It's Just a Little Bit...

Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.

Jeremiah 8:12 Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me -- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

1 Thessalonians 4:7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will help me to write this blog post with gentleness and love. My hope is not to condemn, but to encourage and guide...

We are vessels for the Holy Spirit. God works through us to affect people in our path. He has a divine purpose for each of our lives, He loves us, and He wants us to draw near to Him. However, it grieves Him when we choose to fill ourselves with what the world is offering us now. It grieves God when we choose to reject His ways.

Throughout Scripture, God's people consistently turn from Him and choose ways that are far from God. This is evident from the very beginning with the account of Adam and Eve, as well as in the historical accounts of His people throughout the Bible, and in our present time. There is not enough space on this page to highlight all of the examples in Scripture; however, two verses stood out to me over the past week which made me think of the times we are living in today. As in the dark times of the Judges, people are living in such a way that everyone does as they see fit, and as the LORD states in Jeremiah, many people in our world today have no more shame. We don't even know how to blush anymore...

Where has our shame gone? Movies, TV shows, music, books, the internet, and magazines, pour out images and ideas to us and to our children that grieve God. However, He is not surprised. In Scripture, God clearly tells us that these times will come -- but He also tells us what He expects from us as His followers, His children.  

My pastor has used a great visual in the past that I will share with you. He asks someone if they are thirsty and offers them a bottled water. The thirsty person accepts the bottle graciously. But before the recipient drinks it, our pastor stops them and gives a little more information... Our pastor shares how just before he offered the water, he went into one of the stalls in the church bathroom and opened the bottle. He then took a toothpick, dipped the toothpick very quickly in the toilet water, then very quickly dipped the same toothpick into the bottled water, pulled the toothpick out very quickly and put the cap back on the bottle. And the pastor shares that it really shouldn't matter -- because the toilets at the church are kept very, very clean and he just dipped the toothpick in really, really quickly. So, why wouldn't you want to drink the water now? It's really not so bad...

While most of us wouldn't drink the bottle of water because it is detestable to us, why then would we let things that are detestable to the LORD be poured into us or our children? Even just quickly; even for only a little bit? The point of the visual is that, yes, it truly does matter. You and your children are vessels which God uses for His good. Please don't choose to drink in the sinfulness of this world. Even for a little bit. Choose to drink in everything that glorifies your Heavenly Father. 

Our God is faithful, loving and wants us to make choices that please Him. Philippians 4:8 is a good example of how God teaches us through Scripture, how to discern what is pleasing to Him.  If it doesn't follow God's guidelines, don't invite it into your mind. Guard your children's minds. I am writing this with the risk of being called a prude, or someone not in touch with reality, or someone who is expecting people to do the impossible. But I truly believe it matters... I am just writing what is in my heart. 

Dear Heavenly Father, I am truly thankful that Your Word teaches us who You are and gives us a guide of discernment for our lives. I am humbled and thankful that You are working in my life and helping me to make the choices that You want me to make. I thank You that as I draw closer to You, something has happened to my choices. What used to "not really bother me" now truly hurts my soul. Thank You LORD, for being my Guide, my Light, and my Redeemer. Amen.

Simple Blessings

Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Sometimes God brings people into our life and causes them to cross our path, if only for a brief moment. Our Heavenly Father works through them to give us a blessing and a warm embrace. 

Yesterday, God blessed me through an unexpected visitor who came to our Bible Study small group. Yvette is visiting from Puerto Rico and is the mother-in-law of a dear woman in my group. On the surface, Yvette does not stand out in any way, until you see her kind eyes and warm smile. She is a woman who exudes a pure and deep love for her Heavenly Father; a woman who clearly loves the LORD with all her heart.  She has experienced times of great joy and also great sorrow in her life.  Our paths only crossed for such a brief moment in time, and may never cross again, yet God used her to speak words of wisdom and peace.  

Yvette spoke about being thankful in times of trial and how the LORD would soothe her as she went to sleep at night after experiencing great sorrow in her life. She prayed to her Heavenly Father and began to count her blessings. She started by simply being thankful for breathing, for food on her table to eat, for a bed and a warm blanket to wrap around her... until she drifted off to sleep, held in her Father's love. Yvette clearly radiates that she is one of God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved. She clothes herself with compassion, kindness, and humility. Gentleness and patience. (Col 3:12)  As we got up to leave, Yvette embraced me with the most comforting hug... as if Jesus was hugging me through her. As if she was a warm blanket of love being wrapped around me.


I pray that you all experience someone in your life who affects you in this way. Even for just a moment in time. Someone who loves the LORD and feels just like a warm blanket that wraps around you... the really soft and fluffy kind of blanket. Or you can be that warm blanket to someone in your life, radiating God's grace and love.  Let the LORD use you to bless someone today.

Dear Heavenly Father,  I praise You for blessing me with so many people in my life who are soft, warm blankets for me.  Thank You for working through people in our lives, as You show Your love for us.  LORD, if You want me to be that person to someone in my path, I pray you will work through me to wrap that person in Your love. I pray this all in the loving name of Jesus, Amen.

If Only...

Isaiah 48:17-19 

This is what the LORD says -- your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

"I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, 

who directs you in the way you should go. 

If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 

Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be cut off nor destroyed from before me."

God is so good! He is loving, patient, compassionate and faithful. He created us to be in relationship with Him; directing and teaching us so that we would walk with Him in His ways. This is His truth and His promise.  

As I was reading Isaiah 48:17-19, I was struck by the two little words "if only"...  

If only we didn't just squeeze Him into our day.
If only we truly knew His Word.
If only we paid attention to His commands.
If only we truly knew Him.
If only we chose His path.
If only we taught His word and His ways to our children.

Ouch! This list might sting a bit... but my intention for this list is not to condemn --  it is meant to point out choices. If only we would choose God's ways, His teachings, His paths... we would experience the fullness of His love, the solid foundation of His truth, and His perfect purpose for our lives. He wants to be our Teacher. God wants to direct us in the way we should go. 

I must say that I don't want to experience the "if only."  I want to experience the abundance of Him in my life. I want to experience His path as it unfolds before me. I know that His path will include both joy and sorrow, but I pray that when I finally see Jesus face-to-face, I will learn that my path on earth will closely match what He had planned for me all along. 

And there is good news! Our LORD is patient and kind, ready to meet you wherever you are on your journey. He is ready for you to make a different choice; He is ready to set your feet firmly on His path again. 

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are my Teacher. LORD, may I always choose Your ways and may my feet remain firmly on Your path. You are my Redeemer, truly patient and kind, and for that I am truly thankful. Amen.

"Why not, God?"

Psalm 33:11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Isaiah 55:9 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The LORD has richly blessed me with an amazing circle of women whom I pray with each Thursday morning. We always focus on an attribute of God to begin our prayer time. Today our prayer leader chose the attribute -- He is Sovereign. Praise God! He is always so timely and He gives me just what I need when I need it!

Many times we can pray for something really, really hard... and sometimes we don't get what we want. We don't have our prayers answered in the way we want them to be answered.  And then cry out, "Why not, God?"  When our prayers are not answered in the way we desire, we can be very, very discouraged, disappointed, and perplexed. 

That recently happened to me. I would love to tell you that I am at such a point in my journey with the LORD that when events don't go my way, I peacefully accept it as God's will and calmly trust the LORD and moved on. But it didn't happen that way!  When I didn't get my prayer answered my way, I had a day of fitful despair and frustration. I hope you can smile with me at my visual description of myself being a like two-year old child, throwing a tantrum like two-year old's do, and God still patiently holding me, with His arms outstretched, while I kicked and yelled "I want it my way!"  Then, when I was done, He once again patiently and lovingly brought me close to Him, held me tight, and He reminded me in only the way that He can... He is sovereign. He reminded me that His ways are not my ways, His thoughts are not my thoughts. God was still carrying me. And He gave me, once again, the incredible peace of His undeniable Presence.

Even though I didn't get the answer that I was hoping and praying for, He reminded me His will has not changed...  He wants to save the lost, bring people to Him, tell the nations about Him, and have us love our neighbor as ourselves. And after my little tantrum, He takes my hand, whispers that He loves me, and tells me, "Okay, Donna, let's go, there is still so much to do. I want you to show them Jesus and tell them about Me. Now, come dear child, let's get back to work!" 
  
Dear Heavenly Father, When things don't go our way, when we don't understand, I praise You that we can know that You are sovereign. I thank You that Your ways are not our ways, and Your thoughts are not our thoughts. Thank You LORD, that You love me. That sweet knowledge and truth is truly all that I need. Amen.

Thirsty

Colossians 3:12  "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

John 4:13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

John 7:37-38 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

The LORD wants us to help draw others to Him by being salt and light in the world. Yes, salt enhances the favor of our food, and acts as a preservative... but it also makes us thirsty. Not only are we called to enhance the lives of others around us, speaking with grace, love, and truth --  we are to called to make others thirsty for Him. Thirsty for the living water that only Jesus can give -- a thirst that only He can fulfill.  

God calls us to be salt and light to people through our words and actions... no matter where we are on our journey with Him. The energetic enthusiasm spilling over from someone who is newly discovering the awesomeness of God is just as contagious as the time-worn wisdom of someone who has walked many years with the LORD through all kinds of trials. I remember when I actually became thirsty for Him and hungered for His Word -- the transformation in my life was breathtaking. And His well never, ever, runs dry. He will fulfill our thirst and hunger for eternity! 

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You help me be salt and light to everyone in my path.   Help me to make the most of every opportunity as I journey through my often regular day, to cause people to become thirsty for You...  and then You will fullfill their thirst, in Your perfect love, as only You can do. Amen.