It's that time again, a new year, a clean slate....there is something about starting afresh that fills us with excitement, and hope, but also fear and wonder. Will this year be better than last? Can I make positive changes? Will things get harder or will blessings seem more abundant? We know that whatever happens, our heavenly Father holds us in His hands. Of that we can be sure.
I always have goals for the new year. Eating healthy and getting more exercise are always on the list...especially after the eating frenzy of the holiday season. Ugh! I think my insides will sing the Hallelujah Chorus when I start putting some fruits and vegetables back into my daily diet. I'd like to say getting more organized is on there as well, but that one never really pans out so I think I'll pass and just enjoy it as an added bonus if it happens. LOL
But it's the spiritual goals I always love the most, because for me, they come straight from the Lord. He always have a few things He wants worked on in my life and I love hearing what they are, and to getting started on a new adventure with Jesus.
It seems the Lord has two goals for me in this upcoming year. The first one is to pray over any offering, tithe, or gift I give. Whether it's my biweekly tithe, or 50 cents in the cup of a homeless person...I am to pray for the receiver. Pray the gift will be a blessing, and will accomplish God's purpose. Pray that God will use it in a mighty way to bless others, glorify His Name, and do the work of His kingdom. How often do we just write a check, drop a few coins or bills in a bucket or collection plate, and never really give it much thought? You come out of the grocery store and see an older gentleman collecting for veterans, put you change in his bin and walk away....Do we even think about the good that money will do? I wonder how much the blessing would increase if we took a minute to pray for the receiver...pray God's blessing and salvation and help for them. Pray for God to send them people to share the Gospel, keep them company, help them in their daily life.
What about the check we send for the charities we choose to support? Let's pray over it before it leaves our hands and goes out to do God's work. I feel like we can be so much more apart of that work if we add prayer to of giving! And of course, the tithe to our local church....whose church doesn't need prayer each and every day? I'm thinking prayer will multiply the blessings!
The second goal is a little more difficult in that it requires a lot of change on my part....I am stubborn. Stubborn in my disbelief. Stubborn in wanting my own way. The Bible calls it stiff-necked and the Lord says this needs to stop in my life. Boy that's a tough one. This one really calls for nailing my will, my feelings, my plans, my wants and my thoughts on how things should go to the altar. I've been led to pray over that last few months that my heart would become soft and open to the Lord, this is an extension of that work. If anyone is so inclined, please pray for me in this...it is a very difficult area for me. Stiff-necked unbelief is a hard prison to live in, but yet I seem to step back into way too much.
What are your goals for the shiny new year? It's scary to make them...we fear failure, we fear change. But God's love casts out fear. And we only need to make progress...not strive for perfection.
Lord, open our hearts to Your leading for the upcoming year. Bless us with Your Presence, Your indwelling Holy Spirit. Give us soft hearts, hearing hearts. Help us to grow, to achieve the things You desire in our lives. Let our walk be worthy of Your calling. In Jesus Name, amen.
Don't be afraid to ask the Lord for new year's resolutions!
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Merry Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS !!
Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
2 The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest
and like warriors dividing the plunder.
4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery
and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
5 The boots of the warrior
and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire.
6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor,[d] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!
On the night Christ was born, eternity was watching. The Savior of the world stepped onto our darkened shores to shine the light of redemption and restoration. Hallelujah! Glory to God!
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
Glory to You Lord Jesus! Glory to our Father in Heaven! Thank You! Your plan was and is amazing and crazy and wonderful. Amen! Hallelujah!! Amen!
Look over the verses above and see the beautiful love of our Lord in the gift of His coming.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Know Him
Philippians 1:9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
I got "stuck" on this verse recently. The growing and knowing part. It brought to mind another verse I had read shortly before this, Ephesians 1:17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
And the question came to me, "How do we grow in knowledge of God?" The answer came equally as fast, "Obedience." John 14:21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
It's really a very simple process. As we obey, Jesus reveals Himself. Of course there is a little more to it than that...in order to obey we need to know what to do, right? How do we know what to do? Study the Word. Psalm 119:15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. 2 Timothy 2:15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Study. Obey. Know. Sounds simple. Okay, though we all know the middle part is tough sometimes, a lot of times. LOL But we keep at it. God promises that He will strengthen us. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. He promises to complete the good work in us that He started. Philippians 3:6 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 also think the more we obey, the easier it becomes. Conversely the more we resist God's teaching, quench the Spirit as it were, the less we will want to obey to begin with. Just something to think about.
Lord, teach us to obey. Help us to resist temptation, to resist our flesh, to follow after Your Holy Spirit. We want to know You! In Jesus' most powerful Name, amen.
Study. Obey. Know.
I got "stuck" on this verse recently. The growing and knowing part. It brought to mind another verse I had read shortly before this, Ephesians 1:17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.
And the question came to me, "How do we grow in knowledge of God?" The answer came equally as fast, "Obedience." John 14:21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
It's really a very simple process. As we obey, Jesus reveals Himself. Of course there is a little more to it than that...in order to obey we need to know what to do, right? How do we know what to do? Study the Word. Psalm 119:15 I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. 2 Timothy 2:15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Study. Obey. Know. Sounds simple. Okay, though we all know the middle part is tough sometimes, a lot of times. LOL But we keep at it. God promises that He will strengthen us. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. He promises to complete the good work in us that He started. Philippians 3:6 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 also think the more we obey, the easier it becomes. Conversely the more we resist God's teaching, quench the Spirit as it were, the less we will want to obey to begin with. Just something to think about.
Lord, teach us to obey. Help us to resist temptation, to resist our flesh, to follow after Your Holy Spirit. We want to know You! In Jesus' most powerful Name, amen.
Study. Obey. Know.
Our Creative God
I guess you could call this a funny God visit. In my opinion it also shows the brilliance and creativity of our amazing Father. Either way, both ways, the Lord came through with a great save for me a few days ago and I love talking about it.
I help work on the bulletin boards at church. We have four boards. One for church activities, one for missions and outreaches, one for church family news, and a board for pictures, messages the Lord wants to share, I guess you would call it. We've done many things on this board over the years...trying to come up with creative little ways to share the Lord's thoughts. He always has good ideas about with what and how He wants to reach our church family. And this Christmas season was no different....but there was a little snafu.
Saturday, I got ready to work on the Christmas picture board. The Lord had made it clear He wanted to remind us that Jesus was the best gift every given. I have a manager scene, I was planning on writing out the words to convey that message, had my paints and markers out...scissors and ruler...all spread out across my living room floor, all set to implement the Lord's message. Ready. Set. Create.... screeching halt! Not so fast. LOL
I was out of white bulletin board paper! What! Oh no! What am I going to do? The Thanksgiving board is still up and it's less than two weeks from Christmas! This is a problem! But then God.....
"Order the paper and cover the board with wrapping paper, make it look like a present ready to be opened." Whoa! That's fantastic! What a fabulous idea! The words just popped in my head almost instantly and they were a beacon of sanity in a moment that could have turned into a frantic meltdown. LOL God is amazing.
So I finished up the things I could, made a "mock up" of the board to see that everything fits in place and gathered up my wrapping paper, ribbon and bows to bring to the church. The next morning I got there early and "wrapped the present." I'm so excited about finishing the board and unwrapping the present this weekend before Christmas. And yes, my paper came yesterday....thank God for Amazon, so I'm all set to get it done. LOL God is good!
Lord, thank You. Sometimes You just do things that just blow us away. And they don't have to be over anything earthshaking, just working out the roadblocks in our lives in such a way that makes sense and makes us smile. You just lit up my heart with this. What a beautiful gift. And thank You for the greatest gift ever given, Jesus Christ. Thank you for coming to earth to be our sacrifice, our Savior and our deliver. You never cease to amaze. Thank You!
Let's all pray for open ears. God has good plans to work out for us!
I help work on the bulletin boards at church. We have four boards. One for church activities, one for missions and outreaches, one for church family news, and a board for pictures, messages the Lord wants to share, I guess you would call it. We've done many things on this board over the years...trying to come up with creative little ways to share the Lord's thoughts. He always has good ideas about with what and how He wants to reach our church family. And this Christmas season was no different....but there was a little snafu.
Saturday, I got ready to work on the Christmas picture board. The Lord had made it clear He wanted to remind us that Jesus was the best gift every given. I have a manager scene, I was planning on writing out the words to convey that message, had my paints and markers out...scissors and ruler...all spread out across my living room floor, all set to implement the Lord's message. Ready. Set. Create.... screeching halt! Not so fast. LOL
I was out of white bulletin board paper! What! Oh no! What am I going to do? The Thanksgiving board is still up and it's less than two weeks from Christmas! This is a problem! But then God.....
"Order the paper and cover the board with wrapping paper, make it look like a present ready to be opened." Whoa! That's fantastic! What a fabulous idea! The words just popped in my head almost instantly and they were a beacon of sanity in a moment that could have turned into a frantic meltdown. LOL God is amazing.
So I finished up the things I could, made a "mock up" of the board to see that everything fits in place and gathered up my wrapping paper, ribbon and bows to bring to the church. The next morning I got there early and "wrapped the present." I'm so excited about finishing the board and unwrapping the present this weekend before Christmas. And yes, my paper came yesterday....thank God for Amazon, so I'm all set to get it done. LOL God is good!
Lord, thank You. Sometimes You just do things that just blow us away. And they don't have to be over anything earthshaking, just working out the roadblocks in our lives in such a way that makes sense and makes us smile. You just lit up my heart with this. What a beautiful gift. And thank You for the greatest gift ever given, Jesus Christ. Thank you for coming to earth to be our sacrifice, our Savior and our deliver. You never cease to amaze. Thank You!
Let's all pray for open ears. God has good plans to work out for us!
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Relationships, from Mom
I'm home from a refreshing life break and trying to get back into the swing of everyday doings. Easing back into the routine is not an option, it's "let's go, jump right in, the to do list calls!" A couple of things have hampered that process....a delayed flight caused forced inactivity at the airport and a fender bender has added a new items to the daily to dos. Well, life happens! And all through this day in day out is interaction with others. Whether it's family, friends, coworkers, or those just passing through, people are always touching our lives. Relationships are always a part of our day. Mom talked about godly relationships and what they are to look like, and our part in them.
In godly relationships, we are to adopt and practice diligently every form of relational righteousness. This includes love, compassion, humility, self-giving behavior, free flowing forgiveness, and patience with others. We are to choose peace to govern all your relationships.
Christ is our model of conduct in our relationships. Romans 15:1-7 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. 5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. We are to be like-minded toward one another, according to Chris Jesus.
From me. Like-minded doesn't mean we agree with each other on everything. My favorite color is blue, your's may be red. We don't agree, but we can agree to love one another and accept the differences between us with humility and compassion. Ephesians 4:2-3 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 1 Peter 4:8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Let God's Word govern out relationships with others. Give each other preference. In a me me me, mine mine mine, world this will be like a cool breeze on a scorching hot day. It's what will set us apart as belonging to Jesus. We are also given instruction by our Lord in dealing with our enemies: Luke 6:27-31 But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
The time for holiday celebrations is here. Many will be with friends and relatives, that even though we love, we may not always agree or get along with...but if we follow Christ's Words and example, we will shine His love to all those we come in contact with. Jesus came down to earth that long ago Christmas morning to seek and save the lost, to make peace between God and man, He came to restore our relationship with Himself and with each other. Let us share that peace with others.
Lord, thank You for those people you have filled our lives with. Thank You for the support, the love, the caring that they bring. Help us to relate to others with love, even when they are hateful, caring, even when met with indifference. Give us hearts of compassion. Keep us humble and help us forgive when necessary. Remind us, it's not about us, but about serving others in Your Name. Let Your love flow through us to those around us. Let Your character be evident in every encounter. In Jesus Name, amen.
Study the above Scriptures. Let's make them part of us!
In godly relationships, we are to adopt and practice diligently every form of relational righteousness. This includes love, compassion, humility, self-giving behavior, free flowing forgiveness, and patience with others. We are to choose peace to govern all your relationships.
Christ is our model of conduct in our relationships. Romans 15:1-7 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. 5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. We are to be like-minded toward one another, according to Chris Jesus.
From me. Like-minded doesn't mean we agree with each other on everything. My favorite color is blue, your's may be red. We don't agree, but we can agree to love one another and accept the differences between us with humility and compassion. Ephesians 4:2-3 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 1 Peter 4:8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Let God's Word govern out relationships with others. Give each other preference. In a me me me, mine mine mine, world this will be like a cool breeze on a scorching hot day. It's what will set us apart as belonging to Jesus. We are also given instruction by our Lord in dealing with our enemies: Luke 6:27-31 But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
The time for holiday celebrations is here. Many will be with friends and relatives, that even though we love, we may not always agree or get along with...but if we follow Christ's Words and example, we will shine His love to all those we come in contact with. Jesus came down to earth that long ago Christmas morning to seek and save the lost, to make peace between God and man, He came to restore our relationship with Himself and with each other. Let us share that peace with others.
Lord, thank You for those people you have filled our lives with. Thank You for the support, the love, the caring that they bring. Help us to relate to others with love, even when they are hateful, caring, even when met with indifference. Give us hearts of compassion. Keep us humble and help us forgive when necessary. Remind us, it's not about us, but about serving others in Your Name. Let Your love flow through us to those around us. Let Your character be evident in every encounter. In Jesus Name, amen.
Study the above Scriptures. Let's make them part of us!
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Joy and Happiness
The questions were asked in our Christmas devotional, "Is there a difference between joy and happiness? How do we find more joy?" I've always heard it said that happiness is based in happenings, joy is based in Jesus. Things can make us happy. A kind word can make us smile, a gift can make us feel appreciated....things of this earth can make us happy, to a point. Nothing here is lasting so I'm thinking if happiness is based on temporary moments, gestures or events, then the difference between happiness and joy is the difference between the temporary and the eternal. Happiness is from the earth, while joy is from heaven. Happiness is good, the Lord gives us blessings to enjoy and benefit from. But His joy is the forever gift that transcends time and circumstance.
So how do we have more joy? I thought about this and have come to the conclusion that my joy is based on my belief, my faith. If I believe God, if I trust Him, then I am at peace, and I can be filled with joy unshakable even when the darkness closes in around me. I've heard joy described as a bubbling brook....it's not a waterfall, pouring over us fast and furious...it's a quiet constant flow that has it's source in Jesus. That sweet flow can be with us all the time.
Joy sees heaven, when things on earth are falling apart. Joy believes when hopelessness threatens to overwhelm. Joy walks by faith, not by sight. Joy knows our life is safe in God's hands. Joy sees the glory and promise in the Cross. It's not that we don't feel heartache, despair or sorrow. It's not that we don't struggle to face the hard stuff of living...but we walk through this journey knowing the outcome will always be God's best for our life and the lives of those around us and we let that knowledge keep the joy alive at the core of our being. Joy sees the heart of God.
I've felt this joy along side of overwhelming sorrow when loved ones have died. It's an amazing thing that joy and sorrow can coexist in the same heart at the same time. That is not true of happiness. Sadness and happiness are mutually exclusive. Joy and sorrow are not. I guess it's just a "God thing!"
Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Lord, fill us with Your joy. Help us to learn to hold so tightly onto joy and faith that no circumstance, no matter how dire can shake us, nor break us. Let others see this joy, let it be a testimony in our lives to Your goodness and love. Lord, we often lose our joy. We struggle to live by faith. It's so easy to become despairing....help us Lord. Life hurts. Life gets really hard. But if You tell us we can be joyful than let it be so. Give us the strength to believe. In Jesus' Name.
Keep Philippians 4:8 in your heart. Let it lead you into joy.
I will be going away for a couple of days, so I will not have a second entry for this week. Have a blessed and joyful week!
So how do we have more joy? I thought about this and have come to the conclusion that my joy is based on my belief, my faith. If I believe God, if I trust Him, then I am at peace, and I can be filled with joy unshakable even when the darkness closes in around me. I've heard joy described as a bubbling brook....it's not a waterfall, pouring over us fast and furious...it's a quiet constant flow that has it's source in Jesus. That sweet flow can be with us all the time.
Joy sees heaven, when things on earth are falling apart. Joy believes when hopelessness threatens to overwhelm. Joy walks by faith, not by sight. Joy knows our life is safe in God's hands. Joy sees the glory and promise in the Cross. It's not that we don't feel heartache, despair or sorrow. It's not that we don't struggle to face the hard stuff of living...but we walk through this journey knowing the outcome will always be God's best for our life and the lives of those around us and we let that knowledge keep the joy alive at the core of our being. Joy sees the heart of God.
I've felt this joy along side of overwhelming sorrow when loved ones have died. It's an amazing thing that joy and sorrow can coexist in the same heart at the same time. That is not true of happiness. Sadness and happiness are mutually exclusive. Joy and sorrow are not. I guess it's just a "God thing!"
Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Lord, fill us with Your joy. Help us to learn to hold so tightly onto joy and faith that no circumstance, no matter how dire can shake us, nor break us. Let others see this joy, let it be a testimony in our lives to Your goodness and love. Lord, we often lose our joy. We struggle to live by faith. It's so easy to become despairing....help us Lord. Life hurts. Life gets really hard. But if You tell us we can be joyful than let it be so. Give us the strength to believe. In Jesus' Name.
Keep Philippians 4:8 in your heart. Let it lead you into joy.
I will be going away for a couple of days, so I will not have a second entry for this week. Have a blessed and joyful week!
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Waiting
Yesterday was a day of waiting. Waiting at the car dealership for an oil change and check up to be complete. waiting because the lady that does my hair was running late...I felt like most of the day was spent sitting and waiting for someone else to get done with something so I could go about my day, with my plans, in my timing. LOL This morning I was thinking about this waiting. And as we are getting into the season of Advent I guess it just makes sense that "waiting" seems to be front and center in my little world.
I wasn't happy about the waiting yesterday. I have to say. I don't mind waiting a little while. I actually use it as a time to just sit and relax, read a book, a forced time out as it were....There is no real activity while I am waiting. But after a while, when the minutes turn into hours I start getting antsy, knowing that there are others things I need to be doing and just sitting here is not getting them done.
But all this waiting leads me to think about Christmas. About Advent, and the waiting of the Jewish people for Messiah. Thousands of years they waited for the Promise. Genesis 3:15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Deuteronomy 18:18 Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. Psalm 132:11 The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back: “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
My favorite story of waiting in the Bible is in Luke 2:25-35 25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30 I have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared for all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
Anna's story follows it and I think it perfectly describes what we are to be doing while waiting on the fulfillment of God's will and promise in our lives. Luke 2:36-37 36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. Anna spent her time in worship, prayer and service to the Lord. And think about the fasting as well....spending time ardently seeking the Lord instead of physical sustenance.
Waiting is never easy. We want to see God's plan now. See His fruit in our lives now. We live in a microwave, fast food, drive through society. One of my favorite things is my Starbucks app. I put my order in on the phone, and by the time I drive to Starbucks, my coffee is sitting there waiting for me!Waiting in not on our agenda! But I don't think God has the same agenda or timing with His plans. There is no "God app" for instant answers. LOL
Children wait eagerly for Christmas morning. They anticipating blessings, trust that good stuff is coming their way. I'm thinking we need to be the same way, eagerly awaiting God's promises in our lives, knowing that good things are coming. And while we wait, service, worship, prayer, faith.
Lord, teach us to wait, patiently, actively, in faith and with thanksgiving. In Jesus Name. Amen.
What can you change to make your waiting time more productive and faith-filled? Add prayer, add thanksgiving....Look to the the Lord to lead you while you wait on the fulfillment of His promises in your life.
I wasn't happy about the waiting yesterday. I have to say. I don't mind waiting a little while. I actually use it as a time to just sit and relax, read a book, a forced time out as it were....There is no real activity while I am waiting. But after a while, when the minutes turn into hours I start getting antsy, knowing that there are others things I need to be doing and just sitting here is not getting them done.
But all this waiting leads me to think about Christmas. About Advent, and the waiting of the Jewish people for Messiah. Thousands of years they waited for the Promise. Genesis 3:15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Deuteronomy 18:18 Moses continued, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. Psalm 132:11 The Lord swore an oath to David with a promise he will never take back: “I will place one of your descendants on your throne.
My favorite story of waiting in the Bible is in Luke 2:25-35 25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. 30 I have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared for all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”
33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”
Anna's story follows it and I think it perfectly describes what we are to be doing while waiting on the fulfillment of God's will and promise in our lives. Luke 2:36-37 36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. Anna spent her time in worship, prayer and service to the Lord. And think about the fasting as well....spending time ardently seeking the Lord instead of physical sustenance.
Waiting is never easy. We want to see God's plan now. See His fruit in our lives now. We live in a microwave, fast food, drive through society. One of my favorite things is my Starbucks app. I put my order in on the phone, and by the time I drive to Starbucks, my coffee is sitting there waiting for me!Waiting in not on our agenda! But I don't think God has the same agenda or timing with His plans. There is no "God app" for instant answers. LOL
Children wait eagerly for Christmas morning. They anticipating blessings, trust that good stuff is coming their way. I'm thinking we need to be the same way, eagerly awaiting God's promises in our lives, knowing that good things are coming. And while we wait, service, worship, prayer, faith.
Lord, teach us to wait, patiently, actively, in faith and with thanksgiving. In Jesus Name. Amen.
What can you change to make your waiting time more productive and faith-filled? Add prayer, add thanksgiving....Look to the the Lord to lead you while you wait on the fulfillment of His promises in your life.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
I Will Never Leave You
New song alert! I heard a great new song on the radio a couple of days ago. It's one I desperately needed to hear. Some days I think God is crazy. I mean really, why on earth would He ever save one such as me and why oh why does He even stick around with the way I act all too often. This song spoke directly to my heart on those questions. What a blessing!
Hebrews 13:5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”
Romans 8:38-39 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All I can say is thank You Lord. My heart is melted when I listen to this song. Thank You.
Let this truth penetrate your heart, mind, and life. God never leaves nor forsakes you, His child.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Let God Decide
I've heard so often in Christendom that I am to pray for specifics. Truth be told, I have not seen this or something like this implied in the Bible, so it's always slightly bothered me when people said this. I know there are examples of specific prayers. David and many of the Old Testament characters prayed for God's protection and the defeat of their enemies. Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father were one. (John 17:21) Paul prayed that we would know "how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is." (Ephesians 3:18) This prayers ask for pretty specific things...so the examples are there. But the why, the how, the when is left up to the Lord. And I think that is the key.
Many times I pray for specific things, whether small or big, daily grind stuff or life changing events....I pray for what I want or what I think is right. And then, when I don't get exactly what I thought should be, I lose heart and believe the Lord doesn't answer my prayers. It happens more often than I would like.
But after seeing this quote in a book I was reading lately, I kind of took a step back from my prayer life and thought about it. Maybe my prayers need to be a little more "God be God" friendly. Prayers that leave room for the Lord to work His answer in His way in His time.
I'm not saying that we never pray for the specific things we want or need, in our lives or the lives of others...but I think maybe we should just leave the details up to God. He knows all the sides to the story, and we do not. His knowledge is all encompassing, ours is limited to the time and space in front of us. And His heart is perfect love. Everything He does is tempered with and filtered through that love.
Thank You Lord for knowing just what we need. Thank You for knowing how and when to answer our prayers perfectly. Give us faith when we pray and faith when You answer in ways that don't align with our thinking. Teach us to pray! Lead us to pray! Lord deepen our faith and trust in You. In Jesus Name, amen.
Examine your prayer life and see if you are aligning to God's will or trying to align Him to yours.
Matthew 6:7-13 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today the food we need,
12 and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
13 And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but rescue us from the evil one.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Winning Verses
I'm still thinking about how are lives are meant to be. Victorious. Triumphant. Free. The words sound so good, yet often feel so far away, so out of reach. For many of us, we struggle, carrying the same chains around for years, not knowing how to put them down. My heart keeps coming back to the Word. It's God's Word that is our weapon. It's the sword of the Spirit. The sword that can slice through those ugly, tired chains and set us free. In Psalm 119:11 David wrote, "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." The key to our victory is God's Word coupled with faith. We will never be free if we do not believe that Jesus set us free and His Word is living and true.
TRIUMPH
Psalm 30:1 I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
Romans 5:17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
VICTORY
Deuteronomy 20:4 For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’
Psalm 62:1 I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.
Romans 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
FREEDOM
Psalm 119:45 I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
Romans 6:14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
Galatians 3:22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.
Pick a verse, pick a few verses...memorize them. Hide them in your heart so that they are ready to combat the sin that so easily enslaves us. Print out the list and carry it with you. Write out the ones that your heart is drawn to and read them out loud throughout the day. Find more on your own and study them. I believe the Lord is leading me to my next New Years work in Him through these visits. Maybe He is doing the same for you guys reading this.
Lord, thank You for the triumph over sin and death You died to give us. Thank You that we too can be victorious and live freed from sin...that we can walk with You, empowered by Your Spirit. Thank You for Your Word which fights for us as we wield the sword of the Spirit. Lord, thank You that You have put this desire in our hearts to be what You meant us to be. Give us strength to overcome, help us remember the Scriptures we need that remind us who we are and what we have in Jesus. Help us overcome any laziness, we know it's so easy to just stay comfortable in our prisons rather than do the work of laying down our chains. Lord, I think that's my biggest hurdle. Onward though, to victory! In Jesus' victorious Name. Amen.
Pick your verses today with a heart that is open to the Spirit's leading.
TRIUMPH
Psalm 30:1 I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
Romans 5:17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
VICTORY
Deuteronomy 20:4 For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’
Psalm 62:1 I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him.
Romans 8:37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
FREEDOM
Psalm 119:45 I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
Romans 6:14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
Galatians 3:22 But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.
Pick a verse, pick a few verses...memorize them. Hide them in your heart so that they are ready to combat the sin that so easily enslaves us. Print out the list and carry it with you. Write out the ones that your heart is drawn to and read them out loud throughout the day. Find more on your own and study them. I believe the Lord is leading me to my next New Years work in Him through these visits. Maybe He is doing the same for you guys reading this.
Lord, thank You for the triumph over sin and death You died to give us. Thank You that we too can be victorious and live freed from sin...that we can walk with You, empowered by Your Spirit. Thank You for Your Word which fights for us as we wield the sword of the Spirit. Lord, thank You that You have put this desire in our hearts to be what You meant us to be. Give us strength to overcome, help us remember the Scriptures we need that remind us who we are and what we have in Jesus. Help us overcome any laziness, we know it's so easy to just stay comfortable in our prisons rather than do the work of laying down our chains. Lord, I think that's my biggest hurdle. Onward though, to victory! In Jesus' victorious Name. Amen.
Pick your verses today with a heart that is open to the Spirit's leading.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Meant to Be
We are meant to live in triumphant victory. We are not meant to live in chains. Last week as one of the Little Visits I posted Romans 5:17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. We are meant to be victorious, living in triumph over sin.
Our Pastor's Sunday sermon was entitled "Broken Chains." Once again the Lord lined things up to get His message across and into my heart. Romans 6:5-6 Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
The first thing we need to do in order to live in triumph over sin is to recognize and believe that the chains of our old life have been broken. We have been set free. A friend and sister in the Lord and I after church about this sermon and were saying it's as if we are comfortable in our captivity. The cage door is open, yet we fail to walk out of our prisons.
So I've been thinking, what is it that ties me to my sin? Since I struggle with food addiction I know the ties that bind are comfort and fulfillment. I look to food for emotional satisfaction and comfort. It's there when I'm sad, when I'm mad, when I'm celebrating....food consoles and elates me. Temporarily.
What about the sin of anger? Could it be tied to us through pride, old hurts that we haven't brought to our Father, unforgiveness? Could gossip be chained to us by low self-esteem, getting our self worth from putting others down rather than in our value to Jesus? What are the chains that make up your entanglement to the sin in your life?
We need to figure out where our sin is coming from and bring it to the Lord. He has set us free. And in His time, He will heal us from these hurts and habits that bind us to our old selves. Our job is to say NO to the sins that enslave us. That is part of the healing process, learning to live in freedom. It's hard, for sure. But every time I say no to extra food, I walk in victory. Every time we say no to acting in anger we triumph over that sin. And eventually we will find they no longer have power over us at all. We truly live out Romans 5:17
Romans 6:12-13 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give your selves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is not longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.
The Bible talks about this as if it's a done deal. I think we need to start thinking in that way as well. This is how our lives are meant to be. We do have to walk it out day by day, hour by hour...through the power of the Holy Spirit. But we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).
Paul tells us in Philippians 2:12-13 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Breaking sins chains is already done, but the day to day of walking it out is hard work. We decide whether to stay out of the cage or to run back to our prisons when it gets tough, hurts or we feel our needs go unmet.
Lord, thank You. A million times thank You. We have been set free. We can and will have victory. Help us Lord to put down the broken chains, stop carrying them around with us. We are free. Those chains don't belong to us anymore. Lord, believing this is hard, walking it out hard as well. Help us. You have put the desire in us to live in freedom and victory, to live as we were meant to be, bringing glory to Your Name. Let us walk in Your power, starting right now. In Jesus' mighty Name, amen.
Exam yourself with the Lord. What is holding you back? Bring those things to Him and apply His Word to your heart.
Our Pastor's Sunday sermon was entitled "Broken Chains." Once again the Lord lined things up to get His message across and into my heart. Romans 6:5-6 Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to life as He was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
The first thing we need to do in order to live in triumph over sin is to recognize and believe that the chains of our old life have been broken. We have been set free. A friend and sister in the Lord and I after church about this sermon and were saying it's as if we are comfortable in our captivity. The cage door is open, yet we fail to walk out of our prisons.
So I've been thinking, what is it that ties me to my sin? Since I struggle with food addiction I know the ties that bind are comfort and fulfillment. I look to food for emotional satisfaction and comfort. It's there when I'm sad, when I'm mad, when I'm celebrating....food consoles and elates me. Temporarily.
What about the sin of anger? Could it be tied to us through pride, old hurts that we haven't brought to our Father, unforgiveness? Could gossip be chained to us by low self-esteem, getting our self worth from putting others down rather than in our value to Jesus? What are the chains that make up your entanglement to the sin in your life?
We need to figure out where our sin is coming from and bring it to the Lord. He has set us free. And in His time, He will heal us from these hurts and habits that bind us to our old selves. Our job is to say NO to the sins that enslave us. That is part of the healing process, learning to live in freedom. It's hard, for sure. But every time I say no to extra food, I walk in victory. Every time we say no to acting in anger we triumph over that sin. And eventually we will find they no longer have power over us at all. We truly live out Romans 5:17
Romans 6:12-13 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give your selves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is not longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace.
The Bible talks about this as if it's a done deal. I think we need to start thinking in that way as well. This is how our lives are meant to be. We do have to walk it out day by day, hour by hour...through the power of the Holy Spirit. But we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).
Paul tells us in Philippians 2:12-13 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Breaking sins chains is already done, but the day to day of walking it out is hard work. We decide whether to stay out of the cage or to run back to our prisons when it gets tough, hurts or we feel our needs go unmet.
Lord, thank You. A million times thank You. We have been set free. We can and will have victory. Help us Lord to put down the broken chains, stop carrying them around with us. We are free. Those chains don't belong to us anymore. Lord, believing this is hard, walking it out hard as well. Help us. You have put the desire in us to live in freedom and victory, to live as we were meant to be, bringing glory to Your Name. Let us walk in Your power, starting right now. In Jesus' mighty Name, amen.
Exam yourself with the Lord. What is holding you back? Bring those things to Him and apply His Word to your heart.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Little Visits
Our loving Father always has something to say. Encouragement, admonishment, leading....little gems of love strewn along our daily walk. I pray each day for my ears to be open and my heart to be softened to the Lord's voice. I don't want to miss even one! From just the last week:
Disbelief makes the grace of God meaningless. Do negate His beautiful grace with an unbelieving heart. (I have a bad tendency to do this a little too often)
Seek to do good. Seek to be a blessing. In doing so we overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. When we bless others, not only do we overcome the negativity around us, we overcome sin within ourselves.
This is a favorite! Be defiant! I've learned that part of the definition of defiant is uncooperative. We are to be uncooperative with Satan's plans. Defy the enemy! When we refuse to go along with the devil's plans, any negative options or thoughts that present themselves to us in our relationships with God, others or ourselves, we defeat him. Be defiant!
Romans 5:11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because of our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. We are God's friends. He is not our enemy and we are not His. Friends are for each other.
Victory over my sin is assured. Don't lose hope. Romans 5:17 or the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. This verse doesn't say "might" live in triumph, it says "WILL." Receive the gift of triumph! God says we live in it!
God fulfills His own promises in His own timing and in His own way. When we humans try to rush His hand, it will not bring positive results. Our attempts to fulfill the Lord's promises bring failure and enslavement. Galatians 4:22-26 22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. 24 These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. 25 And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother.
These little God visits are part of the connection, the constant communication we desire with our Lord. They are so wonderful. I love these tidbits of teaching that pack such immense love in them. Anyone of them can be life changing when applied to our hearts and lives.
Thank You Lord for the constant companionship and everlasting love that flows from Your throne into our hearts and lives. I am so blown away that You seek to communicate with us fallen, wayward people. Give us open hearts and submissive spirits to follow Your lead. Thank You that You are always available and always involved. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Pray daily to be open to the Lord's voice.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Thought for Today
This morning I was spending some time socializing a kitten. This kitten came to me hissing and frightened, uninterested in human contact or affection. Little Ashton has come a long way. After a few weeks of love, patience and treats, he now walks about with his tail held high, enjoying petting, playtime and affection.
Today we played with a two sided toy. All it is is some small pieces of tightly rolled cardboard attached to a wire at both ends. He loves this toy and plays with it with gusto. But I noticed something this morning. Ashton would have one end trapped between his paws, but be looking at the other end. He didn't seem to realize that he already had the toy.
Hmmm. Here comes the little Holy Spirit nudge. Am I like Ashton? Do I look more at what I don't have instead of what I have? Instead of being content with the blessings of the moment, do I look with greedy eyes for what isn't in my hands?
I honestly can say that I do try to be grateful. And often I succeed...thank You Lord. But I do fall prey to this "I want what I don't have" syndrome more often than I like. And I am, as always, thankful for the Lord's reminder to check my heart.
Thank You Lord for the little checks You send our way, the little nudges to remind us to stay on track, the lessons to prepare us for each day as we walk through this life on earth. I am truly blessed and I want to remember that truth each and every moment as I stay by Your side. Thank You for all the blessings. In Jesus' most glorious Name, amen.
Count your blessings today!
Philippians 4:11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.
Today we played with a two sided toy. All it is is some small pieces of tightly rolled cardboard attached to a wire at both ends. He loves this toy and plays with it with gusto. But I noticed something this morning. Ashton would have one end trapped between his paws, but be looking at the other end. He didn't seem to realize that he already had the toy.
Hmmm. Here comes the little Holy Spirit nudge. Am I like Ashton? Do I look more at what I don't have instead of what I have? Instead of being content with the blessings of the moment, do I look with greedy eyes for what isn't in my hands?
Thank You Lord for the little checks You send our way, the little nudges to remind us to stay on track, the lessons to prepare us for each day as we walk through this life on earth. I am truly blessed and I want to remember that truth each and every moment as I stay by Your side. Thank You for all the blessings. In Jesus' most glorious Name, amen.
Count your blessings today!
Philippians 4:11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.
Ashton, enjoying some love.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Overcoming
Yesterday I got a clear message from the Lord: Romans 12:2 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Very simple. Very direct. But not so easy to do. Especially when you are tired, frustrated, overwhelmed or feel like attacks are coming from every direction. The world itself seems to be determined to eliminate God from their sight. Bad news is everywhere. A lot of people (myself included), are busy, tired and sometimes grumpy. So how do we shine for Jesus. How do we defuse the evil around us. We may not be able to change the world, but we can change the little corner of it around us.
Prayer. The Lord tells us to pray for our enemies. Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you," It's hard to stay mad at people you are praying for. Pray for ourselves. Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Keeping our mind pointed upward helps calm our spirits and strengthen our hearts. Prayer for one another. Ephesians 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. It's so encouraging to know that others are praying for us, others are on our side and petitioning the Lord on our behalf. It also takes our minds off ourselves.
We need time in God's presence. We need to focus our minds in His direction, continually in prayer and supplication. This is the way we will overcome evil. We make our minds so busy praying that we don't have anytime to worry about the things in the world or entertain negative thoughts about others or our circumstances. We tune in to God, His will, His leading, His voice.
Lord, let Your love shine through Your children! Let us overcome the darkness we see around us, the sin we struggle with inside and bring Your goodness and light to all things. Holy Spirit prompt us, remind us, and lead us. In Jesus' overcoming Name. Amen.
Pray without ceasing!
Prayer. The Lord tells us to pray for our enemies. Matthew 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you," It's hard to stay mad at people you are praying for. Pray for ourselves. Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Keeping our mind pointed upward helps calm our spirits and strengthen our hearts. Prayer for one another. Ephesians 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. It's so encouraging to know that others are praying for us, others are on our side and petitioning the Lord on our behalf. It also takes our minds off ourselves.
We need time in God's presence. We need to focus our minds in His direction, continually in prayer and supplication. This is the way we will overcome evil. We make our minds so busy praying that we don't have anytime to worry about the things in the world or entertain negative thoughts about others or our circumstances. We tune in to God, His will, His leading, His voice.
Lord, let Your love shine through Your children! Let us overcome the darkness we see around us, the sin we struggle with inside and bring Your goodness and light to all things. Holy Spirit prompt us, remind us, and lead us. In Jesus' overcoming Name. Amen.
Pray without ceasing!
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
And where there is sadness, joy
O Divine Master, grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console
To be understood, as to understand
To be loved, as to love
For it is in giving that we receive
And it's in pardoning that we are pardoned
And it's in dying that we are born to Eternal Life
Amen
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
The Answer to No
The answer to the "no" answers we get? Faith. That's it. Psalm 62:8 O my people, trust Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge. Expecting "yes,"all the time, expecting things to be perfectly aligned, expecting to sail through life with barely a ripple will only bring about frustration and discontent. This leads to bitterness and a hardening of the heart.
Ruth Meyers said, "In spite of what I think or feel when I get my eyes off You, I choose not to resist my trials as intruders, but to welcome them as friends." We want trials to disappear. We want the Lord to swoop in a sweep away every struggle, large and small. But this is not what happens. It's just not reality. "No" answers come to us.
2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. God's grace is sufficient for all our trials, all our faults, all our ailments. Paul was given this answer when He pleaded with the Lord to take away his "thorn in the flesh." Basically, God said, "No." But Paul stepped up his faith and relied on God to take care of him. He used the "no" answer to give glory to the Lord. So we are called to accept the "noes." To trust God's answer, timing and heart. We are called to live by faith. Wow, that is certainly not easy for me! LOL
We are told in Romans 1:17 The righteous will live by faith." We will not get our way all the time. God's desire is our spiritual growth and strengthening, not making our every wish come true. He not only wants to benefit us through the "noes," He has a plan that encompasses those around us and beyond. I want to get to a place where hearing "no" makes me smile because I trust God has a better way and something good is going to happen because of it.
Lord, thank You for saying "No." Give us the grace to accept it as Paul did. Help us smile through not getting our own way, increase our faith. Let us look for the blessing that comes when You deny us our desires. Lord, give us greater trust in Your heart and Your wisdom. Let frustration turn to praise. Lord, I struggle so much in this area. Help me, and all of us grow. Forgive me for getting angry when I don't get my way. Forgive me for not trusting Your heart and Your ways. I fail so often. Thank You for being a God that forgives, a God of patience. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Let's try saying "thank you" every time we don't get our way today.
Ruth Meyers said, "In spite of what I think or feel when I get my eyes off You, I choose not to resist my trials as intruders, but to welcome them as friends." We want trials to disappear. We want the Lord to swoop in a sweep away every struggle, large and small. But this is not what happens. It's just not reality. "No" answers come to us.
2 Corinthians 12:9 My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. God's grace is sufficient for all our trials, all our faults, all our ailments. Paul was given this answer when He pleaded with the Lord to take away his "thorn in the flesh." Basically, God said, "No." But Paul stepped up his faith and relied on God to take care of him. He used the "no" answer to give glory to the Lord. So we are called to accept the "noes." To trust God's answer, timing and heart. We are called to live by faith. Wow, that is certainly not easy for me! LOL
We are told in Romans 1:17 The righteous will live by faith." We will not get our way all the time. God's desire is our spiritual growth and strengthening, not making our every wish come true. He not only wants to benefit us through the "noes," He has a plan that encompasses those around us and beyond. I want to get to a place where hearing "no" makes me smile because I trust God has a better way and something good is going to happen because of it.
Lord, thank You for saying "No." Give us the grace to accept it as Paul did. Help us smile through not getting our own way, increase our faith. Let us look for the blessing that comes when You deny us our desires. Lord, give us greater trust in Your heart and Your wisdom. Let frustration turn to praise. Lord, I struggle so much in this area. Help me, and all of us grow. Forgive me for getting angry when I don't get my way. Forgive me for not trusting Your heart and Your ways. I fail so often. Thank You for being a God that forgives, a God of patience. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Let's try saying "thank you" every time we don't get our way today.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Paul's "No" Answer
There is Scriptural evidence that Paul wrote his letter to the Romans because He was not permitted to visit them. Romans 13:1a I want you to know dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. For some reason Paul was told "No." to his desire to visit the church in Rome. Perhaps there was a very good reason for this 'No." Perhaps the book of Romans would not have been written if Paul was permitted to go when he first desired to head to Rome.
Think about this "No" answer for a while. What if Paul was permitted to go to Rome and we never had the book of Romans? How different would all of Christendom look? Would we still be under the dogma of salvation by works? Would Martin Luther never have given us the revelation of salvation by faith? Would we all be living in doubt of our salvation, relying on some obscure, unknowable scale as to whether or not we measured up or earned enough points to enter Heaven? We would never have had the understanding that righteousness came through faith alone, not by our acts, even our best acts being as filthy rags compared to God's holiness. Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. The understanding of God's grace and unmerited favor may have been lost to us.
Wow. What a "No" answer this was. And what a blessing it was. "No" answers are like that when they are from God. I doubt very much that Paul understood why he was not permitted to visit the Roman Christians, but I know he trusted God's plan. Millions upon millions maybe even billions have benefited from this "No" that Paul received and obeyed. It's truly amazing.
Lord, help us to see Your "noes" as blessings rather than hindrances. Let us remember You are God. Instead of pouting, getting annoyed, stamping our feet, let us say "yes" to Your "no." Give us obedient and trusting hearts, hearts that remain at peace when we hear "no" from You. Thank You for saying "no" to Paul, we have all been so blessed, amazingly blessed through the ages. What a wonderful God You are, all knowing, all wisdom, all desire to bless Your children! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Thank God for the "noes."
Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
Think about this "No" answer for a while. What if Paul was permitted to go to Rome and we never had the book of Romans? How different would all of Christendom look? Would we still be under the dogma of salvation by works? Would Martin Luther never have given us the revelation of salvation by faith? Would we all be living in doubt of our salvation, relying on some obscure, unknowable scale as to whether or not we measured up or earned enough points to enter Heaven? We would never have had the understanding that righteousness came through faith alone, not by our acts, even our best acts being as filthy rags compared to God's holiness. Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away. The understanding of God's grace and unmerited favor may have been lost to us.
Wow. What a "No" answer this was. And what a blessing it was. "No" answers are like that when they are from God. I doubt very much that Paul understood why he was not permitted to visit the Roman Christians, but I know he trusted God's plan. Millions upon millions maybe even billions have benefited from this "No" that Paul received and obeyed. It's truly amazing.
Lord, help us to see Your "noes" as blessings rather than hindrances. Let us remember You are God. Instead of pouting, getting annoyed, stamping our feet, let us say "yes" to Your "no." Give us obedient and trusting hearts, hearts that remain at peace when we hear "no" from You. Thank You for saying "no" to Paul, we have all been so blessed, amazingly blessed through the ages. What a wonderful God You are, all knowing, all wisdom, all desire to bless Your children! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Thank God for the "noes."
Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The "No" Answer
This is sort of a three part series. First part is the "NO" answer. Many times in life we seem to get a "no" for an answer from God. Or sometimes no answer at all. For me, those times feel frustrating, especially when it's the small stuff I'd like help with that seems to have (and just maybe I am wrong about this lol) no bearing on kingdom life...no eternal value.
For example, I was cleaning out my car lately and just wanted to get done quickly. It was one thing on a very long to do list that day and the faster I got done the better I'd like it and the quicker I'd be able to move onto the next item. Of course, nothing was going smoothly. Paper towels rolling away, papers flying off needing to be chased, spots that were difficult to reach with the vacuum...you know, the little minutiae that gets in the way when you are trying to complete a task quickly. So I started bickering with the Lord. Well, I was bickering...He was being quiet, just taking it all in I guess...waiting on me to get the point of His silence.
Me: Help me. Can you make this easier? Make it go smoothly? Why does everything have to be a struggle?"
God: No reply.
Me: "If you don't want to be involved in my life, just let me know, okay!"
God: No reply."
And we went on this way for a while longer. I had that whole spoiled brat tantrum thing going on. I got finished with the car (that in and of itself is a victory), and went on my grumpy way to work through the list until it was time to go to work.
As is my practice, I put my Christian radio station on and mentioned to the Lord, I really like to hear a certain song. Of course, we all know what the answer was..."NO." UGH!!!! But actually, the Lord had a something better in mind...He had a message to get across to me on that drive. He wanted me to know that He had no intention or desire to not be involved in my life. "Drops in the Ocean" by Hawk Nelson came through the speakers, surrounding me with God's love. In that song is a line: " I am for you. I'm not against you." Wow, I just felt wrapped in His heart.
Lord, You have Your ways. The fact that they don't line up with my thoughts is a struggle and a frustration to me. Help me to learn to trust You. Help me to let go and let You be God. This is one of my biggest battles. Lord, let me and all of us live in the peace that comes from practicing faith. Help us to not try to usurp Your position even in the smallest details of our days. Help us to learn to walk by faith not by sight in all things. In Jesus' most faithful Name. Amen.
Give up being in charge of your life. That job belongs to Jesus.
For example, I was cleaning out my car lately and just wanted to get done quickly. It was one thing on a very long to do list that day and the faster I got done the better I'd like it and the quicker I'd be able to move onto the next item. Of course, nothing was going smoothly. Paper towels rolling away, papers flying off needing to be chased, spots that were difficult to reach with the vacuum...you know, the little minutiae that gets in the way when you are trying to complete a task quickly. So I started bickering with the Lord. Well, I was bickering...He was being quiet, just taking it all in I guess...waiting on me to get the point of His silence.
Me: Help me. Can you make this easier? Make it go smoothly? Why does everything have to be a struggle?"
God: No reply.
Me: "If you don't want to be involved in my life, just let me know, okay!"
God: No reply."
And we went on this way for a while longer. I had that whole spoiled brat tantrum thing going on. I got finished with the car (that in and of itself is a victory), and went on my grumpy way to work through the list until it was time to go to work.
As is my practice, I put my Christian radio station on and mentioned to the Lord, I really like to hear a certain song. Of course, we all know what the answer was..."NO." UGH!!!! But actually, the Lord had a something better in mind...He had a message to get across to me on that drive. He wanted me to know that He had no intention or desire to not be involved in my life. "Drops in the Ocean" by Hawk Nelson came through the speakers, surrounding me with God's love. In that song is a line: " I am for you. I'm not against you." Wow, I just felt wrapped in His heart.
Lord, You have Your ways. The fact that they don't line up with my thoughts is a struggle and a frustration to me. Help me to learn to trust You. Help me to let go and let You be God. This is one of my biggest battles. Lord, let me and all of us live in the peace that comes from practicing faith. Help us to not try to usurp Your position even in the smallest details of our days. Help us to learn to walk by faith not by sight in all things. In Jesus' most faithful Name. Amen.
Give up being in charge of your life. That job belongs to Jesus.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Even Me
Many times I feel like the worst Christian in the world. I think of all the times I lose patience, I fail to notice the needs of others, I act selfishly, get annoyed with my husband or a coworker, judge those around me....blah blah blah. Intellectually I know I am not the only one struggling with these things, but in my heart, at the end of the day, I often feel like I've struck out again and all His other children have scored a home run. I feel like my witness is ugly rather than shining the love of Christ to those around me.
So in the daily devotional "31 Days of Praise" by Ruth Meyers I read a coupe of lines that set the proverbial light bulb off in my mind. "Thank You that I can trust You to remove or change any of my weaknesses and handicaps and shortcomings the moment they are not longer needed for Your glory, and for my good, and for the good of other people....and that in the meantime, Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in my weakness." What an amazing thought. Even my failures can and will bring God glory.
Now, I am not saying we do not strive to be like Jesus. To improve and grow and change so that we reflect His character and His love. I am not saying that we don't cooperate with the Holy Spirit to put off the old man, as we are told in Colossians 3. There we are told what our behavior as Christians should look like.
Colossians 3:5-13 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Man
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
But it is God's timing as to when we grow, when we change. I want to be changed completely overnight! I want all my rough edges gone and to be the sweetest, most loving, most Christ-like person who walks around in my little sphere of the world. And I want it now!! But what if the world only saw perfect Christians? What if they never saw real people who struggle with sin and failure. What if they only saw people who did everything right and never had to have the courage to apologize for doing wrong? I'm not sure I'd want to be around someone who was "perfect" all the time, how much less a non-Christian would want to be. And if I was that "perfect" Christians where would my need for God be, would pride come in and steal my heart from depending on my Savior?
What an encouragement to me to know that God's timing, and God's plan for my change and growth is perfect and active. How encouraging that I do not have to go around feeling guilty all the time because I know as long as I am working with the Lord to change I am in the center of His will. How uplifting that He can use me anywhere, anytime, just as I am to reach those who need Him. What a wonderful God visit!
Lord, thank You for making me just as I am. Thank You for using fallen, stumbly Christians just like me to reach fallen, stumbly people who need to hear the Gospel. Thank You that in me they can see a normal, fallible human being who needs a Savior just like they do, not a perfect person, but a person who is perfectly loved. Please use me in a mighty way to reach those I come in contact with. Thank You for using our weaknesses to show Your strength.
God will use you just as you are. Keep relying on Him.
So in the daily devotional "31 Days of Praise" by Ruth Meyers I read a coupe of lines that set the proverbial light bulb off in my mind. "Thank You that I can trust You to remove or change any of my weaknesses and handicaps and shortcomings the moment they are not longer needed for Your glory, and for my good, and for the good of other people....and that in the meantime, Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in my weakness." What an amazing thought. Even my failures can and will bring God glory.
Now, I am not saying we do not strive to be like Jesus. To improve and grow and change so that we reflect His character and His love. I am not saying that we don't cooperate with the Holy Spirit to put off the old man, as we are told in Colossians 3. There we are told what our behavior as Christians should look like.
Colossians 3:5-13 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Man
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
But it is God's timing as to when we grow, when we change. I want to be changed completely overnight! I want all my rough edges gone and to be the sweetest, most loving, most Christ-like person who walks around in my little sphere of the world. And I want it now!! But what if the world only saw perfect Christians? What if they never saw real people who struggle with sin and failure. What if they only saw people who did everything right and never had to have the courage to apologize for doing wrong? I'm not sure I'd want to be around someone who was "perfect" all the time, how much less a non-Christian would want to be. And if I was that "perfect" Christians where would my need for God be, would pride come in and steal my heart from depending on my Savior?
What an encouragement to me to know that God's timing, and God's plan for my change and growth is perfect and active. How encouraging that I do not have to go around feeling guilty all the time because I know as long as I am working with the Lord to change I am in the center of His will. How uplifting that He can use me anywhere, anytime, just as I am to reach those who need Him. What a wonderful God visit!
Lord, thank You for making me just as I am. Thank You for using fallen, stumbly Christians just like me to reach fallen, stumbly people who need to hear the Gospel. Thank You that in me they can see a normal, fallible human being who needs a Savior just like they do, not a perfect person, but a person who is perfectly loved. Please use me in a mighty way to reach those I come in contact with. Thank You for using our weaknesses to show Your strength.
God will use you just as you are. Keep relying on Him.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Morning Prayers
Before I get out of bed I like to pray. I need to pray. I believe it is imperative that we start our day with a focus on the Lord. (Although my cats seem to think the focus should be on them....lol). So before the covers come off and my feet hit the floor I greet the Lord and pray a few short prayers to set my day in the right direction.
We can pray to be a blessing and glorify God in all we do and say that day. We can pray that He will give us eyes to see His handiwork and touch in and on our day. How about praying to see the needs of others, to be observant. Maybe pray to be an encouragement to those around us. How about, Lord let others see Jesus in me today? Lord, lead me this day, show me where to walk, show me what You want me to do today. bJust a few simple prayers to start the day right. It only takes a couple of minutes of time.
They day may not go exactly as I have prayed that morning. Our days rarely go as we desire or plan. We don't always live up to our expectations. But I think if we start out in an upward looking place and start our day with the Lord, we determine our focus and point our minds in the right direction giving us a good foundation to build on for the rest of the day.
Lord, You are our starting point. Help us to make You our focus the moment we open our eyes in the morning. Then give us the grace and strength to carry that focus throughout our day. We, Your children truly want to glorify You and be the blessing You desire us to be. Give us the right start to our days so we can honor You in them. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Start your day with prayer.
Psalm 5:3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
Pslam 143:8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
We can pray to be a blessing and glorify God in all we do and say that day. We can pray that He will give us eyes to see His handiwork and touch in and on our day. How about praying to see the needs of others, to be observant. Maybe pray to be an encouragement to those around us. How about, Lord let others see Jesus in me today? Lord, lead me this day, show me where to walk, show me what You want me to do today. bJust a few simple prayers to start the day right. It only takes a couple of minutes of time.
They day may not go exactly as I have prayed that morning. Our days rarely go as we desire or plan. We don't always live up to our expectations. But I think if we start out in an upward looking place and start our day with the Lord, we determine our focus and point our minds in the right direction giving us a good foundation to build on for the rest of the day.
Lord, You are our starting point. Help us to make You our focus the moment we open our eyes in the morning. Then give us the grace and strength to carry that focus throughout our day. We, Your children truly want to glorify You and be the blessing You desire us to be. Give us the right start to our days so we can honor You in them. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Start your day with prayer.
Psalm 5:3 Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
Pslam 143:8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
The Right Perspective
A recent meme on Facebook gave me a little bit of conviction today. I mean, did you ever really think about all the things that go right as you go through your day? Or are you like me, mumbly and grumbly when things go wrong. You stub your toe, drop a glass, spill your coffee....whatever little annoyance happens...we kind of mumble under our breath or complain out loud....and then we clean up and move on. But we just darkened our space, inside and out a little bit more.
What if we spent just one day adjusting our focus to the things that go right. LOL And then lets up the ante a bit and be thankful for each and every one of them. I bet we wouldn't have even a second to notice or complain about the things that go wrong or get under our skin that day.
Just an interesting thought. Just another way to place our focus on the blessings of God.
Lord, forgive us for looking in the wrong direction. Give us eyes to see the good, the right, the usual that You bless each day. I know there is good in all things because all things come from or are permitted by You. But we take for granted all the things that run smoothly just because they are running smoothly. Let us give You thanks and glory and notice Your touch upon our day.
Change your focus.
Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
The Road Less Taken
Gossip. It's everywhere. TV, tabloids, newspapers, social media, the workplace. We live in a gossip laden society, everyone loves a juicy story about someone else. In my workplace gossip is practiced on an olympic level. It's hard to avoid someone saying something about someone else. But avoid I try. I'm not always successful, but I'm working on it. Gossip is so detrimental. It focuses on the negative, changes our opinions about someone else, usually with no other basis than the biased opinion of the gossiper. We have a new co-worker coming on board in a couple of weeks, and I've already been told this person is not a great worker. I've already judged and condemned the new person in my mind without ever even meeting them. (Yes, I repented of this, but you see how damaging gossip can be). Lord forgive me!
So it's funny (and of course a timely God visit) that I just read a short devotional on gossip. As a meditated on the devotional and the accompanying I wondered how else we can step away from the gossip games that surround us. The Lord had a few suggestions!
The Scripture given was Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. If we bend our thinking toward the positive, we see people in a different light. The first thing that needs to change is our thinking. Secondly, our speech needs to reflect the new way of thinking. Say something positive about the person. Even the smallest thing can change the flow of conversation. Steer the conversation away from damaging to uplifting. This takes practice, but eventually we can become stars at doing this.
And as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Never stop praying. Pray for the person who is being gossiped about. Pray for the person you want to gossip about. Pray for those doing the gossiping. And pray for ourselves that we would have the courage to speak out against gossip or walk away. Sometimes we may have to speak up, not in a self-righteous, holier-than-thou kind of way, but just simply putting it out there that we would rather not speak ill of others. (think humility!) We may just end up starting a trend--the gossip free zones!
Lord, let us be light in the darkness. Help us to not only opt out of gossip, but to lead others away from it as well. Help us to see others through Your eyes, to seek out the positive and speak out the uplifting. Proverbs 16:24 Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Let our words bring health and sweetness to those around us. Let our words be encouraging. Help us to stand against Satan's evil tool of gossip, wherever we encounter it. Give us hearts of love. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Put into practice God's remedy against gossip. Pray. Think. Pray. Speak. Pray.
Ephesians 4:29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
So it's funny (and of course a timely God visit) that I just read a short devotional on gossip. As a meditated on the devotional and the accompanying I wondered how else we can step away from the gossip games that surround us. The Lord had a few suggestions!
The Scripture given was Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. If we bend our thinking toward the positive, we see people in a different light. The first thing that needs to change is our thinking. Secondly, our speech needs to reflect the new way of thinking. Say something positive about the person. Even the smallest thing can change the flow of conversation. Steer the conversation away from damaging to uplifting. This takes practice, but eventually we can become stars at doing this.
And as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Never stop praying. Pray for the person who is being gossiped about. Pray for the person you want to gossip about. Pray for those doing the gossiping. And pray for ourselves that we would have the courage to speak out against gossip or walk away. Sometimes we may have to speak up, not in a self-righteous, holier-than-thou kind of way, but just simply putting it out there that we would rather not speak ill of others. (think humility!) We may just end up starting a trend--the gossip free zones!
Lord, let us be light in the darkness. Help us to not only opt out of gossip, but to lead others away from it as well. Help us to see others through Your eyes, to seek out the positive and speak out the uplifting. Proverbs 16:24 Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Let our words bring health and sweetness to those around us. Let our words be encouraging. Help us to stand against Satan's evil tool of gossip, wherever we encounter it. Give us hearts of love. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Put into practice God's remedy against gossip. Pray. Think. Pray. Speak. Pray.
Ephesians 4:29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Good Advice
The Lord gave me some good advice lately. He brought me back to my early walk with Him after I got clean and sober. I was a drug addict and an alcoholic. The Lord delivered me from the prison of addiction through a lot of time spent with Him in prayer and study, and working through the 12 step program. He brought godly councilors into my life and surrounded me with strong, determined people in the groups I was involved with, gave me a wonderful support system in my family and friends and brought me to a place of freedom that I am grateful for every day.
One of the things I learned back in those days was a simple prayer called the "The Serenity Prayer." Many of you may have heard of it, but have never really given it much thought. Many of you may have some of it memorized or know it just because you've heard it a few times before. Our Father brought this sweet gem to my mind a few days ago, when I spent yet another day at work fussing and fretting over things not being done right, or as efficiently and wisely as possible. My partner and I have a desire to see things done in a way that brings the best job we can for the customers we serve.
Having that desire is good. Wanting to do your best is admirable and godly. And that's where God's advice came in. He brought the Serenity Prayer back to my mind (I hadn't thought about it in ages), and told me to do my job with excellence and let the rest go. I can't always change things and people around me. And it isn't my job to do so. That's not saying I don't make suggestions on how we can improve or do something better. But I cannot force anyone to change the way they do things, especially the United States Postal Service. LOL. All I can do is my best.
We are called to maintain peace and remain in peace. We are called to be peacemakers. Fussing and fretting will never coexist with peace and joy and loving others. Another piece of advice we used to bandy around the 12 Step groups was "Let go and let God." This does not mean giving up, but letting God do what I cannot do. 1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Our God gives great advice!
Lord, thank You for bringing these things to my remembrance. Help me and all of us to put them into practice. Make us people of excellence, not perfection. Help us to let go of expectations for those around us...You work in them and let us focus on glorifying You in our work and loving others as You did. In Jesus Name. Amen.
What situation do you need to let go and let God? Where could you use the Serenity Prayer in your day?
A lot of people have the first few lines memorized and those are great to get us through the day with our sanity in tact...but I put the complete prayer because it is so perfectly suited to our days walking through this world.
One of the things I learned back in those days was a simple prayer called the "The Serenity Prayer." Many of you may have heard of it, but have never really given it much thought. Many of you may have some of it memorized or know it just because you've heard it a few times before. Our Father brought this sweet gem to my mind a few days ago, when I spent yet another day at work fussing and fretting over things not being done right, or as efficiently and wisely as possible. My partner and I have a desire to see things done in a way that brings the best job we can for the customers we serve.
Having that desire is good. Wanting to do your best is admirable and godly. And that's where God's advice came in. He brought the Serenity Prayer back to my mind (I hadn't thought about it in ages), and told me to do my job with excellence and let the rest go. I can't always change things and people around me. And it isn't my job to do so. That's not saying I don't make suggestions on how we can improve or do something better. But I cannot force anyone to change the way they do things, especially the United States Postal Service. LOL. All I can do is my best.
We are called to maintain peace and remain in peace. We are called to be peacemakers. Fussing and fretting will never coexist with peace and joy and loving others. Another piece of advice we used to bandy around the 12 Step groups was "Let go and let God." This does not mean giving up, but letting God do what I cannot do. 1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Our God gives great advice!
Lord, thank You for bringing these things to my remembrance. Help me and all of us to put them into practice. Make us people of excellence, not perfection. Help us to let go of expectations for those around us...You work in them and let us focus on glorifying You in our work and loving others as You did. In Jesus Name. Amen.
What situation do you need to let go and let God? Where could you use the Serenity Prayer in your day?
A lot of people have the first few lines memorized and those are great to get us through the day with our sanity in tact...but I put the complete prayer because it is so perfectly suited to our days walking through this world.
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