Thanksgiving Week Special Edition: Are YOU Listening?

I recently had the opportunity and the privilege to speak during a recent valley Women’s retreat. I challenged the women who sat before me with one simple question……Are you listening? The title of the workshop I taught was Encounter, and we explored the three C’s of an Encounter with Christ. We first looked at the Challenge, (what gets in our way) the Conversation, (what does that look like) and the Conversion (how does it change you). Each day brings about many opportunities to see and hear from Christ but understand, you need to be intentional about seeking them out.

Ultimately, our greatest duty as believers is to know Him so we can make Him known.

Over the years I have met with, mentored, and sat in counsel with fellow women and one statement in particular has been stressed by the masses……”I just cannot hear Him Stef. How do I fix this?” My answer remains the same each and every time I respond. When do you take the time to listen?

It is imperative that in order to SEE Him, you make an intentional effort to SEEK Him.

 

 Hebrews 6:1-3 tells us “So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”

 

Certain elementary teachings are essential for all believers to understand. However, we are not designed to remain in a place of first encounter, we are required to dig deeper and move beyond these basics and into a more mature understanding of the faith. In turn, this allows for your personal relationship with Christ to remain nurtured and flourish.

Each one of us travels an individual road at an individual speed, but I ask you this…..Are you the same person of faith currently than what you were a year ago, or even six months ago? Do you desire to explore the road God has planned for your relationship with Him, or do you find yourself constantly getting in the car but never igniting the engine? No matter what your current level may be, it is so important that you intentionally seek out time with the Father on a daily basis. Make it a point to surround yourself with people more mature in the faith where you can draw from their Spirit filled well, and also people you can turn around and pour His waters into. Only then can the full circle of Christ be revealed, deepened and solidified. If you are reading this today and Christ has filled you with conviction, I want to encourage you to act upon that. Convictions Carry with them Change, and when you understand that your relationship with Christ is the most rewarding relationship you will EVER have, your life will NEVER be the same!

In Revelation 3:20-21 Jesus is preaching to the church in Laodicea and says “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends. I will invite everyone who is victorious to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne.”

The Laodicean church had become complacent, so “busy” relishing in what the world had to offer they had missed many opportunities to see and experience Christ. It comes down to this friends, if you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, God, or even to His Word you have begun to shut Him out of your life. Only by leaving the door of your heart open to Him, can you guarantee that your own actions do not drown out His voice.  

So, what’s it going to be? Are YOU ready to listen? He’s knocking, are you answering the door?

~Stef

                                                      http://youtu.be/zBUQqLp6N24

Thursdays in the Truth: Serving others

Our church is currently doing a series called 40 days of Others. Each week, the church is challenging us to get involved and make an impact on the Southwest Valley (of Phoenix). There are different opportunities to help neighbors, the sick, orphans, prisoners, widows, and the poor. Learn more here (http://www.therefinerycc.com/#!about1/c20mc). 

You never know the impact your small service can make on a person. Often we serve and never know the long term outcome. We see the immediate need filled, but we sometimes never know the long term results of our service.

I recently got to hear about the impact I (and many others) made on a family over a year ago. I want to tell you this story not to boast about myself, but to encourage you to continue to do for others and serve, because you may never know what it means for them.

Every Veterans Day weekend (for the past 3 years), my husband and I go on a mission trip to Mexico with the organization 1Mission (see more at 1Mission.org). We sign up every year, not knowing the names of our family until a week before we leave. 

1Mission is an AMAZING organization that does so much footwork before we even arrive. They have people in the community who work with families and help them earn a home (which is really just a “shed”, but it’s a home to them). Families volunteer 200 hours and then we come in and serve a weekend and build them their home. Here's a picture of the conditions in the barrio:

Last year, we built a home for the Ramierez-Torres family- Manuel the husband, Lupita the wife, and their 3 kids. This build was a special one because this was a family of faith. When I heard Manuel and Lupita talk, it was clear they had a relationship with Jesus. Manuel even shared his testimony. He used to be a drug user and was homeless on the streets. He neglected his wife and his family, and then he came to know Jesus and everything changed. God helped restore his marriage and forever changed him. 

We finished our build last year and went home. I hadn’t thought much about Manuel and Lupita and their family until we started getting ready for this years trip. I decided I would purchase a few items for them and stop by and see how they were doing.

We pulled up in our truck and the family was outside working on building an outdoor kitchen. They at first looked confused and were wondering why this truck pulled up in front of their house. We got out and they all started smiling from ear to ear. One of the kids ran up to me and started hugging me. “Andrea!” she said. I almost started crying. 

We got to see what they had done with their house and got to talking. Manuel shared that he has never been better and they have never been more blessed since we help build their house a year earlier. 

Manuel shared that he thinks of us (the group that built their house last year) on a daily basis. He pulls out his bible and keeps a picture of our group in it. He prays to God for blessings on all of us and our children. He says that we were God’s angels that were sent to help him and his family.

Manuel also shared a vision he has. He wants to turn his home into a ministry center. He wants to invite the community into his home and share his testimony. He wants to teach others God’s word and use this land and home to help others, just as we helped him. The family is working on building an outdoor kitchen where they will be able to feed and help others and share God’s word with them. 

Who knew that when I signed up to help build a home in Mexico that it would have such “Kingdom” results? Manuel is turning his home into a ministry center for the community. I am so excited to visit next year to see what has taken place. Here's a photo of their family:

My whole point in sharing this story is that you may never know the full extent of what your service or giving is doing.  Your act of service can have eternal effects. I want to encourage you, especially during this holiday season, to give and serve others. It doesn’t have to be big, as simple act of kindness can go a long way.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

“17Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.”

Thursdays in the Truth: Cast Your Cares

Have you ever been going about your day, a not so great day by the way, and one more thing happens?  You know what kind of thing I’m talking about.  It could be ever so small but it just drops you flat.  You have reached your limit.  I hit that one day last week.  Little things had been piling up emotionally.  I was chugging along through the “difficulties” trying to keep my cool.  Then BAM! One little argument and I could feel the tears prickle at the back of my eyes threatening a flood of biblical proportions. 

Whether it was a hormonally-induced breakdown doesn’t matter.  What matters is I felt I was no longer strong enough to carry everything I had placed on my shoulders.  I realized I had not given these things to God. Psalm 55:22 tells us to “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” 

We know we are supposed to hand things over to God.  We’ve all heard the saying “Let Go, and Let God.”  We may try to hand it over but if you are anything like me, you take it right back.  It’s like I’m saying God can look at my troubles but I’m ultimately going to be the one to take care of them. 

For me, I think the problem is a control issue.  It may be a mom-condition but I frequently run though the needs of the household and troubleshoot in my head.  I’m constantly juggling things in my head.  Then I had a brilliant idea.  If I need to constantly be managing something, then when I hand stuff over to God, I feel useless.  So I decided from now on, when I hand things over to God, I then have the duty to count my blessings.  It’s a total game changer for me.  I haven’t forgotten about my troubles.  I’ve just delegated them to God and refocused myself on the blessings. 

Some days are harder than others to find the blessings but they are there.  I’m brought back to my favorite verse, Psalm 118:24.  “This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” 

So what are some blessings that you need to focus on today while God is working on your troubles?

Thursday's in the Truth: Wisdom of a Woman

 

Currently, I am attending Bible College. The class I recently finished, took an in depth look at every single book written within the New Testament. I had the opportunity to study the spread of first century Christianity, the men considered closest to Christ, and most importantly the man, the ministry, and the Messiah himself. Week after week, we peeled away the layers of Scripture and the deeper significance behind the words. The Bible came alive and as I studied the Synoptics (Gospels) in greater detail, a particular set of Scriptures stood out. When Jesus hung upon the cross, the Gospel of Mark tells us in Mark 15:40-41 “Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph), and Salome. They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for him while he was in Galilee. Then they and many other women had come with him to Jerusalem.”

Before we go any further, I need for you all to understand one key aspect here. Women and especially children, were not even considered “second class citizens” but were among the lowest levels of society within the early Jewish culture. Women were not even permitted to speak publicly in church meetings. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

Looking back at the scene of the crucifixion in Mark 15:47 we are told that “Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.” Chapter 16 verses 1-2 opens with the following “The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb.” These women could do very little leading up to the crucifixion. They could not speak before the Jewish high council in Jesus’ defense, nor could they appeal to Pilate or the Roman guards who beat and mocked him. Yet, even when the disciples had fled for their own lives, these women remained at the feet of Jesus. They followed his body and prepared spices to take to the burial tomb. The preparation of such spices resembled a sign of love, respect, and devotion. Take note here, it is absolutely NO coincidence that these very women were the FIRST to encounter the angel at the opened tomb, and witnessed the miraculous wonders of the resurrected Christ. God blessed their diligence and devotion, as these women used the opportunities they did have, instead of dwelling on those they did not.

Do not for one second believe the lies of the enemy that you are “just a woman” for as I  briefly touched on above, women featured prominently in the accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and at the Pentecost. Again, this is truly NO mistake. A woman’s testimony during this time period was considered to be worthless, yet God used these very ladies to inform the disciples of what had just occurred. Could you imagine the level of pure joy that must have ensued when they looked upon the presence of Christ early that Sunday morning? Their faithfulness was profound, and God surely rewarded them for it.

My prayer for each of you today is that you are able to better recognize the significance and importance you have not only as a woman, but a woman of God. We are so blessed to reside in a country where we can share our faith. Take FULL advantage of that! I pray that He grants you the ultimate wisdom to act upon the opportunities you do have to remain steadfast and devoted to being a witness for Him. The women accounted for here could have lost their very lives for exhibiting their faithfulness. What do you have to lose?

~Stef