Where Did Fun Friday Go?

Yesterday I was so full of concerns that funny wasn't in me. To make it up to you readers that love getting a good laugh here at Thrive Christians I am planning an entire fun week.


What consumed me to the point I changed the blog schedule? This week I have spent time with folks strained to their last penny, a woman whose husband is in an adulterous affair and she senses God calling her to stand, a family with serious disabling disease in one spouse and they don't know how they'll live with the cost of their meds and the money they receive, and that's just a few of the people in my life calling on me to join them in prayer.




What hit me was how differently each one was processing their dire circumstances. The ones who are disciplined to stay in God's Word and pray without ceasing had hope, but that was not the case of the "sometime" saints. I feel I've lived in all these camps at one time or another. But when I was slapped down and didn't know if I could get up many years ago, God scooped me up and from that time on I've never believed He wasn't bigger than anything coming at me. He is my life and my way: so reading His Word and praying daily are not options but the way I live. But in America I sense that the worship, praise and Bible study are many times motivated by feelings.




I sense that in America we are more prone to this need of a feeling than Christians in other cultures. Our ancestors were not "see ya' when I have that feeling, God" people. Your comments are wonderful. Readers, you need to go back to yesterday's post and open up the comments. I was blessed by all of them.




After I reflected on some folks throwing in the towel I imagined satan celebrating how easy it is for him to operate in America. If saints read only the Bible passages that have to do with a study class they teach or attend and pray only when the crisis hits they are easy picking for the enemy. St. Paul was clear over and over that we war against powers and principalities. If it's war, shouldn't we have the mindset of warriors?




In light of this I wrote a poem...poetry is new for me; so be kind. Picture an overly dressed gaudy dude in black and white spat shoes with a shiny suit and a watch with a chain. He's in a bar laughing it up. He's arrogant and bragging about the ease of his job in the USA with believers who are undisciplined in personal Bible study, worship and prayer. I can see him licking his chops and twirling his watch chain with a victory shuffle.

Life's Easy In The USA

The devil sneered, "These days life is easy in the USA

Oh yeah, times are different now.

Years ago saints drove me mad,

Praying, Praising and Reading the Word of God.

I commanded thousands of troops from sea to sea,

To distract the called and chosen.

Daily they mined treasure from the Word.

Without fail, prayers were continually on their lips.

They were untouchable in the USA.

Now, life's so easy in the USA.

They're saved and baptized on Sunday.

By Wednesday they're leaders;

Bogged down with church work.

They have no time to pray or seek God in His Word.

They scramble to study the Bible for their church work.

It never occurs to 'em to read the Bible
To hear a "now" Word from God.

The noise and chatter from tv, cell phones, ipods, and computers

Keep 'em distracted. One less chore for me.

They work as many hours as they possibly can.

That keeps 'em away from joining in prayer

With one another.

They give me credit for their lack of peace and despair.

I'm just lounging around while their neglect does my job.

This fight doesn't take troops of demons anymore.

Life happens, and down they go.

As weak as they stay, I don't call in any calvary;

A feather'll do.

I fear somebody will wake 'em up.

If they realize their strength comes in praising the Lord,

Abiding in His presence, and proclaiming His Word...

No matter what....then I'm back to having to work.

Then my life won't be easy in the USA.

I remember the old days when saints

Knew their Source was God.

They lived in praise, power, and protection.

They would stand without fail,

And they'd overcome my best shots when life happened.

But for now I've got it made.

I get the credit for everything wrong;

And they blame me for their own neglect.

Drinks are on me. 'Cause I'm celebrating

That life's so easy for me and mine in the USA.

copyright Kay Martin March, 2009

Subtle ... naw. But I can listen to what you say. Talk to me and may we encourage one another to fall on our faces and cry ...

Abba Father. Fill us with Your presence, empower us to stand, and we will praise You forever. This land of the USA began with Your name on the lips of those who first sailed from far away lands to our shores. Feelings matter but Lord, show us how to live without our feelings dictating our daily life disciplines. Have mercy on America and on Your people throughout the world.

In Jesus Christ's name: AMEN

Boundaries Hold Thriving Life

As a Christian I thrive as I look to Jesus Christ. Calling myself Christian shows that I am His follower. Thriving is in direct proportion to my belief in Him as King of Kings and above all.

Talkng with some different folks this week I am sensing a careless attitude to the discipline of Bible study and private prayer. As I've heard them I can relate to the depressed one who doesn't have the energy to pick up any books. I know what it is to have a schedule packed with so much you don't feel you have any spare moments.

But I also heard how life is coming apart for these same folks. Is there legal ground for satan to torment a believer who makes no time for communing with God? I have my opinion, but I honestly want to hear from some of you.

What does a thriving Christian life look like privately and publicly?


Does it matter what we choose to do since Jesus came with mercy and grace to all of us who believe in Him?

Been Called Narrow-Minded Because Of Jesus?

Have you proclaimed, "Jesus Is Lord?" That might cost you greatly. Today I read my daily devotion from The High Calling email that I usually read to start the day. When I finished I realized I had to forward it on to you, reader.


Mark Roberts of Laity Lodge has written a rich piece here to shake us and wake us up to what it means to live out our faith in every group we encounter. (Website address is at the end of this blog.)

Recommended Scripture Reading: Romans 10:1-13



If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. The High Calling Daily Reflection Daily Reflectionby Mark D. RobertsLaity Lodge Senior Director and Scholar-in-ResidenceJesus Is Lord [Romans 10:9]
I want to linger for one more day on Romans 10:9 because it speaks incisively to one of the major challenges we face as Christians today, especially as we seek to live out our faith in daily life. In our culture, confessing Jesus as Lord can get us in a bit of trouble. It’s politically incorrect to be so "arrogant" and "narrow-minded" as to suggest that Jesus is the Lord of heaven and earth. We might get away with acknowledging Jesus as our personal Lord, as long as he didn’t require us to break our cultural norms. But to suggest that Jesus is the Lord of all is unacceptable.
Yet this is nothing new.

In fact, the Roman Christians (to whom Paul was writing the letter we’ve been studying) literally put their lives on the line when confessing Jesus to be Lord. By the second half of the first century A.D., the Roman emperors claimed the title of Lord for themselves. Thus to say "Jesus is Lord" was to deny the claim "Caesar is Lord." For this, Christians could be put to death, and many were in the first centuries of the Christian era.



The most powerful way for us to testify to the Lordship of Jesus is by living each day according to his will and for his glory. When we are people of truth, compassion, forgiveness, humility, and love, those around us will be drawn to the Lord who makes such living possible. Only when we live with Jesus as our Lord will our world be ready to hear our confession of Jesus as Lord.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

• Have you ever found it awkward to speak of Jesus as Lord? When?
• In what ways does your daily life demonstrate the Lordship of Jesus?
  
  PRAYER:Gracious, living, reigning Lord, in many ways, this world is not ready to accept your Lordship, even though it so desperately needs it. You have called me to be one voice among many bearing witness that you are Lord. Yet in a world so resistant to your Lordship, my testimony will fall on deaf ears unless my life illustrates the blessings of confessing you as Lord. So help me, I pray, to live each day under your Lordship. May my life be a reflection of your grace, mercy, truth, and love.
  

As I pray for myself, I also pray for your church. So often we are seen in our hypocrisy, judgmentalism, and self-absorption. No wonder the world is resistant to your Lordship! Help your church, dear Lord, to live faithfully under your sovereignty. May our way of being in the world draw people to you and proclaim in deed as well as word: "Jesus is Lord." Amen.

Mission of TheHighCalling.org: They seek to connect people with the faith that undergirds and sustains all that we do. That’s why it is the high calling of our daily work. Daily work embraces all aspects and activities of daily life—including home, community, leisure, as well as occupation

http://www.thehighcalling.org/AboutUs/Index.asp

What Drives You Is Showing in 2009

What makes you crawl out of bed, ready to seize the day? This thought hit me yesterday as I was watching TV and I noticed Oprah had a show on getting down to what you really need. I didn't have time to see it all, but the common thread was to see this economic change as a time to re-evaluate what truly matters in your life.

In times like this God can show up when nothing else can. If we shine His light in this despairing darkness, they will seek to know about our faith. Sadly I hear more groaning and moaning among the saints than some of the world. Recently I heard Theresa Johnson speak on what we say to the lost world and what we say to one another has become flipped upside down today.

She meant that a message of grace and mercy in Jesus is the word lost souls are desperate to hear. But many times we, the Church, point our finger at the unredeemed in judgment and speak words that discourage and overwhelm them. But Jesus walked in love and kindness and hope to the worst of sinners saying, "Come, you;re welcome." But in the Temple He called them to holiness, but many times in our churches it's a cheerleeading each other fest. Rarely, will we approach one another as iron against iron in private honorable settings to call one another up to God's highest.

The world's watching and listening to you:
Do they see a thriving saint in 2009 that knows their source is God; no matter what?

Do they hear hope?

Do they see a posture of contentment?

Do they want to know what makes you tick?

Free to Repent

Yesterday you responded powerfully to the question: It's Just A Name. No, it is never just a name and especially when we are talking about Jesus Christ.

Loquacious Kay was short on words. That's a miracle in itself. But I was hushed by a move of God in my church that I still have no words to express. For over two decades the power in the name of Jesus has been making my life make sense. He saved me; and He keeps working salvation and deliverance in me. I have intentionally studied and pursued the meaning of His name. Specifically I have longed to understand what it means when I pray in His name.

Sunday my pastor humbly bowed and confessed to our huge church that he wanted to apologize if he had been consumed with the enormous administration needs of our ministry that he had not kept Jesus lifted up above all. If ever, he had not proclaimed the name of Jesus as God led him, he repented. There was no sermon, but oh his honest broken heart over Jesus and His name was beautiful and the worship lasted for hours. We all came back to our first love for the Lord....Jesus Christ.

I refrain from mentioning my denomination and church because Christians divide in tribes and I've found I'm a rare one. If Jesus Christ is lifted up as Lord of all I have no issues. But trust me, I am convinced we will be one in Heaven!!! So trust me, my church is experiencing a powerful and life changing move of God: revival!!!

Take heart if worship in your church is anemic. God has no favorites. The fact that He is powerfully moving in my pastor and all of us; He's moving all over this land.

Who is Jesus to you? What is the significance of His name to you?

Yesterday these comments came in:David Rupert said...
the name of Jesus has caused nations to divide, for men to tremble and for people to come together for good. That's Jesus. its not just a name! It's power!

Chatty Kelly said...
One day every knee will bow at the name of Jesus. Until then, we wait, praying for more and more to come to know him. I'm so glad I do.

Dorothy Champagne said...
There is strength in the name of the Lord. There is power in the name of the Lord. There is hope in the name of the Lord. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! - song by Sandi Patti.


St. Peter said,
'There is no other name ... by which we must be saved.' Acts 4:12

Jesus....what do you say?

It's Just A Name

No it isn't just a name. I'm talking about Messiah's name: Jesus Christ.

What do you say about the name: Jesus?

Garage Cleanup: Writer Retreat

Lately I've yearned to get away for inspiration to complete some writing projects. My budget has changed since my husband's death and I can't sign up for writing conferences or retreats without great planning and saving ahead.

Yesterday I finally dared to enter THE GARAGE. There was enough junk in that cave I risked life and limb to open the door.

As I tossed and bagged the stuff I no longer need one idea after another came to me. I had to get a notepad to keep up with all of them. I laughed out loud about finally getting to my inspirational retreat: THE GARAGE.

Wonder how many other times I've sulked on the sofa flipping the tv remote hoping I could get away to a quiet place so that my mind would be free to flow life changing words. I sometimes imagine God pointing to the obvious close at hand while we pine and pout. I pray I get over myself that thinks too highly of my little self. I don't need a new place with palm trees rustling in the ocean breeze. Shucks, when I finish THE GARAGE, I have an attic that I can conquer. That jungle may require a machete.

Everyone has aspirations and dreams. I pray that you keep those near and close. God has filled every soul with destiny. Don't die with your books, songs, works inside you. Keep pressing for the way to release them to complete the Kingdom of God. If you need inspiration it doesn't have to be expensive, distant or exotic. It's right at hand.

Got to quit blogging, THE GARAGE is calling me: helmet in place, steel toe boots on and tied, elbow pads in place, knee pads fastened and back brace buckled. I'm off...hope I make it back to write tomorrow.