Security

Everything is fragile.  Oh, the feeling of security that comes from having money in the bank.  It is so nice.  After going through bankruptcy in the latest recession I find myself really wanting to protect that new little savings account and getting a little jumpy if I see it dwindling.  Yet it is ever vulnerable.    

When my business is doing well like it is right now, and we are achieving our goals and accomplishing big things it is extremely satisfying.  But every victory is short lived. The next day comes and we are working again to keep up the progress.  Even in success it is a constant struggle.  I am blessed because I am passionate about my work.  But there is no coasting.  It always seems one month away from failing. 

As an athlete I had the gift of a strong flexible body that can be counted on in a competition or performance.  I took it for granted for many years.  Now at age 51 my body is fickle.  It takes effort to be fit, but the real struggle is finding the flow of motivation and energy.  

The rock. Only one thing makes me feel secure.  Gods love and hold on me.  “ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38

“ When I think of the wisdom and scope of his plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God—some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth—  that out of his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you the mighty inner strengthening of his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself.”

Strength and beauty.  ”Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.  May he be given glory forever and ever through endless ages because of his master plan of salvation for the Church through Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 3:14-21

Strong beyond my Will Power

Will power is a very good thing.  How much do you have?  The bible tells us there is something better than will power.  It is called self-control and it is a “fruit of the spirit”.   ^Galatians 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control.  Thank you, Holy Spirit!

This world offers us many things, and we are free to do what we want.  We are free to follow every whim.  But you know your heart has been changed when you want to do the right thing, the good thing, the loving and mature thing.  Falling in love with Jesus changed my “want to”.   Plus it provided a strength beyond my own.

So when the next thing that seems like a harmless thrill presents itself, pause.  Pray first.  Let the Holy Spirit help you make your decision.   That is where the strength comes from.  Turn your thoughts to God.   Simple prayers are a powerful connection to Him. "Lord, guide me", "Lord, help me", or simply whispering "Jesus" are all it takes.  Too easy, I know.

Do you notice that your car speedometer goes to 150?  Do you spend all your money on cookies?  Do you take everything that is offered to you?  See, you already have a measure of self-control.  Follow God and he will provide the rest.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sSR0NDNG8s

Change my heart, Oh God.

Experiencing God is "More than a Feeling"

I have been so “into” bible study lately.  I have been hungry to know all I can about bible history and timeline.  As I learn more and more I experience God in a deeper way, more of the big picture.  As AJ reminded me, it is like putting together a puzzle.  God made the puzzle and we each get to put it back together, and as we do we discover and learn so much.

There is an analogy that a young boy saw some needle point that his grandma was working on and thought it was an ugly mess.  But then she turned it around and he saw a beautiful piece of art.  He was just looking at it from the wrong side.  Just like we are looking at God’s handiwork from earth and he sees it from heaven. 

I have met bible scholars who have learned and eventually forgotten more than I will ever know about the bible.  Yet sometimes I don’t see joy in their lives.  We need to remember that acquiring head knowledge may get us a satisfied mind, but our soul may still be hungry. 

The bible talks about the Pharisees, men who knew scripture very well.  They knew right from wrong and attempted to serve God by teaching everyone about sin and how to behave.     They had vast head knowledge of God.  But a mind cannot understand love.  Try to define love and your brain falls short.

Love equals grace.  And your head does not understand grace because it is not logical.  It is not justice.  Your head just has to decide to accept it.  

Yes, love is a verb.  But love is also a noun.  I bet you can’t describe it.  It is not just emotion.  It is (as the song goes) more than a feeling.  The band Boston was singing about the feelings and emotions that music brought to their lives.  The Holy Spirit is like music in that way.  If you can describe what it is like to experience music then you may be able to describe what it is like to experience interaction with God. 

Everyone who has experienced God’s love becomes a teacher, a profit of sorts.  Each testimony teaches others yet another aspect of grace, and more pieces of that puzzle. 

God is to be experienced with your whole soul, your mind, yes, but also your heart and emotions.  Thank God for our emotions.  They get a bad rap.  But how else would you know the peace that comes from silent prayers to the One who never leaves you?  How else could you gasp at the thrill of finding a new piece of the puzzle?  How else could you sing with passion and joy?   Peace, thrill, and joy are all emotions, aren’t they?

So as I study the events and facts of the bible and get head knowledge of God, I also need to connect with the Holy Spirit by silently talking to Him about what is on my heart, and in my life, right now.

DAYDREAMING OF A PERFECT WORLD- MOVIE STYLE

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.  Philippians 4:8

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.  

In a perfect world cats don’t get run over by school buses.   In a perfect world there is a job for everyone who wants one.  In fact, nearly everything reported in the news would not exist in a perfect world.  I can’t help but wish it were so.

Instead of the evening news I like to watch TV sit coms and I love a good romantic comedy movie.  For a short time I like to rest and get lost in a story where love develops and every silly situation comes to a happy ending.   It is my way of fantasizing about a nearly perfect world unspoiled by sin.    These movies are bashed by critics and yet loved by most women, especially the Christmas rom coms.  

What is it we are so hungry for?  No death, unconditional love, success, beauty, these are some of the things I’m looking for, hopefully with a PG rating.  The only thing missing is God.  We crave the ability to be with God like Adam was.  Walking and talking, learning and laughing, together in the gardens.   So movies with divine intervention where fate steps in to the rescue are popular too.

Thank you, God that there is a “time to laugh”.   And remember… Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:7

WHY WE LOVE THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE

Most little girls dream of a hero.  It could be daddy or a teacher or even a pop star crush.  Because  somewhere in our hearts hides a nagging nightmare that we are going to need help, we are going to need to be rescued.  The nutcracker ballet is one little girl’s elaborate dream of her hero.   He does it all.

First he is a soldier and saves her from danger.  Then he transforms into a hot looking dude revealing that he was secretly a prince all along.  How’s that for a mystery date?  He dethroned the evil empire so he now has acquired a jeweled crown.  Yet he presents it to her, showing that he is humble and generous.  That crown is apparently a marriage proposal and proof of his love and dedication to her alone.  He escorts her to a better land where they rule together in sweet prosperity as prince and princess.

It appears to be such a simple story and a great excuse to stage talented dancers, gorgeous costumes, and a timeless symphony.  But if you stop to think about it, it illustrates the deep desire to be unconditionally loved, rescued, and honored.

For me, those silly looking nutcrackers are a reminder of the true hero of Christmas, the unlikely prince born in a manger.   He grew up to defeat evil and overcome death.   He sent his Spirit to marry with ours in unconditional love, called grace.    And he prepares a future kingdom of perfect peace. 

So let’s celebrate Christmas.  Let’s celebrate with nutcrackers and ballets.  Let’s celebrate with trees and penguins and snowmen.  Let’s celebrate with gifts and music and movies.  Let all creation rejoice!      

Our Steps to Success - Industry and Education or trust and rest?

That is what we grew up trusting, that and hard work.  If you need more, simply work harder.  Give more, be more, know more.  As I was growing up I do not remember ever seeing any adult praying for a financial need, did you?   

I found out we could pray for any sort of need when my first child was an infant and he needed healing.  Prior to that I felt alone in my pain.  I had learned to take care of myself and comfort myself.  I was doing my best to “buck up”.

We learn self-reliance.  We think it is our only option.  Our society applauds the “self-made man”, the winner.  We learn to take, and to grab, and to compete.  We resent others who achieve more, and we look down on those who have less.  We learn that to be independent is to be strong.  But it is an illusion.  God says his strength is perfected in our weakness.  

Oh, he lets us try it our way.  He lets us do our best.  Go for it and knock ourselves out.  But is it our hard work and effort that makes God happy with us?  So if we sacrifice ourselves more can we actually save ourselves?  

Think about it.  Can we ever provide all that we need?  Can we rise to the place that we don’t need God?  Should we try? 

It is not much different than Adam and Eve.  God gave them everything and met their every need.  And they had the freedom to pursue their passions.  They did not have to work for food, shelter, or security.  They “worked” at their passions.  They could create and make art and music and build things.  They could explore their world and each other.  They could get to know God and learn from him.   They were to fill the earth with their family.  They were to be kings of the earth.  The animals were tame and obeyed them.  The weather was not hostel.  They could build homes and cities and amphitheaters.  Whatever they felt like doing.  They were not chained to a job. 

How different from the way we live under the curse.   The curse that said the earth will not naturally provide for you anymore.  We were sentenced to hard labor.  "By the sweat of your brow you will eat".  It begins to crowd out our time with family and friends and our passions, and even God.  Why?  Because Adam and Eve did not trust God’s love and provision for them.  They believed God’s enemy.   They wanted more.  They wanted to be their own Gods.   They made their own decision with the reasoning of their minds.  Even though God said not to do something, it seemed ok to them, so they went ahead.  Then God said have it your way and he took his blessings and disappeared, literally. 

Well, we know that in his mercy he did not take all of his blessings away.  And he has been reaching out to us throughout the ages.  He is the one offering us a way back… a way to balance and peace, with our trust in God and nothing else.

So if it is not hard work to the point of sacrifice that pleases God, what does? 

Faith.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  Our real job is to hear God’s voice in this lost world - to get to know him and to put him first in our lives.  Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to make it possible for us to do it.  This is one of the ways he has set the captives free.  His yoke is easy and his burden is light.  Matthew 11:29 … Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Who is at the top of that ladder you are climbing?  Is it You?  Money?   God?   Just make sure you are on the right ladder.