Return. Refocus. Reunite / Reconcile.

LET GOD BE YOUR STEERING WHEEL

A few days ago when reading and studying the Bible, including Psalm 62, I wrote,

Whatever happens
God is our refuge and strength
our place of comfort and rest.
Abide in Me, God says
Abide in Me.
The problems are still present
but by concentrating on Me,
you allow Me to take control,
to take charge of the situation
and bring it to pass.

And then anger struck

and instead of concentrating on Jesus,
I concentrated on what made me angry.

Instead of allowing Jesus to take control
and take charge, Satan took charge

The anger grew by leaps and bounds
as pain and disappointment and irritation and frustration
and miscommunication
wormed their way to the surface
of our hearts and spewed its way out of our mouths
with no evidence of kindness or gentleness
or patience or self-control.

Failed!

God tested
and what He saw brought no rejoicing,
but only deep sadness and extreme disappointment

Is it worth it!? -- to let our anger over whatever
come between our personal relationship with and love for
the Lord Jesus?

If we truly love the Lord -- but we are human -- yes, and as humans, we make mistakes
and errors and have failings, but we do not and should not succumb to being failures.

God knows we will fail, for we are not perfect. If we were, there would have been no reason for God to send His Son to us to save us from eternal destruction, death.

So He knows how we are. But He also knows who we are -- His -- personally created and designed for Him and His purpose. He knows what is uniquely us, even though we often are way off track. We travel routes that do not seek the goodness of God. We are concerned with ourselves and in our interactions with others, instead of seeking God's response, we jump in, saying whatever comes to mind. And there we fail.

Return.
Refocus.
Reunite / Reconcile.

Let God be your steering wheel -- not just for prayer time or Bible study, or any old some time, but ALL the time.

Consider your every action -- what you speak and what you do, so it will be pleasing to the one who hears and sees and most especially, so it will be pleasing and glorifying to our Heavenly Father.

It's not about me. It's about God. The sooner we see that and acknowledge it and respond accordingly, "me" time will be "God" time and we will each see the unique person we are -- the one God designed.

Love God. Love Him more. Love yourself less. It is not our personal wants and needs that will get us where we need to be. The steps to take are
Returning to God
Refocusing on God
Reuniting and Reconciling with God

"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 me Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15: 4-5 NKJV)

WE ARE, BUT WE ARE NOT

God tells us in 2 Corinthians 4: 8-9,

"We are hard pressed on every side,
we are perplexed,
persecuted, struck down ...

yet,

we are not crushed,
not in despair
not forsaken
not destroyed.

We act like we are what we're not. Jesus says we are not crushed, we are not in despair, we are not forsaken, we are not destroyed, yet we act like we are. We give in to the pressure around us. We believe we are failures. We fail to see God's goodness and our intense need for Him and all He is and all we can be through Him.

God sent the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts when we accepted God's Son, Jesus, as our personal Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit was sent to teach us God's way and to enable us to remember all things Jesus has said.

ARE YOU OPEN OR CLOSED?

How can we learn if we are not willing to be taught and willing to change?

How can we remember if we are not in His word daily, reading and studying?

How can we know what to remember and what is true?

Clinging to the past, to the way you've always done it, does not bring us clsoer to God.

God's attention is on us -- where does our attention lie? Are we focused on Him or are we centered on "me"?

Fear grows
Anxiety

Where is your security?

Why do you fear what may come?

If you belong to Jesus, you have your security. Not just for eternity, but here and now. Look to Him for your answers, instead of relying on your own eyes and ears and thinking.

We do not see the whole picture. We are incomplete. We see very dimly. We look in the mirror, but that is only a reflection of ourselves.

We/you/I need Jesus TODAY, TOMORROW, THIS MINUTE, ALL THE TIME.

Live in the Light of His Word,
not in the dullness and darkness
of yourself and of the world

Come.

Return
to Jesus

Refocus
on Jesus

Reunite/Reconcile
with Jesus

and be who you are meant to be.

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

written Dec. 28-31, 2014

Will you be the one?

Will you see the unseen
another needs, another seeks
or simply say the Bible has all the answers?

Will you be the friend
to help another see what the Bible says
or simply ignore the quest
and go on about your business?

Will you be the messenger, the mentor
discussing with others how God’s word
applies personally and in every situation
or simply say to read it and study it for yourself?

God calls us to go
and as we go, to make disciples
teaching how to live His way
and be obedient to His commands

You may have been called by God
You may have answered His call and gone forth
but are you obedient to Him?

(Jesus speaking) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”  - Matthew 28:19-20

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

I AM there, but ...

You cannot see Me at work in your life
but I AM there
I often do my work behind the scenes
Watching
Seeing
Waiting …
for you …
a word, an outstretched hand

You accepted Me into your life
but then you left Me … lying

Where are your praises
your thanksgiving
your prayers
your moments of study and meditation

Why My Child
do you not dwell on what is good?
Why do you not waken and shine
with the Light of My Glory within you and upon you?

Why do you live as though there is no joy?
Why do you act or react with negativity surrounding you?
Why do you not see the good I have for you each and every day ?
“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.”  – Psalm 118:24
Why do you see problems – real and perceived, and not see the blessings?
Why do you dwell on all you dislike, all that makes you angry and irritated?
There are things you want, you expect and you desire…. All from another, but,  what about you? What do you want of yourself, what do you expect of yourself, what do you desire of yourself? It is not about what another can do or be for you. It is about what you can do and what you can be with Me, your God, your Savior, your Lord.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13 

See the good.
I AM good. All the Time, My Child.
See the good all around you. Soak it in. Connect yourself with Me and you will see the world you live in in a new and different way.
“Trust in the Lord, and do good. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” – Psalm 37:4

 You are responsible and held accountable for only your thoughts, only your actions, not those of any other.

 “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

- Romans 12:16-19, 21

Do not fret. Do not become anxious. Do not worry. Do not be filled with jealousy. Do not be selfish. Do not be envious. Do not provoke another. Do not be conceited.  (Psalm 37, Galatians 5:20-21)

“Resist him, steadfast in the faith.” – 1 Peter 5: 9

I AM at work My child. You cannot see Me, but I can see you. You are different. You are not the person you once were. But you are not complete, you are not perfect.  Only My Son shines with the perfection you still aim for.

I offer you so much -- within the pages of My word are guidelines, instructions
for every aspect of life.

You are defeated and live as such when you dwell on what is wrong or what could go wrong each and every day.

Arise and shine
Begin each day with praise and a prayer --
“Thank you Lord for this day and guide me along the way.  Amen.”

It is short and to the point…
 thanking Me for what I give and praying to Me for guidance.

Remember the prayer throughout the day
Believe in Me
By faith you accepted Me
By faith you became a new person

You say you know I am with you always,
yet your actions do not reveal that wisdom.

When your faith is strong(er)
and your focus is less on you and more on Me
My Presence will be more known to you
and you will, without a doubt, realize
I AM really with you always.

It is a work in progress
Up and down you go
You are never too old to learn,
Never too old to grow
Never smarter or wiser than Me

For I AM
God
of the universe
and all that is,  is MINE

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

"Count it all joy"

“My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way,   for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure.   Make sure that your endurance carries you all the way without failing, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

  But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. But when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. Whoever doubts is like a wave in the sea that is driven and blown about by the wind.  If you are like that, unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you must not think that you will receive anything from the Lord.” 

  -- James 1:2-7 Today’s  English Version 

Today’s devotional led me to James 1:2-8, which I read in the New King James version.  Perhaps this is where the Lord was leading me, which I didn’t see, couldn’t see, and only see now because it is there in black and white. 

The trials have certainly been there, but I did not consider it fortunate for being in the midst of them. I did not understand what it was God was showing me, what I was to learn. It was all hidden from me. 

What I see now is I need to remain faithful to the Lord and keep my focus on Him and not everything around me, whether it pertains directly or indirectly to me or to someone else. I have opinions, as does everyone, but that does not mean I need to express them every time. I’m supposed to learn patience. 

The testing produces patience. So far, the testing has produced frustration, irritation, anger. So, I’ve failed. Yet, for all my failures, I still seek guidance, and God still hands it out without complaint. 

He still wants the best for His children. 

There will be other trials, other occasions for me to persevere and endure and hopefully come out on top, with the Lord pleased and not filled with dismay.  

To be like Jesus … more and more – that is what we pursue. He who is perfect and complete, He who endured the cross and persevered with all of whom He came into contact. 

 He is patient, and I am not. 

But I can ask of God … I can ask for wisdom, for discernment, for fruitfulness. 

I can ask and believe He will give me what I seek. Without belief, there is only doubt. When doubt sets in, uncertainty grows with leaps and bounds, and we forget where our loyalties lie.  

We forget it is God who is in control. It is not me or you. No matter how much we think we can do, we can’t really do anything without Him.  And that includes the gift or fruit of patience given to His followers by the Holy Spirit.

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

Always He is with us

"The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail." - Isaiah 58:11

Even when we think The Lord has left our presence because we do not feel Him near us, He is with us, guiding us, strengthening us for His service.

We must stay in His word, focused on Him, always seeking direction from Him, listening. His voice, however quiet, may be heard in the stillness of each day, each night.

We must be alert or we will miss out on all He has for us.

God called you out from your sin

God called you out from your sin,

which kept you imprisoned -- not so much behind bars,
but your mind was divided and you leaned toward anger, filthy language, lying, rage, grumbling, bitterness and more. 

The world was your home and of all you did, you were mindful of what you heard and saw
and if it appealed to you, you followed suit. 

God called you out from your sin,

called you to Himself to come into the light of His Son's holy presence
and you came. You heard His call to you and you responded. Called to leave behind the desires of the flesh and worldly living and "to set your mind on things above."
[Colossians 3:2]

No fence sitting. No divided loyalties. 

You were dead. All who live and function based on the world and its attitudes are dead -- dead in their sin. 

God called you out from your sin, 

His Son, Jesus Christ, was persecuted and died for you, your sins. He was buried in the grave and He arose -- up from the grave He rose. 

When you answer God's call, you are no longer dead -- you have been resurrected, born again, one with Christ. 

God called you out from your sin, 

You are free.

Why do you believe and even insist who you are is who you've always been? 

You were enslaved -- You have been set free

You were a child of the devil -- You are a son, a daughter of The King, The Holy One

You said No! to the old person, the old way, the old life.
You say Yes! to the new person, the new way, the new life.
You were dead! -- You are alive! 

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." [Romans 12:2] 

God called you out from your sin, 

to live as a new creature in Him,
not to resume life as you were and claim "this is who you are." 

You are the elect of God
You are holy and beloved
You are tender
You are kind
You are humble
You are forgiving
You are patient [Colossians 3:12-13]

You are loyal
You are thankful
You are peaceful
You are considerate
You are consistent
You are faithful
You are precious
You are beautiful
You are helpful
You are hopeful
You are loving and loved
You are blessed

God called you out from your sin,

for you to submit your life to Christ, to raise you up, high on eagle's wings,
created in the "natural image and likeness of God." [Genesis 1:26]

He, whose life was given for yours, because of Love.

He, who became like you and me, because of Love,
to show a better way, a just and fair way,
without bitterness or provocation or discouragement or favoritism.

He, who was obedient to His parents, and most especially, to His Holy Father,
because of Love.

[based on Colossians 3:18-21]

God called you out from your sin,

He called you to be free.  He called you to be loving and loved. He called you to be complete in Him. 

Whose path do we follow?

What path are you on today
What was it yesterday

God tells us to walk with Him, to trust Him.
He knows the way we are to go
He knows what lies ahead, where trouble lies.
He sees all 

God tells us in Isaiah 26:3-4, He will keep all of us who trust in Him and whose focus is fixed on Him in perfect peace. He will give us strength in everything that comes and goes in our lives.

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,
all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.” (New Living Translation)

Listen to Jesus – to the Holy Spirit within you. He will never steer you wrong. He will guide you down the road that is best for you. Rely on Him, not on yourself. When He says go back, then go back. When He says stop, then stop. Do not consider your reasoning to be better than His.

Read what Psalm 25:4-5 says --          
“Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”

And also Proverbs 3:5-6 –

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” 

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

Spiritual Growth - Christ in You (Using your Bible)

Week 1: CHRIST IN YOU
Day 2: Using Your Bible For Christian Growth

Today's Bible verses are Psalms 119:11,  15-16 and 40:8

Your daily Quiet Time should always focus on the Bible.

Turn to the contents in the front of your Bible -- this will help you find the books you are looking for.

Find Psalm 119, verse 11.

Psalm 119:11 (NLT) 
¹¹  I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 


Where did the writer keep the Word of God. In ____________

It is good to memorize Scripture. Another way to say the same thing is "I know it by heart." The writer used the word heart to explain where he keeps God's Word. The last part of the verse tells the reason to keep God's Word in our hearts. What is that reason? _________________________________________________

Memorizing God's Word can help you avoid sinning against God.

Find Psalm 40:8 and read it.

Psalm 40:8 (NLT) 
⁸  I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” 


Where can you keep verses for emergencies if you don't have a Bible with you?

_____________________________________________________________

Go back to Psalm 119 and read verses 15-16.

Psalm 119:15-16 (NLT) 
¹⁵  I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. 
¹⁶  I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word.

What feelings will you have as you learn to memorize Bible verses?

___________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Memorization can be fun. Don't tell yourself you can't do it. Why look at the things you already know  by heart -- telephone numbers, zip codes, people's names, streets, house addresses, book titles, important dates, etc. 

No other word of advice will have as much value as Scripture verses. Memorize Scripture on a regular basis -- two verses each week. This week's verses to memorize are Psalm 119:11 and Psalm 40:8.

When you memorizing Bible verses, it will help you resist sin. It helps you tell other people about Jesus. It is used in explaining things you believe.

Write down the verses. Carry them with you. Practice repeating the verses. 

Spiritual Growth - Christ In You (Quiet Time)

Week 1: CHRIST IN YOU
Day 1: How to Establish a Quiet Time

Just like feeding your body daily by eating food, you need to feed your soul by having a daily quiet time with the Lord.

Here are some suggestions to start a daily quiet time:

1. Have a specific time and place.
   I find mornings to be best for me. The beginning of your day will be so much better if it is started with Christ.
   I used to do my Bible study at the kitchen table while having breakfast, but for the past couple of years I have used the bedroom. I spend from 20 minutes to 2 hours daily. I use a devotional, my Bible, a pen, highlighter and journal.
   I suggest you have 15 minutes to yourself.
2. Be regular.
   Skipping days makes it harder to grow spiritually.
3. Have ready a Bible, pencil and paper. 
   For now you will use the Survival Kit for your quiet time.
4. Begin with prayer.
   Open your heart and your mind to Christ. Give Him permission to teach, lead or discipline you in your Bible study.

End with a specific plan for the day that follows what you read. 
Before you stop your quiet time, decide how your life will be different because of the things you learned in the Bible.

TODAY'S QUIET TIME:
Tell God about your love for Him. Thank Him for your many blessings. Tell Him the things you need for God to do in your life. Ask Him to use you and control you in your life today.

TODAY'S READING:
1 John 4:13-15

Go to the contents in the front of your Bible and locate 1 John. It will be in the New Testament. Read the Scripture and then in your own words, write what the verses say.
If you don't have a Bible, here is the text. But if you do have a Bible, I suggest you look it up in your own Bible to familiarize yourself with it.


1 John 4:13-15 (NLT) 
¹³  And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
¹⁴  Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.
¹⁵  All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.

About these verses,
What did God give you to prove you are saved?

What do Christian people tell other people that shows God is living in them?

What other words are used to tell who Jesus is?

You have as a Christian experienced personally that God sent His Son to be your Savior. How will the things from this verse change your life today?

Write one thing you will do today that shows these verses working in your life.

Spiritual Growth - Introduction

You are a new creature. You became a Christian and began a new life when you prayed to God and accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

Now what? Do you say to yourself, "Is there more or is this all there is? What am I supposed to do now?"

You start learning.

I accepted Christ 32 years ago - Aug. 29, 1982. I participated in a Bible Study, a Practical Guide to Spiritual Growth, known as Survival Kit for New Christians.

It was a good place to begin then ... to learn more about what being a Christian means, and it is a good place to begin now - for you.

There are 5 Bible principles. You can remember them on your hand:

The Thumb represents the Body 
The First Finger represents your old and new natures (personalities)
The Second Finger represents things about salvation 
The Third Finger represents authority
The Little Finger represents the Five-and-Five Principle

The Palm of your hand represents Christ living in you and controlling everything.

You will face many problems and temptations in everyday life -- as a babe in Christ, much of your future growth in your Christian life depends on your relationship to the church.

There are 5 stages you will pass through:

1. The Honeymoon Stage  - This is when you are happy and excited. You have a new life. You have been baptized and you are a member of His church.
   
2. The Fight Stage  - The Honeymoon stage ends when you have your first fight. Frustration, temptation, jealousy, gossip, etc. crop up again -- the same old problems are present. Christ started to live in you when you began your new life. The old self, with all the sins, did not die. So, you have your old self with the sins and your new self with Christ living in you. The new nature and the old nature battle for control.
   
3. The Doubting Stage - You begin to doubt your salvation if you do not learn the right things.  You start thinking that just knowing you are saved is all that is important. Jesus promised  that when you became a Christian the Holy Spirit would be with you. He would teach you all things.
   (John 14:26 -  "But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you." New Living Translation)
   You need more information about salvation when you have conflict within yourself between your old life and your new life. The more you know, not just in your head, but primarily your heart, the less you doubt. Three times to know about your salvation are: a) it happens at an exact time; b) it is a process  through time as you beat the old you; c) there is a final time when Christ will make you free forever.
   
4. The Panic-Search for what is Right Stage - Here you need to learn where to go to find what is right to be protected from this stage. You must learn how to compare the truth to other things. The only place to find the truth and what is right is in the written word of God, The Bible.
   
5. The Silent Christian Stage - A silent Christian is one who does not witness, but instead substitutes church activities. A Christian who does not witness is not effective in helping another become a Christian or influencing others in a positive way for the Lord. To become effective in witnessing, learn the Five-and-Five Principle - five people in your live you can witness to and five people you cannot witness to but can pray for.

Think about these things. The 5 principles and the 5 stages.  The next time we meet we'll begin our study.

8.26.2014

Trust God and walk in His Spirit

You may struggle to trust another, but you can always trust God. Look to Him for your every answer and He will show you how to rebuild your lives. Lean on Jesus. He is your source of strength.

Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. When we have been redeemed by the blood of lamb, our old ways have been crucified, destroyed, killed – our fleshly passions and desires become a thing of the past (or at least they are supposed to). We are new creatures. Therefore, if we say we live in the Spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit – we must not be conceited, we must not provoke another, we must not envy another.

“But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. There is no law against such things as these. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have put to death their human nature with all its passions and desires. The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. We must not be proud or irritate one another or be jealous of one another.” – Galatians 5:22-26 Today’s English Version

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders 

Aug. 21, 2014

Of God -- ask, seek, knock

“Ask, and it will be given to you;” If you do not ask, how do you expect to receive?

“

Seek, and you will find;”
If you do not look, how do you expect to find what is hidden?

“Knock, and it will be opened to you.”

If you do not knock, how do you expect a door to open?

The Lord knows what you have need of and what you want, but it is up to you to make that request to Him.

The Lord knows what you are looking for, but it is up to you to acknowledge it to Him.

The Lord knows you have need of Him and His provisions, but it is up to you – it is your choice.

Won’t you choose to pray?

To ask and receive
To seek and find
To knock and open

He abides in you … always

Won’t you come and abide in Him?

“Ask, and it will be given to you; Seek, and you will find; Knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” = Matthew 7:7-8

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders 

August 21, 2014

Do you do what you desire or what you hate?

We talk of fresh starts, new beginnings. We want things to be different, better. We have that as our goal, yet it seems we are often stuck in the old world that we want so desperately to escape from. 

We remember too well. We remind another too often. We fail to move past the pain and hurt caused by another. We say we want to, but yet we remain burdened by our thoughts.

It is like what the apostle Paul says in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do; for I don’t do what I would like to do, but instead I do what I hate.”  

And do you know why you do what you hate? It’s because of sin. Our old sin nature. It died when we accepted Christ as our Savior. But if we do not stay focused on Him, that old sin nature awakens within us and we end up riding it for all its worth.

We want to seek purity, but our mind captures the very thing we hate.

If we truly want a new beginning, then we must seek God at every step. To claim you have no time is a cop-out.
Start your day with prayer: 
Lord, Thank you for this day. Thank you for a place to lay our heads, to rest from the previous day’s struggles. Today, guide us as we go about our day, working, playing, talking, whatever it is, Lord, show us the best way. Show us how to speak only words that bring glory to You.  In Your name, we pray. Amen.

Keep God at the forefront always. If we do not seek God, if we continue to fall prey to our selfish nature, new beginnings will be long in coming.

We cannot hope for a turnaround if we’re constantly looking at the past and reminding ourselves and others of wrongdoings.

We reap what we sow, but we do not need to continually reap havoc. 

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5 NKJV)  .  

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

August 20, 2014

Where are your priorities?

“I will when I have time. “I do when I have time.”

We all have 24 hours - The same amount of time every day.

Having time is not the problem. Prioritizing our time is.

You want to improve your marriage?!    Come to Jesus.

You want healing?!  Come to Jesus.

Make time.

You cannot get what you want if you do not latch onto what you need. You by yourself cannot achieve completeness.

You think your marriage is just between each other?
Have you taken God out of the equation?
Have you forgotten He created you – both of you?
He founded marriage.

Answers to all of life are found in The Bible,  not in your personal thinking. If you do not know what God says, how can you possibly know  what is the best way to handle any and all you go through?
If you’re not in His word daily, if you’re not reading and listening and meditating on Him, you are missing the mark.

Do not be a Christian in name only.

Pray.
Make time for Jesus.
He is here for you.

How  can you bring another to Christ if they do not see Jesus in you? How will they know, really know what they are missing?

Don’t just know God – but experience Him. Have a relationship with Him.

Where is your faith? Where is your trust?

Don’t stand at the back of the line and wonder if you should move to the front or stay where you are because it requires less work.

You have a devotional?! Read it! Daily. Meditate on it. Read the Scripture references. Make time. A regular set  time when you commune with God. Maybe it’s only 5 or 10 minutes, but do it!

Where do your priorities lie?

__relationship with spouse

__sleep

__job

__family time

__children

__personal time

__God

Where does God rank? Is He at the bottom?

You will fail without Him at the top of your life.

 God wants what is best for you. Won’t you get on the same page?

Come to Jesus.

Last place is not for Him. Without Him you achieve nothing worthwhile.

Make Him No. 1.

(c) July 23, 2014

We must own up to the consequences of our choices

The choices we make we are each, individually, responsible for. We cannot lay blame on another. So many of us say, “It’s not all my fault.” That may be true to an extent.  An argument starts …  both of you can be at fault as it develops and continues, but there are always choices. Choices to stop… to change direction… to become more irritated… to not listen… to walk out the door. It is your choice to consider and decide what action you will or will not do. It is your choice to proceed wisely or foolishly. The consequences of your actions become your responsibility, you must own up to them; the  blame does not belong anywhere but squarely on you. The longer we dwell on the irritation, think about how it makes us feel, the emotions churning, the more likely we are to make foolish choices. 

We can either continue down the path of refusing to take responsibility for our actions and moving ourselves further and further away from the perceived problem  by running from it or we can own up to our mistakes, resolve the issues that hurt us, and move forward.

To move forward, we have to let go of the past. You have to forgive … forgive yourself, forgive each other, and most of all, seek forgiveness from God. 

When we continue to replay every episode of what was or is wrong to ourselves or to another, the chance to start afresh becomes more distant. Yes, the past is present and sometimes you will think of the past, but to dwell on it will only you bring you back where you are now … tired, drained, fearful, tense, … no where safe, secure or peaceful  and going no where. A very sad place to be. 

Do you really desire to make things right?

Do you really desire a future with your spouse?

Do you really desire a growing relationship or do you prefer one that is stagnant?

Turn back. The direction you are going is wrong. Christian or unbeliever – both are susceptible to sin.

                  
It is easy to give in to anger.


It is easy to say, “Fine, sorry I bothered.”

It is easy to strike back and make a situation worse than it needs to be.

It is easy to give in to feelings of irritation and lashing out and sulking in a corner like a 2-year-old.

What is hard is apologizing to God … acknowledging our sins before God … agreeing with Him we have done wrong … crying out for His mercy … asking Him to forgive us, to help us, to save us.  

What is hard is turning away from selfishness and realizing how sorrowful we have made our Father in Heaven, how disappointed He is in us.

For us who are Christians, do we really desire to make amends with our Lord and Savior, to be on right footing with Him?

All of us need an attitude adjustment.

 All of us should turn from sin. We should all see a need to do so. What has sin done for you? Sin doesn't bring you happiness or joy or peace or kindness or thankfulness or love. Sin is ugly and dirty and dark.  

Turn away from what is evil;  turn to God and build a new life on Him. 

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

Happiness is ...

When I was in college I took a class in typography and for my project I put together a booklet using hot metal type. The topic of my booklet was “Happiness is …”

I asked friends and others too  what happiness was to them and the answers were quite varied. I still have the booklet, but where is questionable. So, therefore, I only remember some of the answers. … like Happiness is eating a dilly bar … Happiness is playing in the mud …  Happiness is being with the one you love … making love … being married … finding God.

My mother, I remember,  said, “Happiness is a state of mind.” I thought at the time that seemed like such a cop out. I was in my early 20s. It seemed happiness should be something you do or that just was. Now, 40 years later, I remember her comment and think, wow, she’s right. Happiness is a state of mind.

Happiness is dependent upon your focus. If your focus is on self things, then it’s all about you and what makes you feel good.  But when your focus is on God, your aim is to live in ways that are pleasing to Him.

Since becoming a Christian – a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, I have worked to keep my focus off me. I’ll be working on that until the day God calls me home. It is a lifelong struggle, but the benefits of keeping our focus on God far outweigh the intense feelings Satan works diligently to get us to listen to, believe and then act on about ourselves and about others.

 Satan’s whole goal is to deceive, to distract, to distort.  God is always honest, always truthful, always loving.

The choices we make are our own responsibility. Not everything we do is always because of just us.  There is often another party. But each one of us individually has a choice to make … 

Will you turn away from what is bad and evil and turn to God?

The Light of Jesus

"To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace." ~ Luke 1:79

We are all called to be the Light of Jesus and show that light to all who sit in the darkness - unbelievers throughout the world.

We are to travel the way of peace but be forthright as well, not give in to those who do not know the way.

Jesus is The Way -- The Only Way.

In Him we have Truth.

Through Him we have Life.

Without Joy, what do you have?

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
(Nehemiah 8:10)

Do not sorrow.
Why?
Because the joy of the Lord is your strength.
What is the joy?
Joy is a personal ongoing love-filled relationship with Jesus Christ.
And this is my strength how?
You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Without Christ, without the joy:
You can do nothing. You are aimless, disobedient.

 You follow a path of selfishness that you believe is realistic and true and deserving.

 You are self-centered. Whatever makes you happy is all that is important.

 You look at your life and your loved ones from your perspective.

 You do not seek restoration because you see nothing that needs to be restored.

 You look elsewhere for completeness. You cannot find it with your spouse so you find someone else who will provide pleasure for a moment. When the pleasure has died, you move on.

There is no love.

 You believe love is not enough to keep you committed to the one you professed in marriage to love until death do you part.

Without Christ, without the joy:

 How you feel at the moment is all that is important. It is all about you. No one else.

 You develop a taste for alcohol. It feels good going down and it removes inhibitions.

 You do not have a care in the world. If it feels good, do it.

 “This is me. This is who I am.”

 You don’t care what others think of you. But worse than that, you don’t care what you think of yourself.

 You will do whatever it takes to make you happy.

 You will destroy your life, the lives of your children, your spouse

 You will hit rock bottom. At some point you will reach a place where you can’t go any further in the hole you have dug for yourself.

Perhaps then,
You will look up and seek the God you refuse to acknowledge.

 You will cry out for mercy and accept the eternal gift of JOY He offers.

      1. Recognize sin

 “Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your loving kindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:1-2)

    2. Confess sin
“I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah” (Psalm 32:5)

.  3. Receive forgiveness
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.” (Psalm 32:1-2)

.   4. Experience joy
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:11)

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

June 18, 2014

Defeating Selfishness in Your Marriage

I came across this article by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Click here to go to the Website or read it below.

Maintaining harmony in marriage has been difficult since Adam and Eve. Two people trying to go their own selfish, separate ways can never hope to experience the oneness of marriage as God intended. The prophet Isaiah portrayed the problem accurately more than 2,500 years ago when he described basic human selfishness like this: “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).

Selfishness is possibly the most dangerous threat to oneness in marriage. It affects how we talk to each other, how we divide responsibilities in the home, how we resolve conflicts, and even how we spend our time. Men stubbornly ignore the needs of their wives. They prefer fishing or hunting or playing golf, or even spending an extra hour or two at the office. I once met a pastor who frequented Christian bookstores and libraries for the sole purpose of avoiding his wife. And I have counseled women who spend countless hours shopping, not for their families but to avoid responsibilities at home and to gratify themselves.
Just how do we avoid reaping the bitter fruit of selfishness in a marriage?

Surrender is the key In our first years of marriage I (Dennis) was more than a bit selfish. After being single for 25 years, I was skilled at looking out for my own needs. But when I took Barbara as my wife, I assumed a new responsibility — loving Barbara as Christ loved the church. That demanded death to self, but my “self” didn’t want to “die.”

After we were married, it didn’t take Barbara long to learn about my genuine 14-carat tendency to be lazy, which was closely linked to my enjoyment of television. I thought Saturdays were mine to thoroughly enjoy as I pleased. Following the pattern I’d learned from my dad, I would get soft drinks and chips, crawl into my chair, and settle down to watch hours of baseball, football, tennis, golf — it didn’t matter what the sport. I just wanted to become a giant amoeba, a blob of molecules with flat brain waves mesmerized by hours of boob tube gazing. What was wrong with this picture? Barbara needed my help in doing tasks and running errands.

Marriage offers a tremendous opportunity to do something about selfishness.

Someone may say, “There is no hope; I can’t get him to change,” or “What’s the use? She’ll never be any different.” Barbara and I know there is hope because we learned to apply a plan that is bigger than human self-centeredness. Through principles taught in Scripture, we have learned how to set aside our selfish interests for the good of each other as well as for the profit of our marriage.

Willing to be last We have seen the Bible’s plan work in our lives, and we’re still seeing it work daily. Barbara hasn’t changed me nor have I changed her. God has changed both of us.

The answer for ending selfishness is found in Jesus and His teachings. He showed us that instead of wanting to be first, we must be willing to be last.

Instead of wanting to be served, we must serve. Instead of trying to save our lives, we must lose them. We must love our neighbors (our spouses) as much as we love ourselves. In short, if we want to defeat selfishness, we must give up, give in, and give all.

If we live our lives for ourselves, thinking only of our selfish desires and interests, in the end God gives us exactly what we want: ourselves.
Marriage provides the opportunity to live life for someone else and to avoid this terrible conclusion: “All I’ve got is me. I can’t depend on anyone else.”

The parable of the porcupines What we need the most is to be in a relationship with another person who accepts us as we are and doesn’t reject us. But the closer I get to Barbara, the more she becomes aware of who I really am and the possibility of her rejecting me grows even greater.

A well-known story catches the pain of the human dilemma when it compares relating to each other to the predicament of two porcupines freezing in the winter cold. Shivering in the frigid air, the two porcupines move closer together to share body heat and warmth. But then their sharp spines and quills prick each other painfully and they move apart, victims once more of the bitter cold around them.

Soon they feel they must come together once more, or freeze to death. But their quills cause too much pain and they have to part again.

Many marriages are just like that. We can’t stand the cold (isolation from each other) but we desperately need to learn how to live with the sharp barbs and quills that are part of coming together in oneness.

The key to dealing with the barbs and quills that come from selfishness is learning you have to depend on someone else because you have no other choice.

To experience oneness, you must give up your will for the will of another. But to do this, you must first give up your will to Christ, and then you will find it possible to give up your will for that of your spouse.

Unless you can give up your will and learn to depend on each other, selfishness will disable or destroy your marriage as you face the difficulties that are bound to occur.

Be Strong In The Lord

This morning before Bible study when I was cleaning Bandy bunny’s hutch the title of a song came to me, “Be Strong In The Lord.” I had a little trouble finding the words, so this might be a bit mixed up, but it gets the point across I believe.

verse 1:
Be strong in the Lord
and be of good courage
Your mighty Defender is always the same
Mount up with wings as the eagle ascending
Victory is sure when you call on His name.

verse 2:
So put on the armor the Lord has provided
And place your defense in His unfailing care
Trust Him for He will be with you in battle
Lighting your path to avoid every snare

verse 3:
Be strong in the Lord
and be of good courage
Your mighty Commander
will vanquish the foe
Fear not the battle
for the victory is always His
He will protect you wherever you go.

chorus:
Be strong
Be strong
Be strong in the Lord
and be of good courage
for He is your guide.

Be strong
Be strong
Be strong in the Lord
And rejoice for the victory is yours 

The Scripture for these words of wisdom can be found in Ephesians 6:10-11 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (New International Version)

Today’s devotional reading took me to Micah 6-8 in the Old Testament, which reads: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly (or prudently, carefully, obediently) with your God.”

Stay on the high road with Me, the Lord tells us
Do not listen to the voices of others
who try to divert or take away your attention to MeDo not travel the low road that leads to ruin

but follow the path I have chosen for you.

You will know the path, the way
when you follow Me
For I AM The Way
and The Life
and The Truth
(John 14:6)

 Come to Me My Son, My Daughter
Spend time with Me
Trust Me

I will strengthen you
I will bring you nourishment and provide rest
I will bring you through the desert loneliness and depressing low valleys
I am with you always
(Matthew 28:20)

Do not keep My word hidden in a drawer or on a shelf
Open Me.
Read, study, listen
Know My commandments
Remember My promises.

Come To Me in the stillness of your day

Talk to Me. Tell Me your desires,  your needs, your pain.
I know you, but it is good for you to talk to Me.
It is good for you to listen to My responses.

Be strong. Through Me you can do all things.

 Do not fear what men can do to you.
Remember,  I have overcome the world.
Satan may think he has the upper hand, but I rule.
I AM The Almighty God. I AM.

 Do not forget.

Allow Me to lead you My Child. Under My leadership, My guidance, you will never go astray. Be obedient to Me and Trust Me.

 Seek Me out everywhere you are, everywhere you go, for every circumstance, every situation.

 Do not be afraid of the enemy, for he /she is everywhere.

 Be strong in My Name.

Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen  you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 45:5: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me.”

Isaiah 58:11: “The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

2 Thessalonians 3:3: “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”   

Job 42:2: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

1 John 4:4: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Deuteronomy 31:6: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders

June 16, 2014

Being a Dad

Today is June 15 - Father’s Day. Pastors across the country probably delivered a  Father’s Day message to their congregations. My husband has been doing an eight-week study on Crowns at a small church in northeast Iowa where he is filling in until the congregation, with God’s guidance, finds a new man to be their under shepherd. 

In today’s message,  “Gray Hair is a Special Crown ” (Proverbs 17:6), Jim noted three points for which we should thank God for:

1.    Fathers who love us

2.    Fathers who labor for us

3.    Fathers who lead us

       I.          Fathers who love us
 A father’s love is demonstrated by their devotion.
  
 *A father’s love and acceptance should not rest upon the child’s performance.  
 -- All of us do foolish things in the process of growing up … remember the prodigal son and how the father embraced the wayward son upon his return home.      (Luke 15:11-24)

*One of the greatest ways a father can demonstrate his love and devotion for his children is to spend time with them.
 -- Time spent with your children will mean more to them than you can imagine.
 -- The lack of a father’s attention can result in irreparable harm to his children.

Together time can mean a lot to both of you. It can be a learning  experience, but an enjoyable time doing daddy/son or daddy/daughter things, just the two of you. You will come to understand your child’s needs better and you children will look forward to spending time with daddy. Time spent with your children needs to be a high priority.

 No matter the age, kids need to feel their fathers (and mothers) truly care about them … that it’s not just words – but action.

Do not allow fear take root in your heart and prevent you from doing what God desires of you. When we walk with God, when we pray, when we read and study the Holy Bible, when we are still and listen to what God has to say, when we obey His instructions, when we believe, when we Trust, He will show us the way to go every time, all the time. God will never lead you astray.

Satan is the one who does that. If you profess to be a Christian and you are a dad, step out in faith, believing God will steer you along the right road. He will never take you down the wrong path. Your thoughts .. thoughts Satan puts into your mind, are destructive. Do not listen to him.

Turn from Satan and turn to  God.  

Remember what Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:23 (New Living Translation) – “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap for me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

 A father’s love is demonstrated by their discipline.
    *The Bible tells us discipline is instructional.
       “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly. (Proverbs 13:24)

     II.          Fathers who labor for us

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1 Timothy 5:8)

 -- It is not only working outside the home for monetary gain, but also within the home. It is not demeaning nor is it just woman’s work to do laundry, make beds, wash dishes, go shopping, make meals. If it seems drudgery, figure out a way to make it a fun time for you and your children. Your children look up to you. Give them the best example for them to follow.

1.    Fathers who lead us
-- Whether you know it or not,  you are instructing your children – not merely by what you say, but by how you say it. Be careful your words don’t come across in a critical or belittling tone.
--  Your children not only need to hear what you say, but how you say it and how you live and act.

 Keep God No. 1. Your family will be in excellent hands when you allow God to guide you.

A poem, “Watch Your Step,” author unknown, says this:

“Father there’s a call for you; watch your step!
Little eyes see all you do; what your step!
Little feet go Daddy’s way Follow you from day to day,
Lead O Lead them not astray; watch your step!

Walk the safe and narrow way; watch your step!
Let the children hear you pray; watch your step!
Would your ways of wisdom teach;
With God’s truth their young hearts reach?
Then be faithful, I beseech; watch your step!

Father, near your journey’s end; watch your step!
Let the Savior be your friend; watch your step!
He will guide your feet aright,
To the land of pure delight;
Would you walk with Him in white?
Watch your step!”

.

Be compassionate
Be consistent
Be cooperative
Be committed
Be courageous

 (c) Cathy Orrick Luders

June 15, 2014