Freedom Found in Shifting Control 9-26-11

“the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Cor. 4:18

Are any of us experiencing “less than happiness” with a relationship, our employment, a health issue, etc.? (Sooner or later ALL of us do.)

Do you truly believe that God is sovereign over all the details in the lives of His kids? How about your personal life? With all of life’s setbacks, adversities, and relationships that cause you personal heartache, do you really believe He is sovereign and in complete control?

Once we truly grasp the truth that everything we experience is 1) permitted, 2) used by God, and that 3) He is sovereign over all details in our life and relationships, we can stop focusing on the score (our cherished goals and expectations) and start LIVING in the game.

We can start living life to His glory (abiding, obeying, and trusting), where we’ll no longer feel like we have to control outcomes, but can REST in knowing that He is in complete control (even when life “feels” out of control).

~Our vision is temporal yet God is eternal. God sees our entire earthly existence through the lenses of eternity. He views ALL of what is going on (personally and globally), and then weaves this seeming gagnormous conflicted mess together in His perfect eternal tapestry.  

What we need are spiritual glasses and trust. The apostle Paul tells us, “We don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever…My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.” 2 Cor. 4:18; Is. 55:9

Regarding the things we do not understand and that cause us pain, what do you say we choose to live with spiritual glasses this week? 

 

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being.” Eph. 4:6  

Much love,

Shaun and Betsy

Room for God 9-19-11

“In all his thoughts there is no room for God.” Ps. 10:4

• We all serve something or someone.
• We are all bondservants to whatever we worship.
• When we make friendship with the “world” we break the heart of God.

  “The LORD was grieved that He had made man on the earth, and 

His heart was filled with pain. Gen. 6:6

  “…how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away 
from Me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols.”Ezek. 6:9

 “In all their distress He too was distressed, and the angel of His presence saved them. 

In His love and mercy He redeemed them; 
He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 

Yet they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit.”Is 63:9-10

• We fall into deception when we don’t seek to understand the true heart of God, but choose instead to embrace our ideas about the heart of God and our own feelings.

This week would you pray with us, “Lord, please break our hearts with what breaks Your heart, and give us great joy with the things that give You joy. May these things that break Your heart become so distasteful to us that their repulsion drives us to Your feet …where we are met by Your grace and love. Amen.”

“do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Eph. 4:30 

As we truly come to grips with our personal depravity, then we repent and come fully surrendered to God, we will be transformed from within where we cannot help but to LOVE and LIVE more like Him. 

Much love and living this week!

Shaun and Betsy

Living Farsighted 9-12-11

“If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…but as for me and my household,

We will serve the Lord.” Josh. 24:15

Question: If God withdrew His active presence from your life, what difference would it make?

• ·         
  Would we barely notice because although we think we’re a Believer, the reality of our life tells a different story
• • OR
• ·          Would we notice His absence in such a way that it would cause us to fall on our knees and beg Him for forgiveness, realizing the gravity of our own self-sufficient rebellious depravity?

The fact is, living with our hearts aligned with the world’s value system is generally easier in the short run. ~~We can embrace areas like low ethical standards, immediate self-gratification, and seemingly be rewarded for doing so.

Bottom line: 

“It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.’

  So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Rom. 14:11-12

Let’s not be shortsighted of what truly matters.

This shortsightedness issue reminds us of a relative who broke his nose 6 days ago. (FYI: This analogy has nothing to do with this man’s faith, just his shortsightedness.) This guy’s nose looks like a slippy slide on a home swimming pool, curving left, then gently right. Tomorrow he is supposed to get it “straightened” by the doc, but because of the potential pain and inconvenience, he’s seriously entertaining the thought of leaving it crooked for life! ~~How shortsighted would this be? He’s put little thought into how a crooked nose would affect things in the future … like his breathing, his sleep patterns (plus his future wife’s sleep patterns with his potential snoring), his employment options and the like!

He, (like us with our particular issue), is fixated on the immediate here and now. ~Oh Lord help us!

More questions: What area in our life this week is screaming out like a 2 year old, “I do it myself!” or “Give it, ME want it now!”?  Do we REALLY want to continue in this immaturity? Really?

Hopefully the answer is “no” and we are moved to do some serious business with God.

May God bless us!

Shaun and Betsy