Thursday, July 30, 2015

Change~


“A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).  Change is inevitable.  As written in God’s word, we plan our way, but He directs our steps.  There are times when he pulls on the reins and says “whoa girl, not so fast”.  I’m so thankful for His leading and guidance in this life.  

How is your life?  Are you right where you want to be?  Do you wish that you didn’t behave and respond in certain ways?  It has been said to me that “I can’t change”, “I don’t want to change”, “I shouldn’t have to change”, and “don’t ask me to change”.  Thankfully, God is the only One that never changes.  “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob” (Micah 3:6).  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).  

We should always strive for change.  We are commanded in God’s word to change.  We cannot run a race and not change, we must always be moving forward.  Sure sometimes we fall, but we must pick ourselves up, get back on the track, and run.  “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3: 13-15).  There is action, and purpose in what we are doing.  By ditching the negative, and the things in our lives that cause us to trip up, we can focus on the goal.  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12: 1-2).  We are to run this race that we are in with endurance, to win a prize, the ultimate prize… eternity with Him!  

I do not want to be who I was yesterday.  Tomorrow, I hope to be different than today.  I am always learning (from my mistakes) that I do not have it all together, and striving to be more like Christ.  Thankfully the Lord is merciful and forgiving, and also desires for me to be like Himself, and wouldn’t have hung on the cross if I was able to ever have it all together.  Another word for change is transform.  It is not just in outward form, God desires for us to transform by the renewing of our minds.  “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).  

Every day I want to be a better child of God, a better mother, a better girlfriend, a better daughter, a better friend, a better employee, a better stranger, a better… Yes, different than today, I’m striving for perfection because He is perfect… and knowing that perfection will only come the day when I arrive on eternity’s shore.  His desire is for me to be holy, set apart, different, I can be, only by changing.  

“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1: 13-16).  

 “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:1).           

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Words~

This is written while looking into a mirror.

You are working in an office, and you walk down a hall and hear your name mentioned in conversation, or hear a conversation that you had with someone else being repeated.  It is so easy to complain about someone when they upset us, or treat us in a way that we do not like.  We have to be very careful not to sin against that person, and ultimately God by gossiping about things.  Forwarding emails, texting, phone calls, face to face chats, and the like about someone else is not acceptable.  The Bible clearly tells us that if we are offended by someone to go to THAT person (Matthew 18:15), not others.  The Bible is full of verses on this; there are 17 verses in the Bible about taming the tongue, 26 verses about gossiping, and 48 about slandering.  God makes it clear that we are not to do it.  Gossiping is talking about something that is going on in someone else life.  Slander is malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report.  It may not be exactly gossip, or slander, but if we talk about what someone has done in a negative light, or make that person look poorly, we are not doing what Christ commanded.  He loves us all, and does not desire for anyone to tear another down.  "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4: 29 -32).  If someone comes up to you and says did you hear about so and so?... simply say, no, and you should go talk to so and so.  I have hurt in my heart for the times I have chosen to talk about a situation instead of confronting it, and have asked God to forgive me.  He has, but I still have sorrow knowing that I have done this.  This has been my prayer as of late: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.  Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies" (Psalm 141: 3-4).  I like the image someone has put out of a broken plate.  A caption goes along with it that reads: 
Drop the plate on the ground...  What happened?...  It broke.  Now tell it you're sorry...  What happened?... Nothing, it's still broken.  Exactly.  Words can do this. 

We are all different, all important, and all have individual purpose. "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ" (Romans 12:12).  All of us were created for Him, by Him, and for His glory.  "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).  Just because someone behaves a different way than we do, doesn't make them wrong, bad, or anything other than different from us, which is a good thing.  We all need each other as members of the body, and not one of us, or our position is better than any other.  I'm not saying that there are not times that people need to be talked to about behavior, choice of words, etc, but the talking should be done with that person, not other people.  Talking about other people hurts the person being talked about, as well as hurting your own character.  Food for thought...  If someone is talking to you about someone else, what are they saying about you behind your back?  "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).  

Father God, please keep me mindful of my words and the power that they hold.  Remind me how it feels to know when I have heard someone talking about me, remind me that this is not what You desire from me.  Please continually surround me with Your Holy Spirit through in and out and protect me from the evil that is when talking about someone else.  Thank You for piercing my heart with this, showing me that You care, and desire me to be more like You.  Please continue to lead me in Your ways, and to glorify and honor You.  In Jesus' Name, Amen. 

"See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity.  The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3: 5 - 8).


"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8).  Live it.