It is always upon reflection that I realize what an awesome work God has done in my life. And during these times of reflection I sometimes wonder what happened to change me so drastically, and what has happened that so many others in my life haven't changed as readily. One thing I've stumbled upon is perspective. I believe it is my perspective of God that has changed most radically, and thereby my life has changed as well. I'd like to share my previous perspective and what came about to change that perspective.
I grew up in a home where we went to church...often. We were not only very involved in church, but I went to Christian schools as well. So, there was a broad influence into my perspective of God. School teachers, principals, adults, Sunday School teachers, my pastor all had an influence on my perspective. My parents attended a conservative church, and the schools I attended reflected those conservative values. I think the grade school I attended is one of the MOST conservative in this area. Rules were an important part of life in the schools I attended and also at home. Behavior outside those rules was NOT tolerated. Because of the emphasis on obedience to rules, I came to believe that God was as concerned about these "rules" as everyone else was. When I thought of God I was always scared about what He thought about me and my various infractions of the "rules". During my childhood, I remember almost always praying during an altar call to "make sure" I was saved. Even into adulthood, after I came back to the Lord, I was constantly scared that He was going to punish me for my sins.
How did this affect my life? I became overly concerned about obeying the rules. I also became judgmental of others. It was very hard for me to love anyone, because I was so consumed with my own behavior that I could not expend any energy on others. Also, I never realized love from any source. I saw life as a competition. If I was not competing with everyone else in the world, I was competing at least with myself to perform the best I could. This view point of seeing God as a judge fit in to my personality in a way that made me harsh on others and even harsher on myself. It was very difficult to forgive myself, and because of that, hard to forgive others.
What was the solution? First let me tell you what I tried and how it did not work. I tried Bible study books. They just seemed dry and boring to me, and I could never bring myself to finish them, or get anything useful out of them. I tried several classes in a deliverance ministry. Several years in fact, and while there were aspects that were helpful, it didn't solve my perspective of God. If anything, it put barriers between me and God. It taught me to take some element of control over my own life. This thinking also lead to me not trusting Christ's work on the cross. I thought there were things I needed to do in addition to Christ crucified. I also listened to teachings by Christian teachers. This only served to muddy the waters for me because each person says something slightly different. So which do you believe?
The change started for me when I began to simply read the Bible and seek the Lord fervently. He always spoke words of love and encouragement to me. Even through others, there were never harsh words of warning, but love and encouragement. And He led me to some great Christian fiction authors. The final breakthrough for me came while reading Francine Rivers "Redeeming Love". This story is based on the book of Hosea in the Bible and shows how God loves and bears with us. These lines at that point in my life broke through everything I'd been taught and lived through to show me Who God really is and what love really is. "Love cleanses, beloved. It doesn't beat you down. It doesn't cast blame." "My love isn't a weapon. It's a lifeline. Reach out and take hold, and don't let go."
Wow! I'm blown away again just typing it. Since this revelation of God and His love for me, my life has taken a 180 degree turn. Now, I love people as I believe God wants us to love. I can't help loving people. I'm quick to try to see the best in people. (Sometimes I'm quicker than others, I'm still not perfect ;-) I can't watch the same things on television and movies because of my new perspective. I no longer feel constant guilt. Once I realized that God is not keeping score, and that He is looking at my heart, I was able to relax and love.
It's not a self-esteem issue, it's a God-esteem issue. I believe that if you see God in a wrong light, you will see yourself in a wrong light. I'm able to ask forgiveness, and forgive myself much more quickly now, because I see that God is not trying to beat me down or punish me, He is holding out His nail-scarred hand as a life line. I know that when Jesus said, "It is finished." He meant just that. It is finished, I cannot earn salvation or favor any other way. I feel sad when people talk about God's rod of correction, because since my perspective of Him changed, I've realized I can't see Him that way.
I now live the way God asks me to live because I know He wants only the best for me, not because I think He'll punish me. I see the ten commandments and the Old Testament in a much different way. And, this new perspective causes me to WANT to learn more about this God of Love. Knowing how much God loves me, and how much He sacrificed to rescue me, I want to be like Him, and that means loving people.
I challenge you.....what is your perspective? Are you guilty all the time? Are you judging yourself and others? Do you struggle with loving? I don't know what God will use to show You His true character, maybe it's a person, a book, a sermon, just your private alone time with Him and His Word. God promises in Jer. 29:13 "And ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Heb. 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." He is faithful!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
Are You Dressed?
I read a verse today that got my mind spinning. As I waited for my son to get out of school, I felt the Holy Spirit pouring this out in a flood. I could not look up the verses fast enough. These are my musings, so here we go.
I John 2:28 in the Amplified Bible "And now little children, abide (live, remain permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence(boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming."
There was a slight remembrance of something when I heard this verse, and it harkens all the way back to Genesis. After Adam and Eve had sinned and eaten of the tree, God made His usual trip to the garden to walk with them in the cool of the day. Let's look at this passage in chapter 3 verses 7-8 "Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves apronlike girdles. And they heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Sounds like they were ashamed and shrinking from Him at His coming.
After this my mind quickly tripped over to the parable of the wedding guests. This is found in Matthew 22: 1-14. Verse 11 says in the King James "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there was a man which had not a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless."
By now, I have looked in the margin of my chain reference, and I saw the next verse under "robe of righteousness" I went to Luke 15:22. This is the story of the prodigal son. When the son returns home to his father, the father calls for the best robe to be put on his returning son.
The word "clothed" began ringing in my head, so I looked it up in my concordance. I was referred to Isaiah 61:10 in the King James "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Aha! I'm getting somewhere, but at the same time, I feel there is something vast out there waiting for me. The chain reference leads me to Zechariah 3:4
in the King James "And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of rainment."
I'm realizing that God provides these proper garments with which we need not be ashamed in His presence. Back to Genesis. After God deals with Adam, Eve and the serpent for their sin, verse 21 is the foreshadowing of what I have just seen later in scripture. " Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them."
During all of these revelations, I called to remembrance a verse in Revelation regarding garments and shame. Rev. 16:15 in the King James "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."
By this time I am starting to assimilate a train of thought regarding being clothed with garments, and not being ashamed. Here's what I see. (And please, if I seem off, please show me through scripture how I am off. Don't leave me in error.)
God is the one who provides the garments of salvation, the robes of righteousness. They are provided through the shedding of Jesus' blood on the cross of Calvary. Those are the only acceptable garments. Without those garments, you will be ashamed at his coming. He will come as a thief, so we must always be ready. We cannot put off accepting these garments. But, from the parable of the wedding feast, I see that some will come to the feast with improper garments. Adam tried to make his own garments, but still was ashamed when God came to walk with him. God made sure before He left the garden that he provided an animal skin garment for them. We also see this concept of improper garments in a practical way in Matt. 7:21-23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
What garments are you wearing? I John says that if we abide in Him we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Jesus says in Matthew that only those who do the will of His Father which is in heaven will enter the kingdom of heaven. God gives out the garments of salvation and the robes of righteousness as in Isaiah and Zechariah says that God takes our filthy garments of iniquity and gives us a change of rainment.
Are you wearing robes of your own righteousness? Are you wearing the robes of prophesying in His name? Casting out devils? Many wonderful works? If we are trying to create our own robes of righteousness, Isaiah 64:6 says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags;"
I see only one way to be fully clothed and unashamed in the day of Christs return. We must acknowledge our sin and our separation from God. We must acknowledge that Jesus, God's Son is the only way to obtain the rightful robes. We must accept his sacrifice as payment for our sin and allow Him to be Lord of our life. We must do the will of the Father which is in heaven and abide in Christ. I believe that this is the narrow road. We cannot find our own way of coming to Jesus or we will be looked on as the man at the wedding feast. We will be thrown out.
In this day when the American church is a machine, looking for volunteers to serve in their "ministries", I urge you to search your heart and search God's heart. Don't be flattered that you are wanted. Don't be flattered that you are promoted. If you see ministry as making you look better in God's eyes, beware! Don't be caught unclothed and ashamed.
Are you dressed?
I John 2:28 in the Amplified Bible "And now little children, abide (live, remain permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence(boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming."
There was a slight remembrance of something when I heard this verse, and it harkens all the way back to Genesis. After Adam and Eve had sinned and eaten of the tree, God made His usual trip to the garden to walk with them in the cool of the day. Let's look at this passage in chapter 3 verses 7-8 "Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves apronlike girdles. And they heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." Sounds like they were ashamed and shrinking from Him at His coming.
After this my mind quickly tripped over to the parable of the wedding guests. This is found in Matthew 22: 1-14. Verse 11 says in the King James "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there was a man which had not a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless."
By now, I have looked in the margin of my chain reference, and I saw the next verse under "robe of righteousness" I went to Luke 15:22. This is the story of the prodigal son. When the son returns home to his father, the father calls for the best robe to be put on his returning son.
The word "clothed" began ringing in my head, so I looked it up in my concordance. I was referred to Isaiah 61:10 in the King James "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Aha! I'm getting somewhere, but at the same time, I feel there is something vast out there waiting for me. The chain reference leads me to Zechariah 3:4
in the King James "And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of rainment."
I'm realizing that God provides these proper garments with which we need not be ashamed in His presence. Back to Genesis. After God deals with Adam, Eve and the serpent for their sin, verse 21 is the foreshadowing of what I have just seen later in scripture. " Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them."
During all of these revelations, I called to remembrance a verse in Revelation regarding garments and shame. Rev. 16:15 in the King James "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."
By this time I am starting to assimilate a train of thought regarding being clothed with garments, and not being ashamed. Here's what I see. (And please, if I seem off, please show me through scripture how I am off. Don't leave me in error.)
God is the one who provides the garments of salvation, the robes of righteousness. They are provided through the shedding of Jesus' blood on the cross of Calvary. Those are the only acceptable garments. Without those garments, you will be ashamed at his coming. He will come as a thief, so we must always be ready. We cannot put off accepting these garments. But, from the parable of the wedding feast, I see that some will come to the feast with improper garments. Adam tried to make his own garments, but still was ashamed when God came to walk with him. God made sure before He left the garden that he provided an animal skin garment for them. We also see this concept of improper garments in a practical way in Matt. 7:21-23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
What garments are you wearing? I John says that if we abide in Him we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Jesus says in Matthew that only those who do the will of His Father which is in heaven will enter the kingdom of heaven. God gives out the garments of salvation and the robes of righteousness as in Isaiah and Zechariah says that God takes our filthy garments of iniquity and gives us a change of rainment.
Are you wearing robes of your own righteousness? Are you wearing the robes of prophesying in His name? Casting out devils? Many wonderful works? If we are trying to create our own robes of righteousness, Isaiah 64:6 says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags;"
I see only one way to be fully clothed and unashamed in the day of Christs return. We must acknowledge our sin and our separation from God. We must acknowledge that Jesus, God's Son is the only way to obtain the rightful robes. We must accept his sacrifice as payment for our sin and allow Him to be Lord of our life. We must do the will of the Father which is in heaven and abide in Christ. I believe that this is the narrow road. We cannot find our own way of coming to Jesus or we will be looked on as the man at the wedding feast. We will be thrown out.
In this day when the American church is a machine, looking for volunteers to serve in their "ministries", I urge you to search your heart and search God's heart. Don't be flattered that you are wanted. Don't be flattered that you are promoted. If you see ministry as making you look better in God's eyes, beware! Don't be caught unclothed and ashamed.
Are you dressed?
Monday, May 19, 2008
Encouragement for Weary Travelers
Recently, the lyrics to this song have been going through my head. They are as follows:
This world is not my home, I'm just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore .
O Lord you know I have no friend like you. If Heaven's not my home , then Lord what will I do?The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore.
We sang this in church when I was growing up, but I never quite "got" the meaning until I was much older. We say things like, "this world is not my home", but I think we don't "get" it completely. If this world is not our home, why do we put down such large roots? If this world is not our home, why do we worry and fear when people don't agree with us?
I believe that all of us struggle with this in various degrees, because of our humanity. I also believe that we can overcome these things by fixing our eyes on Jesus. This is not the first time I've recommended the cure of fixing our eyes on Jesus, and it won't be the last time. I personally believe that Christianity is and should be simple. Not easy or without problems, but simple. Much of our worries and cares could be diminished or even demolished if we fixed our eyes on Jesus.
I am not someone who speaks in "thus sayeth the Lord" terms, but as someone who watches the signs of the times, I think we can believe that we are in some stage of the last days. We cannot be shocked that evil abounds. We cannot be shocked that our churches are being infiltrated by the ways of the world. We cannot lose our faith and hope. Jesus asked in Luke 18:8 "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Matthew 10:22 says, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Jude verse 3 says, " Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."
I think all these verses show us that we can't just come to Jesus for salvation, then sit back and relax until the day Jesus returns. We must be active in keeping our faith alive and in enduring until the end. Now more than ever before we need to know as Paul did in II Tim. 1:12 "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." If we know Who and what we believe we can stand firm.
Now, I know that we all live in a human body with earthly thoughts and emotions running through our veins. I am not saying we'll never wonder if we're the ones off base or be sad and even lonely in our walk with God. However, if you know what God says in His Word, if you spend time in prayer and in seeking God through His Word; I do not think you can stay for long in a negative or defeated mind set.
We must give the Holy Spirit something to work with in our lives. Jesus said that the Comforter would come and teach you, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. If we have God's word in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will bring those things to our remembrance and we won't have to be kept down by what our eyes see around us. I also think that the body of Believers needs to bear one another's burdens. We should be able to talk to our brothers and sisters in Christ about our struggles of faith. I think that in these days you need to watch someones life and see if it bears the fruit of the Spirit before baring your soul, but we should not be afraid to ask for support in prayer.
I would like to recommend some sermon Cd's that have been enormously faith building to me in the last couple of weeks. They are from World Challenge by Dave Wilkerson and they are titled "Standing Steadfast in Christ" and "God Has Not Passed You By" Those two in particular have really encouraged me, but he has many more that I would also recommend. I find Dave Wilkerson to be a steadfast man of faith who seeks the Lord and is not swept about by changing winds of doctrine. I've listened to dozens of his teachings and have always been excited and encouraged in the Lord.
This world is not our home!
This world is not my home, I'm just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore .
O Lord you know I have no friend like you. If Heaven's not my home , then Lord what will I do?The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore.
We sang this in church when I was growing up, but I never quite "got" the meaning until I was much older. We say things like, "this world is not my home", but I think we don't "get" it completely. If this world is not our home, why do we put down such large roots? If this world is not our home, why do we worry and fear when people don't agree with us?
I believe that all of us struggle with this in various degrees, because of our humanity. I also believe that we can overcome these things by fixing our eyes on Jesus. This is not the first time I've recommended the cure of fixing our eyes on Jesus, and it won't be the last time. I personally believe that Christianity is and should be simple. Not easy or without problems, but simple. Much of our worries and cares could be diminished or even demolished if we fixed our eyes on Jesus.
I am not someone who speaks in "thus sayeth the Lord" terms, but as someone who watches the signs of the times, I think we can believe that we are in some stage of the last days. We cannot be shocked that evil abounds. We cannot be shocked that our churches are being infiltrated by the ways of the world. We cannot lose our faith and hope. Jesus asked in Luke 18:8 "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Matthew 10:22 says, "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Jude verse 3 says, " Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."
I think all these verses show us that we can't just come to Jesus for salvation, then sit back and relax until the day Jesus returns. We must be active in keeping our faith alive and in enduring until the end. Now more than ever before we need to know as Paul did in II Tim. 1:12 "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." If we know Who and what we believe we can stand firm.
Now, I know that we all live in a human body with earthly thoughts and emotions running through our veins. I am not saying we'll never wonder if we're the ones off base or be sad and even lonely in our walk with God. However, if you know what God says in His Word, if you spend time in prayer and in seeking God through His Word; I do not think you can stay for long in a negative or defeated mind set.
We must give the Holy Spirit something to work with in our lives. Jesus said that the Comforter would come and teach you, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. If we have God's word in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will bring those things to our remembrance and we won't have to be kept down by what our eyes see around us. I also think that the body of Believers needs to bear one another's burdens. We should be able to talk to our brothers and sisters in Christ about our struggles of faith. I think that in these days you need to watch someones life and see if it bears the fruit of the Spirit before baring your soul, but we should not be afraid to ask for support in prayer.
I would like to recommend some sermon Cd's that have been enormously faith building to me in the last couple of weeks. They are from World Challenge by Dave Wilkerson and they are titled "Standing Steadfast in Christ" and "God Has Not Passed You By" Those two in particular have really encouraged me, but he has many more that I would also recommend. I find Dave Wilkerson to be a steadfast man of faith who seeks the Lord and is not swept about by changing winds of doctrine. I've listened to dozens of his teachings and have always been excited and encouraged in the Lord.
This world is not our home!
Friday, May 2, 2008
God- Mother Teresa or Creator of the Universe?
I've been doing a lot of reading in the Psalms lately and I came across a verse that stopped me in my tracks. Psalm 51:4 caused me to do some serious thinking about what I believe about God. It says, "Against thee, and thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight:..." How often do we think about the fact that we are sinning against God? And, does our view of God cause us to repent when we know we've sinned against Him?
When I think about the American justice system, I think of how many reasons people come up with to justify the sin we commit. When I think of how many ways we minimize our sins, I wonder: Do we realize that we are sinning against the Creator of the Universe? We think of sins in degrees of wrongness, but God doesn't. To Him, sin is sin. When you read the Old Testament and see how God dealt with sin during those times, you can really begin to see how he thought of sin.
In Joshua 7 we see one instance of God's swift punishment for sin. Achan had taken something that God had cursed, and because of this the men of Ai defeated the Israelites. When Joshua sought God, Joshua was told to sanctify the people. God said that he would burn the person who took the cursed thing because he transgressed the covenant of the Lord. Achan, his family, all of his animals and belongings were taken to the valley of Achor and they were stoned first then burnt with fire.
When you hear this story, it is easy to understand why Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not comsumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
God is not some Mother Teresa in the sky. He doesn't do good deeds. He is the Creator. When he spoke everything we see with our eyes came to be in total perfection. Every fragile ecosytem, every habitat, every aminal with complete bodies were created by God. He created man with all the many systems that we have in our body. When you think about the fact that our bodies work and our organs work in tandem with each other, it is amazing. We can't make excuses to a God this great. We have to stop putting God in a shell of humanity. We were made in HIS image not the other way around.
Sin is sin whether it "hurts" anyone else or not. We can't classify sin by saying, "well, at least I didn't hurt anyone." We hurt God. If nothing else, we hurt God. I can't imagine the pain in God's heart as he walked through the garden of Eden calling out for Adam. I can't imagine what had gone on within God in the time before he went down looking for Adam. I know that when I've known my kids have done something wrong, my heart breaks for them, and for the action that I am going to have to take. I can't imagine how God feels.
I think that if we stopped making God into an image that we can understand and just read our Bibles to know God, our attitudes about sin would change.
When I think about the American justice system, I think of how many reasons people come up with to justify the sin we commit. When I think of how many ways we minimize our sins, I wonder: Do we realize that we are sinning against the Creator of the Universe? We think of sins in degrees of wrongness, but God doesn't. To Him, sin is sin. When you read the Old Testament and see how God dealt with sin during those times, you can really begin to see how he thought of sin.
In Joshua 7 we see one instance of God's swift punishment for sin. Achan had taken something that God had cursed, and because of this the men of Ai defeated the Israelites. When Joshua sought God, Joshua was told to sanctify the people. God said that he would burn the person who took the cursed thing because he transgressed the covenant of the Lord. Achan, his family, all of his animals and belongings were taken to the valley of Achor and they were stoned first then burnt with fire.
When you hear this story, it is easy to understand why Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not comsumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
God is not some Mother Teresa in the sky. He doesn't do good deeds. He is the Creator. When he spoke everything we see with our eyes came to be in total perfection. Every fragile ecosytem, every habitat, every aminal with complete bodies were created by God. He created man with all the many systems that we have in our body. When you think about the fact that our bodies work and our organs work in tandem with each other, it is amazing. We can't make excuses to a God this great. We have to stop putting God in a shell of humanity. We were made in HIS image not the other way around.
Sin is sin whether it "hurts" anyone else or not. We can't classify sin by saying, "well, at least I didn't hurt anyone." We hurt God. If nothing else, we hurt God. I can't imagine the pain in God's heart as he walked through the garden of Eden calling out for Adam. I can't imagine what had gone on within God in the time before he went down looking for Adam. I know that when I've known my kids have done something wrong, my heart breaks for them, and for the action that I am going to have to take. I can't imagine how God feels.
I think that if we stopped making God into an image that we can understand and just read our Bibles to know God, our attitudes about sin would change.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
In Times Like These
In times like these you need a Savior
In times like these you need an anchor;
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these you need the Bible,
In times like these O be not idle;
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these I have a Savior,
In times like these I have an anchor;
I'm very sure, I'm very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
By Ruth Caye Jones
In times like these you need an anchor;
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these you need the Bible,
In times like these O be not idle;
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
In times like these I have a Savior,
In times like these I have an anchor;
I'm very sure, I'm very sure
My anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
Chorus:
This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He's the One;
This Rock is Jesus, the only One!
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!
By Ruth Caye Jones
Monday, March 3, 2008
A Word of Encouragement
So, my life has been full of stormy seas. In my childhood, the choppy waters were caused by the adults in my life. I did not have anything to do with the craziness, except that I lived through it. In my early adult life, I lived in a choppy sea of my own making. I was convinced I could live life my way. Some of those waves nearly took me down. But in my mid-30's I gave my life completely over to the Lord, and since then things have calmed significantly. Now I live in a world of choppy seas once again not caused by me. Someone else's waves are crashing over my life.
This past week, I've been through the storm. I've been in the darkness that comes when the clouds block out the sun. I see nothing but stormy weather ahead. What does this mean for a Christian? How do we survive without folding up into a ball and never facing the world again? It is for moments like this that I have stored away God's Word and great hymns of faith. Did I know that singing out of the red hymnal every Sunday as a child would rescue me as an adult? NO! Did I know that all the scripture I memorized for 14 years of school would be my life vest in a time of stormy life? No.
I'd like to write the words to one hymn that has sustained me this week.
The Solid Rock - Edward Mote
My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. His oath, His covenant, His blood support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope my Stay. When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
I find myself singing this at the most unusual times, and it brings me comfort. I also hold on to passages of scripture that declare..."I will never leave you, nor forsake you so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Heb. 13:5-6
Or, because this has to do with an unsaved family member, II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
For myself in this time of great trial I remember Ps. 34 esp 15, 17, 18 "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their trouble. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Ps.16:5 "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot."
Does all of this mean I have not felt suffering? No, I'm not saying that. Last week I was literally heartbroken. I came to tears often, could not reach out to anyone really, except the Lord. I cancelled my commitments for the week, and spent time crying out to God. And He met me there. The storm is still brewing, but God is my hope. I cannot control the storm. I cannot figure out what kind of damage I will sustain because of the storm. I cannot see how this storm will affect the rest of my family. But I know Someone bigger than ANY storm. I know that my eternal Hope and Salvation will not be affected by this storm. I have been given some perspective. It allows me to get past the hurt and pain and allow God to minister to my life -hope. God also gave me some time with friends on Sunday where I was able to laugh, and actually talk to someone who's been through the same storm. It was nice to talk to someone who came out the other side.
If you are facing storms of your own, I encourage you to grip the solid Rock of Jesus.
This past week, I've been through the storm. I've been in the darkness that comes when the clouds block out the sun. I see nothing but stormy weather ahead. What does this mean for a Christian? How do we survive without folding up into a ball and never facing the world again? It is for moments like this that I have stored away God's Word and great hymns of faith. Did I know that singing out of the red hymnal every Sunday as a child would rescue me as an adult? NO! Did I know that all the scripture I memorized for 14 years of school would be my life vest in a time of stormy life? No.
I'd like to write the words to one hymn that has sustained me this week.
The Solid Rock - Edward Mote
My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. His oath, His covenant, His blood support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope my Stay. When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh may I then in Him be found. Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.
I find myself singing this at the most unusual times, and it brings me comfort. I also hold on to passages of scripture that declare..."I will never leave you, nor forsake you so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Heb. 13:5-6
Or, because this has to do with an unsaved family member, II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
For myself in this time of great trial I remember Ps. 34 esp 15, 17, 18 "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their trouble. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Ps.16:5 "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot."
Does all of this mean I have not felt suffering? No, I'm not saying that. Last week I was literally heartbroken. I came to tears often, could not reach out to anyone really, except the Lord. I cancelled my commitments for the week, and spent time crying out to God. And He met me there. The storm is still brewing, but God is my hope. I cannot control the storm. I cannot figure out what kind of damage I will sustain because of the storm. I cannot see how this storm will affect the rest of my family. But I know Someone bigger than ANY storm. I know that my eternal Hope and Salvation will not be affected by this storm. I have been given some perspective. It allows me to get past the hurt and pain and allow God to minister to my life -hope. God also gave me some time with friends on Sunday where I was able to laugh, and actually talk to someone who's been through the same storm. It was nice to talk to someone who came out the other side.
If you are facing storms of your own, I encourage you to grip the solid Rock of Jesus.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Musings
I had a thought when I chose the title of my blog. I wanted to define that these are my thoughts, they are not messages from heaven or my chance at preaching. They are my thoughts. When I actually looked up "musing" in the Miriam-Webster online dictionary, I found that the definition first scared me, then clearly defined my intent.
Musings were defined as meditation. That word rings alarm bells in my head. I do not want to go down the road of the New Age movement. When I looked up meditation, I was relieved to find a good definition of my intent on this blog. Meditation: A discourse intending to express it's authors reflections or to guide others in contemplation. I'm not promoting mindless contemplation, but I am promoting a contemplation of where we are in our "modern day Christianity" and a contemplation personally of where we are in our relationship with God.
In light of that, I'd like to muse today about a book I just finished reading. It's titled "The Prodigal Comes Home" by Michael English with Lynn Vincent. It's the story of Michael English who was a very famous Christian singer until he struggled with sin in many forms and almost destroyed his life. He tells of his story and how he walked out of his destructive lifestyle. I came upon this book because I was enthralled by the song he wrote titled "In Christ Alone". Because my own wilderness away from God took place during Michael's rise in the Christian music scene, I had no idea who he was. I was struck by the powerful words to this song. Here are the words :
In Christ Alone - Michael English (Michael English)
In Christ alone will I glory
Though I could pride myself in battles won
For I've been blessed beyond measure
And by His strength alone I overcome
Oh, I could stop and count successes
Like diamonds in my hand
But those trophies could not equal
To the grace by which I stand
In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone
In Christ alone will I glory
For only by His grace I am redeemed
Only His tender mercy
Could reach beyond my weakness to my need
Now I seek no greater honor
Than just to know Him more
And to count my things but losses
To the glory of the Lord
In his book, he said that even as he received a DOVE award for that song, he was carrying on an extramarital affair. He walked to the podium to accept the award, thinking in his heart," if you all only knew."... These words have haunted me. I did a study called "What kind of honor do you seek?" which discussed honor, how it is to be given and how to handle the whole area of honor. I've always been one who would rather err on the side of caution. I've struggled with my convictions over things such as clapping after songs in church, going to "Christian concerts", and things like this. After reading this book, it helped to solidify for me how I feel about these kinds of things.
I can't participate. I am speaking for me. I can't clap after you've sang a special number at church. No matter how moving the song was, no matter how the song touched my spirit or my soul, I cannot clap. We are to glory in nothing but the Lord, and He will share His Glory with NO ONE!!! The whole idea of a "Christian" awards which are so very similar to the secular world's award shows also make me cringe. We are in this world but we are not to be of this world. What are we doing by just slapping "Christian" on things and thinking it's okay.
What would happen in this world if we ONLY gave God glory? If we refused to accept awards because we did not want any part of His glory? What if Christian singers only led worship to God and did not entertain by putting on concerts? What if our churches were used only for the worship of God? What if you could come to the house of God and learn of Him without having to pay to get in? I don't have all the answers. I'm sure there are plenty of people who could tell me all the thoughts and explainations behind why these things take place, but in the end does it matter to God? How are we advancing the Gospel by these things?
Musings were defined as meditation. That word rings alarm bells in my head. I do not want to go down the road of the New Age movement. When I looked up meditation, I was relieved to find a good definition of my intent on this blog. Meditation: A discourse intending to express it's authors reflections or to guide others in contemplation. I'm not promoting mindless contemplation, but I am promoting a contemplation of where we are in our "modern day Christianity" and a contemplation personally of where we are in our relationship with God.
In light of that, I'd like to muse today about a book I just finished reading. It's titled "The Prodigal Comes Home" by Michael English with Lynn Vincent. It's the story of Michael English who was a very famous Christian singer until he struggled with sin in many forms and almost destroyed his life. He tells of his story and how he walked out of his destructive lifestyle. I came upon this book because I was enthralled by the song he wrote titled "In Christ Alone". Because my own wilderness away from God took place during Michael's rise in the Christian music scene, I had no idea who he was. I was struck by the powerful words to this song. Here are the words :
In Christ Alone - Michael English (Michael English)
In Christ alone will I glory
Though I could pride myself in battles won
For I've been blessed beyond measure
And by His strength alone I overcome
Oh, I could stop and count successes
Like diamonds in my hand
But those trophies could not equal
To the grace by which I stand
In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone
In Christ alone will I glory
For only by His grace I am redeemed
Only His tender mercy
Could reach beyond my weakness to my need
Now I seek no greater honor
Than just to know Him more
And to count my things but losses
To the glory of the Lord
In his book, he said that even as he received a DOVE award for that song, he was carrying on an extramarital affair. He walked to the podium to accept the award, thinking in his heart," if you all only knew."... These words have haunted me. I did a study called "What kind of honor do you seek?" which discussed honor, how it is to be given and how to handle the whole area of honor. I've always been one who would rather err on the side of caution. I've struggled with my convictions over things such as clapping after songs in church, going to "Christian concerts", and things like this. After reading this book, it helped to solidify for me how I feel about these kinds of things.
I can't participate. I am speaking for me. I can't clap after you've sang a special number at church. No matter how moving the song was, no matter how the song touched my spirit or my soul, I cannot clap. We are to glory in nothing but the Lord, and He will share His Glory with NO ONE!!! The whole idea of a "Christian" awards which are so very similar to the secular world's award shows also make me cringe. We are in this world but we are not to be of this world. What are we doing by just slapping "Christian" on things and thinking it's okay.
What would happen in this world if we ONLY gave God glory? If we refused to accept awards because we did not want any part of His glory? What if Christian singers only led worship to God and did not entertain by putting on concerts? What if our churches were used only for the worship of God? What if you could come to the house of God and learn of Him without having to pay to get in? I don't have all the answers. I'm sure there are plenty of people who could tell me all the thoughts and explainations behind why these things take place, but in the end does it matter to God? How are we advancing the Gospel by these things?
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Finding my place in the body of Christ
I hear so many people talking about "being in ministry" and "finding their purpose" that I wanted to talk a little about my personal experience. Do I think all people should imitate me exactly? NO ABSOLUTELY NOT! However, I believe with all my heart that by hearing someone else's experience, something may strike you and you may see things in a different way that may bring freedom to your life. Many people have touched my life simply by sharing their experience. By now, if you've read my posts, you know that I insist that you check everything to God's Word and by seeking Him in prayer.
With all that said, may I share my thoughts on the push into "ministry"? I'm apalled by it quite frankly. Some churches make service voluntary with announcements from the pulpit to let you know when they are strapped for helpers. Some churches make it mandatory that you help in certain ministries (like the nursery or childrens ministries). We Americans have created quite a machine that we call church. People can make quite a life being involved and keeping the machine running. It can be a place to get your ego satisfied, find your value and worth, find your social life. It can also overtake your family to the point where you rarely see your children, barely speak to your wife and don't have time for friends. I think all those things I've mentioned are pitfalls of so-called "ministry".
How have I navigated all of this? Well, first of all, I've not navigated it perfectly. I've had to learn, and I've hurt my family in my learning process. I have had a huge measure of God's grace dealt to me in this: my personality has been used by God to save me from disaster. How so? Well, for many years I was out of the "ministry loop" because of my devotion to my family/children. This devotion springs from my own childhood where my perception was that my parents were never around. They were in the house, but in their room, and not available to us kids. Please understand that this is my perception and for all I know may not be the complete truth. I am not trying to bash my parents, but my feeling that they were not available has led me to be available constantly for my kids. So, for years when people have asked me to do things, I've often had to say no. I've not gone to all the functions, conferences or served in ministries simply because I did not want to be away from my family. Looking back, I can see how God used that to keep me from some of the "distractions" I've discussed in other posts. How did I make it through that period when I did almost nothing outside my home? I made it by reading. I love to read, and God uses this to teach, correct and minister to me. I've read countless christian fiction, christian living books and my Bible during this time. Music is another way God has sustained me in this time. I've always had a special heart toward music. God has used Christian worship music to mold me, challenge me, uplift me. Never underestimate what God will use in your life.
If I wasn't "out there" serving, going to classes, conferences and such, was I serving God or not? I believe I was ABSOLUTELY serving God. God gave me a family, and my first mission field is to them. My testimony must be honest, and I've had to work out things in my life before my family that the world will never see. God was working fruit in me if nothing else in this time, but I know he's done more. I did serve in a ministry at my former church, and my family served with me. It was a cherished time for me watching my kids, and knowing the impact they had on others.
In what other ways do I serve God? I believe my friendship has been a ministry. If nothing else, I can spend time on the phone encouraging someone, bearing burdens with them, shedding tears with them, and even rejoicing with them. These are all things Christians are called to do. God has also birthed a ministry in me that he began cultivating almost 15 years ago. I've always longed to entertain in my home, and God has given me a ministry where I give "teas" for women several times a year. The guest list is small because I want to get a chance to interact with everyone, and also because I don't want to be overwhelmed. I have been blessed beyond measure by these experiences, every one different from the one before. I've met some wonderful women and I pray that God has been glorified through it all. I also feel that this blog is a ministry. I can see now that my past 6 1/2 years being home, in His Word has prepared me for writing. He placed a love for writing in me in High School where I can remember taking a "Creative Writing" class. 22 years ago he had a plan, and was putting it in place even then.
So, what is an American Christian to do? When we look at the Gospels we see it broken down very simply: Matt. 4:19 "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him." If you follow Jesus, he will lead you in the way you should go. And because God created family, He will show you how to manage the things he gives you to do. If you love Him more than family, work, posessions, He will show you how to live for Him and deal with those things. Let's look at the first part of Matt. 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness..." I think somehow the last part of the verse pricks something in our flesh, so I hesitate to mention it. If we seek HIM FIRST...all the rest will be added.
Do I think I am well thought of in the "church world"? Maybe not, to their eyes I am not doing much for "the church". Do I think I am well thought of by other Christians? Maybe not, because I'm not out there being busy. But do I think I am following Jesus' directive in Matthew? I do. I follow God, and the rest follows. Is it hard to be the one who doesn't go everywhere and do everything? Yes, at times I've felt lonely and forgotten, but I know I'm not forgotten by my Lord. Is it hard when I hear things like ..."The people growing the most spiritually are the ones in ministries in the church"? Yes, because I do feel I'm growing, but not in a way that can be measured by man. It's hard to be the one going against the "flow", but I feel I'm doing what God has called me to do, and I make no apologies for that. In Christ alone, I place my trust.
Why did I write this? To encourage you to Follow Jesus, and leave the areas of "ministry" that He calls you to up to Him. And, don't discount the ways you already serve Him. You may never be publicly thanked or acknowledged for them, but your reward is in heaven.
I do feel this is a bit rambling, and for that I apologize. So many thoughts crowding in at once makes it hard to write concisely. Thank you for your patience.
With all that said, may I share my thoughts on the push into "ministry"? I'm apalled by it quite frankly. Some churches make service voluntary with announcements from the pulpit to let you know when they are strapped for helpers. Some churches make it mandatory that you help in certain ministries (like the nursery or childrens ministries). We Americans have created quite a machine that we call church. People can make quite a life being involved and keeping the machine running. It can be a place to get your ego satisfied, find your value and worth, find your social life. It can also overtake your family to the point where you rarely see your children, barely speak to your wife and don't have time for friends. I think all those things I've mentioned are pitfalls of so-called "ministry".
How have I navigated all of this? Well, first of all, I've not navigated it perfectly. I've had to learn, and I've hurt my family in my learning process. I have had a huge measure of God's grace dealt to me in this: my personality has been used by God to save me from disaster. How so? Well, for many years I was out of the "ministry loop" because of my devotion to my family/children. This devotion springs from my own childhood where my perception was that my parents were never around. They were in the house, but in their room, and not available to us kids. Please understand that this is my perception and for all I know may not be the complete truth. I am not trying to bash my parents, but my feeling that they were not available has led me to be available constantly for my kids. So, for years when people have asked me to do things, I've often had to say no. I've not gone to all the functions, conferences or served in ministries simply because I did not want to be away from my family. Looking back, I can see how God used that to keep me from some of the "distractions" I've discussed in other posts. How did I make it through that period when I did almost nothing outside my home? I made it by reading. I love to read, and God uses this to teach, correct and minister to me. I've read countless christian fiction, christian living books and my Bible during this time. Music is another way God has sustained me in this time. I've always had a special heart toward music. God has used Christian worship music to mold me, challenge me, uplift me. Never underestimate what God will use in your life.
If I wasn't "out there" serving, going to classes, conferences and such, was I serving God or not? I believe I was ABSOLUTELY serving God. God gave me a family, and my first mission field is to them. My testimony must be honest, and I've had to work out things in my life before my family that the world will never see. God was working fruit in me if nothing else in this time, but I know he's done more. I did serve in a ministry at my former church, and my family served with me. It was a cherished time for me watching my kids, and knowing the impact they had on others.
In what other ways do I serve God? I believe my friendship has been a ministry. If nothing else, I can spend time on the phone encouraging someone, bearing burdens with them, shedding tears with them, and even rejoicing with them. These are all things Christians are called to do. God has also birthed a ministry in me that he began cultivating almost 15 years ago. I've always longed to entertain in my home, and God has given me a ministry where I give "teas" for women several times a year. The guest list is small because I want to get a chance to interact with everyone, and also because I don't want to be overwhelmed. I have been blessed beyond measure by these experiences, every one different from the one before. I've met some wonderful women and I pray that God has been glorified through it all. I also feel that this blog is a ministry. I can see now that my past 6 1/2 years being home, in His Word has prepared me for writing. He placed a love for writing in me in High School where I can remember taking a "Creative Writing" class. 22 years ago he had a plan, and was putting it in place even then.
So, what is an American Christian to do? When we look at the Gospels we see it broken down very simply: Matt. 4:19 "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him." If you follow Jesus, he will lead you in the way you should go. And because God created family, He will show you how to manage the things he gives you to do. If you love Him more than family, work, posessions, He will show you how to live for Him and deal with those things. Let's look at the first part of Matt. 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness..." I think somehow the last part of the verse pricks something in our flesh, so I hesitate to mention it. If we seek HIM FIRST...all the rest will be added.
Do I think I am well thought of in the "church world"? Maybe not, to their eyes I am not doing much for "the church". Do I think I am well thought of by other Christians? Maybe not, because I'm not out there being busy. But do I think I am following Jesus' directive in Matthew? I do. I follow God, and the rest follows. Is it hard to be the one who doesn't go everywhere and do everything? Yes, at times I've felt lonely and forgotten, but I know I'm not forgotten by my Lord. Is it hard when I hear things like ..."The people growing the most spiritually are the ones in ministries in the church"? Yes, because I do feel I'm growing, but not in a way that can be measured by man. It's hard to be the one going against the "flow", but I feel I'm doing what God has called me to do, and I make no apologies for that. In Christ alone, I place my trust.
Why did I write this? To encourage you to Follow Jesus, and leave the areas of "ministry" that He calls you to up to Him. And, don't discount the ways you already serve Him. You may never be publicly thanked or acknowledged for them, but your reward is in heaven.
I do feel this is a bit rambling, and for that I apologize. So many thoughts crowding in at once makes it hard to write concisely. Thank you for your patience.
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