Posts Tagged ‘Joy’

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Friendship

Monday, June 14th, 2010

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

90px-Seashore_malta_caveA man was exploring caves by the Seashore.  In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls.  It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn’t look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him.  As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could. He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock .  Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure.  He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. 

Then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves.  Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It’s like that with people.  We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel.  It doesn’t look like much from the outside..  It isn’t always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it and move on, never bothering to discover what is inside.

We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful, colorful or stylish or well known or wealthy.  But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us.  If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God dscn19032to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth. May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

I am so blessed by the gems of friendship I have, and am very thankful to my friends who have chosen to look beyond my clay vessel.  Please appreciate every single friend you have; life is too short and friends are too few!  Take the time to discover what’s inside.  If you do this you will be happy in life and at work!

Please feel free to pass this on to another Clay Ball!  And remember, do not ask God to to guide your footsteps if you are not willing to move your feet.

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The Frantic Family

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

The family is the most important institution and organization in the world today.  As the health of our families have declined, so has our society.  Today most families are chaotic, scattered, disorganized, frantic, confused and stressful.  Does this sound familiar to you?  Be honest.  I know it does to me.  The result of this is a structureless, directionless, and dare I say unhappy family.  A family where no one really knows one another intimately because we never have or take the time to communicate about dreams, goals, priorities, victories, failures, challenges, or feelings.

Families are very important.  Families are important to our society and world.  And, families are very important to God; he created them with a purpose, to provide for many of the personal, physical, and spiritual needs we all have.

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”  (Genesis 2:24)

So, what can we all do to do create a healthy family?  Put simply, stop the insanity.  Literally stop, come together and talk to one another.  Talk to one another about who we are as family, what makes us unique and special, what is important to us as a family, what we can do together, how we can live our family life to the fullest, etc.

I beleive that, if we would all be very intentional and purposeful in doing this we would have a chance to create a happy, healthy, full family life.  And let’s face it, a happy family life can lead to a happy work life!

I was recently introduce to a great book that I believe can help us all accomplish this.  The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family, by Patrick Lencioni, is written as a fable, using realistic and humorous characters and plot lines that will keep you turning pages with anticipation while you’re learning how to bring sanity to your family life. And you’ll be amazed how just a little bit of structure and a few minutes of follow-through each week can make the difference between stressful chaos and fulfillment at home.  I encourage you to read it with your spouse and talk about how the ideas Lencioni introduces might help you be happy in life and at work.

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Happiness – It Just Takes A Moment

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God.

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

Follow these words of wisdom and you will be happy in life and at work!

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Brokenness Then Newness

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

As Good Friday and Easter appraoch, I thought it would be good to examine what Jesus taught us about brokenness and renewal.

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many” (Mark 14:22-24)

Years ago, I learned a simple lesson that I pray will help you today. If you or I want to be blessed, contented, or encouraged, we first need to be broken.

Earlier, in Mark chapter 6, Jesus fed the five thousand; He broke the bread and blessed it, and the disciples distributed the food to everyone. This breaking, blessing, and distributing of bread brought life. And now, Jesus is taking the bread and breaking it as a symbol of His imminent death; a symbol that still resonates in our lives to this day when we take communion. Before blessing comes brokenness. It was that way in Jesus’ life and it will sometimes be that way in my life and in your life.

Brokenness hurts. Trials are no fun; trust me, I know. But in our broken and difficult times, God reveals himself to you and me in wonderful, powerful ways; ways that you wouldn’t otherwise see. He wants to teach us things beyond our imagination. He wants to show us how to live and what it means to live by faith; trusting fully in him. Guess what happens when you break in a horse? Yep, you got it. Among many things, that horse becomes your companion, useful for so many things. Now, I’m not saying that you all are horses, but I think you get the picture.

The brokenness of Jesus brought about eternal life! Any amount of brokenness you or I experience cannot compare to his brokenness and awesome sacrifice for our sins. So, I encourage you to look at the trials and brokenness that comes your way differently; don’t ask “why”, instead ask “What does God want to teach me?” Open your heart to him and to learning and growing from the trials and times of brokenness that come your way. God will doing amazing things in your life. Draw closer to him and allow him to draw closer to you; experience and embrace those broken times and be ready for the blessings to flow. When you do this, you will be happy in life and at work!

I hope these scriptures will be an encouragement to you:

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart; these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

“The Lord is close to the broken hearted, And saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

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Be Happy Through Patience and Trusting In Your Heavenly Father

Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Have you ever suddenly been faced with a real tough situation that you didn’t see coming; a situation that causes all of your emotions to surface and causes you to become confused, frustrated, and angry. I don’t know about you, but my immediate urge is to engage, take action, do something to fix the problem, and take care of things on my own, in my own way, and in my own timing.

My results are probably similar to yours; we dscover we are not qualified to handle the issue on our own; we over react, make mistakes, things get worse and we get even more frustrated because the issue does not improve or get resolved in our timing, if at all.

So, what should we do; how should we respond when our life spirals out of control? I think we can learn some helpful lessons from the following scriptures.

And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear…(Mark 14:47)

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”…(John 18:10-11)

Just before the events described, Judas has betrayed Jesus, and as the authorities are attempting to arrest Jesus, Peter decides to take matters into his own hands. Peter’s timing is so amazing; his tact is one to match. I mean, think of it. Of all the places to cut someone with a sword, he chooses an ear? How about the leg, or the arm, or the stomach….okay, you get the point. Peter doesn’t even know how to fight, yet he is right there passionatley picking up the sword, trying to do battle. Well, look what happens next; Jesus is right there to pick up the pieces and clean up the mess–literally. “But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.”…(Luke 22:51)

Isn’t it true that so often we are like Peter in many ways. Our timing is off because we allow our feelings and emotions to control us and we reactively take matters into our own hands. But God’s ways and timing are always right because He’s always sovereign. So, we need to learn to be patient and go with His flow. Trust and rely in God’s perfect timing in all circumstances, even when things don’t look or seem right to us. We don’t like to “be still” and wait on him; we want things to happen right away. Waiting is not typically in our vocabulary. God always goes before us to make a way that is good and best. He is faithful, and he wants us to be fauthful.

And at times, we are too eager to pick up the sword and start swinging. Not only are we not capable of such matters, we really have no business taking the offensive. 2 Chronicles 20:15 says that the battle belongs to the Lord. Paul commands us to pick up the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), but that’s not a weapon against people; it’s the Word of God that penetrates our very souls. We are to pick up God’s Word, read it, apply it, and share it with others. Instead of relying on your own strength and your own timing, trust in our Lord’s timing and in His supernatural ability to come to your aid.

And the beauty is this: He’s there to pick up the pieces in your life. Maybe you have a few pieces lying around that need to be healed. Maybe it’s a marriage or a relationship or a career. Maybe it’s some anger, bitterness, or pride that has entered into your heart. Whatever that may be, let Jesus Christ heal it. Let Him pick up the pieces of your life. Don’t take matters into your own hands. Trust and fully rely on the One who promises to make all things new.

When you do this you will be Happy in Life and at Work.

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Why Are You Fearful?

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

“Now when [Jesus] got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”
Matthew 8:23-26

Are you experiencing a storm or storms in your life? Are you weary from battling the storm? Are you fearful the storm will destroy you, your family, or your career? Do you wish there was someone…anyone that could calm your storm?

In this incredible biblical story the disciples literally feared for their lives when “suddenly a great tempest arose” and threatened their boat. That word, “tempest,” literally means, “a shaking, a commotion, or an earthquake.” And notice it hit “suddenly.” The disciples were caught off-guard, and reacted with swift panic, crying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But what was a surprise to the disciples was no surprise to Jesus. Not only did He know the storm would hit before they ever stepped foot in the boat, but He also had the power to calm it.

You see, God uses storms in our lives to shake us. We like to be in control, but storms remind us that we are not in contro and challenges us to, no matter what happens, trust Him in the storm? He wants to stretch our faith, to get us outside our comfort zone, and to demonstrate His power in our lives. Sometimes we can see the storm coming, and sometimes we can’t. But we must always remember that Jesus is in control, not us. Storms do not surprise or intimidate Him. God’s love is a perfecting not a pampering love as many teach today.

Today, Jesus has the power to calm every storm in your life. In those moments when you feel overwhelmed by the waves crashing around you, and the winds blowing against you, trust Him to bring a great calm in and around you. The only way out of a trial is living through a trial.

As I’ve been thinking about trials we all face, it has occurred to me that God says it is not possible for any man to be at complete rest until he is aware that all things are happening according to a divine plan. It’s like looking at a tapestry from the thread side instead of looking at the picture. Looking at the picture makes sense, not the threads. It is like that with all of the tangled patterns of life for the one who has been called according to the divine plan. When we know this fact we can be at peace with the world around us because we are at peace within our own souls; and we are at peace within our own souls because we are at peace with our Heavenly Father. Then and only then can we count it joy and begin to learn the secret of contentment. When our world is falling apart, He keeps us grounded. He is the anchor that keeps us from drifting.

If you are not going through a storm today, guess what, one is coming. And if you are in the middle of a storm the question is the same for both situations: Do you trust Him…in the storm and with your life?

To learn more about trusting Jesus, I reccomend reading God’s word, the Bible first, but the following resource could also help you. Enjoy!

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New Years Resolutions

Monday, January 11th, 2010

 Have you declared your New Years resolution(s) for 2010?  If you have not, you know someone who has. New Years resolutions are made each year in an attempt to improve our lives and help make us happier.

According to the USA.gov (“Government Made Easy”) website, the dozen most popular New Year’s Resolutions are: lose weight, manage debt, save more, change jobs, get in shape, go back to school, drink less, stop smoking, reduce stress in general, reduce stress at work, travel, and volunteer. Any of those look familiar? Since they’re the “most popular,” they probably do.

Here’s a different approach for 2010: Instead of focusing on what’s wrong with yourself or your circumstances, resolve this year to focus on God. Instead of making resolutions, resolve to do one main thing: Make your life the subject of gentle conversation between you and God on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean in the sense of, “God, I want . . . I need . . . I wish.” Rather, “God, I want to reflect Your glory in my life more in 2010 than in 2009. I want to live today in light of the end of my life. Speak to me and empower me to be conformed, gently but surely, more into the image of Christ this year.

“Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.” (Psalm 39:4)

That’s a prayer God will answer by replacing the weakness of our resolve with the strength of His; a resolution that will not fail; a resolution that will make you happier in life and at work.

God’s peace!

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The Truth Will Set You Free!

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

It is supposed to be a Happy New Year, but many of you are not really Happy or upbeat about the coming year at all…are you?  What are you feeling? Disappointment? Discouragement? Depression?  Disillusionment? Loneliness? Fear? Anger?  Pain? Uncertainty?  Frustration?

The world is full of problems and pressures that can cause us to feel any or all of these ways.  For example, I was just released from my position at work after 12 years.  The leadership of the organization made a decision to go in a different direction and the new plan did not include my position.  We all know what the economy is like right now, so many would say that I have a reason and maybe even a right to have all those feelings.  But, I do not.  I am actually very excited and looking forward to the journey that lies ahead of me.   I have an incredible sense of freedom and hope as I look forward to what God has to teach me during this time and what he has planned for the next season of my life.  I know and believe God is my provider and that he will never leave me nor forasake me.  Don’t misunderstand me; I know this will not be easy, and will likely even be difficult at times, but I plan to abide closely in God and trust him to guide and direct me to my next assignment for him. This faith in God provides me peace, hope and freedom, and these feelings trump the others! Why do I know and believe this; because God tells me so…

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:31-32

Here are some Truths That Set Us Free:

1. God is good (Ps. 119:68; 136:1).

2. God loves me and wants me to have His best (Rom. 8:32, 38-39).

3. I am complete and accepted in Christ (Eph. 1:6).

4. God is enough (Ps. 23:1).

5. God can be trusted (Isa. 28:16).

6. God doesn’t make any mistakes (Isa. 46:10)!

• Everything that comes into my life has been “filtered through His fingers of love.”

7. God’s grace is sufficient for me (2 Cor. 12:9).

8. The blood of Christ is sufficient to cover all my sin (1 John 1:7).

9. The cross of Christ is sufficient to conquer my sinful flesh (Rom. 6:6-7).

• I don’t have to sin (Rom. 6:14).

10. My past does not have to plague me (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

• My past failures can become stepping stones to greater victory and fruitfulness.
• If I will let Him, God will cause everything that has happened to me to work together for my good and for His glory.

11. God’s Word is sufficient to lead me, teach me, and heal me (Ps. 19:7; 107:20; 119:105).

12. Through the power of His Holy Spirit, God will enable me to do anything that He commands me to do (1 Thess. 5:24).

• There is no one that I cannot forgive (Mark 11:25).
• There is no one that I cannot love (Matt. 5:44).
• I can give thanks in all things (1 Thess. 5:18).
• I can be content (Heb. 13:5; Phil. 4:11).

13. I am responsible before God, for my behavior, responses, and choices (Ez. 18:19-22).

14. I will reap whatever I sow (Gal. 6:7-8).

15. The pathway to true joy is to relinquish control (Luke 1:38; 1 Peter 5:7; Matt.16:25):

• of my life
• of my husband
• of my children
• of my circumstances

16. The greatest freedom I can experience is found through submission to God-ordained authority (Eph. 5:23).

• The husband is the head of the wife (Eph. 5:23).
• The wife is to reverence and submit to her husband (Eph. 5:22, 33).
• “The heart of the king is in the Lord’s hand . . .” (Prov. 21:1).

17. In the will of God, there is no higher, holier calling than to be a wife and mother (Titus 2:4-5).

18. Personal holiness is more important than temporal happiness. (Eph. 5:26-27).

• Happiness is not a right.

19. God is more concerned about changing me and glorifying Himself, than about solving my problems (Rom. 8:29).

20. It is impossible to be godly, without suffering.

• Suffering is a tool in the hand of God to conform me to the image of Jesus (1 Peter 5:10).

21. My suffering will not last forever (2 Cor. 4:17-18; Ps. 30:5).

22. “It’s not about me; it’s all about Him!” (Col. 1:16-18).

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Betrayls

Friday, December 18th, 2009

The following wonderful and challenging message is from Os Hillman.

If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend.
Psalm 55:12-13

“You will always be attacked in the place of your inheritance,” said the man sitting across the breakfast table. “God has called you to bring people together and to impact other people’s lives as a result of this anointing in your life. You must make sure that you seek to maintain righteousness in all of your relationships.” Those words came from someone who had the wisdom and authority to speak them to me.

I have had a number of close relationships that ended in betrayal. I am very loyal to my friends and those with whom I have covenant relationships. Yet there are times that no matter how righteous you are, when someone means to betray you, he will do it. Loving those who betray you is “graduate-level Christianity.” The religious community and one of His closest friends betrayed Jesus. Those who were closest to David betrayed him. Joseph’s own family betrayed him. Loving our enemies cannot be accomplished by mustering it up. It can only happen when we have come to a death in ourselves so that Christ can love through us. It is truly one of those acts of identifying with the cross.

If you are a leader, you can be sure God will allow you to experience betrayal. It is one of those courses in the Kingdom that may not be required until God has seen that you have successfully passed other tests. It is the most difficult and most gut wrenching of all tests. A godly response goes against all that is in us. Our natural response is to protect, retaliate, and retain unforgiveness and bitterness. Our natural response is satan’s most powerful weapon; to overcome it requires much grace from God. Ask God to build His nature in you now so that when such attacks come, you will be aware that it is a test and you will respond in righteousness.

A suggested resource to go along with this exhortation is “Real Love In The Workplace” by Greg Baer M.D.

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Slaying The Giants

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Giants. When you hear that word, what do you think of? Yes I know, if your a sports fan, you think of the football or baseball Giants. But, outside of that reference, we typically think of scary, exceptionally large beast that we are powerless to fight or overcome.

Giants have been around since the beginning of time. Giants are even mentioned in the very first book of the Bible. Genesis 6:4 says “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward…” The word, Nephilim is a picture of someone who is of great size and physical height, and who is exceptionally strong, fierce, and warlike. The word also carries the meaning of “fallen one”. Some propose that they were called fallen ones because men’s hearts would fail at the sight of them. Some suggest that it was because when they fell, the ground shook, causing others to fall too.

Are giants around today? You bet they are. Maybe not physically, as described above, but giants do still exist and attack us as we endeavor and dream to be successful and happy in life and at work.

Who are the giants of today who bully us and wage war against us; preventing us from becoming all that God has created us and called us to be. They are the same giants who kept God’s people, the Israelites, out of the promised land; the land of milk and honey. The same giants who through intimidation caused the people of God to give up, to decide that water and bread would be enough for them, and to ultimately settle for less than God’s best for their lives.

Do you recognize any of these Giants?

  1. Fear
  2. Discouragement
  3. Loneliness
  4. Worry
  5. Guilt
  6. Temptation
  7. Anger
  8. Resentment
  9. Doubts
  10. Procrastination
  11. Failure
  12. Jealousy 

    13.  

People, hear me when I tell you that God does not want you to settle for less than his best. Read what God told Israel and what what he is telling you!

Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall—Anakites (who were part of the Nephilim)! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you. (Deuteronomy 9:1-3)

Which giant is keeping you from experiencing all that God desires for you; keeping you from being happy in life and at work? Well guess what, it does not matter because God is bigger and more mighty than them all! He wants to go ahead of you to help you gain victory over your giant(s) and send you into a wonderful new land.

Read the passage from Deuteronomy again; stand tall and with God by your side face the giants in your life. Please do not be afraid. God promises all of us that he will never leave or forsake us, that he will never give us more than we can endure, and that his power will be with us. With God on your side, you have what it takes! Don’t believe me. Grab your Bible and read about Joshua, Moses, Abraham, Daniel, Isaiah, David, and the apostles.

In addition, I highly recommend “Slaying The Giants In Your Life” by David Jeremiah.

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