Tag Archives: Truth

Who Does the World Say You Are???

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 8 May, 2014 None comments

Yesterday I was struck with the simple fact that we place our worth and value on how the world perceives us. This thought stuck with me all day and made me contemplate how God views me verses how the world views me. I figured it would be important to actually put it into words and compare and contrast the two.

I think we forget the promises of God a lot quicker than we forget the hurt and betrayal we receive from our loved ones, friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and colleagues.

I’ve had the hurt of words stab my soul at the innermost part. I’ve had to deal with the pain and still have to deal with the pain words cause. The saying “words are sharper than any two edged sword” is beyond accurate and only those who have been inflicted with such pain (all of us) know how deeply our words kill.

In our household we call them ‘death words’ as they literally can kill a family and destroy the hope of true love. We jokingly say, “that was a put down, you owe me five put ups.” Unfortunately, this doesn’t take away the hurt our words cause, but it does stop to remind you how hurtful words can be and how finding positive things to say is not always easy. What a good reminder!

Words bring life or death and how do you want people to receive your words? If we aren’t out to kill one another, than we do we have to be so destructive to “make ourselves feel better?”

Who the World Says You Are:

You are worthless, prideful, and arrogant. You are fat and overweight. You are underweight. You are controlling, manipulative and weak. You will die someday, you are ugly and have too many flaws.

You are a low life, you are a burden to society and you are stupid. You will never accomplish anything in life. You are selfish; extremely narcissistic. You are a liar and a failure. You are mean, hurtful and not a good friend.

You are evil, only care about yourself and insignificant.

Who God Says You Are:

You are being remade, you are new, chosen, Holy, redeemed, blameless and loved! Blessed, faithful, a child of God, justified, no longer a slave to sin. You are not condemned. (Eph 1:7; Gal 4:7; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21;

You are accepted by Christ; His friend. In Christ you have wisdom, righteousness and sanctification. Your body is a temple and the Holy Spirit dwells within you. God brings about triumphal knowledge in Him. You have Christ’s power and every spiritual blessing provided to you in the heavenly realms. (2 Cor 2:14; 2 Cor 5:17; 1 Cor 6:19; 1 Cor 1:2; Rom 8:1; Rom 15:7)

You are forgiven. God predestined you. You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. He has seated us in the heavenly realms with Christ Jesus. You are Christ’s workmanship, created to do go out and produce good works. You have boldness and 100% access to Christ within you. (Eph 1:3; Eph 1:11; Eph 2:4-6; Eph 2:10; Eph 3:6)

You are made new, full of righteousness and called holy. God’s peace guards your heart and mind. You are a citizen of heaven. God supplies all your needs and has made you complete. (Col 2:10, Col 3: 4, 12; philp 3:20)

God loves you and chose you to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. (1 Thes 1:4)

This is how we need to treat one another. God calls us to “love our neighbor as ourselves!” What a contradictory to lay our lives down for each other but to treat one another just as we LOVE ourselves. We are so self-focused and that God even knew these things back in the very beginning. He clarifies in the Bible how to love our neighbors- as we love ourselves. Because He knew we are self driven and self focused that the only way we want to be loved is how we need to love others. This shows our depravity as humans that we need to take the love we have for ourselves and gift that to one another! So challenging but also kind of sick that we are that self involved.

Moment of Truth: Friends, God has so much in store for us but we must take our eyes off ourselves and others. Keep your eyes on the Lord and he WILL direct your path!

Thought to Ponder

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 15 April, 2014 None comments

“It is not who you are that holds you back, it is who you think you’re NOT that keeps you from achieving your goals.”

Thanks to www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org-

White as Snow

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 8 February, 2014 None comments

Oh the cozy feeling of my electric blanket wrapped tightly around me as I look out the window seeing the gorgeous skies filled with a soft blanket of snow. Beautiful trees, snow capped houses filling my view is beyond describable. Last night I felt this peace wrap around me as we shut the lights off outside allowing the soft white blanket of snow to radiate enough light keeping the dark far away. We kept starring outside shocked by the amount of light this blanket had provided.

The more the snow falls the more I realize it’s pure, perfect and without blemish. Isn’t this the exact picture of Christ as he is pure, perfect and without blemish? He has washed our sins white as snow. Do you realize how quickly the snowy roads become trampled and dirty, slushy, and watered down? Is that how your faith in Christ is? Are you believing you are washed white as snow? Or, are you live in the streets slowly losing the temperature of faith and grace, washing you to the gutters and falling through the cracks? Rocks pierce your soul rubbing dirt into our insecurity taking away your white innocence. This is the routine of life that I hope to not fully succumb to.

We all have some amount of dirt in our snow as that is part of our imperfect world but when Christ looks down upon us, we are that soft, untouched blanket of snow. Lets choose to become the path that’s narrow, untouched, and hidden from the main roadways. Lets not throw ourselves to the street allowing the dirt to come near us. It’s impossible to avoid unless you choose the narrow path; the road less traveled. That road is never near the main roadways, it’s usually tucked far away under a tree or off in the distance. Never to be comingled with the wide common path. There is no mistaking which path is the untouched, narrow road.

The amount of light the snow brings is also a perfect picture of Christ. White snow reflects the moon eliciting a sweet glow forcing the darkness to flee; in darkness the enemy stalks. Last night I had an incredible peace as Christ wrapped me in His white blanket clearly showing me a physical form that He has His protection wrapped tightly around me and my family. In Psalms 91 it’s states that “darkness will not come near your tent…” this was a very clear picture to me last night and all day today that Christ brings about light even when our lives seem to be filled with darkness from the trials of this world. I feel blessed with the precious snow bringing about perspective while forcing me to place my busy life on hold and spend time with my family.

Moment of Truth: Christ is the light and in the midst of darkness He shines His light refocusing your perspective back on Him; the pure, untouched light. Stay off the dark black slushy roadways and take the path less traveled bringing about light and life; keeping you white as snow!

Why Can’t We See God

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 3 February, 2014 None comments

I had a conversation with my mom this afternoon and she kept asking me in the midst of trial where God is? We believe God is with us, we believe God is guiding and protecting us, but where is God shining down revealing himself to us giving us that hope?

Thank you to thebooktart.com for the picture

As I was listening to her it became very clear to me that God has been continually revealing himself to us through our circumstances. It can often be in the little things that God is showing a mighty work. The reality is that our trials wouldn’t seem so catastrophic if we didn’t believe in Christ. Evil wouldn’t be so prevalent if we weren’t fighting for good to overcome and win. Christ meets us in the pit of sin and is reaching down with an outstretched hand asking for us to grab on. We often look for God’s revealing in miracles and drastic change in lifestyle rather than the physical outreach trying to simply help us stand back up on our own two feet. When we live in sin we are still responsible and accountable to our choices, God wont simply take them away because we must deal with them and learn from them but in all reality those mighty changes in life is God’s revealing of himself even through our freewill to choose life or death.

So beloved, you are chosen, adopted, accepted and loved! God is revealing himself to you in the midst of the trial. Look for him in practical ways rather then in miracle form. I’m not suggesting that Christ wont perform miracles over your life as he does often but when life sinks deep, remember Christ is there revealing His precious self to you through ways that wouldn’t keep you believing still.

The simple question, “Where is God, why can’t I see him?” Seems to me to be the essence of Christ trying to get you to take your eyes off yourself and the longing for tragedy to dissipate, but to stay Christ focused so that you can see his hand in the daily routine of what we call life. We need to go deeper still in our faith, trials bring perseverance and Christ says we need to consider them pure joy. The definition of pure is: not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material, free from contamination, containing nothing else. The definition of joy is: Great pleasure and happiness. The two combined seem to be a happiness filled without anything else, free of any other material or substance distracting the essence of our joy. Consider it pure joy my friends, when you are faced with trials of many kind (James 1:2-4).

Reveal means to make known; previously unknown or kept secret. Christ isn’t a secret to us, he is constantly showing himself through divine or supernatural means. When we ask Christ to reveal himself, I think we ought to ask for us to see the supernatural realm taking place at that present moment. If we feel Christ is hiding Himself from us our perspective needs to get back in tact. Whose hiding, Christ or us? Christ has revealed himself. Let’s not hide in the midst of pain and tragedy and question God’s presense. Instead lets open our eyes and grab on to Christ as He walks with us through our day. Our prayer should be: “let me see You as You are continually revealing Yourself to me. Let my doubt, fear and trepidation not hinder my sight from your glory as You embark this journey hand in hand with me. You have and will continue to reveal Yourself to me, help me from hiding from you glory and keep my eyes pure, uncontaminated by anything other than Yourself so that I may proceed with faith and not let evil conquer me.”

My friends, the reality is we all go through dark times in our life where we can’t find which way is up. Unfortunately we need close brothers and sister in Christ to stand by our side pointing us in the direction of the finish line. I’ve wondered myself many times why God hasn’t preformed that miracle on our family, when I need to remember we all have our own choices and no matter which road we choose God will be faithful to us as we continually choose Him. This doesn’t mean our ‘miracle’ is that the tragedy or hardships get taken away, it simply means resting under His wing for refuge while we continue to endure the path that’s narrow and difficult rather than the worn, wide path.

We think that Christ revealing himself to us is some unknown experience that rarely happens. My friends, Christ is daily revealing himself to you, are you receiving this great gift you have been given? You may question God as at times He can be silent, but when you seek him for guidance He will not fail you and is waiting to unveil the many layers covering your eyes. We tend to let our insecurities, doubts and fears become the essence of how we think God is working. This is all wrong my friends and I’m guilty of this as well. We need to remind ourselves what God’s promises are so that when standing in the midst of the fire you are pure before the Lord, knowing you can and will endure the fire and come out even more refined on the other side.

Moment of Truth: Reveal yourself to Christ, don’t keep yourself a secret from Him as he is reaching down into the pit with His hand outstretched longing to wash away your pride and selfishness and renew your eyes with peace and glory. There is a hope!

Moment of Truth

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 27 December, 2013 None comments

Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.
– Helen Keller

Thought to Ponder

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 26 December, 2013 None comments

“Being happy isn’t looking for perfection but looking past imperfection”

I heard this today and it really struck me how we can easily let the little things be “big” things. Habits, routine and self talk can tend to lead you down the path of destruction if you aren’t willing to reevaluate your current state.

Christmas can be a blessing or a curse for everyone. Within our own family both the brothers have an extremely difficult time remembering family and tragedy that has occurred through the years.

The day after christmas can be a massive let down for many reasons. I ask that you look within yourself and motivate yourself to pursue truth today and not look for perfection in those around you but to love them right where they are.

It All Began In A Manger….

Posted by Delightfully Doable on 24 December, 2013 None comments

Christmas Eve began this morning with all the children jumping for joy. “The presents are coming, the presents are coming,” shout the three little children with the wee little toddler scrambling behind. The excitement filled their little tiny minds while they couldn’t wait to see what was to be had below the tree. Could it be, the little gifts I had longed for would fill me with such glee, expresses the confident 8 year old. The four little boys toddled around waiting anxiously for the unwrapped gifts below the tree. As the long day passed, they waited with immense patience checking off their list:

1. Christmas Eve dinner @ 4pm

2. Christmas Eve service at church @ 6:30pm

3. Rush home and pass out gifts, eat snacks and unwrap @ 8pm

The tearing of the Christmas paper began to fill the house with four little boys hovering over each pile of gifts.

This year we decided to not put such an emphasis on gifts for us adults as we want to remember the real meaning of Christmas. “Gifts and stockings are okay, but Jesus is the real reason we have Christmas Day.” As a family we decided we would do more meaningful, thought felt gifts and that is exactly what we did.

We have gifts on Christmas Eve and Santa of course brings the stockings on Christmas morning. Teaching the young, inquiring minds that gifts and stockings are okay is not always an easy distinction for the almost teenager, 8 year old dreamer, and the 5 and 18 month old wigglers. Their priorities are tagged with telling all their friends when they return to school about all the technelogically savy gifts they received. But to their grandparents, it’s more imporant that they pass down a legacy of faith seperating the joy of giving with Christ’s birth. The important disctinction they long to pass from generation to generation has been well established.

My father has always read the Christmas story before we opened gifts to remind us why we have been blessed to give and receive. This Christmas my dad read a snippet of by Max Lucado and this is what is wrote:

It Began in a Manger (Christmas)

by Max Lucado • March 22

Curious, this royal throne room. No tapestries covering the windows. No velvet garments on the courtesans. And, instead of a golden scepter, the king holds a crudely whittled olive-wood rattle.

Curious, the sounds in the court. Cows munching, hooves crunching, a mother humming, a babe nursing.

It could have begun anywhere, the story of the king. But, curiously, it began in a manger. Step into the doorway, peek through the window.

He is here!

The Arrival

The noise and the bustle began earlier than usual in the village. As night gave way to dawn, people were already on the streets. Vendors were positioning themselves on the corners of the most heavily traveled avenues. Store owners were unlocking the doors to their shops. Children were awakened by the excited barking of the street dogs and the complaints of donkeys pulling carts.

The owner of the inn had awakened earlier than most in the town. After all, the inn was full, all the beds taken. Every available mat or blanket had been put to use. Soon all the customers would be stirring and there would be a lot of work to do.

One’s imagination is kindled thinking about the conversation of the innkeeper and his family at the breakfast table. Did anyone mention the arrival of the young couple the night before? Did anyone comment on the pregnancy of the girl on the donkey? Perhaps. Perhaps someone raised the subject. But, at best, it was raised, not discussed. There was nothing that novel about them. They were, possibly, one of several families turned away that night.

Besides, who had time to talk about them when there was so much excitement in the air? Augustus did the economy of Bethlehem a favor when he decreed that a census should be taken. Who could remember when such commerce had hit the village?

No, it is doubtful that anyone mentioned the couple’s arrival or wondered about the condition of the girl. They were too busy. The day was upon them. The day’s bread had to be made. The morning’s chores had to be done. There was too much to do to imagine that the impossible had occurred.

God had entered the world as a baby.

Yet, were someone to chance upon the sheep stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem that morning, what a peculiar scene they would behold.

The stable stinks like all stables do. The stench of urine, dung, and sheep reeks pungently in the air. The ground is hard, the hay scarce. Cobwebs cling to the ceiling and a mouse scurries across the dirt floor.

A more lowly place of birth could not exist.

Off to one side sit a group of shepherds. They sit silently on the floor, perhaps perplexed, perhaps in awe, no doubt in amazement. Their night watch had been interrupted by an explosion of light from heaven and a symphony of angels. God goes to those who have time to hear him—so on this cloudless night he went to simple shepherds.

Near the young mother sits the weary father. If anyone is dozing, he is. He can’t remember the last time he sat down. And now that the excitement has subsided a bit, now that Mary and the baby are comfortable, he leans against the wall of the stable and feels his eyes grow heavy. He still hasn’t figured it all out. The mystery of the event still puzzles him. But he hasn’t the energy to wrestle with the questions. What’s important is that the baby is fine and that Mary is safe. As sleep comes, he remembers the name the angel told him to use . . . Jesus. “We will call him Jesus.”

Wide awake is Mary. My, how young she looks! Her head rests on the soft leather of Joseph’s saddle. The pain has been eclipsed by wonder. She looks into the face of the baby. Her son. Her Lord. His Majesty. At this point in history, the human being who best understands who God is and what he is doing is a teenage girl in a smelly stable. She can’t take her eyes off him. Somehow Mary knows she is holding God. So this is he. She remembers the words of the angel,
“His kingdom will never end.”

He looks anything but a king. His face is prunish and red. His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. And he is absolutely dependent upon Mary for his well-being.

Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Holiness in the filth of sheep manure and sweat. Divinity entering the world on the floor of a stable, through the womb of a teenager and in the presence of a carpenter.

She touches the face of the infant-God. How long was your journey!

This baby had overlooked the universe. These rags keeping him warm were the robes of eternity. His golden throne room had been abandoned in favor of a dirty sheep pen. And worshiping angels had been replaced with kind but bewildered shepherds.

Meanwhile, the city hums. The merchants are unaware that God has visited their planet. The innkeeper would never believe that he had just sent God into the cold. And the people would scoff at anyone who told them the Messiah lay in the arms of a teenager on the outskirts of their village. They were all too busy to consider the possibility.

Those who missed His Majesty’s arrival that night missed it not because of evil acts or malice; no, they missed it because they simply weren’t looking.

Little has changed in the last two thousand years, has it?

While my dad finished this story I was sipping my tea in awe of what it would possibly be like in Mary’s shoes. What would it feel like to have a King as your son? Teaching the Creator of the world right from wrong as a young toddler. Holding his hands, knowing they created you yet giving birth to the Son of Man. These questions struck me to the core. The entirety of the story of Christ baffles my mind. “Why? For me? How come?” The unanswered questions reinstate in my ignorant mind that Christ did come as a babe in a lowly manger, suffered persecutation for claiming to be the Risen Son of Man, and dying a painful death suffering ALL the sins of the world upon his lifeless body. Yet he conquored death, saved humanity and gave the free gift of salvation for those who want it…….

What a powerful God we have!

Enjoy your gifts this Christmas and remind yourself this Eve before christmas morning, the journey of Mary and Joseph took on a donkey to bear a child in a stable. The questions and uncertainity they held must have been a story worth hearing….

Merry Christmas!!!