Cure for the Common LIfe

I keep seeing Max Lucado books everywhere. Stores stocked with his books, even a couple on the best seller shelves. So a few weeks ago when I passed Cure for the Common Life: Living in Your Sweet Spot in the bargain bin for $1.99 I bought it.

It was a great read. He has a great way with words that sorta reminds me of Joanna Weaver. In this book he helps you find your "sweet spot" (as he calls it) which is the work that you were called to do and actually enjoy. When I started I didn't have a real firm grip on what that would mean for me but now I have a few things I can list right off the bat that I could make a living at or use strictly for Gods purposes. Not that we all don't have some idea what that would be - but this just opens it up a little further. Not only does he help you find some good paths, he also successfully encourages the reader to not to waste talents with plenty of scripture through out the entire book. As a bonus, the back of the book has a section for each chapter good for Bible study groups.

My Heart Christ's Home

My Heart-Christ's Home: A Story for Young & Old by Robert Boyd Munger

This is a very short but phenomenal read. It is not a book about salvation but a great suggestion on how to make your relationship with Christ very real and hands on in a storybook style. My favorite part is the excerpt I left below but there are many other "rooms" of the heart he goes into. I highly recommend the book.

The Living Room

We walked next into the living room. This room was rather intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a sofa, and a quiet atmosphere.

He also seemed pleased with it. He said, "This is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often. It is secluded and quiet, and we can fellowship together."

Well, naturally as a young Christian I was thrilled. I couldn't think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes with Christ in intimate companionship.

He promised, "I will be here early every morning. Meet me here, and we will start the day together." So morning after morning, I would come downstairs to the living room and He would take a book of the Bible from the bookcase. He would open it and then we would read together. He would tell me of its riches and unfold to me its truths. He would make my heart warm as He revealed His love and His grace He had toward me. These were wonderful hours together. In fact, we called the living room the "withdrawing room." It was a period when we had our quiet time together.

But, little by little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be shortened. Why, I don't know, but I thought I was just too busy to spend time with Christ. This was not intentional, you understand; it just happened that way. Finally, not only was the time shortened, but I began to miss a day now and then. It was examination time at the university. Then it was some other urgent emergency. I
would miss it two days in a row and often more.

I remember one morning when I was in a hurry, rushing downstairs, eager to be on my way.

As I passed the living room, the door was open. Looking in, I saw a fire in the fireplace and Jesus was sitting there. Suddenly in dismay I thought to myself, "He was my guest. I invited Him into my heart! He has come as Lord of my home. And yet here I am neglecting Him."

I turned and went in. With downcast glance, I said, "Blessed Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?"

"Yes," He said, "I told you I would be here every morning to meet with you." Then I was even more ashamed. He had been faithful in spite of my faithfulness. I asked His forgiveness and He readily forgave me as He does when we are truly repentant.

"The trouble with you is this: you have been thinking of the quiet time, of the Bible study and prayer time, as a factor in your own spiritual progress, but you have forgotten that this hour means something to me also. Remember, I love you. I have redeemed you at great cost. I value your fellowship. Now," He said, "do not neglect this hour if only for my sake. Whatever else may be your desire, remember I want your fellowship!"

I really can't stress enough what a great read this is. The book is very cheap and worth the purchase.

Shrek the Third

(Bad Review)

I haven't reviewed any movies up until now, and usually wouldn't but after seeing this movie I just had to. But before I go on I just want to say in the early stages of my walk with God I didn't think about movies or other forms of entertainment I subjected myself to (at all) - I'm still far from perfect at screening tv shows and movies. So if anyone out there has already watched this movie with or with out their children I don't think they're doomed. I just want to encourage others to start examining, previewing or researching anything you bring into your home or endorse with God in mind. Especially before letting your children watch or listen.

The Bible of course, is the best standard we can hold ourselves too. At the bottom of this post I left some Bible verses that really spoke to me about this subject.

• The movie starts out with prince charming working in dinner theater. His staring roll in this low budget play is fighting off the the bad guy to rescue a princess in a high tower. He messes up, the set falls apart and he is made fun of by the audience. He ends that scene with a threat to the audience that someday they'll be sorry. He believes he is the rightful king of "Far Far Away", he swears to restore dignity to the throne and "No one will stand in his way"

• The movie's first showing of Shrek and Fiona is in bed. The donkey and the cat come in to wake them and give them their tasks for the day as they are filling in for the king and queen. The donkey rips the covers off Shrek to reveal he has no clothes on. They don't show any nudity but make it clear by the donkey's comments that Shrek isn't wearing any clothes. So I ask...
  Why does a child need this information? Why add anything about a couple who sleeps nude? Why open up possibilities of questions about this from children? The whole thing comes across as casual and comical which shouldn't be the way a child is introduced to the idea of the most private intimacies of a marriage. And with the way sex is treated so light and casual these days I just wish they had left that out.
  

• In the starting music after the bed scene Shrek goes on to dub a night, only he does it with too much force and the sword sticks into the knights shoulder (they don't show any blood or guts or even a wound). Then it goes on to show him christening a boat, only he smashes the bottle to hard and the boat catches fire and sinks simultaneously from the hole Shrek made with the bottle. In real life this would be life threatening, not funny. I know it's just a cartoon and this part isn't as big of a deal but it feels like another attempt to desensitize a child's mind.

• Prince charming goes into a bar, orders everyone in the place a fuzzy navel (a hip and trendy alcoholic drink) and bands the bad guys together to go against the good guys. WHY do they need to add an alcoholic drink to the menu?? Later on the cat tries to talk Shrek into a fishing trip with mojitos (a rum drink).
  

• When Shrek visits a high school to find Arther (another replacement for the king) They show a renaissance version of a VW bus. The van door suddenly opens and as a couple boys get out, a billow of smoke rolls out with them. The movie portrays the boys as being high - from of course the blaring hint of them smoking marijuana. Even though they don't show or mention drugs at all, I'm not stupid.
  
  
• The movie is filled with name calling, rude manners, and plenty of other minor and petty moral filth I don't think most parents would want their children imitating.
  

I know there are several people out there who don't think there's anything wrong with this movie but as a Christian I disagree. If you think about the innocent mind your shaping when raising a child, a parent should be very cautious about the things they present to children. In fact we should be more selective about the things we watch as well.

To make fun of people, call them names, or retaliate & scheme in anger are all sins which this movie made extremely light of. It was actually the under lying foundation of entertainment in the movie.

Sin will happen all on it's own in everyones life, but we should not be the ones to introduce it to others, especially our children.

Bible verses to use as a reference...

Matthew 18:7
Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!

Ephesians 5:11
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

Titus 2:12-13
…say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ

James 1:21
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Proverbs 22:5-6
Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; he who guards himself will be far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Too Busy Not to Pray

In the effort of trying to improve my prayers I picked up the book Too Busy Not to Pray: Slowing Down to Be With God by Bill Hybels.

Although it didn't fire me up, it wasn't a bad read and was pretty beneficial.

The author starts from the sad fact that many of us forget, or get to busy to pray as often as we should. Mr. Hybel encourages us find anchors through out the day to remind us to pray, like when we wake up, at meals, and before bed. He also encourages us to find a great prayer spot that might inspire, and another great suggestion was to write down our prayers before we start.

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I am constantly asking God to be with me in each minute of my day so, I loved it when he reminds us of a few verses...

"...I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ~ Matthew 28:20
"... I will never leave you nor forsake you." ~ Hebrews 13:5
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." ~ John 14:18

This is the point where he advises us to not waste our time praying that God be with us through out our day(because he already is!), he instead encourages us to pray that we will be aware of his presence and follow his lead. Wow, this one really made a positive impact on me.

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Another great position he takes is that our prayers should NOT resemble a shopping list. Our prayers should include worship, praise, submission, requests, & confessions. God wants a relationship with us, and those who are constantly asking for things but never putting anything back into the relationship or examining themselves aren't much fun to have around. With the exception of worship, friendships and other earthly relationships could benefit from this kind of thinking!

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In chapter 7 he goes on...

"How do you pray a prayer so filled with faith that it can move a mountain? By shifting the focus from the size of your mountain to the sufficiency of the mountain mover, and by stepping forward in obedience.

He adds some great verses that tell us of the unbelievable things people have done because of prayer and then stepping out in faith, such as David over coming Goliath (1 Samuel 17) and another great story of prayer and faith in Number 13. He then goes on to say that we all have our own mountains and goes on to challenge us to shift the focus of our prayers...

Don't spend a lot of time describing your mountain to the Lord. He knows what it is. Instead, focus on the mountain mover - His glory, power and faithfulness. Then start walking in faith, following His lead, and watch that mountain step aside.

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Chapter 8 goes into unanswered prayers. This is a great chapter that explains a lot but he summarizes part of it in one great little jingle...

If the request is wrong, God says "No."
If the timing is wrong, God says "Slow."
If you are wrong, God says "Grow."
But if the request is right, the timing is right and you are right, God says "Go!"

Bill then warns us of absence of prayer, not confessing sin, broken relationships, selfishness, having uncaring attitudes OR a lack of faith can all be reasons for unanswered prayers. As Isaiah 59:2 says, "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear."

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This is a great book that has potential to encourage anyone in their prayer life and walk with God.

Having a Mary Spirit

I just finished reading "Having a Mary Spirit: Allowing God to Change Us from the Inside Out" by Joanna Weaver.

It was just as great as the last book I read, written by her.

The book is written for women and centers around our walk with God, the constant internal struggle with our own stubbornness and all the worldly ways we each battle with daily. There are so many great points through out the entire book I decided to quote several of my favorites.

She talks a lot about "Flesh Woman" through out the book. Which she describes as the split to our spiritual personalities. The two sides to each of us; one doing her best to follow Jesus, the other (flesh woman) rebellious to just about anything that's right in Gods eyes...

Even after salvation, Flesh Woman tends to call the shots. Because although we've given Christ complete dominion over our spirits, He must also be welcomed into the other areas of our lives. The dark corners of our hearts still need to be evangelized. Kingdoms in our souls have yet to hear the good news. And that multilevel transformation doesn't happen all at once.

Though our spirits are brought to life when we meet Christ, the other, more outward parts of us remain largely unchanged at first. We may feel the effects of the good news - we are happier, and we enjoy a peace and a lightness we've never experienced before. Yet Flesh Woman still rules in these areas - and she's not at all happy about our conversion...

...When we accept the gift of salvation , the Spirit of God penetrates our spirits with the life of Jesus. But, as Ray Stedman wrote, "The soul is still under the control of the flesh and remains so until the Spirit successively invades each area or relationship and establishes the Lordship of Jesus within." This is important to understand: There is a throne in every area of the human soul!

The question of Jesus' lordship must be fought anew in each area of our physical, mental, and emotional lives. This means we can be living by the Spirit in one area (say, daily devotion) and still be totally controlled by the flesh in another area (for instance, our choice of entertainment or patterns of escape). The process of unseating Flesh Woman in all these areas and making Jesus Lord of our bodies, souls, and spirits can literally take a lifetime.

(I find this to be so true in my own life)

In chapter 4 Joanna goes on encouraging her readers to learn to completely rely on the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and not to settle for "spiritual mediocrity".... Pardon me while I quote her, quoting someone else. :)

Pastor and author Mark Buchanan (The Holy Wild: Trusting in the Character of God), describes this halfway life too many Christians settle for as "conversion with out regeneration, an initial encounter with Jesus that doesn't lead to a life abiding with Jesus." He calls it "borderland."

People on borderland have grown comfortable with boredom. They have settled for a God "on call," a God available for crises and fiascos, who does a bit of juggling with weather patterns and parking stalls but who otherwise remains unobtrusive as a chambermaid, tidying things up while you're at brunch, leaving a crisp sash of tissue around the lid of the toilet bowl to let you know all is in order. The problem, obviously, is that this god - so kind, so shy, so tame - has nothing whatsoever to do with the God of the Bible. This god resembles not even remotely the God whose Spirit broods and dances, the God who topples entire empires, sometimes overnight, the God who reveals himself in the Christ who looks big men in the eye and says, "follow me," and then walks away, not waiting for a reply. - Mark Buchanan

This is a God bold enough to call us away from borderland and kind enough to provided a way out. for we have not been left helpless. "The Christ you have to deal with is not a weak person outside you," the Phillips translation of 2 Corinthians 13:3 declares, "but a tremendous power inside you"

Even better she goes on to give a list of tips to better follow the Holy Spirits lead...

1. Tune your heart to His voice. God's Spirit speaks in a still, small voice rarely audible to the human ear (at least not to mine!). But as we quiet our hearts , He often uses impressions or our own thoughts to direct us. The more we practice listening for Him, the more we're likely to recognize His leading.
2. Mind the checks. This Quaker phrase means that when we feel a strong doubt whether a particular course is right, we should simply wait and do nothing. Direction from God will strengthen with the passing of time. If the course of action is not from Him, in a few days or weeks it will fade or disappear entirely.
3. Test the message. We must check any inner direction we receive against Scripture. If it aligns, then the advice of godly friends, providential circumstances, and what Catherine Marshall calls "sanctified common sense" can also be helpful.
4. Watch for repetition. God often sends me confirmations that I've heard His voice through sermons, other people, or miraculous provision. Themes will be repeated because, as my friend Marla says, "God is like your mom. If you don't listen the first time, He repeats Himself!"
5. Take the next step. Though God often gives direction, I've found He almost never lays out a road map for the future. He intends this life to be a walk of faith. So, as we obey one step at a time, the next step will come into view. As we practice obedience, the voice of the Spirit becomes clearer, His instructions more definite.
6. Beware the Spirit's withdrawal. Our disobedience grieves and hinders the Holy Spirit's work. If He is insistent that you obey in some area, do it - or you'll feel a lack of the Spirit's presence. As Oswald Chambers says, "God will never reveal more truth... until you obey what you know already."
7. Ask for and expect wisdom. Do not rule out God's help with the small details of life. If we don't allow God to direct our everyday lives, we may not be able to follow Him when crises come. When you ask, believe the Spirit will lead you into all truth. Look for the answer in faith. God is eager to help us!

Joanna Reminds us that being led by the Spirit, in turn means we need to obey.

But the kind of faith that pleases God, that tilts the reckoning in our favor, is not passive. It's not nodding our heads to an idea and saying, "I guess that sounds all right." Far from it.

True faith requires obedience. It requires being willing to stake everything on God's love and faithfulness - and then doing what he asks.

Even when we don't understand.

Even when He demands that we give up the things we love the most.

Near the end of the book she tells us of a desire I think very appropriate to round this up...

"I want to be led by the Spirit. For when I am, it is Christ who enters the room first, and not me"... "I want everything I do to be Spirit inspired, Spirit driven, Spirit breathed. Even the mundane, ordinary things"... such as doing the dishes, vacuuming the house, paying the bills, and scrubbing the toilet.

Joanna uses this book to spur us on to a higher standard, and whats even better she somehow wrote in such a way that made me want to push myself to a higher standard!

I wish I could have gone into so many other things she wrote about ("Holy Tension" & "Killing what's already dead" - chapter 6, "The Yo-Yo Prayer" - chapter 13, etc.) but this is a review and not the book.

This is a great read for women in all stages of their faith.

Praying God's Word

Pride is a Cheater

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny...because
you demand your own way.

I cheat you of contentment...because
you "deserve better than this."

I cheat you of knowledge ...because
you already know it all.

I cheat you of healing...because
you're too full of me to forgive.

I cheat you of holiness...because
you refuse to admit when your wrong.

I cheat you of vision...because
you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.

I cheat you of genuine friendship...because
nobody's going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love...because
real romance demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of greatness in Heaven...because
you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.

I cheat you of God's glory...because
I convince you to seek your own.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

You like me because you think I'm always looking out for you.

Untrue.

I'm looking to make a fool of you.

God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry...
If you stick with me

You'll never know.

~ Beth Moore
Praying God's Word: Breaking Free From Spiritual Strongholds

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

I've been reading a book recommended by a friend lately. Actually the book was part of a semester long study in our ladies class at church. Unfortunately they had 2 really good classes going at once so I only made it to the class on this book a few times. The teacher was gone once (maybe twice) in the class I was in, so I just floated over the the ladies class during those times and I think that is exactly what God had planned for me.

The teacher highlighted one part of this book one of those days I floated over, and I just haven't forgotten it in the 2 years since. The rest of the book is great, but I thought I would share a small portion of the book here, in hopes that someone else will be as intrigued as I was....

The book is called "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver



This bit is taken from the middle of chapter 5....

Making Room For The Savior
Few things have whetted my hunger for God like the discipleship course I took back in 1987. While other people may struggle with worldly temptations, my struggle has always been in the area of spiritual disciplines. My devotional life has been haphazard at best. Because I hadn't developed the habit of a quiet time as a child, when the busyness of adulthood came, I found it difficult to find time alone with the Lord.

Some of you may be aghast at such a thought. Your devotional life runs like clockwork. You find it impossible to make it through the day with out time alone with God.

If that is true for you, may I tell you how blessed you are? It has taken me nearly twenty years to come to this discipline, and even then it has been a gift of grace, not an accomplishment of my own making.

Until I took the Navigator's 2:7 Course, I didn't even know what I was missing. There are many wonderful discipleship programs available, and I don't highlight this one for any reason except that it happened to be the one our church used. It gave me the discipleship tools I needed and some necessary accountability as well.

The class was wonderful. My spirit began to grow and thrive as the soil of my heart was tilled deep and fed by the Word of God. But then my Martha-like perfectionist tendencies kicked in, causing me to approach my devotional time as another duty to perform. I loved the feeling I got as I checked of chapters in my Bible reading and conquered another memory verse. To be honest, much of my motivation cam from my competitive nature. I wanted to be the star pupil, one of those disgusting teacher's pets.

Robert Boyd Munger's article "My Heart Christ's Home" changed all that. Through the simple analogy he suggested, I discovered what it meant to have a Mary heart toward God. Suddenly my eyes were open to what true devotion is.
It is not a duty. It is a delight.

It is not an exercise in piety. It is a privilege.

And it is not so much a visit as it is a homecoming.

"Without question one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines is that Jesus Christ Himself through the presence of the Holy Spirit will actually enter a heart, settle down and be at home there," Munger says. "[Jesus] came into the darkness of my heart and turned on a light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, wonderful fellowship."

Munger goes on to tell how he showed Christ around the house of his heart, inviting him to "settle down here and be perfectly at home," welcoming him room by room. Together they visited the library of his mind - "a very small room with very thick walls." They peered into the dining room of his appetites and desires. They spent a little time in the workshop where his talents and skills were kept, and the rumpus room of "certain associations and friendships, activities and amusements." They even poked their heads into the hall closet filled with dead, rotting things he had managed to hoard.

As Munger described each room, they reflected my heart as well. But it was his depiction of the drawing room that would forever change the way I viewed my time with the Lord.


We walked next into the drawing room. This room was rather intimate and comfortable. I liked it. It had a fireplace, overstuffed chairs, a bookcase, sofa, and a quiet atmosphere.

He also seemed pleased with it. He said, "this is indeed a delightful room. Let us come here often. It is secluded and quiet and we can have fellowship together."
Well, naturally as a young Christian I was thrilled. I could not think of anything I would rather do than have a few minutes apart with Christ in the intimate comradeship.

He promised, "I will be here every morning early. Meet with Me here and we will start the day together." So, morning after morning, I would come downstairs to the drawing room and He would take a book of the Bible... open it and then we would read together. He would tell me of its riches and unfold to me its truths.... They were wonderful hours together. In fact, we called the drawing room the "withdrawing room." It was a period when we had our quiet time together.
But little by little, under the pressure of many responsibilities, this time began to be shortened... I began to miss a day now and then.... I would miss it two days in a row and often more.

I remember one morning when I was in a hurry... As I passed the drawing room, the door was ajar. Looking in I saw a fire in the fireplace and the Lord sitting there... "Blessed Master, forgive me. Have You been here all these mornings?"
"Yes," He said, "I told you I would be here every morning to meet with you." Then I was even more ashamed. He had been faithful in spite of my faithlessness. I asked His forgiveness and He readily forgave me...

He said "the trouble with you is this: You have been thinking of the quiet time, of the Bible study and prayer time, as a factor in your own spiritual progress, but you have forgotten that this hour means something to Me also."

What an amazing thought - that Christ wants to spend quality time with me. That he looks forward to our time together and misses me when I don't show up. Once that message started sinking into my heart, I started looking at my devotional time in a whole new way - not as a ritual, but as a relationship.
And a relationship doesn't just happen. It has to be nurtured, protected, and loved.

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This book isn't just centered around this idea but a passage out of Luke 10...

At the Home of Martha and Mary
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

A justifiably busy woman vs. another woman who puts worship above everything else; and how there is a balance somewhere in all that (of course putting worship and devotion to God at the top of your list).

Highly recommended read.