Being a Christian

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Jewel

Being a Christian is not a part-time gig. It is not a piece of jewelry we can take off, or a tag word we use among friends. Being a Christian is not a bad word. It is not a sometimes thing that we pursue when convenient. Being a Christian is a daily, every breathe, every choice, every thought commitment.

It means pressing forward through the pride, the anger, the fear, the unexpected, the loneliness, and the growing anti-Christian sentiment to choose do please God with every part of our heart, mind, soul and lives. It means being willing to be un-liked, persecuted, opposed, misrepresented, lied on and attacked. Because being a Christian means walking like Christ – and we all know what happened to Christ.

Being a Christian means being radical about our faith, our choices, our talk, and our views. It means refusing to say “I think..” about the controversial issues of our times, and instead saying “God says..”

Being a Christian means refusing to be spiritually and culturally blind because its easier and more comfortable, but praying every day that God opens our eyes, ears and hearts that we might live to His glory.

Being a Christian is not for the fainthearted, or the weak willed. It is not for the perfect, because the perfect would not need a Savior. Which means – sometimes we will get it wrong. But then, as a follower of Christ, we should have the humility to repent and turn away from our sin and say, like David, “Create in me a clean heart, and renew in me a right Spirit”. And like Christ, being willing to crucify our flesh (sinful desires) and strive to emulate a perfect God who, being well aware of our imperfections and sinful nature still charged us to “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” – because He knew that through Him, all things are possible.

Finally, being a Christian should supersede our politics, our denomination and dare I say, even our race. In heaven, there will be no designation of democrat or republican, black or white, Baptist or Methodist. There will only be those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their LORD and Savior.

Today, and every day, let us care about what He cares about. Let us support what honors Him. Let us stand boldly against what He calls evil. Everything else will pass away, but only the eternal will remain.

I pray that God would bless the Church to speak loudly. And I pray that He starts with me.

Encouraging the (nearly) impossible

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Jewel

Each and every day I grow more in more in love with my children, more amazed by their uniqueness and specialness, and more thankful for their presence in my life, and the opportunity to be their mother and to love them. I am much more thankful and stand in much more awe when I am rested, but nonetheless there is gratitude on pretty much a daily basis. (I am pretty well rested as I write this.)

Often, the Lord, in His infinite wisdom uses these wonderful little joys to show me that I have ways about me, habit and traits, that are less than wonderful. Two of these are the very bad habits of correcting those closest to me when it is really not necessary (including and especially my husband and children) and the second is ~~protecting them from ideas or goals that are highly unlikely or what I perceive as just not doable~~. popping their dream bubbles like a crazed woman wielding a ready needle.

“Honey – a barber shop/clothing store? Really?”

To my family’s delight, last summer, my daughter and I decided to embark upon a mission of not correcting others. (In truth, her incessant habit of correcting me forced me to take a hard look in the mirror.) We later had to include my son and my husband, but I was (uncharacteristically) gentle and patient as I’m fairly certain I was the originator corrector in the household. It has been liberating for us all. But, as it is a process, we’re all still working on it.

Early last fall, the Lord began to reveal to me my tendency to pop the bubbles of dreams I felt were unrealistic, so my children have happily and freely aspired to do many things over the last few months. They have plans to do everything from a lemonade stand in the summer to flying a rocket ship to the moon. I had to draw the line about teaching the devil about Jesus so he could become nice and go to heaven. But, other than that, I’ve been pretty supportive and encouraging.

Then, my daughter hit me with the big one.

“Mommy, when I grow up, I’m going to Patrick Henry College (we are already planting the seeds), and then when I graduate I’m going to China and get the mean laws changed so that the Chinese people can learn about Jesus.”

Now to those of you who are naturally supportive and don’t find the urge to say “Honey, I find that highly unlikely” – God bless you. Immediately instinct kicked in, but before I could get the words out, the Holy Spirit said “How do you know what I created her for?” And so I simply said “And what about the underground church, Tig-pooh?” To which she replied “In my free-time, I’ll help the underground church.”

This is my daughter. My amazing fearless little girl. She is going to march over to China and get them to change the laws. Why is she not going to focus simply on the underground church? Because they already know about Jesus, and she is concerned with all the people who don’t know about Jesus, and she figures it would be much easier to just change the laws. My instinct was to protect her and help her find a more reachable goal.

But how do I know what God created her for?

It’s not my job to protect her from disappointment. She can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens her. It’s my job to encourage her to seek the will of the Lord in all aspects of her life, especially that of her future. With so many children seeking to be movie stars, rock stars, sports stars, rap stars, it delights me that she wants to the impossible for Christ.

Have you ever really seen a balloon pop? A popped balloon, besides being damaged and unusable, pulls away from the one who popped it – not toward them. Popping what we perceive as impossible dreams does not draw our children closer to us – and certainly does not draw them any closer to God. Oftentimes when we try to protect our children from seemingly impossible goals we unknowingly communicate that we believe that they are unable, or simply not good enough to do the thing they are seeking to do. We are, without realizing it, expressing that we do not believe in them. If they do not feel that we believe in them, how can we expect them to believe in a God who would desire to use them. I have seen, far too often, individuals whose walks with God are inhibited by their own feelings of low-self worth. True, none of us our worthy, but we are all fearlessly and wonderfully made. We are valuable to God, created in His image for a purpose – for His purpose. Let us aspire to make sure our children know that too. Let us aspire to encourage our children to believe God for the impossible.

Linking up with:

Letter to a wayward thoughtlife

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Jewel

Dear thoughts,

Oh treacherous thoughts, how you love to betray. I have pondered long on how best to approach this issue with you. You are very dear to me, and it would grieve me if you were to be offended. I have long valued your input, perhaps too long, perhaps too much. You are always there for me, and until recently I was under the impression that you were my most reliable friend. I have always considered you trustworthy, although on more occasions that I care to rehearse your advice has left me feeling foolish.

Speaking of rehearsing, I have repeatedly asked you if you would not mind bringing up to me the negative and hurtful memories of my past..yet you seem as determined as ever to regale me of experiences that I’d rather be lost forever. Throughout the years, I’ve tried to offer you more and more trust, only to be left wishing I’d sought out better counsel.

You’ve tried to convince me that you have my best interest in heart, but I’m becoming ever more concerned that your definition of best interest, and my definition of best interest, differ in many major aspects. And to be honest, I’m concerned about your convictions, as you seem very easily led by what your fed. I’ve noticed lately that the less television you watch and the more Word of God you read causes a great change in your disposition.

Speaking of Scripture, I’m a bit disturbed that I’ve had to rebuke and reaffirm you so frequently with the Word of God. What if I didn’t take the the time to read and study the Word? Could I than trust you to give me sound advice at all?

I don’t mean to be rude, old friend, but I am also very concerned about your stability. You seem to waver, not only in your convictions, but by the wrong associations, which seem to also affect you quite negatively. Consider for a moment, your friend emotions. I have seen you completely move from your usual standards of right or wrong when emotions starts to rise.

And it pains me to say this, but lately, when I need you most, you have been fighting against me! I need you to tell me when I’m wrong, but instead you make excuses for my bad behavior. A real friend would encourage me to practice self-control, and walk in faith. But you have been justifying my stubborness and trying to rationalize and reason the things of God. I’m sorry mind, but things have to change. I wanted to be the one to tell you, I think you deserve that much, or maybe not, but I have decided to put my trust elsewhere. I will be leaning on the One whose Word never fails. In order to do this, I will not be able to allow you to run amok anymore. I have decided to renewed by the transforming of my mind – and that starts with you. I will continue to dig into the Word of God, and although I know you hate it (because you resist it so) I will continue to rebuke you when you fall out of line, and encourage you when you want to give up. I am not doing this because I do not like you – although sometime you make it difficult, I am doing this – in your best interest.

Your old friend,

Me.

This week:
Reading Goals: Last week went very well for the Bible in 90 Days Challenge, except for Saturday. I would like to say I have a very good reason, and although I was gone all day and evening with ministry and work, I returned home in enough time before bed complete my daily reading. So this week, my goal is to keep up the (pretty? almost?) good work, especially since it has proven spiritually and mentally rewarding and very, very interesting too! I love reading the Bible through. Every time I discover new and more wonderful things.

What God is doing in my heart: Currently God is reminding me how important it is to be in the all the little, or not so big (it seems at the time) things. Clean this now, don’t procrastinate. Go to bed. Study now, while you have a moment. Don’t say that.

I’m thankful for: God’s amazing and continual provision for my family during this difficult season. The wonderful changes that He is making in me and my husband. My children’s smiles.

My prayer request: Please pray that I will submit to God, fully, as he trains me to be a good steward with both time and finances, and in regards to a regular bedtime.

Video of worship/music, bible teaching or picture:

In honor of the National Sanctity of Human Life Month, from Be a Voice and Focus on the Family. Please go to Focus on the Family for more great information and resources.

Additional thoughts: Only this, I can not espouse what I will not accept, so with that, I will, in obedience, turn off the computer, and go to sleep. Good night!