Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Righteous Recieving

Living in America is a sure way to be unsatisfied.  We are inundated with marketing on t.v., bragging from co-workers, and Target.  I try to avoid Target unless I'm truly in need, I work at home so I can dodge the co-worker bit, but t.v. does get to me, so I don't watch too much.  Still, sometimes I want.

Our church has begun reading Crazy Love, and Radical, I haven't yet, but our discussions have been about going to the extreme with Jesus.  He wants us to be loving others to the extent that He does, and he just might ask us to sell every last piece of our "American Dream" and give it to the poor.  What do I do with that?  In a society that is based on stuff?  I didn't grow up rich, I was middle class.  I wouldn't call myself materialistic, but I do have kids I want to bless, but I don't want them to find joy in things, but instead in giving.  Is it wrong to want pretty things, to decorate my house and enjoy my life? 

So I'm getting honest, I'm evaluating my life and deciding if I truly have more than I need.  There is enough outflow of cash on groceries to keep a small country going, so I begin to feel guilty that I have so much.  I have more than one pair of shoes.  My drawers are overflowing with free clothes, my house is warm, and I'm NEVER hungry, and my house is pretty.

Then God slams me with it, out of my own mouth.  I'm emptying my brain in small groups on Sunday, expressing my concern with raising a generation who wants and doesn't give, and what do I do with all I have, if I do have too much.  Then, a few minutes later, it falls out.  It probably wasn't for anyone but me, because they all sat their quiet like, "uh, what does that have to do with anything".

 "As much as we give, we have to be able to receive a blessing too.  No matter what it is, no matter what the sacrifice on the other end.  Receiving is just as important as giving."  I was still asking God my questions a day later, then He asked me if I was receiving the gifts He has given me.  I wasn't, I was feeling guilty about them.  He reminded me that I was blessed, that I can bless others in my receiving, but I don't need to feel bad for what I have. 

This may be different for you, maybe you do have some things you have to evaluate.  But we all need to evaluate, and see if we are receiving our good gifts, making idols out of them, or feeling guilty for being put in America.  We aren't bad just because we are American's.   We are living off the blessings from past generations, lets make sure we make the right and holy choices today, so our next generations can enjoy the same blessings we have.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Seasons

We all have our favorite seasons.  Whether its the new life of Spring, the heat of Summer, the vibrancy of Fall, or the crispness of Winter, we all favor one over the other.  As the seasons change its hard for me to remember the last one longer than the change of temperature.  The memory of the heat and humidity of July is fading and I can't quite image the bitter cold yet; but the Autumn season is fresh with color and beauty. 

As we set into our favorite season we long to hold onto that time with a force that we can never hold, yet we try.  We loathe the thought of what the next season might hold.  But other season we can't wait for them to pass.  We look to the next with promise and hope.

As with the natural world, so it is with the spiritual world.  Are we clinging to our current season in fear of what God might bring next, or are we constantly looking forward to what is ahead in the next season?  Either way, we will never be able to completely hold the memory of the past or keep the season from changing,; nor will we ever be able to determine the full scale of our future, in which we risk missing God's true intent..  Its best to let the seasons change and to remain, to take the hope and trials, the warmth and the cold.  Thechange of seasons come full circle in God's perfect calendar.

Psalm 104:19
He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.

Daniel 2:21
He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Acts 14:17
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Idadequate by Choice

inadequate [ɪnˈædɪkwɪt]
adj
1. not adequate; insufficient
2. not capable or competent; lacking

Be a centre for Jesus Christ to pour living water through. Stop being self-conscious, stop being a sanctified prig, and live the life hid with Christ. The life that is rightly related to God is as natural as breathing wherever it goes. The lives that have been of most blessing to you are those who were unconscious of it. -OC

I hear people say that we aren't doing "enough", and by all means if the Lord has called you to do something and you haven't, you better get your butt moving.  Enough can be a dangerous word for Christians, so in an attempt to fight off our lack of zeal, or fear of inadequacy, we do more. 

Its very important to see through which resource we are doing our "enough" or our "more."  Oswald Chambers says we are actually a better good when we have no idea we are even doing good.  As soon as we realize we have something to offer, or we are a use to God, we are immediately unusable.  Pride, and the fact that we may begin to think we may not need as much of God as we thought, can sever any good.

There are steps we must take to make ourselves available to God's works.  We have to help the hungry, the weak, the hurting, the Bible commands it, and the Holy Spirit is impressing it upon all our hearts.  Make sure you are not only doing what you are comfortable with just so you won't feel inadequate in your calling. 

There has never been a situation I felt more inadequate to play than mother.  If a woman wanted to do this thing right, she would need a psychology degree, a criminal justice degree, a law degree (for the arguments sake), an economics degree, and a few cooking classes couldn't hurt.  I've never dropped foot inside a college of any sort, so most days I feel like I'm not equipped to take play this role well. 

So if I so not have the adequate resources to perform this call of God, where do I turn?  To the only one who has supreme wisdom, peace, love, and guidance.   I will let Jesus pour out from me, and I will be content in my weakness, and trust the Lord that He is doing through me what I can not by myself.  And hopefully, I'm completely unaware that I'm even doing any good so that I will actually be a success. 

Grow strong in your weakness...My preference is for you to depend on Me continually, trusting Me to guide you and strengthen you as needed. This is how you grow strong in your weakness," -Jesus Calling.

In no way am I saying that we live lives of sorrow, with the feeling like we are failures, but we must have enough courage to fail.  We need to be able to take the risk of being inadequate so that our Lord can use that weakness to bless the world through our unconsciousness.