Payday Musings

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6‭-‬8 NIV

It's payday so I was paying bills...fun times. As I was writing checks and balancing the checkbook I stopped for a moment to thank God that we have wonderful jobs so that we can pay our bills. He's provided the wisdom to balance our budget and save for things we need. I also thanked him for our home and incredibly low mortgage payment. Most people don't even pay rent that low!

Then I proceeded to file an application for our daughter for financial aid for school. It's worth a shot, right?

If I gave into the flesh I probably would not have had a very good reaction to paying the bills or to the fact that we probably won't get financial aid for college. Why? Because I wouldn't have the peace thar comes with living in God's spirit. With him in my heart I know he will give the wisdom we need to make good choices and we can trust him to help our daughter pursue her dreams of a college degree. My heart sings knowing he will take care if us no matter what the balance is in our checking account. Money may make the world go round but God creates the world and put it into motion. So why should I worry when the creator has me in his hand?

Live by the spirit, live forever. Live by the sword and flesh, die by the sword and be forever separated from God.

I Need Webster

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5‭-‬6 NIV

I conducted a day-long training event today. When I read this verse this morning I thanked God for the reminder and asked for his wisdom as I delivered the presentations. After six hours of teaching and answering questions, I was pleased with how the training went. As I was leaving the room one of the attendees stopped me. He said, "I like you so I say this to help you. It's pronounced 'cognitive' as in cognition. Everyone says it differently but I wanted to pull you aside rather than correct you in front of everyone."

Well after I recovered what was left of my pride....and stifled the biggest laugh I've ever felt coming on....I reminded him that we've also been pronouncing the word 'status' wrong for decades! He agreed and said that I was doing so well until I said cognitive wrong and I then lost all credibility.

I couldn't really do anything but say thanks. I mean what else can you say when you make such a horrible awful mistake in butchering the English language like that?

Lucky for us God doesn't find fault because we ask him for wisdom or discernment, even when we pronounce the words wrong. I think God would accept our praise and prayers regardless of the language, which by the way we use the word regardless wrong all the time. But I digress. God won't sit through you're PowerPoint and find fault with it. He won't point out your grammatical mistakes. He won't bring up the time you got tongue tied while talking or that last presentation where you mixed up the words. He's there to help you over those hurdles. He gives generously. Let him.

Now, go Google cognitive. You know you want to.

The Perfect Advocate

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1‭-‬2 NIV

If you were to find yourself in a tenuous situation the first thing I bet you would do is find someone to help you. Someone to speak on your behalf, who believes in you and trusts that you are on the right side. And even if you were wrong they still trust you want to make things right. I am blessed enough to have not just one advocate but several.

We also have Jesus who prays for us and pleads to the father on our behalf. I bet there's not an attorney anywhere who can negotiate like Jesus can! No matter how many times we mess up or act like only silly humans can, Jesus will be there to fight for us.

Flesh and Spirit

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Galatians 5:16‭-‬17 NIV

The hubby and I were just talking about this today. I am about to embark in a new job which is still somewhat in the field I've been in but I will miss the community I have grown to love. But in order for me to grow I need to move on. It's what's best for my family because it's not about me. It's about our future and what we want out of life. It's not about me. It's about where God wants me in preparing me for my future with him. It's not about mr. It's about preparing my children to chase their dreams. It's not about me.

Because me is flesh and the flesh cannot co-exist with the spirit. I must die to myself and live for God. That is how we ensure our eternity with him. I must die to myself so that I don't desire what the flesh desires. I think that's why as we get older material things mean less and less because we see the value in time.

God sees the value in us. Don't let what you want taint his view. Want after God and he will give you your desires. It's a win-win. Because remember: it's not about you.

Do I Have To?

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:35‭-‬36 NIV

Boy isn't this the hardest thing to do? How can you possibly have mercy on those who would do you harm? Who want to see you fail? Who laugh at your misfortune? Or worse...pretend to like you then spread lies about you. Be merciful? Love them? Come on. Jesus cannot be serious.

Oh but he is. What makes it harder still is that when we actually accomplish this type of heroic feat, we expect worldly rewards. But read again what he says about that: you will be children of the most high. That's your reward. To be a child of God. This means your reward is eternity with him if you truly have him in your heart.

We will all live to see someone reap a reward they didn't earn while we struggle and get no where. Our hope lies not in earthly goods or comforts but in knowing our eternity is secure. We have hope for a future they won't have unless they change. We do not fear physical defeat or death yet they live and die by the sword.

Our best answer is to heed Jesus' words and to pray for those who persecute us. For in doing so he fills our hearts with love for them that goes beyond human capacity for understanding.

Love for Puppies

But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 1 John 2:5‭-‬6 NIV

It would take a while to unpack the simple statement of "live as Jesus did." I think we can safely say that he lived with love for his fellow man. A love that transcended their station, their age, their ethnicity, and their past. He operated with the intent of actively loving every person he came in contact with. He didn't live his life looking for glory or praise. He simply loved.

What if we operated like that? I have seen it in action. I hope that I have  exhibited it at some point. I witnessed it in no small portion this week as people put their love in action to help find a lost puppy a home. They didn't have to. They could have ignored the ask for help. But they opened their hearts to help because of love. Good, honest love and kindness for a fellow living creature.

Live in love and love for all. Live as Jesus lived.

The Master Craftsman

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16 NIV

In my work I have created items such as manuals, policies, processes and more. I did research, worked with my team and we ended up with a good product. One that we trust and know inside and out. My husband built a deck in our back yard as well as a fire pit and some benches. He created those with his hands. He trusts the work and knows exactly what it's made of and what they can do.

I'm sure you have created things in your life and I bet you're proud of them. You know them, you trust them and they are a part of you.

So can you imagine how much pride God takes in each and everything he creates? He doesn't bring anything into existence without a specific purpose. He takes great care to carefully craft each line, corner, curve and trim. Everything has a unique purpose and he makes sure he makes it to fit that purpose. He took great care to create you and you...every curve, flaw, perfect feature or sassy attitude....he made you exactly like he needed you to be for his glory.

Revel in God's creation, including yourself.