On The Big Ten...

Yesterday's sermon was a good one. We are having a series on the Ten Commandments and are on the 6th commandment, Exodus 20:12,“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

Oh how I wish my eyes and ears were opened to The Word when I was young so that I could have really seen my father in different eyes and gave him honor and obedience when I was young.

Growing up I was scared of him, he yelled and said a lot of things that were hurtful to me, but I had it coming since I was living life without any cares and doing things I wanted rather than heeding any instruction at all. Things were never my fault, always everyone elses.

Back then I didn't know that he was only trying to help me and in the best way he knew how. I ave learned that parents really do the best from what they know, and if it isn't up to our standards we are to forgive them and honor and respect them anyway.

Now that I know differently and wish I would have listened to my father when I had the time to do so and could have made my life a lot easier. I didn't know what he meant by a lot of things he said and now I wish I would have felt compelled to ask him to explain what he wanted to tell me. I know what he was trying to say was much different than what I thought I heard.

The pastor shared this with us,

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished by how much he'd learned in seven years.” - Mark Twain

I wrote this one down as I completely related to it. It made me realize that all this time I thought my dad had changed when in fact it was mostly me who changed. I grew up and became wiser.

Sure my dad did change - he stopped drinking and wasn't as mouthy or mean as he was when I was 13  - he became gentile and caring. I thought it was he who grew this way but I can see it goes both ways. I know in my heart that he held high hopes for me and expectations as any father does. It was only until I got older that I understood all along that he was instructing me to be different. I just didn't listen. I had to live the hard way and find out for myself.

I am so appreciative that I had time before my dad passed on to reconcile with him. To show him that I honored and respected him. I am very lucky where others are not.

So I am a slow learner here...but I am learning and I am loving learning whenever I can! I just wish it didn't hurt anyone in the process. I am so thankful for the living Word that speaks to me and for the Holy Spirit that was given to me through Christ.

Gearing Up

So I read James 1 5-8 from The Message and find that I am truly inspired yet again by the  living Word of God. 

"If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open."

It really speaks to me. It is a clear reminder of God's instruction to not be wishy washy. If we don't act like we believe we certainly aren't believing. In reading this I am convicted as I know I worry a lot in my prayers. Instead of letting my Amen be said, I have continued to spend time worrying about the very thing I am praying about even after I have just prayed! No wonder why it takes so long for my prayers to be answered! God waits on me to believe.

There are many prayers in my life right now that I have no doubt and am bold in belief, so why do I struggle with others?

This is the battlefield. Time to go back to The Book and gear up.

Proverbs, a word from the wise.

I am always sorrowed when I hear so many speak of others with hurtful judgment, especially those within their own family. In the Church we are all taught to love and forgive, so when did these teachings stop? Christ associated himself with people from all walks of life. He knew that we are all equally sinners and no one was any better than another.

 

I admit that it seems easier to follow the path of the enemy and cast stones than it is to be loving to strangers and purposefully help show them a different way, but I also know that is what the enemy wants. He wants us to go the easy route, the route that seems right when in fact it is wrong. He tricks us many times again, when all we need to do is practice love. Who better to practice than Jesus himself?

 

Over the past few years I have learned that there are many times in the Bible that God had forgave the Israelites time and time again, but it got to a point where they no longer listened or heeded his fore warnings that he had no choice but to stop forgiving them.

 

I don't want to get to that point in my own life - the point of not being able to forgive. So I pray that I will only be refined when there is trouble in my family no matter who the terrible judgments and gossip are pointed at. I also pray that those who feel compelled to judge others would become refined in the process of doing so. I don't know how but know that God is always working with his children in His own will, His own plan.

 

Proverbs is a wise book of the Bible and offers so much advice...in fact here are just a couple verses I received through email that happened to be the verse of the day when things were getting pretty tough in life this past week. Imagine how awesome it is to know that God is there when he knows I need it most!

 

He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.

~Proverbs 11:29

Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
~ Proverbs 26:20

 

No matter what may come from any direction, I will do my best to keep the Word close to my heart to know that the things I am going through are not things I will go through alone and that there is purpose for what is happening in my life. I pray for those who have feasted upon evil thoughts and things that entertain their minds would allow Christ to enter their hearts instead.