I was jogging the last couple of days and of course, listening to Joyce Meyer podcasts as I did. Tuesday the message I heard confirmed what I wrote in the blog entry from that day. Of course God is at work confirming His message!! Simple put, Joyce said one of the things the Lord impressed on her over the years is to just get up, love God and serve Him with gladness. Keep on keeping on.
Instead of looking for some big, serious plan for the day...just get up and serve God.....whatever that may be, and do it joyfully. ENJOY!! Whether it's washing the dishes, going to a boring job, writing a sermon or feeding the hungry, (in my case it's hungry kittens!)...do it with gladness as unto the Lord.
I've been trying to remember this at work, with varying degrees of success. I find it encouraging that even if I am not doing it perfectly, I am still working it! And each success is one step closer to victory over taking things so seriously and being frustrated over the things of which I have no control. So thank You Lord!!
Lord, whatever I do today, I do for You and in Your name and for Your glory. Help me to laugh more and complain a lot less. You are a joyful God and I want to be like You!! Today I choose to serve You with gladness.
Psalm 100:2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.
Just a little worship song that the Lord gave me this morning to start my day as I struggled with some computer stuff (so what else is new...LOL), as I was gearing up to write the blog this morning. Got tested on the lesson right away!!
A few days ago I read my daily devotional in Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. In it Sarah spoke of not taking ourselves or our circumstances so seriously and not trying to control the things that are not ours to control. Learning to laugh and let God be God.
To say I struggle here would be an understatement. I want everything just so, just as I think it should be (and of course I am always right. hahaha). I don't think, for the most part, I take myself all that seriously (although lately....). But circumstances are a different matter. I am a perfectionist, critical and judgmental....like I said, I want everything just so. But God has other plans, as He usually does. Things never seem to go the way I think they should. Others don't act like they are supposed to (at least in my mind) and more things go haywire than I believe should ever be allowed in one lifetime!!!!
But in all this, Jesus says to relax, enjoy! So as I read this devotional I thought to myself...oh, Lord, if I could just do this, just lighten up, let go of my preconceived ideas and expectations and just let You be in charge (You are anyway), but if I could just accept this and roll with it....
So I was at work the other day, and I drove past a large mail container, we call them BMCs, someone had written on it, "ENJOY LIFE." Hmmmm, a little reminder ya think? A little God visit, a little God prodding for me? LOL I love it!
I take so much on that I shouldn't...responsibility for things that is not mine to have. I walk around thinking the world should dance to my tune, that people should play the scene that I have written in my mind. Events and circumstances should work themselves as if I were the writer of the book of my life. It doesn't work that way. And when I try to be God, frustration is sure to follow.
God wants me to enjoy my time here...not be miserable and frustrated. It's a matter of letting Him call the shots and just trusting where He goes, what He does or doesn't do. I talked about this some time back, speaking peace to the things that disturb me. So He reminded me again....lighten up!!
1 Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, not to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
Philippians 4:4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.
Zephaniah 3:17 For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. His is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. he will exult over you by singing a happy song.
Matthew 11:28-30 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light. Proverbs 15:15 For the poor every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.
Lord, help me to let go of the frustration, the planning, the expectations. Let me rest in You and let You be God. You tell us, "A cheerful heart is good medicine but a broken spirit saps a person's strength." (Proverbs 17:22) Help me to live with a light heart, enjoy Your presence, Your goodness and trusting You in all things.
To bring evil or harm on, swear, swear at, blaspheme, words a person says when he asks God to curse someone or something.
This kind of cursing is applicable to man and his tongue
James 3:1-12 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness. We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongue can also control themselves in every other way. We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it go, even though the winds are strong. So also, the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing a cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty pool.
Ephesians 4:29 Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Mark 7:10 For Moses gave you this law from God: 'Honor your father and mother,' and 'Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death.'
Proverbs 20:20 If you curse your father or mother, the lamp of your life will be snuffed out.
From me:
(Ok, those are some scary verses considering we've all complained about our parents at one time or another. LOL) This is tough. I am not in a place where my tongue is tamed. But as I typed these verses out, I felt the Lord impressing on me that if the tongue can start a fire for evil, it can consequently, when under His control, start a fire for good. Instead of being full of deadly poison, let my speech be seasoned with salt, filled with encouragement. Instead of cursing, or criticizing those around me, lift them up in prayer and look for something good to say. Let God's goodness and mercy bubble out of my mouth instead of bitter water. Instead of looking to merely tame my tongue, I pray for the Lord to change it completely, use it for His glory.
This is especially hard when those who are in authority over you seem to do some many things that are harmful or corrupt. Yet the Lord tells me I am to respect them. And that means not speaking negatively over them or about them. Imagine taming this proclivity for ill speaking? James tells us then we can control anything in our lives!!
Oh Lord, get me there !!!
The next type of curse Mom pondered was the curse given by the Lord in the Garden of Eden. This is what she wrote:
God's curse - Temptation in the Garden of Eden caused man's fall and thus God said:
Genesis 3:1-19 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” 4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. 8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man[a] and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” 11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” 13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” 14 Then the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. 15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike[b] your head, and you will strike his heel.” 16 Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.[c]” 17 And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. 18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. 19 By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”
Footnote" coming under God's judgment. Conflict between Satan and God's people.
Consequently man's fundamental roll is laborer/provider (work) and work shall be with difficulties and futilities. This a a life long struggle and only ends (curse if lifted) when death occurs (physical death, not spiritual) or Jesus returns before we die.
From me: We struggle so much in this world. Day after day, working at jobs that we hate or just tolerate, looking to make ends meet, failing so often. Appliances break down, roofs leak, loved ones get sick, things drop and spill, we trip, stumble and fall...not to mention the extreme poverty some endure, persecution of our Christian family, and natural disasters. Yes it certainly is evident that this world is under a curse...and being Christians does not make us immune to any of it, in fact I think it makes us more of a target as the whole world is under the sway of the evil one and he "don't like us much." But as the saying goes, "I've read the end of the book and God wins!" Revelation 22:3 No longer will anything be cursed. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and His servants will worship Him. Revelation 21:4 He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain, For the old world and its evils are gone forever.
My God visit today, a reminder on what comes out of my mouth. Watch what I am saying!! Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Lord, I submit my mouth to You today. Make my speech pleasing to You. Let it be a blessing to those around me and let it bless and not curse my fellow man. Help me to look to You for strength in living in this fallen world and keep my eyes focused on You and be filled with hope and joy for the future.
As I posted on Tuesday, I was in a very tired, discouraged place and needed the prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ to make it through the day. I really felt like putting one foot in front of the other and not killing anyone in the process was beyond my ability and strength that day. And thankfully, the Lord heard and answered your prayers for me. I not only got through my long day with energy, I did it in good humor. The way things are at work lately are a struggle to handle to begin with, but when I have had very little sleep and a difficult day before I even begin my work day....well the fact that I could go through the night with a good attitude was definitely a God visit and definitely attributable to your prayers! And my energy lasted throughout the night. I didn't start getting tired til the end of my day. So thank you all! And thank You Lord!!
Today is a rough day for me. I am exhausted, very little sleep. We had our annual yard sale to benefit our feral cat colony this weekend. All the stuff that doesn't sell we donate to the veterans organizations. So it was all piled up in the driveway awaiting today's pickup. Of course we had a rain storm Monday morning, and even though we tried to keep everything protected, the tarps blew off and quite a bit of our donation got wet. I had to go through all of it again today, in fact I spent the last almost 4 hours doing so...to get rid of anything that was ruined and salvage the rest for the veterans thrift store. It was all very discouraging to say the least. Couple that with being tired from the busy weekend and all the work leading up to the yard sale and the lack of sleep...lets just say I am in a very low place right now.
So this is not a usual God visit posting. It is a plea. I am asking for prayer for myself today. I need a lift, and some energy for the rest of my day. I need to remember that Jesus walks beside me, even when I don't feel Him, or feel great or can barely lift my feet.
I am grateful that I can come to my Christian family and be lifted up to the Lord in prayer. We are so blessed in that aspect. So I thank the Lord for all of you, and all your prayers. I know they will usher in the Lord's strength and presence into my day.
A few weeks ago we sang some of the classic old hymns during our worship time on Sunday morning. The words and the upbeat melodies filled me with such joy....hope for the future Life down here can get pretty hard sometimes, lots of times...but we have such a wonderful hope of glory, so much to look forward to.
So there they are. Old time hymns to lift you up in this hard old world. Take time to listen to one or more of them today. And Lord help us to fix our eyes on You, the hope of glory.
Revelation 21:1-4 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes'; there shall be no more death, no sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
Luke 10:20b...rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
Genesis 1:3-4 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw the light, that is was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:9-10 Then God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that is was good.
Genesis 1:11-12 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed and the fruit tree that yields fruit......And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:14-18 Then God said, "Let there be....And God saw that it was good.
On and on and on. God said. It happened. It was good. We have just begun a study of Genesis at church. As I was working through the first chapter in our study guide, the question was asked, "What do you think God wants us to learn about Himself, the world, or ourselves from each of the following repeated phrases? a."And God said, 'Let..."And it was so." b. "It was good (each created thing) and "it was very good" (all creation).
As I thought about this the stock answers came to mind at first...God made a good world. All creation was good.....But then I thought a little more. And I started to see the planner in the Lord. He is a planner. He has a plan. A good plan. And when it goes as He says it should, it works out perfectly, wonderfully and it is good.
So that led me to think about my own life. How many times have I ignored His prodding? When I felt He was steering me away from something or towards something and didn't follow? Or how about the times I did follow His plan? I can look back and see when I listened and obeyed...it was good, and when I didn't it was not so wonderful, sometimes really bad. Just look at what happened when Adam and Eve went their own way, didn't follow the Lord's plan....ugh!! A complete disaster for all of us. (But in that disaster, God still has a plan, a good plan in the person of Jesus Christ.)
So when God says something in my life....the answer on my part should be, "Let it be so." And the response of that obedience will be, "it is good." Not always easy, maybe not even feeling good at the time, but the plan of God will always result in something perfect and good.
Genesis 1:31a Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.
Friday morning. I woke up feeling drugged, like I had gone 20 rounds with Ali during the night. Tired, achy, grumpy...wasn't a good way to start the day. Then came the clumsiness....I kept dropping things, stumbling over my own feet, spilling....Ugh, this was not an auspicious start to my day. And my attitude didn't really get any better....let's just say grumpy is putting it mildly. I think if challenged I would have gladly bit someone's head off as evidenced by my feelings toward a driver behind me that had the audacity to beep at me for not turning fast enough.
Well, now I know enough to know that the Lord does NOT want me acting like this. He does NOT want me following my feelings here. But not feeling good physically, concern over some financial decisions I need to make, and just plain waking up on the wrong side of the bed do not for a happy Madeline willing to just shrug it all off make. LOL
But God......
He saw my state. He knew I wanted to try to correct my mindset...I did want and was trying to remember to be thankful and not dawdle on the emotionally low plane I found myself in. So as He does so often He sent songs to lift me up.
First I stumbled upon a radio station on AM playing old hymns (I believe this station was at one time, radio Disney!). This was totally by "accident" that I found this station. And that beautiful old song "Great is Thy Faithfulness" flowed from my speakers.
Listening to this, remembering God's character, it really was like a soothing ointment to my soul. Peace started seeping into my heart. Oh my Father, You are so good.
I changed stations and Steven Curtis Chapman's Glorious Unfolding was God's next gift to me. This is such an uplifting song....so encouraging. It ain't over til it's over...and God has the final say and the perfect plan! No matter how I feel in the moment, no matter the circumstances, whatever the day may bring...He is in control and is making something beautiful out of what seems to be a mess.
And finally, He gave me a song I am just in love with right now....new from MercyMe....Flawless
God is so good. So caring and wonderful. Some days it seems like nothing is right, everything hurts. I think it's those days that we have to look the most, the hardest for His visits. They are there. Some are obvious. Some not so much. When we hurt it is hard to see. It's as if I had to pull away the darkness yesterday so I could see and feel God's light coming toward me, through me. And I had to make the choice, time and time again, not to wallow in, not to surrender to that darkness. The Lord's hand reached out to me through the radio, all I had to do was grab hold. Maybe it's not the radio for you, maybe it's a friend, maybe something you read quick, a tv commercial you hear, a sign on a bus, maybe (and hopefully) this blog....whatever....Keep your heart and eyes open...God wants to visit. His hand is always there to pull us up and out of whatever muck we find ourselves in.
Thank You Lord for Your comfort, Your strength, Your care, Your love. Thank You for Your great faithfulness.
Yesterday morning I was reading my devotional and it was speaking of fear and worry trying to enter and gain a foothold in our minds. The writer (Sarah Young) advised us to let trust and thankfulness be the guards of our minds.
For our honeymoon, my husband and I went to Europe. We were blessed to be able to go to St. Peters while we were there, and the picture that comes to mind is the Swiss guards that stand outside of the Vatican. Brightly colored uniforms, disciplined and loyal to their sacred assignment. And that is how trust and thankfulness are to stand guard affront my heart and mind. Well trained. Powerful. Stalwart.
Thinking upon this reading, I countered to the Lord, "I don't worry or fear very much." And I felt Him raise up in me the thought....what about frustration, what about anger, what about stress? Should not your mind be guarded against those? When frustration tries to alight in my mind, thankfulness should be at the door to stop it from gaining entry. When anger over circumstances wants to gain access to my heart, trust needs to bar it's way in.
Lord, thank You for bringing this into focus for me. Thank You for Your leading and teaching once again. Help me to apply it to my day, to my life. Help us all to allow trust and thankfulness be the guards of our hearts and minds. In Jesus name, Amen.
Genesis 17:7 I will continue this everlasting covenant between us, generation after generation. It will continue between me and your offspring forever. And I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Will, testament, fact
Mark 14:24 And He said to them, "This is my blood, poured out for many, sealing the covenant between God and His people."
A new covenant ratified by the sacrificial death of Jesus on the Cross.
Jesus has become a surety (guarantee).
Hebrews 7:22 Because of God's oath, it is Jesus who guarantees the effectiveness of this better covenant.
Isaiah 61:8 For I the Lord love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.
From me:
These are the verses Mom was thinking on regarding covenant. What beautiful promises from the Lord. It is He who makes this covenant with us. Imagine that...I bring nothing to the table, no bargaining chips, nothing to offer in return for His blessings....and yet He wants to covenant with me. In the Old Testament, covenant, or an agreement between two parties was usually sealing by the spilling of animal blood. God makes His covenant with us through the shed blood of Jesus Christ...it is permanent....everlasting.
Some verses I'd like to add regarding God's covenant with us:
Isaiah 3:22-24 The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By His mercies we have een kept from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness! His mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore I will hope in Him!"
I am struggling with some financial issues right now (as most of us are these days)...but God's covenant, His promise is to take care of me. Therefore I need not fear. I need not worry or fret. In His hands I am secure. That is what it feels like to be in covenant with God....secure, safe. If I think about this covenant, I realize that all the promises, all the benefits come from God to me. How crazy is that!! When I compare me to Him....a microsecond to eternity....an atom to the universe....I just stand amazed and astounded, speechless, dumbfounded at the awesome incredible-ness of it all.
There are some wonderful studies on covenant out there. Kay Arthur has a good book on it. If you want a deeper understand I recommend doing one.
Thank You Lord that You covenanted with us. Thank You fort this agreement between us, initiated by You, assured by You, sealed by You. Lord, help me to understand more and more what this means everyday...not just for eternity, but for my daily living.
1 Peter 3 In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives. Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do. In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.” Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority and are bowing before Him.
Conduct--how we act--
-obedience principle: respectful, godly behavior and a quiet spirit.
-have compassion
-by sympathetic
-loving one another
-be humble
-don't repay evil for evil
-don't retaliate
-be courteous
-don't get even when we are hurt, return with good.
From me:
A tall order. Mom seemed to look at this as a list of behavior God desired. And I have to say, she did a pretty good job of obeying His commands here. Maybe it would be a good thing to carry around a list like this and check it frequently throughout the day. It seems to have more dos than don't on it. I have to think, wouldn't it be wonderful if all acted this way!?! But alas, they do not, and neither do I quite frankly. But the one thing I do notice is that the behavior God wants from me is NOT dependent on how others act or treat me. That is not a fun thought. And it generally goes against every fiber of pride, self-preservation, self-care and view of right and wrong, that entwines itself in my mind and heart. Don't repay evil for evil? Whaaaat!!!! You mean if the boss doesn't treat me right, I still have to do a good job? That's crazy, right? If I guy cuts me off on the road, I'm not to beep my horn obnoxiously? If my husband forgets to do something I asked, I 'm supposed to just let it go, or kindly remind him? Ugh. Not easy for sure!!! But this behavior is what is to set Christians apart. And this behavior is what shines for the Lord and is meant to draw others to Him.
Lord, you know how human I am. You know how often I fail at these commands. Help me to overcome my self. To deny myself as You did and to focus on the prizes of glorifying You and leading others to Christ. You know my heart is to shine for You, but so often it's barely a glimmer. Forgive my shortcomings and work Your work in me.
