Most people are aware about this new movement Oprah is doing about "A New Earth". She is holding on-line classes which include meditations, readings and spiritual insights from a best selling author named Eckhart Tolle. It's a part of the new age movement where no Heaven or Hell exist except for that which you create by living in the now. I sent an email out to some friends recently explaining some of this and I was amazed how little people knew about it. Most people blindly follow a popular crowd, book, movement, friends without really understanding what that person is for or about. I, of course, was not trying to make a decision for anyone to stop watching her show or buying her books however I was opening their eyes to the real side of her. I feel we should always be looking for the truth behind people and then after seeing it allowing yourself to come to a conclusion as to if participating in this persons life, being associated with a certain group of people, etc is the best for your life.
With that said a young lady I work with was speaking to me yesterday about living in the now (another title by the infamous Eckhart Tolle) and she began to praise his work on "A New Earth" I politely told her I did not believe nor care for his teachings. She was astounded but interested. For the next 45 minutes I was able to explain my belief system that it comes from the scriptures and that my peace is from Jesus. She stopped me there and said well does your peace come from Jesus or from God? Excellent question with an easy answer....they are one in the same! She just couldn't grasp that. So I asked "You can't grasp that but you can grasp that you alone can create your Heaven or Hell?" She laughed at that and wanted me to continue. I explained the Trinity and that there is not a line in my Bible that I disagree with. She asked questions which thankfully, I have had amazing teaching and upbringing, to where I was able to recall scriptures and have an aswer ready. We ended our conversation (yes, a conversation...the Bible clearly teaches and warns about getting in to arguments about religion/teachings...we are to lovingly love those who disagree) She said she would love to resume it later over lunch.
Too many times we are approached with questions about the Bible and we are tongue tied. Sometimes we don't even talk about Christ with others because we are fearful we won't be able to answer their questions. How do you remy that? GET IN TO THE WORD LADIES!!!! Open a Bible, get it in your face and start reading it. Don't be caught like a deer in a headlight when someone ask you what the Trinity means? Search it out in the scripture and boldly tell others its meaning.
Lets just not be guided by others teaching us...but allow the main teacher, the big guy on campus, the world renoun author, the Christ, teach us through a personal time of study in His best selling book...The Bible!!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
I'm proud of you
I got a call today from one of mine and my husband's close friends, someone I actually love like one of my own children. He had to take a physc test today for the Alachua County Sheriffs Department. He called me after the test and we were laughing about some of the random questions he was asked. Several hundred questions were on this test! Then he said he got to this one question where it asked him if anyone has ever told him they were proud of him? He said he thought of me. It totally brought a smile to my heart :) On numerous occasions I have sat with him discussing life's problems, consulted break-ups, talked about his spiritual walk, his friendships or have just laughed because he thought the 4th of July was the 24th of July! I can't count how many times I have told him that I was proud of him. Proud of him for doing the right thing, walking away from temptations, sticking to a commitment, apologizing to someone, going ahead with his dreams...you get the picture. Sometimes you never know what people really hear when you speak to them. I know my husband only listens to half of my conservations (hahahaha) but really, what sinks in and what doesn't? In a world where people seem to be holding on to grudges rather than encouragement I saw a little light today that made me smile.
Words really do make a difference. Encouragement sticks. Compliments go a long way. Kindness is not an after thought it's a command from Jesus. When was the last time you told someone you were proud of them? When was the last time you heard those 4 sweet words?
1 Thessalonians 5:10-11
He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Words really do make a difference. Encouragement sticks. Compliments go a long way. Kindness is not an after thought it's a command from Jesus. When was the last time you told someone you were proud of them? When was the last time you heard those 4 sweet words?
1 Thessalonians 5:10-11
He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Friday, April 11, 2008
What to do?
So many students are stressing out right now over finals, which college to attend, do I get a summer job, who am I going to go to prom with or should I even go to my prom? So, many choices you are faced with and sometimes with very little guidance, if any guidance at all. And with choices come consequences. Consequences are not always bad so I don't want you to fixate on that word for too long. But I do want you to focus on what choices you are making. Are they in line with God's Word? Are you seeking God with your decisions? Are you following His path for your life?
In the next few weeks we are going to talk about God's Will in your life. How to seek it, how to know it, how to be obedient to it.
Stay tuned...
In the next few weeks we are going to talk about God's Will in your life. How to seek it, how to know it, how to be obedient to it.
Stay tuned...
Friday, November 30, 2007
Demons
Like a good ghost story? Want to hear about demon possessions? No need to go to your local theatre just go get in God's Word! Story after story you will see where demons possessed someone, entered someone, changed someones physical appearance or attitude. Acts 16:16-25 the possession of a little girl; Mark 5:1-19 possession of the man at the graveyard; Job 4:12-21 Eliphaz encounters a demon.
The origin of demons is not clearly revealed but they do exist. When exactly God created angels is open for debate, but what is known for sure is that God created everything good because God, in His holiness, cannot create something sinful. So when Satan, who was once the angel Lucifer, rebelled against God and fell from heaven (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28), one-third of the angelic host joined his insurrection (Revelation 12:3-4,9). There is no doubt these fallen angels are now known as the demons. We know that Satan had access to Gods throne. (Job comes directly after Gen 22 in chronological order of the Bible) Read Job 1:6-7 and you will see that God asks Satan where he has been. Satan tells Him he has been roaming around the world just checking things out. Satan still had to answer to his activities. At what point God stopped this access we do not know. But this should show you that Satan is still very much inferior to God yet still very powerful. So, why do we not take seriously the threat of Satan capturing our heart?
Matt 25:41 shows us that Hell was created for the devil and his angels. Some reject that demons continue to roam the Earth today because Jude verse 6 says they are in chains but 1 Peter 5:8 says that the devil is still roaming like a lion. Why would God allow the devil to still roam but not his angels? We know that Jude 1:6 is talking about the “sons of god” in Gen 6. They were called the Nephilim. They pro-created with the daughters of the Earth and created a breed of giants. These are believed to be the demons that God has locked up forever in chains.
Ghosts, hauntings, seances, tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystal balls—what do they have in common? They are fascinating to most people because they seem to open the window into a curious and unknown world that lies beyond the limits of our physical existence. And to many, such things seem no more dangerous than opening a window in their homes. Many people and authors approach this subject from a non-biblical perspective and we need to be careful to remember this. Nowhere in the Bible does it report hauntings from dead people. The Bible clearly states that there is one of two places you will go when you die. Heaven or Hell. (Luke 16:22-28.) The Bible clearly states that any one who delves in to these things invite disaster (Acts 19:13-17) The following 3 verses show us that the people began to burn those things, which they were using and reading that did not pertain to God. And if God considered the occult practices of contacting the spirit world for wisdom or guidance for the future an abomination worthy of judgment in Moses' time (Deuteronomy 18:9-12), then God, who does not change, considers it still today.
Satanism's common denominator is self. The exact thing that Satan was kicked out of Heaven for. Different types of worship require different beliefs. But it all boils down to live for the moment their creed being, gluttony and debauchery. Most Satanist don’t even believe in Satan at all. Since Satan was kicked out of Heaven who wants to follow a loser? In short, Satanism, while it may or may not be worshiping Satan, is a conscious effort to NOT worship the one true real God.
So can a Christian be possessed? Many theologians believe we cannot be possessed because we have the Holy Spirit in us. But in the case of Judas he opened his heart to the sin of greed. So, if we too, open our hearts to a habitual sin can we invite demons in to our hearts? Sin is a bondage we put on our lives that separates us from worship and fellowship with Christ. And sin derives from allowing the Devil and his demons to draw us away from God. The Bible gives us no reason to believe Satan and his demons can read our minds. Clearly that would take a measure of omnipresence and omniscience, which they do not have. However, Satan and his demons have been observing and tempting human beings for thousands of years. In addition, they can overhear our speech when we talk to others (and to ourselves!). Surely they have learned a few things about us over the years. Even without the ability to know our thoughts, they can probably make a well-educated guess as to what we are thinking, and then attempt to use it to their advantage. That is why we are commanded to “Submit yourselves, then, to God” (James 4:7a), before we are told to “Resist the devil” (James 4:7b).
Demons are real we just do not talk about them like every other culture does. Basically we have forgotten the real threat of them in our daily walk with Christ. Every day when you wake up their is a spiritual battle going on over you. Heavens angels are battling Satan's demons to see who will win your heart that day. But we have the upper hand. Scripture says in Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. All we have to do is call out His name and even the demons will tremble and worship Him! What power we have in Christ!
So what's haunting you? Is it a demon or is it that you haven't tapped in to the freedom God has given you over your demons?
The origin of demons is not clearly revealed but they do exist. When exactly God created angels is open for debate, but what is known for sure is that God created everything good because God, in His holiness, cannot create something sinful. So when Satan, who was once the angel Lucifer, rebelled against God and fell from heaven (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28), one-third of the angelic host joined his insurrection (Revelation 12:3-4,9). There is no doubt these fallen angels are now known as the demons. We know that Satan had access to Gods throne. (Job comes directly after Gen 22 in chronological order of the Bible) Read Job 1:6-7 and you will see that God asks Satan where he has been. Satan tells Him he has been roaming around the world just checking things out. Satan still had to answer to his activities. At what point God stopped this access we do not know. But this should show you that Satan is still very much inferior to God yet still very powerful. So, why do we not take seriously the threat of Satan capturing our heart?
Matt 25:41 shows us that Hell was created for the devil and his angels. Some reject that demons continue to roam the Earth today because Jude verse 6 says they are in chains but 1 Peter 5:8 says that the devil is still roaming like a lion. Why would God allow the devil to still roam but not his angels? We know that Jude 1:6 is talking about the “sons of god” in Gen 6. They were called the Nephilim. They pro-created with the daughters of the Earth and created a breed of giants. These are believed to be the demons that God has locked up forever in chains.
Ghosts, hauntings, seances, tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystal balls—what do they have in common? They are fascinating to most people because they seem to open the window into a curious and unknown world that lies beyond the limits of our physical existence. And to many, such things seem no more dangerous than opening a window in their homes. Many people and authors approach this subject from a non-biblical perspective and we need to be careful to remember this. Nowhere in the Bible does it report hauntings from dead people. The Bible clearly states that there is one of two places you will go when you die. Heaven or Hell. (Luke 16:22-28.) The Bible clearly states that any one who delves in to these things invite disaster (Acts 19:13-17) The following 3 verses show us that the people began to burn those things, which they were using and reading that did not pertain to God. And if God considered the occult practices of contacting the spirit world for wisdom or guidance for the future an abomination worthy of judgment in Moses' time (Deuteronomy 18:9-12), then God, who does not change, considers it still today.
Satanism's common denominator is self. The exact thing that Satan was kicked out of Heaven for. Different types of worship require different beliefs. But it all boils down to live for the moment their creed being, gluttony and debauchery. Most Satanist don’t even believe in Satan at all. Since Satan was kicked out of Heaven who wants to follow a loser? In short, Satanism, while it may or may not be worshiping Satan, is a conscious effort to NOT worship the one true real God.
So can a Christian be possessed? Many theologians believe we cannot be possessed because we have the Holy Spirit in us. But in the case of Judas he opened his heart to the sin of greed. So, if we too, open our hearts to a habitual sin can we invite demons in to our hearts? Sin is a bondage we put on our lives that separates us from worship and fellowship with Christ. And sin derives from allowing the Devil and his demons to draw us away from God. The Bible gives us no reason to believe Satan and his demons can read our minds. Clearly that would take a measure of omnipresence and omniscience, which they do not have. However, Satan and his demons have been observing and tempting human beings for thousands of years. In addition, they can overhear our speech when we talk to others (and to ourselves!). Surely they have learned a few things about us over the years. Even without the ability to know our thoughts, they can probably make a well-educated guess as to what we are thinking, and then attempt to use it to their advantage. That is why we are commanded to “Submit yourselves, then, to God” (James 4:7a), before we are told to “Resist the devil” (James 4:7b).
Demons are real we just do not talk about them like every other culture does. Basically we have forgotten the real threat of them in our daily walk with Christ. Every day when you wake up their is a spiritual battle going on over you. Heavens angels are battling Satan's demons to see who will win your heart that day. But we have the upper hand. Scripture says in Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. All we have to do is call out His name and even the demons will tremble and worship Him! What power we have in Christ!
So what's haunting you? Is it a demon or is it that you haven't tapped in to the freedom God has given you over your demons?
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Dealing with Difficult People
So we've all got that one person, or two, in our lives that just seem to annoy the heck out of us. It's inevitable that they produce themselves in our paths right at the very moment when we don't want to see them. They say things that get on our last nerves. They make comments when they should just stay quiet. And some of them are not going anywhere anytime soon. So what do we do? How do we react to the them?
We need to realize that everyone has this person in their lives and in return we are that someone in someone elses lives. We, as Christians, have been commanded to exhibit the fruits of the spirits. One importantly being that of patience. Patience allows us the opportunity to do nothing but sit back and begin to pray for a good dose of patience in regards to this person. It's not our job to change these difficult people but rather to change our perspective about them. I like to call these people, Sandpaper people. They are abbrasive and they rub us the wrong way. We prepare ourselves for how sandpaper will feel agasint our skin before it ever touches us, and that is how we act towards these people too. Before they ever get near us we have already prejudged them. We anticipate how they are going to treat us, what cruel thing they are going to say or do. This is where we go wrong. Instead of us assuming how they will be we need to see them the way Christ sees them. They are beautiful, important and worthy in His eyes. So, why not in our eyes?
3 things we need to do with these people;
1. Choose to love them. Look beyond their faults and see their worth.
2. Choose to encourage them. Be their cheerleader - privately or publicaly. Find one good aspect about them and focus on it. You can do this by complimenting them or just remembering that they have a good quality amongst their bad ones and constantly look for it.
3. Choose to be thankful for them. Difficult people are gifts from God. Hand picked for us and wrapped in God's love. He brings them in to our lives to smooth out rough edges in our own character. While dealing with people we have a hard time getting along with it makes us seek God for help. The end result, we begin asking God to give us patience, the ability to show kindness, etc and our relationship with Christ begins to strengthen as does our maturity in how we handle people around us.
The prayer to pray is simple. "Bless them. Change me."
We need to quite focusing on their faults and realize that maybe God just needs to do a good work within us. And when you are praying for someone, it's a little hard to be angry with them. And once you are handling them the way God would have you handle them, then you can not be responsible for the way that they act. You are only responsible for your actions towards them. Romands 12:21 says Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
I asked everyone to do something this week.
Find something that you can do to encourage your difficult person this week. And everyday pray for them. After one week, report back in on how your attitude has changed in regards to them. Prayer is powerful, changing everything and everyone who comes in contact with it.
Luke 6:28 Bless them that curse you, pray for them which despitefully use you.
We need to realize that everyone has this person in their lives and in return we are that someone in someone elses lives. We, as Christians, have been commanded to exhibit the fruits of the spirits. One importantly being that of patience. Patience allows us the opportunity to do nothing but sit back and begin to pray for a good dose of patience in regards to this person. It's not our job to change these difficult people but rather to change our perspective about them. I like to call these people, Sandpaper people. They are abbrasive and they rub us the wrong way. We prepare ourselves for how sandpaper will feel agasint our skin before it ever touches us, and that is how we act towards these people too. Before they ever get near us we have already prejudged them. We anticipate how they are going to treat us, what cruel thing they are going to say or do. This is where we go wrong. Instead of us assuming how they will be we need to see them the way Christ sees them. They are beautiful, important and worthy in His eyes. So, why not in our eyes?
3 things we need to do with these people;
1. Choose to love them. Look beyond their faults and see their worth.
2. Choose to encourage them. Be their cheerleader - privately or publicaly. Find one good aspect about them and focus on it. You can do this by complimenting them or just remembering that they have a good quality amongst their bad ones and constantly look for it.
3. Choose to be thankful for them. Difficult people are gifts from God. Hand picked for us and wrapped in God's love. He brings them in to our lives to smooth out rough edges in our own character. While dealing with people we have a hard time getting along with it makes us seek God for help. The end result, we begin asking God to give us patience, the ability to show kindness, etc and our relationship with Christ begins to strengthen as does our maturity in how we handle people around us.
The prayer to pray is simple. "Bless them. Change me."
We need to quite focusing on their faults and realize that maybe God just needs to do a good work within us. And when you are praying for someone, it's a little hard to be angry with them. And once you are handling them the way God would have you handle them, then you can not be responsible for the way that they act. You are only responsible for your actions towards them. Romands 12:21 says Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
I asked everyone to do something this week.
Find something that you can do to encourage your difficult person this week. And everyday pray for them. After one week, report back in on how your attitude has changed in regards to them. Prayer is powerful, changing everything and everyone who comes in contact with it.
Luke 6:28 Bless them that curse you, pray for them which despitefully use you.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Patience, Kindness, Goodness
I spoke this weekend at a retreat for high school girls on the the 3 fruits of the spirit...patience, kindness, goodness.
It's amazing how the difficult people in our lives can cause us to not exhibit these fruits. It's not the people hindering us from using these traits but rather the choice we make to allow our annoyances with them to hinder us from exhibiting these traits.
A statistic I found said that 90% of all mental illness could have been prevented from a single act of kindndess. If we could only get out of the self-centered mode our western culture has created and realize that there are hurting people all around us that need just a touch of kindness, a smile and most importantly someone to pray for them.
We all need patience, we could all stand to be more kind and it never hurts us to do something good for others.
Next Tuesday, October 30th, we are going to touch on this more. The act of having patience and kindness in our lives while dealing with the difficult people that surround us.
Til then.....BE SWEET!!
It's amazing how the difficult people in our lives can cause us to not exhibit these fruits. It's not the people hindering us from using these traits but rather the choice we make to allow our annoyances with them to hinder us from exhibiting these traits.
A statistic I found said that 90% of all mental illness could have been prevented from a single act of kindndess. If we could only get out of the self-centered mode our western culture has created and realize that there are hurting people all around us that need just a touch of kindness, a smile and most importantly someone to pray for them.
We all need patience, we could all stand to be more kind and it never hurts us to do something good for others.
Next Tuesday, October 30th, we are going to touch on this more. The act of having patience and kindness in our lives while dealing with the difficult people that surround us.
Til then.....BE SWEET!!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Prayer
Tonight at church we commissioned 4 people to the mission field. It was a sweet time as I knew 2 of the young people going. I am brought to a new awareness of how risky being a missionary is but I'm sure how very rewarding it can be also. My prayers go out to them and their families as God uses them in places and ways we will only know in Heaven.
At the end of the commissioning service, our pastor, Dr Brunson, asked for the families of these people to gather around their loved ones. Then he extended the invitation to the church body and asked for anyone who would committ to pray for these people to come down and surround them as well. My heart overflowed with emotion as litteraly thousands crept out of their comfort zone aisles and started flocking to the front. They were offering their prayers to God on behalf of these people. Some of these people are strangers to these missionaries, some they know quite well but regardless of the relationship, they were all praying. It was a beautiful sight! I was standing there in the choir loft watching, tears streaking my face when it hit me. I thought to myself, so this is what it looks like when people are interceeding for me in prayer! You know we hear the words quite often from people "I'm praying for you" "You're in my prayers" "I prayed for you today" We all love to hear that but have you ever stopped to think about what it looks like when people are praying for you? I saw it tonight. I thought about the times I've asked for prayer from people who began praying and then turned around and asked others to pray for me as well. Maybe hundreds at a time were praying for me, I have no idea. But I know now that at some point in my life, I've been standing on a stage surrounded by people flocking out of their comfort zones interceeding in prayer for me. Some people I knew, while others were complete strangers. But they were all praying just for me. I Timothy 2:1-2 (The Meesage) The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
Who have you promised to pray for today? I know I have a list, so what do you say I meet you on a stage in about a minute...
At the end of the commissioning service, our pastor, Dr Brunson, asked for the families of these people to gather around their loved ones. Then he extended the invitation to the church body and asked for anyone who would committ to pray for these people to come down and surround them as well. My heart overflowed with emotion as litteraly thousands crept out of their comfort zone aisles and started flocking to the front. They were offering their prayers to God on behalf of these people. Some of these people are strangers to these missionaries, some they know quite well but regardless of the relationship, they were all praying. It was a beautiful sight! I was standing there in the choir loft watching, tears streaking my face when it hit me. I thought to myself, so this is what it looks like when people are interceeding for me in prayer! You know we hear the words quite often from people "I'm praying for you" "You're in my prayers" "I prayed for you today" We all love to hear that but have you ever stopped to think about what it looks like when people are praying for you? I saw it tonight. I thought about the times I've asked for prayer from people who began praying and then turned around and asked others to pray for me as well. Maybe hundreds at a time were praying for me, I have no idea. But I know now that at some point in my life, I've been standing on a stage surrounded by people flocking out of their comfort zones interceeding in prayer for me. Some people I knew, while others were complete strangers. But they were all praying just for me. I Timothy 2:1-2 (The Meesage) The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
Who have you promised to pray for today? I know I have a list, so what do you say I meet you on a stage in about a minute...
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