And They Lived Happily Ever After...The End

And They Lived Happily Ever After...The End

"... “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked shall I return there.
The Lord gave, and the Lordhas taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”"

Job 1:21

While scholars can't agree exactly when Job lived, there seems to be a consensus among some theologians I have read about, that he lived sometime after the flood and just before Moses, maybe the early part of Moses' life time. However, he was a real man who had a whole book dedicated to his life in God's Word. 

Job was a prosperous man with a strong faith in God, a large household including: seven sons and three daughters and many possessions. God's word states that he was considered "blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil." Yet, he endured  numerous hardships all in one day, greater than the average man ever had!  Job lost his seven thousand sheep by lightning, or as the Bible puts it, " fire from heaven". The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the three thousand camels and took them away, as well as killed his servants by the sword. Five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys were raided and taken away by the  Sabeans,  who also killed more his servants by the sword. Job's sons and daughters were also crushed and killed under the oldest brother's roof while they were eating and drinking wine as the book of Job tells, "a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house and it fell on the young people." Through all the loss, pain and sorrow, Job never "sinned or charged God with wrong. He held on to his faith in a merciful God! 

Still, Job endured more! He became covered in sores from head to toe, even lost his peace of mind. Surely he must have felt depression over take him and insanity creep to the edges of his mind . In fact, he cursed the day he was born. I've been in that state of mind before, almost there last night. (Oh the places the Devil can take you, if you let him.) His friends, thinking they were helpful surely weren't, by trying to put the blame all on him and some sort if sin he must have committed. After all, why else would God allow all this? Job's own wife encouraged him to curse God and die! See, Satan was trying to shake his marriage too. Job held fast to his faith, he never gave up, trusting in a God who is good and loving through it all. 

In the end, Job's life was restored with twice as much as he had before! His friends came back, he gained a new family of seven sons and three daughters and he lived to a good old age, and saw four generations of descendants. The perfect "And they lived happily ever after...The End" story.

Not that my life has been as rough as Job's, but those who have followed my blog or at least read my first post knows, I've had some tough struggles before I lost everything. However, like Job I have had everything restored and gained even more and better than what I had before. Like Job, my life isn't a fairy tale, happily ever after, sure, but "The End"? Not quite.

Job gained his family, possessions, and wealth back. However, knowing our God, it wasn't just handed to him. I'm sure there was work involved. Man, going through raising that many teenagers again, that's enough work for anyone. As silly as it sounds, all of that just dawned on me today after crying most of the night and morning.

I was crying about how hard life is. It is a struggle, it's not fair. I posted some of this pity party on FaceBook last night: My Amazing Man is currently working 2 jobs. The day job has turned into 30 hours a week, and the evening job 40 hours a week. I'm down to one job that I'm feeling quite burnt out on, after 15 years of the same type of work. When I had more than one job, it was so mentally and physically stressful. Now, we're still just barely making it. I hate that Tim works so hard and when his body is tired and sore, he keeps going. I can't find a better job to replace my current one or as much as I don't want, find another job to add to the one I have that won't kill me. 

We have such a great desire to get more involved in church and make more connections. We have a dream to move into a house of our own and expand ministry roles. We want to be able to help and bless others more than we're able, especially family members who really need it. My heart aches for all the things I desire but feel unable to do. I don't want "things", I've learned to live with very little. It's the connecting with people/friends outside of social media including my husband, I really miss and want. As well as buy groceries and pay the bills.  

 I haven't forgotten my blessings. "God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good."It could always be worse, I've lived way worse before! This is just a different kind of struggle. I know God will and is walking us through it even though it seems so dark now. He won't let go of our hands.

 

Everyone wants their "happily ever after...The End." I think especially in America we're conditioned to believe that because we're Americans we don't have to work as hard, land of the free and all. As I look back on all the things I'm crying about, as real as they are and as painful as they are to me, they are first world problems.

I still live in the best country in the world, even though many of the people living here seem to be making some poor life choices that affect our nation. It's still better than others. My husband and I may not be serving the Lord in the capacity we feel led to yet, but we are still free to worship Him. We're free to choose whom we want to marry and be an equal partner in that marriage; with out being hidden away, abused and tortured. ( I am more than aware in some cases it happens in our country, but it's not acceptable) which is why I have an Amazing Man in my life. Our rent for our tiny apartment may be crazy high and difficult to pay, but we have a place that is warm and dry. Our cars may be in some desperate need of work and payments are behind on one, but we have TWO. We may not have the jobs or careers we like, but we have work with Sundays off. God didn't guarantee a 40 hour work week. In Biblical times as well as countries around the world today, people work from sun up to sun down seven days a week making a fraction of what we make, if they have a job at all. And people in our country want to cry about not having paid maternity or paternity leave for months at a time. Or paid for this or that, because other countries ( who are going bankrupt by the way) are doing it. People want to cry about all of these false social injustices in our country while turing their heads to what is going on in the rest of the world. We are a spoiled nation and it is easy to get caught up with everyone crying, "it's not fair". 

So, we may be barely making financially it at this time, BUT WE ARE MAKING IT, and better than many others in the world. I don't know everything God is working out in us and I don't quite know what the lesson to be learned is. Although, I do know the plans He has for us is to prosper us, not to harm us, to give us hope and a future! He said so. 

Prosperity, hope, and a future doesn't mean life with out a struggle and hard work. Our human idea of prosperity is very different in God's eyes than our human eyes, I'm sure. Monetarily, God's economy is very different than ours.  Anything worth having, including a good life is worth working hard for.  Even if I have to piece together jobs that cause fear and anxiety because they are so out of my box and maybe somewhere deep inside a small part of me felt it was beneath me, if that's what God leads me to, I shouldn't turn it away. I should stay faithful in ALL THINGS AND IN ALL CONDITIONS, because HE is faithful to me! Besides everything good in this life is a gift. And every gift is only temporary.

Where is your faith today? Oh to have the faith of Job. When life is at it's worse don't give up. Like Job, He's not done with you yet!

Invite Him to Change the Atmosphere to Improve Your Environment

Atmosphere and environmental elements are easily overlooked when defining the power or lack of power you hold during spiritual battle. Life is a spiritual battle. It's the day to day, wake up, go do the things, come home, go to sleep, get up, and do it again, battle. Some days seem like a full on war, while others couldn't be any more peaceful or joyful. Yet, because we're in the battle, that peace and joy is only temporary.

There is a constant unseen battle between forces of good and evil that surrounds us daily. I know, that sounds like some fantasy cliche. Although, did you ever stop to think, maybe that's why we love those type of fantasies and stories about the fight between good and evil? Look at the great and popular stories like, The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Beowulf, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the nursery rhymes, children's stories and fairytales. It's engrained in our very being. We have the whole story planted in us. The environment or atmosphere we are surrounded by will affect the way the story grows and plays out. 

Environment- the whole collection of surrounding things, conditions, or influences

































Atmosphere-the pervading tone, mood, or feel of a place.







 

Many things affect our environment, and or the atmosphere around us. Some things include: history and mixture of different cultures, spiritual strongholds created by having a false understanding of who God is and who you are in Christ. Others include: memories and emotions, some hurt or unhealed  from the past or current situations, preconceived ideas, opinions, and judgement based on politics, organizations, or people you associate with.  I believe our expectations about a future  hope we thought to be true or untrue are also a huge factor in shaping the atmosphere and environment we live in. Recently I read somewhere, "God created us with seven needs: (1) dignity, (2) authority, (3) blessing and provision, (4) security, (5) purpose and meaning, (6) freedom and boundaries, and (7) love and companionship. Whenever we seek to meet one or more of these basic needs outside God's design, we have set the stage for the development of a generational stronghold." The fall of man is when the generational stronghold began.

God The Father, God The Son, And God The Holy Spirit, the "Three in One" had so much love that He created Adam and Eve. He created them to have fellowship with and to have a target to pour out his love upon. He created a perfect place for them. It's atmosphere and environment contained everything they needed to live and grow spiritually, to enjoy and develop a life of fellowship with God and each other, with out pain or sorrow. A place of pure love, peace, and joy, we will never know this side of heaven. All that changed when man sought to fulfill his basic needs outside of God's perfect plan. One day soon His perfect plan will be restored to the glory and beauty Adam and Eve once knew.

Today, many generations removed from Adam and Eve, the atmosphere and environment has drastically changed. In some areas spirituality and fellowship with the Lord has been completely chocked out. In others, it is struggling to survive. Our atmosphere and environment have been polluted by man's desire to be independent from any God and free thinking. The desire society has to learn on their own, do it their own way, and please theirselves has pushed The Father so far away that the love He has for His creation has become tainted and unrecognizable. 

I can look back on my life today, see areas where I have allowed different influences in and out of my life, and sought to fulfill my basic needs on my own, weather consciously or subconsciously. Sometimes thinking I was doing it all for the right reasons under the guise of, " I believe this is what God wants for me." While looking back, I can see where and how the atmosphere, had me in a strong hold causing me to starve spiritually. When the atmosphere changes so does the environment and vice versa. 

At a young age I looked to man to fulfill the love I thought I was missing out on. Placing myself in situations that altered the atmosphere leaving me feeling less loved, respected, and secure. I was looking out side of God's plan. Plunging me into deep depression often fueled by anxiety. After years of living that way my environment completely changed physically and spiritually (as you may know from previous blog posts, especially my first one) for 22 years. 

The environment was so drastically changed none of my needs of dignity, authority, blessing and provision, security, purpose and meaning, freedom and boundaries, and love and companionship were being met. There came a time when I sought the Lord but I didn't give Him full control, I continued to hold back, as my expectations of hope and a future that included God's love were so tainted, I couldn't see the truth of what He really had for me. 

So while at times the atmosphere cleared up and it became easier to breathe, it didn't last long and the environment didn't change. I was week and lacked boldness (which by the way I'm still working on)  I grew weary of fighting the battle on my own not realizing the battle was never mine to fight!

There came a time I had to pray just like King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:12 ".....nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on you." Jehoshaphat prayed and God answered. Verse 15-17 says, "And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

God doesn't require a lot from us, just that we are faithful and watch. He told the King it wasn't his battle, he didn't have to fight. But then he said, go out against them. They were to just show up and be positioned, that's all.  To be positioned is to anchor yourself. While positioned you may bend, twist, and turn but not break as long as your eyes are on the Lord. Position  yourself, stand still, watch God do His work. The battle is not yours. Go and be positioned. You watch God change your situation.

 God just wants you to be faithful and show up. You need to show up. When you show up, God shows off. If you confront it, He'll fight it! God requires you to show up so you can see His works. Many refuse to show up, they are afraid to face their fear or bad situation. There were so many times in my life while battling depression my way or man's way, I just could not show up for anything. In fact, I didn't want to, and just didn't. Depression and anxiety were my environment. I had to invite God in to change the atmosphere in order to develop an environment worth showing up for. 

The battle still rages and the atmosphere still changes depending on what I allow to influence my environment. If I'm praising God with my mouth and worshipping Him with my actions, He is here in the environment in the atmosphere, He is in the center of it all. AND in that center there is love, the love I sought for so long. It's where my needs are met and my life is good. Oh, there are struggles and I'm sometimes bent so far I fear I might break, but in His presence there is peace. When I don't know what to do, I need to remember to look to my Father God, the one who created me and let Him fight the battle. My hope and future is in Him, where is yours? 

"Holy Spirit, You are welcome here

Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere

Your glory, God, is what our hearts long for

To be overcome by Your presence, Lord"

- Kari Jobe, "Holy Spirit"

Do You Ever Wonder...?

Do you take time to wonder?

Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” John 4:48

The above verse was written about a time when Jesus was urgently implored to come and heal a man's son who was dying. Jesus commented about the faith of people, in order to believe they had to see signs and wonders. They couldn't just believe in who Jesus was, they had to see who Jesus was through His works. Once they saw what Jesus can and has done, their faith increased. God knew we humans, with our limited minds, would need to have constant reminders of His eternal power and love for us. Therefore, He created the beauty we see around us daily. Romans 1:19-21 states that very idea,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Sadly, as time goes on people aren't taking the time to recognize the beauty around them. Many have lost their wonder, and miss out on God's wonders! Do you ever wonder? Do the deep reds, brilliant oranges, mixing with purples and blues in a sunset still take your breath away? What about the leaves in autumn, as they gently float to through the air before landing on the ground, do you watch? Or, do you anticipate raking them up to get them out of your way?  What about the first snow fall as it blankets the earth, hushing every sound and glistening  on the trees? Do you get out and see, or do you shut yourself inside, turning up the heat while attempting to keep the cold world out?

How often do you look at the world around you in awe and wonder? In the Spring are you surprised by the vibrant colors you're sure you haven't noticed before, coming from new buds, and leaves on bushes and trees? Do you notice the nests, or do you not look up that high? In the summer do you soak up some rays, feeling the warmth of the "Son"? Do you watch the grass dance and sway as the invisible breese move across the Earth? Do you feel small in a thunderstorm while excited by the power in the light show? What about the Grace in the rainbow? Even though science seems to explain the mystery of the ever changing seasons, God's beauty and wonder haven't left, many just quit looking for it.

We get so caught up in ourselves, the plans for our future, the things we're trying to obtain, politics of the world, or just getting to the next page in our book of life. Our foolish hearts become darkened to the light and wonders of God. So dark that some miss Him all together and never even read the words on the page. It's been thumbed through so fast, they never got it.

 If we're not careful the story will be over before we know it, and we will have missed all the little hidden details God added to our life to make it more enjoyable, or even salvageable. Details hidden, in hopes we would take the time to slow down, look for them, while finding Him in the middle of it all. Our God is The Creator, and in His creativeness, He wants us, His children, to explore and find wonder, excitement, peace and happiness. When we find happiness in His creation, He is happy because He created it for us!

Our world can be and is at times a scary place full of uncertainty. However, birds go on singing, the seasons still change, there is a new sunset and sunrise daily. God, from the beginning of creation has been trying to get our attention focused on Him. When our attention is on God The Creator, the worries in life don't seem as big.

My Amazing Man (as I call my husband) and I are always taking time to step out and seek the wonders God has for us. We have an awful lot on our plate and just physically getting out and seeking Him, makes all the difference in our week. After church, we get in the car, pray, ask God to show us some cool stuff, and He does. We don't have a lot of money so we just drive to no place in particular. Every picture I use in my blog posts are from an adventure we've had, seeking God's wonders.

Science may have explained away a lot of things man used to wonder about, but just because I know how and why a rainbow exists, there is still wonder and beauty in it. And Grace, don't forget the Grace. God chose to use that rainbow as a symbol of His Grace. He could have chosen to destroy the Earth and save nothing or no one. Just because we know how it works doesn't make it any less beautiful. Just because I know how snow is formed, the wonder and beauty in the intricate detail on one tiny snowflake isn't lost. Just because I know why lighting forms in the clouds, doesn't make it any less wonderful and powerful. Only God is powerful enough to stop the storm, in the skies and in life.

Where is your hope and future? My hope and future lies in the wonder of a God, who created the wonders on earth, and set the desire to seek out wonders in my heart. No matter if the people of this world seek to tear it apparat, The Creator isn't done creating and performing wonders for his children to seek.

22 “For as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
“So shall your descendants and your name remain.
Isaiah 66:22

13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:13

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
Revelations 21:1

The Last Stand

Matthew 18:2-4,10
2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Children in New Testament  times weren't idealized like they are today in western culture, that of being "happy go lucky" or free to be indifferent,  innocent, and having that simple faith. They were of little importance, claimed no status, and gained little merit or favor.

In general, children don't focus on the failures of the past or the what ifs in the future. The focus is on the experience of the here and now. Vs. 4 of Matthew 18 speaks of humility. It's not the innocence of a child that captures the heart of God, none of us can be innocent on our own. The average child hasn't earned anything in this world, they haven't gained wealth or recognition. Children seem to have natural humility, before the lies of the devil grab a hold of their hearts, before the world captures their mind and tells them they have to have this or be like that, they are content with the position they have in life.

Children don't care that they are completely dependent on their parents just as we should be be completely dependent on our Heavenly Father. When children are hurt or scared they have no problem turning straight to their parents to receive their peace comfort,  and contentment. It's only when we rely solely on Our Heavenly Father that we will have complete peace. I believe  He created a hole in our hearts that is to be filled with Him. However, so many miss the mark and try to fill that hole with stuff, with people, relationships, power, status, and just things. While trying to hold onto all of those things, we're  slowly giving our freedom away. With that freedom peace isn’t far behind. It is the freedom and peace that can only be given by Him. It's  a scenario  repeated  throughout  history.

While history seems to repeat  itself, we are witnessing history in the making, which will  include times of desperation that haven't been felt  or experienced  by many currently in this world and certainly  not in this country. The United States of America  may boast of strength, safety, and prosperity. We may claim to be the strongest and most admired and desired country to live in, with many freedoms, even blessed by God. However, the comfort in those boastful claims are weakening.  Weather or not people want to admit it, no matter how much the history of our country is rewritten, we were once a nation founded on the one true God. Today, our country  seem so very far from Him! They have turned their eyes away, keeping them hidden from the truth.

Many have given their trust and have sought out peace and security by looking to the government, a government  created  by man that is easily corrupt. This hasn’t happened in our country alone. When we put all of our faith into man made things, we are creating  idols or gods of our own making. The more power and influence  we allow  idols to have in our life the less power and freedom we have.  It was once a great, new, and unique idea to have the government  run by the people. Not the people run by the government. I believe the idea was a government run by the people while they looked to God. That is one sure lesson I have learned in life, as long as my eyes are on God and my feet stay on His foundation, I will stay headed in the right direction. Many have gone to war, battled, and died for that very idea!

 At the end of the Gettysburg Address, in 1863, Abraham  Lincoln  said,” It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the

earth.” People once believed in freedom under God so much, they were willing to die for it. Many people around the world still are, but what about in our own country?

Our government  now seems to be run by just a handful of people turning  our country  further and further from the ideals our founders once thought to be great. This same caution  about keeping our freedom was echoed in part of a speech given by Ronald Reagan in 1964 during an election year. He recounted a recent discussion  he had with a friend and a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro. When the friend said, “ "We don't know how lucky we are." And the Cuban stopped and said, "How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to." And in that sentence he told us the entire story. If we lose freedom here, there's no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth. “ He further went on to say, “This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.”  A TIME FOR CHOOSING (The Speech – October 27, 1964

See history, continues to repeat  itself! Nobody  pays attention  to it. Each time history is repeated we have greater consicuences! Although, in all my humanness, I wonder  if it matters that history  repeats itself. Even the Bible is a glimpse  into the past present  and  future  at the same time. I suppose  the lesson  that  is to be learned  isn't  exactly  to keep from repeating  it, because  as an individual the odds of my ability  to change history isn’t very high. The lesson is, how to live in the times we are living in, while history is being made. We don't  give up our peace and freedom, and lay down and die either. While the end may feel near, souls still need saving! If we lose  our freedom in this country  the task of seeing souls saved will become  more difficult. As you  know  being a Christian  in other countries isn't  too popular, in fact  it's  deadly. As deadly as it is, Christians understand the blessings of God outweigh the risk of death on this earth. If we aren't now as a country, we soon will be, the last, or one of the last stands on earth before the end comes.

I know I'm  stepping out and sounding like one of those fear mongers  yelling, “THE END IS NEAR!” Oh, I know people have been saying that since the time of Christ. The signs have been around just as long too. That is very true. However, like the beginning of sorrows or birth pains as mentioned in Matthew 24, they are coming more often and much strongrer, like the consicuences of history repeating itself will become more harsh, until suddenly, the birth of the end does come. Where will your hope, peace, and comfort be then? Will you have hope while living in the future, which may as well be our present now as foretold in Matthew?

Matthew  24:6-14 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a] these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[b] and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

I think, right now we may be between verses 8 and 10. It is good that we are allowed to know this much. If we knew much more, we probably couldn’t handle it. We know enough to be prepared. John 16:33 says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” We can find hope in being prepared and knowing through Jesus whatever happens we can take the peace He offers. Who knows what 2016 will hold? Just as John 10:28-30 tells me,  I know God holds me and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ in the palm of his hand and nothing can pluck me from it! Have you received that hope and future?