REMINDER - Stand Up or Fall

[ Judgment for Disobedience ] “My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:3 NLT

At the end of August, I'm thinking about Fall. It's my favorite season. However, in Texas, we don't really call it Fall. Here it's known as Lesser Summer... and we are grateful for it. Although lately there hasn't been anything "lesser" about the temperatures.

Nevertheless, people love to mark the seasons. In the U.S., Fall is most appreciated on the East Coast and in the Midwest. The trees are extraordinary with colors you have to see to believe. The photographs - no matter how good they are - just can't quite capture the first-hand experience. It is worth every penny to make that trip at least once in your lifetime.

As the news was abuzz with the change of seasons, I just kept thinking about Fall, which led me to think about The Fall. You know, Mankind's Fall. There's an old song from the 80's we used to sing that part of the lyric is: "If you don't stand up for what is right, you're going to fall for anything." As I contemplated that line, I realized the depth of the Truth in it.

When we make a stand for or against something, there is a determination in our stance. Our feet are planted more squarely, our body braced, our muscles tensed for action to combat the opposition. If we don't stand up for what we know to be right - what we know to be Truth - then we have no courage or strength born of conviction to withstand the onslaught against us and we will fall... again.

I love Ephesians 6:13-14a in the King James or the New King James: "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth..." 

We will not fall if we take up the whole armor of God.

It's our choice: Stand up or fall.

Prayer:

Father,
           I don't want to be knocked down to make me look up. I look to You now for strength born of conviction to walk in Your Truth. We know Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and we want to follow Him and worship You in Truth. Help us, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Lesser Summer

[ Judgment for Disobedience ] “My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:3 NLT

At the end of August, I'm thinking about Fall. It's my favorite season. However, here in Texas, we don't really call it Fall. Here it's known as Lesser Summer... and we are grateful for it. However, people love to mark the seasons. In the U.S., Fall is most appreciated on the East Coast and in the Midwest. The trees are extraordinary with colors you have to see to believe. The pictures - no matter how good they are - just can't quite capture the first-hand experience. It is worth every penny to make that trip at least once in your lifetime.

As the news was abuzz with the change of seasons, I just kept thinking about Fall, which led me to thinking about The Fall. You know, Mankind's fall. There's an old song from the 80's we used to sing that part of the lyric was, "If you don't stand up for what is right, you're going to fall for anything." As I contemplated that line, I realized the depth of the Truth in it.

When we make a stand for or against something, there is a determination in our stance. Our feet are planted more squarely, our body braced, our muscles tensed for action to combat the opposition. If we don't stand up for what we know to be right - what we know to be Truth, then we have no courage or strength born of conviction to withstand the onslaught against us and so we will fall... again.

I love Ephesians 6:13-14a in the King James or the New King James:
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth... We will not fall if we take up the whole armor of God.

It's our choice: Stand up or fall.

Prayer:

Father,
          I don't want to be knocked down to make me look up. I look to You now for strength born of conviction to walk in Your Truth. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and we want to follow Him and worship You in Truth. Help us, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Starting Position - One of my favorites

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.

Psalm 50:14-15 NLT

I've talked many times before about giving thanks in the midst of life's trials. You may have heard my story about Does your eyebrow hurt, Mom? Then can we give thanks that your eyebrow doesn't hurt? Well, we often do the same thing when we're struggling with repeated mistakes in our lives. We listen to the lies of satan. I must not be saved. I always do that. I can't be a Christian and still struggle with that. I'll never get victory over it. I might as well give up... Any of that sound familiar?

How did we learn to walk when we were children? Did we just decide one day that it was time to walk and then up we got and walked our little selves all over the place? No, it was Get up. Fall. Get up, step, fall. Step, step, fall. Get up, fall. Get up, fall. Fall. Fall. Cry. Resolve. Get up... Even if you've never had children, more than likely, you have watched a little one's first steps or attempts at walking.

As children, the first thing we learned was to pull ourselves up on something sturdy to see if our legs would hold us. Then we fought to get balance...and we struggled to keep our balance. Sometimes, we no sooner got that first foot up off the floor, then we found ourselves back on the floor in the starting position. The good news is we eventually learned how to walk, right? You may not remember the process, but your life is the proof.

It's the same principle with our Christian walk. Get up. Fall. Get up, step, fall. Step, step, fall. Get up, fall. Get up, fall. Fall. Fall. Cry. Resolve. Get up... Proverbs 24:16a NLT reads, The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.

So often, we find ourselves focusing on our mistakes rather than giving thanks for what God has made new in us. I would like to point out that the starting position is not getting up. The starting point is while you're on your knees or face down on the floor... Don't beat yourself up over it. Jesus was already beaten up for it. Use His Cross as the one sturdy thing that you can utilize to pull yourself up. Okay, everyone! Starting positions...

Prayer:

Father,

          Your goodness and mercy and grace overwhelm us. Your Word is a continual lamp for our feet and light for the path You have chosen for us. Help us to walk in it. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Like A Child

Then he said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a child like this in my name welcomes me.
Matthew 18:3-5 God's Word Translation

There's a little girl at my church named Shayla. Her mother is part of the Praise and Worship team. When the music starts, Shayla moves toward the front of the church and enters in with her whole heart (proof that children learn what they live). Yesterday, our pastor's wife asked Shayla to go up on the lower part of the stage to get a handheld microphone. She ran to do her bidding, slipped and slid into the corner, recovered, picked up the microphone, and ran back... and in those few seconds, she managed to deliver a complete illustration of God's expectation of us.

The pastor's wife asked Shayla to get the microphone, fully expecting that Shayla would and she did. Children rise to our expectation of them.

Shayla ran to do her bidding, slipped, fell, and got back up to run back to her - mission accomplished.

And in that instant, I felt God speak to my heart, "Oh, that ALL my children would run to do what I ask them to do! And if they slip and fall, just get back up and keep going, then run back to Me!"

I was convicted to my toes! How often do we - as adults - stand and argue with God? Debating because we'd rather do things our own way or not at all?

Prayer:

O Father!
            Forgive us for all the times we did not hasten to do Your bidding! Break the rebellious spirit in us and deliver us into Your light. Father, may we be like children who RUN to do whatever You ask of us, no matter what! Create in us clean hands and a pure heart, we pray in Jesus' Name. Amen

Stand Up or Fall +

[ Judgment for Disobedience ] “My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:3 NLT

Today is the first day of Fall. Here in Texas, we don't really call it Fall. Here it's known as Lesser Summer... and we are grateful for it. However, people love to mark the seasons. In the U.S., Fall is most appreciated on the East Coast and in the Midwest. The trees are extraordinary with colors you have to see to believe. The pictures - no matter how good they are - just can't quite capture the first-hand experience. It is worth every penny to make that trip at least once in your lifetime. 

As the news was abuzz with the change of seasons, I just kept thinking about Fall, which led me to thinking about The Fall. Mankind's fall. There's an old song from the 80's we used to sing that part of the lyric was, "If you don't stand up for what is right, you're going to fall for anything." As I contemplated on that line, I realized the depth of the Truth in it.

When we make a stand for or against something, there is a determination in our stance. Our feet are planted more squarely, our body braced, our muscles tensed for action to combat the opposition. If we don't stand up for what we know to be right - to be Truth, we have no courage or strength born of conviction to withstand the onslaught against us and so, we will fall... again. 

I love Ephesians 6:13-14a in the King James or the New King James:  
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth...  We will not fall if we take up the whole armor of God.

It's our choice: Stand up or fall. 

Prayer:

Father,
          I don't want to be knocked down to make me look up. I look to You now for strength born of conviction to walk in Your Truth. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and we want to follow Him and worship You in Truth. Help us, Father. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen