When ever, Where ever, What ever

I seem to be in a little funk lately. Everything in my life seems a little unsettled. From my home, to my car, to my job....It just seems that I can't find that comfort zone or safe place. I have tried to step out in faith and go in the direction that I thought God was leading me in, to find that the door was slammed right in my face, and I am kind of shocked. I have said Lord I thought this was the thing you were leading me to, but its not. This has been a hard struggle for me cause in the past when I have stepped through the door it has opened up all the way...or at least that is what I thought...I have heard people say, God has a purpose for your life find out what it is and do that. As I have "searched" for this so called purpose I find that I am let down. I think our christian culture has gotten so caught up in the "What does God have for me mentality". When did we ever decide that this christian life is about what God has for us. That He is there to help us, to make our lives better, that the plans and ideas I have for my life God is there to make them come true. As I have been searching the scriptures and also my own heart I have realized that our Creator, Soveriegn God is not concerned with the plans and ideas I have for my life...He is concerned with the purpose and plan He has, and carrying that out through the lives of his children His saints. God wants to be glorified and honored. Just because we may have a dream or are really good at something does not mean that is God's "will for our lives" God's will for our lives is to serve Him in whatever capacity that may be. Whether you are a janitor or a pastor do all things to the glory of God.

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,as working for the Lord, not for men,since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

It doesn't always mean big grandious things are going to happen to you. It means you are faithful in serving Him Whenever, Where ever, What ever....Not to say that God couldn't use you in "large" ways, but that is never his goal...that would be an outpouring of the effective ministry you already have. We all need to get off our high horses thinking God is going to fullfill all our dreams. He may not...We need to go to His word first and then we will know what His will is. If it doesn't line up with scripture....sorry its not His will. And it doesn't matter how much you think it is or other people are saying that it is.
There is a qoute by Oswald Chambers that I keep in my office that humbles me every time I read it.

"We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing, that He is preparing and fitting us for some extraordinary thing by and by, but as we go in grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, in this present minute. "

To those who read this may you be comforted and humbled in knowing that we trust and serve a God who doesn't needs us to accomplish anything, but wants to use us as his vessels so that He may be glorified through us. May you lay your "dreams" at His feet and be ready for where ever he leads you even if it its to your own back yard.

20Now 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, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

Ineffective and Unproductive

The days go by so fast and I look back and realize I am overwhelmed. Some times life seems like it just passes me by. Thats when I think what have I really done today. Have I accomplished anything. Thats when it hits me I have not spent anytime with my Lord. I can go through the whole day and miss the purpose of it completely, because I am to caught up in the business of my own life. Here is my daily routine. I get up get dressed go to work...I leave work, teach voice lessons, get home, cook dinner, talk to my husband for an hour, get really tired and go to bed...And then the cycle starts all over again the next morning. Here is my intention every morning...Get up take a shower read and study the Bible maybe work out and go to work. What is it that makes me skip the most important step in the process? Even when I know it is the most important part of my day. I pass over it every day. I am ashamed. I am sorrowful. But most important I am just plain lazy Proverbs has a lot to say about being lazy....
Proverbs 19:15
15 Laziness brings on deep sleep,
and the shiftless man goes hungry.
Proverbs 12:24
24 Diligent hands will rule,
but laziness ends in slave labor.
Wow, how the Lords words are so wise. I want to be done being lazy. I want to have self discipline and seek to pursue God's word everyday. Today I am standing up and saying enough is enough I need to change....If any one reads this please hold me accountable...I want to be strong in the Lord I want to know his words and understand His truths so that I am able to give a example to those who are lost for this is my prayer...

2 Peter 1.3-9
3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Hallelujah!

Is the Gift really free

Well we are off to the Laurence Welk Resort tomorrow after work. John and I were kind of succered into signing up for this time share presentation thing. Silly I know, ,but what can I say we all have to do it once right? We are getting a discounted room at the lovely resort on Friday Night and plus they offered us free stuff. I love free stuff. Everyone loves free stuff I bet there is not a person in the world that does not love getting free stuff. But yet people all the over the world deny the free gift of Jesus Christ everyday. But then I guess we must ask is the gift really free? When we offer this gift of Christ to the lost do we tell them that in return for their salvation they are called to be obediant to their Creator God. Do we tell them that Christ calls them to deny themselves. I think now adays these commands tend to get left out. The mentality is more come to Jesus he will fix your problems.....come to Jesus you will go to heaven. Now these our truths that happen when we do come to Jesus but the most important part has been left out. Our surrender to Him wholly and completed. As it is the good news that Christ came may we offer it as a gift to the lost but lets not forget to leave out the part that we need to count the cost. I think of Luke 14 when Jesus was talking to the crowds and he said

26"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Are we willing to give up our lives to hate anything that draws us away from Jesus, and to count the cost and reallize what it really means to pick up our cross, and follow Jesus. The gift of salvation is free for those who surrender their life to Christ and obey his commands. What a wonderful gift.

Yesterday, Today, and Forever

I feel so privileged to be one of Gods children. Lately I have been thinking upon this thought. That out of all the people in the world God has chosen me to be one of His. He has put a desire in my heart to follow after him to seek His truth and to have a relationship with him. Not only is this so encouraging it is amazing. To think the God of the universe cares about the happenings in my life overwhelms me. His Grace abounds beyond all measure. I know that I can cling to His promises, rest in his peace and have joy in all that he has created. The small problems I face day in and out I do not face alone. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1-3. What ever that trouble is he is there. I know my hard times don't compare to others but how amazing that Gods truth of scripture speaks to each of us and his truth is the same yesterday today and forever! Hebrews 13:8
Praise the Lord!

May no one take you captive

I was told today that I need to write a blog.
As I sit here I think what could I possibly write about that people would actually be interested in reading and then it came to me (well actually I was encouraged by my boss Pastor Bobby Blakey) Write about truth! What is truth. It seems a common theme in the world is that truth is what you think it is whatever works for you is your truth. Now if this is the "worlds" view then I can't say much about that, but when the "church" begins to adapt this view I become concerned....I recently read a quote by Rob and Kristin Bell a couple who is very influential in the emerging church. It said "Church became so small.....it stopped working...they began discovering the bible as human product, rather than Divine Authority". Now I don't know about you but
Col 2:8 pops into my mind it says "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy which depends on human tradition and the basic principals of this world rather than on Christ."
Do you see a common word ....I do its human product or human tradition...Now scripture is telling us that we are to not let any one take us captive through philosophy based on human tradition. And yet the bells are saying that we need to see the bible through human tradition and then they add rather than Divine Authority...Im sorry, did I hear that correctly? You are telling me to embrace humanistic philosophy when it comes to scripture? And to not see the bible as the authoritative truth the foundation which we build our lives upon. The Compass to which God gives us to live This is scary my friends because these people are leading a revolution right now. This man was named as one of the most influential christian leaders. If we are more conerned with our human philosophy than whats the Bible says as being the authority on truth where do we go from there. I tell where we go complete apostasy. This seems more like a mind set bascially to allow ourselves to embrace the things of this world with out having any accoutability to it.
We need to be on gaurd and careful. We need to pray that we will not be taken captive by lies. Become aware of what is being taught know what you belive and why you belive it. Be able to give an answer to all with the authority of Gods word as your source.
2 Timothy 3:14-17

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of,
because you know those from whom you learned it,
15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures,
which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting
and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped
for every good work.

First Blog

Hi this is my first blog but I know there will be many more to come! I am so excited to be a part of the blogging world....I have been a little behind in my efforts but now all can know the fabulous world of the Karlsson's. That me and John on my B-day he took me to the Montage in Laguna Beach....