Giving Comfort in the God Zone

By Hally Franz –

Peer pressure is not just for kids. My own sister has inflicted considerable pressure upon me regarding texting. She is frustrated that I don’t yet have that capability with my cell phone. I am very content to keep it that way.

My husband and I recently purchased laptops for our son and me. My home computer is nearly seven years old, and we needed an upgrade. Ivan immediately came home and began using his laptop, excited to be liberated from the community computer. However, I have yet to open mine. The fear of some complicated log-on, download or set-up process has me stalled.

I am fairly proficient with a few computer programs, but I resist technology. I don’t join lots of sites and rarely make on-line purchases. And, are you ready for this? We still have “free” TV in our home.

Technology is not my area of expertise. It is not in my comfort zone. While it is hard to function in our society without using and sometimes even embracing technology, some people find it easy to avoid having a relationship with God. In a culture where many deem a smartphone a greater necessity than an hour in worship, we need to make it as easy as possible for others to connect and commune with believers and our Heavenly Father.

Do we take time to invite the un-churched into our church homes, encouraging rather than pressuring them to learn more about Jesus and His saving grace? When visitors enter our buildings, are we willing to patiently teach them about Christian concepts that may be totally foreign to them? Or, do we express frustration when they resist moving from their comfort zone into unknown territory?

The truth is that my computer competency will not enhance my prayer life nor study of His word. No high-tech communication devices or e-readers are needed. While it may be wise for me to expand my technology knowledge for success here on earth, it is absolutely essential for me to broaden my theology knowledge to ensure eternity in heaven.

Let’s help our brothers and sisters do the same.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to be easily approachable and welcoming to our church visitors. May they find it joyful, rather than stressful, to begin their own journeys of faith.

“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,” (2 Timothy 2:24-25 NKJV).

Knock Knock

By Rosemary Flaaten –

When the Devil comes knocking at your door, simply say, “Jesus, could you get that for me?”

I smiled as I read this quote posted on my Facebook page. Boy is that good advice, but is it scriptural?

There are two passages that match the intent of this slogan. The first is Genesis 4:7 “But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” The second is 1 Peter 5:8. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

Temptations abound and my ability to withstand my selfish desires or to dabble with sin does not have the best track record. Some days it feels like sin is incessantly ringing my doorbell. Each time, I am tempted to open the door. You know how hard it is to ignore a ringing doorbell. The urgent and repetitive ‘ding-dong’ eventually gets on one’s nerves. Out of frustration or a caving in of determination, I answer the door.

But what happens when I ask Jesus to answer the door? First, the ringing will stop because the Devil will flee. Scripture assures us that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow (Philippians 2:10) and all evil will dissipate (Luke 10:17) The devil and his evil cronies cannot stand being in the presence of Jesus. Even the mention of His name is enough to win the battle. Imagine if Jesus were the One to fling the door open and adamantly say “GET LOST!!” Can’t you see those demons tripping over themselves to flee the presence of the Holy One.

On the other hand, if I answer the doorbell of temptation, I am apt to try and negotiate or rationalize or just simply hear them out. My intentions may be good but all too easily I can be talked into entertaining the idea, and before I know it, sin has entered my life. Now I am in even greater danger. Resistance is just that much harder once I’ve opened the door and I’m fully entertaining that which I said I would normally not do.

So, next time you are tempted by sin, don’t bother wasting your time negotiating, contemplating or arguing. Simply whisper the name of Jesus and let him answer the call.

PRAYER: Jesus, help me to remember that You are only a breath away and that when I call, You will answer. Thank You for your faithfulness. Thank You for being the Almighty God.

“With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).

Vacation

By Janet Morris Grimes –

In a couple of weeks, our family will be on vacation. This particular year will not bring us to the peaceful beaches or massive theme parks we see in the photos of our friends. Instead, the Grimes Family will be headed to Branson, Missouri.

Jealous?

Branson has become America’s variety show theme park; the vacation capital of the world, for those over 80 years of age. But it is here that we find our oldest daughter performing in the live show of Veggie Tales, and nothing is more rewarding than watching your child do something they excel in, no matter where that happens to take you.

Branson also offers a great water park, some beautiful lakes, and what we crave most in this particular year. Togetherness.

It is our much-needed vacation. Swimming pool, nothing on the agenda, quiet walkways beside lakes we didn’t know existed until we arrived, and conversations that don’t take place over Skype or with a text. We get the chance to be together, under one roof at the same time, something that has become a rare occurrence for our family of five.

This is the place where we will reunite, rest, and probably order a pizza or two. We might grill out, rent a jet ski, catch a movie, or choose to do nothing. But we will do it together.

And we will sing a few songs with the most adorable dancing vegetables you have ever seen.

The memories we create will be as unique as the quirky family God created us to be.

And personally, I am counting down the days.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the sights, smells, scents and touch of summer. Thank You for this time to be together. Bless it and be glorified, and continue to direct our paths.

Pet Peeve

By Elaine James –

Oh boy! My husband left the shower head arm up again. I like it put down after use; it is a pet peeve of mine. If he leaves a cabinet door open I can care less, but it just bugs me when the shower head is up. I can’t explain it!

It is so hard to be nice when I remind him to please leave it down. He nonchalantly asks “What’s the big deal?”

A pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that an individual identifies to a greater degree than others may find it. Your spouse, children, dear friend, or co-worker might ask “what’s your problem?” or “what’s the big deal?” In addition to their question, and to annoy you further, they roll their eyes or curl their lip.

In response, you boil over inside and wonder, “Why don’t they see what a big deal this is?”
Here’s an idea. Got to www.getannoyed.com for the world’s largest list of pet peeves. As a family, we looked at the list and laughed. Conversation proved to be interesting.

In our fast paced, quick solution world we snap at those we love when we are annoyed. You have done it, right?

I hate when my husband leaves mail on the counter. I want to belt out “For the hundredth time please don’t leave the mail on the counter.” But last time this happened, I held my tongue. I was convicted. I asked the Lord for His perspective, “What do I do about this situation?” The Holy Spirit brought to my mind the verse found in Colossians below.

It took time to sort it out. Good thing I did not say a word. I later learned that he forgot the mail because he was busy putting the dog out. The dog almost had an accident on the floor. My husband’s pet peeve is that no one pays attention to the dog accept for him. Literally a pet peeve!

We can pray for someone to change, but quite often they don’t. But we can ask God to help us to change our response. I am humbled after writing articles like this. I am reminded of how much I need a Savior.

Learning to laugh a little it could take the edge off a tense situation.

PRAYER: Lord quite often people annoy me. Help me love others with Your peace reigning in my heart. Thanks for not letting go of me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

“Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing; sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way” (Colossians 3:15 MSG).

A Facebook Society

By Carin LeRoy –

Five years ago at the prompting of a friend, I started a Facebook account and began to collect a list of social friends. It’s been a great way to connect with old college buddies, people who live in other states, and stay connected my children who live out of town. I love to see updates and photos of my family and the special events of others. I just added a great friend from my middle/high years whom I haven’t talked with in over 30 years. People that we can never actually visit, we can communicate and keep up with on Facebook.

It can become a great place to “spy,” brag or vent – not necessarily good virtues. We can post so many updates that it looks like some think their realm of friends is interested in their every move (who cares if you just bought a milkshake at Burger King?). It’s easy to see what mood some are in for the day–happy, mad, depressed, struggling, grieving–just by their posts.

Although I have several hundred friends and make comments on other’s posts, the communication is superficial. It’s a word here or a sentence there as I scroll down the home page. Communication is brief and to the point with no in-depth conversation. I see that as the sign of our busy times: Connect, comment and move on.

How dangerous it can be for us if our times with God are as brief and superficial as a Facebook post! Read a verse, pray and move on? How badly we need extended times of prayer and meditation with the Lord to hear His voice and draw on His strength for this life. Does God just get a token prayer like our friends get a one-sentence comment? With Facebook that might be enough, but it’s not enough for communicating with our Creator. Let’s remember to not let the busyness of our lives crowd out time for nourishing our spiritual life and hearing God speak.

PRAYER: Lord, keep me mindful that spending quality time with You needs to be part of my day. Help me to meditate and reflect on Your word and spend time in real communication with You.

“I recall the old days; I meditate on all You have done; I reflect on Your accomplishments. I spread my hands out to You in prayer; my soul thirsts for You in a parched land,” Psalm 143: 5-6 NET).

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