A LITTLE LESS TALK AND A LOT MORE ACTION

Roots!!!  Last year when we bought this house there were 2 trees with that roots that were literally tearing up our sidewalks.  The roots of these trees were not deep roots, they were shallow.  They did more damage than good.  We not only had to cut down the trees and remove the roots, we had to also tear up the sidewalk to repair the damage these shallow roots had done.  Roots are good when they go deep.  It is only when roots are going deep that true nourishment can happen.  I've seen the damage first hand that shallow roots do.  They can't handle the deep so they live on the surface in fear of what lies in the deep.  Going deeper may mean change, it may mean facing the truth.

Isn't our lives like that?  Come on now be honest!  I know for me I fear going deeper with God because than I may have to face the truth about myself.  It's much easier to read God's Word and study it rather than live it out.  I think sometimes we can get lost in studying, reading and even memorizing without ever even trying to live what we read.  

Think about it!  How many times do we sit in church, listen to a message and think, "I wish he (or she) was here to listen to this!"  Or maybe we read a book about change and we think about someone who needs to read this book.  It's always easier for us to look at others and see where they need to change and grow.  We don't want to admit that it is us who needed to hear that message or read that book.  

Reading, studying and learning are a lot easier than living it out!  If we truly are disciples of  Jesus Christ we need to start living out what we learn.  Way too often we'e so busy pointing fingers that we don't notice the fingers pointing back at us.  Way too often we have too much head knowledge and not enough doing.  Way too often we talk the talk without walking the walk. "A little less talk and a lot more action."

Listen I can read my Bible, I can study my Bible, I can even memorize my Bible, but if I don't live it, it's empty knowledge that is not doing anyone any good, including me.  In order for me to have deep roots, I need to live out what I read about.  I need to change me.  I need to look in the mirror and get really honest with myself and God.  I need to apply what I read in the Bible to my own life.  Let's be honest here...shallow roots are easy, they just skim the surface but when a strong storm comes, those shallow roots will not keep us standing.  It is only through going deeper that we will be able to withstand the storms we may face.

Colossians 2:7 You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live Him  You're deeply rooted in Him.  You're well constructed upon Him.  You know your way around the faith.  Now do what you've been taught.  School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it!   And let your living spill over into thanksgiving. 

I HAVE A SINKING FEELING

   

Here we go again!  Ever walk into a situation and get that sinking feeling like something is going to go wrong?  I know I have.  I'm sure this boat owner also thought that recently this year.  Imagine sailing on the ocean when suddenly a storm arises.  Lightning flashes across the skies, the wind picks up and tosses your boat from side to side.  The rain comes and it feels like needles hitting your face as you do your best to try to save your sail boat from certain destruction.  The waves begin to crash over the bow and then this happens.  If your not prepared for a storm, this will happen. 

Storms in life are inevitable. The come and go like the wind. Some storms are stronger than others, some storms last longer than others.  Some people go through many storms in life and some seem like they hardly go through any.  The thing about storms is they can be scary especially if we are not prepared to deal with them unfortunately most storms come without warning.  It's not like actual weather storms that we can see on radar.  In life we usually have no radar to detect storms approaching, but there are times when we have a sinking feeling that some kind of storm is brewing in the distance.  

I've gone through many storms in my life and some were easier than others, but one thing I have learned through life is to embrace the storms in life and rise above them.  It's not easy to embrace them and it's extremely difficult to rise above them.  To be honest I could never and would never try to do this on my own.  I have the Lion of Judah on my side.  Jesus Christ is my GPS in the storms of my life.  Yes I have been battered and bruised and beaten up by these storms, but I have also learned many valuable lessons about myself and my God.  

James 1:2-4 (The Message)  Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  So don't try to get out of anything prematurely.  Let it do its work so you become mature and well developed, not deficient in any way. 

I know it may seem utterly absurd to consider storms and tests and  a gift, but they are just that.  Storms have taught me who my true friends are and just how strong I am with God on my side.   Trust me I cannot endure the storms without Jesus Christ.  He is my strength and He gives me the wisdom and courage I need to come out of the storm without sinking or drowning.  Rising above the storms and looking at them through His eyes and with His  heart, He has taught me what I have needed to grow a little more mature with each storm. 

Life is difficult at it's best and we will go through storms in this life, I choose to do it with Jesus Christ by my side.  

A BLESSED LIFE.

Oh boy here I go again.  I am always wondering why the word obedience is so hard to hear let alone do.  My stubborn pride, my selfishness always makes me want to do things my way.  I want to speak my mind without concern for who is listening.  I want to say the first thing that pops into my mind without considering whether it may hurt someone's feelings.   After all why should I care, right?  I mean if others have an issue with something I say or do or believe, that's their problem, right?   I get tired of trying to keep my mouth shut or doing the right thing when others just don't seem to care.  Why should I care?

Well here's my moment of conviction.....if I truly believe in Jesus Christ, if He is truly my Savior, then I should be changing and I should be becoming more like Jesus.   WWJD.  Remember that slogan?  I do.  At first I thought it was silly and corny, but I realize it is a very real, very true statement we should all live by.  You see as Christians,we are called to a higher standard of behavior.   We are expected to be a living example of Jesus Christ here on earth.  So for me, I should live as Christ, I should speak as Him, walk as Him, and do as He did when He lived on earth.   But I often don't.  I'm weak!   I'm human!  I'm stubborn!  I'm prideful!  I'm selfish!   

I am called to love God, love others and love who God created me to be, but I am also called to obey.   Trust me I cannot do it in my own strength.  It is only through Jesus that I can obey.   It's not easy.  I want to mouth off sometimes and put people in their place, but I choose not to.   Why?  Because I figure things this way....if I wouldn't say it to Jesus Himself, I shouldn't say it to anyone else.   If I wouldn't treat Jesus a certain way, I shouldn't treat anyone else that way.  I do my best to remember WWJD...what would Jesus do!   

It may sound funny and far fetched to you but I want my life to be blessed by God.  I may be wrong but I truly believe that if we truly believe in Jesus Christ, if we truly love God, then we will obey.   Mind you, God gives us a free will.  He has never forced me to obey.  But I have learned that through obedience to Him, my life has been blessed, not perfect, but blessed.  God's promises in the Old Testament is as real today as His promises in the New Testament.   

I want to challenge you today to embrace WWJD and live by it.  Obedience can lead to amazing blessings and outrageous love!  

Deuteronfomy 28:1-2  "And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.”