Taking The Challenge

~* Faith-Lift Fridays August 22, 2008 *~

As part of one of our American Literature assignments this week, we had to read Jonathan Edwards "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" sermon.

It was very interesting hearing the different comments from the kids in the class.  From the ecstatic, "I LOVE Jonathan Edwards sermon...it's about all Old Testament judgement"  to "This made me feel really bad about myself" to mockery of Jonathan Edwards and Christianity.

I have to say, I didn't enjoy his sermon.  It seems over-the-top harsh. (Notwithstanding, I do believe God is a judge, and One who will punish those who go against Him.) But I can't condemn the man or judge his sermon.  And judging Jonathan Edwards and/or his sermon is not what this FLF post is about.

What struck me in our class discussion and what this post is about is fragments and segments, and how God is perceived and we are perceived by others due to fragments and segments.

People usually only see a part of us, the part we allow them to see.  They don't know us fully.  Which is, I believe, one of the reasons we are not to judge others.  We. don't. know. the. whole. story.

The other thing that really struck me with force, was the fact that these kids were being presented with a fragment of God.  Now, I know that God can never be fully represented other than through the example of Jesus Christ.  But I do believe we can, and indeed have the obligation, to present a fuller picture of God mainly through our lives (actions/lifestyle)...but also through our words - written and spoken.  I kept wondering what the kids reactions would have been to this sermon if God's love, His mercy, His extreme sacrifice has been presented with the same intensity as His wrath was being presented.  How many hungry lives might have been impacted and drawn to God.

It's interesting to note that Jesus was harshest with the religious and He was most tender and gentle with the sinners.

Again, please don't take this as a judgement against Jonathan Edwards.  It's just that I was taught a whole sermon while listening to the class response to his sermon.  Even if just this one verse had been added, what a difference it could have made: " For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

It seems to me that we need to be careful to present a fuller picture of God than just wrath or just love or just any one aspect of His character.  We need to present a fuller picture of Him.

What is your opinion? 

~* Faith-Lift Fridays August 15, 2008 *~

I apologize to everyone for not having a post up this morning.  It's been a hectic week and yesterday was a whirlwind since it was the first day of school.  I hope by the end of next week to have my schedule down and be able to get back to regular posting.

Have a blessed weekend, everyone!

~*Faith-Lift Fridays - August 8, 2008 *~

  "All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen", Ralph Waldo Emerson

Psalms 19:1-4a

"1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world..."

~* Faith-Lift Fridays August 1, 2008 *~

Psalm 90:12  "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

I don't know about you, but for me, time seems to just keep speeding by ever more quickly each day.  Often, I wonder, how much that I've done today is really worth-while in the scope of eternity?

It's easy to get busy and involved with things that don't really mean a whole lot in the ultimate scheme of life and eternity.

I love this verse, because it reminds me that numbering our days - making them count, is something we can ask our Heavenly Father to teach us.

I John 5:14 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. "

James 1:5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

If I've learned anything as I've grown older, it's how much I need to continually ask God to give me wisdom...for so many areas of my life, but especially in making each day count for eternity.

What about you?  Do you find yourself needing wisdom more and more with regards to your days?

~* Faith-Lift Fridays July 25, 2008 *~

"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."

Proverbs 17:17

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. " Proverbs 18:24

        "  Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. " Proverbs 27:6

      " Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend"   Proverbs 27:17

I'm so thankful for the gift of friendship, aren't you??

Have a blessed weekend everyone!

~* Faith-Lift Fridays July 18, 2008 *~

Fearful and Cowardly or Bold and Talented?

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (Matt. 25:14-30)

8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."  (Rev. 21:8)

While at first glance these two passages would seem to be unrelated to each other, for those of us who've lived under the shadow of fear, they are very much related.

I've shared in other posts (the most recent) how fear has often ruled my choices and affected my actions.  Not too long ago, I read the Revelations 21:8 passage and the word "cowardly" really jumped out at me.  It amazed me that being cowardly was thrown in with being a murderer, being sexually immoral, or practicing witchcraft, etc.  I've noodled this passage quite a bit and upon reflection, I think I'm beginning to understand.  And it has everything to do with the Matthew 25:14-30 passage. 

Fear hinders us from using our talents, from sharing the gospel, from reaching out to others, from enjoying God's blessings.  Fear robs us of a life well-lived, a life reflective of God's love, just as surely as indulging in any other form of sin robs us of those things.  Fear when closely examined, is often simply pride.  For example, fear of what other people will think is ultimately rooted in pride.  Fear of being embarrassed, being made fun of, getting hurt is usually rooted in some form of pride.

29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4: 29-31)

There are numerous instances when the apostles and others in the New Testament church prayed for boldness and it's something I'm going to start praying to have.  I am tired of living with and in fear.  I want to be what God wants me to be - victorious in living this life He's blessed me with using the talents He's given me.

Tonight I took one baby step forward in that direction.  As much as I dearly love chatting with friends, I'm extremely shy with strangers (another reason entertaining is so difficult for me)...usually because I'm worried about saying the "right" thing - acting the "right" way - if I look just "right"...all based in pride as I reflect on it.  So tonight when my husband called wondering if he could bring some home-office guys over for dinner (in 30 minutes to an hour!), I said "Sure!".  In the past I would have told him, sure if I'd had three months notice...(seriously, I was just about that bad)!   They ended up wanting to go out for dinner but still wanted to stop by and meet me.  Honestly, I'm more at ease serving up a meal than trying to engage in small talk, so this made it even harder for me, but I still said " Sure!".   

I'd love to say while they were here I was transformed into Miss Conversationalist and Miss Socialite.  I'd love to say that I didn't spend the next thirty minutes after they left wondering what they thought of my husband's wife. I wasn't and I did.  But, it was a baby step in the right direction.  A direction with God's help I plan to keep boldly following because when it's all said and done, I don't want to be judged by the True Judge as being cowardly.

Are there any fear battles you're fighting?  How is God leading you to overcome that/those fear(s)?

~* Faith-Lift Fridays July 4, 2008*~

"13 These all died in faith, ^F38 not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city." (Heb. 11: 13 - 16)

I consider myself to be very patriotic.  I love America.  I love the principles she was founded upon.  I love the generations before mine that gave their all to keep her safe and strong. 

BUT...America is temporal.  America is not my ultimate home or country.  I am a pilgrim and a stranger. And that fact becomes more and more a reality as the years pass by so very quickly.

It's good to be patriotic, to be appreciative of the blessings we enjoy in this country.  But we can never take our eyes off of our ultimate home and country.

I often think of all that we know in the physical sense...how God created all we can see, touch, hear, taste, smell...and He created the things so far out in the universe that we can't know them with our physical beings...all that He created in the beginning.   I get excited when I think of the awesome creation He came up with in six days (yes, I do believe in a young earth)...and now...he's been preparing this place for us for over two thousand years!  I can't even begin to imagine...but I love to try!   "3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:3)

And while it is good and right that we celebrate our American Independence Day, it's also good and right to take a few moments and think on our final destination....our true country...our ultimate home and  the fact that we have been given the greatest Independence Day anyone could ask for...freedom from sin and it's deserved punishment!

"36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:36)

"1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection ^F14 on things above, not on things on the earth." (Col. 3: 1-2)

Have a blessed weekend, everyone!

~* Faith-Lift Fridays June 26, 2008 *~

Since my honey is taking the day off tomorrow to spirit me away for our anniversary,

thought I'd better post this now.

I will be back to visit everyone when I get back or over the weekend sometime.

Have a blessed weekend, everyone!   Sheryl

*************************************************************************************************************

This was taken from one of my devotional reads this week.  It's by Catherine Doherty and published on page 401 of the NIV Women's Devotional Bible.  (If you want some great devotional reads, I highly recommend this Bible.  I've had it several years now and still enjoy re-reading all the devotionals.)

                                 Realize

                                          by Catherine Doherty

What is our spirituality when all is said and done?  I see us silently, in a manner of speaking, doing little ordinary things men and women do everywhere, always with an immense, burning love, knowing that love makes every gesture, step, work, and work, redemptive.  I see us loving each other, serving each other and all the world, because to our eyes of faith and truth, each is Christ to the other!  That is all.  The rest he will do through us.  We are just lovers witnessing to love, servants reflecting the light of the Master and torchbearers of love and light in our modern darkness, by being lovers and doing ordinary daily tasks for Love's sake and with great love.

When I read this I think of the verse:  Col. 3:17 "And whatever you do, whether in word or  deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father through him."

I also think of mom's everywhere going about their daily routines  showing God's love to their families and friends with their nurturing care.  So often, our culture demeans mother's unless they have a career.  Even then, the praise is not for their mothering abilities, for their loving efforts as wives, but for their pursuit of a career.

I don't want to jump into the career mom vs stay-at-home mom debate...but I do want to tell ALL mom's, all wives,  by doing those daily little things : laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping, chauffering, etc...you are surrounding your family with God's love.  Those things that you do are exceedingly valuable!  Don't let the shouting voices over-ride the still small voice that says, "Well done!".

                                                      

~* Faith-Lift Fridays June 20, 2008 *~

I saw this devotional over at Crosswalk.com and it touched me since this past week, the Lord has showed me this same thing.  So, I wanted to share with you and ask you to share either in one of your posts or in the comments section...where has God shown you His interest in the "little" things.

Oh...and one of the little things He spoke to me through, was helping me find a receipt (which I'd looked and looked for before whispering a prayer asking for His help) I needed to return some curtains we'd bought in the middle of the move.  Isn't God so good to us?

Yes, Virginia...Even the Little Things

Eva Marie Everson

My husband and I eloped when we married. Both living on our own for a while, we had all the necessary items to begin housekeeping and since no one came to our wedding-except for the couple who stood up with us-or even knew about our forthcoming nuptials, there were no gifts wrapped in silver foil and secured by white bows to be opened.

Except one. My husband's brother and sister-in-law sent a matching set of heart-shaped wall sconces with tulip-shaped globes resting in the hooked arm of each, along with a set of his and hers white towels with blue lettering.

I loved those gifts. They weren't my most prized possession, but they were a symbol of our truly having married...and that someone was actually excited about our union.

In time the white towels with blue lettering were demoted to "work rags." But the brass wall sconces moved with us from house to house, sometimes gracing the wall behind our bed and other times the living room. When we moved into our current home, I placed them on either side of a large painting in our foyer.

One December morning as I prepared our home for our annual Christmas party, I took the globes out of the sconces to wash them in the warm, sudsy water waiting in the kitchen sink. As soon as one of the globes hit the water, it shattered. I couldn't understand the physics of what happened and I honestly didn't care. All I knew was that something very special to me was now ruined. "Oh, Lord!" I sobbed like a spoiled child. "How could this have happened? Don't you know how much I love these silly sconces?"

I dried my eyes and finished my preparations for the party, including salvaging the sconces by taking out the other globes and replacing them with tapered candles. That evening, our guests arrived one by one. The house, scented with apples and cinnamon, glowed with candlelight and was filled with holiday music, conversation, and laughter. I had all but forgotten my sadness...until the doorbell rang. When I opened it, there stood our friend Sue, holding a small bag in her hand.

"Merry Christmas," she said, handing it to me. "Be careful. It's breakable."

I took the gift bag from her and peered inside. There, nestled in tissue paper, was a lovely tulip shaped vase about six inches high. One look and I knew it was a priceless antique. "It was my grandmother's," Sue explained.

"I can't accept this," I said, shaking my head.

"Oh, but you must," she argued. "You see, this morning while I was in prayer God said to me, 'Sue...Eva Marie will need this tonight. Take it to her.' But, don't worry. My grandmother left me quite a few of these, and even if she hadn't, God wants you to have it. So, I do, too."

God Cares About the Little Things

I have a friend who literally takes every little thing to God in prayer. We can be chatting along about something and suddenly she is no longer speaking with me, but to our Heavenly Father. I marvel at her prayer life...and her knowledge and understanding that God really does care about the little things in life.

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. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

If Jesus had not answered my cries over a wall sconce, would it have meant that He didn't care about me? Certainly not! But for me, it was a sweet reminder that the little things in life-especially those things which remind me of the covenant of my marriage-are important to Him, too. Because I'm important to Him! He sees to it that I'm clothed and fed...and even when I'm in the midst of what we in the South call a "hissy fit," He is watching over me, ready to prove His devotion while waiting for me to turn toward His heart rather than focusing on my oft-times selfish ways.

Study Questions

1. What do you consider to be your most prized possession? How did you receive it?
2. Have you ever been surprised by God's love by His moving through others? Talk (or journal) about it.
3. How often do you take the "little things" to God?

Award-winning national speaker, Eva Marie Everson is the author of Shadow of Dreams, Summon the Shadows and the recently released and highly anticipated Shadows of Light (Barbour Publishing). She can be contacted for comments or for speaking engagement bookings at www.EvaMarieEverson.com

~* Faith-Lift Fridays *~

Finally!  I'm getting back into this blogging groove.  Thanks to all you ladies who participated while I was away with all the move stuff.

*****************************************************************************************************************

Romans 12:13

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

I Peter      4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

4:9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

        This is an area I really feel the Lord dealing with me to improve upon.  I'd love to hear from you fellow bloggers:  What's your favorite kind of entertaining - formal/informal, indoors/outdoors, etc.  Do you have special recipes you use just for entertaining?  Any special tips or remembrances?

And encouraging blog for me in this area is: 4 Reluctant Entertainers

I've also been adding some how-to books to my collection.  And I'm trying to set up our home with entertaining in mind.

I'd love to hear from you fellow bloggers:  What's your favorite kind of entertaining - formal/informal, indoors/outdoors, etc.  Do you have special recipes you use just for entertaining?  Any special tips or remembrances?