Month: January 2018

What is Your Example?

BetterToGiveIs your life worth imitating?  It is a loaded question.

I have an associate that expressed to me that she’d like to be like me; so I asked her what she sees in me. She said truth, compassion, authenticity. My response – Wow! Another associate told me that she finds me abrupt and cold; yet, she stated, my words have life in them. My response – Wow! As I thought of what my friends said to me – I know for sure that I want to live a life that imitates and reflects the image of Christ.  I want to cultivate a lifestyle that others can emulate; a life marked by my love toward others; a tangible love that people can feel and see. My words and actions should show love.

That means that I am committed to speaking the truth in love; teaching the truths of the scripture; giving to real needs when I can; connecting people to resources that they need; listening; helping; being available to meet the needs of others without regard to what it might cost me –  knowing full well that God will replenish anything that is lost by giving to another. Living a life that reflects Christ also means that I will extend to others the same grace that has been so graciously extended to me. And it means that my living will be out loud; such that people will see it and be moved by my living to walk in a like manner.

Giving of ourselves flies in the face of the world’s view of how we should live. We are told time and time again that we must look out for #1. Well, for the believer He is #1; and if we are looking out for Him it means that we will live our lives in a manner that is worthy of His calling; and if we live in a manner worthy of His calling it means that we will give and love.

Walk in the manner of Christ today. Everything you need and want is in Him; so give all that you are away and you will surely walk in His blessing and favor.

“In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'” (Acts 20:35)

Tame That Tongue!

My dear friend and mentor, the late Brenda Waters, wrote a song that she taught me before we relocated to Ghana — the chorus says,

“You talk about who’s been sleeping with who; and you talk about who’s been cheatin’ with who.  You talk about the preachers and the way they preach, you even think you want to try to impeach them.  You talk about whose been smoking that stuff, and you talk about whose been shootin’ it up. And you talk and you talk, and you talk and you talk, and you talk and you talk!

Don’t you know that God wants to use your tongue for glory?

You know that He’s worthy! Give Him the Glory!”

There are many days when what I hear (or read) coming from the hearts of my Christian brothers and sisters just breaks my heart. I hear (and read) words of hate, deception, anger, disdain and judgment and it leaves me concerned for the world – because if the Body of Christ is not getting it right, who will? Whether in response to that person that cuts you off on the freeway; that driver that seems to be going just a little to slow when you’re trying to get somewhere; in response to the blatant injustices happening in America; in response to political decisions that we do not like; in response to a loved one being hurt by another; in response to being taken advantage of; in response to the feeling that our rights have been treaded on; in response to sin in leadership that seems to have been overlooked — in response to the myriads of things that can cause us angst; we must be careful not to allow our mouths to be used as a tool of the enemy.

When we open our mouths to speak what is evil/sin/wicked/hateful/not godly — we open our lives up to evil/sin/wickedness/ungodliness. The old Dracula movies said that he could not come in unless someone opened the door and invited him; our enemy Satan is the same way. The Word of God tells us that the power of life and death are in the tongue. Don’t you want your life to be blessed? I do! I’m not trying to create hell here on earth for me to live in.

I made the decision long ago to speak life into my own life; into the lives of the people around me; into this world. What is life? Life is God. What is God? God is Love!! Love!! Love!!!

If you want to live a life that is marked by His blessings – choose to open your mouth and speak love and life. Don’t malign someone just to make yourself feel better. Don’t gossip and say it is a call to prayer. Don’t repeat something that you know is not true and use the excuse that so and so told you. Don’t spread falsehoods and use the excuse that you found it on the internet. Don’t let the media form the message that comes from you. Make a stand for love and for truth.  You see, it is a sad commentary when the world can’t tell us from them!

Some of you are dealing with serious issues that will require divine intervention — it would seem that if you need the divine power of God in your life, you would live, act and speak in ways that invite His power in to your life. I want everyone who encounters me in this world to know that I am different. As a new friend said to me recently – I want them to be attracted to the Jesus glow in me. I want to walk in the favor and blessing of God.

I will NOT be used by the enemy to bring hate into the world. I will NOT spread the story when I don’t even know if the story is true. I will NOT invite the enemy into my life, my heart, my mind, my home. My yes will be yes; my no will be no. I want my life to bring God glory. I want my tongue to bring God glory. I want to experience the blessed life that believers have been promised. May the Holy Spirit work in me to make it so.

‘For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. ‘

1 Peter 3:10

Go With Him … It’s Always the Right Way

gods-willWhen we are little children, right and wrong are so very simple.  Just do what our parents allow and abstain from what they prevent.  Stop when they say stop and proceed when they approve.  Not so simple when you grow up.

There are foundational dos and don’ts out of Exodus:  no idols, no using the Lord’s name out of place, no murder, no adultery, no lying, no lies, no lusting someone’s spouse; no craving someone’s stuff; honor God as Lord, honor God above any other lesser god, honor the Lord’s day as Holy, honor your parents.  And I’m sure we ALL do these with no problem at all. (SMILE!!)  Well, at least I know you all do.  I’ve got a bad hip from kneeling to repent so often! So very grateful for His forgiveness and His cleansing.  But that’s not what I’m wanting you to think about.

What about what happens on the inside of you.  If you have a personal relationship with The Lord, there is something in your life that He has asked you to do (or not to do) that is in addition to that list above.  You know what I’m talking about –  His will for your life.  This might be giving your belongings to some person; it might be ending a romantic relationship; it might be writing a book; it might be refraining from some food; it might be moving to some foreign country to serve in missions full time; it might be accepting an illness as His assignment to teach believers how to die, etc.  It could be easy and uncomfortable.  It could be difficult and unimaginable.  The bottom line is – you don’t want to do it!

The Holy Spirit’s conviction is strong within you and yet you don’t act in the way that you are led because of your own confusion or even your own fear.  And now – you’re not feeling well, you’re worried about who you’re disappointing, etc.  I want to encourage you to trust the Lord enough to act in the way that He is calling you.  If you just trust Him the confusion and fear that you are facing will cease!  I’m serious! The unrest, sickness, dissension, disunity, fear, duality, and sense of disloyalty to the King of Kings will cease!  And let’s just be honest — you’re walking in sin when you act against what you know to be God’s will for you even if that action is not something that is against the teachings of Scripture.  I’m praying for you!!

But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.  Romans 14:23