My friend Lisa had me watch this...

http://marshill.com/media/trial/marriage-and-men

Joy at Work Video Part 1: "Created to Work" Response

The Joy at Work video lecture "Created to Work" opened my eyes to the fact that there is a fissure among people and their views on work. Many people are operating with a vague, kind of peripheral understanding that God intends for them to have joy in their lives...and yes in their work, however, not many take the time to figure out how they can obtain that work. Many people do indeed resign themselves to the idea that because of the fall, there will be difficulty in our work. We forget that our salvation--our redemption applies to all aspects of our lives; including, our work. Hallelujah!

It is no surprise, however, that even when we know this promise of joy, we do not expect it. Why don't we expect it?! Lack of faith. We accept salvation as a free gift, and then we try to earn it...try to make ourselves worthy of it...We forget that we are already saved, we are already made new, we are equipped to do incredible things in the name of Jesus Christ...and yet, we either A) try to work in our own strength to make change, or B) don't realize or believe that WE have the power to move mountains through the Holy Spirit. We wallow. We sit. We wait...but we don't expect God to move! We don't believe that He will...or we give up believing when it doesn't happen in our timing or our way.

Joy at work suffers for the same reasons we don't see God do miracles in and through us. We've been redeemed! In His eyes, we are worthy. In His eyes, we are pure and holy. He loves us whether we feel worthy or not. We are not chained anymore to sin and it's oppressive nature. We are not subject to that death. We have life again in our souls! We have been set free from all forms of bondage. Including toil at work.

I appreciated how Dennis Bakke emphasized that we are co-creators with God...not just then, but now too! He hasn't stopped creating and He wants us to be a part of it. We are also co-redeemers with Christ--redeeming the world.

The definition given of stewardship is a simple yet clear illustration of what is expected of us as stewards. Sometimes I feel owned by the confines world, but that is so wrong! I am a steward of the world as a redeemed co-creater and co-redeemer. I have been given responsibility and I will not be successful at acting upon my responsibilities if I am owned by the things I've been placed over to tend. Ugh! Why do we remain in bondage when we can be walking in power and freedom through our Savior?

We don't own the world, but we are also not owned by the world. We are investors in the world. An investor is not dominated by his assets and liabilities, well...a successful investor wouldn't be. Actually, an investor is defined by his assets and liabilities. An investor in earthly things is storing up treasure on earth. His success is measured by what he has. While an investor in heavenly things, co-creator , is measured by his spiritual fruits--his storehouses are not of this world.

Ah...hence the investing on behalf of the true owner of creation. I have come to know this truth in a few circumstances. Any time I have dedicated/handed over projects, jobs, whatever work I have to Him, he has ALWAYS blessed it. There has always been great fruit and provision. It is so important to recognize that anything He gives us is not ours, but His and that we are His chosen stewards--whom he is ready and willing to bless abundantly--if we recognize His true ownership.

My absolute FAVORITE question asked in this video was: What if Adam & Eve didn't eat the apple and 60 billion people later...we're still in the Garden? There are cities, there are structures, but no sin. Would your work still be needed in that world? What would it look like?

Wow. What a perspective changing question?!! I love it! Would we still need doctors? Therapists? Addiction recovery counselors? Residential care homes and workers? What would social services look like? What about pastors? As a lover of the performing arts, I can still see a place for those giftings there! That's exciting. The thought makes that work seem a little more worthy in my mind than I had considered it before. Sure it was increasing as I used it to bless God's name and direct/teach/pour into young people...but anything that wasn't directly for God seemed a little less important--of lesser value. In the Garden of Eden though, I can see performing arts as just a celebration of life and the characteristics of creation--through reflection, commentary, and even just display of beauty. Without sin and pain--singing, acting, performing would take on purity--a sincere outpouring of the soul. No more vanity or pride to entangle the heart. We wouldn't have to worry about it being used to bolster the darkness--through the profession of lies and wickedness. Wow. Wow. WOW!

A Prayer
from an unknown author

Abba, I surrender my will and my life to You today, without reservation and with humble confidence, for You are my loving Father. Set me free from self-consciousness, from anxiety about tomorrow, and from the tyranny of the approval and disapproval of others, that I may find joy and delight simply and solely in pleasing You. May my inner freedom be a compelling sign of Your presence, Your peace, Your power and Your love. Let Your plan for my life, and the lives of all Your children, gracefully unfold one day at a time. I love You with all my heart, and I place all my confidence in You, for You are my Abba. Amen!

Sick of Love? or Lovesick?

"I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him, that I am sick of love." (Song of Solomon 5:8, KJV)

I am tickled by the way this verse comes across in the King James Version...our heroine sounds angst-ridden, frustrated with love, and on the edge of bitterness.

How often do we find ourselves declaring that we've HAD IT with love and relationships? Shoot! I know I have...I must have been a self-proclaimed non-denominational nun 2 or 3 times now...

However, upon perusal of other translations and more careful study...we discover that she's not throwing in the white towel of surrender or giving up hope in love. Our female friend is not fed up with love at all. She's sick because she's in love...she's lovesick. Separation from her beloved is so overwhelming that she's become ill. Poor chica!

Whether we know it or not, that is where we often find ourselves in our relationships with Christ--our beloved. That emptiness we feel, that desire for something to complete us, to comfort us, to hold us, to love us, to tell us we're okay--not just okay but unconditionally loved...that is a place in our hearts, our souls, that only Jesus can fill.

When you are sick, empty, broken, confused...desperate. BOOM! Turn to Jesus. Turn to the Word. Spend time with him in prayer. Go on a Starbucks date with him, or a walk along the beach, or in the woods...with HIM.

Charles Spurgeon comments: "Gracious souls are never perfectly at ease except they are in a state of nearness to Christ; for when they are away from him they lose their peace. The nearer to him, the nearer to the perfect calm of heaven; the nearer to him, the fuller the heart is, not only of peace, but of life, and vigour, and joy, for these all depend on constant intercourse with Jesus."

"Gracious souls are never perfectly at ease except they are in a state of nearness to Christ" - boy, is that the TRUTH!

"...for when they are away from him they lose their peace...the nearer to him, the fuller the heart is, not only of peace, but of life, and vigour, and joy..." - AAAAAH!! that is my experience exactly! It's so good! Love, love, love it!

Turn back, Strengthen others

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32, NIV)

Did you know that Satan will ask to sift you as wheat? He will ask God if he can shake up your life! And God says yes. (see also, Job 1:1-12)

Did you also know that Jesus prays for you? He prays for your faith ahead of time. He knows that you will slip away a little...but he also knows that you will come home to him. Jesus said in this passage: “And when you have turned back,” not “if you turn back” but WHEN. The best part is that despite the fact that we have turned away, He allows us to do his work when we turn back. He says: “Strengthen your brothers.”

How cool is that?! There is a purpose in the sifting. God loves us enough to make sure that we will not fall away completely. Even though we get shaken up in the sifting, He is sure that we WILL turn back--just as Peter did after he denied that he knew Jesus. And when we do turn back, he expects us to strengthen our brothers. We don’t need to earn any trust or love back. He wants us to get straight to work, strengthening others in the faith.

What grace. What love. What mercy. What faithfulness.