The Sea and its Waves: A Sign of the End.

My blogger friend Kal wrote about "sea foam" that was on the beaches of Australia after a cyclone hit. I'd never heard of it before so I looked it up. Here is a picture:

It is an amazing sight. As I looked at this I thought about the recent trouble on the Eastern Seaboard and how the sea came inland. The terrible storms at sea are becoming worse each year. Tidal waves and storm surges are happening all over the world.

I remembered what Jesus said when speaking of the end of the world, "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and there will be distress on earth among the nations that are confused by the roaring of the sea and its waves." Luke 21:25

I used to read that verse long ago and think, "This has not happened in the sea yet." But now it has. The nations are concerned about the sea and its waves. The storms at sea have been the cause of hundreds of thousands of deaths in the last few years.

We don't know what will happen when the heavenly bodies will be shaken. That is yet to come, but it will come.

Jesus went on, "Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."

Now Jesus tells us to look up and be glad,  "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

A Perfect House - A Perfect Person.

My husband and I live in our daughter's house. We moved in to help look after her children while she was at work. I also home-schooled her youngest daughter. The children are teenagers now and my daughter is selling her house.

We have had to keep the house looking perfect for the realtors and any potential buyers. As I was working today, trying to make my apartment look pristine, I thought how hard it was to keep every room looking perfect every day.

That reminded me of how I tried to keep myself perfect when I was a young Christian. I was 19 and so happy to have accepted Christ, but then I began to work on myself to not sin. It was a difficult - well, impossible task. No matter how hard I tried I still made mistakes and did wrong.

I finally realized that I was looking at myself all the time. In the same way I was looking at the rooms of my house for some imperfection, I was looking at my sins and concentrating on them instead of Jesus. I was feeling guilty and condemned, when those feelings were not helpful and not the way God wanted me to feel. Conviction of sin is good but feeling condemned is not.

Now, when I sin I confess it to God, say I am sorry, ask for His help and then forget it. If I have hurt anyone's feelings I say I'm sorry to them too. It is freeing to look away from myself and upward to God.

"Staying Inside my Hula Hoop."

I was reading a study on Abraham by Vela Tomba. I liked how she compared our lives with hula hoops.

"Staying in my hula hoop means accepting God’s limits for who I am, where I end and another person starts. Doing what He has called me to do inside my sphere of influence—inside my hula hoop and not meddling in someone else’s hula hoop.

I can most easily stay in my hula hoop when I have the right understanding of who God is, when I trust Him, when I know Him, when I trust His loving kindness for me."  Vela Tomba

http://bible.org/seriespage/abraham-9-gen-24-25

Abraham and Sarah using Hagar to have a child was a move outside their hula hoops. They crashed into Hagar's hula hoop.

I tried thinking of times when I left my hula hoop. I went through a period of drinking a lot because I didn't trust God to help me to cope with my sadness. When I drank, my hula hoop knocked into my husband's hoop. He had a hard time coping with my drinking.

Limits: It is hard for a parent to keep out of their grown kid's hula hoops. I have sometimes meddled with my daughter's hoops. They didn't appreciate it.

I think for me that "worry" pushes me out of my hula hoop. Yesterday, I talked with my sister Liz about finding a new place to live and how hard it will be because of the money. Then I said I would leave it with God and knew He would show us what to do and help us.

Liz said, "We've had this same conversation three times. Why do you keep saying the same thing?"

I said, "My faith is weak. I start thinking about the move and the money and I get scared. Then I have to tell myself all over again that God will take care of everything." Nope, I'm not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree.

I think judging and criticising people can make their hula hoops teeter and even fall to the ground. I think we all have memories of someone doing that to us and the effect it had.

So, with the grace of God,  let's all stay in our own hula hoops!

Love is as Strong as Death.

Song of Solomon 8:6,7

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm;"

The Bride says this to the bridegroom, (or a believer to God) "As in So 8:5, she was "leaning" on Him, that is, her arm on His arm, her head on His bosom; so she prays now that before they part, her impression may be graven both on His heart and His arm, answering to His love and His power."

 "...for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame."

I thought about love being as strong as death and this made so much sense to me. If someone you love dies you still love him the same. You never stop loving him. Love survives the death of a loved one. The love God has for us surpasses our physical death.

"Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned."

Imagine if someone offered you a million dollars to stop loving your son or daughter. That offer would be "utterly scorned". Imagine if someone offered you a million dollars to turn your back on Christ - that offer would also be scorned. Real love is so deep, so strong, so sure that nothing can move it.

 "If a rich man's whole estate was offered for it, to a lover of Christ; yea, the riches of the Indies, or the vast treasures of the whole globe, on condition of his parting with Christ, and deserting his cause and interest, and dropping or neglecting his love to him, it would be treated by him with the, almost disdain and contempt; "

http://bible.cc/songs/8-7.htm

Comparing Ourselves with Each Other.

"We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves, they are not wise." 
2 Corinthians 10:12

I recently read a book by a Christian teacher. He told the story of his younger brother who went to fight in Vietnam. He came back a drug addict and mentally disturbed by what he had seen and done. When he got home, he went to church and gave his heart to God. But he was badly damaged and his life went downhill until he got a job in commercial fishing. He liked this life since it gave him some solitude. The last time his older brother talked with him he asked him how his Christian walk was going. He answered that he still believed but that living the Christian life was very hard for him. Days later he was found dead of drugs and alcohol.

The teacher said in his book how we are all different. Some of us can be used in God's ministry. Others of us can barely make it through life. He says it isn't our fault and we cannot judge or compare ourselves to others. 

I agree with that. I'm a damaged person with many mental problems. I could never be a Joyce Meyer or Billy Graham. It used to bother me that I couldn't do what others could do. It bothered me I came from abuse and a dysfunctional home. But now I don't care. I've realized I can relate to others who have the same problems as me.

The people of my old church probably think I am a lost soul since I no longer go to church due to my social phobias. I also smoke and I used to drink a lot in order to dull the pain. I think gay marriage is fine - I believe in the freedoms God gave us. We are not a theocracy - we are a democracy. I don't fit the Christian mold and that`s okay.  If I compared myself to others, I would look pretty bad - so I try to never, ever do it.

The only person I compare myself to is Jesus. I do ask myself, "What would Jesus do?" then try to do it to the best of my ability and with the grace God has given me. I don't get discouraged when I compare myself to Jesus because he is God and I am just a human being and I know he is patient and forgiving.

Unanswered Prayer?

A book I was reading talked about "unanswered prayer". I've never understood this concept. I believe every prayer is answered. He says, "Yes" or "No". Some people teach he also says, "Wait". Okay, I guess that is right too.

In my mind, if you have been praying for something for twenty years and it hasn't happened then the answer is "No" and you should accept that.

I remember years ago praying for money to rain down upon my husband and me. I had never prayed for money like that before, just for help when we needed to pay for something, but now most of my family members needed money. Some had cars break down and needed a car. Some needed their credit cards paid. Many needs, many different prayers. I thought if God just gave me tons of money I could help everyone.

I also thought that it didn't hurt to ask. I thought, "God can do anything. I know I can ask for anything and he says "Yes" to most of my prayers so...

After a few weeks of praying for this miracle, God spoke to my mind in a very strong manner. As I was praying for this I felt something in my head - like: bang! Then I heard God say, "Don't pray for this again."

It was very clear. Since then, I've thought about how Moses begged God to let him go over to the promised land. God said, "Enough! Speak to me no more of this matter."

I've never asked for money again. I've seen my family struggle, but maybe they need to struggle! I'm sure there are lessons from life they need to learn - the way I learned, the hard way. Maybe they need to learn to turn to God in their troubles and if they didn't have trouble they might not turn to Him. I don't know, but knowing God, I know he has good reasons for everything he does. I don't consider my prayer unanswered. His answer was very clear!

I Need A Friend.

I read in a book last night that we should be careful how we speak to God.

He said we need to understand how big God is and to be awestruck by that.

But right here, right now, I need a friend.

I have a family who loves me, but I need a friend.

Someone I can be myself with; someone I can say anything to.

Yes, I need a friend who loves me no matter what I do or say.

God is my friend.