SO LONG SELF... IT'S TIME TO GROW UP...

TODAY'S POST COVERS 2 DAYS:

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

Catch Up and Must Do

.

Which means that I need to post my Friday post here:

.

Do you know anyone who battles perfectionism? Is it one of your children? Your spouse? You? I've often heard people say, "I can't give myself to God until I get some things right."

.

Different members of our family battle perfectionism to different degrees and in different areas. What we keep having to remind ourselves of is that God wants us to give ourselves all over to Him... trash and all....don't wait to get our lives "in order and cleaned up" before saying, "Here I am LORD, again".

.

Before he was a teenager, one of our sons tried to convince me that perfectionism was a must to be pleasing to God. He took me to Christ's Sermon on the Mount where Jesus said, "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect."

.

Ah-ha! We'll talk about this several times this year. But just so you know, in the original language that statement interprets, "Be mature in Christ as your Heavenly Father is mature."

.

Don't wait for perfection to come your way before you give ALL OF YOUR SELF to Christ Jesus! It is IN HIM that we can GROW UP! These people understood:

.

SO LONG SELF... POUR IT OUT...

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

.

Thanks for stopping by. I'm back to teaching this week and will not be able to write today. I've been waiting for an opportunity to re-post this from 2008, from the first few months of this blog. It will give you a peek at what's coming next in the Sermon on the Mount, too.

.

A KETCHUP BOTTLE

.

I'm a ketchup lover!

Bottles have been redesigned over the years for easier pouring.

Yet, there still seems to be a lot of ketchup that goes to waste at the bottom of each bottle.

I've tried alot of tricks:

• "just keep shaking it...it will come..."
• "hit the bottom of the bottle..."
• 'just add a few drops of water..."
• "stick a knife down in it..."
• "turn it upside down for 5 minutes and let gravity do it's work..."
• "keep working at it...don't give up..."

I'm a self lover!

Many ideas have come across the pike,

over the years, for easier ways to

• "be who you were designed to be".

Yet, there still seems to be a lot of

"self" left in me when I've tried those approaches.

There's one thing I do know:

God blesses me when I give myself up,

work at being selfless / poor in spirit...

so, I'll keep working at pouring me out....

I won't give up..."

.

.

A MOUNTAIN STREAM

I'm a mountain stream lover!

I've both lived in and vacationed in Colorado.

I've spent many hours "experiencing" its rushing mountain streams,

wondering where they came from and where they were going.

• Weeks before this stream picture was taken, during our Sikes family reunion, Cole and Sara were mourning their sinful circumstance and studying how their sins could be washed away and become "right" with God. Several weeks ago, our Sikes clan cried tears of joy as we stood on this bridge at the Estes Park, Colorado YMCA and watched both Cole and Sara give their lives to Jesus. I've already shared some pictures with you of that event in my July 11 post.

• Many years before in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the age of nine, I cried tears of repentance as I named Jesus as my LORD and Savior, was buried with Him in baptism, and rose from my watery grave to began walking in a new way of life...eternal life.

• Eight years later, I sat by a mountain stream and contemplated the untimely death of a non-christian friend who fell off a cliff while rock climbing the summer after our high school graduation. My eyes wept over my sinfulness and the lost condition of my friends!

There's one thing that I do know:

God blesses me when I mourn and pour out my tears over sin!

...

Psalms 126 says,

"...As the streams in the South.

Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.

He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed,

shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him."

THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI RIVER

.

I'm a mighty Mississippi lover!

I've lived three blocks from the Mississippi River!

Yes, I've lived in Crystal City, Missouri - only three blocks from the mighty Mississippi River. I've spent many hours "experiencing" its power and mystery. I've seen it when it's flooded its banks and defied sandbagging. I know its potential to provide energy for millions. I've heard the discussions, "If only we could bottle its power..."

.

There is one thing that I do know:

GOD is willing to keep pouring out His Holy Spirit power in me

if I'm making room for Him...not competing for space with Him...

in this vessel of me!

Ezekiel 47:4-11...

This scripture gives me a glimpse

of how a river might compare to Holy Spirit living...

how deep are you willing to go?

"...He led me through the water, water reaching the ankles.

...He led me through the water, water reaching the knees.

...He led me through the water, water reaching the loins.

...it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen,

enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded.

And he said to me, "Son of man, have you seen this?"

.

Then he brought me back to the bank of the river. ..."These waters go...toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh...every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live....so everything will live where the river goes...."

2 Corinthians 4:7-11

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,

that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God

and not from ourselves;

we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not despairing;

persecuted, but not forsaken;

struck down, but not destroyed;

always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,

that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body."

.

Make room for Jesus by saying,

"SO LONG SELF!"

.

~BLESSED~

.

SO LONG SELF...

Today, join me in adding the next verse of our monthly scripture memory via some SCREEN BEAN friends. Then, we'll practice all our verses to date.

.

~BE BLESSED~

.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

.

.

.

.

He HUMBLED Himself

.

(NOTE: God, it's not about me... it's about U!)

.

.

.

and became OBEDIENT to death-

.

.

.

even death on a cross!

.

.

.

,

,

,

.

,

,

,

.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

.

.

.

.

He HUMBLED Himself

.

.

.

.

and became OBEDIENT to death-

.

.

.

even death on a cross!

.

.

.

.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

.

.

.

.

He HUMBLED Himself

.

.

.

.

and became OBEDIENT to death-

.

.

.

even death on a cross!

.

.

.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

He HUMBLED Himself

and became OBEDIENT to death-

even death on a cross!

.

.

.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

He HUMBLED Himself

and became OBEDIENT to death-

even death on a cross!




8 And being found in appearance as a man,

He HUMBLED Himself

and became OBEDIENT to death-

even death on a cross!
.

.

MATTHEW 5:1-3
.
Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying:

"BLESSED are the POOR IN SPIRIT,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
.
.

.

PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8
.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He HUMBLED Himself and became OBEDIENT to death- even death on a cross!

MATTHEW 5:1-3
.
Now when He saw the crowds,

He went up on a mountainside and sat down.

His disciples came to Him,

and He began to teach them, saying:
"BLESSED are the _______ ____ _______,

for theirs is the __________ ____ _________.
.
.
PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8
.
5 Your attitude should be the same

as that of ______ _______:
6 Who, being in very nature God,

did ____ ________equality with God

something to be grasped,

7 but made Himself _________,

taking the very nature of a _________,

being made in human likeness.
.
8 And being found in _________ as a man,

He __________ Himself

and became ___________ to death-

even ________ on a cross!

SO LONG SELF... LEADS TO SALT AND LIGHT...

You often come to this blog and read wonderful things about my church family. Well, I won't deny it! It's going to happen again today. This group of people are over the top sacrificial in love offerings of themselves... their time... their possessions...
.
1. Dan's sermon on Sunday was "START ONE TO HEAVEN IN TWENTY ELEVEN." In other words, he challenged each of us to share Jesus with enough people in 2011 that at least one would make the decision for Jesus and eternal life. Each of us had a sticker to write one or more person(s) name(s) on. The name(s) that we each wrote down would be who we'd be praying for this year. Each of us came forward to affix our stickers to a poster. As you know, my cell phone camera is having some challenges, but I think you will get an essence of how powerful that quiet / somber time was as we dedicated ourselves to being LIGHT AND SALT to our friends and family.
.Sherri's high quality camera took this picture of Matt placing his sticker on the already almost full poster of names. It was a powerfully thought provoking experience!

2. Then, at the end of the service, the congregation once again gave some wonderful gifts to their ministry staff and families. We are so humbled and grateful!

.

3. We closed our service with the elders reminding us that we are sending people to Haiti for the 3rd time, in the past year, this week. Part of the nine member team came forward as the elders blessed them, read scripture, laid hands on them, and prayed for them.

4. Then, yesterday on FB, I read this post by someone else about my wonderful church family:

• ‎400 chairs unloaded from the back of a truck, stacked ten chairs high, wheeled from the back of a truck into church building, unwrapped, un-bundled all the straps, cardboard, and plastic wrap, then carried junk back outsided to the dumpster; then everyone posed for pictures. Total elapsed time=1 hr. 15 minutes. Men, women and children helped. What a fantastic church family.
  

Thank you Pitman Road church of Christ for leading the BLESSED LIFE that shines and flavors Jesus in this dark world!

.
I'm grateful that we have the freedom to study Christ's sermon on the mount this year on this blog. I invite you to come back and join us daily as we study and internalize His powerful teachings.

.

~BLESSED~

SO LONG SELF... DOWN TO MY CORE...

MEDITATION MONDAY
.

.

It's all about God! It's not about me! I want to be like that from the inside out... down to my core...

.

Jesus had a few names for people who were religious, yet underneath it all had selfish motives: white-washed tombs.... hypocrites...

.

I had a visual of this again this weekend, as I took down our Christmas tree. I apologize for the fuzzy nature of these photos. Since getting a new cell phone last fall, I seem to have gone down in camera quality.

.

1. Our artificial Christmas tree was waiting to be taken down after yet another season of keeping our allergies away by not having a live tree:

.

.

2. Ornaments were taken off:

.

4. The top came off:

.

5. Branches on the right are off:

.

6. Brancehes on the front are off:

.

7. All branches are off:

.

Wait! If all branches are off, what is it that we see? Well, I'm sure with more camera clarity, you would be able to see that this is the artificial decorative tree that stands in my living room all year long!

.

In fact, after workers put in a french drain in our basement, I have never gotten my basement storage back in order. I cannot find the "insides" and the stand of our Christmas tree. Therefore, I chose innovation... I used what I had to create a Christmas tree. Visitors to our home did not need to know that the inside was not a Christmas tree at all!

.

For today, as you listen to our theme song: SO LONG SELF and meditate on this post, ask yourself...

.

DO I BELONG TO JESUS DOWN TO THE CORE?

SO LONG SELF

SUNDAY IN THE SON

.


So Long Self

Lyrics - as sung by Mercy Me
.

1
Well if I come across

a little bit distant
It's just because I am
Things just seem

to feel a little bit different
You understand
Believe it or not

but life is not apparently
About me anyways
But I have met the One

who really is worthy
So let me say

.

CHORUS:

So long, self
Well, it's been fun,

but I have found somebody else
So long, self
There's just no room for two
So you are gonna have to move
So long, self
Don't take this wrong

but you are wrong for me,

farewell
Oh well, goodbye, don't cry
So long, self

.

2

Stop right there because I know

what you're thinking
But no we can't be friends
And even though I know

your heart is breaking
This has to end
And come to think of it

the blame for all of this
Simply falls on me
For wanting something more in life

than all of this
Can't you see
.
SING CHORUS AGAIN
.

3
Don't feel so bad (don't feel so bad)
There'll be better days (there'll be better days)
Don't go away mad (but by all means)
Just go away, go away
.
SING CHORUS AGAIN
.
Farewell goodbye
Farewell goodbye
(repeat and fadeout)

ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER... INCLUDING MY ATTITUDE...

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

Catch Up and Must Do
.

This week we've talked about hell, salvation, surrender, A.G.E.S., attitude, servant, repentance, confession, baptism, clothing.... Our memory verse tells us that we must have the attitude of Christ Jesus... not just a positive attitude... not just a Pollyanna attitude... not just an "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade" attitude... but the attitude of THE CHRIST... the heart of a servant... the heart of agape love... no greater love had any man...

.

I realized this Christmas break that I have a long way to go to before becoming a surrendered servant of Christ Jesus, full of agape love. Yesterday, someone shared this video on Facebook. I connected with it on many levels. Be sure and watch it to the end to see how amazingly it sums our week on this blog. (Pause the Playlist before starting the video).

.

~BLESSED~