Wall of Life

These are all the areas and qualities in our lives that God wants to be involved in, help us cultivate, and help us grow in Him. Everything in our life. Nothing is to be left out to be dealt with from our own faulty wisdom because God is too busy. He wasn't too busy to create every aspect of who you are and he's not too busy to be involved in every aspect of your life. This is what we need to build our eternal wall of life on. We can only build our wall of life if we commit to give every aspect of it to God.  "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."  Phillipians 4:6 (NLT)

We are to "Never stop praying." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

(click on the image above to enlarge)

The Plumb Line

"Then he showed me another vision. I saw the Lord standing beside a wall that had been built using a plumb line. He was checking it with a plumb line to see if it was straight. And the Lord said to me "Amos, what do you see?" I answered, "A plumb line." And the Lord replied "I will test my people with this plumb line.  I will no longer ignore all their sins. The pagan shrines of your ancestors and the temples of Israel will be destroyed, and I will bring the dynasty of King Jeroboam to a sudden end." Amos 7:7-9 (NLT)

A plumb line is a tool used to determine if something is straight and upright. It would ensure the straightness of a wall. (Our modern version of this is a level) A wall that is not built correctly leveled will collapse.

The Lord measures each of us with His own plumb line-His word, and He looks at our lives. Can we stand upright in God's eyes? We may have accepted Christ in our hearts as our savior, but do the walls in our lives stand strong? Our walls need to be built on the foundation of God's word, not on the world's values.

In the book of Amos, the Lord is frustrated with Israel.  They have oppressed the poor, been idle, been lazy, been accepting of things they shouldn't. They've ignored God and been gluttonous and greedy. Amos is exposing their sin to them. Though they declared themselves upright and grand in the eyes of God, God tells Amos they are not and that compared to His plumb line, they are almost in a state of ruin.  We seem to think of ourselves this way still. This was written long ago, but God's word here applies to us today.

"How terrible it will be for you who sprawl on ivory beds surrounded with luxury, eating the meat of tender lambs and choice calves. You sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and you fancy yourselves to be great musicians, as King David was. You drink wine by the bowlful, and you perfume yourselves with exotic fragrances, caring nothing at all that your nation is going to ruin therefore, you will be the first to be led away as captives. Suddenly all your revelry will end." Amos 6:4-7 (NLT)

Nation is referring to Israel, but I also believe "nation" can be interpreted as God telling us that we care nothing that first we are allowing our homes and the hearts dwelling in them to go to ruin. Godly homes are the building blocks of a Godly nation. Many homes, even Christian ones, are not built upon God's holy truth. We have allowed in our complacency for the world to come into our homes and influence us.  We allow books, movies, music, wrong money principles, materialism, lack of modesty and humility before God in our hearts, and worldly opinions and values to creep in and soon we are not standing upright to God. Soon our wall is measured by God's plumbline and it is about to collapse. Soon all of these homes have made a nation and we are a nation whose walls are crooked yet we can't even recognize it. God is going to measure us against His absolute truth.

God was downright angry with Israel. He warns "Do what is good and run from evil-that you may live! Then the Lord God Almighty will truly be your helper,  just as you have claimed he is. Hate evil and love what is good; remodel your courts into true halls of justice. Perhaps even yet the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on his people who remain. Therefore, this is what the Lord, the Lord God Almighty says: "There will be crying in all the public squares and in every street. Call for the farmers to weep with you, and summon the professional mourners to wail and lament. There will be wailing in every vineyard, for I will pass through and destroy them all. I, the Lord, have spoken! Amos 5:14-17

Here the Lord gives the nation of Israel a warning, do what is good and change your ways or your destruction is certain. But the Lord who loves us always gives us a choice to do what is right in His eyes.

“In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory. And Israel will possess what is left of Edom and all the nations I have called to be mine.” The Lord has spoken, and he will do these things. “The time will come,” says the Lord,“when the grain and grapes will grow faster than they can be harvested.
Then the terraced vineyards on the hills of Israel will drip with sweet wine. I will bring my exiled people of Israel back from distant lands,and they will rebuild their ruined cities and live in them again. They will plant vineyards and gardens; they will eat their crops and drink their wine.  I will firmly plant them there in their own land. They will never again be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God. (NLT)

Maybe the Lord is calling you. Do you feel like the nation of Israel? Is your life going to crumble and go to ruin if you don't rebuild? You have a choice. Rebuild your spiritual wall on God's truth. He is giving a very clear choice. Go the way of evil that Israel went in Amos and you shall be destroyed. Go the way of truth, and you shall be restored. God will help you to repair your damaged walls just like he promises to Israel.  

Don't just go to church, participate, and then stop there. Don't just say "I believe there is a God" or "I believe Lord but just don't have the guts to truly follow you." God expects us to truly love Him. He wants nothing more than for us to show Him our true love so He can bless us and spend eternal life with us. He doesn't need to prove His love to us or show us His love. He already has. He bridged that gap when He sent His only son to die on the cross for us and shed His blood. 

 He expects us to allow our belief in Him to overflow into each area of our life. He cares about even the smallest details of our lives. As you build your spiritual wall, God wants to be involved in each quality that you add. He wants that spiritual wall of your life to eventually reach to eternity, where we will have eternal life with Him. Then He wants it to reach your children, and your children's children. Maybe you are afraid to trust God, or be the first in your family to ever make these choices, to live by God's eternal word. God will walk with you, and just like the above scripture, He will firmly plant you in His truth.

Lord, give us wisdom to see where we need to rebuild our eternal wall. If we need to start over give us your strength because we cannot do it on our own. Show us how to build a life that walks in your absolute truth. Help our hearts to not be deceived by what is not your eternal truth. Help us to build a straight, strong, and eternal wall of life.

And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. Matthew 19:29

But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:14

But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.” John 6:27

The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 1 Peter 1:23

The World's Path or God's?

 

Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. -Psalm 119:35

Do we follow God's path or the world's? Maybe we don't even consciously realize what path we are walking, and one day we ended up where we are. Maybe we don't even know that we have a choice and that there is a better way. Even seasoned Christian's may not even realize the path we are on accidentally intersected with the worlds and we've found ourselves walking the wrong way.

The world's path offers fancy things. The best dining. The best and most expensive cars, a bigger house. More stuff that we want and we think we need. The world's path offers brokenness and unforgiveness. Constant shopping and sales.  Slavery to media and pop culture. The "latest and greatest" of everything.  The hottest new movie and the new trends we have to have THIS year! We have to have the best and most tan bodies and the best cars and the newest furniture, and our kids need to go to the best preschool. Soon we have become slaves to our things, and slaves to our activities and slaves to the money it costs to pay for all of this.

The path of God doesn't ask us to be in slavery to any of this "stuff", or to anything of this world. God's path is freedom, and peace, and quiet of the soul. Walking God's path is a conscious daily choice. It doesn't just happen. It takes determination and a decision to walk on God's path each morning. Part of our daily prayers need to be for God to keep us on His path for us, and that He goes before each step we take. The enemy wants to divert our path at every turn and distract us enough that we start walking on the wrong one.

 "He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake." Psalm 23:3

Notice it says "He restores my soul, He LEADS me in the paths of righteousness." It doesn't say "maybe" He will lead me or "if He is in a good mood that day He will!" It says HE LEADS. He will lead you if you are faithful and determined in your decision. He won't let you down.

It might be hard to start walking another path than the one we are on, and make life changes. We might start to look different that "everyone" else. We should look different from the world, the world's path doesn't lead to eternal life. God's does. Maybe we need to slow down, spend more time with our children and those we love, or move to a smaller house to not feel trapped by our worldly things anymore. Maybe we need to have a lesser car payment or even have no car payment. Or watch less tv because all those shows were never required viewing by some class syllabus. We all have some area or areas that are trying to keep us on the world's path. We have to pray God reveals them and turns our steps back to His path. If we feel we are struggling to keep up with all of these worldly requirements that is God speaking to us to change our path.

God doesn't promise His path will be easy. But neither is the world's path easy! But there is a great difference.  God does say in Psalm 16:11  "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." The world does not promise fullness of joy, or pleasures forevermore. It cannot, and never will.

Walking the Christian path is not a matter of just accepting Jesus in our hearts but then continuing on our same path. It is a matter of walking a new path with Christ, however He personally leads us. God's path depends on Him leading us in ALL of our steps in all areas of our lives. He commands that we walk in His paths so that "you may walk in the way of goodness, And keep to the paths of righteousness."
Proverbs 2:20

Lord, I pray in my missteps that you will quickly lead back to your path. Lead me each day on your lighted path and guide my heart and mind in all things. Go before my steps God and lead me on your path of life.


Proverbs 3:6:

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 4:11: 

I have taught you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in right paths.

Proverbs 4:14

Do not enter the path of the wicked, And do not walk in the way of evil.

Proverbs 4:18:

But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

Proverbs 4:26:

Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.

Proverbs 12:28:

In the way of righteousness is life, And in it's pathway there is no death.

Happy Mother's Day!

The apostle of Jesus Christ in this text (Acts 16:1) bestows on motherhood and grandmotherhood a great honor. You have a calling that can become the long-remembered ground of faith, not just for your children — mark this — but for the untold numbers who will be affected by your children. And that’s in addition to all the other thousands of ripple effects of faith in your life. (“Honoring the Biblical Call of Motherhood”)
-John Piper

 

God's Promises

 


Yet Jerusalem says, “The Lord has deserted us;
    the Lord has forgotten us.”

 “Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child?
    Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?
But even if that were possible,
    I would not forget you!   

See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
    Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem’s walls in ruins. 

 Soon your descendants will come back,
    and all who are trying to destroy you will go away. 

 Look around you and see,
    for all your children will come back to you.
As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
    “they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display.

 “Even the most desolate parts of your abandoned land
    will soon be crowded with your people.
Your enemies who enslaved you
    will be far away. 

 The generations born in exile will return and say,
    ‘We need more room! It’s crowded here!’  

Isaiah 49:14-20 NLT

A Godly Vision For Your Child

      

God has a great plan for each child's life. He wants to be glorified in each life He creates. He wants each life to experience the richness He has designed for it. Do we as parents have a vision for our children to guide them to the fullness of God's design for them? Or are we focused on worldly goals?

We as parents can lead our children very far from God's plan for them. We can lead them astray, or we can lead them to God and closer to His purposes for them.

 We have to pray constantly for God's wisdom about our children. We need to pray He reveals to us our children's God given talents, who they are and how to train them in the way they should go. Each child is so unique that we must pray for God's unique wisdom pertaining to how to best guide that child. 

Each persons life will reach it's fullest potential in Christ when they fulfill what God intended for them, when He lives in their hearts and they accept Him.

Let's be in prayer daily as parents for wisdom to be the parent God needs us to be. To show our children God. Guide them in their talents and help them focus on who they are uniquely created to be. 

We have visions and goals for a lot of things in our life. We need to have them for our children too. When they are 30, 40, 50, what do you want for them? Do you want them to be walking in God's truth and fulfilling God's perfect design for them? Or are you only focused on their academic or sports successes?

It takes diligence, discipline and commitment on our part to pray for our children every day and guide them every day. We need God's help in this. Our focus cannot waver on who they need to be in Christ. If we wash our hands of our responsibilities we are not doing our God given duty as a parent. We will stand before God one day and give an account of our shepherding the life of the little ones God entrusted to us.

Maybe you don't have small children anymore. Maybe you have come to know Christ or grown in Christ and you regret how you raised your children. It's not late. Whether they are 20 or 55, pray for them now. Pray that whatever relationship you have with them now that you will be able to see them live in the fullness of their life in Christ. Pray for repentance for your own mistakes in not leading them as you should have, and ask for God's guidance for their future.

When we as parents step up to our God ordained roles, we help our children know how to grow up and step into theirs. Our children then go on to teach their children and grandchildren. It affects each generation. It is of utmost importance that we diligently show our children Christ and pray for clear visions of their futures.

If you are being lazy in this area with your children, pray for God's strength, energy and discipline to come into your life so you can follow God in your parenting.

We know how much we love our children as parents. We can only imagine how much more God loves them. We should hope as parents for God to guide us, to show us His great plan for them and to be the best vessel we can be to guide them to glorify God and live the abundant life He has for them. The life God has planned for them is far greater than we as parents could ever plan for them or imagine.

 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
-Jeremiah 29:11

 "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16

"Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart." Proverbs 29:17

 "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." Matthew 18:12-14

Contentment

 

Contentment. Have you ever truly felt content in your life? Are you always running around searching for more, building your future, but missing your life now? Contentment is knowing that right now, we are supposed to be right where we are, that God has us right where He wants us. Right now, I am not supposed to be anywhere else in my life. In spite of my mistakes, or circumstances, I am called by God to be content. To be anything less is a sin. I am then telling God, "what you have given me God is not enough." "You did not give me all the things I wanted right now so I will not rejoice."

  

The human heart always wants to do more, to dream, and to be more. God put this desire for growth in our lives in our hearts and minds. Using our discernment to know how to work toward the future while maintaining contentment in the moment is where we need God's help. I believe we grow in our journey of contentment when we grow in our walk with God. True contentment lies within our hearts, it lies in our love for God and our relationship with Him. Notice I did not say "true contentment will happen when you receive the right job." "True contentment will happen when you get that great house." Contentment is not a state of being where we feel happy with our "stuff." Our stuff will never satisfy.

Contentment is a state of the heart. The heart beats in peace with God. It is a state of satisfaction with knowing God and who He is. True contentment is permanent no matter what stage of life you are in.

We absolutely need to master this skill as Christians. Yes, contentment is a learned skill. What a challenge in this culture of more, more, more. 

If we look back on our lives, we can see our behavior and thought patterns. "Once I get that job God, I"ll be content with my life." "Once I get that dream house God, oh and my dream car, I'll be content." "Once this difficulty in my life is over God, I'll be happy." "Once I get (insert your personal experience here) I'll be happy." Once you achieved those things, were you content? Or did you move on to the next thing? Notice what just happened! You missed being content. You missed being peaceful with where you were. You missed your opportunity to be in peace at that moment in your heart with God communing with Him. A lack of contentment and constantly looking out for the next thing to fulfill is distracting from our relationship with God. Can you see how a lack of contentment is causing you to miss out on the life God has given you? I believe this is why God calls us to be content. To see the abundant life He has given us in Him. In order to realize how to live in the fullness of God's love, we must be at peace in our hearts. In order to fully grow in our lives to the person God calls us to be we must learn contentment.

Life has seasons. It will always have changes and God may bless us with more money, or even a bigger house, or the other things we have in our minds that we desire- or that may not be His plan for your life. He may have something else in mind-something more than you imagined for yourself. You may also experience crisis, illness, unemployment, loss, frustrations and stress.  But life is constant and if we constantly wait to receive our contentment, to "reach" this state we are chasing after, you may never in this life reach it if you don't realize the root of what contentment actually is.

Contentment does not mean we will not continue to pray for our future. It doesn't mean we don't continue to work toward our future, and to work toward the future God speaks to us and directs us towards. Contentment means while we are getting there, we know that right now, what we have is enough from God. Right now, God is filling our hearts. He is enough. Right now we are going to take time to commune with God. We are going to feel peace in our hearts. We feel the fullness of Christ. The external is not all we need. God is all we need, no matter what phase of life we are in and what we are working towards we should always feel content with Christ.

You might be missing out on a lot in your life right now based on your lack of contentment. Are you always spinning around? Are you so much focused on the future and the future that will "make everything better?" On the "next best thing?"  Your lack of contentment is holding you back from your life. You are missing out. You are missing out on time with your children, time with your spouse, your family. Time serving God or time doing whatever else God will put before you. Time worshiping God and growing and learning. Your anxieties and tunnel vision about building your future are not from God. They are taking away from your relationship with God. The moment you are living right now is what God put before you. Live in it. God wants you to live in His abundance, His fullness, His richness, His peace, right now.

Give your control over your future, your worries, your anxieties and discontent to God. Leave them at the foot of the cross. Let God be enough. He already is. The one who was, and is and is to come. He is always enough.

Dear Lord, help me to know how to feel peace and contentment right now in this moment in my life. Give me wisdom and discernment to know how to feel that peace while praying and preparing for the future you have for me, no matter what my current circumstances. Let my heart beat to your rhythm God. Help me to find my peace and contentment in you always Lord.


 I believe that contentment is such a large part of the Christian walk. The Bible is abundant with scripture on contentment. A few are below:

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content"
Phillipians 4:11

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:10

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."
1 Timothy 6:6-8

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5

"As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness."
Psalm 17:15