Weeds

(johnson.k-state.edu)

Ponder with me if you will… since that’s the whole point of these blog posts. Just as Jesus told parables to illustrate a point He really wanted His disciples to grasp and comprehend, I see all around me points that illustrate Who He is and what His kingdom is all about! He uses what we CAN see, to reveal to us the greater thing that are yet UNseen. 

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.” – Matthew 13:24-25 

Pastor Mark Cowart (Church For All Nations, Colorado Springs, Colorado) referenced this scripture Sunday morning. He’s teaching a series on the dangerous lies we believe. Our lives are shaped by the things we take to heart and believe. That easily makes sense. But do we stop to think about just how easy it is for us to be presented with ideas that don’t come from God? How easy is it for the enemy of our souls to drop little tidbits along the path of our lives, that we scoop up like candy and cling to, not bothering to ask God if they’re from Him or not? 

While we’re sleeping or occupied with other things, our enemy plants weeds and thorns in the harvest of our lives. When we’re busy, or not paying close attention or things other than the Word of God demand our attention, it’s easy for those weeds to thrive. They may even look like the very crops we thought we were growing! The ‘tares’ that were planted in the parable Jesus shared were weeds that look like wheat. They weren’t discovered until they started to grow and were noticed by those working the garden.

(housemanservices.com)

When we’re too busy to spend time with God and in His Word (sometimes, we’re even too busy doing things for the kingdom of God), we get distracted from the truths He’s trying to share with us. Weeds grow up in the garden of our lives, and we may not even notice until it’s harvest time. By then, they’ve got a place in our lives, and it may not be easy to pull them out without tearing out the good things we’ve stored up along the way, too. By the time we notice a weed, and by weed, I mean a lie or falsehood that we’ve built our beliefs and our lives around, it can be devastating to examine ourselves and see that we’re not living the lives that God intended for us to live. And remember, some weeds can be beautiful.

(thegrassmaster.com)

God can redeem the days we’ve lost to lies and false beliefs, but we need to turn to Him now – while there’s still time and turn away from the things that were not from Him and turn TO all that He has planned for us. That’s the meaning of repentance. Even when everyone around us thinks we look good on the outside, or that we have it all together, God knows our heart. He knows our every weakness and loves us still. 

God isn’t out to punish us for the wrong we’ve done, He wants to redeem us from the life that’s permitted us to do those wrong things in the first place. He’s not waiting for us to mess up, He’s watching and waiting like the father of the prodigal son – for the moment we appear on the horizon with our hearts in tow to surrender to Him. 

1 John 3:20 reveals to us that, “If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things.” Don’t walk around in condemnation. Romans 8:1 tells us that, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…”

Simply, ask God what He’s trying to share with you today. Get into His Word and find His answer!

An Old Plea

(bethanychapel.com)

Sometimes old prayers are worth rereading; re-praying. Today as I searched through my computer files, I found this prayer from a few years back.  There was more, but, this is more than enough.

"Father God, I love you. Why am I afraid? What do I fear? How can I fear when You are with me, knowing You are in me? 

As I sit here embracing and contemplating what I’ve just read in Frances J Roberts’ Come Away My Beloved, I breathe in both sighs of longing and expectation – and breathe out yet more questions.

Do I think somehow, I’ll find peace or comfort or freedom of some sort in finding answers?  I’m afraid that perhaps I won’t find the answers or that I’m asking the wrong questions. Are You in the answers, or are You there in my questions?

If You’re here in the questions, I don’t feel so hard pressed to find the answers. All I want is You. I want Your peace, Your presence, the freedom found only in You. I am so afraid of not finding You – or of not having You here with me, in me. I find myself caught up in wanting to be sure I look the part, so no one will discover I’m afraid that sometimes, I am not found in You .....

As Your own mouthpiece, Ms Roberts tells me, that as I feel Your pulse, as I lay my head on Your breast and lose myself in You, I will experience resurrection life and peace and joy and that I will receive insight that will give me sustaining strength. But I find myself afraid of ‘doing it wrong.’ Is there even a wrong way to lean into You? Either I think too much or too little of myself to think I can do something wrong that has no way of being done incorrectly.

(crosswalk.com)

I know You bore my sins and desire to carry my burdens. I feel compelled to convince others to hand their burdens over to You, yet cling dearly to my own. I don’t want them; I know You do the caring FOR me! I know this in my head, help me to embrace this with my heart.  Help me to let go – to unburden on You.

I’m playing with the word ‘expectations’ – I hear You tell me that they’re all mine, not Yours. You are not burdening me with any expectations – You simply want me to enjoy You. Not to fret, not to worry, not to wring my hands over details that You have completely in Your control. 

Complete. I am complete in You. I can rest here, safely and without fear or anxiety. 

She writes: ‘You may take the gift of a light and merry heart, for My love dispels all fear and is a cure for every ill.’

I may take this gift? I desire a light and merry heart, I desire not to burden those You place in my path with my petty sorrows, but rather bless them with Your grace, Your mercy and Your love.

Yes, I’ve come here today with expectations Lord. I’ve come with the expectation of finding my freedom in You. I believe I am in You and that You are in me, what am I lacking?

I turn the page – and James 1:5 slaps me in the face, almost playfully. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.’ – She goes on, ‘Apply your heart to learn wisdom. This goal transcends every other aim, and any other good that come out of a pressure period is an added blessing in excess. Seek Me above all else.’

(unsplash.com)

Seek You! Not stories, not publishers, not purpose – seek You! Matthew 6:33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you – Lord, don’t You get tired of having to take me back to the beginning over and over and over again? I rejoice that Your patience never wears thin, with me, or with anyone on earth. You are my treasure.  You are my words, because You are THE WORD!

How can I feel so lost and yet expect to help others to find their way to You? My feelings betray me. The enemy of my soul has beguiled me. I pour out my heart to You, oh Lord.  Forgive me for allowing the snares of the enemy to entrap me. Suck me into Your Word where I am forever safe. 

A few tears, a few rants, a few fits of fear and trembling – and I am safe in You. You are here with me. You are smiling: at me! 

I have to laugh here. The very next scripture Ms Roberts takes me to is, Matthew 6:33. I thank You, Lord, for my friend Diane. She gave me this book, now, knowing it contains my hearts cry – and Your cry to my heart. Every other sentence snatches away my breath.  

(stpeterscomox.ca)

Though I look here and there for direction and purpose and meaning for my life – and suppose that the words you give me to write should be going somewhere and I try in vain, in my flesh to find their place, You have my purpose tucked there in Your heart, where You deeply long for me to resign myself. In seeking You my purposes will reveal themselves.

My heart catches as the thought dashes across my mind, seek God? How? How do I seek God?  Suck me into Your Word, Jesus!

Clutch my children to Your heart, oh God. How can I possibly think I love them more than You do??? Why do I cry over them, when You oh God, rejoice over them? Why do I grieve, yet You sing and dance over them? Yes, I’m proud of them. I know Your heart protects them, and by Your loving kindness You draw them to Yourself. I trust You with them. That is the bottom line. I no longer shoulder sorrow or apprehension. You oh God love them, treasure them, cherish them, hold them, cover them and protect them. You oh God draw them, You woo them, You test and try them, because You trust them. Why do I cry? Why do I tremble? I have a hard time believing it’s because of lack of trust in You. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. I trust You, help my distrust.

(victorycville.org)

Lord, why is it that I get excited about something You’ve shown me, yet when I try to share it, no one seems to care or be blessed by it? Surely, You’re not just showing me something trivial. Everything You touch is big. Everything You’re in, is great. Help me not to be saddened or to turn away from something You’ve revealed to me simply because no one else seems to care about it.  Help me to never turn away from anything You bring me to, or bring me through – or bring through me!

Why this quiet place? Why have I longed to be here with You? You’re everywhere. Will I leave here somehow closer to You? That is my desire. You know the desires of my heart, oh God. You, oh Lord know me inside and out. If You care to know how many hairs are on my head, You surely care about the cares in my heart. I hand them over to You. Here they are Lord. They’re Yours."  

(stlukesyork.org)

It's Mine

(photo of LaMarcus Aldridge found at blazers.topbuzz.com)

While singing a song about surrendering all to God and withholding nothing, a thought crossed my mind that made me uncomfortable. What am I withholding? What parts of me am I not yielding to Him?

The first thought that popped up to answer was: Am I holding back the way I feel about myself?

What won’t I release into His hands, and more importantly, why won’t I release it? It’s really not that I can’t let go, but for some reason I choose not to, as if what I cling to is safer with me than with Him Who knows all.

He wants all of me.

My hopes, my accomplishments, my past, my present and my future; any shame or worry, all my fears and my talents, my time, my disappointments, my thoughts; my children, my finances, my worries, my dreams, my insecurities, my boastings, my secrets, the unforgiveness I harbor, my joys, my struggles – He wants it all.

He nailed my shame to the cross on Calvary, along with my sins and my shortcomings.

He can teach me through both my accomplishments and failures and He can put them in a place where they can’t distract me anymore.

He can….

What can I possibly hang on to, thinking it’s better off in my hands than His?

Don’t I truly trust Him?

I can find plenty of scripture instructing me to surrender everything to God.

Yet, with trepidation, I admit to holding back, to looking past the things I hold on to, even while singing about surrendering all…

Sometimes we don’t see things in black and white, good or bad; we see gray areas, places we don’t want to look at closely and make a commitment.

This morning our pastor asked and answered, “How do you see (with your spiritual eyes)? You’ve got to have Light!”

So, it’s back to the Word I go. His Word is Light. I need revelation and I’m thinking I’ll need some courage to go with it.

It’s a new year, with new opportunities to take a fresh look at what challenges us and where we’re going.

What are some of the things you hold back? Why? Can we commit together to seek Him through His Word, and surrender all that we are to Him?

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” – Genesis 1:3 (NIV)

A Scary Thing

Way back in the dark ages when my husband was in the Air Force, we were stationed in a small town in Illinois at a base that's now closed. (For you history buffs, that was Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois.)

 

We lived in an apartment complex in town until base housing became available. Another couple that occupied an apartment across the street from ours was in the spotlight because on a regular basis, this large American man would yell at; berate; cuss loudly at and degrade his tiny Asian young wife.  

 

One morning as I walked my kids the few blocks to school, I heard God tell me to stop at her house and tell her that He loved her. I determined to do that on the way home. But I didn't follow through. I made excuses and piddled the day away. Before I knew it the clocked chimed time to go walk the kids home from school.

 

As my toddler and I passed her apartment, I felt God nudging me. But I walked all the way down to the corner kind of "arguing" with God about it, making excuses why I couldn't take the time to stop. "She won't understand English." And, "It's too late now, I'm halfway to the school, if I turn back now I'll be late getting the kids." God wasn't hearing any of that. "If you'd have stopped as I asked you to, you wouldn't be running late."

 

Convicted and knowing how much I love knowing that God loves me, how could I not turn back and tell her? As I approached her door, butterflies were having a wrestling tournament in my stomach. Why? I have no idea! I knocked on her door. No answer. Gentle nudge; I knocked again. No answer. Smile. Sigh. "Oh, God, you just wanted to know that I would do this, or rather, wanted me to know that I could do this!"

 

Before I could turn to walk away with relief, she opened her door a little, shyly peeking through the crack. She looked up at me (yes, I'm taller than she was, if you can imagine that) with pleading eyes, whispering Asian words I couldn’t understand. I sweetly told her that God asked me to drop by and tell her that Jesus loves her. Her face melted as she began to cry. She came out onto the step and hugged me, tears turning to sobs as she wailed, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

 

As I walked to the school to get the kids (no, as it turned out, I wasn’t late), I marveled at how simple that was. I felt a glowing joy about doing it, but wondered why I was so easily intimidated in the first place.

 

I never saw the woman again. I have no clue what happened to her. But I can’t tell  you how happy I am that I obeyed the voice of my Father.

 

“…To obey is better than sacrifice…” 1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV)

 

God prefers our obedience to a million sacrifices. Ponder this!

Harder to Love?

Love is tough, but it has to be. I read a great blog post the other day, you can find it here: Hope Flinchbaugh

It challenged me. There are so many places I don’t really want to go. It’s not like God is going to send me to hard places because He’s mean and wants to see me squirm. But because He loves me so much, and wants to see me conform to His image and reflect His beauty in this world, He takes me places that require me to love like He does. I’ll be honest, there are times that I’m tempted to shirk that responsibility. He loves unconditionally. That’s not always a fun thing for me to do in this mortal body. There are people that know how to ‘push my buttons’ and get away with it.

I find myself wanting to challenge God with, ‘Does loving them mean I have to like them?’ Love the sinner, hate the sin. That’s the truth, but so often, a person’s sins follow them around and scream in your face as you’re trying to love through the hurt they’ve caused.

I don’t think I’ve met anyone that I cannot say I love, honestly. But there are people that try my patience and challenge my sanctification. Yet, I constantly feel the hand of my Father on my shoulder as He reminds me yet again that this is easier to do when I allow Him to love through me. And it’s easier to do when I let Him help me forgive. 7 x 70? (Matthew 18:21-22) Who keeps count? I don’t have time for that – besides, the point is to always forgive. Always.

Is someone having a hard time loving me today? Is someone struggling with forgiving me for something?

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. - Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV)

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. – Mark 11:25-26 (KJV)

And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. – Luke 11:4 (KJV)

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. – Luke 23:34 (KJV)

Control

Beginning again but we’ll try

something new

We should have started this way before.

In our hearts we know more than our minds can imagine

That’s why we attempt this once more.

In our hearts is a voice that says,

“Listen to Me.”

But our mind says, “I know what I’ll do!”

We start out again to arrange

things our way

In the end it’ll look misconstrued.

Everyone who will turn

and will give us the time

Can easily see what we’ve done

Perhaps not out loud,

but they’ll laugh when they see

For we’re right where

we’d thought we’d begun.

“Try again,” we’ll feel prompted

and sigh and sit down

And we’ll try it a new way today.

Once again in our hearts

that ol’ tugging we’ll feel

As God prompts us to do things His Way.

But our head tells us differently,

“Try it like this!”

And our heart tries so hard to chime in.

But it knows deep inside

that this way will not work

And we’re doomed to repeat it again.

So the struggle is getting our mind to obey

What we know in our hearts we should do.

For our mind says to do things

the way of our past

And our heart says,

“Let’s try out the new!”

In the past we were sinners

so lost in our way

But then Jesus came into our heart.

But we’re trapped in the ways that our minds used to think

Forgetting we get a new start.

So first we must stop and just listen to God

And determine what He has to say,

If we take time to pray about all that we do

We will hear when He tells us His Way.

The instructions He gives us may not

sound quite right

But that’s where our faith must come in.

If instead we turn back and search out

our own way

That’s not only dumb, it is sin!

So to add to the problems of doing our task

Planning out the right path we should take,

We drag in a bag that we can’t even see,

The conscience convictions we make.

Now the planning gets harder

and harder each time

And the grip of our sin just gets tighter,

If our minds would just stop

and try listening to God

We would find that the burden gets lighter.

But our mind is accustomed

to being in charge

And our hearts have to fight tooth and nail.

For our heart knows a joy it is dying to share

But our minds dig up fears that we’ll fail.

So we struggle with words like,

“Renewing our mind,”

And it tears us apart at the soul.

But the secret is simple,

our hearts know it well

~Give up and give Jesus control!

~Helen Williams! c 2002



Smell....

A sweet smelling savor….

Springtime is filled with some of our favorite aromas; freshly cut grass – especially the first of the season, floral and leafy scents on the breezes. Maybe it’s not so much the individual fragrances, but the fact that we’re so much more aware of them. Spring signals newness and rebirth. If we’re not too busy we’re more aware of ourselves and our uprising desires for a new season after a long, perhaps dreary, winter. Smells can awaken us from slumber, whether to morning breath or cinnamon rolls.

Our nose does so much more than make it easier for us to breath. We’re told to stop and smell the roses or wake up and smell the coffee. Odors and fragrances can agitate, they can invigorate, they can soothe, they can arouse. They can even cause time travel; taking us back to buried memories, as can all of our senses.

There are memories tucked away within us that may never be exposed, but our God-given senses trigger and ignite memories by design. Exploring and understanding what God has already brought us through can prepare us for the new seasons of our lives. Winter, a time of dying or sleeping, always precedes springtime.

Hidden treasures -costly sacrifices, are not always pleasant, but yielded to God, He will use them for His glory.

Just as He saves our tears: Psalm 56:8 “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book” (NLT)…

He keeps our prayers: Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. (KJV)

My Way?

Beginning again but we’ll try
something new
We should have started this way before.
In our hearts we know more than our minds can imagine
That’s why we attempt this once more.

In our hearts is a voice that says,
“Listen to Me.”
But our mind says, “I know what I’ll do!”
We start out again to arrange
things our way
In the end it’ll look misconstrued.

Everyone who will turn and will give
us the time
Can easily see what we’ve done
Perhaps not out loud,
but they’ll laugh when they see
For we’re right where we’d thought
we’d begun.

“Try again,” we’ll feel prompted and sigh
and sit down
And we’ll try it a new way today.
Once again in our hearts that ol’ tugging
we’ll feel
As God prompts us to do things His Way.

But our head tells us differently,
“Try it like this!”
And our heart tries so hard to chime in.
But it knows deep inside that this way
will not work
And we’re doomed to repeat it again.

So the struggle is getting our mind to obey
What we know in our hearts we should do.
For our mind says to do things the way
of our past
And our heart says,
“Let’s try out the new!”

In the past we were sinners so
lost in our way
But then Jesus came into our heart.
But we’re trapped in the ways that our minds used to think
Forgetting we get a new start.

So first we must stop and just listen to God
And determine what He has to say,
If we take time to pray about all that we do
We will hear when He tells us His Way.

The instructions He gives us may not
sound quite right
But that’s where our faith must come in.
If instead we turn back and search out
our own way
That’s not only dumb, it is sin!

So to add to the problems of doing our task
Planning out the right path we should take,
We drag in a bag that we can’t even see,
The conscience convictions we make.

Now the planning gets harder and harder
each time
And the grip of our sin just gets tighter,
If our minds would just stop and try
listening to God
We would find that the burden gets lighter.

But our mind is accustomed to being
in charge
And our hearts have to fight tooth and nail.
For our heart knows a joy it is dying to share
But our minds dig up fears that we’ll fail.

So we struggle with words like,
“Renewing our mind,”
And it tears us apart at the soul.
But the secret is simple,
our hearts know it well
~Give up and give Jesus control!
~Helen Williams! c 2002