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He would love first.

4/30/2020

Ministering to empty seats has probably been my hardest moments during this quarantined time. I'm certainly not asking for pity. I am sharing because of the spiritual impact, this has made on me. I ask myself often, is this the way the Holy Spirit feels when we decide to go it alone? How does Jesus feel when we simply ignore His teachings, the cost He paid for our life, and the hurt we must bring Him when we turn our backs against Him? I want to connect. I want to touch the hurt, the isolation, the insecurities and uncertainties that people are experiencing. I try. But, I know I am failing. I can see inside the homes the chaos, the kids, the dog, the cat, the dishes, the laundry, the paper work, the cell phone all screaming, "Pay attention to me." I am another voice vying for their attention. I know there are some who can and do focus. It is not that the others love less, it is that the boundaries are so blurred it's hard to find direction.

Last night I showed a clip of "Pilgrims Progress," the scene "Hill of Salvation." Right now there are several ways of viewing this for free. Pilgrim is following the Kings Road no matter how hard he found it to be, believing the King would give him strength. I pray that for all of us, we will make the commitment to keep going. Here is the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5siyqYn5Tv8

I have hope. I know that there are people on the other side of that white bulb and blue light. I have hope that the seats will be filled again with faces I love. This has caused me to reach out and share my faith more than ever. Knowing Jesus is looking at all of us, longing for us to turn our hearts as well as our faces toward Him; and His word.

I saw this picture, of one church that thought of a way to help the pastor out, and let him know he was loved and they were there with him; if not in person at least in spirit. Call me emotional if you will, but this brought tears to my eyes. People matter. They matter to the person, or people that love them. I get it. Jesus loves me. Do you know that? Jesus loves you more than you could ever love anyone. He wants to touch us right where we are. In our business and aloneness He stands ready with outstretched arms.

ACTION STEP: Whatever you are missing during this time, think about it from a heavenly perspective. Someone recently gave me a wristlet that has these letters, HWLF. We've all seen the ones that say WWJD. This (What Would Jesus Do?) wristlets are a great evangelistic tool. But, I like this one so much more, (He Would Love First). So, by faith--love first today! This is what Jesus would do. He would love first! During this time, when I look at empty seats I am reaching out to a faceless population that has yet to come to know Jesus. What would Jesus do? He would love first.

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Full hands can't be filled with more. In a crisis we find out what matters most.

4/29/2020

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Acts:27
18-20 Next day, out on the high seas again and badly damaged now by the storm, we dumped the cargo overboard. The third day the sailors lightened the ship further by throwing off all the tackle and provisions. It had been many days since we had seen either sun or stars. Wind and waves were battering us unmercifully, and we lost all hope of rescue.
21-22 With our appetite for both food and life long gone, Paul took his place in our midst and said, “Friends, you really should have listened to me back in Crete. We could have avoided all this trouble and trial. But there’s no need to dwell on that now. From now on, things are looking up! I can assure you that there’ll not be a single drowning among us, although I can’t say as much for the ship—the ship itself is doomed.
23-26 “Last night God’s angel stood at my side, an angel of this God I serve, saying to me, ‘Don’t give up, Paul. You’re going to stand before Caesar yet—and everyone sailing with you is also going to make it.’ So, dear friends, take heart. I believe God will do exactly what he told me. But we’re going to shipwreck on some island or other.”
27-29 On the fourteenth night, adrift somewhere on the Adriatic Sea, at about midnight the sailors sensed that we were approaching land. Sounding, they measured a depth of 120 feet, and shortly after that ninety feet. Afraid that we were about to run aground, they threw out four anchors and prayed for daylight.
30-32 Some of the sailors tried to jump ship. They let down the lifeboat, pretending they were going to set out more anchors from the bow. Paul saw through their guise and told the centurion and his soldiers, “If these sailors don’t stay with the ship, we’re all going down.” So the soldiers cut the lines to the lifeboat and let it drift off.
33-34 With dawn about to break, Paul called everyone together and proposed breakfast: “This is the fourteenth day we’ve gone without food. None of us has felt like eating! But I urge you to eat something now. You’ll need strength for the rescue ahead. You’re going to come out of this without even a scratch!”
35-38 He broke the bread, gave thanks to God, passed it around, and they all ate heartily—276 of us, all told! With the meal finished and everyone full, the ship was further lightened by dumping the grain overboard.

God uses despair so that we will abandon all hope in lessor gods.

What do these things represent in Acts, that they had to throw out?
Cargo - my stuff, cars, boats, homes, furniture, my junk (great loss but I can still get more)
Tackle - my ability to gain, load and accumulate stuff (greater loss, no hope to regain stuff)
Lifeboat - My plans for the future - hope and dreams (I’m not getting out of this alive)
Grain - My immediate future - burn last bridge (only God can save me now)
We let go in stages - like the cargo.
What’s the last thing they abandoned? - the ship - (my life)

ACTION STEP: What can you throw overboard right now, so you can make it to the other side? Right now, in the middle of this quarantine, what is God asking you to get rid of, so your life can be spared? God has plans for all of us. The goal is to find His perfect will for your life, and do that. We will all experience loss, but God will save us. What we do in this storm, will affect the lives of others. The goal is for us all to make it safely to the other side. Trim up. Lighten up. Clean up. Clutter not only clutters our homes but our minds. Make room for the new. Full hands can't be filled with more.

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Hurt people--hurt people.

4/28/2020

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Hurt people, hurt people, another way of saying this is wounded people, wound people. We've all heard the saying more than once. We've all no doubt experienced the hurt. "Why would you say that Pastor Rena?" I say that because the devil came to steal, kill and destroy; and he does his job well. He comes after us all. He uses people to destroy people. He knows he is forbidden by law to show himself openly on this earth because he is a spirit being, he needs someone to inhabit. He needs to inhabit someone, so he can get done on the earth what he wants done. So, he inhabits you, me, and anyone else, who he can manipulate and control to get his dastardly deeds accomplished.

When we do the things that Jesus paid the price for us to be set free from doing, we hurt Jesus as well as ourselves. If we hurt people we love intentionally, then we don't know what love is. Therefore, we can start to work on ourselves right here, by finding out what real loves looks like. Real love can be found in the life and suffering of Jesus. Jesus is the only one who took the pain of others, the sin of others, all the wrong doings, and paid for them with His life; so we could be free of them.

Our goal in life is to get so healed that the hurts and pains of our past, are just that, in the past. We no longer have that trigger, that just goes off on the other person when they touch our past hurt. When we are healed we don't over compensate by calling wrong right. We don't try to become others savior, but rather we point them to the Savior. We don't meddle in business that is not our own, because we want to fix it. We are not the fixer. We need to turn them over to God, to their boss, to their parent, to their spouse, and step back and pray for them.

ACTION STEP: Everyday you have the opportunity to show the love of Jesus to someone by choice. Choosing to allow yourself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit rather than by an evil spirit will allow God to use you, to bring healing to others.

Today, is the day to reach out and help that person who hurt you. The devil didn't make them do it--they chose to do it. But, never the less their choice affected you. I get it. But, if you and I keep the cycle going rather than stop it, we will end up hurting people too.

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The Word and the Rain.

4/27/2020

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The Word and the rain have a lot of similarities. Often times, people don't necessarily think they need to be in church, in their Bibles, or the word in general. "Oh, I'm fine pastor." Folks don't realize they are drying out. Things burn a lot easier when they are all dried out. Farmers and gardeners don't throw live trees and shrubs in the brush pile. They only throw dry, unfruitful, dead brush in the burn pile.

Check outside in mid-July or mid-August and you see the leaves of the trees start to curl up their leaves. This is picture of people when they are out of the word--they start to hold too tight to what they have. They refuse to deal with others with an open hand. They are beginning to die and soon they will fall. Before they do their colors will change. As the ole saying goes, "They are showing their true colors." They are revealing they are dead, or in the process of dying. One way we can know that we have eternal life is that we are givers, as well as receivers.

Take those same dried out things, and saturate them with a good slow rain and life can most often return. They can once again open themselves up to the watering. If disease and death hasn't already set in, it will be much easier, and things won't need to be pruned or cut away. Wait too long, and somethings will need to be cut off and thrown in the brush pile. Long periods of rain slowly over time will restore even the driest of plants. Too much, too fast, because of the shallow root system the plant or tree will be washed away, or fall down. We need to remember this when discipling new believers.

ACTION STEP: Now, is the time to get in the Word. Turn it on in the house and just let it play. Standing in the rain brings flowers, grass, trees, and just about everything back to life. Let the word of God get into your root system, so you can survive the drought season. Lift up your hands to the sky while you listen to praise and worship music, and let the music allow your dry soul to absorb the life bringing water of worship into your soul. Sit in the presence of the Living Water and come back to life.

In the end our true color will be exposed. The dead will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Those that are alive will live forever in Eternity with God.

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Let's all be a little more kind.

4/24/2020

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Ephesians 4:32
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Today, I had the great pleasure of going for a walk with both my grandsons, six and four years old. They waved at the trash collectors. "It was a really nice big truck Nonna." "Caring is kindness Nonna." "Nonna, how come they didn't wave back?" "Maybe they didn't see you? You are pretty close to the ground." "They seen me Nonna!" On and on the conversation went, until we came upon a few big deer, and the four year old said; "I'm little Nonna, I need to be held." Subject changed. But, my thoughts carried on through out the day. "Caring is kindness, Nonna."

During this time of COVID19, we all need to be a bit more kind; in fact kindness could be increased everyday of our lives. Life is tough enough without being mean to one another. If we truly believe we reap what we sow, then for goodness sake we need to sow some more kindness. Think about it. A little boy sees a big truck, and big men, get out of the big truck. The little guys are mesmerized. Those guys in that big truck are instant hero's to those little guys. Problem is, big guys loose their fame and glory in a moment of carelessness, and they never even knew they were hero's...for a moment.

This is not a male or female thing. This is a human being thing. We are social beings. These little guys have not seen their friends, their school teachers, or even a cashier for over a month. I get it. I miss humans too. "Will someone please smile at me? Wanna talk? Hey! What did you do today? What did you eat today?" I feel like I'm like six years old again and the garbage truck driver didn't wave at me.

I can explain away rudeness, apathy, uncaring attitudes all day long to my little men and they will soon lose interest; but what kind of world will they create for others?

Here's my ACTION STEP for us all today. Let's be more caring. Caring is kindness. Wave at the little kids. Wave at your neighbor. Yell "Hey" to the mailman. Smile at the lady walking her dog. Look at that person in the other car and just nod. Come on be a bit more caring--because caring is kindness.

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God doesn't want us happy, He wants us to have joy everlasting.

4/23/2020

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Don’t fall for the lie that God wants you to be happy. The Bible never says that.
God’s goal isn’t to make you happy, that is Satan’s goal.
Happy means satisfied without God - treating God like a vending machine or massage, or genie.
Porn, food, drugs offer immediate and predictable satisfaction, but not lasting.
Have you been asking God in prayer to fulfill the lusts of your flesh, to make you happy?

That is because happiness is an emotion in which we "experience feelings ranging from contentment and satisfaction to bliss and intense pleasure," whereas joy "is a stronger, less common feeling than happiness." We experience joy when we achieve selflessness to the point of personal sacrifice.

It’s easy to be happy when you have freedom from suffering, you’re financially secure, and all your relationships are good, but then you have trouble with one or more of these, what happens to the “happiness?” It’s probably gone but if you’ve trusted in Jesus and know you are secure in His hands (John 10:28-29) you’ve still got joy. Happiness is based upon “happenings,” meaning if things happen to go well, you’re happy, but if it happens that something bad occurs then you’re happiness is likely gone. Not so with joy.

Here’s why. Before Jesus went to Calvary He said “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). You will have “sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). Jesus promises the disciples that their joy will be full or complete. Filling a glass of water to the brim makes it full or complete. Jesus went to the cross to make sure that joy would be complete. Next, Jesus reassures them that no one’s going to take their joy away. That is a permanent possession, not a fleeting moment like happiness is. Jesus says to them and He says to us, today you might “be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” even though it is still today. I presided over a funeral where sorrow and joy were felt at the same time. The departed woman was born again and we were joyful knowing where she was at, but we were all still sorrowful about losing her. Happiness is not much help under these circumstances but joy is! Some of those standing at her grave know they’ll be seeing this woman again and that gives them great joy, a joy that no one can take from them. And even though mixed with grief, the joy remains.

ACTION STEP: Jesus brings joy because we’ve been saved to eternal life but He also says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27) so “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). Do you believe in God and trust in Jesus? Then you have nothing to be troubled about, nothing to fear, you have eternal life, and that should bring great joy and that ought to make you happy too.

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The Will of God or the Right Thing? Time will tell.

4/22/2020

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There is a difference between doing the will of God and doing the right thing. When I heard this in my spirit I was confused. I had been doing the right things, but at the very bottom of my heart I knew I had not been doing the perfect will of God for my life. Was I sinning? No. Was I intentionally disobeying God? No. I just wasn't fully obeying God. Let me explain.

God had been asking me to pick back up my guitar. I love to play, but I had gotten busy with ministry and traveling; so I had to lay it down for a season. I always said, "If I had more time I'd play my guitar." Lord knows in this pandemic we have all had more time. Did I pick up my guitar? No. Not until last night. When I did God spoke to me and said, "You said, if you had time you'd play your guitar. I gave you time and you have not played for me." It wasn't a loud reprimand it was more like a gentle disappointment. Then, the phone rang.

The person on the other end of the phone ask me about writing a book. Mind you, God had been dealing with me about finishing a book, but in truth I had previously had no time. My husband and I were traveling a great deal. I was preaching a lot. I needed time to sit down and think. I have to be in a creative state to write. I continued to do this Blog so that I would continue to write and have my daily devotional time with God. Look, "Doers--Do." We don't just sit and do nothing. The problem is, when we are doing the right thing--we think it's the God thing. It is not. The God thing is doing what He asks you to do, when He asks you to do it; not when you feel like it, or get around to it.

ACTION STEP: What has God asked you to do, that you have not done? Oh, I know you been doing all the right things...But what about the "God Things?" Today, vow in your heart to do what God has been dealing with you to do. It is not that all the other things you are doing are wrong, they are not. But, God has a rhyme and a reason for what He wants done, and when. His timing is perfect. Trust Him and do the God thing, not just the right thing.

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When you don't get what you want, when you want it, hang in there.

4/21/2020

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Have you ever been in a situation that lasted too long? Had broken leg that didn't heal as quickly as you wanted? Ever had braces that were to come off, and didn't get off for that senior picture or wedding photo's? Well, I thought that I would get a dental procedure done and immediately I would feel better and be done with it. That is not how it worked out. I made mention of this yesterday, but I want to dig a little deeper today. Hang in there. This is a journey not a sprint. This is not going to be over as quickly as you would like.

Am I talking about the COVID19? Yes and no. COVID19 is not going to be over as quickly as we would like, but there are also some of you that are dealing with other issues that will last longer than you would like. I am telling you, "Hang in there."

“We love being mentally strong, but we hate situations that allow us to put our mental strength to good use.”
‘’In the end, everything will be okay. If it's not okay, it's not yet the end.’’

‘’One of the most difficult things everyone must learn is that for your entire life you must keep fighting and adjusting if you hope to survive. No matter who you are or what your position is, you must keep fighting for whatever it is you desire to achieve.’’

ACTION STEP: God has not brought us out this far to take us back again, but He has brought us out to bring us into the promised land. Whatever, your promise land looks like--hang on to that view. Keep that picture in front of you and keep pressing towards that mark. A vision is a strong force and a word from God a mighty strength. You can do this!

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Pain is a megaphone calling us to take a step of faith.

4/20/2020

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Revelation 21:4-5 (MSG)
3-5 I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: “Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They’re his people, he’s their God. He’ll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good—tears gone, crying gone, pain gone—all the first order of things gone.” The Enthroned continued, “Look! I’m making everything new. Write it all down—each word dependable and accurate.”

I have a tendency to ignore pain, thinking it will always go away. Before you hit me with the, "You should know better you're an adult," allow me to explain. I grew up poor. We didn't go to the Doctor. My Dad was the Doctor at our house. He had a home remedy for everything. We toughed it out. We prayed. Dad did his hocus pocus, which usually worked. Anything from mustard paste on your chest with a kitchen towel, to sweet oil in the ear was acceptable practices at our house. History tends to repeat itself, in the next generation, and so on it goes; until it doesn't.

I mean who knew fillings wear out in about fifty years? I mean the old silver ones. So, it seemed my entire mouth was falling apart from one side to the other. Well, you should have know that? Known what? Fillings all wear out at about the same time, they are like tires on your car. Really? Would I lie about something like teeth? Seriously, this is what I have been dealing with. For over a year... So, I took my first step. Then, I took a second step. Then, I just jumped. Yep, three teeth worked on in less than seven days. Now, I am prayerfully recuperating. I am becoming made whole. Who knew?

Sticking your head in the sand believing something will just go away is not always the wisest thing to do.

Just because it's 2020 does not mean we have 20/20 vision.
Sometimes those that can't see must feel.

Hosea 4:6 (KJV)
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."

ACTION STEP: Pain became my megaphone that caused me to hear, "Hey, you need to go see a Dentist, and find out why you are in pain?" Did seeing the Dentist make the pain go away? No. The pain did not go away simply by seeing the Dentist anymore than seeing the car I'd been in a wreck in, would have made my broken leg feel better. (Just an example here). No, I had to go through a process that was actually more painful than the tooth pain, in order to have the problem fixed. I am still recovering. But, here's the thing. I will recovery. I have begun the process.

Take the first step. Get your head out of the sand. You are not an Ostrich. I know you don't see the whole staircase. If you did, there would not be a need for you to exercise your faith. No exercise--well then you become weak.

Pain in life is inevitable. Suffering is optional. You may have to suffer due to the pain but, Christ took our pain. Christ bore our sickness. We have the option of laying down what's hurting us and picking up what He died for us to have. (Isaiah 53:4)

However, no one can make you see. God can open your eyes. God can speak to you (and me), but we must be willing to obey what He tells us. Simple? No. Worth it? Yes.

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Seeing through the eyes of a child.

4/17/2020

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Jeremiah 5:21(NKJV)

"‘Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not:"

Mark 8:18 (NKJV)

"Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?"

These are photos of my Spoon Rest. I know this is my Spoon Rest. You, can no doubt tell, this is my Spoon Rest. However, if you've never seen a Spoon Rest, you would probably be wondering what this is; especially if you just turned four years old? So, as I am unloading my dishwasher and my youngest grandson says to me, "Nonna why you have a butt in your dishwasher?" I'm like, "What?" And he says it again, very seriously. Then, I ask him "Where?" And he points to my Spoon Rest. And he says, "It's got a butt crack and cheeks." By this time I am laughing so hard I am crying and he has no idea what's so funny, but he starts laughing too.

I thought about that moment many times over, and realized how many times I must make God laugh. I think I know exactly what God is doing, and totally miss it. God tells me something and I run with it, only to find out it wasn't at all what I thought it was. I'm four! So, instead of getting mad at myself I laugh. God knows we see through this fallen nature and the blinded eyes of this world. He even said, "We see through a glass darkly..." (1 Cor. 13:12 KJV) But, the greatest part of that verse is the rest of it, "...but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I am not always going to be four!

ACTION STEP: The only way you and I are going to grow up and see things for who and what they are is to get our noses (and eyes) into the Word of God.

James 1:23-25 (MSG)
22-24 Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.
25 But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action.

The bible tells us that when we are children we think like children, but we are to grow up. (1 Cor. 13:11) With all this time on our hands, we can be talking to Someone who knows a Spoon Rest from a Butt.

When we can't make heads or tails out of circumstances and situations, we can look up from where our helps come from. (Psalm 121:1)

I wasn't the slightest upset or angry hearing my lil man ask me why I had a Butt in the dishwasher. Truthfully, he is such a smart lil guy, and never misses anything--I wondered myself. Now, I am sure we don't make God wonder--but no doubt we bring Him joy! Why else would He want to spend eternity with us!

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He would love first.

Full hands can't be filled with more. In a crisis we find out what matters most.

Hurt people--hurt people.

The Word and the Rain.

Let's all be a little more kind.

God doesn't want us happy, He wants us to have joy everlasting.

The Will of God or the Right Thing? Time will tell.

When you don't get what you want, when you want it, hang in there.

Pain is a megaphone calling us to take a step of faith.

Seeing through the eyes of a child.

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