Lack of Poise

I would consider myself an extremely introverted person. Taking the role as a pastor’s wife and leader for women in our church really forced me out of my comfort zone. Especially when acting as a hostess (whether I was entertaining in my home, directing a ladies meeting or hosting a Mother/Daughter tea) and I felt I was more in the spotlight. Since I was out of my comfort zone I had to push myself into the role I was trying to fill. Oftentimes afterwards I would think “Who was that? That wasn’t me.” I was playing a role out of my nature character. I was lacking poise.

So when I read this excerpt from Eugenia Price it really gave me something to think about......."Most often we will find our state of mind and actions are lacking poise. And later we may fuss at ourself…..”I tried to keep calm. I tried to control myself, but when he let me have it. I just…..” -OR- “How can I overcome this terrible shyness?”

These two illustrations may seem contradictory but they are basically like. In one the person couldn’t control her temper and the other couldn’t control her shyness. One seems “worse” than the other. But both instances show a definite lack of poise. No one is going to be perfectly poised all the time and under all circumstances. We must accept ourselves as we are. We are not someone else. You are you and I am me. Here again, disciplining our conscious mind which God has given us is the answer. Does that mean you force yourself to be quiet or force yourself to speak aloud (like I was doing)? No, we must cultivate the habit of remembering who it is who has come to live within us. And rely on His Poise! The quiet that comes from the knowledge that He is there will in time restore our poise.

This does not come overnight. Developing a habit is a slow—sometimes discouragingly slow—process. But because of the way in which God created your conscious mind, it is never a hopeless process. You can depend entirely upon Him. Even after you have fallen down, in the matter of the cultivating the habit of poise remember that Christ lives within you and just keep look to His Poise."

So I must be willing to cooperate with my conscious mind and form the habit of remembering that I am on this journey with God, Himself.

Seeking God

Another excerpt with my notes from Changed Into His Image by Jim Berg.

God promises that those who respond to the desire He places within them by seeking Him will not be disappointed. "But if....thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul." --Deuteronomy 4:29 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." --Hebrews 11:6

• I must seek God will my whole heart.
• Apathy toward God is the result of being passionate toward something or someone else.
• "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (money). --Matthew 6:24
• ....."If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." --Matthew 16:24
• Friendship with the world is enmity with God.
• God does not reveal Himself to the casual observer but only to the wholehearted and single-minded.

We can have a personal dependent relationship with God if we are willing to seek Him and forsake all other loves.

[These are my notes from my study this morning. I am learning so much from this study course I'm going through. I thank God He brought it to my attention.]

He Loves Me Like I Was His Only Child

My Father has a great big family
And there are many children besides me
If you're wondering how He divides His time,
Just let me say, I never stand in line

Chorus: For He loves me like I was His only child
I never felt such love before, I could never ask for more
He loves me like I was His only child
God really loves me, yes, He really loves me,
He loves me like I was His only child

He never favors me above the rest
Oh, but I can't help but say that I am blessed
He treats me best, I so often say
But then, all my Father's children feel that way.

God really loves me, yes He really loves me,
He loves me like I was His only child

[From me: This is a song we have on tape sung by the Knutson Family Singers. I find it hard to comprehend how God works in my heart and at the same level in the hearts of all His children. And His love to me is the same as unto all the others. How He loves all His children but He loves me as if I was an only child. Thank you, LORD, for loving me.]

Guess what--It Came Back

Yes, unresolved issues usually come back. It troubled my heart this morning just about as much as it did last Saturday. But God is good! This time with some wise insight from a friend I was able to see clearly to the heart of the matter.

At first my thinking believed it was an issue of forgiveness/unforgiveness. But when talking to my friend it became clear it was an issue of approval/rejection. The unresolved issue was something I had done--I wanted to be a blessing to someone but it wasn't received that way. In fact, instead of it being a blessing, the receiver's dignity of independence was bruised. It all turned into a strong disagreement. The whole matter went unresolved by saying we'll have to "agree to disagree."

There may be some issues where you can "agree to disagree" like political opinion, likes/dislikes, methods & procedures etc, where for the sake of the relationship you let the subject drop. In these situations you are dealing with are opinions and its okay to have a difference of opinion. Not everyone has to think like we do all the time.

But in this case "agreeing to disagree" was like sweeping it under the rug. When she didn’t like what I had done my feelings festered into hurt and rejection. What I confused as unforgiveness in my heart was really feelings of rejection and disapproval. I learned today I cannot look for approval and acceptance from others only from God. He is my source of approval.

Sometimes we must accept we aren’t responsible for how other people react. If you come into a situation like this where you have to “agree to disagree” be sure what you have done was with the right motives. Remember to do things as unto the Lord then no one may offend thee and always seek God as your source of approval.

This also reminds me of a saying I have posted right above my computer. “Who I choose to love makes me who I am. Not whether those people love me.” See how God was good! I could not change how the situation remained but He worked these things out in my heart.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.......

This morning during my prayer time I was having quite a struggle. It was one of those struggles that you try really hard to pray through it. In my heart I really desired a matter solved so it wouldn't hinder me and my relationship with God. But the harder I prayed it didn't bring the matter any closer to being resolved. Eventually I got to the point of realizing I couldn't fix it and I must wait on God working it out through me. Though my soul was troubled peace filled my heart. And I know it will be alright cause God is working it out.

You know, Satan doesn't like it when you gain a victory over a struggle. Since then he has been close by trying to stir that trouble in my mind. Then this song came to mind....

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

Yes, just like it says in Philippians...."think on these things. When Satan started to mess again with me thinking so soon after I had just prayed. God helped me to remember I must look to Jesus and think on whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

"Lack of Peace" by Eugenia Price

Can this be a characteristic of a modern Christian? Yes, it can. Even the most devout, sincere believer has doubts and ask, "What is wrong with me? I know it can't be the Lord. It must be my fault."

Yes. And many of these Christians are depending upon prayer, the Bible, meetings, their experience, Christian books--almost everything but Christ Himself! They have not allowed the great simplicity of who He is dawn on their conscious minds. Right to the point Paul goes on this subject: "He is our peace." And he has promised never to leave us nor forsake us. "Lo, I am with you always." Peace is not something we can wrap in a package or store away ona shelf. It is not a "something" at all. It is a Person. Peace is Jesus Christ Himself. He has given us a conscious mind with which to take hold of this. We control that conscious mind. Whether you feel peaceful or not as you read these lines, if you belong to Jesus Christ, you have peace because you have Him.

One of the greatest tricks of the strange depths of our human personalities is to cause us to think that just because we don't feel a certain way, we are not that way. Just by making use of my God-given cosscious mind, I have decided to cultivate the habit of remembering that He will never leave me. I may leave Him, but He will never leave me. And "He is our peace." Therefore I can know and have peace, Himself, in the midst of great weeping. In the midst of nerve-shattering confusion. In the midst of misunderstanding and anger. And as I use my conscious mind to remeber this, I find, when I least expect it, that some sense of this peace returns to my emotions too.

[My thots: I have been one of those who has cried--"What is wrong with me?" Believing I was the only one who thought like this. Since my thoughts were so wrapped in my emotions I could not understand that the solution was there with the simplicity of Christ in me. Since I have Christ, I have the peace of God which passeth all understand. I have experienced it to be true, even in the midst of my greatest heartache and trial. When I reminded my conscious mind this a sense of peace returned to help calm my troubled heart. My heartache didn't magically go away but I had this peace that carried me through it.]

HOW LOVE CAN BE LOST

The chosen Biblical text for many weddings is Paul’s eloquent description of love found in 1 Corinthians 13. These warm words frequently capture the hearts of lovers and are often chosen to either precede or follow their marriage vows. Why then do these same people often find their love declining? Why has the valentine atmosphere vacated their relationship? What causes love to be lost?

The answer to these questions may be found in the neglect of six words in this popular quote that explain what love is all about: “Love suffers long and is kind.” Without kindness, love loses its meaning and therefore doesn’t last.

I once wrote to a friend to thank him for a comment he made when I visited him shortly after his wife’s death. Reminiscing over their years together, he explained the reason for their long and successful marriage in one simple, yet profound, expression of love: “We were good to each other.”

There had been nothing complicated about their warm and lasting relationship. I doubt that they ever found it necessary to consult a counselor and at the time they were married few ministers gave much attention to premarital advice. Still they enjoyed many happy years together because they were good to each other; they were patient and kind.

An old song says, “You always hurt the one you love, the one you shouldn’t hurt at all.” That once popular tune could be the theme song of many hurting homes.

Looking back on more than twenty years of a good marriage, Jerry Jenkins, co-author of the best-selling “Left Behind” book series, explained how he and his wife kept their home a safe haven for love, writing: “We know each other’s weaknesses, and we don’t exploit them. Long ago, we discussed how unattractive it was to hear spouses bad-mouth each other, or to find some quirk, some irritating habit, and make a joke of it. That’s not love. Love is building up each other.”

In his book “Love is the Greatest,” George Sweeting says “People are always hungry for kindness” and adds, “Kindness then ought to be a natural part of relating to those we love, but sometimes it’s when we’re with those closest to us that being kind is most difficult.”

Preparing his readers for such times, Sweeting wrote: “A large part of being kind is the patient willingness to put up with the abuse or ridicule that comes our way. Usually that patience is needed most just when it is exhausted.”

If you long to be consistently kind but find your patience running on empty, try Peter Marshall’s well known prayer: “When I am wrong, dear Lord, make me easy to change, and when I’m right make me easy to live with.”

My friend and his wife had discovered how to welcome God into their marriage and He made their mutual kindness possible. They were faithful in the services of their church, prayed together and were eager to help others. The love of God flowed through their marriage and brought an atmosphere of kindness to their home. by Roger Campbell

My Thots: It always amazes me how the media and Hollywood causes people to go insane to prove their love to their special someone. Making it another way to spend your money. Anyone can spend money that does not prove love--most people spend money they don't have. It would be vanity and the self-centerness of a person who would say, prove to me your love. Showing your love or proving your love is something done on a daily basis. It's what comes from your heart without the fancy, elaborate show & bling.

Wearing a Seat Belt of Self-Denial

If I wish to restrain the flesh as God commands, I am being foolish to feed it.

Galatians 6:7-8 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

We have to exercise self-denial by saying not to the promptings of the flesh and to the pull to feed the flesh which makes it stronger. To realize that every time we give into the flesh we have made it stronger. Every time we feed it in one area of life, we make it harder to say no to it in any area. It's pulls and control becomes louder and stronger. Most of us Christians forget we don't have to obey the flesh.

It's most puzzling in Christian circles today. Following the world's decline, many believers have the idea that restraint, self-denial and discipline are out-of-date. In the name of "Christian liberty," they indulge in all sorts of flesh-feeding activities, scoffing at the idea that any behavior could be considered "worldly" while at the same time claiming a new freedom in Christ. The final result is destruction. God promised that it would be in Galatians.

The effects of this world may not concern some believers but God is concerned because He say "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. --1John 2:15-17

The more corrupt our culture becomes, the greater the need for personal separation from the world--not by isolating ourselves from the world but rather insulating ourselves from it's toxic, fleshly effect upon us.

For me, I know the flesh is always with me. So I must realize self-denial is always needed because the danger is always present. LORD, help me!

Distractions

The past couple of days have been days of distraction. I've tried to think of something to write for my blog. I like to share things that speak to me or has provoked me to think. But the past couple of days I have noticed my attitude is struggling with obedience in the morning to work on my bible study and my prayer time. I just want to get through it and get it done because I have other things that I need to do.

My lessons are getting harder. They are invading my comfort zone. God has been making me aware of areas of disobedience. I think I have allowed distractions in my mind because I didn't want to hear the Holy Spirit conviction. Squelching the Spirt when He convicts our heart does not help when us desire Him to lead us in other areas.

James describes this kind of person as double-minded. We "mind" the flesh and our feelings one momemt and then we're "minding" God and His truth the next. My lesson yesterday showed me there is a verse to help for this in Romans 6:11 "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." The Christian life is not an easy life to live because of this warring sinfulness that dwells in us. As my lesson pointed out today, though it isn't easy, it isn't complicated. Our complications are usually the natural consequences of going our own way. But even at that, the way out of those complications is always a series of simple choices. By asking ourself, "In this thing or that thing before me, am I going to please God or please myself?"

As a Christian, we should quit living like we have to obey our indwelling sin and start living unto God. People often go by their feelings rather than reckoning God's Word to be true and because God said it.

I have been doing this very thing of being double-minded in my thinking--squelching the Holy Spirit and choosing to obey my flesh because that was where I was comfortable. OUCH!

Power of Influence

God created into woman a particular power to influence. This thought is backed up in Genesis with Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan went straight to Eve, and the entire basic problem of human nature--the right to one’s self--sprang into being through a woman! It was through her influence that Adam did eat.

It is important to see that this God-given influence of woman is no virtue at all. In itself it is neutral, neither good nor bad. It is what we do with it that matters. I am convinced that most of us are not aware of the power of this inherent ability to mark the lives of those we touch. The lives of others can be directly twisted or blessed by the influence of a woman. Each woman holds within their nature a potentially dangerous power depending how it mark lives. Being a sincere Christian is not enough. We need the very sensitivity of God, Himself in order to live a life which marks with beauty and godliness the other lives we influence.

Most of us know—“all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” And as a Christian we have found out we are not able to cope without Christ. So we know that all the destructive power within us can be controlled by the very life of Christ.

Woman’s influence remains exactly the same in strength and power. If you are a Christian, your influence is no stronger than if you are not. But it can be under the personal control of Jesus Christ. The areas of your personality which are under His control are going to have a creative, positive influence toward godliness. They have to, not because of what you are like, but because of what He is like. The areas not under His control will be the trouble areas where negative influences is destructive on the lives of others.

As a woman we must yield our power of influence to God. So that it may be a good thing as it touches the lives of others.

--by Eugenia Price

Passionate People

Once in awhile when I take my lunch break I'll click on the TV to watch for 15 minutes while I'm eating. I usually end up watching the Berenstain Bears because there isn't anything good on. Today I was eating my lunch a little earlier than usually so my selection was worse. I stopped the channel at Divorce Court figuring, whatever, it's only a couple minutes.

As always when I've clicked through this program very angry people are trying to convey their side of the story to the judge. How a judge could have such patience listening to people like that! This type of a show revolves around people who are petty and self-centered. I was glad I only caught the end of the show. After giving her verdict the judge made this one statement..... "People feel way faster than they think." .....that is oh so true. When our emotions get high over whatever the situation is. These emotions are throwing things out of proportion. Very soon no one is thinking straight and no one listening. Sometimes we get so touchy with our feelings no one can talk to us without us taking it wrong. God is not working in the midst of situations like this, only our indwelling sin. When things get out of control like that I don't think it's even fair to blame Satan. Because we cause so many of our own problems ourself.

I have been this kind of person where my emotions fueled my words faster than I was thinking. I am thankful God gives us many verses in His Word on anger and dealing with our emotions. These are only a few........
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
Proverbs 20:2....whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

Additional Thoughts

Today I was reflecting again over this statement......

"A man's potential for God lies not in his ability, nor in his opportunity, but in his humility before God." God is not impressed with our abilities; they came from Him. He is not impressed with our opportunities; they are gifts from Him as well. He is impressed only with our humility; it testifies of our sense of dependency.

And as I tried to write an explanation of what it means this thought came to me....My abilities and my opportunities are gifts given to me from God. To say I am using them unto God (which I should do) is re-gifting His gift back to Him. I am to use my talents and opportunities for the Lord but it isn't special to Him since He first gave them to us. When we show God our dependence to Him through humility and our love through obedience that is our gift to God. God created us with the freewill to make these choices. Our humility and obedience pleases God because we have made the choice to do so.

And back to the thought of our potential for God--it is nothing without God but can be simply amazing through Him.

Our Thinking vs God's Promises

"It's impossible"
All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

"I'm too tired"
I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)

"Nobody really loves me"
I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)

"I can't go on"
My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

"I can't figure things out"
I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

"I can't do it"
You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

"I'm not able"
I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

"It's not worth it"
It will be worth it (Romans 8:28)

"I can't forgive myself"
I forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

"I can't manage"
I will supply all your needs (Phillipians 4:19)

"I'm afraid"
I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

"I'm always worried and frustrated"
Cast all your cares on Me (I Peter 5:7)

"I don't have enough faith"
I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)

"I'm not smart enough"
I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)

"I feel all alone"
I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

[Sometimes I find my thoughts getting stuck on one
of these thoughts and forgetting God's promises.]

Getting in Your Place

[Oh the stuff in my study was so good today. So I'm sharing an excerpt from Jim Berg. He really gives ya stuff to think and chew on.]

When enduring great pain, we, like Job, can begin to feel justified in our complaints against God and demand an explanation. We feel quite certain that God is entirely wrong in allowing this trouble to come our way. No attributae of God is more emphasized in Scripture that His loving care for His people. Yet no quality of God is doubted more than His love when we are under the burden of a difficult trial. We even begin to feel that if we were running things, we would not make the mistake of letting people suffer so like Job.

This thinking usurps control from God and replaces His way with ours.

Then he makes this statement -- "A man's potential for God lies not in his ability, nor in his opportunity, but in his humility before God." God is not impressed with our abilities; they came from Him. He is not impressed with our opportunities; they are gifts from Him as well. He is impressed only with our humility; it testifies of our sense of dependency.

"There is a God in heaven, and you are not Him." OUCH, Ouch, ouch, ouch!

The Cry of the Blood by Amy Carmichael

The tom-toms thumped straight on all night and the darkness shuddered round me like a living, feeling thing. I could not go to sleep, so I lay awake and looked; and I saw, as it seemed, this: That I stood on a grassy sward, and at my feet a precipice broke sheer down into infinite space. I looked, but saw no bottom; only cloud shapes, black and furiously coiled, and great shadow-shrouded hollows, and unfathomable depths. Back I drew, dizzy at the depth.

Then I saw forms of people moving single file along the grass. They were making for the edge. There was a woman with a baby in her arms and another little child holding on to her dress. She was on the very verge. Then I saw that she was blind. She lifted her foot for the next step . . . it trod air. She was over, and the children over with her. Oh, the cry as they went over!

Then I saw more streams of people flowing from all quarters. All were blind, stone blind; all made straight for the precipice edge. There were shrieks, as they suddenly knew themselves falling, and a tossing up of helpless arms, catching, clutching at empty air. But some went over quietly, and fell without a sound.

Then I wondered, with a wonder that was simply agony, why no one stopped them at the edge. I could not. I was glued to the ground, and I could only call; though I strained and tried, only whisper would come.

Then I saw that along the edge there were sentries set at intervals. But the intervals were too great; there were wide, unguarded gaps between. And over these gaps the people fell in their blindness, quite unwarned; and the green grass seemed blood-red to me, and the gulf yawned like the mouth of hell.

Then I saw, like a little picture of peace, a group of people under some trees with their backs turned toward the gulf. They were making daisy chains. Sometimes when a piercing shriek cut the quiet air and reached them, it disturbed them and they thought it a rather vulgar noise. And if one of their number started up and wanted to go and do something to help, then all the others would pull that one down. “Why should you get so excited about it? You must wait for a definite call to go! You haven’t finished your daisy chain yet. It would be really selfish,” they said, “to leave us to finish the work alone.”

There was another group. It was made up of people whose great desire was to get more sentries out; but they found that very few wanted to go, and sometimes there were no sentries set for miles and miles of the edge.

Once a girl stood alone in her place, waving the people back; but her mother and other relations called and reminded her that her furlough was due; she must not break the rules. And being tired and needing a change, she had to go and rest for awhile; but no one was sent to guard her gap, and over and over the people fell, like a waterfall of souls.

Once a child caught at a tuft of grass that grew at the very brink of the gulf; it clung convulsively, and it called – but nobody seemed to hear. Then the roots of the grass gave way, and with a cry the child went over, its two little hands still holding tight to the torn-off bunch of grass. And the girl who longed to be back in her gap thought she heard the little one cry, and she sprang up and wanted to go; at which they reproved her, reminding her that no one is necessary anywhere; the gap would be well taken care of, they knew. And then they sang a hymn.

Then through the hymn came another sound like the pain of a million broken hearts wrung out in one full drop, one sob. And a horror of great darkness was upon me, for I knew what it was – the Cry of the Blood.

Then thundered a voice, the voice of the Lord. “And He said, ‘What hast thou done, The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.’”

The tom-toms still beat heavily, the darkness still shuddered and shivered about me; I heard the yells of the devil-dancers and weird, wild shriek of the devil-possessed just outside the gate.

What does it matter, after all? It has gone on for years; it will go on for years. Why make such a fuss about it?

God forgive us! God arouse us! Shame us out of our callousness! Shame us out of our sin.

[From me: This is an article my husband sent to our oldest daughter when she was studying for her missions major. As she was going through some of her files this week she came across it once again, sharing it with me.

Could you see the precipice edge? Oh my......so many people around us......they are blinded by Satan's deception.......blinded by their own sin........no one telling them the Way......no one showing them what God's Word says.......no one showing them Christ.......so many people realizing their fate only when it is too late........we know the Way.......we have the truth.......we must use our voice to reach the lost who at the edge of the precipice........we don't know about today...tomorrow...whether an accident or sickness or when someone we know will go over that precipice edge, eternally separated from God in a devil's Hell......without Christ they are condemned already.......God forgive us! God arouse us! Shame us out of our callousness! Shame us out of our sin.]

Exposing our Helplessness

We often come to God with an agenda of our own choosing. We believe that the blessings of life will be ours if we can just control the circumstances and people in our lives. We only bring God into the picture by asking Him to make things work our way. God must expose our helplessness by unraveling our self-confidence of leaning to our own understanding. There will be no spiritual growth without some humbling along the way.

My Thots: Eating some humble pie is really a good thing, because it is hard work carrying the burden of pride and maintaining the facade of perfection.

Humility of a man

Being a servant of all is the highest fulfillment of our destiny, as men created in the image of God.

Humility should be a continuous attitude of the believer.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

--Matthew 11:28-30

And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

--Matthew 20:27-28

And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.--Luke 9:48

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

--Luke 14:11

But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.--Luke 22:26-27

Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.--John 13:13-14

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

--1Peter 5:5

What does it mean to be meek and lowly in heart? Help me to learn thy Way.
[Copied excerpts from Jim Berg]

Changing Wrong Thinking

Did you ever discover your way of thinking on a particular issue was wrong? Or maybe someone else’s thinking wasn’t necessarily wrong, just because it was different from yours. That’s why our standard should be the Bible to discern right or wrong on the things that come up in our life.

When our thinking is wrong, where do these thoughts usually come from? We know Satan likes to plant seeds of doubt…..some things come from how we were raised……some things come from dramatic events in our life or influences from the society we live in……and even just from our indwelling sin nature.

In my “BC days (before Christ)” I developed some thinking that was definitely not right. Like in my thinking, if my good out-weighed my bad, I just might possibly get into Heaven and escape Hell. But looking in God’s Word I learned… “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation……For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” -- Romans 10:9,10 & 13.

Another example of my wrong thinking was that God was out to punish us if we did the slightest things wrong. Looking at scripture again showed me… “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” -- Romans 5:8 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” -- John 3:16-17. God loves mankind whom He created in His image. God is not waiting to condemn us or squash us like a bug.

You know, even though I’ve been saved a long time I’m still realizing I have some wrong thinking like with the problems, trials and battles we face in our daily life. Job’s friends had thinking like I used to have – that I must have sinned and was being punished for it.

I have learned that kind of thinking is wrong. Trials and battles that we have, are for our good. Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” This was the first verse I learned and it started to change my thinking. I saw a reason but still wasn’t seeing the need for trials in my life and I still struggled with living through the process of the trial. When I learned about the comfort in which I could possibly help someone else from the experience of my trials as explained in II Corinthians 1:2-6. That gave me better acceptance of some of the trials I went through. But let me be honest, I still hated problems, trials and battles. Some are just so painful and I have often cried “WHY?”

Knowing these things helps me through my trials to some degree. I have been a slow learner about the greater purpose of trials. In changing my thinking I have to seek my understanding from God’s perspective. Although these trials are still really hard I must realize it’s about God not about me.

From Pastor’s message Sunday morning this statement really got my attention. “God showed man that the battle was about Him not about man” and then he explanation from God’s Word. I’m going WOW! And trying to write stuff down and my mind was stripping gears with so many thoughts. I knew God was trying to tell me something and my brain wasn’t having time to wrap around the thoughts. So as I’m writing here, I’m asking God for understanding. I know it’s one of those gems I want to save and remember.

Looking at God’s Word the O.T. is full of examples to show us these battles/trials are God’s. Such as—Abraham is to sacrifice Isaac—How is Abraham to be the father of all nations if he must kill his only son? the Israelites trapped by the Red Sea with the Egyptian army coming for them—Where can they possibly go to escape? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—It’s impossible to survive in the flames of the fiery furnace; Jehoshophat faces a great multitude in battle and God instructs them to only watch and sing praises. –OR- Gideon with only 300 men and instructions to carry fire torches covered with water pitchers. What kind of battle strategies are these? The examples go on and on--Daniel and the Lion’s den, the walls of Jericho, David and Goliath. All these are impossible circumstances where God delivered faithful people who did things GOD’S WAY! God is repeatedly demonstrating HIS love, deliverance, provision – all these battles were GOD’S BATTLES not theirs, not ours. God is not UNCHANGING! But we are so busy being overwhelmed by our circumstances and trying to do things our own way. We are not even seeing that God simply wants us to trust Him and He will show us His love and the power of His might. Through impossible situations, through impossible odds, with the most unlikely methods God delivers those who trust and commit their faith in obedience to God’s way without leaning on their own understanding. God's purpose for problems, trials, battles are truly for my good and for His glory.

We Are Dependent by Design by Jim Berg

Man can make a space shuttle, build a house, manufacture an automobile, and construct a superhighway; but since none of thses items are self-created, none of them are self-sustaining. They are dependent upon the one who made them. The space shuttle and the automobile have to be refueled and serviced. The house and the highway have to be repaired. Creation inherently demands dependency. Man can acknowledge this about everything he makes for himself in this world, but he rebels against the thought that somehow he is dependent upon his own Creator.

[My Thots: What I really like is we can see these this backed up with scripture from God's Word. Psalm 100:3 "It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves." Colossians 1:16-17 "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

WOW! To see these things and to know these things but to continually seeking man's way instead of God's Way--HOW STUPID! Lord, help me.]