Faithful Moments

Thought for the Week-Chambered

Good Morning Girlfriends!

So, a couple of weeks my sweet husband came home with a little gift for me.  Actually, truth be told, he didn't exactly buy this thing for me, he bought it for himself, but when I saw it...I just had to have it.  What was it, you may be wondering...  A compact, laser-equipped, pocket-sized, semi-automatic pistol.  Girls, can I just tell you that I was elated! Yes, I can say, "Redneck."  First of all, before anyone panics, if you will think back, I am licensed in Texas to carry a concealed weapon (comforting, isn't it).  Secondly, the gun I normally carry is big and bulky, and I really don't like it very much.  This one is small, it fits my hand, and better still--it fits in my pretty purses.

The very first Saturday after I received my new gift, Jeff and I headed to the gun range, so that I could go and try it out.  I needed to make sure I knew how to operate this thing before I started carrying it.  It works like a charm!  The laser is totally awesome.  When we arrived back home, I reloaded it and put it back in my purse, being exceptionally careful to "chamber it."  That means if I need to fire it, it's ready.  Should the need ever arise, where I needed to protect myself or my children, I will be ready to fight.  I pray, that will never happen. Why am telling you all of this?  Naturally, this all got me thinking about the Bible. 

Did you know we need to protect ourselves from attack every day?  Each and every day that we walk this earth, the enemy is trying his level-best to attack our souls and destroy our hope for the future. Let me ask you a question: If you had to dig into your "spiritual purse" for your weapon, would you find it "chambered" or empty?  Come with me to the book of 2 Timothy, deep into the New Testament.  You see girls, God gives us all the ammunition we need to defend ourselves against the attacks of the enemy with His Word.  But in order for that Word to protect us, we have to know how to use it.  We have to go to the range and use it.  Read with me 2 Timothy 16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."  In other words, we can arm ourselves with His Word to ward off and fend off attacks of the enemy.  But in order to do that, we must first know what that Word says.  In short: we have to read it.

What attack are you facing today?  Do you have your pretty purse with you or are you packing something with a bit more bulk to it?  I know what it feels like to carry the weight of the world on your shoulder or in your handbag.  You feel like you are searching through your purse for something, and instead of pulling out what you want, you end up with Mary Poppins' bag of endless tricks.  Is that how you feel today?  Might I make a suggestion?  Ask your heavenly Father for a little help with your baggage today.  Ask Him for a fresh and renewing Word.  Read Psalm 107:20, "He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave."  I promise you this: When the need arises, and you are under extreme persecution, the weapon that defends you will come from the Almighty, Himself.  All you have to do is ask.  He is mighty to save.  His power is never empty, and it always chambered.  Have a blessed day.

Thought for the Week-Water Bending

Good Morning Girlfriends!

Happy Monday to each of you!  I pray that you all will be blessed with a good and productive week.  Today we are going to venture into an area of fiction and fantasy and then see if we can't travel back into reality.  As most of you know, I have three young children.  As you can imagine, we watch our fair share of television, and with three kids vying for possession of the remote control, it's almost never my turn to chose the channel!  Here lately, all three of them have been in general agreement of the show Avatar: The Last Airbender.  For those of you who may not be familiar with the specifics of this show, please bear with me, as I give the extremely condensed version of the show.  The basic general premise is the age-old battle between good and evil.  When the story started, there were four nations: Fire, Water, Earth, and Air.  They all lived in peace.  As the story goes, one nation rebelled, and peace went to pieces.  All of the nations have heros that can use (or bend) the elements to shield and protect their inhabitants.  That is what I want to focus on today. 

I know, I know.  Some of you are thinking: this is quite a stretch.  Stay with me.  I promise I'll make my point.  Naturally, every good show/story has a hero.  Avatar is no exception.  The hero in the series is named Ang.  He is really good, and really special.  He can bend all four elements, and as the show progresses, he uses those powers to save the world.  However, it is around the water bending, that I want to focus on. 

Water benders move water in ways normal people would deem impossible.  They bend the water to shield and to protect.  They've even used it to fight.  I want you to think about something: Did you know that God is a water bender?  He is.  I can prove it.  God has moved water in such mighty, awesome and powerful ways that still have people today scratching their heads!  Come with me to the book of Exodus.  Here we see the people of Israel in a really tight spot.  Moses has just led them out of Egypt.  Pharaoh's army is hot on their trail, and they (all two million of them) are stopped dead in front of the Red Sea.  It's time for a miracle.  Exodus 14:21-22, "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land.  The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left." (emphasis added)  Can you even imagine?!  Girls, what we have here, is the first aquarium.  Pharaoh's army followed, but the sea rolled right back into its place.  "Not one of them survived." Exodus 14:28  Extreme water bending.  That was an impressive display.  Look with me now in the book of Joshua.  Here we find the Israelites in battle.  Keep in mind that battle in Old Testament times was incredibly brutal.  We are talking about hand-to-hand combat.  God Himself has already assured His people that He is fighting with them.  And to prove His point, read with me: "As they [the enemy army] fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites." (emphasis added) Joshua 10:11  Y'all, that is some seriously precise aim!

I have one more example of water bending to share with you, although in reality, I could lay out many more examples.  For my last example we fast forward to the New Testament, and look at the book of John.  Here we meet Jesus as He visits with a Samaritan woman by a water well.  The original story is long, as was hers.  She had led a life of shame and disgrace, yet Jesus reached out to her.  He broke the tension by asking for a drink of water.  When in actuality, He was the One offering the life-giving refreshment.  In Biblical times, men, especially teachers, did not associate with women.  Jesus knew this woman's past (the list of indiscretions was long), He knew of her origin (He was Jewish-Jews did not associate with Samaritans), He reached out past all of that: "...whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14

Do you see?  Jesus alone, only He can wash away the things we are hiding. He is our Hero.  Only the water He offers will quench the thirst we have deep inside of us.  Our past doesn't matter.  Our point of origin doesn't matter.  He sees right through to the heart of us.  It's through His living water that we are made clean and whole.  That is some powerful water bending.  I want you to understand something very important before we part today: God is on your side.  The God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament.  He, who parted the Red Sea and threw down hailstones with amazing accuracy on the enemies of His children is the very same One who comes to you in this living water.  Will you trust in Him today?  Will you walk through the sea that is being parted for you?  You are chosen.  You are one of His.  This water that God uses so miraculously to shield, protect and save...is for you.  Have a blessed week!