Where's my focus?

My mind sometimes jumps around like a pinball machine, never settling on any one thing for too long.

I am out of sorts today.  It may have to do with the lack of power this morning; my morning routine was out of sync as I got ready for church.  My hair wasn't cooperating, but that doesn't bother me too much - I'm not too vain - in fact, I'm probably a little TOO laid back in that department...it probably had more to do with NO COFFEE...

Anyway, the more I study God's Word, the more I am convinced that I really have no concept of His majesty and holiness...the words "King of Kings" and "Lord of Lords" are tossed too lightly from my lips...Yes, he's my friend, but first of all, he's my KING....but does my LIFE reflect that??

I focus on the petty things...I let the actions of others bother me...and yet, I am forever telling others to show grace...we all grow at different rates in our spiritual life...God teaches us as we surrender to him and are able to hear...how can I therefore be frustrated with a fellow believer who does not display the spiritual maturity I would expect from them?  It ought to break my heart, not cause me frustration!

My frustration only points out my own lack of spiritual maturity.  :(

Oh, that I would cultivate a devotion to God in my own life, that I might grow to understand who he REALLY is and who I really am in light of who He is...I am convinced this is the key to living a godly christian life....

My thoughts are still bouncing....

It's Fall! Better than January 1st...

Every fall we send our kids off to school.  As you look back, do you see growth and change in your child?  Not just physically, but mentally?  Emotionally?  Socially?  Do they know more today than they did in kindergarten?  Do they handle conflict better than they did in preschool?  Can your 3^rd grader help a 1^st grader tie his shoe?

We measure our child’s progress by the things they learn at school and at home; it’s usually pretty obvious when there is a deficiency in some particular area – it shows up in a test result, an inability to accomplish some task, or even by comparison to other children of the same age.

But do we ever stop to consider our own progress?

As Christians, our goal in life is to please God. 

We please God by becoming more and more like Jesus. 

So how do we KNOW if we’re becoming more and more like Jesus?  Is there an “Image of Jesus” test?  Is there some task by which we can measure our accomplishment?  Do we dare compare ourselves to another Christian to measure our growth?

No matter when we were saved – whether we were 4 years old, 14 years old, 40 years old, or 80 years old – we ought to see growth and change in our lives.  God knows we won’t be perfect, but He does expect us to be growing.  We ought to know more about God today than we did the day we received Him as Lord and Savior; we ought to know better how to live the Christian life - how to look like Jesus - today than we did last week.  Last month.  Last year.

So how can we know?

1. To be like someone, you must know that someone.

1. You can’t know how to imitate Jesus if you don’t know anything about Him, and you won’t know anything about Him if you don’t read his autobiography, the Bible.

2. Upon salvation, we received the Holy Spirit – He dwells within us.  If we allow Him complete control of our lives, as He desires, we will be Spirit controlled.  If we are Spirit controlled, others will see the fruit of the Spirit manifested (made obvious) in our lives.  They will see:

                                                   i.      Love – doing what is in the best interest of the other person

                                                 ii.      Joy – sweet thoughts of Christ that eclipse the circumstances around us

                                                iii.      Peace – toward God AND men; we are restful and quiet, not argumentative, not hateful, not distraught, but thoughtful

                                               iv.      Long-suffering – that quality that enables a person to bear reproach, adversity, injury; it allows them to patiently wait for the improvement of those who have done them wrong.

                                     v.      Gentleness – in conduct; not sharp or bitter; mild, courteous, soft-spoken; that quality which encourages others to seek our company.

                                               vi.      Goodness – willing to help others in their need.

                                             vii.      Faith – believing the best; not suspicious, not looking for fault

                                            viii.      Meekness – not quick to anger; thoughtful; contemplative

                                               ix.      Temperance – sober, pure, chaste; not quarrelsome

2. Compare yourself not to others, but to Jesus.

1. Why would we compare ourselves to other imperfect Christians?  Our standard, our goal, is the perfect, sinless Christ – as the old saying goes, if you aim for nothing you will hit it every time!  But if you shoot for the stars, you’ll at least get off the ground!  Remember, God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, but he does expect us to be growing.  We may not be able to attain sinlessness, but we all have room for improvement!

2. The World’s standards change with the latest trends and philosophies.  Do you remember when being pregnant before marriage was a shame that sent the young woman to some far-off relative’s home?  Do you remember when television shows showed married couples in separate twin beds, wearing pajamas that completely covered their bodies?  Do you remember when the greatest topic of conversation was not that the movie, Gone with the Wind, was 3 hours long, but was the one word that Rhett Butler uttered near the end of the film because it was so shocking?  No, we do not want to measure ourselves by the World’s standards, for they are a moving target.

3. Evaluate your daily life, not just your “Sunday” life.

1. Can we even see the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives? 

2. Do we see more fruit or less fruit than we saw a month ago?  A year ago?

3. Look at our responses to every day life – how do we respond to the crazy drivers on our way to work?  How do we view doing the laundry, taking out the trash, doing homework, a boss’s unreasonable request, our children squabbling, our husband’s muddy footprints on the freshly mopped floor?  Do we treat these events as OPPORTUNITES to display the fruit of the Spirit, or are they annoyances and aggravations and testings and trials and opportunities to cry out, Why me, God??  Why me??

Your answer will reveal a lot about how much you look like Jesus.

It’s fall again.  Don’t wait until January 1^st to take stock; do it now – in fact, do it daily! – make it your goal, with God’s help, to please him by looking more and more like Jesus.  

Biblical Parenting

Years ago I tried to read Jim Berg's book, Changed Into His Image.  I confess, I had a hard time following it.  I have picked it again, however, and have discovered that as I have matured in my Christian life, so has my understanding - and now I have a hard time putting this book down. 

This excerpt from the book struck me this morning, as I look at back at how we raised our children and now as I watch my children raise their children.  I thought this was so appropriate - I know so many families that struggle with how God wants them to raise their kids, and I think Mr. Berg nails it on the head here:

"When God gives a child to a Christian couple, they must realize...Their biblical mission is to evangelize him and then to equip him for usefulness for Christ...Sadly, the goal of many Christian parents is merely "to raise a good kid."  He may never cause them any real heartache, but still not be useful to Christ.  His materialism, impatience, impulsiveness, anxiety, stubbornness, or any other fleshly attitudes and actions can disqualify him from usefulness to Christ...The biblical goal was not reached because their parenting efforts did not produce a disciple of Jesus Christ - someone like the Master and, therefore, someone useful to the Master."

He goes on to point out that often the child is not raised biblically because the parents themselves do not understand the biblical roles of the husband and wife/father and mother for themselves, and therefore cannot translate biblical goals to their children rearing methods. 

God's Word may be an ancient book, people, but it's ancient because it has stood the test of time - and is still so very relevant for us today!!

All My Days Are the Lord's

A friend of mine recently commented in his Facebook status that "all my days are the Lord's."  Of course, I thought, Amen!  I agree with that!  But then, I started pondering what that really means...

And it occured to me that if, in fact, I believe that all my days are the Lord's, then they are not mine - and if they are not mine, then shouldn't my days be ordered in such a fashion as to please the Lord, the one who owns them?  And yet, when I considered my "to do" list for that very day, I could not honestly say that everything on my list was written there with the Lord in mind, but only (or mostly) for myself...

Hmmm.

Someone once commented to me that they didn't believe "every" part of our lives needed to have a spiritual connotation to it.  But I disagree.  If you've trust Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, recognizing that YOUR sins put him on the cross, then you are bought with a price; you are not your own.  And the Holy Spirit lives within you; you are called to be holy - set apart.  So then, every part of our days, every item on our to-do lists, ought to be considered in light of what the Lord wants.

Does your to-do list contain items to pick up at the grocery store?  How does that relate to the Lord?  Well - do you look for opportunites to be kind, to strike up conversations with those around you?  Do you consider - with thanksgiving! - how blessed you are by God that you have not only the financial ability, but also the physical ability to go to the store in the first place?  Do you praise God for his provision and watch care over you?

In everything we do, in every item on our to-do list, there is opportunity to thank and praise God.  But even as you do that, be thoughtful - I also recently saw a post about "opportunity costs" - in other words, as you consider purchasing yet another pair of new heels for yourself, is there something else that money could buy - another opportunity to use those same dollars for the benefit of someone else?  Not everything is "good" or "bad" - sometimes, it's an issue of "good" or "better."

So as you wander (or charge full-steam ahead!) through your day today, consider: is my day for the Lord - or is it for myself?

Are You a Useful Servant? - Part III

We've been looking at ways to be useful for God's glory.  Today's verses highlight an issue I know we've all seen, if not actually been a part of.

Romans 14:13, 19

¹³ Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 

¹⁹ Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

We are a useful servant when we desire to do everything for the good of others, to "build up" (edify) others.  Perhaps you know of something that offends someone, but it does not offend you.  Here's an example of what I mean:  There are some people who are offended by women wearing pants; there are some people who have no issue whatsoever with women wearing pants.  One way to be a useful servant would be to avoid offending someone who has an issue with this by not wearing pants when you  know these people will be present.  You may be thinking, "But I have every right to wear pants if I want to!  They shouldn't be able to tell me what to do!"  Ah - but remember, the goal of a useful servant is to build up others - not to serve self.  Does it cost you anything to avoid the conflict and thereby avoid offending your brother or sister in Christ?  No.  But it will go a long way in making "peace" as verse 19 encourages us to do.

This is just one example; I know you will think of others.  The point is that the useful servant has a heart for others first, always striving to please the Lord.  You may have a different opinon on something, but your opinion ought not to be so important to you that you are willing to proclaim it at the cost of alienating the people around you.  Take a stand on  doctrinal issues, yes.  Take a stand against sin, yes.  But in areas of liberty, always defer to your brother/sister in Christ.

Galatians 5:13

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.  (emphasis mine)

Are you a useful servant? Part II

Yesterday we talked about being useful by encouraging someone in the Lord.  Today, let's look at these verses:

Romans 1:8

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

A useful servant is someone who is thankful - thankful not only for personal things, but also thankful for those around her.  Is there someone in your church that could use a word of thanks?  Maybe someone who is not necessarily "up front" all the time; someone who works faithfully behind the scenes - in the nursery, or doing maintenance around the church, or doing laundry for the prophets chamber/kitchen linens/cleaning rags, etc?  How about someone who mows the yard or drives the church bus or is just simply ALWAYS there - faithful to every service?

Romans 12:10-11

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

^{Another way to be "useful" is to have an attitude of humility - to show love and preference to someone else.  How could you show preference to someone?  Hold the door?  Carry a child?  Give a hug?  Offer to get something someone needs?  Really observe those around you; ask the Lord to reveal a need - when you're looking, the opportunities will definitely present themselves!  Be useful today - put someone else first.}

 

Are You a Useful Servant?

Ever have one of those days (or weeks) where you don't feel like you're adding any value?  When maybe you just don't feel like you've done anything worthwhile and yet others around you seem to be accomplishing much?

God wants us to be "successful" in our Christian lives - He wants us to add value!  But our "success" or "value" is not measured as the world measures success - it is measured by God's standards.  Here are a few examples: 

      

Romans 15:14

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
  
Paul, talking to the believers, encouraged them, that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and able to "admonish" or counsel one another.  Now, lest you think you are not able to "counsel" anyone, hold on - look at this next verse...

2 Corinthians 1:4

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Ah - see?  It can be as simple as comforting someone who is going through something you've already experienced - you CAN counsel!  Share how God worked in your life though a similar circumstance.  Have you done that this week?  Comforted someone?  Shared a verse that is dear to you with someone?  Sent a note of encouragement; let someone know you are praying for them?


If you have, then you HAVE been successful this week - you HAVE added value.  Do not measure your "success" by the world's standards - measure your "success" by God's standards.  This is a simple thing; if you haven't done this yet this week, purpose in your heart to do it before the week is over.  You CAN be a useful servant!

Why Wait?

Do you ever feel like you're in a "holding pattern"?  You've got so many ideas; the Lord has given you a burden for a certain ministry - yet, circumstances just don't seem to be lining up.  Or the timing just doesn't seem quite right.  Or the opportunity just never seems to present itself.  Or someone else is asked to participate in the very thing you so long to minister in.  Or maybe you're just simply discouraged; it just doesn't seem as though the Lord is at work.

I was encouraged this morning in my quiet time to study the following verses:

Psalm 130:5-7

⁵ I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
⁶ My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
⁷ Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

Our God is merciful and there is "plenteous" redemption when we wait on Him!

Galatians 6:9

⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

God promises that we WILL reap if we just hang in there!

Hebrews 6:12

¹² That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

God says we will inherit the promises - HIS promises!  What a blessing!  What an encouragement that is to my heart.  :)

Hebrews 10:35-36

³⁵ Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence (payment) of reward.
³⁶ For ye have need of patience (endurance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Wow - God says that my payment will be reward; that when I endure, when I keep doing the will of God, I will receive His promises.  To me, this is a wonderful incentive to "hang in there"!

James 1:3-4

³ Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
⁴ But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect (mature) and entire, wanting nothing.

So many of us want to grow in the Lord, what to become that "mature, godly" Christian - but we don't want to accomplish that God's way - we want to take the shortcut; we want "instant" godliness.  But God's Word tells us that when our faith is tried, we gain endurance.  And endurance is what leads to maturity and godliness...and we all know there is nothing "instant" about endurance!!  

James 5:11

¹¹ Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful (full of compassion), and of tender mercy.

Our Lord knows our hearts; He knows our desires and He knows our needs.  He knows when we're ready to move head and He knows the best way to get us ready. "All" we have to do is "wait" - wait by doing the things He's set before us today; taking the opportunities He gives us today.  Tomorrow will come, and other opportunities, other ministries, other results will come - as we wait and serve and rejoice in the things He has put on our plates today.  He is full of compassion and tender mercy - He knows exactly what and when we need something.  

You can trust Him - He will not fail you.  :)

 

  

 

 

Who Knows You?

I've been working through a bible study recently, and read the following verse as part of the study.  This verse was not the point of that lesson, but it sure got me attention!!  I love when the Lord gives me things just for me! I shared this with my friend in an email....

 

In my quiet time this morning I was reading in 2 Timothy 3.  Verse 10 & 11 really slapped me in the face....

 

"But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me."

 

Paul is talking to Timothy and it struck me that he tells him, you KNOW what I teach...you KNOW my "manner of life" (how I handle things that come my way)...you KNOW my purpose (wow!  most people don't know their own purpose, but Paul says even Timothy knows what his purpose is - to preach the gospel & glorify God)...you KNOW my faith (you know who I believe in!)...you KNOW my longsuffering and love and patience...and he links all this to the persecutions and afflictions...

 

and I'm thinking, wow.  Paul was just a sinner saved by grace like me...but I don't think I'd want to point out to those closest to me these things in MY life because I know they'd think of the times I've failed and criticized others and complained about others or circumstances...and yet Paul wasn't bragging, he was confident - confident that even though he wasn't perfect or sinless, that his overall testimony was such that he could remind Timothy that he could look to Paul's life as an example!  So, that got me thinking...if I can't do the same thing, than why not?  Paul wasn't super-human.  What changes need to be made in MY life so that I could give the same testimony??

 

Uh.  I could have spent all morning in that chair, alone with the Lord.  It was very convicting!!  :)  

 *****************************************************************************

If you don't get anything out of your bible reading, I would suggest the following:

• Open your bible, but not randomly.  If you don't know where to start, start in Proverbs.  If today is the 25th of the month, read Proverbs 25.
• Before you read, ask the Lord to show you exactly what YOU need to see in His Word today.  "Lord, help me to read your word; help me to see your truth - the truth you have for ME this today."
• Don't get overwhelmed.  If an entire chapter seems like a lot, then just read the first 3-4 verses - just don't stop in the middle of a thought.
• Pray about what you just read.  Ask yourself what is God trying to tell you - is he making a promise?  bringing to mind some sin in your life?  asking you to obey a command that he is giving?
• Ask God to help you see the opportunities to use what he's taught you as you go through your day.