For the past several weeks my church has been going through a series of messages entitled "Welcome to Your Church" in which we have been learning the nine things a local church should be based on Acts 2:41-47. Each week there have been a variety of videos played with different members telling what they love about the Body of Christ and there have been a few "live" testimonies as well. It's been fun to hear all of the various random reasons, yet they all seemingly tie into one truth: that we stand on and live by the Word of God. What has been the absolute coolest thing to me is that each week a different man has risen to the challenge of stepping into the pulpit and preaching a message from the Bible. It has been nothing short of incredible. These men are from all walks of life, run the gamut of testimonies, and have differing preaching styles...and all of them have a delivered a message that has resonated with me. I feel incredibly fortunate to be in a church that doesn't depend solely upon the pastor to teach...but that there are at least 8-10 Jesus following, Bible believing men that can stand in the pulpit and deliver the Word. That rocks!
Due to some challenges I have recently experienced, this past week's message was a special blessing to me. It was on the subject of accountability. The speaker did an exceptional job of teaching a concept that I really had never heard explained quite this way...implied accountability. Because I would not do it justice in recounting the message (feel free to listen online at www.maplecitybaptist.com), in a nutshell, the truth that struck me was that when I decided to follow Christ, it was implied that other believers would hold me accountable for living biblically.
And that is one of the biggest reasons I love my church family...not only is it expected that I will have my own walk with Jesus and that I will consistently ( NOT perfectly!) strive to live my life based on biblical standards, but there are godly people that will not only hold me accountable, they will put their arm in mine and walk with me as I endeavor to do so.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Tears
The last 48 hours have pretty much sucked. I hate to use that word, but I can't think of anything tonight to put there in it's place. Challenging situations, people who have wounded me to the depths of my soul, people who don't know anything about me making remarks that smart. Many tears have dropped from my eyes....
Yet, He catches them. He counts them. He keeps them.
Father, I love you. I thank you for the pain because it's then that I see you most clearly. You are the lover of my soul, my Abba Father. Thank you for allowing these challenges to refine me, to temper my flesh, and to make me into the woman You have created me to be.
Psalm 56:8
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Yet, He catches them. He counts them. He keeps them.
Father, I love you. I thank you for the pain because it's then that I see you most clearly. You are the lover of my soul, my Abba Father. Thank you for allowing these challenges to refine me, to temper my flesh, and to make me into the woman You have created me to be.
Psalm 56:8
Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
Thursday, June 21, 2012
God whispers that lead to great adventure!
I was visiting with my friend, Sherrie, yesterday about a book that I had read and passed on to her by Bill Hybels titled "The Power of a Whisper". We shared how there are times in our lives when it seems we can't hear Him for all of the white noise of activity, responsibilities, life, and self. That last word, "self", tends to be the issue that blocks my Heavenly Father from sharing intimate fellowship and whispers with me. I am pleased to say that the last few weeks have been a rebirth of sorts as I have moved into a deep time of releasing self to Him and the results have lead to an adventure that excites and leaves me clinging to Him. I like it. A lot!
At the end of the college school year, one of our young women moved into my home for what was to be a two week stay before she traveled to Mexico for a month. Upon her return, she was planning to move onto the campus for the remainder of the summer. Now, for a life long single settled into her routine, two weeks was about the max of time I wanted someone interloping on my schedule, life, time. I also need to interject that this young woman and I had had our share of difficulties in the past. However, during those two weeks, I found myself very much enjoying what she added to the mix of my home! I got a front row seat to see how the Lord had and is molding her into a godly young woman. I enjoyed listening to her unique perspective that previously I found somewhat annoying. He'd matured her...and me. After some prayer and discussion with my roomie, we offered to allow her to stay with us upon her return from Mexico. So, I am thinking that I will have the month of June, while she is in Mexico, to be my usual selfish self.
Wrong.
God had other ideas.
In a series of events that find me processing various emotions at once, I found myself bringing a second 20 something into my home for the summer. There is a story that surrounds the circumstances and it's not mine to tell, but it is a story that I believe Jesus is getting some serious glory out of...and will continue to do so. So, the week after the first leaves, I have a second moving onto my couch. Whoa. Didn't see that coming and hadn't planned on it. I also wasn't sure I wanted to handle some of the issues that were bound to come with the circumstances. I was afraid. There was history between us that had been awesome and disappointing all at the same time. We'd let each other down and would need to work on rebuilding the trust that had been broken. Of what was I afraid? I am not sure...conflict, failing in being a good role model. Being vulnerable. It was then I heard His whisper... Just keep your eyes on me. I will walk you through this.
I will be honest...it's been an adjustment for all of us. I am trying to find my way between mentor, mother, influencer, and friend. BUT, the blessings have far outweighed the adjustments. So many amazing conversations, encouragements, tears, mending hearts...and yes, vulnerable moments, have occurred. One of the sweetest moments of my day is when she and I pray together each evening. Something I initiated, but something she has taken ownership of! Wow. God is so much more than ENOUGH for me.
We now await the fourth member of our home to rejoin us on July 1. She is ready to return and we are ready for her to be home. I pray that the Lord uses me to influence them deeply in their desire to walk with Him. I pray my mistakes, less than Christ-like attitudes and actions that they have and will continue to witness will be faint memories because I chose to walk so closely to Jesus amidst my failures that they really see Him and who He is in my life. And who He can be in their lives.
Today, I am feeling more thankfulness and gratitude for the upending of my life by the One who controls it than I ever thought possible. I am excited to see where He takes us. I am thankful for His whispers.
At the end of the college school year, one of our young women moved into my home for what was to be a two week stay before she traveled to Mexico for a month. Upon her return, she was planning to move onto the campus for the remainder of the summer. Now, for a life long single settled into her routine, two weeks was about the max of time I wanted someone interloping on my schedule, life, time. I also need to interject that this young woman and I had had our share of difficulties in the past. However, during those two weeks, I found myself very much enjoying what she added to the mix of my home! I got a front row seat to see how the Lord had and is molding her into a godly young woman. I enjoyed listening to her unique perspective that previously I found somewhat annoying. He'd matured her...and me. After some prayer and discussion with my roomie, we offered to allow her to stay with us upon her return from Mexico. So, I am thinking that I will have the month of June, while she is in Mexico, to be my usual selfish self.
Wrong.
God had other ideas.
In a series of events that find me processing various emotions at once, I found myself bringing a second 20 something into my home for the summer. There is a story that surrounds the circumstances and it's not mine to tell, but it is a story that I believe Jesus is getting some serious glory out of...and will continue to do so. So, the week after the first leaves, I have a second moving onto my couch. Whoa. Didn't see that coming and hadn't planned on it. I also wasn't sure I wanted to handle some of the issues that were bound to come with the circumstances. I was afraid. There was history between us that had been awesome and disappointing all at the same time. We'd let each other down and would need to work on rebuilding the trust that had been broken. Of what was I afraid? I am not sure...conflict, failing in being a good role model. Being vulnerable. It was then I heard His whisper... Just keep your eyes on me. I will walk you through this.
I will be honest...it's been an adjustment for all of us. I am trying to find my way between mentor, mother, influencer, and friend. BUT, the blessings have far outweighed the adjustments. So many amazing conversations, encouragements, tears, mending hearts...and yes, vulnerable moments, have occurred. One of the sweetest moments of my day is when she and I pray together each evening. Something I initiated, but something she has taken ownership of! Wow. God is so much more than ENOUGH for me.
We now await the fourth member of our home to rejoin us on July 1. She is ready to return and we are ready for her to be home. I pray that the Lord uses me to influence them deeply in their desire to walk with Him. I pray my mistakes, less than Christ-like attitudes and actions that they have and will continue to witness will be faint memories because I chose to walk so closely to Jesus amidst my failures that they really see Him and who He is in my life. And who He can be in their lives.
Today, I am feeling more thankfulness and gratitude for the upending of my life by the One who controls it than I ever thought possible. I am excited to see where He takes us. I am thankful for His whispers.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
The Sting of Subtle, Smug Self-Righteousness
Sometimes, I really dislike the person I can be. Today had one of those moments of pure disappointment in myself. Ironic thing is that I should have seen it coming. Beautiful thing is the Spirit caught me before I made a complete idiot of myself. Let me back up and start at the beginning...
This past week my quiet time has really hammered the issue of pride. Yep, I am cruising through the book of Proverbs. I kept reading over and over about the Lord's hatred of pride and his pleasure in the humble. Even the book I was reading for pleasure touched base on it as well. Now, I know that when Jesus says something repeatedly to me, I need to step it up a notch and pay special attention. Weird thing is, I really couldn't find issues of pride that were glaring and I confessed any little issue I could see, making me think I might be creating some confession just to make sure I covered my bases! Seriously, I have been pretty beat up by life over the past week and wasn't feeling particularly good about anything. Then it happened almost like a vapor coming in the room. I was dealing with an issue of unrepentance in another believer and getting rather frustrated at the continued lying when that little crack opened up and I started to get self righteous. I started hearing my self talk say things like, "So and so knows better than that. They know God's word." or "Why don't they just clue in here and get right?" Oh boy. As I puttered around my office, the Holy Spirit does what He does best...smacked me upside the head with the log that was in my own eye. Immediately, all of those "God hates pride" messages flooded my soul. Busted. Big time! What made me even sadder was the fact that I didn't have a shred of grace for the situation... just how does one who loves Jesus with all she has, clings to Him because He is her only hope, and wants to be an encourager of souls have such an evil streak??? Even worse...how do I not have mercy and grace when I have done far worse?
No, I am not beating myself up...just being real. I love that my relationship with my Father is such that conviction comes quickly and deeply in this instance. I love that He got in my face about an ugly heart attitude. I am so happy that He forgave me and replaced those feelings of smug self righteousness with ones of 'been there, done worse, God showed me grace and mercy and I want to do the same.' Being a daughter of the King is nothing short of wonderful!
1 Timothy 1: 15-16
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those [a]who would believe in Him for eternal life.
This past week my quiet time has really hammered the issue of pride. Yep, I am cruising through the book of Proverbs. I kept reading over and over about the Lord's hatred of pride and his pleasure in the humble. Even the book I was reading for pleasure touched base on it as well. Now, I know that when Jesus says something repeatedly to me, I need to step it up a notch and pay special attention. Weird thing is, I really couldn't find issues of pride that were glaring and I confessed any little issue I could see, making me think I might be creating some confession just to make sure I covered my bases! Seriously, I have been pretty beat up by life over the past week and wasn't feeling particularly good about anything. Then it happened almost like a vapor coming in the room. I was dealing with an issue of unrepentance in another believer and getting rather frustrated at the continued lying when that little crack opened up and I started to get self righteous. I started hearing my self talk say things like, "So and so knows better than that. They know God's word." or "Why don't they just clue in here and get right?" Oh boy. As I puttered around my office, the Holy Spirit does what He does best...smacked me upside the head with the log that was in my own eye. Immediately, all of those "God hates pride" messages flooded my soul. Busted. Big time! What made me even sadder was the fact that I didn't have a shred of grace for the situation... just how does one who loves Jesus with all she has, clings to Him because He is her only hope, and wants to be an encourager of souls have such an evil streak??? Even worse...how do I not have mercy and grace when I have done far worse?
No, I am not beating myself up...just being real. I love that my relationship with my Father is such that conviction comes quickly and deeply in this instance. I love that He got in my face about an ugly heart attitude. I am so happy that He forgave me and replaced those feelings of smug self righteousness with ones of 'been there, done worse, God showed me grace and mercy and I want to do the same.' Being a daughter of the King is nothing short of wonderful!
1 Timothy 1: 15-16
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those [a]who would believe in Him for eternal life.
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