Leadership

All of us are given a place of leadership (sphere of influence) by God.  Even if it is just to govern our own lives in keeping with his law.  The following verses spoke to me about guarding our thoughts and actions in relationship to people so that we may be a help rather than an hindrance to them.

Lamentations 1-2:19; Philemon 1-25; Psalm 101:1-8; Proverbs 26:20 (Common English Bible)

Let this verse be a warning whenever you are tempted to water down the truth that would set a friend or loved one free.  If God gives you a warning for a brother or sister in Christ give it in love.  Just imagine you are sitting in the back of your friends car as they back out.  Your friend is distracted and you are watching them heading straight for a tree.  Wouldn't you yell stop?

Lam 2:14 Your prophets gave you worthless and empty visions.
They didn’t reveal your sin so as to prevent your captivity.
Instead, they showed you worthless and incorrect prophecies.

Let this also be a warning whenever you are tempted to tell people what to do rather than asking them.  Put your faith in God's ability to take care of all your needs.

Philemon 8 Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to command you to do the right thing, 9 I would rather appeal to you through love.

Be careful to ask the hard questions so as to really know the people that will be giving you counsel and doing work on your behalf.  Be in constant communication with those that you will be leaning on as to how they are dealing with sin in their lives.  For we all fall at times.  Yet broken people often forget to be restored which leads to secrecy and more sin.  Just as you would not ask a brother to help you move that just broke his arm take not the counsel of a brother in the area where he is struggling.

Psalm 101:6 My eyes focus on those
    who are faithful in the land,
    to have them close to me.
The person who walks without blame
    will work for me.
7 But the person who acts deceitfully
    won’t stay in my house.
The person who tells lies
    won’t last for long before me.

Proverbs 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out;
    without gossips, conflict calms down.

Love Yourself Today

Is it on your list of things to do today?  Do you have a plan to show yourself favor, grace and care?  Will you push yourself a little harder than you did yesterday?  Will you find one thing about the way you look, act or move that you really like.  We live in a world focused on self improvement.  Drifting from meloncoly unawareness of what we are doing to self deprication analitical scrutiny.  Neither being the path to rigthiousness.  What does the Bible say we are to dwell on:  What ever is true, lovely and pure..., in so doing we will become those things.

So this day I am not going to let the day get away from me with all it trappings.  I will start it in the word of God seeking to know the Father and praying that he reveal himself to me.  Praying that he point out how I may glorify him in this body of mine.  In an of myself I may have nothing to give to God but clothed in his word and filled with his spirit I am amazing.  Truly amazing, capable of doing great things.  I will shine for him today.

So how can I best love myself?  By letting God step inside me and me step inside of him.

Wild and Dangerous

Wild and dangerous here I am today.  Mostly pleasant and playful but with a sinister edge that says look at me.  Yet quiet and demur as I just want to be comfortable in my clothes.  Daring and dashing on the inside.  Full of class and charm as I dance dances and leap amazing leaping inside the recesses of my soul.  For this body is tired, and worn but the heart goes on strong as if it were a new born baby yet with all the knowledge that life has brought it.  Never brought low by the limitations this body, time and space has put on it.  Now free as a bird within me I can fly.  Yes, grand like a bird.  Cry and ocean of tears and them laugh a thousand laughs.  Making others giggle with delight with funny faces, silly gestures and crazy notions.  I am all of this full to the brim this day teaming on the inside with bounds of energy, only limited by this body my home.  Yet this limitation is not going to stop me for I can sew, paint, write and dream.  For this body will not always be my home.  One day I will fly for sure.  One day my Father will call me home to a grand body with no limits.  That day will be amazing yet for today I am thankful to be here to watch all those that are young explore who they are to be.  To learn more, be more and love more that this life can hold.