Ghost of the Church

Where is the Church? I mean really. Where are you people of God?!? Are you sitting on your back sides while others of the world are taking everything over? Where are those who will stand up for their faith? Where are those who will stand up for God? I’ll tell you they’re not here in America. No, they are in ….. Getting their heads cut off because they will not bow down to those who are against God. http://www.military.com/video/operations-and-strategy/battles/syrian-rebels-behead-christians/2525038454001/ Young and old, men and women. They have taken the stand against evil. Those are the ones who are winning souls. American Christians are boo- hooing about the things going on around them instead of standing on the Word. We have churches allowing gays to be married http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/11/politics/btn-same-sex-marriage/ let alone “teaching the word” now says it’s ok to be gay. We have so called men of God sexually abusing those in their church. We have people being harassed for not complying to gays. http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/city-threatens-to-arrest-ministers-who-refuse-to-perform-same-sex-weddings.html Which (the gays) is supposed to be a minority? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/15/health-survey-americans-gay_n_5587696.html We have people pushing for abortions. http://www.numberofabortions.com/ And the list could go on and on. It probably will.
When will the true Christians of this country stand and say enough. I’m not trying to promote hate. I’m not trying to promote anger. I’m trying to promote love back to God. Throughout all of this turmoil He still loves us. We Christians are not supposed to get along with this world. We are supposed to show Christ’s love to our neighbors and to God. We are instead hiding our eyes and ears like ostriches. Sticking our heads in the sand while the world takes over. There will soon be nothing too outrageous for anyone. The standards of people have gone so far down that it will take many generations to climb back to the straight and narrow path. But it only took a couple of generations to get here.

The crime rate has gone up across the country with the introduction of extreme islam, and isis. Whether people like to admit it or not, we in a spiritual war and have been for some time. But the world will tell you it is more important to concentrate on the color of a persons skin http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/us/ferguson-shooting-protests or what we call our children http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/10/09/gender-inclusive-school-district-says-drop-boys-and-girls-call-kids-purple/ The government isn’t really concerned with your health unless you’re giving them thousands upon thousands of dollars. They’re not concerned with making more jobs. Because since they have taken over the academics of our country the education of our children has gone to pot. http://www.broadeducation.org/about/crisis_stats.html Oh yeah, there another subject. Let’s look at the drugs that are now legal which would have gotten you thrown in jail just a few years ago. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-great-marijuana-experiment-a-tale-of-two-drug-wars-20140103 If, we as a Church, don’t start right now and make up our minds, hearts and souls, to stay with God rather than away from him, all will be lost to evil. I hear people say that this country was founded on Christian beliefs. Where are those beliefs now?

We Just Need To Practice

Hey there everyone,

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.  I most certainly did.  My oldest came home from college for Christmas, my daughter turned 17 (She is making me and the hubby old very fast.)  She also got a job right before her birthday (Which is one week before Christmas).  We all celebrated my three holidays together at home with no big hoop la.  Which was just fine with all of us.

At the beginning of each year you might be finding yourself looking back.  People like to see what if anything they got accomplished and what they didn’t.  They make new goals for the upcoming months.  They try to adopt new, better habits.  One thing I have found is that they don’t set these out on a day-to-day basis.  No they spread them out over an entire year.  Yes, I realize that there are some that may take that long.  But ask yourself when you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it the tasks that need to be done? Or perhaps a soreness/pain you may have for sleeping different then you needed.  I could list a whole number of things that ; not only have I said to myself, but have heard others as well.  We are to begin each day a new. With the joy of the Lord.   Not with bitterness or need.  In order to do this all it takes is …… practice.  Practice means that you are trying each and every day with all you mind, body, and soul.  Practice means you won’t get it perfected or even do it some days.  It means you are trying.  That you are actually doing it with a good heart.  Practice mean you have taken you out of it and are doing it for the Lord.

I don’t understand why people are putting so much disgust on themselves at the beginning of each year.  They haven’t lost enough weight, gotten any healthier, saved enough money, given enough money and so on. So what?!? Do the best you can with what you have daily and let God handle the rest.  Before you know it; it will be a new healthier, happier, habit and a wonderful start to your day.  Now for those who might be keeping score, I know that I didn’t write a whole lot last year, but within that time that I did these are the words I used most.

 

Angels, Bible, Child, Children, Christ, Christian, Church, Churches, Control, Faith, Family, Glory, God, Good, Gospel, Grace, Hear, Hearts, Jesus, Kids, Learn, Lessons, Life, Listen, Lord, Love, Luke, Man, Marriage, Matthew, Mercy, Mistakes, MS, Music, ORU, Parents, Pastor, People, Religion, Speak, Spirit, Trouble, Women, Word, Work.

 

I like to leave you with a song that I heard on a CD that my sister had a long time ago.  The song might be an old one but it still holds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wslEJVlnjRI

Is It Any Of Your Business?

My oldest sent me a video of a comic who was talking about how Christians aren’t suppose to curse.  I found the video somewhat funny, but I also got the thoughts out of it as to how fingers are pointed at Christians if and when we mess up.  In the heat of a moment, whether it be a physical pain, or an emotional one, when you’re hit right out of the blue, we “Christians” have cursed.  I get after my kids all the time for this.  My kids don’t use the ordinary curse words.  As a matter of fact, my daughter used to say “tartar sauce” when she was younger, for something that she didn’t like.  She knew that cursing was wrong so she “used her words”.  At the time, we allowed her to do so.  We had the mind-set that she had found a way around cursing and the way she would say it, was kind of cute.  However today, we understand that what stands behind any word that is spoken is where the power of any cursing is at.  So that now when we hear that which is behind the words that are against the good of God, we will tell them to stop cursing.  Then we have to explain to them, well at least the younger ones, that they are cursing.

Then later in the week I was speaking to one of my neighbors and he was explaining to me how another neighbor told him that because he is a “Christian” that he couldn’t get mad at him for anything he may have done to him.  Seriously!!!  Christians are not allowed to get mad?!?  Give me a break.  We are all human.  And as such we all have the same emotions.  I will say that as a Christian, I do try to keep control of my emotions.  I do so so that they don’t control me.  However, there are times when everyone get mad, sad, upset, depressed, happy, joyful, and overwhelmed.

When I was young, my mom use to tell me all the time, (and now I tell my own kids) to mind my business and not the business of others.  My kids have a (bad) habit of helping when it isn’t asked for.  They see something that needs done and then they take over and do it.  The person who was to do it in the first place then gets upset and complains.  I have to remind them that one should not help unless they are asked to help.  My kids have come home from school and given me detailed info on a friend or a classmate that is not what we would call “good news”.  And their opinion about the situation then follows.  I listen because I don’t want them to think that I don’t care about them (the child talking).  But then, I have to ask them, what business is it of yours?  Usually the answer is none.  As Christians we are to tell of the gospel and lead people to Christ.  That is our business.  But to criticize others for the business of their own is not ours to do.  We are to stay away from the worldly ways.  And that is of the world.

I have found, as a general rule, that people like to think that they know better than another.  People have opinions about everything and a lot of them think that they have the “right” to express them to the ones that they feel are doing things wrong.  If we Christians, would only look on the business of God, then we would be keeping in our own business.  Stop looking into the business of the world.  Live your life in your business.  Express the love of God.  So that the world will then come and ask you for the help that they need.

Family Focus

Hey there gang,

I would first like to thank everyone for their kind words of support and prayers.  It meant more than you can know.  So, now on to other news.  After two years of living in this very remote town, I finally found a family doctor.  One that I like even.  Although his office is about 40 mins. away from the house (along with everything else around here), I don’t mind driving when it means that I get a male doctor (yes, I’m old school and think men should be docs., well at least my doc.).  I had a female doc. once.  Never again.  I have never felt so uncomfortable in my life!  There was always an attitude of judgement in the air.  Which didn’t make me feel very safe.  But I’m not telling you not to go if that’s your preference.  Anyway, my new doc. went through my history and now has me on cholesterol meds. and high blood pressure meds.  Hummm…….now I wonder why my blood pressure is high.  LOl!  The cholesterol I’m blaming on the genes I got from both sides of the family.  Oh, yeah, I need to lose a few pounds as well…. like 40!  Which I knew that was coming since I haven’t been exercising like I use to.  Plus I love, love, love food.  Hoping the Zumba fitness I bought will help me out with that part.  For those of you who may not know what Zumba is, I put a video at the bottom for you to see.  Although, I don’t think I look as good as the girl does. (Crossed fingers that I get there.) I figured it was time to see the doc. again for me with all that has been going on here.  I can’t very well help take care of others if I need the help my self.

Family focus is where I will be.  Keeping my eye on everyone. And allowing God to keep His eye on everyone.  I heard someone say the other day… Control what you can control, while you can control it.  I have to say, that I don’t agree with that statement.  The reason being, if I give everything to God, I lose control.  And honestly, I never had it to begin with.  He always does.  So I think one would be kidding themselves if they started thinking that way.  I get to watch His wonder.  I get to help others stay on the path that is laid out for them.  I get to ask for help when I feel as if I am stepping out of path.  My path was getting confusing.  With all of the “stuff” that is going on here.  You know, the bushes and thorns like Joe’s health, Joey’s graduation from high school, Sam’s school giving him or us no help. So I asked for help.  That’s where the doc. comes in, that’s where the exercise comes in. It is also where you come in.  It is quite therapeutic to be able to write everything down, it allows me to focus on the importance of things. And I don’t have to worry about how long it takes me to get a good footing on my path because I know that there are eyes watching those that I may not be able to all the time.

Understanding What We Understand

This is only one of the cages

The other day I was thinking about my Birds. For those of you who don’t know I have budgies, which are commonly known as parakeets. Right now I only have two, both boys, but when I was breeding them, we would have around 20 at a time. The noise level was always high. But even with two, there are days when the noise is enough to vibrate your head.  Which is where the noise was the other day. While walking over to the cage to make sure they were fine.  Both with plenty of water, food, toys spread apart and no perches had fallen.  I just kept thinking about why they felt the need to get so loud. Telling myself that when we had a lot of them it way the only way that they could get heard.  But it seems as if these two just enjoy picking on each other.  As I turned away, my daughter’s Shih Tzu was standing next to me.

Bitsy getting to say hello

She had come to see what, if anything was going on or going to happen. I looked down at her and asked her, “What do you want?”. She just gave me a blank stare back. After walking completely way from all of the animals, I started laughing at myself for thinking that any of the animals were going to tell me what the problem was. As if I could understand them. As if I spoke dog, or budgie.

As the day went on I started wondering what else I do this with.  God immediately entered my mind. In the sense of why this or that happens in peoples lives.  You might be guilty of this your self.  Where we put our own understanding on why things happen. Which can, at times, be completely arrogant. And if there is something that we can’t place an answer on its only then that we say that Gods ways are a mystery and his ways are above our ways.  I have many times came across an animal that is trying to cross the street while I am driving in its path.  My thoughts tell me that they should know better than to try to cross.  However, everyone knows that they don’t poses the same knowledge that we do.  They know that there is danger, but they don’t know that it is caused by a car that a human is driving who can’t stop or swerve in time to miss them, no they just know there is danger.  I do not know why people come to trouble, all I know is that it will come and I can either lean on Him to help us through it or I can not lean.  All I truly understand is that it is trouble.  I also understand that I can either learn from the trouble in case there might be a next time or someone else that I may be able to help, or I can ignore the lesson(s) that come from it.  I think that people (Myself included) tend to think that we have the same understanding of or about things that God Himself does.  Now there could be several different reasons for this. One being that we don’t like to feel inferior. Another might be that we really like to be in (at least in our minds) control.  I’m sure, that if you thought about it, you could come up with a few.  Let me know if you put voices to animals or things.  (I know that some people like to talk to their cars.)

What Fear Do You Have?

And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. Luke 1:50

What do you fear? Fear has different meanings.  How you use it, is of the utmost importance. Fear can be a strong driving force in a person’s life.  It can have a hold of a person so much that it controls their every move or thought.  Fear can causes anxiety and obsession.  Fear can also be given in awe.  It can show that you have great reverence toward God.

Have you ever taken the time to watch and understand what people fear?  They stop themselves from truly living for fear of what they don’t know or understand.  It can hinder the enjoyment of everyone around them.  There are all kinds of phobias out there. And there are all kinds of people who have them.  I know a lot of people who are afraid of spiders.  If they even hear about spiders, they start to sweat and shrink inside themselves.  They will do everything that they possibly can to not have to be near, or hear about them.  The fear of the spider has just gained control of where they go and what conversations they have.There are people who are afraid of heights.  I have read stories that have described some people so afraid that they can’t even go on the second floor of any building.  The anxiety of what might happen to them holds them hostage to it.  Controlling where they go and who they can visit.  Their fear cuts them out of aspects of life.

These fears can lead into worry, guilt, and destruction.  Such intimidation should not be tolerated in one’s life.  Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.  Understanding and trusting in the Lord to take care of everything that comes against you can at times, seem impossible.  When I learned that my son has lesions on his brain, I went into complete craziness.  For I allowed the fear of what it might mean for him to consume me.  But knowing that I have a savior who has already fought and won over all evil, brought me peace.  When I laid down all trouble and worry that I was having over him, God pulled me in closer to Him and gave me comfort.  Because He was so gracious in doing this, I fear Him even more.  God shows us His awesome mercy and grace every day.  That alone should be enough to fear him.  But He does so much more.  He has allowed Jesus to conquer all that will come against me.  That includes the spirit of fear.  2 Timothy 1:7 For god has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  

To hold your faith in the fear of God will allow you to grow deeper in His love.  Psalm 147:11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.  To hold your faith in fear………… is allowing yourself to die.