A few months ago I had a car accident. I was in the far left side of a double turning lane. There was another car in the right lane and no one in front of either one of us. As I went to pass the car on the right, still in my lane, he decided to join me. He hit my passenger door.
I was so baffled because I couldn't figure out why he decided to change lanes when they were both turning lanes and neither one had a line of cars ahead of us.
We both stopped and I said to him, still confused, “you just hit me” he answered back, just as confused, “I know” I said “I just washed my car!”
Thankfully no one was hurt and I ended up sharing Jesus with the adjuster who came to look at my car, thank you Lord!
I tell you this because before the accident I didn't pay a lot of attention to the car next to me when I was driving down a road. I was pretty confident in my driving skills.
Since the accident I find at times I'm almost paranoid when I see a car come too close to me or the line dividing us.
I mean really, how is that one white line or two yellow lines going to stop a car? I get a bit nervous when I'm changing lanes and I triple check before I move over.
I hope this will eventually go away because it's, well it's annoying .
It got me thinking about people. You know people you meet and get close to and before you know it someone has gone over a line and you crash.
Either one of you is injured or both of you are.
Some crashes are worse than others. Sometimes you have an incident with a friend, relative, loved one or coworker and you lick your wounds and move on. Other times the injury takes a little longer to heal and sometimes it's a fatality and your relationship is over.
What happens when your on the road again? When you meet someone else do you become paranoid that they are going to cross the line and you will crash with them too?
Do you double and triple check before you let them get close to you to avoid another “accident”?
I wondered in my own life how many people I passed by because there was a chance I might get injured.
How many people took the hit for the person that actually caused my emotional wreck?
Do we get paranoid and think someone right out of the possibility of having a friendship or relationship with them?
If your not careful your life can become more like bumper cars, just slamming into one relationship then into another. Taking or giving a hit then moving on as fast as possible.
Or maybe your more like a NASCAR driver. Looking all spiffy and cool but never slowing down long enough to actually meet the other drivers.
I wonder what kind of lines we have drawn that a person cannot cross over. Some are good lines made by past experience but others are more like road blocks.
Life is a ride there's no doubt about that. We definitely need to exercise caution but let's not decide everyone is a wreck waiting to happen.
Years ago my friend and I were sharing stories telling the reasons we broke up with men we were dating. It seemed there was something wrong with every man we went out with. She was telling me about a guy she ran into that she dated and how he looked so great and what a nice guy he was. I asked her “why did you break up with him again?” and she said “because he had a post office box.” I said “didn't he work for the post office?”
We both laughed and laughed at how crazy that sounded. She went on to explain, but it's one of those you had to be there kind of stories.
I tell you this because there wasn't something wrong with every guy we dated, there was something wrong with us.
We were driving with hazard lights, bright lights and sirens. We were more like a tow truck hauling our past wrecks along with us. No one had a chance.
Gems I guess what I'm trying to say here is use wisdom in all your relationships but don't be such a defensive driver that you miss out on meeting some amazing people.
Don't junk a perfectly good vehicle just because it occasionally breaks down. Even the most dependable car needs a tune up.
Slow down and enjoy the ride. It's always better to share it with someone, whether it be a friend or possible spouse.
Allow yourself to take new journeys with a clean slate and allow others to have a clean slate too.
Everyday with Jesus is a new ride. Thank God He doesn't bail on us every time we need an ambulance to pick us up or the person we ran over.
If your not ready to get back in the driver seat that's OK. Just pull into the nearest rest stop and spend time healing.
When your ready, get back on the road and flow with the traffic. Be courteous to your fellow drivers and let people in when you can.
Before you decide to get back on the road of life ask yourself, how's my driving? And if you get the green light proceed with caution but don't be a traffic jam.
Gena's Jewels Keeper of The Testimony available on Amazon
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Purpose Of A Gift
I was reading in Exodus 25 (New JPS translation) this morning and the first few verses really got my attention.
The LORD spoke to Moses saying: "Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him. And these are the gifts you shall accept from them: gold, silver and copper; blue, purple and crimson yarns, fine linen; goats' hair, tanned ram skins,dolphin skins, and acacia wood; oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense; lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. Exactly as I show you- the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings-so shall you make it.
God was telling the Isrealites what supplies they would need to build the ark of the covenant. This is where He would dwell as they traveled.
The blueprint for the dwelling place was divinely given by God. The part I want to talk about is the free will gifts to build it.
The materials used came from every person whose heart so moved him to give.
Today, because of Jesus Christ, God's tabernacle is us. He dwells in us but the same rule applies. The tabernacle is built by each person who is so moved to invite Him in.
The part of the verse that really hit me was God asked the people to bring gifts. It's not like God needed man, He could have built it Himself. He was working with man, co-dwelling with him. Allowing man to work with God for a divine plan. He is still doing that today.
We are to use (bring) our gifts today for Kingdom building. The blueprint is still divinely ordained by the word of God but the materials are still mans gifts.
A few years ago I was at a Pastor's conference and the speaker asked what was an acceptable number of people I thought should go to hell? Was it 100, 50, 25 even 1? My answer of course was 0.
The Holy Spirit then said to me “Gena you have talents that you use in the business world to make money. You use them to some extent for reaching the lost but mostly you use them to make a living. I need you to use those gifts to share Jesus with others.”
I'm not saying it's wrong to use your gifts and talents for work it's actually the best thing to do. If your working in a place where you naturally fit you'll enjoy your job a lot more.
The above scripture listed some of the types of gifts the people should bring like gold, silver, copper, achaia wood, fine linen and goats hair.
You may think the person who had the gold was way more important than the person with the goats hair since gold would appear to be more valuable, but you would be wrong.
If God asked for goats hair then it was still NEEDED in order to complete the divine blueprint. All the materials were created by God but man had possession of them so what you had was needed.
Today the gifts are a bit different.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
You have one of these gifts whether you admit it or not. If you have asked Jesus to live in your temple (body) then you were given the Holy Spirit and He gives the gifts as He determines.
You may be saying I have faith but I definitely don't have the gift of miraculous powers so I better leave the evangelism thing to those more qualified.
If that's what you think than again you would be wrong.
Every gift is NEEDED to build the Kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 12:14-20 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
Bottom line here Gems is you have a gift to give and no one is more important than another.
I want you to imagine for a moment God speaking to you directly and asking you this question.
Your name “what is an acceptable number for you of people that should go to Hell?
Will you bring me your gift? If you will, I will accept it and use it to bring people to Jesus?”
There will be a day when we will ALL see Jesus face to face and He will asks us what we did with the gifts He gave us. What will your answer be?
What's the purpose of a gift? Could be the difference between someone having eternal life with God or not.
Please open your gift, give it to God and allow the Holy Spirit to do amazing things with it. You are the building material God is asking to use!
The LORD spoke to Moses saying: "Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves him. And these are the gifts you shall accept from them: gold, silver and copper; blue, purple and crimson yarns, fine linen; goats' hair, tanned ram skins,dolphin skins, and acacia wood; oil for lighting, spices for the anointing oil and for the aromatic incense; lapis lazuli and other stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. Exactly as I show you- the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings-so shall you make it.
God was telling the Isrealites what supplies they would need to build the ark of the covenant. This is where He would dwell as they traveled.
The blueprint for the dwelling place was divinely given by God. The part I want to talk about is the free will gifts to build it.
The materials used came from every person whose heart so moved him to give.
Today, because of Jesus Christ, God's tabernacle is us. He dwells in us but the same rule applies. The tabernacle is built by each person who is so moved to invite Him in.
The part of the verse that really hit me was God asked the people to bring gifts. It's not like God needed man, He could have built it Himself. He was working with man, co-dwelling with him. Allowing man to work with God for a divine plan. He is still doing that today.
We are to use (bring) our gifts today for Kingdom building. The blueprint is still divinely ordained by the word of God but the materials are still mans gifts.
A few years ago I was at a Pastor's conference and the speaker asked what was an acceptable number of people I thought should go to hell? Was it 100, 50, 25 even 1? My answer of course was 0.
The Holy Spirit then said to me “Gena you have talents that you use in the business world to make money. You use them to some extent for reaching the lost but mostly you use them to make a living. I need you to use those gifts to share Jesus with others.”
I'm not saying it's wrong to use your gifts and talents for work it's actually the best thing to do. If your working in a place where you naturally fit you'll enjoy your job a lot more.
The above scripture listed some of the types of gifts the people should bring like gold, silver, copper, achaia wood, fine linen and goats hair.
You may think the person who had the gold was way more important than the person with the goats hair since gold would appear to be more valuable, but you would be wrong.
If God asked for goats hair then it was still NEEDED in order to complete the divine blueprint. All the materials were created by God but man had possession of them so what you had was needed.
Today the gifts are a bit different.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
You have one of these gifts whether you admit it or not. If you have asked Jesus to live in your temple (body) then you were given the Holy Spirit and He gives the gifts as He determines.
You may be saying I have faith but I definitely don't have the gift of miraculous powers so I better leave the evangelism thing to those more qualified.
If that's what you think than again you would be wrong.
Every gift is NEEDED to build the Kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 12:14-20 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
Bottom line here Gems is you have a gift to give and no one is more important than another.
I want you to imagine for a moment God speaking to you directly and asking you this question.
Your name “what is an acceptable number for you of people that should go to Hell?
Will you bring me your gift? If you will, I will accept it and use it to bring people to Jesus?”
There will be a day when we will ALL see Jesus face to face and He will asks us what we did with the gifts He gave us. What will your answer be?
What's the purpose of a gift? Could be the difference between someone having eternal life with God or not.
Please open your gift, give it to God and allow the Holy Spirit to do amazing things with it. You are the building material God is asking to use!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Whose On Your Ark?
A couple of years ago I was at a church service and the Pastor used a clip from the movie Evan Almighty in his message. At the end of the service the Holy Spirit said “Ark” to me. I was like yea I saw the movie it was pretty funny. The Holy Spirit again said “Ark.” I got a little nervous this time and said “yes I heard. I know your not telling me to build one, ha ha.. ..RIGHT???
He went on to ask me what the Ark represented and I said it saved Noah and his family's life.
I knew the Holy Spirit wasn't asking because He hadn't heard the story so I wondered where we were going with this.
He reminded me the sad part of that story is, other than the animals, it only saved Noah and his family.
The Lord kept that word in my mind and heart for a few days and showed me many different situations that could represent an ark. He said every time we help each other we are helping to save a life. By giving a person hope when they feel there is none.
It could be as simple as a kind word or helping a person move. Visiting someone in the hospital or consoling someone who just lost a family member.
I didn't share this conversation with anyone and just looked for different ways to be an Ark to someone.
My oldest daughter Amanda had a friend she was bringing to church at the time. He was a baby Christian and was having a hard time understanding the concept of God talking to him.
He called me one day and was so excited because it happened, God spoke to him!
I was like that's great! What did He say?
He went on to tell me he was in Orlando at City Walk and he saw something in a gift shop and God told him to buy it for me.
I of course told him he was right. Anything that had to do with buying me gifts was definitely from God :)
I asked him what it was and he said he wanted to wait and show it to me.
A few days later Amanda came by my house and said she had the gift her friend bought for me.
She held out her hand and guess what was in it?
A leather bracelet that said ARK!
I couldn't believe it. They had no idea about my conversation with the Holy Spirit!
It gets better. I wore this bracelet all the time. I hardly ever took it off.
It was so special to me that the Lord sent it and it confirmed to me that we really did have the whole ark conversation.
Gems, I sometimes think I might be crazy so I need these confirmations.
Like I said I wore my Ark bracelet everyday and one day I looked at my arm and it was gone.
I couldn't believe it, I was heart broken.
I searched for days every where I could think of but couldn't find it. I didn't want to tell my daughter I lost my Jesus bracelet, I felt so irresponsible. I finally went to Amanda practically crying and confessed I lost my bracelet.
She just looked at me kind of puzzled and said “don't worry about it, he bought 2 of them you can have the other one now.”
That's how well Jesus knows me, He knew I was going to lose that bracelet and how upset I would be about it. Is God good or what?
The Lord later went on to share with me the importance of the Ark in Noah's day but more importantly the ark, so to speak, in our current day.
Telling you about the bracelet is a cool God story but if I don't use it as a reminder to reach people for Jesus then it lost it's true meaning.
Matthew 24:36-44 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Gems, I know I have said these things to you before but I don't think it can be said enough.
God put it on my heart that each one of us is building our own personal Ark and we should all be getting as many people on board as possible.
We don't know when Jesus is going to return but we do know HE IS!
God gave me this visual of being in a boat and there's people floating in the water and I'm trying to pull as many in the boat with me as I can.
People are still living their lives, working, vacationing getting married, eating and drinking, just like in Noah's day. They still have no idea that Christ is going to return. When they figure it out it will be too late, they will have missed the boat.
How are they going to feel if they find out their best friend is gone and didn't bring them along?
I'm not saying they will have lost their only chance to live in Heaven with you, but they will have to go through the last days and if you actually read Revelation you know they won't be fun.
I wear my bracelet often to remind me I'm the captain of my Ark and I want to make sure it's jammed packed with people.
Don't be like Noah and just have you and your family and a bunch of animals on your boat. Start asking yourself today, whose on my Ark?
He went on to ask me what the Ark represented and I said it saved Noah and his family's life.
I knew the Holy Spirit wasn't asking because He hadn't heard the story so I wondered where we were going with this.
He reminded me the sad part of that story is, other than the animals, it only saved Noah and his family.
The Lord kept that word in my mind and heart for a few days and showed me many different situations that could represent an ark. He said every time we help each other we are helping to save a life. By giving a person hope when they feel there is none.
It could be as simple as a kind word or helping a person move. Visiting someone in the hospital or consoling someone who just lost a family member.
I didn't share this conversation with anyone and just looked for different ways to be an Ark to someone.
My oldest daughter Amanda had a friend she was bringing to church at the time. He was a baby Christian and was having a hard time understanding the concept of God talking to him.
He called me one day and was so excited because it happened, God spoke to him!
I was like that's great! What did He say?
He went on to tell me he was in Orlando at City Walk and he saw something in a gift shop and God told him to buy it for me.
I of course told him he was right. Anything that had to do with buying me gifts was definitely from God :)
I asked him what it was and he said he wanted to wait and show it to me.
A few days later Amanda came by my house and said she had the gift her friend bought for me.
She held out her hand and guess what was in it?
A leather bracelet that said ARK!
I couldn't believe it. They had no idea about my conversation with the Holy Spirit!
It gets better. I wore this bracelet all the time. I hardly ever took it off.
It was so special to me that the Lord sent it and it confirmed to me that we really did have the whole ark conversation.
Gems, I sometimes think I might be crazy so I need these confirmations.
Like I said I wore my Ark bracelet everyday and one day I looked at my arm and it was gone.
I couldn't believe it, I was heart broken.
I searched for days every where I could think of but couldn't find it. I didn't want to tell my daughter I lost my Jesus bracelet, I felt so irresponsible. I finally went to Amanda practically crying and confessed I lost my bracelet.
She just looked at me kind of puzzled and said “don't worry about it, he bought 2 of them you can have the other one now.”
That's how well Jesus knows me, He knew I was going to lose that bracelet and how upset I would be about it. Is God good or what?
The Lord later went on to share with me the importance of the Ark in Noah's day but more importantly the ark, so to speak, in our current day.
Telling you about the bracelet is a cool God story but if I don't use it as a reminder to reach people for Jesus then it lost it's true meaning.
Matthew 24:36-44 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
Gems, I know I have said these things to you before but I don't think it can be said enough.
God put it on my heart that each one of us is building our own personal Ark and we should all be getting as many people on board as possible.
We don't know when Jesus is going to return but we do know HE IS!
God gave me this visual of being in a boat and there's people floating in the water and I'm trying to pull as many in the boat with me as I can.
People are still living their lives, working, vacationing getting married, eating and drinking, just like in Noah's day. They still have no idea that Christ is going to return. When they figure it out it will be too late, they will have missed the boat.
How are they going to feel if they find out their best friend is gone and didn't bring them along?
I'm not saying they will have lost their only chance to live in Heaven with you, but they will have to go through the last days and if you actually read Revelation you know they won't be fun.
I wear my bracelet often to remind me I'm the captain of my Ark and I want to make sure it's jammed packed with people.
Don't be like Noah and just have you and your family and a bunch of animals on your boat. Start asking yourself today, whose on my Ark?
Monday, July 5, 2010
Life On The Rock
Is it a coincidence that the word life has the word if in it? There's a lot of what ifs in our life. What if I can't find a job, what if I lose my home, what if my spouse leaves, what if I can't find a spouse, what if I get sick, what if I don't get better, and so the list goes.
I have my own share of what ifs. The ones at the top of my list right now are what if I lose my mind dealing with my mothers Alzheimer. What if my father actually hears what I say under my breath :)
What if I can't find help for my parents.
I have shared in other jewels my dilemma with my mothers condition and my father being extremely hard of hearing and beginning dementia.
My father's doctor had me take him for a hearing test. If you have any dealings with the VA system you know any day at the VA is a long day...
My conversation with my father goes like this (me) I need to take you for a hearing test. (him) what? (Me) we need to go to the VA for a hearing test (him) I don't need rest. (me in a loud voice) A HEARING TEST (him) why the beep beep are you yelling I can hear you. (Me) get in the car (him) what's too far? What the beep beeps the matter with you?(me) saying something under my breath.
The end result, we go to the appointment and they tell me my father needs the hearing aids (he has and doesn't wear) because he has a hearing loss.... No kidding.
He also had to have an eye test in order to keep his drivers license.
As he's sitting in the exam chair with this contraption attached to his face the letters show up on the wall. My father is struggling to see and complaining that the beep beep signs on the road are not that small. At the same time my mother is sitting next to me thinking the test is for her so she is saying out loud “A,V,M, 3,T.” My father still failed because he could not hear her.
Conversation with my mother is a bit more humorous but just as frustrating.
My mother has an appointment for cataract surgery, the problem is she needs eye drops put in 3 days before and 2 days after surgery.
This means someone has to be at my parents house a total of 6 days.
My father insist he can do it because he's not a beep beep idiot and doesn't want to pay for someone to come and help.
My mom needs one eye drop three times a day and the other one 4 times a day. I have the bottles marked with 3x and 4x in black marker.
We were supposed to start on the 4th so I call to remind them.
Our phone conversation goes something like this. (me) mom you need to start the eye drops today. One eye drop 3x a day and the other 4x. (mom) on the 7th? (me) no today, the surgery is on the 7th. (mom) You mean start on the 3rd and 4th. (me) no on the 4th 3x a day (mom)what about the 1st and 2nd? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
It truly is an Abbott and Costello “whose on first” every time I talk to them.
(for you younger gems go to YouTube and type “Abbott and Costello whose on first” you more seasoned gems will get a good laugh too )
I think of this skit every time I talk to my parents.
I am working again so being able to go to my parents house every time I'm needed is not possible as they live over an hour away from me.
To add to my situation a kind hearted soul felt the need to turn me into the Elderly Services abuse hot line. The case worker went to their home and saw it was in order and my parents are not being neglected but now he calls me weekly to find out how I'm going to “fix” the situation.
I asked if them moving in with him was an option.
After another frustrating conversation with my mother this morning I cried out to the Lord that I needed help.
As always the Lord starts by giving me good advice. The scripture I got was Matthew 7:24-25 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
The verses before these are Jesus giving us instructions in relation to money, anxiety, judging and prayer among other things. Any answer you need on the what ifs is in the Bible.
Jesus says if you not only listen but put into practice what He's telling you, then when the storms of life or what ifs come you won't fall because your house is built on the rock.
It doesn't say if they come it says when.
The first thing you have to do is make sure your relationship with the Lord is on a solid foundation.
I know I have that relationship and it's solid.
For me it was a great reminder that this storm of what ifs may beat against my house but I will not collapse.
I don't have the answer right this minute to what will happen with my parents but I know God does.
My part is to read the Bible and make sure I'm following God's teachings ,that is my responsibility.
I need to focus on the things I can do not the things I can't.
I'll be honest with you, I was really freaking out this morning. I called one of my sisters and told her I could not handle this on my own. Actually what I said was “I'm done!”
I could feel my heart begin to race and I had that overwhelming feeling come over me. The I have no money thing came into my mind and the what if's began. I had taken the situation out of God's hands and put it back into mine.
God is so faithful. After I read my Bible I got the daily word on my email. This is what it said.
July 5, 2010. What is going on? You are searching for answers. But confusion has come. This has affected your peace of mind. You have begun to rely excessively upon your intellect and reason. The Lord says rely not on your own thinking or wisdom. You have been given the mind of Christ. You are hidden in Him and He lives within you. Therefore, your resources are without limit to gain supernatural knowledge of all things pertaining to you. God's wisdom is a free and an abundant gift. Settle down here beside Me. Everything is alright in the Father's house. You are here with Me and I am with you.
Ras Robinson
It was instant smile time. I just laughed and thanked the Lord for speaking to me so quickly. I needed conversation and He provided it. God is so good.
FYI the verses following come with a warning 26-27 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
It would make sense that the results of our decisions will have different outcomes.
How many times have you felt like your world was crashing? How many times have you gone to friends and they are so overwhelmed with their own storm they can't possibly help you?
The difference between the 2 decisions could mean more or less of a peaceful life.
So Gems my word of wisdom for you today is read Matthew 7 and put into practice Jesus' words. When your next storm of what ifs hits your foundation wont fall because you are standing on the rock.
If your life isn't built on the rock, better known as Jesus Christ I encourage you to change that.
If it is let me remind you there's no ifs ands or butts to big for our God.
Let's all live life on the Rock!
I have my own share of what ifs. The ones at the top of my list right now are what if I lose my mind dealing with my mothers Alzheimer. What if my father actually hears what I say under my breath :)
What if I can't find help for my parents.
I have shared in other jewels my dilemma with my mothers condition and my father being extremely hard of hearing and beginning dementia.
My father's doctor had me take him for a hearing test. If you have any dealings with the VA system you know any day at the VA is a long day...
My conversation with my father goes like this (me) I need to take you for a hearing test. (him) what? (Me) we need to go to the VA for a hearing test (him) I don't need rest. (me in a loud voice) A HEARING TEST (him) why the beep beep are you yelling I can hear you. (Me) get in the car (him) what's too far? What the beep beeps the matter with you?(me) saying something under my breath.
The end result, we go to the appointment and they tell me my father needs the hearing aids (he has and doesn't wear) because he has a hearing loss.... No kidding.
He also had to have an eye test in order to keep his drivers license.
As he's sitting in the exam chair with this contraption attached to his face the letters show up on the wall. My father is struggling to see and complaining that the beep beep signs on the road are not that small. At the same time my mother is sitting next to me thinking the test is for her so she is saying out loud “A,V,M, 3,T.” My father still failed because he could not hear her.
Conversation with my mother is a bit more humorous but just as frustrating.
My mother has an appointment for cataract surgery, the problem is she needs eye drops put in 3 days before and 2 days after surgery.
This means someone has to be at my parents house a total of 6 days.
My father insist he can do it because he's not a beep beep idiot and doesn't want to pay for someone to come and help.
My mom needs one eye drop three times a day and the other one 4 times a day. I have the bottles marked with 3x and 4x in black marker.
We were supposed to start on the 4th so I call to remind them.
Our phone conversation goes something like this. (me) mom you need to start the eye drops today. One eye drop 3x a day and the other 4x. (mom) on the 7th? (me) no today, the surgery is on the 7th. (mom) You mean start on the 3rd and 4th. (me) no on the 4th 3x a day (mom)what about the 1st and 2nd? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
It truly is an Abbott and Costello “whose on first” every time I talk to them.
(for you younger gems go to YouTube and type “Abbott and Costello whose on first” you more seasoned gems will get a good laugh too )
I think of this skit every time I talk to my parents.
I am working again so being able to go to my parents house every time I'm needed is not possible as they live over an hour away from me.
To add to my situation a kind hearted soul felt the need to turn me into the Elderly Services abuse hot line. The case worker went to their home and saw it was in order and my parents are not being neglected but now he calls me weekly to find out how I'm going to “fix” the situation.
I asked if them moving in with him was an option.
After another frustrating conversation with my mother this morning I cried out to the Lord that I needed help.
As always the Lord starts by giving me good advice. The scripture I got was Matthew 7:24-25 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
The verses before these are Jesus giving us instructions in relation to money, anxiety, judging and prayer among other things. Any answer you need on the what ifs is in the Bible.
Jesus says if you not only listen but put into practice what He's telling you, then when the storms of life or what ifs come you won't fall because your house is built on the rock.
It doesn't say if they come it says when.
The first thing you have to do is make sure your relationship with the Lord is on a solid foundation.
I know I have that relationship and it's solid.
For me it was a great reminder that this storm of what ifs may beat against my house but I will not collapse.
I don't have the answer right this minute to what will happen with my parents but I know God does.
My part is to read the Bible and make sure I'm following God's teachings ,that is my responsibility.
I need to focus on the things I can do not the things I can't.
I'll be honest with you, I was really freaking out this morning. I called one of my sisters and told her I could not handle this on my own. Actually what I said was “I'm done!”
I could feel my heart begin to race and I had that overwhelming feeling come over me. The I have no money thing came into my mind and the what if's began. I had taken the situation out of God's hands and put it back into mine.
God is so faithful. After I read my Bible I got the daily word on my email. This is what it said.
July 5, 2010. What is going on? You are searching for answers. But confusion has come. This has affected your peace of mind. You have begun to rely excessively upon your intellect and reason. The Lord says rely not on your own thinking or wisdom. You have been given the mind of Christ. You are hidden in Him and He lives within you. Therefore, your resources are without limit to gain supernatural knowledge of all things pertaining to you. God's wisdom is a free and an abundant gift. Settle down here beside Me. Everything is alright in the Father's house. You are here with Me and I am with you.
Ras Robinson
It was instant smile time. I just laughed and thanked the Lord for speaking to me so quickly. I needed conversation and He provided it. God is so good.
FYI the verses following come with a warning 26-27 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
It would make sense that the results of our decisions will have different outcomes.
How many times have you felt like your world was crashing? How many times have you gone to friends and they are so overwhelmed with their own storm they can't possibly help you?
The difference between the 2 decisions could mean more or less of a peaceful life.
So Gems my word of wisdom for you today is read Matthew 7 and put into practice Jesus' words. When your next storm of what ifs hits your foundation wont fall because you are standing on the rock.
If your life isn't built on the rock, better known as Jesus Christ I encourage you to change that.
If it is let me remind you there's no ifs ands or butts to big for our God.
Let's all live life on the Rock!