Focus and Surrender My Life to God’s Control
How challenging did you find the SW for CHG # 9? The surrender part of this guideline is what consistently gnaws at my heart. When I look at the 6 questions that this SW presented in light of the Scriptures that are about faith and obedience to God and my relationships, like the father/son relationship between Abraham and Isaac, I realize how much clutter I can still create when it comes to my personal relationships and acquaintances. Here is how I answered those questions with one word.
1. Who or what needs my focus? Mouth
My mouth is the “what” to this question, and it is in terms of what I speak, eat, or drink.
2. Who or what do I need to surrender? Mouth
The “what” in this question is just like the answer to my focus. It is my mouth, and I need to surrender it to God. My mouth can be disobedient to God’s plan in terms of what I choose to speak, eat, or drink. Feeding into those unhealthy choices can eventually have an adverse effect on my overall physical and spiritual health and it can bring emotional pain, not only to me, but to others as well. There are so many times when I think about the apostle Paul and identify with what he said in Romans 7:15, “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.”
3. Who or what are you needing to let God control rather than yourself? Mouth
This time, the “what” to this question relates to my mouth and particularly my words. Too often my words need to be more kind and gentle. When I hear my daughter so sweetly correcting my grandchildren to speak with more gentleness and kindness, I realize that her message is for me as well, and that it reflects what God’s Word tells me in Galatians 5:22-23, “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” 20 years ago I had a dear friend who helped me to identify the need to be gentler, and 20 years later I am still working on being gentler. As we have learned from CHG #5, change is a slow and gradual process, but I can see the many layers that God has been peeling away as our family slowly and gradually heals from our long term history of hurtful words.
4. What keeps you from having faith? Doubt
At this time in my life, I would have to say that the doubt is linked to discipline, particularly with my exercising and what I consume. Over the course of my life time, my discipline in these areas has been pretty unwavering, but as of lately, there has been less conviction. I feel like I am at a crossroads both physically and spiritually, and I know that it is closely connected to the past two years and the diagnosis of two rare cancers. Writing down these thoughts and feelings is so important because experience has taught me that when I do this the answers will come, even though they are not there for me right now. Once again, I find myself identifying with a man whose story is told in the Book of Mark. Open up your own Bibles and read Mark 8:14-29. In these verses, you find a father whose son was possessed by an evil spirit and the boy got healed by Jesus. The story is about faith, and some people’s lack of it. In Mark 8:23, the father makes this comment to Jesus, “I do believe, but help me with my doubt!”
5. What lacks obedience in your life? Mouth
From my answers to these questions, you can see that that I have used the same one word to answer four of the questions. My mouth is what I have been focusing on as I surrender it to God’s control. Being obedient to God’s personal plan regarding how I need to speak and what I need to avoid with respect to what I eat, will enhance my health, and help me to be more kind and gentle in what I say.
6. What are you fearful of? Disobedience
My disobedience is related to my mouth.
Disobedience = Sin
Sin = Clutter
As I think about disobedience being equal to sin, and sin equal to clutter, it is a good time to also remind myself that I will always be dealing with the issues of disobedience and sin until the day I die. Remember when I first introduced you to the concept of clutter? I said that clutter never goes away. We can though minimize it and we can lessen it, and thus experience healing; that is what I need to remember and hold on to as I focus and surrender control to God.
This week your SW is to write down your definition for:
♥Focus
♥Surrender
♥Control
♥Faith
♥Obedience
♥Fear
In closing, I pray Father, we come to you wanting to release our fears to You. Please replace those fears with the FAITH that only comes from believing in You and what Your Word tells us. Show us how to walk out in that faith by TRUSTING in You to meet our every need no matter how small or big it may be.
May 22, 2013
May 8, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #9, Part Two
Focus and Surrender My Life to God’s Control
What new information did your SW provide for you this past week as you examined the word obedience/disobedience in your life and in the life of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22?
For me, I will answer that question by saying first and foremost, the Bible is my #1 resource for referencing information to get God’s perspective, and then Google comes in at a close second when it comes to man’s perspective. Never in history has information been so instantly and readily available, and I mention Google, because it relates to my own disobedience and how it peaked for me over this past week. It is embarrassing to admit, let alone confess, but I have been in some very close mishaps when it comes to my driving skills that are related to stopping. I am convinced, as well as thankful, that my prayers to be more aware and cautious with my driving protected me from hitting a pedestrian in a cross walk this past week. But, I also realize that I need to be more focused on stopping when the sign says stop. Slowing down is not enough when I am approaching a sign that says stop or a flashing red light that indicates the need to stop. Stop means stop! And as I have become more aware of my own dangerous habits to slow down but not stop, I have also noticed just how common this cluttered practice has become as drivers slowly drift through a lawful sign that commands us to stop without ever stopping. Of course, another’s wrong does not make my wrong right, but I was curious about googling the driving rules for stop signs, and here is what I found out:
Modern drivers continue to be confused about this question: How long must you stop at a stop sign?
Full stop
When approaching a stop sign, it's not enough to slow down. Every year drivers get ticketed because they only slowed down for a quick look left and right but never actually stopped. A driver is expected to come to a full stop at every stop sign. Even if you are the only driver on the road, you are still expected to stop or you risk getting a traffic fine.
Length of time
While there is no time rule as to how long your car must remain stopped, several seconds is a good rule of thumb. This gives you enough time to look to your left, look to your right and look left again before accelerating. When a car is approaching, you are expected to wait until that car has either passed or also comes to a complete stop.
Over the years, I am frequently reminded of know how hard it has been for me to take responsibility for my own actions. And truth be told? I recognize that I am not perfect, though I would like to be. So, I pray, “God, continue to show me how to let You be the One who controls those parts of me that need improved upon, especially my need to stop in all areas of my life! Help me to be more aware of obedience to your law and to man’s as You continue to use the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 to remind me that I am always in the process of surrendering.”
What new information did your SW provide for you this past week as you examined the word obedience/disobedience in your life and in the life of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22?
For me, I will answer that question by saying first and foremost, the Bible is my #1 resource for referencing information to get God’s perspective, and then Google comes in at a close second when it comes to man’s perspective. Never in history has information been so instantly and readily available, and I mention Google, because it relates to my own disobedience and how it peaked for me over this past week. It is embarrassing to admit, let alone confess, but I have been in some very close mishaps when it comes to my driving skills that are related to stopping. I am convinced, as well as thankful, that my prayers to be more aware and cautious with my driving protected me from hitting a pedestrian in a cross walk this past week. But, I also realize that I need to be more focused on stopping when the sign says stop. Slowing down is not enough when I am approaching a sign that says stop or a flashing red light that indicates the need to stop. Stop means stop! And as I have become more aware of my own dangerous habits to slow down but not stop, I have also noticed just how common this cluttered practice has become as drivers slowly drift through a lawful sign that commands us to stop without ever stopping. Of course, another’s wrong does not make my wrong right, but I was curious about googling the driving rules for stop signs, and here is what I found out:
Modern drivers continue to be confused about this question: How long must you stop at a stop sign?
Full stop
When approaching a stop sign, it's not enough to slow down. Every year drivers get ticketed because they only slowed down for a quick look left and right but never actually stopped. A driver is expected to come to a full stop at every stop sign. Even if you are the only driver on the road, you are still expected to stop or you risk getting a traffic fine.
Length of time
While there is no time rule as to how long your car must remain stopped, several seconds is a good rule of thumb. This gives you enough time to look to your left, look to your right and look left again before accelerating. When a car is approaching, you are expected to wait until that car has either passed or also comes to a complete stop.
Over the years, I am frequently reminded of know how hard it has been for me to take responsibility for my own actions. And truth be told? I recognize that I am not perfect, though I would like to be. So, I pray, “God, continue to show me how to let You be the One who controls those parts of me that need improved upon, especially my need to stop in all areas of my life! Help me to be more aware of obedience to your law and to man’s as You continue to use the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 to remind me that I am always in the process of surrendering.”
When you look at CHG #9
to heal your clutter, by focusing and surrendering your
life to God’s control, what does CHG #9 imply as being the root cause of
your clutter?
♥ My clutter builds up when I lack focus.
♥ My
clutter builds up when I do not surrender.
♥ My clutter builds up when I need to control.
Explore the words in Genesis 22:1-2 that back up CHG # 9. They say, “Later on God tested Abraham’s Faith and obedience. 'Abraham!' God called. 'Yes,' he replied. 'Here I am.' 'Take your son, your only son – yes Isaac,
whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a
burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will point out to you.' ”
What do these
Scriptures imply as being the root cause of your clutter?
♥ My clutter builds up because of my lack
of faith.
♥ My clutter builds up because of my lack
of obedience
♥ My clutter builds up because of my fears.
This week your SW is to
think about how you can lessen the clutter in your life through CHG #9 and its
Scriptures. Ask yourself the following questions, and then only give a one answer
reply.
1.
Who or what needs your focus?
2.
Who or what needs you to surrender?
3.
Who or what are you needing to let God control rather than yourself?
4.
What keeps you from having faith?
5.
What lacks obedience in your life?
6.
What are you fearful of?
May 1, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #9, Part One
Focus and Surrender My Life to God’s Control
Our SW this past week, was to ask God to help us to hear that one word, the rhema word, that He had for each one of us, and then have the Scripture to back it up. For me, that one word was obedience. I was drawn to this word as I wrote last week’s posting that said, “Listening means that I do what God tells me to do. This is called obedience.’’
Listening = obedience.
As I was being gravitated to this word, my thoughts immediately went to Abraham of the Bible and CHG #9, which I am introducing to you today. CHG #9 tells us to focus and surrender our lives to the control of God. The Scripture basis of this CHG is found in Genesis 22:1-2, and it directly addresses obedience. It says, “Later on God tested Abraham’s Faith and obedience. 'Abraham!' God called. 'Yes,' he replied. 'Here I am.' 'Take your son, your only son – yes Isaac, whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will point out to you.' ”
I am sure we all have our imaginations in full gear as we contemplate what was going on in Abraham’s mind and how he felt about God’s command. When I thoughtfully, carefully, and prayerfully examine this Scripture and study other Scriptures that tell me about the character of God, the character of Abraham, and the relationship that these two had with one another, I do come to appreciate how the relationship between God and Abraham is a prototype of the relationship that God wants to have with me, and the one that He wants to have with you.
Let’s break down Genesis 22:1-2 to reflect and meditate on how it can help us to lessen our clutter as we learn how to focus and surrender control to God by looking at the relationship between God and Abraham. Notice that the Scripture starts out by telling us that God had a test for Abraham, and it reminds me of how God has been in the business of testing since the beginning of time. What is a test? It is a critical examination, observation, or evaluation. Who is being tested? It is the student. What is being tested? Abraham, the student, is being tested on his faith and obedience. I appreciate the simplicity of how God gets Abraham’s focus just by the calling out of his name with an exclamation. What follows is Abraham acknowledging the history he has shared with God by giving this simple response back, “Yes. Here I am.” It takes time to build relationships that go through numerous trials and errors, and they can only become rock solid when there is mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual love. Abraham and God had that kind of relationship.
When God tells Abraham, “Take your son, your only son – yes, Isaac whom you love so much,” I see the heart of God expressing a compassionate command that reminds, reinforces, and emphasizes the lessons that Abraham has learned through his trials and errors with God. Though God had promised a son to Abraham and his barren wife Sarah, Abraham took matters into His own hands when he did not see God coming through with His promise within the time that he had anticipated. And because Abraham did not wait on the Lord’s timely promise, he and Sarah arranged an intimate night for Abraham to be with Sarah’s bondservant who provided Abraham with a son, and that conceived child was named Ishmael. Later Isaac was indeed born to Abraham and Sarah, but this promise actually took 25 years to be fulfilled! If you want to find out just how much clutter this caused, go to Genesis 11 where the story of Abraham begins. And if you are really industrious, research the history on this family to discover how their clutter continues to impact the world on a global level.
Abraham is directed to take Isaac to Moriah and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering. In the Hebrew, Moriah means ordained. Abraham was God’s ordained man, and through the years Abraham learned to appreciate what that meant. He knew he could believe God, trust Him, and obey Him, even when it made no sense. He had learned that God was God and he was not.
This coming week, your SW is to examine the word obedience:
1. How has dis-obedience caused more clutter in your life?
2. How has obedience made your life less cluttered?
3. Read Genesis 22 to find out how this story about Abraham and Isaac plays out.
Pleases keep in mind that no matter how familiar a story may be to you, or how often you have read certain Scriptures, remind yourself to slow down, focus, and drink them in with a fresh new openness. Receive them with a child like excitement, and you can look forward to the prompting of the Holy Spirit!
Our SW this past week, was to ask God to help us to hear that one word, the rhema word, that He had for each one of us, and then have the Scripture to back it up. For me, that one word was obedience. I was drawn to this word as I wrote last week’s posting that said, “Listening means that I do what God tells me to do. This is called obedience.’’
Listening = obedience.
As I was being gravitated to this word, my thoughts immediately went to Abraham of the Bible and CHG #9, which I am introducing to you today. CHG #9 tells us to focus and surrender our lives to the control of God. The Scripture basis of this CHG is found in Genesis 22:1-2, and it directly addresses obedience. It says, “Later on God tested Abraham’s Faith and obedience. 'Abraham!' God called. 'Yes,' he replied. 'Here I am.' 'Take your son, your only son – yes Isaac, whom you love so much – and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will point out to you.' ”
I am sure we all have our imaginations in full gear as we contemplate what was going on in Abraham’s mind and how he felt about God’s command. When I thoughtfully, carefully, and prayerfully examine this Scripture and study other Scriptures that tell me about the character of God, the character of Abraham, and the relationship that these two had with one another, I do come to appreciate how the relationship between God and Abraham is a prototype of the relationship that God wants to have with me, and the one that He wants to have with you.
Let’s break down Genesis 22:1-2 to reflect and meditate on how it can help us to lessen our clutter as we learn how to focus and surrender control to God by looking at the relationship between God and Abraham. Notice that the Scripture starts out by telling us that God had a test for Abraham, and it reminds me of how God has been in the business of testing since the beginning of time. What is a test? It is a critical examination, observation, or evaluation. Who is being tested? It is the student. What is being tested? Abraham, the student, is being tested on his faith and obedience. I appreciate the simplicity of how God gets Abraham’s focus just by the calling out of his name with an exclamation. What follows is Abraham acknowledging the history he has shared with God by giving this simple response back, “Yes. Here I am.” It takes time to build relationships that go through numerous trials and errors, and they can only become rock solid when there is mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual love. Abraham and God had that kind of relationship.
When God tells Abraham, “Take your son, your only son – yes, Isaac whom you love so much,” I see the heart of God expressing a compassionate command that reminds, reinforces, and emphasizes the lessons that Abraham has learned through his trials and errors with God. Though God had promised a son to Abraham and his barren wife Sarah, Abraham took matters into His own hands when he did not see God coming through with His promise within the time that he had anticipated. And because Abraham did not wait on the Lord’s timely promise, he and Sarah arranged an intimate night for Abraham to be with Sarah’s bondservant who provided Abraham with a son, and that conceived child was named Ishmael. Later Isaac was indeed born to Abraham and Sarah, but this promise actually took 25 years to be fulfilled! If you want to find out just how much clutter this caused, go to Genesis 11 where the story of Abraham begins. And if you are really industrious, research the history on this family to discover how their clutter continues to impact the world on a global level.
Abraham is directed to take Isaac to Moriah and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering. In the Hebrew, Moriah means ordained. Abraham was God’s ordained man, and through the years Abraham learned to appreciate what that meant. He knew he could believe God, trust Him, and obey Him, even when it made no sense. He had learned that God was God and he was not.
This coming week, your SW is to examine the word obedience:
1. How has dis-obedience caused more clutter in your life?
2. How has obedience made your life less cluttered?
3. Read Genesis 22 to find out how this story about Abraham and Isaac plays out.
Pleases keep in mind that no matter how familiar a story may be to you, or how often you have read certain Scriptures, remind yourself to slow down, focus, and drink them in with a fresh new openness. Receive them with a child like excitement, and you can look forward to the prompting of the Holy Spirit!
April 24, 2013
Red Wednesday's Widsom - CHG #8, Part Four
Commit
to Listening and Making a Decision
Your SW from last week related to two Scriptures from the Book of John. I suggested that you reflect and meditate on how these two scriptures spoke to you.
John 11:25, “I am the Resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Your SW from last week related to two Scriptures from the Book of John. I suggested that you reflect and meditate on how these two scriptures spoke to you.
John 11:25, “I am the Resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
I hope that you have a greater sense of
clarity in deciding
what these verses mean to you this week compared to last in regards to your eternity.
This week I would like to bring closure
to CHG # 8 by making some specific points.
Hearing
and Listening to God Do you know that God’s Character is always a
reflection of what He tells us to do? God is the almighty Listener and, therefore, He also wants me to listen. Listening means that I do what God
tells me to do. This is called obedience. We
have lots of clutter because we choose to not listen
to God. Consider how God listens constantly
to our thoughts and desires. God is the only One who hears me more than I hear myself. Would there be any point in my praying
if God did not listen to me?
If God did not listen to me then there would be no basis for CHG #3. CHG #3 tells me to ask, ask for help, and pray.
If God did not listen to me then there would be no basis for CHG #3. CHG #3 tells me to ask, ask for help, and pray.
Hearing and Listening to Myself
I
am the # 1 person who talks to me more than anyone else.
So
how do I learn to really listen to what I have
to say to myself?
It
begins by writing out my answers to the SW.
Writing
down what I am thinking helps me to see my self-talk.
CHG
# 8 is the CHG that reinforces us to use one word phrases. These one word phrases are called “rhema” words.
Rhema
in the Greek means an “utterance.”
A
rhema word is that one word that
resonates or speaks to you and it gets reflected in God’s Word.
John 6:63
says, “It is the Spirit that gives eternal
life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words (rhema words) I
have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
SW
is designed to help you develop your listening
skills.
Your
SW over the past few weeks related to
specific rhema words. These words, for
me, are first perceived through the Holy Spirit (the SW – The Spirit at work in
us), and then they get reinforced in God’s Word. Last week the Scriptures for your SW related
to the rhema word being eternity, the
week before that, the rhema word was live,
and prior to that week, the rhema word was listening/noticed. We need to be in God’s Word every day so that
we can validate that what we are hearing or sensing is actually coming from God
and not from Satan or from ourselves.
Here
are some words of caution:
♥ Be aware of
being tricked. Satan believes
in God and he knows how to come across as the light. You need to be in God’s Word to know God as
your Truth.
♥ Be patient. Allow God’s character of order and pattern to
speak specific words to you over and over.
Satan’s character is not one of order but of chaos and confusion. So, if you feel disoriented or confused in
making a decision, then wait until you are at
peace with the order and pattern that can only come from God.
This week, Father God,
I pray for that specific rhema word and Scripture that you want each of us to
hear through Your Holy Spirit. Please
open our ears to receive what You want us to hear, and help us to become better
listeners.
We depend upon You to lead us in making decisions
that are in line with Your Holy Word and that are reflective of our love for
Your Son, Jesus. Touch us with the
strength and power of Your Holy Spirit.
Amen
April 17, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #8, Part Three
Commit to Listening and Making a Decision
Two weeks ago, I invited you to commit/entrust your SW to reflecting on the word LIVE, and to consider its importance in one sentence as you researched the meaning of Passover and then also Easter.
First of all, the word LIVE for me has a physical as well as spiritual component. From a physical stand point, LIVE means that while I am on this earth I am alive and breathing. Spiritually speaking, it means that even though I will die some day, I will LIVE in eternity. For me, I know that my eternity is in heaven because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. Without that relationship, my eternity would be apart from Christ, in hell. Jesus says in John 11:25, “I am the Resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will LIVE again.” Are you listening to what Jesus Himself is proclaiming about who He is in just one sentence? He is the Resurrection, and He is life. And here is what is so mind boggling. Jesus proved this during the Passover season 2013 years ago when He arose on Resurrection Sunday, or Easter Sunday.
What is Passover?
Passover is literally about living rather than dying, and it is a celebration of the deliverance of Israel from the slavery of Egypt. When the Egyptian Pharaoh would not listen to God’s repeated commands to let His people go, God implored severe consequences through a number of plagues. The final plague was death to all first born sons. In order to protect the first born Hebrew sons, God instructed their families to take the blood of a lamb and spread it over the doorposts of their homes so that the Lord would literally "pass over" their homes, sparing their firstborn sons. Exodus 12:13 states, "The blood you have smeared on your doorposts will serve as a sign. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. The plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.”
God commanded the Israelites to celebrate that first Passover every year, and every year a lamb was to be slaughtered by every family. On that Passover 2013 years ago, it was Jesus who took the place of all those lambs being slaughtered. Jesus became the Passover Lamb once and for all. Passover points us to Jesus Christ who is The Son of God and The Passover Lamb. He is The Deliverer and The Savior for all people!
What is Easter?
Like Passover, Easter is about living, rather than dying. It is a celebration of the deliverance from the slavery of sin for all people through the resurrected Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only One, ever, to rise from the dead and be living today!
John 3:16. I am sure that we have seen it and heard it more than any other Scripture, especially at large sporting events, but have we ever taken the time to really consider its ever so simplistic life-giving message? It says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
When I think about those Israelites during the first Passover, I imagine that they had many questions going though their heads. I wonder how much alike we are to them today? Are we committed to listening and then making a decision based on what God is telling us? God never changes. He has always loved us and has always wanted His people to live and be free, but the decision is not His to make for us. What we decide to do with what we see and hear is up to us. The Israelites had to decide if they would listen to God in order to live. They had to decide if they would partake in God’s plan to slaughter a lamb and put its blood on their doorpost so that their first born sons would live. Today, we have the same decision to make about our lives. We can see and hear what God’s Word tells us, but do we truly listen to it and make the decision to move into action so that we live with God in this life and forever? It is my hopeful prayer that we will. The greatest time in my life was when Jesus saved me and said, “Live!”
With regards to your SW, I also asked you to become more in tuned to how you were being listened to/noticed. For me it had to do with a radio broadcast that got noticed by listeners who wanted to lessen the clutter in their lives. Because of the needs of these callers and their readiness to learn, I knew I needed to hear from God about what He wanted me to do with them. That is why there was no post last week. I needed to focus on what action I was to take. The outcome of what is taking place is very unexpected, but it is also very exciting. Home Touched has launched its first on-line clutter group, using the teaching postings that began exactly a year ago here on this blog. And because of the research I have done on how to do this, we are now looking into doing videos to go along with the posts. As I said, it is very exciting.
This week, your SW is to look up the two Scriptures from today’s posting and decide what they mean for you:
John 11:25, “I am the Resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will LIVE again.”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Two weeks ago, I invited you to commit/entrust your SW to reflecting on the word LIVE, and to consider its importance in one sentence as you researched the meaning of Passover and then also Easter.
First of all, the word LIVE for me has a physical as well as spiritual component. From a physical stand point, LIVE means that while I am on this earth I am alive and breathing. Spiritually speaking, it means that even though I will die some day, I will LIVE in eternity. For me, I know that my eternity is in heaven because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. Without that relationship, my eternity would be apart from Christ, in hell. Jesus says in John 11:25, “I am the Resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will LIVE again.” Are you listening to what Jesus Himself is proclaiming about who He is in just one sentence? He is the Resurrection, and He is life. And here is what is so mind boggling. Jesus proved this during the Passover season 2013 years ago when He arose on Resurrection Sunday, or Easter Sunday.
What is Passover?
Passover is literally about living rather than dying, and it is a celebration of the deliverance of Israel from the slavery of Egypt. When the Egyptian Pharaoh would not listen to God’s repeated commands to let His people go, God implored severe consequences through a number of plagues. The final plague was death to all first born sons. In order to protect the first born Hebrew sons, God instructed their families to take the blood of a lamb and spread it over the doorposts of their homes so that the Lord would literally "pass over" their homes, sparing their firstborn sons. Exodus 12:13 states, "The blood you have smeared on your doorposts will serve as a sign. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. The plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.”
God commanded the Israelites to celebrate that first Passover every year, and every year a lamb was to be slaughtered by every family. On that Passover 2013 years ago, it was Jesus who took the place of all those lambs being slaughtered. Jesus became the Passover Lamb once and for all. Passover points us to Jesus Christ who is The Son of God and The Passover Lamb. He is The Deliverer and The Savior for all people!
What is Easter?
Like Passover, Easter is about living, rather than dying. It is a celebration of the deliverance from the slavery of sin for all people through the resurrected Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only One, ever, to rise from the dead and be living today!
John 3:16. I am sure that we have seen it and heard it more than any other Scripture, especially at large sporting events, but have we ever taken the time to really consider its ever so simplistic life-giving message? It says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
When I think about those Israelites during the first Passover, I imagine that they had many questions going though their heads. I wonder how much alike we are to them today? Are we committed to listening and then making a decision based on what God is telling us? God never changes. He has always loved us and has always wanted His people to live and be free, but the decision is not His to make for us. What we decide to do with what we see and hear is up to us. The Israelites had to decide if they would listen to God in order to live. They had to decide if they would partake in God’s plan to slaughter a lamb and put its blood on their doorpost so that their first born sons would live. Today, we have the same decision to make about our lives. We can see and hear what God’s Word tells us, but do we truly listen to it and make the decision to move into action so that we live with God in this life and forever? It is my hopeful prayer that we will. The greatest time in my life was when Jesus saved me and said, “Live!”
With regards to your SW, I also asked you to become more in tuned to how you were being listened to/noticed. For me it had to do with a radio broadcast that got noticed by listeners who wanted to lessen the clutter in their lives. Because of the needs of these callers and their readiness to learn, I knew I needed to hear from God about what He wanted me to do with them. That is why there was no post last week. I needed to focus on what action I was to take. The outcome of what is taking place is very unexpected, but it is also very exciting. Home Touched has launched its first on-line clutter group, using the teaching postings that began exactly a year ago here on this blog. And because of the research I have done on how to do this, we are now looking into doing videos to go along with the posts. As I said, it is very exciting.
This week, your SW is to look up the two Scriptures from today’s posting and decide what they mean for you:
John 11:25, “I am the Resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will LIVE again.”
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
April 3, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #8, Part Two
Commit to Listening and Making a Decision
Your SW from 2 weeks ago was about lessening your relational clutter by being more attentive to how you choose to listen, or not to listen, to God and others. One of the suggestions that I made in helping you to become a better listener and decision maker, was to refer to a dictionary. I encouraged you to look up the following words to see if their definition supplied you with just one word that might give you a fresh new meaning to your style of listening and making decisions. Here are the one word definitions that inspired me to get a fresh new insight regarding my own skills with listening and making decisions:
♥Commit - entrust
♥Listening - notice
♥Decision - resolve
♥Planting - placing
♥Fertile - productive
♥Hear - perceive
♥Understanding - grasp
When I examined the seven words that came out of my definition search, I was reminded of some of the experiences I encountered over the past 2 weeks that mirrored these words. Noticed was one of the words that was most consistently being spoken into my spirit, and this was prior to me even looking up the definition for listening. Consequently, I now realize that one of the learning curves for me, in terms of listening, has to do with me becoming more cognizant of my own nonverbal behavior and how it gets heard/perceived. I think the following story will give more clarity to what I want to say, and I think it is worth noting because it made such an eternal imprint upon my heart.
I had gone for my standing blood draw at the lab. And as is usually the case, I was reading my leather bound, Jesus Calling, in the waiting area. I was totally oblivious to what was going on around me. As I closed the book and reached for my Bible to look up some of the scripture references, an older man said, “Oh, you don’t need to worry or pray honey, it’s no big deal.” I smiled and responded by saying, “Actually I am not worried. In fact, I have gotten pretty accustomed to getting my blood routinely drawn. As for praying, I do that all the time.” “Oh, I am so sorry!” He replied. And then he continued. “My wife has been so sick and I am not a man of faith.” “My goodness,” I said and then continued, “There is no need for any apologies. I am so sorry that you and your wife are going through such difficult times.” There was silence as he sadly bowed his head. I began to look for paper so I could write down the book’s name for him, but as I was doing that, this thought got planted/placed in my head, “Give him yours. He will not go and buy this book.” I was committed/entrusted to the decision/resolve that was being rooted in the fertile/productive ground of my mind and heart. “Sir?” I said, as I put the book in his hands in hopes that he would understand/grasp its words someday, “you can read this book every day according to the calendar date and it will help you and your wife to feel less sad and be more hopeful as you experience God’s presence in these pages and in your lives.” With excitement, he said, “Thank you so much!” I then heard the technician call out his name, “Mr. Reuben?” In no time Mr. Reuben was in and out of the office, and as he left he said, “Mam, thank you again.”
It was then my turn to be called in, and I heard, “Colin?” No one answered to Colin so I figured it had to be me. Jokingly, I said, “Do you mean Colleen? I have been coming here too often for you to call me Colin!” There was then laughter as my name was correctly called out.
As I passed by the enclosed reception area, the secretary popped her head out as I entered the blood drawing area. I had not noticed her before, but here is what she said. “You are such a blessing every time you come into this office.” All I could say was, “Really?” I felt clueless. She then continued, “What you did for that man this morning was so kind and such a blessing.” My eyes swelled up with tears over the fact that she had noticed, but it was also because she took the time out of her schedule to tell me. She then made this concluding statement, “When you get the chance, read Ezekiel 16:6. I "randomly" opened to it this morning after dealing with my daughter’s bloody nose and needing to get myself to work.”
God had obviously planted/placed His foot into that office, and He personally touched a number of us in ways that were seen and unseen. I could hardly wait to hear/perceive, what God had said to her that morning and what He was going to say to me in the Book of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 16:6 says, “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, “Live!” I could only imagine how that mother felt as she listened to what God’s Word told her about the bloody circumstance that she had faced with her daughter that morning. Did you hear it? God said, “Live!” It’s an exclamation. It’s a command. It was originally spoken to God’s people, the Israelites, and it is still being spoken to you and I! Through His Word, God Almighty equipped this mother to go to work feeling His comfort and peace in the midst of cluttered chaos!
But the story does not end here. God was also speaking to me about my blood! I was in a blood lab that morning. I was getting my blood drawn to evaluate my blood levels that have been compromised due to the blood cell changes in my bone marrow that are the result of two rare blood disorders. What Word in Ezekiel 16:6 do I hold on to, understand /grasp? It’s “Live!” Despite my health condition with the blood, I do not doubt or question that I am going to live in this life and the next.
But again, the story does not end here either. This past week many of us celebrated, or were at least aware, of it being Passover and Easter. This week, I invite you to commit/entrust your SW to defining or describing Passover and then Easter in one sentence as you reflect on this word, LIVE.
When I originally conveyed the above story to my daughter, I was so taken back by her profound response that emphasized the word noticed, that I needed to ask her to repeat what she said and listen again. She said, “Mom, you always will get noticed. Some people like what they see you doing, and some do not like what they see you doing, but no matter what, you will get noticed.” Have you ever thought about how you are being listened to/noticed? Enjoy the process of finding out.
Your SW from 2 weeks ago was about lessening your relational clutter by being more attentive to how you choose to listen, or not to listen, to God and others. One of the suggestions that I made in helping you to become a better listener and decision maker, was to refer to a dictionary. I encouraged you to look up the following words to see if their definition supplied you with just one word that might give you a fresh new meaning to your style of listening and making decisions. Here are the one word definitions that inspired me to get a fresh new insight regarding my own skills with listening and making decisions:
♥Commit - entrust
♥Listening - notice
♥Decision - resolve
♥Planting - placing
♥Fertile - productive
♥Hear - perceive
♥Understanding - grasp
When I examined the seven words that came out of my definition search, I was reminded of some of the experiences I encountered over the past 2 weeks that mirrored these words. Noticed was one of the words that was most consistently being spoken into my spirit, and this was prior to me even looking up the definition for listening. Consequently, I now realize that one of the learning curves for me, in terms of listening, has to do with me becoming more cognizant of my own nonverbal behavior and how it gets heard/perceived. I think the following story will give more clarity to what I want to say, and I think it is worth noting because it made such an eternal imprint upon my heart.
I had gone for my standing blood draw at the lab. And as is usually the case, I was reading my leather bound, Jesus Calling, in the waiting area. I was totally oblivious to what was going on around me. As I closed the book and reached for my Bible to look up some of the scripture references, an older man said, “Oh, you don’t need to worry or pray honey, it’s no big deal.” I smiled and responded by saying, “Actually I am not worried. In fact, I have gotten pretty accustomed to getting my blood routinely drawn. As for praying, I do that all the time.” “Oh, I am so sorry!” He replied. And then he continued. “My wife has been so sick and I am not a man of faith.” “My goodness,” I said and then continued, “There is no need for any apologies. I am so sorry that you and your wife are going through such difficult times.” There was silence as he sadly bowed his head. I began to look for paper so I could write down the book’s name for him, but as I was doing that, this thought got planted/placed in my head, “Give him yours. He will not go and buy this book.” I was committed/entrusted to the decision/resolve that was being rooted in the fertile/productive ground of my mind and heart. “Sir?” I said, as I put the book in his hands in hopes that he would understand/grasp its words someday, “you can read this book every day according to the calendar date and it will help you and your wife to feel less sad and be more hopeful as you experience God’s presence in these pages and in your lives.” With excitement, he said, “Thank you so much!” I then heard the technician call out his name, “Mr. Reuben?” In no time Mr. Reuben was in and out of the office, and as he left he said, “Mam, thank you again.”
It was then my turn to be called in, and I heard, “Colin?” No one answered to Colin so I figured it had to be me. Jokingly, I said, “Do you mean Colleen? I have been coming here too often for you to call me Colin!” There was then laughter as my name was correctly called out.
As I passed by the enclosed reception area, the secretary popped her head out as I entered the blood drawing area. I had not noticed her before, but here is what she said. “You are such a blessing every time you come into this office.” All I could say was, “Really?” I felt clueless. She then continued, “What you did for that man this morning was so kind and such a blessing.” My eyes swelled up with tears over the fact that she had noticed, but it was also because she took the time out of her schedule to tell me. She then made this concluding statement, “When you get the chance, read Ezekiel 16:6. I "randomly" opened to it this morning after dealing with my daughter’s bloody nose and needing to get myself to work.”
God had obviously planted/placed His foot into that office, and He personally touched a number of us in ways that were seen and unseen. I could hardly wait to hear/perceive, what God had said to her that morning and what He was going to say to me in the Book of Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 16:6 says, “And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, “Live!” I could only imagine how that mother felt as she listened to what God’s Word told her about the bloody circumstance that she had faced with her daughter that morning. Did you hear it? God said, “Live!” It’s an exclamation. It’s a command. It was originally spoken to God’s people, the Israelites, and it is still being spoken to you and I! Through His Word, God Almighty equipped this mother to go to work feeling His comfort and peace in the midst of cluttered chaos!
But the story does not end here. God was also speaking to me about my blood! I was in a blood lab that morning. I was getting my blood drawn to evaluate my blood levels that have been compromised due to the blood cell changes in my bone marrow that are the result of two rare blood disorders. What Word in Ezekiel 16:6 do I hold on to, understand /grasp? It’s “Live!” Despite my health condition with the blood, I do not doubt or question that I am going to live in this life and the next.
But again, the story does not end here either. This past week many of us celebrated, or were at least aware, of it being Passover and Easter. This week, I invite you to commit/entrust your SW to defining or describing Passover and then Easter in one sentence as you reflect on this word, LIVE.
When I originally conveyed the above story to my daughter, I was so taken back by her profound response that emphasized the word noticed, that I needed to ask her to repeat what she said and listen again. She said, “Mom, you always will get noticed. Some people like what they see you doing, and some do not like what they see you doing, but no matter what, you will get noticed.” Have you ever thought about how you are being listened to/noticed? Enjoy the process of finding out.
March 20, 2013
Red Wednesday's Wisdom - CHG #8, Part One
Commit to Listening and Making a Decision
As we look to CHG #8, which tells us to commit to listening and make a decision, what does this guideline imply as being the root cause of my clutter?
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not commit.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not listen.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not make a decision.
Therefore, when I commit, listen, and make decisions, I lessen my clutter and this brings healing to me.
The Scripture to support CHG #8 is from Mark 4:3-9, “ ‘Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed…some seed fell on a footpath…on shallow soil…among thorns…on fertile soil…Anyone who is willing to hear, should listen and understand.’ ”
If you go to your Bible, you can read these Scriptures in their entirety. In Mark 4, Jesus is teaching through one of His many parables. This time the parable is not about fishing as we saw with CHG #7. Instead, it is about planting or sowing seeds while taking into account the type of soil that our seed can fall on. The parable is used as an analogy to our listening skills, and especially to God’s Word. When seed gets scattered over open land or when sound travels through our field of hearing, the seed or sound can fall onto four types of soil:
♥smoothed out paths
This is where the seed gets eaten by the birds. There is no soil for growth. Our hearing can be that way too, what we hear in one ear, goes out the other, and there are times when we do this with each other and with God.
♥rough and rocky terrain
On rocky soil, there is very little earth for something to take root, there is no depth for growing what is sewn. When it comes to our selective hearing, we can take in what someone says or what God’s Word tells us for a little while, but it can quickly be forgotten or disregarded. It gets scorched out and dies.
♥weedy thorny overgrowth
Weeds and thorns can choke out what gets planted. Biblically speaking, it’s the light of God’s Word that we hear, but it gets choked out by the darkness that we are so accustomed to, and therefore, no crop is produced.
♥fertilely enriched
This is the ground that is READY to receive what gets planted, and it results in a harvest that is beyond one’s expectation. Because of our readiness to hear, listen, and understand, we bear much fruit as we accept and soak in the Word of God and learn to respect our communication with others.
What do you think Mark 4:3-9 implies as being the root cause of why our clutter can occur?
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not listen. Jesus emphasizes this need to listen both at the beginning of these verses and at their ending.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not plant my seeds on fertile ground.
♥ My clutter builds up when I am not willing to hear.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not understand.
Therefore, when I listen to the Word of God and value others by listening to what they have to say, I produce the fertile ground that helps me to receive what I hear with open ears and to pursue the desire to understand. This lessens my clutter and brings healing to me and to others.
Your SW this coming week is about lessening your relational clutter by paying more attention to how you listen, or do not listen, to others or to God’s leading and teaching. The dictionary, next to the Bible, is my favorite reference book. I find that just one word in a definition can give me a fresh new meaning and slant to words that are already very familiar to me. Here are some of the words related to this week’s CHG that you might want to look up. Check them out! See how one new word to define the following words can give you a fresh new approach to how you listen and make decisions:
♥Commit
♥Listening
♥Decision
♥Planting
♥Fertile
♥Hear
♥Understanding
Father God, please help me to take this CHG to heart by being honest about me. It’s hard to admit, but I know there are times when I am in too much of a hurry to listen, or I do not respect what I hear You or others telling me. I can find myself in a race to speak what I have to say because I think it is so important, valuable, and wise! Consequently, it causes me to only half listen, if at all, to the words of You or another.
Please forgive me for thinking that what I have to say is far more important than being silent and giving my full attention to listening to You or someone else. Help me to recognize that my decision to listen is a demonstration of my love for You and others.
As we look to CHG #8, which tells us to commit to listening and make a decision, what does this guideline imply as being the root cause of my clutter?
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not commit.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not listen.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not make a decision.
Therefore, when I commit, listen, and make decisions, I lessen my clutter and this brings healing to me.
The Scripture to support CHG #8 is from Mark 4:3-9, “ ‘Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed…some seed fell on a footpath…on shallow soil…among thorns…on fertile soil…Anyone who is willing to hear, should listen and understand.’ ”
If you go to your Bible, you can read these Scriptures in their entirety. In Mark 4, Jesus is teaching through one of His many parables. This time the parable is not about fishing as we saw with CHG #7. Instead, it is about planting or sowing seeds while taking into account the type of soil that our seed can fall on. The parable is used as an analogy to our listening skills, and especially to God’s Word. When seed gets scattered over open land or when sound travels through our field of hearing, the seed or sound can fall onto four types of soil:
♥smoothed out paths
This is where the seed gets eaten by the birds. There is no soil for growth. Our hearing can be that way too, what we hear in one ear, goes out the other, and there are times when we do this with each other and with God.
♥rough and rocky terrain
On rocky soil, there is very little earth for something to take root, there is no depth for growing what is sewn. When it comes to our selective hearing, we can take in what someone says or what God’s Word tells us for a little while, but it can quickly be forgotten or disregarded. It gets scorched out and dies.
♥weedy thorny overgrowth
Weeds and thorns can choke out what gets planted. Biblically speaking, it’s the light of God’s Word that we hear, but it gets choked out by the darkness that we are so accustomed to, and therefore, no crop is produced.
♥fertilely enriched
This is the ground that is READY to receive what gets planted, and it results in a harvest that is beyond one’s expectation. Because of our readiness to hear, listen, and understand, we bear much fruit as we accept and soak in the Word of God and learn to respect our communication with others.
What do you think Mark 4:3-9 implies as being the root cause of why our clutter can occur?
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not listen. Jesus emphasizes this need to listen both at the beginning of these verses and at their ending.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not plant my seeds on fertile ground.
♥ My clutter builds up when I am not willing to hear.
♥ My clutter builds up when I do not understand.
Therefore, when I listen to the Word of God and value others by listening to what they have to say, I produce the fertile ground that helps me to receive what I hear with open ears and to pursue the desire to understand. This lessens my clutter and brings healing to me and to others.
Your SW this coming week is about lessening your relational clutter by paying more attention to how you listen, or do not listen, to others or to God’s leading and teaching. The dictionary, next to the Bible, is my favorite reference book. I find that just one word in a definition can give me a fresh new meaning and slant to words that are already very familiar to me. Here are some of the words related to this week’s CHG that you might want to look up. Check them out! See how one new word to define the following words can give you a fresh new approach to how you listen and make decisions:
♥Commit
♥Listening
♥Decision
♥Planting
♥Fertile
♥Hear
♥Understanding
Father God, please help me to take this CHG to heart by being honest about me. It’s hard to admit, but I know there are times when I am in too much of a hurry to listen, or I do not respect what I hear You or others telling me. I can find myself in a race to speak what I have to say because I think it is so important, valuable, and wise! Consequently, it causes me to only half listen, if at all, to the words of You or another.
Please forgive me for thinking that what I have to say is far more important than being silent and giving my full attention to listening to You or someone else. Help me to recognize that my decision to listen is a demonstration of my love for You and others.
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