Choosing the Good Part

But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41, 42 (New American Standard Bible)

Jesus’ words to Martha were timely and timeless. They followed an invitation into her home and preparations of a meal. In the midst of her “service” for Him, He pin-points an area in her life that needs a reality check. While her hospitality was commendable it was filled with distraction, worry, and bother. I picture her with frayed nerves and ever rising frustration. She reached out for the one thing she thought would be her answer for ease. She asked the Lord to give her the help of her sister. Instead, the Lord gave her an example to follow. Jesus wanted her to see there was a difference between inviting Him into her home and spending time with Him. Martha had a choice to make. Become offended by His answer or learn from it.

Many of us have been where Martha was. Busy “doing” for our Lord with very little “being” with our Lord. Activity fills our life with very little time to sit at His feet and listen to His words to us. While we have the religion of Christianity down pat, we flounder at the relationship aspect. How do you know when that is the case for you?

There is a lack of joy in what you are doing. You house critical attitudes toward others. Your inner world is filled with turmoil and frustration. You feel disconnected from intimately knowing Him. You are on a high mode rather than a rest mode. You sense you have lost a necessary balance in your life. Your activities have left you with very little time to be in the Word or in prayer. When it is all said and done the emptiness is profound.

The answer? Ask God to show you the truth and how to choose the good part of spending time with Him. Not just moments in the morning, but practicing His presence and hearing His voice throughout the day. Give up the “list” for lessons at His feet. Ask Him to make the “doing” an out growth of “being” with Him.

If what you have read today, strikes a chord with you, I understand, for I have been there. Three decades of doing! I found a place at His feet nearly six years ago and now know the preciousness of the good part….it’s Him! It hasn’t left me with nothing to do but rather has impacted and energized me while I do it.

Father, You have engaged my heart once again. May being in Your presence continue to be my passion and place. Amen.

Heart of Worship - Matt Redman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZgPPmtZgS4

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

To Tell the Truth

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Ephesians 4:25 (King James Version)

There are times when speaking the truth to others comes easily for me and then there are times when I cringe at the thought. The worst moments for me are when I am struggling emotionally and someone asks me how I am doing. Or they say something like, “Are you okay?” They can see by the blank stare, lack of energy, and silence that something is amiss. They ask out of true concern and yet I end up giving not only a somewhat believable excuse but an out and out lie. Tonight it was, “Just tired. Worked over-time. Long day.” The truth? I was losing a battle of my mind and didn’t want to admit my problem.

Why is it so hard to be honest and open with people? Why is it so hard to tell them the truth when they ask? The answers are as multi-layered as the questions. Shame, fear of losing face, pride, fear of their opinion of me plunging, and ultimately fear of being found out to be less than they think I am. It is the same scenario played out when we don’t want to admit wrong doing on our part.

I can understand Adam and Eve’s attempt to hide when their sin was exposed. Or Achan’s act of hiding stolen goods and then denying it until the very end. Or Aaron blaming the children of Israel for the calf that he himself had fashioned when confronted about it. I understand. I relate. I opt for the same choices when asked how I am doing. Some would say it is no big deal but to God telling the truth IS a big deal.

So what am I to do once I have been dishonest with my answers. Confess it to God for one. Then do what I did a moment ago. Pick up the phone, call the person I spoke to, and apologize. She was gracious and forgiving. Said she knew I wasn’t telling her the whole story and offered to pray for me. Then determine that by God’s grace I will follow His principles of honesty the next time this scenario plays out. Then move on.

Father, I lost a number of battles this evening and yet I stand forgiven. Thank you that your forgiveness will always outnumber my sin. Amen.

What Sin? - Morgan Cryar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaMIeOKQVDs&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Changing the Unchangeable

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil. Jeremiah 13:23 (New International Version)

There are certain things in my life that I am able to change and I praise God for those experiences. My weight has been one such change. It was simply a matter of eating less and moving more. While the number on the scale and clothing sizes went down, I was encouraged. Yet, I find what hasn’t changed (for good) are poor eating habits that have remained. The ability to binge eat is still very much a part of my journey. As much as I want the desire for junk food to subside, it lies just below the surface on many days.

The ability to live life without being in contact with a former mentor has been a change I have seen. Yet, once again, just below the surface are issues I still wade through on a daily basis that remind me that internal, lasting changes have yet to be realized. Spiraling into dark moods and the accompanying behavior still find their way into my weeks. I resolve to do better, and at times succeed. But the failures out number the victories more often than not. The same is true of emotional dependency issues. While I can occasionally modify my behavior, the internal changes still elude me. They are the “skin of the Ethiopian” and the “spots of the leopard” in my life. Unchanging and unchangeable if left on my own.

If that were the end of the story, I would be in trouble. Hopelessness and helplessness would over whelm me and an attitude of futility would quickly set in. That is not the case, though. Rather than allow these areas to discourage me, I can use them to remind me of how truly dependent I must be on my Heavenly Father. Paul’s words of “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” are meant for me. The God of the impossible resides within me in the form of the Holy Spirit and He is the basis for the changes I desire. While I have steps of obedience to take, the actual change is by His hand not my determination. I have fallen flat on my face too many times to assume it is possible through my strength alone.

So where does real, lasting change come from? It is the collective effect of spending time in God’s Word, yielding to His Spirit, renewing my mind, walking in the truth, taking in the wisdom from others, being teachable, and trusting God to complete what He has started in me. While my flesh will always give me trouble in this life, the impact and effect it has on me does not have to continue to be as profound. Through Christ I can experience different actions and attitudes. If I compare who and what I am today to who and what I was a year ago, I can see the changes that have come. Progress is slow much of time but it continues. Christ in me….my hope for continued change.

Father, I so often see the failures while You celebrate the victories. Help me to see that through Christ change will come….slowly but surely! Amen.

Change My Heart, Oh, God
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUjUvoynGMM

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Making it My Goal

So we make it our goal to please Him… 2 Corinthians 5:9a (New International Version)

What would happen with my day and in my life if I allowed my goal to be “to please Him?” We live in a day when pleasure is a big commodity. Unfortunately, the one we seek to please is often ourselves. Even in the midst of trying to please people, we can ultimately strive to bring pleasure to ourselves. For instance, doing something nice for someone so they will think well of you makes you feel good. It does me! I cringe at the motives that lie within my heart and drive my actions.

Yet, today, I have the opportunity to make pleasing God my goal, my aim, my ambition. Pleasing Him with my words, actions, attitudes, and thoughts. Will I do it to perfection? No. But if I endeavor to make it my goal, I will do better than if it does not even enter my mind. It is not a matter of putting it on my to do list and then checking it off as I accomplish it. It is a daily, moment by moment necessity. It is a never ending pursuit. It is an on going process.

Will I fail? Absolutely! And failure can often cause me to think I should just give up. A lie! Rather, failure is my constant reminder of how much I need His help to please Him. It will not come out of sheer grit and determination on my part. It will come out of reliance upon Him, dependency in Him, obedience to Him, and honesty with Him. It will require letting go of my fleshly pursuits. It will necessitate a constant inspection and inventory of my heart. It will demand a releasing of ideas, desires, and wishes. It will involve reevaluating my relationships and the expectations I hold on to for those relationships. It will entail submission to that which God calls me to, purposes for me, and longs for me.

On a practical level, when a stray comment has rubbed me the wrong way, I must acknowledge it and then let it go. When my moods spiral down and I am tempted to withdraw into a world of silence, I must interact with others nonetheless. When I waste time on mindless activities, I must look around at what really needs to be done and start doing it. When perceptions cloud my thinking, I must state and stand on what is true. When negativity and feelings of resignation consume me, I must find my shelter and restoration in the arms of my loving, Heavenly Father. Impossible tasks? Not at all. Possible, necessary, and worth it!

Father, as You redirect my focus back on to Yourself, let me know the joy of pleasing You. Amen.

Knowing You, Jesus!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q_YQPa66kk

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.


　

An Essential Part to Being Taught

Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law and keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. Psalm 119:33-35 (New American Standard Bible)

David knows right where to go for the instructions of life. I love his prayer! In my own words it would read, “O Lord, teach me Your way, give me understanding, make me walk in the path you have designed for me.” It is asking God to be my Teacher, Counselor, and Guide…..the exact things He has already promised He would be. My job is to take in what He says and make it a part of my life. Daily, He gives me the tools, knowledge, and ability to walk through life. Am I taking advantage of all that He offers? This morning, I picture myself like an arrow in His quiver. Placed in His bow I am directed in a particular direction and sent forth to accomplish His aims and objectives. How well am I doing at staying the course?

In the spring of 2004, I took my first steps on a journey that has been incredible to say the least. I had a veracious appetite for taking in truth and devoured book after book that taught me aspects of the Christian life I had missed prior to that. The Bible came off the shelf to be read consistently with a hunger to learn. I sat under the teaching and advisement of those who walked in wisdom. Constantly searching. Constantly taking in message upon message. Yet while I grew in some areas I was still struggling in others. The problem? Personal application was missing. I was not allowing the truth I was taking in to become a part of me.

For instance, I could be told to look to God and yet find myself still looking to people. Hence, I felt no closer to God. My connection to Him was shaky. While my mental world was growing, my emotional, internal world was stagnating. I have learned the hard way that taking in truth is not complete until I am taken in by the truth. Until I practice what I am taught, there will be little transformation of my mind, will, and emotions.

God is not only attentive to my spiritual needs. He sees and is involved in all the dimensions of my life. He knows how to best balance my world when it comes to finances, relationships, healthy choices, and family dynamics. On a day by day basis He tells me what I should be doing and then encourages me to do it! It is a student/teacher relationship that is like no other!

Father, teach me, transform me, and renew me. Amen.

In His Time - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gTQvpMeh1A&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Honesty is Still the Best Policy

The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. Psalm 145:18 (New International Version)

When it comes to prayer, God requires the truth, desires the truth, and can handle the truth. I recall times when I would dance all around an issue without really admitting the bottom line to God. That’s not calling on Him in truth. Being evasive will do little for my prayer life. Being honest, open, and sincere will do much! Prayer is not only a dialogue whereby I talk to God and He talks to me, but it must be a truthful dialogue. It must entail the truth about my heart, my motives, my concerns, my attitudes, and my actions. God already knows every fiber of my being and He is passionate about me seeing what He already knows.

Recently I have been struck by my need to come clean with God about what is really going on inside my heart and head. The attitudes of my heart are an open book to Him and He listens as I read the pages to Him. What is written on those pages varies. It may be jealousy, worry, frustration, wrong perceptions, insecurity, non-forgiveness, pride, or any number of things that He wants me to readily admit to Him. It will do no good to point the finger at others. When it comes to Him and me, my heart is the subject at hand. Honest confession is the starting point and forgiveness and freedom are the results.

How does this play out on a practical level? Someone may rub me the wrong way yet I must be honest about my lack of unconditional love for them. Someone’s actions may leave me feeling left out yet I must be honest about my need for attention. Someone may show favor toward another yet I must be honest about my heart of jealousy. I may be wanting to talk to people when I am struggling yet I must be honest with my tendency to look to them rather than God. Those are my starting points with Him. Not only do I experience freedom and His forgiveness as I speak the truth but I come to a fresh realization of His unchanging love for me. The truth of the matter is that He loves me at my best and He loves me at my worst. Nothing I do or don’t do will change that fact!

Call on Him? Absolutely! Keep it honest. Keep it open. Keep it sincere. When it comes to my prayer life, honesty is definitely the best policy!

Father, being honest with You and myself has revolutionized my conversations with You. Amen.

You Rescued Me - Geoff Bulluck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FMFDU89-PA&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.


　

Is God in it or Not?

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. 1 Kings 19:11-12 (New King James Version)

Notice how many things Elijah had to see that God was not in before finally seeing what He was in. This had nothing to do with God’s presence as He is omni-present….all present and everywhere. It had more to do with God’s working, will, desire, and involvement. Henry Blackaby, in his book Experiencing God, implores the reader to see where God is at work and join Him there. We may have to get past a lot of our own preconceived ideas and hopeful expectations to find and hear God’s still small voice of truth.

How good am I at seeing when things are not of God or not His choosing for my life? In my mind, it may be a good plan but is it of Him? It may be a personal ambition, but is He in it? If something does not work out as I wish, am I willing to trust that He has other plans for me? Am I willing to let my own thoughts die so that I may embrace His calling, will, and purpose for my life? Will I dare to live my life according to His schedule, timing, and leading? These are the questions that must be asked and answered each time something does not go the way I want it to go. Each time I am not able to do what I want to do. Each time my plans fail, my projects crumble, and my way is blocked by walls, roadblocks, and detours. They may be good in and of them themselves but if they are not His choosing I must be willing to let go of them.

This morning I am pondering my desires and wishes with a willingness to see whether or not God is in them. If not, I see the necessity to forego the pursuit of them. He has made it clear that His ways and thoughts are higher than my own. Often times they are opposite of my own! When that is the case, it is impossible for me to have it both ways. I can only head in one direction at a time. It is God’s way or mine. God’s will or mine. God’s plans or mine.

I am taking comfort in the fact that if someone refuses my help, God may not be in it. If a particular opportunity never avails itself, God may not be in it. If a relationship is not working, God may not be in it. And if God is not in it, should that really be what my heart follows after? Would it not be better for me to abandon my personal ambitions in order to embrace His?

Father, close doors, hedge me around, interfere with persistence so as to guide my steps in the way You would have me to go. Bring my will and my wishes into alignment with Your own. Make us one! Amen.

Hold On - Twila Paris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZwelxYavVY&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.