Rejoice in the Lord

All Saints Day represents different things to people.  Some remember the deceased members of their church while others celebrate believers that are still in pursuit of the ‘good fight’.  I chose to remember the one who is worthy of all praise and honor, our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

 

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain” (Revelation 5:12).  Jesus was slain for our sins so that we could have ever lasting life, and in the meantime, enjoy life through his grace.  Aren’t you thankful for that?  The Lord is so amazing! Each day, we should be remembering all that he does for us.  Through his grace we are able to handle life.  Through his grace, we are able to be blessed and enjoy our families/friends.  We are able to smile and rejoice even when not all goes perfectly. 

 

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him" (Psalm 34:8). Take time to rejoice in the abundance of God's grace upon your life. Take a moment to smile; to sing a song or take in the refreshment of cool air. Don't let the negative things in life take away from its beauty! Be merry! "Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory" (Psalm 72:19).

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Being a mother of school-age children has me struggling with the topic of whether or not to celebrate Halloween.  As an adult, I have no problem refraining from activities that associate with the holiday, but explaining it to a 7 year old is a whole other ball game.

 

History of Halloween

Ironically, Halloween, as we know it today, is a hodge-podge of pagan traditions and Christianity.  The Celtic people of Europe and Britain were pagan Druids who celebrated the Samhain festival.  This festival “celebrated the final harvest, death, and the onset of winter, for three days –October 31 to November 2. The Celts believed the curtain dividing the living and the dead lifted during Samhain to allow the spirits of the dead to walk among the living—ghosts haunting the earth.” (gty.org)

In reaction to this season, some resorted to practices such as séances, communicating with the dead, consulting psychics, etc… Others, out of fear of being ‘haunted’, created other practices in their attempt of warding off these spirits.  Heard of “trick-or-treat”? Well, this practice came about because people thought that if they didn’t offer up treats to the spirits, they would be tricked in the form of being haunted, curses, etc…  What about costumes?  Well, that was another practice created in reaction to wandering spirits.  People believed that if they wore costumes resembling the evil spirits, they could essentially fool them into believing that they were spirits themselves. 

The term Halloween came from “All Hallows Eve” which was the early Christian church’s way of celebrating All Saints Day.  In the ninth century, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration of All Saints Day to November 1^st in an attempt to provide an alternative to the Samhain festival.  Instead, what has happened over the years is that Halloween has become a mixture.  We have haunted houses, scary costumes, trick-or-treating, and pagan traditions on the one hand.  On the other hand, we have people attempting the alternative of ‘good’ costumes, candy and harvest festivals. 

 

 

So what should Christian parents do?

Pray!  We have the responsibility to pray and ask God for direction.  We should also pray for others struggling with this issue as well.  “Keep praying for us, for we are convinced that we have a good (clear) conscience, that we want to walk uprightly and live a noble life, acting honorably and in complete honesty in all things.” (Hebrews 13:18). 

Secondly, don’t get into judging others.  “Do not judge and criticize and condemn others so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves” (Matthew 7:1).  Third, be mindful of the events you are allowing your children to participate in and the customs being practiced.  Ask yourself if the event is bringing honor to God and if its representative of your light as a Christian.  “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel" (Philippians 1:27).

Whether you choose to not participate in any events and ignore the holiday; or participate in alternative events; or perhaps take advantage of all of the people coming to your door for candy as an opportunity to evangelize and share the gospel, the decision is yours.  “But as with all things, we are to incorporate the principles of Romans 14.  We can’t allow our own convictions about a holiday to cause division in the body of Christ, nor can we use our freedom to cause others to stumble in their faith.  We are to do all things as to the Lord.” (raisinggodlychildren.org)

Teach your Children

The early years of a child’s life are very important.  These years are where they learn right from wrong.  It is our job as parents to instruct our children to make the right/positive decisions in their lives so when they struggle they can learn from it. 

 

 

This might sound like a simple recommendation but it's effective.  Start out by working with your child on a daily/weekly basis on various activities.  Children love to interact with their parents.  It is a way to build that emotional bond and the trust they need to feel from their parents.  Children take pride in the work they create and if it’s a team effort it’s even more prideful. 

Some activities can be:

·         painting

·         sculpting with clay or play dough

·         playing games

·         puzzles

·         making homemade play dough or goop

·         working on their names/letters

·         blowing bubbles

·         outside play

These activities with children can go a long way.  Through all of these activities children are learning how to use their fine and gross motor skills (small and big muscles in their body).  Some of us use the television and sources of technology as tools to educate our children, but they are not learning much from it.  If anything we are teaching children how to interact with the media that might not be as positive.  Children aren't developing their communication, interaction, language and penmanship skills with all of the technology that is out there.  “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy 4:9).   As parents it’s our responsibility to instill hard working skills in our children’s learning process.

 

There is more than one thing to learn from an activity. For example, in the game Candy Land, the children are learning their colors, learning how to count and learning how to use their fine motor skills.  Also, if you know more than one language, use the language for a benefit in the activities you do with your children.  They are sponges and take in everything with a positive regard.  Let’s take the time to enjoy our children!

 

 

Intercessory Prayer

Ever find yourself bawling your eyes out without really knowing why you are feeling so sentimental?  We tend to attribute these emotions to stress, hormones, etc… but sometimes, these outcries are spiritual. 

I had one of those days.  I was driving to work and could not stop the tears from flowing.  All I could do was pray to God.  Nothing had happened that morning to make me cry.  There was no major reason but the tears wouldn’t stop.  I began to pray and praise the Lord through the tears.

 

 

Romans 8:26 tells us that “the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance.” Sometimes, we are trucking along through life thinking that in general life is going fine, but only the Spirit truly knows what’s inside of us.  Then there are times where we are so weak and beat up by life that we can’t even pray; we don’t even know how.  Thank God for the Holy Spirit who intervenes on our behalf.

 

We can also be used as vessels to pray for others.  At times our family or friends are too weak to pray or not even focused on their spiritual walk to even think to pray so we are used to intercede for them. When these moments occur in your life, don’t fight the urge.  Just let the tears flow.  Let your heart speak or just sit in silence and cry it out.  You’ll know when the prayer is complete because you’ll feel peace and the tears will stop. 

Circle of Sin

Life is going great.  You feel on top of the world.  You claim that you’re happy and you are simply living it up!  Then one day, your eyes are opened and you realize that the picture you thought you were seeing wasn’t quite what you thought.  Those you thought were there for good were actually doing you harm.  The happiness you felt was superficial and momentary.  You’re now surrounded by destruction, facing consequences, and carrying a deep, taunting anguish that will not cease.  In your attempt to feel relief from the pain, you continue to find momentary satisfaction in superficial ways that only lead to more destruction and a viscous cycle. This is what I refer to as the circle of sin.

The Bible says that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).  Imagine that…getting a clean slate?  Only Jesus can bring healing to your broken heart.  Only he can soothe that pain and guilt you feel burning inside your heart because of your sins.  Be brave enough to ask God for help.  Not because you deserve it, but because he is so loving and amazing that he wants to heal you; he wants to restore you, and he wants to save you.  Give him the opportunity to work in your life and turn things around for you. Stop giving in to the viscious cycle and let Jesus break the chains that bind you. 

 

Following Christ won’t guarantee you a perfect life, free of problems and despair, but it will grant you power through the Holy Spirit to overcome any situation that comes your way.  “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). You will also be a part-taker of the many blessings God has in store for those who believe in him.  So take a leap of faith and humble yourself to God. He “will not reject a broken and repentant heart” (Psalm 51:17).

Reclaiming Your Peace

Have you ever felt that everything was going so great, you had a wonderful connection with God, your family was as strong as ever, your friends were becoming an extra connection of peace, when all of a sudden one word is said and all “HELL” breaks loose?  Now, you feel defeated, as if you know God is there and He will take care of everything, but you want to take care of it all.  You want the madness to end and waiting on the Lord will take too long. 

 

  

In the mist of this madness, the Lord is still there. He knows what you are going through and He places people, things, and words in your life that you have to adhere to in order for the madness to end.  Do you want your peace back or are you going to hold on to madness?  What is more beneficial to you?  “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

 

Some of you would say that “taking care of things my way will let me release the anger, the hurt, and the hatred I have inside”, but will that make you a better person or truly make you feel better?  Remember that your anger will bring hurt to others and that is not what the Lord wants from us.  In order to regain your peace in the situation, we have to learn to wait on the Lord.  He will overcome anything for those who serve Him with a pure and humble heart.  Remember that we have to get broken before we are blessed so that we can bless others in the process.  Give that battle to Lord and only to Him.  Allow Him to help you break through and give you the peace you need to move forward.  “… brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

 

 

A Moment of Healing

Throughout our lives we go through many struggles, trials and tribulations.  Some are easier to get through than others, and some seem so intense that we end up in a down state of mind wondering if we'll make it through.  Drowning in our sorrows is not what God wants from us so he places things or people in our path that will help us get through it.

This spring I had one of those many moments.  You see, for some reason my husband and I have had trouble conceiving.  It took us two years to conceive our first child.  In the mist of trying for our second child, we had the great news that we were expecting only to realize that a week later we would miscarry.  I found myself thinking and questioning God a lot.  I was not at peace and my joy was crushed.  I knew I had to get involved in activities to get my mind off of things and I started reading again.  My sister in law lent me a book called “Heaven is for Real” by Todd Burpo, Sonja Burpo, and Colton Burpo. 

“Heaven is for Real”  is about a child who gets severely ill and “dies” during surgery. In the process, he goes to Heaven, meets God, Angels and family members.  Overall the book was very moving and I was able to open up my eyes to experience and be in the world this little boy had experienced. One of his family members was the sister he never met.  Before Colton was born, his mother had miscarried and now that little Angel was in heaven and was a she.  Colton saw his sister, met her and played with her.  She didn’t have a name because she wasn’t born.  This book and that specific chapter brought out some immense joy, and helped me grieve and heal from my experience of having a miscarriage.  My questions were answered.  I now know that someday we will meet our little one; the one that we haven’t met, but the one I know God is taking care of because he/she is sitting with Him at the thrown.  For those who have suffered this experience, pick up the book! It will be a moment of healing.

 

 

ABC's of Faith

We’ve all struggled with our faith at one moment or another.  Perhaps, we’ve neglected to spend time with the Lord, or our faith has been shaken over a particular issue. Maybe we’ve struggled in an area of our life and haven’t asked for forgiveness.  Whatever the case, if we follow the ABC’s of faith, we are able to stay on track with our spiritual walk. 

1. Abide: John 15:7 says “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” We have to spend time in the word and in prayer.  As we meditate and let the word sink into our hearts, our faith is able to grow.

 

2. Believe: Isaiah 43:10 says “You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.” The Lord is our source and our strength.  We have to believe in him and rest in the assurance that he will guide us and help us. 

3. Confess:  Romans 10:9-10 says “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” There may be times where we will act, think or say things that aren’t pleasing to God but if we confess our sins and repent, He is merciful to forgive us. 

As we abide in the word and grow in our relationship with God, our belief in Him grows and we mature spiritually.  Will you practice your ABC’s today?

God dependent

Are you… caffeine dependent? Food dependent? Shopping dependent? Now, there’s nothing wrong with eating, shopping, or having some coffee but it’s our dependency on these items as a form of motivation that is questionable.  I wonder why we choose to depend on other motivators to push us through life but we aren’t so quick to be God dependent.

 

Matthew 11:28 says “come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” There is rest and peace in the Lord.  If we take time to renew our minds and soul in the word and through prayer, we would receive all of the motivation we need to get through any situation.

 

We try to carry the weight of life on our shoulders.  We try to solve every problem and even solve other people’s problems.  In our attempt to control our life, we become drained.  We must therefore renew our strength. Will you choose to be God dependent in order to be renewed? Psalm 23:3 says “He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

 

Be renewed today and rest your dependency in the arms of God!

Have you developed bad habits?

Aristotle said that “we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” What is it that you are repeatedly doing? Are your habits translating into excellence or destruction? 

 

We need to take time to examine our habits and determine whether they are beneficial to us/others or harmful.  If we find that we have developed bad habits, then we need to consider what area of our life is lacking discipline.  2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.” We ought to live disciplined lives.  If we have allowed bad habits to grow roots, then we need to pray to God and allow his word to change us. 

 

 

Breaking bad habits can be very difficult.  It takes continuous, conscious effort, lots of prayers and recognizing the negative impact our habits have on ourselves and others.  Accepting that we need discipline is also important.  Proverbs 10:17 says that “People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.”

 

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  Let’s get disciplined, study the word and be transformed!

Your Vote Counts

Are you registered to vote? Many Christians struggle with this issue and wonder whether or not they should vote.  As believers, we have the responsibility to ensure the Christian values we believe in are upheld in our nation.  And although, there is no perfect candidate for the presidency, we should be praying for the leaders of this nation and supporting those leaders that most closely represent and stand for our principals. 

In Timothy 2:1-3, we are instructed to pray for our leaders. “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.  Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.  Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.  This is good and pleases God our Savior.”  Whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent, you should still pray to God for guidance to make a wise vote.  Even if your candidate isn’t selected, still pray for the leader that is in position. 

In 2 Chronicles 7:14 the bible says “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” Let’s face it folks, our land needs healing.  We need to humble ourselves in prayer asking God for mercy and for his wisdom to live righteous lives.  Jeremiah 5:1 says, “If you can find even one just and honest person, I will not destroy the city.” You count. Your prayer counts. Your vote counts.  One person can make the difference.

So let’s not get into political battles, but let your voice be heard.  Take time to vote and take time to pray for our leaders and our nation. 

The Impact of Your Words

It's evident how technology has made a big impact in our daily life.  For some of us, we have so much of it that at times we might get lost, but for others, it’s a way to vent.  Technology can be used for many different reasons, i.e. data entry, to research, watch TV/movies, take pictures, check your e-mails, and to communicate with others.  We can use our sources of technology as good or bad outlets of communication.  There are many times in our lives that we may want to scream, are annoyed or just want to share what’s going on.  Do we think before we express ourselves?  Do we just write whatever is on our minds?  Is it something positive?  Will you rejoice in the Spirit? Will it be harmful to someone else? 

 

God uses man to put things in our lives for the better; it’s our duty to do His calling and see what He wants us to get out of it. In the beginning of creation God speaks to Adam and Eve and says, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…” (Genesis 1:28). What fruit are we producing? We have to be careful on how we express our lives through these sources of technology.  Once our thoughts are voiced, are we giving abundant life and pacifying others?  For example, Facebook is a well-known internet communication tool that is used to search for those you may not have seen in years whether they are family or friends.  Some people write about their whole day, others may write scriptures, while some are cursing out those around them and being a negative influence on those who read their feed. What you share with others might possibly bring them down or it may save their lives.

 

Consider other sources of quiet communication where you can voice your daily struggles or thoughts about others such as prayer and journaling.  Journaling allows you to say what you have to say, not hurt others, but still allows you to release tension or frustration.  Remember, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).  Are you using your sources of communication for better or worse?  Think before you write.