We are MISSING IT!!!

Watch this video first <Click Link Starts at 3:02 ends at 6:42

I was watching this video with my kids the other day.  I've read this story and heard it many times but this was the first time that I even contemplated that this is possibly how this young boy felt.  I was reminded of this song and movie clip a few weeks later while discussing our calling as Christians with my sister.(It was actually the result of another conversation I had with some fellow Christians who had a different view of a situation that I did)  The conversation between my sister and I was a rhetorical one.. it started with me asking? "What is so wrong with giving people who need it an opportunity to succeed?".  She answered, "No one wants to do it at their own expense."  For me that answer made sense.  I think it was probably the sentiment of this young boy in the Bible and video clip(if you didn't watch the clip you should do it now.. this post will make better sense.. hopefully). As Christians.. aren't we called to a higher standard?  She continued, "We're all greedy and stingy and in the end we want #1 to come first, Christian or not."  I couldn't deny it, I knew was true.  I know that I was one of those people who was a little perturbed when I heard minimum wage was going to be raised.. "Are they going to raise wages around the board?  How is that fair?  I could use some extra money!!" To be honest I still feel some kind of way about this, but I am asking God to deal with my selfish little heart and slowly but surely.. He is.

As Christians sometimes I feel we like to help the less fortunate at our own convenience, boxes of toys to Africa at Christmas,  feeding the homeless at Thanksgiving and taking trips to places we have never been, look upon the poverty and oppression of the people there, tell them of God's love.  We get to experience the beautiful and the not so beautiful sites of where they live and return home feeling blessed in our abundance. ( I am in no way putting down these things or missions, short or long term.  I am simply saying sometimes we need to check our motives and how we handle mostly short term missions Check out this book on the subject.)  I am saying we give out of our convenience, which is not at all how God commands us to be. We do this largely not because we don't want to be giving, but because we are often worried about what it will mean to our way of life and the comforts we are used to.  I am saying we because I am included.  This makes me so sad because we are missing it. There are tons of scriptures about giving. There are also tons about Money and Finances.  But I want to reflect on these 2 for now:

 

Luke 12:33

Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

 

1 Timothy 6:17-19

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

We teach our kids that it is important to share, but when it comes to OUR MONEY, we only really share what we want or what is comfortable.  We don't like feeling forced to share especially when we feel like we don't have enough to go around.  "There is no free lunch, I mean it's free for the people it helps but it's not free cause it comes as a cost to someone.. right?"(my sissy didn't say this just to be clear), but I've heard this saying so much it makes me sick.  But it is absolutely right, the person who has enough to share!  We waste so much money on food on our double espresso mocha lattes from Starbucks, on our closets full of clothes and shoes, on the things we want.  But what about the opportunities God gives us to be a blessing in ways we can't even comprehend? When we get upset about helping others because it comes at our expense, I think it actually comes down to a trust issue.  Do we truly trust God will supply all our needs?

I think we all at some point or another worry about our finances, how we are going to take care of ourselves and our family.  I think God knew that this natural feeling would overcome us at times and that is why he gave us this word starting in Matthew 6:24.

 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 

When we are worried about sharing what God has already given us, we are actually saying that we don't trust God to provide more.  We are in our minds negating that fact that he is the one who provides.  He is the one who provides us with jobs and our homes and all that we need from day to day.  God has made it so you get that job, raise or promotion so that His plan could be perfected through and in you.  He knows when we are going to be laid off, or when you will be in a car accident and may have to take unexpected time off from work.  He knows all this and He has provision for this.  All of this is under His control and part of His ultimate plan. ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL!!! 

1. God knows the money you have, in fact He ALONE has provided it. 

James 1:16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

 

2. God knows where your money will go, even the money you have no control of. (sales tax, income tax, state and local tax, federal tax) He promises that your needs will NOT go unmet!

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

 

3.  Don't miss the opportunity to be a blessing that God is giving you by worrying or complaining who is spending your money and where?  No matter where your money is called,(taxes, medical bills, groceries, that homeless you pass on your way to work, missions) Your heart should say, "Lord thank you for all you have provided and take what I have, no matter how little or large it may be and use it for your glory.  Trust that He will, and leave it there!

 

4. Remember when we are generous and we put others needs above our own, like that young boy.  We show others the love grace and mercy and power of God to those watching around us.

 

John 6

1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. ³ Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. ⁴ The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages^[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

 

¹⁴ After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

I highlighted 4 really important verses in the above scripture to drive home that all I am saying is true:

Verse 5 Jesus already had in mind what he was going to do.  Before he was told about the boy with the 2 fishes and 5 loaves, he knew because He had provided it.

V. 11 Jesus gave thanks to God for the provision and God knew exactly what was needed to feed that hungry crowd.

V.12 Jesus was not going to let anything go to waste.  In my mind he gave the boy the left overs to take home to his family, or he gave it to a families who were in need. But we KNOW it was not wasted!!

V.14 This act of provision proved to the people who saw it that he was the real deal.  Never mind that these people had watched him healing the sick earlier that day.  This was confirmation to the people who were looking on that he was truly the Messiah.

  Hebrews 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

 Let us not miss our calling because of the selfishness and fear.  I hope this blesses you as much as it has blessed me! 
Pamela

 

 

 

 

 

The Book of Job.. My new fav

Oh my I have a new found love for the book of Job.  I started reading it because I wanted to know exactly what God said to Job .. you know that part where God basically tells Job off and says "who are you to question me..." (it is awesome!) Well while searching for that part that we don't always here about.  You know we know God talks to Satan.. kinda bragging on how perfect Job is (this part still confuses me, by perfect did he mean without sin.. That is kinda what perfect means right.. I digress). Satan says Job only loves you cause you give him stuff, God says "Wanna bet and gives Satan the power to take everything away from Job.. his kids his livestock, both considerable 10 kids and thousands of livestock gone in on fail swoop.  A Sabean attack, Fire from heaven, Chaldean raiders and wind that could collapse a house all within a matter of minutes, yet Job praised God for giving and taking away, he was sorrowful but sinned not.  Satan comes back and God again brags on Job and Satan having lost the bet ask for a double or nothing..for a longer leech. If you afflict him he will curse your name, God says ok, but you may not kill him.  So Satan afflicts him with painful sores and Job's foolish wife tells him to just curse God and die already but Job maintains his integrity and rebukes his wife saying, "Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"  Then Jobs 3 friends come by to comfort him but when they see him they instead throw a week long pity party complete with torn robes and dusty heads.  They sat in silence for 7 days until Job broke the silence as he rue the day he was born.  He gets super dramatic with it, he is despising the fact that he was even brought into the world.  God is against me and I did nothing wrong.. His buddy's contend that he must have done something wrong or else this wouldn't be happening cause god only punishes those who sin... right.  Another friend says stop complaining and apologize to God then he will make it right.. he is all about justice.  Look your kids deserved to die they sinned so God took their life.  The third friend follows along the same lines, charging Job with sin as the reason for his current situation.  (Don't worry God tell puts them in their place too it is great!)  In all this Job says who am I to question God even if I am innocent? 

Job 9:   ¹⁹ If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!
    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him^[b]?
²⁰ Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

Job continues to tell his friends they are wrong, but Job just wants to hear from God, he just wants to die.

 

One of the friends Eliphaz now speaks in Chapter 15 and flat out calls Job a liar and a sinner.  He contends that no man is righteous..

 Job 15:14 "What are mortals, that they could be pure,
    or those born of woman, that they could be righteous?
¹⁵ If God places no trust in his holy ones,
    if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes,
¹⁶ how much less mortals, who are vile and corrupt,
    who drink up evil like water!

 

These were the guys that were supposed to comfort Job, now the accuse him of bringing on his own suffering , charging him with sin and they are relentless!  Job is fed up and he tells them so.  Job 16 v. 19 Even now my witness is in heaven;
    my advocate is on high.
²⁰ My intercessor is my friend^[a]
    as my eyes pour out tears to God;
²¹ on behalf of a man he pleads with God
    as one pleads for a friend.

It sounds like he is talking about Jesus the awaited Messiah who has yet to come to earth.  I found that interesting.  and intercessor is one who goes to God on your behalf, yet Job says this person is in heaven.. who else could he be talking about.. and how amazing is that?

But still for the 10th time another so called friend rips him to shreds with words.  Telling him his condition doesn't happen to the righteous only the evil man would go through such a thing.

Job now has had everyone turn against him because of this now.  No one is in his corner.  It seems he is all alone and he is just beyond ready to die.  (I want to note here that at no time does Job burn a sacrifice like he would for his children in the event that they sinned.. so truly he knows he has done nothing, he doesn't even burn a sacrifice just in case he sinned.  He is so certain in his devotion towards God.) Job has lost it all and just desires to go to be with God, he just wants the suffering to end. 19:25 I know that my redeemer^[c] lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.^[d]
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet^[e] in^[f] my flesh I will see God;
²⁷ I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me!

 

Jobs friends were not dumb, many of the things they were speaking were the truth about God, but many things they had NO CLUE.  It also reminds me of how Satan tried to tempt Jesus, he gives us partial truth and then mixes in lies.  When God said to Satan "Consider my servant Job", notice he didn't say and these other friends of his, they are so wise."  a lot of times we speak out of what we think we know of God but we really have no idea, I think the lesson here is to be careful what we speak to people about their condition or situation.  We are not God and we should not speak for Him unless he tells us to.  In Chapter 22 the subtle hints disappear and now Eliphaz flat our makes up accusations to condemn Job.  He names his sins and then tells him this is why you are in this situation.. You did all thee terrible things and Job has to listen knowing that the accusation from his friend are completely false.  I also think it is safe to say that these friends of Job's are being the mouth piece for Satan.  I think about the scripture where it says Satan accuses us in front of God day and night. (Rev. 12:10) Satan is still free to go up into heaven to accuse us  in front of God, but just like Job, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One! (1 John 2:1)

*Job 22:16 his friend referenced the flood

Bildad actually ask a very good question here in Chapter 25, one I have wondered from the moment I started reading Job. In v. 4 "How then can a mortal be righteous before God?
    How can one born of woman be pure?"  We are all have sinned the Bible says that so how can it also say that Job was perfect?  None is perfect but God right?  well the Scripture that says none is righteous comes from Romans 3:10 and also from Psalms 14:2-3.  Ecclesiastes7:20 Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"? Roman 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 1 John1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  This is confusing to me but if I believe that  the Bible is absolute truth.  I have to believe that it was somehow true that Job was perfect and without sin. (still trying to wrap my head around that one.) so I can kinda see where his friends are coming from..

 

Another thing I noticed is that Job has no fear of death, he wont even lie to escape it as his friends suggest when they tell him of the "sins" he is guilty Job infact begs to die he knows where he will go  and that is to be with God so he doesn't care, he just doesn't want to be in misery.  But then Job starts to reflect on His life and his intimate time with God. Job 29 4 through 25 is so beautiful it paints a picture of Jobs life.. and that picture is a far cry from all the accusations of his friends.. in fact the are the direct opposite of the sins they accused him of.  Finally Job is done, he has said it all he has justified himself in the way he has lived an the 3 friends have nothing else to say because Job was righteous in his own eyes.

 

 

Apparently this entire time there was a 4th friend, Elihu, who said absolutely nothing, he has listened.  But now he is angry and pretty much with everyone,. he allowed his elders to speak because they are supposed to be wise, but now it is his turn.

Job 32:2b against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

³ Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job

Elihu quotes what Job using his own words.

Job 32:8“But you have said in my hearing—
    I heard the very words—
⁹ ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong;
    I am clean and free from sin.
¹⁰ Yet God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.
¹¹ He fastens my feet in shackles;
    he keeps close watch on all my paths.’

¹² “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
    for God is greater than any mortal.
¹³ Why do you complain to him
    that he responds to no one’s words^[a]?

He tells Job he has ben right in his innocence but not wise.  He tells Job that he has been basically talking about God as if He isn't there at all.  Job has been complaining that God isn't speaking to him, but he isn't speaking to God either from my perspective.. he has just complained and had pity on himself..he's been pretty long winded with it too.

 

Elihu adds, and I LOVE THIS

Job 36 v. 8 But if people are bound in chains,
    held fast by cords of affliction,
⁹ he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.
¹⁰ He makes them listen to correction
    and commands them to repent of their evil.
¹¹ If they obey and serve him,
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity
    and their years in contentment.
¹² But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword^[a]
    and die without knowledge

God speaks to everyone.. EVERYONE about their sin, if they listen and repent and obey and serve him there is reward.  If not they perish and die without knowledge.  Job should know this, so if he was being punished because of sin God would give him an opportunity to make it right.

 

Elihu then goes on to describe with such poetry the vastness and greatness of God. The examples he gives it just amazing.  All the things that are under God's control.  (I think maybe Elihu is setting the stage for God, kind of like a hype man would.  The wonders of the universe, nature wild beast and even man nothing goes by without God authoring it into existence..I also think that it is foreshadowing that even Job's suffering, although not caused by God is also under God's complete control.)  I LOVE THIS PART! 

 

Elihu sets the stage and now God speaks ad he doesn't hold back!  Who are you to question me?  My favorite line is Job 38 verse 12 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
    or shown the dawn its place.

God is not playing he goes on to say what great and amazing things he does that no one can duplicate.  It is such an eye opener to the magnificent power of the God we serve and it will give you chills.. I wish I could list it all you just have to read Chapters 38 -42 by this time Job realizes the error of his thinking he is speechless and bows before his maker, he is humbled and repentant.

God turns to the 3 friends and tells them to have Job pray for them and that they need to make sacrifices for their foolishness and when Job prayed for them he was released from Satan's captivity and everything was restored to him.

 

 

Chasing God

Life has so many distractions, many of them are wonderful like those special relationships and blessings God has put in our lives; a husband, children, family, friends even serving in ministry.  Others are attempts from the enemy of our soul to enslave us, by luring us away from the things that God wants and haves for us.  Sometimes those things seem so innocent at first, so "under our control".  Our desire to be entertained by things that don't uplift us really draws us further from the heart of God.  We chase those things for fun, or an escape from our everyday lives and those things often can a do consume us until we are left stagnant and not in the relationship our hearts truly desire to be in with God.   

 

This study "Chase" I came across yesterday morning and is truly an answer to prayer. In Session 1 Jennie touched on exactly what I was feeling and reminded me I am not alone.  That even David, a man after God’s own heart often chased other things.  The difference is that he ALWAYS ran back to God. 

 

I am taking Jennie’s challenge, and I have searched myself to find out what are the things I am chasing.  I am chasing my family, being a good wife and mother, keeping everyone's life together.  But that is so exhausting, and so I also end up chasing entertainment. I call it down time to reward me for being so "selfless" and taking care of others.  More often than not those entertainment moments are less than God glorifying.  There are a lot of things in the shows that I know aren’t pleasing to God, but I excuse it because.. that isn’t the part I am watching for.  I like the action and suspense, but the cursing and other stuff.. “well it is par for the course, I’ll ignore it.  I don’t take part in that sort of thing so it isn’t a big deal, right.” But now I’m reminded of David when he was sitting on that roof, just looking at that woman bathing when he was supposed to be off to war.  I’m sure he never thought he would do the things he did as a result of that action….jealousy, adultery, murder.

 

Philippians 4:8 says Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Proverbs 4 also teaches us to guard our heart (minds) in verse 23.  for everything we do flows from it.  What we let in our hearts is what we will ultimately chase.  Matthew 22:37 Jesus tells us to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."  If I do this I will be chasing God and there will be nothing in my heart that could keep me from His plan and purpose for my life.  I will be the woman that He has called me to be. I will be whole and complete, lacking nothing, able to serve my family and be used by God to perform His purpose in my life better than I ever could in my own strength.

 

I believe faith without action is dead, having God reveal and convict me and not changing something would be ignoring God, and I don’t want to do that…so I am going to stop watching TV shows that have content that is harmful to my walk with God and use that time to chase after Him and draw closer to his heart.