Jesus is moved by our humility. We all have needs but pride can hinder us from coming to God to meet those needs. I was so blessed when I reread the story of Blind Bartimaes from Mark 10:46-52. There are many lessons we can learn from this blind beggar. Take a listen and I pray this blesses you.
I must confess that I was pretty disappointed when I first started blogging and I did not accumulate a large following (and for the record, I still don’t have one). I would put links to my blog posts on Facebook and other social media sites and would feel so bummed that only a few, if any hit the like button or leave a comment. But after much whining talking to my husband about my disappointment, he reminded me not to get caught up in the numbers or lack thereof. I was to remain focused on why I started to blog…to share Jesus. He reminded me that if I only reach one then my blog is a success. Great advice, so I have been typing away, sharing my heart and aiming not to focus on the numbers.
Needless to say that I was pretty excited when I found out that I was nominated for the Liebster Award. In short this award allows your blog to get more exposure and then gives you a chance to share other blogs with your readers. I had never heard of this, but who doesn’t like to win an award? A big thank you to Tanya at Williamstand for nominating me. Her transparency and love for Christ is refreshing and has blessed me. Be sure to check out her blog.
To accept this award I was asked to include 11 random facts about myself, which you can read here.
I was also asked to answer the below questions.
A great conversation with a person who lives life with an undeniable passion!
Sound of Music!
Absolutely! I even sing along (off tune of course).
Good Good Father by HOUSEFIRES II
What a great question! No He did not, I just felt His loving embrace and the weight I was carrying for such a long time lift. I cried in a way that I had never cried before. Hands down the most defining moment in my life.
Spending quality time with those I love (Jesus, family and great friends).
Really good food
Accomplishing a longstanding goal
Yes, as a matter of fact I was born there (York District in the parish of St. Thomas). I moved to the United States when I was eight years old.
Write from your heart, edit later if necessary.
Absolutely! Writing is such a great outlet for me.
Most that know me say yes. I have many reasons to be and if you hang around long enough I will be sure to tell you!
I was also asked to nominate other bloggers with a small following. The following blogs have proven to be a blessing to me. Be sure to check them out when you have a chance.
http://www.kendrabroekhuis.com/ Kendra Broekhuis
http://becomingchristinesmith.com/ Becoming Christine Smith
http://www.cherihartsfield.com/ At Home with Cheri Hartsfield
http://momonassignment.blogspot.com/ Mom on Assignment
http://familyhomeandhealth.com/ Family Home and Health
http://lashandalewismusic.wix.com/lashandalewismusic Lashanda Lewis Music
http://robertgladstone.org/ Heaven Rules
If you chose to accept my nominations, I ask that you answer the following questions and visit this page for the official rules on what to do next.
Hope you accept the nomination, happy blogging!
Sometimes we dumb down God’s word when we evangelize. But I submit to you that the spiritually malnourished need real food. They need to be fed the truth of God’s word. But how can we feed them if we ourselves have not gone to Him for our daily bread? How can I offer food that I myself have not tasted in a long time?
The world is in a crisis but this should not make the church afraid. This is our time to let our lights shine, this is the time to invite the broken to come and feast on the Lord, the only one that is able to bring peace in the midst of chaos. This is our time to put love on display.
Let us resist the temptation to water down the truth of God’s word with preservatives to keep our churches filled with malnourished souls. Jesus has never been caught up in numbers. He has always been about quality…life more abundantly. Abundant life can only be achieved when we receive all that Jesus has to offer (the blessings, the correction, the humility and the suffering). It is a package deal with an eternal yield.
I am all for dancing and praising God in service, but we must be careful that our church doesn’t become a full-fledged FLESH production. The preacher saying things to satisfy the itching ears, having everyone whooping and hollering over false promises…filling them up for the moment but leaving them empty and spiritually sick after the “sweet high” has rubbed off and they are left with the reality that they are still hungry.
Today’s “updated gospel” seem to have a lot of artificial sweeteners; things that Jesus simply did not promise. Because truth is when the people don’t get all the new cars and big houses that the preacher promised, and when their sin is not challenged the souls are left with spiritual decay. Take away the artificial fillers and stop making them promises that are not in His word. No, not every believer will have a mansion and a fancy car. The Christian walk is not about how much we can accumulate now on this earth. True love is not about embracing every sin. Forgiveness is not an option. True believers aren’t always on mute in an effort to demonstrate the “love of Christ.” And no you are not insulated from trouble just because you serve Jesus.
Simply put, the malnourished need to be fed JESUS.
Eating His flesh and drinking His blood, that which brings true nourishment
Come and taste and see that the Lord is good!
Come and feast on His word.
He is the only one that satisfies!
Isaiah 55:1-2 (NLT)
“Is anyone thirsty?
Come and drink—
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
As believers we have all been given the mandate to share the good news with this world. This is not an option. The world is in need of truth. Sure most of us don’t hesitate to let people know that we love Jesus and for a bonus, we let them know He loves them too. Not a bad sales pitch for Jesus and it keeps us in good standing with the one we are “witnessing” to. No offense, just all love.
However, God is calling His church to step up our witnessing efforts, we have to go deeper. It is as much about his judgement of sin as it is about his love. We have to sound the alarm, HELL IS REAL and those that practice sin will spend an eternity there. We have to call sin for what it is…SIN! We can’t be afraid to let people know that sin, their sin is offensive to God and there is a need to repent. The reality of being rejected is not appealing to most so because of this we sometimes hesitate to share in depth. We have to be careful to not be more concerned about protecting our feelings than sharing truth that has the ability to keep someone from eternal damnation if they receive it. That is just PLAIN SELFISH! I am asking God to help me to get over myself, get over the fear of being rejected (because it will happen), and share with a boldness that is motivated by love. How about you?
I love people. I love having company. I love playing hostess. I love to cook. I love the idea of breaking bread together and having great conversation. I love all of the aforementioned….when it is convenient. I struggle with being hospitable when I have to change my plans, when I am not prepared, tired, or quite honestly I just don’t feel like it. I don’t like to be inconvenienced. But the Lord is challenging me to be hospitable even when the stage of perfection is removed and there is no home cooked meal to make me look good, no tidy house, and a tired hostess. True hospitality is recognizing a need and being so connected to God that I am willing to meet it regardless of the inconvenience. True hospitality is not about me as the hostess looking good. It is more about me glorifying Jesus through my actions, through my willingness to hit pause with my schedule to meet your needs. It is a tall order I know, but Jesus never requires anything of me that He himself has not modeled. He sets the bar high but it is totally attainable by His grace and my willingness to yield. I am also learning that hospitality goes beyond the four walls of my home.
Luke 9: 10-17 speaks of how Jesus was trying to slip away quietly with His disciples who had just returned from doing ministry but the crowds followed Him. The part that blew me away and convicted me was verse 11. It says the crowd found and followed him AND HE WELCOMED THEM. Not only did He welcome them but He taught them and healed those who were sick. Wow and double wow. It is in this same passage that Jesus does the miracle of feeding the five thousand. After Jesus was done teaching and healing, the disciples who were no doubt exhausted from their ministry efforts told Jesus,” Let us wrap this party up. We don’t have any food. It is late and we are tired. Send them to the nearby towns and villages to handle their own needs. After all, they should be good with all the ministering that you just did.” But Jesus, my Jesus pushes the envelope and responds, “No I am not going to send them away, YOU FEED THEM!” WHAT?! The disciples responded to Jesus, “Umm Jesus that is kind of impossible, we don’t have enough for this massive crowd, all we have is five loaves and two fish and there is five thousand men.”
I know my response would have been like the disciples. However Jesus’ willingness to show hospitability opened the door for His father to multiply the little He had so that the needs of the multitude was met. Amazing! Not only did they have enough but there were left overs. Yes my God is an exceedingly abundantly type of God!
I want to be an instrument in the hands of my Father. I want to be aware that when I am willing to be hospitable (even when it is inconvenient) that God can work a miracle in the lives of those that I extend myself to. Again, remember hospitability is not limited to the four walls of your home. Perhaps Jesus is asking you to pause to minister to that person you meet in the grocery store because they are in need of a miracle and they need to see Jesus. Maybe you need to abandon the idea of waiting until your house looks perfect before you invite that individual the Lord has laid on your heart over to dinner. Maybe your lack of finances is an issue, have you considered praying and asking the Lord to multiply the little you have to meet the needs of others? Do you struggle with being hospitable when it is inconvenient? Leave a comment and let me know.
I have a confession to make. I don’t do well with correction, I am easily offended and I have held on to offenses a lot longer than I should. The more I go with God, the more this becomes highlighted. I can give you many reasons and excuses as to why I am like this but the beginning and end of the story is PRIDE. Pride is great at hiding itself and has many symptoms. However it is my desire to go deeper with God and I have been crying out for the fire of God to purge me…to cure me from this pride thing.
As my Pastor said in one of his sermons, I struggle with being corrected when I think too much of myself. I assume I have it all figured out. It is also quite prideful for me to hold on to offenses when Christ has freely forgiven me. The words of Philippians 2 has been shining the light on some dark areas in my heart. It reminds me that I am to imitate Christ’s humility…the cure for pride. He did not cling to His rights as God. He emptied Himself of all His divine privileges. And how did He handle those who offended Him? He freely gave His life so that they could be forgiven. So that I can be forgiven. As I strife to imitate Christ I am believing that not only will I quickly release offenses but that I won’t be so easily offended. I desire to come to a place of having “thicker skin.” When I am more like Him, it becomes less about me so I am not always wrapped up in how they made ME feel. I desire to have the kind of love that covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). True love, true humility.
James 4:6 tells me that God resist the proud but He gives favor to the humble. I am not at all interested in being resisted by the one who is in control. That is a scary place to be. If I am resisted by God, all my efforts will fail. EVERY SINGLE ONE! So yielding to His spirit and asking to be transformed into His likeness is a no brainer for me…eternal failure is just not that appealing.
The more I spend time in God’s presence the more I see myself. I get a different view of me, I see the real me. His fire brings the impurities to the surface. And while this process is humbling, it is also liberating to know that I am being transformed. As my husband preached on yesterday, I am not interested in being a modified or stagnant Christian. I want to be TOTALLY TRANSFORMED! I want to become a house of prayer! So today, I am asking the Lord to deliver me from pride and all its symptoms. How about you?
