In Other Words - Busyness

I posted this a few weeks ago but it is so appropriate for In Other Words today.  Debbie at Heart Choices is the host this week and her topic is Busyness.  Check out her site and the other posts on this topic.

"Martha was busy for Jesus, and that left her too busy to be with Jesus."

 by - Jon Walker

Growing with Purpose: Connectin gwith God Every Day

Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, it seems that we just cannot focus on the things in life that should be most important to us. We are quickly approaching a very busy and hectic season.  There is so much preparation for the holidays but we must be cautious that we don't become lost in the busyness of the season and lose focus of the meaning of the celebration.

Here's a little quiz ......
1. When life gets crazy, does your alone time with God tend to get pushed near the bottom of the priority list?
2. When you attempt to focus on something do you find that you are easily distracted?
3. Would you identify yourself as a worrier?
4. Do you ever have a "self" pity party?
5. Do you find yourself easily angered by others?
6. Do you easily find fault with others?
7. Do you find yourself questioning if God really cares about you and your purpose for life?

Have you ever considered that what we think is important God often considers a distraction? How many times have we put off our time with God to tend to other business we thought was more important?

Think on these common myths that we have all come to believe from time to time:
1. Busy equals important. (God won't ask us on judgement day if we have been busy.)
2. Someone wins the rat race. (God is not interested in what we do. He is interested in who we are in Christ.)
3. Hurrying will buy us additional time. (Do we fill the extra time with more stuff?)
4. "Down time" is just wasted time. (Why did God institute the Sabbath?)

The ultimate tragedy of our busy lives is the very same thing Martha faced in the Bible. She was offered the opportunity to sit at Jesus' feet but she was distracted. Was her desire to serve Jesus the problem? Absolutely not! Martha was fretting over the huge dinner she was preparing. She wasn't focused.

"Are you at that corner of life where you do not know which way to turn? Then, for goodness sake, sit down. Sit at Jesus' feet. Look in His word and see what He has to say. It will help you with your housework. It will make you a better dishwasher. It will help you sweep the floors cleaner. You will dig a better ditch, mow a better lawn, and study your lesson better. Your work at the office will be easier, and you will be able to drive your car better. Just take time to sit at the feet of Jesus." J. Vernon McGee

I want to focus more on Christ each day and all that He has planned for my life. We are approaching a very hectic season of the year.  In the busyness of life it is easy for our lives to become unfocused and distracted. Let's be intentional as we focus on Christ and allow Him to mold us into the person of God He is calling us to be.

Blessings!

Do You Dare To Make A Difference?

For me, Monday is far more difficult to roll out of bed than any other day of the week! I am usually exhausted from the weekend and a full day of events on Sunday. My motivation when the alarm begins to "buzz' at 5am seriously needs some help! I hear Starbucks calling my name!

Do you ever feel weary in the ministry? Have you ever questioned God about how you can really make any difference in the Kingdom of God?

God has a plan for you and I and that plan is huge. He tells us in His Word that we are to be imitators of Christ. That tells me that others need to see Jesus in me even when I am tired,weary and basically worn out!

All of us can make a difference for the Kingdom of God. I feel such an urgency in my heart for those who are unsaved. People need to know that God loves them and He is returning soon for His church. Christians need to continue being "busy" about God's business. People are searching for hope in a desperate world. God offers that hope and peace to those who surrender their lives to Him.

Preaching truth in church today is not popular. Those pastor's are often labeled "old fashioned and not relevant". Well friend, when the trumpet sounds, who really cares about being relevant. I just want to know that I know that I know, without a shadow of a doubt,  that I am washed in the blood of the lamb and on my way to heaven! How about you? Do you dare to make a difference in this world?

Blessings!

Thankfulness and Thanks Living

God doesn't want our thanksgiving to be limited to one Thursday in November. He wants us to continually thank Him. He wants us to live a life of thankfulness and Thanks Living.

When we choose to give thanks to the Lord, we're paying our debt. We owe God thanksgiving. We owe him everything. But when we give Him thanks, we're paying our debts to God. When we thank Him, we're recognizing that God is the source of every good and perfect gift in our lives

Being thankful means a conscious choice to live a life that is God-centered rather than self-centered. We choose not to focus on ourselves, our wants, our desires, our needs. We choose to live a life that is totally centered in God. When we give thanks we exalt God. We glorify Him. When we do that we fulfill the purpose for which we were created. We exist to put a spotlight on God, to glorify Him.

The fact that God expects us to thank Him for His blessings in our lives, is evident in the words of Jesus, to the one lone ex-leper who returned to thank Him.

Luke 17:15 "One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed" Where are the other nine?"

God not only deserves our thanks, but He also desires them. He wants us to be grateful for His goodness and not to take it for granted.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." The apostle Paul made it clear that our giving of thanks is to be continual and not contingent. That it is to be ongoing in spite of our circumstances, not just because everything is going well. Paul was able to maintain an attitude of gratitude even though he faced some very devastating circumstances, because he held onto a proper perspective of both God and His circumstances.

Knowing that God expects us to live a life of thanksgiving rather than offering limited thanks, and knowing that we must never lose sight of God's goodness, and God's hand at work in everything we face is crucial in our Christian life. When our circumstances turn from good to bad, when the flow of God's blessings seem to be temporarily turned off in our lives, what we tend to forget is that in these moments, the world is most likely to be watching our lives. Suffering provides you and I the greatest opportunity to demonstrate the validity of Christianity at work in our lives.

I can prove my gratitude by "Thanks Living". John 14:15 "If you love me, obey me; John 14:21 The one who obeys me is the one who loves me; and because he loves me, my Father will love him; and I will too, and I will reveal myself to him. Jesus said that his followers show their love by obeying God. Love is more than lovely words. It is commitment and conduct. If we love Christ, then prove it by obeying what he says in his Word.

Christians should offer continual thanks, because the enemy is listening and watching. 1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kine of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Lions attack sick, young, or straggling animals, they choose victims who are alone or not alert. Peter warns us to watch out for Satan when we are suffering or persecuted. Feeling alone, weak, helpless, and cut off from other believers, so focused on our troubles that we forget to watch for danger, we are especially vulnerable to Satan's attacks. During times of suffering, seek other Christians for support. Keep your eyes on Christ, and resist the devil. Then, says James, "he will flee from you" (James 4:7)

Philippians 4:4, 5 Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice! Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do. It seems strange that a man in prison would be telling a church to be joyful. But Paul's attitude serves to teach us an important lesson. We have a choice to demonstrate Thanks Living even when our circumstances are everything but ideal. Paul was full of thankfulness and joy because he knew that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with him. Several times in this letter, Paul urges the Philippians to be joyful, probably because they needed to hear this. It's easy to get discouraged about unpleasant circumstances or to take unimportant events too seriously. If you haven't been joyful lately, or if you haven't been demonstrating Thanks Living lately, you may not be looking at life from the right perspective.

So let me ask on this Thanksgiving Week. What has God done for you this past year? As you reflect on your life this year, have you remembered to thank God for all that He has done in your life and family? Is your life demonstrating Thanks Living today? If not, it isn't too late to make some positive changes.

Happy Thanksgiving and blessings to you and your family!

Junk Food Produces Weak Christians!

When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my hearts delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.
Jeremiah 15:16 (NIV)

 

You can find a food court in most shopping malls. There are fast food restaurants on every corner. Food also plays a pivotal role at movies and sports events. On weekends people will wait an hour for an available table at a nice restaurant. Food definitely appears to be an important part of our culture.

You are what you eat. Our spiritual food determines the destiny of our hearts and minds.

We require food in order for our bodies to remain healthy. If we skip meals or fill up on junk food, (I love junk food!!!)  we most likely will become sick and frail. Our spiritual life requires eating God's Word daily. Skipping spiritual meals will result in frail Christianity and weak faith.

Study is ingesting and digesting, chewing and swallowing and being filled with ideas, images, thoughts, and attitudes. To browse an idea, to skim it and dabble in it is like getting a whiff of Thanksgiving dinner! As we plunge into the meat of God's Word we allow it to penetrate our hearts and minds. The Words become our life and our actions reflect Godliness. Our spiritual life becomes healthy and God uses us to accomplish His will.

Eating and digesting God's Word is a biblical concept. How many believers are suffering spiritually, relationally and emotionally because of their choice not to eat the Word of God? It is readily available to us in hardback, paperback, leather, cloth, in pink, green, iridescent orange, with maps and charts, appendices and concordances, and a little sleeve with a CD-ROM that takes you on a guided tour of the Holy Land. So what is our problem?

The spiritual food is out there just waiting for us to partake. Many have chosen to be picky eaters or desire junk food instead of healthy foods. We occasionally taste the spiritual food and sometimes even savor our bites but there is not much evidence of ingesting. We are nibbling, not devouring. We are what we eat.

On a typical evening, an average Christian may sit and watch television for 3 hours, but only read the Bible for 3 mintues. Is it any wonder many lack spiritual maturity? Many Christians are more faithful to magazines, newspapers, blogs than to the Word of God. What would happen within our churches if Christians committed themselves equally to studying God's Word and praying each day? It would definitely change their lives and the lives of those around them.

Our physical bodies need nourishment daily as well as the need for spiritual nourishment. The Bible is a mirror. The Bible shows us the things in our lives that we need to correct so that we will look like the image of God. It fine tunes our character and integrity to the likenss of our Heavenly Father.

The goal is not for us to get through the Scriptures. The goal is for the Scriptures to get through us.... ~John Orteberg~

One writer puts it this way, "Keep looking into the mirror, until you no longer see yourself, but all that you see is Christ.

Be encouraged today to get rid of the junk food and fill up on the nutrition of God's Word. He is so awesome. He never ceases to AMAZE me.  His Word encourages and offers answers to the challenges we face in this life.

Blessings friends!

Distractions

And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Matthew 17:8

Have you ever been distsracted from the things of God? 

Do you know that many times the enemy places "stuff" in our path to distract us from what God is trying to do in our lives?  Think about it.  When we are consumed with things in our lives, whether it is family issues, work, church challenges, etc., we can look too much at the problem and not the solution.  We invest alot of time and energy into worrying about how we are going to fix the situation instead of placing it at the feet of Jesus and leaving it there allowing God to deal with it.

The Bible tell us to look away from all that will distract us from focusing on Jesus. (see Hebrews 12:2.)  Jesus is certainly the source of our faith and the solution to whatever it is we may be dealing with today.  Trusting Him with our problems and challenges will build our faith and mature us as Christians.

How many distractions are competing for your attention today friend?

Blessings!

Pastor's Wives

Pastor's Wives, please check out my new blog - Mentoring Pastor's Wives. 

How Do You See Your Work Today?

I read a story recently about a man in the Middle Ages who was sent to a building site in France to observe the workers and how they felt about their labor.  He approached the first worker and asked, "What are you doing?"

The worker snapped at him, "Are you blind? I'm cutting these impossible boulders with primitive tools and putting them together the way the boss tells me.  I'm sweating under this hot sun.  My back is absolutely breaking.  I'm bored. I make next to nothing!"

The man quickly backed away and found a second worker, to whom he asked the same question, "What are you doing?"

The second worker replied, "I'm shaping these boulders into useable forms.  Then they are put together according to the architect's plans.  I earn five francs a week and that supports my wife and family.  It's a job. Could be worse."

A little encouraged but not overwhelmed by this response, the man went to yet a third worker.  "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Why can't you see?" the worker said as he lifted his arm to the sky.  "I'm building a cathedral!"

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.

Psalm 117: 1,2 NIV

How do you see your work today?  Do you look at it with drudgery with no purpose?  Do you see it as a job?  Or, do you see your work as part of God's incredible plan for your life?

This psalm gives two reasons for praising God: his great love toward us, and his faithfulness that endures forever.  If he did nothing else for us, he would still be worthy of our highest praise.

The more positive we are about our work, the greater satisfaction we have at the end of the day.  People who see value in their jobs enjoy a greater sense of purpose.

Any job can be performed with dignity, style, and purpose.  How do you choose to see it today?

Blessings!

In Other Words, Whatever Works...............

Esthermay from The Heart of a Pastor's Wife is hosting IOW today.  Check out the posts on this topic at her site.

"We Americans are pragmatists to the max. We want results, and we want them yesterday.  We want them without too much pondering and too much pain.... We have developed all kinds of Christ-coated remedies that are shallow and short-lived.  We are not, by and large, the deeply grounded saints that some of our forefathers were." - John Piper

God warns against anyone taking anything away from the scriptures, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:19 (NIV) This warning is given to those who might purposefully distort the message in this book. We must also handle the Bible with care and great respect so that we do not distort its message , even unintentionally. We should be quick to put its principles into practice in our lives.

God is calling His children to a place of spiritual perfection. We cannot achieve this assignment unless we apply and practice the instructions God has given us from His Word. A Christian's life must reflect Godliness and holiness in all areas. We cannot pick and choose which scriptures would be most suitable for our lifestyles.

There are churches all over the world preaching and teaching false doctrine from their pulpits each Sunday.  Many of these pastors are preaching false doctrine to thousands of members.  And worse than that, these churches are filled with Christians who are not able to discern truth from error because they don't know the Bible. Their relationship with Christ is weak and flimsy and as a result, they have placed themselves in the hands of the enemy, being led down a path of deception and destruction. The apostle Paul warned that false teachers would attempt to infiltrate the Christian church from both the outside and from within. (Acts 20:29-30)

The designer of a counterfeit dollar bill does not make the counterfeit bill to look different from the genuine. He designs the bill to look exactly the same as the genuine. The counterfeit dollar bill must be able to come alongside the genuine dollar bill and appear to be a true dollar bill.

Those who are trained to work with money must be trained to know the difference between a counterfeit dollar bill and a genuine dollar bill. Spiritually speaking, we can apply these same truths when it comes to exposing false doctrines or teachings that are being propagated in the body of Christ today. We must allow the Lord to minister to us and train us according to His Holy Word and by the power of His Spirit. We must be cautious that we do not allow deception to lead us into error.

A huge problem existing in the church today is that people simply do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. Many have settled for counterfeit religion filled with false teachings, much less than what God has to offer. A lack of spending quality time at the feet of Jesus in prayer has opened unending doors of deception. Many have negated the power of God because they do not know Him in the way that they should know Him. Our society has embraced everything or anything that comes from a pulpit. We have not yet learned to embrace the Cross and the Christ who died upon it.

Many people today view the Church as a place to  have their needs met.  They have no desire or will to sacrifice and serve others.  It is self-centered Christianity which focuses only on what do I get out of this church.  What is in it for me? The reason there is such turnover in the church today is because people are constantly moving to kepp getting their selfish needs met and have no desire to serve the Kingdom of God.  By failing to preach the truth from the pulpits, we are encouraging believers to become self-serving which is a deadly killer of compassion..

The seeker-driven movement with evangelical Christianity has made church like shopping.  And American Christians are out looking for the best deal.  They will turn to emptiness for fulfillment in sports, sex, drugs, possessions, relationships, education and consistently choose these things over and above God.  C.S. Lewis said, "We are half-hearted creatures like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.  We are far too easily pleased,"

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Matthew 7: 21-23)

Partial scriptures taken out of context makes "greasy grace" preaching very popular. People love that warm and fuzzy feeling and often feel irritated and uncomfortable when a preacher challenges them with the truth from God's Word. There is danger in preaching only selected scriptures and partial truths. The Bible clearly states that sin does separate us from God and no sin will enter heaven. If only part of the Bible is preached and people do not have the opportunity to hear the truth, they are being deceived into believing that they are doing well spiritually and on their way to heaven, even if they are living in sin.

Churches are convincing people that anything is acceptable because Jesus loves them. These folks are in church but not in Christ. They participate in all kinds of activities in the church but have no relationship with Christ. They are experiencing a Mr. Roger's neighborhood and are being told there is no need for salvation. Authentic Christianity results in life transformation but the truth must be preached because people's lives are hanging in the balance.

Spiritual perfection comes from seeking God, reading and meditating on His Word, and spending quality time with the Lord in prayer. These must be a part of our lives on a daily basis if we are serious about pursuing and demonstrating the character of a whole Christian. Can the people who you encounter each day see that you have a genuine relationship with Christ? Are you producing good fruit or is there an unholy mixture of bad fruit in your life? Are you seeking after the latest charismatic teaching with partial truths or are you really seeking after Him?

If we truly desire to see the power of God manifested in our lives, we must focus our eyes on the things of God. We must be willing to allow ourselves to be saturated with His Word so that we will have the ability to discern between truth and counterfeit. Spiritual perfection as a whole Christian can only be obtained by applying the entire Bible to our lives.

Blessings !

A New Day!

We may not awaken to a fantastic world each morning, but we can determine to awaken to a "brand-new day" with "brand-new" opportunities in our minds and hearts.  We can talk with the Lord and walk with Him each day. 

God is the Creator and He loves His children.  No matter what state we find oursleves in, He can create something brand new in us, for us and through us. It requires obedience, diligence and commitment from each of us to do what God is calling us to accomplish. Trusting in God's faithfulness daily makes us confident in His great promises for the future.

Blessings as you anticipate great things from a great God today!

Thankful Thursday - Trials

Many thanks to Iris at Grace Alone for hosting TT today. She has selected Trials as her theme today and is using the scripture text James 1:2-3.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2-3

As a Christian we know that it isn't a matter of "if" we face trials in this life but "when". James is saying that whenever we face the trials and challenges of life that we should welcome them and profit from them. Trials can produce amazing faith in Jesus Christ when we trust Him and allow Him to lead and guide us through difficult times. James encourages us to utilize the hardships and trials of life as teaching experiences. Allow those times to teach us perseverance and endurance.

Our depth of character is revealed when we are treading through the mud of life. Instead of complaining and whining about the challenges and struggles we may be facing we should look at them as opportunities for growth. God teaches us patience when we learn to wait and trust Him through life's challenges.

I am certain that none of us welcome hardships but we do not grow on the mountaintop. We tend to become lazy when life is great and often times slack in reading our Bibles and praying. Challenges, struggles and difficult times in our lives will bring us to a place in our Christian walk where we must rely upon God. We seek His face looking for answers and direction in our lives.

I am thankful for the opportunities God has given me to grow more in Him. He is prepping us for a greater work. As our foundation becomes stronger in Christ, the doors of opportunity will continue to multiply.

Blessings friends!

Having "One of Those Days"?

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Recently I had "one of those days" where nothing seemed to go right. I awoke at 5am and took the dogs out for the routine potty break. When I returned outside to bring them back into the house, somehow I missed the steps coming off our patio and landed on the pavers! Luckily it was still dark outside so no one saw me!! I managed to catch myself going down and braced my fall with my hands. Needless to say, I scraped my elbow, and my knee and jolted my shoulder but was very thankful that I had not broken any bones.

Recently my husband replaced the lock on the front door of our home. I had given the extra door key to our daughter who cleans our house each week. Brooke does so much for me and I am so thankful for her. With my hectic schedule I don't know how I would get everything accomplished without her. As I was leaving for work that same morning that I had fallen, after the front door slammed behind me, I realized that I had forgotten my cell phone. My driver's license and debit card are also in the case with my phone. As I reached for my house key I realized that Bobby had never had another key made so I was locked out of the house! He was still sleeping and our bedroom is upstairs in the back of the house. I rang the doorbell a zillion times and even the dogs didn't hear anything!! I pounded on the door but finally realized that nothing would wake him. I drove to my daughter's home, pounded on her door :-), and asked her to please call her dad and tell him to bring my cell phone downstairs and open the door!! After I arrived at work he called me to ask why I had not used my key to unlock the door..... and then he quickly remembered that he forgot to get a key made for me. He apologized and really felt bad about what had happened. That was certainly "one of those days"!

Maybe you are having "one of those days" today but it isn't exactly that sort of day. Is this "one of those days" where God is nudging you to do something for Him that is His special assignment? As Christians we never know what God is planning for us in the next second. Serving Him is exciting and adventurous. The scriptures encourages us to stand firm in the faith, be strong, behave courageously, be on our guard against spiritual dangers, and do everything with kindness and in love.

Even when we experience "one of those days" God is doing a work in our lives. Don't allow the disappointments of this life to overshadow the joy from the Lord. God is still on the throne and He is still in control my friend! He loves you and only desires the best for your life. Allow Him to have His way today. He can turn "one of those days" into an incredible opportunity to do something awesome for the Kingdom.

Blessings!

Busy, Busy, Busy

It was a great weekend! Life has been extremely busy and I really miss blogging. This is going to be a very busy week as well prepping for the upcoming Equipping Conference Saturday.

I am posting a few photos from our Harvest Fest Community Outreach on Saturday. It was a great day!