Thursday, July 22, 2010

Epiphany!

I have been writing for quite awhile about pastors preaching messages that have led people out of the will of God, whether intentional or not. I was angry and made it my point to make some changes based on my own experiences and what I studied in the Word that was much different than what was taught to me. Then this morning I got up and realized something that I taught my children and no doubt have said in conversation and have counseled to my clients and it wasn't right. Even knowing only apart of the truth, wasn't the whole truth so deception could be used through the process of elimination, assumption, and deduction. I had to make this wrong right.

I believed that if we try to escape from a situation that is not favorable, then we will eventually be met with the same situation again because we had not learned from our mistakes. For instance, if Job continually behaved in such a way where his punishment for the behavior was him being out in the field scraping his sores with chard and contemplating why he was born, without change he was going to be out in the field again. I thought this to be true with those who dated out of pity or believing no one else would understand the person but you. Then maturing you realize you made the biggest mistake of your life because pity is how the he/she got along in life and you fell for it too. Should you run or teach the person a lesson so not to do this with anyone else?

If you ran, I believed the situation would be incomplete and something you would face again because you could be tricked again. Running would be conducive to fear. God would not be pleased with this sort of action. But then, isn't that what Joseph did when Potiphar's wife began to seduce him? Would God have been more pleased if he sat down and tried to reason with her? You know, quote scripture to convince her of her evil ways? Would she be less attracted to him and not try to seduce him again any other young man? Why contemplate? Just run!!!

I write this because Solomon wrote that there is nothing new under the sun and I believe that someone else might have an epiphany as well but not be thoroughly convinced that there are others like you who thought the same thing. If you realize that you have a weakness in a certain thing, know that there are others who can pick up on that and will take advantage. There are predators who wait for timid people who won't speak up themselves for a reason. Pimps at bus terminals wait for the runaways for a reason. Drugs are given away free to newbies for a reason. Older men marry very young girls for a reason. You see, the weakness here is not knowing. It is witten those who don't know perish. You won't repeat the same mistake if you run. Running isn't necessarily operating in fear but in many cases it is using Wisdom and keeping Peace.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Tighten It Up!

It is a phrase that is used when there is too much slack in a particular thing. I also use this term when telling my youngest son to clean his room. In this blog excerpt, I am using this term in that very manner. It's over due for Spring Cleaning.

Some people do this every season. It is why you see when the garbage truck comes around some have more junk at the curb then others. Then you have those who can find a use for everything they have whether it is broken up or just so old no one else can see a use for it. When the revelation knowledge comes for them to give up some things then there is a pityful garage sale a little too late. No one can use certain technological products that are obsolete. It's a waste of time having a garage sale when you waited too long to get rid of stuff.

Personally, I look at my closet that can get stuffed from time to time. I like to keep certain garments just to see if I can still get into them after so many years. But when they get too big and its been more than three years, I see no purpose in keeping them. I purchase mostly classical pieces that can stay in style for a longer length of time and are a blessing to those who can recieve them.

Spiritually though, it takes that time with the Lord in being quiet and hearing what He says (1 Kings 19:12 KJV). Then after that hearing, we are suppose to act on what we heard (Romans 10:17 NIV). Whether it is not to talk so much, use the talents you have instead of getting a second job, or clearing stuff off of your desk, closet, or house. It's the smallest of things to do and you would be surprised at how much more clearly one can think when those things are cleared away.

I have been watching a few shows about Hoarders and how they behave or what made them hoarders to begin with. Many times it was something traumatic that made them react in such a way. Your trauma may not be as horrific as someone else's and yet the reaction can be the same - or can it? Does hoarding happen all at once? Some became hoarders because of how they lived as children. But I believe once you establish a home of your own, you make certain decisions and maintain them. For the most part, it is a mental disease and has to be treated as such.

Spiritually; however, there are those who have attachments to things and have kept them within, thinking no one will know or see those things but them. You would be wrong. God sees the hearts of men and if He is the greater one living on the inside of others (1 John 4:4 KJV), they see it too. Not to forget that the truth always comes to light (Luke 12:2 KJV). So that which you believe is secret, when angry or reacting in some other emotion, that which is hoarded on the inside will be blurted right out. How does one clean that up when it has been exposed for all to see?

When Mel Gibson left his first wife with all of those children. I felt sorry for her that he would do such a thing when she had been with him all of that time. I even thought he was more attractive that he had so many children with the same woman and decided to stay with her for all of those years. Then when creating The Passion of Christ, he just reached another level of suave and debonair. Alright, he got drunk and said some things. It wasn't his best moment, but still - he created the movie about Jesus! Wow - right? Then this week his second wife released some audio tape of him going on and on about how he was really feeling about her. It was hateful, demeaning, and it exposed what he had been harboring about certain people for a long time. She had heard all of this before or her reaction would have been much different. What had his first wife been through for all of those years? I no longer felt sorry for her but could actually envision her dance of relief and utter joy that he finally left her for someone else. Mel Gibson's career after the inward appearance of his heart has been exposed to all? Its pretty obvious - isn't it?

It is a good example for us as Christians to keep a vigilant watch over our selves and those God would have us get up in the wee hours of the morning to pray for (Ephesians 6:18 AMP). Having unforgiveness in our hearts about a matter or person will lead to a lack in some other place in our lives (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV). It will start off very subtle and before you know it because you got use to it, it has become a mountain (Mark 11:23 KJV). Naturally we tend to view (think, ponder, speak, hash and rehash) the problem more then the solution. This practice is magnifying the situation we would rather get rid of. God is the All Mighty not the situation.

Oprah had a hoarder on her show. She was a mother of three grown children. She knew that the problem started when her children were leaving the home to establish lives of their own. So she began purchasing and collecting things to fill her empty nest. Her husband remained quiet. He just believed her shopping was making his wife happy and he allowed for the clutter to overwhelm him, her and their home. When she was ready to receive the help that she needed and finally relinguished her hold on all of the stuff, the therapist gathered and sorted through the mounds and mounds of things and categorized them in a warehouse for her to see. The family including her, marveled at how much she packed into a three bedroom, three garage home. The warehouse was the size of a football field. Then while she was coming down from the horrific sight, they walked over to another large room that the therapist covered with a curtain. He revealed all of the appliances and televisions that couldn't fit in the warehouse. The entire family began to cry.

Why does it have to get to that point? Why do we have to get so angry that all of the suppressed rage comes out to where families are destroyed, feelings are hurt, and relationships are damaged beyond repair. Wait... look at those descriptive words. Destroyed...hurt... and damaged. Who does that (John 10:10 KJV)? What would you have to do with him? Is he your friend? Does he give you comfort? Who are you listening to? Who haven't you forgiven? When did you stop watching? Why aren't you vigilant anymore (1 Peter 5:8 AMP)? When did you slack up on your responsibilities? What is it going to take?

Do you see your mess now? Are there some things that you can let go of? Do you see the purpose of blessing those who spitefully use you? Now can you pick up the slack and really tighten it up this time.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Insignificance

My job furnishes me with a 2 bedroom apartment for which I am grateful. The necessities that one requires to make their haven safe has been amply supplied by little to hardly any expense from me. Truely a blessing from the Lord. However, what I find that most of us, if not all, have been guilty of is the complacent of the blessing over a given period of time. If there be the least of things that comes against the initial comfort, do we consider it a test or is the first thing spoken a complaint? Has any of us ever believed that we would have been far more grateful for what God did if we were in the shoes of the children of Israel?

I was sitting at my dining table that I did not buy but was given to me and across the table slithering between the fabric and the wood of the chair was a small worm looking thing. If nothing else was creepy and trying to find a shadow. I know I couldn't catch it to kill before slithering into another crevice. That sight detoured me from using the dining set for awhile. I prayed and forced myself to believe it was gone in the name of Jesus; though I asked over and over where did it come from? Later a thought came to mind that the people who gave me the set had a dog. The dog brought some parasite from outside ... well, know that the thought was creepier than the worm and without rebuking it with the Word (extinguishing the fiery dart)(Ephesians 6:16 KJV), I just stayed away from using the dining table for awhile allowing my faith filled prayers to take effect.

It took some time before I could believe the angels were sent from heaven (as if having nothing else better to do) to crush that creepy worm - yes, angels sent to crush the worm. I began to use the dining table again, not only to eat but write, draw, read, and study. Just then I happened to look from my materials and to the right at the front door, looking down at the carpet and where one of my runners were placed, came that same looking tiny creepy worm out of the lit hallway and into my hall closet. Trying not to do the mental creepy dance, I also didn't know how to kill what was staying so low and close into the fibers of the carpet. I prayed some more and kept from the hall closet for awhile.

During that time where I abstained from a portion of my apartment, my job was going through some changes that were, if nothing else, annoying. After one, it really didn't matter so much, then came another and another, After it got to 5 or 6, I had started believing the complaints of co-workers and those living within the community. I had in as much rallied along the band wagon.

Annoyed, frustrated, and seemingly couldn't stop myself from fussing, I forgot all about that worm. I got up in the wee hours of the morning, comfortable enough not to wear shoes or slippers when getting out of bed momentarily to use the bathroom. I flicked on the lights to use the facilities and there was that worm slithering from one area rug and out the door in the hall were it was dark. I would have stomped on it, but I wasn't wearing slippers or shoes, so I prayed for its annihilation trying not to do the creepy dance while going back to bed. Sleep didn't return for the thoughts of slither troubled me. I laid there looking at my bedroom doorway; oddly enough.

The next morning I saw an ant. Completely prepared with shoes on, I stomped on it so hard thinking that it was a baby worm, that when I lifted my foot there was no evidence of it. The morning after that I saw the worm again weaving in and out of the area rug trying to get to the hallway. I crushed it not giving it any opportunity in being hidden under any shadows....

And then I heard the voice of the Lord reminding me of His Word:

First, He reminded me not to forget Him when I received houses that I did not build (Deuteronomy 6:10-12 KJV). When we complain, essentially that is what we are doing (Philippians 2:14 KJV). How dare I? With all that we have been blessed with, any sort of discomfort should cause us to question within ourselves if we did anything to cause it or gave place to the enemy. Would that it could be a test of endurance allowing patience to have her perfect work? Is your faith so small that you would not think you caused the discomfort on yourself?

Second, God told us that we would be astonished at the insignificance of the size of the enemy. Why wouldn't I have seen that tiny creepy thing as being a warning to what is to come? Those annoying changes on my job. Had I remembered the insignificance of it and not fed into the creepiness, I would have also recalled the Word and stayed in Peace when the changes tried to occur.

Finally, I wasn't prepared for its true anihillation the first time, the second time, or the third time though I prayed and God heard me. I was concentrating so not to be creeped about the thing. When I put my shoes on, I could do what God gave me the ability to do (Ephesians 6:10-18 KJV). What about you?