Hammer on Anvil '

Good Morning Everyone, Happy New Year!!!
New Year's Eve, a time that we use to look forward and look back at the same time. We make resolutions to ourselves, others and God that we are going to change in the new year. Stop smoking, lose weight, exercise, eat better, do more for others, start going to church, the list goes on and on. The things about resolutions, they are often broken. Oh, we start out gung ho and do real well for a few days, some of us even make it through the whole month of January, but as the months run on we begin to slack off and we find it hard to get back on track.
But the one thing I have found on my journey is that God grants us new graces and mercies everyday. In His word he tells us that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning! Thank God for the morning light! Thank God for another chance to get it right! So, this year, this new year, give yourself another chance. Don't give up on yourself so easily, if you break your resolution one day, start over again the next, give yourself another chance. God gives us chance after chance, why don't we give it to ourselves?
So this year, as you look back over 2011 and thank God for bringing you through it and look forward to 2012 and ask God for continued blessings, tell yourself that you will go a little easier on you and give yourself another chance!
Happy Blessed New Year everybody!!!
Cheryl

As we close out this year and look forward to the opportunity to start fresh, I thought I'd share a few things I have figured out in the last 12 months-about myself, life,and God.

1. Cell phones are smarter than their users.
2. Walking around the house barefoot can be extremely hazardous.
3. Raising teenagers is exponentially more difficult than you think it should be.
4. Very few people can maintain a balanced, peaceful life over the long term.
5. When you lose perspective, peace becomes elusive.
6. Failing to make God a priority for even one day can make you lose perspective.

This year I have been listening to a podcast called Daily Audio Bible. It's a wonderful ministry by Brian Hardin to guide listeners through the Bible in a year. A few times during the year, I've had to play catch-up, taking in two or three podcasts in a day. Most recently, I began to get really behind around Thanksgiving. For the entire month leading up to Christmas, I probably only listened three or four days. Throughout this time, the Holy Spirit was nudging me: "You've come so far, don't let Satan distract you now," "Are you going to let him destroy your 'year through the Word'?"

At the same time, I could feel myself being dragged down. Stress at work, financial woes due to Christmas purchases, and fear that everything was coming down around me culminated in the worst evening of the year. By the middle of that Christmas shopping trip, I was sitting in my car in a busy parking lot crying, trying to keep it together long enough to get through the night.

That night, I made a promise to the Lord: I was going to finish the Bible this year. This past Monday, I picked up where I had left off. Four podcasts Monday, four Tuesday, six Wednesday...I'm on a roll. And you know the most amazing thing? All that stuff I'd been devastated by began to come into perspective. Peace began washing over me with every word spoken from Scripture. My circumstances hadn't really changed much; just my attitude.

The most important lesson I learned this year is that I can't live an empowered life apart from God. Satan's greatest joy is in watching God's people slip away from Him a day at a time. Apathy is as much a win for Satan as agnosticism or atheism. God has called us to be set apart. We do that by being 'attached at the hip' to our Lord.

Are you living an empowered life?
What is stopping you from being in the Word every day?
Does being 'busy' fulfill you? Does it bring you peace and joy?
Is there really anything in this world that is worth missing time with your Creator?

The heart can be deceitful.

Many times our heart is fixed on things that are not good for us, that are not of God.

It is increasingly important to be in the midst of developing a heart for God.

This is a process that never ends. Until glory, we will never realize a true heart set on God.

BUT - we can get closer.

The challenge is to do something daily that moves your heart towards God.

Think good thoughts of God, and you will be moved toward developing a heart for Him.

He loves you and wants your heart.

When it comes to art, I'm pretty much a dunce. So my favorites are landscapes, because of the simplicity. "Huh, it's a painting of a mountain...It looks like a mountain...well done." On the other hand, there is abstract art that I can't make heads or tails of, so I can't tell if it is "good." For other works of art, it helps if I have someone explain or interpret it for me. Even better if they teach me to ask the right questions of it.

The painting that provokes these thoughts is Caspar David Friedrich's The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, painted in 1818, seen here on the left. It is simple enough, a young man standing on a cliff looking out over a landscape, but is that all?

Is he looking over the places he has just traveled or scouting the path ahead? Is he the master of all he surveys or does he feel dwarfed by the vast view? Does he feel daunted or encouraged? Is it ambiguous?

What do you see when you look at the painting? How would you interpret it?

Brett

"From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

But in fact he was prematurely old; for he was not fifty when he died, worn out with his fighting and fasting life.

Somewhere along the way we've sanitized and reduced the Holy life to a boring, tame and silent stereotype. We forget or maybe ignore our difficult duties to struggle and toil against the flesh bringing it under submission to Christ. This struggle will take all that is within us and more. Taking the fight to the front lines of this spiritual war still requires engaging your body and mind fully. I had a youth pastor that used to say, "work yourself to death for the kingdom and then pray yourself back to life again." Give it a shot.

I read a USA Today article the other day that really bothered me. It talked about how a very large number of Americans are “spiritually apathetic” – they don’t really care one way or the other about God and simply shrug it off in an attitude of “so what?” Forty-six percent, an amount that is astounding to me, said they never wonder if they will go to heaven. Forty-six percent!

I guess it shouldn’t surprise me because we’ve been going that direction for quite some time now. And I guess I can understand the sentiment as well. With how many luxuries and distractions we enjoy as Americans, it can be so easy for us to ignore God altogether. After all, who needs God when everything is just fine without him?

But that’s the problem, isn’t it? Everything isn’t just fine. We’re living in a fantasy world if we don’t believe it. Each and every one of us is going to die someday. We can distract ourselves all we want with football, video games, shopping, and eating out, but it won’t change the simple fact that we WILL die. Those luxuries/distractions are not bad things by themselves, but they can become bad things when we allow them to distort our perspective.

Our time on Earth is so short, especially when compared to eternity. Remembering that always gives me perspective. We won’t be here forever. We won’t even be here very long at all.

Try to remember what you had for dinner one week ago today. Can’t remember? Or maybe just a vague idea? Me too. Or who won the Super Bowl fifteen years ago? I have no idea even though it is the ultimate victory for my favorite sport. I have a feeling that’s what our memories of Earth are going to be like once we’re in eternity. A vapor and a wisp that we briefly remember before moving on with what really matters. Doesn’t it make sense to start living today for what is going to last into tomorrow?

We can ignore the facts in a “so what?” attitude, but ignoring it doesn’t change it. Each of us WILL die and each of us WILL have to face God on judgment day. Do you know what you’ll say on that day? I do.

Good Morning Everyone and Happy Christmas Eve!
Over two thousand years ago the truth came to life in the form of Jesus-our salvation. He said that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father except through Him. He is the truth...so why is it so hard for us to recognize the truth and to tell the truth.
We hide behind excuses like, I don't want to hurt their feelings or more often we are trying to save ourselves from hurt and ridicule. But what we need to understand, is that, the Truth only sees the truth in us. We can fool people, because people only see the outward man, they see what they want to see, but Truth sees the inward man, He sees the true us.
So as we get ready to celebrate the birth of the Truth, let us start living in truth. Be true to yourself, others and above all God, He's going to know the truth about you anyway.
Have a very Merry Christmas and I will talk to you all on New Year's Eve!
Have a very blessed day everybody!!!
Cheryl

Last week, I sat in silence in my Sunday school class. That may not sound very unusual until I tell you that I am the teacher--usually. I woke up that morning with a terrible cold that turned out to be a wonderful blessing.

One of the students made an analogy that I spent the remainder of the lesson pondering. We were discussing the spiritual discipline of giving, and how sacrificial giving makes us very uncomfortable. The analogy was this: "Sin can be like a soft bed with lots of pillows and blankets. We get very comfortable in our sin. Living for God, in comparison, is like laying on a bed of nails. It looks like it could be very painful, but if we spread our body weight evenly over the nails, it's not."

So many things popped into my head at those words. First, I thought, "That really gives new meaning to Psalm 46:10: Be still, and know that I am God." The more we squirm on a bed of nails, the more pain we experience. It's when we lie still that we find peace.

Then I began to think about my relationship with God. It's his job to mold me into the image of Jesus. The potter does the work in molding the clay, but if the clay gets off center as it spins, a mess ensues. It's the same way with us. When we, the clay, resist the Potter's hand, we experience pain. When we resist God's leading, we fall down the wrong path and get hurt.

It's not easy to be still and let God change us. Even at our best, there will be hard lessons. I just keep going back in my mind to that image of lying still on a bed of nails. It takes a great deal of concentration to stay that still, and can you imagine the peace that would accompany such a stillness of body and mind?

That's the good gift God wants to give us-not comfort, but peace. Being comfortable is certainly desirable, but in this sinful world, we are more likely to experience comfort in the form of grief. Peace transcends hard times. God suffers with us during trials, but He has peace, because He knows how it's going to turn out for us. Because we are His children, we will have the best ending possible. Heaven is worth a little suffering on the journey, isn't it?

I don't really know how long I have blogged about Developing a Heart For God, but one thing I know is that it is a topic that will never end.  The more I read the Word, the more areas I find that I can develop for His glory.

That having been said, I will conclude my weekly postings on DHOG next week.  With a new year comes a new topic... I will be giving you a peek into my personal time with Jesus & how I am growing.

Which brings this application - The person who is developing a heart for God is continually being fed and being challenged in new ways.  He is seeking application and how to move closer in line with God's will.

The challenge is:  to ask the question every time you encounter the word of God... What does this say about my heart moving toward His?

Cupcake anyone?

English can be a frustrating language. Working at the bakery, I've come to hate the F-word. Not that one, but the word fresh. People ask if the stuff in the case is fresh, but they do not in fact know what they are asking. If by fresh they mean straight out of the oven, possibly. If baked that day, the answer is yes. Most often, I think they are asking if it is "not stale," but then the answer would be, of course, yes. I once ate a coffeecake that was five days old and still tasted fresh.

The point of this small rant is first to express my irritation with the F-word but more than that to show the trouble we have at times in English. We can not use some words as accurately or concisely as is necessary. So we have to add qualifying sentences to fully express ourselves. This happens often with the word love.

Last week I asked if Love is all we really needed and if Lennon and Jesus are talking about the same thing. Now I could explain about how in Greek there is 3 (or 4) loves , φιλεο, αγαπε, and ερος (στοργε) but that would be to miss the point.

When I ask if there is a difference between how the world loves and how the Christian should love, is it more than just a matter of definition?

A friend filmed her son reciting Luke chapter two. It is adorable and amazing and is the perfect thing to bring a smile to your face in preparation for Christmas. Enjoy!

Hello Everyone!
The year is coming to an end and many find themselves looking back over the past year. Often times we as humans look at situations as impossible tasks and we don't know how we are going to make it through, but God...
At my church that is one of our favorite sayings, 'but God'! Because we know that with God ALL things are possible. There is nothing too hard for Him. So, I have to say thank You God for Your blessings and for sustaining me throughout this year and my life.
We have to stop looking at our creations, which are generally a mess, and start looking to our Creator! His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are not our ways. We must remember, God has already lived our lives. He has been at the beginning, the middle and the end. He knows exactly where we will lose our way, He knows exactly what we are going through and the best thing is, He loves us so much that He is right there for us ALWAYS! He loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die for our sins! He loves us so much that he sends the Holy Spirit to comfort us in our times of distress!
So, once again, I must say thank You God for loving me so much to do ALL that!
Have a very blessed day everybody!
Cheryl

Ever have one of those days you wish you could just crawl back into bed and forget? That has been my day today. I have spent most of today trying to reboot my brain (completely unsuccessfully, I might add). Days like this make me wonder about God's goodness. Not that I doubt it, necessarily, just that maybe His idea of goodness and mine are VERY different.

But isn't that true? God lets us go through trials, hardships: bad days. That doesn't sound very GOOD to us. To our human minds, goodness is always the opposite of bad. When I think of my children, for instance; I don't want to see anything ever hurt them. I want them to be whole, untarnished. Unfortunately, the world doesn't work that way. When I get too heavy on the "I just want to give my kids what I didn't have," my husband always reminds me that the only way to learn some lessons is by experience. Even though some experiences are bad, they can all be used for good; to teach us how to stand up for ourselves and make better choices.

That's what God's version of goodness is. Yes, He lets us go through hard times. He also walks through them with us. Satan may test us (I happen to think rotten days are specifically Satan's style), but God will always be there beside us to provide a way out.

So it's with that in mind today that I am happy for this bad day. I am happy I made it out unscathed. I may have been in a terrible mood. I may have felt like I wanted to hit something several times today. But I made it out. I'm still here, and God is still with me. That's something to be thankful for.

I have often heard it said:  "don't major in the minors."  The spirit of these words is that we should not get caught up on minor details at the expense of the major details.  Many use this philosophy in the Christian walk to promote unity with other believers.  For instance we might not argue about our perspective of the end times to the point of breaking fellowship, for the sake of both of us being followers of Jesus.  We can still have a peace and a unity even if we do not agree on every single doctrine.

A person who is developing a heart for God, however, majors in the minors in their personal life.  What I mean is this... There are so many things in our lives that we need to make look more like Jesus.  Chasing after God's heart means that we make application of those small things.  It is very easy to miss the personal application of the word because we are caught up in the bigger picture.

For instance... Galatians 5:22 - The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control.  It is easy to read that and give up, because many days I am not kind or patient or loving.  It is hard to accomplish this list.  But I can take one and make application.  I can take love and do things today that are loving.  I can respond in love in situations that I normally wouldn't.

Give it a try... major in the minors.  Take a word, phrase, or single concept from the word today and apply it.  It will change your life.

Since its initial release in 1967, the Beatles' "All you need is Love" has been quoted referenced, even if people don't know it's the Beatles anymore. Wikipedia's article on the song calls it inspired and says it contains a clear message that love is everything. Lennon's goal was that it become a slogan for people stand behind. It is probably safe to say that he was successful. How many would actually argue against love being the answer?

A couple weeks ago (sorry I missed last week), I asked about the Francis of Assisi quote: "Preach the Gospel to all the world, and if necessary, use words." I wondered how this looks like, because most often my life doesn't look much different than the average person. If you saw me in Walmart, you might or might not immediately peg me for a Christian. I agree that words and actions need to go together, but is there any outward mark, anything that would clue someone into the fact that we are a Christian? In John 13:34, Jesus says "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (italics mine)

So, is love all that is needed? Is Lennon and other songwriters correct? Or is there something different and something more in the Christian love?

Brett

May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit. May Christ through your faith dwell in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth; to know the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge[without experience]; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God!
Ephesians 3:16-19

I can't even tell you how much I have needed the strengthening and reinforcement with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit. Not just a little, but to the point of without that strengthening I would have been a shell, only a shadow of my former self. And it's not even something that is necessarily tangible even that I can point to and say here's what makes sense about why I now feel this release and freedom. The ability to grapple with and face those mountains that are ominously dark ahead of me. It's not even like those dark mountains aren't still directly before me, but their weight is different now.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. ps20:7-8

It doesn't make any sense, this level of distress doesn't just depart and give up and let a person stand up. It heaps itself on all the more when you are at your weakest. My strength had failed and and I should have fallen into ruin and despair for all time. Yet we rise up and stand firm. I cannot account for this strengthening in the inner man. Lord too great is your affection and love for me, more than I can comprehend or lay claim to deserving. Lord to know the love of Christ is to see you defy the spirit of this age.

I can't tell you how to lay ahold of this strengthening, or what circumstances should precede it or what will follow. I can tell you hope in the Lord and look to Him. He will come when most unexpected and in a way most unimagined.

Let’s face it, cheaters DO sometimes prosper. People who lie, cheat, and steal sometimes get away with it, and they benefit from it. Running a stoplight, speeding, cheating on a test. There are lots of ways we can see this in our everyday lives. It can be hard as a Christian to maintain integrity when so many people around us are getting ahead by immoral means.

But let’s stop for a minute and think about exactly what it is that these people are getting as a benefit (and we’ll ignore the obvious drawbacks that would come about if they were to get caught). People who run stoplights and speed arrive at their destinations a little bit faster. Students who cheat on tests receive a higher score than they deserve. And people who lie manage to avoid the consequences of an uncomfortable truth and sometimes reap rewards for something they didn’t actually do.

Let’s see…those benefits were some extra time, higher test scores, and avoiding unpleasant consequences. It can be easy to look at the people enjoying these benefits and become discouraged and possibly even tempted. But as Christians, we always need to look at life in light of eternity.

So what are the benefits of lying, cheating, and stealing in light of eternity? The time gained from running stoplights and speeding is less than irrelevant when time has no end. Test scores don’t matter when knowledge isn’t a requirement for entrance into Heaven. And the reward gained from telling a lie is the disappointment of a creator of the universe who gave his life so that you could live.

Wow. There is NO benefit in that. No benefit that actually matters anyways.

Take heart that you are are putting a smile upon the face of the God who gave you life when you live morally, and always live life in light of eternity.

Hello Everyone!
Praise the Lord!!!
"When waves of affilction, sweep over the soul. And sun light is hidden from view. If ever, you are tempted to fret or complain, just think of His goodness to you!"
God is good all the time and all the time God is good! We say it in church and to people we meet, but do we believe it? Well, I know I do. God continues to bless me each and every day. He wakes me up and starts me on my way. He has blessed me to have means and ways to take care of myself and when it doesn't seem like it is enough, God steps in and makes it enough.
He does this because He loves us. But, we must also do something, we must have faith. Faith that God will do just waht he said He would in His word. He promises us that He will supply ALL of our needs. We must not worry, fret or complain. Just believe and trust in Him.
Today He blessed me and 3 friends with unexpected blessings and He blessed us with life, life more abundant! Hallelujah, Thank You Jesus, I thank You Lord for all You've done for me!
Have a very blessed weekend everybody!!!
Cheryl

Tis the season...
We are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. We wait with great anticipation for Christmas Day. Whether we are expecting great things under the Christmas tree or we are looking forward to seeing family, each of us look forward to something. In fact, just ask a friend about their favorite Christmas memory, favorite family tradition, or even their favorite Christmas food. You will see them light up with the cheer of the season.

This is the same with what the church refers to as ADVENT. It is the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas and literally means "arrival" or "coming."

It has really been reality of man for all of his existence. The people of old looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, who would save their people. We look forward to the return of Jesus.

Let's keep in focus what the advent and celebration of the birth of Christ means.
The Hope of something better.
The Preparation for it
The Joy that it brings.
The Love that surrounds.
The Christ child, who was born so we could experience all of that.

Live life in expectation.

How do you like your salad? Personally, I like salads with spinach rather than lettuce, with shredded cheese, green olives (the best type of olive btw), a few croutons, and ranch dressing. Mmm-mmm, good stuff! And since I’m the one making the salad, I can make it just the way I like it.

The same concept doesn’t work with Christianity, as much as many Americans would like to think otherwise. I’m sure most of us would love to have a salad bar Christianity to some point. Give me a large helping of Heaven after I die, a little bit of compassion for the poor and needy, a whole heap of blessings, but hold the obedience. After all, I want to benefit from Christianity, but not if it actually COSTS me anything, right?

Who wants to give up those things we hold so dear? Those things that we know deep down are wrong, but we conveniently ignore that little fact and convince ourselves it’s no big deal.

But here’s the thing. Obedience to God’s will is His way of telling us how to make the absolute best, most perfect salad for us. I mean, come on, he’s God; he knows way better than we do what is best because he understands things way better than we do. He could see you piling up something that He knows is going to cause you some major, lasting discomfort later even if it will give you some temporary pleasure now. And on the flip side, he may see you ignoring something that could cause you immense benefit down the road, but you’re avoiding it because it might not taste good (i.e. it would cause temporary discomfort).

The simple fact is that with the salad of life, it’s either us making the salad or it’s God making the salad.

We are crappy salad makers. Let God make your salad.

Good evening everyone!
I'm blogging later today because I just got to work.
In Phil. 4:11, Paul writes about learning to be content in whatever situation he is in. That is what we must also do. Be content and use what God has provided for you. In His word, God promises us to provide our every need. He gives us gifts and talents to use to our advantage. We are to take them and enlarge His kingdom, not just our territory. If you have a mind for finance, you should help the finance committee at your church. If you keep a very clean home, help keep your church clean each week. If you love children, help the youth department with their Wednesday night program. Whatever your passion for life is, it can be use to uplift our Heavenly Father!
So, use what God has put on your heart. He put it there for a reason, that reason being, His Purpose!
Have a very blessed evening and give Him praise always!!!

I've heard it said that people who give their lives to the Lord at a time of crisis have a stronger faith later in life. The idea behind this theory is that the more difficult and hopeless the situation, the larger impact God's redeeming power has in the mind of the person. For those who have been delivered in such a way, it is easier to hold onto the promise that God will never leave them nor forsake them.

This seems like bad news for those of us who did not come to the knowledge of Christ in this way. Reports abound of teenagers, raised in the church with Godly families, falling away from the church as soon as college begins and they are out from under the authority of the family who taught them to love the Lord. God Himself spoke of people whose faith faltered: "So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:16. Sounds like a promise of abandonment if we don't work hard enough to love God, huh?

Which is why I believe it's important to attend church regularly. We can't get through this Christian life alone-we have to be plugged into God. That, I think more than anything else, is the key to faith-acknowledgement that we need to rely on God for all our needs.

I have recently seen the effects on my life of missing a Sunday meeting at God's house. My youngest was sick, and so I sent off the rest of the family and stayed home with her. "It's only one week," I told myself. "I will be fine." It was one of the worst weeks I've had in recent memory.

Consequently, I can't wait to be back in church this weekend. I need to re-center my perspective. I need to hear what God has to say to me in my current circumstances. Maybe it is true about faith during crisis: I haven't anticipated God's grace and mercy this much in a while.

See you there!

Developing a heart for God means that we are developing a servant's attitude.

We need leadership in the church. We need people who will step up and lead by example and verbally.

I had a great opportunity to teach a student about leadership. We had just finished a big event and there were many people in front of the audience - they were leading in various roles. This middle school student came to me after the meeting and desired to be up front. He wanted to be a leader. We conversed and then I gave him a leadership task. Stack these charis and help me clean up....

You see, leadership is not just being in front of people, it is stacking chairs. Leadership and a heart for God is about service.

I think God loves to see us serve, even when no one else does.

Serve someone today.