Distractions

And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Matthew 17:8

Have you ever been distsracted from the things of God? 

Do you know that many times the enemy places "stuff" in our path to distract us from what God is trying to do in our lives?  Think about it.  When we are consumed with things in our lives, whether it is family issues, work, church challenges, etc., we can look too much at the problem and not the solution.  We invest alot of time and energy into worrying about how we are going to fix the situation instead of placing it at the feet of Jesus and leaving it there allowing God to deal with it.

The Bible tell us to look away from all that will distract us from focusing on Jesus. (see Hebrews 12:2.)  Jesus is certainly the source of our faith and the solution to whatever it is we may be dealing with today.  Trusting Him with our problems and challenges will build our faith and mature us as Christians.

How many distractions are competing for your attention today friend?

Blessings!

Pastor's Wives

Pastor's Wives, please check out my new blog - Mentoring Pastor's Wives. 

How Do You See Your Work Today?

I read a story recently about a man in the Middle Ages who was sent to a building site in France to observe the workers and how they felt about their labor.  He approached the first worker and asked, "What are you doing?"

The worker snapped at him, "Are you blind? I'm cutting these impossible boulders with primitive tools and putting them together the way the boss tells me.  I'm sweating under this hot sun.  My back is absolutely breaking.  I'm bored. I make next to nothing!"

The man quickly backed away and found a second worker, to whom he asked the same question, "What are you doing?"

The second worker replied, "I'm shaping these boulders into useable forms.  Then they are put together according to the architect's plans.  I earn five francs a week and that supports my wife and family.  It's a job. Could be worse."

A little encouraged but not overwhelmed by this response, the man went to yet a third worker.  "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Why can't you see?" the worker said as he lifted his arm to the sky.  "I'm building a cathedral!"

Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.

Psalm 117: 1,2 NIV

How do you see your work today?  Do you look at it with drudgery with no purpose?  Do you see it as a job?  Or, do you see your work as part of God's incredible plan for your life?

This psalm gives two reasons for praising God: his great love toward us, and his faithfulness that endures forever.  If he did nothing else for us, he would still be worthy of our highest praise.

The more positive we are about our work, the greater satisfaction we have at the end of the day.  People who see value in their jobs enjoy a greater sense of purpose.

Any job can be performed with dignity, style, and purpose.  How do you choose to see it today?

Blessings!

In Other Words, Whatever Works...............

Esthermay from The Heart of a Pastor's Wife is hosting IOW today.  Check out the posts on this topic at her site.

"We Americans are pragmatists to the max. We want results, and we want them yesterday.  We want them without too much pondering and too much pain.... We have developed all kinds of Christ-coated remedies that are shallow and short-lived.  We are not, by and large, the deeply grounded saints that some of our forefathers were." - John Piper

God warns against anyone taking anything away from the scriptures, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:19 (NIV) This warning is given to those who might purposefully distort the message in this book. We must also handle the Bible with care and great respect so that we do not distort its message , even unintentionally. We should be quick to put its principles into practice in our lives.

God is calling His children to a place of spiritual perfection. We cannot achieve this assignment unless we apply and practice the instructions God has given us from His Word. A Christian's life must reflect Godliness and holiness in all areas. We cannot pick and choose which scriptures would be most suitable for our lifestyles.

There are churches all over the world preaching and teaching false doctrine from their pulpits each Sunday.  Many of these pastors are preaching false doctrine to thousands of members.  And worse than that, these churches are filled with Christians who are not able to discern truth from error because they don't know the Bible. Their relationship with Christ is weak and flimsy and as a result, they have placed themselves in the hands of the enemy, being led down a path of deception and destruction. The apostle Paul warned that false teachers would attempt to infiltrate the Christian church from both the outside and from within. (Acts 20:29-30)

The designer of a counterfeit dollar bill does not make the counterfeit bill to look different from the genuine. He designs the bill to look exactly the same as the genuine. The counterfeit dollar bill must be able to come alongside the genuine dollar bill and appear to be a true dollar bill.

Those who are trained to work with money must be trained to know the difference between a counterfeit dollar bill and a genuine dollar bill. Spiritually speaking, we can apply these same truths when it comes to exposing false doctrines or teachings that are being propagated in the body of Christ today. We must allow the Lord to minister to us and train us according to His Holy Word and by the power of His Spirit. We must be cautious that we do not allow deception to lead us into error.

A huge problem existing in the church today is that people simply do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. Many have settled for counterfeit religion filled with false teachings, much less than what God has to offer. A lack of spending quality time at the feet of Jesus in prayer has opened unending doors of deception. Many have negated the power of God because they do not know Him in the way that they should know Him. Our society has embraced everything or anything that comes from a pulpit. We have not yet learned to embrace the Cross and the Christ who died upon it.

Many people today view the Church as a place to  have their needs met.  They have no desire or will to sacrifice and serve others.  It is self-centered Christianity which focuses only on what do I get out of this church.  What is in it for me? The reason there is such turnover in the church today is because people are constantly moving to kepp getting their selfish needs met and have no desire to serve the Kingdom of God.  By failing to preach the truth from the pulpits, we are encouraging believers to become self-serving which is a deadly killer of compassion..

The seeker-driven movement with evangelical Christianity has made church like shopping.  And American Christians are out looking for the best deal.  They will turn to emptiness for fulfillment in sports, sex, drugs, possessions, relationships, education and consistently choose these things over and above God.  C.S. Lewis said, "We are half-hearted creatures like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.  We are far too easily pleased,"

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Matthew 7: 21-23)

Partial scriptures taken out of context makes "greasy grace" preaching very popular. People love that warm and fuzzy feeling and often feel irritated and uncomfortable when a preacher challenges them with the truth from God's Word. There is danger in preaching only selected scriptures and partial truths. The Bible clearly states that sin does separate us from God and no sin will enter heaven. If only part of the Bible is preached and people do not have the opportunity to hear the truth, they are being deceived into believing that they are doing well spiritually and on their way to heaven, even if they are living in sin.

Churches are convincing people that anything is acceptable because Jesus loves them. These folks are in church but not in Christ. They participate in all kinds of activities in the church but have no relationship with Christ. They are experiencing a Mr. Roger's neighborhood and are being told there is no need for salvation. Authentic Christianity results in life transformation but the truth must be preached because people's lives are hanging in the balance.

Spiritual perfection comes from seeking God, reading and meditating on His Word, and spending quality time with the Lord in prayer. These must be a part of our lives on a daily basis if we are serious about pursuing and demonstrating the character of a whole Christian. Can the people who you encounter each day see that you have a genuine relationship with Christ? Are you producing good fruit or is there an unholy mixture of bad fruit in your life? Are you seeking after the latest charismatic teaching with partial truths or are you really seeking after Him?

If we truly desire to see the power of God manifested in our lives, we must focus our eyes on the things of God. We must be willing to allow ourselves to be saturated with His Word so that we will have the ability to discern between truth and counterfeit. Spiritual perfection as a whole Christian can only be obtained by applying the entire Bible to our lives.

Blessings !

A New Day!

We may not awaken to a fantastic world each morning, but we can determine to awaken to a "brand-new day" with "brand-new" opportunities in our minds and hearts.  We can talk with the Lord and walk with Him each day. 

God is the Creator and He loves His children.  No matter what state we find oursleves in, He can create something brand new in us, for us and through us. It requires obedience, diligence and commitment from each of us to do what God is calling us to accomplish. Trusting in God's faithfulness daily makes us confident in His great promises for the future.

Blessings as you anticipate great things from a great God today!

Thankful Thursday - Trials

Many thanks to Iris at Grace Alone for hosting TT today. She has selected Trials as her theme today and is using the scripture text James 1:2-3.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. James 1:2-3

As a Christian we know that it isn't a matter of "if" we face trials in this life but "when". James is saying that whenever we face the trials and challenges of life that we should welcome them and profit from them. Trials can produce amazing faith in Jesus Christ when we trust Him and allow Him to lead and guide us through difficult times. James encourages us to utilize the hardships and trials of life as teaching experiences. Allow those times to teach us perseverance and endurance.

Our depth of character is revealed when we are treading through the mud of life. Instead of complaining and whining about the challenges and struggles we may be facing we should look at them as opportunities for growth. God teaches us patience when we learn to wait and trust Him through life's challenges.

I am certain that none of us welcome hardships but we do not grow on the mountaintop. We tend to become lazy when life is great and often times slack in reading our Bibles and praying. Challenges, struggles and difficult times in our lives will bring us to a place in our Christian walk where we must rely upon God. We seek His face looking for answers and direction in our lives.

I am thankful for the opportunities God has given me to grow more in Him. He is prepping us for a greater work. As our foundation becomes stronger in Christ, the doors of opportunity will continue to multiply.

Blessings friends!

Having "One of Those Days"?

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Recently I had "one of those days" where nothing seemed to go right. I awoke at 5am and took the dogs out for the routine potty break. When I returned outside to bring them back into the house, somehow I missed the steps coming off our patio and landed on the pavers! Luckily it was still dark outside so no one saw me!! I managed to catch myself going down and braced my fall with my hands. Needless to say, I scraped my elbow, and my knee and jolted my shoulder but was very thankful that I had not broken any bones.

Recently my husband replaced the lock on the front door of our home. I had given the extra door key to our daughter who cleans our house each week. Brooke does so much for me and I am so thankful for her. With my hectic schedule I don't know how I would get everything accomplished without her. As I was leaving for work that same morning that I had fallen, after the front door slammed behind me, I realized that I had forgotten my cell phone. My driver's license and debit card are also in the case with my phone. As I reached for my house key I realized that Bobby had never had another key made so I was locked out of the house! He was still sleeping and our bedroom is upstairs in the back of the house. I rang the doorbell a zillion times and even the dogs didn't hear anything!! I pounded on the door but finally realized that nothing would wake him. I drove to my daughter's home, pounded on her door :-), and asked her to please call her dad and tell him to bring my cell phone downstairs and open the door!! After I arrived at work he called me to ask why I had not used my key to unlock the door..... and then he quickly remembered that he forgot to get a key made for me. He apologized and really felt bad about what had happened. That was certainly "one of those days"!

Maybe you are having "one of those days" today but it isn't exactly that sort of day. Is this "one of those days" where God is nudging you to do something for Him that is His special assignment? As Christians we never know what God is planning for us in the next second. Serving Him is exciting and adventurous. The scriptures encourages us to stand firm in the faith, be strong, behave courageously, be on our guard against spiritual dangers, and do everything with kindness and in love.

Even when we experience "one of those days" God is doing a work in our lives. Don't allow the disappointments of this life to overshadow the joy from the Lord. God is still on the throne and He is still in control my friend! He loves you and only desires the best for your life. Allow Him to have His way today. He can turn "one of those days" into an incredible opportunity to do something awesome for the Kingdom.

Blessings!

Busy, Busy, Busy

It was a great weekend! Life has been extremely busy and I really miss blogging. This is going to be a very busy week as well prepping for the upcoming Equipping Conference Saturday.

I am posting a few photos from our Harvest Fest Community Outreach on Saturday. It was a great day!

Be Steadfast and Unmovable by David Wilkerson

David Wilkerson posted an awesome devotional today. I know that sometimes as pastor's wives and women and men in ministry we become discouraged and at times feel like we are not making a difference. This message is powerful! Enjoy and be blessed!


We have learned from Isaiah 49 that the Lord knows your battle. He has fought it before you. And it is no sin to endure thoughts that your labor has been in vain, or to be cast down with a sense of failure over shattered expectations. Jesus himself experienced this and was without sin.

It is very dangerous, however, to allow these hellish lies to fester and enflame your soul. Jesus showed us the way out of such despondency with this statement: “I have labored in vain…yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God” (Isaiah 49:4, italics mine). The Hebrew word for judgment here is “verdict,” Christ is saying, in effect, “The final verdict is with my Father. He alone passes judgment on all that I’ve done and how effective I’ve been.”

God is urging us through this verse: “Stop passing a verdict over your work for me. You have no business judging how effective you’ve been. And you have no right to call yourself a failure. You don’t yet know what kind of influence you’ve had. You simply don’t have the vision to know the blessings that are coming to you.” Indeed, we won’t know many such things until we stand before him in eternity.

In Isaiah 49, Jesus heard the Father say in so many words: “So, Israel is not yet gathered. Yes, I called you to bring in the tribes, and that has not happened in the way you imagined it. But that calling was only a little thing compared to what is coming for you. It’s nothing in comparison to what I have in store. I’m going to make you now a light for the whole world. You’re going to bring salvation to the whole earth” (see Isaiah 49:5-6).

While the devil is lying to you, saying that all you’ve done is in vain, that you’ll never see your expectations fulfilled, God in his glory is preparing a greater blessing. He has better things in store, beyond anything you could think or ask.

We’re not to listen to the enemy’s lies any longer. Instead, we’re to rest in the Holy Spirit, believing him to fulfill the work of making us more like Christ. And we are to rise up from our despair and stand on this word: “Be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

How Strong Is Your Faith?

If God said that Jonah was swallowed by a whale, then the whale swallowed Jonah, and we do not need a scientist to measure the gullet of a whale. ~ A. W. Tozer ~

I believe it is safe to say that all of us possess some level of faith. When we flip the light switch when entering a room, we have faith that the light will come on. When we get into our car at the end of the day, we have faith that it will take us safely to our destination. When we mix up the ingredients for our favorite cake and place it in the oven, we have faith that a cake will be created at the end of the baking time. When we place our head on the pillow at night ,we have faith that the alarm clock will awaken us in the morning so we are not late for work.

Biblical faith is based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". Regardless of the circumstance, faith in our Lord means that we believe that God can and God will deliver. It also means that we believe the Bible from cover to cover. This type of faith leaves little room for doubt.

Our human minds cannot comprehend the possibility of a whale swallowing a man and a man living to tell about the journey. Jonah's accommodations were in Belly Whale Towers for three days. He probably ate fish for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time! Although this story may be difficult for us to comprehend, it was a real life experience recorded in the Word of God. The devil would love nothing better than for doubt to creep into our minds. Christians must demonstrate faith in their lives and believe that nothing is impossible when serving the Lord. If God said it, I believe it and that absolutely settles it!

Tests of faith can be severe and incredibly challenging to our walk with Christ. Those tests may involve things that deny logic. They may come in the form of a challenge or command that we may find almost impossible to accept. They may occur suddenly and unexpectedly. Our faith tests can involve things that seem to make little or no sense. They can even seem to conflict with things we have believed God for. But we can be confident that the one, the God who tests us also loves us. And He is all-knowing and wise. We can trust Jesus Christ, even though the test we experience may seem to deny His love and wisdom.

Tests can saturate our minds with questions of why. God holds the answer. We need to tightly embrace Him, trusting Him totally with everything in our lives. As Christians our lives become an example to others who are looking for a reason to hope and believe in this life. A famous hymn from the late 1800s urged Christians to "trust and obey." We may not understand what we are going through when we are tested, but we must trust God and continue to obey Him.

I know without a shadow of a doubt that my God is the real deal. He has walked with me through the valleys and shared the victories on the mountaintop. I have placed my trust and faith in what I cannot see but I know without a shadow of doubt that God exists. He has done so many incredible things in my life. Without Him I don't want to think about where I would be today.

We must stand for the truth recorded in the Bible for it is the only sure foundation for faith and practice. If not, we will be victimized by all sorts of false doctrines and those who teach them. Understanding God's love for us personally gives us the strength we need when tested. We also need to be directed into the "patient waiting for Christ." Jesus' example of steadfastness can inspire us to remain steadfast no matter what mountains or whales may be in our way!

Blessings and hugs!

In "other" Words - Holiness and Godliness

"If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary's love, for a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted." ~Amy Carmichael~

I have been using books written by Jerry Bridges as a teaching series for my adult Sunday School class for the past several years. They are incredible books about holiness and Godliness as a Christian. When I read the quote for today I immediately thought about those teachings and how shallow some Christians are today. It frightens me to think how some folks truly believe they are ready to meet Christ when there lives are no different from those living in the world.

What is holiness and can a Christian truly demonstrate holiness in their life? God absolutely despises sin and the Bible tells us that sin separates us from God. The scripture says, "So be holy in all you do" (1 Peter 1:15). So what part of that do we not understand? God commands each of us to be holy in ALL, which means EVERYTHING that we do. WOW! That scripture immediately calls each of us to a higher level in our walk with Christ.

God is holy. He sets the standards for morality. Unlike the Roman gods, He is not warlike, adulterous, or spiteful. Unlike the gods of the pagan cults popular in the first century, He is not bloodthirsty or promiscuous. He is a God of mercy and justice who cares personally for each of His followers. Our holy God expects us to imitate Him by having high moral standards for ourselves. Like Him, we should be both merciful and just, like Him, we should sacrifice ourselves for others.

Every Christian is to pursue holiness. Every Christian is called to live a holy life. Every Christian is to strive to stay away from sin. Holiness is not an option. As Christians there is no exception to this call. This call is not only to pastors, Sunday School teachers, board members or members of a worship team. This call is to every Christian no matter what your age, gender, educational or economic level.

It frustrates me when I hear horror stories of Christians who practice the sin of the world all week and expect to serve in positions in the church on Sunday. We are commanded to step out and be different from the world. Every Christian is called to be holy. Because God is holy, He can never excuse or overlook any sin we commit, however small it may be. The second we compromise for what we categorize as a small sin in our lives, many will soon follow. There isn't a place for compromise in a Christian's life.

Sometimes we try to justify to God some action which our own conscience calls into question. But if we truly grasp the significance of God's perfect holiness, we will readily see we can never justify before Him even the slightest deviation from His perfect will. God does not accept the excuse, "Well, that's just the way I am," or even the more hopeful statement, "Well, I'm still growing in that area of my life." God's holiness does not make allowance for minor flaws or shortcomings in our personal character.

The quote today is so powerful because what is in our hearts will come out of our mouths. If anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy, sin, etc. is hiding in our hearts, those things will surely spill out when jolted!

"Make every effort..... to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord"
(Hebrews 12:14). After people commit their lives to Christ, they still feel a pull back to their old ways. Peter tells us to be like our heavenly Father - holy in everything we do. Holiness means being totally devoted or dedicated to God, set aside for his special use, and set apart from sin and its influence. We're to be set apart and different, not blending in with the crowd, yet not being different just for the sake of being different. What makes us different are God's qualities in our lives. Our focus and priorities must be His. All this is in direct contrast to our old ways. We cannot become holy on our own, but God gives us His Holy Spirit to help us obey and to give us power to overcome sin. Don't use the excuse that you can't help slipping into sin. Call on God's power to free you from sin's grip.

Miriam is hosting IOW today. Check out the other posts.

Blessings to you today as you pursue holiness in all areas of your life. God is truly calling each of us to a higher level in our walk with Him.

Thankful Thursday - Mentoring

Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage is the host today for TT. Check out her site and the great posts from others.

What is mentoring?

Identify in your mind one or two good memories that stand out from all others in your childhood. What do you remember the most about going to church or attending Sunday School when you were a child?

As we think about the defining moments of our life most often they focus on a person or several people. Maybe it was a Sunday School teacher, a pastor, a teacher in school or professor in college. We all have people in our lives who we are eternally grateful for what they have invested into our life.

Christian mentors are people who have a spiritual commitment. They are committed to life change. High on their priority list is the development of excellence in another individual so that the individual grows in her Christian life.

All of us need mentors who are mature in Christ. People who have been through life's experiences. Someone who is willing to share not only their strengths, but also their weaknesses. Someone who is willing to share their successes and failures. Mentoring is the process of learning from those who have traveled the road before us, the encouragement and sharpening from those alongside us and the reproducing of ourselves in younger women.

Clearly, one the greatest models of mentoring and disciple making is that of our Lord Jesus Christ. He chose twelve men from various walks of life and discipled them into becoming the foundation of the church. Even though one of them betrayed Jesus, eleven disciples remained faithful and became great examples to all of what investment in one's life can produce. Jesus saw in each disciple who they could become. He spent quality time with them. They hung out together. He encouraged them and prayed for them. He taught them God's Word. Jesus invested Himself into these men.

Mentoring is one of my favorite things I do in ministry. I have facilitated mentorship groups in our church for eight years. I am now praying in preparation for organizing groups for next year. I love spending time with the many ladies in the groups. They speak into my life as much as I speak into theirs. Also, the mentoring relationship is about multiplication. The investment never ends with the depth of the people involved in the relationship, but continues to build and multiply as the mentoree speaks into the lives of others.

We all need someone in our lives who we can always count on if we need them. I am so thankful that I can call upon individuals who will listen to me, who will pray for me and encourage me. These ladies are Godly influences in my life who have made themselves available to me. I am grateful for those mentors.

Blessings!