Called Us

When I was a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ~ 1 Corinthinas 13:11

Can you remember a defining moment in your life when you knew it was time to start acting like an adult? Do remember the "ah ha"moment when you realized you had great responsibility now as you turned the corner into adult hood? For me it was when the doctor handed me my first born son. I thought Oh my gosh, what am I doing? I am responsible for this little guy and I pray I don't let him down. I am truly a grown up now. Unfortunately, we still have what I can a bunch of grown up toddlers running around who could actually learn a thing or two from the four year old that they are responsible for. There is a fine line between thinking like a child and acting like a child and far to often we adults tend to do the latter. We need to realize that we are called to take the higher road as adults and sometimes that means extending graces were they are not always appreciated. I am amazed at the lack of tolerance we have for each other and the complete tantrums we throw when we don't get our own way. Instead of putting our childish ways behind us, all a lot of us have done is sub press them until we feel the need to get our own way. We need to put the childish act of selfishness behind us, leave it there, and show the next generation the best act of love; unselfishness and sacrifice. We need to be the hero in our relationships and step up to the plate instead of waiting for the other one to do it; we need to be gracious when overlooked for a job advance; and we need to be watching and guarding our tongues from gossip (just to name a few areas). After all, the biggest act of love was modeled for us thousands of years ago and now it's our responsibility to walk the walk we want our children to follow. It is not okay to act 4 when you're really 34 (unless, of course, you are playing with your children)...so lets start walking in the maturity that God has called us too. ~

World Changes

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. ~ Romans 12:2 (MSG)

Wow! What makes you stand out in our self-absorbed, fearful, and way to harried, diverse and fancy free world? There are times when I can't answer that question and that scares me just a little; people should be able to see something totally different in us so called Christians. They definitely should be able to see more love than they see opposed to the handfuls of criticism and harsh judgement that seems to come with the title of "new believer". Whew! Did I just say that? I did, and I'm pointing my right index finger squarely in my frigid face as well as yours. We need to fix our attention on God and what He has rightfully required of his love bought children. We need to stand up for what He would stand up for and help the widows, the fatherless, the heartbroken, and the beaten down; yet still stand and feel the need for correct judgement in a fallen world. There are to many of us who sit in comfortable chairs, or wooden pews on a Sunday and say "AMEN!" to the sermon only to walk out and convene at a local diner and slam what so and so's doing instead of loving them. Now don't get me wrong, I don't believe we should be walked all over, but we need to be filling in huge gaps that are being left wide open in a world that is horrifically hurting. Yes, it's true, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Same is true with humans: We need to gently guide people to the living water and pray faithfully that they take that first drink (it's in God's hands than) instead of leaving them there when they don't meet our timeline. God never gave up on us; let's not give up on Him and his lost children. Grow to maturity and walk beside him and see how this world changes. ~

What Concept

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." ~ Matthew 18:3-4

Have you ever wondered what kind of purposeful life you could have if you just listened to Jesus all the time? I've often thought Janine, your life would be so much easier if you would remember Jesus' promises and if you would just listen. The above scripture is one of those for me. If I would only listen to the plain truth in this verse and remember it I think my life would be so much easier and simpler. After all, I have never known God, or His Sovereign Son to lie to me, but if there was any doubt, He reassures me by saying, "I tell you the truth...". Therefore, I am led to believe if I could just come to Him like my children come to me than I would be better for it. This is the only instance in our harried lives where we are charged to act like little children no matter our age, our status, our successes, or our many failures. To give ourselves humbly to God ~ there is freedom in that. I don't know about you, but I plan on spending my eternity in a place of happiness, joy and constant praise to a worthy and glorious God. I don't want to spend my eternity in a place of gnashing teeth and burning brimstone...so, according to this scripture, I had better learn to humble myself before my God. After all, contrary to belief, this world is not all about you, or me, it's all about the one who created it and we need to be humble before a (and hold on to your hats, this is a new one for some of you) JEALOUS God. To let go of the ego and let ourselves lose control in the only one who has real control. This is humility and total freedom. Just as our young children rely on us for most of the guidance, direction and control in their lives, we need to rely on God for the guidance, direction and control in our lives so that we can become humble humans. After all, don't you want to be great? I do....so I'm going to learn to let go and humbly let God. What a concept. ~

Amen That

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ~ Philippians 2:1-2

Are you encouraged in your fellowship? Are you an encouragement? This verse hit me this morning in new ways that it never has before even though I've read it many times before. It amazes me how you can read the Scriptures over and over again and how various passages may jump out at you on any give day depending on what you need to hear. For me, this verse related to my marriage this morning. Your marriage? Yes, my marriage. You see I'm not always the encouraging spouse contrary to believe and I have an extremely hard time biting my tongue when my common sense doesn't jive with my husbands. I have been called to love my husband as Christ loves me and more than often I am the first one throwing the stones than trying to bless him with my words. We are one in Spirit and when it comes to the stress load of family, work and making it all come together I tend to be the one that wants to say "told you" instead of being united with him. I need to make Christ's joy complete not only in being like minded with other believers, but what about being like minded in love with my spouse? Don't misunderstand me, I don't have to agree with everything he does and when he asks me my opinion I need to give it even if it's not always what he wants to hear, but there is a tone in which I can express my opinion that can show love and there is a way to lovingly and compassionately disagree. We need to be on the same page with our spouses and if we can't be we need to pray that God would guide and direct us before we wound each other. The enemy loves that kind of destruction and we need to be guarded against the chaos he loves to create when we are not of the same like mindedness. No more! I will try my best to be an encouragement to my man! After all, there's enough in this world to knock him down and I don't need to be part of it. Amen to that! ~