BLESS THE BULLIES

Posted on January 9, 2014 by randscallawayffm

Wait, what??

“If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.” Romans 12:14, NLT

Yep, that’s what it says…bless those who persecute you because you are striving to live the Christian life. Does this happen? Yes, every day. Bullies are people who hurt because they have been hurt. “Misery loves company” is a pretty fair statement for this type of person. “I don’t have what you have in your life, so I have the need to hurt you” is part of this thinking as they persecute with pranks, mean words, sarcasm or worse still leaving you out and ignoring you. It’s all a form of bullying you to think more like they think…like the world thinks.

HOW do we bless the bullies in our lives?

Jesus, while here on earth tells us how and teaches from the mountain top, “You have heard that the law of Moses says, ‘If an eye is injured, injure the eye of the person who did it. If a tooth gets knocked out, knock out the tooth of the person who did it.’ BUT I SAY, don’t resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too. If you are ordered to court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.” 
Matthew 5:38-41, NLT

Jesus goes on to say, “You have heard that the law of Moses says ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. BUT I SAY, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” 
Matthew 5:43-45, NLT

If we pray God will bless them, then maybe the hurt they are experiencing that is passed on to you, will be healed and come to God through Jesus Christ! Either way, we do not strike back, we pray God’s blessings over them. This isn’t easy, but necessary to living as “true children of God”. We cannot allow bullies to bring us down. Our prayer is to lift them up, not to where we are but where God is, so He can deal with them as His creation. 

I’m going through this right now, so believe me, this teaching is challenging but necessary. Who do I want to be? God’s child who lets Him take care of the persecutor or one who joins in the persecution? I choose Christ. I choose Life. 

Hurting people hurt people. Don’t let it be me.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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HELP BRINGS HOPE!

Posted on January 8, 2014 by randscallawayffm

HELP

“When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.” Romans 12:13, NLT

HELP BRINGS HOPE
Helping out has been most evident through the snow, ice and extreme temperatures over the past few days where we live. There have been many opportunities to act on this verse of God’s Word. Many have frozen pipes, some without heat and had to move in with others. Little to big things have occurred that required help from other people. When hope wavered and people were at a loss to know what to do next, we saw many people step up to help out. Help brings hope.

Most of us are such independent people, that we try to go about life, not matter what happens, all by ourselves. God’s Word, His wisdom speaking to us in conversation, tells us we need each other. Stuff will happen. Sometimes we need help. We were created to help AND to receive help when needed. We are not to take advantage of this help but pass the help on to others when we have been helped. Yes, help brings hope.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for bringing Your Word to us to teach us. May Your Word become so much a part of us that we DO IT without thinking of the consequences or rewards, we just DO IT. We do not need certain gifts, just the ability to obey You by helping where it is needed. Give us wisdom, insight and understanding to do this well. In Jesus Name, Amen

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GOT HOPE? READ AND BE ENCOURAGED!

Posted on January 7, 2014 by randscallawayffm

GOD CARES ENOUGH TO HAVE A PLAN

We continually work hard to wrap our brains around just how much our God, our Heavenly Father, cares for us. He cares for you, yes you, personally. He does the same for me and every other person he has created and allowed to walk this earth, this temporary home of ours. Amazing! Just think about that for a bit.

Have you thought about that? Now try to ponder and meditate on how much God KNOWS us, inside and out, every thought before we think it, “knew us in the dark womb” before we were even born. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what we will say, even before the words form in our brain and fall out through our lips. He knows. He is all knowing. And with HIM all things are possible.

Are you full of hope, yet? Now consider this next passage in Romans 12 (those of you that read this every day know that we are taking this verse by verse!),

“Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.” Romans 12:12, NLT

Let’s take this slowly…
1. HE CARES FOR YOU AND ME.
2. HE KNOWS US BETTER THAN WE KNOW OURSELVES.
3. GOD IS PLANNING SOMETHING JUST FOR YOU AND ME!

Gentlemen, (and ladies), START YOUR ENGINES! How can we not feel loved and cherished? Is the excitement building for you? It is for me. By His Grace, Mercy, Unconditional Love, His Power that resurrected Jesus Christ his Son, is all woven into this caring, knowing and planning…just for each of us. WOW!

A quick visit to Psalm 32:8 feeds our enthusiasm this morning,

“The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” AND “…unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD” (Ps 32:10)

REASON FOR JOY!!

“SO, rejoice in the LORD and be glad all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!” (Psalm 32:11)

Dear Heavenly Father, As we think about all You are and all You have done, what You know, how much You care and love us, we are humbled and amazed. We understand how amazing You are and are full of gratitude and praise. We are living expectantly on You. 
Thank you, Lord…just thank you! 
In Jesus Name, Amen

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A FAMILY MEMORY…

Posted on January 6, 2014 by randscallawayffm

A FAMILY MEMORY….

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A FAMILY MEMORY…

Posted on January 6, 2014 by randscallawayffm

BE ENTHUSIASTIC!

“Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.” Romans 12:11, NLT

Making a task fun goes way back to my grandparents who’s attitudes about work was passed on to me. My grandpa worked his farm as if it were child’s play. At least, that’s what I saw because I saw the joy before i saw the sweat. Grandpa loved his animals, the work involved to keep them fed and protected and he loved being outside. He stocked his ponds with fish. He built a dock so we could fish from it. He bought Shetland ponies for us to ride. He grew strawberries for pies and cakes which grandma loved making. He and grandma raised chickens for “Sunday after church Fried Chicken”. She also was infamous for her biscuits, which I still try and fail to achieve.

Grandpa was also a carpenter, but not just any carpenter who worked at cabinet building. He was a creative carpenter. A “client” would hand him a picture or drawing or just tell him what they wanted and he “came up with it” every time…and he loved doing it. Did I see the sweat and hard work behind all this? Not at first. I only saw the joy.

When our church “in the city” of Oklahoma City decided to buy land in the suburbs of Midwest City, he became the “contractor” and did all the inside carpentry work to save money for this tremendous building project with a relatively small band of people. When people of the congregation would come by, he would take them around, working alone most days, to show them the progress…smiling through the sweat and sawdust on his face. His face, his twinkling eyes and smile is still in my memory. He worked his farm, his carpentry business and helped to build a church, enthusiastically, “as to the Lord” (as another translation says it). Lazy he was not!

This verse of few, but powerful words, brings back a flood of memories of the person who taught me to serve with the Lord enthusiastically, no matter what the job or task was, smile and be happy, humbled even, for the opportunity to do it. That’s what grandpa (and grandma) modeled for me. And I am grateful.

What do we learn? Enthusiasm comes from a grateful heart, mind and soul for what God provides for us to do, to be a part of, to build, to clean, no matter what the job is…do it with a smile…through the sweat of the brow.

Dear Heavenly Father, 
Thank you for this conversation with You this morning. You have reminded me, (with a great memory), that our enthusiasm for the work is as vital as the work itself. Continue to bless us with opportunities to serve and we will do it with a smile. 

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DON’T PRETEND!

Posted on January 4, 2014 by randscallawayffm

DON’T PRETEND!.

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DON’T PRETEND!

Posted on January 4, 2014 by randscallawayffm

“Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” 
Romans 12:9-10, NLT

These verses shout out to us this morning. Trust is a real issue for all of us in today’s world. Can we love without trust? When someone betrays our confidence, do we stop loving them? When a best friend lets you done, not doing what they said they would, do we stop loving? When the church lets us down, do we stop loving her people? When family hurts with words, for whatever reason, do we stop loving? These are hard questions to consider. 

What leaps of the page and into my heart are the words REAL, GENUINE and DON’T PRETEND! There is so much pretending in the world. We pretend ourselves at times. We even try to justify our pretense with “bless their heart”, they don’t know what they’re doing. But do we love, really love…even though we have many reasons not to love? My prayer is that we do continue to love even though we cannot trust at the moment.

We can hate what is wrong and take a stand…but we must love. We don’t have to fully trust another human, but we must love them. God does the same for us. We mess up, we fail Him or disappoint Him in what we say, or do, but He still loves us…REALLY loves us. He even takes delight in honoring us with blessings undeserved, not worked for and unexpected, not because who we think we are. And we thank God for that! 

HOW do we do this? We need to strive to love like God. We need to love with GENUINE affection, honoring others over ourselves, for this is REAL love without pretense. No fake love. I want to be counted on as one who loves, not matter what. Don’t you?

Dear Heavenly Father,
Your message in Your Word is never easy and always profound. Thank you for the reminder to love like You love. We are not as perfect as You and Your love for us, but You have given us a standard and model in Jesus Christ. Thank you for Your sacrificial love for us and Your delightful blessings along the journey here.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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DO IT WELL!

Posted on January 3, 2014 by randscallawayffm

DO IT WELL!.

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DO IT WELL!

Posted on January 3, 2014 by randscallawayffm

But first, what is IT?

At the beginning of each new year we are bombarded with setting goals to lose weight, change our ways, and generally expect more from ourselves than humanly possible. The older I get, the more amusing all the commercials are to me. I have become hardened to their message. I even make fun of them. We cannot change a million things about us all at once. But because the world tells to do just that, we try. We fail and become discouraged and think even less of ourselves and our own abilities. Well, take heart! The Bible, God’s conversation with us, says the opposite…not surprising, is it?

“God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” (Romans 12:6, NLT)

Let’s stop right there and think about this in depth. GOD has given. It is from Him. HE has created in us certain abilities. AND to DO them well. It comes from the heart and mind of God to you. To me. We don’t create, magically conjure up or work hard to get these abilities. GOD, Himself put these into our very being along with the ability to do them well. If I sound redundant, I am. Sometimes I have to say this over and over to get this concept to soak in. IT is what God put in me (and you). So, let Him have His way with us. 

Simply put…Just do what God has given you and I to do…WELL. So that at the end, God will say, WELL DONE!

God’s message goes on to say…
“SO if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. 

If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. IF you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. 

IF you gift is to encourage others, DO IT! 

IF you have money share it generously. 

IF God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. 

AND if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, DO IT gladly.” Romans 12:6-8, NLT (Emphasis mine along with the separation so we would think about each one.) NOTE that God does not say to work at attaining ALL these gifts and abilities. He does not expect that of us…so why do we?

Randy and I are embarking on a new ministry to married couples called “PROJECT:MarriageRemodel.com”. We have been led by God, given “certain abilities” by Him, to do a new work, and we are striving to do it well. This will launch very soon. We are partnering with a hotel owner to do this. The hotel owner has his “certain abilities” that God has given him. We are excited about what God is doing already in us, through this partnership. 

The Importance of Affirmation…
Our partner asked us to get words of endorsements or testimonials of our integrity and worth to do this work to post on the new web site. WOW, that task has been an incredible affirmation for us and reminded me how important it is to affirm each other in our God-given abilities. We will keep on DOING IT WELL with this important element of affirmation that keeps us striving for God’s best in and through us. 

God’s message of hope and encouragement today? 
“God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” 
Go with it…in 2014.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for designing us with certain things to do well. Thank you for the reminders that EVERYONE of us has been blessed in this way. May we see ourselves and others more through YOUR eyes and less like the world sees us. And, oh Lord, don’t ever let us forget to affirm and encourage each other. In Jesus Name, Amen

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WE ARE VALUABLE FOR OTHERS

Posted on January 2, 2014 by randscallawayffm

WE ARE VALUABLE FOR OTHERS.

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