things that rob us of peace

Did you read yesterday’s post?

https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/12/07/it-is-the-most-wonderful-time-of-the-year/

If it is supposed we to be the most wonderful time of the year, we better not let things rob us of peace.

Circumstances we can’t control sometimes do. Someone hits your car, illness strikes, technical difficulties all can rob us of peace.

Consequences from poor choices we make can rob is of peace too.

“People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.” Proverbs 19.3

Hurtful people can rob you of peace.

“They surround me with hateful words and fight against at me for no reason.” Psalm 109.3-5

Worry!

“Worry weighs a person down.” Proverbs 12.25

Jesus left us the gift of peace so we can have peace in our lives.

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14.27

When we share the peace of the Lord, we will…

be.the.church

it is the most wonderful time of the year

What an exciting time to be alive and be a part of the great commission.

Each generation is responsible for its generation to come to know the Lord.

Keep witnessing to your unsaved loved ones, neighbors, co-workers, etc.

Help them understand. Be a light. Be a witness.

The harvest is ripe and ready, we must share and tell of the hope we have within.

It is the most wonderful time of the year and an easy invite to those who don’t normally come to church. Bring them along to a special advent event on Sunday. My hope is as many non-saved will be in attendance as our church family so keep inviting and bringing guests. My prayer is they will have fun and not only rub shoulders with some saints but be inspired as they hear about the Lord through songs and sharing. Pray many seeds will be planted and sown this season.

These next two weekends before Christmas are easy invites and then of course Christmas Eve. Plan on inviting someone to each of the above mentioned. God will be pleased as we do our part and share in the love of that first Christmas. It really is the most wonderful time of the year because it is so easy to invite so make sure you don’t miss the opportunity. When you invite others and come alongside when they come, you will…

be.the.church

pray for the waiter

Do you prayer for your waiter?

I guess the first question to answer before that is: Do you pray when out to eat. Well, you should.

And then before you do, tell your waiter or waitress that you are a Christian and will be praying for your meal.

Then, I dare you to go a step further and ask him or her if there is something you could specifically pray about for them.

I have had some amazing conversations and heart wrenching prayer requests as well as moved individuals as they stand before the table with tears in eyes sharing their stories.

What a way to…

be.the.church

I wish I could say I do this every time I am out and regardless with whom I am dining with, but sadly that’s not the case. Trying to make it happen more often then not. I hope you will too.

You should also tip well! Please look back at this post and see why and what all it entails: https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/01/23/tip-well/

And if you missed the post last week – check it out, another way to pray and be an example: https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/11/28/its-all-about-the-bird/

This time of year may be just the opportunity to touch a waiter’s or waitress’s heart. You may find yourself out with friends whom have yet to choose Christ as Saviour. Them not only seeing you pray over the meal, but taking a step further to include them or the wait staff may just be the link to their coming to a saving knowledge of Christ or a seed planted or watered.

You have nothing to loose.

The unsaved around you have all to gain.

Take the opportunity to pray for the waiter and then please share what fruit you bear.

And remember, when you pray you will…

“Bear one another’s burdens…” Galatians 6.2

how can you be an encourager

It is a hard time of year for some. How can you be an encourager?

Well, first be a light.

Smiling helps you shine bright.

“You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5.14

People should also know you love Jesus but you should also be “preaching” without words in your actions, speech, and deeds.

Keep shining bright, being a light by choosing joy, and may your attitude always reflect that of Christ.

In the workplace that can be tricky, so be careful not to be preachy.

Let others see God in how you love and live and be.

Let them come and ask you the reason for your hope and joy.

Pray God gives you opportunities to share your faith and be ready when they come.

It may seem hard to shine at times but light does shine bright in the darkness.

And remember, it is not about being religious but rather having a relationship with God. (That’s a good line to keep in your back pocket especially when talking to non-believers that say they are not religious and I give that advice free, no charge.)

Laugh with others. (I hope you laughed with my attempt of a joke above.)

Be light hearted.

Let others see that the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8.10).

If you encounter someone sad and down especially if the loss of a loved one is fresh, invite them to church with you or to dine with you or to an uplifting concert or performance this month.

Start now planning who you can invite to come with you to a special service or Christmas Eve. And the key is not just to invite, but plan to take them with you!

That is how to be an encourager and when you do, you will…

be.the.church

no odd socks today

Today is a day to celebrate when you have a pair of matching socks to wear. Former US President George HW Bush was a self proclaimed sock man so I am sure he loved this day and was ready to tweet about the pair he had on.

The date was chosen because: “In 1954, the final curtain fell on the first revival of the Broadway musical On Your Toes. The Rogers and Hammerstein production first made its debut in 1936. It was unique in that it incorporated ballet with a traditional musical genre. The popular musical was revived in 1984.“*

Wear those matched or mismatched socks proudly. What is it saying: Be unique! Be your beautiful self! Expressing yourself in a unique and different way is showing God’s creativity as we each were made individual and completely sui generis.

Relish in your rarity. And delight in others’ differences. God desires us to appreciate and contemplate the specialness found in us all.

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.

Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them— any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you! And please, God, do away with wickedness for good! And you murderers—out of here!— all the men and women who belittle you, God, infatuated with cheap god-imitations. See how I hate those who hate you, GOD, see how I loathe all this godless arrogance; I hate it with pure, unadulterated hatred. Your enemies are my enemies!

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭139:13-24‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Help others get there. It might start by noticing or complimenting their socks. Being kind, considerate, and complimentary is a way to…

be.the.church

Here’s some previous posts about socks:

https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/01/18/the-day-all-the-socks-matched/

https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/03/20/it-is-odd-sock-day/

*according to National day calendar wensite

incentivize

We all need incentives from time to time. So why not play some mind games to keep you on track.

Spend 30 minutes in the Word…

earn a tv show

Spend 30 minutes talking to the Lord…

earn social media scrolling

Spend 30 minutes visiting a shut-in…

earn 30 minutes of pleasure reading

You get the drift. What incentive would work for you? A coffee break? Getting coffee at a specialty shoppe? Going to a movie? Or on a date? Or meeting up with a friend?

Sometimes without incentives or reminders, we might just drift.

Check out this previous post entitled Drifting https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/01/22/drifting/

It talks about how time is our greatest commodity. Don’t waste it drifting! Yesterday’s post was entitled just that too: https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/12/02/time-is-the-greatest-commodity/

This post also has a great holiday video worth a look: https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/12/01/dont-waste-the-gift-of-time/

What ideas do you have to give yourself a little incentive or keep from drifting. Do tell in the comments below.

May we all…

be.the.church

everyday for the world around us so it truly can be a better place because of our efforts of giving out kindness, love, mercy, and grace.

And this time of year can get crazy with shopping, decorating, preparing. Don’t get so caught up you forget the reason for the season. Maybe your incentive to live happier should be to give more to those in need or at least the amount you spend on gifts, food, decorating, etc for the holidays match and give to your local church, a food bank, a Christmas gift for a sponsored child or missionary.

time is the greatest commodity

Everything is uncertain – we do not know the time or hour that our time will be up so we must live life to its fullest!

And how do we do that?

First, the simple answer is to please God by honoring Him in all we do and obeying His commands so our lives are a wee bit more sweet.

Next, it is to live out fulfilling lives of purpose.

But how can we do that?

We can’t control time.

We can’t control or even predict the future.

But, we can choose how we feel today.

We can choose what we do today.

We can choose who we meet today and where we go.

Stop waiting for Fridays.

Stop waiting for summer.

Stop waiting for January 1st to make resolutions.

Stop waiting for that ideal job.

Stop waiting for someone to spot your talent.

It is not about waiting but making the most of each moment right now.

Ask yourself, if this was the last day of your life, is this how you would like to spend it mentally?

You might not be able to change what you do but you can change how you feel about it. You also can’t control what others do or how they act, but you can control how you react.

When you spend the day at work, ask yourself, how can I make it more meaningful?

If you are at home with your family, ask yourself, how can I make it more fulfilling?

If you are around people you don’t like, simply move. We are not trees!

And if you are in a toxic environment, learn to protect yourself.

And remember, no matter how little you have or how tough things are, see where you can be grateful.

We might not be able to change the whole world, but we can change the whole world for another and that person might just be you.

Be the change you want to see in the world and stop wasting moments.

So don’t procrastinate – get up and create!

That book that has been on your mind – write it!

That video that you have been scripting – shoot it!

That business that you want to launch – start it!

That skill you have been wanting to gain – learn it!

Don’t wait for the perfect moment – take the moment and make it perfect!

Remember: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…” Ecclesiastes 3.1

Going forward – never regret a day in your life.

Good days give you happiness.

Bad days give you experience.

The worst days give you lessons.

And the best days give you memories.

Keep the best days close to the forefront of your mind.

The above was inspired by Jay Shetty video. He used to be a monk and now is an international motivational speaker with millions of followers and billions of views but here’s the thing: If we don’t have God in our lives, we will always feel unfulfilled and unsatisfied. In his own words: “We need to find meaning, purpose, and value on a much deeper level.” And I believe that is so true and can be found when we ask Jesus Christ to come into our hearts to reign, to rule, and to guide, along with the holy spirit who will protect and show us the way. If you have never asked Jesus into your life: Trust in Him today!

don’t waste the gift of time

It was a short little video with tag line across the top – This Christmas advert is the best one yet. (Originally titled Love is a gift.) Perhaps you have seen it. It showed a man in his apartment decorating a tree and going about his day marking off each date in December until the 25th came which is the chosen day to celebrate the birth of Christ.

On that Christmas morning, he put in a cassette tape and began to listen to the last tape his mum recorded for him.

It was in a box with many others all lined up and ready to be listened to in specific years. The sub-caption was: I can’t cope with this. I posted it to my page and wrote: Don’t waste the gift of time.

Since we were made to live infinitely, we don’t think about the limited time we have here on earth often enough until sickness or death creeps in. I surmise the back story was his mum knew she was dying and used some time to record messages for the future.

Now her boy was 30 and all grown. She told him she was proud of him and thanks for remembering her. She told him to never forget how much she loves him. She also said it was time to say good bye and that this tape was her last message.

She used his pet name Poppet and said how she wished she could be there to see how he has grown. It ended with her telling him that the happiest day of her life was the day he was born. The screen went black and the words ‘love is a gift’ ran across.

As tears unashamedly poured down my cheeks so many thoughts ran through my head: how I wished I had more time with some who have gone before, how I wished I had recorded the beautiful prayer my father-in-law prayed over all of us and our future children just days before he passed, how I wished I had more time with my mum. The resounded thought that still pricks my heart was this: How determined I am to live life out loud making it a little brighter, more joyful and fun for those I am doing life with.

We do not know the day or hour death may come knocking on our door but it seems it is always unexpected even when expected.

In the meantime, don’t waste the gift of time. Use it to…

be.the.church

for time really is our most valuable commodity.

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Proverbs 90.12

Check out this previous post to keep you from wasting time: https://bethechurch.home.blog/2019/01/22/drifting/

Below is link for the described video above:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YRiarLe7aJo

the royal treatment

That is how we should treat all! Give them the royal treatment.

Roll out the red carpet.

Take out the fine China.

Give a present for no reason

and give up the honored seat.

Let others feel like royalty when they leave your presence.

Connecting with everyone in our lives matters and giving others preferential treatment is key.

How can you offer the ‘royal treatment’ to those in your circle of influence?

Webster defines the royal treatment as the manner of acting toward someone that is suitable for very important people; very elaborate and attentive treatment.

What can you do today to make someone feel like they did indeed receive the royal treatment while in your presence?

And if you don’t know where to start or what to do, how about applying the following verses day in and day out.

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4.32

“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” Luke 6.31

“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” John 15.12

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” Romans 15.1-2

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Philippians 2.3

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2.4

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” Romans 12.18

So, go ahead give others the royal treatment even if you think or know they don’t deserve it.

When we treat others better than they might deserve, we will…

be.the.church

“… let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” I John 3.8

Figure out what to do and how to give the royal treatment to all you meet and greet.

And remember the command: “Let all that you do be done in love.” I Corinthians 16.14

What are some things you can do to show others your love? Comment below. For starters, fixing a cup of tea or hot cocoa on a cold day might be one idea. What else comes to mind?

Go the extra mile and spread the joy of giving the royal treatment.

inside jokes

Inside jokes are not inside if you let the outside in.

What do I mean by this?

Well, first off, think of those moments you can not recreate but become a bond between two people or a group because they experienced something together. If you try to tell others about it or they want in, it doesn’t really work since they were not there at the moment. Some of these moments can be shared and become an inside thing with more than those that were there initially. But, some things are not meant to be shared and are more meaningful when they remain inside jokes.

However, never let the inside connection hurt the relationships of others outside of that circle.

Yes, it is true an insider understanding can’t always be shared or it can become meaningless when shared with too many. But, be careful to not include others as you never want someone leaving your presence feeling left out.

The Bible tells us not to joke in jest or to deceive others and say we were just kidding (Proverbs 26.19). The Word also tells us to think of others more highly than ourselves (Philippians 2.3). When we adhere to both than others’ feelings can be saved and like I have said before and worth saying again: Feelings saved are always more important than being right. And in this case, keeping the inside jokes away from others might just save their feelings from getting hurt when they are not apart of them.

Now husbands and wives, should have many fun things they share and signs to signal to each other that others should not be aware or let in on.

This goes for the nucleus family and good friends too, but like I said at the beginning: Inside jokes are not inside if you let the outside in. Guard the things that are in your relationships with others well. Have fun but never at the cost of hurting another. And make sure those inside jokes are God-honoring. If not, let them go and move on in righteousness.

To…

be.the.church

you must be careful how you treat all those you meet and greet whether they are in the know about inside jokes or not.

“Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, ‘I am only joking!'”

“People who shrug off deliberate deceptions, saying, ‘I didn’t mean it, I was only joking,’ Are worse than careless campers who walk away from smoldering campfires.”

“Like a madman who throws Firebrands, arrows, and death, So is the man who deceives his neighbor (acquaintance, friend) And then says, “Was I not joking?””

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭26:18-19‬ ‭ESV MSG‬‬ and AMP

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.” Philippians‬ ‭2:3‬ ‭AMP

Be the church by being inclusive, accepting, and loving to all in your circle of influence and beyond.