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Every family on planet earth has things that are discussed within the four walls of their home and are not for public display or discussion. They aren’t family secrets they are merely for private use only. These things are considered family matters.
Do you realize that there are things as followers of Christ that we should discuss within the four walls of the church that do not need to be discussed outside those four walls? There are some things that are family matters. As a body of believers we are a family. When you are in a family there are some things that you keep among each other. You don’t want the neighbors to know because they are matters that only a family would have knowledge of.
Jesus walked among the people for three years. In the time of his ministry he preached a kingdom message. He spoke to all who would listen about a kingdom that could be had on earth. In the time of his ministry he also had disciples, those that stuck close to him and traveled with him. Jesus took those disciples aside and taught them deeper things. Things the public was not ready for. He prepared them for a time when he would no longer be with them so that they could carry on his work. They had lengthy discussions about what he was teaching but if you notice they were always done away from the crowd of followers. It was simply a family matter.
We could all take a lesson from this. When we meet people who do not know Jesus our first instinct is to begin talking about everything we know. First off, it isn’t helpful because most people don’t know what we are talking about. For them, it’s like walking into a movie that has already begun. We need to slow down. We need to talk to them about the things Jesus talked about in his time. He talked to the people he came across about kingdom things that would help them. Things like their own pain and illness and issues that they were struggling with and how to overcome them. He recognized that they didn’t understand the principles of God. He had a message to be taught but the people he encountered had real needs now. They needed immediate help and a resolution if they were going to move forward in their lives. Saying things like ‘Jesus loves you’ does nothing for a person if that person doesn’t know him. It simply sounds kooky. Saying something about knowing the pain of a losing a loved one and what got you through that time in your life is more realistic and helpful. Listening to a need without judgment is better than a trite answer. Remember the family matters are for a later time. There are people with immediate needs out there that need to be helped now. They honestly don’t care that Jesus loves them if they don’t know where their next meal is coming from. They only want to know one thing; can you buy some groceries for them? Can you help?
There will be plenty of time to explain the whole history of your family later. For now, just meet them at their need. Be a friend who can help.
Categories: Bible · Daily Living · God · Jesus · Love · Ministry · relationships
John Reich writes a blog called My World. I read this article on church hoppers this morning and thought it was pretty accurate. I really enjoyed this post and will read some more of his blog soon! Click on the link below and Enjoy!
Church Hoppers
Categories: In The News · Ministry
God’s love for me is not dependent on any sort of act I do. It isn’t about how much prayer time I have, it’s not about how much I serve him. He just loves me because we are a part of each other. I could be on my best behavior or my worst and he still loves me.
That is not to say that I don’t have to work at doing my part. No, in fact, I work at doing my part not because I have to but because I WANT to. That is a big difference. I pray because I want to talk to him. I obey because I want to please him. He doesn’t take his love away whether I do it or not.
I don’t do laundry for my husband because he expects it or because I win his love by doing it. I already have his love. I do the laundry out of a want in me to do nice things for him. In other words, it’s not a performance. I do it because I want to. I want to go see movies he likes. I want to snuggle up to him while I read my book and he watches the military channel. I want to take time out of my day to call him on the phone just to say hi. I don’t call him because I need to and not because I have to or he’ll be mad if I don’t. Simply I do things for him because I want him to feel appreciated. I want him to feel loved. I want him to feel like he is the luckiest man on earth.
So often as women we begin to see men as fixtures. They aren’t fixtures. We take them for granted and we nag them to death about all the things they fail to do and bypass the things they got right. We need to take a step back and realize they are aren’t slaves to be mistreated they are supposedly our love, our heart’s desire.
Conversely, you do not need to be perfection to earn a man’s love. If a man withholds his love from you because you are not performing to his expectations it’s time to move on because he is not a keeper and definitely not marriage material. If you have to jump through hoops like a trained dolphin then it’s time to go. Love can’t be bought and I see men who want to be with women because of what they can get her to do. I also the reverse, women whose boyfriends sit and stay as they are told. I am old enough, I guess, to still believe that a man should open a door for his woman and treat her to dinner without the expectation of sex afterwards but neither do I believe that a man has to buy us. I don’t think cleaning your boyfriends apartment is appropriate either if it means that’s how you have to keep him.
So, the key here is this. Do things for the people in your life because you love them and you want to do things that make their life easier. Don’t take them for granted, they are not fixtures. They are free people who can choose to leave when they’ve had enough of being ignored or taken for granted or bossed around. Remember you are not a trained monkey. If you are performing to get something it may not be worth it.
Categories: Daily Living · God · Love · Ministry · relationships
BBC News
If I hear someone else say they have the disease of alcoholism or drug addiction I will scream. Maybe not really scream out loud but internally I will be screaming. Addiction is not a disease. A disease is as described in Merriam Websters as
a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms
Pregnancy is a nine month curable disease. It impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms. Cancer is a disease, diabetes is a disease. You could not go up to a pregnant woman, a cancer patient, a kidney dialysis patient and say, “Well, there is this residential treatment facility and with a some counseling and a decision to quit this behavior, we can cure your disease.” It doesn’t work that way.
Addiction is a poorly made choice.
God gave you free will. Period. Read it. It’s found in Genesis, right in the beginning when he gives (man) you the world and everything in it and says, subdue it. That means you are in charge of everything. Dr. Myles Munroe says it best when he says if you were supposed to have dominion over the tobacco leaf then why does it have dominion over you? Why are you allowing it?
Addiction is a poorly made choice. I said that already I know but I want you to read it again. You have control over it. You decided to give your control over to a thing. The thing didn’t overtake you, you allowed it.
You have the power to change choices. I’ve never met anyone who chose to get cancer with the exception of those addicted to cigarettes and even they thought they were an exception to the rule.
You have the power over the addiction.
Choose wisely. It always starts with a choice.
Categories: Daily Living · Health
I was typing out the church bulletin last night and watching TV. Out of the corner of my eye, I see something move. I look over and nothing is there. Okay, I’m seeing things only there it is again and I look over and it’s a mouse. I yell and it goes back behind the dresser where it was. Doug gets up and tries to find it and it runs into his closet while I yell again.
It was late and he was in bed but he put on his jeans and his shoes and stood up and pounded his chest.
“ME YOUR MAN!”
“I WILL BE YOUR WARRIOR”
He runs to the store for sticky traps and comes right back and sets up. Lulu the wonder dog, could care less. She is asleep at the foot of our bed wrapped up in her blanket. My yelling elicited a flicker of the ear and a deep sigh. This dog only works for treats. My deep fear of mice and things that scurry don’t phase her. I had no treat.
I LOVE fall. Really love fall, but every fall they plow the fields behind our houses and all the neighbors get mice. It’s the downside of fall.
Categories: Daily Living · Love · My Life
October 28, 2009 · 1 Comment
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Mary Hollingsworth coined the phrase soul esteem and when I first read it I loved it. It spoke to me on so many levels. I believe that we as a society have put so much effort on self- esteem that we think it’s the end all to our exsitence. There are things that bring you so much more than the absorption of focus on self.
The word esteem means to regard with respect. How many of us respect our soul? If your soul is the core of your being then what are you doing to build it up and to fortify it? As a follower of Christ I fortify my soul through prayer, through the meditation of the word of God, through friendship with other believers, through books that provoke thought and through the media in various forms. I wade through vast amounts of information on what is happening in the world and how that affects us all and how it infringes or goes along with my thought process.
Let’s talk honestly though, how many have no time because other things take priority in their life? On-line gaming, television and the normal distractions of life keep us from taking care of our soul. What is more important than that though? The bible says;
1 John 1:2 – Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers
So the principle here is that our body be in good health just as our soul be in good health. It means that there are certain things that make my soul weak, sick and poor just as there are things that make my health weak, sick and poor.
What are some things that make my soul healthy other than the things already mentioned above? Helping others makes my soul esteem rise. The feeling that I contributed in a small way to the world that I live in makes my soul prosper. It is not just about the things I do for myself but it’s in the reaching out to others that gives us a sense of purpose. At the core of our being we are relational. We are connected to each other and to deny that in our selfish actions is to deny a big part of who we were created to be. We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘it did my heart good’. Reaching out to help others actually helps us. I’ve seen depression cease as people reach out to others. They find a purpose other than a focus on their own lack is and it makes a transformation happen in their life.
Getting plenty of rest makes us less stressed out and they add the well being of our soul. Learning to be content in our lives and not always striving for that next best thing helps our soul. Getting out into nature for a walk and taking a look at God’s creation with a fresh perspective helps our soul stay healthy. Getting together with friends and laughing and talking makes you feel good. Learning to rejoice in other’s blessings are all things that help your soul esteem.
Don’t let your soul get weary and old. Revitalize, renew and refresh your soul as often as you can. You will be a better human being for it.
Categories: Bible · Daily Living · God · Health · Jesus · Love · Ministry
