Send

       I don’t think I’ve ever been an overly anxious person, but today I figured out there is something I get a little anxious about every time.  It involves clicking the button.  Most often it is the send button when I am composing an email, and when I hesitated for the 8^th time this morning only to reread the text again, it dawned on me, this is what I often do.

       So the first thing I did is question if this is perfectionist issues rising up again and decided it was not.  With emails it is more of a concern that I stated what I needed to clearly for others to understand and a concern that I might be misunderstood based on how I said something.  How weird is that?  I wonder if there are others who think this way…

       Still, when I consider my past, I remember other times I couldn’t click the button.  This one time I had gone online to buy a computer and I had chosen everything we wanted in it, was on the page where I could see the total cost and inputted my payment card numbers, and then I couldn’t do it.  As much as I knew we needed it, we could afford it, and with all the research I’d done to make sure it was what we needed, I placed the cursor over the purchase button and stopped.  Though I felt like an idiot, I couldn’t make myself press the button; my hubby had to come do it for me!

Do not fear; for I am with you; be not dismayed; for I am your God. I will make you strong; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.  Is. 41:10

I sought Jehovah, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.  Ps. 34:4

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Php. 4:6-7

       So now I’m thinking I need to start praying about the situation.  Some people might think- oh, it’s just a little issue, why bother God with it, but the Lord did not give us a spirit of fear (2Tm. 1:7) and since His perfect love casts out fear (1Jh. 4:18), I’m sure He’d rather us trust Him in all of the little things in life, not just the big ones.  Besides, when my young daughter used to go to her dad and tell him she needed help even in ‘little things’, he was always willing and happy to do it.

       And the Scriptures above indicate He will make us strong when we are too weak to do what we need to do.  If we seek Him and request for His help, He will give us the strength and peace we need to do the things we find tough- even if they seem so silly.  So, I determine to stop rereading so many times.  I will allow one reread, and then I will pray for God’s help and click send knowing that He will use all things for good somehow even if it is just using me to teach others patience!!!  Now, if only I remember to pray…

(yep, I just need to remember...

     I actually forgot to blog the past couple days until it was too late in the day- oops J)

The True Knight

       Even though I have a lot in common with men there are still some very feminine parts of me.  As a little girl I ‘dreamed’ that one day my knight would ride in on his white stallion with fierce countenance, brandishing shiny armour and sword, rescue me from the monsters (mundane life) and take me away to the place where we would be happy forever.  On our journey to this wonderful place, he would recognize the beauty I had hidden away, and would admire my strength and integrity.  He would defend my honour with his fierce fighting skills and would protect me from all enemies until we reached our destination.

       As a teen, I didn’t expect much less.  Substitute the horse for horsepower, the shiny armour for a sharp dresser, and keep the mad fighting skills to defend my honour and protect me, and you’ve still got the same basic man.  That Man already rode into my life when I was 16- literally but not visibly.  His name is Jesus and I say is because He is still alive (Mr. 19:19).  And one day He will ride in to visibly rescue humanity by redeeming us from the curse and completely destroying the enemy PERMANENTLY! 

And I saw Heaven opened. And behold, a white horse! And He sitting on him was called Faithful and True. And in righteousness He judges and makes war. And His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head many crowns. And He had a name written, one that no one knew except Himself. And He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 

Rev. 19:11-13

Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. The beast was captured, along with the false prophet who had performed signs on its behalf. By these signs the false prophet had deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. The rest were killed by the sword that belonged to the rider on the horse and that came from his mouth… 

Rev. 19:19-21 ISV

       Jesus is the ultimate ‘knight in shining armour’ for He will return, riding on His white horse to vanquish the enemy for all eternity and restore this world to what it should have been.  He comes back in victory as

King of Kings and Lord of Lords (v.16) so that His bride can be with Him forever in peace and in the joy of God’s presence.

Jesus- our Knight in Shining Light!!!

Canadian Blood Services

       Well, my daughter won’t be thrilled about it, but I just found out (now that she’s old enough) that she is eligible to give blood.  Ultimately I won’t force her, but I am highly encouraging her to try at least three times before deciding not to.  More than anything it’s the idea of having a needle stuck in her that she doesn’t like, but I think knowing she could help save someone’s life will win out over her squeamishness.

       It has become more important to me now that I cannot donate and I realize how many people in my life needed donated blood to help them heal- including my husband.  “because the life of any flesh is the blood itself.” (Lv. 17:14a ISV)  Blood brings life to the flesh; it delivers nutrients for energy, oxygen to make them work, impurity removers, healing properties etc.  If you drained your blood to below minimum volume then you would die because it could not deliver what your body needs to live.

       About six months ago one of my doctors sent me for blood work.  When I sat down at the seat I was astounded at the vials put out before me (I stopped counting past ten).  Even the nurse was surprised!  Though I’ve had blood work done many times, there was never that much taken.  My veins are small and sometimes they have problems getting a needle in, so the nurse stated she would do the vials in a particular order in case she couldn’t get enough- but she filled them all. 

       After she was done I went home and ate a good protein breakfast and then had the best physical-wise day I’ve had in years and which has never happened after giving blood before.  I felt so good and energetic (I didn’t even need a nap J) and it lasted until the next day.  Best I can figure is my bone marrow producing new stem cells (mostly red ones after donating) must have given me an energy boost.?!  Whatever the reason, it sure felt like the new blood was bringing new life into this body.

       In a different kind of way, that is what Jesus’ blood did for us.  Our new lives are in His blood which He voluntarily shed at Calvary.  So we have life through His blood.

  

(Jesus said) For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  Mt. 26:28

In fact, under the Law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of the blood there is no forgiveness.  Heb. 9:22 ISV

…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1Jh. 1:7

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,  Eph. 1:7

       And because of His gift of life through His blood, we who were separated by sin from God can enter in to His presence for the veil has been torn (Mr. 15:38).  “But now in Christ Jesus you who were once afar off are made near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13) for it pleased the Father to reconcile us to Himself “And through Him having made peace through the blood of His cross, it pleased the Father to reconcile all things to Himself through Him…” (Col. 1:20) 

There truly is LIFE in the BLOOD!

John 6:54

How Do I?

       Yesterday I was talking with a friend doing a Bible study on studying the Bible.  Someone taking the study commented on how they knew they should do devotions every day but never really knew what that meant.  How true it is that we say certain things in Christianity without ever explaining the details of ‘how to’.  You should pray, you should worship, you should have devotions, you should study your Bible, you should spend time with God, you should listen to Him… etc.

       Believe it or not, many people don’t really understand what these things entail and most of us (once we are saved) never think to ask or think it will be too ‘dumb’ a question to ask.  What happens if you don’t know?  Well, you could even get involved in some unhealthy practices.  For instance, we are told to meditate on God’s Word- five times in Ps. 119 alone.  (v.15,23,48,78,148)

meditate:

Heb. hagah- murmur, ponder, imagine, mutter, speak, study, talk

Heb. siach- ponder, complain, converse with self aloud, commune, declare, muse, pray, speak

       What does it mean to meditate on the Word?  Are we to sit cross legged with our hands upright on our knees chanting ‘Ohm, Ohm’ while we clear our mind of all thoughts?  Not according to scripture which clearly indicates pondering on the Word, speaking about it aloud, studying, maybe questioning self, declaring the Word etc.  No specific position of posture is indicated and definitely no clearing of our minds- and nothing about repeating the same words over and over again.  So, just how does one meditate?  Well, that is a subject for another post- this one is just on how we often tell people to do certain things (for their own benefit) but neglect to tell them HOW to do those things.

And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine…  Eph. 4:11-14

       Remember in Luke 11:1 the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray?  It also says “as John also taught his disciples”.  See, we forget that in those days teachers took on students (called disciples) whom the teachers taught even the ‘how to-s’.  2Tm. 2:2 indicates the ministers should pass on teaching to the faithful for them to pass on to others.  So we are not to leave the ‘should do-s’ out there in space for people to guess at the ‘how to-s’, but we should all be teaching others that which we have learned, as always, based on the Word of God so that we all may continue to grow to maturity.  As Paul said:

     Not as though I had already attained,

                         either were already perfect,

                                              but I am pressing on…  Php. 3:12