Month: November 2020

25
Nov
2020

“I Hate Covid”

“I hate Covid!”  I received this text from one of my daughters recently. How many of us have had similar thoughts and sentiments? The disruption to people’s lives and their incomes is something we cannot fully wrap our heads around event though we have all lived through it. We all have our own opinions regarding what the government should and should not be doing. We all have different opinions regarding what they can mandate and what they cannot. We all have had different and varied responses over the course of this long and drawn out virus. One day we are complicit and the next day we are over it all.

So when these thoughts and feelings creep up into our thoughts and hearts of “I hate Covid!” What should our response be?

First, we must remember the most important thing about this situation and that is God is Sovereign. That was my first response to my daughter. I think the person from Scripture that we can find the most comfort in through difficult times is Job. At the end of the trials he went through he said to God, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2). God has a purpose in all things and we need to trust His purposes even though in our human minds they do not make sense. God’s purposes are much greater than ours. We must also remember, that nothing takes God by surprise. He knew all about this virus before it even appeared.

Over the course of the last 6 years, we have raised 4 puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind. When we get those puppies at 7 weeks old, they are sweet and cute and cuddly. Yet, they have so much to learn. I know what their purpose is as I train them, but they do not understand their purpose. What they understand is if I sit, I get a treat. If I walk nicely on the leash, I get a treat. They function based on the rewards they receive. I know their purpose, so I train them and treat them accordingly.

God also has a purpose for each of our lives. The more we desire to submit to His will and learn what He has to teach us, the better we are to be “conformed to the image of His Son.” (Rom. 8:29). None of us like trials and tests. No one wants to go through a hard time. One of our puppies did not respond as well to the training as she should have. She resisted often the training that she needed to participate in and because of this resistance she was career changed from her original purpose to one of being someone’s pet. Her purpose at birth was to be a Leader Dog for the Blind, but because of her resistance to training her purpose changed.

God has a purpose for each of our lives. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10). The question is will we willingly submit to His plans and purposes or will we turn from God to try to follow after what we deem to be a better plan?

Second, we must remember to be thankful for all things. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (I Thess. 5:18). This was my other reminder to my daughter. Be thankful. I reminded her of all the blessings she has experienced because of Covid. I think we can all think of something to be thankful for because of Covid.

As hard as this never ending Covid saga is, we must remember two things:

  1. God is Sovereign
  2. Be thankful for all things

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember to be thankful for all things and thank God for His sovereignty.

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18
Nov
2020

You’re just a water bottle waiting to be squeezed

Last week, we considered our emotions and looking at the cause of them. We determined we needed to ask ourselves a few questions to get at the bottom of what we are feeling.

“What am I thinking? What do I want?”

When emotions surfaced this week, did you consider them and ask yourself these questions? Once you did ask yourself those questions, did you figure out what you were thinking or wanting? Then did you evaluate those thoughts and desires as to whether they were God honoring or self-serving?

We have multiple situations that come into our life every day. Each of these circumstances squeezes us to see what is in our hearts. Just like when you squeeze a water bottle, what comes out? Water. So when the circumstances of life squeeze us, what comes from our hearts? Our emotions are a sure indicator of the person that we are. Our thoughts are an equally sure indicator of the person we are.

“As a man thinks in his heart so is he.”

(Proverbs 23:7)

 

Here’s the thing. We have a choice.

A circumstance happens. We have a thought, whether we realize that thought or not. Then we have an emotion. Then we respond.

Here’s my real life situation that happened this week. I hope you can relate.

I was cleaning our basement. I had the shop vac that I designated for just the basement to get all the bugs and cob webs and clean between the rafters. Then I had my upright vacuum to vacuum the rest of the space.  My husband came downstairs and said, “You have the shop vac down here, what do you need the upright down here for too?” Here’s what I thought, “why is he always doubting me, especially when it comes to cleaning?” My emotions were ones of frustration and even a bit of anger for his comment. So my words followed suit. “Why are you always doubting me?”  Rather than this response, I should have kindly and patiently explained to him what I was doing with both vacuums. Seems like a small and even petty thing, but I want you to understand this concept. I was focusing on me and allowing my selfishness to come out.

Multiple circumstances come into our lives every day. Every day, we are squeezed to see what is in our hearts. What comes out of our mouths or in our actions betrays our thoughts which are exhibited in our emotions.

 

“Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.”

(Proverbs 4:23)

 

Every day, we must guard our hearts. When I think of a guard, I think of one who is dressed for battle and always on the alert for danger that may come. Do we dress ourselves every day for battle? We have been given battle gear as stated in Ephesians 6, but we must put it on. There is a requirement for us.

 

Our hearts and our thinking are so susceptible to our selfish desires. What I want does not always line up with what glorifies God. We may even be harmlessly in the basement serving our family by cleaning the basement of all the dead bugs and cob webs that seem to accumulate relentlessly down there, when all of a sudden a simple comment found me focused on me. I had spent that morning reading my Bible and praying. I had spent time riding my bike and quoting verses that I have been memorizing. All recipes for putting on my armor. Yet, there was a gap in my armor, and it showed up in my response.

 

I must relentlessly pursue Christ. I must always be looking to Christ and what He has done for me. I must be keeping my eyes always on the cross, not on myself.

 

I want to always be in the mindset of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30).

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11
Nov
2020

Emotions

Have you ever wondered, “Now where did that feeling come from?” Why am I angry, depressed, anxious, frustrated, on the verge of tears, etc.? These and many other feelings are an indicator to us. We would be wise to take notice of them and consider what is causing these emotions. The best place to help us understand this is God’s Word. What does God’s Word say?

“As a man thinks in his heart so is he.”

(Proverbs 23:7)

 

When we have various emotions, it is important to ask ourselves a few questions.

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

“What are you wanting?”

 

Our emotions do not come from a vacuum. They do not come from nowhere. They come from our thinking. We may be experiencing emotions and not even realize what is causing these emotions. They came from our thinking.

 

What happens according to Proverbs 23:7 is we begin to think a certain way and we develop habits of reacting. We look at situations and think:

 

This isn’t fair.

Why did this happen to me?

I deserve better than this.

I can’t handle this.

Where is God in all of this?

This did not happen how I wanted it to happen.

 

As we think these things, we begin to respond with emotions such as anger, depression, anxiety, fear, frustration, annoyance, etc.

 

Every circumstance in life that happens to us never takes God by surprise. When we fail to trust Him, we begin to think the above thoughts, and then the emotions follow.

 

Here is the struggle we have, we have these feelings and too often we begin to act on them. We all have heard the phrases, “if it feels good, do it.” Or “do whatever makes you happy.”

 

What happens when what makes us feel good ends up feeling bad. What happens when what made you happy yesterday, makes you unhappy today. Do you see the challenge with following our emotions? They are always changing. Our emotions oftentimes are not speaking truth to us.

 

So what do we do? God has given us emotions for a reason. What is the purpose of them? Part of the purpose is to give us a key to our thoughts.

 

So what are your emotions telling you about your thoughts?

 

Do our thoughts line up with Scripture? I would say about myself that so often my thoughts do not line up with Scripture. It is something I need to work on daily, even minute by minute.

 

Many times we follow our emotions thinking that the actions that are produced by our emotions will produce the results that we are desiring. We want something, our emotions follow suit and then we act in whatever way necessary to get what we want. This then develops a pattern.

 

Here’s an example. We are driving down a 2 lane road and we come upon a sweet elderly couple taking a Sunday afternoon drive on Monday morning. You are already running late to that appointment that you need to get to. There are so many cars coming the other way, you can’t pass the sweet elderly couple. What emotions begin to be felt? Anger, fear, frustration, anxiety, etc.  How are you thinking? Won’t this couple drive faster? I need to get to my appointment or I am going to lose this opportunity. If I lose this opportunity, I won’t be able to pay my bills. So then what actions begin to follow? You might start honking. You start looking at your phone while you drive trying to find a different way- which could cause an accident.

 

This is an easy scenario to pick on this poor person, but it happens in our everyday lives. We want something and when we don’t get what we think we should get, we begin to experience emotions and so often these emotions produce sinful behavior.

 

So what is the solution?

 

Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 

This renewal of our minds needs to be a daily and sometimes even a minute by minute thing. As we are tested, we will then see what is really in our hearts. We will see what we are really thinking.

So when a situation comes into your life and you react, ask yourself “what am I thinking, what am I wanting?” This will help you to understand why you are experiencing the emotions you are having.

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04
Nov
2020

God’s Poetic Masterpiece

Last week we looked at our identity through the lens of Scripture, realizing that our roles are not who we are but rather we gain our identity from who Christ says that we are. Let’s continue this thought a little further and explore another identity that Christ gives to us and then what the purpose is.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works

Which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

 

From this verse we can add one more thing to our identity: His workmanship. . This word workmanship comes from the Greek word poiema. The word poiema can also be translated poetic masterpiece. We are God’s poetic masterpiece. Let that thought sink in to your head and heart for a minute. You are God’s poetic masterpiece. There is no other person on this earth quite like you. You are an original. There is no duplicate, even children that are born identical have some distinguishing characteristics. Each and every one of us is unique.

 

Not only are you unique, you are God’s Masterpiece. When we think of a masterpiece, we think of something that is the very best. A Masterpiece must also be made or created by someone who is a Master. A Master is the best in the business. They have taken years to hone their skills. We are not created by any ol’ master.  We were created by the God of the Universe. You are so amazingly designed and made. God “knit you together in your mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139: 13). Doesn’t it amaze you to think that God formed you from the joining of 2 microscopic pieces of DNA from your parents? The Master Designer of the Universe intricately put you together.

 

You are so special to Him, He does not want you to think of yourself in terms of the roles that you have. He wants you to think of yourself in terms of who He tells you, you are. He wants to give you your identity. When you look at a painting by Monet or the artwork of Michelangelo, you marvel at the piece of art. As you admire the art, you begin to turn your attention from the artwork to the artist. You marvel at the talents and abilities of the artist. You marvel at their creative skills. You wonder where they received the inspiration to make such a masterpiece.

 

The artists receive their inspiration from God and His creation. God is the author of creativity. He is the author of beauty. He is the author of genius.

 

God created you as His poetic masterpiece! You are the fulfillment of His design and creative genius.

 

When we go to the art museum and look at a piece of art, we consider the talent of the artist. When people look at you, do they marvel at the Master Craftsman who created you?

 

We are God’s Poetic Masterpiece for a purpose. That purpose it says in Ephesians 2:10 is to perform the good works which He also created for us to do. We all at one point or other wonder what we are supposed to do with our lives. This usually happens when our roles change. However, there is never any shortage of good works for us to do. We just have to get off our couch, open our eyes and our hearts, and get busy.

 

As we get busy doing the good works which God has prepared for us, our goal is not to get the praise and the glory, but rather to be on display as a piece of art – a poetic masterpiece – pointing to our creative and awesome Masterful Designer.

 

You are God’s poetic masterpiece. You were created for good works. These good works that God prepared for you to do are waiting for us to do so we can through them bring honor to our Creator.

 

Every day, remember who you are. You are chosen, an adopted son/daughter, forgiven, redeemed, and God’s poetic masterpiece. Go and fulfill the good works prepared for you and while you are doing those good works, remember who you are.

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