Tuesday, December 20, 2011

disagreements

          
Dear God, I praise you and thank you for who you are. Please guide me and help me when I face conflict and disagreement with others. Help me to follow biblical principles. Sometimes I'm just "hard-headed" and do not want to give in to compromise, even when either view, decision, desire is biblical. Help me to carefully consider the other person's perspective and situation. And if someone has wronged me, give me courage to confront them in a spirit of love and reconciliation. If they will not hear me, show me who should go with me to talk with the person. When necessary, help me to continue on and take steps based on Your Word. I want to do what is right, and as much as possible, to live peaceably with all people. Please forgive me where I have failed, and give me the grace and wisdom to do better; to do what is right. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen
Thank you Os once again for hitting me right where I need to be… hit.
I had a fight with my husband last night and while I’m still smarting from it and the general feeling of neglect I deal with in my marriage and my family; seeing that God cares about me does make a big difference in my ability to move forward in some way.  I mean really!  I sit here at work feeling wounded and unloved because of the argument and my husband’s ability to turn it off and move forward without any concern for how I’m feeling (drat, tears again!) and this comes as a prayer.  I think I’ll be praying it hourly today as I attempt to not plot revenge by spending money this afternoon (for things I actually need yes, but in my state of mind there would be some revenge there too!).
Prayer from TGIF: Today God Is First by Os Hillman

Friday, December 9, 2011

SCL: Covet 2.0

A favorite blog of mine... wait, it's not a blog I write, it's a favorite blog.  OK, whatever, I think you get it.

Stuff Christians Like is a great blog!  (That's better.)  Today is "Serious Wednesday" and Jon (author) wrote about Covet 2.0.  I am not alone in agreeing that this was a timely and oh so true post!

(Welcome back; assuming you clicked to visit SCL and are now back... or perhaps I'm now alone with my covetous thoughts because you got lost in the wit and humor of SCL and are now committed to reading all the back posts.)

I sit before you at 12:16am, not tired (though I was at 8pm on my drive home thinking about a hot bath and a soft pillow before 9pm!  Such a glorious goal missed again!), and filled with the desire to be more than I currently am. (and hoping the bunny downstairs who is making so much noise would STOP already!)  I am going to catch a cold because this is my 3rd night (4th?) without enough rest and that always spells disaster for my health.  I just can't seem to get to bed).  Tonight I was even IN bed at 9pm, but this temptress of a computer was sitting there all glowy and warm, calling out to me.  I've been working long hours this week and I feel out of touch with so many things; reading blogs and news and such online makes me feel like I belong somewhere in the world. 

Does that sound bad?  Is it a good or bad thing that the internet is what makes me feel like I belong?  I guess if I still shower and have a job and can interact without people in a reasonable manner I am OK.  That's the standard I'm going with for now; albeit a low standard.  I do normally have far more live interaction with the world; but lately, my computer has been the go to source.  I'm not even really talking to people online.  I'm not on Facebook much, or emailing letters.  I'm just reading and occassionally writing.  There's so much inside, but often when I want to type it out of me... it's elusive. 


I find myself looking at the (albeit 1 dimensional) lives of others and dealing with some fairly deep dissatisfaction in my own life.

I know... I shouldn't compare myself with others - honestly I do know that!  It's biblical, it's wise!  And yet...

So, I will be working on uninstalling Covet 2.0!  I fear though, it is much like AOL and as often as I uninstall it will pop back up because it has embedded itself so deeply in the processes of my heart.  Perhaps this is why the word sacrifice comes up so often when discussing living our lives for Christ.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Using Jerry Springer to Preach Christ

This is the only email devotional I receive these days and most days I read it.  I love that Os starts with a prayer and how often that prayer puts me in the place I need to be or speaks to where I am. 

Taken from:  TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman

Today's Prayer God, I know that Jesus had a special place in His heart for the poor. He said that the poor would always be among us. How can I use my gifts and talents to help the poor in my community? Please lead me and show me the best way to bless them and meet their needs in your name, that I might also point them to You.

Using Jerry Springer to Preach Christ
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman
12-08-2011
"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'" (Matt 9:12-13).
 
Linda Rios Brook is a businesswoman who desires to impact the culture with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Linda lives on the front lines of the fast-paced world of business. A former President and General Manager of a network television affiliate in Minneapolis, Linda resigned her position after making comments about her faith in her local newspaper; which subsequently resulted in a company policy which precluded officers and managers from publicly identifying with a specific faith.
Linda was approached by a Christian foundation with the opportunity to purchase a television station in her local market. The idea of managing a "religious" television station did not appeal to her in the least because she knew that such a format would not sustain a for profit business model.
After losing hundreds of thousands of dollars every month in attempting to attract a "Christian audience" she realized that the station could not survive without a more mainstream programming lineup. An opportunity arose to get the Rush Limbaugh program from a competitor, but only if she also took "The Jerry Springer Show." Linda struggled with what to do with this program, knowing the religious community would criticize this decision. Then, the Lord gave her an idea.
She decided to place a rolling statement across the bottom of the page that said, "Need a friend? Call 555-5555." She decided to use the Jerry Springer Show as bait for ministering to those who might be watching the program, who she concluded represented a ripe field for the gospel. Her insight proved true. The phones began to ring off the hook and many came to Christ as a result.
Sometimes we need to get out of our religious boxes and see how we can impact the culture using even the most negative influences in our culture to do it.