Don't Forget about Today!

I’ve been excited the past few days thinking about my upcoming cross country flight to spend some time with my daughter and her family for her birthday…you know, spend time with the grandkids!  

Then, I had this awful thought this morning, As excited as I am to begin this journey, three weeks from today it will all be over. I will be back home wondering when the next opportunity might come along. Have you ever viewed an upcoming vacation in this light? It kind of takes the wind out of your sail, doesn’t it?

Maybe this is God’s way of reminding us about focusing too much on tomorrow. James 4:13-14 states……..

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there…You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring~~what your life will be!”

Although James is actually writing this as a warning against making (and bragging about) business plans without including God’s directions in those plans, we can still learn another principle from these words.

According to commentaries, the phrase “Come now” is based upon an interjectory colloquialism that we would understand to be equivalent to “Listen up!” James is making it a point to get the readers’ attention.

In other words: Those of you who are saying that tomorrow you will do this or that, listen up! You don’t know what tomorrow holds! Maybe you should stop and think about what God might want you to do today!

The editors of The Bible Knowledge Commentary state the following, “Man’s plans are always tentative. His plans are not his own. Time is not his own. In fact, life is not his own.”

Maybe instead of spending each countdown day as “in X number of days, I will begin my trip/vacation,” I should instead recognize and consider the blessings and responsibilities of each of those days leading up to GO time. 

Maybe instead of dreading each day as “in X number of days, it will all be over,” I should recognize the blessings and opportunities that await! Agree?

 I’m not saying you shouldn’t be excited about the rest/relaxation/opportunities God has afforded you, but don’t waste today while focusing on what lies ahead!

Now, pack your bags and enjoy today!

Debbie

5,6,7,8

Our church Ladies’ Ministry is currently going through Kelly Minter’s Bible Study entitled What Love Is based on 1, 2, 3 John.

As she was discussing the concept of the word remain found throughout John’s letters, I was reminded of Mandisa’s song “Overcomer”. 

This song has been forever engrained in my brain as it was a common music background for several cheer squads that performed at my granddaughter’s cheer competitions. Believe me, the strong parts of that song played in the strongest bass you can imagine…well, you can imagine!

As part of my granddaughter's cheer routines (she is a base-leader), we love to tease her about only being able to count to 8…usually starting at 5. That beat just becomes a part of who they are as cheerleaders….and part of those in the audience as well.

So, try to imagine that beat to that great song  4-5 times in a two hour time slot on high bass/high volume in a well known arena or convention center!

That brings me back to the I John passage Kelly Minter shared in her Bible Study. She shares that John uses the Greek word, MENO to remind his readers that we have the assurance that Christ will continue to abide, or remain in us as believers…and we have the ability to abide, or remain in Him.

Greek dictionaries state that MENO carries the following meanings:  not to depart; to continue; to be present; to be held; kept continually;…to endure. Strong’s Concordance defines the word this way, “to stay (in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy).”

Can’t you see (feel?) the confidence that oozes from these definitions? God promises to keep us continually~~to hold us! As a result, we can endure…be strong enough to go through all things (Philippians 4:13)! We can have the confidence to “to stay (in a given place, state, relation, or expectancy)” ~~to remain faithful!

As part of the Bible Study homework, we were asked to comment on what that thought makes us think about. The very first thing that boomed in my mind was, “5,6,7,8…Don’t quit, Don’t give in, You’re an overcomer!” It is written on page 76 in my Bible Study workbook!

BOOM-BOOM, BOOM-BOOM~~~BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

DON’T QUIT, DON’T GIVE IN! ~~~YOU’RE AN OVERCOMER!

Remain faithful!

Debbie

5,6,7,8

Re-enter/Reset

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the home security monitoring stations? 

Do you wonder if they catch on that you must have forgotten something as you re-enter/reset your system just moments after ‘signing out’? Do you think they make guesses as to what it was that you forgot?

I admit, I think that often…as I often have to re-enter/reset.  And, yes, sometimes it is re-enter/reset more than once as I try to leave the house!

I wonder if the crew makes ‘bets’ as to who observes the most resets each morning? 

That made me think about our need  to re-enter/reset for our other HMS-our HEART Monitoring System.

We are ready to leave and face the day. We have had our morning devotional time. We have prayed and asked God to please ‘place one hand on our shoulder and the other over our mouth.’

We have left with our Heart Monitoring System turned on. But...it isn’t too long afterwards when we forget to guard our tongue, or we forget to ‘Be ye kind’, or we forget to…you know…as the list goes on and on. We forget something and have to re-enter/reset.

Let's consider our home monitoring system. How many resets are allowed per day? The number is limitless. All they are interested in is making sure we reset each time we re-enter. (I learned that lesson the hard way once!)

Now, consider our Heart Monitoring System.  How many resets are allowed per day? The answer is the same. The number is limitless as long as we reset each time. 1 John 1:9 states, 

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins….” 

That is our reset code.

Does God need to guess about what we may have forgotten? No,… because He KNOWS!

Does God need to wonder when we are going to ‘do’ our first reset? No,… because He KNOWS!

Does God laugh and make light of our daily resets? No,...because He CARES!

Matter of fact, He cares so much that He reminds us to reset! I sure wish our home monitoring system had reminded me that day when the sheriff showed up at our home, and our daughter (last on the list to be contacted) got the call that our alarm was going off when no one else could be reached!  BTW: It was my phone that I re-entered for and gave up looking for it.

Remember to reset!

Debbie

Just What are Increased Talents?

 It’s ‘funny’…I guess I should say pretty amazing…how God takes His Word from a sermon three weeks ago and whacks  you over the head with it (lovingly, of course) right when you need it! 

The stewardship parable in Matthew 25:14ff has always been a confusing parable to me. Even though the ‘talents’ referred to in this passage refer to a monetary unit of exchange, it can be compared to being given a specific responsibility or resource.  I understood how to invest money, but how does one invest responsibilities…add more responsibilities?  

Our pastor spoke on this topic three weeks ago to begin our annual Stewardship Month at church. Each week since, he has reviewed and reiterated that main point in the following manner. “When you stand before the Lord with what He has given you, will you be able to present it back to Him in a ‘better’ condition”?  

Or, as described in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary, have I developed the resources God has entrusted to me?

Suddenly it made sense. It is not a matter of developing or creating MORE talents/gifts or responsibilities, but improving upon and developing the ones we have been given and using what has been bestowed upon us more effectively.

I was pretty pleased with myself for saying, “Now I get it!” But I didn’t apply it till last Sunday morning…(Yes, I had to fight to keep myself from thinking this through during the sermon!)

God blessed me with the desire and the ability to teach from my early toddler/preschool years of teaching my baby dolls. My mom always said that she knew I would be a teacher from the time I was three years old. 

I’ve developed that ‘talent’ by continually increasing my education through special high school classes, college, numerous seminars and conferences, and a post-grad degree. I have had many years of experience in a variety of venues and opportunities.  Yep, I have improved upon that God-given responsibility/talent throughout my life…and continue to use that talent to minister to and teach others.

But...

I also recognize that I have had a desire (and, I feel) a talent for writing since my high school journalism days (see archives…January 2011-blog #1). I’ve realized that a God-given desire/talent actually means a God-given responsibility...

So...

What have I done to improve upon and use that  ‘talent’ more effectively?  Not much. I’ve practiced with it. I’ve used it-tentatively.  But, have I really put enough into improving and/or developing that responsibility to deem it more effective? Will I be able to present this ‘talent’ back to the Lord in a ‘better’ condition?

Even though I am sharing these thoughts for you to consider in your life, I’m beginning to think that I am secretly writing to myself! 

Ok, Debbie…what ARE you going to do about it?    

   

I am challenging myself to be accountable and keep you informed about the developmental steps along my journey.

What about you?  Do you have some God-given interests/talentsor responsibilities that you need to start developing…before the Master returns? 

Time to start developing…

Debbie