Testing!

God Guarantees

Are there any guarantees today? When we feel like the world is full of "robbers" (for Brandy-inside joke) and we feel like we are falling just shy of the prize we may scoff at guarantees or promises - even from God. Need some help?

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
Numbers 23:19 NIV

The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
Isaiah 14:24KJV

No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said.
Psalm 89:34 NLT

"and therefore whatever is gone out of his lips will never be altered, but will be most certainly fulfilled..." - from Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible (re: Numbers 23:19)

So what has He said?
If you are struggling today - over disappointments, over expectations that are unrequited as of yet, over not making ends meet, or over "hope deferred"- surrender all that to God and confess "Well that did not go like I hoped."

If you heard Him wrong or believed what you wanted to believe and that dream never came true - there are other dreams. If your way of getting what you wanted seemed right but "lead to destruction" dust yourself off- if you are able to read this you are able to do something differently this time. There are real promises and trustworthy marching orders - get some.

Here is a real promise from Matthew 6:30-33

The Message (MSG)

30-33"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."

Get the point? Me too!

Enjoy your day!

Courtney

Tastes like feet

I find myself frequently thinking about things I say.

Yesterday I said something and then thought "Man, I really stuck my foot in my mouth."

One reference says "What the term basically means is when someone (foolishly) says something that might offend someone else without realizing it." and another said that "The idea behind putting your foot in your mouth is that you just said something really outwardly noticeable (thus symbolizing the act of putting a foot in your mouth, which everyone would notice and think was weird)." forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=8436

But doesn't it take a lot of effort to do that? Have you tried sticking your foot in your mouth lately? It's not that easy especially if you don't do yoga!

Babies even have a hard time to some degree. Picture one sitting in their bouncy chair and trying to coordinate reaching for that foot. Pulling it to their mouth and aiming it just right, even wrestling with it, chasing it down so they can grip it there in place, hold it steady and commence to suck! And then they are satisfied. That shows effort and it is very deliberate. Not some knee jerk opps I can't believe I have my foot in my mouth now kind of deal.

So the more I compared what I thought, I stuck my foot in my mouth, to what I said my new found use for this statement became more relevant. I thought about what I said before I said it. I wanted to say it and if I wanted to stop myself I could have. I was deliberate. And I was satisfied at least for a while.

It was not some slip of the tongue, Freudian slip or whatever. It only took a matter of seconds to process but I knew it was bad to say. I liked that it was bad to say and knowing that there could be consequences I said it anyway.

MMM tastes like foot! Not a baby's foot but a big person's foot. Which, in my opinion, a big person should not be putting their own foot in their own mouth (no comments please). You get the picture. Or if not don't imagine a newly pedicured foot but one that had on flip flops all day and has been to the Walmart on Wendover...in the rain...ew!

I agree with the reference on embarrassment. Maybe conviction is a better word. Here is what I remembered...

In Proverbs 18:21 The God's Word Translation says this: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love to talk will have to eat their own words.

Have you developed a palate for foot? Or the things that taste good when you think about saying them and once they roll off your tongue eventually leave a bad after taste...

Practice letting this verse block your foot or change your taste:
Take control of what I say, O Lord,and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong. (Psalm 141:3-4).

Wear that verse as a face mask and a reminder in your heart to think further than the quick satisfaction of the words you want to say when they are better left unsaid!

Enjoy your day!
Hungry Disciple
copyright 2011 Hungry Church

Dang Dog!

Proverbs 18:9 The Message says: Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism.

Ever had a dog get in your trash can?

This is part of the reason some people in my neighborhood do not put their cans on the curb until the morning of trash pick up...to avoid having to clean up the mess a stray dog can cause. I know better than to do this, but I am learning a lesson about leaving mine exposed during the week.

So this morning when I went out to my van, voila! There they were. Two cans laying on the ground and the evidence that something ate well from my family's discards.

I have no excuse. I have a fence I could put my cans inside of. Not everybody does. And when the cans are inside the fence dogs do not get to them. Proven fact. Nonetheless sometimes I put my cans inside my fence sometimes I don't.

You would think I like cleaning up their messes or I like feeding them otherwise I would just put the cans in the fence. Problem solved. Right?

I just prefer my cans being in the convenient spot right next to my house, but unfortunately it is not fenced in.

Sometimes it becomes a power struggle between me and the unseen dog/menace (I say this with love. I know he/she just wants a meal).
These are my trash cans, my yard, and I pay for this house. I will leave my cans where I please and you better not touch them!

Sometimes it is false security.
I haven't seen any strays in a while. I feel safe. Nothing has happened to my neighbor's trash in a while. Maybe the dog got picked up. The cans should be safe if I leave them here.

Sometimes it is plain laziness.
I know the best thing to do (put 'em in the fence).
I have the ability to do the best thing (drag them 12 more feet to the fence).
And I chose to do something different (park 'em next to the house).

Today think about it. Is there something you are being stubborn, lazy or even forgetful about that is making your life more complicated? Is the convenience worth the mess that awaits? Would things be better if you just used the resources that are available to you? If you just made it a priority to resolve it? If you just put the cans in the fence?

No more Dang Dog! or shifting blame. CAN IT! -pun intended...

Slack habits and sloppy work are as bad as vandalism.

Enjoy your day!
Hungry Disciple
copyright Hungry Church 2011

Count 'em! part 1

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

"...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17


Shot goes up and before the ball even descends through the orange hoop and white strings the person next to me predicts "Count 'em!"

Kicker kicks the pig skin and after only a second in the air a nearby fan celebrates "It's good!"


Too soon to call it? Not for these individuals evidently.

I am a sports fan of sorts. I love to cheer for the players but I know little of the skill or rules of the game be it football, basketball, baseball, etc. What I love most about sports are the win or loose plays when everyone is stressed out and the joy of a hard earned well deserved win...for my team!

You wanna see corporate prayer? Go to a game where the win is uncertain and watch the fans, watch the parents of the players, watch the team even. You wanna hear encouragement and praise? Be on the sideline with some true die hard fans rallied together for their team!

Recently, in prayer, the thought came to me "Count 'em."

I was petitioning God on behalf of someone else, interceding, concerning something crucial and something in me just wanted to know 1) that He heard my prayers and 2) that He was going to act. It was a situation I had to trust God in because it was outside of my ability to act physically other than to open my mouth, bend my knees and pray!

So regarding my prayers I was reassured to "Count 'em."

"The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." James 5:16b

Looking back I can see that my presence in that crisis was not as useful as my prayers regarding that crisis.

It was my job to be the fan on the sideline speaking faith..."It's good!"
It was my position to let the team play and to cheer them on in the natural and in the spirit.

When things are looking bad it is so good to have someone on your side that has both the faith to speak life and the corresponding actions to support that faith. When the game of life is close it is time out for so called fans with their eyes closed tight begging "please, please, please" to an unknown god and who are too scared to look at what is going on with you...you need someone who will stare down that goal, that thing you are aiming for, and with conviction agree with you "It's good."

Enjoy your day!
Hungry Disciple
Hungry Church copyright 2010

Why

"Because I said so!" is viewed as the dreaded impasse and end of discussion between parent and child. Now-a-days this is viewed as poor parenting. Right or wrong, say what you will, the best of us want to, and do, draw that line at some point in life. Be it with a child, employee, or some other individual who is just not in agreement with us!

In my last blog "Why Not?", I said I would share a scripture that helps me regroup when I am doubting God's promises!

Maybe you are familiar with:
Why...God why...A question of despair.

Or, Why me?...How unfair of the universe to treat me, of all people, like this.

The child's why of curiosity and discovery.

Or, the Why on earth (excuse me)...Why on God's green earth of utter dismay.

My favorite why is more like saying, "Remind me again." Why I chose this path. Why I decided to say no to _____ and yes to Jesus. What was I hoping for? -So back to the helpful scripture.

Psalm 145:16 (NIV) reads: "You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing." When I first truly discovered this verse I was in a "Why God why? / Why not?" funk. Loving as He is my answer was, "I open My hand and I satisfy you."

He shut down my sulking and nagging and wandering in a sobering and fatherly way. His Word beckons to me "Because I said so", and I am so taken by the love of those words from Him that they don't resemble earthly impasse and end of discussion. Like a trusting child, I have no cause to second guess the authority of those words. With God there is no "Do as I say, not as I do!" We can accept His final answer to our every need and His revealed approval and commitment to act! He is Righteous. He is Sovereign. He is a good Daddy! And as we do as He says we access what He does.

His words say, "Trust." They say, "Forget everything that is outside of Me and My hand. Look here, here, here." They say, "Have faith, have hope,keep going, don't settle, and try me. WHATEVER you need I've got it! Me! Me! ME!"

"I am Why!"


Hungry Disciple
copyright Hungry Church 2010

Why Not?

Read James 1:2-8


If I am making a decision and the thought "Why not?" comes to me here are two things I have learned. One, I have learned that in the process of time if that thing I was pondering was not the best choice I will eventually get one if not many answers to my own question! The answers scream "here is why not" and I reach a place where Experience has taught me what I once was uncertain of.

Second, as a result of Experience, I personally look at the question "Why not?" as a dare, and even an indication of doubt. Even what James refers to as the double mind. So now when I have that thought or someone approaches me saying "why not" it is a warning. Again, I said personally...

Learning what you don't want gives you an appreciation for what you really do want. However, sometimes we cannot predict the ramifications of just seeing what may happen, or just trying something out. "What is the worst that could happen?"----terrible position to willingly put ourselves in...If you have ever asked that and then found out the worst is the worst and then some...beyond what you probably bargained for and Experience has ultimately taught you not to preface choices in that way again, right?

Many times the "why not" comes up when we feel we are working God's plan and it doesn't seem to be working. Pressure and deadlines are key players too. Haven't had that baby I want yet so why not... Haven't seen the return on tithing yet so why not...Haven't felt that feeling I had when we first got married so why not...

Instead of having to take the hard knocks of learning why I should not make certain choices I refer to lists that remind me of the outcomes I really want and then go into deliberations on whether or not that thing I am thinking "Why not?" about is going to be beneficial in getting me there. No, it is not always easy to agree to the best thing especially when you do not know what the best thing is. Plus, having my free will makes me human not robotic even to the revealed will of God.

Do you have a 1, 3 or 5 year plan, a list of dreams, a list of scriptures you refer to when praying for specific things, or a list of promises God has made to you from His Word and in prayer?

Recently my Pastor reminded me to check my values and to stay clear of making decisions lead by my emotions. I revisited my values and I even was reminded of some promises in line with those values. As a result, the fog and division over the decision I was making became clear that I was dealing with fog and division not revelation, wisdom or the like. So once I dealt with that I was able to make a value choice; a wise choice. I am glad that wise counsel from actually a multitude of counselors has kept me safe rather than sorry more times that I can name.

The double mind in James does not produce the double blessing of Job. If you are tempted internally with a "why not" choice today turn it out of you and away from actions you have not made yet while there is still time. Ask God to give you wisdom and in that it is very likely you will get free answers with peace instead of paying precious pieces of your life to Experience to teach you!

Next blog will be "Why?" and I will share a scripture that helps me regroup when I am doubting God's promises!


Enjoy your day!
Hungry Disciple
copyright 2010 Hungry Church