Routine Crumbs

The alarm clock goes off. You drag yourself out of bed and head to the kitchen after a brief stop to the restroom. Clean dishes in the dish washer. Dishes that didn't fit into the dish washer sitting in the sink. Crumbs from last nights dinner sit on the stove top.
Your mind thinks.... remember that started load of laundry you started before bed.
Remember the car needs an oil change.
Remember we need more toilet paper.

You put your bagel into the toaster.... you watch the coils turn red as it toasts your bagel. You try to keep your eyes open.

The bagel pops up and you remember there is no cream cheese. You aren't into sticky warm peanut butter in the morning so you take what little remains of butter on the butter dish in the frig and spread the cold dabs of butter on halves of bagel.

Add to list... butter, cream cheese you say to yourself.
Car needs gas...you were too tired to get it yesterday.
You flip on the television to see the traffic report. It reports 20 minute delays in the normal spots.

Yep just another day of routine you say.

Then out of no where another a thought comes swimming out of the murky glum in your mind,
"You don't have to except these crumbs."
"I don't have to except these crumbs? This is just life...." you reply back to the thought.
The thought replies, "You don't have to except the routine, the ordinary, the same messes, the same drive, the same story... The gutter thinking you find yourself in every morning."
You take a glance out the window to see the view... something you usually ignore and take for granted. The morning sun in shining through the wispy clouds. The trees have that lovely dark and light green coloring as the light hits them.

You turn off the television. You hear a bird singing its morning praises.

Those were no ordinary thoughts. It was God speaking. "Ok Lord what do you have in store for me today."

Crumbs. I guess there are really two types of crumbs. The crumbs we "limit" ourselves to or the crumbs God gives us, making the ordinary into the extraordinary.

John 6:32 Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn't give them bread from Heaven. My Father did and now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

Jesus gives life to the world. We have to faithful in the small things and he will be faithful in all things. The small things for us is sometimes getting our mind away from ordinary crumbs of life. Sure we have do those things we seem routine but what matters most is where the mind is at and waiting to receive from God.

Scriptures:
Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path."

Luke 8:16 "No one would light a lamp and then cover it up or put it under a bed. No, lamps are mounted in the open, where they can be seen by those entering the house."

Note Matthew 15: 21-28 (If Jesus considers healing a little girl from demon possession as crumbs. Just think what a piece of bread must be. God's crumbs are a lot better then our crumbs.)

Ephesians 5:8-9 "For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true."


Thessalonians 5:5-6, 8 "For you are all children of light of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like others. Stay alert and be sober.

Battles that Are Close To The Heart

The hardest spiritual battles you will face are the ones closest to your heart. They are things you hope and pray for and when they don’t happen or turn out the way you thought, you feel betrayed by GOD. It’s even harder when you know God as your Father, Jesus as your brother, Savior, Lord and King and the Holy Spirit your guide, comforter and encourager.

The Holy Spirit aches inside your soul but anguish rises within your soul too. You have been cut deep and you think God has let you down and not fulfilled His promises but has HE?

Who is the one who made these requirements of GOD? Who made this dagger? Then who slipped slanderous suggests to God in which you swallowed whole? Who said you were to have all those things? Who made up this plan and this hope or desire? You or GOD?

Did your actions "in the end" speak of why you didn’t get what you desired to get?

Did you get so involved in the situation that you ignore the Holy Spirit's advice?

Mentally a seasoned Christian knows what they’re suppose to do spiritually in a spiritual battle.

And in some way God has prepared his children with the knowledge they need to endure such trials for God never gives us anything more then we can handle.

But it is often when a Christian sets the desires of their heart in front of God's desires, God's preparation/timing, and His will, they become confused, angry and feel betrayed.

Anguish causes our mind to be clouded and we let the enemy's fiery of arrows to strike.

Every destructive suggestion goes unchecked against arsenal of biblical teachings and in turn cause major havoc.... for the enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy the Christian.

And it’s not that Christians aren't aware of these tactics and attacks but a lack of thought and judgment at particular moment which is based on "self" can be like standing in a puddle of gasoline and holding a sparkler.

When we are concentrated only on ourselves and the something goes wrong, it is easy to question God, justify our dark thoughts and actions, and fall.

And this trap… once you are in it, can be hard for most people to crawl out of because of pride, hurt, guilt, shame, anger, rejection, and our assumptions of God.

And people who "feel" that they have been hurt by God will sometimes look upon the hurt similarly as if their earthly father had hurt them.

The truth is the devil works pretty hard on the Christian.. but we make it easier when we don't pay attention to what God has to say. Satan has no power over you unless you give it to him.

Dangerous tempting pathways and poisoned philosophy will be offered to you but don't take them. Christ was tempted so we too will be tempted especially when the battle is close to the heart.

Tough battles do come but don't let them separate you from GOD. The Bride of Christ should always be able to approach the throne from of God even with tears of hurt and sorrow.

Remember what God has said. Nothing can separated us from God's love. Romans 8:38-39

Nothing God has shown you and said to you can be taken away but you have the choice to drop your sword and surrender. You have a choice to turn and try to forget. You have a choice to forsake God or not forsake God.

Healing and wisdom often comes when we are willing to admit our failure, our hurt and confusion to God. It comes when we realize that it's not God that has let us down but ourselves.

Sometimes, we may not ever understand the "reasons" why such "things" happen in our lives but we need to let them go and know God is in charge even when we think things have gone wrong.

And if you can't immediately feel peace knowing this - take one step in front of the other, breath in and out, pour out your heart to God, and know this feeling or season won't last forever ... God comforts the hurting. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

What is a Christian?

Are you intrigued or interested?

Someone recently informed me that they considered themselves a Christian but it was evident by their life style that they weren’t knowledgeable enough to know what a Christian is. This troubled me.

85% of American claim to be Christians but this survey included "religions" that are not considered "Christian Faith".

So who is a Christian?

A "Christian" is a person:
1.Who belongs to Christ Jesus and believes he is the Son of GOD.
2. They believe Jesus Christ is the only way into heaven and to be accepted by GOD the Father.
3. They have invited and received Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior of their life.
4. They believe Christ died for them on the cross for their sins and rose from the grave. By Jesus’ sacrifice, they are children of GOD.
5. They believe and live according to how Jesus said we should live with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
6. They should confess this "Good News" to others so they too will be saved and have eternal life.
7. They believe salvation can not be earned but it is a gift from GOD if you only believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
8. Believes in every word of GOD to be true.
9. Who loves the LORD, their GOD with all their heart, soul and mind.
10. Who loves their neighbor as themselves.

The book of Romans in the bible is a good place to start reading about all this good stuff.

To learn how and why you should be a Christian check out this link below: http://www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp