I have prayed that the Holy Spirit would write this for me because I haven't been getting enough sleep and my mind feels like spaghetti !
Do ya'll do that? Do you have so much to do that you've shred your inner man until your outer man can't keep up? Recent busy-ness has caused this to be the case for me and yet I know , especially at times like this , that it is not I that gets things done , in my life, it is God.
Still, it is good discipline to be pushed beyond what you think you can bear. Isn't that what the armed services do as well? They push and prod, stretch the limits of a person beyond what they think is normal. With the end result being a strong , highly disciplined soldier.
We are soldiers for the kingdom. All who have taken up the banner of the Lord and pledged to serve Him , are recruits into a vast army of spiritual fighting machines. We have a living Holy Spirit , like a continuous flow of intel from on high, living within us. He is the spirit of truth. He is also the spirit of remembrance.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Recently, my son was really stressed about the upcoming baseball season . On the way to practice I explained to him that the Holy Spirit can help him remember things, he thinks, he may have forgotten. So we prayed and he had a great practice and did indeed remember the things he learned in previous seasons.
I pray fervently every time I'm about to take an exam , that the Holy spirit will cause me to remember the things I have been taught. It is the reason we are to study the word of God daily , so when we are living our daily lives , He can bring to our minds the things we have been taught. Studying the word is how it gets in us to start with , and if you don't study how then can you remember? Studying is a good discipline, for a soldier of the kingdom ,but there are many others .
1Th. 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th. 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1Th. 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
1Th. 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1Th. 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
1Th. 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
1Th. 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
1Th. 5:16 Rejoice evermore.
1Th. 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
1Th. 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1Th. 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.
1Th. 5:20 Despise not prophesyings.
1Th. 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1Th. 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
1Th. 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Though I said we are soldiers ,we don't wage war like the world does. We don't fight evil with evil. We aren't fueled by pride and go to exact revenge . We are not pumped full of rage and anger to be killing machines .That is what nations send their armies to do. In the typical army movie, you can find people that smoke and drink and cuss, but it's o.k. because they are sent to kill or be killed. It is not so with us. We are called to wear holiness as our banner and to yield to our enemies the right of way....for a season. Our enemies are not of flesh and blood , but of the spirit. So when we are spit on , or engaged in battle , we take it to the King. We let the offender believe they have the victory , for the moment, then take our situations before the throne , in secret.
That is my favorite part of our mission, that which we do in secret.
Matt. 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
There are times when we must join together and fight side by side, with prayer and praise , and what a beautiful experience it is when the people of God are as one in battle. There are things going on that the human eye cannot see. Our words , spoken from our mouths, make things happen in the spiritual realm that will amaze us someday. Yet, these words are given to us by the Holy Spirit which resides within us. They are His words , spoken through us.
Still, everyone needs sleep sometimes. When the battle has been fought and God has obtained the victory , it is time for rest. The Lord gives His children rest.
Psa. 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
While we sleep, He looks out for us and keeps us safe.
Psa. 121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
Upon entering into the facebook/twitter world ,I now can see how that is done. As we are sleeping, other believers around the world are praying and fighting the battle of the Lord , as our fellow soldiers. How awesome is that?
The battle is the Lord's but we are His footman, His hands and feet. We are to be diligent and disciplined but we are allowed some rest. So that when we awake we are fresh and ready to do battle again.
I used to have real issues with getting out of bed and it is a work in progress, but, I know , that when my feet hit the floor, that the enemies of God immediately are wishing I was back in bed! Haha! Because , as we say here, "It is on!" The same can be said of you as well. I pray that you begin to see who you are in Christ. I pray you see how powerful and mighty God has made you and that YOUR fervent prayers can change the world we live in , and I pray after the battle you get some rest. Have a blessed week.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Kindness
KIndness is one of those attributes a Godly person is supposed to have that often goes unrecognized. It is a character of the Holy Spirit that is supposed to shine through in all we do.
Col. 3:12 ¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col. 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col. 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
It is the one little word in the midst of all those others that is so easy to do. All the other words are difficult , with forgiveness and longsuffering as two of the hardest. So why do we overlook and underestimate the act of kindness?
This life is challenging at times and down right unfair to say the least , or so it can seem. This isn't what the Lord wanted for us in the beginning. In Genesis we see He created for us a perfect world and walked and talked with us daily. We messed it up , by not following the rules our Daddy gave us. Yet, in His kindness, He made a way for us to return to Him.
This week I've been thinking about this simple little word , little did I know I was going to be faced with an opportunity to test it. This wasn't a test like one would think. It wasn't a "pay it forward" moment , though I wished it had been. It was simply that one of my children disobeyed and the result of that disobedience had great consequences for all that were involved. It is out of kindness that I don't go further into detail but , let's just say , it was one of those moments a parent feels like a total failure.
As these things were going on , I could hear in the back of my mind, " Kindness" . Every instinct within me wanted justice , retaliation, punishment , and punishment did ensue , but with kindness . I did , as we say " give the child what for" , but after all was said and done, kindness was what the Lord required .
When someone hurts you, embarrasses you, appears to be something only to find out they are not who they say they are, we naturally put a guard up against future attacks. It is o.k. to beware . It is o.k. to learn from bad experiences , but it is not o.k. , to be unkind. It is not o.k. to be rude , slanderous, backbiting, etc. when we have been wronged. It is so easy to reward evil for evil , but it is not of God to do so.
God is kind. He is kind enough not to wipe us out for all the evil we have done and don't others deserve that same kindness? If you're not "feeling it" , then pray for God to give you the spirit of kindness in that situation and remember when we are weak , He is made strong. Trust that He has it all under control. He will finish what He has begun in you.
Lastly, we are coming upon the season of spring in Texas and of course many will be making ready their gardens and sowing seeds. I encourage you to sow some seeds of kindness and regardless of the situation , do all things with kindness and watch what fruit that will bare. No one deserves to be spoken to ugly or unkindly, no matter what the offense. We are all in this together. God bless ya'll in all you do this week.
Col. 3:12 ¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col. 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col. 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
It is the one little word in the midst of all those others that is so easy to do. All the other words are difficult , with forgiveness and longsuffering as two of the hardest. So why do we overlook and underestimate the act of kindness?
This life is challenging at times and down right unfair to say the least , or so it can seem. This isn't what the Lord wanted for us in the beginning. In Genesis we see He created for us a perfect world and walked and talked with us daily. We messed it up , by not following the rules our Daddy gave us. Yet, in His kindness, He made a way for us to return to Him.
This week I've been thinking about this simple little word , little did I know I was going to be faced with an opportunity to test it. This wasn't a test like one would think. It wasn't a "pay it forward" moment , though I wished it had been. It was simply that one of my children disobeyed and the result of that disobedience had great consequences for all that were involved. It is out of kindness that I don't go further into detail but , let's just say , it was one of those moments a parent feels like a total failure.
As these things were going on , I could hear in the back of my mind, " Kindness" . Every instinct within me wanted justice , retaliation, punishment , and punishment did ensue , but with kindness . I did , as we say " give the child what for" , but after all was said and done, kindness was what the Lord required .
When someone hurts you, embarrasses you, appears to be something only to find out they are not who they say they are, we naturally put a guard up against future attacks. It is o.k. to beware . It is o.k. to learn from bad experiences , but it is not o.k. , to be unkind. It is not o.k. to be rude , slanderous, backbiting, etc. when we have been wronged. It is so easy to reward evil for evil , but it is not of God to do so.
God is kind. He is kind enough not to wipe us out for all the evil we have done and don't others deserve that same kindness? If you're not "feeling it" , then pray for God to give you the spirit of kindness in that situation and remember when we are weak , He is made strong. Trust that He has it all under control. He will finish what He has begun in you.
Lastly, we are coming upon the season of spring in Texas and of course many will be making ready their gardens and sowing seeds. I encourage you to sow some seeds of kindness and regardless of the situation , do all things with kindness and watch what fruit that will bare. No one deserves to be spoken to ugly or unkindly, no matter what the offense. We are all in this together. God bless ya'll in all you do this week.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Lift Up Your Hands for Battle
If I had my own church , the service today would be spent entirely in Praise and Worship. It has just been one of those weeks. The enemy has appeared strong and the constant theme seemed to be deception and destruction. Well, he tried anyway but he did not succeed.
Every afternoon , when I pick up the kids from school , I know within moments there is going to be a battle escalating to great proportions , usually until someone ends up crying , or fake crying as they like to do also. So , before its time for them to walk in the door my mind and spirit are gearing up for battle. I have to be compassionate and loving , yet firm and forceful if necessary and to tell you the truth it can be very exhausting. My husband comes home and I sometimes have to say " Get these children please. I'm wore out. " Which of course , with one word from dad , they are perfect angels, for a moment, until the next battle.
The same is true for us all that breathe air and live in this world. Jesus said :
John 16:33 These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world
As long as we are here we are going to have trouble. It's not bad luck, fate, a curse from mother nature or even the fact that a black cat walked across your path. It is the fallen state of the world we live in.
Some times are far worse than others and this week was very difficult. It seemed every avenue of our lives were under constant attack and I continuously had to keep my guard up . I say "my guard" but in reality it isn't me at all. The me that you see is weak and afraid , lazy and disobedient , but there is a me that you don't see. My spirit, who is inside , is to whom I am referring and is guided by the Holy Spirit to do good and not evil . He, is whom I put in charge of my day.
The Holy Spirit is the one that gets me up in the morning. He's the one that shuts my mouth when I get so mad I wanna cuss. He's the one that whispers words of comfort in my ear when I'm so tired and scared of the future.He's the one that turns me away from temptation. He is the one of the best presents ever given to man. Jesus died on the cross for our salvation, Praise God and to which we owe our lives, yet he loved us so much that he left, so that the Holy Spirit could come and reside inside of all those that ask Him to.
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
My brothers and sisters, do you realize how much your Father loves you? Do you know how much is available to you , if you just ask.
Have you ever been in love ? I use this example because not everyone has children which is the example used in the scripture. Do you remember loving them so much that you just wanted to give them a gift? It didn't matter what it was, big or small you just wanted to bless them , because you loved them. You couldn't wait to see them , not because you wanted to look at them but because just being in their presence brought you such great joy. The Father of heaven loves you so much more than this. He can't wait to have your attention so He can shower you with His love. A great place He finds you is when you are singing to Him in praise and worship. When your hands and hearts are raised to Him in adoration He is there pouring His love upon you. It is one of my most favorite places to be. It is here He speaks to your spirit through the Holy Spirit . It is here the battles of everyday life are fought, and won.
Eph. 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
In the spirit, is where the enemy is and in the spirit is where we worship.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
With every battle that was brought before me this week I knew that complaining about it, arguing about it, or even manipulating it was not going to accomplish anything. Who can manipulate the power of a tsunami , which we were faced this week? Only God , who is Spirit , can do anything to save us from so great a power.
So , just like I ask my husband for help when I can not continue on my own , I ask my Father to help me when the battle rages on. He is the one who calms the seas. He enters the scene and with one word from Him there is peace, for the moment , until the next battle.
I encourage you, as you face your battles , pray to the Father, cry out to Jesus , and heed the words of the Holy Spirit which are written in the word of God and you will see great victories. Remember you are not alone. God has placed warriors by your side to help through prayer and what a blessing Godly friendships are.
One last note, as you prepare for the battle , remember the words in Ephesians:
Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph. 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Eph. 6:13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.
Eph. 6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Eph. 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph. 6:16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
Eph. 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph. 6:18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
I'm praying for you many mighty victories . God bless you in all you do. Have a great week.
Every afternoon , when I pick up the kids from school , I know within moments there is going to be a battle escalating to great proportions , usually until someone ends up crying , or fake crying as they like to do also. So , before its time for them to walk in the door my mind and spirit are gearing up for battle. I have to be compassionate and loving , yet firm and forceful if necessary and to tell you the truth it can be very exhausting. My husband comes home and I sometimes have to say " Get these children please. I'm wore out. " Which of course , with one word from dad , they are perfect angels, for a moment, until the next battle.
The same is true for us all that breathe air and live in this world. Jesus said :
John 16:33 These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world
As long as we are here we are going to have trouble. It's not bad luck, fate, a curse from mother nature or even the fact that a black cat walked across your path. It is the fallen state of the world we live in.
Some times are far worse than others and this week was very difficult. It seemed every avenue of our lives were under constant attack and I continuously had to keep my guard up . I say "my guard" but in reality it isn't me at all. The me that you see is weak and afraid , lazy and disobedient , but there is a me that you don't see. My spirit, who is inside , is to whom I am referring and is guided by the Holy Spirit to do good and not evil . He, is whom I put in charge of my day.
The Holy Spirit is the one that gets me up in the morning. He's the one that shuts my mouth when I get so mad I wanna cuss. He's the one that whispers words of comfort in my ear when I'm so tired and scared of the future.He's the one that turns me away from temptation. He is the one of the best presents ever given to man. Jesus died on the cross for our salvation, Praise God and to which we owe our lives, yet he loved us so much that he left, so that the Holy Spirit could come and reside inside of all those that ask Him to.
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
My brothers and sisters, do you realize how much your Father loves you? Do you know how much is available to you , if you just ask.
Have you ever been in love ? I use this example because not everyone has children which is the example used in the scripture. Do you remember loving them so much that you just wanted to give them a gift? It didn't matter what it was, big or small you just wanted to bless them , because you loved them. You couldn't wait to see them , not because you wanted to look at them but because just being in their presence brought you such great joy. The Father of heaven loves you so much more than this. He can't wait to have your attention so He can shower you with His love. A great place He finds you is when you are singing to Him in praise and worship. When your hands and hearts are raised to Him in adoration He is there pouring His love upon you. It is one of my most favorite places to be. It is here He speaks to your spirit through the Holy Spirit . It is here the battles of everyday life are fought, and won.
Eph. 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
In the spirit, is where the enemy is and in the spirit is where we worship.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
With every battle that was brought before me this week I knew that complaining about it, arguing about it, or even manipulating it was not going to accomplish anything. Who can manipulate the power of a tsunami , which we were faced this week? Only God , who is Spirit , can do anything to save us from so great a power.
So , just like I ask my husband for help when I can not continue on my own , I ask my Father to help me when the battle rages on. He is the one who calms the seas. He enters the scene and with one word from Him there is peace, for the moment , until the next battle.
I encourage you, as you face your battles , pray to the Father, cry out to Jesus , and heed the words of the Holy Spirit which are written in the word of God and you will see great victories. Remember you are not alone. God has placed warriors by your side to help through prayer and what a blessing Godly friendships are.
One last note, as you prepare for the battle , remember the words in Ephesians:
Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph. 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Eph. 6:13 Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.
Eph. 6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Eph. 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Eph. 6:16 withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
Eph. 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Eph. 6:18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
I'm praying for you many mighty victories . God bless you in all you do. Have a great week.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
No Comprendo
Last night my grandson made his first visit to our house, the house of his mother's childhood , and we were all very excited. He was passed around and cooed at , smooched and even welcomed by our 2 dogs , Pedro and Ladybug.
I was privileged to hold him while I was studying my Hebrew lessons and my daughter even made a comment about him learning Hebrew by association. Also , a friend asked if I was starting his Theology and Hebrew studies and suggested to sow as many seeds in him while he was young so he would be a great witness for the Lord , to which I fully agreed.
I have to admit though, it has been very difficult lately to comprehend and memorize all the words necessary to be at least an average student of Hebrew. That may be partly due to working in extreme weather and being tired, or having a lot of housework , or just a lot of busy-ness , but the point is more time and effort is required of me to learn and apply what needs to be learned. I have recognized I must try harder and persevere through this tough spot . I have also decided that no matter how difficult it is , that quitting is not an option. I live by the scripture:
2Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Before I awoke this morning the thoughts were impressed upon me that learning a foreign language was a lot like learning the word of God at times. The "world" has one definition of how things should be and the word of God teaches the opposite of that definition. Sometimes it seems so strange and impossible to understand yet it is His great gift to the world .
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Unfortunately those who follow after ungodly things and those who live to please the "world", do not like nor understand the word and even persecute those that do .
John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
The reason learning the word of God can be compared to learning a foreign language is because it appears , at first glance, to be confusing or difficult to understand . One may think they have to have a degree to even comprehend it. That is not true . The word is a light . It is pure and righteous and the Holy Spirit is here to teach us and shine the light in the darkness of our understanding . Unfortunately , darkness likes to remain dark , therefore it hates the light . This struggle is a part of the constant battle we face , and as believers we are supposed to be shining forth this light , learning and living the word as well as speaking it to others.
Pastors can be compared to teachers of a foreign language , who with great patience are trying to teach those in their care , something that may be totally beyond their understanding. They are supposed to be setting the standard and have a great understanding of this word we all desire to learn. They have to teach students that are at different levels of understanding , and maturity.
They have to come with great patience for the young and tolerance of the youthful accompanied by direction for their great excitement and energy. They must also bring the meat of the word to the mature in Christ , while maintaining a blameless walk so as not to make others that are weaker stumble and fall. They have to avoid any and all appearances of evil so those following can see the word lived out through their lives . Ergo the statement , "practice what you preach" is used.
This takes a lot of preparation on the part of the Holy Spirit who is the most patient teacher of all because, Pastors are nothing more than eternal students of the Holy Spirit . Teachers of the word may know a lot of it , but are always learning as well and should never think more highly of themselves than they ought:
Rom. 12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
Whether you are walking in the light or in the darkness, whether you are the teacher or student it is not impossible to understand and learn the word of God. What seems like an insurmountable feat , with perseverance , will become easier for Jesus taught :
Matt. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
Decide that no matter how difficult it is , quitting is not an option. I pray the Holy Spirit guides you into all truth and that if you don't have a teacher that He sends you one. Until then , pick up the book and read. God bless you in all you do.
I was privileged to hold him while I was studying my Hebrew lessons and my daughter even made a comment about him learning Hebrew by association. Also , a friend asked if I was starting his Theology and Hebrew studies and suggested to sow as many seeds in him while he was young so he would be a great witness for the Lord , to which I fully agreed.
I have to admit though, it has been very difficult lately to comprehend and memorize all the words necessary to be at least an average student of Hebrew. That may be partly due to working in extreme weather and being tired, or having a lot of housework , or just a lot of busy-ness , but the point is more time and effort is required of me to learn and apply what needs to be learned. I have recognized I must try harder and persevere through this tough spot . I have also decided that no matter how difficult it is , that quitting is not an option. I live by the scripture:
2Tim. 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Before I awoke this morning the thoughts were impressed upon me that learning a foreign language was a lot like learning the word of God at times. The "world" has one definition of how things should be and the word of God teaches the opposite of that definition. Sometimes it seems so strange and impossible to understand yet it is His great gift to the world .
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Unfortunately those who follow after ungodly things and those who live to please the "world", do not like nor understand the word and even persecute those that do .
John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
The reason learning the word of God can be compared to learning a foreign language is because it appears , at first glance, to be confusing or difficult to understand . One may think they have to have a degree to even comprehend it. That is not true . The word is a light . It is pure and righteous and the Holy Spirit is here to teach us and shine the light in the darkness of our understanding . Unfortunately , darkness likes to remain dark , therefore it hates the light . This struggle is a part of the constant battle we face , and as believers we are supposed to be shining forth this light , learning and living the word as well as speaking it to others.
Pastors can be compared to teachers of a foreign language , who with great patience are trying to teach those in their care , something that may be totally beyond their understanding. They are supposed to be setting the standard and have a great understanding of this word we all desire to learn. They have to teach students that are at different levels of understanding , and maturity.
They have to come with great patience for the young and tolerance of the youthful accompanied by direction for their great excitement and energy. They must also bring the meat of the word to the mature in Christ , while maintaining a blameless walk so as not to make others that are weaker stumble and fall. They have to avoid any and all appearances of evil so those following can see the word lived out through their lives . Ergo the statement , "practice what you preach" is used.
This takes a lot of preparation on the part of the Holy Spirit who is the most patient teacher of all because, Pastors are nothing more than eternal students of the Holy Spirit . Teachers of the word may know a lot of it , but are always learning as well and should never think more highly of themselves than they ought:
Rom. 12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
Whether you are walking in the light or in the darkness, whether you are the teacher or student it is not impossible to understand and learn the word of God. What seems like an insurmountable feat , with perseverance , will become easier for Jesus taught :
Matt. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.
Decide that no matter how difficult it is , quitting is not an option. I pray the Holy Spirit guides you into all truth and that if you don't have a teacher that He sends you one. Until then , pick up the book and read. God bless you in all you do.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Endurance
Snow in Texas? Who would've thought we would have 12 inches of snow fall in one day in Texas! It beat every record known and was the cause of many a school kid's celebrations.
I am a mail lady by day and my excitement for the winter wonderland was short lived when it came to delivering the mail. Don't get me wrong , it was gorgeous and I am so thankful for seeing the Glory of God painted through frozen trees and white blankets lain over our small town. One of the wonderful things about our God is His ability to teach us through our normal everyday activities , so when an extraordinary event takes place , the voice of the Lord is amplified tremendously.
What I wanted to share with ya'll today is a small part of everything God has shown me through those days in the snow.
We are a very busy society, and sometimes my customers do not check their mail. It only becomes inconvenient when the box is too full for us to continue to do our job. So, until then , we don't concern ourselves with it. Although this week , as I was risking life and limb to " bring the word" to my customers , in seeing the boxes full I was a little bothered.
The roads were treacherous to say the least. I drive a postal vehicle that is definitely not 4 wheel drive , and there was a lot of walking to the boxes to avoid getting stuck, not to mention slipping and sliding all over the road, trying to avoid pedestrians and other vehicles , wet feet and the bone chilling cold.
As Christians we are commanded of the lord to go forth and spread the gospel.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
So , as I am delivering mail , I liken that unto spreading the word. Yet, when I saw that some didn't check their mail , I felt the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit speaking to me.
There are many Pastors , Evangelists, Missionaries , spreading the Gospel in very dangerous atmospheres. There are countries that would secretly ,and some even blatantly , kill those who taught others about our Lord and Saviour . As Christians we hear too many stories of precious ones that have served the Lord unto death , but there is another type of persecution we don't hear much about.
Imagine if you will the brother or sister that is totally surrounded by unbelievers, that may even be of their own household , and their own spouse may be the one that is persecuting them . There are those that wake every morning and know that they will suffer some type of mental abuse for standing by their Lord. There are those that only have the Holy Spirit as a gentle companion who makes the word of God come alive in their lives , yet they still persevere and endure to the end knowing that perhaps someday the people they love will follow Christ .
This type of persecution may not be news stopping but it's very painful to minister day after day and only receive curses and shame in return.
As I saw the mail that had been left in the boxes. I thought of those that risked their lives to deliver the word day after day , and those that disregarded it as unimportant. The word of God is a precious thing and it is very sad that so many treat it as though it was no big deal.
Prov. 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
It is for this word and the Love of Christ that we , as Christians, risk our lives and hearts , peace, security , and all things temporary for eternal joy and happiness. Sometimes that word falls on deaf ears and hardened hearts, but it is for us to deliver nonetheless. It is for the Holy Spirit to convict and convince , it is only for us to obey and do our job.
If you are in the "spreading the gospel" business, which if you are a Christian you are, my word for you today is to endure .
Matt. 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Don't quit :
Gal. 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
We will reap what we have sown. Another great thing I saw this week was eventually people do pick up their mail and the word is received!
Finally, whether you are a Christian or not, and you notice that people have been trying to talk to and encourage you, help you, love you, do not push them away or ignore them . Receive the love that God is sending you. There is no greater Valentine than God himself. God bless you all and have a great week. Happy Valentine's Day
I am a mail lady by day and my excitement for the winter wonderland was short lived when it came to delivering the mail. Don't get me wrong , it was gorgeous and I am so thankful for seeing the Glory of God painted through frozen trees and white blankets lain over our small town. One of the wonderful things about our God is His ability to teach us through our normal everyday activities , so when an extraordinary event takes place , the voice of the Lord is amplified tremendously.
What I wanted to share with ya'll today is a small part of everything God has shown me through those days in the snow.
We are a very busy society, and sometimes my customers do not check their mail. It only becomes inconvenient when the box is too full for us to continue to do our job. So, until then , we don't concern ourselves with it. Although this week , as I was risking life and limb to " bring the word" to my customers , in seeing the boxes full I was a little bothered.
The roads were treacherous to say the least. I drive a postal vehicle that is definitely not 4 wheel drive , and there was a lot of walking to the boxes to avoid getting stuck, not to mention slipping and sliding all over the road, trying to avoid pedestrians and other vehicles , wet feet and the bone chilling cold.
As Christians we are commanded of the lord to go forth and spread the gospel.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
So , as I am delivering mail , I liken that unto spreading the word. Yet, when I saw that some didn't check their mail , I felt the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit speaking to me.
There are many Pastors , Evangelists, Missionaries , spreading the Gospel in very dangerous atmospheres. There are countries that would secretly ,and some even blatantly , kill those who taught others about our Lord and Saviour . As Christians we hear too many stories of precious ones that have served the Lord unto death , but there is another type of persecution we don't hear much about.
Imagine if you will the brother or sister that is totally surrounded by unbelievers, that may even be of their own household , and their own spouse may be the one that is persecuting them . There are those that wake every morning and know that they will suffer some type of mental abuse for standing by their Lord. There are those that only have the Holy Spirit as a gentle companion who makes the word of God come alive in their lives , yet they still persevere and endure to the end knowing that perhaps someday the people they love will follow Christ .
This type of persecution may not be news stopping but it's very painful to minister day after day and only receive curses and shame in return.
As I saw the mail that had been left in the boxes. I thought of those that risked their lives to deliver the word day after day , and those that disregarded it as unimportant. The word of God is a precious thing and it is very sad that so many treat it as though it was no big deal.
Prov. 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
It is for this word and the Love of Christ that we , as Christians, risk our lives and hearts , peace, security , and all things temporary for eternal joy and happiness. Sometimes that word falls on deaf ears and hardened hearts, but it is for us to deliver nonetheless. It is for the Holy Spirit to convict and convince , it is only for us to obey and do our job.
If you are in the "spreading the gospel" business, which if you are a Christian you are, my word for you today is to endure .
Matt. 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Don't quit :
Gal. 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
We will reap what we have sown. Another great thing I saw this week was eventually people do pick up their mail and the word is received!
Finally, whether you are a Christian or not, and you notice that people have been trying to talk to and encourage you, help you, love you, do not push them away or ignore them . Receive the love that God is sending you. There is no greater Valentine than God himself. God bless you all and have a great week. Happy Valentine's Day
Sunday, February 7, 2010
A Grand Gift
This week has been an exciting , restful and very tiring week . Does that make sense? Yes, it does. You see, my daughter, my oldest daughter ,gave birth to her first child, a son, also my first grandchild. We began the week with a scary labor and delivery process, which ended in her having a c-section, but is now ending in great joy, due to a brand new presence in our lives named , Levi James Dill.
It sounds so cliche to say he is precious and perfect but he is. We now understand why they are called GRAND!
I remember the feeling I had when I brought his mother, Keri, home from the birthing house. (we used a midwife) There were no words to describe the love I felt and still feel for her. I thought there was never going to be a moment in my life to top that one. When I held my daughter's son I realized I was wrong. It was like my love for Keri had grown exponentially and I could express that love by loving her son, which I really , really do.
This led me to a thought of when I was a little girl and just learning about God. We were born Catholic, which in a Catholic world you are just that ; born Catholic, I began to believe in God and knew He was always with me. Upon reflection I can see His gentle hand guiding and instructing even with all the hardships we faced , but when I began to understand that Jesus Christ , God's son, had died for my sins and that I had to choose to serve Him and live for Him I began to desire to know Him.
I cannot and will not do something , worship something I know nothing about. I am a "why" person. You'll know you have met a "why" person when they ask questions continuously. I suppose I have done my best to wear out the ears of the Lord with all my "why" questions until I reached a certain level of spiritual maturity where I became satisfied with not knowing everything about everything , so in a little Christian church in Clayton, N.C., with the leading of a fiery red-headed preacher , I gave my heart to the son of the God I had always known.
What a patient teacher the Holy Spirit is with me . I am only now seeing this aspect of why we do what we do. I loved the Father, which led me to love the Son, because He loves His Son , and all the while led by the Holy Spirit .
Now my love for the Father has grown exponentially and is expressed in my devotion to His Son, my King , Jesus. How much more does He love us ? God loves you in a way that cannot be measured or explained , but He loved you so much He gave you and I His Son to love and cherish , to serve and worship . What a great gift, a GRAND gift. Thank you Father . He is beautiful and so precious and I really , really love Him.
It sounds so cliche to say he is precious and perfect but he is. We now understand why they are called GRAND!
I remember the feeling I had when I brought his mother, Keri, home from the birthing house. (we used a midwife) There were no words to describe the love I felt and still feel for her. I thought there was never going to be a moment in my life to top that one. When I held my daughter's son I realized I was wrong. It was like my love for Keri had grown exponentially and I could express that love by loving her son, which I really , really do.
This led me to a thought of when I was a little girl and just learning about God. We were born Catholic, which in a Catholic world you are just that ; born Catholic, I began to believe in God and knew He was always with me. Upon reflection I can see His gentle hand guiding and instructing even with all the hardships we faced , but when I began to understand that Jesus Christ , God's son, had died for my sins and that I had to choose to serve Him and live for Him I began to desire to know Him.
I cannot and will not do something , worship something I know nothing about. I am a "why" person. You'll know you have met a "why" person when they ask questions continuously. I suppose I have done my best to wear out the ears of the Lord with all my "why" questions until I reached a certain level of spiritual maturity where I became satisfied with not knowing everything about everything , so in a little Christian church in Clayton, N.C., with the leading of a fiery red-headed preacher , I gave my heart to the son of the God I had always known.
What a patient teacher the Holy Spirit is with me . I am only now seeing this aspect of why we do what we do. I loved the Father, which led me to love the Son, because He loves His Son , and all the while led by the Holy Spirit .
Now my love for the Father has grown exponentially and is expressed in my devotion to His Son, my King , Jesus. How much more does He love us ? God loves you in a way that cannot be measured or explained , but He loved you so much He gave you and I His Son to love and cherish , to serve and worship . What a great gift, a GRAND gift. Thank you Father . He is beautiful and so precious and I really , really love Him.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Away
This week I was faced with the fact that I must begin to work smarter not harder. You know the saying , " So much to do, so little time." As I performed my almost , normal routine I tried to keep this in mind and when visiting Home Depot I spotted the new " self cleaning shower machine" . Well not many of us have time to scrub the shower, so I decided to add it to the growing number of purchases , along with the blue tabs you drop into the tank of the commode so it can join the shower in becoming self sufficient as well.
The assembly was easy, to say the least , but my great revelation came when placing the bottle of cleaner into the actual dispenser. I won't embarrass myself with telling you how long I struggled with it until I finally punched the hole in the lid myself , convinced that the manufacturer had a great design flaw in this product, but upon pressing the start button for the beginning of our revolutionized bathroom experience , nothing! I pushed the button three times to convince myself that it still wasn't working. Admitting defeat , I went back to the instructions and noticed one little word that had eluded my sight when previously reading. " When placing the bottle in the dispenser turn the bottle with label facing ' AWAY ' from you. "
"Oh!" was my reaction and proceeded to change my mistake when it clicked nicely into place but not without bathing my face and hair with a very pungent cleaning product that I'm sure wasn't safe for ones eyes. As I hurriedly turned on the shower to relieve my stinging eyes and burning skin , I felt God speak to me .
" One word made a great difference didn't it." Yes, He knows me like that. He has a great sense of humor and knows me and how my mind works and of course had every bit of my attention. I began to ponder this thought and realized He was right, as if He wouldn't be, one word does make a great difference. In this case the word I had missed was the word 'away' . I then began to notice throughout the day how many one word sentences we use. " Go" , "Yes" , " No", " Stop" *hugs* etc.
My friend, the bible says :
Prov. 18:21 ¶ Death and life ARE in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Your words are seeds sown into someone or something and we are like farmers planting crops , from the moment we wake until the moment we lie down again. What are you planting into your family , your fellow workers , your friends, even strangers on the streets?
The bible also says :
Gal. 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
I promise you this is true. It wouldn't take any of us long to remember a word we said to the wrong person or at the wrong time, most prevalently during our awkward teenage years. I hope , though, with that we would remember speaking good things into people as well.
What you say matters. You matter. God made you just the way you are for a very special purpose and don't ever let anyone or any word , make you think otherwise. Don't call people names. Having many children I've often thought of having this sentence tattooed on my forehead . I am just teasing, but when we call names we are breathing life into that word,and we are planting a seed into the mind of that person. I can testify , that when I was very young a relative spoke a lot of unkind words into my life and I became exactly what he said I would, except by the grace of God I am no longer who I used to be. Yet, I can also testify that there are people here in the ' Never, Never Land ' of the internet, and people at my work place that have spoken very nice words into my life, which I cherish like precious gems.
Sow some seeds of joy into someone's life today, or seeds of love , truth, wisdom . God bless you . You are precious and important . Don't quit being the wonderful you, you are.
Pastor Susan Honeycutt
Monday, January 18, 2010
Lead On Lord, Lead On
Is. 48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.............
I awoke this morning after a wonderful series of dreams all with one recurring theme , restoration of friendships of long ago. I now have a melancholy gratefulness for the extra sleep that was deep enough for me to dream yet I can't help myself from asking, " What does this mean Lord?"
This past year has been full of new friendships and old friendships restored. It has been astonishing and wonderful, yet very painful at times, to see where I have been and the good or bad that I have also done.
Did I really hurt so and so that badly that they did such and such? Yes , I did. Those realizations were hard pills to swallow to say the least. On the same note, did I really make such a difference in that person's life that they overcame that horrible pain in their life? Yes, you did , and with that I am suddenly aware of my individual uniqueness.
My heart's cry became , "Father, how did I get here, and why didn't you stop me when I did wrong and then only allow me to do good?"
This is the scripture He spoke to me:
Is. 48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.............
What? You lead me here? Of course I understood that my behavior at the places He led me were my own doing but , here, where I am today, is where He led me to be.
God, Ha Shem, Yahweh, the Redeemer, Jesus Christ, is bigger than your mistakes and orchestrator of your victories. He leads us in the way we should go , it is our choice whether we follow or not.
Lead on Lord, lead on.
Friday, January 15, 2010
They Are Waiting
They Are Waiting
"They are waiting for someone to help her..." was one of the quotes read today. Waiting. I can not begin to comprehend the kind of waiting the people in Haiti are enduring. For the average person waiting in a grocery store line could create tension of damaging proportions , not to mention waiting at a traffic light.
January 12 th, 2010 , a devastating earthquake seized the ground of Haiti and ripped her fragile community apart. It has been said that 500, 000 are estimated dead. unfortunately we will never know the exact total because most of the bodies will forever be entombed in the rubble. Already the first mass grave has been crudely dug and over 7,000 people have been laid to rest.
"Dear God send someone to help help her! " That was my first thought , but I knew the answer , because I know the scriptures ...
" Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" , Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature..... and go ye : carry corn for the famine of your houses:
Over and over the Lord commanded us to " go" . Alas , I can not physically go , so what does that mean to the believer if we can not jump on a plane and fly to Haiti and search through rubble? The pictures have begun and are being spread non-stop across the internet of people living, starving, dying and yet she waits....
First and foremost , we "go" to our knees and fervently cry out to our Abba , Father, to send the help they so desperately need. Secondly we " go" to our finances and formulate a plan to send whatever we can , even if it is a few dollars , to help these people who so desperately need it . Last , but not least , we "go " to our sphere of influence, whether that be home or work, facebook or twitter, and cry out on their behalf, and beg on their behalf for the assistance they deserve.
There is no need that they should wait too long when God's people are here , ready , willing , and able. Have you once cried out like I have ..." Here I am Lord , send me" ? This is your opportunity to be a blessing and make a difference in someone's life.
God bless you and be with you in all you put your hand to do.
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