Third Time's The Charm

Hey Friend,

Being the word nerd that I am, I like to know the etymology of words and sayings.  I've heard the saying, "Third time's the charm" since I was very little. Yes, it often takes three (or more) tries to get something right, but where did this little phrase come from?

Some word theologians believe that "Third time's the charm," or "Third time lucky" originated in this quote of Shakespeare's from "The Merry Wives of Windsor".

"Pr'ythee, no more prattling:- go.  I'll hold: this is the third time; I hope good luck lies in odd numbers.  Away, go; they say there is divinity in odd numbers, either in nativity, chance, or death. - Away."

(Shakespeare)

I could go on and on about the different thoughts about three times being lucky in a myriad of historic events.  Personally, I go with the thought that this phrase has something to do with the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).  When you start to look at the number of times the number "three" shows up in scripture you easily lose track.

My first thoughts were of Jesus - And on the third day He arose from the dead.

Next, I thought of Peter and Jesus prophesying that he would deny Christ three times.  Right on cue, Peter does, in fact, deny Christ three times before the rooster crows.  

Here are some stories of "three's" that I was not as equally familiar with.  In John 21, Jesus makes His third appearance to the disciples after He has risen from the dead.

The disciples are tired after a full night of fishing and having caught nothing.  I can just see them, despondent and weary, hauling in their nets and equipment and knowing they won't eat that day, when Jesus happens upon the scene.  

"Men,"  Jesus called to them, "you don't have any fish, do you?"  "No," they answered.  (John 21:5)

Jesus proceeds to tell the exhausted men to put out once again and cast their nets on the right side of the boat - assuring them that they'll get some fish. Reluctantly they obey - all the while wondering who is this guy?  Their nets are full and tearing as they haul the huge catch on board the small boat.  

Once on the shore, Jesus takes the bread and the fish and gives it to the disciples and finally, the light bulb goes on in John's brain.  

Third time's the charm....on the third appearance, the disciples finally know that this is the Lord that they love.

Jesus, as only Jesus can do, sets about restoring what has been broken so He turns to Peter who had denied Him three times before He was crucified and He asks:

"Simon Peter, son of John, do you love Me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said to Him, "You know that I love You."

"Feed My lambs," Jesus told him.

This back and forth questioning goes on two more times.  Jesus asks twice more if Peter loves Him.  

Jesus' restoration of Peter takes three times of Him asking Peter about His love for Him and three times Jesus commands Peter to go then and shepherd His sheep.  

I love how things can be torn down in groups of three:  The three denials by Peter, three days dead from crucifixion, three strikes and you're out.

BUT, GOD.  

But, God uses threes to restore and redeem:  Three days then resurrected from the dead, three appearances to the disciples and they call Him "Lord", threefold questioning of Peter about His love.

I love Peter....he's a bit of a screw up, but Jesus tells this doubter and betrayer that not only is he forgiven, but that He (Jesus) is going to build His church on Peter's shoulders.  He even calls Peter the "rock" on which His church will be built.

Wow!  Talk about being given another chance.  

I'd definitely say that "Third time's the charm for Peter".  

Third time's the charm for us.  Jesus went to His death, descended into hell, and on the THIRD day, He arose from the grave so that we would never have to worry that we could strike out on His grace and mercy.

God commands us to forgive 70 X 7 and He will forgive us an infinite number of times if we repent of our sins.  We're not limited to three because this member of the Trinity has paid the price for our sins for us.  His grace and mercy will never run out.  We can't out run his love and we can't disappoint Him or alienate His love for us.  It's simply not possible.  

So thankful for this third person of the Trinity who makes eternal life possible and the abundant life attainable.

What about you?  Do you feel like you've struck out with God?  Do you ever feel like Peter - having denied Christ and perhaps He's given up on you?  How have you seen Jesus' redeeming power in your own life?

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise you because you are not a "three strikes and you're out" kind of Father.  Your mercy and love for us is endless. So much so that you gave your only Son to literally go through hell for three days so that I could be restored unto You forever.  I ask you for forgiveness of my sins and claim your promise that if I confess my sins you will remove them from me and purify me with Christ's righteousness.  Help me not to heap guilt upon myself because You surely don't.  The price has been paid.  The days of striking out are finished.  In Jesus precious name I pray, Amen.

Be blessed...

The Blessing Season

Hey Friend,

In this place where I am, recovering from yet another surgery, God has brought me to a complete standstill.  He has given, one may even say forced, me to spend more time in His Word, more time in His presence, more time being still, and more time in contemplation.

A devotion that I read on one of my favorite sites - www.(in)courage.me - has had me pondering my blessings.  Granted, I've been pondering them ever since I came to a standstill, but God has brought things into a little better focus for me.  

I have realized that I have had different seasons of blessings in my life and that often periods of waiting have brought me to places of blessings.  

This is not so hard to believe because God's ways are so much different and higher than our ways.

When I was very young, I believed that blessings were something that I assumed came with life.  I enjoyed them, gleefully, and one might say I took them for granted.  Maybe that is the beauty of youth that we don't question them; we just take them from God's hand and enjoy them.

As I  grew up and began maturing, I would say that I still held onto the notion that life was a big bowl of cherries.  I would eagerly eat up the first sweet bites of blessings, but instead of pausing to enjoy the sweet goodness on my tongue and just savor the moment, I would begin digging down deeper to the next level of goodness and blessings and sweetness.

One might say I never dwelt in my blessings long enough until I was plowing headlong into what was coming next. 

In yet another season of life, I realized that, as Erma Bombeck would say, with every bowl of cherries there are going to be pits.  And if "life was a bowl of cherries, what was I doing down here in the pits?"  Life can be hard and full of heartache and disappointment.  

I have to say I have experienced some of the most trying and difficult seasons life can throw at you.  Perhaps that's why when future blessings came along, I found myself somewhat skeptical and I worried that the blessings I had been given would be pulled out like a rug from under me. 

Still at other times, when God opened His hand of goodness and loving kindness to me, I'm not sure why, but I almost felt guilty and would be apologetic for the blessings bestowed on me.  When I would see others still struggling it felt uncaring to acknowledge and go on about God's blessings, because didn't these other people deserve blessings too?  

Perhaps what I'm learning is that The Blessing Season is not an all or nothing concept.

Even though I'm laid up with a fourth surgery in as many years, I see what a blessing my husband is.  We've been married three and a half years and I have thanked God day and night for the blessing of him.

This whole experience has shown me a whole deeper level of how much he loves, and cherishes me, and would do absolutely anything for me.  

When the chips are really down you see what someone is truly made of. 

So now, looking back upon my different reactions to God's blessings, I draw TRUTH from scripture.  

I will not fall into the trap of thinking that God wants me to race from one blessing to the next, or that I need to worry that the blessings will be pulled from my hand as this is not God's nature, nor do I need to apologize for blessings bestowed on me...

The Lord appeared from afar, saying, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness."  (Jeremiah 31:3)

You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me.  (Psalm 40:11)

I have come that you may have life and have it in ABUNDANCE...(John 10:10)  ...preceded by truth that it is the enemy who steals.

No, I will accept the blessings in whatever form them come, in each and every season that they come.  To deny them, and not let praise come from my lips, would be to deny grace, and mercy, and love, and hope - the very things God sent His Son to die for.  

To deny and not accept blessings with childlike thankfulness would be to deny Jesus' sacrifice for me so that I could have life and have it to the full.

In this Blessing Season....I will savor and enjoy, and simply say, "Thank you, Lord."

Dear Heavenly Father,  thank you for the truth you reveal to me by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.  I thank you that you are a good, good Father and your desire is to bestow blessings upon me.  Help me to accept them from your hand thankfully and not let worry, or skepticism, or the hurriedness of life not let me enjoy them fully.  Help me to know that just as joy and pain can co-exist, so can blessings and trials.  Give me the grace to see that you died so that I could experience life and blessings in abundance.  Give me the childlike faith to just praise you and say thank you.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Be blessed....

Guess What?  Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc. is now on Instagram!!  I invite you to follow us:  @rcf.inc    

 

Click HERE to go to the website of RCF, Inc. to see what's new...

Why, I Think, God Says What He Says

Hey Friend,

It's a good thing I wrote this post before my surgery.  Being on heavy duty pain medicine, has left me fuzzy-brained and not able to focus (you may be saying so what else is new?).  Thank you for your caring and compassionate prayers.  I have truly felt them.....now I wait, pray, and thank God for what He is going to do in my life.

I've been thinking about why God says what He says.  The Bible says, and I've heard many a pastor preach, on the subject of God hating divorce. It's usually a guilt trip. Naturally this hits close to home because I have gone through the tragedy that is divorce and am now remarried.  Yes, I am happily remarried, but the road here has been far from a fairy tale.  In fact just the opposite.  Divorce is hell and I think God's heart for us is to not have to travel there.

Even if your divorce meets the Biblical criteria for divorce, it is still the tearing apart of a union that God meant to last until death do us part.  I don't think God says He hates divorce for His sake, I think He hates it for our sake.

I look at all the lives that were impacted by my/our divorce.  This didn't just traumatize the two adults involved....it rippled out to our children, family, friends, future relationships, our relationship with God, etc. I felt guilt and failure that took a long time to shed.  It still affects things even today.

At the moment, I have a very strained relationship with my daughter who I thought, for sure, would be the first one to rise up and call me blessed.  I know that her hurt comes, in part, from insecurities stemming from the divorce. Divorce tempts children to take up sides, harbor resentments, place blame, internalize guilt.  I believe that God hates the feelings that the children of divorce (no matter their age) have to deal with.  He hurts, not for Himself, but for them.

God has counted and caught the many tears I've cried into my pillow from the divorce and now the strained relationship with my daughter.  He doesn't want this for me...for us...but this can be the aftermath of divorce.  I know that God is still working.  He is still orchestrating and He will continue to work these broken pieces into something for good, but I believe He hates it for us that we have to shed tears, and have heartache, and experience strained relationships.  It's not so much that God hates divorce, but that He hates it for US.

In the Ten Commandments, God clearly says Honor Thy Mother and Father.  I'm sure, as a teenager, I thought - Yeah right God, do you know how lame they are??  You're cramping my style if you want me to honor them and all the demands they put on me.  Sound familiar? Of course, those were the days when there was a healthy dose of fear mixed in there, so I tried to "fly right" lest the boom be lowered on my head.

Even as I grew older, I always thought of the Ten Commandments as something that God wrote to infringe upon our fun, cramp our free speech, boss me around.  I thought it was all about Him and His rules.  How far from the truth I was.

One day, when my parents were visiting with us, I worked up the nerve to tell my dad (in a not so nice way) all the things he had done wrong - how he had failed to let me know I was loved - how he was overly critical - and on and on. In essence, I let him have it and I felt justified in my mind.

My Father passed away five years ago and you know to this very minute, I wish I could take back all the hurtful things I said to my dad in anger.  Sure, my dad had his faults, but God called me to honor him.  And, I believe that honor sometimes means just keeping my big mouth shut!!!

By breaking that command, I didn't necessarily hurt God, I have hurt myself.  I have to live with the remorse of saying words I wish I could take back.  

God told me to honor my father not for Him, not for my earthly father, but for me.  I know he mourns with me when I feel remorse.  He catches my tears when I pray and ask Him to give my earthly father a hug and tell him that I love him.  

One last example and I'll let this rest...God says to keep the marriage bed pure. Again, he doesn't say this to squelch our fun.  My husband and I kept this command as we were dating (and no it's not easy), but the blessings that have come from following God's commands are tremendous.  There is no guilt; there is no comparing; there is no remorse had the relationship not worked out.

I have seen, however, the trauma that having sex outside marriage has caused. I know of young women who have wound up pregnant and then further bring years of agony upon themselves by opting for abortions.

I know young men who wait with fear and trepidation to get the results of STD testing only to find out it's positive and now they have the awful responsibility of sharing that with other partners.  

I've seen what HIV can do to a marriage, a family, and life itself.  It can take it away in an instant.  The wages of sin are death (literally).  But, before you go thinking I'm some puritanical hell fire and brimstone writer.  I want to emphasize that:

God's commands are not about His anger toward us.  They are, I believe, ALL about His great love for us and NOT wanting to see us have to go through all the heartache, turmoil, worry, anxiety, remorse....that our sins lead us straight into.

God loves us and He created us and gave us rules for living so that we COULD HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY.  That is His greatest desire for us.  

He doesn't want to squelch our fun, He wants to enhance it.  He doesn't want us saying things that might hurt others in the moment, but will haunt us for a lifetime.  

I think God says what He says and hates what he hates because HE LOVES US SO MUCH.  Beyond words.  He loves us higher, deeper, wider, farther than we could ever imagine. 

To the Ten Commandments, He attaches a promise:  "Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."  (Deuteronomy 5:16)

God gives us commands so that it may go well with us...Amen!

“As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9-11)

It's kind of ironic, but one of the most self-serving things we can do is follow God's commands.  Think about it?!

Furthermore, if we fail to follow His commands, but later repent of our sins, He is faithful to forgive us.  Our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west.

What an AWESOME and LOVING God we have who cares so much about us that He wants it to go well with us.  I think God says what He says not for Him, but for us.  He knows how some of our poor decisions will play out and He would love to spare us that heartache.  

Still, if we hand Him the shattered pieces of our lives, He may not put them back together exactly as they were before, but He can make something even more beautiful from them.  God is still in the business of bringing beauty from ashes.

Why do YOU think God says what he says?  How have you witnessed blessings by listening to God?  How have you experienced heartache by disobeying? What do you sense God saying to you right now?  What would He have you know?

Dear Heavenly Father,
I praise you for your goodness and how your very heart for me is love. You ARE love and you cannot deny yourself.  Help me to see that the path you have laid out for me is for my own good.  You want me to have life and have it abundantly so you give me direction on how to make this happen.  Enable me to "color within the lines" so that it might go well with me.  You say these things to me, I believe, to spare me heartache.  Great is your faithfulness.  Forgive me of my past sins and invite me into life everlasting with you.  I love your commands, Lord, give me the strength to obey.  I can't do this in my own power!  In Jesus name I pray,  Amen.

Be blessed.....





ps.  Thank you for all the prayers and well wishes for my surgery.  I am slowly recuperating...it will be a long haul but trying to be patient.  

A Revealing New View Of Mary & Martha

Hey Friend,

I will be having foot surgery on the 10th.  This is a complex surgery that I'm having in an attempt to correct an unsuccessful surgery three years ago that left me with constant, residual nerve pain in my foot.  Naturally, I am a little more anxious than I normally would be about how this surgery is going to turn out.  I would really appreciate your prayers for me, the surgeon, and for peace and patience in the process of a smooth healing.

Meanwhile, I would love to share a revealing (at least to me) new view of Mary and Martha.  We all say we'd love to be like Mary - sitting at the feet of Jesus and resting on His every word while our silly sister, Martha, scurries about cleaning house. 

One of my favorite writers, Denise Hughes, at "Deeper Waters" www.deeperwaters.us/devotions/ wrote this devotional that has me thinking about how multi-faceted we all are.  Possibly because we are created in God's image?

To get the full gist of this devotional, you really need to read the scripture that goes along with it.  You'll be glad you did.  You may have read this story before, but I challenge you to read it with fresh eyes......get ready to be blessed...

DAY 24

— Read: John 11:1-27 —

Click HERE to read the scripture.....

Two women. Mary and Martha.

They’re most known for the time they had Jesus in their home, along with many other guests. Jesus was teaching and Mary was listening while Martha did all the work. After all, who was going to feed all those people in their house?

So Mary sat while Martha worked. And Martha got upset. But Jesus gently rebuked her, saying that Mary had chosen wiser.

Two thousand years later, women today will remark how they want to “be a Mary” and “not a Martha.”

But in today’s reading, we’re given a deeper look into the lives of these two women. Their brother had died. And in their society, if a woman didn’t have a husband or a father or a brother to care for them, they were destitute. So their brother’s death was not only a deep loss emotionally, there were also serious practical matters to consider.

Jesus heard their brother was ill, but He didn’t come. He delayed. And when Jesus finally arrived, their brother was already dead. Now we know that Jesus was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. But in that moment, the two sisters had no idea. And look at how they respond to the situation.

1. When they hear that Jesus is coming, Martha is the only one who gets up to meet Him. Mary, at first, refuses to go see Him.

2. When Martha sees Jesus, she says:

“Then Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Yet even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.'”

3. When Mary sees Jesus, she says:

“When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and told Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!'”

Martha’s faith is so great that she believes Jesus could raise Lazarus from the grave. But Mary can only lament that her brother is gone (and she insinuates that it’s Jesus’ fault).

Yes, when they had lots of people in their house, Mary was the one who chose better. She sat at His feet and listened while Martha worked. But here? In this situation? Martha is the one who showed great faith.

So whenever I hear someone say they want to “be a Mary” and “not a Martha,” I have to ask: Why must we choose between one or the other?

Like Mary, I want to sit at Jesus’ feet and listen to all He has to say. And I do this every day by being in His Word.

Like Martha, when my world comes crashing down, and it seems as though all hope is lost, I want to run to Jesus and put all my faith in Him.

by Denise Hughes

---

— Diving Deeper —

Do you see yourself more as a Mary or a Martha or both?

Share your answer in the Comments below.

For Those Of Us Who Are "Fixers"

Hey Friend,

You notice that I include myself in this title?  In fact, many times I am writing to myself (sounds better than talking to myself) and I invite you to listen in.

The greatest challenge that people, like myself, who try to "fix" situations or people run into is "waiting".  I believe if you are, by nature, one who tries to fix things, you are conversely one who is not so great at waiting.  Am I hitting a nerve with anyone?

When I am trying to be obedient and I am waiting and I don't see anything happening (from my vantage point), I get the misguided notion that just because I can't see it, nothing is going on.  What false thinking.  Being a "fixer" by nature, I think if I'm not "fixing" it then it won't get fixed.....I know, silly girl. I think this is a little, or not so little, thing called pride.

This pride will cause me to do other foolish things like take matters in my own hands or I try to run ahead of God.  These usually only lead to pain and frustration and many times sin.  I forget that God knows what is best for me and my life AND he knows what is best for others and their lives.  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways SUBMIT to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I like this version because instead of saying "acknowledge" God, it goes one step further and says "submit" to God.  Submitting means that I place my will and purpose below that of God.

God has been teaching me many things about fixing and waiting.  Perhaps there are so many scriptures about waiting because we are called on to wait quite often and sometimes for long periods of time.

A friend of mine who attends Al-Anon classes has shared with me some of the things she's been learning about her adult child... especially when it comes to dealing with a loved one who is struggling in life and we feel a need or compulsion to help or to fix.

The Three C's:

1.  I didn't cause it (addiction, broken relationship, behavior, disobedience)

2.  I can't cure it (when things are broken they can only be cured by God's unbroken Word) - I added this second part.

3.  I can't control it (If I think I can control it, that's usually Pride talking - me again.)

Another helpful adage is this:

***STAY IN YOUR OWN LANE*****

What I understand this to mean is that I need to stay in my lane with God.  I need to concentrate on something I can do something about and that is - work on MY relationship with God.  

I need to let GOD work on the person in their lane beside me.  Their walk is between them and God and I need to quit trying to cross over the line and meddle in their lane.  I can certainly help if called upon, but I need to let God call the shots.

So here I am back to if I can't control or fix it....I need to wait on God.

Good friend and writer Jeanne Takenaka says, "The hardest seasons are those when we wait with no answer from God."

Yes, God can and will be silent sometimes for a purpose, but these truths I know:

1.  God is working in the waiting.  (Even when I can't see it)

2.  In waiting, God is stretching my "patience muscles".   Ouch!

3.  Prayer IS doing something.  It's doing the most important thing!

4.  God is MORE THAN ABLE to handle anyone or any situation.

5.  Often God works better alone (without our "help")

6.  God ALWAYS works for the good of those who love Him and for His glory (not ours).

I am learning that God is always hard at work moving and orchestrating things that I do not see.  I can't see Him working in someone's heart, for example.  All I know is that I can lift my prayers, not lean on MY understanding of the situation, and trust that God is certainly able.

God's got this (whatever or whomever "this" is).

In the meantime, my job is to wait, pray, and thank Him in advance for what He is about to perform.  

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

(Psalms 27:13-14)

Are you a "fixer" by nature?  In what situations is God calling you to submit to His knowledge and authority?  If you can't "fix" the situation, what would God have YOU work on?  Can you let go of your understanding and trust and wait on God?  Take a moment and lift your struggle up to Him....He's listening....

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me when, in wanting to see change, I pridefully run ahead of you or try to take matters into my own hands. Help me Lord, to submit my understanding to Your authority.  Help me to trust that you are in control and to take comfort in the fact that there are some things I just can't control.  Give me patience as I wait upon You Lord - trusting and knowing that you are more than able and that you've got this under control.  Help me to "stay in my lane" and concentrate on MY relationship with you.  Make me an expectant prayer warrior who gives thanks for what you can do.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Be blessed...

ps.  Would you please pray for me as I will be having my 4th surgery in 5 years?  This is a more complicated surgery to try to correct an unsuccessful bunion surgery from 3 years ago that left me with residual and continual nerve pain in my foot.  I would certainly welcome your prayers for the nerve pain to be alleviated, or better yet, eliminated.  I know my God is more than able!!  Thank you... (Surgery is May 10th)

More of You, Less of Me

Hey Friend,

I have been thinking about how the world seems to be a lot more angry than it used to be.  Oh, we've always had the ability to cut others to pieces with our tongues, but the thing was, we were challenged to do it in person.

The world we live in now allows us to lob insults in texts, and tweets, and Instagrams.  We can hide, safely behind our screens, and launch word grenades that leave the other side reeling.  

Meanwhile, I believe that the enemy sits back and laughs.  He doesn't have to do the dirty work....given the opportunity, we will annihilate each other.  All he has to do is throw out a divisive topic, political, religious, or otherwise and we readily pick up sides and go on the attack.  

Why?  I suppose pride has something to do with it.  If I shout loud enough, everyone will see that I have the RIGHT answer and they will switch their way of thinking.  

If we have two choices - fight of flight - we have become awfully good at pulling out our swords and fighting.

So in this world of "my way", "your way", How do I help people see Christ's way?  

Christ never viewed people as a problem to be solved, but as people to be loved.  (recently read this in a post by Holley Gerth).

The only conclusion I can come to is this:  The more I know Him, the more I'll become like Him, and the more others will be able to recognize Him in me.

So how do I go about this?  This may seem simplistic, but how can I live for Jesus without Him? 

Go to the source.  Not only read His Word, but pray, and spend time in His presence so that I am conformed into the image of Christ.  

I'm not going to be like Him if I don't spend good quality time with Him.

"I have been crucified with Christ (remember Easter that we just celebrated?) and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

So if I die to self there's no more of me, but only Christ living through me.

More of Christ....less of me.  This is the ultimate goal.

Writer, Cindi McMenamin made some excellent points on this topic.  May I share them with you?

Jesus also said in Matthew 16:24 "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." How can you and I deny ourselves in a society that shouts "Love your body",  "Love Yourself", and "Love your Selfie!"?  How can you and I, like John the Baptist, live by the motto, "He must increase, but I must decrease"?  (John 3:30)

Cindi further points out that it means reversing the way we naturally think and act.  It means putting Christ in the place where we would normally put ourselves.  It means having:

     * Less concern for how others see you and more concern for how

        others see Jesus.

     * Less focus on what you deserve from others and more focus on 

        what you owe Christ.

     * Less preoccupation with your perceived rights and more focus on

        what it means to be a servant of God.

My takeaway from Cindi's words are that we need to focus more on the new creation that we've become...

"The old you is gone.  The new you (consumed by Christ) has come."  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

No more hiding behind the phrase, "Well, that's just the way that I am so the world is just going to have to accept it." 

But, rather to say, "I have surrendered my life to Christ and, though I am still a work in progress, I want to be more like Him and less like me."  (realizing we have a sinful nature).  

Maybe if we all started living like the new creations that we are, we'd stop insisting on our own way.  Insisting that others conform to our way of thinking. Stop lobbing word grenades at each other from behind screens.  

Instead, we would realize who the real enemy is and work together to foil his evil schemes.  We would use our words to build each other up, not tear down. We would love like Christ loved because there would be more of Him and less of us.  Food for thought.....

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for Easter that we just celebrated. You took our sins upon Yourself so that we would be new creations in You.  Help me to lay down the sword of my tongue.  Enable me to use my words to build others up and not to tear them down.  Let me view others not as projects to be fixed, but people to be loved.  Let my priority be to spend time with You so than in doing this I would be transformed to be more like you and less like my sinful self.  Instead of insisting on my way, guide me to show people Your way that leads to life everlasting.  I ask all this in Your Son Jesus' name.  Amen.

Be blessed......

ps.  Thank you for praying for the safety of our school (Redeemer Christian Foundation, Inc.) in the Middle East through Easter.  Praise that there were not bombs this year as Christians celebrated the Risen Christ.  

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Just Who Am I Kidding?

Hey Friend,

As Easter approaches, the words of writer friend, Shannan Martin, echo in my mind.  "I am laying bare my inadequacies and wrapping them in the hope of salvation."

News Flash:  God is not after our tidiness, but He's after our holiness.

I admit to, many times, trying to "tidy up" my soul to impress God.  I don't know who I'm trying to fool because God can't be fooled, yet I try.  I will do all the right things - read His Word, pray, give thanks, but I think what God wants is for us to lay our incomplete-sinful-I'm-not-fooling-anyone lives before Him and ask Him to wash and scrub us clean in the blood of His Son.  

So...what am I offering to God this Easter?

Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.  So do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.  (Romans 12: 1-2)

So what does this mean exactly?

Let's break it down....

Present your bodies as a living sacrifice.  In this verse sacrifice means "offering".  In a way this verse is an oxymoron because usually ancient sacrifices meant killing something and offering the dead animal up to God, but here it says He wants us to be living sacrifices...to offer up our lives while we are still living. In other words - giving our whole life to Him

Present you bodies as "holy".  Here holy is "hagios" in the Greek which means "acceptable to God....devoted to the Lord."  Under "holy" words like "consecrated" and "sanctified" are used.  Consecrated, has in it the root "sacred" which means to be set apart from the unclean.  Sanctification also has this idea of separation and dedication.

We are set apart for God's use in acceptable service to which we are to be dedicated. 

So, in addition to my tidy work of reading His Word, and praying, and attempting to do good works, have I given God what He really wants?

Have I "laid bare my inadequacies".  Have I come to God's altar and said, "God you know my sins and my failings, but HERE, I give it ALL to You.  I can't fool you, so here I am sins, stains, flaws, failings and all.  I want you to scrub me and make me clean; set me apart, let me be dedicated only unto You, and USE me in YOUR service."  

If I really want to get dangerous and open myself up, I will pray Psalm 139: 23-24:

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Do I want God peering in all the dirty crevices of my heart?  Just who am I kidding?  He knows it all anyway, but He is waiting for me to open up, invite Him in, lay myself completely bare in front of Him.  No more hiding.  No more striving.  No more tidying up my life to make it presentable to Him.  Why? Because that's not the definition of holy.

So what's at stake if we are not laid bare and made holy?  

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness NO ONE WILL SEE THE LORD.  (Hebrews 12:14)

God, being the awesome God He is, does not call us to be holy without giving us the way to be made holy. 

He has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.  This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.  (2 Timothy 1:9)

God gives us the Way to be holy, consecrated, sanctified....He gave us Jesus. He gave the ultimate sacred offering that washes and scrubs us clean in the blood of Jesus the lamb.  By His grace and mercy He makes us clean and holy.  He's done the hard part.

So now what does He ask?

Present your (made holy by me bodies) as a living sacrifice to me.  This is the ultimate act of worship.  - God

Lay yourself before me.  Give me all of yourself and in doing so, others will see me too.  

What are you giving God this Easter?  What keeps you from laying it all before Him?  What will God do if you bring Him all your junk?  What have you got to lose?  What do you stand to gain?  Why is your life, being made holy, so crucial?

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise you that you love us for the ragamuffins that we are.  You already know our sins and weaknesses, yet you still invite us to come to you - come just as we are.  Give us the strength in our weakness to lay ourselves bare before you, so that in doing so, you can cleanse us and make us holy.  Then, let us present our lives as living sacrifices to you - set apart and dedicated to doing Your will. Thank you for Easter and for the ultimate gift of salvation.  God you are awesome and we/I praise You!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Be blessed.....and PLEASE pray for our school in the Middle East this Easter. Last year they were rocked by bombings.  There have already been attacks in Egypt...put a hedge of protection around your sons and daughters we pray.