WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IN MY WALK THROUGH LIFE WITH JESUS
My view of people from other denominations drastically changed when I joined the right-to-life movement in the mid-70’s. When we women united for the cause of defending the unborn, the women there were the cream of the crop from area churches. They were devout and knowledgeable. They were loving and caring. We could discuss religion without the discussion ever becoming heated. We were united on the one issue, and it brought us closer as Christians. I saw that they were serving the Lord to the best of their knowledge and belief, just as I was. The cause of abortion had united us, but the good that came of it was that we were able to share and compare beliefs in a loving setting. I longed for that to occur more often throughout the community of churches, but under better circumstances. On the other hand, if you multiply my experience with that of other people in other towns and cities, perhaps God is taking this evil and extracting more good than what I realize.
We learn from other people's mistakes. Had they not made those mistakes, we might be making the same ones. In other words, most of us who sit in judgment of those who made mistakes are no better than they -- just luckier.
I believe one of the greatest sins a church can commit is to split. It is akin to divorce. Both division and divorce are devastating to the parties involved and for many others who are caught up in the ripple effect. A church, meaning the people, should throw all their energies into making things work. The church is like a family. They should exhaust every avenue of reconciliation. God hates division. The one who is guilty of causing the split--even if it is to force the other wing to separate itself from the unacceptable actions or attitudes of their own wing--is not just causing a separation in the church family; that wing is separating itself from God.
A PERSONAL REFLECTION ABOUT DEPRESSION: Make depression and anxiety work for you: Pour your emotions into an art form such as singing, playing an instrument, writing, sculpting, etc., or if you’re into sports, give it your all. An art form without emotions poured into it is like the difference between creative writing and a newspaper article. Persons with ADHD may have bouts of depression while dealing with their unwanted behaviors, especially as a child, but they have excess energy and emotions and therefore when they become adults, they become hard workers and they fit right in with the teenagers. They have the energy to lead teenagers while the rest of us have lost energy. People who have had bouts of depression are more empathetic to others who are going through a phase of depression. Sometimes just talking it out makes a big difference. People who have had situational depression are better equipped to handle a future situation because they have been through a storm or storms and realize the sun will shine again. They actually become stronger. Self-discipline is needed in order to be an overcomer of depression or anxiety. "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" I Corinthians 9:24-27, NIV. Focus on serving others and give it your all. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." Eccl. 9:10a.
When a person you should love but don’t dies, you are left with a clear picture of what a wonderful person the deceased really was. The devil ceases to whisper lies in your ear about that person. You realize you wasted precious moments and robbed yourself of a close relationship with that person because you focused on the negative and believed the father of lies. You grieve all the more not only because of the lost time with the person before the death, but because you are left with such a burden of guilt. Better to see that person through God’s eyes before his or her time on earth is done. And then maybe the same will be done for you before you pass away.
One cannot trust advice from a person whose morals are weak. Only those who wish to follow the same path as the person giving advice would seek that morally weak person’s advice and they would do so in order to validate their own behavior (or misbehavior).
Choice: We can all make our own choices. We are free to do so spiritually and in everyday life. But with wrong choices come consequences and some of them are severe and last a lifetime. When you choose your fun, choose well, keeping in mind that a few minutes or a few hours of the wrong kind of fun can lead to life-altering consequences along with a lifetime of shame, guilt and/or sorrow. Those life-altering consequences have a ripple effect of grief throughout the family and friends.
Our mistakes or sins, as painful as they may be when the consequences set in, are what bring us into a closer relationship with Christ. It is through our bad choices that we hopefully become remorseful, repentant and dependent on Him. Take responsibility for your sins and ask for God's guidance, grace and mercy. You will be forever grateful you did.
A person cannot be transparent when that person is cloaked in deceit. Honesty is found in transparency.
There is a fine line between being a private person and hiding a secret life.
He who believes his own lies is not honest. "He who is evil in little is evil in much." KJV
Behind every sin is a lie believed. --Prof. Albert McGee, St. Louis Christian College
Too many times when teenagers (and others) are seeking happiness, they make decisions that cause life-altering situations and they get grief instead. Happiness comes in avoiding situations that could bring grief and the result will be peace and contentment instead of an artificial happiness or temporary high that brings profound unhappiness.
We were not put on earth to see how much happiness we can find. Life isn't about us as individuals. We were put here to put others ahead of ourselves, God being at the top of the list. We are expected to approach each situation with honesty, integrity and responsibility and we are to treat each person with love. I personally find no greater joy than when I think I have done something that pleased God. But then I have to battle losing my humility. I want to tell the world I pleased God. I want to shout it from the rooftops. But God prefers that my left hand doesn't know what my right hand is doing instead of using either hand to pat myself on the back.
God works in mysterious ways. Never believe that you are insignificant in God's sight because you are poor and unknown. God may be working through your circumstances. Bringing someone into an eternal life with Jesus is way more important than money, popularity or power. "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." James 5:20
IS THE CHURCH A CONGREGATION OF LOVING PEOPLE OR A BUSINESS?
To begin with, this nation is embattled in a spiritual war and we are not prepared. We don’t read our Bibles enough, we don’t pray enough, we are not vocal enough, we are not active enough and we are timid. We’ve got to do better if we are going to save this nation and please God. We have allowed the murders of millions upon millions of babies over the years, 1/3 OF THE population since 1973; 50% of all marriages end in divorce; marriage is no longer defined as between a man and a woman; people are changing their genders; God is being taken out of the public eye; church people are being killed not only in other countries but too often right here in the U.S.A; corruption is taking over government and business. And so continues "the silence of the lambs." Church people have lost their way. Churches are run like businesses with business people in charge. They are too often entertainment oriented. They are too often less like a family of caring people. The leaders are often arrogant and full of their own ego and some of them are sinning behind the scenes, using their position in the church to feed their sin. Too many children are being molested by church members or leaders. We no longer know who to trust because the pedophiles blend in so well. We need to pray for wisdom and discernment in rooting these people out using the method outlined for us in I Corinthians 5:9-13: I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. 12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you." Using that wisdom and discernment, let's treat each church member like a family member since, in fact, we are all brothers and sisters in the family of God. See also II Thess. 3:14-15
Weeds and Church Problems
Every year church problems seem to vary. They are much like the weeds in my flower garden. After pulling weeds in my yard for over 20 years now, I have come to realize that each year a different kind of weed invades the yard and tries to take over. Sometimes it is tricky to pull the weeds without hurting the flowers. Other times it is impossible. I always think of weeds as the tares or chaff in the parables Jesus taught. Some were left to grow with the wheat, then were harvested along with the wheat, but were separated from the wheat by the wind. Others were thrown into the fire. The weeds in the parables represent the anti-Christ, or the unbelievers. Like the weeds in my flower garden, the "weeds" in the church are the problems caused by divisive people, people who are using the church for their own gain, those who are trying to lure people away from the church, etc. Every year we must deal with a different kind of problem. Weeds never go away; each year just brings a new variety of problems. Like the weeds, the problems will never leave us. When one is gone, another will take its place. We must never grow weary in getting "to the root" of the problems so that they are eradicated, never to return, because we sure don't need those problems in addition to the next batch that is sure to come.
It is a paradox that it is when we are disciplined, we are the most free, but when we become “carefree,” we become a slave to our sins. I know that this principle is true because I have seen it too many times to doubt it. To be free in Christ is to be free indeed!
I see so much poor-bashing on facebook; it breaks my heart. Not everyone who is poor is a lazy moocher. Working to make money is much more desirable than not having enough to eat, little to wear, broken-down necessities, feeling low class, and being depressed. Hundreds of applicants apply for the same job. They have no father to hand them a job on a silver platter. They may get a job but are paid oppressive wages and have no insurance or retirement benefits. Then when they draw social security, it is the lowest amount. Many are disabled or must stay home to care for a disabled person. Successful employers who gripe about those on welfare need to ask themselves if they are paying their workers fair wages or are they oppressing them. There are two sides to this story. Not all poor are the evil people they are made out to be. I am shocked every time I see or hear a Christian bashing all poor people considering the hundreds of verses in the Bible addressing that issue. Yes, I am aware of the story in the Bible about the sluggard and the ant. That story is the true side of the issue of lazy moochers who refuse to work. They are poor because they are lazy. They choose laziness over bettering themselves and supporting their families. They are the ones who need to be booted off of welfare. But then where does that leave the wife and children? God has little to say about the lazy but he has a lot to say about the poor and those who oppress the poor. If you are interested in those scriptures, let me know. I have about 4 pages ready to copy and paste.
It doesn't look good for Iraq at the "apocalypse" because Babylon is now Iraq. Christians are being killed and beheaded in that country. Those who are not Christians in other countries will not be spared torment either. It is hard for me to read Revelation because I fear now is the fear I will feel in those days if I am still alive, and I fear for the salvation of loved ones who either don't have a relationship with Jesus or are lukewarm. Then I ask myself if I am lukewarm. Am I just going through the motions of Christianity and is my heart in it as fully as it should be? I know the devil has tried to crush my faith and spirit many times and so far I have stood firm but a lot of the fire I once had is gone. Some of that also has to do with age and health problems -- or do I just use that as an excuse. This is what wars within me.
When a person cheats on their spouse, that person not only cheats on their mate, they cheat on the whole family, on both sides, many of their friends, the church people and God.
Where there's a will, there's a way -- as long as it is God's will and God's way.
As high as you can rise, you can fall. Stay humble.
Satan is the father of lies and the author of hate.
