aroseinbloom

'...........this one thing!'

2012-02-03T09:41:00.000+13:00

The phrase 'this one thing' has been on my mind for quite a long time now and it got me thinking ..... well it is in the mind and I am strongly a 'thinker'.

So often God is asking us to do 'this one thing' and I think it can bring confusion as we often ask 'what is this 'one thing' that is going to give meaning to my life and make my life mean what it is meant to mean'.

Some of us spend our whole lives looking and chasing after that 'this one thing' whereas others might be too scared to do the wrong 'this one thing' that they never do anything! So both miss the 'this one thing'!

The more I begin to 'know' our God I believe we make the mistake in thinking or asking what is the 'this one thing' in our whole lives whereas God is so often talking to us in the 'today'!

The Word says ..... today if you will listen to my voice ..... do not worry about tomorrow as today has enough challenges of its own ..... encourage one another day by day as long as it is called today ..... while it is said today if you will hear His voice ..... But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness ..... Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

Even though our sight should be on eternity God encourages/demands us to live in the 'today'.

So my question to us is 'what is 'this one thing' that God is asking us to do today? Sometimes its a 'first the natural then the spiritual' kind of thing.

It might be something so practical that you clean the shower today before you get out and don't leave it for tomorrow.
Maybe telling your husband before he goes to work how you love and respect him and that you are excited for your future together and that he looks or smells great! Don't wait for the 'girl' at work to tell him!
Could it be that He (our God) wants you to spend a short time with Him before the busyness of the day begins.
Might it be that you give your kids a special hug before they leave for school and you tell them that you love being their mum!

Perhaps it could be that you stop looking at what you don't have and begin to thank God for what you do have!
It might even be that you 'stop' for one second worrying about everyone else and just begin to thank God for you and leave the rest up to Him!
What about taking every thought captive, judging it and bringing it under the obedience of God! You are not your parents, you are not what has happened to you! You are an over-comer, someone who has overcome these things in Christ!
Could it be that you clean your house today and stop saying God understands. Yes He does but not everyday!
Could it be that you stop chasing the signs and wonders and allow the signs and wonders to follow you?

My husband, Len Buttner, always says you never know if at the end of your obedience or 'this one thing' there could be a miracle.

Yes, obedience could look like a tidy house, a visit to the neighbor, leaving 'changing your husband' up to God and loving him instead! Yes, it could even look like repenting for wanting to be/to look like or have what someone else has and thanking God for you, just as you are knowing He loves you too much to leave you just as you are.

Your action might have to begin with 'Jesus I can't but you can' and then do it! Don't wait for the feeling. His grace (which is power) is sufficient for all our needs and actions! The feelings will follow the actions not the other way around!

So let us be expectant 'today' to do 'this one thing' not quite knowing what is at the end of our obedience!

Love as always .............. linda rose

the faithful and inconspicuous ..........

2012-01-23T11:24:00.000+13:00

'.... And the woman at the well took a covering and spread it over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known.' 2 Samuel 17:19

In great movements or times the strength of the hero is not always found in mighty leaders or friends, although they play their part! It's often the faithful and inconspicuous people, that are just doing what they normally do, who save a whole cause or play their part in revealing the next hero!

In 2 Samuel we read a few lines that is so easy to overlook of a simple peasant woman of Bahurim just going about her business. As we look deeper we see God directing the actions and life of 'just' a woman and wife devoted to God's cause and recognizing her role in advancing the Kingdom. Since the beginning of time God has a plan in place for each one of us!

What can we learn from this woman?

We see that she was a woman who knew the times and seasons and most importantly she knew her God .............. she knew that David was God's man!
She was a brave woman ......... David had been to Bahurim before and he and his men had been stoned and cursed by men loyal to Saul. So it was a brave thing to do as there must have been spies all around the town!
She was a woman who used what was in her hands....... she used her daily cloth and her corn, that was probably drying out after a hard day's work of picking, to cover the men in the well!
She was a woman of action who hears the voice of God...... she was not an idle woman waiting for God to give her a sign. She was moved by what was needed to be done and got on with what God has placed in front of her.
Lastly we see a woman who followed through and positioned herself........... we read that the servants of Absalom came to her and asked her. She must have positioned herself so that they could see her. She did not know what to expect but still she positioned herself in faith and confronted her fears knowing she could trust her God because she knew her God!

Will you have to 'cover' someone and allow God to work in their lives or will you judge them, condemn them because they are not acting according to your understanding of 'religion' while forgetting what relationship and mercy is all about? The Word tells us that love covers all. Many of us would have judged David and his men................... Are you looking only at the outside and behaviour and not seeing the heart like God does. Allow God to be God in their lives and stop trying to be the Holy Spirit. If we don't do this we become bitter, angry accusing women and will not be there to share in the rewards of the battle! Like my husband says, anyone can see the 'dirt' but rather choose to 'call out the gold'!

So to all those faithful and inconspicuous women out there. What looks and feels like daily grind to you and to others I encourage you to keep on doing what you are doing and you might be surprised .......... you might not shake the 'world' but you could be advancing the very Kingdom of God! You might even have a David in your own husband, son, neighbour or friend! He might not always be there to have dinner with you, to kiss the children goodnight or even listen to your woes, he/she might not bring home good grades or look like perfect children .......... but if you can only trust your God for YOU, you will begin to trust God for him/her!

You have been chosen to know your God, to be love by your God and then to position yourself, to use what is in your hand, obey His voice and then just to be YOU and I promise you, you WILL be going about your Father's business and the peace that surpasses your understanding will be yours as you truly feel and know you are loved and can now love without conditions and expectations!

A simple peasant woman was selected in a crucial moment to save David's whole cause, and therefore to save the cause of God's kingdom! It could and will be you!

stumbling over the Truth.......

2011-10-02T13:34:00.000+13:00

"People sometimes stumble over the truth, but usually they pick themselves up and hurry about their business." - Winston Churchill

What truth are you stumbling over today ....?

Who you are, who your spouse is, who your misbehaved children are, your neglectful and uncaring friends .... or most importantly who God is and what He is able to do???

We can't change people, undo what has already been done or even try and predict the future and so avoid these mishaps. But what we can do is position ourselves; get down on our knees and call out to God, stand up and give Him praise for what He has already done and walk forward knowing that you can believe who He is and what He says about you and your future ..... Jer 29:11 'For I know the plans I have for you,' says God, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.' NAS

Take a moment before you pick yourself up today and take another look at that stumbling block perhaps God allowed it to be put there hoping you would find the gold that lies beneath! Have a blessed day of discovering the road to freedom in Jesus!