Less Christian

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

      I pray that you are availing yourself of every gift God has graciously provided for you.

     Today I want to talk to you about “Less Christian”.  I was talking with a friend of mine who works for a faith-based organization and she made a comment I’d heard from her on several occasions before: “I’m just not as Christian as some of the others that work here”.  Have you ever felt that way – that you are less Christian than some other believers you know?  Let me share with you what I shared with her.

     Jesus didn’t die less for my friend than for someone else.  He didn’t forgive less of her sins.  If you’ve accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, beloved ones, you are 100% Christian.  What my friend meant was that she doesn’t go to church every time the doors are open.  She doesn’t read her Bible when she’s not at church.  She doesn’t have a prayer life beyond meals and urgent needs.  She’s not as “Christian” as others she works with.

     What would Jesus say to these things?  He’d say that her Christianity is a free gift and not something she has to work for (Ephesians 2:9).  We tend to think that once we’ve accepted Christ and gained salvation, we now have to go to church, read our Bibles daily and spend hours a day in prayer.  You don’t have to do any of those things, beloved ones.  You get to.  Jesus also said in Mark 2:27 that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  You were not created to go to church, read the Bible and pray.  These things were created to be blessings to you.

     In this country we still (for a little while) have the freedom to gather publicly and worship God.  We can feel His presence when we are gathered in one accord and one place.  We can hear encouragement and get direction and correction from a man whose whole job is to bring you words of life, grace and hope each week.  We can open the instruction manual the God of the Universe wrote for us any time we want and read how we are loved, protected and never forsaken.  We can share our innermost thoughts, deepest secrets, darkest fears with One who already knows, loves us anyway and is able to help and we can hear Him speaking to us through His word, through the preaching and in our spirits.

     If you are not availing yourselves of these precious gifts, my friends, you are not less Christian.  You are less blessed.  Walk in confidence of who you are in Christ and take advantage of all the gifts He’s blessed you with.

100% Christian and becoming more blessed each day,  Raelynn

Natural Disasters

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

      I pray you get more excited by a beautiful sunset, a newborn baby, and helping someone in need than you do about who wins the Super Bowl or American Idol.

     Today I want to talk to you about “Natural Disasters”.  I recently got a letter from one of the ministries I support, Gospel for Asia.  The letter was an urgent plea for prayer and aid to the regions of India recently hit by a strong cyclone.  The cyclone left thousands dead, homes and churches destroyed and devastation everywhere it touched.

     What’s happened in India has been happening all around the world: earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes like Katrina all wreaking havoc on our planet and its people.  These phenomena have been increasing in frequency and severity in recent years.  Why?  Is God punishing us?  Is He trying to wipe out His creation like He did with the great flood?

     No, beloved ones, these are not supernatural disasters orchestrated by an angry God.  They are not sent by Him to punish us.  These are natural disasters brought on by the sin nature that caused our world to become broken and fallen and worse than God created it to be.  God did not create nor intend death.  The wages of sin is death, Romans 3:23 tells us.  Natural disasters are a by-product of sin and the devastation that it brought to God’s perfectly created earth.  As sin abounds and multiplies in the earth, so does its effects. This accounts for the increase in frequency and severity of natural disasters.

     God knew this would happen, of course.  He warned us in Matthew 24:7, 8, “For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.” 

     Natural disasters are the natural outcome of a world steeped in sin, but thank God, He provides supernatural help.  He gives us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. 

     Be not deceived.  God is not mocked.  Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap, but where sin abounds, grace much more abounds.  (Galatians 6:7, Romans 5:20).

Serving the One who supercedes the natural.  Raelynn

Family of God

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

     I pray that you are being watchful, vigilant, guarding your hearts, for the enemy is ever watching for an opportunity to ensnare you.

     Today I want to talk to you about "The Family of God".  The holidays are upon us.  For many it is a joyous time of family, food and fun.  For many others, it is a time of loneliness, depression and isolation.  We were created to be part of a loving family and as those familial feelings are heightened during the holidays, the lack of family is also more keenly felt this time of year.

     My mother once told me as a teenager that "blood is thicker than water".  She was telling me that the friends I was adamantly defending would not always be there for me, but family would be.  I've found her words to be true.  She was talking about our natural family, but I have found an even closer bond with the Family of God. 
 
     In the family of God, you have a loving Father who is patient, kind, who protects and provides, who never leaves or forsakes you.  No one is fatherless in the Family of God.  In this family, you have an elder brother, Jesus, who always stands up for you against the bully and who desires to be your closest friend.  And that's just the beginning...the Family of God is made up of countless thousands of brothers and sisters all bound by that same blood that was shed once for all and has cleansed us from our sins.  Jesus' blood is truly thicker than water.

     Growing up, I was the oldest of four, with three younger brothers.  How I longed for a sister to share clothes, Barbies and secrets with!  I found these sisters in the Family of God.  I know without a doubt that Susan, Evelyn, Sandy, Jeannie and Lori would be there for me the instant I was in need, no matter what that need may be.  We share a closeness I've never experienced with natural family and friends - a bond forged by the blood of Christ.

     I now have brothers with whom I share a special bond as well.  The Associate Pastor from my church in Benson, Joe, after a long day at work came to Tucson to move my furniture from one apartment complex to another across town.  He did it in the rain, got home after dark, didn't complain and wouldn't even take gas money.  He did it because he loves me - because I am his sister.

     What a wealth of love and family the Lord has given to each of us if we will avail ourselves of them!  If you've made a commitment to Christ and have been cleansed of your sins by His blood, you are a part of this family.  You need never be lonely or dread the holidays again!

     Find a good Bible-teaching church where people greet you when you come in and you can feel the genuine love of God.  Then get involved.  Attend Bible studies, special events, and get to know your extended family.
   
     Thank you Lord, for the blood of Christ - for its cleansing and healing power and for the large and loving family you've gift-wrapped for each of us with that scarlet ribbon.

Your sister in Christ,  Raelynn 
 

Transformational Meditation

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

      I pray that you are able to discern between the “wisdom” of this world and the wisdom of God and are choosing to walk in the truth.

     Today I want to talk to you about “Transformational Meditation”.  Did you know that the Bible encourages us to meditate?  Meditation gets a bad rap because Transcendental Meditation is used in mysticism and eastern religions as a way to achieve a higher level of consciousness.  God want us to achieve higher levels of righteousness.  He uses Transformational Meditation.  Let me explain the difference….

     Psalm 1:2 encourages us to meditate on the Word of God day and night.  Phillipians 4:8 tells us to meditate on the things that are virtuous and worthy of praise.  David pled with God to let the meditations of his heart be acceptable in God’s sight (Psalm 19:14). 

These are examples of Biblical meditation.  It means to think on, ponder, carefully consider, and when we do, it transforms our mind (hence, the catch-phrase “Transformational Meditation’).  It is the filling of our minds with the good things of God and being transformed into the image of His Son.  It is the polar opposite of Satan’s counterfeit – Transcendental Meditation.

 

    Satan wants us to meditate too.  But his type of meditation involves emptying our minds and chanting mantras (which are often the names of demonic gods), and allowing free access of our minds to spirit guides (demons) who will lead you to enlightenment (the belief that you are a god yourself).

     Don’t be deceived, beloved ones.  Think, ponder and carefully consider how you choose to meditate.  God’s way fills your mind with His Holy Word and makes you more like Jesus.  Satan’s way empties your mind and makes you more like him.

Transforming, not transcending - Raelynn

Living Sacrifice

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

      I pray that you are slow to anger, quick to forgive and that you also extend that forgiveness to yourself.

     Today I want to talk to you about “A Living Sacrifice”.  A while ago the Lord spoke to me in my quiet time.  It sounded like He was addressing one of the seven churches in Revelation:  “I see your works, that you’ve been faithful in this and that, but I have this one thing against thee.  You’ve dedicated unto Me your time, your money, your talent, but you refuse to let Me rule your body.  You still feed it anything you want, and are too lazy to exercise regularly.  You let My temple fall into ruin.”  So of course, I repented, started walking before work each day, started watching what I eat and vowed to give Jesus lordship over my physical body.  I was faithfully dedicated to this endeavor for six weeks – then I went on vacation.

     I didn’t bring my walking shoes for my week away – I was going to sleep in, relax.  I was on vacation.  I wasn’t going to worry about what I ate – I tried new restaurants, snacked while watching TV and movies I don’t get to watch at home.  I was on vacation.  Over the course of a week I’d had pizza, cocktail weenies wrapped in bacon, chocolate, an entire bag of Doritos and I slept in and lounged around all week. 

     When I got home on Monday, I went for my walk and started eating healthy again.  Vacation was over.  But my poor body!  I got stabbing pains in my stomach and spent all Monday night vomiting.  My stomach still hurt and I had a headache all day Tuesday.  Wednesday, I was still queasy and nearly skipped church that evening.  Thank God I went.  The Pastor quoted Paul in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you, therefore, brethren that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, Holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable act of service.”  In that moment the Lord showed me that the foods I’d put into my body were like poison to my previously cleansed system - no different than drugs or alcohol.  He also showed me that I hadn’t just taken a break from my routine as I told myself, but I’d taken back lordship of my body.  I’d taken back my living sacrifice.

     The problem with living sacrifices, beloved ones, is that they have a tendency to crawl off the altar!  The Lord is gracious and merciful.  He purged my body of the poison I’d put in it and I am once again on track with diet and exercise and am submitting my body unto God.

     I pray you are submitting your bodies as a living sacrifice unto God, my friends, in whatever manner He requires of you.  Let Him be Lord of all.  It is our reasonable act of service.

 

Making sure the sacrifice stays on the altar, Raelynn

 

Who's Hurting Who?

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

      I pray that you are more concerned about the lost and hurting than you are about what you will eat or what you will wear today.

     Today I want to talk to you about “Who’s Hurting Who?”  Recently I had the privilege of attending a service by Dr. Ravi Zacharias, a world-renowned apologeticist.  For all his lofty titles and accolades, I found him to be a humble man from India with a deep love for God.  Dr. Ravi made a statement during that meeting that greatly moved me.  I want to share it with you.

     He said, “If I love you and you don’t love me back, I hurt because I’ve lost something.  If God loves you and you don’t love Him back, He hurts – not because He’s lost something, but because you have.”  Think about that, beloved ones.  God doesn’t need our love.  He is love.  It is not He who suffers if we don’t love Him.  We suffer.  And when we suffer, God hurts, so great is His love for us.

     How many times when our prayers aren’t answered as we think they should be, a loved one dies, the innocent are hurt or something happens that we don’t understand, do we try to punish God by withholding our love from Him?  “I’ll show Him- I’ll quit going to church, praying, believing in Him!”  And who suffers when that happens?  Who’s hurting who?

     God loves you.  He loves you so much He gave His son to die for you.  If you love Him back, you get the benefit of His grace, mercy, peace, protection, provision and blessing in your life.  If you don’t love Him back, you miss out on all these things and have to try to struggle through this difficult broken world on your own.  That hurts God because He has so much He wants to give you, if you’ll only accept it.  He doesn’t want anyone to perish.

    Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, with all your strength.  It’s easy to love someone who loves you, who gives you things and is involved in your life.  No one does that more than God.  When we withhold our love, we are only hurting ourselves.

Because He first loved me - Raelynn

Water Everywhere

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

      I pray that you are no longer wise in your own eyes, but are full of the wisdom of God.

     Today, I want to talk to you about “Water Everywhere”.  “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters…and God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear and it was so.”  Genesis 1:6, 9

     One of the hardest concepts for people to get their mind around is that of the trinity:  One God in three separate personalities but still one God.  Over the years of teaching children, I’ve often used an egg to illustrate the trinity.  One egg in three parts: shell, white, yolk, each of which can be used separately, but all 3 parts make up one egg.  Recently though, I heard a better illustration for adults.  God is like water.

     In our passages from Genesis referenced above, we see that in the beginning, water was everywhere.  It had to be divided to create sky, and gathered into one place to create land.  Like water in the beginning, God is everywhere.  This water represents the Father, the Creator, Almighty God.  This water had no limits, no boundaries, was so vast it is hard to imagine.  This water could not be contained or held in one’s hand.

     But God, in His infinite wisdom, knew there would come a time when mankind would need a tangible God: a savior, one whom they could touch and interact with.  So as in Genesis 1:6, when God divided the waters from the waters, He allowed part of Himself to be manifested to us as Jesus, the Son of God.  He would be born in the form of a baby to live and grow as we do, to experience everything we experience, to feel what we feel, to learn the effect sin has on us, to die like we die.  Jesus can be represented as an ice cube:  still water, but in tangible form.  You can hold it in your hand, you can ingest it, it can become part of you.

     The Holy Spirit can be likened unto steam.  Again water, but in the form of vapor that we cannot see, but fills the air and we can see and feel its effects.  Steam is a form of power and the Holy Ghost is the power of God.

     No one can explain God.  He is unfathomable, a mystery, but God wants us to know Him and understand His purposes in our lives.  I hope this description better illustrates who God is for you, beloved ones.

     Jesus said to the woman at the well in Samaria, “…but whosoever drinketh of the water I give him, shall never thirst again.”  Drink of the living water and thirst no more.  He’s not hard to find.  There is water everywhere.

 

Wading in deeper - Raelynn

The Command Center

Good Morning My Beloved Ones,

      I pray that your spirit is filled with a sense of urgency and that your heart remains at peace.

     Today I want to talk to you about “The Command Center”.  Every morning when I walked in my neighborhood, I would walk past a store front building called The Command Center.  There were always a lot of cars parked in front of it and through the front glass I could see lights blazing, a TV tuned to CNN, maybe 50 folding chairs and anywhere from 20-40 men seated inside – at 5:30 am.  Each morning as I’d pass by, I’d wonder what was going on inside.  The “Command Center” sounds military, but the men were dressed in t-shirts and jeans.  The name of the building and the CNN led me to believe the men

might be political activists or vigilantes.  It wasn’t long before I’d discovered the truth about the Command Center and a spiritual truth as well.

     One morning as I walked by the Command Center, there was a man standing by the sidewalk smoking a cigarette.  I told him that I see them gathered there every morning and asked him what they do there.  He explained that all these men get up early every morning, get ready and come to the Command Center waiting for work.  When businesses around town are short-handed, they will call and say, “I need 3 men for 6 hours at this location to do this job” and they are dispatched from the Command Center.

     This concept blessed me on so many levels.  First, I was thankful that there is a service like this available and that I found out about it because I know some people who need work that I can send there.  But what blessed me most was that there were so many men willing to work that they will be up, dressed, out the door and ready to go at 5:30 am for just the possibility of a job.  I told the man I spoke to that as I walk each morning, I pray.  I told him I’d ask God to send each man assembled there a job that day.

     As I walked on, praying for these men, the Lord showed me that we all need a “Command Center” mentality.  Those who call themselves by Christ’s name, profess to love Him, claim to serve Him, need to get up out of bed, get dressed and be eager and ready to get the call from their Heavenly Father telling them what job He has for them that day.  Each of the men gathering at the Command Center could choose to stay in bed, lounge around playing video games, make a phone call or two or circle ads in a newspaper.  They chose instead to be ready and available so when the work comes, they can be sent out.

     Let’s be like these men, beloved ones.  Our Heavenly Father has work for us to do.  The harvest is plentiful, our Bible tells us, but the workers are few.  Why are the workers few?  They are all sleeping in, lounging about, or playing video games when they should be at the Command Center.

Ready to Work, Raelynn