Tuesday, December 18, 2012

December 18, 2012

Good morning all-

I'm stumped at what to write this morning.  So many things are happening at once.  Change is all around us and I'm finding myself saying, "I hope tomorrow is better."  I didn't think I was stressed out about anything, of course, I feel for the victims and their families, I feel bad that I will be celebrating Christmas with no parents, and I'm still worried about whether I make good decisions in my own life.  If you let your mind spin, it definitely will.

My son came home last night, angry.  I'm not sure what exactly he was mad about.  It might be the offense his coach put in or it could have been that his mentor told him that he was done with the varsity team.  They have lost every game.  I think more than likely that's why he was so mad.  No one likes to lose especially a 16 year old kid but I am floored at how many men will give up on people because they aren't winning.  That's like giving up on Michael Jordan in high school and yet, he went on to be the greatest player in History.

People easily give up.  We give up when things are hard or we aren't getting what we want.  We forget that God never gives up on us and He has a great number of reasons to let us go.  We aren't exactly a perfect people.  We constantly make mistakes and need forgiveness at every turn but still, in the wings, He waits and is there to catch us when we fall.  The rest of us could take a good lesson from our maker.  I can't imagine what the Israelites would have done if God said "I'm sorry no manna or water today."  We wouldn't even be talking about them coming home to the promise land.  Or what about David?  He killed a man for his wife.  What if God said, "You have made me angry, I no longer love you."  Can you imagine where Israel would be today.  I can, it would be part of palestine.  But no, our maker comes in, helps us see our faults, we repent and He's right back there helping us get through the next mess we create.

Man is a mess and we consistently let Him down and yet, He says He will always be with us.  Of course, repentance is important and asking Him what you need to repent for is even more important but God loves us and He never gives up on us.  He loves us so much that He gave His only Son for us.  There is a lot of rumors on how you get to heaven, did aliens make the pyramids and so forth.  The Bible is clear, no man can enter heaven without first knowing Jesus.  He is the only way.

We mess Scripture up a hundred different ways too.  We fit it into a box so it looks good for us.  Does God promise that there will be no hardship in this life/  No, He tells us that as His followers trials will come but that He will be near.  His life was full of trials.  He was the greatest man to be born.  He had no solid home, was innocent of a crime that hung him on a cross, was beaten and bled so that He would die with the worst criminals of His time.  The King of Kings hung on a cross.  Why?  Because we give up on people, we sin and we needed a Savior.  So He gave His Son and watched as His Son said, "Forgive them Father for they no not know what they do."  Really?  Yes.  That's how much love our Father has for us.

It's easy to turn from those that don't do exactly what we think they should.  It's even easier to judge others and give up on them.  Jesus didn't give up on the prostitute, the murderer, the criminal, the infected or the possessed.  He went to them day after day and loved them.  He saved them and through the generations, He has saved more.  This world can make you believe there isn't any good but there totally is; His name is Jesus!

I encourage you not to give up on the lost or those that are difficult to love.  Be there for them, pray for them but don't think that they are going to change overnight.  Believe that God has called you to love them and ask God continually to help you love them the way He does.  We only have one chance to get this life right and although we will stumble, I know God can right our paths and make us women that know and love Him.  I will never be perfect but I can always seek Christ and through my heart, He can change you and me.

I won't give up on my son or on his basketball team this season either.  They may lose every game but I believe that each game they play will help them learn to give God the glory.  If everyone gave up on the weak, there would be no reason to preach that Christ is King.  As we near next week please keep this important thing in mind, Christ came and was born to save the world and whoever chooses Him will have eternal life.  Our bodies begin to die the minute we are born, let's make the most of the time we have and make Him known!

Psalm 1:6 NKJV:

    For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

John 14:1-4  NKJV:

     "Let not your heart be troubles; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  And where I go you know, and the way you know."

My prayer today:

O, Lord, man gives up so easily.  They would rather be right than to invest in the brokenness of this world.  I don't want to be a person that judges; I want to be a person that loves.  And through my love, I want people to see You.  Every corner I turn and every street I walk, I want people to know that You love them, that You are there for them and that You never give up.  I once walked a lonely path with no end in sight.  It was dark and lonely and then You brought someone into my life that gave me hope, took me to an evangelist meeting and fast forward to today; I'm Yours.  I write not because it's convenient.  I write because You have written women on my heart.  I come before You today asking that You will unite our countries and our towns and that women will hear Your call.  We must pray for those that are lost and not loved.  We must sing to the rooftops that Jesus is Lord.  Your time is coming, a time to remember and although we don't know the day or hour, help us to be with You, speaking Your word and loving Your people.  I am honored to serve You and my prayer is that millions will come to know You all over the world.  In Jesus name, AMEN

Until tomorrow...

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