Annual Hide-Everything-In-The-Closet Day

November 23, 2015. For some people, this date signified "it's-only-three-days-before-Thanksgiving" day.

November 23, 2015, for others, signified Labor Thanksgiving Day. If you're Japanese, that is.

You know what November 23, 2015 was for me?

My annual Hide-Everything-In-The-Closet Day.

In other words, time for me to clean up my room. Now, as Mary Poppins would say, in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. For me, the element of fun I find in cleaning my room is when I write blog posts in my head. Very educational, I assure you. Even more educational than snapping my fingers and letting the bed make itself. (I've tried that, by the way. Doesn't work.)

I don't know if any of you have this problem, but often when there is a mess in my room (papers all over my desk, books piled at the foot of my bed, laundry scattered across the floor, and earrings and bobby-pins on my nightstand) for an extended period of time, I soon learn to ignore it. I work around it. After a while, I don't even see the piles of junk and laundry anymore. Yes, it hurts when I trip over an object that has blended into my carpet (and kind of looks like my old pair of rollerblades from two years ago), but I ignore the pain and keep going. Admirable of me, I know. I'm quite proficient at overcoming the obstacles dusty rollerblades in my path.

However, in spite of my blindness to my messy room, my eyes can be opened...especially when a friend stops by and wants to talk in my room. Oops. Excuse the mess. Here's a shovel; you can help me dig a path to my chair so we can sit down and have a chat. Want coffee? There's some in my room from two months ago, if you'd like.

Okay, so that's a huge exaggeration. But still! Once a minor problem, like books all over your bed, has been in your life long enough, you learn to "un-see" it.

On November 23, 2015, after I was finished with my room, I looked around and dusted off my hands with a satisfied sigh. All finished.

I was surprised when I came back upstairs later that night to find, right smack in the middle of my floor, a pair of old rollerskates that I sometimes used for decoration. How had they gotten there? I was shocked when I remembered that, several weeks before, I had decided to put the skates away for the winter since they seemed like too summery of a decoration. I had set them in the middle of the floor to "put away later"...and lo and behold, I'd forgotten all about them. But they were right in the middle of the floor! I stepped on them every night on my way to bed, and yet I'd never thought to put them away!

As I scooped up the skates and put them away (in my closet!), I thought of several other areas in my life that often get messy and neglected. The junk that infiltrates these areas is ignored until at last I can no longer clearly see the damage that is being done.

These areas are my emotions, my heart, and my mind.

When I hear nasty words and I don't immediately root them out, they stay in my head and repeat themselves over and over. When I allow unhealthy emotions in, they wreak havoc with my thoughts. When I let the desires of my heart be consumed with this world, and my heart is no longer focused purely and wholly on Jesus Christ my Savior, I become selfish and hateful. When I care about what people think of me more than I care about what God thinks, I get caught up in jealousy, pride, vanity, and covetousness.

A great passage about seeking Christ instead of this world is Colossians 3. "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil, desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry." (Colossians 3:1-5)

How much better is our life in Christ than the old one we used to have! But, with our sinful nature being what it is, how can there be victory over evil desires unless those desires are rooted out? And how can our sin be rooted out until we stop ignoring it?! Sin must be dealt with. It is impossible to have a healthy relationship with God when we make light of our sin and try to brush it under the rug.

You know what? It sure is a lot easier to keep up with your room if you just take care of the mess right away, without letting it escalate into a junkyard. Same with sin. When you meet it head-on and nip it in the bud (as Barney Fife would say), it becomes far less time consuming than a junkyard-level sin mess. Sin is addicting. It seems easy to just let it slide in the beginning. But that sliding turns into an avalanche, and before you know it, you're trapped!!

Instead of dwelling on the impurity and the lust and the vanity that is so rampant in this world, focus on a Bible verse that directs you back to Jesus! Have a person in mind to pray for every time you are confronted by sin. Run from it, don't stay and think, "It'll be okay. It's not really that bad."

Harmless snowflakes turn into snowballs, and snowballs turn into raging, destructive avalanches!!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus!
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glorious grace.

On Ketchup and Gay Rights

Some people ask the question, “Are people born gay? Or is it a choice?”

Many Christians would reply, “Well, of course they weren’t born that way! They made the choice to become gay.”

But when faced with the question, “How do you know? Why do you think that?” most don’t know what to say. Some might retort, “In the garden, God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” And while that’s true, how does it help the situation?

So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

-Genesis 2:21-25

In the Garden of Eden, God created woman out of man—and when a man and a woman are married, when they “become one flesh,” it pleases God because that is how He made us from the beginning. When a man and a man are together, or a woman and a woman, it is directly defiant to the way God created us to be.

But think of it in terms of ketchup and cantaloupe.

In 1876, Henry J. Heinz created ketchup. And when Henry J. Heinz created ketchup, what do you suppose it was for? It was made to be used as a “table sauce” for hot foods such as hamburgers, fries, sandwiches, hot dogs, French toast, and eggs. (Ketchup is very good on eggs, by the way).

So the creator had a specific purpose for his creation and how it would be used.

But what happens when that creation was used in ways it was not created for?

When my brother and I were little, we mixed ketchup and mustard and dipped cantaloupe in it. It was definitely not a natural taste (it was extremely disgusting, actually), but we eventually grew to like it. In fact, every time we saw cantaloupe on the table, we ran to the fridge for ketchup and mustard.

Ketchup was not invented as a dip for cantaloupe. In fact, if poor Henry J. Heinz knew how I had used his yummy invention, he probably would’ve wrinkled his nose in disgust. In fact, I might even go as far as to say that it would tarnish Heinz’s reputation as a successful businessman if people knew what disgusting concoctions my brother and I made with the ingredient he created.

So.

God created men and woman to glorify Him. That is the purpose of our existence—to glorify our Creator. He created man to go with woman and woman to go with man. And then God’s creation rebelled and decided to use what God had given them in ways that are utterly disgusting. They went against God’s plan and took matters into their own hands. I can guarantee you that God is doing more than wrinkling His nose at the way we have tarnished His reputation as a creator.

The consequence for mixing ketchup, mustard and cantaloupe was a horrendous stomachache.

The consequence for homosexuality is far worse. The wrath of God will fall on those who reject the truth and follow evil. He will repay each person according to what they have done. (Romans 2:5-8)

Henry J. Heniz is dead and can do nothing about the way I have misused his product.

God is most certainly not dead, and He will do something about the way we have misused what He has given us.

An Unexpected Answer

It happened several years ago on a dark, rainy Saturday night.

Lightning was flashing and thunder was booming.

Abby and I stood on our front porch and watched the rain come pouring down, pelting the streets and streaming down from the overflowing gutters. The air was cool and smelled like the storm we were in the midst of. And as we stood there watching the raindrops pounding the ground, we wondered together what the end of the world would be like.

After all, it seemed like the end of the world was nearing. I don't have problems with depression, but with the never-ending rain that blotted out the street lights, the chill in the air, the abandoned streets...well, it WAS rather dismal. With the chilliness of the air came the chilliness of the questions we asked each other, questions to which neither of us had any answers.

I don't remember now the exact words we spoke, but I think our discussion had something to do with God's justice and the tribulation. Questions, questions, questions, but no answers. I think God would have given us the answers through the Bible, or maybe Mom and Dad, had we searched. But we had no time. It was Saturday evening and we had to get to bed. 

In the end, though, God gave us the answers through something completely unexpected.

As you might have guessed *smile*, the next morning was Sunday. At first it seemed like an ordinary day at church. But then our pastor told the congregation that he was going to take two weeks off from preaching in Hebrews and go to a different passage of Scripture. I certainly didn't mind.

In our church, we stand to read the passage of Scripture that Pastor would be speaking on that day. So we stood as Pastor Bob read aloud. I didn't hear anything even remotely shocking.

It wasn't until about five minutes into his sermon that I realized with a jolt that God was speaking through Pastor directly to ME.

As I said before, I don't remember now the exact questions I had been asking myself and Abby about the end times. But what I do remember is that Pastor Bob unknowingly addressed every single question Abby and I had asked each other, and explained very thoroughly the answers to these questions according to the Scripture.

I was stunned.

I kept looking over at Abby to see if she was catching all this. I never caught her gaze, but later she told me that she had been trying to get my attention to see if I had realized just what Pastor was preaching about. As if I could have missed it!!!

God knows what we need before we ask Him.

I have to wonder how many things I would have already received if I would only have asked. God delights in giving to us...but so many times we miss out because we simply overlook the "asking" part.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7, ESV)

Our Heavenly Father loves to give us good things, just like an earthly father delights in showering his little ones with presents. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that we'll get whatever we ask for. That is why my siblings and I have been taught to say, "Lord, if it is YOUR will." Because if it's NOT God's will, then I don't want to be a part of it!

Just before I came on here to finish this post up, I was reading a book called FireStorm, and one of the main characters prayed the following words: "I believe--and I will always believe, no matter what happens--that the eye of my storm will always be smack in the middle of your hand. And there's no place I'd rather be."

I LOVE that. The eye of my storm will always be smack in the middle of my Father's capable, loving hands. And there is truly no place that I, Kaitlyn M. Bergen, would rather be. Lately I have seen over and over again how inadequate I am, but thankfully that bit of knowledge has come right alongside the assurance that for every weakness of mine, God has more than enough strength to carry me through. 

Anyway, that got a little off-subject. Back to asking and receiving, though... James 1 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be giving to him." Well, later on James says this: "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures."

Often when I do remember to ask, it's for the wrong things. God, hurt her since she hurt me! Lord, I'd REALLY like this present for Christmas! God, I want things to go MY way today. Please, don't let Mom call me for help just yet...I want to finish my book first!

My pleasure. My will.

And somehow God loves us! How?

He loved me enough to send me answers, even though I didn't ask for them, even though I didn't pray, even though I didn't cast my cares upon Him. Still, He heard me and blessed me through the way He chose to reveal the answers.

But I'll tell you one thing. Next time I need to call on Him, this will be a reminder to me NOT to hesitate. My loving, all-knowing Creator delights in giving to His children, and if we ask Him to reveal His word to us, He will! Although let me tell you...His answer may not come in a way you'd expect! 

For me it sure didn't!

A Message from the Past

Hello again! [After nearly five months of silence] *embarrassed grin*

Sorry. I didn't mean to be gone so long. I actually had a Christmas post I was planning to bring you -- back around Christmas time. But *ahem* since we're now in May, I shall just leave the Christmasy stuff for next year. If I remember. 

In the first two months of 2015 I was kinda busy (click here if you want to know why), so throughout January and February I had no time to spare. And in March, April and May? Uh, well, I kind of, er...forgot about this blog -- and [unfortunately] my With Eagles' Wings blog too, so you aren't the only ones I've been neglecting.

Moving on.

Guess what I found today?

A message from the past, you say? 

(Whoa, I rhymed! Sounds like the beginning of a poem...)

I found in a notebook of blue and gray

something that I wrote one day.

I must've loved flowers at the time,

because -- oops, that was another rhyme!

Anyways *ahem* I must have loved flowers at the time, because I filled eight pages with my ginormous writing about (ready?) the similarities between (are you sure you're ready?)...Christian life and...flowers. I kind of enjoyed reading it again, because -- this proves that my brain wasn't all fluff back then -- I actually made a few valid points there in my notebook of blue and gray. I think. Okay, so some of it is kind of cliche, but you gotta remember I was a young when I wrote that. 

*Disclaimer - I did alter a few phrases here and there and took out a few sentences that didn't go well with the rest of it.

And now I'll just stop talking and let you be the judge...

~

The seed represents our life growing in Christ. It starts out small, but grows and becomes productive if it is taken care of.

Good soil represents God's word. We cannot grow without sinking our roots into the Bible. A flower in sandy soil will not last very long. It is easy to uproot because it is not firmly planted. If we stay firm in God's word, we will prosper and no one will be able to uproot us!

Sunlight represents our daily experiences. There are bad rays of sunlight and good rays. We learn lessons by everyday experiences...some of these lessons can be good experiences, but others can be bad. [The bad ones] make us want to wilt, just like a flower under the hot sun. The bad-experience lessons come along with the good-experience ones, and we need both kinds to mature into the people God wants us to be. However, when the load seems too heavy to bear...don't fret! God is there to bestow His love and blessings on us....

Rain (or water) represent God's blessings. There are times when it seems that God is pouring down a rainstorm of blessings, yet there are other times when it seems like a drought of hardships has descended on us. Even when tough times seem to be unending, we must realize that God's love is also unending. 

Roots -- As believers, our roots of faith must be anchored deeply in the ground. When storms of worry, trouble or anger come along, we must not be uprooted by them; we must sink our roots of faith into God's soil. We must be prepared for storms, for we undoubtedly will have some. But our faithful, all-knowing Creator knows the storms that come trying to uproot us, and He will steady us with His firm hand.

We view the Garden of Life from the bottom side...all we can see is the crumbly dirt and scrambled roots, and it doesn't make much sense to us. But God can see the Garden from up above -- each one of His colorful, unique flowers -- and He knows exactly where we need to be to make the Garden BEAUTIFUL! So be willing to move when God asks you to. It will make the big picture...well, picture perfect! [that was the cliche part...]

Sometimes it feels as though we're being uprooted and tossed onto the burn pile when God decides to move us. Which brings us to...

Pruning. Yes, we're all a bit frightened by the word "pruning." But again, God is preparing us for the BIGGER picture, the one we'll be able to see from above. If we are willing, God can prune us and make us look whole and beautiful. The thorns of idleness and temptation, the deadness of sin and destruction, the wilting parts can all be cut off to make a new you! The brown, dead, wilting mess can be transformed into a new, pure flower that dazzles the eye!

Consider the lilies of the field; see, they are better dressed than even Solomon and his courts!

Flowers do not question their worth, who they are, or WHERE they are. They bloom for their Creator, not for man. Flowers bloom in rain and in sun; in hard times and in easy times...no matter who is (or isn't) watching or praising them. They glorify their Maker. Flowers bloom in all kinds of places: deserts, meadows, gardens, and even in the sides of cliffs! In beautiful, balmy places, AND in rough, rugged places. Wherever God puts them, that's where they stay and prosper. 

But don't get me wrong...flowers DO die. Some, after dying, spread their seeds so that many new plants are born because of that one death. Our Creator sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us. Because of His death on the cross, many people can have new birth. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and YOU will be saved! 

Just as flowers bloom for their Creator, so we must bloom for ours. God will help us to prosper, and we will begin to bear the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law.

The Unscrambling of Ephesians 1

Have you ever noticed how the words "He" and "His" are said over 20 times in Ephesians 1...and that, unless you study deeper, you can't really tell the difference between the times when "He" and "His" refer to God and when they refer to Jesus? Well, I had actually never noticed. I guess I always just skimmed over that chapter and never tried to fully understand it. But once you find out which "He"s are talking about God and which are talking about Jesus, it really makes quite a difference in the level of your comprehension.

During family devotions one night, Dad had us go through those verses in Ephesians 1 and figure out which named belonged to every "He" and "His." It was challenging at times, but it was fun...not to mention the fact that we all came away having a better understanding of that first chapter in Paul's letter to Ephesus.

Take a look at verses 7 through 9. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him." Not all of those "Him"s are meaning "God." At least two are talking about Jesus.

If you want to read Ephesians 1, the way it is written in the Bible (NASB), click here.

And below is Ephesians 1 with the names God and Jesus instead of He and His. Maybe this will help it make sense, or at least stick in your head a little better. *smile*

(If you see God or Jesus not highlighted, it's because the name was already there and was not in the "He" or "His" form. And as you can see, God is highlighted in green, Jesus in orange, and the Holy Spirit in purple, so that they really stand out to you.)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as God chose us in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before God. In love God predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself [God], according to the kind intention of God's will, to the praise of the glory of God's grace, which God freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [Jesus Christ]. In God we have redemption through Jesus' blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of God's grace which God lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight God made known to us the mystery of God's will, according to God's kind intention which God purposed in Jesus Christ with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Jesus Christ also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to God's purpose who works all things after the counsel of God's will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of God's glory. In Jesus Christ, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of God's glory. For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of God's calling, what are the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of God's power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of God's might which God brought about in Christ, when God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and seated Jesus Christ at God's right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And God put all things in subjection under Jesus Christ's feet, and gave Jesus Christ as head over all things to the church, which is Jesus Christ's body, the fullness of God who fills all in all.

Does that make better sense? I know it completely changed the way I read Ephesians!

An Illustration of Salvation

So. Who knows anything about little one-year-old boys?

I do.

At least, I know a little...since I have a little one-year-old brother. Anyways, for those of you who don't know Henry, he's cute, fuzzy (at least his hair is), smart, and can be stubborn at times. Not to mention naughty. But I won't mention it.

Anyways. I was playing a game with him several weeks ago. I was in Mom's room with the light turned off, and he kept shutting the door and "locking" me in. He doesn't know how to open the door himself (and I am certainly not going to teach him how!), so I guess he was rather "locked out" himself. After he pulled the door all the way shut, I would wait for a few seconds, then twist the doorknob so that he could push the door back open again. I would run and hide, and he'd crawl into the room (he can't walk yet) looking for me. As soon as he saw me (or as soon as I jumped out of my hiding place and scared him), he would crawl as fast as he could to the door and shut me in the room again.

Well, eventually he decided to shut us both in Mom's room...and of course he couldn't get out, so I was laughing at him while he pushed and pulled at the door, trying to figure out how on earth to get back to the other side.

As I said before, it was dark in that room, and the only light we could see was coming in from underneath the door...from the hallway.

Just for fun, I decided to tell Henry that if he clapped, the door would magically open. Guess what he did? Or rather, guess what he didn't do? Well, he didn't clap, and that's all there is to it. I kept saying, "Henry, clap and the door will be opened!" But instead, he would crawl away from me and try to open the door himself.

Well, Henry's not the only one around here who can be a bit stubborn. I decided not to let him out of the room until he clapped for me. Don't ask my why I decided this...it's just me, I guess. Anyways, I kept explaining to him how he could open the door, if he would just obey me and clap. I even clapped myself and opened the door to show him how it worked.

He eventually tired of my game, so he crawled off into the dark to play. I laid there for a while, pretending to be dead (this part has nothing to do with the illustration), but Henry didn't seem to be scared. He just laughed at me and pulled my hair. 

Finally he made his way back over to the door and pulled at it again, his Uh-oh's getting shriller. He banged on the floor, knocked on the door, and called for help, but still the door didn't open. [Of course.] Then I came up behind him and said, "Henry, clap!" He did. And I opened the door.

I'm sure the light looked great to him, after having been cooped up in the dark room.

Now, the whole time I was playing this "game" I was thinking about how similar it is with people and God.

We are trapped in sin -- the dark room -- with no way out...that is, no way out on our own. But then God come to us and says, "Believe...simply believe, and I will open the door to eternal life." But we laugh. No, we think. That's too easy. It's just not possible. Things aren't done that way. 'Believe.' Nah! 

And all the while, as we crawl around in the darkness of our sin, as we stumble and fall, as we remained frightened by the shadows in life, God is there, always with us, patiently saying over and over again... "Believe! Simply believe!"

Our stubbornness keep us from obeying. But then, when we are at our wit's end...when we have no where else to turn to...when we finally realize that -- no! -- we can't do it on our own...then we stretch out our hand and say, "I believe! I confess, I was wrong, but now I believe!"

And God opens the door to light.

Times of Refreshment | Ashamed, Part 3

"Repent, therefore, and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."
-Acts 3:19

Usually when I think of "refreshment," I think of peace.

If I were to plan a time of refreshment for myself, the first thing that would come to my mind, being the introvert I am, would probably be a nice, cozy cabin waaaaaaaaay up on a mountain and waaaaaaaaay away from civilization.

Like...WAAAAAAAYYYYYYY away from civilization. Far enough away that I wouldn't have to hear my brother's yodeling, whistling and singing...far enough away that I wouldn't have to hear siblings squabble with each other...far enough away that I would finally have peace and quiet.

On this little dream vacation of mine, I would take walks, draw, read, pick flowers, eat chili and chicken noodle soup, drink apple cider and coffee, and write books. I would be on my own time schedule. No one would be around to say, "You'd probably better get to bed," or, "Don't forget about your chores!" Everything would be absolutely silent, except for the crackle and snap of the fire in the fireplace, the chirping of the birds, and the wind through the pines...oh, and that little voice inside my head that talks to me quite frequently. We kind of keep each other company, that little voice and I. That's why I don't mind being alone, I guess...I have all kinds of fake people to talk to, and they never annoy me or pick fights over stupid things. :)

That is MY kind of vacation. Quiet...still...carefree...alone. Peaceful. Refreshing.

About six months ago, I was trying to figure out how on earth some people led such happy lives...so carefree, so relaxed, so peaceful. They were always so happy with where they were in life. I was frustrated with myself for not being able to be joyful all the time, for not being able to rejoice no matter what the circumstances. I was having an especially hard time with my younger siblings then...I could never seem to say or do the right thing when it mattered.

Then one day the whole family was gone and the house was quiet...I was home alone by myself. I cleaned up the kitchen, put music on, and started rebuilding a Lincoln-log house I had accidentally knocked over. I was relaxed. No siblings, no noise, no conflict. And I thought, "Well, maybe this is what peace is...maybe this is happiness."

Of course, I was wrong. The minute the kids got home, the music was drowned out, the peace was shattered...and one of my siblings even had the nerve to say that I had built the Lincoln-log house all wrong. I don't remember what happened after that, but I probably said something dumb like, "Well who cares? I made it better than it was before!" Which of course could not have helped less.

So -- obviously -- I did not find the real way to have peace.

Actually, did you know that the word "peace" doesn't mean the same thing as "refreshment"?

According to Dictionary.com, peace is defined as, "cessation of or freedom from any strife or dissension," "freedom of the mind from annoyance, distraction, anxiety, an obsession, etc.; tranquility; serenity," and, "a state of tranquility or serenity." The definition of refresh is, "to stimulate," "to make fresh again; reinvigorate or cheer (a person, the mind, spirits, etc.)," and, "to provide new vigor and energy by rest, food, etc."

Nowhere in the definition for refresh does "freedom from distraction, annoyance and anxiety" appear. In Greek -- the language that a portion of the Bible was written in -- the definitions are also different. I did a word search of the word "peace" in the Bible, and in most cases the word for peace in Greek is eirēnē, meaning (as said in Strong's Bible Concordance) "by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again."

In Greek, the word used for refreshing in Acts 3:19 is anapsuxis, which means "recovery of breath" or (figuratively) "revival."

Now we see again, the two definitions are not the same. Revival and quietness/rest aren't the same thing...although it is possible for them to be alike at times.

Looking at the full context of Acts 3, some people have said it is possible that Peter (who was speaking in verse 19) could have been referring to the time when Jesus Christ would come back and take all believers home to heaven. If that is so, then God be praised! We have a time of refreshment waiting for us...a kind of refreshment so wonderful that we can't even imagine it! But I believe that, even if it is true that the refreshment spoken of here is for later on in heaven, God offers us refreshment here on earth. If you lift up to the Lord the desires of your heart and present them to Him to use as He wishes, He will bless that. Refreshment, invigoration, cheer, and revival come through submitting your will and praying that God's will be done.

In Isaiah 64:4, it is written, "For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides You, who acts for the one who waits for Him."
{emphasis added} 

And in James 4:10 says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

Not "He might," or "if He feels like it..." NO! He will! Maybe not even in the way you envisioned, but He will!

Refreshment can be found also through reading/studying the Bible, praying, and having fellowship with other believers. And, of course, "repenting and returning."

First of all, let me stress to you how important reading the Bible is! I've found a new way of having devotions (which I'll be sharing in a future post), and I have been learning so much! Once, though, I slacked off for about two or three months, hardly reading or studying the Bible at all, and that was probably the toughest three months I've had in a long time. I was angry, easily provoked, and was having one of the more difficult times with my siblings. Reading is important, folks! Don't just let it slip, like I so often do. The apostle Peter was a fisherman by trade. He was probably not considered to be very important by his acquaintances...after all, he was only a fisherman! I don't know how much schooling fishermen would have had...maybe none at all? All I know is that they probably weren't scholars, by any means! And before Peter met the Lord, I doubt he had any reason to study the Scriptures. But notice that after his life was changed, after Jesus had died on the cross, he wrote those two letters that we know so well as 1st and 2nd Peter. In 1 Peter, I've noticed especially, he refers back to Isaiah, Psalms, and Proverbs many times. And if you'd look in Acts and read the things he said when he preached...it becomes obvious that he does know Scriptures, and quite well, too. My guess is that he probably studied them during or after the time Jesus was on earth. (And Jesus probably quoted Scripture to him a lot, as well, which would account for at least some of Peter's knowledge.)

The words in the Bible are powerful. Or, rather, the God behind them is powerful. God has a way of showing you the verses you need to hear, just at the right time. Don't stop Him from blessing you through His word in your devotions! Another thing I might add...it's probably a good idea to have your own devotions and not just go along with whatever your dad or mom is reading that night. Family devotions is great, but God can -- and does! -- bless the one-on-one time you spend with Him through His word.

And then there's the studying. That, people, is actually where it gets fun. It is amazing what depth the Bible has, what historical accuracy, and what relevancy to today's day-and-age! When I read a book -- a good one, that is -- I will fall in love with the characters and feel like I know them inside and out by the time I'm finished the story. Do you ever fall in love with the Bible characters? Do they mean something special to you? Do you feel horribly embarrassed when they make a mistake and say something dumb (the apostle Peter for instance, when he rebuked Jesus... *cringe*)? Do you feel the same emotions they feel? I do! (But more on that later in a future post...)

Prayer is also really important. One thing I've found about prayer is that it isn't always necessary to talk. I am a bit of an introvert, and I think quite a lot of silence. It's actually possible to communicate with someone without speaking. Just being with someone can sometimes be just as much of a blessing as when you are talking. Sometimes, especially when I'm outside, I will feel God's presence around me, and I'll just bask in it. I don't have to say anything. God knows that I'm worshiping Him in that way. (Of course, just because you can worship God without talking doesn't mean that you shouldn't ever talk. Talking can be pretty beneficial too. But I just thought I'd share a new idea. *smile*)

Haha, at first I was going to list the "Reading/studying the Bible, prayer, fellowship, and repentance/returning" in order of importance. But I couldn't figure out what that order was, since they all seem important. I think that if you have fellowship with God, worshiping Him and talking to Him on a daily (or hourly!) basis, all the rest will follow...reading, fellowship with believers, and having true repentance for sin.

But I think that having good fellowship is definitely high up on the list. From what we see in the news about teenagers (and grownups too, come to think of it) drinking alcohol, smoking, having fights, getting high on drugs, committing suicide, and getting into all sorts of trouble, it's obvious that they were somehow influenced by someone to do those things...probably a close friend that they look up to, or maybe a relative who made bad choices. Aaaaaand, judging by that, I think it's pretty safe to say that it is REALLY important who you spend time with. Talking and laughing with (or at?:) other Christians can really build your character up for the better. They're there to help you, to walk alongside you and give you guidance. Praying with and for them can build bonds of friendship that will last forever...the kind of friendships that get better and better with time, because of Christ.

And then there's repenting.

*sigh*

That one's hard. (Sincere repentance, that is.)

I should probably go back and read the first "Ashamed" post all over again. :)

Really, guys and gals. If I do not repent of my sins and return to God over and over and over and over again, what will happen? I'll tell you what will happen. A gulf, a chasm, will spring up between me and God, and my relationship with God will no longer be the same. I can tell you from experience, if I don't make things right with God, I feel testy and irritable...and sometimes I get downright angry at nothing. I know, deep in my heart and deep in my soul, if I am not right with God, nothing is right. God will forgive! But we have to repent and ask forgiveness. And guess what will happen when we do?

God will wipe out our sins. And times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord.