Work Hard ~ Pray Hard

If the demands of your job seem exceptionally intense this week, consider praying more to prepare for it.

That's what Martin Luther, the German reformist did. He said:

"Tomorrow I plan to work, work, work, from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer."

Luther understood that the greater the demands of his job, the harder he must pray to prepare for it.

What a concept!

Think what would happen if we applied that same principal to our lives today.

The lawyer who had a difficult case would first spend hours consulting the Lord's wisdom through prayer and meditation.

The electrician who had a deadline to meet, would pray first about every minute detail of the project and would finish ahead of schedule.

The child-care worker would spend enough time in prayer to be able to call out each child's name individually and the kids would be so filled with a holy calm that her days would be filled with peace.

And on my job in volunteer management the  stress from the  myraid of meetings, training sessions, and tabletop drills in preparation of the hospital where I work moving across town would dissipate.

The more we pray about and for our jobs the freer Jesus is to move on our behalf.

Prayer softens the disposition of even the toughest manager.

Prayer, by it's very nature promotes teamwork.

Prayer creates an atmosphere of love.

But most of all prayer transforms us into Christlike beings who serve with joy and esteem our fellow man better than ourselves.

Perhaps that is why Luther found it so necessary to pray so much. So that he could work hard with Christ like attitude.

What about you?

What work do you have to do this week?

And what prayers do you need to pray in order to get the job done?


"...The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16)

Imagine

Imagine if Jesus had complete control of your workplace today.

You would anticipate what new and exciting miracles Jesus was going to perform this week.

You would walk with a spring in your step and a gleam in your eye because your great big God was handling every potential problem.

If Jesus was in absolute control of where you work, employees would be so busy helping each other to excel that your companies productivity would skyrocket.

And if Jesus was in control you would be more concerned about your co-worker getting the accolades and promotions than you would about yourself.

There would be joy in servitude.

There would be peace and harmony.

Stress would be a thing of the past.

Integrity and fairness would reign.

Sick days would all but disappear.

Managers would recognize a job well done.

And transperancy and trust would so permeate the hearts and minds of men and women that the local newspapers would want to investigate the source of such harmony and wellbeing.

If Jesus could have His way today.

History provides great examples of what happens when  great men and women of God prayed until their communities were shaken.

Men like Johnathan Edwards who preached "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and sparked a huge revival. Or George Whitfield who prayed until he shook under the power of God. Or the great Welsh Revival where 180,000 men came to God over a two year period.

And all of this is still possible today!

If we will but pray and allow Jesus to flow through us to those around us then our jobs can be transformed.

Peace, joy and love can be the order of the day - every day.

If we will but pray.

We must pray earnestly, fervantly and consistently.

But if we will, then God will answer in ways that we can only imagine.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

How can I pray for your workplace today?

What are the most pressing needs?

What is the corporate climate?

What human ways of thinking needs to be saturated with the love of God?

Post a comment and let's pray about this together.

Or, if you prefer, email me directly at dsimlergoff@sbcglobal.net.

Let's make 2011 the year we imagined together for revival and transformation in our workplace!

-Debbie

MONDAY MUSING: Engaging Christ

Monday always comes doesn't it?

Even after four days off over the Thanksgiving weekend, Monday came surprisingly fast.

But what I like the best about the Mondays and the whole work week for that matter,  is that Jesus goes with me.

He's already softened the hearts of those who might be difficult today.

He's already loosed His presence and His peace to the organization I work for.

And He's already sent angelic buffers to thwart any potential stressors that might arise.

How do I know all this?

Because I was up early this morning and asked Him to do all those things.

Too often we as  followers of Jesus Christ we settle for less that He intends for us simply because we do not actively invite Him into our day.

Oh Jesus is with us because His word says 'He's with us always, even to the end of the age'.

But there is a difference between being with us and being engaged in the minute details of our world.

If we want Jesus to truly affect our work life, we must invite Him into it and be willing to allow Him the freedom to operate as He pleases.

Sometimes this means keeping our mouth shut so He can work out a difficult situation or going the extra mile in service to our fellow employee.

In short, being willing to example Christ's teachings in all things.

So what work situation would you like Christ to get involved with today?

Tell Him all about it and then stand back and watch Him work.

It is one of the most exciting aspects of living every day with Jesus!

"That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.


Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob.


Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come." (Isaiah 41:20-22)

MONDAY MUSING: The Power of a Shut Mouth

Your momma was right if she ever told you if you didn't have something good to say about someone not to say it.

One of these days I might actually learn this.

Just last week, I opened my mouth about someone thinking I was shedding light on a situation that would be helpful .

Wrong.

Instead of them recieving it as I'd intended, they landblasted me on the importance of being unbiased and non-judgemental.

And they were right.

What's more, after I really examined my motives , I realized that my desire was much more about wanting to impress this person with my 'inside track knowledge' than sincerley being concerned.

My mouth again had gotten me in trouble.

Oh if I'd only heeded Biblical advice on the power of spoken words:

"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." (Matthew 12:37)


"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." (Proverbs 18:21)

And what's more, as Christians who want to live everyday for Jesus we are not just supposed to abstain from saying bad things we are supposed to build others up:

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." (Philippians 2:3)

So if I would have adhered to Christ's teachings I would have never opened my mouth in the first place and would have saved myself a lot of heartache.

What about you?

Do you ever struggle to keep your mouth shut?

When are you  most tempted to open your mouth and let it fly?

Let's talk about the power of a shut mouth for the next few days.

I'd love to hear how you deal with this very human issue.

-Debbie

MONDAY MUSINGS: Putting God First

Do you feel fully alive in Christ this Monday morning? Are you filled with antcipation, wondering how God will  use you today? Joy and excitement can be yours when you live every day with Jesus. He promised in His holy word that He came to give us life and that more abundantly. (John 10:10)

The abundant life is available to all who seek it. There are no tricks or gimmicks. It is yours for the asking. Jesus had only one requirement:

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." (Matthew 6:32-34 from The Message)

The King James version of this same passage puts it succintly:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

So that's all there is to it. Put God first and the joy will come. Put God first and you'll be able to manage your work load better. Put God first and the people around you will notice.

People are often drawn to me. Most of the time they don't why,but I hope it is because they feel God's love flowing through me.

One person says she comes to my office to get her "daily dose of Debbie." She says she feels better after she spends time with me.

One day, I hope to share the gospel with her. But until that time comes, I will keep praying for her and being a friend to her.
Loving others for the cause of Christ  infuses us with joy.

Let's put God first today!

It's a very real part of living every day with Jesus and it will fill you with encouragment and unspeakable joy!

MONDAY MUSINGS: Great Expectations

"Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man." (Psalm 112:4)

Monday mornings sometimes feel like darkness don't they? It's funny that I spring out of bed on the weekends, but sluggishly shuffle about on a work day morning. The only difference is my expectations of what the day will hold.

On the weekend, there is time for play,relaxation and adventure. During the work week, there is pressure, agendas and quotas to meet. Yet, I have a feeling the weekends wouldn't be so relished if it were not for the confinements of the work week. It's quite possible that we feel free on the weekends, because we first fulfilled the mundane obligations of the work week.

So today, as we face another week of phone calls to make or appliances to repair, let us remember that our work duty is a necessary ballast to our weekend reverly. And therefore, we ought to be thankful for the forty-hour commitment we make each week - not just for the paycheck we recieve, but for the clarity and joy it brings to our time off. For how else could we celebrate the weekend, if at first we had not done hard labor by the sweat of our brow?

So be encouraged today in whatever this particular Monday holds for you.

Jesus is with you and He loves you.

And in His wisdom, He felt your job was the best thing to meet  your needs.

 And know that Jesus can soften the disposition of even your most difficult of people.

And Jesus can enlighten your mind to enable you to solve every problem that may await you.

You see, Jesus' greatest desire is not that you just endure this work week, but that you invite Him into it and allow Him to do exceedingly abundantly above all you could ask or think.

Because when you (and I ) learn to do this, we will spring out bed on the workday mornings because we can't wait to see what Jesus has in store for us.

MONDAY MUSING: Rest From Labor

 Ah, Labor Day. A day of rest and relaxation set aside for those who labor. A time to commemorate the end of summer and the onset of fall. The one day of the year where you can happily ignore your commitment to your employer and languish in bed all day , or cook burgers on the grill,  or fish, or spend time with your family.

That's the beauty of Labor Day. It doesn't have the pressure and expectations of other holidays. It is simply a day to tell the average hard working American:  "Take a day off. You deserve a rest."

Yes, Labor Day was a great idea. The Central Labor Union engineered it and it was intended to provide for a holiday that celebrated the working man –the laborer- as well as his contributions to society. A working man’s holiday just wouldn’t be complete if it did not include a day off work, and so Labor Day began. (resource from http://www.wisegeek.com/)

But did you know that rest from labor was actually God's idea? It's true. Jesus Christ told the multitude in Matthew 11:28:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

And in Genesis 2:2, the Holy Bible tells us that God rested on the seventh day after He created the world:

"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made."

And not only did God example rest, and offer us rest, but He actually commanded a day of rest:

"But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:



For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:10-12)

Obviously, God places a great deal of importance on us having a time set aside  to rest and renew ourselves. So how are you doing with getting the rest you need? Assuming you are getting adequate sleep each night, what else do you do to renew and recharge yourself?

Here a few suggestions that work for me:

• A long soak in the bathtub
• A long, compteplative walk
• Curling up with a good book
• Calling and talking to a friend who is positive and uplifiting
• Getting a massage
• Sipping a nice cup of Chamomile tea
• Listening to classical music
• Watching a funny movie

Can you add some suggestions to this list? Remember, that part of living every day with Jesus is to take care of ourselves, physically, emotionally and spiritually. So as this Labor Day comes to a close, may you find great peace and a deep sense of calm as you pay attention to your bodies need for rest.

"So the people rested on the seventh day." (Exodus 16:30)

MONDAY MUSING: REJOICE

In a few minutes, the work-a-day world will be in full swing.

Some of you will put on your tool belt and report to a construction site.

 Some of you will put on your uniform, and prepare for a day of cleaning, or waitressing, or cleaning car engines.

Some of you will be heading off to the corporate world where the color of your tie or the type of shoes you wear impacts the success of your career.

And some of you will stay in your pajamas or donn a pair of sweat pants as you spend the day chasing after toddlers and running a household.

There is no doubt about it, whatever your profession, the next 8-10 hours promises to be full of pressures and expectations. It's part of the having a job.

It comes with the territory so to speak.

We accept it.

We endure it.

We slug through the day, longing for the 5 o'clock whistle to announce our release.

But is that they way Jesus intended our work life to be?

I don't think so.

Consider the following scripture:

"...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)

Jesus didn't say our life would be abundant excluding work.

No, this scripture seems to indicate that all parts of our life can be abundant, joyful, fulfilling.

So my prayer for you today is to embrace all that Jesus has for you in your job today. When the pressures come, thank Jesus for them.

When a co-worker lets you down, ask Jesus to bless them and encourage them.

Rejoice my friend, in the job God has given you because it is in thankfulness and joy that we learn the true secret of living every day with Jesus.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

MONDAY MUSING: God's Bufferers

How are you feeling this Monday morning?

Does a job await you?

Are you preparing  for your kids to go back to school?

Or will you spend this Monday looking for a job,  maintaining your house, or struggling with a chronic illness?

Whatever your Monday holds, I want you to know that Jesus is with you in it.

He feels the dread you feel when the morning alarms goes off in the dark of the early morning.

And He understands the stress of getting school age children dressed and ready for school. Rest assured , Jesus  cares deeply about  your day-to-day challenges.

And for me Jesus' love and care is enough.

That is one of the perks of living everyday with Jesus.

Everday may not be perfect, but everyday is buffered by His sweet presence and by the people He sends into my life to help me.

I was thinking this morning about all the men and women God has placed in my life over the years who helped to  buffer my hard times.

• Brother Kenny, my teen Sunday School teacher, who made it a point to encourage me and build me up in the faith every week.
• Sister Bevens, a sweet eldlerly lady who came to my house to pray and sit with me as dealt with depression.
• Sister Hensel, a mighty prayer warrior who continues to carry me in prayer and speak the truth of God's love to me, even when it's hard to hear sometimes.
• My precious grandfather, who first taught me about Jesus, prayed for me, opened his home to me when I was a teenager, and continues to imprint Jesus on my heart by his words and example.

These are just a few of the many that were willing to sacrifice and gave of themselves to me.   I thank God for every one of them, and I regularly ask God to bless them for the difference they made in my life.

That's the great thing about living every day with Jesus.

We may have hard times, because the Bible says it rains on the just and unjust alike, but we can take comfort in knowing that God buffers all of our circumstances.

Sometimes He acts in supernatural and invisible ways, and sometimes He sends 'people with skin on' to undergird us and strengthen us.

And what about you?

Who has God sent in your life  that has been a bufferer to you?

Won't you honor them and God  by leaving a post as a testimony to God?

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." (Revelation 12:11)

DEFENDING GOD

As a believer, and one who tries very hard to live every day with Jesus, I sometimes find myself in the odd position of defending God.

Life is filled with injustices. And  when these injustices occur,  people tend to look heavenward with a defiant fist raised, and hurl a series of accusatory questions:

How could you let my child die? 

Why didn't you keep me from losing my job? 

Where were you when I was abused? 

The list seems endless, and there are no easy answers.

For example, a young man reached out to our prayer group because his little boy had an inoperable brain tumor. We prayed several times for this gentlemen and his family. And I personally, felt led to take it a step further, and email him the specifics of my prayers as a way to encourage him, and hopefully build his new found faith. 

And then his little boy died.

He was only 7 years old, and their only child.

What now? I thought. How do I go from offering this man hope in the infallible God, to telling him this all powerful God did not let him down?

This is one part of living every day with Jesus that I still struggle with.

But I know is that God is still good, and His love is still everlasting.

Whenever I face hard times and want to ask God 'how could you?" I always  reread the last few chapters of of the book of Job because it reminds me that I am not God. And that He knows exactly what He is doing.

 "And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said:


Why do you confuse the issue?

Why do you talk without knowing what you're talking about?


Pull yourself together, Job!


Up on your feet! Stand tall!


I have some questions for you,


and I want some straight answers.


Where were you when I created the earth?


Tell me, since you know so much!


Who decided on its size? Certainly you'll know that!


Who came up with the blueprints and measurements?


How was its foundation poured,


and who set the cornerstone,..." (Job 38)


What about you my very special reader?

Have you ever found yourself in the unique position of trying to defend  God?

How did you handle it?

And more importantly, how did living every day with Jesus help you to handle it?

MONDAY MUSING: Soul Awareness

It's another Monday Morning dear reader, and if you are like me, another work week awaits.

But before we jump full force into all the demands and expectations that our respective professions require, let us pause for a moment and think about the many souls that we interact with today.

Yes, these souls are wrapped in all kinds of uncomely packages.

 From the cubicle mate who constantly sucks on her teeth with a loud, grating sound, to the too cheery, and way too chatty woman who seems to always plant herself in your office seeking your undivided attention, and saying nothing of any real consequence or importance.

And yet, the Lord Jesus has seen fit to place them in your path, in your company or on your customer list. Why? Perhaps He trusted you enough to see past their outer wrappings.

Or perhaps He felt that whatever irritations these individuals might cause you today will force you to become aware of your own judgemental attitudes or shortcomings.

Whatever Christ's reasons are for having you in your present situation, one thing is for sure He's specifically chosen it and He's watching to see how you will handle it.

May we all learn to see past the facade of those around us and seek to love their souls as Jesus Christ would expect us to do.

" Man looketh on the outside, but God looks on the heart"

Jesus and the Job Search

I'm off work today (yea!) so I didn't have to get up at my usual 4:45am (double yea!) which is why I'm posting  later than normal. (My apologies to my readers who are used to reading my posts before work.)

Today, I wanted to tell you about my friend Mallory*.  She is a single mom in her mid 50's who has been out of work for  a year.

Mallory is  smart, attractive, well dressed, personable, a quick study, and has a degree perfectly suited to her career.

Yet, despite her best job search efforts, she's only  been invited to interview a handful of times in the last 12 months.

But last week, Mallory told me she had an interview for this coming Monday morning. She was happy, but also wary. Afterall, she'd gotten excited before only to be told she didn't get the job.

 Dealing with rejection is a tough aspect of trying to find a job in today's market.

I was thinking about Mallory the next day as I prepared for my morning prayer.  I told the Lord Jesus all about Mallory's need. I didn't ask Him to do anything specific, except to help her, and be with her as she went on the interview.

Then I paused for several moments waiting  to see if Jesus wanted to give me any additional guidance concerning my friendship with Mallory.

And He did.  I felt impressed me to anoint a handkerchief for Mallory like they did in Acts 19 and pray for her to have renewed confidence and favor with whomever she meets.

 The next day,  I gave Mallory the anointed handkerchief, and explained to her that in Acts 19 pieces of cloth were given to the sick as an act of faith for healing. I told her that the handkerchief itself didn't have any special powers but that we were  demonstrating our faith  to God and asking Him to respond.

Although, Mallory is not a believer , but she embraced this concept readily, and allowed me to pray for her. I prayed a  simple prayer with her and then we hugged and each went our seperate ways.

The following Monday, the day of the interview, I called Mallory to wish her well. She excitably told me she now had two interviews and that the handkerchief  hadn't left her side. God had honored our simple act of faith, and what's more Mallory's faith was growing!

You see, Mallory is not a believer. But when my friend Jesus told me to offer her the handkerchief, and to pray for her I did. And Jesus did the rest.

I'm not sure what the outcomes of Mallory's interviews will be,  but  I do it's sparked in her a faith in Jesus Christ. Something she'd departed from a long, long time ago.

And that my friends, it just a glimpse of what life is like when you live every day with Jesus.

*NOT HER REAL NAME

MONDAY MUSINGS: No Striving

"Do not strive in your own strength; cast yourself at the feet of the Lord Jesus, and wait upon Him in the sure confidence that He is with you, and works win you. Strive in prayer; let faith fill your heart - so will you be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might." - Andrew Murray.

The above quote was part of my morning devotional reading. So again my heart and mind is focused on NOT STRIVING, not seeking my own, not trying to get ahead of others, and not even trying to make my mark on the world.

It's our human nature to push to the head of the line though isn't it? I've been guilty of this myself . Why is it that to be first, to be the best, to win top honors holds such appeal?

I think because it feeds our hungry sin nature.

Yet, Christ tells us of a very different way. He speaks of being lowly, being humble, preferring others, crucifying this fleshly nature and that he who is the least - the lowest - the most disregarded will be the greatest in heaven. (Mark 10:31)

Philippians 2:3 says, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves."

I plan to take this scripture to work with me today and meditate on it. If you've been reading my posts you know that I need this timely reminder. God is definately working something out in me and in my character.

May the Lord Jesus make us all better servants and teach us to strive less and surrender more.

I pray that your work week is easy and your burdens like. And I further pray that you listen with your heart to all  God is trying to speak to you.

Kindest Regards,


Debbie

Monday Musings: FORGIVENESS

It's a Monday Morning and duty calls, but I am thinking of all of you - my faithful readers. I only have a minute but wanted to jump on here and let you know that once again this week I have been drawn to meditating on 1 Corinthians 13. My spirit must need to be convinced of the truths embedded there. Actually, I KNOW my spirit needs to be convinced of this because there are a couple of people in my life who have wounded me deeply that I am still having a hard time feeling all warm and fuzzy about.

Don't get me wrong, I am kind to them. I don't speak ill of them. And I do my best to speak well of them or not at all. So on the surface 'all is well', but deep down, in the core of my being I know that if I ever lost my mental faculties like through Alzheimers or something, there is still that hard place in me towards them.

The hurt was deep that they inflicted and it's ongoing. Therefore  the scab keeps getting ripped off, and I bleed afresh.

Yet I know there is a place in God that can heal all hurts no matter how deep. . I know because I've experienced that kind of healing with someone else who crushed my inner being. So if I know this then why isn't it any easier this time around?

I think the answer is because the process remains the same each time with each hurt. It has been my experience that emotional healing and forgiveness come only by applying large doses of the Holy Writ and determining to obey its truths no matter how one feels. Then eventually your emotions fall into line and suddenly you realize the pain is gone.

I think Mother Theresa put it best. Rumor has it she had the following on her bedroom wall:

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
FORGIVE THEM ANYWAY

If you are kind, people may accuse you of Selfish, ulterior motives;
SUCCEED ANYWAY

If you are honest and frank, the truth may be dangerous for you;
BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
BE HAPPY ANYWAY

The good you do today, People may criticize you for an will often forget tomorrow;
DO GOOD ANYWAY.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU'VE GOT ANYWAY.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;
IT NEVER WAS BETWEEN YOU AND THEM ANYWAY.

Monday Musings: WHAT'S YOUR DREAM?

It's a Monday morning and very soon I will be rushing around to get ready for work. (I always do this to myselF - the last minute rushing) I get up at 4:45am so I can veg out, drink my coffee, read my Bible and pray. Having this quiet solitude before the demands of the day grounds me, and helps me to maintain my peace as I get bombarded with the stresses of my work week.

This morning I was thinking alot about my weekend and the time I spent with the women of the Maranatha Bible Church. Sharing my heart with women, praying with them and encouraging them has always been my dream. So I'm still revelling in Saturday's experience kinda like a kid who finally gets to go to Great America after a long wait.

Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a writer, to walk into a book store and see a book I'd written on the shelves. I even love the smell of fresh paper and musty books - it's weird I know. But for me, this is what I was created to do. God obviously planted this desire in me because it consumes alot of my waking moments.

So my question to you this morning is: What is your Dream? What consumes your thoughts? If you could do anything you wanted - what would it be? Think about your giftings, what you enjoy doing, your passions and begin now to offer them all to the Lord Jesus. Then stand back and watch how He begins to unfold your personal dreams for His glory!

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

Hugs,

Debbie

Godly Perception

My day started as any other first day of the work week. I hit the snooze button a few times; drank an extra cup of coffee to shock my system into the alert zone; and tried to get my mind wrapped around the fact that 9 hours of responsibility and labor awaited me.

The nice thing is that I used to dread Mondays as much as the next person, but I don't so much anymore. Why? Because my heart fills with anticipation at what treasures God has prepared for me.

You see, every day  I am able to share Christ in some way. And knowing this causes me to look forward to who the Almighty is going to send my way.

For example,  on my lunch hour, I went to a friend's house for a cup of tea and some prayer.

See what I mean? Every day is an adventure with Christ because I see myself as His ambassador and He responds by sending me people to minister to.

What's interesting is that my job itself hasn't changed at all. I have the same work load, the same stresses etc.

But my outlook is different.
The blessings, the joy, the strengthening of relationships, was there all along. But I didn't see it. In essence, my vision was skewed.

And isn't that what Christ wants from all of us? 

 Could it be that Christ  is waiting for us to climb up to the high places with Him so we can see things from His vantage point?

You decide.

Respecting Another's Faith

I have Christian friends, Budist friends, Catholic friends, Islamic friends and even some atheist friends. This in and of itself is not anything specatcular. Lots of people have friends of different faiths and cultures. I've always enjoyed my diverse group of friends and feel challenged to be the best example of Christ to them that I can be. And, I've always tried very hard to respect their varying beliefs.

But recently I've found myself in conversations with some of my non-christian friends where my 'respecting' felt more like agreeing. And this made me uncomfortable.

For example, today one of my friends  was all agog that they had been given an impression of Jesus on a rose petal that 'miraculously' appeared when they were at a conference. Evidently there is a man named  Carmelo Cortez who is 'supernaturally' used by God to pull petals off of fresh roses, dip them in some kind of colored water, and then 'miraculously' divine impressions appear.

 As my friend showed her 'holy rose petal' to others  many  ooed and ahhed and were clearly mesmerized by the 'power of the petal miracle'.

And since, many in my circle of influence  look to me for prayer and encouragement they just assumed I would be equally enthusiastic.

But I wasn't.

Instead, I listened intently to my friends glowing explanation of what took place at the convention where the 'Rose Petal Miracle' occured.  Then I said  "I'm really happy for you" and "What a neat memento for you to have" but I stopped short of declaring it a supernatural phenomenon.

 As I walked away from the 'Rose Petal Group' I was overwhelmed with sadness because my friends were easily taken in by what I felt was a hoax. 

How could I have prayed so much for them and still they don't see Jesus for who He really is? I mused to myself.

But I didn't say anything. The truth is I wasn't sure what to say. I felt a strong urge to declare truth as I see it, but also realized it was important that I respect their right to choose to believe the rose petal image was straight from heaven.

So for now I've decided that  I will pray for truth to be revealed to them. And I will write truth as I feel inspired to do so. (see my SIDENOTE explanation  below) And I will keep on being their friend and keep on loving them.

Should I say more to them? I don't know. I'm still grappling with this question. What do you do when you come face-to-face with what you believe is a false belief? What did Jesus do? These are the questions I'm still seeking answers to.

I sure hope some of my readers take time to give feedback. This is one time I really need your insight....








SIDENOTE:The point of this particular post isn't  to debate the legitimacy of flashy so-called miracle workers. But because I believe the Bible is our ultimate guide I think it's important to point out that Jesus himself warned us about people who use outlandish tactics to draw a crowd presumably in the name of Christ:

"For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders so as to deceive and lead astray, if possible, even the elect (God's chosen ones)." (Matthew 24:24)

At least it's something to think about....

Monday Musings

Well, it's the start of another week, and although I had a glorious weekend, I'm definately feeling a little fuzzy this morning. Monday's offer the chance for new beginnings and fresh starts. So why are they often associated with dread and an extra cup of coffee?

It could be facing the weight of the week's responsibilities. Or it could be tiredness from the weekend. But more times than not, it's flipping that imaginary switch in my brain from weekend mode, to work mode.

So my prayer this morning is: "God, please transition my mind, heart, will and emotions to my responsibilities at work.Empower me to be an employee that you can be proud of. Remind me moment by moment that your holy word says 'I am an epistle, known and read of all men.'(2 Corinthians 3:4) So the reality is that I am always on display as your representative. Please Lord, protect my witness, infuse me with your joy, and help me to project your love no matter how fuzzy my brain may feel. In Jesus name. Amen"

So now, I'm going to make myself a nice warm cup of green tea and get crackin. Cause 'this is the day that the Lord hath made and I will rejoice and be glad in it!'

Jewish Jim

I just had an interesting conversation with a co-worker of mine, Jim*. We were sharing what we did to celebrate Easter this past weekend and he mentioned he made Matzo Balls for his family. "Are you Jewish?" I gushed. "Yes, I am" he replied. I asked to shake his hand and told him how honored I was to know personally one of God's favorites. He knodded his head sheepishly, and so I went on about how as a Gentile, I have such respect for the Jews and their special relationship with God. He seemed eager to discontinue to conversation and finally blurted out "I"m not a practicing Jew and my wife is Catholic and neither one of us go to church!" I responded with "Well, still it's an honor to know you my friend." Then we changed the subject.

In reflecting on our exchange, a sadness came over me as I realized he has no idea of his true heritage. He's a prince, the son of the King, and he's living as a pauper. And then that scripture, "and such were some of you" washed over my mind.

And so my prayer this morning is:

"Oh Gracious, loving Father of All, thank-you for giving the gentiles a chance in this world. But thank-you more for allowing me to understand who I am in You. Please awaken all those around me to the reality of their royal heritage - especially my friend Jim.Amen."

Scriptures For Further Study: Roman 11:16-18; 1 Peter 2:9; Romans 2:9-11

*Not his real name

Soldier Lessons

I have a tiny Roman Soldier sitting on my desk at work. It's a visual reminder of what the Apostle Paul told the church at Ephesus:

"Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil." (Ephesians 6:11)

But all week, my little soldier has been falling over. One day, I reached for a file folder and knocked him off his feet. Another time, I set my coffee down too close to him, and he wobbled over on his side. Then today, he fell flat on his face when I rammed my desk with my chair.

Interestingly, I identify with my little soldier the most when he's lying there helpless. I understand what it feels like to be all decked out and in battle gear; ready to rumble, and then get knocked off your feet.

But this is where my little soldier and I differ. You see, no matter how many times my little soldier falls, he remains poised for battle. His arms stay extended, his sword remains drawn, and he maintains his game face.

I, on the other hand, often lose sight of the battle and start thinking of my predicament. Questions like 'how am I going to get up with all this armor on?' and 'who's going to help me?' often dominate my thoughts.

But not so, my little soldier. He somehow knows that I am going to pick him up and set him on his feet again. He trusts me; so he waits. And for some reason, this pleases me.

And it pleases God too when we trust Him enough to wait patiently knowing that soon He'll stand us upright again.

"Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord grasps his hand in support and upholds him. " (Psalm 37:24)