relationship

I have been thinking about relationships lately. At a bible study the leader talked about having coffee with your neighbors to get to know them, and then some time later starting a bible study in your home. I thought about this, and it is exactly like the approach MLM uses. You get to know people just so you can get them to buy into your company. I do not like this approach at all, and it is not what Jesus did. He loved people, and got to know them because he cared about them. It did not matter if they would eventually kill him or not.

My oldest went to youth group with a friend the other night. I asked her what she thought. She said that she did not agree with all the pastor said. I asked what she did not agree with. She said that he said that they should have many friends so they could build you up. She said that this seemed selfish to her. She does not only want friends to build her up. She wants relationship with her friends, and to build them up as well. She also said that it is hard to maintain friendships, and she does not want to have many friends. She feels that a few good friends is better than a multitude of friends. I agree with her, and think she is not the right track. I am so glad that God has put other adults in her life who agree with her and will also encourage her.

It is important to build up and help our youth. They have a tough life.

The Final Quest

I read the book The Final Quest by Rick Joyner some time ago, and for some reason it comes back to my thoughts several times. It was mentioned in passing by a friend the other day, and I started to think about it again.

When I read it I thought I want to be an Eagle. I want to be one of those who has seen God and then encourage others. I do not want to fight for what I believe. I want to encourage others.

I had a dream about this same time where me and several friends went up to this meeting. One friend meant us there. He opened a door, but did not go through the door with us. In the door was utter darkness. We went through the darkness, and came into a room. In the middle of the room was an apple tree. There was a friend at the tree. One of my friends went to her, and showed her into the corner. I do not know what was in the corner. I saw another friend go to the other side of the room. There was bins with several different types of fruit in them. I followed her. I now believe this was us going to meet with God. God showed us part of who he was. Some of my friends saw different parts of God, but they still saw God.

As I was thinking of The Final Quest today, I came to the conclusion that this is not about a future war, but about the battle that has been waging since the resurrection of Christ. Believers have always fought each other. I pray that more and more believes make it to the throne room so that the battle can stop. I was watching CSI Miami, and a woman told Horacio "My plan is to sit back and watch as the world changes forever." This has become my plan. I want to sit back and watch as God changes the world forever.

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.' I pray for God's kingdom to come down to Earth more and more. I believe it is already here in each one of us. I want to see it here in ever human who lives on the face of the earth.

Can you love if you are afraid?

I have been asking myself this question after listening to a podcast at Emergent Village link. I do not think you can.

In 1 John it says, 'There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.' I think that this is what the Israelite's faced when they saw God at Mt Sinai. They were afraid, and so they could not love God. They got the law which told them how to love God, but it is impossible to love God when we are afraid. Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you. do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear." When we are worrying we are afraid of what will come. When we are afraid of what will come we are not looking around us. We are looking to the future. I have come to the conclusion that nothing that happens to me can be that bad because I have God with me. With God I can walk through anything!! This helps me to enjoy my life more, and to enjoy the people around me more. It does not matter what they think of me. I have God, and he is enough.

I have only come to this understanding by allowing Christ to change me into his image. I tried to live in the moment by myself, but I could not do it in my own power. I think this is where the children of Israel were. Christ had not died for them yet, and so they did not have the power that we have today. They found that they could not follow the law in their own power. Just as we can not live the life that God has called us to live in our own power. It only comes from surrendering ourselves to the Spirit and allowing Him to change us into the image of Christ. This change does not always happen over night, and it is never 100% easy, but as we put on the yoke of our Lord we find that life is much more fun, and easier than it ever was before.

No matter what happens to me I know that I can walk through it with my Lord. This makes life worth living.

The Law

I have been reading through the law. As I read through it I wonder "What is this there for?"

I have come to the conclusion that the law is there to show us how we are to live with God and man. It is there for those who do not have a relationship with Christ. Christ in us helps us to learn how we are to love others. I have found that it is much easier to allow Christ to change me than to follow the law. I can not follow the law by myself, but as Christ changes me I am able to love God and others better than I ever have in the past.

I thank God for all that he has done in me, and all that he has changed in me.

salt

Lev 2:13 says "Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings."

This made me think. What was Jesus really saying when he said, "you are the salt of the Earth." Then I found Mk 9:50 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."

The salt in our lives brings peace. How can we live in peace? I know from experience it does not work in our own effort. We can try all we want, but eventually we will get frustrated and blow up at everyone around us. I finally found my peace when I learned that everything that happens is in God's plan. Even the bad is in God's plans. I know this is not popular, but how can I be at peace if I feel that when bad things happen it is the enemy beating me in battle. When I feel that if things are bad I need to do something to make the bad stop. Instead of trying to stop the bad I now say to myself, "God knows what is happening, and I know that He has it all in his control." When I realize that God has all of this in his control I do not have to worry about it anymore. I can live in peace, and trust God to bring things around for good.

I am not saying that we just set back and do nothing. This is stupidity. We live our lives doing what we feel God has called us to do. We live our lives at peace with our brothers and sisters. We live in peace with the Earth. This can only happen when we live in relationship with God and men. Jesus came so we can have a relationship with God. He has made a way for the whole world to live in peace. I for one want to enjoy that peace, and I do have peace now.

There are days that I need to remind myself that God is in control. I praise God for His peace.

i have been thinking more and more about the promised land of freedom. Christ promised freedom to all who would follow him, but i did not see this freedom growing up in the church. all i saw was rules and regulations. a list of does and don'ts. i was told if you did not do certain things you would go to hell. there was not freedom. i see this more and more in my mom. she is worried about many things. she can not give others the freedom to be them selves because she is too worried about their eternal soul.

i am so glad that God has taken me out of this trap and given me freedom. i have the freedom to allow Him to work in the lives of those around me, because i know that He is the only one who can bring the true freedom in them. i have the freedom to watch my children grow up int lovely ladies. i am amazed at their wisdom and sometimes at the exuberance of youth.

i have the freedom to love those around me without trying to change them. i can love them for who they are, and watch as God brings them into what He has for them. it is fun to watch. i love seeing his work in the lives of others. it proves to me again and again that his ways are so much better than my ways. i hear things come out of the mouths of others that causes me to stop and think. things that shape my whole world.

i am so glad that God has helped me to come out of the trap i was raised in. i can not live in the freedom of relationship with both God and man. 'the truth will set you free.'

God cares about all of us

i was reading through one of the many lists of names in the bible. as i read it tough, 'why are all of these names here. these people are long gone, and nobody really remembers them or what their lives were like.' then it struck me, God remembers. He remembers each and every one of them. He listed these names as a way of saying, i care for each and every one of you. i remember you, and will remember every one of my sons and daughters. it was so encouraging and comforting. God is so good.

God loves us so much. it is so cool how much He cares for us.