When in a Crisis

 Our response to crisis & God's power in it. 

A message from @drtonyevans https://t.co/TDOGfeOvrG

~you know you are in a crisis because it gives birth to fear and looms so large in your life. 

~never let your feelings sit in judgement over your faith. You must bring to bear what is true of God. 

~Look to the nature, Spirit, and Word of God regarding your situation. Your crisis may be different, but your God is NOT. 

~Your problem is not a new difficulty for God. He's been here before!

~ "God allows crisis so He can demonstrate He alone is God!" 

~Don't focus on the crisis but on God. See 2 Chronicles 20:12

~Prayer is drawing the power of heaven down on your crisis. 

~ God, [I] have no power to face this [crisis] that is attacking us. [I] don't know what to do, but [my] eyes are on you.” 

2 Chronicles 20:12

~Praise God in spite of your crisis and give thanks that this battle is not yours.

2 Chronicles 20:15&21

My Journey with CAFFEINE

37 Days and Counting! Caffeine- who needs it!
About 6 weeks ago I started this journey. First came the question, "Is reliance on caffeine (AKA: Caffeine Addiction) a problem for me?" I already knew it was. I was under the belief that I COULD NOT properly function in the mornings without caffeine. For years (starting around 10 years ago), I justified my addiction because my caffeine was "healthy". I am not a coffee drinker, do not like tea, dislike energy drinks even more. My caffeine was packaged in a tasty vitamin infused powder drink mix. It came from a company known for selling nutrition, weight-loss, energy and sports performance products. It tasted great. I craved it. It gave me noticeable energy, and even mental clarity. "This is a good thing" I convinced myself. The results seemed good. No wonder its called SPARK. My mornings started, without fail, with my caffeine/vitamin elixir. Don't ask me serious questions, don't make me recall where your belt is, don't ask my schedule, and certainly don't expect any tasks to be completed.....until I got my Spark Drink! It was a must. It was "necessary". I can't function without it. There's no way I will ever want to give it up.

Fast forward 5 or so years (and many, many dollars later). I'm older, I'm tired, my kids are older, my budget is tighter. I don't want to spend the bookoo bucks to get this stuff anymore....but I NEED IT! Why doesn't this spark seem to work so well anymore? Could it have lost its effectiveness? What would I do if I didn't have any left? Sure hope I don't ever get to that point. Oh well, gulp gulp....Ahhhh! Good morning!

Sometimes my weeks looked like this:

Monday: Monday's aren't that bad. Just drink a full spark. No big deal. Dear God, help me find time to add fitness to my schedule.

Tuesday: My spark tub is pretty light. Hmm? I better conserve and make smaller portions. I'd hate to run out, those are impossible days when that's happened. Wow am I thankful for this stuff, right! Dear God, I need to find a way to lose some weight. Can you help me with that?

Wednesday: Take just a half spark. Remember to order that later today. Pretty cloudy head today.....must need more spark. Dear God, I want to rely on you for my strength today. Help me see how to better do that.

Thursday: Oh, Blast! Forgot to order spark. Must do that now. Just have another half portion. I can get through another day like that...maybe two. But that's the limit. I need more spark. Dear God, can you show me ways I am not relying on You. I want to live each day to the fullest. Show me what I need to replace.

Friday: Drink the last little bit of spark I have left. Good thing I ordered more. I so regret I didn't get to exercise this week. Where does the time go? This weekend I will have more time. Hope the spark doesn't get delivered late. Dear God, I give you today. Thanks for showing me I could replace screen time with exercise. I will start doing that next week.

Saturday: No spark? No spark! What? I have to wait until Monday now. This weekend is the worst. I'm not doing a thing I don't absolutely have to do. Paperwork can wait, even most of the housework can wait. This is gonna be rough. Dear Go..Phone Rings. It's an old school friend. Always great to catch up. Remember in 10th grade when blah blah blah? That sure triggered memories. One teacher at our Christian school used to have a pot of coffee a day, and she told us so. Not so sure that was such a good thing....she was totally addicted. Huh? I'm not that bad....right?

Sunday: no spark. get ready for church. tired. Show up for church but left the fruit of the Spirit behind. Not my best morning. I am gonna need something...Why is this happening? Message at church was good! God gives believers all we need for victory. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Submitting all you are to God results in promises fulfilled and blessing. God has the power to cut sin out of your life. What sin should be cut from your life? If you rely on any power other than God, it is idolatry.

Fast forward another 2 years. March 2014. Dear God, Can you help me lose weight? I have sensed you drawing me closer to you. Show me what to do.
There was a moment of alertness during prayer time. How can I ask God for help, when I haven't really been relying on Him and His power to sustain me? I ask for help. After all, I remember the verse, "You have not because you ask not." So I ask. But I was so convicted that it was only words. I was not relying on God to empower me, but myself. Actually I relied on caffeine to "get me through" the day and any exercise I found time for. How can I rely on a substance but ask God to help sustain me? I CAN'T. Not anymore. That's what I need to replace. For daily strength (my daily bread) I was not relying on God. The caffeine has to go. This was my personal conviction based on my past choices and priorities. I decided at first to fast. Give up caffeine and replace it with quiet time with God. Seeking other ways He may not have all of me. Surrender. it. all.
The first couple days was as expected. Tired. Irritable. Craving. Day 4-5? Horrific. I was having withdrawal symptoms. Oh my word! I was so addicted to caffeine. Headaches like never before, extreme fatigue...I felt like I was getting the flu. Experiencing that was so convicting. It was consequence in my face. Add to that a radio message I heard about Christians shouldn't be going thru life just surviving. We should be THRIVING in our daily walk, despite our circumstances. Day 6-7 I confess I did backslide. I thought, well, "I will give up 'morning caffeine'. That just proves I am making progress, right? I noticed on the days that I would have caffeine (in the form of afternoon Pepsi) that I would wake up the next day even more tired. WHAT? I quickly realized my reliance on it was still wrong. I asked God to help me, this time truly relying on His strength. First week down. Woe!

Day by day, my mornings started to change. I woke feeling alert. Awake; not groggy. And I woke early! I was naturally feeling better without my caffeine. I didn't expect that! I was surprised. I thanked God for that gift and for spurring me to continue.
Today I am 37 days into this journey. I am 30 days without caffeine. It has gone quickly....something else I didn't expect. I know this is the step God wanted me to take, and the next step will be just as fulfilling.....If I rely on Him!

I would love to read any comments.
Make today count for eternity; live for One.

Not reporting abuse a common occurrence

     Hearing about abuse stories in the news recently promoted a deeper look. A common thread through many stories is authority figures not reporting on abuse they are told about. This can happen for many reasons, but it does not do the innocent any justice. The same can be said for those refusing to work with proper authorities. 

     When a victim's authority-- teachers, leaders, employees, or even parents, seek to cover up, dismiss, or ignore the abuse for any reason, they may become just as guilty as the abuser. Some would compare it to being an accomplice. Yet this happens all too often. Especially where cases of criminal abuse (involving authority figures) takes place within public organizations.
  

     Not only is it tragic when the abuse happens, but it is even more so when it is covered up, swept under the rug, minimized, mis-represented, even lied about by authorities in a position above the abusers. 
    

      Abuse making the news is nothing new, and it will never be something we take lightly; but the untold story is how it is handled by those involved &/or in charge, and how their mishandling of a terrible situation affects the victims even more so. 

     When the story goes untold, it's like turning victims away or dismissing the truth. Deeds done in darkness will remain there until reports shed light on the truth and expose the deeds. 

Difficult person?

Thoughts on Love, Peace, Grace & Glory

We are commanded to love one another. This is not always easy, but we usually make it more difficult. If we acted in wisdom we'd see how important it is to quit pursuing our desires and simply pursue filling their need as our service to Christ. Isn't that the whole essence of true love? 
Love is: giving of myself to meet another's need whether they deserve it or not and expecting NOTHING in return. It's coming along side another when they need me there. It's giving, supporting, and sometimes giving up my need or wish in order to meet their need. Considering Christ did this when we didn't deserve it, we should do the same.
The Bible doesn't have to have a chapter and verse for every aspect of our lives or every circumstance. But it does seem to have all the answers!
The Bible commands we love. It's up to us to know how to show each individual love.

An important point not to miss is that when possible, live at peace, but always LOVE. Show grace, but not at the expense of God's glory. Yes turn the other cheek, but walk away if it will result in God's glory being stolen or in order to guard your heart. 

Life in a bubble; life as a Christian

Life in a bubble; life as a Christian 

I wanted to share the blog below as it beautifully addresses a burden on my heart. 

The comfort that we have become accustomed to has distorted our worldview.  C.S. Lewis cautions, “Prosperity knits a man to the world, he feels that he is ‘finding his place in it,’ while really it is finding its place in him.”  In Luke, Jesus issues us this caution, “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist of an abundance of possessions.” ...

By Scott from K-Love

Read this blog about doing the uncomfortable  and being Jesus' hands and feet.

http://www.klove.com/blog/scottandkelli/post/2013/08/26/We-Live-in-a-Bubble.aspx

Grief and Mourning

This I Know, that God is for ME!....

Grief has been a word often heard in my circle lately. It has me considering all the ways we grieve and all the reasons we may grieve or mourn.
Maybe loss is your experience currently.
Loss of a job
Loss of a friend
Loss of an important item in your life. (Even though we know possessions are temporary, we may feel grief when something very important is lost to us.)
Perhaps it is loss of expectation.
Loss of closeness with family
Loss of good health
Loss of a dream
Maybe death has impacted you.
Death of a friend, family member or pet.
Maybe disappointment has overwhelmed you. Perhaps you've recently moved away from all you know. Starting over is difficult. You feel sadness and grief.
We feel grief over mistreatment, over watching loved ones self destruct, over marriage ending, over knowing your life is not how you pictured it would be.
Not getting into the school of our choice, rejection letters....Hurt and disappointments come in many forms. What do we do with all our grief?

Verses I have leaned on in times of grief.

Psalm 56:8 & 9b
You have kept count of my tossings;
put my tears in your bottle.
Are they not in your book?
This I know, that God is for me.

I also had to learn that if I do not allow myself to grieve, it can easily turn into anger. Grief was a gift in that aspect.
A time to lean on God (and sometimes others) brings sweet fellowship.
Out of grief can come fruit & blessings.
Prayer journaling creates an outlet to release our grief to God. When Jesus grieved, he cried-and cried out to God.
We have Christ's example, we have a GOOD GOD who makes NO mistakes, we do have a future and we have fellowship with others through sharing our grief.

Romans says, "May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another...."
God is the God of endurance and encouragement.
This I Know, that God is for ME!....

The Christian's 3 Enemies

Truth from Billy Graham Decision Magazine
http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=359

The Bible specifically mentions three enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil. They combine to form a powerful foe to defeat and frustrate God's plan and purpose in the lives of His people.

The First Enemy: The World
First, the Bible teaches that the world is at war with the spiritually minded Christian. Worldliness is a mood, a tempo, an attitude of the soul that peers out horizontally upon life. Its head is never lifted upward in recognition of God. Its gaze is manward—never Godward. It is a materialistic, sensual view of life that centers its attention on the gratification of the lower appetites and desires, completely blind to the things of the Spirit. In this kind of world, God is not just denied, He is forgotten.

The Bible warns us, "Do not love the world or the things in the world" (1 John 2:15, NKJV). And again, "friendship with the world is enmity with God" (James 4:4, NKJV). Thus, we Christians find ourselves in daily conflict with the world around us. But we are not to yield an inch.

The Second Enemy: The Flesh
Second, the flesh is at war with the Christian. The word "flesh" is the biblical word for our old nature, the nature of sin.

The Apostle Peter, who knew a great deal about the struggle with the flesh, said, "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul" (1 Peter 2:11, NKJV). The flesh is the enemy within, the spiritual infiltrator. Thus, as Christians, we find that our greatest conflict is often within ourselves.

In spite of the fact that we have come to Christ, the wretched bent toward sin is ever-present to drag us down. War has been declared. We have two natures in conflict, and each one is striving for the victory. The Bible teaches, "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh" (Galatians 5:17, NKJV). It is the battle between the self-life and the Christ-life.

The old nature cannot please God. It cannot be patched up. However, Scripture does give great hope for us in this conflict, because when Christ died He took us with Him to the cross. The old nature can be made inoperative, and we can by faith "reckon [ourselves] to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God" (Romans 6:11, NKJV). Victory can be obtained.

Paul said that he had "no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3, NKJV); he had no confidence in the old nature. On another occasion he stated, "make no provision for the flesh" (Romans 13:14, NKJV). On yet another occasion he said, "I discipline my body and bring it into subjection" (1 Corinthians 9:27, NKJV). We are to yield completely and surrender ourselves to God so that we can by faith consider the old nature dead unto sin.

The Third Enemy: The Devil
The third enemy that wars with the Christian is, of course, the devil himself. The devil is out to defeat the Christian. He well knows that the child of God is a dangerous enemy to his cause. He made every effort to tempt and defeat Christ, and today the devil concentrates on Christ's followers. He is the commander-in-chief of the powers of evil, and his main attack is launched against those who have taken sides with Christ and righteousness.

The devil harasses, accuses, tempts, deceives and lies in his dealings with Christians. He works through his allies, the world and the flesh. The devil uses the world and the flesh to wreak havoc among God's people, to hinder the progress of righteousness, to discourage and distress Christians, to stop the Gospel from being proclaimed and to weaken the Christian offensive in advancing the kingdom of God.

The Bible says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV). The devil is a powerful foe who is called "the god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4, NKJV), "the ruler of this world" (John 14:30, NKJV) and "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2, NKJV). Don't ever underestimate the power of the devil.

Defeating the Enemies of Our Soul
Scripture teaches that we are not to love the world and that we are to make no provision for the flesh. Scripture also teaches us how to deal with the devil. If we stand up and resist the devil, he will flee from us. We are not to give any place to him. The Bible says, "submit to God" (James 4:7, NKJV), and it promises that if we have fully submitted ourselves to Jesus Christ, then we can resist the devil, and he will flee from us. The devil will tremble when we pray. He will be defeated when we quote or read a passage of Scripture to him.

But we can resist the devil only when we submit ourselves to God. In relation to the world, the Bible says, "This is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith" (1 John 5:4, NKJV). In relation to the flesh, it says, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16, NKJV).

There is glorious news to those of us who are fighting these battles and temptations. We are not asked to fight the battle alone. Remember, Christ promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us. Jesus promised that after He left the earth, the Father would send another, the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who is called the Comforter (which actually means "One who helps"), that He may abide with us and live in us forever.

It is the Holy Spirit living within us who produces the peace of God in our hearts in the midst of the struggles of life. This is a peace that the world cannot know; it is known only to the child of God. This peace that God gives is based upon our faith in Him.

As Christians, we do not pretend to believe, we do not half believe, we do not believe today and doubt tomorrow. We believe now and forever. We believe that the hairs of our heads are numbered. We believe that not even a sparrow falls to the ground but that the Father knows. We believe that the universe is held in place by a loving Creator.

Finding Peace for Our Souls
So when we look at the conflicts and wars around us, and as we look at the wars within ourselves, we have peace because we have faith in the Prince of Peace. Do you know this peace that comes from God? You can make your peace with God today by surrendering your life to Jesus Christ. He shed His blood and rose from the dead that you might have your sins forgiven. You will find peace with God only at the cross of Jesus Christ.