Do you pass the Test?

Life is hard and that is a fact that I will stand by always!  Even when it is good... it is hard.  In the times when we face difficulty the true story comes from how we handled the hard parts.  It is very easy to cut and run, but in that, where is our faith?  

We say that we trust God in all things and that he has "a plan", but then we decide to make decisions that not only impact our lives, but our witness to others as well.  We did not seek THE plan, HIS plan and therefore we are not Godly in our pursuits.  To me, the hard times are tests of our fortitude and some tests, much like those in school, are just harder because the subject matter requires more studying and dedication. Tests of life are the same...requiring true diligence in studying the Bible and knowing it when we speak!

When you were a school student, did you have the option to not take a test? No, and neither did I, so how can we do the same with the tests of life?  How can we decide that we will not be a part of the test or have the answers for others in the test?  We simply cannot turn away, we cannot be pushed away, we cannot fail in our tests because we then fail God.  

Ephesians 6:10-13 directs us to put on the "full armor of God"....10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,[c]against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

God tells us how to be ready, to be strong and to recognize where our strength comes from..."be strong in the Lord!!!".  There is no question of what he expects of us when life is hard, but do we follow the directions, do we make notes and study, do we let HIM handle it? Often, much like school children, we talk about it and decide what we are going to do if this or that happens.  We feed into the trap that has been set for us and because we are in a hard time and distracted by the works of the devil, it is easy for us lose our focus and forget our armor!  

I am committed to God and God only in MY hard times!  I am committed to HIS church and HIS people in OUR hard times!  So, because of my commitment, I will not put down my shield!  I will not walk away or make decisions that I do not feel like God supports.  Life is Hard, but eternity in Hell would be harder!  Do not fail the test!  Do not turn away from what you know is biblically right and do not invite the devil into your home!  Trust God and his promises and that he is here with us....even when the hard seems to be too much!  

Ephesians 6:14-20

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Being like Esther

     It's kind of neat when you see in any given situation how God prepares you for it long before you ever knew you were in it!  You study and talk to people about God's goodness and you feel in the word, but then when you are really in the word, down in the weeds and you look back....it is then you see that you were meant for times such as this. 

     As I listed to Turning Point this morning, Dr. Jeremiah was talking of Haman and his desire to destroy the Jews, but especially a little Jewish man named Mordecai.  Now, Haman's daily desire was to shout of his own good works, his own goodness and to have the people around him to bow down to him as though he were the King.  Then there was this little man who did not bow down to him, tremble at his presence and did not show the respect that Haman felt he should receive.

     Haman was out to destroy these people all because of one man who would not worship him. Haman....an earthly man, walking the same streets as Mordecai should be worshiped??  Really??. So, word was sent to Esther from Mordecai and she found out about the plot against her people.  She at first was worried and sent clothes so him so that he could remove the sack cloths he was wearing and look like everyone else. Mordecai in his faith and unwillingness to back down, refused them.  It seems he knew that this journey he was on was bigger than he was and it was important for him to stand on what he believed!  Esther did as he instructed her and did not tell of her connection to the Jewish people, that she too, was one of them.

     So, Esther was called to stand up too....to seek a conversation with the King even if she risked her life to do so, to save her people from such a cruel, evil man as Haman.  She had favor with the King and he heard the desires of her heart after hearing of Haman's plan because he loved her more than others. The King allowed Haman, unknowingly, to determine what should happen to Mordecai and yet in his selfish spirit, he thought he was "designing" his own destiny of royalty and recognition.  He had no idea that at that same time he would be hanged on the gallows that he had built to hang this Jewish man so high that all the world could see.  Then as he told his wife and sons, they began to realize that this was leading to the end for Haman.

     Esther and Mordecai stayed true to what was right, to what they believed and to saving their people.  God had protected them for taking a stand in the heat of battle.  Do we have what it takes when the battle is hard or do we crumble under the pressure of what might happen or what someone might think?  This is OUR time to take a stand, to stand up for God, for what is right, for OUR people through His word.  We should pray for a heart of compassion like Esther's and for a burden for our people just like Mordecai!  We should be sorrowful for the condition of the world around us and for how we have gotten further from God than ever.  We should be bold and we should be in the word!  

     I can say this about having a heavy heart for "my current situation"....it has made me dig deeper and study more of God's word, to listen more and make sure the message is right and clear, to not be afraid to take a stand and also allow things to happen in God's time.  

     So, my friends trust me in this...things are not right in our world, truths are not being preached, practiced or shared, biblical principles are being broken and not properly followed and we are getting further away from God.  Take a stand, even when it's hard and don't allow yourself to be drawn into your own demise as Haman was!!!  

     Be like Queen Esther!  
           Be like Mordecai and put on your sackcloth!  
                 Claim this day that you will be a leader and be God's instrument to bring truth!  

Esther 8:3-6

3 Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. 4 And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king, 5 and said, “If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor in his sight and the thing seems right to the king and I am pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote to annihilate the Jews who are in all the king’s provinces. 6 For how can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my countrymen?”

  

Staying True to God's Word

Staying True to God's Word

My daddy has been my preacher for seventeen years at my church, but has been a spiritual leader in our home always.  He has always encouraged those around him to NEVER take man's interpretation of the Bible as truth, but to seek my own truth in God's word.  My burden for this task has been heavy in the last few days because it seems that so many take only portions of God's word and simply misinterpret the meaning which leaves many misguided.

When I got up yesterday I began to research and think about messages I had heard this weekend. There is so much controversy already in our world from misinterpretations and applying God's word in the proper context.  I am so thankful to have such a man of God as my friend that he will preach the truth at all costs, that he will stay true to God's word.  That truth is this....LoVe ALL people!  Plain and simple.  When we read in Mark 7:1 we must remember that God's word tells us ...

Do Not Judge!!

7 “Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

     So what do we as Christians do?  Point fingers, condemn?  Do you not realize that ANY sin you commit is the same in God's eyes?  How can you condemn one person for their life choices or beliefs when you too are a sinner?  It all comes down to Love...showing God's love, telling of God's love, sharing God's word and allowing him to work through you!  Sin is sin!! This is a verse that I often remind myself of and one that many need to remember,

     Then I began to study more on a lesson that I heard stating that "if people had not told of Jesus'works he might still be here with us".  In this portion of the scripture from Mark 7 Jesus is healing a deaf mute man and is on a journey where he wants to not be recognized.   He clearly gives direction to the people as he is trying to go unseen on this mission.  Mark 7:35-37 reads:

35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Jesus clearly commanded them not to tell, so immediately we see that they were in disobedience to Him.  Now the main thing we need to understand is, that them telling was part of God's preordained plan for Jesus life...he knew it would happen.  How then can anyone predict that people not sharing this information could have changed the course of Jesus' life?  His life was prophesied through out the Old Testament as is revealed in MANY references and to suggest that this course could have been altered by human man is simply not possible.  Can you see that Jesus changed our lives?....we could not have changed His.  If we could have, don't you think we would have chosen for the agony of the cross not to happen?  His life had to happen in the order in which it was ordained to fulfill His destiny of the journey to the cross.  ANYTHING that would have altered that path would have changed our opportunity for salvation and eternal life and not been of God.  

The burden for salvation of others should be real in your life and mine...is it?  Do you seek wisdom and truth from God's word or do you take the word of man?  Search for yourself, read and ask questions....never let the ultimate decision of your life rest on the word of mortal man, but on the word of the one who loves you more than any other....man can plant a seed that leads us to God!

Seek Him today....my prayer is that you will always desire to fellowship and share in His word and live for His glory so that you may enjoy .....  

Joy in the Fellowship of God

Psalm 63:1   A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.

Serve Others before yourself!

When I opened my devotion today online in the Upper Room devotional, it was titled "Others First". God's devotional message today follows in line with what we talked about yesterday!  It excites me to see God's words of encouragement for us all this morning as I start my day. Let me start by sharing today's scripture readings with you!

Philippians 2:1-4

"If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others."

God wants us to be all we can for him...to do more, to love more, to BE more!  As human beings, we all have busy lives that require a lot of time and attention.  We have work, kids, homework, meals, housework, etc etc....the list continues!  Often the thought occurs that we should do something for someone at church, but then time passes and we decide it has been too long.  OR, we may hear of a sick church member or friend and think I should go for a visit or send a card, but time passes and they are well and its been too long.

These are all traps the devil wants us in to keep us from caring about each other.  He does not want us to encourage each other, to share joy, or to think of others.  He wants us to be selfish or to do things for the accolades and praise, but God's word says differently!!  In doing and caring for others, we are NOT to do anything for our own glory, but that it may glorify God and serve his purpose as Christians.

But, when have we done too much...there are people we see every day who expect us to do things for them and this tends to jade our perspective of the actual act of "doing"!  However, it is my belief that yes we should use our gifts and talents wisely, but we have not been given these gifts to build ourselves up, but to put others first and be God's hands and feet.  You see talents used unwisely can be taken from us and then who fulfills the purpose God created us for?  

Use your talents, your time and your words carefully.  Send a card right when you think of it, make a phone call when someone pops into your mind (even though you know they may be long winded...like me!), or just visit people. Hug more, love more and do more...in the end aren't we here to serve and be of service to each other.  God will take care of the credit as you fill your crown with the heavenly gems he has promised. Never do anything in HIS name for your own credit or glory. Boasting and bragging are not what we are to do as is written in Ephesians 2:4-9:

 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.


So seek today to serve others first by putting God first and allow him to direct your path.  My prayer each morning will be for God to show me people who are in need and to do for them...even when my "to do" list is full!  If you read this and have something you need for me to pray about, please email me at LUgal2010@aol.com...it's the easiest and yet most powerful tool I can offer.

Life changes right before our very eyes....children grow up, our parents age, and things in general just change.  Change is often good while it may be difficult.  It teaches us to learn to live for mOrE, more time, more moments, more memories.  Do we take this the time to listen, to love, to cherish or do we move through life always rushing to and missing out?

God allows us these moments as gifts in our lives to appreciate HIS goodness in all things. Often we are going through the process of life and we forget to just live, to just breathe, to just savor.  Savor the smells, the tastes, the feelings of the people in our lives.  The feeling of HIS blessings in our lives....not our good luck, but HIS blessings.  

Learning to appreciate the gifts we are given each and every day is what LiViNg for mOrE is all about for me.  Leaving a legacy that life is full and hard and wonderful all at the same time.  We learn to roll with the speed bumps and we seek God when we hit one....BUT do we seek him when we don't have mOrE going on?  Do we seek him in the quiet? in the storms?  He is in the midst of all of these with his outstretched hand waiting for us to reach out to HIM and learn to live for more of HIM.  Do we? 

Often not and this I am guilty of as well, so don't think I am pointing a finger at you without realizing that four are pointed back at me.  I want to strive to live for more, to love to its fullest capacity, to really see everything around me, to hurt when those around me hurt and to feel the burden for the salvation of others.  Our world all belongs to God and in any given moment it could all end...and I want to be ready!  I don't want to have to reach the end and realize that I missed out on the most important gift I was given....to Live for More of Jesus.  

Open the gift today...he freely gave it, yet it cost him everything.  To live for more you must be willing to give everything...to pray, to love, to study, to seek always of more ways to serve, to give, to be more to those around you.  If Jesus can lay down HIS life for sinners like me, then my task here is nothing.  I will choose this day to LiVe for mOrE!