I want to be a "Those" instead of a "They"

Are you counted in the "those" camp, or are you a "they"?

I just finished studing Matthew 1-4 and have been really blessed by how Jesus was on mission from His conception onward, (to save His People from their sins) and the lessons we can learn about keeping the mission alive through the examples of Joseph, Mary and Jesus.

Now I am into HAPPINESS, the beatituds in Matthew 5. :0)

and HAPPY are THOSE...(uh, yeah, these are the ones I want to be like)

1. Who are poor in spirit. You know people like this. They aren't puffed up, but humble, lowly, opposite of those who need to "make themselves big/heard/known". All they have is not their own, but God's. They are God-dependent and claim nothing to themselves. These lucky duckies receive the Kingdom!
2. Who mourn: These lovelies sorrow over sin, the grieve over it. And not just their own sin, but sin in the world. They walk in true repentance and are compassionate. Their reward? They will themselves be comforted!
3. Who are meek: These happy darlings are forgiving - they turn the other cheek when smited. They think more highly of others than of themselves, and they shall inherit the earth. No retribution or vengance in this camp!
4. Who hunger/thirst for righteousness: Christ's righteousness satisfies them, and they shall be filled! They recognize that their own self-righteousness is rags, a blanket to short to cover them. They eat "heavenly manna", bread from heaven, and don't live by man's declarations. They keep looking Up.
5. Who are merciful: These happy ones spread the joy when they give others a second chance, extending grace and favor to others. They look for the best in people, forgive wrongs, seek to help. In return? They will receive mercy.
6. Who are pure in heart: "to the pure all things are pure". They believe the best and live in right/clear conscience before God and men, all to please Him - and they will see Him! Their motives are Godly.
7. Who are peacemakers: These beautiful people create peace instead of stirring up strife, and they are called sons of God. They unite instead of divide.
8. Who are persecuted for righteousness sake: chew on this! They are persecuted a) for taking a righteous/godly stand, or b) by the self-righteous indignation of others, or c) for Christ's righteousness - their faith. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

and lastly, when "they" revile, persecute, say all kinds of evil against you falsely for His sake, REJOICE and be exceedingly glad!

I want to be a THOSE, a happy one who helps to create that truth in others. I don't want to be a THEY who acts against "those" . Let's be happy and spread it around to others!

Letting God Talk

Stop.

Just stop, right now.

Stop moving, stop talking, stop trying to figure it out.  

Stop.

And listen.

Do you hear Him?

Wait and listen for His voice.

Let it cut through the striving frenzy of human emotion and the opinion of man.

Let it brush away the confusion.

What is He saying?

What does He want?

In YOUR life?

I am intrigued and baffled by the insistence we have at gazing at everyone else's navel when we haven't cleaned our own out yet.  God speaks to us, and our job is to follow Him.  

I recently did something that I knew I needed to do.  It was the right thing to do.  I did it, and it turned out well for all involved, and I was glad.  Mission accomplished.  And yet.

Days later God whispered in my heart, and He wasn't impressed.  Although it was the "right" thing to do, and it turned out well, I had missed what God wanted.  See, I was happy to do what I knew was right, and I had my eyes on myself.  But God had really been interested in my motivation.  He didn't want me to do it for me or to be satisfied with the result I received.  It hadn't been about me.  I needed to hear what He wanted me to hear in the situation.

It can be hard to understand clearly what God is doing, but if we'll stop and listen, we'll hear Him.

I read this recently:

"...'and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished'...But they understood none of these things...." (Luke 18:31,34)

God was working out His purpose, and the disciples weren't understanding it.  From their vantage point, it didn't make sense.

"God called jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster.  And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken.  His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God's.  But what seemed to be failure from man's standpoint was a triumph from God's standpoint, because God's purpose is never the same as man's purpose.  

This bewildering call of God comes into our lives as well.  The call of God can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner-nature.  The call of God is like the call of the sea--no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him.  What God calls us to cannot be definitely stated, because His call is simply to be His friend to accomplish His own purposes.  Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what he desires.  The things that happen do not happen by chance--they happen entirely by the decree of God.  God is sovereignly working out His own purposes.....If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God."  Oswald Chambers.

Things can look wrong but be right.  

Things can look one way and be another.

Let's hear God.  Give Him the room to speak into our hearts.  Let Him direct and re-direct us.

When's the last time you heard God redirect you the way you were thinking about something?

Getting into God's Boat and Enjoying the Journey

Mark 6:45, Jesus “made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side…”.

I have the pleasure of living a life chock full of mistakes, trials-and-error to learn from, and the questionable yet compelling desire to share from those experiences. Case in point. Have you ever had one of those times when you are doing something right, maybe even something nice to bless someone else, yet the process of getting it done saps all the joy out of it, not just for yourself, but for those involved. I can give examples from any number of the roles I live out in this life, but here are a few from my experience as a mother, a spouse, a pastor.

As a mother, I want to make my children their favorite cookie to bless them (we don’t usually have cookies in the house. You can pray for how disadvantaged our kids are). In the process of making the cookies, I find I am out of ingredients which calls for a run to the store. Frustration. I didn’t plan on it taking this long. As I am baking I get interrupted with other peoples needs. More frustration. I just want to get this done. As I grump my way through the process, snapping at my family if they should cross my path, my joy is gone and theirs drains away under the weight of my snarky attitude. Oh, they’ll eat the cookies, they’ll like them, but there will be no joy.

As a wife I can want to bless my spouse with some “personal attention” if you catch my drift. As the day progresses, however, things can happen that begin to strip that desire away. Unsuspecting, my hubby can be full of good expectation, while I am fighting my day. I can fulfill his expectations, but if I have an attitude that doesn’t enjoy the process, the end-goal isn’t particularly spectacular for either of us. What a waste!

As a pastors, we can have a vision of God’s purpose for His church, but is the end-goal really the goal?

In Mark 6:45, Jesus “made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side…”. God sent them in a particular direction, putting them in the boat they were to travel in.

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I am desperate simply to know what direction God wants me to go in and how He wants me to get there. In this story, these blessed dudes had that answered for them.

In the midst of their God-directed journey, the winds resist them, making rowing difficult. They are now straining to reach the other side. Wow. How many times have I been headed in a God-direction and felt the resistance pick up until I find myself straining with all my effort to fulfill the vision?

And then there’s Jesus, coming to them, walking on the sea. “Cheer up boys, there’s nothing to worry about” is His response to them. No worries, men, I’m here. See Me? It’s going to be a fine ride!

When we get our eyes on the end-game, on reaching the other side, on gaining the success of our vision, we can strain in the journey when it meets resistance, (or coast along in our own sufficiency when it’s smooth sailing, priding our skill as rowers), and all Jesus wanted was for them to SEE HIM IN THE JOURNEY.

THE JOURNEY is of primary importance. How am I going about it? Do I see Jesus as I travel, or am I focused elsewhere?

Oswald Chambers puts it this way: His purpose is for me to depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish—His purpose is the process itself. What He desires for me is that I see “Him walking on the sea” with no shore, no success, nor goal in sight, but simply having the absolute certainty that everything is all right because I see “Him walking on the sea” (6:49). It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God.

Interestingly enough, when I reach the goal of seeing Him as I travel, then I will ultimately reach my vision “with good cheer”. (Mark 6:50). I’ll have joy in the journey. I like that!
As a church, we have gotten into a God-given boat and been sent in a particular direction. God has directed us to sell our building and start something new, to go where we haven’t gone before. As we push off towards the vision He has given us, will we see Him in the journey? Let’s do it! Let’s see Him along the way – let’s be of good cheer and enjoy the ride with Jesus. Because really, what good is reaching the shore if Jesus isn’t in the boat?

Moving into New Things

This last week I've been chewing on all the messages we have heard in the last weeks, and I spent time pulling together the recurring themes in them. I also spent looking back since 2002 at recurring themes God has spoken to me personally, and I have to say...

I AM SO EXCITED

about what God is doing in and through us.

I am also THANKFUL for the friends who have kept up with us, engaging in conversation, dreaming with us, praying with us, believing together for the future. I am GRATEFUL for great and faith-filled attitudes too!

It's hard for us, as human beings, to accept the pace and timing of change - especially if we can see ahead through God's various gifts of discernment, knowledge and prophecy. But to have the amazing Spirit-resolve to see it through to the end - it is an amazing feeling.

Just think...a church without walls...

Long -kept dreams and vision awaken and stir
Unseen chains slipping away
God's timetable moves forward
His perfect timing
A new thing

Revealing - the bad and sad, the good and the glad
Shifting, moving, changing
Growing, stretching, enlightening

People
Loving, patient, faithful, loyal
Sons, daughters, friends
Tenacious, generous
One

True friends
Nothing to prove
Everything to gain
Together

Aaaaaaaaaaah. Priceless.

Refreshment that Comes from God

This is such a beautiful Psalm, and I think a timely one for us now. When going through tough times, who doesn't relish the thought of trees by the water, the refreshment of quiet, of good things? I put the original here for you first, then read on to my paraphrase. How would you paraphrase it?

Psalm 1, NKJV

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

nor stands in the paths of sinners,

nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

and in His law he meditates day and night.

He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water

that brings forth its fruit in its season,

whose leaf also shall not wither;

and whatever he does shall prosper.

Now, for the Michelle D Higgins Version.....

Psalm 1, MDHV – A life worth living!

Happy is the one who gets godly advice and counsel for life’s situations,

Who hangs out with people who are living right with God and for God,

Who chooses a faith-attitude that believes God;

This person thinks through a God-filter, seeking and seeing His perspective on life.

This person draws life, soul-care, encouragement, comfort and refreshment from intimate relationship with God

which in turn results in an enjoyable and rewarding life,

one that doesn’t burn out or dry up when under fire;

And succeeds in whatever calling God has given him.

Have a blessed day!

APPRECIATE YO MAMA!:

Last one in this series....

Growing up, dinnertime was always anticipated in our household. It was the tastiest meal of the day! As a mother, it is a meal that I enjoy providing for my family. There is something special about everyone gathered together at the table to eat and share together. I would never have considered disrespecting my mother and the effort she put into providing a delicious, warm meal for me. As a mother, it would be insulting to prepare meals for my family only to have them disregard those meals and the effort that was put into them. In our household, appreciation is shown in different ways. My family is generous to say thank you for what is served, complimenting my efforts (even when it doesn’t turn out so good- I’d mention the recently grilled corn, but that’s another story), and by helping to set and clear the table and clean the kitchen afterwards. My husband is generous to provide the finances I need to put these meals on the table, and he enjoys the result!

As a Church, “eating at the table” should be accompanied by equal respect. Have we shown our appreciation for what has been offered? Have we assisted in some way for what we are about to share in? Have we provided what was necessary to put the “meal” together? Or are we simply consumers or food critics? Do we eat and run? Do we eat and pick apart the meal?

Sometimes, it is when visitors come to eat that we are shown the most appreciation. I am always blessed when visitors in a service give an offering. They don’t have to do that, and there’s a certain graciousness to it-sort of like bringing a hostess gift when visiting someone else’s house. It shows a generosity of spirit and it’s always a thoughtful surprise. As members of the church family however, we move beyond graciousness and become intentional participants in family life. So I might ask, “What table are you sitting down to eat at?”

THEY HAVE BIG BUTTS…

Okay, the whole conversations on money were a single-session download of thoughts that I've broken down from my head to these pages. This thought had me giggling in church. Sometimes, you just go with what comes to you....

When we don’t give, we just end up with big butts! Our wallet gets fatter, and our butts (where wallets are often kept) bulge out. Who wants a fat butt? In essence, we get fat butts by hording our own seed, for our own consumption, and it only leads to poverty. When we don’t sow it, don’t spread it around, it won’t come back to us in increase.

In kindergarten we used to sing a song, “Love is Like a Magic Penny” (thanks Roxie Phillips!) - think I've shared this before, hmmm......

Love is like a magic penny, you hold it tight and you won’t have any.
Lend it, spend it and you’ll have so many, they’ll roll all over the floor.
Ooooh, love is nothing til you give it away, give it away, give it away.
Love is nothing til you give it away and you’ll end up having more.

Good, huh? Love and money, baby, love and money. Anything good worth having is worth sharing and will come back to you!