A Mission

A mission. Everyone likes to know what's going on, when it's going to happen and why. We like to look at our lives, to plan what we'll do, what our career will be...how we can reach people for Christ. So many times our plans are huge, they're full of zeal for serving our God, to tell others about HIM, to feed the hungry, to save the poor. --I'm not knocking missionarys, of course not, God calls people to do those jobs, and He uses those people to do great works. 

But so many times, we feel we need to get out there, to do BIG things for God...when we miss the "little" things He is showing us to do right NOW.  It seems that we don't realize that our mission field is right outside our door, or even in our home. We need to be able to show the people around us, whether it is to our siblings and parents, or to the people we meet on the street.

How can we be missionarys to our family, or to complete STRANGERS? You may feel horribly uncomfortable at even the sound of having to open up and talk to someone you don't know...or maybe even someone you do know. But, really, you don't need to talk to someone to show them Christ. Our lives should be a living testimony of the amazing God we serve. The way we live, the way we act as we are in town should show people what we've "got", and make them wonder why we are different.

Lets check our lives to see what we are really portraying to others.

Your thoughts?

spending time with Him

It's a simple, maybe even considered a little thing...but reading your Bible, and praying every day is a necessity every Christian -young or old should "indulge" in.

Many times, we make excuses that our days are too busy, we're much too tired to read chapter or two,(after we just read an entire book) or that "I'll just pray real quick before I go to sleep". When we're doing that, it simply shows what our desires are, and that they obviously need to be changed.

I must confess the previous paragraph described me. I knew I should, and I also knew I wasn't too busy. -- Fact was, that when I finished school I had practically a whole day or afternoon of free time...and I wasn't spending that time with God.

We all know that having a devotional or quiet time with God is very important. Maybe we don't know how important it actually is. Have you "not" done your devotions and then acted like a "jerk" the whole day? We just couldn't get along with our siblings, we were disobedient to our parents, it was just a bad day. That's because we didn't have the Holy-spirit with us through the day.

If you're juggling so called"busy-ness" and doing daily devotions, here's a simple tip I got from a visiting evangelist: instead of saying you're going to read five chapters, try five verses. It sounds like so little, but you need to get a desire for God's word. Likewise with prayer: don't say you'll pray for two hours, you're setting your goals too high. Again, try 10 minutes. Do whatever you must to feed that desire for time with God and His word.

You won't believe the difference it makes when you spend time --maybe just half an hour, with God.

true love...

The Battle Within

When one thinks about facing a battle of "right or wrong or good and evil,"  what do you think of? Does it remind you of someone valiantly standing up and saying "no" to drugs? We tend to focus on the "great" battles like the above, but forget about the "small," everyday incidents that cause us to make a choise, whether it be for good, or bad.

It's the minuscule happenings that are mainly caused by selfishness. Every person was born with it, and struggle with it....some overcome it, some don't. There are many fusses and arguments that could have been prevented, if it hadn't been for not controling our selfish natures.

You can overcome the instances that occur, like the story below:

It was a little thing, Isaac had called me to tell me that the trash in the study, (the room I was to keep picked up) was full, overflowing actually.  I didn't want to do that job, and besides it was ISAAC's job to empty the garbage.

My flesh urged me to call mom and tell on Isaac for not doing his job.  I stood at the top of the stairs, watching Isaac sweep the playroom floor. I wanted to say something about him doing the job, but didn't knowing I could say something I shouldn't.

Inside a battle raged...I selfishly wanted to make Isaac take out the trash, but I knew that I should simply take it out, myself...without a fuss.  I made my decision and went and took out the trash.

While these things may seem little and you may say "it was only taking out the trash...".  But there are many battles God puts before us to "test and see what we're made of."  You don't have to bear the struggles yourself, you can't overcome them by yourself you have to ask Christ to give you His strength, and character to defeat the selfish nature of your flesh.

"Cast your cares on Him, for He careth for you."

Are We Treating Others Like Christ Did?

Kindness to siblings, to be truthful is something I  struggle with. When my brother or little sister does something I don't like, I'm not too bashful in pointing it out, not a good thing.

I don't want to be this way, and as a Christian I'm to have the attributes of Christ. In the Bible, when Jesus was in contact with children He didn't consider them a nuisance or a bother. - In fact in Matthew when the parents brought the children to Jesus, and His disciples wanted to "get rid" of the children, Jesus said:

                           

    + But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for such is the kingdom of heaven.  –Matthew 19: 14

So you see, Jesus liked children. I too, like children, but if I can be kind to other children I interact with, why "can't" or am I not being kind to my siblings?  We can come up with many, many excuses for that subject. "Well, they do so many things to purposefully annoy me."

My mom was talking with me, when my brother does things to purposefully annoy me, he's doing those things not to aggravate me, but simply because he loves me and is showing it to me the way boys do. You mean all those times he's been "annoying" and I've snapped or glared at him was really because he loves me? Wow, that gives us something to think about, doesn't it?

Jesus also says in the previous chapter: (Matthew 18: 10)

+ Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angles do always behold the face of my Father which is in  heaven.

I'm kind of getting that if we despise one of these children, (our siblings) their angels are in Heaven, all the time with God. --And plus, God sees and hears everthing, even when we've thought something dreadful about our siblings, or muttered something at them under our breath HE has heard it, even if our brother (or sister) did not. God made every single one of us, He made us for a reason, and each of our siblings truly are gifts from God, why not treat them like it?

 Will you take up the challenge with me this week to treat your siblings and children you come in contact with, like Christ would?

By His Grace

It had been a kind of bad day.  I had told Becca (rather brusquely) to be quiet, been unkind, yelled at my siblings...The day had had some..issues.  Or rather, I had had some issues with that day.  I was tired. It was just...Ahhhkkk. I was downright grumpy.

If you've ever been unkind or done something you know was wrong, you will also know that after the fact you feel horrible.  You know or rather, I  knew that it was wrong, I shouldn't have done it.  Fact is, Christ wouldn't have done that, would He?

Although we are going to make mistakes - or rather we DO make mistakes,Christ died for those sins.  He is there for us, waiting with His arms open and  He's full of grace.

Thank you Lord, for forgiving me of all of my failing and fumbles. Give me YOUR grace, YOUR way, I want to be like you.  I want you be shining through me, to others.  Fulfil your will in me...

         For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

                          - Romans 3: 23

       

Special In His Eyes

Reading blogs, as I'm sure many of you do, I see the young ladies (Bailey, Bethany, Anna)who can find a topic, and after composing an "essay" on the matter can encourage and motivate their readers for the better.  It comes naturally, a gift.

After reading their posts, I would sit down and and try to write my own "great and encouraging post".  Still staring at a blank screen after writing, erasing, rewriting, and so on I gave up.  One can become discouraged at their efforts that continually fail. 

If you're like me, you might not be a "great" writer in the eyes of others. But, you'll most likely be stronger in another area. 

God didn't make us to be the same as Bailey, God made us individually, perfect in HIS eyes.   When you become discouraged, remember, God made you special. 

Let's live life to its fullest, for Him.