Me, Myself & Scrooge

I'm going to be honest.
I can be really greedy sometimes.Well, most times. Like I am talking down right Scrooge status. Greedy with money? yes, that too...but I am actually talking about something else. I am selfish with my TIME.The sermon taught on Sunday was a topic I don't typically get enthusiastic about.GENEROSITY. And by the end? WOW. Totally what I needed to hear, a call to action, a change of heart, soul piercing and motivating.

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

When talking about generosity, about giving - my first thought went to money. It always does for some reason. Then I had to ask myself this question, WHAT is most precious to me? Truth be told...it's my time.Not only that but my QUALITY of time. I spend a heck of a lot of time with Desmond and I love that. But I tend to be so busy or wrapped up in my own thing that very little of my day is actually engaged in my son. A week can go by and I can think of a handful of times I really made an effort to play one on one with him or just get into whatever he happens to be doing - finding bugs, fighting pretend fires, building towers with his megablocks, reading books and asking questions, talking about God, our passions, or dreams...I do this with the rest of my family too, Tony included. I'm comfortable and waste time that should be GIVING and make it selfish by tuning out on my phone or talking about only my worries, interests and so on. It's gross now that I think about it. And then there's friends. I am terrible about being generous or giving at all to my time with friends...but that's what I realized tonight. My friendship to others is being generous to God. It's an act of service..yet I enjoy it too..I need to embrace the fellowship and not be a dang recluse. I've been better about it recently and this sermon just confirmed that relationship, sisters in Christ, fellowship - it MATTERS to God, it SERVES God. And speaking of that...simply giving my time (which, like I said, is really God's time anyway) to the Lord each day, my thoughts, my heart, my feelings...that's generosity. It serves Him but it also serves me ..and only in the best ways possible. It makes US more like HIM. I'll take it :)

What can I give?
-time
-love
-quality of time
-treasures
-talents
-gifts
and so much more.

And when we give in the name of the LORD? We are storing up our treasures in Heaven. Amazing. Jesus said 6 TIMES in the bible to 'Store up your treasures in heaven'. Clearly, this matters. In the end, it's all that matters. That we give our lives away to God. And when I think of it, I cannot help but realize that my life is HIS anyways. My gifts, time, talents, treasures etc. Why be greedy with what is already His?

Give yourself to the Lord - and giving to others will come naturally.

This hit home: As a parent, it gives me SO MUCH JOY to see Desmond share on his own, without me forcing it or reminding him to. Like when his cousins want to play with a certain favorite toy of his and he sweetly offers it - my heart explodes.Totally out of nature for a 3 year old yet out of the goodness of his little heart he is generous and giving..We are God's children and it pleases Him in the same way (BUT waaaay unfathomably MORE because He loves us insanely more than we could ever love our own children!) to see us SHARE and be generous with others - to not be greedy with what is His but to be giving. MIND BLOWN.

WHAT AM I GOING TO GIVE TO BETTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

{My time} with God

Time set aside in fellowship with Him. Church. Studying His word everyday. Prayer. 

{My praise} to God

Worship. Gratitude throughout my day. Doing all to His glory and not for myself. 

{My friendship} to others

Stop being a recluse and give my time and friendship away. Transparent, real and caring. 

{My quality time} to family 

Being invested & involved - not just 'there' but actively present and engaged.

“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you." 1 Chronicles 29:14 

If you are intrested, listen to this sermon HERE (JOYFUL GENEROSITY-8). Thanks for reading. It helps to post my bible notes here and hopefully this struck a chord for you too :) Post more soon! 

Waiting on God.

Once again the sermon at church this week was seriously spot on to what I am going through! The subject was unanswered prayer. You see, I am in a season of waiting so my prayer is often for a heaping load of PATIENCE...I struggle with the wait more than anything...We are waiting for a lot of things in life. Waiting for the future, mine and Tony's future..his career to start, a home, a time to grow our family...then there is a season of waiting that I am experiencing right now, as is Tony.. So needless to say this sermon really got through to me, I needed to hear it and clearly God knew..It hit home. Hopefully I can remember this..that is one reason I write about it on my blog. Here are a few notes from the sermon that stood out to me, plus I threw in a couple quotes too. You can also listen to the sermon here, it's the one titled 3/10/13 ♥

We often don't take the time to let God answer our prayers. We make our requests and leave. Listening, abiding, dwelling with God is all part of prayer. It is a dialogue, not a request line.

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”  -Søren Kierkegaard

Be PERSISTENT in prayer until there is a dynamic connection with God.

{God will never give us too much or too little...God is never early nor late.}

Refusal to our prayers is also an answer because it often draws us closer to the Lord.

Our subtle sin is to DECIDE what is best for us without considering God's plan and then praying for God to help us through it, to get out of it or cry 'why is this happening?!' 

When we abide with God we become IN TUNE with Him and our desires, hopes, prayers change to fit HIS will.

Unanswered Prayer??

-It may not be time yet

-it may not be in accordance with His will

-He is using it to further the Kingdom of God, to strengthen you, etc etc

-We learn BEST while waiting (we reach out to God, seek Him)

-Sometimes God's already given us the ability/tools which is already the answer to our prayer

Reality is: NO prayer is unanswered!

Spread out your petition before God, and then say, "Thy will, not mine, be done." The sweetest lesson I have learned in God's school is to let the Lord choose for me. -D.L. Moody

Stress

I was suddenly stressed today. I am so blessed to be surrounded by a family and some REAL friends who know me for who I am...they are such gems in my life. Yet, at the same time there are people who do not like me. This bothers me. It causes stress in my life. I wouldn't call myself a people pleaser, I know not everyone is going to like me..in fact I'm not one to kiss butts to get others to like me if that's what they require me to do...but if I have genuinely done my best by you than I guess it's hard for me to wrap my mind around anyone making it their mission to destroy and hurt me. This causes stress for me...but then the Lord reminded me tonight of a sermon I missed a couple weeks back. Someone had mentioned that it was on 'Stress'. I am so thankful that He reminded me of this...here are a few of my notes from the sermon, I figure why not keep them as a reminder here and maybe pass along some hope to you if you struggle with stress too...

"People often feel stress by conflict that is created by being misrepresented  by others" -Pastor Tom (SPOT ON)

Remember: Jesus was either LOVED or HATED.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23

ANECDOTE TO STRESS = STABILITY IN THE LORD

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” 1 Peter 4:12

{Be so infused in the Lord that stresses only make you stronger - let it press you nearer to His heart.}

PRAY PERSISTENTLY FOR HIS:

-Courage

-Strength

-Joy

"If I am pleasing to you Lord then let the chips fall where they may with relationships in my life."

“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess” -Martin Luther

...What wonderful perfect reminders right in the nick of time. Thank you Lord. If you want to listen to this sermon you can do so here, it is the sermon with the date 2/10/13.