I will not be moved

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Today my own words are few. Songs play an important role in my life and this one by Natalie Grant is playing in my head this morning. It says what my heart is trying to say.

I have been the wayward child
I have acted out
I have questioned Sovereignty
And had my share of doubts
And though sometimes my prayers feel like
They're bouncing off the sky
The hand I hold won't let me go
And here's the reason why

I will stumble
I will fall down
But I will not be moved
I will make mistakes
I will face heartaches
But I will not be moved
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
I will not be moved

Bitterness has plagued my heart
Many times before
My life has been like broken glass
And I have kept the score
Of all my shattered dreams and though it seemed
That I was far too gone
My brokeness helped me to see
It's grace I'm standing on.

And the chaos in my life
Has been a badge I've worn
Though I have been torn
I will not be moved

I will stumble
I will fall down
But I will not be moved
I will make mistakes
I will face heartaches
But I will not be moved
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
I will not be moved

Transions...beautiful enough to share

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7, 8 NIV) It has been a long while since I last posted. I am in a period of transition in my life...again...and I find it hard to collect my thoughts well enough to share them with anyone these days. I guess I also feel like I don't have a right to. Let me explain that statement. When I began writing this blog, it had a specific purpose: to share our Bible study lesson with the girls in my group. But, when more and more people began reading it and commenting on it and stating that it was a good way to start their day, I felt a feeling of responsibility. God was working through my words. I loved that idea...like I really WAS able to be an active part of God's plan. I studied the Bible and read books that other very smart people wrote about how God works in our every day lives and shared my feelings about their thoughts. I took the responsibility seriously. But, since the beginning of this year, I have been in a period of searching, examining my life, struggling to trust God's leading, struggling with the idea of taking a risk and what that risk means to my life and the life of my family, struggling with trying NOT to worry. All of that hasn't lessened my faith, but does make me feel confused. I waffle back and forth from feeling elated at the things I feel God doing in my life, to feeling scared to death! I also have felt that I have had God whispering, then speaking and then yelling at me with what he wants me to do...and I again waffle between fully trusting that these feelings are God's leading and worrying that this is just me, discontented with my life and searching for a change. With all of that waffling...how could I write daily, encouraging messages to my friends? When I was so confused, uncertain and worried...how could I provide a good example of total devotion and reliance on God? So, I didn't write. But, when I read today's Bible verse, it struck me that I am not the only one with these struggles. Many of my friends have uncertainties, worries and waffles of their own. Even the "super-saints" I know, who are great pray-ers and always seem sound in their faith, struggle with doubt and uncertainty from time to time. I know that I know that I know that God is there with me every day. I know that this time of transition will pass and will lead me to greater things. I know that if I live a life that follows Jesus' example I will be stronger and have a peace that I don't even understand. Even when I don't know what tomorrow holds for me, I trust that God loves me more than the birds and flowers and he will provide for me and will take care of me. Why not share those feelings with my friends? Why not share my fears and doubts along with my faith? Perhaps they will show my friends that they are not alone...that they too can have a peace during their struggles that will get them through the storms in their lives. I don't know what tomorrow holds for me. I don't know what I will be doing two months from now or 2 years from now. I am having a hard time planning for my future and the future of my family right now. But, I am trusting that since I am knocking really hard, God will hear me and open that door. I am asking for God's guidance and searching for His peace...I trust that I will receive that guidance and will find that peace. The feeling that everything will fall into place one day soon comes over me and makes me able to share that feeling with you. I pray that you are able to find the same peace today.

GPS systems and barriers...

"Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown." (Numbers 22:31 NIV)

We have been studying Luke 1-2 this week in my small group. Chapter 2 begins with the familiar story of Christ's birth and the only stories we have of Jesus' childhood. A lot of this chapter focuses on obedience. Mary and Joseph obeyed God's call to them, the shepherds and the wise men obeyed angels and God's prodding to go to the Christ child. Joseph obeyed God's direction to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape danger. Simeon and Anna obeyed God's guidance and promises of seeing the Savior. They all obeyed, were rewarded for their obedience and were part of the greatest story ever told, one that saves us even today.

Hearing God's call, listening to his guidance, following the path He is setting for us, hanging on to His promises...all lessons that we learn from one chapter of the Bible, but lessons that have been a major part of my life this week.

Listening for and hearing God's guidance is not always easy. A friend explained it to me like a GPS. When you are driving down the road and your GPS tells you to make a U-turn, and we know U-turns are mostly illegal, we just keep going the direction we THINK is right. We get further and further off track and all along the GPS voice tells us to make a U-turn. Finally, we get so far off course that our smart GPS system says "Recalculating" and starts us off on a different course to get to our destination. God knows where he wants us to go, if we listen and obey and follow his directions, our journey will be smoother with fewer detours.

But...what happens when we THINK we are going in the right direction, but we just never seem to reach where we are going. There is a barrier in our way, stopping us from getting where we THINK we are supposed to go. 

Read about Balaam in Numbers, chapter 22. His story REALLY relates to our lives today. Sometimes we can't even see the barriers in front if us...we just know we just can't seem to get where we want to go. FINALLY,  poor Balaam's eyes were opened and he saw that an angel had been blocking his path. God wanted him to go a different direction.

I am dealing with such issues in my life right now. I pray that my eyes are opened to barriers in my way. I pray that I listen to that GPS system in my head, which is God directing me, and I pray that I obey that direction. I pray the same for you!

Mary's song of hope

"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" (Luke 1:45 NIV)

I am continuing my study of Luke today. For those of you who read my blog but don't understand why I am using it to lead a Bible study...for those of you who think the Bible is outdated and not relevant to our lives today...I must tell you that the Bible does have relevance in our lives today and it gives me hope! In this day and age when just turning on the TV can cause one's hope to fly out the window, where is the harm in reaching out and believing in something that speaks to your heart? What is wrong with searching for meaning and peace and hope and finding it within the covers of a book that has been around for thousands of years and was inspired by our God and creator? Whether you think you believe in God or not, if everyone read the Bible and followed the teachings of Jesus and truly reached out to that creator God, he would touch your heart as he touched mine and the world would be a better place.

Read Luke 1:26-80

We read yesterday about Zechariah's reaction to the news that he and his barren wife were going to have a child. He didn't believe it...he didn't have enough faith to believe the impossible and he was made silent. His voice was taken away.

How did Mary's reaction to Gabriel's news to her differ from Zechariah's reaction? What did her reaction tell you about the kind of people God chooses to work through?

What can you do to maintain a servant's spirit in you day-to-day life? Is it possible to be as humble as Mary was? Can you develop a humble spirit or are you born with it?

Mary sang a song, or used pretty words to express her gratitude and praise to God for what he was doing through her. Those verses have always touched my heart. "My soul magnifies the Lord." I'm sure this news caused her some worries and really messed up her plans with Joseph. I'm sure she was worried about what her family and neighbors would say as she began to show and they found out she was pregnant. But even in the midst of that chaos in her life, she believed in the promises of God and praised him for what was happening. She had no idea that this humble beginning for her son would lead to the salvation of the world.

How does Mary's joyful song give you hope during the chaos going on in your own life? 

Luke 1 - Begin at the beginning

"The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news." (Luke 1:19 NIV)

I am in and try to lead a small group that meets each Sunday morning. The purpose of this small group has shifted and changed over the past couple of years. We began as a First Place 4 Health group, and had some success with that, but, even though we still encourage each other with our healthy lifestyle goals, we have shifted more to a Bible study group. We have found that many of us needed to focus more on reading and studying the Bible as part of our Journey. So, last week we decided to begin with the book of Luke. We are taking it very slow so all the members of the group have time to do the study. We are focusing on 2 chapter of Luke each week. I found some Bible study questions that go along with Luke and can perhaps help us to understand it better. I thought my blog friends my like to join us on our Luke Journey!

So, as we get ready to celebrate Holy Week next week, it is fitting that we begin at the beginning of Jesus' life. It is important to understand who Luke was. He was a physician and a friend and follower of Paul. In fact, he was with Paul through much of his ministry. The book of Luke is an accompaniment to the book of Acts. Luke is writing this letter to  Theophilus, who was probably a Roman of wealth and authority and was probably Luke's patron, or the person paying for his travels and work.

Read Luke 1:1-25

Before the birth of Jesus, we read about John the Baptist's beginnings. He was a cousin of Jesus' mother Mary. John's parents were old and had no children or had no hope of any children. When the angel Gabriel told John's father Zechariah what was going to happen, why do you think he was made unable to speak?

Being childless for all those years was probably very frustrating for Elizabeth and Zechariah. What can we learn from Elizabeth and Zechariah about handling long-term disappointments in our lives? What frustrations do you have going on in your life right now that you could entrust to God instead of trying to deal with it alone?

Having an angel appear to you with a message from God is pretty extraordinary and doesn't seem to happen very often in modern day. How do we hear from God instead? How can you listen to that little voice inside you that could be God speaking "good news" to you?  

Walls

"With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall." (Psalm 18:29 NIV)

The word "wall" is used in the Bible MANY times, (mostly in the old testament). Walls are built around cities to protect the people...to keep people in...to keep people out. Walls are built in our homes to define space. We need definition in our lives...we need to know which rooms are for what purpose. We build walls within ourselves too, don't we? Our mental walls help to define who we are. Unfortunately, the walls we build to define ourselves often appear between us and other people, or other groups of people and can, if left unchecked, lead to misunderstanding, jealousy, bigotry and hate. God doesn't want our walls to do that to us...He has no walls...He doesn't need them. But he can help us to break down the hurtful walls, leaving only the supportive, protective, load bearing walls that we need.

The Lord's Prayer begins with "Our Father, which art in heaven..."  We often begin our prayers with "Heavenly Father..." How does identifying yourself as a child of God help you? For me, knowing that I am a child of God...knowing that my father is more powerful and above everything comforts me and gives me strength. That verse, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13) is very true for me. God is my Father, Christ is my brother...I can get through ANYTHING knowing this!

Relationships also define who we are. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an employee, a friend...these relationships shape who I am and who I am needed to be. They dictate how I use my time, treasures and talents and demonstrate how I show my love. Many times these relationships come with walls or cause us to build more walls...keeping some people and/or groups of people at a distance and we find it difficult to show them love.

I think I am a pretty loving and open and accepting person, and when I first tried to think of people I have built walls around, I had a hard time thinking of examples. We build a wall of deception around ourselves, making us look better to ourselves. It's hard to hold the mirror up to ourselves, isn't it? But we have no problem pointing out the walls of others, right? I think I have built walls up between myself and people who act differently than myself...people who party all the time...people who are less educated...people who are poorer than myself...self-righteous people...there are groups of people that make me nervous because they think and act differently and I don't understand them. I don't want to think that I treat people differently. I don't like thinking that way about myself...but I think I do.

Jesus didn't have many walls. He didn't let socio-economic levels, education, class, race, culture or anything else separate him from the people around him...except for the religious leaders of the time and he was trying to help them break down their own walls! I pray today that God gives me grace to recognize the walls I have built in my life that are keeping me at a distance and keeping me from showing his love to people who really need it. If you have walls in your life...I pray that God helps you break them down as well. It won't be easy, but with God's help we can scale those walls, get over them and then TEAR THEM DOWN!

Haves, Have-nots and those of us in the middle...

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them." Acts 4:32-34

Is it possible to have this happen today? That a group of believers would be all in one heart and mind and share everything they had with each other and with those that came to them that none would be needy...is this REALLY possible? 

Where I work, I have an opportunity to see for myself many examples of the "haves" and "have-nots." They all seem to co-exist, but there is much distain between these sets of people and for the ones that fall somewhere in between. 

I think I fall into that "in between" group...but as list the things I have, I realize I am really in the "haves" group. I am not poor. I have plenty to eat and a nice house and all my basic needs are met and I do have many "luxuries" such as a cell phone, a computer, etc. There's not very much left after paying the bills, and I worry about money, but I am not hungry.  I am not rich, and have full bank accounts that enable me to travel or give more to charities like I would like to, but I have plenty to have an enjoyable life. But, I think I am part of the problem...I THINK I don't have enough, and I will let the "rich" people deal with helping the poor. I am just one paycheck away from the streets myself, right? What can I do to help the needy?

That's where the "one heart and mind" come into play. My perspective needs to change. I need to let God break my heart for the needy, who break his heart as well. I need to let God work in my heart and mind and place me with others who have also experienced God's work in their hearts and minds too. 

This happened with earliest church. The disciples witnessed Jesus healing the sick and feeding the hungry and taking care of the needy. The Holy Spirit came upon them and they also did these things in the name of Jesus. They gained more followers because people had been helped and wanted to be part of the works that were going on. More and more people saw the God THROUGH these people and wanted to experience God for themselves. Then THEY shared what they had in the name of Jesus and soon there were no needy among them because EVERYONE shared! It was a miracle!

I think this CAN happen today! Even in this selfish, greedy world where the chasm between the haves and have-nots seems so wide. But it's going to take each one of us to have our hearts broken for the needy around us enough to let go of some of our stuff. It's going to take those of us in the middle to realize we HAVE a lot more than we think we do and not leave the job for someone else. It's going to take us to really be believers who are of one heart and mind and work together to share what we have...to feed, clothe, shelter and educate those who have not...it's going to take a MIRACLE! 

It's a good thing I believe in a God of miracles!