Calming the Chaos

We live in a world of constant chaos. There is never TIME for anything or anyone. From the time we're so rudely awakened by the annoying buzz of the alarm clock, our lives are nothing but constant motion.  We have so many outside distractions demanding our undivided attention and every little second of our time. Our day begins...

You know the routine... get the children up, get them dressed, fix breakfast, let the dog out, kiss your spouse as they run out the door, the screeching of school bus brakes. "HURRY or you will  miss the bus!" "Don't forget your lunch!" A quick kiss on the head and then... there is silence. 

One brief moment of silence and...

YOU have your own day to start. The door shuts behind your children and just like that you're sent into the frenzy of getting yourself ready... shower, hair, make-up, let the dog in, traffic, deadlines, meetings, bosses...

There is never enough time to do what you've written on your list. 

Everyone wants a piece of your time. 

The world is passing you by in an instant. 

Have you ever watched clothes while they are drying?  They tumble from the top of the dryer drum to the bottom in a circular motion. It's like our lives sometimes isn't it? I know I can see  me being tossed around like clothing some days.  There are so many things coming at you from every direction...you feel as if you're spinning, spinning, and spinning out of control. You're running out of breath... and you've basically just started your day.

Have you ever thought "There has got to be SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS!" You are looking for some kind of release, a quiet place where you can go and find refreshment and renewal. 

Quiet place? 

Does the word "quiet" even exist in your vocabulary or is it some sort of foreign language?

Let's face it...this world is full of noise and stresses. But how do we deal with the "stuff" this world throws at  us? Plain and simple...we have to UNPLUG.

UNPLUG? Who has time for that? I know, I know...I've even said those words to myself a time or two. God never wanted us to be in constant motion. He wants us to "be still" and get away for a few minutes with him. Jesus even found time in his busy schedule to get away (Matthew 14:23).  If Jesus can find time, I know I sure can. 

Having time with God (establishing a quiet time) is a necessity if we want to hear His voice...and we cant listen if we're running at "mach speed" with our hair on fire. True? 

Don’t be afraid of the silence,  embrace it!  Only in the silence can we unplug  and relax in the presence of our Heavenly Father.  He wants to spend one-on-one time with us with no distractions or interruptions.  In the quiet place we're able to “let go” of our over committed time and energies and refocus on the Creator the Universe and His purpose for our lives. 

Yes that’s right… HE has a purpose for us and it's not to be in constant motion. Most of us do a pretty good job of filling our days with people, places and things. How will we know what our purpose is unless we get away and listen for God's voice.

I promise, you will find renewed strength (Psalm 23:2, Isaiah 40:31) when you unplug from the noise and plug-in to a daily quiet time with Jesus.  He is our source for strength and our defense against the lies we hear from this world every day. 

He’s calling us to come away and spend a little piece of our day with Him. Will you answer his call?  Christ did so much for us when He gave his life so that we could be forgiven.  Is it too much to give him just a few minutes out of our day?  The choice is yours – believe the lies of the enemy saying "You just don't have time in your day for 1 more thing!"  or unplug and learn the truth.

Conditioning and Training to reach an Eternal Goal

Stop Trying and Start Training!

2 Peter 1: 3 – 4 (NLT) By his divine power, God has given us everything we need (emphasis mine) for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him (emphasis mine), the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises (emphasis mine). These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

I have been challenged lately to think about how I am living my Christian life. Am I “trying” to live by simply “trying” to abide by God's word fully knowing that when I mess up, I can just “try” again? Or, am I “training” to live this one and only life by getting into His word on a daily basis? Am I fully repenting of the things in my life that are not of Him and engaging the power of the Holy Spirit to be my helper and my guide. I heard a sermon about this topic a few years back and I can remember having to chuckle as I thought to myself “he must have had my cell phone line tapped in preparation for today’s sermon!” In recent months, a friend and I were “venting” about how chaotic our schedules had become and how our morning quiet times with God had suffered. We were both able to tell a difference in our attitudes at work and at home.

Chaotic schedules - I am sure on some level you can relate, right? The stress of our full-time jobs and the responsibility to meet deadlines coupled with the desire to make up the time we spend at work with our families, have made spending quality time with God an after-thought at best or non-existent at worst. How am I supposed to be fully devoted follower of Christ if I am not filling myself with the living water that springs up from the truth of God’s word on a daily basis?

There it was the truth about the “chaos” of my life. I had fallen into a pattern of “trying” to follow God wholeheartedly. I would stay up late working and then set my alarm in an attempt to get up early and start my day with a quiet time. It would work for weeks, sometimes months at a time. But all I was doing was “trying” to get up. My mind was not set that I was “going” to get up – I had not made it a priority. If I got up, I had a quiet time. If I didn’t, I blamed it on my hectic schedule, hit the alarm and rolled back over for one more hour of sleep. I had shoved spending daily time in God’s word to the “back-burner” of my day (or the back-burner of another day) and it was beginning to show across every area of my life. 

When we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit exposes the truth about our sin (John 16:8), leads us into all truth (John 16:13), and takes what Jesus has to say and conveys it to us. That’s what Jesus promised and John wrote about in the sixteenth chapter of his gospel. But, there’s always a “but” isn’t there? But, we must do our part once we have accepted Christ by to get to know Him better. Acceptance of what Jesus did for us on the cross is not enough. Spending time in the Bible and hiding His words and promises in our hearts (Psalm 119:11) is essential on a daily basis. By doing this, we arm (or equip) ourselves with the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17) so that when hard times come, we will be able to stand firm on the promises of God's word and not falter.

So what do you say? Are you “trying” to live this Christian life, relying more on yourself instead of the power of the Holy Spirit living within you? Or, are you in “training” to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) If you are tired of doing the same thing over and over again just to get the same results, stop trying to follow Christ and start training. There are blessings that abound when we hide God’s word in our hearts.

Father – Thank you for opening my eyes to your truth. I know I have fallen into a pattern of “trying to follow you”, and that is not how I want to live this one and only life. I want to “train” to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus. I want to engage the Holy Spirit living inside of me and start listening to His voice. Help me to remove anything in my life that may be causing me to look at my circumstances first and you last. I want to put you first Father. Open my heart so that I may receive what you have for me each and every morning. For it’s in your son’s name I pray. Amen

repost from 1/13

Lessons from a simple question

Seek Him First

Matthew 7:7 (NIV) “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

This morning my son reminded me of the fun way my Dad taught us (me and my sister) the words to Matthew 7:7. The “lesson” started when I was 6 or 7 years old and still continues to this day… 40 years later.

Today is the second snow day for my son. Two days ago much of the east coast was hit by Winter Storm Leon. My area got between 9 and 10 inches of snow…VERY uncommon for this area. Anyway, this morning he was getting in some target practice with his Nerf gun. He’d take aim at the refrigerator, the oven, the microwave, etc. and pull the trigger. When the cartridge holding the bullets was empty, he call out to me “Mom, where are my bullets?” I hadn’t even been in the kitchen where he was shooting. How should I know where his bullets are? This question triggered the memory of my childhood and my search for shoes, books, brushes, etc.

Whenever I’d say “Dad, where are my shoes?”

His response would almost always be “Matthew 7:7.”

Now, being in church nearly every Sunday and Wednesday since I was 7 days old, I recognized right away that Matthew as one of the books of the Bible and 7:7 was the book and verse location.

When the words “Mom, where are my bullets?” came out of my son’s mouth, I wanted to say “Matthew 7:7.” But I savored the memory of those moments with my Dad. Perhaps I will start saying the next time my son asks where something is.

In my quiet moments with the Lord this morning, I went back to Matthew 7:7. These words were spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. My study this morning focused on the word “seek.” The Greek word for seek is zēteō which means:

to seek or strive after, endeavor, to desire

The question I asked myself this morning was:

“Do I desire or strive after seeking God and his plan for my life on a daily basis?”

Tough question for me to answer. I’d like to say I do…but sometimes I get overwhelmed by the stuff of my day and my quiet moments with the Lord get pushed to the side. If my desire is to wholeheartedly seeking Him, He should be the ONE thing I am not allowing to slip.

This year, I’ve made a commitment to wholeheartedly SEEK first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). I can’t wait to see what see what God will do in my life as I earnestly seek Him in everything I do.

Will you join me on this journey of SEEKING God first? Commit to give God the first and best of your day. Read your Bible, pray throughout the day about everything, and journal what you are feeling the Lord is saying to you.

“May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!” (Psalm 70:4)

Related reading:

Psalm 27:8, Psalm 69:32, Psalm 105:4, Proverbs 8:17, Romans 2:7,

Created with a Warrior's heart

A woman with a righteous cause

Proverbs 24: 3 – 5 (NCV) “It takes wisdom to have a good family, and it takes understanding to make it strong. It takes knowledge to fill a home with rare and beautiful treasures. Wise people have great power, and those with knowledge have great strength.”

A few years back our Senior Pastor presented a series he title “Warrior.” His point for the series was simply "God is a Warrior (Ex. 15:3) and He created us with a warrior’s heart." Throughout series, he talked about the righteous cause each and every one of us have in our life and how we have been called to fight for that cause. As I read through Proverbs 24, I was reminded of my righteous cause. My righteous cause is my family. While reading Proverbs 24:3 – 4, I stopped and thought about the progress I’ve made, if any, towards my righteous cause.

As difficult as this battle I’m fighting is, I know I haven’t lost the war. As I grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I continue to fill our home with rare and beautiful treasures. According to verse 5, those with knowledge have great strength. “Great strength” humph some days I feel like cowering and crying out “UNCLE” at the top of my lungs. But, I am growing in grace and knowledge which gives me great strength to face the “battles” I face. Besides, I know I don’t fight alone or with my own strength.

As I read this chapter in Proverbs, I was encouraged to hang in there and continue to fight for my righteous cause. I don’t think I’ve given up the fight, just grown weary. Proverbs 24 served as a gentle reminder to get in there and re-engage. I must continue to gain wisdom and understanding (read my Bible and pray). I must search for truth and knowledge (read my Bible and pray) and I must not give up. I know there is a harvest ahead if I stand and fight! (Gal. 6:9)

What righteous cause are you fighting for? Or do you have a righteous cause you need to re-engage in? Whatever the cause, continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Remember that Jesus is right by your side. He will not leave you or forsake you. Lastly, ALWAYS remember to fight in His strength...not your own.

Related reading: Eph. 6:10 – 18; Psalm 37:4 – 7

Is the "price" too high?

Proverbs 26:7 (GW) Like a lame person’s limp legs, so is a proverb in the mouths of fools.

When I rededicated my life to Christ as an adult I was encouraged to draw closer to Him by having a daily quiet time. (A quiet time is a time set-aside to pray and read God’s word.) Okay, this makes sense; to get closer to Christ and determine His purpose for my life I need to spend some time, daily, in His word and prayer.

I remember first making this commitment to set my alarm an hour early so I could get up, make myself some coffee and dig into God’s word. It was after a challenge made during a generational service geared to 20 to early 40 year-olds. The pastor talked that Sunday morning about the things we needed to do (or the price we pay) to follow Christ. Some of you may be questioning my choice of words…”the price we pay.” Allow me to briefly explain.

When we say YES to Christ, we are basically saying NO to the things of this world and the way we were accustomed to living in it. Following Christ is a commitment to Him and to living our lives in a way that will bring honor and glory to Him. So how do we know what brings Him honor and glory? By learning His word.

That morning, the pastor talked about establishing a quiet time in our day. I will never forget the point he made about this topic.

“If you can’t roll out of the rack 30 minutes early to spend some time with Jesus, the price just got to high.”

He was so right! But where in the whole big Bible does one begin? I struggled with where to start. There were days I just opened my Bible and whatever page I landed on was the page I started to read. I also remember trying to start in Genesis and work my way through the Bible that way. These ways weren’t very effective for me. Then someone told me to start in Proverbs.

Why start there? Proverbs is considered one of the books of wisdom (Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon are the others). The purpose of this book (according to my Life Applications Bible – NRSV) is to teach people how to be understanding, just, and fair in everything they do, to make the simple-minded wise, to warn young people about some problems they will face, and to help the wise become good leaders. In short, the book of Proverbs will teach us how to apply divine wisdom to daily life and to provide moral instruction.

After reading the purpose, I knew I needed to start in the book of Proverbs. I followed the advice of my friend and began by starting in the chapter that corresponded to the current day. For example: on June 1^st, I read Proverbs 1; on June 15^th, I read Proverbs 15. Each month, I read one chapter of Proverbs a day. Before biblegateway.com came along making it easier to navigate through different translations, I either borrowed or purchased different Bibles.

Today as I read through Proverbs 26 (June 26^th), I thought about my journey to learn those things that bring honor and glory to God. It was verse 7 that jumped out at me. To me, it reminded me that I can read these Proverbs every month but if I am blind to the wisdom found there, I am just as useless as “lame person’s limp leg.”

To gain wisdom and knowledge, I have to have a receptive attitude. When I receive what this book teaches, God will pour out His wisdom to me. God promises to do this in Proverbs 1: 23 (GW) Turn to me when I warn you. I will generously pour out my spirit for you. I will make my words known to you.

Do you have a daily quiet time with the Lord? If you don’t may I encourage you to start in Proverbs. Spend a few months there learning how to live a godly live through the words contained in each chapter. 

Searching for everlasting treasure

Based on the sermon I heard Sunday in church, I've decided to update an entry I originally posted back in 2012. Hope it encourages you to seek for God just like you search for a missing cell phone or car keys.
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The purpose of the book of Proverbs (according to my Life Applications Bible – NRSV) is “to teach people how to be understanding, just , and fair in everything they do, to make the simple-minded wise, to warn young people about some problems they will face, and to help the wise become good leaders. In short, the book of Proverbs teaches people how to apply divine wisdom to daily life and provides moral instruction.”

From the first chapter of Proverbs we read the book's purpose “These are the wise words of Solomon son of David, King of Israel.  They teach wisdom and self-control.”  Wait a minute… wisdom and self control… my eyes went back to those two words.  I knew I had to make some sort of commitment if I wanted to continue reading.  

[side note: I have always heard that if you don’t have a daily Bible reading plan you can always start by reading one Proverb a day.  I challenge anyone who doesn’t have a daily time to read their Bibles to start with Proverbs…  Today is the 4^th – so start in Chapter 4 – by the time July 1^st rolls around you can go back and pick up the chapters you missed.]

Anyway, as I continued to read into Proverbs Chapter 2, I found that Solomon encourages us to listen carefully to wisdom and set our minds on understanding. We need to search for it (wisdom) like silver and hunt for it like hidden treasure (verse 4) then we will understand respect for the Lord and we will find that we know God.

WOW!  I started to think about how I search for the things I misplace… like my cell phone or my car keys!  I am famous for losing both of these items.  Ask anyone who spends any amount of time with me on a regular basis.  If I don’t put them in the same place every time there is an all out search for them until they’re found – this is typically a daily occurrence (I am not kidding). Thinking about my keys and cell phone triggered another thought about how I searched for answers.  You know, the answers I need to be a good spouse, parent, friend, Christian.  Ugh… conviction set in. 

Too often I run to friends for advice before running to God’s word to see what He has to say about my problems. I’m not saying friends aren’t GREAT to talk to and confide in… they are… and at times they should be consulted.  But this passage reminds me that I need to search for wisdom and understanding in God’s word. Only He can give wisdom and understanding.  I just have to search for it… just as intensely as I search for my keys!

Proverbs 2:1-8 (NLT)

My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight,  and ask for understanding.⁴ Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.⁵ Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,  and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.

Yes...you can be still even in the constant chaos of the day

We live in a world of constant chaos. There is never enough time for anything or anyone.  From the time we're so rudely awakened by the annoying sound of the alarm clock in our ear, our lives are nothing but constant motion. We have so many outside distractions demanding our undivided attention and every little second of our time. Our day begins... wake up the kids, make breakfast, make the lunches, feed the dog, take out the garbage, get the kids dressed, jump in the shower, make the beds....  it's a constant motion.  There is no time for anything or anyone. The world is passing you by in an instant and it seems that you cannot get anything accomplished on your daily list of things to do. 

Your family, friends and boss all need a piece of your time. 

"Mom., she hit me!" 

"Mom the dog is barking at the cat." 

"Hon, can you take my suit to the cleaners before you head to work." 

"Oh, by the way, I asked the boss over for dinner tonight - can you stop and pick something up on your way home from work?"

"This document has to be complete by the end of the day, we are under a strict deadline... you will have it to me right?"  

Everything in you wants to scream... "What do the words be quiet mean anyway?  My life is just too busy to be still...  it’s just not possible – the noise is too much!" It's hard to focus...  I need silence… I can’t even hear myself think…Round and round and round you go where you stop no one ever knows.  

Have you ever felt like your life has gotten so that you can't function unless there is noise at every turn? What would you do if it were quiet? It's hard to imagine isn't it?  It's the constant motion that has you running out of breath.  "Something has to give" you plead. Where is the release? Have you ever longed for a quiet place you can go to find refreshment/renewal? Perhaps the word "quiet" doesn't even exist in your vocabulary.

Does being still and being quiet sound like a foreign language?  In this world full of noise, how will we ever hear God’s truth unless we are listening to Him?  The sound of silence is not a frightening thing... we must embrace it!  It is in this place of "silence" we are able to unplug and relax in the presence of our Heavenly Father. He wants to spend time with us alone – one on one time with Him - no interruptions - no distractions. I know what you must be thinking... "every second of my day has something in it... there is absolutely no time for me to slow down and get quiet!" But it's in this quiet place that we are able to “let go” of our over committed schedule and focus our energies on the Creator the Universe and His purpose for our lives.  Yes that’s right… HE has a purpose for us. But how will we ever know the abundance He has for us if we can't clearly hear His voice? We can fill our days with people, places and all sorts of stuff  – but if we don’t leave room for Jesus – we depend on ourselves and not Jesus to get us through the tough times. 

On the other hand, if Jesus is our priority we can have the personal relationship with him that he wants with us. We were created to be in fellowship with God every day. He wants to be included in our goals, dreams and daily activities.  He is the only one who is there for us when the rest of the world checks out - and if we let Him - he will renew strength if we would only unplug from the noise and plug into a daily quiet time with Him.  He is our source for strength and our defense against the lies we hear from this world.

He’s calling us to come away and spend a little piece of our day with Him. Perhaps the best time to give him is in the morning when you're fresh and your mind is less cluttered.  So in this place of no distractions, prepare your heart to spend a few minutes with God. 

Christ did so much for us when He gave his life so that we could be forgiven and live eternally with Him.  Is it too much to give him just a few minutes out of our day?  The choice is yours – believe the lies of this world ("I don't have time!") or unplug and learn the truth (God loves you so much and wants to help you with your daily list of things to do.).

Finding "bread" in the valley

John 6:35 (NCV) Then Jesus said, “I am the bread that gives life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
   
I've come to this place again where I have given FEAR a foothold and allowed it to dictate my actions.So frustrated with myself this morning, I cried out to God "Lord what is WRONG with me? I don't want to be this person... I so desire to be in your word and in fellowship with you.  Why am I struggling?"

In the quietness I heard his voice.. "You're not getting alone with me... your now allowing me to sustain you through this valley."

As much as I hate to admit it...  I haven't been having a good quiet time lately. I am going through a period of change in my life. For me change is difficult. I'm stepping out of corporate America to put my family first. I need the time to focus on getting myself and my entire family healthy. While I am looking forward to the opportunity to fully concentrate on my family, I worry about the finances.  I don't know why I'm worried. My husband is the one who handles the bills and he says we're fine. He told me "money should be the last thing you're worried about, just relax and take a break." 

Ok, there you have it. This is another opportunity for me to trust God with everything... my family, our finances, my next move...  Yet I worry.   When I worry or stress, I tend to shut down completely. I become too afraid to move. Reading through the gospel of John this morning, I was reminded of why I felt like this in the first place. It isn't because I'm worried; It's because I haven't been handing my worry over to Jesus and trusting Him to provide.

Jesus is the only one who can sustain us and provide for every need we have. In times like this, I shouldn't run and hide from the world around me. I should RUN to CHRIST and cling to him for every thirst, hunger and need. It shouldn't matter that I am not going to be working outside of the home after this month. I should be talking to Him about helping me through whatever is next. He already knows my heart and my circumstance, it's up to me to talk to Him about it....and lay it down at His feet.

He is the bread of life....and I can find nourishment and refreshment for my soul through Him. I don't have to waste away in the middle of this valley, I can feast at the table of the Lord because He not will only satisfy my physical needs...but my spiritual needs as well.

God is greater than any problem I have.  He will provide. 

Listening through the chaos

Galatians 1: 11 – 24 (NIV)

"I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man (emphasis mine), nor was I taught it (emphasis mine); rather, I received it by revelation (emphasis mine)from Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man (emphasis mine), nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus."

After Paul’s Damascus road experience (Acts 9), these verses in Galatians tell us that he went into Arabia to spend time alone with God – to be taught, not by human experience but by revelation from God himself. Paul was taught first-hand by the God of the universe…and we can be too. As difficult as it may be to find, we have to set-aside a part of our day to listen and learn from Him. Getting quiet and actually listening is essential.

Now I realize we all have busy lives. There are so many "things" competing for our time; schedules to keep, kids to get to school, soccer, baseball, ballet, football, tennis, swimming, basketball, volleyball, etc. practices get to, spouses to spend time with, animals to feed and walk, bosses that needed things done yesterday, bills to pay... and the list gets longer and longer. No wonder we're so overwhelmed and exhausted. For me personally, sometimes it feels like there is nothing I can do or no where I can go to get away from the never ending chaos. I feel exhausted just writing about it.

This morning as I sit here writing this blog from sunny Florida where my family is spending spring break, I am tying to "get away" from the "stuff" of my little world. Sitting outside on the little screened-in porch, I can hear the relaxing sound of the fountain in the middle of a little man-made pond. The sun has been up for about an hour and the air is still a little cool. I can also hear muffled sounds of my family getting breakfast ready and talking about the events of the day....this is a bit distracting for me. While trying to "be still" and "listen", I find it a bit difficult to focus on the words of my heavenly Father. 

Have you ever felt like this? You try to "get away" and "listen" but everything around you is screaming for your attention? 

Don't be dismayed; there is hope. The Bible teaches that there is somewhere we can run and find guidance and direction as well as comfort and rest for our dry and thirsty souls. Psalm 42:1-2 says "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” 

The Psalmist recognizes his deep need for God, he longs to spend time with him on a daily basis - to drink from the eternal well that never runs dry. The Psalmist also recognizes that God will quench his thirst and in that fact he finds hope and renewal for his soul. In the same way, God will quench our thirst - He is continually with us and longs for us to know him intimately. In order to establish this type of relationship with God we have to be in His word and apply the truths of it - DAILY. Even though I am distracted by the sounds of things around me, I know God is there and I know He's  talking. I can see Him in the beauty of the sunrise and feel Him in the gentle breeze that blows through my hair. I recognize His presence in the here and now, in the midst of everyday life. This helps me put the chaos of life in a whole new perspective. 

Our God is a God of order. From the very beginning we see God creating the world over a 6 day span. From that I have learned that God never intended for my life to be so "chaotic" that I can't find or listen to Him. Yes, my life gets this way from time to time and I will be the first to admit that I have lost sight of God's voice.  But, I am hopeful that, with Christ's help, I can turn this all around. I want to walk so closely with God that I see, feel and hear Him during the peaceful times as well as the most treacherous storms of my life.

So how are you doing in this department?  Are you finding a part of your day that you can sit at the feet of Jesus and discover all He has for you? Do you hear His voice in the midst of the storms or chaos of your life?

Related reading:

Deuteronomy 32:47; Joshua 1:8; 2 Timothy 3:16 – 17; Psalm 63:1; Psalm 119:105

Have you gotten lazy?

Proverbs 26: 13 – 16 (NCV) "The lazy person says, "There's a lion in the road! There's a lion in the streets!" Like a door turning back and forth on its hinges, the lazy person turns over and over in bed. Lazy people may put their hands in the dish, but they are too tired to lift the food to their mouths. The lazy person thinks he is wiser than seven people who give sensible answers."

Solomon really tells us what he thinks about lazy people in Proverbs 26. As I read through this chapter, I couldn't help but go back to verses 13 through 16. I can’t think of one single person I know that is truly lazy. By lazy I mean “someone who does absolutely nothing.” Oh sure, some people do more than others because their jobs may be more physically demanding but in thinking about everyone I know…they all do something. I know I have my down time... but I don't think I'm lazy. In fact, rest was something that God did after He spent six days creating the heavens and the earth. He told us to rest and even gave us a day to do it…the Sabbath.

Let’s look at this in a different way. So you may not be a lazy individual, you may be an extremely hard worker…but what about your faith? Are you lazy when it comes to your faith and your relationship with Jesus? Have you set aside time in your hectic day to spend a few minutes with Christ? Time to talk to Him, be in his word and get to know him better?

Try a little self assessment. Do you have a consistent daily quiet time? When you set aside time for Christ, do you read your Bible and journal the things you reflect on?  Is there a certain time and place you've dedicated just for you and Christ?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no", try one or all of the steps listed below to establish a quiet time or get you back on track.

1. Set aside a time where there will be no distractions. For example, set your clock 15 to 30 minutes earlier so you can get up and spend a few minutes reading a chapter of the Bible. OR stay up a few minutes later so you can have a quiet time before you go to bed.
2. Find a quiet place in your home where you will be less likely to be distracted or fall asleep.
3. Commit to read and journal 1 chapter of the Bible a day.
4. Having a busier than typical day? Set a timer for 10 minutes and read your Bible.

If you’ve gotten lazy in your relationship with Christ, it’s not too late to fix it. He’s waiting for you right now. He wants to spend time with you more than anything! I know it’s hard to wrap your brain around that concept right? The God of the universe wants to spend quality time with me? Whether it’s five minutes or an hour and five minutes – I try to find some time to get alone with Jesus… I know when I take the time to "get away with Him" I am always glad I did. 

A very important dinner guest

Luke 10: 41-42 (NCV) But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen the better thing, and it will never be taken away from her."

In my quiet moments with Jesus this morning, He used the story of His visit with Mary and Martha to remind me of my own tendencies to get so worked up over the “little things” that I lose sight of what’s really important. Like Martha, I can be so distracted by the task at hand I miss what God is trying to teach me in or through the moment.

In Luke chapter 10, Jesus had come to visit the home of his friends, Mary and Martha. Both women are blessed with the gift of hospitality; however, they show it in completely different ways. Put yourself in their shoes for use a minute. Just imagine Jesus showing up at your door. You welcome Him into your home, as He takes a seat among the other guests what is your next move? Are you more like Martha or Mary? Let's take a look at how they responded - not taken out of context but with a modern day twist added.

Martha:

“Hi Jesus!” barely taking a breath “Welcome!” quickly hugging his neck and practically pulling him into the house you continue “Come in, come in take your sandals off and stay for a while. Please, make yourself at home.” Jesus makes it through the door and you quickly walk him into the next room where the others have gathered. “Pull up a seat, do you need anything?” Not even giving Jesus a chance to answer the question you continue, “I’ll be back in just a few minutes, I just have to finish up a few things in the kitchen.” With that, you are gone. As you peer through the kitchen window you see Jesus in the center of your guests. He is talking and everyone around Him is intently listening. Your agitation grows because you’re stuck in the kitchen working while everyone else is enjoying His presence. In this moment, what is going through your mind? How are you feeling?

Mary:

“Jesus I’m so glad you’re here!” throwing your arms around him, you give him a big warm and welcoming hug. “Won’t you please come in? It looks like you’re tired. Would you like to take off your sandals and rest your feet for a while? Please come in and sit down.” You gently take his hand and lead him into the room where the others have gathered. “Here is the most comfortable seat in the house, won’t you please sit down?” holding the chair so it doesn’t slide out from under him. “Can I get you a pillow for your feet?” you ask him gently. “Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?” you ask. “No? Ok then. If there is anything I can get for you please just ask and I will get it right away.” You sit at his feet and listen as He begins to speak. In this moment, what is going through your mind? How are you feeling?

I would hope and pray that if Jesus came to visit my house I would be more like Mary, but in all honesty I know me… and the opposite is probably true…I would be more like Martha. Not that there is anything wrong with making sure guests are happy, it’s just, in this case, the priority is out of whack. Spending time at Jesus’s feet and learning from Him is something that can never be taken away from us. Making sure the dishes and laundry and done before we pick up the Bible are not going to get us any closer to Christ or the abundant life He desires for us.

God doesn't want the busyness of life to become a barrier to knowing Christ. Let me encourage you to spend time in His word every day. I promise the other things will fall into place. They always do for me.

A trip through the Psalms

I have been reading through the book of Psalm since the beginning of August. Each morning, I have gotten into my typical quiet time routine:  I find a quiet spot, remove all hindrances, pray for clarity of thought and wisdom, discernment, understanding, and revelation. Each day God delivers. He knows exactly what I had gone through the day before or will be going through in the day ahead… and as I read I am always reminded of His faithfulness and His love for me.

Each morning I ask Him to search me because He knows me. He knows each thought I have had and will ever have (Psalm 139). Every morning I have been either challenged to look at myself and examine my ways, or encouraged by that fact that I am never alone.

I have looked more to the Word of God for advice and understanding than I have the world around me. I have found peace in the midst of the raging seas of life knowing that God is in control of it all and I am hidden (protected, safe, secure) within the shadows of His mighty wings (Psalm 17:8). “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2) and I trust Him. I may not always understand His ways or His timing… but I trust Him because He is worthy to be trusted.

Looking for encouragement, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, a safe place to find rest?  Dive into the Psalms and be refreshed and renewed.

 

 

 

 

 

Alone time with Jesus

Proverbs 26: 13 – 16 (NCV) "The lazy person says, "There's a lion in the road! There's a lion in the streets!" Like a door turning back and forth on its hinges, the lazy person turns over and over in bed. Lazy people may put their hands in the dish, but they are too tired to lift the food to their mouths. The lazy person thinks he is wiser than seven people who give sensible answers."

Solomon really tells us what he thinks about lazy people in Proverbs 26. As I read through this chapter, I couldn't help but go back to verses 13 through 16. I can’t think of one single person I know that is truly lazy. By lazy I mean “someone who does absolutely nothing.” Oh sure, some people do more than others because their jobs may be more physically demanding but in thinking about everyone I know…they all do something. They may have their “down time” but I wouldn’t call that lazy. In fact, rest was something that God did once He spent six days creating the heavens and the earth. He told us to rest and even gave us a day to do it…the Sabbath.

Let’s look at this in a different way. So you may not be a lazy individual, you may be an extremely hard worker…but what about your faith? Are you lazy when it comes to your faith and your relationship with Jesus? Have you set aside time in your hectic day to spend with Christ? Time to talk to Him and work out those tough life issues you may be going through?

Try a little self assessment. If you’ve gotten lazy in your relationship with Christ, it’s not too late to fix it. He’s waiting for you right now. He wants to spend time with you more than anything! I know it’s hard to wrap your brain around that concept right? The God of the universe wants to spend quality time with me. Whether it’s five minutes or an hour and five minutes – I try to find some time to get alone with Jesus… I know when I take the time to "get away with Him" I am always glad I did. 

A little self-assessment

1 Corinthians 4: 5 – 8 (MSG) “So don't get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgments before all the evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of—inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the "Well done!" of God. All I'm doing right now, friends, is showing how these things pertain to Apollos and me so that you will learn restraint and not rush into making judgments without knowing all the facts. It's important to look at things from God's point of view. I would rather not see you inflating or deflating reputations based on mere hearsay. For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn't everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what's the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need. You already have more access to God than you can handle. Without bringing either Apollos or me into it, you're sitting on top of the world—at least God's world—and we're right there, sitting alongside you!”

Have you ever judged anyone or been judged yourself? I know I sure have. I have been the judge and the one judged. I know as a Christian, I am not to judge others. By judging others I am automatically considering myself as better than someone else and that is PRIDE. OUCH!

So I had to give myself a little self-assessment. Here is the question I asked.

Have I thought of myself as better than others?

I would like to think the answer would be NO – but if I have judged - that means that the answer is YES. UGH. Not to worry, we serve a gracious God. He forgives us and will help us work things like this out – if we truly give it over to Him.

Discovering things like this is how we go about aligning our lives with the Word of God. We find out what His Word says through a daily quiet time and prayer, and then we take the steps necessary to obey what it says.

How is God speaking through His Word to you today?