Not Too Little

3/24/2011

Not Too Little

Satan uses all kinds of trickery to keep people from praying. The lies are painted with the tiniest speck of truth, just enough truth to camouflage the brainwashing.

I once read, “A whole lot of truth got mixed in with some falsehood, which is the generally accepted recipe for the most effective form of a lie.” While I find that to be a profound statement, I think the opposite is true when it comes to the workings of satan. All it takes is ‘some truth’ mixed into a ‘whole lot of lies’ and we suddenly believe it to be ‘the most effective form of the truth’.

I believe we become so desperate for some form of relief, ANY form of relief that we grasp whatever straw is closest to us missing the rope that God is patiently waiting for us to take hold of. I believe it is not only God who allows this level of desperation to occur. The difference is God sits back and waits for us to finally NEED Him, to ASK Him to help us, to WANT Him and God does not use lies or trickery to get us to turn to Him. God genuinely loves us and desires good things for us.

Satan waits until we are just about ready to call on our Father then he swoops in with his bag of candy and lies, he waits until we are just desperate enough to want ANY way out, and comes flying in with glitter and gold; swooping us off track with the lies. To make it worse, most of the time satan convinces us it was OUR idea and that we are working in the name of God.

On more than one occasion over the last week I heard someone say that they did not want to pray about something because they felt it was so minor that they were ashamed. I heard more than one person express feeling horrible over meaningless things occurring in their lives. “A bunch of little stuff” that they felt was unimportant.

Satan has actually convinced a large amount of people that our stuff is ‘too minor’, ‘too little’, and that we should be ashamed to ask for prayer for the little things. Most people feel guilty and just hold that stuff in. “God’s so busy”.

I actually heard the following statements: “Well, I don’t want to bother God”, “I don’t want to waste a prayer”, “Really. It’s no big deal”.

Somehow we finally ‘got’ that ‘Nothing is too BIG for God’ – “I can’t, God can, so I’ll let Him”. We know God is limitless. We believe He can part seas, move mountains, overcome death, create the world.

By saying God is too busy to hear the tiniest details of our life are we not putting limits on Him. Is it not the same thing? Aren’t we excluding Him from parts of us, relying on ourselves? I don’t know about you, but that just does not feel good to me.

‘Bother God’ ?? I don’t even know what to say about this. God’s word tells us to talk to him (pray) NONSTOP (without ceasing) ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. At all times; about all things. He WISHES we would bother Him (but we are His children; He would NEVER consider us a ‘bother’).

The Bible says to rely on God ALONE for EVERYthing. That includes what YOU call little. ‘No big deal’ ?? EVERYthing about us is a big deal to our Father. We need to take ALL our junk to Him.

Perhaps the worst was ‘waste a prayer’. You didn’t rub a bottle and have a genie pop out. This is GOD. Prayers are UNLIMITED, in fact the more the merrier.

Don’t let satan tell you that you OR your prayers are trivial.

When I finally heard the prayer requests this week from those who felt too ashamed to ask for prayer, I was equally as blown away. The nature of the prayers and the degree of pain behind them opened my eyes to the fact that satan’s lies had grown. These were not 'minor' issues or trivial, flesh driven prayers. These were the 'life has knocked me down to my knees, so while I am down here' moments. And I realized, if left to discern for ourselves what is ‘worthy’ of God’s time, ALL prayer will eventually cease to exist.

God gave us our solution already. He handled this for us too. Take EVERYthing to Him. Don’t put limits on Him.

I don’t know what else to say about this other than to remind you that God knows our clean parts, He knows our dirty parts, He knows our pretty parts, He knows our ugly parts. Praying about it or NOT praying about it does not and will not change what God knows – who God is – or how He feels about us. Remember GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING! That is the very nature of being God.

He STILL desires to talk to you, EVERY day and about ALL things. It is NOT too little! So take your junk to God, and let your friends lift your junk up too.
He desires your relationship!!!

What can I pray for you?

1 Corinthians 10:31(KJV) …whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!

Be blessed and know that Jesus ADORES you! And so do I!

Peace

3/23/2011

Peace

I think one thing we all have in common is our desire for peace. We may not all be seeking the same kind of peace but we each are seeking peace for something. Peace in our lives, peace in our hearts and in our heads, peace in our families, our towns, peace in our church, our state, our country, peace from medical issues, financial issues, world peace, fill in the blank peace. We all desire peace.

Peace: Freedom from quarrels and disagreement; harmonious relations. a state of tranquility or quiet, freedom from disturbance.

I used to believe I had no control over peace. That it was just something that rarely happened to me, though I prayed for it every day.

I found peace.

First I found it in my Bible. Really desiring to grow spiritually offered me my first REAL glimpses of the ever elusive peace:

The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Psalm 34:14

I was able to see peace more often but I was still missing the big picture.

I kept reading and God revealed it to me.

All this time I was waiting for peace to happen, to show up in my life and make everything calm.

Peace is not something that happens to you. It is something you seek but not in the way you seek your lost car keys, because once you find those the seeking is over. It is not some magic cure that comes along and makes all the arguments stop, the war end, and quietness abound.

No, peace is something you DO. Peace is what YOU CREATE in your life. And it REALLY is THAT simple – you desire to live peaceful, commit to living peacefully, then CHOOSE peace.

I find when I live my life the way Jesus tells me to, I am in a state of peace. I have created a peaceful environment. When I am slow to anger, show self-control, walk by the spirit, turn the other cheek, love without judgment, share, speak only positive things about others, etc. I have peace.

There are still arguments, screaming and cursing, and war and ugly all around me; the difference is that I am getting better at not taking the bait and joining in. I cannot control what other people wish to have in their lives, but I CAN control whether or not I engage with them in the state they are in.

It is still work – I must consciously decide to seek peace EACH day, sometimes EACH hour and on really rough days or with extremely difficult people EACH minute.

Some days are better than others, but the peace I feel in my life is genuine God sent PEACE. I can’t take credit for the peace in my life, God spells out His plan for our peace in His word – all I did was FINALLY read it and pray for God’s help to live it.

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Psalm 37:11

Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. Psalm 119:165

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. Romans 14:19

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:13

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. 1 Corinthians 7:15

Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Galatians 5:22

And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Galatians 6:16

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:9

Pull out your Bible – your peace is waiting for you in it!

1 Corinthians 10:31 (KJV) …whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!

Be blessed and know that Jesus ADORES you! And so do I!

Mark Chapter 4

3/22/2011

Mark Chapter 4

My son got a new cell phone. It is a smart phone, and I am not ashamed to admit it is too smart for me.

(He has a job and it is his own money)

As I was contemplating my blog for tonight, he was chattering about the coolness of his new toy. He was speaking in a language foreign to me and it did not take long for it to become apparent to him that he did not have my full attention.

(As a side note, in my defense I just don’t get as excited as most people do about electronic things. I am perfectly content with my prepaid cell phone that I finally learned how to send a text from. It does not have a camera, no internet, no music, no GPS, no maps, I cannot update the world with my location, I cannot pay bills with it, buy dinner from it, watch TV on it, it cannot drive my car for me, does not do the dishes; I think it just makes phone calls, which I don’t do because it is prepaid, and it sends/receives texts. Perhaps if I HAD a fancy phone reminiscent of James Bond movies I might get more excited, but lacking the desire to purchase such a thing decreases the likeliness of that actually happening.)

At any rate, he is my son and he was excited to share with me. I should have given him my full attention. Though electronics do not excite me, my CHILDREN do. And I need to remember that it is more important that they always know and feel how worthy of my time they are and will always be.

I am so thankful that God, my Father, is never too preoccupied to let me share with Him.

I apologized and told him I was preoccupied with what I should blog about for today.

That reminded him of the latest ‘app’ he had gotten. He grinned from ear to ear and showed me that he now had the entire Bible (in every translation) with him at all times and with the touch of his finger, he could read any translation, any book, any chapter, and any verse. Now THAT was a language I could understand.

He showed me how easy it was to use.

He picked Bible, then picked The Message (his favorite version), scrolled down the page and randomly picked Mark. He was as excited as I was; he then picked Chapter 4. It was random but I do not believe anything happens randomly.

I was able to give him the love and attention I should have been giving him from the beginning and we played with his new phone for a bit.

When we were done, I told him I would blog about him and about Mark Chapter 4. To which he grinned and asked one simple request, that I not use his name.

God has blessed me with three of the most amazing people on the planet to call my children. I am so thankful He trusted me with them.

Father, I pray You condition me to be like the seed sown on good soil producing a crop a hundred times what was sown.

I pray You will let me not see, but perceive. I pray that You will let me not hear, but understand.

I pray that what is hidden be disclosed, what is concealed be brought out into the open.

I pray that You turn me from myself, and keep me from myself.

I pray You filter what I hear.

I pray my measure is generous.

Though man may not know how the seed grows and sprouts, I know it is only through You, creator of all things, that all life may sustain.

It is only by Your will that I may grow or sprout. I pray You produce in me good fruit. I pray You will fortify my roots, strengthen my stalk, and empower my head against evil, so that my kernel may bloom for Your glory and to Your praise.

I pray You plant in me a mustard seed, that I might sprout to great heights for Your kingdom, providing both rest and shade as You ordain. I pray You make me obedient, that I might become Your faithful servant.

I pray that when my storms come You remind me that Jesus is in the boat with me. I pray You instill faith deep in me, that You remove fear from my language and my emotions, and that You silence me that I may ‘be still’ and know You are God. For even the wind and the waves obey Your command.

I am blessed beyond measure.

Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

1 Corinthians 10:31(KJV) …whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!

Be blessed and know that Jesus ADORES you! And so do I!

Foul Language

3/21/2011

Foul Language

Raising teenagers and constantly being around an army of them, I have debated the topic of foul language on more than one occasion.

My ‘favorite’ statement in defense of cussing is “It is not in the ten commandments”.

Hmmm “Are you sure about that? Maybe you should check again.”

I then point out commandment number five and command that there will be no cussing.

This usually opens the door to some laughter and the opportunity to show what God’s word DOES say about filthy language, obscene jokes, and perverse speaking.

Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Proverbs 4:24

To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech. Proverbs 8:13

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. Ephesians 4:29

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5:4

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:10

The Bible is pretty clear.

The next debate stems from what constitutes a word or a statement as being foul.

Answer a few questions about what you want to say:

1) Would you say it to Jesus?

2) Does it build someone UP?

3) Does it benefit anyone by saying it?

If you can answer no to any of the above questions, then you aren’t missing anything by not saying it. Even if you COULD justify it as being ALLOWED, wouldn’t your time be better spent speaking only things that build others up?

Spread LOVE!

We are called for a greater purpose than just being ALLOWED to say something.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:16-26

You have a REAL battle to fight – and THIS isn’t it.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6:10-20

1 Corinthians 10:31(KJV) …whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!

Be blessed and know that Jesus ADORES you! And so do I!

Compassion

3/20/2011

Compassion

Yes God, I’m listening.

Definition of Compassion: sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

Do you see that second part? ‘together with a desire to alleviate it’ It is not enough to just have sympathy and FEEL, by definition compassion calls us to action as we work towards alleviating the pain of others. (EVEN SELF INFLICTED PAIN!)

Jesus says, Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? Matthew 18:33 (King James Version)

Luke 15:11-32, the story of the prodigal son, resonates deep in me. It is a story I read a LOT. It is a story that offers me comfort and hope for my OWN shortcomings and faults, and it also offers me comfort and hope as a parent.

Along with comfort, it is a great teacher of what compassion should look like:

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 (NIV)

The story goes on to say that the son confessed his sins to his father and said, ‘I am no longer worthy to be called your son’ feeling instead that he should be like one of the hired servants. His father does not dismiss him nor condemn him. His father does not lecture him by telling him how wrong he has been, what horrible choices he has made, how he got himself into this mess, how it was his own fault. There is no look of disapproval, no punishment. And his father does not make him a slave!

Instead his father dresses him in the finest robe, jewelry, and sandals; slaughters the best of his meat and throws a celebration worthy of kings. ‘Let us eat and be merry.’ His father then instructs his ‘obedient brother’ to put aside his jealousy and anger, to replace it with a glad heart and come join the celebration because his ‘lost’ brother has now been ‘found’ - he was dead, but now alive.

What an amazing display of compassion. What a valuable lesson on how I am to treat people – ALL people, but how much more so my own children?

What a great tool on how to deal only with the positives. His father could have looked at the negative lifestyle, the squandering of all the material things, the bad decisions, but instead he CELEBRATED a LIFE RETURNED!

The lesson of compassion has been coming at me from all sides.

I am grateful.

It is very liberating.

Not only as a way to deal with others, I am free to just love them; but also as I see God dealing with me. It is so comforting and there is something so safe in thinking God has compassion towards me.

That means ‘God has a sympathetic consciousness of MY distress together with a desire to alleviate it’!

He feels the same way about YOU!

That is compassion!

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV)

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 1 John 3:17 (KJV)

Thank you Father for compassion, Thank you for loving us, your prodigal children, to the point of calling the heavens into a celebration when we return to You. Thank you for loving me and desiring to alleviate my distress. That is so powerful to me. In spite of my wickedness, You continue to offer me the best of Your love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, and Your grace and glory. Search me; search my heart, my mind, my today and my tomorrow. Empty the negative and my flesh’s fixation with it, and replace in me the positive, replace in me love, compassion, mercy; replace me with all things YOU. You are faithful, You are Glorious!! I lift my praise to you! I humbly bow down before you. In Jesus’ precious name I pray, Amen.

1 Corinthians 10:31(KJV) …whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!

Be blessed and know that Jesus ADORES you! And so do I!

Speechless Saturday

3/19/2011

Speechless Saturday

A picture says a thousand words. Here are several thousand words.

Body Building Event

Celebrate CommUNITY @ Holly Land Park 3/19/2011

“That We May Be One. John 17:22”

Photo by Rick Vail

Photo by Paul J Hulse

Photo by Mike Ellis

Photo by Dan Suffolk

Photo by Dan Suffolk

Photo by Dan Suffolk

Photo by Dan Suffolk

Photo by Dan Suffolk

Photo by Dan Suffolk

1 Corinthians 10:31(KJV) …whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!

Be blessed and know that Jesus ADORES you! And so do I!

Self Help for Spiritual ADHD

3/18/2011

Self Help for Spiritual ADHD

As a new year’s ‘resolution’ I joined a group of ladies who have vowed to read the Bible in a year. We are all reading whichever ‘Bible in a year’ plan and whichever version of the Bible that we believe we will have the most success with. We meet daily online to support and encourage each other, ask questions, make statements, ponder thoughts, have prayer requests, discuss scripture, LOVE each other, no rules, without judgment or condemnation, just a group of ladies with a common desire to grow closer to God.

(As a side note – there are not enough words to describe what an incredible blessing this has been and the impact it continues to have upon my life as I grow in my spiritual walk. In case any of you are reading this – YOU ARE ALL AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU DEARLY!)

Knowing my affliction with ‘Spiritual ADHD’ I determined the only way that this would work for me would be for me to read straight through the Bible – cover to cover. For this reason, over the past two and a half months I have been spending a lot of time in my daily Bible reading in the Old Testament and the time of the Law.

As I was reflecting today, I was given the most glorious gift from God. It became so crystal clear to me that it actually scared me. My only hope now is that I can relay that message here in such a way that those of you who share my affliction are equally as blessed.

Father, I know this is Your story to tell, so I pray You fill me with the words necessary to tell it properly.

Yesterday I told you I was going to let my thoughts marinate over my Spiritual ADHD. Now if I had REALLY been able to do that, the story would end right here because that would mean God decided to miraculously cure me.

Since I am still typing, it is safe to assume that instead I spent hours online looking up self-help strategies for Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

After reading several articles I have compiled a list of the following common suggestions for combating this disorder.

o Exercise and eat right

o Get plenty of sleep

o Practice better time management

o Work on your relationships

o Create a supportive environment

These seemed like reasonable suggestions. I put them aside to allow my subconscious to ponder them and form a plan.

God had something bigger in mind for my lesson. He is SO cool like that!

During my morning reflection with God, I was struck by the magnitude of God. Had there been a cloud in sight I might have been convinced I was hit with lightening, even though I was inside.

I had the overwhelming realization and reminder that God does not NEED me to do anything. God does not NEED me FOR anything. God does not NEED me.

Hang with me here.

I have always known this, but the magnitude of it is even farther than I can grasp. Farther than any of us can grasp. The startling realization is entwined with the time period of God’s Laws.

God did not NEED Moses, nor did He NEED the Israelites. To take that one step further, God did not and still does not NEED anyone to follow His rules, His laws, His commandments. If I refuse to proclaim His name as the name above all names, it will not EVER make His name less. When the Israelites worshipped other gods and held on to their false idols, it did not, nor could it EVER dethrone God. Sexual immorality, murder, hatred, SIN – NONE of this CHANGES GOD. None of this will make God any less … GOD (for lack of a better word).

God will be God despite the retched, despite satan, in spite of whatever law, rule, commandment I break – OR you break. I can kill all the innocent babies, bow down to statues, speak His name in vain and He will continue to BE GOD.

I am making a point here.

If God NEEDED me to do ANYTHING, He is quite capable of just MAKING me do it. Or just smiting me from the planet when I don’t.

As I was smacked by the magnitude of this, I was overcome with the most amazing sense of love (and peace). My eyes could see something for the first time.

Since God does not NEED these laws, rules, and commandments; what was His purpose for commanding them? I can assure you He did not just get bored, and He has a purpose for EVERYTHING.

Reread the self-help suggestions. Now think of the rules God has commanded we follow.

Do you see a connection?

I am not going to do your homework for you, so I will not be providing the verses, but here is what I know.

God knew me, and YOU before the world was ever created. God knew and knows our faults, our limitations, and the steps WE NEED to take to walk with and be with Him. To grow closer, to know Him, and to be a better Christian and person. So HE can spend eternity WITH US – because HE CHOOSES TO. He has THAT much love for us.

Even now – living under grace and not under the law – it still fits. It fit then, and it STILL fits. Like a one-size-fits-all moment of enlightenment.

God tells me that my body is a temple of the Lord and I should treat it as such (Exercise and eat right).

God tells me that I am to work 6 days but rest on the 7^th observing the Sabbath day and keeping it holy unto Him (Get plenty of sleep/rest).

God desires that we spend time reading the Bible each day, attend church, pray non-stop, worship Him, meditate, work, tend to our families, tend to our loved ones, help those in need, fellowship, be disciples, talk with Him at ALL times, etc. (Practice better time management)

God dictates quiet clearly how we are to treat Him, our parents, our spouse, our children, our friends, our neighbors, strangers, each other, etc. (Work on your relationships)

God wants us to lean on one another, to help each other, to study the Bible together, to fellowship, to be ‘plugged in’, He is clear that the CHURCH is US – the PEOPLE, not the building. He is clear that the CHURCH is ONE BIG FAMILY. Brothers and Sisters adopted into the Kingdom. He provides ministries for each and every walk of life, each situation, each individual, etc. (Create a supportive environment)

To wrap this up, God KNEW about my Spiritual ADHD even before He created the world and He provided me with all the tools/weapons that I would need to combat it. They are right there in the Old Testament. And they are carried over into the New Testament.

God made the laws, the rules, the commandments FOR ME. They are for MY benefit. While disobeying does NOT change who God is and who God will ALWAYS be, it has a profound impact upon ME.

It was right in front of my face the entire time.

My mind has been fully blown away. AGAIN.

1 Corinthians 10:31(KJV) …whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!

Be blessed and know that Jesus ADORES you! And so do I!