What are you eating?

Another food picture…

Think about what you eat…

I am serious. If you go out to dinner, take the extra step to ask the waiter or waitress for the calorie content of the foods. Have you ever noticed there are NO calories listed on the menu at Cheesecake factory? That’s because the cheesecakes are loaded with calories and it is likely each cheesecake slice is over 1,000 calories or more per slice. On the one hand, some people “don’t want to know” how many calories they are consuming…they are happy being in the dark. They are out on a date, or with girlfriends and want to eat the dessert and they don’t care about the TRUTH of the calories. Others might know about the cheesecake being high in calories and decide NOT to eat cheesecake for dessert…try strawberries with whipped cream…much lower calorie content.

The LORD has been speaking to my heart with a foghorn- THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE EATING.

I was watching the previews for one of Olivia’s Disney movies the other day…This is a dialogue from the movie.“Ratatouille”

This is a dialogue between two rats:
Remy: What is that?
Remy's Brother Emile: [Looks at the odd thing he is eating]
Remy's Brother: I don't really know.
Remy: You don't know, and your eating it.
Emile: You know, if you can sort of muscle your way past the gag reflex, all kinds of food possibilities open up.
Remy: [to the screen] This is what I'm talking about.

Oh man! Is this our Christian culture or what? We are so desensitized to sin, that we have gotten over the “gag reflex” the disdain, the abhorrence of sin…the mindset and heart- that says, “I am going to refrain from this because it is so detestable and it hurts our LORD’s heart. Sin separates me from God and that is what makes my stomach hurt. God is holy and I must live a holy life. I need to shine for Jesus not tarnish His name and hinder His fame.”

The fact that deliberate, continued, unrepentant sin separates us from God is what should make us gag. We consume things, do things, continue in rotten behaviors, continue to have bad attitudes, hold on to grudges, compromise in “secret” areas and all the while we don’t even realize we are eating rotten, decaying, mold infested food…all because we have gotten over “the gag reflex.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

Now the “food” might not be drugs, alcohol, or watching R Rated movies, listening to filthy music, or watching junky late night TV. The “food” might be failing to submit to your husband, failing to surrender to God certain areas of your heart, not giving God your gifts and talents, not letting go of your past, not heeding the Spirit in this area or that area, or trusting in man versus trusting in the living God.

While we all may be eating some kind of so called "food” it’s really moldy, decaying and it could kill us. Pastor David said that when he was growing up if a young adult did something wrong, his/her parents would say, “you should be ashamed of yourself.” There is no more “shame” in our culture. This is due in large part because there are no morals in our culture…Jehovah- God, the Son our Savior Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all rejected. Nonetheless, God is still God and He is still waiting patiently for you to dine on His Word. Let’s dig in! God’s Word is not moldy or crusty or “expired.” It’s living and breathing and it makes us whole (Hebrews 4:12, John 10:10b).

I realize many who read my blogs are committed Christians, so I know this idea of letting go of rotten food and clinging to the nourishment of God's Word is probably "preaching to the choir" nonetheless, I wanted to share my heart...We all have sin that needs to be cast down...We all need to check the food content of what we are eating...so this is FOR ME first... May God bless us as we determine and RESOLVE to live uncompromised set apart lives for HIS GLORY and fame

Terrible 2’s Continue Through Adulthood

God is speaking and I am listening…However, the more important thing for me to do is OBEY.

God gave me a picture of our stubbornness through my son Isaac. He is 2 ½.
Isaac loves to eat junk food. He points at McDonalds when we drive by one. He has tantrums at the store if we pass by the ice cream receptacles (you know like the ones at check out at Walmart).

Isaac climbs the counter tops in a relentless effort to check the freezer for otter pops or other ice cream. Even when there are none (which is often) he still clamors and opens the freezer believing there just might be one otter pop left in the freezer, behind the frozen chicken.
He does this even though there is danger to him…he could really get hurt for climbing the chair and reaching to get ice cream….but he has a one-track mind- ice cream!!!

We are the SAME way with the LORD. When we don’t get our way, we pout and scream and cry and act foolish. When God says, “No” to us even when it is for our own good, we get angry, upset and sometimes even cry. I have learned (and been taught from God’s Word and many awesome Bible teachers like Chuck Smith) that when God says, “No” it’s because He has something BETTER for us. (Romans 8:28).

God’s Word says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19. Pastor Raul Ries used to say, “God will supply all your need not all of your greed.” This is so true and profound. We want “things” instead of the King of Kings. What is the need? I thought the verse said God will supply all your needs…but it doesn’t. The verse says my God shall supply all your NEED singular. The one need we have is Jesus, the bread of life (John 6:35).

So…as I illustrated earlier, I often lose my patience with my 2 year old as he desires and relentlessly seeks junk food. He continues this daily saga of persistently, repeatedly trying to get ice cream from the freezer…all to his peril.

Yet, aren’t we the same way?

We get upset when are schedule is disrupted, when there is traffic, when our plans go awry, when we get sick on a vacation, when our husbands don’t come home on time…We want our way and we want it NOW! (like a toddler)

While the world offers us junk food (via entertainment, ungodly friendships, and any idol that takes our time away from the LORD), God offers us the living Word, the living Water of His Word, the bread of life…We are so selfish sometimes and we scream, shout and stomp our feet JUST like a 2 year old, but what does God, our loving Father do? He patiently and loving says, “No, no, no…I have something better for you…I have something better than an “Otter Pop” treat. I have chicken pot pie, potatoes, corn, salad, fresh baked biscuits, and best of all, you will get dessert, Hagen daas Ice Cream!! If you are hungry, I'll give you more than a empty calorie snack, I'll give you ME”

Let’s stop stomping our feet and throwing our head back at the LORD when we don’t get what we want. Let’s stop snacking on junk food and entertainment that takes our thoughts away from the LORD and His Word. Let’s get in His Word and feast on Him!!!

Tell the LORD every detail

God has been speaking to my heart so much lately about the importance of prayer. I seriously feel like I am on overdrive with scriptures that are on my heart about prayer. (Phil 4:6-7, 1 Thess 5:17, Matt 7:7-8, James 5:16, Luke 21:36, Matt 26:41, Luke 11:1)

I desire to pray more.

Is it because of the Ladies Bible Study on Daniel? Is it because the men’s ministry Bible studies are starting up again and our husbands need prayer? Is it because of all the divorce and ugly family law court drama I have been dealing with in my part time legal work? Is it because of my desire to pray without ceasing? Is it because of the people that I know are battling cancer? Is it because of Pastor David’s decision to stop the format of intercessory prayer amongst the saints before Sunday am service due to some people feeling uncomfortable and even leaving the church?

I don’t know.

It’s probably a combination…or it might just be the HOLY SPIRIT reminding me prayer is as vital as oxygen to the believer.

OK, so anyone that has known me for 1 minute or longer knows I LOVE TO TALK. I love conversations. I love sharing. I love sharing things God has revealed to me through His WORD. I love hearing your stories, praise reports and prayer requests.
Here is the problem…I have been so sad lately. I have been beating myself up. I have been praying and asking God to make me a better LISTENER. I can’t just talk and talk and talk. I need to be still and know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10) I need to be quiet and allow others to speak. I need to enjoy listening just as much as I love talking.
When Chuck walks through the door after dealing with over 30 wild 8th graders I need to learn NOT to talk his ear off. Not that my husband doesn’t enjoy hearing about my day…he’s just tired and needs time to unwind. I have to give him the “short version.” I know you ladies who are like me, a “Talk-a-holic” are laughing because you know EXACTLY what I am writing about….
It seems lately I have been talking and talking and it appears I have annoyed my husband with my lengthy talks. I was so burdened by this!! I prayed. “Father, I don’t want to get my own way in this area. Give me discernment. Help me to know that my husband is male and I am female. We are different. I need to be a better listener and not share all the details to the point of Chuck’s frustration and annoyance. Help me Jesus be a better listener. Help me Father not bog people down with all the details of my life. I don’t always need to share all the details.”
I have really been struggling with this! (I know this sounds silly but it is my blog after all) I know it’s not a serious struggle like whether or not to go into ministry, whether or not to buy a new house, whether or not to pull a child out of public school and homeschool, whether or not to get married, have a child, change jobs, change churches, etc. but this issue has really been weighing me down.
I prayed again and again, “Why do I like to talk so much LORD? Help me to die to this desire to talk to the point where it is overbearing, selfish and annoying to others.”
This morning like our sweet Jesus often does He refreshed me with a verse JUST FOR ME!

“The steps of the godly are directed by the LORD. He delights in every detail of their lives”
Psalm 37:23

I am so happy I literally can go outside and do some cartwheels. I got my answer. Who can I express and tell all “the details” of my life? Who even has the time to listen? Trust me, my stories can be very long… Jesus cares about EVERY DETAIL. Jesus loves to hear my long stories in the form of PRAYER.

Woo-hoo!

I have been going about it all wrong. I have had so much to share lately but what I needed to do is take every detail to the LORD and then pray about who I should share with.
What a relief! I think this revelation that God cares about “all the details” ties into my heart’s burden for prayer. HE WANTS TO KNOW EVERY DETAIL OF MY LIFE. So I resolve to tell Him everything in prayer!

If I have ever annoyed you with long stories…I apologize…I will save those long stories with all the details for my Abba Father and if you want to go have some coffee some time….I can share my long detailed stories with you and I promise I will listen to your stories and pray with you