Look Up, Look In, Love Out

They will know you are Christians by your love.

There are so many hurting in the world all around you. Look up from your feet, from your business, and look into the eyes of those you pass. See their pain and feel what they feel.

Each of them is not their political stance, their cause, or opinion. No, they are each a divine creation of God's making...one that He treasures and yearns for. 

No matter how despicable someone may be to you, to the Father, they are precious, valuable beyond what you can understand. 

And so are you.

You can begin this new year with the confident assurance of His immeasurable love for you. He rejoices over you with singing, and His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand in the earth.

How great is His love for you! Out of that love should flow your love to others and that is how the world will know we are His.

Do a love evaluation today. Look at 1 Corinthians 13 and see what true love is and put yourself in those verses. Are you patient? Are you kind? Do you keep a record of wrongs? Are you boastful?

Allow the light of the Word to illuminate and open the eyes of your heart today. There's a whole world that needs the love of Christ. It starts with each of us individually realizing by the Holy Spirit how much we are deeply loved by the Father through the Son.

God bless you and keep you today :)

My Friend Tori

This is my little friend Tori.

Well, actually, she isn't so little anymore. But, when I met her, I fell in love with her.

As my friendship with her family grew, she and I formed a bond that I truly believe is devinely orchestrated.

I got to spend a special day with her. We ate and shopped and talked! We had so much fun.

I honestly found myself just riveted by her knowledge, wisdom and insight! I felt like I was just hanging out with a good girlfriend.

And why can't she be that? I'm amazed at how many people think you can't be friends with people of other ages! Some have called it weird.

To me, though, what's weird is seeing someone's value through the eyes of age.

I'm so thankful that Tom's grandmother, Ina doesn't treat me that way because I dearly treasure her friendship to me.

We need to do better in the family of God. We need to pull down the barriers and be Titus Women! All of us have someone we can be a friend too.

And don't get confused that I only mean chronological age! Someone can be older than you and be just a baby in the faith that needs help growing.

Give some thought to those in your sphere. Ask God to show you who needs YOU! Then, don't be afraid to step out. :)

Pass It On

Titus 2:3-5New Living Translation (NLT)

3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers.[a] Instead, they should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes,[b] to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

I've loved this portion of Scripture since I read it when I was newly married in my early 20's!

Then, I was part of the "younger women," but now, exactly three months away from turning 40, I'm stretching into the "older women" category.

That's okay though because, honestly, I really love to teach and train younger women in the Lord. I love to help them see who they are and how much they are valued!

It's so amazing just to spend time with tweens, teens, and young adults who just want to learn from me and be loved on. :) How I wish I would've had someone like that as I grew and changed. So, I've kinda made it a life mission to make sure I am that to others.

Today, I've been texting with these three cuties! I like keeping in contact, and I miss them so much. We had a challenge to take pics of stuff we did all day long and share them. So fun to me! It can seem like everyday little things are insignificant, but it's all those little things that come together to make something beautiful. Make the most of your little moments girls. They shape you into who you become and what you know.

Too many young ladies don't know who they are and Whose they are. Too many are lonely and hurting. Look for the mean ones...they are the ones hurting the most usually. Determine not to be moved by their actions and reactions; choose love because they need it.

Remember to take time to find joy in those little moments of your day. Take time to do something special for someone else. Look for ways to bless others and encourage them. It will make you feel good about yourself too. You are special. You are salt and light to a hard world. Go out of your way to give to others and do everything as if you are doing it for the Lord.

Don't be annoyed by those younger than you...remember, you were them not too long ago!  See people as individuals, not groups. Spend time listening, really listening to little ones. Encourage them. Build them up. Make it a practice in your life now and you'll always do it as you grow and mature. Then you will become a Titus Woman. 

I have a favorite quote:  "In a world where you can be anything, be yourself." Don't compare yourself to others or strive to be like them unless you see Jesus in them. Pick out the good things and then put your own spin on it. Nobody has your fingerprints or DNA. God did that for a reason! He likes different. Be different. Stand out. Don't blend in and fade away. Make your sweet mark on this world! It needs strong women who know who they are!

When you feel insignificant because you are only one person, remember that Jesus was only one person...as well as Moses, Ruth, Esther, David... All of them were one person depending on one HUGE God. 

xoxo 

What Is Faith?

I would like to share a verse with you. I have a couple different versions so that you know that I'm not lying.  Just ponder on these for a few minutes.

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1 NIV
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews11:1 NLT
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

I guess the real question I would like to pose is: what is the OPPOSITE of faith?

Think about it for a minute.

Who said doubt, fear, or something like
that?

Pause for dramatic affect...

How about Certainty?

I was challenged the first time I heard Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church say this, but as I have chewed on it over the last few weeks I have come to truly believe it.

If we are certain, we don't need faith.  

If I am certain of exactly how, when, and where something was going to happen, I wouldn't need faith in who is going to do it.

Faith is confidence of what is hoped for.  Hope means we don't know how or when or we wouldn't be hoping for it.  So we hope for it and then faith gives us the confidence in WHO!  

I am confident in God, in His provision, in His ability.  I am not and cannot ever be certain of how,  when, or where or I would not need faith in Him.  

I am definitely not certain of my own strength or ability.  All I can be is confident in Him and what He has called me to be and do.

I believe it is time to step out to do this thing. To do what God has told us to do and be confident in Him.  Do it now before He finds someone else to do it.

Tom

What if?

This has been stirring in me for quite some time but I haven’t been sure how to put it into words. I finally got some clarity a few weeks ago as I left on vacation with my family. I told my wife a story after which she said “That will preach!” At that point I realized that it was definitely an on time word but was still not completely clear in how to fill in the gaps. Since then I have been praying and seeking the Lord, and the Holy Spirit has been doing just that, filling in the gaps. He has been causing me to wonder why we ask “what if?” and letting me know that I already have the answer to that question. Don’t worry I will share the story at the end of this and hopefully bring everything together.

Let me start with Noah. Genesis 6: 13 So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark… 22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”

Stop! Before you go on I want you to stop and think about this. God has just commanded Noah to build the first ocean liner and Noah just “did everything as God commanded him.” What I want to know is if the person who penned this to paper, Moses, skipped some important details in this story. Really, he just “did everything God commanded him”??? If it were me I would have been standing there saying “A what? You want me to build a what? I don’t even know what an ark is. Besides, what if it doesn’t work?” Yes, that’s right, I would question if what God had spoken to me was real and if it would really happen. I would have asked over and over again “what if”.

From the only history book that really matters we learn what happens from this point. Noah, against some very strong ridicule, builds that ark and God truly does save him, and thus all humanity, from a flood. I again ask the question, “What if it hadn’t worked?”

Next, let’s talk about Abraham. He up and leaves his hometown, no questions asked, he just packs up and takes off. He doesn’t even know where he’s going, in Genesis 12: 1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” The land I will show you? Again I am thinking what if? What if something bad happens? What if I can’t sell this house I’m living in? What if I can’t find a job when I get to this “land You will show me”?

What about when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. In Genesis 22: 3 it says “Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.” Do you know how many “What ifs” pop into my mind reading this story? The first one that immediately comes to mind is “what if I didn’t really hear the Lord?” Think about it, would the Lord really say that? Would he really tell me to sacrifice something that I had waited so long for? Surely it must have been the enemy putting thoughts in my head. I couldn’t really be expected to give that up, could I?

I have quite a few of these examples that I really want to discuss but I won’t completely break each of them down. I will let you derive your own “What Ifs” for each. There’s Moses going before Pharaoh. Really???? A stuttering, murderer is called to lead the entire nation of Israel out of Egypt and he has to go before one of the most powerful men on earth at that time. Don’t even get me started on all the things that happened leading up to and through the Exodus, or the time in the wilderness. Then, the story of Joshua leading the people across the Jordan, yeah, we are going to walk on dry land, or marching around a city 7 days in a row.

The book of Judges is filled with “what if” stories like Gideon and his “fleece”. It is one definite example of a man who actually asked the question. He had to have God prove to him not once but twice that He had really spoken.

The entire life of David was a sequence of “what if” events. When God told Samuel to anoint him as the next king can you imagine the thoughts that went through Samuel’s head? Then when David faced Goliath, if it had been me I would have immediately thought “what if these stones don’t do the trick?” Think about the time span of David’s life when Saul was chasing him around trying to kill him and David and his men couldn’t find a safe place anywhere. How about when he and his men lost all their families in Ziklag. I know I would have been thinking “what if this king business was all a mistake and my men kill me right here?”

I would like to take a deeper look at some of these “what if” examples in the life of Elijah. It is actually one sequence of events, over a three year period, that provide a number of times where, if it had been me I would have truly questioned what God was speaking to me. The first was when Elijah was told to go the king and tell him there would be three years of drought. I would have been really? You want me to tell the king what? What if I say that and it rains tomorrow? Then the drought does start, I would have started thinking “what if I starve to death now?” He goes to the lady and asks her for her last little bit of food, there are multiple “what ifs” there. What if she refuses? What if I didn’t really hear right and I eat her last sandwich and then we all starve? What if I give him my last bit of food and he lives but my boy and I die?

The story of Elijah continues with him surviving the drought and going back to face the king and all the priests of Baal. I can only imagine how much I would have been asking “what if?” What if they kill me as soon as I show up? You want me to put water on the alter and the sacrifice? What if it doesn’t work and I look stupid and they kill me? Then without a cloud in the sky, after three years of drought, he tells the king the rain is coming. What if it doesn’t? He prays and sends his servant, what if there are no clouds? Guess what, there were no clouds. Six times there were no clouds. I would have totally had a major case of the “what ifs”. What if I totally missed it and God is going to continue this drought?

The rest of the Old Testament is filled with stories where I would have asked “what if?” I could go on and on with them, stories like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. That’s another favorite, in Daniel 3: 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” They decided that they would answer the “what if” with it doesn’t matter we are doing it anyway.

Let’s skip ahead about half a millennium and look at some stories in the New Testament. Think about John the Baptist in the wilderness telling people to repent and baptizing them. If God just tells me to tell someone He loves them or do something for them I question “what if”. What if they don’t respond well? What if they get mad at me? What if God really didn’t tell me that? But there he was calling people out preparing the way for our Savior.

When Jesus called His disciples to come follow Him, if it had been me I would definitely have asked “what if this Jesus guy is just some nut case? He wants me to leave my livelihood and go where? What if we make people mad and they kill us all? What the heck is a fisher of men anyway?” Then He sent them out on their own, I would have thought “what if I can’t do any of the things He’s telling me to do?”

Jesus told the rich young ruler he had to sell everything he had and give it to the poor. I can imagine him thinking “what if I do that and then I never have any possessions again?” That probably would have been my thought and I may have done the same thing he did.

Then there was the time when Peter stepped out of the boat and onto the water. If it had been me I believe I would have thought “what if I sink?” I don’t think Peter thought that way, at least not at first. But when he let the “what if” in, he did sink.

I would like to tell one last story from the Bible. After Saul, who became Paul, had the Damascus Road experience he became blind. God sent a man named Ananias to him to heal him. Can you imagine being Ananias? You want me to do what? This man is killing Christians. What if he kills me? God wouldn’t send me into a situation that could end my life would He? At least those would have been my thoughts.

I would like to move ahead in time again, about 2000 years this time. In 2012 my maternal grandfather, J. T. McCracken passed away. My mother is the second oldest of 11 children and there are a very large number of grandchildren and great grandchildren, most of whom were at the funeral. At the start of the funeral the whole family filed into the church together in a very large “procession”. It was a pretty amazing site to see the legacy he was leaving behind. During the service my uncle began talking about his life. He told of when Grandpa was young he was definitely not a Christian. Within a few years of getting married, while living in Oklahoma with his wife and their first two children, he gave his life to Christ. Shortly thereafter he felt he was being called into the ministry, and, as I undoubtedly would, had the “what if” question. What if God wasn’t really calling him? Why would God call him to preach? He, like Moses, had a stuttering issue. Surely he was hearing wrong. I had heard most of this before and I had known that he had questioned but I never knew how much until my uncle told us the rest of the story. He said that my grandpa was at small airport and he actually said “God if you are really calling me make that plane crash.” And it did!

I am not advocating doing that, I am just using this story to illustrate the point I am trying to get to and hopefully I will. You will notice in the stories above that I have inserted the questions I would have asked if God had called me to take those actions. I am not sure if the people in those stories had similar thoughts. However, I am pretty sure that if they did most of them stepped out anyway, and they did so very quickly. I did refer to a couple stories in which they didn’t, which brings me to the story that I promised I would eventually tell.

My paternal grandfather, Bill Reynolds, was severely injured in World War II. He as on a PT Boat in the South Pacific and a bomb was dropped from a Japanese plane that just missed the boat. The bomb exploded on impact with the water sending shards of shrapnel into his body. One of the worst injuries was to his left arm. The shrapnel damaged tendons, muscles, and nerves in the arm and the doctors wanted to amputate. He begged them to let him keep it and they did. It did heal but he had very limited use of it including no use of the pinky and ring fingers on that hand and limited used of the other three fingers. The pinky and index fingers were drawn up into his palm and he could not straighten them out not even by pulling on them with his other hand. I tell you all of this to get to the main part of this story. In 1971 he went to a meeting where Kenneth Hagin was speaking. Kenneth Hagin was well known for meetings where people were miraculously healed and other things happened. In this meeting Mr. Hagin said that there was someone in the audience with a shriveled up left arm that God wanted to heal. My grandpa did not go up for healing, he did not have the man of God pray for him. After the service my dad asked him why he hadn’t gone up. My grandpa basically said he didn’t want to embarrass the speaker if he didn’t get healed. In other words he asked “What if it didn’t work?” My question and the question that started all of this is “What if it had worked?????”

That’s what I want to know from you, “What if it does work?” In the stories above, most did step out and I believe they got past the “what if it doesn’t” to the “what if it does” very quickly. Noah survived the flood. Abraham had a son and God provided a sacrifice. David killed Goliath, survived persecution, and became the king of Israel. My grandpa became a minister, raised a family the best he knew how, most of whom are serving the lord very fervently. He touched thousands of lives through his churches, and through his family. He never had a very large church but in the churches he had he touched lives and those lives touched lives and they touched many more. There’s literally no way of knowing how much of an impact he has had all because he stepped out. He got past the “what if”.

What is your “what if”? What is it, big or small, that you feel God is calling you to do but can’t get past the “what if it doesn’t work?” We ask what if because we are only looking at ourselves and what we can do. We think, yeah, I know God can do that but surely He can’t use me to do it. We don’t think He can do it through us and we stop and ask “what if I fail” instead of “what if He succeeds?” I am challenging you, I am challenging myself, right now, get past the “what if”. Step out and do what God is asking. Will you always get the results you want or expect? Maybe not, you will; however, get His results, and you will know that you did it. You will know that you heard God and stepped out in faith to do what He has told you. And besides, what if it does work?

Why Doesn't He Stop the Waves?

God has continued to speak to me about faith.  Specifically about trusting in Him no matter what the circumstances might say.  Kind of a continuation on the last post I made about certainty being the opposite of faith.

Take a look at Matthew 8 ²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” ²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  I had always read this passage as Jesus calling out His disciples for not having enough faith to quiet the waves themselves.  However, He asked “Why are you so afraid?”  He was not chastising them for not rebuking the storm; He couldn't believe that they didn't trust Him enough to know that He would protect them even in the middle of the storm.  He didn't have to “let” the storm even occur.  He could have rebuked it as soon as it started.  There are all types of scenarios but He chose to let it rage.  His disciples could have been asleep, resting in Him, just as He was resting in His Father but they chose to look at the circumstances, the created instead of the creator.

Reading again in Matthew 14: ²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.  ²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.  ²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”  ²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  ²⁹ “Come,” he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  ³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”  ³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”  Again in this passage Jesus could have stopped the wind before calling Peter out into the water but He didn't.  Peter stepped out into the water and as he focused on Jesus he was walking on water.  Can you imagine that?  What must that have felt like?  To be doing something that only one other man in recorded history had or has ever done and that other man was the Son of God Himself!  Peter began to look at the circumstances and began to sink.  I don’t believe that it was the fact that he looked at the circumstances that he sank.  I don’t believe that Jesus rebuked him for looking at them.  Sometimes all we can see are the circumstances surrounding us.  I believe that as Jesus said “why did you doubt?”  He was saying, yes there was wind, yes there were waves, but I had you!  Isn't it enough to know that He has us?

I have gone through a lot of storms.  I have seen friends go through and have friends who are currently going through storms.  Some of these storms I wonder if I can make it, I sometimes have wondered how I made it.  I wonder if my friends can make it.  I wonder if I were in their shoes could I hold up as well as I see them holding up.  I often wonder “why doesn't God just swoop in and fix it immediately?”  I am not saying that God can’t do that.  I am not saying that God won’t do that.  I have seen it happen many times, miraculous moves of God, immediate restoration.  What I am saying is that in those darkest of times when things don’t happen in the way and the timing that you are expecting and all hope seems to be lost don’t ask yourself “what am I doing wrong?”  Don’t ask “has God forsaken me?”  What you should think is “I am going to go to the front of the boat and sleep with Jesus because he is in control.”  Choose to wrap yourself in the knowledge that He has already proved His love for us in that while we were still sinners He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us (Romans 5:8).  

Another passage in which I often find rest “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12: 9 – 10)

It doesn't even have to be a storm. It can be something that you believe God has spoken to you, something He has put on your heart.  For example, my wife and I know that God has called us to adopt.  I continue to try to figure out God’s plan and wonder why He isn't doing something right now.  Another example, our family is at a point where our oldest son is getting ready to start his final year of high school and we wonder what God has for him.  Both of these things are good things but they can bring fear into my life.  Fear of the unknown, of failure, of how the heck are we going to pay for it???  I have to rest in the fact that He has already done it I just haven’t seen it yet, “the evidence of things not seen.”  I have to realize it is okay to have uncertainty of how, when, or where as long as I have complete confidence in who.


And lastly John 16: 33“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

What is Faith?

I would like to share a verse with you. I have a couple different versions so that you know that I'm not lying.  Just ponder on these for a few minutes.

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1 NIV
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Hebrews11:1 NLT
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

I guess the real question I would like to pose is, what is the OPPOSITE of faith?

Think about it for a minute.

Who said doubt, fear, or something like
that?

Pause for dramatic affect...

How about Certainty?

I was challenged the first time I heard Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church say this but as I have chewed on it over the last few weeks I have come to truly believe it.

If we are certain, we don't need faith.  If I am certain of exactly how, when, and where something was going to happen I wouldn't need faith in who is going to do it.  Faith is confidence of what is hoped for.  Hope means we don't know how or when or we wouldn't be hoping for it.  So we hope for it and then faith gives us the confidence in WHO!  I am confident in God, in His provision, in His ability.  I am not and cannot ever be certain of how,  when, or where or I would not need faith in Him.  I am definitely not certain of my own strength or ability.  All I can be is confident in Him and what He has called me to be and do.

I believe it is time to step out to do this thing. To do what God has told us to do and be confident in Him.  Do it now before He finds someone else to do it.

His Voice

It seems like for several weeks now my time of pursuing the Lord has been so personal that, when I go to type out something to share, I don't know what to say.

Do you ever have times like that?  I don't know...like you are tucked away in a secret place with the Spirit of God, and He is whispering things to you faster than you can process them?  

Please know that it is never that I don't want to share, but I've learned to be still and listen when the season changes too.

This has been a sweet time of resting in the Lord for me.  Through all the craziness that surrounded my surgery...despite everything that could have been, I'm so thankful that my eyes have been on eternity and my ears have been tuned to the voice of the King.

I feel so sorry for people who think God is a joke...that God doesn't speak...that He isn't loving or ever-present to help us by His Spirit.

I hear the voice of the Lord so easily.  I don't mean that boastfully in any way.  I mean it to glorify Him.  This should be our "normal" as His children.  This was never meant to be something super-spiritual or mind-blowing or even something too outrageous to believe.

Jesus tore the veil that separated us from the Father.  He yearns to be with us minute-by-minute.  He rejoices over us with singing and His thoughts toward us outnumber the grains of sand!

He is a personal God.  He cares.

One can argue about the Bible.  One can argue theology.  At the end of the day, one cannot argue my experiences.  They are mine, and I can never be convinced I haven't, time and time again, met with the One, True Spirit of God.

I had a dear friend ask me some months ago how I know I am hearing the voice of the Lord.  Wow, that is a hard question to answer about a voice that usually isn't audible!

I can only explain that I know my husband's voice.  If I were blindfolded and could only hear Tom's voice, I would know it.  I would know each of my children, my mom, my dad, my friends...

How do we recognize the voices of those we love?  

We have spent enough time with them that we "just know" them. 

We can't really explain how we know, but we do, don't we?  No one is going to convince us that isn't our child's voice we hear!

That's how it is for me.  I know the Lord's voice because I have spent much time with Him and He is now familiar.  I know when I'm hearing Him and when I'm not.

I want to share some more on how I recognize the Lord, but for today, I leave you with this:

John 10:14Amplified Bible (AMP)

14 I am the Good Shepherd; and I know and recognize My own, and My own know and recognize Me—

Quiet Time

I have found myself wondering lately what others do for their personal quiet time with the Lord.  There are so many ways to practice His presence!  One of my favorite things to do is to take Scriptures or the devotionals I'm reading and turn them into prayers that I write out in my journal.  This way, when I'm having a rough time and feel stuck or don't know how to pray, I just open my journal and read it aloud. It soothes my soul and reminds me of God's love, grace, and mercy. It helps me exalt him above every problem and circumstance.  It's so easy to knock the personal, intimate time to the bottom of the shuffle in a busy day, but my day feels so off when I allow that!  When I seek God first, I am just a much more peaceful person.  I'm pretty sure everyone around me appreciates it.  :)

Honor

Looking further into aspects of humility, I studied honor with the Youth and Young Adults groups.

By definition, honor is regarding something or someone as precious; reverence or respect.

We no longer live in a culture where most people are taught to honor others. Oh, we hear terms like "tolerance," but to merely put up with something someone does is not the same as honoring them.

Enjoy these discussion notes, based on the book, Honor's Reward by John Bevere.

Honor

*Before you can honor another, you must choose humility

Honor is to value; see as weighty and precious; to reverence and respect

You receive many blessings just by becoming a child of God through the acceptance of the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  But, there are other blessings/rewards you only receive by honoring those God has appointed in your life.

Think about it like this:  just by being your parents’ child, you receive some things like a place to live, clothes to wear, and food to eat.  By honoring your parents, however, you can receive other privileges/rewards/blessings, such as driving a car, having a phone, or using your parent’s credit card.

By choosing humility and honor, you determine which rewards you receive.

Obviously, we know we should honor God above anyone else, but He has also set up a kingdom, not a democracy!  He has appointed leaders in positions of authority.  If you say you honor authority yet refrain from submission and obedience to it, you deceive yourself.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 13:1-2, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God.

Paul is referring to all areas of delegated authority (this is authority entrusted to another; people are God’s delegated authority on earth).  The New Testament speaks of 4 divisions of delegated authority: civil, social, family, and church. 

Here are some verses to give you an idea of what God expects of you in each area.  Note, however, that though we are told that all authority is of God, He doesn’t say that all authority is godly!

Harsh leaders will give an account to God, but those placed under their rule will be tested like David under Saul.  If they choose to honor, they will be rewarded!  It is profitable for us to honor the position and our Father who placed the leader there, even if we dislike them or disagree with them.  Also realize this though:  you are not required to obey a leader who is asking you to sin!

Civil Authority/Honor: (government)

Romans 13:3-7

3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

1 Peter 2:17

17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Social Authority/Honor: (employers, teachers, coaches, etc…)

(*These verses refer to the work we have to do)

1 Timothy 6:1

6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.

Ephesians 6:5-8

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

Family Authority/Honor:

Ephesians 5:33

33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

1 Peter 3:7

7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

Ephesians 5:22

22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.

Titus 2:4-5

4 Then they (the older women) can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Psalm 127:3

3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.

(*The following two verses can be applicable in the other areas of delegated authority as well.  “Little ones” can mean children or newer believers in the faith.)

Matthew 18:6-7

6 If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!

Matthew 18:10

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

Ephesians 6:2-3

2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Leviticus 20:9

9 “‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.  (Thank heaven for Jesus and grace!  God was pretty serious about this, wasn’t He?)

Proverbs 29:15

15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.

Church Authority/Honor:

Ephesians 4:11

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

Hebrews 13:17

17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

John 13:20

20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

Matthew 10:40-42

40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

Do you treat all people with dignity and respect (honor)?  God makes it clear in 1 Peter 2:17 that He indeed means all people. 

Do you find yourself criticizing, judging, or making fun of others…even if it is in your mind but you don’t say it aloud?  Or maybe you do say it aloud.   Do you gossip about others behind their back?  Do you repeat things you've heard and slander others?  Do you know that God says you will give an account for every idle word you speak? 

Do you make it a point to be a friend to those who others don’t deem worthy or are you too cool for that?  Do you exclude others from your circle? 

Do you do what authority asks of you with a happy and willing heart? 

Do you give honor where honor is due? 

Honor is displayed through submission (attitude) and obedience (action). 

Your honor determines your reward.

Isaiah 1: 17-20

17 Learn to do right; seek justice.  Defend the oppressed.  Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.  18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord.  “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land; 20 but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Humility

In the Young Adults group at our church, we have been discussing humility. It was an eye-opening study!  Enjoy these notes :)

Humility is not:

~Feeling sorry for yourself

~Putting yourself down

~Pretending you can’t do anything right; God has given you gifts & abilities

~Thinking/focusing on yourself all the time

~Lowering yourself to other people and letting them walk all over you

~Completely denying yourself (for example, taking a vow of poverty…that doesn’t make you humble; that makes you poor!)

Humility is:

~Loving yourself in a way that does not put you over anyone else; you are not better or worse than anyone!

~Recognizing that you are who you are and what you are because GOD gifted and enabled you; you are not an amazing self-creation!

~Submitting to the will of God, believing He knows all the answers and the way to your best life

James 4:6 God opposes the proud but gives grace (His empowerment) to the humble. 

God provides His empowerment to those who don’t rely on their own power and strength, but instead allow Him to lead the way.  The proud are those who believe that they know best, try to do everything in their own power, by their own ego.  This doesn’t mean a person is to just sit back and not act.  It means one watches and listens for His leading and follows Him.  Therefore, greater humility is greater power.  When you become less, God and others can become more, and in return, God will exalt and promote you.  Over and over, we are told in the Bible to humble ourselves; it is our choice.

*Humility comes before honor

Proverbs 15:33 The fear (the reverence, awe, and honor) of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility.  (You can’t honor another until you humble yourself.)

*Grace is given to the humble

1 Peter 5:5-6 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.  (You don’t have to make yourself something great.  You follow God and HE will make you great for His glory.)

*Humility goes hand-in-hand with prayer

2 Chronicles 7:14 And My people who are called by My name shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (their inheritance-what they have been given and entrusted with).

*Humilty and faith

Romans 12:3 For through the grace given to me, I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.  (You may think you are better than others, but God doesn’t see it that way!)

*God has given us the gift of grace

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.  (You have nothing to boast about; it’s all God!)

*We all fall short

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

*Humility involves putting others first

Philippians 2:3-11

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (It’s not about you!)

*Humility shows we have been chosen by God

Colossians 3:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Your fruit will prove where your heart really is no matter what your words say!  Can others watch you and know you are a Christian, or do they get confused or even turned away from Christianity because your walk doesn’t match your talk?)

*The humble shall be exalted

Matthew 23:12 And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted. 

Remember what God said to Cain in Genesis 4:6-7?  “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’”  Do you trust God to exalt you or do you find yourself doing things to be accepted?  One of the saddest tragedies in life is to look back years later and regret the actions or lack of actions of your youth.  Choose humility.

Still Not Being Still

Sad how chaotic and crazy daily life has become in this culture. Most of us rush around, hustling and bustling families all over, from the time we roll out of bed until the time we fall into it!

Even if we can manage to squash our schedules enough to stop running so much, it seems we still contend with our minds that never stop racing thoughts here and there.

I had a blessed moment today while waiting to pick my son up from physical therapy. I had just zipped through the grocery store and gotten that checked off my to-do list and then, there I was...just sitting.

I was only sitting still because I didn't have enough time to get any other errand done! But what a gift in the middle of my day.

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD... Prov. 46:10

I realized in my quiet moment that when I don't take the time to get still, I get wrapped up in trying to be God to myself and others.

I have to remember to slow down and be intentional.

Hospitality

As I was cleaning the other day, I found myself getting very irritable. 

Do you ever have those times when you go to clean or do a project around your home and you start seeing all the other things that need attention?

I admit that this overwhelms me some days!  I think, "Wow, all I feel like I do is clean, but still filth is everywhere and how does this stuff get broken and when do they do this and...and...and...are you kidding me???"

I live with five males.  I don't think any of them notice what I notice. Three of them are young and they don't really equate things to money like I would like!  They don't quite see the "big deal" about water rings on tables or carpet that hasn't been vacuumed and is accumulating dust!

I have made A LOT of progress in letting some of this go and relaxing, but I will be honest and say that I often dread cleaning anything for I know I will get extremely bothered by what I see!

Now, just so you understand, I'm not some haughty, uppity, snob who has a million-dollar estate with designer furniture and knick-knacks! We are a "typical" (I guess) middle-class family, who lives on a budget and buys most things on sale!

I have spent time in third-world countries witnessing true poverty unlike anything I have seen around the United States.  I know well that because I have a vehicle and clean water, I am among the top 8% of the richest people in the world! 

That makes me feel utterly grateful and  yet terribly guilty at the same time.  

I have went through seasons of severe depression trying to reconcile what I have seen others live in and what God has given me when I return from mission trips.

That has all helped me to relax and let uptight worries go in my beautiful, well-built, warm and spacious home.  However, I am human and stuff still gets to me.  

I think in a way, seeing the poverty I've seen has made me more frustrated as far as trying to get my sons to understand that we should be good stewards because we have been given so much.

My husband and I believe with all our hearts that the only reason we are blessed with any of this is TO BE  a blessing to others.  We have had multiple people live with us over the years and will continue to do so as God directs us.  

We have purposefully decided we will not hoard, be greedy, or turn anyone in need away if we have it to give and God says that is good ground in which to sow.

We will also not live in fear of giving because the Word says, "GIVE and it shall be given to you..."  We realize we cannot "out-give" God!

But as I was cleaning the other day and finding all kinds of things falling apart and needing fixing or deeply cleaned, or repainted, etc... I thought about all the traffic that flows through our home.  I thought about how fast things get worn out and then I found myself getting anxious that we wouldn't be able to get it all taken care of in the time it would be needed.

Thankfully, I heard that still, small voice whisper.  "This isn't your concern.  You have no reason to fear.  I know what you need.  You take care of my sheep, and I will provide."

Then, I began to think how it seems I have NO good reason EVER to not be hospitable.  I have found no exception to this verse:  

1 Peter 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

I don't see sickness excusing me...even though when I was down after a surgery, I desperately wanted to tell people they couldn't come over and see the mess.

I don't see busyness excusing me...even though some days, after teaching my kids all day and running to appointments, I just want to collapse in bed!

I don't see my mood excusing me...even though some days I am so mentally and emotionally exhausted from dealing with other circumstances.

I don't see inconvenience or my husband's work schedule or my lack of neatness or organization or my non-designer furniture or decor or my fear of judgment from others or that something could not be replaced when needed... 

I can think of nothing I could grumble about inside my mind excusing me from God's call to open my door to others.

OUCH!  That is hard for me, how about you?  But, I pray I will never stop having my heart laid bare before the Word of God. It indeed is living and active, dividing the intents of the heart!

Praise Him!

A Clean Slate

Extending grace to others can sometimes challenge me.  I try very hard to keep in mind how much God has forgiven me.  I try to remind myself that no one else's sin is greater than my own.  ALL sin put Jesus on the cross.

In day-to-day life though, I find that I constantly get stretched to extend that grace.  With my children, I especially have a hard time knowing when to offer more grace and when to discipline.

It hurts me when I see them sin.  When they choose to do something that I know they know we have taught them not to do and that they know God doesn't want them to do, it just makes me ache.

Tom and I have tried to teach our sons that we don't have a list of rules, nor does God have a list of rules, they must follow to earn our love or salvation.  Those things are free gifts.

But God does give us a book of wisdom that teaches us how to live under His protection and have the most abundant life possible.  His "rules" are actually guidelines to help us do things His right way.  His way leads to life, not death. 

Of course there are things in my own life that I'm certain makes God ache.  He is my Father, and He probably mourns my choices and hurts for me.  I crave His patience and understanding...His long-suffering love and His slowness to anger.

I can only guess that my children want the same from me, whether they can articulate that to me or not.

It's so hard to extend these things when you feel like you have told someone over and over again what to do or not do...when you have discussed and forgiven and given chances time and time again!

We walked through some things this week, and I was so angry with two of my boys right before bed one night.  The next morning when I woke, I heard the Holy Spirit nudging me to get up and make them their favorite breakfast.

Now, you know my flesh was fighting.  "God, they don't deserve that!"  And quickly, I realized how much I don't deserve grace or mercy either.

Sigh.  I made them breakfast.  They were visibly shocked.  They thanked me.  They even apologized for their choices.  We had a much better week.

Wouldn't you know it though, that one of them lied to me again yesterday.  It was about something ridiculous that he just didn't feel like doing, but what we are trying to help him see is that if you can be trusted with little, you can be trusted with much.

Sigh again.  It was time for me to offer some more grace and mercy.

Lamentations 3 
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

Each morning, God let's me start with a clean slate.  It is mine to do the same for others.

Rejoice with Others

Love in Action~Romans 12

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I have had this portion of Scripture running through my head a lot in the last week and maybe February 14th is a great time to talk about it. 

This passage is called "Love in Action" in the New International Version.  There are so many great reminders here about how we should CHOOSE to treat one another, but the highlighted part above is what I have had running through my mind.

Rejoice with those who are rejoicing.  

It's not that this particular sentence is more important than the rest; it's just that I have seen so many people struggling to do it lately!

I am the type of person who hears something great that happened to someone else and I may have a thought like, "Oh wow!  They got a new car!  I can't wait for that day for us!" But very quickly I forget about me and I am just genuinely happy for them.  I don't struggle with being bitter or envious, etc...  I have sadly noticed though that this isn't the case for some Christians.  They covet each other's homes, vacations, clothes, even their spiritual gifts!

A couple weeks ago we found out that my husband won a very nice award for being the top engineer in his region.  He also won an expensive trip to a luxury resort in Mexico!

Of course we were rejoicing!  My husband works HARD!  He travels most days of the year and our entire family makes a lot of sacrifices to make that happen.  In my opinion, he absolutely deserves this award, though he would tell you, award or not, he does his job not for the accolades of man, but for the glory of God.  

This portion of Scripture came to my mind as I found myself hesitant to tell certain people about Tom's award because I new that they wouldn't just say congrats or be able to be happy for us, but they would say some remark about how nothing like that ever happens for them...blah, blah, blah.

I just don't get that.  I get that life is hard and sometimes you don't get rewarded for hard work, but I don't understand not rejoicing with someone else.

I am a firm believer that our attitude determines our altitude, meaning how we appear, act, and react, will have much to do with how we are promoted in this world.  Nobody enjoys being around grumblers and incessant complainers...Negative Nellie's and Oh-Woe-Is-Me Mildred's!

We all have choices each day to become part of the problem or part of the solution...to be faithful in the little so we can be trusted with much.  And just what do we do when we feel like we have been faithful and have worked hard?  

We trust God and we wait patiently, believing that if we do not grow weary in doing well, if we do not grow faint, in due time we shall reap our reward.

When our eyes are on the reward, they are often not on the Rewarder.  How do we change that?  We seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6 says that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  We seek Him diligently...

dil·i·gent

  [dil-i-juhnt] 

adjective

1.

constant in effort to accomplish something; attentive and persistent in doing anything: a diligent student.

2.

done or pursued with persevering attention; painstaking: a diligent search of the files.