Buckets of Water

Buckets of Water

James 4:17

"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

Have you ever watched someone's house burn down? You probably felt completely helpless! There just isn't anything that you can do, is there?

Now think of this in a different way and picture yourself watching the fire with a bucket of water in your hands. Would you still find yourself just standing there watching or would you put action into those legs?

 

It isn't even a question in most everyone's minds. You would of course try to help!

 

So why is it that we are o.k. with standing on the sidelines and watching people destroy their lives? How have we become a generation of speaking our minds about this or that, but when it comes to truly needing to speak them about something life saving, we don't. We would rather keep our mouths shut in fear of offending someone, or butting in.

 

When I think about how many kids will walk out of high school unsaved, I am just literally sick. I shake my head in sadness and frustration almost every time it is the topic of conversation. I want more than anything to reach as many as possible, not leaving anyone out. Someone told me once, actually a couple of people did, that it isn't my responsibility to save these kids. I understand what they are saying because they think that it is the parents' job, which is so true, but on the other hand, if I have the tools to help, why would I choose to stand by and watch them crash and burn?

 

You and I both know that any one of us would use our buckets of water to try to save someone else's home. We would never stand there and tell them that it was their responsibility alone to handle that fire. We most likely would help in a way where bystanders wouldn't be able to tell who the true owner is. It would become our fight too! 

Is this convicting someone out there? Are you looking down to find that your bucket of water is still full and you have someone around you that is on the verge of destruction? Do not waste your life by fearing someone's reaction to the truth! Your job is to bring Glory to God. If you speak the truth to someone in love, you have to trust that the Holy Spirit will do the rest! There will be people that are going to reject it and that will hurt more than you know, but you can't let those times of rejection define how you are going to live your life!

 

God puts people in your life everyday that just need to hear about His Love! Don't hide it or keep it to yourself! Help someone live, and then in return they will help someone else live! You might just get to watch just how powerful a simple Word can be!

Running Barefoot on the Stones

Running Barefoot on the Stones

When I was a little kid, I use to take off down the stone lane, running the whole way, with no shoes on. People would always watch us sprinting in the grass then hitting the stones and not slowing down one bit. Whether it was soft and comfortable or hard and jagged, it just didn't matter, our feet could take anything.

I always remember the first day of summer though, and how it really hurt to step on the stones. It took many days to build up a toughness that could conquer any rock! By the end of summer, the bottom of our feet looked like a piece of leather. Something we were mighty proud of.

As an adult, I now get to watch my kids do the same thing! I am pretty sure that my little man could step on a nail and not have it puncture the skin at all, simply because his skin is so tough!

It doesn't faze him a bit! But you know what?... It now fazes me.

I don't want to build up a tolerance for rocks…I instead, slip on a pair of sandals every time I go outside. My feet are now sissified, I assure you, and you can see me doing a little dance across those stones, if I ever have to go without shoes.

Some of life's greatest challenges are extremely hard to accomplish. Sometimes what God asks me to do is just simply impossible in my eyes. It is at this point that I hit a crossroad. I have a choice whether or not I am going to get used to the hard stuff and actually get good at doing it, or am I forever going to bail out and not tackle anything that looks too difficult or challenging!

Sometimes God puts opportunities right in our laps. They aren't always fun and easy. I think in fact, a lot of times, they are completely out of my comfort zone! But if we never try anything with God as our power source, we will never do anything more than what we are doing right now. Is that o.k. with you?

I think that God wants us to tackle these challenges like we should tackle the gravel…with bare feet! I believe that He gives us opportunities to grow and change, but without pain, this can sometimes be impossible! The more that we say "yes" to Him and His challenges, the tougher our "feet" get. The more we have to walk through difficult challenges, the stronger and more confident we get in saying YES to Him every time He asks us to do something!

God says in Joshua 1:9

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

 

There is nothing to fear when it comes to walking with the Lord. You can't fear the seasons of change, or the times that He is molding you. If you fear, you will be frozen. You will find yourself either standing on the porch, or walking with shoes on. Either way, you will miss out on the change God is wanting for you!

 What is stopping you from being the person God is calling you to be? It may hurt at first…but the more and more you say yes…the easier it will be to say it the next time too!

Is there something in your life that you know is holding you back? Trust God when He says that He will never leave you. That means that He will walk beside you every single step of every single day! You may feel like you can't do what He is asking, and to be honest, by yourself, you can't! But with HIM and His Power…it is impossible to fail! Step out on those stones and allow God to mold you into the person He wants! Say YES to whatever He is asking of you TODAY and every Day! Pain is always temporary…the prize… now that is forever!

The Hills aren’t the Problem

The Hills aren't the Problem

Many of you know that I love to run. Some days it will be 7 miles, others I will barely make 2. Sometimes I have to pump myself up before I even take off and know exactly how far I am going just so that my mental attitude will be ready. It never fails though, I will hit that first hill and wonder what the heck I am doing.

Hills are never fun. I don't care who you are or what you are training for. They may be necessary to get what you want out of your work out, but never are they something that people want to do over and over and over. Especially at the end, who wants to climb just one more after you get to the point of exhaustion? Well at least I don't!

The other day I took a route that I don't often take. It was all back roads with hardly anyone around! It was pretty early still, only 8:00, clear skies, just beautiful. Something happened, though, in the last couple of weeks in Indiana. It is summed up in one little word: humidity! Even at 8, by ¾ of the way through the run, I was drenched in sweat and trying to suck down some pretty thick air. Not so much fun!

Something hit me that morning; this path that I took had hardly any hills on it. It should have been a piece of cake to run it through. The hills that I did have to run, I put my head down and just plowed through them. The hardest part this particular morning was the straight roads. I had a much harder time staying focused and determined to finish when I was just running the same pace for miles at a time. There were way more times of feeling ready to quit.

How often do you feel like quitting in your spiritual lives?

What is crazy, as I take a look at mine, is that I hit my knees more often, grab my Bible more frequently, and just plain fight more, when I am trying to "run up a hill". I get determined, cling to Jesus and just plow through until I get to the other side!

But what happens when nothing is really happening and life is just simply simple?

Are we just as determined to get up early and spend time with Him when our path has been without any bumps? Do we still put our armor on when it doesn't feel like there is a battle raging around us? How many stray off the path during a period of quiet, rather than when the going gets tough?

God says in Ephesians 6:13:

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

God says to put it on now, not when you are running up the hill. He wants you to be ready before you hit a hill!

Everyone is a runner, well some of us may walk a lot, but we are all in a race! There will be hills, and sometimes even mountains to climb, but more often than not, there will be miles and miles of nothing but straight paths to take! Do not get lazy! Don't take for granted the fact that you have to keep fighting, even when it seems like an easy ride! The straight roads may be the ones that everyone wishes for and waits for, but they can also be the most dangerous.

I don't know where you are at right now, or what path you are on, but I do know one thing: you have a God that is waiting for you to call on Him. Don't think that you can do this on your own, and don't try to do it without your armor on! Satan knows when you are ripe for the picking, and often, you will find that it is right smack dab in the middle of the times when we get a little too comfortable and forget the need to fight!

Whether you want it or not, the battle is raging for you and your soul! Fight up those hills with everything you got, but don't stop there…the hills are just the obvious battle; the straight paths are where you will have to deliberately make some choices!

Don't quit, don't let yourself stray or slow down…the finish line is just around the next corner! Your prize is waiting!

Nothin without Rain

Nothin without Rain

I don't know about you but I love when the spring rains start and water the lawns all around us. There are some people that absolutely love keeping theirs looking perfect, and it shows. It is almost breathtaking at times. Every bush is pruned, every weed is killed, the lines in the grass are even and straight and the color of the grass is such a brilliant green that it is almost a shade you have never seen. All in all, it is a picture of perfection.

What happens, though, when those rains stop?

Today I got my first glimpse of a beautiful lawn gone brown. This particular lawn struck me because it is one that is always in tip top shape. Today was no different, the lines were mowed perfectly, and everything was looking exactly how it should be, except one thing: the grass. I realized that no matter how hard someone can try to make everything looking great, without rain, it will still die. It will be almost like all that work was done in vain.

Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your Name, and in Your Name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'

 

This is one of the scariest verses for me in the Bible. Not for me alone, but for so many that think that they can work their way into Heaven. There are people out there that treat their lives like a perfectly manicured lawn. They work hard to kill everything that isn't supposed to be there, and take extra care of everything that belongs. You will see them working even in the churches sometimes. They will spend hours trying to keep up appearances. On the outside, they will look like the perfect Christian. Let me stop right here and tell you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with working hard for God. But what I am trying to say is that if you don't add the rain, or the water, all those works will be in vain…you will simply not make it!

How many of us do good things? Or we are super nice people? How many even go as far as to say that we help others? I am figuring that there are probably quite a few! Which is so awesome…you are making this a better place to live! This world is not the finish line though! What we have to remember that our goal is Heaven! How worthless it all will be if you hear Jesus reply to you the words of Matthew 7: "I never knew you"! Jesus wants not only our muscles, but our hearts too. He wants you to be able to be like Mary and sit at His Feet and just listen to Him. (Luke 10) I believe fully that God gives us gifts to use, and missions to be on. I believe that He is working all around us and wants us to join Him! But if we try to do the work without adding Him to our hearts, we will soon be burned out and dried up just like that grass that should be green!

 

What is your heart condition today? Are you feeling like you have tried so hard and yet something is missing? I challenge you tomorrow to wake early before you have to even think about your day, and find a quiet spot to just be still. It is amazing that we have a God that will meet us there! I promise that if you decide to actively seek Him along with working with Him, your life will be one where people will stop and wonder what the difference is with you! Then you'll be able to share with them the only reason we are here anyhow…to make Him famous!

 

Remember that the "doing" is not a bad thing…but in the end, it will all be in vain if you don't have the rain!

REARVIEW MIRROR

Rearview Mirror

Man, I don't know why I am going to tell you this, but I had such a stupid thought the other day. I get a little bored when I have to drive forever, and last week, I had to drive FOREVER! I was coming home from a basketball camp in Pennsylvania and was driving a stretch of road that we literally were on for hours. In an effort to keep from going insane, I ate 5 pounds of candy, and checked out every single thing that we passed. I caught myself looking in the rearview mirror one time, and all of the sudden found the lines on the road fascinating. (O.k. here comes the stupid part). I actually wondered if you could drive forward and keep the vehicle in the right lane by watching your position on the road in the mirror. Yeah..i know…I shouldn't really tell anyone else that huh?! J Don't worry, I didn't try it…and please don't you try it either! Again, I was on a sugar high, and extremely ready to get out of that bus!

It did get me thinking, though. The rearview mirror is awesome when you are driving backwards, but when you want to get to somewhere new, it will only land you in the ditch!

Do you have something in your past that you are ashamed of? There are not too many of us that can answer "no" to that question. I myself have plenty of scenarios that I can share with you. How many futures have been ruled and ruined by the fact that we can't let go of our pasts? All too often, we are caught constantly looking behind us, not able to let go of mistakes and decisions made years before. It causes us to be defined by our sins, rather than living in the forgiveness that has actually washed us white as snow.

We have a God that says we are forgiven, we have a Savior that shed His Blood to make us new, and yet we decide to submit to defeat rather than walk in the victory that is ours. If you ask me, that is stupid.

Phil. 3:12-14 "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

You all can agree that my original little thought about driving was completely ridiculous. It would just be impossible. You would never be able to see if there were any turns up ahead, or be able to avoid the potholes that would pop up. More than likely, you would find yourself stuck in the mud, or wrecked and destroyed. We HAVE to realize that our spiritual lives are exactly the same way! It is time to stop living like we are prisoners and believe God when He says that we are forgiven! It is hard enough avoiding everything driving with our eyes forward; don't make it harder on yourself by concentrating on your mistakes!

You are free….live like it!

The Deal of a Lifetime

The Deal of a Lifetime

I hate to shop. I cannot understand how some girls can go every week as just a hang out time. I would rather have my teeth pulled J (o.k.….not really...but you get my drift)! 1 of the reasons (don't worry, I have several) why I hate to shop is because I, without fail, never hit the sales! It is so irritating to hear people talk about getting 50% off stuff, and coming home with bags full of clothes that they practically stole. But do you think I can ever do that? NEVER!! I have had some friends before call me from the mall and tell me about an amazing sale that was going on right now! There is nothing in me at all that would have the desire to stop what I was doing and rush to the store. So I wait until the next day. But the next day is one day too late, almost every time! There was literally nothing left to choose from. It looked like a herd of elephants had ransacked the entire store. I spent a total of 10 minutes in there and left. I had missed out once again, on a great deal.

In Matthew 25 there is an account of 10 virgins. They all were excitedly waiting for the bridegroom to come. Taking their lamps they went and waited for him…and waited…and waited…and waited. 5 of them had brought extra oil, but the other 5 were not prepared and had to go find some more. While they were gone, he came, and they missed Him! Once they realized what had happened, they begged Him to open the door, in which He replied "I do not know you."

What do you think their hearts did at that point? Do you think that they just said, "oh well" guess I'll have better luck next time? My guess is that they were filled with instant regret; a regret that takes over your body and fills every inch of it. A regret that you know is there because of a choice that you made. You know that you missed the sale!

Where are you at in your life? Are you living in preparation mode for the coming of our bridegroom? It is clear in the Bible that He is coming back one day. He will take those of us that are ready with Him…the rest will be left behind. Can you imagine knowing that you missed JESUS????

WE KNOW HE IS COMING!! This is not a debate…He is coming! I know that we all can get into the mindset that it won't happen to me, or that it won't happen to our generation. But in reality, it could happen any time! In fact, I am pretty sure that those little old grandmas are praying for it to be tomorrow! To be honest, I pray all the time for Him to come now! Our world just keeps getting worse and worse. It makes sense to me to end it, doesn't it you? But let me tell you a little something about my God. He loves you! He loves each and every person on this planet, and I whole heartedly believe that He waits, because there are a few more He wants to win to this side of the fence!

Are you one of them? Is He waiting for you?

One thing to know is that He wants you so bad, but will not force you. The choice is yours alone. Are you going to put off preparing for something you don't think will happen to you, or are you going to drop everything and make sure you don't miss out?

Don't get caught watching everyone else with the bags stuffed with the deals! This deal is free, but it is a limited time offer! One day He will say it's finished! Please, please, please don't be the ones that hear "I do not know you!" The race set before you will not go on forever; there is a finish line for each one. Make sure you are winning the prize before you step across that line!

 

~CHALLENGE BOX~

o.k.   the challenge this week is to GET INTO THE WORD!!!!!  if it's alive why are we not going to it over and over and over???  so this week we are going to something that many of us have probably shelved for a while.  the story of david starting from when he was annointed.  Start in 1 Sam. 16 and just start reading.  See what God will have to say to you as you open your heart for a new and fresh perspective on a story that has been read countless times!  let me know what it speaks to you about!  i luv you !!  i luv being able to watch people get excited about the same passage at the same time!  oooo baby...this is exciting!  the Holy Spirit is ready and waiting....open your Bibles and get ready!  share what you learn!

CHOSEN

Chosen

What do the following names mean to you?

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali

Now what does this name mean to you?

Joseph (the coat of many colors)

All of the men that are mentioned here are brothers. They all were born to Jacob and they all ended up in Egypt. But there is one word that separates the first 11 from the last one: CHOSEN. (You can read about this account starting in Genesis 37.)

Joseph was the brother that no one liked, so they sold him into slavery. Thinking that they would never see him again, they covered up what they did by lying and telling their father that he was killed. Never in a million years would they have thought that God would turn what they did into the biggest miracle they ever witnessed!

Hard times came and the brothers had no option but to go in search of food. What they found was much more than simple grain. They came face to face with the reality that God had chosen one of their own to work a miracle through. All HE had needed for that to happen was ONE person saying yes to Him even when things weren't going their way! Joseph was that man.

A really amazing friend of mine told me recently that he wanted to see a miracle this year. But more importantly, he not only wanted to witness it, he wanted to be a part of it! He doesn't want to be one of the brothers, he wants to be a Joseph.

Which brother do you find yourself most like?

Can you see the vast difference between the two? If a miracle is to occur in our lives, many of us will find ourselves as mere observers. Sadly, a percentage of those people will be content to be just that. Can you believe with me for even just a second that our amazing God wants to blow you away with something that can only be explained by His power? More than letting you be just a witness, though, He wants to use
you for it!

This is exactly what God wants to see happen in all of our lives! But He won't use just anybody. He wants to use people that are willing to give Him their whole lives, no matter what, saying "Use me for Your Glory!" That is when you will find yourself smack dab in the middle of a miracle! Romans 12:1 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God---this is your spiritual act of worship."

I want to challenge you to rethink how you want to live your remaining years on this earth. If you are happy not seeing anything amazing happen, or don't really care to see how big God can be, then there is nothing more that you really have to do…it will probably happen just like that for you.

But if you are anything like me and my friend and want more, you want to see things happen that can only be explained by God, then say yes to HIM right now! Don't get caught doing things your way, but surrender everything to God's plan and purpose. Every step of the way!

In the end there are only 2 ways that you will be labeled. 2 simple words whose meanings are day and night different: Chosen or Unchosen.

Say yes to God in everything He asks, and you will find yourself standing in awe of what He will do with you, through you, and to you. No doubt you will also find yourself repeating the words of David in 2 Sam. 7:18 "Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?"!

Don't waste an opportunity and don't get caught being left out! A miracle is waiting for you!

Thank You

Thank You

Over the years, we have become pretty close to some of our neighbors. There have been weeks where
we end up eating together several different times. It is easy to say that we are very comfortable with each other.

The other day we were over there with a few other couples. As we were trying to get all the kids out the door to leave, I told them to go say "thank you". Without missing a beat, my daughter, mumbled thank you as she was leaving. My friend wasn't even in the same room to be able to hear her. I had to stop Jessi and tell her to go find the host and make sure that she heard her.

A thank you said under your breath without any heart doesn't mean a lot does it? It's like saying sorry while rolling your eyes. Everyone around can tell that you are not sincere. I realized my kids had started taken others for granted. They started to expect certain things to happen and expected to get whatever they wanted without feeling the need to say thank you. It was a little scary for me to tell you the truth.

Do you think that Jesus feels the same way with us? Do you think that He sees us as spoiled and pampered?

In Luke 17 there is an account of 10 people that had leprosy. They had been shunned out of their communities and begged Jesus to have pity on them. Jesus healed ALL 10 of them, and do you know that only 1 of them returned to say thank you? Jesus noticed it too. His first question was where the other 9 were.

He notices when we walk away too. I picture Him up in Heaven just trying to bless us like crazy, and then waiting on the edge of His Throne watching in anticipation to see if we will come running to Him with praise on our lips. Just how many times do you think we disappoint Him? It says in Luke 17 that the 1 lone leper "came back, praising God in a loud voice.

He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked Him.

Do you think we have ever come close to really thanking Him?

God's Love endures forever!!!!! He will never leave us, never forsake us, He is the God of God's, Alpha & Omega, the beginning and the end, God almighty, creator of Heaven and earth. He spoke the world into existence. Do we even understand His Power? He is the only reason that we are born and why we are still living. He has done everything possible to give us a promise of life eternal with Him instead of living in hell! Not to mention that we have food on the table and clothes on our backs.

We have so much to be thankful for, don't we? There has to be a point where we determine NOT to forget to thank Him! Don't take God for granted…praise Him every day! We are nothing and don't deserve half the Love He bestows…don't get caught running out the door throwing a quick thanks over your shoulder, be like the 1 leper, throwing yourself at Jesus' Feet instead! He deserves so much more, the least we can do is say thank you!

1Thessalonians 5:18 "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."