"Fear not! For I bring to you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people! For unto you is born this day, in the City of DAvid, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord!"
We tend to quote that passage during the Christmas Season. But I wonder how much thought we give it at other times. Fear not! That is quite a bold statement, yet so profound for our times! People are fearful of many things. The economy has many otherwise calm, intelligent people, experiencing sleepless nights, plotting and planning...Health care and health issues drain the finances and peace of many these days. Simple tests can not only be expensive, but also revealing of challenges most don't want to face. Children! What does the future hold for them? Will there be ammenties for them? Will there even be enough food and water and natural resources to give them a future life as we have known it? The list could go on and on. Fear is a powerful tool. It has been used by politicians, by preachers, by governments and tyrrants. And, most certainly, by the enemy, satan.
"I bring you tidings of GREAT joy which shall be to ALL people!" The coming of Jesus was not then, and never has been, proclaimed as GREAT joy to all people. He has become an offense to many. Even those of us who claim to be His followers do not consistantly live in GREAT joy! We often let the fear and worry cloud out the joy. Joy is based in faith, not fact. Facts can be daunting. Facts can be skewed. But faith...IS the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen! IF we really believed that, we should be living in constant and GREAT joy! ALL of us! He came for ALL people. Are we making that evident?
"For unto us is born, THIS day..." Sometimes the birth of Jesus can seem like a long ago historical event, which, of course, it is. But THIS day is the day in which He can be born in us afresh! His birth takes on new significance every time we bask in His love. Think about all that it meant for GOD the SON to give up His Godhood and come down to Earth, submitting to the confinements of a human body! It baffles me! It is overwhelming to think that He would do this for us! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! This is the day to praise and serve our Savior.
"In the City of David, a SAVIOR, Christ, the LORD!" The geographical spot of His historical birth is extremely significant for manyh reasons. I choose not to go into details here on this blog, today...maybe another blog soon... But the fact that He is the SAVIOR and LORD stand out! He is Savior of the entire world! Even those who do not recognize or acknowledge Him were on His mind and heart on that cross! His love kept Him hanging there!
The Word says that one day EVERY knee shall bow, and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD! He is Lord of the Universe! He is the Lord of lords. But even more significant and amazing, He is the Lord of my life! I have given thought, yet probably not enough, to just what that lordship should mean. And I fall very short.
When Jesus reigns in our hearts, so does peace, joy, love, etc. And yet, how much do I worry, fret, become depressed, and even get angry at others that He loves so much! How often I try to control my life, and sometimes the lives of those around me! I fuss about the politians. I worry about the future. I complain about the economy! I scurry about in traffic, wishing others would drive like I want them to! So, I must ask myself...Is He really LORD? Is He LORD THIS day? Am I living the GREAT joy, or seeking out my own happiness? Am I fearless or fearful?
I pray that each day becomes THIS day of GREAT joy to ALL people so we can FEAR NOT! And it starts with me...let there be peace on earth (and in all hearts) and let it begin with ME!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
LESSONS FROM THE TREEHOUSE...POOR IN SPIRIT
SHARING SOME LESSON FROM OUR CHILDREN'S MINISTRY!
Jesus was up on a mountain ministering to many people when He told them how to receive the blessings of God. He mentioned several attitudes that we should have if we are to receive God’s best. This is called the “Sermon on the Mount” among many Christians. It is also called the Beatitudes. We are going to be studying those “attitudes” as the way we should “be” or live. These are our “Be Attitudes”! And they are the way to God’s blessing. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”
What does it mean to be “poor in spirit’? Sounds like most of our characters here today are having a hard time understanding this. Some people think it is just being “down”, acting serious instead of silly. Others think it means to actually be poor…like no money…no self-value…not liking yourself. But that is NOT what Jesus was talking about when He spoke of the many blessings God wants to give us.
Being “poor” in spirit simply means to be aware of our weaknesses and be willing to quickly repent when we mess up! There is a story in the Bible about a young man who really messed up big time. He went from being very rich, to being very poor in a very short time. He didn’t start off very “poor in spirit” and wasn’t set out to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
You see, this young man and his brother were the sons of a very wealthy man. The younger one decided that he wanted to have more fun than he thought he was having at his dad’s place. He knew that one day he and his brother would inherit all that their father owned. And that was a LOT! But this young man did not want to wait around until his dad died and left it all to them. He wasn’t really interested in the family business or property…only the money it brought them. So, he decided that it made much more sense to ask his dad for his inheritance now. He thought that if he was given the money that he would eventually receive NOW that he would have much more fun. He did not value the right things in life. He did not think about his future, only what he wanted right then. He may even have teased his brother for not joining him in requesting money to waste while they are young.
Well, his father loved his son very much. He must have known that this was not a good choice for his son. But, for whatever reason, the father gave in and let him have the money. Perhaps the young man had argued or presented a case that sounded reasonable. Or perhaps that was a choice the father had made available at one time. Or perhaps he knew that this son would not learn the lessons he needed any other way.
So, the young man took off with his riches. He called all of his friends and their other friends, and everybody who knew who he was, to come and party with him. He was so popular! He was a star! Everyone loved him! They had such a great time. He had one party…then another…and another. He showed his friends a great time. They must have gone to all the amusement parks of their day. They must have ridden camels and horses and participated in chariot races. They may have traveled around the area, looking for adventure. They tried everything they could to have fun.
But, it only lasted a little while. The young man had not thought about what he would do when his money ran out. Maybe he assumed one of his friends would give him more. Perhaps he thought he could get more by gambling or playing games for money. The sad news was…his money was gone and there was no more. There was no one to give him nor lend him any money. All the friends that had shared in the fun left him. They probably called him “Loser!” and other such names. They probably laughed at him for not planning his budget. They were no longer his friends. Apparently they left him and didn’t even take him back home or with them.
He found himself all alone, hungry, and broke! He wished he was back home with his dad and brother. But how could he get back? He had no money and was too tired and hungry to walk all that way. Besides, he thought that his father would be ashamed of him and not want him back. So, he went to look for work. He probably didn’t really know how to do much, since he had been wealthy and had had servants at his father’s home. And there were not a lot of jobs available. But he did find one…feeding pigs! Pigs are not very clean or mannerly animals. In fact, many Jewish people thought of them as unclean to be around, to the extent that people who were around them were not accepted in the community. But this boy was hungry! So, he took the job. As he was pouring the slop on the trough, he wanted to eat it himself! Imagine eating pig’s slop! Pigs eat whatever nobody else wants to eat! They eat the garbage that is scraped from plates or dropped on the floor. They eat the empty corn cobs, weeds, carrot tops, roots, etc. This boy had eaten wonderful meals full of his favorite things, yet here he was jealous of what the pigs were eating! No one, not his boss, not his former friends, not any pretty girls, not any pigs…gave him anything!
So, he finally had a good thought! “I know! I will go back to my father’s house. I am not worthy to be his son now that I have wasted his money and did some things I should not have done. I have brought shame to his house. So! He gave me what I wanted before, maybe he will again! I will ask him to allow me to be a servant. My dad’s servants eat a LOT better than these pigs. He is kind to them and they have nice rooms to sleep in as well. I would LOVE to just be a servant in his house. I am going home to see if he will let me serve him so I can eat again!
This young man had learned to be “poor in spirit”. He began to understand that he was not any better than the servants his father hired. He realized that serving others was a good thing…and that being sorry was not good enough, He had to be willing to change his attitude. He had to be willing to go from being a “big shot”, “cool dude” wanting to be popular and famous, to being willing to serve and earn his “keep”. What an attitude adjustment for him!
Repentance means turning around and changing the direction you were headed. It means being willing to become completely different and give up all that you desired before. That is being poor in spirit, and this boy had finally achieved it!
He headed back, tired, lonely, and still hungry. It was a long walk. People did not treat him kindly. They thought he was a homeless wanderer, maybe even dangerous. So, he went on alone..,
Meanwhile, back at his father’s house, his dad had watched for him every day. He looked down the lane. He sent servants to look further down the lane, knowing that some day, his son would return.
And that day, he did return! The father saw him coming. The servants may not have recognized him, but the father did! He knew it was his son! He ran down the lane to meet him, and fell at his feet and kissed him.
The son was very touched by this and said “I am not worthy to be called your son. Just let me be a servant in your house. I will be totally happy with that!”
But the father called his servants and told them to kill the fattest calf he had, get some music going, and have a party. “My son is home!” he cried.
The older brother wasn’t so happy with all of this because he had been obedient and hard-working while his brother messed up. He complained that it was not fair. But his dad said “You have always had my blessing. Your heart was always to serve me.
You have always understood being ‘poor in spirit’, humble and hard-working. Everything I have has always been and always will be yours. But your brother, here, was dead and is alive again. He did not have a proper heart for blessing, but now he does. We MUST rejoice and have a party!”
So, they celebrated that this young man learned how to have a repentant heart, how to have a servant’s heart, and how to be poor in spirit. This time he can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. That means he can live with God forever, and have all that God has for us, which is MUST MORE than the wealthy father had to offer.
Jesus was up on a mountain ministering to many people when He told them how to receive the blessings of God. He mentioned several attitudes that we should have if we are to receive God’s best. This is called the “Sermon on the Mount” among many Christians. It is also called the Beatitudes. We are going to be studying those “attitudes” as the way we should “be” or live. These are our “Be Attitudes”! And they are the way to God’s blessing. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”
What does it mean to be “poor in spirit’? Sounds like most of our characters here today are having a hard time understanding this. Some people think it is just being “down”, acting serious instead of silly. Others think it means to actually be poor…like no money…no self-value…not liking yourself. But that is NOT what Jesus was talking about when He spoke of the many blessings God wants to give us.
Being “poor” in spirit simply means to be aware of our weaknesses and be willing to quickly repent when we mess up! There is a story in the Bible about a young man who really messed up big time. He went from being very rich, to being very poor in a very short time. He didn’t start off very “poor in spirit” and wasn’t set out to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.
You see, this young man and his brother were the sons of a very wealthy man. The younger one decided that he wanted to have more fun than he thought he was having at his dad’s place. He knew that one day he and his brother would inherit all that their father owned. And that was a LOT! But this young man did not want to wait around until his dad died and left it all to them. He wasn’t really interested in the family business or property…only the money it brought them. So, he decided that it made much more sense to ask his dad for his inheritance now. He thought that if he was given the money that he would eventually receive NOW that he would have much more fun. He did not value the right things in life. He did not think about his future, only what he wanted right then. He may even have teased his brother for not joining him in requesting money to waste while they are young.
Well, his father loved his son very much. He must have known that this was not a good choice for his son. But, for whatever reason, the father gave in and let him have the money. Perhaps the young man had argued or presented a case that sounded reasonable. Or perhaps that was a choice the father had made available at one time. Or perhaps he knew that this son would not learn the lessons he needed any other way.
So, the young man took off with his riches. He called all of his friends and their other friends, and everybody who knew who he was, to come and party with him. He was so popular! He was a star! Everyone loved him! They had such a great time. He had one party…then another…and another. He showed his friends a great time. They must have gone to all the amusement parks of their day. They must have ridden camels and horses and participated in chariot races. They may have traveled around the area, looking for adventure. They tried everything they could to have fun.
But, it only lasted a little while. The young man had not thought about what he would do when his money ran out. Maybe he assumed one of his friends would give him more. Perhaps he thought he could get more by gambling or playing games for money. The sad news was…his money was gone and there was no more. There was no one to give him nor lend him any money. All the friends that had shared in the fun left him. They probably called him “Loser!” and other such names. They probably laughed at him for not planning his budget. They were no longer his friends. Apparently they left him and didn’t even take him back home or with them.
He found himself all alone, hungry, and broke! He wished he was back home with his dad and brother. But how could he get back? He had no money and was too tired and hungry to walk all that way. Besides, he thought that his father would be ashamed of him and not want him back. So, he went to look for work. He probably didn’t really know how to do much, since he had been wealthy and had had servants at his father’s home. And there were not a lot of jobs available. But he did find one…feeding pigs! Pigs are not very clean or mannerly animals. In fact, many Jewish people thought of them as unclean to be around, to the extent that people who were around them were not accepted in the community. But this boy was hungry! So, he took the job. As he was pouring the slop on the trough, he wanted to eat it himself! Imagine eating pig’s slop! Pigs eat whatever nobody else wants to eat! They eat the garbage that is scraped from plates or dropped on the floor. They eat the empty corn cobs, weeds, carrot tops, roots, etc. This boy had eaten wonderful meals full of his favorite things, yet here he was jealous of what the pigs were eating! No one, not his boss, not his former friends, not any pretty girls, not any pigs…gave him anything!
So, he finally had a good thought! “I know! I will go back to my father’s house. I am not worthy to be his son now that I have wasted his money and did some things I should not have done. I have brought shame to his house. So! He gave me what I wanted before, maybe he will again! I will ask him to allow me to be a servant. My dad’s servants eat a LOT better than these pigs. He is kind to them and they have nice rooms to sleep in as well. I would LOVE to just be a servant in his house. I am going home to see if he will let me serve him so I can eat again!
This young man had learned to be “poor in spirit”. He began to understand that he was not any better than the servants his father hired. He realized that serving others was a good thing…and that being sorry was not good enough, He had to be willing to change his attitude. He had to be willing to go from being a “big shot”, “cool dude” wanting to be popular and famous, to being willing to serve and earn his “keep”. What an attitude adjustment for him!
Repentance means turning around and changing the direction you were headed. It means being willing to become completely different and give up all that you desired before. That is being poor in spirit, and this boy had finally achieved it!
He headed back, tired, lonely, and still hungry. It was a long walk. People did not treat him kindly. They thought he was a homeless wanderer, maybe even dangerous. So, he went on alone..,
Meanwhile, back at his father’s house, his dad had watched for him every day. He looked down the lane. He sent servants to look further down the lane, knowing that some day, his son would return.
And that day, he did return! The father saw him coming. The servants may not have recognized him, but the father did! He knew it was his son! He ran down the lane to meet him, and fell at his feet and kissed him.
The son was very touched by this and said “I am not worthy to be called your son. Just let me be a servant in your house. I will be totally happy with that!”
But the father called his servants and told them to kill the fattest calf he had, get some music going, and have a party. “My son is home!” he cried.
The older brother wasn’t so happy with all of this because he had been obedient and hard-working while his brother messed up. He complained that it was not fair. But his dad said “You have always had my blessing. Your heart was always to serve me.
You have always understood being ‘poor in spirit’, humble and hard-working. Everything I have has always been and always will be yours. But your brother, here, was dead and is alive again. He did not have a proper heart for blessing, but now he does. We MUST rejoice and have a party!”
So, they celebrated that this young man learned how to have a repentant heart, how to have a servant’s heart, and how to be poor in spirit. This time he can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. That means he can live with God forever, and have all that God has for us, which is MUST MORE than the wealthy father had to offer.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Missing the Commitment
I think I am missing something here...like maybe commitment to write this blog on a regualr basis? I write it daily...in my head...but somehow it seems my fingers don't get around to typing it as promised. I don't mean to be a slackard. I don't mean to make promises or the insinuations thereof, that I can't keep. But I do. I guess it is the same old problem...I think I can do more than I should. I have great intentions, but little motivation at times.
I realized that the entire month of February, I did not write one single line on this blog. I got another year older. Is that a good excuse? My grandson got another year older...how about that one? Potty-training an almost-three year old granddaughter? No? Oh well...I tried.
The point is, that I am realizing that I have this problem in more areas of my life than just this blog. I start out with good intentions and feeling motivated and lose track of things along the way.
It is true, that life is much more than blogs. Like homeschooling...and writing curriculum for my church...and writing puppets skits...and gardening vegetables, and moving, and cleaining, and taking all the grandchildren places, and being there for my husband and friends...I could go on and on as I have a very full life.
But, amidst my busyness and fullness in life, I must remember two things: 1. Not to bite off more than I can chew, yet remembering at the same time, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! And 2. That I must keep the commitments that I do make and should make them only after prayerful consideration.
Therefore, I have a new commitment to this blog...I shall not attempt to make it dailly, nor even weekly (although that COULD happen!) I shall promise to write as God prompts me...and I expect that to be weekly or at least monthly! I may use some of the curriculum writings to fill in from time to time.
One of the biggest motivators in my life is response! I get very little to no response from readers of this blog, so I have no reason to continue...
I once took a motivational test and it came out that my main motivating factor was to feel that I had made a difference in someone's life, whether it was just enjoyment or a changed decision, did not matter. But I need people to validate my life.
The problem is that I reap what I sow. I have three very good friends who also have blogs that I find difficult to read on a regular basis. The blogs are not difficult, my choices of how to spend my time makes it difficult. so, I find myself only reading them sporadically...so I guess I reap what I sow...
But I DO try to leave a note on theirs once in a while! That was a hint!
I realized that the entire month of February, I did not write one single line on this blog. I got another year older. Is that a good excuse? My grandson got another year older...how about that one? Potty-training an almost-three year old granddaughter? No? Oh well...I tried.
The point is, that I am realizing that I have this problem in more areas of my life than just this blog. I start out with good intentions and feeling motivated and lose track of things along the way.
It is true, that life is much more than blogs. Like homeschooling...and writing curriculum for my church...and writing puppets skits...and gardening vegetables, and moving, and cleaining, and taking all the grandchildren places, and being there for my husband and friends...I could go on and on as I have a very full life.
But, amidst my busyness and fullness in life, I must remember two things: 1. Not to bite off more than I can chew, yet remembering at the same time, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! And 2. That I must keep the commitments that I do make and should make them only after prayerful consideration.
Therefore, I have a new commitment to this blog...I shall not attempt to make it dailly, nor even weekly (although that COULD happen!) I shall promise to write as God prompts me...and I expect that to be weekly or at least monthly! I may use some of the curriculum writings to fill in from time to time.
One of the biggest motivators in my life is response! I get very little to no response from readers of this blog, so I have no reason to continue...
I once took a motivational test and it came out that my main motivating factor was to feel that I had made a difference in someone's life, whether it was just enjoyment or a changed decision, did not matter. But I need people to validate my life.
The problem is that I reap what I sow. I have three very good friends who also have blogs that I find difficult to read on a regular basis. The blogs are not difficult, my choices of how to spend my time makes it difficult. so, I find myself only reading them sporadically...so I guess I reap what I sow...
But I DO try to leave a note on theirs once in a while! That was a hint!
The Recluse
Tom is gone. Just like that. One day he was here, helping people and loving his wife, and a few short days later, he was gone from this earth! His saga is sad, leaving behind many many friends and family members who loved him so. The suddeness of it all prompted me to write...
He was done in by a recluse...a tiny, brown recluse spider bit him on the leg. He didn't notice much until the pain began. He thought it was his bursitis. Then he began flu-like symptoms. He thought he had the flu which was antagonizing his bursitis. He even went a doctor. I am not sure, at this point, whether they examined his leg or, like him, just assumed it was bursitis. At any rate, he recieved pain meds and was sent home. The meds kept him sleeping most of the day. But the spider had not been sleeping! Those nasty little varmits don't take long to do a six-foot-plus man in! He went to the hospital and was admitted. He made a valiant attempt to survivie. Almost made it a week...most of that in a coma...and then he passed on.
Tom was a gentle, kind man ready to give assistance to anyone in need. But, he did not notice his own need until it was too late!
I thought of spiritual correlations to his plight. How many times have we been "bitten" by evil one way or another and not really noticed? Perhpas given in to temptation. Perhaps resisted showing kindness or gentleness or patience...any of the Fruit of the Spirit. Perhaps been attacked by others and left to sort out our own pain, medicating it with whatever made us comfortable. Or, perhaps, we became a recluse ourselves. Hiding and withdrawing from those who love and could help us. The tiniest of spiders can be the deadliest! The tiniest of sin can lead us into destruction!
Maybe we, like Tom, thought we could self-diagnose; self-heal...just take the meds and sleep it off. Spider bites don't work that way. Neither does sin. Maybe we ignore symptoms thinking we are tough enough to endure. Meanwhile, the symptoms grow and the destruction ravages our spirits, much like the spider poison ravaged Tom's body. By the time we finally submit to "hospitalization", the poison has spread throughout the body of Christ. If we have chosen to complain, to grumble, to insist we are "okay" and want to be left alone; if we choose to "sleep" instead of "pray thorugh"; if we think ourselves spiritually mature and "tough", we could find ourselves in seriously critical condition. (the last report we got on Tom before his death).
How many ministries have died? How many lost opportunities? How much pain have we suffered in silence and alone? The antidote for spider bites is not pleasant. And snake bites are worse treatment yet. But, in order to stay alive, one must submit to treatment. Tom did. He would have gone earlier if he had realized the danger. He wanted to live. He was not arrogant. But he was ignorant...of the spider's power, and perhaps, even of it having bitten him.
I wonder how many times I have been ignorant of the bites of sin in my life. I wonder how many times I thought my pain to be related to something else...something less potentially devastating...something less painful to treat.
I have a tendancy to retreat at times, and not expose my hurt. I wear my "big girl" pants and try to cover the injury instead of exposing myself to a full examiniation of the Spirit. He know anyway. He weeps for my lack of trust in Him. He weeps that I would choose to fight for my spiritual survival rather than allow HIim to administer the treatment. My concern is sometimes, "What will my friends think? They assume I can handle this or that, etc." But when my concern over others supercedes my willingness to be exposed by the Holy Spirit, I have endangered my well-being.
Let us not become little brown recluse spiders, hiding in the desert, lashing out in panic when disturbed. Let us not become spiritually dead trying to ignore the symptoms or self-diagnosing them rather than opening up to His Word which is sharper than any two-sided sword! Let us live in openess. Let us examine ourselves as the Bible says...let us confess our faults to one another...let us expose the poison of sin in our lives so that we may be healed!
God bless you, Tom...you are in a better place...and the spider is dead!
He was done in by a recluse...a tiny, brown recluse spider bit him on the leg. He didn't notice much until the pain began. He thought it was his bursitis. Then he began flu-like symptoms. He thought he had the flu which was antagonizing his bursitis. He even went a doctor. I am not sure, at this point, whether they examined his leg or, like him, just assumed it was bursitis. At any rate, he recieved pain meds and was sent home. The meds kept him sleeping most of the day. But the spider had not been sleeping! Those nasty little varmits don't take long to do a six-foot-plus man in! He went to the hospital and was admitted. He made a valiant attempt to survivie. Almost made it a week...most of that in a coma...and then he passed on.
Tom was a gentle, kind man ready to give assistance to anyone in need. But, he did not notice his own need until it was too late!
I thought of spiritual correlations to his plight. How many times have we been "bitten" by evil one way or another and not really noticed? Perhpas given in to temptation. Perhaps resisted showing kindness or gentleness or patience...any of the Fruit of the Spirit. Perhaps been attacked by others and left to sort out our own pain, medicating it with whatever made us comfortable. Or, perhaps, we became a recluse ourselves. Hiding and withdrawing from those who love and could help us. The tiniest of spiders can be the deadliest! The tiniest of sin can lead us into destruction!
Maybe we, like Tom, thought we could self-diagnose; self-heal...just take the meds and sleep it off. Spider bites don't work that way. Neither does sin. Maybe we ignore symptoms thinking we are tough enough to endure. Meanwhile, the symptoms grow and the destruction ravages our spirits, much like the spider poison ravaged Tom's body. By the time we finally submit to "hospitalization", the poison has spread throughout the body of Christ. If we have chosen to complain, to grumble, to insist we are "okay" and want to be left alone; if we choose to "sleep" instead of "pray thorugh"; if we think ourselves spiritually mature and "tough", we could find ourselves in seriously critical condition. (the last report we got on Tom before his death).
How many ministries have died? How many lost opportunities? How much pain have we suffered in silence and alone? The antidote for spider bites is not pleasant. And snake bites are worse treatment yet. But, in order to stay alive, one must submit to treatment. Tom did. He would have gone earlier if he had realized the danger. He wanted to live. He was not arrogant. But he was ignorant...of the spider's power, and perhaps, even of it having bitten him.
I wonder how many times I have been ignorant of the bites of sin in my life. I wonder how many times I thought my pain to be related to something else...something less potentially devastating...something less painful to treat.
I have a tendancy to retreat at times, and not expose my hurt. I wear my "big girl" pants and try to cover the injury instead of exposing myself to a full examiniation of the Spirit. He know anyway. He weeps for my lack of trust in Him. He weeps that I would choose to fight for my spiritual survival rather than allow HIim to administer the treatment. My concern is sometimes, "What will my friends think? They assume I can handle this or that, etc." But when my concern over others supercedes my willingness to be exposed by the Holy Spirit, I have endangered my well-being.
Let us not become little brown recluse spiders, hiding in the desert, lashing out in panic when disturbed. Let us not become spiritually dead trying to ignore the symptoms or self-diagnosing them rather than opening up to His Word which is sharper than any two-sided sword! Let us live in openess. Let us examine ourselves as the Bible says...let us confess our faults to one another...let us expose the poison of sin in our lives so that we may be healed!
God bless you, Tom...you are in a better place...and the spider is dead!
Friday, January 29, 2010
A Time to Trust
Trust has been a topic of discussion in several scenarios I have found myself in recently... How to know when to trust someone who has hurt you... How to have faith when things don't seem to go the way you prayed for and believed for. Certainly the institutions and systems of our day have failed us!
Trusting people has always been risky. I have read numerous reports of people doing things others never thought they would; both good and bad. The newspapers and TV news are full of stories of people murdering others, or doing some other henious crime totally against their nature, according to those that thought they knew them. There are people in prisons wondering themselves why they did what they did.
A moment of rage. A moment of panic. A decision not to take medications, not to listen to counselors, not to do the right thing...all of these can lead to regrettable actions. These actions often have monumentous consequences.
Sometimes I do not even trust myself. I know that, given the right set of circumstances, I too, could make a stupid decision.
That is why Jesus encouraged us to spend time daily with Him. To take up our cross, daily and follow Him. We cannot afford, as people, to try to make it on our own for even one day. We get tired. We get discouraged. We miss understand God's love and plan. We get angry. We get hurt. We get lonely. We start to listen to the many voices around us that do not honor God. And those voices can sound reasonable, leading us astray.
These times are hard. Many are facing the loss of jobs, security, and even homes. It is tempting to become angry when God doesn't choose to bail us out, in our way of thinking. It is easy to look at the situation of the moment and forget He has a greater plan that encompasses eternity.
Who can we trust? Only God. How can we trust? By getting to know Him more each day through prayer and reading His Word. It is difficult to trust in Someone we cannot see. It is hard to understand why our prayers are not always answered in the way we requested.
But, what have we besides trust? History has proven that humans are a resilient creation. We can trust in ourselves. We can trust in each other. We can trust in an unseen God. History has also proven which One is the best choice! I am choosing this day to serve and trust the Lord!
Who can we trust?
Trusting people has always been risky. I have read numerous reports of people doing things others never thought they would; both good and bad. The newspapers and TV news are full of stories of people murdering others, or doing some other henious crime totally against their nature, according to those that thought they knew them. There are people in prisons wondering themselves why they did what they did.
A moment of rage. A moment of panic. A decision not to take medications, not to listen to counselors, not to do the right thing...all of these can lead to regrettable actions. These actions often have monumentous consequences.
Sometimes I do not even trust myself. I know that, given the right set of circumstances, I too, could make a stupid decision.
That is why Jesus encouraged us to spend time daily with Him. To take up our cross, daily and follow Him. We cannot afford, as people, to try to make it on our own for even one day. We get tired. We get discouraged. We miss understand God's love and plan. We get angry. We get hurt. We get lonely. We start to listen to the many voices around us that do not honor God. And those voices can sound reasonable, leading us astray.
These times are hard. Many are facing the loss of jobs, security, and even homes. It is tempting to become angry when God doesn't choose to bail us out, in our way of thinking. It is easy to look at the situation of the moment and forget He has a greater plan that encompasses eternity.
Who can we trust? Only God. How can we trust? By getting to know Him more each day through prayer and reading His Word. It is difficult to trust in Someone we cannot see. It is hard to understand why our prayers are not always answered in the way we requested.
But, what have we besides trust? History has proven that humans are a resilient creation. We can trust in ourselves. We can trust in each other. We can trust in an unseen God. History has also proven which One is the best choice! I am choosing this day to serve and trust the Lord!
Who can we trust?
Monday, January 18, 2010
Blacklight of Love
Working in the health care field can be quite challenging. It has great rewards, grreat disappointments, great lessons. Caring for others, no matter how diligently one tires, is not an easy task! There are many facets of life involved and meeting the demands of others challenging in many ways. Among the cautions that one must take, is special car of what healthcare professionals call "infection control".
In the facility where I worked classes were available to convince us of the severity of this issue. The most simple concept was proper hand-washing. We all liked to think that this was an obvious, easily accomplished task. Yet, evidence of the need for more education kept surfacing. The nursing department purchased a divice to help us realize our inadequacies in proper technique. It consisted of a black florescent light, which, when hands had been washed with a special chemical and placed beneath this light, would reveal all themssed spots. All the germs still lufking in the crevices of the knuckles, nails, and such.
We didn't particularly like this dirll becuase to our horror, there were usually many germs proudly displaying themselves on our hands. At times, it felt like we would never get it right!
I thought about this exercise and realized it related to my life. There were ties when I rushed though life, barely taking time to worry about what might be clean and right and what might be wrong or dirty. And there were times when i tried to wash away the grime of life, attitudes, opinions, and failures. And thinking I had done a good job rising about my mistakes, I went headlong into the duties of life.
I often wondered why it seemed more poison, and difficulties seemed to arrive. I thought I was doing everything I could; all that I knew to do. It was then that I realized that God allowed the doffoculties, the dark times, because i needed to see that I, in myself, am hopeless to get "it" right. I can wash. I can change my outward behavior. i can hhold my tongue, donform my actions, but it is not enought to change my heart. It is not enought to bring me true peace inside, nor true joy and happiness.
Just like that black light revelaed germs otherwise unseen, yet posiing great danger, so the difficulties, things I did not understand, revealed the inadequacies of my self-righteousness. God, in His great mercy andlove, allowed dark times, blacklights of His love, to examine my heart and reveal my true character.
But He doesn't leave it there. He doesn't say, "Go back and wash again and get it right!" He reaches down, takes my hands, and washes me with the only thing that can truly make me clean...His own blood. the blood that Jesus allowed to spill for me. It dawned on me that the day Jesus died for sinful mankind must have seemed like a dark day in God's eyes. Even though He knew the glorious outcome, He also felt the pain adn agony His sone was feeling that moment. He knew there would be many who would reject HIm, mock Him, despise Him. Yet His love compelled Him to walk through that dark hour for us. How can I complain when He chooses to allow things I would call "dark" to shed His "light" on my life? How can I resist letting HIm wash me, challenge me, grow in me? I thanked Him daily for that blacklight at work, protecting me from germs. But i praise Him for eternity for that dark day He endured for me. And I welcome the dark light of His total Lordship in my life.
In the facility where I worked classes were available to convince us of the severity of this issue. The most simple concept was proper hand-washing. We all liked to think that this was an obvious, easily accomplished task. Yet, evidence of the need for more education kept surfacing. The nursing department purchased a divice to help us realize our inadequacies in proper technique. It consisted of a black florescent light, which, when hands had been washed with a special chemical and placed beneath this light, would reveal all themssed spots. All the germs still lufking in the crevices of the knuckles, nails, and such.
We didn't particularly like this dirll becuase to our horror, there were usually many germs proudly displaying themselves on our hands. At times, it felt like we would never get it right!
I thought about this exercise and realized it related to my life. There were ties when I rushed though life, barely taking time to worry about what might be clean and right and what might be wrong or dirty. And there were times when i tried to wash away the grime of life, attitudes, opinions, and failures. And thinking I had done a good job rising about my mistakes, I went headlong into the duties of life.
I often wondered why it seemed more poison, and difficulties seemed to arrive. I thought I was doing everything I could; all that I knew to do. It was then that I realized that God allowed the doffoculties, the dark times, because i needed to see that I, in myself, am hopeless to get "it" right. I can wash. I can change my outward behavior. i can hhold my tongue, donform my actions, but it is not enought to change my heart. It is not enought to bring me true peace inside, nor true joy and happiness.
Just like that black light revelaed germs otherwise unseen, yet posiing great danger, so the difficulties, things I did not understand, revealed the inadequacies of my self-righteousness. God, in His great mercy andlove, allowed dark times, blacklights of His love, to examine my heart and reveal my true character.
But He doesn't leave it there. He doesn't say, "Go back and wash again and get it right!" He reaches down, takes my hands, and washes me with the only thing that can truly make me clean...His own blood. the blood that Jesus allowed to spill for me. It dawned on me that the day Jesus died for sinful mankind must have seemed like a dark day in God's eyes. Even though He knew the glorious outcome, He also felt the pain adn agony His sone was feeling that moment. He knew there would be many who would reject HIm, mock Him, despise Him. Yet His love compelled Him to walk through that dark hour for us. How can I complain when He chooses to allow things I would call "dark" to shed His "light" on my life? How can I resist letting HIm wash me, challenge me, grow in me? I thanked Him daily for that blacklight at work, protecting me from germs. But i praise Him for eternity for that dark day He endured for me. And I welcome the dark light of His total Lordship in my life.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Camel or sheep?
Camel or Sheep?
I have come to Your bubbling water,
For I am thirsty in my soul.
I have tasted of Your clover sweet;
My spirit is made whole.
While some try life without You,
I must linger near.
Your presence is my sustenance;
I need my Shepherd here.
For I am not a camel, Lord,
Can't store enough for days.
I am just a simple sheep
Who daily finds Your ways.
You meet me every morning,
And the water of Your Word
Fills me with Your Spirit;
Your voice, I know I've heard.
And out across the desert
when life gets hard to bear,
I know I'm not a canel, Lord,
I'm a sheep whose life You spare.
When the heat of life is on my back,
And hot tears sre on dry ground,
I know there is a river, Lord,
that in You can be found.
So may I not act like a camel,
Coming to the river's flow
Only when I thirst inside,
But let me daily in You grow!
I have come to Your bubbling water,
For I am thirsty in my soul.
I have tasted of Your clover sweet;
My spirit is made whole.
While some try life without You,
I must linger near.
Your presence is my sustenance;
I need my Shepherd here.
For I am not a camel, Lord,
Can't store enough for days.
I am just a simple sheep
Who daily finds Your ways.
You meet me every morning,
And the water of Your Word
Fills me with Your Spirit;
Your voice, I know I've heard.
And out across the desert
when life gets hard to bear,
I know I'm not a canel, Lord,
I'm a sheep whose life You spare.
When the heat of life is on my back,
And hot tears sre on dry ground,
I know there is a river, Lord,
that in You can be found.
So may I not act like a camel,
Coming to the river's flow
Only when I thirst inside,
But let me daily in You grow!
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