But it is usually because I have handed him the club. Sometimes I am my own worst enemy. I neglect to forgive myself long after God has forgiven me and thrown my mistake into the sea of forgetfulness. My head knows that God is quick to forgive when I repent of my wrongdoing,but my mind does not always concur. If that is not enough, devil is quick to remind me of every mistake I have ever made. When I wallow in remorse I have handed him the club with which to pommel me. And if he doesn't do it, I will. At least I did before the Lord opened my eyes.
You see, not forgiving myself for my mistakes is a form of unforgiveness, perhaps the worst kind because it is as insidious as a malignancy. Like a well camouflaged enemy who sneaks into my camp at night and steals my food and ammunition, it renders me powerless. A broken useless soldier in the army of God, held captive by an enemy of my own making.
So I asked the Lord before retiring the other night just why it was that I receive His forgiveness, but so often give it back. The revelation I received was so significant that I believe it is worth sharing because it may very well apply to others as well as myself.
The Lord made me realize that the short tempered, sometimes physically abusive father that raised me had instilled my concept of God as being angry and punitive. Living with my father was like waiting for the axe to fall. As a small child I remember feeling as though I needed to walk on eggshells to keep from arousing his fury.
My mother always put our hair in pigtails (myself and my two sisters). One day my sister and I were fighting as siblings often do. Dad grabbed our pigtails and cracked our heads together. Once he even picked me up by the back of my shirt and kicked me up a short flight of stairs (six steps) as though I were a football. I do not remember which crime I had committed, but I am certain I did not deserve such a punishment.
Fifty years later, I remember these two incidents as vividly as if they had happened only yesterday. I mention them because I believe the implications are significant, as others have experienced similar childhood traumas to mine. It is important to realize that parents are not perfect. Many are less perfect than others, and our childhood perceptions of these flawed individuals can influence our concept of God. Thus, our ability to receive and keep His forgiveness and love can be seriously impeded. God has so many wounded soldiers hobbling around in His army that I suspect this very thing is the root to most, if not all of our afflictions...physical, spiritual and emotional.
Speaking of myself again, I have come to realize that my entire relationship with God has been fear-based. Fear is the opposite of faith and when it afflicts me so completely, it can actually interfere with my ability to have faith in God and subsequently to connect emotionally with Him during worship. I am not talking about the holy reverential fear we should have of God, rather the kind that keeps me from feeling His love. For instance, going to church because I fear that God will smite me if I don't or tithing because I am afraid He will take away my assets, ect.
2 Timothy 1:7
New Living Translation (NLT)
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
God has given me a spirit of power, love and self-discipline, but in order to tap into that spirit I must discover who I am in Christ. When I come to the full understanding of Christ's redeeming work on the cross and accept the fact that it is as much for me as for anyone else, the enemy will lose his hold on me, his taunts and lies over my past mistakes will no longer be audible over the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself will force the enemy to throw down his weapon. My job, with God's help, is to be certain to never again arm the enemy with weapons of doubt, fear and the inability to forgive myself.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
What Kind of Tool Are You?
Psalm 15
A psalm of David.
1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
3 Those who refuse to gossip
or harm their neighbors
or speak evil of their friends.
4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the LORD,
and keep their promises even when it hurts.
5 Those who lend money without charging interest,
and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.
There are two things which happen to us when we receive Christ; salvation and restoration. Salvation is immediate, for it is by grace that we are saved and obtain the promise of eternal life with Him. To achieve restoration, on the other hand, we must participate.
God's desire is to make us whole, for until He does, we are but broken tools to Him and the work we do for the Kingdom will be slow and tedious. Imagine trying to hoe your garden when the handle has been snapped off. You would need to bend in order to compensate for the shortened length. Oh, how my back hurts just thinking about that! Also, the stub of the sheared off handle is sharp and jagged, and at risk of injuring myself and and others.
How does God restore us? Jesus explains it in three short sentences as recorded by Matthew:
"Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:29-30 NLT
The key words are "let me TEACH you.". But to learn, I must have a teachable spirit. I must swallow my pride and be able to receive correction. As any school teacher knows, the key to proper learning is correction, for what good would it be to give a student a test but to fail to correct it? I still remember those dreaded big red x's and check marks! But it was only through the marks of the red pen that I was able to learn. So it is with our spiritual lives.
It is only through restoration that Jesus' burden becomes light, for the work is hard, but I will have the proper tools to get the job done. Only through restoration will I have joy and peace, for I simply cannot continue to ignore my brokenness.
How annoying is it to pull one of those broken shopping carts out of the stack? You know the ones...wheels broken and spinning, noisy and always pulling the cart to one side or the other. The broken cart just seems to have a mind of its own, always wanting to go its own way. Not only does it add time to my shopping excursion, it does not allow me much peace in what could otherwise be an enjoyable trip. So now I am faced with a choice; to take the the time to return the cart for a different one or to struggle against it until I checkout and wrestle it to my car.
The problem is, time is something that people in modern society seem to lack. Or at least that is the perception. I always find time for doing the things I want to do. It all boils down to priorities. Learning, just like returning the broken cart, takes time. It seems for the majority of my life I was content to hobble along, broken with my wheels spinning, tugging against God to go my own way. I chuckle to think that to God, we must all look like broken shopping carts.
Just as it is in the classroom, we need to spend time with God, learning through reading His Word and listening to others teach on on His Word when we need help understanding. For how are we to ever learn physics if we never open the book or attend a lecture?
For restoration to begin in earnest, I must be bold enough to approach the Throne of Grace and ask my Father what lessons He would like to teach me today. His response will not always be one I wish to hear, but will always be one I need.
Reviewing David's words as written in Psalm 15, I find myself wondering who can possibly be qualified to worship in the Sactuary of the Lord? For none of us, it would seem meet all of the criteria all of the time. Matthew 19:26 provides the answer:
"Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.'"
My prayer:
"Heavenly Father, for today and everyday for the rest of my life please show me what I must learn in order to achieve the restoration which You so desire for me and make me into the tool which will most efficiently be able to do Your work. In Jesus Name, Amen."
A psalm of David.
1 Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD?
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?
2 Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,
speaking the truth from sincere hearts.
3 Those who refuse to gossip
or harm their neighbors
or speak evil of their friends.
4 Those who despise flagrant sinners,
and honor the faithful followers of the LORD,
and keep their promises even when it hurts.
5 Those who lend money without charging interest,
and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent.
Such people will stand firm forever.
There are two things which happen to us when we receive Christ; salvation and restoration. Salvation is immediate, for it is by grace that we are saved and obtain the promise of eternal life with Him. To achieve restoration, on the other hand, we must participate.
God's desire is to make us whole, for until He does, we are but broken tools to Him and the work we do for the Kingdom will be slow and tedious. Imagine trying to hoe your garden when the handle has been snapped off. You would need to bend in order to compensate for the shortened length. Oh, how my back hurts just thinking about that! Also, the stub of the sheared off handle is sharp and jagged, and at risk of injuring myself and and others.
How does God restore us? Jesus explains it in three short sentences as recorded by Matthew:
"Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:29-30 NLT
The key words are "let me TEACH you.". But to learn, I must have a teachable spirit. I must swallow my pride and be able to receive correction. As any school teacher knows, the key to proper learning is correction, for what good would it be to give a student a test but to fail to correct it? I still remember those dreaded big red x's and check marks! But it was only through the marks of the red pen that I was able to learn. So it is with our spiritual lives.
It is only through restoration that Jesus' burden becomes light, for the work is hard, but I will have the proper tools to get the job done. Only through restoration will I have joy and peace, for I simply cannot continue to ignore my brokenness.
How annoying is it to pull one of those broken shopping carts out of the stack? You know the ones...wheels broken and spinning, noisy and always pulling the cart to one side or the other. The broken cart just seems to have a mind of its own, always wanting to go its own way. Not only does it add time to my shopping excursion, it does not allow me much peace in what could otherwise be an enjoyable trip. So now I am faced with a choice; to take the the time to return the cart for a different one or to struggle against it until I checkout and wrestle it to my car.
The problem is, time is something that people in modern society seem to lack. Or at least that is the perception. I always find time for doing the things I want to do. It all boils down to priorities. Learning, just like returning the broken cart, takes time. It seems for the majority of my life I was content to hobble along, broken with my wheels spinning, tugging against God to go my own way. I chuckle to think that to God, we must all look like broken shopping carts.
Just as it is in the classroom, we need to spend time with God, learning through reading His Word and listening to others teach on on His Word when we need help understanding. For how are we to ever learn physics if we never open the book or attend a lecture?
For restoration to begin in earnest, I must be bold enough to approach the Throne of Grace and ask my Father what lessons He would like to teach me today. His response will not always be one I wish to hear, but will always be one I need.
Reviewing David's words as written in Psalm 15, I find myself wondering who can possibly be qualified to worship in the Sactuary of the Lord? For none of us, it would seem meet all of the criteria all of the time. Matthew 19:26 provides the answer:
"Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.'"
My prayer:
"Heavenly Father, for today and everyday for the rest of my life please show me what I must learn in order to achieve the restoration which You so desire for me and make me into the tool which will most efficiently be able to do Your work. In Jesus Name, Amen."
Thursday, January 12, 2012
My dogs have an annoying habit. If they don't see me open the front door, they bark because they assume that someone is coming in from outside. No matter how many times I have tried to patiently explain to them that though the sound of an opening door is the same, there is a difference between someone coming in and someone going out, they just don't get it.
I wonder how often I do this in my life. I assume that my problems are caused by other people or outside forces , but they really come from within. It occurs to me that when I truly understand who I am in Christ and accept that I am loved unconditionally by God because of Christ's sacrifice, the outside forces can no longer hurt me. Other people's problems belong to them and cannot affect me because my first response will be to quietly seek my Father's wisdom and reassurance not that of men. Jesus never went to people for advice....only to His Father in Heaven. Since we are told in the bible to emulate Christ, should we not do likewise?
From this perspective I come to understand that virtually ALL of my problems resonate from within, for it is a heart change and a renewing of the mind that I need in order to effectively cope with everything that life (and other people) throw at me.
This is not to say that we should never seek counsel from others. We are told in the bible to "encourage one another daily." But as Christians, our daily exhortations require that we point each other to the Cross and God's word...not to become heros to one another. Only in this way can we be certain that we never inadvertently give out harmful advice or cause a problem to become bigger than it needs to be.
So this is my new goal. To become so secure in Christ that I am no longer hurt or affected by others and to gain the ability to consistently go to God for His reassurance. This is a lofty goal and one that I probably will not completely achieve because the flesh is a difficult thing to crucify. But if we are to live by the spirit, we must die daily to self. Some days my self goes down kicking an screaming, others not so much. I am convinced, however, that there will be joy in the journey.
Getting back to my dogs, I am happy to report that I finally solved the problem by announcing BEFORE I open the door "it's just me!". But this morning I forgot and they barked at me. Well, it made a good idea for a blog post.
I wonder how often I do this in my life. I assume that my problems are caused by other people or outside forces , but they really come from within. It occurs to me that when I truly understand who I am in Christ and accept that I am loved unconditionally by God because of Christ's sacrifice, the outside forces can no longer hurt me. Other people's problems belong to them and cannot affect me because my first response will be to quietly seek my Father's wisdom and reassurance not that of men. Jesus never went to people for advice....only to His Father in Heaven. Since we are told in the bible to emulate Christ, should we not do likewise?
From this perspective I come to understand that virtually ALL of my problems resonate from within, for it is a heart change and a renewing of the mind that I need in order to effectively cope with everything that life (and other people) throw at me.
This is not to say that we should never seek counsel from others. We are told in the bible to "encourage one another daily." But as Christians, our daily exhortations require that we point each other to the Cross and God's word...not to become heros to one another. Only in this way can we be certain that we never inadvertently give out harmful advice or cause a problem to become bigger than it needs to be.
So this is my new goal. To become so secure in Christ that I am no longer hurt or affected by others and to gain the ability to consistently go to God for His reassurance. This is a lofty goal and one that I probably will not completely achieve because the flesh is a difficult thing to crucify. But if we are to live by the spirit, we must die daily to self. Some days my self goes down kicking an screaming, others not so much. I am convinced, however, that there will be joy in the journey.
Getting back to my dogs, I am happy to report that I finally solved the problem by announcing BEFORE I open the door "it's just me!". But this morning I forgot and they barked at me. Well, it made a good idea for a blog post.
The Taming of the Shoes
"Wear shoes on your feet which are the Good News of peace.". Ephesians 6:15
The straightest path in life is the one which follows God's will. Each person must discern that path for himself, and can only do so with the help of the Holy Spirit.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.". Psalm 119:105. David is telling us here that God's word will unerringly direct our footsteps. Trouble quickly arises, however when I am distracted by things in the world which cause me to leave God's illuminated path.
I am thinking about about a dog who is walking with his master along a well beaten path though
the woods. Suddenly the scent of a rabbit catches his attention and he is off in hot pursuit. Soon he becomes lost and hopelessly tangled in briars, for he cannot go where the rabbit goes, but...he thought he could. Eventually he may make his way home to his master, but when he returns, he is beaten and worn, covered with mud and bleeding. Am I so different? I submit to you that I am not. The biblical account of the prodigal son tells me so.
When I was a teen I had a dog who ran off dragging her chain. For three days she failed to return and I went out every night looking for her and listening in the still of the night. On the third night, I heard her plaintiff cries. I grabbed a flashlight and with my dad in tow, ran headlong into the frozen winter woods. When I finally found her, her chain was wrapped hopelessly around a tree. I shudder to think of the painful cold death she would have suffered had I not been able to locate her.
Fortunately for us, God always hears our plaintiff cries, when we become hopelessly entangled in our messes. His word is designed not to keep us from enjoying our lives, but to keep us safe. Just as the chain was designed to keep my dog within the safety of our backyard, so it is with God's will for my life. If I catch the scent of wrong things in the world and take off after them, it will not be long before I become entangled in briars or my chain gets wrapped around a tree.
God's path for me is so gentle that I do not need shoes to protect my tender feet. Should I decide to leave it, however, I had better don boots to cope with the rugged terrain. So I guess in addition to taming my tongue, I need to tame my feet, to keep them from carrying me to a place where I cannot easily hear God's voice. Fortunately for me, however, should my chain ever get hopelessly tangled around a tree, God will grab His flashlight and come to lead me back home!
The straightest path in life is the one which follows God's will. Each person must discern that path for himself, and can only do so with the help of the Holy Spirit.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.". Psalm 119:105. David is telling us here that God's word will unerringly direct our footsteps. Trouble quickly arises, however when I am distracted by things in the world which cause me to leave God's illuminated path.
I am thinking about about a dog who is walking with his master along a well beaten path though
the woods. Suddenly the scent of a rabbit catches his attention and he is off in hot pursuit. Soon he becomes lost and hopelessly tangled in briars, for he cannot go where the rabbit goes, but...he thought he could. Eventually he may make his way home to his master, but when he returns, he is beaten and worn, covered with mud and bleeding. Am I so different? I submit to you that I am not. The biblical account of the prodigal son tells me so.
When I was a teen I had a dog who ran off dragging her chain. For three days she failed to return and I went out every night looking for her and listening in the still of the night. On the third night, I heard her plaintiff cries. I grabbed a flashlight and with my dad in tow, ran headlong into the frozen winter woods. When I finally found her, her chain was wrapped hopelessly around a tree. I shudder to think of the painful cold death she would have suffered had I not been able to locate her.
Fortunately for us, God always hears our plaintiff cries, when we become hopelessly entangled in our messes. His word is designed not to keep us from enjoying our lives, but to keep us safe. Just as the chain was designed to keep my dog within the safety of our backyard, so it is with God's will for my life. If I catch the scent of wrong things in the world and take off after them, it will not be long before I become entangled in briars or my chain gets wrapped around a tree.
God's path for me is so gentle that I do not need shoes to protect my tender feet. Should I decide to leave it, however, I had better don boots to cope with the rugged terrain. So I guess in addition to taming my tongue, I need to tame my feet, to keep them from carrying me to a place where I cannot easily hear God's voice. Fortunately for me, however, should my chain ever get hopelessly tangled around a tree, God will grab His flashlight and come to lead me back home!
There WAS a Big Bang...God Spoke With a Booming Voice!
The title to this post came to me on December 17,2011. I am so glad I wrote it down in the notes on my iPad because at the time I was not blogging and I really want to share it with people. The following is an excerpt.
12/17/2011...There Was a Big Bang...God Spoke with a BOOMING Voice!
These words came to me in my first waking moments this morning. I decided to google the words "God spoke the world into existence" and discovered an article that was written in World Daily Net(this very day in fact) about a physics student who has postulated a theory that science actually supports the Genesis account.
Since 1934, science has known about a process called Sono luminescence, the production of light when bubbles in a liquid are exposed to short bursts of sound. The student theorizes that the earth which was mainly water ("and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters") was audibly spoken to by God ("and God said 'let there be light' and there was light.")
God spoke the world into existence. Exactly what would that look and sound like? The amount of sound that it would take to generate that much light would have to seem like an explosion.
It seems to me that the gap between science and creation is closing. This needs to happen. After all, God also created the laws of the universe. It is a well known fact that the universe follows laws of order, not chaos. The bible also states clearly that God is a God of order.
As the debate between creationism and evolution rages on, I say, what difference does it really make? God will shine the light on His truth. It is just another one of Satan's ways to create argument and anger, disorder and disunity, even sometimes within the church.
12/17/2011...There Was a Big Bang...God Spoke with a BOOMING Voice!
These words came to me in my first waking moments this morning. I decided to google the words "God spoke the world into existence" and discovered an article that was written in World Daily Net(this very day in fact) about a physics student who has postulated a theory that science actually supports the Genesis account.
Since 1934, science has known about a process called Sono luminescence, the production of light when bubbles in a liquid are exposed to short bursts of sound. The student theorizes that the earth which was mainly water ("and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters") was audibly spoken to by God ("and God said 'let there be light' and there was light.")
God spoke the world into existence. Exactly what would that look and sound like? The amount of sound that it would take to generate that much light would have to seem like an explosion.
It seems to me that the gap between science and creation is closing. This needs to happen. After all, God also created the laws of the universe. It is a well known fact that the universe follows laws of order, not chaos. The bible also states clearly that God is a God of order.
As the debate between creationism and evolution rages on, I say, what difference does it really make? God will shine the light on His truth. It is just another one of Satan's ways to create argument and anger, disorder and disunity, even sometimes within the church.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
"Woe is me for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts." Isaiah 6:5
Isaiah was in a state of desperation here as he had gazed upon a holy God and become acutely aware of the many terrible things he had spoken during the course of his lifetime. The sudden realization that words can be a powerful weapon of destruction. In the New Testament, James reiterates this when he declares:
" But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.". James 3:8-12
Since Scripture is so clear that we are to exercise care when we speak to others, why do we continue to utter unkind words, often to even those whom we love? Two things immediately come to mind. Lack of discipline and inadequate quality time with God.
The two are not mutually exclusive because to spend time with God takes discipline. In fact, spending time with God does not even take time. It ONLY takes discipline. One can have all the time in the world, but if lacking discipline, it gets frittered away, lost forever. On the other hand, time spent with God, even if just a few minutes, is more than made up for by the end of the day. And the fruit is boundless, part of which is being able to tame the tongue.
The more time one spends with God, the more His voice becomes discernible. For instance, you can learn some details about someone by conversing through email, but until you meet, you will not come to know that person. A quick cup of coffee shared occasionally is better, but unless you begin to regularly spend quality time together, you cannot get to know one another.
Quality time with God teaches a person how to recognize His voice and the promptings of the Holy Spirit at such times that He might be suggesting that you curb your tongue. Lack of discipline factors in when we realize that our tongues are heading for trouble but we fail to stop them.
The question as to why Christians say hurtful things, may also be answered in part, that they simply do not know any better. Isaiah himself was unaware of his folly until his "eyes saw the KING, he Lord of Hosts.". This underscores the importance of spending quality time with God.
I remember when my daughter uttered her fist naughty word. To a young child, it was just a word like any other. It was my responsibility as a parent to admonish her, and thus she gained an understanding that certain words were inappropriate. The same is true for baby Christians. We remain babies so long as we neglect to spend time with God. Fifty years of regular church attendance is no better than a series of the aforementioned emails, if we neglect our time with God. The words which spring forth from our mouths are a product of the thoughts of our minds, which cannot possibly be renewed without spending time with the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul referred to this when he stated that eventually we need to grow up and have more than just baby milk in our spiritual diets. And believe me, there is no such thing as fast food when it comes to the spirit. Or as Joyce Meyer so aptly puts it "you can't get a drive thru breakthrough."
I am sure you are wondering what my last couple of posts have to do with living with MS. Well, I am too. I will share that with you as soon as i figure it out. But for now, suffice it to say that our minds, bodies and spirits are inextricably connected. So too are our thoughts, words and deeds.
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts." Isaiah 6:5
Isaiah was in a state of desperation here as he had gazed upon a holy God and become acutely aware of the many terrible things he had spoken during the course of his lifetime. The sudden realization that words can be a powerful weapon of destruction. In the New Testament, James reiterates this when he declares:
" But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.". James 3:8-12
Since Scripture is so clear that we are to exercise care when we speak to others, why do we continue to utter unkind words, often to even those whom we love? Two things immediately come to mind. Lack of discipline and inadequate quality time with God.
The two are not mutually exclusive because to spend time with God takes discipline. In fact, spending time with God does not even take time. It ONLY takes discipline. One can have all the time in the world, but if lacking discipline, it gets frittered away, lost forever. On the other hand, time spent with God, even if just a few minutes, is more than made up for by the end of the day. And the fruit is boundless, part of which is being able to tame the tongue.
The more time one spends with God, the more His voice becomes discernible. For instance, you can learn some details about someone by conversing through email, but until you meet, you will not come to know that person. A quick cup of coffee shared occasionally is better, but unless you begin to regularly spend quality time together, you cannot get to know one another.
Quality time with God teaches a person how to recognize His voice and the promptings of the Holy Spirit at such times that He might be suggesting that you curb your tongue. Lack of discipline factors in when we realize that our tongues are heading for trouble but we fail to stop them.
The question as to why Christians say hurtful things, may also be answered in part, that they simply do not know any better. Isaiah himself was unaware of his folly until his "eyes saw the KING, he Lord of Hosts.". This underscores the importance of spending quality time with God.
I remember when my daughter uttered her fist naughty word. To a young child, it was just a word like any other. It was my responsibility as a parent to admonish her, and thus she gained an understanding that certain words were inappropriate. The same is true for baby Christians. We remain babies so long as we neglect to spend time with God. Fifty years of regular church attendance is no better than a series of the aforementioned emails, if we neglect our time with God. The words which spring forth from our mouths are a product of the thoughts of our minds, which cannot possibly be renewed without spending time with the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul referred to this when he stated that eventually we need to grow up and have more than just baby milk in our spiritual diets. And believe me, there is no such thing as fast food when it comes to the spirit. Or as Joyce Meyer so aptly puts it "you can't get a drive thru breakthrough."
I am sure you are wondering what my last couple of posts have to do with living with MS. Well, I am too. I will share that with you as soon as i figure it out. But for now, suffice it to say that our minds, bodies and spirits are inextricably connected. So too are our thoughts, words and deeds.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Mercy Not Sacrifice
I was reading Matthew 12 this morning and was stricken by Jesus' words in verse 7 that God desires mercy and not sacrifice. Jesus was addressing the Pharisees' criticism of His disciples picking and eating grain on the Sabbath. It is a well known fact that the Pharisees were well versed in the law, and were quick to point out when others did not follow it. This, of course, put them in the judgement seat, which was not theirs to occupy.
While it is a worthwhile endeavor to try to follow the law, we must also understand that NO ONE can follow it 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. The law was given to shine a light on my sinful nature and make me realize that without Jesus, I am totally lost. The law was not given that I should shine it on other people, for to do so implies that I believe my sins are less serious than those of others. God makes no such distinction, as indicated by the words in James that when we break one law we break them all. If I am interpreting properly, then my gossip or unkind words to someone are just as bad as murder or adultery,etc.
Strict observance of the law requires sacrifice. This can lead to works of the flesh. But what God desires most, according to Jesus, is that we be merciful to one another. I can tithe all I want, but if I speak cruelly to my children, my financial sacrifice matters little. I can attend three church services a day seven days a week, but if I speak ill of someone, my efforts amount to stubble. If I envy what my neighbor has, even a little, I have sinned. I am no better than someone who robs a bank, is a drug dealer or has multiple sex partners. It all breaks God's law.
When I reach an understanding of just how serious my sin nature really is and how desperately helpless I am to change it, I will finally understand just how much Jesus' sacrifice of His own life was. That was the only sacrifice that ever fulfilled God's purpose and the last one that will ever be required. When I understand just how much God has forgiven me for even those sins I thought were minor, I will finally be in a position to offer mercy and forgiveness to others. And that's all God wants. To do less is to undermine the significance of Jesus' death on the cross.
There is a reason why pride is such an abomination to God. It boldly proclaims that I am better than you are, and wrongfully claims for itself the judgement seat. The only position from which I can be of service to such a holy God is flat on the ground. From there, I can only look up to the One whom I love with all my heart....and will never be able to look down on my fellow man.
While it is a worthwhile endeavor to try to follow the law, we must also understand that NO ONE can follow it 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. The law was given to shine a light on my sinful nature and make me realize that without Jesus, I am totally lost. The law was not given that I should shine it on other people, for to do so implies that I believe my sins are less serious than those of others. God makes no such distinction, as indicated by the words in James that when we break one law we break them all. If I am interpreting properly, then my gossip or unkind words to someone are just as bad as murder or adultery,etc.
Strict observance of the law requires sacrifice. This can lead to works of the flesh. But what God desires most, according to Jesus, is that we be merciful to one another. I can tithe all I want, but if I speak cruelly to my children, my financial sacrifice matters little. I can attend three church services a day seven days a week, but if I speak ill of someone, my efforts amount to stubble. If I envy what my neighbor has, even a little, I have sinned. I am no better than someone who robs a bank, is a drug dealer or has multiple sex partners. It all breaks God's law.
When I reach an understanding of just how serious my sin nature really is and how desperately helpless I am to change it, I will finally understand just how much Jesus' sacrifice of His own life was. That was the only sacrifice that ever fulfilled God's purpose and the last one that will ever be required. When I understand just how much God has forgiven me for even those sins I thought were minor, I will finally be in a position to offer mercy and forgiveness to others. And that's all God wants. To do less is to undermine the significance of Jesus' death on the cross.
There is a reason why pride is such an abomination to God. It boldly proclaims that I am better than you are, and wrongfully claims for itself the judgement seat. The only position from which I can be of service to such a holy God is flat on the ground. From there, I can only look up to the One whom I love with all my heart....and will never be able to look down on my fellow man.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Has Someone Shaved Your Head?
I was reading a devotional yesterday, which was based on the story of Samson and Delilah told in Judges 16. I was struck by these words found in the last part of verse 30:
"Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life."
The trouble began for Samson when he fell for Delilah, who was most likely very beautiful, and most definitely evil. She had been offered 1100 pieces of silver by each of the Lords of the Phillistines to entice him and to uncover the secret of his superhuman strength. Judas was only given 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus! Delilah, it would seem, was a high priced harlot.
In any case, Samson tried lying about the source of his strength three times before finally giving in to her daily nagging. I am sure she withheld from him the thing he desired most, which leads me to believe that he had a bit of a lust problem. In any case, because Samson allowed his passion to rule him, he finally relented and told Delilah the truth, which ultimately led to his demise.
The pivotal moment for Samson was when he repented. Because he did, God not only restored his
strength, but killed 3000 Phillistines in the process. The bible says that Samson killed more Phillistines in his death than in his life.
As I read these words I thought that often God will use us even more powerfully after we have messed up, sinned and repented. I believe that is true for myself, as I have made some very bad mistakes, most of which were the result of unrecognized, uncontrolled or flat out ignored sinful behavior. I hate to use this cliche, but it is so appropriate... you just cannot play with fire long without getting burned.
When I think about King David, the man after God's own heart, and how he not only committed adultery with Bathsheba, but arranged her husband's demise, I am somehow comforted by the knowledge that when he sincerely repented, God forgave him and used him even more mightily than before.
I guess we all learn best in the school of hard knocks. I am who I am today because of an accumulation of mistakes, sinful behavior, repentance and forgiveness. And God is using me in spite of it all, perhaps more powerfully than He was using me before. Of course, the devil will tell you that God cannot use you because of your past. But there is much evidence in God's Word to prove that it is simply not true. A sincere and contrite heart is all it takes for restoration to begin. Samson's hair begin to grow back while he was in prison, thus God already had plans to restore him.
I remember a line from the movie Love Story. "Love means never having to say you're sorry."
That is the goal I have for my life. Trying my hardest never to say or do anything that will grieve the Holy Spirit. Never having to say I am sorry. Will I reach that goal? No. Otherwise I would not need a Savior. To believe I can would be prideful, and that in and of itself is sin. But I will say there is joy in the journey and God will appreciate my efforts to reach that goal. I am also secure in the knowledge that all along the way, should I stumble and fall, God will pick me up, dust me off and send me along...better for the experience and more able to minister to others. For it is not through our perfection that we can most help people, but through and in spite of our flaws. And don't let the devil tell you otherwise.
"Then Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life."
The trouble began for Samson when he fell for Delilah, who was most likely very beautiful, and most definitely evil. She had been offered 1100 pieces of silver by each of the Lords of the Phillistines to entice him and to uncover the secret of his superhuman strength. Judas was only given 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus! Delilah, it would seem, was a high priced harlot.
In any case, Samson tried lying about the source of his strength three times before finally giving in to her daily nagging. I am sure she withheld from him the thing he desired most, which leads me to believe that he had a bit of a lust problem. In any case, because Samson allowed his passion to rule him, he finally relented and told Delilah the truth, which ultimately led to his demise.
The pivotal moment for Samson was when he repented. Because he did, God not only restored his
strength, but killed 3000 Phillistines in the process. The bible says that Samson killed more Phillistines in his death than in his life.
As I read these words I thought that often God will use us even more powerfully after we have messed up, sinned and repented. I believe that is true for myself, as I have made some very bad mistakes, most of which were the result of unrecognized, uncontrolled or flat out ignored sinful behavior. I hate to use this cliche, but it is so appropriate... you just cannot play with fire long without getting burned.
When I think about King David, the man after God's own heart, and how he not only committed adultery with Bathsheba, but arranged her husband's demise, I am somehow comforted by the knowledge that when he sincerely repented, God forgave him and used him even more mightily than before.
I guess we all learn best in the school of hard knocks. I am who I am today because of an accumulation of mistakes, sinful behavior, repentance and forgiveness. And God is using me in spite of it all, perhaps more powerfully than He was using me before. Of course, the devil will tell you that God cannot use you because of your past. But there is much evidence in God's Word to prove that it is simply not true. A sincere and contrite heart is all it takes for restoration to begin. Samson's hair begin to grow back while he was in prison, thus God already had plans to restore him.
I remember a line from the movie Love Story. "Love means never having to say you're sorry."
That is the goal I have for my life. Trying my hardest never to say or do anything that will grieve the Holy Spirit. Never having to say I am sorry. Will I reach that goal? No. Otherwise I would not need a Savior. To believe I can would be prideful, and that in and of itself is sin. But I will say there is joy in the journey and God will appreciate my efforts to reach that goal. I am also secure in the knowledge that all along the way, should I stumble and fall, God will pick me up, dust me off and send me along...better for the experience and more able to minister to others. For it is not through our perfection that we can most help people, but through and in spite of our flaws. And don't let the devil tell you otherwise.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
What's Hanging Over Your Head?
I recently discovered that the kind of brain atrophy I have will lead to an Alzheimer's like form of dementia. Ultimately it is fatal. Up to that point I had believed that only my speech and short term memory would be impaired. When I found this out, I slipped into a terrible dark pit. I have worked in nursing homes and know only too well how dementia can take the shine out of your golden years. A mixture of fear, dread, self pity and grief combined in a recipe for depression and baked in the oven of my mind. Visions of diapers, choking on my food and drooling swirled through my head.
God allowed me to grieve, but after three days He spoke to my heart and said "That's enough. You have work to do." Suddenly I felt better. That's when I know God has spoken. There is no way I can recover that quickly with just a few words "popping into my head.".
So I got up out of the mud, dusted myself off and life seemed good again. In fact, as I ponder the events of the last few days, I realize that I had been writing about how good God is and how He is so faithful to care for me. When faced with bad news, however, I quickly forgot and lost my joy. Ooops! My bad!!!!!
Seems we are all works in progress and momentary lapses in spiritual judgement are to be expected....but not long tolerated. God understands our human frailties and works with us in spite of them. He loves us too much to allow us to wallow for too long. The key is to train oneself to hear Him when He speaks.
Indeed, living with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and now possible/likely dememtia hanging over my head could be very difficult to say the least. But I realized something very important this morning. Most, if not all of the things hanging over our heads are there because we have neglected to cut them down. The devil dangles them there to keep us from focusing on the things of God. How do we cut them down? With the sword of the spirit. Sound too simple to be true? Check out Galatians 6:10-18
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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. 13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 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.
Notice verse 17 speaks of the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit (which is the Word of God). The helmet protects the head. I take comfort in the promise that God will protect my head and mind, simply by reading and reciting His Word. I do not need to understand how it works, I just KNOW it does.
Do you have something dreadful hanging over your head? Take out the Sword today and cut it down. Look up verses that apply to your problem. Believe me, every issue that mankind has ever faced can be found in Scripture. Read the verses, out loud if necessary, until your problem loses power over you and you find your peace. When you do, you will be more able to hear the voice of God and your solution will be near.
God allowed me to grieve, but after three days He spoke to my heart and said "That's enough. You have work to do." Suddenly I felt better. That's when I know God has spoken. There is no way I can recover that quickly with just a few words "popping into my head.".
So I got up out of the mud, dusted myself off and life seemed good again. In fact, as I ponder the events of the last few days, I realize that I had been writing about how good God is and how He is so faithful to care for me. When faced with bad news, however, I quickly forgot and lost my joy. Ooops! My bad!!!!!
Seems we are all works in progress and momentary lapses in spiritual judgement are to be expected....but not long tolerated. God understands our human frailties and works with us in spite of them. He loves us too much to allow us to wallow for too long. The key is to train oneself to hear Him when He speaks.
Indeed, living with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and now possible/likely dememtia hanging over my head could be very difficult to say the least. But I realized something very important this morning. Most, if not all of the things hanging over our heads are there because we have neglected to cut them down. The devil dangles them there to keep us from focusing on the things of God. How do we cut them down? With the sword of the spirit. Sound too simple to be true? Check out Galatians 6:10-18
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 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. 13 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. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 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.
Notice verse 17 speaks of the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit (which is the Word of God). The helmet protects the head. I take comfort in the promise that God will protect my head and mind, simply by reading and reciting His Word. I do not need to understand how it works, I just KNOW it does.
Do you have something dreadful hanging over your head? Take out the Sword today and cut it down. Look up verses that apply to your problem. Believe me, every issue that mankind has ever faced can be found in Scripture. Read the verses, out loud if necessary, until your problem loses power over you and you find your peace. When you do, you will be more able to hear the voice of God and your solution will be near.
But How?
But How?
As I stated earlier, Jesus tells us to approach God as little children. I believe this includes approaching Him during praise and worship. Perhaps to really connect with God, spirit to spirit and on an emotional level, we need to get back to the methods we used as children. To do this, we must ask the Lord what happened along the way to adulthood to cause us to lose touch with our inner children. I hesitate to use this term because it is used so absent mindedly in the secular community, but please bear with me for a moment.
Spontaneity is one quality that children have plenty of. Recently, I have had some pretty awesome experiences when I simply turned on some praise music and began to sing. Suddenly I stop what I am doing and become overwhelmed by the goodness of God. This is an act of spontaneity and always brings blessings. The other day I was singing the words "His eyes are on the sparrows" , totally feeling God's presence, tears streaming down my face. I was facing the window and noticed the top of the tree had over a dozen or so sparrows in it. Co incidence?, I think not. A perfect example as to how spontaneity can lead to an experience with God which might otherwise have been missed.
It is so worth taking time out of our schedules. Even a 5 minute encounter with the Lord can bless our days to the extent that they become more productive. Though that should never be our motive, worship is first and foremost for God, we do receive blessings as a result.
We have all heard to stop, drop and roll in the event of a fire? Well, stop,drop and pray if you want to light the fire of the Holy Spirit!
Back to the "how" of it. As I was thinking about how to get in touch with that inner child who knows how to connect with God, I suddenly had a memory. I was in church with my aunt and cousins and was very young, per school in fact because I could not yet read. We were singing and I was holding a hymnal but because I could not read I was making up the words. I did not understand the concept of worship, but I understood music and I loved it.
I rembember singing the words "Delaware Bridge"....presumably because we had to go across it to get from Delaware to Massachusetts. In any case, my aunt, upon realizing that I was not singing the proper words, rebuked me. I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I quit singing. In fact, I am not certain I ever sang much after that.
I believe the Lord brought this incident to my remembrance to show me how the devil used an adult to squelch my innate childlike ability to just worship in my own way. The devil knows how dangerous worship is so it is in his best interest to shut us down as soon as possible. Shame and embarrassment are his greatest allies.
I submit to you that we all have similar incidents in our pasts. Whether we can remember them or not matters little. The end result is to interfere with our ability to approach God as little children.
Today, let's take a moment to ask God what might have shut us down in the past and ask Him to heal us. This is an important first step toward having the shackles removed which bind us to earth when we worship. When we approach God with the boldness and exuberance of little children, we will be set free to join with the angels as we proclaim " holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come!"
As I stated earlier, Jesus tells us to approach God as little children. I believe this includes approaching Him during praise and worship. Perhaps to really connect with God, spirit to spirit and on an emotional level, we need to get back to the methods we used as children. To do this, we must ask the Lord what happened along the way to adulthood to cause us to lose touch with our inner children. I hesitate to use this term because it is used so absent mindedly in the secular community, but please bear with me for a moment.
Spontaneity is one quality that children have plenty of. Recently, I have had some pretty awesome experiences when I simply turned on some praise music and began to sing. Suddenly I stop what I am doing and become overwhelmed by the goodness of God. This is an act of spontaneity and always brings blessings. The other day I was singing the words "His eyes are on the sparrows" , totally feeling God's presence, tears streaming down my face. I was facing the window and noticed the top of the tree had over a dozen or so sparrows in it. Co incidence?, I think not. A perfect example as to how spontaneity can lead to an experience with God which might otherwise have been missed.
It is so worth taking time out of our schedules. Even a 5 minute encounter with the Lord can bless our days to the extent that they become more productive. Though that should never be our motive, worship is first and foremost for God, we do receive blessings as a result.
We have all heard to stop, drop and roll in the event of a fire? Well, stop,drop and pray if you want to light the fire of the Holy Spirit!
Back to the "how" of it. As I was thinking about how to get in touch with that inner child who knows how to connect with God, I suddenly had a memory. I was in church with my aunt and cousins and was very young, per school in fact because I could not yet read. We were singing and I was holding a hymnal but because I could not read I was making up the words. I did not understand the concept of worship, but I understood music and I loved it.
I rembember singing the words "Delaware Bridge"....presumably because we had to go across it to get from Delaware to Massachusetts. In any case, my aunt, upon realizing that I was not singing the proper words, rebuked me. I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I quit singing. In fact, I am not certain I ever sang much after that.
I believe the Lord brought this incident to my remembrance to show me how the devil used an adult to squelch my innate childlike ability to just worship in my own way. The devil knows how dangerous worship is so it is in his best interest to shut us down as soon as possible. Shame and embarrassment are his greatest allies.
I submit to you that we all have similar incidents in our pasts. Whether we can remember them or not matters little. The end result is to interfere with our ability to approach God as little children.
Today, let's take a moment to ask God what might have shut us down in the past and ask Him to heal us. This is an important first step toward having the shackles removed which bind us to earth when we worship. When we approach God with the boldness and exuberance of little children, we will be set free to join with the angels as we proclaim " holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was and is and is to come!"
Habakkuk 3:19
The LORD God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills. Habukkuk 3:19
This verse came alive for me this morning. Recently I purchased an exercise machine which I was finally able to assemble and use yesterday. Though my muscles screamed in rebellion, retaliating with spasms and hot searing pain, I have purposed that I will press on. I will push though the pain, no matter what the repercussions, for in my mind, something is far better than nothing.
I will give glory to God with my efforts, however brief, and will continue on, undaunted, minute by minute, day after day. In return, He will make my feet like deer's feet. This is a promise that the Lord has made to me.
The bible is often referred to as the Living Word. I have read the verse in Habukkuk before and it never touched me in the way it did this morning. When I needed to hear it most, the words came alive. When I needed to feel it most, the promise became real to me.
The LORD God is my strength.
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills. Habukkuk 3:19
This verse came alive for me this morning. Recently I purchased an exercise machine which I was finally able to assemble and use yesterday. Though my muscles screamed in rebellion, retaliating with spasms and hot searing pain, I have purposed that I will press on. I will push though the pain, no matter what the repercussions, for in my mind, something is far better than nothing.
I will give glory to God with my efforts, however brief, and will continue on, undaunted, minute by minute, day after day. In return, He will make my feet like deer's feet. This is a promise that the Lord has made to me.
The bible is often referred to as the Living Word. I have read the verse in Habukkuk before and it never touched me in the way it did this morning. When I needed to hear it most, the words came alive. When I needed to feel it most, the promise became real to me.
The LORD God is my strength.
Follow the Little Children
Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Psalm 8:2
A while ago I came upon this verse while contemplating the importance of praise and worship. The praises of children silence the enemy. There is power in praising God as a little child. I believe that is why Jesus stated that you cannot enter the kingdom of God unless you do so as a little child. This is a very strong statement.
Mark 10:15-16 records Jesus as saying "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
There are many things which prevent us from entering the kingdom of heaven; drunkenness, fornication, etc. It appears from the above text that not receiving the kingdom as a child is right up there with the others.
This may seem a bit harsh, however, when Jesus was asked to define the kingdom, He replied that the kingdom of God is within you. It occurs to me that there may be a distinction between eternal salvation and entering the kingdom. If the kingdom of God is indeed intended to be within us, and we are to receive it as children, then the "praise of children and infants" becomes a critical key to unlocking the door to the kingdom.
We all know that God inhabits the praises of His people and that the devil must flee when we do so. Notice in verse 16 in Mark 10 how, after being approached by the children, Jesus put His hands on them and blessed them. The BLESSING. Peace, joy, contentment, and the renewing of the mind....all things found within us, may be, at least in part, the kingdom within us that Jesus was speaking of. After all, when we sin, we do not have peace, joy or contentment, and our minds become dulled by carnal things.
Similarly, if we indeed need to approach Jesus as little children and praise Him as they do, then perhaps that is what is lacking in the church today. We are all saved, those of us who have received Jesus, but....why do so many Christians lack this sometimes seemingly elusive peace and joy? Why is the divorce and teenage pregnancy rate as high or higher among Christians as it is in the world? Why does depression run rampant among pastors? I read a statistic that said as many as 80 percent of pastors suffer from depression.
I believe the answer is that the modern church as lost the ability to effectively praise and worship God. We do not praise Him with the simple exuberance of little children.
Have you ever watched a child at play? He is spontaneous and totally engaged in his in his activity, caring little about the world around him. Similarly, children running under a sprinkler are not concerned that they might get wet or dirty. They live in the moment, engaged in the activity and connected to their emotions.
When is the last time that you saw folks in church praising God with the total abandon and exuberance of children? Truly I believe that this kind of worship should become commonplace, indeed, every time believers meet together. It certainly is not a sin if we don't, however, we miss out on some serious blessings.
"and He (Jesus) placed His hands on them and blessed them."
Praise God with the exuberance of a little child and watch heaven open up.
A while ago I came upon this verse while contemplating the importance of praise and worship. The praises of children silence the enemy. There is power in praising God as a little child. I believe that is why Jesus stated that you cannot enter the kingdom of God unless you do so as a little child. This is a very strong statement.
Mark 10:15-16 records Jesus as saying "Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
There are many things which prevent us from entering the kingdom of heaven; drunkenness, fornication, etc. It appears from the above text that not receiving the kingdom as a child is right up there with the others.
This may seem a bit harsh, however, when Jesus was asked to define the kingdom, He replied that the kingdom of God is within you. It occurs to me that there may be a distinction between eternal salvation and entering the kingdom. If the kingdom of God is indeed intended to be within us, and we are to receive it as children, then the "praise of children and infants" becomes a critical key to unlocking the door to the kingdom.
We all know that God inhabits the praises of His people and that the devil must flee when we do so. Notice in verse 16 in Mark 10 how, after being approached by the children, Jesus put His hands on them and blessed them. The BLESSING. Peace, joy, contentment, and the renewing of the mind....all things found within us, may be, at least in part, the kingdom within us that Jesus was speaking of. After all, when we sin, we do not have peace, joy or contentment, and our minds become dulled by carnal things.
Similarly, if we indeed need to approach Jesus as little children and praise Him as they do, then perhaps that is what is lacking in the church today. We are all saved, those of us who have received Jesus, but....why do so many Christians lack this sometimes seemingly elusive peace and joy? Why is the divorce and teenage pregnancy rate as high or higher among Christians as it is in the world? Why does depression run rampant among pastors? I read a statistic that said as many as 80 percent of pastors suffer from depression.
I believe the answer is that the modern church as lost the ability to effectively praise and worship God. We do not praise Him with the simple exuberance of little children.
Have you ever watched a child at play? He is spontaneous and totally engaged in his in his activity, caring little about the world around him. Similarly, children running under a sprinkler are not concerned that they might get wet or dirty. They live in the moment, engaged in the activity and connected to their emotions.
When is the last time that you saw folks in church praising God with the total abandon and exuberance of children? Truly I believe that this kind of worship should become commonplace, indeed, every time believers meet together. It certainly is not a sin if we don't, however, we miss out on some serious blessings.
"and He (Jesus) placed His hands on them and blessed them."
Praise God with the exuberance of a little child and watch heaven open up.
The Concept of Just Because
"But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
"Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’ ?”. Matthew 21:15-16
Clearly the children recognized who Jesus was and were quick to give Him the praise due His name. How could it be that the little children could see what the Pharisees could not? Because their minds were not cluttered with the thoughts, concerns and the knowledge that so often serves only to blind us to simple truth. The children saw Jesus for who He was and not who they thought He should be. They had no preconceived notions, no expectations no doctrine to cloud their vision. They were able to praise Him simply because.
How many times have we as parents, when asked "why" by a child, are quick to answer "Because I said so."? Children are familiar with the concept of "just because." While this is not the best way to answer a child's request for clarification, it does underscore the fact that they are innately able to accept such an explanation from a person perceived to have more knowledge.
Adults, on the other hand have long since lost that ability. That is largely due to the fact that blind faith in this world, can summon disaster. The good news is that as adults, we can make the distinction between who we can believe and who we cannot. The problem often is that our hearts know that we can believe God, but our minds may not always concur.
Notice in the following verses how Jesus states clearly that no one will enter the Kingdom unless they receive it like a child.
"People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. ". Mark 10:13-16
No mincing of words here, folks. Simple, childlike faith. Believing God just because He says so.
Tying this into the statement I made in my last entry as the first simple step toward being able to worship God in the spirit....keep it simple, saints....we can follow the example of children today. Take God at His word, believe what He says, drop any preconceived notions of who He is or what He can do and simply say as the children did as they experienced the presence of Jesus........"Hosanna to the son of David!"
"Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,
“‘From the lips of children and infants
you, Lord, have called forth your praise’ ?”. Matthew 21:15-16
Clearly the children recognized who Jesus was and were quick to give Him the praise due His name. How could it be that the little children could see what the Pharisees could not? Because their minds were not cluttered with the thoughts, concerns and the knowledge that so often serves only to blind us to simple truth. The children saw Jesus for who He was and not who they thought He should be. They had no preconceived notions, no expectations no doctrine to cloud their vision. They were able to praise Him simply because.
How many times have we as parents, when asked "why" by a child, are quick to answer "Because I said so."? Children are familiar with the concept of "just because." While this is not the best way to answer a child's request for clarification, it does underscore the fact that they are innately able to accept such an explanation from a person perceived to have more knowledge.
Adults, on the other hand have long since lost that ability. That is largely due to the fact that blind faith in this world, can summon disaster. The good news is that as adults, we can make the distinction between who we can believe and who we cannot. The problem often is that our hearts know that we can believe God, but our minds may not always concur.
Notice in the following verses how Jesus states clearly that no one will enter the Kingdom unless they receive it like a child.
"People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. ". Mark 10:13-16
No mincing of words here, folks. Simple, childlike faith. Believing God just because He says so.
Tying this into the statement I made in my last entry as the first simple step toward being able to worship God in the spirit....keep it simple, saints....we can follow the example of children today. Take God at His word, believe what He says, drop any preconceived notions of who He is or what He can do and simply say as the children did as they experienced the presence of Jesus........"Hosanna to the son of David!"
Kavod--The Hebrew Word For Honor
11/28/11 Kavod-honor
Honor means to give respect due. Just this morning I was thinking about what it means to honor thy father and mother and how difficult it could be for my kids should my cognitive abilities continue to decline. I remember how I felt when I visited my father in the hospital after one of his alcoholic binges. He looked like a homeless waif that someone had picked up from the street. That proud, highly intelligent man that I had grown up with, experiencing a discomfiting mixture of fear and admiration, now lay in a hospital bed, suffering from dts and helpless as a little child. The conflict it causes us to suddenly or even gradually change our roles from that of a child looking up to his parent to that of caregiver to that same parent. From that of student, listening, learning and seeking advice to overseer to the daily affairs in the life of that aging parent.
God makes a big deal about honoring thy father and mother. So big that it
is one of the Ten Commandments. I believe it is because He knows that it will not be easy during the autumn years. It is good to get into the habit of giving honor to them while they are still young. It will make it easier later on.
KAVOD-----the Hebrew word for honor. When we honor our parents, we honor our God.
Honor means to give respect due. Just this morning I was thinking about what it means to honor thy father and mother and how difficult it could be for my kids should my cognitive abilities continue to decline. I remember how I felt when I visited my father in the hospital after one of his alcoholic binges. He looked like a homeless waif that someone had picked up from the street. That proud, highly intelligent man that I had grown up with, experiencing a discomfiting mixture of fear and admiration, now lay in a hospital bed, suffering from dts and helpless as a little child. The conflict it causes us to suddenly or even gradually change our roles from that of a child looking up to his parent to that of caregiver to that same parent. From that of student, listening, learning and seeking advice to overseer to the daily affairs in the life of that aging parent.
God makes a big deal about honoring thy father and mother. So big that it
is one of the Ten Commandments. I believe it is because He knows that it will not be easy during the autumn years. It is good to get into the habit of giving honor to them while they are still young. It will make it easier later on.
KAVOD-----the Hebrew word for honor. When we honor our parents, we honor our God.
Worship God in Spirit
John 4:24
"God is spirit and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth."
Each human being is a carefully crafted combination of mind, body and spirit. "Fearfully and wonderfully made," we are known only to God as we develop during the early days in the womb. Though unique individuals, one thing is certain when it comes to worship. We are expected, indeed required if I understand John's statement correctly, to worship in spirit.
For years I hade heard it, read it, and was all for it. I just was not certain exactly how to do it. I am still not totally sure, however, of this one thing I am certain; God is using my declining cognitive abilities to help me disengage the parts of my mind that interfere with my ability to worship in the spirit.
This revelation came to me as I melted into tears the other day while singing to God with one of my favorite worship CD's. I have learned that for me, some of the most profound times of worship are spontaneous, when His spirit moves my spirit.
While we obviously need our minds to initiate the process of worship, as I pointed out earlier, the mind can also get in the way. It is where Satan tries to distract us. He knows just how dangerous true worship is to him. He must flee during such times, according to the bible.
Try as we might to focus on God, our mouths may be singing "How great Thou art" but our minds wander to thoughts of getting out of church in time to start Sunday dinner. It happens to everyone to some degree or another, but it must be controlled in order for worship in the spirit to happen. Thoughts of worry, fear, doubt, etc. must all go, in order to truly focus on God.
Still the question remains....how? Tomorrow I will begin to discuss some simple principles that I believe will help. Keyword here is SIMPLE. Jesus tells us that we must be as little children. Have you ever met a young child that was worried about paying the mortgage or getting a promotion at work? Or even about getting sick? Kids live in the moment, they are spontaneous. They erupt into play or laughter at the slightest whim. We all started out with that ability, but somehow on the road to maturity we began to hit bumps, potholes and detours...we became sidetracked if you will. Most of us have lost our spontaneity because engaging in it carries some risk. And along with the loss of spontaneity goes our ability to freely worship our Heavenly Father, who deserves our very best, our spirits connecting to His.
I leave you with this first, easy step and a way to remember it:
KISS....Keep It Simple Saints. There is power in simplicity, and with it we take our first steps toward freely worshipping our Father and connecting to Him with a holy kiss.
"God is spirit and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth."
Each human being is a carefully crafted combination of mind, body and spirit. "Fearfully and wonderfully made," we are known only to God as we develop during the early days in the womb. Though unique individuals, one thing is certain when it comes to worship. We are expected, indeed required if I understand John's statement correctly, to worship in spirit.
For years I hade heard it, read it, and was all for it. I just was not certain exactly how to do it. I am still not totally sure, however, of this one thing I am certain; God is using my declining cognitive abilities to help me disengage the parts of my mind that interfere with my ability to worship in the spirit.
This revelation came to me as I melted into tears the other day while singing to God with one of my favorite worship CD's. I have learned that for me, some of the most profound times of worship are spontaneous, when His spirit moves my spirit.
While we obviously need our minds to initiate the process of worship, as I pointed out earlier, the mind can also get in the way. It is where Satan tries to distract us. He knows just how dangerous true worship is to him. He must flee during such times, according to the bible.
Try as we might to focus on God, our mouths may be singing "How great Thou art" but our minds wander to thoughts of getting out of church in time to start Sunday dinner. It happens to everyone to some degree or another, but it must be controlled in order for worship in the spirit to happen. Thoughts of worry, fear, doubt, etc. must all go, in order to truly focus on God.
Still the question remains....how? Tomorrow I will begin to discuss some simple principles that I believe will help. Keyword here is SIMPLE. Jesus tells us that we must be as little children. Have you ever met a young child that was worried about paying the mortgage or getting a promotion at work? Or even about getting sick? Kids live in the moment, they are spontaneous. They erupt into play or laughter at the slightest whim. We all started out with that ability, but somehow on the road to maturity we began to hit bumps, potholes and detours...we became sidetracked if you will. Most of us have lost our spontaneity because engaging in it carries some risk. And along with the loss of spontaneity goes our ability to freely worship our Heavenly Father, who deserves our very best, our spirits connecting to His.
I leave you with this first, easy step and a way to remember it:
KISS....Keep It Simple Saints. There is power in simplicity, and with it we take our first steps toward freely worshipping our Father and connecting to Him with a holy kiss.
By His Stripes
Isaiah 53:5
"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."
As I was reading this verse, I suddenly saw something I had not noticed before. The punishment that brought us peace.....Apart from salvation and eternal life, peace is the gift that we can receive immediately, one which will aid us in our difficult journey as we continue our earthly walk.
Some time ago, as I was inquiring of the Lord why He had not chosen to heal me the way that Isaiah 53:5 would seem to imply, He said " I have healed you." It occurred to me that there was a difference between being cured and being healed. Being cured of a disease is nice, but not all that important in the eternal scheme of things. Being healed, on the other hand....well, could that be the peace I have , the calm acceptance of what is?
I believe that is exactly what being healed is all about. Peace when my physical body is in turmoil. A sense of calmness when I am in the center of a storm. A firm knowledge that God is in charge and will show me the way even when my mind gets so cluttered. I have such peace. I have been healed. I see my neurologist every six months even though there are no treatment options for the uncommon form of MS that I have. They are not even looking because only ten percent of all MS patients have this form of the disease. At my most recent visit he said " I am so sorry there is nothing I can do but treat your symptoms as they arise to keep you comfortable." to which I replied " well it is what it is.". He said " yes but at least you are coping. "
I assert that I am ONLY able to cope because of the Holy Spirit. I believe it was Montel Williams who so apply put it " I have MS, MS does not have me." I believe I can one up him by boldly proclaiming that the disease does not have me because God has me...right in the palm of His hand.
"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."
As I was reading this verse, I suddenly saw something I had not noticed before. The punishment that brought us peace.....Apart from salvation and eternal life, peace is the gift that we can receive immediately, one which will aid us in our difficult journey as we continue our earthly walk.
Some time ago, as I was inquiring of the Lord why He had not chosen to heal me the way that Isaiah 53:5 would seem to imply, He said " I have healed you." It occurred to me that there was a difference between being cured and being healed. Being cured of a disease is nice, but not all that important in the eternal scheme of things. Being healed, on the other hand....well, could that be the peace I have , the calm acceptance of what is?
I believe that is exactly what being healed is all about. Peace when my physical body is in turmoil. A sense of calmness when I am in the center of a storm. A firm knowledge that God is in charge and will show me the way even when my mind gets so cluttered. I have such peace. I have been healed. I see my neurologist every six months even though there are no treatment options for the uncommon form of MS that I have. They are not even looking because only ten percent of all MS patients have this form of the disease. At my most recent visit he said " I am so sorry there is nothing I can do but treat your symptoms as they arise to keep you comfortable." to which I replied " well it is what it is.". He said " yes but at least you are coping. "
I assert that I am ONLY able to cope because of the Holy Spirit. I believe it was Montel Williams who so apply put it " I have MS, MS does not have me." I believe I can one up him by boldly proclaiming that the disease does not have me because God has me...right in the palm of His hand.
Overcoming Fear Of Lack
Hebrews 13:5-6
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say in confidence, "The lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
There are many fears that come upon us when we are afflicted with health issues. For me, and probably for many others as well, the primary concern was how to manage financially when faced with the loss of a job and along with it, health insurance. There were some very dark days for me after I lost my job four years ago. In the three years that I battled with the government to give me back some of the thousands of dollars I had paid into disability all those years, I lost everything. My 401k, nearly all of my IRA, my house which I had to sell at a $60,000 loss. I was forced to sell my car because it could not make the trip from Wisconsin to Maine without brake work which I could not afford. I gave away everything I owned to my neighbors, who we elderly and disabled, including most of my clothes. Since my sons were going to drive me back to Maine, all that we could take along was what would fit in a Toyota Camry.
And then I moved back in with my parents. The feeling of failure, uselessness and of having absolutely nothing to show for the years I had worked, were overwhelming. To top it off, when my daughter came back from Wisconsin, she had rented a u-haul and in it had the very last of my few possessions, my beloved sewing machines, one of which I had recently paid to repair. When they were about halfway here, they had an accident ( no one was hurt, praise God) but my poor sewing machines were in pieces all over the highway. I thought " you have got to be kidding. This HAS to be some sort of a test!" My friends lovingly nicknamed me Joba because I even picked up some sort of virus and broke out in a rash!
I share this only to make the point that through it all, God was faithful and never abandoned me. What had to happen, however, was I had to get past feeling sorry for myself. The day I realized that Jesus had not even a pillow to rest His head upon, was just that day. And surely His emotional pain of being abandoned by His friends in His hour of need was far worse than anything I had suffered. At least I had my friends and family and a place to live. Further, no pain that multiple sclerosis could throw at me would ever approach the pain of crucifixion. So, as Joyce Meyer has so aptly put it, I got over myself.
From that day on my life turned around. I won my disability case. My son bought a house and took me in. I started making dolls again, which gave me a hobby that helped to keep my mind and hands active. GOD is SO good!!!!!
Tying this in with the Hebrews 13 Scripture, I believe for me at least, the key was learning to be content in spite of my circumstances, learning to overcome the fear of lack. You see, God promises never to leave us, but if we get caught up worrying about our circumstances, seeking money and not being content, we risk totally missing His presence AND His presents. Those little gifts that He gives us every day, which often go unnoticed when we have too much "stuff."
For instance, my day pretty much revolves around sitting in my recliner watching TV and working on dolls. But when birds come to the feeder outside my window, particularly two pair of cardinals which I have become fond of, my heart is so blessed. What a gift. In fact, I have not seen the cardinals for a couple of days, but as I was writing these words, I looked up, there was the beautiful male cardinal at my feeder, briefly, and then he was gone.
Jesus tells us to ask for our bread daily. This keeps us going back each day for more. It teaches us to live one day at a time and not worry about the future. It teaches us contentment with each day's portion. Friends, it took losing everything I had to learn that lesson. I can honestly say, however, that I would not change a thing. I still do not have much money, but I have the "peace that passes all understanding." For that I am truly grateful. Best of all, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that His promise is true. He will never abandon or forsake me. And regardless of how difficult your circumstances might be with these difficult economic times, neither will He abandon you.
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say in confidence, "The lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
There are many fears that come upon us when we are afflicted with health issues. For me, and probably for many others as well, the primary concern was how to manage financially when faced with the loss of a job and along with it, health insurance. There were some very dark days for me after I lost my job four years ago. In the three years that I battled with the government to give me back some of the thousands of dollars I had paid into disability all those years, I lost everything. My 401k, nearly all of my IRA, my house which I had to sell at a $60,000 loss. I was forced to sell my car because it could not make the trip from Wisconsin to Maine without brake work which I could not afford. I gave away everything I owned to my neighbors, who we elderly and disabled, including most of my clothes. Since my sons were going to drive me back to Maine, all that we could take along was what would fit in a Toyota Camry.
And then I moved back in with my parents. The feeling of failure, uselessness and of having absolutely nothing to show for the years I had worked, were overwhelming. To top it off, when my daughter came back from Wisconsin, she had rented a u-haul and in it had the very last of my few possessions, my beloved sewing machines, one of which I had recently paid to repair. When they were about halfway here, they had an accident ( no one was hurt, praise God) but my poor sewing machines were in pieces all over the highway. I thought " you have got to be kidding. This HAS to be some sort of a test!" My friends lovingly nicknamed me Joba because I even picked up some sort of virus and broke out in a rash!
I share this only to make the point that through it all, God was faithful and never abandoned me. What had to happen, however, was I had to get past feeling sorry for myself. The day I realized that Jesus had not even a pillow to rest His head upon, was just that day. And surely His emotional pain of being abandoned by His friends in His hour of need was far worse than anything I had suffered. At least I had my friends and family and a place to live. Further, no pain that multiple sclerosis could throw at me would ever approach the pain of crucifixion. So, as Joyce Meyer has so aptly put it, I got over myself.
From that day on my life turned around. I won my disability case. My son bought a house and took me in. I started making dolls again, which gave me a hobby that helped to keep my mind and hands active. GOD is SO good!!!!!
Tying this in with the Hebrews 13 Scripture, I believe for me at least, the key was learning to be content in spite of my circumstances, learning to overcome the fear of lack. You see, God promises never to leave us, but if we get caught up worrying about our circumstances, seeking money and not being content, we risk totally missing His presence AND His presents. Those little gifts that He gives us every day, which often go unnoticed when we have too much "stuff."
For instance, my day pretty much revolves around sitting in my recliner watching TV and working on dolls. But when birds come to the feeder outside my window, particularly two pair of cardinals which I have become fond of, my heart is so blessed. What a gift. In fact, I have not seen the cardinals for a couple of days, but as I was writing these words, I looked up, there was the beautiful male cardinal at my feeder, briefly, and then he was gone.
Jesus tells us to ask for our bread daily. This keeps us going back each day for more. It teaches us to live one day at a time and not worry about the future. It teaches us contentment with each day's portion. Friends, it took losing everything I had to learn that lesson. I can honestly say, however, that I would not change a thing. I still do not have much money, but I have the "peace that passes all understanding." For that I am truly grateful. Best of all, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that His promise is true. He will never abandon or forsake me. And regardless of how difficult your circumstances might be with these difficult economic times, neither will He abandon you.
I Lost My Mind and Found My Spirit
My brain has been ravaged by multiple sclerosis for the majority of my adult life, so long in fact that the damage is causing my brain to literally collapse in on itself. Doctors call it cerebral atrophy. The day I found out, I was devastated, but not entirely surprised. For months I had noticed that my cognitive abilities were declining and that I was having increasing word search issues when talking to people. My memory, which used to be pretty sharp, had been rapidly deteriorating. I needn't disclose the details about how this has impacted my life, because I believe you can easily imagine, and because my focus is not on how difficult it is to live with a shrinking brain, but rather how God has been so faithful in His care for me. It is also about trying to make sense of the promise that He makes to us that by His stripes we are healed. And finally, it answers the question I have been asking myself since the MS took a rapid turn for the worse. "Lord, how on earth can I ever be of service to You?" The following Scriptures I plan to discuss over the upcoming days. Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say in confidence, "The lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. John 4:24 God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.
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