DISTRACTED CHRISTIANITY

I could use a smart phone app for my walk with the Lord. There is one called EverDrive that is designed to help you minimize DISTRACTED DRIVING. It helps you track your driving habits so that you can be motivated to know when you are distracted and do something to limit those distractions. I have a condition I call DISTRACTED CHRISTIANITY. I am a Christian and I want a strong walk with the Lord. I know what I need to do to strengthen that walk, but I am distracted by the things of this world - good things and bad things - and don't always spend the time with the Lord that I want to spend every day.

Most Christians would agree that my goal is their goal: it is my hearts' desire to know God's Will for my life. There are a lot of things that are vying for our time: the television, the Internet, our children, our jobs, household duties, yard work, recreation, sports, etc. There are so many ways that we are being pulled to do things other than those we say we want to do. I believe what is written in Matthew 6:33 that if I seek first His kingdom and His righteousness then all these things will be given to me as well. If I seek God first, then I will be equipped to parent my children the way God wants me to parent them, be a good friend to others, be successful in life, be effective in my job, and handle all the challenges and problems that Satan and this world can throw at me. What do I need to accomplish that? What do ANY of us need to accomplish that? We need to prepare our hearts and minds in order to hear from God. That sounds simple enough, but because of all the distractions that Satan and this world surrounds us with, it can be very challenging. Plus, even when we can minimize or eliminate distractions in our lives, we need to know how God speaks, when God speaks, and that it is GOD that is speaking to us instead of someone else. Remember, there are OTHER VOICES out there speaking: our own voices, other people’s, and Satan's. God speaks to us continually and in many ways. The question is are we receiving it? Are we tuning in?

Get really quiet for a moment. Do you hear those voices? You don’t? What about if you turn on the radio? Why didn’t we hear those voices before doing that?  We did not hear the voices because WE DID NOT TUNE IN. We did not have the receiver on. Those voices were there, but we just had to TUNE IN to hear them.

We need to learn how to tune in to hear God’s voice. In the garden, there were two voices talking to Adam and Eve: God's and Satan's. That’s why Jesus says “take heed (or consider carefully) to what you hear” (Mark 4, Luke 8:18). In other words, be careful to what you listen to. Be very careful, because Satan speaks. Isn’t it amazing that Satan is called the “prince and power of the air”? Did you know that when you speak, when the words come out of your mouth, before they enter the other person ear, they travel through what… the air. Do you think Satan might try to twist your words? Take heed what you hear. It’s not just God broadcasting. Someone else is broadcasting, too. Also, be careful because sometimes you hear your own thoughts and think it is God.

So how do we tune in to hear God speak to us? The first step is actually one of the hardest things to do. We live in such a fast-paced society and live such busy lives, that it takes purposeful planning to make this happen.

1. BE STILL AND WORSHIP.  Psalm 46:10 reads as follows: “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” In Exodus 14:13-15, Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” In Psalm 37:6-8, we are told to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” If we cannot be still, it will be harder to know that it is truly God speaking to us. Don’t go straight to prayer and reading the Word without first getting STILL before the Lord. We need to BE STILL and give the Almighty God the undivided attention that He deserves and that we need so that we can hear His voice clearly.

2. SPEND TIME WITH HIM IN PRAYER. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us that we should, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Praying is spending time with God. It is personal and intimate. What if you were in the hospital and you had a friend who came every single morning and dropped off some books for you to read. They were great books and you had them every day to read whenever you want to. And you had another friend who came by and actually spent time with you and talked with you and prayed with you and laughed with you. Which would you prefer? The one who spends time with you? The one who just drops off books for you to read? God wants BOTH… He wants you to read the books He has given you, but He also wants you to spend time with Him.

3. READ AND STUDY HIS WORD. When should we read and study the Bible – morning or night? How should we read the Bible – from start to finish in the sequence of the Books? By topic? A chapter a day? Should we use one of those “Read through the Bible in a year” plans? What version Bible should we use? When reading the Bible, it makes sense to choose a version that is easy to read and understand. When studying God’s Word, you may want a different version, and you would benefit from having a study Bible, a concordance, and even Bible commentaries. What Bible reading plan is the best? There are even BIBLE APPS now. Where in the Bible should you read? There are a lot of opinions about how and when to read the Bible… But I will tell you the answer. You won’t have to wonder anymore. In fact, it’s simple really. Want to know? You read ON THE INSIDE. I’ve read the outside and I have that memorized: HOLY BIBLE. Don’t make it complicated… keep it simple and meaningful.

4. MEDITATE ON HIS WORD. There are many references to meditation, pondering, and thinking in the Bible, encouraging us to engage our thoughts with His Word. In fact, the words meditate and meditation occur 21 times in the Bible and the words think, thinking, and thoughts, 252 times. Mind is mentioned 163 times and the word ponder is found 9 times. If you are skeptical about meditation, it may be because of what you remember New Agers did in the 70’s when the talk was all about transcendental meditation, karma, mantra, and zen… and people were taught that you had to sit a certain way, breathe a certain way, and empty your minds before you could achieve balance in your life. When God asks us to meditate on His Word, He is asking us to develop a Biblical habit. Biblical meditation is the powerful practice of pondering, personalizing, and practicing Scripture. Biblical meditation is not just reading Scripture, it is THINKING scripture, memorizing Scripture… contemplating, visualizing, and personifying the precious truths God has given us. Like water flowing through a fountain, water through a radiator, or oil through a machine, Scripture should be constantly circulating through our minds and hearts so that we become God-conditioned. In the process, we start to look at things as He does. We start seeing life from His point of view. Our attitudes become healthier and our emotions fall into line. 1 Timothy 4:15 says, “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” Meditation will draw you closer to the Lord and give you fresh insights into His Ways, His Will, and His Word. Psalm 19:14 says, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight.” 

Some of the greatest heroes of our faith modeled it for us:

• In the age of the patriarchs, Isaac went out at dusk to meditate in the fields (Genesis 24:63). 
• The Lord told Joshua about the Law of God: “Meditate on it day and night… then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8). 
• The Psalmist pictured those who meditate day and night as fruitful trees by rivers of water (Psalm 1:2-3). 
• Jeremiah said, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jeremiah 15:16). 
• The Virgin Mary treasured God’s Words and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19). 
• Jesus advised His followers to “hear the word, accept it, meditate on it, act on it, and bear fruit” (Mark 4:20). 
• The apostle Paul told us to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy… we are to meditate on those things AND put them into practice. As a result, the God of peace will be with us. (Philippians 4:8) 

5. LISTEN & WRITE. Keeping a journal to write down what God speaks to you after you pray, read & study His Word is a wonderful way to be able to keep up with His conversations with you and to track His promises and when they are fulfilled. This will encourage you so much! If you aren’t convinced that writing things down is important, think about it this way: if God who created the heaven and the earth, and the universe and all that is in it speaks to you, should we rely on our memory or should we write it down so we can remember it, reflect upon it, and act upon it?!

In summary, to tune in to God, we need to tune out the distractions of this life. We need to: be still & worship, pray, read & study His Word, meditate on His Scripture, and listen to His voice and write down what He says so that we can regularly reflect upon it. If we would do these things, we will hear from God and our lives would be so much better. If we draw near to Him, He WILL draw near to us.

~Pastor Kay Dillard

Hope for the Hopeless

Christmas is such a joyful time of the year... Celebration of Jesus' birth, favorite songs, children opening presents, food and fellowship, family gatherings.  It's the time of year enjoyed by everyone... or is it?

What about the mother who lost her husband this time last year?  What about the homeless family with no where to go?  Or the soldier in a strange land wishing he were home with loved ones?  What about the father who is out of work and has no money to buy presents for his kids or the teenager sold into prostitution who doesn't see a way out?  What about the brother slowly dieing of throat cancer?

As different as they sound, all these people have a lot in common.  They all need to know that they are not alone.  They need to know that they are loved.  They all need hope.  Most importantly, they all need to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, provider, and comforter.

This Christmas, invite the Holy Spirit to work through you to help someone in need.  Ask God to open your eyes to see people as He does... and to love them as He does.  Let them know Jesus loves them.  Let them know He cares.  Let them know that they are not alone.  Pray for them.  Pray with them.  Ask the Holy Spirit to renew their spirits and fill them with hope.

A FIRM FOUNDATION

Week before last, I had the great pleasure of having my three year old granddaughter Braylee for a week.  She loves water.  She loved playing in the pool and she loved taking a bath each day.

One night, Braylee was playing in the bath tub with all the foam letters that I had given her.  They are colorful and when wet, they can stick to the side of the tub.  Braylee "spelled" many words for her own and for my pleasure.

Near the end of her bath, Braylee wanted to build a tower.  She would stack the foam letters one by one on top of each other and they would always fall.  She was persistent, though, so she would start over... only to see them fall again.  I told Braylee that in order for her tower to stand, she needed a FIRM FOUNDATION.  I reached over and showed her how to strengthen the base by building WIDER before she try to build HIGHER.  She loved it.  Soon, because she had a FIRM FOUNDATION, she had a STRONG TOWER!

Braylee's victory brought to my mind the various scripture the Lord has given us about building a firm foundation.  We learn in 2 Chronicles 3:3 that "the foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide".  The temple had to have a firm foundation in order to be strong. 

The Lord tells us in Luke 6:47-49:  "As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.  They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”  (NIV)

Does your life have a firm foundation?  When heartache, disaster, misery, or misfortune come your way, are you able to stand firm, endure the hardship, and get through it?  All of us, including me, need to be sure at all times and in all circumstances that our foundation is laid upon the Solid Rock of Jesus Christ so that when bad things happen, we will not lose our way.  If our foundation is laid upon the Rock of Christ, we can trust that we do have the firm foundation we need in life.

~Written by Pastor Kay Dillard

   
  
  

The Resume of Jesus Christ

Address: Ephesians 1:20

Phone: Romans 10:13

Website: The Bible. Keywords: Christ, Lord, Savior and Jesus

Hello. My name is Jesus -The Christ. Many call me Lord!  I've sent you my resume because I'm seeking the top management position in your heart.  Please consider my accomplishments as set forth in my resume.

I.        Qualifications

a.      I founded the earth and established the heavens (See Proverbs 3:19).

b.      I formed man from the dust of the ground (See Genesis 2:7).

c.      I breathed into man the breath of life (See Genesis 2:7).

d.      I redeemed man from the curse of the law, (See Galatians 3:13).

e.      The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant come upon your life through me    (See Galatians 3:14).

II.      Occupational Background

a.      I've only had one employer (See Luke 2:49).

b.      I've never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful.

c.      My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me (See Matthew 3:15-17).

III.    Skills Work Experiences

a.      Some of my skills and work experiences include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and setting at liberty those who are bruised (See Luke 4:18).

b.      I am a Wonderful Counselor (See Isaiah 9:6). People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil (See Proverbs 1:33).

c.      Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins (See I John 1:7-9).

IV.   Educational Background

a.      I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and understanding (See Proverbs 2:6).

b.      In me are hidden all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (See Colossians 2:3).

c.      My Word is very powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a lamp unto your path (See Psalms 119:105).

d.      I can even tell you all of the secrets of your heart (See Psalms 44:21).

V.     Major Accomplishments

a.      I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times

(See Genesis 1:26).

b.      I laid down my life so that you may live (See II Corinthians 5:15).

c.      I defeated the archenemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly (See Colossians 2:15).

d.      I've miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick and raised the dead!

e.      There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot - the BIBLE. You don't need an Internet connection or computer to access my website.

VI.               References

a.      The great teacher/my father, JEHOVAH (Psalms 83:18).

b.      Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healings, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance.

VII.             In Summation

Now that you've read my resume, I'm confident that I'm the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart.  In summation, I will properly direct your paths (See Proverbs 3:5-6), and lead you into everlasting life (See John 6:47).  When can I start?  Time is of the essence (See Hebrews 3:15).

Give this resume to everyone you know, you never know who may have an opening!

 Thanks for your help and may God bless you!

*************

(Post submitted by Pastor Kay Dillard)

Fathers and Sons, Faith and Basketball

Fathers and Sons, Faith and Basketball

2/12/15

 

Every father knows that the day will come when his son will beat him in sports.  When my son was born, among the gifts of diapers, onesies, bibs and pacifiers was a small baseball glove.  I think it was my favorite gift.  Thus, started the waiting game.  It wasn’t long before I could toss a ball underhanded and my son could actually catch it!  In no time, we were actually playing different sports and games together.  Of course, I took it easy, letting him win.  As he grew, my son began to hate when I would let him win.  Be it ping pong or basketball, he would ask, “Are you trying your best?”  It was important to him to be able to beat his father at his best!

 

And then it happened.  I can’t even recall the first time he beat me in anything.  It was more of a gradual thing.  But then, it happened more and more.  Now, the scales of competitive balance have tipped in the other direction.  I can occasionally compete with him in basketball.  Our ping pong games literally go back and forth (sorry).  I have to say that this time in our competitive lives is really fun for me.  Tomorrow it will be over.  In the blink of an eye, he’ll be taking it easy on me.  In fact, I’ve started to wonder if he’s trying hard if I happen to make a basket on the court. 

 

The truth is, I’ve always wanted him to be better than me – better than I ever was.  It brings me joy and pride to know that my son can and will do things I never could.  When he accomplishes goals far earlier than I ever did, we celebrate!  What kind of father would I be if I didn’t want my son to surpass me?  I clearly remember my own father’s joy and pride when I grew taller than he stood, when he could no longer beat me in basketball or tennis, or when I could reach high notes on the trumpet that he couldn’t approach.  I knew he was proud of me and I was proud of myself.  Why?  He was my father.  I respected him, wanted to be like him.  If my son wants to be like me and surpass me … I can’t ask for much more.

 

Exodus 20:12 – the 5^th Commandment – directs us to honor our fathers and mothers.  It includes the promise of long life in the land the Lord is giving.  What does that really mean?  While obedience and respect are certainly a part of this command, the heart of the matter is that the next generation is to embody the same spiritual DNA as that of the previous generation.   We live in a society that is clearly full of perversions, temptations and values that war with God.  How can we ensure that our children won’t stray from the truth in God’s Word – and THE truth:  Jesus?  Sadly, we can’t ensure it. 

 

What we can do is start tossing the ball when our children are barely old enough to catch it.  We teach them and introduce them to Christ from the cradle.  As they grow, we take them deeper and deeper in the faith relationship.  We never stop the spiritual investment. 

 

Right now, I smile in wonder when I watch my son make a great move on the court.  Will I share the same fascination when he teaches me a deep, spiritual truth?  Will I be filled with gratitude and righteous pride when he impacts the Kingdom of God more than I ever have?

 

I hope so.

 

And maybe I’ll still be able to beat him at ping pong, too.

 

 

Pastor Chris Bailey

A Higher Perspective

Have you ever been lost?  If you have a map or GPS, you can probably find your way.  If not, you may find yourself wishing you could have a bird's perspective so you can determine which way to go.     Think about your spiritual life... Do you ever feel lost?  We all do sometimes.  If we only look at life from our own perspective, we may stay "lost" or confused.  However, if we look at life from a higher perspective... God's perspective through Scripture... we find the clearer direction we seek.

To search the Scriptures to find a divine perspective, we must first have faith that God's Word is true.  When we realize that God really does have plans for us, that His ways are really higher than our ways, then our spiritual eyes can be opened to see our circumstances from his heavenly perspective.  See, we may be smart, we may hold college degrees, we may be wise enough to figure out some things on our own, but the truth is, our reasoning and reckoning and figuring all have the stain of sin, and therefore, are imperfect.

GOD IS INFINITE.  The time frame we use to try to understand, analyze, and determine our life's course is limited.  God, the great I AM THAT I AM, on the other hand, knows history from the beginning to the end and knows exactly what the future holds.  Read Isaiah 40:6-31, with emphasis on verses 8-10.

GOD IS OMNISCIENT.  Our understanding cannot hold a candle to His.  We had to learn everything we know, but God sees all and knows all... Including our future.

GOD IS OMNIPOTENT.  We tire physically, emotionally, and mentally.  Our thoughts get clouded.  God never gets tired and His thinking is crystal clear.  He hears all, sees all, and works all things according to His purpose and accomplishes His every Word (Romans 8:28).

Taking all this into consideration, whose perspective would you say that we can more securely trust... ours or God's?  Ask yourself who can see from the past into the future.  Who has the higher perspective in order to decide on the best course to take?  Who accomplishes His every Word?  The answers to those questions are obvious, but trusting in God's perspective is not always easy.  Trust in His Word.  Wait on The Lord for guidance... for the answers you need.  After all, He promises that we can have that "bird's eye" view we want as we "mount up with wings like eagles" (Isaiah 40:6-31).

~Kay Dillard

Three "I's" of Forgiveness

Consider the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Matthew 18: 21-35

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”  Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

What a challenging text! We are to forgive other people up to 490 times? What does this text teach us about practicing forgiveness? There are three valuable lessons to be remembered about forgiveness:

1. First, the IMPORTANCE of Forgiveness...
Jesus stressed the importance of forgiveness by using a breath-taking challenge. He instructed Peter to forgive up to four hundred ninety times. Forgiveness is important!
   A.  First, forgiveness is important because God’s forgiveness of us is dependent on our forgiving others.
   B.  A second reason why forgiveness is important is because our spiritual freedom depends on our forgiving others.  Whenever you harbor unforgiveness in your heart you will be in bondage. You will not have freedom when you try to worship.

2. These verses teach the importance of forgiveness. However, it also teaches the IMPOSSIBILITY of Forgiveness. 
There is a somewhat humorous story line in this passage.  In Matthew 5, verse 21 we read where Peter comes to Jesus with a question. His question was, “how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” (then Peter adds) “up to seven times?”  This is the catch: the Jewish Rabbis taught that forgiving someone three times was sufficient. Peter was offering a generous over-stepping of obligation. If three was the magical number then seven should be going the extra mile, so he thought. Jesus stunned Peter when he suggested (in verse 22) that Peter should forgive 70 times 7 (or 490 times).  Jesus point, there should be no limits on forgiveness.
Forgiveness is impossible without submitting yourself to God. "You do not have because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:2-3).

3.  Knowing its importance and knowing it is impossible without God, now consider the INSPIRATION to offer forgiveness.
There is inspiration in the Bible, in real life stories, and ultimately in Jesus Christ.  As he hung on the cross he prayed a prayer of forgiveness, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk. 23:34).  When you forgive, it does not mean that the other person will change… it means that YOU have!   It means that you have used your FREE WILL to obey Christ and extend mercy, grace, and compassion.  It means that you CHOOSE to show leniency, let go of resentments, release unhealthy and unholy emotions, trust God, and submit to His Will.  It means you have chosen strength and humility over weakness and pride.  You have relinquished your right to be right which in itself is an act of obedience to God.

If a big, shiny red balloon represents God’s holiness, how many pins do you need to stick in it to break it? We are ALL guilty when compared to His holiness.  It has nothing to do with what good you’ve done.  It has to do with Jesus Christ and what He’s done, whether or not He is in your heart, reigning in your life… by invitation of your own Free Will.

The Point
Any guesses what the point of forgiveness is?  JOY! The complete and utter JOY of God when one sinner repents. That is the point of the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).  “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

The Challenge
Exercise your FREE WILL to say YES to God… He will empower you.  If we really hunger and thirst for righteousness (Listen, trust, and obey), if we really desire to know God intimately and walk in His ways, then we DIE TO SELF and don’t let anyone or anything get in our way… or stop us from being obedient.

Remember the Three I’s of Forgiveness…
1.  It is IMPORTANT,
2.  It is IMPOSSIBLE without His help, and
3.  There is plenty of INSPIRATION for it.

What’s stopping you from seeking  forgiveness?  What’s stopping you from extending forgiveness?   Ask and believe that you can forgive, then obey.

~Posted by Kay Dillard