Hey folks,
My job, in the last few days, has got me thinking about the government and Jesus.....weird and strange combination, I know but, still something to blog/think about.....It is just odd to me, that to get things done at the business level, you have to go to the top, and even then, that doesn't work. In my job now I have to talk on the phone to managers/owners of different businesses in town. Which is fine, but when I ask them to do something, it's like they automatically say "OH, WELL WE CAN'T DO THAT...THAT'S DONE IN CORPORATE OFFICES...IN FLORIDA, OR INDIA....or wherever it may be....and then they give you an 800 number that puts you through an automated system, then you get transferred two or three different times to the correct person that you need to speak to, and then.....LOW AND BEHOLD, YOU GET....(drum roll please)...TA DA TA DA....THEIR ANSWERING MACHINE!!!! WOAH!!! WOW....now you have to speak to an answering machine where the person on the other line and easily delete your message or in some cases take a week to respond to you message......so this is corporate America.....what ever happened when you could walk into a business, and speak with the owner, and get things done, and not have to get the run around.....
I am SO THANKFUL AND GLAD that our Heavenly Father does not have an answering machine, or ever goes on vacation, or steps out of the office, or is to busy with other people to notice our prayers, our needs, our hurts, our desires......Our Lord CARES....truly I believe it, even if things don't work out the way we planned, or in the timing that we want it to!! It's like the Hillsong lyrics from Tear Down the Walls that say...
Cause I don't need to see it to believe it..
I don’t need to see it to believe it
Cause I can’t shake this fire burning Deep inside my heart
This life is Yours and hope is rising As Your glory floods our hearts
Let love tear down these walls That all creation would Come back to You It’s all for You
We don't have to see or have life planned out where we will be 5 or 10 years from now....I believe life is about letting God direct you to go, and then me having enough courage to follow wherever He is leading me......no matter if people understand it, no matter if people like me or not....no matter what the circumstance....I believe what the bible says in James 4:7-8, 10
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up
When we Draw near to God He will draw near to us.....but notice the bible does not say WHEN WE DRAW NEAR....it just says simply....DRAW NEAR....that is what we are to do.....it is not an IF/THEN situation.......the more I live the Christian life....and follow God, and the direction of the Holy Spirit.....the more things become a matter of just plain discipline.....and dependence.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Today: Location....Starbucks...my home away from home....
So I have been reading for my ISOM classes....I've spent more time that I'd like to at Starbucks reading, and reading....and reading some more.....but I believe good things happen when you read....YOU LEARN!! HEE-HEE!! IMAGINE THAT!!! but it is good to learn none-the-less!! but anyway....why is it that when you truly read the bible, you come away different....I believe that it should happen every time when we read God's inspired Word!!!! When I truly encounter Jesus when reading the scriptures....it changes me!!! or at least I want to change, and with the Holy Spirit leading I will!! :) but I think to change anything beyond ourselves, takes what the apostle Paul had....or exemplified in the bible.....Dependence, and Discipline!! Dependence on God...and Discipline to daily walk out His Christ-filled life with prayer and devotion to Our Creator!! I need that for sure!!!
Some Quotes/Thoughts from today:
"Opportunities should be approached in two ways--to seize them and to build them"
"Communicating Christ clearly involves both clarity and sincerity. Our message is not only WHAT we say, but also HOW we say it and who we ARE!"
Believers should pray in these ways:
1. pray specifically and regularly for non-believers we know
2. pray for divine appointments
3.pray for each other
BOTTOM LINE: PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES, AND FOR EVANGELISM!!!! Unless God works in our hears and lives, our work will not produce lasting results!!
Some Quotes/Thoughts from today:
"Opportunities should be approached in two ways--to seize them and to build them"
"Communicating Christ clearly involves both clarity and sincerity. Our message is not only WHAT we say, but also HOW we say it and who we ARE!"
Believers should pray in these ways:
1. pray specifically and regularly for non-believers we know
2. pray for divine appointments
3.pray for each other
BOTTOM LINE: PRAYER IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES, AND FOR EVANGELISM!!!! Unless God works in our hears and lives, our work will not produce lasting results!!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Just another day, Just another blog
Hey,
Just another blog,
I think the biggest and hardest thing sometimes to deal with and move on, and learn from in life, is when you feel like you've been abused, neglected, or taken advantage of. I think we've all experienced something similar at one point in our lives....and I can testify that it just hurts, plain and simple. It hurts my heart, my bones, not physically, but spiritually, in my soul....I feel like how David felt when he wrote the Psalms......I've realized that forgiveness sometimes is hard.....but this cannot be a window to immediately forgive another person and for them to have that right to use and abuse you again, either.....I've realized I have to stand my ground, so if this means I have to tell everyone no, and that I can't help them....SO WHAT!! I'm doing it now, partly for my own sanity, and can I just say that Jesus is the FIRST person who should be helping them anyway, if they are a Christian!! We should NOT have to be responsible and save their life, by giving our life and everything we have away!!!!! I also feel that if we do do that, most people are never truly grateful, or thankful, or at least do not seem to show it....I think our society has trouble showing our thankfulness to others....
In this though, I've realized to look at things from God's eyes, when I get an attitude that is not Christ-like.....How many times have I abused Christ in my life......How many times have I left Christ hanging, or blown Him off....(like doing laundry is THAT important!!) I've realized that God loves me with a GREAT, ETERNAL, PASSIONATE, EVER LASTING, UN-ASHAMED, UNFORGIVING, DEEP, FATHER-LIKE, UNTAMED, BURNING, AND AMAZING LOVE........ok now to just think about how incredibly much God loves us is just CRAZY, and almost not enough words could accurately describe His love....to truly realize God has always loved us from the beginning of time, and will always love us until the end of the age....is just unthinkable!!! BUT.....then to also realize that He loves everyone the same.....that the foot of the cross is level when Jesus looked out and saw us.....that I am no better off that the person standing next to me.....is humbling......God's love is what keeps me going.....I tell you what, I KNOW that if it wasn't for God's AMAZING LOVE I would not be alive today. LOVE is what changes things.....when you harbor hatred and bitterness inside of you, it's like drinking poison and just sitting around waiting for the other person to die!!!! IT DOESN'T HAPPEN!!! DUH!!!!!!! SO WE NEED TO STOP THIS!!! I NEED TO STOP THIS!!!! We are not serving Christ and loving others when we do this!!!!!
Peace, Love and Grace,
Crystal
Just another blog,
I think the biggest and hardest thing sometimes to deal with and move on, and learn from in life, is when you feel like you've been abused, neglected, or taken advantage of. I think we've all experienced something similar at one point in our lives....and I can testify that it just hurts, plain and simple. It hurts my heart, my bones, not physically, but spiritually, in my soul....I feel like how David felt when he wrote the Psalms......I've realized that forgiveness sometimes is hard.....but this cannot be a window to immediately forgive another person and for them to have that right to use and abuse you again, either.....I've realized I have to stand my ground, so if this means I have to tell everyone no, and that I can't help them....SO WHAT!! I'm doing it now, partly for my own sanity, and can I just say that Jesus is the FIRST person who should be helping them anyway, if they are a Christian!! We should NOT have to be responsible and save their life, by giving our life and everything we have away!!!!! I also feel that if we do do that, most people are never truly grateful, or thankful, or at least do not seem to show it....I think our society has trouble showing our thankfulness to others....
In this though, I've realized to look at things from God's eyes, when I get an attitude that is not Christ-like.....How many times have I abused Christ in my life......How many times have I left Christ hanging, or blown Him off....(like doing laundry is THAT important!!) I've realized that God loves me with a GREAT, ETERNAL, PASSIONATE, EVER LASTING, UN-ASHAMED, UNFORGIVING, DEEP, FATHER-LIKE, UNTAMED, BURNING, AND AMAZING LOVE........ok now to just think about how incredibly much God loves us is just CRAZY, and almost not enough words could accurately describe His love....to truly realize God has always loved us from the beginning of time, and will always love us until the end of the age....is just unthinkable!!! BUT.....then to also realize that He loves everyone the same.....that the foot of the cross is level when Jesus looked out and saw us.....that I am no better off that the person standing next to me.....is humbling......God's love is what keeps me going.....I tell you what, I KNOW that if it wasn't for God's AMAZING LOVE I would not be alive today. LOVE is what changes things.....when you harbor hatred and bitterness inside of you, it's like drinking poison and just sitting around waiting for the other person to die!!!! IT DOESN'T HAPPEN!!! DUH!!!!!!! SO WE NEED TO STOP THIS!!! I NEED TO STOP THIS!!!! We are not serving Christ and loving others when we do this!!!!!
Peace, Love and Grace,
Crystal
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