Repenting for Not Loving.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3,11 - Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Wow! Let's just say it was a morning for a good spiritual spanking. Have you ever gotten one of those? What conviction I received as I read this morning, all started from a book I'm finishing up. The topic of the section I was reading was "love."

The author gave the analogy of dirty pipe. In one side of the pipe, an ABUNDANCE of water was gushing in. On the other side of the pipe, only a small trickle of dirty water was coming out. The water gushing in represented the glory of the Lord. The pipe, represented "our" spirit. The trickle of water coming out of the pipe represented the presence of the Lord after going through us. The Glory of the Lord in its fullness, came out of the pipe in such minimal proportions, that it would create a dirty, yucky pond at best. Why? Because of all the dirt in the pipe. All of the sin, unforgiveness, lack of love that was in the found in "our spirits." What this was doing? It was LIMITING the Blessing of the Lord to show up in our lives, in any and all areas. 

I hesitantly allowed myself to begin to reflect. Were there any people that I held unforgiveness or bitterness towards? I allowed my mind to run through possibilities. What about love? Was there anyone who I had not shown love to? I immediately had a few people come to mind. They were people that I chose not to associate with. Why? Because they were completely different than me. Different political view, different spiritual view, different personality, different everything! Ok.... I'm airing my dirty laundry here, so put down your stones for a minute. So here this person is, I have had the opportunity to show love to, and I have not. Not even once. Instead, I put on judgmental glasses, in my heart felt more disgust towards them than anything. It makes me sad to just say that "out loud." All because they are different than me? And, of all people, the Lord reminded me as I received my spiritual spanking, 

"Amy, as it stands, _______________, is currently on the path to hell. So is her husband and children, unless people step in with love. Amy, you did nothing but in your heart condemn her because she is not like you, because her beliefs are different. Amy, I desire you to see people with MY eyes, through eyes of love. Judgement is not for you to do. One day, based upon people's decision, judgement will come, and if you have LOVED them, hopefully they will be judged as righteous, and enter into the Kingdom of heaven."

My lack of love, was not getting this person anywhere closer to coming into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. After receiving what I needed to receive, other than being thankful that I listened, I immediately had to repent. What a skewed focus I have had on people, all because of differences. My love or lack of love, may be the ONLY thing some people see that may ever draw them to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. If I look through the eyes of love, I would see people who need Jesus. Not only them, but THEIR CHILDREN!

I am repenting for NOT LOVING. It should be my UTMOST desire to show and share the love of Jesus, because the lives of FAMILIES depend on it. I think of 3 year olds and 2 year olds, newborn babies. Based upon how their parents believe is going to be how these kids are raised for the next 18 years. If the parents KNOW Jesus, the kids will grow up in a Christ-Centered home. If the parents DO NOT KNOW Jesus, these kids will grow up in a World-Centered home vs Christ-Centered home.

I need to show love.

Lord, forgive me! Forgive me for not loving! Forgive me for being judgmental. Lord, forgive me for being selfish! I will do my best to show love from now on. Lord please quicken inside me if I revert back. Please remind me, when I'm around those who are different than I am, remind me to show love. Remind me to be attentive. Allow me to hear your Voice in how to minister to them. Whether it just be listening to them, asking them questions about their life, offering to help them in some way. Lord help me to love. Help me to show Your Love to people who desperately need it. Help me to love people the way YOU want them to be loved!! Lord please CHANGE ME!!! Change ME, so that I can encompass love, so that I can show love. Please help me not to get caught up with acting like those I am around. I don't desire to be like others, Lord I desire to be like You!!! Father thank you that according to 1 John 1:9, you forgive me! Thank you for forgiving me! It is my desire to do better! It is my desire to show love! I love you Father! I praise you! And THANK YOU for loving me! Thank you for correcting me! Thank you for steering me back on course. I love you!

#255 - Resting Keeps out Unbelief!

Hebrews 4:9,11 -  So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath-rest reserved for the [true] people of God... (11) Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].

Proverbs 31:17 - She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] ....

When was the last time you really had a rejuvenating day? When you really rested? When you really took the time to re-charge your batteries? 

In today's day and age of goals, accomplishing things, moving up the corporate ladder, getting ahead, hustle and bustle, keeping up with the Joneses, keeping up with laundry & cleaning, meeting financial desires for savings, bank accounts, homes or cars... with all of that, when is there really time to rest? 

Taking a full day to just rest and recharge our batteries can almost seem like an impossibility. "How could I give up a FULL day to just rest? I have so much to accomplish!"

In a recent post, we talked about Proverbs 31:17 and discussed in detail the description of the word "gird," since it's not a word we use to often today. Just to recap, the thesaurus gives some further definitions... Gird: fortify, secure, support, are just a few. 

I'm confident that our Proverbs 31 woman took some time to rest. Just yesterday I ran into a revelation from Hebrews that I had never seen before. As you read in Hebrews 4:9, you see it talking about taking a complete Sabbath-rest. In the amplified version of the Bible, it goes on to say be zealous and exert yourself and strive diligently to take that rest! The NEXT part is what really got me!!! Let's look at the end of Hebrews 4:11, that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].

What does entering that rest do? It is MORE than just recharging your batteries. It is MORE than just taking a break? We often think of weak people are the ones who need a break. Weak people take time off. Weak people stop. Weak people take breaks. 

Friend.... I'm here to tell you just the OPPOSITE! In Hebrews 4:11, it is telling us the IMPORTANCE of taking that day of rest, that Sabbath day to rest, so that we will not FALL. So that we will not be in unbelief and disobedience!! Not only is the Sabbath day of rest there to simply rejuvenate us, BUT it is there to KEEP US OUT OF UNBELIEF! It is there to KEEP US OUT OF DISOBEDIENCE! 

I know for myself, I have noticed when I do not take a day of rest, I'm much more prone to temptation than the weeks when I take a day of rest. It has been much easier for me to fall, or sin when I'm running on fumes. When I've missed a week of having a day of rest. I can tell that my spirit seems weaker. I feel weaker. I've noticed it's harder to stay steady when I'm tired or run down. 

According to Hebrews 4, a day of rest is going to help you to walk in BELIEF! It's going to help you walk in OBEDIENCE! 

Friend, I'm going to encourage you, pull out your calendar, mark out when you can have a day of rest this week! Maybe work it out with your spouse to watch the kids for a few hours (or the whole day!) But, equally, do the same for your spouse! Encourage them to rest, rejuvenate, recharge their batteries! 

Maybe you can't get a full day of rest in. Maybe you have kids and there is no one who can watch them so you can actually feel rested. Well, do what you can, God WILL HONOR IT! Maybe prepare food the day before so you can just plug in the crock-pot, have an empty dishwasher when you start your day of rest. Let the kids watch a movie. Don't clean. Don't do laundry. Don't do any major cooking. Pull out a fun craft, or watch a movie yourself. Read a book. Get in the Word. Worship. Take a nap. :) Just have a day that is a fun filled day of recharging your batteries!! :) 

Friend.... from experience, having a weekly day of rest (DOR) has literally changed my life and my energy levels!!! I highly encourage it! :) 

Be blessed!!