Intricacies of Life

 

 

I was walking through a "year round" Christmas store and couldn't help but notice all of the Christmas villages on display. From afar, they looked nice, caught my eye, but when I really got up close and looked at all the intricacies of each individual piece, it made the display that much more beautiful and appreciated.

I began to think about our lives and how all too often we look at the BIG picture and we miss the "little" things. Years pass us by and all we can account for is eating, sleeping, and paying the bills ~ a life of what appears mundane when you look through it with "surface" vision.

We do this day after day acknowledging the "existence" of people, places, and things but never noticing their beauty. We grow weary concentrating on what we don't have and miss out on the enjoyment of what is right at our fingertips.

Looking at the villages I was also reminded of a couple of verses in Psalm 139, "You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it."

When an artist puts detail into his creation: a painting, a sculpture, a writing ~ it is put there for a reason... for the observer to take notice and find enjoyment in the beauty of it...

God is the Master Creator, the Master Artist and He is into detail! Everything He has ever created is an authentic masterpiece made for not only His pleasure but for ours! BUT we have to slow down to find the joy in the NOW.

Let’s stop merely glancing over the big picture of life. Hit the “zoom in” button and you’ll discover what a fleeting look will never see.

Begin studying the individuality of your children. Love them BIG now right in the midst of their annoyances and quirks. Begin noticing the deeper things deposited within your spouse, significant other, or your friends rather than maintaining “how’s the weather” shallow encounters. Quit waiting for an “easier” or “more convenient” stage of life to live in the now. Before you know it, the chance you had is over. Everything gets pushed off for a future that never comes.

“Slow down and smell the beauty in life…” ets

Honor

Honor protects, submits, is willing to yield, and is quick to listen. Our reaction to instruction reveals our understanding of honor. We lack honor if we grumble and complain or just outright do not follow instructions because we think we have a "better way."

We are called to honor both God and man. Living a life of honor is God's way. Without it we are clearly in disobedience to His Word.

"Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12

"In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered." 1 Peter 3:7

"Elders who do their work well should be honored and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching." 1 Timothy 5:17

"Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." 1 Peter 2:17

"Honor the Lord with your substance." Proverbs 3:9

"Remind people to be submissive to [their] magistrates and authorities, to be obedient, to be prepared and willing to do any upright and honorable work, to slander or abuse or speak evil of no one, to avoid being contentious, to be forbearing (yielding, gentle), and to show unqualified courtesy toward everybody." Titus 3:1-2

Dishonor is a seed for tragedy and loss. When we choose a life of dishonor, failure will be our harvest. Marriages will fail, relationships are damaged, careers are lost, our relationship with God is hindered.

The little foxes spoil the vine (Song of Solomon 2:15)... It's the little things that destroy. A practical example: A wife asks her husband to put the toilet seat down or a husband requests that his wife not allow the children to get into his toolbox. When the spouse disregards the request over and over again because they find it unimportant, their lack of honor opens the marriage up to growing resentment. Over time, this "little fox" can be the cause of a total breakdown in the marriage.

Dishonoring is never worth the loss it brings. Start planting seeds of honor for a harvest of blessing from the Father! :)

"If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me, to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves (honors) Me, the Father will honor him." John 12:26

Peace

 

 

 

Written for those who have endured emotional or verbal abuse… The battle that rages... the roller coaster that never comes to a halt.  It may not leave outward bruises and scars, but the inward “soul scarring” is a pain that doesn’t just go away with a band-aid and time.

Only the One who made us can restore us back to wholeness. In the midst of your raging storm, I pray you look to Him ~ where your release and your peace is found.

 

Peace

Crashing waves

Bruise my shore

Howling winds

Blow in once more

Torrential rains

Pelt my skin

Lightning bolts

Come again

Turbulent waters

Staggered stance

Cycle repeated

In this dying dance

 

Trembling knees

Strike the ground

Eyes glance up

To where help is found

 

An instant hush

The storm to cease

All at once

A soul at peace…

Beauty

 

As the leaves rustle across the ground

In the cool autumn breeze

I gaze at Your creation

Where Your beauty is clearly seen

 

I see Your beauty as the sun comes up

It’s written across the sky

As the sun warms me, I feel Your love

When nighttime settles, I wonder why

 

Why You choose to share such beauty

With one who fails You every day

Though I fall short time and again

Each morning You meet me anyway

 

In the quiet moments I sit and think

In awe of what I see

As the wind blows by, I hear Your voice

Whispering to me…

 

You notice the beauty around you

The intricacies through and through

But as splendid as this all appears

My beauty is wrapped up in you…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggGwDrxrC2k&feature=related

Reveal to Heal

 

 

"Praise the Lord. I'm blessed" are often things you hear repetitiously in church when asking someone how they are doing. I understand the need to be positive. I understand that we are not to live by our feelings. I understand we need to confess what the Word says about us. BUT I also know there are people right in our churches who are broken. They fear saying how they really feel because "that wouldn't be faith talk." 

 

It is time for the church to become a safe haven; a place where people can reveal in order to heal. Do we camp out on the problem? No. But once we know there is a problem, we can offer the solution. I encourage everyone to be more sensitive to the inner cries of those around you. You have in you what people need to be free. However, you can't help them if you don't know help is needed. We need to make ourselves available so that His healing power can flow through us. 

And remember: Healing is a process. Helping someone who is emotionally broken requires time and a whole lot of patience. A lot of people do not want to invest that kind of commitment in the lives of others. This then leaves us with churches full of people putting on their “church face” and never being real with one another. Is this what “church” is supposed to be all about?

“The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed One, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity” Luke 4:18

 

All that’s hidden

 

 Must be revealed

Nothing gets past Your eyes

You know the darkness underneath

You know the inner cries

 

You want to peel the mask away

And erase all of the fakeness

You are not pleased with the lies

You’ve come to expose the weakness

 

You desire that all of Your children

Would have oneness with each other

But these walls are such a hindrance

Of us being real to one another

 

You know everything about us

The reasons we are insecure

Only You have the answer

To release us from this fear

 

It can’t be done in our own strength

The supply comes from only You

Deliver us from this bondage, Lord

Make us a people who walk in truth

Character

Our character, if not developed and matured, will eventually catch up with us and knock us down from the platform in which our gifting and talents have taken us.

We all have seen it. Highly gifted performers who have the world's attention but lack of character shows through in their actions and their credibility is marred. Ministers, oftentimes those with a worldwide voice, but EVENTUALLY their character flaws shine through and it's the very thing that dethrones them from their position. Marriages that appeared "OK" suddenly end in divorce. The "perfect" child becomes the prodigal... Why? Because the hidden issues of the heart have been ignored.

"The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them." Proverbs 11:3

Our greatest weaknesses, if left undealt with, will surface to the top. You can only wear a mask for so long. The rubber band eventually snaps and what used to hide you has now left you revealed. The self constructed platform that once elevated your ego comes crashing down from the weight of the junk that was left unchecked.

Bandaids are not a substitute for surgery. Developing our character is a deep work that requires facing our heart issues not covering them up. Building godly character takes place in quiet, "at the feet of Jesus" times: diligently exposing ourselves to the Word of God and letting it shine a light on those areas that do not line up.

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24

Slow down and take a look at who you are. Not who you lead others or yourself to believe. Not what your reputation says about you. Who are you when no one else is looking? What heart attitudes reign behind your smile? What would God say about your character?

Lord, we all have "stuff" that we cover up so beautifully. On the outside everything looks good and yet inside their is decay that needs a touch from You. Whatever it is in our lives that is keeping us from fully serving and pleasing You, please shine a light on it. Shine Your light on the ugly parts so that we can, with Your help, become all You have called us to be. We want to be a living example of Christ in the earth - not a false representation that gives Him a bad name because of our undealt with "stuff." We love You, Lord, and we desire to become more and more like You.

Grateful in the Storm

 

 

We need to consciously make the decision to be grateful IN our negative circumstances. Grateful that in these times God can do His greatest work in us if we allow Him. God's love amazes me that even in self induced messes, He still wants to work in our lives for the ultimate goal of bringing us closer to Himself. Knowing this, we need to change our outlook during the storms of life... True character is shown and true character can be grown during tough times... Let's use it to become better! :)