Traveled to Midian Lately? By Mistake or On Purpose?

Do you remember where Moses fled after killing the Egyptian and burying him in the sand?   (Don't have a clue what I am talking about?  Check out Exodus 2:11-23.)

"When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled 

from Pharoah and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well . . ."  Exodus 2:15  

Have you fled to Midian lately?  (By the way, Midian is just another name for the Wilderness.)  Was it for an all out blatant transgression?  (That's a sin that you've planned out and executed.) 

"But who can discern their own errors?  

Forgive my hidden faults.  

Keep your servant also from willful sins; 

may they not rule over me.  

Then I will be blameless, 

innocent of great transgression."  

Psalm 19:12-13

Perhaps you did not murder someone (I sure hope not!), but perhaps you did purposely stop in the grocery aisle and gossip with Bessie Mae about what Molly Sue told you that Carol Ann did on her date.  

Or perhaps you stirred up some good old dissension by telling Cindy Lou that Sandy Dee said her dress was the ugliest she'd ever seen, and Cindy Lou and Sandy Dee were upset with each other, and with you.  

Perhaps you didn't have the money for that perfect pair of pants you found at the mall, so you decided to hide them in your humongous purse that has the hidden zipper in the side.  You always keep it filled to the brim with stuff you don't need so that you can rid yourself of some of it in the dressing room to make room for a nice find.

Maybe, you didn't plan your sin.  Maybe you just sort of fell into it - like the pride I had over being a superior seamstress to my Novice Seamstress Daughter.  Or like the procrastination that resulted in the scorching of same Beautiful Daughter's favorite pair of pants.  (See earlier blog posts to find out what in the world I am talking about!)  

How long have you been there?  Moses spent 40 years in Midian.  Forty Years!  How long have you spent in Midian?  Moses was 40 years old when He left Egypt and 80 years old when He returned.  God used a burning bush to call Moses back to Egypt.  God had a major plan for Moses' life.

"When they sin against you - for there is no one who does not sin - and you 

become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, 

who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near; 

and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive,

and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors and say, 

   'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly'; 

and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of 

their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land 

you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen 

and the temple I have built for your Name; 

then from Heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, 

and uphold their cause.  And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; 

forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, 

and cause their captors to show them mercy; 

for they are your people and your inheritance, 

whom you brought out of Egypt, 

out of that iron-smelting furnace."  I Kings 8:46-51  

Do you hear God calling your name?  He is calling you to repent and turn to Him.  He has wonderful plans for you.  He longs for you to spend time with Him.

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord,

'plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me

when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you,' declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

"But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; 

and you may be sure that your sin will find you out." 

 Numbers 32:23 (20-24 in context)

Do You Need to Be Tomato-Staked?

Tomato-staking is a technique that gardeners use for young tomato plants.  First, dig a hole to plant the tomato plant in, and then place a stake next to it.  To assist the young plant to grow a straight, strong stalk, tie the plant to the stake using twine, or better yet, old knee-high pantyhose.  When the plant is mature and producing fruit, the stake will assist the plant from becoming too heavily burdened by the fruit which could cause the stalk to be broken.

You ask, why in the world am I blogging about gardening techniques when the purpose of this blog has been encouragement and accountability?  Well, you see, tomato-staking is also a term that many homeschoolers use for a form of discipline.  (Discipline also means "to teach".)  When a child, young or older, has a habit of misbehaving that child might find him/herself "tomato-staked" to the parent.  They would get to spend extra time close to the mother or father's side until such a time that the parent feels that the child can behave herself appropriately.  This time might be spent doing chores, even extra ones, or just reading quietly in the same room as mom while mom spends time reading.  It would not be a time for the child to be more of a nuisance so as to escape the discipline that is being doled out to him.

When I am introduced to people as a "pastor's wife," I quite frequently explain to them that I did not get that job because I am a goody-two-shoes and deserve it!  God tomato-staked me to one of His men because He knew (in His infinite wisdom) that without doing so I would be off doing my own little business, playing among the minefields of life because there are wildflowers there, or just simply smelling the roses and getting pricked by the thorns of life.  I would not be paying attention to where I was going, in which direction I was headed, or  to what it was that God had placed me on this earth to do.  I just want to know why He tomato-staked me to a preacher! Couldn't it have been to a worship leader instead?!  Does this mean that I need more sermons than the average person?  Why couldn't I just go through life singing praise songs, or better yet, listening to them being sung to me by the rich bass/baritone voice of my Knight in Shining Armor?  (My daughters used to think this was funny, until I pointed out to them that the same principle applies to them - why are they preacher's kids?!)

So, my question remains:  do you need to be tomato-staked?  Perhaps you do not need to be staked to a preacher, worship leader or youth pastor.  Perhaps you need to be tomato-staked to God Himself.  (I'm tomato-staked to God, but I have to have an undershepherd to keep me marching to the tune of the right Drummer.)  The Holy Spirit does the job of the pantyhose - holding us close to the Father, teaching us to do His will.  There is just enough elasticity to allow you to have make your own choices, but pull you back up right when you try to stray outside of God's will for you.  It will keep you from becoming too heavily burdened by the cares of this world, mired down in the muck of Sin Swamp, the dry arid sand of Desolate Desert, and the blatant, bold wilds of Wickedness Wilderness.  If these are the places that you find yourself in, turn back, run as fast as you can to the Tomato-Stake and tie yourself to Him.

"Submit yourselves, then, to God.  

Resist the devil, and 

he will flee from you.  

Come near to God and 

He will come near to you.  

Wash your hands, you sinners, 

and purify your hearts, 

you double-minded.  

Grieve, mourn and wail.  

Change your laughter to mourning 

and your joy to gloom.  

Humble yourselves before the Lord, 

and He will lift you up."  

James 4:7-9    

Has Pride Walked Boldly Through Your Door?

My beautiful daughters and I have been busy this week.  As if all the prep work for Thanksgiving day was not enough, because of procrastination we had to really move it, move it.  A few months ago we decided that we wanted to have cool, fun-printed aprons for preparing this year's feast, so we went out and bought a pattern and fabric.  Then . . . we got distracted and didn't sew them.

So, on Friday of last week, my Just-Do-It-and-Get-It Done daughter decided we were not procrastinating any longer.  We didn't have time.  It didn't matter to her that she had never sewn anything before in her life.  I could tell that this was not one of those times I could just tell her, "I'm sorry, but I just can't.  We'll get it done for next year."  I couldn't even hide behind my fibromyalgia.  I was going to have to bite the bullet and teach her how to sew.

We dug out the sewing machine from it's home in the closet, and cleaned off a table so we could lay out the pattern and cut it out.  I stood behind her and encouraged her as I taught her what she needed to do.  I told her she was doing a great job . . . And she was - for her first attempt at sewing.  

And then it happened. . .

When sewing the skirt to the bodice, we didn't pay attention (I seem to have a problem with this!) and we sewed her bodice to the bottom of the skirt.  It didn't really matter since the skirt piece is just a big rectangle.  I asked her if she wanted to rip it out and do it correctly, but that is not Just Get It Done's nature.  So, we moved on.  She completed her apron, upside down skirt, not-so-straight seams, and slightly off tension and all.  It looks great!  Truly it does.  I am so proud of her.  

So, then, I sat down to work on my apron.  I quickly cut my fabric to match the pattern pieces.  I arranged all of my pieces in order, and made sure that I would not have to stop and search for anything.  I was pretty proud of my straight seams and my swiftness of sewing the pieces together.  I even did steps out of order because I knew what I was doing and I could save time by sewing and then pressing it all at once.  I was an expert seamstress. . .

NOT!

When sewing the facing around the arm hole, I sewed the wrong piece to the wrong side and the fabric was not going to press out right because I sewed the wrong sides together!  There was no fixing it WITHOUT ripping it out and doing it correctly.  So, I went searching for my seam ripper, but could not find it.  I had to improvise by trying to rip the seams without ripping the fabric by using a pin and scissors.  It was tedious work.  The pin wanted to bend.  I stuck my fingers.  The thread did not want to release it's hold on the fabric.  

All the time I was fuming over my error, God was talking to me about my bigger error.  Pride had walked boldly through my door.  And I had held the door open for it.  It didn't creep through the back door.  No, it strolled boldly through my front door.  I had no choice but to admit my sin, and ask my Heavenly Daddy for forgiveness.  And of course, He forgave.  He even told me it could have been worse . . . I could have bragged to Just Get It Done about my superior skills and made her feel less than the wonderful person she is.  I am so thankful that somewhere along the way, I learned to quench my critical spirit and not point out that her way of doing things was not my way of doing things.  Ya see, my way of doing things doesn't make it better, it just makes it different.  And that's okay.    

My daughter's apron is beautiful, my apron is beautiful, and my Chase the Rabbit Trail daughter is just fine with completing her apron in time to do lots of Christmas baking! Just Get It Done and I had a ball playing in the kitchen to get our feast ready on time. . . and Chase the Rabbit Trail had a ball helping us.

"The highway of the upright avoids evil;

those who guard their ways preserve their lives.

Pride goes before destruction

a haughty spirit before a fall.

Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed

than to share plunder with the proud."

Proverbs 16:17-19 

Do You Need Forgiveness for Scorching the Pants?

I have done it now!  Oh, I'm in such big trouble.  My daughter asked me to iron her black pants for her while she took a shower.  She even heated the iron to the right temperature for me.  I forgot . . .  I got distracted and forgot.  So when she called for me to bring them to her, I quickly ran over to the ironing board to iron them.  However, the iron had shut off and so I had to re-heat it.  I didn't pay any attention to the special-ness of the fabric; I just set the iron for the usual setting.  Big mistake!

Yep.  You guessed it . . .

I scorched her pants!  

I was horrified at what I had done.  These were her favorite pair of pants.  She loved wearing them.  She felt good about how she looked with them on.  They fit just so right.  I had no choice but to tell her what I had done.  I was terrified.  I wanted to run and hide behind a rock.  But, I couldn't.  She was waiting.  My beautiful daughter had trusted me with her favorite pair of pants and I had ruined them.  Oh, the shame and remorse I felt. 

I had no choice but to confess what happened.  There was no hiding it in the closet like a skeleton praying that it would never see the light of day.  I couldn't sweep it under the rug and pretend it wasn't there.   I had to tell the TRUTH. 

So, I confessed all of it.  The procrastination.  The lack of attention.  The horrible scorch mark.  All of it.  And you know what?

She was disappointed.  She was even a little angry.  But she FORGAVE me!  O, happy day!  She forgave me!  

Yes, there is still consequences to pay.  I still have to find a way to replace the pants.  That's going to require me spending money that was earmarked for something else.  I'm going to have to spend time shopping for the next perfect pair of pants.  But, I get to do it knowing that my daughter forgives me, and I get to spend time with her looking for another pair of pants.

So, my question remains for you.  Do you need forgiveness for scorching the pants?  Have you done something that you didn't intend to do, but someone was hurt by it?  Or maybe you need forgiveness for that snarky comment you said in passing to your co-worker that you felt good about saying.  Perhaps its for a bigger offense than that.  Perhaps the only one on earth you have harmed is yourself.  Forgive yourself because you will never be able to truly get beyond it until you do.  Seek forgiveness!  Your Heavenly Father is waiting for you.

"Seek the Lord while He may be found,

call on Him while He is near."  

Isaiah 55:6

"As far as the east is from the west, 

so far has He removed our transgressions from us."  

Psalm 103:12

You are More by Tenth Avenue North

There's a girl in the corner

With tear stains on her eyes

From the places she's wandered

And the shame she can't hide

She says, "How did I get here?

I'm not who I once was

And I'm crippled by the fear

That I've fallen too far to love"

But don't you know who you are,

What's been done for you?

Yeah don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes

You are more than the problems you create

You've been remade.

Well she tries to believe it

That she's been given new life

But she can't shake the feeling

That it's not true tonight

She knows all the answers

And she's rehearsed all the lines

And so she'll try to do better

But then she's too weak to try

But don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes

You are more than the problems you create

You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes

You are more than the problems you create

You've been remade

'Cause this is not about what you've done

But what's been done for you

This is not about where you've been

But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you built

But what He built to forgive you

And what He built to make you know

You are more than the choices that you've made

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes

You are more than the problems you create

You've been remade

You are more than the choices that you've made

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes

You are more than the problems you create

You've been remade

You've been remade

You've been remade

You've been remade

You've been remade.

Is God Giving You the Desires of Your Heart?

Is God giving you the desires of your heart?  Could it be that He is not because you are not delighting in him?  The Scripture says in Psalm 37:4:

"Delight yourself in the LORD, 

and He will give you the desires of your heart."

What does this mean?  Perhaps Psalm 1:1-2 can spell it out a little better for you:

Blessed is the one who does not walk 

in step with the wicked or 

stand in the way that sinners take 

or sit in the company of mockers, 

but whose delight is in 

the law of the LORD, 

and who meditates on His law 

day and night."

This seems to say that if you pay attention to the letter of the law that you are delighting in the Lord . . . Really?!  Does it really say be legalistic?  Does God want me to stand in judgment of others?  No!  Not at all!  It says

"How well God must like you!  

You don't hang out at Sin Saloon, 

you don't slink along Dead-End Road, 

you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.  

Instead you thrill to God's Word, 

you chew on Scripture day and night." 

 (Psalm 1:1-2, paraphrase from The Message)  

O Christian, if you have been hanging out with friends who you know are not good for you, participating in their gossiping or their grumbling; drinking from their critical spirit potions; or listening to those who mock the things of God; God is not going to give you the desires of your heart.   Because your heart is in the wrong place!  (And yes, this group of friends could be sitting on the pews next to you every Sunday!  Ask me how I know.)  

Or maybe it's not friends, but just the people you work with who have the critical spirit, the gossiping tongue, the sharks circling waiting for the prey.  Perhaps it's rubbing off on you because it's all you ever hear.  All you ever see.  All that is ever modeled for you.  

If you are giving credence to something that one of your favorite movie stars is saying, and you know that they are a mocker of Jesus Christ, that is not what you should be doing!  If you are Christian, you know it's true.  Turn off the television, put down the rag mags (magazines for those who are wondering what that is . . . ) and pick up the Word of God.  Start reading God's Love Letter written especially to you!  It will change  your life!  

If you are just spinning your wheels and going through the motions - playing dress up and playing church - please wake up and hear God calling you to repent and turn back to him!  Please hear His plea for you to come unto Him.  He wants to give you the desires of your heart, but He also wants your desires to be what He desires for you.  He is the Perfect Parent - He is not going to give you something that is bad for you!  No matter how much you think you want it.  Wake up before it's too late.  Your Heavenly Father loves you and He is calling you to come unto Him.  

Here I am to Worship with O Come, All Ye Faithful 

by Tim Hughes with O Come All Ye Faithful incorporated in, arranged David Angerman

Light of the world

You stepped down into darkness

Opened my eyes, let me see

Beauty that made this heart adore You

Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You're my God

You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me

King of all days, oh, so highly exalted

glorious in heaven above

Humbly You came to the earth You created

All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You're my God

You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me

O come, all ye faithful joyful and triumphant

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem

Come and behold Him

Born the King of angels

Here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You're my God

You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me

Here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You're my God

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him

O come let us adore Him

Christ the Lord! 

Personal Relationship or President of the Fan Club, Part 2

[The following is a repeat ... somehow, when I was trying to add song lyrics to the end of a previous blog post, it was deleted from the originally posted day.  I don't know exactly all the finer workings of a blog yet, but with some searching I was able to retrieve it, but it's not where it was before.  I apologize for any confusion -- it was posted the day after "Personal Relationship or President of the Fan Club?"]

On an earlier post. I brought up several things that I would like to expound on here, if you will humor me.  

If I were the President of Sandra Bullock's fan club, I might coordinate events where I would meet with other members of the club so we could study about Sandra Bullock.  We would all dress like her, talk like her, walk like her . . . we might even decide to go out and tell others about her.  I could be so busy being the president of the club that when the opportunity comes about for me to meet Sandra Bullock in person I miss it.  I totally flub the dub and miss the opportunity of meeting Sandra Bullock, miss getting to know her better, miss getting to become her personal friend.

Or, I could be so busy being the President of the Sandra Bullock Fan Club, that I begin to like being in the spotlight.  I mean, Sandra never comes around, so why should I work so hard just to promote her?  Why not also get some attention for myself?  The club members and I are the ones who are always there and spend out time, our money on promoting Sandra Bullock.  Shouldn't we get something out of this too?

Or, I could have met Sandra Bullock, spent time with her and gotten to know her a little bit.  But, then I felt like she wasn't all that I thought she was.  (She was!)  I didn't feel that she cared for me like I had cared for her.  (She did!)  I didn't think she paid me enough attention.  I didn't like the advice she gave me.  I was even jealous of all the attention that she was getting - attention that was being away from me.

Isn't that exactly what some of us do with Jesus?  We join a church, even become the Bible study teacher, the choir member, the WMU director, the Brotherhood director, the preacher, the preacher's wife . . . We get so busy doing things in the church, appearing like the perfect little Christian, that we neglect to actually meet with Jesus and accept His free gift - Himself.  We miss out when we fail to meet with Him, fail to get to know Him on a personal level.  We know all the Sunday school answers, tell others about Him, we can even quote Scripture, but we don't do the most important thing - get to know Jesus Christ personally for ourselves. 

We do what we believe to be Kingdom work, but when things don't go our way we begin to feel put out for all the work we do for Jesus.  We want to share in the spotlight.  We feel we deserve it.  We grow weary in doing good for others and feel we never get anything in return.  We don't feel that Jesus ever shows any gratitude for all that we've done for Him.  We don't know that it's not supposed to be about us.  It's supposed to be all about Him!

Or, maybe we join a Bible study because the facilitator is a friend of ours.  She wants us to come, so we do.  We enjoy the other people attending.  We meet Jesus and learn a little about Him.  We think we might trust in Him, but we're not real sure about that just yet.  We don't like all that He has to say to us, and we certainly  don't want Him telling us how to live our life away from the church!

What have you done with Jesus Christ?  Have you accepted Him as Lord and Savior?  Have you surrendered all taht you are and all that you have to Him?  He offers Himself to you, but just like you have to say yes to someone who proposes marriage to you, you have to say yes to Jesus!  You have to choose Him.  

"Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' 

will enter the kingdom of Heaven, 

but only he who does the will of 

my Father who is in Heaven.

Many will say to me on that day,

'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, 

and in your name drive out demons 

and perform miracles?' 

Then I will tell them plainly,

'I never knew you.  

Away from me,  you evildoers!'  Matthew 7:21-23

Going Through the Motions by Michael W. Smith

Actions have been justified

All is compromised

Looking for approval there

In someone else's eyes, oh

Dodging all you really are

Becomes your greatest task

Acting out your lonely part

You hide behind your mask

Never true to yourself

Knowing well this is not like you

Fooling yourself

You're just living a lie

Goin' goin'

Goin' thru the motions

Goin, goin

Goin thru the motions

Goin, goin

Goin thru the motions

Goin, goin

Goin thru the motions 

Victim of the circumstance

Prisoner of the shame

But it's the double standard life

That keeps you in the game

Taken by your own disguise

But when it's wearing thin

You'll do anything it takes

To impress your friends

Never true to yourself

This is not what you want to be

Fooling yourself

You're just living a lie

Goin', goin'

Goin' thru the motions

Goin', goin'

Goin' thru the motions

Goin, goin

Goin thru the motions

Are You Living the American Dream or the Heaven Dream, Revisited

I pray that God will speak to you through me.  I do not want to offend anyone.  I hope I don’t offend anyone.  But, if I do, please search your hearts and talk to God about it.  I don’t know you well enough to purposely offend you, meddle in your business, or step on your toes.  But God does!  And you can believe that if He’s meddling in your stuff, stepping on your toes, offending you… He is doing it on purpose.  He’s decided it’s time to deal with your stuff.  So get ready and hang on.  He has your best interest at heart!

I woke up the morning after the election, not wanting to hear any news or Wednesday morning quarterbacking.  So I turned on the contemporary Christian radio channel on the television, and just spent time praising God.  All the songs that came on were so appropriate for reminding me that God is still in control!  So, anyway - God has a wicked sense of humor with me - He talks to me while I'm in the shower.  I guess He figures He has a captive audience there, ya know.  I mean, I'm not going anywhere, usually can't multitask in the shower, ya know?!  So, during my quiet time with Jesus He impressed upon me the need for His children to wake up from our slumber and to be purposeful about His business.  I asked Him to please let me share all of this with my Pastor Husband (I thought my musings in the shower would be good sermon starters for him; he could put the meat to it.)  Usually by the time I get out of the shower and get dressed, I've forgotten or can't seem to express myself clearly enough to make sense.  (At least, I don't feel I make sense.)  If I try to write something down, I have writer's block from the first word!  Jesus graciously let me type it all down this time - probably because it was the first time I had actually asked to be able to do so!  By the time my Knight in Shining Armor got home, I had a rough draft printed out for him.  He liked it and asked me to flesh it out more.  My very good, godly bossy Sunday School Teacher (BSST) encouraged me to blog about it.  And since I always do what she tells me to do, I set up a blog.  This is what I would like to share with ya'll.

The scripture I want to focus on today is Matthew 6:19-21, which says,   

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, 

where moth and rust destroy, 

and where thieves break in and steal.  

But store up for yourselves treasures 

in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, 

and where thieves do not break in and steal.  

For where your treasure is, 

there your heart will be also.”

I want to talk to you today about The American Dream.  Have you bought into it?  Do you own it lock, stock and barrel?  How’s that working for ya?  Have you ever considered that the “American Dream” doesn’t satisfy because you weren’t designed for the American Dream?  The American Dream is not all that it’s made out to be.  Very few people ever truly achieve it.  Oh, they look like they have achieved it, but in reality the bank owns the home; the bank owns the cars; the boat, the vacation condo, the country club membership, the clothes, etc., etc. ad nauseum. . .  The kids have to stay with nannies or daycares because both parents are enslaved to the task of acquiring the almighty dollar to pay for the stuff which they don’t ever feel they have enough of.  The American dream has turned into the American Nightmare!  (Do you hear that sound?  It’s the dramatic screeching sound of the horror movie most find themselves living in.)  Living from paycheck to paycheck, paying so many bills and credit cards each month that even the thought of making a financial donation to the family who just lost their home to a fire, or to simply buy a hamburger for the homeless man on the street corner,  is not even to be thought of – with your budget, they don’t fit in.  There is not much opportunity to live the Heaven Dream when you are busy trying to achieve the American Dream. 

What’s the Heaven Dream, you ask?   Dear Christian, have you forgotten that you were designed for the Heaven Dream?  The one where there is peace, rest and the security of knowing that you are being held by your Loving God.  The one where you know you are in the center of His will for your life, doing what you were designed to do.  It’s the safest place to be! 

So why do we all run around acting like toddlers and preschoolers by running away from our loving parent – you know, the One who created us and calls us His own?  We run as fast as we can, giggling the whole time, straight into the danger He is desperate to protect us from.  Why do we do that?  Look at yourself – you are not cute anymore, the cuteness wore off of this game a long time ago.  It’s time to grow up and walk in the path that He has set for us. 

Now, before I get in too much trouble here.  I’m not saying that the American Dream is wrong.  There is nothing wrong with acquiring stuff.  It’s fun.  There’s nothing wrong with liking nice things.  I like nice things.  But just because I like it and I think it’s fun isn’t the reason why it’s not wrong to acquire it.  It’s not wrong when the stuff is just that – stuff.  It’s not your end-all goal in life.  We are not supposed to be Madame Blueberry from Veggie Tales gorging out on more stuff until our world explodes!

It’s not the American Dream that we need to strive for, it’s the Heaven Dream that we need to long for.  Problem is, not many even know what the Heaven Dream is, or how great it is.  It’s our job to tell them!  Not just tell them, but show them!  And love them right into the Kingdom!

I like to think I have acquired the Heaven Dream.  Let me describe it for you.  It’s the place where I know I am loved beyond all measure.  It’s the place where I long to be – with my Heavenly Father, Abba Father (that means “Daddy”) surrounded by all the riches of Heaven.  I have acquired it because I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  He knows me personally.  But, more importantly, I know Him personally.  We are on a first name basis.  If I walked up to His house and pushed the doorbell, He’d open the door wide and welcome me inside.  He knows my name, He knows my desires, He knows me better than I know myself.

I Corinthians 2:9 says, 

“No eye has seen, 

no ear has heard, 

no mind has conceived 

what God has prepared 

for those 

who love Him"  

but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit!

It’s also the place where I know that I will be surrounded by loved ones for all eternity.  How do I know?  Because I have stored up for myself treasures in Heaven by spending time making sure they will be there with me.   I have loved, I have encouraged, I have mentored, and I have exhorted others to be sure that they will be there with me.   I have interceded on their behalf.  I’ve interceded on your behalf!  I want us all to be there together!

I Thessalonians 4:13-17 says, 

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant 

about those who fall asleep, 

or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.  

We believe that Jesus died and rose again 

and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those 

who have fallen asleep in Him.  

According to the Lord’s own word, 

we tell you that we who are still alive, 

who are left till the coming of the Lord, 

will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.  

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, 

with a loud command, 

with the voice of the archangel 

and with the trumpet call of God, 

and the dead in Christ will rise first.  

After that, we who are still alive and 

are left will be caught up together 

(not one at a time, not all alone, 

but simultaneously, all at once, together) 

with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  

And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

We won’t have to worry about paying bills there.  We won’t have to worry about keeping a budget, robbing Peter to pay Paul.  We won’t have to worry about scratchy voices or ear infections, or heart disease or cancer, or depression there.   There will not be any more death, or mourning or crying or pain. 

But you don’t have to wait till Heaven to live the Heaven Dream!  Jesus says in John 10:10, 

“I have come that they may have life, 

and have it to the full – 

(more abundantly, 

till it overflows, 

live far more life than before, 

life in its fullest measure.)"

Now, back full circle to Matthew 6:19-21: 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, 

where moth and rust destroy, 

and where thieves break in and steal.  

But store up for yourselves treasures 

in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, 

and where thieves do not break in and steal.  

For where your treasure is, 

there your heart will be also.”

 I love the Message paraphrase of Matthew 6:19-21:

"Don't hoard treasures down here

where it gets eaten by moths and corroded

by rust or - worse! - stolen by burglars.

Stockpile treasures in Heaven,

where it's safe from moth and rust, and burglars.

It's obvious, isn't it?

The place where your treasure is, 

is the place you will most want to be,

and end up being."

Don't be hoarders of the American Dream, but be hoarders of the Heaven Dream!  I want everyone I know to acquire the Heaven Dream.   Don’t you?  That way we can forever, forever worship Him together.

I Can Only Imagine by Mercy Me

I can only imagine what it will be like

When I walk by Your side

I can only imagine what my eyes will see

When Your face is before me

I can only imagine

Yeah

Surrounded by Your glory

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for You Jesus?

Or in awe of You be still?

Will I stand in Your presence

Or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing Hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine,

I can only imagine

I can only imagine when that day comes

And I find myself standing in the sun

I can only imagine when all I will do

Is forever, forever worship You

I can only imagine, yeah

I can only imagine.

Surrounded by Your glory

What will my heart feel?

Will I dance for You Jesus?

Or in awe of You be still?

Will I stand in your presence

Or to my knees will I fall?

Will I sing, Hallelujah?

Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine, yeah

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

I can only imagine

When all I would do

Is forever, forever worship You

I can only imagine.