Grace Buried

Jesus never said that being a Christian would be easy.  Phrases like “take up your cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24) does not sound like the road filled with daisies and roses.  Our walk was not meant to be easy.  However the journey will be worth it once we arrive in heaven and see the full glory of Christ  (Math 5:10).  

I have recently had to deal with a very uncomfortable and difficult family issue.  It seems like since I became a believer there has been constant attacks by my family towards me.  I truly believe that the enemy is using them as his vessels.  Over the past few days I have been really leaning on Scripture and a song titled “You loved me anyway” by Sidewalk Prophets.  In the bridge of the song the lyrics say “I turn away with a smile on my face, with this sin in my heart trying to bury Your grace.”  I have been intrigued about what it means to bury Christ’s grace.  As I’ve meditated on these words I have realized that is what Satan and his tools do to Christians.  The hatred and darkens wants to bury and crush what Christ did for us.  The Pharisees killed Christ and Satan and death couldn’t stop Him and ever since the enemy continues to try crush us and bury the grace of Christ. 

 

The difficulties we encounter in life could just be a part of our humans but Satan is also the prince of this world and at times these difficulties could be attacks by him. I heard once from a Beth Moore series that Satan wants to discourage us from succeeding.  Why?  Because each time with get through a difficulty we experience God’s promise fulfilled and Satan doesn’t want us to witness that.  He wants to stop us, discourage us, and mislead us away from the fulfilled promises of God.  I one hundred percent believe that this is true.  With each trial comes a greater strength and more trust/faith in God.  

I believe that perspective as a lot to do with how you live your life as a believer.  And if you can realize what is happening and why it is happening makes getting through those tough times a little easier.  For me, it allows me not to grow angry and bitter at the person who is blind to Christ’s love and grace.  Jesus said they will hate you because they hated me.  Christ died because of this hate and we will suffer for loving and following Him.  We know this is true, yet we tend to forget it or just know it in our head but don’t really feel it in our hearts during the pain.  But the song lyrics really hit home for me.  The sin in their hearts is trying to bury the His grace.  His grace lives in us and through us and even they, will try to bury it and us with it.  

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt 5:12).  In my experience the closer you draw to Jesus the more the trials and attacks occur.  However painful they may be, it is a good thing……it means you are right in your faith.  

Be strong and press on in the fight.

Hero

I have to tell you about the song "Hero" by Abandon. I heard it on KLove a month or two ago on my way to work. The song sounded good but I am more interested in the lyrics than just the music. Most worship songs are too watered downed and don't really contain much biblical substance. There are a few bands which do a good job in that category, but I had not heard of Abandoned before. I was amazed that whole song was the story of Jesus' life. You never hear that! The only other song strictly about Jesus is Red Letters by DC Talk. Anyways, I love this song so much. It's convicting, strengthening, beautiful,special and one of kind.

I hope you enjoy the song as much as I do.

Forever in Christ,
Alethea

Jehovah Witnesses

Many of you don't know but I have been regularly meeting with two local Jehovah Witnesses women for the past few weeks.  Lydia (the younger woman) and another lady (it differs each day) have been stopping my our apartment for the past two years.  I have always listened to them and taken their literature but that is about where it stayed. 

Since they have been coming I have been trying to update myself about their theology so I can have a conversation and already know their talking points.  I have been studying my own theology to show then where their discrepancies are in the Bible and basically have the Bible defeat them. 

It was probably two months ago my heart was really hurting for Lydia.  I was convicted about my own faith.  What example am I to others if I don't witness to the witnesses?  How can I lead if I can't talk to non believers and/or the mislead?  I knew that God wants more of me and I can not be the christian of the Bible if I can't do what Christ commands.  So luckily :) the next time Lydia came to my door she offered more to me than just a publication.  They have booklets that use to deepen the conversation about what they believe and kind of what society thinks, feels, and is searching for.  So when she asked if I was interested, I said yes.
The words flowed out of my mouth without thinking.  Truely it was the Holy Spirit working within me.  So thus started my journey, my stretching, my drawing closer to God. 

Meeting each Wednesday at 2pm is not easy for me.  Even thought I study and Tyler goes through the book with me, to help me and point out things they might say, I am ALWAYS scared to death.  The first time I was so scared all I wanted to do was cry.  I have honestly never felt that way before.   The only way through it is prayer!!!  I pray, pray, pray, cry out to God, and pray more. It is amazing to be drawing closer to Him and His will and just be open to being used as a vessel to God.  That is all I am.  I am always complaining that I want to make a difference.  Not just in my family's life but others.  I want to be used to further His kingdom and now I get my chance. 

With God's help I have stepped outside of my cookie cutter safe christian world and into the real world filled with lots of lost and mislead people. I will not save Lydia because that is God's job but please pray for her.  Pray that God will use me to plant a seed into her heart and save her from the Jehovah Witness cult and hell.  Pray for the other woman who comes with her as well. Last please pray for me.  I need a team of saints praying through this difficult spiritual battle.  Pray for widsom, patience, and the right words when I speak with these women. 

Thank you and may God bless your day!

My Challenge

I am challenging myself this week. I hate that I tear someone down when I feel threatened or the possibility of being hurt. I think and/or say not nice words in order to feel better about myself and protect myself. This is the "make them hurt before they hurt you" attitude. This is a struggle I have been dealing with for over 6 years. I have a bad habits formed from past family issues.

So my challenge is when I feel the need to put someone down in my mind or verbally, I will turn to prayer for them and myself. Our situations are God allowed and if I turn from my falleness and seek Gods counsel, wisdom and His ways I will be transformed from my sin. So please pray for me as I seek to be more Christ like.

A friends example

I have to admit that I am being blessed by my friends trials. I am not bragging by telling you this but letting you know that in your own struggles, others can be blessed by them.

My friend Kelly and her family have been having more than their fair share of struggling for answers. They have been trying to buy a house for years now. Nothing has worked out for them. House after house, hope after hope have come and gone and still nothing. I think she is close to touring almost 400 houses by now!!! Even though houses come and go, Kelly knows that God is sovereign and everything is done according to His will. This is not an easy doctrine to accept (believe me) but when you put your full trust in God and accept that He is in control and nothing is left up to chance, then there is a peace within the pain and disappointment. It has been a blessing to me to know their family but it has also be such a blessing to see their steadfast love and faith in the Lord.

I am a follower of Kelly's blog and check it daily. I have to admit that I have never met someone like her. Most of my friends are less mature in their faith than I am. So it nice to see someone who is on a similar level. It is because of this I am learning so much about God and myself through Kelly's situations. She often posts about her hardships and struggles with finding a home to buy and I am encouraged by her faith in God and His providence. The other night I was thinking about her family and my heart ached for them. I always want to leave a comment of encouragement on her blog but I always want to put thought into my comments. Her problems deserve more than a generic comment. The struggles are real, their faith is deep and they deserve a thoroughly thought out Godly response. (I am sorry Kelly that I never post them :( ) It takes me days of praying and listening for those words of encouragement to come to me....sometimes they never do. So the other night while I was again struggling with what to say the words "I am sorry" popped into my head. This perplexed me!!! Why would I say I am sorry?? Yes I am sorry that they are suffering and want to know God's answers too, but He WILL provide for them. He will keep them safe, protect them and guide them where he wants them to be. It dawned on me that to tell them "I am sorry" means to completely go against God's soveriegnty. God is in control and perhaps right now, even though her family is ready for a house, their house is not ready for them. So until that time comes, they have to wait. Tests, trials and suffering are the life a Christian, but when your eyes and hearts are focused on the one thing that matters most......a soverign God, our bumpy unsure road is easier to walk down.
So Kelly......I am sorry that you are awaiting your answers and you are having bumps in your road, but God is great and you are going through these things for a purpose. We don't know or understand the whys and hows (yet), but I am so looking forward to seeing your rewards after these times pass. God can do wonderful things and I truly am excited to see Him glorified in this process.

Even though this is a tough time, please know that you are not alone. My heart aches for you and I wish I could make things better. I hate to see others suffering but I do know that through our suffering it draws us closer to Jesus. I can only pray that when the tough times come my way, I have the same grace, strength and faith as you do. Thank you for being an encouragement and a great witness to me.

You are always in my prayers my dear sweet friend :) Love you Kelly.

A New Chapter

Today begins a new chapter in my life. Today I turn 30!!! I know, many of you will probably say it is only 30, you are not old but I have been blessed with this weird infatuation with numbers and for some reason 30 just "doesn't feel right". I probably make turning 30 sound more traumatic than the transition will actually be. I think the only hard part is actually saying those words.....I am 30!

I have been really encouraged over this past week by my friends. My best bud Amy pointed out to me that not only is 30 going to be a great decade but it is off to a fantastic start (ie: party with my friends and a trip to Maui). Over the rest of that day Amy's words soaked in more and more and the veil was lifted from my eyes. This really IS going to be a great new chapter in my life. God used Amy to reveal heavenly truth to me. All will be okay and it is as if God yes, it is your birthday but look at what blessings and beauty you will get to enjoy in just one a short week, calm down and trust me. Yesterday God used someone else to speak to me, Pastor Will . During Sunday school he said, "the only reason you wake up each day is because God has something important for you to do still. If not, you would leave this earth and head to your heavenly home." With these two resonating reminders of God's grace and love, I woke up today with a new attitude. An attitude of gratefulness and a renewed spirit to seek a closer relationship with my Lord as well as a willing heart for the challenges and blessing that lie ahead.

So today I will hold my head proudly and admit it is my birthday because I am special and beautiful to God and he is not through with me yet. No, no, no, my ministry time is still ahead of me and that is exciting.

I want to leave you with one last thought. It's a neat quote I read years ago: "The beauty of a woman isn't who she is, but Whose she is." Amen to that!!!

Blessings in Abundance

On Sunday afternoon I received phone call from my sister, asking me if my trip was paid for, would I fly to Maui to attend her wedding and walk her down the aisle (or beach). I couldn't believe what I was hearing because I had research the cost of Tyler and I flying going there and it just wasn't possible. Now I have a free trip to see my little sister get married. I couldn't turn that opportunity down even if that meant that Tyler would have to stay behind. Not my ideal situation but we couldn't afford me to go let alone both of us. So I said yes!!!!!!However God was not done with us that day. I started looking at packages, hotels, air fair, and after a few phone calls God provided a paid trip for both of us!!! Not only has our lives reflected this but alone over these past three days God has provided for us and blessed us in abundance. We are so undeserving of this trip but I will graciously and joyfully receive His blessings and have a great time :)

These events have been a true testament to God's love, mercy and blessings not only to myself but also to my husband, my sister, her soon to be husband, his family and our family and friends.
God is great and I look forward to being a witness to all the glorious things God has waiting for us.

So Ka'anapali beach Maui, I eagerly wait to enjoy your heavenly beauty!!!!!