A good question to ponder

While reading my bible or should I say while listening to my bible, I got to thinking that in Luke chapters 6 and 7 Jesus is telling us how things “actually work.” We often find ourselves doing things our own way and in our own strength and wondering why God is not with us or near us or answering us? We feel like we have been going two steps forward and one step back. Sometimes it is a season of life that we are going through and sometimes there is something more to it. Sometimes God lets us work it out and other times he waits for us to come to him when we are ready to hear him and do what he tells us to do.

In Luke Jesus tells us a story about building your house on the rock. How we should make the foundation on the rock so when the storms come (and they will come) and the wind blows we don’t get blown away. Jesus is saying, you know, you just can’t hear what I am saying, you have to do what I say. You have to live it, live it out in your life. Don’t smile and nod, do something, be active about what I am telling you.

So this is our challenge. We can’t mingle our will and God’s will together for a magic potion.  Sure sometimes it might work out, but sometimes it might not. Sometimes we are left wandering what happened and where’s God in our lives? Like life has punched us in the face and we are knocked out. Eventually like a house built on sand (or mingling God’s will and our will) the house will, or our lives will, or we will, surely collapse.

So Jesus is saying when you dig deep and lay your foundation on rock (on him) then when the storms of life come along you will be fine and you will not be shaken and you won’t be knocked out!

Jesus says in Luke 6:46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? We often want to call out to Jesus BUT we still don’t want to do what he says or do his will. We want to call him Lord and still be the Lord of our lives. What did Jesus mean when he says the word “Lord”? He meant Lord, as in “Lord and master.” Not our will be done but God’s will be done.

In the Farlex dictionary it defines Lord as:

1. A man of high rank in a feudal society or in one that retains feudal forms and institutions, especially:

a. A king.

b. A territorial magnate.

c. The proprietor of a manor.

2. Lords The House of Lords.

3. Abbr. Ld. Chiefly British The general masculine title of nobility and other rank:

a. Used as a form of address for a marquis, an earl, or a viscount.

b. Used as the usual style for a baron.

c. Used as a courtesy title for a younger son of a duke or marquis.

d. Used as a title for certain high officials and dignitaries: Lord Chamberlain; the Lord Mayor of London.

e. Used as a title for a bishop.

4. Lord

a. God.

b. Christianity Jesus.

5.

a. A man of renowned power or authority.

b. A man who has mastery in a given field or activity.

c. Archaic The male head of a household.

d. Archaic A husband.

I am suggesting that we can’t have two masters or two Lords of our lives. If we want to serve the Lord and do what God has asked us to do. We can only have one master. Only one master over our thoughts and decisions. We need to come before the “Lord” and put his will before our own. As you walk in the Lord, you will want to do God’s will, even over small matters. Don’t be too hard on yourself or others. There is no condemnation in Christ. We are all a work in progress and you certainly can not run before you can walk. It takes practice and time to submit to God and his perfect will. And be able to call him Lord and mean it, in every sense. He knows we will make mistakes, he knows our hearts. Thank the Lord that he is truly bigger than our  mistakes and stubbornness. I loved hearing Jesus be plain and ask a simple question in Luke 6:46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?. I wander if Jesus was frustrated or was thinking… argh. Let me make it simple for you!

I think it is a good question to ponder on.

From changing nappies to changing gears…

wow, doesn’t the years fly by so fast.

My eldest son “Lukas” is getting his driver’s license. It can be a little scary sometimes. Any parent can relate to what I am saying, I’m sure 🙂

You know ya think it is pretty scary watching your child learn to crawl. Then there is learning to wobble and walk but now I am finding it a little scary watching my son drive. Yes, drive an actual car, yes, a car that moves on the road. AND yes, you maybe driving on that very same road. It is a grey Nissan Pulsar… just in case you want a heads up on what to look out for 😉

He bought his first car and he is doing really well, he is quite a good new driver. He is doing 100 hours and he has another 20 hours to go before he gets his provisional license.

While he was driving a little point about what the consequences of being distracted came to mind.

Sure being distracted while driving a car can be dangerous sure BUT being distracted in life can be far more dangerous with HUGE consequences.

Lukas was indicating to go into the next lane. He was very diligent and was looking behind him. While he was looking behind a car came from a side road in front of his car, it darted out and was turning into the same lane at the same time into the same space. I could see that this would not turn out well. SO … I told Lukas calmly “don’t move… there is a car ahead!.” He very quickly stopped moving into the next lane and carried on in the current lane. He said “thanks mum.” Of course on the outside I was calm, cool and collected and on the inside… not so much.

In an instant when we are not paying attention or  when we are focusing in the wrong direction something catastrophic can occur. We need to always be alert and focus on our present surroundings before looking forward or look backwards. We need to let go of  what has been our past to make sure we can see what is ahead in our present and  future.

I wander how many times God has put his angels around us protecting us from disaster when we have not been paying attention? I know from my own life it has been many many times.

When we can focus on the right things at the right time imagine how the Lord can use US for his glory !!  I think we need to continually be aware and alert and on guard. The enemy may scheme and try to harm us but when we are alert and have our full armour on then the enemy will not and can not succeed. We need to turn our eyes upon Jesus. When we focus on God then we are always heading in the right direction. Look up to God and not down on our problems.

Even when we have trouble in this life, and we will. Don’t focus on problems or trouble. We only need to truly focus on the one with the solution to our problems. Turn our hearts, minds and thoughts on Jesus and he will help us see through our trouble or problems to become an overcomer in Christ. “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

You know that…

you have married a wonderful man when…

• he remembers your wedding anniversary and birthday without you leaving notes around the house or sending him emails.
• he (sometimes) lets you warm up your cold feet by putting them on him 🙂
• he gives you a rose for every year you have been married on your wedding anniversary AND doesn’t give you a rose for every year of your life for your birthday!
• he worries how he will afford buying roses on your 50th wedding anniversary.
• he loves you and you love him more than the day you were married.
• he makes you coffee every morning.
• he writes you love notes in cards.
• he puts my needs and the children’s needs ahead of his own everyday.
• he see’s past the wrinkles to your heart.
• he is the God-given father and teacher of your children.
• he loves you enough to let you be who God made you to be.
• he can be trusted with your heart.
• he laughs at your dumb jokes.
• he understands you when you haven’t said a word.
• he never leads where I am unwilling to follow.
• he loves me more than anyone on earth.
• when there is not enough time or space to write about how wonderful your husband truly is …

What kind of glasses do you wear…?

Today I was reading in Mark where Jesus is telling his disciples about how he will be leaving. James and John ask Jesus if they will sit beside him on the throne in heaven? Effectively James and John wanted to be with Jesus but they also wanted recognition and honour. They learn a lesson about how their lives, (and by extension also our lives) need to be completely focused on looking at everything with “Kingdom Eyes”. You know those scriptures about how “the first will be last” and “the last shall be first”. How we are to be servants and how Jesus came to serve and not to be served. Jesus gave his very life. Aren’t we suppose to do the same? Don’t we need to see our lives with Kingdom Eye’s and to see things as they truly are? If we focus on this world and on things in this world and look at life with earthly or worldly eyes, then we will always be disappointed. As Christians we don’t belong in this earthly kingdom we belong to God’s heavenly Kingdom and that is where our home is. It is not here on earth.

So do we live our lives to serve? In what manner do we serve God and in what way do we serve others? Or do we put ourselves first before serving God and others? Do we know what God’s will is for our lives and what he is wanting us to do? Do we know God well enough to know what he is wanting us to do and what he is wanting for our lives? Are we going to humble ourselves to be like Jesus and to serve as he served. Are we going to focus and see things as they really are with Kingdom Eye’s and give up our worldly wants, desires and live as Jesus did?

Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with living in this world. There is nothing wrong with having good things either. God loves us and wants good things for his children. What I am suggesting is to take a closer look at ourselves to make sure we are on track and doing God’s will and not our own will. We need to try not to be caught up buying, thinking, doing or focusing on the wrong things. If you want to have Kingdom Eye’s then you have to start looking through the right pair of glasses. Not glasses of this world but with God’s Eternal Glasses.