Lighthouses Don't Compete

                  How many followers do you have on Twitter? How many retweets did your last post get? How many followers do you have on Pinterest? What about Instagram? How many likes did your last picture get? How many people subscribe to your blog?

We live in a world-an online world anyway-that judges by numbers and if we aren’t careful, sometimes that number mentality carries over into our church mentality. For example, rather than considering ourselves working as one we begin competing with one another. We compare ourselves to other local congregations. Then we start looking for ways to “top” them. And what about within our own local congregation? Do we find ourselves comparing our circumstances, material possessions and even our talents to our fellow brethren instead of rejoicing as well as hurting with them?

Too often I catch myself with a case of the-grass-is-greener-on-the-other-sideitis. This is a dangerous place to be and it can lead to equally treacherous ground when the tables seem to turn and we find ourselves in the pridelands (forgive The Lion King reference). You know, that point when you begin patting yourself on the back because of the talent or wit you shared and others felt it worthy of sharing as well (be it online, word-of-mouth, or otherwise). If you have any doubt that this attitude is the complete opposite of what Christ intended take a look at Ephesians 4. Verse 1 through 6 says,

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all

KJV

We are one in Christ. Christ commanded us to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. When we compete and compare, the Lord’s church dies. So how can we overcome those feelings of comparison and competition?

1.     Pray. Pray. And than pray some more. Pray for the strength to overcome those feelings.

2.     Count your blessings. It may sound cliché but remember that comparison is the thief of joy and in line with the-grass-is-always-greener syndrome, someone is probably wishing for the very blessings you enjoy.

3.     Encourage those who are doing good works. Looking for the good others are doing can encourage us to follow their example and place our focus where it should be-away from ourselves…which leads us to the last point…

4.     Focus on the good you can do for others Imitate the good example brothers and sisters set for you. Look to the example of Jesus and remember the words in Matthew 16:24,  “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” and on things above. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1)

Jesus told us we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, but how can we be the salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16) when we are busy comparing and competing with one another? I heard it best described this way…

“Lighthouses don’t compete.”

Work-To-Do-Wednesday - Never Finish.

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                  I know you have those days. The ones where you feel like you feel like you just can’t get caught up. Many of my days are like that and I’m guessing yours are as well. In some ways our Christian life is similar.  There are some things we complete. We are only baptized once (if we do it right, Acts 19:1-6). We only get married once (unless there is death or unfaithfulness, Rom. 7:1-4; Matt. 19:9), but most Christian duties continue. Just like cooking, dishes, laundry we never reach a point with them where we can say, “There I’ve finished with that. Now I’ll move on to something else.” These are things that must be done on a repeatedly.

So what are some of these things?

Studying. The Bereans searched the scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). The Psalmist said, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psa. 1:2). God promised to bless “the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors” (Pro. 8:34). Paul, aged and imprisoned, besought Timothy to bring his book and parchments (2Tim. 4:13); if he still had studying to do, don’t we?

Shining. We don’t get to take any days off from setting a good example others. Christianity does not come with exemptions or vacation days. Jesus told us that we are the light and salt of the world (Mat. 5:13-14). This is true when we feel well and when we don’t. It holds true when things go well for us or when everything seems to go wrong. It is still true when we are around our friends and complete strangers. This is true for the preacher and shepherds, but also for the flock. I am in no way an advocate of Bob Marley and the life he lived, but I do however, find a lot of truth in one of his statements. Two days before performing at a peace rally, Marley was shot. He went on to perform and when asked why he didn’t postpone or cancel the concert he replied, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?” He was right. It is our job to carry on (Gal. 6:9) and light up the darkness.

              Serving. Jesus told us, “he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve” (Luk. 22:26). Paul penned the words in Galatians 5:13, “by love serve one another.” We never reach the point where we are to be served rather than to serve. We must be observant to the constant small acts of service that we can provide to those around us. It might be as small as getting a cup of coffee for a spouse or co-worker. It might be helping an elderly person into their wheelchair when they arrive for church services. It could be sitting with a friend who just went through a breakup. It could be buying the meal for the person in the drive thru line behind you or having a pizza delivered to the family waiting for their next paycheck. The possibilities are endless. There is always a way to serve, we simply must keep our eyes open for it. As Winnie-the-Pooh has said, “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

Supplicating. Supplication defined is making a humble entry especially to God (so I could have listed this one as prayer, but I thought the “S” theme might make it easier to remember). Prayer is a duty that is never finished based on 1Thes. 5:17. Luke told us in chapter 18 verse 1, “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” David prayed morning, noon and evening (Psa. 55:17). Daniel kneeled three times a day (Dan. 6:10) and Jesus prayed all night (Luk. 6:12). If these great men needed this much prayer, I feel secure in saying we do as well.

sources:

1. http://rapgenius.com/Yc-the-cynic-murphys-law-lyrics#note-2755570

2. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supplication

Tough Truth Tuesday-Is it really that important?

                  I want you to do something for me. Are you ready? You’ll need your Bible. I want you to turn to Revelation chapter 2. Now count how many times you read the word “hear.” I’ll wait...

                  You should come up with four times. It is mentioned in the phrase, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” In one chapter this phrase is repeated four times. We should pay close attention to everything the Bible says, but I believe when God repeats something it merits extra attention. In Revelation 2, this phrase is repeated to four of the seven churches entreating them to change their wrongdoings. As God’s children, he wants us to listen to what the Spirit has to say in order to avoid some of the same mistakes those in the first century church were making such as apathy, carelessness, forgetfulness, and complacency.

We are warned to “Be not weary in well doing” (Gal. 6:9) and to take heed lest we fall (1Cor. 10:12). Paul, in his letters, repeatedly used the words, “Bring to remembrance” because he along with Peter realized how easily we forget things (2Pet. 1:9). One of the devil’s greatest tools is distraction. Think about it. How much time do you give to the Lord in proportion to other things? We are quick to allow all sorts of other activities to fill our schedules until we feel that we just do not have the time to devote to our Lord. We might make it to church on Sunday and Wednesday. We may spend a great deal of time in prayer, but we fail to listen to what the Lord has to say to us. It’s a one-sided relationship.

Bible study is so often treated with the attitude of  “Well, it’s great if you have the time for it.” The reality is that Bible study is something every Christian must make time for. It is the only thing that will allow us to remember, to be watchful, to be strengthened & aware of the dependency we have on Christ. We must hold ourselves accountable using whatever means necessary. Leave your Bible on your bed or kitchen table to remind yourself to study each day. Write a reminder and stick it to your fridge. Ask a friend to ask you each day if you have spent any time in Bible study. Use social media to share your study in a humble manner. The list goes on and on. It is something we can do…if we really want to.

Goal-Making in 2014

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The book is called opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.

-Edith Lovejoy Pierce

                  Throughout elementary and middle school, we were encouraged to list our resolutions with each New Year. I remember hating this. I never really knew what goals I wanted to accomplish; therefore I would make a perfunctory list (you know the goals I’m talking about: be a better Christian, read the Bible more, be a better friend and so on). While there was nothing inherently wrong with this list (these were all are noble goals), it lacks the specifics on how these goals would be achieved.

                  Fast forward to the New Year’s resolutions of my high school and college years and you would see that I got the specific part of goal-making down, however I went to the other extreme-I overreached. My goals were still noble but unrealistic and unattainable, leaving me to feel like a failure rather than motivated & encouraged.

                  I say all that to explain that this is the first year in awhile that I have decided to participate in the resolution-making. I am not going to bore you with my personal list, but I am sharing a list of goals that we can work on together.

Christian resolutions to make (and keep) in 2014

1.     Rejoice in the Lord. Always. Be joyful in fellowship! (Philippians 4:4; Acts 8 & 16) People should see a difference in us. We should be happy and they should see that (especially when we come together to worship)! We should be joyful because there is joy in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-4). Be joyful 365 days a year!

2.     Be prayerful (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 3:12; James 1). What do you pray for? Are your prayers self-directed? Are you praying for opportunities to share the gospel? Do you pray to recognize those opportunities when they are presented? What about praying for your enemies as commanded in 2 Thessalonians 3:1? Do you pray that the gospel may have free course? Do you pray for the lost by name? The brethren? Church leaders? Political leaders?

3.     Support the work/activities of your local congregation. Do no allow yourself to become complacent or apathetic; it will cost you your soul. Support, pray, encourage and participate!

4.     Encourage! Encourage! Encourage! (2 Timothy 4:2; Hebrews 3:13) Encourage one another to be involved. Everyone needs encouragement. Leaders and young people especially need encouragement (Titus 2:6; 1 Peter 5:1).

So, what do you think? Are you with me?

A year from now you’ll wish you had started today.

-unknown

Work-To-Do-Wednesday: Being There.

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It has been awhile since I have been in the blogosphere. I must admit that sometimes it bothers me that I don’t have the time (or energy) to post everyday. I want to be a dedicated blogger, but I also want to and must do many other things. I have a duty and obligation to many things so I must prioritize which leaves blogging near the bottom of my list. Should this bother me? Probably not, but it does. Perhaps that makes me an overachiever or simply unrealistic, but in this fast-paced technological world we live in I see others do it and am often guilty of mentally beating myself because I do not. I feel like a failure, even though I know in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

I organize and try to make the most of each hour for the purpose of staying “caught up.” As moms and wives, we feel that multitasking is just part of our life. We cook supper, while running the washer and dryer, thinking of what needs to be prepared for the next day, all while keeping an eye on our children who are usually under our feet. Don’t misunderstand, caring for our homes and loved ones is truly a blessing, but it is one we must keep balanced. Will we have to multitask often? Definitely, it is simply a part of motherhood but we must recognize when our full attention is required. In this day of social media, we constantly compare ourselves to our friends who post pictures of their child’s perfect birthday party, play date with friends or meal times and feel that we have fallen incredibly short because we barely got the highchair cleaned up today, much less the entire house and instead of a homemade meal, we stick a Stouffer’s entrée in the oven or maybe just a frozen pizza. So in an effort to “keep up with the Jones’s,” we sacrifice giving our undivided attention and usually still end up feeling like a failure at all we attempt. We beat ourselves up because we are not supermom (& wife), forgetting that no one expects us to be her in the first place.

So I was having these thoughts the other day when I heard much needed advice. The advice was simply, be there. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. If you’re at work, be there. If you’re playing catch with your child, be there. If you’re having a meal with your spouse, be there. Close your laptop and get down in the floor and spend some time playing with your children. Put your book away and spend time asking your husband about his day. Lay your cell phone down, that notification wasn’t that important. Will you have less time to spend with your hobbies by adopting the “Be there” approach? Possibly, but I guarantee years from now, you won’t be looking back on your life regretting that you didn’t post on your blog each day. Your blog will be there when your husband is gone and your children are grown. Keep that in your mind and be there.

Motivational Monday: What I Could Do

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If I wanted to, I could help make my home congregation the most wide-awake and working congregation in all the world.

If I wanted to, I could visit members who are sick or homebound and find other ways of helping them.

If I wanted to, I could attend Bible classes regularly and encourage others to do the same.

If I wanted to, I could show more devotion in worship and receive much more good from the service myself.

If I wanted to, I could tell others about Christ and His church and lead them to Him.

Of course, this all depends on what I want to do. I have the ability.

I could be an honored servant of the King of Kings…

if I really wanted to.

Spiritual Skeletons

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          As keepers of the home, we have a job that never stops. Don’t misunderstand, there is hardly a greater blessing, but while following the steps of the Proverbs 31 woman, tending the needs of our family, we must not allow ourselves to become spiritual skeletons. This past Sunday morning the closing statement was made, “The day is quickly coming when we will each meet God face to face.” While it is our job to care for our home and family, we must take time for spiritual meals, because we will give an answer for our actions or lack thereof.

            During this time of year, the world puts an extra emphasis on giving to those less fortunate. Just the other day while picking up a few groceries, the cashier asked if I would like to donate my change to the toy drive. As Christians we are to be busy giving all year long. We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and help the stranger (Matthew 25:34-36). We are told Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) and that we are to do the same (Mark 16:15). However, this quote makes an excellent point,

            “Food for the hungry cannot come from empty shelves. Money to assist the needy cannot come from an empty purse. Support and understanding cannot come from the emotionally starved. Teaching cannot come from the unlearned. And most important of all, spiritual guidance cannot come from the spiritually weak.”

            Like many new moms, I’ve been guilty of skipping physical meals. If we neglect our spiritual diets, how can we be prepared to carry out God’s commands? We must know the Word in order to share it. We can only know the Word, through study of our own.

Our Mission: To know Him and to make Him known.

Tough Truth Tuesday-If I wanted to...

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If I wanted to, I could help make this church the most wide-awake and working church in the entire world.

If I wanted to, I could visit members who are sick or homebound and find other ways of helping them.

If I wanted to, I could attend Bible classes regularly and encourage others to do the same.

If I wanted to, I could show more devotion in worship and receive much more good from the service myself.

If I wanted to, I could profit more from the sermon by not resenting the truth when it reveals some of my weaknesses.

If I wanted to, I could tell others about Christ and His church and lead them to Him.

But this all depends on what I want to do. I could be an honored servant of the King.

I have the ability-if I really wanted to. 

-Unknown

How often do we get inspired and motivated during church services, surrounded by our brothers and sisters in Christ but then go home and back to being busy with everyday life? In our free time we find ourselves settling into our comfortable couch or favorite recliner, flipping on the TV or reading a book and all of our good intentions remain just that, intentions. We meant to send a card to that brother they mentioned having surgery this week. We meant to take food to the family that recently lost a loved one. We meant to send one of our sisters a birthday card, just to let her know we thought about her. We meant to, but we didn’t.

Don’t misunderstand, I don’t think there is anything wrong with relaxing at home and sometimes I even try to justify it by saying well, there are many far worse things that I could be doing. But in reality I am guilty of letting my selfishness and laziness prevent me from doing what I should and are able to as a Christian. We live in a very wealthy country; not only wealthy as far as the money we have but wealthy in conveniences. With a few clicks on our computers or even some of our phones we can access a wealth of information on almost anything you can think of. With all the conveniences of our world it saddens me to think that we are more reluctant to be servants of the King than first century Christians. We know that the first century Christians spread the gospel throughout the entire world -Col. 1:23. In Acts 17:6 the Christians were accused of turning the world upside down. There is no doubt in our minds that first century Christians made a difference in the world. Amazingly they were able to do this without the modern conveniences we enjoy. How, you may wonder? They had a love for the Lord. They wanted to share with the world what he did for them and what he could do for everyone. Now back to us, we love the Lord. We profess to any way. If we truly love Him and keep His commandments, why are we not better servants of His? It comes down to priorities and attitudes. We can do anything we set our minds to.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth me.”

Philippians 4:13

You can do many things for the Lord, if you want to.