It's TRUE!

Give all your worries to Him, because He cares about you. Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion look on someone to feast. Refuse to give in to him, by being strong in your faith. Remember, you are not along in your struggles. 

1 Peter 5:7-9

I remember going to the zoo on a class trip in 5th grade.  We saw the bears, who had learned to wave at us when we waved.  We saw the monkeys, who would extremely loud. We stared at the snakes, lizards and various other slithery scaly critters.  We saw the seals, fish, otters and lots of other water dwellers as well.

But I was fascinated by the lions!  They look fluffy and easy to get along with (to my 9 year old mind).  For centuries, lions had be a symbol of ferocious bravery.  They we used in the Roman Coliseum as part of "The Games."  And I thought they were amazing!  Until our guide, who was from India, told us that lions were truly fierce, extremely dangerous.  The lion roars to scare and startle their prey into making a mistake!  Think about that!  When we are tempted...it's usually a split second decision we make that becomes our misstep into sin.  The devil roars, or whispers, or nudges, and we knee-jerk into the slide.

Years later, I heard a speaker at our college Chapel Service say: "We are tempted, but we are NOT compelled!"  He then went on to share James 4:7 - "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."  

• We give into temptation when we think we are the ONLY ones enduring hardship and lash out at God.  
• We give into temptation when we have the means to help someone and we choose to be selfish.  
• We give into temptation when we become proud and arrogant thinking we are somehow better than others.  
• We give into temptation when we refuse to forgive (or ask forgiveness). 

We are tempted.......but we are NOT compelled!  Our enemy can NOT force us to sin against God! He can tempt us, but he can NOT force us.

Read this last passage and ponder it, I beg of you:

"The temptations in your life are no different form what others experience. And God is faithful. He will NOT allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure." - 1 Corinthians 10:13

 

What Is This Thing Called Life?

So teach us to consider our mortality,
so that we might live wisely.

Psalm 90:12

I downloaded the Ancestry app to see who I could find that might be related in some way, shape or form.  The more I dug into my family tree...I realized that my family flower is the goldenrod, the family gem is granite, and the family tree was (and is) full of nuts! 

I remember sitting in my Grandparents' carport shelling peas and listening to the stories they would tell about each other (never about themselves).  One was about when my Grampa went camping.  He set up the tent only to find he was missing a stake. Undeterred, he tied that particular rope to the trunk lid of his car.  All was wonderful!  Until.......Grampa needed something out of the trunk.  When the trunk lid popped open the tent went flying leaving.  I laughed so hard I dropped my Gramma's "pea shellin'" pot and peas went EVERYWHERE.

When I remember to good times in life, a smile appears.  When I remember those whom have passed on, tears come.  And when I find myself getting down, I remember something my Grampa told me: "Too many folks are dead....they just don't have the good sense to lie down."  

When I get stuck in a routine, and can accomplish my routine without thinking...I have become one of those "walking dead" because I have gone to autopilot instead of living!  When we choose to live we will begin to see things we've taken for granted.  We will find that we actually want to be kind, courteous, considerate, and loving to the same people we have ignored or neglected.  

Here's my point: We are created in the very image of Abba.  He has breathed LIFE into us.  If we choose to merely exist...what an insult that must be to Abba.  Especially since His only Son died so we could live!

"Abba, Can You Fix This?"

[Jesus said] "When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray so people will see them. I tell you the truth, they already have their full reward. When you pray, you should go into your room and close the door and pray to your Father who cannot be seen. Your Father can see what is done in secret, and he will reward you."

Matthew 6:5-6

I remember in Basic Training being so stressed that I asked to speak to the Chaplain, who happened to be Catholic.  I was permitted to go to meet with him during confession.  Not knowing exactly how the Confessional worked, I went with the approach I remembered from movies and television.  I sat in the booth, knocked on the partition and when the door slid open, I said "Forgive me Father for I have sinned."  Imagine my surprise when the voice on the other side of the partition said, "Well, yeah....I know that.  Why else would you be here."  The Chaplain knew I had no real idea what I was doing, but he also knew I was in distress and hurting.  He suggested we go to his office and just talk like "true friends do."  

I learned quite a lot during our discussion.  The first thing I learned...generic blanket prayers DO NOT WORK!  Read that again...generic blanket prayers are mere words thrown up at the ceiling. Yet when I can give Abba specifics that I KNOW are causing me pain, stress and grief, then Abba and I are having a TRUE conversation!  

If you have had truly deep conversations with your best friend, you understand how incredible they are!  THAT is the conversation we must have, not the generic "bless me and help me today," rather "Abba, I am struggling with the loss of my Grampa and Gramma.  You've got them now, yet I still miss him.  Help me accept that and tell them I love them.  Protect me when the enemy whispers doubts and tries to break my heart all over again.  When he does, drag me to You!"  

True prayer is not generic!  True prayer is very specific.  And when I don't know what I need to say, Romans 8:26 "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words." And when my heart feels Abba move, it's time to ask Him to help me voice to Him what I could not before.

Honestly, I realize this is long.  I hope it will be helpful.

 

"What's That You Have?"

“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

John 6:9

Jesus had been teaching the people and now they were hungry.  The Disciples told Jesus they didn't have enough money to buy food for all the crowd.  Disillusioned, the Disciples told Jesus that there was a young boy with 5 barley loaves and two fish.  Now...I have researched this and, while the boy's lunch doesn't sound like much, it was actually a LOT smaller than we imagine.  The lunch the boy had consisted of 5 barley loaves, each about the size of a biscuit.  The fish were about the size of a sardine.  Now this might fill the stomach of a young boy, but how would it help the thousands of other people who had come to hear Jesus teach and were now hungry.

How many times do we see an opportunity to help others that God has put right in front of us, yet our response to Him is "I don't have what it takes" or "I'm not good enough" or "What do I have to offer"?  God doesn't ask us to wait until we "have what it takes."  God takes what we have to offer and, in His own amazing way, makes it exactly what is needed.  I have seen this happen too many times to think it a coincidence.  Jesus took the tiny lunch, blessed it, and turned that into, not only what everyone needed, but also made sure there were leftovers.  12 baskets full of left overs!  

There will come a time when you are faced with an opportunity to serve, and you will feel overwhelmed and inadequate. If you listen closely in your heart of hearts, you will hear the gentle voice of Abba ask, "What's that YOU have?"  Give ALL to Abba, and you will see His provision!

Music Helps

Whenever the bad depression tormented Saul,

David got out his harp and played.

That would soothe Saul’s spirit,

and he would feel better

as the tormenting depression lifted.

1 Samuel 16:23

 

I don’t know about you, but I like music.  Among my favorites are Vivaldi, Sinatra, Ray Charles, just to name a few.  Music helps me think.  Music helps me feel better when I’m struggling.  Music helps!

 

Look at today’s passage…King Saul was being plagued by depression.  I don’t know about you, but when the King is in a dark mood…..it’s not going to be a good time for anyone.  But King Saul had been told that David was a skilled musician, so Saul sent for him.  When David played, Saul’s tormenting depression lifted.

 

As you know by now, I have struggled most of my life with depression.  There are days when I don’t even want to open my eyes.  There are days, I just want to be left alone.  If you have ever endured true depression, you know it’s not “sadness” nor is it “feeling sorry for yourself.”  It is physically painful!  It can be debilitating and all you want is to escape its clutches.  And music helps!

 

Now let’s jump to another passage where Jesus is talking with a man who had lived for 38 years with a debilitating issue.  Jesus asked him a very pointed question: “Do you want to be healed?”  Now, that might seem to be a rather silly question, but there are implications.  When Jesus heals someone, they are NEVER left the same way there were before.  Why?  If you had been suffering a debilitating condition and you were finally healed, would you still live as though you were still suffering?

 

When God provides us with relief, in whatever form it takes, He expects us to live as truly relieved people.  Music helps us feel better.  Music helps us celebrate life that God has given us (even if you can’t carry a tune).  The musical offering to God that our spirits raise is an amazing gift!

 

"Learning To Quiet Ourselves"

We seem to enjoy being loud and tirelessly moving about. We don't like being quiet.  In fact, we don't trust quiet. However, in our world of noise and volume, God still speaks in many ways and through many people. But mostly, in my experience, God speaks loudest when He whispers to us as we make the time to quiet our soul and listen

"Come to me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 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. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

Perhaps it is time we begin to quiet our lives and accept the offer of Christ and take on His yoke, let Him teach us, and help us find rest.  You see, when we quiet ourselves, Jesus teaches us amazing things.
 

Love is NOT Optional

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

 I have been doing a LOT of contemplating, meditating and pondering lately.  Again, let me stress that I am, in NO way, attempting to make any sort of political commentary. I simply wish to share something God has shown me.

First, look at today's passage.  Jesus reminds us of the very first of the commandments given to us by God. We are to love God with every atom of our being!  We are to be so focused on Him that His love fills us and showers everyone with whom we have contact!  We must be so focused on Him that we see every creation through His eyes!  Every single one!

Second, Jesus reminds us that we are to love others as much as we love ourselves.  This is NOT a recommendation.  This is NOT a request!  This is NOT a "if it doesn't inconvenience you too much" suggestion!  God commands us to love others as we love ourselves.  It is this love that God has for us when He sent Jesus to teach us, love us, care for us, and die in our place!

"But what if they don't love me the same way?"  Did God provide a caveat? Did He offer an exemption?  Absolutely not.  We are to love God so completely that we love others.  I have struggled with loving others, and still struggle with it.  However, God keeps reminding me of His love for me and keeps bringing people into my life that need His love through me.

Love is not optional!

I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me!

I look at your heavens,
    which you made with your fingers.
I see the moon and stars,
    which you created.
But why are people even important to you?
    Why do you take care of human beings?

Psalm 8:3-4

As I was leaving for work this morning, I noticed the full moon.  It's silvery brightness lit the sky.  Honestly, I took a few extra minutes to stare at God's creation and my mind shifted into "contemplative mode."  

Think about this for a moment: We don't always see the moon.  Some nights we only see part of the moon and some nights no moon is visible. Does that mean the moon, or part of the moon merely vanishes only to pop back in from time to time for a visit?  Now....let's think about how we view God.  Sometimes we can see Him all around us.  Sometimes it's as if He's merely peeking through the clouds at us.  Sometimes we wonder if He's there at all.

Just because we can't always SEE the full moon does not mean the moon has disintegrated in part of in full.  The moon is always there whether WE see it or not.  And guess what?  God is with us whether WE see Him at work or not.  Faith is believing that God is always with us, working everything in the Universe to fulfill His plan for us, whether we see it or not.