Changes… Looks like some big ones are headed our way. We thought it was a great name for a hair salon. I have said dozens of times, ‘Change is good !’.
Now, changes in my life….that’s another matter! We tend to cling to the familiar around here, do the same things over and over, go to the same places, eat the same thing… There is security in the familiar.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven..”(Ecc.3:1)
Perhaps it’s the birthday coming up, “There is a time to be born, and a time to die.” (v.2a) I’m counting them off pretty fast these days.
Perhaps it’s that life hasn’t unfolded as I expected. My children have full successful lives…just not what I expected. “There is a time to plant, and a time to uproot…there is a time to embrace, and a time to refrain…”(v. 2b, 5b)
Whatever it is, the changes that may come are challenging. But “I know that everything God does will endure forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it..”(v. 14)
I have influenced decisions in the past, and regretted it. (…..there’s that time of refraining I was not obedient in.….) My only influence should be before the throne of God in prayer for His perfect will to be done.
My roles have changed several times…and will change again. Who will I be next? Where will this path wind up? What lies in my future, and the future of my family? I do not know. I ‘ cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end…’ (v.11b)
But I know The One Who does know. “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”(v.11a) And ‘ I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ (Rom. 8:38,39)
That includes all the way between Texas and New Jersey….
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Pits...
Pits..... Sometimes I just slide off into one….
Sometimes I fall into a pit by accident…trip or stumble over something and find myself at the bottom of the pit….often it is ignorant blindness… “If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit.” (Luke 6:39 my interpretation)
Sometimes I get shoved in….somebody wants me there. “…without cause they dug a pit for me..” (Psa. 35:7)
I guess sometimes I jump in. Sometimes, like all of us humans, I just make the wrong choice and dive right in. “She who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit she has made.” (Psa. 7:15 personalized by me)
I’ve dug lots of pits out of fear…thinking I was digging a place that would hide me, save me somehow. Digging with a shovel named fear. Big lie… No pit is a safe place.
The pits I dig are dug by different shovels…often shovels of exhaustion. When I get overtired, seems I look up and find I’ve slid off into that pit again….shovel in hand, digging furiously as if there is relief down deeper. Another big lie…
Exhaustion for me is usually mental rather than strictly physical. Why does it take so much energy to think, feel, and listen? (….watch out with those blonde jokes.. :) ..)
Some of the pits I’ve been in are other people’s diggings, and I’ve mistakenly thought I could get them out of their pit, so I climbed down there with them, only to find myself stranded in THEIR pit. And pits are pits….whether I dig them or you do…not a good place to be, and nobody’s company adds much to the atmosphere.
Nobody can rescue us from the pits…not really. Somebody else may pull you up a little, you may see a little light, you may be relieved of that slime at the bottom…but there’s really no way out of a pit except from the Divine Rescuer. He may call us to encourage and help, but nobody stays out of pits unless He delivers.
“I will free……from the waterless pit…”(Zec. 9:11)
“I called on Your Name….. from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea….You came near when I called You, and You said, “Do not fear.” (Lam. 3:55,56)
“To the roots of the mountains I sank down….but You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God.” (Jonah 2:6)
Life itself is the pits…it simply ends in death unless He breaths His Spirit into us, and with It, eternal Life with Him. There’ll be no shovels in heaven…
Sometimes I fall into a pit by accident…trip or stumble over something and find myself at the bottom of the pit….often it is ignorant blindness… “If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit.” (Luke 6:39 my interpretation)
Sometimes I get shoved in….somebody wants me there. “…without cause they dug a pit for me..” (Psa. 35:7)
I guess sometimes I jump in. Sometimes, like all of us humans, I just make the wrong choice and dive right in. “She who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit she has made.” (Psa. 7:15 personalized by me)
I’ve dug lots of pits out of fear…thinking I was digging a place that would hide me, save me somehow. Digging with a shovel named fear. Big lie… No pit is a safe place.
The pits I dig are dug by different shovels…often shovels of exhaustion. When I get overtired, seems I look up and find I’ve slid off into that pit again….shovel in hand, digging furiously as if there is relief down deeper. Another big lie…
Exhaustion for me is usually mental rather than strictly physical. Why does it take so much energy to think, feel, and listen? (….watch out with those blonde jokes.. :) ..)
Some of the pits I’ve been in are other people’s diggings, and I’ve mistakenly thought I could get them out of their pit, so I climbed down there with them, only to find myself stranded in THEIR pit. And pits are pits….whether I dig them or you do…not a good place to be, and nobody’s company adds much to the atmosphere.
Nobody can rescue us from the pits…not really. Somebody else may pull you up a little, you may see a little light, you may be relieved of that slime at the bottom…but there’s really no way out of a pit except from the Divine Rescuer. He may call us to encourage and help, but nobody stays out of pits unless He delivers.
“I will free……from the waterless pit…”(Zec. 9:11)
“I called on Your Name….. from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea….You came near when I called You, and You said, “Do not fear.” (Lam. 3:55,56)
“To the roots of the mountains I sank down….but You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God.” (Jonah 2:6)
Life itself is the pits…it simply ends in death unless He breaths His Spirit into us, and with It, eternal Life with Him. There’ll be no shovels in heaven…
Friday, July 30, 2010
Live..
Live… We want to live…not the alternative. We have expectations about it’s duration….We have a place to live….
What is it to really ‘live’? Is it to just exist?…breathe and have a heart beat?
Is it to push the limits, be adventurous, even rebelling against what is expected or right? Have a ‘good time’?
I’m reminded of that thing about what’s between the dash. You remember…that dash that connects your date of birth and date of death on your tombstone….
I need to think about that dash today, because I’m in it.
But the question is, what am I living for? Am I living simply because I haven’t died yet?
Am I living to work and spend? Or living to work so I can save and count it? Am I living for the next thrill? The next fix of my own brand of addiction?
Sigh…
Thank You Lord that I have died already.
“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)
And thank You even more that I live. Jesus died so ‘that I might die to sins….and LIVE for righteousness…’ (same passage, personalized by me)
I have ceased to exist as far as sin is concerned. My existence is for the righteousness. “Since Jesus went through everything I’m going through and more, I must learn to think like Him. Think of my sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get my own way. Then I’ll be able to live out my days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what I want.” (1 Peter 4:1,2 The Message, personalized by me)
Thank You Jesus !!
What is it to really ‘live’? Is it to just exist?…breathe and have a heart beat?
Is it to push the limits, be adventurous, even rebelling against what is expected or right? Have a ‘good time’?
I’m reminded of that thing about what’s between the dash. You remember…that dash that connects your date of birth and date of death on your tombstone….
I need to think about that dash today, because I’m in it.
But the question is, what am I living for? Am I living simply because I haven’t died yet?
Am I living to work and spend? Or living to work so I can save and count it? Am I living for the next thrill? The next fix of my own brand of addiction?
Sigh…
Thank You Lord that I have died already.
“Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)
And thank You even more that I live. Jesus died so ‘that I might die to sins….and LIVE for righteousness…’ (same passage, personalized by me)
I have ceased to exist as far as sin is concerned. My existence is for the righteousness. “Since Jesus went through everything I’m going through and more, I must learn to think like Him. Think of my sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get my own way. Then I’ll be able to live out my days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what I want.” (1 Peter 4:1,2 The Message, personalized by me)
Thank You Jesus !!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Pastor..
Pastor… A job ? A gift? ….
Sometimes both? Sometimes not?
The word pastor was not in the vocabulary of my particular religious heritage. We had ‘preachers’. Sometimes the preacher was also an ‘elder’. The elders made the decisions for the congregation at that place. Other religious groups allow each person who has their name written on the document of the church roll to have a ‘vote’. Everybody has an official say-so.
I was surprised this morning to find that word only used nine times in the KJV. Eight of those times is in the book of Jeremiah. One time, it is used in Ephesians 4:11 “ And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets: and some, evangelists: and some, pastors and teachers.”
“He gave…” Sounds like a gift to me. And surely there must be a difference in a pastor, a teacher, and an evangelist…else they wouldn’t all be listed. ??
The following verse states a purpose.. “ for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:12)
I looked into the word ‘shepherd’… (Read this with a little humor please….) “The hired hand is not the shepherd….” John 10:12
I’ve been pastored, I’ve been taught, and I’ve been preached to. In my opinion, there is a huge difference. Sometimes it was by the hired hand…often not.
I realize I have some radical views sometimes…especially when it comes to organized religion. I heard it said once that it was possible to organize the organism right out of the church.
The Body of Christ is alive. But it is often not well. I fear we have ‘paid’ someone to do so many things for so long that we’ve organized a monster that is often hard to feed.
Because of my religious past, I rely very little on preachers or pastors. They are just as absolutely human as I am, perhaps more educated or more experienced, but they have no more access to God than I do. Jesus intercedes for them just like He does for me.
When they are exercising a God-given gift appropriately, I have been blessed, nurtured, admonished, and encouraged. When they were exercising the description of the job, I’ve been hurt, shamed, angered, and humiliated.
That’s my baggage. I am sure you have your own…and we probably both need to unpack it, take it all out, look it over good, and ask the Lord to give it a good scrubbing.
“Whiter than snow…” (Ps. 51:7)
Sometimes both? Sometimes not?
The word pastor was not in the vocabulary of my particular religious heritage. We had ‘preachers’. Sometimes the preacher was also an ‘elder’. The elders made the decisions for the congregation at that place. Other religious groups allow each person who has their name written on the document of the church roll to have a ‘vote’. Everybody has an official say-so.
I was surprised this morning to find that word only used nine times in the KJV. Eight of those times is in the book of Jeremiah. One time, it is used in Ephesians 4:11 “ And he gave some, apostles, and some, prophets: and some, evangelists: and some, pastors and teachers.”
“He gave…” Sounds like a gift to me. And surely there must be a difference in a pastor, a teacher, and an evangelist…else they wouldn’t all be listed. ??
The following verse states a purpose.. “ for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:12)
I looked into the word ‘shepherd’… (Read this with a little humor please….) “The hired hand is not the shepherd….” John 10:12
I’ve been pastored, I’ve been taught, and I’ve been preached to. In my opinion, there is a huge difference. Sometimes it was by the hired hand…often not.
I realize I have some radical views sometimes…especially when it comes to organized religion. I heard it said once that it was possible to organize the organism right out of the church.
The Body of Christ is alive. But it is often not well. I fear we have ‘paid’ someone to do so many things for so long that we’ve organized a monster that is often hard to feed.
Because of my religious past, I rely very little on preachers or pastors. They are just as absolutely human as I am, perhaps more educated or more experienced, but they have no more access to God than I do. Jesus intercedes for them just like He does for me.
When they are exercising a God-given gift appropriately, I have been blessed, nurtured, admonished, and encouraged. When they were exercising the description of the job, I’ve been hurt, shamed, angered, and humiliated.
That’s my baggage. I am sure you have your own…and we probably both need to unpack it, take it all out, look it over good, and ask the Lord to give it a good scrubbing.
“Whiter than snow…” (Ps. 51:7)
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Fear...
Fear… It appears 400 times in the King James Translation, 258 times in the New International Version…
We are told to fear God, yet time and time again scripture says ‘fear not..’.
So which is it?
I struggled with the issue of fear for a very long time. Still I can’t wrap my mind completely around the concept at times. But we have a Helper Who aids our understanding.
“..if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure…THEN you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God..” (emphasis mine, Proverbs 2:1-5)
Understanding fear is possible. Scripture has lots to say about it. What it is, what it is not.
It is ‘ to hate evil, pride arrogance, and the evil ways..’ (Prov. 8:13)
It is ‘a fountain of life’. (Prov. 14:27)
It is ‘…required of thee…to fear the Lord and walk in all His ways..’ (Deut. 10:12)
Many many other times scripture tells us about ‘fear’.
The Hebrew word ‘yare’ is a verb and is translated some 330 times as ‘fear’. But it’s meaning can be both being afaid, or being reverent and respectful. There is a huge difference in the two.
As I look for answers and understanding, I take great comfort in these words…
“..Fear not…for I know that you seek Jesus…” (Mat.28:5)
“..God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid...” (Isa.12:2)
“In God I have put my trust. I will not be afraid..” (Ps. 56:11)
Hallelujah
We are told to fear God, yet time and time again scripture says ‘fear not..’.
So which is it?
I struggled with the issue of fear for a very long time. Still I can’t wrap my mind completely around the concept at times. But we have a Helper Who aids our understanding.
“..if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure…THEN you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God..” (emphasis mine, Proverbs 2:1-5)
Understanding fear is possible. Scripture has lots to say about it. What it is, what it is not.
It is ‘ to hate evil, pride arrogance, and the evil ways..’ (Prov. 8:13)
It is ‘a fountain of life’. (Prov. 14:27)
It is ‘…required of thee…to fear the Lord and walk in all His ways..’ (Deut. 10:12)
Many many other times scripture tells us about ‘fear’.
The Hebrew word ‘yare’ is a verb and is translated some 330 times as ‘fear’. But it’s meaning can be both being afaid, or being reverent and respectful. There is a huge difference in the two.
As I look for answers and understanding, I take great comfort in these words…
“..Fear not…for I know that you seek Jesus…” (Mat.28:5)
“..God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid...” (Isa.12:2)
“In God I have put my trust. I will not be afraid..” (Ps. 56:11)
Hallelujah
Monday, July 26, 2010
Nots...
Nots…. Or knots. Either, or both?
I remember a particular sermon from years ago. The preacher was one of those hell fire and brimstone kinda guys. He’d often turn absolutely red in the face standing in the pulpit, delivering his message to us.
This sermon was entitled “The Nots In The Devil‘s Tale”. It was all about how putting the little three letter word ‘not’ into a sentence was a way the devil worked his treachery.
There must have been some truth to the sermon, the sermon title stuck with me all these years. Certainly it made an impact…truth always does. Unfortunately, lies can as well.
I don’t remember what any of the ‘nots’ were. But I can think of some now..
The first was in the Garden. God had said not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil or they would die. Satan added a not. “..ye shall not surely die’. (Gen.3:4)
One Knot in his tail…lots of knots in all human life thereafter.
I also think of Jesus’ words in John 14:6. “I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” The enemy would have us believe that Jesus is not the only way. That ‘not’ could bring eternal separation from God. Jesus IS the only way. The devil’s ‘not’ doesn’t change truth.
Jesus also said “I am the Light of the world.” (John 8:12) The devil says ‘not’…he lies and says that there are other sources of light.
“He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power..” (2Thes. 1:8) A ‘not’ in that scripture is deadly. God will punish. Simply being cut off from His Presence is beyond horrible.
I serve the ‘God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth’(Gen. 14:19). He is the God of love (1 John 4:8), mercy (Eph. 2:4), and grace (1Peter 5:10). I love Him because He first loved me (1 John 4:19)
I can’t put a ‘not’ in one truth of scripture and leave the ‘nots’ out in others.
If He is the God of love…He is also the God of judgment. (Ps. 50:6, Ecc. 3:17)
The preacher who shouted this sermon seemed miserable to me. I felt that misery myself for years. But I’ve got the ‘nots’ out of places they don’t belong…and put them where they do belong.
My God is not mean and nasty.
He does not wait, anticipating when He might punish me for messing up.
But at the same time, He means what He says…and it’s always in my best interest to believe Him and do as He has said...
...Because HE WILL do as He says. No 'not' there....
I remember a particular sermon from years ago. The preacher was one of those hell fire and brimstone kinda guys. He’d often turn absolutely red in the face standing in the pulpit, delivering his message to us.
This sermon was entitled “The Nots In The Devil‘s Tale”. It was all about how putting the little three letter word ‘not’ into a sentence was a way the devil worked his treachery.
There must have been some truth to the sermon, the sermon title stuck with me all these years. Certainly it made an impact…truth always does. Unfortunately, lies can as well.
I don’t remember what any of the ‘nots’ were. But I can think of some now..
The first was in the Garden. God had said not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil or they would die. Satan added a not. “..ye shall not surely die’. (Gen.3:4)
One Knot in his tail…lots of knots in all human life thereafter.
I also think of Jesus’ words in John 14:6. “I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” The enemy would have us believe that Jesus is not the only way. That ‘not’ could bring eternal separation from God. Jesus IS the only way. The devil’s ‘not’ doesn’t change truth.
Jesus also said “I am the Light of the world.” (John 8:12) The devil says ‘not’…he lies and says that there are other sources of light.
“He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power..” (2Thes. 1:8) A ‘not’ in that scripture is deadly. God will punish. Simply being cut off from His Presence is beyond horrible.
I serve the ‘God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth’(Gen. 14:19). He is the God of love (1 John 4:8), mercy (Eph. 2:4), and grace (1Peter 5:10). I love Him because He first loved me (1 John 4:19)
I can’t put a ‘not’ in one truth of scripture and leave the ‘nots’ out in others.
If He is the God of love…He is also the God of judgment. (Ps. 50:6, Ecc. 3:17)
The preacher who shouted this sermon seemed miserable to me. I felt that misery myself for years. But I’ve got the ‘nots’ out of places they don’t belong…and put them where they do belong.
My God is not mean and nasty.
He does not wait, anticipating when He might punish me for messing up.
But at the same time, He means what He says…and it’s always in my best interest to believe Him and do as He has said...
...Because HE WILL do as He says. No 'not' there....
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Know-ye-nots...
Know-ye-nots… negative of knowing…
There are lots of things I don’t know. It is quite impossible to know every thing…lots of the things I DO know, I wish I did NOT. And…there are a lot of things I SHOULD know and NEED to know that I do not know.
Jesus knew about know-ye-nots. He taught that there were many things we should be concerned about knowing. We begin with the elementary.
“Don’t you understand (know-ye-not) this parable?…” …but He says we must not stop there… “How then will you understand any parable?”(Mark 4:13) The parable in this passage stresses to us the importance of understanding basic truth and building on it.
There is absolute truth. It is imperative to accept that fact, submit, and seek it.
Scripture has many know-ye-nots that we should be sure we benefit from.
“Know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God?”(James 4:4)
“Examine yourselves…do you not realize (know-ye-not) that Christ Jesus is in you- unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2Cor. 13:5)
“Know-ye-not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” (1 Cor. 9:24)
“ Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body?…flee fornicication…Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are ought with a price…”(1Cor. 6:16, 18,19,20) (Archaic you think? …It is written.)
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? (1Cor. 6:9)
“Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1Cor. 5:6)
“Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are…” (Rom.6:16)
“Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?”(Rom. 6:3)
Ignorance causes a lot of damage.
“God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better…but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and He’s calling for a radical life change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right.” (Acts 17:30,31 The Message)
Ignorance is no excuse. Not anymore. Especially when Truth is so readily available and easily accessed.
It is simply a choice.
Know what God has said.
Or know-ye-not.
There are lots of things I don’t know. It is quite impossible to know every thing…lots of the things I DO know, I wish I did NOT. And…there are a lot of things I SHOULD know and NEED to know that I do not know.
Jesus knew about know-ye-nots. He taught that there were many things we should be concerned about knowing. We begin with the elementary.
“Don’t you understand (know-ye-not) this parable?…” …but He says we must not stop there… “How then will you understand any parable?”(Mark 4:13) The parable in this passage stresses to us the importance of understanding basic truth and building on it.
There is absolute truth. It is imperative to accept that fact, submit, and seek it.
Scripture has many know-ye-nots that we should be sure we benefit from.
“Know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God?”(James 4:4)
“Examine yourselves…do you not realize (know-ye-not) that Christ Jesus is in you- unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2Cor. 13:5)
“Know-ye-not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” (1 Cor. 9:24)
“ Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body?…flee fornicication…Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are ought with a price…”(1Cor. 6:16, 18,19,20) (Archaic you think? …It is written.)
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? (1Cor. 6:9)
“Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1Cor. 5:6)
“Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are…” (Rom.6:16)
“Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?”(Rom. 6:3)
Ignorance causes a lot of damage.
“God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better…but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and He’s calling for a radical life change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right.” (Acts 17:30,31 The Message)
Ignorance is no excuse. Not anymore. Especially when Truth is so readily available and easily accessed.
It is simply a choice.
Know what God has said.
Or know-ye-not.
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