How to Spot a Fake

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being like Jesus, fake versus the real thing, fakes, how to say the right thing, how to spot a fake, how to spot the real thing, looking like Jesus, real christianity, resting in God, the mouth, truth, what am i saying, what am I supposed to say

Last week, our oldest celebrated his 22nd birthday. He decided that instead of cake, he wanted fruit. He’s always wanted strawberries, but this was new. The morning of the big day I set the fruit on a large, white platter, but it just wasn’t nearly celebratory enough. So, I went back downstairs to gather my crystal. I set fruit in several crystal bowls, stuck a candle in a massive strawberry, and this momma was finally satisfied that the display was birthday worthy.

After the festivities, my husband and I were washing up all the pretty little dishes. We hit one of them with a fork, and ‘DING’, that perfect sound rang all over the kitchen. Mark said, “That’s a good piece of crystal.” I looked at it and said, “Really? I thought this one was.” We took the other piece and hit it (gently) and it kind of sounded like a ‘Dung’ more than a pretty little ‘Ding’.

It was so interesting. The good quality crystal didn’t look as fancy as the poor quality. It was just sitting there, unassuming, knowing what it had going for it. It didn’t have as fancy as a pattern. It didn’t have the decorative features of the other piece. It just sat there, knowing that what it was made of was right for the occasion.

The not so quality piece of crystal was ornate, decorative, and very showy. It screamed, “I’m here.” When it made a sound though, the truth came out. I realized that all the ornamentation was to distract me from knowing the truth.

These pieces of crystal reminded me that I need to make sure the sounds that I make are in keeping with who I am in Christ. They also reminded me that even when I’m impressed with how someone looks, or sings, or even preaches, the sound they make when they get “hit” proves what’s on the inside. Is it praise, or complaint? Is it a temper, or grace? Is it Christ, or self?

So, what sound should come out?

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no filthy talk come out of your mouths, but only what is good for building up as the need may be. This way you will give grace to those who hear you.”

I confess, I often get caught up in the first part of this verse. I say to myself, “Well, I didn’t actually cuss, so I’m good.” I lose the next part, the part where I am ONLY to say things that build people up.

Sound impossible? If I am just using my best effort to look like a great quality Christian instead of actually being one, it is. Just like the crystal at Wes’ birthday. The sound I make tells on me every time. Just because I’m not cursing doesn’t mean I’m building people up. In fact, if all I’m doing is biting my tongue, the sound I am supposed to make (building people up) never happens.

Watchman Nee, in his book Sit, Walk, Stand – The Process of Christian Maturity, says this: “Too many are caught acting as Christians. The life of too many Christians today is largely a pretense. They live a “spiritual” life, talk a “spiritual” language, adopt “spiritual” attitudes, but they are doing the whole thing themselves. It is the effort involved that should reveal to them that something is wrong. They force themselves from doing this, from saying that – and how hard they find it all! It is just the same as when we Chinese try to talk a language that is not our own. No matter how hard we try, it does not come spontaneously; we have to force ourselves to talk that way. But when it comes to speaking our own language, nothing could be easier. Even when we forget all about what we are doing, we still speak it. It flows. It comes to us perfectly naturally, and its very spontaneity reveals to everyone what we are.”

When I depend on Christ, through the Holy Spirit He has already placed inside of me, the sound I make is Him, not me. Instead of a pretender, He makes me the real thing. Instead of just appearing to be Christ-like, He makes me like Him through and through. Still sound impossible? It would be without assurances like these:

Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine according to the power that is working among us.”

Philippians 2:13 – “For it is God who is working in you, ⌊enabling you⌋ both to desire and to work out His good purpose.” He gives us the “want to” and the power to actually accomplish it.

Let’s stop pretending and let Him do His perfect work in us. Let’s rest in the fact that when we are resting in Him, He cleans us up, cleans us out, and replaces us with Him. Then, when a hit comes our way, the sound we make is something that would bring Him glory and will come as naturally as speaking our native langauge. Only God can do that in me, and in you. Let’s allow Him do it.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

 

 

 

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Overworking the Dough

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Christianity, contentment, faith, God's faithfulness, how to trust God, is contentment possible, laziness versus resting, let go ad let God, letting go, our christian journey, peace, resting in God, resting in Jesus, truth, what does God expect, working hard, working out our faith

Contentment is something none of us like to talk about, or maybe it’s just me that doesn’t like to talk about it. It is definitely not part of the American Dream and is often seen as a lifestyle with no goals, no ambition and a “going with the flow” kind of an attitude like that not too smart surfer dude we’ve all seen on T.V.

Biblical contentment is so different from this picture. In fact, I think that the Biblical rendition of contentment is some of the hardest work we are called to do. There is nothing lazy about it. The apostle Paul says in Philippians 4 that he had learned to be content in whatever circumstances he found himself. He says in verse twelve, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” Notice he says there is a secret to contentment and he had to learn it. He admits to us that contentment does not happen naturally. It takes work, but Paul doesn’t leave us in suspense. In the very next verse he tells us how he has learned the secret of contentment. It says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Paul willingly admits that only through Christ’s strength can contentment be a part of who he is and who we are. That doesn’t sound lazy to me. In fact, contentment sounds like hard work if it can only be accomplished through the strength of Christ.

We see that contentment is not defined by laziness, it’s defined by resting in Christ’s strength. There is a big difference. Laziness is simply sitting on your bum and not doing the work you are called to do. Resting is completing necessary tasks and then, you guessed it… resting.

It reminds me of baking bread. When baking bread, you get your recipe out that the great recipe creator of all time designed (Betty Crocker). You put your ingredients on the counter. You mix all of the ingredients at their proper time and in their proper way, checking your recipe continually and then, you work the dough. You knead it until your wrists are going to fall off. Then, you let it rest. You might go to another task, or you might read a book for a while, or even watch T.V., but you leave that dough alone. Are you being lazy? No! You are content with letting the bread rise. When the time is right, you go back to the dough, work with it some more and once again allow it to rest. At the proper time, the dough finally gets put in the oven where once again you will rest while the bread is doing its thing. The awesome aroma of baked bread fills the space and you are content knowing that the recipe you followed has helped produce the results you want.

In our spiritual life, just like in the process of physically making bread, we get the recipe out (the Word of God) and we get the ingredients together for the task He has before us (Don’t worry. His Spirit will tell you through His Word what those ingredients need to be). As we check the recipe continually, we are sure to mix the right ingredients at the proper time and in the right amounts. Then, we work the ingredients until His Spirit in us says to let it rest. I think this is the hardest part. We look at the lump of dough and then back at God and say, “But, it’s not finished.” We try to work the dough more and finally He has to stop us in some way knowing that we will ruin the dough if we don’t allow it to rest. This is what contentment is all about. Trust. We have to know that even though we aren’t “working the dough”, He is.  Second Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” This verse tells us that we are called, but ultimately, He does the work. He is completing the perfect work while we rest in Him. Are we lazy? No. Some of the hardest work we will ever do will be resting in Him, learning contentment and not over-working the dough.

I might just nail that phrase to my forehead: “Don’t overwork the dough!” If there is something that drives me to distraction, it is an uncompleted task. Learning contentment is knowing when to step back and let the dough rest in Him. That doesn’t mean it’s unfinished. It just means He has it handled. Contentment is remembering that if I keep working the dough it will become an unusable, elastic mess, but when I allow it to rest in Him, it will turn out perfect every time.

Let’s press in close to Him this week, allowing Him to speak to us as we read the recipe of His Word over and over again, teaching us what ingredients to place on the counter (knowing that He has already provided every one) and then allowing Him to gently remove our hands when our part is completed in the task knowing that He who began the good work will complete it (Philippians 1:6). That’s the secret of contentment Paul was referring to. That’s allowing Him to be strong in us. That’s allowing the dough to be perfected. Rest in Him today.

 

Seeking Hearts Ministries

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Overworking the Dough – A Journey in Contentment

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contentment, contentment in Christ, God's got this, God's work in us, how to be content, how to have contentment, overstrategizing, overthinking, perfection in Christ, resting in Christ, resting in God, resting in God's work, resting in God's work in us, resting in the work of Christ, working for God

Contentment is something none of us like to talk about, or maybe it’s just me that doesn’t like to talk about it. It is definitely not part of the American Dream and is often seen as a lifestyle with no goals, no ambition and a “going with the flow” kind of an attitude like that not too smart surfer dude we’ve all seen on T.V.

Biblical contentment is so different from this picture. In fact, I think that the Biblical rendition of contentment is some of the hardest work we are called to do. There is nothing lazy about it. The apostle Paul says in Philippians 4 that he had learned to be content in whatever circumstances he found himself. He says in verse twelve, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” Notice he says there is a secret to contentment and he had to learn it. He admits to us that contentment does not happen naturally. It takes work, but Paul doesn’t leave us in suspense. In the very next verse he tells us how he has learned the secret of contentment. It says, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Paul willingly admits that only through Christ’s strength can contentment be a part of who he is and who we are. That doesn’t sound lazy to me. In fact, contentment sounds like hard work if it can only be accomplished through the strength of Christ.

We see that contentment is not defined by laziness, it’s defined by resting in Christ’s strength. There is a big difference. Laziness is simply sitting on your bum and not doing the work you are called to do. Resting is completing necessary tasks and then, you guessed it… resting.

It reminds me of baking bread. When baking bread, you get your recipe out that the great recipe creator of all time designed (Betty Crocker). You put your ingredients on the counter. You mix all of the ingredients at their proper time and in their proper way, checking your recipe continually and then, you work the dough. You knead it until your wrists are going to fall off. Then, you let it rest. You might go to another task, or you might read a book for a while, or even watch T.V., but you leave that dough alone. Are you being lazy? No! You are content with letting the bread rise. When the time is right, you go back to the dough, work with it some more and once again allow it to rest. At the proper time, the dough finally gets put in the oven where once again you will rest while the bread is doing its thing. The awesome aroma of baked bread fills the space and you are content knowing that the recipe you followed has helped produce the results you want.

In our spiritual life, just like in the process of physically making bread, we get the recipe out (the Word of God) and we get the ingredients together for the task He has before us (Don’t worry. His Spirit will tell you through His Word what those ingredients need to be). As we check the recipe continually, we are sure to mix the right ingredients at the proper time and in the right amounts. Then, we work the ingredients until His Spirit in us says to let it rest. I think this is the hardest part. We look at the lump of dough and then back at God and say, “But, it’s not finished.” We try to work the dough more and finally He has to stop us in some way knowing that we will ruin the dough if we don’t allow it to rest. This is what contentment is all about. Trust. We have to know that even though we aren’t “working the dough”, He is.  Second Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” This verse tells us that we are called, but ultimately, He does the work. He is completing the perfect work while we rest in Him. Are we lazy? No. Some of the hardest work we will ever do will be resting in Him, learning contentment and not over-working the dough.

I might just nail that phrase to my forehead: “Don’t overwork the dough!” If there is something that drives me to distraction, it is an uncompleted task. Learning contentment is knowing when to step back and let the dough rest in Him. That doesn’t mean it’s unfinished. It just means He has it handled. Contentment is remembering that if I keep working the dough it will become an unusable, elastic mess, but when I allow it to rest in Him, it will turn out perfect every time.

Let’s press in close to Him this week, allowing Him to speak to us as we read the recipe of His Word over and over again, teaching us what ingredients to place on the counter (knowing that He has already provided every one) and then allowing Him to gently remove our hands when our part is completed in the task knowing that He who began the good work will complete it (Philippians 1:6). That’s the secret of contentment Paul was referring to. That’s allowing Him to be strong in us. That’s allowing the dough to be perfected. Rest in Him today.

 

Seeking Hearts Ministries

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Photo by WiseGeek.org

A Needed Reminder

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control, controlling worry, details, faith, good start for the week, good start to your day, good thoughts, making great decisions, mission trips, quick devotion, resting in God, short thought, sleepless night, trust, trusting God with the details, vision, worry

I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

I really need this reminder today.

My guy is a visionary. He gets an idea, knows a certain path and that’s it…he’s ready to take the plunge.

I, on the other hand, am a detail girl.

I love the big ideas, but my mind automatically goes to the how.

If we are my moving, I remember every detail that needs to happen to get us there.

If we are remodeling a space, even though I am not a construction person, I seem to be the one to remember to buy the nails.

If we are going on a mission trip, I think of every little detail…over and over again.

That’s what kept me from sleeping some last night…a mission trip we are going on this summer. Details, details, details. Even though details are good, they can also drive me insane.

During my mental list making in the night, the Holy Spirit reminded me of I Thessalonians 5:24. He reminded me that I am called to go and He will accomplish what is supposed to be accomplished. Yes, I need to remember to bring my toothpaste, but He will take care of the details of loving on the people, teaching what needs to be taught, the team’s health and so much more because “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

Rest in that this week. Write your lists and use the gift of details that God has given you, but then set the pen aside and trust Him to accomplish the call on your life. Depend on Him for every detail knowing that He is always faithful.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

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Hope for the Hyperventilating

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breath, breathe, breathing, Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, devotional, devotions, encouragement, exhaustion, faith, family devotions, focus, hyperventilating, joy stealer, overbreathing, oxygen, rest, resting in God, trust, under breathing

How many of us are barely breathing? Hyperventilating through life? At this time of year, when things are supposed to be so joyous, how many of us are simply taking short little breaths to just get us through the day? I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of barely breathing. I want to live a life full of clean air. I want the weight off my chest and my lungs to be filled with oxygen, not just any oxygen, but the Breath of Life filling every nook and cranny.

When we are in hyperventilating mode, we can survive, but just. When we are hyperventilating, we are so busy just trying to breathe nothing else can be accomplished. This is not the abundant life Jesus told us about in John 10:10. I’ve been learning a lot lately about big joyful and I am finding that a big joy stealer in hyper-ventilating through life.

So, what is hyper-ventilating exactly? According to Medline Plus, hyperventilating is “rapid or deep breathing that can occur with anxiety or panic. It is also called over breathing, and it may leave you feeling breathless.” Overbreathing? Hmmm…I thought it was under-breathing. Interesting. So, maybe hyperventilating through life is more about me trying to do someone else’s job instead of not getting enough of something?  

When Someone is breathing for you, when The Holy Spirit inside of you is filling you with His breath, His life, but you are still trying to breathe on your own, hyperventilating occurs. This is when I gasp through life, but when I rest in Him and allow His breath to flow through my body, all is well. When I try to breathe when He is already breathing for me? It’s hyperventilating time. My body is fighting itself because of all the “help” I’m giving it.  Hyperventilating through life boils down to a lack of trust.

When we freak out, we hyper-ventilate. Our bodies try to pull in too much oxygen too quickly. When we forget to breathe, we get short of breath and when we over breathe, over think, over analyze we hyperventilate. Trying to help God is just as dangerous as forgetting to breathe Him in.

You might be wondering if the breath of God can be trusted? The short answer is yes, but here’s some assurances:

Exodus 15:10 tells us that God breathed destruction over the enemies of His people. This verse assures us that when we are on God’s side, we can allow His breath to do the job for us. Our job is to listen, obey and rest in Him. No freaking out, just allow His breath in us to do its perfect work.

Ezekiel 37 is another great example of what the breath of God can do. We see in this passage that dead bones can be made alive again when the breath of God reaches them. Talk about hope! What’s more impossible than death? This passage assures us that nothing is impossible with the breath of God. Everything can be made alive again! Your marriage, your children, your health…nothing is impossible when God breathes over the situation.

Another beautiful picture of breath is in First Kings 10:5. Here we see the Queen of Sheba’s breath being taken away when she saw all of King Solomon’s splendor. Our King is even greater than king Solomon and we can rest assured that when we see the provision of our King, our breath will we taken away as well. Stop a moment to breathe Him in. Allow Him to speak to you about the provision He has in store for you. King David says in Psalm 27:13, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” We lose hope if we don’t stop and allow Him to show us His provision. Allow His breath in you to blow you away today.

Job 33:4, says, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” When we truly know that we are in God’s hands, we are at peace. When we remember that God is the giver and taker of life, we can rest in Him, breathe deeply and stop hyperventilating. He has us in the palm of His hand and that is the safest place to be.

So, let’s stop trying to help God this Season. Let’s allow Him to breathe His life giving peace through us. Let’s feel His strength and wisdom fill up every nook and cranny and let’s forget how to hyperventilate and rest in Him instead.  Let’s choose His breath today.

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Seeking Hearts Ministries

Sabbath

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Christian encouragement, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, culture, day of rest, devotional, devotions, encouragement, relaxation, resting in God, sabbath, Ten Commandments, too busy, trust

Sabbath is something that God has been dealing with me about for six years now. Yes, six years. It was something that just kept (and keeps) popping up in my study time. For example, when I first started trying to figure out what Sabbath looks like in today’s world I went to a women’s conference where Priscilla Shirer spoke on Sabbath. This became her study called “Breathe”. I highly recommend it! Another example is when I had decided Sabbath wasn’t required of pastors’ families due to some verses in the Old Testament, I came across a few sentences in a book I was reading by Tozer that set me straight. Sabbath just wouldn’t budge from my thoughts and heart.

It’s not been easy trying to figure out what God has for me in regards to Sabbath. As stated before, I’ve gone from feeling like my family is exempt, to feeling like it’s impossible and I will forever be in disobedience, to knowing that God has called me to something deeper and being assured that “Faithful is He that calleth you who also will do it,” (I Thessalonians 5:24). I tried moving Sabbath to another day of the week. I tried to get my husband to tell me what to do. I tried to go extreme. I tired lots of things that simply didn’t work. So, I kept praying and studying and as the years have passed I am finally in the place to celebrate Sabbath as God is directing me in this season of my life with total peace and excitement.

You might be asking the question, “Are we really expected to have Sabbath today?” I believe we are. I believe that the Word of God is the same yesterday, today and forever and I believe our God does not change. So, His Word holds true even in the area of Sabbath. Sabbath is something we are missing in our culture and I believe we are paying the consequences. I think we forget that Sabbath is in the Ten Commandments. If we believe the Ten Commandments in one area, we must believe the Commandments in all areas and that includes Sabbath.

Isaiah 58:13 and 14 says, “If because of the Sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and shall honor it, desisting from your own ways, from seeking your own pleasure, and speaking your own word, Then you will take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Jesus tells us in Mark 2:27 that Sabbath was made for man. It’s not something God needs. It’s something we need. Sabbath is mentioned in 21 books of the Bible! If it’s mentioned once, it deserves our consideration, but in 21 books? We for sure need to see what God says about it. I don’t want to beat you over the head with Scripture after Scripture regarding Sabbath because this needs to be your own journey, so please do your own study, pray and seek out what God wants for you. Like many areas of obedience in our Christian walk, Sabbath is an individual endeavor. In fact, my family and I don’t celebrate Sabbath together. It’s something I’m called to do on my own right now.

Even though I don’t want you to copy my Sabbath, I want to leave you with some encouragement, so I’m going to share with you what God has called me to do to honor Sabbath with Him. I pray this will help you to realize that it’s not as impossible to keep Sabbath as you might think.

As much as possible, my Sabbath starts at 8:00 PM on Saturday and goes through Sunday night. I do not clean during that time. I do not shop. I do not go on the computer (through the phone, or laptop). I do not check a business that I run from our home, or pursue that in any way. I cook as much as possible the day before so that there is not as much mess to stack in the sink, or work in the kitchen. I try to use the crockpot, or have my man grill. But, if my family decides to eat at a restaurant, I go. As I said before, my family does not celebrate Sabbath yet, so my goal is not to stand out as a “goody-two-shoes”, it’s to make sure my heart is where it should be. I don’t check my weight, exercise, or even wear my Fitbit, but my Sabbath is also not a food free for all. I stick to my regular eating because Sabbath is about focusing on God, not my flesh. The main thing though is my heart focus. How can I keep my day centered on my Lord? I don’t want Sabbath to be just another box to check. I want it to be pleasing to Him. Sabbath is about making sure God is the epicenter of everything I do. Its goal is to bring everything back in line for the week. So, if something pops up that is out of my control, no worries, God knows my heart.

I’ve been at this a while and let me tell you every Sabbath is not perfect, but progress is being made through the power of the Holy Spirit. I am still learning and discovering about this Day of Rest. I am realizing that Sabbath is about trust. Do I trust God to grow my business when I am at rest in Him? Am I okay with social media going on without me? Can my heart focus on the Lord and allow other concerns to slip away? Sabbath is becoming a place of restoration for my mind, body and spirit. Things might not be perfect, but I am thankful that He is still teaching me and willing to lead me step by step on this journey of Sabbath. I’m thankful that after six years I am in a place of peace. I feel like Baby Bear in the story of Goldilocks. I’ve tried things that were too hot for my baby steps in Sabbath and things that were too cold, but God has set his porridge before me to consume and it is just right. I love Him so and I am so thankful for Sabbath.

Seeking Hearts Ministries