The Waiting Game

Let's face it....
None of us like to wait.
Red lights, stop signs, waiting rooms at doctor's offices, check out lines, traffic jams, and the list goes on.
We live in, as my pastor used to say, a "Jiffy-Pop" Generation.
We want everything now, now, NOW.
 We feel like we have to obtain so much in so little time and we will stop at nothing to achieve it.  

This mentality may not seem like such a big deal to some (after all our time is precious), but it is slowly weakening our society and causing us to not receive the full scope of blessings that God is wanting and willing to bestow upon us if we just WAIT on Him!

We need to quit asking

Why
Aren't
I 
There

And start asking

Why
Ain't
It
Time

God can see the bigger picture, when all we can see is what is right in front of our face.
Meaning He not only knows what has happened, but also what is happening and what will happen.

The Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11 that He knows the plans He has for us and that.

When God tells us to wait, He isn't doing so to be mean, He is doing so out of love. Because He knows what is best.

There are many reasons God might ask you to wait, but here are a few :
1) When we wait, we are strengthened 
2) When we wait, our faith is increased
3) When we wait, God gets the glory for what happens
4) When we wait, we get the best that God has to offer

Let me take the time to give you 2 examples from scripture.

First, I believe the story of Noah is a great example of the benefits that come from not only waiting but working while you wait.

You see, the people of the earth were extremely wicked in the Days of Noah. This wickedness grieved the heart of God and He decided He would destroy them all in 120years, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:1-8). God instructed Noah to build an ark and Noah did just as God instructed him (vs 6:14-22). When the time came Noah, his family, and 2 of every kind of animal boarded the ark. It then rained for 40 days and 40 nights, every living thing on the earth perished, and the waters remained upon the earth for 150 days (Chapter 7). When the waters subsided, Noah and all the living creatures on the arc walked out onto dry land (vs 8:18-19).

Can you imagine what was going through Noah's mind? God has just told him that the earth was going to FLOOD! it had never rained before and now God is telling him to build a giant ark because waters was going to fall from the sky and shoot up from the ground.
On top of that, it took Noah nearly 120 YEARS! And not only did it take 120 years to build, it rained for 40 days/nights and it took 150 days for the waters to dry up.
What if Noah decided after the first 100 years or so to stop waiting for the rain to happen and in turn quit building the ark? What if he didn't wait the 150 days for the waters to go down and tried to get off the ark early?
God had a plan to save Noah and his family. By waiting on God and doing as God instructed, Noah's family was spared the judgment of that time and God made a covenant with him that he would never flood the earth again.

That's what happens when we wait, but what if we decide that we know better than God?
What if we don't trust Him enough to what on His timing and end up trying to fulfill His promises by our own means?

For that, I believe the story of Abraham would make a great scriptural example.

God promised Abraham a son and Abraham believed God (Genesis 15), but when Sarah did not conceive in her time frame she convinced Abraham to sleep with Hagar the handmaid and Hagar conceived a child (vs 16:1-4). 
Some times passed and both Abraham and Sarah continued to age. God returned to Abraham and confirmed His covenant with him that Sarah would have a child, but Abraham questioned God and laughed (vs 17:15-17) as did Sarah, but God assured them both that nothing is impossible for Him and Sarah would conceive at the right time (vs 18: 10-15). Then at God's set time, Sarah did have a child and his name was Isaac (vs 21:1-5).

What would have happened had Abraham and Sarah kept their faith that God would have them conceive and waited on Him instead of trying to do their own thing?
Can you imagine the sibling rivalry between Hagar's son (Ishmael) and Sarah's son (Isaac)?
Both are now to be the father's of great nations, but only Isaac is a part of the covenant between God and Abraham which included a large area of land, "The Promised Land", which the Israelites (the descendants of Isaac) and the Arabs (the descendants of Ishmael) still fight over today. *See Map Below*   

Now, I'm not saying that a child is ever a mistake or to be blamed for the mistakes of their parents, but just think about how much less war there would have been through out history had Abraham and Sarah remained patient and had faith that the Lord was going to do what He said he was going to do.

The idea of waiting can strike fear into even the strongest Christian's heart.
Satan likes to whisper in our ears things like "God has forgotten about you" and"There has to be an easier/quicker way."
But the truth is these are all lies designed to make us lose our faith in God and His timing. To cause us to stumble and to fall.

I love the words to the song "Four Days Late" (you can listen to it here). I first heard that piece when Aaron Wilburn sang it for my church a few years back.
The song recounts the story Lazarus (John 11:1-44).
The chorus goes:

"But You're four days late And all hope is gone 

Lord we don't understand why you've waited so long 

But His way is God's way 

Not yours or mine 

When He's four days late 

He's still on time"

When Lazarus became sick, his sister's called for Jesus to come and heal him. 

Jesus decided to stay where He was for 2 more days before going to Judea. 

He told his disciples that Lazarus had died, but that He was glad that He was not there so that others may believe. 

When they arrived to Judea, Mary told Jesus that had he been there Lazarus would not have died. Which is true, had Jesus been there, He could have healed the sickness.  But by waiting til death had come upon him, Jesus was able to perform an even greater miracle!

Jesus asked where the body was laid and was directed to the tomb and instructed them the remove the stone. 

He shouted in a loud voice, "Lazarus, Come Forth". 

And the dead was raised to life and walked out of the tomb alive. 

And the Bible is FULL of examples like these!

Joseph waited while he was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit and eventually became the second in command over Egypt. 

Job waited many many years for God's justice

Paul was imprisoned for preaching the gospel, waited in the cell (while SINGING PRAISES)

Simeon waited patiently to see the Christ child, because he was promised that he would see Him before he died.

Christians wait patiently for the second coming of Christ

And the most important example of all.....

Jesus "stands at the door and knocks" waiting patiently for all to come to salvation because it is not his desire that any should perish but that all should come to life.

Waiting may not be something we like to do, but it is necessary.

Because anything worth having is worth waiting for. 

And anything God makes you wait for, His going to be the absolute best He has to offer.

But waiting doesn't have to be boring! Waiting doesn't have to mean your entire life is put on hold!

Worship while you wait.

Work while you wait.

Rest while you wait.

Learn while you wait.

Reflect while you wait.

Pray while you wait.

Study while you wait.

Keep the faith while you wait.

And most importantly don't listen to the devil when he tries to deceive you while you are waiting. 

And when your time comes and your wait is over....

Thank God for what He has done.

Praise Him. Worship Him. 

And use your experience to help and encourage others who are in their season of wait. 

The waiting game is no fun, but the results can go beyond your wildest dreams!

"But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31

Live....Laugh....Love

Until Next Time, 

Racheal <3 

Do Unto Others

Hello readers (if you are there?)!
Long time no see... or type/read....

I know that it has been awhile and I apologize for that.  I could go into a long explanation of what has been going on in my personal life, but you probably wouldn't care to read that since this blog isn't technically my "diary", so I'll just stick with my apology and five straight into the post that has me logging in today after what seems like ages!


The topic I've chosen for today is serving and helping others.

Most of us have heard of the "Golden Rule", and if you haven't, it's basically "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you".

Some people have twisted it to say "do unto others as they do unto you" or my personal favorite "do unto others before they do unto you"

Some people are so afraid to lend a helping hand because they believe it may show a sign of weakness or that people may come to expect the help and take advantage of the hospitality given them.

But the truth is that when we deny someone the need they have, we may be denying ourselves a blessing that God is ready to pour out on us.

The Bible says in Matthew 10:42 (HCSB),
                "And whoever gives just a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple --I assure you: He will never lose his reward!"


And also in Hebrews 13:2 (HCSB),
               "Don't neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it."

You may be thing to yourself, "I do good to others, but nothing good ever happens to me."

Well, let me ask you 2 simple question then:

1) Are you serving with the right intentions?
and 
2) Are you serving with the right attitude?

If you said no to either question above, then there is the very reason. And if you don't know the right intentions and altitude to have while serving, let me explain.   

When we serve others we are not suppose to do it just so we can get something me want.  
When someone asks us to do them a favor, we are sometimes so quick to ask the famous question... "what's in it for me?"
Which in turn turns and service we may help them with into self service. While we may be doing something for someone, we are ultimately just doing it to benefit ourselves.
What would have happened to our eternal salvation had Jesus asked His Father, "What's in it for me?", when  the time came upon Him to die for our race?
Honestly, He is God and He can do whatever He wants, and there is NOTHING we could in our human power to pay Him back for what He did for us.
So in the same respect, we should be willing to help others who in their power can not repay us.
Which is what is said in Luke 6:34-35 (HCSB),
                "And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil."
(And just on a side note... look at the last sentence of the verse above again.... just because they aren't grateful or they aren't the best person, that isn't a reason to be unloving and hardhearted)

And also, when we serve others we are to do so without complaints and without boasting 
1 Peter 4:9 (HCSB) says, 
            "Be hospitable to one another without complaining."
Pretty self-explanatory if you ask me....
And Matthew 6:2 (HCSB) warns us against boasting to others about our good deeds, 
             "So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. I assure you: They’ve got their reward!"
(And just from the context, I don't think the reward mentioned is a very good one..... FYI, just saying!)

 So, I guess what is all boils down to is just being humble and willing to move when God says move. 
You never  know 100% what another human being is going through, but God does. 
You never know which strangers on the street are searching fora hand to hold.
You never know who is on the edge and needs to be shown the love of a Savior. 
You never know if what you have to say and/or do can be the exact thing someone needs to hear and/or see to either turn back to Christ or accept Him into their life for the very first time. 
And when we take a step back and realize that everything we say and do has a consequence (good of bad), then we realize just how important our actions, attitudes, and words are. 
  
God could do it all Himself if He wanted to, but He chooses to use us instead. He chooses to use us to help bring His will about.  
And if you ask me, to be used by God is reward enough. 

Live...Laugh...Love...SERVE
Until Next Times, 
Racheal <3

The Glass House

Read the following scenario, and asks yourself this...does this sound like something I would do?
 
 "Look at her...
Look at her perfect little dress. In her perfect little body. Kissing her perfect loving husband. And hugging her perfect little kids....
She always seems so happy!
Why can't that be my life??"


 How many of us have thought that to ourselves before?

We see a picture of what we claim is "perfection" and we begin to desire it.

We question,
Why can't I be that small?
Why can't I own that dress?
Why can't my kids behave like her's?
Why can't my husband be that sweet and caring?

But what we fail to realize is...
What we see, may not be the entire picture. What we see is only a small glimpse into what that woman's life is really like.
Maybe that sweet and caring husband is physically abusive behind closed doors.
Maybe those children are so well-mannered because they are afraid of being beaten...again...
Maybe she is so small because she can barely afford to feed herself, and maybe that dress was a hand me down from some good Samaritan. 
Maybe she always seems so happy, because she plasters on a fake smile to avoid being asked what's wrong...
Maybe she can't tell anyone about her hidden life because the man destroying her has the job and source of income that is keeping her and her children alive.

If you saw that side of the picture, would you still want to live her life?

The truth is, we only see the side of people that they want us to see. And face it, some people are better at hiding things than you think.

(BUT, maybe that's not the case.
Maybe their life really is THAT good...
Even then...jealousy and covetousness is a sin....ok, that's another post...what was i saying again? oh yea...)

The best thing we can do for anyone is pray for them.
Even if you truly believe their life is already perfect, pray for them.
Everyone is fighting some type of battle.
Everyone is dealing with the consequences of some bad desicion they have made (or the consequences of a bad decision someone else has made).
Everyone is struggling to win an invisible spiritual battle.
It may not be the same as the one you are fighting, but they are fighting one.

We aren't God. We don't have supernatural abilities to see through walls, and we definitely don't have the supernatural ability to look inside someone's heart.

The Bible even tells us in I Samuel 16:7,
          That man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 

So the next time you feel like you have the right to judge someone because of what they decide to let you see, think again.
And think about your own life. Do you let everyone see every aspect of your life? Or do you do the exact same thing that other woman is doing? Are you putting on a fake front?

I guess in a round-about way what I'm trying to say is,
1) things are not always as they appear
2) everyone is fighting some type of battle
3) prayer is the most effective way to deal with every situation in life
4) yea, I got nothing else, I just like type lists out :)

And to close out, let me share with you a story that I have seen pop up recently all over the place.
I believe it really drives the idea of the post home:

"See that boy doing his homework in homeroom? … He couldn’t do it last night because he was too busy talking his best friend out of suicide. See that girl, with her face caked in make up? … She’s bullied, she needs to feel beautiful. See him, the one who wears long sleeves everyday? … He covers his arms to hide the scars. See her, with the cheap, hand-me-down clothes? … Her family can’t afford food for half the month, let alone get brand names. See the girl who laughs and smiles at every little thing? … She cries herself to sleep every night. Wonder why she never lets her friends over her house? … Because she’s afraid they’ll see her dad passed out drunk on the floor, as always. See how that girl cringes at rape jokes? … She was raped. See the boy who everyone goes to for advice? … He wishes someone would do the same for him. See the girl who never brings a lunch? … She’s disgusted by her body. See her, with the little waist? … She goes to the bathroom and forces herself to throw up so that she can keep her waist that way. See the boy over there, see the dark circles under his eyes? … He has insomnia, he fears what he’ll see in his dreams. See that girl daydreaming over there? … She has schizophrenia. See the boy biting his nails? … He has cancer and he’s wondering how much time he has left. See your best friend? … She’s addicted to drugs, but she can’t tell you because you wont understand. See that boy reading all about 9/11? … His parents died on that day. See her, with her phone on her at all times? … She’s waiting for a call saying her sister was found after a kidnapping 4 years ago. Don’t judge."

Live..Laugh...Love
Until Next Time,
Racheal <3

Faith Like a Child

Sitting in church this morning, there was the cutest little baby girl in front of me sitting on her daddy's lap.
As i smiled at her and made silly faces at her, I couldn't help but think about the babies in my daycare class.
I miss those little faces so much!

I had movie like flash back memory montage.
The one thing that stuck out the most to me though, was the expression of pure joy and excitement on the babies faces as I would throw them up towards the ceiling and catch them before they would fall and hit the floor.

No sense of fear. No signs of worry.
They had complete faith in me that I would catch them.
No thoughts of danger ever crossed their little minds.


Why?
Well, why should they fear?
I had never dropped them before. Why would they think I would? I loved them and didn't want any harm to come to them.

Then why so often do we, as adults, fear and worry that God is going to drop us? Has He ever before? Will He ever?

He places us on maintain tops, with such beautiful and extraordinary views. Yet instead of enjoying the view God has blessed us with, we live in constant fear of failing.

As we grow up, we begin to question EVERYTHING
We grow out of our child like faith. Be it because someone has hurt us, or because we have hurt ourselves.
Be it because we meet someone with different opinions from our own and we want to know more about what they believe. Be it to fit in. Be it because we came from a torn home and everything/everyone we used to trust has abandoned us. Or be it just because it comes with growing up and exploring our boundaries.

Whatever the reason may be, the fact still remains... we don't have the same faith in humanity that we once did as children.
And we may not have the same faith in our God that we might have once had.

"After all, if people let us down...why wouldn't God?"
And that's what Satan wants us to believe.
He doesn't want us to have that childlike faith.
He wants us to doubt God's love, doubt God's rules for our lives, and doubt the fact someone as perfect as Him can love someone as imperfect as us.

We need to learn to break those chains. We need to not listen to the lies Satan forces down our throats, and believe the words of the Savior.

We need to...believe it or not... revert back to our childhood...
Not in the sense of hiding from monsters under our bed or playing in forts while drinking chocolate milk and coloring, but in the sense of complete and utter belief in and surrender to our Father...our heavenly Father.

Jesus during His earthly ministry refereed to the children and to their faith during one of His sermons~

Mark 10:13-16 
             People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.

Just like a child deep down believes that his earthy father is doing what's best for him (even if he doesn't want to or doesn't see it at the moment), so we need to believe that our heavenly Father is doing what He is doing for the betterment of ourselves and for His glory.

When we fall, we need to believe He will catch us.
When we screw up, we need to believe that He will forgive us.
When we make Him angry, we need to believe that He still loves us.
And when we feel like we can't continue on anymore, we need to believe that He will lovingly pick us up and carry is till we regain the strength to continue on on our own 2 feet.

We need to trust like we have never been lied to.
Even though we may have been, it wasn't God...so why take it out on Him?

So cuddle up to Him in prayers. Sit on His lap and talk to Him. Cry on His almighty shoulder.
You may not be A child anymore, but you will always be HIS child :)

"The more we know of God, the more unreservedly we will trust him; the greater our progress in theology, the simpler and more childlike will be our faith."

 Live...Laugh...Love...
Until Next Time,
Racheal <3

Numerical Identity

Am I the only one that feels like the more the world technologically evolves, the more it personally regresses? 

I mean think about.
In most scenarios, we as people are no longer defined by our names and character traits, instead we are defined by certain specific designated numerical sequences. 

The government identifies us by our social sercurty.
The urgent care office by our medical records number.
The bank by our account/card number.
The highway patrol by our driver's license number.
The insurance company by our policy number.
The cell phone company by our phone number.
To the credit card company by our credit score.
To the school teacher by our grades.

That is just a few of the many examples that could be listed. And without these numbers, it would be quite hard to accomplish anything. 

This may not seem like a big deal to some of you, it didnt to me until today.

It didnt seem like s big deal to me until the following scripture popped into my head.

Revelation 13:16-18 HCSB
"And he requires everyone — small and great, rich and poor, free and slave — to be given a mark  on his right hand or on his forehead,   so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of his name. Here is wisdom:   The one who has understanding must calculate  the number of the beast, because it is the number of a man.  His number is 666."

That passage put the whole idea of numerical indentation in a whole new light to me.

Now, I'm not saying the government is of the devil. And I'm not saying your bank is the anti-christ. What I am getting at though is the fact that the world (in my opinion) is getting closer to, and more ready for the end times and the return of Christ. 
With people already so used to having to have a number for this and a number for that,  it would be a much easier transition for some to to accept this numerical mark of the beast mentioned.

The best way to be prepared to not accept this mark is to not be here. Because I firmly believe that the bible teaches that before it gets to this point, the church will have been raptured up.

So if the church has been raptured, and they are not identified/defined by the number. .. how are they?

The will be be then the same way they are now. Defined by the blood of Christ. Called and identified by their name.

Isaiah 43:1 HCSB
"Now this is what the Lord says — the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel  — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine."

Our God is a personal God. He knows our name and that is what He calls us by.

In a society of numeric labels and defining factors, we may allow ourselves to feel like... well just number and nothing else. We may begin to feel like we are nothing more than another statistic or tally mark on the wall. Worthless. Not good enough. Invisible. Unimportant. But that is not the case.

Always remember that when God looks at you, he doesnt see what the world sees. He doesnt see what the devil sees.
He sees a precious and extremely valuable human being with a soul whom He loves, and whom He is willing to sacrifice His only Son for.
He sees John.... Carrie... Mary...James...Peter... Jessica... Amy...
He sees me, Racheal.
And He sees you, whoever you are.

He sees you and he loves you!

Live...Laugh...Love
Until Next Time,
Racheal <3