2013~Make a Difference!

Here we go!  Off into the great unknown of another year.  

Excited? Fearful? Dreadful? Uncertain?  Relieved? Happy?

It can mean so many things to different people, this thing called change.

I personally like anything that gives the feeling of a fresh start.  It helps me to let go of what was and move on!  

As I awoke on January 1, I had two portions of Scripture on my mind:

Hebrews 12 New International Version (NIV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Philippians 3 New International Version (NIV)

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

As I have read over these words in the past week, I recognize the message to my heart (and dare I say, the Body of Christ) this year: 

~throw off what is holding you back & messing you up
~don't allow yourself to grow weary
~be confident that the path has been laid out before you
~keep your eyes on Jesus, not circumstances or fears
~endure...Jesus did & has given you the power to also
~remember, one day, every hard moment will be worth it 
~take hold of what Jesus died to give you      

I  notice that these are all actions.  It's up to me.  It's up to you.   It's up to us.

To passionately pursue is to zealously, fervently, violently gain, attain, capture, and overtake that which you are trying to obtain!

Of course, this is not to allude to harming or wounding any person, but to know your purpose clearly and to be determined to see it fulfilled.  We hold many positions: mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, loved one, friend, business owner, employee, teacher, pastor, helper, leader, follower...

The days of passivity need to be over...in our hearts, our heads, our bodies...our families, our churches, our communities, our country...our world.

For such a time as this, we have been equipped and reaction needs to be replaced by action and proaction!

GET UP AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE...because you can!   

Eyes of Grace

I just want to throw out a reminder that is on my heart today after talking with a friend last night...

Don't judge people's heart motives; judge only their fruit. That's what the Word says. Instead of saying don't judge, we would be better to say don't condemn. Judgement, we are instructed to do...it is when and how that we need to get straight.

Don't compare yourself or your family or your anything to any other...only to Jesus...The Word.

Remember when we read in Colossians about Paul encouraging them not to judge about how people do things...whether they observe certain festivals or not, etc...? Really ask God to make it revelation to you that there is now NO condemnation because you and your Christian brothers and sisters are IN Jesus.

Don't fall into any condemnation about how your family celebrates this time of year. Walk out what God puts on your heart. Don't compare your family or traditions to others...examine them before the Word.

I remember last year watching a lot of strife in the Body of Christ on whether we should be in a church building on Christmas because it fell on a Sunday. At a time we should have been lifting up Jesus everywhere because we ARE the Church, sadly many high and lofty opinions were being lifted up and separating the Body instead.

Who are we to say what another's walk should look like? The Bible is full of examples that didn't look like good ones on the surface, but God confounded the wise and logical thinkers with what looked like a whole hot mess of foolishness!

If I have learned anything, it is to not put God in a box. It definitely wouldn't have "looked" holy or right for little virgin Mary to be pregnant with our Savior or for Joseph to be with a pregnant fiance! "Pregnant by divine intervention you say Joseph? You really believe her? Bhaaaa!" I'm sure there were many condemning fellow believers in their midst, but the Word of Truth lets us clearly know that both of them had upstanding character (fruit) and what looked to be scandalous was the very hand of God working!

We can feel so certain that we know what someone else should or should not be doing...that if they are not doing it like us they must be wrong or in sin. We can feel like we are wrong by comparing ourselves to others. Jesus came to free us all from that garbage! Don't fall into it. Don't waste time feeling badly. Do what YOU are called to do and go light your sphere of influence!

Our walks look different because we are all created individually. We all have different calls and different people to reach.

So in this season or whatever circumstance you may be in, don't waste time feeling condemned about not doing something someone else is or about doing something another person is not. Seek God's plan for YOUR life and trust that in our differences, He is building pieces of a very beautiful puzzle...that we can help one another experience the many aspects of Him by looking through the eyes of grace!

Lukewarm? NO! Zealous!

Paul tells the Colossians that he has agonized for them and others because he wants them so badly to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love...to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan, which IS Christ himself...and that in Christ, ALL the treasure of wisdom and knowledge are hidden! Then he goes on to say that if anyone tells them differently, those peeps are trying to deceive them.

I love Paul's zeal! I want his heart for others...believers and non-believers! I want to feel the burden on my heart to pray for others and think of others before myself! I want to be consumed with the want of leading anyone and everyone to Christ himself so all people can find the treasures!!! Too often I want these things second to whatever is going on in my little world. Anyone else experience this?

Then Paul tells them that even though he is away from them, his heart is with them. I think I love this so much because it is so real and raw. I mean, how often do we feel this? My physical body may be in one place, but my heart, thoughts, yearnings are with another...with a friend who is in the depths of heartache, etc.... I think I always enjoy spending time with Paul in the Word because I can identify so much with him, yet I still want to be more like him!

My study note spoke of Paul's warning against deception and how he wanted this letter passed on to the church at Laodicea...the one that Jesus later rebukes for being lukewarm! God always raises up a forthtelling prophetic voice of warning to bring believers back to the right path! Praise Him! 

WE have to be vigilant that we are not deceived in these days. We can only do that through knowing the Word. We can only know the Word by soaking in it. God flipped my mindsets and homeschool upside down this year by focusing us on the Word first and foremost and fitting everything else into it, instead of fitting "Bible" into 20 minutes a day. When this world, this economic system, this government that is denying God comes crashing down, I want my family standing on the Rock of Salvation. I want to be about the "right" things. I have NO DESIRE to be lukewarm.

Make time for the Word friends. It is your lifeline of truth! Don't let other things take precedence! Praying for us all