Friday, June 26, 2009

To Tell The Truth In Love

Greetings and Holykisses,



This morning, I finished 1 Kings, and came upon another interesting story that spoke truth into my being. The King Jehoshaphat of Judah, went to see Ahab the king of Israel. . The King of Israel wanted to conquer Ramoth- Gilead and asked Jehoshaphat to go along with him. --

Jehosaphat thought they should inquire of the Lord before they went ahead. Good thinking huh? They wanted to go to battle, but on second thought... decided they should inquire the Lord. Bottom line, they wanted to know if they would win? So they called up the prophets... get this: about 400 of them! I had to go back and re-read that. I had no idea there were so many. They all went along with it and said to go ahead and go to battle! Jehosaphat got to thinking..... maybe worrying?
"Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?" 1 Kings 22: 7
Here they were all telling them to go, ... but he wondered if there were one who would say otherwise?
The king of Israel said unto Jehosophat, yes there is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: But I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." 1 Kings 22:8


One man.
One man who would tell it like it really was.
Inspite of what others thought or said, one man would speak God's truth.

How often people will tell you what they think you want to hear? Even Christian people. In this story all these prophets went along with what the King wanted them to say. They went along with his battle. Only one stood in truth for his God. This lesson makes me think of a proclaimed Christian who is in a very evil battle right now. I know this battle is sin in the eyes of God. It's this person's life and choice to be part of an evil war, but they expect me to go along with the battle, and I can't and won't. I stand for my God. Standing alone, will I too be hated? Maybe.
Probably. But following our Lord, there is no untruth in Jesus. No other way. Who do I serve? God or man? I serve my God. God is pure TRUTH and pure LOVE.

Love brings me to the workbook Myguy and I started together.

"Let Love be your highest goal." 1 Corinthians 14:1


Studying love reminded us how we misuse the word altogether. Admittedly: I'm bad about it. Honestly, I didn't even realize it. I love banana bread and cookies. I love buttons, and vintage everything. I love my God, myguy, my kids, my friends. Lightbulb!!!!! Okay,... may I please rephase this. I love My God. I love Myguy, I love my friends and family. But I really, really, really like buttons, and making things. I really really like banana bread- especially the top of it. I really, really like journaling. But I don't love buttons. I don't love banana bread, or any of that other stuff. I love God!!!!! And I love you! (sigh*)

My life verse and new heart is attached to
"Love God, your God with your whole heart; love Him with all that's in you, love Him with all you've got!" Deuteronomy 6:5
Now that's lovin!
"You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind... Love your neighbor as yourself" Matthew 22:37, 39


Love your neighbor. Who's my neighbor?.... every person that gets in my way. I meant that nicely. Not just Johnboy next door. Every person in and around my path. My change of heart kind of started when I saw the "dirty people" in a new light, and looked down and "saw myself even dirtier." You can read about it here. That was a day I'll never forget. God's been pressure washing the crannies of my new heart, in my snooty tendencies where I sometimes think I'm a little above others. A couple days ago, I was driving by and saw one of the dirty people getting out of a vehicle to go in a store and my first thought that crossed my mind was not that ... there was one of the "dirty people" - like I used to before, but instead: Hello Mr. __________. Lord, please bless Mr. ______ today. In my new heart I used respect and high regards towards my neighbor, thinking of him higher than Lea! That was a huge moment, and I actually felt warmth washing over me.

Back to my neighbor. Our workbook on love gave us an assignment. First we were to think of people in our life who exuberate love. Lots of you come to mind, but: I'm thinking of two. Denise, you're one of them. (As I'm writing this, I just clicked over to your blog to link you and low and behold you had written about "circle of love." Must be a God thing, and I'm very anxious to read that post!) I know I've never met you in real life, but you my friend, have showered me with love like no one in my life. You pray for me, and tell me outrightly every time you write me .... that you love me. You can't know what that has done for me and in me. Jesus oozes out of you and I feel Him splashing all over me. I love you too Denise, and thank you for showing me the real love of Jesus Christ! May GOD BLESS YOU!

Another person; actually I've shared her with you before: Dimple. Dimple showed me love. Genuine, and true; real Jesus love! Everytime I've ever seen her she's hugged me and said, "I love ya honey." And as I've watched her, I've witnessed that every person she comes in contact with she gives that hug and says, "I love ya honey." And she's not phoney about it. She's not going to tell you that and then when you turn away talk bad about you. No. . She LOVES YA HONEYYYYYYYY! For real. She is no respector of persons, and she openly and boldly shares Jesus.

These two people truly show God's love to *me* consistently. How badly I want to think of myself like that but noway Honey, I fall so short it aint even funny. I can be so mean and hateful and come nowhere near the love mark. But guess what? I'm aiming high for it! God's showing me the real way. It starts with being transparent which some of you still might think "Thats just tellin people too much information." If you really feel that way, then why would you be here right now? I'm tellin ya God uses us when we are REAL. I can honestly say, Dimple and Denise are transparent. I don't get to see Dimple much anymore but I read Denise often as do many of you. Denise shares the ups and downs of her walk in Faith. It's not been easy always, but I can tell you,... she oozes Jesus. And although I told you the truth that I fall very short of real love. --ya know what? My confession will grow me closer to God's way of loving. And it could you too!

Myguy thought hard, and said of all the people he's ever known only one comes close in his eyes to God's way of real love : His Grampa. His Grampa was REAL, kind, tender- hearted, and loving. Myguy said, he knew his Grampa loved God. He read His Word. ~~ yeah, he loved God!

Searching our memory banks of people who really expressed love, shows us qualities to grasp for ourselves! Getting ahold of them, and asking God to refine us in those areas will be life changing. Restoration and that revolution of love. True love. God's love.

Next we're on assignment. We learned about love, but what we decided we want to get ahold of is understanding that God's true way to love is in action. Not a passive, quiet ... only live life in a turtle shell kind of way, but out there, really loving people the Dimple way. When Myguy and I were talking last night, we both just smiled how Dimple oozed Jesus outloud. I mean, she talked to Jesus outloud all the time, in front of everybody and anybody. Now that's love outloud. That's how we want to learn to love. Her pride didn't keep her from oozing. She humbly oozed outloud, all over the place.

Aside from blessing one person everyday, we prayerfully thought of someone to "LOVE on" this week. Myguy chose his, and I chose mine. It didn't have to be someone that you struggle with, it could be someone you just want to enhance that love relationship with... but after a quiet time... we both came up with our two people. I'm excited to see what God's gonna do this week! And what we'll learn from this experience.

If you're curious about the workbook we're using, it's The 40 Days of Love by Rick Warren. You can find it inside the Purpose Driven Connection magazine.

Have a beautiful day today.
I love Jesus
and I love all of you.
May His love splash all over you today.





8 comments:

The Patterson 5 said...

Thanks for your splashes of God's love over my way! You made me smile ear to ear!

Great is thy Faithfullness and Go Down Moses! are the two songs that just bring such joy when the little one's sing it! You should hear these little group of two year olds belt out these tunes! Such a blessing!

Thanks for sharing all that you are learning. I agree it is harder to stand alone with God and yet there is no place else I'd rather be!

Thanks for being real, sharing your struggles and you too, my dear, ooze Jesus love! See it's splashing all over here!

Yolanda said...

Splish Splash I've been takin' a bath....and you'll understand when you take a peak. Lea, your scripture is my Memory Scripture...Luke 10:27 NIV.

Great words and I'm coming clean, I get mean myself and then my thought closet gets full of the wrong materials. I'm learning to do some house cleaning and put God's thoughts front and center.

Love to you as your SPLASH HIS LOVE onto your special person.

Lovingly,
Yolanda

Denise said...

You bless me daily dear one. Thank you for such precious words spoken here. I love you very much, thanks for leaving beautiful splashes all over my life.

Debra said...

Hi Lea,
Your post blessed me.
I wrote a whole bunch of stuff and then erased it.
I can't seem to comment here-I keep getting rid of it all.
I love visiting you, and your kind and true heart is a joy...
Love, Debra

Barbara Jean said...

Lea,
I don't even know what to say.

You have written a lot to think about.

I have always thought i was pretty up front about where i am at at any given time, but, there is a part of me i am too afraid for anyone to see for fear of rejection, judgment or being unloved. Things i grew up with and fear still.
I know when i am honest and open about things, God uses that to help others. He is so gracious about that.

So, without going on and on, I will just say thank you. Thank you for being honest. Thank you for encouraging us to continue in love. For challenging us to love bigger and better, and deeper, like God loves.

Words cannot express how i am feeling right now.

I love you. I thank you for the times you have been there to pray when i have asked.

Barbara Jean

Anonymous said...

Dear Lea~ I love you! I've never said that before to anybody on here. Everytime I read your blog, you just touch my heart so much. I learn from you all the time. You have a way of explaining things and just putting it out there where I can understand it. Thank you for that. God bless you!

Cora from Hidden Riches said...

I love you, too, Lea! And I mean that! You are one of the first people I met when I started blogging, and I was just drawn to you like a magnet! I always feel "hugged" when you stop by, and feel it a privilege to know you!!! Thank you so much for all that you share here, your candid honesty, and your soul searching lessons you teach! God has given you a ministry here through your blog, and I, for one, have been so richly blessed!

Loving people is easy when they are nice (like we are!!!???), isn't it? I will reach out this week to someone God puts in my pathway, no matter who it is, and love them! There! I've made a commitment!

Tracy said...

Oh my goodness, girl! What an AWESOME post. As I read, the love flowing out of you -- God's love is just unmistakeable! So glad you're learning at his feet these days. There was more than a heap of conviction when you talked about the "dirty" people...oh, forgive me Lord. How I need His love splashed over me that I can do the same for others.

What an exciting challenge for the week. I'm excited for the person God has placed upon your heart. They're in for such a blessing! You love like few others I've ever known. = ) Thanks for splashing His love all over blogworld!

Love YOU!
Tracy