Dis-Obedience, Un-forgiveness, Busy-ness

There are several things ruminating in my mind that I have struggled with so I just decided to put them out here just to get them out of there.

Disobedience, unforgiveness and busyness can weaken our relationship with God. I am a personal witness to this. As I've struggled with this off and on my entire life but especially in the past year or so. The busier I become the less time I have to spend with Him or in His Word. That allows disobedience to rear it's ugly head and then unforgiveness jumps on the wagon and I am so weighted down that I'm stuck and that is certainly where the enemy wants me to be. But being stuck doesn't have to last if I but come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit He will forgive me, and in my weakness strengthen me so that I can be used by Him so that He may get the glory as others see the changes in my life.

Disobedience provokes the following in God:

Anger - Psalm 78:10, 40 (NIV) "they did not keep God's covenant and refused to live by his law. " 40 "How often they rebelled against him in the desert and grieved him in the wasteland!"

Forfeits His favor - 1 Samuel 13:14 "But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command." (Saul's fall from grace)

Deprived of His Promised blessings - Jeremiah 18:10 "...and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it."

Brings a Curse - Deuteronomy 11:27-28 "the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known."

The Word gives up strict instruction on forgiveness - Matthew 26:28 This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Luke 6:35-38;42 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." ... How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Luke 7:47-48 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."

Busyness was also an issue that the Lord had and He rebuked people because of it.

Luke 10:38-42 “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and HEARD HIS WORD. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him and said, LORD, doest thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Psalm 39:6 NLT "All our busy rushing ends in nothing."

Ecclesiastes 5:3 NLT "Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool."

Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "

So, in other words, obedience, forgiveness and time spent daily with Him will strengthen and deepen our relationship with Him. And that is one of His greatest desires, to have an intimate relationship with us.

A novel is born

I'm about to embark on a journey like never before. I am starting to write a novel. I am clueless on what I'm doing or how it's going to turn out but I'm willing to give it a try. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.org). It's where you sign up and agree to write 50,000 words in the month of November which is approximately 1,667 words a day. I have been challenged by several people to start writing a book since I am currently hosting 2 blogs and a forum.

I also figured since I was doing all this writing any way I might as well make it count for something. Besides CC has said that I write marvelously well and I should have written several books by now but maybe she'll settle for this one first and we'll see what comes next. Wish me well and keep me lifted in prayer that this will all work out for the good.

Hallow what?

In a couple of days, all across America, there will be ghosts, goblins, princesses, fairies and all sorts of other scary creatures knocking on doors while the parents stand around talking about how much fun this is - NOT. As you open your door you will be greeted with the words 'trick or treat' and a bag, pillowcase, plastic pumpkin or even a shy little hand will be thrust at you for whatever goodies you are passing out. Some will be funny, some will be crying because they are just as scared of all the other costumes and people as they are of the stranger answering the door. While others will be serious and give you grief if you think that you can get away with giving them only one piece of candy.

And of course let us not forget the older kids with their tricks of egging houses and cars, stealing the little kids’ bags and other dastardly deeds all while at home the adults will be donning their costumes to head to Halloween parties all over the place. I think the adults enjoy this holiday much more than the children because it gives them a chance to cut loose, in costume - anonymous, drink too much and make absolute jerks of themselves all in the name of fun.

Me personally, I hate the holiday and don't participate. My kids will wind up at a Fall Festival activity of some sort adorned in last minute costumes thrown together out of their dress up box and my makeup kit. They will get lots of candy that I will promptly take away and feed to my co-workers shamelessly for about a week. And the next morning life will go on as usual.

Isn’t life grand…

On a Sabbatical

Have you missed me as much as I've missed popping over here blogging? Have you wondered where I was and what was going on with the site? Or were you glad that I had stopped giving you my take on life?

Sorry to have dropped off the face of the earth like that but things got a little hairy for a while and I had to take a break and deal with them.

In fact, I am still dealing with them but I wanted to pop over here and let you know that I haven't forgotten about you. All is not lost.

My sabbatical will continue for a few more weeks but I will be posting here at least once a week during that time and look to be back up to speed by the Thanksgiving Holiday. Can you believe we are almost there right now?

Nevertheless, we will soon be back in the groove again. Until then I'll leave you once again but with a post about the upcoming pagan holiday Halloween.