Transformed Mind

“and put off your old self, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self. Ephesians 4:22-24a

Do you ever wish you could put off your old self? The Bible in Ephesians 4 speaks of walking in humility, gentleness, patience, love, and unity of Spirit. The whole chapter speaks of putting on the new life. Do any of us read this chapter without feeling guilty? I know, personally,I cannot be transformed without the Lord’s help.

I have been listening to Chip Ingram on the radio. He says we transform in the cocoon and grow into the butterfly of a new character.  I have learned methods from his messages to reshape my thoughts. We all know to pray, study the Word, and attend church, but this is not always enough to alter our manner of thinking.  One other way he suggests we can change is through community.  I have requested my friends and family to hold me accountable for my actions. I have asked them to be honest with me, because I don’t think we can always see our faults. I hope my friends will speak the truth in love so God can transform my mind.  I am praying God will help me to be more open to people and not put up walls. I have a deep desire to have that community who will hold me accountable and love me as I am. I. I heard in one study that we should give God permission to show us our sins.  This, to me, is to be open to the conviction He revels.

Only through the power of the Holy Spirit and following Christ’s example in faith can we hope to change. Our minds, where we make our decisions, are the place to start adapting our lifestyles to God’s desires. By the grace of God, and through trusting Him we can accomplish this undertaking. In our study, The Call to Follow Christ, an evaluation at the end of the lessons caused me to revise certain areas of my life.  My main need is to work on is a “Quiet Time with God”. I don’t stop long enough to let God speak to me. I don’t read the Bible and take notes, and evaluate how this applies to my life. I want to learn a new scripture every week this year, and I need to be more discerning about God’s purpose for my life. We all, I think, jump into new endeavors without always asking God if this is in keeping with His plan for us. Sometimes, we also have no discernment in how to be the best witness and example to other people.

God can equip us to begin transforming our minds. We can walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Let’s pray for each other and ask God to alter our lives to have that butterfly character

Hope of Heaven

At Easter, we think of the resurrection, and all it portends. Jesus said he would prepare a place for us and come again to receive us. The older I get the more I look forward to going to heaven. Life is hard, and it is not always fair. We see our loved ones suffer and see our world falling apart. Just thinking about heaven makes all that seem insignificant when we think about the place God has prepared for us. I do not think we really comprehend what that means, because we are so caught up in our day to day trials.

I am teaching the Karen from Burma this Sunday. Since it is Easter, I want to remind them of the resurrection, but I also want to help them know with the resurrection of Jesus, we can have the hope of heaven. We will be singing the song Heaven Came Down. It conveys the truth that we will surely have a place in heaven. Oh What a Day That Will Be is also one of my favorite songs. My mom and I used to sing it together. I would climb up in the bed with her when she was suffering from issues related to Parkinson’s, know one day she would be with Jesus. It will be marvelous to be in heaven with her and to dwell their with God.  He will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more dread of our enemy, Death. The Holy City will be glowing with the glory of God. The most magnificent part of heaven will be when we look into our Savior's face as He welcomes us into heaven.

It is incomprehensible to think of this golden city and know God will be the temple of heaven. What wonder will fill us at the dazzling light given off by Jesus.  Just think, we will see this indescribable city sparkling with the brilliance of the jewels adorning the walls. The river of life flows through the city, and the tree of life’s leaves will heal all the nations. We will reign forever and ever with Jesus.   

I do not know about you, but I feel warmth flowing over my heart when I think of what God has in store for us.  The hope of heaven may have been presented to you many times, but I do not think we live our lives pondering what is coming one day. Being able to participate in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be a time of rejoicing. I pray I have helped you know that whatever you are going through, it dims with the knowledge of a new heaven and new earth where we can live forever. My heart smiles even when life is trying to take it away. May your Easter be filled with joy as you let your thoughts linger on the Hope of Heaven.

A God Thing

 “…pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”  James 5: 16b (Transformation Study Bible)

Last Saturday, I had one of those situations come up that can only be called a “God thing.” I have had them before, but this one is still on my heart. I was cleaning the house, and I heard a text coming in on my phone. I looked at it and saw an instant message from Mary Odom. She was the Guidance Counselor at the school where I first taught. She had been there for us when Donnie died. She came over to my sister-in-law’s and talked to Donelle and told her journaling might help. She later led the ESL training that I use to work with people at church who want to learn English.  Mary was also instrumental in me going to the Literacy Missions Conference and getting more ideas for working with ESL. She always wanted me to work with Internationals through the Piedmont Baptist International Fellowship, too. If it hadn’t been for Mary, I would never have done it. I have been a Friend Family for Internationals for several years now, and have met some wonderful people.

Let me go back to the “God thing”. I saw on my phone that Mary wanted to know if I had heard the good news. She had just gotten $100,000 from a Federal Government Lottery. She told me that when they delivered her money, she saw my name on the list. She asked me if I had heard about it. I figured, since it was Mary, I could believe it. She gave me a link, and an official picture of the administrator came up on it. The administrator sent me a list of questions to answer and a picture of the document showing my name on the list of winners. I was supposed to win $150,000. I was getting really excited. I fell for the whole con and filled out the info. I even sent Mary a text telling her we should get together to celebrate. Then a text came from this lady, Angela, saying I would have to agree to pay for the cashier’s handling of the money. The fee was $900 some dollars and some cents. That is when I finally caught on to the scam.

I called Mary and sure enough it was a scam. But here’s where the “God thing” comes in. I explained to Mary what had happened. She said it was a shame, but through this bad thing, God had used my call to help her. She said her husband’s 90^th birthday party was that afternoon, and she didn’t know if she had the strength to go through the day. She has is use a walker now and is weak. She said he has dementia, and she wasn’t sure if it would be one of his good days or not. She was also feeling like she doesn’t have a ministry for God anymore. I told her how much she had meant to me and had helped me.  I also reminded her that she could pray for all of us.  I prayed for her, and I started crying while I was praying. I prayed for God to give her strength and help her feel His comfort.  She said she was so glad I called, and she knew it was God who had led me to get in touch with her.

So you see, good can come out of bad, but don’t trust anybody who asks you for money in a text without checking with them first. Also, like I have learned in my lessons from The Call to Follow Christ, when someone asks you to pray for them stop and pray on the spot.

Butterfly Restoration-Poem

"He restoreth my soul..." Psalms 23:3

Suspended upside down with no daylight,

And with no hope in sight,

No way to get out of my plight

My life was far from right.

I lived in the darkest of my night.

 

Doors opened me to God’s might,

To give me strength for the fight;

His love came to me as light.

My wings spread out for flight.

The beauty of His world so bright,

Was an intricate pattern of delight.

 

Rising in my expectations;

Lifting my heart to new aspirations.

 

Giving me new optimism,

I am totally free of my dark prison,

And God has given me a new commission.

 

 

 

 

Never Forsaken

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations… teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you alway…” Matthew 28: 19-20

God has shown me He is with me in my deepest, darkest hours. After two years of dealing with divorce lawyers, I was totally devastated. I didn’t want to be divorced. I didn’t believe in divorce, but I had no choice in the matter. I felt so all alone. A black blanket of despair dropped over me. I had a nervous breakdown. After being hospitalized, and God showing the doctor the right medicine to give me, I got my smile back. However, I had no self-confidence. What was my purpose now? What could I do? I was a retired teacher, but I couldn’t even take care of my grandson. The pressure was too much.

We have a Christian Day Care at my church. God put it on my heart to ask them if I could read to the children in the Day Care. The director thought it was a great idea. My daughter said it would be good for me. I agreed it could help build my confidence, and I knew it was something I could do, since I have my Master’s in Reading.

I‘ve been reading to the children and singing Christian children’s songs with them for at least five years. It warms my heart every time I go into the room and see their little faces. They show me their boo boos and tell me about their new shoes.  The other day one little boy, who goes to my church, showed me a picture of him holding his new baby sister. After we sing, I get hugs from everyone. That makes my day and makes me feel all warm inside. I’ve even been to their graduation, and they gave me flowers.

I started praying for Those in Harm’s Way, in our church Prayer Room. The coordinator wanted me not to read about all the sicknesses since I had been so depressed. So I pray for those in the military or the police force.  Getting close to God in the Prayer Room and talking to the people who have made the prayer requests has brought me closer to God.

I also teach ESL at church. We have a tutoring program on Monday nights, and I help teach the parents who struggle with English. I have drawn so close to them that we have become like family. One lady who was Russian and older (she later died), was faithful and always tried so hard to pronounce and understand English. She loved taking word cards and arranging them into sentences. I came to love her and still miss her. I work with mostly Spanish speaking ladies now. They have cooked tamales that I have purchased, and have brought me Christmas presents. I teach the SS class for the Karen from Burma, who have a church within our church, once a month. They are precious people.

I have met students from all over the world by being a Friend Family for the Piedmont Baptist International Fellowship. They practice their English with me, and I try to show them the love of Christ. Now, I am also the director of our church Women’s Missionary Union, and I have been on mission trips to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Guatemala. I plan to go on another mission trip to Brazil this May.

God has kept His promise and has never left me or forsaken me. He has allowed me to be part of His Great Commission. Thank you, Lord, for loving me, and always being with me.

Revival of Hope-Poem

 

“…If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  John 7: 37-38

My aspirations are thwarted.

My thirsty heart pants for deliverance.

Hope commences as a trickle of living water.

 A bubbling brook of awareness rises from the wilderness of pain.

My soul is filled with downpours of God’s favor.

He sends rivers of living water into my heart,

Gushing over my parched being,

Surging to life-quickening joy.

Promises from His Word cascade from His throne,

Filling me with the awareness of His sufficient grace

Blessed with the hope of the Lord

Jesus, the living water, has calmed my fears

Now, still waters spread across my emotions.

My spirit is revived,

 

Renewed, refreshed.

Meaningful Prayer

 

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.  Do not be like them for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Matthew 6:7-8

In recent years, I have felt there was something lacking in my prayer life, because I did not stop and listen to God while I was praying.  I read the Bible, said my morning prayers, and then went on about my day. We are having Discipleship classes at church, and one chapter deals with having a Quiet Time with God.  Through these lessons God has convicted me of not listening to what He has to say.  I learned the ACTS acronym for prayer a long time ago. A is for Adoration, C for Confession, T for Thanksgiving, and S for Supplication.  When I went to Guatemala on a mission trip this summer, I taught a lesson on prayer at a Women’s Retreat. It included not only adoration, but recognizing the power of God, and petitioning Him for protection from danger and particularly protection from temptation.

I have been a Christian for a long time, but I know I have not shown enough awe of God’s power or prayed enough for protection from sin. I have prayed every day, but it seems, lately, I have realized my prayers have been more about the Ask, Seek, and Knock in Matt. 7:7. I went to God in prayer asking Him to bless everyone, and to give me what I thought I needed. I was asking, but not in the right way. My conversations with God have been mostly one-sided.  When we are young we learn to pray God bless everyone, and please give us what we want.  But now it is time for us to get closer to God in our prayer lives. It is our obligation not only to pray for friends and family, but for our pastors, missionaries, our country, and persecuted Christians around the world. We should also pray for God to give us discernment and opportunities to witness and serve.

Do we really sit still, listen, and know that He is God? (Ps. 46:10) First, it is essential to spend time in prayer, preferably in the morning, but God hears us anytime night or day.  We need to wait for that still small voice in the sound of a “low whisper” as Elijah did. Secondly, our adoration of God usually consists of saying how awesome you are God, but we also need to make it a time of worship and praise.  We should add our gratitude for what He has done for us, and His power over all circumstances in our lives, and the lives of those we love.

We all know we should confess our sins, but do we really objectively look at our lives to see where God wants to change and grow us.  I heard in a Bible study that we should give God permission to show us our sins. It is time as Billy Graham has said to express sorrow over what we have said, thought, or done that is not pleasing to God. Then we must believe He has forgiven us in order to remove any barriers in our communication with Him. Lastly, we need to apply what we are learning. God wants us to share our heart with Him, and He wants to share His heart with us. Journaling is one way to record what God has revealed to us.

Lord, may our prayers be uplifted in a manner acceptable to you.  Let our petitions be given in a humble manner. Lord, we give Your Holy Spirit permission to convict us, and we confess our sin and pray you will cleanse us of all our unrighteousness.  In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.