One Thing

 

Distraction.  The word for "distracted" in Luke 10:40-42  is from the Greek word, perispao.  It means to draw away, to be driven about mentally, to be over-occupied, or too busy.  

There are many distractions in this world that clamor for our attention.  Distractions can range from insignificant fun to dangerous detouring sin. But mostly, distractions are the everyday activities in our lives that keep us busy from sun-up to sundown until we crawl from exhaustion into the comfort of rest in our beds. 

Busyness can keep us from the feet of Jesus and severely hinder our relationship with the Lord.  Even good busyness.

"But Martha was distracted with much serving."   Sometimes the distractions in our life that keep us from the feet of Jesus as not necessary bad or amusing.  I know there have been times I have been so busy with serving that I didn't take the time needed to sit at the feet of Jesus.  I was too tired, too exhausted from much doing to spend the needed time just being. 

"Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me."

Sometimes pressure is unwittingly or purposely put on us to serve beyond our capabilities or beyond healthy balances.  A friend told me yesterday how someone had asked her to serve in a ministry at church. She replied that she didn't have time.  Then the person asking began to tell her all the ways she was serving to attempt to make her feel guilty.   You can say no.

The second point of this line makes me laugh.  Martha was telling Jesus what to do!  She was demanding Jesus do something!  She must have really been stressed.  

"And Jesus answered and said to her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things." 

How about you?  Are you worried and troubled about many things?  Are you stressed because of all the busyness in your life?  

"But ONE THING is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

One thing.  Mary sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.  Mary chose worship.  How long has it been since you just sat at the feet of Jesus in your bedroom and listened to worship music?  How long since you delved into His Word and let His Words soak into your Spirit and revive your soul?  Are you too busy?  Are you distracted?  The Almighty God of the Universe, Creator of all things, Your Creator is longing to spend time with you.

Only one thing is needed.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI_1YliutzA

Cut It Off

It was a beautiful Saturday for watching football...or at least our little five year old cheerleader.  Sarah was cheering for a little seven year old football team this past weekend.  I have to admit, I don't completely understand the game of football, but I love watching my little girl cheer! 

Our boys, however, don't particularly care to watch football or cheerleaders (thankfully, not yet--that would call for a whole new post!) 

All they want to do during games is stay glued to their electronic gaming toys or DS.  Joe would once in a while look up to watch Sarah, but mostly we could only see the tops of their heads looking down into a small rectangular screen.

During the game, the boys began fighting over something to do with the DS.  I think Joe had taken Luke's to "fix" it or something.  This was not the first time our boys have been known to fight over these electronic toys.  Actually, the only times our boys ever fight seems to be centered around some kind of electronic game.  Hmmm.

They lose their games quite frequently for this reason.  One would think they would get a clue and learn to not fight.  

Well, this past Saturday, I had had enough!  We had a conversation that went something like this....

"When you fight, you are getting into strife.  Fighting and strife are sin.  It is sin and it is NOT ok. 
Because you cannot seem to keep from fighting when you play your DS, you will not be able to play DS again for quite awhile.

God says in His Word that if something causes you to sin, you should cut it off.  So, we are going to cut off your DS."

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.  It if better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into a fire that shall never be quenched."  Mark 9:44-45  (emphasis added)

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire--" Mark 9:47

Now of course, we do not literally cut off someone's hand or pluck out someone's eye.  I read a good article about this written by my friend Dustin Largent as a Yahoo contributor. You can click on his name to read the article.  

Basically, a DS isn't good or bad.  However, if it is causing one of my boys to sin, it is then bad and needs to be cut off.
 
The same is true with anything in our lives. 

T.V isn't bad, however, if we watch inappropriate movies or sitcoms, then it is causing sin and needs to be cut off. 

A computer isn't bad unless it is misused to look at images unfit for vessels of the Lord. 

Facebook isn't bad unless it is a main source of affirmation or it takes up too much of our time. Then, it can become an idol.  

Like I said, it is true with anything.  If a relationship is causing you to sin (unless it is your husband), you may need to cut it off. 

Is there anything in your life that you feel the Lord wants you to cut off?  Is there anything in your life that causes you or tempts you to sin?  

Have high expectations and standards for your family and yourself.  You will never live higher than your expectations.  You are a vessel of the Holy Spirit!  He lives inside of you. 

We need to live in such a way that we glorify God.  My kids were not glorifying God when they were in strife over the gaming toy.  There will not be DS in our home for a while.  We cut it off. 

Pray and ask God if there is anything you need to cut off from your life today.

Eyes on Who?

My son, Luke, recently received his yellow-striped belt in karate.

He is the small one in the middle.  Doesn't he look fierce?!  Don't want to mess with him! He is 47 lbs of sheer power!

Karate is great for developing self-discipline and focus.

Sometimes the students get distracted.  It doesn't take much to distract five to seven year olds.  Their eyes wonder to the TV outside the room, to the shoelace that is untied, to the scratch on their foot, to the kid picking their nose, etc.  Like I said, it doesn't take much to distract them. 

One of the common phrases the instructors say to the students to help them regain their focus is:
 "Eyes on Who?"

To which, the students rhythmically reply, "Eyes on you, sir."   (very loudly)

Wherever our eyes go, that is what our focus will be on.

Two major deterrents from the correct focus are the world and ourselves.

The world is competing for our focus.  Giant billboards on the side of the road, store displays in the mall posting scantily clad women and men, and perverse television shows all shout "look at me"!  Not to mention the millions Hollywood spends in hopes of capturing our attention.

All of these can distract from where our focus should be centered.  It takes discipline to keep our eyes focused on the Instructor.

The other distractor I mentioned was ourselves. 

When our eyes are focused inward, we see only ourselves.  When our eyes our on ourselves, our vision becomes blurred or off focus.  God wants our focus to be upward towards Him.  He wants our full attention.  Only then, can He direct our focus outwards towards others.

Worry, reasoning, self-pity, and anxiousness are all indications that your focus is off.

When we find ourselves caught in one of the traps above, it is time to ask ourselves who our eyes are on?

My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.  Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.  Proverbs 4:21-22

 It says to not let His Word depart from your eyes.  Jesus is the Word made flesh.   Our eyes need to be on Him.  Our eyes need to be focused on the Instructor.

When our eyes get a little off focus, when the world or cares of this world petition for our attention, or when we are tempted to look inward, I pray we would heed the Voice that gently reminds, "Eyes on Who?"

May we respond humbly, with certainty, knowing His loving eyes never leave us, "Eyes on You, Jesus. Eyes on You."
 

Finding that "Crazy About You" Love

"Crazy About You" love.  Have you ever experienced it?  Are you experiencing it now?

Chris and I did the typical "I like you, but I'm not going to tell you I like you" game when we were first falling for each other.  Both of us almost blew it a couple of times before we had a chance.  

Then, one night a friend of mine had had enough of it! She knew we liked each other and by golly she was going to see to it that we knew it also!  We were at "Lucy Bluz", (remember, this is pre-Jesus) a dance club at the time, currently it is a pawn shop. : ) She encouraged Chris to ask me to dance.  He did!  During the dancing, he looked at me and said, "You know I'm crazy about you, don't you?"  My heart melted.  I will never forget it. 

I was crazy about him too, and I still am after 13 years of marriage.

I am also crazy about Jesus.  I remember when I first fell in love with Jesus. I wanted to tell everyone!  I wanted to tell them everything He was doing in my life, whether they wanted to hear it or not!  He radically changed my life. 

I would say all Christians experience this "crazy about you" love for Jesus at first.  But, sometimes it fades or gets supressed.  Why does this happen?  I'm not going to pretend to know all the reasons, but today I am going to talk about one reason. Works.

Sometimes we can get so busy "doing" for the Lord that we cease "being" with the Lord.

I know your works, you labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil.  And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.  Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Rev 2:2-4

Now, I am not saying we shouldn't serve the Lord, oh contrar.  The verse right after this one says:

Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works...  Rev 2:5

However, these first works are the principle works, the work He has called you to do.  You are not called to do everything!  You are called to have passion and do what you are passionate about.  Does this mean we shouldn't sweep or help clean up after an event  if we do not feel passionate about it? Um, no!  It means follow your passion, but have a heart that is willing to sweep.  

I also want to look at Martha and Mary.

Martha welcomed Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Therefore tell her to help me."  (She seems a little annoyed with her sister, doesn't she?)  And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42

Martha was serving, but had forgotten the most important part.  She was so busy "doing" for Jesus that she forgot to "be" with Jesus. 

The same thing happens in dating and marriage.  At first, you are just happy to "be" with each other.  Dating is just a lot of "being" together.  Many times in marriage, people get so busy in doing, and they forget to just "be" together.  That can be where the love is dampened or seems to fade.  It is really still there, just quenched under all the doing and busyness.

Find your first love feeling again with Jesus and others you love.  

Stop all the doing!  Pray.  Cut out what really isn't important.  Cut out what you are not passionate about.  Be with Jesus.  Be with your husband.  Just be.  You will find that "crazy about you" love for Jesus and the ones you love.  It is there, buried under all the busyness.  Let it breathe, and give it life.

Lose the Fat

Happy New Year friends!!!  I have missed you!  Sorry I didn't post anything last week.  I was in Illinois visiting family and friends. We had a great time with everyone.  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! 

I did work on one post while I was up there that I will be publishing as a guest blogger on another site in a couple of weeks.  The site I will be guest posting on is www.askwisecounsel.blogspot.com  .  It is the blog of author John Beehner.  I will post more information about it as the time comes. 

We got home late Saturday night. New Year's Day was a whirl-wind of a day unpacking, catching up on work, and trying to get settled in again.  However, I had to take a moment to say hello to you. 

In thinking about the new year and praying about what goals I should have for this year, a few words come to mind.  Simplifying.  Health.  Love walk. Commitments. Again, simplifying.

Simplifying can also be referred to as slimming down.  Many people have a different kind of slimming down as a New Year's goal, with emphasis on losing weight and fat.  It is probably the most common of New Year's Resolutions.  Count me in!  Yes, physical slimming down is definitely one of my goals  (I ate way too much junk in the last few weeks!)

However, the main kind of slimming down I need to do is to lose the fat from my life. In 2011, I overextended myself.   I mean slim back and stream line.  Cut out weight that has been holding me down, hindering intimacy with my Father, keeping me altogether too busy and overloaded. 

Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 
And to heed than the fat of rams.  1Sam 15:22

The word "heed" above is the Hebrew word, quashab.  It means to listen, to attend, to pay attention, to give attention.  

God is saying here to lose the fat and listen to Him.  


I have found it is hard to give the Lord much attention or hear His voice when I am overly busy, even if my busyness is in ministry for Him.  So, I am asking God some questions. 

Are all the sacrifices I am giving Him out of obedience?  Lord, is there anything you want me to lay down?  I only want to be obedient to you. Am I doing anything for appearance sake, to be seen by men and please men rather than to please the Lord?

The apostle Paul wrote about his fleshly service another way....He said he counted it all as rubbish (Phil 3: 5-8).  He was referring to all the "religious" activities he did and his own fleshly efforts to gain approval from the Lord. 

As Joyce Meyer said, "God cares more about your 'who' than your 'do'".  He is much more interested in how we are treating others and our intimacy with Him than our works and what we are "doing" for Him. 

I honestly do not believe anything I was doing for Him was merely for appearance sake.  I really felt led to do what I was doing.  I prayed over every commitment.  Sometimes we just get overextended.  Sometimes we mishear.  Sometimes the enemy comes in and adds things to get us overburdened.  Whatever the cause, I know and God knows it is time to lose some of the weight. 

Will you also seek the Lord with me to determine if there is any extra "weight" or fat rams keeping you from "heeding" the voice of the Lord.  Let's lose the fat and gain Christ...and also hopefully lose those 10 pounds as well.  : )