I have another one liner here. And this one is from the Bible itself. I'm not sure whether to consider it almost an afterthought or a summary of the preceding verses, but after Paul paints a detailed picture of the Christian life in Romans 12, he makes a closing statement in verse 21: Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Throughout the chapter, Paul teaches what is expected of us, what our walk on this earth should look like. And then he admonishes us to overcome the evil around us by being a blessing. And just this one verse flicked a switch for me. What about overcoming the evil inside as well? Do I not need to overcome the evil within me in order to walk the walk Paul tells us about?
So many times when someone acts or doesn't act according to my plan, my way of thinking I lash out in some way. Whether it's with words of complaint and criticism or digging in my heals and refusing to fix someone else's mess, I react in a negative way, usually out of pride or self preservation instead of following Jesus' example of humility and love.
Ah ha! Overcome evil by doing good! Well, maybe if I do good to those who do wrong, I overcome the evils of pride and rebellion in my own heart....hmmmm. What an interesting and enlightening thought. If I answer kind with kind, like with like....evil overcomes me. I start looking and acting just like the world around me....a dull and dim light to be sure, unflavored and useless to God's kingdom and work. But if I, by the power of the Holy Spirit, respond with Christ's love, the darkness in my own heart becomes light and peace, and the love of God shines on all who see my actions. He is glorified. I am at peace.
Matthew 5:13-16 You are the salt of the earth. but what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
I love this verse! I love when God does this!
Lord, I know You are patient and loving. I know You take the time wot work with Your children, leading, molding. Thank You for Your loving heart, Your patient ways. I am a slow learner. I love Your Word. Help us to grow!! Remind us often of Your desire for us, remind us of Your Word so that it may change our hearts and lives. Give us an obedient spirit. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Memorize Romans 12:21 today.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Tuesday, November 28, 2017
Matthew 1-3
1 This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram.
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.
Abijah was the father of Asa.
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.
Jehoram was the father of Uzziah.
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham.
Jotham was the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh was the father of Amon.
Amon was the father of Josiah.
11 Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).
12 After the Babylonian exile:
Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.
Abiud was the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim was the father of Azor.
14 Azor was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Akim.
Akim was the father of Eliud.
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
17 All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men[k] from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”
9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
The Escape to Egypt
13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”
16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17 Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A cry was heard in Ramah—
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted,
for they are dead.”
The Return to Nazareth
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20 “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”
21 So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. 22 But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. 23 So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
3 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,
“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’”
4 John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac.
Isaac was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Judah and his brothers.
3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).
Perez was the father of Hezron.
Hezron was the father of Ram.
4 Ram was the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam was the father of Abijah.
Abijah was the father of Asa.
8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat was the father of Jehoram.
Jehoram was the father of Uzziah.
9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham.
Jotham was the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz was the father of Hezekiah.
10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh was the father of Amon.
Amon was the father of Josiah.
11 Josiah was the father of Jehoiachin and his brothers (born at the time of the exile to Babylon).
12 After the Babylonian exile:
Jehoiachin was the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel.
13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud.
Abiud was the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim was the father of Azor.
14 Azor was the father of Zadok.
Zadok was the father of Akim.
Akim was the father of Eliud.
15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
17 All those listed above include fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and fourteen from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah.
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”
24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.
2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men[k] from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:
6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”
9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
The Escape to Egypt
13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”
16 Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17 Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
18 “A cry was heard in Ramah—
weeping and great mourning.
Rachel weeps for her children,
refusing to be comforted,
for they are dead.”
The Return to Nazareth
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20 “Get up!” the angel said. “Take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead.”
21 So Joseph got up and returned to the land of Israel with Jesus and his mother. 22 But when he learned that the new ruler of Judea was Herod’s son Archelaus, he was afraid to go there. Then, after being warned in a dream, he left for the region of Galilee. 23 So the family went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what the prophets had said: “He will be called a Nazarene.”
3 In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2 “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” 3 The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,
“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’”
4 John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. 5 People from Jerusalem and from all of Judea and all over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9 Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10 Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
Jesus, from Mom, Part 4
Psalm 63: Falling in love with Jesus, fellowship with God, true worship.
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for You.My soul thirst for You; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You through the night. Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. I cling to You; Your strong right hand holds me securely. But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. They will die by the sword and become food of jackals. But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in Him will praise Him, while liars will be silenced.
vs 3...how I praise You! Praise releases blessings and satisfaction. This is not silent prayer. (From the Word Wealth commentary of Mom's Bible)
Verse 1, affirms relationship, "Oh God, You are my God." It goes on to set clear priorities, "I earnestly search for You," and show deep intensity, "My soul thirsts for you, my whole body longs for you..." Verse 2 addresses the desire for cooperate involvement, "I have seen You in Your sanctuary..." Verse 3 speaks to having an appropriate attitude, "You unfailing love is better than life itself..." And verse 5 gives the result, "You satisfy me more than the richest feast...."
To know Jesus.
John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me!
Jesus gets clear direction. Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.
Godly living is living through and for Jesus. Godliness is love, obedience and unity.
From me.
Psalm 63 takes us into the heart of relationship with God. It leads us into the depths of that relationship. Knowing God, knowing Jesus is our destination and our journey. Each day should be a day of discovery....He is endless and eternal, we can never run out of newness with the Lord. So often these truths fall into that dark pit of forgetfulness, busy-ness and worldliness that lives in my mind. Perhaps bringing it back to this Psalm is what all of us need, daily, hourly! There is so much to learn! My Mom included the first three chapters of Matthew at the end of this study. I will put them in a separate entry. (copy and paste is a great tool! LOL) We can never spend enough time getting to know our God, our Savior. Keep digging, keep communicating.
Lord, I praise You! I cannot go deep enough, far enough, to know You more. The more I know You the more I can reflect You. Help me go further! 1 Corinthians 3:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Oh, I look forward to the day when this is reality. Lord, help us all to know You more, to desire You more. Lead us! And thank You for even wanting us to know You, for wanting to reveal Yourself to us humans, fallen and fallible as we are. Thank You Lord!!
Start digging into Jesus today!!
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for You.My soul thirst for You; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You through the night. Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. I cling to You; Your strong right hand holds me securely. But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. They will die by the sword and become food of jackals. But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in Him will praise Him, while liars will be silenced.
vs 3...how I praise You! Praise releases blessings and satisfaction. This is not silent prayer. (From the Word Wealth commentary of Mom's Bible)
Verse 1, affirms relationship, "Oh God, You are my God." It goes on to set clear priorities, "I earnestly search for You," and show deep intensity, "My soul thirsts for you, my whole body longs for you..." Verse 2 addresses the desire for cooperate involvement, "I have seen You in Your sanctuary..." Verse 3 speaks to having an appropriate attitude, "You unfailing love is better than life itself..." And verse 5 gives the result, "You satisfy me more than the richest feast...."
To know Jesus.
John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me!
Jesus gets clear direction. Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.
Godly living is living through and for Jesus. Godliness is love, obedience and unity.
From me.
Psalm 63 takes us into the heart of relationship with God. It leads us into the depths of that relationship. Knowing God, knowing Jesus is our destination and our journey. Each day should be a day of discovery....He is endless and eternal, we can never run out of newness with the Lord. So often these truths fall into that dark pit of forgetfulness, busy-ness and worldliness that lives in my mind. Perhaps bringing it back to this Psalm is what all of us need, daily, hourly! There is so much to learn! My Mom included the first three chapters of Matthew at the end of this study. I will put them in a separate entry. (copy and paste is a great tool! LOL) We can never spend enough time getting to know our God, our Savior. Keep digging, keep communicating.
Lord, I praise You! I cannot go deep enough, far enough, to know You more. The more I know You the more I can reflect You. Help me go further! 1 Corinthians 3:12 Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Oh, I look forward to the day when this is reality. Lord, help us all to know You more, to desire You more. Lead us! And thank You for even wanting us to know You, for wanting to reveal Yourself to us humans, fallen and fallible as we are. Thank You Lord!!
Start digging into Jesus today!!
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Sorry everyone, this was supposed to be posted on Thanksgiving, but somehow I must have not done it right and it didn't. I'll share in now and ask for your forgiveness for being so technically inept! I hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful.
Today we are headed into see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's an early day, but lots of fun. I am so blessed to be able to spend time with my family, and that is just one of the many, many things I am thankful for. God has been so good to me. But it was the music of Sunday's service that got me thinking about gratefulness over all and I want to share two song with you today. I pray you will be blessed beyond measure today and everyday, living in God's love and walking in His fellowship.
As we sang this song, I had the pray list under my hand and thought to myself, what an awesome, faithful God we serve. He hears each request, sees each need, and in His wisdom answers, shows His power on behalf of His children. We are so blessed to have a loving Father who knows our needs and our hearts....we bring to Him our family, friends, ourselves and He takes each one and does sometimes the miraculous, sometimes something totally outside our understanding, sometimes it's just a quiet, small change....but always just the right thing. How grateful I felt for having God in my life and the privilege to bring my loved ones to Him. Thank You for being our loving Father. The giver of love, the provider of needs, the healer of our lives and for all the wisdom You possess to love us just right.
As we sang this song, I was reminded of Jesus' promise to return. Much like Israel awaited her Messiah, we His church await our Messiah's return. And how grateful I am for that promise that fills my heart with hope and light in the darkness of this world. Truly we are pilgrims, not citizens of this world, captive and in exile from our true home--Heaven. Yet the promise remains, and in faithfulness God will fulfill! Thank You Lord for this FACT. We long for Your return. And we rejoice in Your faithfulness.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving all.
Today we are headed into see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's an early day, but lots of fun. I am so blessed to be able to spend time with my family, and that is just one of the many, many things I am thankful for. God has been so good to me. But it was the music of Sunday's service that got me thinking about gratefulness over all and I want to share two song with you today. I pray you will be blessed beyond measure today and everyday, living in God's love and walking in His fellowship.
As we sang this song, I had the pray list under my hand and thought to myself, what an awesome, faithful God we serve. He hears each request, sees each need, and in His wisdom answers, shows His power on behalf of His children. We are so blessed to have a loving Father who knows our needs and our hearts....we bring to Him our family, friends, ourselves and He takes each one and does sometimes the miraculous, sometimes something totally outside our understanding, sometimes it's just a quiet, small change....but always just the right thing. How grateful I felt for having God in my life and the privilege to bring my loved ones to Him. Thank You for being our loving Father. The giver of love, the provider of needs, the healer of our lives and for all the wisdom You possess to love us just right.
As we sang this song, I was reminded of Jesus' promise to return. Much like Israel awaited her Messiah, we His church await our Messiah's return. And how grateful I am for that promise that fills my heart with hope and light in the darkness of this world. Truly we are pilgrims, not citizens of this world, captive and in exile from our true home--Heaven. Yet the promise remains, and in faithfulness God will fulfill! Thank You Lord for this FACT. We long for Your return. And we rejoice in Your faithfulness.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving all.
Jesus, from Mom, Part 3
Know this: Jesus - I need to focus on Him to be able to serve God.
2 Corinthians 4:5 You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are you servants. for Jesus' sake.
Proclaim Jesus as Lord, myself as servant.
2 Corinthians 4:10-12 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
Willingly share Christ's life and His dying.
2 Corinthians 13:3-9 I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when He deals with you; He is powerful among you. although He was crucified in weakness, He now lives by the power of God. We, too are weak, just a Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with Him and will have God's power. Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you (in you); if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority. We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won't need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come--even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority. For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for truth. We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature.
Be willing to be weak so others might be complete (enriched).
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
All this to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Matthew 25:13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
Pray for and eagerly await Jesus' return.
Desire for God
Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before Him?
My desire is to know You, Lord, to walk close beside You. To know Your grace, Your love, Your power, for You are my life and my way.
Acts 2:1-4 On the day of Pentecost all believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Acts 2:17-18 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those day, I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants--men and women alike--and they will prophesy.
Acts 10:38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Jesus is the prototype of the Spirit-filled, Spirit empowered life.
From me.
Something I read or heard this week, can't really remember where right now (but that is nothing unusual LOL), was revolving around Isaiah 43:7 Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’” We were created by God, for God. It's not about us. We weren't put here to find ourselves, have a party, find happiness, or the perfect earthly existence...we are here for Jesus. He is our focus, He is our life, His plan our plan, His desires our desires. At least that is how it should be. He is the example of a life well lived. When we live His way, for His glory, all the other stuff, all the joy, peace, satisfaction for ourselves is a bonus. Searching for those things, apart from living for Him will be an endless pursuit, and an exercise in futility. It's all about HIM! And I know I want my life to mirror that fact in every way. Getting to that place is not easy, but I hang on to Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. I imagine living this type of life must be so freeing, so peaceful. I WANT IT!! lol
Lord, help us to make our lives about You. You created us, saved us, and gave us a new life...I know I want to live it for You. So many times, selfishness, self need, fleshly wants and laziness get in the way. I don't know how to get rid of all that, but I am willingly handing all of it over to You. Take my life and use it for Your glory. In Jesus Name, amen.
Today is the day to hand it over! Talk to the Lord about your life and heart......
2 Corinthians 4:5 You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are you servants. for Jesus' sake.
Proclaim Jesus as Lord, myself as servant.
2 Corinthians 4:10-12 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
Willingly share Christ's life and His dying.
2 Corinthians 13:3-9 I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when He deals with you; He is powerful among you. although He was crucified in weakness, He now lives by the power of God. We, too are weak, just a Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with Him and will have God's power. Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you (in you); if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority. We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won't need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come--even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority. For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for truth. We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature.
Be willing to be weak so others might be complete (enriched).
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
All this to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Matthew 25:13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
Pray for and eagerly await Jesus' return.
Desire for God
Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for You, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before Him?
My desire is to know You, Lord, to walk close beside You. To know Your grace, Your love, Your power, for You are my life and my way.
Acts 2:1-4 On the day of Pentecost all believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Acts 2:17-18 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those day, I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants--men and women alike--and they will prophesy.
Acts 10:38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Jesus is the prototype of the Spirit-filled, Spirit empowered life.
From me.
Something I read or heard this week, can't really remember where right now (but that is nothing unusual LOL), was revolving around Isaiah 43:7 Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’” We were created by God, for God. It's not about us. We weren't put here to find ourselves, have a party, find happiness, or the perfect earthly existence...we are here for Jesus. He is our focus, He is our life, His plan our plan, His desires our desires. At least that is how it should be. He is the example of a life well lived. When we live His way, for His glory, all the other stuff, all the joy, peace, satisfaction for ourselves is a bonus. Searching for those things, apart from living for Him will be an endless pursuit, and an exercise in futility. It's all about HIM! And I know I want my life to mirror that fact in every way. Getting to that place is not easy, but I hang on to Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. I imagine living this type of life must be so freeing, so peaceful. I WANT IT!! lol
Lord, help us to make our lives about You. You created us, saved us, and gave us a new life...I know I want to live it for You. So many times, selfishness, self need, fleshly wants and laziness get in the way. I don't know how to get rid of all that, but I am willingly handing all of it over to You. Take my life and use it for Your glory. In Jesus Name, amen.
Today is the day to hand it over! Talk to the Lord about your life and heart......
Thursday, November 16, 2017
Jesus, From Mom, Part 2
Onto part two of Mom's insights into Jesus. The more time we spend getting to know our Savior, the more we will love Him, and reflect His character. I pray for each and everyone of us that these facts would become a reality in our lives.
Fellowship with Jesus
Psalm 63:1-11 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You through the night. Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. I cling to You; Your strong right hand holds me securely. But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in Him will praise Him, while liars will be silenced.
This Psalm shows us the joy of fellowship with God, to love Him and how to be a true worshiper.
vs 2 eyes to see Him, to look for Him
vs 3 lips to be able to praise Him
vs 4 hands lifted to praise Him
vs 5 soul satisfied, mouth praising Him
vs 6 meditate, mind to ponder on, to think upon.
This Psalm is showing us how to fall in love with Jesus.
Live like Jesus
In the Sermon on the Mount, and the Beatitudes shows us the way Jesus wants us to live and to follow Him.
One day as He saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around Him, and He began to teach them. God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice (righteousness), for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.....But I warn you, unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of teachers of the religious law, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven!
vs 3 humility
vs 10 willing to suffer
vs 19 earnest attention to God's commandments
vs 20 refuse to substitute false piety for genuine right behavior, or substitute self righteousness with God-given righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Matthew 6 10, 13 May Your kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Live a life of prayer.
Matthew 6:33 Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.
Prioritizing spiritual over material values.
Matthew 7:31 Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
Above all, acknowledging Christ's lordship by obeying the revealed will of God.
Know this
Jesus is the Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity. Jesus Christ is the human, divine Son of God, born of the virgin Mary. Christ is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4-6 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake. For God who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
Jesus alone is Immanuel--God with us.
Matthew 1:23 Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'
John 10:30 The Father and I are one.
Jesus is the living Word.
John 1:14 So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.
Jesus is Savior. Jesus is Messiah.
Luke 2;11 The Savior--yes the Messiah, the Lord-- has been born today in Bethlehem, the City of David.
John 1:41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, "We have found the Messiah," (which means Christ.)
Jesus Christ is my connection with God.
Son of Man is the title applied to the Messiah Jesus
Psalm 8:4 ....what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
John 14:1 ....Trust in God and trust also in Me.
John 14:6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.
Thus, it's in Christ that I can become a new person.
2 Corinthians 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
How? Because of Jesus' death on the cross, by God's grace.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
From me.
Wow, again a lot of information, a lot of Scripture. I'm thinking, to go along with my study of Jesus, I want to print out all these Scriptures and use them to get to know my Savior more and more. I really think, that this entry in Mom's journal warrants a long examination and much reflection. It's not about her words, or my words, it's about digging in with the Bible and much prayer, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the One who saved us. How exciting a journey this will be!
Lord, we need to know You more. Help us to do just that. As it says in Psalm 6, "My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water." Give us a fervor, replace any apathy with eagerness and passion! Draw us closer to You. There is nothing better, nothing more necessary to our very lives than our relationship with You. Thank You. I can't get over that You desire relationship with us, Your fallen creations, but yet You do. And You made the way. Amazing grace! Amazing love! Thank You is not enough, but it's all I have.
Stay in the Scriptures today.
Fellowship with Jesus
Psalm 63:1-11 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for You. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in Your sanctuary and gazed upon Your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise You! I will praise You as long as I live, lifting up my hands to You in prayer. You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise You with songs of joy. I lie awake thinking of You, meditating on You through the night. Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings. I cling to You; Your strong right hand holds me securely. But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth. They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals. But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in Him will praise Him, while liars will be silenced.
This Psalm shows us the joy of fellowship with God, to love Him and how to be a true worshiper.
vs 2 eyes to see Him, to look for Him
vs 3 lips to be able to praise Him
vs 4 hands lifted to praise Him
vs 5 soul satisfied, mouth praising Him
vs 6 meditate, mind to ponder on, to think upon.
This Psalm is showing us how to fall in love with Jesus.
Live like Jesus
In the Sermon on the Mount, and the Beatitudes shows us the way Jesus wants us to live and to follow Him.
One day as He saw the crowds gathering, Jesus went up on the mountainside and sat down. His disciples gathered around Him, and He began to teach them. God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice (righteousness), for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are My followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.....But I warn you, unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of teachers of the religious law, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven!
vs 3 humility
vs 10 willing to suffer
vs 19 earnest attention to God's commandments
vs 20 refuse to substitute false piety for genuine right behavior, or substitute self righteousness with God-given righteousness through Jesus Christ.
Matthew 6 10, 13 May Your kingdom come soon. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Live a life of prayer.
Matthew 6:33 Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.
Prioritizing spiritual over material values.
Matthew 7:31 Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.
Above all, acknowledging Christ's lordship by obeying the revealed will of God.
Know this
Jesus is the Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity. Jesus Christ is the human, divine Son of God, born of the virgin Mary. Christ is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:4-6 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake. For God who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
Jesus alone is Immanuel--God with us.
Matthew 1:23 Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'
John 10:30 The Father and I are one.
Jesus is the living Word.
John 1:14 So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son.
Jesus is Savior. Jesus is Messiah.
Luke 2;11 The Savior--yes the Messiah, the Lord-- has been born today in Bethlehem, the City of David.
John 1:41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, "We have found the Messiah," (which means Christ.)
Jesus Christ is my connection with God.
Son of Man is the title applied to the Messiah Jesus
Psalm 8:4 ....what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
John 14:1 ....Trust in God and trust also in Me.
John 14:6 Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.
Thus, it's in Christ that I can become a new person.
2 Corinthians 5:17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
How? Because of Jesus' death on the cross, by God's grace.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
From me.
Wow, again a lot of information, a lot of Scripture. I'm thinking, to go along with my study of Jesus, I want to print out all these Scriptures and use them to get to know my Savior more and more. I really think, that this entry in Mom's journal warrants a long examination and much reflection. It's not about her words, or my words, it's about digging in with the Bible and much prayer, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with the One who saved us. How exciting a journey this will be!
Lord, we need to know You more. Help us to do just that. As it says in Psalm 6, "My soul thirsts for You; my whole body longs for You in this parched and weary land where there is no water." Give us a fervor, replace any apathy with eagerness and passion! Draw us closer to You. There is nothing better, nothing more necessary to our very lives than our relationship with You. Thank You. I can't get over that You desire relationship with us, Your fallen creations, but yet You do. And You made the way. Amazing grace! Amazing love! Thank You is not enough, but it's all I have.
Stay in the Scriptures today.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Jesus, From Mom
Mom did some writing on Jesus in her journal. I look forward to sharing her entry and learning more about our Savior.
Jesus' Name.
Philippians 2:1-11 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from His love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are you hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy be agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another,and working together with one mind and one purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave us His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminals death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Acts 3:6 But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!
Faith's complete authority. Jesus Chris of Nazareth. Messiah.
The True Vine.
John 151:8 I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
Virtues of Jesus can be characterized as fruit which only the Holy Spirit can produce. When the Holy Spirit fully controls the life of a believer, He produces all these graces, given by the gift of God.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
The first three concern our attitude: love, joy, peace toward God. Second three deals with our social relationships: patience, kindness, goodness. The third three describes principles that guide a Christian's character: faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Have faith in Jesus. Faith is a spoken expression that springs from the conviction of our hearts. Faith is conviction, confidence, trust, assurance, reliance.
Benefits in following Jesus.
Philippians 4:19-20 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. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
He indwells us with the Holy Spirit:
Seals us as God's child.
Comforts us in our pain.
Teaches us to live right.
We become more like Jesus.
Transforms us from the inside out.
We are able to choose the right way to live and break bad habits.
We have direct access to God through Jesus, through prayer and worship
Matthew 16:24-27 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lost it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul. Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with His angels in the glory of His Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
Know for certain, that every true believer must take up his cross.
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crown of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility He endured from sinful people, then you won't become weary and give up.
Look to Jesus and model our lives after Him.
Romans 8:26-29 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
I want to be like Jesus. To know His forgiveness. Commit acts of grace and mercy consistently. Value all people. Have a heart of full surrender to the will of our Father. Live in such a way that others see Jesus in me.
Ephesians 5:1-2 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Be imitators of God. Model our lives after Jesus. Jesus is the perfect example of the love God requires. My prayer: The Word of Christ will dwell in me, in all wisdom. And to cultivate an attitude of praise.
Walking with the Lord Jesus is a day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment life existence on this earth in order to live with Jesus in heaven.
By faith, I believe.
From me.
Wow, Lots of great stuff. Lots to take in and settle in our hearts. I believe I need to camp out and dwell on these Scriptures for at least a lifetime to fully grasp and live out the true fellowship of the vine. We could stay here forever and not unearth all the treasures of that one Name, that one Man, Jesus. But what a wonderful time we would have doing it! There is a lot more to share, but I will do it in three parts so as not to be too overwhelming!
Romans 8:30 And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory.
We are called to this treasure hunt, this blessed life of knowing our beautiful Savior and amazing Creator. Because of Him, we can fellowship with our Lord.
Lord, there are no words, no amount of thanks could ever be enough. I am at a loss. My heart overflows with gratitude my fingers have no way to express. But it's there Lord. Jesus, help us to know You more, follow You more closely and imitate Your life so that others may see Your love for them and desire it. Thank You. A million times, thank You.
Take one or more of these Scriptures and meditate on them. Jot down thoughts, impressions. Let the Spirit lead you deeper in knowledge and relationship with our God.
Jesus' Name.
Philippians 2:1-11 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from His love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are you hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy be agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another,and working together with one mind and one purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave us His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminals death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Acts 3:6 But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!
Faith's complete authority. Jesus Chris of Nazareth. Messiah.
The True Vine.
John 151:8 I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
Virtues of Jesus can be characterized as fruit which only the Holy Spirit can produce. When the Holy Spirit fully controls the life of a believer, He produces all these graces, given by the gift of God.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
The first three concern our attitude: love, joy, peace toward God. Second three deals with our social relationships: patience, kindness, goodness. The third three describes principles that guide a Christian's character: faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
Have faith in Jesus. Faith is a spoken expression that springs from the conviction of our hearts. Faith is conviction, confidence, trust, assurance, reliance.
Benefits in following Jesus.
Philippians 4:19-20 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. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
He indwells us with the Holy Spirit:
Seals us as God's child.
Comforts us in our pain.
Teaches us to live right.
We become more like Jesus.
Transforms us from the inside out.
We are able to choose the right way to live and break bad habits.
We have direct access to God through Jesus, through prayer and worship
Matthew 16:24-27 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lost it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul. Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with His angels in the glory of His Father and will judge all people according to their deeds.
Know for certain, that every true believer must take up his cross.
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crown of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility He endured from sinful people, then you won't become weary and give up.
Look to Jesus and model our lives after Him.
Romans 8:26-29 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. For God knew His people in advance, and He chose them to become like His Son, so that His Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
I want to be like Jesus. To know His forgiveness. Commit acts of grace and mercy consistently. Value all people. Have a heart of full surrender to the will of our Father. Live in such a way that others see Jesus in me.
Ephesians 5:1-2 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Be imitators of God. Model our lives after Jesus. Jesus is the perfect example of the love God requires. My prayer: The Word of Christ will dwell in me, in all wisdom. And to cultivate an attitude of praise.
Walking with the Lord Jesus is a day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment life existence on this earth in order to live with Jesus in heaven.
By faith, I believe.
From me.
Wow, Lots of great stuff. Lots to take in and settle in our hearts. I believe I need to camp out and dwell on these Scriptures for at least a lifetime to fully grasp and live out the true fellowship of the vine. We could stay here forever and not unearth all the treasures of that one Name, that one Man, Jesus. But what a wonderful time we would have doing it! There is a lot more to share, but I will do it in three parts so as not to be too overwhelming!
Romans 8:30 And having chosen them, He called them to come to Him. And having called them, He gave them right standing with Himself. And having given them right standing, He gave them His glory.
We are called to this treasure hunt, this blessed life of knowing our beautiful Savior and amazing Creator. Because of Him, we can fellowship with our Lord.
Lord, there are no words, no amount of thanks could ever be enough. I am at a loss. My heart overflows with gratitude my fingers have no way to express. But it's there Lord. Jesus, help us to know You more, follow You more closely and imitate Your life so that others may see Your love for them and desire it. Thank You. A million times, thank You.
Take one or more of these Scriptures and meditate on them. Jot down thoughts, impressions. Let the Spirit lead you deeper in knowledge and relationship with our God.
Thursday, November 9, 2017
One-liners
So apparently the Lord is the King of the one-liners this week. LOL He's keeping it short and sweet and to the point. It's so funny, we sometimes forget that God can be humorous while still getting His message across. And I love the way He just answers the questions of my heart.
Tuesday I wrote about dreams and goals, the fact that setting them scares me because past hopes have not materialized in my life and I fear continued disappointment. But my heavenly Father had a different answer.
Next month it will be my turn to teach our Ladies Bible Study. I've mentioned we are tackling the topic of "Redeemed" by digging into a study by Angela Thomas-Pharr. In the beginning of the lesson I am charged with she included a quote from C.S. Lewis. So I went on an internet search for C.S. Lewis quotes. And the very first one that appeared was, "You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."
Excuse me? Did I read that right? Set another goal, dream a new dream? Are you talking to me Lord? This is too scary, too crazy, and too direct! LOL Well, okay then. I'm guessing Daddy God is telling me to do some soul searching and be bold, be brave and put myself out there, push past my fear of failure and disappointment and let HIM give me goals and dreams. This is a rough one for me. You have no idea how much I shake and quiver inside at the thought of this. Everything in me rebels against the idea. It's so much easier to just go through the day, living to just do my best for that day, week, month. Long term, short term goals.....nah, not liking this. But God.....
On to the second one liner of the week. I guess this is a big "succinct answer week" for the Lord. LOL At about 5:30 Wednesday (who made up the spelling for that word anyway?), morning there was bumping and banging coming from my tenants apartment upstairs and it woke me out of a dead sleep. I had only fallen asleep around 2am, so I was still quite groggy and bleary-eyed. Darn...I was finally sleeping so good and now this. As I tried to fall back to sleep one of the smoke alarms chirped. And then chirped again. Oh no, I thought to myself...one of the batteries needs replacing. Geez! Why do the batteries in smoke alarms always decide to need changing in the middle of the night!!
Alright, maybe it'll go away. LOL So I closed my eyes and of course, a few moments later, chirp. Chirp. And then I tried again...still holding out hope it would go away! Chirp. Chirp. UGH!!! So I drag my exhausted, worn out body out of bed and check the one in the bedroom. Chirp. No, not this one. Onto the next, and then the next...I check all of them except the hard wired (I have 5 including the hard wired, but that is another story). Now, to do all this I have to go to the garage, get the step stool, drag it from room to room, area to area, up the stairs....All when I should be sleeping and my eyes are barely opened!! To say that I was not a happy camper is an understatement. All the while, talking to the God...WHY?? You know how tired I am. How overwhelmed and exhausted I've been. WHY??
Well I finally figured out it was indeed the hard wired, battery supplemented one in the hall that needed changing. So I pulled the battery, (I'll deal with it later) and trudged back to bed. And now, guess what! I can't fall back to sleep!! AAAAAAAHHHHH!! As I type all this it almost seems comical, but believe me, it was not at the time, nor was I happy about dragging through my day yesterday, living on caffeine. But God....
Since I was up, I decided I may as well get started on the lesson I would be sharing next month. As I was reading through our workbooks I came to this one line (well technically it's two sentences, but I'm taking poetic license here) that just stopped me in my tracks. From Angela Thomas-Pharr's study book, "Sometimes the why questions of God do not find their complete answers. Remember yesterday and the unbelief that came to Eve because she wanted to know why when God had asked her to trust?
But we want to know why. We want answers. I want to understand why I had to exist on 3 1/2 hours sleep when I had already been running on fumes for the last few weeks. What does this have to do with the kingdom of God, was my question. And I still don't have an answer. But I don't think I'm supposed to have an answer to that question, or a lot of others that run though my head every day, any time something doesn't go my way, or work out the way I want it to. Why is not the real question. It's "will I trust, when I don't know why, don't have the answers." These seems to be a recurring issue for me and I am thinking I am not the only one that has difficulty learning this lesson. TRUST
Lord, You know the beginning from the end. You know each of our days, each of our lives. Whether it's the small discomforts, the big dead dreams, You hold all in the palm of Your hand, and You hold us as well. Thank You for that. Nothing is without purpose or meaning to You. Lord, help me, all of us to be at peace not matter what we find happening around us. You hold us, and our past, present and future in your very capable, very loving hands. Teach us to be content knowing this truth. You got this!!! In Jesus Name, amen.
Let go of each moment, trying to control them...and let God lead, whether it's the next minute or the next year or the next decade. Let's learn to trust, together.
Tuesday I wrote about dreams and goals, the fact that setting them scares me because past hopes have not materialized in my life and I fear continued disappointment. But my heavenly Father had a different answer.
Next month it will be my turn to teach our Ladies Bible Study. I've mentioned we are tackling the topic of "Redeemed" by digging into a study by Angela Thomas-Pharr. In the beginning of the lesson I am charged with she included a quote from C.S. Lewis. So I went on an internet search for C.S. Lewis quotes. And the very first one that appeared was, "You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."
Excuse me? Did I read that right? Set another goal, dream a new dream? Are you talking to me Lord? This is too scary, too crazy, and too direct! LOL Well, okay then. I'm guessing Daddy God is telling me to do some soul searching and be bold, be brave and put myself out there, push past my fear of failure and disappointment and let HIM give me goals and dreams. This is a rough one for me. You have no idea how much I shake and quiver inside at the thought of this. Everything in me rebels against the idea. It's so much easier to just go through the day, living to just do my best for that day, week, month. Long term, short term goals.....nah, not liking this. But God.....
On to the second one liner of the week. I guess this is a big "succinct answer week" for the Lord. LOL At about 5:30 Wednesday (who made up the spelling for that word anyway?), morning there was bumping and banging coming from my tenants apartment upstairs and it woke me out of a dead sleep. I had only fallen asleep around 2am, so I was still quite groggy and bleary-eyed. Darn...I was finally sleeping so good and now this. As I tried to fall back to sleep one of the smoke alarms chirped. And then chirped again. Oh no, I thought to myself...one of the batteries needs replacing. Geez! Why do the batteries in smoke alarms always decide to need changing in the middle of the night!!
Alright, maybe it'll go away. LOL So I closed my eyes and of course, a few moments later, chirp. Chirp. And then I tried again...still holding out hope it would go away! Chirp. Chirp. UGH!!! So I drag my exhausted, worn out body out of bed and check the one in the bedroom. Chirp. No, not this one. Onto the next, and then the next...I check all of them except the hard wired (I have 5 including the hard wired, but that is another story). Now, to do all this I have to go to the garage, get the step stool, drag it from room to room, area to area, up the stairs....All when I should be sleeping and my eyes are barely opened!! To say that I was not a happy camper is an understatement. All the while, talking to the God...WHY?? You know how tired I am. How overwhelmed and exhausted I've been. WHY??
Well I finally figured out it was indeed the hard wired, battery supplemented one in the hall that needed changing. So I pulled the battery, (I'll deal with it later) and trudged back to bed. And now, guess what! I can't fall back to sleep!! AAAAAAAHHHHH!! As I type all this it almost seems comical, but believe me, it was not at the time, nor was I happy about dragging through my day yesterday, living on caffeine. But God....
Since I was up, I decided I may as well get started on the lesson I would be sharing next month. As I was reading through our workbooks I came to this one line (well technically it's two sentences, but I'm taking poetic license here) that just stopped me in my tracks. From Angela Thomas-Pharr's study book, "Sometimes the why questions of God do not find their complete answers. Remember yesterday and the unbelief that came to Eve because she wanted to know why when God had asked her to trust?
But we want to know why. We want answers. I want to understand why I had to exist on 3 1/2 hours sleep when I had already been running on fumes for the last few weeks. What does this have to do with the kingdom of God, was my question. And I still don't have an answer. But I don't think I'm supposed to have an answer to that question, or a lot of others that run though my head every day, any time something doesn't go my way, or work out the way I want it to. Why is not the real question. It's "will I trust, when I don't know why, don't have the answers." These seems to be a recurring issue for me and I am thinking I am not the only one that has difficulty learning this lesson. TRUST
Lord, You know the beginning from the end. You know each of our days, each of our lives. Whether it's the small discomforts, the big dead dreams, You hold all in the palm of Your hand, and You hold us as well. Thank You for that. Nothing is without purpose or meaning to You. Lord, help me, all of us to be at peace not matter what we find happening around us. You hold us, and our past, present and future in your very capable, very loving hands. Teach us to be content knowing this truth. You got this!!! In Jesus Name, amen.
Let go of each moment, trying to control them...and let God lead, whether it's the next minute or the next year or the next decade. Let's learn to trust, together.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
On a More Serious Note...
More tattling today. But we are going a little bit deeper. I'm going to dig around an area of my heart that I don't really want to expose, or even look at to closely. But God says to do it, so here it goes. Dreams. Aspirations. Goals. I hate all those words. They fill me with dread, regret, sadness, discontent and disappointment. We all have had dreams in our lives that have gone unfulfilled, unrealized. I look back an see none of the dreams of my childhood have come to pass....through addiction, circumstances, and pure laziness I haven't followed or made any of them come true. And therefore the reason I don't look in this area too often, nor do I set too many goals for the future. I call myself content to take it a day at a time, just trying to be the person God made me to be. Dreaming is scary for me. Goal setting, terrifying.
For whatever reason, this was close to my heart's surface a few days ago, and I was feeling the pain, blaming God and just miserable over all of it. Well, step in to this picture another daily devotional reading entitled "Shattered Dreams." LOL Is God on track, AGAIN. Julie Rayburn, who is the author of this devotional book called "Be Still and Know - 365 Days of Encouragement for Women," spoke of how many times life does not turn out the way we envisioned or dreamed. The sentences that touched me deeply were, "We have a choice. We can continue to hold on tightly to our dreams, allowing our hands to become clenched fists raised in anger to God. Bitterness is the end result. Or we can open our hands and give God our shattered dreams."
Wow, what powerful statements. In reading these lines, I realized that was exactly what I was doing. Holding on the things of the past, dreams, desires. I was clenching them tightly in my hands and not allowing God to fill them with anything else. I held on to the disappointment, kept anger wrapped around this dark area of my heart, blaming God, and then wondering why I deal with so much anger on a daily basis.
I have to work on letting this stuff go. I know it means, almost in a sense, survival for me. I'm not all that sure how to go about it. If I look at the whole heart issue honestly, I can see I've let it fester a long, long time....it's become part of me. I believe that the reason this came to the surface, and the perfect timing of this reading is because God wants to heal this part of my heart.
Yes, things didn't turn out like I wanted. But that doesn't mean they can't be good. I'm scared. I don't know what to expect if I let this go. But I really want to be healed! I don't want to live with bitterness or disappointment buried, hidden away in some dark corner of my heart. I realize it colors and taints everything in life, even if it's not obvious on the surface.
This has been a tough visit. I am hoping that through my willingness to tattle on myself here, even though it's some ugly stuff, you will be helped as well. And together, we can work through this with our loving heavenly Father. He desires us to be free from regret, disappointment and discontent. Life may not have turned out the way we planned, but none of it is a surprise to Him.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Lord, help us to let go of our plans, the things we thought should happen that didn't, dreams that have been shattered and scattered....help us to let go of the anger and disappointment that comes with disillusionment. Lord, fill us with Your plans, Your aspirations for us. And then help us to walk with You to fulfill Your good plan for our lives. It's okay if things didn't turn out as we hoped, for You are our living hope. In You we always have just what we need. Lord, it's hard. It's scary. It hurts. But You are with us, bigger than even the greatest disappointment. Lord, I know I'm not sure how to go about this....but with You I can. Thank You for this word in due season. It's time to move forward. And as always, to You be the glory. In Jesus mighty, and loving Name, amen.
Perhaps it's time to have a sit down with God. Talk to Him about dreams, the past, the future...
For whatever reason, this was close to my heart's surface a few days ago, and I was feeling the pain, blaming God and just miserable over all of it. Well, step in to this picture another daily devotional reading entitled "Shattered Dreams." LOL Is God on track, AGAIN. Julie Rayburn, who is the author of this devotional book called "Be Still and Know - 365 Days of Encouragement for Women," spoke of how many times life does not turn out the way we envisioned or dreamed. The sentences that touched me deeply were, "We have a choice. We can continue to hold on tightly to our dreams, allowing our hands to become clenched fists raised in anger to God. Bitterness is the end result. Or we can open our hands and give God our shattered dreams."
Wow, what powerful statements. In reading these lines, I realized that was exactly what I was doing. Holding on the things of the past, dreams, desires. I was clenching them tightly in my hands and not allowing God to fill them with anything else. I held on to the disappointment, kept anger wrapped around this dark area of my heart, blaming God, and then wondering why I deal with so much anger on a daily basis.
I have to work on letting this stuff go. I know it means, almost in a sense, survival for me. I'm not all that sure how to go about it. If I look at the whole heart issue honestly, I can see I've let it fester a long, long time....it's become part of me. I believe that the reason this came to the surface, and the perfect timing of this reading is because God wants to heal this part of my heart.
Yes, things didn't turn out like I wanted. But that doesn't mean they can't be good. I'm scared. I don't know what to expect if I let this go. But I really want to be healed! I don't want to live with bitterness or disappointment buried, hidden away in some dark corner of my heart. I realize it colors and taints everything in life, even if it's not obvious on the surface.
This has been a tough visit. I am hoping that through my willingness to tattle on myself here, even though it's some ugly stuff, you will be helped as well. And together, we can work through this with our loving heavenly Father. He desires us to be free from regret, disappointment and discontent. Life may not have turned out the way we planned, but none of it is a surprise to Him.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Lord, help us to let go of our plans, the things we thought should happen that didn't, dreams that have been shattered and scattered....help us to let go of the anger and disappointment that comes with disillusionment. Lord, fill us with Your plans, Your aspirations for us. And then help us to walk with You to fulfill Your good plan for our lives. It's okay if things didn't turn out as we hoped, for You are our living hope. In You we always have just what we need. Lord, it's hard. It's scary. It hurts. But You are with us, bigger than even the greatest disappointment. Lord, I know I'm not sure how to go about this....but with You I can. Thank You for this word in due season. It's time to move forward. And as always, to You be the glory. In Jesus mighty, and loving Name, amen.
Perhaps it's time to have a sit down with God. Talk to Him about dreams, the past, the future...
Thursday, November 2, 2017
I'm Ok, You're Ok
I'm going to tattle on myself a little today. I hate my hair. Always have. It is baby fine, difficult to work with and rarely am I happy with the way it looks. I don't consider myself a vain person. I like to be comfortable and a little stylish at the same time, but I don't spend a lot of time thinking about it. I believe clothing should make you happy without overthinking it. But my hair is another story. I've always envied those who have thick, shiny, easy to deal with, wash and go hair.
So I had to laugh the other day, when after another frustrating session of fiddling with my hair before work (did I mention I want wash and go hair....LOL), and complaining to God that He didn't give me good hair, blah blah blah.....I sat down to read one of my daily devotions. And the title??? "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made." Yup, that was God's answer to my hair dilemma. The first two sentences? "What if we viewed our bodies as God does? Would we stop obsessing about our nose, wrinkles, weight, or hair? I just about fell off the bed laughing. Hmmmm, do you think God might be just a little tired of hearing about my hair unhappiness? Do you think He may just want me focus to be elsewhere?
I get it. I really do. And I know there are much bigger issues in the world and in the lives of all of us. I still want better hair. LOL But I am going to work on not obsessing over the issue, and let God be God, even over my hair. This was one of the most comical God visits I've ever had!
Lord thank You. Help us all to remember that we are perfectly made, just the way You wanted us. And You don't make junk! You like the way You made us. Help us to be content as we are, grateful to be made in You image, even if we all look different. Lord, let us like the way You made us too. Forgive me pride, vanity and not trusting Your judgment.
Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
So I had to laugh the other day, when after another frustrating session of fiddling with my hair before work (did I mention I want wash and go hair....LOL), and complaining to God that He didn't give me good hair, blah blah blah.....I sat down to read one of my daily devotions. And the title??? "Fearfully and Wonderfully Made." Yup, that was God's answer to my hair dilemma. The first two sentences? "What if we viewed our bodies as God does? Would we stop obsessing about our nose, wrinkles, weight, or hair? I just about fell off the bed laughing. Hmmmm, do you think God might be just a little tired of hearing about my hair unhappiness? Do you think He may just want me focus to be elsewhere?
I get it. I really do. And I know there are much bigger issues in the world and in the lives of all of us. I still want better hair. LOL But I am going to work on not obsessing over the issue, and let God be God, even over my hair. This was one of the most comical God visits I've ever had!
Lord thank You. Help us all to remember that we are perfectly made, just the way You wanted us. And You don't make junk! You like the way You made us. Help us to be content as we are, grateful to be made in You image, even if we all look different. Lord, let us like the way You made us too. Forgive me pride, vanity and not trusting Your judgment.
Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)