Worship

Would Jesus have a worship team? Hmmm….David arranged and choreographed some fantastic music…..but he also engaged the Spirit of God just by sitting on the side of a hill singing to God in the midst of smelly sheep.



What kind of worship does God appreciate?

Odd

Honestly it bothers me that my family's identity is so closely tied to the way we look and the choices we make in living a separated life. I don't want modesty, homeshooling and conservative values to be what people notice about my family. If people see my conservative life and are attracted to that then they are attracted to the WRONG thing. Jesus saves, not a lifestyle. I would like people to see Jesus. I know this sounds corny but I would like to exude the Love of Christ. I would like to extend grace,mercy,comfort and love to those I meet, but I'm afraid people walk away thinking we are just strangely peculiar.

I think people, including professing *Christians* are either threatened,offended or confused by a family who is radically separate. I hate that, I wish people would see past the uniform. When we meet new people I feel like I have to spend half my time trying to make them feel comfortable...you know, "please believe me, *I'm human*" that type of thing!! These difficulties in relationships are not worth compromising God given convictions though....just a frustrating part of being a Christian I guess.

Peer Pressure

I am the only person in my family who doesn't have a college degree. In my immediate family there are 2 Lawyers and 2 Doctors, so I wrestle with feeling like I have an audience of skeptical spectators in my homeschooling and homemaking efforts. I suppose they are skeptical because I take literal the scripture that says young women are to .....marry,bear children and guide the house...1Timothy 5:14

God help me to remember that homeschooling is not a circus, and help me to resist the urge to try to impress my relatives and outsiders with academic achievements. My kids are not monkeys and they don't do tricks. My goal is not that they would excel in math and money, rather I am praying my children learn to love and serve. I want to teach with patience like Jesus taught, always remembering that I am training for eternity and I am looking to mold hearts not just minds.

Do you wrestle with feeling like your family is a freak show?

How Did Jesus Teach?

He kept everything very simple, simple for those that were listening and believing that is. Jesus' teaching appealed to the heart not the ego. He wasn't teaching His followers so that they could make alot of money, in fact He told several of His followers to give up those worldly ambitions. He wanted to convert hearts not just *puff up minds*.

He used lots of picture stories that all ages could understand. Jesus taught using parables, they always conveyed a moral lesson. Rich in symbolism and full of wisdom. Jesus used parables alot.

Jesus taught as He went form town to town. He taught by the seashore, under trees, as He was walking down the road.One time He even dropped to His knees and wrote with His finger in the dirt.Jesus knew that opportunities to teach abound in daily life.

He used things that were at hand and commonly used at that time...salt,bread,sheep, coins, seeds. (He didnt spend a ton on curriculum).He was patient with His followers and very practical.

Jesus met His *pupils* right where they were at. He taught all ages at the same time. He was a great teacher but never mentioned that education itself was important, rather He was always focused on the heart. His teachings appealed to the heart. He taught principals that instill wisdom and character. He taught us to love and serve. He taught that justice and mercy were much more important than rules and outward appearances.

.....Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 1 Cor 8:1

A Made Up Mind?

Have you ever heard anyone say *You Have To Make Up Your Mind To Live For God?* I have, in fact a church I used to attend sang a song about having your mind made up.

Its not enough to have our minds made up.

His mind was made up therefore we can rest in His finished work. Our own determination is an insult to His grace and power. This *Mind Made Up* business is a humanistic philosophy that produces works of the flesh.

Peter made up his mind that he would go with Jesus to the end

.... (Peter said) I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

Jesus knew that Peters *made up mind* was a human effort so Christ allowed Peter to *backslide*. If you want to guarantee yourself a big ugly flop make up your mind to serve Him. Speaking from personal experience here.

It is supposed to no longer be us that lives but Him within us. How can we make up our minds when our minds are dead? Resting in Him is our only hope. We must "put on the mind of Christ", forsaking our own carnal minds.

Self determination, a made up mind=filthy rags. If self determination is enough then why did Jesus shed His blood? He was wounded,pierced,bruised and killed so we could rely on ourselves??

If having high Holiness Standards were enough to save us then why did Christ die?

Teens

Here's an excerpt of an article I read recently

A new survey shows that the average teenager spends more than 80 hours a year looking at pornography on the Internet. That translates to an hour and 40 minutes a week. Of course, watching dirty movies is not all the kids are doing on the Internet. They're also spending an hour-and-a-half on dieting Web sites and one hour researching cosmetic surgery.


Of course Internet filters and Internet rules are good and should be in every home but I am thinking the problem here is not the Internet, rather this is an indicator of serious heart problems amongst our teens.

Giving All

Ever heard anyone say something like *Well, God must of known you could handle it or He wouldn't of given you this trial*? I have, I have even thought this about myself, until I went through some times of fire where there was no possible way I could handle things. No possible way.

I am starting to think that God gives us times of testing because He knows we cant handle it and therefore must surrender and rest and wait and just basically die. In other words God is trying to save us by killing us. Sweet huh?

Psalm 32:4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up....
God had David right where He wanted him. Ever had your strength dry up? Perhaps this was what God was waiting to hear David say...Read Psalm 33 a beautiful Psalm of worship and praise,victory and joy, but had there not been a heavy hand upon David in Psalm 32 there may not of been a glorious Psalm 33.

Religion cant save us. Prayer cant save us. A made up mind is an insult to the Cross of Christ. We tend to elevate all these efforts into little mini-gods. God was not satisfied with anything less than total surrender from His Son Jesus. He wanted Jesus to give ALL on the Cross. He will settle for nothing less from us.

What do you think? Do you think self determination should be a part of our walk with God?

Psalm 33:16The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.

The Real Jesus

The world is upside down. It promotes and pumps out the exact opposite of what the Lord is trying to teach us. One of the ongoing themes of the Bible is Death Burial Resurrection. This theme is contrary to everything we selfish humans are inclined to live. Die? Be buried? Now the Resurrection part....now that part I can do...the glorious miraculous part.....I can handle that! But without a death and burial there cant be a resurrection. We too often try to bypass the dead and buried part.

The Bible teaches us that if you want to live then you have to die. If you want to be exalted then you have to be abased. If you want to be first then you have to be last. If you want to receive then you have to give. If you want to be wealthy then you have to become poor. If you want great friends you have to chose the poor outcast as your friend. All of this sounds hard doesn't it? But think about it.....our Lord Jesus Christ lived this way. Born in a stable He came as one who served. Clothed in humility. Taking the fall when falsey accused, not even opening His mouth.

His whole life was one of entire renunciation of His royalty. He redeemed the entire world through a display of weakness. Despising the shame....He endured. He made himself of no reputation. He asked/begged to let the cup pass but nevertheless......He died. God. Our Saviour came into town riding on a borrowed donkey. Washing feet. Fully God He became a servant.

We too have the power to redeem others as it is no longer our selfishness that lives but Christ and His humility in us. We too can change and transform lives. It may not be through a powerful display of mighty anointing. Perhaps like Jesus we can take the blame when wrongly accused. By giving and serving with no appreciation or reward. Forgiving and loving in spite of being wronged. By taking in the sins of others we are perpetuating the redemptive power of Christ. Loving and saving the enemy while they are yet sinners and enemies.Generously serving a husband who has sinned against us.Extending mercy and grace to the guilty.Now that is Christs way. We actually have the power to *save* others. By death humility and suffering.

Anyone want to really be like Jesus?

1 Peter 3:14 But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed.

One Another

The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor, all the Law and the Prophets hang on this commandment. Law and Prophets mean the Old Testament(I think)...The Bible...Loving God and neighbor are the most important commandments and sums up the entire Bible! Now that is a powerful, isnt it? The entire purpose of the Bible and life and everything we do should be guaged on loving and serving Him and others. I thought this list might be a good reminder of exactly how we are to love *One Another*...

Bible “One Anothers”

• Wash one another’s feet


• Love one another


• In honor preferring one another


• Don’t judge one another


• Receive one another


• Salute one another


• Greet one another


• Serve one another


• Don’t provoke one another or envy one another


• Bear one another’s burdens


• Forbear one another in love


• Forgive one another


• Teach and admonish one another with song


• Comfort one another


• Edify one another


• Exhort one another


• Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works.
  
  

Whos Tracking My Sons Pants?

My dear sweet patient husband took us all shopping last weekend. Tommy Hilfiger was having a great sale so we purchased several shirts and pants for the boys. One of my sons brought me his new shirt and a pair of scissors to cut out a tag....not just any tag but a very unusual one that clearly had metal in it. At first I thought it may be a security device but upon further inspection determined it is a RFID tag. That stands for Radio Frequency Identification.I cut it open and in it are some metal strips and a tiny receiver. These tags are being used every where for many reasons. I must admit it is a little spooky to think that Mr Hilfiger is tracking my sons pants, but indeed that is what these tags are for.

Wal-Mart is requiring all their vendors to start using these tracking devices. They are used on everything from Orange Juice cartons to underwear. They are also being tested on pets and humans. RFIDs can be highly miniaturised, which makes it easy to conceal or incorporate them into tiny items. For example, in 2009 researchers at Bristol University successfully glued RFIDs to live ants in order to study their behavior.This trend towards increasingly miniaturized RFIDs is likely to continue as technology advances.


There are many many uses for these little transmitters. Passports, timing races, transportation , animal tracking, inventory, identity theft...huh? Identity Theft? Yep...sounds practical enough, but how much information do we want to share with Sam Walton or the Government? Who decides when enough is enough?

Self

Pop psychology and political correctness have *hijacked* Christianity. Self esteem. Self acceptance. Self love. The whole world is on a crusade to convince us that we would all be happier and more content if we would just love ourselves more.

The Bible does indeed have alot to say about self......things like deny your self. Mortify the deeds of this body....(that means *Kill Yourself* in today's language). If you want to live you have to die. No man has ever hated his own flesh (self)....but he loves it and nourisheth it. We don't have low self esteem. No, we don't. We love ourselves. The Bible says we do. Ephesians 5:29 . We all love ourselves, and way too much.

The second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. Notice He didn't say love yourselves He knew we already do that and quite well thank you. Jesus told us to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves because we love ourselves so much. He knew if we loved and served others like we do ourselves there would be no problems.

The world is upside down. The very thing that it seeks is the very thing God tells us to kill. Self seeking,self gratification,self esteem self importance all this selfishness is unBiblical. Very unBiblical. In fact the Bible says “let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil. 2:3). If you want to be first you have to make yourself last. John the Baptist prayed that he would decrease so our Lord could increase, and finally ....Jesus Christ our perfect example knew exactly what to do with this flesh. He became a servant and allowed his *self* to be nailed to a cross

Money

Jesus talked about money more than He did Heaven and Hell combined.

Jesus talked about money more than anything else except the Kingdom of God.

11 of 39 parables talk about money.

1 of every 7 verses in the Gospel of Luke talk about money.

The entire book of James is about money and how to treat the poor.

I dont think God really cares about money, rather He cares about our hearts and He knows that every aspect of our lives is connected to money. Our view of money is a good indicator of how we love and serve others. God is not trying to gauge our checkbook but rather He knows that how we use our checkbook is directly connected to our hearts. Money is the thermometer God uses to take our hearts temperature.

Muslim Demographics

Saw this yesterday and it literally sent chills up my spine!! What do you think?

Swine Flu

Swine Flu
West NileVirus
Avian Bird Flu
Sars
The Huanta Virus
Mad Cow Disease
Ebola
Monkey Pox
AIDS
MRSA
The Killer Flesh Eating Disease
Lyme Disease

But the biggest epidemic with the most victims is.....FEAR! The devil would love to paralyze us with FEAR. If it isn't the Swine Flu its the economy or tainted Peanut Butter.
Not minimizing the risk just saying (to myself #1 because I'm a worrier) that God is on His throne and in control. The media likes to hype it up and report on these types of sensational *pandemics*. Again I am not saying we shouldn't use prudence but our God knows about this flu and He told us to not be anxious for ANYTHING including the Mexican Swine Flu.

Isaiah 41:10 encourages us “'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Reviews

So yesterday I posted about how I tend to rely too heavily on Christan ministries and neglect the Minister Himself. Today I am going to post about some of the tools that have truly blessed me ...when used in moderation...of course.

Bro. Denny has put out this set of messages called THE GODLY HOME SERIES. Of all the ministries I have gleaned from, Bro Denny's is the most heart felt and heart changing. He speaks from the heart about gaining and molding our children's hearts. My husband and I have been so blessed by THE GODLY HOME SERIES. He gives it away if you cannot afford it. I highly recommend it.

Doug Phillips is the founder of Vision Forum Ministries. My husband and I saw him last year at a home school book fair. We have bought and been blessed by many of his resources. He is a little guy with a strong vision for families and particularly the generational momentum a Godly family can produce. He is also an awesome salesman. ;-)Good stuff. Worth a gander in my opinion.


Bill Gothard started his ministry way back in the 70s. He has never married and although he is in his older years still speaks around the country. My husband and a brother went and saw him in Dallas and his talk and resources changed my husbands life. My husband called from the conference choked up telling me about the wonderful vision that was being shared by Mr. Gothard. Good stuff but alot of *7 steps to Jesus* type stuff too so proceed with caution. Easy to get caught up in the methods and formulas he presents. He also has alot of rules and exclusive clubs that you can only be a member of if you pledge to follow the rules.



Micheal and Debi Pearl operate No Greater Joy Ministries. They have alot of practical child training resources. They are a bit self righteous and condescending but still put out alot of good helpful information. I think if you just follow the rigid side of this ministry without adding a hefty dose of grace and mercy you could be disappointed to discover your children are human. Debis book Created To Be His Helpmeet is a book every wife should read.

Above Rubies by Nancy Campbell is my favorite magazine and again it is free if you cannot afford a subscription. It comes out sporadically as they can afford to print. I love the adoption stories and appreciate the wholesomeness of this magazine.

So, have you used any of these resources? Were they helpful? Who has blessed your home?

Christianity For Dummies

Bill Gothard, Michael Pearl,Vision Forum,Denny Kenaston I have bookshelves full of these ministries books. I love books about the Lord, homeschooling, family, and marriage. I will be the first to admit that I have had to repent over my reliance on books instead of The Book. I'm lazy and would rather read a book than take time to pray and listen. Just tell me what to do. I can check off the boxes. Relationship takes time and effort, plus God may tell me something I don't want to hear.

Some of these men who put forth these resources are 95% right and that is very attractive to me. I like right. Some of these men are very rigid and structured with 1.2.3. steps to a Godlier home. This appeals to me also. I like a reliable system. Just tell me what to do. Just show me the plans. Cultivate relationship with Jesus? Who has time for that?

We are all humans with separate and distinct personalities....family dynamics vary greatly. Only God knows what His will may be for each individual home, each child within the home.We cant look for a Vision Forum book to dictate our home/children's destiny.

Perhaps God purposely didn't make a rigid method for our home lives specifically because He wants relationship. He wants us to ask Him what to do. He knows we are all different and your answer may not be mine. We are married to Him. Every marriage is different.

I really don't think any of the parenting philosophies put forth by the ministries I mentioned are wrong in themselves it is the execution sans faith....Cain and Abel both offered a sacrifice....only Abels was accepted because it was brought in faith. Its not that God didn't like Cains vegetables....Cain just didn't offer it in faith.We tend to focus on the parenting style as the reason it did or didn't work and forget that God is always much more concerned with our hearts than He is our techniques.Its easier on the flesh to read a book and follow 1.2.3. than it is to pray and seek Him.

Selfish Satan

"I will... I will... I will... I will... I will..." Isaiah 14:13 &14 KJV

Socialism

An economics professor at Texas Tech said he had never failed a single student before but had, once, failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.The professor then said ok, we will have an experiment in this class on socialism.All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A. After the first test the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. But, as the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too; so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame, name calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great; but when government takes all the reward away; no one will try or want to succeed.Could not be any simpler than that.............THIS IS WHY THE CURRENT ADMINS ECONOMIC PLAN WILL NEVER WORK!!!!

Extreme Christians

Jesus hated overly religious types. People that dressed a certain way but neglected relationship. I mean he really really hated them. In fact I can think of no other group of people that Jesus hated more than self righteous,inflexible,obstinate,religious conservatives.

Jesus called these guys hypocrites 5 times in one chapter. He also called them blind guides,blind fools and blind men. As if that wasn't enough, on top of that He called them children of hell and pronounced 7 woes upon them.

I could easily see my home falling into this trap of looking and living a certain way but neglecting relationship with Him. We homeschool, are faithful to church, carefully consider our giving, we dress a certain way, have daily family devotions, we are by most standards very very religious.

Like He told the Pharisees its not that we shouldn't carefully consider how we serve Him, its just that we should not leave the weightier matters undone...namely justice and mercy. Jesus using obvious sarcasm used the example of straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel.

I want to cultivate relationship with Him. God. Your love.Your mercy.Your Word.Your grace.Your Spirit.You You You.

Did you know that Jesus Christ talked about His Kingdom and about serving others (namely the poor) more than any other subject? Him/Others. Him/Others. Him/Others. Relationship. Relationship. Relationship. He wanted us to learn how to love and serve Him and others. This is the ongoing theme of the entire Bible. The greatest commandment is to love God and the second greatest is to love others.

Humans

I wouldn't dream of committing obvious sins like murder,adultery,getting drunk and robbing a bank.

I am a Christian, a serious, sold out, radical, separate type. I think the enemy knows this about me and many of those I fellowship with so he changes his tactics. He doesn't try to tempt me with blatant sin so he will try to get me to go overboard in other areas. Sometimes even good noble areas of Christian service and love.

Perhaps the enemy will get me so busy working with my home and family I forget about God. You know some people I know turn their child training into a religion. They are so serious about family and the convictions God has given them concerning the family they elevate their burden for a Godly family above God Himself.

Martha was so busy serving Jesus she missed out on...well...Jesus Himself.

Peter was so zealous and religious that Jesus called him Satan,rebuked him and withdrew His grace so that Peter would know that fleshly efforts don't work.

Eve was seeking knowledge about God when she sinned...seemed noble enough didn't it?

Paul said he considered all of his religious efforts and attainments to be dung.

Catholics worship the cross and Mary. They worship religion itself. I'm afraid Catholics are not the only ones worshipping a religion.

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3; ESV)

Me Church

Undecided on whether life begins at conception

President Obama on Abortion

Q: Do you personally believe that life begins at conception?

A: This is something that I have not come to a firm resolution on. I think it’s very hard to know what that means, when life begins. Is it when a cell separates? Is it when the soul stirs? So I don’t presume to know the answer to that question.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you..."Jer1:5

Pain & Pregnancy

I’ve written a lot about how children are a blessing and a reward. About how there is enough generational momentum in just one child to change the world, but I don’t think I have written much about the fact that children are also a burden and a sacrifice.

God, I am trying to build your Kingdom. Careers are second. Physical appearances are second. My goals, my aspirations all of my own plans are second to your plan. My own health and finances are not as important as your creation. You, O Lord asked me to go forth, multiply and bring forth your kingdom. Nevertheless is a word that every content mom has to learn or in my case continue to learn...

Sometimes living out the will and plan of Christ is painful. Very painful. Lord, the pain you endured, the humiliation, that awful, wonderful cross was it worth all the children it produced? I can hear Him say... Yes, well worth it. In fact the cross and therefore subsequent children it bore were perhaps the most important things Jesus ever did.


I know this a dramatic post here. Can you all tell that I am dizzy, nauseous and trying to convince myself that pregnancy is a good idea?

In 1 Tim. 2:15, Paul says that women will be spiritually preserved (from Satan) by adhering to their God-ordained role related to family and the home. This is contrasted with Eve, who transgressed those boundaries and fell into temptation (v. 14).

Picking at the Word

I overheard a brand new Christian asking an older Christian how she should go about reading and studying her Bible. The older woman whom I really admire said "My husband and I start at Genesis and read straight through."

Soon after that my Pastor talked about how we have become connoisseurs of the Word. We pick and choose. PRN. Like a picky eater with a toothpick choosing the best hors devours. Hmmm, Id like a little faith and maybe some encouragement, or I sure am anxious so I'll Google *Anxiety/Bible*. For a long time my favorite resource was Naves Topical Bible so I could just look up any topic I needed help with.

I have been guilty of studying what I needed without much regard to what He needs.

About 4 months ago we decided as a family to read the Bible through. We started at Gen 1:1. There is something revealed about the nature and plan of God when we read His Word starting at the beginning.

The Words of God were not recorded just so we could be delivered from depression, God has a plan, a long term plan to bring about His kingdom, our depression notwithstanding. I think it is hard to see the character and plan of God with just tidy little snippets that we can apply to our current crisis.Perhaps God would like us to use his book to reveal to us His plan and purpose instead of like a self help manual.

Psalm 119:4You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!

Dont Waste Your Cancer

I appreciate John Pipers article about how we should allow our tests, trials and sufferings bring about the Kingdom. This is an excellent article written by Piper on the eve of his prostate surgery to remove cancer. We could easily take out the word *cancer* and insert the word suffering because these principals can certainly be applied to any suffering we are called to endure. The suffering of the cross is what brought about the will of God and when we endure our own *cross* we in a small way are hastening the coming of Christs kingdom. We cant have a resurrection without a death and burial.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Rom 8:18