. Know that God really did provide a ram for Abraham at the exact moment he needed one, and he can do the same for us.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Hope
Remember being a child? I do. Although now I long for the ease of childhood, when I was a child, all I wanted to do was grow up. My friends and I would play House, but with a twist. We'd pretend that the climbing trees in my yard were homes and each of us (sometimes paired) would live in each tree and be neighbors. Our bikes were our cars that got us to our neighbors' houses and to and from work. Of course, since none of us really knew what kind of jobs adults had, we would mostly skip over that part. Usually, a bike ride around the yard meant we'd gone to work and come back. At home (our trees), we'd do the things we observed our parents accomplish: cook dinner, read magazines and the newspaper, do the dishes, etc.
While pretending to be adults, we had this expectation of actually being adults one day. We knew we growing older every year and that it was only a matter of time before we too would have jobs, cars and responsibilities. All we needed to do was wait long enough.
In Scripture, this is called hope. Don't get this word confused with "wish." According to Dictionary.com, "wish" means to "desire, want and long for." On the surface, it seems that wishing is fine. Sure, we wanted, desired and longed to be adults as kids. However, the word "hope" adds a detail that's vital to its meaning. According to Websters Dictionary, hopes means, "a desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it." The Hebrew term for hope varies, sense the word doesn't exist in this language. Instead, we translate words like "trust" and the like into "hope." In Greek, the words "hope" and "wait" mean to expect or trust. It's not just that we wanted to be adults, we expected to be adults eventually.
With these definitions in mind, look closely at these verses.
Psalms 39:7 "And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you."
Psalms 62:5 "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him."
Romans 8:25 "But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."
I was personally struck with this when I ran across Galatians 5:5, "But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope." You see, I'm often very down on myself and don't believe I could ever be righteous. I listen to Satan's accusation of my past, and I waver. I may want to be righteous, but I hardly expect to be one day.
This verse was like a rush of cool water to a soar throat. God told me, as I read his Word, that I should expect to receive righteousness through the Spirit. This is a promise that he would fulfill. Not by my efforts, of course, but by the Spirit that God has given freely. The Spirit I know is living within me. I need to trust that God loves me and will do as he says he will.
So when I, or you, if you are like me, feel like there is no hope in the world, we need to say to ourselves, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalms 43:5)"
While pretending to be adults, we had this expectation of actually being adults one day. We knew we growing older every year and that it was only a matter of time before we too would have jobs, cars and responsibilities. All we needed to do was wait long enough.
In Scripture, this is called hope. Don't get this word confused with "wish." According to Dictionary.com, "wish" means to "desire, want and long for." On the surface, it seems that wishing is fine. Sure, we wanted, desired and longed to be adults as kids. However, the word "hope" adds a detail that's vital to its meaning. According to Websters Dictionary, hopes means, "a desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it." The Hebrew term for hope varies, sense the word doesn't exist in this language. Instead, we translate words like "trust" and the like into "hope." In Greek, the words "hope" and "wait" mean to expect or trust. It's not just that we wanted to be adults, we expected to be adults eventually.
With these definitions in mind, look closely at these verses.
Psalms 39:7 "And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you."
Psalms 62:5 "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him."
Romans 8:25 "But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience."
I was personally struck with this when I ran across Galatians 5:5, "But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope." You see, I'm often very down on myself and don't believe I could ever be righteous. I listen to Satan's accusation of my past, and I waver. I may want to be righteous, but I hardly expect to be one day.
This verse was like a rush of cool water to a soar throat. God told me, as I read his Word, that I should expect to receive righteousness through the Spirit. This is a promise that he would fulfill. Not by my efforts, of course, but by the Spirit that God has given freely. The Spirit I know is living within me. I need to trust that God loves me and will do as he says he will.
So when I, or you, if you are like me, feel like there is no hope in the world, we need to say to ourselves, "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalms 43:5)"
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Child and the Pebble.
This is the CUTEST STORY EVER!
Our school's playground consists of two parts sand, one part grass and one part rocks. No, sorry, not rocks. Gravel. With lots and lots of tiny pebbles. One day, a sweet little girl found one such tiny pebble. This one was special because it was smooth on one side and round on the other. Another teacher told her to call it a wishing stone and to rub the smooth side with her thumb when she made a wish. The little girl was overjoyed and couldn't wait to show her mommy.
That is, until she dropped it.
She wasn't lucky enough to lose her wishing stone in the sand or the grass. No, the treasure fell into a large area of gravel. Needless to say, she was devastated.
This is when I came in...
I found her crying hysterically while brushing her hand though the rocks on the ground. I asked her what was wrong and, after decrypting her sobs, figured it out. I honestly held no hope that she would find her wishing stone, especially after she'd shuffled all the gravel with her fingers. I pulled her into my arms and let her cry and tried to soothe her disappointment. Not being able to calm her down, I bend down and searched for her stone. Obviously, I didn't find it. Why I did what I did next, I still don't know. Who would chance giving false hope to a small child?
Apparently, me.
I told the little girl that God might let her find it if she prayed and asked (the school is Christian so I totally got away with it!). Bless her heart, she prayed with me that God might reveal her stone.
Believe it or not, this time when she searched, SHE FOUND IT! God did a mighty deed that afternoon.
Many weeks later, on the National Day of Prayer, another little girl, one who had observed us that day, mentioned in a conversation about prayer that God had answered her friend's and found her rock. My heart was struck when I realized not one but two girls had learned the power of prayer that day. Wow.
Mark 10:15 "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you."
Matthew 21:22 "You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it."
1 Peter 5:7 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."
This story proves all of the above and more!
Our school's playground consists of two parts sand, one part grass and one part rocks. No, sorry, not rocks. Gravel. With lots and lots of tiny pebbles. One day, a sweet little girl found one such tiny pebble. This one was special because it was smooth on one side and round on the other. Another teacher told her to call it a wishing stone and to rub the smooth side with her thumb when she made a wish. The little girl was overjoyed and couldn't wait to show her mommy.
That is, until she dropped it.
She wasn't lucky enough to lose her wishing stone in the sand or the grass. No, the treasure fell into a large area of gravel. Needless to say, she was devastated.
This is when I came in...
I found her crying hysterically while brushing her hand though the rocks on the ground. I asked her what was wrong and, after decrypting her sobs, figured it out. I honestly held no hope that she would find her wishing stone, especially after she'd shuffled all the gravel with her fingers. I pulled her into my arms and let her cry and tried to soothe her disappointment. Not being able to calm her down, I bend down and searched for her stone. Obviously, I didn't find it. Why I did what I did next, I still don't know. Who would chance giving false hope to a small child?
Apparently, me.
I told the little girl that God might let her find it if she prayed and asked (the school is Christian so I totally got away with it!). Bless her heart, she prayed with me that God might reveal her stone.
Believe it or not, this time when she searched, SHE FOUND IT! God did a mighty deed that afternoon.
Many weeks later, on the National Day of Prayer, another little girl, one who had observed us that day, mentioned in a conversation about prayer that God had answered her friend's and found her rock. My heart was struck when I realized not one but two girls had learned the power of prayer that day. Wow.
Mark 10:15 "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you."
Matthew 21:22 "You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it."
1 Peter 5:7 "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."
This story proves all of the above and more!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Happy Endings
Ah, the ending of fairy tales. Without fail, the man and woman ride off into the sunset, or kiss at their wedding, or simply hold each other, whispering promises of faithfulness and love. Words added or assumed, they live happily ever after...
I know what you are thinking: Pa-lease! Yeah right. No one lives happily ever after. Couples fight, especially married couples. What's not written on the pages or seen in the scenes are the angry words the wife spews after her husband leaves his dirty boxers on the floor (a foot away from the hamper) for the upteenth time. And how about the ugly expression the husband gives his wife when he discovers (again) the thick clump of hair halfway down the sink? Let's not forget what children do to a relationship. Apparently adding little combination clones decreases the happiness reported by couples. Yeah, drops way low.
So why are we lying to our children??? Why tell these stupid stories that do not reflect real life? Why make them believe that good guys always win and that everything turns out all right in the end? Why let them go through life with an optimistic lie in their tiny, gullible minds?
BECAUSE IT IS NOT A LIE! Wait, what?
Yes, this life has strife and trials, but this life also has a happy ending. The happiest ending ever! Christ has conquered and won. Satan and his followers have lost the war. We have victory in Jesus! It will be as romantic as those cheesy love stories too. Revelation 19:7 says, "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." We are the bride of Christ. Isn't that exciting? We even get our knight who will come and rescue us. Revelation 19 describes Jesus as a knight on a white horse. Okay, maybe not as a knight, but a warrior with the armies of Heaven behind him. That's even better! Death won't even be a threat: "Where, o death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Corin. 15:55)."
Who could ask for a better happily-ever-after than that?
I know what you are thinking: Pa-lease! Yeah right. No one lives happily ever after. Couples fight, especially married couples. What's not written on the pages or seen in the scenes are the angry words the wife spews after her husband leaves his dirty boxers on the floor (a foot away from the hamper) for the upteenth time. And how about the ugly expression the husband gives his wife when he discovers (again) the thick clump of hair halfway down the sink? Let's not forget what children do to a relationship. Apparently adding little combination clones decreases the happiness reported by couples. Yeah, drops way low.
So why are we lying to our children??? Why tell these stupid stories that do not reflect real life? Why make them believe that good guys always win and that everything turns out all right in the end? Why let them go through life with an optimistic lie in their tiny, gullible minds?
BECAUSE IT IS NOT A LIE! Wait, what?
Yes, this life has strife and trials, but this life also has a happy ending. The happiest ending ever! Christ has conquered and won. Satan and his followers have lost the war. We have victory in Jesus! It will be as romantic as those cheesy love stories too. Revelation 19:7 says, "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." We are the bride of Christ. Isn't that exciting? We even get our knight who will come and rescue us. Revelation 19 describes Jesus as a knight on a white horse. Okay, maybe not as a knight, but a warrior with the armies of Heaven behind him. That's even better! Death won't even be a threat: "Where, o death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Corin. 15:55)."
Who could ask for a better happily-ever-after than that?
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
It could have been worse
Let me tell you about a terrible event that happened to me two or three years ago. My dad almost died. He suffered from a septic infection and calapsed in his trailer alone. He lay unconscious for 14-16 hours before being found. While in the waiting room, a man came in and sat with my grandmother and me. He seemed nice enough, but nervous. Grandma asked who he was there to see, and he said his grandmother. Shortly afterward, a nurse called the waiting room to tell us that dad wanted to see us. Not wanting to carry all my stuff for the upteenth time, I left my bright pink backpack. When we returned, my wallet was missing and the man was gone. Come to find out, there were no elderly women in the ICU that day.
I wasn't at home in Kirksville. I was three hours away, so I didn't have my birth certificate with me to replace my ID.
BUT...I have an amazing boss who gave me the week off to be with my dad in the hospital. My dad lived and is doing very well now. The man didn't steal my backpack, which held my laptop. My husband also had/has amazing bosses who allowed him to bring me my birth certificate and stay with me the rest of the week.
In other words, it could have been worse.
I was reading about Joseph yesterday, and as much as he suffered, God was still protecting him and using everything to His purpose. Yes, Joseph's brothers wanted to kill him, BUT Reuben convinced them to trap him instead. Yes, he was sold into slavery, BUT God used him to accomplish amazing tasks. Tasks that saved thousands of people from starving.
Often we forget how merciful God is being to us in the middle of strife. We miss all the blessings He provides along the way. The truth is that He's always there, always "working all things for the good of those who love him." (Romans 8:28) So next time you find yourself in a terrible situation, try to remember that God's love never left you. Search for the blessing along the way and thank Him for them.
Let's face it... it could have been worse.
I wasn't at home in Kirksville. I was three hours away, so I didn't have my birth certificate with me to replace my ID.
BUT...I have an amazing boss who gave me the week off to be with my dad in the hospital. My dad lived and is doing very well now. The man didn't steal my backpack, which held my laptop. My husband also had/has amazing bosses who allowed him to bring me my birth certificate and stay with me the rest of the week.
In other words, it could have been worse.
I was reading about Joseph yesterday, and as much as he suffered, God was still protecting him and using everything to His purpose. Yes, Joseph's brothers wanted to kill him, BUT Reuben convinced them to trap him instead. Yes, he was sold into slavery, BUT God used him to accomplish amazing tasks. Tasks that saved thousands of people from starving.
Often we forget how merciful God is being to us in the middle of strife. We miss all the blessings He provides along the way. The truth is that He's always there, always "working all things for the good of those who love him." (Romans 8:28) So next time you find yourself in a terrible situation, try to remember that God's love never left you. Search for the blessing along the way and thank Him for them.
Let's face it... it could have been worse.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Names
I learned an interesting concept in my social psychology class last year. It's called the cocktail effect. Here's an example: You're in a room, standing elbow-to-elbow with a crowd of friends. Music is blaring so loud you must shout to be heard. Yet, somehow, in all the chaos, you hear someone on the opposite side of the room say your name.
According to my textbook, this phenomenon illustrates how important we are to ourselves.
Our name is important.
At the daycare, I could mispronounce any word under the sun, and the children would simply laugh at me. BUT, if I mispronounce their names too many times, they get fierce. Are we much different? We only let a select few call us by nicknames. The first thing we use as an introduction is our name (as if "Rebecca" actually reveals something about who I am). Businesses have made money off the importance of names. Ever travel and buy yourself a key chain, bookmark, coffee cup, or the like with your name on it? I own a key chain that's a flip flop with my name on it. I bought it in Florida while on vacation. You see, I'd lost my other key chain that had my name, so I had to replace it =). I also have a coffee cup that's labeled with my mother-given mark.
We are made in God's image. If our names matter to us, how much more does God's name matter to Him? The third commandment tells us not to misuse His name. His name is to be cherished and feared. Psalms 111:9 says, "He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!"
I tried to look up all God's names in the Old Testament to show you all, but there were way too many to write down. I challenge you to look them up. Every one of them displays a fragment of God's character. My personal favorite is Yahweh-Jireh (The Lord Will Provide). The name reminds me that God will always take care of my family. To truly know God, all His names must be taken into account.
Another piece of information I found on my search was that God had three shifts in how He was known. Exodus 6:2-3 says that from Adam to Moses, He was known as El-Shaddai (God Almighty). From Moses to the New Testament, God revealed Himself as Yahweh. Now, God is known to us through Jesus. His name is the only one by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). Romans 10:13 says, "'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" There is no name more powerful than that of Jesus Christ our Lord.
If you don't know Him. If you can't yet call Him friend and savior, remember this. He's only a call away.
According to my textbook, this phenomenon illustrates how important we are to ourselves.
Our name is important.
At the daycare, I could mispronounce any word under the sun, and the children would simply laugh at me. BUT, if I mispronounce their names too many times, they get fierce. Are we much different? We only let a select few call us by nicknames. The first thing we use as an introduction is our name (as if "Rebecca" actually reveals something about who I am). Businesses have made money off the importance of names. Ever travel and buy yourself a key chain, bookmark, coffee cup, or the like with your name on it? I own a key chain that's a flip flop with my name on it. I bought it in Florida while on vacation. You see, I'd lost my other key chain that had my name, so I had to replace it =). I also have a coffee cup that's labeled with my mother-given mark.
We are made in God's image. If our names matter to us, how much more does God's name matter to Him? The third commandment tells us not to misuse His name. His name is to be cherished and feared. Psalms 111:9 says, "He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!"
I tried to look up all God's names in the Old Testament to show you all, but there were way too many to write down. I challenge you to look them up. Every one of them displays a fragment of God's character. My personal favorite is Yahweh-Jireh (The Lord Will Provide). The name reminds me that God will always take care of my family. To truly know God, all His names must be taken into account.
Another piece of information I found on my search was that God had three shifts in how He was known. Exodus 6:2-3 says that from Adam to Moses, He was known as El-Shaddai (God Almighty). From Moses to the New Testament, God revealed Himself as Yahweh. Now, God is known to us through Jesus. His name is the only one by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). Romans 10:13 says, "'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" There is no name more powerful than that of Jesus Christ our Lord.
If you don't know Him. If you can't yet call Him friend and savior, remember this. He's only a call away.
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