God Stuff

My goodness what a weekend! I am sitting here and it’s close to midnight. I got myself in a project with Kevin around 7:30pm and we finally finished. We moved my desk from the living room into his office. It looks great in here. I have drunk 2 diet cokes and I am wide awake, so the next best thing to do besides read is to blog with you.

Lot’s of God stuff happened this weekend. I found out a lot about myself on a negative aspect from another person’s eyes and their point of view. I agree with most of it but then again I still hang on to God’s grace and His view of me as most accurate. God is so faithful to reveal and heal. One must be open.

I also learned about others. It may seem someone is very spiritual and wise yet they still struggle with immaturity. Immaturity that is evident in their leadership.

I also learned that opinions of others about another person can influence you about that person wrongly. I do not want to share the details but please know we all must be careful what we say about others to our friends, and those in our circle of influence and be even more careful about forming opinions of others based on someone else’s experience.

I am always looking for lessons in life and this weekend my eyes were wide open. Do you ever find yourself as a Christian not liking other Christians? I used to laugh with a friend when he used to say “I hate Christians”. Yet, he was a Christian. I so now get it! And if I didn’t get it then, I did after today’s sermon. Our interim preacher did some serious preaching today. He is a great teacher and I have enjoyed his preaching but today I wanted to shout “Hallelujah!” He let us have it.

He talked about Christians falling into a religious state of mind. He talked about Christians in churches demanding and manipulating their way in the church body. He talked about our worship and the ridiculous attitude about the types of music used for worship. He was awesome. If the Christian was listening, then he/she could or should have identified a religious or legalistic attitude within them. We all tend to take on a “religious” attitude at one time or another. It truly was edifying and a great expose.

I find it odd that one person can share with another person how the Lord showed them a fault or sin within themselves and yet that other person never seems to see that just maybe a little self-evaluation or better yet a spirit conviction could possibly enhance their spiritual life too. It seems others like to see another person down. Hmmm! God is God and I am not. It would be my hope that my blog readers would see my life thru my words and maybe awaken themselves to a little survey of their life..especially when I totally screw up and fall flat on my face. I want you to say “I don’t want to be like Anna. Lord, show me any tendencies.” My diary is supposed to entertain but maybe just one of you would be enlightened to God’s grace and His genuine love for us.

I want to share something a friend told me this weekend. She was very sweet to come and talk with me after seeing that I was upset at a “church” function. She was tender and didn’t ask what happened but better yet asked how she could help. How precious is that! She shared about how a wise woman in her past had shared something simple with her that she never forgot. She was told that forgiveness isn’t easy. We are called to forgive. We are to just do it….just forgive, whether we “feel” it or not. She said “forgiveness isn’t a feeling but an action.” We are to forgive and act like we mean it until it is complete in our hearts. Wow! Now I paraphrased this but you get the gist. I have often advised others to love in action until it feels natural but never related it to forgiveness. I have some forgiving to do even if the other person still believes they are right and innocent. It will be hard. I hate arrogance. However, I am called to forgive just like Jesus, who forgave sacrificially in love on the cross. I can do this. I don’t feel it but I can do this. Thank you, my friend.

I am thankful for wisdom that not only comes from the educated and Bible theologians, but from the people who are very experienced in Christian life. They have made the mistakes and they have experienced the pain and consequences of their choices but they also learned from them and are open to sharing them with people like me. They also have experienced the victories and joys that come from serving God and willing to help another like me experience victory too. We are a fallen people but we don’t have to stay down. Praise the Lord!

This is a new week and I have a clear heart and I am filled with joy.

Psalm 19:7-9 (New Living Translation)

7 The instructions of the LORD are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The commandments of the LORD are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are clear,
giving insight for living.
9 Reverence for the LORD is pure,
lasting forever.
The laws of the LORD are true;
each one is fair.

Proverbs 2:9-11 (New Living Translation)
9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
10 For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
11 Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.

John 16:21-23 (New King James Version)
21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.