Recently I encountered a mirror that must have been set to make you feel like you're the "fairest one of all"! The lighting was perfect and even though I knew I was tired and couldn't be looking my best, this mirror didn't reflect that! As I checked myself out, I thought "Wow, not too bad! In fact, looking pretty good!". Then I moved to another location with different a different mirror and different lighting and I had a different reaction! Yikes! I looked as tired as I felt! As the reality of my physical appearance settled into my conscious mind, the Holy Spirit showed me this is often the same situation in our spiritual realities.
When we live in the spiritual light of "the world" that only reflects the "light of the world", we think we're "not too bad". Then when we move into the light of the Holy Spirit, we realize that we need some reconstructive work!
Do you think maybe this is what keeps some people looking for a church with a seeker friendly message, or from even attending church at all? Maybe they are not comfortable in the "light and mirror" that they encounter when they are exposed to the teachings of the Holy Spirit?
Beloved, avoiding God's light and mirror doesn't really work, we need to accept the reality of our condition, yes, it may not be pretty, but let's assess the situation and then deal with it in the light and the truth. Jesus is the "Light and the Truth", embrace Him and let His light shine into your life, let His reconstructive work do it's regenerative work. You will be blessed and your spirit will be beautiful.
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:1-2(The Message)
~Lorna Mercer
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Christmas Memories~
Christmas memories...
The first Christmas I remember as the third child in a family of four I was sitting in the back seat of our car, between my older brother and older sister. I was so excited that year because it was the first opportunity that I was given to buy gifts for others! I don't remember how much money I had but I do remember that I was so excited that I could hardly sit still for the ride to town! We were headed to the T G & Y in Ponca City, our closest town.
Home was a 60 acre farm about 12 miles from town. There were horses, cattle, goats, chickens, pigs, a few dogs, a large garden, wood burning heat stove, black and white TV, no air conditioning, a bedroom I shared with my two sisters, ponds and a creek for fishing in, a wheat field, barns with hay (alfalfa and prairie), a tack house for the saddles and bridles and a long dirt road for the one way drive that brought you a mile back off of the blacktop road over two cattle guards to our house. Oh! and my father had to haul water from town because the plumbing was fed by a cistern that was up on a hill and the only way to have running water was for it to be hauled in, then let gravity pull it to the house.
It sounds like a very backwoods home now, but at the time it just seemed like home. I really enjoyed it there, I had a Shetland horse that was mine for me to ride. I loved horses and the outdoors,
unfortunately, my closest sibling was my younger sister and she didn't share my love of horses... or the outdoors, and my older brother and sister were quite a bit older than me, which left me to hang out with my horse~ did I tell you that her name was Tinkerbell? I guess I belonged outdoors more than in the house, because one of the things I remember hearing my mother tell me the most was "go outside and play!". So I often was outside, a great deal of the time with my dad, either hauling hay, cutting firewood, building fences, working cattle, or riding horses.
How did I get so sidetracked? This is about Christmas! Anyways, we were in the car, my parents in the front seat, with my younger sister in between them and me in the middle in the back seat. We went to TG & Y and I experienced the joy of choosing gifts for the first time! I bought my father some handkerchiefs (men used to carry them all of the time), and I remember buying a little plastic coin purse for someone, but I'm not sure who received it. Fun to remember the excitement though!
I believe it was that same year that my brother had a job, or at least his own money and was able to fund his gifts for everyone. He gave me a beautiful, red Tonka pickup truck! I loved that truck, partially because I was amazed he spent his money on me and partially just because it was so COOL! It wasn't too "girlie", but remember I was the outdoorsy "tom girl" that hung out with horses~
....so the excitement of buying gifts and that red Tonka truck are my first cherished memories of Christmas~
~Lorna Mercer
The first Christmas I remember as the third child in a family of four I was sitting in the back seat of our car, between my older brother and older sister. I was so excited that year because it was the first opportunity that I was given to buy gifts for others! I don't remember how much money I had but I do remember that I was so excited that I could hardly sit still for the ride to town! We were headed to the T G & Y in Ponca City, our closest town.
Home was a 60 acre farm about 12 miles from town. There were horses, cattle, goats, chickens, pigs, a few dogs, a large garden, wood burning heat stove, black and white TV, no air conditioning, a bedroom I shared with my two sisters, ponds and a creek for fishing in, a wheat field, barns with hay (alfalfa and prairie), a tack house for the saddles and bridles and a long dirt road for the one way drive that brought you a mile back off of the blacktop road over two cattle guards to our house. Oh! and my father had to haul water from town because the plumbing was fed by a cistern that was up on a hill and the only way to have running water was for it to be hauled in, then let gravity pull it to the house.
It sounds like a very backwoods home now, but at the time it just seemed like home. I really enjoyed it there, I had a Shetland horse that was mine for me to ride. I loved horses and the outdoors,
unfortunately, my closest sibling was my younger sister and she didn't share my love of horses... or the outdoors, and my older brother and sister were quite a bit older than me, which left me to hang out with my horse~ did I tell you that her name was Tinkerbell? I guess I belonged outdoors more than in the house, because one of the things I remember hearing my mother tell me the most was "go outside and play!". So I often was outside, a great deal of the time with my dad, either hauling hay, cutting firewood, building fences, working cattle, or riding horses.
How did I get so sidetracked? This is about Christmas! Anyways, we were in the car, my parents in the front seat, with my younger sister in between them and me in the middle in the back seat. We went to TG & Y and I experienced the joy of choosing gifts for the first time! I bought my father some handkerchiefs (men used to carry them all of the time), and I remember buying a little plastic coin purse for someone, but I'm not sure who received it. Fun to remember the excitement though!
I believe it was that same year that my brother had a job, or at least his own money and was able to fund his gifts for everyone. He gave me a beautiful, red Tonka pickup truck! I loved that truck, partially because I was amazed he spent his money on me and partially just because it was so COOL! It wasn't too "girlie", but remember I was the outdoorsy "tom girl" that hung out with horses~
....so the excitement of buying gifts and that red Tonka truck are my first cherished memories of Christmas~
~Lorna Mercer
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Above All Else
I've read that no two people see the same rainbow. That was really interesting to me at the time, but this morning it expanded in my thinking that no two people see the same "anything". First consider the rainbow, it is made of different little bits of moisture that reflects light. The light reflected is what we see and because no two people are standing in exactly the same place or are the same exact height we are not seeing the same exact reflection, it has changed from location to location, even if it's just a teeny tiny distance separating us.
So when we are considering or "looking" at a situation and trying to understand someone else's point of view we are never able to completely comprehend. Our own consideration of situations will even change from moment to moment!
This morning an example broke into my understanding that for me to try to see something from Lane's point of view is impossible! We may be physically standing at the same point of existence now, but we will never see things exactly the same and actually even our point of existence will never be the same. My life experiences change or "color" where I am now, not to mention my thinking process is so very different from his.
Explaining feelings or ideas is a hopeless contrivance unless the person receiving them is able to attempt to receive. Even in their attempt to receive we need to be patient and understand that we are attempting something that is truly impossible and allow space for the differences.
With all of this said it brings us back to our only hope, our only hope is not "understanding" but of love~
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
So when we are considering or "looking" at a situation and trying to understand someone else's point of view we are never able to completely comprehend. Our own consideration of situations will even change from moment to moment!
This morning an example broke into my understanding that for me to try to see something from Lane's point of view is impossible! We may be physically standing at the same point of existence now, but we will never see things exactly the same and actually even our point of existence will never be the same. My life experiences change or "color" where I am now, not to mention my thinking process is so very different from his.
Explaining feelings or ideas is a hopeless contrivance unless the person receiving them is able to attempt to receive. Even in their attempt to receive we need to be patient and understand that we are attempting something that is truly impossible and allow space for the differences.
With all of this said it brings us back to our only hope, our only hope is not "understanding" but of love~
If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
1 Corinthians 13:3-7
(The Message)
Yes, we do need to communicate, share, talk, strive to understand each other, but above all of this we have to stand, live and speak on a foundation of love~
Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8 (NASB)
~Lorna Mercer
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Hated and Haters
**You may want to read the first few paragraphs at a fast pace, otherwise you may get bogged down in all of the weirdness! It is written somewhat "tongue in cheek"**
“The real reason people hate others is because it makes them feel better about themselves. If you can put down an entire group of people in your mind then it raises your own level of self esteem.”
After a recent discussion about "hating" and "haters", I found this quote and if we lived in a world that was just physical and mental this statement would most likely resonate true. But we are “spirits” that live with physical bodies, therefore we need to realize that nothing is done just on a "physical" level.
In the United States recently it has become popular to point fingers at people that have different standards than the ones we want to promote, and say they are "haters". We even have laws against "hate crimes". It is interesting that our leaders believe that making a law against something does away with the problem! However from what I see it only creates a group of people that claim the protection of being “hated” and another group that is the accused “hating” lawbreaker. Actually this does nothing to resolve the problem or to alleviate the emotions that are raised in these situations.
It is interesting that people that aren't even involved in the "hated or hating" are quick to jump into the fray causing more “hatred” when all “hating” is supposed to be illegal?! Now we end up with 3 groups in a crime that is supposed to have been made illegal! We have “haters”, the “hated” and the new “haters” that “hate” the "original haters"!
What a complicated mess! But add to that the group that is being accused of “hating” is a religious group that has been commanded to “love” and they have now become the second "hated" victim! What is interesting is that there are other religious groups, that are much less tolerant and do truly “hate”, than the selected new "hated" group in their views of the first "hated" victim, yet they are not even mentioned by the new second group of “haters”? There is a lot of “hate” happening, some true, some just by accusation, but do you think maybe there is an ulterior motive here? The plot thickens!
Another interesting point is that even though in the masses of confused Americans I know many people in the first accused “hater” group that are accused of being the first suspected “haters”, yet I don't know of any people that have perpetrated the actual accused crime of "hating"! The fact that there isn't evidence of who really is “hating” and/or who they are “hating” seems to have little effect whether the accusation is true or not, but it is simply accepted as fact.
Much to my surprise simply believing in my Savior, Jesus Christ and attempting to live my life in the manner that He has prescribed has put me in a class of "hated" and accused as a “hater”! I have now become part of a group that is "hated", because others that claim the same affiliation with my religious beliefs are accused of "hating". But wait, isn't “hating” illegal?! =)
Recently I wrote about the parallel lives of spiritual and flesh, I see this portrayed in this whole previously described situation of “hating and hated” quite literally! Consider this on a spiritual level, we do have an enemy that walks about like a "roaring lion" seeking whom he may "devour". Our enemy loves to stir up hatred, to kill, steal and destroy, and in doing so he is able to throw hindrances in the Christian's walk(battle) by either causing us to be accused "haters" or the "hated" thus distracting us from our real battle. As he is able to distract us, or have us sidetracked from the spiritual battle, our real purpose of being Jesus to the world gets lost in the shuffle! (I have to smile here because our enemy has not yet learned through all of the years since the Garden of Eden, that God's people turn to God even more so when they are under attack and become even stronger as they are persecuted by the hatred of the world.)
Christians are commanded to love their enemies, and yes, that is not always an easy thing to do (As a Christian, I can tell you that my spirit is in a continual battle to bring my flesh under the obedience of following my Savior’s instructions to love even an enemy! Sometimes it's even a challenge to love “loveable” people!), and because Christians are not yet completely evolved to the level that we are supposed to eventually reach, we as an unfinished group are "hated" and misunderstood.
Let me encourage you, beloved, do not let yourself be caught in the group of “haters”! If there are fellow christians out there that "hate" anyone, I encourage you, examine your heart! Jesus has commanded "love your neighbor", this is not always easy to do, but Jesus also said to pick up your cross and follow Him(another challenge, but instruction for our lives, nonetheless). He doesn't just give easy assignments, He gives assignments that lead you in growing spiritually, and in your "spiritual" life. As you learn to bring your physical life captive to Him you have "life" and you begin to reflect His love and nature. That is what the world is looking for and needing to see!
Consider there are many levels of Christians, just as children in elementary school are not expected to have the same knowledge, education and maturity as a high school student we can not expect all Christians to have the same level of spiritual walk either. Alas the world does not understand this(and neither do many Christians as they judge each other), to them there is no difference between one Christian and another. We need to reach out to our less mature believers and encourage them in the understanding and growth, for our own sake and for the sake of Jesus who they are supposed to learn to reflect. We need to strive on in our own growth, encourage our brothers and love the world, be a light to it!
Beloved, do not be discouraged, Jesus' own words were “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.” John 15:18-19 (HCSB) Even though He was hated by the world, He came because He loved and to be love, be the love that our Saviour would have us to be, let your light shine to the world that may not understand you and may even hate you. Remember we are to reflect Him.
~Lorna Mercer
**Interesting side note ~We are currently preparing to celebrate Jesus' birth. The time of year set aside to celebrate His entrance into the world as He did the most loving thing possible, He came to Earth to be born and then die for us, and now the world is busy trying to remove Him from the season and even change the wording from Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays to eliminate Him from the politically correct "non-hating" vocabulary of Americans, and He and His followers are still at the center of controversy over 2000 years after His death and Resurrection because some of His followers are accused of “hating”!Kind of boggles the mind, doesn't it?**
Monday, December 10, 2012
The Winning Edge - Be The Best You Can Be!
I had a dream/vision that I don't want to go into too deeply, but to share the substance of. I saw a battlefield in the aftermaths of a great battle, I was wearing armor myself so I knew I had been in the battle myself. I saw one of the casualties and knew immediately who the person was and went to them. (This person had been someone in my life that had brought a lot of hurt to me and I was often in a position of needing to forgive them. Even though I had forgiven them, their actions and words had caused wounds and scars that I was still dealing with. However in the dream I only felt love and concern.)
As I bent over them, I knew their wounds were fatal and I told them "don't speak" because I wanted them to live long enough to hear my assurances. Then I told them "I love you and I will see you in heaven". Then they were gone.
(As I awoke from this dream I received a very valuable understanding. I was given a great deal of healing in this lesson and I've been able to apply it in my daily life and have felt pressure and leading from the Holy Spirit to share it here. Actually I had hesitated due to the personal nature of the dream, but the Spirit told me this morning that if I want to learn more I need to share what I have already received. Of course I want to learn more...so here goes!)
I recognized the spiritual battle this person is living daily as they pour their life out in sacrifice for others - paying a higher price in their life service than mere man(including me!) can see with earthly eyes.
In seeing this I have been able to let go of hurts they have brought, I was able to completely forgive them and lift them in prayer for strength, peace and comfort for the battle that they are living daily. I was given a new compassion for them through being able to see the condition of the battle they were striving through and the wounds their spirit was suffering!
I have seen that our life seems to run almost as if we are living parallel lives - physical and spiritual, at the same time and somehow God integrates it together for us. While we see the physical, the spirit is either busy growing or floundering, depending on our physical actions - do we study God's word? do we praise? do we pray? or do we go our own way pleasing ourselves?
If we want to win the battle that our spirit is facing daily we have to take steps to give it the winning edge! We need to put on our armor, give our spirit good nourishment and train it! Would we send a soldier into battle wearing Tshirt, shorts and flip flops with a soda in hand, or do we want him geared in bulletproof armor and carrying powerful weapons? Would we expect our soldier to be strong if we give him only junk food to survive on? We might be foolish enough to believe that would work, but it doesn't even require an expert to tell us that it won't work! Even an average mother/wife knows the family she cares for needs to be well fed and rested to perform at their best! How much more should we try to do for our spirits who are daily facing a battle against a "roaring lion" that is "looking to devour them"? Remember too that soldiers are more powerful in higher numbers, so take time for fellowship, not to mention that it is included as a directive from Jesus!
To "Recap":
The First Lesson I learned from the dream/vision is to See to others,
They are facing battles daily themselves that you don't see (some are even "life threatening" battles), when others cause offense or hurts to you, Forgive them! Support them in their struggles through prayers for their protection, strength, peace and health, after all their victories are your victories as their losses are ours also!(John 17:11) And, give the hurts and offenses to God (yes, repeatedly if you need to!), He will handle them for you if you give them to Him.
The Second Lesson is to See to Yourself, We are in a battle daily!
So Daily :
~Lorna Mercer
As I bent over them, I knew their wounds were fatal and I told them "don't speak" because I wanted them to live long enough to hear my assurances. Then I told them "I love you and I will see you in heaven". Then they were gone.
(As I awoke from this dream I received a very valuable understanding. I was given a great deal of healing in this lesson and I've been able to apply it in my daily life and have felt pressure and leading from the Holy Spirit to share it here. Actually I had hesitated due to the personal nature of the dream, but the Spirit told me this morning that if I want to learn more I need to share what I have already received. Of course I want to learn more...so here goes!)
I recognized the spiritual battle this person is living daily as they pour their life out in sacrifice for others - paying a higher price in their life service than mere man(including me!) can see with earthly eyes.
In seeing this I have been able to let go of hurts they have brought, I was able to completely forgive them and lift them in prayer for strength, peace and comfort for the battle that they are living daily. I was given a new compassion for them through being able to see the condition of the battle they were striving through and the wounds their spirit was suffering!
I have seen that our life seems to run almost as if we are living parallel lives - physical and spiritual, at the same time and somehow God integrates it together for us. While we see the physical, the spirit is either busy growing or floundering, depending on our physical actions - do we study God's word? do we praise? do we pray? or do we go our own way pleasing ourselves?
If we want to win the battle that our spirit is facing daily we have to take steps to give it the winning edge! We need to put on our armor, give our spirit good nourishment and train it! Would we send a soldier into battle wearing Tshirt, shorts and flip flops with a soda in hand, or do we want him geared in bulletproof armor and carrying powerful weapons? Would we expect our soldier to be strong if we give him only junk food to survive on? We might be foolish enough to believe that would work, but it doesn't even require an expert to tell us that it won't work! Even an average mother/wife knows the family she cares for needs to be well fed and rested to perform at their best! How much more should we try to do for our spirits who are daily facing a battle against a "roaring lion" that is "looking to devour them"? Remember too that soldiers are more powerful in higher numbers, so take time for fellowship, not to mention that it is included as a directive from Jesus!
To "Recap":
The First Lesson I learned from the dream/vision is to See to others,
They are facing battles daily themselves that you don't see (some are even "life threatening" battles), when others cause offense or hurts to you, Forgive them! Support them in their struggles through prayers for their protection, strength, peace and health, after all their victories are your victories as their losses are ours also!(John 17:11) And, give the hurts and offenses to God (yes, repeatedly if you need to!), He will handle them for you if you give them to Him.
The Second Lesson is to See to Yourself, We are in a battle daily!
So Daily :
- Put on Your armor
- Feed your spirit healthily and nutritiously(Study the Word)
- Keep your heart, ears and eyes always on your Commander(Prayer)
- Praise and Worship Him!
- Fellowship (maybe not daily, but at least weekly) (encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on Hebrews 10:25) Remember the larger the army the better the chance for victory, if one falls down the other can pick him up!
~Lorna Mercer
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Today's Woman, Proverbs 31 Woman (Description of a Worthy Woman
Well, I just set one of my handmaidens to work making bread for supper. I know you're wondering who I am and how I can have a handmaiden in these days and times, and maybe even what country I live in, right?! Well, every time I set my breadmaker working I think of it as my handmaiden taking care of bread for my household, you know like the Proverbs 31 woman that sets her handmaidens to work.
I've heard women complain about the comparison of the Proverbs 31 woman to our lives and demands and they say "Sure, if I had handmaidens I could get a lot done too!". But ladies, we do have handmaidens. As I already mentioned we have breadmakers, add to that dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, crockpots, microwaves, timed coffee pots! Every gadget to make your life easier is available! Even electricity and running water are luxuries that the Proverbs 31 woman didn't have available! Not to mention hot running water, and toilets?! Shew! I bet she would have loved to have flushable toilets!
So when we think it would be impossible to be like the woman in Proverbs 31 don't fall for that lie! We can be like that woman or God wouldn't of put it in scripture. Be encouraged, maybe it's just a change of priorities that needs to be made? Are you perhaps spending your time and energy in ways that really isn't beneficial?
This is a wandering thought and not meant in any way to criticize my mother because I think she is as close to the Proverbs 31 woman as any that I have know, her and my early care babysitter! I know I grew up with 2 sisters, so my mother had 3 helpers available to train and put to work in the things our family needed taken care of, but as I said my mother was a very busy woman. Before all of the convenience foods available now my mother was a working woman, with 4 children that she kept well fed, clean and in bed on time! My father was a very real support in our family, but he was always busy outside with "men's work" like cutting firewood, hauling hay, building fences, handling cattle(branding, immunizing, culling, checking to make sure they were still there!) and of course there was hunting and fishing!
Anyway, between my mother's 40 hour a week job, and cooking, cleaning, gardening, sewing, canning and mothering, she didn't have a lot of time left over for teaching and training. Often it was easier to send her daughters to play or go outside or whatever would help to get them out from "under foot". It might have behooved her to train her daughters to do some of the chores that demanded so much of her time and energy? While it might seem like it's doing the children a favor to let them go play while you take care of the chores is not necessarily true. The children will not learn the responsibility of the things that keep life running on a level balance and it will stress you more trying to do the things that they could handle. If you have a family that doesn't have outdoor "men's work" like cutting wood, hauling hay...etc you may even consider that your sons will need to know how to care for themselves also! (I hope you heard the facetious tone in that sentence, of course sons should be helping!)
These are just some thoughts I've had about the Proverbs 31 woman and some of the excuses that women today can't possibly live up to that! I am going to make it a point to read these scriptures daily for awhile(maybe a month?) and see what things I can start incorporating into my life instead of wasting so much time on things that are of no value.
Proverbs 31:10-31
I've heard women complain about the comparison of the Proverbs 31 woman to our lives and demands and they say "Sure, if I had handmaidens I could get a lot done too!". But ladies, we do have handmaidens. As I already mentioned we have breadmakers, add to that dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, crockpots, microwaves, timed coffee pots! Every gadget to make your life easier is available! Even electricity and running water are luxuries that the Proverbs 31 woman didn't have available! Not to mention hot running water, and toilets?! Shew! I bet she would have loved to have flushable toilets!
So when we think it would be impossible to be like the woman in Proverbs 31 don't fall for that lie! We can be like that woman or God wouldn't of put it in scripture. Be encouraged, maybe it's just a change of priorities that needs to be made? Are you perhaps spending your time and energy in ways that really isn't beneficial?
This is a wandering thought and not meant in any way to criticize my mother because I think she is as close to the Proverbs 31 woman as any that I have know, her and my early care babysitter! I know I grew up with 2 sisters, so my mother had 3 helpers available to train and put to work in the things our family needed taken care of, but as I said my mother was a very busy woman. Before all of the convenience foods available now my mother was a working woman, with 4 children that she kept well fed, clean and in bed on time! My father was a very real support in our family, but he was always busy outside with "men's work" like cutting firewood, hauling hay, building fences, handling cattle(branding, immunizing, culling, checking to make sure they were still there!) and of course there was hunting and fishing!
Anyway, between my mother's 40 hour a week job, and cooking, cleaning, gardening, sewing, canning and mothering, she didn't have a lot of time left over for teaching and training. Often it was easier to send her daughters to play or go outside or whatever would help to get them out from "under foot". It might have behooved her to train her daughters to do some of the chores that demanded so much of her time and energy? While it might seem like it's doing the children a favor to let them go play while you take care of the chores is not necessarily true. The children will not learn the responsibility of the things that keep life running on a level balance and it will stress you more trying to do the things that they could handle. If you have a family that doesn't have outdoor "men's work" like cutting wood, hauling hay...etc you may even consider that your sons will need to know how to care for themselves also! (I hope you heard the facetious tone in that sentence, of course sons should be helping!)
These are just some thoughts I've had about the Proverbs 31 woman and some of the excuses that women today can't possibly live up to that! I am going to make it a point to read these scriptures daily for awhile(maybe a month?) and see what things I can start incorporating into my life instead of wasting so much time on things that are of no value.
Proverbs 31:10-31
Description of a Worthy Woman
10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Claim Your Heritage!
Are you a believer?
We are children of the King....we aren't orphans, and we're not castoffs.We are God's children! He is living in us! and we are seated with Jesus at God's right hand~ in heaven even now! The enemy does his best to keep us ignorant of who we are. Wake up and claim your heritage!
Colossians 3:1-4
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
~L K Mercer~
We are children of the King....we aren't orphans, and we're not castoffs.We are God's children! He is living in us! and we are seated with Jesus at God's right hand~ in heaven even now! The enemy does his best to keep us ignorant of who we are. Wake up and claim your heritage!
Colossians 3:1-4
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
~L K Mercer~
Praise
Lord, I used to try to find You and prayed for a word from You. Now every time I open Your word there You are! Your word opens and expands to me in such an amazing panorama!
This morning to start my time with You I read in the Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts devotional. I thank You, Lord for the blessings that those writings are in my life.
Today I read about praise and how when we praise You that Your power is opened into our life and we will walk in Your power and glory. That we will bring Your love and joy to the people we meet daily! Lord I want to be the blessing that You intend for me to be to a hurting world and an encouragement to those who are bowed under the weights of their lives.
Even as I was reading in the devotional You stirred my mind to the verses that You inhabit the praise of Your people!
Psalm 22:3 ~ You sit as the Holy One. The praises of Israel are your throne.
With this being stirred in my spirit the next step was that I always want to be praising You!
Psalm 34~
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will make its boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
This morning to start my time with You I read in the Come Away My Beloved by Frances J. Roberts devotional. I thank You, Lord for the blessings that those writings are in my life.
Today I read about praise and how when we praise You that Your power is opened into our life and we will walk in Your power and glory. That we will bring Your love and joy to the people we meet daily! Lord I want to be the blessing that You intend for me to be to a hurting world and an encouragement to those who are bowed under the weights of their lives.
Even as I was reading in the devotional You stirred my mind to the verses that You inhabit the praise of Your people!
Psalm 22:3 ~ You sit as the Holy One. The praises of Israel are your throne.
With this being stirred in my spirit the next step was that I always want to be praising You!
Psalm 34~
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul will make its boast in the Lord;
The humble will hear it and rejoice.
3 O magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
9 O fear the Lord, you His saints;
For to those who fear Him there is no want.
10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger;
But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life
And loves length of days that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones,
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.
Thank You Lord! I praise You, I love You and I will follow You always!
~L K Mercer~
~L K Mercer~
Friday, October 26, 2012
Memories
My mother is 85 years young, and she has some health issues but she still sounded peppy when I talked to her this morning on the telephone. While we were talking we touched on the subject of memories and how music can stir them. We touch memories very lightly and briefly so we don't both end up in a puddle of tears.
I was sharing with my mother that it is surprising how a song out can stir memories that can not be avoided!
She agreed and shared that just recently she heard another resident in her elderly housing situation singing, it was a man in another room and he started singing "You are my sunshine....my only sunshine..." as she heard the words she said she could see my father standing in front of her singing. They used to sing that song to each other and hearing the song instantly brought those memories back. This is such a sweet memory and I enjoyed hearing about it, so I'm sharing it here with you.
~L K Mercer~
I was sharing with my mother that it is surprising how a song out can stir memories that can not be avoided!
She agreed and shared that just recently she heard another resident in her elderly housing situation singing, it was a man in another room and he started singing "You are my sunshine....my only sunshine..." as she heard the words she said she could see my father standing in front of her singing. They used to sing that song to each other and hearing the song instantly brought those memories back. This is such a sweet memory and I enjoyed hearing about it, so I'm sharing it here with you.
~L K Mercer~
Friday, October 19, 2012
Where We Are~
We've been really quiet lately, haven't we? To bring us up to date we took a road trip in September to see Luke, in Wisconsin, and celebrate his birthday with him. It is amazing how much good it can do for your heart when you get to visit someone that you love! We had not seen Luke in such a long time and I loved getting to catch up with his life. We were able to see his new home, his work place and his whole world in general! I did a lot of cooking while we were there too and tried to fix home cooking that I knew he would enjoy! While we were there we went back to some places we had enjoyed when we were there a couple of years ago, and we also explored some new areas. We found a barbecue restaurant, but had to drive what seemed like a long distance for it, all the way to Appleton! Barbecue is not as popular in Wisconsin as it is in Oklahoma or Missouri! We drove to Sheboygan to get a glimpse of the Great Lake Michigan again. To an Oklahoma girl it's amazing to see a lake as large as Lake Michigan and to the beach person in me, it has a feel to it like being at the ocean!
Here's some interesting info about the lake from Wikiepedia~
Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada. It has a surface area of 22,400 square miles, making it the largest lake entirely within one country by surface area and the fifth largest lake in the world. It is 307 miles long by 118 miles wide with a shoreline 1,640 miles long. Its it is connected to Lake Huron, through the Straits of Mackinac.
Driving to Wisconsin from our area of Missouri takes us through a community of Amish, I always love getting a glimpse of their lives. We saw a young Amish couple in a wagon/buggy when we pulled off of the highway for a gasoline stop. The young man looked so serious and his wife also. I imagine it would be difficult to go to town and be stared at everywhere you go, but I think in their area the natives must get used to the different clothing and transportation ways. The young woman had a baby wrapped up and was holding it close, how much more wonderful it looked than the way a baby looks when it's strapped into a car seat and put behind the parents where they can't even touch it or see it! I would enjoy living a short time as the Amish do, the simplicity and naturalness calls to me.
Before we went to Wisconsin to see my baby (=D), one of them anyways, I have two babies, and no matter how old they grow, they're still my babies! I made a quick dash to Oklahoma to see my mother, she was having a terrible weak spell and was in the hospital, I couldn't go anywhere until I had a chance to see her with my own eyes and make sure she was doing okay.
Between the trip to Oklahoma and then to Wisconsin it took all of the "talk" out of me I suppose? Anyways, it was good to see, touch and hold! I came home and have been trying to settle back into my routine and getting back to writing. I never knew I would have any part of writing, but now I have so many things that I "need" to write about that I have to try to write notes to help me remember to get back to them!
And now~ to the future, we're planning on a trip to hear Lane's Uncle Mark, officially John Mark Pool, speak at a church, River of Life Ministries, in Louisiana, MO. When he ministers at a location close enough to us we always try to catch it. John Mark and his wife Sandy are the ones that actually were God's instruments of pulling us out of the ditch and putting us back on the path that God has ordained us for!
Then we'll return to Olathe, KS for the Forum on Monday and Tuesday and hopefully to have an early dinner with Kris, Laura and family for pizza!
So......that's where we are!
Here's some interesting info about the lake from Wikiepedia~
Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes wholly within the borders of the United States; the others are shared with Canada. It has a surface area of 22,400 square miles, making it the largest lake entirely within one country by surface area and the fifth largest lake in the world. It is 307 miles long by 118 miles wide with a shoreline 1,640 miles long. Its it is connected to Lake Huron, through the Straits of Mackinac.
Driving to Wisconsin from our area of Missouri takes us through a community of Amish, I always love getting a glimpse of their lives. We saw a young Amish couple in a wagon/buggy when we pulled off of the highway for a gasoline stop. The young man looked so serious and his wife also. I imagine it would be difficult to go to town and be stared at everywhere you go, but I think in their area the natives must get used to the different clothing and transportation ways. The young woman had a baby wrapped up and was holding it close, how much more wonderful it looked than the way a baby looks when it's strapped into a car seat and put behind the parents where they can't even touch it or see it! I would enjoy living a short time as the Amish do, the simplicity and naturalness calls to me.
Before we went to Wisconsin to see my baby (=D), one of them anyways, I have two babies, and no matter how old they grow, they're still my babies! I made a quick dash to Oklahoma to see my mother, she was having a terrible weak spell and was in the hospital, I couldn't go anywhere until I had a chance to see her with my own eyes and make sure she was doing okay.
Between the trip to Oklahoma and then to Wisconsin it took all of the "talk" out of me I suppose? Anyways, it was good to see, touch and hold! I came home and have been trying to settle back into my routine and getting back to writing. I never knew I would have any part of writing, but now I have so many things that I "need" to write about that I have to try to write notes to help me remember to get back to them!
And now~ to the future, we're planning on a trip to hear Lane's Uncle Mark, officially John Mark Pool, speak at a church, River of Life Ministries, in Louisiana, MO. When he ministers at a location close enough to us we always try to catch it. John Mark and his wife Sandy are the ones that actually were God's instruments of pulling us out of the ditch and putting us back on the path that God has ordained us for!
Then we'll return to Olathe, KS for the Forum on Monday and Tuesday and hopefully to have an early dinner with Kris, Laura and family for pizza!
So......that's where we are!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Are You Drowning?
I imagine most people have heard the story of the man in the flood. First the man, who lived in a low lying area, was warned by radio and television broadcasts that his area was going to be involved in a flood situation and that all residents needed to evacuate. The man prayed and asked God to protect Him.
Then as the water started rising a four wheel drive truck went through the neighborhood with a loud speaker warning all residents that the water would soon be in their area and they needed to evacuate. The man confidently prayed and asked God to take care of him, he prayed and went about his business. As the water increased it started surrounding his house and all automobile evacuation was out of the question. Then luckily a boat rescue team went by his house to make sure everyone was evacuated and he told them that he was fine, that his God was going to rescue him, once more he prayed, "Lord, please save me". The team argued, pleaded and tried to convince him to leave with them, but he refused, waiting for God to rescue him.
As the water continued to rise and creep up over his porch and into his house, the man climbed onto the top of his house and was even then faced with one more attempt by a rescue team in a helicopter. But the man in his stubbornness claimed again that he was waiting for God to save him.
As the darkness of night fell on the man and he found himself stranded on top of his house with nothing but water circling around it, in desperation he cried out to God, "Why haven't You saved me?!". God spoke to the man and said "Each time you prayed I sent someone to help you".
How often are we like that man? People in the world want to see God's hand moving, and they have but they don't recognize it. God's hand has moved ever since the beginning of the world.
My main point here is that we are not in a position to tell God how to respond to our prayers. He is the creator, we are the creation! Should we pridefully require that our prayers be answered in the way we specify? If He responds by sending someone to help us, shouldn't we happily accept that answer to prayer? Or if He has reached out to us through His word, shouldn't we be studying it to hear His voice in our lives? Shouldn't we find a leader that can teach and speak God's word into our lives? We don't want to be like the man sitting on top of his house, with danger swirling around and refusing the help that our heavenly Father has sent to us throughout our days. Beloved, let's open our spiritual hearts, look around, recognize and take hold of the answers to our prayers that He has already loving sent into our lives. Read your bible, study it.....find a good Pastor and Teacher and support them with your respect and attendance.....don't wait for a great, heavenly hand to reach down and scoop you off of your roof.......He has already provided so much for you, grab hold, recognize and appreciate it!
~L. K. Mercer
Then as the water started rising a four wheel drive truck went through the neighborhood with a loud speaker warning all residents that the water would soon be in their area and they needed to evacuate. The man confidently prayed and asked God to take care of him, he prayed and went about his business. As the water increased it started surrounding his house and all automobile evacuation was out of the question. Then luckily a boat rescue team went by his house to make sure everyone was evacuated and he told them that he was fine, that his God was going to rescue him, once more he prayed, "Lord, please save me". The team argued, pleaded and tried to convince him to leave with them, but he refused, waiting for God to rescue him.
As the water continued to rise and creep up over his porch and into his house, the man climbed onto the top of his house and was even then faced with one more attempt by a rescue team in a helicopter. But the man in his stubbornness claimed again that he was waiting for God to save him.
As the darkness of night fell on the man and he found himself stranded on top of his house with nothing but water circling around it, in desperation he cried out to God, "Why haven't You saved me?!". God spoke to the man and said "Each time you prayed I sent someone to help you".
How often are we like that man? People in the world want to see God's hand moving, and they have but they don't recognize it. God's hand has moved ever since the beginning of the world.
- He created the world! Yes, it wasn't by hand, but by word, but still, it was His accomplishment! We see the glory of Him in His creation, Each day we are able to see His glory in the heavens as the sun rises and sets, or even as the stars twinkle out at night. In His creation, if we have eyes that see, His glory shines forth.
- He has been with His people ever since and even created a written document of His ongoing presence and relationship with people(in the Bible), He discloses His characteristics, man's characteristics and how we should relate to Him.
- He put an emptiness in our hearts to seek Him, kind of like "ET phone home". Man from the beginning of time has sought a higher power beyond himself. Throughout the world man has tried to find meaning and purpose to their lives, understanding that there is more to this life than just living and dying.
- Other people witness of His miracles and deeds in their lives. Great healings, provisions, dreams, visions, words. Many people share of the things God does in their lives, and yes, He chooses to respond differently in different lives. We can't expect to have exact duplications of other peoples experiences, we should just look to how God wants to respond to us.
My main point here is that we are not in a position to tell God how to respond to our prayers. He is the creator, we are the creation! Should we pridefully require that our prayers be answered in the way we specify? If He responds by sending someone to help us, shouldn't we happily accept that answer to prayer? Or if He has reached out to us through His word, shouldn't we be studying it to hear His voice in our lives? Shouldn't we find a leader that can teach and speak God's word into our lives? We don't want to be like the man sitting on top of his house, with danger swirling around and refusing the help that our heavenly Father has sent to us throughout our days. Beloved, let's open our spiritual hearts, look around, recognize and take hold of the answers to our prayers that He has already loving sent into our lives. Read your bible, study it.....find a good Pastor and Teacher and support them with your respect and attendance.....don't wait for a great, heavenly hand to reach down and scoop you off of your roof.......He has already provided so much for you, grab hold, recognize and appreciate it!
~L. K. Mercer
Thursday, October 4, 2012
The Future~
This morning Lord I awoke and considered that my life used to be one that was routine. I even felt trapped in the repetitiousness of it. Now I see that some of it was quite comforting. The joy of watching season move to season, the comfort of family close by, the assurance of what to expect month by month and week by week. I am just as predictable as other people in wanting what I don't have! Then I wanted change, now I want routine.... I miss fitting in with my farm, I miss family, I miss the joy of the seasons... Yet!!
Yet all of this is worth giving up to pursue You. I would not go back to all of that and lose the relationship I have found with You.
I don't know why I had to let it all go to find You, except that I had it wrapped so closely around me that there was no space left for You? Now I have simply the bare essentials of what I need, and You comfort me. When I cry out in loneliness You draw near, When I have questioned the next season, You have promised Your protection and provision. My home has become that place under Your wing. Thank You Lord!
There is nothing that I have "needed" that I have had to do without- when I fretted about finances You asked "what have you done without?" and I saw that You had always provided! When I needed a doctor and hospital care, You provided - When we needed a tow truck, You brought "angels" - When we needed somewhere to live in a new town, You provided an expense free place - When Lane needed a new job, You provided - When we needed an apartment, You even provided an apartment with a lake right outside of our deck - When I needed a car, You provided - When we needed direction, You brought leaders -
For all the things I used to have and remember fondly, or even not so fondly I freely turn them loose with love, memory and no regret, for the future You have given me is lovelier than can be imagined in our worldly minds.
A future in Your very presence! How sweet, how lovely, how amazing! ~
~Lorna Mercer
Yet all of this is worth giving up to pursue You. I would not go back to all of that and lose the relationship I have found with You.
I don't know why I had to let it all go to find You, except that I had it wrapped so closely around me that there was no space left for You? Now I have simply the bare essentials of what I need, and You comfort me. When I cry out in loneliness You draw near, When I have questioned the next season, You have promised Your protection and provision. My home has become that place under Your wing. Thank You Lord!
There is nothing that I have "needed" that I have had to do without- when I fretted about finances You asked "what have you done without?" and I saw that You had always provided! When I needed a doctor and hospital care, You provided - When we needed a tow truck, You brought "angels" - When we needed somewhere to live in a new town, You provided an expense free place - When Lane needed a new job, You provided - When we needed an apartment, You even provided an apartment with a lake right outside of our deck - When I needed a car, You provided - When we needed direction, You brought leaders -
For all the things I used to have and remember fondly, or even not so fondly I freely turn them loose with love, memory and no regret, for the future You have given me is lovelier than can be imagined in our worldly minds.
A future in Your very presence! How sweet, how lovely, how amazing! ~
~Lorna Mercer
Monday, September 24, 2012
Rules of the Game, L. K. Mercer
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Is God Passive?
(This is not written as a debate, but simply as a thought provoking commentary of my own thinking and learning progression as I grow in God.)
If we have not bothered to understand God should we be allowed to weigh Him according to our standards? Should we try to understand Him like he is a man, just bigger, stronger, wiser, older? If we try to enter a relationship like that with Him then are we not just like a youth that thinks they have learned all the world has to teach and therefore they should be able to help their parents see where they have erred in their life decisions?
Would it not perhaps be better for us, the teenage children, to ask to be shown and try to learn the history in actions before we try to advise and teach? Kind of like learning the rules of the game before we try to play it?
In a recent conversation I was involved in, I was faced with the idea that God is passive, that He created all of the world with it's problems and issues and then just dropped mankind off to suffer here and for what? The questions went on that if He's God and all powerful then why doesn't He remove the evil from the world and take away all of the wrongs? I admit that those are questions that I have gone through in the past also and I'm sure most thinking people do. It is difficult to see the weak and innocent persecuted and not cry out to God, Why?!
My question today though is "Maybe we're involved in a struggle and we don't understand our part or role in it?" Maybe the persecution and suffering is because we're not living up to our part in life? Is it possible that it is mankind's own fault because we have not learned "the rules of the game"?
When we start reading God's word and trying to learn and grow in it(or learning the rules), then we do learn the history of man on earth. However we don't learn God's history because God is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. Kind of hard to go all the way to where God began when it's not recorded and He is "the beginning"! Another challenging concept is that He is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Doesn't that kind of boggle your mind? Can we mere mortal humans conceive such a Being, much less understand His decision or thinking process? I find that I am challenged to understand anyone that is either 20 points higher or lower than my own IQ, much less understanding God who knows everything from the beginning to the end?!
What I'm suggesting now is that even though we have little hope of understanding "all" of what God is about, we can read scripture, study His words and the things that He's tried to teach us and attempt to grow in what we are able to understand, our role in life. What has He asked of us and do we live and walk by it?
We know that in the beginning He gave one simple rule, don't eat from the tree in the garden. Did man obey that one simple rule? Wouldn't life be so easy if we were faced with only one rule?! But mankind wasn't able to even follow that one teeny tiny little rule. Mankind as a collective ate of the tree and let's be fair, if we were faced with the same thing today most likely we'd have to taste the fruit of the tree just to see what it was all about. "We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." So, let's move past blaming Adam and Eve and just face where we are at that point, sinful creatures.
Being sinful creatures God could no longer fellowship with us, He is holy and has no part with sin(us). But because God is love He created a way for us to return to a relationship with Him! Yes, He knew man would eat the fruit, just like any parent knows their kids are going to lie to them at some point in their childhood and they have to be taught not to lie. So God knew we would sin, remember God knows we are "but dust". He planned a way around that and gave us a way back to walk with Him daily, just as Adam did in the garden. There is one little hitch in the fact that we walk in the world with Him not in the garden.
In walking in the world we do see the results of fallen man(the suffering and persecution). But where I believe the problem lies is in the fact that we don't "walk with Him" in the world, we walk our own ways and question things in our own understanding. God has given us the ability to have Him live in us, but we don't grasp that understanding much less the power that it would give us in this world.
Even after sending us countless teachers to lead and words from prophets to show us the way, we "like sheep" still went our own way! We go our own way and wonder why the world is such a mess? Do we try to learn the things in scripture and follow them? How much time do we spend in prayer or conversation with God our Father, trying to learn His heart?
So we have His word in written form that we can and should read for ourselves, we should study it even as if our lives should be lead by it! If we earnestly seek Him, we will find Him. If we seek Him insincerely, it's still even possible to find Him! There have been countless intellectual men(C.S. Lewis, Derek Prince to name a couple) that have started out to disprove God, to show that He doesn't exist, but even as they attempted to prove their point they encountered God and were proven the error of their thinking and became great teachers for God! So, if we seek Him in earnest, He will disclose Himself to us.
OK, back to our plan, 1) Study His word, 2) Seek Him, 3) Speak to Him in prayer. About prayer, it doesn't have to be a formal ordeal, after all, God knows your heart, it's not like a person that you've just met that you can fool with acting a certain way until they leave the room. He's always in the room! Might as well be real with Him and speak as you would to your best friend! Like "God, I don't understand why You let this happen?!". You may not receive the "understanding" that you are seeking, but if you continue the conversation with Him you most likely will receive the peace that you "need".
Some people receive answers and understanding quickly from God, like Paul of Tarsus" and some people need to invest perseverance, like Job, don't ask me why, God hasn't revealed that to me! But I do understand, know and trust that He will take care of things when I don't try to take over control from Him. I also know that if I try to take control of things from Him that He will give me the control and allow me to totally mess everything up! My point is that if you ask God questions and you don't receive an immediate answer, don't give up asking. Don't throw in the towel at the first frustration. Anything that anyone learns in life is usually learned through a process of time and practice. I took years of piano lessons and still didn't become a concert pianist, but I can carry some tunes that are somewhat pleasing, and if I practiced more I would become better and better at it, even as walking with God becomes better and better with practice and effort.
OK, so....1) Study, 2) Seek, 3) Pray, 4) Persevere. When we do these, we will begin to walk in our "regenerated reality". Our regenerated reality is who we are in God, and Who He is in us.
(I am not going into all that God did through Jesus to get us to be "born again" there is tons of information written about it and I will probably write something at a later time, but for now let's just assume you already know about Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection and you're part of being born again into salvation!) As a new christian I first learned that God loved me and that I would be saved from going to Hell if I accepted Him as my saviour. Simple concept right? I mean to many it's a win-win concept and nothing to lose! We are loved and saved and nothing required from us, who wouldn't agree to that? However there is a little more that we should be aware of. When we enter this relationship with God we do have responsibilities.
Just as a new citizen to the United States needs to learn the laws and language of their new country, we need to invest time and effort in coming to understand what our new role is in this life we have stepped into with God. What is our part of this deal? Luckily there is much, MUCH, written about that in the New Testament, and to really understand who we are we should read the Old Testament also. The really good part is that God even sends us a Teacher, Helper and Counselor to aid in our learning! The Holy Spirit comes to give understanding to our new life, our new "reality". I believe that God gives enough understanding through His word and His Holy Spirit to the true seeker to find the life He intends for us to live. He gave us His power to teach, heal, to bring life. He gave us Himself to live within us, His Holy Spirit! He gave us the ability to sit at His right hand in the heavens through His Son Jesus! He gave us His "power of attorney" so to speak.
When Jesus left Earth, He gave His disciples, that's you and me, His power that was won on the cross through His death and then His victory over death! So, here we are with all of this power, what are we doing with it? Are we even aware of the power we have? Remember in Star Wars when Luke had to train to use the "force"? Well, the power we have received far outweighs the "force", but if we don't learn that we even have it it's pretty much the same as not having it, it's a buried asset! "Our battle is not against flesh and blood" and our enemy the devil would have our power remain buried forever! However I am here encouraging you to learn about the power that Jesus gave us!
Learn about who you are in your "Redeemed" status. God has said that whatever we loose in Heaven is loosed on Earth, and whatever we bind in Heaven is bound on Earth, do you use that power? We have been given Armor to wear in our battle, do you dress in it daily? Do you enter the battle daily? If we submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee from us, do we follow that, do we make the devil flee or do we let him bully us throughout the day? Jesus told us that we can even move mountains by word and faith, do we believe and live in that?
I believe that when we learn who we are in God and live it, we will no longer view God as passive or unjust, we will be the presence of God that people long for. We will be portals of glory, we will carry the power and truth that Jesus died for and left for us to use to touch the world! People will no longer think that God is passive, they will see His love and actions through our lives. Yes it may seem overwhelming, but it's not, we have already been guaranteed the victory, but if we never step out and claim it, then God will still appear passive or unresponsive to those around us because we're not living up to the responsibility that we've been given in our "Redeemed Reality". If we are "Redeemed" let us live like it, let God shine through our lights, let Him be seen through our actions, let Him be heard through our words. We are God's body on Earth, if we don't fight the good fight then it is our own actions that are passive, not God's.
OK, so....1) Study, 2) Seek, 3) Pray, 4) Persevere! Claim the victory in the battle, it has already been given into our hands!
L. K. Mercer
Is God Passive?
(This is not written as a debate, but simply as a thought provoking commentary of my own thinking and learning progression as I grow in God.)
If we have not bothered to understand God should we be allowed to weigh Him according to our standards? Should we try to understand Him like he is a man, just bigger, stronger, wiser, older? If we try to enter a relationship like that with Him then are we not just like a youth that thinks they have learned all the world has to teach and therefore they should be able to help their parents see where they have erred in their life decisions?
Would it not perhaps be better for us, the teenage children, to ask to be shown and try to learn the history in actions before we try to advise and teach? Kind of like learning the rules of the game before we try to play it?
In a recent conversation I was involved in, I was faced with the idea that God is passive, that He created all of the world with it's problems and issues and then just dropped mankind off to suffer here and for what? The questions went on that if He's God and all powerful then why doesn't He remove the evil from the world and take away all of the wrongs? I admit that those are questions that I have gone through in the past also and I'm sure most thinking people do. It is difficult to see the weak and innocent persecuted and not cry out to God, Why?!
My question today though is "Maybe we're involved in a struggle and we don't understand our part or role in it?" Maybe the persecution and suffering is because we're not living up to our part in life? Is it possible that it is mankind's own fault because we have not learned "the rules of the game"?
When we start reading God's word and trying to learn and grow in it(or learning the rules), then we do learn the history of man on earth. However we don't learn God's history because God is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. Kind of hard to go all the way to where God began when it's not recorded and He is "the beginning"! Another challenging concept is that He is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. Doesn't that kind of boggle your mind? Can we mere mortal humans conceive such a Being, much less understand His decision or thinking process? I find that I am challenged to understand anyone that is either 20 points higher or lower than my own IQ, much less understanding God who knows everything from the beginning to the end?!
What I'm suggesting now is that even though we have little hope of understanding "all" of what God is about, we can read scripture, study His words and the things that He's tried to teach us and attempt to grow in what we are able to understand, our role in life. What has He asked of us and do we live and walk by it?
We know that in the beginning He gave one simple rule, don't eat from the tree in the garden. Did man obey that one simple rule? Wouldn't life be so easy if we were faced with only one rule?! But mankind wasn't able to even follow that one teeny tiny little rule. Mankind as a collective ate of the tree and let's be fair, if we were faced with the same thing today most likely we'd have to taste the fruit of the tree just to see what it was all about. "We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." So, let's move past blaming Adam and Eve and just face where we are at that point, sinful creatures.
Being sinful creatures God could no longer fellowship with us, He is holy and has no part with sin(us). But because God is love He created a way for us to return to a relationship with Him! Yes, He knew man would eat the fruit, just like any parent knows their kids are going to lie to them at some point in their childhood and they have to be taught not to lie. So God knew we would sin, remember God knows we are "but dust". He planned a way around that and gave us a way back to walk with Him daily, just as Adam did in the garden. There is one little hitch in the fact that we walk in the world with Him not in the garden.
In walking in the world we do see the results of fallen man(the suffering and persecution). But where I believe the problem lies is in the fact that we don't "walk with Him" in the world, we walk our own ways and question things in our own understanding. God has given us the ability to have Him live in us, but we don't grasp that understanding much less the power that it would give us in this world.
Even after sending us countless teachers to lead and words from prophets to show us the way, we "like sheep" still went our own way! We go our own way and wonder why the world is such a mess? Do we try to learn the things in scripture and follow them? How much time do we spend in prayer or conversation with God our Father, trying to learn His heart?
So we have His word in written form that we can and should read for ourselves, we should study it even as if our lives should be lead by it! If we earnestly seek Him, we will find Him. If we seek Him insincerely, it's still even possible to find Him! There have been countless intellectual men(C.S. Lewis, Derek Prince to name a couple) that have started out to disprove God, to show that He doesn't exist, but even as they attempted to prove their point they encountered God and were proven the error of their thinking and became great teachers for God! So, if we seek Him in earnest, He will disclose Himself to us.
OK, back to our plan, 1) Study His word, 2) Seek Him, 3) Speak to Him in prayer. About prayer, it doesn't have to be a formal ordeal, after all, God knows your heart, it's not like a person that you've just met that you can fool with acting a certain way until they leave the room. He's always in the room! Might as well be real with Him and speak as you would to your best friend! Like "God, I don't understand why You let this happen?!". You may not receive the "understanding" that you are seeking, but if you continue the conversation with Him you most likely will receive the peace that you "need".
Some people receive answers and understanding quickly from God, like Paul of Tarsus" and some people need to invest perseverance, like Job, don't ask me why, God hasn't revealed that to me! But I do understand, know and trust that He will take care of things when I don't try to take over control from Him. I also know that if I try to take control of things from Him that He will give me the control and allow me to totally mess everything up! My point is that if you ask God questions and you don't receive an immediate answer, don't give up asking. Don't throw in the towel at the first frustration. Anything that anyone learns in life is usually learned through a process of time and practice. I took years of piano lessons and still didn't become a concert pianist, but I can carry some tunes that are somewhat pleasing, and if I practiced more I would become better and better at it, even as walking with God becomes better and better with practice and effort.
OK, so....1) Study, 2) Seek, 3) Pray, 4) Persevere. When we do these, we will begin to walk in our "regenerated reality". Our regenerated reality is who we are in God, and Who He is in us.
(I am not going into all that God did through Jesus to get us to be "born again" there is tons of information written about it and I will probably write something at a later time, but for now let's just assume you already know about Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection and you're part of being born again into salvation!) As a new christian I first learned that God loved me and that I would be saved from going to Hell if I accepted Him as my saviour. Simple concept right? I mean to many it's a win-win concept and nothing to lose! We are loved and saved and nothing required from us, who wouldn't agree to that? However there is a little more that we should be aware of. When we enter this relationship with God we do have responsibilities.
Just as a new citizen to the United States needs to learn the laws and language of their new country, we need to invest time and effort in coming to understand what our new role is in this life we have stepped into with God. What is our part of this deal? Luckily there is much, MUCH, written about that in the New Testament, and to really understand who we are we should read the Old Testament also. The really good part is that God even sends us a Teacher, Helper and Counselor to aid in our learning! The Holy Spirit comes to give understanding to our new life, our new "reality". I believe that God gives enough understanding through His word and His Holy Spirit to the true seeker to find the life He intends for us to live. He gave us His power to teach, heal, to bring life. He gave us Himself to live within us, His Holy Spirit! He gave us the ability to sit at His right hand in the heavens through His Son Jesus! He gave us His "power of attorney" so to speak.
When Jesus left Earth, He gave His disciples, that's you and me, His power that was won on the cross through His death and then His victory over death! So, here we are with all of this power, what are we doing with it? Are we even aware of the power we have? Remember in Star Wars when Luke had to train to use the "force"? Well, the power we have received far outweighs the "force", but if we don't learn that we even have it it's pretty much the same as not having it, it's a buried asset! "Our battle is not against flesh and blood" and our enemy the devil would have our power remain buried forever! However I am here encouraging you to learn about the power that Jesus gave us!
Learn about who you are in your "Redeemed" status. God has said that whatever we loose in Heaven is loosed on Earth, and whatever we bind in Heaven is bound on Earth, do you use that power? We have been given Armor to wear in our battle, do you dress in it daily? Do you enter the battle daily? If we submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee from us, do we follow that, do we make the devil flee or do we let him bully us throughout the day? Jesus told us that we can even move mountains by word and faith, do we believe and live in that?
I believe that when we learn who we are in God and live it, we will no longer view God as passive or unjust, we will be the presence of God that people long for. We will be portals of glory, we will carry the power and truth that Jesus died for and left for us to use to touch the world! People will no longer think that God is passive, they will see His love and actions through our lives. Yes it may seem overwhelming, but it's not, we have already been guaranteed the victory, but if we never step out and claim it, then God will still appear passive or unresponsive to those around us because we're not living up to the responsibility that we've been given in our "Redeemed Reality". If we are "Redeemed" let us live like it, let God shine through our lights, let Him be seen through our actions, let Him be heard through our words. We are God's body on Earth, if we don't fight the good fight then it is our own actions that are passive, not God's.
OK, so....1) Study, 2) Seek, 3) Pray, 4) Persevere! Claim the victory in the battle, it has already been given into our hands!
L. K. Mercer
Friday, September 7, 2012
Hurricane Isaac, Curse or Answered Prayer?
Good Morning Lord!
It's a beautiful, rainy morning! We've prayed for rain and now here it is! The same rain that is blessing us is brought by the storm that caused flooding and destruction in the South (Hurricane Isaac). Things often seem to be that way- they strengthen or break, create gain or loss. We see it as winning or losing, good or bad. We have such tiny perspectives.
As I read in Judges this morning, I read that Your people did not drive out all of the enemies from the land that You gave them in the Old Testament Covenant. In their neglect, they did not live up to the covenant that was created between them and You. In so doing, they gained slaves, yes, and they probably thought that was a good thing! It wasn't! Along with gaining slaves, they gained snares to their spirits in the gods of their enemies.
They took the easy way and forsook their part of the covenant with You. How many times in my own life have I taken the easy way and not lived up to what or who I'm supposed to be in the covenant I share with You?
"We were dead in our trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1 NASB) and we did "walk according to the prince of the power of the air;" we were "by nature children of wrath." But no more!
As You told the children of the old covenant to drive out the enemies, we are told to drive out our "enemies." We are to drive out fear, defeat any weaknesses, and live in "the land" that You have given us. "So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back." (Heb 12:1 NCV)
The land that You have given us? "You have raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:6 NASB) This is the land where we are to live! In Your presence, seated with Jesus!
We will do battle! We will claim the promise You have given! We will not let the snares of this world entangle us and keep us from the inheritance that You have promised! We will not settle for "good and bad" as the first covenant people did! We, as the New Covenant People, will run our enemies out! No Fear, No Defeat, No Weakness will hold Your people back.
Thank You Father! Thank You Lord Jesus! Thank You Holy Spirit! Amen
~Lorna Mercer
It's a beautiful, rainy morning! We've prayed for rain and now here it is! The same rain that is blessing us is brought by the storm that caused flooding and destruction in the South (Hurricane Isaac). Things often seem to be that way- they strengthen or break, create gain or loss. We see it as winning or losing, good or bad. We have such tiny perspectives.
As I read in Judges this morning, I read that Your people did not drive out all of the enemies from the land that You gave them in the Old Testament Covenant. In their neglect, they did not live up to the covenant that was created between them and You. In so doing, they gained slaves, yes, and they probably thought that was a good thing! It wasn't! Along with gaining slaves, they gained snares to their spirits in the gods of their enemies.
They took the easy way and forsook their part of the covenant with You. How many times in my own life have I taken the easy way and not lived up to what or who I'm supposed to be in the covenant I share with You?
- How many times have I looked to my own entertainment instead of spending time with You? Turning on the computer or TV instead of picking up my Bible and spending time with You in Your word?
- How many times on Sunday morning have I chosen to sleep in instead of getting up and gathering with Your body of believers to worship and praise You?
- How many times have I ignored one of Your children in need and looked to my own needs only?
- How many times have I congratulated myself on "my" successes instead of thanking and praising You for the success?
- How many times have I let the enemy have the victory over me, brought by fear, defeat and weakness?
- How many times have I judged someone that was trying to walk with You and stumbled?
- How many times have I ______________(fill in the blank, we all know the demons that we fight individually and collectively!).
"We were dead in our trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1 NASB) and we did "walk according to the prince of the power of the air;" we were "by nature children of wrath." But no more!
As You told the children of the old covenant to drive out the enemies, we are told to drive out our "enemies." We are to drive out fear, defeat any weaknesses, and live in "the land" that You have given us. "So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back." (Heb 12:1 NCV)
The land that You have given us? "You have raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:6 NASB) This is the land where we are to live! In Your presence, seated with Jesus!
We will do battle! We will claim the promise You have given! We will not let the snares of this world entangle us and keep us from the inheritance that You have promised! We will not settle for "good and bad" as the first covenant people did! We, as the New Covenant People, will run our enemies out! No Fear, No Defeat, No Weakness will hold Your people back.
Thank You Father! Thank You Lord Jesus! Thank You Holy Spirit! Amen
~Lorna Mercer
The Scent of Water
Father in Heaven,
Lord, I praise You! I love You! You are so holy, so righteous, so merciful and so patient. You are amazing - the great I AM -
I am so thankful that Your word, says "At the scent of water it will flourish (a tree stump) and put forth sprigs like a plant"! (Job 14:9) Imagine, not a drip of water, but just the scent! How much more so for Your children? Your children that You made in Your image!?
You created man to rule! We messed up and sinned, and spiritually died, but You didn't leave us there dead! You not only gave us the "scent of water" in the form of Your word, but then You sent Jesus to raise us up, out of death and then You sent the Holy Spirit to provide a continual drenching rain so that we will send forth "new sprigs" of life.
We are not to stop at sending forth new sprigs! We are to daily seek Your nourishment and stay under Your protection that our roots grow deep, that we be firmly planted, that we yield fruit, that we not wither and that we prosper!
Thank You Lord, You have created us for life in You, fellowship with You and production for You! Even if we let life get in the road or distract us "the scent of water" can bring us back to "Life"in You, right where we need to be!
"Choose Life!" Deut 30:19
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the eye of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields it's fruit in it's season, and it's leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he prospers.
Psalms 1:1-3
Lord, I praise You! I love You! You are so holy, so righteous, so merciful and so patient. You are amazing - the great I AM -
I am so thankful that Your word, says "At the scent of water it will flourish (a tree stump) and put forth sprigs like a plant"! (Job 14:9) Imagine, not a drip of water, but just the scent! How much more so for Your children? Your children that You made in Your image!?
You created man to rule! We messed up and sinned, and spiritually died, but You didn't leave us there dead! You not only gave us the "scent of water" in the form of Your word, but then You sent Jesus to raise us up, out of death and then You sent the Holy Spirit to provide a continual drenching rain so that we will send forth "new sprigs" of life.
We are not to stop at sending forth new sprigs! We are to daily seek Your nourishment and stay under Your protection that our roots grow deep, that we be firmly planted, that we yield fruit, that we not wither and that we prosper!
Thank You Lord, You have created us for life in You, fellowship with You and production for You! Even if we let life get in the road or distract us "the scent of water" can bring us back to "Life"in You, right where we need to be!
"Choose Life!" Deut 30:19
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the eye of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields it's fruit in it's season, and it's leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does he prospers.
Psalms 1:1-3
Saturday, September 1, 2012
We Will Do Battle!
Good Morning Lord!
It's a beautiful, rainy morning! We've prayed for rain and now here it is! The same rain that is blessing us is brought by the storm that caused flooding and destruction in the South (Hurricane Isaac). Things often seem to be that way- they strengthen or break, create gain or loss. We see it as winning or losing, good or bad. We have such tiny perspectives.
As I read in Judges this morning, I read that Your people did not drive out all of the enemies from the land that You gave them in the Old Testament Covenant. In their neglect, they did not live up to the covenant that was created between them and You. In so doing, they gained slaves, yes, and they probably thought that was a good thing! It wasn't! Along with gaining slaves, they gained snares to their spirits in the gods of their enemies.
"We were dead in our trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1) and we did "walk according to the prince of the power of the air;" we were "by nature children of wrath." But no more!
As You told the children of the old covenant to drive out the enemies, we are told to drive out our "enemies." We are to drive out fear, defeat and weakness and live in "the land" that You have given us. "So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back." (Heb 12:1 NCV)
The land that You have given us? "You have raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:6 NASB) This is the land where we are to live! In Your presence, seated with Jesus!
We will do battle! We will claim the promise You have given! We will not let the snares of this world entangle us and keep us from the inheritance that You have promised! We will not settle for "good and bad" as the first covenant people did! We, as the New Covenant People, will run our enemies out! No Fear, No Defeat, No Weakness will hold Your people back.
Thank You Father! Thank You Lord Jesus! Thank You Holy Spirit! Amen
Lorna Mercer
It's a beautiful, rainy morning! We've prayed for rain and now here it is! The same rain that is blessing us is brought by the storm that caused flooding and destruction in the South (Hurricane Isaac). Things often seem to be that way- they strengthen or break, create gain or loss. We see it as winning or losing, good or bad. We have such tiny perspectives.
As I read in Judges this morning, I read that Your people did not drive out all of the enemies from the land that You gave them in the Old Testament Covenant. In their neglect, they did not live up to the covenant that was created between them and You. In so doing, they gained slaves, yes, and they probably thought that was a good thing! It wasn't! Along with gaining slaves, they gained snares to their spirits in the gods of their enemies.
They took the easy way and forsook their part of the covenant with You. How many times in my own life have I taken the easy way and not lived up to what or who I'm supposed to be in the covenant I share with You?
- How many times have I looked to my own entertainment instead of spending time with You? Turning on the computer or TV instead of picking up my Bible and spending time with You in Your word?
- How many times on Sunday morning have I chosen to sleep in instead of getting up and gathering with Your body of believers to worship and praise You?
- How many times have I ignored one of Your children in need and looked to my own needs only?
- How many times have I congratulated myself on "my" successes instead of thanking and praising You for the success?
- How many times have I let the enemy have the victory over me, brought by fear, defeat and weakness?
- How many times have I judged someone that was trying to walk with You and stumbled?
- How many times have I ______________(fill in the blank, we all know the demons that we fight individually and collectively!).
"We were dead in our trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1) and we did "walk according to the prince of the power of the air;" we were "by nature children of wrath." But no more!
As You told the children of the old covenant to drive out the enemies, we are told to drive out our "enemies." We are to drive out fear, defeat and weakness and live in "the land" that You have given us. "So let us run the race that is before us and never give up. We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back." (Heb 12:1 NCV)
The land that You have given us? "You have raised us up with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph 2:6 NASB) This is the land where we are to live! In Your presence, seated with Jesus!
We will do battle! We will claim the promise You have given! We will not let the snares of this world entangle us and keep us from the inheritance that You have promised! We will not settle for "good and bad" as the first covenant people did! We, as the New Covenant People, will run our enemies out! No Fear, No Defeat, No Weakness will hold Your people back.
Thank You Father! Thank You Lord Jesus! Thank You Holy Spirit! Amen
Lorna Mercer
Friday, August 31, 2012
The Sadness of the Clint Eastwood Speech
Last night Clint Eastwood (at the age of 84) gave a speech at the Republican National Convention. He used a prop of an empty chair as if he was speaking to Obama. Mr. Eastwood's speech was moderated as many elderly people's speech is. And his hair was a little wispy, as many elderly people's hair is. Today he is under attack for the signs of his age!
I fear for a nation that treats their elderly as if they are not satisfactory or are handicapped because age has slowed them down a little. I fear for a nation that ignores the wisdom of it's elders for the slick presentations of youth.
This blog comes not just from this incident with Mr. Eastwood but also the Presidential Candidacy of John McCain in 2008 at the age of 72. He was belittled for his slow speech also and for the lack of mobility that was apparent in his movements. Senator McCain had been a Prisoner of War during his military service and had been tortured repeatedly! He suffered both arms fractured, one leg, his shoulder being broken and ground by a rifle butt and bayoneted. He survived two years of solitary confinement and repeated beatings. Altogether, McCain was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years.
Mr. Eastwood has been an American film actor, director, producer, composer, and politician(as mayor of a California town for 2 years). He has always been well respected for his integrity and accomplishments.
While these examples are brought from political situations this post is not about politics! This post is about our mindset that people that aren't "Hollywood" smooth are not worthy of our time or respect. These two men have been through life and the battles that accompany it. They have gained wisdom at the expense of some of the years of their lives.
Women are standing up and saying that they don't want to be given a physical image of a 14 year old girl model as how the average woman should appear. In the same way, we should stand up and say that just because someone speaks slowly doesn't mean that they are not as wise as a fast speaking person. I have actually always believed that a person that speaks more slowly is measuring their words and is therefore more trustworthy than someone that scatters words quickly.
We don't make fun of a blind person for not being able to see or the deaf for not hearing. We don't ridicule people that are color blind because they don't see the same colors that we see. We accept many variants in each other but we are quickly losing our ability to accept someone's differences because of age.
Our elderly bring a lot of wisdom and understanding to situations that our young, brash people have not had the opportunity to experience yet. Why ridicule someone because their speech lags? We are even at the point where some old people belittle someone else that is slower than them in movement or speech! How sad!
We need to return to simple respect for each other and to allow others to be different from ourselves. What happened to manners? What happened to "respecting our elders"?
Lorna Mercer
I fear for a nation that treats their elderly as if they are not satisfactory or are handicapped because age has slowed them down a little. I fear for a nation that ignores the wisdom of it's elders for the slick presentations of youth.
This blog comes not just from this incident with Mr. Eastwood but also the Presidential Candidacy of John McCain in 2008 at the age of 72. He was belittled for his slow speech also and for the lack of mobility that was apparent in his movements. Senator McCain had been a Prisoner of War during his military service and had been tortured repeatedly! He suffered both arms fractured, one leg, his shoulder being broken and ground by a rifle butt and bayoneted. He survived two years of solitary confinement and repeated beatings. Altogether, McCain was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years.
Mr. Eastwood has been an American film actor, director, producer, composer, and politician(as mayor of a California town for 2 years). He has always been well respected for his integrity and accomplishments.
While these examples are brought from political situations this post is not about politics! This post is about our mindset that people that aren't "Hollywood" smooth are not worthy of our time or respect. These two men have been through life and the battles that accompany it. They have gained wisdom at the expense of some of the years of their lives.
Women are standing up and saying that they don't want to be given a physical image of a 14 year old girl model as how the average woman should appear. In the same way, we should stand up and say that just because someone speaks slowly doesn't mean that they are not as wise as a fast speaking person. I have actually always believed that a person that speaks more slowly is measuring their words and is therefore more trustworthy than someone that scatters words quickly.
We don't make fun of a blind person for not being able to see or the deaf for not hearing. We don't ridicule people that are color blind because they don't see the same colors that we see. We accept many variants in each other but we are quickly losing our ability to accept someone's differences because of age.
Our elderly bring a lot of wisdom and understanding to situations that our young, brash people have not had the opportunity to experience yet. Why ridicule someone because their speech lags? We are even at the point where some old people belittle someone else that is slower than them in movement or speech! How sad!
We need to return to simple respect for each other and to allow others to be different from ourselves. What happened to manners? What happened to "respecting our elders"?
Lorna Mercer
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Gardening
All who garden and are breaking into an area that has not been yet "tamed" know that there is work in getting the ground ready for growing your selected plants. The ground has many seeds and roots from whatever has been allowed to grow their unmolested. Maybe it was native grasses, maybe weeds, or maybe even a carefully maintained lawn.
No matter what was growing there it will have to be battled to allow the newly selected "crop" or plants to grow. First, you have to dig out all of the old plants, being sure to capture their roots in the effort. If you leave the roots then the already established plant will continue to grow and it does have the advantage on anything you're trying to get started there.
After digging the old plants out and carefully placing your new seeds or plants and watch for growth you'll notice things growing that are not from the seeds you've just planted. That's because the previous tenants of that bit of soil have left behind their offspring to take their place!
So after carefully digging out all of the old roots you'll need to continue to watch and carefully pluck any plants that try to grow and interfere with your new plants. I say carefully because your new seeds or plants are not yet established enough to not have their root systems damaged also if they are stirred around too much.
Recently while hearing a message from our Pastor I realized that a new walk with the Lord Jesus is much the same as the process of changing your garden plants out! We need to root out all of the things of our old behaviour and be sure to not leave any part that can continue to grow. Then as we're planting new habits and patterns we need to watch watch for any of the old things to try to crop up from any old seeds left behind.
Sometimes the root can be a generational root that runs so deeply that we're not even aware of it! It may be something that we just think of as being part of who we are, when in truth it's an old sinful nature that has jumped from generation to generation in our families! I'll share with you here my own old root so you're able to understand what I'm talking about. My family has an Irish background and we've always been proud that we were a "rebellious" bunch! Only after starting to have the Holy Spirit reveal things to me did I realize that rebellion is as divination (witchcraft).
(For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. 1 Samuel 15:23)
Some families have fearful natures, or are sickly, or prideful, or argumentative, accident prone, flirtatious, drinkers, lazy, lying. The list can be quite long, but instead of accepting that that's the way our grandparents were and our parents and so we are , maybe we should examine or question if these are really habits of a godly life? (I know "godly life" sounds intimidating, but it just means a life walking closely with God!)
When we're trying to grow new plants in our life, a new heart for God and a godly walk, God does most of the work for us, but we have to recognize when things are growing that are not part of our new walk and give them to Him to "root out". If we cling to our family traditions He won't make us give them up, but we will never grow in the way we need to because our new heart and new life is having the vitality stolen from it by the old ancestral root sins. And as a lot of gardeners know, the roots of some plants actually put out poisons to prevent any new plants from growing. We don't want to allow old family roots to prevent our new heart from growing! Search your family garden and see if you don't have some "root" that you need to deal with as I've had to with my root of rebellion, through much inner inspection and prayer time.
Yes I've even taken drastic steps of binding and breaking it off and even with that done I can't turn my back on it for a moment because the seeds will still try to crop up. I desire to walk as closely with God as is possible this side of heaven and in order to do that I'm willing to weed my garden, daily!
But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:20-24
No matter what was growing there it will have to be battled to allow the newly selected "crop" or plants to grow. First, you have to dig out all of the old plants, being sure to capture their roots in the effort. If you leave the roots then the already established plant will continue to grow and it does have the advantage on anything you're trying to get started there.
After digging the old plants out and carefully placing your new seeds or plants and watch for growth you'll notice things growing that are not from the seeds you've just planted. That's because the previous tenants of that bit of soil have left behind their offspring to take their place!
So after carefully digging out all of the old roots you'll need to continue to watch and carefully pluck any plants that try to grow and interfere with your new plants. I say carefully because your new seeds or plants are not yet established enough to not have their root systems damaged also if they are stirred around too much.
Recently while hearing a message from our Pastor I realized that a new walk with the Lord Jesus is much the same as the process of changing your garden plants out! We need to root out all of the things of our old behaviour and be sure to not leave any part that can continue to grow. Then as we're planting new habits and patterns we need to watch watch for any of the old things to try to crop up from any old seeds left behind.
Sometimes the root can be a generational root that runs so deeply that we're not even aware of it! It may be something that we just think of as being part of who we are, when in truth it's an old sinful nature that has jumped from generation to generation in our families! I'll share with you here my own old root so you're able to understand what I'm talking about. My family has an Irish background and we've always been proud that we were a "rebellious" bunch! Only after starting to have the Holy Spirit reveal things to me did I realize that rebellion is as divination (witchcraft).
(For rebellion is as the sin of divination, And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. 1 Samuel 15:23)
Some families have fearful natures, or are sickly, or prideful, or argumentative, accident prone, flirtatious, drinkers, lazy, lying. The list can be quite long, but instead of accepting that that's the way our grandparents were and our parents and so we are , maybe we should examine or question if these are really habits of a godly life? (I know "godly life" sounds intimidating, but it just means a life walking closely with God!)
When we're trying to grow new plants in our life, a new heart for God and a godly walk, God does most of the work for us, but we have to recognize when things are growing that are not part of our new walk and give them to Him to "root out". If we cling to our family traditions He won't make us give them up, but we will never grow in the way we need to because our new heart and new life is having the vitality stolen from it by the old ancestral root sins. And as a lot of gardeners know, the roots of some plants actually put out poisons to prevent any new plants from growing. We don't want to allow old family roots to prevent our new heart from growing! Search your family garden and see if you don't have some "root" that you need to deal with as I've had to with my root of rebellion, through much inner inspection and prayer time.
Yes I've even taken drastic steps of binding and breaking it off and even with that done I can't turn my back on it for a moment because the seeds will still try to crop up. I desire to walk as closely with God as is possible this side of heaven and in order to do that I'm willing to weed my garden, daily!
But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Ephesians 4:20-24
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