Stumbling

Two years ago a friend nicely pointed out to me when I walk I often stumble. Now you would think I would of known I stumble when I walk but I did not. You see it was just a way of life for me and I didn't notice it. It was routine. Once she mentioned it to me I became aware of how often I stumble. One day I counted I stumbled 4 times while food shopping. They were stumble that I had to grip the shopping cart to keep from hitting the ground.

This got me to thinking lately. Let's look at stumbling as our sins. We may not know we have a sin till someone question us on it and God makes it aware to us. It was just our way of life. Once we acknowledge the sin we are more observant to the sin. It seems like it is getting so far out of control at time we will fall and hit bottom. We won't be able to get back up.

But we have an awesome God and as we are falling we just need to reach out to Him and hold on. He will hold us up. He will be our "shopping cart" going forward.

I can say once I became aware of the stumbling I learned to adjust my steps so I no longer stumble when I walk. Well once in a great while I might have something like a stone that trips me but I am quick to recover.

That is true with our sin too. Once we know it is a sin we can overcome it with God's help. Yes a stone may trip us once in awhile but we are quick to recover.

Brain Malfunction

If you read my blog you know I am striving to improve my health by eating better and lose wight. I had two things said to me over the past weeks I've been thinking about.

The first is someone asked me if I had a "Brain Malfunction". I love this term. You see you plan to go to bible study or just out to eat and say I'm going but I'll eat healthy. When I get there I'm good till I see the chocolate or ice cream then I have a "brain malfunction" and forget what I said before I left the house.

The next thing said to me bugged me. Someone asked why I can't accept my body. It is what is on the inside that counts. I say not according to the bible. We are to use our whole body for the glory of God. We are not just to be concerned with one or two parts of the body. Christ looks to the whole body. Our part(s) are instruments of righteousness.

Romans: 6:13
Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

Just something I'm thinking about.

The Bible Is My GPS

This week end I made a solo trip to my daughter's. That is how this blog came about. See I am bad when it comes to directions. I consider myself directionally challenged. For this reason my hubby bought me a GPS for Christmas. I love this device. So even though I've been going to my daughters for over 5 years I still need help getting there. No problem this time I have a GPS.

I head off for my 1 1/2 hour drive. About 45 minutes into the drive I couldn't get into the lane I needed to to exit right and went left instead. As I enter a new highway my GPS says re-coutulating. The first this I do is start worrying. Will it take me the right way? Will I get completely lost. You see the next exit is 13 miles. I was hoping to go a mile get off and get back on. After I went the 13 miles the panic builds as now I'm in a town. With big buildings. I still don't trust my GPS and call my daughter. You see I see signs for Rt. 11 and that is the direction it is taking me. I also know I need to take Rt. if I would have gone the right way. I ask my daughter to confirm I'm going the right way. She has no idea where I am so she really couldn't help. I had to trust my GPS and yes it did get me there in about the same amount of time.

So on the drive home I got to thinking about this. The Bible is our GPS. It tells us how to get to God. It tells us how to get though things in life we are dealing with. How often do we take the wrong turn. We may have strayed without knowing what we were doing. Once we strayed we may have lack of trust that God really does know how to get us though this situation too. We just need to open our bible and read. We even call others who have no idea where or what we are going through for help. We just need to trust God he will always get us where we are going.

Aside note. I got home fine after having a great day with my grandson so my daughter could get some things done. See baby has been sick and son-in-law works 12 hours shiffs.

Living A Life Of Love

Augustine (know as the early church father) said "Love has hands to help others. It has feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eye to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sigh and sorrow of men. This is what love looks like."

Do your hands help or hinder? When there is a need do you lend a hand or hope someone else will?

Do you find it easier to open the checkbook than to hasten you feet to help the poor? True love would teach the poor how to grow food or find a job by working with them. Yes the financial support help but they will need more than that to keep going when the money runs out.

What about eyes to see someone hurting and the ear to listen to the sorrow. Is it easier to say I don't want to get wrapped up with them, they are so depressing all the time. Maybe they need you to share Christ with them or share you story with them to find joy again.

If God puts someone in your path He wants you to take action and not pass it on to someone else.

Who know you could be blessed my an Angel.

Homework Time

I was at a meeting tonight at church and a discussion before we started brings me to this blog.
One mother was sharing because her child didn't turn in homework assignment the child has a low grade. Her response is no sports this week and the child had to do the homework even though it was to late to hand it in. Will the child still learn something from this? I believe so.

When my children were in school it was required when you got home you could get a snack then you had to start homework. Our son was the challenge when he was young. We use think it took us longer to convince him to just sit and do, then it actually took him to do when he finally started. My youngest who is in her second year of college and commutes still comes home and starts right in on homework.

So this got me to thinking about our homework. We all have it. It is our time with God studying the word and prayer. How many of us have a set time and just get right to it. We are not to get side tracked and are to stay put till we complete it. I know I fail at this. I like to give my time of 1:00-2:00 for bible studies but I often find myself reading. Yes I say but it is a Christian book. That can be fine but I also feel we need to be in the scripture. What I miss when reading is the prayer for God to open my eyes and show me what He has to say just for me! That is my low grade days.

I think if we discipline ourselves like we do or did our children with homework we would find it will be come natural to come to the Lord every day and study and pray.

Known Or Noticed

I heard this message today on christian talk radio it was about teen girls how they dress to be notice but two words keep playing over and over in my thoughts. Known or noticed.

I was thinking about a family member who needs to have the best clothing, perfect look. She is consumed with how she appeares to others. This person is know at the start of summer to figure out how many carnivals they will go to and buy herself and children new outfits for each. She said to me once "you can't be seen in the same outfit at each carnival. "

With the events of the last few days and being around numerous family member what this person doesn't understand is how she it talked about. They use words like "fake, snob, and even spacey" They say she is all surface. She just wants to be noticed.

Then there are those who want to be known. I think I'm in that category. I want people to know me for who I am. I want to be accepted for who I am when I am inside my home when the doors are closed. Don't get me wrong I dress nice but I don't out of my way to pay for a special look. I want people to know me because I am a child of God. I want them to see Jesus in me.

You see if people thought I just wanted to be noticed and am fake how would that reflect God to them?

Natural Talk

I had attended the Spaghetti For The Soul women's conference with Kathy Troccoli and Ellie Lofaro. It was very good. They spoke on Abundant Faith, Hope, and Love. I would say if they come to your area check it out.
You can check out Kathy at www.kathytroccolli.com and Ellie at www.ellielofaro.com

Something Ellie said really hit home with me. "Talk is natural." That may sound odd but did you ever think about it? It is just what is in you, you will speak. So it is the the stuff you read, or watch on TV, listen to on the radio/ Ipod and yes the people you are around. That is true we talk about what we watched on TV or the latest book we read and we talk about it anywhere even the gym. (OK I joined Curves and we talk a lot while working).
Here is the thing if we are into the bible it will flow from our mouths. We won't need to stop and think should I say this or not. It will flow.

We should wake up each morning and say "God what do you want me to do today?" He will lead us to his word or others who will be uplifting and then place us where we can use what he taught us. We will be used for Him.

Greeting Your Master

Last night as I was driving to bible study I saw a man coming home and his dog running to greet him. This made me think of our dog Queen Kaci (as she is know in our house). Since Kaci was about 13 weeks old (we had her a week by then). She would wait for Hubby to come home. As a puppy when the time would get close she would start crying by the door. Drove me crazy. You see the time hubby comes home can change each day. Now she doesn't wait, she either hears the jeep or we say "Daddy is home." She runs to the door, stands on her hind legs and her tail goes so fast one day I'm sure she will tak off.

She can't wait to be with her master.

So this got me to thinking. How do I greet my master? Do I daily get excited each time? Do I look forward to time with Him with excitement? I must admit most days I just get my stuff together and sit down and start spending time with God. I don't get excited each time as I'm gathering my study stuff. What about you? Did you ever think about it?

Childlike Trust

I am doing the group study Peacemaker. (for more on this study go to www.peacemaker.net)
The man in the video was talking about our trusting God like a child. Well this gets me thinking as it should.
Do I really trust God like a Child? Or do I want details before I but my trust in God? Do I say I trust in God and do my actions show I trust in God?

Here is what I was thinking. My children always trusted there would be food on the table. They knew we go to the store get the food. They knew we paid for the food because when they wanted all that junk I would say we don't have the money for it. Then came the short time hubby was on strike. We didn't have the money coming in but the kids still trusted there would be food on the table. They didn't question where will the money come from. I did question. You see as a child we don't need all the details we just trust our needs are provided for. As we get older we want more control so we need the details to trust. I want to go back to the childlike trust with God.

I will search scripture to build my trust without knowing details and seek God's help.

Deuteronomy 29:29
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.

The Name Game

I had an interesting conversation yesterday. Someone said to me "I'm a believer but I'm not a christian." I asked what they meant by that. They said I believe God died on the cross for sins and rose on the 3rd day. I believe he is alive. I just don't believe he did it for me." (I working on that with them.)

Anyway this got me to thinking. I've heard people say they are "Christian they go to church but all this about living it daily is nothing." I heard people say I'm more than a christian I'm a believer in Christ." People also say things like born again or child of God. There are so many names.

Why are we so caught up in what we call ourselves. All these terms can mean different things. If we are willing to have a relationship with Jesus and let the Holy Spirit dwell in us that is all that matters. So lets not get caught up in the name game. Put the games away and get serious about our relationship with The Lord of our life.

Religious Or Christian Faith

I get Steve Brown's magazine from Key Life. In this magazine he has little boxes called
"Thinksports" I want to share with you one that has been in my thoughts lately.

"When Satan is going to deceive a believer, he first makes it religious. There are a lot of Christian who think that because someone quotes Bible verses and looks religious, it's of God. That is not true. Religion is our effort to please God and find him. The Christian faith is God's effort to get to us and tell us that, because of his Son, he is already pleased."

I do agree Satan does goes after believers in away to deceive them? He did it with Eve in the Garden. We need to be in the word daily so when Satan comes to attack we will know if he is making it religious.

We are given the directions on how to fight Satan in Ephesians 6:10-18

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. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Activity Or Awareness

I was reading my Devotion from Max Lucado this morning. He said something that really got me to think.
Think of prayer less as an activity for God and more as an awareness of God.

Our lives are so busy. We are taking care of our families. We may work outside the home too and have to focus on that. We are involved in church activities. We often wonder when can I fit in my time alone with God today. We are told to schedule it into our day. That can be a good thing if you stick with it and don't push it aside till later when something comes up.

Now if we think of prayer as an awareness of God we will find more time. Talk with God though the day. Thank Him for the family as you are packing their lunch. Talk to Him as you fill your car with gas instead of grumbling about the price. Give God praise as you wait at the bank. Give Him thanks as you are shopping He provides for your needs. If you are aware of God in everything, all day, your prayer life will change too. Soon you will realize your prayers become more of praise and Thank you rather than a "help" list.

Just something I was thinking about.

Colossians 4:2 NKJV
Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

Step Right Out

There have been numerous times in the past few days I've been hit with would I get out of the boat. When most of us hear the story of Jesus walking on water we think of Peter taking his eyes off of Jesus and and starts to sink. So the moral of the story is Keep Your Eyes To The Lord.

I've been thinking about getting out of the boat. I've been thinking about what it took from deep inside for Peter to get out of the boat. I'm sure he knew the danger of the water and there were many death from drownings. They didn't have the big boats we do today. I sure many times the whole boat sunk and many lives were lost. So just try to imagine the courage it took for Peter to even think he could walk on the water like Jesus. When he stepped out did he slowly put one foot down or just get up and step out like it was land?

Now to look at our lives today. We see Jesus calling us to an area that is filled with danger and even death. How readily are we to step out of the boat. Would we even be brave enough to ask Jesus to tell us to come. Do we go slowly or step right out?

Matthew 14:25-31
During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water. 'Come, he said. Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

Just Thinking

If you are distrubed God will comfort you. If you are comfort God will distrubed you. Some one shared that last night in our bible study. She has been thinking about it for a few days now. How very true I just wanted to share that with you to think about.

Here is what I've been thinking about. Chioces! We wake up each morning and we are faced with choices. We choose what to wear, eat and do that day. Yes people around us and the weather "help" us make our choices. But there are the choices only we can make. Like sharing when the phone rings and know it is someone who just loves to talk. You will make you own choice on what to share. Keep it pure and gossip free or just talk carelessly. You choose what words you will say and how you will react based on information you recieve.

Here is where I'm going with this. I want to see my dad give his life to Christ however it is his choice. I made the choice to make sure dad has all the information. I've shared and Praise to my Lord, Dad said yes to a visit from my pastor. If Dad chooses to say no to Christ I will grieve but I will also accept I've done every thing God has asked of me and it is Dad's choice and Dad is the only one who can make it.

Done Deal

I enjoy reading Max Lucado. Today while I was reading he was taking about marriage at the beginning. He asked if you were more married after 15 years. I had to think about that and at first I said yes. Then I read on. He said you are the same married as when you walked out of the ceremony that first day as you are now, you just grew and matured.

He then went on to talk about your Christian life. Are you more of a Christian today than when you first were saved. Of course now I said NO but got to thinking. We don't really think that way. We do think we are more of a Christian because we have matured and are growing.

I liked how Max ended his entry today.
"The same is true of our walk with God. Can you be more saved than you were the first day of your salvation? No. But can a person grow in salvation? Absolutely. It, like marriage, is a done deal and a daily development."

We all know marriage takes work and communication. So does our salvation. It is about developing a relationship with someone and committing to them.

I'm Free To Beleive

I am working on learning the music for this years mission trip bible school I head up. Tonight the words to this one song got me to thinking. (Sorry folks I don't know how to find songs links on the internet.) Here are the words.

Livin' Free by Stacy Hood

I'm free to believe God's grace I have received
My Lord and my God has shown love to me.
I'm Free to believe God's grace I have received.
I'm free to be who God called me to be.

(Refrain)
We are free to beieve God's grace we have received.
Our Lord and our God here for the world to see.

We are free to believe God's grace we have receive.
Let us live and love as God's community.

God's own Son was the only one
who could free us to live as family
Our faith will lead as though we cannot see.
We'll be the people God calls us to be.

(Refrain)




Now let's look back at the line I typed in bold.
I'm free to be who God called me to be!

Do you truely beleive you are who are called to be? Do you know who God called you to be? I know who God wants me to be and yes I do know I'm free and can be who he wants me to be. But I don't alway beleive 100%. If I completely beleived I would be doing it full time. I would trust God more and let him be my "all sufficient". I would not have any doubts.

I guess I need to trust God more. I need to be more of who God called me to be. My faith will lead where I can not see.

Surface Reading

This year I am trying not to be a surface reading when I'm in God's word. So often people read God's word and they will say this is what it says. They start reading and if the scripture starts with "Therefore, But, Just As" you get the idea I hope. They don't go back to see what was being said before. They read and think they understand. What I am learning is you need to look at the last verse and also to the original language.



Here is what I learned in my devotions today that hit a button in me. It is so simple yet I over look it so often.

Genesis 17:1

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty ; walk before me and be blameless.



I looked "God Almighty" up. It means "I am the all-sufficient one". Basically he is telling Abram, I'm all you need. Now we often say that but do we mean it? Do we except it?

If we are honest with ourselves we don't truly except God as the all-sufficient one. We look for love and acceptance in others. How many of us worry about be accepted right inside our church doors? I mean with a small group to really get to know them and they get to know you. I do and it is hard to step out of that need.

What about with our co-workers or our children's friend's parents? You focus on doing or saying the "right" thing because you want to be liked and accepted.

What about in your family. You work hard all day getting the house in order, 3 loads of wash and make a nice meal (for once) and someone see you didn't get the last load of wash out of the dryer yet. They don't comment on all you did just what you didn't do. How does that make you feel.

You see if we truly accept God as all-sufficient we wouldn't care what other think or feel. All that matter is God will meet those needs, people really can't anyways.

Willlingness Of Work

Proverbs 31:13 She seeks wool and flax, and WILLINGLY works with her hands.

Wow willingly! I don't do everything around the house willingly. There are days I just don't feel like doing things like cleaning the bathroom. Most days I don't feel like cooking dinner.
So all this got me thinking how am I to do this willingly?

Colossians 3:23 says Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.
So every time I get in my mood I must remember who I'm doing it for, why I am doing it, what I am really doing.

We can learn to do things willingly but don't become overwhelmed right from the start. Take one task at a time. Voice it over and over I'm doing this for the Lord. The willingness and joy will come.

You know by what you are doing you may be helping someone get through a dark or difficult time in their life. I enjoy teaching the preschooler Sunday School class at my church. But I'm not always willingly gettting up early on a Sunday I can be grumpy so mornings. Yet teaching is one of those things I enjoy doing but I need to still remember I am doing it for the Lord. I am now seeing I am doing God's work. I am brighten days of people who are having trials. I have three families now who the grandparents have part custody of their grandchildren and they have a hard life. I do it with joy.

Serving God willingly will be serving others willingly.

Faith and Knowledge

I was reading my devotions this morning and the following statement by Martin Lloyed-Jones spoke to me. "The measure of the straight of a man's faith always is ultimately the measure of his knowledge of God." How so very true.

This was something I've been thinking about on how to answer a friend of mine. You see she prayed her child will be drug free after rehab and she totally believed this child would. No one could convince her other wise. The child was released and went right back to drug. Now she says I prayed in complete faith, God didn't do His part.

You see the more knowledge you have of God, the more faith. This is because the more you know Him the more you live a holier life. Your whole prayer life changes. Psalms 37:4 says
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Faith to believe comes from knowing the source of our faith. The more knowledge of God we have our faith will be straighten. You see God knows our desires before we do and the more we know him the more holier our desires will be.

Now back to this friend. Yes she can had faith that God will heal her child. But her child will need the faith too. At this time in the child's life they are not ready for this. So I continue to pray for this friend as she endures the trials of her life and that she will be drawn to seek and know God beyond just prayer.

I am asking my prayer friends for prayer as this friend said she might come to my church this Sunday. She needs a relationship with God so please pray she comes.

Seeing Jesus In You

Let me first say, I will at some point remove the Christmas candle from the top of my blog. Just haven't found anything I like yet. What could be better than letting my light shine for Jesus.

That brings me to what I've been thinking about. Does your light shine for Jesus ALL the time. What are you like when you first wake up? Does your family see Jesus in you or do they see the grumpy don't bother me till I had a shower and my coffee. What about at work, if we asked the people at your place of employment do they see Jesus in you, what do you think they would say? If you at home during the day and unexpected guest showed up would they see Jesus in you? At the end of a busy day and you know you need to quick run to the store or there will be no milk for breakfast and the check out line is long, will the people see Jesus in you?

I doubt anyone answered yes to ever one of these but if you did good for you.
Why do we make it so hard for people to see Jesus in us? All we need to do is seek the Lord daily and though the Holy Spirit he will be overflowing though us.

John 4:14 Jesus is talking to the women at the well.
whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."