Listen

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Let everyone be quick to listen and slow to speak. James 1:9 (NRSV)

The Apostle James gives us wise advice. We need to learn to listen to those in our lives who have greater knowledge about certain issues with which we deal in life.

As a young adult, I heard the adage, “God gave us two ears and one mouth. We are to use them accordingly.” When I felt God had led me to make the decision that I needed to learn to be a good listener, I realized I had to truly listen and not talk as much.

I sometimes hear stories that I believe should not be shared. I have to listen but I also know that I should not talk about these circumstances.

Because of the lessons I learned when I applied this scripture to my life when I held a sensitive position in our former church, I became privy to a lot of personal issues different people had in their lives. All I could do was listen and pray for them and the needs they had.

I sometimes hear stories that I believe, due to their sensitive nature, should not be shared. I have to listen but I also know that I should not talk about these circumstances. I sometimes fail in this area of listening and have to tell God I am sorry for my behavior.

I have read where our prayer time should be a conversation between us and the LORD. In our daily conversations, we talk and we listen. When we spend time with Him, shouldn’t we listen to what God wants us to hear?

Praise

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About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25 (ESV)

Paul and Silas had been thrown into prison because they had an evil spirit leave a young servant girl. Her master depended on the income she brought to his coffers.

Other prisoners may have been trying to sleep. Paul and Silas were in stocks and, still, they decided to pray and sing hymns to God. His word tells us the other prisoners listened to them.

As I read this passage recently, I wondered what I would do if I were in their place. I texted a couple of friends and asked them the question.

One responded with, “I read in Jesus Calling that we are supposed to thank God for our problems because they are there to make us grow and for God’s purpose.”

The other friend pointed out that praise verses “are not especially for those who are experiencing good times but for those who are downcast and feeling the burden of life on their shoulders.”

 Paul and Silas were unsure of what lay ahead for them. They probably felt discouraged; I know I would have. They may have wanted to feel God’s presence in a special way.

I believe God took control of the circumstance by causing:

·         a great earthquake and opening the doors,

·          the jailer and his household to seek salvation,

·          the jailer’s household to be baptized.

All these events happened as a result of two men praying and singing hymns to God in a time when most would have been fretful and stressed. I see a great lesson here.

 

Choose

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Choose this day who you will follow. . . . As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Choose life that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him. Deuteronomy 29:19-20 (ESV)

These two passages remind me that we have choices we make every day. We choose when we arise and how we spend our days. We choose where we worship God or how we worship Him.

The passage from Joshua was one I heard at a church service, probably, a revival service. Joshua speaks to all the tribes of Israel as they renew the covenant with God.

I have a magnet on my refrigerator that states this message from Joshua to the Israelites. It has a big round stone-like surface that always draws my attention to it.

    

I found the passage in Deuteronomy during a very bleak time in my life. I was looking at a circumstance in my life as the events I witnessed were going to be with us for the rest of my life. I experienced depression because of these issues. They affected our home life and I believed they were affecting our son.

Just before I found this passage, I had started attending a different church. I noticed their love of God’s Word was genuine. One particular evening I reclined on our couch and started reading my Bible. God must have wanted me to find the passage in Deuteronomy because, at that time, I really thought the Old Testament was dry reading. Discovering this passage made me take stock of myself and how I viewed events.  

Because of my reading those words in Deuteronomy, I was able to learn that God is in control and will guide me through times that seem bleak and dark.

One thing we need to teach our younger generation is that each choice we make has consequences. These results are not based on how good we are or on how much money we have in the bank. They are logical outcomes of our making good or poor choices.

An Apology and An Explanation

I am sorry to be so long away from my blog posts. Please forgive me. Here is what has transpired in my life.


Ten days ago, I had to take Hubby to the ER at the hospital down the street from our home. They diagnosed him with Influenza A. Due to something else that was amiss in his profile, they kept him for two nights. While we were in the ER the nurse and a technician said I looked like I was coming down with something. I said I was "OKAY."  They asked me TWICE if I wanted to be checked out. Both times, I declined.

The next day, I felt worse. A friend told me to get to the doctor as soon as I could. I received an appointment for the following day. I tested positive for Influenza A. My doctor told me to go home and go to bed.  Her medical assistant said that we had to allow this virus to run its course.

Today is the first day I have been on my computer since a week ago Monday. That is why you have not seen any new posts from me.

I am unsure of when I will be able to get back to my regular posting schedule. Please pray for me and my Hubby. We do want to get over this stuff.

Confess

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Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:32 (KJV)

 Also, I say unto you, whoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:  Luke 12:8 (KJV)

These are two passages written in the gospel accounts of the ministry of Jesus Christ. He said the words from Matthew to the disciples as he sent them out. Luke records words Jesus spoke to a multitude of people.

Have you ever wondered what it means to confess? We hear of people confessing to breaking laws. In that sense, it means to admit to a wrong. However, when we read it in God’s word, it has a different meaning: to acknowledge something.

How can we acknowledge Christ in our 21st Century world? We do this through belonging in and participating in (as much as we can) a local church. We stand for Jesus by praying for those who hurt, struggle with issues and those who have lost their way.

When we acknowledge or confess our own needs to Jesus, He can then take that problem from us and either resolve it or guide us through to the outcome He wants us to achieve.

In both of these passages, Jesus uses the phrase, “Before men.” How can we acknowledge that we belong to Christ to others? I try to tell the cashiers and the sack persons at our local grocery store to be blessed as I depart the check-out line. This store is a very busy place. And I am aware that these workers deal with all sorts of people while doing their jobs. Sometimes, certain ones thank me for my words.

I used to ask the women who helped me at the pharmacy if they had to work on the upcoming weekend. Sometimes, I would ask how late they had to work that day. I say ‘used to’ because the ones I came to know are no longer there.

It came to me as I wrote this that I have a new set of women to let know that I care about them and desire to have them blessed by God.  

Prepare

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In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; make his paths straight.” Matthew 3:1-3 (ESV)

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a time of preparation to celebrate our LORD’s resurrection. During the 40 days of this season, we focus on our relationship with Jesus and how we can improve it. Basically, we look at our lives and strive to weed out the things that we believe are a hindrance to our living for Him.

We practice a fast, or ‘giving up’ of something in our lives that we think might take the place of time we could devote to knowing more about God. I spend a lot of time playing scrabble and a related game on my tablet.  I believe I am doing this too much. As of this morning, I have put it away until Easter Sunday.

For the past two years, I have used a certain Lenten devotional book. Last year, I kept a journal of my thoughts during each day. As I initially write this entry, I am unsure of my plan for devotions. 

Sometimes God leads us also to perform one positive thing each day. This year, I plan on praying more for our nation. With all the upheaval we see, I feel the need to truly take these issues before the LORD and ask Him to take care of them.

Does your faith tradition observe the season of Lent? What are some ways you have participated in the observance?

God Rewards Our Love for Him

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Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “How is it you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world? Jesus answered him. “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23 (ESV)

Jesus answers Judas’ question in a very direct and, yet, deep way.

“If anyone loves me,” This is conditional. He states that we are to respond to Him in love and in caring ways. We know we are to pray, to read God’s Word, and treat others as we would want to be treated. 

“he will keep my word,” The person who loves God learns from His word how he or she should act in given situations. We have to learn to incorporate those teachings into our hearts and into our behavior.

“my Father will love him,” God will love us when we are obedient to what he tells us. I have learned that I cannot say, “I know what God says about this but I think I will do what I want.” When I have done this, I have unknowingly disrespected God by thinking I know more than God.

“we will come to him” Here, we read where God and Jesus comes to those who love God and keeps His word. They come to us in times of trial and tribulation. (I checked a Thesaurus, another word for tribulation is adversity.) God blesses us with good times and wonderful gifts. He brings us comfort when we hurt or grieve.

“and make our home with him.” Jesus lives in the hearts of all who yield their lives to Him.

It’s that simple. We yield our lives to Jesus and we receive all He has for us. God will live with us.