Core Belief Structure: Trust or Distrust

“And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” Ex. 34:6

My concept of God completely controls my relationship with Him. If I believe that He is good and that He has only my best in mind for me, I trust Him when things are difficult. But if my core belief is that God is “done with me”, I will not pursue Him, and I will move away from Him when life’s challenges engulf me.

God tells us this in Jer. 29:11: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God is telling us, “ Don’t tell Me what you think I think of you, this is what I think of you!”

Sometimes when confusing or difficult circumstances occur in or around us, we mistakenly interpret them differently (even the opposite) from what God actually thinks of us and from what He is actually doing through and around our life with these events.

Likewise, these same kinds of misinterpretations happen in our interpersonal relationships.

The question comes down to this: What is my core belief structure? If it one of trust, I will move towards God (or that other person). But if it is distrust, I will move away from God (or that other person).

Unlike people, however, God is 100% trustworthy 100% of the time, no matter the circumstance or our limited perspectives.

This is a very stressful time of year for many many folks. In our stresses this week, let’s determine to trust Him according to His word, not ours.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Ps. 139: 23-24

Much love,

Shaun and Betsy

Victory and Protection this Thanksgiving 11-21-11

“He holds victory in store for the upright; He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless." Prv. 2:7

We look around us today and there is A LOT of hurt and need. And we hear Believing friends saying that they are not sure if God even exists, because He isn’t hearing their prayers.

Just wondering…

Maybe we’re praying and receiving no answers because deep down, we don’t desire God’s wisdom and love to manifest itself in and through us, but merely His power for our own use?

Maybe we’re crying out to God not in humility, but in demand, expecting God to be someone other than He is and to bless our limited perspective desires, not His divine purposed desires for us?

Truth be told, perhaps we’re desiring a god we can manipulate rather than Someone who is simply not exploitable.

God says: “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the LORD grants wisdom!

From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to Him.” Prv. 2:2-8

God promises: “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…Call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.” Jer. 29:11-14

As we seek Him, may God abundantly bless us this Thanksgiving! 
Much love,

Shaun and Betsy

Help! My "Wanter's" Broken 11-14-11

"The LORD is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them." Ps. 145:17-18

Ever find yourself desiring more of a perpetually elusive “intangible” like peace, joy or direction? Deep down, have you ever thought: “Intellectually I know “it” exists, (because I’ve witnessed “it” in so-n-so), but honestly, I’ve never truly experienced “it” for myself…at least not with any longer term consistency.”

Straight talk: These intangibles are a gift; a gift of love that God imparts to those who choose to seek Him wholeheartedly.
 ~Blessings resulting from intimacy with Creator Almighty.

Personal pride, rebellion, and the hurry of life keep us from this Divine intimacy.

Question: Do I really want “it”? Or do I merely want the results of “it”?

Awareness is the first step of change; the second is taking personal responsibility.

In this trek together,

Shaun and Betsy

Stand UP, in Love 11-7-11

“Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand up together.”

Is. 4:13

“Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.” Dan. 12:3

By name, God calls the stars in the heavens to stand up. “To stand up” (‘amad) means to take a stand, hold one’s ground, rise up or stand against, endure, persist, be steadfast.  As Believers, we too are referred to as stars, and we too are called by God to stand up.

In love, STAND UP.

Stand up and buy the homeless man (hand-washing his clothes in the launder mat like Big Mike in the movie Blind Side), a few loads worth of laundry…treating him/her as one would a friend.

Stand up and let God’s peace shine out to all who come in contact with you … amidst the uncertainty of investigative tests at the hospital.

Stand up and according to Truth, call the Senator’s office and in love briefly share why his/her policies are in the wrong.

Stand up and offer a kind word or act (along with kind body language and facial expressions) to that unkind or rebellious person.

Stand up and share the love of Jesus (not religion) with the person at the car wash, at the office, in line, at the gym, in the class, at practice, on the plane, in the parking lot….

Stand up in the privacy of our own home and worship our KING with arms open wide or prostrate on the ground in humble submission.

Stand up in heart and mind (rather than succumbing to a pity party), and chose to embrace God’s sovereignty amidst a difficult personal challenge.

Stand up and choose to intercede for a significant someone who has wronged or hurt us…and be set free in the process.

Stand up and text/call ones spouse, apologizing for our behavior … despite feeling personally wronged. (No perfect people, only a perfect God)

Stand up and bring a warm dish of food or a listening ear to a hurting friend, just to say, “I care”.

Sadly, most USA Christians today chose to believe a brand of Christianity that makes no demands and doesn’t call for wholehearted devotion; a religion, instead of an intimate relationship with the living God. But this is not what God designed us for. Each one of our lives counts, has worth, is significant and can make a difference in our world.

Stand up and make a difference … one life at a time … until the whole world knows.

To Him who is able to do immeasurably more than ALL we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work with in us, to Him be the glory this week and always!    xo ~Shaun and Betsy

In the Struggle, Step Out and Stand UP! 10-24-11

“Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes a vessel from the silversmith.” Prv. 25:4

Amidst God’s refining furnace, it’s the suffering that gets rid of the dross in our lives.

Haralan Popov was a prominent minister in Sofia, Bulgaria when he was arrested in 1948 on false charges of treason and espionage against the state. He was among 15 Christian ministers charged with these crimes, and after being tortured and brainwashed for 8 months, pleaded guilty under duress and were sentenced to 15 yrs. in prison. Released in 1962, Popov moved to the USA in 1970 and started a worldwide campaign for human rights and religious freedom. In his book, “Tortured For His Faith”, Popov writes this:

“As the fires of persecution grew, they burned away the chaff and stubble and left only the golden wheat. The suffering purified the church and united the believers in a wonderful spirit of brotherly love such as must have existed in the early church. Petty differences were put aside. Brethren loved and cared for one another and carried one another’s burdens. There were no nominal or ‘lukewarm’ believers. It made no sense to be a halfhearted Christian when the price for faith was so great. There came a great spiritual depth and richness in Christ I had never seen in the times before when we were free.

Every man, woman and youth was forced to ‘count the cost’ and decide if serving Christ was worth the suffering. And to the Communist’s great regret, this was the healthiest thing they could have done for the church, for the insincere gave up but the true Christians became aware of what Christ meant to them and became more dedicated than ever before.”

Question: Whether “suffering” comes as some kind of illness, marital/relational strife, or outside persecution, as a Christian in the United States today, are we so isolated and insulated in our “holy huddle Believer bubble” that we are simply too comfortable to “step out and stand up” for Him?

Last week, I (Betsy) was put to this test when my internist became alarmed with a mass growing in my abdomen. A full line up of doc visits and tests followed, and yet, despite the unknown, I had the most amazing upbeat/calm spirit that overcame me. (The same calm Spirit that overcame me during my brain tumor announcement this May.) ~~ I even got to share God’s love and Good News with the sweet distraught woman who drew my blood (testing me for ovarian cancer) for 15 some odd minutes as well as with my internist, gyn, AND the whole bible study group of ladies that were over at our home just prior to it all!

And to God be the glory, the “mass” turns out to be an abdominal hernia over an ovarian cyst…together accounting for all the odd symptoms which pointed to something much more serious. PRAISE HIM.

~~So what do you say we each challenge ourselves to “step out and stand up for Him” in our area of suffering this week?

We love you,  ~Shaun and Betsy

Dare Not 10-17-11

“For freedom Christ has set us free.” Gal. 5:1

Does “freedom” mean we can do anything we want, any time we want, to any extent we want, with whomever or whatever we want, for as long as we want, and suffer no consequences with any of it at any level?

In today’s world, does freedom mean abolishing common decency?

We have 2 kids currently in college and in most US colleges today, new students are encouraged by staff and peers to experience “freedoms” they may have never had the opportunity to try until now. In the sex arena, kids are told to “fly, be free” and many do just this…only to discover latent consequences one never considered as an 18-21 year old. ~~Like being a happily married 32 yr. old, but unable to conceive because of a silent STD … Or being ‘not so happily married’ because one’s been with so many partners that being united with ‘just one for life’ is too confining. … Or dealing with post abortion remorse and shame one never fathomed one would feel ‘back in the day’…

Can we truly be free when we are slaves to our own passions and desires?

“Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, ‘You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. … Everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.’”  Jn. 8:31-36

Freedom in these verses mean ceasing to be a slave, to be set at liberty. ~~Liberty to live as free men, as servants of God, without using freedom as a pretext for evil. 1 Pet. 2:16

Satan dared Eve and succeeded. She believed she was gaining something but was actually losing it all. And his dares haven’t changed; at the root, they’re designed to appeal to our pride, our insecurity and our wanting to prove or validate ourselves. Tragically, in a moment of weakness, Adam and Eve lost their freedom, and entered into a lifelong self-induced prison with consequences rippling to us 1000’s of years later.

Question: What in our life this week is enticing us away from true freedom? ~~Like the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, it is not too late to reverse direction.

May God bless us,

Shaun and Betsy

Kiss the Bit and Bridle Goodbye 10-10-11

“The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you.

Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.’” Ps. 32:8-9

Any of us acting like a senseless horse or stubborn mule in a particular circumstance or relationship right now?

Why?

Learning to trust HIM in the trenches, xo  ~Shaun and Betsy