The Master Trainer

Weekend Read   Sunday April 1 2012

Trust The Trainer:

            My Father talks about how he used to “break” horses. Many unique tasks were performed in order to have a well trained, useful horse. The horse was a very important commodity to running the farm. It meant transportation and therefore a lifeline, it was used to plow the land, plant the crops and harvest them.  It was used to round up the cattle and control them.  Without a good horse, the farm was considered unfinished or incomplete.  So a well trained, obedient horse was a definite necessity to a farm.

 

For some horses the training period was long while others learned quickly and easily.  Some had a stubborn nature and needed the same lessons and consequences time after time again and again.  Others seemed to have a giving, kind spirit that submitted easily to the authority of the trainer.  If the wrong person was used to train the horse it could become spoiled and useless.  If the trainer always used harsh discipline and tried to beat the lessons into the horse, the horse became fearful and “skittish” and could seldom be trusted to perform the “job.” Now the “job” consisted of the horse being able to do the tasks with very little direction from the trainer.  If the horse was allowed to get away with disobedience and “doing it’s own thing”, the result was the same, it was spoiled and could not be trusted.

So much of what the horse became was due to the master trainer.  A horse that could be trusted and was obedient with a willing nature, turned out to be a valuable asset, while one that was less then that, was considered near worthless.  I remember a beautiful silky black team of Percherons that were lively and spirited.  When my Dad was controlling the reigns, they knew exactly what they needed to do and followed all the instructions perfectly.  When my brother was driving they often did and went where they wanted to.  They knew he wasn’t the Master!

My question is:

Who is your master?  Are you following Him? 

Are you attuned to His words and commands? 

Do you know His voice? His signals? His ways? 

Are you giving in to His direction or are you still following your own way?

Are you valuable or do you harbour a rebellious nature?

Are you listening to the Master or are you following someone who professes to be a master but you are not really sure who it is?

Luke 16:13. “No one can serve two masters.  For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. (You cannot serve both God and money.”)

The Bible calls our wrong attitudes and actions, sin!!

Friday March 29 2012

1 John 1:8-9. “If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. 9) But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.”

The Bible tells us we are all sinners and if we think we have no sin we are lying to ourselves.( The Bible tells us when we have wrong attitudes or thoughts that are not good, it is sin) It also tells us we are all born into sin. Everyone must experience repentance and forgiveness by Jesus Christ before we can enjoy the gift of eternal life and a forgiven and joyful relationship with Christ while we are on earth.

 Paul says in Romans 5 that we are all sinners because of Adam.  It was Adam’s sin that brought death and that death spread to everyone. But it was Jesus Christ who brought forgiveness to many through God’s bountiful gift. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin.

We have the free gift of being accepted by God, even though we are guilty of many sins.  God, in his mercy, knew we would never be capable of following his rules and so he made it very easy for us to enter into the heavenly realms by sending his own son, Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  It is only by the shed blood of Jesus that we can enjoy a personal relationship with our Creator. What a gracious God we serve!

Prayer for today: Father, Thank-you seems like such a small token for what you have done for me. How can I ever thank you enough or praise you enough for your generous and glorious gift to me? I don’t even deserve to be forgiven but you have made it possible for all my sins to be completely erased from my file, as far as the east is from the west! I will forever praise you and thank you for you are my healer and redeemer and Saviour and Friend! Help me to be a witness for you and to live each day for you. In Jesus name, amen.

The ultimate sacrifice

Thursday   March 29 2012

Acts 10:43.  “He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through His name.”

We are all sinners.  Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” 

 Jesus never refuses to forgive and He is our model and example to imitate and strive to be like.  

Before Christ died on the cross, forgiveness of sins required sacrificing perfect animals or specific grains, as outlined in Deuteronomy. It was a long arduous task and the preciseness of the act was exact, as God gave instructions.

Human beings were not capable of carrying out the plans of God and soon faltered under the law by negligence or becoming legalistic. The sins of the people were only covered by the blood of the sacrifices. God, in his mercy, provided a way for us to be without blemish, in his sight, by sacrificing the ultimate perfect Lamb, his son, Jesus Christ. That sacrifice made it possible to remove our sins completely.

 For us, it is easy but the price that was paid was the most costly sacrifice. We can never underestimate the sacrifice that was paid for our redemption.

Prayer for today: Thank you; Father, for the ultimate sacrifice of your son who took all my sins upon himself so that I could be forgiven by accepting your son, Jesus Christ.  I can’t even comprehend how much love you displayed for me, to sacrifice your only son so that I would be blameless in your sight, because you could not look upon the sinfulness of man.  Help me to strive to be what you want me to be and seek your face every day to know you more and be in your perfect will. In Jesus name, Amen.

Forgiving others

Wednesday  March 28 2012

Mark 11:25.  “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

We know that sin is the thing that drives a wedge between ourselves and our relationship with Christ. 

How then, can we expect a perfect relationship with our Saviour when we have a grudge against someone else? We are hindering the blessing that is ours when we let the bitterness and hurt come between us and our relationship with someone else.

 As long as this hurt is in us, we cannot possibly expect to be used or blessed to the fullest capacity by God. The bitterness we harbour is a stumbling block to perfect harmony with our Lord Jesus Christ.  It is impossible for him to work in our lives the way He wants to when we have “foreign” objects hindering the orchestration of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer for today:  Oh Dear Lord, Help me to see any unforgiven sin that I might feel towards anyone.  Help me not to harbour any resentment or bitterness against anyone.  I desire to be fully alive and abundantly blessed by you and I know this is not possible as long as I have unforgiving thoughts that I have not dealt with.  Help me to forgive others just as you have forgiven me. Let me walk in the light of your love, which is only possible through total forgiveness and having the ability to forgive.  I ask this in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

How often should we forgive others?

Tuesday March 27 2012

Matthew 18:21.  “Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?”  Seven times? 22) “No!” Jesus replied, “Seventy times seven.”

Jesus is saying we should forgive anyone who sins against us.  Not just once or twice or even seven times but again and again.  How often have I said, I’m not going to put up with this anymore! Especially when I have been hurt by someone?

 If we follow the teachings of Jesus, then we don’t keep track of how often we have been sinned against.  Sometimes this is not possible on our own, but with God all things are possible, even to forgive our enemies. 

In the Lord’s Prayer, Matt. 6:12, we are told to pray for forgiveness of our sins just as we forgive those who sin (or trespass) against us. If it is not possible to forgive within ourselves, then we are at liberty to ask for help! Jesus never gives us more than we can handle and he doesn’t expect us to fend for ourselves, He is always close and waits for us to ask for help.

Prayer for today:  Father, help me to forgive those that trespass against me.  Help me not to keep track of how many times I have been sinned against but to keep forgiving just as you have instructed us to do. Thank you Father, for forgiving my sins and accepting me just as I am, sin and all!  Give me strength to be more like you, Jesus, and to show more love and forgiveness to my fellow human beings, especially those who are close to me.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Forgiveness

Monday March 26 2012

 Psalm 130:4. “But you offer forgiveness that we might learn to fear you.” 

To “fear” is a two-fold word; here, it refers to an awareness of the greatness of the sin and how exceedingly and fearfully great God is, who can triumph over it by forgiving. (New Bible commentary, revised.) To recognize how great God is and know that He accepts us and forgives us, is in itself, awesome! It makes us realize and revere God’s very being.

The illustration I think of is that of being accepted and forgiven by a friend who I have betrayed. I can think of one time, at least, in my life that I needed to be forgiven for a wrong I committed. I agonized and lamented the act before I even considered admitting that I had broken a trust.

When I finally went to my friend and admitted my mistake and asked forgiveness, I was reduced to a new depth of humility by being forgiven and accepted. If I felt this way in a human sense, I am in awe of the great depth of the forgiveness of God, who has the capacity to forgive the sins of the world because of what his son, Jesus Christ suffered on the cross.

 The act of forgiveness is a wonderful thing to experience but to realize the glorious forgiveness of a Heavenly Father who created heaven and earth and everything on it and in it and around it, is beyond my comprehension.

Prayer for today: Dear Lord, Thank you for forgiving me of my sins.  I am in awe of your greatness and I know that because you could not accept the ways of sinful man, you made an all time sacrifice so that you could accept me and see me without blemish or sin.  It is only by the sacrifice of your son, Jesus Christ, that allows us to come to you clean and totally forgiven and be accepted by you as justified!  I ask that you keep me from temptation so that I will not be a stumbling stone to anyone or bring pain to anyone. Help me to give you all the praise and honour for the perfect peace I have because of you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Pride comes before the fall

A Weekend Read:  

Sunday March 24 2012

In Proverbs 16:18 it says,” Pride goes before destruction..........”  Proverbs 15: 33,” .........humility precedes honour.” 

In my life, it seems, every time I think I’m becoming good at something or have accomplished more than I hoped for and develop a “swelled” head because of it, I suffer a humiliating experience in that very area.

I have been golfing for about 25 years and if anything can humble a person, it is golf! Some years I spend weeks practicing and other years I just play and hit a few balls before each round. Several years ago I took some refresher lessons to improve on distance and accuracy.  That is the year I broke 100 for the first time. I thought I would keep improving in that direction!  The next game, opened my eyes to the possibility, I was not ready for the pro-circuit tour yet!

 During the years of my golfing “career”, our group always consists of 12 - 14 people and usually the women golf together and the men so it isn’t every game I golf with my husband. One year I had been golfing particularly well and I couldn’t wait to show him how much I had improved.  Just he and I went away on a golfing holiday and I had been bragging about my low scores. I even agreed to play for a dinner in a fine restaurant as a sure bet that I could beat him (using handicaps, of course) The first tee, I dribbled the ball off the tee, second shot, scuffed it, third shot, hit it fat, fourth shot, hit a pretty good one, at least it landed on the green, it took me four putts to finally put the ball in the hole. That ended my haughty conversation about how much I improved!  My score was about 8 or 9 and I was, to say the least, humiliated. 

This has happened many times in the game of golf and I have finally learned not to say anything about my game and just play! Sometimes my games are good and sometimes they are downright ugly!  But at least I have learned not to predict what I will shoot! 

I find this is also true in every day experiences of life.  When we spend time condemning others for something specific, we often find the same fault in ourselves fairly quickly thereafter. In fact, when we accuse others of having faults, we suffer the consequences of showing our imperfections! No one confides in someone who finds faults in others! Each time we pass judgment on someone else, it displays haughtiness in ourselves and we appear to think of ourselves as better than them.  Isn’t it better to spend time looking for the good things in others and displaying humbleness in ourselves? Then others will see your Godly attitude and build you up without your feeble and imperfect efforts.

Matthew 7: 4, “How can you think of saying, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye.”

How humble must we be?

Friday March 23 2012

Matthew 23: 12 “ But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exhaled.”

Jesus is speaking about the religious leaders who wore extra wide prayer boxes and long prayer tassels to show that they were religious and deserved respect and places of honour at banquets and other gatherings. Jesus said to listen to them but not to behave like them. This is a lesson for today, as well. 

When we exalt ourselves above others, we lose credibility, instead, it is far better to work at what you need to become and let someone else offer the accolades and the credibility’s for you. This seems contradictory to what the world is telling us, we often hear, “ You “gotta” blow your own horn because no one else will blow it for you.” This is against what Jesus taught us.

It seems that this life on earth is very short compared to eternity and I would prefer to store up my rewards for eternity rather than experience them on earth in this short life! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be exalted in heaven by the King of Kings?

Prayer for today: Today, Lord, help me to be humble.  Even though, I am privileged to be a child of God, I know you love sinners and sent your Son to save sinners. And so, dear Lord, help me to remember your Son when he humbled himself to become a servant to others and help me to remember his teachings when he told us to take a back seat instead of exalting ourselves. My desire is to exalt you, oh Lord and you alone.  Let me be a servant for you. In Jesus name, amen.

Are you politically correct?

Thursday March 21 2012

John 12:43..  “For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.”

This verse speaks of the Jewish leaders who were afraid of being expelled from the synagogue if they admitted to believing that Jesus was the Messiah.  The fear was that the Pharisees would shun them and they would not be admitted to the synagogue.

Have you ever been in this predicament?

When I was employed by a large school board, teaching in an elementary public school, I was often intimidated by what was conceived to be “politically correct”.  Instead of standing up for my Christian beliefs, I often would either stay out of the conversation or even agree with beliefs that I knew were unacceptable to my faith

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Sometimes it is expedient to keep your mouth quiet but often we don’t speak because we’re afraid others might call us prejudiced or biased or, heaven forbid, we may be accused of being “politically incorrect.”  Why are we afraid?  Is it more important for us to be accepted by our peers than to please God?

 

Today is a good day to bring acknowledgement and glory to God in some way.  It is time we, as Christians, became active voices for the Lord and Biblical principles instead of practicing apathy because we are afraid to “create waves”.  Are we afraid of being expelled from the “worldly” inner circles?

I am not advocating speaking without wisdom.  We need to ask for wisdom in order to be able to discern when is the right time for us to speak.  If we “barge” ahead without the Holy Spirit prompting us, we may find our total mission debunked!

Prayer for today: Lord, today I ask you to help me speak up for you and Christian values and principles.  I know I have no need to be afraid because the Holy Spirit has been given to me to help me say the right words at the right time.  I ask for a discerning spirit to help me know the right time and I pray that you will place an opportunity before me to speak for you, Lord.  My desire is to be used by you.  In Jesus name, Amen.

You are a chosen child of God!

Wednesday March 21 2012

Isaiah 41:9 “For I have chosen you and will not throw you away.”

Did you know you were chosen by God to be His child?

And furthermore, he will never leave you or abandon you.

 When I’m feeling lonely or having a “bad day” I remember that God loved me so much, he chose me to be his own. It reminds me of my relationship with my husband, we may have disagreements now and then but when we made our vows at the alter, we pledged to stay with each other through sickness and health, whether rich or poor and we managed to keep that promise for 47 years.( many more now than when I first wrote this)  After this many years, I can’t imagine my life without him.  We are sure of our love for each other, it is unconditional and always evident and I know he would not leave me and he is sure of my love as well!

If we can experience this kind of love as earthly human beings, imagine how very much God loves you, to choose you to be his child. If you are feeling alone or abandoned just remember how very special you are to God and how very much he loves you!

Prayer for today: Dear Lord, I am in awe of your great power and majesty and yet it humbles me to think that you love me enough to choose me to be your child.  I am thankful that you promise to “keep” me and not throw me away.  Your promises make me realize that I will always be your child and nothing can severe the relationship that you and I have.  Thank-you Lord, for loving me.  In Jesus name. Amen.

You may not even realise that God is using you!

Tuesday March 20 2012

2 Peter 1:10 “So dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen.  Doing this you will never stumble or fall away.”

I believe God has called us and chosen us to do his work.  Each one of us has been called for a different purpose and we need to know what that purpose is.  There is  a wonderful worship chorus that goes like this:

“This is my desire, to honour you,

  Lord, with all my heart I worship you.

 All I have to give you, I offer praise.

 All that I adore is in you.

 Lord, I give you my heart

 I give you my soul.

 I live for you alone

 Every breath  that I take,

Every moment I’m awake

 Lord, have your way in me.”

If our desire is to be used by God, then I believe, He will show us what he wants us to be and where he wants us to go for him. We don’t need to worry and fret that God is not using us. 

It says in the scriptures we may be entertaining angels without knowing it so don’t you think that God may be using us for his purpose without us even being aware of it sometimes? Keep on doing what the Lord has called you to do even if it does not seem important to you because if we work to do what God has called us to do we will never stray from Him.

Prayer for today! Dear Lord, I want to be used by you to fulfill my purpose on earth. I know you chose me to be your child and I know you love me more than I can comprehend and I want to be in the center of your will. Help me to be a student of your word, to understand what it is saying to me.  And help me Lord, to hear your voice guiding me in the direction you have planned for me. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to you, oh Lord! In Jesus name, Amen.

You were chosen to be God's child!

Monday March 19 2012

John 15:16.  “You didn’t choose me.  I chose you.  I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.”

This verse makes me feel very special!  The first time I gave my testimony to a group of women, the Lord gave me this scripture to use as my text. After I had written down what I felt I should say, I realized how very much that little verse meant to me. It told me  how special I was to God and let me know He loved me so much, He actually chose me to be his child and I had the privilege of bearing fruit for him.

 

This verse became especially dear to me when I started going on mission trips because it made me realize it was God’s doing and not my own. It also made me realize that perhaps this was an opportunity to produce fruit for Jesus.

Even though you may not travel to a foreign country or even have an opportunity to speak to strangers, what you say to your children and spouse and neighbors each day produces fruit as well.  There is no greater mission on earth than to be a parent who brings up children in the way of the Lord and strives to be the kind of spouse, God wants you to be. In this way you will produce fruit that will last!

Prayer for today: Dear Lord, Thank you for choosing me to be your child. I am so blessed to know your love and call you my Father. Thank-you for the privilege of  taking your word to those who do not know you. Thank-you for blessing us with wonderful children who are a joy to us. I pray, Lord, that I may use every circumstance that you give me to show your love so that I may bear fruit for you. In Jesus name. amen.

Learning patience!

A Weekend Read  Saturday/Sunday March 18 2012

Many people refuse to pray for patience because they fear the tests that may teach them patience.

While there are many tests for us to experience, God never gives us more than we can handle and He promises to walk through the “flames" with us. When the test is over, we always exit with a maturity that was not there before

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In my own life, I believe, my patience was increased many times by waiting for God to answer my prayers. I am naturally an impatient person, being born with an instantaneous desire to see my wishes and hopes appear. As I grow older, I realize that these expectations are immature and unrealistic.

I believe God must have a great sense of humor! He realized my impatient personality and “blessed” us with five children. If anything in this world can teach  and try one’s patience, it is definitely children.  My patience was tried constantly but each time we encountered a dilemma, we realized we were becoming more equipped to handle (almost) any  problems. Our home was often in chaos but somehow, through a miracle, our children all grew up and became responsible citizens

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One particular night, my husband was away on a business trip and our son, Drew, wanted to sleep in the backyard with a buddy in a shack they had spent all day building. I didn’t see any problem with this and  consented.  

About 4:00 AM, the phone rang!  It was the City Police asking me if I knew where my son was.  I said, “yes, he’s sleeping in the back yard.” They asked me if I was sure because they had a 10 yr. old boy in custody who had been caught taking money out of the neighbourhood milk chutes who said he was my son.  (milk chutes were little boxes built into houses beside the back door with little doors. You left the milk money there and in the morning the milkman took the money and left your milk)  Sure enough, my little “darlin” and his buddy were guilty and I had to take the bus downtown to the Police station to  “collect” the boys!  Was God trying to teach me patience?

It was a devastating discovery and my trust in Drew needed time to be renewed, but I believe this little escapade, like many others, helped me realize my children weren’t beyond illegal “escapades”.  I needed to be aware of that, but it also helped me gain wisdom and understanding of the awesome job of parenting that God entrusted to me.

Many times I have been able to see the wondrous love and patience of my Heavenly Father through my children’s relationship with myself.  So many times I have disobeyed and realized, on my own  I fail  time and time again.

Just as my son needed my help to get him out of his predicament, I need my  Heavenly Father to rescue me, often. As our son matured he realized the importance of obeying his parents and the law and as I mature, I realize the importance of following the precepts that God has ordained and the joy that comes by being an obedient child and listening to His voice. I am so thankful my Father in Heaven is patient and forgiving to me, because I am often a negligent and immature child.

Secret Gifts

Friday March 16 2012

Matthew 6:4. “Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.”

One night after seeking direction of where to use some money I had put away for the Lord, I had a beautiful dream.  I was sitting in a church pew behind a lady I knew very well.  She was a single Mom who had been struggling financially for some time. Soon after I sat down, she turned around and laid her hands on me and started praying for me. I was extremely blessed by this.  After a few moments she rose from her seat and came and stood behind me and anointed me with oil as she continued to pray.  I felt an inner warmth, which I knew, was the Holy Spirit flowing through me. I was blessed beyond words and then I awoke.  I knew God wanted me to  give the money to this woman.  I thought maybe I should give her some of it but I knew I would be hindering the full blessing the Lord wanted to give me.  I wanted the entire blessing, the warmth that came with the oil, so I knew I needed to give it all!

In obedience to God I visited her the next day and gave her the gift.  She was very grateful and in need.  What a blessing to be used by God in this way.

Perhaps you have felt a twinge or urgency to perform a charitable act, it could be the still small voice of the Holy Spirit calling you to perform some small service for the Lord!

 One day we will be rewarded for the gifts we give in secret.  There may not be tax receipts or recognition from anyone on earth but your Heavenly Father knows and will reward you.

Prayer for Today:  Heavenly Father, Thank you for prompting us to do things for you so that we can reap your blessings.  Help me to be sensitive to the still small voice and obey it.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Wait on the Lord and travel on the path He planned for you .

Thursday March 15 2012

Psalm 37:34. “Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act!  Travel steadily along his path."

When we used to go on vacation with our five children, my husband always adhered to the traffic by-laws and followed the speed limit rules. But, five children in a car can be exhausting and cause impatience.  After we had sung all the songs, played all the games we knew and many “originals” my patience often grew thin and I would think maybe just this once we could pick up speed or stop for the afternoon or treat ourselves to a luxurious stay in a hotel.  My husband always kept steadily driving along while I fought to stay patient and inevitably we would arrive at our destination at the designated time without added expenses.

We need to travel along the path of our destiny with the knowledge that we will arrive at our planned destination at precisely the right time. Impatience, only leads to confusion and perhaps losing our way or having to tread through a difficult detour that would otherwise have been smooth and straight. We need to wait on the Lord, because his timing is perfect!

Prayer for today: Lord, grant me patience to wait for you.  You are the one “constant” in my life, the one who never changes and who consistently loves me and sticks by me. You, Oh Lord, are ageless and unchanging and I need to learn to be steady and patient while waiting for you to guide me further along the journey of life. In Jesus name, amen.

Are you not more precious than diamonds?

Wednesday March 14 2012

Psalms 37:7. “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.”

Waiting is one of the most difficult things to do. We feel abandoned or forgotten or useless. I have often thought  “ I’m not good enough for God to use me.”  There have been times I have “barged” ahead and tried to do the thing myself, only to have it fail miserably.

Think of the priceless diamond, waiting and waiting for thousands of years to be unearthed, to be discovered, and even after it has been found it needs much more care to become a worthwhile gem. It needs to be mined, appraised, cut, and polished and then it needs to be placed in the exact setting to enhance its beauty.  Some diamonds are discovered and then hidden in locked safes, only momentarily opened and admired.  Often only the owner knows it’s true beauty and value, but it is still beautiful and cherished.

Many times when we think we have been forgotten, it is only because we are being matured and polished and shaped to be used in the perfect setting that our Creator has prepared for us. He knows exactly where we can best be used for Him and even though many others may not see our talents, He knows where we are and He cherishes us until we are completely ready for his use.

Prayer for today: Father, I am so thankful that you know exactly where I am, not only physically but spiritually as well. Even though I feel useless sometimes, I know you are in control and when you have something else for me to accomplish, you will let me know. My desire is to be used by you for your purpose and my prayer is that I may hear your voice when I need to. Help me be ready for whatever you have for me.  In Jesus name, amen.