We Can't Afford to Get It Wrong

The idea that we can understand God's ways or God's thoughts is so humbling, because we cannot...we don't even come close.  The idea that God would not judge anyone to an eternal hell is man's attempt to blind our eyes and close our ears.  Listen to Francis Chan all the way to the end - here is a teacher who humbly encourages everyone to seek the Holy Spirit's guidance through scripture - God's Word...God's thoughts.  This man is a talmid of Jesus.

  

Savoring God's Goodness to Me

Sometimes I feel like I can savor God's goodness to me...like I savor bacon ranch breadsticks from Tom's Pizza...or a Hersey Kiss as it melts in my mouth...or a much needed hug from my husband that just engulfs me.  Last night was one of those nights.  I did my BSF lesson and no "lightening bolts" or epiphanies occurred, went to BSF with my kids and went into my discussion group.  We were studying Isaiah 58 and 59...and came to the question about these verses...

v6 No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free and remove the chains that bind people.  Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and no not hide from relatives who need your help. 

And the Holy Spirit set to work on my heart, removing the scales from my eyes to see more.....if I had to describe it in words, it would be like magic in movies....how the words "imprisoned" "burden" "remove the chains" "hungry" "food" "homeless" "shelter" "hide" "need help" leapt off the page in brilliance and became more than the simple eye sees.  I began to think of those around me that are imprisoned and burdened by chains not visibly, but spiritually.  I thought of those around me who are soo hungry, not for tangible food necessarily but the food I was feasting on - God's Word.  I thought of those around me who are homeless, who don't seem to fit in at church like me and who need God's shelter so desperately.  I thought of how I "hide" from people who need my help - need me to be His LOVE.  I began to jot down those things next to those verses, so as to not let the Holy Spirit's teaching be lost in my daily life.....

Then we went into lecture and again, it was nothing spectacular that Vonnie said (even though she is an awesome teacher), but it was the spectacular work of the Holy Spirit, God's Word and a teachable spirit.  Isaiah 59 went on to say,

"It's your sins that have cut you off from God", 

and where my eyes had been blind before, the scales fell off and I just sat there while Vonnie lectured and pondered the truth of those words in my life.   Do I want to EVER be separated from God or cut off from Him?  Where do I fool myself in not recognizing that every aspect of my life AFFECTS my relationship with God?  Then I took a hard look at my life and all the "relationships" in my life that my sin (my hurt, my anger, my insecurity, my envy, my jealousy, my offense) slips into, which then cause me to react usually by withdrawing and then a rift starts to grow not only in those relationships but also in my relationship with God!  I sat there and filled out a whole notebook page listing areas where my sin creates chasms and then just sat there and wanted to cry at all the distance I was blind to between me and God.  It was a visual of vs 12

"For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us."  

My head (this world...the deceiver) tells me that in those human relationships, I'm doing the best I can and more readily acquiese to the consequences - the distance from people, but when I see them in the light of what it causes between me and God I cannot continue on the same path - I cannot - will not let the Deceiver blind me to the whole truth.

I couldn't wait to get in the car, to hear how God spoke to my kids this night, to share with them how He spoke to me and to seek their forgiveness for spewing poison within their hearing so many times....in my critical comments of others.  In the end I told them, "I love BSF and I think it's a great TOOL, but IT's not the GREAT thing....GOD is the GREAT thing....seeing how the HOLY SPIRIT TEACHES this stubborn heart takes my breath away....experiencing the WORD of GOD coming ALIVE and jumping off the page in brilliant light is the thing that makes me want to shout from the nearest hilltop and tell everyone I see how GREAT HE IS!!!!!"

Is This How the Unchurched see Christians??

I've never understood the whole push to invite people to church on Easter or Christmas....to me the story of God's love relationship with us is so amazing, every Sunday is an amazing opportunity to share with others. But this video is funny!

He Sees Us

Wherever we may be, or whatever our circumstances, the Lord Jesus sees them. Alone, or in company–in sickness or in health–by sea or by land–in perils in the city–in perils in the wilderness–the same eye which saw the disciples tossed on the lake, is ever looking at us. We are never beyond the reach of His care. Our way is never hidden from Him. He knows the path that we take, and is still able to help. He may not come to our aid at the time we like best, but He will never allow us utterly to fail. He who walked upon the water never changes. He will always come at the right time to uphold His people. Though He tarry, let us wait patiently. Jesus sees us, and will not forsake us.

~ J.C. Ryle

This quote seems to reinforce what I'm struck with time and time again in my study of Isaiah.  Nothing is outside of His hand, He is sovereign in all - good times and difficult times.  May the name of the Lord be praised!

His Eye

‎"The FALSE Christian shrinks from the eye of an all-seeing Savior. 

The TRUE Christian desires the Lord's eye to be on them morning, noon and night. 

They have nothing to hide." 

~ J.C. Ryle

May this be true of me and of those I love....that we DESIRE His eye on us at all times!

Home

“Start by making your own home a place where happiness and love abound,

through your love for each member of your family and for your neighbor.

Try to put in the hearts of your children a love for home.

Make them long to be with their families.

So much sin could be avoided if our people really love their homes.”

{Mother Theresa}

1000 Gifts and Counting.....

1076.  gazing into Addison's eyes while feeding her a bottle - like a gift from heaven amidst all the things to do

1077.  family of bluebirds spied by Nater, kids clustering around windows to see
1078.  blood-red capped woodpeckers
1079.  cooing coming from living room
1080.  girl fingers gently coaxing a beautiful melody from an old piano

1081.  kids sprawled out in bedroom as we discover what heaven will be like for us and those we love (reading Heaven for Kids by Randy Alcorn)

1082.  Isaiah 46: 1-2....Word revealing how idols are a burden and go with me right into captivity....v 3-4  that the true God carries me and saves me....the thought coming to my mind that he carried me on the road to Calvary
1083.  BSF - reminder that God is true to His word - so I can trust Him in different situations and there can build Euchristeo to see His Hand all the time
1084.  busy friend who sacrifices more of her precious time to help me get oldest boys to art
1085.  carmel mocha coffees to waken me on car drives
1086.  heart that seeks to apply - seeks to see faults and areas to grow every time I look in the Word - tender heart - for so long I felt it was a burden to have and made me "less" than everyone else.....I appreciate it now
1087.  discipline kids have to "attack" school in order to be done earlier
1088.  baby Addison's smiles and cooing
1089.  pain in knee getting better
1090.  remembering moment we realized we'd never see our dear 7 year old friend, Jeremiah, on this side of heaven again
1091.  heavy heart for Coopers that intensifies as I read through long-awaited letter...realizing how much I miss her "voice" in my life...you cannot capture that in Facebook or emails
1092.  Isaiah 49:4  "I replied, But my work seems so useless!  I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.  Yet I leave it all in the Lord's Hand; I will trust God for my reward."....I was struck with how these could be my words all the time as a mother, or as a worship leader, or as a friend....but they are Christ's words!  All I need to do is follow His example.
1093.  children lost in a world full of history and God's faithfulness.....The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

1094.  fat, stubby 7 year old hands....worn by the sun and dirt contrasted with soft, wrinkley 6 month old feet

1095.  the passages of life....loosing one's baby teeth...won't he always be my baby?  I think that of each of them!

1096. two cutsie-patutsie girls

1097.  Dr. Hart, her gentleness and attention to Nater who has strep once again

1098.  Ben-Jammin making lunch for family and when I suggest we should assign each older boy a day they must make lunch, he responds with a quote from Nacho Libre which makes me laugh....."They make me cook the stew and stuff and they don't even give me money for fresh ingredients."

1099.  Is there a gift in how obvious it can be when one guitarist is adored and the other is ignored?  I'm looking for the gift even though it hurts.

1100.  weariness and rest

1101.  listening to worship team share God-sightings in their lives thru teachings....pennies on the ground....lottery ticket winnings enough to provide food the remainder of the week....scripture speaking truth into my life

1102.  learning experience for Jake & Dysart boys in the Dansville Talent Show....to not rush themselves, setup until comfortable

1103.  words spoken by Jake before their song, "Broken Mess" to a gym of unexpected people....sharing the story of Hosea and his prostitute wife and how it parallels God's love for us

1104.  mother's heart that just wants everyone to see/hear what her kid can do - God teaching me it's not about his talent, it's about his heart - what he's willing to say in front of a crowd - how he's willing to proclaim the Lord's name unashamed.  Forgive me Lord for my wrong focus once again

1105.  daily reminder of how imperfect I am 

1106.  struggles at church for me.....constantly questioning what God is doing with having me lead worship....questioning why after 7 years at this church I still feel like a freak and as if no one wants to connect with me, even though I try so hard to step out and show interest in others.....then how God spoke thru BSF lesson this week....God is the only TRUE source of SECURITY....What do I hold onto?  What is my "blankee?"  What would it look life if I actually trusted God for my security?  All of it reinforcing once again that I need to walk in obedience, be a light, be an example of someone sold out for the Lord, despite the returns...

1107.  quiet house again Sunday pm as kids all left with Ted - it always strikes me first as a sign of my unimportance, but quickly it turned to an enjoyable time that I could putter with pictures and read blogs and download Ray Vanderlaan lectures to listen to

1108.  focus this week in worship at HUB....Hosea 6:6  I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.  I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

1109.  laughing at kids' silly expressions and ramblings 

1110.  quotes that make me laugh...."they think I don't know a butt-load of crap about the gospel, but I do!"  (Nacho Libre)

1111.  battling the constant attack/whisper "What is it about you that keeps people away?"

1112.  unable to escape cloud of "God's forgotten me...I'm overlooked or un-encouraged"....walk in the doors of BSF with this struggle and leave totally different.....felt encouraged thru Gina reaching out to me with words of understanding...I'm not ODD and thru Vonnie's lecture from beginning to end

1113.  warm spots on living room floor where sun beats in and dogs rest

1114.  listening to my dad's voice over phone as he answers Nate's questions about his childhood and then getting to watch him draw Spencer Tracy for Nate's notebook

1093.  thankful that I followed Holy Spirit's leading to invite a family over for dinner after church.  After they left, we were all struck with how we take for granted God's blessings in our house (which they called a mansion),  our dinner (which young boy asked if it's like this all the time), and our peace and joy in each other