Category: Our Christian Walk

Source: Churches that Start in the Wrong Place (or Stop Trying to be like the Early Church)

Again, this post says it much better than I, so I wanted to share it with you. Gives you some food for thought. What kind of church do you attend?

It’s a Saturday morning, so it’s time for cartoons. How many of you were part of the generation that looked forward to this cherished time? No school, so you woke up early…even though you couldn’t the rest of the week. You crept quietly to where your television set was located, not wanting to wake your parents. Then you were in cartoon heaven for a few short minutes/hours until the sun came up and morning routine of dressing and breakfast began. Those years didn’t last very long for me, but I remember them well. No, Winnie the Pooh wasn’t one that was one the cartoon line-up then, but he’s just a cute little guy so I wanted to include him here. And after all…he’s a great friend! Just ask Tigger.

What’s a great friend for you? We all have a set of criteria in our minds for a true friendship. For me a list would include someone to talk to about ANYTHING. Someone that supports my endeavors, my dreams even if they don’t have those same ones. (No, I’m not asking anyone to jump out of a plane with me, but they should certainly be watching if I do!) Someone that encourages through difficult times and celebrates with the good ones. Someone that cares about me and wants to share my life, whatever that may entail.

Am I that kind of friend? Do I fit the criteria that I require of someone else? Do I REALLY care if a friend is having a bad day, if they need to talk? Do I listen even though the topic is not my favorite? Am I there for the important times in their life, even if it means standing on the solid ground watching them jump from a plane? Do I truly have a desire to be part of their life and share in the ups and downs?

Examine these questions. Apply them to the people in your life that you call friends. For many of us, that group may be a select few. I’ve always said you can have many acquaintances in life. People you can enjoy being with, have fun for a time. But I think the people that meet the criteria for a true friend are much harder to find.

For me, I think that’s a good thing. I know I can’t even begin to be a true friend to hundreds of people. It would be an exhausting proposition for any of us. I can pray for many people. I can and do pray for needs of others, our country, encouragement when I know someone is burdened. I rejoice when I know a need has been met.

But a TRUE friend? I have several that come to mind. Those that have seen me through hard times and good. Those that have encouraged me, talked with me, given of their time when I know they have had better things to do. Those that have shown support in little ways, often not seen by others. I pray I have been and will be that person for others.

As a Believer, my friendship criteria comes from my relationship with God. Jesus Christ sets the standard and of course it’s a great one. If I apply what He has done for me in my relationship with others, I will be a true friend. Those ‘acquaintances’ will benefit as well. ‘What a Friend We Have in Jesus’ is an old hymn, but it has some great words to live by. You should ‘check it out’ sometime. Remember it the next time you’re sitting on a log with a group of your friends. Thank God for those people in your life that make this road we travel a little easier to bear at times and just down right fun as well. Have a great Saturday!

What does WAY to much Coke and theater popcorn do? Well, here I sit at four a.m. really wanting to sleep but my mind is racing around in circles. I mean it has been a crazy month, with more to go, but seriously?

My husband and I rarely go to the movies. We have Netflix, and that suits me just fine. I really don’t mind watching shows or movies at a later date. But every now and then, it’s nice to go to a real theater and sit in the dark with the sound booming from all corners. And eat popcorn, drinking Coke. It just has a special, kind of old-fashioned feel to it. When someone gives you the tickets to do it…even more special. Because we all know how much that popcorn costs and it isn’t cheap anymore!

Tonight we saw ‘War Room’. When I first viewed the trailer for it, I wasn’t really all that impressed. I have enjoyed the other movies put out by the same people, but this one just didn’t look that thrilling. Well, I was mistaken. No, it doesn’t have action-packed scenes or eye-catching scenery. But it does have a message, and it’s a good one.

I don’t want to spoil the movie for those that haven’t seen it yet. But some food for thought. What if each one of us started taking care of our own thoughts and actions?What if our daily goal was to pray for those around us, encourage them, seek their best and not our own? What if the relationships we have with the people in our lives were more important than our careers, our homes and cars? What if God’s word was the manual for our lives, the local church the shelter in the time of storm and those attending the family that encourages us, loves us and keeps us accountable? What if?

I am battle sore and battle weary and it has only just begun. I know there have been many soldiers over the hundreds of years since battles began that know the feeling and emotions better than I. With Independence Day just around the corner, the timing seems just about perfect.

There has been so much on social media about the Supreme Court decision. Your mind goes into overdrive trying to sort through it all. Each of us has our own ‘take’ on it. Some are aggressively sharing their opinions, others take it all in and quietly pray about it. But we ALL have a mind-set concerning it. Even me.

For some of us, the decision hits close to home and family, for others it may not really change anything in their lives…they believe. But this will affect us all in one way or another, like nothing else has.

America was like no other nation. It was founded on Biblical truths…even our currency reflected that. Our presidents and leaders spoke of God and His leading and blessing for our country. Our schools started the day with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance. People came from other countries, my paternal family included, not so long ago. They came to be a part of this great nation where you could work hard and generally for the amount of effort put into your life, you could reap the benefits. You could own land, start your own business, have a family and raise your children in the way that you as a parent deemed best. You could worship God the Father, praise Him and thank Him for the blessings given to each and every person no matter your color, your background or material status. You were proud to be an American, you learned the English language, you fought for America…you wanted to be a part of this great nation.

But somewhere along the line…our ‘rights’ have squelched our freedom. No longer can anyone speak of God the Father without facing retribution. You are called names, made fun of. You may not pray to God in school or recite the pledge. You are not paid a fair wage for a hard day’s work. Who would want to when your hard work is not recognized? When all are paid the same whether you work or sit? If you are able to purchase land or a business, you are taxed out of it. If you marry and have children, the government is now telling you/threatening you as to how THEY deem it best to raise them. Oh America…where have you gone?!

I am battle sore and weary. I don’t want to fight and constantly defend. I want the God-given freedom this nation was reared on. But sadly, it is gone. God’s word is no longer foundational to the workings of America. The media and celebrities are in charge. It’s all about who you are, your material status and your level of liberalism. We are now a weak nation…ripe for the picking of socialism and being led to the slaughter.

Yes, this greatly saddens me. I fear for my children and grand-children, pray they are stronger than I for the adversity to come. America has been granted her wish. Woe to us! ISIS and other groups have seen this as well and they are reacting. I pray daily for those that have suffered already for America’s decision.

My hope is not here. It is in heaven. The sadness and adversity on this earth are only for a season. I am so thankful that I can still worship God, hide His word in my heart and pray to Him. No government or individual can take that away.

Stop Thinking Just in Terms of Past-Present-Future. In light of a wonderful evening service this past Wednesday, I have been thinking a lot on what our lives should be…what our churches should be. This post from Hope Stands says it all, in much better terms than what I could express, so I wanted to share it with all of you.

For any Believer that has said church is boring or I can worship God in my own way…you haven’t experienced the power of being with other like-minded Believers. God’s plan for us is to worship and learn from His word…learn about Him, with other Believers. This is His plan for the church-age. Yes, there are times when we pray alone, worship alone, study alone, but being with other Believers is HUGE. We are to pray for one another, bear one another’s burdens and keep one another accountable. We can not do that alone.

Maybe we should be more focused on what God’s plan is for the church and our lives, rather than our own plan. Maybe we should stop trying to entertain and match the world’s system of ‘bling’ in our church services. After all, if we want to go to a show, we can. God’s word, the place where we worship is not a ‘show’.

Thank you to all of you that were part of last Wednesday evening. It was a privilege to learn God’s word and lift our voices in praise and unity to worship Him and give Him the glory. It’s an honor to know that each and every one of you, ‘has my back’.

Once upon a time I had a Facebook account. Back in the early stages when it was young. I had a farm, (for a very short time,) and I ‘met’ many people from my past. I ‘checked out’ people, just as we all do. My daughter’s friends, friends from years ago…”Wow, they’re aging pretty well, or not so well.” I used it primarily to stay in touch with our two oldest daughters, far away in upstate New York, going to school. I could say, “Hi!” with very little time expended and watch their lives through all the pictures they took.

Once upon a time I had a Facebook…then our oldest daughter married, their oldest son, our first grandchild was terribly burned by a water distiller, I took a full-time job at our local nursing home as an Activities Assistant, we put our two youngest children in school because I was working full-time…and life rushed by.

It doesn’t take a brain scientist to figure out that the above paragraph was a recipe for disaster. Too many HUGE changes in too short of time. I stopped going to the gym, connecting with my children and I stopped writing. And I closed my Facebook. I couldn’t handle what was going on in my own tiny, little world, much less keep up with everyone else’s’.

We all look back on our lives and see situations that we wish we had handled differently. We wonder what life would have been like if we had made a different decision. In some areas we KNOW we should have tackled it from another angle…but it can’t be changed now. So we start down the new, rocky road, kicking aside the stones that bruise us and forge ahead, praying that smooth pavement isn’t too far over the next hill.

I can look back now and know I shouldn’t have taken that full-time job. I should have kept my girls at home with me, just as I had for so many years. Not that it was terrible to put them in school, but it was terrible to make such a huge change at that time. I should have traveled to Ohio to be with our oldest daughter and our grandson. She had a wonderful support system there…her husband’s family. God worked that out much better than we all could have planned. But our daughter should have been the priority…just being there.

I don’t write this with regrets or guilt…well maybe, just a little, I’m a mother. But more to say that we all have a journey, a rough and rocky road to travel. That road is very seldom smoothly paved, dark and glistening in the sunlight. But we do have to travel it. We each have to prioritize our lives.

Once upon a time I had a Facebook.

As I was typing the title for this post, I was thinking it might mean a whole different thing to some people. But I like the title so I will keep it. If you read the entire post, you will then know.

My husband, our second to youngest and I just spent this past week in Hot Springs, South Dakota. We went there to collect the rest of our daughter’s ‘stuff’ from Cornerstone Bible Institute and to attend a Pastor’s Conference there. And…to bring our daughter home.

The purpose of this Pastor’s/Bible Conference is to give pastors and those in ministry a time of encouragement and relaxation. This ministry is just in its beginning stages, this was the third year we have met together, but the founders of this would eventually like to have a retreat area there in South Dakota. Pastors and their families could stay in cabins with a stocked pantry and just have time to rejuvenate, be encouraged and relax. This is called Black Hills Ministries. I personally think it is a fantastic idea!

And that is why I am so thankful for these faithful men. Each year we have had men, usually pastors or teachers that come and speak for several sessions for three days. It has been a time of such learning and encouragement for my husband and I! These men present God’s word in such a way that these days just fly by. God’s word comes alive and is an encouragement. It teaches and at times steps on our toes, but we always feel refreshed and ready for the battles ahead. These men take time out of their very busy schedules and teach us…and that is a privilege.

So why isn’t it a privilege for all Believers? Why is it that church and learning God’s word is something to do if you don’t have anything better to do? A hundred years ago, families gathered in their homes and read from God’s word. If a pastor came through the area, they were thrilled to be taught by a man that had studied God’ word and could teach them deeper truths. Now, we have churches sitting almost vacant with no one wanting to be taught. And going to church IS about learning God’s word. It is for the equipping of the saints, the Believers. It’s not about what you can or can’t wear, how exciting the Pastor is, how long the music program is, etc. It’s about truth being taught. If truth is not taught, you should not be there. The only way you know and understand if truth is being taught is by learning God’s word and having sound discernment.

Are YOU thankful for these faithful men? Do you support them by attending services that they have spent many hours preparing for? After all, we only sit for maybe an hour or two out of our entire week. We devote more time to exercising, cleaning house, gardening, watching TV…you name It, than we do for Godly pursuits. And yes, I struggle with the same things. I too have to prioritize my life. I do know that I don’t want to stand before God and give a list of ‘things’ that were more important than Him. What about you?

How to Spot Fake Love. Another good post from the blog, ‘Hope Stands’ that I wanted to share. With all the weddings coming in June, it makes you think.

The Church Is Called To Be Churchy, So Deal With It. I wanted to share this on my site because I really appreciated what was said in this post.