I'm really thankful that God is jealous for me...for you! It's kinda something we don't talk about much....God being jealous for us, but He is. You are so special to Him because He made you unique and beautiful as you are and He wants me and you!!!
It's not a coming and going kind of jealousy that we often experience here on earth (for example a favorite item that your friend has that you want or more for me it could be watching a horse trainer doing amazing things with their horses and wanting so bad to have that kind of relationship and fame with my horses!)....With God it's a relentless pursuit! He pursues us. Sometimes I feel that I need to pursue God every second in order to be loved by Him, but He's constantly reminding me that He's jealous of me and even pursues me when I'm flopping! I laughed a bit when I came to this realization because no one loves me like that. Let's face it, I don't have much to offer even on a good day. God's jealousy is strong enough to love me and pursue me when I'm running away, ignoring Him, want nothing to do with Him, or searching for answers, or caught up in a whirlwind of life matters, or just plain flopping, etc. The flopping doesn't bother Him at all! He pursues us all the more it seems!
Recently, I was focused on something else and really thought I'd get an answer by doing this thing but I found it very unsatisfying. I later came to realize that I had put my entire trust/hope in the wrong thing and when my high hopes came crashing down, I questioned God and my motives. What God really did was instead of satisfying me with an answer that was not directly through Him, He made me thirsty and cry out for an answer directly from Him. Since God was jealous for me, He wanted to be the only one to supply my need! Not through someone else. Not through circumstances. Not through my own reasoning. Not by chance. Through Him! It's so very satisfying when relief and satisfaction comes through God. It's a moment to soak in for sure! I long for those moments!
I'm sure there are other reasons why God lets us be unsatisfied or find satisfaction through things other than Him, but one of the reasons I believe that God does this is to draw us closer to Him and to make us realize that He alone holds the answers we long for (even if they take forever getting to us....or seem to never come) because of His jealously for us! He longs for us to love Him and will do anything to get our hearts and minds focused back to Him. I love that! God's jealous for me, and will do anything to get my attention and love!
Sometimes it's good to focus on how much we are loved by God. Then praise God for how much He loves you! I'm grateful that God is jealous for me!
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Monday, February 5, 2018
Sink or Swim. When God asks for your life-jacket....
I'm scared to be in big bodies of water...I'm no beach bum nor do I get excited for water sports or crossing bridges, but I had a scare with water when I was young so hence the caution. I can't imagine why God put a water story for me in my brain today other than I really must need it. The story goes like this...
I'm on a boat, big enough to have a small deck above and below it. Not sure what I'm doing on a boat as it didn't make much sense at the time but I had a few ship mates as well...we all served the Captain (who was later revealed to me as God) of our ship and we all were given one life-vest in case of an emergency.
I'm not exactly at smooth-sailing in my life right now so you can bet that boat found a horrific storm! Pelting rain, hideously loud thunder and lightning streaks were the only way of seeing in the darkness that swallowed our boat. The storm raged for days and we all suffered, but most of the crew could sleep, while I was fully awake a fearful tossing and turning on my sleep turns. The crew of the small ship tried their very best to control the boat under the Captains orders but the waves were too strong and the order of "Life-jackets on!" made my heart in my chest drop to the ground. Great! I hated storms and being stuck in the middle of the ocean on angry waters and winds was not my idea of adventure. With my life-jacket securely on, I tried my best to help the crew, but I really didn't know what I was doing. Water was everywhere and I knew the boat would surely sink or be tossed under the angry waves. I was thankful for my life jacket. It was my security and only hope of surviving clear out here and in these conditions. But the Captain called me to his quarters where He asked me to take off my life-jacket and give it to him. WHAT? I cautiously questioned his authority....I'll die without my life-jacket?! I mean really we all know the Captain goes down with the ship right? He's been out in storms before why make me who knows nothing of how to do anything with a ship or fears water....why should I have to go without my life jacket?
I handed the Captain my life-jacket, the one thing I had, the only thing I had was now his. I gave all I had to him. Stunned and shocked I began to look for another life-jacket...it was hard being tossed to a fro and look at the same time....I asked the crew for help and none of them would give up their life-jacket for me either....a couple of them said to trust the Captain. But how could they know what it was like to not have a life-jacket when they all had one on!!!!??? It was no use....no spare life jackets were found and while the crew was either swept over or abandoning ship with a chance to live and succeed through this storm I was forced to stay aboard and sink with the ship. The Captain, who was by this time the last one besides me on the boat, found me again. I thought how strange that He isn't wearing my life-jacket just holding it close to his side. As if taunting me he looked directly at me and said, "It's up to you, either you sink or swim." Now alone on the steadily sinking boat, I began to search for things that may be able to yet save me. However, it seemed that whatever I found was already broken, old and rusted out, or too weak and powerless to hold hope in. I couldn't believe the Captain would leave me here all alone to die so I yelled and cried, Why my life jacket? Why couldn't he have left me that life-jacket? Didn't He know that was my only sense of security the only thing I owned that could get me through this storm and He takes it away? Why? He didn't even use or need it? Why did He leave me here all alone.....no one would be coming to my rescue.
As I was tossed overboard, I remembered my Captains words....what was I to do sink and drown or swim and keep swimming? Where though? Where do I swim? Shore could be so many different directions.....which way do I go?......could I reach the shore before tiring out and drowning....what if a fish attacked me?
I decided to swim. I picked the direction the waves were pushing me and then prayed I could keep swimming....How long was I to swim and where would this swim lead me?
Suddenly I knew who had my life-jacket. I knew where my security was....I knew where hope could be found. It wasn't in that life-jacket at all. It wasn't in the securities I let go of. Hope was resting in knowing that God was holding my life-jacket, the very one I gave up for Him when he asked me too. I hadn't realized it but I indeed left my hopes and securities in His hands and I knew whether I sank or continued to swim, God was always going to hang onto what I gave Him which sometimes isn't much at all and sometimes it all looks bad but He'll never let go of what I give Him.
So now I'm swimming because sinking isn't an option right now. Could I still sink? Yes, I could sink....I've done it a couple times already, but when Peter began to sink He called out to Jesus and Jesus caught Peter. So I have to believe that if I sink, my Captain, my God and my Jesus will be there to catch me and pull me out of the world and storm that's making me sink. After all, He's pulled me up from sinking a few times already.
I may be swimming alone right now. You ever struggled with something that no one seems to understand...maybe you're swimming alone right now too....it's ok we need to go it alone sometimes. Have all your options run out? Is what you've trusted in gone? God wants you to swim and renew your trust and hope in Him as sometimes you gotta get tossed into the middle of the storm to see exactly where your hope lies...Is your Hope lying in Jesus's hands?
Who's holding your life-jacket today?
Your hopes not in the life-jacket, but the One who holds your life-jacket!
I'm on a boat, big enough to have a small deck above and below it. Not sure what I'm doing on a boat as it didn't make much sense at the time but I had a few ship mates as well...we all served the Captain (who was later revealed to me as God) of our ship and we all were given one life-vest in case of an emergency.
I'm not exactly at smooth-sailing in my life right now so you can bet that boat found a horrific storm! Pelting rain, hideously loud thunder and lightning streaks were the only way of seeing in the darkness that swallowed our boat. The storm raged for days and we all suffered, but most of the crew could sleep, while I was fully awake a fearful tossing and turning on my sleep turns. The crew of the small ship tried their very best to control the boat under the Captains orders but the waves were too strong and the order of "Life-jackets on!" made my heart in my chest drop to the ground. Great! I hated storms and being stuck in the middle of the ocean on angry waters and winds was not my idea of adventure. With my life-jacket securely on, I tried my best to help the crew, but I really didn't know what I was doing. Water was everywhere and I knew the boat would surely sink or be tossed under the angry waves. I was thankful for my life jacket. It was my security and only hope of surviving clear out here and in these conditions. But the Captain called me to his quarters where He asked me to take off my life-jacket and give it to him. WHAT? I cautiously questioned his authority....I'll die without my life-jacket?! I mean really we all know the Captain goes down with the ship right? He's been out in storms before why make me who knows nothing of how to do anything with a ship or fears water....why should I have to go without my life jacket?
I handed the Captain my life-jacket, the one thing I had, the only thing I had was now his. I gave all I had to him. Stunned and shocked I began to look for another life-jacket...it was hard being tossed to a fro and look at the same time....I asked the crew for help and none of them would give up their life-jacket for me either....a couple of them said to trust the Captain. But how could they know what it was like to not have a life-jacket when they all had one on!!!!??? It was no use....no spare life jackets were found and while the crew was either swept over or abandoning ship with a chance to live and succeed through this storm I was forced to stay aboard and sink with the ship. The Captain, who was by this time the last one besides me on the boat, found me again. I thought how strange that He isn't wearing my life-jacket just holding it close to his side. As if taunting me he looked directly at me and said, "It's up to you, either you sink or swim." Now alone on the steadily sinking boat, I began to search for things that may be able to yet save me. However, it seemed that whatever I found was already broken, old and rusted out, or too weak and powerless to hold hope in. I couldn't believe the Captain would leave me here all alone to die so I yelled and cried, Why my life jacket? Why couldn't he have left me that life-jacket? Didn't He know that was my only sense of security the only thing I owned that could get me through this storm and He takes it away? Why? He didn't even use or need it? Why did He leave me here all alone.....no one would be coming to my rescue.
As I was tossed overboard, I remembered my Captains words....what was I to do sink and drown or swim and keep swimming? Where though? Where do I swim? Shore could be so many different directions.....which way do I go?......could I reach the shore before tiring out and drowning....what if a fish attacked me?
I decided to swim. I picked the direction the waves were pushing me and then prayed I could keep swimming....How long was I to swim and where would this swim lead me?
Suddenly I knew who had my life-jacket. I knew where my security was....I knew where hope could be found. It wasn't in that life-jacket at all. It wasn't in the securities I let go of. Hope was resting in knowing that God was holding my life-jacket, the very one I gave up for Him when he asked me too. I hadn't realized it but I indeed left my hopes and securities in His hands and I knew whether I sank or continued to swim, God was always going to hang onto what I gave Him which sometimes isn't much at all and sometimes it all looks bad but He'll never let go of what I give Him.
So now I'm swimming because sinking isn't an option right now. Could I still sink? Yes, I could sink....I've done it a couple times already, but when Peter began to sink He called out to Jesus and Jesus caught Peter. So I have to believe that if I sink, my Captain, my God and my Jesus will be there to catch me and pull me out of the world and storm that's making me sink. After all, He's pulled me up from sinking a few times already.
I may be swimming alone right now. You ever struggled with something that no one seems to understand...maybe you're swimming alone right now too....it's ok we need to go it alone sometimes. Have all your options run out? Is what you've trusted in gone? God wants you to swim and renew your trust and hope in Him as sometimes you gotta get tossed into the middle of the storm to see exactly where your hope lies...Is your Hope lying in Jesus's hands?
Who's holding your life-jacket today?
Your hopes not in the life-jacket, but the One who holds your life-jacket!
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
Searching for God's will-2018 Battle Cry
Did you miss me keyboard? We haven't had a touching moment together for awhile! I've needed to type but it seems I'm having a hard time putting life's matters into words. Words can be tricky can't they. We can say things we don't mean to say quite easily, and yet when it comes to something healing and loving it can be few and far in between. Why is it so hard for me sometimes?!
Sometimes I think that God can be few worded and far in between with the words I need desperately from Him. I'm not alone in this as the Psalmists wrote about wanting God's help, refuge, strength, and direction. There are a few prayers I pray that have not been answered, and it's frustrating. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to understand what God's trying to tell me, maybe I'm not in tune or blocking Him out, or maybe I'm being too loud, or maybe I'm not trusting God enough.
Recently, I heard lots of songs about giving God control and trusting Him on the radio. I know they were all played for me from God.
ALL my life....I've heeded the messages of waiting on the Lord...though I admit I wasn't patient and there were times of failing, but I waited....yet still nothing as yet another year passes and another year praying.
Yes...The Israelite's waited 40 years in the dessert before they could enter the Promised Land, I told myself. Wow! I'll be 67! Can waiting turn into rotting? Because I'm pretty sure that's just what my body will be doing!
Last year, I asked God for courage and He provided some for me. With His help, I was able to do many things I thought never possible. In many ways, He has answered my prayers and I'm so very grateful.
Fear often grips me (for whatever reasons) and so I ignore the dreaded fear or run as fast as I can to get away from it to get relief and find safety and control! I was surprised when God used some of my greatest fears and "out of my controls's" this year and turned them into my greatest spiritual/God moments of the year!
A thought came to me....what if waiting was me running away from a fear? What if I need to be bold and go courageously into the unknown? What if I changed my passions to acts of compassion? What if I traded my securities for insecurities? What if I traded my distrust in God for trust in God? Dared to help others more than myself? Dared to live life with very little and give alot? What if all this waiting is just an excuse not to face my fears?
This year, 2018, will be a year I strain to face my fears (or at least a few of them) so that I can give God total control. Yes. That means I could end up doing things that people/the world don't understand why I'm doing and honestly, I won't understand either, but I know I can trust God. He is the one that got me through 2017 and if He wills it...2018.
However, the times I've been most successful are generally filled with moments of facing my fears and letting go of "my self" and giving God total control...it's not when I make myself a success, it's more like when I let God use me for what He designed me for which is good and pleasing to Him no matter how little I have to offer Him. And these are also the times I feel most loved by Him since He doesn't have to use me, but chooses to because He loves me.
What if I traded my distrust in God for trust in God? To myself I ask this question. What's causing me to not fully trust God? Since I've been praying much (at least for me) about my future and God's will for my life and not getting a direct answer.....it can cause me to think God doesn't care about me....or has no future plans for me....(Am I dying soon?)...or needs me to wait.....did I pray the wrong prayers? or maybe I need to simply trust God and do what He wants of me right now. Don't worry about what the world says, or what others are doing or saying, or what those mocking voices in your head are screaming.
I've found that God is more than happy to give us ideas of what we could be doing for Him right now! I just get wrapped up in the many things I'm not doing for Him sometimes and then end up with doing nothing. Or tell Him that what He wants won't matter.... and I'm only interested in the long run or ending result....If I were only interested in what my horses gave me in the long run or end result...that would mean, I didn't really care about all those little moments of growth and love we shared with each other through our training and relationship building. Those little moments just didn't matter! Hmmm...they didn't matter? I'd say those little steps of training have helped make my horses into something wonderful and have helped to keep me safe working with them by not skipping little things. Don't you see that little steps help in the long run?
Letting God speak to your heart about the little seemingly unimportant things can only lead to Him helping you with the bigger more important/pressing things and maybe even the pressing/important things won't seem that pressing when you are listening to a loving God who gently holds what's best for you.....So go ahead...do what God wants of you today! It matters even if it's just between you and Him.
Below are some fun pics to get me "jump" started this year! They remind me of how sometimes we need to take action and fiercely fight our worldly desires in searching for God's will in our lives. The other picture reminds me of resting in knowing that God desires to have a close relationship with each of us and wants us to trust Him fully.
Needing a purpose?
Sometimes I think that God can be few worded and far in between with the words I need desperately from Him. I'm not alone in this as the Psalmists wrote about wanting God's help, refuge, strength, and direction. There are a few prayers I pray that have not been answered, and it's frustrating. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to understand what God's trying to tell me, maybe I'm not in tune or blocking Him out, or maybe I'm being too loud, or maybe I'm not trusting God enough.
Recently, I heard lots of songs about giving God control and trusting Him on the radio. I know they were all played for me from God.
ALL my life....I've heeded the messages of waiting on the Lord...though I admit I wasn't patient and there were times of failing, but I waited....yet still nothing as yet another year passes and another year praying.
Yes...The Israelite's waited 40 years in the dessert before they could enter the Promised Land, I told myself. Wow! I'll be 67! Can waiting turn into rotting? Because I'm pretty sure that's just what my body will be doing!
Last year, I asked God for courage and He provided some for me. With His help, I was able to do many things I thought never possible. In many ways, He has answered my prayers and I'm so very grateful.
Fear often grips me (for whatever reasons) and so I ignore the dreaded fear or run as fast as I can to get away from it to get relief and find safety and control! I was surprised when God used some of my greatest fears and "out of my controls's" this year and turned them into my greatest spiritual/God moments of the year!
A thought came to me....what if waiting was me running away from a fear? What if I need to be bold and go courageously into the unknown? What if I changed my passions to acts of compassion? What if I traded my securities for insecurities? What if I traded my distrust in God for trust in God? Dared to help others more than myself? Dared to live life with very little and give alot? What if all this waiting is just an excuse not to face my fears?
This year, 2018, will be a year I strain to face my fears (or at least a few of them) so that I can give God total control. Yes. That means I could end up doing things that people/the world don't understand why I'm doing and honestly, I won't understand either, but I know I can trust God. He is the one that got me through 2017 and if He wills it...2018.
Romans 12:2(NLT) 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
I think the above verse will be my verse of the 2018 year! I really really want to know God's will for my life, but the customs and behaviors of this world keep pressures on me almost constantly! And yes, I've been known to explode because of them. After all I'm getting older and should already be a parent, or at least married or moved out, have a well paying job, sound investments, and retirement plans and future plans in order....That's a successful life to our world here in America.However, the times I've been most successful are generally filled with moments of facing my fears and letting go of "my self" and giving God total control...it's not when I make myself a success, it's more like when I let God use me for what He designed me for which is good and pleasing to Him no matter how little I have to offer Him. And these are also the times I feel most loved by Him since He doesn't have to use me, but chooses to because He loves me.
What if I traded my distrust in God for trust in God? To myself I ask this question. What's causing me to not fully trust God? Since I've been praying much (at least for me) about my future and God's will for my life and not getting a direct answer.....it can cause me to think God doesn't care about me....or has no future plans for me....(Am I dying soon?)...or needs me to wait.....did I pray the wrong prayers? or maybe I need to simply trust God and do what He wants of me right now. Don't worry about what the world says, or what others are doing or saying, or what those mocking voices in your head are screaming.
I've found that God is more than happy to give us ideas of what we could be doing for Him right now! I just get wrapped up in the many things I'm not doing for Him sometimes and then end up with doing nothing. Or tell Him that what He wants won't matter.... and I'm only interested in the long run or ending result....If I were only interested in what my horses gave me in the long run or end result...that would mean, I didn't really care about all those little moments of growth and love we shared with each other through our training and relationship building. Those little moments just didn't matter! Hmmm...they didn't matter? I'd say those little steps of training have helped make my horses into something wonderful and have helped to keep me safe working with them by not skipping little things. Don't you see that little steps help in the long run?
Letting God speak to your heart about the little seemingly unimportant things can only lead to Him helping you with the bigger more important/pressing things and maybe even the pressing/important things won't seem that pressing when you are listening to a loving God who gently holds what's best for you.....So go ahead...do what God wants of you today! It matters even if it's just between you and Him.
Below are some fun pics to get me "jump" started this year! They remind me of how sometimes we need to take action and fiercely fight our worldly desires in searching for God's will in our lives. The other picture reminds me of resting in knowing that God desires to have a close relationship with each of us and wants us to trust Him fully.
Needing a purpose?
Philippians 3:10Amplified Bible10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Running Away
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us...
Have you ever wanted to quit? Ever considered yourself a runner? Living in a go-git er done world, it's hard not to run a race everyday...running here and there....Is there a purpose to it? So I questioned myself...Where am I going in this race? Why am I straining so hard but feeling like I'm on the treadmill--just running and going nowhere?
What really got me was this answer. Those still small quiet answers that get shoved under the mat because we don't want to embrace the truth of it.
If you're not running to God, you're running away from Him.
I should end it right here because honestly it's pretty convicting to me. How many times a day do I run to God? Not near enough. Maybe I even skip a day...
"Throw off everything that hinders" What's getting in the way of you running to God? A lack of time....confidence in yourself.....good/bad health....a distrust of God....your kids....your job....your spouse.....your problems.....your favorite tv show.... Lots of things can hinder our running and not all of them are bad things as long as they are not consuming our running.....if they do you are not running you are "treadmilling" and headed no where.
"And the sin that so easily entangles" So maybe you're running hard. Maybe you're running so hard that the cold breeze of past and present sins are sending teardrops to your eyes and causing you to be blinded and unable to see where you are running. Running this fast and distracted you find yourself entangled in another sin (a future sin you could have avoided if you weren't running distracted) which entangles your legs and you trip causing you to fall flat on your face. Yes, the Bible says it's easy to get tangled up! I've been here lots too....the hurt you feel is crippling to your race as you get up wondering how you can run with a face you can't feel anymore and eyes that can't see past your streaming tears.
"Run with perseverance" It's really really easy to quit here isn't it. Honestly, I've quit before... You're running to God, but you can't see Him and then "this" happens.....the only thing you can see right now is your bloody, teary-eyed face. Perseverance has the word severe (at least it almost does) in it. This race we run will be severe at times and we will have to persevere! Maybe this means we run with a limp or we take a step and fall again and again, but you'll still be running if you are persevering. ;) also the Bible doesn't say run with loveliness, blissfulness and perfectness it's perseverance...we should not take this race lightly...it will require lots of perseverance!
HEBREWS 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
I get really excited for this part! You get up and fix your eyes on Jesus. You can't see him but...Picture Him enduring the cross, dying for us enduring our shame and rising up from the dead to prove that death can not keep us in the grave if we fix our eyes on Jesus and keep running to Him! He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith that means while you're running He's turning you into the runner He intends you to be to make the most of the race He has given you to run! He want to be your personal pioneer or head coach! He wants to be the One that explores/owns your heart and settles your fears and helps you overcome race obstacles!
We need to consider Jesus when our bloody, teary-eyed, broken heart and body is ready to quit the race. Remember what He did for you so you don't lose heart/quit.
Heard this in a song the other day talking about God..."It must be hard to be everywhere in the world and not be seen by anyone."
I've got to start noticing and "seeing" God....I've got to get off the treadmill and get back in the race running to God.....running for God!
If I'm not running to God, I'm running away from Him and I don't want to Ever be away from Him!
Dear Jesus, pioneer me to Heaven!
Open plains are all around me
With dangers I can and can not see
Dear Jesus, keep me on the path to Heaven
So I can live forever with you in Eternity.
Have you ever wanted to quit? Ever considered yourself a runner? Living in a go-git er done world, it's hard not to run a race everyday...running here and there....Is there a purpose to it? So I questioned myself...Where am I going in this race? Why am I straining so hard but feeling like I'm on the treadmill--just running and going nowhere?
What really got me was this answer. Those still small quiet answers that get shoved under the mat because we don't want to embrace the truth of it.
If you're not running to God, you're running away from Him.
I should end it right here because honestly it's pretty convicting to me. How many times a day do I run to God? Not near enough. Maybe I even skip a day...
"Throw off everything that hinders" What's getting in the way of you running to God? A lack of time....confidence in yourself.....good/bad health....a distrust of God....your kids....your job....your spouse.....your problems.....your favorite tv show.... Lots of things can hinder our running and not all of them are bad things as long as they are not consuming our running.....if they do you are not running you are "treadmilling" and headed no where.
"And the sin that so easily entangles" So maybe you're running hard. Maybe you're running so hard that the cold breeze of past and present sins are sending teardrops to your eyes and causing you to be blinded and unable to see where you are running. Running this fast and distracted you find yourself entangled in another sin (a future sin you could have avoided if you weren't running distracted) which entangles your legs and you trip causing you to fall flat on your face. Yes, the Bible says it's easy to get tangled up! I've been here lots too....the hurt you feel is crippling to your race as you get up wondering how you can run with a face you can't feel anymore and eyes that can't see past your streaming tears.
"Run with perseverance" It's really really easy to quit here isn't it. Honestly, I've quit before... You're running to God, but you can't see Him and then "this" happens.....the only thing you can see right now is your bloody, teary-eyed face. Perseverance has the word severe (at least it almost does) in it. This race we run will be severe at times and we will have to persevere! Maybe this means we run with a limp or we take a step and fall again and again, but you'll still be running if you are persevering. ;) also the Bible doesn't say run with loveliness, blissfulness and perfectness it's perseverance...we should not take this race lightly...it will require lots of perseverance!
HEBREWS 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
I get really excited for this part! You get up and fix your eyes on Jesus. You can't see him but...Picture Him enduring the cross, dying for us enduring our shame and rising up from the dead to prove that death can not keep us in the grave if we fix our eyes on Jesus and keep running to Him! He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith that means while you're running He's turning you into the runner He intends you to be to make the most of the race He has given you to run! He want to be your personal pioneer or head coach! He wants to be the One that explores/owns your heart and settles your fears and helps you overcome race obstacles!
We need to consider Jesus when our bloody, teary-eyed, broken heart and body is ready to quit the race. Remember what He did for you so you don't lose heart/quit.
Heard this in a song the other day talking about God..."It must be hard to be everywhere in the world and not be seen by anyone."
I've got to start noticing and "seeing" God....I've got to get off the treadmill and get back in the race running to God.....running for God!
If I'm not running to God, I'm running away from Him and I don't want to Ever be away from Him!
Dear Jesus, pioneer me to Heaven!
Open plains are all around me
With dangers I can and can not see
Dear Jesus, keep me on the path to Heaven
So I can live forever with you in Eternity.
Thursday, July 13, 2017
"You're a God who has all things, and you still want me!"
The title is from a song, called "I need you to love me." It can be hard to comprehend that a God who is powerful enough to make mountains, oceans, space, animals, tornadoes, towering trees, etc...could love me...us.
Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.
After seeing all that He has created and coming to realize that you want to serve Him forever it makes you want to go above and beyond to make your Creator proud/glad He made you. However, this is the hard part. I am learning I don't have to do anything to make Him love me. He loves everyone so much. God just wants your heart. Not your talents, money, fame, health, family, etc. He gave you all that anyways...He just wants your heart. Once you give Him your heart....He will treasure it always and promises to take us to Heaven to live with Him...again not by our good deeds, but because of His steadfast (unending, never empty, always full) love.
Romans 5:8 God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
It feels as though I'm caught in a heavy downpour of rain as my body struggles with health issues again. I find myself asking God for an umbrella. If I could just get out of this downpour for awhile and get a chance to dry! If I could just get out of the pelting rain! If you'd shelter me more, I could serve you better. But those are my thoughts.
As I picture myself drenched in the middle of no where (not even a tree to stand under), I find myself panicking that I'll be stuck here forever and I'll never do anything of worth again! As my tears mix with the rain, I imagine God looking down on me with love and saying something like this. "Sandy, I know you're really wet, but you know that I am in charge of this rain and I won't let you drown! I've got your heart! You ask me for an umbrella....I AM YOUR UMBRELLA!! I need you to go through this rain because there are those going through rain without their Umbrella. You'll always have an Umbrella.
....I forget that my umbrella is God.....in the pounding rain, things get so hard to see and I forget that I have a shelter forever in Heaven....but right now it's raining.
So God please abide with me while it rains, never leave me, don't let me drown, don't ever let me go!
God, Thanks for your promises and steadfast love.
Friday, July 7, 2017
The Problem with Church
It may not surprise you to hear that anxiety and depression is the most popular illness in America. Christianity is the largest religion in America. Though I'm not sure how the world defines Christian these days, God still defines it by a close relationship with us. No amount of religion and regulations can get you to Heaven....only the belief that God sent His son, Jesus, to die for us and all our sins. What's God want? You're heart. I try to give Him many things as a means of thanks or maybe to help ease my conscience, or even to say look what I did now I can feel better about myself! But as a song I listened to stated....We were never capable of saving ourselves, so why do we think we can now?
Do you get to that point? I'm a Christian! I shouldn't be dealing with depression....self-centeredness.....anger......lust......jealousy......fear.......worthlessness.....envy.......(add your own list).
The biggest problem I see with churches is this: No one is comfortable with the whole body of Christ. Sure, you as a finger can get along with the other fingers, but boy watch out for the leg and foot and...steer clear of the head!
It's just this human process we go through....We pick out people who meet our standards and push out the ones who don't. It's like we've set up classes and standards within our churches!
Thank goodness, God does not have a set of "must have" standards for us sinners!! That's what you and I are..... sinners. Saved sinners if we believe in God, but we still sin. Sometimes we think we know God's standards....but it comes down to our hearts, not our deeds. (Phew!)
God designed the church for a purpose....a beautiful purpose that is being overtaken by our crafty adversary (satan<--he's not worthy of a capital letter). He wants churches to be smaller. He wants you to feel alone and a misfit. He wants church to become entertaining so you can forget the need of a perfect lamb Jesus, slaughtered for you and me out of love!
Church was designed to bring believers together. No not for lunch. Not for a talented speaker. Not for the band or choir. Not for checking in on everyone's career's and talking about the weather, etc (though I don't have a problem with that..)...but for hearing God's word and then doing something about it with the other believers helping us out with this too! I wonder what it would be like to go to a church and tell everyone to sit in a circle and say what they're struggling with or at least write it down on a piece of paper. If you had truthful answers, we'd probably have similar struggles. That's why God designed the church. He knows we need each other to encourage, love and pray for each other. But how can we do this if we're not ok with the body?
Church should be the greatest place on earth and the most visited......but it's not. Instead we crowd bars, stadiums, restaurants, entertainment, doctors offices, etc. because we want a cure, a stress relief, and attention. Maybe we've just given up on church and do our own church or maybe we don't go at all.
If there's one thing we all desire it's to be loved and that is something our churches can't provide unless our bodies are fully functioning. It starts with us. We are the body of Christ. Want churches to grow? Extend your love. Not just to the ones like you. You could also pray that God leads you to people who need love and encouragement and when you need some don't be afraid to ask for prayer. It's why God designed the church.
One more thought for you, Sandy. (Yes these blogs are for me especially) Just because a Christian struggles with depression, anger, self-worth, pride, strength, fear, lust, envy, etc doesn't mean they are no longer a Christian. Nor does it mean that God does not love them anymore. It's all about their heart. It's about seeing how much God still loves them and how He won't let them go. It's about reaching for God's hand in the dark and knowing He'll grab yours....even when you can't feel it.
Do you get to that point? I'm a Christian! I shouldn't be dealing with depression....self-centeredness.....anger......lust......jealousy......fear.......worthlessness.....envy.......(add your own list).
The biggest problem I see with churches is this: No one is comfortable with the whole body of Christ. Sure, you as a finger can get along with the other fingers, but boy watch out for the leg and foot and...steer clear of the head!
It's just this human process we go through....We pick out people who meet our standards and push out the ones who don't. It's like we've set up classes and standards within our churches!
Thank goodness, God does not have a set of "must have" standards for us sinners!! That's what you and I are..... sinners. Saved sinners if we believe in God, but we still sin. Sometimes we think we know God's standards....but it comes down to our hearts, not our deeds. (Phew!)
God designed the church for a purpose....a beautiful purpose that is being overtaken by our crafty adversary (satan<--he's not worthy of a capital letter). He wants churches to be smaller. He wants you to feel alone and a misfit. He wants church to become entertaining so you can forget the need of a perfect lamb Jesus, slaughtered for you and me out of love!
Church was designed to bring believers together. No not for lunch. Not for a talented speaker. Not for the band or choir. Not for checking in on everyone's career's and talking about the weather, etc (though I don't have a problem with that..)...but for hearing God's word and then doing something about it with the other believers helping us out with this too! I wonder what it would be like to go to a church and tell everyone to sit in a circle and say what they're struggling with or at least write it down on a piece of paper. If you had truthful answers, we'd probably have similar struggles. That's why God designed the church. He knows we need each other to encourage, love and pray for each other. But how can we do this if we're not ok with the body?
Church should be the greatest place on earth and the most visited......but it's not. Instead we crowd bars, stadiums, restaurants, entertainment, doctors offices, etc. because we want a cure, a stress relief, and attention. Maybe we've just given up on church and do our own church or maybe we don't go at all.
If there's one thing we all desire it's to be loved and that is something our churches can't provide unless our bodies are fully functioning. It starts with us. We are the body of Christ. Want churches to grow? Extend your love. Not just to the ones like you. You could also pray that God leads you to people who need love and encouragement and when you need some don't be afraid to ask for prayer. It's why God designed the church.
One more thought for you, Sandy. (Yes these blogs are for me especially) Just because a Christian struggles with depression, anger, self-worth, pride, strength, fear, lust, envy, etc doesn't mean they are no longer a Christian. Nor does it mean that God does not love them anymore. It's all about their heart. It's about seeing how much God still loves them and how He won't let them go. It's about reaching for God's hand in the dark and knowing He'll grab yours....even when you can't feel it.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Is Love Really That Important?
What do you do with a world full of hurt, hate, and hardness? How does God view us? How can He even love us? Our human minds are not equipped for the answer, "God loves you." Right. I don't believe that. Wait...what do I have to do? What's the catch? I'm not good enough to love.....I've made too many mistakes......I've got nothing to offer.....maybe you don't even care....
We often think of love as something we show only to those who are nice to us...or who deserve to be loved....those who haven't hurt us...those who did something for us. ...but is that really knowing how to love? Why do we need to know how to love?
Consider this: God knew that this world is full of hurt, hate, and hardness, but He still sent His son, Jesus, to die for us (all our sins) anyway. That's something we (I) have a hard time grasping at times. Are you sure that blood is powerful enough to cleanse my sins forever?!! I keep sinning....do you have enough to last?!!! Yes. That blood is powerful but even more powerful is God's LOVE. He chose to love me. He chose to love you. (before we were even born, He wanted to save us) Not because you and I deserved it....He knows you and I are worth it. He desires to spend forever with us! He has enough love and more to last for you and I our entire lives.
You're worth something.
Knowing this can be life-changing...feeling God's love can be overwhelmingly wonderful. I'm the type that needs to feel God's love (I'm weak in that way) but I assure you God answers our desperate needs and cries anyways.
It's hard to be in the world and have the world not rub off on you. God knows this. That's why He wants you to come to Him so He can rub Himself off on you. Bring the pain, the hate, the hurts and the hardness and surrender them to God. This could be an everyday occurrence if you're like me. Maybe this is a good thing though that will keep us running to God.
I have a Ken Davis dvd called Super Sheep. Great message! Get it! Jesus says (John 16:33) you will have trouble and tribulations. I appreciated how Ken pointed out that this is Jesus talking (so pay attention) it's not you may have.... you might.... it's You Will Have Trouble! Then Jesus says so be at peace be happy because He has overcome the world. Don't let the troubles win....If you're with Jesus they won't win over you....You belong to the One who has overcome this troubled world.
I get so pumped sometimes to know that Jesus loves me I completely and totally go "Crazy Christian!" I see a room full of people (this normally scares me I'm a total introvert) and happen to have this sudden rush of love to hug each and everyone of them in the room and tell them Jesus loves me and you!!! YAY!
I can also go "Numb Christian" and forget how much God does loves me and not show any love to the people standing in the room and go completely opposite of the "Crazy Christian."
I think we're afraid to be Crazy Christians at times because we're unsure of how people will take our love...(I can just see all the reactions of faces if I hugged every person in a room...haha! But wouldn't God do that!)....will they take it the right way? Will they be afraid? Is it a stupid idea? What will they think or say? They'll think I'm crazy!! Does it really matter? Do I really have to show them love? Some one else would do better.... So we talk ourselves out of a love act....
It comes down to a few questions for me: Do I really love God enough to do what He wants me to do? I believe the biggest thing that God wants every Christian to do is...LOVE. Love God. Love Everyone else (not just the nice people) Families are separating. Depression is skyrocketing. Many are leaving churches. People are broken and hurt. Hate, hurt and hardness are rampant. I don't need to tell you this but....There's a lack of love.
The other question I ask myself is do I really want to get into this love stuff? It's tough. I don't know how to love sometimes....I don't feel like loving some days.....I let my own hurts and struggles and me stuff get in the way...I'm selfish...I'm really no different than any other person except I've got Jesus. Jesus saw me broken and He came to me despite my shame and brokenness...so I'll quote some song writer...."If you really want to love someone, search their soul for where it's broken, find the cracks and pour your heart in if you want to love someone..." At least that is what God is doing for me....searching me for where I'm broken and filling in my cracks with His love. He does this everyday.
It is hard. It's a fight. God loves me even when I am unlovable....I need to love others even if they are unlovable....I can't do this alone...it's God helping us do this....Yes...when you love, your risks of being hurt go up....wish I could say you won't be hurt.... You know what else goes up if you let God use you? Your love capacity.
I don't want you to think I understand this powerful love of God....I'm still fighting His love for me at times but I know God can use the broken to heal the broken so I must type....I must love....and I must keep running to God for help, love and comfort because this world is so full of trouble.
We often think of love as something we show only to those who are nice to us...or who deserve to be loved....those who haven't hurt us...those who did something for us. ...but is that really knowing how to love? Why do we need to know how to love?
Consider this: God knew that this world is full of hurt, hate, and hardness, but He still sent His son, Jesus, to die for us (all our sins) anyway. That's something we (I) have a hard time grasping at times. Are you sure that blood is powerful enough to cleanse my sins forever?!! I keep sinning....do you have enough to last?!!! Yes. That blood is powerful but even more powerful is God's LOVE. He chose to love me. He chose to love you. (before we were even born, He wanted to save us) Not because you and I deserved it....He knows you and I are worth it. He desires to spend forever with us! He has enough love and more to last for you and I our entire lives.
You're worth something.
Knowing this can be life-changing...feeling God's love can be overwhelmingly wonderful. I'm the type that needs to feel God's love (I'm weak in that way) but I assure you God answers our desperate needs and cries anyways.
It's hard to be in the world and have the world not rub off on you. God knows this. That's why He wants you to come to Him so He can rub Himself off on you. Bring the pain, the hate, the hurts and the hardness and surrender them to God. This could be an everyday occurrence if you're like me. Maybe this is a good thing though that will keep us running to God.
I have a Ken Davis dvd called Super Sheep. Great message! Get it! Jesus says (John 16:33) you will have trouble and tribulations. I appreciated how Ken pointed out that this is Jesus talking (so pay attention) it's not you may have.... you might.... it's You Will Have Trouble! Then Jesus says so be at peace be happy because He has overcome the world. Don't let the troubles win....If you're with Jesus they won't win over you....You belong to the One who has overcome this troubled world.
I get so pumped sometimes to know that Jesus loves me I completely and totally go "Crazy Christian!" I see a room full of people (this normally scares me I'm a total introvert) and happen to have this sudden rush of love to hug each and everyone of them in the room and tell them Jesus loves me and you!!! YAY!
I can also go "Numb Christian" and forget how much God does loves me and not show any love to the people standing in the room and go completely opposite of the "Crazy Christian."
I think we're afraid to be Crazy Christians at times because we're unsure of how people will take our love...(I can just see all the reactions of faces if I hugged every person in a room...haha! But wouldn't God do that!)....will they take it the right way? Will they be afraid? Is it a stupid idea? What will they think or say? They'll think I'm crazy!! Does it really matter? Do I really have to show them love? Some one else would do better.... So we talk ourselves out of a love act....
It comes down to a few questions for me: Do I really love God enough to do what He wants me to do? I believe the biggest thing that God wants every Christian to do is...LOVE. Love God. Love Everyone else (not just the nice people) Families are separating. Depression is skyrocketing. Many are leaving churches. People are broken and hurt. Hate, hurt and hardness are rampant. I don't need to tell you this but....There's a lack of love.
The other question I ask myself is do I really want to get into this love stuff? It's tough. I don't know how to love sometimes....I don't feel like loving some days.....I let my own hurts and struggles and me stuff get in the way...I'm selfish...I'm really no different than any other person except I've got Jesus. Jesus saw me broken and He came to me despite my shame and brokenness...so I'll quote some song writer...."If you really want to love someone, search their soul for where it's broken, find the cracks and pour your heart in if you want to love someone..." At least that is what God is doing for me....searching me for where I'm broken and filling in my cracks with His love. He does this everyday.
It is hard. It's a fight. God loves me even when I am unlovable....I need to love others even if they are unlovable....I can't do this alone...it's God helping us do this....Yes...when you love, your risks of being hurt go up....wish I could say you won't be hurt.... You know what else goes up if you let God use you? Your love capacity.
I don't want you to think I understand this powerful love of God....I'm still fighting His love for me at times but I know God can use the broken to heal the broken so I must type....I must love....and I must keep running to God for help, love and comfort because this world is so full of trouble.
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