You know how you hear a song, and for whatever reason, you just can’t seem to get the song out of your head? Well, unfortunately, I’ve had a few times when the wrong song has played like a broken record in my head, and I just couldn’t switch the off button. However, a few weeks ago I heard a Fred Hammond worship song that resonated with me in a way that surprised me because of its simplicity. The song simply says over and over again, “Lord, we love you. You are good.” Then it goes on to say, “Lord we thank you. You are good,” and “Lord, we praise you. You are good.” I am so blessed to have that song hard-wired into my brain and spirit lately.
Things have been so chaotic, unsure, and downright scary lately.
Bleak circumstances can cause us to question God if we’re not careful. Although I never voiced it, questions have swirled through my mind. Is He still here? Does He care? Is He really good?
I’m going to be real. I was cleaning the toilet (I know, I know), and I started humming the melody to the Fred Hammond song. On a side note, we have really hard water, and I have three boys—let’s just say toilet cleaning is not a pretty job in my house. Anyway, I started to sing, “Lord, I love you. You are good.” I sang it over and over again, and without warning, I felt the weight of the pressure I had been under slowly release. I still kept struggling with the toilet, but tears streamed down my face. God assured me and reminded me that He is good—even in the situations where we might think that surely God can’t be in the midst. He met me right where I was that day, and He can meet each one of us in any place, circumstance, or condition. No place is off limits for Him to meet us there.
Nahum 1:7 says, “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” The assurance that the Lord is good and we can hold onto Him and His Word in times of trouble is so comforting. He knows those of us who trust in Him. In Psalms 107:1, the psalmist says, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.” Then, on down to the eighth verse, the psalmist continues, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness.” Countless times in scripture, we are reminded of the goodness of God.
However, we have to be so mindful not to just praise God just over the blessings He gives to us. Our praise and worship has to be grounded out of our love for Him and for His goodness. Regardless of what bad or difficult situation we may find ourselves in, God is still good.
Whether you’re scrubbing a dirty toilet, literally or figuratively, God is good. He loves you. He cares. He’s sovereign. He’s in control, no matter what it looks like. Psalms 31:19 says, “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” I can’t even begin to imagine what God has in store for those who give Him reverence, those who trust in Him. He pours His goodness into us when we trust in Him. We know He’s done it, not always by the situation changing, but by how we are changed.
God’s peace, joy, love and kindness and other fruits of the Spirit strengthen and bless others as well as ourselves when we worship Him with all of our hearts. It doesn’t matter where we are, how we feel, or what is or isn’t going well, God is good. I’m so thankful that I serve a good God who never changes, and I’m praying that you worship Him today and always for His goodness, love and mercy towards us.
Blessings and Love,
MaRita
Showing posts with label house cleaning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house cleaning. Show all posts
Monday, May 2, 2011
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
To Be Real
My sons bring me great joy on a daily basis, but there is one consistent thorn in my side when it comes to them. They can be messy. After their daily chores, I’ve had occasions when I’ve gone to inspect their room, and it looks pretty good on the outside. However, after opening the closet, I’ve discovered chaos. At times, it has seemed that everything that they had been instructed them to clean up had been carelessly throw into the closet, under the bed, and into the drawers. Even their beds that had appeared to be made up, under closer examination had visible lumps, letting me know that only the top comforter was put on correctly. Sometimes, our spiritual lives can be just like this.
Many times, we can lose focus if we’re not careful. We may start off with good intentions, but lose sight of the big picture. Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah when he says to the scribes and Pharisees, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouths, and honorouth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8). Clearly, you can do the right thing with the wrong motives, and it is useless before God. He will not accept an insincere heart, regardless of how many good deeds we perform, how many scriptures we know or church services we attend.
Over the years I’ve had opportunities to meet fellow authors, musicians, and singers. There have been too many times that I’ve been blessed by an author’s novel or blessed by a singer’s song—only to talk to them and find them to be rude, impatient, or insincere with others. This is hypocrisy. We represent Christ, and regardless of how we may feel, we have to uphold a standard and that standard is our instruction in the Bible. We are to love, to show patience and kindness towards one another, whether we are having a good day or not. II Corinthians 3:2 says, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of men.” To quote my pastor, “Somebody is watching you—whether you realize it or not.”
Jesus addresses the Pharisees and their ability to follow the details of the law but omit “the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.” He tells them that they “strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel,” and says, “for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess” (Matthew 23: 24-25). Jesus continues, “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:28).
This will surely seem too simple and elementary for many, but it is so basic that I’m afraid that Satan deceives many into thinking they’re righteous when they’re far from it. I get angry thinking about how many people do things in the name of ministry, but they’re sincere desire is to take advantage of God’s people. Wealth, power, and prestige can be wonderful blessings and by-products from abiding in the vine of Jesus Christ. However, sincere motives and a pure, clean heart before God should always be the foundation from which we operate.
How do we cleanse ourselves from the inside out? It’s very simple. We have to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is our savior. We must read the Word and obey it. We must live surrendered lives before Him. We must abide in the vine. John 15:3 says, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” Apart from the vine, there is no real life, no real power, no real peace, and yes, there is no real way to be cleansed.
I am not all that He would have for me to be, but I am so grateful that through relationship with Him, He shows me myself. I know what Jeremiah meant in Lamentations by saying that His mercies are new every morning. Everyday when I wake up, I have another chance to live for Him, glorify Him, and thank Him for his cleansing and forgiving power.
If you haven’t been real with Him, I pray that you will drop any selfish motives or cares that would separate you from Him. The Word says that he already knows our hearts, so just ask Him to forgive you and surrender your all to Him today. He loves you, and He cares.
Blessings and Love,
MaRita
Follow the blog at www.MaRitaTeague.net , www.MaRitaTeague.blogspot.com , or join the Abiding in the Vine Facebook group page.
Many times, we can lose focus if we’re not careful. We may start off with good intentions, but lose sight of the big picture. Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah when he says to the scribes and Pharisees, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouths, and honorouth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8). Clearly, you can do the right thing with the wrong motives, and it is useless before God. He will not accept an insincere heart, regardless of how many good deeds we perform, how many scriptures we know or church services we attend.
Over the years I’ve had opportunities to meet fellow authors, musicians, and singers. There have been too many times that I’ve been blessed by an author’s novel or blessed by a singer’s song—only to talk to them and find them to be rude, impatient, or insincere with others. This is hypocrisy. We represent Christ, and regardless of how we may feel, we have to uphold a standard and that standard is our instruction in the Bible. We are to love, to show patience and kindness towards one another, whether we are having a good day or not. II Corinthians 3:2 says, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of men.” To quote my pastor, “Somebody is watching you—whether you realize it or not.”
Jesus addresses the Pharisees and their ability to follow the details of the law but omit “the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.” He tells them that they “strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel,” and says, “for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess” (Matthew 23: 24-25). Jesus continues, “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:28).
This will surely seem too simple and elementary for many, but it is so basic that I’m afraid that Satan deceives many into thinking they’re righteous when they’re far from it. I get angry thinking about how many people do things in the name of ministry, but they’re sincere desire is to take advantage of God’s people. Wealth, power, and prestige can be wonderful blessings and by-products from abiding in the vine of Jesus Christ. However, sincere motives and a pure, clean heart before God should always be the foundation from which we operate.
How do we cleanse ourselves from the inside out? It’s very simple. We have to believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is our savior. We must read the Word and obey it. We must live surrendered lives before Him. We must abide in the vine. John 15:3 says, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” Apart from the vine, there is no real life, no real power, no real peace, and yes, there is no real way to be cleansed.
I am not all that He would have for me to be, but I am so grateful that through relationship with Him, He shows me myself. I know what Jeremiah meant in Lamentations by saying that His mercies are new every morning. Everyday when I wake up, I have another chance to live for Him, glorify Him, and thank Him for his cleansing and forgiving power.
If you haven’t been real with Him, I pray that you will drop any selfish motives or cares that would separate you from Him. The Word says that he already knows our hearts, so just ask Him to forgive you and surrender your all to Him today. He loves you, and He cares.
Blessings and Love,
MaRita
Follow the blog at www.MaRitaTeague.net , www.MaRitaTeague.blogspot.com , or join the Abiding in the Vine Facebook group page.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Cleaning For Guests or Cleaning For Good?
Have you ever cleaned your house just because you’re expecting company? I’d like to say that my house is always immaculate and that I have never had to run around on a cleaning frenzy when guests are coming. However, I’ve had to do it, and it’s always a pretty sore reminder of what daily work has been neglected. I’ve also noticed that when I clean with the sole motivation that it be nice when guests arrive, it often goes right back to the state it was in before the company. Why? Well, just maybe because the motivation is only temporary.
Our spiritual lives can be the same way if we’re not careful. Our motivation to “clean” up our spiritual lives must develop out of our love for Christ and from our desire to be obedient to Him and His Word. God knows it all. He knows why we do what we do, and we will be measured by not only our actions, but also, or more importantly, by our motivation. For example, some people may go to church, pray, and even fast to get the approval and admiration of others. Some may give money to feed the poor, and many take care of the sick. Others concentrate on reading the Bible with the sole intent on becoming Biblical scholars. All these things are good things to do. However, if the motives for doing these things are not pure and out of our love for Christ, they are all in vain.
While we are cleaning up this year, let’s constantly check our motives. When we identify things in our lives and character that don’t line up with His Word and His will, let’s swiftly act to confess, repent, and do better. Let’s not justify any behavior, words, or deeds that are contrary to His Word. Yes, I understand that our justification comes from Him through our faith, but sin cannot be tolerated by a holy and just God.
David was a man after God’s own heart because of his ability to assess himself, identify his sins, and repent to God. In Psalm 51:2, David says, “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” He recognizes that only God can cleanse him from his sin. He continues, “Behold, thou desireth truth in the inward parts.” David understood that God requires and desires true repentance by being honest with Him, others, and ourselves. God searches every man’s heart, so we must take the time to be honest with ourselves and examine our own.
David explains, “For thou desireth not sacrifice; else I would give it: thou delightest not in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:6-7). We can’t fool God. We can’t simply say we’re sorry and then excuse ourselves for doing the same thing again. True repentance turns away from the sin, and when you confess with a true repentant heart, God is faithful and just to forgive you of all unrighteousness.
Cleaning our spiritual lives up requires us to take inventory of where we are and who we are in Him. Sinful thoughts, acts, and behaviors have to go, much like we toss trash and junk in the garbage. We can’t say, “Well, God knows who I am and how much I can take.” We can’t say, “I can’t help it.” Wherever we fall short, we have a God who will never fail us. He’s given us power to overcome all the tendencies towards sinful actions and thoughts. His Word says that we will be held accountable for every idle word that proceeds out of our mouths.
I pray that none will read this as condemnation because it’s meant to encourage you to get to those secret places where sin may have crept in unaware. It has not been easy to admit some of the areas where I have clearly let Satan get a foothold, but I am grateful because I have the opportunity to repent and do better.
God has expectations from us. He created us to glorify Him and to be the salt and light of the earth. We cannot accomplish this with sin in the camp. Psalm 15:1 says, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in His heart.” Our motivation to clean house shouldn’t be out of fear but out of love and obedience. As the cleaning continues, let’s check our motives. When our motives are right, keeping things clean won’t be temporary, but a lifelong process, preparing and assisting us to bear fruit and live productive lives. Let’s walk upright, be righteous, and be truthful with ourselves and Him with a truly grateful and repentant heart.
Drop me a line on the Abiding in the Vine group page or visit www.MaRitaTeague.blogspot.com I’ve really enjoyed hearing from you all.
Love and Blessings,
MaRita
Our spiritual lives can be the same way if we’re not careful. Our motivation to “clean” up our spiritual lives must develop out of our love for Christ and from our desire to be obedient to Him and His Word. God knows it all. He knows why we do what we do, and we will be measured by not only our actions, but also, or more importantly, by our motivation. For example, some people may go to church, pray, and even fast to get the approval and admiration of others. Some may give money to feed the poor, and many take care of the sick. Others concentrate on reading the Bible with the sole intent on becoming Biblical scholars. All these things are good things to do. However, if the motives for doing these things are not pure and out of our love for Christ, they are all in vain.
While we are cleaning up this year, let’s constantly check our motives. When we identify things in our lives and character that don’t line up with His Word and His will, let’s swiftly act to confess, repent, and do better. Let’s not justify any behavior, words, or deeds that are contrary to His Word. Yes, I understand that our justification comes from Him through our faith, but sin cannot be tolerated by a holy and just God.
David was a man after God’s own heart because of his ability to assess himself, identify his sins, and repent to God. In Psalm 51:2, David says, “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” He recognizes that only God can cleanse him from his sin. He continues, “Behold, thou desireth truth in the inward parts.” David understood that God requires and desires true repentance by being honest with Him, others, and ourselves. God searches every man’s heart, so we must take the time to be honest with ourselves and examine our own.
David explains, “For thou desireth not sacrifice; else I would give it: thou delightest not in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:6-7). We can’t fool God. We can’t simply say we’re sorry and then excuse ourselves for doing the same thing again. True repentance turns away from the sin, and when you confess with a true repentant heart, God is faithful and just to forgive you of all unrighteousness.
Cleaning our spiritual lives up requires us to take inventory of where we are and who we are in Him. Sinful thoughts, acts, and behaviors have to go, much like we toss trash and junk in the garbage. We can’t say, “Well, God knows who I am and how much I can take.” We can’t say, “I can’t help it.” Wherever we fall short, we have a God who will never fail us. He’s given us power to overcome all the tendencies towards sinful actions and thoughts. His Word says that we will be held accountable for every idle word that proceeds out of our mouths.
I pray that none will read this as condemnation because it’s meant to encourage you to get to those secret places where sin may have crept in unaware. It has not been easy to admit some of the areas where I have clearly let Satan get a foothold, but I am grateful because I have the opportunity to repent and do better.
God has expectations from us. He created us to glorify Him and to be the salt and light of the earth. We cannot accomplish this with sin in the camp. Psalm 15:1 says, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in His heart.” Our motivation to clean house shouldn’t be out of fear but out of love and obedience. As the cleaning continues, let’s check our motives. When our motives are right, keeping things clean won’t be temporary, but a lifelong process, preparing and assisting us to bear fruit and live productive lives. Let’s walk upright, be righteous, and be truthful with ourselves and Him with a truly grateful and repentant heart.
Drop me a line on the Abiding in the Vine group page or visit www.MaRitaTeague.blogspot.com I’ve really enjoyed hearing from you all.
Love and Blessings,
MaRita
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Have You Cleaned Your House Lately?
It’s been a while since I’ve last connected with you all. I pray that your new year is off to a blessed beginning.
Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of house cleaning—both in the home I reside in and in my spiritual house. Inevitably, when you begin doing really serious cleaning of any kind, there’s usually a good amount of debris and trash that needs to be discarded. There’s no such thing as cleanliness residing in the midst of mess. It’s either clean or it isn’t. So, as I work, I thought I’d share some things that are helping me to spiritually clean house over the next few devotions.
When I clean, I like to go around the house and sort of scope things out first. Although I see the house daily, it requires a different type of perspective to see what exactly needs to be done to get it clean. For example, on a daily basis I don’t notice the cobwebs that may be in the corners or the dust behind a door. Generally, I overlook this type of examination day to day. Similarly, when we want to clean our spiritual lives, we have to examine ourselves, not neglecting to see ourselves and actions as we really are.
Self-examination is so very important to spiritual growth and maturity, so despite the difficulty in doing this, I can’t get things in order without taking a sincere and honest inventory of what’s going on with me. I’ve even gone as far as writing down some things that I really need to pray about and work on so that I can be used by Him. I no longer want to justify or excuse sinful behavior or thoughts.
After we all do some serious self-examinations, we have to be fully prepared to get rid of things in our character, actions, and spirit that are no like Him. I can be transparent and say that one thing that really challenges me is my quick-temper. When I began to do some self-examination, my quick temper is one thing that I know I need to get rid of. How do I know? I know because having a quick temper is not in line with the Word or God or His will. There are numerous scriptures that speak to this.
For example, James 1:19-20 says, “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” Proverbs 16:32 explains that “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” In addition, Proverbs 25: 28 says that “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” It has been sobering to think that having no self-control leads to having no protection or covering from the Lord.
Meditating on these scriptures and others about being quick-tempered has helped me to identify the behavior when it comes and cast it down. I can admit that it’s still a challenge, but I believe that it is something that I will be delivered from with continued prayer, consecration, and meditation on the Word. As a matter of fact, as I’m typing this, my one year-old insists on typing with from time to time in spite of the fact that he has several lap tops age appropriate for him (ugh!). My initial response to him laughing while pushing the escape button was to raise my voice in anger, but after he climbed back up and pushed it the second time, I remembered what I was writing on, stopped typing and re-directed him with something else. By the way, he’s happily reading an Elmo book and I am not frustrated because I took the time to take control over my emotions.
Whatever issues (attitudes, behaviors, people, thoughts, etc.) you may have that need to be worked on and/or discarded, whether big or small, I am praying that you have the courage and strength to take an honest inventory of your “house” because the Word tells us, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (I Corin. 3:16, 17).
Let’s begin 2010 with no more excuses for being who God wants us to be and doing what He has for us to do. The time to act is now. Ready to clean house with me? Drop me a line and let me know or visit the devotional blog site at MaRitaTeague.blogspot.com or MaRitaTeague.net
Blessings and Love,
MaRita
Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of house cleaning—both in the home I reside in and in my spiritual house. Inevitably, when you begin doing really serious cleaning of any kind, there’s usually a good amount of debris and trash that needs to be discarded. There’s no such thing as cleanliness residing in the midst of mess. It’s either clean or it isn’t. So, as I work, I thought I’d share some things that are helping me to spiritually clean house over the next few devotions.
When I clean, I like to go around the house and sort of scope things out first. Although I see the house daily, it requires a different type of perspective to see what exactly needs to be done to get it clean. For example, on a daily basis I don’t notice the cobwebs that may be in the corners or the dust behind a door. Generally, I overlook this type of examination day to day. Similarly, when we want to clean our spiritual lives, we have to examine ourselves, not neglecting to see ourselves and actions as we really are.
Self-examination is so very important to spiritual growth and maturity, so despite the difficulty in doing this, I can’t get things in order without taking a sincere and honest inventory of what’s going on with me. I’ve even gone as far as writing down some things that I really need to pray about and work on so that I can be used by Him. I no longer want to justify or excuse sinful behavior or thoughts.
After we all do some serious self-examinations, we have to be fully prepared to get rid of things in our character, actions, and spirit that are no like Him. I can be transparent and say that one thing that really challenges me is my quick-temper. When I began to do some self-examination, my quick temper is one thing that I know I need to get rid of. How do I know? I know because having a quick temper is not in line with the Word or God or His will. There are numerous scriptures that speak to this.
For example, James 1:19-20 says, “let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” Proverbs 16:32 explains that “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” In addition, Proverbs 25: 28 says that “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” It has been sobering to think that having no self-control leads to having no protection or covering from the Lord.
Meditating on these scriptures and others about being quick-tempered has helped me to identify the behavior when it comes and cast it down. I can admit that it’s still a challenge, but I believe that it is something that I will be delivered from with continued prayer, consecration, and meditation on the Word. As a matter of fact, as I’m typing this, my one year-old insists on typing with from time to time in spite of the fact that he has several lap tops age appropriate for him (ugh!). My initial response to him laughing while pushing the escape button was to raise my voice in anger, but after he climbed back up and pushed it the second time, I remembered what I was writing on, stopped typing and re-directed him with something else. By the way, he’s happily reading an Elmo book and I am not frustrated because I took the time to take control over my emotions.
Whatever issues (attitudes, behaviors, people, thoughts, etc.) you may have that need to be worked on and/or discarded, whether big or small, I am praying that you have the courage and strength to take an honest inventory of your “house” because the Word tells us, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (I Corin. 3:16, 17).
Let’s begin 2010 with no more excuses for being who God wants us to be and doing what He has for us to do. The time to act is now. Ready to clean house with me? Drop me a line and let me know or visit the devotional blog site at MaRitaTeague.blogspot.com or MaRitaTeague.net
Blessings and Love,
MaRita
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