What the World Needs

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 NIV

I'm not sure about you, but I'm tired. I'm tired of all the stories about hate. I've wondered where has all the love gone.

The Beatles sang it well,

"All you need is love, love

Love is all you need."

Jackie DeShannon said it as well

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love

It's the thing that there's just too little of

What the world needs  now is love, sweet love

No, not just for some but for everyone"

It would be nice to hear more about the love in the world than the hate. Why do we end up with hate in our hearts rather than love?

I've experienced the hate of someone, maybe not as intense as others have, but it was hate none-the-less. It seemed one child had it out for me, I'm not sure what I did. It could have been I wasn't quite up to her standards. I haven't ever been fast or coordinated. It seemed to me that whenever this person was around she could get everyone to buddy up with her and make my life even harder. She would get them to make fun of me and made sure I knew I wasn't up to par. 

Luckily for me, I have a loving family and through their love I learn to overcome anything anybody tried to do to me. Another thing that has helped me face uncertain days was my surrender to Jesus. One day as I stood in the back of the church listening to the choir practice a song, a message was in there for me. The message that I needed to accept Jesus or I wouldn't get into heaven. Heaven seemed like a pretty loving place, so in the back of that tiny church Jesus became my Savior.

Through this I have learned that true love comes from God. God loves each one of us so much even those who seemed to have no love, God loves him/her too. No matter how many times we say we don't need God or it's foolish to believe in God. He still loves us and always will.

So maybe the answer isn't the world needs love, sweet love but the world needs God, sweet God. With God comes love a love that drives out hate. So instead of turning our backs on Him maybe we should turn towards Him.

A Dirty Bible

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105 NIV

What is the condition of your Bible? Is it sitting in mint condition on a shelf? Or is it displayed on the coffee table? Do you even know where your Bible is?

Does it sit on the table by your favorite chair? Are pages falling out? Are scriptures highlighted with notes in the margin? Can you find the different books of the Bible without looking in the table of contents or on those Bible tabs?

My Bible sits next to me by my spot on the couch. My pages are crinkled, some verses are highlighted, and yes, there are even a few notes in the margin. I even have another pocket size Bible that journeys with me in my purse. I take time to read it, I love the stories in it, and at times it has brought me comfort. Sometimes I have even written out questions I needed answered and through God's living word I found the answers.

Some may think the Bible is old fashion or the stories in there don't pertain to me. God's inspired word doesn't mean the same today as it did when it was written. Well if it were written today, some of  it would be different because God would change His mind about certain things.

The thing is God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His love is everlasting and nothing we can do will ever separate us from His love. His word is inspiring and maybe it's time for you to get a dirty Bible. After all, it is still the book that has sold the most copies. So go find that mint condition Bible, blow off the dust, and try getting it a little dirty.

Is Asking Enough?

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

For me when I first began trusting God completely, this verse held a lot of meaning to me. At the time I had really screwed things up, at any moment our home could have been taken from us. I clung to the promises in this verse, if I asked it would be given. So I asked and asked and asked.

God indeed saved our home, but not without me learning things along the way. At times I would fall back into the same foolish spending habits. Then a wake up call would happen; we'd fall behind and could face losing our house once again. Each of those times we'd fall to our knees asking and believing somehow God's glory would come through again. Each time He did.

During this journey I've come to learn that God isn't a genie. Sure it says here to ask and you will receive, but as we read and study further in this section it says God will give good gifts to those who ask him. What God gives is a gift, a blessing. Since we are given a gift, we need to be thankful for it. Not use it the day we receive, only to forget about it the next day.

There have been times when I've asked God, expecting to receive the gift and He said "No" or "Wait, it'll come." Last year, there was an opportunity to go on this wonderful expedition. There was one little problem or 10,000 little problems. For my husband and I to go we would need $10,000 by a certain date. I prayed, "Lord, this would be exciting and something we'd like to do, so the only way we could do this is to receive $10,000. Thanks." 

The due date came and went and as you've might have guessed, $10,000 never showed up. I guess this wouldn't have been a good gift for us.

Now on our fridge hangs a list of things we need to do or would like to have. I placed it there a few years ago not knowing when any of the things on this list would be filled. In fact, the list has hung there so long I forget it's even there. Recently, it caught my eye and I realized that all but three things have been accomplished.

These things I may have prayed for at one time or another, maybe I said "Lord, when you can." But like the list hanging there I'd forgotten I'd asked. Somehow through His great gifts He has allowed us to accomplish some of things on our list and not end up scrapping bottom to do it. I really don't know how, except God gives good gifts to his children.

As I look back, I realize all the mistakes I made. The great thing is though, through these mistakes I have learn that God will supply all our needs and even some of our wants. We just need to ask and then trust He has great plans for us.

Overcoming the Flesh

Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Romans 7:25 NIV

Have you ever had a thought pop in your head that didn't come from you? There a have been a few times this has happened to me. Most of the times the thoughts are great ideas. There have been a few times though a thought crosses my mind and I know in an instant this is not my thought or God's. This thought has come from Satan himself.

Immediately, I ask God to remove this from my head because I know clearly this is not something I would do. I ask him to remove it from my brain and throw it as far as the east is from the west. He does, so it is very surprising when several months have passed and this same sinful thought comes into my head again.

Concern fills me. Why can't this temptation just go away forever? I don't plan on acting on it, it's not in my nature. I ask God to remove it again, but the fear is there that it will return.

"Why does it?" I wonder. Could it be that God is about to move in a big way if I allow Him? Is that why Satan is trying to stop me?

Am I becoming a slave to my thoughts? Worried that it'll happen again?

Temptation is all around us, always lurking to suck us in. What better way is there for Satan to gain some points than for a person who claims to be a Christian to fall into sin? The media is always on the look out for a good person to fall into temptation.

The thing is we are all sinful, if we say we aren't we are only deceiving ourselves. "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:8-9

I don't know about you much I'd much rather admit what I've done or not done and be purified. So God purify me and help me to be a light for you.

Admission For Church

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:2 NIV

The other day a strange thought crossed by mind. Maybe it's because we have been trying to figure out why church attendance keeps dropping. It seems that meeting at church to worship with other believers is just not high on every one's priority list. Anyway a thought occurred to me, "maybe we should charge for worship."

It seems we are willing to pay for things that are important to us. We pay for our kids activities, our activities, professional sporting games, movies, amusement parks, so hey why not start paying to come and worship the Lord.

I believe attendance would certainly be better. Once you've paid for the something you're going to go because it's not like you're going to lose money by not attending.

The thing is though would you come to church worshiping the Lord with gladness or would you come demanding things be a certain way, after all you paid for it. Once the money's been spent you hope to get your money's worth.

Truth is the price has already been paid.

Once upon a time there was a child born of a virgin. He grew up and taught, healed, and prayed. He knew what his mission was, He really didn't want to go through with it, after all the cost would be high. Still He faced what he must do.

He was beaten, blood poured from his body for us. He was nailed to a cross and died there in excruciating pain. His last breath was with thoughts of us, "Father forgive them they know not what they do."

But this was not the end. On the third day He rose from death. He conquered eternal death so we could have eternal rest.

Isn't that price worth it? Isn't spending one hour out of one hundred sixty-eight out of a week worth the sacrifice? Don't let the what He did be wasted.

Spend sometime this week worshiping the Lord, all those other things don't mean much when it comes to eternal peace.

A Mother's Teaching

Listen my son to your father's instruction and do not forsake you mother's teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. Proverbs 1:8-9 NIV

"Don't touch that, it's hot."

"Stop screaming!"

"No running in the house."

"Don't hit, no name calling, and no pushing!"

Words most of us mother's speak at one time or another. Some of our children pushed the banner anyway by touching the hot burner, falling in the house, or ending up in a big fight because they didn't listen to us mothers.

For me these phrases haven't stopped for several years. I even spoke them before I had children. When your work with children these phrases are part the norm usually with the same results, the kids pushing their limits.

These phrases though are not my most important teachings. For each child that has come through my home I hoped I taught them that God loves them. I try to let them know that everyday. One of the phrases we used to say a lot was, "that's OK God loves me anyway."  A spill would happen and I'd say it encouraging him/her that it was alright. The best time though was when I would spill something and I hear the young voices saying, "That's OK Ms. Diana, God loves you anyway."

Mothers are to nurture and guide their young children to walk with the Lord. Mothers are there when we fall down, when life is amiss, and as an encourager.

We grieve when we lose our mothers or as mothers we grieve when one of our children has lost his/her way. Some of us grieve because we haven't had the chance yet to be mothers.

This Sunday as we honor our Mothers look back upon all that your mother taught you and walk in the ways she taught.

So Much Stuff

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

To hoard or not to hoard, that is the question.

I really don't think of myself has a hoarder, I can somewhat easily get rid of things. But sometimes I hold unto it just in case I might need it again, one never knows.

These past three weeks have changed my mind. I have packed over 40 boxes of stuff, thrown out 12 bags of garbage, and donated 7 bags of clothing and another box of old toys. It amazes me how quickly we can gather stuff. It wasn't that long ago when we painted the bedrooms-how in the world did they get so full?

It's hard to think of my stuff as treasures. Isn't a treasure a chest full of gold? Could 200 teddy bears qualify? There were also the kids old school work and projects and lots and lots of photos. Books we might like to read again. Trophies from sports activities. Tons of games because we might have a Family Game Night. All kinds of things that we'd forgotten we even owned. Stuff, stuff, and even more stuff.

So I guess our stuff holds a lot of memories and maybe that is why we still have it.

We're told not to treasure up things here on earth where moth and rust destroy (let's not forget about the dust bunnies that quickly accumulate), and maybe we haven't done such a great job of keeping our treasures to a minimum. Bottom line is if God asked us to get rid of it, I believe we could do it. I may grieve for months about having to sacrifice my teddy bear collection (no husband, I don't think I'm asked to do that. At least not yet.), but I know God has a better plan for me and because of that I would be willing to do it.

Maybe this is what this verse means, are you willing to give up treasures here in order to receive better treasures in heaven? Truthfully, I believe I could. Do you think you could the same?