Where Did We Go Wrong?

I’ve been thinking of the post I posted on Monday. The question keeps rolling over in my brain… Where did we go wrong? How did we get to this place of remaining silent while this world is fading? How did we get to this point in life that “being tolerant” overrides our personal convictions and faith filled standards?

I’ll tell you when we began sliding on this slippery slope:  when the church became silent in the public arena and began turning on itself, accusing each other of judgmentalism and condemnation. It began when we started looking more in the mirror and at our fellow man rather than staying focused on what’s most important: God. It happened when we became more worried about what the world thinks of us than what God thinks.

It is unfortunate and disheartening. We have forsaken our first love for a lie and have become enamored with our own vanity and popularity. We have abdicated our prayer closets of holiness, and we have embraced our gateways of tolerance. We have forsaken our knees of prayer and become consumed by our mouths of gossip and destruction. We have relinquished our rights for higher standards and grasped the liberal demand for concession on every issue. We have surrendered our fight for a better future for our children and allowed our lives to be diminished and minimized to an anemic, powerless and silent walk of faith.

It’s not the world that has been led astray. The lost will always be lost without the Savior. Those in darkness will always be dark without The Light. It’s the church who has veered from the way. It is our responsibility to seek first His kingdom and reach this world for Him. We must look to God and get back to our prayer closets. We must stop looking to our phones and our friends for direction and comfort in this world and return to the One who called us out in the first place.

We must fall down on our knees in prayer and remember from whence He has called us. As Christians, we are called to a higher purpose, and that purpose is prayer and having power with God! If we don’t seek Him, how can we truly reach them?

2 Corinthians 4:1-6, “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

Abandoned & Alone

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I see you there

In the shadows

You think I can’t see

You believe I can’t hear

You are convinced I don’t care

Can I tell you, you were not abandoned?

I hear you there

In that broken corner

You wrap your arms around

You close your eyes from the light

You shield your heart from His adoration

Can I tell you, again, you have never been alone?

He loves you more than you can see

He cares even more than you can fathom

He’s been there longer than you can imagine

He created you before your mother knew

He loved you before the beginning of time

He never left from your side. He never abandoned you.

You will find Him in a song

You will find Him in a Book

You will find Him in a dream

You will find Him in a memory

Just open your eyes and open your heart

You will find Him if you will only believe

 

Penned – MG – 5/3/16

 

 

Daily Post Prompt: Abandoned
Abandoned

Love Doesn’t Mean Tolerance

Okay, so I have a little bit a spiel to spell today. I’m not going to be lengthy nor testy, but if you’ll indulge me, there’s just something I’d like to share…

Just because I am a Christian does not mean I should shut up and just love with no regard for sin. Just because I’m a Christian does not mean I no longer have a voice to speak against wrong. Honestly, I am so tired of hearing people, both Christians and nonChristians, claim that my love is proven when I simply “shut up and love” which in their book means to tolerate with no resistance, because “after all, God is a God of love. Jesus was a peaceful man…He loved everybody.”

Yes! Jesus did love everybody, and yes, He was gentle and kind. He is a merciful and forgiving God. However, He also ran the money changers out of the temple with a whip! He did tell the adulterous woman to “Go and sin no more.” He told the woman at the well all about her past and offered her a better way. He told the rich young ruler to “Go, sell all you have and follow me.” He told Zaccheus to come down from where he was, because He had a different plan.

Just because Jesus loves and is merciful doesn’t mean He leaves you to be who you are and where you are when you meet Him. If that were the case, why would you need Him as your Savior? A Savior is someone who rescues you from the state in which you find yourself. A Savior is someone who changes you from what you’ve been. I am so thankful He is a loving and merciful God, and I’m so appreciative that He has rescued me from a place of hopelessness and despair, but He didn’t save me so I could continue in my sin. He doesn’t give His message of hope to us so we can keep it to ourselves and never share it with someone else.

I don’t want to belabor the point here, but I am passionate about this fact:  Just because He is a merciful God doesn’t mean He’s a silent Savior. Simply because He is a loving Father doesn’t mean He turns a blind eye to sin and allows you to continue in your own ways. The Word tells us He came to save the world and change the world.  The problem is that in today’s society, speaking out against wrong is now tagged with words like condemnation, judging or even hatred. When did we get to this point? When did we get to the place where we cannot even call sin sin anymore?

As Christians, we may not blend in with this world. We may not be popular with those in power, and we may not appease those in the press, but I have to ask, “What will that matter 150 years from now? What will that matter when we stand before our Lord and Savior?” We must decide. Whom are we called to serve, worship and follow, God or man?? The longer we remain silent, the more are dying an eternal death.

John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

Straighten Your Crown!


This post came across my Facebook account thread last night, and I couldn’t help but repost it today. I wonder, “Does it jolt you like it does me?”

You see, I walk with a limp everyday. I go forward in life with pains that I try to hide from the outside world. I’m always walking around with a scar here and a cut there, which I cover well, and I place a pretty smile on my face to hide the battle within of inadequacy, loneliness and worthlessness, but the scars remain regardless of the facade.

It doesn’t mean God isn’t healing me, and it doesn’t mean I am pitiful, nor do I desire your pity. Just because someone learns to survive their pain doesn’t mean it’s gone away. Simply because I learn to thrive through the storm doesn’t mean the rain doesn’t bring a chill to my bones sometimes. Learning to cope, learning to survive is just what we do. It’s what we all do in this journey we call life. Yet, I don’t want to simply survive till the end. I want to thrive! I want to live victoriously, and I want to lead others out of the bondage they are in!

So, when a post like this comes across my path, I need to pay attention. When a word this deep is sent to me, even indirectly, I need to stop and take note for God is speaking straight to my heart. He wants me to not only hear Him but to truly listen to what He has to say…

You see, I am a King’s kid! I am a daughter of royalty. I am a child of the Almighty. When you belong to a King, you walk differently. You talk differently. You live differently.

God never called us to live defeated lives. He never called us to simply survive, barely scraping by, in this darkened world till He calls us home. He didn’t intend for us to just live day to day, “clocking in and out,” as if it’s a 9-5 job of hard labor, and we’re just waiting for our paycheck to come in the mail. Romans 8:37 tells us, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Emphasis mine), and Matthew 28:19 reminds us to, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” It is our responsibility, our ‘Great Commission’ to go tell the world about the great love and joy we have found!

It is time we speak up, we speak out, and we let our voice be heard. Sister, walk no longer in sin, rebellion or shame. Go ahead, and straighten that crown on your head, and get specific in your prayers and walk in his calling. Share with your world the joy of the Lord, not just the mundane survival of faithfulness. Sustaining until the end is essential, but even Christ won one more soul while He hung on the cross! Why? Because He was overflowing love and hope even at that painful moment, and He was willing to be bold and truthful regardless of His circumstances and regardless of those who stood around Him in disbelief!

He has beckoned you. Did you think you wouldn’t get here? Did you think He wouldn’t come? Walk boldly into His presence and let Him tell you He loves you. Let Him lead you beside those still waters and remind you of who He is. Let Him guide you to that place of security, strength and confidence; then, go out and shout it to the world what you have found.

You are His baby girl, and He will fight for you. Stop walking through this life shamefully. Stop shying away from truth and victory. He has purposes for you to succeed. He has souls for you to rescue out of destruction. He has destined for you to win! (Jeremiah 29:11)

Go now, straighten that crown and live like a queen! 😉💗

I Don’t Hate You. I Just Disagree. 

source: pinterest.com

There is so much in the news these days about this group hating that group, those people wanting to wound or even kill the people in another “club,” and this one and that one can’t speak, or it’s considered hate speech. Now, please note, I am NOT about to go off on a political tirade, or a politically correct debate, nor am I even about to discuss my own opinions and standards. That’s not what this post will be about.

I just want to say something, and I want to make it eternally clear: Just because I disagree with you DOES NOT mean I hate you!! Ok, I’m glad I got that off my chest. I almost put the whole sentence in all caps, but I don’t want you thinking I’m shouting at you; even though, I would like to shout this from the rooftops.

 

Source: pinterest.com

I am so tired of the false allegations from so many in today’s society who scream “hate speech” when you simply disagree with what someone else is doing or how they are acting. I know there are those who wear ‘the same hats’ as I do, and they may have really meant for their words to be filled with hatred, and this has paved a hard road ahead for me. Yet, do you have to punish every good person with every nut case?

Yes, I am a white, middle class, conservative, American, Christian woman, and I am very proud of my God, my country and my family. I will defend these and stand by these until the end, but that does not mean that I hate the next person simply because he or she disagrees with me, because he is of a different race, because she is of a different political persuasion, or because he has more or less money than I do. Just because we are different doesn’t mean we can’t live civil. It may mean we agree not to discuss our differences all the time, especially if one or both parties can’t handle too much. It may mean we voice our beliefs with truth and confidence, but give some space for others to do so. That’s called living. That’s called being an individual. … or at least, it used to be.

Do I believe my way is the right way? This may come as a shock to you; so, wait for it… NO! Do I believe the way of my God, the Creator of this universe, the Savior of my soul, is the right and true, very best way to live? YES! Am I going to share my faith, hoping you find the same unconditional love, unspeakable joy, and unfathomable peace I have? YES!

This does not mean I hate you when I disagree with what you are doing or how you are living. When I state my standards differently than you, it doesn’t make me better than you nor does it make you better than me. When I see things differently, it simply means I want to see better for you.

The whole new motto trend of “live and let live” bothers me, in that, if we simply let those around us live as they choose, and we live as we choose, with no moral authority guiding us, we all will, eventually, encounter dangers that could have been avoided, or we will begin infringing upon another with the “new found freedom” we believe we have. This becomes an unfair and dangerous approach for all involved.

Do you realize that confrontation is the highest form of love?

When my friends are doing something that I can see might harm them, I try to tell them the danger ahead. It may not change what they think, but I am responsible for speaking up. If my kids are playing in the street, and a car is coming around the corner, I’m going to run and holler for them to get out of the street, not because I’m trying to display my hatred toward them, but because I am trying to prevent them from being killed! If my colleagues are standing too close to the cliff when we’re hiking, I might say, “Hey, that slope is real slippery. You might want to be careful.” If I don’t speak up to any of these situations, and one of them gets killed, I am partially responsible, because I could have helped them remain among the living!!

I will speak up, because I care enough about their well being to confront them. This confrontation doesn’t always have to be loud, abrupt or even mean, but it does have to be truthful. It does have to be authentic, and it does have to be spoken from a heart that is genuinely concerned and filled with love.

Does that mean I’ll never mess up in my confrontations? Does that mean I will never get passionate about my beliefs and debate why I am standing by those beliefs? No. As I stated earlier, I have several high priorities in my life, and I will defend these. I will hold true to those things I cherish but that still doesn’t mean I am filled with hate.

Let me put this on a more personal level…My sons are 10 and 14 years old, and there have been times when I have had to confront them for their actions that had brought harm or pain in some situation; yet, when I spoke to them, even if I was upset and passionate about what I had to say, I never once hated them! I confront, because I love them, and I want to help them get to a better place in life. Christ did this very thing on so many occasions. He always confronts those He loves, and I am called to be more like Him and so much less like me.

So, if you and I ever disagree on a subject, especially if we have forged a friendship before this given time, please know my speaking up is never out of dislike of you as a person. If I love you, I pray I will always have the courage to confront you, and my hope is you would care enough to do the same. 💗

Daily Prompt: Disagree

Are You A True Friend?

A friend is someone with whom you enjoy spending time. You hang out doing things together or simply relaxing after a hard week. You laugh together, talk about good turns and great memories, and maybe even dream about the days to come.

A good friend is someone with you share your joys, your troubles and your fears. You cry on her shoulder and wipe her tears that flow with yours. You share the exciting news of good things. You tell of the concerns growing and the ones that have dissipated.

A best friend is one who is with you, and who wants to stay, in the darkest times. She draws from your strength when she is weak and encourages you when yours is failing. She believes in who you are, recognizes who you’ve been, and loves you for who you are becoming.

A true friend is one who does all that has been mentioned, and He is the one who has your back when someone comes against you. He speaks up for you when you’re not able. He goes into the fight with you, and his wounds are as deep as yours and sometimes more. He protects you when you can’t protect yourself.

God is the absolute best friend we could ever have. He is all of these things and more. Often, I struggle with the thought of being a “friend” of God, because I feel I fail Him in so many ways. I wonder how in the world can I live up to being a friend like He is to me, and then, my thoughts are turned toward my own friendships.

There are times when I might be stronger in a relationship than the other person; yet, there are other items, when I lean so heavily in my friend, I wonder how she’s still standing. At that moment, I realize, if this is true on my human relationships, how much more can it be true with a Holy and Perfect God?

He loves us so much, and He longs for a relationship with us. He doesn’t demand it to be perfect. He knows we are not capable of perfection. Yet, He takes us as we are. He loves us where we are, and challenges us to be more. He gives and blesses, refines and transforms, and enables us to be a friend to Him.

I am so humbled. I am so thankful that He draws me and asks me to be a friend even with all my imperfections, failings and need for change. It makes me love Him even more. 💗

Are you a true friend? Is He yours?

To Abide In The Shadow

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To abide means to remain or to live somewhere. I wonder how often we, as Christians, actually abide in the shadow of the Almighty?

When I was younger, and my grandfather was living, I loved to be with him, to spend time with him and to be right up underneath him, no matter what he was doing. Especially, in the summertime, when it was hot outside, I remember stepping into his shadow and immediately feeling a relief from the heat. I felt safe and secure in his shadow.

We had big live oak trees in his yard, and I can remember standing in the shadow of them and feeling protected from the coming rain. I remember feeling as if I could stay there for hours if they’d just let me. (My grandparents never allowed me to stay outside in the rain; it was too dangerous. 😉) Yet, under those big oaks, I felt like nothing could ever touch me! As I would gaze up into the branches, I felt as big as they were. I felt I could conquer anything!

God is even more so like this. If we could ever learn to dwell in the secret place with Him, we would realize we are more than conquerors in His shadow! We need to “get alone till we’re not alone anymore.” We need to “pray until we do pray.”

Have you ever met those ‘old saints of God’ who seem to have all the faith anyone could ever imagine to have? They seem to never get rattled, never battle fear, never have doubts and concerns about tomorrow. All they seem to talk about is how mighty God is and how wonderful heaven is. I long to have that constant outlook on life! I long to be at the place where my faith is so strong, nothing seems to shake me, nothing seems to cause me pause. Those elders don’t get to that place simply by attending church and having a good song service. They pay the price in prayer. They endure the hard times holding onto His hand. They learn to lean on Jesus when all seems lost.

We can only get to that place when we spend time with The Father. I’m not talking about our cute little bedtime prayers and our dainty little daily devotions. Don’t misunderstand me, we need nighttime prayers and we need daily devotions, but there comes a day when we learn to travail in prayer, and we learn to just tarry with the Lord for awhile…we “get alone till we’re not alone anymore.”

We get to that place only when we rely on Him despite what the world says or what the circumstances look like. We get there when we trust Him in the mundane and in the fiery trials of life, when it becomes a daily walk, a minute by minute abiding in His presence, not because you’re on your knees 24/7, but because you’ve created a sanctuary within your own heart and mind, where He is welcome and into which you run when trouble comes and then you stay even through the sunniest of days.

This is the place I long to stay. This is the place in which I long to live. I want to dwell in His presence; so, I might live in His shadow.

In His shadow, I feel peace. I feel security. I feel strength. I feel I can conquer the world!

 

Different Perspectives

“Two people can be looking at the exact same direction and yet see two completely different things. It’s all in each individual perspective.”  – P. Ortega-Santiago

A friend of mine quoted this the other day, and it started me thinking. This statement is so very true! You can have two people looking in the exact same direction, looking at the exact same thing, and they each may see something completely opposite. This is proven in every art gallery across the nation. It will be proven in every phychologist’s office every day, and it has been proven in every home, in every marriage, and in every family for centuries of time.

People are different, and they see things in different ways. They come from different backgrounds, different experiences, different surroundings, and each of them have been impacted in very different ways. If we fail to recognize this truth, especially those of us who are in leadership, we will find ourselves in a world of hurt and confusion!

We cannot expect another person to understand, accept or realize our point of view, simply, because we have stated a fact. We should not demand another to see it only our way, simply, because we wish it so; they may never “get it” like we believe they should. People are people, and they will always be people.

Now, some would use this philosophy to push a certain agenda, religion or method of thought and reason. Some would use this line of logic to insist you see things their way and meet their expectations. Others will insist this information is meant to allow for tolerance or even to empower intolerance to a certain group, sect or organization.

Yet, can I tell you? Once you begin to expect everyone you meet to agree with your given perspective, even when it comes to a claiming of tolerance, you begin to isolate yourself from the very “open-minded and impartial” group of beings with which you claim to associate. There will be people who disagree with you in this life, but that’s ok. There will be people who never see it your way; that’s ok, too!

You’ve got to decide for yourself what is right and true. What is absolute truth for you? What do you use to measure this truth? Whom do you follow? Are you the smartest person in the room? I hope not. If you are the smartest person you know, you can never learn more. You can never be challenges to grow and to change.

You must follow someone who is smarter than you, bigger than you, someone who is beyond your tiny world. This is why I choose to follow God, the Creator of the universe. He is so much wiser, so much bigger, so beyond my world and even my universe!

He spoke and there was light. He spoke again and the heavens came into being. He picked up dust and formed you and me. He sent His Son to save a dying world. He healed the sick, delivered the insane, raised the dead and still does. Why wouldn’t I want to follow Someone this great?

Yet, beyond all this majesty, He loved me before I was even born. He saved me, and He has given me a hope and a future! He knows the deepest, darkest parts of me; yet, He still loves me. He guides me, directs me and always leads me to a better place. He knows what is best for me and why I need certain things and not others. He gives me peace in the storm, strength through the pain and faith during times of doubt. He even left us a “manual” by which to know more about Him and His ways. Why would I not want to follow Someone like this?

His truth has been proven for centuries upon centuries. His love has been proven within my life, and everyday more people are turning to Him, even dying for His cause. He sent His Son, and it changed the course of time. He speaks and the mountains quake. He is all powerful, all knowing and all loving. Why would I want to ever follow someone or something else?

Why would you??

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

 

Proof is All Around

Proof is in the blooming of the trees after a long hard winter when everything seemed to die. It’s in the scurrying of life along the forest floor after the season of hibernation has come to an end. Proof is in the blossoms of Spring when the trunks have been burnt from wildfires. It’s in the new birth of the tiny creatures who find their mother’s care with blinded eyes and tiny mouths.

Can you see it?

Can you see the evidence in the sun rising above the mountains and the same orb setting over the ocean?

Can you feel it in the wind that blows through your hair as the sun shines down and warms your face? Can you sense it in the snow that falls upon the spring flowers?

Proof of a God is all around you if you’ll simply open your eyes and look about to see what is there. Proof is surrounding you if you’ll but open your ears to listen to His voice in the birds that sing and the tide that rolls in from the depths of the sea.

He is beautiful. He is peaceful. He is all powerful.

I pray you will find the proof you need.
I heard this song the other day, and it prompted all these thoughts to flow…

See video of the song on youtube – Faith Mountain Band

Choose a Path…

I came across a new blog the other night, Shades of Today, and the blogger’s post prompted me to send a comment her way, and as I thought about it more, I thought it might be a good topic for me to share here as well…

Sometimes, it’s so hard to know the path in life to take, especially when it feels as if it may be a real “key” to unlocking your destiny. In my life, I have found four things that help the choosing to be a little easier: perspective, diligence, hope and faith.
My perspective can make or break my situation. If I’m all ‘doom and gloom,’ always believing “the grass is greener on the other side,” I’ll forever be searching for the fantasy I’ve created in my own mind. Sometimes, you can miss the very best opportunity sitting right beside you, because you’ve always got your head in the clouds and can’t see a blessing when it’s there. Those with wanderlust can get caught in this vicious cycle. Other times, you may miss the opportunity, because you’re too focused on the here and now, and you’re never dreaming of a bigger, brighter tomorrow. You can get stuck in a rut, because you’re never looking beyond today’s job and tomorrow’s paycheck. Anyone from a small town who now lives with the regrets of a missed college experience or job opportunities can give me an “Amen” on this one.

My diligence in the here and now can both boost my perspective of the current situation and boost the opportunities that may open up in the near future. If I am diligent in doing what I am involved with today, someone who has an opportunity may see my diligence and desire my assistance on their team, as well as, sometimes, diligence can help me to accomplish things which teach me to be ready for my “next step” in life.

It is imperative to hold onto hope in all things and in all circumstances. For, if I don’t have a dream, a hope for a better tomorrow, how can I ever set goals to get there? If I don’t have hope, how can I finish what I’ve started today, and if I don’t hold onto hope, where will my joy in the little things be found?

Finally, I have realized, for my life, I have to have faith in Someone who is bigger, better and so much smarter than me. Some will call my faith in God a mere crutch, and, yes, I have found, I can’t even walk without Him holding my hand. He guides me, helps me, comforts me and loves me. He is the Creator of the universe; yet, He loves me. He is the King of all Kings; yet, He knows my name. He is one with God Almighty; yet, He chose to die for me and be raised from the dead to give me hope and a future! The Word makes it clear to me that He has good plans for my life. Jeremiah 29:11, says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” That’s a pretty great promise to which to hold! So, to have faith in a God who not only loves me but One who also is looking out for me and planning a good life for me, is definitely a great thing to obtain. How can I possibly live without Him?!

I have found having these four elements active in my life help me every time I am faced with a new challenge, a new dream and/or a new path to choose in life. When they are in balance, and I’m not leaving one out or leaning solely on one while neglecting the others, it is so much easier to find the path and walk in it. I have, also, found these four elements join together to bring perfect harmony and balance to my heart and soul on a daily basis.

Maybe they can be of help to you… 😊