Wolves in Sketter Clothing

It's warm enough the Sketter Eaters are coming around again. If you have never seen one, they look like large, lanky mosquitoes and usually cover the eastern side of my house near dusk in the summer time. I use to kill them until learning that they do not bite humans, but rather feed on regular mosquitoes. They are now my friend.

When I saw the first of the season the other day it reminded me of  Matthew 7:15-16a; "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You'll recognize them by their fruit."

We as Christians (True Sketters) must love everyone unconditionally, but are also told to keep a look out for the evidence of fruit. Don't forget this can be a long process. Some fruit may take months or even years to come to fruition. This doesn't mean we shouldn't trust, it just means we need to be diligent in prayer, asking for discernment to know what is of God and what is not. We must try to guide those around us lovingly, but trust God to accomplish His good will even in the midst of some rotten fruit. We trust Him alone completely to reveal all fruit in its truth at the proper time.

Next time you see a Sketter Eater, offer up a prayer to God, asking Him for discernment. Allow Him to separate the Sketters from the Sketter Eaters.

Difficult Christianity

Do you ever sit there and think about how difficult it really is to be a devoted Christian? Truly, there are moments where putting legs to your faith smacks you in the face.

Let what Jesus tells us in Luke sink in to you today:

But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, so good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also.And if anyone takes away your coat, don't hold back your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks from you, and from the one who takes away your things, don't ask for them back. Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
Luke 6:27-36


The first thing Jesus says here is, "...to you who listen:..."  Every once in a while I have to be honest with my husband when I am busy. He'll be talking to me and I have to stop him and say, "I'm sorry. I heard you, but I wasn't listening. I have no idea what you just said." We have do more than simply hearing, or reading, Him in order to receive this difficult command: We have to earnestly listen.

Have you ever prayed for someone as this passage tells us to? I mean, really prayed. It amazes me that God places such a compassion for them, and sometimes a pity, in our hearts. Ask the Lord to allow you to see them through His eyes- you'll be amazed.

Yet, I have to admit there have been times I don't want to pray as I should because I want to be angry at them. Do you know what the problem with that is? Now you have to repent of that before you ever get around to doing it right. And remember, "Don't let your spirit rush to be angry, for anger abides in the heart of fools." Ecclesiastes 7:9 


How do we combat these feelings and glorify Him in difficult situations such as this? I was directed to a wonderful set of verses in the Psalms recently. It's funny how so often when others give me Words of comfort, I turn to find they were already underlined in my Bible:

Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God; my strong rock, my refuge, is in God. Trust Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge.
Psalm 62:5-8 Emphasis mine


We give it to God- it's as simple as that. There is no magic formula, or check-list of duties.

You simply give Him your anger and hurt, and allow Him to give you graciousness and mercy in return.

Your Church

Christians are all called to be part of a local body of believers, called the church. We are meant to love, encourage, correct, rebuke, serve each other, and so much more.

Today, I want to hear about your church.

 

Was it a surprise to find yourself there, or are you at the same one you've always attended? 

What draws you there?

How is your local body good at encouraging/serving you? 

How do you enjoy serving them? 

What is it about this particular group of believers that makes it home for you?

What about your church do you love?

Knowing When: 1 Corinthians

Meditate on this often, and God will give you the right heart to know when to say something to others. The following passage is long, but sums it all up well. Take it one section at a time asking the Lord to reveal His message to you through His living Word. This has struck me deep enough that I will be meditating on it for the next few days, and will leave this post up as the most current. you take a few days as well, coming back to read it again and again.

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16
For those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God's power. For it is written:

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

and I will set aside the understanding

of the experts.

Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn't God made the world's wisdom foolishness? For since, in God's wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. 

For Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God's power and God's wisdom, because God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

Brothers, consider your calling: not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Instead, God has chosen the world's foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world's weak things to shame the strong. God has chosen the world's insignificant and despised things - the things the world viewed as nothing - so that He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something, so that no one can boast in His presence.

But from Him you are in Christ Jesus, who for us became wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.

When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, in fear, in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, so that your faith might not be based on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

However, among the mature we do speak a wisdom, but not a wisdom of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. On the contrary, we speak God's hidden wisdom in a mystery which God predestined before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew it, for if they had know it, they would have not crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written:

What no eye has seen

and no ear has heard,

and what has never come

into a man's heart,

is what God has prepared

for those who love Him.

Now God has revealed them to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the concerns of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the concerns of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God.

We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.

But the natural man does not welcome what comes from God's Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to know it since it is evaluated spiritually. The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone. For:

who has known the Lord's mind,

that he may instruct Him?

But we have the mind of Christ.

Knowing When

The one who corrects a mocker will bring dishonor on himself;

the one who rebukes a wicked man will get hurt.

Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;

            rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still;

            teach a righteous man, and he will learn more.

Proverbs 9:7-9

Something Christians must learn to develop in love, is timing. I’ve found we usually tend to fall into one of two catergories:

 1.) We never say anything because we are afraid of offending someone and/or not being accepted ourselves, or,

2.)  We don’t know when to not say something, sticking our foot in our mouth up to the kneecap.

How do you handle these situations? What other factors might there be? Post some comments/questions, and I’ll add more to this tomorrow.

Take Your Medicine

Have you ever had to take medicine that made you feel worse before it cured you? That's what I am doing. There is a virus that had settled so deep in my system that it will take several months to pull out with a remedy series. What's annoying is that about a week to three weeks after beginning treatment, symptoms will often get worse for several days, but there comes a time in life when it's still worth it.

It's the same with drawing sin out of our lives that has settled so deep within us. We have grown so use to their effects, and have taken root so deep, that we often need to have a remedy series to remove them. For the virus in my body, I am taking a vial every three days which has a stronger and stronger dose of medicine. I have to work up to the maximum dosage. It's the same with sins we are ridding ourself of. We need a strict regiment of prayer, God's Word, and perhaps an accountability partner- someone to remind us to and make sure that we take the next dose.

The beautiful thing about it is God knows when to up our dose. I have found that when working on a particular flaw in my Christian walk, verses in the Bible hit me as they never have before. I may have read a certain verse time and time again, but suddenly one day- WHAM - the Spirit opens my eyes and I am convicted. That is an upped dose. And let me tell you, sometimes it doesn't feel so good.

So then we have a choice:

Do we continue on to be cleansed, or do we allow it to settle back in?

...Rather, train yourselves for godliness, for, the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. In fact, we labor and strive for this, because we have put our hope in the living God, who the the Savior of everyone, especially of those who believe. 
1 Timothy 4:7-10

Practice Time

There is a concept we as modern American's don't like to think about: Truly humbling ourselves. In general we  pridefully humble ourselves - Look how humble I am! -  but to truly do it is another thing. We are taught to build our self-esteem and see how preciously unique we are, and while that is true, we lean too heavily upon it.

A random verse in Numbers caught my attention this morning. The Lord is giving a long list of "orders" to the Israelites before they crossed over to the promised land, and there is one we would do well to not forget. "You are to hold a sacred assembly on the tenth day of this seventh month and practice self-denial; you must not do any work." Number 29:7  As much as I'd like it to, "self-denial" does not mean to refrain from chocolate cake or a Big Mac.

The actual phrase for "practice self-denial" in Hebrew is anah et nepes. Another, longer, way to translate this is "Inflict oppression, subdue, humble, deal harshly with your own soul, the essence of your being." (The Complete Word Study Old Testamant) Why would the Lord command this of the people? Because we need to remember at times that we are not all we think we are. We need to remember Whose we are. We are slaves of the Most High God! (Daniel 5:21) Yes, He loves us and has adopted us as His own allowing us to be heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), but we are His slaves here - now - on this earth (Romans 6:17), and it is good for us to remember that.

Praise God though that they were only required to do this once a year. Our heavenly Father does not want us to walk around defeated and feeling worthless. He loves us dearly; to the point of having His only son crucified for us! It is just good for us to take the time to remember we belong to our king and are here for blessing His name in all things, not our own.

That Hurt So Bad!

Take a few moments to watch this video. It cracks me up thinking about how childish we can still act at times trying to get sympathy and/or attention.

I'll let you come up with your own comparisons to the church body, so I don't get in trouble.
There are so many...

I'm not saying this to judges others, but for us to watch out for ourselves. How many times have you done this. Not sure or don't want to think about it? Ask God to reveal it to you. I admit I have in times past. The point is not to do it in times future!

Enjoy-
You Hurt My Feelings!

My Two Cents

God amazed me yet again. Yesterday I was blessed to be able to go and buy a new laptop that I could not afford. A few weeks ago we decided that it was getting close to time to start earnest prayer for a new one, and this past week the finances for it came in. Here's the best part: I was given through several gifts, $1,070.00. Do you know how much everything came to that I needed? $1,069.98.

I suppose God needed to make sure I kept my two cents worth.

We had asked Him to provide no more than what we needed so that we would know what He knew was best for us, and He did. That's the best way to shop! I prayed while shopping around and comparing prices and deals that He would guide me to the right one, and He even gave me a secondary confirmation that this was the right laptop. God knows that I am a natural worrier: What if that better deal was just around the corner? What if I was ripped off? What if...what if...what if? So He taught me to take it all to him in prayer. It's not like He doesn't know what the best deal is and what I will need down the road, so why not trust Him?

Do you take your purchases to the Lord? Take some time today to ask the Lord what it is He wants you to have and to change your heart's desires to match.

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act, making your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like the noonday.
Psalm 37:4-5

The One

God woke me up this morning.

There was a thunderstorm that came through our area a little after 5 A.M. and I awoke to lightning and clashes of thunder. Instead of thinking of the storm and enjoying it, a beautiful gift was given to me: I imagined I was in heaven with the glory of God flashing around me and I worshiped Him. Revelation 4 came to my mind...

Revelation 4:2-3, 5-6, 8-10
...and there in heaven a throne was set. One was seated on the throne, and the One seated looked like jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne... From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and thunder. Burning before the throne were seven fiery torches, which are the seven spirits of God.


Also before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle and around the throne were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back... Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stopped saying:

Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God, the Almighty,

Who was, and is, 

And who is coming.

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say:

Our Lord and God,

You are worthy to receive

glory and honor and power,

because You have created all things,

and because of Your will

they exist and were created.

AMEN and AMEN. Come soon Lord Jesus! Thank you Father for the reminder of Your majesty and glory; I long for the day I may worship You before Your throne!

Fish

I discovered yesterday that I thought I had God figured out some. Usually, God works at the last possible second, so that's what I was expecting, to be quite honest. I had prayed for Him to provide something - and fully expected Him to - when desperation set in. But He surprised me! I was settling in for a long wait, when WHAM! He blessed me!

Sometimes my Abba loves to spoil his little girl...

Thank you to those of you who helped Him do this. I am humbled. Spend some time today to praise him for giving us fish instead of snakes! I sure am :D

Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.


What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask of Him!
Matthew 7:7-11

Seek, And Ye Shall Find?

Sometimes I just need a good laugh. Why is there no blooper "Easter Egg" for the Bible?

I'm sure there are several things, but I can't come up with many right now. Here are a few I can think of- add some of your own!

• The worshipers of Baal who did their lame dance in 1 Kings 18:26
• I would have loved to see the look on Jeremiah's face when God told him to go buy new underwear, wear it without washing it, then go and bury it next to a river a few hundred miles away. Jeremiah 13:1-7
• Peter was described as saying something was "good.........because he did not know what he should say..." Mark 9:5-6
• Here is honesty: Abigail says to David, concerning her husband, "My lord should pay no attention to this worthless man Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name is Nabal, and stupidity is all he knows..." 1 Samuel 25:25

What others have you found in the Bible?

Nothing

God reminded me yesterday that I know nothing.

Actually, He reminded me that what I think I know isn't worth knowing and has been taking up most the space of the "nothing" I should know. Uh-huh.
What "nothing" is that?

1 Corinthians 2:2
For I am determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (Emphasis mine)

What does it look like to know nothing among people except Christ? I am so grateful Paul elaborated...

1 Corinthians 2:3-7
And I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power, so that your faith might not be based on men's wisdom but on God's power.
However, among the mature we do speak a wisdom, but not of this age, or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. On the contrary, we speak God's hidden wisdom in a mystery, which God predestined before the ages for our glory.


There are two "nothing"'s in "knowing nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified."  The first is to unbelievers. We are to show nothing but the power of the Spirit to them, so that they are not convinced with fancy words and sound logic, but with the Spirit. In this way we will not help them deceive themselves so they someday hear, "...I never knew you! 'Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!'" (Matthew 7:23)

The second "nothing" is for those who are mature in Christ. We are to speak nothing of this age and it's wisdom's understanding, but of  "God's hidden wisdom in a mystery". It's nothing that should make any sense to a sinful and unbroken heart, but it's life and beauty to us.

There is a great freedom and trust in knowing nothing; For we are then free to trust God in everything.

The Instruction Of The Lord

The instruction of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul...
Psalm 19:7a


Do you really believe that? Really. I admit that it has only been in the last several months that I realized I never truly did. When you get down to the heart of it, if we believed it we would act upon it.

Upset? Depressed? Heartbroken?
Go to His Word...

Angry? Frustrated? Impatient?
Go to His Word...

Weary? Tired? Indifferent?
Go to His Word...

He promises through His Word, that His Word will revive not only our strength, joy, or happiness, but our very soul. Why is it then that we turn to just about any other means, before we turn to Scripture? We take vacations, read a book, watch a show, have a pedicure, eat some chocolate, go shopping.... whatever we feel  would revive us. What we turn to is what we put our faith in.

The amazing thing is how well reading Scripture works! Now, it is no instant cure, miracle pill, but it does revive. I have put it to some very strenuous tests in the last few months, and have been blown away and humbled at the power, grace, and mercy the Lord has made available to us: If only we reach out to Him this way.

Next time you find yourself needing a "fix" for some reason, open the Bible. Go to the Lord and ask Him to revive your soul at that moment, and remind Him of His promise in Psalm 19:7. Then listen, search, read, and be revived.

I Love You This Much

Last night I read about the end of days in the book of Mark, it came to me that it doesn't matter your view on the timeline of what we are shown in Revelation. The only thing that counts is your heart:

Do you trust Jesus Christ and love Him enough to live through the entirety of the Great Tribulation if He deemed it best, or do you not?