If you're a wife and mom, just add "gatekeeper" to your list of titles and job descriptions. So what is a gatekeeper? My Thesaurus lists sentry, monitor, guard, watchman and custodian as synonyms. (I don't know about you, but "custodian" is the one I immediately related to considering all the messes I clean in a day!)
We are definitely called to protect our children's safety - what friends they associate with, where we allow them to go; tv shows and movies we allow them to watch; making sure they're dressed appropriately and have the tools they need to succeed in life. (We pretty much do the same for our husbands when you think about it!)
A very critical aspect of our job as family gatekeepers is to filter the foods we allow into our homes. Our children in particular rely on us to be role models of good health by "walking the talk." We can't tell them they cannot drink soda and then down a half liter. We lose valuable credibility. A good rule of thumb for gatekeepers is - Don't ask them to do anything you are not already doing.
Another aspect of this position is to educate ourselves on natural health and nutrition so that we can make truly informed and wise decisions for ourselves and our families. Finally, we have to be the final word as to what we allow into our homes. This applies to screening out junk food, processed (fake) food, artificial sweeteners and any other substance that compromises, or out and out damages health. The mantra must be: If God didn't make it, we are not to put it in our bodies.
You are also the sentry, so to speak, of what is allowed in the environment of your home. If you allow fear, worry, anger, resentment, guilt, jealousy, greed and selfishness to come in, they will take over and pollute the entire atmosphere of your home. You have to strenuously guard the attitudes and spirits allowed to enter.
Speaking scriptures over your family as you move through your home is a great and powerful way. We set boundaries in our lives with our mouths. So this is a very easy and effective way to do just that. This will set great things in motion especially if you do it on a regular basis.
Playing praise and worship music or scripture CDs throughout the house is another great way. Blessing each room, window and door is another powerful way. I do this every New Year's Day. I anoint each window and doorpost, as well as the beds, tables and desks in the rooms, with oil and plead the Blood of Jesus over them declaring that nothing can enter that does not first pass through the Blood. If God allows it, He will use it for our good!
So fellow gatekeeper, carry on! You may not be recognized or fully appreciated for fulfilling your gatekeeping duties. But never doubt that God knows, and He is pleased with your efforts.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
It's the Truth
A fact is anything that has actually happened; the state of things as they are. The truth is the real or true state of things. That may seem like a very subtle difference to you, but actually it is the difference between night and day. Jesus tells us in John 8:32 that we will "know the truth and the truth will set us free. "
That word "truth" is there for a reason. I've heard Bible teachers say that truth supercedes fact. This became crystal clear to me recently. Several months ago when gas prices were going crazy, we were paying over $4.50 per gallon here in upstate NY for regular. One of the ministries I partner with asked everyone to join with them in commanding those prices to come down to $2.00 per gallon. She explained that we have authority in Jesus' name to do so and of course, there is power in agreement.
The facts were very clear - gas was $4.50 per gallon. It looked pretty unlikely that those prices would drop any time soon. The truth is that according to God's Word we can have whatsoever we say (Mark 11:23, 24); whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven (Matthew 18:18); all things belong to us (1 Corinthians 3:21); and according to Luke 11:9 we are to ask, seek and knock. So in an attitude of faith, every time I filled my tank, I stood there and commanded those gas prices to drop to $2 a gallon in Jesus' Name. (I'm sure there are a few people in this area who think that woman with the dark blue van is a little off - talking to the gas pumps - but, oh well!)
I had truth on my side regardless of the facts. Interestingly enough, the first few weeks after we began doing this, the prices actually went up! We stood firm because we had truth on our sides.
I filled my van up this week and the price for regular was actually $1.83! It seemed crazy and illogical for a group of believers who don't even know each other to join together in faith and command gas prices to drop. That is the power of faith, prayer and the Word of God.
It is also a matter of truth superceding facts. The fact may be that you are sick today, but the truth remains - by His stripes you were healed.
The fact may be that you are struggling financially, but the truth remains that He became poor that you might be rich and His greatest wish is for you to prosper.
Once you stop and analyze what the facts of any situation are, the next step is to seek the truth of it. Once you know the truth, it sets you free...
free from fear, worry, sickness, poverty, doubt.
That's the truth.
That word "truth" is there for a reason. I've heard Bible teachers say that truth supercedes fact. This became crystal clear to me recently. Several months ago when gas prices were going crazy, we were paying over $4.50 per gallon here in upstate NY for regular. One of the ministries I partner with asked everyone to join with them in commanding those prices to come down to $2.00 per gallon. She explained that we have authority in Jesus' name to do so and of course, there is power in agreement.
The facts were very clear - gas was $4.50 per gallon. It looked pretty unlikely that those prices would drop any time soon. The truth is that according to God's Word we can have whatsoever we say (Mark 11:23, 24); whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven (Matthew 18:18); all things belong to us (1 Corinthians 3:21); and according to Luke 11:9 we are to ask, seek and knock. So in an attitude of faith, every time I filled my tank, I stood there and commanded those gas prices to drop to $2 a gallon in Jesus' Name. (I'm sure there are a few people in this area who think that woman with the dark blue van is a little off - talking to the gas pumps - but, oh well!)
I had truth on my side regardless of the facts. Interestingly enough, the first few weeks after we began doing this, the prices actually went up! We stood firm because we had truth on our sides.
I filled my van up this week and the price for regular was actually $1.83! It seemed crazy and illogical for a group of believers who don't even know each other to join together in faith and command gas prices to drop. That is the power of faith, prayer and the Word of God.
It is also a matter of truth superceding facts. The fact may be that you are sick today, but the truth remains - by His stripes you were healed.
The fact may be that you are struggling financially, but the truth remains that He became poor that you might be rich and His greatest wish is for you to prosper.
Once you stop and analyze what the facts of any situation are, the next step is to seek the truth of it. Once you know the truth, it sets you free...
free from fear, worry, sickness, poverty, doubt.
That's the truth.
Monday, December 8, 2008
What's Love Got to Do With It?
Getting back to basics, to me, means breaking things down to their smallest common denominator. Drilling down to the core issues - making it clear and simple.
This thought jumped out at me as I was studying Romans 13:8:
Keep out of debt and owe no man anything except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor (who practices loving others) has fulfilled the Law (relating to one's fellowmen, meeting all its requirements.)
God really doesn't complicate things at all - we sure do! How much more straightforward can you get: Keep out of debt and love each other. How timely and practical for us right now in these crazy, unsettled economic and political times.
Beyond that, the phrase that says "love fulfills all God's requirements" is absolutely amazing to me. The Jewish people took the first five books of the bible and came up with hundreds upon hundreds of rules to burden themselves with. Many of us tend to look at the New Testament teachings and think, "How do I remember them all, much less do them?"
God made it so simple - it all boils down to love. God is love (1 John 4:8 & 16). When everything else fades away - love will still remain (1Corinthians 13:13). God loved the world so much He gave us Jesus (John 3:16). Love was and is His primary motivation in all He does because He is love. And the one that never ceases to humble me and fill me with awe - Jesus Himself tells us that God the Father loves us just as He loves Jesus (John 17:23)!! It fills me with awe to even consider that God loves me as much as He loves Jesus.
Maybe if we all stop worrying about the stupid, nonsense - the ridiculous, nit-picky stuff and focus on the core, the root, the heart of the matter:
Are we operating out of love?
Maybe then all the other issues would be resolved and life would become more peaceful and fulfilling.
Love - anyway you look at it, in the final analysis, is really all that matters. Now, that's what I call getting back to basics.
This thought jumped out at me as I was studying Romans 13:8:
Keep out of debt and owe no man anything except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor (who practices loving others) has fulfilled the Law (relating to one's fellowmen, meeting all its requirements.)
God really doesn't complicate things at all - we sure do! How much more straightforward can you get: Keep out of debt and love each other. How timely and practical for us right now in these crazy, unsettled economic and political times.
Beyond that, the phrase that says "love fulfills all God's requirements" is absolutely amazing to me. The Jewish people took the first five books of the bible and came up with hundreds upon hundreds of rules to burden themselves with. Many of us tend to look at the New Testament teachings and think, "How do I remember them all, much less do them?"
God made it so simple - it all boils down to love. God is love (1 John 4:8 & 16). When everything else fades away - love will still remain (1Corinthians 13:13). God loved the world so much He gave us Jesus (John 3:16). Love was and is His primary motivation in all He does because He is love. And the one that never ceases to humble me and fill me with awe - Jesus Himself tells us that God the Father loves us just as He loves Jesus (John 17:23)!! It fills me with awe to even consider that God loves me as much as He loves Jesus.
Maybe if we all stop worrying about the stupid, nonsense - the ridiculous, nit-picky stuff and focus on the core, the root, the heart of the matter:
Are we operating out of love?
Maybe then all the other issues would be resolved and life would become more peaceful and fulfilling.
Love - anyway you look at it, in the final analysis, is really all that matters. Now, that's what I call getting back to basics.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Real Self-Esteem
For something to have real value to us, it has to cost us something. If someone gives you an expensive item as a gift, you may treasure it, but it won't have the same value to you as something you worked, planned and sacrificed for. That is just a basic part of human nature.
The accomplishments that mean the most to us are those that we've put the most "sweat equity" into.
As a mom, the sacrifice (of time, energy, money, sleep) I have put into raising my children has yielded the most valuable result - three wonderful human beings. Has it always been easy? No. Have there been days when I had to force myself to get up and do whatever it was I had to for them? Yes! Have there been times I have been discouraged? Yes. Would I do it all over again? Without hesitation, question or a single doubt -YES!
You can take every piece of jewelry I own. There are pieces that belonged to my mom and have great sentimental value. There are pieces my husband has given to me that mean a great deal to me. You can take them all. You can take every penny and possession and truly I would still have what is most valuable in my sight - my children.
God feels the very same way about each of us. That concept is sometimes very difficult to really understand and accept. Sometimes we have to get personal before we can understand just how valuable we are to Him at a "gut level."
Look at the vast universe He has created. We've only scratched the surface of understanding it, yet it cost Him nothing to create it. He spoke and the worlds were formed. What is seen was created from what was unseen.
However, it cost Him everything to create you and me - His earthly family. He had to sacrifice His perfect, only begotten Son. I have two sons whom I love more than life itself. No matter how much I love you - I can't imagine sacrificing one of them for you, so you should probably be very grateful I am not God!
He did more than imagine it - He did it. That's how valuable you are to Him. If He esteems you that highly, who are you to disagree?
The accomplishments that mean the most to us are those that we've put the most "sweat equity" into.
As a mom, the sacrifice (of time, energy, money, sleep) I have put into raising my children has yielded the most valuable result - three wonderful human beings. Has it always been easy? No. Have there been days when I had to force myself to get up and do whatever it was I had to for them? Yes! Have there been times I have been discouraged? Yes. Would I do it all over again? Without hesitation, question or a single doubt -YES!
You can take every piece of jewelry I own. There are pieces that belonged to my mom and have great sentimental value. There are pieces my husband has given to me that mean a great deal to me. You can take them all. You can take every penny and possession and truly I would still have what is most valuable in my sight - my children.
God feels the very same way about each of us. That concept is sometimes very difficult to really understand and accept. Sometimes we have to get personal before we can understand just how valuable we are to Him at a "gut level."
Look at the vast universe He has created. We've only scratched the surface of understanding it, yet it cost Him nothing to create it. He spoke and the worlds were formed. What is seen was created from what was unseen.
However, it cost Him everything to create you and me - His earthly family. He had to sacrifice His perfect, only begotten Son. I have two sons whom I love more than life itself. No matter how much I love you - I can't imagine sacrificing one of them for you, so you should probably be very grateful I am not God!
He did more than imagine it - He did it. That's how valuable you are to Him. If He esteems you that highly, who are you to disagree?
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