James 4:17 "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
Seems pretty direct and easily understood but if we really look at the ramifications of that one simple scripture, it is quite powerful and does not leave a lot of gray area for personal likes and dislikes. This brings to mind a time my mother was explaining how we will be held accountable for what God meant in His Word and not how we chose to interpret it. Her example was of her telling us kids to have the house cleaned by the time she returned. When she returned whether it was in an hour or four hours, we would be judged by what she meant in that simple statement of "clean the house." Our arguments of "well, I thought you meant..." would not hold water and we risked discipline by doing less than what she meant (because we really did know what she meant as she never expected something of us that was not previously explained). When we stand before God, our excuses of "well, I thought you meant..." or "I didn't know you meant it THAT way" or "I didn't like that particular requirement so...", those excuses will just not hold up before the Holy One, the Righteous One, the one who died for us. We are going to be judge by what he meant and not our interpretation or what we found to be convenient or easy.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Monday, May 23, 2016
Desperately Seeking Hope
Have you ever been in a despair so deep that there just doesn't seem any way out. You can't talk with anyone about it because the despair only deepens when they tell you to, "buck up and get over it." They use words that cause your heart, mind and soul to cringe and die a little more like, "you can't wallow in your grief, you must move on." Or "You need to pick yourself up by your boot straps." Not only are you stuck in your grief and pain but they have also robbed you of the bit of hope that you were seeking. Your heart screams out to God to hear you and heal the hurt but the ceiling appears to be lead and that your prayers are going nowhere. Each time you reach out for a comforter it seems that your hand either gets pushed away or you come up empty. Where do you go? What do you do? How do you find your way out of the darkness of hopelessness into the light? What do you do to once again find purpose and strength?
"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-22
Even within our own lamenting of the hard hand we have been dealt, we can find hope in our faithful God. Though it appears that He does not hear us, we can be assured that his compassion and mercy is ever present. When it is the darkest night and there seems to be no hope we must hold tight to His promise, "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5b
So pray for me while I weep in my night time and "wallow" in my grief because morning WILL come and there SHALL be joy.
"This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:21-22
Even within our own lamenting of the hard hand we have been dealt, we can find hope in our faithful God. Though it appears that He does not hear us, we can be assured that his compassion and mercy is ever present. When it is the darkest night and there seems to be no hope we must hold tight to His promise, "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5b
So pray for me while I weep in my night time and "wallow" in my grief because morning WILL come and there SHALL be joy.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
My Mourning
"Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint and make a noise:" Psalm 55:1-2
I have not written much for the past six months as there has been a deep spirit of mourning and grief hanging over me that I have not been able to shake. It seems that God desires that I go through this grieving time with little intervention from Him. I cannot say that He has been silent but He has been very quiet during my times of emotional agony. He has provided guidance through a word aptly spoken by a minister or friend. Just when it seems that the last flicker of hope is about to be extinguished, a song will come to mind. At the times that I am so consumed in my despair and mourning, my eyes are opened to those who have nothing AND don't know Him as their hope. Like I said, He hasn't been silent but He hasn't taking me out of the storm just yet either. If I am completely transparent, I have an inkling as why I am still here grieving. It isn't comfortable being transparent with ourselves let alone with others but if we want Jesus to shine through us then we HAVE to be transparent. It is through this time of hurting and sadness that God is helping me to remove things from my life that hinder His Will and Plan for me. It is through the stripping away unforgiveness, bitterness, anger and offense that He is molding me into His image. It will be through mourning, letting go and burying the last of the "what could have been" that I will find myself in God's Perfect Plan. So until I have mourned and wept my last, I will stand on God's promise: The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart... Psalm 34:18
I have not written much for the past six months as there has been a deep spirit of mourning and grief hanging over me that I have not been able to shake. It seems that God desires that I go through this grieving time with little intervention from Him. I cannot say that He has been silent but He has been very quiet during my times of emotional agony. He has provided guidance through a word aptly spoken by a minister or friend. Just when it seems that the last flicker of hope is about to be extinguished, a song will come to mind. At the times that I am so consumed in my despair and mourning, my eyes are opened to those who have nothing AND don't know Him as their hope. Like I said, He hasn't been silent but He hasn't taking me out of the storm just yet either. If I am completely transparent, I have an inkling as why I am still here grieving. It isn't comfortable being transparent with ourselves let alone with others but if we want Jesus to shine through us then we HAVE to be transparent. It is through this time of hurting and sadness that God is helping me to remove things from my life that hinder His Will and Plan for me. It is through the stripping away unforgiveness, bitterness, anger and offense that He is molding me into His image. It will be through mourning, letting go and burying the last of the "what could have been" that I will find myself in God's Perfect Plan. So until I have mourned and wept my last, I will stand on God's promise: The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart... Psalm 34:18
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Busy Waiting
As a parent, I have had a lot of experience waiting. There are two types of waiting with children – one is mental the other is physical. The mental version of waiting – waiting for them to eat real food, waiting for them to start walking, waiting for them to start school, waiting for them to gain a little independence, waiting for them to move out, waiting for… Then the physical kind of waiting – waiting for football practice to end, waiting for the school program to start, waiting for them to get done visiting with their friends, waiting for…
Waiting in our Christian walk is basically the same – the physical side – waiting for healing, waiting for financial blessing, waiting for… The spiritual side – waiting for God to speak, waiting for direction, waiting for peace, waiting for joy, waiting for…
In all of these cases we are actually waiting FOR something – either the start of something or the end of something – we aren’t waiting just for the sake of waiting. In every instance of waiting there is a kernel of faith because you cannot actually wait for something if you do not believe that it will come to pass. So the question isn’t what are we waiting for but how are we waiting and what are we doing during the waiting time. Is our waiting filled with impatience, frustration and idleness? Or do we wait with joy, peace, faith and action. While waiting for my children’s functions many times I would take a craft to do or a book to read. It kept me occupied and I found that I had an easier time waiting with patience and without mounting frustration. So why should waiting for God to answer a prayer, give us direction or bring his plan to fruition be any different. Will my waiting for God be filled with the attitude of, “if it’s meant to be it will be” or with the attitude of, “God, what can I do to be best prepared for your blessings when it is time?” One thing I don’t want to do is fill my “waiting” time doing things that will keep God’s best plan from working (since we have a choice, it is possible for us to do that). Sometimes we do things to “tide us over” but when waiting for God it is unnecessary and may keep us from being eligible for that “best plan.” So we should be very cautious with HOW we wait for God’s answer/blessing/plan.
Hebrews 10:36
36. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
A New Year - 2016
As I end 2015, as so many others are, I am reflecting on where and what I have come from and through in 2015. I am also contemplating, planning and praying about where I want to go in 2016 and beyond. It has been a bit of a struggle coming up with goals and creating the steps to achieve these goals because I want to leave room for God to take me places that I couldn't conceive in my limited imagination. I don't want to be zealous to create a limited future because I didn't leave space to allow God to grow me spiritually, mentally, financially or materially. So my planner has some empty goal pages that I am looking forward to God filling in over the next few months. I also know that the goals that I have thoughtfully created God may change and those goals become something completely different... and I am okay with that. With a heart fully desiring God's will, my focus and goal for 2016 is to live each day seeking and fulfilling God's will for that day. Whether it is praying with someone, inviting someone to church to worship with me, going on a mission trip, learning a new language or fasting, whatever God's will is for any particular day I want to boldly do it.
I have heard of people choosing a word or scripture that will be their focus for the year and though I have never done that, I have decided to try it in 2016.
The word that I have chosen for 2016 is: FINISH
So many times we start projects or commitments and because of time, energy or situations, we fail to finish. We may get the project 90% completed but that last 10% escapes us. Whether it is a earthly project, a spiritual battle or a physical goal, I am going to strive to FINISH that which I start. Sounds simple enough...
The scripture that I have chosen for 2016 is: Proverbs 28:1 "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion."
There are so many times that I feel confident while in my prayer closet but when it comes time to put my faith in action, I get timid and unsure. My private, personal lion's roar turns into a mouse's squeak when faced with an audience seeing or hearing me. This year, I am going to remind myself of that scripture every time I get timid about stepping out in faith. Every time I get hesitant to pray with someone, I will claim that scripture. Every time the enemy of my soul tells me that I can't, I will take the Word and boldly proclaim that with the power of God, I CAN!!
Though I know that January 1st is just the day after December 31st, and really not that special, I am looking forward to a new spiritual journal, a new planner, a new diary, a new year in which to more boldly, more eagerly, more fervently delight myself in the Lord.
I wish you the most joyous New Year. I pray that each of you will make time to put God first on your list of goals for this year.
I have heard of people choosing a word or scripture that will be their focus for the year and though I have never done that, I have decided to try it in 2016.
The word that I have chosen for 2016 is: FINISH
So many times we start projects or commitments and because of time, energy or situations, we fail to finish. We may get the project 90% completed but that last 10% escapes us. Whether it is a earthly project, a spiritual battle or a physical goal, I am going to strive to FINISH that which I start. Sounds simple enough...
The scripture that I have chosen for 2016 is: Proverbs 28:1 "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion."
There are so many times that I feel confident while in my prayer closet but when it comes time to put my faith in action, I get timid and unsure. My private, personal lion's roar turns into a mouse's squeak when faced with an audience seeing or hearing me. This year, I am going to remind myself of that scripture every time I get timid about stepping out in faith. Every time I get hesitant to pray with someone, I will claim that scripture. Every time the enemy of my soul tells me that I can't, I will take the Word and boldly proclaim that with the power of God, I CAN!!
Though I know that January 1st is just the day after December 31st, and really not that special, I am looking forward to a new spiritual journal, a new planner, a new diary, a new year in which to more boldly, more eagerly, more fervently delight myself in the Lord.
I wish you the most joyous New Year. I pray that each of you will make time to put God first on your list of goals for this year.
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Heaven Bound
As I have said before, I work with people from many cultural and ethnic backgrounds. I also work with a very diverse demographic of people. Some of the people grew up with a comfortable home life, others grew up very poor and in dysfunctional environments. Whatever the background, whatever the up-bringing, whatever nation they are from, whatever their race... we are all in the same place at the same time. Because of that we are all, at least in my opinion, equal.
The other week I had a heaven moment. As I was inspecting parts in my department, I came to a friend's work station. I enjoy talking with my friend, not because we always understand one another but because he seems like a nice guy. While standing there checking for quality, I glanced up and my soul cried out to God that I wanted to go to heaven with my friend and his family. It was such an overwhelming burden that I wanted to weep. Here is a man that I can't always understand as he speaks another language. A man that is scarred from being caught in a civil war. A man that does not know my Jesus. A man who serves his own god, Allah. Regardless of what my friend is right now, I want him, his wife and his children to be in heaven with Jesus, my Lord and Savior. This burden and vision has become so real to me that even as I walk down-wind of someone who does not bathe, I realize that they too are welcome in heaven. As I talk with a person who is annoying or hateful, my heart yearns for them to be in heaven. I am learning, by the grace and love of God, to allow my soul see the soul of my harvest field rather than the fleshly bodies those souls inhabit.
The heaven that we are seeking will not be filled with people who look, speak, eat and smell just like us. I believe that there will be more people that didn't bathe make it heaven than people who look just like me but are self-righteous. There will be more people in heaven that have needle tracks up their arm, who allowed God to deliver them, than there will be gossips who look exactly like me. Heaven will be filled with the redeemed, regardless of color, race, language, personal hygiene or fashion sense. According to Revelations, the water of life is given to ANYONE who thirsts and ANYONE who overcomes will inherit all things. Those that will not inherit are those that do not overcome, regardless of race, color, or language. The question becomes will you inherit and will you take those of your harvest field that thirsts for the water of life that only Jesus can give?
Revelation 21:5-8
Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
The other week I had a heaven moment. As I was inspecting parts in my department, I came to a friend's work station. I enjoy talking with my friend, not because we always understand one another but because he seems like a nice guy. While standing there checking for quality, I glanced up and my soul cried out to God that I wanted to go to heaven with my friend and his family. It was such an overwhelming burden that I wanted to weep. Here is a man that I can't always understand as he speaks another language. A man that is scarred from being caught in a civil war. A man that does not know my Jesus. A man who serves his own god, Allah. Regardless of what my friend is right now, I want him, his wife and his children to be in heaven with Jesus, my Lord and Savior. This burden and vision has become so real to me that even as I walk down-wind of someone who does not bathe, I realize that they too are welcome in heaven. As I talk with a person who is annoying or hateful, my heart yearns for them to be in heaven. I am learning, by the grace and love of God, to allow my soul see the soul of my harvest field rather than the fleshly bodies those souls inhabit.
The heaven that we are seeking will not be filled with people who look, speak, eat and smell just like us. I believe that there will be more people that didn't bathe make it heaven than people who look just like me but are self-righteous. There will be more people in heaven that have needle tracks up their arm, who allowed God to deliver them, than there will be gossips who look exactly like me. Heaven will be filled with the redeemed, regardless of color, race, language, personal hygiene or fashion sense. According to Revelations, the water of life is given to ANYONE who thirsts and ANYONE who overcomes will inherit all things. Those that will not inherit are those that do not overcome, regardless of race, color, or language. The question becomes will you inherit and will you take those of your harvest field that thirsts for the water of life that only Jesus can give?
Revelation 21:5-8
Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Where is My Place in the Kingdom?
After experiencing a devastating loss and lingering heartache, I found myself searching for God's plan for my life. Before this loss, I had plans... good, godly and sound plans. I thought and dreamed of the ways that God would be able to use our lives and experience. I anticipated the thrill it would be to work side by side with my best friend for the kingdom of God. I had envisioned God utilizing our skills and understanding to be a help to some church. But that planned future was destroyed by my unexpected loss. As I talked with God about my heartache and the evaporation of my plans for my future, I realized that they were just that... MY plans. Though they were godly plans based on my desire to work in the kingdom, they didn't necessarily line up with God's perfect will for my life. So began the struggle of finding my place in the Kingdom of God. Without a doubt, I feel that God has placed a calling and ministry on me but what that calling is and what that ministry looks like... I do not know. As I have sought God's direction about this I have explained to Him that I have little to no skills, money or courage. Each day as I seek understanding about the direction he is leading me, he only shows me my next step. As I try to make goals for my life, he only reveals what I am supposed to do today. Unwilling to settle for just a glimpse of where God is taking me, I continued to plead my case for understanding of the calling, only to be anxious and frustrated some more. Some of the doors that God has opened up I do not even understand. The opportunities that He has placed in my path, I feel unqualified to accept. In fact, the very path I appear to be on, with His leading, is a path that I did not seek or expect. This path, these opportunities and the open doors still do not give me clarity to where God is leading me.
As I sit here at my desk pondering where I have come from and where I am going, I more fully realize that I do not need to take thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow will take thought for itself. I don't have to worry about what God's will is for next year, next month or even next week. The reason is because I only need to concern myself with being in God's will today. If each day I strive to be in the will of God, then next week, next month, next year... I will still be the will of God. I know this isn't rocket science but it did give me a certain peace and understanding. When I am willing and able to obey God's call today to minister to whichever soul God puts in my harvest field today then I am in His perfect will. Tomorrow, if I am willing to do that which he asks me to do then I will be in His perfect will. Yes, I would like to know where God is leading me. Yes, I would like to understand the calling and ministry that He is placing on my heart. But I do not need to know or to understand in order to obey Him today. No, I just need to listen and obey.
As I sit here at my desk pondering where I have come from and where I am going, I more fully realize that I do not need to take thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow will take thought for itself. I don't have to worry about what God's will is for next year, next month or even next week. The reason is because I only need to concern myself with being in God's will today. If each day I strive to be in the will of God, then next week, next month, next year... I will still be the will of God. I know this isn't rocket science but it did give me a certain peace and understanding. When I am willing and able to obey God's call today to minister to whichever soul God puts in my harvest field today then I am in His perfect will. Tomorrow, if I am willing to do that which he asks me to do then I will be in His perfect will. Yes, I would like to know where God is leading me. Yes, I would like to understand the calling and ministry that He is placing on my heart. But I do not need to know or to understand in order to obey Him today. No, I just need to listen and obey.
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