God's Net of Believers and Prayer

     A really cool visual that I was given for the body of believers was a fishing net. Where the knots form is where a believer is in the world and each strand going to the knot is a prayer lifting and strengthening that Follower of Christ through the power of the Spirit. The more prayers spoken and lifted for each person made more strands going to knots representing the people.
     With each strand added to our fabric we become stronger in the net, but the net also grew stronger. When you consider this concept, think about how many people you want to strengthen in God's net of believers? Of course we want to pray for our families, but it should go beyond that. Look at the knots at the edge of the net, they have maybe one or two prayers lifted for them? They are in danger of being ripped away! We do not want to see anyone ripped away, but it happens frequently, people disappear from church, nobody checks on them, nobody prays for them....or maybe one or two people do. They are in need of more people praying for them and it will cost you nothing to speak that prayer!
     There is not a person in our circle of acquaintances that doesn't need to be prayed for, and even more people that we may never personally meet.  When you stand in line at a store...Pray for the President and Leaders of our Country! when you catch a red light...Pray for your State and Community Leaders! When a friend snaps at you, Pray for them! When the Pastor doesn't bring a message that you can relate to, Pray for them! When the Praise Leader "misses it", Pray for them! When you hear a popular praise song, Pray for the Artist! When you read an uplifting book, Pray for the Author! 
     Turn your natural nature of grumbling towards working for the Kingdom! When you're tempted to grumble, there must be something there to pray about! Lift your heart, your thoughts and your spirit towards heaven and make God's net of believers grow stronger through the prayers you speak over others! 

United or Fragmented?

     I have a thought that has been recurring with me lately. It is that as Christians we're called to be members of Jesus' body, His bride...not members of different churches or congregations. 
     Shouldn't we all be able to fellowship with each other and focus on the same beliefs and leave the different ideas or opinions at the door. If we all believe Jesus is God's son, that He came to Earth to die on the cross to cover our sins with His blood, giving us forgiveness and salvation and reinstating us in a personal relationship with God our Father....what does all of the rest matter? Are the differences worth dividing the "body" over? 
     If He is our Saviour, Redeemer, Lord and Master, if we love Him as we claim, then shouldn't we be living out what He has called us to, what He has prayed for us to be?

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 

John 17:20-23

     There are more questions in my thoughts than answers. Lane and I have always visited different churches, each church has something that makes the body of Christ stronger! I wonder why are people so bound to only one church? The early day disciples moved from house to house for their fellowship! Why are Pastors so afraid of other church bodies? Aren't we to be fellow members in the body of Christ!?  Why are we not able to join together and be as Jesus prayed? Why are we not "one"? 

     And...how will we win the world when we aren't even able to join together? I have some beliefs about this whole issue, but I would like to hear what other people believe? Do you know of a solution? What is the answer for the problem of the fragmented church?

Transparent ~ Grief

     Transparent~

     The middle of January and our Christmas tree still has the lights shining brightly! Lane took the tree down a day or two after New Year's Day which caused chaos for me....all I could say was "I'm not ready yet!", over and over...
     It seems like it shouldn't be a big issue to take a Christmas tree down when Christmas has come and gone, right? But this year, for me, it was..
     My mother passed on in December, shortly before Christmas ...I was able to put the grief and the dealing with it on "lock down", as I told myself, "until after Christmas". Faced with a Living room with no tree caused instant grief...
     Lane put the tree back up and anything else he had taken down while I was still asleep, saying we can have Christmas all year! Now, day by day I am removing the Christmas decorations, a few at a time and the room is returning to a normal state as it is throughout the year.
     I'm sharing this because people can be blindsided by grief, even Christians. We are not to grieve as the Gentiles do~ But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13, however we are going to react to one of our loved ones moving on to live in glory, away from us and out of our sight. 
     I am allowing myself baby steps through this process. I have not thrown myself into a fit of crying, but crying does creep up on me. Memories come with no notice or warning and a wave of sadness hits. 
     I know where she is, and yes that does bring comfort...but I still miss her. I miss her smile, I miss her voice..I miss her presence. Even though I can talk calmly about this "feeling" there are things beyond my control, I can't sleep, I can't remember and I have no desire for very much social interaction. 
     Do not be surprised by reactions that you are not in control of and do not feel that you are reacting wrongly. You are a three part being and emotions is part of that. Be comfortable with who you are...experience the grief, but don't stay in it too long, don't leave the Christmas tree up all year!...who knows how long "too long" is? God will show you if you stay close to Him. 
     It's likely that I'll always miss my mother, but I'm thinking the tree will be packed up within the next week.  =)