Archive for General Musings

Living Intentionally for the New Year

All over the world, at the stroke of midnight, people are celebrating the start of a New Year.

It’s 2012!

Making New Year’s Resolutions isn’t my strongest suit and I think that can be said for many people around the world, who, with the best intentions, make New Year’s Resolutions, but by week two or three or hey, the next day, find themselves breaking those resolutions, before they know it.

However, over at the Internet Cafe Devotions, something caught my eye and what it was, wast that  each month,an encouraging series to living life intentionally.

This not only reminded me of a sermon I heard from a pastor about living an intentional faith that is alive and growing and learning, but what is strive for, here, on Sunflower Faith….living….pursuing…intentionally….living faith in our Father in Heaven….not always perfect, but always, looking upward and forward.

The series, presented each month, by Lisa of “More to Be” , at the, Internet Cafe Devotions, was both intriguing, but is a great way to living a life of intentional and realistic biblical truths, that is about taking time, perseverance, humility and accountability to living a life on a better start.

This had me thinking about the the words from Isaiah as shared by a friend,

18 “ Do not remember the former things,
Nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
(Isaiah 43:18-19, New King James Version)

Who among us, sometimes, find ourselves, constantly looking back, even though we tell ourselves, or others, that we wouldn’t or shouldn’t and instead of going forward, instead, like a broken record, relieving memories, feelings, hurts, bad habits, you name it, that keeps holding us back.

Instead of living life, we live broken records of the past.

With that in mind, in addition to participating in, “Living Intentionally”, some of the personal goals that I am hoping to accomplish for the year of 2012 as far as biblical growth has been the following:New Year's Eve 2012 - London
Creative Commons License photo credit: p_c_w

  • Committing to better scripture memorization. Like many busy moms, this has often been the last thing that was on my mind, but with an accountability partner and scripture verses printed out to start out with, I’m hoping to truly being able to keep the words from Psalm 119:9-16 close to heart and keep our Father’s word at heart.
  • Being realistic about reading through God’s word. It’s not a race to see how fast one can read through the bible, but how much of His word is committed to one’s life and understanding and even use. It’s so easy to say one thing and do another and maybe people fear of being seen as sanctimonious and in today’s world, knowing His word is not a “popular thing”, but following Christ is about a deep commitment to His word that doesn’t have a beginning and an end, but a constant journey of growth. There are plenty of great bible reading plans out there and part of finding what works, is finding what works for you and not just for everyone else. We all have different commitments and reading styles and not always a one size fits all, works for everyone; So don’t give up, find what works for you.
  • Setting time aside for a realistic bible study and reading time.  Be it ten minutes a day or an hour, we each have different priorities in our lives, but if we have time to watch t.v., read a magazine, or read a book or play video games, surely we can find at least ten minutes out of 24 hours, to sit down, read and and study His word. It can be anything from a short bible study that is five to ten minutes long, or really digging into His word itself or through a topical study….biggest thing is finding something that works individually and not just because everyone else is doing this week’s or month’s popular bible study. There is a great quote by John MacArthur that goes, “‎”God’s favorite instruments are nobodies, so that no man can boast before God. In other words, God chooses whom He chooses so He might receive the glory. He chooses weak instruments so no one will attribute the power to the instruments but rather to the God who wields the instruments. Those who pursue their own glory will sadly find God’s strategy unacceptable–and they’ll miss out on true glory and true joy.”  Definitely something to think about.

So what about you?

It’s 2012.

What are your plans to try and live the start of a whole new year on a brand new foot?

Maybe new diet plan?

Maybe really taking hold on bad habits that you find are holding you back?

Share what your hopes and plans for the new year are in the comments!

“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”

I wouldn’t hesitate that it’s a challenge sometimes to seek, find and have personal time in the mornings, and I find myself catching more moments throughout the day to spend time in His word and focus on things I need to bring to Him.

When I don’t, I feel that tightening in the chest, the feeling that life is just speeding up beyond grasp and the feeling that I’m caught in a hamster wheel and unable to get off, but with events happening across the world, as we all have come to know and be riveted by the constant news that doesn’t seem to stop, life can change at any second and suddenly, everything that we held to be important, just doesn’t carry that same weight anymore like it use to.

This morning, using , today’s Hymn to read over was, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Helen Howarth Lemmel (1864-1961).

The Old Time Gospel Ministry,shares the following about this hymn:

Helen Howarth Lemmel was born on November 14, 1864, in Wardle, England. She was the daughter of a Wesleyan Methodist pastor, and she came to this country with her family at the age of twelve. Helen lived briefly in Mississippi before settling in Wisconsin. Soon she developed a reputation as a brilliant singer, even studying private voice in Germany for four years. She traveled widely throughout the midwest during the early 1900′s, giving concerts in many churches. Later, Mrs. Lemmel taught voice at the Moody Bible Institute and then at the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. In 1961, Helen Lemmel settled in Seattle, Washington, where she remained active with Christian activities, as a member of the Ballard Baptist Church of that city, during the last days of her life.

In addition to being known as a brilliant singer and musician, Mrs. Lemmel was also widely recognized as a woman with remarkable literary ability. She wrote more than five hundred hymns and poems. Mrs. Lemmel also authored a very successful book for children entitled, Story of the Bible and composed many children’s musical pieces. She remained active for God in her musical and literary pursuits, until her home-going at the age of ninety-seven.

Reading this hymn, it was a reminder of who to turn to when life seems beyond understanding, or feels overwhelming and what a hymn to read after everything that is going on with the news and just having “one of those days” where the battery in the vehicle isn’t working, but the sky is clear and beautiful and no matter what, as the words of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” goes:

O Soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free!

So true isn’t it?

It is such a reminder that,”How easy it becomes even for those of us who profess to be faithful followers of Christ to get caught up in the things of earth, so that our heavenly vision and values become blurred and dull. This often happens even when we are active in our Christian activities, we become so involved in merely doing things for God that we miss the real blessing of enjoying the personal fellowship of Christ Himself in our daily lives.” 1

So if your feeling, “O Soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?“, remember the words,” 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3, New King James Version)”

There is a reason for our hope and the joy we find, in and through, Jesus Christ.

It’s so easy to feel the weight of the world, but we need to:

Stop

Look to the Lord, and

Listen for His guidance and not allow the world to consume us or take away the promise and the hope and the joy that we can and do have in and through Jesus Christ.

A little encouragement….

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Fast hands typing on Laptop from Yuri Arcurs Website

I saw the following posted on facebook and had reposted it myself:

One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement.It is easy to laugh at men’s ideals;it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others.The world is full of discouragers.We have a Christian duty to encourage one another.Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet.Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.
William Barclay

I’m not a “Pollyanna”, but it surprises me how quick people are to fall into discouraging words or even just critical words, particularly online and for me…we don’t know the full story as much as we can claim we do.

There are stories behind snapshots of what is shared, but with all the energy that is spent on saying something negative or critical….just think of the power behind saying something encouraging or uplifting.

Oswald Chambers wasn’t short on his views about being critical about others. In a devotional called, “Beware of Criticizing Others“, Chambers shared the following excerpt,”

The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood.

Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.

There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5 ). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. E

very time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24 ). Stop having a measuring stick for other people.

There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person’s situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.

There is no denying that we live in a broken world, but even just reading Romans 2:17-24 that says, ”

17 Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? 24 For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written. (Romans 2:17-24, New King James Version)

One has to ask oneself…how is it not pride or being condemning when truth is none of us truly deserves the grace and compassion and love that our Father still shows us despite it. If we truly believe that our Father’s Son has died for our sins and paid the price,then who are we to deny grace and compassion that even we ourselves, who deny others, deserve not for ourselves?

Matthew Henry Commentary looked deeper into Romans 2:17-27 by sharing this,

The sins of the Jews confuted all their vain confidence in their outward privileges.

The apostle directs his discourse to the Jews, and shows of what sins they were guilty, notwithstanding their profession and vain pretensions. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in God, is the root and sum of all religion. But proud, vain-glorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession of his name, is the root and sum of all hypocrisy.

Spiritual pride is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. A great evil of the sins professors is, the dishonour done to God and religion, by their not living according to their profession. Many despise their more ignorant neighbours who rest in a dead form of godliness; yet themselves trust in a form of knowledge, equally void of life and power, while some glory in the gospel, whose unholy lives dishonour God, and cause his name to be blasphemed. (Ro 2:25-29)

Ouch.

Right?

It’s so easy to point out everything we think, feel and have determined is wrong about someone, but it takes a lot to grow beyond that and pray not only for them, but for ourselves and how we choose to speak and demonstrate as a disciple of Christ.

It’s easy to be critical and criticize and condemn, but it’s harder isn’t it to encourage, to lift up and in and through the love, compassion and grace of our Heavenly Father, to reach out a hand to our sisters and brothers and to love them as our Father loves us.

We’re not talking love as in human love that is emotional and irrational, but allowing in and through us the perfect love of our Heavenly Father to shine through.

Are we afraid to be forgiven and to forgive?

Are we afraid to allow the same hope and promise of salvation that our Father gives us?

Who knows?

But it seems easier to be critical then to take that step and go, I will be encouraging and strive to lift up others in the name of Jesus Christ that they too know the love, compassion and grace, yes the grace of our Heavenly Father…it almost seems like grace is left out of the equation and more focus is given to condemnation sometimes.

Is it truly so wrong to be an encourager?

Can it stop being one of those days?

Every have those days that turns into one of those weeks that you would be more than happy it would just all stop and go away?

Yes…having one of those weeks…that just feels like it repeated itself this week.

Rain by Teodoro S Gruhl
Rain by Teodoro S Gruhl

Between, email issues, printer running out of ink, things that needed to be printed, being forgotten to be printed, members of the house, slowly falling sick, to domain/blog issues to just the fact that the sky just refuses to show even a sliver of sunshine, it was one of those weeks, that going through the weekend, felt more like going on one of those roller coaster rides and knowing that unfortunately, going over the hump, doesn’t mean the end of the ride, but more  fear crying fun, on the other side.

Sadly, the highlight ,other than being able to access my blog and then, in the not so bright process of trying to reinstall my blog and losing everything,including links that I can vaguely remember (maybe-maybe not a good thing, but I did kinda sorta depended on them pulling up on latest posts to keep me up to date of the great articles to drop by and read) what the exact blog links were, plus, photos uploaded and stored for posting on the blog, is the fact that this has been a really really bad week that had me crying….a lot …..last night.

I wasn’t thrilled that with a review (or two) this week, planned posts, planned participation and pretty much my blog, the blog I had completely before all this,is gone and now I’m trying to figure out…what do I do? I’m not that techno savvy and I’m wincing at that idea or if I have to move the blog.

Thankfully I backup….that’s a good thing…very good thing.

And then  members of the family were getting sick and that had me concern about their health.

Thankfully, we are still able to get to a doctor…that’s a good thing…a very good thing.

It’s just been a bad week.

Sigh-So I try my best to smile and keep swimming forward; Meanwhile so happy when, as temporary as this all is…that break in this rain storm comes…soon…very soon….I hope.

16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.-2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)

Recharge Your Life with Him

Have you ever just stopped and watched people in a busy area? Have you noticed the stress and the weariness? How about a day care center at the end of its day. Have you seen the parents already wearied by their day at work picking up wearied children?

Matt. 11: 28 – 30
” Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

How often have you felt so weighed down and wearied by life? How often do we forget to take our weariness and heaviness to the One who promised His burden would be light; to the One who promised us rest?

Take just a few minutes right now to breathe in deeply, close your eyes, slow down the racing mind and the pounding pulse. Just think about Him: the lover of your soul, the One who knows you and loves you, who has good plans for you and not evil.

wearied by life? How often do we forget to take our weariness and heaviness to the One who promised His burden would be light; to the One who promised us rest?

Take just a few minutes right now to breathe in deeply, close your eyes, slow down the racing mind and the pounding pulse. Just think about Him: the lover of your soul, the One who knows you and loves you, who has good plans for you and not evil.

Rest in those saving arms and breathe deeply His scent of love. Find the renewal and refreshing that only He can give.

And do one more thing:

“Cast all your anxiety on him for he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7

I can think of many a morning when I woke up and felt like I was running from one end of the house to the other, that the kids seem to have gone from one to six, the dog suddenly forgot how to be housebroken and the trash can kept being overfloweth but never emptieth.

Or think of a morning when you barely had coffee and EVERYTHING seemed to go wrong. By the time night rolled around, you said a quick thank you to God as you crawled into bed, curled up around a pillow and fell asleep BEFORE your head hit the pillow.

Translate that to the work world where the desk seems piled high with paper, the boss just doesn’t seem to be happy no matter what and the deadline went from next month to the end of the day. In the midst of it all, it’s easy to suddenly feel like you’ve lost control and the clock is out to get you.

The same goes for the day to day grind of daily living. Yet, rather than making it a day to day grind, God is there in the midst of the storm. His hands are outstretched,  calming the turbulent sea that we are are, whether it is man-made or natural.

………….Read the rest of this devotioal at, “The Internet Cafe“;I’m serving at the Internet Cafe today. I hope you’ll come by and chat with me:

Thanksgiving brings blessings by Sandra Turner

Thanksgiving brings blessings
By Sandra Turner

Even in these difficult times, letâs be grateful and give thanks to God for the good that we have and the good that He desires and has promised to give us.

Often we are obsessed and consumed with what we donât have instead of looking to God and His eternal provision for us.

Sometimes we get resentful because God has allowed something in our lives that hurts us or because we are not seeing the manifestation of the thing we have asked for. God said to me one time when I was complaining to Him about something, âYou need to be grateful that this problem is not nearly as bad as the devil intended it to be.â

We can always give thanks if we remember that through prayer and the mercy of God we are saved from the worst that the devil can do to us and that as we persist in prayer and obedience to the Word all things in our lives will be perfected according to the will of God.

Just because we donât see instant results we should never doubt that the power of God is being applied to every situation that concerns us as we pray according to His Word and obey Him in all that we know to do.

Once weâve prayed for something that we are promised in the Word â” healing, deliverance, provision, whatever â”we need to begin thanking God for the manifestation of that thing in our lives even before we see it. This is faith.

We canât be double minded and wonder about Godâs promise. The book of James says a double-minded person never receives anything from God. (James 1:6-7)

As we thank God for that thing, it is brought out of the spirit world and manifested in this earthly realm. Thanksgiving will produce a harvest in our lives. The word tells us âDo not be weary in well doing for in due time you shall reap if you faint not.â (Gal. 6:9) Many give up on their promise from God because they grow weary trying to endure until that âdue time.â

Letâs not faint and quit, but letâs practice patience and keep pressing in by reminding ourselves of the Word and being diligent to pray with thanksgiving.

We thank God not for the problem we have, but for His provision to take care of it and to perfect those things that concern us, according to His word (Psalm 138:8).

Copyright  2008 by Sandra Turner.
Sandra Turner is a professional writer/editor and publisher of a monthly magazine for Christian singles, Singles Scene/Spirit & Life since 1981. P.O. Box 310, Allardt, TN 38504. nicesingles.com

Article Source: faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITER-MAKE MY OWN WEBSITE

The Heart not the Dress

I had been contemplating on a sermon that my pastor had preached and he had talked about 1 Samuel 16:7,”But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
Look at the picture on the right.
If you were walking anywhere, what is the first thought that hits your mind about this man?
Would you grab your purse and feel your heart start beating? Would fears start filling your mind.
Maybe you would walk by and resolve not to say anything. Think what a disgrace.Grab the kids hands a little closer and walk a little faster.
What if you went surfing the internet and came across a picture of this same person, here, and gasped with shock at what you discover?
It really made me stop and think when the pastor went…we all need God. God doesn’t care if you wear a suit or rags.
We need to be careful about making pre-judgements about a person, because the chances are…we maybe proven wrong, and what a relief if mentally we think, “Wow, glad I didn’t say anything,” but what about the miss opportunity then if we didn’t step up and say anything?
God cares about you. The “you” inside, not the “you” outside.
He cares about everyone.
There is a quote that goes,
We can make a serious error and put the emphasis on the external to the exclusion of what is essential. Spirituality is not gained by conformity to a set of appearance standards. Please don’t make that mistake. A person can be straight down the line with an impeccable appearance and be as mean as the devil. They can just stab you in the back. God does not want that. He wants your heart as well as your appearance to be right. ……………………….We can make a serious error and put the emphasis on the external to the exclusion of what is essential. Spirituality is not gained by conformity to a set of appearance standards. Please don’t make that mistake. A person can be straight down the line with an impeccable appearance and be as mean as the devil. They can just stab you in the back. God does not want that. He wants your heart as well as your appearance to be right. “
Source: Sermon: “Outward Appearance” by Pastor Gary Prisk
I was thinking about that when during a conversation , a church was judged not by the sermon or if it was biblically based but the person was judging it by how the people arrived dressed.
I shared a story that I was told of a that pastor brought up the fact he was asked one time why he never wore a suit and was it because he couldn’t afford one.
He replied,”I own a few suits…and I will wear them to a wedding….or a funeral, but I come here to worship God, not for a fashion show. I want God to see what is in my heart, He’s not going to see me by what I wear.”
The person then criticized about how there were people wearing shorts in the church and they thought it was disrespectful and the pastor brought up, Galations 5:6,”For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
And reminded gently that the Pharisees were dressed up in fine robes, but inside…they weren’t concern about God. They thought by dressing up in finery and being showy, that SHOWED they loved God, but the reality…inside they were empty and the cup wasn’t clean.
Matthew 23:25,”Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. “

The pastor went, if we were so much more caught up in what we wear, that brings attention to us…not to God.
It’s not about what we wear that will define how faithful or how much we believe in God, it’s what goes on in our hearts and how we allow God to flourish in our lives that will define it and we have to make sure that we are not trying to create “works” or our own ideas of a “religious life” to justify serving God.
God will take care of dealing with that particularly person’s conviction about how THEY feel they should dress but , God isn’t going to say,”This person is wearing a suit, why aren’t you?”
If a person is going to show up in a scuba diver’s outfit…yes they will definitely stand out for sure and be thought of odd, but God isn’t. He isn’t going to think…”Hey that’s not *insert a brand name*, why are you here in church?”
There are Christains all over the world that dress differently than we dress here in the States, but that doesn’t make them less of a brother or sister.
Galatians 5:4You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
In the MSG version it goes, “When you attempt to live by your own religious plans and projects, you are cut off from Christ, you fall out of grace.”
The focus becomes too much on yourself and it risks losing focus on who it is about….God.

God doesn’t want make loving him and worshipping Him HARD. If He did…we would all have to look like the pharisees in order to please Him.

Most of us probrably couldn’t go to church if we had to say…only wear clothes from *insert a high end designer here* God doesn’t require shopping at Neiman Marcus or at a thrift store to love Him, He just requires opening your heart to Him.

He does want us to repent of our sins…and He does want us to stop living a life that is sinful and disrespectful of Him, but He doesn’t want our dress to stop us from worshipping Him…and nor should we allow the dress of others stop them from worshipping Him either.
Matthew 11:28-30,”28. ‘Come unto me, all ye labouring and burdened ones, and I will give you rest, 29. take up my yoke upon you, and learn from me, because I am meek and humble in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls, 30. for my yoke {is} easy, and my burden is light.’ “

God is not here to burden us anymore than we already are; He has come here to free us, all of us, irregardless how we are dressed.
I actually heard of an excuse why someone didn’t go to church was because they had nothing to wear and couldn’t afford to buy “Sunday clothes”. Income and dress isn’t a requirement to worship God.
I tried to encourage them to go to church irregardless. Just dress nice with what you have and go to church and they replied,” I can’t because the others look down on me then.”
Do we sometimes do that ourselves?
Condemn other fellow brothers and sisters because they don’t dress like us, and rather than encourage them to go to church, to have fellowship with other believers and encourage to come closer to God, we set up a man’s precedent and condition of how they should come before God.
Do we have the “well they should just go buy this and that if they really want to go?” whispering in our ears when we listen to others who don’t go to church.
That if they don’t do this…they aren’t allowed or good or worthy to be associated with, to be talked to, because well..they don’t fit in so they are out of the club?
Or do we encourage our weak brothers and sisters and take the time to tell them that God loves them for them…not what they are wearing, where they lived, where they eat.
That no matter what their circumstances…God isn’t an elitist.
He loves all of us no matter our age, size or what we wear.
Look around us. How many lost brothers and sisters do we have that doesn’t know God because they feel because they don’t dress like June Cleaver or Ward, that God won’t love them.

God loves the current Mary Magdelenes of today’s world despite how they are dressed.

Remember Mary of Magdalene? She was a prostitute. Did God say, ulp, because she was a woman, a low class citizen and a prostitute, I’m not going to take time for her; She has no right?

No. He loves her…not her sin. He loves her enough that He wants her to be better than what she is and to see there is something better than what there is….but how many, can you think, are willing to care more about her soul and lead her to a better life and in the process, turn…turn from the sin.

Yes…He confronted her, but He didn’t say, first you have to do this and then this and then this….Instead, He said “First turn away from the sin…sin no more…” and she followed…and allowed Him, not the Pharisees, but Him, to work in and through her to change. She change because of a conviction of the heart.

I Corinthians 13:1
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

It doesn’t work that we how we dress is the only way that God loves us. He loves us no matter what. It’s man who won’t love man until they change the way they dress.
The trick is that when a person has fully allowed Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Saviour and geniunely repents of their sin, and allows the Holy Spirit to work in their life…their outward appearance will change when THEY are ready.
Some people come to know God due to a traumatic event. Maybe a drug overdose, maybe a long night alone, crying in the dark feeling lost. Most people who come to know God has a past and it’s because of the path of their past that led them to God.
Not everyone grew up as Christians. Some may never had even read a bible or had someone share the word of God with them. Some may never know the word of God or have someone take the time to share the Gospel with them and they will die, never knowing because someone didn’t think it was worth their time or comfort.
While society is quick to cast away our rejects because they don’t fit our standards or care to associate with them, God wants to get to know them and save them.
I love this quote that I saw posted that said,
JESUS didn’t go around inviting lost people to the temple… HE met them where they were. As did the disciples. I’m not saying that unbelievers didn’t come in on their own, just that it doesn’t look like that was the way of sharing the gospel. The modern way of doing things has taken the burden of leading others to CHRIST off of us as individuals and placed it on one man.
This is where balance comes to play. If we’re living our lives for CHRIST then others will see HIM in us. If we’re sharing HIM with the ladies in the grocery store, or inviting them into our homes then we have many chances every day to share the gospel.

Everyday is an opportunity to share and lead people to Christ. That’s part of our job too. It’s not just surrounding ourselves in a comfort zone because everyone that we choose around us, thinks like us, talks like us and dress like us.
Not when we are ready…when they are ready.
We may not give them a second glance, but God has.
He is working in their lives to change, but we aren’t helping when we are trying to push them down while God is working to lift them up…eventually something has gotta give and someone either goes down, or is lifted up.
For many lost souls….whose been burned by the church body, not the church, but the body, this is a hard struggle. To help them come back to God, we have to be living examples of how God loves us without setting up conditions that if you don’t do this, I’m closing the door on you.
There are many who honestly have NEVER read or owned the Word of God, they may never have grown up in a Christian home, have false beliefs about God and well….just never had someone take the time to really just talk to them.
Doesn’t make them worthless just more valuable to God.
Remember Saul.
Before he became Paul.
You wouldn’t want to run into him in a dark alley then, but God did. Did you know that afterwards…people for the longest time, STILL didn’t want to have anything to do with him because they cared about what they saw and know about his past and not his present or his future.
Who cared that God saved him and that he was saved; He had a past. A bad past. The people of his time didn’t like him so what if God does, they didn’t. He could starve for al lthey cared,but God cared.
He cared enough that he said, this is the man I will chose to share my word. Notice God didn’t pick a man with a clean past, who was cleanshaven and had no blood on his hands.
Romans 8:28,
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.”
When we strive to get to know God, it’s not just a personal journey, one on one…It’s also about getting to know God through our interactions with everyone….We are all children of God, not just a few select.
Every religion has a set of you have to do this, what you have to wear and what you have to eat and do to know God. Fail to do it and you fall short.
The list will show all this things that other religions require to know God on their terms, by man terms and determinations.
Religion is spelled “DO”.

Not ours.
Grace is spelled “Done”.
There is nothing else on that list for Grace.
It’s been done.
Jesus Christ paid the price. It’s done.
“When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30).

He didn’t mean He was going to die now…He didn’t mean it was over for those who were persecuted. He meant, the price has now been paid for our sins.

That is all it took. He died for us. For You…For Me. There is nothing more in the world we could do then.

Throw out the animal sacrifices and the legalism of the OT. It has been paid for by the sacrifical lamb, Jesus Christ.

You. Me. The druggie. The prostitutes, the ills of society. Paid for.

And all we had to do…was accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. That’s it.

We didnt have to drag out our best animal. We didn’t have to wear our best. Our best is now. In our hearts.

We just needed to say, “You are my Lord and Saviour”. No flourishes in our speech. No fireworks.

“When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30).

The ONLY way to God, isn’t how we dress or what we do. The only way to God is through Jesus Christ.

Notice He didn’t add, and those nice shoes we see in the window will get us there, it’s not the clean life becuase none of us had that. We all sinned.

John 14:6 (Emphasis added by me), “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, but through Me.” .

Mark 1:17And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Sometimes the nicest, most God-fearing people are often the ones we least expect to look like they do.

Without judge, trial or jury, we have already judged them on basis of looks and because they didn’t make it easy for us, we’re not going to make it easy for them.

Galatians 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

It’s interesting in the MSG version it goes, “Galations 5:6, “For in Christ, neither our conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior; faith expressed in love.”

The face of our brothers and sisters are different culturally outward in how we dress or talk, but inside…we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.
We need to be careful ourselves that we don’t get so caught up legalistically wise that we may inadvertantely turn people away from salvation.
In the darknest of nights, God still holds His hand out to all of us.
The first Christians didn’t wear clothes of riches, probably didn’t take baths often since it would be far in and between and look vastly different….but ultimately….we all will meet in the same place when we truly serve God not by how we look, but how we serve Him from our heart.
“…..The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT

Lord, Thank You for Your love and forgiveness for no matter how I look, what I wear or what I eat or do, I was unworthy ,”But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrifical death while we were of no use whateer to him.” Romans 5:8 MSG
Lord, help me remember it’s not all about how I dress or where I live or who I am outside, but forever make me Your humble servant so I may serve YOU, not You serve me but I serve YOU and that my life is Your life and my life is used by YOU to be a light to others Lord.
Lord, don’t let me find comfort in self-effort. Remind me that I can clean and clean and clean the cup and make it shiny and it will not matter to You if inside it’s filled with self-indulgence, greed and worldy thoughts that don’t lead to you Lord.”
Keep me humble Lord; I praise You for remembering it’s not what I have or get that is a blessing from You but what Your Son, Jesus Christ, is all I would ever need in this world. Heavenly Father, I pray for those who don’t know You, who are afraid to come to know You, don’t have people in their lives to lead them to You and just don’t know how to come to know You.
Heavenly Father, help me remember that angry person, that person dressed in a way I wouldn’t or talk in a way I wouldn’t or doesn’t look like the way I would, needs You more than the average joe, that looks talks and dresses like me.
Remind me that the single parent needs You, the drug addict, the abused, the hurt, the lonely. I can’t just play safe and wait for someone in a suit and tie.
They aren’t the ones You are worried about. You are worried about the ones who have fallen, who are fallen, who will fall. You are worried about the ones, society says, you don’t look right, talk right, smell right. They all need You and I’m not helping by turning the other way. Help me overcome fear Lord and have trust in You.
Help me remember….it’s not about embracing, accepting and encouraging their lifestyles…but it’s about embracing, encouraging and accepting the sinner…not the sin. Lord help me love but not love to the point of blindness.

It means to love people irrespective of the sins that we may see in them. It means accepting them and loving them just as they are without thereby “loving” their sins and practicing them ourselves………let us indeed love sinners — and don’t we all fit that category? — and hate the sin in our own lives, including the “acceptable kind,” that makes us poor representatives of the Christ we claim to serve. Source: Love the Sinner-Not the Sin

Hebrews 10:26-3126.
For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27. but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on [the testimony of] two or three witnesses. 29. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30. For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31. It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Romans 11:22
Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
Help them Lord, they need you, we all need you. Change us to emulate You.
Help me remember I don’t have to go to Africa, or Asia or some far off country to help the lost, the needy, the unwanted. That we have them all around us. They are next door, down the street, at the grocery store, in the shelters, in prisons.
We all deserve Your love and grace…None of us are exempt based on how we looked or dress.
You gave grace to a dying thief on a cross. You gave grace to a man who hunted down Christians for a living. Teach me to not just hang around the cross but to go on the cross.
Help me embrace and use every moment to lift Your name up in glory and not just at the safety and comfort of my kitchen table.

Luke 12:29-40
29. And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these hings. 31. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 32. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35. Let your loins be girded about, and [your] lights burning; 36. And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37. Blessed [are] those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find [them] so, blessed are those servants. 39. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40. Be ye
thereore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Remind me each time I leave the safety of my home, the comfort of my home, each day is a day of witnessing to Your Love and Your Grace.
The lost and unsaved won’t wait for Sunday to come to church.
Salvation isn’t for Sunday’s only and how would they know the way if no one takes the time to show them the right directions.
Lord, give me strength and courage to share the Truth, the map, the way to You Lord.
It’s not about me Lord. It’s about You. My life is about you. It’s about showing the way to You.
This isn’t just my path alone to walk…It’s about lighting the way so others can follow too. We don’t pile barriers when we go hiking so others can’t go down the same hiking trail like we are…so why do we do that in our own lives sometimes? Lord, help me keep the path clear and help others find their way to You too.
Like a hiking trail is open to everyone, both experienced or not…so is the path to You Lord. Lord, Help me keep my life, words or the way I dress from becoming a barrier from getting to know You.
Lord, don’t let people look at me, or read my words or look at my life and go, “I don’t want to know the Lord,” Help me shine the light to you….
I Corinthians 13:1
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

People don’t want to go down a hiking trail that is filled with obstacles. People won’t be encouraged to try if there is a sign saying “Only these people may enter”.
Keep the hiking trail to God open. Help other hikers who are trying to find their way to God, no matter how experienced or inexperienced they maybe.
At one point before we started hiking…we all had to learn how to crawl too…In time, they will grow in experience and they will be able to handle the difficult climbs that often comes with hiking, and they will learn the way to dress for the hike, but in the meantime, if a hiker is going to wear heels to walk that path…let them, but help them with encouragement, don’t thrust hiking boots at them right off and say, “If you don’t wear this now , I won’t help you or guide you.”
We are all on different levels of our hike.
We can tell the hiker wearing heels, be off with you, and let them fall, or we can help them up and say, “Good try, keep trying, don’t give up, because God isn’t giving up on you either.”
Peter 3:8-11 NIV (New International Version)
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.For,”Whoever would love lifeand see good daysmust keep his tongue from eviland his lips from deceitful speech.He must turn from evil and do good;he must seek peace and pursue it.

Luke 9:57-62-The Cost of Choosing;We can't have both.

“Shhhh….don’t say that…you’ll offend someone.”

Ever said that? Ever had someone say that to you?

“The words of the Lord hurt and offend until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Jesus Christ had no tenderness whatsoever toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God. Our Lord’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of “what was in man”. If the Spirit of God brings to your mind a word of the Lord that hurts you, you can be sure that there is something in you that He wants to hurt to the point of death.”-Oswald Chambers, Upmost for His Highest.

58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
(Luke 9:58, New King James Version)

Oswald Chambers shares in “Upmost for His Highest” that,”Our Lord’s attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragment (referencing Luke 9:57-62), “for He knew what was in man.(John 2:25).

In John 2:23-25 (NKJV), it is written,   
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. (John 2:23-25, New King James Version)

I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times people have said, “Only God knows what is in a man’s heart”, and yes, yes that is very true, but as John 2:23-25 indeeds backup’s, that Jesus knew all men’s heart that He didn’t commit Himself in Jeruselem, which in a lot of ways, can make that argument ineffective.

In “The “Go” of Renunciation, Oswald concentrated on Luke 9:57-62, where a man wanted to follow Christ, but also follow the whims of the world and what he (the man) wanted as well and Christ clearly points out that we “can’t have our cake and eat it too”. If we are to follow Him (our Father in Heaven), we have to give up the life as we knew it on earth, for it will only serve as a distraction and in some cases, a block to our growth and discipleship in and through Jesus Christ.

However, as rebellious children, how often do we think our parents don’t know what they are talking about and only trying to “steal our thunder” and “spoil our fun”. Sounds pretty selfish there….

Oooo…but that is judgemental….

We seem to have reached a point in our culture that if it interferes with what makes US feel good or justified in what we are doing, it’s automatically wrong, intolerant and not to be questioned, but we have to realistically ask ourselves, are we watering down our faith and walk with our Father that we have to ask ourselves, what are we really believing and stop being afraid to ask those hard questions out of fear.

It’s like saying that we love our parents, but they dont’ know what they are talking about and acting as if, we, the children know more than our parents really do…they are just “out of touch”, not “in with the times”.

Matthew Henry Commentary shares this insight into John 2:

Many believe in Christ.

Many believe in Christ.

Our Lord knew all men, their nature, dispositions, affections, designs, so as we do not know any man, not even ourselves. He knows his crafty enemies, and all their secret projects; his false friends, and their true characters. He knows who are truly his, knows their uprightness, and knows their weaknesses. We know what is done by men; Christ knows what is in them, he tries the heart. Beware of a dead faith, or a formal profession: carnal, empty professors are not to be trusted, and however men impose on others or themselves, they cannot impose on the heart-searching God.

“……however men impose on others or themselves, they cannot impose on the heart-searching God.” Isn’t that almost another word for bullying?

It’s easier to peer pressure everyone around us so we dont’ feel bad (remember the old adage, Misery loves company.”), than it is to stand out in the crowd.

Oswald Chambers shares about Luke 9:58,” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
(Luke 9:58, New King James Version)”, that “These words destroy the argument of servince Jesus Christ because it is a pleasant thing to do.”

The image that Luke 9:58, brings up, is of our Father’s Son finding NO place to rest His head.
Why’s that?

Rejection.

We live in a feel good society where “individuality” almost means conformity. We all dress in the latest fashions, listen to the same music, read and subscribe to the same pop culture and to stand out is to be “weird” or “defiant” and “an issue”, surprisinging not to oneself but to what other’s are comfortable with.

Yet, as Luke 9:59 shows us, we have mixed loyalties where we often find ourselves putting our loyalty out of worrying what everyone else thinks and feels and in the process, putting our Father in last place, because it’s not “popular” or we “worry it will offend”.

Ever stop and think though, what is the price, the long term price of worrying about offending.

It’s like subscribing to the peer pressure to do something that down in our hearts, we know is not right, only to pay for it later, not because we were worry about what was right, but we were more worry of looking “uncool” or “bad to others”.

Chambers, shared some haunting words,”The exacting call of Jesus has no room for good-byes; good-byes, as we often use them, are pagan, not Christian, because they divert us fromt he call.

In Luke 9:61, the verse that Chambers referenced to, it is shared,” 61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62, New King James Version)”

Basically, what Jesus says is,
“Here is one that is forward to follow Christ, but seems to have been hasty and rash, and not to have counted the cost. If we mean to follow Christ, we must lay aside the thoughts of great things in the world. Let us not try to join the profession of Christianity, with seeking after worldly advantages.

Here is another that seems resolved to follow Christ, but he begs a short delay. To this man Christ first gave the call; he said to him, Follow me. Religion teaches us to be kind and good, to show piety at home, and to requite our parents; but we must not make these an excuse for neglecting our duty to God. Here is another that is willing to follow Christ, but he must have a little time to talk with his friends about it, and to set in order his household affairs, and give directions concerning them.

He seemed to have worldly concerns more upon his heart than he ought to have, and he was willing to enter into a temptation leading him from his purpose of following Christ.

No one can do any business in a proper manner, if he is attending to other things. Those who begin with the work of God, must resolve to go on, or they will make nothing of it. Looking back, leads to drawing back, and drawing back is to perdition. He only that endures to the end shall be saved.

Trouble is…when we follow His Call, that also will mean making unpopular, un-cool choices and dealing with rejection, harsh criticisim, jeers and yes, even harassment.

No one said it was easy and it’s not supposed to be.

Chambers reflected about Luke 9:57 was, “Our Lord’s attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragement,”for He knew what was in man” (ref.John 2:25). 

Chambers continued, “Imagine being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged!”

As Chambers said that, think of how like today’s world’s attitude is that?

“You hurt his/her feelings”.

“Oh that is intolerant”.

“Don’t offend/or don’t be offensive”.

Yet Chambers continued,”Never apologize for your Lord. The words of the Lord hurt and offend (emphasis is mine) until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Jesus Christ had no tenderness whatsover toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God.”

This brought to mind Jesus at the temple. Remember that story? No, well here it is:
   
45 Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’
47 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, 48 and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him. (Luke 19:45-48, New King James Version)

Yet even as He did this, His authority was questioned by the very authorities who should have known Him,
   

27 Then they came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him. 28 And they said to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”
29 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things: 30 The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men? Answer Me.”
31 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From men’”—they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed. 33 So they answered and said to Jesus, “We do not know.”
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Mark 11:27-33, New King James Version)

Harsher than what even Chambers presented, but as MHC (Matthew Henry Commentary) shares about Luke 19:45-48,

Christ laments over Jerusalem.

Who can behold the holy Jesus, looking forward to the miseries that awaited his murderers, weeping over the city where his precious blood was about to be shed, without seeing that the likeness of God in the believer, consists much in good-will and compassion? Surely those cannot be right who take up any doctrines of truth, so as to be hardened towards their fellow-sinners. But let every one remember, that though Jesus wept over Jerusalem, he executed awful vengeance upon it.

Though he delights not in the death of a sinner, yet he will surely bring to pass his awful threatenings on those who neglect his salvation. The Son of God did not weep vain and causeless tears, nor for a light matter, nor for himself. He knows the value of souls, the weight of guilt, and how low it will press and sink mankind. May he then come and cleanse our hearts by his Spirit, from all that defiles. May sinners, on every side, become attentive to the words of truth and salvation.”

Reading Chambers devotional this morning, the truth is…is it worth the price of being well known and well liked but not having our Father?

In Luke 9:59, the man doesn’t want to disappoint his father or Jesus, nor show a lack of respect, but we can’t put respect and loyalty to our relatives and friends first if it will cost us putting Christ last. I like how Oswald shares it,”When your loyalties conflict, always obey Jesus Christ, whatever the cost.”

 

Embracing the Joy…..

Follow me to the Internet Cafe Devotion

Follow me to the Internet Cafe Devotion

Summer is almost over many of us we are spending time preparing for a new school year and enjoying those last “lazy, hazy days of summer” with family. I was doing those very things and in the midst of it all, some things came to mind. I begin to realize just how easy it is to let something or someone to steal my joy?


Read the rest of this devotion at, “The Internet Cafe“……Don’t worry, there’s always room for you there.

Diamonds in the Desert

Do you know what the word “Exodus” means?

It means “departure”. I was thinking about this as I was reading about “Diamonds in the Desert” from Bruce Wilkerson’s “The Dream Giver” and it had me thinking of times in our lives when our Father seems to be so far away. Life just becomes a stand still.

Maybe you woke up one morning and the light seems to have dulled in your life and things went from, great to bad. Instead of things going smoothly and that drive out of your driveway started smooth, you started the vehicle, only for it to stuttered and stop and then while waiting for the vehicle to be fixed, you spill coffee on that brand new outfit you just wore that day and let’s not start with the realization that after the bill is paid, you only have enough for groceries and maybe, just maybe to cover two bills, if you can arrange some type of alternate payment plan for the first bill.

Whew.

What a day.

Or a week.

Maybe it’s been a month for you?

I re-read Exodus and listen how everyone started off on their departure with their spirits on high and all these big plans, and YES!, this was the day, so many had dreamed of to…”What are we doing?”, “We had it so well, in afterthought,” and “Manna for dinner again??”.

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, (1 Peter 1:6, New King James Version)

I have had days, even weeks, when I have had to deal personally with what some people call the “Mean Girls”. You know. The moms who didn’t realize high school was over with and think nothing of gossipping about you behind your back or openly in front of you and seem to go out of your way to make your life miserable.

Or maybe it is the neighbor that as much as you try to get along, seems to never have a good word to say and no matter what you say or do, they have something negative to say about you, because you don’t live up to their wants or conditions.

Or maybe its a co-worker who seem to go out of their way to make your job just a little bit harder or seem to want to steal the attention away from you and what you do and focus it on them.

Or the family member who just can’t let go of being so critical and can’t be appease.

Or maybe. You’re just having a really bad day or week and can’t really put a finger on what it is that is bothering you but just that…you don’t really feel like life is going that smooth right now.

4 “ Behold the proud,

His soul is not upright in him;

But the just shall live by his faith.

(Habakkuk 2:4, New King James Version)

We all are going to have deserts in our lives. There are going to be times we will feel like we are in a wasteland and no matter what we do, everything, or something isn’t working, but it’s times like that, that we need to pick up His Word and read Exodus, Joshua and Psalms and discovered, God is not going to ever leave us alone or abandon us, or maybe, we are just needing to step back and see things not through our eyes and wants and desires, but see what it is that He sees and maybe we have missed or overseen.

Something that I’m discovering and slowly,extremely slowly, learning is that Wastelands….Wastelands are needed in our lives so that we—-you….me…all of us…can be prepared, reshaped and ready to be used by Him.

It means, abandoning our desire to grab the steering wheel and take control but know that is time to just sit back and trust Him and allow Him to do what He is needing to do, to prepare us, to shape what needs to be shape and allow things to work so it will work to His glory and never ours.

Imagine if Moses assistant, Joshua, became impatient and told Moses everything he was doing wrong and just went off on his own instead of being patient and allowing our Father to do what He needed to do.

Things might be different.

It boils down to this.

Our Father leaves us diamonds in the wasteland for us to discover on our journey.

Some maybe so tiny that we miss them because we are distracted and maybe panicking.

Or so large that we just stand there.

In awe.

Our jaws dropping thinking, “No way”.

I think often….we miss those diamonds though.

It’s usually not till after the fact we look back and go “Oh I see them now” and see what it was that our Heavenly Father was and is doing in our lives and the lives of others.

Sometimes, we may be so blinded we still miss seeing them.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4, New King James Version)

I joke with my hubby about the importance of patience.

How many of us, in the heat of the moment, said or did things we can’t take back and no we can’t take back, or just plain give up and dont’ bother to look back.

In this case, rice.

Anyone with a garbage disposal knows you don’t pour half a gallon of rice, uncook, down the disposal.

Unfortunately my husband didn’t know that or take the time to ask me what do to with the rice but instead, pour it down the garbage disposal by method of assumption.

And ran the water.

And water and uncook rice expands and clogs the garbage disposal that even using a plunger doesn’t work.Yes….a lot of work.

Sometimes when we are upset or in a Wasteland, it’s easy to do things or say things that we end up regretting. We can do two things from that point.

Allow pride to get the better of us and burn the bridges and never look back, or in the case of Wastelands….go through the desert, endure, and continue to seek Him, work with and in and through Him.

Not give up.

Not say, too bad and walk off.

But to deal and work through and allow Him to be the mechanism to help us get to the other side, refined, developed and prepared in His will and way, not ours.

When the Israelites first went through the Promised Land, noticed how they argued, bickered and complained. After forty years of wandering, tested by the Wasteland and guided by our Father, a new and stronger nation emerged from what had first entered.

4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:4, New King James Version)

When the wastelands of our lives happens and unfortunately it will happen in our lives; He is and will see us through and we must trust Him; But in the process, we mustn’t give up, we mustn’t give in to the temptation to allow the lies to get the better of us or to try and give up.

Find ways to invite healthy change first and foremost in and through our Heavenly Father and see His side and view of how things are and work through that Wasteland, that way.

It’s so easy to reject, to give up, to be or feel beat down, but He is not going to give up on us and we shouldn’t give up on Him. No matter how painful it may feel or what is the use, continue forward in and through our Heavenly Father.

4 “ Behold the proud,

His soul is not upright in him;

But the just shall live by his faith.

(Habakkuk 2:4, New King James Version)

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