 |
|---|
|
|---|
______________ ______________
|
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Some mornings bring with it the very essence of chaos: the children have awakened before me and decided to redecorate and reorganize the kitchen and living area, the phone has rung 4 times and everyone on the other end of the line demands my immediate attention. The kids put too much tissue in and the toilet overflows. I am out of toothpaste, all the boys want something different to eat for breakfast, I have to get dressed, and I need to start the kids lessons by at least 9:30 and it is already 9:25. All of this and I haven’t even finished my coffee! Now, I finally get everyone fed, pancakes all around. I take care of myself and I begin the lessons on dinosaurs. They begin to complain and I become fussy and irritated as well. While they are doing independent projects I try to begin tidying up. All of a sudden they forget how to do a notebook page! What is going on today? Stress doesn’t begin to describe the way I am feeling. I continue with lessons only to stop ¾ short and call it a day. I have so much to do and things just aren’t going well. I begin to work on ministry things and all of a sudden I hit a brick wall and can’t go any farther. “Why is this happening God? What is the problem here?” I ask as I am putting up dishes from the dishwasher. “I am doing all of this because I know that it is what you want me to do. Where are you? I could use some help!” Then, just as I turn around, I see it. It is my partially sipped cup of coffee that is now cold. It is right next to my unopened bible on the kitchen table. I froze. My heart sank.  I glanced over at the chair and in my spirit I saw Him sitting at my table. He looked me in the eye and then I heard Him say, “I’ve been right here all morning. I’ve been waiting for you.” Oh my! As life as I know it happened today I forgot to sit down and spend some time with Jesus. My heart broke as I comprehended that I had been too busy to even realize that I had indeed forgotten Him. I never did sit down to read and pray. I had kept Him waiting.
All morning I had been doing things I deemed Godly and in the name of Jesus: training my children, preparing food for my family, taking care of my home, doing ministry things, and making last minute wedding decisions. Yet, I forgot one thing… the most important thing. I forgot to spend time with Him. Jesus knows He is always welcome in my home and so do my friends for that matter. However, I would never just open the door for my friends, not say a word to them, and then just disappear. I wouldn’t go off to clean up or prepare a feast without first spending time with them. I would at least thank them for coming, give some hugs, sit down and chat and laugh a bit, then go prepare some food or beverages and return for a full visit when I was done. So then, how in the world could I not give more to my Lord? We must sit at His feet in order to be raised up by Him. We must be taught by Him if we are going to teach our children. We can’t be worried about eating food and cleaning our home until we receive our daily bread from His word and receive cleansing from repentance through prayer. We can’t blame God for the multitude of work and then ask for help when we have yet to submit ourselves to Him for that day. God loves us. He is concerned over the details and will help us with them. He knows what we need but how can we expect to receive it from Him if we never spend time with Him? I stopped picking up dishes, I turned off the phone, I sent the boys outside to play and I began to read and pray. “God forgive me for not spending time with You this morning. I want to be in your presence all day. I pray that I never again forget to invite you into my day again. I need You to guide me. I know how much simpler and greater my days are when You are a part of them. I love you Lord. Please help me to never forget again.” Then I stumbled across this scripture: John 8:12 (emphasis mine) Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." I had been stumbling through darkness all morning. I realized this after I read that scripture. My day began to replay in my mind just like a movie. I heard the alarm go off, the phone ringing, I saw the mess I needed to clean, I felt the aggravation of the overflowing commode and the absence of toothpaste. I sensed the urgency of getting something to eat for the kids and getting their daily lessons started. I heard the clanking of the plates right before I turned around and saw Him. This time He smiled at me. Suddenly I heard Him say something to my spirit that I will never forget. “Amy, as long as you follow me, it is impossible that I did not walk before you and prepare the way.” Wow! How profound is that? I began to absorb this into my spirit and my intellect. It was so true. It would be impossible! If I am following Him then He has to be in front of me, my eyes must be on Him. If He is walking before me then He has to be preparing the way! He is lighting the path for me! He is showing me how to avoid the obstacles. He is guiding me through the day! How do I follow Him? I keep Him as my number one priority in everything. I go to Him every day before I do anything else. I must always be aware of His presence. I acknowledge Him everywhere I go and in everything that I do. Tomorrow morning when I wake up I will spend time with Him... before the pancakes and dinosaurs! How has your day been going? Is He still waiting for You?
I'd love for you to visit me at my personal blog: In Pursuit of Proverbs 31 Labels: Amy's Articles, Endurance, The Word Leave a comment... 9 Comments Links to this post I want to share a wonderful principle with you that my dear friend Carrie gave me. At a point when she was trying to carry a very heavy personal burden, God showed her what she was to do. And He spoke from the story of the children of Israel bringing down the walls of Jericho. In Joshua 6 we read this remarkable story where the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in." Joshua 6:2-5 ... So he had the ark of the LORD carried around the city, circling it once. Then the people returned to camp and spent the night there. Joshua 6:11 Here was a problem facing God's people, and it looked like a total impossibility. How would this group of Israelites destroy the walls of Jericho and conquer the land God had promised them? Well, God gave them the directions: March around the walls with the ark of the Lord once each day. Then go back to the camp and do what you have to do that day. Here's our own marching orders: When you've got a burden that is heavy for you to carry and your heart is breaking and you don't know what to do, you need to march around your burden - your problem, your walls of Jericho - once each day with the ark of the Lord, the Word of God. Every morning march around that problem and tell God everything that's on your heart. Take the Word of God and find promises and comfort for yourself for the day and mentally march around that problem with the Word that God has given you. Some days I march on my knees in my mind praying and speaking the promises God has given me in His Word, and other days I literally march around my house speaking forth His Words loudly. Then, once you've marched around it once, go out and do whatever it is you must do for that day and let the burden go. When the problem crops up in your mind, say, "No, sorry, but I marched around you once this morning and that's all for today. One time per day and I've left it with the Lord. It's His problem for the rest of the day." I don't know how many days (or months, or years) you'll have to march around your problem before those walls come down, but I do know that God has a future plan for you that is good, and that you can trust Him. Remember, Jesus never intended for us to carry heavy burdens. When you try to carry them all day long, you can't think of anything else, you can't get anything else done, and you're no good to anyone else. The burden you're carrying starts to have drastic effects in other areas of your life, which eventually increases the burden you are carrying. It's a lose-lose situation. But if you will follow your marching orders and turn the heavy burden over to the Lord once a day, releasing it to Him for the rest of the day, you'll discover freedom from that impossible burden you've been trying to carry. In Him...Chris Chris can also be found at her personal blog Come to the Table Labels: Chris's Articles, Prayer, Spiritual Warfare, The Word Leave a comment... 12 Comments Links to this post Today. I wrote. And deleted. Wrote...and deleted. I gazed out the window, watching the leaves flutter. Shook my head and focused again. Wrote. And deleted. And so my husband, watching this sluggish scenario, shared with me a story. Several years ago, while preparing his sermon, our minister-friend, Daniel, found himself searching for something profound to say. Something that would knock the socks off of the congregation. But nothing came. He tried to wring it out. He wrote. And deleted. Wrote...and deleted. And then… What can you say that is true? A still small voice. The only words worthy of speaking, the most profound revelation of all, comes in the truth from Scripture. So today. I’ve wrung it out. I’ve written and re-written, both mentally and on this computer. Yet nothing comes. Nothing, that is, except a whisper of pure, precious truth.
The story of God’s great love for us, poured out in the sacrifice of His own Son, set into motion so long ago when the agony of being separated from His creation was too great, is simply too wonderful not to share. Too marvelous to add to with any of my own words today. Read those precious words, again and again, for they are as silver tried in the furnace, and purified. Hide them in your heart, but do not leave them there, speak of His faithfulness and salvation. Repeat them to yourselves throughout the day, when you wake, rise before dawn to cry for help; when you sleep, rise at midnight to give thanks. Repeat them to others whose souls thirst for it, for it is like cold water to a weary soul. These things are trustworthy, these things are beneficial. To everyone. Salt and Light. Speak the truth. It stands forever. Much longer than anything else I might have shared today.
*Edited to turn off comments - letting the Word stand alone today. Thank you! Labels: Elise's Articles, The Word Leave a comment... 2 Comments Links to this post It was almost dinner time; I was in the kitchen with my new baby trying to figure out what to make for dinner. This was a difficult time in life, our family was living in a rental home, and I had three kids under the age of 5. I was battling depression; there was just not much I found funny. I was trying to keep up with two boys running in opposite directions and having a brand new baby. Tired was my middle name at that time. Sometimes when you are not even expecting it God shows up in the smallest way, but in a mighty way. I remember praying to the Lord how I am feeling crushed on all sides, this is not the life I had planned. I wanted the three kids, but I wanted a nice house with a white picket fence. I wanted to have the big smile on my face, lots of girl friends and tons of family all around. This was not where God had me. So as I was planning dinner, I was crying out to God. I was telling him how tired and weary I am, I think I did a lot of whining to him to be honest. I kept asking, how am I going to survive? You know when you have two toddlers in your house and it is quiet, that is not always a good thing. But the Lord used my boys to teach me. I was appreciating the peace and quiet; all messes could be cleaned up later I rationalized. I was standing at the stove beginning to brown my hamburger meat for dinner. Then I hear, “Mom we have something to show you, but don’t look yet.” Any Mother with boys know the phrase “we have something to show you” is like opening up a can of worms (sometimes literally). So I played along, feeling my pity party heart, and taking to God. “Are you ready Mom?” they giggled. My curiosity was beginning to grow, what did they get themselves into I thought. Suddenly before my eyes I had two little toddler boys jump out from behind the wall yelling, “nothing can get us now, we have our shield and protection on.” They each had a superman cape tied around their necks blowing behind them, and all over their body (up the legs, up the arms, all over their chests) were taped maxi pads. “Mom, we can battle anything with our shields,” they said in their loud Superman voice. At first my eyes were as big as saucers, and then I laughed and laughed and cried and laughed some more. They then proceeded to run around the house pretending to fly and dodging all evil and bullets that may come their way. For they were protected. After I called every relative I could think of and share this story, and their Father (oh manly man was so proud). The Holy Spirit hit me with a 2 by 4. And I heard this voice almost as clear as day say, “Do you have your shield on? Are you protected? Where is your amour? Where is your protection?” Therefore, take up the full armor of God that you may be able to resist in the  Belt: To a Roman soldier his belt was an essential part of his armor. His belt gathered his armor together and secured his sword to his side. The belt also served to secure long garments so that they would not interfere with fighting. The belt tied it all together.It is truth which ties together the believer's armor (John 8:32). The Breast Plate of Righteousness: The breastplate protects the vital organs of a Roman soldier. It is righteousness which protects us in those vital areas of our relationship with God. Without it we will be susceptible to every temptation Satan brings along. (Mark 14:38)  Boots of Peace: The Roman soldier's shoe served much the same purpose as a football player's spiked shoe. It was made to help the soldier stand his ground and advance on his enemy. Traction was very important. Most combat was hand-to-hand. A soldier could not afford to be pushed backwards. He could not afford to fall down. It is the gospel of peace which enables us to stand firm. We can stand secure knowing that we have peace. Peace with God as Romans 5:1 talks about, and peace of God that passes all understanding (Phil 4:7). So from that day, while fighting my pity party I began to clothe myself in protection. I strongly believe my “protection” is what helped me through more difficult days to come. And from now on, whenever God reminds me of my sweet boys and their shields, he is reminding me to arm myself for battle. For with my armor, evil and bullets can be deflected. Also, I will be the first to say God has a GREAT sense of humor! Almost 10 years later, I was riding in the car talking to my teenager this week. He was sharing how Satan has been tempting him, and when he wants to do something wrong he almost feels a physical pain in his heart. I shared with him how the Holy Spirit guides us between right and wrong, and sometimes God allows these temptations to exist in our life so we can depend fully on Him. Knowing we can not battle the temptation on our own strength, but ask God for strength. And now I have the honor to share with my son what tools God gave us to fight off all sorts of evil and bullets that come our way. So he can say once again: “Mom I can battle anything with my shield,” in his loud Superman voice. Are you armed for battle? Hard times will come, this does not prevent that. But to have the right armor for battle is everything, it is the difference between winning or losing. So I ask again. Are you armed for battle? Was this what you were thinking of when you read my title.....yeah, I thought so. Have a blessed day, don't forget to laugh.  I am sorry to say there were no pictures, this was before the digital camera age....believe me I wish I had a picture. Can you image the bibery I could get out of that now?? =)) Labels: Laurel's Articles, The Word Leave a comment... 25 Comments Links to this post  Changing me and changing you We have come with open hearts O let the ancient words impart." ~ Lynn DeShazo~ Jesus had promised another gift before His ascension. The gift of the Holy Spirit. He told his disciples and followers in Acts (and us): ‘And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."’The waiting began. The early Christians didn’t just wait. They read His Word, they prayed, they broke bread together. Sometimes I long for being like the first Christians. Sure, I wouldn’t like to be persecuted like them—I just long for their community. Certainly we have our churches where we worship behind closed doors. We have our doctrine we follow. Please don’t misunderstand me—there is nothing wrong with that. What I do long for is that we worship all together on Sundays. We all believe that Jesus is Lord; that He died for our sins. We believe that there is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God gave us all the same Holy Spirit. His Spirit is changing us from the inside out to become more like Christ… Okay, so maybe I am just dreaming too big. I probably just have to wait for His second coming to see my dream come true--the dream of a unified Church without the ‘walls’ of doctrine. I think that is why I love the on-line community so much. We respect each other; pray for each other, love each other as Christ commanded us to do… ‘And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”’ ~ Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV) My sweet sisters, let us continue to encourage each other and reach out to the ones that don’t know Him yet. With His help and the community of believers we will reach the finish line… Lord of Heaven and Earth. You gave us Your Holy Word and Spirit to change us from inside out. Help us to reach the finish line. Continue to guide us in Your Word that we may never depart from it. In the precious name of our Lord and Savior, in Jesus’ name we pray ~ Amen…  Please visit this week's hostess Loni to read more takes on this week's IOW quote... Labels: "In 'Other' Words", Iris's Articles, The Word Leave a comment... 20 Comments Links to this post  Raising children is a challenge in itself. From the moment their first breath is taken, as a mother you are teaching, instructing, and molding them according to God’s will. Some days the communication misses its mark. While driving home after picking my middle son Charles up from school, I was going through our normal routine of asking him how his day was, what homework does he have for the night, and what did he eat for lunch. I am raising boys, so I have to be specific in my questions in order to find out how their day was, and to gather any relevant information. I compare Charles to the “absent minded professor.” He is in the gifted class, he never has to study to receive all his A’s. But remembering his homework has been his biggest challenge. Many times we are faced with him receiving several sign-ins for missing homework. I know he completes his homework, I see Charles working on it at home, but many times it does not make it back into the proper folder. When asking him about his Scoop Newsletter and how many sign-ins he received for the week. With enthusiasm Charles replied, “I received three sign-ins, but they were NOT for missing homework.” He was so proud of himself; he was rationalizing that he accomplished something good. I looked at him with my eyes as big as saucers and said, “so then that means you got three sign-ins for misbehavior!” How often do we justify disobedience with rationalizations to God. We rationalize to God explaining our situation is special. This is where our faith in God comes into play, many times our human eyes can see an easier way out of a situation (can we say Israelites), but our ways are NOT his ways. In Hebrews 11:1, Pauls explains, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The novelist Naguib Mahfouz wrote you can tell a wise man by the questions he asks. Rationalizing can seep in even when we are not aware, so we need to ask God to reveal any erosion in our life, and be ready to have ears that hear. Communication is key, and communication is two way. Psalms 119:9 "How can a young man keep his way pure?
Labels: Laurel's Articles, Obedience, The Word Leave a comment... 16 Comments Links to this post
__________________________________________
|
The Internet Cafe is the team blog for Christian Women Online Magazine, "your daily dose of inspiration." It's a place to kick back, grab a virtual chair at our table, and allow God to fill your cup to running over. It's addictive, but only He can satisfy the craving of your soul.  Copy this code to link your site to The Internet Cafe
 ______________ 
______________
 Christian Women Online Blog Ring Join | List | Random ______________
_________________
|
CWO Cover
Bonnie Hooley
