Dee2rites Blog

Tag: relationships

  • Being Engaged

    “As Jesus landed, He saw a great crowd waiting, and He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34

    For my birthday last November, I asked my husband to buy us a membership at the city recreation center gym. Since then, we have been walking on the track 5 or 6 times a week and now we are up to walking about 3.5 miles in the hour we are there. That’s 33 laps around the track, plus 3 or 4 “cool-down” laps. Boring? Not at all. First of all, I’ve got my praise music plugged into my ears, and second, I’m a people watcher. Larry and I both are and we’ve learned who the regulars are at the gym.
    There’s the young lady with severe Scoliosis and her friend who walks with her. There’s the retired Marine with his military hair cut, who runs like a man half his age in his jeans and white tee shirt. There’s a lovely black lady with her curly grey hair carrying 5-lb hand weights and who still out walks me. There’s the older gentleman who was born in India and walks a lap backwards. “Always one lap backward every day. Very good for you.” There is the trainer who is every one’s cheerleader whither or not they are her client. Occasionally there is a very handsome young Arabic man who laps us several times running. I always wonder does he know my Jesus, the One True God of his father Abraham?
    There are many more, but our favorite of all is Matthew and his mom, Rita. Matthew is a young boy with special needs. He’s non-verbal and looks out at the world through thick glasses. Matthew has a surgical scar that starts somewhere in the back of his head and goes down below the top of his shirt. He walks with a slow awkward gait and some days he’s reluctant to walk at all. His mother has to push him and at times seems to struggle to get him out on the track. I can see the frustration on her face as she works trying to get him up and going. But on the days he’s cooperating and walking willingly, I can also see the joy and love on her face as well.
    One day as Larry and I were walking past Matthew and Rita, we slowed down a little to encourage them. Rita beamed a bright smile and said “He’s such a blessing.” A few days later we were leaving about the same time they were and we visited with them for just a few minutes. I told Rita that I’ve been praying for her and Matthew. Her face lit up with at knowing someone cared enough to pray for them. “Oh, thank you! Please do,” she said.
    At church yesterday, our pastor preached on “being engaged” with the community around us. Just as Jesus engaged the Samaritan woman at the well, so are we to become engaged with the people around us. God has been showing me so many people and giving me opportunities to engage them. I don’t know all their stories, I don’t have to in order to pray for them. Will I ever have an opportunity to share Jesus with them? I don’t know. All I do know is I have to be willing and to trust God to open the doors.
    Compassion equals engagement. Over and over in the Gospels it says Jesus had compassion and every time it says that, it follows with what He did.
    “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14:14
    “Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’” Matthew 15:32
    “Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.” Matthew 20:34
    “Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’”. Mark 1:41
    Having compassion for people is more than just having pity or sympathy. It means being engaged as Jesus was.

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,
    Dee

  • FORGIVE MY IMPERFECTION, PLEASE

    “You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matt. 5:48 (The Amplified Bible)

    That’s a pretty strong command from our Lord Jesus. But do any of us ever reach it? Just about the time I think I have a particular sin conquered, along comes something else I have to overcome.
    I’m reminded frequently that none of us in this life seem to ever reach that goal. If we place too high a standard with others, they will disappoint us. Sometimes repeatedly. But that’s where grace and the love of God comes in. God’s love in and for us allows us to forgive others and ourselves.

    “Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others].” I Peter 4:8 (The Amplified Bible)

    Love forgives and disregards the offenses of others. Praise God for his love and grace which He pours over us without measure.
    King Jehoshaphat was king of Judah and the Bible says the Lord was with him because he walked in the ways of his ancestor David and “… sought and yearned with all his desire for the Lord, the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not after the ways of Israel. Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor.” 2 Chron. 17: 4, 5
    Jehoshaphat sent leaders to teach in all the cities of Judah the Book of the Law, God’s written word, so that the people would know and fear the Lord.
    But even Jehoshaphat made wrong decisions and bad alliances. He allied with Ahab, the king of the southern tribes, Israel, who was not following after God. Jehoshaphat agreed to go into battle with King Ahab even thought God’s prophet warned it would end badly. (See 2 Chron. 8:15-17.)
    When the enemy’s army came against him, Jehoshaphat called out to God “…and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.” 2 Chron. 8:31b
    Jehoshaphat was not a perfect man as none of us are, but he was God’s man. At the end of his life it was said of him “And he walked in the ways of Asa his father and departed not from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord.” 2 Chron. 20:32
    Wouldn’t it be nice to know that when the end of our time comes they could say about us that we had walked in the ways of God and did what was right in the sight of the Lord. And is it not comforting to know even when we make bad decisions, God will not hold it against us but will help us if we call out.

    “MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father–[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action].” 1 John 2:1 (The Amplified Bible)

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,
    Dee

  • Relationships – God’s Way


    The Word of God has much to say regarding our relationship, not only with Him but with others. Marriage, family, friends, fellow believers, worldly people and strangers, God tells us how we are to behave with each one. The Ten Commandments are not just God’s Law to be law, but God’s law on how we are to relate with Him and people.

    Jesus makes this pretty clear when He was asked which was the greatest commandment. “Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

    It’s very distressing when I see individuals who call themselves believers mistreat fellow believers. How can we show God’s love to the world when we fail to even act in love toward one another?

    The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:12-14 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and forgiveness, then above all we are to put on love.

    Loving one another doesn’t mean we “feel” a certain way. Sensual love is feeling, but God given, God commanded, Agape love is a verb. It is a way of acting and being. Love does not lie but speaks the truth. Love does not tear down but builds up. Love does not turn away from others’ needs but reaches out. Love does not criticize but looks for the good in others. There is no hypocrisy in love. It’s not just words but it is how we relate to one another.

    Father, fill me with Your love today and through the power of Your Holy Spirit let me live it and show it to those You bring into my life every day. Amen

    Peace and blessings to you all in our Lord Jesus Christ.
    Dee

    Read 1 Corinthians 13

  • RELATIONSHIP WITNESSING

    “Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!” 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (The Message)

    Look around you in church sometime, I mean really look at the people who are there. Who do you see? Do you see non-Christians searching for the answers for their lives or believers there to assemble themselves together? More than likely most of them are believers. So then, how are we to get the gospel to those outside who need Jesus? The Bible says how can they believe except they hear, and how can they hear except someone is sent?  (See Romans 10:14.)

    We have to do it outside the church. That’s what Jesus did. He went about his daily life, meeting people on the street and calling them to follow him. He went to dinner with sinners, not so he could tell them what great sinners they were – they already knew that – but to show them God.

    We’re to do the same thing. That’s what the Apostle Paul was talking about in the passage above. He didn’t participate in their sin, but he adapted himself to their circumstances so that he could share the gospel with them.

    The question is how do we do that? How do we show Jesus to the outside world in a way they want to know more? Reciting religious platitudes and quoting scripture will usually turn them off and away from you. Conversations that are great when you’re with fellow believers and Christian friends are not always so great around non-believers. When my best friend and I talk, we have a wonderful time sharing what we’re learned from the Bible and what God is doing in our lives. But I can’t have that type of relationship with everyone.

    The first thing we need to do is to be nice to people. Sometimes we pick and choose how to treat people based on appearance. That’s not how God calls us to be. Jesus went to the outcasts. Probably few if any of the 12 disciples Jesus called would qualify to serve on the staff of any of our modern churches. They were for the most part uneducated and a few of them were pretty rowdy.  James and John were called Sons of Thunder and Peter cut off a man’s ear! Be nice to everybody – the store clerk who can’t make change, the stressed out parents in the restaurant with a screaming child, the dirty day-laborer in line at the convenience store. Show them who God is by being nice.

    Then just be a friend to people we meet. Get to know them and learn about their lives before we start telling them how they need God. Be their friend first and wait for God to open the door for spiritual discussions. It may take months, it may take years.  It may never happen in the way you expect. But never underestimate the impact a godly life just lived openly and honestly in front of someone can have.

    Be sensitive to other people’s needs and their feelings. I’m as guilty as the next person about saying something “religious” because I thought it was what I was supposed to say only to realize later that what I said was not what the person needed to hear at all. What they needed most was for me to just be their friend. Offer help when they need help, and give it without any “religious” strings attached. When we meet peoples’ needs, they have the chance to see Jesus but only if we do it freely and without preaching to them about it.

    Most of all, we cannot hold ourselves out as being better or more righteous than they are.  Arrogant spirituality turns people away. The only difference between them and us is Jesus. Paul said he did not participate in their sin, (“I am committed to the law of Christ”, I Cor. 9:21b) but he accepted them as they were.  We can decline to participate in sin without having to expound on the evils of it. Jesus said to let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no and that is enough. (Matt. 5:37)
    Jesus said we’re to be the light of the world. Light in only noticed where there is dark. During the daylight, you don’t usually notice that a lamp is on. But as soon as it gets dark, that lamp becomes useful. If we’re to be useful “lamps”, we need to get out of the daylight of our church pew and go out to the dark where we’re needed.

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ.
    Dee

  • Learning from God

    Godly relationships are vital in our walk as Christians. The Bible is clear that we are to assemble ourselves together regularly to study the Word and for worship.


    “…not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching”. Hebrews 10:25 (The Amplified Bible)


    I just completed an 8-week ladies Bible study where we met each Tuesday evening. There were about 20 of us sharing what we’d learned the past week and with our group discussions, each one gave the others a glimpse into her life. As the weeks progressed, we all became very dear to one another and now we cannot wait for our next session to start again.

    In addition to corporate fellowship in church and Bible study groups, God brings individuals into our lives to encourage us and help us grow.


    ”As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 (New International Version)


    God has brought several such women into my life during different periods of my life. Those friendships are precious to me and I cherish the times we’ve spent together praying and sharing the Word together. They are all dear sisters and although some of us are separated by miles now, we are still one in the Lord. I continue to pray for them as they do for me.


    As much as I cherish those times, with individual friends and group Bible studies, the times I’ve grown the most spiritually have not always felt pleasant as it was happening. It was hard because I felt alone. Of course I had my church and my family, but I was missing that “Paul & Timothy” relationship I was used to having. Now, looking back I see those times too were God ordained. It was in those alone times I had to totally rely on the Holy Spirit to teach me the Word. When you have no one but Jesus to cling to, you learn to cling with all your might.

    In the Old Testament, before David became king, he was a keeper of sheep. Alone out with his sheep, he learned to totally trust in God.


    “My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation.
    He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken    . Psalm 62:1,2 (New American Standard)


    After God anointed him to be king, David went through some hard times. Saul tried to kill him, and later even his own son tried to kill and overthrow him. If David had not learned how to trust in God alone in the field with his sheep, it would have been hard to learn it when men were trying to kill him.

    Don’t despise the lonely times; listen for God’s voice and stay in His Word. We don’t always know what God is preparing us for in those times but we can be sure, everything God does in our lives is for a purpose. We just have to trust Him.

    Peace and Blessings,

    Dee

  • TO ALL MY SISTERS

    I only have one blood sister who grew up in the same household as I did and I have two sisters by marriage. I have a few sisters who God brought into my life at a time when I needed them most and bonded our hearts together in the love of the Lord. I have sisters that I go to church with and that run in the same social circles I’m in. But I also have thousands of sisters that I’ll probably never meet face to face in this life, but will only get to know when we meet in heaven someday.
    To all of you, I want to say “God loves you!” It doesn’t matter where you’ve been or what you’re in, He wants me to tell you that He loves you beyond anything you can ever imagine. He loved you even before you were born and He has called you by name.


    So, here’s to you all “God loves you!”

    Peace and blessings.
    Dee

  • DO YOU GET IT?

    Have you ever tried to share something you were excited about with a close friend or family member only to be disappointed or even hurt by their response? We all have at one time or another. There could be a number of reasons they reacted the way they did, mostly nothing to do with you. But however innocent they may be, it still hurts.


    I experienced this recently with my husband. He didn’t intend to be insensitive, but it still stung. Until I thought about it and realized “He just didn’t get it.” He was clueless that what I was telling him was as important to me as it was.


    How do we handle these situations? Walk around with our hurt feelings hanging out, pouting like a child? Of course not. Pretend it didn’t happen? Not a good option either. Let the tears fall if need be, but be quick to forgive. Then you can let it go and your joy in the Lord and enthusiasm will stay with you.


    In the Old Testament, when the Ark of the Covenant was brought up to the City of David, the Bible says David danced before the Lord because he was so overcome with joy. (Read 2 Samuel 6) In his enthusiasm he worshiped the Lord in total abandon, dancing and leaping. There were trumpets and music, singing and shouts of praise. But Michal, David’s wife, the daughter of King Saul, looked out her window at the spectacle and the Bible says “she despised him in her heart.” She just didn’t get it.


    The last evening before Jesus was to be put on trial and crucified, after the last Passover meal with his disciples, He went to the Mount of Olives to pray as He frequently did. The disciples went with Him and He asked them to pray with Him, but as He was praying in agony, they fell asleep. He woke them, saying “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.” Again He withdrew a short distance from them, praying in deep agony until His sweat became like drops of blood. And again He turned to His disciples only to find them all asleep. They just didn’t get it. Only a few hours before Peter had sworn he’d never leave or betray his Teacher and then a few hours later he swore he’d never known the Man. Peter just didn’t get it.


    The story doesn’t end there for Peter. After Jesus was resurrected, He asked him, “Peter, do you love me?” and Peter replied “Lord, You know I love you,” then  Jesus told him, “Feed My sheep.” Three times this happened, exactly the number of time Peter had denied Jesus.  At last, Peter got it.


    What is God telling us today that we’re not getting? Is there something exciting He’s trying to show us and we’re too absorbed in our own thing to get? Is there someone He’s put in our life to minister to that we’re too busy to notice?


    As we move into 2009, let us be open to people and things around us that may need our encouragement, a kind word or a helping hand. And let us always be listening for God’s voice as He speaks to our hearts.


    Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
    for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did”    . Psalms 95:6-9 (New International Version)


    Peace and blessing,
    Dee