Stand Strong

On Monday, I had to take a trip to the hospital due to cutting my knuckle open working on a clock.  I am no stranger to the hospital!  I've accompanied my hubby, son and by the time my daughter was 4 she had visited our local hospital 6 times! I too have had an occasional visit.  This was not a huge catastrophe. I thought I'd get a couple stitches and we'd go home.  Well, no stiches, just glue and a tetanus booster.  This is where the problem began.  You see, I DID NOT want to be administered a tetanus shot (and NO, I'm not afraid of shots).  I said no...several times, and of course I was countered by the people in the room.  After several minutes of arguing and protesting...I gave in, against my will, totally upset and angered...I gave in!

For the last couple of days the words Stand Strong have been resounding in my spirit.  I know the booster shot was not of eternal significance in the grand scheme of things, but it has given me pause to think.  I believe PASSIONATELY that I did not need, nor want the shot, yet I was unable to stand up and refuse, despite signing papers during my admission process that I could refuse services. 

So...what happens when I faced with eternal choices in my physical life?  What happens if some one asked me to choose...will I Stand? Is my Faith strong enough to Stand and not succumb to the pressures of others? I am asking myself these questions...

The Word of God has much to say about standing. It tells us to Stand Fast...Stand Firm...Stand over and over. 

Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we Stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”  
1Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, Stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” 
2 Corinthians 1:24 “…for by faith ye Stand.”
Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to Standagainst the wiles of the devil.”
1 Thess 3:8 8 “For now we live, if ye Stand fast in the Lord.”
2 Thess 2:15 “Therefore, brethren, Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.”

It also says to Stand together, united as one voice.

Isaiah 48:15 “Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they Stand up together.”
Mark 3:24-26 tells us that house divided will not Stand.
Philippians 1:27 “that ye Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”

I am praying for increased faith that will Stand. One that will not back down. One that Honors my Savior, God, Friend and Lord.  I do not want to fall short.

A Holy Experience

One of my favorite blogs is Ann Voscamps blog... Holy Experience. Ann is an incredible writer, photographer and a is very passionate about Christ and being FULL of Christ in our daily lives....

If you have a heart for others in need...or your heart is hard and you are happy living in mediocrity...I recommend this read. I hope you are moved...

When you're dying to live radical: Fight Middle Ground blog entry

Admonishment

As I read in Ephesians 6 this morning, I read verse 4 that says "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord."  I have read this verse many times and even quoted it in jest to my dad as a kid...but today I was wondering, what does admonishing mean? I had always remembered it being translated as instruction, and although nurture means tutorage and training, admonish does not. 

So I looked up the Greek word. "calling attention to, i.e. (by impl.) mild rebuke or warning". That is different. The directions from the Lord are to tutor or train our children and call attention with MILD rebuke! I know that I would rather the Lord show me in his Word how I am supposed to live, and give me ample tries to walk out His instructions, than for Him to tell me once and then strike me down if I fail.  I am thankful for a God that shows men and women how to love their children.  I am thankful that even when we mess up, He is Faithful and can remedy the situation if we turn to Him for help. I am thankful for a husband who leads with a soft hand and words of instruction.

I am praying for Fathers...that they would have a heart of instruction and mild rebuke after God heart.  That a hard hand and a loud bark is not what our children remember about their Dads. We are Earthly example of our Creator.

My disclaimer:

(I don't think that the term mild rebuke means you simply lecture your children on what all they need to be doing and aren't.  Using time-out, redirection and even spanking...I know...the S word...are all tools that help train and rebuke children. The Bible does say in  Proverbs 22, 23 and 29 that spanking is a tool to be used in discipline. I think to do that Mildly means to not act out of our anger and to use it WHEN appropriated by "in your face" rebellion, not just because the child made a mistake.)

Vigilance

I am often caught off guard when Satan attacks!  I shouldn't be...but I am.  I am right in the middle of a battle when I stop and realize that it is a battle!  Scripture says in  1 Peter 5:8-9, that we should be vigilant, or be on alert.  You see, when we are sleeping, spiritually, that is when Satan attacks.  We let him in by not keeping him out. This is an everyday...many times a day...renewing of our minds and focusing of Christ. 

Scriptures says that the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour!  I don't want to be devoured!  I don't want my relationships and time to be devoured!  The Word also says that Satan comes to kill, steal and DESTROY!  He is out for your life!  "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10.


Jonathan Mayer, The Devour



Satan wants to steal ALL that God has promised you.  He wants you to be in the pits of despair so you can't, or won't, move forward with Christ.  You see, he change who you belong to, but he can change how you respond to who you belong to.

When I notice that I am in the midst of a battle...I have to take up my sword and fight...or be defeated.  It is a choice.  I want to live in the life that Christ paid for me to have!  I want to head off the attack...not struggle to defeat it.  Watch...Vigilantly..."Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Ephesians 6:16

Zeal For ALL!

I just read a friend's blog and it has lit a fire in me.  I am so appalled that older, more mature Christians discourage so many!  You heard me...DISCOURAGE!

As believers, we are supposed to be growing in Christ...not becoming complacent and judgemental of those that are diligently seeking after God's will.  The Lord didn't call his disciples to follow him...until they were in their 50s-70s. NO!  The disciples followed him unto death AND old age.  WAKE UP!

We must have mature Christian leadership.  The Bible warns about putting new (not Young in age) Christians in leadership.  It puffs up their ego. 1Timothy 3:6. So who is supposed to be leading? Seasoned, wise, committed Christians...no matter their age!

When we become complacent and unwilling to follow Christ with our WHOLE heart.. we are hardened.  No one wants to hear that. but the scripture warns us not to let our hearts become hard to His voice...

"For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,  Harden not your heart, Psalm 95:7-8; Hebrews 3:15; Hebrews 4:7

"The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock." 1Peter 5:1-3

"The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:3-5

If you are in your 50s-?...get a move on!  God's not finished with you...he has SO much he wants to do with you and through you.  Your age is not an excuse for no longer having zeal...that my friend is a CHOICE...Choose you THIS DAY whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15). Will it be your flesh...or God?  Draw near to me and I will draw near to you. Ask and you shall receive...

My final challenge comes from Hebrews 10:22-24

"22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works"

Love to you all...may your hearts be full and zeal return to those sleeping...

Prayer For You

We serve a Powerful, Loving God!  This morning my heart is praying for each of you that reads my blog, and for others that are "fighting the good fight of faith". Have a wonderful and blessed Sunday...seeking His face, His presence and His will, enjoying family and friends, and basking in the richness of His love for each of us...for we ARE His children.

"For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you, and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come." Ephesians 1:16-21

Fingerprints

Often I forget what a great impact I have on my children!  I know...sounds crazy doesn't it? But really, there are moments that we stop and stand back and can see the direct fingerprint we have had on our children. The way they stand when they are talking or pace while on the phone.  The way they clean up a room and order their day.  Just this morning, as I got up to read I spotted a checklist my daughter made for herself to reminder her of the important things she needed to accomplish...her mother dead out!! Heehee.

I am pausing to consider God's fingerprint on their lives...

More important than how to make a checklist and follow it out...is having a heart for Christ.  Have I influenced my children to live for Christ simply by my actions?  Do I speak about following Him and let my actions refute my words?  Am I leaving a fingerprint of hypocrisy?  I pray that I am not, but I know in some areas I am.

Actions DO speak louder than words.  I hope my children SEE me doing God's will, following after Him with reckless abandon and tasting that He IS good.  I want my children to have the fingerprint of a Godly mother...because they will, after all, have my fingerprint no matter what I chase after.

Actually, my fingerprint will continue on...

"For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation." Luke 1:49-50

Adventures Await

Do you ever wonder, "how am I going to walk this out?"  I do.  I feel a call on my life, a tug at my heart, a simple request to move and I sometimes respond as Moses did..."but God...surely you don't mean me! I ...." filling in the blanks with all my excuses.  But then I draw strength from the Word of God.  

"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."2 Peter 1:3-4


"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:1-6

The Lord never expects us to "go it alone" or without a road map.  This isn't a guessing game. We are not unprepared for the journey in which he has called us, nor are we left without resources to get the job done. 

There are exciting adventures waiting and God is waiting on you, and me to get movin'!

Obedience Is a Heart Issue

“The Lord does not give me rules, but he makes His standard very clear. If my
relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with
Him – namely, myself. If I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random
circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of
God.” Oswald Chambers

I read this as a caption on a page yesterday. It touched me profoundly. The book I was reading was about parenting and the different changes in the Seasons of childhood. When I read this quote, I instantly thought about my relationship to my Heavenly Father, but as I read the chapter on transitions,sympathy, discipleship and not moving into legalism as a parent...I began to apply this quote to my children.

Our children need to know that we love them, no matter what. That we can, and do, validate their feelings. (Of course, this does not mean allowing them to get away with wrong actions because we "understand" why they may have acted out!) The point is that even the most compliant child may not be obedient because they love us. It could be that the quiet, compliant and reserved child we perceive as obedient and "good" has a serious heart issue.

If we, as parents, do not hold the hearts of our children, who does? Have you asked yourself that lately? Our hearts desire as parents should be to have our children obey or carry out our wishes when we are not looking because they love, and honor us...not simply because we have a hard swing or a loud bark.

Take time to KNOW your children, relate to them and earn their trust and their hearts....It's worth the investment!