Welcome Readers!


"Hello" to all my regular readers and those who are here for the first time!
I hope that this blog enlightens and encourages those who read it but I also hope that it will wake up those who have been asleep to the clock that is ticking within our beautiful nation and within the body of Christ. It is my goal to glorify our Lord and share the Truth with anyone who will listen!
I pray that the Lord will give you strength and courage each day to do His will and to glorify Him. It seems to be getting harder and harder these days to keep our heads above water, but He does promise us that He will not allow the waters to overtake us! Praise Him for that promise!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Too Much Time on My Hands

It may appear as though I have song lyrics on my mind, but they have just corresponded quite well with the thoughts on my mind. This one in particular came to me as I was working with my pastor's wife recently and she mentioned that the time God gives to her is not hers, but God's to use as He chooses. This is a very true statement I believe, one which we don't consider all that often. The concept seems to be very common when we discuss money and the fact that God gives us that which He knows we will use responsibly, yet when we try to apply this concept to our time, it is alien. Time viewed as an allotment from God to use for Him? Well, yes.

Over the years, my Bible study teacher has said that you will determine a person's heart regarding finances if you look at their checkbook register and their heart regarding their time if you look at their day-planner. How true! So how does yours look? Are you too busy with things that will burn like running here and there, shopping, even working extra hours for that yearly vacation? Or are you spending time seeking God's "to-do" list for your day? It will probably look more like; making that phone call you keep putting off, helping your neighbor with something they mentioned awhile ago or spending extra time with your child or spouse. Sometimes we are doing things that we think are for God, but if He doesn't ask you to do it then it isn't on His agenda and may still "burn".   

I don't work outside the home anymore as God has truly blessed my husband and I with this gift, but as I have more time on my hands, I find it difficult to give of it freely. I tend to hoard it and behave as though it is in limited supply. In fact it is in limited supply, but that shouldn't be my concern. God may allow me to live to be one hundred or He may take me much sooner, but nevertheless, I can only be concerned with today. Therefore, I need to be completely sensitive to the following thought: If this is my last day, how would God choose for me to spend it? Most times, it is doing something that was not even close to being on my agenda! However, when I am obedient to Him and do as He asks, I am abundantly blessed.

I challenge you to seriously take a look at the things that you spend your time on throughout the day. One pastor suggested that you log every hour of the day and write down what you do every day for thirty days. It would be an eye-opener to most of us to see where our time is spent. Then as we evaluate the list, consider what things are going to burn up when we go through our "awards" ceremony in heaven. As I was listening to the pastor teach on this, I had just finished spending three straight days working on projects around our place. This is something that I thoroughly enjoy and feel is quite important. After hearing his message, I decided that this ranked a little higher on my priority list than it probably ranked on God's! I do believe that keeping our place up is important to God, but I had put off other things, like serious time in His Word, calling a few people that He had laid on my heart and seeking His day-planner for those few days! I may have missed out on opportunities to serve Him in ways that would remain at the "awards" ceremony. Once again I am reminded that this life is not about me and my wants or desires, but as my profile states, for Him to do as He chooses. 

1st Corinthians 3:10-15    
  

Friday, August 13, 2010

Take this job and...

If you have ever been an employee, then this post is for you! 
We've all been there; unfair working situations like the guy who takes numerous breaks, and does little work, but gets tons of "Kudos" from the boss. What's up with that? Then there's the co-worker who takes credit for all of your good ideas. How about this one; you've been an employee there for a number of years and they hire a new person at the same wage you are currently making. Do any or maybe all of these scenarios sound familiar? Well, you are welcome to join the club of "life...unfair".

These types of situations are very frustrating to say the least. Sometimes they may cause us to quit and move on, or maybe they lead to a bitter attitude which can in turn lead us to despise our job. It is so easy to become negative and cranky...that is if we allow it to become an issue of "self". You may say, "Well of course it is a "self" issue; it's about me and my job". But is it...really? How did you get that job anyhow? Is it not true that it was God that provided the job? Sure you hunted for it and applied for it, but ultimately, He worked out the details so that you were the one selected. He has also allowed the situations to arise that you have been or are currently facing. Right? Truly, if God is sovereign over all things, then yes, He has complete control over all of these things. He gave you this job to earn an income, but that isn't God's main focus. He wants us to glorify Him in our position. Are we doing that as we grumble and complain? No! But if we look at it as a chance to work for Him then we will have a better attitude.

With each of the frustrating situations that we find ourselves in, He is allowing us an opportunity for growth. We can look at it as the world would and throw ourselves a little pity party, or we can take hold of this and make it a positive thing. We can look for the lesson that God is trying to teach us. Maybe the lesson is to have compassion, or to be more helpful with our co-workers, maybe there is a little bit of pride that He is trying to knock out of us, but whatever the case, you can be assured that there IS a goal that God has for you in this trial.

Now, the question is what are you going to do with this opportunity? Will you allow it to pass you by or will you grab it by the horns and meet it head on? God would prefer the latter and if you choose to pass, more than likely you'll be faced with the same opportunity again somewhere down the road. I am learning that it is best to just get each lesson over with as they come rather than waiting for the next time! So the choice is yours. And, just some extra food for thought; usually when we take the high road so to speak, we are blessed abundantly for our obedience.

Read Matthew 20:1-16, Colossians 3:23-25 and 1st Peter 4:-11