But what does that LOOK LIKE in "real" life???!!?!

When I was a very young child I went to a local church, attended Sunday School and joined the choir because I loved to sing!  As a member of the choir, there were times I was excused from the childrens Sunday School classes, because the choir was singing that Sunday.

I LOVED THOSE SUNDAYS BEST!

It meant I got to stay in the sanctuary for the service.  I loved listening to the minister preach.  I loved watching all the people as they listened.  I loved trying to guess what they thought about what they hearing based on their facial expressions and body language.

A lot of that has certainly greatly influenced my walk with Jesus to this day.

Some of those people were concentrating hard on the ministers words; like they were trying to understand what he was saying, but also, like they were trying to understand what it had to do with them, personally.

(I'm deliberately skipping over the whisperers, blank looks and sleepers, they aren't a good example!)

Those that were concentrating sometimes nodded affirmatively.  I liked to think that meant they not just agreed with what was being said, but that they were determined to do what was being said.

Every once in a while I'd see a negative head bob.  I imagined that meant they either didn't understand, didn't agree, or perhaps they recognized they were falling short in that area and were silently chastising themselves.  Perhaps they determined to do better in that area in the future.

I knew those were the kind of thoughts and feelings I was experiencing.

As I grew older, I found a conundrum to be dealt with.  I listened to what was being preached.  I even agreed wholeheartedly in most cases.

But what was that supposed to LOOK LIKE in real life?

We were to be kind to everyone - but in real life, unkind thoughts often crammed out all other thoughts when someone was cruel or unthoughtful toward me.  If someone was mean to me, should I pretend to be kind?

We should treat everyone the same and love one another.  But in real life, there were those people I liked, some I loved, and others I really had no desire to spend any time with, let alone love them!

It took a lot of maturing before I began to understand the practical application of biblical teaching. I hope this short list will help you figure out what some things look like in real life.

• Love your neighbor as yourself - (Matthew 22:39) give others room to grow and change, make space for grace and forgiveness in our hearts.  Don't be quick to assume we know what makes anyone else tick.  How does that look in real life?  Smile and be civil to everyone, no matter how they behave.  

• Turn the other cheek - (Matthew 5:39) use the phrase "I'm sorry" when someone even thinks you've offended them.  This doesn't mean we back down from truth. but we can be gracious.  "I'm sorry you don't agree with my belief."  That's it.  No need to defend our belief or even discuss their opposing views.  Even if they insist on attempting to argue or be rude, a soft spoken "Excuse me" and LEAVE the situation, room or vicinity.  

• Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only - (James 1:22) this one is really pretty straight forward don't you think?  Those things clearly written in the Word, the bible, we should not just listen and nod our heads in agreement, we should actually perform those actions in our lives.  This will actually look a little different for everyone, since God gives everyone different gifts and talents to share with the rest of the world.

• Be especially kind to the household of faith - (Galatians 6:10) don't allow small doctrinal differences to keep you from fellowship with others who love the Lord and call Him Savior.  We have more in common than we differ, and that is where our strength comes from, being unified in our trust and faith in God Almighty.  Whether you call baptism a full immersion or a sprinkling of water really isn't as important as calling on JESUS as Lord and Savior.

We often make living the Christian faith so much harder than it ought to be.  When we submit to God, being obedient to His commands, real life is Christian behavior!

What other examples have you found help you to live out your faith in your daily life?  Click on comments and share your thoughts.

God bless you!

Filling vessels without measure

WE HAVE FAITH WITHOUT MEASURE
BUT WE MUST OPERATE IN FAITH
WITHOUT MEASURE!

There's an interesting story in II Kings about the Prophet of God and an incident with a widow woman.  I've read it before, heard different viewpoints on what it illustrates and appreciated the lessons learned.

Last week in my private prayer time, the Holy Spirit led me to that story again, only this time, I read with different eyes, with a different heart, and saw something I hadn't seen before.

Don't you love when that happens to you?  Tutoring, straight from God the Father to you - could anything else be as exciting?

Take a look with me and let's share this lesson together:

II Kings 4: 1-7

 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

² So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

³ Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.⁴ And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”

⁵ So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. ⁶ Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. ⁷ Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

The first thing I saw was that Elisha, representing God, did not try to define her problem for her.  He asked her to define it and be specific about what she wanted from the Lord.

Secondly, God did not cause her debt to magically disappear.  He provided her a way to participate in the answer and settle her debt properly.

Thirdly, God met her need and went above and beyond her immediate request and provided for her ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT SHE ASKED.

Relationships, in order to truly be successful, require give and take be involved.  God, who created us, understands this principle and illustrates how perfectly it works in this 7 verse story.  He is the only One with the means to meet the need of this woman.  He is the only source and resource.  But this is her life, and God gave each of us FREE WILL.  So solutions and life decisions must include her participation in order that the relationship work properly.  She, choosing obedience and worship, God giving generously and according to His perfect will.

So she is responsible with her sons to go gather empty vessels.  God would fill as many as she gathered.  

BUT SHE DID NOT KNOW THIS BEFORE HAND.  SHE HAD TO OBEY IN FAITH, IGNORANT OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OR HOW GOD WOULD MEET HER NEED.  SIMPLY ACTING IN FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE AND TRUSTING THAT HE WOULD.

They gathered all the vessels they could.  EMPTY VESSELS.  God doesn't "squeeze in" along with the rest of the stuff of our lives.  He won't come occupy a tiny corner or half a vessel.  God requires a whole, empty vessel, ready and willing to be filled by His Holy Spirit for His Holy purposes.  (For what fellowship has darkness with Light?)

Then God filled every single empty vessel to the absolute fullest.  Enough not just to pay her debt and keep her sons from being taken into slavery, which was her request, but more than enough, to keep them fed and cared for until the sons could begin to provide for themselves and their mother.  Abundance.

When we cry out to the Lord, He will fill as many vessels as we are willing to provide and empty in preparation of His abundant answers in our lives.

How many vessels are you willing to gather, in FAITH, and empty in preparation of Gods filling them according to His will?

Practical application of Biblical principle will change your heart and life every time.  Our God is mysterious but the working of His principles in obedience are no mystery.  When we walk by faith and not by sight, we see His provision time and time again.  When we cry out and are obedient to Him, we reap mighty benefits.

Wherever you may be in life right now, saved, unsaved, growing with the Lord or just beginning to wonder if that is even a possibility - God has a plan and purpose of wonder for your life!  It isn't late, it isn't early. 

 IT IS JUST EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME.  NOW is the time for salvation, for no one is promised the next moment.  Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.