Are your True Colors Showing???

Our Community Group recently finished studying the book of James.... what a wonderful book to dig in to!!!  Seems like I spent most of that study thinking wow... just... wow!!!! I mean, come on... the first chapter starts out powerful! No "sliding in to a topic", BAM... right to the point!

James 1:2-4:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete,

 not lacking anything. ... NIV

That is powerful.... but I LOVE looking up different versions, they sometimes make things a little more clear. The Message translated these verses this way :

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 

You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its 

true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work 

so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. 

This is one of those instances where I feel that the message really opens up the Word, in particular where it says your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. That really makes me sit back on my heels to ponder what colors (if any!) I show when I'm under pressure?

How true it is that when our lives are going great, and we have "balance", our faith-life looks pretty good. We go along saying the right things, doing our best to do the right things. We go to church, we smile, we sing songs of praise, and then we leave the building with God tucked right back in that little box, all safe and snug, to be taken out again the following week. From the outside, we look pretty good to those around us. We 'have it all together', so to speak. It is pretty easy during this time to have our colors shine like a sunset... calm and serene, the picture of contentment.

What happens when we come under fire? When the pressure is on? When our life starts to resemble a roller-coaster ride instead of a leisurely ride on a carousel? What do we look like when our faith-life is forced into the open then? During times such as these do people look at us only to find a total lack of color? Do they find that our contentment is gone? That our smiles falter? That our songs of praise have lost their fervor?

What is MY true color? Have I become mature in my walk with Christ? Am I deficient? Where will I stand when the "heat is on"?? These are really hard questions... and I think that James is right on target when he says that we must "consider it pure joy... a sheer gift.... when we suffer trials... when we are tested... when we are challenged". I think it is then when we learn how deeply our faith is Christ is rooted. It is then that we either choose to  draw closer to the one who sustains us and let HIS light shine for the world to see, or we choose to keep Him in that box we've created for him and only take him out when it is convenient.

The gift we receive?? Christ IN us... where he holds us up... where he gives us peace and comfort... where His light shines through us so that others can be drawn TO Him.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  James 1:12

Have a Blessed Day!
Lynn

A Conversation that STILL has me wondering!!!!!

I recently was in conversation with a group of people about the use of technology. Is it good? Is it bad? Do people rely too much on it? Are kids really getting what they NEED in life by constantly utilizing their cells, I-pads, and Kindles?  You get the drift, right???

So I happened to mention that one of the kids in my 4th grade Sunday School class recently asked me if there would be technology in heaven. He wondered how he would manage to be in heaven if he couldn't have his phone (yes, 4th grader with a smart phone!!!). I told him that I doubted that we would have need for our devices in heaven, as our sole purpose will be to glorify God.

Well, one of the ladies in this conversation just looked at me and said, "Oh, I think we'll have technology in heaven. The bible says that we will all have mansions and that they will be filled with the things that we love, or are good at, in this life. So if I use my phone or computer a lot here on earth, and it is important to me, then I will have it in heaven."

I sat there, dumbfounded... as I've read the bible through completely once... and other portions many times... and I just can't seem to place where that is in scripture!!!! John 14:2 tells us, "In My Father’s house are many mansions;^[a] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."  I'm just not sure that we will have access to our gaming systems, cell phones, or The Hopper!!!!

So, what are your thoughts??? Pretty sure I know which side of the fence I'm standing on, how about you????

Have a Blessed Day!
Lynn

Just stuck....

Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head??? I'm sure you have.... who hasn't at one time or another!!! Generally a really catching tune like "The Ants Go Marching One by One"... (sorry, you'll be singing THAT one all day now!).... but since ensemble practice last Wednesday, I have to admit that one of the songs has nearly driven me crazy!!!

The song is beautiful, and the line I'm hearing over and over is great... "What wonderous love is this, oh my soul, oh my soul, what wonderous love is this oh my soul"... now... I hear it all day long... I'm repeating it over and over in my mind. I even hear it if I wake up in the middle of the night!!! Now THAT can be a little frustrating!!!!

But today, it hit me... why should I be frustrated about a song that is praising our Savior repeating itself over and over in my mind? We are created to PRAISE our God and our Savior... and when we reach heaven that is ALL we will be doing there!!!!

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. " Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him that sits on the throne, and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say, "You are worthy our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." Rev. 4: 8-11

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousdand times ten thousands. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise."

Then I heard every creature in heaven, and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them singing: "To him that sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever." Rev. 5: 11-13

Now WE... you and I... are the creatures on the earth... and we get to SING PRAISES along with all of the angels... the creatures of God's creation... with the Elder's... we get to priase HIM over and over and over again... and I don't think we will be frustrated or bored... I think we will be excited... amazed... awestruck... I can't even find the right words to describe how we will feel.

So I'm gonna start looking at this song that is stuck in my head a little differently... I'm gonna let it roam, and ramble, and maybe even begin just belting it out... because I am PRACTICING for my forever and ever with the God who created me to worship HIM!!!!