Sandie's Story

Join me this weekend
 at the 2011 Women's Refresh Your Heart Conference
Colonial Baptist, Cary NC

in your spiritual growth/ in your family life/ in your daily life

Saturday, November 5
Register today! 
http://www.women.colonial.org/
Hope to see you there!

1 Samuel 15:22

"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  To obey is better than sacrifice..."

This past June, I was feeling overwhelmed with all the"stuff" that comes with a ministry.  Even with a small ministry like Knowing God Ministries, there's so much to do administratively, it would surprise you. 

So when God began impressing upon my heart to start "writing" again, my respons was,  "But, how Lord?  With all this "stuff', plus keeping my family in it's priority order, how could I even think of starting to write again?"

Within a few days of this prayer, I received an email from a gal named Sandie.  I had only met her once.  And to be honest, did not remember that encounter.   She had attended a Christmas Luncheon I had keynoted the previous December.  Though it had been 6 months, she had become a regular blog reader.

Sandie was preparing for partial retirement from a high-profile law office where she is an executive assistant.  Her responsibilities are all-consuming.  Yet she said that the Lord had begun nudging her to connect with me.  So instead of shrinking back or doing what I would have done saying, "She's going to think I'm crazy Lord, no way!"  She obeyed the voice of the Lord and connected with me.

Little did she know, Sandie was the answer to my prayer!

Sandie now handles much of my administrative responsibilities for our Women's Luncheons.   As she is available, she is taking on more and more responsibility.  What a huge blessing not only to me and my team, but to the women who are attending our luncheons.

Because of Sandie, I know who was there and who wasn't so that my team can eventually start encouraging them on a regular basis.  Because of Sandie, we know who was new, so that they can receive a note of connection from us. 

As a result of Sandie's willingness to serve, the women we are starting to connect with have expressed being encouraged, challenged and even comforted by our follow up.  This is all due to ONE woman - willing to serve in relative obscurity so that the Body of Christ in our corner of the world can be built up.

Where is God nudging you to plug in?   Follow Sandie's lead, and be a blessing to someone and to the Body of Christ today!

Made for so Much More -

Join me
at the:
2011 Women's Refresh Your Heart Conference
Colonial Baptist, Cary NC

in your spiritual growth/ in your family life/ in your daily life

Saturday, November 5
Register today! 
http://www.women.colonial.org/

Hope to see you there!

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in His own image.

For my 40th birthday, I got an iPhone.  What a handy, dandy little contraption this thing is!

There are so many feature and uses, that I'm still learning  it all.  When I first got it, all I used was the phone, texting and the email.  (What a relief to not have to be in my office to send and receive email!)
Seeing my limitations, my 11 year old son who began teaching me all the things this little thing can do. 

Not only is it a phone and good for receiving and sending email and texts through it,  it has a calculator.  It  has an odometer for calculating my walks and runs.  It has a GPS system.  No more getting lost.  It's become my camera, video camera and photo album.  I can get the news or latest scores.  It's is my boom box for music.   It has so many features, and I'm barely scratching the surface.

After posting yesterday's blog, the Lord impressed on my heart that we, the Body of Christ are much like the iPhone.  We were created in God's image - for the capacity to do so much,  yet quite often, we are only functioning using the basics:  the phone, the texting, and email feature of our lives.   All too often we say, "No," to God when He impresses upon our heart something that He wants us to do. 

When you accepted Christ as Savior, you not only received the gift of the Holy Spirit living within you, but you received spiritual gifts as well.  Every believer has been given at least one spiritual gift and usually more than one.  (See 1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

If you do not know what your gifts are, pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you.  And then start looking for doors the Lord may be opening for you to use those gifts.   Quite often, He opens doors in the least expecting places.  Be watching and listening.

Next Post:  Examples of people living their purpose -

Next Step: Faithful with a Little -

Join me!
I'll be speaking at the
2011 Women's Refresh Your Heart Conference
Colonial Baptist, Cary NC

in your spiritual growth/ in your family life/ in your daily life

Saturday, November 5
Register today! 
http://www.women.colonial.org/

Hope to see you there!

Luke 16:10

If you are faithful in the little things, you will be faithful in large ones.  But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibility.

As Adam began not only getting to know His Creator, but living in His will as best he knew, a sweet friendship developed.

We see evidence of their relationship in the Garden.  And as Adam was faithful in the Garden with what he was given to nurture, God began to trust Adam with more responsibility.

The next responsibility was the task of naming every living creature.  No small task!  The Bible says, "God brought every creature to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name."  (v19)

Clearly, Adam had been faithful with the small things and was now was given greater responsibility.  What a word for us! 

Be faithful with what God has given you and with the little things, such as: 

• Sending a note or making a call when prompted -
• Putting your shopping cart away -
• Being honest - not exaggerating the truth.
• Praying for people when you tell them you will pray. 
• Parking where you are supposed to park - not in handicapped spaces -
• Not cheating on your taxes; your couponing or anything else.
• Being the spouse that the Bible defines.
• Serving wholeheartedly wherever in the home, in the church, at your child's school, in the workplace, etc...
• Having correct priorities -

These are simple things.  However, I have found that I am tested most at home.  If I am not faithful with the 3 God has given to me - how can God entrust me with more?

Same is true for you. 

Be faithful in the little things, so that you can be trusted with greater things!

The Starting Point for Finding our Purpose

Last week, I wrote one of the four reasons God is "shaking" the world with droughts, financial famines, floods and natural disasters.   He wants us to wake up so that we live our life purpose - to stop running in circles.

Genesis 2:15

The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Last Friday, I asked for feedback as it relates to purpose in life.  (Thank you to everyone who responded.  I loved reading your notes.) 

Interestingly, every single one of you said basically the same thing:  Deep within the core of your being, you KNOW that God has a specific purpose for your life.   And He does!

God has a purpose for every single one of us who belong to Christ.   We see evidence of this following the creation of man in the first few pages of Scripture.  Soon after God gave Adam life, He gave Him work to do.  Adam's main responsibility was to work and nurture the garden of Eden.  He was to take care of it according to his Boss' specifications. 

Not his own specifications or his own schedule or by how he felt at the moment, but according to God's design.  Can you imagine how beautiful life must have been?  Can you imagine how peaceful and purposeful Adam's life was?

This is the way life is supposed to be.  Imagine if we all lived according to our Boss' specifications.  If we lived according to God's design for our lives.  Can you imagine what our families and our marriages would look like?  Can you imagine the impact the Body of Christ would have on a hurting world is we lived according to the Boss' specifications? 

Micah 4:2 says, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.  He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.

We've got to climb the mountain each day to spend time with Jesus so that we may know His ways and His paths for our life.  This is how we'll know His design for our life.  This is how we'll know what to do where He's placed us.  This is how we'll discern doors that the Lord may be opening for us. 

The Boss' specifications for my life starts with how I treat and behave towards my husband.  I am to respect him and love him.  I am my kids mom.  I'm not to raise them the way everyone around me is raising their kids.  I'm to follow the Boss' specifications towards each one of my children. 

This is the starting point to finding our life purpose.  Our purpose expands from the basics of where God has us.

However, when we fail to climb the mountain to spend time with God each day... we won't know His ways and His paths.  We'll be operating by our own design or the design of others.   We'll also be operating by the way we feel.  Operating by the way we feel, never leads to anything good... 

Tomorrow:  The Next Step...

YOUR Purpose in Life...

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Callings... Life Purpose...  This subject has become my new passion. 

The Great Recession has forever changed the way that I view life.  I spent years running in circles, thinking I was accomplishing big things.  Yet in God's eyes, my life had little to show for anything that mattered to Him.   (Don't forget, I was a good Bible study girl for a long time.)

Now, I'm so careful how I treat and talk to my husband.  That matters to God.
I'm careful how I parent.  This really matters to God also!

However, I not only want to know what God's will is in family relationships, but in every aspect of my life.  Our seasons change in life and with each season, I want to be in the center of His will. 

Do you?

If you have not read, "Running in Circles and the Great Recession," please take time to do so.  This is so closely connected.  It'll make you think...
http://tarafurman.blogspot.com/2011/10/running-in-circles-and-great-recession.html
With all that's been said this week, I want to hear from you today.  I don't normally ask for such favors, but today I'm asking. 
This is what I want to know:

• Do you believe you were created for a purpose?
• What are your thoughts or questions about this subject?    OR
• Could you care less?  You just want to do what you feel like doing?

I believe my next writing assignment is this subject. I've been putting it off for months - yet God has been making it clear to me, that this is One of His purposes for my life right now.  He started impressing this upon my heart in June.

While in Corolla 2 weeks ago, we got Chinese take-out one day for lunch.  Caroline opened a fortune cookie and brought me the message.  It said, and I'm not kidding, "It's time to start that writing assignment you've been putting off." 

I laughed hysterically!  God has been speaking to me about this subject through His Word, off and on for months.   Now He was using a fortune cookie!   God can be such a tripp sometimes!  He can get our attention any way He chooses!

If you know Jesus, YOU too have a calling on your life.  God has a purpose for you.
Could He be using this blog post to get your attention?  

Please let me hear your thoughts.  (Emily from Mt. Airy - thank you!)

How To Comment: 

• If you are a subscriber, double click on the title of the post - "YOUR Purpose in Life"
• Scroll down to the comment section -
• If you need to open a google account - do so.  (It's easy, follow the directions.)
• Leave your comment

OR

• Simply email me your comment.

Your comments are treasures.  Thank you for your help today!  Can't wait to hear your thoughts:)

Is it Possible to Know God's Will for your Life?

Romans 12:2

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will."

You absolutely can KNOW God's will for your life.   God has a good, pleasing and perfect will for your life - regardless of where you find yourself today.  Regardless of what may have happened in your life circumstances over the last few years.  Regardless of  poor past decisions.  If you belong to Him, God has a purpose for your life - a good purpose.  (If you don't belong to Him, His first purpose for you is to come to know His Son Jesus as Savior.)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11 

I love that verse.  It's one of my favorites.  Yet allow my eastern North Carolina roots tell you with GREAT certainty, "you ain't gonna know God's will for you life apart from spending time with Him."

The Bible says we can never know God's will for our lives unless we are renewing your mind each day.  For me, I need to renew my mind several times a day. 

What does renewing your mind mean? 

It means turning off the TV, getting off Facebook, getting off email; putting your iPhone or your ipad down or anything else that pulls for your attention and spend time in God's Word.   

Then read it with purpose in mind.  Read it with your circumstances in mind. 

Yesterday, I shared how God used hard places to shape me for the purposes for which I was created.  Remember, I mentioned my morning quiet time, the day after feeling overwhelmed with dirty diapers.  That morning, "life purpose" wasn't on my mind - nor were dirty diapers...  But it was on God's mind.

As I read my devotional that day and asked the Holy Spirit to speak - to help me to understand the Scriptures - HE quickened my heart and caused me to take heed to what I was reading.  He brought to my memory the day before and my exasperated cry to Him.  This is what it means to have our mind renewed.  Renewed with His purposes and His plans for our life.

ALSO, I keep "spiritual vitamins" a.k.a. devotionals -  everywhere in my house, so when I get a free moment during the day, I'll take a quick vitamin.  I have them in my car; in the bathroom; beside my bed, etc...  These little tools help me to "renew my mind."    They help me "not be conformed to the pattern of this world."   I keep teaching CD's from some of my favorite speakers in my car.  This too helps me renew my mind.  (FYI: Spiritual vitamins are not a quiet time.  They simply reinforce what you gleaned in your quiet time.)

So... is it possible to know God's good, perfect and pleasing will for your life?  Absolutely.  Yet here's the hard part...

When God reveals His will - it's up to us to believe Him.  It's up to us to follow through with real obedience...  DESPITE our circumstances -

Related Resources:  

Intimacy with God, Your Daily Guide to Prayer, Prayer Journal, Tara Furman

Intimacy with God, Establishing a Vibrant Quiet Time and Prayer Time, Tara Furman

• To Order:  http://www.knowinggodministries.net/
• Tax Deductible Donations:

If you have been impacted by KGM... if we are "feeding you spiritually" in any way, please consider a:

1. Monthly partnership - we have the capacity for bank withdrawals that can be suspended at any time. or a
2. One-time tax deductible donation. 

Your financial support either through resources or contributions helps us continue life-changing ministry.  No amount is too small and so appreciated. 

Send to:
Knowing God Ministries
115 Overview Lane
Cary, NC 27511

Created for a Purpose - My Story

Has your life, your finances, your circumstances been affected by the Great Recession?   God uses such events to grab our attention. 
I've been doing a series over the last month for the reasons "why" God is shaking us either by natural disasters, the economy or both.

Today, reason #3:  God is shaking us because He has a purpose for each of our lives and for His Church.

Ephesians 2:10

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Did you know that you were created for a purpose?  You are not some cosmic accident, but you were created for a specific purpose. 

I can remember when I had finally reached my goal in life:  to be a stay-at-home mom.  I love pampering my husband as much as he'll let me.  (He's a very independent man.)  I love being my kids' mom.  I love picking them up from school - I love being the one to drop them off at school.  I love keeping a neat and tidy home.

Yet I can remember being so discontent soon after I came home from full time paid employment.  It was February 2004 and I was in the process of changing what seemed to be the millionth dirty diaper.  Suddenly, in utter despair, I cried out, "Is this it, Lord.  Is this really what I was created for?"

The Purpose Driven Life was hot on the scene and so "purpose" was front and center in my mind and heart.

The next morning in my quiet time, 1 Timothy 4:12-16 happened to be my reading.  The words seem to jump off the page and into my heart as I read the passage.  And the Lord immediately brought the diaper scene from the day before into my mind.  Listen to the His Words.  Little did I realize, that the God of the Universe was telling me my life purpose: 

"Command and teach...  Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young,

but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.  

Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 

Do not neglect your gift...Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 

Watch your life and your doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."

I was 33 at the time.  In this passage, God was telling me, that He was preparing me for a speaking ministry.  At the time, I had no platform and my circumstances laughed in the face of such a proclamation.  We were not even in a Bible teaching church. 

Yet, I chose to believe God.  And I continued to seek His face each day and obeyed what I sensed Him saying.

Long story short, (so many details I hope to one day share with you) in May 2007 at the release of the Prayer Journal, churches started calling and asking me to speak.  This is the beginning of what would later become Knowing God Ministries.

In the beginning, I thought it would be speaking a little here and a little there and selling Journals out of the trunk of my car.  Yet God has meant it for so much more than I could have ever imagined.  Through the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, not Tara:

• Marriages are changing,
• Generations are being impacted;
• People are learning HOW to have a meaningful relationship with God.
• KGM is committed to making and strengthening Christian leaders for the cause of Christ and we've started a luncheon - making a financial commitment to do so each month -
• TRUTH (whether you like it or not) is going out on the World Wide Web through this blog to multiple countries.  Last month over 1300 people read this blog. 

I realize this is small potatoes, but we are talking about a common housewife...   Who is determined to get plugged into God each day because she wants her life to count.  And wonder of wonders, God Almighty is allowing her to have an impact.  The size of that impact is up to Him.  My responsibility each day is find His will as best I can and then obey.  

If God has uprooted your finances, your lifestyle or anything else in your life,  LOOK TO HIM!  Ask Him why?  He could be using your circumstances to get you plugged into HIS purposes.

Related Resources:  

Intimacy with God, Your Daily Guide to Prayer, Prayer Journal, Tara Furman

Intimacy with God, Establishing a Vibrant Quiet Time and Prayer Time, Tara Furman

The Politically Incorrect Wife, Nancy Cobb

• To Order:  http://www.knowinggodministries.net/
• Tax Deductible Donations:

If you have been impacted by KGM... if we are "feeding you spiritually" in any way, please consider a:

1. Monthly partnership - we have the capacity for bank withdrawals that can be suspended at any time. or a
2. One-time tax deductible donation. 

Your financial support either through resources or contributions helps us continue life-changing ministry.  No amount is too small and so appreciated. 

Send to:
Knowing God Ministries
115 Overview Lane
Cary, NC 27511

When My Crazy Life and Ministry Collide!

For the last 2 weeks, my children have been on fall break.  Would love to give you a glimpse into my crazy life when my children are at home plus trying to maintain Knowing God Ministries.  Posting blog devotions when they are home are really difficult.  Keeping a train of thought is nothing short of miraculous.

The first week, we went to the Outer Banks of Corolla with my parents.  What an amazing place!   It's truly a sandbar off the coast of North Carolina.  We had a rare opportunity of getting to catch a glimpse of the wild horses that have roamed the coastline for over 500 years.  They were brought over by Spanish settlers in the 1500's.   

We were able to get really close.  So cool how God provides for these wild horses.

We also climbed to the top of the Currituck Lighthouse. 

Tim and I on top!  What a view.  My legs burned for hours the next day from climbing all 250+ steps.

Posting blog devotions that week, (2 weeks ago) miraculously came with ease.  But last week, was a totally different story.

After posting Monday's blog and doing some catch up work, I left my office (at home) to make my kids a late breakfast.   As I was emptying the dishwasher, Will, (11) informs me that Caroline, (my 9 year old), had thrown a knife at Jake, our "make you crazy" lab puppy (1 1/2 year old).

I'm thinking... a butter knife.  So I ask Will, "Which knife?"  Will goes and picks up the MEAT CLEAVER and says, "This one!" 

Evidently Caroline, in utter frustration, had thrown a MEAT CLEAVER across the room at Jake!  Needless to say, I decided my children obviously needed more of my physical presence than I realized!

Meet "Jake," the wonder dog!  (By the way, thank God the knife missed him.  Had no idea that we needed to go back to the basics of safety in the house!)

In addition to a slumber party and a house full of kids playing last week, I also had 2 ministry days. 
On Tuesday, I had the wonderful privilege of speaking to the Hephzibah MOPS group.  I LOVE MOPS groups.  (MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers.)

Mom's of small children have a very close place in my heart.  This is such a difficult season of life.  Yet for me personally, it was when Jesus came alive to me.  To be able to encourage women to make spending time with Jesus a priority each day - to see and to hear about marriages changing as a result - what an honor! 

 

Lastly, our Women's Luncheon was on Friday.  The fellowship and time together is very edifying.   

This is Kelly and Autumn!  They are 2 of 7 on my team.

Kelly is our luncheon manager.  (right)

Autumn (left) is our prayer warrior.  She travels with me to speaking events and covers me and the women in prayer.  Both a gift from Jesus. 

Here - they warmly welcome all the ladies as they arrive.

Our check-in line.

The lunch is really good!

Our speaker this month was Nicolette King, co-founder of Seeds of Mustard Ministries.

Nicolette spoke on the "Fruit of Suffering." 

Me with 2 of our guests!

If you are hungry for more of Jesus and you live within driving distance of Cary, NC, let me know.  We will include you on our invitation list. 

If you've missed the posts each day, so sorry to have fallen off the face of the earth.  When my kids are home and it's a busy week ministry week - it's a constant battle of priorities.

I'll be back tomorrow! (Lord willing!)   Hope you haven't minded the personal side today.  I try not to do too many of these:)

Have a great day!

Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places -

Let's quickly recap:   When you take note of all that is going on in the world in context of Scripture, clearly, God is shaking us.  (Haggai 2:6-7)  He's shaking our finances and our political system.  We are even seeing an increased intensity of storms and natural disasters world wide.  (See past posts.)

Culturally: 

• Pornography revenues exceed the revenues of Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo!, Apple, Netflix and EarthLink combined.  (Clearly a vessel that MANY  are seeking satisfaction.)
• More than 53 million children have been murdered since 1973 (Row vs Wade) with no end in sight.
• Lawlessness is increasing.  We saw it in London a month ago and are seeing it again on our own soil with the Occupy Wall Street protesters.  (By the way, Jesus said there would be increased lawlessness in the last days. Matthew 24]).

On September 11, 2011, Joel Rosenberg and Anne Lotz conducted a simulcast on the reasons why God is shaking us and for our need (the church - the people belonging to Jesus) to wake up from our intoxication from the things of this world.

Reason #1:  Because God loves us and wants us to repent from our sin.  (I've gone into detail in the last 8+ posts.)  

Today, reason #2: 

"God is shaking us because He wants us to realize there is no One else who can satisfy us or give us true peace and security except Jesus Christ."

Psalm 62:1

"My soul finds rest in God alone..."

When I was in college, though I belonged to God, I was not taking time to read my Bible each day.  I was doing my best to live a "righteous life," but all to often, I was looking for love in all the wrong places.  I was looking for worth in relationships, in a bar, at a party, even a movie - hoping that one day my life would be as complete as those on the big screen.

But that all changed 15 years later, when I began to realize that God and Him alone was the only One Who could help me solve all my issues.  No longer could my friends nor my money nor my job nor my husband and children give me soul rest, but only a meaningful relationship with Jesus.

I met women who knew Jesus like He was their BFF.  To me, He was my Sunday morning God.   Yet church wasn't enough for the issues I had.  So, I would go to LifeWay looking for books to help me to KNOW God like these women knew Him, but I found nothing.  Over the course of time, God Himself taught me how to start having a meaningful relationship with Him.  It's all chronicled in Intimacy with God the study and Intimacy with God the Prayer Journal.

Where are you looking for satisfaction, peace and security?   A job?  In a relationship?  In food or alcohol or a drug?  Are you looking for love and security through your possessions or status?   Satisfaction in pornography?

One of the reasons God is uprooting us, is so that we will turn from finding worth and fulfillment in anything other than a meaningful relationship with Him.

But the choice is yours.   God will not make us come to Him.  He's a Gentleman.  He gives us a choice.  We can keep searching for soul rest in all the wrong places.  OR, we can find true rest for our souls in God alone.

When I resolved to chose God, instead of the things of this world, I found that God and Him alone "satisfies my soul as with the richest of foods."  (Psalm 63:5)

Oh, friend, come to the Well that truly satisfies -

Stop Running in Circles

Psalm 20:7

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

I believe that God is using the "shaking's" in the economic system and through natural disasters to wake us up to what really matters in life.  To get us off the wheel of life that spins round and round - never really getting us anywhere. 

How do we allow the Great Recession to redirect us to what really matters in life? 

How do we keep from running in circles everyday?

Instead of trusting in "chariots and horses," or in other words:

• Instead of trusting in our jobs or our money, or our home values, or our possessions for our security...
• Instead of relying on our marriage, or our physical appearance or our entertainment or kids or food for pleasure alone... 

The Bible says to not trust in those things, but in "the name of the Lord our God."  What does that look like in everyday life? 

• It's being intentional about investing in meaningful relationships (starting with God, your spouse, your children, grandchildren and others) instead of investing only in people whom you perceive can used for your gain, or in the markets etc.
• It's making time to read our Bibles each day instead of  never getting around to it.
• It's applying what we are reading even when that means being the only one in our families or circles of influence doing so.
• It's accepting God's will for our lives instead of resisting because it's different than what we want. 
• It's continually growing in your relationship with Jesus, instead of denominational rules and rituals.
• It's walking in God's way, instead of being caught up in what everyone else is doing.

I must admit, that living like this requires boldness.  (Even in some Christian circles.)  Sometimes it means being left out.  Sometimes it means being different than everyone else.  It's not always easy.

But stand firm, my friend.  You will be living a life that counts in the eyes of the God of the Universe!

When you intentionally choose each day to "trust in the name of the Lord your God" (and it is a daily decision), you will live life like no other.  How?  Because:

• There's a joy that's indescribable. 
• There's a peace that nothing else can give you when you know you're living in the center of God's will. 
• There's a quiet confidence that comes when you're walking in God's way because you begin to trust and rely upon Him to open doors of opportunity and to provide for your needs.

It wouldn't be in the Bible if He were not trustworthy, reliable and dependable.  Use the Great Recession to restrategize and to stop running in circles.

Running in Circles and the Great Recession

1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

(italics mine)

In September 2008 and the months to follow, many people watched their dreams and hopes for the future crumble right before their very eyes. 

Investments; home values; pensions; jobs; 401k's - things people worked so hard to attain - gone in the blink of an eye.  The countless hours of trying to "close a deal."  Or the countless years at a company, only to watch the company file for bankruptcy.  The stories are endless.  They are heartbreaking.

As a result marriages have been destroyed.  Relationships have been severed.  Countless are unemployed and hopeless in our country.

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, then you know that I believe with all my being that the God of the Universe has allowed these things to happen to warn us; to redirect us to what really matters in life.

The Bible says to, "Run in such a way to get a prize." (1 Cor. 9:24)

Have you been affected by the Great Recession?   If so, I'm sure you've had to restragegize your life, your finances, perhaps even your lifestyle.

Have you restrategized spiritually?  Are you living your life any differently?

I'm sure you've seen a hamster on a wheel?  It goes round and round getting plenty of exercise and even tired out.  The little guy must think he's accomplishing big things:   He gets his job back!  And the harder he runs, his portfolio and bank account increases!!  He may even get his life saving back!  (Talk about the studly hamster.  He may even get a girl hamster.)  But in reality, he's getting NO WHERE.  He's merely running in circles. 

So it is with our lives.  We can get our jobs back; our houses back; our investments back; our portfolio's back...  But in the end, we too are running in circles unless we are intentional about living lives that matter before God.

Are you running in circles?  Have you redirected spiritually following the Great Recession?

Tomorrow:  Living a Life that Counts -  

Why do we Beat up our Own?

I've been talking about hard things over the last few weeks.  Because of the financial devastation and the recurring frequency of natural devastation's plus the state of Israel, I believe we may be close to the second return of Christ.

To the natural mind, this is non-sense.  Some may even label it radical.  But I'm a student of the Word.  And I also try to keep up with current events.  When you begin linking the two...

However, if all of this is too hard for you, I encourage you to be like the Bereans in the book of Acts.  "They  received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures for themselves to see if what Paul said was true."  (Acts 17:11)

Do the same with me!  Go to the Scriptures yourself and see if what I'm sharing is solid.

I, like Joel Rosenberg believe that one of the reason's God is shaking us, is because HE loves us and wants us to repent from our sinful ways.  (Please see past posts.)    Today's thought: 

Why do we Beat up our Own? 

Matthew 7:3

"And why worry about the speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own?"

It's so easy to see the sin in others; to see the lifestyles; to see the life choices - yet totally miss our own sin.  We're so busy looking for "the speck" in others that we miss the "log in our own eye."  Let me share several examples of "logs" in the eye that we can totally miss. 
(Partial list taken from Intimacy with God, week 6.)

• Envy - jealous of other's possessions, husbands, houses, clothes, their physical appearance.
• Manipulation - especially with possibly our husband's instead of trusting God to work.
• Critical Spirit - b/c someone fails to measure up to our standards.
• Slander - exposing someones sin with the intention of causing others to think less of that person.
• Unbridled mouth - saying the first thing that comes to mind rather than being under control of the Holy Spirit.
• Temper - becoming easily angered and losing self-control.
• Pride - Inwardly exalting yourself above others - spiritually , financially, educationally, status, position, etc...

These logs often fly under the radar.  I firmly believe it's why unbelievers call us hypocrites and want NOTHING to do with our Jesus.  Personally I don't blame them. 

Can I confess, that I'm guilty of much of the above plus more.  Would you be willing, like me, to examine yourself today - ask the Lord, "Lord show me the log in my own eye."  Listen to what He puts in your heart and mind.  Agree with Him.  Don't resist Him  And then repent.

Let's resolve to stop beating up our brothers and sisters in Christ.  And choose to love them even if in our eyes they are hard to love.  Jesus died for them just as much as He died you and me.  The Bible says, "The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged."  (Matt 7:2)  Yikes!

Related Resource:  Intimacy with God.  Click here to order:  www.knowinggodministries.net

The Bible - When it Makes you Cringe!

(Today builds on subsequent posts. God is shaking us as a nation and as a world: economically, environmentally, and in natural disasters. Reason #1: He loves us and wants us to repent.)

Jeremiah 42:6

"Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God... For if we obey Him, everything will turn out well for us."

Last week, I evidently hit a nerve with not only some of my readers, but with a few on my team. When we met last Friday, I loved their honesty and their transparency. Some were struggling with, "God does not create a person to be homosexual." (I'm not going to address this today. You'll have to read last week's post in order to get more.)

I started thinking about everything that irriates me in the Bible. Things that I don't want to do. Things that make me cringe. Let me share a short list of those things:

• "Love your enemies. Bless your enemies" Really? Yuck! Who wants to do that?





• "Submit to your husband." Are you kidding?





• "Tithe 10% of your income and be willing to give to ministries, to people, to whomever God impresses upon you to give. Your money is not your own." I want it to be my own. I want to do whatever I want with my money."





• "Honor the Sabbath by keeping it holy." I need a catch up day to run errands, finish the laundry, clean the house etc. Who has time for a day of rest?





• "Forgive those who hurt you..." I don't want to forgive them. I want to hold a grudge. In fact, I want revenge.

Oh girl, my list could go on and on. Do you have a list?

Let me share some Scriptures that I like! That roll around in my mind so that I CHOOSE to obey - even when it makes me cringe.

1. See Deuteronomy 28: 1-14, "If you obey the Lord your God:

You will be blessed in the city and in the country.

The fruit of your womb will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to.

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of His bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands.

The Lord will make you the head, not the tail."

If you do not obey, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you...(see v15-68)

2. Isaiah 55:8, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

3. John 10:10 AMP, "I have come that you may have life and have it in abundance."

Throughout Scripture, cover to cover, the over arching theme is, "if you obey, I will bless." It's not, "pick and choose the principles that you like - then I'll bless you."

It's similar to telling our children to eat to their fruits and vegetables. Many times they don't want to, but I insist. Why? Because I know what's good for them. I want them to have strong and healthy bodies. I also want their mind to be sharp. I know that nutruition plays a big part of that.

So it is with God. He knows what's best for us. He sees the future and He sees the bigger picture. His ways are so much higher than our ways. He wants to pour down blessings upon our lives and our families...

But the choice is ours. We can obey, even the parts that make us cringe, knowing all will go well with us if we do. (That's what Scripture says.) Or we can insist on our own way and face the consequences of what the Bible calls "curses."

Do you want the blessings of God in your life?

If you, like me in the past, have chosen to pick and choose what you like, and ignore what you don't like:

1. 
   
   
   Confess this to God and repent. Remember, He does not mind our honesty.



2. 
   
   
   Be specific - name some of the principles that you don't like or understand.



3. 
   
   
   Ask Him to help you to CHOOSE TO OBEY, even when you don't understand and frankly want to cringe -

Tomorrow: Why are we beating up our own?