Social distancing has invited everyone to take a step back and *exhale* breathe. Corporate America has been raging and demanding its way for years and years. No one knows how to rest, production has become more important than raising a family, and possessions are a sign of happiness. But if we look deeper, a glance in the heart reveals a much different story. Many people do not want to work as much as they do but feel that they need to provide for their family. So many Americans buy what their hearts desire but often find that this new hip thing has left them just as empty as they were before. I am thankful that many of us can take a step back from society and breathe. I would highly suggest getting off social media as well. You are what you eat, and this includes the many lies of news for views.
I am thankful for social distancing. Many of us are getting the time we need to rethink what is important. Over and over the Holy Spirit has brought to my attention that we need to focus on what is eternal and what won’t perish. The only thing we get to bring into heaven with us is the relationships we built here on earth. Yet many of us are so busy in our day to day life that having coffee with a friend for an hour seems tedious. This is something that God never intended for us. All the commandments are summed up in the following words, LOVE GOD and LOVE OTHERS AS YOU LOVE YOURSELF.
If we take a step back, as we have been given to do so, are we able to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength in our day to day life? Are we focused on our relationships or have distractions of the world gotten in the way? Are we really loving people, or do they seem like the inconvenience in comparison to our own agenda? And where is God’s will in all of this?
If the coronavirus has taught us anything it should be that life is short and can change drastically in an instant. We have no control over what may happen tomorrow, but we can focus on what God has called us to do today. This may look different for both you and I and even our neighbor. But I do know that each of us has a part to play for the here and now. Take today to refocus on what is eternally important.
I pray that this time where we can distance yourself from the world’s distractions, you do so, and you focus on what God is speaking. I pray that when he speaks, you act. I pray that you get a revelation of how short life is and how important it is to do things that make a difference in heaven. For those who have been slaving away at focusing on what matters in heaven, I pray that you do not grow weary in doing good and see a glimpse of the fruits of your labor. Heaven is going to be a glorious place, but make sure that while you are here on earth you are doing what truly matters.
Scripture To Meditate On:
“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”-Matthew 22:36-40 NKJV
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”-James 4:13-15 NKJV
Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.”-John 6:27 CSB
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” -Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV
“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” -1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT
Do what God has called you to do, despite the critics.
There will be plenty of people who don’t understand why you are doing the things you are doing. There will also be many people who don’t understand the steps you are taking. Things may seem backwards and out of order to them.
But, my question for you is…are you being obedient to what God has called you to do in the order he called you to do them?
In reality, other people’s opinions should not matter. Unless you are getting advice from an elder or someone wise and mature in faith. You won’t be giving an account for if you did things their way. However, you will be held accountable on what you have done with what God has asked of you.
So why do we feel this desire to please people? Is it that we are placing our worth in their hands rather than the Lord’s? I believe that when we solely focus on Jesus. Our eyes are only narrowed in on being obedient to what HE has called us to do, we can’t focus on the opinions of others. We are too busy focused on his steps, his will, his way.
God has made us individuals for a reason. No one’s relationship with him is the same. So, maybe you don’t understand why people are doing things a certain way…But, just maybe, that is what God called them to do.
The way God does things is much different than the way the world does things. It seems foreign, strange, and out of order for those looking in. However, if God has called you to do it and is leading you. The rest does not matter. Let’s put aside being a people pleaser and chase fearlessly after what God has called us to do. Despite the critics. I think God being our biggest cheerleader outweighs them anyway.
“For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.” -Galatians 1:10 CSB
“We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we entreat. We are, even now, like the world’s garbage, like the filth of all things.” -1 Corinthians 4:10-13 CSB
“Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth.” -Colossians 3:2 CSB
Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts. -1 Thessalonians 2:4 CSB
(I know I have been writing on this a lot lately. But I hope as God is working on my heart, he is working on yours too!)
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”-1 John 2:15-17
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[The old has gone, the new is here!”-2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NIV
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”-Romans 12:2
Did the first post sting a little? I know these topics have for me! When I started my walk with Christ, it was a whole lot of unlearning what I thought I knew and holding onto biblical truth instead of what the world says is good or what my feelings say. Let’s be real both the world and our feelings can trip us up into thinking something other than godly thoughts.
You Don’t Have To Go To College or *fill in the blank* To Be Successful
The worlds view of successful and Gods view of successful are completely two different things. God’s goal isn’t for you to have all the money in the world and all the materialistic things you ever wanted. God’s purpose is to change your heart and for you to become Christ-like! Sometimes God’s purpose for you may not even be the route to go to college and have a “career”. God may want you to be a stay-at-home mom, work as a waitress. Whatever God calls you to do, is perfect. Because his will is perfect! Just because you don’t have a “career” in the world’s eyes, doesn’t mean you aren’t being used as a vessel to build the kingdom of God. Your family and friends may not understand what you are doing and may even look at you like you are crazy. But that is okay because his will be done, not ours. It doesn’t have to make sense. God sees the big picture not just the small glimpse we see here on our time here on earth!
“God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.”-Psalm 18:30 NLT
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”-Jeremiah 29:11
“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”-Luke 9:23
YOU NEED TO ACT NOW!! YOU CAN’T JUST WAIT!
When I first arrived at Fort Polk I had a job set up and was ready to go to work. I was ready to do what I thought I do best, be a caregiver. It turned out God had other plans. He has had me focus on ministry and serving him instead of working at a 9-5 job. I have been able to focus on ministry, serve others, and really focus on his plan instead of my own agenda. It has made not only me. but my husband really trust and have faith even when we cant see the big picture. It has shown me that God really does have plans for us to prosper but we are on a need to know basis with God. He will direct our steps every step of the way. A lot of my family, friends, and people at church didn’t understand why I wasn’t working. God has continually shown his faithfulness through this new path he has me walking on. I just need to be obedient and trust in his will and timing. Soon, I will be attending college. But that is only because I waited on God’s timing for him to reveal his will! You really want to know God’s will, it’s perfect for everyone. Don’t act unless you know its apart of God’s plan. That would be foolish to act before you know! Every single day we should be asking for God’s will to be done not ours. Every.single.day! Sometimes even multiple times a day!
“Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”-Ephesians 5:17 NIV
“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”-Matthew 6:9-10
God has saved me from a lot of things I thought I wanted to do that could’ve ended up disastrous for not only me, but for others. I am thankful for the times God has closed a door to something I thought was perfect for me when in reality it wasn’t. A no from God is way better than a flawed will.
The Totally “Acceptable” Sex-Driven Culture We Live In Today
Oh my, where do I start!? We live in a world that says it’s okay to have multiple partners, it’s my body. That it’s okay to live our boyfriend or girlfriend because we love one another we are going to get married. It’s okay we have pre-marital sex. We also live in a world that openly accepts 50 shades of grey and pornography.
Oh man, what a bunch of lies that do us more harm in the long run.
When you settle for any of the above you are looking for temporary satisfaction and a very strayed view of what the world calls “love”. I literally had to make Jesus my boyfriend before he ever brought me to my husband. I had to let God be on the throne of my heart. Not what I thought was love. Not what the world told me was love. ~~I am not perfect. I have a past but I am also forgiven and covered in the blood of Jesus. Keep that in mind if this is an area you struggle with. You are not alone. You are forgiven & today is a new day~~
“Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”-1 Corinthians 6:18-20
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”-Colossians 3:5
It’s Okay To Divorce, We Just Aren’t In Love Anymore
I recently was married in October of 2017. The “d-word” is not in our vocabulary. Marriage takes work. A lot of hard work. It also takes both partners to be focused on God and putting God first even before one each other. The devil will be attacking your marriage the minute you decide to even get engaged. After you are married is where the real fun begins. A lot of people don’t understand that marriage is a covenant. Marriage displays the relationship with Jesus & The Church. Your marriage may go through seasons, just as we go through seasons and that’s okay. The focus is keeping your eyes on God throughout the good times and that bad. It does say that the only time it is okay to divorce is because of sexual immorality. Check it out for yourself below:
“Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.””-Matthew 19:3-9
After Everything I’ve Done There Is Absolutely No Way I Am Forgiven. (I need to be cleaned up first before I start a relationship with God)
This is one thing I really, really, struggled with. I used to be a lot different than the person you know today. (God changes people from the inside out). I really believed this lie that I was worthless, not good enough, and God was disappointed in me. I didn’t feel loved by God. How could he love someone as messed up as me?
Then I was sitting in church on a Wednesday and the pastor asked us to close our eyes and ask Holy Spirit what he thought about us and how much he loved us. I proceeded to do so and what Holy Spirit showed me still blows me away to this day. He first showed me my Grandmother, my now husband, and began to run a very quick slideshow of people that I loved or someone that loves me. Holy Spirit very gently said, “Combine all those people’s love for you and all your love for them, this doesn’t even begin to show you how much I love you.” Let me tell you, I was sobbing. I am teary-eyed thinking about it now. Jesus forgave me and loved me for the very broken, lost, and hot mess I was. He loves me even when I make mistakes now. God’s love is steadfast & your sins we crucified on the cross with Jesus. You are never too far from God’s love or grasp. We just have to reach out to him wholeheartedly. “But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.”-Deuteronomy 4:29
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”-1 John 1:9
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”-Isaiah 1:18
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood-to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”-Romans 3:23-26
~~I know today’s post was heavy. It wasn’t meant to condemn you, so if that is what you are feeling tell that dirty devil who you Father is and you are forgiven. If you are struggling with many of these worldly thoughts and views, you aren’t alone. When you feel these thoughts, bring them into captivity and line your thoughts up with biblical truth. You will be growing to be more like Christ to the day he either returns or it’s our time to go to our eternal home. It isn’t always a walk in the park to be a Christian and it’s not always easy to train your mind to line up with Godly truth. Having an accountability partner is really helpful. Someone to love on you when things are rough but hold you accountable in your actions. Don’t get discouraged & don’t give up! These posts are “challenging” and that’s okay. Growing pains are well, painful and these post are a challenge. Growing into Christ-like character is rewarding and a blessing, even when you have to lay down your cross daily. Rely on his strength if you grow weary and remember he loves you right where you are at! It’s not an overnight process.~~
God has brought a lot of revelation of the difference of being worldly and the new creation he has made me us. He has shown me things in my life that when trials and tribulations come that I begin to think from a worldly perspective. He has also used the people closest to me, facebook, and even people in the church, to show me the difference between worldly and thinking and acting like The Children Of God That We Are. How many of our thoughts are just mere feelings and worldly thoughts compared to biblical truth?
(This blog will have a couple different parts over the next couple days!)
Let me drop some biblical truth that relates to being worldly:
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[The old has gone, the new is here!”-2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NIV
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”-1 John 2:15-17
Now let me challenge some worldly thinking:
Finances
We worry for nothing, especially when it comes to money. “But Tanja, money is important!! The world revolves around money!”
Let me stop you right there…If your world is revolving around anything but your relationship with God, then your priorities are out of order. God is supposed to be first in our lives. He is supposed to be at the throne of our heart. Not our spouses, children, nor our jobs that often can take up a majority of our time. That job you have doesn’t provide your needs, your heavenly father does. As long we give our first fruits (tithe 10%), he will provide our needs. There has been a lot of animosity about tithing. What if I told you tithing has to do with your heart, not your money? Do you trust God to provide your needs even though the overwhelming amount of bills are coming in continually or are you going to keep that money for yourself? The streets are made of gold in heaven. I assure you that God doesn’t need our money! But he is after out heart!
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”-Malachi 3:10
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 4:19
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”- Matthew 6:25-34
(Here’s the link to a video concerning financial worry and recent government shutdown)
A recent article showed me some astounding facts about how much time we sit in front a tv screen and on social media. I am thankful that I am able to use social media to spread the good news, but how much of our time is really spent on cat and puppy videos or even the death being spewed all over social media platforms?
“Astonishingly, the average person will spend nearly two hours (approximately 116 minutes) on social media everyday, which translates to a total of 5 years and 4 months spent over a lifetime. Even more, time spent on social is only expected to increase as platforms develop, and is expected to eat further into traditional media – most notably TV. Right now, the average person will spend 7 years and 8 months watching TV in a lifetime. Currently, total time spent on social media beats time spent eating and drinking, socializing, and grooming.” -Socialmediatoday.com
Are you spending as much time connected with God as you are other people?? (now that’s good, thankyou Holy Spirit!)
Let’s put social media aside…
Even children, spouses, friends, and our favorite hobby can take up the quiet time being spent with God. I am not saying that these things are bad. However, anything that takes precedent over first spending time with Abba, has become and idol.
Even Jesus took time away and prayed and spent time with the heavenly father. We see this in scripture several times. There was even a time where people were looking for Jesus, but he knew there was nothing more important than to surrender and have quiet time with the Father.
“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”-Luke 15:15-16
“Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.””-Mark 1:35-37
“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”-Luke 22:39-45
The Broken/Needy/Poor
The worldly perspective of the broken, needy, and poor are that they aren’t worth helping. Wipe your hands of them, they will hurt you, they are scary, they put themselves there.
Man am I thankful God took the broken person I was and made something beautiful out of me! Jesus hung out with the broken, the worldly “low-life’s”, the prostitutes, tax collectors, the sinners. None of us are holier than thou, including myself. God has used my testimony to set people free. He has used some of the hardest things I’ve went through to display his glory of healing, forgiveness, and overall victory.
Did you know when you love the poor, you are actually doing loving God?
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘LORD, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'”-Matthew 25:34-40
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.””-Matthew 9:9-13
God Focuses On:
love not hate
life not death
victory not defeat
I hope this post somehow challenged you like it has challenged me. We are constantly growing which causes growing pains and that’s okay. Remember, progress is progress!
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”-Colossians 3:2
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.”-Romans 12:2
