WHOSE CHAIR ARE YOU IN?

One of my friends is a hairdresser.  She was discussing with our Bible study different people that sit in her chair.  When someone is sitting in her chair there are no distractions.  She only focuses on them.  She listens and takes in every detail that they are sharing with her.  She hears many life stories some happy some sad.  She once didn’t discuss Jesus, but now she talks about pray, scripture and the Lord.  What a difference her chair makes in peoples lives.

I ask you today whose chair are you in?  Are you in Gods chair with no distractions drawing you away from Him?  Or are you in the world’s chair letting the world suck and drain you of the energy that should be put into the plan and purpose He has for you?

I tell you GO SIT IN HIS CHAIR FOR A WHILE AND REST IN HIS PRESENCE!  You may be saying I don’t have time for that, but trust me.  If you carve out a small time everyday for Him your life will become much more productive. 

Martha and Mary were prime examples of this.  Martha was taken away with the chaos of the world and Mary was drawn to God’s chair.  Mary took the time with the Lord with no distractions.  When Martha mentioned this to the Lord He responded to Martha saying, “Do as Mary, she has chosen the better.”

Is the Lord telling you to come sit in His chair?  Is He telling you to choose the better and spend time with Him?  YES He is!

Begin everyday in His chair and be at rest in His presence!

Luke 10:38-42 Full story of Martha and Mary

Luke 10:41-42New International Version (NIV)

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

DO YOUR GOOD WORK

If you didn’t read my devotional yesterday you need to go back and read it.  Todays devo goes with yesterdays.  If you remember I discussed Christian friends and how Saturday we painted and prayed together. 

This is one of the lessons I learned from my Christian friend Pam. 

Pam led us to the book of Nehemiah.  Have you ever read about him?  Nehemiah was an ordinary man who was the cupbearer to the Persian King Artazerzes.  He didn’t have power, but Nehemiah was a very influential man.  He knew that he had a task in front of him.  That task was to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.  The walls of the city had been left unrepaired leaving its people defenseless and vulnerable.  Nehemiah knew it was his job to fix the broken. 

Nehemiah prayed to God for direction   He then persuaded the king into allowing him to go help the people.  He saw the job and he went to complete it. 

This job wasn’t without opposition.  Some tried to draw Nehemiah off the job and harm him so he wouldn’t finish; however Nehemiah was smart.  He said to them,  “I am carrying out a great project and I can’t come down.”  These men started rumors of Nehemiah and they criticized him, but none of this stopped the work the Lord had placed in front of him.  

Are you like Nehemiah?  Do you have a project the Lord has called you to do?  Is Satan working on you to try and persuade you not to complete the work? 

If you have started a great work for the Lord don’t stop.  Repeat the words that Nehemiah said, “I have started a good work and I can’t come down.” 

What God puts in and on our hearts to do, do it.  Complete the tasks that He has laid out in front of you.  Trust in Him and do great work for Him.  If He has brought you to a job He will bring you through the job. 

Don’t let the enemy halt your work.  Great things come out of the jobs God puts on our hearts. 

Nehemiah 6 (MSG)  2-3 I knew they were scheming to hurt me so I sent messengers back with this: “I’m doing a great work; I can’t come down. Why should the work come to a standstill just so I can come down to see you?”

FILL YOUR HOLES

Saturday morning at 7am a group of us got together to paint and pray.  Painting is something I enjoy.  With every swipe of the brush I pray for someone.  It may be the same person over and over again or I may move from one person to another. 

One by one my friends arrived.  I knew what some were going to say, “Now I can’t paint, I don’t have an artistic bone in my body!”  I was right.  I reassured them that they could be artists.  Everyone see’s something different in art.  One person may like a shade of blue, where another may like a shade of pink.  One may put a circle or a texture while another will put a square and a line. 

As the morning went on they got better and better.  We teased some that they need to quit their day job. 

What I loved most about the morning wasn’t the painting.  It was the conversation that came from the painting.  This was the real reason I wanted to paint together.  The conversation started with directions on how to paint, but quickly turned to Jesus, prayer, and scripture.  

This is what happens when you surround yourself with Christian friends.  What do your conversations with your friends sound like?  Is it gossip?  Is it sinful?  Is it about work?  I could list hundreds of things, but I know you get the jest of it.  Think about it for a minute.  How many of your conversations with your friends end up being about Jesus? 

If your groups of friends don’t talk about Jesus maybe its time to get new friends or it may be time for you to start the conversation that is difficult for some to discuss.  Let me assure you that when you talk about Jesus wonderful things happen. 

I learned so many new things Saturday because I surrounded myself with Christian friends.  Find your Christian friends and place them in the holes of your life.  You will quickly see that once you do the holes will become filled. 

Proverbs 13:20New International Version (NIV)

20 

Walk with the wise and become wise,

    for a companion of fools suffers harm.

****If any of you ever want to paint and pray let me know.  My home is open. 

RUN TO HIM

After harvest the stubble that is left in the fields must be burned.  This prepares the land for the next rotation.  The fires had been lit, one on one end and one on the other.  The flames were working there way to the middle.  Jay decided he would drive in between the fields to get back to his truck. The fire was far enough away so he had plenty of time.  He came upon the duck pit so he road onto the levy.  That didn’t work out so well, he ended upside down.  There was no way he could turn the ranger back over.   The flames were approaching.  The only choice he had was to run and that he did. 

Have you ever been in a situation where things were on fire and you needed to get out of there?  When this happens what do you do?  Do you run?

We face many difficulties in life.  Some of these situations we don’t want to face.  We try to sprint towards the nearest exit and escape, however this is impossible.  Jonah tried to escape.  He ran, however God new exactly where he was.  That is when he ended up in a dark belly with no exit signs. 

The only exit signs you will find when traveling through difficult circumstances is God.  He is the way out of the fire.  Run to Him and only Him.    He will rescue you from the heat. 

Run to Him and escape the unkind world.  Run to Him and be able to face whatever situation or circumstance you find yourself in.  When you run to him you will be free from the smoke that is lingering around you.  He will enable you to breathe the fresh air again. 

Run to your exit sign and escape the fire!

Psalm 31

BE THE SUNRISE

When my mom and I began our drive it was dark.  The sun was just beginning to peek out above the horizon.  My mom told me what all plans she had, where she was going, how long it would take to get there and every thing in between.  After I dropped her off with her friend, I started on my journey back home. 

As I was looking at the beautiful sunrise I thought to myself, “How many sunrises and sunsets has my mother seen?”  Being 88 and born in the twenties she has been through much more than many of us.  She has seen war and had loved ones fight in them.   She has lived through a time when our country was in a depression and a time when our country was flourishing.    She has been by the bedside during the deliveries of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.   She has held the hands of many who have passed on.  She has dealt with situations that many don’t have to face.  And how has she done it? 

My mother has pressed on, she doesn’t quit.  She is at church every time the door is open.  She is at every service and on every committee.  She not only is active in church, but she is active in all facets of life.  Whether it is a woman’s luncheon at the museum or a historical meeting an hour away she is there. 

When things get tough the tough get going and that is exactly what my mother has done.  The Lord wants us to get going.  He created our bodies to be miraculous machines.  He gave us a brain to think, hands to hold and legs to get us places. 

The Lords wants us to see many sunrises and sunsets.  He wants us to press on towards the future.  He wants us to fulfill His purpose and plan that He has for each of us.

So what are you waiting for?  Is there something out there you want to do?  Is the Lord nudging you?  Start today hold hands, give hugs, and help others.  Get your body going and venture out to see as many sunrises and sunsets that you can.

Press on connected to the vine and God will reveal His love to you.  You will become the sunrise in someone’s sunset.  Press on with the Lord. 

Psalm 89:15-16

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O lord.  They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness. 

Philippians 3:14New International Version (NIV)

14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.