Friday, December 5, 2014

Morning Prayer

I was up early this morning, made the coffee, my husband’s lunch and kissed him goodbye, before he went off to work for the day. Then I took my coffee down stairs and for a moment thought about turning on the television and veg out, maybe watch the depressing news cast - just relax before my niece arrives and my Mum gets up. It was so quiet and the fireplace was burning a soothing flame, and the house was warm and cozy. I thought, No! I have some quiet time. I should pray and talk to God. I have slowly been drawn away from the discipline of prayer and other Spiritual priorities. 
I decided to pray.

With the sermon notes on the subject of prayer from the last few Sundays, still fresh in my mind, I began to exalt God and acknowledge my Holy and Heavenly Father, Creator and Savior. Many of us in my generation grew up starting our day at school by saying the Lord’s Prayer and then singing 'O Canada', at the sound of the 9:00 school bell. The Lord’s Prayer is a format example of how Jesus told the disciples how to pray. It is a helpful instruction for those who don’t know how to pray or communicate with a Holy and Just God. If you want more information on the topic of prayer in this regard contact www.hopefortoday.ca and I’m sure Pastor Bryan Vaughan will send you a copy of his sermon notes which will direct you to Bible scripture on the topic.

This morning, I began praying for others, who I know are struggling. I find, as I begin to pray for others, topics or thoughts will come to my mind. It is important to pray. See sermon notes. It should not surprise me that during prayer, often God responds. For me, I don’t hear God speak in an audible voice per say. It is more within my inner thoughts and inspirations. I just know it is His voice. His answers, add to the prayer, instructs with inspiration, direction ideas of action, obviously not contrary to The Word of God.

So, after that little prelude. After praying, I was inspired to write again.

Often, people reach for other things to meet their needs and desires rather than reach out through prayer to God. People bury themselves in paperwork or a multitude of other things. After a long day at work, the couch is a very inviting place. Even this morning, I would have turned on the television to find some rest rather than rest in the Father God and talk to Him through prayer. Ridiculous, since I just had eight hours sleep. How many people are no different than me? I know of so many who are struggling with trials, anxiety, worry, addictions. It seems easier to reach for the quick fix:  Turn to other people, your job, success, prosperity, fame, alcohol, and cigarettes, Tim Hortons or MacDonalds to fill that graving. We get the picture.

People line up for a half hour to buy a coffee. Thus the new jingle. “You always line up at Tim Horton’s”. A half hour of prayer would fill your cup with a better replacement than coffee, wine, or the cravings of the sinful heart.  On and on I could go. People are trying to ease the pain of their real struggle, with some or all of these types of things. It is so true. I think it is called comfort food. What is my comfort food? What is your comfort food? Can you ever eat enough of it? We are getting fat consuming the wrong foods. I’m not talking about whether or not we should eat pork. I’m talking about what nutrients are you consuming for your Spiritual, Physical and Emotional needs? Are you going to Tim’s or MC Doo Doo’s for it, or are you turning to God and a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ. Tis the season to be Jolly, Fa La La La La La, La La La La. Tis the season to know and understand that Christ is the Greatest Gift of all, and through Him, you can have a minute to minute communication with the God of the universe. Give Him all your worries, anxiety. Rest in Him Merry Gentle Men.

I know that there are so many unanswerable questions about God, about faith. There are also many answers in the Holy Bible. I can see many eyes rolling who are reading that line. The Holy Bible is the infallible Word of God. The Bible is proven, tried and true with many fulfilled prophecies to date and a few more Biblical prophesies still to come. Example - the return of God the Son for those who believe, repent and receive that greatest gift of all Jesus Christ. The Bible is full of God’s good advice, instruction which can give those who seek Him and ask Him for help a means to find that help on a daily basis. The “BIBLE, yes that is the book for me. I stand on guard for the Word of God. The BIBLE”.  How many people even pick up the Bible or have a Bible these days? If you want a free Bible also contact www.hopefortoday.ca. They will give you a new Bible.

Many know how to turn on the tap, but don’t turn on the tap of communication with God. Or maybe it has become a slow drip. To some God is not real. To others, they can put way more faith in a man in a red suit named Santa. (Satan) Same letters used. Isn’t he a sly devil that father of lies? We tell our children the same lie then wonder why they don’t believe in God when they get older. If Santa was a lie then God must be a lie too. That is probably one of the biggest lies of all.

We pray for God to speak to us, but in reality within the Word of God, He tells us how to receive all these things and so much more. Why is it, even for Christians who know and study the word of God, the first signs of trouble or problems, even just business; reading the Bible, studying it and then prayer and application is the first things to be put aside?

All stop there and continue my prayer. 

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Dreams

Dreams

It is one of those mornings when you wake up, make your cup of coffee and sit staring at the flames in the fire place; one of those mornings when you look into your coffee cup and begin to analyze your life, wondering - what on earth, am I here for? Feeling lost in a moment of scattered thoughts. Thinking that I spend more time in my thoughts than I do actually doing something of significance. What is significant? What is my life about? What dreams do I have? Do dreams come true?
Years ago, or was it yesterday? The days go by so quickly. One day goes into the next and the calendar pages flip by year after year. When I was about fifteen years old, I was given a poem written by someone in the family. The title of the poem “Dreams Don’t Come True”.

Lying here feeling lonely
Because its something that I do
When I finally realize
Dreams don't come true

But I'm constantly seeing a vision
Of the person I'd like to find
But it always stays an image
A prisoner of my mind

When I try to go to sleep
Dreaming I refuse to do
Because its not worth the pain
If dreams don't come true

Written by the late: Norman Hand 1982

Years ago, I actually turned the poem into a song using minor chords to fit with the words. Even at that young age, my melancholy personality thought the poem had such a sad perspective on life, but I could relate to the words. The poem was written, as are all songs, with the depth of that author’s feelings, thoughts, and cries of the heart. For him, dreams did not come true.

This morning in my reflections about life, that old song or poem came to my mind. In reality, I have to confess, I tend to believe that in this life, dreams don’t really come true. What are dreams? Dreams are our imaginary wants which enter into our subconscious mind and eventually filter their way into being. Or at least we strive in life to make those dreams or subconscious thoughts come true.
How often do we think that our dreams have come true, only to find years later, that dream was not all it was cracked up to be. It actually has led to another big disappointment in life. Within our subconscious dreams, we usually never get to see the outcome. The dreams change somewhere between thoughts or snores.

Many people have their own definition of success.   One example could be - getting that mansion on the hill, with the corvette sitting in driveway with sunroof open and the sun shining and the gentle breeze blowing.  The white picket fence is sturdy and the mortgage is paid - the dream has come true. In reality there is an empty void in the heart and still in that subconscious mind that no dream on earth can fill. The mansion has many empty rooms.

So often in life, we try really hard to make our dreams come true. That is the purpose which motivates people to get out of bed in the morning to drive their cars to a job they don’t enjoy, so they can make money to pay the bills which keep piling up. On weekends, for some people, they squeeze some enjoyment into their down time. That is if they don’t have to spend the weekend playing catch up. Sounds depressing.

We spend our lives striving to fill the voids with dreams, but the dreams are not all we had imagined. The fairy tale ending never comes. The disappointments in life pile up higher and higher until you find yourself looking into that empty cup or watching old black and white movies with the volume on full so you can hear it. The worn- out electric recliner is where you spend the end of your dream. Body bent from years of striving, working and the body is aching and sore. Your eyes are dim, your pain is old. Oh, yes, Keith Green already wrote that song. “My eyes are dry, my faith is old, my heart is hard, and my prayers are cold. I know how I ought to be. Alive to you and dead to me.”  A song expressing what we should really be focusing our lives on. We can all feel like the words in Keith's song when we make this world and everything in it our God - thinking this world has anything to offer. It never fully satisfies.

The years go by and some people out-live their friends, spouse, siblings and sometimes even their children. When that happens we tend to cling to the good memories and life can seem more like one big dream. Years of yesterday did not really happen, did they? That memory is just a dream of the subconscious mind that we thought happened. It no longer feels real. That was someone else’s life. The great disconnect begins to happen. Slowly, the last remnants of this life are seeping away one day at a time. Life and its dreams almost seem like cruel temptations. The cycle of life will continue long after I am gone. Unless Christ Jesus returns by then. It will seem like my life was just in someone else’s imagination. And time moves on. Eventually, you become two thoughts away, then three, then you become that old black and white movie clip from days long past which fades with time until it is no more. Ecclesiastes King Solomon wrote nearing the end of his life. "Everything is meaningless under the Sun." There is meaning when you bring the Son (Christ Jesus) under the sun and into your life. Solomon was the wisest of men. Looking over his life he came to the conclusion that we should fear God with loving reverence. This is the foundation of wisdom.

Many people are looking into their empty cups these days and sadly don’t find any hope or meaning. This time of year is difficult for a lot of people to cope. This season seems to bring much joy to some and much sadness to others. Some can’t find that happy perspective while trying to live life clinging to hope found in the achievement of that dream. Some people can seem to have it all, but have hit rock bottom. 

I've heard of four suicides in the last two weeks. I've felt the pain of that loss within my own family years ago. I don’t live in my dream world as much anymore. Sure, sometimes my dream world seems like a better place to get lost in once in a while. It seems to ease the pain from years of disappointments. The reality of life can be painful enough at times. To me, dreams don’t come true. Dreams disappoint. Life and all that makes up our little worlds can disappoint. Why? Because everyone is all caught up in their own world of dreams of which you may have a very insignificant role. To God you are significant.

Is this life perfect? Absolutely not. We live in a fallen world with much pain and suffering and sin. My hope is in the Lord my God. Without that eternal hope for something better, for perfection, we are all lost in that time warp where dreams are just a mirage, but His joy comes in the morning while looking into the empty cups and watching the fire. His Hope is an everlasting hope for a new day and a new heaven with a perfect God. Until I get there. Jesus commands my destiny.

"In Christ Alone. My hope is found. He is my light my strength and my song."

Do you have that hope in your life which can far exceed any dream  for this life? Fill your cup this morning with HOPE! Here is a great song lyric. May you find your light, your strength and song to get you motivated this morning and every morning. Check out the utube song. "In Christ Alone".

Blog Author - Rebecca Wills Robinson