Sunday, November 5, 2017

My Spiritual Spinning Class

One Tuesday evening in March of this year, I plopped down in my friends chair in her home preparing for our regular Tuesday night Bible Study with a big sigh that came out of me. Linda asked, “Why the big sigh, Seda?” I thought about why I sighed, I mean I sigh pretty regularly throughout the day—either to catch my breath, or out of relief, or I have no words for this situation. I responded, “You know, Linda, I feel like I’m in a spinning class—but, a spiritual one if you will or so I hope.”

Lately, I have been quite frustrated with the way things are going at church. Yes, I’ll be absolutely honest. I just don’t feel like we are moving and growing spiritually as a church. Maybe, it’s just me because my husband appears enthusiastic, encouraged, and motivated after service every Sunday. I mean every Sunday! As soon as we leave church and get into our car on our way to brunch, he is just filled with emotions and excitement on what he has learned that he cannot wait and hold off on saying something before we even leave the parking lot. I used to be that way; I had that kind of enthusiasm. But, now…what happened? Instead, I find myself doodling on the sermon notes in church while pastor is preaching. I used to take notes vigorously and throughout the week I would go through what I’ve learned from pastor and try to apply it to my daily living. Some weeks, those notes and lessons were so worth sharing that I would try and relive and retell the sermon to my friend Linda.
I have felt restless lately as though I’ve heard our pastor preaching on that same topic or subject last year and the year before and the year before that. But, I know and would like to acknowledge that each time I hear it, he presents it in a different light and approach. This is truly valid because some require hearing it in a different analogy, perspective, or angle. Just like in the Bible, the writers reiterated many times on the same topics over and over but in a different time, place, and environment. So, the question remains—shouldn’t I still be able to relate? Like how seasons change in our lives? So, shouldn’t something else in the sermon stand out at me and speak to my heart? Maybe I really am not paying attention or opening up my heart to God. Maybe I need to wake up the Holy Spirit that is supposed to be alive in me.
And, my final question is: am I in a stagnant phase, spiritually speaking, or am I ready for the next thing as a maturing Christian? I have asked God, I have communed with Him, and I’ve shared this with my wise and godly counsel and sister in Christ, Linda. Currently, I am in the “Spiritual Spinning Class.” Maybe I am just waiting for my husband to catch up while I build spiritual endurance by getting into The Word daily, hearing and soaking in what Pastor Ken has to share on Sunday mornings (after all, he has been anointed by God and given the gift of the Holy Spirit to speak to us so we can grow in Christ and have an everlasting relationship with Him), listening to other great pastors out there like Chip Ingram, Pastor Paul of Fremont, CA, and Rick Warren, and most importantly, by rejoicing in the Lord always by prayer and petition (Philippians 4:4-9, NIV). As I keep in step with all of these points of obedience in love, I am surely on the right path of spiritual growth and endurance. I don’t know what race or marathon God is preparing me for with this spiritual spinning class, but I am absolutely excited!
Let’s pray: Dear Heavenly Father, the Creator of this Universe, and the Planner of all things that go on in life— I come to You today asking for help and guidance to be in your will, your love, and your holy presence. I know that sometimes, Lord, I get distracted thinking that I have already ran that marathon, but may You open up my heart to many more marathons for You. And, You know that in order for me to run my marathon well, I need spiritual endurance. May You continue to grow me spiritually by coming to You and depending on You more and more that I cannot go on in this world without You because I am so dependent upon You. This is what You want, this is your will! Let my mornings be filled with excitement when I come to You as I seek for help from You for each and every day. I love You—and may that love be radiated to those around me.
In your Son’s great and glorious name I pray, Amen.
Let me close with this wonderful scripture (a favorite of mine) JoJo Garcia has shared with me this morning after service (November 5th, 2017): “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”—Romans 8:28 NKJV

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

His Greatness, Incomprehensible

"Let faith support us where reason fails, and we shall think because we believe, not in order that we may believe." -AW Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

I am continually amazed by God's greatness. The moment I think I know who He is and what He is all about, I am allowed and blessed to see another side to Him I did not know before. He is transparent at that moment and that moment only, and then I am left to wonder, again. I am revealed to His exponential power and greatness, his sovereignty and authority above all.

I suppose I will not get to really know who He really is while I'm here on earth--not until I'm home, but only what or how He is like in my journey and investigation through the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible AND of course, through His one and only Son, Jesus. The experiences in my life also help me better understand Him and get to know Him. I get to see His work and touches and even how He thinks put on display in those special moments. There were many times when I was in awe and inarticulate. I was only able to fathom his divine appointments for me. I am certain there will be plenty more of these moments. It's that inner joy that when such things do occur, all I can say is, "That is why I believe in God and why I put my faith and trust in Him." It is to those unanswerable moments when my faith is made stronger in Him. It makes me crave to know Him more and to get closer and closer to Him. And, it's not that I want the answers to everything in life or to be satisfied with what I get. My longing to know the real God is insatiable. I will always seek to know Him for as long as I shall live.

Experiences also add to what I know of Him. From those experiences, my faith in Him is there, contently, so--knowing how He has carried me through, good and bad. I am left to reason and ponder who God really is. From the time I was born to this very day--all experiences lead up to the God I know today.

"Faith is an organ of knowledge, and love an organ of experience." -AW Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

The God I know today is a God who is full of grace, mercy, and wisdom—a God whose love has never failed me thereby, showing me how to love.

He is a jealous God who wants me to worship Him only. Not my husband, my daughter, my career, my friends and family, money, things--outside superficial, material things. He requires for me to worship Him only.

He asks me to give my family to Him, my valuables and belongings to Him because they are not mine. They are His. I am His.

The God I know today is One whom I can go to and confide in because He listens. He has heard my cries and seen my tears. He has answered prayers and heard my praises as I rejoice and shout out to Him.

He is a God who cares. His heart breaks when my heart breaks. When I am down on my knees in despair, He leans over and puts His hand out to lift me up again.

After all, He gave me the gift of emotions because He feels and He hurts for me. He laughs and cheers me on. He makes me joyful even when circumstances are hard because of His presence.

The God I know today has my best interest at heart--even when it means I would have to live and go through mistakes, but from those mistakes--He raises me up. Oh, how He raises me up! He gives me lessons and rebukes me because He loves me so!

He is a God who provides all things. He gave me this gift of life--the gift of being a wife to my dear husband and a mother to my loving daughter. He gave me the talent of being a nurse with a compassionate heart...because I have seen His compassion at work--all around because He is omnipresent.

The God I know is a God of second-chances and many more. He is omnipotent full of glorious power that sustains me and YOU, through and through. He knows of my hurt, shame, regrets and disappointments. He is omniscient. And, because of this...because He is all-knowing, I am comforted.

Oh, the God I know...
                 the God I love, the God I adore...
                                                    Oh, the God I know.

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Perception Matters Much

We are faced with circumstances on a daily basis--in our relationships with our families, children, coworkers, friends and acquaintances. The tendency is to complain about what we go through, as if we're the only ones going through the situation. News flash! You are not the only one walking this planet.

My most recent goal has been to be intentional about being filled with joy and contentment no matter the circumstance. Boy, has it been a difficult mission! I want to be like the apostle Paul minus all the horrible and inhumane things he went through. I want the easy way. But, then God says, "Seda, how will you appreciate Me if I don't give you this to deal with or that to think about? Do you doubt me? Watch and see how I will carry you through!"

He is certainly right! Because, boy, am I convicted when I face a difficult circumstance and wonder how I got through it without further and permanent damage! I look up to God and thank Him for carrying me through.

Back to the point, yes, I want to be like Paul but without all the inconvenience--the pain, suffering, and torture. And, like Jesus when He walked this earth. Jesus faced many, many trials and accusations. And, the false accusation of blasphemy was why the Pharisees took away His life and crucified Him. Many times in our lives, we will be persecuted, but how will we rise from it? Will we fight back with resistance and with how we've been treated or how God asks for us to--which are with love and prayers?

Paul said to the Philippians (4:12), "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." To be wise, filled with knowledge, certainty, and the Holy Spirit like him would require a whole lot of trials and tribulations. It is through those difficult times that produced character and wisdom in Paul.

I admire how Paul dealt with the circumstances he faced in his lifetime. Most of all, I admire his perception. As long as we can get our perception focused on the one truth and that truth is that we already have "great gain" according to Pastor Bill Craig of Trinity Baptist Church of Livermore, California--we are GOOD! That great gain is having our Savior, and personally knowing who He is. So take advantage of this relationship and appreciate it by building a stronger and stronger relationship with Him. Paul has concluded that he has learned the secret of being content in any and every situation because he acknowledged that he had already been given great gain and that is the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives--the gift we received from God for the fact that Christ could no longer walk this earth with us, but He is walking in us--in our bodies, the holy temple for which the Holy Spirit resides.

To elaborate on Pastor Craig's previous teaching, we are beyond blessed. And,when we realize this--we start to be more thankful of what we already have. We've been redeemed, forgiven, saved, and accepted into His kingdom. Did you know that we are adopted children of His? That means He already paid that full price of adoption for us and we are His children.

Let's live like we are His children--by first accepting His love, accepting Him into our lives, confessing that He is the One, True God and love Him. Reciprocate that love back to Him. And, then we must love our neighbor as ourselves, His second command for us (Matthew 22:36-39).

Are we privileged or what?

We are beyond blessed brothers and sisters--let's live with that knowledge and purpose in mind.

You are His.



 
My other great gain!