Hello Friends!
I just wanted to drop a quick line to say "Thank You" to those of you who follow my blog. My prayer is that through shared experiences, we all grow closer to the Lord. I am honored that you have chosen to follow my blog and appreciate the encouraging comments that I receive. I do read them. If you're moved to thought by something I've written, please take a minute and share that with me. I'm do not want to be a single voice "crying in the wilderness", I want to know what you would like to know and what you think about as well. I'd like to know you better. Thank you again for following. Hope to hear from you soon!
Angie
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Come out and fight like a man!
GRRRRR!!!! I hate how the battlefield for everything is our minds! When we battle Satan, our own selfish will, our own greed; everything, it's always in the mind where we struggle. I've pondered why so many times that it has made my head hurt. Ironic, huh? Have you ever been mentally tired? Just ready to grab your head, scream and run for the darkest corner? I have. I feel that way now. Satan is, I begrudgingly admit, smart. There's no way that he could drive us as crazy as he can be planting a thought and walking away. Ingenious old devil. He knows that if he hangs around in plain site, we will fight. None of us who have committed our life to Christ would dare back down from our enemy in a face to face battle. What a disgrace that would be! No, he's been around long enough to know that he needs to bob and weave when it comes to setting us up. Too obvious and we'll catch on. Too subtle and we may actually miss the trap he set for us. No, he plays dirty. Heck, he invented playing dirty. He sets us up with the tiniest of thought and then allows it to grow, knowing that our brains and our egos and our own prejudices and self-esteem issues are more than fertile enough ground to grow a bumper crop. All of this happens while he slips away, snickering at us; at our failures, at our faults.
Everyday, we are bombarded with his trash. It's not the obvious that you should concern yourself with the most. We know what porn can do to marriages, we know what sex outside of marriage will do to the individuals involved. Affairs destroy families. Abortions kill babies and leave would be mothers with a void as deep and dark as a black hole in space. Drugs, alcohol; you name it and most of us can give you the list of every unavoidable destruction that each life while experience. No, my friend, it is not the "big" sins that you need to guard against. By the way, who colored lies and classified sins as big or small? ALL of our sins nailed Christ to that cross. No sin is worse or better in His eyes. If you think differently, imagine looking in His blood stained face and arguing with Him about that. Back to the subject, it's always the small things that cause the "big" sins. It's been that way from the beginning. Eve didn't set out to sin against God and cause the whole world to suffer the consequences of sin, she was manipulated into thinking how good the fruit looked for food. David took a second glance on a bathing woman, causing him to burn with desire for another man's wife and that caused him to become a murderer! Judas was angry that Jesus wouldn't overthrow the government so he believed he could force Jesus' hand to action. Even the soldiers at the foot of the cross, gave into their greediness. They were literally an arms length from salvation for their souls and chose to gamble for a piece of cloth instead of reach for a Savior! All of these things started as a thought, in the mind. Satan may be a cunning adversary, but he is one other thing as well. He is a coward. He won't stand face to face and fight because he knows that the battle is the Lord's and he would not win. No, the coward lurches in the shadows and like a bully, waits for his next victim to come along. Don't be a victim! Today, think on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS. Take every thought captive to Christ and that timeless dark devil will lose before he knows what happened. We can truly live free for ourselves and from him, if we choose to live hidden in Christ!
Battle on, my friend!
Angie
Everyday, we are bombarded with his trash. It's not the obvious that you should concern yourself with the most. We know what porn can do to marriages, we know what sex outside of marriage will do to the individuals involved. Affairs destroy families. Abortions kill babies and leave would be mothers with a void as deep and dark as a black hole in space. Drugs, alcohol; you name it and most of us can give you the list of every unavoidable destruction that each life while experience. No, my friend, it is not the "big" sins that you need to guard against. By the way, who colored lies and classified sins as big or small? ALL of our sins nailed Christ to that cross. No sin is worse or better in His eyes. If you think differently, imagine looking in His blood stained face and arguing with Him about that. Back to the subject, it's always the small things that cause the "big" sins. It's been that way from the beginning. Eve didn't set out to sin against God and cause the whole world to suffer the consequences of sin, she was manipulated into thinking how good the fruit looked for food. David took a second glance on a bathing woman, causing him to burn with desire for another man's wife and that caused him to become a murderer! Judas was angry that Jesus wouldn't overthrow the government so he believed he could force Jesus' hand to action. Even the soldiers at the foot of the cross, gave into their greediness. They were literally an arms length from salvation for their souls and chose to gamble for a piece of cloth instead of reach for a Savior! All of these things started as a thought, in the mind. Satan may be a cunning adversary, but he is one other thing as well. He is a coward. He won't stand face to face and fight because he knows that the battle is the Lord's and he would not win. No, the coward lurches in the shadows and like a bully, waits for his next victim to come along. Don't be a victim! Today, think on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS. Take every thought captive to Christ and that timeless dark devil will lose before he knows what happened. We can truly live free for ourselves and from him, if we choose to live hidden in Christ!
Battle on, my friend!
Angie
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Give us this day our daily bread...
Matthew 6:9-13 (NASB)..."Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven. Hallowed by Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.']
You've never really thought too much about it, have you? Yeah, me neither. Don't get me wrong, I've prayed it, I've recited it, I've even cross stitched onto a bookmark, but have I ever really thought about what the words mean? Not until recently, I haven't. Then, it happened. The economy has affected everyone, including the church. When no one has a job, no one tithes. When no one tithes, there is no money in God's house. When there's no money...well, I think you get the picture. So, that means I'm one of the ones who got the half boot. I say "half boot" because I was cut to part-time, not let go completely. Hummm, doesn't really feel all that different though. Truth is, cut is cut. Which brings us to our title..."Give us this day our daily bread". When you've lost the ability to fend for yourself, you feel alone. It's amazing how quickly your "friends" forget your phone number when you have the "plaque" of being unemployed. They don't want to catch it, I guess. What's even harder is when you've worked in the ministry and lost your job. What's the toughest of all is when you helped to start the church where you were employed and still get cut out of it. Talk about your rude awakening! Not only do you feel like your friends have left you, you begin to wonder if God has also. Now that's feeling alone!
Talk about your world getting rocked! I've been in a surreal state of mind for weeks now. Is this really happening? Who made this stupid decision? Why me? What about so and so? He sucks at his job! Why not the slacker? Why not cut the salaries of everyone and allow all of us to keep our jobs? I guess I've wondered everything that can be wondered. Now, back to the real issue at hand. What does this daily bread thing REALLY mean?
As I've searched and prayed and yelled and cried out to God, a few things have begun to become clearer. I've always been an ant. No, I didn't misspell it, I meant to type ant, not aunt. I'm an ant. I work hard to prepare for the coming winter. While the grasshoppers are bouncing around frolicking in the sun all summer, we ants are hard at work, heads down, noses to the grindstone, storing up for what's coming. I've learned three things about us ants...the first, the grasshoppers will always show up our doorsteps looking for the basics in order to live through the winter at the first snowfall. Secondly, as ants, we will always feel obligated to help the grasshoppers out. Thirdly and finally, because ants will always get the job done, we are overlooked and easily dismissed because we don't have to frantically scrounge around to get the job done. Stinks, but there it is. Now how does that relate to our subject? Being an ant and being unemployed?!?!?! Oh my goodness! How can this be?!?!?! God, what do I do now?!?!?!?
That's when it started to dawn on me..."give us this day our daily bread". Yep, the economy stinks. Yep, I've got incredibly hurt feelings with my church. Yes, the whole thing has caused so many staff members at my church to fall off of their pedestals in my eyes. Yep, that makes me angry. Yep, I want to give up on ministry. Yep, I want to give up on God, no wait a minute. No, no it has not made me give up on God. He has done too much for me to give up on Him. Salvation alone would have been more than I ever could have hoped for yet He made us promises for this life too! Can you believe that? It's inconceivable, yet it's true. I've placed it all in His hands. I've always been the ant with His ministry as well; head down, work to do. I've never questioned what He wanted, I've just worked and followed "the rules", knowing that it would all work out well because He would honor my diligence. Now, however, I'm learning what Jesus meant when He told us to pray for our daily bread. Grasshopper, ant...it doesn't mean anything to Him. He has it all. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He promised to take care of me. I've put each day in His hands. He's fully aware of my budget needs. He knows when the bills are due. He can't get out of taking care of me. He has obligated Himself to each of us, if we have given our lives to Him, to be our Provider, our Strength, our Strong Tower, our Avenger, our Father. He's taking care of me each day. He has provided work so that I can earn a living with which I honor Him with the first fruits of that labor going back to Him. Sure, I could take this scary economic time and say that I can't tithe because I may not have any more money coming in, but that's not faith. In faith, I give back and in His promises, He takes care of my every need. He is worthy of our praise and worship. Honor Him with your life, your heart and your soul and He will take care of everything you need.
Angie
You've never really thought too much about it, have you? Yeah, me neither. Don't get me wrong, I've prayed it, I've recited it, I've even cross stitched onto a bookmark, but have I ever really thought about what the words mean? Not until recently, I haven't. Then, it happened. The economy has affected everyone, including the church. When no one has a job, no one tithes. When no one tithes, there is no money in God's house. When there's no money...well, I think you get the picture. So, that means I'm one of the ones who got the half boot. I say "half boot" because I was cut to part-time, not let go completely. Hummm, doesn't really feel all that different though. Truth is, cut is cut. Which brings us to our title..."Give us this day our daily bread". When you've lost the ability to fend for yourself, you feel alone. It's amazing how quickly your "friends" forget your phone number when you have the "plaque" of being unemployed. They don't want to catch it, I guess. What's even harder is when you've worked in the ministry and lost your job. What's the toughest of all is when you helped to start the church where you were employed and still get cut out of it. Talk about your rude awakening! Not only do you feel like your friends have left you, you begin to wonder if God has also. Now that's feeling alone!
Talk about your world getting rocked! I've been in a surreal state of mind for weeks now. Is this really happening? Who made this stupid decision? Why me? What about so and so? He sucks at his job! Why not the slacker? Why not cut the salaries of everyone and allow all of us to keep our jobs? I guess I've wondered everything that can be wondered. Now, back to the real issue at hand. What does this daily bread thing REALLY mean?
As I've searched and prayed and yelled and cried out to God, a few things have begun to become clearer. I've always been an ant. No, I didn't misspell it, I meant to type ant, not aunt. I'm an ant. I work hard to prepare for the coming winter. While the grasshoppers are bouncing around frolicking in the sun all summer, we ants are hard at work, heads down, noses to the grindstone, storing up for what's coming. I've learned three things about us ants...the first, the grasshoppers will always show up our doorsteps looking for the basics in order to live through the winter at the first snowfall. Secondly, as ants, we will always feel obligated to help the grasshoppers out. Thirdly and finally, because ants will always get the job done, we are overlooked and easily dismissed because we don't have to frantically scrounge around to get the job done. Stinks, but there it is. Now how does that relate to our subject? Being an ant and being unemployed?!?!?! Oh my goodness! How can this be?!?!?! God, what do I do now?!?!?!?
That's when it started to dawn on me..."give us this day our daily bread". Yep, the economy stinks. Yep, I've got incredibly hurt feelings with my church. Yes, the whole thing has caused so many staff members at my church to fall off of their pedestals in my eyes. Yep, that makes me angry. Yep, I want to give up on ministry. Yep, I want to give up on God, no wait a minute. No, no it has not made me give up on God. He has done too much for me to give up on Him. Salvation alone would have been more than I ever could have hoped for yet He made us promises for this life too! Can you believe that? It's inconceivable, yet it's true. I've placed it all in His hands. I've always been the ant with His ministry as well; head down, work to do. I've never questioned what He wanted, I've just worked and followed "the rules", knowing that it would all work out well because He would honor my diligence. Now, however, I'm learning what Jesus meant when He told us to pray for our daily bread. Grasshopper, ant...it doesn't mean anything to Him. He has it all. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He promised to take care of me. I've put each day in His hands. He's fully aware of my budget needs. He knows when the bills are due. He can't get out of taking care of me. He has obligated Himself to each of us, if we have given our lives to Him, to be our Provider, our Strength, our Strong Tower, our Avenger, our Father. He's taking care of me each day. He has provided work so that I can earn a living with which I honor Him with the first fruits of that labor going back to Him. Sure, I could take this scary economic time and say that I can't tithe because I may not have any more money coming in, but that's not faith. In faith, I give back and in His promises, He takes care of my every need. He is worthy of our praise and worship. Honor Him with your life, your heart and your soul and He will take care of everything you need.
Angie
Friday, March 6, 2009
How many times do I have to hear before I listen?
Okay, I've got to admit that God is nothing if not persistant. I'm in the middle of one of those valley experiences as the religious groups like to call it. The world would say that I am trying to "redefine" myself. Who cares what you call it? The fact is, it stinks because none of us likes to be stretched, tested or grown. However, that is exactly what the Christian life is all about. Jesus saves us right where we are, in all the muck and mire that we have spent weeks, months or years rolling around in and He picks us up, cleans us up, forgives us and gives us hope for an abundant life here and an unbelievable life after death. Why He would choose to give His life to make it possible for us, I have no idea. But He did and He does everyday. Recently, I've been praying for God to show me what in the world He has planned for me. I feel tossed and turned like a boat on the ocean, unable to find the North Star to lead me home. I've never been strong in the faith area. As an adult, it's been just me to take care of me. I've never married, so if the car breaks down, I'm the one who has to figure out how to get it fixed. If there's an unexpected expense, I'm reworking my budget into the late hours of the night to come up with a way to take care of it. I've always had one person to fall back on and that person would be...me. You know the expression, "be careful what you wish for"? Well, take it from me, be careful. I've always envied people who have a strong gift of faith. They seem to be able to give their problems to God and then just wait on Him to act. How can they do that?!? Where are the feet that we are suppose to put into action in order for the prayers to be answered? Just in case you are thinking, "God helps them who help themselves", you and I both are wrong. That phrase is from a movie, The Bells of Saint Mary, if I'm not mistaken. Back to what I need to share. I now find myself in the position of not being able to fall back on me to provide and protect me. That is a terrifying place to be. That means that I have to depend on God for every moment of every day to get me through this period of time. Terrifying! I know that God will take care of others. I have no doubt that when I pray for my family and my friends that God will provide exactly what they need at exactly the perfect time. But to be perfectly honest, I'm not 100% sure about that for myself. Why can't I believe the same things for me? Then, over the past week, God has been trying to tell me something. I admit that I'm slow sometimes, I just didn't realize that I was so headstrong against hearing. I've been told or heard the following sentence 3 times in the last 5 days. This is what God has been whispering in my ear, the thing I wouldn't hear..."To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did." I've always marveled at Christians who display amazing faith. There's a reason that the Bible has the book of Job and not the book of Angela. I wouldn't have had the faith to continue to hang in there without questioning God as to why He hated me so badly. Nope, Job just trusted in faith that God had a plan that was bigger than Job's pain. Talk about a man of faith! Since I've never been strong in faith, apparently God has decided that it's time to grow me. I know the results will be mind boggling. However, in the mean time, I dread the stretching. Growth always hurts. Babies cry when their teeth grow in. Athletes have muscle cramps when they are building up their frames. Women lose their figures and get stretch marks in order to bring life into the world. When I was a child I remember having terrible leg cramps that the doctors said I would just have to grow through and endure until I reached my full height. Growth is hard, no doubt. Yet, without growth, we become stunted and can actually lose the desire to grow. We, like plants that in are too small of containers, actually begin to believe that we cannot grow anymore. It's a lie that Satan loves to tell us and it's easy to believe. So readers, my growth spurt has started. If it's going to happen, then there is no way, except for God to make it happen. It's truly in His hands because I can't do this one. My journey has begun...
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