A Matter of the Heart...

One of my favorite things to do is sit and talk with elderly people.  I find their detailed accounts of past experiences captivating!  A few years back, I sat and listened to a man in his ninety’s tell me all about the life that he had lived.  He told me of his long career working for Pepsi and how he had spent many of his days traveling different roads to different towns.  He had me convinced that his memories of yesterday were vivid and accurate.  Wow! The changes that he had seen throughout his life time... Imagine in ninety plus years, the development we call progress that had taken place.  His contrast of the past and present didn’t seem to have any bias nor did I detect any negativity or bitterness about the changes he’d witnessed.  He just recollected what and how it used to be but he never disputed that the present was any worse or better than the past.


I am not saying that he didn’t miss the “good old Days".  I am saying though, that it seemed to me that he was clever enough to be able to adjust himself to his environment for the sake of survival.  I got the impression that he wasn’t the kind of man who would just lie down and die because life refused to stand still to please his sentiment.  Through the years he moved with the movement.  When things became modern, he bought modern.  Do you know what I mean?  He bought a modern car and put in a phone.  He bought a television and many modern appliances for his wife.  He took advantage of what was made convenient and kept living his life for God.   He understood that his devotion to serve God was a matter of the heart and not a matter of what was available.

Through the years sin took advantage over the phone, the television, and even cars (gossip, sexual immorality, drunk driving, etc.).  It doesn’t seem like the enemy has left anything out or alone.  Yet in all these things, the old man had prevailed against the enemy in his walk with God.  How?  HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HIS DEVOTION TO SERVE GOD WAS A MATTER OF THE HEART AND NOT A MATTER OF WHAT WAS AVAILABLE!  Our choice to follow Jesus will always be based on our desire for Him more than a desire for what the world offers.  There will always be enticement and there will always be avenues to sin.  The fact remains: we are still drawn away more by what’s in our heart than by what’s in our face!

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

Are You Sure You Know What You're Doing??

Have you ever tried to explain a personal revelation from God to someone else?  Unfortunately, I have tried many times.  I have learned that there is power in revelation but only to the one God intended on directing!  I remember years ago when the Holy Spirit directed me to home school my kids and I tried to help our family and friends understand what I was doing.  I gave reason after reason as I was trying to convince them that I was doing the right thing.  The problem was I wasn’t sure why God had led me to home school but I was sure that HE had.  Now all of these several years later I understand perfectly! God gave back so much during that time with my kids that had been lost in previous years of sin.


Being led by God is very difficult to explain to another.  We have all probably heard the phrases a time or two:  "I felt led" or, "I just don’t feel led!"  How many times have we heard it abused or misused by someone not wanting to accept responsibility for peculiar behavior or lack of desire? Yet the fact remains that HE does still lead His people in and out of places and positions.  He lays things on our hearts and draws us in ways that can cause us to feel foolish when we explain them to others.  He moves and deals with us.  He burdens and, at times, consumes us.  All this is better than those seasons where we kind of think He might be ignoring us!

Are you in a season of being led but finding it hard to explain?  Trying to explain the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life to other people is wearisome, to say the least!  Being led by God is stepping out in faith not sight. How can we make someone see what we don't see clearly yet ourselves?   Even the things God allows you to see wouldn’t make sense to other people.  So what’s the solution?  Be led by God and learn to give an account only to those of whom it is required.  We all have people in our lives that are over us in some way or another.  I call them Kings but don’t go around kinging everybody!  lol!!  When you have really searched out the will of God with fasting and prayer, He will come through. 

What has God led you to do?  Do you feel moved?  Has God put something on your heart?  Has He compelled you in any way?  If you are waiting for everyone to understand it before you move then be prepared for misery!  Doubt brings along frustration but peace always hangs out with faith.  I would rather be at peace with God than have the approval of a bunch of people who cannot direct their own life, much less mine!

Loving U Like a Sister,
 
Regina

Where are the Titus 2 Women?

We (my family and I) attended an awesome 2000-seated church on Sunday.  The service was contemporary, of course, strategically structured and precise.  I was extremely impressed with the speaker. He was solid!  I did notice a very similar situation in this contemporary church that I see in the traditional assembly though. When they gave out the announcements there was an event for women’s ministry coming up and they apologized that there had not been anything for women in a long time.  I thought how sad it is for the church when women’s teaching is so few and far between. 

Paul plainly stated in Titus 2 that the older women needed to be involved in teaching women in specific areas of their life.  If you look at the magazine racks in the checkout area of stores you would easily see what women need to be taught and where their interests are.  You would see that Paul knew that women were needed to help teach on women’s issues such as their relationship with their husband and children, discretion, chastity and so forth.  Women struggle in very intimate areas of their personal life and need the help that only another woman can offer.

I have seen pastors (men) try to teach in these areas.  I guess for a lack of female teachers they try and do what they can but it is so distasteful to say the least!  We need some women in the church to be more concerned with women’s ministry.  I am not talking about crafts and the keeping of the cleaning schedule.  I am talking about Titus 2 women who understand that women need to be encouraged and admonished in the things that really pertain to women.  God is not concerned with whether a woman can make a quilt but He is concerned about the feminine role in general.  I can tell you:  we think that women understand their identity better than they used to, but they don't - they actually understand it less!   The younger generation of women are more confused than they have ever been.  The older women in the church have so much more to offer than what they are giving.

It is in the local assembly that women's lives will be changed.  Don't rely on a one time event to take the place of training that comes from consistency and the daily routine.  We raise our children, relying on consistency to shape and build who they will become.  We wouldn't expect one youth event to take the place of daily parenting.  We expect special events to enhance what we have taught.  That's what I am saying about women's ministry in the local church.  It is needed regularly.  Put a high value on the women in your church.  Get involved with helping them.  Teach and please make it accessible (remember the need for childcare and flexible schedules).  Women are worth the investment!!

Loving U Like a Sister,
 
Regina

It Rains Here Because He Reigns Here!

Often in church I hear people say, “Well, it rains on the just and the unjust”.  I understand their use of this scripture as they are trying to help someone who is facing trials and they want them to see that we are none exempt from bad days or "rainy days".   Really though, when God allowed it to rain on His people it was a good thing.  Rain was needed for the growth and harvest of what was being produced. Without rain everything would dry up.  It wasn’t that God was being evil, allowing the bad into the just people’s lives, it was that God was being merciful allowing GOOD into the unjust people’s lives.


Do you know that those of us who belong to God have the potential to rain onto other people? We have the Holy Spirit living in us!  His Words are waters of life!  Don’t you love to be around people that are full of God’s Spirit?   Don’t you hate to be around dry people who offer nothing to your spirit but dust?  How much more important is it though to become a source of life than to always be searching for others to provide it?  Do you know what I mean?  Too many times, we go out searching for a place where the water is really on the move instead of determining to BE a place where the water is really on the move!

Today if you are complaining about things drying up in your area make sure that you are still a good source.  If the Holy Spirit still has reign in your house then you can be sure that there’s rain there!  I have learned whether or not it’s raining at church or at another’s house is not as important as whether it’s raining at mine. As long as I have THE source of the waters of life with me I can bring the showers wherever I go! We do indeed need the rain but instead of complaining about where it cannot be found let’s do our best to carry it to the dry, dead ground...

Loving U Like a Sister,
 
Regina

Zealous for the House of God?

Good Morning!  In the word of God there is a passage that says, “zeal for your house has eaten me up”. In the New Testament, Jesus went into the temple and ran out the merchants. He not only ran them out but overthrew their tables! He was ZEALOUS for the house of God. It was certainly a time when you saw the lamb become a lion!

Today, I am wondering if you are zealous for what goes on in God’s house. In the past few years I have seen countless numbers of people trying to sell themselves or their merchandise in the church! I am not so aggravated by their trying to sell to the church as much as I am for their manipulation. Let’s face it: all of us want to earn a decent living… Many of us either have kids in college now or they will be attending in a few years. Most of us are looking to get ahead or just stay ahead whether in continuing our education or business opportunities but please, not at the expense or the integrity of the church!

Don’t try to flatter or manipulate God’s people just to make a sale... Don’t be a fake and try to develop relationships based on anything other than your sincerity! I have a great Idea... Let’s get more concerned about souls being saved! Let’s make disciples of Jesus’ followers and not customers! I know that this is a little more than blogging… But God’s church should be called a house of prayer. Who wants to come into a “market place atmosphere” where everyone is after you for a selfish reason or ulterior motive? Be real with me! I don’t care if you accept or reject me, just be real about it. We shouldn’t let people continue to manipulate the church for selfish gain.

My prayer is that the leaders in the local churches would take a stand against marketing in the church house. I personally could tell you of many situations of young converts being sought after and preyed upon by church members. I had to really hold my tongue as I watched a pastor and his wife manipulate a dear young friend of mine a few years back. I was so limited on what I could say because it was more of a gut feeling I had and I wasn’t sure of what I should say. They took her for close to fifteen hundred dollars for a “Business Opportunity”!

She never saw a dime of it back and she had small children to feed and buy diapers for. She trusted them because they were her leaders. Sometimes as women we want to be pleasing to those who are positioned over us. Do you know what I mean? We love the support and need the affirmation they offer. I call it an abuse of authority! I will also call it tacky when church members try to use the LOVE connection that Jesus gives us as a BUSINESS connection. I might make you mad today. I hope I make you mad enough to pray about it! I love all of God’s children but I will look after the weak and I pray that I will always be able to differentiate between good and evil. I pray that all of us as ministers will never stop being zealous for the HOUSE of GOD.

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

Who are you?

Hello friends!  A question for today:  Who are you?  Do you know that it has taken me 40 years to be able to answer this question.  The Holy Spirit led me back to "my Genesis" (when God created me) and strategically walked me back through every place I had been wounded.  We found pieces of me all over the place!  He has helped me understand that self-identity is at the root of every decision we make.  The choice of a spouse, career, religion and even simple things like clothing depict our identification of SELF.

Knowing who "you are" is critical to "your" success!  Acknowledging your weakness can help you be vigilant and wiser to guard that area.  Awareness of your abilities and strength will help give you the confidence to go into new territories.  Being mindful of your areas of sensitivity can help you pinpoint your motivation.  And of course, studying your heart's desire can help you understand your greatest need.

There are many situations in the Bible where someone, after being approached, asked the other "who are you?" (some examples:  Moses & God; Jacob & angel; S(P)aul & Jesus).  We understand their relationship wouldn't go any further until they identified who they were dealing with.  We tend to be the same whether in business, church or our personal lives.  We want to know the people before we enter a close relationship with them.  What I am saying though is that we will do better in all these areas if we really get to know SELF first!

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina

The JOY of the Lord

Hello friends!  It is well, or is it well with your soul?  The Word of God teaches us that "the joy of the Lord is our strength".  Oh so many days I've had to rely on the joy of my salvation to get me through a miserable situation!  So many times, I've had to understand that I was working toward something greater than the task at hand and on my way to something better and brighter. As Christians, we learn to face "spiritual" fires and floods, and travel long journeys by relying on the joy of our salvation.

Our joy in the Lord is greater than any discouragement or hardship that we face.  I have learned from past experiences that the times when I lost my joy were times when I lost sight of what really mattered.  The Holy Spirit taught me that everything in life matters, but some things matter more and some things matter most.

If it IS well with your soul today then everything else in your life has to line up under your joy.  If it IS NOT well between you and God then your career, appearance (women care about these things), bank account, relationships and even your state of health are dependant upon some other source of happiness that will shift every time the seasons change!

When salvation matters most, joy is never lost and strength for endurance is easily regained through the right perspective.  As women, we should care about every matter involving our lives, but as women of God, we should be able prioritize them.  In life's journey, our joy will always be about where we are in the Lord instead of where we are on the map.

Loving U Like a Sister,

Regina