What's Wrong with the Production Line?

I try so very hard, but why do my efforts not always produce the result I desire?

I try to be good.

I try to do the right thing.

I honestly try to be who the Lord desires me to be.

Why, then, do my efforts not always, or seldom, produce the results I desire?

I have asked myself that question a thousand times, I am certain, over the years.

BUT, I never quite had the answer.

Then, when I finally did have the answer, I still continued to fail.

I failed because I continued to live the same way.

Knowledge alone does not change things.

Only knowledge with action will produce change, and that change must come from a heart that is willing to actually DO things the Lord’s way.

It’s not always easy.

It’s often very difficult.

But, it is extremely rewarding.

I have begun to put biblical principles into practice in my everyday life.

Humility.

Forgiveness.

Prayer.

Scripture reading.

Love.

I pondered over these important words and could easily see where they all must be present for me to succeed at being a better servant of the Lord. Yet, is there one key area that outshines the others?

Is there?

I like to think they are all equally great….none greater than the other.

I see the key though; indeed there is one.

It is “everyday.”

If I don’t practice putting biblical principles in my life each and every day, I am not ready for battle. I am unprotected.

I am on my own.

Alone and vulnerable.

The reason for my success is because with daily practice…no exclusions…I am armed. I have prepared myself.

The Lord is with me and He is my power. Without Him I can do nothing.

Success comes with a price.

At all cost, my day must include time spent with the Lord. My heart and mind need to embrace humility and forgiveness.

It is no mistake that I placed love last.

Love needs to be first, yes.

I have learned that through prayer, scripture reading, the practice of humility and forgiveness….love comes.

There is a lot of effort placed into loving others. It is no mistake that the Lord tells us to love one another. The greatest commandment is to love the Lord and then to love others. He knew it would be the greatest challenge for us….impossible really.

Only with Him, are all things possible.

Pray for those who persecute you. Love your enemies.

The following Scripture is from Bible Gateway: NIV

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Matthew 5:43-45

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.Ephesians 6:10-12

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.Ephesians 6:12-14

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:4-6

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:9-11

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 13:33-35

  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:9-11

And finally,

Matthew 22:34-40  Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.  One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Do you want an awesome New Year’s Resolution?

My prayer is that 2013 will be a better year….and it can be…as long as we stand with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We CAN make a difference in this world.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Trust Fund Baby

Trust Fund Baby! Share your most memorable blessing from God. Was it unexpected?

This is the question I laid my eyes on this morning when I opened my email from Melissa Taylor. Again, this posting is in response to the Bible study with Proverbs 31 ministry, on the book Greater, by Pastor Steven Furtick.

As soon as I read this topic, I knew what I had to share.

Like it or not….

It doesn’t matter.

Not anymore.

For it was and still is the most memorable blessing I have ever received from God.

Before I continue, I must say that my daughter, my granddaughter, and my husband are my greatest blessings from God…..

This, what I will share now, my most memorable blessing, is the miracle God performed in my life in order that I may know He is with me.

It took place about sixteen years ago now.

I did not know God. Oh, I believed in God…I just didn’t know Him.

I drank.

I smoked.

How many times I promised myself I would quit.

How many times I had failed…miserably.

And I do mean miserably.

I was miserable. And I was stuck!

Life hadn’t always been like this, but over the past years, with great stress in my life….

I just couldn’t seem to handle it anymore.

So, I turned my life inside out and stared into an empty rye glass every evening.

I was trapped.

Unable to do anything to stop, I finally came to the point where I knew that if I didn’t quit soon, I would put myself in an early grave.

One night, as I lay in my bed alone, I began to sob uncontrollably. I called out to the God I knew existed, but did not know.

I yelled actually. I was angry. Angry at me and unfairly angry at God.

I told Him that if He indeed was really there, and if He cared for me at all…why wouldn’t He help me. I told Him I had tried so hard, but failed at each attempt to quit both drinking and smoking.

I cried myself to sleep that night and when I awoke the next morning, I did not even recall the conversation.

A few months went by, and during that time period, I found myself gaining strength and determination to quit.

I set a date…which I had done many times prior and failed…but this time felt different.

Yes, something was definitely very different.

My date came, and I made one more attempt to quit.

Each day, as I succeeded, I began to be pretty darn proud of myself.

Time passed, and I remained both alcohol and tobacco free….with NO withdrawals. None!

After a short time, a small silent voice inside me reminded me of my outcry that few months earlier.

I was stunned!

I realized at that very moment that it was God who had been the successful one…He had been the one to enable me to quit.

It was Him.

He loved me. He heard my cry, and He responded favorably to my cry.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

I thank you God for the most memorable blessing….and yes, it was definitely unexpected. But now, over these past almost sixteen years, nothing surprises me that God does. He is more than capable to do all things.

I am ever grateful for His working in my life back then; just as I am for His continual working in my daily life now.

What a wonderful gift…the gift of life to be lived in its fullest! The gift of freedom from bondage!

My life began the moment I said “yes” to God, and the best moments I have are still when I say “yes” to God…..rather than going my own way.

Trust Fund Baby

Trust Fund Baby! Share your most memorable blessing from God. Was it unexpected?

This is the question I laid my eyes on this morning when I opened my email from Melissa Taylor. Again, this posting is in response to the Bible study with Proverbs 31 ministry, on the book Greater, by Pastor Steven Furtick.

As soon as I read this topic, I knew what I had to share.

Like it or not….

It doesn’t matter.

Not anymore.

For it was and still is the most memorable blessing I have ever received from God.

Before I continue, I must say that my daughter, my granddaughter, and my husband are my greatest blessings from God…..

This, what I will share now, my most memorable blessing, is the miracle God performed in my life in order that I may know He is with me.

It took place about sixteen years ago now.

I did not know God. Oh, I believed in God…I just didn’t know Him.

I drank.

I smoked.

How many times I promised myself I would quit.

How many times I had failed…miserably.

And I do mean miserably.

I was miserable. And I was stuck!

Life hadn’t always been like this, but over the past years, with great stress in my life….

I just couldn’t seem to handle it anymore.

So, I turned my life inside out and stared into an empty rye glass every evening.

I was trapped.

Unable to do anything to stop, I finally came to the point where I knew that if I didn’t quit soon, I would put myself in an early grave.

One night, as I lay in my bed alone, I began to sob uncontrollably. I called out to the God I knew existed, but did not know.

I yelled actually. I was angry. Angry at me and unfairly angry at God.

I told Him that if He indeed was really there, and if He cared for me at all…why wouldn’t He help me. I told Him I had tried so hard, but failed at each attempt to quit both drinking and smoking.

I cried myself to sleep that night and when I awoke the next morning, I did not even recall the conversation.

A few months went by, and during that time period, I found myself gaining strength and determination to quit.

I set a date…which I had done many times prior and failed…but this time felt different.

Yes, something was definitely very different.

My date came, and I made one more attempt to quit.

Each day, as I succeeded, I began to be pretty darn proud of myself.

Time passed, and I remained both alcohol and tobacco free….with NO withdrawals. None!

After a short time, a small silent voice inside me reminded me of my outcry that few months earlier.

I was stunned!

I realized at that very moment that it was God who had been the successful one…He had been the one to enable me to quit.

It was Him.

He loved me. He heard my cry, and He responded favorably to my cry.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

I thank you God for the most memorable blessing….and yes, it was definitely unexpected. But now, over these past almost sixteen years, nothing surprises me that God does. He is more than capable to do all things.

I am ever grateful for His working in my life back then; just as I am for His continual working in my daily life now.

What a wonderful gift…the gift of life to be lived in its fullest! The gift of freedom from bondage!

My life began the moment I said “yes” to God, and the best moments I have are still when I say “yes” to God…..rather than going my own way.

One Step at a Time...and to be Safe....Make Them Baby Steps

This posting is in response to the Proverbs 31 Bible study on the book Greater by Steve Furtick.

“Awkward social skills.”

When I first read that seemingly insignificant little sentence, I felt a pang of regret for who I am. I am one with awkward social skills.

Although some might not see it…not right away anyway. I can converse well, but once you get to know me, you can see that I am deficient in my social skills.  

Then I realized two things. First, I am not alone. Second, God can still use me regardless.

This helped to bring hope.
I admit though that I am still skeptical.

Just a bit.

The Lord has had me return to a ministry that I had volunteered in for over two years, only to leave just over a year ago. A couple of months ago, I felt His leading me back to serve in this ministry.

Just last week, while at this ministry, I was ready to explode because ‘things’ weren’t going the way I believed they should be going.

I was seconds away from vacating the building when I turned to the Lord for help.

(Now I sometimes wonder, did I turn to Him, or did He get my attention?)

Either way, I suddenly felt this peaceful calm overtake me. I breathed deeply, ashamed of my thoughts; ashamed of how angry I had become.

Much later, the next day, I had opportunity to spend time alone with the Lord, and He spoke to my heart.

He told me that I was placing emphasis on the wrong area….myself. He instructed me to be more like Him. He reminded me of how He, God, came to this earth and made Himself of no reputation.

I am to do likewise.

Until or unless I do, I will not be beneficial for kingdom work.

I must humble myself.

This is my theme. God is not going to let up on this until I get it right.

I suppose my recent master’s degree in ministry has given me license to believe I have certain rights and demands.

God has reminded me otherwise.

He has clearly spoken to me, instructing me to sit in this ministry, and, even if I am to do nothing on any given evening but sit on the sidelines, that is what I must do….and  pleasantly and peacefully…in love.

I must make myself of no reputation. I must let go of any and all ‘thought and feelings’ I may have about anything and everything.   

I am to be a servant.

An obedient servant.

A willing servant.

A happy servant.

A humble servant.

…with no guarantees.

Just follow the Lord….willingly…with a good heart.

Such challenges.

But I do know there is no life any better than the one the Lord has plotted out for me. So, I will obey.

As difficult as I know it will be at times, I will obey.

And to make it easier…I know He will always be with me to help me do the right thing. All I need to do is faithfully turn to Him.

Funny thing…those awkward social skills…they don’t feel as threatening when I know I can simply look to Him for guidance.

Only under His watchful eye, do I know I have nothing to prove, nothing to fear, and, nothing to lose.

Absolutely nothing.

Amen to that!

Burning My Plow

This posting is in response to a Bible study I am presently involved in with Proverbs 31 ministry. It is on the book, Greater, by Steve Furtick.

As I read chapters 3 and 4, I began to question, “Exactly what is my plow that needs to be burned, Lord?”

In response, to myself, I gathered it could be nothing else; it had to be the continuing battle with my fears. Ah yes, I must continue to overcome them in the ministry I am presently volunteering in too. Those nasty fears that I battled all my life will not simply go away and stay away. It is a constant battle.

It is one I have been winning, mind you, but, nevertheless, I still find myself encountering fear at every turn.

I continued to read on. Each page I turned seemed more interesting than the last.

I found myself nodding my head in agreement with Pastor Furtick. “Yes, yes, I know what I must do.”

Then….suddenly…..I just knew the Lord was trying to get my attention.

Have you ever felt that way?

So engrossed in your own thoughts…yet, you feel the Lord competing for your attention.

Before I had had an opportunity to think about it….I paused, of course, to clear my head of my own thoughts in order to hear what it was He wanted to say to me.

Are you ready for this….the BIG Ouch?

I sure wasn’t!!

“Pride.”

Yep.

That is what I heard.

Pride.

Ouch, ouch and double OUCH.

How on earth can an insecure person like me be battling with pride? (Because I AM an insecure person…honestly)

Immediately following that thought, the Lord placed recent memories in my head of thoughts I had entertained, and even words that I had spoken.

Have I said it enough yet? OUCH.

There I sat, suddenly uncomfortable and convicted. I for sure had pride issues, and now I had to own them and deal with them.

Now.

I put down the book, determined to gather my thoughts and listen for any further words from the Lord.

The nasty words and thoughts circled my conscience and I felt ill.

I knew I had not been following the Lord.

I knew my thoughts and words were against everything He taught me.

I need to humble myself. I need to focus on Him and what He has for me to do.

I heard nothing further from the Lord. His single word had been enough. It did its job nicely.

My burning plow is to be my pride. It is not going to be easy to burn, but I must.

Oh Lord, help me to burn my pride to ashes.

My pride entertains anger, and allows me to feel self righteous. It holds me back from living in peace and robs me of true happiness. And worse, it deters me from being the help to others I long to be.

Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness. Thank you for showing me the plow I must leave behind. Thank you…for I know you will stay by my side as I walk down this road. I am not alone, for you are with me…always. Amen.