Comfort Zone

 Have you ever noticed how easy it is to do something for someone you like?  How willing we are to help someone we have something in common?  Maybe we go the extra mile for the popular, but tend to be too busy to help those who seem to be a little strange, the 'odd-duck,'  the un-loveable?   Is there even such a thing?  We witness to those who already seem to have it all together, because after all, why bring more problems into the church?  Right?  But if we are to 'go out into all the world,' with the Gospel, then we are to go to all people.  

Jesus loved the un-loveable, the strange, the 'odd-ducks.'  He touched the lepers, the diseased.  He put back together the broken.  He spoke with the thieves, the murderers, the adulterer's.  He purposely went out of His way to reach those that the world ignored and tossed aside.  He went above and beyond for those the world had no time for.  His Love covers a multitude of sins.

I'm glad He covered mine.

"Following Jesus' approach to evangelism means being intentional about developing friendships with people radically different than myself.  It stretches beyond my comfort zone, but it's worth it."  Grace Fox, Morning's With Jesus 2020

If we are to reach souls for Christ, it's time to step out of our comfort zones, and love the un-loveable.

If we love as Christ loves, we can!  But that's just me!

The Bright Side

 Today we were beginning a new bathroom project.  Simply taking up the old tile, putting the new tile down and installing a new toilet.  Sounded simple, unfortunately it was not.  After removing the old tile, we saw a saturated wood floor.  Water had, somehow, gotten underneath the tile and had saturated the wood.  Not only was the wood wet where the tile and where the toilet once sat, but it included the wood under our bathtub.  When I saw the wet wood, visions of an old movie went running through my head.  The Money Pit, where a couple purchased a house only to find it literally falling apart on them, to include the bathtub falling through the floor!

So I had a choice to make:  I could stand there and cry and complain about the added cost and inconvenience this 'little project' was turning into, or I could remind myself that things could be a lot worse, and to look on the bright side.

Psalm 71:14 says, But I will hope continually, and yet praise thee more and more.

No matter what pops up in our daily, every day lives, I will still never run out of things to praise my heavenly Father for.  

Things could've been a lot worse, so I am choosing to look on the bright side!

But that's just me!

Bling

I love glittery things.  I love things that sparkle, shine and reflect light.  I love bling!

I think God does too.  Why do I think that?  Because God calls his children His Jewels.  We are His Treasure.

Exodus 19:5 says, Now, therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

Malachi 3:17a says, And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.

Are you feeling a little down today?  Maybe feeling a little dusty?  Remind yourself that you are God's Treasure.  Dust yourself off and shine for Jesus.

I want to Sparkle!  But that's just me!

 

 

Options

 I went through the Starbucks drive thru while I was running errands in town yesterday.  Even though I order the same coffee each time, I'm still amazed at how many different ways you can prepare a cup of coffee.  The options are endless:  low-fat, soy, coconut milk, extra shots, mocha, caramel whip.....

The more I thought about it, we have multiple options concerning almost everything we face during the day!  What will I make for dinner?  What will I wear?  Apple or Android?

Religious options are just as endless.  Do you realize, according to Google Search, that there are over 4, 300 different religions around the world?  Our world has turned into the McDonalds Slogan:  "Have it your way."  

Jesus tells us that He is the way.

John 14:6a says:  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

You have the option to choose religion, or a relationship.  Your way, or The Way.

Dwight L. Moody puts it this way:  "Now just think a moment and answer the question, "What shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ.?""

I will choose Jesus...

but that's just me!

Who is my Neighbor?

 My phone beeped yesterday notifying me of either a text or reminding me that it was my turn in Words with Friends, but when I turned on my screen, it was 'Breaking News" from my News App.  The riots that have been occurring in my home State have gotten so out of control that innocent people are getting brutely hurt.  This is no longer a friendly political protest, this is plain crime.  I opened my news App and watched cruelty in it's rawest form, and as it played out, I wept.  Not only for the victim, but for those recording the incident.  Why didn't the bystanders put away their phones and help this man who was being beaten?  They could have prevented most of the attack if they had only put down their phones!

Luke 10:25-37 tells us of another victim and another crime.

A man was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho and on his way was ambushed by thieves.  They stole all his goods, all of his clothing and beat him so badly that they left him for dead.  First, a priest walked by and kept walking.  Then a Levite looked upon this beaten man and walked by as well, but then a Samaritan came to where he was and had compassion on him.  He bound up this mans wounds with precious oil and wine, and placed him on his own animal and took him to a safe place to heal.

When we see others who need help, we have two choices:  we can walk by, or we can have compassion and help them.  God help me to have compassion on those in need-

But that's just me!

Love stronger than even the deepest hatred-unknown

Wait Time

 Recently I needed to talk face to face with a banker.  So I drove to my bank's local Branch Office to do just that.  I stood in line outside of the bank while each person before me filtered inside to do what they had come to do.  I was second in line when I noticed a sign that was posted on the door of my bank.  It read:  Due to Covid-19, appointments must be made to speak with a Banker.  I had stood there in line, waiting for nothing.  As the person before me went inside, I asked the man who was letting people inside if there were any open appointments to speak with a banker?  He went inside to check but when he returned, he handed me a business card with a 1-800 number and instructions for the phone call written on the front.  My spirits sank as I walked back to my car.  So, while I sat in the parking lot of my bank, I dialed the number.  First you get an automated voice asking why you called the number in the first place.  I have given up trying to speak my answer into the phone, because the reply is always the same:  "Sorry, I didn't get that."  So, I carefully chose my options....which were many, and when I finally reached the last option, the automated voice comes on to let me know that "due to the high volume of calls, my wait time will be six minutes."  Actually, I didn't think that was a very long wait time, so I placed my phone down, pressed the Speaker Option and patiently waited for my six minutes to expire.  After six minutes, sure enough, my phone clicked and in anticipation for a real live person to speak to, I heard a double click and was immediately disconnected!  As my blood pressure slowly began to rise, I redialed and went through the whole process again, this time with successful results.  But as I disconnected this phone call, Psalm 86:7 came to mind.  It says, "In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me."

When I call on God, I don't need to wait in line.  I don't need a business card with a 1-800 number on it with instructions on how to make the call.  I do not need to select options or even listen to a pre-screened, automated voice to direct my call.  Whether I speak my request or remain silent while the Holy Spirit makes intercession for me, I never hear the words, "Sorry, I didn't get that."   I do not need to wait for a certain amount of time due to a high volume of calls, and I will never be disconnected!

My God is available 24/7 for my prayer.  But the best part: He will personally answer each call.

I love calling on my Personal Saviour, don't you?  But that's just me!

Silent Conviction

 Psalm 32:3 says, When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

If God sees everything we do and hears everything we say, why do we find confessing our sins so difficult?  Why do we try to hide our secret sins from God?  When we keep our sin, fears and anxieties inside, we end up hurting our physical and mental well-being.

When I was a little girl and did something wrong, I would make a conscience effort to keep it hidden from my Mom.  Oh, she usually already knew what I had done, but I wasn't ready to admit my transgression yet.  I could usually make it through the day, but once I got into bed and my Mom tucked me in, I knew in order to get a good night's rest, I was going to have to talk to my mom.  I knew that if I didn't let my Mom know what was bothering me, I would get a stomach ache.  My lack of confession was only hurting me.  That's what Psalm 32 means.  When I'm convicted of sin and don't confess it, I just end up making myself sick.

As I grew older, and worries crept into my thoughts, or if I was having problems with my health, I would call my Mom on the phone.  It wouldn't take long in our conversation before my mom would say, "Honey, what's wrong?  What's really going on?"  As soon as I shared my heart with her and talked with her through my fears, by the end of the phone call, my heart was lighter and I was burden free.

I miss my Mom and our phone conversations.  She's with the Lord now, but when I'm overwhelmed with the cares of this life, or if I have unconfessed sin in my life, I hear God whisper, "Come talk with me, I already know what's going on....let me help you."

1 Peter 5:7 says, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

I'm going to give my cares over to the Lord.  He handles them best anyway-  but that's just me!