“A New Command”

“A new command I give you: Love one another.

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another

John 13: 34-35 (NIV)



Jesus has just told the disciples that he will not be with them much longer. Simon Peter is distraught by the news.

Our Lord tells the disciples He is giving them a new way to look at each other. He tells them to ‘love one another.’ Jesus must have thought it important because He tells them three times.

Earlier in this chapter, Jesus serves the disciples in a humbling way-He washed their feet. After he finishes, Our Lord tells them they should do for another as He has done for them.

Another example of God’s love is the familiar passage, John 3:16. God gave something precious to us and for us because He loved us so much.

We are to do love others as Christ has loved us.

In our 21st Century world, we still read of our need to extend grace and mercy to those we meet. How do we manage to show God’s love to those around us? We do deeds of kindness when we see a need. We honor people’s positions and try not to betray another’s trust or cause a friend to do so, either. We respect boundaries others have set.

People watch what we do. Even those closest to us-our neighbors, those with whom we do business, and our family members monitor and evaluate our behavior. I once had to tell a lady she had mistakenly paid me for a story that was a simple e-mail forward. As we ended the conversation, she thanked me for my honesty and then added, “I would have expected nothing less from you.”

I once gave a negative verbal reference on a friend who used my name on a job application.  My thinking was she was not right for the job. She had too many personal issues in her life.The hiring lady wanted to hire her very much. The lady called the other reference, a relative of my friend for whom she had worked. In a matter of minutes my phone rang and my friend wanted to know when she offended me. She ended the conversation with, “If that is Christianity, then I want no part of it.” I called the hiring lady and let her know what had transpired. Because of what she did, I lost a friend. I also learned a lesson about life. We can do what we think God would want us to and still have to face issues because of our actions. But we must love others as God loved us.

New In Attitude



"The Thinker" by Rodin, Bing Pictures




“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life,
to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires,
to be made new in the attitude of your minds. And to put on the new self,
created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)



“It’s all in how you think about it.” “It’s all in how you look at it.” These are expressions we hear about the weather, being too hot or cold. My husband and our son have this phrase when I complain about the winter weather. It goes something like this, “It’s (insert appropriate month); it’s supposed to be cold.” When it’s July and August, they have a summer version of it.

When we, as Christians, hear about an event or a behavior that is less than appropriate we need to remember this passage and ask God to help us look at it through eyes He gives us. Our newspapers are full of stories about man’s atrocities to man. Most of these happenings are too vile to be discussed on a Christian blog. One of the ones I heard about recently was first mentioned on a newscast my husband caught. The segment ended with a statement to the effect of, “There is a part of this story that is too gross to talk about when children might be watching.”

We have to ask God to guide us through these times and allow our thinking to reflect Him.

It's My Turn to Be "It."

Dawn, over at http://beneaththesurface-dawn.blogspot.com/has tagged me to share eleven things about me that you think you would like to know. (Maybe you wouldn't,'cause if you did, you wouldn't like me anymore.) Here goes:

                 #1. I am one that likes the quiet of the early morning.
     
                  #2. I have a few very close friends. One I was acquaited with in high school. We don't tell people how long ago. We recently told someone we had been friends "forever." She used to babysit our son. She's interested in his well-being. Another one and her husband have always been there for me when I have had some rough times. (And, yes, I have had them.)

                    #3. I am very sensitive about certain aspects of God's calling me away from certain issues in life. There are conversations I chose not to enter into with people.  It saves me from having to apologize to God for my behavior.

                    #4. I am a mystery movie buff. I like to watch reruns of certain movies to see what I missed the last time I saw it. We watched "Rear Window" several times before I realized that the story took place in about a week.

                     #5. I color my hair. I do this because Hubby doesn't like seeing my 'silver threads.' I also have red highlights. My stylist grew up across the street from us.  I have know her almost  "forever."

                    #6. I enjoy writing the short plays for our church's drama ministry. Right now, I am working on the Easter drama. The head of our Drama Ministry and I met with our pastor today to show him what I have come up with for Resurrection Sunday. He paid us a nice compliment. He said we have an outstanding drama ministry.

                    #7. My husband and I have been married a little over 43 years. No, he didn't rob the cradle. Even after all these years,I sometimes find that he still does things that amaze me.

                    #8. I have dealt with depression off and on all my life. I had to give up a job in the 1980's in order to try to deal with certain issues in my life and my marriage. God was there for me and He still is.

                     #9. We have one son, whom we love very much. He moved 600 miles away from us because he found work. (Couldn't find anything here.) I didn't realize how much I missed him until Thanksgiving Day.

                      #10. I love words. My favorite subjects in high school were English and History. But when I went to college, I couldn't write the way the professors wanted.  If I would have transferred to another school, I would have had to retake four semesters of English, Rhetoric, or Composition.

                      #11. Stress literally makes me sick.  Sometimes, I can't leave our house for fear I have an episode.

Dawn Asked Me These



1. The first three things you do in the morning

                  Read my Bible, Have Devotions, Consult my list for the days activities.

2. When was the last time you exercised and what did you do?
                   The day after Christmas,I started cleaning house. I hurt that night like I'd run a marathon.

3. One thing you will do (or try) this year that you have never done before?
                     Maintain a 'company ready' house.( Long story.)

4. If money were no object what is the one thing you would buy for yourself?
                     A more modern home.

5. If you could go anywhere in the world to explore and visit, where would it be?
                      Germany, or the United Kingdom, especially Ireland.

6. You can interview 3 people (they have to be living) - who are they?
                       Jan Karon, Beverly Lewis, Max Lucado

7. Describe yourself in 7 words or less.
                        Deep Thinking, Concerned for others, Joyful.

8. Favorite fruit?
                        Cherry,Bing Cherries. (We have a memory about them.)

9. One historical person you want to talk to who is not alive.
                          Mother Theresa or Corrie Ten Boom ( I know, I can't count.)

10. Your favorite movie?
                           Sleepless in  Seattle- a good story and a minimum of foul language words.

11. What is the best book you would recommend for 2012
                            The Bible, the best book for any year.
 
 
Now I get to choose some others to tell about themselves. I choose any of you who read my blog.
 
Give us eleven things we don't already know about yourself and answer the eleven questions I received from Dawn.

The Word God Gave Me For 2012

Several of my blogging friends have written lately about the word that God has impressed upon them for the new year. It has taken me a while to sort through my thoughts and search my heart to arrive at one special  word for me for this year.

When I had what could have been a major problem several years ago, I kept hearing this word in my mind as I tried to work. I later ran across a scripture that told me to take heed and follow the advice of the wisest man on the earth. Here's what he said.

"TRUST in the Lord your God and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Several years ago, I came up with an acrostic for this word.

Totally 

Relying

                                                Upon the

Savior's

Timing

We all know that God's ways are not our ways. We also know His timing is not our timing. I have been concerned about my management of time. I have decided to plan my days with God being in control. I have spent the past few days making a list of the things I would like to accomplish in my house. The things I don't get to become a priority item for the next day.

I believe God will guide me through all that comes my way in 2012; all I have to do is TRUST Him.

It’s What Counts



"Sunrise" from Bing




“Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything;what counts is a new creation.”
Galatians 6:15 (NIV)



As modern day people we sometimes get caught up in externals. We also get onto labels-denominational, racial, political, or financial.

Paul says the only thing that counts is ‘a new creation.’ I often wonder how our world would be different if we used this as a standard rather than a person’s external or tangible qualities.

I try to look at people through God’s eyes but it’s not always easy. When I find myself getting upset with a person, I try to remember God loves him or her as He loves me.

Even when we don’t see it, we have to remember that God is at work making each of us into a new creation.

Recently, I had to begin a new habit. Once I started working on it, my attitude about things seemed to change. I began to feel better about certain issues that had brought me down. I don’t know if anyone else has noticed the change, but I have and I know God has. I intend to keep this previously buried change working in my life. With His help, I know I can.

“New Way Of Life”

May we all have a child's spirit .

“But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law
so that we may serve in the new way of the spirit and not in the old way of the written code.”
Romans 7:6 (NIV)



When we find Christ and allow Him to enter our hearts, we undergo a conversion. Our values become different. We give up attributes that displeases Him-we no longer complain about things. We watch our language-even those minced oaths. We don’t have the same pastimes we had. We don’t frequent places that we know He wouldn’t approve of.

We know we are being watched as we transact business. People compare how we treat others. Do we step up to the plate and pitch in when we hear of someone who needs help? A friend asked me to substitute as a helper in the Weekday Religious Education class at our church. The public schools in our community and their fourth grade teachers have the option of allowing their students released time to be taken to a local church near their schools and receive religious instruction. She knows that I have a difficult time with children. On my first day, with the exception of one small bobble, I think I did well. I came away from that class with a deeper appreciation of our associate pastor. She kept order and quickly dealt with the problems that seemed to arise.

When we face struggles, we try not to complain about them. We pray; we read our Bibles, we fellowship with those who also believe in Jesus. We strive to truly live for God because we do have a new life-a new spirit about ourselves. We love God.

The New Has Come



In memory and honor of a friend who now lives in Heaven.





“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.Though we once regarded Christ this way, we no longer do so. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NIV)



Paul writes to the believers in Corinth. He addresses the presence of false teachers in the church.

In the highlighted passage, Paul instructs them that they are to view no one from a worldly stance. Believers are not to look at people as the world does. Here in the United States, our legal system operates under the idea that a person is presumed innocent until proved guilty. As I read this passage, we are to see a person as God sees them.

Paul then makes a startling statement. If anyone-a thief, a murder, one who abused the elderly or small children- comes to Christ, that person is a new person. A person described as new is changed on the inside, having a new heart.

God does the transforming; He does it because of His grace. Grace is defined as unmerited favor. We don’t deserve anything God gives us. What we do deserve is spiritual death and a place in Hades.

Praise God, He gives us a new heart, a new outlook, and a new destination for our souls.

Dear God:

Thank You for giving us new hearts and making us new people when we accepted You Son Jesus into our lives. In His name, I pray, AMEN.