Quick Fix

June 27th, 2014 dsisler

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a quick fix for getting things done. A little shortcut here, a little time saved there. Sometimes it works and sometimes, well, let’s just say, it would have taken less time to fix it the correct way.

 

sunflower-image-Vintage-GraphicsFairy (2)My husband thought he’d go the quick fix route with one of my tires a couple of years ago. It had been slowly losing air and Mason would fill it as needed. He even bought some tire sealant to stop the leaking. It didn’t work as planned and he ended up taking the tire to be repaired by professionals.

 

Isn’t this the way we are with our spiritual lives at times. We know there is an issue. We look for a quick fix. But in the long run, the only thing that will make it right is doing the right thing. Mending our soul the right way.

 

That pesky devil is out to get us. He is firing some flaming arrows directly at us. Paul mentions such actions in Ephesians 6:16 (NIV) and how we are to protect ourselves. “In addition to all this (using the armor of God for our spiritual journey), take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

 

The flaming arrows the evil one points directly at us can be lethal. If we are not prepared we will be in trouble. And if we have been hit by a flaming arrow, we must allow full healing of the wound. A quick fix will not work. A job done half way will not work. We must take it to the One who is the greatest Repairman of all time. God.

 

When we bring our brokenness to God, He is able to make the repair. Completely. Satisfactorily.

 

King David knew of this brokenness and what God’s role was to be in the healing process. In Psalm 51:17 (NIV), David said, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” When we give our brokenness to God, our wounded spirits, He will accept that sacrifice and repair the damage.

 

David also knew restoration. Psalm 23:3 (NIV) tells us, “He (God) restores my soul.” Complete restoration. Complete healing. Complete mending.

 

You see, when we give our wounds, large or small, to God, He promises to do the fixing. There is no reason for us to believe we can do it on our own or that we can fix it ourselves. We can’t. It’s not possible.

 

So I ask you today, what wounds do you need to give to God for repair? What brokenness have you held on for far too long? Why not let the great Repairman fix your heart the right way? He’s the expert at it. And with the mending of our souls comes a lifetime guarantee…no, an eternal guarantee.

 

Please don’t go another day with the wounds you carry. God’s arms are out stretched and waiting to take care of it for you. You just need to give it to Him.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Never Alone

June 26th, 2014 dsisler

Reading. It’s one of those important tasks in life that we must learn to master. Whether we read because we have to, or to learn something or for pleasure, reading is an important part of life.

 

August 2004 Trip2 018mI’ve added two new books to my stack. One is The Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey. In this book, Covey shares 322 pages of the importance of trust. So far it’s been a good read.

 

The second book is called Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. This book is about relationships and how to build them into our lives. Never Eat Alone starts with a quote by Margaret Wheatley that I’d like to share with you.

 

“Relationships are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals that can go it alone.”[i]

 

As a believer of Christ, I have read verses of Scripture that pointed me to this conclusion a long time ago. In Genesis 2:18 (NIV), after creating man, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” From the beginning, God knew mankind needed one another. And it didn’t stop in the Garden of Eden.

 

Meaningful relationships (both romantic and platonic) can be found throughout Scripture. Abraham and Sarah. David and Jonathan. Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The Apostles. Paul and Barnabas. Paul and Timothy. Aquila and Priscilla. And these are the obvious relationships I can think of quickly. But these are some examples of those who understood the importance of relationships.

 

A couple of years ago, I was doing some research about the “one another’s” in Scripture. What I found were passage after passage of things we are to do for one another. There are too many to write out individually, but I have listed them here for you to look at as you have the time.

 

Below you’ll see a word or a phrase. Add “one another” after that word or phrase and that is how we are to be living in relationships. The passages listed after the word is where the “one another” is found. There may be more, but these are the ones I have discovered. If you know of any that I’ve missed, please let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

 

Love – John 13:34; Hebrews 13:1; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Peter 3:8; 1 John 3:11; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:11-12; 2 John 1:5

Be devoted to – Romans 12:1

Honor – Romans 12:1

Live in harmony with – Romans 12:16

Accept – Romans 15:7

Be competent to instruct – Romans 15:14

Greet – Romans 16:16

Agree with – 1 Corinthians 1:10

Encourage – 2 Corinthians 13:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:25

Serve – Galatians 5:13

Bear with – Ephesians 4:2

Be kind and compassionate to – Ephesians 4:32

Speaking with – Ephesians 5:19

Submit to – Ephesians 5:21

Bear with and forgive – Colossians 3:13

Teach and admonish – Colossians 3:16

Spur – Hebrews 10:24

Offer hospitality to – 1 Peter 4:9

Fellowship with – 1 John 1:7

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

[i] Never Eat Alone, Keith Ferrazzi, Published by Doubleday, 2005, page 5.

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Iron Sharpens Iron

June 25th, 2014 dsisler

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been reminded of Proverbs 27:17 several times. I believe God has placed this verse before me so that I might think about this it. You know meditate upon it and see what God has to say through this verse.

 

The nature of verses in Proverbs is that they are stand-alone verses. There is nothing before it or after it to give me a better understanding of this verse. So how does this verse of Scripture relate to my life?

 

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17 – NIV)

 

RADAI cook a lot and one of the most important tools in the kitchen is a good knife. I’ve searched and searched for the perfect set of knives through the years. I’ve settled on the knife collection by RADA Cutlery. Their blades are strong and yet flexible. They aren’t cheap, but they aren’t the expensive brands either. The handles fit well in my hands, they are light-weight, and they are shiny…as long as they are NOT put in the dishwasher!

 

I have come to understand that my search for Christian friendship has been a similar experience. Through the years I’ve found some beautiful believers who stretch me. Their thinking, their beliefs, their lifestyle are similar to mine and yet, they push me one step further. These are the people I can look to for sharpening. They are able to expand my thinking and imagining. And then they urge me to get out there and do what I’ve learned.

 

Back to the knives. Like any other knife, RADA knives become dull with use. My knife drawer holds another tool that is just as important as the knife. My knife sharpener. With a couple of swipes, the knife blade is ready to go to work again.

 

There have been times in my life when I too have become dull. I’ve allowed sin to my focus instead of Jesus. It’s during those moments when God’s Spirit has brought me back to Jesus. Through Scripture, through godly people, and through a desire to be more like Him, I’ve been sharpened and ready to go back to work for the Kingdom.

 

Another element to the knife sharpener is that it is one sided. The knife doesn’t sharpen the knife sharpener. The knife sharpener sharpens the knife. But in our lives, we must be on the lookout for others who need to be sharpened. As we become more focused on God’s will for our lives, we are able to see others who need the same focus. We are able to point others to Jesus and help them see how to live more like Jesus.

 

I am blessed with some pretty spectacular folks that God has brought into my life. These people love me with the love of the Lord and when shown in a godly way, have helped me to see sin that God hates. I’ve been able to see the ugliness and dullness of what sin can do in a life. And I know that’s not how I want to live.

 

So I must ask these questions. Who is sharpening you? And who are you sharpening? I pray that you have found your sharpening friends.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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Don’t Get Lost

June 24th, 2014 dsisler

I’m not sure why, but years ago I started saying “don’t get lost” when saying goodbye to my loved ones. After the usual goodbye sayings—you know, “have a good day,” “I love you,” etc.—the last words to my kids were “don’t get lost.” If they were going somewhere with the possibility of them getting lost, it made sense. But then there were other times it really didn’t, like when heading to bed.

 

mapMy kids have heard it their lives and they aren’t surprised when they hear it. However, Mason hasn’t quite figured it out. Why would I say “don’t get lost” when he’s heading to the local grocery store or to work. These are places he frequents often and chances are pretty high that he wouldn’t get lost.

 

I would like to say that these words flowed from my mouth to remind my kids and family of what was expected of them. Of what our family valued. Of who they were in Jesus. But to be honest, I don’t recall determining one day to say “don’t get lost” for these purposes.

 

I do believe however, that through the years, “don’t get lost” had these deeper meanings. They became words that my children expected to hear and I would hope have grown to cherish as adults.

 

“Don’t get lost” was and still is Jesus’ message. We are so easily distracted in our spiritual lives. When we find ourselves in these situations, Jesus is there to remind us not to get lost. He reminds us how to get back on track. By following His way, listening to His truth and being filled with His abundant life.

 

In John 13, the disciples seemed to be losing their way. They wanted to follow Jesus to the death, but Jesus knew they would get lost. Jesus offered words of encouragement to His beloved group of followers in the beginning of John 14 and then Thomas spoke words that perhaps you’ve expressed.

 

“Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5 – NIV) Have you been so lost that you didn’t know how to get “unlost?” I know I have. And even in the times I knew the way, how to get myself “unlost,” I wasn’t sure that I would be able to find my way or be accepted once I returned.

 

It’s during these times when Jesus’ words from John 14:6 (NIV) are exactly what we need to hear. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

Jesus is the way to get “unlost.” He is the way to the Father. He is the way to truth and life. Jesus is the Way.

 

I heard a long time ago that if you’re ever lost it’s best to stay put and let rescuers come to you. It’s the same with Jesus. If you’re lost and know you can’t do any more on your own, stop. Wait for Jesus to come to rescue you. Walk alongside Him in His truth. Jesus will get you “unlost.”

 

Let’s make today a great day for Jesus and remember, don’t get lost!

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

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“Living on Bread and Water” – Monday Musical Musings

June 23rd, 2014 dsisler

If you’re like me and been around church your entire life, you’ve heard the account of the woman a lot. There have been sermons, Bible studies, lessons, skits, and songs written about this particular event to the point that it might be too familiar.

 

IMAG1492I found this to be true yesterday morning. I was with a small group of believers at church and we read through the passage in John 4. I heard this verse and I was touched. “When the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.” (John 4:40 – NIV)

 

As often as I’ve heard or read this passage, I must have forgotten that Jesus stayed with in this Samaritan village. He taught a group of people who had been cast away by their Jewish brothers because of their inter-marriage with non-Jews. And yet, they still believed God and His promise of a Messiah.

 

Suddenly, this group of people were in the presence of the Messiah and they knew their lives would never be the same. Jesus offered them living water so they may never thirst again.

 

We sometimes miss another section of this passage when Jesus’ disciples returned with food (John 4:31-38). The disciples urged Jesus to eat, but He told them He had food they didn’t know about. Not food that was stashed in His pocket or hidden under a nearby rock. No, the food Jesus spoke of was doing the work of the Father.

 

The song I’d like to share with you today is called “Living on Bread and Water.” As you read through these lyrics and listen to the recording, pay close attention to the lyrics in verse two.

 

Sometimes we miss the important pieces in biblical accounts. The water Jesus offered the woman at the well and the bread He spoke of are also available to us. I pray that we are as anxious to be in Jesus’ presence as the Samaritans were and that we will also fill up with on the Living Bread and Water Jesus has to offer. When we do so, we will never be hungry or thirsty again.

 

Enjoy today’s melody. It’s a treasure!

 

“Living on Bread and Water”

 

There came a woman to a well she thought she would draw water there

But Jesus offered her so much more.

He said, “Whosoever drinks from Me will never thirst for eternity.”

The woman said to Him, “Give me to drink.”

 

And now she’s Living on Bread and Water that flows from the Father,

Oh she’ll never thirst or hunger anymore.

She’s got all she’ll ever need; she can now walk free

Because of Jesus the Living Bread and Water.

 

I was drawing from an empty well;

Growing weak I nearly fell from a hungry soul dying without bread.

But I found in Him a great supply of bread and water to satisfy,

And now I have in Him eternal life.

 

And now I’m Living on Bread and Water that flows from the Father,

Oh I’ll never thirst or hunger anymore.

I’ve got all I’ll ever need; I can now walk free

Because of Jesus the Living Bread and Water.[i]

 

Click here to listen to Ken Turner and Valor III singing this special song.

 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

 

Donna

 

[i] “Living on Bread and Water,” Words and Music by Jeff Rowland.

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  • "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

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