Springtime in Springfield, MO  – Our new home!

We are thankful and praising God for the opportunity to purchase a new home here in Springfield!

This brings our total number of moves to 37 !  Yes, I know – that is unbelievable for most of you to grasp. For me too!  It was never our plan to move that many times. Some of them were from a one bedroom apt. to a 2 bedroom, or a rental while building a new home, and then a desire for more land. But the big moves from Texas to California, then back to Texas; and after nine months – back to California; and now back to the Mid-west, to Springfield, MO. They were some of the most stressful, painful, costly, joyful and many other emotional times of our family life.

There are some of those forks in the road I have regretted our choice.  If we had only …, then maybe we wouldn’t …..?  If we had only waited…..then maybe another job would have surfaced? God were you leading us?  Was my influence on my husband pure? Was I prayerful? Did I follow or lead?  Were our emotions ruling our heart? Were we discontent? Was it out of control? How could it be if God is in control? Were we listening to our own heart, God’s heart, Satan’s roadblocks?

Honestly, there are yes answers, and no answers to those questions.  There were wise choices and unwise choices. Some decisions were reactions to situations completely out of our control; like an economic downturn, lack of work, and the necessity of re-inventing yourself. There were some moves that we can look back and see how God was weaving our lives in and out precious people, family and friends that continue to be a gift to us. I cannot guilt myself, and I must continue to believe that God is sovereign over it all!

For years I’ve said, “the journey is our home”, I even have it above this blog as a theme. We are just passing through this life. If we get 85 years of living, that would be a good long life, and then the real home, that is being prepared for us will be realized! Keeping this perspective has served me well, as I say my good byes, and purge precious items to simplify the load.

So as I begin to pack again…those same questions and decisions come. I take these through a grid I learned a long time ago, and recently shared it with a few of the ladies I am privilege to disciple.  It is based on a little book called, “Found: God’s Will”  by John MacArthur. In it he shares that God’s will is not lost!  He’s not saying, “…your getting warmer…hotter, now colder”. Like it’s a secret He’s keeping from us!  No, His Word has direct things that we can be sure are His will. So when asked, how to know God’s will, scripture gives us that answer.

John sums it up that God’s will is that we be:

SAVED, SPIRIT-FILLED, SANCTIFIED, SUBMISSIVE, SUFFERING & SAYING THANKS.  

WARNING!    IF YOU HAVE ALREADY LEARNED THIS – CLICK YOUR BACK BUTTON NOW, CUZ THIS MAY BE TOO LONG FOR YOU TO READ…BUT IF YOU NEED TO KNOW GOD’S WILL – CONTINUE!

SAVED – God so desired that people be saved, He gave the One whom He loved the most, His Son, and sent Him to die on a cross.It shows the measure of His love for us and how much He wills that people be saved. Found: God’s Will, MacArthur

I Timothy 2:3-4 “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  

I Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

SPIRIT-FILLED – means that we live in the conscious presence of the indwelling Christ. If you are a believer, you have all of the Holy Spirit you are going to get.  He doesn’t come in doses!  Romans 8:9 says, ” If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, He does not belong to Him.”

The Holy Spirit is a Person, who lives inside of you. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 6:19)   Ephesians 5:17-18 “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery,(def: excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures)  but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”  As we empty or yield our lives, He continues to fill us, just like a glass, poured out, can be filled.

SANCTIFIED – This means, pure, holy, set apart, Christ like.  God desires every believer to be sanctified. Now, there are many avenues that He does this work in our lives. It can be through challenging circumstances from our children and parenting issues, to how we respond to persecution from a co-worker, neighbor or family member. It may be a long season of adversity, or a battle with sin, or just a long wait for something we desire.

We were made righteous when Christ’s righteousness was imputed to us (Justification), We know how this ends, with our glorification. But the in-between time, is the sanctifying time. It is the process God uses to make our practice, match our position.

In the letter Paul wrote to the Church at Thessalonica, he had a lot to say about purity,  1 Thes. 4:3 says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;” The discussion is clearly about pleasing God in your body. It is an on going work of God to make us holy.

 I Peter 1:16 DOES NOT SAY, “Be ye Happy, as I am Happy”. It says, “Be ye Holy, as I am Holy”. Ultimately, we will be completely holy and no longer struggle with sin. But now we are being sanctified. It is the will of God.

SUBMISSIVE – We are told to be submissive to many in scripture. To our parents, our husband, elders/leaders in the church, employers (masters) and our government. I Peter 2:13-15 says, “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people”.   I Peter 2:17 sums it up, “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”

The world watches how we conduct ourselves, obeying the law and those in authority over us. (This is one reason I don’t have a christian bumper sticker, or fish on my car). The only exception is when the law violates God’s clear revelation and commands, do not obey them. (Acts 4: 18-20) 

SUFFERING – If you are a christian living a godly life in an ungodly world, you will suffer. 2 Timothy 3:12 says,  “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”  Phil. 1:29 says, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,”  I Peter 5:10 says, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. It’s not IF YOU SUFFER, it’s WHEN YOU SUFFER.  Don’t fret, it is in those times, your faith is proven, as your faithful Lord carries you through growth and abiding with the joy Jesus spoke about in John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full,” is fully realized.

SAYING THANKS (Gratitude!)  This may seem easier than suffering, but gratitude doesn’t seem to be our natural bent. We are selfish and complainers. I Thes. 5:18 says, ” In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  Everything? In everything that concerns me give thanks?  That’s what it says, and what it means, so choose to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness, a practice of thankfulness, an obedience of thankfulness.

Now, take all of your decisions through this grid and if your choices can pass the test, then GO FOR IT!  Will it lead to 37 moves?  I hope not. You are not God’s robots that He say’s “jump”, “eat”, “live”!

He gives us His word to know His will for our lives, and gives us a great deal of freedom of choices to live our lives as well.  Yet He remains in control! Now I don’t understand all of that, and it seems opposite, but He is God, and I am not.

So I am going to enjoy this blessing of a new home, and look for ways we can make it a blessing to those He brings to it!  Love to have you come!      1636 E. Camino Alto    Springfield, MO 65804

Blessings,

Kristi & Stan