No Man's Land

Romans 12:6-8
The Voice

 

⁶ Since our gifts vary depending on the grace poured out on each of us, it is important that we exercise the gifts we have been given. If prophecy is your gift, then speak as a prophet according to your proportion of faith. ⁷ If service is your gift, then serve well. If teaching is your gift, then teach well. ⁸ If you have been given a voice of encouragement, then use it often. If giving is your gift, then be generous. If leading, then be eager to get started. If sharing God’s mercy, then be cheerful in sharing it.

I have spent a lot of time worrying about not being able to live up to my own expectations.  Recently, I have been dealing with some disappointment and a feeling of being in "no man's land" and unable to be all I think I should be, so I decided to turn to the Word to find some encouragement.

I came across this passage and, of course as usual, the Word spoke to me and is helping me to regain my focus.  I may not live up to my own expectations of myself...or anyone else's, however; according to these scriptures it definitely seems clear to me that the focus should be on what I do have to give and whether or not I am willing to utilize the gifts that God did give me. 

My suspicion is that most of us look around us and see the gifts that others have and somehow think that we should be able to do the same things, and if not, we are lacking in some way.  This would naturally distract one from their own gift!  And as a result, one's own gift would suffer from inaction.  Another negative result is that our families, circle of friends, and churches would become sterile and stagnant.  We need each of these gifts to be operating within us and around us to fully fulfill the plan God has for them in the first place! 

Maybe you and I do not completely know what our gifts are, maybe we don't need to know...maybe God created within us a natural instinctive desire to reach out in these individual ways.  I'm thinking that less worry about what we can't do and more reaching out in the way God leads us to is really all we need to be concerned with.  That "no man's land" feeling could just simply be God's prompting to use the gifts He gave you - and me!

Country and Christ

1 Peter 2:13-17
The Voice

¹³ For the Lord’s sake, accept the decrees and laws of all the various human institutions, whether they come from the highest human ruler ¹⁴ or agents he sends to punish those who do wrong and to reward those who do well. ¹⁵ You see, it is God’s will that by doing what is right and good you should hush the gabbing ignorance of the foolish. ¹⁶ Live as those who are free and not as those who use their freedom as a pretext for evil, but live as God’s servants. ¹⁷ Respect everyone. Love the community of believers. Reverence God. Honor your ruler.

I feel compelled to voice some thoughts that have been rolling around in my head for a while now regarding our country, freedom...and being Christ-like. 

We boast of freedom and rights with pride, including me!  But with freedom and rights come responsibility.  This seems to be where everything sort of goes off track.  I notice that there is a general misconception regarding freedom...it really doesn't mean you can do whatever you want.  Okay, yes, you can do whatever you want...but there is a price - consequences.

I will try to explain this with a spiritual application, and let the reader sort out the earthly application for themselves.  As Christians, we rejoice in the freedom and liberty that is given when we are born again.  And rightly so.  However, this does not all of sudden open the door to a free for all type of attitude.  No, we submit to the Word, and with humility become a prisoner (Philemon 1:1) to Christ himself.

Which brings us to the Christ-like part of my thought.  I don't need to expound on what these scriptures mean.  I think that is pretty clear.  What seems to need expounding sometimes it the practical application of them.  As citizens of a free country, do we as Christians feel exempt from the scriptural admonition to respect and honor those with whom we do not agree?  Does our earthly freedom overrule our spiritual obligation?  I do not believe we are exempt, nor do I see that any earthly "right" trumps the inspired Word of God. 

Take the Time

Psalm 40:5
Living Bible

O Lord, my God, many and many a time you have done great miracles for us, and we are ever in Your thoughts.  Who else can do such glorious things?  No one else can be compared with You.  There isn't time to tell of all Your wonderful deeds.

I thought it was time to stop and take the time to mention how awesome God is to me.  I feel so insignificant most of the time.  I can see my failures and struggles all too clearly - and I know He can, too!  At times I find myself wasting a lot of time worrying about this or that, or trying to figure out this life as we know it.

No one likes a hard time, a bad time, etc.  But aren't those times the exact times that we experience the miracles?  I would suggest that every day we experience miracles as a result of the thoughts and plans God has for us.  Are we too busy worrying and trying to negotiate life that we can't see them?  I can only assume so, because every time I take the time to look back at my life and where I've come from and what He has brought me through, I see so many things that can only be His handiwork.  What more could I see if I had His eyes?

With what I can see, there is certainly not enough time to tell about it all.  However, at this time, I am taking the time - He has been so good to me.  He has brought me through the good, the bad, and the ugly.  He has blessed me much more than I deserve.  And every day He takes the time to remind me of who He is and who I am to Him.

God's Feelings

Hebrews 4:15-16

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.

¹⁶ Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].

Like most people, I have a sight problem.  If I can't see it, it is really hard to believe.  While there is most likely a natural inclination to do this, it can also be learned behavior.  For example, someone lets us down or disappoints us - have this happen one time too many and you will find yourself needing to see to believe.  This can be way to easy to transfer to God's character.  Am I the only one who has assigned human characteristics to Him?  And by doing so, also assign human flaws?

I have not always believed God is who He is as opposed to what and who I think He is.  Thankfully, He is who He is and has a lot of patience with me.  This scripture came to my mind the other day and it hit me - God has feelings, too.  Only He is God.  So, He is perfect.  No human flaws.  When we cry - I think He cries.  When we hurt - I think He hurts.  When we are depressed - I think He is depressed.   He is not just somewhere sitting on His throne looking down and tsk-tsk'ing at us.  He understands...sympathizes...shares the feelings, that makes me think and believe that He is never too far away from any one of us.

I don't always feel this, or see it.  In fact, I've wondered where He was in some of those times.  But, according to this scripture, He's been there, done that.  He really, truly feels our pain...without the flaws of human nature.  Our new learned behavior needs to be fearlessly, confidently and boldly reaching out to Him...and believing even when we don't see.

I Turn To You

John 6:67-68
New Living Translation

⁶⁷ Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”
⁶⁸ Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.

I heard this song that I have included in my post today, and after feeling a witness in my spirit, I thought of this question Peter had asked Jesus.  I ask the same question today.  I'm sure most of you who happen to read this are asking the same one.  Where would we go?  To whom would we turn?  I turn to you, Jesus!!

Please take a couple minutes and listen to this song and let the presence of the one and only God comfort, soothe and surround you.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJMyCMRfK4A

Take Your Hands Off Your Ears

Psalm 16:8
The Voice

He is ever present with me; at all times He goes before me.  I will not live in fear or abandon my calling because He stands at my right hand.

No matter how loud the distractions of life are, He doesn't change.  Some days you do want to abandon where God has placed you because you feel like you think you cannot hear His voice anymore.  Those things that distract us - and they are different for each of us - can get so loud at times.  Spiritually, mentally and emotionally you feel like putting your hands over your ears and shutting it all out. 

In a lot of ways, it does come down to fear.  Fear of others, fear of a situation, fear of weakness...insert your own fear here.  According to this scripture, and I love this particular version of it, He is always present, He is going before us, He has called us and He is the power in our lives. 

Remember these things, take your hands off your ears and you'll find the distractions have dulled and faded to a whisper. 

Get Over Yourself

Luke 18:9-14
<sup>(Easy to Read Version)

9</sup> There were some people who thought they were very good and looked down on everyone else. Jesus used this story to teach them: ¹⁰ “One time there was a Pharisee and a tax collector. One day they both went to the Temple to pray. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood alone, away from the tax collector. When the Pharisee prayed, he said, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not as bad as other people. I am not like men who steal, cheat, or commit adultery. I thank you that I am better than this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week, and I give a tenth of everything I get!’
¹³ “The tax collector stood alone too. But when he prayed, he would not even look up to heaven. He felt very humble before God. He said, ‘O God, have mercy on me. I am a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, when this man finished his prayer and went home, he was right with God. But the Pharisee, who felt that he was better than others, was not right with God. People who make themselves important will be made humble. But those who make themselves humble will be made important.”

I think this passage is pretty self-explanatory, so I won't bore the reader with a long dissertation about it.  Now we all know that the Pharisee was not without sin - okay, maybe he didn't do the things he mentioned, but at the very least, he was guilty of a proud and haughty spirit.  There were most likely other things he was guilty of, but maybe only his wife and children knew about those things.  Maybe it was something he was even hiding from them...and only God knew.  Either which way, regardless of his own opinion about himself, he was a sinner just like the tax collector.

The problem, as I see it, is when you look around and observe people and start to make judgments or assumptions about them and where they are at with their relationship with God, you step into God's shoes.  Besides the fact that that is a really brave thing to attempt - have you seen the work of God in someones life?  Have you seen where He has already brought them from?  Do you know how much junk they had to crawl through just to touch the hem of His garment?  Have you read the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector?

Here's some advice, if you find yourself looking around and thinking or saying anything that smacks of judgment like you must know everything about someone - seriously, get over yourself.