My Big Brother

Hello Friends! As you have noticed, I haven't blogged for a season. I think I was going through a "Blogger Wilderness". I have been trying to decide just why I blog and if it is necessary. I have thought about whether or not to change the nature of my blog. Should it be more personal, etc. There are so many blogs in Bloggerville... would I be missed? Well, I've decided the important thing is that at some point the things I say encourage someone or even inspire them to write a new blog post. As Believers, we are part of one another and any "word" we might speak to benefit someone is of value. I believe the enemy of our souls would want to silence as many of us as he can. However, we need to "let His praises ring". The Scriptures say that if we won't praise His name the very rocks of the ground will praise Him. He WILL be praised! I could write a lot more about praise, however, I would like to share a beautiful revelation our Jesus gave me the other day. I was driving to work and I began to think of my big brother. His birthday is in a few days. My thoughts went back to a time that as a young girl, my brother invited me to go with him and his friends to the movies. Going to the movies on a Friday night was a common practice for me and my brother and sister. All our friends went as well. Most of the time I went with my big sister or was dropped off at the theater by someone. I think I was 11 or 12 years old at the time I went with my brother. I was so proud of him and was honored that he would take me with him. It was important to me that he be proud of me. There was another time when I was a young adult of 19 that he spoke out in front of his own fiance and said, "Doesn't my little sister have pretty eyes?" It just made me beam inside. Now, as the rest of us, my big brother was not and is not perfect. There were times we fought and times he treated me badly and said unkind things to me. I could list them here but I choose to remember things like the big smile on his face when our family watched him graduate from boot camp and when he came home from Viet Nam looking so grown up and handsome. That's the way it is with love. First Corinthians 13:5 says "...love keeps no record of wrongs." There came a time in my life I began to care more about what someone else thought of me. Now to the revelation. During my drive, I did begin to think of a lot of the negative things that happened when I was young. Then the Lord lovingly invaded my thinking with His thoughts. The ideal big brother, in my eyes and some of this I had with my big brother, is one who will put his arm around you and protect you. He would stand up for you no matter what. He would fight for you. He would teach you by his words and his example. (My brother did teach me to stop throwing a baseball "like a girl".) He would listen to your problems and not judge you. He would counsel you for your good. He would forgive you. The list goes on and on. Sound like anyone? Yes, Jesus is the perfect Big Brother. This is yet another aspect of our Lord being ALL in ALL!!!! He will never hurt you... never leave you... always be there... always forgive... always believe in you! John 1:12 "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." NIV Jesus is the only begotten Son and we have become His brothers and sisters. I am extremely proud of my Big Brother and my earthly big brother likes to know... I think he is pretty cool as well. "Happy Veteran's Day, Big Brother!"

The Rose and the Cross

"You lived to die, rejected and alone. Like a Rose trampled on the ground, You took the fall and thought of me above all." Those words to the popular song "Above All" sparked significant meaning to me this past Sunday during Worship. Each day I look out my door and in my small yard is a very large metal cross. In front of the cross is a very small red rose bush. The story behind the cross began a couple of years ago when a young man named Daniel was killed in a car accident. The loss was great to the family and they wanted to memorialize Daniel by placing a cross at the scene of the accident. This particular cross came from the top of an old church building that was being torn down. It turned out that the family decided to reject this particular cross because of the sharp, jagged edges and protrusions around the screws that held it together at the base. That cross was replaced by a smoother, safer memorial. My husband and I were asked if we would like to have the former cross and I suppose just because it was a cross, we said, "Yes" and found what we considered a proper spot for it. You see, that young man was our nephew. For my recent birthday, my daughter gave me the small rose bush and it seemed a good thing to adorn the plain metal cross with the beautiful little rose. That is what led to the following inspirational thoughts. I Corinthians 1:18 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." That particular metal cross was rejected because of the potential to cause harm to those who might take hold of it. How many people reject the cross because to them it would cause pain. It would, in their thinking, cause them to lose their life and the things of this world that they so enjoy. It might make them have to sacrifice themselves in some way... maybe go to a foreign country and become another Mother Teresa. Perhaps feeling that prick from the sharp edges bring conviction of their need for a Savior would make them run the other way. I think of ways I rejected the Cross of Jesus without even knowing it as I was growing up. One example was the time I scribbled over a note a Christian girl wrote in my yearbook about God. I was embarrassed for other friends to see it, even though I believed in God. A lot of the time that rejection can be intentional or because of a lack of understanding or revelation of the truth regarding the Cross. Even when we intentionally reject the Cross, its reality is not negated. The sharp edges and pain that it seems to cause are to bring us to the place of brokenness and repentance and confession. Then as we allow the Love of the Cross, Jesus, the one that was rejected, the Rose that was trampled for us, the edges become smooth and touchable. We embrace it. We come to love it back and want to sit at its feet and receive all it has for us because it was for us it was created.

The Sound of Grace

I thought I would share something on a more personal note today. I asked the question in my last post... "What does Grace sound like." Taken, of course from the beautiful hymn: "Amazing Grace". I shared about one meaning of Grace being "operational power". We all experience those times of what I will refer to as "plodding along". We live in the mundane a lot of the time. After working a 30 hour week and taking care of things on the home front and getting up and doing it the next week and the next is part of my life. In the midst of it, stands Jesus. Always there, always loving, always in my thoughts, moving me through this life one day at a time. My Sister called me this morning and said that she wanted to "sing" me a Psalm. She did. It was Psalm 34:1-6. Her voice was so sweet and the Holy Spirit took the Words straight to my heart and tears came to my eyes. An older gentleman stopped by my counter (retail) at work yesterday and as no one else showed up in the line (a God thing), he shared the meaning of a beautiful silver ring adorning his hand. It had various stones which to him represented the plan of Salvation. After he shared, he asked me where I stood in light of that plan. I showed him my bracelet with the name of Jesus and words of hope displayed on it. We talked Jesus talk for a few minutes right there in the store and encouraged one another. To me, these are "sounds of Grace". One source of operational power comes from one of us to another as we walk in unbroken fellowship with our Lord. As I have said before, we encourage or put courage into one another. Hebrews 10:25 tells us to, "...consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Other "sounds of Grace" or "unmerited favor" are those times a disgruntled customer shows his/her disdain at any effort of service I might render and I take a moment in my heart to lift that one to Jesus, and speak a kind word in spite of their behavior. They may be suffering some untold trial or just be an unkind person. Life is so full of opportunities to express the "sounds of Grace" and opportunities to receive the "sounds of Grace".

Thanks for listening and please.... "May the Sound of Grace be with you now and forevermore." How beautiful the Sound!

"What 'in the world' is Grace?"

I haven't blogged in so long I was missing myself! Well, I'm back and am going to share some thoughts on one of my favorite subjects: Grace.

Most of us know some of the meanings of Grace. Two come to mind: Unmerited or undeserved favor and operational power. We know that we are saved by Grace (unmerited favor) and we are able to make it in this life by Grace (operational power). Most of the Epistles in the New Testament include the words, "Grace and Peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ", with a few variations such as the word "mercy" being added. The title I chose: "What 'in the world' is Grace?", came to me in conjunction with, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." Grace (unmerited favor through Jesus) was sent to the world not to condemn, but to save. Jesus left the world and sent Grace(operational power through the Holy Spirit)to those who were waiting. Both aspects of Grace are alive in and through us who wait daily upon the Lord through uninterrupted fellowship. When the branch abides in the vine, there is uninterrupted fellowship. The life flows from the vine to the branch providing all that is necessary for health and well being. 2 Peter tells us that we have been given everything we need for life and godliness. So, back to Grace. We now, as the Body of Christ Jesus, having true fellowship with Christ and one another, are able to extend Grace (unmerited favor and operational power)"in the World". First to the Family of God and then to those who would come to Jesus through that Grace. We are "Grace 'in the world'".Every day we are challenged to extend undeserved love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.None of us deserved Grace nor deserve it now. That is why it is called "Grace". No one we come in contact with deserved or deserve it. That is why it is called "Grace". It is impossible for us to extend it without uninterrupted fellowship with the Father and true fellowship with one another. When we fellowship with one another in the true sense of the word, meaning, as equals, we are free to extend Grace. As we realize no one is better than the other; no one is more deserving or of greater value, true fellowship occurs and Grace flows. As far as the World is concerned, there is no fellowship, only that of unforgiving, jealousy, envy, striving, bitterness, resentment, selfishness, rudeness, backbiting, hatred, anger, competition, self-consciousness, inferiority and on and on. Beloved, if you are in Christ, you are in the World but not of the World. You are of the Kingdom of God and you have been set free to walk according to His Grace. "Amazing Grace. How sweet the Sound." Let the World hear the Sound through us as we walk in fellowship one with another.

I think I will talk more of Grace in the days to come. What does Grace sound like?

Grace, peace and mercy be yours today through God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.

BarbaraJean

Happy Mother's Day

I found this poem on Prayer Central and I could not have said it better myself so I decided to share it today.

A Mother’s Prayer

Before a child is first conceived, A cry goes up, "Lord, Let it be."And from His throne room way up there, God’s ear is tuned to a Mother’s prayer.

Then as the tiny seed takes shape, She whispers, "God, please keep him safe."And the angels all stop and stare, To see God listen to a Mother’s prayer.

Through pain and blood on that special day,"Lord, give him life," she’s heard to say. And with a deep and gentle care,God listens to a Mother’s prayer.

Then daily as this little child grows,"Keep evil away!" the angels are told.And by the swords and shields they bear, God has heard that Mother’s prayer.

Then one day as the child is sleeping,"Let him know Jesus." she mutters while weeping. The angels are shouting and the trumpets blare, As the Father above hears a Mother’s prayer.

As the world presses in on this teenage life, She calls for his destiny through agony and strife. Then God responds, to a faith so rare, That compels Him to answer this Mother’s prayer.

Now all grown up and on His own,She prays for him by letter or phone. And God stands by with His right arm bare, To listen and answer the Mother’s prayer.

Before a grandchild is conceived, A cry goes up, "Lord, Let it be."And from His throne room way up there, God’s ear is tuned to a Grandmother’s prayer…

copyright -Wayne Dillard

Do overs

I am so thankful that we get "do overs" in life. My Pastor was sharing about his granddaughter this morning. She is a beginner toddler. In other words, she is just beginning to walk. He talked of how she will take a step or two then totter a bit and fall down. Of course the falling down is actually sitting down or being caught in the arms of a parent or grandparent. He explained how the falling down didn't mean she was a failure. She is just learning to walk. I know in my own life, at times, I consider myself to have failed when I fall down or in other words, don't do something "right". When I use unkind words or have an "attitude". When I get grouchy when I am inconvenienced. Or... I just flat out want it "my way" and am being selfish and self-centered. I don't do these things on purpose, but will realize at some point that I have "fallen" into that state of mind or that state of "sin nature". Then I hate the fact that I allowed myself to be that way. Well, hmmm! Maybe I should realize I do belong to the human race and God knows I am dust and... he gives me "do overs" every day. He says, "That's okay, Honey. Get up and try again." I will try again and again because I love Him and my life is guided by love for Him and others and He knows my heart. He actually knows it better than I know it myself. I am so blessed that He promises "never to leave us nor forsake us". We will fall down at times but those beautiful arms of the Savior will catch us and stand us aright and aim us in the right direction and say, "Go for it! You can do it!" And we really can! Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

ALL Again?

Well, here's that word "all" again. Colossians 3:23 & 24. "Whatever you do, work at it with All your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Doing everything whole heartily is the same as putting your whole heart into something. How do we do that without becoming completely exhausted. Paul writes in the last verse of Chapter 12 of I Corinthians, "And now I will show you the most excellent way". That statement leads us into the "Love" chapter of Corinthians. Everything we do as God's children is measured by Love. Love toward Him; love toward one another; love toward our families; love toward the world. The world's attitude many times is to do a half hearted job and receive an instant reward with no regard for the benefit of others. As we daily surrender our lives to Jesus, becoming living sacrifices, he is able to Love through us and give us the desire and ability to "do the good works" he spoke of and "glorify our Father who is in Heaven." Instead of exhausting us, it becomes a pleasure and part of our nature as we take on His nature as we are daily being filled with the Spirit through Relationship and the Word. What is unnatural for the world is natural for us because of Jesus.

"Father, this new day I again give you ALL my heart. Be glorified through me so others will be drawn to you and your goodness, graciousness and kindness. Let your Love flow through every thing I do and say. I want the world to know your Love, sent through your Son, Jesus, my Savior. Let them see you through me. Let me be an example of True Love. Your Grace is sufficient for me to accomplish this. I love you."