The Filter

I woke up about 6:30 the other morning feeling "green thumbish". I decided to do some yard work. I have a very busy summer schedule so I figured I should take advantage of the day. It was now 7:30 (an hour later) and I was ready to pull weeds. As I surveyed the landscape I realized this was gonna be a lot of work. It was too early in the morning to ask my family to wake up and help me and everyone in my household despises yard work. I knew that attempt would be fruitless. So I took a deep breath, grabbed my gloves, asked the Lord for His help and started pulling.

I was a couple of hours into it and the temperature was still kind of cool. I was singing and making melody in my heart to the Lord and everything was going great. As I grabbed handfuls of prickly weeds and the other ones that wrap around everything like a vine. I couldn't help but noticed that one black trash bag turned into 4 and a couple hours was turning into 6. The melodies ceased, the sun was beating on me, mosquito’s started biting and my back was hurting so badly. And if that wasn't enough to deal with, there was yet one more thing that was sent to irritate me. My loving husband thought he needed to come out and be landscape manager. He was standing in the doorway and this is what he said, "Hey babe, be careful not to cut the hose to the sprinkler drip system. Don’t spray the weed killer too close to the plants." Then, "It's cold out here. Are the kids gonna come and help you?" Thirty-five minutes later he comes outside dressed to go somewhere.   Let me tell you right now, I WAS NOT HAPPY AND I HAD AN ATTITUDE. I thought to myself, "Here I am sore and sweaty (Over the yard design he wanted. The one with all the trees, grass and bushes.)  And he has the nerve to go somewhere without even offering me any help.

When he left I went in the house and demanded everyone breathing GET DRESSED AND COME HELP ME. One by one they all began to complain or give me some kind of excuse as to why they couldn't help. But I wasn't having it. A few hours later the love of my life returned, not with flowers and candy but instead with another comment, "Wow, you cut those bushes really low."  Well that did it!  I wasn't gonna let him get away this time. I aggressively answered, "Yes I did! They needed to be that low because they grow really fast and we probably won’t get time to trim them for a while."  He looked up at me and said, "Calm down. I wasn't saying something was wrong with the way you cut them. I was actually noticing how low you were able to get them trimmed."

Immediately I realized I had filtered my husband’s comments through irritation and frustration. It didn't matter what he said or how he said it, it was going to bother me.  I had forgotten that it was my bright idea in the first place to take on that overwhelming task and when no one wanted to help, I was upset.  Even though his help would have been appreciated, I had no right to assume he wanted to spend his day fixing the yard.

How many times have we misread someone’s gesture or misunderstood a comment they made. They may have tried to compliment us and all we hear is criticism. Remember satan is the prince of the power of the air. He loves twisting and perverting things.  We must be very careful that we do not accuse people of purposely saying or doing something to offend us. Make sure that your heart is pure towards every person and you are not making something out of nothing. In every situation, check your love filter. Be sure it's not clogged with offense, jealousy, misunderstanding, selfishness or foolishness. 

Ask yourself questions before you respond or react. Questions like: Is my perception obscured by fear? Is the person I'm speaking with really trying to hurt me? Do I always feel the need to defend myself? Are there hidden issues from my past that I have not dealt with? Is there pride in my heart? Do I feel threatened by the person addressing me? Am I the person with the attitude? These are some questions that will help you process the actions of others while purifying your reactions to them as well. If your love filter has anything attached to it that could cause you to be offended or offensive, wash it with the truth of God's Word and you will recognize how clearer every situation becomes.

Daily Declaration-I AM ON GAURD

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life. (NASB)

Because we have to!

 Click on this link to my youtube page. Meditate on this song:  http://youtu.be/UzquTjmjQOQ

Forgiveness

You've probably heard the saying, "forgiveness doesn't just release the other person from their sin against you but it releases you also." I believe this is a very true statement and let me tell you why. When you choose to forgive someone (from your heart, whether they asked to be forgiven or not) you free yourself from all of the hurt and pain that is associated with the offense. You no longer sit up for hours thinking about what was done to you and how you can retaliate. The bitterness toward that person goes away and when you see them, you don't have feelings of anger, betrayal or total disgust. 

Jesus said this in Matthew 6:14-15, "In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part." (The Message Bible) So not only does forgiveness release you from tormenting feelings about an offense but forgiving others causes God to forgive you.

Forgiveness is one of the major foundational commands in Christianity. Forgiveness and love go hand in hand. I remember when I was going through the healing process of child sexual abuse. God began to work on me in the area of forgiveness. You would think that the need to forgive my step father was obvious and it was, but when God started talking to me about forgiving my mother, I was puzzled because I loved her so much (and still do). However, I needed to forgive her.  How was it possible to have a deep love for someone yet have unforgiveness in your heart toward them? It was possible because I didn't have the agape love as expressed in 1 Corinthians 13. In the later part of verse 5 it says love "does not take account of the evil done to it." If you find yourself rehearsing what a person has done against you-you have not forgiven. So just because you love someone doesn't mean that unforgiveness isn't hiding somewhere in your heart because of offense.

Forgiveness is just not a onetime action. You will need to forgive and be forgiven every day. Our Heavenly Father has provided a way to forgive us by sending His Son, that through Him we have forgiveness and are able to forgive. There is no offense done to us greater than the many offenses Jesus suffered and if He forgives, so can we.

Unforgiveness is a form of selfishness. I know that sounds harsh but it's true. When you refuse to allow someone to be set free because you feel they have not suffered enough, all you are focused on your feelings. How they are being affected doesn't matter. Well in the theology of the world this is perfectly fine, but not so in the Kingdom of God.

It's interesting how we can see our great need to be forgiven when we are the perpetrator of an offense against another person. When forgiveness is needed of someone that has wronged or offended us, we have a difficult time forgiving them. It may be easier to forgive, if we do toward them as we would like done toward us. If we would think of the numerous times we have been forgiven (even when we didn't deserve to be) it would help us show mercy in a situation and release the person from what they have done.

If you have ever been bound by something or held down or locked up you understand how important freedom is. When you forgive, you experience freedom as does the other person. There is so much I can say about forgiveness and there are several scriptures to back up what I am saying. However the bottom line is this, forgiveness is not just something we should do but rather what we have to do...for the sake of another and ours.

Come on...let it go...let God set you free!



Daily Declaration- I AM FORGIVEN
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin.” Romans 4:7,8 (NASB)

Holy unto the LORD

They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and inscribed it like the engravings of a signet, “Holy to the LORD.”  (Exodus 39:30)

Some would have us believe that holiness is about where you can or cannot go; what you can say or cannot say even what you can or cannot wear.  Whether it's a skirt above your knee, an open toe shoe, red lipstick or a doily on your head, the idea of being holy is much more than this. We as believers should not stand in the way of sinners (go where they go, do what they do), or let corrupt communication proceed from our mouths. EVERYTHING we wear should be modest, considering that we are the temple of God but our holiness is not predicated on what we are able to find (on sale) as an acceptable garment at the department store.

So then, what does it mean to be holy? 

The Old Testament Hebrew words for holy are:

Qadowsh: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart and

Qadesh: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness

The New Testament Greek words for holy are:

Hieros: sacred, consecrated to the deity, pertaining to God
Hosios: undefiled by sin, free from wickedness, religiously observing every moral obligation, pure holy, pious
Hagios: most holy thing, a saint

In the seam of all of these words there appears to be one common thread, and that is, "something or someone being set apart, different".  This leads me to believe that holiness has a lot to do with God setting apart someone or something for a His purpose.

The Free Online Dictionary says,

“to be set” means to: put in a specified position, to restore to a proper and normal state when dislocated or broken, to adjust according to a standard.
“apart” means: at a distance in place, position, one from another, aside or in reserve, as for a separate use or purpose

The Israelites were God's chosen people. He set them apart from every other people, to be His very own. He had plans for them.

Let's look at Exodus 19 verses 3-6 together.

... 3 Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. 5 Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; 6 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

From this passage of Scripture I have extracted 3 things that I believe God wants us to know about holiness:

1.     He separated us from sin and brought us to Himself. We cannot achieve holiness apart from Him. (v4)
2.     When we obey and walk in His ways, it keeps us separate from the world and we're identified as special. (v 5)
3.     And also as we obey, we live as a separate nation a kingdom of priests, unlike any other. This speaks of authority, privilege and the Father's hand of favor on us as believers. (v6)

This was a proclamation God made to the Israelites and we see the same proclamation given to believers in Christ (1 Peter 2:9, 10). What determines our holiness is the position we choose to live our lives from. We can either be conformed to the ways of this world or live holy (set apart) from the ways of those in this world system. You have a choice to think like, sound like, and act like the world or you can be a holy nation. We are in this world but we are not of it.

I thought it was interesting that God had the children of Israel make a crown (gold plate) called the "Nezer" to be worn on the head of the priests. This gold plate had the inscription "Holy to the LORD".  Could it be that God wanted it at the forefront of their minds as a reminder for that person and a mark for everyone around him to know that He had chosen that particular man for a holy task. We too have been given that mark through Jesus Christ.

YES, WE ARE HOLY, DIFFERENT, SET APART.

This is the holy life God wants us to live. One that is set apart for Him. When your heart is in the right position toward God, ALL that you do will be done with careful consideration. When you realize that He has called you to be different, that's what you will strive to be. No one will have to tell you how to present yourself because you know that you are holy unto the Lord and HE tells you what is acceptable to Him. Whether it's your clothes, possessions, conversations, or associations, take a good look in the mirror and see God's reflection on your forehead. Then go forth today in His holiness.

Daily Declaration - I AM HOLY

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” 1 Peter 1:15, 16 (NASB)

THE INVITE

Mt. 25:41-45 “For I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’”

As I write this, my niece is six years old and in Kindergarten. In celebration of her birthday, my sister asked her what she wanted to do. Being the cute, little princess that she is, of course she wanted to throw a party! She already had a guest list, activities on her mind, and of course, food. She invited four friends, one of whom was confined to a wheelchair with cerebral palsy. This young friend is in her class. None of the other kids seemed to take a liking to him, but my little niece is full of compassion and friends with everyone in her class. She saw her friend, Drew before she saw the disability.

The parents had scheduled other plans for the weekend, but when they found out their child had been invited to a birthday party, they changed their plans so their child could attend. After all, it was his first party to go to. Family and friends gathered at the park. The kids played together, had frosted cupcakes, and engaged in loud, fun communication, as only kids can do! The birthday party was a success.

Hearing this story has challenged me once again. If a little six year old girl can look past a person’s disability, can I? What about a person’s dirtiness, foul language, or whatever I deem unacceptable in my own eyes? Can I say this is a person who can become what the Creator of the universe desires them to be?

I remember my own story in elementary school when a young girl fought with teachers, students, and the principal. She would overturn desks and throw chairs. I didn’t know what to do, but when I inquired with my parents as to how to respond to this girl, they encouraged me to smile and be nice to her. I did my best. She would still yell at me, as she did to everyone, but I always said, “Hi” to her and tried to be a friend.

The last time I saw her, I invited her to sit by me in seventh grade. No one else wanted anything to do with her, but I asked her to sit by me. What stood out to me was that it mattered to her how I had treated her; with kindness and love. Years later, she found me via the internet and told me she had suffered with an enormous brain tumor. By the grace of God, she is functioning fully today. She apologized for her behavior from so many years ago, yet all I could do was cry tears of joy as I read her email seeing the redeemed life.

Instead of, “they smell, they can’t talk, they need a bath, their language is worse than a sailor’s”; we need to see the potential they have and as God leads, help them to become what He desires for them to be. What is your part? For the least of these…