Today I threw a lovely tantrum before I got out of the car at the vets office. Of course me and the cat and God were the only ones there to hear it....thankfully. It's been a hard week....vet visits for 2 cats so far, and the bills to match. And of course the proverbial straw that broke the camels back today was the fact that the little clip that holds the top of the carrier door closed went missing (it was there 2 days ago when I took the 1st cat to the vet!!), and as I was trying to back up my truck (never an easy feat), the cat is trying to push her way out, and I am trying to hold it closed at the same time as my parking the truck!! Just one in a series of little annoyances this morning that sent me over the edge!!
So of course, I was railing at God, "you never help me, you must hate me, what's wrong with me, I can't take this anymore.....and you get the picture, on and on it went. This all was coming on the tail end of a very dark time for me, struggling with some major concerns and heart aches in my life, and the financial burdens of the extra vet bills just sent me in a tail spin. More importantly, my babies were sick!! At that point, it seems, it's the little things that just push the final button.
So I got out of the car, picked up the cat in carrier, holding the little door shut on top....and yes this was quiet the accomplishment in my mind, seeing as I still had to open the door to the vet's office. The cat has been crying since we left the house...not a happy little camper. So in we go, and we sit down to wait our turn, cat still meowing away. It was almost like I heard God say to me, "She is so unhappy in the carrier, but you wouldn't let her out, would you? You know that it would be detrimental and not safe for her to be out of that carrier. Do you think I would allow you to have your way if I knew it was not good for you? Even when I hear you cry and complain?" Oh my goodness. I am totally at a loss for words here. God allows or doesn't allow, delivers or doesn't deliver according to His good plan for me. As I kept Emma in the carrier for her own good, so too, God keeps me in this hard place for my own good.
Thank You Lord. I still struggle with where I am. And the circumstances in my life that are hard and that I hate. But than You for not giving me my own way when You know Your way is best. Help me to submit and accept Your good, even when it feels bad.
Oh great, said cat is now throwing the litter all over the floor that I just vacuumed and cleaned!!!! UGH!!!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Jeremiah 17:7
Ok, so this was on my fb page.....a "God Visit" ya think? LOL
But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. Jeremiah 17:7
Glorious Unfolding by Steven Curtis Chapman Lyrics
Nothing seems to have worked out as I would have liked it in my life. I sometimes feel like all I see is dead ends. We went to see Joel Osteen when we were out in Iowa and part of the message was about changing the recording in our heads. You know the one, the negative, self-defeating one that says nothing is good and nothing will change. Joel spoke about how nothing was impossible for God and we were to focus on the promises of God not our problems. So that night, God spoke once again to my heart about trust and gratitude. That verb of belief again. And this song speaks to that action of trust. Things may not be what I thought, or want or planned, but God's plan is still unfolding. And His plan is better than anything I could dream of, it is glorious. While my emotions may not catch up with the fact right away, that doesn't make it any less true.
Lord, thank You that You are God. Thank You that You speak to us through people, through song, through a myriad of ways. Keep our ears, eyes and heart open to hear, see, and listen. Help me to trust Your plan and let go of my own plan and expectations. Let me just live in joyful surprise at all You do.
Darkness and Light
It's been a little bit of a while since I posted. Between being away....out to the midwest--Iowa to be precise and being "away" in a dark place, I haven't made it to this place. I feel like I've been living in the shadows, and the little light that's gotten through has only splashed the hard surface of my heart. I guess with all the subsequent wakes following my Mom's have kind of put me in a depression, as I really don't have time to heal before I am reminded again of my loss. But in spite of all that, God has been here. Like I said, His light has splashed my heart, stony as it may be right now. And I am grateful for that.
The biggest visit has been from my reading of "One Thousand Gifts." In it God is teaching me that "thanks is what builds trust." Since I feel the loss of my Mom so sharply, and I've been struggling coping with work, it is a visit I needed desperately. So many things seem to be competing for "king of wrongness" in my life right now that trust and gratitude seem a million miles away.
Believing is a verb....belief an action. If I look at all things with gratitude, I can trust. It's as if gratitude opens the gates to the green pastures and still waters David mentions in the 23rd Psalm. I cannot be fretting when I am thanking. When I open the gate through thanksgiving, I can rest in those green pastures, beside the still waters, and I trust. So God pointing this out to me once again, this need for thankfulness even in the dark, was His way of providing a small lighted path out the shadows. And I am trying to follow. I falter and stumble, sometimes even sit down and refuse to move forward, but eventually I get back up again and continue walking the road of trust.
Lord, You see the road before me. You have gone before me. Help me to find You on that road, and not to take my eyes off of You. I feel so lost and angry most of the time these days, but I am thankful You are still here. And I am thankful You are good.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
The biggest visit has been from my reading of "One Thousand Gifts." In it God is teaching me that "thanks is what builds trust." Since I feel the loss of my Mom so sharply, and I've been struggling coping with work, it is a visit I needed desperately. So many things seem to be competing for "king of wrongness" in my life right now that trust and gratitude seem a million miles away.
Believing is a verb....belief an action. If I look at all things with gratitude, I can trust. It's as if gratitude opens the gates to the green pastures and still waters David mentions in the 23rd Psalm. I cannot be fretting when I am thanking. When I open the gate through thanksgiving, I can rest in those green pastures, beside the still waters, and I trust. So God pointing this out to me once again, this need for thankfulness even in the dark, was His way of providing a small lighted path out the shadows. And I am trying to follow. I falter and stumble, sometimes even sit down and refuse to move forward, but eventually I get back up again and continue walking the road of trust.
Lord, You see the road before me. You have gone before me. Help me to find You on that road, and not to take my eyes off of You. I feel so lost and angry most of the time these days, but I am thankful You are still here. And I am thankful You are good.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Miracle?
Ok, now this is really weird. Last night I was sitting in my car at lunch, having one of those days....you know, not feeling great, work was crazy and as usual annoying...going down the self-pity path heading straight for the pity party tent...ok, started the gratitude thing but still griping to myself as well (amazing how we can do both at the same time, huh?)
And this is the weird part. My phone chimes that I received a text message. Ok. Nothing out of the ordinary. But what the message said was the unexpected part. It said: "MIRACLE" No more claims of not witnessing daily MIRACLES. The act of reading this text is a MIRACLE of MAJOR proportion thousand fold and more. Tuesday July 15th 2014. Thank God for the following: EYES & BRAIN (check) BRAIN FUNCTION, HEART & SPLEEN, (check), KIDNEY, LUNGS AND LIVER...Ultimate machine of many parts "MIRACLE" take your time thank your maker for your unseen organs. God sustains them while we awake and asleep. Have you given thanks lately MIRACLE? Genesis 1:27"
That was the whole message. I have no idea where this came from. Didn't recognize the number. But I certainly got the message. If that didn't stop the pity train in its tracks..... It seems the author of this text was letting me know that I was the miracle. Each of us are a miracle of God. Makes me wonder how many other "unseen" things I take for granted and don't offer thanks for. How many "miracles" do I miss each day just because they are not, at least to the jaded human mind, grand in scope.
Lord, open my heart and eyes to the work of Your hand, small and big, the obvious and the not so much. Thank You for today.
Genesis 1:27New Living Translation (NLT)
27 So God created human beings[a] in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
And this is the weird part. My phone chimes that I received a text message. Ok. Nothing out of the ordinary. But what the message said was the unexpected part. It said: "MIRACLE" No more claims of not witnessing daily MIRACLES. The act of reading this text is a MIRACLE of MAJOR proportion thousand fold and more. Tuesday July 15th 2014. Thank God for the following: EYES & BRAIN (check) BRAIN FUNCTION, HEART & SPLEEN, (check), KIDNEY, LUNGS AND LIVER...Ultimate machine of many parts "MIRACLE" take your time thank your maker for your unseen organs. God sustains them while we awake and asleep. Have you given thanks lately MIRACLE? Genesis 1:27"
That was the whole message. I have no idea where this came from. Didn't recognize the number. But I certainly got the message. If that didn't stop the pity train in its tracks..... It seems the author of this text was letting me know that I was the miracle. Each of us are a miracle of God. Makes me wonder how many other "unseen" things I take for granted and don't offer thanks for. How many "miracles" do I miss each day just because they are not, at least to the jaded human mind, grand in scope.
Lord, open my heart and eyes to the work of Your hand, small and big, the obvious and the not so much. Thank You for today.
Genesis 1:27New Living Translation (NLT)
27 So God created human beings[a] in his own image.
In the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
I Can Only Imagine
Sunday as I was sitting in the pew at church, I kind of sensed the missing presence of my Mom. You know how that feels, when your senses tell you something is not there, and your heart says it should be. Then the sadness came. But then God......
Well, here is a picture of the bulletin for Sunday:
Well, here is a picture of the bulletin for Sunday:
How is that for a God visit !!
Thank You for the comfort you always provide Lord. Please teach me how to get the centering off this after I insert a picture. LOL
If you have been keeping up with this blog, you will remember this song and the clouds played a big part in the comfort the Lord wrapped me in during the time of my Mom's passing. He was so faithful then, and continues to be now. There is no way to see this combination on the bulletin as a coincidence as they are preprinted by the manufacturer. So how absolutely amazing is this, that God but these 2 things that meant so much during the difficult days of coping with the loss of my Mom, together on a day when I was feeling the sharp ache of that loss once again. We serve a loving and wonderful God.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Thankful for Weakness?
This is going to be a convoluted kind of God visit. It sort of combines 3 separate visits, all linked together by our amazing God.
Let's start with last night. I had my usual struggle at work, and I think the only thing that kept me complaining less was the fact that I really didn't feel good, so I was quieter !! LOL How ridiculous is that!! Anyways, as I drove home I was once again repenting for complaining. God brought to my attention (thank you, thank you, thank you Lord!) a few things I had done well that day and I felt Him showing me that this was progress to celebrate. Instead of once again lamenting and rehashing all my failures of the day, He wanted me to rejoice with Him over the victories!! What does that tell you about our God?!?!?!
Ok, onward to an email I received from a dear sister in the Lord today. She sent the day's devotion from Charles Stanley's "In Touch". I will paste it here so you can read it for yourselves. It's really great!
"Who is your Master?"
James 4:7-10 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you doubleminded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
No man or woman is absolutely free. Romans 6:16 says we are slaves of whomever we obey—slaves either of sin or of obedience to the Lord. Because every human is born with a fallen nature, being the master of our own life is the same as being enslaved to sin.
Our heavenly Father’s prescription for this unhealthy situation is submission to Him. But we often think to ourselves, If I give the Lord control, then I lose it—and that’s scary. God could lead me somewhere I don’t want to go.
When fear seeps into your heart, stop and consider the Lord’s character and motives. He is holy and sinless; He has infinite wisdom, perfect knowledge, and an eternal perspective; He loves you and has the power to work all things for your good (Gen. 50:20). Now compare your credentials to His. Who do you think would make a better master of your life?
If the Lord is to have full authority, all rival rulers must be dethroned. The Holy Spirit will not fill believers who tolerate sin in their lives. The grace of God covers the guilt of our transgressions, but it cannot be used to excuse continued disobedience (Rom. 6:1-2). We grieve the Spirit when we say yes to sin and stifle Him when we say no to God (Eph. 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19).
Don’t let yourself be discouraged by the magnitude of this call to submission. None of us can attain sinless perfection on earth, but each time we take a step of obedience, sin’s hold on us will lessen. Press on—you’ll soon begin to live in the freedom of enslavement to the most amazing Master you've ever known.
I could see how this lined up with last nights encounter. Submission. Did I do it perfectly? No. Am I pressing on? Yes. Obedience seems to come in stages. As it says in the devotion, this is not an excuse to continue in sin, but neither was I to be condemned. I am forgiven and I am growing, step by baby step.
Moving forward to this morning's "31 Days of Praise" entry. And this is a really big revelation for me. Something I don't really think I have ever seriously considered (even in reading this book for years), or maybe it's just that today it was considered in the heart instead of the head, and I felt it and meant what I prayed down to my very core.
Today's praise was based in giving God thanks for our weaknesses. Imagine that!!! "I choose to thank You for my weaknesses, my infirmities, my inadequacies....for the ways I fall short of what people view as ideal....and that in Your infinite wisdom You have allowed these in my life so that they may contribute to Your high purposes for me." WHAAAT!!! My sins, my weak areas, my bad habits, and dumb mistakes, all allowed, all used by God in HIS wisdom. ALL?!?!?! Bring this back up to the "In Touch" reading, "...consider the Lord's character and motives. He is holy and sinless. He infinite wisdom and perfect knowledge, and an eternal perspective..." This includes His allowing the imperfections in my life, my sin, the areas I struggle with desperately to remain. If there was not a reason, those things would not be here.
And today, for the first time, I got down on my knees and purposefully, heartfeltedly (yes, I know it is not a real word), in all honesty, gave thanks for these weaknesses. I truly offered gratitude for them to the Lord. If the parts of me that are displeasing to Him and myself, my complaining, by disbelief, my overeating, anger, to name a few, were not a necessity at this time, He would have removed them instantly. But for some reason my Father is keeping them part of me, and we are working on these areas of sin and struggle slowly.
Maybe this is a bit of a radical idea. I am not seeing this as a license for bad behavior or saying I should just keep going along the wrong way. No. It is my job to keep cooperating with the Holy Spirit, keep working at growing and improving, moving forward to become more and more Christ-like. But I am feeling like God has a reason for the road I am on, and everything that is on that road, even the stuff I don't like about myself and that it is my job to trust Him, trust His timing and His ways. Is not trusting and giving thanks submitting to God? Trusting God's character and plan...that is obedience to Romans 8:28. Thankfulness, obedience to 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Romans 8:28 And now we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
From "31 Days of Praise": "Thank You that I can trust You to remove or change any of my weaknesses and handicaps and shortcomings the moment they are no longer needed for Your glory, and for my good, and for the good of other people...and that in the meantime, Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in my weakness."
I hope this encourages someone today. Know that even our most desperate sins, our deepest stains are something God will use for beauty in our lives. I pray that we continue to run the race, strive to be the overcomers He has made us. Lord, help us to submit in every area of our lives to You, to step by step follow in Christ-like obedience Your leading. But also Lord, help us to celebrate even the smallest of victories and allow Your perfect timing in our lives to have it's way.
Let's start with last night. I had my usual struggle at work, and I think the only thing that kept me complaining less was the fact that I really didn't feel good, so I was quieter !! LOL How ridiculous is that!! Anyways, as I drove home I was once again repenting for complaining. God brought to my attention (thank you, thank you, thank you Lord!) a few things I had done well that day and I felt Him showing me that this was progress to celebrate. Instead of once again lamenting and rehashing all my failures of the day, He wanted me to rejoice with Him over the victories!! What does that tell you about our God?!?!?!
Ok, onward to an email I received from a dear sister in the Lord today. She sent the day's devotion from Charles Stanley's "In Touch". I will paste it here so you can read it for yourselves. It's really great!
"Who is your Master?"
James 4:7-10 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you doubleminded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
No man or woman is absolutely free. Romans 6:16 says we are slaves of whomever we obey—slaves either of sin or of obedience to the Lord. Because every human is born with a fallen nature, being the master of our own life is the same as being enslaved to sin.
Our heavenly Father’s prescription for this unhealthy situation is submission to Him. But we often think to ourselves, If I give the Lord control, then I lose it—and that’s scary. God could lead me somewhere I don’t want to go.
When fear seeps into your heart, stop and consider the Lord’s character and motives. He is holy and sinless; He has infinite wisdom, perfect knowledge, and an eternal perspective; He loves you and has the power to work all things for your good (Gen. 50:20). Now compare your credentials to His. Who do you think would make a better master of your life?
If the Lord is to have full authority, all rival rulers must be dethroned. The Holy Spirit will not fill believers who tolerate sin in their lives. The grace of God covers the guilt of our transgressions, but it cannot be used to excuse continued disobedience (Rom. 6:1-2). We grieve the Spirit when we say yes to sin and stifle Him when we say no to God (Eph. 4:30; 1 Thess. 5:19).
Don’t let yourself be discouraged by the magnitude of this call to submission. None of us can attain sinless perfection on earth, but each time we take a step of obedience, sin’s hold on us will lessen. Press on—you’ll soon begin to live in the freedom of enslavement to the most amazing Master you've ever known.
I could see how this lined up with last nights encounter. Submission. Did I do it perfectly? No. Am I pressing on? Yes. Obedience seems to come in stages. As it says in the devotion, this is not an excuse to continue in sin, but neither was I to be condemned. I am forgiven and I am growing, step by baby step.
Moving forward to this morning's "31 Days of Praise" entry. And this is a really big revelation for me. Something I don't really think I have ever seriously considered (even in reading this book for years), or maybe it's just that today it was considered in the heart instead of the head, and I felt it and meant what I prayed down to my very core.
Today's praise was based in giving God thanks for our weaknesses. Imagine that!!! "I choose to thank You for my weaknesses, my infirmities, my inadequacies....for the ways I fall short of what people view as ideal....and that in Your infinite wisdom You have allowed these in my life so that they may contribute to Your high purposes for me." WHAAAT!!! My sins, my weak areas, my bad habits, and dumb mistakes, all allowed, all used by God in HIS wisdom. ALL?!?!?! Bring this back up to the "In Touch" reading, "...consider the Lord's character and motives. He is holy and sinless. He infinite wisdom and perfect knowledge, and an eternal perspective..." This includes His allowing the imperfections in my life, my sin, the areas I struggle with desperately to remain. If there was not a reason, those things would not be here.
And today, for the first time, I got down on my knees and purposefully, heartfeltedly (yes, I know it is not a real word), in all honesty, gave thanks for these weaknesses. I truly offered gratitude for them to the Lord. If the parts of me that are displeasing to Him and myself, my complaining, by disbelief, my overeating, anger, to name a few, were not a necessity at this time, He would have removed them instantly. But for some reason my Father is keeping them part of me, and we are working on these areas of sin and struggle slowly.
Maybe this is a bit of a radical idea. I am not seeing this as a license for bad behavior or saying I should just keep going along the wrong way. No. It is my job to keep cooperating with the Holy Spirit, keep working at growing and improving, moving forward to become more and more Christ-like. But I am feeling like God has a reason for the road I am on, and everything that is on that road, even the stuff I don't like about myself and that it is my job to trust Him, trust His timing and His ways. Is not trusting and giving thanks submitting to God? Trusting God's character and plan...that is obedience to Romans 8:28. Thankfulness, obedience to 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Romans 8:28 And now we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
From "31 Days of Praise": "Thank You that I can trust You to remove or change any of my weaknesses and handicaps and shortcomings the moment they are no longer needed for Your glory, and for my good, and for the good of other people...and that in the meantime, Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in my weakness."
I hope this encourages someone today. Know that even our most desperate sins, our deepest stains are something God will use for beauty in our lives. I pray that we continue to run the race, strive to be the overcomers He has made us. Lord, help us to submit in every area of our lives to You, to step by step follow in Christ-like obedience Your leading. But also Lord, help us to celebrate even the smallest of victories and allow Your perfect timing in our lives to have it's way.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Everything an Act of Worship
Everything an act of worship? Really? As I was cleaning up powder from the bathroom floor yet again, (the powder my husband is using has a broken top that sprays powder all over, and apparently because he is so tall he fails to see it on the floor so very very far below his eyeline!) I was thinking to myself, how in the heck is this supposed to be an act of worship? And I got to thinking about all the little things we do every day...driving, cleaning, working, interacting with family, friends, strangers....How do we make these things an "act of worship" to the Lord? What is it about cleaning up powder or washing the dishes or going to work that becomes an act of worship? What makes those things holy to the Lord? Attitude? Maybe. But what if it's something more? What about obedience?
Here's where I am going with this, because in thinking about it and asking the Lord, I really feel He gave me the answer. It's in being obedient to the Scripture, to His Word that helps to make anything and everything an act of worship.
Just a few examples here, I am sure you can come up with many many more yourselves. Let's start with Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
This can cover anything from sexual immorality to gluttony, laziness to extreme exercise...When we take care of our bodies, it is an act of worship.
Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Driving? How about giving preference to the other drivers, giving up that parking spot or letting someone go before you? Honor one another above yourselves, and in obedience to the Word, driving becomes an act of worship.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Words, our speech, what we say...condemning and complaining or kindly and encouraging....one worships Satan, the other an act of worship of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Epehsians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Here's a tough one. We are asked to have compassion on one another. Now, that's not so hard when the person is hurting or struggling, or even a stranger in a foreign land, all of our hearts break when we see children starving here or in other countries; but what about the family member that let us down, the friend who betrayed us or the co-worker who took advantage of us? Can we be obedient to this Scripture then as an act of worship?
Do you see, as I did, that making everything an act of worship involves obedience to the Word of the Lord? How about these Scriptures? What can you do in obedience to them that would constitute worship?
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.
Ok, the list can go on and on. As I read these Scriptures I see so many ways I can turn my every little act into a worshipful experience. And I know that remembering to do this will be the battle for me. But I pray that as the days go by, it becomes more and more second nature, no, first nature! Lord, please let me focus on this today. Help me to take the Scriptures I read with me throughout the day and look for ways to be obedient to them and worship You through that obedience.
Here's where I am going with this, because in thinking about it and asking the Lord, I really feel He gave me the answer. It's in being obedient to the Scripture, to His Word that helps to make anything and everything an act of worship.
Just a few examples here, I am sure you can come up with many many more yourselves. Let's start with Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
This can cover anything from sexual immorality to gluttony, laziness to extreme exercise...When we take care of our bodies, it is an act of worship.
Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Driving? How about giving preference to the other drivers, giving up that parking spot or letting someone go before you? Honor one another above yourselves, and in obedience to the Word, driving becomes an act of worship.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Words, our speech, what we say...condemning and complaining or kindly and encouraging....one worships Satan, the other an act of worship of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Epehsians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Here's a tough one. We are asked to have compassion on one another. Now, that's not so hard when the person is hurting or struggling, or even a stranger in a foreign land, all of our hearts break when we see children starving here or in other countries; but what about the family member that let us down, the friend who betrayed us or the co-worker who took advantage of us? Can we be obedient to this Scripture then as an act of worship?
Do you see, as I did, that making everything an act of worship involves obedience to the Word of the Lord? How about these Scriptures? What can you do in obedience to them that would constitute worship?
1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God, without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.
Ok, the list can go on and on. As I read these Scriptures I see so many ways I can turn my every little act into a worshipful experience. And I know that remembering to do this will be the battle for me. But I pray that as the days go by, it becomes more and more second nature, no, first nature! Lord, please let me focus on this today. Help me to take the Scriptures I read with me throughout the day and look for ways to be obedient to them and worship You through that obedience.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Mom again...ATTITUDE
And yes, I am going to include this attitude thing, no matter how much it hurts!! LOL Not that I have an attitude problem or anything...wink wink
So lets see where Mom was going with this subject.
emotion, action, disposition or manner toward a person or thing
Develop a compassionate, forgiving attitude. God measures spiritual growth (maturity) by relationships.
Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 5:3-7 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.
Footnote: Avoid and reject impure or immoral speech
Colossians 3:22-25 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
vs. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men...
Pray: My prayer, Lord, please show me, help me, as to how I can better serve You.
Do whatever you do as an act of worship to God.
It looks like Mom was focusing on words and actions. I know these things were important to her, how she said things, why she did things. And I think she came upon the key here, "do whatever you do as an act of worship to God." She got her answer from the Lord. If I brought that concept to every part of my day....OMG, how would it transform every single thing I do, every word I speak! How would it alter my relationships with others, family, friends, co-workers, strangers? When I drove down the road, if I drove as an act of worship, would I be so critical of other drivers? As I cleaned the house, would I spend the time grumbling about the mess left around...Forgiveness, an act of worship, being kind to those who don't deserve it, an act of worship. Oh, how wonderful to finally get this idea into everyday practice. And there is the rub. Emotions get in the way, tiredness creeps in, self righteousness bubbles up, "my rights", SELF SELF SELF....This truly will take a miracle of transformation from the Lord!! But He is able and I am willing.
Lord, thank You for all You showed Mom and for giving her the foresight and heart to leave it with us. Please help me to start putting into practice these lessons. Be glorified by every act I do, every word I say. Help me to worship You in all things!! In Jesus most precious name. Can I get some AMENS here !?!?!
So lets see where Mom was going with this subject.
emotion, action, disposition or manner toward a person or thing
Develop a compassionate, forgiving attitude. God measures spiritual growth (maturity) by relationships.
Ephesians 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 5:3-7 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.
Footnote: Avoid and reject impure or immoral speech
Colossians 3:22-25 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God.
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
vs. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men...
Pray: My prayer, Lord, please show me, help me, as to how I can better serve You.
Do whatever you do as an act of worship to God.
It looks like Mom was focusing on words and actions. I know these things were important to her, how she said things, why she did things. And I think she came upon the key here, "do whatever you do as an act of worship to God." She got her answer from the Lord. If I brought that concept to every part of my day....OMG, how would it transform every single thing I do, every word I speak! How would it alter my relationships with others, family, friends, co-workers, strangers? When I drove down the road, if I drove as an act of worship, would I be so critical of other drivers? As I cleaned the house, would I spend the time grumbling about the mess left around...Forgiveness, an act of worship, being kind to those who don't deserve it, an act of worship. Oh, how wonderful to finally get this idea into everyday practice. And there is the rub. Emotions get in the way, tiredness creeps in, self righteousness bubbles up, "my rights", SELF SELF SELF....This truly will take a miracle of transformation from the Lord!! But He is able and I am willing.
Lord, thank You for all You showed Mom and for giving her the foresight and heart to leave it with us. Please help me to start putting into practice these lessons. Be glorified by every act I do, every word I say. Help me to worship You in all things!! In Jesus most precious name. Can I get some AMENS here !?!?!
Mom's Journal--Attacked
Mom's next entry was on being attacked and recognizing the assault of the enemy on our minds.
act harmfully on, assail, assault
Remember, the mind is Satan's battlefield. I must consciously guard it. When this happens remember God's Word. Pray for the mind of Jesus against hostile thinking. Our mind instructs us--what to add and what to eliminate. Always be aware of Satan's attacks.
Psalm 42
For the choir director: A psalm[a] of the descendants of Korah.
1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?”
4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!
5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.
9 “O God my rock,” I cry,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?”
10 Their taunts break my bones.
They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!
Submit to God, resist the devil
1 Peter 5:7-9 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
vs 7 Cast all your cares on Him
vs 8 ...the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking to devour
vs 9 resist him
It seems Mom was understanding that the devil wreaks havoc with our thought life if we let him. And following God's advice in 1 Peter is the way she found to fight this battle, don't worry, be aware and resist. Like the Psalmist, Mom decided to direct her thoughts to God, to choose to trust and praise Him even when Satan or others attempted to tell her otherwise. And this is a constant practice, something we must continually focus on doing. But as she said, we have the mind of Christ, so therefore possible. I think of all the times I allow my thoughts to "run away with me." I know that is not being disciplined in mind. And because of this lack, my witness gets devoured by the enemy, my mind gets hijacked and I end up spending the day down cast, complaining and barking at others, instead of content, praising and at peace with others. And this leads us to her next entry which was.......ATTITUDE.....ugh!! Now do I really want to hear about this topic...LOL
act harmfully on, assail, assault
Remember, the mind is Satan's battlefield. I must consciously guard it. When this happens remember God's Word. Pray for the mind of Jesus against hostile thinking. Our mind instructs us--what to add and what to eliminate. Always be aware of Satan's attacks.
Psalm 42
For the choir director: A psalm[a] of the descendants of Korah.
1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?”
4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!
5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.
9 “O God my rock,” I cry,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?”
10 Their taunts break my bones.
They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!
Submit to God, resist the devil
1 Peter 5:7-9 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
vs 7 Cast all your cares on Him
vs 8 ...the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking to devour
vs 9 resist him
It seems Mom was understanding that the devil wreaks havoc with our thought life if we let him. And following God's advice in 1 Peter is the way she found to fight this battle, don't worry, be aware and resist. Like the Psalmist, Mom decided to direct her thoughts to God, to choose to trust and praise Him even when Satan or others attempted to tell her otherwise. And this is a constant practice, something we must continually focus on doing. But as she said, we have the mind of Christ, so therefore possible. I think of all the times I allow my thoughts to "run away with me." I know that is not being disciplined in mind. And because of this lack, my witness gets devoured by the enemy, my mind gets hijacked and I end up spending the day down cast, complaining and barking at others, instead of content, praising and at peace with others. And this leads us to her next entry which was.......ATTITUDE.....ugh!! Now do I really want to hear about this topic...LOL
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