Freedom

So, I'm sitting here, having my afternoon time with God. My small group at church is going through a book by Stormie OMartian entitled, "The Prayer that Changes Everything". It is about praising God and releasing it into our prayer life. I have been quite challenged by this weeks reading. It is about praising God "Because He has forgiven me", and really deals with the aspect of freedom when we accept God's daily forgiveness in our lives. Lately, I have been pondering this thought, and this week's study has really hit home-What does freedom really look like?

Intellectually, I know that when I entered into a relationship with Christ that my sins were forgiven, and that God himself doesn't even remember them. But then....why do I keep bringing them up? It is as if I haven't forgiven myself for the sins I have committed. So then, how do I let that go?

In this book, Stormie emphasizes that by not accepting God's forgiveness, we cheapen the sacrifice He made on the cross. By all means, that is not what I want to do, but I do think there is a delicate line. On one hand, I don't ever want to forget what God saved me from. I want to always be grateful for what He has made new and alive in my life, but at the same time, I don't want to carry a "guilt syndrome" around, never experiencing COMPLETE freedom in Christ. Freedom not just to make right decisions, and live the life He meant for me, but a completely guilt free life. A life free of guilty feelings. I'm not sure I have ever experienced that kind of freedom on a daily basis. I have for periods of time, usually when I am involved in a time of worship, and man-I love the feeling! It's probably one of the reasons singing on my church's worship team is my greatest passion! There is nothing like being in the presence of God! To figuratively see Him, face to face, and be in awe of His presence. Nothing else matters when I am there-not my past, not my present-just Him! It is so cool.

So how do I get that freedom on a daily basis? Honestly, I'm not sure I know. I used to think that if I prayed more or read my Bible more, God would reveal it to me. Lately, I have found that when I ask God to simply change me, and let Him take over-He does, and I am different! So, I'm gonna try that and see if it works. As you can see, I'm on a bit of a journey where that is concerned. I did run across a Bible verse while I was studying this subject, and it gave me some comfort. Romans 8:1-2

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
I guess I needed the reminder that it is not what we do, good or bad, that sets us free or condemns us. It is having a relationship with Jesus that gives us life. It's my relationship with Him that frees me from having to follow a set of laws that defines if I am good or bad. That's just legalism, and I am sooooooo over that!

I don't know if you are like me and live constantly with guilty feelings, but if you do, you are welcome to join me on my journey to complete freedom in Christ. Let me know how it works for you!

Lord, please show me what complete freedom in you is like, on a daily basis. Help me to let go of my guilty feelings and thoroughly accept your forgiveness in my life. I don't want to cheapen your sacrifice, but I also never want to take for granted why you came for me. God, I'm asking you to change me so I can live life to the fullness you promised. Only you can change my heart, so I'm asking you to be big in my life and do what only You can-change me!

Lessons on mercy from a 4 year old

This morning I noticed my 4 year old daughter, Kyla, dressed in her royal dress up attire playing intently in her play area. She was walking around from one stuffed animal to another asking for something. When she came to me, I realized she was asking for a "money donation". I asked her what the money was for, and she said it was for God-"to ask Him for a decision". We talked a little more, and the clarification I received was that she was collecting money to give to God so that he would make the world a better place. She said, with great emotion I might add, (where does she get that flair for the drama?) "Mommy, we just need some more grace and more mercy in the world!"
After a discussion about why we really tithe and how God does not respond to our money, but our hearts (How do they pick that kind of thing up at such a young age?), I stopped to think how right her little heart was. This world is in desperate need of a little-forget that-A LOT more grace and mercy. And the thing of it is, we are the ones He asks to offer it to the world. So often, I know I am the one asking for grace and mercy, but I really need to turn my thoughts from my selfish self and on to helping a world in need of just a little bit of grace and mercy.
I love Micah 6:8. It says,
"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."
There are very few things that God requires of us, and for some reason, I always seem to have the hardest time with showing mercy. It is so much easier to get mad at the person who cut me off on the expressway than it is to offer a little mercy to them, or it's easier to get irritated with my husband when he leaves his socks on the floor, instead of just picking them up, without griping! I am floored when I think about how much grace and mercy God shows me everyday, and how much I fall short of His example.

Lord, help me to develop Kyla's mindset and offer a little of the missing grace and mercy that this world so desperately needs.

Rahab and the Scarlet Letter

So, lately I have become enamored with the Bible story of Rahab, found in Joshua 2. I thought I'd write some of what God has been showing me. It's still a work in progress, so bear with me!

In summary, Rahab was a prostitute living in the city of Jericho. Some Israelite spies sought refuge at her home where they hid as they were gathering info on how to take the city. In exchange for Rahab's protection, the spies promised to save her from the destruction to fall upon the city, as long as she tied a scarlet cord from her window.

There are so many parts to this story that I just love, it's hard to know where to begin! What first really intrigued me to her story was how she was presented in the Bible. In all but 1 reference to Rahab, she is referred to as "Rahab the prostitute". What a horrible title to have to bear your whole life! Even after she is rescued, converts to Judiasm, and even gets married, she is still...."Rahab the prostitute". It makes me think of that play/movie, "The Scarlet Letter" where a woman, caught in the act of adultery is punished by being forced to wear a red "A" , for adulteress, on her clothing. So there is Rahab, forced to bear the title of prostitute for all eternity, it seems. Talk about wearing a scarlet letter your whole life! But then...and this is what I find so cool... for a brief moment, she looses the title. How?

Let’s turn to Matthew 1:1-16. Do you know what this passage is? I’ll give you a hint, the last verse gives it away-it is the genealogy of Christ. What I want to look at in particular are verses 5-6.

“Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz, the father of Obed, the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.

Did you catch that? Rahab is a great (many times over) grandmother of Jesus. (And may I say that she and Mary, the mother of Jesus, are the only women mentioned in Jesus' family line) And did you notice, she is no longer listed as “the prostitute”? As I said earlier, every other mention of Rahab in the Bible is as “Rahab, the prostitute”, but not here! I get goosebumps as I think about this. At some point, she completely let go of her scarlet letter, and just became Rahab.

So.. when was it that she let go of her past? From what I see, it's when she became grafted into the family of Christ! Did she still have a past? Did she still have a story that was not what she may have wished for herself? Absolutely! But, when she became part of Jesus Christ, it all disappeared. Oh! I find that so comforting! It reminds me of Isaiah 1:18, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." We all have a past-a scarlet letter of our own, a story that may not be what we wished for our lives. But Thank God, when we become part of the family of Christ,when we accept Christ's atoning work on the cross and let him wash our scarlet sins-our scarlet letter, He makes it white as snow! It all disappears! We no longer have to wear our scarlet letter, our label. We don't have to be Johnny the alcoholic, or Suzie the gossip, or Rahab the prostitute; we can be ourselves. I can be just Amber!

Thank you God for washing my sins and making me white as snow! Thank you for removing my scarlet letter, and making me part of your family! Thank you for letting me be me-just Amber!

Tea Time

I don't know what life is like at your house, but at my place, life with 2 little girls requires that tea time is a regular event. Not only do we often participate in princess tea parties, but we frequent tea houses or coffee shops for a "real life grown-up" tea party. We find it to be a fun time to relax and I use the opportunity to catch up on what my daughters are really thinking. (It's amazing what my oldest can come out with when you give her a cup of tea and a cookie!)
In the afternoons, while my girls are taking their naps, I usually treat myself to a cup of tea and a cookie and take time to just breathe! It's also the time I use to spend with God and catch up with Him-to hear what he has to say and time for Him to hear what I am really thinking.
So, I don't know what will become of this blog, but with a cup of tea in hand, I'm hoping to use it as a time to just breathe and catch up...with you..with myself... and with my God. Thanks for taking time to have tea with me!