HOW'S YOUR WIRING?

Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD.

Praise ye the LORD.

 

PSALM 150:6

There are times in our lives that we need to stop and ask ourselves this question, "how is my wiring?"  The Lord created us in his image, he created us to love, praise and serve him.  He created us for his glory. 

One the sixth day the Lord created mankind.  He breathed into him the breath of life.  When he gazed upon his creation he said, "this is very good."  When God was finished, he looked at the completed project and realized that all the wires had been connected correctly and everything was set to run smoothly. 

It didn't take Adam and Eve very long to make a mess out of things.  It would be nice if it was only Adam and Eve that decided to rewire things.   Are we not the same as Adam and Eve?  We are always wanting our own way.  We have desires that feed our own flesh instead of praising the one who created us.  Where did we go wrong?  Where did we get our wires crossed? 

This process begins slowly and before we know it we have strayed so far from the Lord.  If you were a engineer and produced a radio, would you want to find out later on that the wires got switched down the assembly line?  The radio ended up making noises like a blow dryer instead of playing music due to the change.  What about you as a parent, would you be shocked to hear that your infant barked instead of cried?  We would be taking the child to the doctors office immediately to find out what is wrong with it.  Should we not be as concerned about ourselves?  God created us to praise him and give him glory, yet we spend more time praising ourselves and making ourselves look good.  We can't seem to find time to do the very thing we were created to do. 

If you find this to be true in your own life, it's time to go back to the manufacture, the Word of God, and see if he can't help you with your wiring.  God's word says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Let's not get our wires crossed. 

I will praise thee;

for I am fearfully and

wonderfully made:

marvellous are thy works;

and that my soul

knoweth right well.

PSALM 139:14I

 

FOURTY DAYS OF PRAYER FOR AMERICA

II CHRONICLES 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name,

shall humble themselves, and pray,

 and seek my face,

and turn from their wicked ways;

then will I hear from heaven,

and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land.

STONES USED TO LIFT UP THE HANDS THAT FALL DOWN

What part of the ministry do you play in the body of Christ?  What if the spiritual battle we are fighting for our country, our churches and our families relied on your response?  What would your response be? You might say, “it really doesn’t matter what my response would be because I am just one person in this huge universe.

What if Aaron would have said that in the book of Exodus? What if his friend Hur would have said it and walked away? Do you think it would have made a difference? You might only be one person in this huge universe but you may be the one person that God has called to lift up the hands that fall down.

 Instead of being like the other Israelites who grumbled and complained about everything, be like Aaron and Hur. You may say, “my one complaint isn’t going to effect anything.  Not true, as a minister’s wife for 32 years I have had several come to me and say, “ I’m burnt out”.  They have taken all they can take.  Every time a project is done, there is always a group that runs others down.  Are you one of those in that group? For every project that is done in the church there is usually one or two that give compliments, and a group of complainers

It’s no wonder Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do unto this people”? He is thinking, “this project you have given me is too great. It’s not the enemy that is going to stone me, It’s my own people." How many times have you seen this happen? When we should be the ones lifting up the hands that fall down, instead we are the ones lifting up the stones to destroy the one that God has placed in our lives.  The Lord placed them there to lead us, to put their lives on the front row of the battle, to sacrifice their time, energy and family so that the nation, church or family can keep being strong.

Is it easier for you to lift up the hands that fall down or would it be easier to join the group of complainers? There are certain people that whenever you do a project you can nearly write on a piece of paper what they will say. Shock someone some time and instead of picking up the stone to destroy the person, pick up the stone and place it under their arms.  Stand beside them and say, “brother or sister, I’m here for you."  "I want to be one of the ones that stands beside you lifting your arms so that we can prevail instead among those wanting to stone you."  The next time you pick up a stone, make sure it’s used to support the person instead of destroy them.

And the people thirsted there
for water; and the people

murmured against Moses, and said,

Wherefore is this that thou hast
brought us up out of Egypt,

to kill us and our children
and our cattle with thirst?

And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying,

What shall I do unto this people?

they be almost ready to stone me.

EXODUS 17:3-4

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand,

that Israel prevailed: and when he let

down his hand Amalek prevailed.

But Moses’ hands were heavy;
and they took a stone,

and put it under him, and he sat thereon;

and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands,

the one on the one side,
and the other on the other side;

and his hands were steady until
the going down of the sun.

And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his
people with the edge of the sword.

And the LORD said unto Moses,

Write this for a memorial in a book,

and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua:

for I will utterly put out the remembrance

of Amalek from under heaven.

EXODUS 17:11-14

STEERING WHEELS AND U-TURNS

 

What do you keep before your eyes? Where do you let your hands take you? The thing that is set before you is what will likely guide your life.

It’s been said many times, “let me see your checkbook and I will tell you the things you love." The steering wheel of your hands, follow your heart. The scripture says, ”Out of the abundance of man’s heart the mouth speaks.” Whatever we feed ourselves with will be what comes forth from our mouth.

This has been something I have pondered for several weeks now. It is something that is very strong on my heart because what I see we are putting before our eyes are not Godly things.

There is a house that sat straight across from the hospital. Before the previous owners moved out, it had a huge sign with the Ten Commandments on it. This is actually what the bible says we are to do in Proverbs. It says we are to keep the Word of God before our eyes. We are to put it on the doorpost of our houses; we are to bind them on our fingers and to write them on the tablets of our heart.

We have many Christian plaques on the walls inside of our home but that’s not enough. We are to keep them between our eyes; we are to bind them on our fingertips. We are to learn them and have them written on our hearts. They are to be visible everywhere we look.

We are a generation that has failed to do this and the proof is being manifest daily. I have walked into the bedrooms of many teenagers over the last ten to fifteen years and what I am seeing posted on their walls is not the Word of God. I have worked with many men out in the oilfield who profess Jesus Christ and what they have posted on the panel of their trucks is not the Word of God. If we were to check the computers of every Godly home in America, what would we find? Would there be times our fingers did the walking on the keyboards and because of it our computers show pictures of nudity. Why are we allowing our steering wheels to be turned toward ungodly things? Our steering wheels have not only turned to the strange women but now we are the ones giving them free advertisement on our computers and television sets.

We have men that profess to be Christians telling their boys , “This is a good thing and something real men do." When you teach this to your children it is like pulling trash out of the dumpster and telling them to eat it. You are not teaching them wisdom but teaching them destruction.

The world has lied to us and we have believed that lie. Marriages are being torn apart daily because of what men are posting in front of their eyes. It’s time we grab the steering wheel and do a u-turn with our lives and with the lives of our family.

The scripture tells in proverbs which path to follow. If this is so, why are we teaching our children real men go this other way? It would be better to take them out to the dumpster and feed them trash from it then it would to feed them the trash of the world. Let’s teach them when it's time to do a u-turn and to put the right things before their eyes.

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. (Proverbs 7: 1-5)

Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? (Proverbs 7: 24 - 8:1)

 

 

 

LISTENING EVER LISTENING

We hear many sounds in our lifetime.  Many of these sounds give us warnings for our life.  We can either listen to the sounds and take action or we can plug our ears to the alarms going off around us. 

We have the Emergency Broadcasting System that sounds the alarm across the radio waves to warn us if there is a storm coming or yother natural  disaster coming.  When you hear this alarm you should gather the children up and take them to a safe location away from anything that will harm them.  If you decide not to listen to the alarm then there is a great possibility that could not survive.  Everyone of us know that a parent would be irresponsible to ignore the alarm. 

There are many places in the Word of God that are there for alarms.  In the days of Noah the alarm was sounded.  Only those that took the alarm serious were saved. 

In the days of Nineveh there was Jonah who was sent by God to sound the alarm to the people in that city.  Unlike in the days of Noah, Jonah sounded the alarm and the people listened.  They seen the need to turn from their wicked ways and to save their lives and the lives of their children.

The Lord has asked us to sound the alarm for him.  Will you be a Noah or a Jonah and let people know what the Word of God says about his return?  He has asked us to listen for the alarm, to listen for the signs of his return.  The bible says in the last days there will be false prophets, men will be lovers of themselves and lovers of money.  It says the gospel will be able to be heard all over the world and the list goes on.  We see all the things in the scripture that the Lord says will come to past in the end times.  One specific thing he mentioned is that there would be a pure red heffer in the last days for sacrifice.  We have gone hundreds of years without the possibility of a red heffer.  There have been two red heffers born since 2006.  We need to be sounding the alarm to those around us who do not know Christ.

 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed;

the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 

Two women shall be grinding together the one shall be taken,

 and the other left.

Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

LUKE 17:34-36

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things,
 know that it is near, even at the doors.

Verily I say unto you,

This generation shall not pass,

till all these things be fulfilled.

Heaven and earth shall pass away,

but my words shall not pass away.

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no,
not the angels of heaven, but my Father

MATTHEW 24:33-36



ARE YOU GOD?

 

This is a question my husband has been asked many times in the ministry. Wow, what a powerful question. Each of us needs to ask ourselves the question, just to see how it makes us feel. Write down your response on a piece of paper. When I ask myself that question I realize how much I fall short of being all I need to be. 

Many of the children in our churches look up to us as being way higher than we could ever obtain. But the truth is still there, they are watching every move we make, everything we say, the clothes we wear, the smile on our faces and how much we love other people.

I had a small child draw a picture of me the other day and it really made me stop and think. Does she really see me like this?

It would be nice if everyone saw me this way. The picture she drew had awkward features but the one thing stood out the most was the smile on my face. I asked myself, "Do I really smile so much and that big to where she remembers it as a features that stands out?

It was the first thing you noticed when you looked at the picture. Is that the first thing other people notice when they see me? If not, this is something to work on.

What do people see when they look at you?

It would be a great thing for every Christian to ask five children to draw a picture of them. The picture will be as they perceive you, as children tend to be very honest. The picture of me was from just one child and it makes me wonder what I would get if I received four more pictures.

Some children see us in their mind as wearing a police hat, holding a club in our hand, or being a nurse. We may not have a job doing that but in their minds that is all they see.

Would it not make us examine our lives more closely if we actually thought others saw us as being God?

Would we try to be more loving, helpful and supportive if others looked at us this way?

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Romans 12:1-3)

 

 

 

KNOWING WHICH HAT TO WEAR

 

I became a pastor’s wife at the age of seventeen, at which time Steve, my husband took his first church on an Indian Reservation in Ignacio Colorado.

Steve was the pastor of First Baptist Church in Ignacio which had a mission church to the Southern Ute people. At the age of seventeen, I soon found a pastor's wife must wear many hats or so I thought I had to.

Ø  The first hats I started wearing were of a Sunday School teacher, a Five Day Club leader, Nursery worker, and well as adjusting to having a newborn.

Ø  Our second church there were new hats to wear; Vacation Bible School Director, Pianist, Youth Leader and by this time we had three small children.

Ø  The third church there were even more hats; Hospital Ministry, Fund Raisers, Youth Leader, Vacation Bible School Director, raising my three children and by this time we had taken custody of two teenage girls.

Ø  The Fourth church there seemed to be more hats than my closet could hold. Baptist Student Ministries Secretary, Pianist, Vacation Bible School Director, Fund Raisers, Hospital Visits, Youth Leader, and Church Secretary, along with the five children. I soon felt I was switching hats every hour on the hour.

Ø  The fifth church slowed down to a Baptist Student Ministry Secretary, Mother, and Pianist, Hospital Visits, Vacation Bible School Director and back to three children at home.

I was asked to lead a ladies tea and the Lord placed on my heart to have ladies display all of these hats. I did as the Lord placed on my heart and collected about twelve

different styles of beautiful hats, thanks to Teena Calley, who graciously provided them for our use.

I gathered all my models up and everything being set to go except for one thing. I still didn't have any idea why the Lord had laid the hats on my heart and I didn't know what I was going to say.

This is a very awkward feeling knowing I would be speaking and I was supposed to have all the ladies model the hats. Knowing the Lord wanted me to share all the positions I had filled but the thought kept surfacing, "This will be some useless ladies tea if that is all I do."

As the days passed I kept telling the Lord I didn’t understand. A few days before I was to speak I told the Lord one morning at five a.m. I still do not understand why I am doing this topic. As I opened my bible and started to read Ephesians 6:11 the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "You have been wearing all those hats that made you look better. The hats that made others notice who you are. Those hats really do not matter. This is the hat I want you to wear!"

I was thinking ok Lord; I think I got that one. Wow it's amazing how the Lord just opens your eyes to the truth of his word in such an amazing fashion.

The Lord knows I am a visual learner so he has to really lay it out there for me. I believe he did on this one.

This hat isn't attractive in any way but it is the hat we need to wear daily.

Put on the whole armor of God, That you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11)

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me ,that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.(Ephesians 6:17-20)

 

CHURNING BUTTER REVEALS GOD'S RICHES

When I read a verse today I began to see it with new meaning.  My grandmother Janie Lee Poss made me do something as a child that helped me understand what this verse means.

My grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all lived on a farm in Alabama.  We called it the Holler.  When we traveled to my grandmothers house; we would go so far into the back hills that I knew if I ever left by myself I'd never find my way back.  The trees hover over the houses, the road, the fields and everything else.  The first time my husband traveled to Alabama to meet my family, after a few days he had to get in the car and drive to an open field so he could bask in the sunshine for awhile.  It can get quite claustrophobic in the holler.

When I was a very young child we would go to see my mothers family and my grandmother always had a job for everyone.  I would hear her say, "now Sue I want you and Kathy to go out there on that pouch and churn butter.  What she meant is she wanted us to take the gallon jar of milk that she had.  She had just come in from milking the cow in the pasture.  She wanted us to take the milk and roll it back and forth to each other for what they said was 30 minutes or so; but I had my doubts that it was just 30 minutes. 

We would have to roll it forcefully to separte it  If we rolled it to forcefully we would break the jug.  Honestly it looked like perfectly good milk to me before we started, but grandma knew best.  She knew that there appeared to be one item in that jug but if we divided it up by churning it she would end up with butter, buttermilk and also if she wanted she could make cheese.  This one product was great to drink as fresh milk but if it was rightly divided it became three very rich products. 

This is what the Lord wants us to do with his word.  Put it before us and push it back and forth for awhile and meditate on it.  We then need to start to divide it up and I believe if we start to do it we not only will see the truth of the word but we will see the riches of his word revealed to us in great length. 

Have you ever taken the time to rightly divide the word of truth?  His riches are great and there for you to discover.  You don't discover these riches unless you are willing to take the time to rightly divide his word.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.

II TIMOTHY 2:15

PRETTY IN PINK AND OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE

You see in life we are all called to step out of our comfort zone.  Sometimes we are asked to take giant steps but then there are times we are asked to do something minor.   I want you to know, this was no little step for my dear husband.  At one time in our marriage Steve said, "you will never catch me dead in a pink shirt".  My baby sister got married and Steve had to not only wear a pink shirt with his tuxedo, but it had ruffles. I know I souldn't have laughed but you know me.  I must say, he was quite handsome in that tuxedo with pink ruffles.

You see both times Steve was willing to put on pink was because he was showing great love for someone else.  Would he have allowed us to do this under any other circumstance?  No, there is absolutely no way.  But you see one of our dear friends that is 26 was fixing to wake up from surgery.  She had found out just a few weeks prior that she had cancer adn would be having a double mastectomy and a total hysterectomy.  Her world has been turned upside down.

Sometimes great sorrow requires great sacrifice on our part to show others that we care.  There was no way we could be there for her surgery in person but we took photo after photo of everyone dressed in pink, pink toe nails and anything we could find that was pink in order to show her that we cared and we wanted to brighten her day. 

Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone to help someone?  Sometimes it will be giving your time.  Other times it will be giving your money.  There may be times that it means something unusual to make them smile after a bad day.  It may take setting our pride aside for a few minutes.  Pray and ask the Lord what he would have you do next time someone is hurting and needing an extra boost in their day. 

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you,

and that your joy might be full.

This is my commandment, That ye love one another,

as I have loved you.

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down his life for his friends.

JOHN 15:11-13

CLIMBING ABOVE THE CLOUDS

Do you struggle with depression? Do the clouds seem too heavy above you at times? Flying home from Garland on Thursday I noticed the sky was covered with clouds above us. Some of the clouds looked like giant mountains. For some time we traveled under the clouds and then the pilot decided it was time to get above the clouds. You could tell when his decision was made. He set his props, geared the plane up, set the nose of the plane in an upward direction and before we knew it, we were cutting though the massive clouds. There was turbulence but the pilot didn’t give up and turn the nose of the plane downward to get out of the turbulence, he kept moving upward. Slowly the clouds began to fade, the sky became bright blue and as I looked out the window the clouds now looked like a beautiful ocean underneath us.

I have noticed in my life when I get depressed that I just stay there for a period of time. One of the reasons that I just stay there is because I don’t take the necessary steps in order to rise above it. I might gear up but I forget to set the props. Or I may set the props but forget to hold my head up high. You see it takes some effort on my part to climb above the clouds also. I learned several years back that the direction I set my shoulders and head will determine my outlook on life. If I am defeated my shoulders sag and my head is dropped. If I have confidence my shoulders are squared and my head set in the direction I am going.

 I need to trust my co-pilot, Jesus Christ to remind me of all the things necessary to climb above the clouds.  I must be willing to hear his voice and follow his wisdom and read the manual, God's Word daily in order to set my course and stick to it.

All three steps must be done in order to climb above the clouds. Be prepared for turbulence. I have never tried to climb above the clouds without having turbulence. There is always someone or something that comes against me during the process. Keep moving forward, never changing direction, knowing that after passing through the turbulence that you will soon find yourself above the clouds.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

 I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

 and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Psalms 23:1-6



BFF- BEST FRIENDS FOREVER

A trip to see my three children Joshua and his wife Kristy,  Lisa and Matthew was the highlight of my week.  You just can't understand how much love a parent can have in their heart for their children until you are one.

Take as much love as a parent has in their heart for their own child and times that by two.  Maybe it's times four, that's what it is like to have grandchildren.  I have always heard just how wonderful it is but until you experience it for yourself, you really don't understand what others mean.  It is just an awesome feeling to know that your child was able to produce something so sweet, loving and adorable and it's part of you also. 

We were able to stay for 4 days in Garland with our children.  Emma and I play each day like it is going to be our last.  We would swing, go walking, collect leaves, pretend cook, watch veggie tales and we can't forget to do bubbles every day.  We go swimming and shopping, turn flips and do silly fun songs.  The whole trip is just packed with MeeMee and Emma giggles. 

On the Thursday morning Emma said, "Sadie is my friend, Izzy is my friend and MeeMee is my friend."  I understood right then and there that Emma loved, loved, loved her MeeMee.  When Emma says you are her friend that means that she loves you with every part of her being and she wants to be with you all the time.  My heart swelled with pride because of all the wonderful people that Emma knows and plays with I was listed as one of her three friends.  Each time we visit she tells me Sadie and Izzy are her fiends but this time I was included.

Thursday evening we loaded our bags and headed to the airport to fly back to good old West Texas.  Everything on the trip was fun and laughing until MeeMee had to tell her best friend forever goodbye.  Emma hugged me so tight and cried her little eyes out saying, "no MeeMee, no MeeMee.  My heart just broke having to leave her. 

Do you ever wonder if this is what the Lord feels when we walk away from him?  He took the time to not only say we are his best friend forever but that he loved us so much that he purchased us so that we could be together all the time.  We are his favorite BFF and then for us to walk away from his almost seems heartless. 

Does he grieve when we leave?  What exactly does he feel?  Are you willing to give up something in order to have a relationship with a person?  Your BFF was willing to give up his only son so he could have a relationship with us.  The sad part is, we still walk away from him.  It's not that we are required to walk away, it's just that we don't understand the depth of his love and how much it breaks his heart. 

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:

continue ye in my love.  If ye keep my commandments,

ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments,

and abide in his love.  These things have I spoken unto you,

that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 9:13