this week...

argh! not sure the source, but I have been really frustrated this week. Grrr

I wish I could listen more often

It strange. I ask God to speak to me all the time. Tell me what to do. And sometimes he speaks loudly. Friday I had the priviledge of meeting Pastor Ron..Ron is a children's pastor in Tulsa, and I have never been so inspired in my life. It was a "hey do you mind if we go talk to this guy" type of meeting, but Ron sat down with us and shared what God has done in his life and prayed over us. He spoke of how God uses people and remember to allow to let God use us and to help God use those around us. It was really an awesome moment in my life and I only hope that I can listen to God this time and do what he wants.

Loving God: Monday through Saturday

Sunday is a day or rejuvenation! A day of rest. A day to get our spiritual batteries charged. A day we lift up and say “this is the day that I will give to God!” No wonder all of us are always exhausted. Many of us try to charge our spiritual batteries on Sunday and think that will get us through the week. What if we only charged our cell phones on Sunday? Or put gas in our cars only on Sunday? Being a Christian is easy on Sunday. For some that means putting out our Sunday best (for most of us that is our attitude, not our clothes), going to church and eating with the family afterwards. Many people use this time not only to recharge themselves through God, but far too many of us only have this time to be with our families. Being a Christian Monday through Saturday is a bigger challenge. We feel like we are on our own at work, school, and the grocery store. We meet people that question our faith or our beliefs…sometimes the questions are out loud, other times they are not. Our faith is tested everyday. Be it through our anger in rush hour traffic, our lack of patience with our kids, or our lack of integrity when dealing with a client because we “need” this sale.

In James 1:22-25 (message Bible) it tells us…
22-24Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.
25But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action
We will find delight and affirmation in the action. It does not say if you do as the bible says you will find delight and affirmation in finances or your relationships. The scripture says you will find it in your actions. To me that means you will find it in all that you do. When you follow the word of God, day in and day out, in every task…be it driving to work, helping the kids with homework or taking out the trash, you can find delight and affirmation!

Joshua 1:8 continues…
8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

If we do not follow the word of God and filter our whole life through his word, how can we be lamp until others as God has asked us to do?

Mathew 5:14-16 tells us…

14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

When we forget that he is the Lord of our life and he cares about all things, big and small we get worn down. The devil knows when we are worn down and vulnerable and then we are surprised how the problems and disappointments pile up!