Archive for March, 2010

St. Patrick’s Day has already passed, but I was just wondering about its tradition, and looked it up on Wikipedia.com.  This is what was written about wearing of the green:

Originally, the colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue. However, over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick’s day grew.  Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick’s Day as early as the 17th century.  He is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day.  In the 1798 rebellion, in hopes of making a political statement, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on 17 March in hopes of catching public attention.  The phrase “the wearing of the green”, meaning to wear a shamrock on one’s clothing, derives from a song of the same name.

 And, while looking on Wikipedia, I also found this photo taken last year of the fountain on the White House lawn.  It was dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day.  Now, since Kansas is no longer in the running for the NCAA title, and that was Obama’s pick, don’t you think he should dye the fountain water blue—KY blue that is—in anticipation of Kentucky winning the NCAA championship.  Go Big Blue!!

The Willy Wonka devotional series will be continued next Saturday as this author ran into some “golden tickets” of her own when someone blessed her husband with free tickets to the race. So, we are out of town this weekend just enjoying some time together away from what has been a stressful couple of months.

Meanwhile, I would like to take a moment to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Hillside last Thursday! I was truly blessed by the sincerity of the Youth and the message delivered by Pastor Aaron. It was a great night in the Lord that I am still feeling the spiritual effects of! I am so excited about what God is doing in the young people of HPC! I believe with all of my heart that these generations have such an important role in our future! I encourage each of you to continue seeking God as sincerely as you are now and I know Greater Things are Yet to Come!

Heres a link to a song that has become my favorite over the last week or so. It reminds you that the cross is always ready and a story of trusting. Watch this part and all the parts that follow. The rest of the parts are great.

Jason Upton – The Cross and Story of Trust

Your walk with Christ isn’t really meant to always be easy. You weren’t made to learn kingdom things just through books and preachers. You were made to carry crosses. Carrying crosses is likened to a pregnant mother carrying her child.  The pregnancy normally lasts about nine months, and it’s full of pain, loneliness, emotional stress, and labor.  But, when the mother holds her baby, it’s all worth it.

Carrying a cross is the same way. There are seasons when you will go through such hard times of transition, and it feels like death. You will sit in your room alone for hours and feel so alone, crying and confused. You will wonder if God has left you, and if you are even where He wants you to be. This is the time when God is teaching you to depend fully on Him and when He is working the most in your life. Most people think that God is working in them after this process, but that’s just the fruit of when your life felt like hell, and God was really birthing something in you. Glory is always a step down before it’s two steps up, and when the thing God is birthing in you comes, it will be totally worth the hell He put you through to get you there. 

I heard someone say the other day that “Lessons learned in blood are not soon forgotten”. God is trying to teach you something, and the best way for you to never forget it is to make it hard and painful, so you will always remember the pain that it took to birth this new revelation of God. We can’t see the forest for the trees and God will see a seed and call it a mighty oak tree.  He doesn’t think in the present time like we do.  He sees your life from an eternity standpoint.  He sees the tiny little seeds of righteousness and devotion in you presently and calls you a mighty man or woman of God.  He has a plan and a hope for you and will do whatever it takes to get you there.

I have people tell me all the time that they are going through hard times in their life, and they don’t know where they are going or what’s going on. They wonder if they are going anywhere, or if they are going to miss their destiny. One of the best and worst things in the Christian life is having God speak something over you about who you are going to be.  It’s the best because it gives you hope when you are down.  It’s the worst because you usually don’t see it for years and years, and it’s like wandering in a wilderness not knowing if you are even going toward it.  I always say just forget what you think your destiny is. Your destiny may actually be, is to be a part of something big or something way off from where you are presently.  But, don’t focus on where you are, because your main destiny isn’t what you’re going to be one day, or if you are going to finance the kingdom, or even if you are meant to be part of some huge end-time revival. Your destiny is “Christ in you“!  It’s to have your life look like Christ and to take on His nature, His faith, His trust, His obedience, and His compassion and love.  Just say “Yes!” every day to God, and you will fall into your destiny. You don’t get there by striving, worrying whether you’re on the right road, or trying to meet that person who may move you into it.

It may take several months to see what God is doing in your life. We always stay several months, if not years, behind God. Remember, He has a plan, and He works all things to your good.  Trust Him!  He feels your agony.  He feels your pain.  He is still with you.  Just say “Yes!” to Him when He calls, and if you mess up and don’t say “Yes!”, then say “Yes” the next time.  God is in love with you, and like Aaron says, “God loves you too much to leave you the way you are”.  Don’t leave your cross—pick it up and walk with Him.

In 1994, a movie was released entitled, “Four Weddings and a Funeral”.  It centers around friends attending (yes) “four weddings and a funeral” — just as the title suggests.  In several ways, a funeral and a wedding can be similar.  They both can be held at a church.  There are usually tears shed—happy and sad ones.  There is always a guest of honor.  Often times, there will be food afterwards.  What’s an event without food!  I once heard it said that the only difference between a wedding and a funeral is that a funeral is a sure death—a wedding is a slow death.  

Over the course of my lifetime, I have attended a lot of funerals—probably over a thousand.  With having been a funeral director for many years, that was just part of my routine.  Working at a funeral home, and not being emotionally connected to every family coming through the doors, helps to make the life of a funeral director bearable.  However, attending a funeral of a family member or close friend puts it in a different perspective.  I have feelings—I can cry. 

In the same manner, such as in attending a wedding or being a part of one.  I have been a bridesmaid in several weddings.  In fact, I still have one of those “foo-foo” dresses with a big bow in the back hanging in my closet—don’t ask me why!   Or, if you’re just a guest at a wedding, you will not have as many emotions involved as you would if you were actually the bride and groom.   And, I can say from my own experience, there’s a huge difference!  So, for myself, I have been to one wedding. 

Now, on the other hand, John has been the guest of honor at four weddings—yes, I’m his fourth wife.  It’s not something that John is proud of; however, God is gracious and merciful.  Through a lot of tears and heartache, God led John and me together, and we have been married over 15 yrs.  He says (jokingly) that there will be a funeral (mine) before he will go through another divorce.  Yes, yes, that is a joke—do not take that seriously.  We love each other—divorce is not an option for us.

So, when you get ready to take those wedding vows, know what you’re committing to.  Take those vows seriously.  It’s a lifetime commitment.  “Til death do you part”.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Part 2:

Charlie Bucket is a poor boy living with his mother and four bedridden grandparents in a tiny house. Charlie supplements the meager family income by delivering newspapers after school. The family, along with the rest of the world, that the candy maker Willy Wonka has hidden five Golden Tickets amongst his Wonka Bars. The finders of these special tickets will be given a full tour of his world-renowned but tightly-guarded candy factory, as well as a lifetime supply of chocolate. Charlie wants to take part in the search, but cannot afford to buy vast quantities of chocolate like most other participants. Soon, four of the tickets are found by Augustus Gloop, a gluttonous German boy; Veruca Salt, a spoiled English girl; Violet Beauregarde, a gum-chomping American girl; and Mike Teevee, a television-obsessed American boy. As they find their tickets, a sinister-looking man is observed whispering something in their ears, to which they listen attentively despite their preoccupations with their particular obsessions. Charlie’s hopes are dashed when news breaks out that the final ticket has been found by a Paraguayan millionaire.

The next day, as the Golden Ticket craze dies down, Charlie finds a silver coin in a gutter and uses it to buy a Wonka Bar. Simultaneously, word spreads that the ticket found by the millionaire was forged. When Charlie opens the bar, he finds the true final ticket inside, and races home to tell his family.  (Wikipedia excerpt)

Looking at this scenario, if it were real life, I would say that Charlie has had a tremendous blessing. He could not afford to purchase another candy bar and yet he found a coin on the street. He used that found coin and purchased the very last bar. When he purchased the bar, he did not even know the last ticket found was a fake. He purchased it on faith with the very last shred of hope he had that his heart’s desires would be met.  It turned out that his wish did come true. He was going to get his heart’s desire!!

God cares about our heart’s desires, all of them. As long as they are morally pure desires, He wants to honor them. We just find it hard to believe sometimes. We try to think of all the reasons why things that are important to us would not be important to Him. If we see a mountain in our way, we determine the steps to removing that mountain are not on God’s agenda. However, God’s agenda is not like ours and His steps are completed with just One Word from Him.

James tells us that prayer is to be “without doubting” and that a double-minded person “receives nothing”. I find that most Christians have to struggle to get in touch with the desires of their heart where Jesus lives. Its like there are a number of layers of confusion, for me there is the layer of mental confusion, anxiety and intellectual doubt – the area of the plausible and the implausible, the possible and the impossible, “I don’t think that can happen ..etc”. That is the outer layer. Then there is the layer of confused emotions “I understand x but I feel y”. This is the area where we “can’t believe that God would be like that”. Where we come up with the “God loves missionaries but not me” and the “God can’t possibly be paying attention to me..” feelings. Underneath all those waves there is the still place where the Spirit lives and prayer begins. That is the place of the desires of my heart. I just tell God what I desire. Its up to Him to make it possible. Don’t pray your doubts, don’t try and tell God the mechanism or you will end up full of doubts and confusion, don’t tell God how to move the mountain just tell him that you want it moved.  (www.globalchristians.org)

Believe today that the Lord wants to answers your prayers! Believe that God will move the mountain instead of trying to determine how He will move the mountain! Look for that one coin (blessing) laying in the street and use it to build your faith! Take that leap of faith with every last shred of hope you have and believe God will grant your heart’s true desires!

Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37: 4-8 NIV

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 NIV

I listen to Christian radio online (it’s www.radiou.com in case you’re looking for some good music that might fit your taste a little more than what you might hear on the radio), and I heard this song that so describes my life sometimes.  It’s called “Sing to Me”, and it’s by a band called Untouchable.

“I don’t really know just where to start,
It’s harder when we’re standing miles apart
If I could dream I’d paint a scene
But there is too much noise
when I can’t sleep I need to hear your voice

Would you sing to me
Would you sing to me
Cause I feel a part of me starting to break
And when you are away from me, it’s harder to breathe

I don’t really know just where you are
It’s harder when I’m here and I’m all alone
If I could sleep, it’s you and me
This distance keeps me up
Come set me free, I need  to feel your touch

Would you sing to me
Would you sing to me
Cause I feel a part of me starting to break
And when you are away from me, it’s harder to breathe

Don’t wake me up (when I can’t sleep)
I really can’t get enough (I need to hear your voice)

Would you sing to me
would you sing to me
Cause I feel a part of me starting to break
And when you are away from me, it’s harder to breathe”

There’s this place with Jesus, and seriously, you can’t even imagine life without Him.  Then, sometimes you feel like you’re growing distant, and you don’t even know who you are anymore without Him.  And, you’re only longing is to be near Him—to hear Him.  It’s an amazing, life-changing thing to have that kind of dependence on Christ.  You will never be the same person again.  When or if you fall from God, the person that you used to be will mock the person that you used to be because you realize that you are destined for bigger things than what you’re doing.

Don’t settle guys.  Being comfortable is NOT worth the trade-off of living the life that God has for you.  He wants to speak to you.  So often I hear people say that they can’t hear God… it’s because we’re not listening.  Living a life of dependence on God is the most challenging thing you will ever try to do, but it’s the most rewarding.  Its fruits are eternal, and they’re unfailing.

I love you guys.

This has been a very different week for me. It seems that I have been ripping and running up and down the roads ever since last Friday. My everyday schedule this week has been jacked up! This week has brought me good moments, bad moments, and yet even God moments!

As I was driving to work one morning, my mind began to think about one of the sermons Pastor Eric has been preaching for ten years. This particular sermon is titled, “Shake It Off,” and deals with the subject of the spirit of offense. I began to realize that there is an “IT” in all of our lives. You see, there is always an “IT” that stands between us and God. Already, as you are reading, you know what your “IT” actually is. Your “IT” may be insecurity, sickness, fear, worry, stress, bad relationships or even some form of habitual sin! The list goes on and on. The “IT” that has been trying to weigh me down all week is worry. However, when I think about “IT”,  all I know to do is to shake “IT” off with praise!  You see, the “IT” in your life is so negative, but now is the time to take the negative and turn it into praise!

Whatever your “IT” may be, you have the power to shake “IT” off with praise!  There was a young lady who said in a facebook status this week, “There is too much on my plate.”  I told her as simply as I could, “If there is too much on your plate, rake “IT” off!”  The “too much” can be an “IT” that attempts to come between us and God!  Listen, we all have a choice to dwell in “IT” or conquer “IT”! The choice is yours.  Remember, it’s choice – not chance – that determines your destiny!

I want to leave you with some good news about your “IT”.  The “IT” may be a stumbling block for now, but with God, “IT” will become your stepping stone!  Through all the bad, God makes good.  Through difficult times, though it may be painful, the Holy Spirit is growing us!  Trust in God.  Love Him.  Praise Him.  Give His grace a chance!  In all reality, through “IT”,  He is making you into something so beautiful.

Check out this song, titled “Beautiful, Beautiful,” by Francesca Battistelli.  It has blessed my life this week.  Allow it to bless yours. Pay close attention to the lyrics.  Read along or sing along ; )

Beautiful, Beautiful

Just a quick reminder:

He loves you!  He loves you!  He loves you!  And, there is nothing you can do to change it.  You can’t earn it!  You don’t deserve it!  He doesn’t love you more when you are good and love you less when you are struggling.  He loves you relentlessly!  So, right now, look in the mirror and realize that God’s love for you is not based on anything, but His character and His nature.  What a relief!  Stop trying to earn His love because you already have it.   His arms are wide open.  The invitation is available.  Don’t push away His love because you feel unworthy, but accept His love for what it is — UNCONDITIONAL.  This means that there are not conditions concerning His love.  Under every condition and circumstance, His heart for you does not change.  He is constant!  His mercy is new every day.  His patience is unlimited.  He understands you, and more than anything, He believes in you.  His strength outweighs your lack.  Bottom line, He loves you just the way you are!

 Be encouraged in the Love of Christ!