Tag Archives: Facebook

Button Pushers

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603360_120753674739796_1173664233_nHave I ever mentioned that I have a granddaughter named Madison Benton?  I know, I know – only ten thousand times!  Madison has brought me so much joy and has taught me a lot.  Out of the mouths of babes!

For awhile, Gaylon’s mother lived with his sister Sheila.  One Sunday the whole family was able to be together. All my sons and their families were even able to be there.  Madison loves Grandma Benton (Gaylon’s mother)!    When Madison  walked into the room and saw Grandma Benton, she went over to the chair where  Grandma was sitting to give her a hug, and then sat with her for a while.

Grandma Benton, at that time, wore a necklace around her neck that was connected to the alarm system of the house.  Should Grandma  have difficulty and need help, she could press the button on the necklace which would notify the alarm company; however, the alarm company was the only one who could hear it.  Madison was admiring the necklace and none of us realized she was pressing the button over and over, sending out an alarm.   The company called to ask if Mrs. Benton was okay. Indeed she was okay, it was just that someone was pushing her button.

Who is your button pusher?  We all have people who push our buttons.   It can be the controlling boss, the distant husband, the adult child, the difficult co-worker, the parent who can’t let go, the gossip at church that causes division, and on and on. I hate to say this, but there are even times we are “stuck” with button-pushers  who will be a part of our lives for a looooong time.  We don’t have to allow them to ruin our lives.  Grandma did not stop enjoying her family or the day because someone pushed her button, and the reason was:   the secure connection she had.  Jesus had button-pushers waiting in line for a turn to push His buttons, but He always spoke and reacted based on who He was and to Whom He was connected.

I have watched so many people rant and rave in real life, in church and on Facebook about their “button-pusher.”   I am still shocked to see on a social medium, like Facebook, that they identify the button-pusher for all to see.   Yet, this does not bring peace.   I used to scream at or plot against my button-pushers causing my emotions to get out of hand, ruining my day and the day of others.   In some cases that is exactly what the button-pusher wanted.  In other cases, it just made me seethe longer and dislike myself.  One of the lessons button-pushers taught me was that I don’t have to attend every argument to which I am invited. My peace means more than that.

My name is Barbara Benton and I am child of the Most High God!  I have a direct connection with Him. I’ve now learned to allow God to speak peace to my heart, to calm me down.  Like the company that monitored Grandma Benton, God is out for good and He will keep me secure.  He can calm my spirit  when I am agitated.  He can touch me where I hurt so deeply.  He can help me love myself.  He can lead me to relationships that help me grow and enjoy the journey.  He can tell me when it’s time to walk away from some people.

So the next time your button-pusher starts pushing, push your own button.  Call out to God who is a very present help in the time of trouble.  He is a faithful and trusted security company.

Count it as pure joy to know that no matter what comes your way today, your security is in the Lord. Security in the Lord is knowing that you completely trust in the Lord and that He will work all things out according to His will for your life

Hebrews 13:6 – So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

It Must Be True! I Read It On Facebook

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59687_173221299493033_20182026_nI definitely have a love-hate relationship with Facebook.  On the one hand, I love having the ability to quickly get in touch with old friends, new friends and family.   On the other hand, I am not a fan of the endless boxes of sayings causing Facebook to now look like a field of billboards.

However, the thing that drives me  silly crazy  at times, are posts that are continually re-posted as fact  and are fiction.  Rather than take the time to dig a little and see if the things are true, people just mindlessly repeat what they have been told by another.   Below are a couple of examples, but I won’t put the whole post to save space.

  1.  To all my FB friends, I want to stay PRIVATELY connected with you. However, with the recent changes in FB, the public can now see all activities in any wall. This happens when our friend hits “like” or “comment”, automatically, their friends would see our posts too. Unfortunately, we cannot change this setting ourselves because Facebook has configured it this way. Only you can do this!!! …. FALSE
  2. EVERYBODY SHOULD READ THIS!!!!!!!!! WARNING: Some knew about the red light on cars, but not Dialing 112.   If an UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on dial 112 to check authenticity.  I never knew about the 112 Cell Phone feature.     Speaking to a service representative at Bell Mobility confirmed that 112 was a direct link to State trooper info. So, now it’s your turn to let your friends know about “Dialing, 112… NOT TRUE and might actually cost you valuable time or harm.    In the USA you must dial 911.

I could go on and on with amber alerts, toxins in your refrigerator, posts about the First Lady, etc.   The interesting thing is that once in a while the claims are true.    So how do we know what is true and what is not?  It simply takes a little digging.

This so translates over to the Christian realm.  Over and over phrases, words and slogans are passed off as truth from God’s word and they aren’t truth at all.   We are living in serious times and we need to know what the Bible says.    How do we separate truth from fiction?  It takes a little digging ON OUR OWN and not just repeat what a preacher or friend said.

 Here’s truth:

Romans 10:9-If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Philippians 4:19-And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:37-39-No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.  And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How do I know these words to be truth?  Because I did a little digging and found that God Himself had the words penned for my benefit and my victorious living.  Stop depending on others to break it down for you.  Yes, there is a time to listen to a sermon, read a devotion or read a book, but that must never replace digging for truth ourselves.

In the above reference about dialing 112, the sad thing is if a person is in danger and they follow this, it  could cost them valuable time or even their lives – all because people continue to repeat what is not true.  Too often we believe the lie rather than  dig a little to find the truth.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”  Hosea 4:6   SELAH

Set The Tone

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A young man stepped to the podium to sing a solo in the morning service.   I sat there on the front row, and along with the congregation, awaited a song that would cause us to look heavenward.  Oh boy!  The music was in one key and he was in another.  He left the music way behind and nothing fit together. Instead of causing up to be lifted heavenward, we all wished he would hurry and finish,which he did, way before the background music!

In a conversation I learned that the man loved to sing but was tone death.  He wanted us to be receptive but the wrong tone killed the whole thing.    The problem was not the message but the tone.  Tone has to do with using different elements: volume, speed, pitch of voice, body language and gestures, etc., to name a few.

We are in a time when we have to boldly stand for truth.  BOLDLY!   I refuse to accept what the Bible does not accept.  I understand everyone is not going to like my stand or agree with me. What I don’t want to do is add fuel to the fire by my tone.    We live in a time of too much anger and hostility.  Couples scream and yell at each other.  Politicians berate one another.   Christians “tell each other off”.   Facebook posts are often rudely stated.  People are quick to give the middle finger of fellowship.  Parents declare that the only way their children will listen is if they yell.   (By the way, that is only true if you conditioned them that way.)   God is saying to sing in one key and we sing in whatever key we want.  We have a tone problem.

I don’t want to be an angry, ugly, red-faced, condescending, name-calling, arrogant child of God.  I want to stand boldly for God.  I want to have the best relationships I can.  I want to be a good communicator of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I might be rejected but I don’t want it to be because of my tone.    I want to set the right tone.  How about you?

SELAH

“A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.” – Proverbs 15:1

EN-couragement

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I recently spent three nights in a motel in Columbus, OH.  My schedule made it necessary to arise and shine early each morning!  I would go down to the breakfast room at 5:30 to get my anointed cup of coffee and read over my message.  There were two women who stocked the breakfast area, and they told me their day started at 4:30.   As I watched hotel guests eating breakfast, very little thought seemed to be given to these women.  It was not a “limelight” job.  God spoke to me to bless them daily with words of thanksgiving and praise and I did.  The last morning I felt God leading me to bring them a gift of thanksgiving.  As I placed it in their hands, I thanked them for a job well done.  I thanked them that I had fresh coffee so early in the morning.  They begin to grin and you could almost see their shoulders lift up.  I could see them in the back room, and as we say in the south, “they were tickled pink!”   I honestly think I was more blessed than they were.

We often think of great ministries or ministers as those who stand up front, those in the limelight.  I have certainly known great men and women of God who have gifts requiring them to stand in the limelight.  But, there is a ministry that is so needed in life today, and it’s a great ministry that all of us can do.  Don’t even take a spiritual gift test to see if you have it!  It is the ministry of EN-couragement!

Everyone, from babes to senior citizens, needs EN-couragement. To EN-courage is to put courage into someone. To DIS-courage is to take courage out of them.   You don’t have to go to seminary to have a great ministry!  Be an EN-courager!  Today speak a kind word; tell someone you appreciate them; say thank you to your boss; tell that nurse how much you appreciate her care;  tell a child how glad you are God made them; post on someone’s Facebook  complimenting them.  If you will look around today, you will have many opportunities to have a great ministry – the ministry of EN-couragement.

Show the love of God by being an EN-courager.  Make a point of putting courage into your spouse, your children, your friends, the clerk checking you out at the grocery store, the teller at the bank, the single parent and countless others.  Be a blessing today through .  Go out of your way to do it, and one wonderful thing that happens, is that in blessing others you will be blessed yourself.

“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life …”  Proverbs 10:11