I Am His and He Is Mine

Mush alert:  Do not read this if you are not into love filled sentiment.

I hear many people tell me that there are few good men left in the world.  I beg to differ, because I am married to the best of them. For twelve years today I have been blessed to be married to my husband and the more years we spend together the more I come to realise that what we have is a precious gift which must be cherished.

Before we were married, 1999. (19 years old, we were married at 20)

When I reflect on our twelve years, it astounds me to see where we have been and it gives me much hope for the future.  Here are the top twelve things I love about my husband:

When he looks at me in 'that' way, my heart still skips a beat.

When he smiles, you simply must join in and when he laughs you know that it is him (no one else has that laugh).

He makes me coffee every morning and delivers it with love.

He can massage like a professional. (But only me of course)

He is never afraid to show that he loves in in private or public.

He is the best father and works hard to keep our family.

He loves God and this just makes me love him more.

When his arms are wrapped around me, I know everything is just going to be OK.

He knows how to have fun and how to relax, and helps me to do both.

He loves to read and we can sit together and do so for hours on end.

He will offer to do something to help me, even when he has no idea how to do it.

He tells me he loves me many times a day.

I love you Don, may the next 12 years be filled and overflowing with what we already have and more. xx

 

32 years old and more in love than the day we married. 

The Lion's Promise

I woke up feeling defeated today.  Small things are getting to me,things that don't usually bother me-housework, people's attitudes, the heat.  All of it is simply surface stuff, not the root of the problem, but it all compounds how I feel.  I sometimes feel like when I have no control over one part of my life the rest crumbles as well. For the last few weeks I have felt abandoned by the God of miracles, like my prayers are bouncing off a glass ceiling, but I still keep praying anyway and they echo in the space around me; reverberating my head and heart. And so today I went to church and was hurt by what some said there because of my fragile heart.  Is it their fault?  No, they are not to blame for my state of heart. 

So as I wrestled with God this Sunday he showed me what was hiding in my heart, weakening my defenses and causing the light to dim within me. 

While watching Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian, God spoke to me through these words. Lucy is speaking to Aslan in the movie and as she did it was my words she spoke.

Why wouldn't you show yourself? (Me: Why don't you show others your power and your love for us)

 
Why couldn't you come roaring in
and save us like last time?
(Me: You have saved Sam before why do you now stay your hand and make us endure more suffering?) 
Things never happen
the same way twice, dear one.
 
If I'd have come earlier, would everyone
who died... could I have stopped that?
(Me: What could I have done that would have stopped Sam having to have more surgery?)
 
We can never know
what would have happened, Lucy.
 
But what will happen
is another matter entirely.
 
- You mean you'll help?
- Of course.
 
- As will you.
- Oh, I wish I was braver.
 
If you were any braver,
you'd be a lioness.

I have been angry at God, because I know He has the ability, and the power to swoop in and save the day.  I HAVE SEEN HIM DO IT. 

And yet, today He speaks to me in this messy place I find myself, to tell me that 'things do not happen the same way twice', and in saying so He gives me hope.  The light within me though flickering, is growing in intesity.  For in His words there is a promise for the fight ahead of us.  I can tell you now that I don't feel like a lioness, and I wish I was braver.  But I know who fights for us, and I trust him no matter how furious I may be.  God will take my fury and use it for His glory and my good.  Because if I am angry it means I have not given up the fight.

If you are looking for the calm resolution in this post you will not find it.  My angry fighting heart remains, though God is taking it and re-moulding it for His purposes.

Sin is Something We Didn't Do

I did not grow up as a Christian. I think I knew God in my own way and I even talked to him at times, but I didn't follow Jesus.

Sin was something that was easy for me to understand. If we did something wrong it was sin. At least that is what I thought. So if I steered clear of all of the 'naughty' things, then I was a good person. For me life would be good and I would not have to worry about God, because all good people go to Heaven, right? That is how I lived, and I believe most people still do live each day.

I was saved by Jesus when I was 16 and was healed of ongoing illness at the same time.  But that is a story for another day.  Fast forward a few years later and I was married with kids.   I was a good person. I looked after my family. I earned my living. I gave to those who needed it. I was keen to help out. In the eyes of those around me, I must have looked alright. I must admit I was quite content to live my life in this way for a great many years, until my heart started to question some things.

You see I wasn't always good. In fact at times I was downright rude and disrespectful. I thought things about people that I knew I shouldn't. I said and did things that I knew were not right. I had given my life to Jesus years before and then taken it back again, essentially proclaiming that I could do it better. The way I was living spoke spades, ‘Thanks for the salvation, but I can take it from here!’ Somewhere along the line I had stopped believing that I needed Jesus, or perhaps that I knew enough of Him, and if I got any closer I would become one of those freaky religious people.  So it got me to thinking if God would allow me into Heaven being the basically 'good' person that I am, why would he send others to hell? Does he have a scale of one to ten that he uses to measure us on? "Hmmm she only stole some paper from the school supplies when she was 9 and called her Father a Son of a Bi#*h, thirteen times. She can still come in. But that fella over there he crashed into and killed a family of 5, send him into the darkness."

No way, that is not how God works and that is not how sin keeps us out of Heaven and separated from God, even now.

'The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.' (John 16:9-11)

What keeps us separated from God and bound for a very unpleasant place for eternity is not something we have already done, but what we have not done!

Jesus spoke the words above just before he was killed on the cross. He was saying that if we will believe in Him, we would be forgiven by God. Righteousness simply means we can stand blameless, untainted, and clean in front of God. So not only do we get the unbelievable opportunity of a repaired relationship with God, but we also get to avoid his wrath. You see there has to be punishment for sin, because otherwise Heaven would not be Heaven. There would be no peace, no happiness, complete health and well-being in a place that contains sin.

I didn't get it for so many years. I thought you had to do everything just right to be a Christian. Because Christians are holier than thou, and live perfect lives, free of mistakes and live a life that is challenge free. I could not have been more wrong. And I am so glad I was wrong.

I don't know if you have thought about sin this way before, but it was really on my heart to share. If Jesus didn't die, then I would have. There would have been no way open to me to have a better life. Our life here is so short, and we are all given a choice in that time.

I am a good Mum. I love my husband. I like to help others. I think I am a good friend. I like to listen to and encourage people. Yet none of it saved me. Jesus did. Because one day I came to realise that there was more to life than what I saw with my eyes, and that I couldn’t live (in every sense of the word) without Him. I am so glad that I realised that when I did.

Learning to Run

I love that God and I have this thing called a relationship.  I love that He gave me free will and the ability to choose.  I love that he chooses to love me despite all of my failings.  He is giving me a new idea of what it means to relate to Him in living this thing called life here on earth.

You know the account in the bible when Jonathan and and his armor bearer defeat the army on the steep incline?  You can read it here.  Our move to Longreach has been very much like that battle.  We felt moved to apply for the job in Longreach and we prayed if God wanted Don to have it, He would have it quickly.  It took two days. Then we began to wait to find someone to rent out home here in Victoria and we just didn't feel at peace.  So we asked God, "Do you want us to go now?"  No answer.  Through His word God began to show us that we need to have more faith.  So we decided to throw it all on the line and just go.  If he wanted us to go her would make it happen.  If it didn't we would stay. 

By risking it all, God took our small measure of faith and ran with it.  And we have come to this rather new revelation that God wants us to relate with Him in this way.  Sometimes we need to wait for explicit direction and other times we need to act in faith and then look to Him for confirmation.  Just as God honoured Jonathan's faith, so too will He honour ours.


Doesn't that just blow your mind?  That God in all of His majesty would listen to our ideas, and our desires, because He loves us.  Not only that but just like a proud Dad, He waits for us to stretch our spiritual legs of faith and take those first wobbly steps, encouraging us all the way. "C'mon, you can do it.  Wooohooo!  Look at my little girl go.  Did you see her everyone, did you see how she trusted me to let go and walk?"

"Yeah, watch me walk Daddy.  I can't wait for you to teach me to run!"

A Cup of Fresh Water

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.(Romans 12:2)

It's a simple truth isn't it?  One that we have heard many times.

Recently my five year old son Jack and I have had many discussions around this truth.  Let me give you an example.  There was a movie that Jack really wanted to watch.  The conversation went like this

But I really want to watch _______. 

Why do you want to watch it?

Everyone else at school is allowed to watch it.  Why can't I?

I'm sure you've all heard this one before.  I have even tried it myself with God a few times. 

This is how our discussion ended

Do you think Holy Spirit would be happy if you watched it?  Have you asked God?

No, He wouldn't like it. 

Why do you think He wouldn't like it?

It would give me bad dreams.  Like that other one did.

So it's not that I won't let you watch it, but that you need to make the right choice to show God how wise you are.  In the bible He tells us that we need to guard what we see, hear and think.  Other wise we take things in that might hurt us. So really when you think about it, those other boys at school are the silly ones for watching things that might give them bad dreams.  I guess it's up to you to choose whether you really want to watch those things or not.

Silence

Yeah, I don't want to.  There's heaps of other things to watch.  I feel better now. 

I think you've made a clever choice, you must be growing up.  Let's think about what else you can watch.

So much of what we allow into our hearts and minds hinders the work that God is doing in our lives.  In going through things like this with my family, it reminds me to be vigilant with my own mind and heart.    I am not talking about cutting myself off from the world and entertainment, but being wise in my choices.  We are given Holy Spirit as a guide, and we must if we profess to know Jesus, take his advice in all we do- in the bookstore, in the video shop, surfing the net, watching TV, in our conversations. 

Think of it like a drinking fountain.  If you want to drink of clean fresh water, you don't pollute up the water do you?  I want my life to be a tap for God's living water.  When someone comes to me thirsty I don't want to hand them a cup of mud, but a refreshing drink that will leave them feeling loved and revitalised. 
. 

This week has been a reminder to me to clean out the filter on my rainwater tank.  When was the last time you checked yours?

Dining With The King

Mephibosheth-Exterminator of shame

In the bible Mephibosheth is the son of Jonathan, King Saul's son, Prince of Israel.  When Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle and David rose to assume the throne in Israel, it was customary to slay all of the heirs to the throne.  This meant that David had the ability to kill Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, to protect his rule. 

David and Jonathan were friends with bonds akin to brothers.  Their friendship was absolute, both loved God, and both were honourable men.  David swore to look after Jonathan's family in the event of his death, and David kept his oath, even at the protest of some of his advisors.  He accepted Mephibosheth into his family and he became one of King David's sons, eating and communing with the king.  When Mephibosheth was condemned to death by his circumstance, David saved him. I love this history because it shows the absolute grace and mercy that God has for his children. It is a foretaste of what Christ would do for us on the cross.

Does this sound familiar to you?

God made a promise many years ago now, to provide a way for everyone to be made right with him.  While we were condemned by our circumstances, weighing heavy under sin and lost, God invited us to his home.  He keeps his word, and makes a way for us to become son's and daughters of the King.  We are now able to eat at his table, and are reunited in relationship with Him.  There is no condemnation for those who know Jesus. Even though we were destined for death, God showed us mercy and grace, that is beyond our comprehension.  We won't ever understand it with our minds but we know it in our hearts.

Often when the story of Mephibosheth is spoken about, the focus in is on his disability and injury.  God has shown me that there is much more to glean from this story.  I love that Mephibosheth's name means 'the exterminator of shame'.  God took his shame, and brought him to dwell with the king, and live a life of great privilege.  He was redeemed by David.

How much greater is our redemption that we have the opportunity to be kids of the King; our God who's kingdom will never end!

Mary and Me

I have read a book this week that has challenged me and encouraged me in so many ways.  The book is 5 novellas in the one book, all about different women of the bible.  The one that greatly spoke to me was about Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

Mary was given a great honour, but with that great honour came a life of unimaginable faith.  Mary was given a great promise from God.

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.  And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”(Luke 1:29-33)

Mary was given a  choice, to agree to God's great plan or to remain in unbelief.

I too was given a great honour by God in bearing my children.  No, they are not Jesus, but I will train them up in His way.  I too was given a choice.  Do I choose life for Sam or do I choose not to believe, and go my own way. I too was asked to believe God's promise for Sam

'Sam will live and have life in abundance.  He will tell the nations of my healing power.'

Mary remained faithful to God even when it meant she would be rejected. Mary was scorned by those she loved, and the community around her, even some who were close to her for believing in God's promise to her.  They did not believe that she had been visited by an angel and carried the Son of God.

I too was condemned by those that thought Sam's life would count as naught.  That it would have been more merciful and less painful to let him die.

During her pregnancy and after Jesus birth Mary was miraculously protected by God and covered by His favour, because she lived in faith and blessing.

I too have seen and tasted of God's saving power and desire to live in the shadow of the Almighty.  There is no life outside of Him.

Mary watched in awe as Jesus taught those around Him about the Kingdom of God, from a young age.

I too marvel at how much God speaks to and reveals to my children.

Mary had to let her son go and do His Father's work. 

We too are called to surrender our children to God and He will guide all of their ways. 

Mary had to endure watching those around her mock and ridicule Jesus for His life and His ways.  She too was mocked and cast aside for her unwavering faith in God's promises.

I too have watched as friends and family have pulled away, as they try to comprehend with their minds the truth of God's promises.  God's promises are not discerned with the mind, they are understood by the heart. I know the words which they speak, but choose to believe God's promise for Sam.

Mary looked on as Jesus suffered and was killed, still not understanding the magnitude of God's unfolding plan.

I too must trust that despite Sam's surgeries and procedures that God's plan is perfect and that all things work together for the good of those that love Him.

Mary grieved for the pain she saw her Son endure, but also for the apparent dissolution of God's promise to her, as she witnessed Jesus die.

I too have grieved that the time of God's promise has passed.  My heart breaks, and then I am reminded that He works outside of time.

Mary's entire being rejoiced when she saw God's promise fulfilled and Jesus rose to save all men. She saw the fruit of God's plan and she praised God for His faithfulness.  There is no way she could have known that 2000 years on that he would still be drawing hearts to himself, giving eternal life to all who seek Him. 

I too will see the fruit of God's promises in our lives, not only for Sam but for all of our family.  God is faithful, I say this with all assurance. 

Yes when I get to meet Mary face to face and our eyes meet, I will smile with her and rejoice with her as we celebrate what God has done, from the heart of one blessed mother to another.

The book that I have recently read is called A Lineage of Grace, by Francine Rivers

Life In Abundance

God has given us a promise for Sam and his life. The first part of that promise is John 10:10

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.   

His words to us were 'Sam will live and have life in abundance.  He will tell the nations about my healing power.'

In the last few days I have been prompted to study these words more closely and God has been speaking to me about what it means to have life in abundance.  The rich vibrancy of the original Greek language brings a whole new understanding of the words, and clarifies God's promise to us. 

I came that they may have life (egw hlqon ina zwhn ecwsin).

Imagine a thread that is woven throughout the fabric of time,  one that has no beginning and no end.  The thread has always been and always will be.  For a time we were/are separated from the thread of life because we have changed colour and have chosen to move in a different direction.  Sadly our thread will end while the thread of life continues on.  Then by grace alone we are invited back to the the thread of life, just when our end is in sight.  We are invited to be grafted back into the thread of life, to continue to weave a picture that is wrought by the hand of the Creator himself.

'ecwsin' is a present and active word, speaking of the life that Jesus gives.  It is not that Jesus came to give life for a season, He came to bring life that is eternal and perpetual, it will never end.  This passage not only brought hope to those whom heard the words with their own ears, but to every other soul who will accept the words and receive them.  How truly marvelous is the truth that is not bound by time.

And may have it abundantly (kai perisson ecwsin).
Water is a life giver.  I love to bask in the water and feel it swirl and refresh my body and soul.  I wonder if you have ever tried to hold water in your hands.  To bring your hands up through the water and watch as it slips through your fingers.  Our hands cannot possible contain all of the water that surrounds us. 

This is the picture God gives me of the word 'persisson', which means to have surplus and overflow.  The word that follows is 'ecwsin' which  reminds us again that the overflow is continual and will never end.

Life that God pours out into us cannot be contained in our hands but is held in our spirits and overflows to impact and touch the people around us.  God has told us that he has hidden eternity in the Human heart.
...He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end (Ecc 3:11).  This eternity is found in knowing Jesus and the more we know Him, the more abundant that life is. 

I watch my son Sam, and I see God's word fulfilled in his life and ours as well. It is my hearts desire that we would continue to live in the promise that God has given us. 

God spoke to me of this abundance of life when Sam was in ICU with his chest still open, I could clearly see his heart beat.  He reminded me that he chose to use the Doctors hands to work on his heart, but it was his spark of life that sustained Sam's heart and makes it beat.  It is his breath of life that ensures that Sam's days will go on, and it is His son Jesus that guarantees that our lives are eternal and full of abundance.

God continues to speak to me almost daily of his abundance.  To be overflowing with life we must spend time dwelling with the Life Giver.  There is no place that I would rather be. 

Reference: http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/robertsons-word-pictures/john/john-10-10.html

Lemon and Lime, Hold the Bitters

The last few weeks have been monumental.  Don has been continually studying/cramming for the last 7 weeks.  He passed two exams only to fail the third.  The boys and I have been to Qld, where I attended the Word Writers Conference in Brisbane and then had a few days holiday with family.  Since we have arrived home we have been very busy, and the boys and I have had a head/cold/fever.To top it off Centrelink called yesterday to inform us that they were decreasing our payments as they had made a mistake with their calculations. Oh dear.  I am sure that you have days like this, sometimes weeks even, where everything just seems to go pear-shaped.

The world suddenly becomes much to big for it's boots and you feel like you are about to be buried under a pile of rubble. 

Do not despair, God is there.

He has not gone somewhere just because things are not going swimmingly in your life, in fact if anything he is closer than the air your breathe.

Do not allow bitterness to settle in your heart, but let yourself be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom 12:2)

Do not compare yourself and your situation to others around you.  Each of us is on our own unique journey, and though we may encourage and uplift one another, comparing will do you no favours.  People will always be better off than you, people will always be worse off than you.  Your problems are as significant as the next persons and your troubles will not overcome you, if you give them over to God in prayer.

God can take what is broken in your life and turn it around for your good.

Harbouring self pity and bitterness in your heart bind God's ability to help you.  He will not force you to choose him.  He has always given us free will. 

I am not rebuking you today, I am reminding myself and sharing with you in the process.  I will not pretend to be more than I am.  I would be nothing but for the mercy of God.

We know many families going through life changing circumstances and unimaginable heartaches, we know people that are struggling to pay bills, have ongoing depression, some who are watching their kids struggle daily with their health, and some who have lost them this side of heaven.  But I will not take on their burdens or they will crush me.  Only Jesus was designed to carry the weight of the burden of sin.  He did it all on the cross for us so that we would not have to crushed under the weight.  I warn you, as I warn myself, do not harbour disappointment, anger, resentment and offence in your heart.

I will cry with them, I will laugh with them in victory, I will carry them to God in prayer.

'Father God refresh my mind and heal the wound left by bitterness in my heart.  Forgive me.  I love you.  I wait for your joy in the morning.'

Riches Untold

I am abundantly overflowing with treasures.  This weekend I had the delight of spending time with God's girls at a retreat, a place where we just gather to be with God.  It is a rare treat for me.  I let alone have times alone in the shower, never mind a whole day.  It was a day that I just got to 'be' with my Jesus.  In the time we stole away together I have returned with a bounty of heavenly treasures, that I did no know existed until I received them.  I spent time enjoying the presence of my Lord, and my heart soared when he expressed His love for me.  It was a time of great intimacy with God, and also a time of great encouragement and uplifting for the women of God.

The last few months have been very busy for me, I have not lingered in the arms of Jesus, in the way that I desire. God knows.  He knows that I was longing for more time with Him, and this weekend He swept me off of my feet.

I would encourage you to find time, to seek Him out.   To let Him confirm and fill your heart to overflowing with his unending and abundant treasures.

One of the royal treasures He gave me, was to remind me of who I am in His Kingdom.  I say this here not to boast about myself, but to boast about what He had done for me.  Seek Jesus and ask him to reveal who you are to Him.  (I must point out that many of us shared our Kingdom identities over the weekend and not one of them was the same.)  We have a remarkably creative and wonderful God.

My name is Nicole Watson. I am a beautiful and vibrant light in the darkness, welcoming in the spirit, drawing others to God.  I am a solid fortress, a rock, with strong foundations, established in the Word of God.  I am calm in spirit and abounding in faith, teaching and ministering to others, bringing honour to His name. I am His precious one.

As we all shared our true selves, it was as if we were finally seeing each other for who we truly are, it was breathtaking, inspiring, and we gave all glory to God. 

Would you dare to seek Him, and share with me your royal indentity?  I would be pleased to meet you.

Live Like You Mean It

We have moved around much, in our almost 11 years of marriage, nine times to be precise.  It's not that we enjoy moving, it just seems to be the path that God has us walking.  Over time I have had to learn that in order to live with passion, I have to grow deep roots into the community in which I am planted.  I now love forging new relationships, as well as keeping touch with old friends.  I anticipate finding new places to shop for groceries, visit the doctor and get haircuts.  I relish finding new tracks to walk, new neighbours, and places of beauty, in which to unwind and relax.  When I meet new people, I share much of myself, as well as listen in order to get to know others on more than a superficial level.

Here in Yarra Glen, we walk through the park to get to the main street.  The park is a mass of colour and new life this time of the year.  A breathtaking difference from the stark and bare contrast of when we arrived in the Winter months.  The temperature is mild, and so different to the searing heat of QLD.  We walk to the bakery and buy fresh bread, and pass many tourists that wander in an out of the quaint tea rooms, and antique stores that dot our town.  As we walk, we meet all of the people walking their dogs, and there are many!  Every dog requires 5 minutes of petting time, as we no longer have pets of our own.  This provides time to chat to the locals and share our story, and we hear theirs as well.

As I meander and live this new, well watered life, I think of Jesus, and Him living and teaching in the communities he came to.  As I read the gospels, I sometimes envision Jesus sweeping through a community, speaking words of truth, transforming hearts, and then moving on, all in a seemingly short period of time.  Jesus knew the art of immersing yourself in a community.  He spoke in ways that were familiar to the people, He lived with them, He ate with them, and He spoke of things that were beyond the weather.  He held some of them close, and healed them, stopping in the middle of a throng of people and handing out unmeasurable mercy.  And as he moved on, he left something behind, a peace that was unheard of in the world they had known.  An excitement from witnessing the power, that they knew was the Kingdom of God touching earth.

And so I yearn to learn more about the walk of Jesus, in order to know His ways more perfectly.  I will keep living on purpose, and hopefully when I leave, the people will know that there was something different about that woman that walked her children everywhere. I hope that they will notice that the Kingdom of God lives inside this little Yarra mother.

Fellowship

Fellowship -sharing in common, an intimate relationship of internal affinity, and likeness.

When I became a Christian, I inwardly cringed every time someone would use the word fellowship.  It was such a strange and seemingly 'churchy' word, that talked about the warm and fuzzy get togethers that Christians had.  And I was right.......but oh so wrong.

When I first became a Christian, my heart was hardened to all things that seemed religious, including the language.  I felt the language to be exclusive of so many, and I wondered what purpose the words served, if not to divide the church from the outside world.  

As God softened my heart and taught me more about what is means to follow Jesus, much of the critical negativity left.  One by one he has knocked down my defences with love.  The biggest of these hurdles was baptism, the most recent has been fellowship.  

The Greek word for fellowship, Koinonia, is not about religion and exclusion, but rather abundant love and inclusion.   

You see, I discovered it was impossible to have true fellowship, the way God intended unless we are of one accord with Christ.  

As we seek after God's own heart, we are joined together, sharing in common, an intimate relationship, both with God, and each other.  Our purpose and our goals are the same- for Him to be glorified in our lives. 

It is something that I am so grateful for, this wonderful relationship with other believers.  Our relationship goes beyond the weather, the football, sharing recipes and stories.  It digs deeper to the heart issues, the God issues, and the fun stuff too.   

 

One of our opportunities for fellowship, is this wonderful support group every fortnight.

 

Open The Door!

God speaks to me in the most amazing ways.  I am always impressed with his eccentric and meaningful tactics.

While in the midst of the message in church yesterday, a loud and unmistakable voice came from the church foyer, heard well above the Pastor and his message.

"Open the door! 

"Open the dooor!

"Open the doooooor!"

No, it was not the Lord Almighty Himself, but our little boy Sam, who had escaped from Kids' Church and was wanting to be with his Daddy.   We let him in, and all was well, complete with many giggles from our friends in the church.

Although the voice did not boom from heaven, it resonated throughout the very core of my soul, from the very tips of my hair to the bottom of my feet.  God was speaking through my son, directly to me, giving me a message to share with whoever will listen.

HE IS CALLING US NOW, WITH EVER INCREASING URGENCY IN HIS VOICE.  THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO SIT AND LISTEN AND THEN IGNORE.  THIS IS THE TIME TO ACT.  LET HIM IN, SO THAT YOU TOO CAN BE WITH YOUR FATHER FOREVER. 

His voice is not commanding, but urgent, insistent, and full of love.  God will not command you to give your life to him.  He gave you free will, so you would make a choice to love him, and to be with him for life eternal.  Just as Adam and Eve had a choice all those years ago, we are all making a choice with our daily lives.  Do we choose to love God and walk his way, or do we turn our back's and pretend not to hear? 

This is not a warning.  I don't need to warn you.  We all know what happens when life here ceases to go on, our bodies die.  Are you willing to take the gamble with your eternal life, that that is where it ends?  This is a message, not just for those who do not yet know him, but those who sit in church week after week pretending to be Christians, the reality being that they never talk to God outside of the church building.  I am not being harsh and judgemental, but truthful.  We are called to be light, we can not be light if we do not spend time with the Light Himself. 

Too much is happening in the world each day for people not to think about their mortality in some fashion.  So much turmoil and perplexity, disease and natural disaster have this affect on our very human minds. And all the while Jesus is calling:

"Open the door! Let me is so I can show you what love is."

"Open the dooor! Let me in so I can give you life that doesn't end."

"Open the dooooor! Let me in so you can know what life is all about."

The doors to our hearts remain closed to God, until we choose to open them. 

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.(Rev 3:20)

Pruning Hurts

I haven't posted recently, because I haven't felt like I had anything inspiring to share.  Instead I will just share what is going on in our somewhat lively day to day adventures.
True to my usual form I have been trying to plan everything, make lists, and find a new home in a new state, all of which have fallen flat on their face.  At every turn God keeps reminding me that I have to let go, lay it all at his feet and wait.  I am not good at waiting.  I am trying to learn, but God knows I am slow to learn.  Trying to find a home interstate is almost impossible,as rental properties in Victoria need to be viewed before they can be rented.  So while I was desperately trying to find a way around that, God provided a few weeks on campus at the College at the student accommodation, that we will need to pay for, but it will provide opportunity for us to find a home.  One step at a time...you think I would know the rhythm of his pace by now, and still I try to run ahead and do it my own way.  I still have this inbuilt desire to provide stability and a smooth transition for my family which I have to continually relinquish to God.  It is not a simple and easy process but something that must be done many times a day.  There's a whole lot of repenting going on at the moment.  God is pruning away the dead wood, preparing for the new growth in the new season.
The next thing I do is try and plan costs for everything, and as I do I become increasingly frustrated because it doesn't balance out.  I try to see into the future and think about all of the costs and make sure we have enough to cover them.  We don't.  So then I have to give it all back to God and tell him I can't do it.  I need him to be our provision on this path he has us walking.  Empathise with me if you will.  There is at least one budgeter in every family, and God does want us to prepare somewhat, but He does not want us to say'

...“Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. (James 4:13-14)

I cannot plan ahead for what I cannot see.  We will be in Melbourne 18 months or so, and then who knows where.  I can't plan for that, and God doesn't want me too.  Already he is reminding me that he is in control.  We didn't have enough money to complete the move to Melbourne, so God had someone remind me that we can stop the payments on our home, and use that mortgage money now, and we also got a bonus that we weren't expecting.  God is our provider.  This is what I struggle with at the moment.

God has reminded me that it is my job to be a good mummy on the ground now, not to worry about the future.  It is my job to make sure my little boys are OK with this move, that my husband feels supported and that the house is ready to go to it's new owners.

And so the scripture God gave me, his promise, keeps repeating in my head about every 10 minutes:


Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.(Matthew 6:33)

Pruning hurts but already I feel renewed and more prepared to face this new adventure.  I recognize the strong and firm hands of my God, as he gently but resolutely cuts away the dead wood.  It reminds me that he is changing me from day to day into the likeness of Jesus, so all is well with my soul.

If you would like to hear more about the calling that Don and I are embarking on read the post - The Calling

Put On Your Tiara

This post is a little more in depth than my others, but worth the read if you will stay with me :)

You know how it is.  God gives you a scripture and it is burned like a brand upon your heart and mind. I am not talking about a memory verse, but one that has been planted in your spirit by God.  As you go about the day to day, the same words keep coming to you.  You face a challenge or difficulty, and the words literally jump up from your heart and jolt your brain.  That scripture for me for the last 6 months has been Matthew 6:33.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33)

This word from God for me is amazing.  Any time I start to doubt in our future, Sam's healing, our finances, the boy's behaviour,  or my relationships with friends and family, this is God's answer.  It is a rock solid promise and I hold onto it with everything I've got.  When I speak it out loud I feel the fear and insecurity pick up tail and run.  I love that it affirms who God is, and the simplicity of walking in the ways of Jesus.

Today I did some further research into the original meanings of the words before they were translated.  I don't often do this but I was prompted.  What I discovered both delighted me and challenged me.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else...

Seek means to look for; (latin word quaerite)

Kingdom of God means; kingly government, royal authority, kingship and royalty (latin word regnum)

all else means; first (latin word primus)

I always thought seeking the Kingdom of God meant to seek after the things of God.  These words just made the meaning all the more richer. We are to be governed by the King, we are to exercise royal authority and act as royalty to seek God.  This means that when troubles come we don't slink back and hide in a corner, we stand upright, lift our eyes to God and proclaim his government over earth, and over our problems.  We bring the Kingdom down to touch earth!  How awesome is this? I now love latin!  This is where we speak our faith.

...and live righteously...

The latin words here mean to follow all of Gods laws, to walk in His ways (Latin words et iustitiam eius.).  This is where we do our faith.  And remember faith without works is dead (James 2:26)

...and he will give you...

The latin for these words was my favourite discovery.  The word adicientur means to throw, cast to, fling at, put, put to or set near.  I literally had to stop myself laughing to type this.  God is saying speak and live your faith in Me and I will pitch what you need to you with great haste and urgency.  I love this I can almost see God dispatching his angels with great haste to aid his royal children upon the earth.  I also had the very comical picture of Jesus rolling up his sleeve, and pitching his help down to us from Heaven, but that is just my imagination.  I can't help it if God made me weird! :)

...everything you need.

omnia, means all and every, and the words 'you need' come from the latin vobis which is also comical.  It is a rhetorical kind of phrase meaning "Who knows more than you? I do."  This is where God tells us that He knows what we need and he affirms that He is in control.  I love this word and all that is implies. 

I wonder if you have a verse that God has given you for a special season of your life?  Please share if you would like.  I would love to hear from you.  I hope this hasn't been too heavy.  The colourful language and the rich beauty and fullness it adds to God's promise to me, was something I wanted to share with you. 

Bible Stories Unleashed

As a child I remember being read exciting and dashing tales from the bible. Stories about life and death, sacrifice and slavery, and power and glory.  The truth was not held back from me.  The pictures in the bible story books were realistic and did not cover up vital elements of the story.  I remember asking many questions as the stories shocked me and penetrated deep down in my heart.  It was the truth of these stories that would later pave my own path on my way to the foot of the cross.  I vividly remember seeing children as a part of the crowd drowning in the Biblical flood and having to work through that with my Grandma and with God too.  It challenged me but made the story real to me too.

(Image source:The Bible for Children-Retold by Bridget Hadaway & Jean Atcheson, Cathay Books 1973)

  

Children’s bible stories today have been watered down and placated at the risk of exceeding a 'G rating'.  The characters in the pictures are often over animated and the words so dull, it is no wonder that our children go searching for more exciting, more adventurous, more dangerous entertainment.  I remember reading to my 3 year old son the biblical account of the battle of David and Goliath from my own bible.  As I read, I came to parts of the story I could have skipped or glossed over, the insults that were hurled at David, the retort from David’s own lips, the fact that David decapitates Goliath with his own sword.  However I chose to leave those details in.  I chose to give the real the account portrayed in the bible and see what God would do.  I saw my son’s eyes come alive! I saw him gasp in excitement and ask a multitude of questions.  I was amazed.  He was not terrified; he was enthralled, to the point that he could repeat the words said by both characters.  The next day was filled with playing out the story.  The Bible was alive to Him.  God was speaking to his young heart and leaving an imprint there.

It is no wonder that children are enamoured with Ben 10, Spiderman and every other action hero.  Children crave adventure and excitement.  The Bible is jam packed with vivid tales and truth from beginning to end.   We dearly need to embrace this and share it with our children, so that there is nothing more exciting than God and his adventures with his people.  When our children can learn to value and love the past, they can readily and enthusiastically embrace their future with God too.

Lets look at a quick example from the Gospels.

Jesus wakes up one morning and as he and the disciples push the boat out onto the lake, they asked where they are going that day.  Jesus tells them they are going across the lake to Gedara.  The disciples recoil in terror.  Hushed whispers come over them as they pile into the boat.  Gedara was the residing place a crazy demon possessed man.  They had heard the rumours of this man that was unable to be bound by rope or shackles that had superhuman strength and power and beat and hurt whoever came near.  He cut himself with sharp rocks and was covered in blood and caked dirt.  He lived in the tombs outside of the town and at night, the townspeople could hear him howl and moan in the darkness.   Why would Jesus want to go there? As the boat drew close to the edge of the beach at Gedara, the disciples began to shake with fear as they heard the howls of the mad man.  Jesus was steadfast and undeterred, focused and calm.  He had come to pick a fight.   They all disembarked the boat and started through the tombs and hills toward the town.  At once the demon possessed man ran at Jesus………and bowed low at his feet.  The disciples looked at each other in confusion.  The madman shrieked in a high pitched tone “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  In the name of God I beg you, don’t torture me!” Jesus replied firmly,” Come out of the man, you evil spirit. What is your name?”

And so you know how the story ends, a man is delivered. The town lost their supply of pork and the Kingdom of God prevailed over the kingdom of darkness.  What an exciting and dramatic account!  (Story compiled from Mark 5:1-18)

(Amazing storytelling credited to Nicole Conner)

I am not suggesting that we terrorise our young children so they can’t sleep at night, only that we are honest in our portrayal of the bible.  We want our children excited to embrace the bible, the good the bad and the ugly.  We want them to be inspired to share it with their friends.  We want the Spirit of God to work in their hearts from a young age.

We work so hard at trying to protect our children from many things in this fallen world.   The bible is a wonderful teaching tool to challenge our children’s thinking and guide them along the right path, all while engaging their imaginations and heart.  God’s Word truly is a treasure for every family.

Learning How To Rest

I don't remember exactly when it happened.  It was in my teens that I became aware of it.  The fact that if I was not busy, then I must be lazy.  I think it kind of meshes well with today's lifestyle.  We get up, and go go go, until we drop into a chair at the end of the day exhausted. While there is some sort of satisfaction in having done a hard days work, I can honestly say there are many days that I get to the end and say, "Wow, I'm exhausted and I don't even know what I achieved today."  There seems to be so much emphasis on being all we can be, having all we can have, and doing all we can do, that the essential element of rest has been lost.  Now rest is seen as indulgent, a bit naughty and even sinful, when God never intended it to be. 

I will share two exciting tidbits from the bible about rest that may help to frame this thought.

...And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.(Genesis 1:3)

When God separated darkness from light, the evening came first.  The time of rest came first, then followed by the day.  This amazed me.  I thought that day came first and then the night.  Instead evening was the first, a time of rest and refreshment, followed by the new day.  We must rest and be ready to for each new day and the challenges that come with it.

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (Matthew 8:23-25)

Even in the midst of the storm Jesus rested. I absolutely love this passage.  It is crazy!  The boat is about to capsize and Jesus is sound asleep.  Can you imagine the noise, the rocking, the water drenching through to your skin?  I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be sleeping.
We cannot allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by our circumstances.  Jesus knew who he was, he knew who his Father was, and so he kept his eyes and heart firmly fixed on the one who orders his days.  We do ourselves no favours; running ourselves down and trying to get through our 'to do lists'.  We need to start living with purpose and peace, not for process and product.  When the world around us starts getting demanding, we have to learn to shift our focus back to our God.  We must rest in Him, and live our daily lives with purpose and satisfaction, not to complete tasks, but to please God.  Not only will our weary bodies then find the rest they need, but it also strips away the pride of 'getting it all done'.

So I am still learning how to rest.  It is not easy, but Jesus is a patient teacher.  The two things I must continually remember are:

1. Rest before Action

2. We must know who we are in Jesus, and keep our heart beating as one with his.

Then we will find perfect rest, in the day to day tasks of our lives, and  even in the midst of the most ferocious of tempests.

I Want To Be a Tree Hugger

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,

the one who gains understanding.

For wisdom is more profitable than silver,

and her wages better than gold.

Wisdom is more precious than rubies,

nothing you desire can compare with her.

She offers you long life in her right hand,

and riches and honour in her left.

She will guide you down delightful paths;

always her ways are satisfying.

Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her;

happy are those who hold her tightly.

(Proverbs 3:13-18)

Put's a whole new perspective on being a tree hugger doesn't it?

Born to Bless

Did you know that we were born to bring pleasure and glory to God?  That is why he created us.  So we could have a relationship with him.  Today I want to talk about what is means to live in the Kingdom of God, walking a life of blessing.

Through the recent years of our lives there are two words that I have systematically worked to remove from my vocabulary - luck and coincidence. 

Growing up I seem to have soaked up a great number of words that I have had to change over the years as I grow closer to God.  There are also a great many words that have embedded deep within my soul as the word of God grows in my heart. 

People use ‘luck’ very freely today. 

‘I’m lucky I didn’t need any further surgery’

‘Luck was on my side.’

Only when we really hear what we are saying, do we realise the implications for our life and relationship with God. When our youngest son Sam was diagnosed with a rare heart condition I didn’t put that down to bad luck.  As I watched Sam and the rest our family, overcome one obstacle after another, God spoke to me about removing the word ‘luck’ and adding the word blessing.  You see when we bless and are blessed we are actively acknowledging our Creator God in every part of our lives.

Let’s try replacing ‘luck’ with ‘blessed’:

‘I am so blessed to not need further surgery.’

‘God was on my side.’

When we change the way we speak and think, it also changes the way we relate to God.  We begin to give him credit where credit is due.  He has a plan and purpose for each of our lives; nothing is left to mere chance or luck.  There is purpose in everything God does.  The bible tells us ‘And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (Rom 8:28)  Here we read that God has a purpose for each of us. For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.(Ecc 3:1) And here we read that there is a time, designated by God for each part of our lives.  Even the outcome of the casting lots for Jesus garments at the crucifixion (John 20:24), which could be seen as gambling or luck, was foretold in the Old Testament book of Psalms (22:18) Not one event in our lives can be attributed to luck.

Words have the power to transform lives.  As mums this is very important for us to understand and embrace.  When we bless we are blessed, when we curse, we are cursed.  I don’t know about you but I want my family to live in God’s blessing.

If we are to believe that there is a purpose and a time for everything under heaven, then there is no such thing as coincidence either-only God incidents.  We like to acknowledge them as God moments, miracles and interventions, but in reality God incidents can be a regular and everyday part of our lives; if we are willing to acknowledge God for them.  There is nothing lackluster about walking in thankfulness and unbridled faith in God.  It is intoxicating and contagious.  Watch what happens around you when you openly begin to praise God for everything he does in your life.  Your children will begin to copy your behaviour, your friends will notice a difference in you, and your husband will recognise your love for God.  Living in the blessing God provides has a flow on effect.   

Open your mouth with purpose to praise God for all he does in your life and watch your life slowly be transformed, to one that reflects what it means to live in the Kingdom of God.

The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. (Acts 4:33)

Will you join me?  Let us all testify of all of God’s goodness in our lives and dance under the blessing that pours down from Heaven.

Stepping Out of the Bubble

I heard a very profound reminder over the weekend, that hit home like a slap across the face.

'Your bubble is not the world's reality'

I experienced the most wonderful times of worship over the weekend with many great women of God.  I had the blessing of hearing many anointed speakers and God spoke to me throughout it all.  However, it was the phrase above that humbled me the most.  I was challenged by this statement.  Our bubble is a comfortable place to be.  We like routine.  We like familiar environments, familiar faces and comfort.  However God has not called us to a comfortable life.  He has called us to an obedient life, one of daily obedience that regularly calls us out of our bubble.  There is a whole big world outside of our bubble.

The next profound challenge to me was:

The minute we become comfortable with  Jesus, we have made him in our own image".

Wow.  Let's explore that for just a moment.  The moment that we take Jesus for granted, answer him when we feel like it, obey him sometimes, and make him a part of our lives rather than him being our life, we have made God in our own image.  That is a powerful statement.  That draws us to account and brings us to a place where we have to repent.  We have no choice.  We do this, there is no denying it.  Even though every part of our spirit wants to serve and love God with reckless abandon, our flesh rebels and seeks what it thinks is best for us, contrary to God's plan. 

I don't want to serve a God I have made in my own image.  A God that I have put in a cage and open the door when I want to give him a cuddle and a pet.  I desire and declare that I want to serve God as he has always been, the Lord God Almighty, the Alpha and Omega, the Lord of Hosts, The Great I Am.

Although I have stepped out of my bubble in the last 5 years, it has been a sometimes slow process.  And that is OK.  Sometimes God works quickly in our lives and at other times at a much more steady pace.  It is during the journey that God develops that character that he desires in each of us.  This is good news friends;  very good news.  We don't have to struggle to better ourselves.  We don't have to beg and plead and do ten courses on 'How To Be a Better Christian'. 

ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS LOVE, LISTEN AND OBEY. 

Simple, unburdened, unbridled, unparalleled grace.

And so as I work through these things in my heart with God.  I leave you with the same challenge. 

Are you ready to step our of the bubble you have always known?

Are you prepared to let God be God of your life?

(The two profound statements above have been lovingly borrowed from Nicole Conner, of Citylife Church Melbourne)