Truefaced

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

My favorite Line in Chapter One: As a friend has said when describing her life behind the mask,"The trouble with papier-mache is that it doesn't reflect." TrueFaced page 34

I have a friend whose call is to encourage others to be a light. Not hide their light under a bushel.
She has seen that when she let the light the LORD had given her, just shine what a difference it made in her life. I think it is great that we have paired up. My call is to encourage others that it is a part of God's plan for them to come out from hiding. When we draw nigh unto Him, He does draw nigh unto us.
My friend might not keep her light out 24-7 and I certainly can not keep from hiding from God's love 24-7. However for every moment of Grace that we are given it seems like it is more than we should keep for ourselves. Our LORD's Mercy and Grace is abundant !

The other day I was grieved about judging people. You know how it is. Your mouth may not open but in your heart, you know what you did. When I went to the LORD in prayer about it the first thing that came to my mind was the part of the LORD's prayer, forgive us for our trespasses as we forgive others for when they have trespassed against us. "LORD", I said, "I have tried to forgive these people who have judged me before," then I paused. A similar phrase came to my mind of a time when the disciples were out fishing and Jesus said, "Cast your net out to the other side." Now I know this seems to have no real connection, fishing and forgiving. Except they both are an act of our will. It is just that with fishing , they were throwing out a net and coming up empty. I had been saying for years, LORD I want to forgive these people who have judged me and come up empty. The fruit that showed I had not forgiven them being, that I was still judging others. So the LORD in His mercy gave me a picture, along with this pause to reflect on this story, I saw the ship and the net, and I said to the LORD, "never the less LORD if you say so, I will try one more time."
You know I think that is what He is after. A people who will just not give up. Try one more time at His bidding. Maybe I will still on occasion find myself judging , but we are getting somewhere. My masks are cracking and as I am going back through this book for the second time I am really seeing so much more than I did the first time.
If you are reading it and not getting much out of it. If you are thinking , well, I will read this so I can help others remove their masks, or so I can be more understanding. Good ! Just keep reading. You are so right ! This book will help you , help others.
May God bless you all. It is such a joy to share with you. HIS LIGHT SHINING on me is more to be desired than gold, more precious than silver and more beautiful than diamonds. If you can be a helper that helps others break their masks so they can know of the beautifulness of OUR LORD , please keep reading.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

TRUEFACED EXPERIENCE So how is your truefaced experience going ? My experience is one of greater and greater awareness of the GRACE of God. In my hopes to take off my masks, He showed me more than I ever dreamed possible remained to still come off. I have decided though to continue on. It is a misnomer though for a Christian to think that they will become Christ like ALONE. That won't happen. I never will learn to love with Christ like love if I become a LONE RANGER and just preach from my blog. Actually this blog was started because I thought a group at my church might form and we would go through this book together. Knowing how judgmental I am and how I always have to say something, I thought I'd under a pen name, say my somethings on the blog. Thus sparing them my stuff at meetings. For those who have bought the book and guidebook you can see these group meetings that they suggest are not meetings that require a great ability on anyone's part to lead. It is set up so you just pick a date and time to meet . Greeting people and turning on the TV to play the DVD for a few minutes. Then listening. That was my plan. Talking on the blog. It was a good plan. I thought. And while I was waiting for my pastor to okay the book, I thought I would go ahead and get warmed up with my stuff. My critical judgmental attitude warps my thinking a lot of times. When ever new enlightenment comes it is usually after a fresh awareness of God's Grace and Mercy and a repentance of my judging. However, I am not saying like"repentance :where she doesn't do this anymore." I am saying like "repentance: I can not stop being me please show me how." That must count as repentance, or else it is not the repentance that I get blessed for. Maybe it is because my heart gets broken.
Regardless it is as if oil is poured upon my head and joy of being in His presence floods my soul and hope of His righteousness filling me comes. Then I judge. Oh, usually not to long after that. I just had a quiet afternoon at home. Took a nap. Dreamt a dream, and judged someone in my dream. Oh, I know dreams don't always mean anything, but this one did. It was right, in my heart I have thought a million times "why would she do that ?" Whose business was it ? Not mine. (I have a very dull life. Maybe I just have to judge others because I am interested in what other people do. You think?)
Oh well, the main thing is , that I do not quit going to Him for forgiveness. His mercies are new every morning . The carnal Christian might want to suggest that He is going to get tired of washing my feet. They would be carnal, because there are Christians "believe it or not" that think Christ is limited to human abilities. Of course, no human could bare as long with me as Christ Jesus can, praise Him, praise Him, for Who He is !
Just because there might be some people who would like to go along with me through the guidebook I am going to start a new blog called Truefaced Guidebook. If you go to my personal profile you will find it there. Once you click on it you can mark it as a favorite and you should be able to just go to that and skip, my stuff , if you want to. Stuff over here. Answers to the questions like I would give if we were having a meeting there. Best part you can just go along and I will never know. However, this is the part I hope you hear. I have found, meeting or not, These questions have helped me be honest with God. They have helped me realize that all He has wanted was me, not my good works or words. I have a more meaningful relationship with Christ Jesus today because of someone taking the time to write this up and say,"Hey, guess what I found out, God's love is unconditional, want to see ?"

Friday, March 17, 2006

Mask Wearing........My emotions gives me messages that I sometimes act on before I think. It is almost by reflex that I find I have once again put on the mask. What I know will help is to find the thoughts that are feeding the emotion. I once was a very angry person. When I started taking the time to learn what I was really thinking at the time of each anger outburst, it became clear that what I was thinking was really a choice. When events did not pan out like I thought they should, realizing my expectations did not have to be fulfilled in order for me to be happy was a great blessing. Because so often I found I had thought that there was only one way for the out come I was hoping for ,I was angry many times for no reason. If it is our Father in Heaven's will for something to be done, He may have a zillion ways of that happening. It is hard for me to quit thinking that these few ideas I have must happen. He is helping me enter into His rest as I place my trust in His Word and believe that He will bring about what He wants done here on earth. Oh yes, I want to say, "just quickly". It may or may not be quickly . However, I am comforted by His words that say, "He will come quickly." Rev 3:11

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Do You Know me ? My most important question of the Lord. I dare not work at letting others know me but miss the most important One of all. Also, it is His answer that always gives me courage to go on ,and give you ,the body of Christ another chance, to know me. Back to my first thought, does He know me ? He does, every time He reminds me of who I am. A small blade of grass, that can choose to be green and fruitful, or hide and be all brown and barely existing.
Is this a bad question to ask Him ? I have decided , NO it is not.
Jesus asked the people several times, did they know who He was.
There are only a few who seem to know me but how I praise God for those few. They also know how easy it would be for me to hide and be that barely existing brown blade of grass. They cheer me on when I try to stretch out and let all of His light shine on me ! Even if it seems that I can only do this for short spaces of time they cheer me on, remembering while I was not hiding sure that I will come out again. It is His light shining on me that they rejoice in ! Not what I have done. This I think is the best part about my few friends who know me. The LORD is exalted for everything !
I want to know others as these few know me. To love with the love of the LORD and not from the love of our fleshly soul. It is a gift ! Both for the receiver and the giver ! The Joy of the Lord is your strength as you travel along side your friend.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Life Is Different Now . I have this theory, that people do not read long blogs. Therefore the short of it is, when you say to God,"I really want to stop wearing a mask, please help me."
He hears and comes quickly to your side. Then when you say to God, "I really want to stop doing things that makes me feel like putting up a mask again." He reminds you that He is already there by your side, "Let us begin! Now!"
It is amazing to me how when I know what He has said to me, doesn't change what He has said to me. I will say this slower. By knowing what He has said, I sometimes think I can speed things up, take a short cut for Him. Like when I first heard about the trip through the wilderness could have been done in 21 days instead of 40 years. I was sure I could find the 21 day route. The story of David and Goliath , surely can be retold through me and this time , I won't stop and try on Saul's armor. At least I was smart enough to know that if an angel of the LORD appeared I would want to ask him ,whose side was he on. Something else I am smart enough to know. That when Jeicho fell down , it was scary. Life could resemble that story of the Silver Chair for me . For those familiar with the story you remember how when the Chair was destroyed the world around them began to crumble. Even though it was not a world they wanted to stay in , the four friends had to leave hastily. I am giving you all these word pictures and not really telling you what is going on in my life.
The truth is that idolatry is something that people around me are use to me doing. When ever God makes a radical change in you, it is bound to affect others and they may not like it. Be encouraged, do it anyway. You may not lose them, then again you might. Just remember God is on your side and anything worth doing is worth doing well. All of the idols might as well come down. With God's help of course. The best news for me is that the strength that is needed to weld that sword of the SPIRIT , comes from Him.
There are also some masks I have yet to tackle, so I am to be a very busy person.
Then I just simply do not want to do this alone. You all must come with me and let me help you and encourage you. You want to take off your masks too, don't you ? You want to learn how to resist temptation and be delivered from the evil one too, right ? Me too. You want to help me too, don't you ? Yes, I know you do, thank-you for your prayers ,support and encouragement.
I thought maybe it was bad that I wanted a group. Did it mean I was afraid to go alone ? It could of meant that I suppose , at one time. Going alone could mean something bad too.
What is the thing that Paul tells us is better than having faith for mountains to come down ? What is even better than being able to worship being so led by the SPIRIT you know it is a sweet incense to God ? What is better than being able to do all kinds of gifts of the spirit ?
You know, it is love.
How can I learn to love , if I go alone ?