Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Happy Birthday Jesus!!!
Even though Jesus was not truly born in the winter (April is more accurate), we still observe His birth on December 25th. What a glorious day and a glorious gift that God gave US! We traditionally call it the season of giving, yet the most perfect and gracious gift ever given was that of eternal life to all who choose to accept it through the blood of Jesus.
As we look around these days it is heartbreaking to see just how far we have strayed from the true meaning of Christmas. It is so commercialized and politically correct it actually makes me sick to my stomach. It is our job as true followers and lovers of our Lord and Savior, to share this truth with others and to stand up for Him. The Christian, in general, is so weak and tolerant of the beliefs that are flooding this nation, the term Christian no longer makes the hair on Satan's neck stand rather he probably just smiles and goes about his business. We are not the strong backbone of this nation any longer. BUT we can be!! Honestly, it is our duty, our responsibility and our privileged to stand for Him. We will be hated and scorned, maybe even arrested or fired but if we let our fear detour us from the work we have ahead of us, we have already handed the victory to the enemy.
OK, enough of my rant. All I can say is Merry Christmas to you all and may He bless you with the peace of eternal life and remember, the "big picture" is not life on this earth but the life to come.
But I can't sign off without prompting you to think about what your goals will be for 2014 in regards to your stand for the Lord and the immorality of this nation. Pray about the work He has lined up for you and for the courage to perform that work.
May the Lord bless and keep you,
May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you,
May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
Monday, December 16, 2013
Sick and Tired
From time to time it strikes me; just how much I truly take for granted. I feel good and life is going along fairly smooth and even though I DO thank the Lord for these things, I forget just how much He does ALL the time. This thought came to me today because I have been sick the last two weeks. Nothing major, just a cold then a short stomach flue, but I really felt pretty crappy. As I am beginning to feel better today, I realize how much I don't think about my health when I have it!
I have a couple of friends who suffer from regular debilitating conditions and I try to put myself in their shoes. Boy is that hard! I am a pretty active and type A personalitied person and being down for any length of time is hard for me. I know these women are of a similar personality as me and knowing this, I really feel for them. I think they tend to see the gifts from the Lord a little better than I. Every time I get sick and begin to feel better I have these thoughts and emotions but honestly they wane after awhile. Here I am once again!
Well, this is a short post I know, but I wanted to share to send a reminder of God's graciousness to us all in ALL things. AND to encourage us to remember in prayer, those we know who suffer from poor health. As far as that goes, to help us remember others who suffer in many ways.
My goal will be to keep these things closer to the front of my mind on a regular basis. I hope you will too!
I have a couple of friends who suffer from regular debilitating conditions and I try to put myself in their shoes. Boy is that hard! I am a pretty active and type A personalitied person and being down for any length of time is hard for me. I know these women are of a similar personality as me and knowing this, I really feel for them. I think they tend to see the gifts from the Lord a little better than I. Every time I get sick and begin to feel better I have these thoughts and emotions but honestly they wane after awhile. Here I am once again!
Well, this is a short post I know, but I wanted to share to send a reminder of God's graciousness to us all in ALL things. AND to encourage us to remember in prayer, those we know who suffer from poor health. As far as that goes, to help us remember others who suffer in many ways.
My goal will be to keep these things closer to the front of my mind on a regular basis. I hope you will too!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Fired Up
When I started this blog, my goal was to help people apply God's Word to
their life. And, that is still my goal, however, I am getting a little bit
frustrated with the many so-called Christians who claim to be just that but who
really don't reflect it in their lives ... sometimes not at all!!
As I watch what is happening with the nation as a whole; things people say, what we do with our time and how we spend our money, I realize that if this nation really were 80% Christian as statistics say, we wouldn't embrace same-sex marriages, abortion and so many other anti-Biblical lifestyles. This posting may seem similar to the one titled "Don't keep hittin' snooze", but maybe it has to be said again, and again.
I never used to be "in" to politics, but as I grow older I realize that it is important to know what is going on and to be involved to some extent. For each person that will mean different levels of involvement. Voting is a good first step! Many people don't even do that and if they do they may not be all that informed when they make their choices. I used to be that person and honestly I am just recently seeking God's direction for me to become more involved. The revision of my blog is my first step.
I went to a rally this summer that was geared towards liberty and God and the direction this nation is headed-completely the OPPOSITE direction! They had a number of speakers; one of our state representatives, a pastor, the leaders of a few "liberty loving" organizations and a woman named KrisAnne Hall. (KrisAnneHall.com) She is a constitutional lawyer, a pastor's wife, a mother and a fired-up speaker! WOW! She was so passionate and informed. By the time she was finished, I was on fire too! But, as the days and weeks passed, my "fire" dwindled. I got caught up with "life" once again and she and her passion became a distant memory, until recently.
One of the reasons our Founding Fathers left the "Old World" for the "New One" was to get out from under the hands of their current government. They wanted the freedoms and liberties that God gives when we live according to His Word. Living under an authority that denies those freedoms and liberties causes an enslavement of sorts. Yes, the authorities we live under are allowed their placement by God Almighty. However, that doesn't mean they are always good for us. It also doesn't mean that we can just let them dictate their laws especially when their laws conflict with God's laws. Our nation was once a God-fearing country and we have been blessed because of that, I believe, but God will only allow the moral decay of our nation for so long. The Old Testament is clear that God will allow nations to live in filth and stray until destruction or enslavement comes. Examples like Noah and the "Flood", Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the capture of His people by both the Assyrians and the Babylonians just to name a few, should cause us to re-evaluate our nation's direction. That needs to start with each one of us individually.
First we need to pull our heads out of the sand and look around. Truly recognize the muck and mire in which we are currently living. Check out the Kardashian's Christmas card and see what is desirable within our nation (have a vomit bag ready!). Really pay attention to what is on TV and then throw it out the window!! I know there are many people who are reading this and are already aware of these things. That is great! Now take it to the next level. Pray and seek God's will for you and get involved somehow. Tell others what you know. We have come to a point where we need to share the Word of the Lord AND wake others up to the crumbling of our beautiful nation! These things go hand-in-hand. It isn't enough any longer to know God's Word and live it for ourselves. I believe we are in a crisis that needs immediate and serious attention. When I read Joel Rosenberg's book Implosion he cited information about the first and second "Great Awakening’s” both of which I was unfamiliar. We truly do need a third in order for our nation to survive. AND, it may be God's will that it NOT survive. He may allow our nation to disintegrate. But we have to try or it "curtains" for America. If you don't believe me or think it isn't that bad, do your own research. If you do agree with me then get busy. I can't tell you what to do at this point, although here are some things with which you can start; pray first, vote after researching the candidates and topics, write your congressmen when you disagree with laws and bills and educate yourself both Biblically and constitutionally (know your God-given and constitutional rights!!).
Now, go get fired up!
As I watch what is happening with the nation as a whole; things people say, what we do with our time and how we spend our money, I realize that if this nation really were 80% Christian as statistics say, we wouldn't embrace same-sex marriages, abortion and so many other anti-Biblical lifestyles. This posting may seem similar to the one titled "Don't keep hittin' snooze", but maybe it has to be said again, and again.
I never used to be "in" to politics, but as I grow older I realize that it is important to know what is going on and to be involved to some extent. For each person that will mean different levels of involvement. Voting is a good first step! Many people don't even do that and if they do they may not be all that informed when they make their choices. I used to be that person and honestly I am just recently seeking God's direction for me to become more involved. The revision of my blog is my first step.
I went to a rally this summer that was geared towards liberty and God and the direction this nation is headed-completely the OPPOSITE direction! They had a number of speakers; one of our state representatives, a pastor, the leaders of a few "liberty loving" organizations and a woman named KrisAnne Hall. (KrisAnneHall.com) She is a constitutional lawyer, a pastor's wife, a mother and a fired-up speaker! WOW! She was so passionate and informed. By the time she was finished, I was on fire too! But, as the days and weeks passed, my "fire" dwindled. I got caught up with "life" once again and she and her passion became a distant memory, until recently.
One of the reasons our Founding Fathers left the "Old World" for the "New One" was to get out from under the hands of their current government. They wanted the freedoms and liberties that God gives when we live according to His Word. Living under an authority that denies those freedoms and liberties causes an enslavement of sorts. Yes, the authorities we live under are allowed their placement by God Almighty. However, that doesn't mean they are always good for us. It also doesn't mean that we can just let them dictate their laws especially when their laws conflict with God's laws. Our nation was once a God-fearing country and we have been blessed because of that, I believe, but God will only allow the moral decay of our nation for so long. The Old Testament is clear that God will allow nations to live in filth and stray until destruction or enslavement comes. Examples like Noah and the "Flood", Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the capture of His people by both the Assyrians and the Babylonians just to name a few, should cause us to re-evaluate our nation's direction. That needs to start with each one of us individually.
First we need to pull our heads out of the sand and look around. Truly recognize the muck and mire in which we are currently living. Check out the Kardashian's Christmas card and see what is desirable within our nation (have a vomit bag ready!). Really pay attention to what is on TV and then throw it out the window!! I know there are many people who are reading this and are already aware of these things. That is great! Now take it to the next level. Pray and seek God's will for you and get involved somehow. Tell others what you know. We have come to a point where we need to share the Word of the Lord AND wake others up to the crumbling of our beautiful nation! These things go hand-in-hand. It isn't enough any longer to know God's Word and live it for ourselves. I believe we are in a crisis that needs immediate and serious attention. When I read Joel Rosenberg's book Implosion he cited information about the first and second "Great Awakening’s” both of which I was unfamiliar. We truly do need a third in order for our nation to survive. AND, it may be God's will that it NOT survive. He may allow our nation to disintegrate. But we have to try or it "curtains" for America. If you don't believe me or think it isn't that bad, do your own research. If you do agree with me then get busy. I can't tell you what to do at this point, although here are some things with which you can start; pray first, vote after researching the candidates and topics, write your congressmen when you disagree with laws and bills and educate yourself both Biblically and constitutionally (know your God-given and constitutional rights!!).
Now, go get fired up!
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Saying "Goodbye"
In my opinion, one of the hardest things there is to say is "goodbye". I suppose it depends on what we may be saying goodbye to; if it's extra pounds or a bad habit, then maybe not! But saying it to something or SOMEONE we love can be heartbreaking. Many of us have had to say goodbye too many times for one lifetime, but God does allow us to experience goodbye and I can only assume it is for our own learning and growth in our faith.
Recently I have had to say goodbye to one of my dogs. She was a really cool dog and God blessed me with twelve and one half years with her. Even though I will miss her ... A LOT, I have many memories with which to remember her. These are definite blessings from the Lord. However, it feels like I have said goodbye quite a bit in the past few years. As I was talking to my sister earlier today we discussed how God tells us not to dwell on the past but to live for the future. Anyone of us could sit down for 20-30 mins and think about our past, recalling hurts, losses etc. and within a little bit of time become depressed, sad, angry or bitter. These are not emotions in which God would want us to dwell.
As we near the national day of Thanksgiving, it makes me ponder the things to be thankful for rather than to give in to the enemy and be sorrowful over my losses. How much more have I gained being a child of Christ? And isn't it true that through all of our losses we gain so much; like faith, a clearer picture of how big God is, a greater dependence on Him, opportunities to see others being blessed as they help us through our times of sorrow and so much more! These are the things that I appreciate as I go through the valley of "goodbyes". These are seasons and as we know, seasons come and go. God even reminds us that there are seasons for all sorts of things and mourning and sorrow are some of them. But again seasons are for a time and we are not to "dwell" in them.
I have taken the time to mourn and probably will a little more over the next few weeks or months. But on the tail of each tear, it is my goal to praise the Lord for the blessings; past, present and future. I do not want to get lost in my sorrow and allow the enemy to lead me down a path of negative emotion. To keep from doing this, I know that I will need to be in God's Word, in prayer and surround myself with those who can keep me straight and accountable. Fortunately I have a very good family that will support me and kick me in the butt when I need it.
So, when you are in the "valley of goodbyes", know that you have the freedom to mourn but pray for wisdom to know when you are entering enemy territory. Spend extra time in God's Word and in prayer because you will need it! And keep yourself surrounded by others who can give you support and courage as well as clear thinking when you are not able to do that yourself.
Goodbyes are a part of life provided by God Almighty for our benefit. We need to see them as such and praise the Lord each step of the way!
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Don't Keep Hittin' "Snooze"!
I never in a million years thought that it would happen to me! Someone that I loved and I thought loved the Lord would walk away from it all. Yet that is exactly what happened in the summer of 2011. This was the beginning of a whole new outlook for me. I realize now that at that time, I was asleep myself. I went to Bible Study and church and fellow-shipped with others. I worked and did the normal "life stuff". Then all at once the rug was pulled away. I am not complaining. Actually, I have grow much closer to the Lord and have learned a TON. But along the way I realized that the body of Christ is ASLEEP!!! Or at least, a good portion of it. Maybe they are continuing to hit the snooze button and are half asleep but still they are not all that useful to the Lord in their current state. In some cases, even damaging to the Lord's name.
What happened to me is not all that uncommon. In fact, there are a number of people who have shared their stories about people they would "swear" were Christians, who have "fallen" away from the faith. Can this happen? Can people who are saved really walk away? I believe: Yes. Now, this is not going to be a topic of "once saved always saved", although I do have some thoughts on that and some Scripture to share sometime, but mostly I want to talk about this to stir hearts and open minds. Do you know someone who is making conscience decisions that are against God's Word and they don't seem to care?
Now, there are question that arise like, "Why" and "What can we do to help". Honestly I think that the answers are pretty simply put, but not so simply done. In regards to the "Why?", I believe that people are just not in the Word enough. I can go to church and pray over my food and maybe before I go to bed, but if that is all I do then the world has a greater hold on me than the conviction of the Holy Spirit does. Also when my flesh wants something it is much easier to give in. Some of us are living with one foot in the world and one foot in the heavenly kingdom. In some cases not even a whole foot is in the Kingdom. But they don't seem to care because life is OK.
God tells us in His Word that there will be an "apostasy" or a falling away as we get closer to His coming. There are varying views on what exactly God means with this section of Scripture, and I am not a scholar so I won't get into theology here, but He IS talking to the church and warning us of this time in history. I think this time is upon us. If we continue to do our normal thing and ignore the state of our brothers and sisters in Christ, ignore the state of our nation and ignore God's commands to "eat-drink-and-sleep" His Word then we will be abruptly awakened when it is too late!
So, the "What can we do to help"? answer: First of all, BE IN GOD'S WORD ... DAILY! Now I know some people who are in God's Word, but just plain don't apply it. This is a personal thing between each person and the Lord. There are limited things we can do for another persons' relationship with the Lord. Of course we can pray for them in whatever ways we are lead to pray, but ultimately each is their own and sometimes we have to just stand by and watch them sink or swim. BUT, each of us has our own relationship with the Lord and we need to be working on that every day. We need to be APPLYING God's word to our lives and setting godly examples in the things we do. We need to hold people accountable for their sinful behavior if they are "Christians" and we need to gently share Truth of God's Word with those who are not. We are too worried about "judging" others these days. And yes WE shouldn't judge others, but God's Word does and that is the plumb-line we use. If God's Word says it is wrong, then it is wrong and we need to stand up for that!
So many times God tells us to be alert and be watching, that wisdom is knowing what is going on around us (I am paraphrasing here) and being prepared for anything is important. Are we? Are YOU? The more I study Scripture the more I see God telling us that as time gets closer to His return, the weeding-out will become evident. I believe I am seeing that all around me and all around our nation. There are many people out there who think they are Christians and honestly probably are not. It is our job to help educate and to lead. In order for us to do that and to be effective we need to know what God says and live it ourselves. That is how we can help. We need to be a nation of God-fearing, Jesus loving, Holy-Spirit led people. Currently we really are not. If we were, we wouldn't have to fight against same-sex marriages, abortion or rampant pornography or ... the list goes on. It is time that we stand up and do what is right. And not just do what feels good or what we have time for. I haven't blogged for almost 2 years. My excuse; no time. Well, I feel that the Lord has been prompting me to get back at it regardless of my time or lack thereof. So here I go.
In summary, get in the Word, pray for His wisdom, guidance and opportunities to lead, teach and share the Truth and get involved! Somewhere, somehow, do SOMETHING to help people and this nation get back on track. If we wait much longer it will be too late. We can only hit the snooze button for so long.
(I will provide some Scripture verses to back up my views in a bit, I just was anxious to get this posted and start myself, getting back on track with the work God has for me.)
What happened to me is not all that uncommon. In fact, there are a number of people who have shared their stories about people they would "swear" were Christians, who have "fallen" away from the faith. Can this happen? Can people who are saved really walk away? I believe: Yes. Now, this is not going to be a topic of "once saved always saved", although I do have some thoughts on that and some Scripture to share sometime, but mostly I want to talk about this to stir hearts and open minds. Do you know someone who is making conscience decisions that are against God's Word and they don't seem to care?
Now, there are question that arise like, "Why" and "What can we do to help". Honestly I think that the answers are pretty simply put, but not so simply done. In regards to the "Why?", I believe that people are just not in the Word enough. I can go to church and pray over my food and maybe before I go to bed, but if that is all I do then the world has a greater hold on me than the conviction of the Holy Spirit does. Also when my flesh wants something it is much easier to give in. Some of us are living with one foot in the world and one foot in the heavenly kingdom. In some cases not even a whole foot is in the Kingdom. But they don't seem to care because life is OK.
God tells us in His Word that there will be an "apostasy" or a falling away as we get closer to His coming. There are varying views on what exactly God means with this section of Scripture, and I am not a scholar so I won't get into theology here, but He IS talking to the church and warning us of this time in history. I think this time is upon us. If we continue to do our normal thing and ignore the state of our brothers and sisters in Christ, ignore the state of our nation and ignore God's commands to "eat-drink-and-sleep" His Word then we will be abruptly awakened when it is too late!
So, the "What can we do to help"? answer: First of all, BE IN GOD'S WORD ... DAILY! Now I know some people who are in God's Word, but just plain don't apply it. This is a personal thing between each person and the Lord. There are limited things we can do for another persons' relationship with the Lord. Of course we can pray for them in whatever ways we are lead to pray, but ultimately each is their own and sometimes we have to just stand by and watch them sink or swim. BUT, each of us has our own relationship with the Lord and we need to be working on that every day. We need to be APPLYING God's word to our lives and setting godly examples in the things we do. We need to hold people accountable for their sinful behavior if they are "Christians" and we need to gently share Truth of God's Word with those who are not. We are too worried about "judging" others these days. And yes WE shouldn't judge others, but God's Word does and that is the plumb-line we use. If God's Word says it is wrong, then it is wrong and we need to stand up for that!
So many times God tells us to be alert and be watching, that wisdom is knowing what is going on around us (I am paraphrasing here) and being prepared for anything is important. Are we? Are YOU? The more I study Scripture the more I see God telling us that as time gets closer to His return, the weeding-out will become evident. I believe I am seeing that all around me and all around our nation. There are many people out there who think they are Christians and honestly probably are not. It is our job to help educate and to lead. In order for us to do that and to be effective we need to know what God says and live it ourselves. That is how we can help. We need to be a nation of God-fearing, Jesus loving, Holy-Spirit led people. Currently we really are not. If we were, we wouldn't have to fight against same-sex marriages, abortion or rampant pornography or ... the list goes on. It is time that we stand up and do what is right. And not just do what feels good or what we have time for. I haven't blogged for almost 2 years. My excuse; no time. Well, I feel that the Lord has been prompting me to get back at it regardless of my time or lack thereof. So here I go.
In summary, get in the Word, pray for His wisdom, guidance and opportunities to lead, teach and share the Truth and get involved! Somewhere, somehow, do SOMETHING to help people and this nation get back on track. If we wait much longer it will be too late. We can only hit the snooze button for so long.
(I will provide some Scripture verses to back up my views in a bit, I just was anxious to get this posted and start myself, getting back on track with the work God has for me.)
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