Monday Morning Perspective

Principles of the new life was our focus yesterday as we looked at Ephesians 4:25-32.  Awesome message spoken with boldness.  The point of the entire message to me was that if we claim the new life and claim that something has happened on the inside, it should be evident on the outside!! Point taken.
One of the things Eddie brought to our attention was the anger issue.  How true that so often we get angry about how we are treated when that's just the opposite of what Jesus got angry about.  We are so wrapped up in ourselves that sometimes the only thing that makes us angry is when someone does something to us or speaks against us or doesn't agree with us or something doesn't benefit us.  A lesson I'm sure we all needed to hear.
Since we dealt with anger yesterday, I will just share with you something that has been making me angry lately...bullying.  It seems like it has been talked about on the news shows lately, at least the ones I watch.  Usually it's the talk about kids bullying kids.  It has led to trauma for many, even suicide.  Many times it's physical violence but often it's words used as weapons.  How true that it's a lie of Satan that "words will never hurt me".  I've also experienced it personally as some have told me themselves of being bullied and believe me some bullies never grow up.  There are adult bullies just as mean as kid bullies.  It takes place via texts, emails, phone calls, some are face to face but I've found that lots of times it's through technology.  Sometimes we don't see "getting things off of our chest" as bullying but I believe it is.  I remember the great restraint of a staff wife one time as she was "bullied" by someone about their anger towards how her toddler treated her toddler.  She could have reached out and "laid hands on" that woman but she didn't even reply.  I've noticed when I'm walking close to the Lord the more restraint I have when people are lashing out at me whether directly or indirectly and when I'm not where I should be I just want to "reach out and touch someone".  I must admit I have felt much anger lately on behalf of others that I feel have been bullied at the mouth of someone and struggled to find the line between defending and allowing God to be the Great Defender.  I struggle with that sometimes because I'm of the belief that God gives me information and when He does He expects me to do something with it, however I also know that at times the thing I am to do is pray and boy do I do that.  Oh, well, that will be a constant struggle I'm sure, as long as there are issues that make us angry just praying that my anger will never be on behalf of myself.  God give us eyes to see when we are guilty of being the bully and the grace to react as we should when we are the victim of it.

Thanksgiving Time Once More

I kinda hate to even start this because it's actually never ending and I will close it and forget a dozen things I failed to add but...I will anyway.  There's so many things I have to be thankful for it's hard to even know where to begin...
I'm thankful for...
Salvation, Redemption, Forgiveness and the Word.
I'm thankful for ...
A Christian heritage, A godly husband, that my 4 children are saved and live for Jesus, that my daughter married a godly man who loves Jesus and for his family and Christian heritage, for my brother, sister-in-law and precious nephews who love Jesus as well and serve Him, for my parents who led me to Christ and raised me to love Him and trust Him.
I'm thankful for...
My church family, churches who don't compromise the Word, ministers who are passionate and give it all, missionaries who don't see the sacrifice as a sacrifice, church leaders who are loyal and follow the leadership, sunday school teachers who study their lessons and serve faithfully, active church members who use their spiritual gifts and pass all the glory on to God.
I'm thankful for...
Mentors God has always placed in my life who tirelessly answer my questions and lead me, Friends who are bit ahead of me in age and experience and pass much wisdom on to me, Friends who encourage and serve as a soft place to fall, My awesome staff wives who serve alongside of me making it all worth it and much easier and they are friends as well,  Friends who have been friends for over 15 years...thank you for hanging in there even when times were tough, Friends who love me enough to give me the truth and trust me to handle it...you are real friends and I'm too old for the fake ones.
I'm thankful for...
Laughter, Fun times with girlfriends, Giggles from much younger girls who have filled my house and days with so much fun, Blogs that challenge me and encourage me, make me laugh and make me cry, Facebook that has reconnected me with people I have missed and lost touch with over the years.
I'm thankful for..
The hard times that have chiseled away some stuff in my life, the times when the road was rough and I got to see the best in people and got through some things I would never have believed I could have, the struggles when God showed Himself faithful, the mountains I've had to climb and the valleys I've had to walk through...I've learned so much from all of them.
MOST OF ALL I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WITHOUT WHOM ALL OF THIS WOULD BE WORTHLESS STUFF!!!

Monday Morning Perspective

Back to MMP...finally.
My man's preaching NEVER gets old!!!  There are times when I think the whole world should get to hear him bring the Word every Sunday as I have had the privilege for so many years.  I owe so much of my spiritual growth to the fact that I have been able to feast at what he has put on the table year after year.  I am so thankful for his faithfulness to study and prepare and preach what God has put on his heart and he has never entered the pulpit unprepared or lazy.  Thank you honey for taking seriously the bringing of God's Word, for making it priority in your schedule, and not giving up the pulpit often.  I have studied at the feet of other bible teachers and listened to numerous others preach and teach but none compares to what I have gained from you.  It's exhausting work not only the preaching but fighting the spiritual warfare throughout, just want you to know that this church member thinks YOU ROCK!!  My prayer is that believers everywhere would choose their church not based on programs, music, contemporary or traditional, but base it on where God's Word is preached and prioritized.
Major points God has me pondering this Monday morning...
...If we are believers, why don't we act like it.  Such a fan of living out what we say with our mouth that we believe.
...Losing sensitivity to our sin is a dangerous place to be. Never want God to turn me over to it, I want a heart quick to repent.
...What nature do we feed the most...the old self or the new?  The one we feed the most will be the one that gets stronger.  All the time and energy and money we spend to be entertained, that we give to facebook and twitter, to following and elevating hollywood "stars" and athletes who continue to let us down and live a life totally opposite of what we believe...what if just a portion of that time was spent studying God's Word and praying???  Just a thought.
I love how God continues to take the sermon throughout the week and teach me and convict me and change me.  That's kinda the point isn't it?  That's the reason most preachers do what they do...it's not just about Sunday and presenting a good message.  It's about lives being changed and my prayer is that God continues to change me cause He sure knows I'm nowhere near where I need to be.  Loving this study in Ephesians!