The new Science Fiction movie Prometheus had people that were frozen by Cryogenics for space travel. There are some people that don’t want to accept their mortality in life so they may consider Cryogenics. It says our life is like a vapor or a flower (James 4:14). People are here today and forgotten tomorrow. I like the end of the new series Battlestar Galatica where Kara Thrace (Starbuck) tells Apollo (Commander Adama’s son) that death does not frighten her, but she does not want to be forgotten when she dies.
For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither. Psalm 37:2
that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed Psalm 92:11
Why should I care who shows up for my funeral, I’m not going to be here to enjoy it. I like this one movie where this guy actually had his funeral in advance, because he wanted to settle some issues with family and others. It was with the actor Robert Duvall. It is right next to a “kick the bucket list” as far as dealing with issues now and enjoying life and not expecting them to resolve with a death. By the time my mother passed away at 82 years old, most of her friends were deceased so it was only a few family members who came. Actually, David and James said the wicked and the rich are like the grass, not believers. It says precious or costly is the death of God’s people (his saints). (Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints Psalm 116:15).
For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. James 1:11
God is not against being rich/wealthy. What the problem with being rich can be is if you only trust in your riches to get you through in life and you don’t believe you need God for anything. There was a woman in the Bible who spent all her living on physicians, but then she went to Jesus for healing because she grew worse because of the physicians. Doctors in this life can’t cure everything. God is not against doctors. Jesus said the sick need a physician. God wants us whole. I’m glad they invented Lasik surgery and that someone finally figured out “let’s zap eyeballs.” I’m enjoying no more contacts or glasses when I wake up now to see! I just realize that doctors and modern technology, no matter how much money you have are not the cure-all. Many rich people may want their bodies frozen if they have a terminal disease.
Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Luke 5:31
She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. Mark 5:26
In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the LORD, but only from the physicians. Then in the forty-first year of his reign Asa died and rested with his fathers. 2 Chronicles 16:12-13
It goes back to what Jesus said in the end, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34. Jesus took the blunt of God turning his back on us from sin. Sometimes I run into people who believe that God has turned his back on them when things go wrong in their life.
Gideon saw himself as small and insignificant and questioned why God had abandoned them, but God saw him as a mighty warrior. Most people I talk to who have spousal loss have a sense of being abandoned. Same with divorce. When I first became a Christian at 17 years old, I experienced conflict with my parents. The Lord gave me this scripture (Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. Psalm 27:10).
Paul experienced abandonment and so did Jesus in the garden (At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. 2 Timothy 4:16). I can trace that most people who abandon others have been abandoned in their life usually as children or teenagers by their parents.
Gideon talked to the angel about God’s abandonment of them:
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." But sir," Gideon replied, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." Judges 6:12-15
How does God see us? Look how God saw Daniel. God saw Daniel as highly esteemed.
Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed," he said. "Peace! Be strong now; be strong." When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength." Daniel 10:19
I am finding that people can’t steal away my peace of mind or joy like they used to. When my step children lived in our house they had a picture of their dad and mother together with them as children. That was their room so I did not evade their privacy to say “take down that picture of your father and mother (my husband’s ex-wife) together.”
It is when you know “who you are” in that I was secure in my husband and my marriage relationship. It’s like knowing who you are married to and know who you are in Christ----Do those outside forces bother you like they did before? Do you worry about a man cheating on you when you are secure in your husband or wife’s love?
In the same way, we can become secure in God’s love.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
It’s something I’ve become aware of because when people used to wrong me, I used to get more bent out of shape than now. When people criticize me and say something, I immediately say, “Lord bless them” in my mind and it makes the aggravation against them go away. The Bible says “perfect peace have those who love thy law and nothing shall offend them.”
Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble. Psalm 119:165
I find I have a lot more patience with people than myself. It took me three years to hang a picture on my wall in my bedroom. The picture sat on the floor that long someone gave me in Australia. It took me a while to get a frame for it at Michael’s, but then I knew I would have to use a level to keep it straight. It is because I have avoidance issues. My spouse would have hung the picture with me so I go through avoidance of many things that remind me of my husband. After awhile, I find that most widows are like me is that they are pain avoiders and they will avoid people and places, because they get tired of the rudeness of others. It can start to wear you down after a while. So if I can be around people that contribute to the vision inside of me and the love of God in my life, those are the people I am searching for. (This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 1 John 5:3)
I look for people and things that are not burdensome (that cause the less grief in my life).
I find pastors are that way too. They avoid single ministries because they are too much effort and too much work. What is interesting is that the Father will send you into battle at times. Joseph’s father sent him to check on his brothers when he was thrown in a pit and almost killed, and David’s father sent him to check on his brothers when he defeated Goliath. I want to avoid going into battle. I want to avoid grief and dealing with negative people. Joseph ended up saving his own family from famine.
God sees us a vessel who has the living son of God inside of us. It says that we are a “sweet auroma to God.” Do we see ourselves as old, fat and ugly?
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 2 Cor. 2:15
It reminds me of the Matrix movie where Agent Smith cannot stand the smell of humans. He said that Morpheus’ sweat stunk. We stink to Satan and some people.
To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 2 Cor. 2:16
When we are the temple of God and it’s not about us, but it’s about who now lives in our body. Who owns our body? We are not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies.
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Cor. 3:16’
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Romans 6:11-12
Many people have a low self-esteem from their parents. Fathers build up their children’s self-esteem. Some people have built their self-esteem up from their jobs. I have a single professor who wanted me to go on Google and look at his research and publications. That is his lifetime work of his accomplishments. Some women try to get their self-esteem through their husband or their father. I spoke to my neighbor during my brother’s high school reunion and he talked about the dysfunction of his family. How that his dad would never come to any of his baseball games since the first time he played, he struck out. We want our children to win. He said that he attended all of his children’s games if he could. My daughter played Varsity soccer and her team only one game at Ben Davis. It’s not very fun sitting and cheering on a losing team game after game, but we show that life is not all about winning in life, it’s about accepting the ups and downs. It’s about character. Showing your support for your children helps give your child more confidence.
endurance creates character, and character creates confidence. Romans 5:4
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Proverbs 31:10
I was very shy as a child. My father owned a recording studio and had his own album record cutter business in an apartment in downtown Indy. Women came in and cut 45 lp. records for their loved ones serving in World War II in his apartment. My dad had those reel-to-reel tape recorders and he wanted me to sing in front of these large microphones when I was a child. I would make him leave the room because I was too shy to sing in front of him. It helped me get over some of my shyness and I sang a solo in a fifth grade concert in school. I went on to sing in some special girl’s choirs in high school. But, most of the time I froze up in fear when I tried out for special school plays. I just could not seem to get over shyness.
It has taken me several years to be comfortable to get up and talk in front of people to lead worship and Karoake and many times, I still have butterflies in my stomach. I just tease people, that hopefully, “people won’t bite your head off if you miss a chord like a spider bites the head off of its mate.” Confidence in ministry has come in my life by getting up in front of people and sharing and stepping out in faith by going into the girl’s prison, street evangelism, holding socials or singing in nursing homes. It’s a battle at times, but the victory has been sweet when you have someone who comes up to you and say, “You really blessed me by your ministry.” That one person who stops to say thank you is like the one leper that thanked Jesus makes ministry worth it.
There are times especially since my husband passed away I go through so much despair, I ask God for a sign of his favor at those times. Gideon asked for four signs.
Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me. Psalm 86:17
Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. Judges 6:17
It says that Mary, Samuel, David, and Noah found favor with God.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8
David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob. Acts 7:46
But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. Luke 1:30
And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men. 1 Samuel 2:26
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men Luke 2:52; And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17
Our favor with God is through the Lord Jesus Christ. We are “accepted in the beloved.”
To the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he has made us accepted in the beloved. Ephesians 1:6
Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:4-5
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17
Dust in the Wind
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