Frustration

I just heard pots and pans clanging together and Mary’s frustrated voice proclaim, “I’ve got to have some room in this kitchen!!!!!!!” I know it is not funny but I laughed anyway. She also added, “You have three shops and I have ten feet.” Do I sense a bit of resentment? I built the kitchen cabinets so it must be my fault. What a joy to live with this girl. I cherish every moment with her. She is my best friend and leaving her to go speak somewhere is always difficult for me. These days we are trying to make the most of every moment together. We are realists and know that we are nearing the end of our earthly journey. We enjoy the simple things of life, our deck, flowers, birds, and of course Tramp. We have had an incredible journey together and while we are very different, our differences have served us well. Now back to the subject of frustration and how it can wrap its tentacles around our lives and leave us miserable. I get frustrated with my ADD. I can’t stay with anything for long. Studying for me has been in tidbits at all hours of the day and night. I have notes written on everything from napkins to paper plates and I can’t find them when I need them. I think my greatest frustration is with me. I keep hoping I can do better but the guy I see in the mirror just gets older. I am dealing with some of my frustration these days. I have decided I can’t be like you. I can’t please everyone and some people will never love me no matter what I do. I have decided to stop chasing success and go for relationship building. The question is, can I have a close relationship with Jesus and be a failure? I think not. I will no longer let you or anyone else define success for me. What matters most to me is that my Heavenly Father is pleased with me. I am weary of living by other people’s definitions and for me that has been the source of so much of my frustration. It is His “Well Done” I am in pursuit of and anything that takes me away from that is cause for frustration. Don’t let the clanging of life’s pots and pans frustrated you. It is not that important. Stick with the important stuff, stop chasing rainbows and for goodness sake, BE YOURSELF. Jfs
1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

LIFE LESSON:
Blame Game
It is the original game, first played in the Garden of Eden. Adam sinned and he blamed it on Eve and God. “The woman You gave me” he said to God. It just may be that the worst sin of all is the failure to take responsibility for our own behavior. “It is your fault” is spoken too often and it never solves anything.
Misdirected blame results in faulty remedies. Band aids can’t cure cancer and laws can’t liberate broken lives. When our society is not willing to look at the real problem we join in the blame game. Many of the same people who want to blame guns for the horrible killings in this country are the same people who say no to teaching right and wrong in the public school system. The Holy Scriptures draw a clear line between right and wrong and when that line is erased the restraint is gone. So lets put the blame where it belongs, EVIL. Just the way I see it. Jfs

THE PROBLEM:
Mr 7:21 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
(NKJV)
THE REMEDY:
2Co 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

From the Journey

From the Journey

I love this line from the life of Joseph, Gen 41:52 “….for God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”  God’s blessings on our lives are not dependent upon the circumstances of our lives.  What God called Joseph to be and do could not be accomplished in his homeland.  He was called to Egypt and the journey to the place of blessing was not an easy one.  We too must realize that God wants to put us in the place of being blessed and the place of blessing others.  I have learned that the journey to the place of blessing always involves suffering. Joseph refused to get in the blame game.  We too need to remember that when things go wrong it doesn’t mean God is not in control. Gen 50:20 “Even though you planned evil against me, God planned good to come out of it…..”  In your journey my friends, keep “LOOKING TO JESUS the author and finisher of your faith.”  jfs

Important

Time with your family is never wasted time.  Today is a good day to think about the important things of life and it is not about stuff.  Most of us are over stuffed, caught in the trap of little things.  Looking at old photos, I am shocked at how fast time chases us down the road, often blurring the important moments of life.  Take time today to think about what is really important to you.  Don’t sell your soul for the temporary.  Give yourself to the eternal values of life--love, forgiveness, joy, peace, friendship.  Don’t let the world squeeze you into its miserable mold of emptiness.  Open your heart to the heart of God, feel His love, receive His forgiveness and know that at the end of the road He will welcome you home.  Jfs

1Co 2:9 But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

PS  So who goes to heaven--people who love God.  Loving God always finds expression in the way we live our lives.  Mt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

God Time

I wonder if one of our problems is that we choose to live on man time rather than God time.  I confess, in my life much of my stress comes from living on man time.  Man time is living by a Timex or a Rolex whatever the cost they can have the same effect on our lives, controlling our every move.  God time is not about the hour or the day it is about doing the right thing at the right time.  One thing I have learned about time is that I can accomplish more at the right time than I can in a long time at the wrong time. I have learned in my sermon preparation that I can accomplish much more in a short time on His time than I can in a long time on my time. So when He calls I listen, I will leave a TV program I am enjoying to work on His time.  Reading the Gospels it is obvious that Jesus lived on the Father’s time and that didn’t always go well with His friends.  He didn’t make it to Lazarus’ funeral but in that case and every case, Fathers timing was better.  In our world everywhere we look we see the time, reminding us that we have to be somewhere or do something, and sad to say many lives are controlled by a $12.95 Wal-Mart watch. Well I am in rebellion, I choose to live by Father’s time because I am sure I have enough time to do everything He wants me to do and then some for myself. It is a struggle but it can be done.  To all my friends take a deep breath and make a choice to live by the Heavenly clock and not by the one at the bank. Jfs

(Luke 10:38-42) And as they went, it happened that He entered into a certain village. And a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she came to Him and said, Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.  (MKJV)

PS  Maybe we need to rethink the real meaning of “wasting time.”

Weight

There are weights measured in pounds, 20,30, etc, and we lift them with little thought, but there are weights measured only by sad faces and troubled minds, weights picked up along life’s journey, some of our choosing and some put on us by others.  Airplanes can crash because they are overloaded, and people can too.  Truth is, we were not made for heavy loads we break under the stress.  Jesus answer for the heavy load problem is an invitation to all of us.

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Mt 11:28-30.

 Yoked to Jesus, now that is weight I can live with.  jfs

Bad Deal

Live by your feelings, what you can see and feel and you will be living for the temporary.  Live by faith in Jesus Christ and you will be living for the eternal.  It is the battle we all face, getting pushed around by the circumstances of life.  What we just heard impacts our day, what we feel keeps us from taking care of what is important.  The world of pain and disappointment screams at us for attention.  Feelings always want to be in the driver’s seat plotting the miserable course of living for the temporary.  Faith says, “Give HIM control,” look beyond the moment, trust the ONE who raised from the dead, the one who has an eternal plan for your life.  Trust the One who will direct your life from a motive of love.  Put your faith in the Creator not the created. This life is temporary, it will end.  The life He offers is eternal.  Sacrificing the eternal for the temporary is a rotten deal.  Jfs

2Co 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

(NKJV)