I Surrender All - Listening to God

John 6: 66

Yes, John 666 - says

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

What? They turned their backs on Jesus and no longer followed him? Did this really happen and when. Well, let's look at John 6. First Jesus feed the 5000 with two fish and 5 loaves of bread. Then Jesus walks on water. Miracle after miracle Jesus does and then turn away. It was the next teaching that offended them.

John 6: 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life.49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

The Jews began to argue - how can this man give us flesh to eat. They took it literal. They couldn't understand that the way to the Father was through the Son.

The disciples even tell Jesus this in verse 60 - "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” But Jesus tries to explain to them - The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.

But it is at the point some followers fell away - the twelve stuck with Him - even the one who will go on to betray Him.

Surrender the Flesh - Live in the Spirit

Easier said then done. Sometimes when I study, or listen to some uplifting music, or especially go on a retreat - I experience a Spiritual high. All is right and I am going to march forward with the Holy Spirit marching before me and I can do no wrong, right until life happens. Yup - the road is paved with good intentions.

For too many years I lived in the flesh and not the spirit - I did what made me happy, but in truth I was not happy. I couldn't find happiness as I went dating from man to man. I wasn't happy at work and I wasn't even truly happy at church.

One time I went to a Baptist Church's special Woman's Conference - I went up front for a special hands on healing time. When I got to the preacher - she blew into my face and said you - you have a gift from God. What gift I thought - my thought was don't tell me I have a gift-tell me what the gift it. Around the same time I went to a psychic, not that I really believe in them, but I use to love seeing this one lady who was a particular funny character. She looked at me and said, oh....you have the gift. So now I got THE gift, but I still don't know what the gift is.

I am still not sure what this gift is that they both talked about, but I try to use everything God has given me. I teach Sunday School, I sing in the choir and I write - I write this  blog and sometimes I just write for myself. Is that my gift, I guess God will let me know.

What's my Mission

Some people have a mission and they try to pull you into their mission. I found that to be true with a recent sex trafficking committee at my Church. I think is was just a thought that if there is a committee - Bev will be on it. But I didn't feel the call to be on this committee - others did and I am glad.

I just listened to the Pope talk to Congress, and I love this Pope and his call to help the poor is wonderful.

I think God instills in everyone a different mission or ministry. If we all had the same gifts I think that would be boring - I think God gives us different gifts so that we can all work for the good of God and the community.

Maybe mine is teaching, but you never know who you can teach on a day to day basis. Not all learning happens in the classroom.

Surrendering

Surrendering it all to God, might be the hardest yet easiest thing to do. The trouble with me is that I didn't get this until my 50's - I say so many times to God, why couldn't I have know this earlier. And He simply says, "You were not ready".

How do you surrender - Let go and let God.

Rick Warren says it best - "You know you're surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation. You let go and let God work. You don't have to always be in charge. Instead of trying harder, you trust more."

So let's pray

Dear God:

I am nothing with out you, I surrender all to you, instruct me, show me the way, and better still help me to listen to you. Every day in Every way. Thank you Lord, for being with me. Thank for the blessings you give me everyday and may my eyes and heart be open to seeing them. Amen

Intimate time with God leads to a Peaceful Mind.

Peace is the Love of God and the receiving of the Grace of God.

Finding this peace can sometime be quite a feat.

James 1:21 tells us - "So get rid of all uncleanliness, and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness and in a humble spirit receive and welcome THE WORD which implanted and rooted in your hearts contains the power to Save Your Souls.

Back to the word.  The only way to learn it  is to get those Bibles out and study the word.  It doesn't even have to be a specific part of the Bible.  Maybe you want to study a particular topic - use the guides that in the back of the Bible to help you do that.  Either way read the Word daily.  I like to use a daily scripture book by Joyce Meyer to start my day,

The Word can save.  I wish I would of known this so may years ago, I believe my life would of been so different.

Take this scripture - James 1:19 - Be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to take offense and to get angry.

I should say this scripture over to myself every day - I am so quick to anger sometimes.  Lately I have been getting better.

Plant the word deep in your heart and water it daily and let it grow!


Prayer:

Dear God:  I  have made a decision that whatever it takes I am going to have peace in my life.  Help me find it and hold on to it.

 Amen

What I Learned on my Vacation - Part 2

Peace is a quiet heart.

Peace comes with your relationship with God.  Relationships with people can be anything but peaceful.

I hate to hear the phrase "Go in Peace" and you might think that odd, but let me tell you a story. I once knew a women who could push all my buttons.  She once was a friend, who held a position of some authority.  But she abused our friendship.  She would work me up to a frenzy, until I was so angry I could not handle it anymore.    Before I would get to the point of hitting her,  I would walk away and she would say - "go in peace" she knew that became an additional button to push on me.  Our relationship became anything but peaceful.  She was mentally abusive and cruel.  We need to get away from people like this.  I finally did.

Around God we have perfect peace.  The more we study and learn the more peaceful we can become.

Now let me tell you a funny story.

After my 3 days in Hershey at the Joyce Meyer Conference I came home with this great peace.  I came to work, which can me sometime be a tense and stressful place to work.  We have a co-worker who makes everyone angry with her lax work ethic.  She comes and goes when she pleases and the rest of us must work 8 to 5 and if you a few minutes late you hear about it.   So on my way to work I prayed to continue the peace I was feeling.  A funny thing happened.  First when the first incident happened I turned and calmly said; "You know I was thinking about this and if this causes so much unrest maybe we should go to the boss and tell him and if he doesn't do anything about it, so be it, but we would at least get it off our chest."   Later, when another incident happened and people were getting a little loud I said, "I won't let this bother me, if she wants to act that way, ok, but I am not going to act that way."

Around 3PM the girls in the office said "OKAY, THAT'S IT - NEXT YEAR YOU STAY HOME AND WE ARE GOING TO HERSHEY TO SEE JOYCE, YOU ARE JUST WAY TO CALM"

So, I have been sharing my thoughts with them and I think it has helped, just a little.  Little baby steps though are the best sometimes, to take.

Luke 5:16 - But He (Jesus) Himself withdrew (in retirement) to the wilderness and prayed.

You see, even Jesus made sure He had alone time.  He ministered to the people, but he also would step away to be alone and pray.  If Jesus could do this, then so can we.  And when I say ALONE, that is without your phone, facebook, TV or your tablet.  Intimate time with God leads to a peaceful mind.

Prayer:

Dear God - I find Peace in Loving you Oh God, I am ready to receive your Grace. Amen

What I Learned on my Summer Vacation

I was excited for my annual trip with the girls.  The car was packed, the women in place and off we went for 3 days to Hershey, Pennsylvania, the home of chocolate.  But it wasn't chocolate that we were anticipating - we were excited to see Joyce Meyer at the Giant Center.

Each year we make this annual trek to Hershey to hear Joyce.  Each I learn something new and I hope it makes me a better Christian and person.

This year she announce a new book coming in the Spring called Overload - about stress - we all cheered - I mean, who doesn't have stress.  Then I found out something great - and, that is we all have peace - really.  How do I know - Jesus said so.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you my (own) peace I now give you and bequeath to you.  Not as the world give do I give you.  Do not let you hearts be troubled neither let them be afraid.

So STOP allowing yourself to be agitated or disturbed by outside forces,  Jesus left us peace - we need to use it.

Just knowing this has helped me immensely.  When I feel like my peace is being stolen by a person or by situation I just think "Peace I leave with you"  It's here - it's real  - SO

DO NOT BE

troubled
afraid
agitated
disturbed
fearful
intimidated
cowardly or unsettled because Jesus GAVE US PEACE.

Pursue God's peace and refuse to live with out it.

PRAYER

Dear God - You gave me peace through your Son Jesus, help me to find it - in my mind, in my soul and in my heart.
Amen

Jesus said........"GET UP!"

John 5: 1-8

5 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk. 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

When I teach this scripture to children I teach it as a miracle that Jesus performed. But if I were to teach this to adults there is soooo much more to learn. First - the backdrop of the story. There is pool surrounded by columns outside of a gate. Lots of people who were crippled, blind or with other problems waited around the pool until the "waters stirred". It was thought that an Angel of the Lord would dip their foot into the water causing the stirring and that the first one in was healed.

Now, if that was true today and I could dip my legs into a pool and heal them instead of contemplating knee replacement you would bet that I would have my butt as close as possible to the pool and I would try my best to get in that pool first. But here lies this man for 38 years. Really 38 years?? I have a bff who says to me, when I want to give the man with a sign asking for money to eat, a dollar, "Where did he get the paper and the sharpie to write that sign?" Well, I have to ask, how did the man get to that spot outside of the gate. Did someone bring him each day? Did he live there for 38 years - who fed him - did he beg for everything - 38 years. You mean to tell me in 38 years he couldn't crawl closer. I would have - I would of been hanging over the edge just waiting.

So now here is the interesting part. Jesus says to the man, knowing his plight - "Do you want to get well?” and the man replies "Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Excuses, Excuses, Excuses.

How many times do we make excuses for our conditions. Oh, I would loose weight, but it's so hard. I would be in better health if someone would exercise with me. I would be on time if you would give me a call to wake me up. I would join a Bible Study Group, but I am so busy. On and on we go, too busy, don't want to do it alone, to hard, to difficult, not smart enough, not pretty enough and anything else you can think of.

BUT - what does Jesus answer - “Get up! (notice the exclamation mark) Pick up your mat and walk.” No excuses, in fact it was the Sabbath and technically picking up his mat was work but if Jesus said to me GET UP you better believe that I would get up. No excuses says God.

We build up excuses for ourselves, for our plights in life, whether their major or minor. We hide behind them.  It is easier to believe an excuse than the truth. The truth being that we are either full of self-pity, self-loathing or just lying to ourselves and others completely.

An Epiphany

How many of us are that man on the mat. How many of us would rather live a less healthy, happy or fruitful life because it is easier to do nothing than it is to do something. I had an Epiphany of sorts with my own weight loss problems. My Pastor on Easter said that which enslaves us keeps us from God. And it is true for me. God didn't intend for me to be overweight. He intends for me to be healthy and to treat my body as a gift from Him. Yet I snack, over eat and don't get enough exercise and YES I make my excuses. My knees hurt, I am addicted to chocolate and I am to tired, I work all day. I realized on Easter that I was enslaved to my weight. Chocolate was my master. Since Easter I have lost 5 pounds, but it hasn't been easy. I was doing good for about 10 days and then I started slipping - I am hoping writing this gets me back on track.

What do I do now?

How do I stop making excuses.  Pray.  Starting everyday with a prayer is helpful - as I talk to God I regroup myself. I ask for help. I don't buy snacks and don't bring in candy to work. I GOT UP off my duff and even walk the dog, bad knees and all.

I picked up my mat and I am walking with it and if it gets too heavy, I will turn to God for help.  

Which is first THOUGHT, WORD or DEED

Last week our Pastor gave a sermon on doing good deeds - the point being that a Christian should be doing them as a result of being a Christian and not doing the good deeds to become a Christian.


This morning I meditated on What is a Christian -  thought, word or deed.  Years ago I use to say that I was doing "all this" (activities at church, helping or doing service) to get a plaque until I read a very good article in The Upper Room that said it wasn't about the plaque, the awards or the picture with your name under it.

So, I thought, what is it - Are you a Christian in thought, word or deed?

First there is the word - Christian - meaning: of, relating to, or professing Christianity or its teachings.  So if you believe is Jesus, and that through Him as your savior you have eternal life with Him in heaven, you are a Christian.

But now the thought.  What does being a Christian  mean in your everyday life.  Do just attend church when it is convenient or on a holiday? or do you go every Sunday?  Do you study the Bible at home? Attend a Bible study?  Do you pray?  These are the thoughts that come with being a Christian.  It doesn't stop at the door on the way out of church on Sunday.  It continues into your everyday life.  I personally love Lenten or Advent books that I can read daily during those special times.  I keep them on my kitchen table to read with my morning coffee and barrage of morning medications.  I got so use to them that I usually have a book on my table all year long that I can read or study from when I get that moment of quiet.  Something precious in our very busy daily lives.

Now for the deeds, they should come naturally. If you see someone who needs help it should be automatic for you to stop and help them.  A smile should be on your face to strangers because an unhappy Christian is an oxymoron.  The deeds do not have to be big at all, just being nice to people, pray for them and being a positive happy person should radiate out from you and infect others.

You should be able to joyfully give of your fruits to others who do not have.  We should be happy to donate to the food banks or shelters and not judge those in need.  

I don't need that plaque anymore, I still hope that the room Jesus went ahead to prepare for me is beachfront; but I find more joy in helping than a piece of wood could give me any day.  

Prayer  -Lord God, may we be grateful for out lot, and compassionate towards all those who are suffering every kind of distress at this difficult time.  May we hold back nothing and hasten to be the ministers of prayer and mercy, like the disciple of HIM who went about doing good in times of need - Amen.