What can we do? LOVE.

 ¹² “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. ¹³And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.

 ¹⁴ “Look, the highest heavens and the earth and everything in it all belong to the Lord your God. ¹⁵ Yet the Lord chose your ancestors as the objects of his love. And he chose you, their descendants, above all other nations, as is evident today. ¹⁶ Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.- Deuteronomy 10:12-16 NLT

What do I do? What do I say? How can I pray?


    These are questions we all ask ourselves. There will always be unexplainable events that occur, and we know there is an unforeseen purpose for them; but it doesn't change the fact we feel helpless and discouraged. We do all we can to gather information, to gain understanding because we want to help fix it. Fact: GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR HELP, we need His! 


   God uses us, but He doesn't need to. He can work in hearts, and call people from the desert place all on His own. But He is so giving, and so humble that He shares His works with us, by using us as tools. As tools, we need to be sharpened and cleaned. We need to be oiled, welded and some times we break and need to be fixed. Above all, we cannot be used without an operator. Without Him, we are just laying around collecting dust. 


  If we refuse to be used, He will press on and He will find another tool who is willing. This doesn't mean it will have the same affect on the project He is trying to use you for. (Think about times when you've used a butter knife to unscrew something, it did the job, but wouldn't it have been a little different if you used a straight edge?) Either way, He will get the job done. 


   We all have times when our turn to be used on a project hasn't come yet, and we're still hanging out in the tool belt. If we don't have a project, why are we there? What do we do? 
Jesus said this:



¹⁶ You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.


  Love each other. That's it. Pray with and for each other. Encourage  each other. Fellowship with each other. Whether we're being used one by one, or thousand by thousand.. towns apart or nations apart. LOVE each other. Is that so much to ask from a Lord who loves such an unworthy creation as us? 


Let us love and move forward with acts of love. That's what He commands us to do. 

Trembles at His Voice

The fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground.- Ezekiel 38:20



    The highest mass we know, the largest thing we can stand next to, a mountain can be easily moved by Him. This really puts me in a state of aw, in thinking if our God can move a mountain with His voice alone.. He must be ENORMOUS! Even beyond that, the earth.. the galaxy, the WHOLE universe fits in His hand. WOW. I'm not a scientist, but I'm pretty positive that we as humans don't even know how big the universe really is. 


   Isn't it amazing to think that God is so BIG and powerful, He can bring the earth, the universe to ruins with the sound of His voice? I wonder if this is why He speaks to us in that "still, small voice", maybe if He spoke out loud it would destroy us? I have lately been thinking on how BIG He is.. and it's impossible to wrap my mind around.


   Thinking on that, it makes me wonder if we could fathom the depths of His love, would it destroy us completely? I don't think we could hold such an affection, I think we would physically disintegrate trying to understand it all that we'd become dust. 


   Sometimes I can't help but wonder if the natural disasters are a result of God speaking to us in a tone that is not still and small. I think of the events that have occurred this year already, with fish dying in mass quantity, and birds falling from the sky. I don't think of it as God's wrath or God is punishing humans, b/c I don't think there is a perfect nation out there and I don't think God would just pick one. But it seems there's an uproar on this earth, and I can't help but wonder if God is speaking to nations. Has He spoken and the earth trembled at His voice? Was this a plea for us to wake up from our slumber and turn our focus to Him, that we may be still and know that He is a living God who still sits on the throne?  These are just my thoughts, things that I have been pondering.


   Lord, I pray these hardships we are facing all over the world, as a human race, are able to be used to glorify You. I pray that You work miracles greater than any of us have witnessed in our time. Lord, let your mercy reign down, hear our cries for help as part of your creation. Let us not treasure things that can fall and be shaken, but lift up Your name and stand firm in Your promises. To You be all the glory forever! Amen.


 ²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” ²⁷ The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our “God is a consuming fire.”
   

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8




    This process is essential in ministry. We all have times where we fail to add one without the other. In my experience, knowledge without goodness is harmful and wages war, one against another. We are called to be GOOD first, and then knowledgeable. Why? Our knowledge should be used to guide, encourage and do what we're called to do, minister to one another and the world. We need to be good in our ways and our judgement, to know when and how to use our knowledge and not to just ramble off meaningless words.
"Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands."- Psalm 119:66


  We are called to practice self-control, before perseverance. Perseverance without self-control, proves more often than not, to be an act of fools. Perseverance can lead to destruction without having some restraints and can result in turning people away from Christ rather than leading them to Him. Doesn't a farmer water the seeds he has sown in some sort of regulation? "May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance." - 2 Thessalonians 3:5


   This next one may be the most dangerous, godliness without first having perseverance can lead to not only downfalls in your ministry, but a detour in your walk with God. If you look up godliness the definition will say: "Having great reverence for God" We need to revere God at ALL times, not just when we feel like it's right for us. I believe these things done out of order, can lead to the dreaded double life, which we are warned not to have. Maybe this is when some of us forgot to fear the Lord?   ⁶ "But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it."- 1 Timothy 6:5-7


  Then comes the most important. If we persevere to revere Him, we will grow a mutual affection for Him and for the things and people He loves. We cannot expect to love on our own accord, for loving who God loves is only gained through our reverence and affection for Him. We need to do this, to see people and situations through His eyes. To Love is the most important command God gives us. It's what makes us different, it's what makes us a testimony of His love. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13


   In times of trial, and sorrow; joy and exuberance, we should give thanks and praise. For HE desires us to be with Him, and though we should be secure in that, we should not be comfortable. We should be forever grateful and seek to serve Him all our days in humility. We should always be searching of ways to know Him more, so we can effectively do what He calls us to do! 


Blessings :)

  

 

Where do we go?

Where do we go from here?


   When the damage has been done, we cannot undo it. It's like having an exposed wound.. it's painful and unattractive and hard to look at. But without the proper care, this wound can become infected, and the infection can eat our flesh and poison our blood. It's time we heal.  


   From this point on, let us work together in nursing this wound. Let us use our gifts in acts of love.. which are like medication and bandages to our body. We will one again become whole, but like a healing wound, it's going to take time. I'm so thankful we have the best physician there is! 


   I pray we all put down our weapons and fall to our knees. On the outside and inside. I pray the healing power of Christ over our church family. I believe God heals in ALL situations, physical, mental, spiritual and emotional. It's not going to be a smooth road, but it's a step in the right direction in salvaging what is left and rebuilding. It's a new day, let's us rejoice for GOD has made it!


And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.- 1 Peter 5:10 

Fighting a revengeful spirit

18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:


   “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; 
   if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. 
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” -Romans 12:18-20


    These words are so difficult to live by especially when you've been hurt or have seen loved ones hurt. But the Lord commands us to love one another, and pray for our enemies. I've always tried to see the good in everything, and everyone. If I dislike someone (which isn't a common thing), I pray about it and then pick out the traits I like about them. It helps to connect with the traits and interests to find common ground and keep the peace. But, I'll admit.. I find myself  really struggling with that this week. I see people being so two-faced and fake, it's doesn't break my heart.. it makes me furious! 


   I've never understood, or been a fan of speaking love to someone's face, and cursing them behind there back. It makes it even more infuriating to watch them perform this in public, and knowing what's behind their mask. To add to the fury, they walk around calling themselves a CHRISTIAN. How can you give yourself that title that is such a privilege to have, and HATE your own brother or sister? Didn't Jesus even reach out first to the Jews, then to the Gentiles? If you cannot forgive and love your brother/sister in Christ, how can you even begin to think you will be effective in showing His love to the world?


   We read in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 as Paul writes:
 ⁵ If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. ⁶ The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. ⁷ Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. ⁸ I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. ⁹ Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. ¹⁰Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, ¹¹ in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
     
   We need to wake up and see it all for what it really is. Satan is out to destroy, and if he can't do that from the outside, he will work it from the inside. Brother against brother isn't anything but a plot being whispered in the ears of the weak. The enemy isn't a simpleton, he knows our downfalls better than we do.. but it is in our power to overcome those downfalls through Christ. How can we avoid falling into his plot? By being on guard. If you're comfortable, you're not on guard. If you're walking a double life, you're not on guard. It's time to man up, put on the armor of God and continually train yourself up for war against the enemy. This is what we are CALLED to do, live a life in fear of the Lord and walk in a way that believers and non-believers alike can learn from. 


Lord, forgive me that I allow my flesh to step in and get the best of me. Help me to love, forgive and not let bitterness hinder the good work you have begun in me. I pray this prayer for me, and my brothers and sisters as well. Help us all to cling to your word, and not look to the left or right.. but to always keep our eyes on the hills. Your will be done in all things I pray. In your name, Amen. 

Rescue

9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority.- 2 Peter 2:9-10    


I believe we will overcome in the name of the Lord. I believe He has plans greater than ours. I believe He is working in ways we cannot see, or hear, or fathom. I believe He is the rock, a firm foundation. I believe anything built on the foundation of men, will be destroyed. I believe in a God who is merciful, yet jealous. I believe He will have HIS way, even if it means dismissing ours. I believe He still loves us through our flaws. I believe He will bring justice and peace to His people. 


We need to hold tight to His teachings and not be lead astray by foolishness and deceit. I am so thankful my Lord is a CONQUERER! It doesn't mean things will go my way, or I will understand His ways; but I trust He knows what is best. He will rescue His children who truly seek and fear Him.




⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
      do not depend on your own understanding.
 ⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
      and he will show you which path to take.
 ⁷ Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
      Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
 ⁸ Then you will have healing for your body
      and strength for your bones.  Proverbs 3:5-8