Write On Time

A MATTER OF THE HEART

Today I may step on some toes but that’s okay. It is not my intention to offend anyone; instead I want to plead with you.  The other day while listening to a conversation, a person was saying how they have raised thousands of dollars to give to an animal shelter so animals could be rescued and not euthanized. Now don’t get me wrong, I think that’s great! I love animals and do not want to see any of them killed. However, I found myself wondering where this person’s heart is when it comes to the unborn. I don’t know because I cannot see the condition of anyone’s heart. Only God can do that. I find it unimaginable that we as a people would actually value the life of an animal higher than that of a child.  I then began to think about the country in which we live. By the staggering number of babies aborted each day, I think that it is evident of the condition of our hearts. How can we be a people that participate in this horrific act? What are we doing? What have we become? Let’s at least have the courage to call it for what it really is. Abortion is murder, it's taking someone's life.  How can we shake our heads when we hear about a murder on the evening news each night and not own up to what we are allowing to happen in abortion mills every day? How can we just go about our business and turn and look the other way? How can we condone such a thing?  We as a society are so deceived into believing that this is a quick fix to a problem. That it’s our choice; our right and we can get it over with and move on with our lives. That is such a lie! Whether you are of the opinion that life begins at conception or later on, it is still a human being and has every right to live. It is a child that God has thought up, planned for and formed with His own hands. The bible says "For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works , and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them." Psalm 139:13-16 (NASB)

Currently in our country it is time once again to elect officials into office and its important prior to voting that you learn all the facts on each candidate. As a Christian it is very important that I look first at the values and morals of each candidate. How is it that we can overlook one’s stand on this issue when choosing someone to serve us in a political office? 

Children are precious to God and I know that He must be so grieved over the babies that are sacrificed daily. I believe that we will be held accountable before God one day for all the decisions made in our lifetime. This year when making my choice at the polls I must pick the person that will stand up for the rights of those that are never allowed a chance. In doing this I will be able to stand blameless before God, the Creator of the universe. If you have ever participated in an abortion in any way, I am praying for you. Whatever the reason may have been, I speak God’s healing into your heart.

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9 (NASB)

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Stain Removal

 

Have you ever had a bad stain that you just couldn’t get out? I have and it’s caused me to have to throw some things away.  Each time we sin we commit a crime against God and it leaves a stain. It feels like when that happens we have a criminal record with a black mark on it that stays there forever. But God doesn’t work that way. God is love and His word tells us that He keeps no record of wrongs. His desire is that we are sorry for what we have done wrong and turn away from it. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”  Psalm 51:17 (NASB)

To have a contrite heart means that we have sorrow about what we have done wrong and not continue going that way. When we are sorry for our actions and stop our behavior, He is not going to despise us or turn us away. Instead He gathers us to himself and cleanses us like we would a bad stain on the carpet or a piece of our clothing. Sometimes those stains that we try to get out are really tough to remove depending on what was spilled. But with God it doesn’t matter what your stain is. That’s what the blood of Jesus represents…stain removal and cleansing. If God were to put His stain removal in a can and market it today, I think it would be called Blot Out. Maybe His advertising slogan would be, Blot Out Gets The Spot Out! That’s exactly what happens. When I go to Him with my black mark, He lovingly blots it out and forgets all about it.

I understand how David felt when he was praying and crying out to God in Psalm 51. I can relate to him so much and look forward to meeting him one day. It just amazes me of what God did with that man and it amazes me with what he does with me too! So today sit down with David and me and pray the prayer below to God and let Him permanently remove your stains.

“Be gracious to me, O God according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, that my mouth may declare Your praise.” Psalm 51:1-15 (NASB)

 

Don’t Fall Into The Pride Pit

Pride is a terrible thing. Being proud of your child or something that you have accomplished is not what I am referring to here. We are headed for trouble when we begin to think that it’s all about us and what we can do or when we think that we can do a much better job at something than someone else can. We have to be mindful of our thoughts and also our words. There are times that we can be full of pride without saying a word, our facial expression and body language speak loudly. I have been witnessing this lately and right away in my critical spirit, I begin to condemn. Two weeks ago I was really struggling with this and went to the Lord about it. He kindly reminded me that the solution to this situation is separation. I need to pray for others when I see things and leave that person up to Him. Even though it appears to be a pride issue, that person could be battling with something entirely different than what my natural eyes see.

This morning I was reading something that was talking about the fact that others are watching us live our lives. I am a Christian and I want it to be evident that Christ is in my life, that He is the One in control, not me.  I want it to be clear that I am led by His spirit each day and not led by the world and all of its chaos. That does not mean that I am a perfect person. Quite the opposite, I have flaws. I am human and I will fail you every time. At times I can act prideful, boastful, arrogant, and on and on the list goes. But I do not desire to be any of those things, do you? We need to recognize this in ourselves and ask God to forgive us and change us. I remember a moment in my life when I thought that I could not possibly ever do a certain thing or act a certain way. Before I knew it, I was right there caught up in it and never saw it coming! Be careful to never think that you are above doing something. We are a people that are in need of God and His grace and we must fully rely on Him.  Because of the work done on the cross for me and having accepted the free gift from Jesus, I am forgiven when I mess things up. Be dependent upon the Lord for He is good and merciful. He will help us to live out a life that clearly shows His presence.

“Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling. It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Proverbs 16:18-19

 

 

Training Ground

On the job training, we’ve all been there. When we are there we often mess up. We make mistakes, get things wrong. Depending on how the employer is determines whether we are shown grace, allowed new chances or we get fired. I am so glad that God allows me time to learn how to do a job right and gives me grace while in training. As I reflect over my life and especially the past three years of it, I can now see that it has been a training ground for me. There have been various faces involved and many attempts at getting things right. Many lessons along the way, some learned and some I am still working on. Sometimes we wear the shoes of the employer and other times we wear the shoes of the employee. No matter which ones we wear we need to show grace and mercy and allow more time for learning the job. At times we are way too hard on others. After all, we don’t have any idea what someone may be experiencing outside of the job. Personally I have had times where something was going on in my life that affected me so deeply that it came to work with me. Sometimes it would show and sometimes I could keep it under wraps. At my last place of employment my co-workers were so caring and made a way for me to make it through the day. Grace upon grace, that’s what we need with each other. The training of life and what God wants to do with and in us is a process and I think that it continues until the day that we breathe our last breath.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (NASB)