"Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things" Romans 2:1
It is hard to be a Christian in society today. It seems that identifying with Christian principles and beliefs is becoming more and more politically incorrect. And, if one dares to stand up for what they believe, they are called all manner of names and stereotyped. I wonder sometimes if we have not entered into a contest to see who can call the most names and/or who can pass the most judgment...which to me is really sad.
But even so, I happen to be one of those Christians who believes the Word of God. I do not believe that it is an ancient book that cannot be applied or used today. I believe that the things God calls sin are sin. But it does not mean that I am judging those who believe differently than me.
Two of the things that He calls sin are judgment (see opening Scripture) and hatred of one another. John 13: 34-35 says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
I strive everyday to be the kind of person that I believe God would be pleased with. I fail miserably some days, and the days when I do get it right are scattered with mishaps and things that I could have done differently. I don't mean that I live in condemnation, but that I have enough to worry about when considering the "plank" in my own eye (see Matthew 7:3, also vs. 1-2 for more on NOT judging).
The prequel, if you will, to the opening scripture that I used is Romans 1:18-32. In this passage you find just about everything that God calls sin. Homosexuality is among these, but what I should be more concerned with is disobedience, unforgiveness, envy, not loving the way I should, and the list could go on.
We should all strive everyday to live with more love, deeper examination of our own lives, and without judgment. So, to my friends who are gay, and the others that do not agree with me, let's agree to disagree, but still treat each other with respect and love, not judgment and hate.
PS - for two awesome posts about the Chick-fil-a debate checkout jenhatmaker.com and perrynoble.com.
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Tithes and Offerings
Malachi 3:10
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try me on this", says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it"
Some people believe that tithing is under the "old law" of the Old Testament and no longer applies to Christians today. I am not one of those people. Not because of some legalistic approach or doctrine that makes me bound by a rule or condemnation if I don't give. But by the belief that tithing is an act of obedience and a statement of my faith.
HOWEVER, although I believe in tithing and giving to the church, I cannot stand to hear people on television "preaching" about giving a certain amount and that just by giving that amount there will be some huge reward, all you have to do is give. I believe this is misleading, and contrary to the word of God. The only "set amount" that anyone should be giving is 10% of their income, and that should go to their local church. Anything above that is between a person and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
This morning I saw one program asking for a "seed" of $360 that can be made in payments of $120 per month....seriously!!! If we need to finance our giving there is something terribly wrong. Another time a "pastor" was asking for $1000 offerings.
It makes me want to call these people and ask for their financial accountability records, and have them explain to me exactly where the $360 (or more) is going. I mean, are we buying them a bigger house, funding their vacation, or what???
Don't get me wrong, I believe in supporting different ministries, especially the minsters and teachers that I learn from, but 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "so let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver". This scripture does not say, "give whatever amount a preacher tells you to give because you have a need in your life and the only way that need is going to get met is for you to sow this seed"!!
Have I made my point, yet? I believe that the Lord will instruct us to give where it is going to be most effective for His kingdom, and to the ministry(s) that He uses to pour into our lives. I believe that He blesses tithes and offerings, and sometimes that does come in unexpected windfalls. However, I believe that most of the time that blessing comes in everyday things like the ability to pay the mortgage or rent, the ability to feed our families, and the provision of employment.
Giving whatever amounts these "preachers" tell you to give will not all of a sudden make your financial situation better. Financial freedom comes from following the Holy Spirit's lead on what you should give, who you should give it to, and making good financial choices with what the Lord blesses you with.
Please don't buy into these scams, yes, I called them scams. Use discernment where giving is concerned, and always pray about where God wants you to "sow a seed".
"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try me on this", says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it"
Some people believe that tithing is under the "old law" of the Old Testament and no longer applies to Christians today. I am not one of those people. Not because of some legalistic approach or doctrine that makes me bound by a rule or condemnation if I don't give. But by the belief that tithing is an act of obedience and a statement of my faith.
HOWEVER, although I believe in tithing and giving to the church, I cannot stand to hear people on television "preaching" about giving a certain amount and that just by giving that amount there will be some huge reward, all you have to do is give. I believe this is misleading, and contrary to the word of God. The only "set amount" that anyone should be giving is 10% of their income, and that should go to their local church. Anything above that is between a person and the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
This morning I saw one program asking for a "seed" of $360 that can be made in payments of $120 per month....seriously!!! If we need to finance our giving there is something terribly wrong. Another time a "pastor" was asking for $1000 offerings.
It makes me want to call these people and ask for their financial accountability records, and have them explain to me exactly where the $360 (or more) is going. I mean, are we buying them a bigger house, funding their vacation, or what???
Don't get me wrong, I believe in supporting different ministries, especially the minsters and teachers that I learn from, but 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "so let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver". This scripture does not say, "give whatever amount a preacher tells you to give because you have a need in your life and the only way that need is going to get met is for you to sow this seed"!!
Have I made my point, yet? I believe that the Lord will instruct us to give where it is going to be most effective for His kingdom, and to the ministry(s) that He uses to pour into our lives. I believe that He blesses tithes and offerings, and sometimes that does come in unexpected windfalls. However, I believe that most of the time that blessing comes in everyday things like the ability to pay the mortgage or rent, the ability to feed our families, and the provision of employment.
Giving whatever amounts these "preachers" tell you to give will not all of a sudden make your financial situation better. Financial freedom comes from following the Holy Spirit's lead on what you should give, who you should give it to, and making good financial choices with what the Lord blesses you with.
Please don't buy into these scams, yes, I called them scams. Use discernment where giving is concerned, and always pray about where God wants you to "sow a seed".
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Why Should We Believe the Bible?
Since I haven't posted in a while I decided to post my answer to the most recent discussion question I had to answer. This is from the class that I just started, Old Testament Orientation. The question was this:
"If the historical basis on which the supposed revelation (the Bible) rested was false, then why should we give any special credence to the ideas resting on that basis?"
My answer:
"If the historical basis on which the supposed revelation (the Bible) rested was false, then why should we give any special credence to the ideas resting on that basis?"
My answer:
One should always consider the source and accuracy of things that they are reading and studying. In today’s world it is more important than ever to be sure that we are seeking those things that are true (Philippians 4:8 tells us,” Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things”), and not buy into the latest and greatest ideas of thought and religion.
If the historical basis for the revelation was indeed false, then it could not be trusted. To believe in things that cannot be proven opens us up to all sorts of false doctrines and misleading that can carry us far from the plans that God has for our lives, far from the truth of His word.
If we are going to scrutinize the validity of the Bible, should we not also scrutinize the validity of the writings and teachings of other religions that so many people choose to follow? Part of satan’s plan is to distract humanity from the things of God. He is the “thief” that only comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Unfortunately, he succeeds in many areas by getting people to believe in things other than the Bible. He encourages thoughts of man to question the truth of the Bible and twist words and events to make it seem like the Bible is inaccurate.
Thankfully, the historical basis of the Bible is not false, and it can be proven that the Bible is, in fact, the inspired Word of God that we are to live by.
In his book Christianity on the Offense Dan Story briefly discusses six types of evidence that proves the accuracy of the Bible. Bibliographic evidence addresses the accuracy of the original documents compared with the Bible of today. It has been determined that the Bible has been correctly translated, and is “99.5 percent accurate to its original writings”. Internal evidence that discusses how New Testament accounts are eye witness testimonies rather than interpretations passed down through “oral tradition, hearsay, or circumstantial evidence”. External evidence compares the writings of the Old and New Testaments with the writings from non-biblical sources (both Christian and non-Christian) to ascertain the historical accuracy. Historical Accuracy is the fourth type of evidence and involves the comparison of Biblical accounts with actual history. Through this type of evidence it is proved that the nations, cultures, customs, etc…expressed in Biblical accounts line up with the historical accounts of these same elements. The fifth type of evidence is called prophetic accuracy. This evidence addresses how the prophecies in the Bible have come to pass while there is a “long list of prophecies that have failed to come to pass as predicted” among other world religions. Finally, the sixth type of evidence is scientific evidence. Story’s statement concerning scientific evidence is this, “the Bible abounds in geological, biological, astronomical, meteorological, nutritional, and other data—most of the scientific processes for which were not understood at the time they were written (cf. Job 26:7; Isa. 40:22; Eccl. 1:6–7). All these descriptions are in total agreement with modern research”.
Bibliography
Story, Dan. Christianity on the Offense: Responding to the Beliefs and Assumptions of Spiritual Seekers. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1998.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
The Perils of Thorns
I have been reading a book by Angela Thomas called Do You Know Who I Am? and Other Brave Questions Women Ask. I love this book and plan to do her Bible Study that is along the same lines titled Brave: Honest Questions Women Ask.
One of the questions asked is Do you know that I am suffering with a thorn? This chapter talks about dealing with something that brings discontentment, something that makes you loose your focus, or something that is just a PAIN, a thorn.
In 2 Corinthians Paul talks about having "a thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble. Paul asked the Lord to remove this thorn, but the Lord's response was that His grace was enough to help him endure.
There are different kinds of thorns, but each one has a purpose. They can be used to call things out in us and reveal chaff (bad stuff) that the Lord wants us to get rid of. They can be used to test our faith. They can be used to keep us humble. Here are some examples.
I feel like my ex-husband is a thorn to me ALL the time. He lives in chaos, which brings chaos to my world where the boys are concerned. A few weeks ago there was a situation where I could have choked him had he been anywhere near me. Once I calmed down I started thinking about the situation. As I was writing an email to a friend about it, I wrote "I think that I have to keep dealing with Dan because of my reaction to him. Fighting is what we do/did through our entire marriage". You see, I don't think that Dan has to be a thorn to me. He is frustrating and makes things difficult sometimes, but how I react to him can make the difference of whether or not he is a thorn. I know this is how he is so I need to stop falling into the trap of the dysfunctional cycle that we were in for 17 years. The lesson the Lord wanted me to learn was to react differently. Choose not to let him be the thorn to me. Realize that my reaction is the difference between a situation being easier or more difficult. The choice is mine. The Lord wants to reveal my bad attitudes, unforgiveness, and other things that I need to clean up so that He can move me forward to what He has for me.
Thorns that test our faith might be the hardest. At least it is for me. There are some things that I wanted to happen in my life yesterday (actually, farther back than yesterday), but they are not happening. It seems the likely hood of them happening is getting further and further away. Some days all I hear is silence and I wonder if God is even anywhere near. I don't have any clear direction except to wait. Every Bible study that I open or dare to put into my cd player echo the same words of waiting on the Lord....there must be a season for the testing of our faith. The more I whine and complain, the longer it seems the Lord will ask me to wait. Patience, the thorn in my flesh, is not a strength of mine. But until I learn to completely trust God and let Him grow my faith, I will be in this place. He wants me to believe with my whole heart that He has a greater plan. He knows that it is hard for me to not know what is going on, to feel out of control with no way to gain control. But He also knows that my greater good and deeper contentment will come from waiting on Him and trusting Him.
Just to keep me humble and from being completely arrogant at work, the last couple of weeks have been a whole thorn bush! Little things that shouldn't have been missed have showed up, and the worst part is that instead of me being aware of the little devils, the missing details went straight to my boss. They are not things that cause a huge impact or that can't be fixed quickly, but just tiny little things that add up and make me feel (and look) less than competent in my job. To top off these little nuances, I find out that one of the employees made it their priority to say all manner of bad things about me to my boss that were not true. Monday I was so upset that I closed my office door and cried because I was sure that Logan was going to walk in and fire me on the spot. I know that is unrealistic, but sometimes we need a reminder that we are replaceable. I know that the Lord has been trying to talk to me about my job for a couple of months, but I just didn't want to hear it. I haven't been fully engaged because of a number of things, but really nothing should distract me from doing the best job that I can do for my company. After all, this is how I pay the bills, how I am able to provide for the boys. I shouldn't take it for granted. But I do, despite feeling that I needed to step up and pay a little more attention. Looking back, I see that the Lord was trying to prepare me for this (these) thorn. He wanted me to know that "trouble" was coming. Had I listened a little more perhaps I could have avoided it. But the lesson here is definitely for me to be thankful, and humble about my position rather than taking it for granted.
There are many other ways that thorns can affect us. There are many lessons that we can learn from our thorns. But what we need to remember is that a crown of thorns was placed on Jesus' head in order to make our thorns bearable. He understands what we go through and what we face. His grace is sufficient and His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Scripture Reference 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
One of the questions asked is Do you know that I am suffering with a thorn? This chapter talks about dealing with something that brings discontentment, something that makes you loose your focus, or something that is just a PAIN, a thorn.
In 2 Corinthians Paul talks about having "a thorn in the flesh" to keep him humble. Paul asked the Lord to remove this thorn, but the Lord's response was that His grace was enough to help him endure.
There are different kinds of thorns, but each one has a purpose. They can be used to call things out in us and reveal chaff (bad stuff) that the Lord wants us to get rid of. They can be used to test our faith. They can be used to keep us humble. Here are some examples.
I feel like my ex-husband is a thorn to me ALL the time. He lives in chaos, which brings chaos to my world where the boys are concerned. A few weeks ago there was a situation where I could have choked him had he been anywhere near me. Once I calmed down I started thinking about the situation. As I was writing an email to a friend about it, I wrote "I think that I have to keep dealing with Dan because of my reaction to him. Fighting is what we do/did through our entire marriage". You see, I don't think that Dan has to be a thorn to me. He is frustrating and makes things difficult sometimes, but how I react to him can make the difference of whether or not he is a thorn. I know this is how he is so I need to stop falling into the trap of the dysfunctional cycle that we were in for 17 years. The lesson the Lord wanted me to learn was to react differently. Choose not to let him be the thorn to me. Realize that my reaction is the difference between a situation being easier or more difficult. The choice is mine. The Lord wants to reveal my bad attitudes, unforgiveness, and other things that I need to clean up so that He can move me forward to what He has for me.
Thorns that test our faith might be the hardest. At least it is for me. There are some things that I wanted to happen in my life yesterday (actually, farther back than yesterday), but they are not happening. It seems the likely hood of them happening is getting further and further away. Some days all I hear is silence and I wonder if God is even anywhere near. I don't have any clear direction except to wait. Every Bible study that I open or dare to put into my cd player echo the same words of waiting on the Lord....there must be a season for the testing of our faith. The more I whine and complain, the longer it seems the Lord will ask me to wait. Patience, the thorn in my flesh, is not a strength of mine. But until I learn to completely trust God and let Him grow my faith, I will be in this place. He wants me to believe with my whole heart that He has a greater plan. He knows that it is hard for me to not know what is going on, to feel out of control with no way to gain control. But He also knows that my greater good and deeper contentment will come from waiting on Him and trusting Him.
Just to keep me humble and from being completely arrogant at work, the last couple of weeks have been a whole thorn bush! Little things that shouldn't have been missed have showed up, and the worst part is that instead of me being aware of the little devils, the missing details went straight to my boss. They are not things that cause a huge impact or that can't be fixed quickly, but just tiny little things that add up and make me feel (and look) less than competent in my job. To top off these little nuances, I find out that one of the employees made it their priority to say all manner of bad things about me to my boss that were not true. Monday I was so upset that I closed my office door and cried because I was sure that Logan was going to walk in and fire me on the spot. I know that is unrealistic, but sometimes we need a reminder that we are replaceable. I know that the Lord has been trying to talk to me about my job for a couple of months, but I just didn't want to hear it. I haven't been fully engaged because of a number of things, but really nothing should distract me from doing the best job that I can do for my company. After all, this is how I pay the bills, how I am able to provide for the boys. I shouldn't take it for granted. But I do, despite feeling that I needed to step up and pay a little more attention. Looking back, I see that the Lord was trying to prepare me for this (these) thorn. He wanted me to know that "trouble" was coming. Had I listened a little more perhaps I could have avoided it. But the lesson here is definitely for me to be thankful, and humble about my position rather than taking it for granted.
There are many other ways that thorns can affect us. There are many lessons that we can learn from our thorns. But what we need to remember is that a crown of thorns was placed on Jesus' head in order to make our thorns bearable. He understands what we go through and what we face. His grace is sufficient and His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Scripture Reference 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Peter - Lesson 1
Below is what I wrote for lesson 1 on Peter (for my New Testament class). Honestly, I don't think that I have brought anything "new" to the table regarding the apostle, but decided that I would share it anyway. I really do want your feedback. Let's discuss the Word! I want to be challenged and grow in my understanding of the Word. Not only to better understand it, but also to better present it to the people that I come in contact with (believers and unbelievers), especially if I am going to one day teach.
LESSON I
EVERYONE IS CALLED
“Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20)[1]
The Great Commission was not aimed solely at the eleven disciples closest to Jesus that day. When He gave the command to go He intended for it to include everyone in every era that would continue the same work that had begun in the disciples. Not only would it would have been impossible for those eleven to reach all the nations, they certainly could not have fulfilled it in their lifetimes.[2] No one is excluded from this command. Just like Jesus’ mandate was not limited to the eleven, neither does it limit the calling based on social status, position in life, or personal experience.
Long before Jesus spoke those words, God called people from different backgrounds to further His kingdom. Take Rahab for instance. Had she let the fact that she was a prostitute keep her from aiding the two spies sent out by Joshua, perhaps the story of Jericho would have had a different ending (Josh. 2). Not only did her faith in hiding the spies gain her favor with Joshua, she obtained a place in the lineage of Jesus as the mother of Boaz who was the grandfather of Jesse, the father of King David (Matt. 1:2-6). Another example would be David. We first see David as a lowly shepherd boy whose family didn’t think highly enough of him to present him to Samuel as a prospect as King of Israel (1 Sam.16:5-13). David did indeed become King of Israel, but not before he struggled with issues such as adultery and murder (2 Sam.). While these issues caused discord in David’s life and among his sons, it didn’t stop him from singing the praises of God in the Psalms or prevent him from being called a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).
A Galilean fisherman was no exception. From a village called Bethsaida (John 1:44), Peter was often not only the first to act, but acted before he thought things through; and, certainly spoke whatever was on his mind.[3]
Matthew 4:18-23 and Luke 5:10 indicate that Peter operated a fishing business with his brother Andrew along with partners James and John, the sons of Zebedee, on the Sea of Galilee. Other accounts of these apostles fishing seem to say that they continued this business during their time with Jesus, and are usually used to teach them, Peter, a lesson on faith and dependence on Jesus (Luke 5:1-9; John 21:3-14; Matt. 17:27).
Like most people today, Peter was also a family man. He had a wife whose mother was healed by Jesus in Mark 1:29-31. It is thought that he returned home at the end of his different travels, and sometimes his wife accompanied him on missionary journeys (1 Cor. 9:5).[4]
In Acts 4:13, Peter is perceived to lack education and training. However, this does not mean that he was ignorant, just that he lacked formal education and was not a “professional religious leader”.[5] At this point in Acts, however, Peter had spent much time with Jesus which certainly could be counted as an educational experience.
Jesus knew Peter. He knew his position in life, his outspoken personality, the career path the he chose, everything about him, God knew. Still He called him. Still He commanded him to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). We are all called by God, and just like with Peter He has a plan for us (Jer. 29:11). He is calling everyone to His service and commanding us to reach the lost. Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations”. Do not let your past, present or perceived future keep you from accepting the call of God or fulfilling His command to go.
[1] Unless otherwise noted all Bible quotes are from the NKJV, 1982.
[2] Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, & Doug Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, (Oak harbor: WA, Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), chp. 28.
[3] G. Osborne and J. Douglas & P.W. Comfort (Eds.), Who’s Who in Christian History, (Wheaton, Il: Tyndale House, 1992), 551.
[4] G. Osborne, 549.
[5] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, (Wheaton, Il: Victor Books, 1996), 1 Pe 1:1.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Count it all Joy.....Really?
James 1:1-4 "My brethren (and sister :)), count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have it's perfect work, that you may be compete, and lacking nothing."
I am going to tell you right now that I will not ever tell you to pray for patience. Nope, I learned early on that if those words come out of my mouth, I will surely be tested. And, if any of you are like me, the last thing you want to hear when you are under the bus and it is backing up to make sure no part of you was left unscathed is to count it all joy. I am having a hard time finding any joy in my experiences right now. Please allow me to whine a little bit. I promise I will get to the point soon.
I have Mono. There is nothing the doctors can give me to make it better and they do not have an estimated time that it will take to run its course. For months I have been drained, exhausted, and in a lot of pain. I chalked it up to everything my family has been though the past few months and just the normal everyday things that sometimes "catch up" to you. That is not the case and the only remedy that the doctors can give me is rest. Can someone please tell me how a single mom with two soccer boys, a busy career and church obligations can rest? Not a word that has been in my vocabulary nor one that no matter what I try to cut out seems to appear.
When I got divorced two years ago I was left with a great deal of debt. I did not file bankruptcy because it was debt that I helped to create and I did not feel that it was honoring to God for me to take the easy road out. There was one debt that Dan was supposed to take care of that other than signing for the line of credit, I had nothing to do with. Of course, he did not. This has resulted in a lawsuit of around $45,000. I talked to a couple of attorneys and both said that there was nothing I could do to keep from being sued because I signed the initial paperwork saying I would be held responsible. Their advice, file bankruptcy. Again, this is not an option for me. Even though this debt is not "mine", by filing bankruptcy I will undo all of the good that I have accomplished the last couple of years and be back at square one. My solution, I called the company and talked to them about a settlement. They agreed to take a much lower settlement, let me make monthly payments to them, and to release me from the lawsuit. Thank you Jesus! We will definitely be cutting back, and eating out will more than likely be a thing of the past for now. Put the fact that Dan does not pay child support that he is supposed to and it almost pushes me over the edge. It never ends with him, but I will spare you all of that garbage.
I got home today and there was no hot water. The hot water heater was leaking again under the house and of course they can't fix it until tomorrow. Very thankful that I have cold water, and that I do not have to pay for this repair because I am a renter.
And, the list could go on, but who wants to hear all of that negativity?! I don't even want to hear it myself. That's why I went back to James 1 today (thank you Beth Moore for pounding that in my head and Joy for sharing that study with me).
Trials are not fun. Trials are not easy. We (I) wonder why everything seems to happen at once, and why sometimes it seems I cannot get a break. But this I know for sure, God has a plan. These situations that I am in are not news to Him. While I can't see any area of deliberate sin that may be causing these things in my life, I do believe there is a lesson. Something for me to learn about handling difficulties, perhaps being an example to someone, or something deep inside of me that might need to be called out so that God can move me into the deeper places with Him. To prepare me for what His calling is. These things are producing patience (even though I didn't ask for it) that will make me complete and lacking nothing. Everything that I have and am is in Christ (Acts 17:28). I don't know that I have mastered the command of counting it all joy, but I do hope that (after I get through whining here) I can walk through these things and come out with a stronger faith. A deeper belief in the God who is my Redeemer who lives (Job 19:25), my Provider (Philippians 4:19), and above all my Savior who has overcome the world and any trouble it might throw at me (John 16:33)
I am going to tell you right now that I will not ever tell you to pray for patience. Nope, I learned early on that if those words come out of my mouth, I will surely be tested. And, if any of you are like me, the last thing you want to hear when you are under the bus and it is backing up to make sure no part of you was left unscathed is to count it all joy. I am having a hard time finding any joy in my experiences right now. Please allow me to whine a little bit. I promise I will get to the point soon.
I have Mono. There is nothing the doctors can give me to make it better and they do not have an estimated time that it will take to run its course. For months I have been drained, exhausted, and in a lot of pain. I chalked it up to everything my family has been though the past few months and just the normal everyday things that sometimes "catch up" to you. That is not the case and the only remedy that the doctors can give me is rest. Can someone please tell me how a single mom with two soccer boys, a busy career and church obligations can rest? Not a word that has been in my vocabulary nor one that no matter what I try to cut out seems to appear.
When I got divorced two years ago I was left with a great deal of debt. I did not file bankruptcy because it was debt that I helped to create and I did not feel that it was honoring to God for me to take the easy road out. There was one debt that Dan was supposed to take care of that other than signing for the line of credit, I had nothing to do with. Of course, he did not. This has resulted in a lawsuit of around $45,000. I talked to a couple of attorneys and both said that there was nothing I could do to keep from being sued because I signed the initial paperwork saying I would be held responsible. Their advice, file bankruptcy. Again, this is not an option for me. Even though this debt is not "mine", by filing bankruptcy I will undo all of the good that I have accomplished the last couple of years and be back at square one. My solution, I called the company and talked to them about a settlement. They agreed to take a much lower settlement, let me make monthly payments to them, and to release me from the lawsuit. Thank you Jesus! We will definitely be cutting back, and eating out will more than likely be a thing of the past for now. Put the fact that Dan does not pay child support that he is supposed to and it almost pushes me over the edge. It never ends with him, but I will spare you all of that garbage.
I got home today and there was no hot water. The hot water heater was leaking again under the house and of course they can't fix it until tomorrow. Very thankful that I have cold water, and that I do not have to pay for this repair because I am a renter.
And, the list could go on, but who wants to hear all of that negativity?! I don't even want to hear it myself. That's why I went back to James 1 today (thank you Beth Moore for pounding that in my head and Joy for sharing that study with me).
Trials are not fun. Trials are not easy. We (I) wonder why everything seems to happen at once, and why sometimes it seems I cannot get a break. But this I know for sure, God has a plan. These situations that I am in are not news to Him. While I can't see any area of deliberate sin that may be causing these things in my life, I do believe there is a lesson. Something for me to learn about handling difficulties, perhaps being an example to someone, or something deep inside of me that might need to be called out so that God can move me into the deeper places with Him. To prepare me for what His calling is. These things are producing patience (even though I didn't ask for it) that will make me complete and lacking nothing. Everything that I have and am is in Christ (Acts 17:28). I don't know that I have mastered the command of counting it all joy, but I do hope that (after I get through whining here) I can walk through these things and come out with a stronger faith. A deeper belief in the God who is my Redeemer who lives (Job 19:25), my Provider (Philippians 4:19), and above all my Savior who has overcome the world and any trouble it might throw at me (John 16:33)
Thursday, March 08, 2012
Be Amazed
Psalm 40:5
"Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare" (NIV)
I must confess that I have a a bit of writers block lately when it comes to blogging. I feel like I always write about the same things, plus, my NT class took up a lot of time. I'm still debating as to whether I am going to post my thoughts on Peter. I'm waiting to see my professor's input. If he says, "it stinks", then I'll spare you all the torture ;p.
Today, however, I am going to share.
A few months ago, I distinctly heard the Lord speak to my spirit and say "be amazed by Me".
At first I thought He meant those words to indicate the way He will send my "Prince Charming" because that was what I had been praying about in that moment. But, as I have thought about those words I realize that the Lord not only means for me to be amazed by the way He will answer that specific prayer, but also to be amazed by the things that He does for me everyday.
To give testimony to this, here are two things that happened yesterday that reminded me to "be amazed" by Him.
Zach has cavities. To be exact, four that needed filling and another that needs a root canal. The first two fillings cost me $230 after insurance. Yesterday he had an appointment to do one of the other cavities. It was supposed to cost $110 (after insurance). When I got to the dentist I was sure to tell everyone that I came in contact with that we were only filling one cavity. The dentist came in and started working on Zach. After a while the dentist's assistant looked up and said "he went ahead and filled both cavities". I went into a panic because I was not prepared to anti-up another $230 yesterday, but before I could express my panic the assistant clarified and said he wasn't charging me for the second one. He said it was just easier to go ahead and do them both rather than have Zach come back and go through all that again.
We headed to check out and the dentist was there telling the receptionist how to code our bill, and the receptionist looked at me and said, "today is $45". I asked her if she was sure, and she said positive. Not only did I not have to pay for one of the fillings, the one I thought was going to be $110 was only $45. WOW!
Round two of amazement: Joseph had an unexpected doctor's appointment yesterday. Now, it was on a less grander scale cost wise, but still would have been a $30 co-pay. After seeing the doctor we went to check with the receptionist about making an appointment for Joseph's referral to a specialist. With everything else going on, I never thought about, and the receptionist didn't ask me for the co-pay before I left. After I got home I called them back but they were already closed. I left them a message. When Brook called me back this morning she said that I had a credit on my account and that is why they didn't ask me for payment. I had no idea!
Now $30 isn't a great deal of money, but God doesn't just speak to us in grandeur. More times than not, He speaks to us in the small things, but we fail to see it because it isn't flashing in neon lights or a brilliant display of something He has done.Or, it isn't an answer to one of our more prominent prayers.
Still no "prince charming" or answers to the other things that weigh on my mind and in my heart, but the Lord did answer a prayer that I often mutter in haste, one that is routine and often taken for granted..."Lord take care of me and my boys. Make provision for us and supply all our needs". I needed that reminder of how He does answer my prayers everyday, and that I should be amazed by how faithful my God is to me.
Be amazed by the Lord today, especially in the small things. You don't have to look very hard.
"Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare" (NIV)
I must confess that I have a a bit of writers block lately when it comes to blogging. I feel like I always write about the same things, plus, my NT class took up a lot of time. I'm still debating as to whether I am going to post my thoughts on Peter. I'm waiting to see my professor's input. If he says, "it stinks", then I'll spare you all the torture ;p.
Today, however, I am going to share.
A few months ago, I distinctly heard the Lord speak to my spirit and say "be amazed by Me".
At first I thought He meant those words to indicate the way He will send my "Prince Charming" because that was what I had been praying about in that moment. But, as I have thought about those words I realize that the Lord not only means for me to be amazed by the way He will answer that specific prayer, but also to be amazed by the things that He does for me everyday.
To give testimony to this, here are two things that happened yesterday that reminded me to "be amazed" by Him.
Zach has cavities. To be exact, four that needed filling and another that needs a root canal. The first two fillings cost me $230 after insurance. Yesterday he had an appointment to do one of the other cavities. It was supposed to cost $110 (after insurance). When I got to the dentist I was sure to tell everyone that I came in contact with that we were only filling one cavity. The dentist came in and started working on Zach. After a while the dentist's assistant looked up and said "he went ahead and filled both cavities". I went into a panic because I was not prepared to anti-up another $230 yesterday, but before I could express my panic the assistant clarified and said he wasn't charging me for the second one. He said it was just easier to go ahead and do them both rather than have Zach come back and go through all that again.
We headed to check out and the dentist was there telling the receptionist how to code our bill, and the receptionist looked at me and said, "today is $45". I asked her if she was sure, and she said positive. Not only did I not have to pay for one of the fillings, the one I thought was going to be $110 was only $45. WOW!
Round two of amazement: Joseph had an unexpected doctor's appointment yesterday. Now, it was on a less grander scale cost wise, but still would have been a $30 co-pay. After seeing the doctor we went to check with the receptionist about making an appointment for Joseph's referral to a specialist. With everything else going on, I never thought about, and the receptionist didn't ask me for the co-pay before I left. After I got home I called them back but they were already closed. I left them a message. When Brook called me back this morning she said that I had a credit on my account and that is why they didn't ask me for payment. I had no idea!
Now $30 isn't a great deal of money, but God doesn't just speak to us in grandeur. More times than not, He speaks to us in the small things, but we fail to see it because it isn't flashing in neon lights or a brilliant display of something He has done.Or, it isn't an answer to one of our more prominent prayers.
Still no "prince charming" or answers to the other things that weigh on my mind and in my heart, but the Lord did answer a prayer that I often mutter in haste, one that is routine and often taken for granted..."Lord take care of me and my boys. Make provision for us and supply all our needs". I needed that reminder of how He does answer my prayers everyday, and that I should be amazed by how faithful my God is to me.
Be amazed by the Lord today, especially in the small things. You don't have to look very hard.
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