So this afternoon I have been doing an inductive bible study on the book of Hebrews, which has little to do with what I am about to write about other than to note why I am in the bible today. So, I am thumbing back into Psalms and run across a message which says: Fred, " Do not fear, for I have redeemed you: I have called you by name, you are mine." Isaiah 43: 1
I am not sure how that got in there, but I am sure that an angel disguised as a friend gave this to me for such a time as this. The thoughts of insignificance and lack of faith in the abilities God has placed in me sometimes gets a bit overwhelming, today being one of those times. I am not an academic person.
I am now, God called me to seminary and called me to be a pastor. he would not have done it if He was not going to see me through it. He never called the israelites into a battle and then left them for dead. When they were actively pursuing Him and true to His word, He was always there for them.
When Joseph was sold into slavery, when Daniel was in the Lions Den. When the Israelites marched around Jericho and then shouted and blew horns. The point is the tif God truly does being you to it, He can and will bring you through it.
God changed Abram's name to Abraham, He changed the names of many of His beloved. He has changed my name as well, not that I might be a great and well written biblical scholar, but that I might be able to walk into the calling He has placed upon my life.
Sometimes a new perspective is the best as well as exactly what we need. He is GOOD and his love endures forever. I need to walk out in to the newness that was brought upon Christ's death upon the cross. He did it for you and for me. Change your name if it helps you to recognize that the old is dead and the new lives. Live out the destiny that God created you for, even upon creation and Christ paid for it upon Calvary.
If we do this thing righteously, we just night get out of here alive!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
relationships that change the Shame game for His glory
Christ tells us as Christians that we will face persecution as believers. That we won't be recognized in our home towns. Never in the bible does it say that we will life a life free from persecution or that we will have an easy life.
Too often we act as though we expect to get through this life without battle scares and sorrows. That is not the promise at all. It sucks somedays to be quite honest. It would be a lot easier if Christ would have made that promise to us and subsequently we would not suffer, but He didn't.
An unfortunate consequence is that we go through life almost alone sometimes, it is the rare friendship that is true enough to listen and understand everything. i.e. we don't have a real place to take our issues. Most of us are unaware of our responses to things, as in we don't know why we act the way that we do.
I recently went through a class on shame and grace. What an amazing experience. Rev. Robert Walter taught it at The Masters Institute in Minneapolis Minnesota. We were taught such great things as identifying some of the things from our childhood, times when we were shamed, or guilted into certain things. Those play a part in our childhood and how we felt with things as well as our adult lives and how we still do things.
As we learn how to recognize those symptoms and how to deal with them, we can then start the healing process. Learning how to forgive and break the chains that bind will without a doubt break the chains that bind. In my life there have been so many different things that have brought shame, but I thought that I forgiven those things and those people that caused the shame. I thought that I had forgiven myself for the things that I have done to myself and others. I had stated that I forgave and found that for what ever reason I am holding onto some of those things.
We (my seminary class) got an amazing opportunity - we got to do some Theophostic prayer. An amazing time that involves some of those ingrained memories and thoughts. Recognizing the belief as well as the feeling and then asking Jesus what He might think about it. The amazing part is seeing for yourself that He cares for us, He cares for me and for you. We worship a great God and I am thankful for Jesus and His sacrifice. By my own effort I am not worthy, by His economy, I am made worthy.
Learning to be real with each other and being there for one another, is a great beginning. I pray for God's strength to continue the therapy with Christ and the healing that I know He wants for me. Phillipians 3:20-21-"20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." I continue to grow in Christ and continue to flesh out what the word relationship means. He has laid this on my heart and as well as a genuine love for people. His healing will aid me in being the same person in all circumstances. To be able to Love all His kids, not just the ones that I agree with.
I praise God for His goodness and long for His spirit to dwell so richly in me and for me to be able to walk with Him in all that I do.
If we do this thing in His will, we may just get out of here alive!
Too often we act as though we expect to get through this life without battle scares and sorrows. That is not the promise at all. It sucks somedays to be quite honest. It would be a lot easier if Christ would have made that promise to us and subsequently we would not suffer, but He didn't.
An unfortunate consequence is that we go through life almost alone sometimes, it is the rare friendship that is true enough to listen and understand everything. i.e. we don't have a real place to take our issues. Most of us are unaware of our responses to things, as in we don't know why we act the way that we do.
I recently went through a class on shame and grace. What an amazing experience. Rev. Robert Walter taught it at The Masters Institute in Minneapolis Minnesota. We were taught such great things as identifying some of the things from our childhood, times when we were shamed, or guilted into certain things. Those play a part in our childhood and how we felt with things as well as our adult lives and how we still do things.
As we learn how to recognize those symptoms and how to deal with them, we can then start the healing process. Learning how to forgive and break the chains that bind will without a doubt break the chains that bind. In my life there have been so many different things that have brought shame, but I thought that I forgiven those things and those people that caused the shame. I thought that I had forgiven myself for the things that I have done to myself and others. I had stated that I forgave and found that for what ever reason I am holding onto some of those things.
We (my seminary class) got an amazing opportunity - we got to do some Theophostic prayer. An amazing time that involves some of those ingrained memories and thoughts. Recognizing the belief as well as the feeling and then asking Jesus what He might think about it. The amazing part is seeing for yourself that He cares for us, He cares for me and for you. We worship a great God and I am thankful for Jesus and His sacrifice. By my own effort I am not worthy, by His economy, I am made worthy.
Learning to be real with each other and being there for one another, is a great beginning. I pray for God's strength to continue the therapy with Christ and the healing that I know He wants for me. Phillipians 3:20-21-"20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." I continue to grow in Christ and continue to flesh out what the word relationship means. He has laid this on my heart and as well as a genuine love for people. His healing will aid me in being the same person in all circumstances. To be able to Love all His kids, not just the ones that I agree with.
I praise God for His goodness and long for His spirit to dwell so richly in me and for me to be able to walk with Him in all that I do.
If we do this thing in His will, we may just get out of here alive!
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