Tomato Staking and Ephesians 4

I love it when I can see God working so hard on me...when I can clearly see so many pieces being fit together!

Yesterday I decided to Tomato Stake Kyle and Joshua. Kyle has been horrible about tormenting Joshie...and Joshie has been horrible about responding with screaching and whining. So last night I informed them they would be Tomato Staked starting this morning. I'm tired of being frustrated and irritated with them.

Then, David and I discussed the oldest two and their attitudes. I have been thinking that David needed to *get in their faces* to correct them...but he's not *there* yet. And honestly, most of what I want him to handle are things that I tell him about that have happened during the day, rather than things he actually sees or experiences.

So I visited the Godly Tomatoes site this morning. (http://www.raisinggodlytomatoes.com/) And, of course, since this was something God was moving me towards, I got my toes crunched pretty well. :) However...the important thing is that *I* have a way of taking care of things without trying to get (read - manipulate) David into taking care of for me. (Not that he doesn't have a part in parenting...but *I* am home with them all day...and *I* have the opportunity to make the correction WHEN THE INFRACTIONS HAPPEN...which is really more effective anyway!)

Reading up on the littler ones was more of a review...something I needed to get myself focused and to refresh my memory of what I'm doing and why. Sadly, I just now am REALLY beginning to understand the *why* behind it.

But when I started reading about the older ones...it got daunting. How in the world do I reach my teens???

Umm....how about starting with me! OUCH!!!!!!!! Yep...*I* have to make some changes in my own attitude and outlook. The funny thing is, I was thinking of that last night...and that I really don't want to waste all of the revelation God has been pouring into me. But *I* don't see *me* changing...even with all of the incredible things He has been teaching me lately! So...now I have an answer...I'm Tomato Staking myself to God's Word...putting away anger, wrath, malice...etc. And, as I've been learning from Mere Christianity, (or should I say, hearing in a different way that helps me to make sense of it), I can do it because the Holy Spirit is in me, enabling me. Praise God!!!

So....how does Ephesians 4 fit into this? Here are verses 17 to 32...

17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

vs. 17 *futility of their thinking...the key word is *their*...that would be *me* trying to figure it out on my own!
vs. 18 *ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts*...I've been acting ignorantly because I've been choosing not to trust God...building walls. THAT is changing, praise God!
vs. 19 That's living in the five senses...what I can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell....rather than living in the spirit...which is what God intended!

These 3 verses are a great summation of how God-less people live! And sadly, it describes all too many Christians...who are living out of their heads, rather than their hearts....a way of life I'm choosing to change!

20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.

vs. 20 I did not come to know Christ by what I knew in my head...I came to know Him...and continue to get to know Him...in my heart...in my spirit.

22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not sin"^[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. 29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

vs. 22-32 Here is where the Godly Tomatoes come into play. It jumped out at me....screamed at me...THIS is what I am supposed to be teaching my children to do! It's what *I* need to learn how to do myself!!!

These are behaviors I want to see in myself...and what I want to teach my children. THIS is what it means to be a healthy, viable Christian.

I'm so grateful that, like Paul, I believe, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Because in and of myself I will not be able to do this.

More stuff from BVOV

This is a compilation of thoughts from watching Believer's Voice of Victory...

When you plant a seed, you don't see the result right away. However, there is growth, as the roots are growing down into the soil. These roots are how the plant becomes anchored and how it gets its nourishment.

In Hebrews it says that the covenant was given to Abraham and his SEED (singular). The SEED is Jesus. So the covenant to Abraham was applicable to Jesus. And since I am *in Christ*, that makes the covenant applicable to me as well!

The Bible says that when two or more are in agreement, that thing shall be do. When I come into agreement with what God says about me...there are TWO in agreement...GOD and ME!

More Than Enough

I love the song by Jeremy Camp. It amazes me that any one can truly say that about God - and believe it! It's something I've wanted to feel and believe myself for a long time. But I haven't been able to wrap my mind around how God could possibly mean more to me than a roof over my head or food on the table.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try my *choice theory* out on on this concept. I knew it would work, at least to some degree. I never imagined it would happen as quickly as it has! I can finally begin to understand how Paul could say he was content in every situation. Jesus is, more and more every day, becoming my all in all.

Making Choices

It all started with me making the choice to love God. 1 Corinthians 13 says that no matter what we do, without love it is nothing. In my experience, choosing to love God makes all the other choices easier to make.

A few months ago I realized that I didn't *feel* like I loved God. I understand that our emotions don't necessarily tell us the truth, but it bothered me just the same. So the next time I prayed, I started with, "I choose to love you, God, because You first loved me." It seemed like an obvious place to start, because that's what the Bible says. I have to admit, though, that at the time I didn't *feel* like God loved me any more than I *felt* like I loved God! But I knew the Word is the truth, and I knew (at least intellectually) that therefore God loved me.

Once I started thinking of reasons to love God - reasons that are stated in the Bible - I noticed that they were all about what God DID for me. That frustrated me, too, in the sense that if my love for someone is based on what they do for me, then if they don't do what I want them to do, the love seems to dwindle.

From there I started to think about the people in my life that I KNEW loved me. What was it that caused me to believe that they loved me? The biggest reason was that they never left me alone...no matter how much I struggled. In that sense, the verse that says, "we love because He first loved us" began to come to life. So my *choice* was tweeked to include, "I choose to love You because You stick by me no matter what."

I remember being at church one morning and singing about God's love and how wonderful it is. I thought to myself, "How I wish I believed that!" At that point it seemed like I was miles away from where I wanted to be in my "love relationship" with God. It wasn't long after that, though, that I began my prayer one morning with my usual choice to love God and realized that I didn't have to CHOOSE any more! It had happened - I LOVED GOD!!! And even better, I KNEW, without a doubt, no matter what, that God loved me and was with me for the long haul!

Since that point, God has shown me different things about which I needed to make choices. I think the most amazing thing I've seen, is that every other choice has truly been easier. Things I have desired to know the truth about - to feel deep in my heart - are happening seemingly automatically. I heard a pastor once say that when your focus is in the right place - on God - things happen by the serendipity principle. I have seen that to be the truth.

All this being said, I do not want to give the impression that bad things don't ever happen. Rather, with a different perspective, they cease to hold me in the bondage of despair. Like Paul, I can find joy in every situation because God has become the Source of my joy.

It also doesn't mean that I don't have a bad day every once in a while. I have noticed, however, that those bad days are a result of me reverting back to old habits and looking for answers in my own mind, rather than going directly to God. A few years ago, a friend told me that I might as well tell God what I'm thinking since He knows already anyway. To be honest, it's not always pretty. But, again, because I KNOW that God will never leave me, I know I can express when I am to Him at any given moment without fear.

For so many years I have tried to walk in love - as stated in 1 Corinthians 13 - and in the fruit of the Spirit - as stated in Galatians 5. Through this experience, I have learned that those things are not what I do to impress God (or man), but rather they are a result of knowing God's love for me and returning that love back to Him. I admit that I do not walk perfectly in those traits. But I am finding that they are easier to walk in with this *love connection* than they were before.

Believer's Voice of Victory

Yesterday morning I was flipping through channels, trying to find something to watch. We were without our cable box (they gave us the wrong one for our area 9 months ago when we moved in, and it just now started acting up...go figure!), so I had to start at 2 and work my way up. The Believer's Voice of Victory was on channel 2...and something caught my attention, so I watched the program. Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar were talking about being blessed. They continued this morning...so I made sure to watch.

The first thing that struck me was when Copeland repeated the verse where Jesus says, "I am the vine and you are the branches..." He stopped there and commented that the branch's job is to just hang on. The vine supplies all the branch needs to produce fruit.

That's amazing...it's my responsibility to hang on to Jesus. Not to try to figure out how to produce fruit...or how I'm gonna be fed. I just have to receive what He gives me and the rest happens.

As I write that, I think I've GOT to have some other responsibility somewhere. But I guess that goes back to being like a child. God will tell/show me what I need to do and when...I just have to obey.

The other thing Dollar brought up at the end of the show was the fact that Abraham questioned God when He said He would bless him. Abraham asked God how...and God told him...then A asked Him how he would KNOW.

That's the thing...knowing. You have to start with believing...make the choice to believe...but eventually you will KNOW. You just have to keep making the choice to believe.

In Hebrews it says that Abraham didn't stagger. So what I see is that taking our concerns to God and allowing HIM to respond to and meet them is NOT staggering.

Kung Fu Panda

Our church rented a theater so we could watch the movie Kung Fu Panda for Father's Day. I was not really keen on the idea...wasn't on my list of *must-see movies*...but I knew the littles would enjoy it. I ended up getting so much out of it...apparently I was in a very thoughtful mood that day!

The Master Turtle said...

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift...
That's why they call it the present.

That just so hit me! I've heard it before...*live in the moment*...*don't worry about tomorrow*...but it sure did strike me when I heard it in the movie! And it's changed my perspective.

Master Turtle also used the analogy of water being stirred up. There was something on the bottom of the pond and he used a stick to stir up the water and make the point that as long as the water was stirred up, you couldn't see clearly. Boy, have I used that one on myself a lot lately. It's encouraged me to get rid of all the garbage that's stirring up my mind and just *live in the moment* and get to place of peace. Then I can hear the still, small voice of God!