The Gifts in my Pocket

I have been teaching on Spiritual Gifts for many years. Recently I taught a three part lesson on this topic to my bible study group and God gave me a wonderful, fresh new take on this subject. After all these years of teaching and studying Spiritual Gifts, I have finally found a way to visually help us grasp ahold of where to focus and place our priorities when following hard after the Lord and using our gifts. I hope it is as helpful to you as it has been for me.

First let's look at some scripture:

S - Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. - 1 Peter 4:10

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.  Romans 12:4

O - If you have studied anything about Spiritual Gifts, you know that these are not "talents" or "hobbies" or interests. The scripture says that Spiritual Gifts are used for serving others and to share God's grace. But this doesn't just mean go out and feed the homeless or help build a house for a veteran. Serving in some capacity to help others is what we are ALL called to do, YES. Using your Spiritual Gifts is more than that and goes a step beyond.

At the point of salvation, when you accept Christ, you are acknowledging that you have messed up, that you cannot do life on your own, that you cannot save yourself, that you recognize that Jesus gave His life for yours and the debt has been paid. When you accept THIS gift, the greatest of ALL gifts, then the Holy Spirit enters the picture and indwells with you for all eternity as you live your life on earth. Our ONLY purpose is truly to serve the Lord as a response to what we have been given. It does not come from a place of obligation but of GRATITUDE for the life you have been given. (2 Cor. 9:6-8) It is up to us, with God's help, to direct others in His direction. Our Spiritual Gifts are the "tools" that we have been given to do that. To commune with and serve the Lord God Almighty is what we were created for so let's not waste it.

Does this mean it could be while you are working at your vocation or hobby? Yes. Does this mean if you are a student you could be using them while going to school and working some hourly wage job? Yes. Does this mean you could use your gifts while being a stay home mom, raising kids and volunteering? ABSOLUTELY. It says we use them as faithful stewards. So whatever we have been given, we need to be wise in how we use it, relying on HIS guidance and direction.

As faithful stewards, that means that if we are the "toe" in the body of Christ, and we try to act like the "elbow" then we will continually fail at what we are trying to accomplish and be frustrated, disappointed, and unfulfilled. We will go through life continuing to search for our purpose and our "calling". Not necessarily right away, but maybe after a time. So if you have taken some time to discover and be prayerful about your Spiritual Gifts, but aren't feeling fulfilled, chances are you are not using them in the right area. The scripture says we make "one body" and if the "toe" is not working right, the body of Christ could be limping a little :) Sometimes this just means you are working with kids when you should be working with adults. Or maybe you are working with the wrong people/personalities. There are many reasons why you could feel things are not working right so instead of praying about a specific request, maybe it's time to ask God to show you and be open to listening for His direction.

God in His infinite wisdom, in reality, will find a way to accomplish His purposes for He will use those that are making themselves available for His service. Sometimes certain parts of the body may feel as if they have been amputated. It is time to see a surgeon to get re-attached and the great surgeon of course is Christ! After all, it says that we belong to all the others and just because we may feel lost or disconnected does not mean that we stop "belonging". We can be reconnected!!! Glory to God!!! Unlike a toe that has been frostbitten, that may be cut off, God restores in every way when we rely on Him. NOTHING is impossible for God!

A - So how does this apply to YOU? Ask yourself these questions:
1. Do I know my top 4-5 Spiritual Gifts?
2. Am I using them?
3. Am I fulfilled while using them?
If you do know them, GREAT! Let's put them to work. If you haven't put them to work yet, consider what gets your heart racing and look for how you can use your Spiritual Gifts in that area. If you are putting them to work but feel like you're going 90 miles an hour, maybe it's time to take a step back.

That's what happened for me 7 years ago and now I can say that I have found a way to say "no" and not feel guilty (I am someone that likes to say YES). Here's what I do...I discovered all of my spiritual gifts and ranked them in order. There are about 4 that are at the top of my list, then another small cluster, and then the bottom group. I divided this up based on looking at the scores of the assessment and finding the natural break in numbers...looking at which ones were closest together. Gifts are never used alone but always with another gift and sometimes, you use one of your top gifts in combination with a secondary gift so it's important to look at both of these categories.

Here is a visual that God gave to me one day that I find helpful in focusing on what I say yes to and what I need to say no to:
Your bottom group of gifts, those go in your back pocket. You do not usually notice what is there in your back pocket until you need what's in there. So leave those alone...don't look at them, think about them or give them any of your attention. Out of sight, out of mind. These are probably not really your gifts...they are low numbers for you but are usually things that we are ALL called to in service. If Hospitality is in your back pocket for example, like it is for me, then the only time you pull it out is when a need arises - I only use this gift a few times a year when they need people to serve hotdogs at our church's Fall Festival, a community outreach, or on Christmas Eve when they need someone to serve cookies. I don't need to feel guilty that I am not on the meals team, making and bringing meals to people all the time. Yes, I need to help when a friend is in need because this is what is asked of ALL of us, but this is not a gift that I should be giving all my time and attention to on a regular basis. I should not be volunteering to be a coordinator for something in hospitality, like a serve team or for a big event. That's just me. Think about what this might be for you.
Your middle group of gifts, those go in your front pants pocket. You can slip your hand in there and pull them out as needed. They are easily accessible and ready to use in partnership with your top group...kind of like a "side kick" in a super hero movie. In my middle group is Intercessory Prayer and I pull it out in partnership often with my top gifts of Encouragement, Faith, or Teaching. It is in complement to where God desires for me to give my main focus, so I pray with friends and those in my bible study group as requested. I do serve on the Altar Prayer Team monthly but other than that I am not called to be a major part of the prayer ministry. Think about what this might be for you.
Your top group of gifts go in your shirt pocket...you know that little pocket you might put a pen in close to your heart? These are the gifts you keep close to your heart and are indicators of where you should be spending your time. I pull these out weekly if not daily. I volunteer for things where I can use my gifts of Teaching and Faith primarily as a small group and discipleship leader on a regular basis. If it is not a ministry where I will be using my primary gifts weekly, I say no to committing to that ministry. I am not always perfect at that and I have had to sometimes bail on commitments I've made for various reasons but this generally works for me as a guide for where to serve. Think about what this might be for you.

There is no substitute for prayer. You cannot make decisions on how to use your Spiritual Gifts without prayer...you just can't. Oh you will try. You will say yes to things because they sound fun, or someone "needs" you, or your friends are doing it, or maybe you don't know your gifts yet so you're trying things out. That's ok. But if you aren't praying about what GOD wants you to do, even if it's a GOOD thing, then chances are great that you will end up either burned out, having to get out of your commitment, or delaying the blessings that God has in store for you. God WILL bless you when you are serving in the right area. I'm not talking about monetary blessings...I'm talking spiritual blessings. When you are within HIS will, it always works out...even if it's challenging or patience is required. It ALWAYS works out in HIS time when we are seeking Him. That's a promise I can make.

If you would like to take a Spiritual Gifts assessment, here is one that I have used that is easy to take and is an easy starting point. There are others out there and God may build up in you a stagnant gift for a time so be open to retaking an assessment again to continually rediscover how God is going to use you at different stages in life.
Spiritual Gifts Assessment

Finally, I think a discussion on Spiritual Gifts is very relevant at this time of year, when we are shopping and gift giving and making our wish lists. Let us all remember the greatest gift is Jesus and the gifts that we receive from the Holy Spirit, in our Spiritual Gifts, are to be used and not wasted. Don't let fear or other obstacles get in the way of what God is calling you to do. Don't wait another day to BLESS someone and help them know the living Lord by using YOUR gifts.

P - My prayer today is for all those that know you to be encouraged to seek out a knowledge of their Spiritual Gifts and to be strengthened to use them. Help all of us Lord to be courageous, even when it's hard, to follow YOUR will and to be in prayer continually about what that means in our own lives. Open our ears to hear. May we be slow to speak and quick to listen. May we have the courage to say no to good things when it means we can say YES to the best things. I thank you Lord for your word that equips us and empowers us to know you more. And I thank you for your son Jesus who is the ultimate gift...may we always be grateful with our purposeful service. Amen.

One nation under God

I want to share this week about what the Bible says on "authority" in honor of Veterans Day. In Sept. I shared our family story and some thoughts on WHO our REAL Daddy is. I hope you read some of the scriptures I shared that describe God's character and help us to know and understand just how much love God has to give and just how BIG He is to handle our biggest problem. If you don't understand and believe that yet, well it is important to stop and read, understand and BELIEVE this before you can understand the concept of "authority".

What is authority anyway? A Google search says this:
The power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience

Here are some questions that I hear from Christians AND non-Christians that I think are interesting to consider under the umbrella of looking at Biblical "authority".

• How is it that God has "authority" over us even if I don't believe in Him? Like in the pledge where it says "One nation under God".
• If so many conservative Christians think Obama or other liberals are so bad then why would God allow them to be in office?
• Who decides who actually has the authority? What if there are different opinions about who's in charge?

If we look at history, fear is the primary tool that oppressors use to gain authority. We see it in the Bible from the Pharaoh and the Hebrews in slavery.

S - Let's take a look at Exodus 1:6-17
⁶ In time, Joseph and all of his brothers died, ending that entire generation. ⁷ But their descendants, the Israelites, had many children and grandchildren. In fact, they multiplied so greatly that they became extremely powerful and filled the land.
⁸ Eventually, a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph or what he had done. ⁹ He said to his people, “Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are. ¹⁰ We must make a plan to keep them from growing even more. If we don’t, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country.”
¹¹ So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. They appointed brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down with crushing labor. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king. ¹² But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more the Israelites multiplied and spread, and the more alarmed the Egyptians became. ¹³ So the Egyptians worked the people of Israel without mercy. ¹⁴ They made their lives bitter, forcing them to mix mortar and make bricks and do all the work in the fields. They were ruthless in all their demands.
¹⁵ Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: ¹⁶ “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” ¹⁷ But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.

O - the midwives obviously did not see the Pharaoh as having authority over their choices. They looked to God and made choices based on God's word, not a human ruler. It says they "feared" God but I don't think this necessarily means they were "afraid" of Him. I think this is a different kind of fear than what we experience by the hand of an enemy. Perhaps they had fear in the sense that they knew God could, if He wanted to, wipe them off the planet. But I think it's much more than that. It's not like the motivation for their actions was just because they thought God would punish them...their motivation wasn't a reaction to fear. I believe it is a fear that comes from respect and honor. Their obedience comes from a place of complete devotion and submission. They shared in the vision that God had a bigger plan and would do ANYTHING for His people. They embraced the commitment to God's purposes and believed He would take care of them, even if that meant temporary suffering by the hands of a human ruler. They trusted that God would protect them, or at least they understood their higher calling, even if their disobedience to the king meant punishment or death. Their purpose was to choose to follow God as the authority in their life. You also find MANY stories of the Hebrew people being oppressed by human rulers and their story is one of continually looking to God as the authority over their life (Egyptians, Babylonians, Romans, etc.). Did they also lose faith at times? Yes, at times they waited decades and even centuries for God to act against their oppressors and wondered WHEN would God come and "fix" their situation and make it better. God has proven time and time again that He is faithful and that He can be trusted with our devotion.

A - We are called to respect and honor human authority today however, our ultimate authority is to follow God's word and to submit to His will. Fear may be a tool used by oppressors throughout history but it is NOT a tool of God to get us to "behave". Instead, we are called to trust His plan and bigger purposes, even in earthly oppression (Jer. 29:11; Psalm 71:20-21). Our momentary troubles and how we react to them are achieving eternal glory (2 Cor. 4:16-18). Many of my friends, and the polls show that many are unhappy about who is in authority in our government and the decisions that are being made. I think we are all entitled to our opinion when things are not going the way they should. I don't think we should stand idly by and allow "whatever happens" to happen. We should speak up! We do need to be vocal in defense of God's commands. However, we are called to be ONE nation under God's authority. And God's word is very clear that we should not quarrel and fight...that we should ask God (James 4:2-3). I think in many ways we are reaping what we have sown as a nation because we have relied on ourselves, we have been greedy, and we have forgotten who is REALLY in authority. It is time for us to turn away from selfish ambition and trust in the Lord, if we are to "fix" any of our problems. We can debate as a people all day about how to solve healthcare, unemployment, homeland security, equality for ALL people, and more heated issues, but the bottom line is we are slaves to our pride and desires and we do not ASK God to provide what we need as a nation. (2 Peter 2:17-19; 2 Cor. 3:5; James 4:2-3). If we are truly, on this Veterans Day, are to reflect on the sacrifice that has been made by American men and women for our freedoms, then we MUST not let it be in vain by forgetting where our "freedom" comes from.  We are ONE nation UNDER God's authority. Let us never forget.

P - My prayer today Lord is for those men and women that HAVE sacrificed their time, their talents, their service, and their lives for our freedoms. I pray that we honor and remember them this week but also that we would not let their sacrifice be in vain by remembering that really we can do NOTHING without you. I ask on behalf of all American people, even those that don't recognize you as THE authority over our nation, that we would submit to your will and your love. You love us faithfully and provide generously and we get greedy and prideful. Forgive us our sin Lord for we do not always know what we do. Thank you for your son Jesus who has wiped the slate clean and may we always give you the glory for our salvation. May we remember who we belong to and who we "work" for. Give us the courage to be bold in our faith and follow hard after you Lord, keeping in mind to focus on the UNITY that you desire for us. It is in Jesus name that I pray!

When God chooses a pumpkin...

I have been wanting to post for almost 2 months now. Blogging has been on the back burner due to football season. Yes, that's right. Here in Texas, football controls everything. I have one in the marching band, therefore football games on Friday nights, sometimes Thursdays and one Saturday this year. This also means lots of practice and marching contests as well. Thankfully that kid is driving! However, I'm the "official" band photographer so I have been attending all the games and events, taking a lot of pictures, and going through a lot of pictures to post on Flickr and share with the other band parents and students. I'm loving it, but thankfully we only have 2 more weeks of this...unless we go to playoffs.

The other son is also in band but not at the high school level so they aren't playing at all the games yet...just two this year. That one actually PLAYS football so that means picking up from practice every day and games every Tuesday. And then there is the other non-football/band child who is actually graduated and attending our local community college, and working some, and not driving yet SO, that means driving her around (I have had GREAT help from GREAT friends though, thank YOU!). Suffice it to say, I've been a taxi for the last two months. (in addition to my job of course, and other responsibilities, and lest we not forget I am actually studying the Word, just haven't stopped to POST the Word, although I do love it so much :)

So with that said, here is what I want to share this week. I get so excited about what I'm reading and I will be spending the next couple weeks sharing several things that the Lord has been teaching me. But the following is actually a repeat from 3 years ago because it is such an important message to share this time of year, this week of Halloween. I hope you are reminded that YOU are valued and treasured by the Lord God Almighty. He will never leave you or forsake you, even in the midst of your trials, busyness or when you forget He's there. This is what I'm reminded of this week. Even when I get busy and overwhelmed...even when I'm not blogging about Him, He is there...He is going before me and ahead of me to continue to work the plan that He has set in motion, a plan for MY life and YOURS. He is protecting me and guiding me. He is creating each day a HOPE and future and it is up to me to choose whether to be a part of it.

This was my blog from 10/1/10:
This is actually my SOAP devotional from several weeks ago on 9/9/10 when I happened to be reading this passage but it made me think of this awesome analogy I've been using with kids (and grown-ups) for years. It's perfect for the month of Oct., especially with so many focused on Halloween. Enjoy!

S - Ezekiel 11:17-21
"Therefore say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.' 18 "They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD."

O - This passage reminds me of a comparison I once heard of us to a pumpkin. It refers to God's promise of restoration. He "gathers" us to Him as a farmer gathers the harvest. He gathered and restored Israel during the "dispara" and He will do the same for us. We are scattered around the world even today but God has a plan for restoration.

A - The story goes like this:
God goes to the pumpkin patch and He chooses you. He opens you up, scoops out all the muck and guck and puts a new face on you. He places His light in you and puts you on His front porch for all the world to see. The question then is, Will you shine your light before men in service to God for this great gift of life and restoration? OR will you sit there, let your light go out and become "squash"?
God has given us talents and abilities and we are to use them to shine God's light on others...to light the path that leads to His kingdom.

P - God, thank you that you don't just leave us in the field but you CHOOSE us, and have a plan for restoration and healing. You restore us to what we can become. Thank you for your light that fills us in so many satisfying ways but also is a beacon for others to find YOU. I am privileged to be a part of your plan. Amen.

Spiritual Warfare: What is it, Who are we fighting, and HOW do we win?

Spiritual Warfare...it's a deep topic this week so grab your favorite beverage and get comfortable. It's one that many want to ignore, pretend doesn't exist, or are just uncomfortable talking about. It's clearly an important message in scripture and we need to be aware of what we are facing. Plus, no one likes to lose. So, let's take a look. I promise, it's not THAT scary.

S -
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does."
2 Corinthians 10:3-5

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere." Ephesians 6:12-18

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  1 Peter 5:8

O - A few key words in these verses help us identify just who our "enemy" is. It's not God, that's for sure. I haven't read a verse yet in the Bible that made me think that God wanted to "devour" someone or that He "prowls"...those are "dark" words to me and this is definitely referring to someone that is focused on doing evil, not good. We might read in the Old Testament of the consequences for disobeying God, but if you look at the big picture, when you read the WHOLE story, God is not prowling and He is definitely not desiring to devour His people. Those that claim they are acting on God's behalf but generate fear and do harm, have not read completely who God claims to be. The enemy is described as someone that lives in the shadows and not in the light. This is someone sneaky and focused on satisfying a hunger. I wrote recently about who our Daddy God is, so if you haven't read that yet, it might shed some light on how I know, without a doubt, that in spite of the fact that bad things happen to good people, the overwhelming message of the Bible is that God is out for the GOOD of all people. He also gives us a LOT of weapons at our disposal to confirm that He is good and wants to help us fight this warfare! (More on that in the "application" that follows)

Peter says our enemy is the "devil" and gives us the image of a "roaring lion" - this is not a lion taking a nap but one bent on satisfying his hunger for flesh. This enemy has authority over our world and rules over forces of evil. Paul writes to the Ephesians about the "powers of this dark world" and that the forces are "spiritual". "Power" means that this enemy is not weak and we are told that he lives both among us in our world and in the "heavenly realms". I don't think this is the same as the "Heaven" that is a promise of eternal friendship and communion with God, but a place where evil lives unseen by us. This also tells us that the enemy has followers, both unseen and of the world. That means that there are those that call him lord. And Paul writes to the Corinthians that we cannot wage war against this enemy as the world does, meaning not with weapons and tools we can pick up and use. This is not conventional warfare against an enemy that is visible. On the contrary, he is hiding and watching. There is no element of surprise on our part of the battle but we always seem to be surprised when he attacks. He can see us but we cannot see him. And he does mean to do harm.

Kind of gives me the creeps, actually. But that's exactly what he wants so I say FORGET YOU! Let's do battle.

A - So how do we fight an enemy we can't see, who is powerful over spiritual forces that are hiding in the shadows...watching us?

This is Spiritual Warfare, my friends. Let's go get 'em.

First, we do NOT try to wage war as the world does. The worldly way would be to fight back with hurtful words or weapons that cause harm. The world's way is self preservation and to physically conquer when we are attacked...or sometimes retreat, hold onto denial, and hope the problem will just go away. The way of the world is to DO whatever it takes to win the war. I'm right, you're wrong. My way is best. This is exactly what the enemy will use against us...deceive us to think we need to defend ourselves or fight. Spiritual warfare is the deception of the truth and being blinded by our worldly reality instead of focusing on God's reality.

• Our strategy is a focus on faith and hope. (Ephesians 6:16) We don't have to wonder what will happen in the end. The war has already been won. And there is nothing that we can DO to produce this outcome on our own. Jesus already promises a victory without any effort on our part. We know the end result, for Jesus conquered death and paid the price for us falling into the temptation that WILL be thrown in our path. We can claim a relationship with the Great I Am through a friendship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This gives us the advantage for we can KNOW who we belong to in battle and can conquer the fear of the fight. There WILL be a battle, but we know who wins.  Colossians 1:13-14 confirms this hope. "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Do we know the TRUTH? Do we know who we belong to? Are we embracing the security we can have from trusting God? (Ephesians 6:14)
• The battle is not about physical strength but for control of our mind. We must put on the helmet of salvation to protect it. (Ephesians 6:17) We must know our enemy and what he's capable of because we are going in blind. Most battles are between two opponents that can see each other. Our enemy has an unfair advantage in that he is lurking in the shadows, unseen. I think of it like Randal, the disappearing monster in the Monsters, Inc. movies or when Harry uses the invisibility cloak. We will not be able to see the enemy coming over the hill but we need to know that he's there, and we need to prepare for a surprise attack. We need to be aware that since he is, and has been, watching us, that means he knows our history, what we've done in our past, and what our temptations are. He knows what will trip us up every time and which emotions are triggers for negative behavior. He knows what our parents did and what our kids are doing. He will use this information against us. The flip side is that God knows this stuff too and will help us use it to our advantage. Do WE know what our temptations are? Do we know our weaknesses? Are we alert? Do we know what tricks the enemy is going to try to pull? To win the battle for our mind, is to KNOW what the enemy is capable of, even when we don't see him coming. We turn our negatives into positives. We allow God to use our past as a vehicle to bring glory to Him in our future!
• We don't charge the enemy on the attack, but we stand firm and are alert when the arrows come flying (Ephesians 6:14). And the arrows WILL come flying in the form of temptations, conflict, denial, hardships, crisis, misunderstandings, illness, boredom, pleasure, addiction, etc. Some personalities retreat, some come out slinging. Some won't even know what they've gotten themselves into and won't see the warfare happening until it hits them HARD. But God's word calls us to neither retreat or attack. We are to stand firm, be ALERT, and use the tools that God has given us by the Holy Spirit. (keep reading :) The enemy uses the sin of pride to make us think that we can "earn" our salvation, convince ourselves that we're "better" than others, or to get caught up in the adoration of our following. The ways of the world corrupt our thinking to compare, to covet, to overwork ourselves, and to make time for God later. He uses guilt to make us think we have to redeem ourselves when we mess up, and sometimes this keeps us trapped in sin because we think we will never be "good enough". Even those of us that have been "saved" battle in our mind over guilt when we have confessed and received forgiveness. The enemy convinces us that we can't let it go. He uses grief and hardship to divide families and keep us focused on our pain instead of doing what God has called us to do. Christians are especially subject to your "unconventional temptations". We make choices because it appears to be a "blessing from God" or spend our time doing ministry while neglecting our families. We say "murder is bad, adultery is bad, stealing is bad" but how about gossip or vanity? These are minor sins, right? Not so much. We make parenting and entertainment choices based on our "happiness" and what everyone else is doing. We justify our private behavior when it's not harming anyone (snacking, pornography, staying up late - do they REALLY not harm anyone?). What messages are we teaching our kids through our own behavior and entertainment choices, and how is it creating a window for the enemy to sneak in with a surprise attack. Maybe we need to evaluate and make some hard choices, perhaps boarding up some windows. 2 Timothy 1:7 gives us the strength to make the hard decisions. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."

Our weapons for battle are not conventional weapons.

• Pray without ceasing. Did you notice what Ephesians 6:18 says on prayer? This is a powerful weapon. Just speaking the name of Jesus will drive away the enemy. One of the most important purposes of prayer is to connect with God and limit the power of the enemy to influence your mind. The Holy Spirit lives in you when you know the Lord but the enemy will try to make you forget that. Do not underestimate the power of spending time in prayer DAILY. Romans 8:26-28 for me is FULL of this power, available for us to tap into! "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. ²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
• God's word. (Ephesians 6:17) Just speaking God's word is a hedge of protection and a weapon to drive away the enemy. His word shines a light and cuts through the darkness. His word is truth and consumes any lies. Hebrews 4:12 says it clearly. "For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow."
• Use God's map, not our own. His eyes are always on us and He knows the battles we are facing, therefore we must seek His wisdom when doing battle and trust that He is on our side. God has the map of the battlefield and even if we can't see what's ahead, God does not lead us down the wrong path. Hebrews 4:13 says that God's word "exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable."
• Shoes of peace will outrun the enemy every time (Ephesians 6:15). One of the most powerful weapons that the enemy will use is to divide us from each other. He will use pride to keep us from apologizing, and as a justification to elevate ourselves or dishonor each other. Sometimes for me the hardest situation is conflict with someone that does NOT desire resolution and maybe doesn't know the Lord. If we are standing firm in the shoes that desire peace, honor, reconciliation, forgiveness, and love, we will always win the race at the finish line. Sometimes we have to try for peace, and then let God do the rest. No peace, no God. Know peace, Know God.

One of the reasons I have been thinking about this topic lately is the combination of facing the potential of WWIII in the middle east, extreme celebrities, school starting up again (which generates a lot of fears or stress for some kids, parents, and educators), and the fact that our first born son is a senior and will be leaving the nest. We just had the LAST first day of school. I have to admit that it's a little weird and my feelings are confusing. Our daughter just graduated this past May and it was different. I wasn't as emotional. It doesn't mean I love her any less because I can promise you that God has given me a love for that girl that I can't explain. She only joined our family 3 years ago though so I wasn't there for her first day of school. I don't have the same memories. I know it will be emotional when she eventually leaves home cuz I will miss her and it will be hard to let her go, but for now she is living at home, working and attending community college classes so it seems like nothing is really changing much. For our son, we know that he has already decided the college he will attend next year and we are making plans for him to leave. On top of that, he wants to be a federal agent and fight "bad guys". I have memories of his "firsts" and there will be a lot of "lasts" this year. He will soon brave the big, bad world on his own and I will have to trust God to protect him. Of course we will still be there to support him but it won't be the same. He will have to make a lot of his own choices in the day to day. And in reality, this is true for our daughter as well as she grows into adulthood and gains her independence in the next year or so, even while living at home. My hope is that we have taught them to use the weapons/tools in their toolbox and to be aware that spiritual warfare, especially for a young man and woman that know the Lord, will be ever present. The most important thing I hope they remember though is this:

Greater is HE who is in you, than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

When our oldest son was little, we were into Veggie Tales and one of our favorite songs to sing, especially at bedtime in the dark was "God is bigger than the boogie man, He's bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV. Oh God is bigger than the boogie man, and He watches out for you and me!"

Finally, I ask you this: How BIG is YOUR God? Is He greater than whatever you are facing in the world? Is He bigger than the boogie man in your life? Or has fear found it's grip? The bigger God is, the easier it will be for you to face spiritual warfare. It doesn't mean that life will be easy and we can be sure that the enemy will shoot arrows. Having fears is normal but they can create unhealthy, emotional havoc when left unattended. We overcome fear with faith, and we can only have faith if we trust that our God is bigger than anything we might face. All that's left is fighting the battle, but we know the outcome so this conquers fear. We have already won the war. Done. Do you believe it? Do you claim it? Are you living in fear, or living victoriously?

P - Oh Jesus, my heart sings joyfully for all to hear! "Into marvelous light I'm running, out of darkness, out of shame. By the cross you are the truth, you are the light, you are the Way. Sin has lost it's power. Death has lost it's sting. From the grave you've risen VICTORIOUSLY!" (Charlie Hall) And I praise you God of the universe! "Our God is Greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other! And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us!" (Chris Tomlin) My prayer is that all that read this would believe it. I pray that many would come to be alert to spiritual warfare and would know the truth about HOW to fight the battle, and embrace the victory. I pray that even as I write, this message would bring you glory Lord. For we know the truth and claim it, in Jesus' name. Amen!

Who's Your Daddy?

Today I want to share our family story. This is a story of adoption, renewal, finding our IDENTITY and the ultimate Daddy! Grab a cup of jo and hold on for a wild ride!

Our daughter A joined our family three years ago, two weeks shy of her 15th birthday. It's been a big, roller coaster transition for our family. And it's been amazingly wonderful!

First of all, our oldest biological son is no longer the oldest. They are only actually 9 months apart in age and one year in school. These two have had the biggest hurdles to overcome in the family but I have to say I am busting with pride for how much they have both grown as individuals and in their sibling relationship. I couldn't have predicted they would have the bond they have...they actually act like brother and sister! Second, the boys had never had a sister boss them around before, nor had they ever had a girl in the house besides their mom (that brings a whole new set of hormones!), NOR had they been much into pop music, the Disney Channel, or Justin Bieber...that right there will change everything! Now that she's 18, it's not quite as bad although there is still a lot of "pop culture" flying around...except when she tries to make us think she's a "thug" :)

Our girl had a rough start in life...The second of 4 siblings with an alcoholic, neglectful, and often abusive mother, and absent father. The parents were teens when they had their children and did not have the support system to care for these kids, but they didn't seek help either. The kids were basically left to fend for themselves and A was the "momma". The oldest sister was off who knows where most of the time while A cared for her two younger brothers. She was molested and witnessed horrendous actions by her mother during this time. She was forced to grow up and have responsibility too soon. She endured more than anyone should have to in their lifetime before the age of 7. Just before her 8th birthday (2003), the state was alerted to their situation and took over caring for the kids. They tried to place them with Dad, which didn't work since he had never been in the picture much and had a new girlfriend who did not want the kids. They moved to several foster homes and mom lost her rights after a year of only half-way trying to get them back. Eventually the kids were too much to handle in one foster home and were split up.

That is where we come into the story. In June of 2009 we got licensed through Arrow Family Ministries (partnering with CPS) to "foster to adopt". We had originally requested a girl or two between the ages of 5-8...in school, but not older at the time than our youngest. We thought we were so awesome that unlike the MANY other families interested in adoption, we did NOT want a baby or toddler, but didn't want to mess with "birth order". We were really patting ourselves on the back with that one! We had ZERO interest in adopting a teenager and wouldn't you know it, God would change our mind!

One of our foster parent classes began with our case worker asking all of us to consider adopting an older child. "Just pray about it", he said. We all were like "no way" :) And then Tom and I went home and within a few days I found myself looking at these kids online and thinking that I just needed to pray for them. One night, I found myself reading the description on one girl and realized that her birthday was the very next day! She was going to be 18 and I just started crying! Tom thought I had lost it. I exclaimed with great sadness, "Who is going to walk her down the aisle when she gets married? Who is going to help her when she has her first child? Who will she get to be with at Christmas?" The Holy Spirit convicted me and broke my heart that night. It grieved me to know that there are 1000s of teens in Texas alone that are waiting for adoption and when they age out, they will not have a family or any support system. I just couldn't stand it. It took Tom a little longer to come around but soon we both agreed that God was calling us specifically to adopt a teen girl...we just hadn't been willing to open our hearts to it before. We admitted that we were afraid, but wanted to be obedient to what we felt like we MUST do. We told our caseworker that we were switching our search to teenaged girls.

Now here's where it really gets good! In Aug of 2009 we still had not found the right girl for us after two months of searching. You'd think that out of 3000 kids we could find ONE. We were frustrated, and yet we knew that God had the perfect girl in mind for our family. One of our main concerns was the "street smarts" and influence that our boys would be subjected to with adopting a teen that had faced unimaginable challenges. We weren't ready to explain the horrors of the world to them, but we knew that God would take care of them and guide our discussion on important issues. This was one reason that we had to say no to a couple of girls who we felt were not the ones that God had in mind for our family. Meanwhile, A had had 2 failed adoptions and was trying to get her uncle to adopt her so she had been out of the state-wide online system for a little bit. None of those situations had panned out and so she remained in a foster home with a loving, single mom while her youngest brother was adopted, her older sister was a run away, and her next youngest brother was struggling in a group home.

Patiently we spent several nights a week looking at pictures and case worker descriptions of teens from all over Texas. Tom actually came upon the picture of our daughter first one night and asked me to read her case info. I was immediately drawn to her smile, which Tom says is also what drew him to her. There was joy in her eyes. I read her info and was concerned. She had stated in her desire for a "family" that she wanted a single mom and we were not a single mom family (kids over 11 are allowed to approve or disapprove of their adoption family). I remember telling Tom that I didn't think we should even consider her if she doesn't want to be open to having a Dad in her life and he said that it made him want her MORE! I'll never forget it. My heart was so full of love for my husband in that moment because he is such a good Daddy! He said that she didn't really know how good a Daddy could be and he wanted to be the one to show her. Wow! The tears fell again...

So we submitted a request for more info to our case worker, He requested, CPS had some conference calls about us, we got more info, more paperwork, more conference calls and then the call came the first week of October that we had been selected to be A's family! Oh happy day...we thought. They said it would be 6 weeks to get her file, which we had to read completely before we could move forward. Sad face. Oh but wait, it wasn't 6 weeks! It was 4 MONTHS!!! Ugh! What are these people doing anyway??? Handling thousands of kids or something??? HA! :) So finally it came...the FIVE large envelopes with about 2500 pieces of paper for us to read completely. That was our weekend.

After another 2 months, LOTS of praying, more conference calls, MORE praying, more reading, more calls, more paperwork...we finally got to set a date for our trip to meet A in another city. So with anticipation, we had my family keep the boys for the weekend and we went to meet our daughter! Two weeks later she moved in with us. And 7 months later we finalized adoption! It wasn't that smooth and easy of course but God was there throughout the process and we knew we had made the right decision.

Our daughter has gone through incredible personal struggle, and still does, to figure out her identity within our family, and all her relationships. And yet through it all she has managed to see how God has helped her begin to see how she can use her story in a positive way, and accept her identity in our family. "Identity" is a key word here because I think it would be hard to find your identity when you've had so much inconsistency in your life and so many people let you down, as A has experienced. She does not look like us, although many have said she is just a "latina" version of me :) I'll take that as a complement! She has many interests and experiences that are different from ours. She spent her childhood experiencing a much more "urban" way of life and now finds herself in suburbia. We have family traditions and inside jokes, and memories that she does not share. It would be easy for her to NOT identify herself with us. And yet even with all that, we love each other and embrace each others differences. We are a family. She is a part of us and we are a part of her. We are creating NEW traditions and NEW memories and the coolest part of our family story is that we CHOSE each other. Not many families can say that. There are days I want to kick a few people in this family to the moon, and I'm sure they feel that way about me sometimes. But all in all, the blessings outweigh the negative because we know who we belong to. 

In reality, that is the "glue" that holds all of us together...our identity is in Christ. We know who we ALL belong to and we can look to the Lord to affirm the TRUTH about who we are, not what the world or the "enemy" says we are. A has come to know God in a real ,profound and marvelous way as her "daddy". She believes that He pulled her out of her situation and saved her. She has accepted Jesus as her personal savior and Lord of her life. When asked, she has the view that she does NOT wish her life had been different because God is EMPOWERING HER to share her story and inspire others. She is making a difference and she gives God the credit! He has provided for her all she has needed and He has cared and loved her. Her biological sister has had the same opportunities but has chosen to run away, be independent and go her own way...she is running away from God even while He pursues her. The difference is that God would have done the same for her sister but she is not yet open to receive it...God "adopted" our daughter through her faith in Christ. This is her true identity.

So I ask...Who's YOUR Daddy? You might have an awesome human Daddy that loves and supports you...maybe he's your biggest fan, stands by your side through thick and thin and has taught you much. And there are many that do not. It seems amazing to me that you see on some of these talk shows where there is paternity testing cuz someone doesn't even know if he's the Father of a child. There are absentee dads, workaholics, and there are dads that are too tough or too easy on their kids. No matter what kind of Dad you have here on earth, your FATHER in heaven is the ultimate Daddy. He is the Daddy we need to look to for our identity and WHO we belong to.

These are some of my favorite scriptures on some of the characteristics of our amazing "Daddy" God:

Psalm 36:5-6, Jeremiah 31:3, Lamentations 3:22-23 - Love
Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the skies.
⁶ Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you (to myself) with unfailing kindness.

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

Psalm 33:6, 24:1 and 139:13-14a - Creator and Sustainer
The heavens were made by the word of the Lord,
and all the stars, by the breath of His mouth.

The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are his.

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Titus 3:4-5 - Kind and Merciful
But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love
for mankind appeared,
⁵ He saved us—
not by works of righteousness that we had done,
but according to His mercy,
through the washing of regeneration
and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Numbers 23:19 and 1 Samuel 16:7 - Consistent, Fair, and Honest
God is not human, that he should lie,
    not a human being, that he should change his mind.
Does he speak and then not act?
    Does he promise and not fulfill?

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.

Jeremiah 29:11 and 1:5; John 15:19 - Faithful
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

Daniel 10:12 and Psalm 94:19 - Compassionate Listener
Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.

Isaiah 41:10 and Psalm 23:1-4 - Strong and Courageous Protector
So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.


Take in the word of God my friends. Know who loves you, chose you, and who you belong to. God will never leave you or forget you. He watches out for you and provides all you need. Look for Him at work in your life, going before you and protecting you so you don't have to continually look over your shoulder, or know what's coming ahead. Even when you face trials He is grieved at your suffering and will hold your hand. He will grow a garden in the midst of the weeds that spring up in your life, and He makes all things new. Look for His blessings and be thankful. He has already overcome and wants you to be with him forever. It is up to us to accept His love and the life He has called us to live. Will you join me on the journey?

So that the blind may see!

John Chapter 9 - a whole chapter devoted to one miracle.
It's not just any miracle...Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth. This was not just a "magic trick" that could have been done by anyone. Following the miracle, the man is questioned multiple times about it. And Jesus explains his actions to several people on multiple occasions. What is it about this story that has everyone all RILED up???

I encourage you to read the whole chapter in order to gain understanding through context, however I will only include part of it here as our focus.
 
S - John 9: 13-16, 39-41
They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. ¹⁴ The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. ¹⁵ So again the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight.
“He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.”
¹⁶ Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He doesn’t keep the Sabbath!” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was a division among them.

Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.”
⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and asked Him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?”
⁴¹ “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see’—your sin remains.

O - Oh how the Pharisees loved to pick apart everything and remind you of the "law". Let's look at a few details of this story and dissect the law for a minute.
First, Jesus uses mud. He sculpts it into a shape to place on the blind man's eyes. In the law, you weren't even allowed to "sculpt" the mud on the Sabbath, the Jewish holy day of rest. The simple fact that he picked up the mud and used it was going against Jewish law.
Secondly, he HEALED on the Sabbath. Now I don't know about you but the fact that he healed on ANY day is pretty amazing! I have never understood why they are getting all worked up and completely MISSING the fact that this guy Jesus just took a man that was blind and made it so he can see. They say he is not God and calls him a sinner specifically because he broke the "law". Seriously! Like wake up people.

I don't know Hebrew law well and it might be in there specifically not to do "healing" on the Sabbath, but my thought is that healing wasn't done on a regular basis, at least the full-on complete healing that Jesus was doing, and it was not the NORM. And it amazes me that they are fixating on the fact that he did something on the Sabbath. AND they are not SEEING what is right in front of them. They are so focused on the actions of the man and what the law says that they are missing God. It seems so silly to be fixated on the day of the week. I don't really get how that makes you a sinner. I don't believe that when God gave them the "laws" He intended for them to hold that above meeting people's needs. God gave them the "law" to set them apart from the rest of the world for the purpose of carrying out His plan of salvation, but it was not supposed to define them when it came to having a relationship with the Lord Almighty, the creator of the universe. And it was definitely not set in place to justify ignoring care for people at a basic level, which was exactly what Jesus was doing.

Going back to the mud again for a moment. I find it interesting that Jesus doesn't do something fancy to perform this miracle. He uses mud...from the ground...and then tells him to wash it off. This is what heals his eyes so he can see. Jesus chooses a very basic material, the same of which incidentally God used to create man in the first place, and does incredible "eye opening" things with it! (sorry, fun little pun there...I am my Father's daughter :)

In vs. 39 Jesus says he came for judgment so let's address this a moment. I think this is talking about how Jesus will be judged and take on the judgment for sin, even while he is sin-less. I think it would be easy to interpret this as him saying he has come to judge us. We would be missing his point by taking this view. Jesus came to show us how to live, and to save, not to judge. He is making a point to give us a play on the word "see" and using the miracle of blindness to sight to teach us to be open to what we cannot see with our eyes but can "see" with our hearts. We do not SEE God but can know Him. He sees us for what we can be instead of who we are in our sin. His plan of restoration includes us accepting the gift of salvation by faith and not by sight...we cannot always see God with our eyes, nor can we see what He has in store for us as He changes our hearts and lives, nor can we see or imagine the immeasurable blessings that He has to give.

In vs. 41 when He says that the Pharisees sin because they "see" it means that they are using their human eyes that have limited power to really see who He is, instead of being open to "seeing" God's plan for all of humanity. They are blinded by the law and their own limited interpretation of God's plan. They believed this was just for the Jewish people but God had a bigger plan in mind from the beginning and they are missing it.

A - There is so much here that we can apply to our own lives and I am humbly reminded to look within myself at my own sin. It would be prideful to say that I am a "good" person and follow the "law", which I do. In reality, I am just as big of a sinner as a murderer, which makes me cringe. My pride, losing my temper, judging others, and a handful of other sins, get in the way of my relationship with God. But I am also reminded that God sees me, little ole me, for who I can become in Christ, not who I am in the world. He has paid the price for my sin and the gospel says that there is NOTHING I can do to make God love me more, or less. NOTHING. (Romans 8) I did not earn my salvation by following the law, nor will I keep it or get a better spot in heaven because of "good behavior".

Let me address "good behavior" for a moment. We Christians are actually sometimes the WORST about holding this over people's heads. We say what you can and can't do. We judge others and we judge ourselves. I know a few people that are so wrapped up tight with guilt over something they have done, or something they didn't do, and perhaps even shame over something horrible that someone else did to them, that they don't love themselves, they don't think they are worthy of God's love, and they most definitely are NOT able to love others because they have nothing to give. Like an empty glass begging to be filled with water. On the other side of the spectrum are some other people that don't care what God thinks actually, and don't think they need Him. They want to justify their behavior because they are "good people" and follow MOST of the laws of the land while JUDGING Christians for speaking out about what is right and wrong. I've been unfriended on facebook for giving my opinion on social issues, which I guess is considered "judging", even though the other person giving their opinion about Christians and "bad" behavior didn't consider their own behavior "judging". Hmmm, but I digress.

But the worst of these in my opinion are Christians that act like they are "better" because they do all the "right things" and don't SEE the log in their own eye. They are happy to be proud of themselves for going to church, being in the "best" bible study where all the other "good" people are, giving money, going downtown to feed the homeless, and bringing you dinner when your husband has surgery. Oh, they won't ever say anything to those "less" than themselves that is judgmental...it will be all sugar and sweetness...but they are gossiping to their close friends about you or telling their kids that they can't play with your kids. I admit it...I know this because I have found myself guilty of this a time or two. It hurts to admit it and I just HATE it when I find myself influenced in this direction. I guess my opinion expressed here could be considered judging as well. I DO believe we need to stand true to biblical principles and there is a time and place, and a LOVING way, to address sin. Parents should be cautious and protect their kids from negative influences, but we should not be afraid to "mingle" with those that are not our "kind". After all, Jesus ate a meal with prostitutes and tax collectors!!! This is a slippery slope that we must be cautious of lest we turn people away from the church for what they SEE in us. Do they see Christ, or do they see US?

And so it is important to read John chapter 9 and remember that we too are guilty like the Pharisees of having limited sight. We see what we see with our eyes every day and justify our sin, judge others, fall into temptation, act based on what is right in front of us, or the fear that we feel from what we don't understand or "see" completely. Maybe our sight is limited because we are so focused on unaddressed pain in ourselves. We are blinded from God's ways because we see every day the ways of the world. We don't always see who God is or we don't see His plan because we forget where to look.

Hebrews 12:1-2 says "Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, ² keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne."

That's right people. We keep our eyes on Jesus. That's what we do. Day in and day out we look to Jesus. And if we don't know how to do that, we keep looking...we seek Him and we mess up...and we learn a little bit...and we keep looking. This doesn't mean we DON'T have to worry about the law because God did give us the Bible, written by His divine power through 40+ authors, that all point to the same thing...God goes before us, He has our back behind us and frankly, He knows what He's doing cuz He like created the whole world or something! Maybe we should listen and stop trying to figure it out on our own. The Bible and the Holy Spirit are our guides. This is how we learn and the more we practice looking, the more we SEE. And when people look for God's plan and trust in Him, He works it all out. He restores, He saves, and He heals with simple materials like mud and water.

P - Oh that I would keep my eyes on you Jesus! I really stink at this sometimes. I sometimes see myself for what I've done in the past, what I haven't done yet, and very often how others see me. But you Lord see me as beautiful, and valuable, and you love me FOR my weakness because it all the more shows your great power when you overcome all that. Use me. Please give me the gift of sight to see your plan for my life and how you want to use me each and every day. I want to look to you and be blinded from the ways of the world. Please hide the temptations from me!!! I pray this prayer for my family and friends as well and especially those that may not believe that you love them, or that you want to use them for GREAT things. I pray they would see themselves as YOU see them and take a step toward loving you and seeking you. I pray they would be surrounded by those that love you and would show them how much love you have to give. May I simply be an instrument to guide others in this same way. Thank you Lord for the privilege of interpreting your word and being able to share it with others. This brings me great joy! I pray all this in Jesus' Holy name! Amen!

Self (control) is a 4 letter word

I have been thinking a lot about self-control and obedience the last couple months. It seems that many I've talked to lately are struggling with this subject as well.  Whether it's "holding our tongue", staying out of the drive through, buying bigger and better "stuff", or resisting a temptation. Many Christians are challenged to be obedient and change our bad habits but it's HARD isn't it???

And what is it about the word "obedience" that makes us clench our teeth? At least it does mine! I'm a rebel...always have been. When someone tells me I can't do something, there's a part of me that says "Hmmm, why not?" or maybe "we'll see about that!" And yet when someone ELSE is breaking the rules, I'm very much the do-gooder, amazingly surprised at their actions. So don't get me wrong. I am a rule follower and take pride in doing the right thing. I don't like being in "trouble" so I usually follow the rules...unless it's a hard rule to follow or "someone else is doing it" and I might start considering the parameters of the "rule". Is it a rule that makes sense? Have we always done it this way and does it need to be changed? Does the person that set the rule really care if the rule is enforced? Is it more of a "guideline"? I'm a triangle...I want to know "what's the point?"

I think about obedience a lot because I seem to be my own worst critic when it comes to reaching a goal and "self-control" (or a lack there of!) seems to always be the biggest hurdle. And I KNOW I am not alone.

Which brings me to what I wanted to share from scripture this week...there is a point to this prequel I promise. I'm on a "detox" diet and I can't have anything fun for 11 days. That's not actually completely true...strawberries are fun...cilantro is fun. yeah, that's it. The rest is boring veggies and lean meat. I can't have caffeine, sugar, dairy, gluten or ANYTHING artificial/processed. I love food. Ask my family...I'll pretty much eat anything and love MANY things so it is not easy to have self-control this week. Sticking to the diet is hard but I am determined and I keep focusing on the fact that it is temporary torture.

Food isn't actually my biggest problem though. It's getting enough sleep and fitting in the exercise. (I'm up late writing right now because my house is quiet!) One of the other things I'm doing during the 11 days on this special diet that is supposed to be kicking up my metabolism a notch, is getting enough sleep and exercise. So how am I doing? GREAT on the diet and exercise part...just OK on the sleeping part. I have had 8+ hours of sleep 4 out of 6 days so far...tonight is not one of them. I guess that's not too bad. And if I'm really honest with myself, the problem is time management.

So with that confessional, let's take a look at what the scripture says on "self-control".

S - 2 Peter 1:3-9 (Holman Christian Standard Version/Apologetics Bible) 
³ His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. ⁴ By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. ⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, ⁶ knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, ⁷ godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. ⁸ For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins.

O - First observation that just gives me such an amazing peace is vs. 3 which says that God gives us EVERYTHING "required" for life and godliness through His divine power. Did you catch that? EVERYTHING that is REQUIRED. Not everything we WANT. This is so important because I think our satisfaction level is such a HUGE part of living with self-control and obedience. Why is it that we convince ourselves that we "need" something, in the moment, on an impulse? We usually give in because we decide it is worth it to "enjoy" whatever it is that we think we NEED. We desire the enjoyment more than we desire to be satisfied in God and what He provides. Don't worry...I'm preaching to the mirror!

Next observation is about the promises that God gives. These are great and precious promises that allow us to SHARE in God's divine nature. We are not subordinates that He looks down on. Jesus calls us His friends and we are CHOSEN to "bear fruit". (John 15:15-16). He wants to SHARE His divine nature with us and help us escape the "corruption" that is in the world...evil desires are of the world and this is not OF God. He is not condemning US, He is condemning the evil desires, the temptations, the corruption that draws us away from Him and His promises. These promises are His protection. We have a choice to believe these promises.

The final observation I have is the progression of HOW to be useful and fruitful. The meaning behind this progression is that after we receive salvation (by grace/God's gift, not by works/what we DO) we are challenged and motivated by the Holy Spirit to seek God's path for us. This is like a path with many choices and it is in finding God's path that we find our purpose, how He will use us, and how we will produce "fruit". (see also Galatians 5:22 on the fruit of the spirit).

This is where the progression listed in this scripture is so interesting. The final step in this progression is love...I think this means it's the ultimate goal and is pretty important. We are asked to "supplement" our faith FIRST with goodness. To supplement means to complete or make an addition to. Then we are to supplement goodness with KNOWLEDGE and then it is through knowledge that we can then supplement our faith with self-control. This is not so much "smarts" as it is gaining wisdom. In other words, we must BEGIN and ACT. We must find a way to begin showing goodness and by our acts of goodness, (and I believe also with studying God's word) we will begin to find strength in showing self-control. AFTER we start working purposefully on self-control is when we can really find the ability to have endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

A - I believe this passage is saying that the key to obedience to God is self-control, which really comes from knowledge/wisdom and taking steps toward goodness. SELF-control is really putting GOD in control and a release of "self"...it's really "God-control". We must work towards finding a way to focus on God's provision and being satisfied in His blessings. If we do not open our eyes and renew our mind to see and think the things of God, then we will not be successful in our attempts at obedience. Oh yes, we will slip up, and even mess up royally. But that is also the beauty of a relationship with Christ. He advocates for us and has already covered our sin and mistakes with his own blood. God sees us for what we WILL be instead of what holds us back.

So I think I can conquer the diet thing this week without saying any 4 letter words...long term will have to come with opening my eyes and renewing my mind, to see God's provision and promises clearly. In order for me to conquer my "night owl" problem, I must focus on my satisfaction in the Lord, instead of the satisfaction I get from being in my house in the quiet late at night writing about it! Hmmmm...I'll have to work on that.

For more scripture on this topic, read David's efforts toward self-control in 1 Samuel 24:1-15;26:1-20

And read these scriptures for more encouragement:
Philippians 3:9
Galatians 5:13
James 4:2-3
2 Corinthians 3:5
1 Peter 1:13-16
Romans 8:26-28

P - Father God, you are the best Daddy because you provide ALL that we need. I am in awe that you never forget us, nor do you give up on us. You are persistent to draw us to you and remind us that your love is consistent, never-ending and readily available no matter what we have done, if we will receive it! I pray that you will show me how and where to take action to show goodness towards others and in so doing I will gain knowledge and wisdom on the path to self-control. Walking in your ways is my goal and I thank you that you see me for who I will become, not for what I have done. Give me strength and courage to be bold in my faith and not only stand up for what is right in obedience, but also to help and guide others to do the same. In the precious name of Jesus I pray. amen.