How hard are we really trying...

Listen to the full song: "You are good" by Kari Jobe
"your kindness leads me to repentance
your goodness draws me to your side
your mercy calls me to be like you
your favor is my delight
everyday I've awaken my praise and poured out a song from

my heart

You are good, you are good
you are good and your mercy is forever
You are good, you are good
you are good, and your mercy is forever"

"Your goodness draws me to your side, your mercy calls me to be like you."
How hard are we really trying to be like our God?
Let's reflect together...

For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.
- 1 Thess 2:4

 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
 
 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
- Col 3:5-17

 "But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."
-Matthew 6:15

 "Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart" - Col 4:2

"Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." - Col 4:5-6

Let's put on the full armor of God and persevere together in NOT being of this world.

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." - Romans 12:2

Developing your character

Did you know that God is interested in developing your character? Well, it is true. However, the only way that can be possible is through one very important factor. That one factor is mere obedience. We should obey what we already know to be God's will. Disobedience on the other hand, can be very risky and is costly. Obeying God requires stepping out of ourselves and having the faith to just do what we are told even if we don't understand it in the moment. Obedience is even more important than sacrifice. Affirmation comes after the obedience. Obedience indicates your faith in God.

Obedience is so important. It is overlooked, to say the least.
Let's look at the definition of the word obey:

"to comply with or follow the commands, restrictions, wishes, or instructions of"

We are taught to obey our parents, right? Why? Because they just want to have authority over someone and have a say in something? No! It is because your parents are supposed to have the best interest in your being and you are taught to obey them so that you will be safe and do what is best. Don't you think that is why God wants you to obey Him? He isn't trying to be mean or controlling.
He wants the best for you and He wants you to be happy and safe...the same thing any parent would want for their child(ren). 

Keith Green wrote this song and I think it speaks for itself:

"To obey is better than sacrifice

I don't need your money
I want your life
And I hear you say that I'm coming back soon
But you act like I'll never return

Well you speak of grace and my love so sweet
How you thrive on milk, but reject My meat
And I can't help weeping of how it will be
If you keep on ignoring My words
Well you pray to prosper and succeed
But your flesh is something I just can't feed

To obey is better than sacrifice
I want more than Sunday and Wednesday nights
Cause if you can't come to Me every day
Then don't bother coming at all
La,la,la etc.

To obey is better than sacrifice
I want hearts of fire
Not your prayers of ice
And I'm coming quickly
To give back to you
According to what you have done
According to what you have done
According to what you have done"

Obedience is better than sacrifice. Now, that is a pretty big deal! We are going to be judged by what we have done, meaning we are going to be judged according to our obedience!

1 John 5:21 says:

"Dear Children, keep away from ANYTHING that might take God's place in your hearts"

2 John 1:9 states:

"Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son."

Obedience is following God's Word, completely! Will we fail at that? Yes, we will. But...we are to aspire 100% with our whole heart, mind and body to fulfill God's commandments and His Word. As you read through the Bible we learn that obedience goes beyond just obeying the 12 Commandments. 1 John 2:15-17 tells us:
"Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever"

Our obedience speaks for itself. We are either all in or not in at all.
Two in a half men star Angus Jones spoke on his experience on finding God.
(Click here to watch his testimony)  I love how he says "your either hot or you're cold", "we need to pick our side now", "you need to be 100% or nothing at all", "if you're gonna be for the world be for the world, you're doing so much harm being half in and half out. You're harming yourself and those others, who might actually want to know the truth", "chose you this day whom you will follow"...this is so true! This world is going to be testing you and you will have to chose wisely.

You can't be half in and half out, that equates to being lukewarm.
So, the question that I will leave you with, is this: Are you all in or all out?

What has been the most difficult challenge in your life?

My most difficult challenge has been staying strong in obedience to God. 

The world around me is constantly saying don't obey God, that is dumb and it makes you look dumb and stupid. The world is constantly saying "you can only be happy if you serve yourself and do whatever it takes to make yourself happy no matter the cost".
I have made some major adjustments in my life over the past year and I know for a fact that I need to make some more changes because as I evaluate my lifestyle, I know that I am not doing EVERYTHING I can to obey God.  And when I make "radical" changes in my life my biggest challenge is staying strong and not slipping back and becoming discouraged by the world around me. Breaking from the world and it's traditions is not easy.  

Have you ever seen the movie "Christmas with the Kranks"? The Kranks did not want to celebrate Christmas, they wanted to abandon all the stress that came with following the normal traditions of the holiday. So, they decided to book a trip to take a cruise. The entire town was in an uproar because they were abandoning the "traditions" of Christmas. The Kranks were constantly having to support each other and be strong and not give in even although they were very tempted to give in on several occasions, even on just little things. This is a good example of how I feel a lot of the time. Having to stay strong and not give in, even to the smallest worldly things.

"Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever. " - 1 John 2:15-17

I sometimes feel like "The Little Engine that could", telling myself, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can" be strong and not give in to even the smallest of things. Even the smallest things matter: my attitude, what I read, what I watch, what I listen to, who I hang out with, etc.
I have to admit that even when trying to be strong in my obedience to God, it has also been a struggle because even my Christian peers make it difficult. I find myself "witnessing" to Christians and having to convince even them that I am not crazy for adjusting my life.
This concept seems so backwards to me. 

Can you see the difficulty?

"Jesus replied, 'If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching'. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." - John 14:23

 But, why is obedience to God so important, you ask?

"If you love me, you will obey what I command. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching".  - John 14:15, 24

This is so serious! He says: those who do not love Him will not obey His teachings. Does this challenge you at all? It sure does challenge me!

Here are some very important points that Blackaby & King give from their book Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the will of God:

- Obedience is the outward expression of your love of God

- The reward for obedience and love is that He will reveal Himself to you.

- If you have an obedience problem, you have a love problem.

- God is love. His will is always best.

- God is all knowing. His directions are always right. 

- God is all powerful. He can enable you to do His will. 

- If you love Him, you will obey Him!

In many ways, obedience is your moment of truth. What YOU DO WILL: Reveal what you believe about Him, Determine whether you will experience His mighty work in you and through you, and determine whether you will come to know Him more intimately.

You cannot believe and trust Him, unless you love Him. You cannot love Him, unless you know Him. 

Here are some points the Bible makes about Obedience:

"If you fully obey the LORD your God by keeping all the commands I am giving you today, the LORD your God will exalt you above all the nations of the world.", "The LORD will bless everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you." - Deut 28:1,8

"But if you refuse to listen to the LORD your God and do not obey all the commands and laws I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you: You will be cursed in your towns and in the country.",  "The LORD himself will send against you curses, confusion, and disillusionment in everything you do, until at last you are completely destroyed for doing evil and forsaking me. " - Deut 28:15-16, 20

"This is what I told them: 'Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Only do as I say, and all will be well!' " - Jeremiah 7:23

  "So why do you call me 'Lord,' when you won't obey me?  I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me.  It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.  But anyone who listens and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins."  - Luke 6:46-49

"Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did." - 1 John 2:6

Obedience to God will be costly and I am up to that challenge. How about you? Responses are encouraged.

 

Something to think about

It really bothers me that people start setting up for Christmas before Thanksgiving. I think Christmas is idolized WAY TOO MUCH! Frankly,
I want to challenge Christians this year by saying "how many Christians celebrate Christmas any different from a non-believer?"
As Christians are not supposed to be "of this world"

"Dear friends, I warn you as 'temporary residents and foreigners' to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls"
-1 Peter 2:11

Something to think about.

We started celebrating Christmas a little different last year and will follow our new tradition this year. We actually sold our Christmas decor last year, most of it has nothing to do with the REAL meaning of Christmas anyway. Then the money we normally would have spent on buying gifts (STUFF) for our friends and family (who actually aren't in need of such things and are overall well off ) we took that money and purchased food and hygienic items and other such things and gave them to a homeless shelter so that those in actual need had what was necessary to survive. I actually talked to someone in our town who appeared to be homeless one night. He was riding his bike in a heavy snowfall, December night and I asked him if he had a place to stay and if he needed anything. Turns out he was not homeless, he just didn't have much. The part that struck me was that as I conversed with him he told me how he doesn't have much, but still tries to help out others bc he knows several homeless people. He said that several homeless people die every year and he personally knew people who have lost their lives because they couldn't survive the bitter cold in their homeless state.  When I got home that night, I walked in the front door of my home balling my eyes out. My husband was like "what's wrong, what happened?" I narrated the conversation I had with the man on his bike. We decided we would never celebrate Christmas the same way ever again.

The Christmas traditions of this world are not even biblical. Christians are supposed to take care of the widows and the poor, so does that mean homelessness should not exist?
What God are we following?

The Truth of Circumstance

The truth of your circumstance, how are you supposed to know what that means right now?

The truth of circumstance cannot be made until you have heard from God. He has a master plan. We should never, ever determine the truth of any situation by looking at the circumstances. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and uses it to reveal God's perspective on the circumstance. Only God's perspective matters, surely that is difficult to swallow at times, but we must fight our flesh and try to see past it. A circumstance could be leading you into some kind of decision-making.The decision you make could make or break the purpose God had set out for you in the end. Perhaps the difficulty in your decision right now isn't choosing between good and bad, but choosing between good and best. You cannot expect any progress or good to be made if your answer to God given direction is "No". God works in sequence to accomplish His purposes.There is no skipping steps or trying to rush things, especially when God reveals things when He is ready for you to take a new step in direction in His activity. It will be in sequence with what He has already been doing in your life.God will give you a spiritual marker that will identify a time of transition, decision, or direction that will be very clear because it will be revealed to you that God is the one guiding you. What you do says so much more about what you believe about God than what you say. "Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" - Hebrews 11:6 

You may experience a crisis of belief in your circumstance. An encounter with God requires faith. When you encounter God, your encounter will be GOD-SIZED. What you do in response to God's revelation will reveal what you believe about God. True faith REQUIRES action. "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all" - Isaiah 7:9 

God's assignments are always beyond what people can do, because He wants to demonstrate His nature, His strength, His provision, and His kindness to His people and to a watching world in EVERY circumstance. Our world is missing out on seeing God because we are not attempting anything that only God can do. Is it because we are so caught up in the moment of our current circumstance? He is only going to start a job that He can do. If you or your church are not responding to God and attempting things that only God can accomplish, then there is a lack of exercising faith. God is more interested in you having an experience with Him, than He is interested in getting a job done. You can get a job done and never experience God at all. What have your experiences been lately?


What are your circumstances right now? Are you frustrated, angry, or confused? What things do you think God is trying to accomplish through your situation(s) right now? Go to God right now and ask Him to show you His perspective on your circumstance. Settle in your mind that God has forever demonstrated His absolute love for you on the cross and that His love for you will never change. Do not attempt to try and understand God while being in the middle of your circumstance(s). Be patient and wait on the Holy Spirit. He may take the Word of God to help you understand your circumstances more clearly. Adjust your life to God and what you see Him doing in your circumstances right now. Do all He is telling you to do. Regardless of how it makes you look or feel. He may ask you to march around the walls of Jericho, He may ask you to do something that sounds absolutely like nonsense...do it anyway. The truth of your circumstances are in God's hands. Experience God working in and through you to accomplish His purposes.

Your circumstances may be the recipe that God is using to perform His amazing work.

You cannot allow yourself to be guided by tradition, method or formula's.

Do you hear that? God is speaking. Is He speaking to you?

Maybe God is speaking to you, but you do not hear. Do you know when  God is speaking to you?

Do you know:
1) God speaks uniquely to each individual. This is because He wants your experience with Him and His voice to you to be personal.

2) Biblically, when God spoke, the person was sure God was speaking. This means when God speaks to you, you should know without a doubt that it is God who is speaking to you.


3) Biblically, when God spoke, the person knew what God said. This means that when God speaks to you, you should be clear on what you were told.

4)  Biblically, when God spoke, that was the encounter with God! That means that when God speaks to you do not need to hope that you will be led into an encounter with Him...it means you just had an encounter with Him! Then and there! Only God can cause you to experience His presence.

God's method in how He speaks is different from person to person, but according to scripture what is important to remember is:
1) God uniquely spoke to His people
2) They knew it was God
3) They knew what He said


So, do you hear Him? Have your prayers lately sounded something like this: "Lord, I really want to know your will. Please close the door if _______________ is not your will and bless me if I am right" The main problem with this type of prayer and thought process is that this pattern is not found anywhere in scripture.

God speaks in many different ways. God has spoke through: angels, visions, dreams, symbolic actions, a gentle whisper, miraculous signs, and more!

You cannot allow yourself to be guided by your experiences alone. You also cannot allow yourself to be guided by tradition, method or formula's. He will reveal to you what you need to know to take the first step of obedience. Your job is to wait until He speaks to you with instructions. If you decide to just start "doing" before you have been given direction from God, chances are you will likely be wrong.

The Holy Spirit will give clear directives today! God is personal and He wants to be intimately involved in your life and He will give you clear guidance for living when you faithfully live out your relationship with Him.

Base your understanding of God ONLY on scripture and not on experience! If you do not have clear instructions from God on a matter...PRAY AND WAIT! Learn to be patient.

Depend on God's timing. His timing will always BE RIGHT AND BEST!

Don't be in a hurry. He may be withholding instructions to cause you to seek Him more intently. He wants to draw you in closer so He can share with you more intimately.

Don't try to skip over the relationship to get on with the "doing". God is more interested in having a love relationship with YOU than He is in what YOU can do for Him.

God WILL give you clear guidance for your life. If you are thinking "But that has not been my experience." The answer to that doubt is simply: ONLY base your understanding on God on Scripture and not on experience.

Is God speaking to you? What is He trying to tell you?

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When you love...

When you come to know God by experience, you will be convicted of His Love. When you are convinced of His love you can believe Him and trust Him. When you trust Him you can obey Him. When you love Him, you have no problem obeying Him.


How have you come to know God through experience? 
Please share.

Do you see it? What do you see happening?

God is always at work around you.

Do you see it? What do you see happening?

Knowing God only comes through experience as He reveals Himself to you.

"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" - John 14:21

So, what kind of Christian are you?
The answer to that question will define how you are currently experiencing God.

Are you a self-centered Christian that is too busy and loving this world in ways that distract you from not only seeing the work of God around you, but you are also too distracted to even know where God is calling you to participate in His work?

Are you a Christian of convenience?
Do you believe in God just enough by talking to God sometimes (mainly when you are wanting something from Him) and you attend church and maybe even serve in some way, to where you don't really feel convicted or challenged because you are really just "going through the motions"? Would you consider yourself a "SEASONAL" Christian?

Are you a Christ-Centered Christian?
Are you all about God? Is your life completely revolving around the will of God? Are you ALL IN? If you are a Christ-centered Christian people probably think you are a little crazy, right? Even your Christian friends!?

"Suffer hardship with [me], as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of [this] life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier."
- 2 Tim 2:3-4

"But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed [are ye:] and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: [being] ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear:  having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ.  For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. - 1 Peter 3:14-17

I can easily say that I am not 100% Christ-centered 100% of the time, but it is something that I am constantly thriving for on a continual basis. In my efforts to say Christ focused I have made some life changes and I continue to look for ways to always be Christ - focused.

The interesting thing about this is: I have not only been looked at as "crazy" by my friends who are non-believers (which can be expected because they just don't comprehend the genuine meaning behind it), but I have definitely been challenged in how my life-changes towards becoming more Christ-focused, by my fellow Christian family! I have to admit that has been unnerving at times.

I will give you a sample of a "time of transformation" that God was definitely challenging me where I was seen as a bit "crazy" by both Christians and non-Christians. Here is how I was experiencing God:
I felt convicted with how easy, as a stay-at-home mom, it was to just kill the time my watching tv. I have always been pretty conservative with what I watch. I hate watching anything that involves "being dark". I don't like watching movies and shows that involve witchcraft, and ones that throw out all moral when it comes to excessive profanity, nudity, and sexuality, etc. So, sure watching tv is not a bad thing, right? I'm not watching anything "bad". Well, what about this idea...how much time have I wasted doing virtually nothing in front of the tv when I could have been spending it with God by studying His word, praying, seeking His guidance by listening to sermons both at church and even online, being fruitful, etc. So...my new lifestyle was exactly this: DO NOTHING unless it gave glory and focused on God in some way. If it didn't do either of these things it was OUT, OUT, OUT! That meant not watching the same tv shows or movies that I was watching, that meant spending more time reading and praying and listening. So, I did just that.

Guess what? Following this new lifestyle challenged and changed me in so many ways! I became closer to God and I learned a lot. I learned a lot about God, not just about Him, but I got to EXPERIENCE Him in ways I never had before. I learned that God doesn't want us to be self-centered, or a convenient Christian. He wants me to be a Christ-centered Christian.

I learned that I need to be a 'WATCHMAN' at ALL times. I need to be prepared and "studied" so that I can be prepared for the things He has written that is to come. I don't want to be a fool and fall for the enemies tricks and plays. So, I need to be on alert and I need to rely on God in EVERYTHING. Seeking Him in everything even the little things that don't seem that important.

I learned that the traditions of this world such as holiday and even church traditions can be foolish and I don't have to abide by them, regardless of how not participating in such things makes me look.
I was constantly asking myself: is what I am doing scriptural, is what I am doing glorifying to God? If the answer was no, then I wasn't going to involve myself in such things.

This lifestyle changed me. It made me see things in a whole different light: In His eyes. Sure, many times it would cause me to burst in tears for something that didn't seem like a big deal and even for what seemed to be no reason at all. My attitude and my life 'lens' changed. It changed me, it changed my marriage, and you better believe it changed how several people saw me. I even had a family member 'unfriend' me on facebook because they could not understand how my facebook status expressed that the closer I was getting to God the sadder I became in many ways. This person argued that it should be the other way around and that I should be happier, not sadder the closer I was to God. I openly agreed with this person, but also explained how it was possible to experience both happiness and saddness equally. Unfortunately, this person just couldn't grasp that and it resulted in 'unfriending' me.

My fellow Christians thought I was being crazy because I was withdrawing myself from "normal" things. I didn't see it that way. I saw it as focusing my time on Godly things and doing things that were fruitful and not wasting valuable time. Think about it... The day you stand before God how would you feel about being negatively judged because you wasted so much time doing fruitless things, like watching tv (specifically things that were not glorifying to God). I think about that a lot. I don't want to be that person.

My fellow non-Christians thought I was being crazy because well...it just didn't make sense. This made a perfect opportunity to share not only my faith, but I got to share about my experience(s) with God! This totally created a curiosity and an opportunity for  questions to be asked and seeds to be planted.

Experiencing God is a beautiful thing, regardless of what anyone thinks. You may be called crazy, you may lose relationships, you might offend, you might cause confusion in others...but in the name of glorifying God, it is so worth it!

Liar, liar!

Have you ever heard:
You have to get in debt to prosper?
(Lady) You have to be skinny to be beautiful?
(Man) You have to be muscular to be attractive?
You will be happy when you have all the "toys" you've ever wanted?
You are defined by what you wear?
You are defined by your job?
You are defined by how much money you have?
You will be happy when you have achieved so many success'?
You will never amount to anything?
You aren't good enough?


Guess what? These are all lies! Lies, lies, lies!!!

These are all sneaky little lies that haunt us, tear us down and even ruin lives.


God wants your experience in your relationship with Him to be great. Not just good, but great!
But, there is one thing that likes to pull you back with full force...and that thing is ugly little lies that the enemy is constantly whispering into your mind... Think about it... How many times a day do you feel discouraged from your relationship with God?

Do you talk to Him less?
Do you have less faith than yesterday?
Are you less active and more numb in participating in God's will than you were yesterday, last week, last month?

Why do you think this is?
Could it be because of all the lies you are hearing and they are so convincing because you can see how they can be true and you have heard them again and again so you think they must be true?

How can you get out of this rut that you are in?
It starts with removing yourself from yourself and experiencing God in His greatness.

You may need to start reevaluating your life and removing things.

Here are some steps that may be key in crushing those ugly little lies:

Remove sin and replace it with Holiness.
Remove lies and Replace them with the Truth.
Remove inaction and replace it with Action.

1 Peter 2:1-2 says:
"So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment."

Sin keeps us from God and spiritual growth. Sin seeks to destroy us and that is why we must remove sin and replace it with Holiness, truth and actions that are God-centered. 

As a Christian our lives aren't meant to be boring. But, sometimes we just live a boring life because we are trying to live it on our own...and that is a result of believing lies. We all get discouraged. Those ugly little lies will always be there to tear us down, but no one can separate us from the love of God. So, if we want our lives to be more than just "good" we must stop hitting the "snooze" button on our spiritual alarm clocks and get up on the first command. Otherwise, we too easily become numb and we start walking through life as if we are just going through the motions.

James 5:16 says:
"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results"
Our relationship with God can be great! But it takes action. Sometimes it may cause you to make sacrifices like walking completely out of your comfort zone and that may mean removing things from your life that you never thought you could live without. If you are not challenged by the greatness of God, perhaps it could be because you are hitting the "snooze" button one too many times.


In what way is God's greatness challenging you today?

McDonalds - "i'm lovn' it"

McDonalds - "i'm lovn' it"

Sound familiar? Of course it does, it is the very symbol that makes McDonalds memorable.

As a Christ follower what slogan do you think best fits the invitation to follow Him? Luke 9:23 says "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." If you were to shorten this verse into a slogan, it could go something like this: "Come and Die" Hmmm...does that get your attention? It doesn't sound as appealing as "i'm lovn' it", does it? It doesn't sound like the type of slogan that draws people in. A matter of fact, I think most people would not only see the slogan "Come and Die" as unappealing, but it is the type of thing that would make people want to run from it. Who likes to think and  talk about death, anyway?

"The cross was a symbol of humiliation. In the ancient world, the Romans had a number of ways to carry out an execution. They knew how to execute people very cheaply. Some people would be executed by fire and other would be stoned. Still others would be killed with a stroke of the sword. They might simply give a person a drink of hemlock. Crucifixion on the other hand required four soldiers and a centurion to oversee. It was much more expensive. So why crucifixion? They would use it when they wanted to publicly humiliate the person being crucified. They wanted to make a public statement that this person has no power and is nothing..." (Kyle Idleman, "not a fan")

The cross is a symbol of:
Humiliation, Suffering, and Death.

You cannot carry a cross without experiencing some kind of suffering. And I am not talking about the cross that you wear on a chain around your neck. Jesus died the ultimate death on the cross. And He wants His followers to die to themselves, this means dying to desires, pursuits, traditions, and plans. When you are dead, you are no longer concerned with YOUR life.

You probably know that sermons are often about salvation, but when do you hear about the surrender involved? You hear about forgiveness, but what about repentance? You hear about new life, but what do you hear about dying? These are very important things to consider. Salvation is not cheap and it can only come from God. We are told to take up our cross daily...key word 'daily', which means it's a daily decision.

"In a twist of irony, we find that giving up our lives gives us the life we so desperately wanted all along."... "When you accept  the invitation of Jesus to follow him, you are not just saying that he is a top priority in our life; you are making him the only priority in your life." (Kyle Idleman, "not fan")

So, is God your priority in your life or are you?

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What time is it? Part 2

"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.
For people will love only themselves and their money.

They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful.

They will consider nothing sacred.

They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control.

They will be cruel and hate what is good.

They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.

They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!" - 2 Tim 1-5
Does any of this appear to be evident today?

What time is it?

Will the world end in 2012? I know you have heard so many theories, right? Well, God clearly says no one will know the day nor the hour, but He does give us hints as to when the END TIMES are present.
 
1 Tim 4:1-5
"Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.
 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.  Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of
God and prayer."

These words speak for themself, I don't think elaborating is necessary.
Please indulge, any thoughts on this?

No more lonely nights

As I lay in bed last night, I was trying to tolerate the pain of a gall bladder flare up (I have them every once in awhile, ever since I had my baby 9 months ago). I decided I was going to pray and put my pain in God's hands because I knew He was the only one who could stop it. I find myself having my most intimate conversations with God at the end of the night when I go to bed. There is just something about it being so quiet and in a relaxed state that makes this time so special. I think it's mainly because there are no distractions. I have always spent my most intimate time with God right before I go to sleep. It makes going to sleep so much more peaceful and it's so cool to fall asleep talking to Him.

As I prayed that the pain I was enduring would stop, last night, it was only minutes after I prayed that the pain completely stopped. I praised God for his generosity and care in stopping the pain. Then for some reason I thought back to my wedding day when my husband strummed his guitar and sang to me the song "No more lonely nights" by Paul McCartney:

"I can wait another day until I call you  
You only got my heart on a string  
And everything a flutter
 
But another lonely night might take forever  

We've only got each other to blame 

It's all the same to me love 

'Cause, I know what I feel to be right

 
No more lonely nights  

No more lonely nights 

You're my guiding light  

Day or night, I'm always there

 
May I never miss the thrill of being near you 

And if it takes a couple of years  

To turn your tears to laughter 

I will do what I feel to be right

 
No more lonely nights

Never be another  

No more lonely nights  
You're my guiding light Day or night, I'm always there

 
And I won't go away until you tell me so  

No, I'll never go away  

Yes, I know what I feel to be right

 
No more lonely nights  

Never be another  

No more lonely nights  

You're my guiding light Day or night, I'm always there
And I won't go away until you tell me so  

No, I'll never go away 

I won't go away until you tell me so"

It's like a conversation between me and God. His words in red. This is exactly what it seemed to me last night. God is so loving and He is always there, it is us who stray away. So, the next time you ask God where He is, remember that He never left; but it was in fact you that was absent. He is ALWAYS there. I am glad to know that I will never have a lonely night and that whether it is day or night His guiding light will always be present.

Do you struggle with inadequacy?

If you are like me, I am sure you have experienced inadequacy at least once in your life. This is common, no need to hide it. We are all human and cannot fight the lack of self-confidence 100% of the time. After all, don't you think it is a great tool to be used to bring you down? Really think about that. The devil doesn't want us to be happy or successful. He wants to ruin the plans that God is trying to accomplish through us. Ever notice that when you are most on fire for God and know God is doing big things it doesn't take long before  you sink down at some level shortly thereafter?

Well, I want to share with you a recipe that I learned from Norman Vincent Peale, in his book called "The Power of positive thinking". If you decide to read the book he will give you several real life examples of how this recipe works wonders in people's lives. He covers this in chapter 1. Keep in mind that this recipe can only work if you apply it 100%. Keep in mind this is not some kind of crazy voodoo. This recipe only works because it teaches you how to kick out the devils whispers of negativity and the lies that are pushing you away from self-confidence. It opens you up to God so that He can work inside of your heart and mind and it allows Him to steer the wheel.

1) Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself as succeeding. Hold this picture tenaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop this picture. Never think of yourself as failing; never doubt the reality of the mental image. That is most dangerous, for the mind always tries to complete what it pictures. So always picture "success" no matter how badly things seem to be going at the moment.

2) Whenever a negative thought concerning your personal powers comes to mind, deliberately voice a positive thought to cancel it out.

3) Do not build up obstacles in your imagination. Depreciate every so-called obstacle. Minimize them. Difficulties must be studied and efficiently dealt with to be eliminated, but they must be seen for only what they are. They must not be inflated by fear thoughts.

4) Do not awestruck by other people and try to copy them. Nobody can be you as efficiently as YOU can. Remember also that most people, despite their confident appearance and demeanor, are often as scared as you are and as doubtful of themselves.

5) Ten times a day repeat these dynamic words, "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) (Stop reading and repeat them NOW slowly and confidently.)

6) Get a competent counselor to help you understand why you do what you do. Learn the origin of your inferiority and self-doubt feelings which often begin in childhood. Self-knowledge leads to a cure.

7) Ten times each day practice the following affirmation, repeating it out loud if possible. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (PHil 4:13) Repeat those words NOW. That magic statement is the most powerful antidote on earth to inferiority thoughts.

8) Make a ture estimate of your own ability, then raise it 10 percent. Do not become egotistical, but develop a wholesome self-respect. Believe in your own God-released powers.

9) Put yourself in God's hands. To do that simply state, "I am in God's hands." Then believe you are NOW receiving all the power you need. "Feel" it flowing into you. Affirm that "the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21) in the form of adequate power to meet life's demands.

10) Remind yourself that God is with you and nothing can defeat you. Believe that you now RECEIVE power from him.

OUTREACH vs. "INREACH"

Church and ministry (Outreach) are 2 separate things. The church needs to stop trying to get people to come to them by using their "appealing", comfortable atmosphere tactics and stop worrying about filling the seats in a church building.


The "church" needs to concern themselves with their attendance in ministry.

Church: Defined by Webster, "1) An edifice for religious worship; the chief services held there. 2) a body or organization of Christian believers."

Outreach: Defined by Webster, "Extension of services to nontraditional recipients."

Churches are trying too hard at "INREACH" and have lost focus on OUTREACH. According to Webster a church is a body of Christians. Church is designed for Christians to come together in fellowship and to train people to be disciples. Where in the Bible does it say to attract people to come to church? In fact, it says TO GO into all the nations and share the gospel. I don't see where in that statement where it says "Go bring people to church". Think about it, when you invite your friends and family to church is it because you are too afraid to share the gospel yourself and you are putting that responsibility all on the pastor?

Many people are turned away by Christians and have no desire to attend church because Christians aren't upholding the very responsibilities that God has given them. Many people do not want to go to church and they may never even set foot in one. So, is it acceptable that they should not then hear the gospel? It sure shouldn't be! Getting them into a church building is not the answer. God's love and His Word  can be best shared by sure example and meeting people where they are in society. So, should we really be focused on making our church buildings and programs attractive with the purpose of making a quota of most seats filled? Is this teaching Christians to be lazy in sharing their faith and the gospel with others?

What is your response to that?

Does life have a purpose?

Laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, bills, work....does this sound familiar? Life can get very busy and it becomes demanding even at times. And then there are goals of achievement to take into account: getting fit, earning a degree, finding your dream job, saving up money to prize yourself with something you have longed for, etc. But in the end...how much of any of this really matters? Really stop to think about that for a second.

  Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her" -Luke 10:38-42.
Are you worried and/or distracted by too many things in your life? Our life here on earth is very temporary. I know that is hard to see because life on earth is all we know, but our life on earth is only a training ground for our eternal destination. What is driving your life? Is it driven by guilt, resentment, anger, materialism, or the need for approval? Your purpose should ultimately be preparing you for eternity.  All earthly things will soon perish, but our souls have no end.

When was the last time you attended a funeral? What thoughts went through your mind? Chances are you have experienced at least one loss of a loved one in your life, someone who meant a lot to you. That person could have passed away by natural causes or even by a devastating or sudden death. Life can end in a blinking of an eye. We have no clue the day or time that we will take our last breath. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, it could be next week and we should be living life as if that were so because think about...your last breath could be right around the corner. Life is worthless if we are not living it in the light of our eternity. 

Picture a butterfly. A butterfly's  life span is usually about 2 weeks. That is it. So, considering you knew your life would only last 2 weeks, how different would your life look at this very moment? Would you be spreading your wings in the presence of God and preparing your kingdom in heaven with every moment spent? Or would you waste your 2 weeks away with trying to inherit meaningless earthly goals and consuming worthless possessions?

"We should be 'realizing that every moment we spend in these earthly bodies is time spent away from our eternal home in heaven with Jesus'" - Rick Warren

We shouldn't be living life carelessly, unthinkingly, we should be focusing on what our Master wants. Your existence is not an accident, you were created with a unique design with a special purpose. What is your purpose? Well, like it says in the passage from Luke, above, we must sit at His feet and listen. If we don't do that very thing, we may never know the answer to that one life question and sadly, we will go on wasting our lives away. But your life is just too busy, you don't have time...right? Well, let's evaluate: how much time do you spend on facebook, watching tv, reading magazines, indulging in a hobby, etc? What if your best friend decided to just stop talking to you altogether and stopped being your friend because he/she is just too busy for you? Wouldn't that break your heart? Your friend probably doesn't do that because you are just that important to them. Well, Jesus should matter to us in the same way. If you have a hard time with this because you just don't know how to fit in the time or it just doesn't seem natural start somewhere like having a cup of coffee with Him. Imagine that He is right there with you (which He is even though you can't see Him) and just have a conversation with Him. Tell Him what is going on in your life. Tell Him what you like that is happening in your life, tell Him your struggles. Sure, this may seem silly, but He seeks friendship in just the manner you and everyone does. You will be surprised at how amazing your conversations can get if you take the time. Another thing you can do it practice replacing something you normally do that isn't very important and use that time to read some passages from the Bible, perhaps even pick up an inspirational book that uses that Bible hand-in-hand. God will speak to you, I can guarantee that. He will baffle you and you will wonder how you ever went so long not hearing Him, you will be hungry for more and the things that seemed to matter to you before will soon transform into something less important. 


"You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you."- Isaiah 26:3
What is holding you back? Who is hurting you, what are you struggling with that is making your focus on your purpose in life seem not important or driven? Try to find out what those things are and take the time to address them both with yourself and with God. Nothing is too small or silly to take to God. He understands better than anyone, He will never mock you, you can trust Him because He created you. He knows you better than even you do. He knows exactly how many hairs are on your head!

I know it is hard to comprehend because our nature and our culture has taught us that life is about us. Well, to be honest and blunt....life is not about me and it is not about you. We were made by God and for God and until we understand that, life will never make much sense. If we focus on ourselves all the time, how will we ever want to take the time to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to hear the calling and purpose He has for us? When we focus on ourselves our life's purpose will never be revealed. I know it doesn't really sound logical because it goes against our flesh, but when there is obsession with self you will only find a dead end. A genuine relationship with God leads us into a free life that is in His power. In His power ALL things are possible. How amazing is that!

In spite of every thing around you, how can you remind yourself that life really is not about you and that it is about living for God? What is the one thing you should stop doing and the one thing you should start doing?

"Nothing matters more than knowing God's purpose for your life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing them" - Rick Warren

A God text

As you know, this blog is about "Experiencing God". If you haven't already figured it out, my posts are part of my God experiences that I am sharing with you.


So, instead of me posting my God experience today, I want to hear about your most recent God experience. What has He done in your life recently? What is He texting you?


Please don't be shy and share!

From riches to rags

When was the last time you spoke to a homeless person? I can probably guess the answer. What stops you from wanting to talk to a homeless person? Are they scary because they look and smell dirty? Do you think you are putting yourself in danger?

Proverbs 21:13

Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.  

Ok, now lets look at a different perspective. Lets say you lost your job and could not support your family anymore and you could not find work. So, you lost your house, car and all of your prized possessions, and it forced you to live on the street. How would that make you feel? Well, guess what? That is the case for MANY homeless people. Now, let’s think about this. How would you feel if you were homeless and no one ever stopped to talk to you or even offer you food, warm clothes, or money? And the reason no one stopped to care was because you looked and smelled unpleasant because you haven’t showered in no one knows how long and because everyone was just too busy and selfish to want to care. After all, we can’t miss our football games, we have to make it to the big sale on the newest video games and we can’t miss going out to dinner at a nice restaurant with our friends and family…right?

Proverbs 17:5

Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who rejoice at the misfortune of others will be punished.

If you were homeless and no one talked to you would you feel lonely? If no one cared to cater to your needs would you feel lonely? If you were cold and had nowhere to go, would you feel lonely? And you know that you are not scary. You are a fun, out-going person that just found yourself in an unfortunate situation; why wouldn’t anyone want to talk to you or even help you? What is so wrong with you that no one would want to help you? Well, you’re scary looking and you might be dangerous. And you are thinking…but I’m really not! I’m just a person just like everyone else. Are you getting the picture here? Seriously, close your eyes and picture what this would look and feel like to you if you were living in the shoes of a homeless person.

The homeless are people just like you and I. They seek to be included just like you. They get hungry just like you. They have desires and goals just like you! You and I are no better than those more unfortunate than us.

Proverbs 22:2

The rich and poor have this in common: The Lord made them both.

Proverbs 29:13
The poor and the oppressor have this in common-the Lord gives sight to the eyes of both.

I assure you that just taking the time to talk to a homeless person means the world to them. It brings a smile to their faces because they don’t get to socialize much because people are too afraid to accept them in our everyday society. How do I know this, you ask? Because, I cannot count how many times I have stopped to talk to a homeless person on the side of the road, especially those who are so desperate that they are standing at on and off ramps of highways begging for your help. I have given them food, water, and money so many times. I assure you I have never encountered danger in such an act of service. I am not saying that danger is not possible; I am saying that if you are being generous there is no reason for you to be taken advantage of. Most of the homeless people that I talked to are men, older men. And yet, they are people too. I have never been harmed, threatened, or had the reason to fear danger in these situations. When you give in generosity, believe me, these people are nothing but grateful!

I beg you: do not let fear, nor stepping out of your comfort bubble, talk you out of helping someone in need, especially someone who is homeless. I will tell you why helping the homeless is so important:

I spent about an hour at a Tim Hortons just the other day. Across the room I saw this older man sipping a hot beverage. He was wearing a bicycle helmet. As I looked at him I had a feeling that he might be homeless and by the look at the sleet coming down outside and knowing how cold it was…I just had a strong sense that he may even be in need of food, clothing, or even a warm place to stay. Surprisingly, he sat at his table the entire hour I was there and I was hoping to catch him and speak with him before I left, but as I was on my way out he was nowhere to be found, but his bike was still sitting outside. So, I figured he was in the restroom and I decided to just proceed and head out to the car and go home. So, I started the car and I left. I got half way down the road, towards home, and had this strong feeling that he may not have a warm place to sleep tonight and I couldn’t imagine experiencing sleeping in such cold. So, I turned around and headed back. Sure enough, he was still there and he was preparing himself to get onto his bike to leave. I pulled my car over towards him and asked him if he had a warm place to stay for the night and he assured me that he did and that he had an apartment a few blocks away. This man was so tickled that I stopped to talk to him. I could tell because he couldn’t stop smiling and he was very conversational. He told me that he is 78 years old. Can you imagine traveling by bicycle in the sleet and such cold temperatures? He told me a little bit about himself and he told me that there are so many homeless people and that he knows many of them personally. He said that he tries to help others when he can. Here, this guy clearly didn’t have much. He was traveling by bike and he had a grocery bag attached to the front of it and even he reaches out to help others that are in need! How interesting is that, someone who clearly does not have much is more giving than someone who has substantially much more than he. Think about that for a moment.

Proverbs 28:27

Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to poverty will be cursed.

So, here was the most heartbreaking thing that I heard during our very hearty conversation…he said to me “There are a lot of homeless people and they are dying because they are so cold and hungry” WHAT!? People are dying because of the cold temperatures and because they are hungry? I have food in my fridge and I have a warm home, why am I not giving to these people and preventing them from dying? That is heartbreaking!!!

Proverbs 29:7

The godly care about the rights of the poor; the wicked don’t care at all.

Proverbs 19:17

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord – and he will repay you.

You know, God loves these people just as he loves you and me. And sure, you can pray for help for these unfortunate circumstances, that these people are enduring. But, don’t you know that we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus? These people are dying because we are too selfish and are more concerned about our “little” problems. We are not even supposed to look down on the homeless!

Proverbs 14:31

Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but helping the poor honors him.

Proverbs 14:21

It is a sin to belittle one’s neighbor; blessed are those who help the poor.