I'm Hungry

This past Sunday, I brought my youngest to the nursery. He doesn't like to be away from me and cried the whole time. Half way through the service I had to go get him because he was just sitting at the door crying, non-stop. Poor guy. Thankfully our church has a cry room set up at the back of the sanctuary so we can see and hear the service without disturbing the other patrons. Unfortunately that means I missed a little chunk of the sermon. It was a good one too. That evening we watched Courageous. We have movie night once a month with concessions that support missions.

The topic was "I'm hungry"

There are times when I get so into a project that the rest of life and the world seem to disappear. Hours later, when I run out of steam or finish, I realize, "Where did the time go!" Then I realize, "Man, I'm hungry!" We do the same thing spiritually. We get busy with our jobs, appointments, activities, chores, etc... Even though we had planned on doing a devotional this morning we just got caught up in something else. I know this happens to me when my kids wake up before or with me. At the end of the day when it is bed time I still don't always get to that devotion because I'm so worn out and as soon as I get the kids all into bed I crash too. I know others can relate. God gets put on the back burner. We intend to devote time and attention to him, but life happens. The world is moving busily.

 We need to stop and take a moment to ask ourselves "What am I hungry for?" Our hunger leads us. If we're hungry for Italian food we're not going to eat at a Mexican restaurant. If we want ice cream we're not going to eat pop corn. What are we hungry for? Are we hungry for money, for possessions, for friends, for power, or for God?

When we allow ourselves to get full of everything but God, we leave no room for Him. Just like a person who has eaten their fill at a meal refuses dessert, because they have no room for it.

When we ask what we're hungry for and the answer is not God, then we need to begin to cultivate a hunger for him. God tells us to hunger and thirst after righteousness. God is righteousness.

Psalm 107:8-9

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
   and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
⁹ for he satisfies the thirsty
   and fills the hungry with good things. 

Proverbs 27:7

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁷ One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
   but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

Matthew 5:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be filled.

James 1:21

New International Version (NIV)

²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 

2 Timothy 4:3-4

New International Version (NIV)

³ For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 

1 Corinthians 14

New International Version (NIV)

 ¹ Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.

1 Corinthians 12:7-10

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^[b]

Guardrails

Last night, I actually attended church in the evening. I'm glad I did. We had connection groups. It was the start of a series about spiritual guardrails.We discussed the importance of having personal spiritual guardrails. Guidelines that we hold in place for ourselves without expecting others to follow them. Many people have them whether they are spiritual or not. It is that invisible boundary we've put up to keep us from an area of life that we consider to be dangerous. An example of one of my guardrails is choosing to mainly listen to worship music. I don't expect anyone else to do that, but it is a boundary I have for myself. Words are important to me. They mean something to me. Even when naming my kids, I paid special attention to the names I was bestowing upon them. I avoided names that would curse them and chose ones that would bless them. I really like the name Calvin and was a big fan of Calvin and Hobbes growing up. I wanted to name one of my children that, but then I read that it means bald. I decided not to use it. There is nothing wrong with a man being bald, but I have seen the blow to a man's self esteem from hair loss and I don't want my sons to deal with it. Does naming them Calvin mean they will become bald some day. No. I'm still not going to speak that over them, though. With words meaning so much to me, I chose to avoid listening to songs with lyrics that I feel don't encourage or benefit who I'm wanting to be.Not everyone takes words so seriously and I don't expect them to. That's why I don't expect everyone to have the same guard up about music as I do for myself. Unfortunately people don't always understand that it is a personal thing. They see it as a holier than thou thing and a judgement upon them, if they don't follow the guidelines. I have felt that way myself. I hope, as we continue to study this, that I will not only strengthen my own guardrails, but I will not be so sensitive to the guardrails that others hold for themselves.

February 19, 2012

Being missional is being a witness for God. This was the message at church today.

"Taking the message of the master to the masses through ministry."

Psalm 16:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
   you will fill me with joy in your presence,
   with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

 

Psalm 108:3

New International Version (NIV)

³ I will praise you, LORD, among the nations;
   I will sing of you among the peoples.

 

Isaiah 52:7

New International Version (NIV)

 ⁷ How beautiful on the mountains
   are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
   who bring good tidings,
   who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
   “Your God reigns!”

Matthew 6:21

New International Version (NIV)

²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

 

Matthew 9:36-38

New International Version (NIV)

³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

 

 

Matthew 10:7-8

New International Version (NIV)

⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

John 4:35

New International Version (NIV)

³⁵ Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

 

Acts 1:8

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

 

Romans 10:11-15

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”^{[a] 12} For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”^{[b]  14} How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”^[c]
 

"I know I'm not perfect, but at least I'm not what I was." God spoke to me through the minister's statement. I've been struggling with my past hurt for a while now. I don't want to, but it keeps creeping up on me and I look at myself and all that I've thought was wrong with me, and I haven't really looked at what is good or right with me. I have allowed my heart to be focused on the wrong things. When God got a hold of my heart my life changed. Yes I was still being hurt in the same old ways, but I had Him. When I had kids, a struggle began. I fought against the wrong ways that I was taught and every time I failed I held on to that failure. I got so focused on my mistakes that I didn't see how much I've grown or changed. I didn't see what I was doing right or good. Connecting my mistakes with the mistakes my parents made, especially my mom, brought up a lot of pain that I'd never dealt with before. I'd just swallowed it and tucked it away somewhere. Even this very morning, I was talking to my husband about how I hated seeing my hurt bring hurt to my children. These words, "I know I'm not perfect, but at least I'm not what I was." gave me some perspective. Those hurts may be there from my past, but I am not that broken little girl anymore. When God got a hold of my heart, my life changed! As I thought about how different I am from what I was becoming when I gave my heart to the Lord, I realized for all the mistakes and all the failures I've made I'm doing much better than I could've been. I have done many things right and succeeded at things that I may not even be aware of. I know a young lady who reminds me a lot of myself before I gave God my heart. She is hurting and broken. Her mother reminds me a lot of my own. Until I heard this message, I was really close to telling my girls I didn't really want them playing with her. What kind of influence would she be for them? What negative doors was she opening in their lives? Sure they're probably a good influence on her, but was it worth the risk? Sadly many of us "Christians" think like that. We forget that Jesus (as my dear friend put it) "kicked it with sinners." We don't seem to really understand what it means to "Love our enemies" and "Our neighbors" To turn our backs on a family in need is the opposite of what God commands of us. This family should be in our prayers. We should be loving them, knowing how God is the King of miracles. After all we can look at ourselves and allow God to open our eyes to how drastically he changed us. Any time we touch someone we should be doing it with the love of God. Anytime we pray for someone, give to missions, offer support we should be doing it with the love of God. The best way to reach out in such a loving way is to remember to spend time in worship. Spending time with God, just as we do to reconnect with our spouse, our kids, our best friends. When we do that we are better able to answer his call to "Take the message of the master to the masses through ministry."

February 18, 2012

I'm terrible about getting on here. I just haven't made it a priority.

I entered a writing contest, but didn't make the final cut. At first I felt very disappointed and discouraged. Then I thought about the fact that I still achieved a few things. I actually finished writing a book and even took the risk to put it into the contest! That is a huge deal and certainly nothing to be overshadowed by a little rejection. I figure, now that I'm not stressing to finish it, I will review it and see if I want to make revisions. Then, hopefully, I can have a few people critique it for me so I can get outside perspectives. I do plan on trying again and again until it is accepted. I've also started on the sequel. I'm pretty excited.

As I did the daily acts of love thing, I'll admit, it wasn't always on my mind. My eyes have been opened, though, to some things that need to change in our family dynamic. I'm home with my kids pretty much non-stop, yet they still go to bed hungry for love and attention. Why? Because the quality of our time needs improvement. It saddens me that we're together, but so busy that the time isn't actually fulfilling. I'm now working on ways to improve that. I know I can't do it alone and am praying about it all.