Today I read this quote...



 
One of the great needs in the church today is for every Christian to become
enthusiastic about his faith in Jesus Christ.

A while back we had a great message at church by our guest speaker, Lamar Duke.  To be honest, I'd have to look back at my notes to tell you what his message was about - but what I can tell you is that he allowed God to speak through him in a mighty way. One of the things I took away from his message wasn't just the words he spoke but his enthusiastic delivery! I left the service wanting more. I was excited not only about what was said, but how it made me feel!  His enthusiasm was contagious!

 

So just what does enthusiasm mean?

Enthusiasm:  a feeling or showing of strong excitement about something. 

Synonyms for enthusiasm: interest, gusto, eagerness, passion. 

 

There have been many times I've used the word passion to describe something in my life.

I'm passionate about:

• spending time with my family
• Christmas
• Alabama football
• teaching
• sharing  my faith
• my relationship with Jesus

 

What would be on your list?  What causes you to become passionate, enthusiastic or jump in with much gusto?  Maybe you'd add hunting or trips to the beach.  If we had to put those listed items in order with the first one being what we are most enthusiastic about, what would it be?  Be honest...

 

I wonder how different our churches would be if we all walked in each week enthusiastic about worship?  Or, what impact we could have on our faith-less friends, neighbors and co-workers if we talked with passion about our relationship with Christ like we do the best plays of the game? How different would our church family look and feel if we truly enjoyed spending time together, like when we see family who have come home for Christmas?  What if we anticipated each Sunday's worship like we do Christmas morning?  I wonder if we could show up on time or if we'd sleep in late?  What if we walked in each week to worship and our faces lit up like a child on Christmas morning? 
 

I've heard that Christmas is a feeling in your heart.  I believe it is also an expression on our faces, a tune in our heads and  unspeakable joy in our lives. Can we say that about our worship? Is our worship for Jesus Christ something that we feel deep in our hearts? Is our worship for Jesus Christ something that people see on our faces. Do they see unspeakable joy in our lives - no matter the circumstance?
 

This year for Christmas I want to give Jesus an enthusiastic heart and life. I want to show the world my enthusiasm and passion for Jesus Christ FIRST, then I'll show them my passion for family and football! :)  First things first!

 

Merry Christmas!

Ms. Patty

 

Out With the Old, In With the New

Growing up I remember having the prettiest yard on the street.  My Daddy loved working in the yard, as a matter of fact, he still does! Right outside my parents’ bedroom window was a beautiful little rose garden. He had planted roses of all different colors, sizes and aromas. The roses were very beautiful because my Daddy made sure they were well cared for. 

Sometimes Daddy would prune the roses.  It never made sense to me to cut off the flowers in order to grow more flowers, but that is exactly what happened.  Once he cut off the dying flowers and stems, it didn’t seem to take very long before the old was replaced with new, fresh, vibrant, sweet smelling roses.

Yesterday one of my devotionals spoke to this very topic.  The Scripture passage I read was  John 15:5:

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." 

The passage is pretty clear, when I’m connected to the Father – meaning I’m praying, reading my Bible and worshipping, I have a healthy relationship with God and I will produce fruit. But, when I’m withering away and not growing (my prayer life is stale, I don’t open my Bible and worship isn’t a priority) I become lifeless and I don’t produce fruit. As I thought about this verse a twinge of curiosity came over me and I googled “Pruning”.  I found an interesting article… The Reason for Pruning.  The author made several good points.

The Reasons for Pruning…

1)    Pruning encourages new healthy growth.

2)    If you cut out dying and diseased wood, the plant can instead of fighting disease will put its energy in to new productive growth.

3)   Pruning needs to be done in a dormant season.

The author was writing about pruning plants, but as I read it I found many similarities to the life of Christians and the body of Christ (the church).  God says in His word that when we aren’t connected to Him we don’t produce fruit.  If we’re not producing fruit that means our witness is ineffective and dead, it means we aren't growing. This makes us spiritually unhealthy. When we are spiritually unhealthy it can and usually affects our physical and emotional health as well. 

I believe these are the times God uses storms, trials and difficult circumstances to “prune” us. Just like a gardener prunes his plants anticipating new growth, our Father prunes us. When God prunes His children He cuts away the things in our lives that keep us from being close to Him; those things in our lives that don’t honor and glorify Him.  These times are hard and they hurt. Sometimes what God wants to cut off or prune is something we want to hold on to, which makes the process that much more painful. But, pruning is necessary if growth is going to happen.

 

I’ve had dormant seasons in my life. I’ve seen dormant seasons in the life of my church family and in both I’ve seen God cut off and prune.  I’ve felt God’s pruning and it is an uncomfortable place to be.  I have to realize though that pruning isn’t punishment, it’s a growing tool.  Every time HE prunes - something new, beautiful, fresh and healthy comes from it, in our personal life as well as in the church.  

I read that when some plants are pruned they weep.  Pruning is a painful process for the plant, the person and the church.  Just as my daddy took the time to care for his rose garden, pruning when necessary, my heavenly Daddy takes the time to prune me and His church.  It’s our job to stop fighting it, learn from it and grow in order to become fruitful once again.

What to do with my hands?

I love people watching, but more than that I love to observe people's hands.  Yep, I know, kinda strange. :)  Some people are very comfortable with their hands, others - not so much.   I used to love to watch Ms. Vera peel an apple :) Her hands were so graceful. I also find it interesting to watch people's hands in worship. For some their hands are lifted high, others have their hands folded or holding tightly to the pew in front of them.  So that brings me to the question, just what am I supposed to do with my hands?

This past weekend was a wonderful worship experience at my church with Bethany Barr Phillips.  As I was thinking about it, my mind went to an old hymn ... 

"When we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that will be. 

When we all see Jesus we'll sing and shout the victory!"  

What a great old hymn! 
I sometimes wonder what some people think heaven will be like, or sound like!?  That hymn says there will be rejoicing and singing and shouting. I bet there will be lifting of hands and it might even get a little loud :)

Sunday night I was sitting in my office listening to One Voice warm up and I grabbed my Bible and opened it randomly. It opened to Revelation.  The passage I read said, "thousands and millions of angels will gather around the throne and they will sing a mighty chorus".   Can you picture it? I bet there will be hands lifted in praise as they sing that "mighty chorus". I bet facial expressions will be happy and smiling. I bet the sound of thousands and millions of voices will get pretty loud! 

I've heard that worship on earth is practice for worship in heaven, so, why don't we see more rejoicing, singing, and shouting in our worship services?  Why do speakers have to ask for an Amen?  Why when people lift their hands in worship does it makes others so uncomfortable? Why do people look bored?  Why aren't people rejoicing and singing and shouting? 

Both Old Testament and New Testament tell us that our relationship with God
should involve our  heart, mind, soul, and strength. It involves all that we are. 

Worship involves heart, mind, soul and strength, too.  

(Michael Morrison / What is Worship?)

Worship is personal - it's between you and God. Worship is meant to be directed upward. It's meant to be a sincere expression of your love for your Savior.  This weekend I felt a freedom to worship like I haven't felt in a long time and it was amazing!  I have finally come to that place of worship when I raise my hands in praise it doesn't even occur to me that "someone might be watching."   I've learned that physical worship is like a person who feels the need to "talk with their hands".  I've heard it said about some people, "If you tied their hands behind their back they wouldn't be able to speak."  Well, that how I feel about worship, my hands are helping me to express my worship.  As it was said above - heart, soul, mind and strength -    I'm all in!


So, I now want to ask you the question... what do you do with your hands? 
Well, you'll have to decide that for yourself.  But, whether you lift your hands in praise or fold them quietly in your lap one thing is for sure - God is looking for honest, true worship that comes from a sincere heart. When we come to Him wholeheartedly, there is great freedom in our worship! 

Newsboys sing a song that says; 

"I wanna live with abandon,
Give you all that I am,
Every part of my heart, Jesus
I place in Your hands.
I wanna live with abandon."


As for me, I want to live and worship with abandon!

Never Once

 Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

(Matt Redman) 

Last night at H2O I read these verses:
"And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve Him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. IF you seek Him, you will find Him. but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. So take this seriously."  1 Chronicles 28:9-10a

Then this morning in my personal Bible study I read this:
" Jesus replied, ' You must love the LORD your God with all our heart, all your soul, and all your mind." Matthew 22:37

The Bible study author tells the story of each day having an appointment with God.  He said, "I often wonder what happens when the God who loves me comes to meet me there I am just not there.  How does He feel when He asks, "Henry, where are you?" and there is no answer?

He said he keeps his time alone with God not in order to have a relationship, but because he has a relationship.

As I read his thoughts from the study it made me think about the passage I read last night...
I'm to know God "intimately".
I'm to "worship and serve HIM with my whole heart and a willing mind".
I'm to "seek Him".
I'm to "take this seriously".

I wonder how many times has God shown up for my appointment and had to ask                                  "Patty, where are you?"

Just in case that didn't hit home, Mr. Blackaby gave the illustration of a person who is dating, has fallen in love and intends on getting married.  He asked the question, "why do they spend time with that person?"
He even gives some possible answers

• Because they want to find out their likes and dislikes
• Because they want to find out about their family
• Because they want to know more about what they know, their educational background
• Because they love him/her and they enjoy being with him/her. 

During the "getting to know you"  time of dating Ronald I found out the first three.  But once I acknowledged that I loved him and I needed him to always be in my life - I jumped with both feet into the last one! I simply enjoyed being with him. I couldn't get enough of being with him.  We'd talk first thing in the morning. We'd have lunch together, supper together. I would go watch him play softball, basketball, whatever just so I could be where he was. His was the last voice I heard at night.  I was head over heels. I loved him with my whole heart! I was willing to do whatever it took to express that love to him AND show my love for him to the rest of the world.

That brings me to these questions:

• Have I tried to know GOD as intimately as I did my boyfriend? 

• Have I worshiped and served GOD with my whole heart?  Have I been as devoted to GOD as I was my boyfriend?

• Do I seek GOD?  Do I look for ways to spend time with GOD like I did my boyfriend?

• Do I take my relationship with GOD as seriously as I did my relationship with my boyfriend?

Because I took the time, NO - I made the time to get to know Ronald, he went from being a friend, to a boyfriend to my husband. Each level of our relationship deepened because I took the time needed to make it happen. 

Never once did Ronald experience me not showing up!  
Never once did he have to ask "Patty, where are you?"
I wish I could say the same thing about God. I'm ashamed to say too often God has been left waiting and asking "Patty, where are you?"

 Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

(Matt Redman)

 Father, never once have You ever left me on my own or made we walk through a difficult time alone. You are so faithful and You deserve my faithfulness.  I love you and I have a strong relationship with You, but I know it can be better.  Help me to know You more intimately. Help me to worship and serve You with a whole heart and willing mind.  Oh, Father I will seek you all throughout my day and search for ways to be close to You. I take seriously my relationship with You and I never, ever want You to have to ask again, "Patty, where are you?"   I love you LORD! 


Bible Study referenced is:  Experiencing God: Youth Edition Henry T. Blackaby & Claude V. King authors

IF

"If the shoe fits, wear it."

"What if?"

"If I only had a brain."

"If you're happy and you know it."
"If You Give a Mouse a Cookie."

These are all pretty common "If" statements.
 "IF" is a word most of us use all the time, but have you ever really stopped to think about what it means?  Webster says that IF means...

• in the event that
• allowing that
• on the assumption that
• on the condition that                                                                          

Do we realize the power and the punch that this little word holds?  

I know as a parent I used it A LOT. (Probably too much!)

• IF you clean your room you can go outside and play.
• IF you finish your dinner you can have dessert.
• IF you do your homework before supper you can watch TV.

You get the picture and in those situations it was probably used correctly and I had the authority to use it.

• On the condition that you clean your room you can go outside and play.
• assuming you finish your dinner you can have dessert.
• in the event that you do your homework before supper, you can watch TV.

BUT, I've found that word to be used in situations that I feel can be dangerous. My example is found in God's word, the book of Mark. In chapter 9 beginning in verse 14 the story is told of a man who brings his demon possessed son to the disciples to be healed. They can't heal him. Jesus comes along and asks what's going on? He hears the story and the father says to Jesus, IF you can heal my son, will you?  (OH MY!) Jesus replies; "IF I can heal him?"  (msp's paraphrase)

How often have I, have we, found ourselves using that word with God? How often have we used that word in our relationship with Jesus? How often do we use that word in our commitment to church? 

It seems we can be very good at making "IF" excuses:

• IF the event/program doesn't relate to me or my family, I'll just stay home.
• IF no one else signs up, I guess I'll do it.
• I'll sign up after I see IF I get a better offer.
• I'll come to church IF I get up on time. 
• IF only they sang the music I like.
• I'll go IF my friend is going. 
• IF you get me off this ride, I'll never get on it again! 
• IF you'd help do this... then I'll do that.

If the reason I was created was to glorify the Father, and I am guilty of making statements like this, then I need to stop and think - do these comments glorify Him?  Am I showing faith and trust when I make these statements?  

It sounds a bit like making deals with Jesus, like playing games.
Who am I to question God!?  Who am I to play games and bargain with the Creator of the Universe!? I might have had the authority to say IF to my children, but I most definitely do not have the right to say it to God, my Father!
  
Then I stop and think -
What IF God's love for me was based on "IF"? 

• I'll love you IF you read your Bible everyday.
• I'll provide for your every need IF you pray at least 30 minutes every day.
• I'll protect you and your family IF you go and tell at least five people about me. 
• I'll give you life everlasting IF you keep all 10 commandments.

God's love for me is unconditional, no Ands, IFs or buts! And for me to decide whether or not I'm going to do something that would glorify Him, based on IF my friend is going, or IF no one else says yes, or IF I get up on time; well I think I'd better re-examine my relationship with my Creator and my Savior.  

In John 14:15 Jesus says:  
"IF you love me, you'll keep my commandments."

• assuming you love ME...
• in the event that you love ME...

Father forgive me for doubting you. Forgive me for putting conditions on my love and service to You and Your church.  Amen. 

A Sad Reality

  

 

"Evangelical and Pentecostal church attendance looks stable,
but membership isn’t keeping pace with population growth.

Olson says although the same number of people
 are attending church as 15 years ago,
there are an additional 48 million people
living in the country."

“A couple of polls show that 40 % of Americans
(the same as 1950) are church attenders,
but only 17 % attend church services weekly.”

I came across these quotes as I was studying and researching for a conference that I'll be teaching. As I read them my heart, mind and soul became very disturbed.  So, out comes a blog.

  

Here's what is going through my mind... We can no longer sit back and pat ourselves on the back and claim to be following Christ when we're just "stable" and not even "keeping pace" with the growth of the population!  It's 2013 and there are people spiritually dying and what are we doing about it?  

And, if only 17% of the Christian population see weekly church attendance as important... what does that show an unbelieving world? Why would "they" want to come to church if those who claim to be Christians don't even go to church?  And, if we place little g gods above the real, true, living, big G God, how are we any different from them?

 

Then, I started thinking again about a message I heard last night. I've heard this evangelist speak before, but this message left me very unsettled in my spirit.  It wasn't the part of the message where he was encouraging young people to step out in boldness and do the hard things - I agree with that;  but when his focus became very self-serving with a defiant attitude, I had to perk up and really listen.  As I listened and watched, this evangelist never picked up a Bible, yes he quoted a few verses and he made references to God and Jesus, but something just didn't feel right in my soul. The more he spoke the more it sounded like he was blaming others for poor choices he has made in the past year.  It sounded like he was claiming a conspiracy against him and because of this conspiracy he was being kept from doing what God was telling him to do. It sounded like he was calling all the people who were listening to join him in an act of defiance toward those who were trying to stop him.  At this point the Holy  Spirit was shouting at me to get my kids outta there!

I'm not saying that at one time this young man wasn't on fire for Christ. I'm sure that God has used him to bring many to a lifesaving knowledge and relationship with Jesus. What I am saying is that it appears that somewhere along the way he has gotten caught up in the flash, flesh and fame of "his ministry" and the focus as turned to him.

In scripture we find this warning:

2 Peter 2:1-3 says: 

But there were also lying prophets among the people then,
just as there will be lying religious teachers among you.
They'll smuggle in destructive divisions, pitting you against each other -
biting the hand of the One who gave them a chance to have their lives back!
They've put themselves on a fast downhill slide to destruction,
but not before they recruit a crowd of mixed-up followers who can't tell right from wrong.
They're only out for themselves. They'll say anything, anything,
that sounds good to exploit you. They won't, of course, get by with it.
They'll come to a bad end, for God has never just stood by and let that kind of thing go on.

The room last night was filled with young, immature spiritual Christians who aren't really sure what they believe. They have an admiration for this young, handsome, charismatic, preacher and they will believe whatever he says and will do whatever he suggests. They will drink the Kool-Aid. 

Fortunately, most of the students that were with me acknowledged the uneasy feeling they had about the message before I ever said anything.   I am very proud of these student. They proved to be good listeners and that their hearts and minds are in tune with the Holy Spirit. They own their faith and their foundation is firm.  I'm not worried about them because last night they showed a spiritual maturity that a lot of people much older than them don't have!  

So my bottom line...

Guys, we've got to wake up and shake up the world. A personal relationship with Christ isn't meant to be private. We've got to step out in boldness, proclaiming the name of JESUS CHRIST, and it has to begin in the heart of every individual follower of Christ. We have got to live a life that denies self and make JESUS CHRIST the centerpiece of our lives. We need to be looking for that 48 million and invite them to meet our best friend, Jesus Christ.

If we want an unbelieving world to come to know Jesus Christ we've got to make Him look GREATER than the world!  

But you belong to God, my dear children.
You have already won your fight with these false prophets,
because the Spirit who lives in you is greater
than the spirit who lives in the world. 1
John 4:4