Responsibility

What a bummer. I just lost my first draft of this. So here it goes again. For some time now, God has been teaching me about what he loves and hates. One of the character qualities he loves is responsibility, while its opposite laziness is detestable to him. Laziness as well as excuses concerning laziness are sin. So is procrastination.

For years instead of being led by the Good Shepherd, I was driven by the enemy. Our precious Savior isn't most concerned with speed, but with obedience, desiring believers develop an ever deepening relationship with him and learn to discern his voice from the voice of the enemy. We are to let the peace of God rule in our hearts and not rush into an action we don't have his peaceful knowing that it is the right course to pursue. 

We are not called to be human doings, even in getting out the gospel, but human beings, who have our priorities in order and know our Lord's seasons for our lives. There is a time to work and a time to rest. Without down times we burn out. That is why taking one day a week to cease from our everyday labor and fellowship with him and other believers is so important.

Also opening our day with prayer for wisdom concerning our daily activities and his anointing on them is most important. As we continue through the day, we need to seek guidance concerning the moment by moment decisions we have to make.

The eternal kingdom will be simple, lovely, pure and right. We are a three part being consisting of body, soul and spirit. Clutter in any one of the three indicates clutter or unresolved issues in all three of them. Clutter overwhelms, steals our peace, prevents us from hearing God's voice most accurately and being the most effective in all that we do. Excessive belongings or stuff which is never satisfying is usually a counterfeit for the truly satisfying relationships with our Master and other believers that God intended to fulfill us.   

Our Messiah is preparing us to rule and reign with him eternally. In order to merit such responsibility, we have to prove ourselves trustworthy while on earth. As  they are the truest indicator of the thoughts and intentions of our hearts, our actions really do speak louder than our words. God doesn't call just anyone his friend, but only those who are willing to do the work necessary to develop an ever deepening relationship with him.

RESPONSIBILITY

For years,

God has been showing me,

What he loves,

Also what he hates,

He detests laziness,

But loves responsibility,

God's kingdom is coming,

Soon it will be here,

Believers are being prepared,

To rule and reign,

With the King of kings,

There is no higher honor,

To be trusted with authority,

We need to act responsibly,

Obey God's commands,

Have our house in order,

Be cleaning out our clutter,

Simplifying our lives,

Developing relationships,

With him,

And set apart believers,

Not substituting stuff,

The unsatisfying counterfeit,

For the satisfying real thing,

Stop making excuses,

For our laziness,

Learn to discern his voice,

From the enemies,

Refuse to be driven,

But rather be led,

Knowing the seasons,

The time to work,

And the time to rest.

When God is In Control

In the stoic German household I grew up in, emotions such as crying were frowned upon. Instead you were tough, took matters into your own hands and did what was necessary to fix the situation. More often than not my stinking thinking caused me to mess things up even worse. Having developed an ever deepening relationship with my Good Shepherd, I've found out that I don't have to put on a tough facade and that it is OK to cry. Boy, did I shed a lot of tears for a while. Since he is all knowing, there is nothing I can hide from him anyway. Nor would I want to. The enemy is the one who beats you up with your sins, the Savior forgives and restores relationships. Over the years, I've learned to trust again. 

Even with the best of intentions, sinful humans that we all are, we will at times fail each other. Not so my Messiah, who promises to never leave or forsake me. The testimony of my life is that in the way and measure that I've needed him my Jesus (Yahshua in the Hebrew) has always been there for me. He's never rushed me faster than I am able to go. Healing and setting free is like pealing off the layers of an onion. One layer at a time the onion is pealed, healing tears and all, and as our flesh dies, we become an ever more brilliant reflection of the Master.  

When God is in control no matter how nasty it looks, everything is in control. God's past faithfulness produces assurance as to his future provision.

WHEN GOD IS IN CONTROL

When God is in control,

Though it may not seem so,

Our flesh may protest,

Things look bleak,

Everything is in control,

Our all in all,

The all powerful one,

Who is all wise,

Perfect love,

Knows what's best for us,

His timing is flawless,

Waiting can be tough,

Our flesh detests it,

Wants too fix it,

Get it over with,

But only makes it worse,

But the God who sees,

Leads us step by step,

Changing us into his image,

The promise keeper,

Never leaves or forsakes us,

Provides our every need,

When too weak to walk,

Our Good Shepherd carries us,

Uses every trial for good,

Turns each test,

Into a testimony!