Luke 12:28; Matt 16:25; Gal 2:20
The other day my son-in-law asked me a question that stumped me a moment. I knew what he wanted in a way but had trouble with the answer. It took me awhile to understand the confusion in me.
The question: "Donna, what would you do if you had no children or grandchildren? What would you do if you could do anything you wanted to do? What would you do for you, if there was just you?
The first impression was sadness for I could not imagine not having my children and grandchildren. To think of life without them hurt some. After I wrapped my mind around the reason for the question, I realized that he, someone who had not children, could not understand the myriad of emotions that ran through me. Children change your life. You get your first lesson in self sacrifice, a sacrifice that causes you to die, if necessary for your child. Because of the pause he asked again.
"You seem to have lived your whole life serving others, living to help friends, your children and now grandchildren. What would you like to do for just you? What would you do with your life if it was just you?"
The answer finally came something like this: "I've made a lot of mistakes, however the one thing I am sure of and thankful for is Christ. Giving my life away to Christ means I no longer live. So the choices I make are based on that relationship. Since I gave my life away, I am doing what I want to do."
After they left I spent a few days thinking deeper about people in general and the unrest all around us. The lack of peace, direction, joy and the preoccupation with "I want it my way."
You see, life will be over soon. Life is as unstable as an evaporating drop of water. The only thing that matters is Christ and His life, His ways, His direction, His will and He clearly states His will in the Scripture. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. Then love your neighbor as yourself.
What does that mean to you? To me it means Jesus first, Others second and You last. It has taken years to come to this conclusion. Many mistakes, wrong turns and selfish decisions. But real joy is found only in Christ and what he wants. My life is not my own.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Thank you
1 John 3:16-18
Memorial Day, how did you spend this day? I went about as usual, knowing that the evening was set aside for family. During the day I noticed a few programs on television that honored our service men. Daystar, through the Joni program asked a color guard to perform. Did we talk about the day or think about why we set the day aside? Not really. It wasn't till my Toastmasters group the next day that thoughts and appreciation on Memorial day were shared. We talked about the flag, pigeons used in world war I and II, America and all it means to us, and those who die for our freedoms. That was the day my heart went out, that was the day of thankfulness toward one who gives his life or one who is willing to give his life.
I resolved to not let another Memorial Day pass with such casual remembrance. My children and grandchildren need to know the importance. Without the shot that rang around the world to the man or woman in the desert of Iraq we would not enjoy the most free, the richest and most blessed country in the world...America.
Several thoughts were tossed around in that one hour at Toastmasters. Table Topics, a time for impromptu speaking, centered on the flag. That one subject alone covered Memorial Day. It made us all think about the stripes and stars. The colors and what they mean. How the flag is honored and handled. My words remembered how it was in the fifties when I went to school and how we prayed to open the day and pledged allegiance to the flag. I fell in love with my country in the first grade. Others talked about their appreciation of service men and how much we need them, how freedom is NOT free...someone pays. Another indicated how God was first and family second but that her country held a dear third, indicating that America ranks high in her heart. We talked about various wars and all came to the same conclusion, the conclusion of 1 John. There is no greater love than when one lays down their life for another. The message written on our flag.
Thank you, who ever you are for laying down your life and for being willing to lay down your life. Thank you also to your families. All this that we might enjoy the freedoms we enjoy.
And...Thank you Christ, for laying your life down for us, that we might receive Eternal Life.
Thank you.
Memorial Day, how did you spend this day? I went about as usual, knowing that the evening was set aside for family. During the day I noticed a few programs on television that honored our service men. Daystar, through the Joni program asked a color guard to perform. Did we talk about the day or think about why we set the day aside? Not really. It wasn't till my Toastmasters group the next day that thoughts and appreciation on Memorial day were shared. We talked about the flag, pigeons used in world war I and II, America and all it means to us, and those who die for our freedoms. That was the day my heart went out, that was the day of thankfulness toward one who gives his life or one who is willing to give his life.
I resolved to not let another Memorial Day pass with such casual remembrance. My children and grandchildren need to know the importance. Without the shot that rang around the world to the man or woman in the desert of Iraq we would not enjoy the most free, the richest and most blessed country in the world...America.
Several thoughts were tossed around in that one hour at Toastmasters. Table Topics, a time for impromptu speaking, centered on the flag. That one subject alone covered Memorial Day. It made us all think about the stripes and stars. The colors and what they mean. How the flag is honored and handled. My words remembered how it was in the fifties when I went to school and how we prayed to open the day and pledged allegiance to the flag. I fell in love with my country in the first grade. Others talked about their appreciation of service men and how much we need them, how freedom is NOT free...someone pays. Another indicated how God was first and family second but that her country held a dear third, indicating that America ranks high in her heart. We talked about various wars and all came to the same conclusion, the conclusion of 1 John. There is no greater love than when one lays down their life for another. The message written on our flag.
Thank you, who ever you are for laying down your life and for being willing to lay down your life. Thank you also to your families. All this that we might enjoy the freedoms we enjoy.
And...Thank you Christ, for laying your life down for us, that we might receive Eternal Life.
Thank you.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Unto Me
Matt 25:36; John 21:16
When someone goes out of their way to take care of someone I love, I more than just appreciate their action. I feel as if they took care of me. When someone harms them, I feel as if they harmed me. It's basic. Each of us feels the same way about those we love. As a mother and grandmother my heart intertwines around those dear to me. I am sure you feel the same way. When anyone has assisted or encouraged my loved ones physically, financially, spiritually or emotionally, I feel as if they did it unto me.
Jesus said in the verse above take care of my sheep. He asks us all to love one another as He loves us. He calls us to care for, visit, encourage, help and protect those He loves. When we do these things we show love toward Him. When you do it unto these you do it unto me. This indicates to me that God, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God, hurts when we are harmed and rejoices when we are encouraged or assisted just as if it were done unto Him.
1 John says we love God because He first loved us. In other words the love we sense inside of us for God is a result of Him loving us. Since this love comes from Him and is guided by Him our natural response is to release this love into the world around us. Let's not just say we Love God, or we love each other. Let's show it by our actions.
Love without action is not love. Agape = Action.
* If this love for God is not inside your heart, then call onto Him. He will draw you onto Himself, free you from sin's power and fill you with a love you will not be able to contain. Why live your whole life here on earth and miss the real thing?
When someone goes out of their way to take care of someone I love, I more than just appreciate their action. I feel as if they took care of me. When someone harms them, I feel as if they harmed me. It's basic. Each of us feels the same way about those we love. As a mother and grandmother my heart intertwines around those dear to me. I am sure you feel the same way. When anyone has assisted or encouraged my loved ones physically, financially, spiritually or emotionally, I feel as if they did it unto me.
Jesus said in the verse above take care of my sheep. He asks us all to love one another as He loves us. He calls us to care for, visit, encourage, help and protect those He loves. When we do these things we show love toward Him. When you do it unto these you do it unto me. This indicates to me that God, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God, hurts when we are harmed and rejoices when we are encouraged or assisted just as if it were done unto Him.
1 John says we love God because He first loved us. In other words the love we sense inside of us for God is a result of Him loving us. Since this love comes from Him and is guided by Him our natural response is to release this love into the world around us. Let's not just say we Love God, or we love each other. Let's show it by our actions.
Love without action is not love. Agape = Action.
* If this love for God is not inside your heart, then call onto Him. He will draw you onto Himself, free you from sin's power and fill you with a love you will not be able to contain. Why live your whole life here on earth and miss the real thing?
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Abuse
Abuse. It is impossible to avoid this subject. Already this month I have heard several stories, met people and received information on abuse. Abuse operates on a constant basis, is all around each of us every day and as a result requires an answer. Abuse in nothing new. The bible is filled with examples of people who harm each other.
Abuse is behavior that crosses boundaries any person sets for their life. It can seem severe or slight but is always devastating. Anytime one person crosses boundaries set by another it is abuse. Abuse can be emotional, physical, spiritual or verbal.
Boundaries are the physical, emotional, spiritual, verbal action you will or will not allow. Children have personal boundaries but adults play God anyway. Children belong to God and are in our care. They are not toys or possessions for our own pride, lust and pleasure. They are precious to God, have boundaries and need to be respected. They instinctively know what hurts and shames. Please pay attention and treat them with respect and encourage others to do the same.
Child abuse signs:
Changed routines, acting differently, complains about activities or people they previously enjoyed, withdraws from parents, with draws from friends, bathroom difficulty, bed wetting, daytime accidents, increased moodiness or depression, increases aggressive behavior, decline in academic performance, difficulties with peers, increases sexual behavior.
How children feel: Fear, shame, low self image, guilty, thought they should have fought harder, think it is their fault, think they caused the abuse, fear parents wont love them any more, wont talk about it.
How can a parent or adult help? Listen, allow feelings, remove shame, don't be shocked or say you should have, offer unconditional acceptance, love, value. Don't pry but encourage as much conversation and communication as possible. Get professional help.
Emotional abuse: Anything that creates uneasy, hurtful response in your feelings through another who crosses your boundary.
Examples: They steel your time, they call or send unwanted messages, they infringe on your activities, they dig into your heart, possessive, verbal harm, they become baggage in your life, they make you tired, they don't take no for an answer and much more. Emotionally draining people suck the life out of you and do and say things that hurt your heart.
Spiritual abuse: Anyone who uses the word of God to control, shame,or lead another into uneasy hurtful response or situations.
Example: "God told me you were to do this. The Bible says..... so you have to...." Anytime the word of God is used against another to get them into a specific frame of mind to do or say anything that goes against their personal boundaries.
Verbal abuse: Words that shame, hurt, destroy, lie and lead another into destructive feelings.
Examples: One who rants, rages, raves to or around another. Negative, shame filled verbiage against another. Name calling, ridicule, fear talk, threats.
Physical abuse: Anyone who beats, rapes, molests, neglects responsibilities or crosses physical boundaries set.
Examples: Neglect physical provision for children or others in their care, slap, hit, rape, molest, beat. In appropriate roughhousing, wrestling, tickling, touching, hugging, or lap holding beyond a boundary.
The information in the blog today is only the tip of the ice berg. Those who abuse have been abused and the cycle just continues. Let's try to bring it to an end in our own individual personal world. Jesus Christ is the only one who can help those who abuse and those abused.
Remember you DO have the right and power to place any type of boundaries you want to place for your personal life. You must place the boundary. Take care of the little person inside you and while your at it help innocent children around you who do not have the power to protect themselves
Helpful Books: Mending the Soul book and work book by Steven R Tracy.
Their ministry is called Mending the Soul. It is in the Phoenix, Arizona area.
Matt:9:11-13; Heb 4:11; John 10:10; Ecc. 4:9-10; Eph 4:26; Rom 8:28; Psm 51:6; Dan 2:22 Matt. ll: 28-30; Jerm. 29:11-14; Rom 10:13; 1 Thess 5:11
Abuse is behavior that crosses boundaries any person sets for their life. It can seem severe or slight but is always devastating. Anytime one person crosses boundaries set by another it is abuse. Abuse can be emotional, physical, spiritual or verbal.
Boundaries are the physical, emotional, spiritual, verbal action you will or will not allow. Children have personal boundaries but adults play God anyway. Children belong to God and are in our care. They are not toys or possessions for our own pride, lust and pleasure. They are precious to God, have boundaries and need to be respected. They instinctively know what hurts and shames. Please pay attention and treat them with respect and encourage others to do the same.
Child abuse signs:
Changed routines, acting differently, complains about activities or people they previously enjoyed, withdraws from parents, with draws from friends, bathroom difficulty, bed wetting, daytime accidents, increased moodiness or depression, increases aggressive behavior, decline in academic performance, difficulties with peers, increases sexual behavior.
How children feel: Fear, shame, low self image, guilty, thought they should have fought harder, think it is their fault, think they caused the abuse, fear parents wont love them any more, wont talk about it.
How can a parent or adult help? Listen, allow feelings, remove shame, don't be shocked or say you should have, offer unconditional acceptance, love, value. Don't pry but encourage as much conversation and communication as possible. Get professional help.
Emotional abuse: Anything that creates uneasy, hurtful response in your feelings through another who crosses your boundary.
Examples: They steel your time, they call or send unwanted messages, they infringe on your activities, they dig into your heart, possessive, verbal harm, they become baggage in your life, they make you tired, they don't take no for an answer and much more. Emotionally draining people suck the life out of you and do and say things that hurt your heart.
Spiritual abuse: Anyone who uses the word of God to control, shame,or lead another into uneasy hurtful response or situations.
Example: "God told me you were to do this. The Bible says..... so you have to...." Anytime the word of God is used against another to get them into a specific frame of mind to do or say anything that goes against their personal boundaries.
Verbal abuse: Words that shame, hurt, destroy, lie and lead another into destructive feelings.
Examples: One who rants, rages, raves to or around another. Negative, shame filled verbiage against another. Name calling, ridicule, fear talk, threats.
Physical abuse: Anyone who beats, rapes, molests, neglects responsibilities or crosses physical boundaries set.
Examples: Neglect physical provision for children or others in their care, slap, hit, rape, molest, beat. In appropriate roughhousing, wrestling, tickling, touching, hugging, or lap holding beyond a boundary.
The information in the blog today is only the tip of the ice berg. Those who abuse have been abused and the cycle just continues. Let's try to bring it to an end in our own individual personal world. Jesus Christ is the only one who can help those who abuse and those abused.
Remember you DO have the right and power to place any type of boundaries you want to place for your personal life. You must place the boundary. Take care of the little person inside you and while your at it help innocent children around you who do not have the power to protect themselves
Helpful Books: Mending the Soul book and work book by Steven R Tracy.
Their ministry is called Mending the Soul. It is in the Phoenix, Arizona area.
Matt:9:11-13; Heb 4:11; John 10:10; Ecc. 4:9-10; Eph 4:26; Rom 8:28; Psm 51:6; Dan 2:22 Matt. ll: 28-30; Jerm. 29:11-14; Rom 10:13; 1 Thess 5:11
Sunday, May 20, 2007
New Life
Once we repent, believe and receive new life begins in us. We are no longer the same. God now lives inside our spirit. When He comes in and takes up residence several changes occur. These are just a few.
We become a new creation - 2 Cor.5:17
We have a new heart - Heb. 8:10
We are forgiven - Col.2:13-14; Heb. 10L10-14
We are perfect in His sight - Heb. 10:14
We have Eternal Life - John 5:24; 1 John 5: 11-13
We are delivered - Col. 1:13
We have the righteousness of Christ - Col.2:9-10; 2Cor. 5:21
We are justified - Romans 3:23-24, 28
We are accepted - Col. 1:19-22
We are heirs of God - Gal 4:7
There is no guilt or condemnation - John 3:17-18; Romans 8:1-3
We are baptized into His body - 1 Cor. 12-13
We are sealed in Him - Eph. 1-13
We are reconciled to God - Rom5:10
We are holy - Col. 1:22
We are hidden in Him - Col. 3:3
We are clothed in Him - Gal. 3:27
We are complete in Him - Col. 2:9-10
God lives in us - Col. 1:27; Rev. 3: 20; Rom. 8:11
We are loved, valued, accepted - John 5 :12-13
We become a new creation - 2 Cor.5:17
We have a new heart - Heb. 8:10
We are forgiven - Col.2:13-14; Heb. 10L10-14
We are perfect in His sight - Heb. 10:14
We have Eternal Life - John 5:24; 1 John 5: 11-13
We are delivered - Col. 1:13
We have the righteousness of Christ - Col.2:9-10; 2Cor. 5:21
We are justified - Romans 3:23-24, 28
We are accepted - Col. 1:19-22
We are heirs of God - Gal 4:7
There is no guilt or condemnation - John 3:17-18; Romans 8:1-3
We are baptized into His body - 1 Cor. 12-13
We are sealed in Him - Eph. 1-13
We are reconciled to God - Rom5:10
We are holy - Col. 1:22
We are hidden in Him - Col. 3:3
We are clothed in Him - Gal. 3:27
We are complete in Him - Col. 2:9-10
God lives in us - Col. 1:27; Rev. 3: 20; Rom. 8:11
We are loved, valued, accepted - John 5 :12-13
ENJOY YOUR NEW LIFE !
Repent, believe and recieve
If you were to die tonight, would you live eternally with God in His heaven?
Repent and Believe
Sin separates us from God. Christ died on the cross and took the punishment for all our sins(past, present, future). God totally accepts and forgives us because of that sacrifice. He asks us to believe in this provision, a provision He offers to bring us to Himself. Belief is an action of the heart. This action brings us to repentance as we trust in what Christ did on the cross(died in our place and paid the penalty for sin.) John 3:16; 10:10;14:6;1:12. Romans 3:23;6:23;5:8-10;8:11. Repent, believe and recieve.
Receive
Once we repent and believe we are then asked to receive. That means to personally invite Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, into our lives. When He comes into our life upon invitation, He gives us Eternal Life and prepares a place for us in Heaven. He who has God's Son has life and he who does not have God's Son does not have life. 1John 5:12.
Repent, believe and recieve.... Lord Jesus I need you. Please forgive me of my sin and come into my life as Lord and Savior. Thank you.
If you were to die tonight, would you go to Heaven?
Monday, May 14, 2007
Ask
I've worked with the public for over 45 years. The nature of my chosen profession allows me to hear the personal details of every one's life. For some reason once their hair gets wet and I place that drape across them, they feel secure and hidden, as if no one can see or hear them think out loud. A few usual questions about family, job, friends and I become a counselor,which, by the way is someone who listens and says little.
I've noticed that bad even horrendous things happen to everyone. Some experienced tragedy, like lose of children, parents or husbands due to war, murder, car accidents or disease. Others are victims, like in child abuse or domestic violence. One woman told of how her husband put her in the hospital and to this day suffers from brain damage. Even stories of homeless living reach my ears.
These troubles and tragedies disturb me. Often I've ask God why. What good does it do to allow this stuff to happen. You can stop this type of suffering. Why let it happen at all. Have you ever asked this question?
Then I listen to Joyce Meyers and see her life. She was molested by her father every day during child hood. She admits it left her angry and hurt long after Christ came into her life and well into adulthood. The horrendous things human being do to each other have a miserable effect on lives, innocent lives and it leaves a mark for a life time.... Why God? Well Joyce Meyers has a beautiful answer to her abuse. You must read her book sometime.
The answer Joyce Meyers gives helps; but each of us must go to God and listen to the answer for our own lives. You see, I know everyone who reads this has a issue with abuse, tragedy and troubles. No one escapes life. Why, If God is sovereign, does He allow this. Let me give you the answer He gave for my life.
It came in the form of a picture. Draw a gingerbread man. Draw a heart and place in the heart the name Jesus. Above his head write God's Love. Now from opposite directions above the head and under the words God's Love lead two lines into the gingerbread man down through the heart, down to the feet back up through the heart and out the arms into the world. Look at the picture a moment. This is God's answer to not only horrendous happenings. It is His answer to life.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20
Whether we come to this conclusion because of the bad things that happen to us or not. The answer to life with Christ is still the same and this answer will heal us everywhere we hurt.
Ask the necessary questions. Ask Him into your life. Ask Him to heal you. Ask Him to live his life through you. Ask Him to change what needs to be changed. Ask Him. Ephesians 3:20.
I've noticed that bad even horrendous things happen to everyone. Some experienced tragedy, like lose of children, parents or husbands due to war, murder, car accidents or disease. Others are victims, like in child abuse or domestic violence. One woman told of how her husband put her in the hospital and to this day suffers from brain damage. Even stories of homeless living reach my ears.
These troubles and tragedies disturb me. Often I've ask God why. What good does it do to allow this stuff to happen. You can stop this type of suffering. Why let it happen at all. Have you ever asked this question?
Then I listen to Joyce Meyers and see her life. She was molested by her father every day during child hood. She admits it left her angry and hurt long after Christ came into her life and well into adulthood. The horrendous things human being do to each other have a miserable effect on lives, innocent lives and it leaves a mark for a life time.... Why God? Well Joyce Meyers has a beautiful answer to her abuse. You must read her book sometime.
The answer Joyce Meyers gives helps; but each of us must go to God and listen to the answer for our own lives. You see, I know everyone who reads this has a issue with abuse, tragedy and troubles. No one escapes life. Why, If God is sovereign, does He allow this. Let me give you the answer He gave for my life.
It came in the form of a picture. Draw a gingerbread man. Draw a heart and place in the heart the name Jesus. Above his head write God's Love. Now from opposite directions above the head and under the words God's Love lead two lines into the gingerbread man down through the heart, down to the feet back up through the heart and out the arms into the world. Look at the picture a moment. This is God's answer to not only horrendous happenings. It is His answer to life.
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20
Whether we come to this conclusion because of the bad things that happen to us or not. The answer to life with Christ is still the same and this answer will heal us everywhere we hurt.
Ask the necessary questions. Ask Him into your life. Ask Him to heal you. Ask Him to live his life through you. Ask Him to change what needs to be changed. Ask Him. Ephesians 3:20.
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