A New thought for the day.

A pastor at the church we go to posted blogged about how he had two buckets: 1. God Bucket and 2. Everything else Bucket. Basically, he was saying His quiet times with God, his praying, his meditating, studying, etc. was all done in separation to his family and home. This got me thinking as well because I can read and pray and help other people and minister to those who need it, but when I am with my wife and kids, I find my self doing things and saying things that aren't always loving. I can get very impatient, very selfish, and sometimes a bit grumpy. I am thinking to myself, something is not right! I should not be acting this way. So this week, one of my prayers was, God show me anything else I need to give up. Well, I felt He definitely answered after a decent night sleep. We can read scripture, pray all day, help our neighbor, but if we don't love, then what? I do need to grow in the different spiritual disciplines, but I also need to take on the Character of Christ. He was humble, patient, kind, gentle, not easily angered or impatient, sounds a lot like the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians. I need to give up my character, because it is not good enough. Christ's character is enough and I can take on His character through the Holy Spirit! Does not Christ dwell in me? So should His character, not mine. Our families are the ultimate test of character. It is also the ultimate window into the people we really are. Isn't that what they say about character, its what we do when no one is looking? Well, what happens between the walls of my house are only witnessed by a small hand full. So should I not put on Christ there too? God kept reminding me, deny your self and pick up your cross and follow me! Be slow to anger, be kind, gentle, long suffering, keeper of no wrongs. Its not that 1 Corithians is just a great wedding verse, but it is a picture of the character of Christ.  Let us submit our character to God so that He may give us the Character of Christ!

Bumming Around

Imagine yourself as a homeless, crack addict, full of shame and sin. For years, living on the streets doing whatever it took to get your next fix. Then one day, out of no where a man takes you to his mansion and says to you, “For now on, you will live with me, anything you need, just ask.” The first day is great, but after the honeymoon wears off, you find your self still falling into your bad habits. You start to steal from your benefactor, you start to distrust him, you say to yourself, “I don’t deserve this!” And ultimately you begin to fall back into all the shameful things you did when you were out on the streets. It is the same way with you and I. Before Christ, our actions, thoughts, and deeds led us to death, but now that we know Christ, our actions, thoughts, and deeds lead us to life. But, and I mean a BIG BUT, we have to learn how to live this new life in Christ. Paul says in verses 13-14 (NIV), “...but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Say no to the things that separate you from God. Say no to the things that separate you from our spouse, children, families or friends.  We have to make the choice to live by the Spirit and deny ourselves the sin we once loved. I will encourage you with this:

 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (NIV)

12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Miss D. Meanor

We are always down for a road trip! When I drive, I love to get there as fast as I can, or at least I used to drive that way. I always thought my chances of getting pulled over was low. But one day while driving in VA, I got pulled over for reckless driving, which is punishable by up to a year in jail. My heart felt like it got hit with a sledge hammer. I tried to picture what it would be like if I had to go to jail. I would be crushed to be away from my family. Oh, my poor wife would have to move in with my mom and probably get a job because I wouldn’t be able to support my wife and kids. Of course my wife was freaking out, “I don’t want you to go to jail!!!” “Dear, neither do I !!!” 

Thankfully, a couple months later, I had the ticket reduced to a speeding ticket and just had to pay a fine. I felt free! 

Now, since I got off of the misdemeanor and know how to get it reduced, do I go out and speed even faster? Do I drive reckless everywhere I go because I got out of it once? No way, first I never drive in VA again, but second I learned from my mistake and slowed down. My family and future is not worth the need for speed. 

Its the same way as Christians. Do we continue to live the life that leads to death? Or do we live in the power of Christ? Salvation is freely given to those who ask, but our lives are no longer ours, but Christ’s. Paul says we were once slaves to sin, now let us be slaves to Righteousness. (Rom 6:18)

Freedom?

One word that we cherish as Americans that is not mentioned, but implied in these verses is the word Freedom. The word “Freedom” gets thrown around like a frisbee on a college campus when Christians talk about their faith in Christ and has just as many different shapes and colors as frisbees. Does it mean we are free to sin as we please? Does being a Christian give me Carte Blanche, so I can do anything because Jesus will forgive me? It says that nothing can separate me from the Love of God? Right?

Paul spells out very clearly, what we are “free” from. He reminds us of how we were slaves to sin. Our thoughts, our actions had one end in mind, death. We were bound to death by our own selfishness and lusts for the material world. We sought for joy where joy could not be found. We tried to erase our loneliness with people who just reminded us of how lonely we are. We tried to buy joy and wear happiness, but deep inside we knew it was all a mirage. Oh how we just wanted to be accepted, loved, cherished! We were nothing but God loved us still and sent His son to die, so we can live. Yet Paul remind us that as we identify with Christ’s death through our baptism, that our old self dies and we are raised to a new life in Jesus Christ. The power that resurrected Jesus from the grave now resides in me, you, all of those who have declared Jesus as Lord of their Life.  We are now free to be transformed by God. We are free from all the world’s expectations. We are free to not sin. We are free to experience true Joy and Peace only found in our Lord Christ Jesus. We are free from death. 

Pretty Ugly

I was blog surfing the other day and found a blog that had a lot of photos. Scanning the pages, there were a lot of photos of clothes, different rooms of a house, accessories including Rolex watches and designer hand bags and finally people who you might see in fashion magazine. You got a sense that the photographer had an idea of what they thought was beautiful. I mean, why else take photos but to try and capture something beautiful. As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, such that each soul finds beauty in different things. Maybe a sun set. White sands, palm trees, and bright yellow sun. Mountain Valleys. Hot Red Farrari. Movie stars. Women. Men. Coach bag, Rolex watch. Ballet. Filet Mignon. Cup Cakes. Something beautiful? 

Why are we drawn to certain things? Why do some women obsessed with fashion? Why are some men obsessed with cars? Why are others obsessed with working out or dieting? Why are some obsessed with this hobby or that? Why do they spend so much time chasing this or seeking that? It is because each of us, you and me, seek out things that are beautiful. We want to some how obtain a part of the beauty that one thing might possess. We want to consume the beauty, we want to experience the beauty. We recognize a lack of beauty in our selves. Yet, what we find is, that like eating a McDonald’s, not such a value meal, it looks so great but after consuming we are still left unsatisfied. Is there true beauty?  

So what is beauty? Something beautiful is valuable. It is something that is good. Something worth working for. Something worth sacrificing for. You would abandon all others to get a grasp. Something bigger and greater than our selves. What would you do to obtain that which you think is beautiful? Unfortunately, we have a false sense of what beauty is. First deception is that beauty in its self is the goal or end, in what ever form. Second, often what we think is beautiful has no intrinsic value or any lasting satisfaction. Beauty is constantly fleeing. We can never catch up because this beauty we chase is really a mirage.  

True Beauty exists but we may not be able to see it. God created the universe, the Earth, the water, land, plants, animals, and humans. We learn if we read Genesis, that they were all good, they were all beautiful. They were beautiful not because of how they shined but because they were reflections of God’s awesomeness and Beauty. Everything God made is good. All good things from God are good, are beautiful. 

Even Lucifer was the most beautiful angel and he thought because of his greatness, he could be better than God. Now Satan has introduced a false beauty. In Genesis, when Satan tempts Eve, it refers to Eve seeing the fruit as pleasing to the eye and good to eat. Satan had promised them they would be wise and like God. But they would soon find out how empty that promises would be. From then on, humanity’s sense of beauty has been skewed. 

So what is true beauty? I watched a TV show last year called True Beauty where they explore the inner beauty of attractive people. I think they were getting a glimpse of what true beauty is. When David was being anointed as future king, Samuel scoffed, but God said, “Man looks on the outside, but I look at the heart.” Paul also said, “How beautiful are the feet of those that bring the gospel.” So here we get a different picture of what is truly beautiful. God is true beauty. Life in Christ is truly beautiful! People who share the Life giving Good news are beautiful! The only way to experience True Beauty is to look to Christ.

Only Six more months...

We got an email the other day from AIM saying that they have flight reservations for us on July 14th, 2011! Wow, what an email! That was very encouraging! As the new year begins, we are excited with anticipation to see God's mighty hand at work! Everyday is a step closer until we leave our world as we know it and venture to new ones.  We are continually reminded and encouraged that God is good and that He is in charge! We are encouraged by you as you pray for us and as you so generously give as God leads! We are humbled by your gracious giving and give thanks to God for you and that He would continue to bless and be glorified by you! We are very, very close to reaching our outgoing funds goal and our monthly support also continues to grow!

This month, we have also started an online course that we have been working on diligently. This is part of the required spiritual development before we go, but have been extremely blessed by the discussions and articles.
Also, big news, our house is finally on the market and we know God will work out the details! We are working with an agent who goes to our church and we are thankful to be partnered with a sister in Christ!

I must say, God is at work, the Harvest is ripe but the workers are few, and we pray that God will continue to send out workers!

We pray for you and appreciate your prayers as well.

Love the Wells Family!

PS, We have been asked by Browncroft to write some devotional for their Route 365 Bible Reading Plan, you can reads Kevin's article's this week and Amy's come up later. All the devotionals are thought provoking and provide a nice spiritual snack.
http://www.browncroft.org/Resources/Route365.aspx

Task Master

"Stay on task, stay on task!" This is often heard in educational circles. We want the kids to stay on task. At home, I often have a "To Do List" and I like to plow through each task so I can check it off. It feels good to get stuff done! In order to get stuff done though, I feel like I need a good pair of blinders and good momentum.
Even as a follower of Christ, when God has laid something out before me, I start creating a list of how I am going to accomplish it. I start doing this and that, I at times I feel like I am spinning my wheels and it is easy to get frustrated. And then the Holy Spirit whispers to me, "Don't stay on task, stay on Jesus!"

O Lord,
This day I submit to you my time, my thoughts, my strength, and all that is me to you!

Amen