tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43451139196923233432024-03-05T05:17:21.015-05:00Transparent ShepherdingDay to day thoughts and happenings often fall by the way-side left untouched to reasoning behind it all. The book of Ecclesiates says "...there is a time and purpose for everything under Heaven...". To me, this means nothing, NOTHING, goes unnoticed by our Heavenly Father, no matter how large or small we may think it is. With that in mind, how much more should we consider (and reconsider) our every thought, action, reaction, etc. ?Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-44916005927084780192019-06-11T16:28:00.001-04:002019-06-11T16:28:24.642-04:00New address...<div style="text-align: left;">
It's been a little while since I've written but I wanted to let you all know I'll be on my new site, <a href="http://www.transparentshepherding.com/">Transparent Shepherding</a>, really soon!</div>
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Make a note of the new address:<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.transparentshepherding.com/">http://www.transparentshepherding.com</a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxTKGFsProPKBGSItscy_yeI33qATuEPYIuuWmMK7r3_wOQJ6qEOsZJygcq4X0LXl8CU2xxLfYlMv_i3WIdxhfzeSDvcd6cq435PUoFlK_zVztjobD87j7y39QFfvWFlxFXnAeaOog0wg/s1600/100_7278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxTKGFsProPKBGSItscy_yeI33qATuEPYIuuWmMK7r3_wOQJ6qEOsZJygcq4X0LXl8CU2xxLfYlMv_i3WIdxhfzeSDvcd6cq435PUoFlK_zVztjobD87j7y39QFfvWFlxFXnAeaOog0wg/s640/100_7278.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, He really, really does!</td></tr>
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</a></span>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-64676548044606550712018-04-09T20:16:00.003-04:002018-04-09T20:16:58.996-04:00Do we love our fellow man (and woman)?<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Love...<br /><br />The word in itself invokes a whirlwind of thoughts, emotions and wonder to each one of us. For some, it's a warm fuzzy feeling, perhaps likes butterflies in your tummy or somersaults in your heart. For others, love is a peaceful place of contentment, of rest and completeness. Still to others, love is a fleeting thought, a passing hope that is not attainable; to reach and experience it, simply costs too much.<br /><br />In the US and other western cultures, it seems we throw around the word 'love' quite carelessly to the point where it has truly lost its meaning. We use the word love to describe infatuation, lust, familiarity of feeling or acquaintance. It's used to describe joy, happiness and pleasure without a second thought. And, while I certainly am not in a position to judge another, I can take a look into my own heart and how I say I love you.<br /><br />To do this, however, I cannot omit what the Word of God, the Bible, says about love. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13, going as far to say, "...I am bankrupt without love."</span><br />
<blockquote style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force it self on others, isn't always "me first", doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of the truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back but keeps going to the end. Love never dies.....I Corinthians 13:4-8 (The Message)</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia";">This is how Jesus loves. I am constantly amazed by His true, consistent, unwavering love for each of us. No matter what we have or will do, He loves us. You cannot run so far as to outrun the love of God for you. His love is uncompromising, unconditional and without end. It is impossible to comprehend the depths of His love but I want more and more to experience it. I want to be like Him in that I love despite anything else. I want to be consumed by His love and see others how He sees them. I want to love as Jesus loves!<br /><br />Jesus loves the unlovable, those ostracized by society and by us. The homeless, the downtrodden, the abused, the abandoned, young & old alike. He loves the sinner and the saint as equals. That, my friend, is hard to wrap your human head around! The soccer Mom is as loved and cherished as the one who gives herself away in the night, exchanging her worth for money. The loving family man is just as important to God as the man who sits on death row for taking more lives than he let live. The unworthy list goes on and on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"> Your child, my child and the orphans in untold numbers across the globe are children of God. Why do we find loving people so difficult, so impossible at times? I think often times it is because we find it easier to cast aside someone full of wrong doings than to love them as Jesus demands of us. We reason that it is simply just too hard for us, they have done too much evil to others or whatever excuse we can muster. Truth is, its easier to judge them than to love them...that would require sacrifice. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Love. The most powerful thing in this life, isn't it? Some yield it as a
way of control and manipulation, but that isn't true
love they possess. That <i><b>1 Corinthians 13 </b></i>kind of love is God-filled love that
surpasses all our human expectations and assumptions. It is without
error, perfect in every detail. Love does not 'play favorites' in whom
may give or whom may receive. It reminds me so much of Grace, in that is
it completely unmerited yet a gift waiting to be opened.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text 1Cor-13-12" id="en-TPT-8700"><sup class="versenum">"</sup>For now we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face.
My understanding is incomplete now, but one day I will understand
everything, just as everything about me has been fully understood.</span><span class="text 1Cor-13-13" id="en-TPT-8701"><sup class="versenum"> </sup>Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love—yet love surpasses them all. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run." 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 (Passion Translation)</span></span></b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text 1Cor-13-13" id="en-TPT-8701">I want to love like that... </span></span><i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text 1Cor-13-13" id="en-TPT-8701"><br /></span></span></b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="text 1Cor-13-13" id="en-TPT-8701"><sup><br /></sup></span></span></b></i></span>
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<br />Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-50800733123960812322015-01-26T14:18:00.000-05:002015-01-26T14:18:40.149-05:00Looking ahead by looking back...As January draws closer to its end, I find myself playing catch up on putting away things from 2014. The file cabinet has gotten leaner and the shredder has been working overtime lately but, reducing clutter makes me a bit happier. This morning, I tackled the "Warranty" files. You know, all of the user guides and owners manuals that accompany every purchase these days? I laughed at finding all these mini-books for things that wore out long ago, those we sold, gave away or had otherwise met their end. Reducing three hefty folders by half was very satisfying!<br />
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Tucked between the manual for the gas dryer and burnt microwave was a copy of an email I had penned nearly 6 years ago today. It was written to the pastors of the church I previously attended upon my departure from a position. My heart had grown heavy for months before I left organized church and this was the email where a new journey began. Why on earth would I find this where I did? I have a feeling this is God's gentle reminder to me about refocusing on my task at hand so I felt this was probably worth a second read today.<br />
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I wanted to share this letter because much of the frustration of 'church as usual' remains as fresh today as it was then. The difference now is that I feel my love walk with Jesus is totally transformed. I have gained a better understanding of how much His grace covers me, completely and without stipulation of my 'performance'. It has not been easy. If nothing else, its been more difficult in certain ways because I can no longer depend on a routine church service to sustain me for the week. It has increased my dependence on God, in getting into His word myself and trusting Him to reveal His truths.<br />
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I share this letter to bring Light to the dark places that I know others are living in or have recently broken free from. These are believers who sense within them that there is something more than a weekly obligatory attendance or routine project-of-the- month. Its about the people they see in their every day lives, those that are hurting and wounded, who'd never set foot into a building. Or worse, those that have and have been rejected by those bearing the name "Christian".<br />
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This letter is not meant to judge another person's walk with Christ, especially not the pastors to whom it was written. Motivations of the heart are not something I am privy to. Christ alone is to judge. I know, without a doubt, that God's word is truth and "..everything works together for good.." (Romans 8:28). We must always examine things in the light of His word, testing all things and holding on to that which is good. The times in which we live do not allow us the luxury of pretending all is well in the Body of Christ when we know that it is not. Jesus will return for a pure and spotless Bride, His Church. We must continually place ourselves on the altar, at His feet for His work to be done. Let us be faithful as we run the race set before us.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>"..there are some other
things on my mind of late that I need to share with you guys. Believe me when I
say I've began this email about 100 times, erased, deleted, saved, edited, etc.
only to begin over again. What I have realized through all of that is
I am not walking in agreement with {name of church}. I have become rather cynical
and wary; opting to pull away from everything altogether because of the
unending 'check' in my spirit that something is very much amiss. I
think {name of church} is a great place with great people but that alone does not
quench this pit in my stomach that we are indeed missing something: <b>intimacy.</b><br />
<br />
Much of what the Lord has shown to me over the past several months
relates to the way of how we tend to ignore something long
enough in the hope that it might go away. By avoiding an issue, we
create a huge gap between fellow believers, thereby distancing each of
us from one another, hence that sense of division. I am guilty of
this. Over the past several months, there has been a steady urging within
my spirit to get to the root of things. I certainly
cannot 'diagnose' an issue with anyone else - that is clearly God's
job. I do, however, recognize the pattern and it is very much
the same in all of us. The scenario tends to be that we create distance
between those who disagree with us. Our method may vary but often
includes our expression of only wanting to be with people who are like-minded
with us or who support our thoughts, ideas, etc. while avoiding those who do
not. That isn't to say we aren't 'nice' or cordial and may
not question our love for them. It's just that there is a wall
of silence that develops and it is indeed quite subtle. Where once there
was a sameness of feeling and a sharing of sorts with one another, it has
now been replaced by coolness and avoidance. Cordiality and being nice is
still present but the uneasiness never ceases. <br />
<br />
Now this when we have a choice: either we confront the issues all together or
we continue to avoid them, thus deceiving ourselves into thinking everything
is fine. Some may call this 'cooling off' but its really nothing
more of distancing to avoid pain, rejection, disagreement or ourselves being
questioned, none of which are Christ-like. I so often look to Jesus
in His example of how He continually hung out with those who rejected Him,
how He continued loving them without regard to their words and actions (or
lack thereof) and how He suffered so as to finally break down the barrier
of 'distance' between us and the Father. Grace is something we eagerly receive
from the Lord but seem to be much more reluctant to offer to one another. The
Body of Christ suffers greatly by our avoidance to be direct with one another.
When we are honest with one another, confessing one to another our faults and
can finally become transparent with or fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord,
we might well be on that road to unity.<br />
<br />
The local church is very much needed but I don't believe it’s centered around a
building and the usual hierarchies of titles within, as most churches have
remained. The Great Commission says nothing about going 'in' (as into a
building) only going 'in' as in going INTO the world. I always thought
the local church began first with salvation. Peter's words delivered in Acts
2 were followed by those who received his word and were saved. Then they
continued steadfastly in teaching, breaking of bread, prayer, etc. Another key
part was that they had all things in common, no one lacked because they shared
all things. That sort of communitas is amazing to me. The word
'church' biblically refers to a local group of believers meeting in a<u>
particular geographical location</u>. I find nothing supporting
the whole building theory, which wasn't introduced until the
times of Constantine
to end persecution of Christians.</i><br />
<br />
<i>When I look at the need for the local church, I look at Paul's letter
to the church at Corinth
too: <b> ICorinthians 14:26-33 So here's what I want you to do.
When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that
will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a
prayer, provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three's
the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you're
saying. Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself. And no more than two or
three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to
heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a
chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If
you choose to speak, you're also responsible for how and when you speak. When
we worship the right way, God doesn't stir us up into confusion; he brings us
into harmony. This goes for all the churches—no exceptions.</b> I have
only seen this in a few churches but it certainly sets the example
according to scripture. I think our churches as a whole lean towards the avenue
of safety by means of control in order to avoid any possibility of flesh
rising up and things getting all wacky. </i><br />
<br />
<i>Christ certainly laid out the need of the local church and that should remain
unchanged. I disagree with hierarchy, levels, positions, etc. simply
because it is not the example I believe Christ set for us. Anything other
than equality in Christ reeks of the priestly hierarchy that He died to
destroy. That veil was rent to open access to God for all, not one person
before another. We cannot say we believe this while still clinging to the
notion of how one person(s) can hear from God before another or on behalf
of another. It's either one or the other, not both simply due to the
circumstances or the title/position we hold. I am reminded of
Revelation and the letter to the church at Ephesus. They had lost their first
love and were chastened accordingly. Interestingly, what draws me to this
reading is about the Nicolatian's being a people whose deeds the Ephesus folks despised,
as did the Lord. The Nicolatian’s - a people where their
name is quite revealing of their beliefs. The word means, "Niko"
to conquer and "Laos"
the people. It means simply this: Their philosophy was to put a difference
between the "laity" (the people) and the clergy (the pastors). This
was an attempt to reestablish the Old Testament priesthood in the churches
which led to a group of leaders being labeled as above or over the common
people. We have re-established the old hierarchy by calling it
leadership and have deceived ourselves.</i><br />
<br />
<i>I look at Christ's life and don't see the things we do in churches across the
nation as really walking in his footsteps. He looked to the
Father, to do His will alone, not His own. His obscurity and
total separation from the things of this world, while being totally
in the middle of the things themselves, amazes me. It pains me
to look at my own life and see how much flesh I resurrect on a daily
basis. When we live the life of being the Church, we continually take
the Gospel to others. There is no requirement to meet first, and then do these things.
That lifestyle of living out our love walk with Jesus comes to mind. I desire
transparency and that is difficult to find in most Christian's. I've
rarely even caught a glimpse of it in a church service anywhere. No one seems
willing to open themselves up in total honesty before their brother's and
sister's in Christ, sharing in our own short comings and faults, sharing our
successes and our failures. When you look at the way traditional
services are conducted, there is little, if any, room for intimacy,
transparency or sharing.<br />
</i><br />
<i>As far as forsaking the assembly, I really feel most Christians have never done
their homework. So often, we all take what's been handed down in tradition
rather than with meaning and interpretation from the original texts. We are,
after all, charged to be like the Berean's in examining of the words given
to us, comparing to scripture. We are told more than once to test all things;
hold on to what is good. I have begun to realize much of what has been
handed down as truth is really quite far from it. It may be truth according to
man with a Bible verse slapped on it but it's not Real Truth. In one of my
previous 'drafts' of this letter, I had several paragraphs of examples in
Scripture citing various verses, along with the Greek and Hebrew
translations, etc. about 'forsaking the assembly' and what it really means
to gather together. Debating about one believes is 'right'
doesn't really make any sense if the intention is to solely prove the other
'wrong'. Those studies have simply called me to question and test
what has been handed down as truth in the Light of His word and I find it
lacking.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>I
want Truth, not relevance. The Bible is fully able to stand alone all
by itself. Its Message transcends time and needs not be made more
applicable to culture. In essence, its Message is the revelation of our
sin and separation from God and our desperate need of a Saviour; that
God's own Son, Jesus, is this once-and-for-all sacrifice and gift of grace
through salvation, His gift to us. He does not need us to make Him more relevant
to anyone. Time, technology or culture does not change our need for a
Saviour nor does it change the One can save us from an eternal separation
from our Lord, which is through Jesus Christ. </i><br />
<br />
<i>If I have veered off- task, my apologies as I did not intend to preach,
debate or argue. I just find so many questions biblically about what
is being taught, especially in the charismatic churches. It
is here where I find myself questioning a lot of what has been handed down
as truth, when it really may not be according to the Bible. Over and over, I
sense the Lord calling His body of believer's into deeper knowledge and real
understanding of His Word but all the awhile an intense drawing to Himself
first. A total abandonment of our own thinking, traditions and ways must
end in order for Christ to really increase within us.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Right now, the Lord has brought me to place where I need to deeply
examine my heart and especially my motivations. I do not want to be a part of
something simply out of a sense of obligation to perform, nor risk
becoming cynical or hardened of heart over "theology". Right now, it
seems like I am merely going through the motions of attending church. With
all of that said, I do not feel I can continue on the {title} at {name of church},
at least not for now. Amos 3:3 has been on my heart for a long time:
"Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?"
(NIV). I have sensed this is something I have needed to do for awhile
now and being away from practice, church, etc. has made that more clear
than ever. I sense a great deal of difference in the way we are walking.
Not in one being "wrong" but in we do differ greatly
in our definitions of 'church'. </i><br />
<br />
<i>Honestly, I feel like I need to detox from church as I have grown
accustomed. I hear the Lord beckoning to come away with Him. <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=11&verse=28&version=65&context=verse" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Matthew 11:28</span></b></a><b><u><span style="color: blue;">-30</span></u></b> "Are you tired? Worn
out? Burned out on religion? <b>Come</b> to me. Get <b>away</b> with me and
you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me
and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I
won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll
learn to live freely and lightly." Learning those unforced
rhythms of grace is exactly where I want to be right now. While I still plan on
attending (name of church), I want to remain sensitive to the Lord in where He wants me on
every given day - not simply going out of obligatory attendance.</i><br />
<br />
I<i> love you guys and do pray for you all, along with the people at {name of church}
~ that God's will be done above all else. May our lives always
be....All for Jesus</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><i>Come to Me, all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest</i></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></b></div>
Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-36138373778034287262014-02-28T11:18:00.000-05:002014-02-28T11:23:02.895-05:00Neglecting the Gift<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This morning, I had the heart wrenching task of finding a beloved sheep dead in my barn. It appeared that she had eaten grain way too fast and was not able to free it from her throat. Basically, she choked to death. While my husband had done the feeding chores last evening, he casually mentioned how this sheep was really gobbling down her food and had begun coughing some when he was leaving the barn. Sadly, I dismissed his comment ever so casually and went on to other tasks at hand inside the house. This was a grave error on my behalf.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">When I began doing my chores this morning, I could not find this ewe. But, in the stir of a hungry flock, I completed the grain feeding and began to count the sheep at the trough. There was one missing. As I passed through the barn, I caught a glimpse of a sheep leg, lying in a stall to one side and my heart stopped. Sometimes, you just know and yet the hope of it not being too late still rises up. This was not the case today. It was evident she had died last night, unable to fully cough up the grain she had so eagerly welcomed just awhile before.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Through my tears, I hugged her and said how sorry I was. I should have asked my husband more questions about how exactly she was behaving and maybe I could have gotten there sooner. Better yet, I should have gone down to the barn to check on her, just to be sure. But I hadn't and now, there was nothing more I could do except to begin the task of having to bury my woolly friend.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And, it was in these very moments, God began convicting my heart, ever so gently and only as a Father can. You see, lately I have been content to just go the motions of every day and simply existing within it. I have neglected to see each one as precious yet full of uncertainty. Most of all, I have failed to look at things in the light of eternity. My eyes have so clouded with the hum-drum that life can sometimes throw at you. And it is during the boring repetition that I find it can be easy for me just to shut down emotionally, to flip that proverbial "switch" so that I feel nothing therefore I do nothing. Just trying to get through another day...Apathy breeds nothing but contempt for the Truth.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For so long, I have hidden behind the cloak of not knowing my place in this world, that thing I am supposed to be doing for the Kingdom -- you know, the one thing that seems so elusive to you and that if only you could somehow find it, life would be complete. Everything would be rosy and you could simply do what God wanted you to do. That is a mask I have hidden behind for the past year. A mask that simply has hidden a need for control. Not the kind of control where I would be able to somehow be able to change or manipulate things but simply the control of knowing. In my own mind, if you know that you are supposed to be doing, then things are so much easier, right?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Such little faith in what the Father can do if only I would trust Him. Isn't that what it boils down to? A lack of trust? For me, this is so apparent lately. Even as I questioned what had happened to my sheep this morning, my focus was more on what I could have done for her. It is very possible there may not have been anything that would have changed things. I guess for me it was more about my failure to do anything that was so difficult for me today. This is difficult because it seems to be a reflection on so many of my actions lately. Not that my doing anything would have an affect but the fact I felt nothing, no urgent need to double check, no concern really, just an "oh, she'll be OK; after all, she's done that before and nothing happened" attitude.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">So, here I am in the barn trying to see through all my tears as I fill the hay troughs, wondering "What the heck, God???" And then, my mind is brought to the little sub-heading under this blog where it reads:</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Day to day thoughts and happenings often fall by the way-side left
untouched to reasoning behind it all. The book of Ecclesiastes says
"...there is a time and purpose for everything under Heaven...". To me,
this means nothing, NOTHING, goes unnoticed by our Heavenly Father, no
matter how large or small we may think it is. With that in mind, how
much more should we consider (and reconsider) our every thought, action,
reaction, etc. ?</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">How much more should we consider and reconsider our every thought, action and reaction? Think on that! Our action and reaction affects so much more than we can ascertain in this temporal life. Our failure to even take the first step in faith, without knowing what lies ahead can affect the outcomes of many. What if we never shared our faith? How many might perish without ever knowing Christ? What if we simply were faithful in those small things and didn't worry about the bigger things? What if we went forth in the planting of those seeds God has given us and not concentrated so much on watching them develop. Sometimes we are to plant, other times God allows us to reap the harvest. And its not always in the same field. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You see, sometimes doing nothing affects far more than we may ever realize. Doing nothing, while it keeps up in a numb state of existence, it wrecks havoc on our relationships, especially with Christ. Doing nothing is totally different than "waiting on the Lord" (a nice cover, by the way). It's the complete opposite. Doing nothing has no outcome, no goal, no set achievement to be made. When you are waiting on something, you have an expectation of something to happen. Doing nothing is a road full of regrets. It is a place of apathy, a state of numbness and lack of feeling</span></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">. A sort of apostasy, if you will. </span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="first-line-none chapter-1">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is a dangerous place to be. Apostasy can be defined as "abandonment of previous loyalty; defection"</span></span></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">. </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Bible</span></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">warns us about the Great Apostasy, the great falling away that must occur before the antichrist is revealed. 2 Thessalonians 2-4 reads </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-1"><span class="chapternum">"No</span>w, dear brothers and sisters,<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NLT-29623a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]"></sup> let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him.</span> <span class="text 2Thess-2-2" id="en-NLT-29624"><sup class="versenum"></sup>Don’t
be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the
Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have
had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us.</span> <span class="text 2Thess-2-3" id="en-NLT-29625"><sup class="versenum"></sup>Don’t
be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a
great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness<sup class="footnote" value="[<a href="#fen-NLT-29625b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]"></sup> is revealed—the one who brings destruction. H<sup></sup></span><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626">e
will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every
object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that
he himself is God." </span></span></i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="first-line-none chapter-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="first-line-none chapter-1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626">This is a scripture I have been reading for several mornings lately and it wasn't totally clear to me as to why until today. God loves each one us way too much to leave us in a place we are not meant to be. This state of apathy, void of feeling and desire to do His perfect will, is not a happy place. It's a place of existence but without true life. I have been walking this fine line of going through the motions of life to avoid feeling its disappointments and I have been robbed of its joys in the process. I have allowed apathy to invade my life in various aspects and its numbing affect is quite apparent lately. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="first-line-none chapter-1">
<br /></div>
<div class="first-line-none chapter-1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626"></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="first-line-none chapter-1">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626">God showed me this morning that I have concentrated more on knowing His plan than in seeking His plan. I have wanted to see the result before taking the first step. I have wanted to get to the end of the road rather than simply walk with Him along the path. And I've missed out on the journey itself. It is in the journey that we find His joy. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626">We are not promised a life free of disappointments. In fact, scripture plainly tells us "...in the world, you <i>will </i>have tribulation..." John 16:33. This is an inescapable truth: Trials will come, tribulations will test our faith. But Christ also says, "...but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" again in John 16:33</span></span></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626">. </span></span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We must faithfully take each moment of every day, fully trusting Him to lead and guide us, not jumping ahead into next week to see what lies ahead. Faith must drive us, it must guide us in these last days in which we live. </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626">Without faith, do we have any hope of the life Christ has for us? </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 2Thess-2-4" id="en-NLT-29626">In closing, God brought me back to 1 Timothy 4:14-16:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span class="text 1Tim-4-14" id="en-NKJV-29762">"Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.</span><span class="text 1Tim-4-15" id="en-NKJV-29763"> Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. T</span><span class="text 1Tim-4-16" id="en-NKJV-29764">ake
heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing
this you will save both yourself and those who hear you."</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text 1Tim-4-16" id="en-NKJV-29764"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let it be so, Lord, let it be so.</span></span><i><span class="text 1Tim-4-16" id="en-NKJV-29764"> </span></i></span></div>
Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-80953860215802926412014-01-11T09:16:00.000-05:002014-01-11T09:16:08.881-05:00God's infinite knowledge of me...<div>
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Psalm 139 ~ God’s infinite knowledge of man, and also one of my most favorite books of the Bible. David was a man after God’s own heart and his acknowledgement of God’s sheer awesomeness and divinity is present in the words of this scripture. David poured out himself before the Lord on many occasions, in good times and in bad, yet his heart remained in a continual state of yearning for truly knowing the Lord.<br /><br />I am convinced that God knows the depths of my very being and there is no use in trying to hide feelings, frustrations or other emotions from Him. He knows me intimately and yet He loves me anyway. I find this amazing! Despite all my short comings, my failures and even in my meager successes, He still loves me deeply. Before Him, I can be naked and not ashamed. Transparency does not come easy but it really is the only way to approach His presence. Anyone who knows anything about the presence of God knows that anything impure or unholy will burn up before Him. God cannot look upon sin and I am so thankful the blood of His precious Son, Jesus, covers me in grace and restores my fellowship with The Holy One. <br /><br />Some time ago, God gave me a marvelous revelation at an old Coke bottle I found while on a mission trip in Honduras:<br />People filter in and out of the room daily, yet no one notices the empty bottle.<br />To them, it is a shell of what is left of a former good thing, no longer with any use.<br />It used to be filled with an intoxicatingly sweet, sparkling drink. It used to could claim it was the “real thing” but that was when it had something of itself bottled up inside.<br />Now, the empty bottle has nothing remaining, only a scratched glass frame. This bottle reminds me of how God needs us to be. To the casual observer, this is merely an empty, worn out, fragile remnant of former greatness. To God, it’s a perfect vessel merely waiting on His Divine touch.<br /><br />The emptiness of our former selves allows God to fill us with His Living Water to an overflowing that we can no longer contain. He alone is the Real Thing. Everything else is just a sticky, sweet liquid that is all happy and bubbly when you first try it but always goes flat when left to its own ability. The tiredness we experience is a daily reminder that we cannot function within our own abilities or strength. We cannot serve both God and man just as we cannot please both God and man. It is only in our weakness that He is made strong. And only then can He increase because we are decreasing. The pride of our own “self” leaves no room for fragility. Our hearts must remain tender and broken in order for Him to work deeply within us.<br /><br />Above all else, we must remain transparent before Him so that the world no longer sees any part of ourselves, our name or what we used to be. His light must be able to shine thru our emptiness. We must be poured out of everything we exist of in order for Him to complete His good work. In looking thru the scratched, broken shell of what remains, the world should see the reflection of Jesus Christ. Nothing else matters.<br /><br />Psalm 139, God’s Infinite Knowledge of Man<br />“God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to You; even from a distance, You know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of Your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and You’re there, then up ahead and You’re there too – You’re reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful – I can’t take it all in.<br /><br />Is there anyplace I can go to avoid Your Spirit? To be out of Your sight? If I climb to the sky, You’re there! If I go underground, You’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute – You’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, ‘Oh, He even sees me in the dark! At night, I’m immersed in the light!’ It’s a fact; darkness isn’t dark to You; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to You.<br /><br />Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God – You’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before You, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived on day. Your thoughts – how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them – any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with You!”<br /><br />…..”Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; cross examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; see for Yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong – the guide me on the road of eternal life.” The Message Remix<br /><br /><br />Lord, Jesus…my prayer today is that I not stray from your manifest presence. Teach me to walk in Your ways, to seek Your face and remain forever surrendered to Your will. Let my heart sing today…</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Mould me and make me, after Thy will,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>While I am waiting, yielded and still.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Search me and try me, Master, today</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>As in Thy presence, I humbly bow.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Wounded and weary, help me I pray.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Power, all power, surely is Thine,</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Touch me and heal me, Saviour divine!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Hold over my being, absolute sway</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Fill with Thy Spirit, ‘till all shall see</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Christ only, always, living in me.</i></span><br />
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Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-13752660283963521612010-02-16T08:56:00.008-05:002010-02-16T09:43:42.080-05:00Organic movement...Sunday was an interesting experience and one I will treasure in my heart for a long time. Our winter here in West Virginia has been harsh with lots and lots of snow. I cannot recall such a snowy winter since the late 90's! And funny how none of the global warming groups have uttered a word...I must laugh!<br /><br />Church services were cancelled due to weather conditions. The steep incline leading to the Living Grace building is one few are brave enough to go up this time of year, despite numerous trips by the snow plow. Instead, we gathered at the Pastor's home for worship and prayer. We shared communion and a meal together as well. God was so wonderfully gracious to meet with us there! His love runs deep for us and Sunday was no exception. I wonder if that was perhaps His Valentine's Day gift to us. For me, I believe it was.<br /><br />Long before the meeting that morning, the Lord brought to my mind the word 'organic'. Being a gardener myself, this was not an unfamiliar term. Organic gardening methods do not employ chemicals for fertilizer or pesticides. There are no growth hormones or artificial stimulants used to produce or maintain crops. Additionally, a truly organic garden will use heirloom seed, not hybrid or genetically altered/reproduced seeds. Heirloom seeds are those that are harvested from a plant each year and replanted the following growing season. Basically, it's a what-you-see is-what-you-get kind of thing. If you harvest tomato seeds, you will grow tomatoes, not okra.<br /><br />Have you ever planted a seed from a hybrid plant? I did one year, not realizing I have saved hybridized seeds. I got the most beautiful, lovely pepper plants that year. They grew nicely, flowered abundantly and appeared to be the most vigorous plants in the garden. Only they never produced fruit. Not a single pepper all season, despite multiple flowerings and bushy, strong plants. While I did not use any chemicals in my garden, the seed was not true - it was sterile and could not produce life.<br /><br />Organic gardens are thriving, living and breathing places. Even <em>Webster's</em> defines it as "<em>of, relating to, or derived from living organisms".</em> Compost is frequently used to rebuild and nourish the soil. It's another interesting thing that the very plants from the previous year are used to provide nutrients to the next seasons plants. Compost is like a wise old soul, seasoned and prepared for a long time before it's best use comes forth. And that use it for the next 'generation' of sorts.<br /><br />A commercial or traditional garden may 'appear' healthy and productive but it is often laced with poisons, chemicals and other stimulants just to keep it going and keep disease or bugs at bay. Any fruit that is produced must be picked early before being fully ripened so it can be shipped off. After all, there are quota's and deadlines to be filled. The resulting land is frequently barren of anything of real substance. In order to grow anything, one must continually cover the ground within temporary things, those proverbial 'quick fixes' that only lasts for short while.<br /><br />So, it was not surprising that this analogy of gardening came to mind. The church, the Body of Christ, must guard itself against those temporary quick fixes and things that make it look good on the outside. It must remain 'organic', full of life and, as <em>Webster's</em> also says<em>,</em> "<em>forming an integral element of a whole".</em> We are parts of Body of Christ. We cannot operate as separate pieces, i.e. some legs, some arms, others being eyes or ears. We must come together under the one true Head and that is Jesus Christ Himself. A living, breathing and organic thing, this Church is a moving entity. It flows from a seat of Mercy, Grace and Love...nothing less is expected of us. He leads, we follow. Little Christ's, Christian's, reflections of Him to those around us.<br /><br />Matthew 11: 28-30 reads, <em><strong>"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you will recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of Grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you, Keep company with Me and you will earn how to live freely and lightly." (The Message) </strong></em><br /><br />Let it be so, Lord. Let it be so!Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-44122777797556177522010-01-09T14:00:00.011-05:002010-02-16T08:54:17.470-05:00How are you, Madrina?Today, I received a letter from the little boy I sponsor in Honduras through <a href="http://www.mehonduras.org/">Manos Extendidas.</a> His name is Josue and he will 8 years old in April. I got to meet him for the first time in August of 2008 while on a mission trip to the capital city of Tegucigalpa. Josue was quiet and shy, barely mustering a quick hug before dashing out the door with his lunch in hand. That was kind of unexpected to me, as I had hoped to sit with him for a few moments and introduce myself. I had brought a small gift with me and really wanted to watch him open it. But, that was not happening that day. Isn't it funny how kids can surprise us?<br /><br />Anyway, I was so blessed with his letter, I wanted to share my joy with you:<br /><br /><em>Hi, how are you Sponsor? I hope that God shines His light of blessings upon you. That is my greatest wish. I want to tell you that I am in the first grade. I do all my homework and get good notes from the school. I am very happy to know you. Thank you for the present you gave me when you were here and thank you for your hugs. It made me happy. I care for you will all my heart and since Christmas has already come, I want to wish you happy Easter as well, next to the people that surround you. Those are my true wishes. </em><br /><br />The word "sponsor" is translated by these children as Madrina, which really means Godmother. I was not aware of that until my last trip and when you introduce yourself as Madrina, the children know exactly what you are talking about. I guess the ministry partners who share the hearts of those who want to help them, the name sponsor seems kind of formal.<br /><br />Josue goes to regular school, which requires shoes & uniforms. Although education in Honduras is free to the 5th grade, if you cannot afford shoes or cannot buy (or make) the uniform, you cannot attend. Education is huge need in Honduras. Without it, the circle of poverty and enslavement to its vicious cycle seems bleak.<br /><br />The Christian ministry of <a href="http://www.mehonduras.org/">Manos Extendidas</a>' Child Sponsorship Program is one I have seen work first-hand. There are no 'extra' or cushy expenses, no salaries to pay and certainly no 'fluff' you see in many organizations of this nature. 100% of the monies go directly to the day care and feeding program. For many, this meal may be the only food a child receives each day. The monies go into supporting the children in five(5) main areas:<br /><ol><br /><li>Education (spiritual and academic)</li><br /><li>Medical/Dental</li><br /><li>Food</li><br /><li>Clothing</li><br /><li>Emergency Fund</li></ol><p>There are many ways you can impact your sponsored child. First and foremost is to pray for them. There are many battles they must face, spiritual and otherwise. Your prayers protect them in ways you will not always know. Writing a letter, sending a photo or small gift makes their day! Don't worry if you don't speak Spanish ~ there are folks there who will gladly help translate your letter for you. </p><p>Want to know more? Visit <a href="http://www.mehonduras.org/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://www.mehonduras.org</span></a><span style="color:#3333ff;"> </span><span style="color:#000000;">or just email me!<br /></span></p><p></p>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-72355211803484248702010-01-04T07:27:00.006-05:002010-01-04T08:11:48.241-05:00True Transparency...I've taken some time off from posting to this blog, among other things and it seems to be the right time to begin again. Perhaps from the start of a new year, a new decade or simply because winter has set in so fully, there is not much else to keep me occupied (aside from housework).<br /><br />New Year's Resolutions have never been a top priority for me. The reasons vary really....mostly from knowing I won't keep something up for very long, unless it burns deeply within me. Even then, the routine of of it all tends to draw down on whatever reserves I may have set aside for continuing on. This year isn't really any different other than the fact I have had some realizations during this time off.<br /><br />During my much need de-tox from the obligatory church attendance, I found myself swirling around somewhat aimlessly at times. One of the most important realizations I stumbled upon was how my relationship with the Lord was more tangled in my own perfunctory attendance that I ever imagined. It's kinda easy to sit back and be the one who talks about what all is wrong with mainstream 'church' and not totally embrace its profound effect within my own life. A scripture comes to mind where Jesus talks about removing the log in my own eye before attempting to help my brother with the splinter in his. (See Luke 6:41) Other translations include the phrase "thou hypocrite", which exactly describes my attitude at times.<br /><br />One must be wary as to what they speak for or speak against. I have seen first-hand how one can become the very thing we supposedly detest the most. I've seen in it others but I have seen it in myself as well. Perhaps, in some way, that may be a fine example of how we receive judgement upon ourselves when we judge others. I don't' know, that is merely a thought that crossed my mind. An interesting thought, to say the least....<br /><br />So, if I were to make a resolution of sorts, it would be something like this:<br /><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><em>As I rely on God's Grace, I will not try to be anything or anyone that I am not. I will not adapt myself, my morals, my convictions or my beliefs to any one situation to fit in or be accepted by another. If I have 'sold out' totally for my Lord, then what another thinks is insignificant. I will not compromise my relationship with my Father for relationship with a man, a woman, a cause, nor even my own morals, convictions and beliefs. My relationship with Christ far outweighs my need for any of those things, as they are temporal and fleeting. As I rely on God's Grace, I will look upon others with compassion, not judgement for their failings are no more impressive than my own. I refuse to wear any mask, religious or otherwise, that would belittle my fellow brother or sister, regardless of their actions. I will clothe myself in the inexhaustible Love of Jesus, extending the same hand to them as is extended to me from Heaven. The blood of Christ was shed so that ALL might come to Him and know Him personally as Savior and Lord.</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em>As I rely on God's Grace, I admit my own short-comings and failures, for they are indeed many. I will not, however, use that precious Grace as a crutch to continued sin. As I bare myself before the Father, I am certain He accepts me just as I am. His love pours out upon me without any effort of my own. He adores my brokenness and is closer to me at any given moment than the air I breathe. It is in this brokenness, that I am made whole in Him. There is nothing I can do, good or otherwise, to earn His love and acceptance. It is already there and always has been. He loves me way too much for me to comprehend, to begin to fathom that leaves me awestruck.</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em>As I rely on God's Grace, I will allow myself to feel again. Emotions may be fickle and not trustworthy but God gave them to us for a purpose. They are not to be relied upon but I do realize that Jesus 'felt' things as I do. He wept, he was angry, he became frustrated, upset and so on, just like me. It was during these times, He clung to His Father all the more, doing the will of His father, not His own. I must allow His grace to overtake me completely, in my emotions too so that I can maintain my love walk with Him. Denying hurt, pain, joy or happiness only creates another facet of the fake me. I will not do that.</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em>And finally, I acknowledge "...all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) I want His purposes to be be my purposes. THE MESSAGE reads that same verse as "That's why we can be sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good." I cannot despise my past, for every detail has been shaped into God's purpose. My past does not dictate my future but has definitely had an effect on who I am. Nothing has gone unnoticed by my Father, nothing at all. I rest in the assurance He is fully aware of where I am, yet He remains unshaken in His good will towards me. His love is unfathomable once gain. Awe and wonder prevail!</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left">So, as I attempt to continue writing, blogging, sharing (whatever you want to call it), I first want to be transparent myself before the Father. I don't want people to look at me and see me, my accomplishments, my musings or anything about me. I simply want people to know Jesus and the Lord chooses to work through me, I want to be fully aware of His presence and His will for that given moment. If He chooses simply for me to minister unto Him, then so be it. What an amazing calling! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">Only in Him do I find completeness...</div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-29325662783790665722009-12-07T08:34:00.009-05:002010-12-08T08:03:31.551-05:00Have mercy on me, a sinner...As the holiday time arrives and winter unleashes its frozen fury, I find myself with a things-to-do list that seems unending. Of course, none of these things are pressing really...I don't have to put of Christmas lights or even a tree for that matter! Just things I like doing and almost feel obligated to do each season.<br /><br /><br /><br />I am thankful for the fact that I don't have do any one of these things. Funny how I find myself so easily worked up and stressed over the things that aren't done but, in looking at their true importance, I find them lacking any real value. Honestly, I grow tired of all the work I seem to put in such fruitless tasks these days. Questioning truth and value for what is real brings little satisfaction in my consumerist displays of the holiday 'spirit'.<br /><br /><br /><br />A couple of weeks ago, my neighbor was killed in a car accident. I had to perform my first funeral and truly experienced God's grace in it all. Honestly, this was purely Jesus taking over and walking each of us through our own private pain in this loss. At funerals, when the minister opens some time for others to speak, it is often times only one or two people who opt to share. This day, however, was different and only one or two people DIDN'T speak. They were too overcome with emotion to do so but laughed, cried and shared with everyone. What had been 'scheduled' for about a 15 minutes service lasted more than an hour. Graciously, the funeral home allowed us to finish, which set us upon the pathway to healing. Grief is a most mysterious thing...and such may yet another post, just not for today.<br /><br />Where was I when my neighbor died? I was in my deer stand hunting. I felt so guilty when I realized this! I wasn't doing anything of real value at that time, just scanning the woods and the internet via my Blackberry at that very moment. So many questions left unanswered, so much left to ponder about the sheer brevity of life. James 4:14 talks about this: "Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what will happen tomorrow. what is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air]." <em>Amplified Bible </em>In reading this passage, I am once again gently reminded by God of His vastness and my own frailty. Humbling to consider it all and how often this is taken for granted.<br /><br /><br /><br />Life is truly a treasure, a gift to be opened and then given back to the One who gave it. I am so guilty of doing my own thing, going my own way and living my own life often without much consideration of the impact I may or may not have. Jesus affected every person He encountered on this earth. I can only hope to walk in His ways, and its only by His Grace that my steps begin again and again. He is so faithful to follow beside me, picking me up along the way and setting me back upon His pathway to real life. I often wonder why He does not grow tired of repeating such things.<br /><br /><br />Jesus dripped love and mercy, unwavered by obvious sin in those He came across each day. And it is with same undying love and mercy that we are to extend to others. Without judgement, He shared His great love and how passionate the Father is about is children. Why do we find this so difficult or, should I say, so easy to slip away from? With Him, all things are possible! Without Him, our struggles overwhelm us and choke out the very life He died to give us. Lately, I have found myself looking through those judgemental attitudes of my own, then wondering how Christ loves me so unreservedly, so passionately and so deeply.<br /><br /><br />Recently, I read a chat post from a Christian in another state who was participating in prayer vigil outside a newly opened abortion clinic. It was stated the purpose was for Christian's to pray there and the reason actually took me by surprise. Evidently, the purpose of this vigil was so the doctor would not feel welcome there and would pack up, moving somewhere else. I must admit how troubled my spirit is over such an action. What about that doctor's soul? What about his salvation and eternal fate? Did anyone think of him?<br /><br />I guess the 'Christian' side of social justice is as flawed as the non-Christian ways. I can agree with wanting the killing of unborn children to stop and am glad there are people who are willing to step out in prayer, standing on the gap for those who cannot speak. And, I must admit, I wouldn't want an abortion clinic set up in my own back yard either. But who is praying for the doctor who performs those abortions? Who is praying for the nurses and other staff there? Are they any less worthy of God's Grace than I? I think not! Have we, as Christians, become so proud in our 'faith' that we are quick to stand up against wrong doing, denounce the sin so obvious in anothers actions but not once think of what sin in our own? Why do we have the 'us against them' mentality?<br /><br /><br /><p>I was listening to the radio yesterday afternoon and the story about the Pharisee and the tax collector was read. It talked about how the Pharisee had gone to the temple to pray, ever thankful he was not like 'other men'. He wasn't a robber, an adulterer or other 'evil doer'. He thanked God that he fasted twice a week and paid his tithes. Oh how we, as Christian's, have become so religiously proud of ourselves! Proud in that we place ourselves above the lowly sinner, those lost in this world and are actually glad we aren't like that anymore.</p><p>Yet, what captured the heart of God was the tax collector as he prayed. He was so humbled by God's magnificence, he couldn't lift his head towards Heaven. His prayer was simple yet honestly aware of his condition, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." And Jesus said, "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God." Luke 18:14 (NIV).</p><p>Oh God, forgive us, Lord for our pride! Heal our hearts from inner darkness, those places where we have yet to allow Your Light shine. Deliver us, Lord, from ourselves and cause us to walk before you with humble hearts, aware of our condition yet equally aware that, by Your Grace alone, we have life everlasting. God, allow Your Holy Spirit to convict us of judgemental attitudes, of reasoning our way of doing things as right and purify our motives. Let us seek You in all that we do, everything we set our hand to. But most of all, Jesus, work deeply in each of us so that Your love, Your mercy and Your Grace is seen within us. Let us be extensions of Christ, examples in every way so that You are lifted up. May You receive all the Glory God! Teach us to walk humbly before You, and give us wisdom, God, for discerning You in every moment of life. Let us have eyes to see and ears to hear! I pray God, for Your forgiveness, as I confess my faults before you, my sins are many but Your Grace is sufficient. I thank You, Lord, for Your mercy and Your love. Without you, God, I am indeed lost. But with You, Lord, is where I long to be, at Your feet, laying down everything. And once more, I surrender.... </p>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-26438871966251153452009-08-31T09:56:00.005-04:002009-08-31T11:00:35.052-04:00In God We Trust...I thought I would eventually get to posting my Honduras journal but that isn't happening just yet. So, hopefully I can (at some point) post it entirely in some kind of format. Maybe upload as a file, hmm...<br /><br />This morning, I was reading in Galatians via <em>The Message Remix</em> and have been pondering the Law vs. Grace quite heavily these days. It seems like the church continually wants to resurrect the Law in so many aspects, all the while claiming to be free from it. It does not seem like you can have it both ways though, does it? I mean you can't be a slave to the Law AND be totally free at the same time. The very thought is contradictory in itself.<br /><br /><em>The Amplified Bible, </em>in Matthew 6:24 reads, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, <strong><em>or whatever is trusted in). </em></strong>And it is the "whatever is trusted in" that determines what/whom we are fully serving. Do we place our trust in the One True and Holy God or in our own abilities, accomplishments and plans? For if we do the latter, then we are not doing the former. It just doesn't work!<br /><br />Over and over again, I read in Galatians about trusting in Christ, not the Law. The more I read, the more convinced I have become that our traditions and teachings that come from many pulpits echos Galatians 4:17 "<em>They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them." (NASB)</em> And I really like how <em>The Message </em>puts that same scripture: " <em>Those heretical teachers go to great lengths to flatter you, but their motives are rotten. They want to shut you out of the free world of God's grace so that you will always depend on them for approval and direction, making them feel important."</em><br /><em></em><br />This has been so central in my frustration lately, I feel like I will burst if I don't release this word. And, I speak to myself in all of this! God is so good and faithful at showing us our own hearts and what motivates us. I find myself sickened at my own selfishness and tactics self-preservation when I am supposed to 'die daily'. That flesh vs. spiritual battle rears its ugly head once more...but, thankfully, the victory is the Lord's.<br /><br />The church has become full of old Paul's - you know, that man who continually persecuted Christians for their beliefs until he met Jesus face to face and was transformed from within. Paul was an excellent student of the Law. Paul himself addressed this in the book of Galatians, chapter 1 where he says in verses 13-15: "I'm sure that you've heard the story of my earlier life when I lived in the Jewish way. In those days I went all out in persecuting God's church. I was systematically destroying it. I was so enthusiastic about the traditions of my ancestors that I advanced head and shoulders above my peers in my career. Even then God had designs on me."<br />What we need is that face to face, blinding encounter with Jesus. Then I wonder why it takes such a thing to get get our attention anyway? Because we are trying to do it all ourselves....that's why!<br /><br />The purpose of the Law was "...<em>to make obvious to everyone that we are, in ourselves, out of right relationship with God, and therefore to show us the futility of devising some religious system for getting by our own efforts what we can only get by waiting in faith for God to complete his promise. For if any kind of rule-keeping had power to create life in us, we would certainly have gotten it by this time. "</em> Galatians 3:21-22.<br /><br />So what was this promise we are waiting on? Faith in Jesus, being set right in our relationship to the Father God through Jesus Christ. Galatians 23-27, "<em>Until the time when we were mature enough to respond freely in faith to the living God, we were carefully surrounded and protected by the Mosaic law. The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for. But now you have arrived at your destination: By faith in Christ you are in direct relationship with God. Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe—Christ's life, the fulfillment of God's original promise. "</em><br /><em></em><br />The free life in Christ does not involve any other mediator other than Jesus. A priest, pastor, teacher, prophet, apostle or <insert> can never make you right with God. Their purpose, according to scripture, is to point you to the One who can -- Jesus Christ. The Promise of God's plan has been restoring His children back to Himself, through faith and relationship in Jesus. Being dependent on any man or woman to make you right with God is futile and will indeed result in eternal separation from God. If you do not know Jesus, you are lost. Some will talk about Jesus, placing a a God tag on every effort they can muster yet they never know Him. Jesus not only wants you to know Him, He wants you to allow Him to know you - your hopes, your dreams, your fears, your failures, every detail (large or small). He does not condemn you or turn you away, He will never leave you or forsake you. His touch is gentle, never pushy or overbearing. And His yoke is easy, His burden is light.<br /><br />Galatians 3:10-12, <em>"...anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure. Scripture backs this up: "Utterly cursed is every person who fails to carry out every detail written in the Book of the law." The obvious impossibility of carrying out such a moral program should make it plain that no one can sustain a relationship with God that way. The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him. Doing things for God is the opposite of entering into what God does for you. Habakkuk had it right: "The person who believes God, is set right by God—and that's the real life." Rule-keeping does not naturally evolve into living by faith, but only perpetuates itself in more and more rule-keeping, a fact observed in Scripture: "The one who does these things [rule-keeping] continues to live by them." </em><br /><br />It is impossible to earn your way to God or to earn His approval by any means other than Jesus. Even those who have asked Christ into their hearts still have that fleshly tendency to strive and strive in working FOR God, doing things for Him when we really don't have to or need to. Jesus died for our freedom from the flesh and its dead ways. He rose again, giving us victory to do all things THROUGH CHRIST because He alone is our strength.<br /><br />I encourage you this day with this word:<br /><div align="center"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em>But Jesus' priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he's working from a far better plan. If the first plan—the old covenant—had worked out, a second wouldn't have been needed. But we know the first was found wanting, because God said, Heads up! The days are coming when I'll set up a new plan for dealing with Israel and Judah. I'll throw out the old plan I set up with their ancestors when I led them by the hand out of Egypt. They didn't keep their part of the bargain, so I looked away and let it go. This new plan I'm making with Israel isn't going to be written on paper, isn't going to be chiseled in stone; This time I'm writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts.I'll be their God, they'll be my people. They won't go to school to learn about me, or buy a book called God in Five Easy Lessons. They'll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great. They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean.By coming up with a new plan, a new covenant between God and his people, God put the old plan on the shelf. And there it stays, gathering dust."</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left">Leave your old ways, plans and programs on the shelf. Awaken to a new life, one of freedom in Christ alone! </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"> </div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-6271267268300032012009-07-30T08:07:00.005-04:002009-07-30T08:28:42.458-04:00Honduras journal...a preludeThis will be a series of entries over the next several days as excerpted by my journal from my recent Honduras trip. My thoughts are not in any particular order so bear with the randomness of my thought process along the way. God is indeed working behind the scenes and I am trying not to get in His way.<br /><br /><em>TUESDAY, July 14, 2009...Two more days until I leave for Honduras. There are so many things left still for me to do and yet time slipping away so quickly. This happens daily but I guess I am much more aware of it when I have a schedule or deadline to maintain. I don't like schedules, too restraining and box like. Ugh! With two days left to prepare, excitement, anticipation and a sense of awe and wonder wash over me unexpectedly through the days of late. I went to Living Waters Church this past Sunday. The congregation prayed for me, along with Samuel, Sarah, Alvin and the MEH ministry (<a href="http://www.mehonduras.org/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://www.mehonduras.org</span></a>). Being out of organized church for a few weeks is very foreign to me and I do miss corporate worship. I was very thankful for being part of a group of folks just loving on Jesus that morning. The simple, non-orchestrated or hyped service was very refreshing and certainly a welcome change from the church I recently came out of. I don't think I could take any more services of loud music right now. It's just where God has me right now.</em><br /><br /><em>I'm already tired today. I kind of feel like my body is fighting off a cold and my left ear still has water in it from being at the lake a few days ago. And now, my belly is acting weird but all is well! We departure for the airport tomorrow evening since our plane leaves so early on Thursday morning. Sarah's parents, Kim and Joe are driving Samuel and myself to the airport to catch the plane. I'm sure Sam will be glad to see his sister again and I pray God continues working within his heart for this trip especially. I got the duffle bags packed yesterday with all the supplies & donations we plan to take down. My dehydrator went on the blink so I had to borrow Kim's to finish up on the deer jerky for Alvin. I suppose I could make a to-do list but am certain I would be overwhelmed by it all right now. So, for now, I will continue to plug along at my mental list, even it seems hit and miss right now.</em><br /><br /><em>Mike left for a training session in Charleston this morning. This training coincides with my trip and I doubt we get to see each other again before I leave tomorrow night. So it most likely will be 10 days before we see each other again. Maybe he can drive home just for a bit, I don't know. It's 2+ hours away and who knows what their training sessions will be like.</em><br /><br /><em>Doc called and I need to cover a shift for Connie at the vet office today. I really need this down time to pack but also sense something is up that needs to be taken care of there. I trust God knows what He is doing. I hope I'm not too tired to write later but I'm not planning on doing anything. Making our own plans tends to thwart the God-dependency we all so much need but avoid. It's not about being prepared rather in planning the day or our time so much we typically leave little or any room for God to reveal Himself. It boils down to control and, while I am in Honduras, I am so not in control of anything. Right now, this is what I need the most - total God-dependency and trust. A sigh of relief comes.....</em>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-58366502531438936872009-07-28T17:15:00.012-04:002009-07-29T12:10:05.278-04:00Some interesting finds...So I have been searching for a loom recently, something small to begin with would have been fine. I have looked off and on for a while now but not being sure of what exactly to look for really. Over the weekend, I came across a Craig's List ad from someone having a few looms to part with for 'best offer'. So, I called and went to look. This is what I found...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq4eyXwGci-dei8VgO0XQYSLhIar6frzO2OFRtoYFl_NmkpSey3h-fBj-suZorwksRTfUrHLmQOE0sn4e5zDiYdfTVlLSKSU8gvA7LIMYF-TSln7SZuzwBlifWcDxJI6onnMAdhhdlCMY/s1600-h/P7270045.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363625359145872466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq4eyXwGci-dei8VgO0XQYSLhIar6frzO2OFRtoYFl_NmkpSey3h-fBj-suZorwksRTfUrHLmQOE0sn4e5zDiYdfTVlLSKSU8gvA7LIMYF-TSln7SZuzwBlifWcDxJI6onnMAdhhdlCMY/s320/P7270045.JPG" /></a><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363623549828272290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd1UdTucthVEclmYcaEo4wb4LtLdAGq-9CV01dixfi-LObpdP-vWeByKUQzJBphyphenhyphenMU-Uam1TTdYl0r4eKQhpqwW4-CwPTfOiv4qGBLnqNvrkadFDhN0kttqWJHtslSDEOxrfPISa0f_mH3/s320/P7270044.JPG" />At left, the Weaver's Delight loom, stamped 9202 out of 35,000 made between 1887 and 1980 something. At right, a 48" Cambridge 4 harness loom unknown date of production, but still looking. Not shown are two table looms, one an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ashford</span> and the other unknown maker.<br /><br /><br />Imagine my surprise when the seller offered me these gems at free for my taking them! Talk about a provision and answered prayer. I'm still astonished and in awe God would look so favorably on my request to provide a loom over and above my expectations, along with no cost aside from gasoline to drive up and back. I have no words...... <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq4eyXwGci-dei8VgO0XQYSLhIar6frzO2OFRtoYFl_NmkpSey3h-fBj-suZorwksRTfUrHLmQOE0sn4e5zDiYdfTVlLSKSU8gvA7LIMYF-TSln7SZuzwBlifWcDxJI6onnMAdhhdlCMY/s1600-h/P7270045.JPG"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitq4eyXwGci-dei8VgO0XQYSLhIar6frzO2OFRtoYFl_NmkpSey3h-fBj-suZorwksRTfUrHLmQOE0sn4e5zDiYdfTVlLSKSU8gvA7LIMYF-TSln7SZuzwBlifWcDxJI6onnMAdhhdlCMY/s1600-h/P7270045.JPG"></a>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-42338720242303845642009-07-09T07:07:00.005-04:002009-07-09T07:44:08.482-04:00Preparing...As I write this morning, it dawned on me that in exactly 7 days I will be on my way to Honduras. Both excitement and anticipation fill me and I do wonder what exactly God has in store for this trip. Over the past 2 years, I have been blessed to make two trips to Honduras for short-term missions projects. This trip is a bit different, however, because there is no real 'plan' or agenda for me to follow. I offered to travel back with my friend Sarah, who has been in Honduras since mid-May. What began as a casual suggestion and developed into a a trip I am so desperately awaiting, it's difficult for me to describe.<br /><br />The US News is filled with reports of unrest and political uprising. While not to make light of the recent shooting and loss of life at the airport, the local news reports from Honduras itself are actually quite different. The 'reality' imposed upon us by the news media suggestions thousands of demonstrators. In speaking to my friends living there, there are a few hundred 'paid' groups who move from place to place, seeking to grab national attention from the news media. Perhaps news media isn't even an appropriate term. It's more like sensationalistic reporting and distortion of truth. Then again, that is in which the world we live, isn't it? I must wonder, however, how much we reporting we are exposed to as 'truth' and it being every bit as much twisted and construed into whatever can grab a headline. One must wonder...<br /><br />So, I approach this trip with no plan, no thoughts as to what I must 'do' while I am there. I do sense this will be a trip of discovery and revelation from the Lord and for that, I am so grateful. So, to prepare for the unexpected is really quite foreign. I was talking to my friend Sarah the other day and we likened it the scripture where Jesus was commissioning His disciples.<br /><br /><strong><em>"Don't think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don't need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light. " Matthew 10:9-10 (The Message)</em></strong><br /><strong><em></em></strong><br />Bare necessities - not a lot of equipment, travel light. OK, so I will live out my carry-on luggage for seven days. If there is one thing I am for sure, it is to take a guitar on this trip. I began playing the acoustic about 6 months ago so I am still very much a beginner. My starter guitar has the hard shell case, a new set of strings and will be my checked luggage (at the gate, of course) but of taking it, that is the only thing of which I am certain. I know a little Spanish, stressing the word little here, but I have learned to sing Jesus loves me in Spanish. I got to translate a few other verses of other songs so who knows what will transpire.<br /><br />There are a few things I would like to do while I am in Honduras. One is to visit the feeding center and to meet my sponsor son, Josue. Another is to go to the city dump for food ministry there, possibly also go to the orphanage. But, if the Lord wills that none of that happen, I must be OK with that and just simply trust Him. It would be nice to visit the Valley of the Angels too and see the giant Jesus statue there. I have always wanted to be Honduras at Christmas, hopefully with my husband. I think renewing our wedding vows there, standing at the feet of Jesus would be awesome. Lord willing.....<br /><br />Preparation is defined as "the action or process of making something ready for use or service or of getting ready for some occasion, test, or duty". Just thinking about that is mind boggling! How does one prepare without planning? It's a very foreign thought process indeed. But, maybe that is the point: I'm not supposed to be thinking anyway. I'm supposed to be trusting Him for all things, great and small. So I prepare by making myself ready for service, not by making plans for things to do. That is as close as I can come to understanding what I am to do between now and next week.<br /><br /><strong><em>Lord Jesus, grant me wisdom and discernment in this time of preparation. Help me not to get caught up in getting things ready but by readying my own heart for whatever it is You have willed. Teach me Lord, Your ways, Your thoughts Your intentions and help me to lose sight of self-interest and self-preservation. Oh Jesus, I need You so much!</em></strong>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-28805099513996329282009-06-30T13:21:00.005-04:002009-06-30T13:30:08.724-04:00My song and prayer for today...<div align="left"><em>Father listen to our earnest prayer. Jesus prayed it years ago.</em></div><div align="left"><em>That the glory You had given Him, we would somehow come to know.</em></div><div align="left"><em>Make us one according to Your plan, as in Heaven it will be.</em></div><div align="left"><em>Fill us with the truth and righteousness, You desire the world to see.</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>Let Your Glory and Honor fall on our face.</em></div><div align="left"><em>Holy Father, rest in this place.</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>The church is sick and in need of God alone. People, we must seek His face!</em></div><div align="left"><em>If we'll turn from our unrighteousness, He'll forgive our evil ways.</em></div><div align="left"><em>May the eyes of God be on us here. Lord, revive us by Your Grace.</em></div><div align="left"><em>Holy Spirit, be forever near. Saturate us in this place!</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>Let Your Glory and Honor fall on our face.</em></div><div align="left"><em>Holy Father, rest in this place.</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>Let Your Fire fall, let the wind blow, let the Glory come down.</em></div><div align="left"><em>Let Your Fire fall, let the wind blow, let the Glory come down.</em></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>words as sung by Jason Upton, Faith CD</em></div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-67325337766312204072009-06-16T09:31:00.008-04:002009-06-16T10:16:45.829-04:00Learning to Abide...<div>Abide....the word envokes thoughts of rest, peace and quiet but only at first glance. Webster's defines this word meaning as "to wait for; to accept without objection; to remain stable or fixed." Jesus frequently tells us to abide in Him all throughout His Word. He says that He alone is "The Way, The Truth and The Life" but do we trust Him to do just that? Sometimes, I think not. We are too caught up in holding onto some part of our ownselves and our own ways rather than to simply abide in Him. To abide requires one to trust completely, even if the path He leads you is unfamiliar or uncomfortable.<br /><br />Dwell...to live as a resident (another Webster's definition). Christ dwells within us when we open our hearts to His Lordship. Do we also return the favor by dwelling in Him? Salvation is the easy part - that precious free gift to us that cost Him everything, born out of pure love for us. Dwelling in Him is more diffcult, that constant laying down of ourselves, that proves much harder than we ever imagined. Christ lives in me, He resides within me. Do I also dwell/reside in Him? A hard question to answer some days.<br /><br />Join...to bring together so as to form a unit (to become one). Jesus prayed that we would become one as He and His Father are One. He pleads for us to draw nigh to Him, abide in Him, dwell in Him, live in Him and to join ourselves to Him. He is always faithful to john Himself to us, no matter what. He desires us to make our home in Him.<br /><br />Live...to experience first hand; to attain eternal life. I am not making up these definitions, they are indeed Webster's. What is interesting is these words (abide, dwell, live and others) are all the same word used in different translations of John 15 where Christ talks about the Vine and the branches. Try using <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/">http://www.biblegateway.com/</a> to look up this passage, then select from various versions in the drop box.<br /><br />Remain...to continue unchanged. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. If we remain in Him, in His Holy presence, we are transformed in His image yet we continue unchanged. His presence changes us, oh yes, but our nature takes on His likeness. Pure, holy and restored to fellowship with Him. Remain in Jesus...for to do this requires abandonment to ones own purpose solely for the sake of His Will. Teach me, Lord, to remain!<br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJib1Nbu2lmfc6UKdIuiJvXqVDngWUvb15hEwJ0K0fOAPTWqVoX3r4jafGryyuUauNCVKgLqZJqhPGpx0H6CMissGLMpfNQ5UEirIws-1OOk9cF1qwd-ugrMhVj5mEcCRMqiWcd7BtQdtp/s1600-h/image009.jpg"></a></div><br /><div align="center"><em><strong><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ_YYYJ8g09TxVTxWi_hk3i4ZXQYPMewpA8S0PcWmg-LykTpfF5yAhFXy0_W5KliThVH9oSlliJfqVpNvRsAN4lyd9e1Yk8NcQDC0AGfGcd0PTYwiuMH3gjQb9aXSWNXSOg8_hU-ixmG7/s1600-h/grapevine_photo_israel.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347929022211754578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZ_YYYJ8g09TxVTxWi_hk3i4ZXQYPMewpA8S0PcWmg-LykTpfF5yAhFXy0_W5KliThVH9oSlliJfqVpNvRsAN4lyd9e1Yk8NcQDC0AGfGcd0PTYwiuMH3gjQb9aXSWNXSOg8_hU-ixmG7/s320/grapevine_photo_israel.jpg" /></a>John 15...The Vine and the Branches (The Message)</strong></em></div><div align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></div><br /><div align="center"><em><strong>"I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken. Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done—kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love. I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father. You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you. But remember the root command: Love one another.</strong></em> " </div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-49927069391991229422009-05-04T09:40:00.010-04:002009-05-04T10:33:42.169-04:00A Lesson in Patience...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbt2VN01Ecn9P4rtegkazf0deale7u23ffE8s9OppkV5h2e17iYFtqS0rWQdYLgi27zpWNMtX_XB3bvzyxL6qCdLHkSAziS-SoPGwfsjxNNF4sIRtUFARYH3IwWMpPS_mHxHugvmCjj0z/s1600-h/P4260027.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331976429935104210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbt2VN01Ecn9P4rtegkazf0deale7u23ffE8s9OppkV5h2e17iYFtqS0rWQdYLgi27zpWNMtX_XB3bvzyxL6qCdLHkSAziS-SoPGwfsjxNNF4sIRtUFARYH3IwWMpPS_mHxHugvmCjj0z/s320/P4260027.JPG" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwYZocaM32iKOvJ6TwaGy-hK_U4qcQWhFFK36r7bNBlHikSItZ5QLjmzjlxM1FE9-muztJQ2jPTUZWp7h7qujQwoRy5XH5WU_udjg3O85aweTCZOPxX83FoW2-rjZCmu091mVG7Obd54f/s1600-h/P4260018.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 248px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331976428111029842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwYZocaM32iKOvJ6TwaGy-hK_U4qcQWhFFK36r7bNBlHikSItZ5QLjmzjlxM1FE9-muztJQ2jPTUZWp7h7qujQwoRy5XH5WU_udjg3O85aweTCZOPxX83FoW2-rjZCmu091mVG7Obd54f/s320/P4260018.JPG" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div>It's turkey hunting season here in West Virginia. Last week, my husband and I were fortunate to harvest our birds but certainly not without a story or two behind them. Such is normally the case with us in hunting and, this year, a lesson in patience was to be had as well. I normally consider myself a pretty patient person. I researched the gift of patience some time ago and found the meaning of the word itself rather simple: the abililty to wait without complaint. It sounds much easier than it actually is.<br /></div><div>Early in the morning, my husband and I jaunted down to what I deem my 'honey hole' for turkey hunting. We had heard another gobbler above our house who was actively calling but we opted to continue down to the area where we had been seeing birds for weeks, knowing there was a mature gobbler in the group. As morning began to break across the horizon, we saw turkeys begin to fly down from the roost into the field. It was only a matter of time before that gobbler appeared.<br /></div><div>The 'plan' was for Mike to call in the bird and I got to shoot him. Have you ever noticed things don't always go according to our plans? Well, the gobbler came, just as expected, although he was much closer than we thought he would approach. Once he rounded behind us, I knew I could easily turn to get a shot. As I shouldered my .22 hornet, I laid the cross hairs on his side and fired. Much to my dismay, my bullet nicked the only piece of barb wire fence and sent the bird running. Heartbroken and disappointed, I began to question myself, my hunting skills (or obvious lack thereof that day), my rifle - you know, all of the tools I possessed. Mike tried to reassure me to no avail. I was crushed in missing the shot and the turkey.<br /></div><div>Twenty minutes passed and Mike called softly to get a line of where the other birds might be. Much to our surprise, the gobbler answered behind us and merely pitched over the hill on foot at the noise of my misplaced shot. I told Mike the next shot was his, should it present itself so he proceeded to call softly until the gobbler cautiously approached from another direction. Once he came into shotgun range, Mike fired and the bird went down immediately. Closer examination revealed a nice 3 year old turkey, one I had been watching for weeks but was not mine to claim. </div><br /><div></div><div>After tagging the bird, we returned home for a quick coffee and ventured back out above the house to where we had heard another gobbler earlier in the day. I opted to switch to my .20 gauge Benelli shotgun to avoid any fence issues if I had the chance to harvest a bird and off we went to another turkey blind. We set up and sat for about an hour, hearing a distant gobble from time to time. Mike would call to him and get answered but no birds showed up. We had decided to wait another hour before relocating and within a few minutes, a jake showed up. I had my heart set on harvesting a long bearded turkey so I let the jake walk. He fed in the grass and around the trees, scratching in the leaves around our blind. </div><div></div><br /><div>Just then, a gobble came from just over the ridge and Mike answered him with a hen call. I spotted the turkey out about 120 yards as he jumped on a log and sat down. It was rather funny to watch this gobbler just sit on this log for 15 minutes before deciding to head towards our set up. All the while, the jake meandered around, feeding and scratching. It was a trying time to wait on this turkey to get within shotgun range. More than once, I was tempted to use my husband's over and under (rifle/shotgun) rather than wait for him to get within 50 yards. Each time, I passed on using the rifle, opting to continue to wait for the turkey. He gave us many signs of coming down to our post only to retreat again up the hill as he and the jake fought over the best feeding spot in the field. Despite hen calls from my husband, neither the gobbler or the jake seemed interested in coming any closer to our position.</div><div></div><br /><div>The 'temptation' not to wait on the gobbler to come within shotgun range was intense. After all, we had been watching this bird for almost 3 hours and he stayed out at about 70 yards. A rifle shot would have been easy and the hunt would have ended long ago. But, I stayed on task with watching the bird and, once he came within range, I let a shot fly and down he went. We looked at the watch and calculated it took nearly 3 1/2 hours for this turkey to come within 60 yards. He had stayed just out of range for my shotgun but I could have harvested him with my husband's rifle. </div><br /><div></div><div>I'm glad I waited because the time we spent watching was also a time of learning. The lesson was partly in the first part of the hunt, where I missed the first bird. I assumed that all of my plans and strategy would pay off quickly, as planned, so to speak. But I had not calculated for a small strand of wire. In fact, I had not even seen it in my scope. Such are the things of God too, in that we always fall short in leaning on our own abilities and plans. In placing our confidence on these natural things, we can easily miss the mark of God's best for our lives. In the desire to achieve our goals quickly, we often miss a small but influential part of our walk: patience.</div><br /><div></div><div>In the second hunt, I learned waiting without complaint is not as easy as it sounds. Some things are often kept just out of our reach and for reasons beyond our comprehension. Waiting, waiting and then waiting some more is often what we hear from the Lord. Just when we think we have our shot, we are forced to wait again. If we take matters into our own hands, we risk missing God altogether. Or, at the very least, missing God's best. The pleasure in knowing we have done well in our wait far exceeds the quick fix our culture so often seeks. It is in the waiting that our focus becomes all the more clear to us. And, it is in the waiting our character is refined and revealed.</div><br /><div></div><div>Thank you, Lord for these life lessons. Help me to stay focused on You - your best for my life, rather than seeking my own way. I pray You will be exalted and magnifed in all that I set my hand to accomplish and that You alone would be glorified. Thank you, Jesus! <span style="font-size:+0;"></span></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-13054497706096458282009-04-20T09:19:00.010-04:002009-04-20T11:59:16.279-04:00The Danger of Relativity...Being 'relative' in today's terminology seems to include every aspect of 'whatever goes'. There no longer seems to be an urge or fight for truth, for clarity for the things that are real. Our North American culture adores the areas of fantasy and escape from reality. From video games to virtual life internet, to movies or drugs/addictions into lack of personal responsibility, our fleshly human nature loves the 'un-real'. Reality sometimes brings pain and hurt and rather face these parts of life, our culture prefers to numb itself to feeling anything at all.<br /><br />Rather than deal in the absolute, that clarity of all things real, it seems much simpler in trying to make everything relative to something else. Or, for that matter, everything else. The two words here, "relative (from the word relate)" and the word absolute are complete opposites in meaning. To relate, indicates an understanding or connection to something, often by emotions or by a physical awareness. Absolute, on the other hand, means "not mixed, pure; not dependent on anything else, not relative".<br /><br />Absolute describes God perfectly. He is Pure and Holy, not mixed with anything impure or unclean. His existence is not dependent on ours, in fact, it is very much the opposite. Anything and everything created, is for His purpose, for His good. His nature is Love, pure and unadulterated. He is genuine, and very much everything real. He created the Heavens and the Earth with the words of His voice, He painted the landscapes with His creative, artistic nature. He can do anything He wants simply because of who He is.<br /><br />Making God relative to a human is impossible. We do not think like Him or consider His holiness when trying to relate fleshly thinking with Godly thinking. If it were not for Grace, found only in Jesus Christ, we would not even be worthy of approaching the Almighty. Flesh dies in God's presence. Why else has no one 'seen' Him? It is merely for our own lives sake, that He shields the power of His holiness from our mortal bodies. So why is it so many try to make the message of the Gospel more relative to today's times?<br /><br />I see so much distortion going on in our world that its often hard to tell the Church from the world. The music often sounds the same, just the words are different. People act differently on Sunday (and sometimes Wednesday) than in the rest of the week. Professing Jesus with the same mouth that spews vile disgust with a brother or sister. It's very confusing and it's no wonder non-believer's ridicule folks who say they are Christian's. I think the most common word I hear used to describe a Christian is the word 'hypocrite'. I am guilty.<br /><br />The Gospel has always been and always will be offensive in its nature. While totally rooted in Love, the Gospel of Jesus Christ forces one to examine him/her self and make a decision. Are you <em>FOR </em>Him or <em>AGAINST</em> Him? Do you realize your need for a Savior, that you cannot achieve relationship with the Father on your own merit or works, and that without knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your eternity is one without Him, in hell? The Love of God was so strong that His greatest sacrifice would be one of offering His only Son, Jesus, to take on the sin of the entire world, past, present and future, and to nail it all on Calvary, to be brutally beaten for our sake and the sake of all others, to be crucified and die a horrific, painful and shameful death so that we would not have to bear the awful weight of eternity without God. And, that Jesus went into hell itself, taking the keys of death and the grave with Him, permanently destroying the very roots of sin itself, and was raised from death on the third day, victoriously ascending to the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes on our behalf continuously.<br /><br />Trying to look at this kind of undying, unselfish Love through human eyes is impossible. It sounds down right nuts really! Christianity requires that, in order to really live, you must die. Now, I'm not talking completely about eternity here, although that is the end result. I'm talking about your life here on earth too. You know, the one where you want to make your own decisions, do your own thing and keep God in the carefully crafted box you made just for Him, perhaps letting Him 'out' to give you a miracle or something? That life! That is the one where you have crucify your own wants, for taking up the Will of the Father. That is the life where you must endure hardship, ridicule, possibly even a physical death just for believing in Him. Yeah, you gotta give all that up and to most anyone, that is just plain crazy!<br /><br />Some people cannot get past the very thought of not being able to do all the 'good things' in life to earn a place in Heaven. Some cannot admit their need for a Savior, while others still walk away from Him without a slightest thought of the state of their lostness. Some reason not being able to 'see' Him with their own, physical eyes as their reason for avoiding Jesus. Others continually cry out for 'proof' God exists by seeking and demanding miracles or answering prayers before they will believe. The very thing our inner voice craves is a total acceptance by someone and unconditional love by another. God offers this to us, He gave us a will to choose Him or reject Him. Out of Love, He opted to allow our choice rather than play 'puppet master' by forcing all to accept Him, His love, His Son, our Savior.<br /><br />I am just beginning to grasp this kind of love and am overwhelmed by its depths. And, I must say, trying to take a give-it-all-to get-nothing back life, exampled first by Christ, and somehow make that sound fun and exciting (by the worlds terms), just doesn't work with me. And this is simply because we are trying to see Him through fleshly eyes, we are trying to appeal to human senses. Nothing rooted from fleshly motives will provide anything that lasts. It might make you 'feel good' but the feeling won't last or sustain you through hard times. It's like taking something that Holy and treating it as if it were common. That is very dangerous indeed.<br /><br />Yes, there is wonderful freedom in knowing the Lord. His gift of salvation truly sets us free! We are free from the very heredity of sin itself. We are free from having to perform before man, to be entertaining in order to draw in numbers, free from a watered down message that talks about Heaven but leaves off the 'hell' part of eternity. The Gospel forces one to examine oneself in the Light of the only Truth that really matters. In Christ, you are free from being relative because you don't have to be. He alone is Absolute, He is Truth, He is Life eternal. In Him alone, you are made free.<br /><br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote><br /><div align="center"></div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-44720832456962567012009-04-12T20:08:00.004-04:002009-04-12T20:38:18.374-04:00Out of Love...<span style="font-family:verdana;">I came across an amazing revelation in my devotional, <em>My Utmost for His Highest, </em>the other day. It has stuck with me now for days and I feel I am needing to pen some thoughts on this Resurrection Day. The words are these:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;">"</span><span style="font-family:verdana;">The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it."</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">This is a most amazing thought and so much so, it overwhelms me. The purpose of Christ included restoring fellowship back to the Father. The great love He has for each of us continually moved Him to lay aside His on will and take up the will of the Father. His motivation was one of love, not obligation.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Lately, the Lord has been dealing with me about doing things or 'performing' out of obligation. What SHOULD be our motivation in anything is for us to act out of love. Our heart should be motivated by Jesus alone, it should be effortless but often times seems so elusive to attain. I think, perhaps, it is simply because we are more concerned about what man thinks about us rather than what God thinks. We are so programmed to achieve pats on the back, kudos or whatever way you want to dress that up. Lord, help us!</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I don't entirely understand pure love, although I pray Jesus reveals that to me more and more each day. But maybe my desire to understand is flesh rooted rather than heart motivated and grounded in Him. I look to His Word in order to see the reality of His Love. There is no where else to find truth other than this and 1 Corinthians 13 reveals the heart of the Lord more than ever.</span></div><span style="font-family:verdana;"><p align="center"><br />1 Corinthians 13<br />The Way of Love</p><p align="center">If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.<br /> Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. (to vs.12) We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!<br /> But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.<br /> </p><p align="left">Lord, teach me to love extravagantly! I thank You precious Lord for this day of life You have given me. I thank You for loving me even before my conception; loving me enough to give Your very best, Your Son Jesus Christ, to redeem my soul and restore me to right standing in Your eyes. I praise you, Heavenly Lord, for the precious Gift of Grace, Salvation, through believing in Your Son and accepting Him as Lord and Savior. </p><p align="left">Oh Jesus, teach me how to love. Teach me how to love!</span></p>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-28799630175148065612009-03-13T08:46:00.008-04:002009-03-13T09:30:46.412-04:00Lessons in a lamb...It seems like such a long time since I last posted. In fact, I think the last post was made the same day that I last received a full night of sleep! Yes, it is lambing time here at the farm and life is certainly full of demands, work, joys and such as we go through this cycle of new birth. God has indeed been faithful in all of these days. Why would that surprise me though? In my recent sleep deprived state, I have broken down more than once and His strength remains to carry me. Oh, how I love Him!<br /><br />We have experienced 4 lamb losses to date, which is a rare thing here. Many lambing seasons, we have batted a thousand and had all live births without losses. I guess that in in itself is more the exception than the rule but this year seems to be more difficult than previous years. In past seasons, we might lose 1 lamb or, at the most, 2 but never 4. Two lambs succumbed to the cold shortly after birth. I can only guess their mothers were not able to clean them fast enough to get them dry. Single digit temps INSIDE the barn can do that, I suppose. Another lamb was born prematurely, about 2 weeks early. Her mother did all she could but the lamb was not able to survive.<br /><br />A fourth lamb lived 4 days before it became apparent he did not have the ability to poop for lack of a sufficient rectal opening. The vet calls this an 'incomplete colon' and basically it is the fact all of his pipes weren't connected all the way. As a shepherdess, I was the one who had to make the 'quality of life decision' rather than allow him to suffer in a slow, painful death of sepsis and possible rupture of his intestines. He was beginning to lie around and cry from time to time so I knew something was amiss. Once I discovered the problem, I knew it was not a good prognosis for him.<br /><br />So, here I am driving to vet office, crying my eyeballs out for this little lamb. As I drive, I began to see a larger picture and how it relates to God, His flock and our responses to Him. If you are careful to pay attention, you can see Him in everything and this day was no exception. I began to see that we are also like this little lamb. We have a deadly condition called 'sin' and it will indeed result in death, darkness and eternal separation from God. Our incompleteness is our desperate need for a Savior for we are truly separated from the Father without Jesus.<br /><br />We can live our lives for a little while but we begin to suffer, sometimes both in the physical as well as the ever present spiritual suffering without Christ. The number of days we have on this earth is not known to us. Life is but a vapor and we are never promised tomorrow. Every breath we take is numbered by the Lord and He alone holds our time on His hands. Some folks are on this earth for many, many years while others just moments before entering eternity. As the Great Shepherd, He often chooses mercy for those suffering and calls them home into His presence. But what about those who do not know Him?<br /><br />I was listening to KP Yohannan recently (founder of Gospel for Asia) where he presented a staggering fact: It is estimated that 80,000 people die EVERY DAY without Jesus. I cannot hardly grasp that number of people. In his book<em>, Revolution in World Missions</em>, he offers this way of trying to take hold of such a number: Place your finger on your wrist, locating your pulse. Count how many beats your heart makes in one minute (you can also count for 15 seconds, then multiply by 4). Now close your eyes and try to see this with your spirit. Each heart beat is a soul, a person, one of God's children. And each beat represents a precious one dying lost in this world, without knowing Christ as their Savior. Can you grasp it now?<br /><br />Just the other day, I broke down in tears again fully realizing my own humanity and flesh. I am convicted of being complacent and self-centered over and over. What I mean by self-centered is this: Any way of life other than that of Christ. Look at 1 John 2:4-6:<br /><br /><div align="center"><em>If someone claims, "I know him well!" but doesn't keep his commandments, he's obviously a liar. His life doesn't match his words. But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God's mature love. This is the only way to be sure we're in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived. (The Message)</em></div><p align="left"><em>1 John 2:6 (Contemporary English Version) says, "If we say we are his, we must follow the example of Christ."</em></p><p align="left">Throughout Scripture, Jesus released His own will into that of His father. He didn't do His own thing, live His own life or succumb to pursuing the American Dream. In fact, His life was indeed quite the opposite. He didn't own a house nor did He have land to build on. He didn't have worldly possessions or need to rent a storage building to hold His stuff. He had nothing to call His own, in worldly terms. But He possessed the priceless truth of real life, of intimately knowing the Father and willingly set aside His will for God's. </p><p align="left">I want to be like Him and walk as He walked. Most days I see how far from that I truly am from that and it sickens me. Oh how it must frustrate my Lord watching me stumble along this road of life, missing His way so often. I pray He grants me mercy and continues pouring out the Grace I so desperately need. Oh, Jesus, please help me! I am so nothing without You. Don't give up on me, continue pursuing me as I reach out for truly knowing You.</p><p align="left">Lord, it is my prayer that each of fully realize the call of God on our lives and pursue You with reckless abandon. Let us lay aside every weight as Your word says in Hebrews! Refresh and renew us Lord, give Your strength alone. May You, Dear Lord, be glorified!</p><p align="center"><strong>Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message)<br /></strong><em>Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!</em><br /></p><p align="center">Let it be so, Lord, amen! </p>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-27288586786567237592009-02-26T07:49:00.004-05:002009-02-26T08:08:08.755-05:00Singing in My Sleep...<span style="font-family:verdana;">I awoke this morning about 4:30 am and had been 'singing' within my spirit an old Keith Green song, "Oh Lord, You're Beautiful". I don't really know the whole song, only that first few lines but its such a lovely tune. I think I have been singing this for weeks now so perhaps I need to learn the rest of it? I wake up most mornings and have this song welling up within me right away. Maybe it's more like being fully aware I had been singing while I was sleeping. Hmm...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The Lord had prompted me to get up early this morning and I failed in my obedience today. We sheared sheep yesterday and I was SOOOOOO tired in my body. Every joint ached and my feet were painful by days end from being in barn boots all day. Yet, it pains me more to know I did not/could not/would not or whatever 'not' get up early to spend time with Jesus. Once again, I ask for His forgiveness and so need His mercy and grace. Oh Lord, You are indeed beautiful to me!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">As I was writing this morning, I hopped over to Rockin' with the Cross and found the remaining words to the Keith Green song. The 2nd verse sounds like me this morning:</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Oh Lord, my body's tired</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">But Your keep reminding me</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Of many holy, tireless men</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Who spilt their blood for Thee</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">My prayer is that The Lord forgive me once again for my failures and give me strength and endurance to continue The Race, striving and following hard after Him alone. May I not simply admire Jesus from afar and hold Him only in adoration. Adore Him, yes, but do not stop there. Adore Him, behold Him, honor Him, obey Him, love Him in reckless abandon and be oblivious to my own needs, my discomfort or my plan for the day.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Oh Lord, You're Beautiful</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Your face is all I seek</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">And when Your eyes are on this child,</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Your grace abounds to me!</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em> </div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Thank you, Jesus, for your faithfulness and your undying patience with me. Your grace indeeds sustains and covers me. Your blood alone is the only thing to make me anything at all before You. I love You, Lord. </span></div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-60058285915049562042009-02-11T11:59:00.006-05:002009-02-11T12:33:10.470-05:00In the Silence...<span style="font-family:verdana;">Silence - why do we run from it? Why do we turn away from the 'absence of sound or noise'? Being quiet or silent implies a sense of stillness - devoid of or abstaining from motion.; uttering no sound. It is a place where 'we' must cease to exist. When we remain here, the focus can shift from ourselves to Jesus. Ecclesiastes 3:7 says there is "a time to keep silence, and a time to speak". We have so concentrated on our speaking, we have forgotten the joy of silence. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This is a place in life where I am welcoming silence. Distractions have been plentiful and there indeed comes a time when we must either pull ourselves away from all the 'noise' or we will get caught up in it. Jesus set the perfect example when He walked this earth and would frequently get away to be with the Father. Sometimes, in order to hear the Father, we need to be quiet and listen; to abstain from motion and utter no sound. Honesty prevails in silence.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">In the Silence</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;"> by Jason Upton</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Tired of telling You, You have me, when I know You really don't</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Tired of telling You I'll follow, when I know I really won't</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">'Cause I'd rather stand here speechless, with no great words to say,</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">If my silence is more truthful and my ears can hear how to walk in Your way.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">In the silence, You are speaking</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">In the quiet, I can feel the fire</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">And it's burning, burning deeply</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Burning all, it is that You desire to be silent, in me.</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Oh, Jesus, can You hear me? My soul is screaming out,</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">And my broken will cries teach me what Your Kingdom's all about.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Unite my heart to fear You, to fear Your Holy Name,</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">And create a life of worship, in the spirit and truth of Your loving ways.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">In the silence, You are speaking</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">In the quiet, I can feel the fire</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">And it's burning, burning deeply</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;">Burning all, it is that You desire to be silent, in me.</span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span> </div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-69233147732829104142009-02-10T11:10:00.011-05:002009-02-11T10:51:12.723-05:00The Error of Irreverence...<span style="font-family:verdana;">This morning, God placed in my mind 2 Samuel 5:19 "So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”</span> <span style="font-family:verdana;">After reading the rest of the chapter, I was brought back to the very first sentence, "<em>So David inquired of the Lord...."</em> and wondered just how often I missed doing that. How often do I do my own thing and not inquire of the Lord first? Truth be known, it's much more often than I wish it to be. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">If I can be faithful to the Lord in inquiring of Him in those small things, how </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">much easier will it be during those big things? Or in difficult times?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I continued reading this morning through the next chapter of 2 Samuel - this is where David brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. As I read, it seemed to me as if David's attempt to move God's presence (the Ark) was done simply according to what <em>he</em> thought was the right way. His 'method' (for lack of a better word) appeared to be right but, in the end, this gave way to a scenario that cost <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Uzzah</span> his life.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">In verse 7, God struck <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Uzzah</span> "for his error" and he died immediately right there beside the Ark. From the verses, I cannot ascertain what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Uzzah's</span> actual <em>intention</em> was. The Word only states that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Uzzah</span> put his hand to the Ark when the oxen stumbled - it does not specify his intention. Perhaps he did not have an ulterior motive, I don't know. I certainly am not worthy to judge any one else's motivations anyway! As I read the Word, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Uzzah's</span> error was in "taking hold" of the Ark. That word 'error' is translated as 'irreverence'. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Uzzah</span> disregarded that which is Holy and treated it as if it were common. He was irreverent to the presence of the Lord (the Ark) by reaching out to steady it when the oxen stumbled. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Did you happen to notice <em>where</em> the oxen stumbled? It was at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Nacon's</span> threshing floor, which is interesting in itself, if you think about it. To begin with, the ground for a threshing floor is normally made smooth and beaten down to make it hard. It is here where the wheat is separated from the chaff. </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Those oxen took a step that was not expected or anticipated by man but God knew exactly what was going on. Doesn't He always? </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">As I continued to read, I noticed David had acted in what he believed was a good way to transport the Ark. He thought a brand new cart was an excellent (and easy) way to bring the Ark into Jerusalem. David failed in not learning the protocols of The King. It seemed to me as if David had sought the Lord in what was to be moved (the Ark) but stopped there. He failed to 'inquire of the Lord' as to the 'how' God's presence was to be moved. And it was not until David came into alignment with God's way of doing things that the Ark was transported without someone dying. </span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">With the New Covenant of Christ, the blood of Jesus destroyed the need for any additional sacrifice(s) to be made in order to enter into God's presence. His completeness of Grace and Mercy on the Cross by His total Sacrifice changed the protocols of the Law forever. And yet, we still insist on approaching the Lord our own way, in our own ability rather than His. God cannot look upon sin so we dare not to enter His presence without the blood of Jesus covering us, lest we die. We must continually examine ourselves before the Lord and, at the same time, trust in the fullness of His grace to make us fit to be before the Throne.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">So, I began to ponder just how many "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Uzzah's</span>" have occurred in my own life because of my error, my irreverence. He has certainly shown me much mercy by not striking me down on the spot and, if were not for His grace, that may have already happened. It is important to know, however, approaching the Lord isn't in a method, system or order - it's a heart condition. Are you surrendered to Jesus? To His will and not your own? Do you approach the Lord because you can? Or might it be simply because you want to, out of sheer love for Him and your desire to be with Him?</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Christ's sacrifice on the Cross restored the avenue for open fellowship between us and our Heavenly Father. He wants to walk with us, just like He did with Adam in the Garden, before the fall. Can you imagine their conversations?!? I think God is really calling His children back to Himself not only because He loves us but also in that He wants to spend time with us. He desires for us to know <em>His </em>heart, to show us <em>His</em> dreams for our life. I wonder if He grows tired of listening to our demands, our wish lists and our insistence in doing things a certain way, our way? He is so patient...</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><strong><em>John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">NKJV</span>)</em></strong></span></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em></strong></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">You can't access God in your own way or by your own methods - it's only through Christ Jesus. Oh, please, please, do not use my Lord (do not err by irreverence) as a gateway to the Father for presenting a wish list or just to get something from Him. How that must break His heart! And oh, what a painful lesson we may have to learn as David did.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">I love you, Lord. Help me to see the error of my ways in approaching You, most Holy One. Clear my heart of my own wants and desires; replace them with Yours. Thank you, Jesus, for Your perfect sacrifice! Thank you for opening the door back to the Father. Now, let me return to my First Love with reckless abandon!</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em><strong></strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em><strong>Oh Lord, You're beautiful!</strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em><strong>Your face is all I seek!</strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em><strong>For when your eyes are on this child,</strong></em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em><strong>Your faith abounds to me.</strong></em> </span></div><div align="center"></div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-40035875895036762002009-02-02T08:27:00.008-05:002009-02-04T11:18:10.947-05:00No greater Refuge......<div align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;"><em>Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God is flawless;He is a shield to those who take refuge in him." (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">NIV</span>)</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">What a wonderful place to be - in the Refuge of the Almighty! It's almost too grand of a thought to contain but such relief washes over my soul just reading that verse. For me that refuge is a place of rest, gentleness and release - something I desperately need at this moment. I am overcome with the love of my Heavenly Father no matter where I am or what I am doing. I am so undone. </span></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em></div><br /><div align="center"></div><p align="center"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JK_6osCH74"></a></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><br /><br /></p><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="left"></div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-78375633813721541142009-01-28T09:33:00.009-05:002009-02-02T08:25:30.656-05:00Do I please Him?<span style="font-family:verdana;">I have asked myself this question many times and know I have both failed and succeeded. Pleasing the Master is something I hold dear too but all too often can get caught up in the action of doing rather than the place of being. There is quite a fine line, isn't there? As humans, we typically don't 'wait' well, feeling like we must do something to spur God into action. It pains us to see our circumstances seemingly swallow us up while God sits back and doesn't do anything. I have found, however, this is exactly when He is doing the most work but I either can't or won't see it. And it is in these times, we are looking more through our fleshly eyes than our spiritual ones.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Pursuing intimacy with Jesus is my hope. At times, however, I find myself too buried in the pursuit of Him instead of merely being with Him. It's an action that has plagued generations before me as well. I don't just want to know <em>about</em> the Lord, I want to <strong><em>KNOW HIM</em></strong>. And so subtle is the difference! Lately, God has brought to mind many times where my pursuit of learning more about Him and His word took precedence over truly knowing Him, His character, His very being. Now, I know that I cannot fully grasps the depths of His <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">reasoning's</span> for He is so much grander than I, larger than my small concept of life and so above the feeble attempts I make in thought. But, such a relief that is!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Blind trust is not something most folks can do easily. Believing God has that better way ahead is easy to agree with in the beginning but when things don't happen in a certain order or within our specified time frames, we get a little nervous. Am I hearing from God? Am I hearing myself instead? Questions of doubt plague our minds over and over again, sometimes to the point of abandoning the wait altogether somehow convinced we missed it. So often, we fall back on what is familiar and comfortable, trading what is new and unexpected for the traditions or teachings we have grown <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">accustomed</span> to. This safety zone is a threat to the very Life within us because it is during this time of waiting we develop a trust and utter desperate dependency on the Lord. Any hint of ourselves or own ability must be dealt with in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">contemplative</span> prayer to the Lord. We must abandon our need to 'do' something (i.e. perform) and allow the Light of Christ to perfect us, to work within us as He sees fit. His will, after all, is our sole desire.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Pleasing the Lord never requires us to do something for Him. After all, He is God and needs not our help, our assistance or our input. I recall the words of Oswald Chambers warning us "<em>Beware of anything that competes with loyalty to Jesus Christ. The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him. It is easier to serve than to be drunk to the dregs. The one aim of the call of God is the satisfaction of God, not a call to do something for Him." </em>How many times have you been told or taught that your loyalty to someone is measured by the amount your service? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hmm</span>...works comes to mind here! I always thought my loyalty to Christ would be measured more by my love for Him than what I can <em>do </em>for Him. He doesn't need anything from me. He does, however, ask for my life, my love, my will, everything there is about me - after all, He first gave all of that to me so that I could truly live. And I am so thankful for that!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">One other thought that comes to mind is about misplaced loyalty. Some would argue Christian's are to be loyal to their families, their friends, their Pastor, their Church but rarely does one hear a calling to be loyal only to Christ. Now, while all being loyal to all of those people may be a good thing, I would argue it that it completes directly with our loyalty to Christ. His word clearly says that you cannot serve both God and man. </span><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>Luke 16:13 (Amplified Bible)<br />No servant is able to serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches, or </strong></span></em><em><span style="font-family:verdana;"><strong>anything in which you trust and on which you rely).</strong></span></em></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em></strong></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Do you see the subtle danger in putting a good thing in place of the best thing? This battle between our flesh and the pursuit of good things verses our spirit and the pursuit of the best thing rages on behind the scenes. The best thing(s) can only found in our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">relationship</span> with Jesus Christ. No exceptions and you cannot have it both ways. You cannot compromise your loyalty based upon what someone tells you - I would say to search the scriptures for the Truth you are seeking. Anything that I have written, please do NOT take it as truth just because you may agree with it. Search His word, test all things and hold fast to what is good. I pray God filters my words by His word and, where I need correction, I pray His Holy Spirit delivers that and I receive it accordingly.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">After all, I want to please my Master. I do not wish to grieve Him in word, thought or action. I pray the Holy Spirit bring to mind the times when I fail Him and bring me to that precious place of repentance before Him. I can see why the Puritan's often prayed for the 'gift of tears' and how being open to conviction, having a soft heart before the Lord is the place to be. May we be humbled in the sight of the Lord, a knowing that His grace is what saves us and what we must cling too. That is my prayer today and may my heart always sing...</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">All the way, my Savior leads me, who have I to ask beside?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">How could I doubt His tender mercy, who through life has been my guide?</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">All the way, my Savior leads me, and cheers each winding path I tread,</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">And gives me grace for every trial, feeds me with the Living Bread.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">All the way, my Savior leads me. O, the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">fullness</span> of His love.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">O the sureness of His promise, in the triumph of His blood.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">When my spirit clothed immortal, wings its flight to realms of day,</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">This my song through endless ages, Jesus leads me all the way.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Jesus, me all the way!</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">You lead me, and keep me from falling</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">You carry me, close to your heart</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">And surely your goodness and mercy will follow me</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-family:Verdana;">It will follow me.</span></em></div><div align="center"></div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4345113919692323343.post-11589539863956147742009-01-26T12:40:00.010-05:002009-02-02T08:26:01.799-05:00The Idolatry of Misplaced Hope...<span style="font-family:verdana;">Hope...a word that evokes thoughts of my Saviour, Jesus Christ. He alone is my hope, my salvation and my everything. I cannot imagine placing my trust, my hope or my desires into anything other than Him but I find I still perform some act of idolatry almost daily. Having an idol is merely looking to something or someone else other than God alone. It's not always the golden calf image that wrecks our loyalty to Jesus. It can be more subtle in things like our personal 'image', people liking us, money, spouses, jobs and so on. Anything that takes precedence over Christ can easily become an idol. Sadly, we often become much like those things in which we place our trust.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">As I've watched news bytes, sound clips and read various articles over the recent inauguration events, I have been struck by how much misplaced hope there is and especially so among professing Christian's. I do not understand how/why anyone can place hope on the shoulders of any man (or woman) who cannot bear the weight of the government. I remember reading somewhere that Jesus handles all of that. Now, before you get yourself in a tussie, please know I am not saying God fell asleep or was napping on the job when our elections came around. Nothing has taken Him by surprise and I am so thankful for that! Our hope is never to be placed in a man or woman, no matter what his/her belief's are, no matter how many promises are made and no matter who that person believes in, even if that person is a Christian. To do so, is honestly another form of idolatry and it can be so subtle, clad with dreams of change, aspirations and so forth.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">What concerns me is I see and hear so many people are placing their hope in a man and any human ability to bring them hope or change to their everyday life. This in itself bothers me. Have we opted to hear only the words of our own hearts desire? I am so amazed how much like the Israelites we have become. Remember in the Old Testament, where Israel demanded a King? This was not God's first intention or His desire for that place was to be His alone. Yet, He gave His children what they asked for and that tradition has been handed down for generations. It's almost like God Himself, the Creator of the Universe is somehow not enough for us. Oh yes, we say things like how we know God is with us or is out there for us but instead of running into His open arms, we choose to run towards a man, an office or a title. If I consider (trust) another human being, his/her ability or policies to somehow bring me hope, then I have betrayed my Jesus.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;">According to Scripture in Matthew 10:34-39, the Bible says Christ same to divide; to separate, if you will, good from evil, good things from the best things and man things from Godly things. It reminds me of a test of sorts - something to make clear where one's loyalty may rest:</span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><em>Matthew 10:34-39 (Amplified Bible)<br />Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to part asunder a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a </em><em>newly married wife from her mother-in-law-And a man's foes will be they of his own household.</em><em>He who loves [and </em><em>takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [</em><em>cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me.<br />Whoever finds his [</em><em>lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life]</em>.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Is Jesus enough for you? Do you trust Him enough to run to Him for everything? Will you be or are you loyal to Him alone? To whom do you place your trust, your hope? It is in verse 38 where it really strikes me. <em>"And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me</em>. To what or whom do I cleave? Is it my spouse, my children, my life, my political affiliation, my church? Do I conform to His example? Do I conform wholly? Is there any part of myself where I place hope in someone or something OTHER than Christ? </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Examination begins from within but not without the Light of Christ to bring everything out into the open. Lord, Jesus help me!</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Now, I do believe we should pray for those in government. Just realize there is a subtlety that exists to place our trust in government, in systems or in man. This flies in the very face of our loyalty to Christ alone. Kingdoms will rise and kingdoms will fall but Jesus Christ and HIS Kingdom will stand forever. I long for purity of heart, purity of Spirit and purity in my obedience to the Master. Only by His grace, His love and mercy can I continue the journey towards being His.</span></div>Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073406093912577513noreply@blogger.com1