A miracle happened in Brazil last week and, shamefully, the most important part of the story was the very last line.
It should've been the headline.
In Brazil, an 18-month-old boy fell out of a third story window, about thirty feet to the ground.
He should have been killed.
But...
Yes, when we're talking God, there is always a BUT!
BUT his disposable diaper caught on the security spike protruding from the building.
Yes, his diaper.
Yes, it tore and he dropped the rest of the way to the ground.
BUT, that diaper slowed his fall, supported him just long enough that he only had minor fractures. He survived the fall.
The media picked up the story, I first heard it on the radio. However, I didn't hear what his father said. The last line of the story:
"It wasn't the diaper that saved him, it was God."
The MOST important part of the entire event was the last line in the newspaper story.
"It was God."
Darn right it was God!!
And THANK YOU GOD for saving that child! May his life be Blessed in all ways, may he do much for You as he walks his Path through this life. In Jesus' holy name, AMEN!!
Link:
http://home.peoplepc.com/psp/newsstory.asp?cat=strange&id=20080828/48b622c0_3421_1334520080828684969154
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Pray For Them
I was working on something today and I started thinking about atheists.
Madelyn Murray O'Hair in particular. She suffered a terrible death.
I can't tell you if she would have been spared if she were a Believer. I can't tell the future and perhaps her murder was always looming at the end.
I do think that it was her unbelief that paved her path down that road, that put her and her family in harms way. Her unbelief coupled with her own troubled life and dishonest ways.
Ironically, William Murray, the very son that she fought the battle to remove prayer from schools for, all the way to the Supreme Court, became a Christian and a Pastor.
O'Hair's reaction was, "...I repudiate him entirely and completely for now and all times...he is beyond human forgiveness."
(Fortunately, Murray isn't depending on human forgiveness when he meets Jesus at the Throne.)
After O'Hair, her son and granddaughter's bodies were found, Murray said:
"My mother was an evil person... Not for removing prayer from America's schools... No, she was just evil. She stole huge amounts of money. She misused the trust of people. She cheated children out of their parents' inheritance. She cheated on her taxes and even stole from her own organizations. She once printed up phony stock certificates on her own printing press to try to take over another atheist publishing company....Regardless of how evil and lawless my mother was she did not deserve to die in the manner she did."
Murray was right. Despite all that she did, O'Hair did not deserve to be murdered.
No one deserves to die like she did.
But I can't help but think that if she had found her way to Christ, He could have turned her life around. God's Path was not her path, but if it was, couldn't she have been saved?
Maybe, maybe.
We, as Christians, need to pray for our brothers and sisters who embrace the religion of nothingness.
Religion?
Oh, yes, it most certainly is. And it's adherents follow it more rigidly and stridently than most Christians follow Christ.
If only Believers had as much Faith in Jesus as atheists do in nothingness.
I keep praying for the atheists I know. Yes, they'd probably be offended if they knew, but it's my right and duty to pray for them, just as it's their right to reject it. So I pray. And pray. And pray.
As I am quite sure that Murray prayed and prayed and prayed for his mother.
We have to accept that, while God does not want any to be lost, we are also Blessed with free will. Thus, people choose to die alone and comfortless in their unbelief.
We can't fix that.
We can only pray for them.
We can pray that seeds be planted, watered, and with time, the harvest is gathered, and our loved ones willing join us as members of the Body of Christ.
We can pray for them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madalyn_Murray_O
Madelyn Murray O'Hair in particular. She suffered a terrible death.
I can't tell you if she would have been spared if she were a Believer. I can't tell the future and perhaps her murder was always looming at the end.
I do think that it was her unbelief that paved her path down that road, that put her and her family in harms way. Her unbelief coupled with her own troubled life and dishonest ways.
Ironically, William Murray, the very son that she fought the battle to remove prayer from schools for, all the way to the Supreme Court, became a Christian and a Pastor.
O'Hair's reaction was, "...I repudiate him entirely and completely for now and all times...he is beyond human forgiveness."
(Fortunately, Murray isn't depending on human forgiveness when he meets Jesus at the Throne.)
After O'Hair, her son and granddaughter's bodies were found, Murray said:
"My mother was an evil person... Not for removing prayer from America's schools... No, she was just evil. She stole huge amounts of money. She misused the trust of people. She cheated children out of their parents' inheritance. She cheated on her taxes and even stole from her own organizations. She once printed up phony stock certificates on her own printing press to try to take over another atheist publishing company....Regardless of how evil and lawless my mother was she did not deserve to die in the manner she did."
Murray was right. Despite all that she did, O'Hair did not deserve to be murdered.
No one deserves to die like she did.
But I can't help but think that if she had found her way to Christ, He could have turned her life around. God's Path was not her path, but if it was, couldn't she have been saved?
Maybe, maybe.
We, as Christians, need to pray for our brothers and sisters who embrace the religion of nothingness.
Religion?
Oh, yes, it most certainly is. And it's adherents follow it more rigidly and stridently than most Christians follow Christ.
If only Believers had as much Faith in Jesus as atheists do in nothingness.
I keep praying for the atheists I know. Yes, they'd probably be offended if they knew, but it's my right and duty to pray for them, just as it's their right to reject it. So I pray. And pray. And pray.
As I am quite sure that Murray prayed and prayed and prayed for his mother.
We have to accept that, while God does not want any to be lost, we are also Blessed with free will. Thus, people choose to die alone and comfortless in their unbelief.
We can't fix that.
We can only pray for them.
We can pray that seeds be planted, watered, and with time, the harvest is gathered, and our loved ones willing join us as members of the Body of Christ.
We can pray for them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madalyn_Murray_O
Friday, August 22, 2008
How Do You Forgive The Unforgivable?
How do you forgive the unforgivable?
I don't know.
How do you forgive a person that betrayed your trust, abused you, hurt you emotionally, mentally, physically?
I don't know.
I have never suffered like some have. I never suffered from child abuse. (Spankings yes, beatings never. There IS a huge difference.)
I'm thinking again about Dolores Aguilar and the obituary her daughter wrote. I talked about it in my last post.
"There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart..."
I'm incredibly sad for this family. Emotional, mental, physical abuse of the children and no one apparently knew, no one stepped in, no one called CPS. Although no one has said it, I strongly suspect that her husband also suffered from domestic violence. (Yes, men are abused by women too, domestic violence is a two way street.)
This should not have happened. And yet stories like this abound. Child abuse, domestic violence goes on behind closed doors every single day. We don't know what's in another person's heart, we only know them by their fruits.
My first reaction to the obituary was horror. My second was asking why this daughter would air the family's "dirty laundry" to the world.
However, upon reflection, I realized that sometimes it's good to air your laundry.
Perhaps this is the start of a new life, not just for this family, but for families suffering from the same issues, right now, today. Perhaps this is the end of a generational curse.
The dialogue that Dolores' obituary has started isn't going to end in a day or a week.
My friends, there are children out there who need our help. There are families that need our help.
As Christians, we CANNOT turn away. We are mandated to follow authority. And if the person abuses their authority, we are mandated to take it to a higher level. Not "just" laying it at the Throne.
No, we are mandated to step up and report domestic violence, report child abuse, report the bruises on that child, report that argument that's going on next door, wife screaming and children crying out. We are mandated to report it to earthly authorities as well as taking it to the Throne.
These are our brothers and sisters, we NEED to step up.
For you see, when a parent abuses their authority by abusing their children, a man (or woman) abuses the spouse/partner/significant other, he/she has stepped outside of the Will of God. Once a person has stepped outside of God's Authority (and abuse is most certainly that!) we must, as members of the Body, step up and say "STOP".
We, as the Body, need to let people know that staying in an abusive relationship is NOT the Will of God. Oh heck no!!
And staying in a relationship where the other parent abuses the children, OH HECK NO!!
All of our brothers and sisters are collectively ALL our responsibility. If our brother or sister in Christ steps outside the Will of God, it's our Duty to step up and do the right thing. Yes, that means calling the cops or CPS AND informing the Pastor and Elders AND praying for the victim AND praying for the abuser.
And if the abuser is the Pastor him/herself?
Do I really, really have to say it? If the Pastor has stepped outside the Will of God, then the Pastor needs to step down. Bottom line, that's it. If you can't shepherd yourself, you surely can't Shepherd the Body.
And the victims?
How do the victims of abuse forgive?
I don't know.
But God knows and that's what we lay at the Throne, prayers for Healing, prayers for Happiness, prayers for Forgiveness.
I have no answers on how to forgive the unforgivable.
I know the earthly side. Turn the abuser in, testify in court, let the earthly authorities punish him/her, get counseling and therapy.
But how do you forgive the unforgivable?
How do you forgive the abuser, the murderer, the evil that men and women do to the people they claim to love?
How can you heal the mind, soul, spirit of the victims?
I can only say that we are all Forgiven, that Jesus forgave us all in that moment,
"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."
He has Forgiven me. He can Forgive you.
But how do you forgive the unforgivable?
"There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart..."
Maybe you can't do it alone. I don't think I could.
But God can do it. All you have to do is ask Him. All you have to do is lay it at the Throne.
God will handle it all.
Even if there is no justice on this earth, there is still the Judgment at the Throne. I take comfort in knowing that there is still a final Authority on all things.
Even though Dolores passed from this earth unpunished for the abuse she laid on her family, she still has to face the final Judgement.
She will not be alone.
I don't know.
How do you forgive a person that betrayed your trust, abused you, hurt you emotionally, mentally, physically?
I don't know.
I have never suffered like some have. I never suffered from child abuse. (Spankings yes, beatings never. There IS a huge difference.)
I'm thinking again about Dolores Aguilar and the obituary her daughter wrote. I talked about it in my last post.
"There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart..."
I'm incredibly sad for this family. Emotional, mental, physical abuse of the children and no one apparently knew, no one stepped in, no one called CPS. Although no one has said it, I strongly suspect that her husband also suffered from domestic violence. (Yes, men are abused by women too, domestic violence is a two way street.)
This should not have happened. And yet stories like this abound. Child abuse, domestic violence goes on behind closed doors every single day. We don't know what's in another person's heart, we only know them by their fruits.
My first reaction to the obituary was horror. My second was asking why this daughter would air the family's "dirty laundry" to the world.
However, upon reflection, I realized that sometimes it's good to air your laundry.
Perhaps this is the start of a new life, not just for this family, but for families suffering from the same issues, right now, today. Perhaps this is the end of a generational curse.
The dialogue that Dolores' obituary has started isn't going to end in a day or a week.
My friends, there are children out there who need our help. There are families that need our help.
As Christians, we CANNOT turn away. We are mandated to follow authority. And if the person abuses their authority, we are mandated to take it to a higher level. Not "just" laying it at the Throne.
No, we are mandated to step up and report domestic violence, report child abuse, report the bruises on that child, report that argument that's going on next door, wife screaming and children crying out. We are mandated to report it to earthly authorities as well as taking it to the Throne.
These are our brothers and sisters, we NEED to step up.
For you see, when a parent abuses their authority by abusing their children, a man (or woman) abuses the spouse/partner/significant other, he/she has stepped outside of the Will of God. Once a person has stepped outside of God's Authority (and abuse is most certainly that!) we must, as members of the Body, step up and say "STOP".
We, as the Body, need to let people know that staying in an abusive relationship is NOT the Will of God. Oh heck no!!
And staying in a relationship where the other parent abuses the children, OH HECK NO!!
All of our brothers and sisters are collectively ALL our responsibility. If our brother or sister in Christ steps outside the Will of God, it's our Duty to step up and do the right thing. Yes, that means calling the cops or CPS AND informing the Pastor and Elders AND praying for the victim AND praying for the abuser.
And if the abuser is the Pastor him/herself?
Do I really, really have to say it? If the Pastor has stepped outside the Will of God, then the Pastor needs to step down. Bottom line, that's it. If you can't shepherd yourself, you surely can't Shepherd the Body.
And the victims?
How do the victims of abuse forgive?
I don't know.
But God knows and that's what we lay at the Throne, prayers for Healing, prayers for Happiness, prayers for Forgiveness.
I have no answers on how to forgive the unforgivable.
I know the earthly side. Turn the abuser in, testify in court, let the earthly authorities punish him/her, get counseling and therapy.
But how do you forgive the unforgivable?
How do you forgive the abuser, the murderer, the evil that men and women do to the people they claim to love?
How can you heal the mind, soul, spirit of the victims?
I can only say that we are all Forgiven, that Jesus forgave us all in that moment,
"Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."
He has Forgiven me. He can Forgive you.
But how do you forgive the unforgivable?
"There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart..."
Maybe you can't do it alone. I don't think I could.
But God can do it. All you have to do is ask Him. All you have to do is lay it at the Throne.
God will handle it all.
Even if there is no justice on this earth, there is still the Judgment at the Throne. I take comfort in knowing that there is still a final Authority on all things.
Even though Dolores passed from this earth unpunished for the abuse she laid on her family, she still has to face the final Judgement.
She will not be alone.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Lord, Let This Family Be Healed
Oh, Lord, sometimes I come across something so incredibly sad that I have trouble believing it's true.
I was going to take out the names, but this is all over the Internet, many blogs have posted the entire obituary so it's pointless to try to hide the names of the deceased woman and her family.
Before you read this, I want you to know that I looked further and found a news story about the author of this obituary. She said that her mother didn't take care of the children, didn't feed them, and beat them every day. She believed that her mother was mentally ill, but was able to fool people outside the family.
Oh, Lord, it's so, so sad. I just want to pray for healing on this entire family.
I know, you're wondering what it is that's bothering me so much. Yes, it is REALLY bothering me, I just don't comprehend the family dynamics that could cause so much pain and suffering. So much that when her mother died, this woman wrote this obituary:
Dolores Aguilar ---------------------1929-Aug. 7, 2008
Dolores Aguilar, born in 1929 in New Mexico, left us on August 7, 2008. She will be met in the afterlife by her husband, Raymond, her son, Paul Jr., and daughter, Ruby. She is survived by her daughters Marietta, Mitzi, Stella, Beatrice, Virginia and Ramona, and son Billy; grandchildren, Donnelle, Joe, Mitzie, Maria, Mario, Marty, Tynette, Tania, Leta, Alexandria, Tommy, Billy, Mathew, Raymond, Kenny, Javier, Lisa, Ashlie and Michael; great-grandchildren, Brendan, Joseph, Karissa, Jacob, Delaney, Shawn, Cienna, Bailey, Christian, Andre Jr., Andrea, Keith, Saeed, Nujaymah, Salma, Merissa, Emily, Jayci, Isabella, Samantha and Emily; I apologize if l missed anyone.
Dolores had no hobbies, made no contribution to society and rarely shared a kind word or deed in her life. I speak for the majority of her family when I say her presence will not be missed by many, very few tears will be shed and there will be no lamenting over her passing. Her family will remember Dolores and amongst ourselves we will remember her in our own way, which were mostly sad and troubling times throughout the years. We may have some fond memories of her and perhaps we will think of those times too. But I truly believe at the end of the day ALL of us will really only miss what we never had, a good and kind mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I hope she is finally at peace with herself. As for the rest of us left behind, I hope this is the beginning of a time of healing and learning to be a family again. There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart. We cannot come together in the end to see to it that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren can say their goodbyes. So I say here for all of us, GOOD BYE, MOM.
I am honestly at a loss for words.
I read this over and over again.
There is evil in this world, and this family has been horribly scarred by it. I can only pray that they will be healed of their pain and the generational curse will be broken.
Yes, I do think there's a generational curse. Dolores was a sick woman. And her family suffered for it. And they're still suffering, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren.
Lord, I pray that this family be healed. Let the cycle of child abuse end with Dolores and let the new generations be freed of the chains of mental illness. Let them be healed of the evils of this world so the children can move on and be all that You meant them to be.
And in their healing, Lord, I pray that somehow they can find forgiveness for their mother, and that she may rest in peace.
Lord, let this family be healed.
In Jesus' holy name, Amen.
I was going to take out the names, but this is all over the Internet, many blogs have posted the entire obituary so it's pointless to try to hide the names of the deceased woman and her family.
Before you read this, I want you to know that I looked further and found a news story about the author of this obituary. She said that her mother didn't take care of the children, didn't feed them, and beat them every day. She believed that her mother was mentally ill, but was able to fool people outside the family.
Oh, Lord, it's so, so sad. I just want to pray for healing on this entire family.
I know, you're wondering what it is that's bothering me so much. Yes, it is REALLY bothering me, I just don't comprehend the family dynamics that could cause so much pain and suffering. So much that when her mother died, this woman wrote this obituary:
Dolores Aguilar ---------------------1929-Aug. 7, 2008
Dolores Aguilar, born in 1929 in New Mexico, left us on August 7, 2008. She will be met in the afterlife by her husband, Raymond, her son, Paul Jr., and daughter, Ruby. She is survived by her daughters Marietta, Mitzi, Stella, Beatrice, Virginia and Ramona, and son Billy; grandchildren, Donnelle, Joe, Mitzie, Maria, Mario, Marty, Tynette, Tania, Leta, Alexandria, Tommy, Billy, Mathew, Raymond, Kenny, Javier, Lisa, Ashlie and Michael; great-grandchildren, Brendan, Joseph, Karissa, Jacob, Delaney, Shawn, Cienna, Bailey, Christian, Andre Jr., Andrea, Keith, Saeed, Nujaymah, Salma, Merissa, Emily, Jayci, Isabella, Samantha and Emily; I apologize if l missed anyone.
Dolores had no hobbies, made no contribution to society and rarely shared a kind word or deed in her life. I speak for the majority of her family when I say her presence will not be missed by many, very few tears will be shed and there will be no lamenting over her passing. Her family will remember Dolores and amongst ourselves we will remember her in our own way, which were mostly sad and troubling times throughout the years. We may have some fond memories of her and perhaps we will think of those times too. But I truly believe at the end of the day ALL of us will really only miss what we never had, a good and kind mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. I hope she is finally at peace with herself. As for the rest of us left behind, I hope this is the beginning of a time of healing and learning to be a family again. There will be no service, no prayers and no closure for the family she spent a lifetime tearing apart. We cannot come together in the end to see to it that her grandchildren and great-grandchildren can say their goodbyes. So I say here for all of us, GOOD BYE, MOM.
I am honestly at a loss for words.
I read this over and over again.
There is evil in this world, and this family has been horribly scarred by it. I can only pray that they will be healed of their pain and the generational curse will be broken.
Yes, I do think there's a generational curse. Dolores was a sick woman. And her family suffered for it. And they're still suffering, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren.
Lord, I pray that this family be healed. Let the cycle of child abuse end with Dolores and let the new generations be freed of the chains of mental illness. Let them be healed of the evils of this world so the children can move on and be all that You meant them to be.
And in their healing, Lord, I pray that somehow they can find forgiveness for their mother, and that she may rest in peace.
Lord, let this family be healed.
In Jesus' holy name, Amen.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
If You're Worrying, You're Not Praying
I don't have any answers for the world's troubles. I'm just a basic, practical Christian, trying to live right in the world.
I miss the target often. I have to pick myself up, dust myself off, and try, try again.
But like the paper I have stuck to my cube wall says:
If you're worrying, you're not praying. If you're praying, you don't have to worry.
Or, as my pastor once preached, negative thoughts and words bring negative results.
Worrying is negative energy.
Praying is positive energy.
Praying over the problem and turning it over to the Lord allows Him to work on it. You don't know what your end result will be, but it WILL be positive. Even if it doesn't look like it in that moment.
Sometimes, something has to happen to trigger a good end result.
Losing that house seems like a financial disaster. But you know, maybe it's freeing you up to make that move to a better location and a better job. Maybe it's setting you free from a financial burden that you don't need to bear right now. Maybe by letting go now and re-establishing your finances and credit, you're going to be able to buy again in three years, when the real estate market has hit bottom and you're again considered a first time buyer. (Next time, get a fixed rate FHA loan!)
And maybe it's one of those hard lessons that we all face in this life, to not overextend ourselves, not let the world convince us that we're better off than we are. Because GOD determines our worth, not the world.
Maybe that house was just more "stuff".
You don't have to impress anyone. There is only One that matters.
Pray on it.
I have personally found that when you lay it all at the foot of the Throne, you will be restored. It will take time.
Seed, time, harvest.
Restoration takes time.
Stop worrying, start praying.
If you're worrying, you're not praying. If you're praying, you don't have to worry.
He ALWAYS answers.
Start praying, then the answer will become clear.
I miss the target often. I have to pick myself up, dust myself off, and try, try again.
But like the paper I have stuck to my cube wall says:
If you're worrying, you're not praying. If you're praying, you don't have to worry.
Or, as my pastor once preached, negative thoughts and words bring negative results.
Worrying is negative energy.
Praying is positive energy.
Praying over the problem and turning it over to the Lord allows Him to work on it. You don't know what your end result will be, but it WILL be positive. Even if it doesn't look like it in that moment.
Sometimes, something has to happen to trigger a good end result.
Losing that house seems like a financial disaster. But you know, maybe it's freeing you up to make that move to a better location and a better job. Maybe it's setting you free from a financial burden that you don't need to bear right now. Maybe by letting go now and re-establishing your finances and credit, you're going to be able to buy again in three years, when the real estate market has hit bottom and you're again considered a first time buyer. (Next time, get a fixed rate FHA loan!)
And maybe it's one of those hard lessons that we all face in this life, to not overextend ourselves, not let the world convince us that we're better off than we are. Because GOD determines our worth, not the world.
Maybe that house was just more "stuff".
You don't have to impress anyone. There is only One that matters.
Pray on it.
I have personally found that when you lay it all at the foot of the Throne, you will be restored. It will take time.
Seed, time, harvest.
Restoration takes time.
Stop worrying, start praying.
If you're worrying, you're not praying. If you're praying, you don't have to worry.
He ALWAYS answers.
Start praying, then the answer will become clear.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Christians Are People Too
I'm always amazed at the double standard that people employ when criticizing Christians.
Somehow, because we're held to a higher standard by Jesus, we aren't allowed to make mistakes.
My friends, we Christians are human. We make mistakes, just like everyone else.
The difference is, when that mistake is discovered, when the Spirit speaks, when the Word leaps off the page and Speaks to our hearts, we're supposed to do our best to make it right.
And if you refuse to accept the correction, repair, reparation or apology or whatever else the right thing to do is, then we can leave it to the Lord from there.
So...
If I owe you an apology and because you're angry, you refuse to accept it, then I can pray over it, turn it over to the Lord, and resolve to do better in the future. I don't have to accept your hate, I don't have to keep your anger. That is your problem.
If I owe you money and because you're angry, you refuse to accept it, then I can pray over it and then apply it where the Spirit directs. Now, I don't get to keep it, I MUST pass it on. And if you get mad over that, well that's your problem. (And trust me, being a smart Christian, I'll send you a check first and if you send it back or shred it or otherwise refuse it, I'll document it all. Then I'll apply it to the Lord's work.)
And if I do something so horrible that I end up in jail over it, as a Christian, I must accept my punishment and try to make restitution to you. Accepting responsibility for my actions is the Christian thing to do. And if you don't like that, honestly, that's your problem.
We Christians do sin. And sin is wrong.
But we can be Christ-like in trying to repair the damage we have done. We can be Christ-like in accepting responsibility for our sins.
But for you to try to act like my sin is tarnish over all Christians, well, you know, that's pretty darn judgemental of you.
Not all people who profess Christianity are actually walking with the Lord on the Path.
Just because one "Christian" did you wrong doesn't mean that all of Christianity is tainted.
As a Christian, I walk in this world just like you do. And I make mistakes, just like you do. And I sin, just like you do.
And in the end I will answer, not to you, but to a Higher Authority that will judge all that I have done.
So the next time you start ranting and raving about Christians this and Christians that, think of this -- I forgive you.
Because in your ignorance, you have not a single clue of what being a Christian really is.
Christians are people too.
And most of us walked in the world's ways long before Jesus took charge of our lives.
Walking with Jesus is a process. I might be a new woman on the inside, but it takes time to redo the outside. Jesus is still working on me and trust me, He's still raking, watering and fertilizing this rocky soil. He's still planting seeds and pruning branches. He still has much work to do.
I'm a Christian, but I'm far from perfect. He'll be working on me until the day I go Home.
Somehow, because we're held to a higher standard by Jesus, we aren't allowed to make mistakes.
My friends, we Christians are human. We make mistakes, just like everyone else.
The difference is, when that mistake is discovered, when the Spirit speaks, when the Word leaps off the page and Speaks to our hearts, we're supposed to do our best to make it right.
And if you refuse to accept the correction, repair, reparation or apology or whatever else the right thing to do is, then we can leave it to the Lord from there.
So...
If I owe you an apology and because you're angry, you refuse to accept it, then I can pray over it, turn it over to the Lord, and resolve to do better in the future. I don't have to accept your hate, I don't have to keep your anger. That is your problem.
If I owe you money and because you're angry, you refuse to accept it, then I can pray over it and then apply it where the Spirit directs. Now, I don't get to keep it, I MUST pass it on. And if you get mad over that, well that's your problem. (And trust me, being a smart Christian, I'll send you a check first and if you send it back or shred it or otherwise refuse it, I'll document it all. Then I'll apply it to the Lord's work.)
And if I do something so horrible that I end up in jail over it, as a Christian, I must accept my punishment and try to make restitution to you. Accepting responsibility for my actions is the Christian thing to do. And if you don't like that, honestly, that's your problem.
We Christians do sin. And sin is wrong.
But we can be Christ-like in trying to repair the damage we have done. We can be Christ-like in accepting responsibility for our sins.
But for you to try to act like my sin is tarnish over all Christians, well, you know, that's pretty darn judgemental of you.
Not all people who profess Christianity are actually walking with the Lord on the Path.
Just because one "Christian" did you wrong doesn't mean that all of Christianity is tainted.
As a Christian, I walk in this world just like you do. And I make mistakes, just like you do. And I sin, just like you do.
And in the end I will answer, not to you, but to a Higher Authority that will judge all that I have done.
So the next time you start ranting and raving about Christians this and Christians that, think of this -- I forgive you.
Because in your ignorance, you have not a single clue of what being a Christian really is.
Christians are people too.
And most of us walked in the world's ways long before Jesus took charge of our lives.
Walking with Jesus is a process. I might be a new woman on the inside, but it takes time to redo the outside. Jesus is still working on me and trust me, He's still raking, watering and fertilizing this rocky soil. He's still planting seeds and pruning branches. He still has much work to do.
I'm a Christian, but I'm far from perfect. He'll be working on me until the day I go Home.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
If Only All Christians Followed His Teachings
"Bring the little children to Me."
In Pakistan, there is a couple who say just that. They take in the unwanted children, mostly girls, who would otherwise be killed or abandoned to die.
In a country of too many poor, they serve God in their own way. Since they began in 1951, the Edhi Foundation has rescued at least 20,000 babies and placed an estimated 16,700 children in homes. Despite threats by some Muslims, they take in children of any and every faith. They try to find homes and raise the children to adulthood with a trade, skills and a brighter future than they had before being found abandoned or dropped off in one of the cradles around Pakistan.
If only more Christians would follow this example of doing God's Work.
(And yes, my church supports several orphanages around the world.)
Links:
http://www.edhifoundation.com/
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/02/MN8N11PFOF.DTL
To make a donation:
http://www.edhifoundation.com/contact.asp
In Pakistan, there is a couple who say just that. They take in the unwanted children, mostly girls, who would otherwise be killed or abandoned to die.
In a country of too many poor, they serve God in their own way. Since they began in 1951, the Edhi Foundation has rescued at least 20,000 babies and placed an estimated 16,700 children in homes. Despite threats by some Muslims, they take in children of any and every faith. They try to find homes and raise the children to adulthood with a trade, skills and a brighter future than they had before being found abandoned or dropped off in one of the cradles around Pakistan.
If only more Christians would follow this example of doing God's Work.
(And yes, my church supports several orphanages around the world.)
Links:
http://www.edhifoundation.com/
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/02/MN8N11PFOF.DTL
To make a donation:
http://www.edhifoundation.com/contact.asp
A Quilt Of Holes
I don't know who wrote this, but when I got it in my e-mail, it brought tears to my eyes.
As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.
But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.
I glanced around me.
Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.
I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.
Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been.
My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.
My gaze dropped to the ground in shame.
I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.
I had to start over many times.
I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.
I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life.
I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.
And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.
I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.
An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me.
Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.
He said, "Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."
"Welcome Home My Child"
I know that this may have arrived in your e-mail already. My google search brought up many postings, all saying "author unknown". But it doesn't matter how many times this is posted and reposted, the important part is the Word that comes with it.
"...let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."
The mantra of the Christian, to be Christ-like in all we do.
May He shine through my life today. May He shine through your life today.
And when my days on this earth are done, I pray that I too hear Him say, "Welcome home My child."
As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.
But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.
I glanced around me.
Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune.
I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.
Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been.
My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.
My gaze dropped to the ground in shame.
I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.
I had to start over many times.
I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.
I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life.
I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.
And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.
I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.
An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me.
Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes.
He said, "Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."
"Welcome Home My Child"
I know that this may have arrived in your e-mail already. My google search brought up many postings, all saying "author unknown". But it doesn't matter how many times this is posted and reposted, the important part is the Word that comes with it.
"...let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you."
The mantra of the Christian, to be Christ-like in all we do.
May He shine through my life today. May He shine through your life today.
And when my days on this earth are done, I pray that I too hear Him say, "Welcome home My child."
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Follow The Light
For all of you who doubt, let me reassure you, Satan KNOWS that God exists.
I believe that the evil one invades the Church every day.
For example, look at the tragedy of Dennis Rader, the BTK killer. Oh, my dear Lord, the man was a church-goer, if I remember right, a Deacon of his church.
Obviously, he attended church. But that doesn't mean that the evil one didn't have his heart.
He sold his soul to Satan long ago.
I know, you wonder how he could sit in church with the Believers and keep up the pretense of his life for all those years.
He made a choice.
God gives us free will. Rader could have repented of his choice, given his life over to the Lord, became the man the Lord intended him to be.
Instead, he used his free will to become a follower of evil.
Let him be an example, Christians, be warned. There are people right now, today, sitting next to you at church that do not have your best interests at heart.
Certainly most of them are not at the level of evil that Dennis Rader, the BTK killer is. But that doesn't mean that they don't have designs on your money, your wife or husband, your kids, your life.
Evil inhabits this world and it comes to church with you.
We have to live in this world, but we can CHOOSE to not buy into it.
Please remember, I'm not saying to be paranoid, or to lose your Faith. Not at all.
In fact, I'm telling you the exact opposite! Live YOUR life right. God gave each of us free will. That means it's our DUTY to be vigilant. Push the evil one out of our lives.
Don't be like Radar. Yes, he went to church, he went through the motions, but Radar chose the dark path.
Be aware.
Watch out.
Jesus himself turned over the tables in the Temple. He knew that the world comes to church with the Believers. He turned over the tables and drove the world out that day.
It's 2,000 years later. Follow His example, Believers, push the world back out of the Church. Pray, counsel, and watch. And listen to the Spirit. He tells you in a whisper that something is just not right. Listen to the quiet voice in your heart.
Not the voice of condemnation. Not the voice shouting at you. That's the evil one trying to distract you from what is Right.
No, the little voice that tells you that something is just not right with that person, situation, job, financial advice, pastor.
Satan KNOWS that God is here with us every single day. Don't give him that opening into your heart. Be careful what you do, lest he take advantage of you, mislead you and lead you down the dark path. Watch what you take in, be careful what you put out.
You don't have to choose the dark ways of this world, you can choose to follow the Light. It's a hard Path, but it's the Way of Truth.
Follow the Light.
I believe that the evil one invades the Church every day.
For example, look at the tragedy of Dennis Rader, the BTK killer. Oh, my dear Lord, the man was a church-goer, if I remember right, a Deacon of his church.
Obviously, he attended church. But that doesn't mean that the evil one didn't have his heart.
He sold his soul to Satan long ago.
I know, you wonder how he could sit in church with the Believers and keep up the pretense of his life for all those years.
He made a choice.
God gives us free will. Rader could have repented of his choice, given his life over to the Lord, became the man the Lord intended him to be.
Instead, he used his free will to become a follower of evil.
Let him be an example, Christians, be warned. There are people right now, today, sitting next to you at church that do not have your best interests at heart.
Certainly most of them are not at the level of evil that Dennis Rader, the BTK killer is. But that doesn't mean that they don't have designs on your money, your wife or husband, your kids, your life.
Evil inhabits this world and it comes to church with you.
We have to live in this world, but we can CHOOSE to not buy into it.
Please remember, I'm not saying to be paranoid, or to lose your Faith. Not at all.
In fact, I'm telling you the exact opposite! Live YOUR life right. God gave each of us free will. That means it's our DUTY to be vigilant. Push the evil one out of our lives.
Don't be like Radar. Yes, he went to church, he went through the motions, but Radar chose the dark path.
Be aware.
Watch out.
Jesus himself turned over the tables in the Temple. He knew that the world comes to church with the Believers. He turned over the tables and drove the world out that day.
It's 2,000 years later. Follow His example, Believers, push the world back out of the Church. Pray, counsel, and watch. And listen to the Spirit. He tells you in a whisper that something is just not right. Listen to the quiet voice in your heart.
Not the voice of condemnation. Not the voice shouting at you. That's the evil one trying to distract you from what is Right.
No, the little voice that tells you that something is just not right with that person, situation, job, financial advice, pastor.
Satan KNOWS that God is here with us every single day. Don't give him that opening into your heart. Be careful what you do, lest he take advantage of you, mislead you and lead you down the dark path. Watch what you take in, be careful what you put out.
You don't have to choose the dark ways of this world, you can choose to follow the Light. It's a hard Path, but it's the Way of Truth.
Follow the Light.
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