At The Feet Of Jesus

Love and Compassion

2010-06-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

This morning I had the privilege of bringing the message to our congregation and I wanted to share with you what the Lord has shown me over the course of time.
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.......27. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them.

If we look at His creation around us we can never be disappointed by the beauty of His artistry.
Look at the intricacy of the dandelion seeds, each one individual but each belonging to the other.

The stripes on a zebra are their fingerprint, it's what makes them different from the zebra standing next to them. Just as our fingerprint makes us different from the next person so too is the stripe of a zebra.

A blade of grass, there isn't one identical to another, each is special on it's own.

The colors of Fall, this is something I noticed when I came to the US. How beautiful the colors of Fall are, and my first thought was that God uses His creation as a canvas to paint His artistry on.

Now lets look at the way He created us.

Psalm 139: 13-16

For you formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
God started creating us in our mothers womb. He wove us together, all those intricate parts that make up our whole body are God's perfect creation.

Or are they perfect?

When it comes to us, there are times when we feel That God has missed the mark, by more than just a little. I know when it came to my own body I thought I was standing in the wrong line when body parts were being handed out, or that perhaps I was on another planet when God decided He would create me. Just so you know I have severe scoliosis and am unable to stand straight, the fact that two ribs have been removed makes it even more noticeable.

I've lost count of the number of times that I've had people praying for me, for healing, so much so that I believed that.
1. I wasn't worth healing.
2. It was to hard for God.
3. He didn't care.
4. My faith wasn't big enough, or strong enough.
Depending on the circumstances it could have been one of the above, or it could have been all four.

Let's look at some of the things that change God's beautiful creation.

Accidents.
Illness.
Early Death.
Life Choices.
Lifestyle choices.
Genetics.

My pastor's nephew was three months old when his life was cut short by SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome. Questions came from little Ephraim's mother and father and from my pastor. Why? Why would God allow such a thing? Who is God anyway? Is He even good, as He says He is? Faith threatened to die with little Ephraim, not only for the parents but also for my pastor. (Early Death)

We have a sweet lady in church who suffered a stroke a little over a year ago. Many questions flooded her mind, how would she care for herself, how would she support herself? But the one question that screamed at her was, Why Lord? (Illness)

My husband is unable to father children, to put it bluntly his father couldn't resist the urge to be with his mother when she was recovering from measles, which left my husband sterile. (Life Choices)

My eldest daughter suffers from epilepsy. This wasn't something she was born with. She chose to drink heavily, take drugs and at the same time take anti depressants. The side effect of this lethal combination is that she can suffer from anywhere from 10 to 20 grand marl seizures a day for 10 days straight. (Lifestyle choices)

Me, well if you were here in my living room, you'd only need to look and you could see that I'm unable to stand straight. Mine is a genetic disorder. (Genes)

All these things bring the question of Why Lord? We point our finger at God, and blame Him for everything that goes wrong in our life. Whether it's physical or not. You just need to look at 9/11 to see what I mean.
Then before we take the time to be still and listen for that soft gentle voice of God, the devil steps in and starts to shout in our ear, He doesn't care He doesn't really love you. And being vulnerable we get sucked into his lies.
I want to share with you a conversation I had with one of my pastors just over a year ago. Let me give you a little background first. I had been wrestling with the questions of Why Lord, why had He chosen me to carry this deformity?

I went to church this particular morning bound and determined to get an answer, one way or the other. I had almost threatened God that if He couldn't provide answers to my whys, then I'd turn my back on Him, my life as I knew it, and all that I believed in and wouldn't bother to look back.

I could see the love and compassion in his eyes, but I was still angry. He told me a story of a woman named Melanie, who had been trying for several years to have a family. She and her husband thought that it would never happen, then finally she found she was pregnant. Her pregnancy went smoothly, but her delivery had tragic complications. The umbilical cord was wrapped around her baby's neck, choking the child to death during the delivery. Their miracle turned into a nightmare, and their life turned into one tormenting why question. Why would God miraculously give them a child, only to take the baby away while coming into the world? Why did this happen to them? Even more tormenting, why was God preventing them from conceiving again?
After about two years of struggling with doubt and depression, Melanie and her husband sought answers to their questions from a Bible teacher she knew and respected. The answer they received was consistent with the theology she had grown up with. (It's sad that this type of answer is still around in our churches today).
"God has a reason for everything" this teacher confidently told her. "There are no accidents in God's providence," he continued. "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, and you just have to trust that God knows and always does what is best. The hand that smites is also the hand that heals. You just have to trust Him."
When Melanie asked what the good Lord might intend by taking her baby and now leaving her without a child, the teacher suggested there was a lesson she and her husband were to learn from this event. "When the timing is right-and God's timing is always right-and when you've learned what God wants to teach you, perhaps God will bless you with another child, or perhaps it's simply not His will for you to have children."
The person that was speaking with Melanie about this, asked her, You're supposed to believe that God gave you this strong desire to mother a child and then miraculously set you up to believe He was going to fulfill this desire, only to kill the baby He gave to you?" Melanie answered yes.
"Does this seem like something a loving God would do?" "Can you picture Jesus doing that to someone?"
Do you really believe that God kills babies to teach parents a lesson, and do you really think that God is now refusing to give you more children until you learn the lesson, even though He won't tell you what the lesson is?"
After he had finished telling me the true story of Melanie he looked at me and said "Linda God's plan was for you to have a perfect flaw free body, but genetics stepped in and changed His plan".

I believed all those lies that were told to me over the years that I had been saved. When I asked the question, Why? the answer was always why not? I was also told by several pastors that God had cursed me, and trusting that because they were pastors they knew more than I, I again believed what I heard. More lies.

Jesus stood in the Synagogue and read from Isaiah. He found the place where it was written.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me. The Anointed One, the Messiah, To preach the good news, the gospel to the poor, He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed, who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity.

Although physical healing didn't come to me that day. God used a willing vessel in my pastor, to open my eyes to the lies that I'd listened to, to set me free, to pour out His love and compassion over me and brought about both, spiritual and emotional healing, that has forever changed my life.

I've since learned that life steps in and stuff just happens. Bad things, tragic things, life changing things, happen to both good and bad people. Life doesn't discriminate between those who love God and those who don't.

I've learned that although I walk this earth with this disability, Jesus also walks beside me, helping me along the way. Lifting me up when I stumble and fall, carrying me when I feel I can no longer walk, holding me in His loving arms and comforting me when I decide to have a pity party. I know that although I may not see physical healing while I'm here on this earth, that once I reach heaven there will be no more tears, no more pain. I'll have my heavenly body, without flaws or deformities. I know that I am loved by my King........ King Jesus.

1 John 4:16
God is live, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

LOVE: The dictionary describes love as: An inner quality expressed outwardly as a commitment to seek well being of the other through concrete acts of service, A strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties, The maternal love for a child; The fatherly concern of God for humankind; A person's adoration for God.
This kind of love is described in the Greek dictionary as Agape love, unselfish, unconditional love.

How do I know that I am loved?

Because I don't know of anyone else who would do this for me.

Have you ever pointed your finger at God and blamed Him?

When we look to Jesus, we see the heart of God. We see His love and compassion.
When we look at all that Jesus did and continues to do, we see the heart of God, and again we see His love and compassion.
When we see others clothing and feeding the poor, we see the heart of God, and we see His love and compassion in action.
When we see others ministering to those in jail, we see the heart of God, and again we His love and compassion in action.
When we do all these things, others see Jesus, and they see the love and compassion of our King.

We need to make a choice...... will we continue to point our finger at God and blame Him for everything that's gone wrong in our lives, or will we allow Him to open our eyes, and our hearts to His love and compassion and praise Him in spite of it all? I choose the latter, and I choose to return to my place of worship.

Which will you choose?

Blessings.
Linda

I wanted to be real with this post, and let you know that even Pastors have doubts and stumble, after all we are human.

He Entered Riding A Donkey

2009-04-09T21:57:00.000-07:00

Our King entered into our lives riding on a donkey. When we think of following a King we imagine that he would be dressed in fine robes, adorned with gold, and possibly bathed in perfumes. That he has many to attend to his every need and desire, that he has stables filled with magnificent horses. When we think of royalty we think of the royal emblem. We see royalty being showered with gifts from dignitaries. Now this may be so of the world, but we are not of the world, we live in it, but are not of it.

Our King, King Jesus entered into our lives riding on a donkey, not a fully grown donkey, but a foal.

We follow a King who rides a donkey, not a magnificent thoroughbred, just a plain donkey.

We follow a King who had fishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes and thieves as His followers. He wore plain robes, and sandaled feet.

We follow a King who laid His head wherever He could find rest.

We follow a King, whose crown was not crafted with fine gold and gems, but one of thorns.

We follow a King, who was showered with insults, abuse and torture.

We follow a King whose royal emblem is a rugged wooden cross.

We follow a King who laid down His life willingly, so that we may have eternal life with Him, forever.

We follow a King who's very name is Love.

As we celebrate this Easter, take a moment and think, what does your King ride? Do you have Him sitting on a magnificent horse, or is He riding into your life on a donkey?

Thank you Jesus for ALL that you have done for each and every one of us, and all that you continue to do. May Your name be high and lifted up, be exhalted and glorified in our lives. Continue Lord, to transform us into Your image, so that as others look at us, they may see your light shine in and through us.
In Your precious name.

Amen and Amen

What Are God's Plans For You ?

2009-01-11T11:59:00.000-08:00

Are you now, or have you ever been in a place where you felt that God’s plans for you weren't what you expected or hoped for, that you were alone, far from God, that your prayers weren’t being heard? That no matter how hard you searched you couldn't find the Lord? Were you in a place where you felt like your were a prisoner? Don’t despair there is hope for you.

The Word tells us in Jeremiah 29: 11-14

11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive (NKJV)

God knows all His works of His hand and He knows all His thoughts….. His works recognize and agree with His thoughts. All that He does is according to His perfect will.

Would you agree that there are many times when we do not know our own thoughts? Confusion and frustration steps in…… Do we ever see God confused or frustrated? No….

Look at Isaiah 55:8-9. 8. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

David reminds us in the Psalm 40:5 how God thinks of us and cares for us.
Many O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And your thoughts towards us cannot be recounted to You in order: If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered.

Many times we think or feel that the plans that God has for us are against us, but the things that we think are evil are designed for good and for the glorifying of God. Patience, endurance and prayer will reveal this to you.

Have you noticed that when things don’t seem to be going the way you hope or expect them to, that’s when you turn more to prayer? God stirs us up to prayer, He pours out a spirit of prayer, and from this, what can we assume?……. That He is coming to us in mercy.When God answers your prayers, what does He give you? Does He give you an answer to your fears, or and answer to your desires? Or is it an answer to your faith in Him? Is the answer for good or for evil? Certainly not for evil, but for good, to give us a future and a hope and above all to bring glory to Him.

To receive an answer to prayer first we must seek Him and seek Him with all our heart, in love, obedience, trust, repentance, faith, righteousness and humbled before Him.

With all our heart and with love: Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

In Obedience: Psalm 119:2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart.

In Trust: Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

In Repentance: Joel 2:12 Now therefore says the Lord, Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.

In Faith: Mark 11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them.

In Righteousness: James 5.16 Confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Humbled: 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.

God gives us many promises in His word, but have you noticed that there is always a condition attached with His promises? And His promises are there to encourage us to go to Him in prayer with love for Him in our hearts, to see that the answer is coming. He gives many promise’s to those who seek Him as in Proverbs 8.17. I love those who love me and those who seek me diligently will find me.

God is attentive to the prayers of His saints. This He tells us in Isaiah 65:24. It shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer, and while they are still speaking I will hear.

Are you looking for the answer to the promise? Then look no further than in Psalm 91:15. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him .And in Jeremiah 33: 3. Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.

There are many forms of captivity, but lets look at some of the spiritual captivities. Lack of faith will keep you captive in fear and falsehood. When we lack faith we tend to listen to other voices, the lies of the enemy, and we know that Satan is the father of all lies. Instead we need to be listening to the voice of Jesus.
Some of us bring about self-imposed captivity by being only hearers of the Word and not doers. We need to have the knowledge of His Word and act on it, this then allows the Holy Spirit to move freely within us.
Physical forms of captivity can be perhaps that you have been moved from one place to another unwillingly, whether it be from one town to another or from one state to another or perhaps from one country to another.
Another may be that "man" is preventing you from doing what God has told you to do.

God’s desire is that we love Him with all our hearts, that we are obedient to Him and His Word, that we humble ourselves before Him, come to Him with a repentant heart, a heart full of faith and trust in Him, the one and only true God.

After doing all these things in seeking, searching, finding and praying, see how He brings you back from your captivity, whatever it may be. Go back to Jeremiah 29:11-15 and read again what God has for you. His wonderful thoughts and plans set aside just for you.

Blessings
Linda

Unbelievers 2

2009-01-04T11:16:00.000-08:00

In my previous post I asked the question: If an unbeliever asked you to prove the existence of God, how would you answer that question?
This can be such a hurdle for many of us, but I hope to shed some light on the matter, that you will be able to use if you are ever in this situation.
One commenter said that she didn't know of any truly unbelievers, that just about everyone she knew believed in some measure. Let me tell you both as a mother and a pastor I know of 2 such cases personally. The first is my son of 30 and the second is my daughter of 27, both are die hard non believers. I remember my son asking our pastor when he was young to explain dinosaurs and the Bible. Unfortunately the pastor couldn't answer his question, the outcome, my son left the church and anything to do with God. My daughter on the other hand has never believed, choosing to live on the other side of what we know as good. I won't go into details, but I've just mentioned this to give you a little insight as to what we are up against when we want to share Jesus.
Now lets look at the answer, but of course we can't do that without going to the Word.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me".

We know that it's nothing that we do in our own strength that brings us into a relationship with Jesus, (salvation). Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
It should also be said that we don't "find" God, He calls us softly with that still small voice. He whispers love into our hearts and our minds. He woos us.
So as we see in Ephesians we are saved through faith, and Hebrews 11:1 describes that faith so perfectly. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". We can't see our faith, just as we can't see the air around us, but we know it's there.
Now let's look at Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
So we need to believe that God IS God, pure and simple, no ifs ands or buts.
I know this all sounds so simple, but in reality that's exactly how it is simple faith, faith as of a child. Think back on your own salvation, and see how simple it was. The Word tells us in Matthew 17:20 So Jesus said to them "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you". He doesn't tell us that we need faith as big as the mountain, but as small as the mustard seed.
So to answer the original question.
If an unbeliever asked you to prove the existence of God, how would you answer that question?

It's not your job to prove or disprove God to anyone. If that were the case we wouldn't need faith, and for that matter we possibly wouldn't need our Bibles. If we could explain the evidence of God then why would we need faith? Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that it is He who is the way to God. Jesus is the way, the only way. There are no shortcuts or quick detours to reach God.

Many people will say that Jesus, our faith...... is just a crutch, something to lean on in troubled times. I prefer to think that Jesus is my stretcher from earth to heaven. It is He who carries me on this journey.

Blessings
Linda

I see that many have visited here with me, thank you for taking the time to read what the Lord has laid upon my heart to share with you. I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions.

Unbelievers 1

2009-01-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

Unbelievers can be a challenge to both us and our ways of trying to explain both our salvation and the existence of the Lord.
So here's my question for you today.
If an unbeliever asked you to prove the existence of God, how would you answer that question?
I'll come back later with what I think is a wonderful answer.

Blessings
Linda

What Do We Do With The Word?

2008-12-31T20:19:00.000-08:00

This is a question I asked my women's group last night. My first question was, why do you attend weekly Bible Study? You may be surprised to discover that many women and men, for that matter, look at Bible study as a weekly social gathering. A time to meet up with their friends and catch up on the news or "gossip" from the week past.

The Word is very clear, Hebrews 10:25. not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some.
The Word is also clear about studying. 2 Timothy 2:15. Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
It also tells us in Romans 10:17. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. We need to be in the Word, studying His truths.

Now look at James 1:22-25. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

So I ask you again, what do you do with the Word? Do you study it out, meditate on it, ask the Lord to reveal the truth of His Word to you, or do you read it and leave it? Do you use what you have learnt from the Word to encourage and uplift others?

Blessings,

Linda