Are you different?

“So this I say and solemnly testify in [the name of] the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the heathen (the Gentiles) do in their perverseness [in the folly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility] of their minds. “Their ^[a]moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is beclouded. [They are] alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the willful blindness) that is ^[b]deep-seated in them, due to their hardness of heart [to the insensitiveness of their moral nature]. In their spiritual apathy they have become callous and past feeling and reckless and have abandoned themselves [a prey] to unbridled sensuality, eager and greedy to indulge in every form of impurity [that their depraved desires may suggest and demand].” Ephesians 4:17-19

So let’s ask ourselves…do we look any different than the world around us? To be holy means to be set apart. Once we have accepted Christ the scripture says we are made holy. But this passage definitely indicates that we must choose to live like it. It also makes it clear that we can make that choice and execute it. God would never command us to do something we are incapable of (with His help of course).

In this season that is all due to the birth of our Lord and Savior, be sure you look different. Smile while you’re out there in the crowds. Be patient and gentle with the harried clerks. Give from a joyful heart out of the abundance that Christ has placed in you. In the midst of all the decorations and lights let the Light in you outshine them all.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matt 5:16

“ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,” Phil. 2:15

Peace?

So how are the Christmas plans coming? Finished decorating? Know what to get for everyone on your list? Invitations out for your party? Have you bought your Christmas cards? Have all your supplies for the baking you plan to do? Feeling stressed yet???

You know what the very first Christmas greeting was? “Fear not. Rejoice. Peace to all men.” Peace…do you feel peace right now? Are you rejoicing in this season? Or do you find yourself overwhelmed, burnt out, and focused on everything but the Reason for it all?

Our pastor had a great message this past Sunday about finding true peace and joy this Christmas. To paraphrase Pastor Tim…If Christ came back today would He be concerned with all the “stuff” you have or have not done to prepare for Christmas…how many lights are on your house, how many gifts you’ve bought or cards you’ve sent? Or do you think He may be more concerned with whether we have prepared our hearts and are taking advantage of this special time of year to share His love and His peace with the world?

Perhaps we need to take an inventory of the things we “have to do,” and see if just maybe we and the Lord may not be best served this year by leaving some of those things undone. Perhaps some of those decorations still not up would be best left in their boxes. Or maybe just sending out of town Christmas cards would be in order this year to allow you and your family some more time to relax and enjoy. Maybe even buying refrigerated cookie dough would be permissible…I hear Santa likes them just as well. J I encourage you to take this inventory. Cut out the things that are robbing you of the joy of Christmas. Take some time to just sit by the light of your tree and lift your heart to God in thanks for all He has done for you, remembering first and foremost the wonderful gift of His son.

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." Colossians 3:15 (NKJV)

In this very exciting time of year, let's hold this verse close and remember in all things to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. Take some time to think about how that might look in your life. Spend some time praying over this scripture this week and ask for the Lord's help in this area. If we are at peace we put others around us at peace. Definitely one of the greatest gifts we can give to those we love this Christmas season!

Go on...give Him praise!

Ok, back from a Thanksgiving, terrible cold (round 2), major home renovation, working to get my house in order hiatus! J

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We all have so much to be thankful for.

Today I want to just encourage you with a little verse you may know well. One that is very straight forward:

“Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)” Psalm 150:6

This is the very last verse in the book of Psalm. After so much power and insight, this is the final thought. When all is said and done, let everything that has breath praise the Lord! The scripture tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. This isn’t merely singing a song, though that is a powerful way to give Him praise. Praise comes from deep within and is expressed by our words, our actions, our attitudes and the way we live our lives. But I encourage you…Open your mouth!!! Speak your praise to your great God as this is the most “out there” way we have to boldly declare Whom we have believed.

As we enter the exciting Christmas rush, let your first thought each morning and your last thought each evening be this, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” Let praising Him be your focus this season, and I know it will be the greatest yet - regardless of your circumstances, because we know we serve a God Who is bigger than anything we face.

Merry Christmas!

Give Thanks

Well, it is no surprise that this time of year has us evaluating our lives and what we have to be thankful for. This year has been difficult for many. The economy is bad, tragedies have struck, lives have been forever changed. But please be encouraged…our God is the same as he was in the roaring 20’s, the boom of the 80’s, the day you married the love of your life, the day you welcomed your babies into the world. He is still there and He still reigns! Remember that this world is not our home. And the things we possess or don’t possess are just “stuff.” With each trial comes opportunity for growth and for the power of God to be made perfect in us! That is why we are told to rejoice in trial! Anyone can be happy when all is well. But a person who can stand under tremendous pain, loss, and struggle and boldly say, “God is in control, and I will rejoice in Him.” is a person who can make a tremendous impact for the kingdom.

Christ told us we would have tough times. But He also told us He has overcome this world! It doesn’t mean that bad things won’t happen to us, but it does mean they can’t rob us of the power and joy and peace that He has placed in our hearts. The world, the enemy, can only take from us what we allow it to. So stand firm. Be bold. And decide that what Satan intends for evil God will use for good!

Now, I know we are not all going through tough times, but let those who aren’t encourage and intercede for those who are. Let us remember as we take an inventory of what we can be thankful for this year to start with the gift of salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Please take a minute to read the passages below and just take some time to sit a while with your Father this Thanksgiving.

1 Thes 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

James 1:2-12 “Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. ³Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. ⁴But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. ⁵If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of ^[a]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. ⁶Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. ⁷For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, ⁸[For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. ⁹Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God], ¹⁰And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. ¹¹For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits. ¹²Blessed (happy, ^[b]to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

1 Cor 10:13 “For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not ^[a]adjusted and ^[b]adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to ^[c]a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.”

Faith Vs. Worry

Well, for those who haven’t yet heard…we are expecting a precious new addition to our family in the spring! J I’ll be 4 months on Tuesday and all is going well. God is so good! (Please join us in praying for a healthy baby and a routine, full term pregnancy.)

I have a peace about this pregnancy, and am believing God for this fulfillment of a promise, this restoration of what we lost. But having lost the last baby, there are days when worry begins to creep in for no good reason, and I have to work overtime to take every thought captive. (2 Cor. 10:5) Yesterday was one of those days.

I was in the kitchen doing some cooking and cleaning and my mind was going round and round. I was earnestly trying to not worry, but it was a battle. Then, the Lord spoke to my spirit and this phrase came to my mind, “Your worry can accomplish nothing. Your faith can move mountains!” WOW! I instantly went to write it down. It is so amazing when God gives you one of those “moments of awe.”

I hope that you will take this phrase with you this week and into the rest of your days as I hope to do. Write it down somewhere where you will see it often. This phrase is yet another example of how the Truth can set you free!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:6-8 (AMP)

“…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Reasons to Relax: #10

Reason #10 – If you are continually in His Word you will grow!

And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you--and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.” Mark 4:24 (AMP)

I love this promise. And I may have already blogged about it, but it bears repeating. Christ himself was perhaps the first to implement the “You get out of it what you put into it” policy. Only, in true God-like fashion, he went a step beyond and promised that not only would we get out of it what we put into it, but even more, because that’s just the kind of God He is. J

I know that many times in my journey I have been shown a new weakness (not new as in recently occurring, but new as in recently brought to my attention) and in my disgust I have grown impatient to see the desired change in myself on my time-table. In other instances I have had questions plague my mind, things I just don’t get. (Often times non-believers think they are the only ones who have questions and doubts, but as humans, especially my fellow analytical reasoners, questions are just part of it.) In times such as these I can find wonderful peace and guidance in scriptures like Mark 4:24, John 14:26 and James 4:8.  

Just remember, God is not trying to hide Himself from you. He delights in a growing relationship with you and He promises that “you will find Him when you seek Him with your whole heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) So keep on keeping on and remember, the growth comes in the journey not only in reaching the destination.

Reasons to relax: #9

Reason #9 – He sees and He will reward!

And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

Glatians 6:9 (AMP)

On several occasions Christ told us, “and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.” (Matt. 6: 4,6, 18)  That is true integrity…doing what is right even when no one is watching. And our Heavenly Father doesn’t give the standard answer that is so tempting to us as earthly parents, “Because I said so!” No, in answer to why we should continue doing what is right even when it seems to no avail, God says, “Because I am watching. And I will reward you far beyond your wildest dreams. (Ephesians 3:20, Matthew 7:11)

These verses also show us something else about our great God. He understands that it is not always easy to keep on doing good. He knows that we will get tired and weak and weary. He does not condemn our weakness, rather He encourages us with His Word and the promise of great things to come. I feel a lesson in parenting here…

So take a deep breath. Push the restart button if you have to, and then follow Christ’s example and go about doing good. (Acts 10:38) Your good works will not get you to heaven. Only Christ can do that. (John 14:6). But our good works are the outward expression of the inward change Christ has made in us. We are commanded to love others as Christ has loved us and it is by this we show Christ to the world.