Fear of the Lord, that is wisdom

I have been reading in Job lately... and there is so much that has stood out to me but I don't have time to write it all today. I just wanted to share a few thoughts with you.

How prideful we (humans) can be -look at how we judge and seek to exalt ourselves (our thoughts, actions, etc.). How little is our understanding and awe of God (for the most part)...


“And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to depart from evil is understanding.’” Job 28:28 (NASB)

Sometimes I just miss it... I am too wrapped up in myself, my plans, my thoughts, etc... and I miss what this life is really all about. And it isn't about me! My friend, Lisa and I were talking yesterday about a multitude of things - but this blog brings to mind our discussion of the Church... how often times now the churches are trying to bring in the masses... and in doing so, often are catering to them - pleasant messages, emotional ones... Not that in our spiritual journey we do not need milk but we also need the meat. We need to progress... and to not take only pieces of the message presented in the Word but we need to present the Word in its entirety. Yes, we need grace and mercy but we also need to be convicted and rebuked. If you only do one you are missing it - you are missing the big picture. You are missing out on who God is fully and missing His message. A great example of this is parenting... I am sure you have seen examples of both where parents go to one extreme or another - and I am sure like me you have seen the results... You need both!

I have noticed too that we try to reason our way to who we think God should be and what He should do... but who are we to do that!?! We are the clay and He is the potter! How can we even think that we, the creation could tell our Creator what is best!? How can we think to judge our Creator - to judge what He does or doesn't do?! PRIDE - people it is pride! If we fully grasped what we were doing we would fall on our faces and beg forgiveness! Look to the Word and believe what it says - Who God is, Who you are in Christ...

12“Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this,
For God is greater than man.

13“Why do you complain against Him
That He does not give an account of all His doings?

14“Indeed God speaks once,
Or twice, yet no one notices it.

15“In a dream, a vision of the night,
When sound sleep falls on men,
While they slumber in their beds,

16Then He opens the ears of men,
And seals their instruction,

17That He may turn man aside from his conduct,
And keep man from pride;

- Job 33:12-17, NASB

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55:9, NASB

Which brings me back to judging others... As I read Job's friends' commentary to him ... and how sure they were that this calamity that had befallen him was because he had sinned... I just thought wow - I am sure there has been an occasion or more that I have done this same thing myself... However, as I read I noticed they had no example, no action to rebuke Job with. They had nothing they could point to, to reprove him (let me point out reproving and judging are not the same thing - see a previous post of mine on this). No, they just had conjecture and the prideful assurance that they must be right and Job must have sinned - that they fully grasped who God is and all His ways, thoughts and actions.

Let us remember not to judge, let us remember we are not God who can search and see the hearts and minds of man...

“I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind, ..." - Jeremiah 17:10a, NASB

"The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." - 1 Samuel 16:7, NLT

Seek wisdom and understanding - for it is far more valuable than gold, diamonds or pearls... clothe yourself in righteousness!

Walking in the Light

There are times that I get so upset or should I say angry about the way things in this country have changed ... taking prayer or God out of almost everything they can, abortion (which is really murder but they call it choice - which I have to say that except in the cases of rape, these women had a choice and they choose not to abstain... as in all life with certain choices come consequences... but this is the wrong way to deal with those consequences... after all we are talking about life, the life of a small baby. Even animals have more rights and protection in this country than an unborn baby). It is so sad!

On from those things to things like not saying "Merry Christmas" or "Christmas Tree" ... all these things and more have got me going... it is almost laughable because we are hated because we are viewed as intolerant... when it is those who hate us who are intolerant of Christians (not that there are not modern day Pharisees out there mind you) ... you can believe almost anything in this country and it is ok... well, unless you are a devout Christian. The irony...

But as I pause to reflect I remember what scripture tells me and why should I be so shocked...

Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

- 1 John 3:13

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ - John 15:18-25

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. " - Matt. 5:10-11

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

- John 3:16-21

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self–control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God– 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. - 2 Timothy 3:1-5

We have been told ... why do we expect to be loved, respected, to have justice... When our Lord and Savior who was blameless, pure, without sin did not receive these things from the world. Yet when you look at his example, how He reacted and what His actions were, what does that say to you?

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

- Matt. 5:43-48

Now I am not saying that we do not stand up for what is right and speak truth... Jesus did these things... Let's remember Him in the Temple driving out the money changers declaring "My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ” Matt. 21:13.

He always spoke truth to the Pharisees, and we are told to look after, protect, defend, help the "helpless" (widows, orphans or modern day - the unborn)... However we should check our agendas at the door and seek to do God's will and to do these things in God's way... To ask what will bring more glory and honor to God? What will show the world truth in love?

Let us also remember forgiveness, mercy and love... Anyone can come to Christ and be saved... their sins forgiven and walk in the light... a child of God, loved and cherished - ANYONE! It does not matter what sins you have committed - in Christ you become a new creation... a new person, cleansed, free, loved!

Hummm - things to ponder, things to believe, things to live for... choices to make!

I AM NOT PERFECT, BUT SOMETIMES I LIKE TO THINK I AM

What a weekend! My small child has been a little clingy this weekend... my husband and I were gone for about 5 days, we came back and my parents left, and later that evening my son lost his "wooby"... He has had this monkey blankie since he was born and slept with it constantly. He loves it! So suffice it to say he has had a rough week... and he wants his security blankie back!

The short version of the story is that my husband took my son out to dinner at the food court in the mall and well, monkey got left in a chair... 15 minutes later my husband remembered he had left him and went back to find people sitting at the table but no monkey. They had no idea where the monkey was, nor did the clean-up crew or the lost & found... So, I get a phone call during the end of my girl's night out movie ... and find out the bad news. I go back to the mall, and still no luck... My son screams and cries for his monkey for an hour and a half till he finally falls asleep... only to wake up searching his bed for him several times during the night and crying some more... this continues on all weekend, naps, bedtime... He is waiting, hoping, searching, then crying for it!

We searched and or called all over the area... only to find out that the stores have the same brand but no monkeys... and well our son is particular... he has rejected all other blankies and animals... He is no dummy and a substitute will not do. Don't worry we found it online and ordered two that should arrive here on Tuesday!

Here is where I have a confession to make... I have learned several things through this experience... One being that even though I know I am not perfect I still sometimes like to think I am. I say this because (my confession) here is my husband upset, broken, feeling sooo bad that he lost this blankie and I am, well mad! I am ... I think to myself "how could he have lost it!?" "I wouldn't have set it in a chair! I would have put it in his diaper bag..." Well, you get the point. So I try not to be upset and I try not to treat my husband as if this is all his fault, which in my mind it is... When in truth it is an accident and one anyone could make... But I have high standards and expectations... ones I am not sure any human even myself could live up to, at times. I like to think I am perfect and in my perfect world this would have never happened if I had been in control.

PRIDE! How ugly it is.... I can't stand it! I pray and I ask for forgiveness... because I am not perfect and thankfully the Lord not only knows it but He loves and forgives me. Which by the way is exactly what I should do... God forgets my sins and remembers them no more... He does not make snide remarks, rub them in my face or continue to make me feel guilty even after I have confessed my sin and repented... No He shows me mercy and grace and love... And that is what we are all called to do.

I know this may sound so silly ... all over a monkey blankie. But hey I would rather learn this lesson this way than with a much more serious one... I forgive my husband even though really he doesn't need my forgiveness... He did not intentionally do anything to cause me or my son harm. He loves us and he tries so hard to be the man God has called him to be... the husband and the father Christ desires ... he is a good man.

I have noticed that in marriage and maybe in other relationships as well... sometimes expectations can be a harmful thing... Especially when we set people up so high that they have to fall... because lets face it they are not God and they never will be. They are human and full of human frailty...

The other thing that this has taught me is how true it is not to cling to the things of this world but instead to cling to what is eternal. To cling to God! He is who we should hope in, search for, love, and cling to with all our strength. God is so good and His love fails not! Praise Him! There is no substitute for Him... He is the real deal and only He will do! Amen!

One last random note... My husband & I got to get away on a marriage retreat... what a blessing! Our speakers were Gary & Barb Rosberg. The Lord, as always, did amazing things... even to move our retreat location so that another couple who was not attending and were just heading in the direction of divorce - their marriage could be healed and restored! God is soooo good! One thing that I kept hearing over and over again... and even heard today at church was to be intentional! Be intentional in your marriage, be intentional in your walk... A building does not build itself, you make plans, you take action... It is that way with our marriage... Great marriages don't just happen unless you intentionally try to pursue your spouse, to continue to draw near to them, to talk with them, to listen, to share, to take time for each other... The same is said for our walk ... We can go about our day and not even share it with the LORD, or we can be intentional and seek Him, be in His Word, etc... Well you get the point. So BE INTENTIONAL!!! And be blessed!

Expectations & Faith

I was reading this morning in Matt. 8:5-13 and a few things hit me... Yes, the faith of the Roman soldier, but also Christ's amazement at his faith... there is more I want to say here but first let me start off with a personal story...

Don't you love how God teaches us in our everyday circumstances. Well, the scripture passage this morning reminded me of one such a time. I remember being at the airport a while back... I was flying by myself and I remember it hadn't been the best of days, so as I stood there I took a moment to look around and people watch. As I looked around I wondered who I would be sitting next to on the plane ... As I was thinking about this there she stood... this young woman, who looked like she lived in a very different world than me. She was dressed in all black (Gothic look), black nails, shoes, clothes (well you get the picture). She had piercings & tattoos all over her body... and I thought oh please don't let me be seated next to her. This was definitely not one of my shining inner-self moments, it was so fleshly. Ahhh... Well wouldn't you know that of course that is exactly who I sat next to on the plane! I am smiling now as I write this...(God I love you!) She sat down next to me - me who had my bible out and wanted some quiet time... She dug through her bag below her feet and I started to notice that her tattoos were all about Christ... and instead of a horrible smoke aroma that I expected, was this pleasant scent. She pulled out her ipod and put her headphones in and leaned back in her seat, I think she closed her eyes. She apparently didn't want to have a conversation either... All of the sudden though I was enthralled by her. I wanted to stare at her and investigate all of her tattoos & I was curious about her, about her life... I wish I could say that I started up a conversation with her but I didn't, apparently I wasn't curious enough.

Any way it was at this opportunity that God taught me I shouldn't judge others by their appearance... Who says that you have to be clean cut to love Jesus, to serve Him or to minister to others. Maybe by her appearance she can far better minister to people that I could not... I say all of this to say that it is not what is on the outside that counts but our heart within.... This girl may have a much deeper knowledge & understanding of Christ, than I do... She may be bearing much fruit in her life for Christ... Sometimes it is the unexpected who have great faith, passion, love, devotion and live very fruitful lives for Christ. This reminds me of the Apostle Paul and the early Church... who when he was persecuting the Church could have imagined all that he would one day do for Christ. What a deep faith and love he had for Christ!

Which brings me back to the passage this morning... Here was this Roman officer coming and saying to Jesus "Lord"...not teacher, healer, etc. He acknowledged him as Lord... and what is even more amazing (because you realize that Christ came and was preaching to the Jews not the Gentiles, although there were Gentiles who believed and were saved) is his great faith & humility! Many times those Christ came to preach to looked down on him and did not offer him even common courtesy. (Example - Luke 7:36-50, [esp. v.46]) They were not humble... Yet, here was this Gentile saying, I am not worthy to have you come into my home but if you say it I believe it will be done! Wow! It is amazing! (By the way check out Luke 7:1-10 for a little more insight).

Here was this Gentile calling Jesus Lord, showing humility and great faith. Jesus is amazed, that here in this Gentile is such a great faith, greater than he has found in all of Israel! He then goes on to say that many Gentiles will come from all over the world to sit down at the feast in the Kingdom with Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob... but that many Israelites, for whom the Kingdom was prepared will be cast out into the darkness... Why? Because they did not believe... they did not have a heart for or faith in their true Messiah! It is not just those who will proclaim a right to be in the Kingdom that will be cast out; there are many others who claim by heritage or by their cultural Christianity that the know the Lord but He will say He knows them not. (See Matt. 7:21-23)

I say all of this to say, do not discount those who seem far removed from what you expect of a Christ Follower... God can save and use ANYONE! In Him we can all be made new (2 Cor. 5:17)! Praise Him!!! Love Him! Serve Him! And love others...

Judging Others - Matt. 7:1-6

http://www.ebible.com/bible?source=NIV&query=matthew+7%3A1-6
Take a look at Matthew 7:1-6 (click link above to see verses).... Not too pleasant a thought is it; as you read the first two verses (well maybe not for you but for some of us)... I like to think "oh I don't judge others", but if you peel back the layer of sin/self and look for it, yep there it is - the truth! Maybe by "worldly" standards I might not judge others but according to the only standard that really matters (God's) I do. Believe me I don't want to be judged by the measure I sometimes impose upon others... So what do I do - I pray and know that God is faithful to help me overcome this "speck" or "plank" in my own eye...

I also took note while studying this scripture passage that it is not teaching that judgements should not be made (see v. 5) but it is pointing out to us not to be a hypocrite... do not be habitually critical and condemning of others when you yourself have a "plank" in your own eye! Do you focus more on others inadequacies than their good qualities and yet expect others to over look your failings and see you in a gleaming way? Humm... maybe that is something to think about if so... however I know that there are those of you that this does not apply to at all - so I ask you to pray for those of us that fall behind in this area. Your prayers are always needed and appreciated. I would love to hear your feed back on this and any thoughts you have on verse 6!