What a RADICAL walk with CHRIST will GET you… October 24, 2011

I’ve been pondering my life’s journey lately and been overwhelmed by the sovereignty and faithfulness of God in spite of myself. While I didn’t even know Him (or care to know Him), He was still strategically orchestrating things on my behalf…all designed to bring me to a place of knowing and desiring Him. WOW!

Once that happened in my life, it happened in a BIG way. I didn’t just decide to start going to church so I’d have somewhere to “belong” on Sundays… I didn’t just decide I should go to church or be a Christian because it was the right thing to do… I didn’t just decide to alter my behavior to line up with what the Bible says pleases God. No… I was RADICALLY CHANGED ON THE INSIDE, which continues to MANIFEST DAILY ON THE OUTSIDE. (you can read my full testimony here:  http://www.maryloveslife.org/about.html )

In 2006, God told me to start blogging my journey. The RADICAL journey He began to take me on back in January 1999 was now going to be recorded for others to witness. This can be a good thing and a bad thing. The good thing is that others can learn from what I go though. The bad thing is that there is a price for transparency.

In recent days I have been thinking about what it means to be SOLD OUT for CHRIST. What does it mean to be RADICAL? I have often quoted the definition of RADICAL in my blog posts (departing markedly from the usual or customary; extreme) and today I want to list SEVEN THINGS a RADICAL LIFE FOR CHRIST will get you. Of course it requires us to SURRENDER many things, but here are some things you will GET.

(I’m sure there are more, but here are seven I could think of off the top of my head – in no particular order. This blog post has not come from any particular experience, but many. It’s something I’ve found myself pondering often over the years and thought I’d share.)

A RADICAL LIFE FOR CHRIST will get you…

1. CRITICIZED. You will be labeled as being “overboard,” “extreme,” “weird,” or “too religious.”
2. LONELY. Let’s face it, not all Christians are ready for RADICAL. You may even stand out among “church-folk” as being extreme…lol. Others should be excited for you and wish they were as radical, but sadly, some get convicted and criticize you. Don’t worry… God will be faithful to bring you other RADICAL friends so you don’t feel so alone, but in most larger church gatherings, you’ll be a loner.
3. A RADICAL SPOUSE. [FOR THE SINGLE FOLKS] It may take patience to wait for them, but RADICAL attracts RADICAL and is attracted to RADICAL. You can’t match up a SOLD-OUT believer with a LUKEWARM believer or you’ll be miserable. (So FYI…you won’t likely find your RADICAL spouse in a WORLDLY place. ~ CAUTION: RADICAL often attracts non-radical too because they secretly admire your “radicalness” and secretly desire it for themselves. They can roll with you for a while, but in the end, they may not be willing to lay it all down. Make sure you test the fruit! YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR LONG-TERM FRUIT!)
4. OFF THE INVITE LIST. There are plenty of events that friends, family & church-folk won’t invite you to because they know you “won’t go there” or your presence will make them uncomfortable while they have their fun…lol. It’s just as well. It saves you from having to decline the invite. Not being included can be considered an honor in many cases.
5. PHONE CALLS DURING LUNCH BREAKS OR AT MIDNIGHT. Okay, so they think you’re “extreme” or “overboard” but that’s only when things are going good for them. Let them have a crisis or tragedy and you’re the first one they call for prayer and counsel. They know the real deal when they see it and truth be told they’re glad you’re there ‘just in case’. (Oh, and they secretly hope you’re praying for them too. Make sure you are!)
6. PEACE THAT SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING! There is nothing like RADICAL OBEDIENCE to Jesus Christ. When the whole crowd goes left and God says go right, you may feel left out for a brief minute, but the PEACE that floods your soul is priceless!
7. JOY UNSPEAKABLE! As you embark on an unusual, extreme journey that departs markedly from the customary, you will come to know and hear the Lord in an incredible way. Your relationship with Him will BLOSSOM and BLOOM and become more intimate than you could ever know.

ARE YOU READY TO BE RADICAL FOR CHRIST?

Luke 14:33 – In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

2 Cor 6:17 – Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.

Matt 16:24-26 – If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

John 17:14-15 – I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

Are You Drowning Out the Power of Quietness? January 13, 2011

I started this blog post last week Friday, three days before the ice/snow storm began. I couldn’t seem to finish it that day, but I can see that the delay may have been intentional! Here is what I wrote last week:

Twenty-four hours ago I decided to step back from social media for a bit. Not sure how long it will be, but felt a desire to simplify life for a little while. It amazes me in this short time how strangely quiet life has become.
In the midst of this twenty-four hours God has brought something to my awareness, and it has to do with the POWER of quietness.

Yesterday in a conversation, someone was telling me how they can’t sleep unless the TV is on. This person admittedly struggles with anxiety and even has health complications from it. As we discussed this, I recalled past times when I couldn’t sleep unless the TV was on. That’s when God spoke to me and said, “They’re drowning out the quietness.”

Let’s look at the meaning of “drowning out:”
* for a sound to be so loud that someone or something cannot be heard. [The noise of the passing train drowned out our conversation. The train drowned us out.]
* to make it impossible to hear something [The plane was flying so low, the roar of its engines drowned out our conversation.]

I never got back to writing more until today when God reminded me about it. And interestingly enough, the time in between the initial writing and today includes 3-4 days of Atlanta becoming VERY QUIET.

I was only away from social media for three days, but what a difference indeed. During that time I had shut off my notifications via email and phone, as well as turned off all comments and disabled my wall for public posting. The peace was incredible! The quietness was beautiful! So now, even though I’ve returned to social media, I am leaving these features off. I can post what is on my heart and read friends posts too, but my phone, email and notifications are no longer overwhelming me.

Since Atlanta has been shut down this week, I saw many posts about people being stir-crazy with nowhere to go and unable to take care of business as usual. And I admit to struggling with this myself. But I can’t help but wonder if God didn’t allow this freak storm simply to slow us down and get us to be quiet for a minute.

* It’s during times of quietness that we begin to reflect inwardly.
* It’s during times of quietness that we can hear the still small voice of God within.
* It’s during times of quietness that we must face all the issues of life that we have stuffed down deep inside of us and perhaps continually avoid dealing with.

I believe God wants us to learn to be quiet so we can get to know Him more and quit burying the issues we strive so hard to avoid.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. Ps 23:2-3

Are you avoiding quietness?

Perhaps some of the circumstances of your life are happening right now because God is leading you to be quiet.

When things get quiet do you get uncomfortable? If so, you must learn to take your discomfort to God and ask Him to help you. I begin by saying “Lord, what is this feeling I’m having? What is the root of it?” Sometimes it takes a little time to get clarity, but God is always faithful to reveal the root of my issues. It could be fear, unforgiveness (toward yourself or someone else), guilt, shame, insecurity or any number of things that are spiritual in nature. Getting free from these things is what God desires for us, but we must learn to be quiet. God wants to clean up the “shards of glass” that are deep within us that have the potential to make us bleed. Here is a previous blog post about this: http://maryloveslife.wordpress.com/2009/12/28/shards-of-glass/

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. Rom 12:1-2

Do not rely any longer on the pattern of this world, which is to drown out quietness with the noise of the world. Allow yourself to get quiet with God so He can renew your mind. Pray these scriptures and then be quiet and listen:

Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong. How painful are honest words! Job 6:24-25

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Ps 139:23-24

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. Ps 51:7-13

Last week (also before the storm) God told me this:

“THESE ARE VOLATILE TIMES: BRACE YOURSELF ON ME. ALL OTHER BRACES WILL BE SHAKEN & WILL FAIL YOU. BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.”

Don’t put your hope, trust and security in people, in systems, your job, the economy, government, your home, your vehicle, your 401K, your bank account, YOUR ABILITY, YOUR SKILLS, or your PLANS…they will all fail you. He is desperate and jealous for you. HE WANTS YOUR HEART.

GOD is 100% in control and we have NO control. This reality must be understood for us to come to a place of ultimate trust in Him.

Too often today, people find their identity in their position, title, job, etc. and even in their busyness. But God wants us to find our ultimate identity in WHOSE WE ARE…to know that our value comes not from what we DO but WHO WE ARE.

He is our portion. He wants to be enough.

Remember:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…” Isa 30:15

Everything else you place your trust in will fail.

Turn off the noise and be quiet today.

Shhhhhhh… QUIET PLEASE: TEACHING AND LEARNING IN PROGRESS.

Depression: Red Sky at Morning: Sailors take Warning, Red Sky at Night: Sailors Delight. January 1, 2011

Ever suffer from depression? Or know someone who does?

Today I saw a facebook status that asked “Is happiness a choice?”  The responses varied and led to a discussion of depression & chemical imbalances and now resulted in this blog post.  Having once suffered from depression myself, I know what it’s like going to counselor after counselor, taking medication after medication, drinking, drugging, and trying to fill the void inside of me in all the wrong ways. I desperately looked for relief from self-help books, people, and doctors.  Here is what I have found to be true and what finally took care of my depression FOR GOOD.

My answer to the question posed in the facebook status “Is happiness a choice?” was this: Happiness is based on what “happens,” JOY is an internal peace and excitement that only comes from Jesus. Therefore, I can have joy unspeakable even when I’m not “happy” about what’s going on around me. Joy changes your perspective on what “happens.”

So yes, I guess it is a choice. The choice lies in our spiritual perspective. If we are looking only to the natural, or attempting to fix our “unhappiness/depression” in only natural ways, the solution will only be temporary. Lasting freedom from depression requires a spiritual approach. Here is a great PDF article that explains it beautifully… click here

So what about depression medications? Medications can be helpful to level out chemical levels, while learning to apply the spiritual principles. But I don’t believe medication is the permanent solution. The Bible teaches that we are spirit, soul and body (1 Thess 5:23). They are interconnected and when we are not trusting God with our circumstances (spirit) it affects our soul (mind, will, emotions – anxiety, worry, etc) and then in it manifests in our body (heart palpitations, high blood pressure, digestive issues, ulcers, chemical imbalances, etc.) So by learning to trust God in our circumstances (spirit), we can stop the corresponding chemical effects on our soul and body.

Is it really that easy?… NO. Learning to trust God takes TIME and EFFORT.

First of all, none of us comes to know God unless He first draws us to Himself (John 6:44.) Perhaps reading this blog post is what God is using to draw you right now? He uses many ways to get our attention. In my own life, I can look back and clearly see God placing certain people, certain mail advertisements (for a new church) in my path as His way of getting my attention to turn toward Him. Once I realized it was Him, I made the choice to give my life to Him. (click here to learn how to do that)

Once you’ve made the choice to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you now must take the responsibility to get to know Him. Just like with any new relationship, you must spend time with Him. You do this by getting in the Word (the Bible) for it tells us in John 1:1 that “… the Word was God.”  You should also get involved in a life-giving church that teaches you how to apply the Word to your life. (not all churches do this. Some are just going through religious motions. Choose wisely.) Being part of a church family will also help you develop Christian friendships which will help you grow. The Bible tells in Proverbs 27:17 that “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Then when you have times of difficulty and have trouble trusting God, you have friends that can encourage you and help you see things from God’s perspective.

This past week, God gave me a vision of a pink sky and I heard Him saying: Red Sky at Morning: Sailors take Warning, Red Sky at Night: Sailors Delight. When I asked Him what He was trying to tell me He said this: The red sky represents difficult circumstances.  And when the circumstance first appears (red sky in the morning) it is frightening and overwhelming. We must heed the warning and recognize the storm, and take responsibility to approach it from God’s perspective.  If we do not, it has the potential to shipwreck us and lead us to sink into the great abyss (deep depression.)  And just like sailors take added precautions when they see the red sky in the morning, we must too. When we trust God, get in the Word, encourage ourselves in the Lord, ask for prayer from others, and give Him praise in spite of the situation, suddenly our perspective will change and AT THE END OF THE DAY (red sky at night,) we will be able to DELIGHT in midst of it, knowing that God is allowing it to do an inward work in us and that He will turn all things to the good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

I found this description of the “red sky” phrase on-line:  A reddish sunrise, caused by particles suspended in the air, often foreshadows an approaching storm, which will be arriving from the west, within the day. Conversely, a reddish sunset often indicates that a storm system is on the east side (opposite the sunset), travelling away from the viewer.

You can learn to rest assured that the storm shall soon pass, and God is always in control. It’s all about perspective.

So is happiness a choice? I say yes.

He has chosen you and is drawing you to Himself. Will you make the choice to follow Him today?

(Afternote: I understand that the word “choice” can bring controversy. The comments attached to this post bring up some great additional points to this topic. Please be sure to read the comments after this post, and feel free to share your thoughts as well.)