Everybody's Everything

A lady told me the other day, "I cannot be everybody's everything." How true these words are! Do you realize how burdening is is to try to be a "people pleaser"? I tried it for many years... What's worse is when you try to throw God in the loop; like He needs to take turns or something! 

Seriously, if you live you life pleasing before The Lord there IS freedom! Yes, people will walk away, but WHO is of more importance? Christ or the world? 

"For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10

Therefore, I too cannot be everybody's everything. I desire to live in a way that's pleasing before my God; that I may be counted worthy to BE a servant of my Lord and master. 

How long you juggle is up to you. There's FREEDOM in Christ! 

Do we serve the SAME Christ?

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24

1st He says, "if any man will come after Me." It's a CHOICE... Life or death? Christ or the world? Have you counted the cost?

2nd He says, "let him deny himself". Are you allowing Him to transform you? Are you beginning to take on His likeness or does it look like you REPRESENT the world (anyone without Him). 

3rd He says, "take up his cross". It is representative both figurative & literal of DEATH. He willingly sacrificed His life so we might KNOW Him, have access to the Father in a Heaven and have everlasting LIFE. We too are required to make a sacrifice. All He endured: mockery, lashings, beatings, persecution (comes in many forms these days), to some degree, we will too. It COST Him His life, are we so arrogant to think we don't have to go through what He did; to assume the "Christian life" is about pleasures of this life (not that of the next) & worldly gain? That's WRONG! 

4th He says, "come after Me"... Are you FOLLOWING Him? His ways? His commandments? 

Finally, are you teachable? Remember the disciples are His students. Continually learning, absorbing & APPLYING. Do you do these things DAILY (Luke 9:26) 

See, following Christ is about laying down ourselves and humbly walking with Him; serving others in His Love. Self sacrifice at a high cost. If you follow a "Jesus" with no requirements and no life changes, can you honestly say you FOLLOW Christ if the Bible? 

Some may say this is harsh. No my friend, hell is harsh and anyone not walking with the True Messiah will forever be cut off from Him, from His Love & His forgiveness. With that said, Do we follow the same Jesus? 

Reach!

One, then two steps down and reach... These simple things is all my 3 year old nephew had to do to grab his toy airplane that fell down. He wanted it back so bad but not quite bad enough to do it himself. He wanted me to grab it. Lol! 

I told him twice how to get it but he shook his little head in disbelief. He grabbed my hand and stretched it as far as it would go, to no avail. I wasn't close enough either. 

Truth is, he was scared. He's in new territory and this simple task was uneasy. So I held out my hand and said, "let's do it together!" With BIG wide eyes he smiles and laughs. Then he attempts to make me grab it again. I said, "No, let's do it together!" He shrieks back and begins to pout. So step by step I told him, "Put your toes by my toes", uncertain he did it! One step, then the next step his toes followed mine. 

Then I said, "take my hand. We will get it together." He tried AGAIN to make my hand get it. "No, let's do it together", I said with a reassuring smile. So, I held his tiny hand and we both stretched forth and grabbed it! 

Moral of the story: Trust conquerors fear! How many times does The Lord God instruct us STEP by STEP, yet we do the same thing. We have our own ideas in how it should go and so we struggle in our fears. 

Truth is, He never asks us to do these things alone! His hand is always outstretched and grants us guidance step by step. The duration of our squandering & squawking is up to us. The sooner we learn to TRUST His gentle hand, the better & more enjoyable our walk will be! 

Will you take His hand and trust His leading?

The farmer's estate auction

It was our interest in a service truck that took me to a farmer's estate auction yesterday. By mid morning a middle aged man came by the vehicle we were standing next to. With his hands in his hair then raised up to the air in frustration, he yells out, "I can't --- believe this!"

He aimlessly wondered the rows of tractor trucks, trailers and heavy farming equipment in disbelief. He had lost his father and his family was selling 3 generations worth of hard work, blood, sweat & tears. 

The man walked over to me and began talking about his family's brief history. He assured my father-in-law & I that he personally helped maintain the vehicles, schooled us on their age & conditions. 

Saddened myself over his grief all I could say was "I'm sorry for your loss". His whole demeanor changed. His frustration was still there but a bit lightened it seemed as he looked amazed a stranger would care. 

See I understand his pain to a degree. I've lost my Dad too. This man had no choice as to the decisions made in his Father's estate. I didn't either. It's grievous to see what things boil down to after someone passes away. 

A legacy was sold and not much more than monetary gain would be left. Memories remain and always will be. Truth is, we are all born into this world naked and will take nothing with us when we our time on earth is through. 

Is it any wonder why Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21

We didn't get the service truck but a reminded lesson I regained. Things are just things, it's people that matter. I have no idea if the man who passed knew Christ but when our final breath is drawn that is the only thing that counts. 

After all, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36

Blinded eyes & hardened hearts

"...Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not." Isaiah 66:3-4

"He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." John 12:40

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Proverbs 14:12

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matthew 7:13-14

When the Bridegroom calls

When the Bridegroom calls

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." Matthew 25:3-4,8-9

There's a form of dependency the 5 foolish virgins had; a sense of entitlement. They weren't prepared yet desired oil from those who were. 

Many today are claiming Christ on the coattails of those who truly follow Him. They want what the true believer has without the commitment & infilling of the Holy Spirit. Our society has grossly fed into this "something for nothing" mentality. 

When Christ returns, He will separate the wheat from the tares; those who are His and those whom He knows not. To know Him and He know us is personal. It's a sacrifice, a choice & desire. 

We can't walk for another person, nor can anyone walk for us. We must each prepare! When the Bridegroom returns, will you be found with enough oil in your lamp?

Forsake the pig pen!

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Luke 15:10

The prodigal son chose his own way over what was preplanned for his life. He thought he could do better on his own. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way..." Isaiah 53:6

After ending up alone and hungry with the swine he saw his need; he saw his depravity! He knew his father's servants had better than he. 

"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." Luke 15:20

If you've ended up in the pig pen, it doesn't matter how far you've gone your own way, it only takes 1 step to return to our Heavenly Father. 

You can come home! Just as the father hugged and kissed his long lost son, so will the angels of Heaven rejoice at the Heavenly Father's embrace of you! 

Will you wallow in the muck, mire & filth of the pig pen or will you return home and regain your robe of righteousness in Christ?