Quick Moves

Day 8 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

How quick are your moves?   

Would you run to put a stop to the sin that angers God?

In my daily bible reading in the book of Numbers 25:1-13 I came across the story of God’s anger against the Israelites for having sexual relationships with Moabite women and then worshipping the gods of Moab.

All those who participated were to be executed.

In the midst of this showing of God’s wrath one of the Israelite men took a Midianite woman into his tent, right in front of Moses and all the people who were mourning the loss of the 24,000 who were destroyed. A stupid act, but arrogant people can be a mite stupid.

One man, Phinehas, was so grieved by what was grieving God that he picked up his spear and RAN to the man’s tent and put a spear through the man and the woman. This act turned God’s anger from the people.

One man who took up the cause for God was able to stop death.

That man had a heart that hurt with what hurt God’s heart and he moved quickly.

I want to be like that.

I want the things that grieve God’s heart to grieve mine.
But for me, and you, it must go one step further, we must be willing to do something about it. I am not suggesting that we go around killing people who are sinning; if that were the case we would have to kill ourselves because we are all sinners.
I do suggest that we can take up causes that are dear to God’s heart, the poor, the helpless, the widow, justice, the unborn, etc.

How do you choose what to get involved with?

What are you passionate about?

If your heart is for the poor look into programs your community has and get involved.

If your heart grieves for those who find themselves in the position of an unwanted pregnancy go to your local crisis pregnancy center and find out how you can help.

Are you fed up with how things are run in your community; get involved in the government locally. Something as simple as being on your homeowner's association board is a start.

Does your blood boil when you hear of someone being killed by a drunk driver? Get involved with MADD.

I am a writer of fiction and I see this as a vast and wide open field to be used for bringing righteousness back into the world. No preaching please, it only turns people off. A well written story, dealing with the issues of life in a God fearing way, that is believable, will reach people that a preacher in a pulpit will never touch.

What tugs at your heart strings, look there first.

If the madness of the world is to be brought back into order it begins with us.

Trash Talk

"I am so angry that he said that to me!" I seethed.

Going to my room I stop just short of slamming the door. Tears spurt from my eyes, and my nose is running.

I reach for the phone to call a friend, but before I can lift the receiver I hear:

"Counsel with Me, and look to Me alone for your direction and your encouragement."

"God, can't I call someone?"

"No, talk to me."

"But I need someone with skin on to talk to."

"No, I said, talk to me."

"I don't want to listen to you right now."

This is a frequent conversation between God and me. From the time I became His child this is how He and I have worked things out, together.

If I pour out my anger and anguish to Him, seeking His direction and encouragement, I never have any regrets.

However, when I have gone to others, when God has said "no," there are always regrets; I wish that I could take back the spoken words.

The phone call, or the visit made to someone with skin on, in the guise of seeking advice, is really me seeking someone to dump my garbage on.

When I am honest with myself I admit I want someone else to know the "hardships I am enduring," and to hear them say to me, "you poor thing." I want to have a Pity Party and I want to invite others. The problem with a Pity Party is you aren't serving chocolates, and we all know that any successful party must have chocolates; what you are serving is stinky, smelly, rotting garbage. So now instead of one person carrying the foul odor you have two or more.

When I take my heartaches to God he takes the stink I offer Him, accompanied by my rants, raves, and tears and He dries my face, washes away the stink and covers me in the fragrance of His grace, mercy and unconditional love.

He doesn't always give me answers, I usually already know the answer, but He listens, attentively, no matter how much I rant and rave, and that is what I am most in need of, a listening ear that will not be made stinky by my waste products from a bitter and unforgiving heart.

How do I feel after my time with Him? Sometimes refreshed, sometimes convicted, but always, always loved.

Photo: Dreamstime.com

Vassal or Vessel?

Acts 9:15 NKJV
…he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

“God please use me.”
Have you ever prayed that? Sure you have, most of us have, but what are we saying when we pray that? Do we really want to be “used” by God?

Be truthful, no one likes to be “used” by another person.

What is your reaction when you realize that someone has “used” you to promote themselves? Do you respond with anger, or bitterness, maybe you find yourself saying, “I will never let that happen to me again.”

In light of this, why would we pray to be “used” by God?

I know, I know, it sounds so spiritual.

What God desires from us is the willingness to be a vessel though which He can work.

God wants VESSELS, not VASSALS.

A vassal is a person who is a servant or slave. It also means to be subjected to control, to enslave.

A vessel is a person into whom some quality (as grace) is infused.

We pour into vessels, and then pour out of them. God pours into us what He needs us to pour out to others. This isn’t” using”; this is sharing in the work.

God wants to do a beautiful work through us. In the book of Acts He says about us: “he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name.”

Chosen: “to want; desire.” God desires to impart into you a quality that will be used for His kingdom. You are not a servant or slave, you are a son. Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Josh 24:15 NIV… then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…

So what is your preference?

Choose this day; will you serve God as a Vassal, or as a Vessel?

Image from MorgueFile

Broken

Broken. Inside. Asking why doesn’t reveal answers, at least answers I am ready to receive.

Hurt. Physical ache in my heart.

Heading in the right direction? Or heading in the wrong direction?

Satisfaction is not in sight. Everything I do is not enough. Not enough in my own eyes.

There is a plug, holding back creativity, joy, contentedness.

A fountain of frustration and anger wants to erupt.
What will come out?
Is the frustration with others or myself?
I think myself.

Expectations. Too high? God has very high expectations.
Maybe too low? I hadn’t thought of that. Perhaps if the expectations are raised I will push hard. Push past the plug.

PUSH - Pray Until Something Happens.
Prayer, the communication with God that erupts from deep within your spirit, not from your mind. The mind is a swirling mass of information taken in over a lifetime, some good, but most useless. The useless is what gets attention. It is time to change that.

What makes sense? My life doesn’t right now. I have everything, but feel nothing. Nothing because, right now, in this moment, I am not producing for the Kingdom. I will not find satisfaction until I return to my first love. Until I relent to the work of my fingers on a keyboard, or pen on paper, pulling words from the fount of God’s eternal supply.