Last week I wrote about being good stewards of all that God has given to us. However, there was one major aspect that I forgot to mention and that is the stewardship of our time. Time is one thing that God has given to each of us equally, and it’s up to us to use it wisely. Have you been using your time wisely? It is so easy to get caught up in the “busy-ness” of life that we forget what our first priority is. God is our number one priority and we can show Him that He’s first in our lives by meeting with Him every morning. You don’t have to take a long time when you wake up, but God will honor and bless you when you put Him first. You’ll also find that as you put Him first, you’ll want to spend more and more time with Him. Especially as you wait on Him to hear what He has to say to you. Take a few moments to read some Scriptures and see how He speaks to you. I like to ask God where He wants me to read in the word each day. Most of the time a book of the bible comes to my mind and that’s where I start reading. I also hear God through sermons and devotionals – when just the right words speak to my heart. He longs for us to take the time to be still and know that He is God (Ps 46:10).
As our days get filled with work, meetings, sporting practices, piano lessons, ballet, band, and all those things that are not bad in and of themselves but cost precious time, we find that we have forgotten God once again. I’ve noticed that I can fill up so much of my spare time with things that are of no significance to God and don’t do a thing to build His kingdom. It makes me wonder just how many hours of television have kept me from the important things of God. Life is definitely one big balancing act. We juggle work and family and church, but where does time alone with God fit in? When we bring Him into our day at the beginning, then we can ask Him to order our day. To keep on God’s schedule, make decisions that involve time commitments by asking God what He would have you do. He so desires to have a relationship with you. He wants to hear what you need and He wants you to listen to Him as well, just as you would do with any normal, healthy relationship. We can’t fully relate to others when we don’t give them our time, and it’s no different with God. When we get so busy it’s hard to hear His voice or see Him in creation or in the situations of our life. So, now is the time to look at your life and ask God what should go and what should stay. God will give you peace about those things to keep in your schedule. When we continue in “busy-ness”, we pass that lifestyle on to our children. Show them that your spare time is a wonderful time to spend communicating with God so that they will want to follow in your footsteps.
Now is the time! Don’t put it off any longer! Put God first, use your time wisely and see what God does in your life! You will not be disappointed!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
JUST DO IT!
A while back, I drove past a church and read on the marquee “Give your life to God. He can do more with it anyway!” I’ve been thinking about that for a while now, I really do believe that God can do more with my life than I can, but it is really hard to follow that belief. Right now, I am in the process of finishing my last class toward a Master’s degree in Education. I started pursing this degree over three years ago and a lot of money, hard work and tears have been given to the university. When I began classes, I fully intended to get a job teaching elementary education. In fact, I even made certain promises to my husband about what I would do for us when I finally got a teaching job.
Last September, God paired me up with Lisa in our church’s mentor/mentee program and just prior to that I met Vanessa through another church program. Slowly, over this past year, it seems like God has been changing my plans for me, that is, from teaching elementary education to working with A Cord of Three. I’ve struggled with this many times, in fact, in our last meeting, I told Lisa and Vanessa that I think it would be easier for me to go teach than to do this. This morning during my prayer time, I told God the same thing. However, when I look back over my life, I can see where God has been leading me in this direction for a long time now, but still, I find myself thinking, maybe I should teach...maybe, that would be better in the long run for my husband and I, instead of pursuing this.
I’ve been struggling for several days as to what I should write about today. I’ve attempted to write about several things, but the subjects just weren’t heartfelt. I would start them and then abandon them. Struggling, this morning, I asked God to give me something to write about, something that someone needs to hear. I’ve been praying for several days now that God would give me wisdom and discernment concerning my direction in life. Maybe, that’s what you are praying for also. If God is leading you to do something, do it! Tomorrow is not guaranteed. When I first met Vanessa, one of the first things she said to me was “you don’t want to go to God empty handed do you?” That’s the same question that I am asking you right now, you don’t want to go to God empty handed do you?
As for my husband, he’s a wonderful man; he knows that if God is asking me to do something, then I should do it. It seems like all of my life, I have started one project after another and quit each one before it was completed. Most of the time I gave them up because I started them for the wrong reason, because I felt like I knew what was best for my life. This time, I feel like teaching would be much easier than starting a business, but I know that is not what God wants me to do. Maybe it’s time that we (you and I) quit struggling to figure out which direction is right for our lives and just trust God, to be still for a change and just listen and just wait upon the Lord to lead us. Then when He does, don’t hesitate, don’t analyze, and don’t ask why....just do it.
"I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Psalm 16:7-8 (NIV)
Last September, God paired me up with Lisa in our church’s mentor/mentee program and just prior to that I met Vanessa through another church program. Slowly, over this past year, it seems like God has been changing my plans for me, that is, from teaching elementary education to working with A Cord of Three. I’ve struggled with this many times, in fact, in our last meeting, I told Lisa and Vanessa that I think it would be easier for me to go teach than to do this. This morning during my prayer time, I told God the same thing. However, when I look back over my life, I can see where God has been leading me in this direction for a long time now, but still, I find myself thinking, maybe I should teach...maybe, that would be better in the long run for my husband and I, instead of pursuing this.
I’ve been struggling for several days as to what I should write about today. I’ve attempted to write about several things, but the subjects just weren’t heartfelt. I would start them and then abandon them. Struggling, this morning, I asked God to give me something to write about, something that someone needs to hear. I’ve been praying for several days now that God would give me wisdom and discernment concerning my direction in life. Maybe, that’s what you are praying for also. If God is leading you to do something, do it! Tomorrow is not guaranteed. When I first met Vanessa, one of the first things she said to me was “you don’t want to go to God empty handed do you?” That’s the same question that I am asking you right now, you don’t want to go to God empty handed do you?
As for my husband, he’s a wonderful man; he knows that if God is asking me to do something, then I should do it. It seems like all of my life, I have started one project after another and quit each one before it was completed. Most of the time I gave them up because I started them for the wrong reason, because I felt like I knew what was best for my life. This time, I feel like teaching would be much easier than starting a business, but I know that is not what God wants me to do. Maybe it’s time that we (you and I) quit struggling to figure out which direction is right for our lives and just trust God, to be still for a change and just listen and just wait upon the Lord to lead us. Then when He does, don’t hesitate, don’t analyze, and don’t ask why....just do it.
"I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken." Psalm 16:7-8 (NIV)
Monday, July 5, 2010
WATCHMEN!
In the days of the Old Testament, a city was built with high walls with watchtowers erected high above the walls. It was the duty of the watchmen to warn the city of impending danger. The watchman would sit in the tower and from this vantage point he could see for miles and miles. Since there were several watchmen sitting in towers scattered all around the city, it was not easy for the enemy to sneak up on them. And, no matter what side of the city the danger came from, one of the watchmen was likely to see the approach of the enemy.
When a watchman saw an enemy approaching, it was his responsibility to sound the alarm to warn the citizens of the impending danger. At the sound of the alarm, the people had two choices; they could heed the warning and save themselves, or ignore the watchman’s alarm. If the watchman saw danger approaching and sounded the alarm and the citizen chose not to heed the warning and died, the watchman was not held accountable for this death. However, if the watchman did not sound an alarm and the citizen died, the watchman was held accountable. (Ezekiel 33:2-6).
As I read this passage in Ezekiel, I was thinking “Wow, I’m glad that I wasn’t a watchman back in those days because a watchman had a great responsibility!” Then I thought about us, you and I, all Christians.......aren’t we also watchers? We see the enemy coming; we understand that a battle is raging around us for the souls of lost people and yet, as watchers, are we sounding the alarm? “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).
When we accepted Christ as our Savior, we became Watchers. Before Christ ascended into heaven, he left us the Great Commission “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt 28:19-20).
We are like the watchmen of old. We see the danger coming in all directions. It is our duty to tell others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to sound the alarm and to warn those who are lost. If we sound the alarm and people accept our warning, we have done our job. However, if we don’t sound the alarm, giving no opportunity to accept, the person will die and spend eternity in hell and we will be held accountable for not doing our job. .
Now, how are we held accountable? Because we are saved, we will still go to heaven to spend eternity with our Lord, but I believe that we pass up a lot of blessings while we are still here on earth and rewards that we will receive in heaven. (Deuteronomy 28:1, 1Corinthians 3:8, Revelation 22:12).
As watchmen, the decision is ours. We can be obedient and sound the alarm, or we can be disobedient and forfeit many of the blessings and rewards that God has planned for us.
All Verses from the New International Version
When a watchman saw an enemy approaching, it was his responsibility to sound the alarm to warn the citizens of the impending danger. At the sound of the alarm, the people had two choices; they could heed the warning and save themselves, or ignore the watchman’s alarm. If the watchman saw danger approaching and sounded the alarm and the citizen chose not to heed the warning and died, the watchman was not held accountable for this death. However, if the watchman did not sound an alarm and the citizen died, the watchman was held accountable. (Ezekiel 33:2-6).
As I read this passage in Ezekiel, I was thinking “Wow, I’m glad that I wasn’t a watchman back in those days because a watchman had a great responsibility!” Then I thought about us, you and I, all Christians.......aren’t we also watchers? We see the enemy coming; we understand that a battle is raging around us for the souls of lost people and yet, as watchers, are we sounding the alarm? “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).
When we accepted Christ as our Savior, we became Watchers. Before Christ ascended into heaven, he left us the Great Commission “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matt 28:19-20).
We are like the watchmen of old. We see the danger coming in all directions. It is our duty to tell others about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to sound the alarm and to warn those who are lost. If we sound the alarm and people accept our warning, we have done our job. However, if we don’t sound the alarm, giving no opportunity to accept, the person will die and spend eternity in hell and we will be held accountable for not doing our job. .
Now, how are we held accountable? Because we are saved, we will still go to heaven to spend eternity with our Lord, but I believe that we pass up a lot of blessings while we are still here on earth and rewards that we will receive in heaven. (Deuteronomy 28:1, 1Corinthians 3:8, Revelation 22:12).
As watchmen, the decision is ours. We can be obedient and sound the alarm, or we can be disobedient and forfeit many of the blessings and rewards that God has planned for us.
All Verses from the New International Version
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Seeing the Unseen
What if there was a whole other world that you couldn’t see? And what if this world was going on all around you as you journey through your life here on earth? And what if when you died, you became a part of this unseen world? Does this sound impossible? Well, it’s not! It’s the unseen world of the kingdom of God. And you can start to glimpse the unseen world right now, even while you are here on earth.
2 Cor 4:18 – “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
So how can you fix your eyes on what is unseen? It all depends on your focus. You’ve heard of wearing rose-colored glasses, right? Well, I don’t have any rose-colored glasses, but I did have a pair of amber shaded sunglasses that just made everything look prettier. I loved those sunglasses, but unfortunately, they broke. So in the meantime, I’m using a pair of gray sunglasses, and it’s just not the same! The greens aren’t as green, the reds aren’t as red, and the blues aren’t as blue. I know this sounds strange, but when I would put on my amber sunglasses, things just looked more beautiful and clear. I think of seeing the unseen kingdom similar to when I put on my amber sunglasses. God gives us a vision of the unseen kingdom when we focus on Him. When we are focused on God we are “tuned into” Him. We hear Him more clearly and we see Him more clearly. We see Him in nature, we see Him in our circumstances, we see Him everywhere!
We can also see the unseen through the eyes of Jesus. Jesus came to earth to show us the unseen kingdom and to show us who God is. The kingdom of God can seem a little topsy-turvy at times. Things are not always as they would appear because God’s kingdom is an upside-down kingdom. Here are just a few of the kingdom principles that seem a bit “upside-down” from a worldly perspective:
• The first shall be last (Matt 19:30; Matt 20:16; Mark 9:35; Mark 10:31)
• Give and you will receive. (Luke 6:38)
• Die to yourself in order to live for God. (Phl 1:21; 1 Pet 2:24)
• Love your enemies. (Matt 5:44)
When we read God’s word with an open mind, God will show us the unseen world. It’s a world of angels and demons, light and dark, heaven and hell. And though this world is unseen, it’s as real as the world we’re living in right now. All that we now see is temporary and will one day be gone, but the unseen world will last forever. One day you will live eternally in the unseen world. The question you need to ask yourself is will you be a part of the light or the dark, of heaven or of hell?
If you want to find out more about the “unseen world”, put on your God glasses and read God’s word with eternity in mind. And God will show you more and more of the unseen world so that you can fix your eyes on what is unseen. Because when you focus on God He will give you His eyes to see the unseen.
*All scriptural references are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.
2 Cor 4:18 – “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
So how can you fix your eyes on what is unseen? It all depends on your focus. You’ve heard of wearing rose-colored glasses, right? Well, I don’t have any rose-colored glasses, but I did have a pair of amber shaded sunglasses that just made everything look prettier. I loved those sunglasses, but unfortunately, they broke. So in the meantime, I’m using a pair of gray sunglasses, and it’s just not the same! The greens aren’t as green, the reds aren’t as red, and the blues aren’t as blue. I know this sounds strange, but when I would put on my amber sunglasses, things just looked more beautiful and clear. I think of seeing the unseen kingdom similar to when I put on my amber sunglasses. God gives us a vision of the unseen kingdom when we focus on Him. When we are focused on God we are “tuned into” Him. We hear Him more clearly and we see Him more clearly. We see Him in nature, we see Him in our circumstances, we see Him everywhere!
We can also see the unseen through the eyes of Jesus. Jesus came to earth to show us the unseen kingdom and to show us who God is. The kingdom of God can seem a little topsy-turvy at times. Things are not always as they would appear because God’s kingdom is an upside-down kingdom. Here are just a few of the kingdom principles that seem a bit “upside-down” from a worldly perspective:
• The first shall be last (Matt 19:30; Matt 20:16; Mark 9:35; Mark 10:31)
• Give and you will receive. (Luke 6:38)
• Die to yourself in order to live for God. (Phl 1:21; 1 Pet 2:24)
• Love your enemies. (Matt 5:44)
When we read God’s word with an open mind, God will show us the unseen world. It’s a world of angels and demons, light and dark, heaven and hell. And though this world is unseen, it’s as real as the world we’re living in right now. All that we now see is temporary and will one day be gone, but the unseen world will last forever. One day you will live eternally in the unseen world. The question you need to ask yourself is will you be a part of the light or the dark, of heaven or of hell?
If you want to find out more about the “unseen world”, put on your God glasses and read God’s word with eternity in mind. And God will show you more and more of the unseen world so that you can fix your eyes on what is unseen. Because when you focus on God He will give you His eyes to see the unseen.
*All scriptural references are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.
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