My husband and I were watching the movie, "The Patriot", last night. We've seen it a bunch of times; it's just a good movie. In the movie, the English are trying to take over America and Mel Gibson's character leads a group of rebel Americans to help fight against the English in the war. Another character is a Frenchman who fights with the rebels and informs them that more French troops are on their way to help.
During what was to be considered their final battle and possibly their last chance to win against the English, taking America back, the Frenchman walked out his tent fully dressed, head to toe, with the French light blue and white uniform on. It was not what he had been fighting in, but he obviously wanted to look his best! Mel Gibson's character turns and looks at him with a look as to ask, 'what are you doing and why are you wearing that?' The Frenchman stands up straight and proudly states,
"If I'm going to die today, I'll die well dressed!"
All the times I've seem this movie, this was the first time this statement caught my ear in the way that it did.
Christians ought to be living that statement! How do we expect to see Jesus in the rags we live in from day to day; not literal rags of course, just in the way we act. This character hit the nail on the head; wearing his best in battle, not knowing if he would die that day, but wanting to be prepared as well as proudly showing off who (what country) he belonged to.
We are to live our lives in a way in which others will see who we belong to (JESUS) and wear that Christ-like clothing proud! We don't know when Christ will return and we don't know what day we'll die. It's not something we usually want to think about. We spend more time making sure our family is taken care of with life insurance; not realizing that being dressed well, ourselves, is OUR OWN life insurance to make sure we spend eternity with Christ.
We must live and teach our children to live a life well dressed for Christ because we never know when we will see Him. The war is already won! We know this because the outcome is in God's Word. All we have to do is get through the battles which take us to the end.
So put on your best! Stand tall and proud, showing all, whose side you're on. Don't just dress to fight, dress to be ready!
I leave you with this:
Be ye ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
Luke 12:40
Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Romans 13:14
...even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;...That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:25b, 27
Remember, if we put on Christ, we'll always be well dressed as we're Living Everyday, Christian.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Falling Is Not Failing
Yesterday I called out of work because Connecticut was suppose to get a big snow storm. Well, Torrington was hardly hit, even though the reports were that our area would get between 6-14 inches. First the storm was to start at 4 a.m., then around 1 p.m., then just sometime in the afternoon. What a mix up of narrowing down the time. Anyway, I was beating myself up because I could have went to work and just left early if it started while I was there. Turns out, it didn't even start 'till the evening and still didn't snow very much. So I missed a day of work based on a "forecast" of a bad event which never really happened!
I began to look at this from a spiritual standpoint. How often do people choose not to do something by over analyzing what may go wrong. It's the "IF" syndrome! I took someone else's bad report and went with it, even though I had another choice. The swaying influence of a "bad weather" report caused me to miss out on a day's pay. It's no different when making choices to help bring about God's blessings to our lives. We must be careful not to be so quick to follow a "bad weather" report by others when God requires us to trust in Him regardless what it looks like. This is not to say that I think people should travel in a snow storm or even to disregard the news weather reports in the future. No one should put their life at risk in bad weather. I am merely showing how we can easily do the same in our spiritual lives as we do in our natural lives.
Having faith in God, especially when you may not see what's coming; and what's coming, may not be favorable, is one of the hardest things to do. God doesn't ask us to analyze, He asks us to just believe. Syndrome is a set of symptoms characterizing a condition. The "IF" is usually the symptom - 'I Fear' because.... when it should be the symptom - 'I' trust my 'Father' (God). Sometimes we allow fear to be the influence, the bad weather report; when we need to allow God to be the influence because He knows all things and knows how to direct our steps if we trust in Him.
That 'fear' is usually the fear of failing, but the failing is not in the Bible. I may fall, but the only way I can fail is if I choose not to get back up. If I run without my shoes tied, it's most likely I'm going to fall. Choosing to tie my shoes and get back in the race, shows I've learned something and I won't fall from having untied shoes again! Knowing "why" you fall is half the battle. If you don't know why, you may become a repeat offender. By asking God to help you with you, helps you to run a good race.
In this Christian walk, you may lose power or status when you fall, but failing means you stop operating and abandon your position altogether. Don't chose to fail! Everybody falls at some point, but failing is a choice. God never loses His power; therefore, what you see as falling many times is His way of showing you yourself, in order to help you to grow. So tie your shoes and get back in the race. Falling may be physically painful, but choosing to fail is spiritually detrimental!
I leave you with this:
And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9
AND
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:13
Keep in mind, if you're not in the race, you can't cross the finish line. You don't have to out-run anyone, you just have to finish! Falling is never fun, but let us use the experience to learn from while we're Living Everday, Christian!
I began to look at this from a spiritual standpoint. How often do people choose not to do something by over analyzing what may go wrong. It's the "IF" syndrome! I took someone else's bad report and went with it, even though I had another choice. The swaying influence of a "bad weather" report caused me to miss out on a day's pay. It's no different when making choices to help bring about God's blessings to our lives. We must be careful not to be so quick to follow a "bad weather" report by others when God requires us to trust in Him regardless what it looks like. This is not to say that I think people should travel in a snow storm or even to disregard the news weather reports in the future. No one should put their life at risk in bad weather. I am merely showing how we can easily do the same in our spiritual lives as we do in our natural lives.
Having faith in God, especially when you may not see what's coming; and what's coming, may not be favorable, is one of the hardest things to do. God doesn't ask us to analyze, He asks us to just believe. Syndrome is a set of symptoms characterizing a condition. The "IF" is usually the symptom - 'I Fear' because.... when it should be the symptom - 'I' trust my 'Father' (God). Sometimes we allow fear to be the influence, the bad weather report; when we need to allow God to be the influence because He knows all things and knows how to direct our steps if we trust in Him.
That 'fear' is usually the fear of failing, but the failing is not in the Bible. I may fall, but the only way I can fail is if I choose not to get back up. If I run without my shoes tied, it's most likely I'm going to fall. Choosing to tie my shoes and get back in the race, shows I've learned something and I won't fall from having untied shoes again! Knowing "why" you fall is half the battle. If you don't know why, you may become a repeat offender. By asking God to help you with you, helps you to run a good race.
In this Christian walk, you may lose power or status when you fall, but failing means you stop operating and abandon your position altogether. Don't chose to fail! Everybody falls at some point, but failing is a choice. God never loses His power; therefore, what you see as falling many times is His way of showing you yourself, in order to help you to grow. So tie your shoes and get back in the race. Falling may be physically painful, but choosing to fail is spiritually detrimental!
I leave you with this:
And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Galatians 6:9
AND
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Matthew 24:13
Keep in mind, if you're not in the race, you can't cross the finish line. You don't have to out-run anyone, you just have to finish! Falling is never fun, but let us use the experience to learn from while we're Living Everday, Christian!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Don't "Wine" Your Excuse!
Good Morning,
Someone asked me, not so long ago, if I or other Christian friends I know, drink alcohol. I told them that my husband and I don't drink, but have known some Christians who do.
Here's the issue - MOTIVE! Whenever you have a question about something which may be contrary to God's Word, you have to consider your motive for wanting justification in doing that thing. Many quote Scriptures about wine and not getting drunk, but the real issue is the wrong motive for wanting to drink in the first place.
My questions for those Christians who drink are, do you have an upset stomach and need a little wine to settle it? There are many things available for that now-a-days. Are you looking to get antioxidants? There are so many ways to get a healthy dose of that as well. They say a little wine is good for the heart; while at the same time say there are bad qualities for your body in wine as well. Why not just do some cardio exercises or eat the right heart-healthy foods every now and then?
I'm not judging the intent of the heart, (no pun intended), concerning Christians who choose to drink, but I can judge the motive. Remember, it is a choice! I know the Bible speaks about not getting drunk; it also mentions do's and don'ts concerning wine and drinking strong drink. The body of Christ (Christians) should never try to find an excuse to do something, but rather KNOW WHY you're doing something. If you have to "fish" for a reason, you're probably not "fishing for men" in your actions. Remember, we are living epistles; people are watching what we do and we should be able to boldly give a reason without it sounding like an excuse. I can't make anyone stop drinking and I don't want to because it's not my job. My job is to give you the info., allowing you to make your choice and pray God plants a seed in your life. If drinking doesn't draw you closer to God, what does it do for you? You can be social without drinking.
On that note, re-evaluate your reasoning.
I leave you today with this:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. As such trust have we through Christ to God-ward; Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2 Corinthians 3:3-6
Remember, someone is always watching and wanting to know God. That's why we must strive to be Living Everyday, Christian.
Someone asked me, not so long ago, if I or other Christian friends I know, drink alcohol. I told them that my husband and I don't drink, but have known some Christians who do.
Here's the issue - MOTIVE! Whenever you have a question about something which may be contrary to God's Word, you have to consider your motive for wanting justification in doing that thing. Many quote Scriptures about wine and not getting drunk, but the real issue is the wrong motive for wanting to drink in the first place.
My questions for those Christians who drink are, do you have an upset stomach and need a little wine to settle it? There are many things available for that now-a-days. Are you looking to get antioxidants? There are so many ways to get a healthy dose of that as well. They say a little wine is good for the heart; while at the same time say there are bad qualities for your body in wine as well. Why not just do some cardio exercises or eat the right heart-healthy foods every now and then?
I'm not judging the intent of the heart, (no pun intended), concerning Christians who choose to drink, but I can judge the motive. Remember, it is a choice! I know the Bible speaks about not getting drunk; it also mentions do's and don'ts concerning wine and drinking strong drink. The body of Christ (Christians) should never try to find an excuse to do something, but rather KNOW WHY you're doing something. If you have to "fish" for a reason, you're probably not "fishing for men" in your actions. Remember, we are living epistles; people are watching what we do and we should be able to boldly give a reason without it sounding like an excuse. I can't make anyone stop drinking and I don't want to because it's not my job. My job is to give you the info., allowing you to make your choice and pray God plants a seed in your life. If drinking doesn't draw you closer to God, what does it do for you? You can be social without drinking.
On that note, re-evaluate your reasoning.
I leave you today with this:
Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. As such trust have we through Christ to God-ward; Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
2 Corinthians 3:3-6
Remember, someone is always watching and wanting to know God. That's why we must strive to be Living Everyday, Christian.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Intro.
Hi,
My name is Pastor Naomi and this blog is about learning and growing as a Christian. Many times, Christians act so spiritual, that it turns people off to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are those who truly want to know about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, but much of the church have become Heaven bound, but no Earthly good! That being said, there are those who may make it to Heaven, but due to their "spiritual" mentality, God cannot use them to help anyone while on Earth.
Christians go through the same things others do; but we rely on God and His Word to give us direction, hope, strength and peace; knowing that our situations don't define our love for Christ, but may test it.
This is not a blog just for Christians, but for anyone who desires to understand what it means to be a Christian and what a Christian does on a daily basis. I hope to hear from many as I walk this life and share the process of Living Everyday Christian.
My name is Pastor Naomi and this blog is about learning and growing as a Christian. Many times, Christians act so spiritual, that it turns people off to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are those who truly want to know about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, but much of the church have become Heaven bound, but no Earthly good! That being said, there are those who may make it to Heaven, but due to their "spiritual" mentality, God cannot use them to help anyone while on Earth.
Christians go through the same things others do; but we rely on God and His Word to give us direction, hope, strength and peace; knowing that our situations don't define our love for Christ, but may test it.
This is not a blog just for Christians, but for anyone who desires to understand what it means to be a Christian and what a Christian does on a daily basis. I hope to hear from many as I walk this life and share the process of Living Everyday Christian.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)