I'm not a Piranha

Hello,
Well I know we all go through seasons of working on things and this is the season that my husband and I are working on our words. Well that's all I can say so I don't get into trouble, just kidding. There are so many areas this pertains to.

There's Grumbling - John 6:43 Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves.
There's Complaining - Psalm 39:1 I said, "I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence."
There's Back Biting - Proverbs 25:23 The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.
There's Worldly Chatter - 2 Timothy 2:16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness.
Ephesians 4:29 says Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it. (Amp)

Well a friend and I have similar agitations in our world that we share. So we have decided that we can't talk to each other on these issues because we feed off of each other and get the other worked up. So in our efforts for both us to walk more upright and not offend God we are working very hard at keeping our mouths shut.
So this morning as I was getting ready for work and taking to God asking again for the words of my mouth to be edifying and pleasing to Him, I briefly thought about my friends and my agreement to not touch certain subjects that we have laid down. When all the sudden God says to me "Good thing for you two to lay these issues down". "Do you know what you are like when you feed off one another?" I didn't have time to say "What" and He finished. "You are like a tank of piranha picking the bones clean in a bloody pool of water". Yuck!

So I shared this with my friend and any time we even started to say something we shut our mouth and said "I'm not a piranha, thank you Jesus"

It was a very quiet, but very calm day. Thank you Lord for your loving "graphic" correction.

Be Blessed
Lynn

Hero's - Villain's - Mentors and Idols

* There is updated "Study with Me" information please Scroll Down to the post below! *

Hero's - Villain's - Mentors and Idols

I think it is safe to say that we all have people that we look up to. When we are children, most of us if we have had good childhood look up to our parents. Little girls often say they want to marry their Daddy when they grow up. Little boys may look at a super hero in a comic book and envision that they can leap tall buildings and save the world. When we hit the pre-teen and teen age years those views change and we may shift our focus to rock stars, sports stars, movie stars, a teacher, a friend. We want to be like them, talk, walk and dress like them. In decisions we make we ask ourselves, "which way would they go?" These people become bigger than life because we have put them on a pedestal. We have given them the power to be more than mortal. Hero's were originally defined in Greek mythology as the combination of mortal and a deity. We have redefined it in more modern times to be someone that possesses courage in the face danger. We've even given the "Hero" title to someone that does something we are afraid to step out and do ourselves.

God says we can do all things through Him who strengthens us. Phil 4:13

So what happens when we put these people on the pedestal? We set ourselves up for heartache and failure. When these people or person does not perform to our expectation, we feel let down. Only God is perfect.

The Bible says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

We are hurt so we make them out to be some kind of Villain that is maliciously trying to hurt us. We can even take on this martyr attitude and role for months or years or lifetimes. Whoa is me, everyone lets me down I can't trust anyone.

The problem is not them - the problem is us. We put these people in a position they didn't belong and never could fulfill. Only God can be our sufficiency. We have allowed ourselves to Idolize someone or something that can never provide the counsel or protection that we can receive from our heavenly Father. Mentors can be a good thing. Persons that can teach us or lead or mold our behavior towards goals, but it needs to be in balance.

Matt 6:33 says: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Next time you look up to someone - Look up to God. Look up His word. Redefine who you want to be by who God wants you to be.

Be Blessed,

Lynn

Study With me Info :)

I am getting really excited ... I don't want to wait too much longer. :) For everyone that wants to participate, Can you be ready by August 4th? As with other studies I've done on-line and seen, I hope there will be people that see and start whenever. This is not a one shot deal.

Comment or E-mail to let me know if you will be or are ready.

Hugs and Blessings,

Lynn

Want to Study with Me?

Update to Study with me: There are some materials that I will be using - the book and the study guide. If you can't get these that's okay I will either get you the materials or post the study in a way that you will be able to follow along. I don't want anyone to miss out this is such a great book. E-mail or comment to let me know if you need help getting resources - this may be the breakthrough God's been trying to give you. :)

Original Post -

As I have participated in these studies on-line which I love, and have exchanged blog visits, I have seen a lot of hurting women. Someone that has really helped me in my growth of learning about God's love for me is Joyce Meyers. For those of you that don't know her she was sexual abused by her Father and recovered through the love of God. Now she travels all over the world preaching the word of God. She's not fluffy or foo foo, she is just real about her life and what God wants us to do with ours. I am saying all of this to give you some back ground. She wrote a book called "Battlefield of the Mind" This book was a real turning point for me to start standing on the word of God. It has been on my heart for a while now to have a Study based around this book. And I have been doing the "Are you talking to me God"? and "Well I just don't know if anyone would be interested" talks with God. Well I think the billboard has hit me in the face that says... YES LYNN I WANT YOU TO DO THIS! has arrived. :)

And if you are reading my friend you know who you are HI!

So I am asking the question... who would be interested in doing a study using this Book and a workbook with me. I would not start this for 4 to 6 weeks for a couple of reasons, one I need to finish the No Other Gods study I am doing now and to allow time for supplies to be purchased. I will look into the easiest method of getting the materials and keep you posted.

This is not high pressure just a study I know can help anyone and everyone. Please post a comment and let me know.

With heartfelt Love

Be Blessed,

Lynn

Cover to Cover

Hi here's some thoughts that lingered after this weeks chronological reading of the Bible hosted by Bev.


We started out Monday with Isaiah trying to tell the people of Jerusalem that their problem was because they were not seeking God and heeding to what He was telling them

It really got my attention in Micah 2: that God especially hates premeditated sin. 2:1 "Because it is in the power of their hand" was referring to the fact that it is easy to refrain from sin when we are never around it but that when it is right there before us and we refrain - we especially make God proud.

In Kings 17-19 We learn about how the people feared the Lord but served other gods.
When Hezekiah was 25 he became king. And one of the 1st things he did was to destroy the bronze serpent (Named Nehustan) that Moses had made somewhere around 800 yrs earlier. Then Sennacherib king of Assyria attacked and so Hezakiah sent a messenger to Lachish (about 30 miles s of Jerusalem) and saying he would pay whatever to get them to back his off. He did this thinking that if they did what they wanted that it would make them stop. But it doesn't work that way does it. If you give in once they come back for more, which they did. So next the Rabshakeh (Army leader) comes and tries to get Hezekiah and his people in fear, and even talked to the people in their Jewish language, trying to get them to surrender. He was saying what makes you think your God will save you look at all of these places I have over taken. He went on and on.
2 Kings 18:32-35
"Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, 'The LORD will deliver us.' 33 Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? 35 Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"

Well Hezekiah got pretty fed up with it went to the Lord and prayed to him about it. He wanted God to hear what the Rabshakeh said and take offense to it, and God did.

Isaiah prophesied about it and made it know that the Lord did hear what the Rabshakeh had said and did take offense to it and would take care of them, which He did in a big way.

Because Hezekiah was obedient to pray, God took care of them. How many opportunities to pray have we missed?

There were more things that struck me as I read this week, but the overall point that I was seeing was that God was telling them (us) to seek Him to come to Him. To lay down idols and trust in Him.
But isn't that always what He wants from us? :)

This was a good week of reading.
Have a Blessed Week.
Lynn

Are you Happy When or Happy With?

Hi everyone!

Well as I've stated before, God has really been showing me that in everything we do there is a balance. There was a movie in 1980 titled "The Shinning" where Jack Nicholson and his wife Shelley Duvall are caretakers of a resort. They get snowed in and he goes insane from being cooped up. Never mind, the point is he was supposed to be writing a book and she found that he had page after page of "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". The point I am making is again - balance.

By nature I am a planner. Plan this, plan that, plan plan plan plan plan. Yikes give it a break Lynn. :) And what I or others don't see is that these plans are in some form mini goals. Now normally mini goals are a good thing and we really should set some and strive to grow and accomplish things especially with God and His word.
But again, there is a balance.

What is your driving force? What is your motive? What is your reaction when you are "Goal interrupted"? Let me break this down a little.

Take your motive, Why are you planning or setting a goal about this? Is it something that needs to be done, should be done or you want it to be done?

If you set this goal and your timeline gets messed up, how do you react? Even if you outwardly you are cool and calm, does it fry your biscuits on the inside? (That was my country side coming out) Does your happiness depend on this plan or goal being completed? Have you fallen into the "I'll be happy when" trap? That's when you have all these plans and goals lined up and it's a never ending "I'll be happy when the car is washed", "I'll be happy when the laundry is done". That is such a nasty rut to get into because then you are saying that your happiness relies on your circumstances and not the joy that God gives us. Choose to be joyful and happy regardless of whats going on around you.

Do you spend more time planning your day and life than asking God how He wants you to spend your day? OOPS! Ouch!! Are the goals you are trying to reach unrealistic and overwhelming? Again balance. This is where I am still in God's Balance 101. Because over planning leaves a door open for failure. If you don't meet those expectations you have given yourself you feel like a failure. You can put pressure on yourself that didn't need to be there. (I'm getting better :))

I have the tendency to always be doing 2-3 things at once, even typing this I started my grocery list in my head, and thought about tonight's meal.... Sometimes we need to stop and just enjoy some time with Jesus. Or enjoy a book or cooking a meal or sewing, one thing at a time.

Do what you can do, and God will do what you can't do. Don't stop planing, or growing, or goal setting, just keep it in balance, and don't let your happiness depend solely on completion of each goal. Don't just be Happy When you do something, be Happy With - God, who is the one who is always by your side in everything you do.

Be Blessed and have a great weekend!

Lynn

And yes like all of us I love comments! :)

Independence Day

Well in a couple days it will be "The 4th of July", Yahoo! It is the celebration of the freedom of our country, the Day we call, "Independence Day".

I was pondering this today and thinking of all the preparation for the celebrations that will take place all over our great nation. There will be Bar-B-Ques, picnics, softball games, and fireworks. What a grand way to remember and be thankful for our independence.

But something else that came to me was, what does "Independence Day" mean to you? Was it the day you were born again? Was it the day that God gave you the courage to lay down your addiction? To give it to God - whatever it may have been. Was it the day that God freed you from fear, insecurity and people pleasing? "Independence Day" can be a single day that was a great turning point in your life where you became free, or the start of a new life , or it may be day by day as you lay you life down for God.

The independence of this great nation came with a price. Our ancestors fought for our freedom. Not unlike our Heavenly Father that gave us his Son so that we would be free. See John 3:16.
Our Heavenly Father wants to be free of the power of sin Romans 8:2 .

John 8:36 Says: So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Big and small we all have things, and issues that God has saved us from. Things that he has given us His mercy and grace in.

As we celebrate the freedom of our nation, please take some time to celebrate your freedom in Christ Jesus. And as we remember those that have given their life so that we may enjoy this freedom that we have, let us also remember Jesus who gave us His life so that we would have freedom and life abundantly.


Thank you Jesus for my Independence and to all of you "Happy 4th of July"

Be Blessed
Lynn