"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men." Matthew 6:5
I heard the cutest story the other day. There was this little boy talking with his busy mother one morning. He watched her carefully, making an observation. "Mom, you sure do have a lot of white hairs in your head. How come?", he asked. "Well", she said, "Everytime you're bad I get a new one. So, I guess you could say you put them there." "Oh", the child replied. Then he sat there for a minute, very deep in thought. Then, he looked at his mother and said, "You know, Mom, you must have been very, very bad when you were a little girl cause Grandma's hair is all white!!"
From the mouths of babes, huh? Yet there's a lot to be gleaned from that. Children are honest-- sometimes brutally so! They'll point out stuff in your teeth in a room full of people or tell embarassing stories on you. If you want to know the truth about something, all you have to do is ask a child! While they haven't learned the social graces, we usuallly find them refreshing.
I think a neat lesson we can learn from children is how to be ourselves. Rather than trying to be what we think others want or expect us to be we can just rest in being the people God so carefully knit together. He took great care in fashioning us. We're precious to Him. Our personalities are unique to His design.
One thing that plays out in my mind as a good example of how we put on a front for others from personal experience is the Sunday morning routine in my household. On Saturday night, clothes are picked out and ready to go. However, it never fails that on Sunday morning my children will come downstairs wearing something entirely different. "Honey, you cannot wear that. Those are Easter shoes and this is October. It doesn't match", I say. "But Mom, I like the shoes. They look better with this outfit," my daughter says. "About that outfit... That's not the one we picked out last night. You can't wear that pink plaid summer skirt with that brown fuzzy sweater. Honey, let's go up and see what we can find even though I haven't finished getting ready and we're already late," I moan. This type of thing goes on until we walk out the door at which point I ask if everyone remembered to brush teeth. What response do you think I get to that when we're already ten minutes late? Then, we pile into the car and we start to hear, "Could you tell him to give me back my pencil? She's touching me. Tell her to stop." Then my husband chimes in, "Let's listen to some praise music and actually PREPARE our hearts for worship, why don't we?" We arrive and are scrambling out of the car to make it into the church on time. We walk through the doors and....... BLING! We put on the award winning smiles. Someone walks up to us and asks how we are and we respond with an automated response, "Fine". Sometimes, I'd love to ask someone that question and have them respond, "I feel like I've completely lost my mind but by God's grace I'm here! Just don't look at my wrinkled clothes, okay?"
Maybe we should trust God a little more and let down our guard a little. Maybe we shouldn't worry so much about what others would think if they knew the real us. We are who we are. To be honest, I feel much more at ease around people who aren't afraid to be themselves. I don't feel like I have to walk on eggshells. So trust God with who you are. Focus on pleasing Him. If you're doing that, the rest fades into the background. Like Christian comedian Ken Davis says, "Lighten up and live!"
Father, thank You for knitting me together according to Your grand design. There is no other like me. You have a purpose for me which is unique to that of everyone else. May I rest in that. I pray the same over my sisters in Christ. So often, women worry over what others will think or say. Lord, redirect our focus to pleasing You. It's all that matters. Also, Father, I praise You for the blessings You give us. Thank You for the joy You bring. I praise You and thank You in the name of Your Son, Amen.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Explanation of Previous Post
I have had a gnawing feeling over the past couple of weeks about a previous post concerning salvation. When I went back and read it, I understood why. Though no one has said anything or asked about it and two people actually mentioned how they found it convicting, I think the Holy Spirit has been tugging at my heart about my approach on the subject. As I went back and read my wording on the post about "small gifts" I realized it sounded like I was minimizing what Christ did for us and His free gift. All I could do was pray that the Lord would not have others perceive it that way. I prayed about what to do and I felt it bast to just come back and clarify.
When God calls us to Himself, we respond. The point is, it's God's doing. There's nothing we can do ourselves. It's a free gift(that was the intent of my post). He sacrificed all for us. We can't or won't do anything that repays that debt. It was covered in full by His shed blood--- period. You can't work your way to heaven. No amount of service will make up for our sin nature. It's why He made the sacrifice in the first place!
Now, the point in my previous post was this: over the years, I've heard several people confess that they were in youth group situations or group situations where lots of people were going forward and making public professions of faith. They made the choice to go forward because it seemed like the thing to do at the time even though they didn't feel called. Then years later they would sit in church and get a conviction to go forward in faith but faced confusion because of the the previous experience. As a matter of fact, I remember a friend's brother saying he had many "white knuckle moments". He said he'd sit in the pew Sunday after Sunday. His dad was a deacon, his mom sang in choir, they were very active members. Yet he sat each Sunday full of confusion. He'd never really felt close to God. He'd never felt led to do much in the church. He said he felt like it was all for show. He said he felt like he was going through the motions. He felt this stirring in his spirit that he couldn't shake and didn't know what to do with it. Then, he finally realized that the Lord was prompting him to surrender. He knew that it wasn't out of peer pressure but because the Lord was calling him and he had to reply. He came to a point where he didn't care if others saw it as weird that he hadn't done it sooner. It was what God was calling him to do. So he surrendered. After that point, he knew it was the real deal.
So my original point was, there may be some having the same struggle. You may be grown and having gone through the motions before and you now find yourself in a place of confusion. You may have never really felt the Holy Spirit stirriing your soul but you feel it now and you don't know what to do with it. You sit in the pew each Sunday wondering what others would think. You sit wondering why you've never really had a relationship with God and why you've never felt conviction to live for Him. It's time to let go of your fears. That step of faith, that surrender of trusting Him with your life is it. He'll guide you the rest of the way. The rest will come as you grow in Him. He'll draw you to HIimself. That stirring in your spirit is there because He placed it there. That's what conviction is. So, release your grip and respond realizing that it's nothing you're doing but rather a surrender to His will. He just wants you to come to Him. Let go.
Now the other part to that is, if you're saved and you feel conviction in different areas of your life whether it's breaking a bad habit, coming out of your comfort zone to do something for Him, missions, forgiveness, etc... and you've been ignoring that call, stop. Trust and obey. I know, personally, I've lived many moments of my life in a spirit of fear. I ignored the Holy Spirit's calling out of fear. I then realized what fear was-- the opposite of faith! While it's okay to feel afraid, it's not okay to allow fear to keep us in bondage. I'm finding that when I do trust and let go of the fear I receive a bigger blessing than anyone. Unfortunately, for me, it's an ongoing struggle. Satan has seen that area of weakness and likes to attack there. So I'm finding it's something that I have to continually lay at the feet of my Lord.
Like the old hymn says, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey."
Lord, thank you for conviction. Thank you for the stirrings in my spirit. Father, the last thing I want to be to anyone is a stumbling block. May my words always come straight from You. Lessen me that You may be magnified. Father, if there are any hesitating with giving their lives to you, please convict them to the point that they cannot turn away from You. Pull them to You. Erase all doubt. And Father, may none of us ever look lightly on Your incredible sacrifice for us. What an amazing love You have for us. Though I'll never fully comprehend Your sacrifice and why You would give Your Son for sinners such as us, I'm so thankful, Father. Thank You for Your free gift. Thank You for paying the debt. I love you, Father. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus. Amen.
When God calls us to Himself, we respond. The point is, it's God's doing. There's nothing we can do ourselves. It's a free gift(that was the intent of my post). He sacrificed all for us. We can't or won't do anything that repays that debt. It was covered in full by His shed blood--- period. You can't work your way to heaven. No amount of service will make up for our sin nature. It's why He made the sacrifice in the first place!
Now, the point in my previous post was this: over the years, I've heard several people confess that they were in youth group situations or group situations where lots of people were going forward and making public professions of faith. They made the choice to go forward because it seemed like the thing to do at the time even though they didn't feel called. Then years later they would sit in church and get a conviction to go forward in faith but faced confusion because of the the previous experience. As a matter of fact, I remember a friend's brother saying he had many "white knuckle moments". He said he'd sit in the pew Sunday after Sunday. His dad was a deacon, his mom sang in choir, they were very active members. Yet he sat each Sunday full of confusion. He'd never really felt close to God. He'd never felt led to do much in the church. He said he felt like it was all for show. He said he felt like he was going through the motions. He felt this stirring in his spirit that he couldn't shake and didn't know what to do with it. Then, he finally realized that the Lord was prompting him to surrender. He knew that it wasn't out of peer pressure but because the Lord was calling him and he had to reply. He came to a point where he didn't care if others saw it as weird that he hadn't done it sooner. It was what God was calling him to do. So he surrendered. After that point, he knew it was the real deal.
So my original point was, there may be some having the same struggle. You may be grown and having gone through the motions before and you now find yourself in a place of confusion. You may have never really felt the Holy Spirit stirriing your soul but you feel it now and you don't know what to do with it. You sit in the pew each Sunday wondering what others would think. You sit wondering why you've never really had a relationship with God and why you've never felt conviction to live for Him. It's time to let go of your fears. That step of faith, that surrender of trusting Him with your life is it. He'll guide you the rest of the way. The rest will come as you grow in Him. He'll draw you to HIimself. That stirring in your spirit is there because He placed it there. That's what conviction is. So, release your grip and respond realizing that it's nothing you're doing but rather a surrender to His will. He just wants you to come to Him. Let go.
Now the other part to that is, if you're saved and you feel conviction in different areas of your life whether it's breaking a bad habit, coming out of your comfort zone to do something for Him, missions, forgiveness, etc... and you've been ignoring that call, stop. Trust and obey. I know, personally, I've lived many moments of my life in a spirit of fear. I ignored the Holy Spirit's calling out of fear. I then realized what fear was-- the opposite of faith! While it's okay to feel afraid, it's not okay to allow fear to keep us in bondage. I'm finding that when I do trust and let go of the fear I receive a bigger blessing than anyone. Unfortunately, for me, it's an ongoing struggle. Satan has seen that area of weakness and likes to attack there. So I'm finding it's something that I have to continually lay at the feet of my Lord.
Like the old hymn says, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey."
Lord, thank you for conviction. Thank you for the stirrings in my spirit. Father, the last thing I want to be to anyone is a stumbling block. May my words always come straight from You. Lessen me that You may be magnified. Father, if there are any hesitating with giving their lives to you, please convict them to the point that they cannot turn away from You. Pull them to You. Erase all doubt. And Father, may none of us ever look lightly on Your incredible sacrifice for us. What an amazing love You have for us. Though I'll never fully comprehend Your sacrifice and why You would give Your Son for sinners such as us, I'm so thankful, Father. Thank You for Your free gift. Thank You for paying the debt. I love you, Father. In the name of Your precious Son, Jesus. Amen.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Stay In the Game!
"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" Ephesians 1:4
Fall is here and I'm liking the change in season. Don't get me wrong, I love playing outdoors in the warm sunshine, swimming, and the wonderful fun that comes with summertime, but I love the wonderful change of seasons. It's such a blessing God gives us so that we can have appreciation for the cool crisp air as well as the warm sunshine.
This fall, my son has chosen to play fall baseball. It's been a couple years, so he's had to put in some practice time to get up to his potential. He's one of the youngest on the team this year as he had to move up a bracket. Usually, he's the biggest in a group of boys when they're all his same age. However, to my surprise, I showed up at the field for his first game and contemplated going around to parents and asking to see birth certificates. Seriously! Some of these twelve year olds looked like they could probably bench press me! I'm only joking, but I was surprised nonetheless.
In getting to my point, I was at a recent game where our team was really holding our own against our opponent. The boys started off a little sluggish at the beginning but soon began to pick up momentum. I noticed one boy in particular really giving it all he had. I could sense that he'd been a star player in years past and his love for the game was obvious. Well everything was going along great for this kid until he missed a line drive hit straight to him. Fortunately, his backup made the play so the runner only ended up hitting a double. The runner tried rounding second to make a run for third base but the infield held him. After all the excitement of the play had subsided, I looked up at the boy who'd missed the ball. Defeat was all over his face. It was painfully obvious that he was beating himself up over the missed ball despite the fact that he'd played a flawless game to that point, and really, a flawless game all season. Unfortunately, he just couldn't shake it off for the remainder of the game. The coach decided to pull him and give him a breather on the bench in the last inning.
I couldn't shake that child from my head for the remainder of the game. I felt so sorry for him that he was allowing one mistake to make him feel defeated to the point that he couldn't even finish the game. What a shame. And yet, I thought about how often you and I react exactly the same way. Whether it's a diet and you eat something you shouldn't so you just give up or a promotion you haven't received so you do what you can to get by. And often, it's a sin you've committed and you feel like a moral failure and God won't love you anymore or maybe you've given up on loving yourself. It may be that someone has said something or done something to you that makes you feel worthless. Nothing could be further from the truth. God loves you UNCONDITIONALLY! Isn't that incredible? You don't have to feel defeated. You don't have to sit on the bench. So rest in the assurance that God loves you and it's time to get back in the game and play your heart out!
Lord, we don't deserve Your love. Thank You for Your love and thank You for loving us with no strings attached. What a comfort it is to know that when You sought us out and we responded with our hearts, we were in the game for good! Lord, I pray that we would live each moment with full assurance of your love. And Lord, I once heard that the evil one spends his time convincing the lost that they're saved and the saved that they're lost. Lord, may we never doubt Your love for us. Remove the evil one far from us. May we not live a life of defeat. Please guide us to to live lives which bring glory to You. In the name of Your Son, Amen.
Fall is here and I'm liking the change in season. Don't get me wrong, I love playing outdoors in the warm sunshine, swimming, and the wonderful fun that comes with summertime, but I love the wonderful change of seasons. It's such a blessing God gives us so that we can have appreciation for the cool crisp air as well as the warm sunshine.
This fall, my son has chosen to play fall baseball. It's been a couple years, so he's had to put in some practice time to get up to his potential. He's one of the youngest on the team this year as he had to move up a bracket. Usually, he's the biggest in a group of boys when they're all his same age. However, to my surprise, I showed up at the field for his first game and contemplated going around to parents and asking to see birth certificates. Seriously! Some of these twelve year olds looked like they could probably bench press me! I'm only joking, but I was surprised nonetheless.
In getting to my point, I was at a recent game where our team was really holding our own against our opponent. The boys started off a little sluggish at the beginning but soon began to pick up momentum. I noticed one boy in particular really giving it all he had. I could sense that he'd been a star player in years past and his love for the game was obvious. Well everything was going along great for this kid until he missed a line drive hit straight to him. Fortunately, his backup made the play so the runner only ended up hitting a double. The runner tried rounding second to make a run for third base but the infield held him. After all the excitement of the play had subsided, I looked up at the boy who'd missed the ball. Defeat was all over his face. It was painfully obvious that he was beating himself up over the missed ball despite the fact that he'd played a flawless game to that point, and really, a flawless game all season. Unfortunately, he just couldn't shake it off for the remainder of the game. The coach decided to pull him and give him a breather on the bench in the last inning.
I couldn't shake that child from my head for the remainder of the game. I felt so sorry for him that he was allowing one mistake to make him feel defeated to the point that he couldn't even finish the game. What a shame. And yet, I thought about how often you and I react exactly the same way. Whether it's a diet and you eat something you shouldn't so you just give up or a promotion you haven't received so you do what you can to get by. And often, it's a sin you've committed and you feel like a moral failure and God won't love you anymore or maybe you've given up on loving yourself. It may be that someone has said something or done something to you that makes you feel worthless. Nothing could be further from the truth. God loves you UNCONDITIONALLY! Isn't that incredible? You don't have to feel defeated. You don't have to sit on the bench. So rest in the assurance that God loves you and it's time to get back in the game and play your heart out!
Lord, we don't deserve Your love. Thank You for Your love and thank You for loving us with no strings attached. What a comfort it is to know that when You sought us out and we responded with our hearts, we were in the game for good! Lord, I pray that we would live each moment with full assurance of your love. And Lord, I once heard that the evil one spends his time convincing the lost that they're saved and the saved that they're lost. Lord, may we never doubt Your love for us. Remove the evil one far from us. May we not live a life of defeat. Please guide us to to live lives which bring glory to You. In the name of Your Son, Amen.
Monday, October 4, 2010
From the Outside Looking In
"For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thessalonians 4:16
I don't know about you, but the promise of that trumpet just gives me goose bumps. Isn't that exciting stuff? How amazing that will be! Sometimes I wonder when it will happen and what it will be like. It's gonna be so awesome.
When I think about the time of the trumpet it makes me realize that I don't know when Christ will return. That, in itself, is a pretty humbling thought. I wonder what I'll be doing at that moment and I hope and pray that whatever it is, it will be gloryfing to God. I can look back over my life at certain moments in time with relief that Christ didn't return in those moments! Not shining moments if you know what I mean! I've even had some moments in the very recent past dealing with some unforgiveness in my heart where I'm relieved that Christ didn't return at that moment. He's given me grace to deal with the unforgiveness in seeking the Holy Spirit to help me.
This week, we traveled out of town for a memorial golf tournament. It was one that is held each year in memory of my late brother. The proceeds go toward a scholarship that helps men who feel the calling to switch careers and go into the ministry. Often those men have wives and children and struggle in the financial part of going to seminary. So it's neat to see some good come of such a tragedy. Well, this year, there was a journalism student doing interviews with family and friends about my brother and the scholarship. He wanted to know about my brother's life. Of course the interview brought back wonderful memories but was tinged with pain and longing as well. I can think back over my brother's life and what people had to say about him after he died. As a side note, I think people often put the deceased loved ones on a pedastal a bit when remembering them. It's as though the person lived a sinless life. However, though my brother was indeed a sinner saved by God's amazing grace, he was an incredible young man. Just a month shy of 21 years, he had lived an abundant life. He was generous, loyal, a man of his word with a huge servant's heart, very slow to anger, merciful, forgiving and would stop what he was doing to just listen to those who needed a listening ear. As a matter of fact, a friend of his came to us at last year's tournament and told us that he'd told him before he died that he hoped to be a missionary in the future. I never knew that.
All that to say, in thinking over the interviews I realize that my brother left behind a legacy. Because of his death and God's grace and divine power and provision, around $100,000 has been awarded in scholarship. We've seen a number of people come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ as well and smile when we think of others coming to Christ through the pastors coming out of seminary. How great is our God?
Now I must ask: What will be my legacy? If Christ returns today, what have I done for Him? Will the last thing I've done be something of eternal value? How many will be joining me in the air because of my faithful witness? Was I a willing vessel for God? If someone were doing an interview about my life, what would be said? How did I spend my days? Was I selfish or was I serving? Was I forgiving or was I bitter and hard? Was I one who would take the time to listen? To extend mercy? To share God's word? How about this: what would God say about my heart? Did I have love and forgiveness in my heart? Did I have mercy in my heart?
One of the neatest stories I heard about my brother after he passed away was a testimony from an elderly lady. She wasn't part of our family. In fact, I never even met her. I heard the story from a family friend. Apparently, when my brother was in high school and college he'd go and visit this lady. He'd check on her and get things for her. So many times when we thought he was hanging out with friends that was what he was doing and he felt no need to tell us about it. He understood that his reward would be in heaven and there was no need to brag on his deeds. That just brings tears to my eyes.
So, let's pretend we're on the outside looking inward out ourselves. What do we see that needs to change? We can't change the circumstances around us. We can't change other people, but we can change our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can change the way we live our lives. We can begin to live like Christ is coming back at any moment. He's coming soon and I want to be ready!! How about you?
Father, help us where we're weak. Please Lord, just fill us with you. Cleanse us and renew our hearts. I don't know when you'll call for me, but I'm so excited! I know the way I'm supposed to show my love for You is by my obedience to Your commands. I know my heart must grieve the Holy Spirit at times, Lord. For that, I mourn. But Lord, your word promises comfort to those who mourn sin. Lord, I know that doesn't mean you're promising me a comfortable life, but You are promising to guide me through it. Help me. You are my strength, my armor. Thank you, Father. In my Savior's name, Amen.
I don't know about you, but the promise of that trumpet just gives me goose bumps. Isn't that exciting stuff? How amazing that will be! Sometimes I wonder when it will happen and what it will be like. It's gonna be so awesome.
When I think about the time of the trumpet it makes me realize that I don't know when Christ will return. That, in itself, is a pretty humbling thought. I wonder what I'll be doing at that moment and I hope and pray that whatever it is, it will be gloryfing to God. I can look back over my life at certain moments in time with relief that Christ didn't return in those moments! Not shining moments if you know what I mean! I've even had some moments in the very recent past dealing with some unforgiveness in my heart where I'm relieved that Christ didn't return at that moment. He's given me grace to deal with the unforgiveness in seeking the Holy Spirit to help me.
This week, we traveled out of town for a memorial golf tournament. It was one that is held each year in memory of my late brother. The proceeds go toward a scholarship that helps men who feel the calling to switch careers and go into the ministry. Often those men have wives and children and struggle in the financial part of going to seminary. So it's neat to see some good come of such a tragedy. Well, this year, there was a journalism student doing interviews with family and friends about my brother and the scholarship. He wanted to know about my brother's life. Of course the interview brought back wonderful memories but was tinged with pain and longing as well. I can think back over my brother's life and what people had to say about him after he died. As a side note, I think people often put the deceased loved ones on a pedastal a bit when remembering them. It's as though the person lived a sinless life. However, though my brother was indeed a sinner saved by God's amazing grace, he was an incredible young man. Just a month shy of 21 years, he had lived an abundant life. He was generous, loyal, a man of his word with a huge servant's heart, very slow to anger, merciful, forgiving and would stop what he was doing to just listen to those who needed a listening ear. As a matter of fact, a friend of his came to us at last year's tournament and told us that he'd told him before he died that he hoped to be a missionary in the future. I never knew that.
All that to say, in thinking over the interviews I realize that my brother left behind a legacy. Because of his death and God's grace and divine power and provision, around $100,000 has been awarded in scholarship. We've seen a number of people come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ as well and smile when we think of others coming to Christ through the pastors coming out of seminary. How great is our God?
Now I must ask: What will be my legacy? If Christ returns today, what have I done for Him? Will the last thing I've done be something of eternal value? How many will be joining me in the air because of my faithful witness? Was I a willing vessel for God? If someone were doing an interview about my life, what would be said? How did I spend my days? Was I selfish or was I serving? Was I forgiving or was I bitter and hard? Was I one who would take the time to listen? To extend mercy? To share God's word? How about this: what would God say about my heart? Did I have love and forgiveness in my heart? Did I have mercy in my heart?
One of the neatest stories I heard about my brother after he passed away was a testimony from an elderly lady. She wasn't part of our family. In fact, I never even met her. I heard the story from a family friend. Apparently, when my brother was in high school and college he'd go and visit this lady. He'd check on her and get things for her. So many times when we thought he was hanging out with friends that was what he was doing and he felt no need to tell us about it. He understood that his reward would be in heaven and there was no need to brag on his deeds. That just brings tears to my eyes.
So, let's pretend we're on the outside looking inward out ourselves. What do we see that needs to change? We can't change the circumstances around us. We can't change other people, but we can change our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can change the way we live our lives. We can begin to live like Christ is coming back at any moment. He's coming soon and I want to be ready!! How about you?
Father, help us where we're weak. Please Lord, just fill us with you. Cleanse us and renew our hearts. I don't know when you'll call for me, but I'm so excited! I know the way I'm supposed to show my love for You is by my obedience to Your commands. I know my heart must grieve the Holy Spirit at times, Lord. For that, I mourn. But Lord, your word promises comfort to those who mourn sin. Lord, I know that doesn't mean you're promising me a comfortable life, but You are promising to guide me through it. Help me. You are my strength, my armor. Thank you, Father. In my Savior's name, Amen.
Monday, September 27, 2010
What is grace?
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--- and this not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9
Well, we talked a little about what grace isn't in the last post. We talked about the fact that grace isn't a license for living a life of sin or selfishness. It also isn't for us to live exactly the way we did before our prayer of conversion, but that changes had to take place in our lives and there had to be conviction for those changes.
Well, today I want to talk about what grace is! Firstly, grace covers our sin--both past and present. So, thankfully, when we do mess up, it still covers us! Lulls and spells of disobedience are likely to happen in our walk with Christ. We won't be perfect until we're made new. The difference grace makes, however, is when those lulls and disobedience come, we feel conviction to change. Conviction is key. Those who are in Christ WILL be convicted of sin. We know when we mess up-- maybe not every time, but we're convicted when we're out of God's will. We lack the peace during those times and we're miserable because we're removing ourselves from fellowship with our Father. (Note that I said we remove ourselves because He's always there!) Secondly, grace is about love. What I do want to make clear is that when we are in Christ, He promises NEVER to leave us or forsake us! Once we're in, we're in! He calls us to Himself, we respond with our hearts and our lives in faith and obedience and we're His children foerever. There is absolutely no sin we can commit or have ever committed which breaks that covenant. Know that there will be times when Satan will cause you to doubt that. He will try his best to convince you that you aren't God's child based on something you did or didn't do. You know that if you respnded to God's call in faith you are saved and because of that, God's working on you. He's growing you and calling you to be more like Himself. Thirdly, grace is about our weakness and God's strength. His stength covers our weakness. It's about our reliance on Him. It's also about being patient during our weakness in knowing that His strength will pull us through the tough times.
Additionally, grace is God's whole word manifested through Christ. What I mean by that is grace is both the Ten Commandments and the crucifixion. It's all of God's word brought together by Jesus's death on the cross. We can now follow God's commandments through grace. And, fortunately, that grace is still there to cover us when we don't. So you see, it's not about perfection but it's not about doing nothing for God either. Rather, it's about asking God to guide us each and every day, submitting to His commands, and asking forgiveness when we mess up. In fact, Jesus summed it up in His prayer and command for us to "Pray in this Way: Our Father, in heaven. Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For YOurs is the kingdom and the power and the Glory forever. Amen." Matthew 6:9-13 NKJV
What is grace? I can think of only one way to define it which will cover the entire meaning: Jesus. You want to understand grace better? Study the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Read about Jesus's earthly ministry. That's our benchmark. Wow! Good thing we don't have to do it on our own and it's a good thing His shed blood covers all our weakness.
Maturity in Christ is a process. None of us are there yet. We won't be there until eternity. So, don't be discouraged. Be encouraged! Each day is a chance for new growth. Each day is a chance for us to redirect our disobedient ways to obedience, to come out of complacency into seeking God's will. The good news is, none of this has to bring us anxiety. All we have to do is pray and respond!
God, You are so amazing. What an amazing love for us that You sent us Your son! We can't even comprehend such a sacrifice. You sacrificed Your Son for us knowing of our sinful hearts. You knew and yet You did it anyway. God we're so thankful. Lord, I pray that you'll work in my life and the lives of others. I pray for wisdom and discernment from You. I pray that we will continue to seek Your face and feel Your conviction and respond. Let it be our heart's desire to reflect Your light. Take us out of our sinful state, our complacency. Fill us with Your Love. Take away the thoughts and temptations of the evil one. Lord, if there are those who are doubting, give them peace. Draw them to Yourself. Help us to love our enemies. We struggle with that. Help us follow your decrees. Lord, prick our hearts, make us miserable if we're out of Your will. Draw us back. Help us to seek Your Face. Thank You for being constant and consistent. We're the ones who change. Not You. Thank You for promising never to leave us of forsake us. You deserve ALL praise and Glory! In the Name of my Precious Savior, Amen!
Ephesians 2:8-9
Well, we talked a little about what grace isn't in the last post. We talked about the fact that grace isn't a license for living a life of sin or selfishness. It also isn't for us to live exactly the way we did before our prayer of conversion, but that changes had to take place in our lives and there had to be conviction for those changes.
Well, today I want to talk about what grace is! Firstly, grace covers our sin--both past and present. So, thankfully, when we do mess up, it still covers us! Lulls and spells of disobedience are likely to happen in our walk with Christ. We won't be perfect until we're made new. The difference grace makes, however, is when those lulls and disobedience come, we feel conviction to change. Conviction is key. Those who are in Christ WILL be convicted of sin. We know when we mess up-- maybe not every time, but we're convicted when we're out of God's will. We lack the peace during those times and we're miserable because we're removing ourselves from fellowship with our Father. (Note that I said we remove ourselves because He's always there!) Secondly, grace is about love. What I do want to make clear is that when we are in Christ, He promises NEVER to leave us or forsake us! Once we're in, we're in! He calls us to Himself, we respond with our hearts and our lives in faith and obedience and we're His children foerever. There is absolutely no sin we can commit or have ever committed which breaks that covenant. Know that there will be times when Satan will cause you to doubt that. He will try his best to convince you that you aren't God's child based on something you did or didn't do. You know that if you respnded to God's call in faith you are saved and because of that, God's working on you. He's growing you and calling you to be more like Himself. Thirdly, grace is about our weakness and God's strength. His stength covers our weakness. It's about our reliance on Him. It's also about being patient during our weakness in knowing that His strength will pull us through the tough times.
Additionally, grace is God's whole word manifested through Christ. What I mean by that is grace is both the Ten Commandments and the crucifixion. It's all of God's word brought together by Jesus's death on the cross. We can now follow God's commandments through grace. And, fortunately, that grace is still there to cover us when we don't. So you see, it's not about perfection but it's not about doing nothing for God either. Rather, it's about asking God to guide us each and every day, submitting to His commands, and asking forgiveness when we mess up. In fact, Jesus summed it up in His prayer and command for us to "Pray in this Way: Our Father, in heaven. Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For YOurs is the kingdom and the power and the Glory forever. Amen." Matthew 6:9-13 NKJV
What is grace? I can think of only one way to define it which will cover the entire meaning: Jesus. You want to understand grace better? Study the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Read about Jesus's earthly ministry. That's our benchmark. Wow! Good thing we don't have to do it on our own and it's a good thing His shed blood covers all our weakness.
Maturity in Christ is a process. None of us are there yet. We won't be there until eternity. So, don't be discouraged. Be encouraged! Each day is a chance for new growth. Each day is a chance for us to redirect our disobedient ways to obedience, to come out of complacency into seeking God's will. The good news is, none of this has to bring us anxiety. All we have to do is pray and respond!
God, You are so amazing. What an amazing love for us that You sent us Your son! We can't even comprehend such a sacrifice. You sacrificed Your Son for us knowing of our sinful hearts. You knew and yet You did it anyway. God we're so thankful. Lord, I pray that you'll work in my life and the lives of others. I pray for wisdom and discernment from You. I pray that we will continue to seek Your face and feel Your conviction and respond. Let it be our heart's desire to reflect Your light. Take us out of our sinful state, our complacency. Fill us with Your Love. Take away the thoughts and temptations of the evil one. Lord, if there are those who are doubting, give them peace. Draw them to Yourself. Help us to love our enemies. We struggle with that. Help us follow your decrees. Lord, prick our hearts, make us miserable if we're out of Your will. Draw us back. Help us to seek Your Face. Thank You for being constant and consistent. We're the ones who change. Not You. Thank You for promising never to leave us of forsake us. You deserve ALL praise and Glory! In the Name of my Precious Savior, Amen!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
"Small" Gifts Go a Long Way!
Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." ...... And his servants came near and spoke to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, Wash and be clean?" --2 Kings 5:3, 13
Do you ever find yourself looking at others in awe of their talents and gifts? Do you look at the life of people like Billy Graham and feel like you pale in comparison? Do you feel like you don't really have anything great or outstanding to offer, that you're just and average Joe? Not so! I'm going to share a story with you that I'll be sharing with my Sunday School students tomorrow which will dispel that perception. So get ready to do some self-examination! Don't worry, it's all good and it's all GOD!
You see, there was this powerful army commander of the king of Syria who found himself stricken with this disgusting, terrible skin disease called leprosy. Now leprosy often called for a quarantine for the sick individual. As you can imagine for a man in this guy's position, this was a big deal. His name was Naaman. The great irony with Naaman was the Lord himself had granted Naaman many victories in battle yet Naaman didn't even know the Lord in a personal way. Naaman bowed down and worshipped other gods. He was in major need of some serious intervention.
So, meanwhile, Naaman's army decided to bring back a servant girl from Israel and hold her captive. She became a servant to Naaman's wife. Despite the fact that this girl was nothing more than a lowly servant, she was amazing in her faith and obedience to God. She could've chosen to hold her captivity against Naaman and his army but instead she spoke to Naaman's wife and told her that Naaman could go to the prophet Elisha for healing from his skin disease. Naaman's wife, in turn, told Naaman about the exchange with the girl and Naaman decided to heed the girl's advice.
So, Naaman decided to go to Elisha but was sorely disappointed when Elisha wouldn't even see him face-to-face. (Elisha needed to remain ceremonially clean and touching a leper would tarnish him). So Elisha sent a messenger to tell him to wash in the Jordan River seven times and he'd be clean. In all his pride, he scoffed at the idea and stormed off. He pretty much thought it was nothing more than stupid and useless advice.
After hearing this, Naaman's servants came along and encouraged him to heed the advice. "What if you'd been told to do something great? Would you have done it?", they asked. In other words, "What have you got to lose?" Then, because of their encouragement and exhortation, Naaman decided to shelf his pride and stubborn streak and take a trip to the Jordan. In the end, he was cleansed both physically and spiritually, renouncing other gods and claiming the one and only God as his own.
Now here's where this story applies to us: Could it be that we're the servant girl? Could it be that we're the servants? Would Naaman have been cleansed had it not been for the faithful testimony of the servant girl or the exhortation and encouragement of the servants? These folks may have seemed to fade in the background of the story with the primary focus being on Naaman and Elisha, but it took many different roles to bring Naaman from belligerence to obedience... from faithlessness to faithfululness.
Friends, we're the hands and feet of Jesus. No gift is insignificant. Whether you're a prayer warrior, a cook who loves to take food to others, a mercy giver, or someone who just likes to get in there and roll her sleeves up and do the behind-the-scenes work, it's all important to the glorification of God. Alternately, what happens when we feel conviction to use one of our gift to the Lord and we choose not to? Well, it's kinda like that old Scrooge movie where Ebeneezer Scrooge is forced to view his future if he continues on the path he's on. How differently things could play out if he just makes some changes. He has the power to make those changes now.
Do you ever feel the Holy Spirit calling you to do something for Him? It could be taking a meal to a sick neighbor, sending a card to a deployed soldier, telling a forlorn cashier about God's saving grace... When convicted, do you do it? Think about it this way, had the servant girl kept her mouth shut or the servants chosen indifference, they would've missed out on being an integral part of Naaman's transformation. They would've missed out on the eternal rewards and would've been held accountable for their indifference.
What a neat portrait of salvation. Just like Naaman, we're called to step out in faith and surrender to Christ. We're lepers, quarantined from heaven, but we can be washed clean by faith and obedience and have full access to eternal life in heaven.
Who played an important role in your salvation? Thank them for their obedience to God. Then, take the time to do some personal reflection in your own life. I almost hesitate to say this, but I feel like the Holy Spirit has been convicting me to bring up an important matter in salvation. I think many "Christians" are confused as to what salvation entails. I think many are falsely convinced that salvation from God is all about the prayer of forgiveness and repentance and you're saved. In part, that is true, because it is grace. However, if there's no change in your life, if you never feel conviction to serve, to study God's word, to grow spiritually, or to advance the kingdom of heaven by sharing the gospel, it's time to do a heart check. You see, salvation is more than uttering a short prayer. It's about surrender. It's about taking up our cross and following Him.
Now let me be clear, I'm NOT saying we're saved based on our works. There is NOTHING we can do to get us into heaven. However, our surrender to Christ should naturally bring forth conviction in us to bear fruit in our lives, to advance His kingdom, to make changes. If you're in a state of complacency where you think you can do whatever you want and grace has covered it, WATCH OUT! That is NOT grace! You may be deceived. Christ wouldn't have wasted His time dying on the cross for us to continue living like a child of the Prince of Darkness. If we're in the light, then we walk like we're in the light. Amen?
Get on your knees and cry out to God. Even if you've already prayed the prayer to Him before, if you're feeling unsure, do it again. Is He calling you to Himself? Listen, don't delay!
Pray with me. "Father, I am a lowly sinner. Your word says that ALL have sinned and fallen short of Your Glory. I'm no exception. Oh, Father, forgive me. I know that every time I disobey, I'm driving nails into the hands and feet of Your Son. I put Him on that cross. Oh, Lord, I want to turn from my sinful state. I want to surrender my life to You. I long to please you, Father. I'm tired of being in doubt. I'm tired of being outside of Your will. I want to know You and I want to reflect and bring glory to You. I open my arms wide and look up to your heavens and ask that you fill me with Your Spirit. Breathe eternal life into me. I pray You would be Lord of my life. I Surrender ALL. I long to live my life for You. I'm tired of living it for myself. Cleanse me, Father. I thank You and praise You for this precious gift. Help me to use it for Your glory and to be the servant you've called me to be. Help me to use the spiritual gifts you've instilled in me for Your glory. I love you, Lord and I can't wait to get to know you better. In the name of Jesus, Amen."
If you prayed that prayer in complete surrender and obedience, you are part of the family of God. Make it public. I urge you to get a bible and find a bible following group of believers in a local church. Go and ask the pastor to help you make it public and follow up with a public baptism just as Jesus modeled.
If you did this long ago, make a commitment to be more fruitful for the kingdom of God. It's our commission!
Do you ever find yourself looking at others in awe of their talents and gifts? Do you look at the life of people like Billy Graham and feel like you pale in comparison? Do you feel like you don't really have anything great or outstanding to offer, that you're just and average Joe? Not so! I'm going to share a story with you that I'll be sharing with my Sunday School students tomorrow which will dispel that perception. So get ready to do some self-examination! Don't worry, it's all good and it's all GOD!
You see, there was this powerful army commander of the king of Syria who found himself stricken with this disgusting, terrible skin disease called leprosy. Now leprosy often called for a quarantine for the sick individual. As you can imagine for a man in this guy's position, this was a big deal. His name was Naaman. The great irony with Naaman was the Lord himself had granted Naaman many victories in battle yet Naaman didn't even know the Lord in a personal way. Naaman bowed down and worshipped other gods. He was in major need of some serious intervention.
So, meanwhile, Naaman's army decided to bring back a servant girl from Israel and hold her captive. She became a servant to Naaman's wife. Despite the fact that this girl was nothing more than a lowly servant, she was amazing in her faith and obedience to God. She could've chosen to hold her captivity against Naaman and his army but instead she spoke to Naaman's wife and told her that Naaman could go to the prophet Elisha for healing from his skin disease. Naaman's wife, in turn, told Naaman about the exchange with the girl and Naaman decided to heed the girl's advice.
So, Naaman decided to go to Elisha but was sorely disappointed when Elisha wouldn't even see him face-to-face. (Elisha needed to remain ceremonially clean and touching a leper would tarnish him). So Elisha sent a messenger to tell him to wash in the Jordan River seven times and he'd be clean. In all his pride, he scoffed at the idea and stormed off. He pretty much thought it was nothing more than stupid and useless advice.
After hearing this, Naaman's servants came along and encouraged him to heed the advice. "What if you'd been told to do something great? Would you have done it?", they asked. In other words, "What have you got to lose?" Then, because of their encouragement and exhortation, Naaman decided to shelf his pride and stubborn streak and take a trip to the Jordan. In the end, he was cleansed both physically and spiritually, renouncing other gods and claiming the one and only God as his own.
Now here's where this story applies to us: Could it be that we're the servant girl? Could it be that we're the servants? Would Naaman have been cleansed had it not been for the faithful testimony of the servant girl or the exhortation and encouragement of the servants? These folks may have seemed to fade in the background of the story with the primary focus being on Naaman and Elisha, but it took many different roles to bring Naaman from belligerence to obedience... from faithlessness to faithfululness.
Friends, we're the hands and feet of Jesus. No gift is insignificant. Whether you're a prayer warrior, a cook who loves to take food to others, a mercy giver, or someone who just likes to get in there and roll her sleeves up and do the behind-the-scenes work, it's all important to the glorification of God. Alternately, what happens when we feel conviction to use one of our gift to the Lord and we choose not to? Well, it's kinda like that old Scrooge movie where Ebeneezer Scrooge is forced to view his future if he continues on the path he's on. How differently things could play out if he just makes some changes. He has the power to make those changes now.
Do you ever feel the Holy Spirit calling you to do something for Him? It could be taking a meal to a sick neighbor, sending a card to a deployed soldier, telling a forlorn cashier about God's saving grace... When convicted, do you do it? Think about it this way, had the servant girl kept her mouth shut or the servants chosen indifference, they would've missed out on being an integral part of Naaman's transformation. They would've missed out on the eternal rewards and would've been held accountable for their indifference.
What a neat portrait of salvation. Just like Naaman, we're called to step out in faith and surrender to Christ. We're lepers, quarantined from heaven, but we can be washed clean by faith and obedience and have full access to eternal life in heaven.
Who played an important role in your salvation? Thank them for their obedience to God. Then, take the time to do some personal reflection in your own life. I almost hesitate to say this, but I feel like the Holy Spirit has been convicting me to bring up an important matter in salvation. I think many "Christians" are confused as to what salvation entails. I think many are falsely convinced that salvation from God is all about the prayer of forgiveness and repentance and you're saved. In part, that is true, because it is grace. However, if there's no change in your life, if you never feel conviction to serve, to study God's word, to grow spiritually, or to advance the kingdom of heaven by sharing the gospel, it's time to do a heart check. You see, salvation is more than uttering a short prayer. It's about surrender. It's about taking up our cross and following Him.
Now let me be clear, I'm NOT saying we're saved based on our works. There is NOTHING we can do to get us into heaven. However, our surrender to Christ should naturally bring forth conviction in us to bear fruit in our lives, to advance His kingdom, to make changes. If you're in a state of complacency where you think you can do whatever you want and grace has covered it, WATCH OUT! That is NOT grace! You may be deceived. Christ wouldn't have wasted His time dying on the cross for us to continue living like a child of the Prince of Darkness. If we're in the light, then we walk like we're in the light. Amen?
Get on your knees and cry out to God. Even if you've already prayed the prayer to Him before, if you're feeling unsure, do it again. Is He calling you to Himself? Listen, don't delay!
Pray with me. "Father, I am a lowly sinner. Your word says that ALL have sinned and fallen short of Your Glory. I'm no exception. Oh, Father, forgive me. I know that every time I disobey, I'm driving nails into the hands and feet of Your Son. I put Him on that cross. Oh, Lord, I want to turn from my sinful state. I want to surrender my life to You. I long to please you, Father. I'm tired of being in doubt. I'm tired of being outside of Your will. I want to know You and I want to reflect and bring glory to You. I open my arms wide and look up to your heavens and ask that you fill me with Your Spirit. Breathe eternal life into me. I pray You would be Lord of my life. I Surrender ALL. I long to live my life for You. I'm tired of living it for myself. Cleanse me, Father. I thank You and praise You for this precious gift. Help me to use it for Your glory and to be the servant you've called me to be. Help me to use the spiritual gifts you've instilled in me for Your glory. I love you, Lord and I can't wait to get to know you better. In the name of Jesus, Amen."
If you prayed that prayer in complete surrender and obedience, you are part of the family of God. Make it public. I urge you to get a bible and find a bible following group of believers in a local church. Go and ask the pastor to help you make it public and follow up with a public baptism just as Jesus modeled.
If you did this long ago, make a commitment to be more fruitful for the kingdom of God. It's our commission!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Eight years left
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" John 10:10
Good morning all! I got a pretty late start this morning. I finished up breakfast just a little while ago. I've got a couple of sick children with me today. Sore throats, achy, just yucky feeling. My son had a fever of 101 last night which seems to have subsided this morning. I'm hoping it's one of those 24 hour things.
Last night, before his fever came on, we had planned to attend a fun school function. He told me he wasn't feeling all that great but he really wanted to go. I tried explaining to him that we've been on the go a good bit lately and maybe his body was telling him it needed rest. My daughter was the same. She said she wasn't feeling that great but she was determined to go to this event. I explained to them both that we could take them to the place on another day and play the same games and miniature golf. They finally agreed that they weren't up to going and that another day would be better. Within minutes, my son was shivering, asking me to take his temperature.
In a recent post I talked about busy schedules. As I read John 10:10 in my quiet time yesterday, busy schedules was the first thing that came to mind. The thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill and destroy. Well he can't bring forth eternal death or separation to Christians (those who've repented of sin, surrendered their lives and asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior) because redemption has already taken place. He can't "kill" us. He can, however, keep us so wrapped up in activity that we forget about the commission to go and tell others about him. He can whisper that we're too busy to take the extra couple of minutes to reach out to someone who needs a listening ear. He can steal away the time. He can try to manipulate our thinking that we need this or that or our children need to do this or that activity. In the end, if we listen to his lies, quality time is destroyed and, sometimes, families.
Eight years left. That's how much time we have before our firstborn leaves for college. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was looking at the tiny fingers and toes in the hospital? How will I spend these next eight years? Will I look back and say that I truly cherished every moment? Will my children look back and be thankful for how we spent our time? Are we building lifelong memories? Are we living out our lives as the family Christ would have us to be? Are we serving or are we simply..... "too busy"? Are investing the bulk of our time in fruitless activity? Do our days truly bring glory to God?
I don't ask these questions to create guilt or to cause sorrow over moments lost. I ask them to bring forth a desire to redeem the time. I don't want to allow Satan to steal one minute from my life. He causes enough destruction as it is. I have the power through the Holy Spirit to determine how my days are best spent, what activities my family can enjoy, and when it becomes too much. I can ask myself with everything we do: "What's the eternal perspective on this?" "Will it matter at the end of my days?" If I already have a lot on my plate, then maybe it's time to say no to football or book club. Maybe it's time to turn off the TV and go out and shoot some hoops for the kids. Maybe it's time to bake a pie and take it to my sick neighbor rather than just telling them "We're praying for them." While prayer is the most powerful thing we can do, our actions can be a visible display of Christ.
The clock is ticking whether I want it to or not. Redeem the time..... Speaking of which, I have to go peel a couple of kids off the couch to go to the doctor. So, I hope everyone has a wonderful, Christ-filled day. Live it to the fullest!
Father, thank You for Your word. Thank You for Your love letter to us. We praise You for necessary convictions and reminders. We thank You for the gifts You bestow in our lives. We thank You for fun baseball games and recitals. We thank You for church fellowship activities. These are wonderful gifts from You. Help us to discern the way we spend our time and when we're not in Your will. Lord, help us to find the balance in enjoying Your gifts but fully realizing that our Christian walk isn't about the creature comforts. Mostly, Father, help us to redeem our time in a way that glorifies You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Good morning all! I got a pretty late start this morning. I finished up breakfast just a little while ago. I've got a couple of sick children with me today. Sore throats, achy, just yucky feeling. My son had a fever of 101 last night which seems to have subsided this morning. I'm hoping it's one of those 24 hour things.
Last night, before his fever came on, we had planned to attend a fun school function. He told me he wasn't feeling all that great but he really wanted to go. I tried explaining to him that we've been on the go a good bit lately and maybe his body was telling him it needed rest. My daughter was the same. She said she wasn't feeling that great but she was determined to go to this event. I explained to them both that we could take them to the place on another day and play the same games and miniature golf. They finally agreed that they weren't up to going and that another day would be better. Within minutes, my son was shivering, asking me to take his temperature.
In a recent post I talked about busy schedules. As I read John 10:10 in my quiet time yesterday, busy schedules was the first thing that came to mind. The thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill and destroy. Well he can't bring forth eternal death or separation to Christians (those who've repented of sin, surrendered their lives and asked Jesus to be their Lord and Savior) because redemption has already taken place. He can't "kill" us. He can, however, keep us so wrapped up in activity that we forget about the commission to go and tell others about him. He can whisper that we're too busy to take the extra couple of minutes to reach out to someone who needs a listening ear. He can steal away the time. He can try to manipulate our thinking that we need this or that or our children need to do this or that activity. In the end, if we listen to his lies, quality time is destroyed and, sometimes, families.
Eight years left. That's how much time we have before our firstborn leaves for college. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was looking at the tiny fingers and toes in the hospital? How will I spend these next eight years? Will I look back and say that I truly cherished every moment? Will my children look back and be thankful for how we spent our time? Are we building lifelong memories? Are we living out our lives as the family Christ would have us to be? Are we serving or are we simply..... "too busy"? Are investing the bulk of our time in fruitless activity? Do our days truly bring glory to God?
I don't ask these questions to create guilt or to cause sorrow over moments lost. I ask them to bring forth a desire to redeem the time. I don't want to allow Satan to steal one minute from my life. He causes enough destruction as it is. I have the power through the Holy Spirit to determine how my days are best spent, what activities my family can enjoy, and when it becomes too much. I can ask myself with everything we do: "What's the eternal perspective on this?" "Will it matter at the end of my days?" If I already have a lot on my plate, then maybe it's time to say no to football or book club. Maybe it's time to turn off the TV and go out and shoot some hoops for the kids. Maybe it's time to bake a pie and take it to my sick neighbor rather than just telling them "We're praying for them." While prayer is the most powerful thing we can do, our actions can be a visible display of Christ.
The clock is ticking whether I want it to or not. Redeem the time..... Speaking of which, I have to go peel a couple of kids off the couch to go to the doctor. So, I hope everyone has a wonderful, Christ-filled day. Live it to the fullest!
Father, thank You for Your word. Thank You for Your love letter to us. We praise You for necessary convictions and reminders. We thank You for the gifts You bestow in our lives. We thank You for fun baseball games and recitals. We thank You for church fellowship activities. These are wonderful gifts from You. Help us to discern the way we spend our time and when we're not in Your will. Lord, help us to find the balance in enjoying Your gifts but fully realizing that our Christian walk isn't about the creature comforts. Mostly, Father, help us to redeem our time in a way that glorifies You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
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