James 1:27 - Faith In Action

I'm sorry this post is late.  I know my regular readers were looking for it earlier in the week.  I'm travelling for work again and encountered internet difficulties ie. lack of internet where I thought I'd have access.

Here's the memory verse post for the week - it's a short one.  Again my apologies for being late.

MEMORY VERSE:

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for the orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”  James 1:27  NLT

James talks about followers of Christ being “doers” of the word, not just “hearers”.  He’s telling us to live out our faith through action, to “put our money where our mouth is” so to speak.

The Bible encourages the spiritual practices of reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, and being in a community with other believers.  These are all great things to do.  They help us grow spiritually and bring us into closer relationship with God.

The problem I have is determining where spiritual disciplines end and living my faith through action starts.  I love to read, learn, and absorb knowledge.  You could say I’m a veritable sponge when it comes to learning. 

I’m quite happy reading about God, learning about who Jesus was, the culture He lived in, the history of the times, and how it all works together in the way scripture is interpreted.  But I sometimes get so caught up in the learning process that I fail to take action.

James tells us we have to do more than just learn about Jesus.  If we don’t put our faith into action we’ve missed an essential part to following Christ.

The widows and orphans were among the poorest, most marginalized people of Jesus’ time.  Widows and orphans had no one to provide for them.  They would be forced to sell themselves into slavery or face inevitable death.  They were the least of the least.

A lot of times we fail to live out our faith because we feel superior to the marginalized (even when we’re not).  God loves us all equally.  We all come broken to the foot of the cross, but society would have us believe in our superiority. 

We’re conformed to a system of classes or categories.  I’m not missing the irony that even by writing this I too am conforming to this type of system.  Simply by applying the labels “poor” and “marginalized” I’m implying a difference between myself and these groups. 

We all live in the same world.  We need to fight against our natural inclination to go along with “herd” mentality.  Our faith challenges us to think differently, to change our views on the people around us, to get past “us” and “them” and instead see people created in God’s image.

Don’t bend to popular thought patterns or belief systems.  Stay strong in your faith and put it into action by caring for those around you.

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for the orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”  James 1:27  NLT

Philippians 4:11-14 - Contented Living

MEMORY VERSE:

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.  I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or with little.  For I can do anything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:11-14

How many of us can make these same statements?  “...for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have...whether it is a full stomach or empty, with plenty or with little.”

I can live like that for a while.  It’s easy to be content when my stomach is full, I’ve got a cup of tea in my hand, the sun is shining, and all is right in my world.  Can I say the same thing when I’m working on three hours of sleep, fighting a head cold, snow is dumping down, and I’m in hour number ten of a twelve hour fast for a medical appointment?

No, probably not.  In fact I’d most likely be as grumpy as a hungry bear in January.  And these are just temporary circumstances I know will be gone soon enough!

What about the bigger things in life?  We all want a safe, warm place to life, in fact in this country we feel we’re entitled to it.  We all want three hot meals in our stomachs, and some of us want snacks in between.  We all want to own a car, and not a fifteen year old rust bucket...a shiny one that still has that new car scent.

In our attempts to fulfill these wants and desires we often end up mired in debt, adding more stress and discontent to our lives.  We give in to acquisition addiction; thinking a new shiny toy will make us happy, fill the void in our lives, and make our problems go away. 

Perhaps for a fleeting moment this works.  But once the glint is gone the void is still there.  We still battle depression, our marriage is still ending, and we still haven’t found a job.  The shiny new toy didn’t change life’s circumstances. 

How can we be content in whatever circumstances we face?  How can we fill life’s void?  How can we trust an unseen God when we’re struggling to keep it all together?

I think it helps to build a solid foundation of faith in the good times.  It’s easier to seek comfort in God’s arms in the hard times when we know Him, we know His character, we know He’s in control, and we know He’ll take whatever ugly circumstances we’re experiencing and make something good come out of them (Romans 8:28).

What if you don’t have a faith foundation?  What if you’re out there fighting your way through life wondering if this is all there is, wondering what it’s all about, why it doesn’t make sense, why you’re dealing with so much pain and sorrow?

If that’s where you are today I’m so sorry.  My heart goes out to you.  I know life just sucks sometimes!  It doesn’t seem fair and it doesn’t make sense. 

If you’re in the place where life sucks and you’re wondering what to do or where to turn I still encourage you to reach out to God.  Talk to Him the way you’d talk to any of your friends.  Tell Him your problems and tell Him what you need. 

If you’re thinking, “What’s the point?”  Let me ask you this, if you’ve already tried everything else, what have you got to lose?  Why NOT give God a try?

Building a relationship with God is like building a relationship with a potential new friend.  The more time you spend getting to know Him the closer you’ll come to Him.  How do you get to know God? 

Spend time talking to Him every day.  Pick up a Bible and read about Him.  Start in the book of John in the New Testament.  You’ll meet God in these pages and learn about His love for you.  After you’ve finished reading the book of John start reading the New Testament from the beginning just like you’d read any other book. 

If you’re still searching, dedicate some time to work through “Experiencing God”, a three month study by Henry Blackaby.  When you do the work in this course you’ll come out with a completely new awareness of who God is and how He works in your life. 

As you learn more about God you’ll find your faith and your love for Him will grow.  Your relationship with God will begin to fill the void in your life the “shiny new toy” never could.  Soon you’ll be able to speak as Paul does...

“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.  I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or with little.  For I can do anything through Christ, who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:11-14

Thoughts On "The Hunger Games" Trilogy

“Ladies and Gentlemen...Let the Seventy-sixth Hunger Games begin!”

(quoted from Katniss and Finnick in Mockingjay)

Since the Hunger Games movie was released in March it’s been hard to ignore.  Everywhere you turn...on the bus, in the airport, in the food court...people young and old (wait a minute did I just call myself old) are reading books from this trilogy...The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, or Mockingjay.

I prefer a good read to watching a movie and decided it was time to see what all the hype was about.  A quick click of the mouse downloaded the trilogy into my e-reader and off I went on a Hunger Games adventure.

The books sucked me in.  I couldn’t put them down.  I had to keep reading, even if it meant a few late night sessions.  After a week I finally finished the last book and could reclaim my life!

The weird thing is I found the whole premise of the books really disturbing, but I couldn’t stop reading.  Adults force kids into an arena to fight to the death as a form of entertainment.  The books are filled with poverty, violence, and the fight for survival under a powerful and corrupt government system.

My mind paints very vivid mental pictures and some of the images turned my stomach.  Yet I was compelled to continue the books to the end.  And I’m not the only one drawn into this dark story. 

I’m left asking the question, “Why?”  What is it about this series that attracts the teenage and adult audience alike?

It’s kind of like driving by the scene of an accident; that sense of horrified fascination.  You know you shouldn’t gawk but you just can’t help yourself.   I think it’s the same sense of horror we experienced when the planes crashed into the Twin Towers.  The world couldn’t tear itself away from the horror playing out in front of them on the TV screen.

 A friend and I were discussing this phenomenon.  She suggests perhaps it’s just a little too close to the truth in some parts of our world.  Children and families are used, abused, and manipulated by corrupt government bodies.

Violence fills the streets in some countries.  Poverty and hunger run rampant.  Victors return from war with post traumatic stress, forced to re-live, over and over again in their minds, the horror and atrocities they’ve experienced.

No one gets out of these situations unscarred.  No one comes out unchanged by the violence.  Rebellions are happening all around the world; struggles for freedom and independence - a better way of life.

Is today’s world really that much different than that of Suzanne Collins’ fictional country of Panem?  Are people of today’s world so much different than the characters of Katniss and Peeta; manipulated as pawns in both the government’s and the rebel’s plans, but refusing to bend to either one completely?

Are we any different than Gale, whose moral boundaries blur in the heat of the war or Prim and her mother; innocent people caught in the middle of tragedy?  Are we different than Haymitch and Johanna; fighting an internal battle with nightmares from the past and medicating the pain with alcohol and drugs?

The Hunger Games trilogy isn’t an easy read but it certainly gives us a lot to think about.  The story haunts you even after you’ve finished the books. 

Have you read the books or seen the first movie?  What’s your reaction?  Share your thoughts on my Facebook link or by clicking on “Comments” below.

Philippians 4:6-7 - Mysterious Peace

MEMORY VERSE:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Stress...

We all have it in our lives.  Some of it is good; but the hairy monster in your mind keeping you up at night, worried about your future isn’t.

I speak from experience.  Many employers assume your time is their time.  Unless you’re willing to make a clear dividing line in your life you will suffer burnout.  This is exactly what happened to me a few years ago.

When I experienced panic attacks and anxiety I thought something might be up.  When the stress induced asthma started I thought I should probably pay attention to the warning signs.  When the heart palpitations started with no physical explanation I decided I needed to make a career change.  Fortunately I got out before any lasting damage was done.

Undue stress increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, depression and other mental illness.  Today stress leave is all too common an occurrence.  Intense pressure at home and in the work place creates unmanageable situations.

A lot of times it seems stress is all in our heads, but the physical symptoms are real.  Shaking, shortness of breath, inability to concentrate, chest pain, nausea, panic, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, mood swings...the list is practically endless.

How do we navigate today’s high pressure world without cracking into a million pieces, like an egg hitting the floor?  Paul gives us an answer in his letter to the congregation of the church in Philippi.  He says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done...”

The first four words aren’t easy instructions to follow...don’t worry about anything.  Yeah right!  How can you not worry about the never ending list continuously playing in your mind?  How can you not worry about...

Deadlines, job security, your children’s education, your children’s health, your health, your aging parents and their ability to care for themselves, marriage, divorce, the funny noise the car was making this morning, the pet you have to take to the vet, the mortgage payment, the job interview, what to make for dinner...it goes on and on.

But Paul tells us how.  He says take it all to God, tell Him everything, tell Him what you need, and let Him do the worrying for you.  He’s got big shoulders and He’ll handle it.

What happens when we follow Paul’s instructions?  When we lean on God,”... then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand...”

It’s true.  If I have extended periods when I’m not taking quiet time with God to pray, the anxiety creeps back in, stealthy as a thief in the night, stealing my peace.  Panic can quickly over take me. 

But when I slow down and spend time with God, telling Him my fears and anxieties there’s a sense of peace I simply can’t explain.  I don’t understand it.   It doesn’t make sense.  But I know exactly where it comes from.  God.  And for that I’m truly grateful.

You may be strong, but with God on your side you’re way stronger than you ever will be by yourself.  Get the medical help you need and, in addition to this, give God a try.  Pray to Him today, and tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.  Make a habit of spending time with Him every day and you’ll experience your own peace that exceeds understanding.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Philippians 3:13-14 - Perseverance - Persistence - Endurance

MEMORY VERSE:

“...But one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.   Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)

My heart seemed to beat as fast as cars on a freight train whiz past behind a crossing arm.  The back of my throat felt as dry as a crisp autumn leaf on the ground, severed from its life giving water supply.  I gasped, fighting to draw in enough air to expand my lungs and continued to put one foot in front of the other.  My ears, sensitive as a fruit bat’s, were on high alert, tuned to hear the beeping of my watch signaling my 30 second reprieve.

Do you run?  I started last summer, took a hiatus over the winter, and am back at it this spring.  I’m determined to get to the point where I can run continuously for 30 minutes.  Apparently it will be a while before I achieve my goal!

Some days are easier than others.  This particular day I was tired and fighting a throat infection, but determined to go for my run.  I was about two thirds finished, had a gaping hole in my energy bucket, and was fading fast when a bit of this scripture flashed through my mind.  “I press on toward the goal for the prize...”

Paul’s not talking about a literal foot race in his letter to the Philippians.  He’s talking about perseverance, persistence, and endurance.

Running takes physical endurance.  You start out slowly, running in small segments with short breaks in between, allowing your body, your heart, and your lungs to become conditioned.  As you build strength and endurance you’re able to run for longer periods of time.

Running takes mental persistence.  There are days when I don’t feel 100% but I still have to get my butt out the door and run.  I can’t wait around for the perfect temperature, the perfect time, the perfect body, the perfect shoes, the perfect outfit; the perfect...whatever.  And there are times when I’m convinced I can’t go any further but I still push myself until I reach the goal...the beeping of my watch telling me I get to walk for 30 seconds.

Paul equates our relationship with Jesus to running a race.  It’s our choice to follow Him.  Those who make the choice understand Jesus sacrificed Himself so we are forgiven of our sin and free to choose to follow Him.

When you’re running you can’t focus on the pain it took to get to the top of the hill.  You focus on the success – you made it to the top.  Paul says we can’t live in the past, “...forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead...”.   

Apply this in your life.  Don’t focus on your past – the pain of your guilt, your shame, your failures; anything that says you’re less of a person.  Focus on the future.  Focus on what lies ahead.  Focus on Jesus and the forgiveness He offers.

Running is about goal setting.  So is life with Jesus.  Our goal is to draw close to Jesus, to know Him, and to strive to become more like Him.  In the garden of Gethsemane, before going to His death, Jesus prayed to God, His Father, “...Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42)

As we draw close to Jesus this becomes our prayer, too.  The desires of our hearts align with the desires of God’s heart.  He works through us to make those desires reality in the world.  How amazing is that!?!  God redeems our past and uses us to make a difference in people’s lives!

Father I pray that You would help me to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”.   Amen

“... But one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.   Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)

Fluffy Fruity Frozen Cheesecake

April whizzed by and I realize I failed to do the traditional recipe post the last week of the month (probably because I failed to realize it WAS the last week of the month).  To make up for it here’s a super easy dessert that will make a nice, light finish to your May long weekend bar-b-q.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs

2 tbsp. melted margarine

1 – 250 gram package cream cheese (light or regular)

1 can of your favourite frozen fruit juice concentrate (thawed)

2 tbsp. icing sugar

1 – 1 litre tub Cool Whip (light or regular) (thawed)

Fresh fruit for garnish (optional)

BASE:

Mix together Oreo crumbs and melted margarine and press into the bottom of a 9” spring form pan.  Freeze for a minimum of 15 minutes.

FILLING:

Put cream cheese, thawed juice concentrate and icing sugar in a food processor or blender.  Blend on high until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and fold in all but ½ cup of the Cool Whip.  Pour this over the base and freeze.

Take dessert out of the freezer 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve it and garnish with the rest of the Cool Whip and some fresh fruit (optional).  (It’s easier to remove the spring form ring after it’s sat out for a bit.)

TIPS AND HINTS FOR SUCCESS:

• I’ve tried raspberry concentrate and Fruitopia tangerine (not mixed together – in separate desserts).  Both were fabulous – the raspberry is quite tangy and the tangerine tastes like creamsicle.

• DO NOT try to mix this in the mixer – you must use a blender or food processer.  I speak from experience...after I accidentally melted my food processor in the dish washer (don’t use the heated dry cycle) I tried using my Mix Master to blend the juice and cream cheese.  I ended up with revolting lumps of cream cheese bopping merrily in a bowl of juice concentrate – so not appealing!  This time I optimistically tried the KitchenAid (as I’m convinced it can do anything) but sadly even it wasn’t up to the task!

• If you’re using a food processor that has an open area to conveniently fling out slices of veggies while you’re slicing, be sure to put in the device that blocks this hole for the purpose of mixing liquids.  If you fail to do this, I promise you WILL spray the entire kitchen area with a sticky, dripping fruit juice/cream cheese mixture.  NOT a fun clean up!

Have fun and enjoy!