Letter 16 – May 11, 2010

Matt 7:3-5
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
How can you say to your brother, “let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

This morning, Jim woke me up to check his eye. He woke up with something in it. He proceeded to wash it out with tap water(chlorinated garbage water) followed with eye drops. He had gotten something out, but it felt like something was still in there, so he came and asked me for help.

First, I tried to find the eye wash that I know we packed….and like so many other things, it is no where to be found.
Then, I pulled out the distilled water – and went to look for salt.
Since we do not use table salt very often, that seems to have not made it in our move, either.

I took a flashlight – and shined it into every part that I could get to…wishing that he had those eyelids that you could roll up! Nothing(of course, I was blurry eyed from just getting up).
So, I rinsed it out with the distilled water, flooding it out so that anything else would come out, and hoping to dilute any poison that might be irritating it from the tap water.

Even after it was gone, and some comforting eye drops were put into it…he could still “feel” the piece of dirt in his eye. His eye lids were red, swollen and looked like he’d been crying. And, his eyes were sensitive.

When Jesus was talking to us about judging, and how we were to help our brothers with sin, He used a speck in our eye as the analogy.
In His analogy, the personal speck is small while the other person’s speck looks like a log.
In reality, it’s quite different. When Jim felt the speck in his eye, it felt like a rock! And I couldn’t see it at all.
That’s the way it’s supposed to be – that’s the natural way that God laid in motion from creation. But Jesus was pointing out how wrong, and twisted things had become.

A heart tender towards God should be as sensitive as an eye.
It should be washed daily with the Word – as the eye is washed with tears, pure, and perfect to fulfill the every need for the eye to function. Moistened, protected, efficient and sharp.
The Word of God is perfect for everything we need.

2 Tim 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Our eyes are very important for us to interact with this world, very precious.
Our hearts are even more precious, according to God.
Prov 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

The eye even protects itself with eyelids, eyelashes, eyebrows, tears, and the hand that just jumps up to block the sun, or the ball coming right at our face!
As soon as Jim noticed something wrong – his eye started to water…and the rest of his body came to his aid.
As soon as our heart notices that something is wrong, we should be so sensitive as to move into action.

John the apostle wrote about our hearts in his letters.
1 Joh 1: 5-7
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If there is darkness in our eyes, the pupil and lens react immediately.
If there is darkness in our hearts, we should react immediately.
Pain in the eye indicates something is wrong that requires immediate attention.
Darkness indicates something is wrong with the person desiring to walk in the light.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And IF any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

When Jim’s eye hurt, he just wanted to make it stop hurting.
When there is darkness in our souls, hearts, spirits – Jesus has made the way to bring us back to the Light.
BUT – do we want to leave the darkness…do we feel the pain of being separated from God by sin? Do we want to remove that speck in our own heart so that we can see clearly the light of God’s plan?

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
1 Pet 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hat called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Our basic salvation scripture for opening the eyes of those who are blinded has something to say to us even AFTER salvation:
John 3:16- 21
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be mad manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Are we holding on to darknesses? Are we playing around with dusk and twilight? Or are we choosing to stand in the bright light so that all shadows are clearly visible?

I like this verse:
Ps 112:4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
This definitely separates it:
Pro 13:9 The LIGHT of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

Here’s another separation:
Proverb 4:18 But th epath of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they not not at what they stumble.

The warning before this passage?
Prov 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
15 Avoid it,
pass not by it,
turn from it,
and pass away.

Ps 1 makes it clear:
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD;
AND IN HIS LAW DOTH HE MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT!

Is there something that is scratchin’ around on your heart like a speck in your eye? But does it feel like a plank yet? Or just a little speck that can hide away in the corner where no one can see it? I know I have some thing….so what do I do about it?

How serious is it? How important is taking care of this? Is it all that bad?
When Jim’s eye started hurting, he went to the cabinet to WASH IT OUT NOW!
REMOVE the speck! The potential damage for not removing the speck is eventual blindness.

Our bodies KNOW that when we get a speck in our eyes…but do we know it when we let a little darkness into our hearts?
Paul had some harsh words:
1 Cor 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, …..
1 Cor 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Do you think you are so strong, and so good, and so special that you can play with fire, and not be burned?
Proverb 6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?

What sin is acceptable sin?
John talks about hating your brother and saying that you love God.
1 John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. (BECAUSE HE CAN SEE HIS PATH!)
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

An eye, with a speck in it, cannot tolerate the light – it hurts.
A heart, with sin in it, cannot tolerate the Light – it either hurts, or it hides.

There are all sorts of methods to clean out an eye….rub it, hold the eye lashes so that it tears on it’s own, tap water, any water, purified water, and then the special eye wash water that soothes as it washes.

There are all sorts of methods God will use to clean up a heart.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Father of light – no shadows. This is God.
With the assumption that we want to clean out the speck so that we can enter back into the fullness of light…we need to wash ourselves with the water of the Word…so that we KNOW the right process.
It’s not the pop can of sugar water that says “I’m sorry, you know I can’t do this” and then continue in sin – “it’s ok, God understands I’m a fallen creature”
No – God made a way –
It’s not rubbing it out by doing 100 hail Mary’s and 100 Lord’s Prayers –
No – Jesus said “It is finished”
It’s not pulling your self apart to force tears
No – Jesus bore all the pain of our iniquities, we don’t need to add any suffering to His work on the cross.
It’s not some watery psycho babble that blames our parents, causes tears and removes responsibility
It’s the water of the word of God.

Christ loves us, the church so much that he gave himself for us for a purpose”
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleans it with the washing of the water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Psalm 51 is a great Psalm for washing ourselves with the word.
James 5:13a Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray.

But even after taking action to care for his eye, Jim still had pain. And he asked me for help.
James 5:14 Is any sick among you?
Let him call for the elders of the church;
and let them pray over him,
annointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 and the prayer of faith shall save the sick,
and the Lord shall raise him up;
and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
KEY!!!
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

If you cannot tackle the speck on your own – call for the elders, and confess your faults, your issues, your sins.

Why will this help? It gets the darkness into the light!
First thing I did to check Jim’s eye was to use a flashlight, and look around inside it.
Bring things to the light….when darkness is brought to the light, it flees.

Another way to look at confessing faults is to tell the truth. It has been in the darkness, so it’s been hidden…and maybe you have had to deceive others, or yourself to keep it there. Confession is telling the truth….and there is a promise:

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free!

I was able to tell Jim that I didn’t see anything – other than irritation from the removal.
Elders, and wise brethren may be able to see a wound behind the speck, a weakness that may have allowed the speck to enter in.

After it was out, Jim could still ‘feel’ it, and still wanted to dig at it.
That’s like sin…especially habitual hidden sin. We can confess, we can repent, we can wash with the word, but for a while, it still ‘feels’ like it’s there…like it has power over us.
But, God’s word says:
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than HE that is in the world.
Get out your warrior verses….you are taking back your heart from the enemy. This is war….

And if it is our desire to remain in God’s hand, Jesus says:
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY HAND.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all;
AND NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER’S HAND.

Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation,
or distress,
or persecution,
or famine,
or nakedness,
or peril,
or sword:
36
As it is written, for they sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37
Nay, in all these things WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US.
38
For I am persuaded,
that neither death,
nor life,
nor angels,
nor principalities,
nor powers,
nor things present,
nor things to come,
39
Nor height,
nor depth,
nor any other creature,
shall be able to separated us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

There is one thing missing in this list of what cannot separate us…and that is sin.
With a speck in our eye, we cannot see clearly.
With darkness in our lives, we cannot see clearly.

The scariest passage in the Bible, to me, is this:
Matt 7:21 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
And in thy name have cast out devils?
And in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I am checking out my heart…..
Ps 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

And this is the type of seekers God wants:
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with ALL YOUR HEART.
I cannot have any shadow of turning in my heart.
I cannot have any darkness in my heart
and if I have specks in my own eye(heart) I cannot help my brothers and sisters to be free from the specks and darkness in theirs – therefore I am unfruitful to the body.

Jim’s eye improved with time, after the washing and with eye drops he took with him for when he felt the ‘speck’.
Our hearts will improve with time, if we carry the Word of God around to apply whenever darkness tries to enter in.

1 John 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.
2:6 He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as HE walked.

The problem with being a liar? The end of the story.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
21:8 But the fearful,
unbelieving,
and the abominable,
and murderers,
and whoremongers,
and sorcerers,
and idolaters,
and ALL LIARS,
shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death.

So, what sin is so little that we should just cover it up, it’s no big deal?
Lying bears the same punishement as murder.
For that matter, so does fearful, and unbelieving.

These three fly in the face of who God is…and will not be allowed in His presence.
Is there any shadow of darkness in your heart? I know, I’m working on mine.

So – I want to move on….will you join me?
1 Peter 1:22 – 23
Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently; Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever.

In His hand and under His wings,
~Christi
© 2010 M.C.Wildman

Bible references from www.blueletterbible.org

April 24, 2010

In the beginning there was God…….
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God (created the heaven and the earth.)

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The Godhead, the triune God, created everything together. He created man, woman, and angels.

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his [own] image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

God created women as part of ‘man’ being in HIS image…..NOT AS AN AFTER THOUGHT.
It is not the point to go into the theological issues of why Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 coordinate. Let’s assume that Genesis 1 is the sports guy that tells the facts, and Genesis 2 is the color commentator. So, here’s the color commentary:
In Gen 1 – God made man – male and female man was created. In Gen 2 it is explained that man was created out of the dust…..and God breathed life into him.
God seemed to know that man was going to have a difficulty recognizing that woman was the only one for him, so HE allowed man to look through all the animals. Besides….give the man a job, and let him name them!
In Gen 1 – God created the animals male and female….at least, lets assume that, since they were to multiply!
So, God is parading these animals in front of man…..and he sees they each have a mate to, well, mate with! This would cause Adam to feel very left out….there was no one for him! Nothing after his kind.
Once the desire was created, God put Adam to sleep – and cut woman out of him….kind of like the only pregnant man! Now man is missing something….and God creates a being that completes man like no other can!

Adam wakes up and shouts! This! This is it!!(remember, he’d been looking through all the animals…..) – this is flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone!
All the other animals had mates made “after their kind”.
Adam had to be shown that he couldn’t do it on his own….his completion was in woman.

What goes wrong?
Science Lesson
In a loose application of the 2nd law of Thermodynamics, we see that things left to themselves invariably tend to move from order to disorder. Like house dust, weeds, children….and sometimes men!
When things are left to themselves, they devolve to their simplest equation…..like rotting wood.
Man, left to himself, devolves into thinking that he can do it on his own.
Woman, left to herself, devolves into desiring to be part of man for her source of life, purpose and worth……the curse of Genesis 3:16
“…and thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”

This causes mixed up love signals, and looking for ‘love’ in all the wrong places!

Because of our maternal make up….we will always feel something towards multiplying and being fruitful. This gets mixed up in to wanting sexual pleasure, in whatever way possible.
Because of our purpose for creation, we will always desire to be connected with love bonds to someone that wants to protect us – and that sometimes plays out as someone that ‘rules over’ us….controls us.

In men….they revert to acting like animals….sex whenever, however, whatever.

Why aren’t we animals? Because of the breath of life, given by God – we are created IN GOD’S IMAGE.

Understand this, God never says that a woman needs a man in order to be saved.
It says: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
WHOSOEVER – Greek word pas
1)individually
2)a) each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
Jesus died for everyone……and on the cross, He saw each of us – in all our filthy rags. He did not say “woman – go find a husband” – He said “Father, Forgive them”. And He didn’t say, forgive HIM!
Jesus is our all in all.

Read the story of Ruth, God’s careful love for two women.

May God fill you with the joy of knowing that we were created for a purpose, and even if that purpose has been covered up with a bag of garbage. May God give you the strength to dig through the bag of garbage to find the gift He has for you.

In His hands and Under His wings,
~Christi

Bible verses drawn from:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.cfm
Concordance definition from:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3956&t=KJV

(c) 2010 M.C.Wildman

Letter 1 – April 23, 2010
Letters to my sisters,

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth……
Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, [it was] very good.

1Sam 3:12b :when I begin, I will also make an end.

Psalm 139:13-17 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well.
15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them.
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

1 Th 5:23-24 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Phil 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

From conception, God has been at work in our lives. Actually, from the beginning of the earth.
Jer 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, [and] I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
And we know…..if God knew Jeremiah before he was formed (conceived) in the belly….He knew us.

Jeremiah has another neat promise for us.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 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.

No matter what others have done to us….no matter what has happened in our lives….God started everything good. We were created good. God, in His mighty power and knowledge, chose for us to be conceived, carried to fullness of time, and born into this time, into the family we were in.

There is a scene in one of our favorite movies, The Princess Bride, where everything has gone wrong….and a very distraught Inigo was drowning his sorrows in a bottle, and saying:
Inigo: I am waiting for you, Vizzini. You told me to go back
to the beginning. So I have. This is where I am, and
this is where I will stay. I will not be moved.
(The prince gave orders)
Inigo: So did Vizzini. When the job went wrong he went back
to the beginning. Well, this is where we got the
job, so it’s the beginning. And I am staying till
Vizzini come.
Things went wrong in our lives….causing various stages of trauma and woundedness. It messed up our concept of our beginning.

So, the job when wrong, lets go back to the beginning.
In my beginning, God created me, fearfully and wonderfully, marvelous are His works.
Can you say that God created you?,

and called you good as He did in Genesis 1?

And that He began a good work in you as in Phil 1:6?

And can you put your trust in Him to complete that work, starting today?

Read Psalm 37 and 139……pull out promises for you, and write them down on 3×5 cards, and carry them with you.

And may our God of all comfort, stir new life into your hearts, and make you to know that you are a chosen princess, daughter of King Jehovah, through the blood of His son, Jesus Christ.

In His hands, and under His wings,
~Christi

Bible verses from:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.cfm
Princess Bride quotes from: http://fringe.davesource.com/Fringe/Entertainment/Scripts/The_Princess_Bride.html

(c)2010 M.C.Wildman

Letter 4, April 25, 2010

There is NO FEAR – only Power, Love and Sound Minds

2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

When Adam and Eve sinned, death entered the world….everyone knows that. Sometimes we are told that shame entered, but what we aren’t always told is that FEAR entered the world.

SHAME
Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they [were] naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
FEAR
Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself.

Fear and Shame….from listening to the enemy!
They had walked with God, enjoyed all the wonders of a perfect euphoric paradise. The lived in total innocence, and total freedom with only ONE LAW – so simple. So perfect. There were no other laws because they were totally protected by God’s perfection! There were no needs, because they were provided for by God’s total abundance.

But God created man with free choice, free will. God gave us the freedom to say NO to HIM, so that we would truly have the freedom to say YES, LORD with our whole hearts.

It was not God’s plan for us to live in fear…notice that nowhere does it say that Adam and Eve ‘feared’ God.
Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

They were used to the Lord walking in the garden….and speaking with them. But this day was different…..they HID themselves. This time, they were ashamed and afraid. This time, God had to call out and ask them where they were.

Fear and Shame separate us from God. And with sin, comes fear and shame.
Fear and Shame weaken us, so that we do not walk in the power, love and sound mind that God created in us.

Who in their right mind would give up paradise for one specific piece of fruit….when there was everything else, any other fruit you could ever imagine?

Who, in their right mind would harm a loved one, a young one, a child, a baby? There are so many other perfect outlets for such pleasure, or such release of anger.

Sin – choosing something other than God’s best.
And in that sin, comes fear and shame, and the desire to hide the sin. That’s where the blame comes in….
Gen 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

The woman dressed wrong, and I couldn’t help myself
The child was seducing me……
She wanted it, so I gave it to her.

And rather than stand up, and say You DID IT ON YOUR OWN ACCORD, the woman took the blame, and then pointed to the serpent.

“I shouldn’t have been walking home” – it’s the fault of the area, and our choice to walk home.
“I shouldn’t have worn those pretty clothes” – it’s the fault of the clothes, and the choice to wear them.
“I shouldn’t have been so physically fit and desirable.” – it’s the fault of working out, and looking good.
“Your dad has a strong sexual desire” – it’s the fault of their nature.

Sin is sin…and the sinner is responsible for their sin….not those sinned against.
God did punish each person for their participation in this earth changing event. But He didn’t blame the woman for the man….He gave Adam the harshest punishment. He should have known better….and he should have protected Eve, rather than taking advantage of her weakness.

Fear and Shame are part of the curse….and they are put upon victims in so many ways. But God says that HE did not give us a spirit of fear…..but of POWER, LOVE and a SOUND MIND!

Matt 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Read Psalm 23

In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi

Bible References obtained from:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/index.cfm
(c) 2010 M. C. Wildman

Letter 9 – April 29, 2010

Yesterday’s status, or word from the Lord:
And, the sun came out again today!
As Annie sings, The sun will come out tomorrow….
and as Ps 30:5 says For his anger [endureth but] a moment; in his favour [is] life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy [cometh] in the morning.
And Jeremiah said:[It is of] the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [They are] new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness. Lam 3:22-23

The thing is, I wasn’t needing that word yesterday……until after yesterday happened.
This week has been rough. Yesterday was a day full of disappointment, rocks and brick walls, hurts and conflicts, struggles to care for me or sacrifice me. A real chore to rest in the Lord.

Yesterday, I was lost and sorrowful, and needed the Lord to show me the way….and the way was VERY narrow….with lot’s of potential attacks, and disappointments…..and I struggled to choose the way that He was pointing out.

As soon as I committed myself to His way, come what may, I slept.

And I woke up this morning, with His mercies ever new….and knowing the love of God….and knowing some of that joy again.

Joy doesn’t mean everything’s fine, or easy, or pretty – joy means that my heart is in Jesus, my mind is yielded to His word, and by His grace and power, I am taking every thought captive.

Joy is knowing that I am abiding in the secret place, beneath the shadow of the Almighty.

And really, there is NO other place to be.
And honestly, there is No other place that I desire to be.

In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi

Letter 12 – May 2, 2010

Dear Sisters,
Rom 8:1
[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Many people just quote the first part:
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
That’s comforting. But what does it mean?

Then there are people like me, that want to take the whole word…and read the whole thing….and get stuck on “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

And those verses….
Matt 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
1 Pet 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Combined with:
Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

And I get drug down by the truth…
The truth:
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
The warning:
Rev 21:8 But the fearful,
and unbelieving,
and the abominable,
and murderers,
and whoremongers,
and sorcerers,
and idolaters,
and all liars,
shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 21:27
And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth,
neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination,
or [maketh] a lie:
but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

The truth is, if we have continual sin in our lives….our heart condemns us!
1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
God KNOWS all about our sinful nature. It’s supposed to be dead, but that smelly rottin’ thing keeps on a’ kickin’!
On the other hand, if we have continual sin, do we have HIS word in us? Are we truly followers of Christ?

1John1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
Dear Brother John is going to talk about our sin….THAT OUR JOY MAY BE FULL!!!
This is God’s Normal – that we know about sin, how to deal with it, and how to go to HIM for help!
It’s not God’s normal for us to wallow in sin, or to hide sin, but to confess our sins one to another that we may be healed!

1John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Walking in the light doesn’t mean no sin.
Saying we have no sin, makes God a liar, and we’re not in a good place!
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with the saints, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN!
How much sin? Just a little? Just one? Just the non political sins? No –
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sin!

Is it just past sins? Well, we’re walking forward…..and, if Jesus’s blood only cleanses past sins….well, everyone born since 0AD is out of luck!
If God is outside of time…then when Christ was on the cross, He bore the punishment for ALL of our sin…not just the sin up to the time we confessed Him as Lord.

When Jesus went to the cross, He knew He was going to bear the punishment of all sins of all men for all time. My sins are NOT a surprise. This is truly AMAZING GRACE!!!

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
And God’s people said: God forbid.
How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Rom 6:2)

The true Christ follower will show by their heart that they do not want to profane that precious glorious gift of the stripes, blood and death of our dear Savior on the cross. Without believing in the payment for our sin, we have no basis for salvation, Without recognizing the price paid, we do not count the cost of being a follower.
1 Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us].
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
The truth is:
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I recognize the gift, and try to comprehend the enormity of it’s efficacy, but, I still sin. And my heart condemns me of that sin….what am I supposed to do?

When Jesus died on the cross….He broke the bands of the old nature…and set us free to live in the image of God.
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
:13 Neither yield ye your members [as] instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [as] instruments of righteousness unto God.
:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

We are new…but we have to do the work to reckon ourselves dead to sin….not let it reign in our mortal bodies. We are to be led of the Spirit!
Gal 5:16 [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The battle is real:
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The victory is obtainable:
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
There are some lists of things to put off and to put on….that will help us to walk in the Spirit.
Eph 4:22-32; Col 3

God has given us ways to know that you are walking in the Spirit is that you are growing in the fruit of the Spirit.
Gal 5:19-23

To not press on to walk in the Spirit, is to grieve the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30).

And then, we can rest in the verse:
Rom 8:1 [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

And we can rest in the promise:
1John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God.
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

What things are pleasing in His sight?

1John 3:23 And this is his commandment,
That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ
and love one another, as He gave us commandment.
24 And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him and He in him.
And hereby we know that he abideth in us,
BT THE SPIRIT which HE hat given us.

Jesus said it this way:
And he answering said,
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul,
and with all thy strength,
and with all thy mind;
and thy neighbour as thyself.
Luke 10:27

What does your heart say? Is this how you want to live day by day? Following God’s salvation way?

Condemnation = death pains → from the enemy
Conviction = growing pains → from the Holy Spirit.
It’s our choice….
Condemnation – go to Is 54:17
Conviction – go to Ps 51

There is no promise of perfection when we come up out of the baptismal waters…just the indwelling of the new nature at salvation, enabling to cast down the old nature, standing up to the enemy and walking on the narrow way, pressing on toward the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus.
Count it all joy….offer yourselves as a living sacrifice, be purified for Kingdom work, but walk as perfect as we can moment by moment…rejoicing that IF we sin, God has the advocate plan!

I pray that we will all learn to recognize condemnation and conviction, and the appropriate actions for each. Cast down every imagination and high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.(2 Cor 10:5-6). If we are told to do it, then we are empowered to do it, and must be bold to do it.

There is NOW, no condemnation to us, who are in Christ Jesus, as we walk not after the flesh…but after the Spirit. The issue is, in what direction are you walking?

In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi

bible verses from http://www.blueletterbible.org
© 2010 M.C.Wildman

Letter 11- May 1, 2010
Dear Sisters,

When there is disorder in a drawer, there is clutter.
When there is disorder in the house, there is chaos.
When there is disorder in the seasons, there is crop failure.
When there is disorder in the chemicals in the brain , there is mental illness
When there is disorder in the systems of the body, there is diabetes, RA, FMS and many others.
When there is disorder in a relationship, there is stress and strife.
When there is disorder in your spiritual life, there is fear, doubt, and deep sorrow.

Disorder can cause dis-ease in many situations.
God is a God of Order….He created Order out of disorder and nothingness.
Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The first job He gave man was responsibility to tend(keep order) in the garden.
Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Our world tells us we need order:
“A place for everything and everything in it’s place” from the 17th century
“things left to themselves tend to disorder” paraphrased 2nd law of thermodynamics
CHAOS (Can’t have anyone over Syndrome) – FlyLady
“God’s in His heaven — all’s right with the world” Robert Browning, Pippa’s Song
Mentally Ill respond to routine and responsibility – Bill Gotherd
Creation Order Genesis 1&2,
Responsibility Order Ex 20
1 Cor 14:33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

God’s word tells us to do things in order:
Ps 90:12 So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom.
Is 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
2 Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Professional Organizers can tell us how to bring order to our homes.
Family Counselors work to bring an order to handling conflicts.
Medical Doctors give us meds to bring some order to our disorders.
And God gives us an order for how we can overcome in the midst of storms of trials and tribulations.
James 1:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
3 But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
4 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

1 Pet 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation of [your] souls.

The JOY in the trial is that we can choose to be growing. We can rejoice that we are children of our Heavenly King, being prepared for His courts. We are working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. We can acknowledge that the purpose of the trial is not to tear us down, but to build us up like orderly exercise breaks down muscle so that the muscle can be built up stronger! What JOY!

The Exercise Plan for our ordered life:
2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence,
add to your faith virtue:
and to virtue knowledge;
6 and to knowledge temperance;
and to temperance patience;
and to patience godliness;
7 and to godliness brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Don’t quit – the rewards are way too wonderful!
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Phil 3:12-15 press on toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of Christ Jesus!
2 Tim 3:14-17 that the man of God may be perfect…….
Heb 13:21 Make you perfect…..

There are two kinds of pain, and we can choose which one we dwell in.
There is growth pain, which is just a sign that we are growing.
There is death pain, that just shows we are dying.
“Buttercup: You mock my pain.
Man in Black: Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”
–The Princess Bride

You, I, WE CHOOSE what effect that pain has on us!

The order of God’s plan for us is joy and peace, not sorrow and fear.
Fear and sorrow bring disorder to our lives.
If you’ve ever watched the TV program “Hoarding, Buried Alive” on TLC you would notice that people that suffer from this disorder have had a deep wound, sorrow, and are afraid to let go.

Jesus dealt with similar disorder:
Luke 8:27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in [any] house, but in the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, [thou] Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
This man had lived a life of disorder…..and Jesus brought order to his life.

What areas of our lives are in disorder?
Do we really want order in our lives?
God has given us the answer.
Just as the Gadarene Demoniac, we need to cry out to Jesus to deliver us from the natural, base manner in which we deal with things.
Trials – complain and argue or sacrifice in praise
Hurt – anger and revenge or forgive and peace
Fear – tremble and hide or embrace the truth and be set free

2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We have the promises discussed previously….that if we CHOOSE to count it all joy when we enter temptations, trials, and the testing of our faith…..God will bring forth our righteousness as the new day!
Ps 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.
Ps 37:6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
(Micah 7:9)

God is NOT going to let us irreparably fall!
Ps 37:23 The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand.
Is 41:10 Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

So, lets make a choice, and start taking steps to push forward towards the prize!
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.
(2 Cor 9:24, Phil 3:14)

I pray that you are encouraged to take a step, even a baby step towards choosing joy. I pray that you are encouraged that your trials can be turned to gold…that your sorrows can be turned to joy, and that your fears can be turned to power, love and a sound mind. God is not a man that He should lie! He has said it, therefore He will do it!(Num 23:19)

In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi

Bible references from http://www.blueletterbible.org
quote everything in it’s place origin from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/14400.html
quote from FlyLady – http://www.flylady.net/
Bill Gotherd’s response to mental illness – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4gieCr-YRk
Hoarding, Buried Alive – http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/hoarding-buried-alive/
Hoarding definition – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsive_hoarding
Princess Bride quote – http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/quotes

©2010 M.C.Wildman

Letter 13 – May 3, 2010

Dear Sisters,
This morning I was awakened with thoughts, and the song:
Lord, You are more precious than silver,
Lord, You are more costly than gold,
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds
And nothing I desire compares with You.

I sing this and sing this and sing this…..but, does everything I desire pale in comparison to Jesus Christ?

What about this song? Does everything really fade?

When I look into Your Holiness,
When I gaze into Your loveliness,
When all things that surround,
Become shadows in the light of You.

When I’ve found the joy of reaching Your heart,
When my will becomes enthralled in Your love,
When all things that surround
Become shadows in the light of You.

CHORUS
I worship You, I worship You,
The reason I live, is to worship You.
I worship You, I worship You,
The reason I live, is to worship You.

#1 means First Place, or having first priority – in this instance, in my life.
Ok, here’s a test for a priority:
Wake up in the morning, what comes first?
Praise the Lord – this is the day that the Lord has made
OR
Oh man, I have so much to do today….and I want to roll over and sleep another 15 minutes.

Sometimes, Sleep is more desirable than praising God, but here is the truth:
Ps 63:1 [[A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.]] O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Pr 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Pro 6:10 [Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

Ok, Next test:
Come home at night, have supper, spend time with the family, and there is some time left before bedtime, do you:
Go to your room, remember what God has done, praise Him, and meditate on His word?
OR
Plop down in front of the TV to relax and unwind?

There are some spiritual examples that would differ with the ‘relax and unwind’ scenario:
Ps 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

2 Chron 13:11 And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also [set they in order] upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.

Dan 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.

Ps 101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; [it] shall not cleave to me.

Ok, so I failed both of those tests.
I could go on with tests (and I’m sure God will be keeping these before my eyes) such as,
What do I do with my money? Tithe, or hoard; give or get; or is it even my money in the first place?
Mal 3: 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it].
11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

Would I rather sleep than go to church?
Would I rather fit in than speak up?
Would I rather look good or give to the needy?
Would I rather is a measurement – what I’d rather do shows me what is 1st place in my heart at that time.

What should be my first goal?
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.

Oh my….God is meddling here. He’s getting quite personal!
1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.

1 Cor 6:19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

2 Cor 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Here’s what God is talking to ME about in these verses….
When I’m stressed, do I….
Go to my room, kneel before the Lord, turn it over to Him and get His word of truth on it?
OR
Eat a bag of M&M’s while watching a sappy or funny movie?

True confession. I have a weight problem because I have a faith problem.
When things go wrong, or hurts from the past have come up, I have turned to food, or self harm, and sometimes the binge-ing falls into the self harm.

Faith doesn’t come by hiding from the problem.
David would never have taken down Goliath – in fact, Israel was hiding!(1 Samuel 17)
Moses would not have faced down the Pharoah! (Exodus 2 and following.)
Gideon would not have won the battle! (Judges 6-8)

In fact, the lack of faith IS the problem.
Luke 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Heb 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.

This is because the first gift we are given, even before salvation, is the gift of faith.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

We can’t even take credit for being able to believe in order to make the choice to be a believer!
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

We can cause our faith to grow. In fact, we have a responsibility to do so.
1 Pet1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, [even] the salvation of [your] souls.

One of the fruits of the Spirit is faithfulness…a growing faith.

When I am stressed, disappointed, or even depressed – I can build up my faith by listening to the word of God.
Rom 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

But I always have a choice….and with those choices comes consequences!
God gave me a garment of joy to put on for the spirit of heaviness(Is 61:3)….do I choose that, or do I choose to wallow in heaviness?
And, if I choose the spirit of heaviness – I am putting that ahead of the Lord! Another spirit that is not God’s!

Through Moses, God had some very clear words about this situation.
Do NOT put other God’s before me…..Do not make graven images….
Ex 20:4 You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations.
1 Sam 15:23 – Samuel to Soloman: For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.

When we put anything above obedience to the Word of God, and knowing Him, and choosing to be in HIS presence, we are rebelling against HIM, and to not change is stubbornness.
Whether it’s waking up in the morning, spending time with Him at night, or turning to Him during the day for our strength – anything that comes BETWEEN us and God is an idol….because we made it that way.

Proverb 8:10 – 11
Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Psalm 19:7-12
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the sou8l.
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 ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Deut 28….doing things God’s way does have it’s benefits. But the first thing is having God as the number one priority…..and if He is the desire of our hearts….He promises to meet those desires!
Ps 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

If it’s a trial, we can choose to count it joy, because God is working our faith muscles, and making us stronger for the Kingdom work HE has for us. But there is no joy without Him, and it is HIS joy that is our strength.

After some repenting, Now I am ready to sing:

Lord, you are more precious than silver,
Lord, you are more costly than gold,
Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds,
and nothing I desire compares with you.

Additional lyrics:
Who can weigh the value of knowing you?
Who can judge the worth of Who you are?
Who can count the blessings of loving YOU?
Who can say just how great you are?

You are my everything, you are my all,
You are my everything, both great and small.
You gave your life for me, made everything new.
You are my everything, I worship you.

I pray that each person that reads these words will look at their lives and cast down idols that stand in their way of being totally devoted to God, through the Lord Jesus Christ.

In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi

Bible references from http://www.blueletterbible.org
Music info from: http://www.higherpraise.com
“When I look into your holiness” – ©1980, Integrity’s Hosanna! Music Words and Music by Wayne and Cathy Perrin
“More Precious than Silver” by Lynn DeShazo http://www.lynndeshazo.com/©Public Domain Words and Music by Unverified
© 2010 M.C.Wildman