The Joy Robbers

I was in a Bible study tonight focusing on the first chapter of Philippians. Topic was joy. Something that seems to be missing from the lives of Christians, and from many church bodies.

Several things that cause rob us of our joy include: fear, illness, worrying about what others think, disobedience to God,lack of trust in God, and professional joy killers what seem to be in most churches.

Fear is a big one for me at the moment. Unemployment and concern over the future is a joy robber. Facing that tonight has brought me a bit of peace. Illness is another. I have not felt well this week, and that seems to bring me down in other areas.

Tonight I decided that I want to work hard at never being a joy killer in someone else's life. I want to find purpose in the events in my life, and with purpose comes joy. Like the old hymn says:

" Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey".

Have not blogged in a while.

I have not blogged in a while, due to a very, very busy and stressful couple of months. Just to give you an overview:

I was laid off from my job, permanently. It came as a bit of a shock. I was not prepared, and there was not advance warning.

My vehicle died the day after I was let go. I had to have the clutch assembly replaced.

Almost a month now, and I have not been called for a single interview.

I am 49 years old. I am a chunky woman. How can I compete in the job market against the young and short skirted? If, in fact I am actually called to interview.

God has been faithful, however. Several major prayers have been answered. The man who repaired the clutch did so for a very, very low price. Two good friends bought the clutch and would not let me repay them. Another good friend insists on buying my dinner every couple of weeks. I was allowed to break up payments on a bill. I had not problems applying for unemployment. My former employers says I will get an excellent reference. All of this happened as a result of good friends praying for me. I have no doubt at all.

God is good all the time.

Another note: almost a year ago the pastor said that he felt there were people attending church at Christ Chapel because they like the music or preaching, and God may want them in another church where they can help and be involved. I decided to pray about that, and visit some smaller churches. I attended my old Nazarene church for a few weeks, and have enjoyed the time there with some old friends. Sunday I visited our local Wesleyan church, which has a new pastor, and was impressed to visit again. Please pray for me as I transition into a new church. Not sure what church it will be, but I believe I am at a point where I can get involved again instead of just sitting in a seat and listening. Been a while. I think I am ready.

Spreading the pain

Christians (myself included) have been at times too quick to offer shallow and hurtful answers to the suffering of people. While those answers may be well-meaning, they are misguided and in most cases, just plain wrong. Theologically ignorant. They cause hurt, pain, and loss of faith. We have used to bible not as a living ongoing story of God working in our world, but as and open and shut law book.

One of the worst cases I remember involved a woman whose child died at age 8. Someone told her that "God took the child away". really? what an insensitive thing to say, and what a terrible thing to presume of God. Accidents happen, people cause deaths, as do animals, faulty equipment, and mistakes. God ripping children from their parent's arms is not a picture I think is accurate, and certainly not what grieving people need to hear.

Years ago I worked with a man who met with the parents of a little boy who had died from a bacterial infection. He , his pastor, and some other leaders in that church gathered around the parents to let them know that their child died from their lack of faith. What kind of people believe like that, and actually go to grieving parents and say that? God is not controlled by us or our actions.

Others include telling a cancer patient his illness was a result of sin in his life. Or telling the parents of a wayward teenager that their child's actions are due to poor parenting, and more punishment from God. We humans have a lot of nerve. We put the people involved, as well as God on trial for crimes against humanity.

We live in a world where laws of nature and physics have been set into motion. Where evil people live and prey on others. Where young people and some older ones do very stupid things with terrible results. Where sometimes, things just happen out of cause and effect. If I jump out of a window of a building ten stories tall, the result is not God killing me, but ME killing me. An object in motion tends to stay in motion. Until hitting concrete. If you are murdered by a serial killer, did God do that? Or did the killer do it? If someone runs a red light and hits your car, and you are injured or killed, it is not God that put you in the hospital. Whether through a mistake or bad brakes, or road rage, it was the fault of the other driver.

In this world, we have free will, and God has given humans a large amount of space and responsibility to move around in. His allows us to choose our actions and ethics. He does not command us like puppets on strings. He does not guide the knife in a murderer's hand. He allows us to choose.

Sick teachings and ignorant people do so much harm. Time for it to stop. God is at work in the good and the bad. He is a God who gives and at times takes away. That does not make Him the cause of our misery, hurt, and pain.

Pondering a few things

Recently I chatted with someone about the large numbers of people dropping out of church in favor of home groups or coffee shop Bible studies, and the number of people who are leaving the churches of their childhood in favor of churches they feel are relevant to where they are in life. How the church in general needs to hear the wake up call that people want to do more than keep churches afloat that don't help them to grow spiritually.

I was a little shocked by the hostile response I received. Basically that people need to commit to a church and stick with it, whether they get anything out of it or not. Changing churches means the person has sin in their life, is running from conviction, and is looking for a church to tell them what they want to hear.

I have not heard that type of attitude in so long it threw me for a loop.

My opinion: You need to be involved in a fellowship of believers that encourages spiritual growth, helping others, and truly worships God enthusiastically. That won't happen if you are snoring on the pew, or your whole purpose is to keep the church above water, keep the bills paid and the grass cut. That will make you weary, dry, and discouraged. Changing churches may keep you from spiritual death. Our loyalty is to Christ, not a building.

At this point in time, I am in better shape spiritually than at any time in the past. I have gone through a dry, dry desert, and many of you have shared my burden. I look back now at how far I have been brought by God. Amazing. I am not running from sin or conviction. I am running towards the arms of God. They are wide open.

Valleys and Mountains

I am in a valley right now. Not the deep, dark, almost-an-atheist kind of valley, but the dry desert kind. I read the Bible, it stares blankly back at me. Not the deep, in depth, living and active experience. The kind of valley where I am afraid at times to praise God, because I know Satan will dump a load of bricks on my head right after.

I have been a believer long enough to know that this will pass, and the climb up the mountain will happen. Patience and perseverance are the keys to hanging on. Still, I wonder why at my age these dry times happen. Are there lessons God is trying to teach me? Am I wrong about something spiritual, and He is bending me in the right direction? Hmmm. The only thing to do is hang on and reflect when it is over. Oh, and covet the prayers of friends and blog readers.

This week

This week has been filled with pressure, stress, frustration, and worry. The kind of week when the most sincere prayer I can pray is "Oh God, Oh, God, Oh, God". Problems with landlords and repairs that are not done right, and don't last. Repairs that can't or won't be done. Hours cut at work , and skimpy paycheck. Dealing with someone on a daily basis who has serious emotional issues, and a need to humiliate and ridicule those around them. Unexpected vet bills, and more bills on the near horizon. Relatives with serious problems that effect all around them. The economy having a terrible effect on myself and people I care about.

I know that weeks like this are defining moment for Christians. The call to prayer and seeking the Lord. Faith grows during weeks like this. I wish growth came during the blessed times, but it rarely does. Hardship fuels my faith. I still don't like it.

I am not a devotional writer

I try at times. Write something inspiring, warm, fuzzy, and full of God's promises and blessings. I just don't have that skill. For me, blogging is a cathartic experience. I can blog about things that would cause mass hysteria if I brought it up in a Sunday School class. I blog the questions we don't dare ask in church. I know I sound critical and bitter. Yet when I blog, any bitterness and critical feelings wash out of me.

I am not a watcher on the wall, a heretic hunter, or a stalker of legalists. I am a human being, who happens to be a Christian, who writes about the things that bother, confuse, or disgust me in our church world. I love to read devotional blogs, but I am just not THAT blogger.

new discussion forum

The Believer's Coffee Cafe has become crowded, and topics are hard to find.
we have decided to branch out and offer a discussion forum HERE
while maintaining our blogs, discussions, and personal pages at the old site.

Drop by and check out the new forums area.

I Know Whom I Have Believed

"I know not why God's wondrous love to me He hath made known;
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love redeemed me for His own.
But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able
to keep that which I've committed, unto Him against that day".-Whittle & McGranahan

Doesn't get much simpler than that. I don't know all of the ins and outs of grace, I can only accept them. Sometimes we take the simple and make it difficult. Grace is one of those things. We humans attempt to attach conditions to the unconditional. Try to make God's favor and love something to be earned through hard work in the church or personal piety. We are wrong to do so.

Once again....

I want to remind my readers that I do not agree with every blog or site I have links to. I just find them interesting and informative. A few are the blogs of friends of mine. chill out