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September 29, 2016

Why We Should Learrn What is Written

Last night at church Bob taught out of Colossians chapter 2. This post came to mind because of some things he said. 

As to the title of post--why we should learn what is written.

First, it was good enough for Jesus! When He was tempted in the wilderness by Satan, his response was always "It is written". He quoted the Word of God to avoid the temptations. Memorizing Scripture is important for us, too, in order to avoid Satan's temptations. You never know when you will need to rely on Scripture to help you but may not always have a Bible ready with you.

Second, we are to always be ready with an answer for others. --- to defend our beliefs, or to give encouragement to others. 1 Peter 3:15

Thirdly, in order to witness. Romans 10:17 says that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We are to use the Bible to encourage, admonish, rebuke, and show the love of God and Christ. We are to warn the sinner of his ways. 

You won't always have a Bible with you so memorize it. Even if you have one with you, it is best to know your Bible and where to find the scriptures you are looking to share. 

Just a little something to encourage you to learn what is written!


September 25, 2016

God Looks on the Heart

It's rainy out today so I thought I'd choose blue font for my post. I know probably most of you don't even notice the font color but it usually is chosen for my mood or to go with the theme of the post or whatever. I maybe should have chose red for the font color because of the word heart.

In Sunday school today, the topic of God looks on the heart was mentioned and how the world view today uses the verse. It so often is used to say that no one has the right to judge someone on their appearance or even their actions. --In essence, it doesn't matter what I look like or how I live because God knows my heart. Well, I don't mean to sound unkind but doesn't that thought even remotely scare you if that is your attitude? God DOES look on the heart! He knows our thoughts, our actions, what's in our heart that drives those thoughts and actions. That should be pretty scary if you ask me. Here's the thing...what's in our heart reflects the outside. It reflects our words, our appearance and our actions. 

So you say, how I dress or wear my hair should not matter because God knows my heart. He knows I am a kind, compassionate or ___________you fill in the blank. Maybe so. However, God said let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. People can only see the outside. (at least at first, until they get to know you, after getting to know you, they can then decide no matter what's on the outside what is in your heart) but first impressions still exist.

So, we are not to judge someone based on appearance? Sorry, but that is just in the nature of most humans. Let me put it this way, if you are driving in a city and see a woman dressed scantily or provocatively on the street corner, what is your very first thought? Prostitute? You more than likely would be correct in your thought. Does that mean the woman is beyond salvation or the love of Jesus? No! But it DOES mean that they are involved in a life of sin according to God's Word. Are you wrong in your judgment of thinking that she is probably a prostitute? I say no. Because if the shoe fits wear it! She is for sale. She is dressed that way to let a man know that she is for sale. I say to ladies -- Don't advertise what you don't want noticed and to those to whom you have no business advertising it to. Save it for your own husband! 

Now, I will say that my first impression of someone based on appearance has been wrong many a times. For instance, when at a gas station or convenience store the men that seem to treat me the rudest have been the well dressed men. (those in suits or nice casual clothes) They are the ones who not only don't hold a door for me but have actually let it slam in my face. They are often not the ones to offer help when I am putting air in my tire or carrying something to my car. On the other hand, some of the ones doing the opposite have been those dressed roughly, or (forgive this judgment) been kinda scary looking with tattoos everywhere and wild hair. They have called me "Mam", held the door, been quick to help if I looked like I needed it. So, I know that first impression judgments based on appearance can leave your heart convicted but that doesn't change the fact that they are there. ----because I can't see their heart. I must make a judgment based on what I see. It isn't until later that I may see that they can be kind. 

God sees our self righteousness, our selfishness, our anger and hatred, our pettiness, etc. He sees it right there in our hearts even when we are good at hiding it on the outside from others. People cannot see right away. This should also be convicting in that no matter how we clean up the outside God sees the heart. 

It has been my experience that those who want to dress and look like they choose no matter God's standards or live in actions contrary to God's Word yet throw that verse around are justifying their rebellion to God. And, that's usually their attitude and tone of voice when quoting the verse! 

September 20, 2016

People are Not Erasers

I recently saw a facebook post where it said we need to teach kids that mistakes can be fixed. I'm sorry but not all mistakes can be fixed. Yes, some can but many cannot. When you make a mistake with a pencil all you need to do is turn the pencil over and use the eraser. Unfortunately, people are not erasers. You can't just simply turn yourself over and fix the mistake. 

Many times when we make a mistake, we must just live with the consequences. We can say "sorry" and try to make amends, but often the mistake is so big and has such far reaching effects that nothing we do can fix it. This is the reason I often say that you can do something in a moment that will give you heart ache for life. Those mistakes will haunt you. All the "sorries" and sincere apologies in the world will not change the results or consequences of the mistake. 

So, while yes, I believe we should remember that children will make mistakes and that some things are not worth getting too upset over, we should also teach them to make wise choices because our decisions will impact others and not all mistakes are fixable. We are not erasers! 

September 14, 2016

What About Those Picky Eaters

I've had some conversations lately with some people about picky eating. Picky eaters are often criticized. My husband gets upset when this topic comes up because when our kids were little, I made our kids try all food items but if they didn't like it, I wouldn't make them eat it. I don't eat things that I don't like and I don't think anyone should have to do that. People who disagree with this approach will say that it causes pickiness and that then a person won't eat anything and that if you force them to eat something that they don't like, they will learn to like and eat anything. I have concluded through seeing and watching both ways that this isn't the case. Both my kids were raised exactly the same way. My son has always ate and liked many food items-almost anything really. My daughter on the other hand, has always ate only certain things. --Bible college helped some with that. When I was young and visiting a cousins house where the kids were forced to eat everything on their plate and all items on the table being served I too, was forced to follow those rules. As a kid, I hated rice. To me it appeared too much like maggots and my family always served it with raisins, butter, sugar and milk as a breakfast food. So, to me it looked like a bowl of bugs! I didn't care for the taste either and gagged with each spoonful. I was forced to eat it but I did not develop a taste for rice as a kid. I began eating rice as a high schooler when a boyfriend's mom made it and served it with gravy. I had never had it that way before and wasn't really wanting to try it but didn't want to offend so I did. I liked it but still had to push maggot thoughts out of my mind. Now I love rice but it has been developed through trying different ways of cooking it. Almost all people have something that they prefer not to eat because they don't like the taste or texture or whatever. It's just that some people have more of those than others. My point is that forcing to eat something doesn't make someone less picky. I know too many "picky eaters" as adults that were forced to eat everything as a child. To further prove my point, be observant the next time you go to a buffet restaurant. Everyone picks and chooses the foods they want and the foods they enjoy eating. They don't take foods that they don't like. Now, maybe someone who has learned to force down a food they really dislike the taste of can eat anything sat in front of them so as not to offend the cook but that hardly makes them less picky. I was grateful that I had a mom that almost always stuck with foods my siblings and I loved rather than fixing foods she new would have to be forced upon us. When my kids were little, I sometimes felt that relatives purposely cooked and served foods that they knew my kids didn't like just so they could complain about them being picky and not eating. 

One more thing, just because someone is picky doesn't mean that's why they are thin. I know many heavy set people that are very picky eaters and my son will eat many varieties of foods and he is skinny as can be. I know lots of examples like this. 

I say leave people alone and let them eat what they want! I do think we should be concerned about HEALTHY eating not necessarily about eating everything and anything that is set before them.

September 12, 2016

Being Late

Just some thoughts running through my mind since yesterday. For some being late can have different meanings. It can mean "Yay! I'm pregnant!" or "Oh no! I might be pregnant." 

For some, being late is a way of life for them. They are consistently or chronically late whereever they go. I was raised to NOT be late. As a matter of fact my mom was always at least 15 minutes early if not more any where she went. I was taught that it is rude to be late. This "fashionably late" is inconsiderate. Being late sends the message that your time is more important than someone elses. It is self-centered and gives the impression that you matter more than others. 

Many, many doctors offices have a sign up that says if you are more than 15 minutes late you will have to re-schedule. (which I find quite amusing because I have often been kept waiting in the waiting room for more than 45 minutes after my appointment time before being taken back) Most employers will fire someone who is consistently late even if they are otherwise a good worker. Therefore, most employees work hard not to be late. Yet, there are people who are consistently late to church. They seem not to mind that nearly every time they show up, they stroll in 10, 15, or 20 minutes late to either Sunday school or church services. I can not understand this. If you are always late the same amount of time then it is easy to correct....GET UP THAT AMOUNT OF TIME EARLIER!!! These same people claim to love the Lord, yet to me don't seem to care enough to be at church on time. If your spouse was late for a date on a consistent basis, you would question their love of you. Right? You would more than likely become upset with them for being late so often. So, why should we not question your love and loyalty to God if you are late all the time? Just something to consider. 

If you are someone who is chronically late, please consider seriously this post and try to do better. Remember, fashionably late has always been inconsiderate. People are waiting. 

September 7, 2016

Are You Part of the Problem?

I've been trying to figure out all the things that may have lead to what America has become. It pretty much comes down to an agenda set forth years ago in the 1920s and 30s by the socialist/communist groups that wanted to take this great country down and everything it stood for. Before you brush me off as just some conspiracy theorist, do your own research on the things I will talk about and understand that they wrote their agenda down and there is documented proof. I gotta say that it's almost admirable how they were willing to set forth a plan in motion that they may never get to reap the benefits of just like many who were willing to fight for the independence of this country during the Revolutionary War. 

There are two big main things on the agenda. One, to divide the country into small groups pitted against one another and two, to remove God and godliness.

They were smart enough to know that a kingdom divided against itself would be brought to desolation. Jesus talks about that in Matthew chapter 12. A united America would not be beaten....EVER! So, knowing this, they instill and keep going strife among the people so that they are pitted against each other and fighting and even hating one another to the point that they will no longer care for or appreciate or help one another. Certain political parties most definitely use this type of stuff to divide and conquer for their agendas. Look at all the different small group separations that exist. Blacks against whites, hispanics against whites, cops against blacks and actually everyone, children against parents, old against young, rich against poor, women against men, and the list goes on. It's often a distraction tactic. If they can keep the groups fighting among themselves, no one will notice what they are trying to do. It is easier to get laws passed or pushed through unnoticed. It is easier for an enemy to swoop in and conquer. A united America would be much harder to take down. Instead of saying I will stand for and help and treat my American family member with respect, I will do what is necessary to take them down and out of my way so that MY rights and wants are tended. I have long said that "rights" will be the downfall of the USA. 

Two, a moral God fearing nation would also never be conquered. So God, the church and the family has been under constant attack in this country. The socialist agenda believed in "spoon feeding" immorality to us over time until we no longer recognized it and it has even infiltrated the churches. Do you know that you can build up immunity to even many poisons if fed in small doses? They wanted to remove God from every aspect of life. I remember when the show "Soap" was on the air in I think the early 80s. It depicted the first gay character played by Billy Crystal. The homosexual agenda was one the socialist groups fully intended to use. It began slowly. They used Hollywood first to press this issue. If they could use immoral ideas in casual slow ways and make you laugh while doing so and make you feel for the characters then slowly you would build up empathy for them and then when encountering it in real life, you would be more accepting. Many people that I know, even self-proclaiming Christians, don't see a problem with gay lifestyles mainly because they know someone who is a "good" person and really "to each his own". Well, that was the agenda people! ...To get the country as a whole to accept what God says is wrong. Abortion was another one. Sex outside of marriage was a big one they used Hollywood to spread. They used romantic settings to tug at the emotions and eventually there is full blown nudity and cursing in most movies and many tv shows now. It was spoon fed until it no longer makes us blush. It no longer grates against our nerves or conscience. Emotions play a huge part in getting us to feel sorry for or feel guilty about or what ever so that we will give in. Children use this tactic often against a parent or even their siblings or friends. They cry and use words like "you don't love me" or "you're not fair".  This tugs at the emotions of the listener and often makes them back up from their stance or give into the demand of the child. The agenda was just used on a grander scale for America. 

This grand scheme has indeed infiltrated the church. Worldliness and immorality run rampant throughout the churches all across America and that was the goal. They succeeded. No wonder the lost feel no need to come to Christ when they see no difference in them and those in the church. Not even a TRYING to be different! There is no talk of God or praising Him for blessings. Too often we have become whiners and complainers and murmurers so when we walk around defeated instead of joyful, why should anyone want what we have?!!! Bob and I have had several discussions among ourselves and with our children on this whole big topic and the apathy of the church and the effect on the country. It seems to me, there are few committed, sold out, servants of God willing to put the Lord first in their lives and make a difference in their community. Instead what children and observers in the community are seeing is, church is good if I have nothing better to do, I am eternally saved so it matters not how I live, as long as I show up and fill my section of a pew at least once a week then I really don't have to listen to the preaching or try to apply it to my life or let the Holy Spirit work through the preacher in my heart and mind. (sorry for the run-on sentence there) I'm afraid that the socialistic agenda has indeed succeeded in spreading ungodliness within the church. They have been a great tool for Satan. 

These two things mentioned are not the only things being used by the socialists but they are two of the biggest. They have also used the education system. Beginning first by using the theory of evolution and then moving on to removing the Bible from the class rooms and then rewriting the history books and then teaching alternative lifestyles and "safe" sex. THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED!!! Christians LET it happen! But that is because Christians have allowed themselves to be influenced to the point of empathy for others' sins based on "judge not lest ye be judge". (this is a whole other lesson which I've blogged about before so I won't go into now)

So, to my title question. Are you part of America's problem? Do you allow yourself to be pitted in small groups against another? Do you have an apathetic spirit towards church and God and the things of God? If you are guilty of any of the above mentioned things in the post, then you have been part of the problem that has gotten America to this time!!!! 

2 Chronicles 7:14 is still in the Bible and while yes it was written to the nation of Israel, it absolutely applies to the true Christian who was adopted into the family of God by inheritance through Christ! So pray for forgiveness, turn to God and seek His face and maybe then God will save this country for the next generation.

Hope I have made some people think.

September 3, 2016

Life Lessons

It's funny how in life we sometimes must learn lessons over and over or in a difficult way. Life is constantly teaching us whether we like it or not. Have you noticed that some lessons are very hard learned lessons?! There are times when I must re-learn the same lesson months or years later because I let myself forget what I had learned the first time. 

Bob and I recently learned a very hard lesson. Sometimes we don't wait long enough on the Lord, or rush into a decision because we feel pressure from other sources, or sometimes even when we have peace about a situation or decision it turns out to be a bad decision. (maybe some would say it was just something we were meant to go through and learn from rather than a bad decision) Either way, it was difficult and a growing, learning experience. 

I learned very young how short life is, yet I often find myself taking things, situations and people for granted. I don't like that but it is true. One thing I learned five years ago is that small, petty stuff is not worth getting upset about for very long. Cancer taught me that through my mom. Life is too short to live it unhappy and in anger and bitterness yet this spring and summer I struggled with those emotions....A Lot! I most definitely struggled with selfishness that in turn put extreme pressures on my husband (who is my favorite person). I feel awful about that now. It took me several months and until recently to figure out just what my inward problem was so that I could begin working on changing it. I will not share any details because it is private and not for lots of people to know. However, I will share that when you find yourself angry all the time and unable to sleep and getting upset over small things that shouldn't matter, you need to self evaluate and find what's at the source. For me there were several factors weighing in that contributed but ultimately, I was being selfish. I blamed people for things that weren't their fault instead of allowing myself to feel the anger at the one whom I was actually mad at. I also have been given by God an intuition and discernment about people that lets me know when things are not right with them...like when they tend to not be completely truthful or when they are not quite what they pretend. I just tend to know. 

I will be 50 at the end of October and I like to think I've learned a thing or two over the half century. Life is short! Much too short to live it in a job you hate (no matter your financial circumstances...find a different one asap!). Life is too short to hold petty grudges with friends and family. Life is too short to live in past regrets. Make amends and move forward! Life is too short to live in the "if only" or "I wish". If the wish is feasible, then take steps to make it happen. Remember, if you are a saved child of God, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Just figure out how to do what you are wanting and do it! 

Just some things to ponder. Pay attention to the things you are learning in life and do your best not to have to learn them a second time.