Loving, focusing, pursuing, following, obeying, abiding -- in God alone

My thoughts
scattered
today.

This here
and there
and
yet another.

Takes my mind off
front and center ....
Jesus!

Can not focus

Is it Satan
who brings
these things
to mind now?

They are not bad things

Is it Satan
too perhaps
who hides them
from me
when the
desire is
near?

Things that must get done
Must see to its end

God will enable me to
accomplish my desires

but I must
abide with Him
walk with Him
Can not be
walking
on my own
doing my own thing.
Must focus.
Only on God.

I made my list of all that needs to be done soon and very soon and over the next several months. And then I began. So here are my thoughts today, somewhat jumbled, but perhaps you will see what I am trying to say.

Sometimes books are bought to accompany, to bring an added dimension to our understanding of the Bible. The Bible contains every thing we need, but we don't always see it. Two such examples I have been reading are "Loving God with All Your Mind" by Elizabeth George and "Pursue Your God-given Dream" by Daniel Ekhaifo.

God is the central theme -- loving ... focusing ... pursuing ... following .... obeying ... abiding ... finding fulfillment.

George talks about purpose. Ekhaifo talks about dreams or our calling.

Are they not the same or similar?
What is God's purpose for you? What is God's dream for you?

What you think is your calling may not be what God has called you to do.

Perhaps you believed you were called to be a preacher of the gospel and you pursued that calling. But perhaps also you had a desire to help others, but you didn't see that desire as a calling or as a dream until many years later. Perhaps you've always liked to write, but ...

Shouldn't let the buts stop you.

God determines our purpose, not us. It is however, up to us to discover and recognize what is God's purpose for us.

God gives us dreams too. Not all dreams are from God, but that is not to say none of our dreams can come from Him.

I remind myself what Philippians 3:14 says, "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Pressing on. Keeping on. Continuing to keep our focus on God, talking, abiding in Him, listening, being obedient to His teachings, following through.

My purpose -- to serve; to share the Gospel, to provide Biblical insights to others

My dream, my calling, my heart's desire -- to write

Ekhaifo says God's dream stands out from the rest because we know in our spirit that it is what we are meant to do. Until we have that deep longing, perhaps we don't even realize we have a God-given dream.

God knows you. He knows us much better, much more intensely that we know ourselves. He did create us. If God has given you a desire and you sort of sense it, talk to Him about it. If it is indeed from Him, He will confirm it within your heart.

My husband is an ordained Southern Baptist minister and a home health aide to dying men. His calling, his dream, his heart's desire is to be a hospice chaplain and that is what he is pursuing.

I write, edit obituaries for a daily newspaper. I have always enjoyed writing and within the newspaper organization had thought writing news obits to be my heart's desire.

Sometimes, things that we think are our calling, because that is where we are, are not. I mean we may have a vocation due to an interest somewhere in our life, but that vocation is not necessarily God's purpose for us, it is not necessarily our God-given dream.

It is maybe a stopping place for a length of time -- some of us ever so short, others many years. It's when we stay in that stopping place for a long time that maybe we don't see God's plans for us, because our fears are greater than our heart's desire.

God enables us to accomplish His purpose, our God-given dream, His calling for us. Resources will become available. When in God's will, He will ultimately provide everything we need. But we must stay focused on Him.

When we get off course, lose our primary focus, Satan digs in, heaping doubt and discouragement upon us.

God makes us passionate about our dream, Ekhaifo says. That passion will keep us going. It will continue to grow and flourish despite the opposition and resentment we find along the way.

I found a bookmark, "Take Time," written by an unknown author, to share with you.

Take Time

Take time to think;
it is the source of power.
Take time to read;
it is the foundation of wisdom.

Take time to play;
it is the secret of staying young.
Take time to be quiet;
it is the opportunity to seek God.

Take time to be aware;
it is the opportunity to help others.
Take time to love and be loved;
it is God's greatest gift.

Take time to laugh;
it is the music of the soul.
Take time to be friendly;
it is the road to happiness.

Take time to dream;
it is what the future is made of.
Take time to pray;
it is the greatest power on earth.

I also thought of the song "Follow That Dream," sung by Elvis Presley in 1961.

Protective shelter

With the April "Our Daily Bread" came an insert by Mart De Haan about coneys or rock badgers. It wasn't so much 'about' them as it was about the wisdom they possess in the face of danger and the human similarities. Rocks are a place of refuge for the coney. They know where to go for protective shelter. God instilled in them this knowledge; thus they don't wander around when danger is lurking wondering what to do. They know what to do and do it.

We humans could learn a thing or two from this "feeble" animal (Proverbs 30:26). As Christians, God has instilled in us the knowledge of where to go, yet we, unfortunately, do wander around and do wonder. We know what to do, yet we do not do it. As De Haan says, for Christians, our protective shelter is "in Christ."

Because of His death and resurrection for all of mankind, those who seek His protection are:

1. forgiven of their sins (Ephesians 1:7)
2. declared to be right with God through justification (Romans 3:24) and reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18)
3. hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
4. forever protected by the love of God (Romans 8:39)
5. recipients of God's consolation, comfort, fellowship and mercy (Philippians 2:1)

He is the One who is our rock, our refuge, our stronghold. In Him alone lies our power. Without Him, we are nothing.
We may think we can do great things, but in the end, anything and all is only with and through the Lord.

God knows all that is in the world. He knows what every single person is doing, going to do or has done. He has allowed trauma in our midst -- natural catastrophes like tornado/hurricane/typhoon, floods, earthquakes, mudslides, volcanic eruptions; economic woes; health.

Being "in Christ" doesn't mean the traumas we face go away. It does mean, however, that by abiding with Christ, living for Him, making Him top dog (so to speak), the concerns, traumas we face will be easier to deal with, because we have Christ in control, not us.

The coney goes to the rocks for its protection, its refuge. Our safety net is Christ.

'In Christ,' De Haan says, "we are in the best possible position to weather the financial, social and medical storms of life. We have the assurance of God's presence and love regardless of our circumstances. We are in the best place to hear Jesus tell us not to worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things?"

David's cry from Psalm 61: 1-4 (NKJ) can be your cry too.

"Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to you, when my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been a shelter for me, And a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings."

Focus and pursue excellence

Yesterday I talked about recognizing God's purpose for your life. Today, it is keeping our focus sharp by pursuing excellence.

Keep in mind what Philippians 3: 13a-14 says: "...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Keeping our focus sharp -- pointed, in one direction, not scattered, continually abiding with Jesus, looking always to Him for answers sought, by being obedient to His instruction.

God is all excellence.

Job 37: 23 tells us God is excellent in power, judgment, abundance justice. He does not oppress.

Isaiah 28: 29 says God is excellent in guidance.

Daniel 5: 12 says when the Spirit of God abides in you, God's understanding, discernment, wisdom can be found

Philippians 1: 9-11 tells us to show love to overflowing, continually, being sincere, without offense, being filled with fruits of righteousness

Hebrews 11: 3 tells us about faith. Believing without a doubt that that which has happened (and will happen) occurred without seeing. "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." Jesus became the sacrifice for our sins. Faith is believing He was, He is, He did, He forever will be.

2 Peter 1: 17 tells us God the Father is well pleased with His beloved Son. He is majestic, full of glory. Pursue God, pursue His son. There is no one without the other. You can not know God, abide with Him and be obedient to His teachings if you do not also know His beloved Son, Jesus.

Pursue - "reaching forward to those things which are ahead"; not faltering at the running gate, but giving 100 percent of our entire being, all of our energy - mental, emotional and physical, to reach forward, to serve God wherever we are.

In Job 13: 25, it says "... And will You pursue dry stubble?" Will you reach for the upward call of Christ, His prize that is offered you for eternity, eternal peace, or will you just seek for the moment something that has no eternal value?

I Corinthians 14: 1 says to "pursue love." I Corinthians 12:31 indicates love is "the best gifts ... a more excellent way." Loving another with no thought of receiving anything in return, as Christ did for us when He went to the cross in our place.

1 Timothy 6: 11 tells us to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Among these are fruits of the spirit, which as listed in Galatians 5: 22-23 are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

1 Peter 3: 11 tells us to seek and pursue peace.

Do not focus on outside influences, not lusts of the flesh or temptation or greed, for when you do, the sword, danger, Satan shall pursue you. Be wary, beware. Satan is the enemy.

Keep your focus sharp by pursuing excellence. .... Pursue God the Father, Jesus the Son, abide with Him, focus on all He is, focus on Him alone, and the Lord will enable you to accomplish much for Him.

Recognizing God's purpose for your life

There is a reason, a purpose, God has allowed you to be where you are at present.
"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3: 1)

As long as we abide with Him, stay focused on Him and not the outside influences we are inundated with, the Lord will enable us to accomplish something for Him.

"... forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3: 13a-14)

Once we (1) recognize God's purpose for our life, we keep our focus sharp by (2) pursuing excellence as we serve Him even when (3) circumstances are difficult and painful.

Recognizing God's purpose for our lives

Who am I?
Where did I come from?
Why am I here?
Where am I going?

I am a born-again follower of Jesus Christ, a Christian woman and wife, a child of the King chosen by the Lord God almighty "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1: 4ab), to give my life in service to God and His people -- sharing the gospel, providing Biblical insights to others through my writings (blogs, books, poetry, devotionals). My destination is heaven, when that last final breath is taken. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) I accepted the Lord as my Savior in 1982.

How about you? Do you know God's purpose for your life? Do you know who you are? Where you came from? Why you are here? Where you are going?

Endings and Beginnings

The same,
but different

The end.
The beginning.

All in one 24-hour
period
.

Changes -
some good
some not
changes
nevertheless

Location
changes
for
me
now

Maybe
other
changes
later
.

How do I feel
How should I feel?

Glad
to have
a job

Sad
it is
away from
familiar
faces

Miss
the
connection
with
journalisty-types

Oh
who
are
they

A
different
breed

Still,
I will
see them

from
time to time

They
are not
gone
forever.

Not yet

I
am not
gone
forever.

The end
July 27, 1987 - Feb. 16, 2009
Gazette newsroom

The beginning
Feb. 17, 2009 -
Gazette classified

Someday,
there
will be
a
new
beginning.

Jesus
is
the
beginning
and
the
end.
The Alpha
and
The Omega.

Even
within

Jesus

I am different
I am
one of His
No matter
where I am

James 4: 8a
in
The Bible
says:
"Draw near
to God
and He
will draw near
to you."

Without Him
my precious Lord
I could not
have
come
this
far.

Without Him
I can not
continue on

Without Him
there
is
no
tomorrow

Only
many
yesterdays

Oh
Yes
why
should
I
be
sad?

Without
my Jesus
nothing
would
really
matter

"With God
all
things
are
possible."
(Matthew 19:26)

Not
so
with
mankind.

Every
thing
in the
world
is
useless

IF God
is
not
your world.

God will reveal

Do you ever feel your opinions, your thoughts, even your questions are worthless? Nobody wants to know, they've got it right, so what possibly could you add?

All sin is great in the eyes of God. Lying is not less a sin than murder to God, although it certainly is in the eyes of mankind.

I feel so good when I'm in His word, reading, studying, meditating on what it says, how it pertains to me. God has said He will be near me always when I abide with Him.

Mankind does not have your best interests at heart, only God does. Mankind can draw you downward. Satan can protrude its ugly head in the midst of best intentions. No matter how mature a Christian - a Christ-like follower you think you are or profess to be, Satan can still sneak in.

None of us have known Jesus. We learn more about Him within our hearts, deep within our souls, and our minds, but seeing Him face to face won't happen until our death.

Jesus is our best teacher, our best friend, our confidante. Others teach too and befriend us. Beware. Not everything that is taught is pure, is true. Not every friendship forged is pure and true.

Seek out the answers to the questions that pound within you, questions that make you doubt where you are, what you are.

If you have indeed become a child of the King, if you have accepted Jesus as your master and Lord, if you believe wholeheartedly that Jesus is the son of God and that He went to the cross to die for your sins and mine, every single human being past, present and future, and that He was buried and after three days, He rose again, if you believe this and accept this, you know He is the one you have sought. He is the answer to all your questions.

If you are searching the Holy Scriptures, when you are abiding, walking totally, completely with the Lord, God will reveal Himself to you. He will give you all you need, when you need it, when He determines you will need it. We are not alike. Some of us are babes in Christ, some are quite mature. A lot are in between.

"Every branch in Me (Jesus) that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." (John 15: 2)

The journey continues. No matter how mature you think you are, you don't know all until we meet Him face to face.

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am know." (I Corinthians 13: 12)

I ask dear Lord to know the road to travel, to follow your path for me, to be able to discern your truths for me, to obey you fully. Wherever I am to go, whoever I am to meet, whatever I am to do, guide me along the way. Help me to know the words to speak, to write. Help me to know without any doubt your will for my life and how I might inspire others to follow you, to commune with you, to be one with you. Help me too Lord to not be like those who do things for you, so they say, only to be seen by others. Help me to worship and praise you, be respectful of you always, for you only. Not for others. Show me Lord the desires you have for me and how to accomplish them. I thank you. Amen.

Don't forget

Struggle to remember. Why is it so hard to remember what the Lord tells us, what He does for us. If I abide in Him, trust in Him, follow His every direction, He is there for us. We see how things come together. Yet it is so hard. So much easier to forget. Forgetting is not good. Forgetting the past of your own life is one thing, but forgetting God - Jesus is not something we should do.

The Lord my God will not, does not forget the covenant forged with me on the day I accepted Jesus, the son of God, as my Savior.

Meditate, delight myself, immerse myself in the Lord's commands, instructions, guidelines. Be mindful of them always. Surround myself with God thoughts, His words to keep me mindful of Him always, at all times.

It is dwelling on the "what if's and whys and what nows" that stop us in our tracks, that hinder our growth, that stagnate us and move us backward. It is easy. Harder to remember God's truths, harder to be obedient to His ways, easier to do what we want, easier to forget who God is, what God is, who we are in relation to Him.

The way, God's way, was never intended to be easy. How can we learn, grow if all is easy. But too, having it all hard doesn't mean its God's way either. All in all, it still boils down to abiding with Him, your journey through life, good times, bad times, plentiful or lean, as in Ecclesiastes 3:1: "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose (every desire) under heaven."

"My son, do not forget my law,
But let your heart keep my commands;
For length of days and long life
And peace they will add to you.
Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones.
Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights." (Proverbs 3: 1-12)

Stay focused

I need to keep my mindset on what God deems important for me. What He reveals to me can not be only for one day, but for a lifetime. It can be so easy to forget; it is easy to forget.

I again think of the connection. A few weeks ago a newsroom picture was taken. I think I shall have it printed and framed -- to help keep me connected.

Yesterday I talked about staying focused on the present. The present soon becomes the past. The future is full of uncertainty and trepidation, yet also enthusiasm and excitement. But if we keep God with us, if we abide with Him, He will abide with us, and our steps into uncharted waters will be less troubling; more calm and peaceful. Another connection.

The future will very soon be the present.

a revelation

My Sunday school class continues its Bible book study on "Loving God With All Your Mind" by Elizabeth George. Last week we discussed "reaching forward ..."

"... forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3: 13a-14)

To choose to forget the things of the past - good and bad - that keep us from growing spiritually.

To choose to focus on the present.

A focused woman knows where she is going. She has a sense of God's call on her life.

I believe my calling to be writing. To reach the lost, share the gospel through my writings. To read, to decipher, to study God's word, to respond, to publish it through blogs, books, poetry.

I have thought for many years that writing news obituaries was my life goal. Not that I was doing it of course, but that that was where I wanted to be. Now I'm thinking its not. Writing is, but not necessarily journalistic writing.

It has dawned on me too that it is the connection we want to keep, that we miss when its gone, that we hunger for. People are afraid, fearful of the outcome of an unknown future, whether we are born-again followers of Christ or not, and when we lose any kind of continuity, specifically in the work place, we are more and more distracted and at lose ends. We are concerned about our futures, but we are also concerned about the futures of our peers, because of how we are connected to them.

When we know God's call for our life, all of our focus is on that goal: how to attain it, how to reach it, with God directing our steps. Our life up to that point of revelation is not of as much importance if our mindset is not on God's plan for us. When we are caught up with self - what we perceive as our needs, our wants, me, me, me, then we can't see where we are going, where God is calling us to.

"... let us lay aside every weight (hindrance), and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12: 1a-c)

When a runner is focused, all their energy -- mental, emotional and physical - is committed to the race.

"... endures afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4: 5a, 7)

God wants us to come to Him

God wants us to come to Him ... with our complaints, our burdens, our aspirations, our deep longings, our heart desires, our fears, our anxieties, our anger, our frustration, our discontentment, our needs for understanding, for love, for listening, our questions.

Communication -- something seemingly absent from much of life. At home, at work, at church, everywhere. Why is that so? It is not God's desire that it is lacking.

Why is it so prevalent? Why is it so hard to commune with another?

We think we know what communication is. I wonder if we really do.

God created us in His image and blessed us. But sin entered the picture. Perhaps sin is why our communication abilities are so lacking.

God wants a one-on-one relationship with each of us. But we do not necessarily want one with him. We want everything our way. Our way or No way.

Sometimes God grants it our way. So we can see what that means...

God is at the Top. He is. No one is greater than He. Not you. Not me. Not Satan.

His way is best. And when His way becomes our way, we have achieved a degree of communication we could never have imagined.

Communication with God -- silently talking, speaking out loud, writing, singing, praising.

Philip Yancey, author of "Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?," says, "If we march through life pretending to smile while instead we bleed, we dishonor the relationship."

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14a)

I think not. No, I'm positive nothing is too hard for the Lord.

And, if we:

Trust in Him

Believe in Him

Put our Hope in Him

Pray in His name

Abide in Him

Follow in His footsteps

Stay in His word

Focus on His truths

Remember His promises,

it won't be too hard for us either,

because

"With God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)

It's when we leave Him out of the picture, when He isn't in the center of our lives, that we are in a vast world of lostness.....

Thank you Lord Jesus

Yesterday in church we sang "Thank You for Loving Me" by David Crowder. It is a beautiful, worshipful song. Today, when searching for it on the internet however, I found the title to be "Thank You for Hearing Me" and the original words are not quite the same as what we sing in church. On the David Crowder Band Web site, the lyrics are:


Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me

Thank you for finding me
Thank you for finding me
Thank you for finding me
Thank you for finding me

Thank you for hearing me
Thank you for hearing me
Thank you for hearing me
Thank you for hearing me

Thank you for healing me
Thank you for healing me
Thank you for healing me
Thank you for healing me

La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la

Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me

Thank you for saving me
Thank you for saving me
Thank you for saving me
Thank you for saving me...

La la la la la laa

My Jesus, I love thee
I know Thou art mine

The words we sing in church are:


Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me

Thank you for finding me
Thank you for finding me
Thank you for finding me
Thank you for finding me

Thank you for healing me
Thank you for healing me
Thank you for healing me
Thank you for healing me

Thank you for saving me
Thank you for saving me
Thank you for saving me
Thank you for saving me

Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me

Thank you for loving me
Thank you for finding me
Thank you for healing me
Thank you for saving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me.



No matter.

Thank you Lord for loving me, always, continually.
Thank you Lord for finding me.
Thank you Lord for healing me.
Thank you Lord for saving me.
Thank you so so much. I can never repay you. But I am so grateful, so appreciative. So joyful to be one of your children.

Have you seen... do you know

"Have the gates of death been revealed (opened) to you? Or have you seen the doors of the shadow of death?" (Job 38:17)

The gates of death could be the place of your soul's no return. Many are there. All die. Everyone's physical body dies. Everyone's soul goes somewhere upon death. Everyone spends eternity somewhere -- in heaven or in hell.

It is your choice. Make the choice while you yet breathe. The last breath you take leaves no recourse. No amount of praying by another will transport you from one eternal place to another. If you are not heaven-bound before you die, you are forever doomed to hell.

You think there are many roads to travel to arrive at the same place? You are mistaken. Only 1 road. Only 1 way. Only 1 God. Only Jesus.

Twenty-one years ago

Twenty-one
years
ago.

A
young
man
a
most
handsome
young
man

in
a
3
p
i
e
c
e
suit

and

a
young
lady

met.

The place?
the
church
library

The time?
between
9
a.m.
and
9:30
a.m.

The date?
Sunday,
Feb. 7
1988,
one
week
before
Valentine's
Day

The result?
a
wedding
3
years
2
months
20
days
later.

We
He and I
as one
renewed
our vows
in
2006
for our
15th
anniversary

It's now
2009
On
April 27
He and I
and
Jesus
celebrate
18
years
Together

Today's Walk - Joy in the Furnace

How timely ... In checking out the hundreds of emails, I find this one from Jim Reynolds, former pastor of First Baptist/LaGrange, Mo., who writes the Walk with Jesus column. He and his family have recently moved to a new pastorate in Illinois, but ties remain to LaGrange in more ways than one.


PERSONAL NOTE from Jim: I apologize for the lack of activity lately. I am currently living out of 2 homes as we continue to make this transition to a new place of ministry. And I do not have computer access in my new home yet. Heck, I don’t really even have a new home yet! But, hopefully the decision on a house will be made soon after this weekend.

The February issue of Heartbeat went up last Monday. Click the link to read all kinds of good articles.

My sister-in-law, Debbie Guinn, first offered me the opportunity to write for the magazine. I think she has been with them – as a writer and editor -- since the beginning. Please check out her insight as well; her column is called “Healing The Wounded Heart.” Until things settle in for me a little more – and to give you a taste of Debbie’s powerful testimony -- I’ll be reprinting (in several parts) what I believe to be one of her best articles.

Joy In The Furnace

James 1:2-4 -- Consider it ALL joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be PERFECT and COMPLETE, lacking in NOTHING.”

I don’t know about you, but finding joy in any trial – even the “little” ones – was never an easy task for me. I knew that as a Christian, I “should” look at things that way, but it just seemed to be one of those things that I would never accomplish during my life here on earth.

That all began to change last winter, when I found myself dealing with a debilitating illness. For four months, I was unable to do much of anything from a physical standpoint. However, God used that time to do a work in my spiritual life…mainly teaching me how to find joy in my trials. It was more than simply choosing to be happy IN SPITE OF my trials. It was a time of truly learning to thank God FOR the trials. It was a process of discovering that it IS possible to rejoice in – yes, get excited about – even the toughest, most painful trials.

One day, I was telling God how tired I was of being sick. I was completely overwhelmed with my circumstances. I had so many things that needed done; I couldn’t do anything because of my health; I had nobody to help me with things; I was afraid; I was lonely; I wanted it all to end…. Honesty, I was just having a good pity party that day. I had put on a CD to listen to, hoping to lift my spirits.

A song started playing and two lines from that song really got my attention. It says, “If you lead us to the fire, you will not withdraw your hand; We’ll gaze into the flames and look for you.” God just stopped me in my tracks right there and said, “Debbie, I am IN the flames but you never look for me there.”

He was so right – but then again, He always is. I tend to do one of two things when I am going through trials in my life. Either I look at the “stuff” (situations, circumstances, people) going on in my life – or I decide to ignore all that “stuff” and focus instead on all the good things that God has done/is doing in my life. There is nothing wrong with looking at the good. In fact, God’s Word tells us that we ARE to think on good things. It says in Phil. 4:8, ”Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

It IS good to think on the good – we need to have our thoughts on those things. However, I believe God was telling me that I needed to look to HIM wherever HE is. He doesn’t want me to forget or ignore the good things He has done, but He wants me to follow Him and see Him IN the trials too. If I am looking at the “stuff” – even the good “stuff” -- I can’t focus on HIM and see what He longs to do in and through the trial.

I began to think of trials as being in the fire, comparing the “stuff” to the flames. I was drawn to the story in Daniel of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – the three men who were thrown into the fiery furnace. I began an in-depth study of that story and God showed me so much about what He does during the trials of our lives. I discovered six key principles in this story that have totally changed my outlook on trials. These principles have given me reason to rejoice in the trials and suffering that God brings into my life.

For sake of time and space, I am not going to cite the entire story, but I highly encourage you to read the first three chapters of Daniel. The first two chapters give a little background as to who these three men were, where they came from, and their roles in Babylon. They were of the royal family of Judah – worthy of high honor; they were “perfect” from a physical standpoint, handsome, highly intelligent, and “qualified to serve in the king’s palace”. (Daniel 1:3-4). They were highly respected by the king, so much that he appointed them administrators over the province of Babylon. (Daniel 1:19-20; 2:49)

More importantly, though, is the fact that they were men who loved and served God – and ONLY God. When commanded to bow down and worship the king’s golden image, they refused. Even when threatened with death, they stood firm in their convictions, certain that one way or another God would deliver them. (Daniel 3:17-18)

The first principle from this story is that I WILL have trials in my life. It is easy to think that trials only affect certain people – those from a certain social or economic class, race, etc. Many times, we think that trials only come to people who “deserve” them due to sin or “poor choices” in life. Therefore, if I am going through a trial, I must have done something wrong to deserve it. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had everything going for them – or so we tend to think. They were high class, smart, had found favor with the king, AND lived their lives committed to God. Yet, they were still thrown into the furnace.

The truth of the matter is that EVERYBODY has trials. NOBODY is exempt from them. It does not matter how wealthy we are; how high up on the socio-economical ladder we are; how good or bad we are. It doesn’t even matter how little or great our faith in God is. Jesus says, “In this world you WILL have trouble.” (John 16:33) He is talking to His disciples here – those who have given up everything to follow Him. This tells me that even if I am totally, 100% sold out to Jesus, I will still have trials in my life. They are simply part of life for EVERYONE.

Who do you listen to?

Must wait upon the Lord
for all we do.

Do as the Lord bids
Do not eat sweets
Do not
Do not
Do not

and Satan says
Go ahead
Eat it.

Listen to the Lord
Oh yes
Listen to the Lord
Only He knows
He knows you
Don't you want to
Know Him
Don't you want
to be whole

and Satan says
Go ahead
Eat it.

Too much of even a good thing
can make you sick.
Do you want to be sick
Do you want to spend
your days in misery
wearing the path thin
between the bedroom and the bathroom?

Do not give in.
Listen to me
I have your best interest
at heart the Lord says

and still, there is
Satan, saying
Go ahead. Eat it.

Who do you listen to?

Everlasting God

Last Sunday in church among the songs sung was "Everlasting God" (2005), with words and music by Brenton Brown and Ken Riley. Here is the video, followed by the lyrics.



(A) Strength will rise as we
wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
(repeat)

(B) Our God
You reign forever
Our hope
Our strong Deliv'rer
You are
the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary
You're the defender of
the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings
like
eagles.

(Repeat A)
(Repeat B twice)

Without God, it is all meaningless

Another long week is winding down. Another week of stress, distress, frustration.

I can't be disposed to straddling the fence. I have to know where I'm going, who I'm going with, whatever the consequences, have to determine which road I'm staying on - the high road with Jesus or the low road with the world.

The world holds so much, but its all vanity. As Solomon has learned in Ecclesiastes, all of life is futile if Jesus is not in it, if your walk, your life's journey isn't with Him.

*Knowledge apart from God is meaningless

* Pleasures and possessions apart from God are meaningless

... We are "not to think of (ourselves) more highly than (we) ought to think, ... for as we have many members in one body, all the members do not have the same function." (Romans 12: 3-4)

"And He (Jesus) said to them, 'Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.' "

What does worry add? Jesus asks in Luke 12:25. Since My Father takes care of those less than you -- the birds -- the flowers -- the grass, why would He not also take care of you? You do not care for them, He does. Worrying doesn't produce what you need; it only increases your anxiety, which if you (abide with Me, with God) "but seek the Kingdom of God, all these things shall be added to you." (Luke 12: 31) All that you need. "...Your Father knows that you need these things." (Luke 12: 30)

*Worldly wisdom apart from God is meaningless

* Work not done for God's glory is meaningless

Still, still and always,
I must pray. I must abide with the Lord. I must trust. I must act, take that step of faith. I must believe. I must.
Help me Lord to achieve your will for me.

Pray, aim high, stay focused

Pray. Aim high. Stay focused.
Do not look to man for your blessings but look to the Lord. He can open doors for you that only He is able to do. Doors that you will not slip through but doors that only He has prepared in advance for you in your favor. Wait, and be still, patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.

So hard to do.

So easy
to become entangled
and end up
carrying a heavy load
of fear
with you every day.

God
does not want you
to become, to be
fearful.

He wants us to
trust in Him.
TRUST
He will provide
all we need.
Only He knows.

We second guess.
We look at those around
and see what we
think we're missing. We
become dissatisfied,
dismal, very sad, remorseful,
depressed.

We do things ...
yesterday, at the
work place,
I took down
pictures,
cleaned files.

Must be ready
for what I'm hearing
is coming soon.

Still, God knows.
He has come through
before.

Why
does it seem
to be so hard
Every time
to trust
He will provide?

He said He would.
He told me to
Pursue.
He told me to
stay focused, to
abide with Him.
To
Trust.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4: 8a)

"For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing will be there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." (James 3: 16-17)

"Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4: 4b)

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4: 7)

"Do not speak evil of one another, brethren." (James 4: 11a)

"If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." (James 4: 15a)

"Therefore be patient... You also be patient ... Do not grumble against one another, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!" (James 5: 7-9)

Remember the perseverance of Job.

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." (James 5: 13)

Everything has its consequences

Everything has its consequences ... wrong choices ... good choices ... living for selfish pleasure .... living for Jesus. ... All consequences may indirectly affect another, not just ourselves. ... Change is a choice. Not changing is also a choice. All we do has consequences. Consider your ways.

Contemplation

What good things in your past have you accomplished or achieved that might prevent you from achieving great things for the Lord in the present?

Well, I can't think of any. There may be, there probably is, but they don't come to my mind.

Since becoming a Christian I do not recall any personal great triumphs or God's blessings upon me that prevented me from marching forward, continuing to seek and do His will for me. It is easier to think on that which traumatized me or brings sadness and pain within.

... that which we are to forget.

We are only to remember God's role in it.

Elizabeth George in "Loving God With All Your Mind" provides three steps for forgetting the past.

• Find the Gold -- the hidden blessing, the lesson to be learned, the character trait being forged
  

God allowed the experiences, so somewhere there is gold to be found.

How can you think back on the bad things in your life without dwelling on them? How can you find the positive in the middle of all the negative? Finding the gold could take a long time.

• Find Forgiveness for the bad that resulted from your sin.

But not always is the bad a result of your own personal sin. Sometimes the sin is a result of poor choices made by others.

• Forgive those who have hurt you.

When we fail to forgive others we sentence ourselves to a life of bitterness. We stop growing in our faith and we compromise our service and witness for Jesus.

I don't much dwell on the past anymore. Sometimes an event or unpleasant moment from history past creeps into my thoughts and I think on it momentarily. But it is best to remove myself. If I can't, then my writings turn to prayer in the form of loosely written poetry. Pouring out my soul to my Lord, who only He, He alone came enable me to overcome life's many hurdles, past and present, and future as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." -- Philippians 4: 6-7

Do not become anxious ... certainly easier said than accomplished. ... Earnestly pray with the Lord your God to remove your fears, thankful for what you have and are to receive ... abide with Him always ... even when your own understanding is topsy-turvy ... God's peace will come to you.

Prayer relieves you from stress. I wrote that a long time ago in my Bible. Remembering God's truths, staying focused on Him.

"Prayers for Bobby"

Tuesday night, Jan. 27, I watched the last hour of a Lifetime special, "Prayers for Bobby." It is based on a true story in which a Christian family struggles to come to grips with the death of a son and brother who was gay and had committed suicide.

"Is suicide a sin? Is being homosexual the unpardonable sin? Is the Bible valid? Is it my fault? He was always different, even at birth. These were among the questions and comments presented during the movie.

In the movie, the mother visits the pastor of a gay church. She talks about Old Testament laws. He says the Bible is not valid in today's society. It was written yesterday, it was written by mere men. Never do I hear about the cleansing blood of Jesus, who died for the sins of all.

Some of the comments I read on online forums purported the word "homosexual" was not even used during Biblical times. Homosexual - the idea that same word must have been used in Biblical times to mean anything today is preposterous. A homosexual is one who has a sexual relationship with another of the same sex. And it is in the Bible - read 1 Corinthians 6:9. God's laws are just as valid today as they were long ago.

Men nor women are born to be intimate with their own kind. God created man from the dust of the ground. He created woman from man's rib to be his mate.

"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called woman; Because she was taken out of man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." (Genesis 2: 18, 21-25)

The book of Leviticus details God's laws and instructions and offerings. Chapters 18 and 20 deal specifically with sexual relationships.

Leviticus 18:4 says, "You shall observe my judgments and keep my ordinances, to walk in them: I am the Lord your God." God's people were to obey, live by His standards for them, not the practices of other peoples.

"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination." (Leviticus 18:22)

"If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20: 13)

"For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people." (Leviticus 18:29) For the complete list, read Chapter 18. "Cut off" in Biblical time meant put to death.

The standards remained. Then and now, those committing these abominations are "cut off" - separated from their loved ones. They were put to death then; but with Jesus' birth, death, burial and resurrection, came the opportunity for new life.

The standards - God's standards. God's laws are meant for His children, His followers. But to disobey even one of His commands, made the person guilty of all.

Through Jesus Christ, His blood, His death on the cross so we many all live, God's law was fulfilled. Jesus took ALL of our sin upon Himself. He died for YOU. He died for ME. The laws of the Old Testament were valid, are valid, but the punishment is no longer. Jesus became the punishment for us.

When we continue to sin, it is our personal choice. It is a conscious choice we make because of our own understanding.

It is not God's desire, not His will for us to be separated from Him. When we rebel against Him, His laws, His standards for us, we have made ourselves more important than God. When we remain steadfast in our (sinning) ways, God removes Himself from us. He abandons us.

"Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth f God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting: being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but approve of those who practice them." (Romans 1: 24-32)

"But in accordance with your hardness and your unrepentant heart you are storing up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who 'will render to each one according to his deeds.' " (Romans 2: 5-6)

When you accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, and then at some point afterward you go back to your sinning ways, IF you were truly saved, you do not lose your salvation. BUT, you do not also gain any rewards in Heaven.

Jesus laid the foundation "and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ... each one's work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he had built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:10, 13-15)

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived.
Neither fornicators,
Nor idolaters,
Nor adulterers,
Nor homosexuals,
Nor sodomites,
Nor thieves,
Nor covetous,
Nor drunkards,
No revilers,
Nor extortioners
will inherit the Kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6: 9)

The words fornicators, homosexuals and sodomites are described in other terms in different versions of the Bible. The King James refers to homosexuals as effeminate and sodomites as abusers of themselves with mankind. The New International refers to fornicators as sexually immoral, homosexuals as male prostitutes and sodomites as homosexual offenders.

"... But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot {or any unrighteous act}? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For 'the two,' He says, 'shall become one flesh.' But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. ... he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body." (1 Corinthians 6: 10-16)

The unpardonable sin is blaspheming God, never believing, never accepting that Jesus Christ is the son of God, that HE died for you.

To read more about "Prayers for Bobby":

• http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/movies/prayers-bobby
  
• http://www.oasisjournals.com/Issues/9512/fea0795-prayers.html
  
• http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/01/24/2009-01-24_prayers_for_bobby_story_is_too_simplisti.html
  
• http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/22/DDA415DO2H.DTL
  
• http://www.collegenet.com/elect/app/app?service=external/Forum&sp=18126
  
• http://forums.wpitam.com/m_4140622/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#4143254

God loves you. It is the sin that is hated.

The day before yesterday ...

The day before Yesterday ...

The
adrenalin
rush
The
excitement
The
nervousness ...
For Nothing
All for nothing,
to
no avail.
It didn't
happen.

What
a
BUMMER.
Definitely.

Questions.
Thousands
upon
thousands
of
questions
remain
Pounding
in
my
head.

Searching.
Why Lord?
You knew.
Why
didn't I?
Sometimes
it seems
it takes
a lifetime
and
then
we still
have
no
answers.

Sleep.
I want
to sleep --
past the pain
past the turmoil
past the regrets.
Sleep
is
all
I want.

Perseverance ...
testing ...
stay near ...
abiding ...
To learn
Through it all.

I wish
the
struggles
would end.
Just end.

God knows
what
it is
I don't want.
He knows
what
I do want
too.

And
He knows
what is
the
ultimate
best
for me.

What do You want me to do Lord?

I can only imagine.

No.
That I probably know.
Abide in Me,
He says.
Stay beside me,
He says.
Right here
with Me.
Don't falter behind
Don't go on ahead
Walk with Me,
and I,
He says,
will be
with you always.

I will show you
The way
I want you to go,
He says.

Follow Me. Just follow Me.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." -- John 15: 7

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." -- John 15:16

"... without Me you can do nothing." -- John 15: 5

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." -- John 16:33

To persevere

"... We also glory in tribulations (sufferings), knowing that tribulation produces perseverance (endurance); and perseverance, character; and character, hope." - Romans 5: 3-4

We are to rejoice in all of our sufferings, for the agony and pain that may come, Because Jesus laid down His life for us.

It seems so far fetched does it not? How can that be?

God is God. He can do anything, everything. None of us would be here if it were not for Him. God implanted His seed within the Virgin Mary and when it was time, God's son, Jesus, was born.

The whole reason for Jesus - his birth and his death - is to bring salvation to mankind.

And why? What is salvation that it is so darn important?

The word by itself as a verb or noun can mean freedom from what binds or restricts, to liberate, to rescue. God's plan, His original plan, was for man and woman to live in complete harmony with Him for all of eternity.

But that didn't happen. Satan, through the serpent, entered the picture. Eve sinned, Adam sinned. The world was no longer that harmonious place God had planned. Sim was rampant. Sin was commonplace.

Enter Jesus. His time on earth was short. There were joyous and happy moments but also much sorrow and agonizing pain as He goes about His Father's business. His plan, God's plan, is to bring harmony back to its rightful place. To do that, we, individually, must see a need to be free from where we are, from what we are. We must see a need to be free from the sin that enslaves us.

Salvation - God's gift to mankind, is found in JESUS. Through Him, only Him can we have a relationship that brings about perfect harmony.

It is unfortunate at times, that because of freewill - an individual's own personal choice, our lives become and remain stagnant.

Do you not understand? Understanding comes with maturity (not age), Bible study, meditation. New truths ... always there, but new, to me. Reading Romans 5: 12-19, I see more clearly.

Sin entered the world through one man, Adam, and as a result he and all future descendants could only beget sinners. That means you and I are sinners because of Adam's sin. The penalty of sin is death. Not a literal death, a physical death, but a spiritual death. We are separated from God, the God who created us, who is Our Father in the truest sense. The separation meant judgment, condemnation.

The Ten Commandments of God came about during the time of Moses. But those laws were not enough to regain what was lost. They were to be observed / obeyed to bring about understanding and wisdom, to remind us of God's provisions and love, of who is The Holy One.

Sin remains. But Jesus came. God's son. He came from God. He returned to God. He was born, he lived, he died, he was buried, and he rose again. He lives. He is alive now. Not in the physical sense, but spiritually. For it is spiritually that we are separated.

Jesus came to bring New Life to the world. Through His death, He took upon himself all the sins of the world - past, present and future - mine, yours. He took them all to gain for us that perfect harmony with God.

But it is not enough.

It is enough, yet there is that matter with free choice. You have the choice to accept that Jesus died in your place, for your sins. You have the choice to ask for forgiveness. You have the choice to believe. If your choice is to ignore the gift freely offered, you will continue to be separated from God. And when you physically die, your soul will not be part of God's kingdom in heaven. Choices must be made while you are physically alive.

I accepted Jesus' gift of salvation in 1982 and the walk, the journey with Him began. The journey will continue until God calls me home. Then I will see Jesus, face to face.

To learn more about how you can become born again and accept Jesus as your personal Savior: click here

God alone

So easy to fall away from where you should be, where you know you should be. Even fellow Christians can bring you down if they themselves are caught up in the overwhelming flood of fear that is running rampant.

If we remember God's truths, if we stay tuned to Him alone I believe we can stay above all of the tension and unsureness that exists in the workplace. I strive to stay focused on God. God allows tests to come in to our lives. The tests are to teach us some new truth about Him, and about ourselves. To come through the test, to succeed, we must act solely on faith, trusting that what God says, God will do. He will provide.

When we stop believing and trusting that God will provide, and I'm not speaking generally here, but very specifically provide for us - when we stop believing/trusting that, we have removed God from His throne in the center of our being, our heart, we have removed Him from the leadership position, we have pushed Him aside and put ourselves in the control seat.

We grow concerned with the immenseness of the situation. We don't want to be the "guinea pig" of the business world. We don't want to start over. We don't want to have to take a reduction in pay. We don't want to bid for jobs that a fellow co-worker and friend may also bid for. We want unity. We want success. But at what price?

I must leave God where He is. I must not ever presume I know more than He does and that whatever I do it is the best for me. I never know that. Only God knows what is best for me. He has brought me far. My relationship with Jesus grows with each passing moment. I don't ever want to be the cause of a rift in our relationship. I want it to grow and grow and grow, continually.

"For He himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' " - Hebrews
13:5a

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." -- John 14:27

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." -- John 15: 4-5

When I listen to those around me, all the negativity, the mind game of "what if, what now, what will I do?" becomes of top importance. God tells us not to go there, but to stay focused on today, to take one day at a time.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." -- James 4:8a

Help me Lord to stay true to you, to now allow the pressures of today's world to cause me to lose sight of you. Help me Lord to seek you out for every event, every circumstance. Help me not to rely on me, but on You in me. Amen.

Baldwin organ

This afternoon seemed to be as good a time as any to check out my other E-mail accounts and see if anything noteworthy was present. I came across the following E-mail from a fellow Iowan looking for a good home for a Baldwin organ. I find it interesting how people find their way to my Window To Christian Ministries resource site for whatever reason. Sometimes I have wondered if it serves any useful good, but God did instruct me to start it... hence, that in itself, makes it useful.

If you are interested in this particular organ, please reply to Harold Cross in Des Moines at HaroldCross4@mchsi.com Thanks from both of us.

We have what I believe to be a Model 45-HP Baldwin organ. We inherited it from my wife's grandmother for sentimental purposes more so than playing purposes. There are no musicians in our family so, in essence, it hasn't been played for 15 years. Prior to that, I'm not sure. It is in good shape (a few scratches) and does work other than a few keys are static-ey.

Sentimentality is losing out to practicality. We thought it would be a nice addition to a church in need, but we’ve had little luck in finding any takers. I ran across your Windows To Christian Ministries in Iowa site as I was doing more research today. So, I thought I would write just to ask if you knew of any organization, church, or individual that might have an interest in acquiring our organ. And by “acquiring,” depending on its use, most likely donated in exchange for someone’s time/effort in taking it off our hands.

If you think this may be of interest to someone and/or an organization that you know, please pass this along to them and have them reply to me.

Creativity and the rise of optimism

This afternoon I was perusing various stories/topics I subscribe to on Google Reader. A story posted on Publish2 Newsgroup caught my eye. I thought it so interesting, I would share it with you. "Creativity and the rise of optimism" by Paul Bennett, managing partner, Europe and chief creative officer of IDEO, was published on the C&binet blog Dec. 15, 2008.

"I have this crazy theory that when we die, heaven looks like YouTube.

By which I mean that heaven is made up of lots and lots of our collective dreams and hopes and memories, deeply personal ones, a multitude of tiny stories floating on a bright white background. Made by the people that are starring in them, with one collective goal. To be seen. And to be heard and to listen to each other. To share.

Creativity, in its purest form, is also about sharing. It is vast, expansive. It is generative and regenerative, personal, emotive, and above all, optimistic. The majority of people putting themselves out there on YouTube and the like are not looking for the one thing that many business people think (or perhaps hope) they are looking for, which is money. They are looking for something much more powerful - to contribute.

I’m also going to say this: I am so bored with cynicism. Designers (and I mean that in the loosest possible sense, not just people like me who went to college to learn design) are fundamentally optimistic creatures, always looking to turn something over, to examine it from another angle, to get excited by making something new, something real, something personal, something positive. Design today is not about the lone genius in the atelier either; it is highly collaborative, a team sport. In tough times, which no one would argue we are in right now, designing our way out requires two fundamental things – the collective sense of optimism that we can, and the need to do it together.

Bringing the “C” and the “B” of c&binet together, the question we need to ask ourselves today is this: what can business learn from this kind of creativity? I have the sense that many companies are approaching this backwards, saying to themselves: “How do we make our slice of the pie bigger?“ or the usual: “How do we protect ourselves from people stealing our stuff?“ when actually much better questions to ask are: “How do we enable people to contribute?“ and “How do we make the pie bigger for everyone?“

One thing that the YouTubes and Facebooks of the world are showing us is that people want to collect together under whatever banner that they can, share ideas and dreams, and above all, help. What business needs to do is to give them the tools to create and the forums to share. Putting something out there and not knowing what you’re going to get back is the new way forward.

Take Google for example – they keep on giving stuff away for free (mapping, healthcare, services, mail, who knows what next) when they could definitely charge heaps for it, but their generosity pays back in spades when people adapt, share and ultimately pay for their product through other means. Not having an expectation of an exchange engenders one happening, or put more simply, doing good begets doing good. The emotional payback is huge, and their bank balance isn’t bad either.

So here’s my call to action, and the reason why I joined this whole discussion in the first place. I dare you all out there to do the thing that seems most difficult to do right now. Not to panic, tighten, restrain or, worse, look for the magic silver bullet that is going to make you loads of money and solve all your problems in one fell swoop. But to allow collective wisdom to prevail, give something away, and see what you get in return. Assume you do not have to be the sole person answering your problem. Ask everyone, see what you get back. They want to help, to create, to contribute. Make the pie bigger, and your slice will follow.

And above all, be optimistic. I am."

Time

There is a time for every purpose,
every event,
every desire,
every delight,
every pleasure
under heaven.

When is the time

Is my time here or coming

Or has it gone by

Have I missed it
and not known

Or is it still coming

Are the hopes
and dreams,
plans
and aspirations
still
an open window
of opportunity?

Will I be given
the chance
I so desire

Or
will it be
nipped in the bud?
Denied...

I can only pray
the opportunity
the chance
for me
still exists ...

is not fleeting.
will gain momentum
and be
the right time
for me
now.

My prayer today

Dear Lord,
So many turmoils twirling about. I can feel them churning; they take over my mind and I become obsessed with wondering what and how I could have done things differently. If I should have done something another way. I strive to stay connected to you, yet I am disjointed, fearful of outcomes.

There are many fearful. Not just me. Much anxiety is apparent everywhere and fun and relaxation has almost become the dream we desire.

I feel I am being drawn away from you. I don't want to be. Help me Lord to abide with you. I am unable to remember all of your truths, all of your promises all the time under my own single-engine power. I need you always, nearby, reminding me of who you are and who I am in you.

Guard my thoughts Lord, my speech. Bring me peace Lord.

I am so weary ... as are so many others. Help me to continue on, to endure all that is before me. To resist when necessary, to not give in, to never give up. ... unless it be your will. Rejuvenate me Lord. Bring me rest and peace.

In your name I make these petitions. Amen.

Riddles ... ?

Riddles -

What is?

You think you know

You are so smart

What do you know?

Jesus says in John 7:28-29, "You (both) know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."

What does it say?

What do you think it says?

You know Jesus came from Nazareth.
You know Jesus is the son of a carpenter.

That is what you remember from ages past.

Not what is true

Not what is real.

Only what you have heard

Only what you think you know.

Jesus is the son of God.

Oh no! that can't be.

Jesus is the Messiah.

No, No, No!

Jesus is the son of Joseph.
A mere man

Nothing more.

How wrong you are.
How very wrong.

Jesus is I AM.
Jesus is the Alpha and Omega.
Jesus Is.

Are we
like the
tree

Are we
like the
winter
snow
and
frigid air

Are we
clueless

Are we
without
direction?

Or
do we
have
Jesus

Is He

Are we
one
of
His
branches

Are you?

Temptation

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, That you may be able to bear it." -- 1 Corinthians 10:13

My greatest temptation I find hard to overcome is the foods I put in my mouth. This year marks my 5th anniversary -- shedding 115 pounds and for the most part maintaining. But from February 2007 to December 2008 I gained 9-1/2 pounds - due to eating too much sweets. I want to rid myself of that extra weight, lose more if possible, not continue to pack it in and on.

You would think the regiment I followed in the early days would have stayed with me, but somewhere along the line, old influences crept in and I allowed them to remain and on frequent occasions, overtake my preferred state.

The regiment I followed consisted of: more protein, less carbs (especially those not so good for me), more veggies, more fruit, less fat, less sweets. Small quantities. Eating several times a day. More liquids - water, tea. Not drinking with meals, but only before or after and then at least 1/2-hour in between.

Some of that I still follow; its the part I don't follow that causes havoc for me.

~~~~~
God will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I can handle and He will show me a way to escape from it.
~~~~~

Obviously, I haven't listened or seen. Satan has shown me there is nothing wrong with my desires. If I want them I should have them because they taste good. I have given in to my desires.

This would not be God's chosen desire for me. I have not listened to His word, obeyed His urgings.

I like honey ... in my tea, on toast, sometimes in cereal. Proverbs 25:27 tells us "it is not good to eat much honey." And its true. Too much honey brings on a tummy ache.

Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Where is my self-control?

Galatians 5:25 says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

The fruits of the spirit ... love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

I am a continual work in progress; sometimes I stop by the wayside, sometimes I become distracted, but always I am His.

Hope

One day at a time

We express concern about the weather forecast ... for tonight, for tomorrow, for Saturday, but Jesus says in Matthew 6: 34: "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

We are to Prepare
To Plan
To Pray
To Proceed
and To Trust God to Provide

Not just practical things, but our feelings as well - the emotions that churn within us because of thoughts that go through our mind. Thoughts like ... well, I'm not going to go there. We all have them, revolving around money, housing, transportation, bills, taxes, clothing, illness, hospitalization, disease, death, schooling, employment, food, etc., etc. Our thoughts can run rampant causing us to become caught up in every "what if" that comes our way.

If we are to be obedient to the Lord's command to not worry about tomorrow then we must stay tuned, focused squarely on Jesus.

PREPARE. How? Spend time daily with the Lord, reading His word, meditating on what He is saying to us, how it applies to us.

PLAN. Long-range and short-range. Break huge projects into day-size pieces. Make lists. Planning can help prevent us from becoming overwhelmed with the hugeness of a given task.

PRAY. Give God everything ... yourself, things in your life, people in your life.

Elizabeth "Liz" George, author of "Loving God with All Your Mind" (the Bible book study I am currently in), says Giving God everything means giving Him myself, my things and the people I care about as well as the physical, practical and emotional concerns of my life.

Then it is His to do with as He likes. George then gives God her plan for the day. Giving the plan to God makes that His as well to do with as He likes. His plan for you may not be the same plan you have. If His plan is what is preferred over your own, He will give us alternative directions for us to follow.

PROCEED. Whatever the plan -- we make our plan, our schedule of things we want or need to accomplish that day; we pray about it; we give it to the Lord; then we proceed with it, unless the Lord tells us differently.

In proceeding, we need to recognize that not every intervention is from the Lord. Satan, our own selfish desires sometimes so overpower us that we determine we're doing things our way and no other. When this happens, we need to command Satan to leave us. In Matthew 16:23, Jesus tells us, "Get behind Me Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."

TRUST GOD TO PROVIDE.

Do not worry about tomorrow.
There is enough in today.
I have to get through today.
How can I
if I'm constantly thinking about tomorrow?
I can prepare and
I can plan for tomorrow,
pray for tomorrow,
but today is where I am.

Today.
Where are you today? How will you function today? Are you relying on God's wisdom and strength or on your own power?

We need to keep our emotions in check, not allow thoughts and feelings to overtake our day. It is not easy, but when / as we proceed in faith and obedience, as we keep our focus on today, as we expect to see God at work in our life along the way ... God provides for us. Whatever the challenge, the task, the trial, the crisis, the interruption, God provides for our needs. Every single one. Today and tomorrow. One day at a time.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." - James 4: 8a

Whatever may come

"Do not fret ... Trust in the Lord ... Commit your way to the Lord ... Rest in the Lord ... Do not fret." -- Psalm 37: 1a, 3a, 5a, 7a, 8b

Whatever may come, do not become anxious and fret. Give your concerns, fears to the Lord. Trust that He will do as He says and provide all your needs as you need them. Do as the Lord instructs. Be obedient to His teaching in all ways and always. Commit. Then rest, wait patiently, strive for patience that the Lord will give you the desires of your heart according to His will. Remain free from fear. Stay true to God's word. Moment by moment.

Scripture to think on: "The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet." -- Nahum 1: 3 (New Living translation)

The book of Nahum is about Nineveh. I wonder ... can this book apply to any other time? What does verse 8 mean? - "But with an overflowing flood He will make an utter end of its place, and darkness with pursue His enemies."

How smart I've become .. how dumb I am

Interesting. That's what the Bible is. Interesting. How everything comes together. Last night before Jim got home from Kansas City, I was talking to my friend Anna. About how smart I've become. Smart in that the more I study and listen to the Lord, the more I realize how dumb I am, how "stupid," how much I don't know. I knew so much when I was younger, or at least I thought I did. I know more now, yet realize how dumb I am.

"For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building." -- 1 Corinthians 3: 9

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise."
-- 1 Corinthians 3: 16-18

Wherever you attend church, if you are a born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, remember whose you are.

"The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile. Therefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come - all are yours. And you are Christ's and Christ is God's." -- 1 Corinthians 3: 20a, 21-23

Give your burdens to the Lord

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you;..." -- Psalm 55:22

Cast all
my burdens
My concerns.

Cast them
lay them
give them ...

To the Lord

and He
shall,
He will
sustain
Me.
Carry me
through.
Be with me.

Such
a simple
command
it would seem.

For being
so simple
why
is it
so hard
to follow,
to
obey
?

So easy
to be
human ...
for I am.

So hard
to be
like
Christ
for
I am not ...

... only a follower
and
a long, long
way
from
being
like Him.

Cast your burdens upon ME
and I will sustain you

"My yoke is easy, My burden is light." - Matthew 11:30

"Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass." - Psalm 37: 5

"Do not fret...
Do not become incensed
Do not become angry
Do not become indignant
Do not be envious

"It only causes harm." - Psalm 37: 8b

"Do not worry about your life." - Matthew 6: 25

"Do not worry about tomorrow." - Matthew 6: 34

Your Father knows of your needs - Matthew 6:32, Luke 12:30

"Casting all your care (anxiety) upon Him, for He cares for you." - 1 Peter 5: 7

Wake up before its too late!

It amazes me how often

• One doesn't have a relationship with God
  

• One doesn't believe in God nor in His son, Jesus Christ
  

• One doesn't believe Jesus is the only way to heaven
  

• One believes they alone have all the power needed to live in this world

• Yet, when a friend or loved one dies, one still believes they will be ushered into the presence of God with open arms.
  

Wake up people. If you don't know Jesus, upfront and personal, you have no hope.

If you don't want Him in your life while you are alive, I promise you, He will not be there when you are dead.

Truth: God's goodness

This morning as I was waiting for a telephone call, I reviewed my new year's resolution:
... to see God's goodness in everything
... to remember God's truths
... and to meditate on those truths daily.

But, also
... to follow through, to be obedient to the Lord
... to always believe in Him
... to trust

To see God's goodness in everything.

God's goodness is not the same as how we humans perceive goodness.

Romans 2:4 says "the goodness of God leads to repentance"

Psalm 52:1 says "the goodness of God endures continually"

Galatians 5: 22-23 says "goodness" is a fruit of the Spirit.... along with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." -- Galatians 5: 25-26


James 1: 19-20 says "Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."


The fruits of the Spirit produce the righteousness of God ... goodness produces righteousness.


I will have to pursue this more. Read more about God's goodness, which exists in good times
and bad times, smooth sailing and rough winds, health and sickness, rewards and judgements.

Fear does not come from God

Dear Lord,
Help me, I ask, to not become terrified and frustrated with all the opposition around me, turmoils within. Anxiety abounds within me at times. It doesn't belong there. Only thoughts of You should permeate my soul. I pray you will guide me in the way to go. Help me to pray for Jim's health and safety without anxiety. Give me the wisdom to know the correct way to go for everything that comes along. At today's work meeting, help me to be at peace over the new schedule or to voice my concerns appropriately. Quarters needed for the parking meter - help me to avoid spending them on vending machine junk. Enable the one-half tank of gas in the van to remain at that level. Show me how to proceed wisely in your name and glorify you.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." -- 2 Timothy 1: 7

If I fear, which I do, it does not come from God. Satan has caused me to question concerns and let them get so out of hand. Satan does not want me to rely on a higher power than he himself. Satan wants me to question everything, be at peace about nothing, be always about SELF.

Satan is powerful. But God is more so. I profess to be a follower of Jesus Christ. To do, to be so, means I must rely only on Him, not me, not anything other.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." -- John 14: 27

What peace does the world give?

Satan is the ruler of this world. But he is NOT my ruler, my king, and I am not of this world. I live in this world, but my heart belong to Jesus.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (evil, Satan)" -- Matthew 6: 24

When we fear, become fearful, we are giving in to Satan's rule. We must pray, seek the Lord's wisdom and then follow through. It is not God's desire for His children to be in bondage to the devil, not at any time.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." -- 1 John 4: 18

God has given us
a spirit of power,
of love
and
of a sound mind.

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." -- Acts 1: 8

Tomorrow

"Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. For He himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' " -- Hebrews 13:5

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. And the Lord said, He is the one who goes before you, He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." -- Deuteronomy 31: 6, 8

The Lord is with me at all times. He will not leave me. I must be strong, courageous as I go forth. Do not be afraid, do not fear what others may do or say. Do not seek what they offer, but be content with what you have.

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life... what shall we eat? what shall we drink? what shall we wear? ... For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things." -- Matthew 6: 24, 25, 31, 32b


Who do you serve? God or what is of the world? We cannot serve both. We cannot have split loyalties - one is greater than the other. When we become anxious for what only may come, not what will, we do not give God the proper respect He deserves. Our loyalties are divided.

"But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, ..." -- Matthew 6: 33


"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow ..." -- Matthew 6: 34

Prepare for tomorrow
Plan for tomorrow
Pray for tomorrow
Proceed with tomorrow
Trust God to Provide in your tomorrow.

True Love

Searching for Psalm 37:7, I found
Song of Songs
a short book
I didn't remember existing
nestled between
Ecclesiastes
and Isaiah.

True love
between
a man and a woman
married
to each other
meeting
each other's
needs.

My beloved
How beautiful
My treasure
How lovely
I search
but he is gone.
heartsick I am.

My love
is
oh so handsome
better,
more so than
any other.
None can compete

My friend

You are my beloved
and I?
am I your
perfect dove

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers
in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass." - Psalm 37:7

Happy Birthday (tomorrow) my beloved.

A new year ...

Yesterday ... Today.
Old ... New.
New Year's Eve ... New Year's Day.
2008 ... 2009.

Last Sunday in morning worship our pastor started a Bible study in Ecclesiastes. Yesterday's devotional was in Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 "Times and Seasons."

A time to reflect on all the days of this past year and resolve - make resolutions for the next.

In years past I used to resolve to lose weight. Last year I resolved to read and study the Bible more, listen to what the Lord tells me, and be obedient and follow His commandments.

This year I believe I will resolve to seek that which is true, meditate consistently on God's truths, to remember who He is, what He is, what He said He would to; to stay more focused on God, His word, and less on the world around me - less on what I read or watch on TV.

verse 1 says, "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven."

David Sper, an editor of Our Daily Bread, says:

"Just as the winter turns to spring,
Our lives have changing seasons too;
So when a gloomy forecast comes,
Remember -- God has plans for you."

Whatever the season (s) of life, attitude makes all the difference.

In 2008, I have said things out loud or even to myself that were just not totally true. And even if they were true, if it is harmful to another, nothing should ever be said where others may hear. If you build up another it is fine and good, but in so doing, you should not tear another down. It would be better to keep quiet.

It is very easy to step in and give your opinion, often unasked for. Someone complains of another and you add your own two cents. It is not right that we should act or react like this. When we do, we are being selfish, thinking whatever we are dealt in life, we will deal with it "our way."

Our way. My way. Your way. But what about God's way? If it were God's way I doubt "our way" would be so darn important.

Our life experiences can help another or perhaps hinder. It depends how we portray those experiences, what we've learned from them ourselves.

God is in control and can enable each of us, but it is us individually who must take an active part in any situation for it to be accomplished, fulfilled. We must be actively seeking God's will as well, not our own. God knows far better than we ourselves do what we need, what is coming along, what strengths we'll be needing at a future time.

Our lives are so overloaded. So much makes up our lives ... our minds, our emotions, our thoughts, when we read, watch, hear, listen, talk, imagine, dream, what we see, smell, do, bake, create, walk, run, jump, swim, bike, crawl, reach, grope, reminisce, memorize, remember, celebrate, mourn, repair, restore, renew, write, paint, frown, smile, laugh, cry. ...a time for every purpose ... a season

My resolution for 2009 is to be and do what Psalm 1: 1-3 says:

"Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers.

But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants;
day and night they think about his law.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing
fruit each season without fail. Their leaves never wither,
and in all they do, they prosper."

... to think on God's truths, to remember to stay on them, rather than on what is not true, to see God's goodness in everything and to meditate on God's truths daily, being always mindful of who and what is the great and holy I AM.

God answers ... in His time for our time.