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Prayer — Who’s It For Anyway?

By livingabovethenoise

Prayer, like everything in the Christian life, is for God's glory and for our benefit, in that order. RC Sproul

Prayer —

It’s something we often take for granted.  It’s also something we can think of too little.  Something that’s often our last resort.  This quote from RC Sproul reminds us to glorify God in our prayers, even before we seek to benefit ourselves.

In our home, I’ve often reminded my family to shake things up in our prayers.  Especially at our mealtime prayers.  It’s so easy to just say the prayers, give thanks and ask for what we want.  But what if we really pause to reflect on who God is and what He’s done for us.  To really thank Him and acknowledge His place in our lives.  And then to ask to be the kind of people who reflect Christ to the world.

“Our Father”…..

It seems so very basic, but The Lord’s Prayer is just that kind of prayer.  One which reminds us to put things in order as we pray.  To truly remember just Who we are addressing and what we’re asking of Him.

Jesus begins His prayer by addressing the one true God.  “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Only after acknowledging the power and position God holds, does Jesus ask His Father for things done on earth — “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Amen.”

In all seasons and in all prayers, let’s give God the glory and praise, then ask for His blessings and care.   Possibly as we do this, we’ll recognize our great need for humility and help in this life on earth.  We’ll not just spend our prayer time asking for an easy life, but for the ability to be strong and live out our faith in a world that desperately needs to see what faith really looks like in action!

Our Father, you sent your Son from heaven above, and you above all are the Giver of all things good.  Let your will and your way be done on this earth to all your creation.  Thank you for all the blessings you send our way.  Forgive us for the wrongs we have done and remind us to forgive others for their insults in the same way.  Please send us only the things we need and keep us from those that would harm us.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Blessings and prayers to you all at the start of this New Year!

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I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.  Psalm 17:6

This Is Definitely What Christmas Is All About, Charlie Brown!

By livingabovethenoise

 

Linus’s age-old adage rings as true now as it did 50 years ago!  We remember with much nostalgia when he recites Luke 2, then concludes with the refrain, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!”

Christmas is all about Jesus.  It’s about celebrating God’s greatest gift to us — Jesus — our salvation through nothing else but faith in God’s Son.  

Getting Sidetracked This Christmas?

It’s too easy to get sidetracked thinking it’s about decorations and gifts.  Now, we love a decorated house this time of year!  But it can get overwhelming.  And you know about those hundred gifts on your list.  “What?” you say.  “I don’t have a hundred gifts on my list!”  Umm, count again.  Include teachers, bosses, neighbors, friends, greeting cards with pictures, stocking stuffers, cookies for the neighbors….yep, you’re getting close to a hundred!  See what I mean about sidetracked?

Now don’t think I don’t understand.  I’m right here with you….like forgetting about our Jesse tree and instead, getting started on my shopping trips.  Reading the real Christmas story only because my daughters had a party for my ‘grandboys’!  ‘Tis true…but get this — when I read to those wondering eyes, when I saw the intent on their faces, I remembered again.  

This truly is the reason for the season.  It is our job, our duty, to make sure we’re not quiet about what we believe and in Whom we believe!

Won’t you join me in relishing in the tinsel and holly and glitter, but not forgetting that simple, cold manger so many years ago?  The sheer beauty of God’s gift of everlasting life, brought to us in the tiny frame of a babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Keep Christ’s Love In Christmas

A bit of encouragement and some ideas to renew your sense of purpose this season:

– Our friend owns a thrift store in town, but it’s not just any thrift shop!  This one uses the store’s proceeds to feed the hungry in our community.  Check out your local ministries to discover how you can help the needy this year.  People are cold, hungry, lonely, sick.  What can we do to be Jesus’s hands of mercy to them?

– Tiny Tim is a name most people know.  Learn how to share God’s love from his simple pronouncement to those around him.

–  Here’s a great way to bless those in need this year!  It’s so easy to pass by those in need along the road.  What if we were prepared for those meetings by having a care bag of goodies to hand the homeless?   We will never have an excuse to look the other way.  (We have a homeless woman on the edge of town.  We pass her most days and wonder how she does it with the cold weather approaching.  Reading this post again has me excited to bring her a care package this week!)

– Some people ask the question, Should Christians Celebrate Christmas?  It’s easy to see that it’s gotten out of hand with Santa, “Happy Holidays,” and compulsory gift-giving.  Some proclaim Christmas is for pagans and just a copycat of idol worship.  My post declares why it’s a good thing to celebrate.  Choose for yourselves….but as for me and my house, we will celebrate the Lord!

– Visit a Fire or Police Station and bring goodies for these first responders!  With a son-in-law who has this difficult job, we see first-hand how much we take our safety for granted.  Give the gift of appreciation this year!

There are so many ways we can remember what Christmas is all about.  Let’s share our ideas — with friends and family — and here. Leave a comment with ways your family celebrates or shares God’s love this time of year!

Happy Holy Day & Merry Christ-mas one and all!

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So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.     Luke 2:16-20

Planning For God’s Glory—Or Your Own?

By livingabovethenoise

You know—God is amazing!  He works in the little things, but usually, we only notice Him in the big things.  Sad.  Because it’s in the little things where we can be truly faithful and follow His course. 

After getting jazzed about planning this year (and I’m still over-the-top jazzed!) God woke me up last weekend to realize this.   Everything I do—everything you do—is for His glory and in His plan for our lives!

So then, of course, planning would rank pretty high on our lists!  Why?  Because, if you can commit to using all the hours, days, weeks, and years for doing our best for Him (not to get into heaven; I’m not talking about that kind of work!) you’ll know you’re doing the best with the limited time you have.  Exciting isn’t it?!

My tips for you this week:

  • Meditate—take a break here and there from the busy rush of life.
  • Think about what God brings to your mind.
  • Pray.  Pray for wisdom to discern both what you need to do and what you need to stop doing.
  • Then get that planner out and start crossing things off and adding things into each week and day!  It’s the only way you can really know you’re using each moment to do the best you can with what you’ve been given!

So there!  Won’t you join me in using this life for the best God intended it to be?!

He knows just what you need.  Trust.

Blessings this week!

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Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.  Colossians 3:17

Friendship — The Gift of Love

By livingabovethenoise

Be a Friend

During the early years of homeschooling, our children would read the Pathway Readers, written during a more simple era.  One lesson from them stood the test of time.  I must have quoted this a hundred times in my life as a parent!

“If you want to have a friend, you need to be a friend.”

Recently, we had a chance meeting with a man from our community.  (Actually, is anything really chance?)  He offered us his friendship — just because.  After spending a bit of time with him, we could easily see that he lives out what he teaches in a little book he wrote.  It’s called The Success Puzzle and in it, he explains simple, yet profound, truths on making the most of our opportunities.

One way Dick blesses others is to give his little book away to those he meets.  Needless to say, it has been relished as we read the wisdom contained therein.  The quotes below are a sampling of the truths found in his book:

“Friendships matter in life and in our journey of making a difference.”

A friend is “one who influences in the right direction.”

“Our major concern is that we be a friend to someone else.”

“Teach the lesson that you are not being a friend when you help someone do wrong.”

You know, there are always opportunities to re-learn things we thought we knew and practice things we thought we were good at.  This was one of them!

Let’s Do Things God’s Way

Life is entirely about being drawn to do things God’s ways and in His timing.  In living life on planet Earth, we spend most of our lives learning that our ways can’t be trusted because we so often act out of selfishness.  Then we learn that trusting God’s way is always best.  And guess what?  God promises we will certainly gain blessings when we follow a path of obedience and faith.  Seems simple, doesn’t it? 

Ah, but it’s not that simple!  And why?  Because we were born in sin and continue to follow our flesh.  It takes the “work” which Paul exhorts us to, to live and walk out our faith.  It takes work to go against our flesh, our way, our selfish path of getting what we want in life.  Not really simple at all.  But then again, could it be?

Could it actually be simple if we would just cultivate the strong faith spoken of in ages past?

Could we really do this obedience thing and live out the love of Christ?

Could we simply trust?

Let Go.  Let God.

I’m beginning to believe we can.  But in order to do it, we have to let go of all the extra stuff we have believed and learned and lived since we took our first breath!  You know, the greed, selfishness, fear, guilt, anger, pride…  Yikes, that sounds difficult.  Yet as each day passes, I’m seeing life wearing. me. down.  And I’m realizing God allows it for my good.  He allows it for all our good!

God wants our flesh and our will to be worn down so He can use us for His good.  As life takes its toll on us, we begin to see how pointless all our striving is.  Striving to get what we want, do what we think is best, and serve self above all.  Where has it gotten us really?

Oh, the peace and rest that comes from surrendering self to God and His purposes.

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Love God.  Serve Others.

So where am I headed here?  Simply to impress on us that loving and serving the God above must bring us to loving and serving those around us.  (Even when they aren’t lovely or perfect or the least bit like us.)

Here’s my point, and it’s one I’m trying to remember every day! —

Every one of us is trying to live here on earth the best we know how.

And believe it or not, God has offered us a reality and a direction for love and true success in life.  It isn’t by making tons of money, or gaining acclaim on the internet, or by having the most likes on Facebook.  It’s by loving and offering those around us a sense of value, just for being alive on this planet.

So let’s be a friend to others.  

Let’s offer a smile – a simple kindness – a word of encouragement.  

Let’s give them a sense of what Christ’s love feels like as they walk in our door.  

This, my friend, is what it’s all about!  Help others to do good and not evil.  Help them to see they are worth something in a world that makes us all feel very small.

It’s all too easy to follow what everyone else is doing.  To talk behind one another’s backs.  To add to the gossip.  To avoid those who don’t look like us.  To hang with only those who behave the way we think they should.  Instead….

Let’s love.

Let’s be kind.

Let’s see one another as God sees us….Beloved.  Child.  Rescued.

Today, let’s give the gift of Love & Life.  Our life in Christ can lift us higher than we imagined as we view others the way God views each of us.

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Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves;  do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.  Philippians 2:1-4

 

 

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