Conviction

A friend of mine posted this video on facebook (you can visit her blog at Sweet Woodruffs).  It is only a minute long; please watch it, then keep reading.



I don't know what they were saying, but I heard it in the crying of the women and in the gratitude of the women who spoke.  I saw it on their faces, especially on the face of the young man who held it to his lips as he held back tears.  Then I hear in their silence as they reverantly opened their very first Bibles and looked at the pages.  Their first Bibles, something they've never seen before, is a great a treasure.

My Bible is in its zippered case sitting next to my desk ... where it has sat untouched for nearly a month.  I've watched sermons and I've looked up verses online and I've prayed, but I haven't looked at my Bible as a Treasure for a long time.  I know it is the Holy Word of God, but I guess the fact that we have so many and they are easily obtained has diminished to me its magnificence.  As I was happy for them, I must say that seeing them pricked my heart and my soul as a Christian.  Would it take having the Bible taken from me and made illegal for me to feel the way they do?

My Bible is a Treasure.  I should value it more than 'silver or gold'.

So I am convicted.

Passing on the Art of Bread Making

Be sure to play the music while you read ...

Give us this day our daily bread.  

~Matthew 6:11 (KJV)

 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:  

~Isaiah 55:10 (KJV)

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  

~II Corinthians 9:10 (NIV)

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.  Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”  

~John 6:26-27 (NIV)

He will dwell on the heights,

His refuge will be the impregnable rock;

His bread will be given him,

His water will be sure.

 ~Isaiah 33:16 (NASB)

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”  

~Matthew 4:4 (NIV)

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."  

~John 6:35 (NIV)

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

~Acts 2:42 (KJV)

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”  

~Luke 24:30-32 (NIV)

 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  

~Acts 2:46-47  (NIV)

 23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death until he comes.  

~I Corinthians 11:23-26 (KJV)

4 1/2 cups warm water

4 1/4 tsp yeast (2 packages)

1 T Sugar

1 cup bread flour

Let proof, then add:

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup honey

2 eggs

1 cups coarse ground oatmeal

1 T gluten (if you have it)

Then add:

1 cup bread flour

3 cups whole wheat flour

Knead for 10-15 minutes adding flour as needed.

Let rise for an hour.

Punch down and form into loaves.

Let rise until doubled.

Bake in a 350 oven until brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped.

Rub butter on top and cool 10 minutes before cutting ... if you can.

Cleaning out ...

A few days ago I spent the entire day cleaning up and cleaning out my cabinets.  Today we had friends over and I made sure that the living room was vacuumed and picked up.  The kitchen was clean.  The table was set.  I showed off my newly organized cabinets and pointed out that the top of my fridge was no longer loaded with stuff, but instead had only a decorative cookie jar and my recipe box on top.

Later, somehow my and my husband's bedroom came up.  It's huge with a jacuzzi tub in it and a fire place.  The master bedroom was what sold us on the house.  I told her  it was a total wreck and even showed her our room with the plastic storage boxes filling one corner, the bed unmade, towels on the floor, and the three-year-old's toys all over the place.

I am currently working on cleaning and organizing our pantry when this thought came to me.  We spend so much time organizing and cleaning what others can see, but try to close the door to real mess.  If we make the part that everyone sees neat and tidy, somehow we think they'll believe that the rest of the house is the same way when it really isn't.

As Christians our lives are the same.  We want what the world and our friends to see to be neat, tidy, admirable, something they might want to emulate.  But what we show on the outside isn't who we really are.  Who we REALLY are is what we hide behind that door, like our office and master bedroom.  As humans, we have a tendency to shove the messy untidy parts of our lives into secret places where we can hide them. The problem with that, particularly as Christians, is that eventually we have to let others in to see ALL of who we are if we plan to truly serve Him.  Sometimes we don't even have to let people in because there is only so much space to hide stuff, then it starts to trickle out.

As servants and followers of Christ, we have to stop trying to hide things instead of dealing with them.  The Bible says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."  (Luke 6:45 NIV)  You see, we can't hide it forever.  Eventually we have to let people in or it comes out on its own.  I hide quite a few things, or least try.  Those who know me know that I can be judgemental and critical when I fail to be humble.  I can complain and have fear when I fail to remember to be thankful for the amazing provisions of the Lord.  And he has provided so faithfully all these years!

So I am deciding right now to spend more time humbled before my Lord and thankful for all His blessings.  I am asking Him to prick my spirit when I judge or complain so that I will remember these words that I have written.  You see, the best motivation to clean out the junk that burdens us is the motivation of the something better and fulfilling taking its place.  I choose the better.  I choose the Spirit of the Lord.  I choose to toss out harsh criticism and judgemental thoughts for the indwelling Spirit of compassion and love.  I chose to dispose of complaining and uncertainty for the Spirit of peace.

You see, these things ARE choices.  And I choose to put on my new self.

Growing Older Gracefully

So many women I speak to loathe growing old.

I don't.

I look in the mirror at myself and I see beauty.  I see the beauty of laugh lines around my mouth and the start of crows feet at my eyes; the result of joy, laughter, and yes, sometimes tears.

I see the white hair that has come in to frame my face; the memories of years gone by of meeting my husband and true love, the birth of our children (one now grown and out of the house with several more following suit soon), and the growing of our family through good times, bad times, love, and loss.

I see my body with its stretch marks from carrying six amazing children, and I see the affects of gravity.  I no longer have the body I had 10 years ago, but then again, I would no no longer wear what I wore back then, so it doesn't matter.

I see myself growing older.  I see the marks of time written all over me for the world to see.  And I'm choosing to do so with grace.

The Bible says many wonderful things about being older:

Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.
 ~ Proverbs 16:32
Yet so many people, especially women, cover their "CROWN OF SPLENDOR" each day.  Of course is it only splendor if you live a life of righteousness.

The glory of the young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.
 ~ Proverbs 20:29
The young show off their strength, their glory; but too many of those growing older see their splendor, hide it, and hold tight to their youth.

Is not wisdom found among the aged?  Does not long life bring understanding? 
 ~ Job 12:12
So many are saddened at the signs of long life and want to look younger.  They fail to see that with long life brings WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING.  They are gifts.

Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.  I am Lord. 
 ~ Leviticus 19:32

This one is my favorite though.  In the SAME BREATH God commands that the younger stand out of respect for those who are older and to also revere God.  Amazing!  He placed respect for elders on the same level as reverence for God!  If that isn't enough to make a person realize that the signs of growing older, and even growing older itself, isn't something to be proud of, I don't know what is!

The world glorifies youth.  GOD glorifies those with a "crown of splendor".

"Return on His Investment"

This morning, as I was cutting up a pineapple for us to eat today before it went bad, I started to consider the leftovers in the fridge that needed to be thrown out and the leftovers I had thrown out earlier this week.  Such a waste!  Such poor stewardship!  I started adding up in my head how much money was quite literally going in the trash.  I couldn't help but think about how that money could have been used to feed other people.  For $38 a child can be fed for a month through Compassion.  I'll have thrown out about $10 of food this week alone.

Then the Parable of the Bags of Gold came to mind.

Matthew 25:14-30

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The man who hid the money and gave it all back was wicked and cast from the sight of his master.  How much worse must it be to throw the Master's money away!!!!  That is what we do when we waste what the Lord has given us.  You see, the money we have isn't ours.  It ALL belongs to the Lord!!!  He gives each as He sees fit, but he expects us to be faithful and give Him a "return on His investment."  

There are so many ways to waste His money besides just throwing food away.  He promises to provide for all of our needs, and I don't believe He minds when we spend time together building relationships and enjoying ourselves, but when we live outside of our means and start living on debt, we waste away His money with the interest we pay.  Blowing money on yet ANOTHER "toy" is a waste as well.  A smartphone is an absolute NEED because a basic flip phone isn't good enough, right?  And apparently, for a teenager, that $200 phone with the $70 a month phone plan is something they can't live without ...

But where is His "return on investment" in all of these things?  So often we say that we wish we had more to give, all the while finding it so tempting to waste so much.  It must the "flesh and blood" thing and the "need and want" thing.

So here is the challenge I am taking:  Each time I find myself throwing food out, I am going to take the time to add up the cost of that food.  Then each week I am going to remove it from my grocery budget and put it in a jar for His work.  If the next week I still throw food away, I will start removing that additional amount of money from my budget as well until there is no more food waste.

I am excited to see how much work can be done for His glory through this simple act of waste cutting!  I may not see the "interest" until I one day kneel at His feet, but it excites me just the same! 

An Example for Christians on Giving ... by Creator of the Simpsons

Sam Simon is dying from cancer and is giving his fortune away.  "He founded his eponymous charity in 2011, an organization that provides food for families in need, spays and neuters cats and dogs for free and trains service dogs to help vets who are hard of hearing.  He established the nonprofit entirely with is own funds and the organization does not accept public donations, according tot he charity's website."

I don't know if he is a Christian or not, but the last two paragraph are an amazing lesson for Christians who give money grudgingly, give only the tithe they believe is required of them (if you study the Law of the OT, Jews actually gave away 1/3 of their income, but that's for another time), or don't give at all:

As for what's motivated Simon to give so gernerously, he says that's pretty simple.

"One thing is, I get pleasure from it," he told the Hollywood Reporter.  "I love it.  I don't feel like it is an obligation."

He gets pleasure from it.  "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remember the words of the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to GIVE than to receive.'" ~Acts 20:35

He doesn't feel it is an obligation. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a CHEERFUL giver." ~2 Corinthians 9:7

Is there really anything else to say?

What are You Hoarding?

Scriptures Used
Genesis 41:49
Proverbs 6:6-8
Proverbs 27:12
Matthew 6:25-34
Luke 12:20-21
Mark 10:21
Matthew 6:19-21

I watch a lot of Hoarders Buried Alive. I am constantly amazed at the amount of stuff and junk people can collect. As I was thinking about last night’s episode, it came to me that while some people have actual medical reasons that they hoard, like they’re OCD or autistic, but most people are just insecure and worried about tomorrow. I think that most people have a little bit of hoarder in them, by hoarding I don’t mean keeping a few special keepsakes as long as you don’t go overboard, but I do believe most of us have some stuff, be it a lot or a little, that we should probably clear out.

First off, hoarding isn’t the same as preparing. We are actually taught in the Bible to prepare. We SHOULD be responsible and plan ahead. Even God told Jacob to store up grain. “Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure.” Genesis 41:49

Proverbs also tells us to not be lazy and to prepare.

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
~Proverbs 6:6-8 (NIV)

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
~Proverbs 27:12 (NLT)

There is nothing wrong with being prepared. The Bible actually says it is prudent. It is prudent to have emergency supplies available. When we lived in Florida, we were prepared for hurricanes. Now in the Midwest, we stay prepared for ice storms, snow storms, and tornados. In California, you would prepare for earthquakes. This is not hoarding. It is following the example of Jacob.

Hoarding is excessive. Hoarding is an inability or unwillingness to throw unneeded items away. Hoarding gets in the way of day to day living and fills up space. In short, hoarding owns you.

Why do people hoard or act like “pack rats”? Fear? Worry? Making sure they die with the most toys? While most certainly hoarding can be psychological, I think it is also partially spiritual.

Let’s first look at fear and worry.

Matthew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I love the first seven words, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry…” ***I SO need to impress that inside my brain as my son leaves for the Marines in just a few weeks!***   Back to the topic ...  God promises to supply all of our needs so there is no need for worry. We live in a worry filled society and have become a worried filled people. Worry is a distraction. The Greek word for distraction is ‘aperispatos’ which literally means ‘to draw away’ or ‘impediment’. Worry either draws us away from trust in God or impedes our trust in God. Either way, it isn’t good.

The passage goes on to tell us that our Heavenly Father, who cares to feed the birds and clothes the flowers, cares far more for us than he does “the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire.” (v.30) He is certainly capable of providing for not just SOME of our needs, but for ALL of them. Those who do not trust him spend their live chasing their needs (v.32), but the Christian can have peace, instead of worry, knowing that He who created us knows how to care for us ... if we just have faith and seek Him, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (v.33) Of course we are expected to WORK and not be lazy as we are warned in Proverbs 6:6-8 above. However, it is still He who “gives you the ability to produce wealth.” (Deuteronomy 8:18a)

In one sentence, hoarding over worry is a spiritual issue based in a lack of faith in our Lord and Savior to provide.

Well, what about those who hoard and accumulate in order to “die with the most toys”? Let’s take a look at Luke 12:20-21:

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (NIV)

Those are pretty harsh words. This excerpts comes from the parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) In short, the rich man had so much grain that he decided to pull down his old barns to build bigger ones to keep more grain in so he could then sit around an be lazy. So many wrong attitudes here. One, he wanted to keep it all to himself so he could, two eat, drink, and be merry and lazy!!! I’d like to assert that his wealth wasn’t the problem. The problem was that his earthly wealth far exceeded his spiritual wealth. He wasn’t “rich towards God.” He was focused on his “money”. It had become his “aperispatos”.

There is only one cure for this type of hoarding. It is found in Mark 10:21, “Jesus looked at him and loved him … ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor … Then come, follow me.’” How did the rich young ruler respond? He walked away with his face down. His “hoard” of riches was more important that his spiritual wealth. This doesn’t mean that wealth is bad. Look at Solomon! But if one is “hoarding” to have the biggest, the best, the most, instead of earning to invest into the Kingdom of God and to help those in need, there is a deep spiritual void.

So take a look around you. What do you hoard? Is your collection of garden gnomes overtaking your home? Do you have a difficult time not purchasing every one that you see? Maybe it’s time to sell them off and use that money in a way that serves God and stores up an even greater reward in heaven.

I conclude with Matthew 6:19-21

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Stuck in the Muck!

After church Sunday, I decided to go walk over to the coop next to the house and feed the baby chicks (one month and two months). We had had a lot of rain the night before and all of the droppings had been washed over to one corner as the coop is on a slight slope. I looked down and there was this month old baby chick stuck in the muck. The other birds stepped on her and pushed her down deeper. She was struggling, but to no avail.

I was standing there in high heels and skirt and decided I didn't have time to go back to the house and change, so I reached in and pulled out this bird covered in some serious NASTY. I sat her down, got the hose and rinsed her off. Then I brought her into the house, wrapped her in a towel and set the hairdryer on her to warm the poor little thing up while I quickly changed.

Pretty pitiful looking, eh? She was so close to dying.

After a few minutes of warm air and petting, she started to try standing. When I first started to warm her up, she had to be propped by the towel. But by this time she was doing pretty good on her own.

After fifteen minutes or so she was good to go. Isn't she pretty?! I kept her inside with me until she decided to start exploring our bedroom.

She was good to go when I took her back out with her siblings. She was the first one at the feed when I threw it in. She's doing well now and appears to be no worse for wear.

So I started thinking, as I do from time to time. How many times do we see people stuck in the muck struggling and unable to get out on their own? How many times to we step on them, even unintentionally? How many times do we walk past them because we don't want to get it on us? How many times do we simply look and comment on the troubles other people are in?

I've heard it said many times that Christians are the only ones that shoot their own wounded. I'm sad to say that I've witnessed a few executioners at work. But where I think we loose the most wounded isn't in the shooting of judgement and condemnation, but in the way we just get so caught up in our own lives and our own comfort zones that instead of shooting them, we neglect them and let them die.

Then time passes by and we ask, "What happened to...?"

I know I'm guilty of missing opportunities to minister.

You know, Jesus was never so caught up in His day to day life that he walked past ANYONE who was stuck in muck and struggling. He never forgot about them. He was never worried about getting dirty. He focused on other people and helped pull them out no matter their circumstances or His. For instance...

* the woman at the well (John 4)

* Zaccheus (Luke 19)

* the adulterous woman (John 7)

* the sinners Jesus ate with and spent time with (Mark 2)

* the man on the cross next to His (Luke 23:43)

...just to name a few.

We aren't Jesus, but we are to follow His example. I'm praying for my eyes to be opened to see and my heart to be sensitive to feel the needs of others. My commitment is to make contact with at least three people every week and reach out to them with a loving hand.

"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." - John 13;35

Behold...Children are a blessing from the Lord!

Please read all the way through. This post isn't to condemn small families. It is to clarify the feelings behind those with large families. It is to edify the amazing gift that children are. So please, read through the entire post to gather the full meaning which is my heart about our children and our desire to have more. In our society, a family that stops at 2 or 3 isn't put through the scrutiny those of us who have it in our hearts to have more are put through. The decision to stop at just a couple kids is accepted, but those of us who go on are criticized, even in the Christian church. That is the purpose of this post.

A few days ago I had a conversation with a friend. It wasn't a new one for me. The question of why we would want more children when we already have five blows many people away. In the light of several miscarriages, including one three months ago today, they question why we would even try again. They talk about the work involved, and costs involved. When I recently said that I wanted another, I was told that children are for the glory of God. Yes, I agree, our children should be to the glory and edification of Christ, as should be everything else in our lives. However, the Bible says the most AMAZING thing about children!

Psalm 127:3-5a

Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.

Doesn't this verse about say it all when it comes to God's feeling towards children? They are a GIFT, a REWARD, a man who has many is BLESSED.

BUT WAIT!!! THERE'S MORE!!!

Psalm 139:13-16

13 For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

God PERSONALLY put each and every one of us together! When we are blessed with the gift of a child, we are blessed with handiwork of God. When we see, hold, touch our children, we are seeing, holding, touching THE HANDIWORK OF GOD HIMSELF! He was with that child from the moment of conception, before a mother even knows.

So I ask, why would a Christian couple actively pursue a course of action to prevent such a gift, a reward, a blessing, from the Lord?

Does it stem from a concern of how they will be clothed and fed and housed? Quite frequently yes, especially in the American society where it's not just about clothing, feeding, and housing, but about the name brand of the clothing, the type of food eaten, and the size of the housing. Please note that I didn't say "ALWAYS, yes..." Just read through to the end.

I have seen some amazing work at God's hand in large families including our own. True glory goes to God when parents stop worrying about how THEY are to provide and instead allow GOD to provide through them. God PROMISED to meet ALL of our NEEDS many times.

In Philippians, Paul had written to the church in Philipi and in chapter four was closing out his letter. He encourages them at the end to have faith and be content and to trust Christ's provision. Verse 19 says, "But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." It doesn't say SOME of your needs. It doesn't say ALL of your wants. It say ALL of your NEEDS. That includes food, clothes, and shelter.

This doesn't mean to sit back and wait for these things to magically appear before you. It is not okay to have baby after baby, sit idly by, and expect others to care for your children. We are commanded to work and have faith and peace and God will provide through us. Laziness and slothfulness is condemned throughout the Bible. What it does mean, however, is that if you are walking in faith, these things will come. They may not be the biggest, best or most impressive, but if you're walking according to His will, that won't matter. In fact, just a few verses prior to this Paul said, "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (verse 11b-13)
My favorite though is found in Matthew 6:25-34 and comes from the mouth of Jesus Christ Himself while on Earth. It is a promise from our Lord and Savior, the Provider of all our needs.

25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?27 "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,
29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.30 "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
31 "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So what does this have to do with having more children and children being for the glory of God? It has to do with having faith that HE will provide for the needs of the many blessings HE may wish to give you. Where is the glory to God when a couple decides to stop having children BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY CANNOT FINANCIALLY PROVIDE? Isn't faith stepping out and letting GOD provide?

Lest anyone feel they are being judged for stopping at 1, 2 or 3 children, know that God does not call all people to all things!!! Some people may only be called and led to have 2 or 3 children. Others are called and led to have MANY children. I would no more judge a couple for having only two than I would want anyone else to judge us for having five and possibly more.
How do you know the difference? Well, only God can truly judge the heart of man. However, while rebuking the Pharisees in Matthew 12, Christ told us one thing that is true of all people, "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." (v. 34b)

That's a tough one for me. The last few months have been a mix of sorrow, from whence comes bitterness, and in many times victory and joy. I have had words come from my mouth that have embodied all of those feelings. Some of those feelings I need to hand over to God and let go of. Some of those feelings I need to embrace.

While our words are good for us to take a deeper look at our own hearts, the words of others gives us a glimpse into theirs. When a Christian couple with a large family says they want more, are your words uplifting and supportive? Are you behind them? Do you see in them the faith through which God provides? Or do you condemn them?

There is your heart.

Likewise, if a Christian couple feels that they are to stop at two, are your words uplifting and supportive? Are you behind them? Or do you condemn them?

There is your heart.

While I can't personally understand only wanting 2, I also can't personally understand a couple in their fifties giving up their career, way of life, the closeness of family, and familiar surroundings to enter into the mission field and live in the bush out in Africa!

What I DO know though, is that when Christians are comfortable and secure KNOWING that they have been called to serve and glorify God in the meaning in which they were called, I am only to support them in love and prayer. I don't have to understand, and it isn't my place to talk them out of it or point out of the negative aspects of what they've been called to.

So here I am, my husband and I having five and desiring more. Why? Well, I think my post explains it all. And should the Lord desire to bless us again, our family with be provided for through HIS promise, through HIS riches in glory, through HIS power, through HIS strength, FOR HIS GLORY.

Who are You Serving?

Key verses:
John 4:4-42 - Woman at the Well
Matthew 11:30 - Easy yoke, easy burden

Question: Who are you serving, the church or the Lord?

Many of us spend years and years "serving the church." The result is a large and growing number of spiritually burned out Christians. Look into the faces of the people "serving the church" and you will see exhaustion and frustration from always being rushed and from doing way too much. They feel, and have been taught, that "serving the church" is ministry. One look at the results and it is obvious that it isn't.

Christ never burned out. Yes, He became physically tired as He was also man. But he never burned out spiritually. He took His time in each "project" and finished to completion before moving on.

In John 4 we have the story of the Woman at the Well. Jesus sent His disciples on, but He sat. He took His time to talk to her. As I read this story, I don't envision a Jesus out of breath, eyes heavy, agitated and exuding an overall presence of "I have to get through this really quick so I can check it off my list of things to do and move on to another project."

He sat. He talked with her. How long? Now I can't tell you the exact amount of time, but I CAN tell you it was a LONG time. How do we know this? Because it was...

Long enough for the disciples to continue into the village to purchase food.
Long enough for He and the the woman to have a life changing conversation.
Long enough for the woman to run into the village herself.
Long enough for her to tell many others about Him.
Long enough for the disciples to hear what was going on.
Long enough for the woman to return to Jesus bringing many people from the village with her, including the disciples.

That's a long time! And He was still there when she returned.

Notice that He didn't move on from one project to another and than back again weary and worn. He waited patiently for God to complete the work. The Bible does not mention what He did during this time, but being Jesus, I like to think that He probably spent that time in conversation with the Father. He was probably growing in excitement knowing what was about to come.

I feel pretty certain He wasn't complaining about all the work He had to do and how tired He was and wondering when He got to rest.

Christ said in Matthew 11:30, "For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Now I ask you, if His yoke is EASY and His burden is LIGHT, what kind of feelings should be stirred inside you while carrying out the ministry he has called for you to do? Let me answer that for you.

It will not cause angst and anxiety. It will not cause you to be slumped over. It will not leave you frustrated. It will not leave you too tired for your family. It will not leave you with a bad taste in your mouth when it is finished. It will not create anger because there aren't enough people helping. It will not make you want to miss church. It will not leaving you feeling empty because you have poured yourself out.

It WILL feel you with the same joy Christ had though! It WILL fill you with excitement! It WILL fill you with energy. It WILL leave you looking with anticipation for the next ministry opportunity God brings your way!

Examine the exchange between Christ and the disciples at the well after all was said and done. He was exuberant, joyful and looking forward!!!

John 4:31-38 (NLT)
31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”
33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.
34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
WOW!!!! Can you feel the excitement and joy in His voice?! He couldn't wait to do more! He saw an entire field of work and He was not only ready to go, but energized and excited about it!!!

What was the result of His taking his time? First, John 4:40 says that the people BEGGED Jesus to stay! Second, verse 42 tells us that the villagers told the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
Imagine that! People came to Christ. And it wasn't because he was exhausted from all his church activities. It was because He was joyful!

Why was He joyful? Because He wasn't "busy" with "serving the church" but was instead was carrying out His ministry that the Father had given Him.

We ALL have a ministry. Many times that ministry involves working in the church and serving there. But there is a line. Have you crossed over it from carrying out "your ministry" call to "serving the church"? When you serve the church, you serve man. And it will wear you out. Make you resentful. Make you wonder where all the joy has gone.

But we know that when we serve CHRIST there is joy.

Do you feel joy when you think about all of your "church activities"? Do you feel energized? Do you look forward to the next ministry while still in the middle of the one you're in? Do you feel peace? Are your activities bringing people to the person of Christ (notice I did not say "bring people to your church")?

If not, then it's time to step back and evaluate your focus. You may be serving the church instead of the Lord. As Christians we have a tendency to become so wrapped up in looking to discover our place of service in our church that we completely forget about about our ministry and service to the Lord. What did He say to the disciples while in Samaria? John 4:36, "... What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! ..."
The answer to one simple question will tell you who you are serving: Are you feeling the joy of planting and gathering the harvest? What you do with the answer is between you and God.

Homosexuality and the Christian Response

I had an Uncle who was gay. I loved my Uncle and was very upset when he was told to go away and not come back until he was a Christian and out of homosexuality. The way it was explained to me, I understood that his sin was just too big and I needed to be protected from it. Well, even at a very young age I understood that no one's sin was too big for God. It was simply our job as Christians to love all sinners and through our love, bring them to Christ. Unfortunately, Christian love has a human time table it has to work in. That time table had come to it's end, and at the end his sin was so egregious that he was to be put out of my life forever. Or until he came to accept Christ as his Savior and leave homosexuality.

I still wonder how he was expected to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ when the only Christians he knew turned their backs on him. How was he to learn the love of Christ when churches shunned and/or wagged their fingers at him and shouted, "Abomination unto the Lord!" before asking him to leave?

He eventually got a job working on the barges. His job took him to Texas in the mid 80's. A man there invited him to church. My Uncle politely refused the invite, but the man was persistant. After a few invitations my Uncle said he was gay so he couldn't go to church. The man responded along the lines of, "Yeah, I know you're gay. We're all sinners. That's between you and God. I'd just like you to come to church."

It really touched my Uncle, this love, but he wasn't so sure the rest of the church would feel this way. So the man went to visit my Uncle again with a few other men, deacons and elders from his church. They all felt the same way. Sin is sin. They were in no position to condemn him. They just wanted to share the grace of Christ with him.

That Sunday my Uncle went to church. After several months in a church that taught grace instead of condemnation, my Uncle accepted Christ as his Savior...in his late 40's! Consider the chances of that. A study conducted by Abilene Christian University revealed that 85% of people who do not accept Christ by the age of 18 never will. So here's my homosexual Uncle in his late 40's accepting Christ. What an amazing miracle!

He didn't leave homosexuality right away. It took some time of prayer and growth in Christ for him to be delivered from this lifestyle he'd been living in for over 25 years. It was after being a Christian for six months that he finally left homosexuality. He ended up meeting a woman in his church who could look beyond his past and they married.

He contacted my mother who decided he could come see us. By this time I was married with children of my own. I got to dance a Texas Two-Step with him again.

Three months later he died from cancer.

My Uncle is alive and well in heaven right now because of Christians showing LOVE, COMPASSION, and GRACE. They did not condemn him. They did not feel that they were any better than him. He was the same as they were. He was a sinner in need of Salvation. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Now I could end here and everyone would be happy. But there is more. This isn't a post about just my uncle, but a post about how Christians treats homosexuals.

I have a friend who has been with his "husband" "partner" "significant other" for two years longer than I have been with my husband. When he was in a serious car wreck a few years back, his husband had to lie and say he was his brother in order to see him in ICU. Had he told the truth he wouldn't have been allowed in.

But heterosexual couples in the same situation (not married) are routinely allowed "family only" visitation.

I do not condone homosexuality any more than I condone fornication, alcoholism, or thievery. I just try to look beyond the sin to the sinners and their heart. The sinners in a homosexual relationship may be two people who deeply love each other. Even though that love may not be Biblical, they are people with deep feelings. Those feelings need to be respected in the same way we respect the love of a Christian who marries a non-Christian, despite 2 Corinthians 6:14, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?"
Sin is sin. Sin brings condemnation. Jesus brought grace.

It's amazing the amount of grace we are willing to show an unequally yoked couple or a heterosexual couple living in sin. Yet we don't show that same measure of grace to the homosexual couple though, and it has it's costs.

My friend in the car wreck is a Christian. I know him personally. Yes, you can be gay and a Christian. Just like you can be a Christian and still be involved in fornication, adultery or pornography. And his heart breaks because the man he loves and has been with for over 20 years is not a Christian and will have nothing to do with church, the Bible, or Christ. Why? The judgement passed on homosexuals by "Christians".

My gay Christian friend use to be a big brother to a little boy in foster care with HIV. The foster parents, Christians, said that NO ONE had helped this boy the way my friend had. People were afraid of his illness. Through my friend the boy grew and was happy and was doing better in school and was intersted in God. Unfortunately, months later they found out my friend was gay. This Christian couple yelled and screamed at him, in front of the young boy, and told they'd call the police if he ever contacted the boy again. All the good that had been done was completely UNdone by their "Christian" response.

Yes, there are some gay men that are pedophiles. But there are some straight men that are pedophiles as well. We seem to forget that.

My gay friend saw a church doing a fundraiser on a corner vending food. They had tables set up and were selling lunch. He decided to buy lunch there and support their church. Sadly, when they found out he was gay they went after him calling him an "abomination unto the Lord". Someone from the church even called the police. The cop couldn't figure out what my friend had done. He wasn't the one all worked up. The "Christians" had surrounded HIM and was shouting at HIM. I'm glad there weren't any stones around!

I wonder if they would have reacted the same way had it come out that he was a drug addict or an alcoholic instead.

So now my friend's partner says he needs nothing to do with Christ. He's witness enough "Christian love" to last a lifetime. He doesn't want to listen to what my Christian friend has to say about Christ because the true lack of love and prevailing judgemental mentality of "Christians" has been showed to him time and again. He is lost in darkness and has no interest in the Love of Christ ... because of the Christian response he's seen his entire adult life.

I can't help but wonder how many more homosexuals out there feel the same way and will never come to know the saving grace of Christ Jesus. It saddens my heart.

Whose Battle IS It?

I periodically go through the documents on the computer. I came across this entry under "Bible Studies" and felt compelled to share. I hope it's a blessing to someone.

Had the greatest Bible study Wednesday night. Exodus 14:10-14, the Israelites had the sea in front of them and Pharaoh's army behind them. After all that God had done, they lost their faith so quickly. Yet God did not forsake them even when they were lacking, when they said they were better off as slaves. He told Moses to tell the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord Himself will fight for you." (NIV)

The KJV is pretty cool too, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. The Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."

So I was thinking about the fear I've been feeling and came home and did a little researching on my own. Came up with:

II Chronicles 20:15&17

"Be not afraid of dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but the Lords...Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you..."

Psalm 46:10

"Be still and know that I am God."

II Thessalonians
"The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear, but of peace, love and a sound mind."

Someone at Bible study had mentioned Hebrews 4 and the place of rest. There I found Hebrews 4:1-3a, "God's promise of entering His rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news - that God has prepared this rest - has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter His rest."

So I started thinking...not my battle...stand my peace...He will fight for me...stillness...rest...faith...He will provide all of these if I let Him (which is the difficult part because I have this mind set that it's MY mess and I am responsible for cleaning it up...but I'm working on that one). I should stop trying to find a way to fight and instead, just rest in stillness and faith. The battle is His. Stand my ground and claim Him promise when I need it. And then go on.

Much easier said than done for me in particular, but at least I know it. I've a promise to claim when I need it. Now it's a matter of just claiming it and standing my peace and letting Him take care of my mess.

The Cast Iron Skillet of Redemption

So I was laying in bed yesterday morning thinking about this cast iron skillet I bought at a garage sale a month or so ago. Parts of it showed rust while other parts had this thick baked on goo. The entire thing had dirt and cob webs on it. I was pretty excited about my find because everything was going for $1 or $2 and cast iron skillets are expensive. The woman just gave it to me because it was headed out for the trash pile anyway. That was even more exciting. :)

I got it home and start off by rinsing it. The water was just disgusting! Then I used some dish soap to get some of the stickiness off before I started to scrub with steel wool. Layer by slow layer the goo came off. I scrubbed-rinsed repeatedly with a bit of dish soap for about 45 minutes concentrating on the inside of the pan. My nails broke, my knuckles were red, but the inside of my skillet was finally clean!

Now some of you who aren't familiar with cast iron skillets are probably thinking that I was done. I wasn't. Next came the seasoning part. Without proper seasoning the skillet would just get nasty and rusted all over again. I rubbed a thin coat of olive oil over the entire pan and then placed it in a hot oven for an hour. Then I had to take it out and wipe the inside. The heat and oil help to get off the grime that can't be seen. That process had to be repeated several times that day and a even into the next.

After a few days I was finally able to use my skillet. It was awesome! Of course after each use I have to re-season it, but now it just takes a thin coat of oil and the skillet just sat on the burner while it cools.

Why am I telling you about my skillet? It occurred to me that my cast iron skillet is a beautiful picture of what Redemption is! Christ didn't look down on the Earth, find some person with a clean heart and perfect life and call them. He looked down on the Earth and saw me. He saw me with all my my issues, with my thick baked on layers of "goo" and he saw someone worth saving...REDEEMING.

He saw me as a treasure.

Now Christ doesn't come in and scrub everything off in a day. It's an ongoing process. He's allowed some pretty tough situations to come into my life so He could use them as steel wool to scrub off some layers. Then He started in on the seasoning part. Funny, as the fine cleaning and seasoning of cast iron requires heat, so the Lord requires us to "walk through the fire" to purge us of the things we try to hide as well. Just as cast iron needs to be re-seasoned after each use, we also need to be re-seasoned by going to His word and spending time in prayer...and going through the fire.

The great thing about a cast iron skillets though is that it will last your entire lifetime and you can pass it on. In the same way, Redemption lasts for all eternity! Once He redeems us it's forever! And that Redemption also something something we can pass on to future generations.

Isn't God awesome!