His ways verses our ways...

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

Why is it we even think for a split second that our ways are possibly greater than the One who created everything we can see, and everything we can't see?  Seems pretty silly when you stop to put it in those terms...and I would maybe go so far as to say absurd and completely ridiculous!  Yet, we spend countless hours of EVERY day trying to manipulate life to get where or what we want.  Not to say we should just sit around waiting for God to drop money or food into our laps, but there are a couple of reasons why we should consult the Lord over all before we try doing "life" on our own.  And just for the record, I will not be pretending to have the answers...but merely promote some food for thought on this subject :)

First of all, lets face it...not many of us are in control anyway, though we try to pretend we are.  Mostly, we just waste energy, brain power, and precious time often on things we need or want today; only to find we don't need it or what it tomorrow.  And of course we do have control over many things in life, but they often have minute impact in the whole scope of our lives.  We control when we get up, go to the bathroom, eat, sleep, and routine things like this.  We also control if we go to school or work, obey the laws in society, and the such.  But much of life is beyond our control.  Our eye color, sex, who our parents are, where we are born and live, social status born into, our IQ, and etc. are all chosen for us by God.  And according to His word, He knows what He is doing!!! So why when the most individualized and important attributes of our lives are chosen for us do we worry with those having less importance?

Secondly, we (and I include myself in here) need to often stop trying to shove a square peg into a round hole.  And what I mean by this is, we often try to be someone God didn't create us to be, and live a life God didn't plan for us to live, and do things God never intended us to do!  He knows what He is doing, what is best for us, and He has reasons we often don't understand!  Probably because we only see our little slice of life and at that time we think something is so important...rather than how God views our lives from Conception to the end of time, and everything in between!  He also sees how what we do affects not only ourselves, but others around us, our kids, our kid's kids, and so on down the line.   

So, what should we do about it you might be thinking?  Keep in mind this is purely my opinion, and experience as I have let go of trying to control everything and everyone, as well as stopped driving myself around the bend with not getting the results I wanted after so much stress and hard work.  If life is handing you a round peg, place it into a round hole!  If God asks you to move, then move.  If He calls you to the mission field, then GO!! If He stops your "big plans" - then He has a reason.  Life is very unpredictable and uncertain, at best.  I have in the last several weeks seen this first hand, and how little control we truly have in not only the big decisions of life but the small ones as well.  Life will be less stressful and more smooth if we all just give over the control of our lives to the Lord, and let Him handle it, as He is way more equipped to orchestrate our life for the best than we ever will be.  Just roll with it, because His thoughts are far superior, and His ways are eons beyond anything we will ever dream up!!!  

What has happened to our world? Are we in End Times?

2 Timothy 3

New International Version (NIV)

1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Sad to say, but unless you have been on a deserted island with Gilligan, you have heard of the horrible tragedy which occurred at the elementary school in Connecticut on Friday morning.  How could anyone shoot little kids point blank is well beyond my comprehension.  I don't understand, I can't understand, and my heart is completely broken for all those who have lost loved ones, who had to endure the horrific hours of terror, and a nation that kills it's own.

Unfortunately, today's scripture tells us exactly why it happened, why similar things will unfortunately happen again, and why it is highly possible we are indeed in end times. Now, let me preface this with the fact that I am not a scholar of end times, or an expert in any way.  But what I am, is a believer in Christ, believer in God's Word being true, and have read enough to feel comfortable with my opinion on the subject.  

Do you often wonder if the world could possibly get any worse?  Of course, next thing you know, something happens to prove that, YES, in fact it can.  I believe this is what we were all confronted with by Friday afternoon when everyone knew someone walked into a school and shot kindergarten students probably sitting nicely in their desks.  What has happened to this world we live in?  It is very very scary, and to tell you the truth, I haven't let myself think about it much.  Not because I don't care, but because it is almost more than I can bear.  I have prayed for all who lost their lives, their families, and all affected by this tragedy, with a most saddened heart I might add.  But, I have yet to turn on the news to see first hand reports.  I heard about it from others, my mom, and a few little blurbs on Fox News Breaking news that pops up on my iPhone.  

I know things weren't perfect when I was little, nor were they when my mom was little, but at least we weren't afraid of what would happen to us at school other than getting in trouble, bad grades or going to the principals office.  We never worried that while we were sitting in class, someone would just show up at the door and shoot us to death.  It is for reasons such as this, that I feel pretty certain we are getting closer to the time Jesus will come for His people.  And the way things are going, I sure wouldn't want to be one of those left behind.  Can you imagine what life on earth would be like after the Rapture?  I truly can't image, and I don't plan to find out.  My faith, trust, and hope are in Christ alone; and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt who holds my tomorrow! Do you?  If not, might I suggest if you want to know you are going to heaven you might say this short yet eternally powerful prayer to yourself with a most sincere heart.  

It's really as easy as your ABC's!  "I know and Acknowledge I am a sinner, I repent of my sins before the Lord and ask for forgiveness.  I Believe Jesus Christ came to this earth to die for my sins, and I accept Him as my Lord and Savior.  And Commit your life to Jesus!  It will be the single best thing you could ever possibly do in your entire life, and you will never ever regret it for one second.  

Please continue with me to pray for not only those involved with this terrible tragedy, but for our country and world who desperately need a Savior, Jesus Christ!

How did Christ go Missing from Christmas?

Please, take 3 minutes to listen to this amazing song I just came across about a week ago.

Matthew 1:23

New International Version (NIV)

²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[a](which means “God with us”).

Stockings hung, tree up and decorated, wreath on the door, lights out on the bushes, holiday dishes out, nutcrackers and snowmen all around, and one Willow Tree manger set that my dear friend gave me one year for Christmas.  As I looked around my house today, I suddenly realized there was little to do with Jesus out but a whole lot of Santa stuff around.  How could it be that the original reason for celebrating Christmas Day in the first place is often completely let out of the day?  Of course, someone a few years back coined the term, Jesus is the Reason for the Season...which is true.  However, now even that has lost it's luster a bit.  And don't get me wrong, there are lots of people upset over the Governor of Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee deciding to call the Christmas tree a holiday tree!!! Let me just say my two cents worth, that is completely insane.  Since when do we put up a tree at Easter, Forth of July, or any other holiday for that matter? NEVER!!! It's just dumb, plain and simple. Ok, I feel better and I will gracefully step off my soap box, for now that is :)

Now, most people, may or may not know that Jesus was actually NOT born on Christmas day.  Truth is, He was probably born sometime in August, as best as theologians can tell.  But, none the less, this is the day we have decided to celebrate the birth of Immanuel, God with us.  The day our Savior shed His robe in heaven and exchanged it for flesh and blood, to save His people some 33 years later.  Let's just stop and think about that one for a minute.  Imagine the ultimate, and I do mean ultimate, place you have ever been to, or the best and most amazing time you have ever had...and times that place or time by a million zillion trillion; this would be what heaven is almost as good as.  And He chose to leave that for us, sinners.  He chose to come and feel pain, hurt, disappointment, temptation, hunger, desertion, and eventually death on a cross while bearing the sins of the world from start to finish.  He endured all this for sinners; as in you and I who totally didn't deserve it.  Sorry, but I really needed to go there...putting a little prospective on the upcoming advent season as we anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ!  

So...how exactly do we go against the grain and do a little more reflection on Christ, and a little less on the now very commercialized holiday of Christmas?  I am not 100% sure, to tell you the truth.  I just know we sure need to figure it out.  Otherwise, we might as well call it a holiday tree, if Christ has gone missing from Christmas!  I am thinking if we are ready to fight to keep calling it a Christmas tree, we need to fight to find more Christ...and be Christ to the world.  How about we all try to think of one tangible thing that would put more Jesus in this season, and then leave it in the comments of this entry for the rest of us to try and do. It is certainly time we come together as the body of Christ to help one another be Christ to this fallen world at Christmas time...and all year through for that matter.  Can I get an AMEN, and a little help on this?