One day I made a choice to follow Christ. I decided to commit my life to Him, no longer wanting to be in charge, I wanted Him in charge. Then began the journey. I made a decision that day and He took hold of my hand. But like any child, I pulled from His hand and attempted to move my way, make my choices, turned away from His plan....and He has allowed it for a time, allowed me to taste the consequences of those decisions. But He knew the commitment I made, and knew I would realize over, and over again I needed Him. I can't get it right. But that tug of war continues. Like many Christians I always hang on to things. I still make decisions that are selfish, cowardly, trying to fit in here. I never really give totally. I reflect back on 2013 and I see I've come a long way from that young teen who made that decision. I pull less, and look away less....but He continues to show me areas I hold back. Which led me to choose my word for this upcoming year...surrendered. I want to daily seek out His will and make a more conscious effort to seek Him first...not myself.
So what will that look like?
My time. I eat away time doing silly, foolish things that make no difference. I need to surrender more of my time for things that shine God's light. I need to be in His Word, study it, understand, seek Him out. I need to see all His plans for me. He gave me a love for writing...maybe a little talent. I hardly write any more, I need to write more.
Building relationships. I don't give anyone enough of my time. My time is not intentional enough. I need to be more focused on those I know, those he places me with, those who may have needs I can meet. I use to be great about phone calls, letters/cards, spending time talking and listening. I need to be willing to sacrifice more. I need to be more Christ like...He was there, all the time, for everyone.
Prayer. My prayer life has grown...a lot. But, it isn't where it should be. My moments should be full of intentional prayer.
I want the work of my heart and my hands to bring others to know Christ as I know Him. I want many to experience the relationship I have.
The rest I know He will reveal to me. I need to be open and ready. Ready to see what He wants me to surrender. I need to be ready to do what He wants, when He wants and how He wants. I need to just follow where His hand leads me.
2014...SURRENDERED
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Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Preparing the Soil
Those of us who have been in church have heard the parable of the seeds and soil. One of the places you can find it is in Matthew 13.
I know when I have read it before I focused on the soil...and I would identify where I was in my walk. Or I would look at others and think about where the seed was planted for them.
But when I was brought here again recently, my focus shifted. It shifted to the farmer, the one sowing the seed. God spoke to me and wanted me to think about how careful have I been when I do what He has called me to do...sow the seed. He reminded me like one of the verses says, "though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand" (Matt 13:13) I need to plant with discernment and wisdom.
I can not be careless just throwing out the message of hope without a plan. I honestly worry when we talk about "programs that are the quickest, easiest way" to share Jesus. I worry that those seeds could be this seed, "As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up." I see this being the times where we just scatter the message to multitudes. We may pass out fliers or tracks. With nothing alongside the message, it will mean nothing. With no explanation, no teaching, no love....that message has no value. "When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches it away what was sown in his heart." When we plant seed in this manner, there might be a spark of hope, something to reach for...but with nothing else, it will be gone just as quickly.
Then there are the times I might have sown the seed and walked away. I saw they accepted the message and appeared to understand it and I thought my job was done. There was no follow up, no discipleship, no plan. When I do that as the farmer, the roots will be shallow. They won't know what to do when trouble or temptation comes. They won't have someone there to turn to. I would have planted those seeds in the rocky ground with little soil or among the thorns and weeds. My seed wouldn't be fruitful, it wouldn't benefit others. "But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution come because of the word, he quickly falls away......the worries of this life, and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful."
So what does God expect from us as farmers, sowers of the seed? We should place it in good soil..and that takes work. I am not a gardener, and it is probably because of the work it takes. The ground must be prepped and prepared. Tools are used to dig and loosen it. It is fertilized. Seeds are planted a specific distance and at a specific level, at a specific time and in specific sunlight. The garden is tended to, cared for, watered and weeded. So what does that look like to a disciple who is planting the seed of salvation in this world? It isn't a quick and easy unplanned message. As always we must look how Jesus planted His seed.
I believe he fertilized by meeting the needs. He prepared the soil by feeding, healing and loving them. When he planted he was so in touch with His father, He knew the right time and place and didn't allow anything to get in the way of that. He asked them to follow and He taught them and He prayed. He kept them close, and walked them through.
Christians, we need to be busy at loving and helping those around us. We must prepare the soil before we plant. We need to be mentors, prayer warriors, and discipling once we plant the seeds. Then and only then will there be growth and we will produce other farmers to sow correctly and the crops will multiply.
"But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matt 13:23
May God use my words to bring salt and light to my readers.
I know when I have read it before I focused on the soil...and I would identify where I was in my walk. Or I would look at others and think about where the seed was planted for them.
But when I was brought here again recently, my focus shifted. It shifted to the farmer, the one sowing the seed. God spoke to me and wanted me to think about how careful have I been when I do what He has called me to do...sow the seed. He reminded me like one of the verses says, "though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand" (Matt 13:13) I need to plant with discernment and wisdom.
I can not be careless just throwing out the message of hope without a plan. I honestly worry when we talk about "programs that are the quickest, easiest way" to share Jesus. I worry that those seeds could be this seed, "As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up." I see this being the times where we just scatter the message to multitudes. We may pass out fliers or tracks. With nothing alongside the message, it will mean nothing. With no explanation, no teaching, no love....that message has no value. "When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches it away what was sown in his heart." When we plant seed in this manner, there might be a spark of hope, something to reach for...but with nothing else, it will be gone just as quickly.
Then there are the times I might have sown the seed and walked away. I saw they accepted the message and appeared to understand it and I thought my job was done. There was no follow up, no discipleship, no plan. When I do that as the farmer, the roots will be shallow. They won't know what to do when trouble or temptation comes. They won't have someone there to turn to. I would have planted those seeds in the rocky ground with little soil or among the thorns and weeds. My seed wouldn't be fruitful, it wouldn't benefit others. "But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution come because of the word, he quickly falls away......the worries of this life, and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful."
So what does God expect from us as farmers, sowers of the seed? We should place it in good soil..and that takes work. I am not a gardener, and it is probably because of the work it takes. The ground must be prepped and prepared. Tools are used to dig and loosen it. It is fertilized. Seeds are planted a specific distance and at a specific level, at a specific time and in specific sunlight. The garden is tended to, cared for, watered and weeded. So what does that look like to a disciple who is planting the seed of salvation in this world? It isn't a quick and easy unplanned message. As always we must look how Jesus planted His seed.
I believe he fertilized by meeting the needs. He prepared the soil by feeding, healing and loving them. When he planted he was so in touch with His father, He knew the right time and place and didn't allow anything to get in the way of that. He asked them to follow and He taught them and He prayed. He kept them close, and walked them through.
Christians, we need to be busy at loving and helping those around us. We must prepare the soil before we plant. We need to be mentors, prayer warriors, and discipling once we plant the seeds. Then and only then will there be growth and we will produce other farmers to sow correctly and the crops will multiply.
"But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matt 13:23
May God use my words to bring salt and light to my readers.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Faith...Always Changing, Evolving
If I were to find one word that defines my "religion" or "belief" about God, that word would be faith. It begins simple...the faith that He is there, that He exists. But then comes the time where that just isn't enough.
The step that took me from just the belief to a relationship was a different kind of faith. It is the kind of faith that is a surrendering, a releasing and relying on that same God I knew existed. It was about really understanding who He is, and how much I needed Him.
So, I moved from just believing, and with that surrender, I entered into a relationship. Putting all that faith into giving up on myself and giving in to His will, His ways and trusting my life with Him. But I had (have) a lot to learn about what that surrender really means.
At first I still tried to control things...I would pray for things I thought He would want for me. As time went on that faith evolved. I began to understand that real faith, is a true surrender. My prayers changed. I learned to just let go...a true surrender. Or so I thought.
But then I see real faith in action in others. Real faith I believe is seen in service. When someone's life is totally released to His will....and allows God to use them. We completed watching a video in our youth group that showed a group of people in Vietnam. I saw a kind of faith I have not seen or experienced in our culture. Their lives are focused totally on their relationship with God.
Sometimes I have to push myself to open my bible in the evenings. I squeeze in my preparation for teaching. I set aside my writing for months because of how busy I was. I am proud that I spend 30 minutes each morning for a devotional time. My faith....pathetic, as compared to what it can and should be.
I have more surrendering to go...more faith to build. But that is the beauty of that faith I hold. It has a beginning...but there is no end. It will continue to grow and build. He will continually push me forward if I am willing. He will reveal what I need to do to grow this faith and my service will also grow.
There are many that miss the key to who He is, and what He wants. The faith gets all caught up in the wrong things. When we do...we give a false picture to the world of what faith really is. They want no part of it. I'd love to see a revival occur in our culture. A true surrender and let our neighbors see what our walk in faith is really about. I know revival must begin with me...
"The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith." 1 Timothy 1:5
May my words always be salt and light to my readers.
The step that took me from just the belief to a relationship was a different kind of faith. It is the kind of faith that is a surrendering, a releasing and relying on that same God I knew existed. It was about really understanding who He is, and how much I needed Him.
So, I moved from just believing, and with that surrender, I entered into a relationship. Putting all that faith into giving up on myself and giving in to His will, His ways and trusting my life with Him. But I had (have) a lot to learn about what that surrender really means.
At first I still tried to control things...I would pray for things I thought He would want for me. As time went on that faith evolved. I began to understand that real faith, is a true surrender. My prayers changed. I learned to just let go...a true surrender. Or so I thought.
But then I see real faith in action in others. Real faith I believe is seen in service. When someone's life is totally released to His will....and allows God to use them. We completed watching a video in our youth group that showed a group of people in Vietnam. I saw a kind of faith I have not seen or experienced in our culture. Their lives are focused totally on their relationship with God.
Sometimes I have to push myself to open my bible in the evenings. I squeeze in my preparation for teaching. I set aside my writing for months because of how busy I was. I am proud that I spend 30 minutes each morning for a devotional time. My faith....pathetic, as compared to what it can and should be.
I have more surrendering to go...more faith to build. But that is the beauty of that faith I hold. It has a beginning...but there is no end. It will continue to grow and build. He will continually push me forward if I am willing. He will reveal what I need to do to grow this faith and my service will also grow.
There are many that miss the key to who He is, and what He wants. The faith gets all caught up in the wrong things. When we do...we give a false picture to the world of what faith really is. They want no part of it. I'd love to see a revival occur in our culture. A true surrender and let our neighbors see what our walk in faith is really about. I know revival must begin with me...
"The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith." 1 Timothy 1:5
May my words always be salt and light to my readers.
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