Elastigirl

Am I truly satisfied? A few days ago I started pondering contentment and complacency. As I began to seek truth, I believe I was able to get some pretty clear revelation. There is also a saying that states, "It is far better to want all that you have, than have all that you want." Why? Because Philippians 4:11 states, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." But sometimes I fear that we confuse contentment with complacency. We also know that "Godliness with contentment is great gain"(1Timothy 6:6). It is OK to be content with what we HAVE; but we should never become complacent with what we ARE. So, is it possible to be satisfied and still want more? Yes.
First, what exactly is Contentment? Glad you asked. Contentment:

• Is foremost a spiritual matter of satisfaction with God in every area of your life; TOTAL trust in God, selflessness.
• Brings glory to God not man.
• Is trust and confidence in His purpose for your life because you know that embracing change promotes growth and discipline.
• Is Happiness (“Happiness is self-contentedness.” - Aristotle)
• Is peace and rest in knowing that God is in control of everything.
• Is not only being content in WHO you are but a willingness to be stretched and groomed as well.
• Develops character.
• Cannot dwell with anger or self pity.
• Is understanding your physical circumstances to be God's opportunity to mold and shape you.

I really like this definition from dictionary.com:

• a state of mind in which one's desires are confined to his lot whatever it may be (1 Tim. 6:6; 2 Cor. 9:8). It is opposed to envy (James 3:16), avarice (Heb. 13:5), ambition (Prov. 13:10), anxiety (Matt. 6:25, 34), and repining (1 Cor. 10:10). It arises from the inward disposition, and is the offspring of humility, and of an intelligent consideration of the rectitude and benignity of divine providence (Ps. 96:1, 2; 145), the greatness of the divine promises (2 Pet. 1:4), and our own unworthiness (Gen. 32:10); as well as from the view the gospel opens up to us of rest and peace hereafter (Rom. 5:2).

Once we actually realize that our physical circumstances should be treated secondary to our spiritual necessities, i.e., "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness; and all these things [food, clothing, shelter] shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33), then it becomes immediately possible to be truly content. This also lets me know that contentment is an action. Notice it says "Seek". That is a verb, so it means that we have to do something to receive contentment which kind of almost seems like an oxymoron. I came across this secular blog for Leo Babauta from zenhabits.net and I loved his point of view: "Contentment isn’t a matter of being content with your situation in life and never trying to improve it. It’s a matter of being content with what you have — but realizing that as humans, we will always try to improve, no matter how happy we are. If we don’t, we have given up on life."

For me, this means that I am content in knowing that I am goal and detail-oriented and always striving for excellence. I know my strengths, weaknesses, frustrations and successes. I am confident about who I am in Christ, the call on my life for worship and the call to serve and support the Gamble's ministry in whatever capacity that may be. I am at peace being a mother, business woman and supportive wife. My point is that all of these things require an action, so if at any time I become complacent or lazy, I will lose my contentedness. Does that make sense?

I can't help but to think of Elastigirl from The Incredibles as a prime, yet humorous example. Hear me out. She is confident and content in who she is and her purpose, yet able to be flexible, stretched and used when necessary. Elastigirl has to exercise her power, fine tune it. If she decides to become complacent, then what good would she be? We also know that the Bible tells us that "to whom much is given, much more will be required." (Luke 12:48) We cannot just sit around because it's just not healthy and not what God intended. We have to be willing to step outside the box and out of our comfort zone.

So what is Complacency?

• Resistance to change which results in stagnation and stunted growth or lack thereof.
• Lack of motivation.
• Lack of trust in God because you fear failure, the future or not being in control.
• Brings glory to self by complete focus or trust in oneself, selfishness.
• Laziness.
• Unwillingness to step outside of your comfort zone in order to become who God wants you to be.
• It is like being a superhero with no intention of using or exercising those powers.

Again, according to dictionary.com, it states that complacency is a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, especially with oneself or one's merits, advantages while often unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.

Wow! This is so true. Complacency is completely destructive and counter productive. Just look at the following historic events:

1. The Great Flood in Genesis
2. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
3. The story of Samson
4. Hurricane Katrina (New Orleans had been warned for decades about this potential, but were confident in their own "security" all the while unable to see the "potential danger" that was to materialize.)

Imagine if all of those people had not become complacent. Some might have actually listened to Noah and not been fish bait; some may have turn from their wickedness, and Lot's wife may not have been a table condiment. Samson wouldn't have let his guard down, and NOLA would have secured the levees...God warns us in Proverbs 1:32, "For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them." He also sent a stern warning to the complacent women in Isaiah 32. Then in Revelation 3:14-22 speaking through the apostle John to the church in Laodicia, Turkey, He confronts them with their complacency as well. He says they are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm. Complacency leads to indifference which leads to idleness. To stand for nothing is to stand against God. That is why it is so dangerous for us to become complacent, lazy.

So, recap: CONTENTMENT is an action and COMPLACENCY is not. Are you content or complacent?

URGENT! Please read! You can't afford not to!

At this current moment I can feel the Spirit of God so strongly that I am shaking and weeping in His presence. I cannot describe the sense of urgency that I am feeling right now. I am so deeply burdened for our nation and about the shift that is coming. I felt like I heard the Spirit say of the church, of the youth and of today's leaders, "The time is now; you must arise. The fate of this nation belongs to you."

If you are not aware, today is SEE YOU AT THE POLE. We must interceed for our nation. On this Friday, Muslims are calling for a Muslim Day of Prayer in Washington DC. They are calling for 50,000 Muslims to gather and pray on the DC Mall. http://www.islamoncapitolhill.com/ If this doesn't bring you to tears, I don't know what will. We are engaged in spiritual warfare. There is also another video about statistics regarding Muslims and how they are literally able to take over the world in the next 17-25+ years. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0U5Kw57iv4

About an hour ago, I felt compelled to visit http://www.elijahlist.com/, a site which I have only been to twice in the last 3 years. Below is what was posted today. (Please read the intro and then listen to the audio link from the beginning until about minute 13.) What a confirmation!

• Introduction by Larry Randolph
  In 2005, I was visited by an Angel of the Lord who showed me a string of events that would unfold beginning in 2007 through the end of 2012. One of the most striking predictions was his proclamation that, "The economy of this nation will go down a long, dark hill." Among many other things, the angel also informed me that in the same year I saw the deaths of many Hollywood celebrities, it would signify the end of an era and the beginning of change in the nation. I shared these things in a few meetings, but felt that I should not yet release the details of the visitation on a national scale.
  Then in July of 2008, the Lord informed me that a "perfect storm" would hit the nation in the middle of September and that it would be the beginning of the economic collapse the angel revealed to me in 2005. Again, I was reluctant to draw national attention to the coming events and purposely restricted the prophetic word to a small number of conferences. Although the prediction came to pass around the 15th of September 2008, part of my reluctance to give the prophetic word was due to much of the negativity that is often associated with a number of prophetic ministries. As one called to encourage the Church prophetically, I tend to shy away from anything that sounds like "gloom and doom" and often wait for God to show me the redemptive value of what is happening.
  That being said, however, I now feel an urgency to sound the alarm that unprecedented events are approaching us on many levels. We are at the end of the "holding pattern" we have experienced this year and are about to enter another season of change and great shaking. In fact, there is a "super-shift" coming that is truly bittersweet and will ultimately reveal the best of times and the worst of times. In view of the sobering times we are approaching, I have decided to release a prophetic word that I recently delivered at Grace Center, my home church in Franklin, Tennessee.
  As you'll hear in the prophecy, the shift begins this September, continuing throughout October, and will gain both momentum and velocity by December 31st. Interestingly, the 31st is a "blue moon" night that is an astronomical rarity—thus the phrase "once in a blue moon."
  Also, a part of my decision to release the following prophecy is related to yet another encounter I had in August. Around the middle of the month, I had a vision of a 5.0 earthquake that would mark the beginning of a critical shift. I also saw a greater shaking that was to follow in the near future. The next day, I called my friend Bob Jones who confirmed that he was also feeling "a trembling" in the Earth. Several days after our conversation, there was a 5.0 earthquake in Alaska on August 19th, which confirmed to me the importance of the vision. (Reported on Fox News August 19, 2009: 5.0-Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Anchorage, Alaska.)
  And, if I am interpreting correctly what I feel and see, there is yet a seven-fold shaking of greater magnitude coming that will produce enormous and perhaps catastrophic disruptions on economic, political, geophysical, atmospheric, and spiritual levels.
  However, the good news is that God is unfailingly redemptive, no matter what events unfold in the world. According to the Prophet Isaiah, when darkness invades the Earth, the glory of God is certain to arise upon His people. Although we are entering uncertain and turbulent waters, remember that the challenges we face can affect us for good or for bad. When God shook the fountains of the deep in Noah's day, for example, the flood had both negative and positive implications for that generation. For those outside the ark it was devastating, but for those inside the ark it was liberating. So depending on your posture in Christ, the coming days can either be the best of times or the worst of times.
• I need you to LISTEN to this word rather than read it—for the URGENCY is that great!
  To LISTEN NOW to this most profound and sobering word by Larry Randolph click on http://www.elijahdownloads.com/files/randolph

Look Out Below!!!

For the month of September, our worship team is discussing Pride vs. Confidence and the importance of humility. We have all heard the Scripture that "pride comes before the fall", but how do we prevent that from happening? Did you know that pride is the most serious of the seven deadly sins? It is also the most difficult sin to recognize in our own lives. This is due to the fact that pride can skew our perceptions of reality. Pride deceives us and obscures the truth because of the humbling light that it would shed. See the contrast? Pride and truth are opposites. Pride deals with deception; humility deals with truth.

Here are a few more interesting differentiations between the two. Pride is a preoccupation with oneself. It is often a public display around self-centeredness in some form. Even the word "pride" is centered around the letter "i". Some of the most influential people in history have been brought down by pride. (Ahem...or music icons, cough, cough...Kanye West...) No, actually I'm referring to Adam & Eve, Cain, King Nebuchadnezzar, his son Belshazzar, King Sennacherib and Lucifer to name just a few. I found this part interesting; of the seven deadly sins, each one was associated with a specific demon. Get this, pride was assigned to Lucifer! Pride is an overestimation of one's ability or security, righteousness or self-worth.

True humility is submission to God and legitimate authority, recognition of virtues and talents of others-including those which surpass one's own, giving due honor. Humility is a sign of Godly strength, not weakness. It is about modesty, lacking pretense and not believing that you are superior to others. You can still have both confidence and humility. Confidence is a private matter. The trick is finding the balance. I believe that Queen Esther and King David are great examples of this.

Did you know that you can actually be prideful about being too humble? Give that a second to sink in. And most of us won't recognize pride until it's too late. By that point, someone is already screaming, "Look out below!" We have ALL dealt with pride, but the key is to crucify it before it crucifies us. It is good to have an accountability partner or trusted friend that will let you know without the sugar coating. Anyone can ask, "How am I doing?" But it requires humility to ask, "What can I change?"

Here are a few questions to keep ourselves in check:

1. How many times do the words "I" or "my" occur in a conversation? (Start with counting just in one sentence.)
2. Whose attention am I seeking and why? Where is my focus?
3. Am I judging, degrading or speaking down to others?
4. Am I boastful about my acclaimed humility?
5. Am I able to say the following phrases: "You are right" and "I am sorry". (Just gonna be a little transparent...that's a hard one for me!)
6. Do I have a pastor, friend or confidant that I can go to that does not have their own agenda at stake? Will they be honest enough to tell me the things that I don't want to hear? (This must be someone that you trust to speak the truth in love-words of encouragement and life, not death.)
7. Do I take ownership of my successes, abilities, talents or ideas? (Remember WHO gave those things to you in the first place, so all glory and credit belongs to HIM.)

Lastly, pray, pray, pray! Ask God with an open heart and be ready to listen with open ears. Proverbs is a great book to read on pride and humility. It gives so many practical guidelines to live by. Try one chapter per day if you haven't done so already. So much great stuff in there!

Scripture references:
Proverbs 15:33 "...before honor is humility."
Proverbs 16:18-19 "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud."

"Oh My G*d!"

Everyday, Javin is required to read for 20-30minutes from a book of his choosing. He can choose one from home or one from the library at (public) school. It's always more fun to read something that isn't yours. So, two days ago, he checked out a book at the school library and began reading it to me. Then he stopped and gave me a prerequisite. He said, "Mom, there is a bad word in here, but don't worry because I'm not going to say it." Of course, I yank the book out of his hand and say, "Where? Show me." I was gonna go have me a talk with the school, black out the word, call the teacher...you know, depending...

Javin said, "It says, 'Oh my God', but I'm just gonna say 'Oh my gosh' instead." I breathed a sigh of relief and just smiled like the proud mother that I am. I love the fact that he is so sensitive and innocent. I love the fact that he realizes the importance and consequences of taking the Lord's name in vain. I guess I just didn't expect it from my 7 year old. Funny thing is that I don't ever recall a specific conversation in which we had that discussion. Kids pick up everything whether we realize it or not. He has been watching our actions and words even when we may have forgotten.

His reaction really pricked my heart. If I were reading the same book, would I even have caught that? Would it have bothered me to the extent that it did Javin? Or have I become so numb to the world that it would have just slipped right by without a second thought? I mean this wasn't a blatant curse word or something that jumped off the page. I know that I am already very conscious about not saying the Lord's name in vain, but his conviction just made me that much more aware. "God, I want to be so sensitive to You that I don't miss the little things. I want to feel conviction like he felt with such sincerity in his voice. "

It is so important to guard our gates (mouth, eyes, ears). Don't let anything in that you don't want to come out. Out of a man's heart, so he speaks. Are you guarding your mouth? Does the way you talk change from home to work, school or church?

Oddly enough, I started a cussing cup at work. They pay me in chocolate! It works out great because they understand my convictions and I get the benefit! (Maybe a little out of context but it reminds me of the Scripture that says "The wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous!" Their wealth is my chocolate!) That's just a little Kellyology. =0)

How does that gum commercial go? "Dirty, mouth? Clean it up!"

Poop or Get Off the Pot!

I am writing this blog because it bugs me when people call themselves Christians, but have no idea what they are talking about. You see the question all over Facebook, medical documents, personal profiles, etc. "What is your religious preference?" Most of us answer with "Christian". We might have a general concept of what Chrisitanity is, but do we really know the privilege that comes with being a Christian and the responsibility of acting like a Christian?

I liken the indecisiveness of professing that you are a Christian, but then acting polar opposite to "Poop or get off the pot". Either make a decision to be a REAL and AUTHENTIC Christian or don't. It drives me nuts when Christianity seems to get diluted or when someone makes a half-hearted profession without understanding the full concept of what they think they believe. So let me give you my point of view.

Christianity is not just a religion; it is about a lifestyle and a relationship. God created us to love Him and have a personal relationship with Him through His son Jesus. (John 3:16, Eph 2:4-5) Christianity is accepting the fact that Jesus Christ came to earth to die for our sins so that we could receive salvation and spend eternity in heaven. Let's try not to make that sound cliche'. Do you have any idea what He went through before He was resurrected? (I will attach a video, but it is not for the faint of heart. See link below) Being a Christian is about being "Christ"-like. It is about setting an example, setting yourself apart. How else will anybody know that you are "different"? Believe it or not, being a Christian is NOT just about believing in God. Many people and religions believe in God...or a god.

According to Wikipedia, a Christian is "one who professes belief in Jesus Christ and lives a lifestyle based on the life and teachings of Jesus." In 2007, the US did a survey and found there to be 5 typical Christian categories:

• Active Christians: Committed to attending church, Bible reading and sharing their faith that salvation comes through Jesus Christ. Usually in church leadership. (relationship-driven)
• Professing Christians: Also committed to accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, but focus on personal relationships with God and Jesus more than attending church, Bible reading or sharing the faith. (my side note-we need to have the fellowship of believers and the spiritual covering of the church)
• Liturgical Christians: High level of spiritual activity (notice the difference, it does not mention salvation), mainly expressed by attending and recognizing the authority of the church and by serving in it or the community. (appears to be works driven)
• Private Christians: Believe in God and doing good things (fyi...does not mention Jesus), but not within a church context.
• Cultural Christians: Do not view Jesus as essential to salvation. They are the least likely to align their beliefs or practices with Biblical teachings or to attend church. They favor a universality theology that sees many ways to God. (Obviously, we know there is only one way and one God. Honestly, this category should not even be in the "Christian" category since Christianity is about belief in The Christ. Keep in mind this is from a secular source.)

And then we have Hypocrites. This is when you claim to be a Christian, but your fruit does not show it. You go to church and then act another way when you get home. This is when I say, "Poop or get off the pot". Being a Christian is serious business. (No pun intended) It is better to be hot or cold than to be lukewarm. Would you like the Scripture reference for that?

So what type of Christian are you? I'm striving for "Active". What does Christianity mean to you? Here are a few responses:

• Matt Petroski -"Stripping away all the junk you think is you, but isn't"
• Bro. Rod -"The Love, Life and Laughter of Jesus"
• Elsie Spingath -"Knowing God, receiving His love and mercy through Jesus and acting in that love"
• Penny Bordelon -"Freedom"
• Johanna Triche -"Being like Christ"
• Van Bordelon -"To give of yourself freely and watch the impact that has on others"
• Courtney Sessions -"Accepting Jesus as your Savior and devoting your life to being a symbol to others of what Jesus is"
  Ronny Michel -"God pouring out all He is on all I'm not"
• Kim McGee -"Seeking out God and having a relationship"
• Rudy McGee -"Being like Christ"
• Staci Ojeda -"Being a reflection of Jesus"
• Rory Warren -"A relationship with God"

It is interesting to see everybody's different interpretations and point of views. So, back to the question: What is your religious preference? Now you can make an educated decision. Poop or get off the pot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzat9dx6v8k