being judged

A friend this week was told not to let her family judge her 'christianity' that it was between her and God alone.
I don't believe this.
Every week we go to church on Sunday and sing songs asking God to take over our lives. We tell him I surrender all, except .....
Well, I'm sorry to remind you but people, your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers are judging you. And they should be. What they are judging is what you really believe. Do you have a Sunday religion? Or are you living a daily relationship?
We are their Bible. It is not what we say we believe, but what we live that will bring those people to an acknowledgement of Christ in their own lives.
So before you go out today remember that everyone who sees you will be judging you. So judge yourself first. Are you a living example of the gospel?

Need help

HEy folks, I am working on a chapter in my book For Jen. It's on prayer. So I have three simple questions I would like you to answer for me.
1. Why pray?
2. What should I pray for?
3. What should I not pray for?

Thanks for the help. I look forward to seeing your answers.

How to begin prayer

Oh, Lord my God. When I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made. I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power through out the universe displayed. Then sings my soul my saviour God to thee. How great thou art. How great thou art. Then sings my soul my saviour God to thee. How great thou art. How Great THOU ART.


poem by carl gustaw boberg

What if God loved like humans?

I have talked with many women who have heard from their husbands "I don't think I love you anymore." What don't they know? What do they think love is? Do they believe it's all hearts and flowers? What if God thought that way? Would John 3:16 read "God felt fireworks and warm fuzzies for the world so he gave his son and whoever feels tingles and giggles won't perish but live with him forever."
I don't think so. Love is not an emotion of chemistry, it's not a feeling that comes and goes. Love is a choice we make to put the other persons happiness and well-being before our own.
So, I ask you today "who do you love?" Who's well-being is more important than your own, who will you take a back seat to? Your spouse, your children, your parents? What about showing God how much you love him by loving the neighbor next door who is going to hell?
Love it's a choice, it's a fruit that all believers should have in abundance if they are healthy.
So my advice to those women---fall in love with someone who knows what real love is all about, fall deeply in love with Jehovah.

Loving God????

How can a loving God allow pain and hurt? You've heard this question in one form or another if you have been a Christian long. And we who know the Lord know that pain and hurt entered the world through Adam, not God.
But this morning I want to remind you that all that pain and hurt, all the illness and heartache, the suffering that is happening world wide doesn't just affect us. It all hurts God also. Jeremiah in his lament for the people of Judah expressed for us God's words "Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?" (Jer 8:21-22)
God sees the hurts and sorrows here on the earth, and he also watches in horror and mourns. He is not mourning over the ouchie, He is mourning over the knowledge that such pain brings eternal death for many. You see, he didn't design a fallen world for Adam and Eve to live in--He placed them in paradise, they chose for themselves and all their future generations when they chose not to listen to the Word of God.
God has been mourning ever since. But he has called us like Jeremiah to be faithful and to call all to repentance. There is hope: the blood of Jesus.

What would you choose?

It is Wednesday afternoon, almost 1 o'clock. So far today I have cleaned two bathrooms, one front room, one bedroom and half a kitchen. I have fed one child breakfast, and another one lunch. I am wiped out and still not done. But I have a few moments to myself and I must choose - do I spend time in Bible study with the Lord or do I eat my first meal of the day? I know what I chose. What would you choose?

vacation

Darren and I were gone over the weekend. We spent a day in Disneyland. And I mean we spent the whole day. We left the trailer at 8:15am and didn't get back until 11:50pm. Just a few years ago that would have been my whole day. I'm on vacation, that means I don't do anything, not even read my Bible. But of the past couple of years I've learned that God is with me, even when I am on vacation. And while I didn't spend as much time with him Saturday as I do here at home, I found time to talk with him that morning, and again that evening before I went to sleep. Amazingly, I didn't talk to any of my children or my granddaughters, but I made sure that I said both "good morning" and "good evening" to my creator. Not because I wanted anything from him, but because my days just don't feel right to me if they don't begin and end with God smiling on me.

Shine

Today I was convicted. (We should be every time we read God's Word.) I was in 2 Corinthians chapter 3. Where Paul reminds the church of Corinth how Moses had to cover his face when he presented the law because his face shone with the glory of God. It was verse 18 that struck me anew "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory"
Does my face reflect the Lord's glory? Would someone walk by me in the mall and see a face that loves, or one that is on mission -shopping mission?
My prayer today comes from a song I learned as a child: Let others see Jesus in me.

more Super Christian

Super Christian teaches those around her to be good.
Abiding Christian teaches those around her to be Godly. Titus 2:4-5

Super Christian is frustrated with her lack of spiritual fruit.
Abiding Christian knows that in Christ is her fruit. John 15:5

Super Christians perspective is based on what is seen.
Abiding Christian's perspective is based on what is not seen. Col 3:2

Super Christian does things with her children.
Abiding Christian builds a relationship with her children. Deut 6:6-7

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST:
Super Christian chooses quantity activities.
Abiding Christian choose the most excellent Way. 1 Cor 13

Growth

Do you write in the margins of your Bible? I do, I also color in it. Back in '08 I wrote a note next to Psalm 20:4 "May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed." The note I wrote was the desire of my heart at the time, the plans I wanted to see succeed. My note asked that: I become a published speaker who can support herself. How selfish is that.
But my desires have changed. I didn't erase the note because I want to see that I am growing spiritually, instead I added a new note at the bottom of the page dated today: even if I never get published it is okay, I will continue to write what God tells me and I will never support myself- God is my finances.
Growth- how do you measure it?

WAKE UP

Stay a verb-
Live out loud-
Wake up a few Nouns.

I don't know if I have shared here but Darren bought me a new laptop two weeks ago, so I am back up in my room. On the wall behind me is painted the words above. I had them put there for a reason, to remind me that it is our actions that speak to the world not our words.
Every day we are to approach it as a new opportunity for Christ. I need to live a life active in not what I am but who I believe in. I need to speak loud and clear, even when I don't say a word. And I need to show those 'Nouns' that I encounter there is a life worth waking up for.
Isaiah 55:12 tells me that if I don't stay a verb, living out loud the mountains and hills will burst forth with song and the trees will worship with clapping.
I welcome them to join me in my worship, the mountains, hills and trees, but please God I ask may they never have to stand in my place.

weak vs strong

There is a Like page on Facebook for the phrase "You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have." To me this is all wrong.
Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 12 that the only way to be strong is to rely on Christ. Over and over through out the Bible we learn of how God uses the weakest characters to do the most awesome tasks. Take Gideon for example: he who hid in the winepress, yet God used him and only 300 other men to totally destroy the enemy with a horn, a pitcher and a torch each. No weapons, just those three items. It is through out weakness that true strength can be displayed.
"you never know how strong you are until you relying on God is the only choice you have."
Can I get an Amen

Super Christian 2

A super Christian finds self worth in what they have done
An abiding Christian finds their work in who they are in Christ.

A super Christian's peace is environmental.
An abiding Christian's peace can be found in the midst of any storm, it is Jesus. (Is. 26:3)

A super Christian is discouraged when they fail.
An abiding Christian uses failure to remind them that God's strength is reveiled in their weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9-10)

A super Christian expects perfection from everyone.
An abiding Christiand covers everyone with grace (including himself) (Eph. 4:32)

Stay tuned for more

Spiritual Spa Day

Yesterday, Darren was at work so I had no transportation. I know I could have called a half dozen people to give me a ride to church, but I decided not to. Instead I declare a spa day for me, a spiritual spa day that is.
I spent the day reading the word, praying, writing in my journals and study notebooks and listening to praise music. I throughly enjoyed spending the day just God and myself. Even the dogs played happily with out much notice from me.
I believe that we all need a day every once in a while that we spend alone with God. It had been a long time since I had a Spiritual spa day, but i guarentee it won't be such a long time before I do the next one. I feel revieved and ready for a week of glorifing the Lord.

Are you a super Chrisitan?

Well, are you? Now days we are asked to be Super at everything we do. I'm sorry but I can't be Super Mom nor can I be Super Christian. I quit trying long ago. But God doesn't call us to be super, he calls us to abide in him. That I can be "Abiding Christian."

A super Christian does.
An Abiding Christian is. John 15:4 Remain (abide) in me, and I will remain (abide) in you.

A Super Christian tries to impress others.
An Abiding Christian tries to please only the Lord. Eph. 5:10 and find out what please the Lord.

A Super Christian is controlled by an agenda. (schedules, lists, requirements)
An Abiding Christian is controlled by the Holy Spirit. Eph 5:18 Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Want more differences, stay tuned.

Mary and Martha

Yesterday afternoon Darren pointed out to me that we had our very own Mary and Martha in the making. Angel was standing at the kitchen sink washing my gladware and looking out the window. Cadee was sitting on Papa's lap just enjoying being with him.
He thought it was cute until I pointed out that Cadee wasn't feeling good and needed cuddle time. and Angel was really just wanting to play in the water and bubbles.
But the picture they made got me to thinking: How often do I do for the Lord instead of spend time with the Lord. Every day I need to crawl up in His lap for a good cuddle.
The reason I thought this was sometimes I get so busy preparing for Bible study that I forget to just listen to what God is saying to me at that moment. How about you?

Job

I've been reading in Job lately. Seems every time I read it I see more. More of me, unfortunately. I've seen for a while that the three friends give great advice, on in the wrong circumstances. When I discovered that I learned that sometimes my advice is just like that. Simple platitudes and meaningless fluff. "Time heals all." "It will get better." "Trust God." Yeah! Trust God, great advice but not always timely or given in the right circumstances.
This reading I have been seeing myself in Job for some reason. You know the "I don't know why God is doing this to me, I haven't been bad." and the "I'm not going to curse God no matter how unjust I feel he is right now."
I don't want to give you some platitude right now about how "I'm growing through this." Instead, I want to let you know, that I'll pray for you, but will you pray for me? Pray that all the fluff in my speaking will float away on the wind before I open my mouth. Pray that all my words will be God's words, words of wisdom, hope and love, even when we don't know the reason. It could just be that God is using us to prove a point to Satan.

How to have victory over an enemy

What enemy are you battling today?
1. Ask God to come between you and that enemy
2. Ask God to open your eyes so you can see how he is working on your behalf.
3. Trust Jesus - He never fails.

Teach by example

Have you ever been told "do what I say not what I do."? It is usually said by an adult to a child. The best way to teach a child is by example. Paul told us to inmate him as he imitate Christ.
This morning I was sitting in my special sanctuary when Angel asked me what I was doing. I replied "I'm reading my Bible." She looked at me, grabbed her "bible" (which I keep near mine) and sat down next to me. She then looked up and told me "I must read."
We all need to be both people in this illustration. Both the 'teacher' who takes time out to be with God in front of who ever is around, and the 'student' who knows they must read in order to grow.

Transformed

2000 years ago the cross was an instrument of death. When people saw a cross they saw no hope, only a final judgement. it is still a symbol of final judgement, but that judgement has come, and for me God in his mercy transformed the cross. It is now a symbol of victory and hope. It is the means by which we find joy. It is the means by which we find life. What will you do with the cross today?