Grab and Go Jesus

This post could go in a myriad of different directions...oh wait, I guess all my posts have that potential. Seriously, have you had a conversation with me? Hopefully with Holy Spirit's help I will be able to convey what is on my heart and, more importantly, what is on His.

Many of you know me personally, but many of you do not. This will be one of those posts where knowing me will put you at an advantage. I have been told I write just like I talk, so if you've been reading for awhile you have a pretty good glimpse into my personality...God bless you if you continue to come back:)

We just completed Fall Break 2010 here in the Scenic City (Chattanooga.) My husband took most of the week as vacation. We loaded up the family and headed to the great tourist mecca of eastern Tennessee, aka, Sevier County, Great Smoky Mountains, Little Las Vegas and Gatlinburg.

Where else can you hike, horseback ride, wine taste, eat, go to indoor water parks, zip line, shop, ride go-carts, play unlimited miniature golf and find a "show" on every corner? If that's not enough you can visit any number of Ripley's museums which promise to be the best of the Smokies...I wouldn't know, I've not been to any of them!

I hope I painted a clear picture for those who haven't had the privilege of visiting the Great Smokies. One adjective I would use to describe any trip there is "BUSY!" Now, if you are childless there are plenty of cabins nestled in the woods which offer a place of respite and refreshing...but traveling to Sevier Co., Tennessee with two girls, ages 10 and 14, you aren't going to go to those places...see previous paragraph.

Fast forward to right now, it's 1:14 in the afternoon and I'm coming to you from my bedroom, showered, but in pj pants sitting in the quiet, writing this blog post. The only talking I have done thus far today is communicating with my 10 year old as she got ready for school. The quiet has been blissful.

Please hear me loud and clear, I adore my family. I love to spend time with my husband and our girls, but seriously, we are LOUD! All four of us! When we are all together it is hard to be heard, so we become louder. Now, I'm not saying this is all bad. After all, God gave us our personalities. In the past I tried to change who I was in order to fit a mold I thought people wanted or expected of me. I realized God made me with a voice and I have embraced that voice in the last couple of years...thus the realization of My Soul Sings!

Not too long ago I had an epiphany...I enjoy solitude. This really surprised me at first, because I love people and being with people. If given the option of a quiet Friday night at home or going to dinner with friends, I'd choose the latter most all the time. What I realized is I have the benefit of copious amounts of "me" time. While the girls are in school I am home alone. My days and weeks fill up quickly with ministry and such, but I also have alone time on a daily basis Monday through Friday, with a few exceptions. Having this amount of alone time equates to plenty of Jesus and me time!

Before you jump to conclusions and envision me all pious, let me clarify. Jesus time for me doesn't mean I spend hours reading scripture, or praying, for that matter. It simply means I am aware of His presence with me as I go about my day. Yes, I talk to Him. I most definitely spend time praising and worshiping Him. I also enjoy listening to sermons online, as well as reading the Word.

Last night when I went to bed my thoughts went toward today and the time I would be able to spend with Jesus. I realized I hadn't had much Jesus and me time all week. It made me sad. Think of your dearest friend, now think of the last time you spent with them. Was it today, yesterday, last week or last month? If you answered last month how does that make you feel? Distant, separated, alone? Does it make you crave time with them? If so, why do you crave time with them? Is it because you love how time with them makes you feel? Is it because you love them, cherish them and enjoy the deep heart connection you have with them? Perhaps when you are separated from them you feel incomplete or like you are missing something. This is exactly how I feel when I've not had my Jesus time.

I've been a Christian for most of my life, but that doesn't mean I have always walked in an intimate relationship with Him. In fact, my relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit really began about six years ago. In the past if you had asked me about my quiet time I would have said it was slim to none. From time to time I would be guilted into or feel obligated to spend time reading my Bible and my prayers were short and self-serving at that. Then there were crisis times when I suddenly became "fervent" in prayer, because of desperation and fear. Like I could actually put God in a box, store Him on the shelf, then pull the box off the shelf and blow off the dust when I needed Him...what a prideful way of thinking I had! Pure religion, devoid of relationship, reducing God to a genie in a bottle.

So, maybe you can relate to some of what I just shared and maybe you are wondering what is different now for me. Well, so glad you asked! Relationship, that's the difference. No longer am I fearful of God in a sense of having to perform for Him to meet the mark. Quite the opposite, I am drawn to His goodness. Anything I do for Him I do out of the overflow He has so generously poured into me. I spend time with Him because I want to, not because I need to or should. I praise Him because without a way to express my gratitude and love for Him I just might explode! I talk to Him, because He is my friend and greatest confidant. The more I experience and encounter His heart the more passionately I grow in love with Him.

Let me attempt to tie this all together. Last week represented busyness. Our world as a whole is loud and always on the go...just like I felt our "break" was. Have we become so accustomed to drive thru living that we have equated our time with Jesus, our dearest friend and Savior, to drive thru as well? I'm calling it "grab and go Jesus." Grab and go Jesus makes me sad...it almost makes me sick...I can't help but wonder how it grieves His heart. Unlike the members of my family, Jesus doesn't raise His voice and become louder in order to gain our attention.

One of the reasons I started this blog was a desire to represent Him well. I feel the body of Christ has largely mis-represented God to the world, myself included. The more of the mystery of Christ I uncover, the more I want to share my findings.

In no way is this post meant to bring shame or guilt to anyone. Your time with Jesus is personal. There is no "set" amount of time you should spend with Him. I have discovered the more time I spend with Him, the more I want. As long as I was stuck in the process of "fulfilling the quota" I wasn't living in the fullness of joy being in His presence brings (see Psalm 16:11 NASB.)

We were created to be friends of God. Once you partake of friendship with Him, time with Him becomes a priority, something you purpose to make time for above all else. Last week among the busyness of fall break I didn't purpose to spend time with Him and I was left feeling empty as a result.

Intimacy with the Father is something I love writing about. I hope this post has sparked desire in your heart, or rekindled a flame that may have been smothered out by busyness. Can you hear Him calling you or has He been drowned out by the noise of this world? Spending time with my closest Friend makes my soul sing! I refuse to settle for "grab and go Jesus," what about you?

Complaints Not Welcomed Here

"Complaining is to the devil what praise is to God." When I saw this quote from Bill Johnson, I knew there was great truth in it.

Praise is our way of acknowledging God, of keeping Him on the throne of our life. Praise is one way we show our love and thankfulness to God. Praise keeps us mindful of His presence and focused on His heart.

In His presence we find peace, strength, rest, love, comfort, joy and much more! Living from His presence equips us to live a Spirit filled life, bringing heaven to earth, advancing His kingdom. This is the will of God...and praise is the key to unlocking all of it! Just writing about it sets my heart on fire... Praise, Presence and Peace...my three favorite words beginning with the letter "p!" I might just tuck that away for a title of a future blog post;)

I guess you know where this is going...if praise empowers God in our lives, what or Who does complaining empower? Keep in mind the enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy. Jesus came to give us abundant life (see John 10:10.) Praise leads to abundance and fulfillment. Complaining sets your eyes on the work of the enemy...actually, complaining comes into agreement with the enemy.

Now, I'm not saying there isn't room for constructive criticism. Constructive criticism has its place to bring about betterment of ourselves and others. Constructive criticism should offer a plan of action, something you can do to make the situation better. Please do not confuse the two:)

Complaining can be driven by a critical spirit, jealousy, or rejection, to name a few sources. A chronic complainer most likely is not living a life of fulfillment, joy or peace in Christ. I know. I was one.

Let's take a look at some scriptures first about the tongue in a negative sense:

Proverbs 4:24 "Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips."

Proverbs 10:19 "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise."

Proverbs 12:16 "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult."

Proverbs 13:3 "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin."

Proverbs 21:23 "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."

Philippians 2:14 "Do everything without complaining or arguing."

WOW! There's more where those came from...if you want more conviction camp out in Proverbs for awhile... WARNING: Wear closed toe shoes!

On a more positive note, let's take a glance at some verses on praise and words of life:

Psalms 34:8-9 from the Message, "Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see-how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him. Worship God if you want the best, worship opens doors to all His goodness."

Proverbs 10:11 "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life!"

Proverbs 15:15b "A cheerful heart has a continual feast."

Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."

Proverbs 17:22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

I could continue, but I think you get the concept.

I posed a challenge on my Facebook yesterday to go the entire day without complaining. Many of my Facebook friends participated. Some shared they were successful with not speaking complaints aloud, but still struggled to take the thoughts captive. That's awesome! The first step is learning to recognize it before it leaves your lips!

At one point in the day I realized I had talked less, not wanting a complaint or critical comment to leave my mouth. Guess there is much wisdom in Proverbs 10:19 about when words are many, sin is not absent:) Lesson learned...talk less!

Having success in the challenge was empowering to me. I felt wonderful and my spirit was uplifted. Our words really do carry much power, either to bless or to curse. I want to bless.

You might be thinking, "Amy, this all sounds good, but really, no complaining...I think I might explode!" God knows our humanness and His Word is full of instruction. Let's take a peek at some:

Psalm 62:8 "Trust in Him at all times, O' people, pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge."

Psalm 142:1 "I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before Him; before Him I tell my trouble."

I am so thankful for David! Don't you just love how honest he is? He doesn't try to sugar coat or downplay what's bothering him. He just tells God exactly what he is feeling. What an awesome example for us! There have been many times when I have gone into my bedroom closet and beat the floor with my fist because I was mad at God. He's God and, trust me, He can handle it. By pouring my heart out to Him I was able to express the deep emotions of my heart, as ugly as they were, in the safety of His presence. The wonderful thing about it was I left the "ugly" at His feet and came out the other side of the rant session with His perspective and peace.

Honestly, when I back-up my truckload of complaints and dump them on a friend or, more likely, my husband I might feel better temporarily, but without addressing the root of what feeds my need to complain, any relief is fleeting. Have you ever listened to someone rant and rave? Ever felt slimed by it? It is very draining to be in relationship with a chronic complainer or critical person...again I know...I was one.

There are times when you need to share your heart with a friend or spouse in order to get Godly counsel or perspective...but hopefully your "venting" doesn't sound like the teacher on Charlie Brown, "wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah."

I have heard it takes 21 days to form a new habit. It is my desire to live a complaint free lifestyle. I am purposing for 21 days to not complain in hopes of it becoming a habit!

If you are interested in learning more about the important connection between our emotions and our health I suggest you read "Deadly Emotions" by Don Colbert, M.D. For more on speaking blessings check out "Blessing Your Spirit" by Sylvia Gunter and Arthur Burk.

If you are interested in participating in "21 days to a complaint free lifestyle" join with me in this prayer.

Dear Daddy, I am so thankful You have empowered me to change. You are taking me from glory to glory and I am being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. I want to live a life in complete surrender and praise to You. I want my words, thoughts and actions to reflect Your heart. I want to empower You, Daddy, to move in my life and the lives of those around me. I want my life to reflect Your heart to a broken and dying world. I want others to see the difference You have made in me and are continuing to make in me. Teach me, Holy Spirit, to talk and live like Jesus did. May I know the difference between complaining and Godly rebuke and correction. May my words be spirit as Your words are Spirit, spirit that brings life, not death. Daddy forgive me for the many times my words have spoken death and criticism that has been destructive. I break agreement with the power I have given the enemy through my ungodly words. I purpose to pour out my heart like water before You and bring my complaints to You. Instruct me Lord. Give me Your perspective, align my heart with Your heart. I want to reflect You! I love You, Daddy. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, I love You, I love You, I love You, I praise You! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Imperative Word for the Body of Christ

Don't you just love it when God really wants you to hear a word He will repeat it several times until you've heard it? When listening to sermons, doing Bible study or talking with people I often hear words from the Lord. They pierce my heart and I think to myself, "wow, that was good." Then, other times, I hear the same word in different contexts, through many different venues and it's those times my spirit comes to complete attention. It's like the Lord saying to me, "Amy, wake up, this is really important. I not only want you to hear this, I want you to act on it." I have heard such a word in the last two weeks and now I am going to "act on it."

Repentance, it's important. No, let's take it further, it's imperative. Without repentance we cheapen the gift of grace.

Russell and I visited a church in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee a couple of Sundays ago. In case you are wondering where Leiper's Fork is, it is somewhere in the boonies near Franklin. Great place, you really should visit:)

We pulled up to the church and there on the sign it read, "Those who mourn will find comfort" or something like that. The pastor is doing a series on the Beatitudes and this particular week they were on Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

I must admit when I read the sign I wasn't too excited. I thought the message would be depressing. You know what they say about assumptions...

The pastor went into detail about the word "mourn." Of course to mourn means to grieve due to loss, but in this context it is more accurately referring to Godly sorrow. Sin makes God sorrowful, it grieves His heart. Sin should also grieve ours.

Let's look at II Corinthians 7:10 , "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." (NIV)

Now the same verse in the Message "Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets."

The pastor went on to say he feels as believers we are uncomfortable with confronting other's sin and we downplay the need for repentance. For example, when a sister or brother comes to us and confesses a sin, perhaps looking for accountability and/or encouragement we are quick to say, "hey man, don't worry about it, it's no big deal." We downplay the seriousness of sin because it makes us uncomfortable to really look at it face to face. Probably because we too struggle with similar sin and to confront it in another turns the spotlight on our own hearts as well.

We are instructed in James 5:16 to confess our sins to one another so healing may come. Confession is part of repentance. Repentance is part of a Godly lifestyle if we want to live in the abiding place referred to in Psalm 91:1.

As the body of Christ we must stop sugar coating sin. Let's call it what it is!

Now, in effort to convey a balanced scriptural view on the subject I must say I do not believe anyone should wallow in guilt or condemnation. Holding onto sin and allowing the enemy to tell us we are dirty or unworthy is a denial of what Christ did on the cross.

Remembering one of my favorite verses Romans 2:4, "God's kindness leads you toward repentance." It is His goodness that draws us to repent because the Holy Spirit in us is grieved by sin. Going back to the beatitude, "blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted." Godly sorrow brings repentance and repentance brings forgiveness and forgiveness releases healing and freedom...and nothing is more comforting then that!

Papa God continued to speak to me about repentance at the conference I just attended. The conference theme was glory and intimacy. A line I wrote down in my notes was "clean conscience by repentance." You see, it is clear, repentance is necessary for those who want to walk more intimately with the Father. Not because we have to be "good enough," or "perfect," but because sin puts up a wall between us and our Daddy. I want what grieves Him to grieve me.

Let's take this up a notch and move from personal repentance to corporate repentance. I believe repentance is a good word for the current state of our nation. I am reminded of II Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

This verse is quoted often when people are focused on the doom and gloom state of the government, economy, culture, etc. But I want to warn you don't be so quick to claim this verse without reading it carefully. Notice it clearly states we are to "turn from wicked ways." This is repentance in a nutshell.

Do you see the cause and effect pattern in this verse? Calling on His name leads to humility, where we fall on our face seeking His. When we truly seek His face we are struck with our need for repentance. Repentance clears the lines between us and heaven so we hear His voice. We then are able to receive forgiveness and healing! Isn't that amazing?!?!

Pointing the finger at one political party or person isn't the answer. Rioting, boycotting, name calling, petitioning, etc aren't the answer. Repentance is the answer, it's right there in the Book!

You might be wondering what this has to do with you? May I suggest it starts with you? Humble yourself and confess and repent from the sins of our fathers. Yes, you can repent for past generations in order to bring about change for future generations!

I have recently participated in such intercession. I was lead to repent for the sins of pride, rebellion and fear for myself and this region. Ask Holy Spirit to reveal to your heart what sins on behalf of your region and you, personally, need to repent for.

This blog has taken two different courses, thank you for staying with me. In short, walk in a lifestyle of repentance for yourself, then do your part to bring about repentance for your city, state and nation. Then praise God for His faithfulness to honor His promise to "heal," in your heart and your land!

I thank You, Papa God, that Your kindness and goodness is what leads us to repentance! I want my heart so in line with Yours, that I am grieved when You are grieved! Thank you in advance for healing my heart and healing my city...it truly does make My Soul Sing!