Its not hard for me to get angry, depressed, to feel discouraged, unloved…
When I find myself in a place like this, I try to run as fast as I can back to God... God’s Love.
There are many ways to describe God’s love; why God's love is necessary; what God's love can do for you...
Its not hard to see how we miss God’s mark when it comes down to loving others, and its easy to point out the failures of others. I’m thankful to God that He took the time to point out that we are
You may have been told this: When you are angry, then do not write it down. Or, if you do write when you are angry, then burn what you write, and for Heaven sakes do not confront others when you are angry, ESPECIALLY in writing!!! There is so much TRUTH in what I just wrote, and I discovered this the hard way, while working in the Corporate Office.
I would see an injustice, then immediately go to my supervisor, which seldom worked. Then I high-tailed it to their supervisor which didn't work either, so up the chain I went, many times all the way to the top. When I began working in ‘Corporate America’, let’s just say I was a bit wet behind my ears, a bit naive, didn’t understand the words: team, keep my mouth shut, don't rock the boat… Be rest assured, after 15 years in the Corporate office, I was trained well, class after class, lecture after lecture, job after job… how to become the best Corporate office employee... with one major FLAW... I couldn't sit on my hands, keep my mouth shut, and I rocked the boat till I was spilled overboard to the streets!
I say job after job, because at first, I thought ‘Human Resources’ was ‘for the people’. I remember visiting my parents, all excited that I worked in an office. I explained to my dad (again with much excitement in my voice) that I had finally made it. I now worked in a prestigious office for a fortune 500 company! That in the corporate office, we didn’t need Unions, because we had a HUMAN Resource's Department. If we have a problem, we could just run to Human Resources, and they would take care of it! Wow, was I dumb.
Let me be the first to tell you 'new' employees in the office: First, HR, is not for 'the people', they work hard for the company and will do what ever it takes to keep you quiet. Second, working in the office is not as glamorous as you think. Yes, you may get to set at a desk, and if you’re lucky you may even get a nice window to look out of. But there's no overtime pay (unless you're salary - then you make about $2 per hour - and they require you work many hours of overtime!).
I've always worked as an Administrative Assistant for the ‘powers at be’, and this title of ‘secretary’ does have its perks, believe it or not. Fine dining, travel, ‘down’ time, learning secrets, marketing tips, servants below you, resources… but not so much Human Resources... I always worked in the Sales Department too, so the parties were bigger and drunker.
I’m still amazed that I worked a whole 3 years at a major 'player', in
It is depressing to go from job to job, town to town, especially in
Which is probably why, today, I stay as far away from the corporate world as possible!!! After the fall of the Corporate Office Ethics, when
The only difference between the Corporate America today vs. 10 years ago is this: The leaders are sneakier, they look more wholesome, the commercials on t.v. are different, there are more please and thank-you’s,
I decided, in my heart, many years ago, to end my climb to ‘success’ within Corporate offices. Yes, I’ve lacked money since, but I’ve gained SO MUCH MORE – especially INTEGRITY. I wiped butts (sorry bottoms) of mentally challenged folks for less than $9/hour, and it is a great job to have indeed!!! Better than wiping up the mess in the Corporate office!
The job that I am working now, is at a Christian preschool. No the money is not great, but it’s more than what I asked for. This past summer, with my decision to not even attempt the corporate office again (which I DO qualify - even in the H.R. Department - and I still get calls and job offers today), I began calling local churches. I explained to the church secretaries my situation, and told them that I would work for minimum wage cleaning toilets, just as long as I was never asked to do anything unethical – EVER AGAIN!!!
There are many reasons WHY my jobs in the Corporate offices never lasted, mostly because I was disobeying God by most of my decision making. But, there is another good reason WHY I worked at those places, and WHY I’ve gone through the many storms throughout my life.
Like me wearing the title of convicted felon at age 18, God’s plan for my life was to wear a bunch of negative labels: felon, quitter, jobless, smoker, abused, used, tired, sad, angry, selfish, suicidal, bitter… You could argue with me that it was not God’s desire for me to wear these labels, and you may be right (because I chose to keep begging for more labels and then slapped them right on my forehead), but as I see my life come ‘full circle’ (almost), I am seeing that with my many weaknesses, many labels, many broken relationships… I finally came to the point of NEEDING a
Needless to say, Jesus was always there waiting on me, and was there for me when I needed him most. Many folks believe that Jesus just walks away (or rather we walk away from him), which is kind of true, we do rebel and we do not follow Christ as we should (but neither do the BEST of CHRISTIANS!!! - which is why none of us can boast - which is WHY we ALL need Jesus!!!.
Jesus has always been there for me – holding me – since I was 7 years old – when I decided to ask Him into my heart. The ‘best of Christians’ can be the worst, because they get to the point of believing they ‘know it all’, that they have achieved ‘spiritual status’, that they are climbing their way to the top, that they know how to write letters, sermons, guilt-trips... but folks listen up!
God wrote the letters, God loved you first, God has been the Father that will never leave you or forsake you. God paid it all. God sacrificed His ONLY son, we didn’t.
At the beginning of this inspiration, I told you that there are many ways to describe God’s love. The following are many examples. If you take the time to read the rest of this inspiration, you may understand (with God’s help), how much God truly loves you.
When I find myself hurting. When I find myself writing inspirations in anger, yes, I want you to see THE TRUTH about me being HUMAN (we all miss the mark). But if you've read the inspiration ‘Psalms of Gossip’, you can see the hurt and pain. God did help me point out (even in my anger) that I needed Jesus as a friend. Folks, please listen up! Jesus is not angry, bitter, hopeless, depressed!!! He is alive and well, full of hope, LOVING, caring…!!! Think about what it would be like to have perfect love... yep, that's Jesus!
When you start to read the RED WORDS in God’s Word, you will discover the tone in Jesus’ voice as he points out our sins (everyone! included), and he tells us that our sins are sending us straight to Hell. But if you don’t keep reading, you miss it all. You will never understand who Jesus is and what He is all about, if you don't take the time to hear ALL that he has to say.
People quit reading my writings every day (believe me, they let me know WHY). But you haven't heard everything I have to say, right? You will get discouraged and want to quit God's will for your life too, you will talk negatively behind his back, and you will miss the mark yet again. You may just miss the point of God’s Amazing love!
Yes, I wrote ‘Psalms of Gossip’ (it contained my
My tender heart has been crushed so many times, that it doesn’t take but a glance or a stare for me to get angry, bitter, depressed, lonely… but don’t let this be the end of my story. I now have the RESOURCES (again not human), to pull myself through another day (God's resources). With a love like his, I am able to BOAST about God, each and every day!!!
After I wrote 'Psalms of Gossip', I squeeled my tires to the nursing home and spent time with my other friends. But, I didn't run to my garage and smoke a joint (see the difference?). I did pray hard for my joy to return. I did cry out to Jesus. It was not the desires of my heart to stay in that condition of hurt and anger. I was in NEED of God’s Love!!! God has always known the desires of my heart (the good, bad, unethical).
This is why people are committing suicide. Because they just don't get it. They lack understanding of God’s love, their true resources. This is also why preachers and churches struggle. They tend to point out the flaws, the rules… only the beginning of God’s amazing love story. They don't preach, teach, love each other like the Red Words in the Bible tell us to… they don’t preach often enough on God's Love –
The members tend to focus on the sins of others, and yes they do beat themselves up for it later. We need to come to terms with God’s love, we need to understand His love and ‘take it all in’. We need to run to it. So going forward, I will try my best to explain God’s love. Then, if you find yourself hurting and do not see any HOPE in sight, then you too can run straight into God's loving arms (which He can hug you, because I've felt it). You too can be filled with God’s love.
There's nothing more discouraging than this: To KNOW you are sick, but when you get to the doctor’s office, they can’t find anything wrong with you. They run test after test and they can’t find anything, but you know you are sick, because you are SICK.
Or, when you take your car into the shop to get it fixed, but they can’t fix it, because they can’t find anything wrong with it.
People are the same way. They know they are sick, but they can't pin-point it, they are bound and determined to not be sick, to not show others that they are sick, and in return, they don’t receive the help they need.
Matthew 9:9-3 (NLT)
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple”, Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him. Later, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. But when the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with such scum”
When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor – sick people do.” Then he added, “Now go and learn this meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
When I started reading ‘RED’, I would read things like this, and it ‘made’ me fall in love with the Jesus I never knew!!! I finally starting to ‘get it’.
Luke 7:36-39, 47 (NLT)
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. He tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. The she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”…
(Jesus said) “I tell you, her sins – and they are many – have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.”
This ‘hooker’ (sinner) showed up at a black tie affair. She showed up at a ‘private Christmas party’ at the pastor’s house. She was probably dressed (not so ‘lady’ like), but who did Jesus ‘side’ with? Not Simon! The ‘prostitute’, the One heavily labeled the most, the One that was forgiven MUCH, who NEEDED a doctor, because she was loving all over his feet, when Simon didn’t even offer Jesus ‘a glass of water’.
Isn’t it ironic that the ones that say they love us the most: family, our spouse, our church members, our neighbors, our ‘lovers’… are the most cruel, unloving, hurtful, evil, unforgiving…
Listen to me (even though we may know it all)! We NEED Jesus’ love each and every day! We do NEED a doctor, because we
Luke 7:47b “… but a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.
Jesus narrows all of the ‘laws’ down to one (The Golden Rule). Love one another as we love ourselves. Wow, how could we ever love each other like Jesus loves us? We can’t!!!
We Try!!! And we FAIL (miserably)!!!
In this next verse, I want you to remove the word 'LOVE' and replace it with your name. I want you to see how YOU (Yes, even YOU) miss the mark.
I Corinthians 13:4-8 (NLV)
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. Love never fails.
Glen is always patient, Glen is always kind. Glen does not envy, Glen does not boast…
I would love to tell you that I am always this and always that, but I don’t even come close to the word 'often'… we are all SICK and we all NEED THE DOCTOR to HEAL us (yes, we need to bring HEALING back - Mark 16:14-19, because DOCTORS here aren't perfect either. If you live to see your third visit, then you're off to the many specialists, then you are in line for a test, then in line for the liver transplant...!!! Have you ever wanted to go to the doctor with a HURT back, but you can't move, and they want you to come in to treat you?. Or have you ever went to the doctor's office in zero-degree weather (with a fever) (with pneumonia)???!!!
We NEED the LOVE of JESUS, and to BE MORE LIKE JESUS!!! You could add Jesus’ name to the Scripture above and it is
I can tell you to love, but ONLY God can give you the strength, purpose, desire…
I John 3:23
This is what God commands… that we love each other”
Max Lucado is one of my favorite writers!!!
Max Lucado - from his book "Cast of Characters":
“But how can we? How can we be kind to the vow breakers? To those who are unkind to us? How can we be patient with people who have the warmth of a vulture and the tenderness of a porcupine? How can we forgive the moneygrubbers and backstabbers we meet, love, and marry? How can we love as God loves? We want to. But how can we?”
Colossians
Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
Folks, when you go to love someone else, please remember to do it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. We, as Christians can’t love (the ‘unlovable’) unless we are doing so for God.
There are many writings (and titles) that I struggle with, before sending them out, and I have told God "NO" on many occasions, but He tugs and tugs and tugs at my heart until I do it – like the ‘Psalms of Gossip’ - I didn't want to send it out, because I was angry when I wrote it. But, after a few tugs, I obeyed. I don’t understand it all and I don’t pretend to, but I am human and God wants me to stay human. To show others that HE is the only ONE perfect. That inspiration, The Psalms of Gossip, did inspire me to write this one.
When I run to God for help, for his love, often times I run straight to the cross. We should run to the ocean too. (this was a great sermon yesterday at church).
If we want to get a good picture of God’s love, then take your mind to the beach!!! (I would LOVE to take my body there too, but… maybe someday…).
Imagine yourself on the beach looking out at the ocean. God’s love is like that ocean – it is HUGE!!! If we want some of that ocean (God’s love), then we need a container to get some of it. Some people don’t want anything to do with God’s love and they bring no container. Most of us are holding
God’s love is there for the taking. How much of God’s love do you want in your life? Well, it depends upon how much of your heart you want to give God for Him to fill up. For many years, I was quite satisfied with giving Jesus a room in my heart – a room in the back, down in the basement perhaps, a temporary shelter… and I DID NOT WANT JESUS TO rearrange that room or clean it up – AT
It took many struggles, storms, defeats, tears… to get to the point of letting Jesus have my whole heart to clean up and rearrange it, and I still manage to mess it all up - fast.
Let Jesus have your heart – all of it. It may not seem logical. It may not seem possible with the enemy as the primary occupant, but it is necessary, if you want to love others and to be loved.
I will close with God’s love letter to You (please watch the video below). I want you to hold onto these verses with
I John 4:19
We love, because he first loved us.
Ephesians 5:1-2
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us.
Ephesians 4:32
Be compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Luke 6:35
He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things.
I John 4:9-10
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Thank you Jesus for TRUE LOVE!!! Thank you God for your HEALING POWERS!!
God Bless!
In His Hands! (Thank you God for loving me First!!! Tag you’re it).
Love, Glen
If you want to receive God’s I John 4:9-10 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Look below the videos - to see what love is - from a kids point of view!!!