Waves

Psalm 89:9 " You rule the swelling of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them."

Psalm 107:29
"He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed."

Job 38:11
"And I said, 'Thus far you shall come, but no farther; And here shall your proud waves stop?"

The Language of the Cross

As a Christian, speaking the same language (and I don't mean just the native tongue) sets the foundation of our close relationships. If we say we have Christ, is it manifest in what we say and do to others, or how we treat others as we live daily before the cross? Our prideful self prevents us at times, from giving ourselves and our talents in the right spirit in service to others, or worse, portioning out the love we feel is appropriate, because we feel that justice is being served.

At the end of the day, the Athenians who spent all day on Mars Hill debating everything, from the dropping of leaves to the newest bent of theology, went home empty and no more ''smarter" than they were when they got there. At the point that tickling the ears, even when the content is correct, takes precedence over daily application of the Lord's will in our lives in dying to ourselves, then repentance and correction are in order. It's better to know a little and apply it deeply and fully than to know a lot and apply nothing.

I suppose the questions that must be asked are: what part does the sin of pride play in anything that we do or anything that happens to us? Are we any different in that we mask this sin in our search for wisdom, truth, and yes, even love, and what language are we really speaking to each other? There are so many who talk a big talk, can pipe on eloquently about every jot and tittle of theology, but whose lives are void of any working of the Spirit. The daily walk of obedience is missing. The love for the Christ of all the theolgy has grown cold. And the life of dying to self has become a life of living for self and self alone.

Our daily lives are to be filled with thinking of the other as more important than ourselves, dying to the ungodly reactions that come on us suddenly, and living in Christ and in the Spirit rather than our flesh. It is heaping coals of kindness on the heads of those who treat us rudely and uncharitably, as well as our enemies. This is the language that digs deep even when two people aren't speaking the same "language." The language of the Cross calls us to take great care of how we treat others. It doesn't mean we succomb to being a doormat for those whose sinful, selfish behavior refuses correction, but it does mean that we cover with love the sins of those who show the pattern of humility and selflessness in seeing their own sin and quickly seeking forgiveness. This language flies through barriers. The language of the Cross is a language that makes good communication possible.

In Christ's Love,
winslowlady

Lazy Days of Summer

These are the lazy days of summer. Hot muggy days and nights with not even a breeze, the smells of bar-b-q, wilting flowers that hate the heat. We just returned from a week at the beach in Perdido Key, Florida. I woke early in the morning to sit on the balcony and read God's Word with the sound of the ocean waves and a cup of Joe.

I always love the verses that speak of the ocean. He makes the waves to stop at the exact point He determines. They don't come any closer. Is that amazing? His handiwork in each shell is beautiful--and in the jellyfish that messed up one day of our ocean swim.

The one routine I did not get to do, that is my favorite thing of all, is to sit on the beach at sunset and watch the sun going down. The colors of the sky change quickly and when it hits the very edge of nowhere, it makes you want to stand up and clap for the beautiful display you've just seen. The beach is a place of many memories for my daughter and myself. Mostly, a time of laughing with friends and enjoying having nothing to do but relax. No phones, no email, no school work to get done, no making beds, nothing but a determined effort to simplify life, get rid of all but emergencies, and put our minds on the music of the waves.

I praise God for the things He has given us to enjoy. I praise Him for all that He teaches us in His creation. I pray that the clutter of life, the excess stuff that creates the illusion of busyness can be cut out so that the Spirit can work in us and in our minds. As I've simplified my life--cut out the things that drain my minutes away--my heart has been more in tune with what the Lord is trying to show me and teach me. I thank Him for the lazy days of summer when we can reevaluate the things that are truly important in our lives, and the things that waste our time away.

In Christ,
Winslowlady

Iphones and Typewriters

Everyone will be in line at the Apple and At&t Store today. It's the day the iphone comes out. I'll be there. My daughter's birthday present to me! I was thinking about the old phones with the cord. Remember how you were stuck in one place until they made the cords that stretched the length of a house? You couldn't go outside and take the garbage out though. Or garden. Nope, you had to stay inside. Think of how different life would be if you'd have had cell phones. I'm thinking of the guy who didn't show for homecoming when I was at LSU. I ditched him. Not even a call until the game was over. I let it ring once I got home. He called and called. I turned on my tv only to see his house had burned down and it was on the news. I called. I don't miss the old phone system.

I do miss old typewriters. There's something soothing about the sound of an old typewriter. I miss the paper sitting there over the roller. I miss the cli-cling. But I don't miss the Liquid Paper. Well, I don't miss getting to the bottom of the page and having to retype the whole thing again. Well, maybe I don't miss the old typewriters.

I hope today I get my new iphone. I'm not really tired of my old cell phone. I think it's the technology that intrigues me. Well, it's 5 and I have to go stand in the line for the store to open at 8.

Have a great day and be in God's Word and in prayer--before your day is swiftly gone and you realize you've spent all day on your iphone or on your computer and somehow, the most important thing was neglected....

In Christ's Love,
winslowlady

Live Biblically

Remember:

Think Biblically -- if you don't think biblically you don't think, you react.

Live Biblically -- if you don't live biblically you don't live life, you live death.

Love Biblically -- if you don't love biblically your lusts will consume you.

Honor God -- if you don't honor God you falsely honor the world and yourself.

Talk Biblically -- if you don't use biblical terms and attitudes in your speech and thoughts you will become indistinguishable from the world around you.

In Christ's Love, 

winslowlady!

Happy 4th of July!

Pray for the 3rd Great Awakening to begin in our country...and let it begin with the household of God.
Have a great day and be safe!

winslowlady

"The Voice of the Stranger"

"And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." John 10:5

Is it possible for a believer to follow after false teachers? This verse, spoken by Jesus, is a comfort to us and an admonition as well. We know the voice of our Shepherd by His Words to us. If we don't know the Word, then how will we know if someone is speaking truth, partial truths, or outright lies? It all boils down to God's Word and if you don't know what God says, you can't make right comparisons to what's coming out the mouths of myriads of merry minstrals (false teachers) welcoming every unchurched Harry, biblically ignorant Joe, and hate doctrine Sally.

But what about false prophets who come in unaware into churches? I believe that it's the poison of the most miniscule amount that Christians miss. And that poison, among all the great truths the guy proclaims, is the poison that disturbs the flock, fattens them up for the kill, then kills. But we are told how to rid the church of the false prophets...only, it's not "loving" and therefore many churches grow cold and dry because they don't have the spine to call a goat a goat. So false teachers stick around, the congregation grows dull of hearing, new people flock in who are undiscerning or unsaved, and there you have a building with people, but not a church.

What about the thousands flocking to hear the likes of Todd Bentley (Lakeland Revival), Joyce Meyer, Benny Hinn, etc? I believe if you are a true Christian you won't listen for long. It's impossible. You have the Spirit of God in you, you have the Word to check out what's said, and You have a measure of discernment to protect you.

I know, I know, I hear you. "My friend's a really strong Christian and she just loves Joyce Meyer!" "My friend knows the bible back and forth and loves (fill in the name of some false teacher)." In our country, the standard of true Christianity is so low that we have lost perspective.

1 John 3:10 "By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious..."

If you know people following after these false teachers, then pray for their salvation. Jesus said His sheep will not follow the voice of a stranger, but will flee. I believe Him.


Winslowlady

"Is Your Speech Like Honey?"

"...that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech..."
1 Corinthians 1:5

I'm not much of a blogger as you can tell, but in reading Christian blogs lately I've noticed that anonimity seems to foster neglect of a Christian's responsibility to communicate words in a gentle, kind, dripping with honey, sort of way. From the looks of things out there in the Christian blogosphere, it seems some people are just ripping away angrily at the keyboard and pressing "publish post" before they've read and reread what they are posting. It is amazing how theological issues quickly deteriorate into slams against another's character!
I certainly believe in defending ones position. When comments are published that truly speak to an issue there is certainly no need for a false humility. Richard Baxter says:

When a wise man knoweth in what measure he is wise, and in what measure other men are ignorant, or erroneous; and when he is conscious of his knowledge, and delighted and pleased in it through the love of truth, and thankful to God for revealing it to him, and blessing so far his studies and endeavours; all this is mercy and duty, and not pride. For truth is amiable and delectable in itself. And he that knoweth must needs know that he knoweth; as he that seeith doth perceive by seeing that he seeth. And if it be a fault to know that I know, it must be a fault to know at all. But some knowledge is necessary and unresistible, and we cannot avoid it; and that which is good must be valued, and we must be thankful for it. Humility doth no more require that a wise man think his knowledge equal with a fool's or ignorant man's, than that a sound man take himself to be sick. When a wise man valueth the useful knowledge which God hath given him, avoe all the glory and vanities of the world, which are indeed of lower wroth, this is not pride, but a due estimation of things. When a wise man desireth that others were of his mind, for their own good, and the propagating of the truth, this is not pride, but charity and love of truth; else preachers were the proudest men and Paul had doen ill in labouring so much for men's conversion..." (The Practical Works of Richard Baxter)

That said, as Christians we must be careful how we speak to others, even in the blogosphere with the written word. Jeering, mocking, scorning, deriding, chiding speech does not serve a gracious God.

"Scorners delight in scorning," Prov. 1:22

"What is desirable in a man is his kindness," Prov. 19:22

"Sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness," Prov. 16:21

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bone," Prov. 16:24

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles," Prov. 21:23

I'll go back to Baxter who says,

"The principal work must be about the heart; for "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." The tongue will be no other way effectually governed--if the heart be upon the world, the tongue will most commonly be upon the world; you may force it a little against your hearts, but it will be to a very unconstant obedience; when you ever so little loose the reins it is gone...Therefore, if you would overcome the vanity, or worldliness, or wantonness, or any other corruption of your speech, first set yourselves to overcome the same corruption in yuour hearts, and to revive and actuate the contrary graces. And if you would use your tongues to the honour of God, and the edification of men, wind up the spring of those holy affections which must be as water to the mill. It is the use of the tongue to express the mind: and it is the use of holy speech to be the expression of a holy mind."

May we as Christians be careful in how we speak, even in replying on blogs. It seems it's far to easy for people to attack without any thought to who might be reading. I think bloggers should read over their comments several times...and if they are in a heated discussion, click on the news or youtube for a quick laugh (merry heart), then click on biblegateway to get some Scripture on speech and the tongue, then go back to their comment, ask if the comment is gracious and kind--even if it's defending one's position, pray, then post. We'd have a lot less hot headed Christians out there tearing down those that are truly trying to defend truth in a gracious way where people will actually listen and think about what's being given to them. Make your serving platter beautiful and your dainty bits delectible and surely people will be open to tasting those theological tidbits.

Winslowlady!