Changing to Meet the Truth

All this talk about Jesus' authority, but what does it mean to me? My life? My responses to situations affecting me?

A question we ask ourselves at AVEFC is: if what we learn is truth, then what do we do about it? In this subject of authority, the easy answer is to just say accept it and live your life based on it. 

Ha! I don't know about you, but I am a rebellious soul. If my dad were still around you could ask him. He could tell you some stories. In general, when told to go right I go left (part of that is dyslexia LOL). Or more importantly, if told to do or not do something, there I would be doing the opposite. A life time of that nature running rampant is hard to reel in and change.

I am independent and had raised my boys, on my own, for 8 of their in-home years. I am used to looking at things with my own logic and experience. So, my first problem is simply remembering that I am not in charge. I go off on tangents without even giving a thought to God or that I should even pray about it. Then I start seeing unintended repercussions. That's bad and at that point is when i start thinking, "Hey God, come on. A little help here." My own fault that I didn't ask in the first place!

I have written earlier on a blog that I am working on contentment and gratitude. How can I do that if I don't let God lead me? That is where I am today--learning to follow Him. That does not mean I am going off into the wild jungles (I don't think), it simply means to look to Him first. Ask what He would have me do, how to respond or just wait.

I have started my blogs for some creative freedom and to share myself with whomever reads them. I prayed about them and felt an urge to make them happen.

I am having that same urge in finding a way to make some income. There are a few avenues open to me, but I want to honor Jesus not my abilities or follow some man-made plan. So I wait.
There are a few things I am working on ATM. Things like writing a fictional book, the church website, blogs, and doing other things online. I just wrote a book for my granddaughter, and feel led to do something in the realm of relationships--marriage, family, people--putting God into it but not sure how to go forward there and a number of other things.

My ability to focus is also reflected here

Writing a fictional book takes time and I have to keep God and my family responsibilities before it. If anyone has written or been passionate about something that is not directed towards your family, you know how hard it is to keep it all balanced. I tend to do many things at once, but only focus on one or two things with full force.

Take babies for example. The baby becomes the mom's focus and the husband is often left on the periphery somewhat ignored, especially his need for serious affection from his wife. Guilty here. I didn't know that I should have had a better balance, nor did I know how if I had been aware. That is something God has shown me. That is one reason to keep God first, He helps with making my marriage good and keeping a major focus on my Frontier Hubby! That change in me, made a change in him, too. We are so much better together now than ever. When either of us takes our eyes off God, we end up fighting because it then becomes all about us. If you do not know God, that may sound really off-base, but it works! I would rather be happy in my marriage than give into my need to be the number 1, most important person in my life. Been there, done that and flopped.

So, if Jesus' authority is real what should we do about it? I try to bring myself under His authority. He is not a selfish, power hungry person. He is God, the benevolent dictator, and He is concerned about us. There is talk about if we all love each other, there would be no war. Well, if people were not involved that might work, but whoever is in power will become corrupt. It is just human nature. So how about we all look to Jesus and love Him. The rest falls into place as long as we get out of the way!

So, what are you going to do about the truth of His authority?

May you find all things new in Him,
Frontier Woman @ FrontierChristianLiving

Follow Me - Authority of Jesus

We were out of town for the week of Feb. 21-22. The rest of the week filled up quickly with another trip on Wed-Thurs. We are finally catching up to ourselves and getting rested. If you are interested in the sermon from Sun, Feb. 22, you can go to HisPlace.org, scroll down to the service dated 7/5/14 named The Word Became Flesh (Follow Me 2) video and watch it.
Yesterday, Mar. 1, was back to Pastor Shane Freese doing the sermon, as part of the series "Follow Me". It will be posted on Vimeo tomorrow, Tuesday. My posts, although based on the sermon, incorporate my thoughts as well, so to see the video of the sermon is recommended.
I was really moved as we learned about the authority of Jesus. As we continue to delve into scriptures word by word and verse by verse, we as a congregation seem to be transformed in our understanding and how we apply our new knowledge to our lives. Wow! God continuously makes Himself new to us as He allows us to see Him more clearly. The negative of that is the more one knows, the more we are held responsible to make it change ourselves: our hearts, our minds, our interactions with others, everything! Following Jesus brings a lifetime of learning and changing. I pray to be up to that challenge and for those reading this to also be strengthened by God to allow His Spirit to touch your lives and make things new.
The scripture started with Mark 1:21-28. ". . . he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law." So imagine you are sitting and listening to a new rabbi who does not speak as you have heard before, but speaks with the authority (higher knowledge and experience) of the one who wrote the scriptures. There is a new perspective and with it more revelations. It would feel odd and certainly get your attention as it did the rabbis who heard Him. The people were amazed. The rabbis were incensed.
It was probably much like the sermon on the mount where Jesus repeated many scriptures, and added nuances that gave them newer, more intense meanings such as Matt 5:21-22 where Jesus said comparing to the law against murder, ". . . anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment." That is spoken from authority, as one who knows the intent of the law and the only one who does that is God.
What type of people do other people tend to follow, generally those with more knowledge than themselves. Why do they follow someone with more knowledge? To learn more, gain a better perspective and possibly get some experience with their new found knowledge and skills. What is a sign that someone has more knowledge? They speak with authority on subjects, understand the principles behind the knowledge and do things far superior to others. Jesus did just that and gained a following of not only disciples, but of people who saw and heard Him. Being separated by many generations, we do not get see Jesus like they did, nor even get the direct stories of what He did and said. But that does not change who he is and we can experience him directly. We need only ask it of him.
How did the Pharisees respond? With grumbling and anger. They were the authority, until Jesus showed up. Did they accept His authority? For the most part, no. Do we accept His authority? Sadly, for the most part, no. We are a rebellious people and do not like authority over us. What is the best type of authority? A benevolent dictator. One who always has good intentions and the power to make it happen. People cannot do that. We use power to get our way even if only some of the time, it is enough to make bad outcomes. God is the only one who can be trusted to not abuse His power, but to always do good with it. It is ourselves who invite bad things to happen, with negative results from selfish things we do.
We, as people, think that if circumstances were different, things would be better. That is a rather unlikely scenario as we are always present in our circumstances. Shane said he has a lot of car problems and "changes cars like socks" and there are still problems or opportunities for growth as we like to call them.
It was joked that it could probably be said that those here in Aeneas Valley would probably be more rebellious than most places, since we moved here as a type of rebellion against the main direction of society to live in cities, under the watchful eye of the government, neighbors and other authorities at all times. Thus, it is reasonable to consider us a bit more reluctant to give up our "authority over ourselves" in our Christian walk. That is what is meant by dying daily to ourselves so we can Follow Him.
Our goal is to be open to let God change us through Jesus into holy vessels. Holy, not always happy. But the reward is in heaven for the times we are unhappy in circumstances. So, do not despair, He is with us always.

May you find all things new in Him,
Frontier Woman @ FrontierChristianLiving