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R.E.A.L. Moment Monday

10/28/2013

"R.E.A.L. (Relationships Ever Abiding in Love*) Moment Monday" is a new monthly column designed to encourage Believers to enjoy healthy personal, professional, and spiritual relationships. Join us each month on R.E.A.L. Moment Mondays, as we explore the spiritual and practical aspects of creating and understanding the relationships that God intends to add joy to our lives.

And so we start with the greatest topic of all...LOVE.

“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, 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 perseveres.”
~1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

I believe in unconditional love. And I don't mean only in a spiritual, intangible way. I mean the unconditional love that is described in the Bible. The love that displays forgiveness and character time and time again, regardless of a multitude of disappointments. Why? Because R.E.A.L. Love is nothing less than God's unconditional Love in Action!

The focus verse for today says that Love "believes, hopes and endures all things." (New King James) These are three of the four elements of which Faith are comprised (the fourth element being ACTION). Therefore true Love greatly involves an almost unshakable degree of Faith in the object to which it is directed. But this Faith is not blind, nor does it require or expect proof. This Love has Faith in its object based solely on what GOD has said about His creation, and how He sees them. This is what is called True Love.

The reason true Love can Believe through all things is because God can not lie; if He said that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, I (LOVE) believe that you are, even if you leave this world broke, broken and belittled. The reason true Love can Hope through all things is because God can not make mistakes; if He said he knew you before you were conceived, and had a plan for you even then, I (LOVE) will encourage, pray for and challenge you in expectation of that plan until it is manifest! The reason true Love can Endure through all things is because God can not fail! If he said that you are His creation, He has a purpose for your life, and He will cause all things to work out in good pursuit of that purpose, then I (LOVE) will wait with you, cry with you, forgive you, bless you, rejoice and celebrate with you, fight with you and for you, suffer loss and victory with you, and soon see the Light of God unfolding upon you like The Son with you. This is what true Love looks and acts like.

God has great Faith in His creation -- He demonstrated it with an unmatched act of of unconditional Love. But His creation has lost faith in itself more and more with each passing generation, which is evident by the near non-existent display (note the strategic use of the word 'display,' not 'feelings' or 'thoughts' or 'wishes') of unconditional Love. You see...without Love I would be hopeless and without a destiny, unable to counter the effects of disappointment. Without Love I would be angry and bitter, unable to counter the effects of injustice. Without Love I would have poor health and appearance, unable to counter the effects of childhood negligence. Without Love I would have low self-esteem, unable to counter the effects of abuse, abandonment and indifference. Without love I would do nothing, being impotent to challenge my past and present reality. In short, I would be a "mad black woman," too hurt to hope, too afraid to aspire, always dreaming and never doing, and resentful or suspicious of anyone who does not see the world through the eyes of a broken and well guarded heart. (To read the entire Note entitled, "About True/REAL Love," go to: Dawn Bedingfield's Note)

Love like this is always a risk, even with the most casual acquaintance. And therefore it is absolutely vital to make excellent choices in relationships. And always remember, R.E.A.L. Love is not a weakness, it is the cure all! Let's start having Faith in God and His creation (one another and ourselves), and let Love reign once again!

My R.E.A.L. Moment Monday advice for today: Choose wisely and love unconditionally. The rewards are priceless!

Love Well Friends,
Dawn~

*R.E.A.L., Relationships Ever Abiding in Love, and R.E.A.L. Moment Mondays are the intellectual property of Costly Oil LP and Dawn L. Bedingfield, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Ignorance is Bliss?

10/21/2013

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"Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing
and benefits those who see the sun.
Wisdom is a shelter
as money is a shelter,
but the advantage of knowledge is this:
Wisdom preserves those who have it." Ecc. 7:11-12 (NIV)

Ignorance is bliss, but bliss is a deceiving companion...

I always find it interesting how some of us interact with political awareness. We side with our traditional party and intentionally ignore what either party has to say. We put our Faith in age old tradition that probably has been passed down for generations, trusting that the representatives of those traditions have our best interest at heart, are speaking on our behalf, and are doing what is right. In favor of our blissful ignorance we choose a side before the debating begins, fail to watch the debate or do any "homework" about the players involved, and confidently lean on our favorite liberal or conservative news channel to spin, interpret, and spoon feed us the "truth." And then we are shocked by the actions or decisions of our choice. We play the victim.

Sadly, this same routine plays out in humanity's approach to God-awareness. We often stick to traditional rituals that have been taught and passed down, and that make for "appropriate" Christianity. We consistently fail to engage the author of our Faith in the deepening of our understanding of who He is, and what He desires for us. We leave that to be interpreted by whatever party (or as it is called in Christendom, Denomination) we have loyally pledged our allegiance. We prefer not to know more, because of course, it would require more. The less we know, the more of the victim we can play, and others we can blame.

But as blissful as ignorance may be for a time, it is painfully temporary. It is why no offender of the law can stand before any judge and claim ignorance as a defense. It is what the SEC and Accounting world has painstakingly detailed in their Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, which simply stated means, "If you didn't know, you should have known." Every accountable human being is responsible for knowing what standards and principles have been set forth by God through His Son Jesus Christ. Not knowing has relative consequences, but consequences yet and still.

Friends, and especially Women of Purpose and Destiny, we can not love ignorance and live in hiding; neither from the fear, the responsibility, or the challenge of seeking and searching out the deep things of God. If God makes it available to us, His Grace helps us to achieve it! It is time to rise out of hiding from behind our "representatives" and stand on what we have witnessed for ourselves. We are called to engage the Creator one on One and spirit to Spirit. Everyday we awake He is calling us higher. Don't ignore His Mercy and Grace. Trust Him to be EXACTLY who He promises to be; and, reap the reward and the privilege of being called a friend of God...not just a fan...or constituent.

Make this Monday the day you commit to rejecting ignorance!

Blessings,
Dawn~

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Validation, Vindication, and Vengeance...

10/14/2013

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"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”" ~Romans 12:19 (ESV)

Validation, Vindication, and Vengeance...they all belong to God!

These three words are all closely related from an offense perspective. As a woman who has experienced many offenses, in various forms, I can tell you that I have spent a good bit of my thought life entertaining the desire for validation, vindication, or vengeance, or all three depending on the offense. I understand very well the deep longing for one of these gifts in response to a particularly hurtful offense. I am far from perfect in this area of my life, but I am thankful to have grown to the point where at least I have a greater understanding about why they all belong to God...and God alone. Let's start with the simple definitions...

Validation - the act of validating; finding or testing the truth of something.
Vindication - the act of vindicating or defending against criticism or censure etc.
Vengeance - punishment inflicted or retribution exacted for an injury or wrong.

Who but God can perfectly, righteously, and with complete objection exact these acts of justice??? So what do we do about our heart's desire for one or all three?

Realize that we can only see ourselves and the situation from our own perspective: Limited, flawed, and biased.
Most, if not all, of the time when an offense is committed, ALL of the parties involved see only what is before them. Only God has the sovereign knowledge and understanding of not only the situation, but of the motives, and desires involved on all sides. Only He can validate our truth as we "see" it. On the flip side, if what we think we see is really the truth, God's is the only opinion we need on our side. Seeking HIS validation of who we are, and our position, should be our highest priority. He promises to reveal all things in due time. Leaving Him to do it, ensures that our validation doesn't come from man...

Turn the other cheek in order to receive God's best for you, instead of His wrath for others: Embrace Meekness.
Because God promises to reveal all things, His vindication is the highest reward we can possibly receive against a wrong spoken or committed against us. Vindication is much better than vengeance because vindication blesses us, instead of punishing others. A great example of this is Abram and Lot when Lot selfishly chose the best part of the land instead of honoring his Godly uncle and friend who had done so much for him. Although Lot's choice did turn around to curse him and his family, this was not God's doing. God's plan was vindication for Abram. Abram's ultimate vindication came in the form of a promise from the God of the universe. Although it did not immediately materialize, it will last for eternity, unlike Lot's selfish choice which conversely was destroyed almost immediately. *Think about this for a minute...Defer the immediate reward of selfish ambition in favor of God's vindication delayed; one lasts forever, while the other is very short lived* God's vindication defends us against slander, selfish ambition, betrayal, etc. which is designed to see us fail, while also blocking the fullness of His wrath against those who sin against the just. I call that a win/win!

Pray for and adopt a more excellent perspective: Mercy
In my [somewhat] matured opinion, vengeance is one of the darkest desires of a Believer's heart. God speaks against it, and it is sin plain and simple. It is sin because like validation and vindication, 1. It belongs to God and God alone, 2. Only He knows all sides of the story, 3. He knows the motives, intents, and desires of the offender; and last but most of all, 4. God and God alone knows how to fit the punishment to the offense. When we humans desire to exact vengeance, not only do we not know all of the facts, or how many chances an offender has had, but in our hurt and finite understanding we almost never envision a just punishment. God is a God of Mercy. Where vengeance is concerned, He desires to give as much Mercy as possible. And He desires to give us the opportunity to grow to be more like Him in that area. Offenses are the best tools at making that happen. Our withholding vengeance teach us Mercy and keep us from the great sin of sitting in God's seat of judgement.

SO...what am I saying? I'm saying that when offenses come, as they surely must, don't look around for blame or retribution. Look up for healing and redemption. Let God do what belongs only to Him, and let Him choose which method most fits the situation. His validation and vindication will always exceed the pain of offense; and, His desire for Mercy will always exceed His hand of vengeance. Aren't you glad.....?

Pray for an offender today my friends, and offer them Mercy. Make Monday Matter!

Blessings,
Dawn~

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Be Careful...Uh, I Mean Patient!

10/7/2013

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"...and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light." ~Colossians 1:12 (NIV)

We have to be careful...uh, I mean patient concerning what we pray for! The Bible speaks often of "lip service" and "vain words" among God's people. Empty words are also reflected in our prayers at times. Not that we don't sincerely mean what we pray, or that we don't have sincere Faith, but sometimes we are simply not qualified to receive what we are asking for.

The biggest reason God delays in answering our prayers is because what comes out of our mouths, yes even in prayer, does not always reflect what is in our hearts. The delays we often experience between asking and realizing usually have to do with the transformation process that must take place within our hearts. God will deny us NO good thing; so, when we ask to be used, minister, fulfill His will, we can be confident that it is His pleasure to grant our request! We were made to be His Ambassadors and representatives here on earth, and He gave us gifts and His Spirit to help us do just that! So why wouldn't He open the doors and extend opportunities to make His name great???

Simply, because He knows our heart, and is much more interested with what is in our heart than what comes from our lips, or what we do with our hands and feet. Know this, if He approves you, He will qualify you...and that qualifying process takes time and patience; and, His qualifying process will most certainly involve:

Educating - One way or another, we will have to be "schooled" in the area of our mission. Either by formal education or the "school of hard knocks" we have to gain the knowledge about how to reach and relate to those on our mission field.
Equipping - God will always give us the tools we need to accomplish His will in life. Whether it is perfecting our gift or connecting us with those who can lend theirs, it will usually take time for God to strategically align us with the right tools for our assignment.
Endurance - Time to build that spiritual, emotional, physical, and mental muscle! Are we really developed enough to press past petty distractions and discouragement into destiny?? With all the knowledge and tools we acquire, only those who can endure the weight of what God allows will be qualified to wear His quality seal of approval!
Evaluating (aka TESTING) - Yep! We knew it was coming! This is the one we all know about well before we even start...or we should! Hated as they are, tests are necessary. Only God truly knows if we are ready for the final approval; and, He knows how to show us what we are really made of, and how much progress we have made.
Elevating - Praise God for FINALLY manifesting the answer to a prayer prayed long ago! It may look like a "suddenly" to most, but you and God know the qualifying process you have endured. At this point we can be confident that the condition of our heart is prepped, primed, and ready to receive what we have spoken with our mouth! Give thanks and walk humbly (by this time that should not be a problem) into the realization of your calling!

So remember to be careful and patient when you pray for God's will to be fulfilled in your life. It's a package deal: If He approves you, you WILL be qualified!

Praying For You Always,
Dawn~

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R.E.A.L. Moment Monday

Ignorance is Bliss?

Validation, Vindication, and Vengeance...

Be Careful...Uh, I Mean Patient!

Make Mondays Matter

~dlb~
dawnlbedingfield

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R.E.A.L. Moment Monday

Ignorance is Bliss?

Validation, Vindication, and Vengeance...

Be Careful...Uh, I Mean Patient!

Make Mondays Matter

~dlb~dawnlbedingfield

Archives

Categories

~dlb~
dawnlbedingfield