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TRUE LOVE DOES EXIST!

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I usually hear or read where people quote scripture from the Old Testament that substantiates their reasoning that God is uncaring, a hater, or just plain ready to throw a lightning bolt at us whenever we make mistakes or fail in life. Or they have a mindset from previous experiences with their own father or “guardian” relationship.  Maybe they had an overbearing father that could never be pleased, or one that never shows any emotion toward them or never says, “I love you.” And there are others that don’t even have a relationship with an authority figure at all. If they actually know their dad, they are non-existent in their lives when it came to raising them.

I was raised in a home with a single mom, and although she genuinely tried to wear all the hats, it just wasn’t possible. My mom was a very tough lady, but also incredibly gentle. This was a characteristic that I learned to manipulate at a young age and therefore never really experienced any direct discipline from her. I would usually just smile or laugh and she would forget all about it. If she did move forward with grounding or disciplining me, she would almost in no uncertainty, let me off the hook. But she did love me. And her life of serving and loving God was yet another example of how I should live. It wasn’t until I was a young adult that I realized this component was missing in my life and at age 19, I accepted Christ.

Even after my new found relationship with Christ, I personally struggled with the “disconnect” of a Heavenly Father that I didn’t really know and all of a sudden wanted to be a part of my life. I struggled with the idea that God truly loved me, yet sat by for 19 years and watched our family struggle in every way possible. I ultimately figured that I had probably messed up in too many ways growing up, that some of His promises just wouldn’t apply to me. Now, even though I knew Him and genuinely loved Him, my past was still my past and clearly God knew all about it. And as a new believer in Him, when I screwed up, He couldn’t possibly still love me. I heard someone recently say that the Grace of God is Him giving you what you need, NOT what you deserve! Today I am thankful for the grace of God in my life and recognize Him as the loving Father that I personally never experienced growing up. But it hasn’t always been rainbows, lollipops and unicorns as my husband would say, but God has brought multiple times of correction, rebuke and life training experiences that I didn’t like nor understood.

When we experience pain, hurts, hardships or struggles, the viewpoint that God is mad at us or teaching us a lesson is a normal thought process. Especially if you’ve read any of the Old Testament. The Old Testament shows an angry God with His creation and Jesus was the final sacrifice that literally took all the punishment of sin onto Himself once and for all. I mean literally, He died FOR ALL!

 

Now I realize there are New Testament scriptures too, like in the book of Hebrews; but knowing that you have a loving father, who cares for you, wants to see you succeed, has a desire to finish all the good that He started in you, I personally feel those scriptures are usually taken out of context and misrepresented. I do know that God disciplines those that He loves. As a parent disciplines their children because they love them and want them to learn right from wrong. Sometimes we as parents use the word “punishment” when disciplining our children, but God does not. There is a difference. Discipline requires training and the potential of a heart change, punishment is just the penalty being paid, no training involved. Through Jesus, the price for our punishment was paid.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews, wanted his readers to remember that the difficulty and pain they were experiencing was not God’s punishment for their sins or weak faith. He explains that Jesus’s sacrifice for sin was complete and for all believers. No sacrifice of any kind for sin was ever needed again. He followed that up with example after example of how the life of faith has always been difficult for the saints.

Then he quoted Proverbs 3:11-12

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.

“It is for discipline that you endure. God is treating you as sons,” he said. The Hebrew people were not to interpret their painful experiences as God’s angry punishment for their sins. That angry punishment was completely spent on Jesus — once and for all — nailed to a cross. Rather, this was the message they were to understand from their hardships: God loves you! He has fatherly affection for you. He cares deeply for you.

It is crucial that we remember that everything God feels toward us as Christians is gracious. Even when God disapproves of sinful behaviors and habits and thoughts and disciplines us, it is a precious form of His favor. It’s what a loving father does.

God is not giving us what we deserve because what we deserve was nailed to the cross. Instead, He is training us in righteousness.

Because He loves us so very much.

DUCK, DUCK, DUCK, GOOSE!

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When I was a little girl, I was short. In fact, growing up at school, kids would dedicate the song, “Short People” to me during music class or even intentionally drop their lunch money between the stairs so the teacher would call me to go retrieve it. Although I was short, I was athletic and my favorite childhood game used to be duck duck goose and dodge-ball, (but that’s another story). For some reason, my loud mouth used to get me picked on. Therefore, kids would always choose me as the goose, but to their surprise, I was quick. I almost always got to them before they sat down. Boys especially didn’t like this and thought it was a big deal to win against me. They didn’t really know me, but once they chose me as the goose, they learned quick, that I was fast.

I have been around people long enough to know that sometimes their perception is not necessarily accurate. This poses true specifically with the characteristics of who God is. His actual reputation and His role in our lives is not always as it seems. For some, God can reflect both a positive and a negative. To them, He’s good “some of the time,” like when we get notice of a bank approving us for a loan, we thank Him, or when something that is important happens, we acknowledge Him for His goodness. Yet in other instances, we feel like He’s an angry God that smites us when we make a mistake or sin. Some think that He looks for ways to strike us down with lightning bolts or to make a show of our failures publicly. Quite frankly, these thought processes would make God out to be an untrustworthy, bi-polar, “which way is the wind blowing,” kind of God. I submit to you, that He’s good. His Word says, “He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. In other words, He hasn’t changed; even in the 21st century. It’s also the goodness of God that leads man to repentance and He gives good and perfect gifts all while loving us unconditionally. In fact, according to John 10:10, He came that we might have life, and have life more abundantly.

When things go wrong in life that we can’t explain, we feel a direct need to understand. We ask questions, and questions are good, but sometimes we ask the wrong people. There has to be a reason why something happened? So we try to deduct, calculate and piece together what little information we have. Then, if we can’t get things to line up and make sense, we resolve to just blaming God. We justify our reasoning and usually conclude that that He is God and chooses to do what He wants, when He wants, and that He doesn’t care about our lives or our situation.

Saul of Tarsus (also known to most as Paul) is a great example of a misaligned perception. As a young boy, Paul was raised in a God fearing family, and taught the law of God. His family was considered prominent in the city, but they held true to their roots and biblical teachings. Paul was raised a Pharisee, however, he had a great balance of knowing other cultures and lifestyles. Although he and his family did not participate in other cultures, he did accept “Roman Citizenship.” The city of Tarsus was considered a “booming” hub of it’s day. As a busy port for trading, there were many boats, types of people, different languages and other religions always close-by. Paul was adamant about what he believed, and when Jesus began His ministry on the earth, Paul was against it. It did not fit according to his belief. Paul ultimately murdered thousands of people and destroyed many families and lives. And yet, he did this all in the Name of God.

As Paul was moving up the ranks of his religion, he began to seek ways to put “Christians” in their place, this made him even more popular to his superiors and they sent him on assignment to Damascus. Paul began traveling and had a supernatural experience with the then resurrected Jesus. This meeting on the road to Damascus, was so powerful to Paul, that his perception of who Jesus was, changed immediately. All of his preconceived ideals, the letter of the law and most of the teachings that he was raised with, changed, in an instant. Paul understood immediately how his perception of Jesus was incorrect.

Paul expressed personally how his life was changed, and he became a witness to others of who Jesus was. His life was dedicated to the teachings of Jesus Christ and now we read today two-thirds of the New Testament that he authored. I can only imagine that when Christians heard Paul was coming to teach them, they would have to think it was a trap and start running for their lives. Now I realize that not everyone has an encounter with God like this, however, it just goes to show you that you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. You have to be willing to read the book, get additional knowledge and then form your perception to the things that are as close to reality as possible.

Like Paul, you still may have a wrong perception, but the good news is, God can still use you.

LOSING IS NOT IN MY VOCABULARY

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ccc_new_logoWhen Keith and I first got married, we used to hang out with our parents on many occasions. There were many reasons for this, they usually fed us really well, provided some great conversation with how we each grew up, they were a wealth of wisdom in areas that we were just stepping into and incredibly difficult to beat in most card games; therefore they provided us a challenge that we couldn’t pass up. Keith and I are extremely competitive, and over the many times we played cards with his parents, there were a few instances where we would win. Many times my father-in-law would comically show his disgust with losing. I think Keith and I personally enjoyed those moments best.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to win. I believe our society has dummed down the desire to conquer or be the best at something. We have in a sense removed the pursuit portion of accomplishment, or substituted the mentality of a good, hard-work ethic by rewarding people for mediocrity. The most recent loss of Dr. Myles Munroe and his wife and staff has really got me thinking. What did the body of Christ lose in that plane crash? How were the families, children, grand-children and church members now being affected? To quote many in their own words, “We lost a General in God’s great army.”

In the book of Acts Chapter 12, it tells the story about James, the brother of John being captured, presumably tortured, persecuted and finally killed by the sword of King Herod. All because James preached a message of “Jesus Saves.” King Herod enjoyed persecuting Christians. In fact, because of his persecution tactics, he received praise and honor from those whom also wanted to stop that message. The Word states, King Herod immediately captured Peter after the death of James, however, since it was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, he decided to wait till afterward to bring him to trial. Peter was then shackled and imprisoned, kept in the lowest part of the prison and had 4 groups of 4 soldiers guarding him to ensure that he did not escape. I think one of the greatest moments is found in Acts 12:5 where it says, “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying for him.” The night before his trial, an angel visited Peter, woke him, told him to get dressed and follow closely. The angel led him out from the lowest depth of the prison, without any guard being alerted to his escape, and Peter went directly to one of the houses where the church was currently praying for his release. Rhoda was so shocked that Peter was standing in front of her when she answered the door that she shut the door in his face!

It’s interesting how Peter was on a path of destruction, yet the church was able to disrupt it; through prayer. Thank God that the church woke up after the death of James and realized they had a job to do and it was life or death that they begin doing it.

Prayer changes things!

If you read through the Gospels there wasn’t one instance where the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to heal the sick, or make 5 loaves and 2 fish feed 5,000 people; they only asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus did just that, and He illustrated it through “The Lord’s Prayer.” We are to pray, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” Jesus also demonstrated a lifestyle pattern of prayer by withdrawing Himself from the disciples to be alone with the Father to pray.

Together, as a body of believer’s, we are to pray that God’s will would be established here on earth. And ironically, the only way to know His will, is to spend time reading His Word, in His presence, praying.

Unfortunately, we can only speculate on why bad things happen, or why people are lost in such tragic ways as Dr. Munroe. But more importantly, we can learn from these events and start doing what we are called to do. Pray! This message is not meant to bring condemnation, but rather to encourage us as a church to wake up and start praying. If you already pray, find time to pray more, if you don’t pray at all; it’s time to begin! The benefits of prayer to God are truly much greater than you or I realize.

I believe that through prayer, we can be on the winning side of the fight every time. I remember one time I mentioned to my father-in-law that he was being a “bad loser” and he responded, “I would rather be a bad winner!” I actually agree with him… although I think I’d rather be a good one.

DEADLY POISON FOUND IN MANY WHO ARE UNAWARE!

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logoI grew up as a little girl without a father. My dad divorced my mom and moved back to California when I was just one year old. As a little girl, I didn’t realize what I was missing nor did I realize how this was going to affect me later in life. As I grew older, resentment and bitterness toward my dad began to creep in. And although there were many instances that I wanted to build a relationship with him, it just never worked out. I would travel to him (by choice) for my summer breaks just to try and build a relationship and each summer ended in a huge blow-up that usually made me hate him even more. Our relationship struggled throughout my teenage and young adult years till I realized our relationship just couldn’t move forward. I stopped calling.

It wasn’t until my mom was on her deathbed at my young age of 26 that her request changed me forever. She lovingly, yet forcefully asked me to accept that if my dad called for me for any reason that I would go to him. I reluctantly agreed.

Soon after my mom’s funeral, I began replaying things in my mind, asking myself crazy questions. One after another; and I had a lot of questions. But there was one scenario that caused me great distress. What if he called? What if he was dying and wanted to see me? Was I genuinely going to be able to be by his side as my mom requested? What would I say? The struggle that existed on the inside of me was a root of bitterness and a lack of forgiveness toward my dad. It’s presence was now affecting other areas and relationships in my life.

A lack of forgiveness or a root of bitterness is the single most used “poison” against people today. I heard Joyce Meyer say one time, “Bitterness is like drinking a bottle of poison and expecting the other person to die.” In Hebrews 12:14-15 it says, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;

A root of bitterness is a bitter root producing bitter fruits to themselves and others. It produces corrupt principles, which will ultimately lead to departing from what you know to be truth. A simpler way to understand this is it changes your perception. You become tainted, you lean a certain direction because of past hurts or experiences and it ultimately affects others.

A root of bitterness actually strengthens and digs deeper when you are wronged and yet continues to grow with each passing situation, life experience or relationship. Its corrupt practices grow worse and worse till the individual becomes physically sick, finds themselves in a deep depression or on the positive side chooses to forgive and removes the root altogether. Individuals that carry a root of bitterness struggle with having true peace because they are always troubled by something, someone or worse yet producing more bitter fruit for any new people they come in contact with. I think the saddest statement in that scripture is “and by this many become defiled.” Many are tainted with this poisonous venom, and are now growing roots all their own. In some cases people are completely oblivious to the roots existence. I was with my dad, but nonetheless, my marriage and friendships showed affects of this root – although subtle, it existed.

In order to prevent a root of bitterness, you must be able to forgive, to grant a pardon, or to recognize that people aren’t perfect and cease any resentment toward them. Even while they are still hurting you! You must be able to see the good in people, regardless of what behavior they have or are displaying. In fact, when Jesus was asked how many times should you forgive someone, He responded with seventy times seven. In other words, all the time. Now everybody knows that there are just some people…

and yet for us, they all need forgiven.

My dad passed away in 2007, and I found out through Googling his name and seeing a death date in 2010. He never called for me. But if he had, I would’ve gone, I would have loved him and released him of anything he might have been carrying through the years. I have learned that when you are able to love someone and see the good in them regardless of how they may have hurt you, you are actually seeing them through the eyes of God. It is for our own benefit, that we learn to release the hurt and prevent the root of bitterness from taking up residence.

The Bible says to love your neighbor and love your enemies. According to G.K. Chesterton it’s because they are generally the same people.

JUST GOOGLE IT!

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ccc_new_logoYou know you’ve heard it, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” “Money is the root of all evil” and my favorite one . . . “God only helps those, who help themselves.” These are all phrases people claim to be in the Bible. Yet they’re not! Most people paraphrase the verses in the Bible and although they are similar, they are not accurate. For example its the “love of money” that is the root of all evil.

Well, thirty years ago when someone thought the world was going to end, it usually only affected people that they could get in contact with, you know. . . their circle of influence (20-35 people).  But today, with our social media, news outlets and constant streaming of information, everything becomes a big deal. People jump on the “information bandwagons” and start spreading information, their opinions and knowledge are publicly displayed and the next thing you know. . . IT’S TRUE!

Over the last 25+ years I have graduated from a Bible College, taught at one, attended hundreds of teaching workshops regarding many different topics, taught many workshops, counseled hundreds of families, friends and loved ones, served in many ministries (large and small) and personally been a student of the Word of God. Even to this day, I am still learning. I don’t care what level you have personally attained in any area of life, if you stop learning, you stop the flow of potential into your life.

Everyone has at one point or another been the one spreading propaganda or been the victim of it. Most of this is due to people not taking the time to educate themselves or dig deeper for the truth. The Bible says in Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” So it would probably be helpful if “His people” actually took the time to get the knowledge. We are ultimately responsible to know what we believe. A recent article I read stated that Americans by and large revere the Bible, but 82% of them, don’t actually read it. In fact, a graduating high-school class that was surveyed thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were a married couple. Although that statement is funny in and of itself, it’s really not funny at all.

There is no substitute for the Word of God. There are many things around us that can easily distract us from our time in the Word, and its proving to lead to why so many people get pulled off their God-given path. Sodom and Gomorrah were actually two neighboring cities in the Old Testament where the people had strayed so far from God that it was easier to destroy it; than to redeem it.

Although there is a great influx of information being spread through different venues, take the time to read God’s Word, dig deep, get the right information, get educated and live in a belief system that is actually supported by facts. Because apparently NOT everything you read on the INTERNET or FACEBOOK is TRUE. And coincidentally, I can say this with great confidence, because I recently read on PINTEREST where Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying, “Not everything you read on the internet is true!”