Why is it so much easier to say “what if…”?

It’s Monday and the start of a new week.  It’s the day to get back into routine after a week break from school and sometimes a week break makes me weak to intake...to intake God’s Word, His promises, his grace and discipline.  When school is out and I’m not in my regular routine, which includes quiet time, well…

And when I’m weak in those things, worldly distractions creep in my heart to try to steal my memory of His promises and desire for me to be with Him.   When that happens, those hidden fears start to creep back out. 

Yesterday at church, one of the pastors, Fil Anderson, spoke about fear and faith.  Powerful.  I’m still pondering what I heard and writing it down so I won’t forget.  Fear can so easily keep us from walking by faith and fear never comes from God.  “Satan is the installer of fear.”

And with fear comes the two faith-stealing words:  What if…

Fil said that “Fear is faith in the wrong things.”   God created us to be able to have faith!  He allows us to choose where to put our faith. It’s so easy though, when we begin to allow our doubts take reign over faith.  We begin to say “what if…” instead of what we should say: “God is…” .

Why is it so much easier to say “what if…” instead of “God is…”? 

“What if” just flow out of the mouth natural and smooth; or maybe it’s just as easy to drink in that fear.   I remember a song where a line goes, “This world is making me drunk on the spirit of fear.  So when he {God} says, ‘Who will go?’, I am no where near.”

Practice naming those fears and giving them to God.  When you ask yourself, or even tell someone else, “But what if…” then replace it with “God is…” surrendering that fear to God!

What if I can’t do it?   God is cheering me on.

What if I’ve chosen the wrong road?   God is going to direct or re-direct me.

What if I disappoint God?   God is taking delight in you.

What if God rejects me?   God is choosing me to do His work and will never abandon me.

What if they reject me?   God is welcoming me every moment to be with Him.

What if I’m allowing fear to smother my faith?   God is trusting me.

What if no one reads my blog?   God is my One Audience

 

Strive to trust faith, not fear. 

Every day, let PRAISE and GRATITUDE to our Faith-Giving Father, flow out of your mouth and drink in the truth that there’s an EMPTY TOMB!

Praise and Gratitude for…

#1302  He is RISEN!

#1303  The moments in our lives that remind us of God’s goodness and grace.

#1304  celebrating Easter with family

#1305  family playing basketball together

#1306  the older man standing on the sidewalk on the outskirts of downtown waving to people driving by with a smile on his face holding his cane.

#1307  random patches of daffodils on the highways and country roads…wondering if they used to be in flower beds of homes a couple of centuries ago.

#1308  spring break relaxing

#1309  warmer weather

#1310  girls night out

#1311  conversation with a new friend who also had brain surgery

#1312  pastor’s teaching about fear and faith.

#1313  the orchestra of birds

#1314  turtle-sitting the science teacher’s school turtles

#1315  our new “cousin” Bernie

#1316  children’s laughter

#1317  our son holding his baby cousin

#1318  coloring eggs

Why is it so much easier to say “what if…”?

It’s Monday and the start of a new week.  It’s the day to get back into routine after a week break from school and sometimes a week break makes me weak to intake...to intake God’s Word, His promises, his grace and discipline.

And when I’m weak in those things, worldly distractions creep in my heart to try to steal my memory of His promises and desire for me to be with Him.   When that happens, those hidden fears start to creep back out. 

Yesterday at church, one of the pastors, Fil Anderson, spoke about fear and faith.  Powerful.  I’m still pondering what I heard and writing it down so I won’t forget.  Fear can so easily keep us from walking by faith and fear never comes from God.  “Satan is the installer of fear.”

And with fear comes the two faith-stealing words:  What if…

Fil said that “Fear is faith in the wrong things.”   God created us to be able to have faith!  He allows us to choose where to put our faith. It’s so easy though, when we begin to allow our doubts take reign over faith.  We begin to say “what if…” instead of what we should say: “God is…” .

Why is it so much easier to say “what if…” instead of “God is…”? 

“What if” just flow out of the mouth natural and smooth; or maybe it’s just as easy to drink in that fear.   I remember a song where a line goes, “This world is making me drunk on the spirit of fear.  So when he {God} says, ‘Who will go?’, I am no where near.”

Practice naming those fears and giving them to God.  When you ask yourself, or even tell someone else, “But what if…” then replace it with “God is…” surrendering that fear to God!

What if I can’t do it?   God is cheering me on.

What if I’ve chosen the wrong road?   God is going to direct or re-direct me.

What if I disappoint God?   God is taking delight in you.

What if God rejects me?   God is choosing me to do His work and will never abandon me.

What if they reject me?   God is welcoming me every moment to be with Him.

What if I’m allowing fear to smother my faith?   God is trusting me.

What if no one reads my blog?   God is my One Audience

 

Strive to trust faith, not fear. 

Every day, let PRAISE and GRATITUDE to our Faith-Giving Father, flow out of your mouth and drink in the truth that there’s an EMPTY TOMB!

Praise and Gratitude for…

#1302  He is RISEN!

#1303  The moments in our lives that remind us of God’s goodness and grace.

#1304  celebrating Easter with family

#1305  family playing basketball together

#1306  the older man standing on the sidewalk on the outskirts of downtown waving to people driving by with a smile on his face holding his cane.

#1307  random patches of daffodils on the highways and country roads…wondering if they used to be in flower beds of homes a couple of centuries ago.

#1308  spring break relaxing

#1309  warmer weather

#1310  girls night out

#1311  conversation with a new friend who also had brain surgery

#1312  pastor’s teaching about fear and faith.

#1313  the orchestra of birds

#1314  turtle-sitting the science teacher’s school turtles

#1315  our new “cousin” Bernie

#1316  children’s laughter

#1317  our son holding his baby cousin

#1318  coloring eggs

After the day is done…

Joining in today with Five Minute Friday and today’s word is AFTER

 

After the day is done and I look back at all the things I did, or had to do, was it pleasing to God or was it pleasing to my family or to me?

In the midst of doing going to the grocery store, laundry, playing with the turtle we’re ‘babysitting’, making chili on a cold, rain/sleet/snowy April afternoon, building a fort out of blankets, working on a project deadline, and watching Duck Dynasty with the family…did I do OK? 

Were there moments when I grabbed hold of life-giving and life-encouraging opportunities or was I more concerned about the things I had on the to-do list in my mind (and on paper!)?

Did I help someone in need?  Did I take the time to just.listen. to my son as he tells me again the details of yesterday’s soccer practice?  Did I compliment my husband?  Did I snuggy with my daughter and wrap my arms around her like she loves to do?    Did I talk with God?   Did I remember, just 5 days ago, Jesus’ resurrection and the start of new life?

How easy it is to let those simple - yet essential – practices of love from the heart get smothered under the heap of “things” that I think I must get done.  So, I’m going to try at the end of the day, to look back and see if I shared, gave, or did those little things that show joy and give love.  And I need to see the places I could’ve done a lot better…and remember the grace that covers it all and that tomorrow is a new day.

Life in a broken world

After celebrating Jesus’ resurrection, we celebrate life. There is life not just in my little world, but all over this broken world. Today I’m sharing a story from Sid’s journey to Haiti.

My original intent for going to Haiti was to see the fruits of my efforts from the Pack-A-Thons our church had sponsored. As with many of you, I've given to charities and other worthwhile causes in good faith without actually seeing and witnessing where the money goes and what impact it really has on God's kingdom. By giving, you are just trusting that the organization and the people to whom you are giving actually provide the service or assistance that they promise, not knowing if it ever actually occurs. This was my chance to actually see it.
When we arrived in Haiti and made our way to our accommodations, I was a little shocked at the state of affairs that appeared too commonplace around us on our drive. Trash in every conceivable ditch, livestock running wild around the streets, and open-air food markets were the first things to grab my attention and make me realize that I had left "Disneyland" – the good ole U.S. of A. Our first order of business once we arrived was to put together suitcases of donated items that several of our party had brought. Upon opening my first bag, I saw a card that my 10 year old had written and drawn for me. It said "Dear Dad, Hope u have the greatest trip ever. I am praying for you. Make sure that u know that your not only changing their hearts but yours also." Little did I know, that is definitely what God had in mind for me.

During the trip to Haiti, we were able to participate in the distribution of the boxes of food our church had packed, as well as pass out the food that had been prepared for the children. I was able to witness gratitude, sharing, and a love of life by the children we saw. Some of the children didn't have parents and some did. Most of them will only eat that one meal we passed out that day. Regardless of my expectations, we were greeted with smiles and laughter. Those children are like any others. They want to be loved. They want to play, and they need to eat.

In the Bible, the Lord calls us to care for the widows and the orphans. This is definitely a ministry that is making an impact in the lives of children and families alike. I went on this trip with certain expectations of an outcome only to realize that my daughter's card hit the nail right on the head. If you do feel God's call to provide for this ministry or go on one of their mission trips, you too may experience the reversal of expectations and changing heart that I did.

If you would like to find out more about NDI | Feed the Hunger, visit us online

The Redefining Moment

 

 

Christ is risen!  The tomb is empty!  The day is new!   Believe that Jesus will now be with us moment by moment the rest of our lives… for eternity! 

That is joy! 

That is a promise!

 

Happy Easter!

 

The Importance of the Moment Part 5

It’s Good Friday.  The first thought I have when I hear it’s Good Friday, I think it’s anything but good knowing what Jesus experienced.  We usually don’t think that any moment that led up to Jesus’ crucifixion were good or beautiful.  There were so many significant moments during the final hours of his life, though.

These moments had to happen: the moment Judas handed Jesus over to the officials, the moment Peter betrayed Jesus, the moment when Jesus had to stand trial before Pilate, the moment the high priests and Jews yelled, “Crucify him!”, the moment he was ridiculed, made fun of, beaten, broken, flogged, spit on and then forced to carry his cross.

Then there was the moment when Jesus was thrown down onto the cross and too weak to stretch his arms out on the cross as the soldier grabbed them, threw them on the wood, and hammered his hands and feet into the cross.

After the cross was raised, the moments before his death must have seemed so long in pain and suffering.  And then the final moment was here and Jesus cries out loud, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,” and breathed his last breath.

Rembrandt’s “The Three Crosses”

 

But there is still beauty that led to the cross.  Jesus still experienced moments of love and compassion in the midst of his pain and suffering.

What about the moment when Jesus knew Pilate was on his side, and wanted to set him free, but couldn’t because he trusted deep down what Jesus had to do…

What about the moment Jesus and his mother locked eyes together and he comforted her with love just by the way he looked at her and made sure the disciples would take care of her...

What about the moment when Simon from Cyrene helped Jesus carry the cross when he couldn’t do it by himself anymore…

What about the moment when the man on the cross beside Jesus defended him as they hung there, saying Jesus didn’t deserve to die, and how that must have still brought Jesus joy, knowing they’d be in heaven together soon.

Each moment was a step closer to the beauty of our salvation.

Then after Jesus’ death, moment continued to be part of God’s plan:

The moment when the curtains of the holy temple tore in two from top to bottom.

The moment when the centurion saw the temple divide and praised God saying, “Surely this was the righteous Son of God!”.

The moments his followers, over the next two days, thought it was over. Now what?

And what about the moment, only God knew, that was about to happen…Jesus’ resurrection!

Every moment in life counts.  God’s Word makes that very clear, filled with promises that each moment in Scripture, and in our lives today, are all part of His plan. 

May this holy Friday, and the promise of Jesus’ resurrection, be filled with moments that remind you of his redeeming and relentless love for you.

 

It’s also Five Minute Friday and today’s word is “broken”.

The Importance of the Moment this Holy Week Part 4

The importance of the moment the day before Jesus’ crucifixion was the Last Supper where Jesus foreshadows and explains the significance of glorifying God when sharing bread and wine together in His Name. All of the gospels include this event because it becomes the epic holy reminder of Jesus’ body broken and blood shed for our redemption.

But unlike the others, John includes the beautiful words Jesus prays to God, with his friends, one last time before he is seized by the high officials. It was the last moment they had to pray together. Jesus used this final moment with them talking to his Father, praying for Himself, for his disciples and for future believers. What an intimate moment.

French Artist: Alexandre Bida

In this great prayer, Jesus returns repeatedly to the request for the community of believers to be unified with him and each other. He is being vulnerable and exposing his heart’s deep desires.

“Father, I long for the time when those You have given Me can join Me in My place so they may witness My glory, which comes from You. You have loved me before the foundation of the cosmos were laid.” (John 17:24).

Did you catch that? Jesus longs to be with “those you have given Me.”   Those = you and me.       You are a gift God gives to Jesus.

Jesus deeply loved the people he interacted with and taught and he longed to be with them again soon because he loved them so much. He has that same love for the coming generations of believers, too…which includes us.

Jesus also prayed for his disciples. He asks for them to have the same full measure of joy that he has. He asks for them to be immersed in the same truth His voice speaks. He says his prayer is not to take them out of the world, but that He will protect them from the evil one. And he prays for their protection: “protect them by the power of Your Name.” His Name. In Exodus 3:14 God says His name is “I AM”. “I AM WHO I AM” He is saying, “I AM EVERYTHING YOU NEED” During his time on earth, Jesus said his name I AM over and over.

I AM the Way
I AM the Truth
I AM the Life
I AM the Vine
I AM the Living Water
I AM the Light
I AM the Good Shepherd
I AM the Living Bread
I AM the Lamb of God
I AM your Sacrifice
He is the sacrifice for our sins and tomorrow, Good Friday, sacrifice will have a whole new meaning. It was the moment in time that changes everything. It was the moment that will never be forgotten.

(And I know this is kind of a random question, but did Jesus give each of his disciples one last hug before they left that upper room? I want to think so…considering how much he loved them. I can’t imagine the emotions he must have been feeling that moment.)

Today, let us remember that God had this all worked out from before time. Let us remember how He shows us the necessity it is to share our deepest longings with Him and people close to us that we trust.
Let us remember that He is everything that we need.



(I recommend reading all of Jesus’ prayer in John 17.)