Friday, May 29, 2009

ADDRESSING THE ISSUES

VANITY. The other day I was driving down the road listening to the stats on how much money people spend on costmetics and hair styling products and haircuts. As if that was not disturbing enough, they began talking about how much money is spent on girls under 13 years old on the same thing. Due to sixty second commercials that these little ones and all of the public view, they are impacted enough to go and spend and spend some more to try to become more beautiful or more desirable or more something.

ENTERTAINMENT. Unless you live in the mountains (and one day, Lord willing I will) entertainment means constant television, video games, hand held devices, and distractions of all kinds. If we were to take a step back and
I can only hope and pray that no person takes any of the material in these blogs as ammunition for contentions or debate. The articles that I write are merely concerns and observations, meant to challenge and encourage and bring the Word of God front and center. Please examine yourself according to the truth, and do not condemn others or yourself as we have all fallen short.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

FACING FEARS

A few years ago I recall telling a friend that I try my best to face every fear so that I will be walking by faith, as it is impossible to please God without faith. I recently have returned from a camp where we had staff meetings that would sometimes turn out to be discussion times, bibles studies or prayer meetings. Most of the staff had been at least glancing through a book entitled, Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. In a few chapters he points out scriptures that prove the danger of willful disobedience even when it is not intentional.

Fear being one of those sins. Fear is the opposite of faith. "God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind." II Timothy 1:7

I received word by the last week or so of my time at camp that mom had gone to the doctor and they told her she had psuemonia. She had not been feeling good for weeks. While I was praying for my mom the tears began to come for the reality of what my heart was feeling. Fears that had been in me since I was very small. Fears of something happening to my mom. I am aware that some things that trouble us in this life is to be expected regardless, but then there really are some fears that try to rule our lives and keep us from being free as the Lord has created us to be. I thank God for revealing simple truth of what is hidden in me. I also thank Him for the freedom and healing that repentance brings and that fear should never be allwed the living room in my heart. With the Lord's help --- I will continue to trust until all fear is gone. God loves me and He loves my mom. He is able to heal and restore and make all things new.

Also, it is always encouraging to look at life from an eternal perspective. This life is just a moment, eternity is forever. There is a time for everything under heaven. Seasons change and thank God that His mercy wakes us up to the truth and to the reality that we can trust His love will never fail us.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

IN THE PRESENCE OF LOVE

I was reading Luke 12 and Romans 12 today. As I read, I was being strongly reminded that I must be bold in proclaiming Jesus name, unashamed to make Him known, and determined to know Him with all that I am. Willing and aware that it will cost me everything to follow after Him.

The second part of what I was reading encouraged me to be very mindful of how I go forward and what I put my trust in. Where my treasure is there my heart will be also. What is there to fret about if my Heavenly Father knows what I have need of and He is faithful to His word?

And finally, thank God for a friend that sticks closer than a brother. In the presence of love I am not afraid to fall, to fail, to be imperfect, to not have the right words, to be who I am, and to still be learning that without love... I am nothing and I have nothing.