seasons.... have reasons

” For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

God has ordained seasons and cycles in our lives. Sometimes, when our dreams aren’t coming to pass on our timetable, we can be tempted to get frustrated. But we have to be careful not to allow our attitude to keep us from moving forward.

Understand that in God’s kingdom, every season is not harvest. There are plowing seasons, planting seasons and watering seasons. Sure, we would love for every season to be a time of increase; but without the other seasons, we wouldn’t be prepared. It’s during the plowing seasons when God’s bringing issues to light that we need to deal with. He’s getting us prepared for promotion. If you’re not making as much progress as you would like, the key is not to lose any ground. Don’t go backwards. Hold your position by keeping an attitude of faith and expectancy, even when it’s hard. Keep plowing by speaking the Word daily. As you do, you’ll pass the test, and God promises your due season is coming!

borrowing this from....

a good friend of mine, Mark Driscoll. kidding. I have never met the man in my life! But he is a brother in Christ and has some good advice to pass on to believers....

We’ve all been there, the conversation is going fine—and then somehow, someway the conversation turns to Jesus.

While the conversation was on the last topic, you were fine, you were laughing, you were yourself, you were having fun, but suddenly when it turns to Jesus, you get weird. You get tongue-tied, cottonmouthed, you start breathing heavily, you get very serious, almost cold. Any hint of joy is gone from your demeanor and you begin to talk to them about the Greatest News Ever.

Do you see the contradiction? When talking about anything else, you’re fine. But when you talk about the gospel, your demeanor betrays your message.

Always Be Prepared

The Apostle Peter instructs the early Christians in their conversations with those outside the faith by saying “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you …” (1 Peter 3:15).

Do you see what he said there? In your hearts, regard the Christ the Lord as holy, always be prepared to make a defense—always. We always need to be ready to talk about the hope that is in the gospel of Jesus Christ. You never know when the Holy Spirit is going to give you that moment. You need to be prepared. Usually that is precisely why you get weird: you’re not prepared.

“

If the gospel is true... then we should have no insecurities talking about it.

”

Know the Gospel

Start by preaching the gospel to yourself. Read passages about the gospel. Listen to how your pastor talks about the gospel, and be ready. Even if you don’t have all the answers to people’s questions, you can say something like, “I’m not sure, I’ll have to look into that.” Don’t get weird, don’t get defensive, and don’t get frustrated.

If the gospel is true (and of course we believe it is) then we should have no insecurities talking about it, just like we would talk about anything else that is true. This 1 Peter passage tells us Christ is Lord. Some of this purely comes down to repititions. The more you talk about Jesus, the more comfortable you are going to be with these types of conversations. In the end, the one who has the power to draw people is God who is sovereign over your conversations and interactions with those who don’t believe the gospel—it’s not all up to you. Relax a little.

In Your Hearts Honor Jesus

The Apostle Peter begins this instruction by saying, “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy.” In your hearts, always lift up Christ, always submit the conversation to him, and trust him! Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you up. When you do it, “do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:15–16). After the conversation is over, trust Jesus for the effects of the conversation. Ultimately you are the messenger of the gospel, not the message itself. God is the one who ultimately evangelizes to them and changes hearts.

“When we see this love at work though the heart of Hosea, we may wonder if God is really like that. But everything in the Word and though experience shows us that He is. He will gave man the trees of the forest and iron in the ground. Then he will give to man the brains to make an axe from the iron to cut down a tree and fashion it into a cross. He will give man the ability to make hammer and nails, and when man has the cross and the hammer and the nails, the Lord will allow man to take hold of Him and bring Him to that cross; He will stretch out His hands upon it and will allow man to nail to Him to that cross, and in so doing will take the sins of man upon Himself and make it possible for those who have despised and rejected Him to come unto Him and know the joy of sins removed and forgiven, to know the assurance of pardon and eternal life, and to enter into the prospect of the hope of glory with Him forever. This is our God, and there is none like Him.” Donald Gray Barnhouse

insight from Max Lucado

By Max Lucado

“You try one door after another, yet no one responds to your résumé. No university accepts your application. No doctor has a solution for your illness. No buyers look at your house.

Obstacles pack your path. Road, barricaded. Doorway, padlocked. Do you know the frustration of a blocked door?

God uses closed doors to advance his cause.

He closed the womb of a young Sarah so he could display his power to the elderly one.

He shut the palace door on Moses the prince so he could open shackles through Moses the liberator.

He marched Daniel out of Jerusalem so he could use Daniel in Babylon.

And Jesus. Yes, even Jesus knew the challenge of a blocked door. When he requested a path that bypassed the cross, God said no. He said no to Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane so he could say yes to us at the gates of heaven.

It’s not that our plans are bad but that God’s plans are better. “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:8–9 NLT)

A blocked door doesn’t mean God doesn’t love you. Quite the opposite. It’s proof that he does.”

believe and be satisfied

by Bruce Pointer:

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone, to have a deep relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly & exclusively, but God to a Christian says, no not until you are satisfied & fulfilled & content totally & unreservedly in Me, content to have an intensely personal & unique relationship with Me alone. I love you, my child, & until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with Me - exclusive of anything or anyone else, exclusive of any other desireds or longings. I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing - one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best! Please allow Me to bring it to you. You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.Keep the satisfaction, know that I AM. Keep learning & listening to the things I tell you, and you must wait. Don't be anxious & don't worry. Don't look around at the things that others have gotten or that I have given them. Don't look at the things you think you want. Just keep on looking off & away up to Me or you'll miss what I have to show you. And then, when you are ready, I will surprise you with a love far more wonderful than you would ever dream of. You see, until you are ready and the one I have for you is ready, you have to wait. I am working this very minute to have both of you ready athe the same time. And until you are both satisfied exclusively with the life I have prepared for you through Me, you won't be able to experience with the life I have prepared for you through Me, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and to enjoy materially & concretely the everlasting union of beauty & perfection & love that I offer you with Myself. I love you utterly : I am God Almighty. Believe & Be Satisfied!

SO refreshing. He needs to be our first love. After all, He loved us first and His love for us is completely unconditional and it knows no limits!

relationships

written by Ally Spotts

“Is there 'one' person out there who I am supposed to marry? If so, how am I supposed to know when I meet them?”

When it comes to relationships, this is by far the most popular topic for conversation. In the Christian community, it goes even beyond the idea of soul mates, and supposes God Himself has hand-selected your life partner.

I have to admit, it’s a legitimate question. I have spent a good deal of time mulling over it myself. In fact, ask my friends. Nine times out of 10 I’m the one to start the discussion. The idea of "The One" is intriguing, popular, romantic and convenient. We read about it, sing about it, look for it, even pray for it.

But I’m going to ask us, collectively, to quit talking so much about "The One." Way too much time has been wasted already. Here are five reasons we need to just stop having this conversation.

1. It focuses too much on the other and not enough on ourselves.

We’re wasting so much time asking, “How do I know if he is the one?” that we forget to check and make sure we are “The One.” When it comes to love and dating, who we are becoming should absolutely, unequivocally be our primary focus. Love is not motivated by selfishness but propelled by generosity and outward thinking.

Let’s redirect our mental and emotional energy to growing in faith, maturity and integrity, becoming the men and women God has created us to be. The rest will settle itself.

2. It causes unnecessary conflict between the “heart” and the “head” part of the decision.

Most of the time when I hear a married friend describe meeting “The One,” they talk about a “when-you-know-you-know” kind of a feeling, which is good. That feeling exists. The problem? You can have that feeling for someone who isn’t “The One” you marry! Those feelings, however authentic they may be at times, are a fleeting and flexible foundation.

Choosing a spouse (or falling in love for that matter) is not a battle between our heads and our hearts. It’s a beautiful convergence of the two. We need both to make a good decision. Let’s not pit them against one another.

3. It gets us stuck.

If there is only “One” person out there who we are supposed to be with, it raises questions like: What if my spouse dies? Or leaves me for another man? Or what if I’m engaged to “The One” and he decides he doesn’t want to marry me?

Was he/she not the one? Or do I have more than one “The One”? Did God change His mind?

God is an infinitely creative Author, so it is no wonder our love stories (and life stories) would unfold in infinitely creative ways. Let’s not put limits on God’s ability to work in creative ways in our lives.

4. It tempts us to abandon personal responsibility.

I’ve heard “The One” idea used more than once as an excuse to be passive and timid, or just plain unavailable. I’m not suggesting we be someone who we aren’t, but here’s the thing:

God isn’t going to send “The One” to knock on your front door.

You play a role in your love story, too, and it probably isn’t going to be easy. God is growing you during this time as much as He is your future spouse. When you rid yourself of "The One" thinking, you realize your responsibility in carefully, prayerfully and proactively choosing someone to be with. Don't become preoccupied with this pursuit, but if you believe love and marriage is a part of your future, don't ignore it either.

5. It puts too much pressure on our dates or potential dates.

The idea of “The One” makes it easy to adopt a “Prince Charming” or “Dream Girl” mentality, where you believe some perfect someone is going to come along and meet your every need. No man or woman can live up to that standard, and if you expect them to, everyone is going to be disappointed.

Romance exists, and it is beautiful, but it is not a fairy tale. When it comes to love and companionship, are you waiting on fate, or walking in faith?

The point of love and marriage is to fully commit to one person, yes. But it is only in your hands and God's timing that a someone becomes your one.

quote

'Like Eve after she tasted the forbidden fruit, we women hide. We hide behind our makeup. We hide behind our humor. We hide with angry silences and punishing withdrawals. We hide our truest selves and offer only what we believe is wanted, what is safe. We act in self-protective ways and refuse to offer what we truly see, believe and know. We will not risk rejection or looking like a fool. We have spoken in the past and been met with blank stares and mocking guffaws. We will not do it again. We hide because we are afraid. We have been wounded and wounded deeply. People have sinned against us and we have sinned as well. To hide means to remain safe, to hurt less. At least that is what we think. And so by hiding, we take matters into our own hands. We don’t return to our God with our broken and desperate hearts. And it has never occurred to us that in all our hiding, something precious in us is also being squelched, diminished, and refused- something God needs so very, very much for us to bring to the world.'

— Stasi Eldredge