Tightrope walking

This picture spoke to me the other night as I was looking for something to write on our chalk board. I keep a chalk board in the back hallway near the kitchen with a verse on it. Sometimes for memorization, others for encouragement. Although most of the kids cannot read yet, I hope to be in the habit of writing verses around our house for when they can.

 That night after I picked it out I had a dream/vision. I told Mike I'm not really sure which because in my half asleep state I don't know which it would qualify as haha! It was a person on a tightrope walking along. Now if that's not a narrow path I don't know what is! As I watched this person on the tightrope I thought about how one misstep and they would plummet to whatever was below. Then I thought about how us Christians treat our life.
Do we treat our narrow path like a tightrope?
Do we take our steps carefully?
Do we weigh where our feet go setting our eyes on the end of the road?
Do we realize that a misstep could be our demise? Yes, there is Gods grace to pick us up when we fall, but are we relying on that so we don't need to be as cautious or is it there for when we lose our balance despite best efforts?

The verse this quote comes from (Matt 7:13-14) says "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

The image of a gate is a very different one for me. When I think of us as entering heaven through a narrow gate it reminds me of all of the baggage we carry around each day. Everything from the resentment of past hurts to the things we "need" to our obligations are all weight on our shoulders. Mike did a sermon a bit ago about us trading our burdens for Jesus' because his are light. "Come to Me all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yolk upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30).

 

Can you imagine trying to enter through the narrow gate with this load on your back? I'm sure you can find a gate to fit through but is it really the one you want? The bible says that the broad gate (the one you would fit through with all your "stuff" on your back) leads to destruction and many go by it. Wow! What a picture. Drop your baggage and fit through the narrow gate that leads to life. Keep it, don't fit through the narrow gate, and enter the broad one that leads to destruction. Is your (job, stuff, music, emotional baggage) really worth it?

 

 

I just love how reading the same verse a different way can give such different pictures but with the same end goal. The path is a narrow one. Take careful thought to how you are walking if you truly want to make it to the end of the tightrope. The gate is a narrow one. Let go of that baggage so you will fit through the opening.

 

Either way a challenging but worth it end goal to me.

 

~Carly

That's not what the assignment was.

I was in a school this year as a supply teacher. That day, I was blessed to have a student teacher with me. Supply teachers know this is fantastic because you get to sit back and supervise the student teacher teaching their lesson. It doesn't happen often but when it does it is lovely! Well, while I was there the student teacher handed back assignments. Some were quite pleased with their marks, others, not so much. One stands out in my mind though. A little boy who seemed to be one of the ones who is more successful at school was quiet upset with his mark. After looking over his comments he flagged down the teacher.

"You marked this wrong," he said.
"Let me look at it.... Nope, that's right," she said as she looked over his paper.
"What is wrong with it?! It is the right length and a good paper," he said starting to get visibly upset. Clearly he had worked hard on his history paper and expected to get a good mark. He was a good student. He did a good paper. He deserves a good mark.
"You did a great paper," she explained, "but you didn't do the right assignment. I gave you the instructions. I gave you the rubric (side note for people who don't know - a rubric is a grading system used in schools. Teachers give it so students know what is expected.) You didn't do the assignment so that is why you didn't get a passing mark. I gave you the best mark I could."
"I will do another one. Please can I re-do it?" he begged.
"I'm sorry, but tomorrow is my last day in your class. There isn't time to do another one," she said.

Honestly, I didn't think much of it at the time. Funny how God will bring some things back into your mind at a later date.

Much like this little boy, we each have an assignment. It's laid out quiet clearly ahead of time if you take the time to look at the rubric and instructions. Or, like this student you can ignore it.

But you donated tones and tones of money! - Wasn't the assignment.
But you fed starving children in Africa, your neighbourhood or hundreds of other options. - Wasn't the assignment.
But you are successful and made a lot of money. - Wasn't the assignment.
But you loved your friends and family and were nice to everyone! - Wasn't the assignment.
But you (insert millions of other things in here). - Wasn't the assignment.

Much like this student, it doesn't matter what I think my assignment is. It matters that I do what it actually is. Yes, my life could be the "perfect" paper, but if I don't do the assignment then I don't pass. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

John 14:6

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 

Criteria #1- Do you know Jesus? And I mean know him. Not chat with him when you need him. Not heard of him one day. Not friend of a friend. Not I met him one day in passing then we never spoke again. Do you know him? Do you talk to him and spend time with him? Not like when you sit with your guy friend watching a game on tv and don't actually say a word. Not like when you go on a date with someone at the movies and just ask them to pass the popcorn. Not like when my best friend and I talk for an hour on the phone while the kids are awake and only say about 3 minutes of words to each other. Do you spend real quality time together? You can't really know someone any other way.

 

Without criteria #1 everything else you are doing is not part of the assignment. It doesn't matter if you think the assignment is stupid (the student who rips it up and says "I'm not doing that"). It doesn't matter if you think it isn't fair ("This is too hard! Our teacher sucks!"). It doesn't matter if you even believe the assignment exists (much like that student who doesn't even come to school and thought "hey maybe nothing is even due")

 

Like my little friend in the class, there is one opportunity for you to do your assignment. You don't get a redo after the fact when you realize it was for real. Read the assignment, look at the rubric (if you haven't caught on my now they are in the bible). Get started on your paper, get a tutor (I know a few). The due date is sooner every day and may just catch you by surprise.

~Carly

The Right Time is NOW

I have often found it difficult to discern who to tell about my belief and faith in Jesus Christ and also how and when to tell them. It has often been a thought in the back of my mind that perhaps it is not the proper time to talk to someone about Jesus and what He means to me. Perhaps I have been afraid that they may find what I have to say somehow offensive, silly or unbelievable... I wouldn't want someone to feel as though I'm pressing them into making a decision about what they believe. I am sure I have even been guilty of sugar coating the gospel that I am meant to share with others in a way to make it seem more inviting and less life changing. 

I've been reading "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire" by Ps. Jim Cymbala. One particular story told by Jim in the book about the late Dwight L. Moody has stirred in my spirit an understanding of this issue, so I would like to share it with you. The following excerpt is from pages 125-126 of the previously mentioned book...

Dwight L. Moody was haunted all his life by an occasion when he felt he got too clever in presenting the gospel. Six years before he died he recounted what had happened back in Chicago in the fall of 1871:

"I intended to devote six nights to Christ's life. I had spent four Sunday nights on the subject and had followed him from the manger along through his life to his arrest and trial, and on the fifth Sunday night, October 8, I was preaching to the largest congregation I had ever had in Chicago, quite elated with my success. My text was 'What shall I do then with Jesus which is called the Christ?' That night I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. After preaching...with all the power that God had given me, urging Christ upon the people, I closed the sermon and said, 'I wish you would take this text home with you and turn it over in your minds during the week, and next Sunday we will come to Calvary and the cross, and we will decide what we will do with Jesus of Nazareth.'"

Just at that moment, a fire bell rang nearby. Moody quickly dismissed the meeting and sent people out of the building. It was the beginning of the Great Chicago Fire, which over the next 27 hours left 300 dead, 90,000 homeless, and a great city in ashes. Obviously, Moody never got to finish his sermon series. He continued:

"I have never seen that congregation since. I have hard work to keep back the tears today....twenty-two years have passed away...and I will never meet those people again until I meet them in another world. But I want to tell you one lesson I learned that night, which I have never forgotten, and that is, when I preach to press Christ upon the people then and there, I try to bring them to a decision on the spot. I would rather have my right hand cut off than give an audience a week to decide what to do with Jesus."

A wise proverb reads 'Rescue the perishing; don’t hesitate to step in and help. If you say, “Hey, that’s none of my business,” will that get you off the hook? Someone is watching you closely, you know— Someone not impressed with weak excuses'. (Proverbs 24:11, 12 MSG)
To be left with the guilt of what you "could have, should have" done is not how I want to live out my life in Christ. Ezekiel 3:17,18 says "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, 'you will surely die,' and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood." Similarly, today we are charged with spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone. We are all wicked sinners that need a saviour in our lives. It does not matter what our sin is...only that it is sin and it is in our lives. When we remain quiet around those that need this revelation in their life, we are condemning them to an eternal death and we will ultimately be held accountable for our unwillingness to see them saved.

So, to those reading this that are born again Christian believers...speak AND act out the message of the gospel to those around you with boldness and with confidence. Remember, it is Christ's message, not yours. He will produce the results if you will act in obedience.

To those reading this that are not Christians, whether it is because you have never really been exposed to the message or because you choose not to believe it, I urge you to come to this understanding. We are all born sinners in a fallen world. There is no "good enough" that we can live out to change this fact. Sin is sin, no matter how small or large we view it as. There is not one of us that does not require someone to pay the price for our sins, whether our sins are few or many.  Jesus has paid the price for those who will accept Him. It does not matter what your sin is, He is willing and able to pay the price for it on your behalf. For those who choose to reject Him, the price for sin will be eternal death in Hell. There is no sugar coating that.

Accepting Jesus is a start, like the starting line of a race. You are not even running in the race until you accept Jesus. However, accepting Jesus and then doing nothing is like entering a race and then never leaving the starting line. Simply standing at the starting line will never see you to the finish. Jesus came and ran the race and then told us to follow Him. Run the race, walk, even crawl if you have to...only make sure you follow Christ through to the finish. Better to finish on your hands and knees than to be disqualified for not finishing!

 No one knows what tomorrow holds. Don't put off to tomorrow what you could easily do today!

With love,

Mike

Where has the line gone?

(I put all the verses in full at the bottom for anyone who chooses to read them)

When Jesus was here on the Earth, he drew a distinct line in the sand through the words that he spoke and the life that he lived out. To those who choose to follow him, he has made it known that there is no middle ground.  You are either with him or against him. (Matt. 12:30)

He also made it clear what was necessary to be with him (Matt 16:24)(Luke 9:23)

When we compromise the gospel or sugarcoat the message to make it more acceptable to others they aren't being shown where the line has been drawn. Also, when we compromise our beliefs in an attempt to fit into this world a little better, we trample back and forth over the line Jesus drew  in the sand. When we serve God on church days and the world every other day we blur the line. We have done this so often that the line that Jesus drew has become indistinguishable to the world and even to many Christians. As those who Jesus has left to continue his work until his return we need to hold the line and we need to make sure that the line is made known to the world. How will we know when the line is being drawn in our own lives? The world will treat us the way they treated Jesus. This includes being challenged in our faith not only by the world but also by those who we have called our friends and family. (Matthew 10:32-36) (Luke 21:17, John 15:18-19)

 

THE sweetest graces by a slight perversion may bear the bitterest fruit. The sun gives life, but sunstrokes are death. Charles Spurgeon

Let's get back to living out the life that Jesus called us to!

Mike

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. (Matthew 12:30 NLT) 

 

Then Jesus said to his disciples,  “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. (Matthew 16:24 NLT)

 

Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me". (Luke 9:23 NLT)

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.    But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ (Matthew 10:32-36 NLT)

And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. (Luke 21:17 NLT)

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.    The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. (John 15:18, 19 NLT)

Sick kids and lessons through the trials

  Kids with stomach bugs are never fun and always messy. From extra laundry to emptying buckets it seems like every minute is filled with useless work that is unproductive. But amongst this chaos God shows you things that are often very timely.

  When our kids are sick, their little bodies are trying their best to expel a bug from their bodies; something that doesn't belong there. Sometimes it came through eating something they shouldn't have. Perhaps a food that was once good but was not consumed at the proper time. Maybe something that would be good in the future after the patience of waiting for it to cook properly. Other times they touched something they shouldn't have. Maybe someone else was sick and we didn't care to stay away until the bug had completely left. Whatever the reason, there is a bug where it shouldn't be and it needs to be gone. Boy do their bodies do a good job of getting rid of it and quickly.

  But wait, just when we think it's gone that bug will rear its ugly head again... and again... and again. If you aren't careful and head back to your regular food/drink/activity too soon then it will knock you back down.

  Such is life isn't it? We try to add things to our lives too soon or too late. We take up things of others that were not meant for us. These things live with us until a time when God tells us it needs to go. It's never fun, always messy, and often seems pointlessly long. We purge this thing until we are sure it is gone then out of nowhere we need to purge it again... and again... and again. The process will knock us out and make us leave our regular routine behind.

  Once it's gone through all is well though right? Wrong. Don't forget to take time to rest. Rest in God's presence. Rest in his word. Let him sing songs to you and nurture you back to health. Don't rush too fast back into the day to day or you may just find yourself back in that place of purging. God tells us to come to him and rest:

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28)

  You may feel better, but you're not quite there yet. Our Father is that parent who truly does know what's best. He knows when something is too much to restart just as we know to feed our kids crackers and toast for days and days. Despite my little guy desiring yogurt and ice cream and chocolate, as his parent I know where that will put him when consumed too soon. You may want to continue with whatever your life looked like before the hardship but God knows where that will put you if you go back too soon.

  You may feel like the purging process was needlessly painful. Purging a friendship that was harmful, stopping those words you say, the activities you participate in, or any other thing God has decided needs to leave your life may seem unnecessarily messy. The fascinating thing though? My kiddo's bug will make his body stronger. It will provide some immunity. It will make him more able to defend against other sickies that try to invade him later. Your "needless" painful process does the same. It will provide you with faith in God's ability to get you through the hard times. It gives you wisdom to share with friends during their hard times. It gives you stories to share with your kids about God's goodness.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance" (James 1:2)

  So after your trial, rest in God. Don't return to the normal too soon. Let his guidance give you time to heal and in turn you be stronger for it.

~ Carly ~

Easter Story - The lessons you can learn from Judas

As the Easter season comes upon us, we will hear again the story of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice he made for us. He allowed mankind to hand him over to death and place him on the cross. We will rejoice in the fact that he rose again proving he could not be overcome by death and that, through this sacrifice, he offers us salvation from our sins. This is a wonderful fact and I am excited to share in the celebration of Easter every year. As I dive into the story once more, I realize there is so much to take from it. Jesus is the main plot, but there are other sub-plots to the story that we can draw understanding from. We can learn something from the fickle nature of the Israelites, who called out to Jesus with praise while he rode into Jerusalem on the donkey (Matthew 21:9) and then less than a week later called out to have him crucified (Matthew 27:22). We can learn from the fear that led to the three denials by Peter about his association with Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75). Perhaps the largest warning given through the story is that which can be learned by taking a look at Judas Iscariot.

             Reading through all four Gospels, you would be hard pressed to find even a verse that sheds this man named Judas in a positive light. He is known simply as the betrayer. He is known for the kiss (Luke 22:48).

 

            Did Judas always intend to betray Jesus? It would seem the answer to this is no. In Matthew 24:14-16, we read that Judas found an opportunity to make some money by betraying his friend. It says “From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:16). It wasn’t until after being offered something that Judas looked to betray Jesus Christ. Judas had a price. Much like Esau in Genesis 25:29-34, Judas valued what he could get more than what he already had. Esau valued a bowl of lentil stew over his own birthright and the Bible says that, from then on, he despised his birthright. Judas valued 30 silver coins over his friendship and relationship with Jesus and, therefore, ultimately despised Jesus. Jesus himself warned about what Judas was going through when he said, ”No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Matthew 6:24). The lesson we can learn from this is simple. Who or what do you serve? Is it God? Is it something else? Is anything worth enough to you to betray God for? If your answer is yes, I’d suggest you run as far away from that thing as fast as you can. You will regret it later. How do I know? Judas did. We will see more on that later.

Did Judas really understand what he was doing? He may have intentionally betrayed a friend but he very likely didn’t understand the consequences to his actions. Proverbs 16:25 says “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death”.  Judas likely thought he was doing the right thing by getting Jesus into the custody of the religious leaders. Judas did not truly understand or believe in who Jesus was. Jesus was aware of this fact. He told it directly to his disciples when he said, “’But some of you do not believe me.’ (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.)” (John 6:64). What do you believe? Are you on a path that seems right but ends in death? If the path does not lead to Jesus please take concern in this. Jesus himself said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me (John 6:35, 36). Jesus also said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” (John 8:12). Jesus wants you to believe in him and also follow him. Judas physically followed Jesus but he could not spiritually follow Jesus because he did not truly believe that Jesus was who he said he was.

        Did Judas regret his decision? You bet he did. The Gospel of Matthew is the only one that records what happened to Judas after he betrayed Jesus:

When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5)

 

Those 30 silver coins that were so valuable to Judas such a short time ago suddenly had no meaning at all. He realized that without Jesus, there was nothing of value. He realized he had traded his own salvation for a little money. I pray that all of us get to this point before it is too late like it was for Judas. The point when we realize that Jesus is all we truly need. Are you to that point? If not, what is in your way? Do you not believe? Do you serve something else over God?

 Charles Spurgeon wrote a yearlong devotional called “Morning and Evening” and on March 25^th, he writes of Judas’ kiss. Here is a selection from that piece:

 "But what if I should be guilty of the same accursed sin as Judas, that son of perdition? I have been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus; I am a member of his visible Church; I sit at the communion table: all these are so many kisses of my lips. Am I sincere in them? If not, I am a base traitor. Do I live in the world as carelessly as others do, and yet make a profession of being a follower of Jesus? Then I must expose religion to ridicule, and lead men to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called. Surely if I act thus inconsistently I am a Judas, and it were better for me that I had never been born. Dare I hope that I am clear in this matter? Then, O Lord, keep me so. O Lord, make me sincere and true. Preserve me from every false way. Never let me betray my Saviour. I do love thee, Jesus, and though I often grieve thee, yet I would desire to abide faithful even unto death. O God, forbid that I should be a high-soaring professor, and then fall at last into the lake of fire, because I betrayed my Master with a kiss."

 Mike

A story for you…

Today, I feel like telling a story:

One day a young man decided it was time to start saving money for his retirement. He realized that it was important to be prepared for that time in which he would no longer be able to work. However, he was not really sure what was the best way to do this.  After some research, he came to the decision that a bank would be a good place to get advice on this. 

The young man went to the bank and told a banker that he was ready to start saving for retirement and wanted to know how he could do that. The banker said to him that he was making a very good decision and that all he needed to do was open a bank account. The young man was very excited. Was it really that easy? He opened up a bank account with the banker and walked out of the bank with a smile on his face. 

Over the many years that followed, the man would visit the bank. He would walk in the doors and, with a smile on his face, think about how this bank was where he opened an account for his retirement savings. He would even talk to and thank the bankers there for helping him open a bank account. 

Many years later, when the man was very old and no longer able to work, he came into the bank to collect his savings for retirement. He walked up to a banker and asked for his savings. Upon checking the account, the banker informed the man that there was nothing in it. How could this be?!? The old man was told that he needed to open a bank account and then he would be ready for retirement! He asked to speak to the bank manager. 

The old man explained to the bank manager that many, many years ago he came to the bank and opened an account so that he would be ready for retirement but now there was nothing in it. The manager assured him that there must be some mistake and asked the old man what he had put into the account over the years. With a bewildered look on his face, the man informed the manager that he had never put anything into the account. When he had inquired about saving for retirement, he had only been told by the banker that he should open an account. He was never informed that he was required to put anything into it. 

The bank manager's face grew solemn. He explained to the old man that some of the bankers that had worked at the bank over the years were lazy. Many concerned themselves only with how many bank accounts they could get people to open and often forgot to advise those people on how to sow into those bank accounts to grow their savings.  The bank manager wished that there was something he could do for this old man. He wished that the man had sown into his account over the years so that the manager could give him all that he had given back to him along with much more gained in interest.  The manager walked the old man to the door and told him that he was very sorry but there was nothing he could do for him. The old man left very bitter and very disappointed.

Mike