Dreary to Hopeful

It’s easy to look at current issues that the world faces(or personally) and think of doom and gloom…e.g. economy, decaying morality, families dividing, etc.  God looks beyond the NOW and has prepared a future of HOPE.  We must trust that our Almighty God is in control and does have the power to reverse, change, restore, revive and renew.  However, I believe we have a key contribution….obedience.   That will not exempt us from trials, in fact, we may well face more than we think we should.  We can easily get lost in the NOW.  We need to look past these growth opportunities and focus on God’s promises-one of which is a HOPEFUL future after this earthly life.  Look at the following Biblical examples of dreary life circumstances and the future fulfillment of promises:

Job:  heavy personal loss—bountiful blessings

Joseph:  slavery—second in command of Egypt

Ruth:  widowed, lonely, barren—lineage of our King

Lazarus:  grave—new life

David:  adultery/weakness—great kingdom, an example of a genuine repentant heart

Saul:  persecution—preaching Christ

Sarai/Sarah:  pride and doubt—birth of Isaac

Esther:  orphaned—saved a nation

Rahab:  prostitution—sheltering spies

Peter:  denial—preaching Christ to many

Moses:  lacking confidence in personal abilities—leading God’s people

Yes, God uses trials/challenges to mold us if we allow, believe, trust, and seek Him.  He uses ordinary people for extraordinary results.  Blessings in your pursuit…….TO

 

Desert's

Nope, not ‘desserts’, which I for one am prone to partake of frequently, but ‘deserts’.   Spiritual ‘deserts’ are times of life’s trials that occur between God’s promises and the ‘promise lands’.  To receive a promise, one must follow a plan obediently.  Promises/rewards can pertain to losing weight, obtaining a degree, sports achievements, esteemed career positions, even fighting Satan/sin.  When we do not faithfully follow, we face undesirable consequences/lack of reaching the desired ‘promise lands’.  The Israelites provide invaluable examples of losing focus/being disobedient.  Their ‘deserts’:   being enslaved to Egypt for 400 years and wandering literally in the desert for 40 years.  Human inclination is to move quickly through the trials/pains……those ‘deserts’, and lounge abundantly in those desired good times/’promise lands’.  However, the ‘deserts’ teach us priceless lessons........character builders- such as trust, patience, obedience, discipline, a contrite heart, to seek God first.  These times of reflection can provide much growth in our faith and to draw nearer to our God-exactly where he wants us, because that is ultimately what is best for us.  We can more clearly realize our dependence on God and His great love for us.  This can only come from choosing to seek and follow God through the pains-‘deserts’.  Then, in His time, we can joyously embrace those ‘promised lands’/blessings He provides.  Let’s encourage one another to allow the ‘deserts’ to mold and not defeat us.  To lean on God’s love and promises through complete submission.  Romans 4:20-21, Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,  being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.  Blessings in your pursuit…….TO

Avoid through the 'Voids'

Life is great and a blessing.  Even so, there will come those times in our lives when there are voids-times characterized with loneliness, doubts,, fears, pain, tears, sadness….perhaps  even depression.  I have recently experienced the most unexpected void in my life.  A difficult time personally and spiritually, yet a time that has persevered through God’s love into immeasurable growth in my faith walk. It is sometimes tempting, as Satan feeds us lies, to turn from our God and not to seek Him through His Word and other Christians.  I was blessed to have a solid foundation of faith in which to cling.  This included family and friends.   I even moved away during this time, God and the Bible quickly became my source out of necessity.  I thank God He empowered me to look to Him to fill this void  and not seek out worldliness………. and dismiss the promises from our God. He does not guarantee all things will work out  the way we believe to be best-mine did not, and while it hurts, I progress towards a stronger trust and faith that His plan is best and will be good….in His time.  Of course this has and continues to be challenging…..I will never have it figured out.  I have learned this should not be the focus, yet it seems a natural to fall into getting the 'why' answers.  It's fine to question God, though we cannot figure out His wisdom and the trials He allows us to endure.  The question is…..do I trust Him?  If so, he will see me through if my focus is upward.  If I do not believe His way are best, then I need to seek Him-----Avoid the present ‘voids’ and  get to that trusting relationship.  Blessings in your pursuit…….TO

Warmth of the SON

I love the Beach Boys harmony and style of music.  One song, ‘The warmth of the sun’, is about the comfort and warmth that the day/sun brings during an emotional time (a lost love in this case)-a classic representation of the Beach Boys.  As Christians, we have the gift of the savior- The ‘Son’ of God.  What comfort, refuge, confidence and ‘warmth’ this should bring to our lives.  We can have this love and compassion not only to help us in our trials, but as a reminder for us in the good times too.  Be thankful for the Son-praise, honor and glorify His name above all.  May we joyfully commit, surrender and submit our lives-daily, to draw on God's "warmth" through His SON-Jesus.  Let's challenge ourselves to share this ‘warmth’ with someone each day.  Blessings in your pursuit…….TO.

Yes

Have you seen the movie ‘Yes Man’?  It’s about an ordinary individual living the same’dull’ life day after day-which he seems content to do so…..or does he?  After being persuaded (forcefully)to attend a ‘Yes’ conference as he battles some struggles, he is basically convicted to say ‘Yes’ to everything.  Life changes big time for him(some good, some not so good).  It does challenge me to dissect my Christian walk and analyze how am I living.  Am I just getting by, day after day, feeling stuck in the daily grind.    Have you been like me in that I faithfully attend church and  been involved, yet something was still missing?  It has to be about Jesus- drawing our hearts into His reality, His grace, His love, His hope, His forgiveness, and most of all the free gift of salvation because of Him.  God doesn't want us to have a religion. A religion is where we follow rules hoping to do life right, and serve God out of duty because we think we have to.  Mark 7:8 says, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."  God wants us to have a relationship. A relationship where we follow Him. Matthew 15:8-9  says, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."  We should serve God not out of duty but out of delight because of the realization of who we are in Him.   May I suggest that we become ‘Yes’ Christians.  Not necessarily saying yes to everything, but ‘Yes’ to God  and a total submission/surrender to our Lord.   

                                                                                                                                                                               Yes, I am a sinner in need of a Savior.

Yes, I acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, sent to die on a cross and be resurrected on the third day to save me from my sins.

Yes, I want Jesus to be the Lord and Master of my life.

Yes, I am now and forever will be a forgiven and saved child of the Almighty God.

Yes, I will follow Jesus today, tomorrow, and every other day I'm blessed with on this earth.

God has never asked us to be perfect-He knows we cannot be anyway.  Our imperfections are safely tucked within the reality of His perfection.   Let us simply press on by continuing to say ‘YES’, moment by imperfect moment... day by imperfect day.  Blessings in your pursuit…….TO

Checkbook Test.....a Faith Gauge

Imagine if our budget/checkbook was on display for our families, friends, church, co-workers, etc. for viewing.......or perhaps auditing.  What reactions, on both sides, be dominant?  A more compelling question could be, "what would be the conclusive theme for what has been seen?" What is our emphasis showing by our individual entries?  What is valued?  Yes, we have to pay certain necessary obligations/bills.  It's those 'other' ways we spend.  The discretionary monies we may or may not have, yet, we oftentimes spend on 'things'. I have struggled in the past with my attitude and frame of reference by falling into the snare of 'my money'.  When in fact, all we have is from God.  He entrusts us with certain things (money, abilities, situations/opportunities).  What we do with each reflects our character conviction........our faith!  God is the provider of ALL, where does our trust rest?  HIM or earthly pleasures/things.  I'm not suggesting we cannot have some things, each one must work that out with God.  I'll simply offer a personal challenge to us all (I have really needed this recently myself).  Does our checkbook demonstrate that we are controlled by the Spirit, or by 'things'?  It's not about us.  God placed us in His plan for us to serve Him by helping others through benevolence/charity/building relationships.

A mathematical equation is perhaps appropriate.  Money - Checkbook Entries = Trust/Faith.  Thus, there is merit in how our checkbook reflects where our trust lies.  God trusts us with money, jobs, talents, time, etc........  A giving heart and lifestyle demonstrates obedience. He freely gives!  What are we giving back not only monetarily, but in our time, energy and abilities?  How does your checkbook measure up?  Mine is in need of a periodic makeover!  Blessings in your pursuit.......TO
Suggested readings:  Proverbs 11:24; Deuteronomy 14:23; Malachi 3:10

An Un-Grammatical Life

To be grammatically correct, we learned in elementary school  proper grammar from the little saying about ‘I and E’.  ‘I before E ‘except after ‘C’.   With a few exceptions, grammatically speaking, “I’  is  correctly placed first.  Society teaches the same, we live in a society inundated by ‘I and ME’-- What’s in it for me, do what you want.  Or we are tempted to live/think in the following format:  I/You  want……. need………deserve……are entitled to……..etc.

To live the life Jesus teaches us about we must discard proper grammar when it comes to "I", and put aside self-centered lifestyles.........and live un-grammatically-- so to speak.  We must strive to serve God and others first.  Deny ourselves ( Philippians 2:3,  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves).  The Christ-like platform and the Christians goal should be...........More of Thee/others, less of self.   Blessings in your pursuit.......TO