Monday

Here I am, on a Monday morning. Flipping quickly through my facebook news feed - it must be quickly during these times, right? And I saw a picture of a woman holding a sign from a march in 2015. - if the media can't find enough hate-filled propaganda to spew all over then they go into the archives.

Her sign said " If Mary would have had an abortion - we wouldn't be in this mess." Wait. What??

It made my stomach hurt and tears come to my eyes and I realized it takes effort. Much effort to love the ones spewing the hate.

Then, it was my time. Time to still and read a word of truth.

"They spoke against God and against Moses, and said,'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness? There is not bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!'" Numbers 21:5

ALWAYS - ingratitude makes the poison course.

I Challenge You This Year

This may be one of the most important posts I have ever written.

“Prayer does not equip us for greater works,

Prayer is the greater work.”

Oswald Chambers 

My Utmost for His Highest

Every Saturday evening I try to post this on face book and twitter:

 From Precept Ministries

So many of my friends are in the ministry, married to a minister or at least attend a church. I ache for those in ministry as I often read about sin taking over their lives. I’ve been there. I’ve lived that. It’s devastating and in hindsight, I wish I would have asked more people to pray for me. For us.

So as we begin a new year, I challenge you, dear reader, to take time each week – I’m not even asking that you do this daily – but if you think of it - that would be good, too. But weekly - pray for your Pastor and his family. (I’m going old school with my grammar here and “his” is generic for his/her.) (Please, don’t criticize my use of “his.”)

Each time you think of someone in ministry just shoot up a special prayer.

These are the people we depend on for so much – then when they show us their human side – we turn on them so quickly.

I don’t now and never have believed we should put those in ministry on a pedestal. We should never judge them – but hold them accountable in love just as we would one another.

I don’t expect more from my Pastor’s than I do from myself in my Christian walk. Do you? Are you expecting this human with flesh and bones to be more than you are or are willing to become?  Give them more understanding. Give them more of your encouragement. And Prayer. Say more prayers for them. Because not everyone treats them as if they are human. Many expect them to be more.

More spiritual. More pure. More perfect.

They are men called by God. But still in their human bodies making human decisions with the help of God. Just like you and I.

We are a critical people. It’s so easy to pick on that person speaking from the pulpit. It’s so easy to be critical of the one leading our youth - Leading our children. 

So my challenge is for you to pray for our Ministers – our Pastors. Write it on your calendar if you have a hard time remembering them. Write them on your prayer request list if you have one

JUST REMEMBER

 pray for your pastor and family.