Will you follow, will you obey?

Yesterday, Jan. 3, was my husband's birthday. He had a grand celebration and a belated Christmas with family and friends. The day before, on Saturday, we attended a funeral for a longtime member of our church. He would have been 100 years of age in February. But his life here on earth was fulfilled and the Lord took him home.

Earlier on Saturday I did my devotional study, which led me to Luke 9:57, "Lord, I will follow You wherever you go." My thought was we should not say, Lord, I will follow You wherever You go, and then find excuses. It is excuses we find too readily, reasons why something won't work, even when the Lord tells us to do it. Whether we are in Christ or in our selves, we all face similar trials and tribulations. How we respond, react, shows our true colors, our true allegiance. For all the new beginnings, the new starts we desire, do we continue to make excuses or do we define ourselves by following the Lord in everything?

Do we say, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go, ... but let me first go and bury my father ... let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house?" (Luke 9:57, 59, 61) But Jesus says, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)

According to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "Fear is the net that evil throws over us, so that we become entangled and soon fall. Those who are afraid have already fallen. If we are on a difficult mountain climb and are suddenly consumed with fear, we will surely stumble. Hence, such anxious good intentions do us no good. We can certainly never make a new beginning with them."

Fear.... we can't succeed. Do we rely on ourselves or do we seek that greater power -- the Almighty God -- to overcome our fears, and ultimately the evil that consumes us? The title of Bonhoeffer's devotional, "I want to live these days with You," depicts how I would like to live my life.

Only You
Have the answers
to all I seek
to all there is

Only You
can enable me
and protect me
guide me along the paths
chosen

Only You
can be my best.

Stay focused on Jesus

It's when we lose our focus that our belief falls away and we follow our own line of thinking. When our focus is off the almighty, our minds wander aimlessly along the path of "what will we do," "how will we make it." If we can just stay focused on Jesus, stay in His word, remember His promises, not waiver off the trail He has forged for us. Listening to, thinking on anything that is not entirely the Truth brings remorse, repercussions, pain.

Even Abraham at times thought he knew better than God and acted on those very thoughts. But his thoughts were not God's thoughts. God knows all. We know very little in comparison.

Worry ... bring anxiety ... which brings separation from the almighty Father.

Satan wants us to worry - then we will do things not pleasing to the Lord.

Abraham introduced Sarai, his wife, as his sister to the Egyptians (Genesis 12:10-20). This was a half truth as she was his half sister.

Abraham and Sarai concocted a way to have the child the Lord promised them - through Sarai's handmaiden Hagar (Genesis 16:1-16).

The future is not ours to know. The present is where we are currently. The past we have come through.

The future is everything past this moment. As the moments go by our future becomes our present and then our past.

Love each moment for the Lord, to the Lord. Plan your moments as to the Lord, to His glory. Do not look this way and that way. Stay tuned to the one who truly cares for us.

"When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me." (Micah 7:8)

When I pass through the waters of life, the fires that try to consume me, the Lord my God will be with me. He will protect me. I will not be burned, I will not be overwhelmed. He will lead me, guide me over the paths of darkness I see before me. He will make the rough spots even so I will not trip and fall. (paraphrase of Isaiah 43:2)

And even though I pass through the valleys of intense pain and suffering, the fear that attempts to stifle me will not because of my God and Savior who is always with me. (paraphrase of Psalm 23:4)

There is no hope except in you Lord Jesus.
There is no one to trust wholly, completely, except you Lord Jesus.
No one can remove the fears that seek to swallow me. No one, that is, except you Lord Jesus.

"Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you." (Psalm 56:3)

I believe in the Lord Jesus. I believe what I say I believe. I have witnessed the power of the Lord Jesus - His mighty hand has been upon me, upon my beloved Jimmy, in times past. He will not leave me. He remains steadfast. I must not allow any doubt to get the best of me. Doubt is fear. I have nothing to be afraid of. Jesus is right there beside me, holding my hand, cradling my head, rubbing my tummy, bringing me soothing relief.

Close the gate. ... To all that works against you. Close the gate to your doubts and fears. Close the gate and move on. Hand in hand with Jesus walk on. Close the gate. Forge ahead. Ignore the enemy. Follow Jesus. Jesus will help me overcome all my fears.

I am no better than any other.

The only difference, perhaps, is that I know I am a sinner. Jesus accepts me anyway. He offers me grace. He brings peace to my soul. When I accept Him and believe in and on Him, I can rest in His fold. Like the sheep gone astray and found.

When we stay true to all He says and obedient to His instruction it reveals our love for Him. He loves us so much he died for us. We love Him so much we stay true and obedient to Him, even unto death.

No amount of pain we suffer will ever be as much as Jesus' pain that He suffered on the cross at Calvary when He took ALL of mankind's sin upon His shoulders, His body, and gave up the ghost and died. Oh but he rose again. What glory.

Today you will be with Me in Paradise (in Heaven, in My Kingdom)." (Luke 23:43)

Every moment is one closer to being with Jesus.

We are mirrors

We are mirrors ... mirrors to our mates, to our children, to our friends, to all those with whom we come in contact.

According to Dennis and Barbara Rainey, authors of "Building Your Mate's Self-Esteem" (c 1986), "We can reflect loving acceptance or withdraw, reflecting rejection. When you see rejection or any lack of acceptance, the result is fear."

Fear is very powerful -- fear of the unknown, the what ifs, what now, why don't, why won't, torment, punishment; when another reflects rejection of you, you then reject yourself, withdrawing inside, and the negativeness starts all over.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment..." (1 John 4: 18)

When we are insecure in our self-worth/self-image/self-esteem and are afraid to reach out, we retreat to our own secret hiding place deep within our mind, and watch and wait.

The images we have of ourselves are formed at an early age. "Our self-concept is actually a cluster of attitudes about ourselves -- some favorable and some unfavorable," says Norman Wright, author of "Improving Your Self-Image."

What is your self-portrait? Do you have feelings of tension, fear, insecurity, self-condemnation? Or are you confident, secure, relaxed? Your self-image plays a significant role in how you individually and as a couple relate. Don't let self-doubt take hold. What you think about yourself as well as what you feel are linked.

Often you hear men say they don't share their feelings. But if/when you pay attention to what they DO say and how they act, their feelings become more apparent to you.

Fear of rejection usually means poor self-esteem. The more fears your mate has the less open he or she will be in a relationship. Need to be built up -- that's hard to do if you yourself also fear rejection. When your fears are ignored by the other, you tend to feel unloved, uncared for, unimportant. Again, you withdraw into self.

"All things are lawful (permissible) for me, but all things are not helpful; all things are lawful for me, but all things do not edify (build up). Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being." (1 Corinthians 10: 23-24)

"...comfort each other and edify one another ..." (1 Thessalonians 5: 11)

The Lord does not condemn us, therefore we should not condemn ourselves. Troubles come -- persecutions, famine, floods, tornadoes, yet God remains true and faithful. His love for us is ever present in the midst of great difficulties. You may struggle to love yourself and/or love another, but remember God's love is greater still. ALL that goes on is not enough to overcome God. The Lord overcame the world. No evil can ever supercede the Lord.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 35, 37-39)

"If God is for us, who can be against us?
"Who shall bring a charge against God's elect?" (Romans 8: 31a, 33)
"Who is he who condemns?" (Romans 8: 34a)

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you have been declared righteous by God and He will not condemn you.

It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." (rest of Romans 8: 34)

Because for you Jesus died and rose and lives within you, He will also not condemn you.

A song in the heart puts a smile on the face.

A song in the heart -- our attitude, our inner being ... honesty before God is essential, phoniness is not. People see through what is not real, not genuine.

The people of today remind me much of the Pharisees of Jesus' day. They rejected, ignored the teachings and commandments of God, determining in their hearts the traditions of man were correct. They do their own thing, make their own laws, rules. What the world decides is correct. Who is God? A force we will not reckon with ... no one. Lip service.

A song in the heart puts a smile on the face. ... on Sunday, I wondered where my song was. I felt down, distressed, dismayed, sad. Others too were missing that song, but we are reminded God can give us peace when our whole life is falling apart. There is a reason for everything, but answers do not come as readily as we desire; only in God's time.

Esteem another better than yourself -- but that doesn't mean to tear yourself down. It doesn't mean you are worthless. We are all highly valued by God. He cares for each of us.

We can't make things right all by ourselves. Have to wait for God to make it right. He knows the right time for everything. Leave it in His hands. His purpose for you will come clearer as time progresses.

So, how do you feel about yourself? Are you a positive or negative person? Rainey provides us with clues to how our self-esteem could be inadequate:

1) childhood marked by parental abuse, neglect, ignorance or parents with overbearing authority
2) fears opening up, being real, being vulnerable
3) gets discouraged easily
4) lacks confidence, especially in decision making
5) has difficulty admitting being wrong; always needs to be right, or is unable to forgive
6) driven .... by a deep need for approval
7) is critical of others
8) is a perfectionist
9) is critical of self
10) indulges in escape, fantasyland

"Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?"
(Job 2: 10a)

We drift away ... we don't understand why because we are a child of God. But God never said all would be good and well in life. As it was for Job, so it is for us.

According to the April 29 Our Daily Bread devotional, attitudes that can result in us moving or drifting away, causing us to be selfish, with more negative traits than positive, include:

1) believing we need more than God to be happy
2) placing meaningful relationships above loyalty to God
3) thinking God should live up to our expectations
4) resisting His reproofs
5) turning a deaf ear when His word is uncomfortable

God IS all we need. We often don't discover that until many years into our personal adventure with Him. The trials we undergo, we think we have it worst of all, it can't get much worse. But there is always something else that is worse than what we undergo and there is always a tiny sliver of a silver lining hiding in the midst of every struggle. If we don't see any hope, then perhaps we are not remembering God's promises to us, His truths, His love.

"It's okay -- I've got God." You don't really believe that. It's not okay. It if was okay, having God would be enough.

There are things I think about, things I don't ever want to face, but will have to, at some moment in time. The best I can do is talk to God about my fears, and also ask Him to show me how to get past it all, how to overcome, how to be what He desires of me; how to rest in Him.

David Sper says it well --
"Lord, help me to stay close to you and trust you more each day,
So when the storms of life appear I will not drift away."

To avoid drifting away from God, stay anchored to the Rock.

Truth -- God's truth, not your own. What you think is truth may be very very wrong.

"Then Jesus said, ... If you abide in My word, ... you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
(John 8: 31-32)

Consider, when building up another or yourself ...

* Giving ... when we give, we also receive. When we refuse, when we ignore God's truths, we are succumbing to our feels of negativity, tearing down what we were attempting to build up.

* Understanding ... empathy, being able to see in our mind what another may be feeling through their speech and actions. Listening closely to their concerns, not missing the point.

* Perseverance ... striving to reach the goal

* Sowing and reaping ...
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ... And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
(Galatians 6: 7, 9)

What are you sowing? hatred, anger, jealousy, complaints, impatience, selfishness? If these, these you will reap. Sow negative, reap the same or positive - positive.

* Teachability ... growing desire to learn; willingness to do what is right

* Accountability ... partnering with another, being needed, showing need for strength posessed by another

* Risk ... taking a chance to allow another to know you

* God-given worth

* Divine sufficiency

Jesus Christ must be at the center of your life.

God will be with you always, IF you are with Him. It is more than simply saying you believe in Him; you must follow through, obey His every command, listen closely to all the Lord has to say to you. Must seek, must study His word, must meditate on God's truths. Must abide with Him and He will abide with you.

This is what is meant when it said He is all we need. When we are open with Him, all else that comes along we'll be able to bear. And the blessings He sends our way will be an extra bonus. The Scriptures tell us we won't be given more than we can handle. I have often questioned that. Perhaps the Lord is trying to teach us that when He leads us, when we allow Him to be the leader and not us individually, then all of our personal difficulties are easier because we are relying on Jesus to get us through them. When we rely only on what we think about ourselves, we will actually accomplish little of anything.

When we think about ourselves we usually go into negativity -- I can't, it won't work, why not, how come, why don't you, and then you sit. Stagnant.

It is only through the power of 1 -- Jesus Christ, that we will be enabled to overcome.

"I am with you always, even to the end of the age."(Matthew 8: 20b)

"I will not leave you nor forsake you."
(Joshua 1: 5d)

"I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can men do to me?' "(Hebrews 13: 5a, 6)

"... If you have bitter envy and self-seeking (selfish ambition) in your hearts ... confusion and every evil thing will be there." (James 3: 14, 16)

"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 hyprocisy." (James 3: 17)

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

So ...

So much that I think about in the course of a day, week, month, year. So much and yet so little. It can mean nothing or be rather useful. Very few actually read this blog, so it would seem no matter what I say, it won't matter. Well, so be it. It might matter to me and it always matters to God. So between me and God, that's pretty good.

Today's Scripture reading brought me to Romans 12:3b, which says "not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" Don't think of yourself as too high and mighty, better than another. But then I thought, we shouldn't think too lowly either should we? So low that we become self-centered. Selfishness can be at either end of the spectrum can it not? Romans 12:3c says "God has dealt to each one a measure of faith." Well, if you don't have faith, you don't have God, and without God, you have nothing.

My editor loaned me the book "Obit" by Jim Sheeler ... inspiring stories of ordinary people who led extraordinary lives. It is the most interesting book I've read about news obituaries. I've often though I'd like to try my hand at news obits. I edit obits for the local newspaper. But editing them and writing a story, a short synopsis of one's life, is something else. I question my abilities. I don't know why. Fear factor gets in the way.

"With God I can do all things." "With God on my side, who can be against me." There is no one. With God in my park and me obeying his direction, I can do many things. To his glory. I can write a news obit. Just remember to whom, to what purpose you do this.

Sunday morning, I wrote in my journal, "If I died today, who would remember me?"
I imagine there are many who think that on any day. Is it selfishness or just a sincere desire that someone, anyone, would think well of another, that their life would mean something to another. Something important, not just stupid things, being silly or ridiculous. Perhaps being silly and people remembering that, is meaningful ...to someone somewhere somehow. I wonder.

There is a song included in this book "Obit" that one ordinary man sung ... about smiles. I like what it says. I don't know if these are his words or someone else, but still, I like it and its worth repeating here...

"There are smiles that make us happy,
There are smiles that make us blue,
There are smiles that steal away the teardrops,
As the sunbeams steal away the dew
Here are smiles that have a tender meaning,
That the eyes of love alone may see ...
And the smiles that fill my life with sunshine
Are the smiles that you give to me."