The Bible is a mirror

Galatians 5: two approaches to religion...

APPROACH ONE:
- What matters to God: Following the rules
- What shows I belong to God: Outer signs of my religion. (In the past: Circumcision. Maybe today: A Christian t-shirt, or a cross around my neck, or a bumper sticker on my car.)
- What I am driven by: The power of my human effort.
- What you'll see in my life if you take a close look: Sexual immorality, hate, selfish ambition, jealousy, drunkeness, putting other things before God

APPROACH TWO:
- What matters to God: Faith
- What shows I belong to God: Serving people in love.
- What I am driven by: The supernatural power of the Holy Spirit.
- What you'll see in my life if you take a close look: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

NOW HERE'S THE QUESTION: And don't give the right answer, give the honest answer... Which of those two approaches more accurately describes you? (And what should you do about that?)

via www.vinceantonucci.com

Evangelism

I need to pray this prayer more often:

Lord, I pray for an opportunity to share my faith with someone in some way. It’s not up to me to decide who or when or where. But I know why. Because you love them and want a relationship with them. So Lord, surprise me with opportunities to share my faith.

Forgive me for trying to do your job for you. You are the one who convicts of sin. You are the one who draws to Christ. But help me do my part as salt and light. Help me see those opportunities to react compassionately or listen patiently or speak kindly. Through word and deed, help me plant seeds of love in the lives of others. Give me boldness when it’s time to speak. Give me restraint when it’s time to listen. Give me words to say. But more importantly, give me ears to hear.

Lord, help me be sensitive to the prompting of your Holy Spirit so I can see the divine appointments you send my way. Help me not to be afraid of questions I cannot answer. Help me not to be afraid of people’s reactions or rejections.

Lord, help me preach the gospel every day, when necessary, with words.

In Jesus name, amen!

via Mark Batterson at www.evotional.com

My stage debut

Okay, I got up and sang on stage today. In front of people. Not to make fun of myself. Not to gain praise for myself. But to praise God.

My friend Tony wanted to do an old school version of "O Happy Day" and needed a choir. When Deb and Tony asked, I thought they were joking.

You see, I am not really the best singer.

But something happens when I am praising God, I mean really praising him. My soul sings. Not me, but my soul.

Someone also handed me a tambourine. I guess I did a pretty darn good job. Especially since we had only one practice.

I am hoping Steve gets it up on Facebook so we can see it.

I had to remember to sing to the crowd. I forgot they were there, I was busy singing to God. Oh and the women on stage I have made friends with and are all lovely people. Everyone accepted me right in.

That touched me deep deep deeeeeeeep inside. The whole experience. I did it! I wasn't self-conscious, I was God conscious. The only pride I took was in my God. And when people said I did a good job, oh that was fun too.

So you have to pardon me, I am on a Holy Spirit high, and pretty filled with joy.

Transformers: more than meets the eye

I was reading in Matthew today and God hit me with a few bricks. One of which is transformation. In Matthew 25 it talks about the sheep and goats. The sheep come before Jesus and are told that they will enter the kingdom because they fed, clothed, and accompanied Jesus. The part that I just got was this: the sheep didn't know that they were doing it. It just was a part of who they were and what they did.

You see, the sheep were transformed so much so, that they didn't think too much about it, it was just who they were. Could you imagine living your life so transformed that Jesus said that you took care of him and you say you had no idea? That means that you take care of everyone as if they were Jesus, and that your nature is so much in line with what God desires for you!

God doesn't ask you to perform works to get into heaven, that's not at all what this is about. What Jesus is saying here is that if you truly love him, you will be transformed so much that it is just your nature, and you can't behave any other way.

So many people I know believe that if they are just a good person they will get into heaven. Jesus is saying that is not the case. He knows, he separates the sheep from the goats. He knows those whose hearts have been transformed. He knows those who put on a show and those who really can't do anything but be good, because its to the core of who they are.

But all have sinned, all fall short of the glory of God, and only Jesus is truly good. However, if you allow Jesus into your heart, and allow Him to transform your life inside and out, He has already finished that work for you on the cross.

Romans 12:12 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

What about you? When Jesus separates the sheep from the goats, where will you go? Are you allowing yourself to be transformed?

I am praying that I allow myself to be transformed more and more every day.

Storytime

I had a great Memorial Day weekend, very memorable.

We took Jeramy out to his grandparents, and relaxed with fishing, boating, and just plain hanging out. Jeramy loved it.

He insisted that he was NOT sleeping on the couch, so we invited him to sleep with us, despite the bed being a very small full size antique bed. So, Jeramy, Dave, myself, and the dog all cuddled into bed. It was fine until Jeramy moved in his sleep and the dog barked at him, waking us all up. Then he ended up upside down and kicked me in the head. He eventually moved out to the living room and slept on the floor. But it was nice, because we were all together as a family.

I have noticed Jeramy using the term family a lot more. When referring to us. I know he likes being a a part of a family. He also is enjoying church, and honestly the kid never wants to leave. Its almost easier to get him to the dentist (okay, not that hard, but still!)

I really wasn't expecting him to grow too close to me, so I backed off. There is so many reasons, but I won't go into that here.

Every night his dad reads him a story. Tonight I picked out the book (Gross stuff fact book) and the first subject was barf, I excused myself because I can't stand barf. Well, after that section, Jeramy invited me back in the room. He said they were done with barf and I could come in. So I laid at the foot of his twin mattress and listened to Dave read about snot, urine, feces, and farts. (Jeramy's favorite was farts, although it was the most boring chapter.) The three of us crammed on a little twin mattress reading about farts. This is awesome. Thanks God. He even rubbed my leg with his foot. Neat.

Well, he still didn't want to fall asleep so I suggested we pray, because when Dad and I need to calm down we pray together. So I led a prayer thanking God for all the awesome things and experiences we have had. We prayed for our family, including extended. I thanked God for Jeramy because he is so awesome and fun. I just can't stop thanking God. It was great, even if Jay hung his head over the edge of the bed the whole time.

Sure enough, that was good. I hugged and kissed him good night and he didn't even flinch like he used to (cuz I was a girl who had cooties, even though he was immune to cooties.) It means he is opening himself to my love, and actually really enjoying it.

I am so happy that he wanted to fart on me yesterday! Call me silly, but it means a lot. I love this little boy like my very own and it means the world to me that he wanted me there to share his storytime.

God, you are so good and faithful. Don't give up hope, when the time is right, God comes through.

Nagging feeling

Everyone knows what a nagging feeling is like. Did I lock the door? Should I call my sister? Things like that.

Recently I have been feeling things like you really should journal about that or why aren't you reading the Bible instead?

I think that God wants to speak to me.

He has a lot to say, and I think my heart is ready.

Now I just have to get my brain there and do it.

"Are you ready? I am going to blow your mind!" God always blows my mind.

Psalm 27, verse 8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”

And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.”

We were made to walk on water

Matthew 14: ²²Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

²⁸"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

²⁹"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

³¹Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

³²And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

I often relate to Peter. This is one of my favorite passages from the Bible. How often is it that I ask God if I can walk on water, but then sink because I stop paying attention to him and notice the storm around me? Way too often. How often is it that I make a mistake and cry out to God for Him to save me? Way too often. How often is it that the Lord saves me? Every time. Every time I cry out to Him.

It was if all the miracles that Jesus performed before didn't mean anything, but walking on water, calming the sea, that made them worship Him.

Are you surrounded by miracles, but refuse to acknowledge that it is God? Do you have to make God walk on water and come to you? Do you ask God if you should follow, obey, then sink because you took your eyes off of him and put your eyes on the world?

Jesus came so we can walk on water. But he also came because he knows how hard it is for us to do so. He knows how we get overwhelmed by the storms of this world.

Are you overwhelmed? Have you lost your sight of God? Cry out to Jesus, he will save you!