Are you going to eat THAT? Part two

    When I walked into the family room after a good night’s sleep I wondered if an earthquake occurred without waking me.  Even though I saw beautiful, sleeping children, the rest of the room was a shambles.  Couch cushions were everywhere. Blankets and pillows, cans of pop, empty chip bags, pizza boxes and cups and plates nearly covering every inch of floor space.  From the looks of it, it was another successful slumber party.   It was a night of junk food overload. After trying to wake them for an hour, I set the breakfast, good, healthy food, in the oven and started the rest of my day. 

    Even with good food waiting, junk food overload was still ruling.  This same scene plays itself over and over, but instead with spiritual junk food.  Spiritual junk food finds entry by our ears and mouth.  It fills us up so that we don’t recognize our spiritual hunger for God’s Word.  Most Americans watch more than 150 hours a T.V. a month.   So much media junk food seeks to creep in from so many directions.  But Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 "It is written 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"  A life that is pleasing and glorifies God is one that always puts God and His Word first.  Junk food can push into a healthy diet.  Even worse, spiritual junk food can limit the time needed to grow up spiritually.   
    Let me know what can put you into a spiritual junk food coma.

End of part two

Are you eating THAT?

    Before the weekend would even start, my daughters were asking who could sleep over.  Girls love to stay up late, eat, tell their deepest secrets, eat, talk, eat, watch movies and EAT.  It was an unending feast of junk food. They would eat and talk until they surrendered to a comatose-like sleep.  In the morning, or early afternoon, they would arise for more eating and talking.  Eventually parents would arrive to take home those who could not yet drive.

    It is amazing to me how much a teenager can eat!  Even more amazing is what they will eat.  Usually anything within reach will do.  Sadly, most people have the same habits concerning all of the media that is always “within reach”. T.V., radio, phones, internet, magazines and books provide constant spiritual junk food.  It is consumed without much or any thought.  As junk food can not provide a healthy balanced diet, neither can a diet of spiritual junk food.  Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

End of part one

A DO OVER

    How easy it was when I was a child.  Everyday problems or mistakes had an easy solution.  My favorite was a DO OVER.   Easy Bake disasters could be fed to the dog, and a new treat quickly took its place.  Mistakes and wrong moves could be redone.  I wanted everything to be fair for everyone.  A “do over” gave a chance to start over with a clean slate.  As easy as just erasing whatever wasn’t wanted.  Unfortunately, life is not always fair or gives us a do over.   But God, thankfully, gives us something even better than a do over- His Love!

    Before we loved Him, He loved us.  No strings attached or based on anything we could do to earn or deserve it.  Lamentations  3:22-23 says “The Lord's  lovingkindnesses  indeed never cease,  For His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”   God’s love is based on His faithfulness not ours.

    God’s love and faithfulness doesn’t erase or change the past.  However His love never runs low or isn’t enough for whatever we face.  His love is a neverending supply  to provide what is needed.  So every morning let God give you a LOVE DO OVER.  

Freedom Palms

    Last Sunday was Palm Sunday.  The children were running around, waving their palms, chasing each other and enjoying the freedom.   Maybe a similar scene happened 2000 years ago, except then there were donkeys and lots of dust.  But that’s what Easter season is all about-FREEDOM.  Jesus was preparing the way.  The triumphal entry quickly led to the cross and resurrection.

    It is said that when Moses in Deuteronomy 34 looked over into the promise land and saw the palm trees of Jericho, that God showed him the entrance into Paradise.  The palm trees of the Garden of Eden lined the sides of the entrance and Moses saw the righteous walking in.  Adam and Eve after they sinned in the garden, God sent them out and barred them from returning in.  Until Jesus, sin has kept all out.   

    Still today sin can block the door and keep us from entering into a relationship with Jesus.  We must lay our sin aside and enter in through the palms by the door.  Jesus became the door so that we may enter by His blood and body.  This Easter I encourage everyone to lay aside burdens and pick up the palm branches.  Wave the palms in thankfulness that by Jesus’ blood and body we are the Righteous walking in.   

Fresh Water Words

Recently, my husband and I were able to go and spend time in Florida.  It was so beautiful!  I love to spend time in the sun, sand and water.  The gulf water was warm, blue green and so inviting.  As fast as I could, I was in my bathing suit, running toward the water, and in with a big splash.  As a big wave crashed over me, it swept me off my feet, swirling me under water.  Salt water filled my mouth and nose as I struggled to get back on my feet and get my head above water so I could spit out the salt water and catch a breath.  The Bible says in James 3:9-12  “ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.   Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers, this should not be.   Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?   NIV” A relationship with Jesus and a growing knowledge of the Bible is a fresh water spring. In John 4:13-14 it tells us that Jesus is fresh water of eternal life.

    Even though salt water is good for some fish, it isn’t good for people to drink.  A person stranded out in the ocean will die of thirst because salt water shouldn’t be ingested.  Only fresh water can relieve a thirst.  In the same way a person can be dying of “spiritual thirst” and the only the “fresh Water of the Word” can relieve that thirst.  Life can crash over us, sweep us off our feet, and can fill our mouth with the “salt water words”.  But ONLY words that flow out of our mouth that flow from the fresh water of the Word of God can truly set us on our feet.  To keep our feet grounded on Jesus and praise for God in our mouth, we need to draw and fill our mouth with only fresh water.

   Gossip, rumor spreading, slander, and unkind words are salt water words.  They choke us and never relieve our thirst caused by our circumstances.  Drink long on fresh water and Enjoy!

An Enduring City

    The tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan recently was and continues to be a horrific tragedy.  There are times when we are reminded that life is fleeting.  I know that the world mourns, prays and offers their help.  There are times when life slams us with a heavy hand.  Cities made by hands do not and can not endure.  Hebrews 13:14-16 “For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.  Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.  NIV”

     God tells us to remember that what is made by hands can be destroyed.   But even in pain, God gives peace to our hearts and minds.   Our lips praise God, not for the catastrophe, but for the enduring Kingdom of God paid for by the blood of Jesus.  Our praise to Him is a sacrifice because it is offered by and in faith, even when the world has crumbled around us.  Our praise is offered to Him who carries us and brings us through.  Our worship doesn’t stop at our lips.  We can also worship Him by how we give out of the blessing He pours out on us.  God tells us to do good and share.  Praise that is accompanied by good works is an opportunity to share the blessing of God.  My lips praise Him and my hands reach out to my neighbor next door and across the ocean.

The best lifeguard

    When I was a teenager my Dad took us to Atlantic City.  It was the first time I saw the ocean.  I loved it!  I was on the swim team in high school and a good swimmer.  When I was enjoying the fun of the waves I realized the under tow had pulled me far from the shore.  My dad, a worrier, had a lifeguard come out to get me.  That was humiliating for a teenage girl.  But my dad had sent the lifeguard out so he could help me if I needed it.  The lifeguard God has sent us is Jesus.  1 John 4:10 “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. NIV” 

     I was perfectly fine when I was splashing in the ocean.  I didn’t need help.  But in the ocean of life, no one can save themselves.  Only Jesus could be the perfect sacrifice of love.  God’s love is for all. But only those who ask Him for help can receive His atoning sacrifice.  As a nine year old I knew I was drowning in life.  Life was to heavy to me to carry.  I called upon Him and He was, is and will be my Lifeguard. 

I must be FAT!

    Seriously! Before you say "That didn't happen", it really did.  To understand this situation best, you need to know a few things.  For the last year my husband has been running. He wanted to get healthier and lose weight. The farther and faster he was able to run, the more weight he lost. 
    This is where I come in.  "Apparently" I've gained a few pounds, maybe a little more.  Sure, the clothes are tighter, my rings won't come off and everything just doesn't fit as well.  One day, after this person saw how much weight my husband had lost, came over to me,
       poked my stomach and said  "Have you gained all the weight your husband has lost?!"
    At that moment I had no answer.  As painful as that was to hear, it was mostly true.  I had gained weight. Not as much as my husband had lost, but I had gained weight. How embarassing it was to be reminded of my weight gain.
     Every day after I looked into the mirror I tried to forget what I saw.  It wasn't to hard.  I simply acted, talked and ate as if what I had seen in the mirror didn't exist.  It worked great.  It worked until someone poked me in the stomach!  The Bible in James 1:23-25 says  "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. NIV"  
    Jesus said we are to "Love God and Love each other".  The only way that happens is if when we look into the mirror of God's Word-we do it.  Doing something often and on purpose keeps us remembering what God has spoken to us.  I have to not only hear God's Word to love, but I need to put consistant action behind what I am hearing and seeing in the mirror.  The promises of God are for everyone.  But they only work when we do what the mirror is revealing.  I want to live my life on purpose.  God's Word is freedom and truth.  But freedom and truth don't just happen.  Losing weight doesn't just happen.
    I want to live my life honestly.  I don't want to lie to myself.  When I look in the mirror, I want to remember what I saw by taking action.  I want to be a seeing, hearing doer!