Search your own heart and show the love of Christ

I had a situation arise this past week, that through me for a loop, but made we realize that I am so very grateful to know God in such an intimate way...So many out there, know "about" God, but do not "know" God and his ways...It seems that as our nation pluments further and further into destruction that people are being carried away by their own selfishness and have somehow defined in their own minds God character and how he would treat people...Jesus never one time ripped people apart or tore them down for no reason other than to show their 'power'...Jesus was kind and gentle, yet firm and stood fast to what his Father in heaven has shown him...yet he did not possess a spirit haughtiness like we see in today's so-called Christians...The church is failing in the area of teaching about Jesus' character....Somewhere along the way people have decided that they are judge and jury and because they call themselves Christians they have the right to be mean, harsh, judgemental and critical of those around them...They have a spirit of pride...Proverbs 16:18 says "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18" KJV.... This is a scary place to be in our spiritual walk...We should daily pray for the holy spirit to check us and make sure we do not fall into satan's snares with our attitude...It is easy to do. But when dealing with others we must be careful what we say and how we say it, we may very well make the difference if someone is saved or lost....


We always need to remember this.. Proverbs 15:1-2  A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

I always try to remember I(my life) may be the only bible some ever read....What I say is not as important as what I do in my daily life...however; on the internet all of our words need to reflect our heart...I see so many blogs that  post little quotes or graphics that are cute, but their words to others really reflect their heart and it is not pure...they always feel others are out to get them and are on the defense anytime someone questions them about why they do what they do or believe what they believe, or they refuse to post certain comments etc......we should always see this as an opportunity to witness the word to others, not go on the defense and be hateful or try to control others....There are times when it is best to simply ignore the offender when there is danger(as in what happened to me) However I am praying for this person, he needs prayer....I think the Holy spirit will show us when we need to ignore an offender or when we can use the situation to show the love of Christ....If we are in danger we need to ignore the person...

I am glad I faced what I faced this week with someone that claims to be full of wisdom and maturity, but in reality is just hiding behind the title Christian and wants nothing more than to control and manipulate others....It has made me search my own heart, motives and relationship with Christ...I have dug into the word and prayed in earnest....

So the next time you are faced with someone that is less than kind and even judgemental...pray for that person in earnest, take that opportunity to show the love of Christ, no matter how hard it is...YOU will be the one blessed!!

 

Taking Our Thoughts Captive

2 Corinthians 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Every morning when we rise from slumber we have a choice....We can choose to be pleasant and focus on all that is good or we can focus on all the trials and tribulations of this world and in our lives...If we tarry long on trials and tribulations we can become very downtrodden and discontented in our present situation...Satan loves a good ol' pity party...truly you are never alone in a pity party satan will always accompany you...He will be right there planting thoughts of negativity and making your situation seem worse than it really is...Don't get me wrong we all have circumstances that are bad and that we truly need to seek God's guidance on, but I am talking about rising everyday and not being able to rise above your circumstances or to see the forrest for the trees kind of  thinking...We are instructed in the scripture above to take every thought captive...in Philippians 4:8 we are told to focus on whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Sure I have my days when I am just in a 'mood'...but I pray to seek the reason why I am in that mood...I hear women say often that they are hormonal...is this truly a good reason to treat our families or others less than nice? I say no...I have health issues and they really take a toll sometimes...And at times I find myself being short with my husband and daughter...really my illness is not an excuse to treat folks poorly...I am learning to allow the holy spirit to check my attitude daily...I begin my day with prayer, when I find myself thinking thoughts that do not line up with God's word, I go to prayer...I may be praying as I go about my dishes or hanging clothes on the line, but I pray...Satan battles our mind everyday...If you are a television watcher we are bombarded with negativity...from the news to many shows that show people in a less than good light...The internet is full of negativity and bad news we are being attacked at every turn....Not so long ago I questioned a blogger on something very simple out of

curiosity and was treated less than kind...Folks are on the defensive everywhere and its sad...We are living in a very selfish world and people tend to think they can do whatever they want and never be questioned...I find questions opportunity's to share my faith and beliefs not tear others down and berate them for daring to ask me a question...we should strive to live above reproach...just as Jesus did...Our worldly way of thinking is the biggest problem in walking with Jesus....Satan loves to tell us we have it all figured out and we are right and its ok to have attitude if we feel bad, someone questions us or if we have a bad hair day...But that is not how we as followers of Christ are to be....We must keep our attitude in check, our thinking in line with God's word and focus on all things that are of a good report and we must take every thought captive and bring our thoughts into submission to God's word....

Bound by Sin

I have often times said that living on a farm is where I am in my element so to speak, this is where I feel closest to God and where he speaks to me in some profound ways...there was a time not so long ago that I totally lost sight of why we are doing what we do here on our little farm, but it was again God that spoke to me through this little farm that set me back on track...I give him all the praise and glory....

While it is a bit late in the season I have a hen setting a few eggs and a duck setting so chicken eggs, she became broody but we have no male duck so she decided hen(chicken) eggs were the next best thing...anyway when I was out there the other day doing my daily chores, talking to the Lord as I went along(makes my chores so much easier) I began thinking about sin and how it is like a chick in an egg....

In the first stages of a fertilized egg there is a tiny speck...not even visible to the human eye...if that egg is fertilized, tended to and incubated it will grow...it will began to take on the form of something totally different than its beginnings if it continues to be tended to...it will grow until it out grows the shell and at that point it must come out from it....I have often thought how freeing it must be to that little chicken to finally come forth from that shell where it has been so cramped, restricted and bound...when it is finally free from that shell and looks around it is in a whole new world and a in a whole different condition than where it started some 21 days earlier....in the early stages it was just a speck, but soon it became bigger...a life all it's own

So it is with us with temptation and sin...in it's beginning stages it is innocent enough...it is barely visible to anyone, maybe not even us....but as we foster the sin by giving into the temptation it acts as an incubator...that sin begins to grow and take shape...it takes on a life of its own...before we realize it, we are bound by that sin...we no longer feel our freedom in Christ....we are restricted in our fellowship not only with Him, but our fellow Christians as well.... our prayer life becomes stale and fruitless...we must free ourselves from that sin by repenting and turning from whatever it was that had us bound...when we have a truly repentant heart and get things right with God again, when our eyes are opened we, like a little chick will be in a whole new condition than we were bound in our shell of sin...

Not so long ago I was bound by sin...It started so very small and seemed so innocent and I could justify my involvement...I had others around me cheering me on....However; for that entire year the scripture "There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death". Proverbs 14:12 weighed heavy on my heart and mind...I had become bound by mans way of thinking and price I paid was high...I had lost my fellowship with God...sure I prayed and was still a believer, but I had put other things first...I had made an idol out of something other than our Lord and Savior...I had become so bound by mans way of thinking that I felt at the time the only way out was death...But God is a great and mighty, powerful and merciful God....He picked me up out of that miry pit and set me straight....Praise the Lord!!....I am now more mindful of what I allow in my life and who I allow in my life....I listen more intently and pray more fervently and stay in the word daily....I am like that little chick....I broke from my shell and found a whole new world....Sin is like that little chick in his shell....it is dark, no light can get in...it is restricted and that little life is bound...when we let it all go, turn from it and break free....we come into the light...the glorious light of Jesus and all he has to offer us....

If you are bound by sin today...Repent....time is short...Free yourself by asking for forgiveness....

Simple Womans Day Book

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...It is cloudy

I am thinking...About what a wonderful God we serve

I am thankful...for a all the blessings big and small that the Lord has bestowed upon us

In the kitchen...I need to do the dishes

I am wearing...Denim skirt and blouse

I am creating...this blog

I am going...to buy feed for the critters today

I am wondering...what the Lord will show me next in my bible study

I am reading...the bible

I am hoping...to get all my housework done

I am looking forward to...quiet time with the Lord

I am learning....about blessings in the midst of trials

Around the house...all is quiet

I am pondering...what the Lord wants me to do next

A favorite quote for today....2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong .

One of my favorite things...Visiting with friends about the goodness of God

A few plans for the rest of the week: Not much, farm chores, housework, bible reading, prayer time, calling and visiting with a couple of friends, and church

A peek into my day...Home keeping, and farm chores


http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

In everything give thanks

There is so much to distract us these days from what is really important...jobs, children, the mess the world is in...we get caught up in the 'storms of life' and lose our focus on God and all he has for us...The storms of life should be met with Praise and Thankfulness as they are a school master of sorts...there is always much to be learned during those times...

Some storms are bigger than others but all have lessons to be learned...I know in my own life when I face a trial or struggle when its over and all is calm once again, I begin to see the lesson God had for me...Trials are also a time for growth...I know some of my biggest times of growth in the Lord has been in the midst of a trial....

I have always said that if our lives were always good and there were no trials we would have no reason to need God...Hard times draw us closer to him, or at least they should...when the weight of the world is on our shoulders, we should fall to our knees...Its easy to fall into the "Oh, poor me trap" and forget the blessings that will come from the trial, and believe me they will come...In my own life I have faced many challenges...unsaved children, marriage issues, serious health problems, extended family problems...when I was not serving God these issues seemed insurmountable, but with Jesus we muddle through one day at time...I have hold of the nail scarred hand and he will see me though...the way may seem long, the trial endless, but he is there...leading and guiding...

If you have a burden that seems to much to bear, hand it to Jesus...he will lighten the load....


Phillipians 4:-7 ⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.