Putting My "Money" Where My Mouth Is

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. - James 1:19

" But someone will say, you have faith, I have deeds....Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God? GOOD! Even demons believe that...(yada yada) AND SHUDDER! " -James 2: 18, 19

Lately my friends, God has been telling me a lot about not only saying I have faith, or that I am a believer, or that I follow Christ with my EVERYTHING. (words, actions, thoughts, moods, life example) Faith without deeds? dead. dead dead dead as a doornail. Not to mention hallow. Have you ever had someone "promise" you something, but then know that at the end of the day, they were the type of person who would never actually call you back, do that thing, or follow through? Oh my friends...this is not the person I want to be!!! I used to care so little about others, I'd say many nice things, and then have little to no follow through. Faith with out action is nothing. Faith without follow through is empty. void. gone. ridiculous.

I do not want the demons that I cannot see to laugh in joy every time I fail to follow through. That's what they do you...do not be ignorant of this: There is a spiritual battle going on here folks. A battle we cannot see with eyes, but we can feel it in our souls. Every time you give into sin, or I give into to temptation, the enemy wins a little battle. (He has overcome the final battle, but the little ones in between, can be lost) and who are we fighting for? The cause of CHRIST! And, how do we fight? By being kind when the world says hate. But following through when everyone else says "why bother..." By answering honestly when everyone around is full of lies. By speaking the truth in love when everyone else seethes with hate. BY doing the good you ought to do through Christ JESUS...for Him, and IN HIS STRENGTH. That last part, the "how" of how we do this follow through is often where we trip up. We start to be good, to do good, to say good and to pay up in our own strength. This is the biggest mistake we could ever make. Why do you feel empty when you try to do the good you desires to do? Because my friends, we do it in our human strength. Our desire is good....Our longings to bless others is wonderful...but in who's strength will we accomplish these things....

It's time say this: I will never be the perfect mom I long to be. I will never be the best wife I want to be. I will never do all the good I want to do: IF I DO IT IN MY OWN STRENGTH. I will accomplish dimes when I could be raking in millions. I will settle for dirt, when I could be walking in gold!! do you hear what I say my friends? We sell ourselves so short when we say "yes" to anything, and try to carry out our "yes" on our own. On our own, we are POWERLESS. But IN HIS strength???? OH MY FRIENDS!!!! We will run and not grow weary!!! It is not say that we will not ever fall when we are depending on Him, for we are still in the flesh here on earth, and sadly, the flesh is weak. But, take heart!!! HE HAS OVERCOME THIS WORLD!

So what then shall I say in response to this?

" Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves, do what it says!!" James 1:22

And how will we do this?

" But the wisdom that comes from heaven, is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and GOOD FRUIT, impartial and sincere...." James 3: 17

"Come near to God and HE will come near to you!" -James 4:8

"Submit yourselves, then, to God- Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!" James 4:7

AND MY GOD, WILL MEET ALL YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS RICHES IN CHRIST JESUS!!!! -Philippians 4:19

That last verse my friends, is it. That is your "how" your "when" your ability. He will be the gas, that makes you run forever, and the brick that keeps the tower strong. The Pillar! The glue that holds it all together, and the map that makes sense of all things confusing. Your Guide. Your helper. Your sustainer. Your peace. Your ability to conquer when strength runs dry and your words when you have none. Your patience when none is to be found. Your wisdom for all situation. (when you, and I surrender that we know NOTHING at all...or that we cant do a thing at all in our strength) for I know that I know that I know, without Christ, I am powerless. absolutely short of everything I need. Dry. Empty and done. That is my condition, my state...without Him.

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding with guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

Thank you Jesus. Without you, I am nothing. Amen.

Don't just be alive, LIVE!

Did you know it's possible to be alive, (breathing) but not actually have life in you? Have you ever looked into another's eyes and just made note to yourself that there was no light in their eyes? No spark? No joy? No hope? No life? I have seen this so many times and it breaks my heart. Let me tell you WHY it breaks my heart. Because God has so much in store for us than we could ever imagine, and so often in this life, we sell ourselves short. We choose paths in life that cause us pain, bring us down and make us miss out on the life that God truly intended for us. He loves us, He wants His best for us, (Jeremiah 29:11) and regardless of what others tell you, it IS better when we are walking in His path. (not pathS) There is but one way to be truly/fully alive. And that is through Christ. I have learned this by my own personal experience and each and every day as I wake up and see the light of day and the joy that it is mine through Christ Jesus my Lord fills my eyes and ears and flows out of my mouth simply overwhelms me. That He would be mindful of me, He who created me just as I am, to live, just as He intended. Open your mouths wide that He may fill it....

And yet...we often do not choose to take this offer of life. This option that fills. The choice that gives life to our body's fulfillment to our existence and joy to our steps. We say to ourselves that what we have in store for ourselves is better. That what God may plan for us is too scary because it's too unknown. (or is it even real we may ask??) But I assure you...walking on your own will very soon prove to you that you are missing something. It's something that you always feel like you are just one fry short of a happy meal, or one ace short of a full deck. The dots just don't quite connect (only by an inch or two) and the thoughts that come and go, just seem a little disconected. It's because my friend, you were not made to be in charge of your own life. You were not created to be your own god, you were not formed to walk in your own strength. The breath that God breathed into you, was created to sustain you. It's His breath that is to breath life into your bones and make you ALIVE. Alive in Christ. That is what we are to be. Not alive in self. We are to die to self! Again, to die to self is gain. To live for Christ, that is when we are alive. Paul says it well here:

"Command them to do good, to be RICH in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way, they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the LIFE that is TRULY ALIVE." - 1 Timothy 6:18,19

What was true in Paul and Timothy's day, is true for us. We still serve the God that is the same yesterday, today and forever. And it is still apparent that when we live for self, emptiness soon follows. And when you have another look at you in the eyes, what would you like them to see? Truth? Depth? Godly understanding? Godly wisdom? Hope? Joy? Contentment? Peace? Those are things I pray my eyes translate to others. Rather than what could be there if I did not choose to live and really be alive...things like: frustration, unsettled...discontent, lack of hope, absence of peace, restlessness with life, and a real look of being lost. We all are born lost you know. When we come, fresh from the womb, from the creators design, He gives us the choice to choose Him. To walk with HIM. TO take Him up on His offer to not just breath, but to be ALIVE. To not just gasp for air in our ability...but to breath in and out, to the fullest, the freshest air imaginable.( More than we can imagine actually) It's the difference between being on a machine to help you breath, or being able to breath freely while running a marathon. That is the huge gap between living life for ourselves and in our own strength, vs. living IN HIS strength, for HIS glory, in HIS plan...walking HIS path. So what do you say then to this? Where do place? Who's air is in your lungs? Yours, or His? Trust me friends...it's life or death.

And I Command you to.....LOVE???!!!

Haven't you ever found it strange that we are commanded to love? Love God...love people....this I get, but to be COMMANDED to love? I always wondered why....

And now I know. It comes naturally to us to love ourselves. No one has to teach us how to look in the mirror...(and flex) or smile, or to pucker our little 2 year old princess lips....but we all do this by default.

Why then when it comes to loving the one who CREATED us...why do we faultier, and why, when it comes to loving those CLOSEST to us, to we fail???

"Dear Friends- let us love one another, for love COMES FROM GOD. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God. (wow) This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only son into the world that we might live THROUGH Him....This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us...and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear Friends since God so loved us, we also ought to love one anther." - 1 John 7-11 AND

" THIS IS HOW WE KNOW WHAT LOVE IS...CHRIST LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR US." - 1 John 3:16

You may be sitting there going, "wow...that's a lot of love!" and if that is your thought, you are right. But something that I noticed today, that I have never really contemplated before is this: We know how to love by watching Him, and what He desires more than anything else in the world or our existence, is for us to love HIM, He who created, longs to be loved by HIS creation. He desperately wants us to think of His feelings, understand HIS emotions, and His characteristics, and then copy them, IN HIS STRENGTH. As I copy the things I see in Him, that out pour of love, will automatically begin to become what comes out of me. (perhaps not always so automatically) but it will begin to take place MORE than if I did not focus on Him, learn from Him, study Him, adore Him....for that is what loving someone is. You love what they do, what they say, who they are, what they stand for...and when you love them fully, it shows in how you adore them with your speech, with your actions, and your respect.

Do I ADORE and LOVE Christ this way? Do I LONG for the next time He utters a word to me? DO I wait breathlessly as He prepares His next lesson for me? Do I study the things that He loves, and do consider important what He calls important? teach me how Lord...

This is how we know what love is, Christ gave up His life. Sacrifice. Love is sacrificial. Love is NOT always easy. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it's easy to give up our time, our possessions and resources for another, but usually, it's a stretch. And it's supposed to be, for we are not to be doing this in our own strength. We are to love in the strength that He lovingly gives to us. He will supply what we need, when we need in great amounts, that runeth over...and we will be equipped. I love that.

Thank you Lord...

"Do not be suprised my brothers, if the world hates you.." -1 John 3:13

So let me get this straight, I am to love those that hate me? This is what I do to you Lord... I am sorry...

What I have gleaned from this most, is this: I am to love God will all my heart, soul and mind. TO desire and LONG to know more of Him!!! To LONG to gaze into HIS face, His eyes, and wait breathlessly for HIM to open His mouth and utter a word for me. Increase my faith oh Lord

I long to have hours of endless silence to sit at His feet...but since this world and life to do not allow me this, I steal away, buy and bargain for every still quiet moment I can have with my Lord and Savior to learn from Him, worship Him in all His glory...and yes...love Him. Teach me how to love...

For the way I understand the word love most likely does not even scratch the surface of what He means by it, but I am a student, learning from her teacher, her master. I am sheep, bleating for her shepherd...I am a soul...longing for His instruction. And from what I know of God, He does not leave His children hanging. He meets their needs...He feeds His sheep...and lifts those who bowed down.

AND I turn, I will turn around and extend that love, that type of love to all who bump into me. that love would be written on my face, laced in my words, and seen through my actions. That I wouldn't have to proclaim..."I'm loving you..." but that it would just be known...show me how Lord..

This is how we know what love is.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment The who fears is not made perfect in love..." 4:18

I could get all into how His love is sacrificial and it is not self seeking, but we see that plainly by His demonstration of love with His death on the cross...

So how do we love? With the love we learn to love with as we admire Him. How to we admire Him? By spending time with Him. How do we spend time with Him and get to know Him? By getting in the word! By opening up that Bible on our shelf...and reading it. That is how we know Him and in turn, learn to love Him. For we cannot help but love a man who died for us. Who gave up His everything...for us. This is how we know what love is. So now we know. What do we do with this? That my friend is up to me, and to you....

Commanding Officer

You are a soldier. You live a life of rules, (of sorts) and one that is devoted to a cause. You believe in your cause, or wouldn't be here. You wouldn't answer to who you answer to if you didn't care about what you stood for. The things that go on around you that do not involve your days orders, do not matter so much as getting done what you commanding officer has instructed you to do. The rest, is just civilian affairs....and you do not work to please the sidelines...you work to please the one in charge. If you get distracted by what takes place from the left or to the right, you may loose sight of whats ahead. And if you allow the civilian affairs to steal your attention, your affection, and you concern...you may end up dead.

That's what Paul tells me in 2 Timothy 2: 1-4

You then my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardships with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus, No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs- he wants to please his commanding officer.

So as a believer, what does it mean to get distracted by "civilian affairs?" Anyone who is not God, is a civilian in our world. It means, that if we allow Satan to distract us with petty fights, annoyances, grievances and people who disrupt our peace, and therefore take our eyes off of the orders Christ has given us to follow, we are becoming a soul who heeds the civilian more than our commanding officer. I had a situation like this earlier this week that I had to repent of. I knew it was wrong the second I did it. I said it anyway though. I thought it anyway. I allowed another person to "get" at me. (unbeknownst to them) and allowed Satan to use my mouth as I sinned. I said something that probably caused the civilian some lack of peace in their mind as well. It was wrong, and I was distracted by what was not important. GOD has bigger plans for my mouth, my thoughts and my motives. He wants me to devote all those things, to HIM alone. To not waste time, energy or breath being annoyed, disgruntled...or judgemental. God wants my affections to be for the things that He stands for..the cause of Christ: to endure hardship for Him with uprightness...to be in pursuit of HOLINESS so that I can represent the cross of Christ in the way it deserves to be represented. I am a solider. I have no room for distractions. If I get distracted, my enemy might win. He may get a foothold. I have to always be on my guard, and stand in HIS strength alone, so that even when I slumber, I have the knowledge that I am doing what is honoring to my commanding officer. He is the one I live for, fight for, speak for and die for. It's for the cause of Christ, it's what I base all I am, all I do, all I say, and all I consider worthwhile. It's extreme. I know. It's intense. For sure. But it's the only thing that's real. It's the only thing that matters...and it's the only thing that at the end of the day strengthens me in my weakness, revives me in my struggle, awakens me from my sleep and feeds my hunger. Who is my commanding officer...Jesus Christ...Prince of PEACE...everlasting JOY....exalted ONE! mighty to SAVE...THE ONE WHO WINS. The only one I can trust...follow and listen to without FEAR. I fear not the night, because I know whom I am in company with. I do shutter at the thought of death because I know who holds my life...I do not quake at the sound of darkness, because I know who wins in the end. Soldier, do not loose hope...do not get distracted by things of this earth that do not matter. Trust God, follow HIS lead in ALL you do, ANSWER to HIM alone and there dear soldier, you will find your REST.

For Real?

Genuine. Honest. Transparent. Together those 3, they are the power clique of communication. The power punch of healthy relationships. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don't hint, don't mince, just say, and of course, say it ALWAYS laced in love.

I'm learning that when you say things "for real" and you say your genuine feelings, rather than than saying the thing that is (most likely) easier to say, but not as deep, you would be better off saving your breath. There is no time in this life to waste on not being genuine. On not being honest. On not being transparent, with those we love.

Tell me how you really feel.....how many times I have said that, and how many times have I heard that said to me? People want honesty...they want to know the root of the root of the source of the thing that drives us to say and act and be how we are.

Why are we the way we are? Don't make people dig for it...don't make them suppose or come to their own conclusions, don't be secretive...

Being mysterious is only cool in the movies. In real life, it just makes things complicated and confusing. Saying things that only make people suppose 1/2 truths and false perceptions, opens up door to miscommunication, and miscommunication KILLS relationships. Dishonesty, rips up roads to open, honest, relationships. Be for real folks. (and by folks, I mean me)

I think of all the trials my husband and I faced in our marriage early on, because I wasted so much time "beating around the bush" or "mincing my words" or telling half truths. If I was mad, I'd be passive aggressive, if I was sad, I'd milk it. If I was unhappy, I'd manipulate a situation to get more of what I wanted....It is my prayer that this will no longer be my pattern. God wants me to be genuine. God wants me to be sincere. God delights in honesty, God delights in transparency. Don't be fake. Don't be secretive, don't be hidden. (on any level)

Opening yourself up to honesty is hard, I'm not going to lie. It's like having the lights on full blast when your trying to sleep. It's shining lights on places you'd rather keep dim. It's kind of comparable to me, as standing in the middle of the coffee shop, naked. (not something I've ever done, or plan on doing) but it's a fair comparison. It's baring your soul to the ones you love and trust, because this in turn opens up their hearts to you more, and of course, your relationship will go deeper than it was before. And God desires for His children to have deep, rich, full filling relationships. Relationships like this fill a soul up, and are very instrumental in furthering the Kingdom. I personally want to be apart of furthering the kingdom in my marriage.(and other relationships with friends and family ) I want to honor the Lord with all the honest words that exit my mouth...and I want my TRUE feelings to be an open book of honest love to those I love the most...(and those I'm learning to love)

God will use folks who open themselves up in honest, transparent ways.

And if this feels like it's going to be hard...fear not:

"I can do everything through HIM who gives me strength..." -Phil. 4:13

Do you believe you could do this? Lets take it home...here is a scenario any married, (or unmarried) person could identify with. You come home, you know you are upset because of "this" reason, and because your husband did "that" and "it" was unacceptable to you. And now, you are going to make them pay. After all they should just know what they did to you. You shouldn't have to tell them. It's plain as day. (to you) BUT...if we follow Christ's example of being honest in all circumstances, we would come to our husband/wife/friend/sister/brother and say..."I am mad, because I feel like you did this to me..." and wait to hear what they say....do not say what you say in anger, say it honestly, lovingly, and in the most transparent way you can possibly think of. Don't mince it, don't even hesitate...just say it, say it, say it.

It is the unsaid that traps us. It is the unspoken that muddies the waters of our lives. We were called to be apart of something HOLY and this is our chance to do just that. So whatever it is that you think that you could never possibly tell them...tell them. Tell the root. Tell them the base. Tell them the truth. And watch as Christ takes something muddy, confusing, and dishonest to a place of crystal clear transparency. Is it going to be perfectly smooth and easy? Probably not...but not working through the mud, is only going cause more hardness and distance. Pretty soon, the mud will dry to clay, and the clay will turn to rocks. And once you have rocks where water should be, it is going to be quite feat to make the waters flow clear again. (He could do this however for He is God) *He specializes in this sort of a healing, :) But our prayer should be that it does not get to this point. So today, I take a step into the pools of honesty. And when I am called, I will lovingly, open my mouth, and wait to see what God has come out of it...or rather, how He translates what I have inside. Thank you Lord, you are so GOOD!!!!!