Followers

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

JOIN ME WITH JESUS

Over and over and over again for the past month, GOD has been getting my attention.
Instead of focusing on the election (yet again) or being fearful of what a Trump presidency means, or getting so frustrated that my husband has limited my time to watching the news, I am being reminded that it is JESUS who I am to follow. Who I am to obey. Who I am to serve.

It has never been about me. 
It has been and always will be, ALL ABOUT JESUS.

There is so much going on in the world that breaks my heart.
So much that can terrify me.
Between the refugees from Syria (now over six million have been displaced from their homes), the sex trafficking all over and the atrocities being committed against women and girls and young boys, to the heinous dictators (or leaders) in Syria and North Korea and Russia, and the so many I don't know about, I can become totally paralyzed with fear.

I choose not to be. 
Instead I choose each day to pray and ask God to intervene, to protect His children. And although I do not see the answers to my prayers right now; I know that the ONE who created life, who created us, will one day soon, have HIS way.

I am choosing the word "FAITHFUL"  for my word this year. It has been on my heart and spinning through my mind for a month now. I had been planning to write this blog all day and just now read a blog by Sarah Bessey, a much younger follower of Jesus who has challenged me over the past several years and she too chose the word, FAITHFUL (http://sarahbessey.com/my-oneword365-for-2017/). I guess great minds think alike!!

FAITHFUL to GOD and what He has called me to be: His servant in this world, to be obedient to what He has asked me to do. To pray for what He has put on my heart. To give to where He leads me to give. To be a LIGHT that shows others the reality of living a life following CHRIST. To TRUST Him in the midst of my uncertainties. To be mindful again and again of the HOPE He gives. To CLING to Him, no matter what.

NO MATTER WHAT I hear on the news or what I read online. No matter what happens to those I love. No matter who is president. I am called to be FAITHFUL  to my GOD.

One way that I can be faithful is to listen to His Words, to let sink in His way of life. So for the year of 2017 I am going to read the Gospels each day. I did this a few years ago and it was incredible to hear and soak in just Jesus' words. Because they are always TRUTH.
I will read one chapter a day. It takes about 3 months then to read through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
This way I will read through the Gospels four times this year. Each time I will read it in a different version. Most likely I will use the NIV, the Message, the NLT and ESV.
The gleanings I will receive each day will be immeasurable. I remember when I did this last, that I was so surprised each day that the LORD would speak to my heart in a new way and remind me of His truths.
I have tried to follow Jesus for 45 years now. I have read through the Bible over 25 times. I know the Gospels. I know the stories and the miracles. I have heard them since attending parochial school as a child. 
But when I come with an expectant heart each day, Jesus reveals Himself to me anew.
I would love to have you join me in this endeavor. To soak up the words of Jesus each and everyday in 2017. I think I can guarantee that you will be surprised and grateful at the end of the year.
When we get our perspective from JESUS, our fears will lessen. We will be more focused on Him, on what He wants and His will.
And as I've said before, "Its all about Him and not us".
It will change how I (we) think, how we pray and hopefully how we think and how we act. 
I for one, NEED to do this.
What about you?

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Trying to Turn over a New Attitude.

Oh this month. What a ride! Not necessarily a fun ride, but one that has had more downs then ups, and one that won't be forgotten soon.

The presidential election has left half the country so disheartened, questioning everything that has transpired.
I am one of them.

I could not, would not, vote for Donald Trump if he had given me all his money. More than anything, I am absolutely confused and baffled by those who say they are followers of Christ and voted for him. 
How do you vote for a man who wants to build a wall across the border of Mexico and the United States? Who wants to throw out anyone who is a Muslim? Who says he wants to change the immigration Laws? ( mind you, he has had 2 wives who are immigrants). Who changes his mind on issues like women change their clothes? Who tweets unbelievable things? Who has groped women and boasted of it?

This man is definitely someone who does not resemble Jesus Christ to me. As I have pondered for a month now, I have wondered if those who proclaim to be a follower of Christ, and voted for Mr Trump, actually have an american worldview of Christianity?  The kind of view that believes we are superior to the rest of the world and that we don't need to be concerned about "them".  I do not believe that 81% of white evangelical Christians voted for Trump; they didn't poll me or so many of my friends.

I have to admit, a Trump presidency scares the heck out of me. He is so irrational at times, speaks without thinking often, and bullies so many people. I thoroughly believe that God remains in control and that many times I often do not understand His ways. This may be the end of the US as a world power and that may be part of God's plan, but I have chosen to trust Him in spite of my fears.

Today I read the book of Nehemiah from the Old Testament. It is the story of how one man took a risk and asked a king for a favor so he could re-build the wall in Jerusalem. The reason the wall needed to be rebuilt is that the Jewish people had continuously disobeyed God, discarded His commands and pridefully thought they could run their lives better without Him. 
Sounds so much like us in the United States today. We were founded as a country granting religious freedom. We included God when our country began and today, we are much like the Jews of old; we think we know better than God, we discard His views on loving one another and we wonder why His favor does not rest on our country anymore.

In Nehemiah 1, he writes:
     "When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I
     mourned and fasted and prayed to the God of Heaven"

Is that what we need to be doing?  Can the answer to our anger and grief most likely can be found in prayer and fasting? I am beginning to think it is. 
Not so that we could change the results of the election (but maybe we could change the electoral college-oh sorry, I could only wish), but maybe in prayer and fasting, in trusting God with our questions, our fears, our extreme disappointment, we might gain His perspective. And I for one, need it.
What if each of us who almost despaired in the days following the election, set aside a day or two to fast and seek God and His will, and to hear His Word. Because if you are anything like me, you have heard too much from what the world is saying, getting riled up reading the news, looking at social media and being disgusted. What I need to hear, and most likely you too, is the TRUTH. And God's Word has always been and will always be the truth. We need to hear from the ONE who created life, created us and who holds all of us together.

Further on in Nehemiah 1, the prophet writes:
     "I confess the sins we the Israelites (or us americans),            including myself...have committed against You. We have
   acted wickedly toward You. We have not obeyed the commands, 

   decrees and laws..."

This stopped me this morning. Why do we think we God would bless America, when we don't listen to Him or follow Him? I am like Nehemiah, just as guilty. I have disobeyed, have acted wickedly, and now is the time to repent. For myself and for my country.
2 Chronicles 7:14 states:
     "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble them-
    selves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked
    ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their
    sin and heal their land."

This is what we, as followers of Christ need to do. WE need to humble ourselves. We need to pray and seek God's face. We need to turn from our sin-our pride, our anger,our holier than thou attitudes, our judgmental thoughts, and ask God to forgive us.
Then and maybe then, He will begin to heal our land.
Because we NEED HIS HEALING. We have said things we should not have said, we have been angry and NOW is the time for us to start the process. WE, who profess our faith, who say Jesus is our Lord, need to begin the healing process. To release our frustrations and our fears and to TRUST God, that He is the ONE who does the healing.

NOW is the time for us to be humble. To drop the accusations and to just do what He requires of us. To love others, regardless if we agree with them or not. To show kindness-to EVERYONE. To be respectful because this is exactly how Jesus is to each of us. And to be forgiving, because WE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO ACT LIKE WE ARE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.