A Word for Today

“You are My ministers of the new covenant.   The enemy has brought many obstacles and hindrances against you.  Do you see the very thing I have called you to, the enemy opposes, but I tell you now you shall leap over them and what was once an obstacle will take you to the next level.  I am bringing you strength to overcome.  I have placed in you My words of truth and life to overcome.  By My Grace you shall prevail over the enemy of your soul.”

2 Corinthians 3:4-6  And we have such trust through Christ toward God.   Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,  who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Ps. 144:1  Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle—  

2 Samuel 22:30  For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.

Joel 3:9-10  Proclaim this among the nations:  “ Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up.  Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’”   

Joel 2:11a  The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word.
      

2 Corinthians 12:9  And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.    

     

Eph 6:10-13  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

PATTY KERST
Steamboat Springs, Colorado

http://ft111.com/ 

This resonated with me today!     

May it be a blessing to you!!

Pastor Phylis

OVER-CONTROL

1 Samuel 15:23 (The Message)

 ^22-23 Then Samuel said,
    Do you think all God wants are sacrifices—
      empty rituals just for show?
   He wants you to listen to him!
   Plain listening is the thing,
      not staging a lavish religious production.
   Not doing what God tells you
      is far worse than fooling around in the occult.
   Getting self-important around God
      is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.
   Because you said No to God's command,
      he says No to your kingship. 

This scripture is not one that I would have associated with "over-control" or even "not listening" as it reads in the KJV or NIV, but here, the connection is clear.    

An article from Os Hillman started off with a quote from a pilot who said that whenever a jet goes out of control and begins to spin, the only thing to do is totally take your hands off the controls and the plane will right itself.   That's a little like steering INTO the skid on an icy road--not an easy thing to do and completely counter-intuitive.

I also remember hearing a reporter talking to a man after the 2004 Tsunami in Asia.   The man ran an orphanage located on the beach.   There was no where for them to flee except INTO the wave.  He loaded all the children onto his little boat and headed out to sea to FACE the storm.    He said he just had to keep the boat straight, facing the wave and it rode atop the waves.  Everyone on board was safe.

Intuition tells him to run from the immense wave; intuition tells the pilot to steer to counter the roll; intuition tells the driver to steer away from the skid.  Intuition is wrong.  

God says listen to Him.  Just listen, no self-importance, no fancy strategies, no lavish production.   Listen and obey.

I hear you Lord, but can I really listen?

MERCY AND GRACE

Sister Sandra Susan Shantay Stout

Could not take the garbage out!
She'd go to church to pray and sing
She's gladly do most anything
Although most days she would not pout
She would not take the garbage out.
Within her heart old things piled high
She'd close her eyes as she passed by
Scars from wounds creating ridges
Right beside old bandages
She nursed her wounds however small
Each slight, each insult standing tall
"You can't", "You won't" the voices echoed
In the corner sat a truckload
Memos old, but not forgotten
Those were memories most rotten
Accusations, false or true
Within her heart, resentment grew
Bitter, acrid deep regrets
She fed them daily just like pets
Of course she hid them carefully,
Trying hard, to live joyfully.
Bit by bit her heart filled up
Stuff inside she can't cleanup
Unforgiveness, fits of rage
She felt trapped, in a cage
The Master came and offered free
to cast it all out in the sea
"I like this stuff," she said with glee
"Looks good on me. Don't you agree."
"It's who I am. I cannot change."
"No attitude would seem so strange."
And so He left her, let her be.
Nearby He waited patiently.
Each day she added to her mess,
Gossip, lies, small-mindedness.
Increasing in intensity,
Anger exponentially,
Addictions, strife, and rivalries
Casual immoralities
Fornication, lust and merriment
In her own way, she was very set.
And then one day it seemed too much
She realized she was out of touch
The Master seemed so far away
Her life in total disarray
Things are rough, life is tough
To call on Him, is it enough?
Suddenly at the door
He appeared, just like before
Grace and Mercy came through
This time, she knew what to do
"Come on in, I must confess,"
"I've made a life of one mess."
In no time at all,
He had cleaned up the hall
The secrets things of night
He brought to the light
The scars, the memories: away to the sea
The sin and addiction just so much debris
Gone are the remnants of hell
When Grace and Mercy come to dwell.
So remember Sister Sandy Stout
Who could not take the garbage out
Ask the Master. You won't lose face.
It's never too late for Mercy and Grace!

Over-Stimulated Teens

The amount of words and ideas that I am unable to use due to over-sexualized boys this yeaR IS AMAZING. Story Topics like "My favorite Toy" (Okay it was dumb to have on a list -- one I procured from another school) in a list of 50 ideas, resulted in the disruption of 30 students for several minutes. I am appalled at the lack of parental supervision, at the lack of control over these children.

For 25 years I've taught public school adolescents and have never had a group this reactionary. It makes teaching tantamount to walking on eggs. I can't even remember what previous triggers have been this year; they are many and diverse. The entire English language is mostly off-limits to these little boys who have been subjected to an adult-oriented world that I can only guess at. They listen to music that contains vocabulary and innuendo that I neither know nor want to know. They watch the trashiest of TV programs and apparently believe that the world does or should operate on such lurid devices and with total lack of principle.

How does one teach common civility to such ill-bred children? How does one even have conversation, much less encourage them to explore memory and imagination when such as been contaminated by the basest and vilest that American media can offer?

I'm not ready to give up, nor am I ready to blame the victim, for I do see them as victims as much as little girls whoa re treated as sexual objects by perverted family members, other adults, or even by the same adolescent boys.

How does one go about rescuing the most vulnerable among us from the vile filth to be found online, in media and very possibly in their own homes?

Indeed, it seems as though this year will be spent putting Band-Aids on damaged psyches. However, at the same time, I must encourage them to find a healthy outlet for natural energy to be expected in adolescents and find some manner of helping them drain off the disgusting putrification that has collected due to damaging experiences.

Heven help us all! No wonder I'm exhausted on a regular basis. It's a battlefield out there. Pray for teachers!! Pray for Students!!! Pray for parents!!

PASTOR PHYLIS

I'm Just Sayin'

"Best of" programs will be run on "I'm Just Sayin'" through November and December. My interview with Dan Willis will be run again on 12/1/2010.

Just go to TCT/TV on demand. Program list. "I'm just Sayin'" is now in the right hand column about half way down the list. Click. And after Dec 1, it will be there for three weeks.

When it shows, I'll post a direct link.

AND...."I'm Just Sayin'" was also nominated for an EMMY!!! Congratulations to Dan Willis and all the staff at "I'm Just Sayin'" Great Job!!

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint"   Isaiah 40:29-31  (NIV)

Recently a friend was rejoicing that some promises God had made to her has come to pass in her life.   At the same time, she was able to see that something that she had wanted with all her heart would have turned out badly.  Sometimes God allows us to see things like that.   But what about those times when we can't see?

I think the prophet is talking about those times.  Times when the view is dismal; times when our vision is blurred; times when it seems all is about to be lost.   

But those who HOPE in the Lord.   King James expresses it as those who WAIT on the Lord.   When we can lift our eyes beyond the present, beyond the daily grind, beyond the fear of failure, THEN we can see HIM.    When the view, the vision, the daily grind, and the present moment contain HIM, we are able to HOPE, to BELIEVE, to WAIT on the promises of God.

Last evening, I had another one of those moments, a time when God whispered "that's will be yours.  This will come to pass."   My strength has been faltering, my hope waning.  Just one whisper from God and I believe I can make it through.  I will soar on wings like eagles; I will run and not grow weary; I will walk and not be faint. 

Psalm 121:1-2 (The message)   I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?   No, my strength comes from God who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

HOW TO TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS!

How to Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

We were having a quiet work time during science class.   A girl raises her hand and asks, "Mrs. Huerta what does "Grenade" mean? "  

I tried the standard answers:  a small hand held explosive..

"No.  When talking about a person.  What does it mean to call a person a grenade."

I don't think I've ever heard it.   Metaphorically, someone who explodes, as in a volley ball player who really gets into the game?

"No!  It was a girl on the sidelines."

Smeone who gets angry easily?

"no. She was like...a girl with long blond hai."

Long blond hair doesn't have anything to do with a grenade.   I turned to the young college student who happened to be  observing that day and raised my eyebrow??

Embarrassed, she stuttered, "I think it means an ugly girl"   Then in a whisper.  "It's used on Jersey Shore that way."

The student was satisfied with "Ugly girl".   HOWEVER, a couple of tables of boys who had stopped working to listen to the interchange, were giggling in that manner that all teachers know.  You just can see when 13 year old boys are thinking about ....  uh.... well, whenever the testosterone is flowing.  They were giggling like third graders, heads together, glancing over their shoulder, giggling more.   

So I walked to my computer and but in Urban Dictionary:  Joisee Shoor  (If you know what I mean).   And...a grenade is indeed an ugly girl in a group of "hotties" and in order for males to gain entree to the "group" someone must "throw himself" on the grenade in order for them to get action in the group if you know what I mean.

I was aghast.  First of all, that a term exists for that.   Secondly that my 13-year old students know the word and what it means!!  Apparently, more than the 20 year-old college student!  I called her over to show her the explanation on my computer and she had an aha moment.

Then she asked, "How old are these kids?"    

And we shared a moment of consternation in silence, staring at the students who were once again studying with heads bent over their books.

I suppose I shouldn't be shocked.  But bad taste and degradation never fail to amaze me.   I

realize that one cop-out would be that it is an expose' to demonstrate just how amazingly stupid certain groups can act.   but it isn't.   

It's a chance for decent people to live vicariously, live a life of degradation with all the cheap thrills that unlimited liquor consumption and unbridled human passion could provide while remaining safe on the living room sofa without the danger of STD's, the emotional, legal and physical danger that abandonment to the darker side would incur.  

But it's also a chance for young teenagers to find heroes and role-models who lead them to believe that fun and freedom is found in that same unlimited liquor consumption and the release of unbridled human passion.   It provides the opportunity for these children to learn from a dangerous source values that should be found in the classroom, in the family, in religious education.   

Unfortunately, the parents of most of my children are busy working two and three jobs, and are unavailable or unable to block such programs from their tv's.  

I respect the freedom of press, freedom of artistic expression.  But there's also something within me that asks:  "Isn't there a way to protect our children?   All of our children!!!"   And those students of mine?   If they are not able to find values and grounding somewhere, they WILL become a problem for ALL of us!!!  You can take that to the bank!  Or back to MTV!

And this very senior teacher has learned something new today.   I must ever be diligent to discover what my children may be absorbing from those forces out to subvert American culture.  

There are days when I know that I am getting too old for this!!!