I WILL ARISE

Micah 7:8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.

During my “Return to health” journey, I have found so many spiritual applications.  I really believe God put calories into all the “tempting” foods to help us practice discipline.  When we do, we feel victorious, when we given in to temptation, we feel the consequences of our lack of discipline.

After a week of travel, family, late night eating, lack of exercise and WEDDING CAKE, my body doesn’t feel so good.  I am tired with no energy, my stomach hurts and I want a donut with my coffee BUT, I am too far on my journey to let a curve in the road turn me back to the old habits. 

YEP, that’s usually what has happened.  I am walking happily down the road to health and I go on vacation or a holiday happens, maybe it is a birthday party or a wedding.  I indulge, wish I hadn’t, then, think one more day won’t hurt…but it does because that one day turns into two days, then a week and suddenly 5 years later, I have walked back further than my starting point.

Isn’t that just like the Spiritual Journey in our relationship with God?  We are walking with joy and faith, following God and all of a sudden we hit a curve, stub our toe on a rock or step in a hole and stumble; maybe even fall.  Jesus doesn’t keep walking ahead as we struggle to regain our footing.  No, He stands there with His hand extended to lift us up and guide us back to the smooth path. 

SO WHAT HAPPENS?  Sometimes the “stumble” is a hurt that is hard to forgive.  Perhaps you get tired and just sit down to rest for a little while.  You finally wake up only to find everyone has left you behind and you’re not sure how to get going again.  Maybe it is a temptation that you give in to and think, “Just one more time then I’ll repent.”  That one day turns into another, the temptation turns into “full-blown” sin and you realize you are in dangerous, unfamiliar territory that pulls you further away from God.  You feel God dealing with your heart; you know what you need to do but you think, “I don’t know if I can.”  “What will people think?”  “Will they condemn me; always remember I failed?”  “What if I repent, then, stumble again?”  “Maybe I can CONTROL this sin and “taper” off, then repent and get it right.”

STOP!!!! You CANNOT control sin no more than I can control my craving for sugar.  TODAY WILL BE SUGARLESS and so will tomorrow and the next day.  I will finally get victory over the sugar as I put good things into my body, washing the toxins out.  If you want to get victory over the temptations along your spiritual journey, you CANNOT slowly taper down on giving into the lure of sin…You have to go COLD TURKEY!!!!

It begins to saying NO to sin and YES to God’s forgiveness.  Then you take the hand that God extends and allow Him to fill you with the goodness of His Spirit and wash away the toxins of sin.  It is true; YOU CANNOT DO THIS, BUT GOD CAN!!!  

We have no idea what each day holds for us, so don’t put repentance off for another day.  When we come to God in true repentance and let His Grace cover us, there is no irreparable damage that sin can do…God will restore us with His righteousness and we will once again be on the path to Spiritual Healthiness.

Praying for you as you make the decision to have a SUCCESSFUL DAY IN GOD!

SUCCESS IS UP TO YOU

A parent can provide you with a good foundation with which to build but cannot build a life for you upon that foundation…that is up to you.

A school can provide you with the information necessary to be successful in a career but cannot implant your brain with knowledge of the information or instill you with ambition to use that knowledge and get a job…that is up to you.

A government can guarantee you with the right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” but even if they provide you with “free stuff” through government largesse, that same government cannot guarantee the outcome of your pursuit or guarantee that you will pursue…that is up to you.

The Church can provide you with spiritual instruction of God’s plan for salvation and encourage you to make choices to follow God as you journey through life but the Church cannot confer salvation upon you or guarantee your eternal destination…that is up to you, God and your relationship with Him.

Success in any area is entirely dependent on what you do with what you have and the opportunities you encounter.  

NEVER ENOUGH

Psalms 42:1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.

If only I had a million dollars, my life would be perfect.  I would put half in the bank, pay off my house, give a nice check to my favorite charity and go on a fabulous vacation with Steve, my kids and grandkids.  But….would that be enough?  Maybe 2 million or 5 million would be better.  I am almost certain the person who has 5 million, hopes someday to grow that sum to 10 million, than 100 million and maybe a billion….It seems the desire for money is never satisfied; THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH!!!

Eight months ago, I just wanted to lose 50 pounds.  Even before I reached that goal, I increased it to 60 pounds, then 65.  I finally lost 65 pounds, my clothes fit, I feel great and I said to Steve, “If I could lose just 5 pounds more.”  My sweet husband, a citizen of “Realville,” replied, “Would that be ENOUGH or would you want to lose another 5, then another?”  Well, OF COURSE, I would be satisfied…but would I? OR would I continue to concentrate on the flaws instead of the success?

Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor has been credited with saying, “You can never be too rich or too thin.”  Most of us will never find out the truth or the fallacy of that statement, but we believe it contains just enough truth to keep us striving to acquire just a “little more” wealth or starting the latest fad diet, drinking the latest “miracle” meal replacement drink or downing a newly discovered S. African “Fat Melting” pill… at least for a couple of weeks.  But, IT IS NEVER ENOUGH…until it comes to our relationship with God!

Psalms 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him.

Too many times, we have an encounter with God; we get just a “taste,” then walk away satisfied.  We continue living our lives, existing on that single “taste” as if IT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH! 

STOP!!!!  You are leaving a WHOLE MEAL on the table.  That “taste” is meant to merely STIMULATE your appetite not SATISFY your desire.  Pull up a seat, Jesus has “the table spread;” dig in!  Take a big bite; now we’re talkin’.  The longer you linger at the “table;” the more time you spend in His presence, the bigger your appetite for God will grow…you will NEVER HAVE ENOUGH.

Isaiah 12:3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Isaiah declares that God has a “WELL” from which we can draw.  Not just a holiday meal that we enjoy once a year, then exist on the memory of that experience until the next holiday get together…there is a WELL!

Don’t allow yourself to be satisfied with just a “TASTE” when you can draw from the “WELL.”  GET FAT IN GOD!!!  Refuse to be satisfied; God has another GOURMET MEAL prepared including DESSERT; dig in.  After lingering at the table, you will be saying, “THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH; I WANT MORE!”

SPIRITUAL SUPERIORITY

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

"SPIRITUAL SUPERIORITY WILL EXCLUDE YOU FROM YOUR PART IN THE PLAN OF GOD."

When God opens your eyes to awesome revelations in His Word, it is easy to begin to feel “Spiritually Superior.”  Spiritual Superiority is nothing more than the embrace of the Sin of Pride. Spiritual Superiority says that God’s Grace gives me the advantage and sets me above anyone who has not yet experienced Grace or is not as far along the journey as I think I am.

 A person becomes so proud of their understanding of the Word of God that they began to define and codify Godly principles for themselves and others into law.  With the advent of laws come penalties for violators and Enforcers only too happy to point out the “sin” and shun the “sinner.”  But what if our interpretation, laws and behavior are the real violations…think about these two ladies and what if they had been shunned by some people of God who instead decided to show grace.

Rahab, was a harlot from Jericho; a Canaanite woman.  Jericho was a city that would be absolutely destroyed as Joshua led the Children of Israel on their quest to the Promised Land.  But because of a choice to show kindness and mercy, made by a “less than desirable” woman, Rahab not only saved her family but married a man named Salmon and they became the parents of Boaz, the Great-Grandfather of King David.

Ruth was a Moabite; a people shunned by the Jews because they were descended from an incestuous relationship between Lot and his daughter.  Yet she was accepted by, Boaz, a Kinsman Redeemer and the son of Rahab, who not only married Ruth, but together, they became the parents of Obed the Grandfather of King David who would be listed in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Be careful who you exclude from your little circle, who you shun because they were not born to the right family, don’t follow your rules or have your highly-vaunted revelations; you may be excluding YOUR part in the plan of God.  

AUTHORED AND FINISHED BY GOD

THIS UPDATED BLOG WAS FIRST POSTED IN 2012

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith

I have heard numerous sermons on this verse during my 58 years of sitting on a Pentecostal pew.  The sermons ranged from “Jesus started it, He’ll finish it,” to “There is one God and His name is Jesus.”(If you are Apostolic, just about every scripture has been preached as a “One God” message.)  I’m sure the pastor preached a wonderful message; I did try to concentrate and I do remember brief “amen” moments.  On this Sunday morning, however, the scripture sent me to memories of my Dad. 

My dad loved to work with wood and the smells of freshly sawn boards and piles of sawdust still evoke memories of a happy time.  Dad always dreamed of living in a house built with his own hands.  Some days he would go help a friend who built houses, framing the shell, nailing shingles or hanging doors.  I’m not sure if he did it for the experience or the satisfaction of seeing something come together he had helped build.  Many years later, this friend’s daughter told me her dad always said there was no better “Finish Carpenter” than Deloy Hawks.

A “Finish” carpenter is the important crew member that adds the last little touches to complete the project.  There may be a few inconsequential gaps between the drywall and the floor but once the finish carpenter nails the last bit of baseboard in place, who would know.  The posts on the porch may be just rough wood poles until the finish carpenter surrounds and trims them turning the porch into an elegant, inviting portico.  The home or project may be just as serviceable without the finishing touches but not as appealing or valuable to the occupants.

How did all of this come from Hebrew 12:2?  It took me back to a special project my dad was building many years ago.  It was a gun cabinet for a friend.  This was not a self-assembly kit with numbered pieces and detailed instructions.  OH NO, my dad was clearly the AUTHOR of the project; it was his design. His hands shaped and lovingly fitted every board into its precise place. Even beautiful oak boards can have flaws but that was no problem for the “author.”  I watched my Dad as he took a “hand or block planer” and slowly shaved away the flaws until he could run his hands smoothly over the surface.  Once Dad had assembled the gun cabinet, the finish work began. 

If you have always purchased furniture from a furniture store, you have no idea the hard work that goes into the rich finish.  It takes layers of stain for just the right color, then a layer of polyurethane, sanding, more polyurethane, more sanding and more polyurethane until the desired depth and richness is attained.  I still remember the way the felt-backing was painstakingly glued to the inside and the Amerock hardware was installed on the doors and drawers.  Finally, the day came when Dad took a step back and with pride announced “She’s finished!”  Dad was the Author and the Finisher of that gun cabinet from the first nail to the last hinge on the door; it was his creation.

As, the memories faded and the sermon became more clear, suddenly, Hebrews 12:2 took on a whole different meaning to me.  I’m not just an old lump of clay that someone had formed into a pot then sent to the finisher to be glazed and fired, nor am I an ugly rock picked up to be cut and polished into a valuable diamond.  I AM A SPECIAL CREATION, AUTHORED BY GOD.  He formed me with great plans in mind.  As I matured and the pieces began to fit into place, each part of my life was lovingly orchestrated for my good, according to His plan.  At times a rough spot has to be planed, a bubble in the varnish has to be sanded or the lining has to be repaired, but I am in the capable hands of the “Master Finisher.”  There is still a little finishing to be completed to fulfill God’s ultimate plan but as is so eloquently stated in Hebrews 12:2,

I’m “looking unto Jesus the AUTHOR and FINISHER of my faith.”

LIVING AND LOVING MY MUNDANE LIFE

1 Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

This is one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible.  Have you ever been around people who are NEVER content?  Their life is always a "Roller Coaster Ride." Euphoria one day over a new possession, a new adventure or a new experience, then the next day, as the newness wears off and the next adventure is not yet on the horizon, life is bleak and dull.  Can you believe some of these people actually embrace Christianity?  Yet somehow they have not learned how to find contentment in their love for God; which can only be found in complete surrender and trust.

Discussing this with Steve, this afternoon, I figured out why it doesn't take much to please me and it is definitely NOT in things...an evening of quiet togetherness a phone call from one of my kids, a hug from a grandchild, reading a good book...OK and a new pair of shoes. NOW FOR THE WHY... I was raised in a "MUNDANE" family where life was one big "RUT" and it was OK!!!  

My Dad and Mom didn't sit around trying to think up ways to entertain 6 kids...NOPE, life consisted of Dad going to work...every day, Mom cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, tending kids...every day and going to church...4 TIMES A WEEK!!!  A Saturday morning trip to North Town (a tiny strip mall), getting 3 new dresses for $10 at Sears, eating popcorn and fudge on a blanket in the living room or a 3 day game of Monopoly with my brother, Mike, those were REAL adventures.  With 5 siblings in a 1,100 sq. ft., one bath house, we may have found ourselves in a rut, but life was anything but mundane. If we complained about being bored, there was always something to clean or weeds to pull in the gravel driveway...We learned GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT as a SURVIVAL TECHNIQUE!!!

Parents, if you want to raise DISCONTENTED ADULTS, spend all your free time coming up with new forms of entertainment, race to make sure they have the latest gadget before all their friends and guarantee they will experience something new and exciting every week.

Never let them see a commercial without assuring them that you already have the item on order...you don't want them to feel neglected!

Make sure they get to experience everything their friends are doing...it doesn't matter if they stick with it or if it fits your lifestyle...you don't want them to feel left out.

Don't worry about making sure they are in church every service...that could be boring!

And PLEASE don't expect them to read a book, daydream or amuse themselves...they might actually enjoy the activity and that would make YOU feel unnecessary.

GODLINESS AND CONTENTMENT; put the two together and the Storms of Life won't blow you away, you will find sunshine in the Valley and the floods, while an inconvenience, will not overwhelm you.

A MUNDANE, BORING LIFE might just be the best thing that ever happened to you and your family and someday your kids may thank you.  I am a witness; a prime example of LIVING AND LOVING MY MUNDANE LIFE!!!

ME COOPERATING WITH GOD

Deuteronomy 28:1-8 Now it shall come to pass, IF you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come up on you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

God is a GOD OF PRINCIPLES; principles that He has established; principles that He will never violate.  One of those principles is THE PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN.  A perfect example of this principle is found in Deuteronomy 28.  Moses delivers a message from God to the Children of Israel.  The “IF,” part…“If you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God and observe carefully all the commandments”…MY PART.  Now read Deuteronomy 28:9-13…The “THEN” part… “you will be blessed in the city and in the country, your children will be  blessed, your crops and herds will increase, you will be blessed coming and going, all that you own and everything you do will be blessed, even your enemies will flee”…GOD’S PART.

Now read the rest of Deuteronomy 28, it also contains THE PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN.  IF you do NOT obey the Voice of the Lord, THEN “all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.”  Go ahead and read the list, it is enough to “scare anyone into obedience,” yet we know that it wasn’t.  The Children of Israel disobeyed and God kept to His established PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN.

Have you been praying for something and wonder why it hasn’t happened?  Maybe you wonder if God even hears your prayers.  BELIEVE ME, He is always listening and He hears every word.  So why haven’t things changed?  Is it possible that THE PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN is at work in your situation?  ABSOLUTELY, YES!!!   ME? Could I be the problem?  There could be many reasons why your answer hasn’t come through, but it is much easier to blame the lack of change on an ALL POWERFUL GOD rather than consider the alternative…

TIMING – Many times God has blessings all prepared for you but JUST NOT YET!  It could be there is more preparation necessary before you are ready to receive the blessing…keep praying, listening and obeying…You will receive in due season.

GOD SAYS NO!!! – We have convinced ourselves of the lie that God’s greatest desire is to give us everything we want to keep us happy.  We have come to believe that God’s vocabulary is limited to “YES.”  God’s vocabulary includes every word man has come up with and covers every language across the world…God knows the word “YES” as well as the word ‘NO.”  It is also important that we understand these 5 points…1.  God has a plan.  2.  God sees the whole picture.  3.  God knows you better than you know yourself.  4.  Sometimes we ask just to please our flesh; to our destruction. 5.  Sometimes GOD SAYS NO!!!

ASKING GOD TO DO ALL THE WORK – There are things that only God can do…Only He can SAVE but He asks us to share the Gospel and introduce hungry hearts to Him.  Only God can REVEAL HIS PLAN but He asks you to pray, listen and obey.  Only God can HEAL, but He asks you to not undo the work by continuing unhealthy habits.

Last August, I began a journey to health…It all started with me praying and asking God for healing.  God replied with a convicting message, “STOP praying if you are not going to COOPERATE WITH ME!”  

WOW!!!  Talk about getting hit between the eyes…I WOKE UP!!!  All these years I have been riding a yoyo.  I tried every fad diet; lost weight.  I tried many supplements; lost weight.  I tried several weight loss groups; lost weight and became more unhealthy as the years progressed.

Finally, faced with a possible future serious health problem, I knew something must be done.  The one thing I had never tried was to COOPERATE WITH GOD.  After all, He created my body, so wouldn’t it make sense that He would know all the inner workings and the parts that needed to be “fixed?”  Well of course, but over the years, my behavior had continually been undoing everything He was fixing.

As of this morning, 31 weeks later, the threat of diabetes has been erased, the asthma inhalers are no longer in use, my blood pressure pills are gone, the Prilosec lies unopened in the cabinet and my chronic cough has disappeared…also, I have lost 63 pounds.  Along the way, I discovered that my JOURNEY TO HEALTH has actually been a SPIRITUAL JOURNEY directed by God.

I’ve had to change my attitude toward food, exercise and health, but I didn’t have to do it alone…COOPERATING WITH GOD…You take the first step and God takes your hand, leading you to the second, third, fourth…

I had to learn the word “NO,” and use it often.  COOPERATING WITH GOD…Involves you DENYING those things which will destroy and undo God’s work within you.

I’ve had to step out of my comfort zone.  COOPERATING WITH GOD…You may be asked to do things that make you uncomfortable and actually may cause discomfort for a period of time.  Go ahead, embrace the newness, God is building your “Spiritual Muscles.”

I’ve learned to enjoy the things I previously avoided.  I really didn’t want my morning protein drink to be an unappetizing, muddy green, but then I tasted it; YUM!!!  I would rather spend an hour shopping than on the treadmill or lifting weights, but then I carried 5 bags of groceries, all at once, up the steps and into the house with no problem…I’m lacing up my walking shoes and loving it.

Remember God is a God of principles and THE PRINCIPLE OF IF/THEN can be applied to every area of your life that needs “SUPERNATURAL INTERVENTION,”  God’s faithfulness is never in question, so the next move is yours. 

 COOPERATING WITH GOD…Go ahead, obey the voice of God; JUST DO IT!  I promise that the joy you feel and the blessing you receive in obeying God will make you wonder why you avoided following God’s plan for so long.

Today could be the day you EMBRACE REAL CHANGE.  Today could be the day you begin COOPERATING WITH GOD.  Today could be the BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE.