Beyond the Masquerade

(I am dedicating this post to my sweet, humble husband Scott Michael Hughes, who will always be content to work behind the scenes, and would never want me to dedicate a post to him because he doesn't like to have attention drawn to him...which is one of the many reasons we all love him so much. God sees all you do sweetheart, and celebrates people like you. You are a wonderful inspiration to me and I love you so much!!)

This one is for you babe!!!

"God wants to make us humbler,
so we're more and more apt to give Him glory."
-Dr. Juli Slattery

Dr. Juli Slattery works for Focus on the Family and she wrote a book called, "Beyond the Masquerade: Unveiling the Authentic You". I listened to an interview she did a long while back about her book. She made lots of good points that I really liked. One of her major themes was about boasting in our weaknesses. One point that was made that was ironically comforting, and yet humbling at the same time was this:

"God does have a plan for you, and you are inadequate."

I loved that! It's true, isn't it? Read on to digest more of this concept by Juli Slattery....

"It's only healthy to think about our abilities and talents in the context of who gave them to us and why. It's God's intention that all of our strengths glorify Him and serve His purposes.

God doesn't look at people because of their gifts because He's the one who gave them their gifts.

He doesn't celebrate what the world celebrates.
Whoever is the most talented or educated is the most important in the room, but God says that's not true. The Bible says you shouldn't do that in the church. God doesn't look at people based on what they do or what talents they have because He gave them those gifts. To those with gifts that are visible He says, "You got your reward, I'm looking at the ones who are serving without even being noticed but I gave you all these gifts because I want you to show my love to the world and I want you to build up my body--the Bride."

And we each have within us special gifts for that purpose--to glorify Him, to love people, and to build up the church."

In the quiet of the night I hear the question:
"Juli, Am I serving you or are you serving me? Who is being glorified through the good things you do?"

"I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward."
(Mark 9:41)

Dr. Juli Slattery is INCREDIBLE, and she pumps out some wonderful material worth reading!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!! If you are interested in checking out her book, or buying it, you can click on the picture of her book below...
AWESOME SONG TIME...
I thought this would be fitting with this topic. I just adore singer, Chris Sligh. My favorite of all his songs is "Empty Me". I found this video of him singing "Empty Me" that was uploaded to youtube back in 2008 around the time that he would have been "found out" and "promoted".... precious...

Redeeming the Time.

I am trying to dig out some of my old notes right now, looking for times when God spoke a good word to my heart so I can thank Him for those times. Today I ran across some great encouragement from Pastor Mark Spencer, about redeeming our time. This stuff is GOOD!!! I thought I might share it. Check out what Pastor Mark Spencer had to say about the things that hinder us from living life to the fullest in an interview he did with Susie Larson in Live the Promise on Faith Radio:

The Shepherd boy, David, was out there all alone with the sheep when the lions and the bears came out. You can frame that two ways:
1. Where is God that he allowed them to be out there?
-or-
2. Here's a challenge, but God's with me. Let's do this!

Either you can look at Goliath like he's too big to fight or too big to miss.

Isaiah 8:13 "Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty, for He is God, the Holy One. If you fear Him you have need for nothing else."

When we struggle in the present moment either the past or the future are not taken care of.
If your past is nagging you...
Pray for redemption from the things in your past that need to be worked for the good.

If the future is haunting you...
Remind yourself that God is up to something good, and that you have a story worth telling. Remind yourself that there is no place that you can go and be away from the Spirit. Reconcile the truth that God is always with you and always will be with you.

Ephesians 5:15-21
"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

"Your life is meant to be ever growing in its influence and impact. May your heart sing and your life explode with the joys of living in the fullness that lies potentially before you." -Susie Larson

Refuse worry: God is faithful.

"Worry is an indication that we think
God cannot look after us."
-Oswald Chambers

(I'm talking to myself here, but I thought maybe
somebody else could use this reminder as well.)

Grateful for a lesson learned to hunger after Him...

Great perspective. Awesome song. And a neat Sermon link too.

Grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace...

Maybe not. Not today...
Peace might be another world away, and if that's the case--

We'll give thanks to you with gratitude for lessons learned in how to trust in you...
that we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream in abundance or in need,
If you never grant us peace, But Jesus would you please.

If you are going through a time of your life when peace seems far off, it might help to know that going in and out of these types of seasons is part of life and that you are normal. To live in complete joy and peace 100 percent of the time is actually not normal. You are, after all, human, with emotions, feelings, weaknesses, etc. etc. There was a time when I thought if I was a Christian it meant I needed to have joy and peace 100 percent of the time so I was frustrated with myself when I didn't. This mentality does not make much room for things like grieving, however, or things like a genetic make-up that would allow for the on-set of depression in my twenties. Joy and peace are fruits of the Spirit so it would make sense, then, that I would think that if I had the Spirit in me I should be exhibiting those things in my life all the time.

What I am finding, instead, though, is that when I am lacking joy or peace or any fruit of the Spirit for that matter, those are the times that I feel off-kilter and I have to pray,

"Lord, what is it in me that needs sifting out?"

or

"Lord, what around me is causing this angst in my soul?"

Whatever it is that is causing me to be "off-kilter" is the very thing that draws me closer to Him and makes me cry out to Him and lean into Him more because it makes me go to Him in prayer. It is in these precious, vulnerable, hard times that I discover who God is, and who I hate to be. And this is okay. Without those times of crying out to Him I would lack quite a bit of the Spiritual depth, understanding of who God is, and a closeness to Him that has been formed over the last several years that, to be quite honest, I would never replace if I had the option. I don't have to apologize for feeling the way I do, but you I have to decide what I am going to do with those feelings.

What do you do when life gives you lemons and you don't care much for lemonade??

My pastor, Pastor Tanner, did a sermon he called "Treasures in Jars of Clay" this past Sunday. In his sermon he encouraged us and reminded us what to do when we are put through a season of life when "our clay pot cracks" and we're left feeling "damaged" emotionally or spiritually: discouraged, struck down, persecuted, or without peace. He's kind of a really great pastor, and I think you'll like him, and I think you'll like his message too. To hear his sermon click here. It's good stuff and it's only a half hour long, so go ahead... have a listen!

Walking with a limp and crawling to the cross.

I loved what Phil Calaway had to say the other day about talking honestly, and I wanted to draw attention to one specific thought that he brought up. I loved the humble, and significant word picture this thought created. Check this one out...

"When I sin I confess it, giving thanks. 1 John 2:1 tells me that he defends me before the Father. You're going to come to find out that Phil Calaway walks with a limp and so do my greatest heroes of the faith but maybe it's because of that limp that so many others can catch up to us and ask for help. And when we sin, let's just crawl back to the cross and we're going to find that there's a God that's going to love us and use us to bring others to Christ."
-Phil Calaway

Don't you just love that?
TWO THINGS that require embracing humility...and the sooner we do it the better off we are...
1. "Maybe it's because of that limp that others can catch up to us and ask for help." (AWESOME)
2. When we sin, let's just crawl back to the cross and find the God that loves us. (YES!)

MY PRAYER
Lord,
Thank you for the many times you've loved me, embraced me, and forgiven me, as I have crawled my way back your cross, knowing I have fallen short of who you have created me to be. There is freedom in your arms Lord. Thank you for the clean slate that keeps being wiped clean so that I can hold my head high in spite of my past. Thank you for the freedom this creates and the joy that I am able to experience when you choose to use me to bring others to yourself when they see my "limp" and identify with it and start asking questions. Lord, you are so good. There is none like you. Use me, Lord, please. Continue to use me for you glory. Make my life about more than just me. Use every trial and triumph in my life and use it to bring glory to yourself. Amen.

Seeking God's will in your life

I am going to share some tidbits with you that I learned a long while back from, Gregg Matte, in regards to seeking and finding God's will in your life. Gregg Matte is the pastor of Beth Moore's church and he wrote a book called "Finding God's Will". This information was shared in an interview that he did with Susie Larson several months ago. I dug out my notes yesterday and I remembered how fantastic this interview was! Gregg is a NEAT GUY!!! Take a look at some of these notes and see if they inspire some thoughts, or ideas, that might help you. If these thoughts are really catching your interest you might be interested in getting his book, which you can get here.Here are some of Gregg's thoughts on how to find God's will in your life...

Ask yourself:
What have been my defining moments?

Three steps:
1. Be faithful in what you are doing.
2. Look for signs (God's signs)
3. Take the next step.

Seek Him, know Him, take the next step.

Ask God, "How can you use my struggles?"
Once we have gone through a hardship we have compassion where we used to have judgment.
"Take your misery and make it your ministry."

God's general will for everyone:
1. Have a relationship with Him.
2. Grow in that relationship.
3. Make an impact.

Your specific will is going to be found as you spend time finding your general will.

God is going to provide for His will. If He didn't it would take away from His glory. His will is ALWAYS accompanied by His power.

Be diligent right where you are at.

God sees the past, the present, and the future all the way through.

Ephesians 3:20-21
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

The heart of me.

This one is the mother of all motherloads because it is the salvation message.

At the real heart of who I am is a God who saved me and gave me a reason to live in the first place.

What does being saved mean to you?
What are you saved from?

A long while back I wrote a post about the difference between salvation and sanctification, according to how I understood it in my own life. "Salvation", being a time back when I was five years old, when I accepted that God was who He said He was and all that it entailed, and "sanctification", being the process I have been on ever since. This is what I believe in, and this is large part of what makes up the heart of who I am. Though it is very general, and does not give any specifics, this is my testimony. Read on for more details if you are interested...

I wanted to make a really cool (or what I thought would be cool) illustration, and I just couldn't muster it up...so here's my second best option for making the point I want to make.... (great set-up, I know)...

YOU-GOD

YOU-SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-REALLY UGLY THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOURSELF DOING-GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-REALLY UGLY THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOURSELF DOING-GUILT AND SHAME- GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-REALLY UGLY THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOURSELF DOING-GUILT AND SHAME- HURT, PAIN, DISAPPOINTMENT- GOD

YOU-SIN-SIN TO COVER UP PAST SIN-NEW SIN-DEEPER SIN-JUSTIFICATION FOR SIN-REALLY UGLY THING YOU NEVER IMAGINED YOURSELF DOING-GUILT AND SHAME- HURT, PAIN, DISAPPOINTMENT- GOD

YOU-FORGIVENESS-CLEAN SLATE-HOPE FOR THE FUTURE-GOD

YOU-GOD


THE BAD NEWS ABOUT SIN FOR THE UNBELIEVER.
The bad news is that your sin separates you from God and all the blessings he has for you. The road that leads us to indulge in our sinful nature is the road that leads to death. Period. If you are human, you are a sinner. There is no way around that, and the sin that separates you from God is the one that keeps you from getting into Heaven. Heaven is perfect, so sin can't exist there, so YOU can't be there...unless, of course, someone perfect pays the price, and offers themselves as a sacrifice for you.

THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT SALVATION.
Salvation is the process of being saved. If you pray the prayer asking for forgiveness, acknowledging that God is who He says He is and that He died on the cross for your sins, asking God to take away your sin, then YOU are saved by the power of Christ that is in you. Salvation really is that simple. It really is just a moment of declaration that God is THE God of your life, and accepting that He calls you to be with Him. With salvation, there is immediate freedom in knowing that our sins are forgiven. The cleansing of our souls is rejuvenating and energizing. Awesome, one time experience. If you have not accepted Jesus into your heart yet, or if you want to learn more about what that is about salvation and how to be saved, you can click here.

WHAT IS SANCTIFICATION?
Sanctification is something different. Sanctification is a process. Where Salvation is a solitary act that wipes away all of the sin from our past and becomes the bridge that gets you into Heaven when you die, sanctification is a process that continues on for the rest of your life here on earth until you are in Heaven.

Unfortunately, we are still human, and we are still drawn to worldly things. We let our guard down. We forget what God told us was important. Temptation comes in front of us again and we fall into a trap of sin we never intended to fall into. We're not perfect, but with God in our hearts, we can be made perfect. Sanctification is the process of being made more and more into the likeness of God until the day we are made perfect in Heaven. God wants you to be close to Him, so He will continue nudging you and drawing you closer to Him. His spirit convicts you when you go off course, and you can ALWAYS come back at ANY time, ask for forgiveness, and get a clean slate again.

THE BAD NEWS ABOUT SIN FOR THE PERSON WHO IS STRIVING TO LIVE FOR GOD.
If you decide to let things come between you and God, (sin) you will find yourself feeling off. Where is that hope I once had?? All sins start with a wrong thought left unchecked. If you ignore that still, small voice telling you to bolt in the other direction, entertaining thoughts of how fun, satisfying, or liberating indulging your sinful nature would be, you are setting yourself up for making a bad choice. Every sin has a consequence. We still have to deal with the consequences of sin here on earth, whether we choose to acknowledge that we are sinning or not. If we allow sin to creep into our life, little by little Satan gets a stronghold over us until we don't know how to get back to where we were. We feel lost. God's will won't seem clear anymore. It will be very hard to discern where God is at work in your life and around you. You'll start to doubt God because you won't be able to see Him. If someone asks you where God is at work it will seem foggy. Your prayers will seem strained, at best. You'll miss out on the blessings that come with obedience to God. Satan is a thief and a liar.

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:9-10

Satan's attacks on you are inevitable. Temptation is going to be in your life at some point, but you do not have to act on the sin just because a temptation came to your sweet little mind. Satan is the thief that steels your joy, and zest for life. Don't fall into his trap.

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING, AND WANT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT ACCORDING TO GOD.
When you catch yourself coming off the path that leads you closer to God, stop yourself, ask for forgiveness and get yourself distracted with what God has for you. Make a choice to run from the appeal of the sin. Find an accountability partner...someone you trust who will hold you to the standard God asks of you. Check out the post after this one if you feel you are weak in standing up to the lure of sin in your life. It's verse after verse of what God has to say about how you can avoid sin in your life. You have the power of God on your side. You can be more than a conqueror when you seek God, and tap into the power He provides.

In the words of Susie Larson, "Be strong and last long! God is the one who will keep you strong to the end."

God bless.