The Fruit of Disorder

Disorder. That is my life. Half of my house in boxes in preparation for a move four days after Christmas. But more then the physical disorder, is the emotional one. It has crept into my home and has everyone out of sorts. There is disrespect, back-talking, and anger coming out from little mouths and big mouths alike. I am exhausted and frustrated at the end of each day, not knowing how to teach little people respect, let alone exhibit it myself. When I read this verse, the word "disorder" leapt off the page into my eyeball. It's exactly the word I have been feeling. 
"For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind." James 3:16 NLT
Selfish is not the first word I would use to describe myself. I feel like I give a lot of myself to my children, husband, and church. But God took some scales off these eyes. In a loving way that only God has, He gently showed how small things can be selfish too. For example, when I get mad that I have to stop reading the Bible to help someone go potty, even though she has been potty trained for a year. Or when I have to explain why God let's it rain when we want to play baseball or why you have to wear shoes to go to Target when I really just want to rock out to Hillsong. They are little things. They are not in and if themselves bad. So the devil says, "You need these things for yourself. Don't let them inconvenience you." But he is wrong. This mentality has been showing its fruit. And it's rotting, hideous, and foul smelling. So, if sowing these thoughts (even unintentionally) has brought about disgusting fruit, what brings about sparkling, clean, beautiful fruit? 
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18 NLT)

Wisdom. And the fruit of wisdom is pure, peace loving, gentle at all times, yielding, full of mercy, good deeds, impartial, sincere, and righteous. I could go for more of that. In fact, my soul yearns for it. God offers it, I need it. He is so good. It is hard to believe sometimes.

My next series will be on wisdom, and all that it entails. I hope you will join me.

Agent

It's just one of those nights. A night that seemed to be going oh so well, and then ends with three raging tantrums and tears on their pillows (and probably my pillow too.) I don't exactly know how we got here. But I know what I need to do now. Open the Book that I should have opened this morning and ask for some guidance.
The next few verses from this series on Colossians are 16 and 17.
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. NLT
If you don't mind, I am feeling like going a little out of order here. I just have to start with this: And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus. That sets the tone for everything else we hear. We are representatives of Jesus Christ. Hold up one second... That's a big responsibility. We are agents, here to show others who we represent. We are the first glimpse of what Jesus stands for, and sometimes the only glimpse for some people. That is a little scary to me, but instead of being intimidated I am going to take it as a challenge. I'm putting my name tag on as Caite, Agent for Jesus. 
So now that I know what I my role is, I need to figure out how to go about doing that. 
Several months ago, during a particularly rough season, I begged God for answers on how to stop bring such an angry mom. He told me many things, and one of them was so simple. "Turn My music on." I thought it was simple, a little unusual, but enjoyable. So I tried it. I started putting on "Praising Jesus Radio" on Pandora. And the most amazing thing happened. I was happy. I was brought to my knees in tears during precious worship. It didn't matter if I was washing dishes, curling my hair, or picking up toys. It made my heart joyful. And it surrounded me in a cloud of God's glory and beauty. It changed my heart with a simple touch of a button and obedience to God's command. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. At any time, in any place. It's the beauty of technology working for Him.
This leads to the first part of the verse. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. When you have this joyful, thankful, Spirit-filled heart, it allows His message to fill your life. His grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, and everything He stands for is almost too much to handle. It spreads in your life like warm, rich chocolate filling every nook and crany of an intricate mold. In all its richness. I love it. 
Only when these things have been put into place, do I feel it possible to attempt the final responsibility appropriately. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. I have tried it so many times, but rarely with the mind that is prepared with the three prerequisites covered above. And most, if not every time, I try to do this of my own power, I fail. Miserably. Now, I know the order. I know how to prepare myself to be an effective teacher and counselor to whoever God puts in my life in this season. The ones I teach and counsel on a daily basis are my children, for you it may be a friend, coworker, or even stranger. Consider these steps before speaking, before trying to do it your way. Because I can tell you, if your way is anything like my way, it's not going to end well. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. With all the wisdom He gives.

So now I can see where it went so wrong, I can prepare for tomorrow to go right. I am His agent, are you ready to make that commitment?

Peace

When I think of the holidays, I do not think of peace. I think of crazy people trampling each other on Black Friday. I think of all of the errands I need to run to get people gifts with money that I have very little of. I think of the many commitments I have made to try to suck all of the Christmas spirit, well, out of Christmastime. The only peace I think of is when I here "Peace on earth, good will to men" blasting from the overhead speakers at Target. But today, in the midst of the Christmas craziness, I am reminded that peace does not depend on a time of year or what is happening around me, but something that comes from inside my heart.
Colossians 3:15 says, "And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." NLT.
Strong's Greek Lexicon describes peace that comes from Christianity as this: the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.
A tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ. My soul can rest at ease, because the work has already been done for me. Jesus already died, He already won the battle, I received a gift I didn't deserve. I have NOTHING to worry about! My soul is secure in the promises God made me.
 And so fearing nothing from God... The freedom that comes from having nothing to fear is, well, freeing. It allows you to not worry about what will come today, tomorrow or next year. When the storms come, you know they are going to water what needs to be water and wash away what's not supposed to be there. You know God is doing everything for the good of those who love Him, and that any circumstance, no matter how painful or joyful, will bring you closer to Him while simultaneously bringing glory to Him. There is nothing to fear.
And content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is. Whether it's possessions, status, location, or circumstance, we are content. Just as Paul says, "...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:11b-13 NIV. God has given us no more, or no less, then we can handle. He has fulfilled our needs, just like He promises. And He will continue to fulfill our needs, all we have to do is trust Him.

Peace. It now has a new meaning to me. Now all I have to do is embody it, take it into my body like the air I breathe, and return it out to those around me. "For as members of one body (we) are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." Right now I am thankful for what the Lord has showed me in His word, just like He does every time I open it. God is good :-) Spread some peace today, Lord knows the world needs it.

Love Clothing

"Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony." Colossians 3:14 NLT

This verse has always spoken to me. I have actually already written a blog post on this before. But the beautiful thing about the Word is that it is transcendently living and active. You can read it a million times, and each time the Lord will show you something new, something different, something that you need to know at that exact moment in time. Today, the Lord showed me a new picture. It's a woman who has many things up in the air. Children-talking, arguing, playing; a husband-busy with work, needing food and clean clothes; a to do list a mile long'; commitments to church, friends, family; bills to be paid, with just enough money to do that; home school books needing to be opened. She has her hands up in the air trying to hold them all, without being crushed. The look on her face says, "I don't think I can do this." But God comes along and clothes her with love, it's like a blanket that covers her head and body, bringing her arms down to cross her heart. His love is the covering that keeps it all together. It enables us to put our arms down and trust that He will keep everything from crushing us. He clothes us with love so we know how to love. He offers us this blanket of love, so we can share it with others who need it. But as the verse says, "clothe yourself with love" (emphasis mine). We have to chose to put it on. Not just once, but each day. Every morning, just like getting dressed, it has to be a choice to put love on. When you do, you spread it to those around you. Imagine a world where everyone loved, and felt loved. I just have to pause a second to dream about what a beautiful place that would be...
 That is what God wanted for us, we just got in His way. But we can be the change agent. We can be the ones that show others how to love. We have the perfect Father who taught us how. He loved us so much, He sent His son. Then, we can move towards being "(bound) together in perfect harmony." 
God is putting someone on your mind who needs love, and you are going to be the one who shows it to them. God sent you to this time and this place for a reason, fulfill the deeds He planned for you in advance and make someone happy :-)