Running to the Man of God

Today I want to talk about the Shunammite woman. I love her story in 2 Kings chapter 4. Right from the start she perceived that Elisha was a holy man of God and fed him and then asked her husband to build a little room for Elisha to use whenever he passed through Shunem. Elisha wants to do something nice for her to say thank you for her care and kindness. She asks for nothing and Gehazi tells Elisha that she has no son and her husband is old. Elisha tells her that she will have a son around this time next year. Later the boy dies after having a terrible headache. The woman lays him on the bed she set up for Elisha and proceeds to go see Elisha to ask him for help. The bible says she asks her husband for a servant and a donkey so she can "run to the man of God". Her husband asks why and she tells him "it shall be well". She trusts that Elisha will make things right and help her on behalf of God. 

I think it is interesting that when she gets to Mt. Carmel, Elisha sees her afar off and recognizes her. He sends Gehazi immediately to see if all is well with her, her husband and her son. They had a good enough relationship that he knew her from a distance and also knew that if she had come, there must be something wrong. Her response is "it is well". She had told her husband that "it shall be well" but once she got to Elisha she said "it is well". At that point in time it was not yet well. Her son was still dead, but she trusted that Elisha would do something to change that scenario. Guess what! He did! 

I know that we no longer have prophets like in Old Testament times but we do have pastors that God provides to give us help in counseling, guidance, and training. A pastor is to be the under-shepherd to take care of the flock. It amazes me how often church members do not utilize this! Many of the flock have problems or need guidance yet they go ahead alone or seek counsel from friends and family rather than the person whom God has given to give the help. I understand that God gives us people in our lives who can be a great support and many may even give biblical advice but God intends for a pastor to be a source of help. If you remember, the Shunammite woman didn't seek help from her husband other than permission to run to the man of God. She went straight to the person she felt had the most pull with God in her life. The one who could give the best help. 

Many church members keep themselves at a distance to the pastor and pastor's wife. They don't let us in. They keep their lives secret and don't share anything. This makes it hard to recognize when they have a problem. It also makes it harder to offer help or counsel because we know nothing of the details of their lives. My husband has been in full time ministry since 2003. In all those years there have only been a few people come to him for advice or counsel. As a matter of fact he had more people ask when he was an associate pastor than as a pastor. We are never sure what to think of that. Is it because members don't want the pastor knowing what is happening in their lives? Is it because they don't trust what he will say? Is it because they think they know what he will say and don't want to hear it? Some people don't like to ask the pastor because "he's so busy and I don't want to bother him". Guess what, that's part of his job! God says so! If a pastor ever acts put out because someone needs help, it may be time for him to get out of the ministry. 

I think people should be like the Shunammite woman and run to the man of God where she was confident she would find help. If you are not confident in your pastor, maybe it's time to find a different church where you can be confident in a leader. Not every church is a good fit for every person. Just saying! 

Learning to Lay Down FOR the "With Mes"

A few months ago I attended a ladies retreat and one of the messages has inspired this post. The speaker told a story of a man who was dying of cancer and on hospice. His sister had moved in to care for him. She thought that she was doing everything just right. She tended to his every need with scheduled meds, meals, laundry, house cleaning, bathing and dressing. However, one day he was having a particularly alert day and as the sister approached his bed to check on him, he grabbed her arm and said "lay down with me". She resisted at first but the man pained himself to move over in the bed and so she climbed into the bed and put her arm under his neck and around his shoulders. He pressed against her and cried and then smiled and drifted off to sleep. 

The sister quickly realized that while she was busy tending to her brother's daily needs she had neglected his most important need. Just being present with him and hugging him. Touch is such a very important part of love and life. It's why now when babies are born they are instantly placed on mom's chest, skin to skin, for the bonding moments. 

We tend to do that, don't we? We think that being busy doing for people is exactly the same as spending time with them. While it may be a showing of love because after all labor is that; it is not the same as conversation, touch and just being present for them. Sometimes what is needed most is your presence. Just being there, up close and personal. 

Many parents are so busy climbing the corporate ladder that they do not ever spend any time with their children. They are allowing other people to raise their kids. They miss important activities the kids are involved in doing such as sports, plays, birthday parties, graduations, etc.  

Many people wait until someone is about to die before they bother to spend any time with the loved one. They may only live a couple miles away but still rarely see them. Btw, if someone you love is on hospice, one of the best things you can do for them is allow them to talk. Let them talk about anything and everything they desire. If they want to talk about olden days, let them. If they want to talk about their funeral arrangements, let them. If they want to talk about their fears, let them! Just be a good listener. It's important to them and for them! 

Be the person who frees their time to let them talk to you. 

In order to be there for the "with mes", we must lay down the busy daily tasks that in the grand scheme of things, absolutely do not matter! Don't believe me? Ask the person who is coming to the end of their life if it matters if the floors are sparkling clean or if the hours worked to make money was worth missing out on life events. Ask the child who is sad and hurt because mom, dad, grandparent or someone else they love wasn't at their Christmas play or track race or football game or baseball game. Memories are much more important than money and toys. 

This final pic should be a daily prayer. Not just the removal of burdens in our minds but also to remove the barren busyness that consumes our lives and gets in the way of the really important stuff. Our church has had 4 funerals directly related to our congregation this year. Three of them have been since September! We only have a congregation of about 30 people and many are related so each funeral hits very hard. We have two more coming pretty quickly, possibly before the end of the year and it's the first week of December. I can allow myself to get sidetracked doing daily life tasks or I can choose to be there for those who are hurting. I will fight to do the latter. 

Voting No Confidence

"A vote of no confidence" is a phrase used to explain when a group decides that a leader is no longer capable of performing their duties and the group casts a vote to remove them from office. It's basically a political coup. This can also be done through the American voting system by voting out the previous leader when you are not satisfied with their performance and electing a new one. 

However, people often unknowingly or sometimes intentionally give a vote of no confidence by refusing to show up. Some voters refuse to show up to the voting places and cast their ballots because they don't like any of the candidates. They have no confidence in any of the choices. People don't show up for their court hearings because they have no confidence in the legal justice system. 

I recently watched a TV show in which a police commissioner was supposed to conduct a news conference with the mayor to show a unified front and the mayor didn't show up. The commissioner was upset and made the remark that it was a "vote of no confidence" in him. 

That statement made me think that it is the same with church attendance. When people lay out of church and church activities, it can relay a message to the pastor as a vote of no confidence. No confidence in his preaching and teaching, and no confidence in his vision, goals and direction of the church. Pastors all across the United States are discouraged and feeling defeated because there are a bunch of no shows week after week. Now maybe you may think that he should look inward to see if there is reason for a vote of no confidence. I don't know very many pastors who are so arrogant that they wouldn't look inward first. They question what they may be doing wrong. What they can do different or how they can better reach, disciple and motivate people. 

I believe the people of the USA have become so nonchalant in their Christianity that they think it's okay not to be faithful to church. They think it's okay to engage in pet sins and that God just winks at it since they have accepted God's gift of salvation. Church attendance is fit in whenever it's convenient and doesn't interfere with any other plans.  In other countries, where maybe the Bible is outlawed or not readily available, or it's illegal to be a Christian or go to church, the people will do whatever necessary to have God's written Word or hear it preached. Many put their lives on the line to do so. 

In some ways the USA is hindered because we have open access to the Bible and to church. It's so readily available that it's taken for granted. God's Word isn't precious to many. Being able to go to church and worship openly isn't precious to people. To many it's an obligation, a duty and even an inconvenience that is put up with. When you go to church like that, not expecting to be blessed and learn then you probably won't be blessed and won't grow. 

I hope if you are reading this post that you will consider it when you are thinking about skipping church. Dig deep and ask yourself why you are willing to skip. Is it because you don't have confidence in your pastor? If the answer is yes, then you should talk to him and see what can be changed or you can find a different church to attend. Either way, you should be in church to grow and learn and share the burdens of others. 

Home - What is it?

So, I want to delve into this "home" topic. Home means different things to different people. For me, it mostly means a refuge, a safe place where there is unconditional love and acceptance. It very much involves being where my husband is. It's a place to shut out the world and feel safe. However, for me home also includes not just where I currently reside here in Oklahoma but also Missouri (God's country!) where I was born and raised. Sometimes it means the house I grew up in or my grandparent's house and their camping lot on the river. See, it's an environment. It's the places where fond memories reside and love and fun are what sweeps through my mind when I think of them or return to them. 

I realize that for some people home means something much different. The thought of home is haunting and causes anxiety. For children who are abused, or left to care for themselves on a daily basis or that go hungry when at home, don't have a safe feeling about "home". For those children who have to move often because the parents keep getting evicted or whatever, home has no real meaning other than possibly a place to live or sleep. My husband and I have worked in the bus ministry at several churches over the years and have seen what some kids must deal with on a daily basis. When a child doesn't want to go home and asks if they can stay on the bus and be let off last or go home with us, it's a good signal that something isn't right at home. Those same kids have come to church with dark circles and hallowed eyes, uncombed hair and often have obviously not bathed in days because they smell. It would break our hearts. It's sad that some kids have no good feelings of home. When they become adults they have no good memories of love and safety associated with what was home. 

I'm very grateful that my meaning of home brings good, warm, loving memories and a remembrance of safety. What does home mean for you? What kind of meaning of home are you helping your children to associate with? 

Just a little thought provoker.

Consideration is Out the Window

We live in an age where it seems consideration of others no longer exists. At least not on a regular basis. I guess it started in the 1980s and 90s with the so called "me generation". That's when I first remember hearing that term. It was all about me... what I want, what I need, what I think. This idea has exploded into what we see today in the "my rights" generation. "I got my rights!" Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news for those folks, but your rights stop where mine begin! And, therein lies the problem. It seems that the only rights that matter are to the ones screaming the loudest and holding the protests. It has become such an "entitled" world that every person walking thinks they have a right to whatever they want, whenever they want, no matter the law or another person's feelings.

People no longer think anymore. They don't stop and consider that their words and actions have consequences to other people. This happens with spouses, parent/children, siblings, friends, boss/employee relationships and even amongst church families. Everyone is too busy with their OWN lives, trials, and desires to consider the others in their lives.

Let me give some examples... 

spouses don't bother to call when they are going to be late, friends don't think to invite and include another friend, children don't check on parents because they are too busy, 

parents make family plans without asking what works for the children,

siblings want help or time spent but don't reciprocate 

bosses don't consider the time away from an employee's family when demanding overtime, 

employees don't care if they show up late for work putting stress on bosses and coworkers, 

church members don't check on one another when someone is sick or struggling. --

People in general are so wrapped up in themselves that they "don't think" about how to be a help or a blessing to someone else. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "Oh, I didn't think about it" when it comes to something about or at the church or about checking on someone who is struggling physically or mentally. I have been guilty at times myself because sometimes I have had my own struggles. But the problem is that usually it's more a matter of just not giving it any consideration rather than having their own struggles. It's a "Me" world! It's an "I want" world. This has lead to all consideration of others going right out the window! 

Kindness comes from being considerate of someone else! 

Just a little thought provoker. How are you doing? Are you considerate of others? 

When Faith Rises

Today I want to talk about what happens when faith is allowed to rise. Last week when I was making the four hour drive home from my daughter's house, I listened to the same song over and over again. --- My God is Big Enough. I took much comfort from the song and sang until my voice was gone. My family and my church family had all been through quite a lot the past few weeks and I just really needed the reminder of this song. 

It inspired the desire for this post. When we are facing dark times or scary times or uncertain times and when those around us are saying something can't be done. I know my God is big enough. It's at those moments that I allow faith to rise up within me by trusting in God's work and plan and timing that He is glorified the most. It's when I feel faith rising up that I gain strength from the Holy Spirit and from the truths of God's Word. It's at these moments when I can have peace in my soul when chaos ensues around me. Sometimes, the Lord doesn't calm the storm. Sometimes He calms me. Then I know and trust it's for my good and for His glory that it is happening. So allow faith to rise up!

The Darkest Hour is Just Before Dawn

I was listening the other day to a gospel bluegrass cd and the song came on with the same title as this post. I was singing along with the cd and a notion hit me. This is such a true statement! 

When we are going through a life trial or struggle and we feel overwhelmed and beaten up, it's often the moment right before the dawn of help arriving that seems the absolute darkest. We feel we can't take anymore. We feel if anything else happens we will break. We feel that there is no way out of the current situation and then - BOOM! - suddenly the little ray of light comes and the solution is there. 

It's at these moments that we remember and realize that God's timing is perfect even when we don't understand. The darkness and the overwhelming feelings have been given by Satan. God allows us to go through dark trials sometimes due to our own choices made in haste and without prayer or sometimes just as a way of molding and shaping and training us. Sometimes He is testing us to see what we will do. Sometimes all this is just to make us rely on Him. To make us look for His light and seek His face in prayer. Sometimes we need reminding that we're drifting too far from Him and becoming too self-reliant. Any number of reasons can account for the darkness. Yet, when you're about to give up and feel all hope is lost, suddenly the light breaks through. Once the moment of light comes, suddenly, things no longer seem so dark. Suddenly, you can see clearly the right path and move forward from being stuck in despair. 

Indeed the darkest hour is just before dawn. When the dawn breaks through a whole new outlook and future takes shape! 

Just a little thought that struck me recently.  

Why Jesus Ate With Sinners

This is a topic that is used often in the world to justify living in sin. We are going to take a look at the passage in Luke 15:1-7 of the parable of the lost sheep. 

First of all, I'd like to point out that the publicans and sinners came to Jesus.(verse 1) In the previous chapter Jesus had been teaching any and all followers. In the last verse of chapter 14 Jesus tells them that "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. The publicans and sinners were interested in what He had to say. We often tend to spend most of our time with those who WANT to spend time with us. The parable is told because of the murmuring of the Pharisees. 

The second point I'd like to make is that Jesus never tells the Pharisees that they shouldn't judge the sinners or condemn them for the judgment of calling them sinners. Jesus knew they were sinners. By the way, the judgment condemned in the bible is that of judging as though you are better than the other person. Now, I'm aware that in other places of the bible the Pharisees are condemned for judging and it is in the respect of thinking they are better. Jesus tells the parable to say that He was spending time with them to "save" them. He came to seek and save the lost. 

No where in the passage does Jesus condone or make excuses for the sinners. He just lets the Pharisees know that the sinner is why He came. Saving the lost one that's gone astray is what causes joy in heaven. 

Jesus ate with sinners yes. It doesn't say He went into the places where the people were involved in their sin. It says He receiveth sinners. They came to Him! He received those who came to Him hungering for what He had to offer them...no matter who they were. 

Another purpose of the parable is to show the Pharisees their hypocrisy. He uses the same type of wording in another passage when the Pharisees say that there shouldn't be any work done on the Sabbath (when Jesus heals). He tells them that they would pull the ox out of the ditch. 

Please stop trying to justify your sin by saying that Jesus hung out with sinners. The Bible is very clear that we are to be IN the world but not of the world. It also says not to be worldly. It tells us to come out from among them(those that are worldly or involved in sin)and be separate. It tells us to have a good testimony before men so that they will listen when we tell them of Christ and God's love and so that we will glorify God. If you are doing the same exact things that those around you are doing, you will not have a good testimony before them! 

What Someone Can Live Without

In my last post, I talked about being surprised what you can live through. Today I will go to the opposite spectrum. People are often saying that they can't live without this or that. I'm sure what they mean is that whatever it is they think they can't live without is just very important to them because in actuality, you'd be surprised what people can live without. Often a person makes a choice to live without something that another person lives with. Sometimes a person is forced into living without something. 

At twelve years old I was forced to live without my dad because he passed away at a young age from a massive coronary. Eight years ago I was forced to live without my mom because of lung cancer. I didn't think I'd make it through either of those situations but somehow life has moved me forward, like it or not. Did I learn to accept and cope? Yes! Did it effect my life tremendously? You bet! Were they choices I'd have made if asked? No, not at all!  

Many people live without hearing, seeing, limbs, feeling in legs or arms, certain organs, salt, sugar, dairy products, etc. They may have even thought that they couldn't live without whatever above thing when they were first made to have them gone. Some people may even have dealt with living without one of those right from birth. Yet, they have learned to live without it. It can be done when necessary. 

A year and a half ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's autoimmune disease. I had never heard of it and was told it was a thyroid disease. It's not. It's an autoimmune disease that tries to destroy the thyroid first but will eventually move on to other organs and systems of the body. As a matter of fact, if I happened to have my thyroid removed, I would still have Hashimoto's. It would just move on to something else inside me to destroy. I was also told when first diagnosed that it's not really a big deal but in my research I found that it IS A BIG DEAL and can lead to other autoimmune diseases and even certain cancers. There is much false information and "helps" out there for Hashimoto's and sorting through can be difficult and over the past month I have come to realize that it should not be done alone. I believe I have stumbled along the correct help and expert to finally help me. Tomorrow I embark on a new journey to put my Hashimoto's in remission and stop the destruction in my body. I have already removed gluten from my diet because it has been proven that no one goes into remission without removing gluten. I am quite sure that working with the new group will lead to other things being removed from my diet and life. I can make up my mind early that I can't remove anything else or even keep on the no gluten diet because it's too hard or I can decide that whatever I need to do is worth me feeling good again and having energy to enjoy life. I know it won't be easy but most worthwhile things aren't. I know it will cost some money (praying it won't put us in the poor house) but I will get resourceful if necessary. I also know that I am worth it! There was a time in my life when I may not have felt that way but that is no longer. I matter. I have something to offer to those around me and I want to be here to offer it and to feel well enough to offer it. 

I listen to people as they say they can't live without their coffee, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, sugar (tho diabetics do every day!), eggs, milk, or gluten, and I think to myself, you never know what you may have to give up in the future. Frankly, most of those should be eliminated from every person anyway. I was once one of those people who thought I could never go gluten free but I have. It mostly takes thought. What makes it harder is people's reactions to my choice. The teasing and down right snide comments hurts as I fight back tears sometimes and in my mind must tell myself that I'm doing this for my health...for my very life because I don't want to end up with thyroid or liver cancer. I don't want to keep suffering with multiple symptoms that have gone unexplained for many years and that I thought I'd just have to live with. So, as I'm told "don't bring that gluten free crap around me" or "my food tastes better than yours" or "you make meal choices difficult"; I must grow a thick skin and just know that my health is worth it. No one else has to participate with me or encourage me or understand my choices. I have decided to take this journey and I will be posting my progress from time to time. If you are someone who doesn't care to know the progress then you can choose to not read those posts. It's not like I have scores of readers anyway. I just hope I can help a few and make people think. That's why I started blogging in the first place. To touch others and as a therapy for myself also. 

We're All Terminal

This post may seem at first as though I am talking out both sides of my mouth. I believe if you read all the way through you will get the point and maybe it will make you do some thinking about your life. 

People from all walks of life tend to act like if you do certain things, or live in a certain way or exercise enough or eat all the right foods and avoid the wrong then you will live forever. I'm here to tell you that's just not the case. None of us are escaping death on this earth short of living until the Rapture of Christians. It is not out of the realm of possibility for anyone of us to be alive at the Rapture and the trumpet call of Jesus to call us to the sky with him but outside of that, we will most likely go into eternity with one final breath. The old saying goes "nothing is certain except death and taxes". 

Because so many believe what I just said in the above paragraph, they live life with the attitude "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die" or "I'm living for the here and now". I confess that there have been moments in my life where I have had this attitude. I do my best to keep it in check as much as possible because I know where it leads. I am a firm believer in the phrase "you are free to choose but you are NOT free from the consequences of those choices"! People do things. They participate in things that are potentially harmful because it feels good or is enjoyable now. They never give a thought to the underlying harm they are causing to their health when they consume harmful foods, drinks, pharmaceuticals, or the wrong fad supplements. They also never consider the harm from lack of exercise. Not just routine, cardio exercise but most people are actually stationary. They sit...at a desk, on the couch, in the recliner, in the car, on the bus, etc. and rarely move, with the exception of bending the arm to bring snacks and drinks to the mouth or push a button on the remote, phone or gaming system. 

Hang with me people... I'm heading somewhere. 

I am living proof that you'd be surprised what you can live through. I'm pretty sure many of those walking the earth are living proof because so many are ill for years and have no idea. Did you know that you can have an autoimmune disease for years before ever having anything show up in lab work?!  You may have mysterious symptoms that you can't figure out why they started or that confuse doctors but it can take years before labs point the way to the problem. 

Just because you are existing doesn't mean you are truly living. Jesus said that he came for us to have life and have it more abundantly. Yet many don't live it more abundantly because they truly can't. They are miserable in their symptoms. It is a chore to make it through the day for some folks. Many of these folks are unwilling to make any changes to help the situation. For some people they don't live an abundant life because of being bogged down mentally. They feel stuck in their current situation. Some live in the negative. Some live in anger and resentment. They get no joy in life because they are too focused on the bad to enjoy the good around them. Life is full of choices. 

We all have to decide for ourselves if we want to have the attitude of "we live and eventually die so I'll do what I want today regardless of consequences tomorrow". If that is your choice it's perfectly fine. It's your life! However, please stop griping when you have to face the consequences. 

We can also decide that I have already proven that "you'd be surprised what you can live through" and I don't want to do that anymore until I die. I want to have a good existence until the last breath and not have to deal with negative consequences of my choices. 

It's up to each one of us!  

Satan's Goals

Have you ever thought about Satan's power? I had a thought the other day about how Satan hates God and anyone who follows God. Interesting that there are so many in the world today that also hate God and those who follow Him, but that is another post for another day. One thought lead to another while I considered what Satan's ultimate goals are. 

The first goal of Satan is to keep people from getting saved. He doesn't want people to accept Jesus as their Savior. So, he uses his many tricks to keep as many people from salvation from hell as he can. He blinds people to the truth. He uses false doctrines. He uses worldly desires and selfishness to keep people from even inquiring about God and what God would want. He even keeps Christians occupied so that they stop witnessing. Yeah, Satan's ultimate goal is to keep people from turning to God. 

When Satan loses a battle for a soul to Jesus and their eternity is forever sealed, he moves on to his secondary goal. This goal is to render as many Christians as possible ineffective. He uses many tricks for this, too. Some of them overlap with the ones he uses on people before salvation. Distraction and preoccupation are two of the biggest tricks Satan uses on Christians. He takes focus off church, Bible reading, serving God and keeps minds and yes, hearts, busy with the cares of the world. He removes contentment with what is already and brings desires that cause bigger bills which leads to working more hours to pay for those bills. He also keeps parents so busy making sure their kids have more opportunities, more things,and more activities than the parents had so that little by little the things of God are squeezed out. Church services and activities begin to be missed for sports, dance recitals, school activities, and/or extra hours worked to pay for the aforementioned and then once you begin missing, it becomes easier to miss. And as I have blogged about before, sometimes when you begin the move away from God, it's farther back than you think!!! It will take more work to get back on track than it would have if the effort was just made to start with to keep God first. I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm just saying it's harder. Just like it's taking much, much more effort to get this 52 year old broken down body back into good health and shape!! 

Barren busyness is one of Satan's best tricks to keep Christians from being effective for God. All the chores, errands, day to day living with the occasional trials fill up the time each day and pretty soon it's bed time and all of a sudden you realize that maybe you didn't read your bible or pray today or maybe you did  but never took time to tell anyone about Jesus or show forth His love by helping or caring for another person along the way. It happens to the best of us. The pressures of daily living are very consuming and at times downright overwhelming. We can pray for forgiveness and help to do better. That is the wonderful thing about a loving God who remembers we are dust and prone to backsliding but always allows u-turns back to His loving arms! 

When the trials or distractions become too much just tell Satan "Not today, Satan. You  can't have me or my family." 

Why Do You Go To Church?

This is a fair question to ask. As I observe the happenings in my own church and talk with pastors and pastor's wives and missionaries from around the world, I hear the same conclusion. That is that many sitting in churches are present only in body. Minds are mostly elsewhere. Only a fraction of those at church actually care about and are listening to the preaching and teaching going on around the room. This conclusion leads me to ask, "Why do you go to church?" 

I believe many go to church because they feel they are supposed to go. For many, it is a drudgery and an obligation that they must fill. These same people feel they are "Super Christian" because they have filled this obligation. They do not get involved in serving in the church. Many only show up when there is nothing more pressing or important going on in their life. Their heart is not truly in or for the church. It is just where they have always gone, possibly since childhood, and where they go when they choose to attend. They may even refer to the church as their church but they are not excited to be there. They do not invite others to join them. They are content to show up, sing a song or two from the hymnal, endure the preaching service and go home to get on with the rest of the day's obligations. They have no intention of allowing the preaching of God's Word to penetrate their heart or make changes in their life based on what the Bible says. It appears to just be show up, endure and go home so that they have fulfilled their duty. 

I say if this is you, why bother? If you don't see any point in church attendance besides fulfilling a duty to God and maybe even your pastor and you cannot get excited about going to your church to fellowship with others and learn and grow in God's Word; then it may be time to find a new church where you CAN get excited. Church should not be a drudgery. You should come as a willing vessel to learn and grow. Jesus said He would fill those who come thirsty. 

Let's look at what the Bible says the church was for (in no particular order)...
1. Fellowship with other believers Acts 2:42
2. Prayer Acts 2:42, Acts 12:5, 2 Cor. 1:11, James 5:15-16
3. Edification 1 Cor. 14:26, Eph. 4:11-12
4. Partaking of Lord's Supper 1 Cor. 11:20-34
5. Sending Missionaries Acts 15:3, Rom. 10:14-15, Phil. 4:15-18
6. Settling disputes Matt. 18:15-17, 1 Cor. 5:1-5

All of these things are good reasons to attend church, To get involved in the church. As I have stated before in other posts, the church is not for the lost but for the saved. It is for the Christian. Hebrews 10:23-25 is still in the Bible! The fellowship is for provoking each other to love and to good works. It is to share our burdens with each other (Gal. 6:1-2) It is to pray for one another. It is to help one another. 

Some folks come to church either right as church starts or even a few minutes late (this I will never understand why people show up consistently late - set the alarm a few minutes earlier and be on time!) and they leave as soon as the service is over and don't stop to speak to anyone. For them, there is no fellowship at all, sweet or otherwise. They carry all their burdens alone. They have fulfilled their duty but for them church isn't sweet. It isn't enjoyed. They gained nothing and because of that cannot give out anything to others. 

So, why do you go to church? This is a good question to ponder and check your own motives. Just because you show up from time to time, and give money in the offering to support the church bills and the missions fund, does not mean you are a great Christian. Church should be something you enjoy. It should be somewhere you want to come and learn and grow in your walk with the Lord. It should be a place where you desire to be involved and to serve Christ. If it is not any of these things, I strongly suggest you either find a church where you can participate fully or get your heart right and serve where you are. 

Your Worth and Your Cost

I read an article online this week that I am quite sure is reflected in the hearts and minds of nearly every girl and woman out there at one time or another. It was about being able to see the beauty and value in other females but not in ourselves. When we look in the mirror we see every flaw and when we look inward we see every character flaw, too. It can cause despair and negative thoughts and possibly even suicidal thoughts. We deem ourselves, because of these flaws, as unworthy of love or even friendship even though we deeply desire to have love and friendship. 

As females we are quite unique in the fact that we can, on one hand, applaud another while maintaining envy in our hearts. Envy that we are not as pretty or don't have the sexy body or sweet demeanor or we are not the great cook or do not have as successful a career as the one we are applauding. Our mind can be cruel to ourselves if we let it. 

We need to realize our worth and our cost if we are to move past this mental torment. When my husband and I worked with teens, (who truly struggle in this area of which I speak but are not alone I realize as I get older--women of all ages struggle - at least most do) some of them would confide in me that they felt worthless and like they didn't matter. I would look at each one of them and tell them "Nonsense. When I look at you I see the fingerprints of God". Then I would make them listen to the Christian song with that title. Then I would remind them of God's love and how He loved them so much that He sent His Son to die for them. If they had been the only one on earth God would still send Jesus because He loved them so much. That made them of great worth. Indescribable worth! 

When we see our worth as being established by God, we can stop feeling like we are unworthy to have love or friendship. I cannot explain why God chooses to make some people easier on the eyes than others but I do know that God loves each of us. He loves us in our uniqueness and desires a relationship with everyone of us. It is why He sent Jesus-- to be reunited in a relationship with us after sin separated us from Him. 

Now let's look at your cost. You my friend (and I) are very costly! Jesus gave His life to be our ransom. Our sin required a ransom (a payment for the release of someone held in bondage) and Jesus paid that ransom. How can there be any greater cost? How can there be any greater worth placed on your life than that? It wasn't His debt but He paid it anyway. That's the love of the Father and the Son. 

So, the next time you look in the mirror or have those negative thoughts that you do not deserve love and friendship just remember that you are not a one in a million kind of girl but you are a once in a lifetime kind of woman and very much worth knowing. Trust and believe it when others tell you that they love you or enjoy your company or think you are wonderful or whatever statement that you instantly doubt in your mind and heart. Close your eyes when the doubts come and remember that you have the fingerprints of God all over you! His love never fails and never leaves. Even when troubles come He is still loving you. He is always just and fair even when we don't understand. Just trust Him! He thinks you are worth it! 

Parenting for the Future

I've been observing the world around me lately. Watching how children behave in public settings can sometimes be appalling. You watch the temper tantrum, misbehavior, or bad attitude and smart aleck speech and wonder what is going on. Then --- you watch the parent and realize the child is a product of their raising! It all becomes clear as you fight to refrain from disciplining the parent and reminding them that they should have set the example. Usually, I shake my head and pray for that family and the future of our world as I walk away. Sometimes I remember to invite them to church with one of our tracts but often I forget to do that in haste to make myself scarce from the situation. 

Of course, this is nothing new. I've been observing these situations for years but just wanted to blog about it for a moment or two. It is so very true that a child learns what they live! You CANNOT tell a child to "do as I say, not as I do" and expect that to work for very long. - Certainly, not as they grow and mature. 

A child who lives with criticism will learn to be critical. A child who is surrounded by negativism will be negative in their viewpoint. A child who lives with anger and hostility will become angry and hostile. A child who lives with secrets will learn to be sneaky. A child who lives with hatred learns to hate others who are different than them. Children who live with indifference learn to be uncompassionate. Children who have everything given they ask for or watch the parent make choices of indulgence become selfish individuals who think they are entitled to whatever they want, whenever they want it. 

Parents should live their lives in the manner in which they want their child to behave. This is a very convicting and sobering thought! The old children's song "Oh be careful little eyes what you see. Oh be careful little eyes what you hear" really comes into play in parenting. If the child must be careful then the parent must be careful what they say and emulate so that the child can be protected from what they see and hear! For as the Bible says "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20 

If imitation is a form of flattery then let's give children and others something to imitate! The most important thing for us to imitate is Christ. We are to be living in godly character. Philippians 2:14-16 - Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 - That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;  16 - Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.  Paul said this to the Philippian church. 

Matthew 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

Just a thought provoker to help us realize that we need to live in the way we want our children and others to live. 

What's In A Legacy?

There's much talk about inheritances when folks lose a loved one from the family. Often times this is when the quarreling and fighting begins. Those left behind bicker over who gets what from the estate and belongings of the one who passed. Unfortunately, the material things are all that is able to be passed on to the loved ones left because there was no true legacy built. I heard someone say recently that a person's death bed doesn't build a legacy it REVEALS it. 

In other words, the building should have already been done before the time of the death bed comes. True legacy is the deep and abiding things taught to the rest of those left gathered around that death bed as they say their goodbyes. 

Good character, good work ethics, kindness, compassion for others, honesty, respect, the knowing that someone felt loved unconditionally, faith in God and joy in life are all things a legacy are built upon. These are the things that can be read in the faces of those gathered around some one's death bed. Legacy is about the things that last. 

Sometimes, we get the chance in life to see glimpses of our legacy before that death bed comes. We see our influence on our children, grandchildren and even friends or church members. It brings my heart joy during those times I've been allowed to glimpse that influence in others and know that I impacted in a positive way. I see my kids fight to understand Scripture and I see good work ethic on the job. I've seen little kids I have taught over the years repeat and teach those younger than them the same things I taught them when they didn't know I was watching. I've seen ladies under my influence grow in grace and patience with their kids and with others. 

When you go through periods of illness and struggles, you become acutely aware of how much closer the death bed looms and during rough times may even pray for that death bed! You wonder just what kind of legacy you have built and what will someday be revealed after you're gone. I know the legacies that were left to me by my parents and grandparents and others. Will the legacy I leave be as good or as strong and have such an impact? I sure pray so! I hope I will have left the best parts of me. My biggest desire in life is that I will have made a difference. I want it to have mattered that I was ever born. Loving truly those I care about and serving the Lord is the best way I know to accomplish building a good legacy. 

Remember, you can't build your legacy after you're gone. It must be built along the way of your life. Just something to consider. 

The Subtle Encouragement From the Bible

Today was another sad day for the United States of America. The past several years have not been a walk in the park quite frankly. The New York Senate made a state constitutional change to allow full term abortions and to do away with the law that had protected a baby that had survived an abortion attempt. This post is not about this topic so I will not jump too far off track. With the news, and the Facebook posts and arguments for and against I just needed a break so first I hit my knees in prayer to my God and Savior pleading for this country and for the remnant that still love and serve Him to not be brought down with the godless heathens. Next, I got in His Word to look up verses that I wanted to talk about in this post. I've been mulling over this topic for a couple weeks but this is the first chance to put it in type. It's a fitting time because I know that I needed encouragement from my Bible today and I am sure that other readers do too. 

Of course, we have the promises  for us in God's Word but to me there are many spots and thoughts where I receive encouragement that are not necessarily promises to us. You have to look at these in a deeper way. 

None of these are in anyway taken lightly or justification for sin in our lives but God's mercy and grace is so encouraging when you look at where God extended it in the Bible. These will not be in any particular order...just as they come to me. 

First of all, Abraham, with whom God made His covenant, was a liar. Yet, the promise extended to Abraham was never revoked. His son Isaac was also a liar in the same lie his father told. (In case it's slipped your mind, they both lied in a new city about who their wife was) Isaac was in the lineage of Christ. His son Jacob was a deceiver--more than once! Yet he was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel from whom the tribe of Judah comes which brings the Savior. 

Rahab the harlot who helped save the spies, is also in the lineage of Christ. She was the mother of Boaz who married Ruth, a non-Jew, who is a grandmother of King David. 

God could have kept the lineage of Christ completely pure but He did not. I've often pondered why that is. We will never know this side of heaven but we can speculate. Maybe it is for the encouragement that I'm speaking about. That God can use anybody and that there was room for others besides the Jews! Mistakes can be forgiven, especially when you repent and turn to Him. One of the reasons I believe David is called "a man after God's own heart" is because of his humbleness after sin. He was an adulterer, and a murderer and yet a promise is made to him because of his willingness to humble himself and turn back to God. 

In the New Testament Paul is used mightily even though at first he wanted nothing to do with Christ and he persecuted Christians. Peter got to preach at Pentecost even though 50 or so days prior he denied the Lord publicly. Mary Magdalene was a harlot prior to Jesus healing her of possession. She was one of the first to which Christ revealed himself after His resurrection.

All of these examples can and should give us encouragement that we are loved, forgiven and can still be used as long as we allow God to do so. 

There's more!...
Psalm 103:13-14 - Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 
14-For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Psalm 78:38-39 - But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. 
39- For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again. 

In this passage the psalmist is remembering God's compassion on the Israelites thus far.

The part that jumped out at me one time was the "he remembered that they were flesh" and "that we are dust". In other words, God knows we are frail. He gives us a break at times. It is because of His mercies and longsuffering that we are not consumed by His wrath. 

I'm sooo thankful and grateful for His mercies! 

I hope this post was an encouraging reminder to you about God's love and mercy.     

  

Understanding Church Ministry

Have you ever had one of those "hit you like a ton of bricks" realization moments that comes from just a statement from someone else? I had one of those awhile back from my hubby when he was venting a bit of frustration about many pastors in general. Now, let me say that we have been in full time ministry since 2003, either as my husband being the pastor or associate pastor, but he has ALWAYS been bi-vocational (worked a secular job & did ministry) in smaller churches in rural areas. Therefore, my attitude had always been to expect that the church members would & should help out around the church with both the physical & spiritual labor. After all, isn't everyone who claims to be a Christian commanded to serve the Lord? The answer is yes! How better to serve the Lord than to help at church? Yes, but as my husband said in passing recently, "Pastors need to realize that THEY were called into the ministry not the church members he was given to shepherd. Pastors need to stop expecting that there should be weekly work days at the church building and preaching guilt about not showing up when the members have worked 40+ hours that week trying to care for their families, especially if the pastor doesn't have to work a secular job." 

Whew! This declaration made simply in passing, nearly knocked me over with conviction. I am going to be very open and honest and say that many, many times throughout ministry life (in every church since entering full time ministry) I have felt abandoned to do the labor. All the labor. (and quite frankly there were times that feeling was justified) I felt that no one cared. I felt that no one had to think about the church building or the things needing done in ministry because the members KNEW it would be done by the "pastor's family fairies" who would always be sure things were done. They could just go about their own lives and come to church when church time was and never give any thought to anything else. Wow! Putting that out there in raw emotion sounds very petty I realize. I am just being honest about how I have felt in the past. Many times over the years, I would grow frustrated, angry and allow myself to become bitter as I would work tirelessly at times at the church, all the while not understanding why rarely members would offer to help even when there were personal trials in our own family.  

I have always said how much I love being a pastor's wife and having that be part of my identity even though ministry life is NOT a leisurely walk in the park. However, when the conviction hit recently, I suddenly realized that I must not really love being a pastor's wife. I must not really love ministry life or I'd not let serving get me down or upset, even if I feel alone. I almost cried at the very moment the thoughts came to mind. I had let my bitterness steal my joy of ministry life. I had a stinking, rotten attitude and it was taking it's toll on my mind and body. Now, in every new ministry area we go to, there is the initial excitement of a new work and meeting new people and the joy is there and you have boundless energy to dive right in with both feet. But, as time goes on in each area, if you allow the frustrations and bitterness to creep in, your attitude changes. No longer is it exciting. It becomes burdensome. It is your own attitude that has changed, even if the initial help of the members and their excitement in getting a new pastor and family has waned. You are not responsible for anyone's attitude but your own! 

I suppose right here is a good place to explain exactly what is ministry. Well, in my Hebrew and Greek concordance (Old & New Testament wording) it simply means physically serving. It means to wait tables, to take care of necessary things that need tending. We usually add in the spiritual side, too, but it's the physical labor side of serving that ministry is referring to. The cleaning, the mowing, the shopping, the visiting, etc. 

I have had a much better attitude lately and remembered that ministry life means doing the necessary, the extras, for those God gave us to minister to. When I looked back over the years I realized that some of the hurt I endured was justified in feeling but my poor attitude in response was not! My bitterness was not. I am a pastor's wife and with that comes great responsibility, but we accepted the call into ministry not our members. 

Should we encourage our members wherever we serve to help and to be compassionate to those in the town and to spread the gospel? You bet! However, we need to be grateful for those who help when they can and not set expectations too high, for the call into full time ministry was ours not theirs.