Tag: Humanity

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God and Jesus Needed Rest

Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

“If you are not exhausted, then you are not working hard enough!”

Anyone else want to slap someone who tells you this? I know that isn’t very Christian like of me, but that phrase gets my blood boiling.

OK, maybe when I am working out really hard or practicing for something I should feel exhausted, but a good exhausted.  I don’t however, think I need to feel exhausted at the end of everyday, which is what this person was trying to tell me.

As a teacher, the first few weeks back to school are always exhausting. Your body has to get use to the schedule and routine again, but eventually you get in your groove. Trying a new thing can feel exhausting, especially if you get frustrated with it. Oh, and don’t get me started about the whole daylight savings time!!!!

I do not believe we were met to always be at exhaustion level though. I think we leave ourselves vulnerable when we hit exhaustion all of the time. Life is hard and we have to work at but it doesn’t mean we have to kill ourselves over it. 

Jesus told us to come to Him when we are weary and burdened, and He will give us rest (Matthew 11:28). Even He knew we were going to need a rest! He promised us we would find rest for our souls if we walked with Him.

God Himself took a rest day! By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done (Genesis 2: 2-3).

And of course there is my personal favorite. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion (Mark 4:38). My friends Jesus took a nap! Be more like Jesus! It is Ok to rest up. If God and Jesus needed some downtime we certainly could use some.

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Open My Eyes

Psalm 119:18
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

 

Have you ever ask God to open your spiritual eyes to show you the glimpses of glory you cannot see by yourself? 

Without God’s help, we are simply “natural” persons with natural eyes. Paul reminds us, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand [see] them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

The goal of our Bible reading and study is simply to know and enjoy Jesus. “Seeing they do not” was Jesus’s phrase for those who saw him and his teaching only with natural eyes, without the illumining work of the Spirit (Matthew 13:13). This is why Paul prays, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened” (Ephesians 1:17–18).

By seeing through God’s eyes, we see the beautifully and wonderfully made children we are. We see each other as God’s children. We spend less time competing and more time serving.

Today, I hope you will join me in praying not just for the gift of spiritual sight, but for the gift of seeing wondrous things in God’s word and world around us.

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

 

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Greater than the Haters

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female–for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

My mom and I went to see the new Hotel Transylvania 3 Summer Vacation. Don’t worry I promise no spoilers. The idea behind this one is the same as the other two. Humans and monsters should be able to live together in peace. 

This got me thinking about how we all should be able to look past our differences and live together in peace. I mean we are the ones that give ourselves all these titles, tags and labels.

I invite you for a moment to look through God’s eyes. When He looks at us, do you think He says,”Oh, there is Tabetha the overweight middle aged, conservative, Christian, dog lover from the midwest of America.” No! He does not! He doesn’t see any of these labels. These are all labels we humans have created to define ourselves.

It is perfectly Ok that we are different. Yes, we are different genders, ages, body types, religions, races, and cultures. We have different opinions on politics and even pet choices. However, those things were never meant to define us.

When labels begin to define us, we begin building walls. We create shackles that hold us back. We set boundaries. We decide what is wrong and right and who is wrong and night. We become haters.

Jesus came to set the captives free (Luke 4:18.) He came to free us from our defined labels. He brought grace to us so we could look through grace eyes. We could see each other just a God sees us, His children, holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12.)

We are to show mercy and grace to those who chose to define us and dislike us. As Murray the Mummy likes to say, “We gotta be greater than the haters!”  

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Weekend Blessings

Colossians 3:17
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

TGIF! We have made it through another week of life.  I hope yours was blessed.  

As you look forward to your weekend, I pray your calendar is blank, open to all sorts of possibilities. Those are my favorite kind of weekends.

No matter how you spend this weekend, I would like to pray for you today.

God, I thank you that we are chosen, holy and dearly loved by you. As this weekend approaches I pray we will be blessed with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Help us to be there for one another and give out as much grace as you have given us. Over all these virtues we will put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Help us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, since as members of one body we are called to peace. Let the message of Christ dwell among us richly as we teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to YOU with gratitude in our hearts. 

And whatever we do, whether in word or deed, we will do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to YOU, God the Father through him.

Amen
(Colossians 3:12-17) 

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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You Thought You Were Having a Bad Day!

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Ummm…Ok….so….have you ever read a bible verse that just jumps off the page at you?

I mean you settle in with your favorite bible study and your bible and if you are lucky a cup of coffee or tea.  You get all comfy and begin to read and soak in all the words and then you come to THAT verse. It just leaps off the page and grabs you. You might even spit your coffee or tea out (heaven forbid!) 

Yep, well, that was me.  I woke up not feeling so well. 

No, that isn’t exactly correct. I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

NOPE! NOPE! NOPE! That won’t do either. Let’s get real. I woke up down right cranky! I was having a “Pity Party – Table for 1!” kind of morning.

So, I pull out my bible. Grab my favorite bible study. Start sipping my wonderfully warm love in a cup and BAM! God hits me right between the eyes with a verse.

Actually, it wasn’t even a full verse. It was a phrase. Just three simple words. I read this verse before. I heard preachers use this verse before.  I, however, am sure I have never noticed these three little words. If I didn’t know better, I would swear God just wrote them in my bible today to catch my attention.  I even checked other versions and yep, they were still there!

So, the words come out of Hebrews 11:37. Paul is talking about all the people that kept the faith.  He was trying to encourage people to keep the faith through everything they go through. He starts the chapter off saying, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (Hebrew 11:1). He then proceeds to use the entire chapter to give examples of all the saints who kept the faith.

I was getting into it. I was amen-ing Moses, Jacob, Abraham, Rahab and all the rest. Then it got to others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection (v. 35.) All of a sudden there they were, three words. They were “sawed in two.” 

Let me repeat that for you. Sawed! In! Two!

Now, I don’t want to get all gory and gross here, but I need to pause for a minute. People! There were no mechanized saws back then. No chain saws, radial arm saws, chop saws! Nothing but good old fashioned metal blades with some teeth. This was not going to be a quick death!

After spitting out my coffee all over myself, I could hear God say, “And you thought you were having a bad day!” Kind of put things into perspective for me. 

You see these words are not just words in the bible that happened a long time ago. Unfortunately, there are Christians all over the world standing for their faith and facing brutal deaths. 

As I write these words, I look at my book shelf and see five different bibles. These aren’t the only ones in our home. This also doesn’t include my two bible apps that both have several dozen different translations. Yet, there are people in other countries who are over joyed to see one page smuggled to them. 

We all have problems. We all go through trials and tribulations. We all see so many types of pain in our lives. Problems like losing a child, watching a loved one slowly die of cancer, a divorce, rape, physical or emotional abuse abound around us and happen to us.

When we think we can’t go on any more. We just can’t handle any more. Keep the faith! So many other saints have gone before us. We can follow their examples. Like verse 2 says, “This is what the ancients were commended for.” Add your name to the ancients! You have come through so much and kept the faith. Those around you will be looking to you also!

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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She is Not Broken Anymore

I know I would normally blog about some experience I am going through and then tie it all nice and neat up with a bow to a bible verse.  However, tonight is going to be a little different.  A bible study of verses in I Peter, in the Message version of the bible, spoke to me.  I really think they speak for themselves and need no wrapping paper or bows.

Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.

Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.

So if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it.

1 Peter 4:1-2, 12-13 & 19 The Message

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Thank You for Traveling that Road

Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

No one’s life is all rainbows and unicorns. We all face painful moments that rock out entire world in a matter of seconds.

These moments will change you forever. So let them change you for the good.  Let them make you smarter, stronger, and grace filled. 

Through these times of trials and tribulations you just might be molding into the person God is preparing as the answer to someone’s prayer. Someone is going to need your wisdom, knowledge and most important empathy when they travel the road behind you.

Right now you may not see the end of the tunnel, but I know the LORD can. He is right next to you every step breathing life into your present and future. He is shining HIS light in the darkest places. Hold on tight. 

He is NOT going to leave you or forsake you. His grip is very tight and He will not drop you. No uncertainty, no broken dreams, and NO FEAR can keep you from Him.

Kick, scream, cry, throw a tantrum if you must. But then straighten your crown, remind Satan just who you are and keep moving.

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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You Must Step into Freedom

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let ourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

I sat there reliving the moment over and over again. I felt the guilt and anguish. I had really screwed up! I had let my anger get the best of me and I had lashed out at my son, again!

It wasn’t the first time and I am ashamed to say it wasn’t the last either.

When my kids were growing up, I had no idea I had PTSD. I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and even bipolar disorder, but no one had even thought of non-combat PTSD.

Non-combat. What does that even mean? It is another label they put on me to let others know that although I have PTSD, it isn’t military related.  To us with PTSD, that label has no meaning. We all know the trauma we went through and how it affects each and every one of us. 

Most importantly, we know the guilt we carry around because of it.

When the battle is over and the smoke clears, I see the damage I have done.  I see the casualties of my sickness. I have to pick up the pieces and try to put them together again.

You don’t have to have PTSD to have these feelings. Any argument can leave you with feelings of guilt. Feelings of would of, could of and should of. It doesn’t matter who was right or who was wrong. The damage is done and no one wins.

Later, as you do pick up those pieces and the mending process starts, the guilt never seems to leave.  Oh, it goes away for awhile. But then you are laying there in bed and the darkness creeps in around you. It whispers how wrong you were. 

How could you have done that!

No one will ever really forgive you for that!

You are the worst person ever!

You don’t deserve to be forgiven!

You are so stupid!

These words are NOT from God!

Let me repeat that…THESE. WORDS. ARE. NOT. FROM. GOD!

Christ draws us closer to him through conviction. The Holy Spirit prompts us to make corrections in our life. Condemnation brings only darkness into our lives leaving us with more problems and no solutions.

Christ came to set us free from condemnation. He knew we were going to have “those days.” He knew we were going to face “those issues.” He also knew we wouldn’t always choose the right way to handle them. He came so we wouldn’t be held captive by our bad choices forever. We would have freedom to stand up, dust ourselves off and try again. 

Our past is a chance for a teaching moment, it should not be a punishment moment. Discipline comes with love, mercy and grace. Punishment comes with hate, evil and condemnation.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let ourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). Learn from your mistakes and move on. Don’t live as a slave to them for the rest of your life. Christ has opened the door of your cell, but you have to step out into the sunshine.

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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No Sell-By-Date

Philippians 1:6
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

One of my favorite author’s is Sheila Walsh.  In her book, In the Middle of the Mess she says,  “I believe it’s possible to be healed and to fall again and again. Grace doesn’t come with a sell-by date.”

I chuckle every time I read that. Grace Doesn’t Come With a Sell-By-Date!

I want to run around screaming AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

We are not perfect! Even as Christians we make mistakes! We are going to make mistakes.  We are works in progress. Don’t believe me, read Philippians 1:6 again.  It says God has begun a good work in me and is continuing to work in me until He is finally finished.  When will He be finished? When Christ Jesus returns!  

Tabetha translation: I am trying my best to do the best I can with what I have.  I will make mistakes.  I will own up to those mistakes.  I will fall down.  I will get up again. I will keep tying.  I AM HUMAN! 

The quicker we can all except that fact, the quicker we can move on to every one around us is also human.  They will also make mistakes. The quicker we will learn to live together and work together.

I recently read a sign that said instead of gossiping about someone put them on your prayer list. Extend them some of that no expiration date GRACE! The good LORD knows you and I are certainly going to need some.

We may be spoiled by Grace, but thank you LORD that Grace never spoils!

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.

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Save Me from My Darkness

Romans 10:13 HCSB
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 

PTSD throws me back to the times and places of my attacks.  Not only do I feel emotionally and physically everything around me, I also hear everything that was happening then.  I smell everything just like it was. I can even taste the moment.  Everything in the here and now melts away and I am thrown back into that exact moment over and over again. I relive it like a nightmare that will not end.

As I sit in my pit of despair, when my PTSD has sent me over the edge and all I see is darkness all around, the old demons come back.  I can hear the laughter and hissing all around. I feel the inky darkness of evil overtaking me. Thoughts of self mutilation and even suicide become a familiar tune.

I have admitted these feelings to few people.  Only a couple of people in my life truly understand and have even walked these pathways too. As a matter of fact, this is the first time I have put these thoughts in writing.  My poetry is often dark and obscure, but I have never out and out talked about self mutilation and suicide.

I have done lots of research and ready many books on PTSD, as well as other mental disorders. For years my doctors thought I was bipolar. It took one doctor to finally look at me and hear my story to realize it was actually PTSD.

Recently, I picked up another book from an author not only spoke to me, but seemed to be walking right beside me. In the Middle of the Mess is Sheila Walsh’s story of her own fight with depression, including suicidal thoughts.

In one part of the book she was describing a particular night where she was fighting the darkness all around her.  Her experience was very similar to the one I described above.  She remembers calling out Romans 10:13

“I called that verse out loud and I believed it. I called on His name and believed Him. I had been saved from hell and into eternity ever since, as an eleven-year-old girl, I accepted Jesus as my Savior. But that night I needed saving in the present, and I knew it. It wasn’t that I needed to become a Christian again; instead, I needed the power of the living Word of God to save me from the present tormentors.”

I have been saved since I was seven years old.  I am a Pastor’s wife and have been in church all my life.  I have heard or read that verse millions of times, but never like this.  I have always read it as part of the salvation road or Roman’s Road as we always called it.  I never looked at it in present tense.  I called out and the LORD saved me.

In the middle of my darkest times, I call out and the LORD saves me.

I don’t know what you are going through right now or what you may be facing tomorrow.  I do know that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  This does not just mean salvation from your sins when you become a Christian.  You will be saved from your circumstances. I don’t know how. I don’t know when, but I know the LORD will save you! So hang in and repeat this with me and keep repeating it until you believe it!

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:13

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Copyright © 2018 Tabetha Frick All Rights Reserved.