I HAVE SINNED

My God of Forgiveness,

I began reading Job 15. One of Job's friends, Eliphaz, speaks words of condemnation. This is a very lengthy chapter, 35 verses. I thought to myself, "how could anyone speak hopelessness and judgment from God when his friend was hurting so".

I may not openly tell someone, who I despise, that they deserved what they got based on how much they hurt me. However, I have thought it. I have also thought that they deserved what has happened to them. On the otherhand, if a friend was having a trial, I would wonder what they had done to deserve this judgment from God.

Yes, I have felt justice was served when someone who hurt me was having a hard time. My curiousity would desire to know the sin a friend had committed. Then I would determine the how big or little the sin was before I placed judgment. All the time saying, "I would never do such a thing".

Have mercy on me, Father. Please forgive me. Thank you for revealing this sin to me. My desire is to clean my soul so that I may be more like your precious son, Jesus.

"BE REAL" with God!

Now this isn’t easy. The pressure to perform and look ‘spiritual’ amongst other Christians can be very extreme at times – especially if you are in any type of leadership role within the Church. For we all know that leaders don’t have problems, they don’t have any ‘down’ times, and are always ‘on fire’ for God, right? They’re invincible! That’s why we made them our leaders. Modern day gladiators! Ok, so I’m going over the top now. Nevertheless, it is sad but true that the extra pressure leaders face in being ‘spiritual’ does lead to ‘performances’ devoid of the right heart condition. But it’s certainly not just the leaders that feel the pressure. Let me ask you a couple of questions – when was the last time you sat in a home group setting and felt you just had to pray because everyone else was and if you didn’t, people would think you are ‘un-spiritual’? (Always a worry if you’re one of the last to pray and all the best ‘Christian’ lines and phrases have already gone!) What about worship in Church? When was the last time you lifted your hands in worship to God while all the time you were just thinking of what’s for lunch, or maybe even, who was looking at you? Should we not rather remember the words of David that the Lord ‘tests the heart and is pleased with integrity’? Come on. If you are feeling dead as a hammer then that is what the Lord would like to hear. The Holy Spirit doesn’t work the reality of His presence into our life while we are still just putting on ‘a show’. But He does delight in those who are honest about the condition of their own heart and in humility, look to Him for the reality of the Christian life. It’s meant to be about pleasing Him, not pleasing man!

GOD'S APPROVAL

I Corinthians 1:4-9 "I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace (unmerited favor) of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall always confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful,through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

This scripture was an affirmation that I followed the will of God concerning my actions involving my students. God has given me grace (unmerited favor) in everything I said or did, even if it was done while under the influence of the flesh. He used my words and gave me knowledge as to what to say or do because my heart's desire was to do His will. God also acknowledges that my testimony concerning Christ was acceptable in His sight. God is always faithful. This scripture was a comfort to me in knowing that despite myself my words and actions pleased God.

FLOWER PEOPLE

Suppose you dwell in a high-rise apartment. On the window sill of your room is a
solitary daisy. This morning you picked the daisy and pinned it on your lapel. Since you have only one plant, this is a big event and a special daisy.

But as soon as you’re out the door, people start picking petals off your daisy. Someone snags your subway seat. Petal picked. You’re blamed for the bad report of a co-worker. Three petals. The promotion is given to someone with less experience. More petals. By the end of the day, you’re down to one. Woe be to the soul
who dares to draw near it. You’re only one petal-snatching away from a blowup.

What if the scenario was altered slightly? Let’s add one character. The kind man in the apartment next door runs a flower ship on the corner. Every night on the way home he stops at your place with a fresh, undeserved, yet irresistible bouquet. These are not leftover flowers. They are top-of-the-line arrangements. You don’t know why he thinks so highly of you, but you aren’t complaining. Because of him, your apartment has a sweet fragrance, and your step has a happy bounce. Let someone mess with your flower, and you’ve got a basket full to replace it!

The difference is huge. And the interpretation is obvious.
God will load your world with flowers. He hand-delivers a bouquet to your door every
day. Open it! Take them! Then, when rejections come, you won’t be left short-petaled.

Excerpted from:
A Love Worth Giving
W Publishing,

WISE ECONOMIC PLAN

1. Don't watch the news regularly.

2. Trust God.

3. Continue to give with a joyful heart to the Lord through tithes and offerings.

4. Be content. Want what you have rather than what you don't have.

5. Spend less and save more.

6. Don't make purchases on credit.

I wanted to remember this for future reference when the challenges of life come:

An excerpt from the book "God Came Near" :

"My oldest daughter fell into a swimming pool when she was 2 years old. A friend saw her and pulled her to safety. What I didn't tell was what happened the next morning in my prayer time. I made a special effort to record my gratitude in my journal. I told God how wonderful he was for saving her. As clearly as if God Himself were speaking, this question came to mind: Would I be less wonderful had I let her drown? Would I be any less a good God for calling her home? Would I still be receiving your praise this morning had I not saved her? It's a question that races through everyone's mind at one time or another. Is God still a good God when he says no? Our answer boils down to one of two responses: God is good all the time or God is good some of the time."

I pray, Father, that I will have the strength and faith to believe and KNOW that you are good, holy, and wonderful ALL the time.

A Snare of the Enemy

I have heard many times in church, "if a scripture is repeated -- you need to see what it is there for". This particular day my husband mentioned a scripture he had read off the internet. He said he also heard it quoted on the radio. Well, I thought there must be something significant about this scripture to our life. So I looked up the scripture and read it.

It was found in Psalms and it talked about "all our days pass away". When I read God's Word I am either convicted or joyful. After reading this scripture, I was neither of these. My mind concocted that it meant someone was going to die in my family. I want to stop right here and ask, "Who is it that puts such thoughts in our mind"? God speaks to our heart, but the enemy is the one who puts negative thoughts in our mind.

I told my husband about how this scripture bothered me. He explained to me that Psalms 90 was a prayer Moses wrote. He was reflecting on his own life. This incident taught me that the enemy will use anything, even God's Word, to cause doubt and fear. This is a snare many Christians fall into. I almost became a victim.