The Truth of the Matter

Love is patient and kind...love is not rude (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). These scriptures right here carry so much weight. If we love with the love of God, our words and actions will signify patience and kindness, but never rudeness. People tend to think that speaking truth and being truthful shouldn’t be hurtful because it is the truth. But when we deliver truth harshly, without consideration for those we’re “schooling”, or to make a point, we fail to realize that our words of truth can cause more harm than good. Jesus’ words, “...The truth will set you

free,” (John 8:32) are true words spoken by Jesus, but only if we deliver our “truth” in a loving way and not with the intention to hurt the receivers of that truth; only then will they gain meaning.

The truth of the matter is that truth without love is a weapon of mass destruction. As followers of Jesus, our words should build up, not tear down the body of Christ. We are God’s representatives on earth and as such we ought to represent Him the way Jesus did: with love, kindness, patience, speaking truth in a way the recipient’s eyes will be opened to see his or her mistakes; not closing their ears to shut out what we’re saying because we didn’t take the time to deliver the truth “in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16 states it well: “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

I pray that when you feel led to speak the truth to someone, you will first consider what motivates you to do so. Check your motives. If you’re doing it driven to make a point, please reconsider. Ask the Lord to show you a better way of delivering the truth, with patience, love and kindness. Then and only then will the truth set someone free.

Read 1 Corinthians 13

Back to Basics

We are the church. Did you know that? The four walls that enclose us on Sunday mornings are just that—walls. When we leave the building we should be taking the church with us. After all, we are witnesses for God, His representatives here on earth. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can take God’s word where the Spirit leads us.

Before David decided he wanted to build a temple for God, He (God) was everywhere the people went; He was not boxed in, He was in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). Even after the temple was built, God could not be contained. When the Israelites went into exile in Babylon, God was with them; when we, modern day Christians became part of the Vine as Gentiles grafted in by God’s grace and mercy into Abraham’s family tree, He didn’t leave us, on the contrary, He molded us and made us part of His family, all without walls! So why do we limit ourselves to the four walls of the church? Why do we continue to do business as usual, holding on to tradition, locking our doors against those who look and speak different than we do, when the God we serve is a God of change, one who doesn’t look on us based on our gender, color or anything that hints at a difference in our make up; a God who looks to do ‘a new thing’ in the lives of His people?  Here’s why: we are afraid of change, so we remain locked in the four walls of the church afraid to wander in the wilderness not trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide us, and what is worse, we keep others out, thus isolating ourselves, which keeps us from being who God created us to be: His church.

We must go back to basics, back to allowing God to lead us by day and night, through His Spirit, to reach others for His kingdom.  To do so, we must tear down the walls that separate us from God’s children and welcome them with open arms.

Read: 2 Samuel 7:1-14

Live Life As If It Were Your Last

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 NIV

Do you make plans for the future and the things you will do but leave God out of it? Welcome to living life thinking you have a future. Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with planning for the future. The problem lies in planning as though you are in control of your future.

Our lives have a purpose. Do you know what yours is? If you do, are you living in it? Are you committed to doing what God has marked you to do or are you living life thinking only about yourself and what you want to achieve?

In Luke 12:16-21 Jesus tells the parable of a rich man who thought he had sole control of his life and made his own decisions. Read what he says to himself, “‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’”Luke 12:17-19 NIV

You know what God called this man? A fool! Read it in the text, “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”” Luke 12:17-21 NIV

This man lived life with a “me, myself, and I” mentality. Everything he said was about him, him, and him alone. At no point did he stop to give God thanks for providing the soil to grow his crops or the means to even build the barn to store them! It’s important that we live our lives according to God’s will for us and be thankful to God because we wouldn’t have anything if it weren’t for His provision. Living life selfishly, only thinking about ourselves is not what God has planned for us. In everything we do we must seek God’s direction and live according to the path He’s traced out for us.

There is nothing wrong with living and following your dreams, but make sure those dreams are in alignment with God’s plan for your life and will bring glory to Him through it. The Bible clearly states, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you” —Matthew 6:33.

Live your life knowing that if you meet your maker tomorrow you can give a full account for all you’ve done to glorify and honor Him. Live it so you can hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” —Matthew 25:23.

Cast Your Cares on Jesus

Sometimes we face hardships that weigh us down physically and spiritually. We become anxious and worry to such an extent we can’t see the end from the beginning. This needs not be so! God is standing by waiting for us to call on Him, to give it all over to Him because He knows we cannot handle it on our own.

Why don’t we, then? Because we lack faith or we are fearful to muster it up and activate it. The Bible describes having faith as the, “...assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”—Hebrews 11:1. The other side of the coin of faith is fear which can be described as having the assurance or confidence that something bad is going to happen. How do we counter fear? We begin by changing our thoughts and affirming that fear, anxiety, and worry have no power over us because God’s Spirit dwells within us and we have love, power, and self-control; by, “casting all our care upon Him, for He cares for us.”—I Peter 5:7. Once we do this, “Then we will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7.

Here is a card I made using watercolors. I learned this technique from Tiare Smith, a Mixed media artist, and blogger who encouraged me to give my creativity wings. I made the original version in a sketchbook (see below) and decided to try it on a card.

Sketchbook Version

Card

I am also trying to really carve out time to do Bible Journaling more frequently. I spend time on Sunday afternoons watching Sandy Allnock's YouTube Bible Journaling lessons or following Rebekah R. Jones' techniques. Here's some of what I've been inspired to journal so far.

Exodus 15:20-21

Jeremiah 30:1-2

1 Peter 5:8

Psalm 84:11

Matthew 25:35