Tuesday, July 29, 2008

When It's all been said and done


Good day to all of you my brothers and sisters in the Lord. This is the day that the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it.

At last Sunday morning service our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ used his Oracle our Pastor to ask us three questions and for us to truly examine our hearts and answer truthfully.

Question 1:

Jesus asked – Do you love me more than your best friend?

My answer – I paused, thought about my best-friend (my husband), then I said: "Yes Lord I do love you more than my best friend”.

I must confess I really had to think about that which should not be, I felt disappointed in myself because he deserves so much more.

Question 2:

Jesus asked – Why are you serving me?

My answer – The first answer that popped into my head – “Because I have no choice”

This time I felt ashamed since I knew that I should not just serve Him because He is the only way to life everlasting but because I must have a great desire in my heart to bring my end to completion (i.e.) live for him and let his will be done in my life for the edifying of the church, learn and be strong and pass on all that I have learnt to faithful men and women who would then pass it on to other faithful for His honour and glory.

Question 3:

Jesus asked – What does serving me mean to you if you are following friends?

My answer: “Lord what?”

I can just imagine how Peter felt in John 21 (after Jesus’ resurrection) when the Lord Jesus asked Him – Do you love me three times. Do you love me more than them (Peter’s close friends, six of the other 11 disciples).

I can just imagine how Peter felt when the Lord Jesus told him to feed his lambs, feed his sheep and told him how his final days on the earth will be if he chose to truly follow him.

Although Peter knew that he would become blind, crucified and suffer many other trials once he chose to follow Christ, he did – Because he loved Him.

It made me take a step back and look at my walk and sensitized me to the fact that many of us truly don’t comprehend what it truly means to Love Jesus.

How many of us will die for him once it brings honour and glory to Him?

How many of us will take the extra time and effort to feed his lambs (young Christians) and be patient with them the way Jesus has and still is patient with us?

How many of us would serve Him if it means loosing the things and those we love and treasure?

For many of us will be called upon to loose, suffer and die for Him, which would we choose? Would we love life and loose it? Or would we hate our life and live?

This morning (like every morning) my husband turned on praise and worship for us to commune with and praise Elohim whilst getting ready for work. Then I heard a song from Don Moen, which truly crystallized what was said on Sunday, and it really stuck in my spirit, it ached my heart. I must share this food with you.

God Bless and I Love you all.

When it’s all been said and done:

When it's all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth?
Did I live my life for you?

When it's all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I have done For love's rewards
Will stand the test of time

Lord, your mercy is so great
That you look beyond our weakness
That you found purest gold in miry clay
Turning sinners into saints

I will always sing your praise
Here on earth and in heaven after
For you've joined me at my true home
When it's all been said and done
You're my life when life is gone...


By Don Moen
Album: Thank You Lord



Friday, July 18, 2008

Joy in the Morning ... After the Mourning


"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning."1

Letters such as the following are par for the course in the work that I do:"My fiancée called off our wedding. How can I fill the hollow ache inside me?""My wife left me for another man. How can I even begin to think about the future?"

"After 30 years together, my husband has died. What meaning is there in life for me now?"True, it's easy to believe the principle in today's Bible verse when we don't need it! But for heart-broken people it can seem that "joy in the morning" is a far way off.

The reality is that disappointment, heartache, grief, and sorrow come to all of us at some time or another. Sooner or later we are all going to lose an opportunity, our job, our investment portfolio, or a loved one.

And, as the poet said: "When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
And the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When funds are low and debts are high,
You have to smile but you want to cry.

"It takes time to work through and resolve our grief (and we need supporting friends to help us do this). But when we do, we can come out a more understanding and caring person ... and better able to support others who are going through sad times.

And, in time, joy in the morning will replace our mourning!For whatever encouragement it may be, try to remember that no matter how disappointed you are feeling or how much you are hurting right now, know that every heartache and loss has within it the seeds of opportunity. Hidden within each disappointment is a pearl of great price, which, when found, will dwarf your problem.

The greatest success stories are written by people who, against seemingly overwhelming and often insurmountable odds, have accepted their trials and turned them into opportunities for personal growth and stepping stones on their pathway to success.With God's help you and I can do the same. Trust him and choose friends who will empower you to do so.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in every disappointment, heartache, sorrow, and trial I experience, help me to always keep trusting my life to you and, in the process, will you please make something beautiful out of my life. Please do this for your glory, and thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Psalm 30:5 (NKJV).

Credit: Daily Encounter

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

God Speaks


Good morning my brothers and sisters, this is the day that the Lord has made, we will be glad and rejoice in it. I know it has been a while but I have been busy, however one thing remains the same is my Love and Fear for the Lord and my Love for You.

I am constantly in a battle with myself. Sometimes I know when the heavenly father is speaking to me through his Holy Spirit and then sometimes I am not sure. My husband always tells me “By now you should know when the Lord is speaking to you”.

The funny thing is when I am being admonished, I know. Yeah I am still a little disobedient to Heavenly Father but I am improving daily and by His grace, I will learn to submit fully under his mighty hands and allow the Potter to shape me into the vessel of honour he wants me to be.

Therefore, my problem is when God speaks to me in that still, quiet voice. I know its him sometimes, and then sometimes I wonder if it is just me speaking to myself. You know the Lord Jesus said, “My sheep know my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Therefore, this also tells me that I need to spend more personal time with Him to truly get to know his voice.

On the other hand you must also be able to distinguish when your thoughts are yours and when it is a result of demonic manipulation or influence. When a thought pops up in your mind and your first response is to shun it or it repulses you immediately, usually that is not your thought but your mind is being demonically influenced. So the next time this happens weigh it carefully. Do not leave room for the devil to manipulate, pull down that imagination in the name of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-6

I am positive that many of you also wonder about when God is speaking to you and when it is yourself. Well below is an article from The Daily Encounter on the topic and I hope that it is a blessing to you as it has been for me. God Bless!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight [or direct your paths]."1

A Daily Encounter reader asks, "How can I know when God is speaking to me, or when it is just my own thoughts? I often joke that God needs to throw a brick and hit me upside the head with a note attached!" I can understand how this person feels and feel confident that many other readers struggle with the same question.

I once had a man tell me that God told him that he was to work for me. I did not buy his message. And I wasn't struck down by lightning when I wouldn't give him a job!

When I was a deacon in a former church, this same man and another deacon, when important matters were to be discussed, claimed that God had told them the way it was to be. This could have been the end of any further discussion, for who can argue against God? But my answer to these people where it affects me is that "God hasn't told me yet, so can we discuss the matter further?" These people didn't like me very much!God has never spoken to me in an audible voice but apparently he does to some people.

I believe at least on one occasion God has "spoken" to me in a vivid dream. What we need to be certain of is to test the message to see if it is from God or from myself or any other source. How do we do this?

First, God's message will always be in harmony with his Word, the Bible, and never in opposition to it. I recall hearing one speaker talking about a phenomenon happening in his church saying that it must be a new work of God because it isn't in the Bible! This can be a very misleading path to follow.

Second, when God is speaking to us or leading us, there is a quiet conviction and a sense of inner peace. As his Word says, "Let the peace of God rule in your heart" (Colossians 3:15). When I don't have this inner peace, I have learned the hard way not to act on what I think I should do. In younger days, if what I thought was God speaking to me, I would have been willing to stand on my head in public. But I learned that there is a vast difference between what God is saying (a conviction) and what is my own compulsion. With a conviction there is a sense of freedom and peace. But where the "little voice inside my head" keeps saying, "You have to do this! You have to do this! You have to do this!" and it is distressing me, I can be certain that it is a compulsion and not from God.

Third, God often "speaks to us" or leads us through our circumstances. Speaking personally, as I look back over the years, I can see how God has consistently led me through various and sundry circumstances and as the hymn–writer said, "Jesus led me all the way."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that when I commit my way to you and trust you with all my heart, you always lead me in the way that I should go. Please help me to learn how to discern when the "voice" I hear is from you or from myself or another source. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."


Credit: Daily Encounter

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Should Christians Ever Divorce? Part I I


"Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife" [or husband].1

Whether we agree with it or not, divorce happens. Some have done all in their power to save their marriage but failed to do so. Then there are those who go into marriage with no sense of responsibility or commitment to make their relationship work.

Today we are speaking about the former, not the latter whose divorce could rarely, if ever, be justified. Unfortunately, some Christians today still see divorced people as second–rate citizens and many churches (and/or fellow Christians) do not accept them fully. As the old saying goes, the church is the only army who shoots its wounded!

Today's church as a whole is very much for families; that is, married families. This in light of the fact that more than half the adults 24 years and older, at least in the U.S., are single! The single world is thus a vast mission field that many, if not most, churches and Christians pretty much close a blind eye to.

The good news is that God doesn't reject divorcees who acknowledge their failure and ask him for his help and forgiveness. Think of the woman at the well who had had several husbands and was not married to the man she was now living with! Did Jesus reject her? No. In fact he used her to take the gospel to the people in her town! We probably would have given her the "left foot of fellowship."

Think, too, of the woman caught in the act of adultery! Did Jesus reject her? No, he didn't. And while he didn't condone her behavior, he loved and accepted her and helped to free her from her sinful lifestyle.

Certainly divorce should ever only be the last step after every honest attempt has been made to save the marriage. But unless both partners are committed to personal honesty, facing the truth about their contribution to the conflict, and are willing to grow, change and work on their own recovery, it is hopeless.

In my experience, I have witnessed that in most failed relationships too many people play the blame–game and as long as they blame the other person for their problems, without facing what they have contributed to the breakup, there is no resolution and there is no hope for resolving the conflict. The reality is that we are as sick—or as healthy—as the people we are attracted to.

God's Word also reminds us to live, if possible, peaceably with all people,2 which is implying that it isn't always possible to do this. And that it is better to live in the corner of the housetop than in a wide house with a quarrelsome partner.3

When we think about what God has to say about divorce, let's not forget the many other Scriptures that apply to relationships.

Another thing I urge divorcees is to see their failed marriage as God's wakeup call for them to face and work through their character issues/weaknesses to ensure that they won't make the same mistake again, for what we don't resolve, we are destined to repeat. And God will allow us to keep repeating our mistakes until we get it! But once we learn what we need to learn, we don't need to keep learning the hard way. What God wants for all of us is to be made whole, for only to the degree that we are made whole will our lifestyle, attitude, behavior, actions and relationships be whole–some.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be open and honest in my relationships—with you and with all the important people in my life; help me to face and resolve my character weaknesses, and to be 'as Christ' to others so I will be protected against divorce and other failed relationships. Thank you God for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

NOTE: Be sure to read my article, "Living Again After Divorce" at: http://tinyurl.com/9g92u

1. Proverbs 21:9 (NIV).

Credit: Daily Encounter

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Should Christians Ever Divorce, Part I


"'For I hate divorce,' says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'and him who covers his garment with wrong,' says the LORD of hosts. 'So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.'"1

A question that arises from time to time asked by Daily Encounter readers has to do with divorce: Should a Christian ever get divorced?I've worked in the area of Divorce and Grief Recovery for the past decade or more, so I have regular contact with people struggling with this issue. For most, it is an extremely painful experience, and terribly disillusioning especially for Christians who sincerely want to do the Lord's will.

I know one man who right now is going through divorce. I believe he has done everything in his power to save his marriage. He has been in counseling for many months working on his side of the marital conflict but, sad to say, his wife has refused to continue in counseling and emphatically declares that her husband is the one who needs to change.

There are many wives who are in a similar situation.

So what should these people do? Should they stay in a toxic, destructive relationship? And what should or can they do when and if their partner files for divorce? Some fight the divorce but for many they have no choice!

True, God hates divorce and he does so because it is so hurtful to those whom he loves. Most divorcees hate divorce too. But let us remember that God also hates everything else that is harmful to his children.

This includes covering up wrong, gossip, lying, cheating, dishonesty, jealousy, pride, legalism, and destructive, abusive or hateful relationships, and hypocritical relationships that put on a good show in public but behind closed doors are anything but loving and kind. Unfortunately, some who "preach that God hates divorce" to those going through it are blind to the fact that God hates their judgmental attitude just as much as he hates divorce.

To be continued ...

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me not to be judgmental of those going through divorce, but rather help me to see my shortcomings, failures and sins and with your help, overcome these. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Malachi 2:16 (NASB).

Credit: Daily Enounter