Contented Dreams...

I always write from what I am going through and God really impressed this on me one night while I was sleeping.  For those of you that know me personally, you know I am pretty straight-forward. For you that don't know me... please keep in mind, many times what I write is so hard for me... God is working on me through all of this too! It is probably more for me than you, but I hope you can get something out of it as well.

 

What is the difference between dreaming and a dream??? Is there a difference? Is one done with discontentment and the other done already being content??? I was wondering, if we are not content in the life God has given us now, will He put a dream in front of us??? For instance, if we are not living our life to the fullest with the way it is right now… will God give us more?  Is a grateful heart the difference between dreaming and a dream??? I can dream that one day my prince will come and sweep me off my feet, yet if I show no appreciation for my husband, no matter how flawed he may be now, will my marriage ever get any better? 

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” I Timothy 6:6

We think when we are children and maybe even as adults… dreams are some sort of “magic.” Have you heard people say that their life is so much better when they are dreaming?  Dreaming is not real life… dreaming will never be reality as long as we never start really living in our own life… nothing will ever change!

So lets ask ourselves… “Am I content with my life?”  For myself, I have a great husband… a beautiful home… wonderful friends… a loving family… and best of all an unbelievable relationship with God!  What more could I want?  I am not saying my life is perfect, by any means… it can be a day to day battle that takes real effort to live a contented life.  Not always easy to do!

My hubby and I have really been stretched in our faith and obedience in the last 6 months.  I was thinking about that and asking God to show me why this is all happening to us… I feel so undeserving of all He is pouring out on me. As I looked back over all He has been doing I could see that there was a time when I believe God said, “Okay, it is time to step it up a little.”  A couple years ago God gave me this passage in 2 Kings 4:8-17… I knew part of what it meant in my life at the time, but more and more He is showing me that being contented with the life He has given me is another part of it too.

If you are not familiar with this story it is about a Shunammite woman, the Bible actually calls her “great woman.”  She was called to feed Elisha, the prophet, as he passed by her home. She and her husband even made him a room to stay in whenever he came by their place.  She took good care of God’s prophet. One day she was called before Elisha and he told her that her faithfulness would be rewarded.  All the kindness she had shown Elisha was not for reward, but because she knew he was a man of God.  Elisha told her what her reward would be and she did not believe him because she thought it was impossible.  But just like Elisha had spoken it to her, it happened at the appointed time.

I have failed God so many times. Every day I try to remain faithful even when I am angry and don’t understand what He is doing.  I search in His Word to find exactly what He has for me for that day… on the days I do not take that time… my day is usually a flop until I seek God’s face.  I know that being renewed through His faithfulness makes it easier for me to be faithful to Him.  I find it is impossible to be content unless I am trusting Him.  If I can’t trust Him to meet my daily needs or to fulfill His promises I will never be content.  

“Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7

Okay, so here is the question… Are you living a contented life? It has nothing to do with circumstances, finances or what you don’t have… it has only to do with who you are allowing God to be in your life as your life is right now.  It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to do better… it just means every step we take forward needs to be done with contentment. Choose to live a life of gratefulness, even when you don’t see all the good!  Contentment, faithfulness, trust will lead to God’s path with the big dreams He has for you!

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5

Praise Him for His loving kindness!

Rejoicing in Truth!

Showing Love...

How do we as humans show love to others? Do we try to do things that make them happy? Do we try to be respectful of their feelings and their likes and dislikes? Or do we do the opposite of what we know they would want? Is that how to show someone love? I am not saying you wouldn’t still love a person that disappointed you or purposely did things that they knew would hurt you. What I guess I am wondering is… how do you express the love you feel inside for someone???

When my hubby and I were first married, I thought the way to show love was through food. I liked to cook and he loved to cook. Needless to say I think we both put ten pounds on in our first year of marriage! Yep, not the healthiest way to show love!

But real love from the heart has to be done with a death to selfishness. Death… selfish… those aren’t very pretty words!  Yes, we are still human so selfishness will still rear its ugly head from time to time… I just don’t believe that is ever the intention of real love.

As Believers we are to live by Christ’s example… right? Ephesians 5:2 says, “Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” Was there ever a time Christ was selfish? Was there ever a time He was disobedient? Even when His Father told Him He would die a horrible death on the cross… He was obedient! Selfless obedience! Wow, that just really struck my heart… how many times has God asked me to do something small and yet I have drug my feet to do it or did not do it at all? I am not meaning this in a condemning way… this is a wake-up call to my selfishness! It is not about me… it is all about Him… that is what it has to be about! I believe that every opportunity God puts before me is not only to grow my relationship with Him, but even more importantly it is to bring others into a relationship with Him. I am not talking about good deeds to win God’s love… I am talking about being selfless to win others to Him because I love God. It is a beautiful circle… if I am willing to help complete it!

I know for myself I have spent a lot of time comparing how I am or what I do to others. I would think, if so and so isn’t doing it why should I have to? I know I wasted many opportunities squabbling in my head and heart about the things God wanted me to do. Nothing like a good wrestling match with God! I was making it all about me and how I would look or how uncomfortable I would be… and using other people as my excuse not to! God has shown me that what He is asking me to do is for me to do… He is asking me, not so and so! Why am I so stubborn sometimes? Flesh vs. Spirit… that great battle I fight daily!

Do you know, showing kindness… speaking truth… encouraging someone with a smile… those are small things that we can do that could change someone’s perspective. I may not be the one who prays the prayer of salvation with that person, but obedience in those small gestures could be what points them in the right direction.

When I sat down to write this, the verse that got me started thinking was… “If the death of His Son restored our relationship with God while we were still His enemies, we are even more certain that, because of this restored relationship, the life His Son lived will save us.” Romans 5:10  You are probably wondering how this verse ties into what I just wrote… what it boils down to for me is there can never be life (restoration) without the death of something… self… pride… ideas! How bad do I want it? Am I willing to let these things die to achieve it? The Great Love that God gave me through His Son is enough reason for me to put aside my selfish agenda. God has just been stretching me so much in the area of obedience and I wrote this and I’m sharing it with you… in obedience! God, shine the light on those selfish areas in my life, in Jesus’ name.

Rejoicing in Truth!

Here It... Do It!

“But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” - James 1:22

Are you a doer or a hearer only?  Even though I might read God’s Word every day, many times I know I don’t do it. I was thinking how it is like sitting down at a beautifully set table to have a fabulous meal… you know, where all the forks, spoons and knives are in their proper place… shiny, polished crystal glassware… heirloom china… oh, and cloth napkins, of course. You are seated in your chair ready to take that first bite of a scrumptious meal… you place that bite in your mouth and chew it and chew it and chew it, but then instead of swallowing it you spit it out. Do you ever get the nutrition you need from that food? It might have satisfied your taste-buds, but it will never fill your belly!

Our physical bodies need food as fuel to keep us going… just like our spiritual bodies need nourishment from God’s Word to keep us on His path. We might open our Bible and read the precious words on the page… we can read it and read it and read it, but if we don’t ingest it and do it… we never will receive the “nutrition” we need from it.

I have really been challenging myself a lot for the last few months to be a doer and not just a hearer. I know I have lived so much of my life looking “good” on the outside, but my motives have not always been what they should have been… living and doing things in a prideful way. I have to daily check my motives… is it to honor and glorify God first and foremost??? Don't misunderstand... I am not saying you need to always be doing. What I am saying is we need to live out what we are gleaning from God's Word. Hear It and do It... let that be my passion! Will you join me in this challenge?

Rejoicing in Truth!

Tested to Be Trusted...

Thinking a lot about testing… not the kind in school that tells you how much you know, but the kind in life that shows you how much you don’t know.  With the way my life is right now, in waiting mode, I can see many moments of testing. 

This morning I was reading in Deuteronomy 8 and in verse 2 – “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands.” Hmmm… humble and test! Not the most fun words!?

When I was in school, before I could move onto a new class or a new subject or a new grade… I was given a written test.  Why test us before we can move on? I now can see a test is like giving us a “practice” before real life.  Like a person that goes to medical school… wouldn’t you want them to be tested before they are able to actually work on real, living bodies???  During a big test in school, I doubt I ever got all the answers right… I had to be willing to admit I don’t know it all!  That is humbling.  I see it the same way when God tests my faith… my will… my motivation.  Ah, motivation… now that is really hitting home. Realizing… if my motivation is not right then I will get tired of the battle and give up.  No matter how aggravating at times it can be to wait… wait… and wait some more… that is truly when God can see what is in my heart, but more importantly He shows me what is in my heart!  The test!  

Here is a quote by Adrian Rogers, “A faith that hasn’t been tested can’t be trusted.”  Let me ask you… would you want a surgeon operating on you that had never been tested?  It gives me a whole new way to look at being tested!

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:10

Rejoicing in Truth!

Set Apart?... Really?...

We all spend so much time of our life just trying to fit in!  I am pretty sure most people want to be accepted.  They want to have a place they belong.  I was studying about living a life being set apart.  Really, God, You want me to be set apart?  The truth is as soon as I accepted Christ into my life… I was set apart! The tough part comes when I am faced with the question… Am I willing to live my life honoring God by being set apart?

I can remember growing up, I had incredible parents (they still are)… they worked hard to meet all our needs, but many of our wants were out of reach.  I was blessed to have a mom that sewed (although as a kid I did not see it as a blessing!) so until about the 5^th grade many of my clothes were homemade.  I always felt like that made me not fit in with the other kids that had store-bought clothes.  I can remember when I was in junior high the Jordache jeans were the big thing.  Of course, my parents would not spend that kind of money on a pair of jeans, and honestly I didn’t want them to… I just wanted to have something that looked like everyone else’s.  I can remember finding some knock-off designer jeans at a store called “Foxmoor”… they were only $20 and they actually fit!  Surely this would be my answer to feeling like I fit in. Needless to say it really had nothing to do with my clothes why I didn’t fit in… it had to do with Christ living inside me.  Many of the kids around me thought differently… acted differently… spoke in ways I would have never.  Looking back now I can see it was my Heavenly Father setting me apart, it was hard then but now I am thankful.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 

God has set us apart to be His witness. He has set us apart to bring Him glory.  Are you willing to fight to live a life set apart?  Think about the women of the Bible that chose to live a set apart life… Rahab, Ruth, Esther, Mary… to name a few of my favorites.  Just common people, like you and me.  Their beginnings might not have been ideal, but when they took that first step down the path God had for them… I am sure they had no idea where it would all lead.  There is no way they could even fathom what impact fighting to be set apart would have on the world… just like we have no idea where a single step towards God will lead. 

“But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased” Galatians 1:15

 
I know where I fit in now… it is by being set apart that I fit in through God’s grace.  I do not really care about pleasing people very much, but I do live to know that I am pleasing God.

"Know that the Lord has set apart His faithful servant for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him." Psalms 4:3

Ok, here is the challenge… you are set apart, chosen by God to stand out as His witness to bring Him glory.  Now is the time to find a way to be comfortable in this lifestyle of being set apart.  Accept who God has chosen you to be… you can make a difference in every area of your life.  It is the right time to become more watchful about your walk with God.  Remember, common people do great things for God when they choose to walk the path of purpose.

“We have been set apart as holy because Jesus Christ did what God wanted Him to do by sacrificing His body once and for all.” Hebrews 10:10

Rejoicing in Truth!

Truth Is...

Have you seen on social websites posts that start off, “Truth is…”?  A few of my friends which happen to be teenagers is mostly where I see these kind of posts.  Since I am not a teenager, I guess the purpose behind it is to see what your friends will say the truth is about you… I think they are hoping for good things that will confirm acceptance from their peers.

So here is a set of “Truth is” for Christ followers.  I don’t know about you but when I need focus in my life… when everything seems upside-down… I have to start with what I know to be the truth.

Truth is… All people want their life to matter.  Especially, as Believers we should be driven with passion to live a fruitful life for Christ.

Truth is… There are three things that are required to have a fruitful life.  First we must be cleansed through the blood of Christ.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

Truth is… We must abide in Him.  Abide… not really a word we use in our normal everyday language.  What does it mean to abide?  To live; to wait; to endure; to remain. When things are going good, you abide in God… when things are going not so good, you will still abide in God.  No matter the circumstance… we have to abide in Him!  You can be mad at Him… you can feel life is unfair… you can be frustrated or irritated, but one constant must remain… you will abide in Him! “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4

Truth is… Obedience is the outward sign of love for our Savior (John 15:10). In 1 John 5:2-3 in says, “We know that we love God’s children when we love God by obeying His commandments. To love God means that we obey His commandments. Obeying His commandments isn’t difficult.”  Its great how it says, “obeying… isn’t difficult,” this is from God’s Word translation… it is really straight forward and to the point… love that!  Obedience is not difficult; it is our flesh that makes it difficult. (Galatians 5:13)

Truth is… Serving the Lord is an incredible privilege! You are good enough and equipped to do it through Jesus Christ! We are God’s hands and feet here on earth, today… think about that… if we are not willing to walk it out or lift a finger to serve in the church we attend, then are we accepting the honor God has given us???

“God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

Truth is… I am writing this out of devotion for God.  It is also directed at me as much as it is at any of you.  I don’t know where you are at in serving the Lord, but I challenge you to take that step in obedience. God has empowered each of us to do greater things for Him, but we need to take that first step.  Remember, your help comes from above!

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalms 121:1-2

Rejoicing in Truth!

Other scriptures to read: John 12:26, John 15:1-14, Romans 12:11, Ephesians 6:7, IPeter 2:16, I Peter 4:10

Seasons of Change...

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.

Take a couple minutes to read that whole chapter.  Verse 6 just jumped out at me... "A time to gain, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away;"   That is how I want to live my life... realize that life keeps going and changing... there will always be loss in life, but from that loss we all need to be able to find the good to come... we better be ready to accept it and roll with the punches... we need to keep growing and changing or we will become stale and discouraged... I do know for sure that no matter the season of each of our lives we need to keep trusting God... and all He is really asking from us is an open, willing heart and a loving attitude.

Just as the winter turns to spring,

Our lives have changing seasons too;

So when a gloomy forecast comes,

Remember -- God has plans for you. – Sper

Father, I ask you to uphold me, Lord, as I try to live a blameless life. I trust in You, Lord, that I will not falter.  Test me and examine my heart and mind that I am always mindful of your unfailing love.  I will rely on Your faithfulness no matter what changes come my way.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Whatever you may be going through... God is right there with you... remember He is the only thing that will never change! (Hebrews 13:8)

Rejoicing in Truth!