May 21st 2011
Someone has declared that the end of the world is tomorrow, he says that he knows that Jesus is returning on that day. Even though God's Holy Bible says that no man will know the day or hour, this guys says he knows the secret.
I hear that people are stockpiling food, selling all they own, cashing in their bank accounts....why? Are they so convinced that they will be left? How sad is that?
Others are out partying, drinking themselves into a stupor, pretending that they are not afraid. Maybe they are not afraid but isn't that worse?
How sly is the enemy to keep causing these 'false alarms', drugging us into nonchalance, making the return of our King a joke.
One of these days (and no one knows when) He will return, there will be a trumpet sound, the sky will open up and He will appear in all His glory. We will then see the Creator of all things, the One who conquered death for us, who sacrificed all He had in order for us to be with the Father.
We will then realize how poorly we follow Him, how disobedient we really are. We will see how shallow our interests have been and how hollow our pursuits for happiness.
We will see the truth of His love for us, His faithfulness to us, how much He has desired our fellowship. We will see what we forfeited when we chose to please ourselves instead of pleasing Him. We will see how much better our lives on this earth could have been if we had chosen to live His way, in purity, kindness, focusing on others instead of ourselves.
We are a selfish, immoral, unfaithful, stubborn people and it amazes me to know that He loves us anyway, that He lovingly and patiently waits for us to see the error of our ways and turn to Him. The greatest gift He has ever given us is His grace - His 'undeserved favor'!
When He returns and you think you will go with Him, please examine your life and make sure it lines up with His plan for you; don't be surprised by getting left behind. Live by His Word, the Bible.
When He returns and you don't expect to go with Him, please know that He loves you and that is the last thing He wants! Nothing you have ever done will ever EVER stop Him from loving you and it is never NEVER too late to choose Him.
Those of you who wait for Him, who walk in righteousness and humility, hang tight til He returns. Continue to love His way, continue to stand for His ways, continue to fight for those who are lost, deceived or ignorant. Remember that the enemy is not flesh and blood, live in peace as best you can. Fight the good fight by prayer, worship and fasting. Fellowship with the family of God, find strength in the unity of His Spirit. Be strong and courageous.
He Will Return!
1/30/12
My Soapbox on Marriage
I wrote this on April 27, 2010
Attention all wives! He is never going to appear repentant enough in your eyes!!
Attention all husbands! She is never going to appear forgiving enough in your eyes!!
Matt 18:32-35
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Please get your eyes off the other and keep them on your own life in Christ! Use this time to focus on your walk, are your actions honoring Christ? Leave your spouse to God, He is fully capable of bringing about change IN HIS TIME not yours!! Trust the God who created the both of you and brought you into His kingdom, He has a plan for your marriage! Do NOT allow the enemy to play in the midst of your holy relationship!!
Okay, I have stepped off my soapbox!
Attention all wives! He is never going to appear repentant enough in your eyes!!
Attention all husbands! She is never going to appear forgiving enough in your eyes!!
Matt 18:32-35
"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Please get your eyes off the other and keep them on your own life in Christ! Use this time to focus on your walk, are your actions honoring Christ? Leave your spouse to God, He is fully capable of bringing about change IN HIS TIME not yours!! Trust the God who created the both of you and brought you into His kingdom, He has a plan for your marriage! Do NOT allow the enemy to play in the midst of your holy relationship!!
Okay, I have stepped off my soapbox!
Why Do I Weep
I wrote this on March 12, 2010
I weep tears of sorrow, anger and helplessness.
I weep as I watch marriages stumble and fall; husbands and wives struggling to make their relationships meaningful. Spouses trying to love through rejection and hardness.
I weep because I know men and women who choose to turn away from the blessings God offers to go in search of their own non-existant blessings.
I weep because I see our enemy dancing with deception and disallusionment, dressed in his jester's garb he jugggles pretty balls of promises that won't be fulfilled; coaxing God's beloved children to just 'give it a try!' The lie is as old as time - "God doesn't want you to have fun! He only wants to tie you down to a bunch of rules. He doesn't care about what makes YOU happy. Come with me, we will have a good time with no cares and bothersome responsibilities!"
I weep because I am helpless to convince them otherwise; helpless because God won't force them to see the truth; helpless because He wants them to choose to know the truth. I hate feeling helpless!!
Show me, my King! How can I best release your power? How can I help them see?
Living in Your Kingdom, guided by Your boundaries brings such joy and peace. It's like a spring day with sunshine, trees dancing in the breeze, flowers and the music of birds and fountains!
And when times are hard and cold, living in Your Kingdom doesn't make them go away but is like a heavy winter coat that gives wormth and protection against the harshness.
How can I show them how much better it is to stay close to You and follow You?
Oh my King, I weep.
I weep tears of sorrow, anger and helplessness.
I weep as I watch marriages stumble and fall; husbands and wives struggling to make their relationships meaningful. Spouses trying to love through rejection and hardness.
I weep because I know men and women who choose to turn away from the blessings God offers to go in search of their own non-existant blessings.
I weep because I see our enemy dancing with deception and disallusionment, dressed in his jester's garb he jugggles pretty balls of promises that won't be fulfilled; coaxing God's beloved children to just 'give it a try!' The lie is as old as time - "God doesn't want you to have fun! He only wants to tie you down to a bunch of rules. He doesn't care about what makes YOU happy. Come with me, we will have a good time with no cares and bothersome responsibilities!"
I weep because I am helpless to convince them otherwise; helpless because God won't force them to see the truth; helpless because He wants them to choose to know the truth. I hate feeling helpless!!
Show me, my King! How can I best release your power? How can I help them see?
Living in Your Kingdom, guided by Your boundaries brings such joy and peace. It's like a spring day with sunshine, trees dancing in the breeze, flowers and the music of birds and fountains!
And when times are hard and cold, living in Your Kingdom doesn't make them go away but is like a heavy winter coat that gives wormth and protection against the harshness.
How can I show them how much better it is to stay close to You and follow You?
Oh my King, I weep.
12/28/11
Early Morning Ponderings
Somewhere along the way I learned to face adversity by asking God what He wanted to change in me as a result of said adversity. It isn’t easy, in fact it’s stinkin hard but it does give me the strength to stand tough when I know there is a purpose. That in itself is probably why the Purpose class was so pivotal to my spiritual growth; it showed me that God is a god of purpose and He does nothing without it!
My current situation has shown me that I still have some dreams and expectations that I need to let God have; that I’m still not bold enough to be honest about my feelings and that I still hide from confrontation.
Letting go of dreams and expectations is something I can do without much of a struggle once He has pointed them out to me. I don’t like it, it hurts, and I’m an emotional mess but I’ve had to do it enough over the years that I am familiar with the process and eager to feel the resulting peace.
Being bold and facing confrontation, however, is another story! I’m basically an insecure chicken! God, how I hate confrontation! I hate the way I get emotional, I hate the frustration of not being understood and believing that I am unable to comunicate effectively. I hate the probablity that it won’t make a difference anyway and that change won’t happen. I hate feeling helpless and out of control.
And there it is…that thing that God continues to work at; control!! He is my fortress and my strength, so why am I feeling helpless and out of control? Because I’m not trusting in His power and His control. Because I’m not leaning on His strength and wisdom. He has never failed to take care of the details for me. He has never failed to resolve situations for me when I step back and give Him the time to do so.
Time, it is His creation and His M.O.; all things are resolved in His time. I need to stay close to Him, stay in step with Him, stay in communication with Him so I can be in time with Him.
My King, you have always been my provider, my protecter and I kneel again at your throne to declare my allegiance to You. Forgive me for thinking I can rule my life and the lives of those around me better than You can. Continue to summon me into Your presence and allow me to rest in your majesty. Help me to respond to others in a way that is undeserved just like You respond to me in a way I don’t deserve. Equip me to live a life of grace-giving. You are magnificent, gentle and wise; I love you and will be your servant forever.
My current situation has shown me that I still have some dreams and expectations that I need to let God have; that I’m still not bold enough to be honest about my feelings and that I still hide from confrontation.
Letting go of dreams and expectations is something I can do without much of a struggle once He has pointed them out to me. I don’t like it, it hurts, and I’m an emotional mess but I’ve had to do it enough over the years that I am familiar with the process and eager to feel the resulting peace.
Being bold and facing confrontation, however, is another story! I’m basically an insecure chicken! God, how I hate confrontation! I hate the way I get emotional, I hate the frustration of not being understood and believing that I am unable to comunicate effectively. I hate the probablity that it won’t make a difference anyway and that change won’t happen. I hate feeling helpless and out of control.
And there it is…that thing that God continues to work at; control!! He is my fortress and my strength, so why am I feeling helpless and out of control? Because I’m not trusting in His power and His control. Because I’m not leaning on His strength and wisdom. He has never failed to take care of the details for me. He has never failed to resolve situations for me when I step back and give Him the time to do so.
Time, it is His creation and His M.O.; all things are resolved in His time. I need to stay close to Him, stay in step with Him, stay in communication with Him so I can be in time with Him.
My King, you have always been my provider, my protecter and I kneel again at your throne to declare my allegiance to You. Forgive me for thinking I can rule my life and the lives of those around me better than You can. Continue to summon me into Your presence and allow me to rest in your majesty. Help me to respond to others in a way that is undeserved just like You respond to me in a way I don’t deserve. Equip me to live a life of grace-giving. You are magnificent, gentle and wise; I love you and will be your servant forever.
5/17/11
The Valley of Lonliness
I have recently been going through a valley of feeling unwanted and lost. I have been fighting and questioning it, feeling miserable and unlovely. Several days I just plain laid down on the path and declared 'no more, I just need to rest.' I would then curl up in a fetal position and shed tears of self pity.
God is so patient with us when we go through these places. These times when we should be looking for Him and calling out to Him. He walks with us out of sight waiting for us to call, He waits while we go through our self pity and our temper tantrums declaring how unfair it all is! Waiting for us to say "Jesus, I need You!" and then, there He is bending down to help us up, wiping the tears from our eyes and gently asking why it took so long to call for Him.
Why is it that it takes so long for me to recognize a test, a chance to show Him that I have learned to lean on Him a little more, to trust Him a little more? I hear Him whispering to me, "Come away with me for a little while. Be with me, let me love you, encourage you, strengthen you." Why do I hesitate, procrastinate? I have experienced the joy that comes from being with Him! I have received the benefits of time spent with Him! I know His voice, His touch, the intimacy of being 'set apart'. And yet it is being set apart that leads to the loneliness, the 'not fitting in', the feeling of being misunderstood.
Being set apart for His plan, being different than the world, even different from some of those who call themselves His children! It is lonely, it is difficult. And yet it is an honor, a privilege; one of which I am so unworthy. I have no talent for what He asks of me, I have no skills for what He wants me to do, I am so out of my comfort zone! But He has everything I need to do all He asks! He gives to me freely each and every time! He is so faithful!! Why is it so hard to hang on to that concept?
I find it interesting that I struggle with these seasons of God appointed isolation. I tend to be a bit of a loner anyway. I imagine part of the struggle is my tendency to like things to stay the same, I like routine, knowing what comes next and when God is in control He tends to change things, things like me! I know that He is just taking me to the next level of maturity, forming me into the likeness of His Son, my sweet Savior and best friend, the lover of my soul!
I need what my friend calls an 18 inch miracle, when what you know in your head becomes what you believe in your heart!
My King, my Friend, My Strength, My Song, My Joy,
Forgive me for hesitating when you call. Thank you for walking with me and waiting for me when I stop to have a temper tantrum. Thank you for wanting to be with me, for setting me apart for Your plan. Keep near me, open my ears to hear your voice, open my eyes to see your path. Keep me near so I can follow your lead. I love you and want to be all that You want me to be. Thank you for being faithful when I give up so easily. I love you, my Lord! You are the reason I am extraordinary!!
God is so patient with us when we go through these places. These times when we should be looking for Him and calling out to Him. He walks with us out of sight waiting for us to call, He waits while we go through our self pity and our temper tantrums declaring how unfair it all is! Waiting for us to say "Jesus, I need You!" and then, there He is bending down to help us up, wiping the tears from our eyes and gently asking why it took so long to call for Him.
Why is it that it takes so long for me to recognize a test, a chance to show Him that I have learned to lean on Him a little more, to trust Him a little more? I hear Him whispering to me, "Come away with me for a little while. Be with me, let me love you, encourage you, strengthen you." Why do I hesitate, procrastinate? I have experienced the joy that comes from being with Him! I have received the benefits of time spent with Him! I know His voice, His touch, the intimacy of being 'set apart'. And yet it is being set apart that leads to the loneliness, the 'not fitting in', the feeling of being misunderstood.
Being set apart for His plan, being different than the world, even different from some of those who call themselves His children! It is lonely, it is difficult. And yet it is an honor, a privilege; one of which I am so unworthy. I have no talent for what He asks of me, I have no skills for what He wants me to do, I am so out of my comfort zone! But He has everything I need to do all He asks! He gives to me freely each and every time! He is so faithful!! Why is it so hard to hang on to that concept?
I find it interesting that I struggle with these seasons of God appointed isolation. I tend to be a bit of a loner anyway. I imagine part of the struggle is my tendency to like things to stay the same, I like routine, knowing what comes next and when God is in control He tends to change things, things like me! I know that He is just taking me to the next level of maturity, forming me into the likeness of His Son, my sweet Savior and best friend, the lover of my soul!
I need what my friend calls an 18 inch miracle, when what you know in your head becomes what you believe in your heart!
My King, my Friend, My Strength, My Song, My Joy,
Forgive me for hesitating when you call. Thank you for walking with me and waiting for me when I stop to have a temper tantrum. Thank you for wanting to be with me, for setting me apart for Your plan. Keep near me, open my ears to hear your voice, open my eyes to see your path. Keep me near so I can follow your lead. I love you and want to be all that You want me to be. Thank you for being faithful when I give up so easily. I love you, my Lord! You are the reason I am extraordinary!!
A leader! Me??
I received an email that questioned my leadership style. It came when I was feeling insecure, unwanted and lost so I replied with "fine, I'll step down!" I was eager to wash my hands of the whole thing and slip into comfortable obscurity. No one would notice if I disappeared anyway!
I had forgotten the one 'person' who would notice....my heavenly Father/King! I started hearing His voice, "Really my child? That is all it takes to remove you from the position I asked you to fill?"
"Yes!!" I replied adamantly, "Leave me be!" And like a wise Father, he left me alone...for a little while. He continued to whisper this question, to encourage me and coax me. He can be very persuasive in His love!
On Sunday our pastor talked about how he had lost his center in Christ and I heard my King ask me if perhaps this had happened to me as well. My center had become what others thought and not what He wanted me to do. He had appointed me to this position two years ago and I have seen His hand in the midst of it. Now I believe there is a transition happening, something that is changing the vision I saw.
It has not changed the vision itself, only my perspective of the vision. The vision has enlarged and although I thought that it meant my part of the vision was no longer relevant, He has shown me that my thinking (and the thinking of others) was very narrow! My part of this vision is still very much needed and is no less and no more than the other parts of this vision.
My leadership style will not please everyone nor be what others think it should be but it is what it is and it is mine. It's part of who He created me to be and it suits His plan for me! It accomplishes His purpose when I leave it in His hands and follow His lead. I need to stick to what I know and let those He has appointed to other areas go in their own direction.
I had forgotten the one 'person' who would notice....my heavenly Father/King! I started hearing His voice, "Really my child? That is all it takes to remove you from the position I asked you to fill?"
"Yes!!" I replied adamantly, "Leave me be!" And like a wise Father, he left me alone...for a little while. He continued to whisper this question, to encourage me and coax me. He can be very persuasive in His love!
On Sunday our pastor talked about how he had lost his center in Christ and I heard my King ask me if perhaps this had happened to me as well. My center had become what others thought and not what He wanted me to do. He had appointed me to this position two years ago and I have seen His hand in the midst of it. Now I believe there is a transition happening, something that is changing the vision I saw.
It has not changed the vision itself, only my perspective of the vision. The vision has enlarged and although I thought that it meant my part of the vision was no longer relevant, He has shown me that my thinking (and the thinking of others) was very narrow! My part of this vision is still very much needed and is no less and no more than the other parts of this vision.
My leadership style will not please everyone nor be what others think it should be but it is what it is and it is mine. It's part of who He created me to be and it suits His plan for me! It accomplishes His purpose when I leave it in His hands and follow His lead. I need to stick to what I know and let those He has appointed to other areas go in their own direction.
3/23/11
30 Days of Blogging
Trying Something New for My Blog
Okay, so I got this idea from Mrs.Day blog. It looked like a great thing to do and I'm going to try my best to do this exercise for my blog everyday. I think it would be great if you try this exercise for your blog too!
Day 01 – Introduce yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment
Okay, so I got this idea from Mrs.Day blog. It looked like a great thing to do and I'm going to try my best to do this exercise for my blog everyday. I think it would be great if you try this exercise for your blog too!
Day 01 – Introduce yourself
Day 02 – Your first love
Day 03 – Your parents
Day 04 – What you ate today
Day 05 – Your definition of love
Day 06 – Your day
Day 07 – Your best friend
Day 08 – A moment
Day 09 – Your beliefs
Day 10 – What you wore today
Day 11 – Your siblings
Day 12 – What’s in your bag
Day 13 – This week
Day 14 – What you wore today
Day 15 – Your dreams
Day 16 – Your first kiss
Day 17 – Your favorite memory
Day 18 – Your favorite birthday
Day 19 – Something you regret
Day 20 – This month
Day 21 – Another moment
Day 22 – Something that upsets you
Day 23 – Something that makes you feel better
Day 24 – Something that makes you cry
Day 25 – A first
Day 26 – Your fears
Day 27 – Your favorite place
Day 28 – Something that you miss
Day 29 – Your aspirations
Day 30 – One last moment
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